tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post8725233513585988051..comments2024-03-28T02:00:11.260-05:00Comments on A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: The Bestseller ShiftJA Konrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comBlogger138125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-15696108002435363202012-08-09T20:18:57.191-05:002012-08-09T20:18:57.191-05:00I think Hocking tops you in sales because of her g...I think Hocking tops you in sales because of her genre, not that she is a better writer. I've read you but not Hocking so I can't say if one is better than the other, but Ms. Hocking certainly operates in a commercial genre.Gary Dobbs/Jack Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10935686140719743351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-15716190155578290242011-04-24T00:49:29.804-05:002011-04-24T00:49:29.804-05:00Excellent post. The future looks promising for wri...Excellent post. The future looks promising for writers ^_^Raymund Hensleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14813058517995561080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-15818652536782805542010-12-14T16:29:42.534-06:002010-12-14T16:29:42.534-06:00@Karly - I would be happy to check out a fellow ne...@Karly - I would be happy to check out a fellow new-authors work. I will look for you on Amazon and follow you along your journey. I hope you do the same for me.Megan Duncanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11053637912036415297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-27442257056314685032010-12-14T10:23:43.884-06:002010-12-14T10:23:43.884-06:00I am glad I found our blog, I have found it to be ...I am glad I found our blog, I have found it to be very informative and has given me a new perspective. I look forward to future posts. I have new hope to publish my books. I hope that someday an author as talented as yourself will enjoy my work as much as I do yours. I would love to pick your brain someday, but for now I will take this new path and see where it leads me. Wish me luck everyone!Megan Duncanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11053637912036415297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-15887402114952080842010-12-11T20:13:05.966-06:002010-12-11T20:13:05.966-06:00Thanks, Tim!Thanks, Tim!Zoe Wintershttp://www.zoewinters.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-37819749996047238872010-12-11T05:49:41.021-06:002010-12-11T05:49:41.021-06:00@Zoe and other interested US Kindle authors:
To s...@Zoe and other interested US Kindle authors:<br /><br />To set up your UK author pages go to:<br /><br />https://authorcentral.amazon.co.uk<br />and log in with your usual DTP ID.<br /><br />You can price your UK books differently to on US site. We Brits like under £1 including VAT (set price to 86 pence UK to get total 99p). Just to repeat, there is a huge Christmas Kindle boom here in the old country, so don't miss out!Tim Frostnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-89680833850927784902010-12-11T00:14:21.314-06:002010-12-11T00:14:21.314-06:00so amanda, congratulations on
your big success... ...so amanda, congratulations on<br />your big success... it allows joe<br />to argue that you don't need to<br />be joe to sell as well as he sells.<br />he's been looking for that relief;<br />it's tough to be a poster-boy...<br /><br />but amanda, here's my advice:<br />stop selling e-books for $.99...<br />you only get 40% at that price!<br /><br />bump the price to what it takes<br />to get 70% instead. you will take<br />a sales hit, yes, a fairly big one,<br />but the difference in percentage<br />is costing you too much money...<br /><br />unlike some of the people here,<br />who think with their prideful ego<br />instead of their economic brain,<br />i don't think there's any "magic"<br />in the $2.99 price -- _except_<br />it's where the major bookstores<br />shift to the bigger 70% "royalty".<br />which is all the magic you need.<br /><br />so the only "reasonable excuse"<br />for doing $.99 now is to focus on<br />growth, which is a smart thing<br />to do in this relatively new pool<br />of e-book sales. however, you,<br />amanda, have already garnered<br />the fan-base to help you grow<br />into your future, so you should<br />stop shortchanging your royalty.<br /><br />once the major bookstores learn<br />they can still make their money<br />paying a 70% "royalty" on $.99,<br />they'll begin offering that, and<br />then you can drop prices back.<br /><br />but until then, go for the 70%...<br /><br />even if it means a drop in sales<br />_and_ income in the short run,<br />because you'll power through it.<br /><br />-bowerbird<br /><br />p.s. and just so there is _no_<br />misrepresentation of this post<br />by proponents of higher prices,<br />the $.99 price _would_be_ the<br />best price if it gave 70% royalty,<br />because that's where the sales<br />_and_ the profit are maximized.<br />(the "sweet spot" might even be<br />$.49, but that ain't been tested<br />empirically, so we don't know.)bowerbirdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05962115094107919533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-25711781478982344202010-12-11T00:13:43.723-06:002010-12-11T00:13:43.723-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.bowerbirdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05962115094107919533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-12386239488444183062010-12-10T18:34:28.135-06:002010-12-10T18:34:28.135-06:00And Amanda...many many congrats! That's awesom...And Amanda...many many congrats! That's awesome!Karly Kirkpatrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05032213203101470326noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-62015450027407897082010-12-10T18:28:41.228-06:002010-12-10T18:28:41.228-06:00@M. Louisa Locke...
Congrats on your success as w...@M. Louisa Locke...<br /><br />Congrats on your success as well, those are great numbers. I just started selling last month, and I managed 93 total books, 45 of those were ebooks. <br /><br />This month so far (at 10 days in) I've only sold a grand total of 5 ebooks. I'm also a complete unknown, have a blog and some friends on FB and Goodreads, but that doesn't seem to be translating into sales this month. I thought this month might be a little slow after the family and friend supporters picked up their copies, but we'll see. Is your novel romance? Mine is YA paranormal.<br /><br />Karly<br />www.karlykirkpatrick.comKarly Kirkpatrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05032213203101470326noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-13956714450553025802010-12-10T17:57:17.235-06:002010-12-10T17:57:17.235-06:00@Jussi
OH! I got it now. Thanks for the clarifica...@Jussi<br /><br />OH! I got it now. Thanks for the clarification. And no worries, your English is great!Zoe Wintershttp://www.zoewinters.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-836517272653275232010-12-10T16:29:23.535-06:002010-12-10T16:29:23.535-06:00I'm still looking for the "sweet spot&quo...I'm still looking for the "sweet spot" for my novellas. I think $.99 is good for short stories and $2.99 for novelettes, so $3.99 for an entertaining novella might be the going rate. It's not a full-lenght novel so it shouldn't cost in $5-6 range. But the $3.99 price point is reasonable. I'll have to test the market and see what works.Merrill Heathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00164361657325279390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-43029364408676595252010-12-10T16:22:40.977-06:002010-12-10T16:22:40.977-06:00@KevinMc
Interesting points. Some things I'd l...@KevinMc<br />Interesting points. Some things I'd like to comment on, although I'm guessing that the market is different and much more evolving Stateside:<br /><br />"And the public still has a perception that free generally means worthless (i.e. it's free because it's so bad they had to GIVE it away to get it read), at least in the US."<br /><br />I'm guessing that "free" could be 1) a marketing trick (try your first shot to see if you like it and get hooked) 2) like you said, worthless in money, but without the author him/herself thinking that it's worthless and possibly hundreds of others.<br /><br />"We're really already talking about the bottom rung for price, here. The 99 point (etc.)" <br /><br />In a free market, I would believe there are no bottom rungs or top ones. And the bottom will not end at free/zero, because someone else will be paying readers to read or at least download their writings to get traffic or ads. It will be quite like the click-here ads that we have on the web now. At the bottom rung. <br /><br />At the top, it will have the same possibilities. I think I've read a book (dead tree, but with excellent carbon storage) of a 99 dollar hamburger. If I had more money, I'd want the thing upgraded to 1,000 USD. And it's just a starter.Jussi Keinonenhttp://www.pekk.finoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-2634888365666298732010-12-10T15:52:02.518-06:002010-12-10T15:52:02.518-06:00@Zoe: Sorry for my possibly broken English.
&quo...@Zoe: Sorry for my possibly broken English. <br /><br />"As for other people undercutting Joe and Amanda's prices, they can't do that without violating copyright law unless Joe and Amanda specifically published with someone who can adjust their prices."<br /><br />Didn't mean that someone would sell Joe's or Amanda's copyrighted text. Just that someone, or just about anyone, might want to sell their <i>own</i> stuff for free or almost free. And what that could do to the other authors re: their income.Jussi Keinonenhttp://www.pekk.finoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-74749054701449729072010-12-10T15:01:06.741-06:002010-12-10T15:01:06.741-06:00@Tim Frost There is a separate site for author pag...@Tim Frost There is a separate site for author pages in the UK? Could you direct me to where I need to go to sign up for that? I've already got my books on UK Kindle, but I don't have a UK author page like my US author page.<br /><br />Thx!<br /><br />(Also sorry for three posts in a row.)Zoe Wintershttp://www.zoewinters.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-78217676899350180972010-12-10T14:59:09.733-06:002010-12-10T14:59:09.733-06:00@Kevin, I would MUCH rather pay for books than hav...@Kevin, I would MUCH rather pay for books than have advertising in them. Also, when advertisers get their grubby mitts on it, they control the content. i.e. then authors have to write in ways that don't piss off the advertiser and that's likely to REALLY hurt literature.<br /><br />I also think if that does happen as readers find out how freaking annoying it is, many will go back to the option of paying for the book to get it without ads. Just like some people pay for certain website memberships without ads. People don't like ads. LOL.<br /><br />I also think if ebooks came with ads it would push me more toward print books again, or away from reading altogether. When we consider issues like this we have to consider not only the issue of the economics, but also how the audience will react.<br /><br />For example, many people will pirate TV shows to avoid ads when they could watch it free, legally on Hulu. The public has already spoken on how they feel about ads. It'll only increase piracy, IMO.Zoe Wintershttp://www.zoewinters.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-19927698671407149082010-12-10T14:55:35.758-06:002010-12-10T14:55:35.758-06:00@Jussi,
For me, the more I pay for a book the mor...@Jussi,<br /><br />For me, the more I pay for a book the more likely I am to actually read it, because I invested more money in it. But that's just me. Others mileage may vary.<br /><br />As for other people undercutting Joe and Amanda's prices, they can't do that without violating copyright law unless Joe and Amanda specifically published with someone who can adjust their prices. But a lot of people are on the agency model now with no discounting allowed. This even works for indies if they're distributing through Smashwords. Everyone retailer with a distro deal with SW has agreed to follow agency model and not discount indie books distributed through them.Zoe Wintershttp://www.zoewinters.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-79337846419365036032010-12-10T14:40:59.393-06:002010-12-10T14:40:59.393-06:00As a UK author I've been watching the UK Kindl...As a UK author I've been watching the UK Kindle bestsellers with the keenest interest. We indies are well represented both in the top 100, and in the top 20. I'm sure the readers are attracted not only by the prices (mostly $0.99 equivalent) but also by the covers and the blurbs. BUT they are then enjoying the books and leaving lots of reviews saying so. There has also been a ton of criticism of the UK big publishers who have fixed their Kindle prices at or over hardback versions. This is a tremendous gift for indie authors. I notice a number of US authors have not yet entered their author pages on the UK site which they must do separately to their US page or nothing shows. The UK is the world's second largest book market and the Kindle is taking off here right now, so don't miss out on your UK marketing, people!Tim Frostnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-54647203779991215712010-12-10T14:32:40.899-06:002010-12-10T14:32:40.899-06:00@Jussi
I don't think we will see largescale fr...@Jussi<br />I don't think we will see largescale free book markets evolve any time soon. It's expensive to collect and maintain those books. They simply *can't* get the "name" authors to put books there, so the majority of readers - looking for those names - just won't go. And the public still has a perception that free generally means worthless (i.e. it's free because it's so bad they had to GIVE it away to get it read), at least in the US.<br /><br />We may see a shift down the road toward free ebooks that are supported by internal ads, though. I wouldn't be shocked by that, at all. I'm not sure how people will react to being forced to watch a 20 second video ad between each chapter or something like that, but it will be interesting. ;)<br /><br />We're really already talking about the bottom rung for price, here. The 99 point is the low point allowed, so that's where all of the worst trash is landing, which is part of why pulling OUT of that is going to become even more important in the next year, I think. I don't think we're seeing a major negative reaction to the 2.99 price - yet - but I think we might down the road. At which point good authors will just bump up another buck.KevinMchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01965779928268962182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-41087580871945483602010-12-10T14:16:53.338-06:002010-12-10T14:16:53.338-06:00Pardon my Finnish language logic: "and most o...Pardon my Finnish language logic: "and most of our bestsellers" meant most of our bestselling authors.Jussi Keinonenhttp://www.pekk.finoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-34854189954147962932010-12-10T13:58:27.058-06:002010-12-10T13:58:27.058-06:00@Zoe: Thinking comments, thanks!
"Derivativ...@Zoe: Thinking comments, thanks! <br /><br />"Derivative is derivative and the public smells a knock-off when they see it."<br /><br />I think so, too. Or hope. But on the other hand, where will the line be drawn? What's good price for value for X is not for Y. <br /><br />"Many readers also stockpile free reads and never get around to actually reading them." <br /><br />Exactly. But on the other hand they/we also stock 0.19, 0.99, 2.99, 5.74, 9.99 and even 79.00. Which is another interesting thing for the future: when will we have data for books that have been actually read, completely? Now <i>that</i> would be an interesting list! No more bestselling blah-blah lists, no more xxx,xxx shipped out. Books that have been, what's the word in English for it – consumed? <br /><br />"I think an argument could be made for the wisdom of selling a bit higher because it takes you a little bit off the "this is cheap so it must be crap" radar." <br /><br />Business-wise, not just for profit but for image! And this sets out the next scenario: how much do you/we value our favorite authors? I guess we'll see when the dust of the revolution settles at least for some minutes. <br /><br />"Good and bad are highly subjective anyway"<br /><br />Totally agree. I know the Finnish book culture business throughly, and most of our bestsellers. It's not just a genre thing, it's of subjective values. It's the same thing all over the world. <br /><br />"And places like Amazon and B&N will not "allow" books to be sold for under 99 cents by the author."<br /><br />Note: this will change as really free markets truly evolve. Big A and B&N naturally don't want that, because they'd not be getting their agency fee. But they can't stop it, just like Joe & Amanda can't stop someone selling their own stuff for less. <br /><br />These were my two eurocents, not paying it and not getting money out of it. ;)Jussi Keinonenhttp://www.pekk.finoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-48042741405578208212010-12-10T13:14:20.160-06:002010-12-10T13:14:20.160-06:00@Kevin, Thanks for that review/info on Google Book...@Kevin, Thanks for that review/info on Google Books. I'm pretty unimpressed with them and feel they are stretching themselves too thin. <br /><br />@Jussi, True fans are pretty loyal. Books aren't widgets. I don't buy a book necessarily because it's cheap. I may "try" a book for that reason, but as recently as a couple of weeks ago I paid almost $9 for an ebook by an author I'm a fan of. My general cut-off point is $5 but I'll make an exception if I really love someone.<br /><br />I also don't think we're going to have other Joes and Amandas that are somehow copying them but only marginally lesser writers. Derivative is derivative and the public smells a knock-off when they see it. It's why there is only ONE Da Vinci code despite all the knockoffs and only ONE Harry Potter despite all the knockoffs.<br /><br />Competing on price isn't the place authors want to compete anyway. Even if there WERE someone "marginally lesser" than Joe and Amanda who was selling at 29 cents... most readers, having been exposed to a lot of 99 cent drek, are beginning to not trust super cheap reads. Many readers also stockpile free reads and never get around to actually reading them.<br /><br />People put personal value into that which they had to pay a little bit more money for. Also, it's every author's responsibility to cultivate their fan base. Meaning... you interact with your readers and build good will with your fans. The core fan base really really likes you and won't dump you to save fifty cents. <br /><br />I think an argument could be made for the wisdom of selling a bit higher because it takes you a little bit off the "this is cheap so it must be crap" radar. When readers go into a book expecting it to be crap... their reading experience will be worse, even if the book isn't actually bad.<br /><br />Good and bad are highly subjective anyway, and a reader's mood or attitude going in can influence their experience.<br /><br />I also think that any author who puts a lot of work into their fiction is going to want to be paid fairly for it. That includes those who try to undercut everyone. Eventually you just want to be paid a decent amount.<br /><br />And places like Amazon and B&N will not "allow" books to be sold for under 99 cents by the author.<br /><br />Anyway that's my 2 cents which would be perceived as more valuable if I was calling it my $25. :PZoe Wintershttp://www.zoewinters.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-53542262897541657072010-12-10T11:51:45.495-06:002010-12-10T11:51:45.495-06:00I'm impressed with Amanda's numbers, and a...I'm impressed with Amanda's numbers, and also with her writing. Good solid stuff.Jude Hardinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-53400038876746938602010-12-10T11:31:47.257-06:002010-12-10T11:31:47.257-06:00Hi,
A long-time Finnish reader here.
Sorry to ...Hi, <br /><br />A long-time Finnish reader here. <br /><br />Sorry to repeat a question or a comment which <i>must</i> have been here before: <br /><br />Probably everyone understands that sales quantities are affected by the fact that price leadership has been transferred from traditional publishers to DIY authors? Meaning that they sell their books at 2.99 or 0.99 etc. And the first ones to do this in a big scale succeed and get even more attention, like Joe and Amanda, or like Stephen King with his first e-book way back when. <br /><br />Now that every author "gets published", what do you people guess the effect will have on all authors? What will happen to Joe and Amanda's sales, when a second-rate Joe or Amanda (and I mean only <i>marginally</i> not-as-good) starts selling their books for 0.29 or 0.19 or like the trend may even be now, for free? <br /><br />The market is changing hugely, and for the first time in history it will be "fair" and "free". Everything available from everyone will be available to everyone, and pricing will be a <i>real</i> competition factor. <br /><br />It's a very interesting situation for everyone. But I have a feeling the reasonable success of Joe and Amanda may be taken over by others, because the playing field will be even more level than it was two years ago.Jussi Keinonenhttp://www.pekk.finoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-9409693942906589692010-12-10T11:11:37.976-06:002010-12-10T11:11:37.976-06:00"I have two kids who are in their early 20..."I have two kids who are in their early 20's. Yes, undoubtedly they're taking a break from the enforced literature of school days, but mostly they (and their friends) are too busy living life and loving it to bother with reading. They have no reason to escape from "real life.""<br /><br />---------<br /><br />My kids (17 and 20) and my daughter's fiance (21) are all readers. The 20-yo just finished The Kite Runner (not for school). Reading doesn't just serve as a "means of escape" at all. My husband is a voracious reader and he reads fiction maybe only twice a year. There are LOTS of other reasons to read besides escapism. You don't have to have a sucky life to be a reader! :PSelena Kitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17783685215421352626noreply@blogger.com