tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post5115820697278117713..comments2024-03-28T02:00:11.260-05:00Comments on A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: Celebrate Good TimesJA Konrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-72227270105968005252010-10-17T15:24:55.106-05:002010-10-17T15:24:55.106-05:00Congrats Joe. I know that you've worked your b...Congrats Joe. I know that you've worked your butt off on this.<br /><br />I love your voice on this blog and it has proven an inspiration for many of us. Very obviously a labor of love (and a profitable one).<br /><br />Let's have a glass of wine to celebrate. What? You can't travel to NC for a glass of wine. Oh well, more wine for me. :)Dawnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02896381441228343533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-49001912948823599562010-07-07T22:03:21.332-05:002010-07-07T22:03:21.332-05:00@Robert I have no idea, they haven't released ...@Robert I have no idea, they haven't released that information yet. I'm on the newsletter thing from them to be notified when details are released, though.Zoe Wintershttp://www.zoewinters.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-57124500473611243772010-07-07T11:56:53.669-05:002010-07-07T11:56:53.669-05:00@Zoe, thanks. Any idea what their royalty terms wi...@Zoe, thanks. Any idea what their royalty terms will be?Robert Burton Robinsonhttp://www.robertburtonrobinson.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-63882319955076844592010-07-07T10:10:39.985-05:002010-07-07T10:10:39.985-05:00@Robert,
You can opt out of B&N and then put...@Robert, <br /><br />You can opt out of B&N and then put your books on B&N directly through PubIt, I'm betting with direct access it'll be easier to get things done.Zoe Wintershttp://www.zoewinters.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-13294963651508042252010-07-04T13:55:11.329-05:002010-07-04T13:55:11.329-05:00Rex, Joe, and Anonymous,
I lowered the price of o...Rex, Joe, and Anonymous,<br /><br />I lowered the price of one of my books on Smashwords from $1.99 to $0.99 4 or 5 months ago. The price changed on Kobo and it is correct on Sony, but it is still stuck at $1.99 on B&N. I don't think this is a Smashwords problem. I believe it is B&N.<br /><br />I have six Kindle books, all priced at $0.99. If I raised them to $2.99 on Amazon and Smashwords, it would take a while before the Smashword version updated on Kobo and Sony, which is understandable. But on B&N I suspect they would stay at $0.99 indefinitely.<br /><br />I'm considering opting out of B&N for my next novel if they don't correct this issue. It's just not worth it.<br /><br />Also, Joe, Congratulations!!!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=robert+burton+robinson&x=0&y=0" rel="nofollow">Bicycle Shop Murder<br />Hideaway Hospital Murders<br />Illusion of Luck<br />Fly the Rain<br />Sweet Ginger Poison<br />Classical Revenge</a>Robert Burton Robinsonhttp://www.robertburtonrobinson.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-62549966212421485522010-07-03T23:13:35.985-05:002010-07-03T23:13:35.985-05:00Wow, Joe, your answers are super candid and kind. ...Wow, Joe, your answers are super candid and kind. Thanks for taking the time to reply to your readers.Coolkayaker1https://www.blogger.com/profile/16480679419271233314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-74051136981883605842010-07-03T20:20:19.463-05:002010-07-03T20:20:19.463-05:00Thanks Joe and Rex,
appreciate it. I understand b...Thanks Joe and Rex, <br />appreciate it. I understand better now. I see Joe also wrote a post just now on pricing at Amaz. Will read.<br /><br />Rex, those are great #s for you at Amaz. Poor 1 little soldier at Smashwords. Wonder what Amaz is doing so differently than those SW feeds? <br /><br /> 5 months to hear back re request for take down? English not my first language, but did I understand this rightly? That seems rude.dr. cpenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-58746265265684271372010-07-03T18:56:13.542-05:002010-07-03T18:56:13.542-05:00Joe,
You got taken--the x-ray specs I ordered wor...Joe,<br /><br />You got taken--the x-ray specs I ordered worked just fine! You should demand a refund!<br /><br />MariaMariahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11234907275906877802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-33619791180026322412010-07-03T08:57:12.944-05:002010-07-03T08:57:12.944-05:00dr. cpe, Amazon's price reduction for me, I be...dr. cpe, Amazon's price reduction for me, I believe, is due to a 20% off sale price at Kobo books. Amazon is matching that. I had my books distributed to Kobo, B&N, Apple & Sony via Smashwords. I can request to have those books pulled from any or all of those sites, but there is a delay (in my case 5 months and counting). I've sold almost 6000 copies of PUNCTURED at Amazon in 5 months--at Smashwords, 1 copy. For me, Smashwords isn't worth the trouble. But I don't do this for a living.Rex Kuslerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06629682795065138786noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-48057486571819487782010-07-03T08:54:21.587-05:002010-07-03T08:54:21.587-05:00Thanks all for the kind words.
I've always wo...Thanks all for the kind words.<br /><br /><i>I've always wondered, when you collaborate with a big name author like that is it a flat fee or do you still get royalties from sales?</i><br /><br />I'll be getting royalties. But that's really rare, if not completely unheard of.<br /><br /><i>How do you go about getting reviews on an original book published on Kindle? </i><br /><br />http://dtp.amazon.com. <br /><br /><i>what are the chances I will *ever* get those rights back on either one of those books?</i><br /><br />Depends on your contract. But once they're out of print and you've sent them a latter, you should have the rights back within a few months.<br /><br /><i>Anything to report on the "steal this ebook" experiment? It's been exactly a month now.</i><br /><br />I'll have a detailed report in a few days. In a nutshell: my sales went up.<br /><br /><i>Shot of Tequila is list $2.99 but currently reduced to $1.59 sale price at Kindle. </i><br /><br />Several of my Kindle books are being discounted to match prices on Kobo, which put them on sale.<br /><br />We're currently working to straighten this out. As Zoe said, it doesn't make sense to start pulling titles from retailers. Especially since my Kobo numbers aren't in yet. I need to know how many I'm selling before I decide what to do.<br /><br /><i>the $10k in June is only Amazon e-book sales?</i><br /><br />That's for only my self-pubbed Kindle novels, nothing else. And it's closer to $12,000.<br /><br /><i>You mention the rejections about every third post on your blog. </i><br /><br />Twelve years of struggling and hoping is tough to let go of. Especially since it seems like I was busting my ass to get into an industry that is quite obviously broken. <br /><br />Traditional publishing has huge successes, but many more failures. If a self-pubber can take a failure and make it a success, then the problem wasn't with the book. It was with the industry.<br /><br /><i>I would also like to know, can you have Amazon leave up the normal price and put a book on sale? </i><br /><br />If you choose 35%, it stays list price. If you choose 70%, Amazon can discount it to match competitor's prices.<br /><br /><i>How can someone else decide to sell your work for $0?</i><br /><br />Don't allow your ebooks to be sold with any retailer that discounts, if this bothers you.<br /><br />Right now Smashwords is talkign with Kobo to get them to put my ebooks at list price. If they don't, then I'll have to decide if it is worth staying on Kobo.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-6742033432631837942010-07-03T03:23:40.458-05:002010-07-03T03:23:40.458-05:00Joe, congrats, bet your family is happy too
20th ...Joe, congrats, bet your family is happy too<br /><br />20th novel: amazing<br /><br />@ rex and Joe, both<br />are you saying at Amazon you dont/ cant set your own prices? That there's sudden decisions to cut the authors' incomes that are not in concert with authors?<br /><br />That sounds devastating.<br /><br />How can someone else decide to sell your work for $0?<br /><br />Why would authors ever bother to sell through amaz=barnes if they work in tandem in lowering prices without permission? <br /><br />Hope you all who understand this way better than most of us, can tell us how to avoid this happening. Or is it a crap shoot somehow?<br /><br />thanksdr. cpenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-16034632391589097102010-07-03T00:06:22.990-05:002010-07-03T00:06:22.990-05:00MJA ware said:
I'm thrilled to hear about any...MJA ware said:<br /><i> I'm thrilled to hear about any author who can pay the bills doing what they love.</i><br />This is a quarter of the reason I read this site. :) <br /><br />Anon said:<br /><i> JA, Shot of Tequila is list $2.99 but currently reduced to $1.59 sale price at Kindle.</i><br />Interesting... JA, I would be interesting to know if you have alternate sales channels that might be 'undercutting' your sales plan.<br /><br />I would also like to know, can you have Amazon leave up the normal price and put a book on sale? <br /><br />A a reader (but lover of books), following the 'trials' of indie authors has been fascinating.<br /><br />Neilwannabuyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04297458705683991405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-42435511891604928922010-07-02T22:05:06.425-05:002010-07-02T22:05:06.425-05:00Joe, your success and the sharing of it with write...Joe, your success and the sharing of it with writers is commendable. I certainly enjoy your prose, and second the comment of the above poster regarding Endurance. I’m about ½ way through, and that Rushmore Inn is one creepy-ass place!<br /><br />Questions about your numbers: the $10k in June is only Amazon e-book sales? Does it include Amazon print sales? Does that number included non-Amazon print and e-book sales (Borders, B&N, etc.)? Just seeing how much a mid-list author with over 500 rejections can muster, financially-speaking. You mention the rejections about every third post on your blog. You’ve proven yourself…the agents and publishers that rejected you are now cowering in the shadow of your e-sales, wishing they’d ridden your coat tails for a stuffed piggy bank. Their loss.<br /><br />Enjoy the beer. If you do a signing in Chicagoland, I’ll pop one with you. Of course, now that hard cover sales are couch-change for you, your days schlepping product at retailers in-person may be numbered.Coolkayaker1https://www.blogger.com/profile/16480679419271233314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-5381676204357021592010-07-02T20:48:08.344-05:002010-07-02T20:48:08.344-05:00JA, Shot of Tequila is list $2.99 but currently re...JA, Shot of Tequila is list $2.99 but currently reduced to $1.59 sale price at Kindle. If the reduction is to match the price of another online seller (which it most likely is), then you're losing money by virtue of someone else putting it on sale. Just FYI.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-49782443406466537322010-07-02T19:55:11.886-05:002010-07-02T19:55:11.886-05:00Good for you, Joe.Good for you, Joe.Linda Pendletonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04333787752335329007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-56151439295870981022010-07-02T16:49:34.398-05:002010-07-02T16:49:34.398-05:00Oh, Joe. That's fantastic news all the way aro...Oh, Joe. That's fantastic news all the way around. Congratulations!Beth Ciottahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02251212401535078560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-71086476989431348542010-07-02T14:40:56.113-05:002010-07-02T14:40:56.113-05:00Anything to report on the "steal this ebook&q...Anything to report on the "steal this ebook" experiment? It's been exactly a month now.xtermnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-19597947492774785692010-07-02T13:49:51.210-05:002010-07-02T13:49:51.210-05:00Congratulations Joe. 20 novels is a great, no, com...Congratulations Joe. 20 novels is a great, no, commendable achievement, especially after all those years trying to get published.<br /><br />Keep on keeping on, whatever route you choose. MelMarcie Steelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06921930565391929367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-33181457276498450392010-07-02T10:23:30.969-05:002010-07-02T10:23:30.969-05:00Right on Joe...Although I have a traditional contr...Right on Joe...Although I have a traditional contract with a non-traditional indy-minded press, Stone House, I'm also happy to announce that their thinking outside the box has propelled my new thriller The Remains as far No. 47 on the Hard Boiled Kindle bestseller list. The novel has been chiming in at around No 80 in books and also has been appearing in in the top 100 on Romantic Suspense...E-Books and Kindles Rock!!! Anyone who wants to check it out:<br />http://www.amazon.com/The-Remains-ebook/dp/B003TSEN0I/ref=pd_sim_kinc_3?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2Vincent Zandrihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00034793324551937995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-74804944234052038932010-07-02T10:04:17.474-05:002010-07-02T10:04:17.474-05:00Bubbly all round - great indie success!
It's ...Bubbly all round - great indie success!<br /><br />It's all in the marketing!DesGreenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02101858584133187717noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-5929267046519741852010-07-02T09:42:06.345-05:002010-07-02T09:42:06.345-05:00*Raises his Guinness*
*Looks at Joe when the tab ...*Raises his Guinness*<br /><br />*Looks at Joe when the tab comes*Mosesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-28728994926993348752010-07-02T09:41:51.358-05:002010-07-02T09:41:51.358-05:00A HUGE congratulations and may your success contin...A HUGE congratulations and may your success continue.Errol R. Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04766067029915586616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-347462507956768162010-07-02T09:14:35.427-05:002010-07-02T09:14:35.427-05:00Congratulations on all counts, Joe.
I'll make...Congratulations on all counts, Joe.<br /><br />I'll make sure to order the top shelf vodka next time you're buying at a conference. :-)Mary Stellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02186261066656584772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1143100353799414392010-07-02T08:43:51.768-05:002010-07-02T08:43:51.768-05:00Congratulations! You're an inspiration. Have a...Congratulations! You're an inspiration. Have a beer for me too.L.J. Sellershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10213491074676394406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-12482106420668253502010-07-02T07:07:28.143-05:002010-07-02T07:07:28.143-05:00Good for you, Joe!! You're a pioneer, for sure...Good for you, Joe!! You're a pioneer, for sure. <br /><br />2 questions: 1. How do you go about getting reviews on an original book published on Kindle? <br /><br />2. Two of my books have just gone out of print and I've requested the return of my rights. One was published in 2003 and has never been an e-book; however, the other is currently still an e-book and is being presented for sale for $5.99 in all of the e-book venues....Given all that is now going on in e-publishing and e-reading, what are the chances I will *ever* get those rights back on either one of those books?<br /><br />Thanks for your smarts.Anna Jeffreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01388699459504488552noreply@blogger.com