This is a very important post for those who live outside of the US. I had no clue! Thanks Dave and Marta!
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Reduce Amazon Tax withholdings by 30 percent and set up an ACX account if you’re a non-US authors and increase your Kindle royalties in 5 easy steps.
Source: Avoid the 30% Tax Withholding for Non-US Self Publishers
I agree with Steven Spatz in this post – putting books (ebook or print) is a must for Amazon, but don’t stop there. The other company that has made it very doable is IngramSpark. They are not as user friendly or free (as compared to Amazon), but their distribution options, known name and quality of product make it worth the small investment and time needed to set your book(s) there as well. Though I would not use IngramS. for your ebook – there are many more and less expensive options – my favorite being Smashwords, since they put you ebook on ibooks, B&N, Kobo, library distributors and more.
The #1 mistake made by self-published authors! Here is a list of book distributors for worldwide book sales in addition to Amazon and Amazon Kindle.
Source: Book Distribution For Self-Published Authors Beyond Amazon & Kindle | BookBaby Blog
For authors out there who have an ebook(s) and you would like to promote it, every year Smashwords does a big ebook promotion week. This year it is March 5th – 11th.
If you’d like to participate, you can go here to easily add your books to this promotion. If you’re not on Smashwords, there is also a link on this page to set your book(s) on Smashwords. I’ve been on Smashwords for years and think they are a very good company that really looks out for author’s interest. Mark Coker – the owner of Smashwords – has also given you different ideas on how to use this promotion.
I’m discounting all my books – why not, it’s only for a week!
CKBooks Publishing
Where Publishing Dreams Become Reality
“You’ve just published or are about to publish a book and you want the world to know about it, right? A press release is an effective way to capture the attention of the media and other organization…” Lois Hoffman
“An effective way to capture media attention”? I’m not so sure. I’ve written and sent out many press releases and have garnered little media attention, and I know I’ve done a decent job with the release.
Are they still a good idea? Yes, mostly because it’s not that hard to do and it is something you want on hand, in case an opportunity comes up for you to use it – like if you have a book launch at a local bookstore or library; and it is another marketing tool that media are used to seeing, so it doesn’t hurt to send it out – especially to smaller, local papers, radio and TV stations. You might get on the morning news program, who knows. I have had to create one at the last minute for one of my books because I didn’t do it initially and I needed it for a book contest I was entering or some such thing.
And the shorter the better. Everyone is busy so keep it simple and concise. Also know that the media may even use parts of the release verbatim (to save them time), so keep that in mind when writing it, along with the idea that the more “news worthy” it is, the more likely the media will pay attention, so change it depending on who you’re sending it to. You might want to say something different to your local paper than to a larger organization you have no particular ties to.
The link below is to Lois’ full article on press release specifics. Check it out!
Source: How to Write a Press Release for a Book – The Happy Self-Publisher
CKBooks Publishing
Where Publishing Dreams Become Reality
Here’s some interesting news from Nate Hoffelder for those authors who have just electronic versions of their books. This is a wonderful service for authors to get their print books done as well.
But once this becomes a thing – remember that Amazon charges 60% for expanded distribution of print books.
I recommend to all my clients that they sell print books through Amazon, opt out of Amazon’s expanded distribution, and use IngramSpark for expanded distribution, which has wider distribution around the world (including libraries) and you get to choose what % the retailer gets (though keep in mind – 40% is standard for retailers and Ingram takes 15% so the standard is 55%). They also print better quality books (ones that you might order for yourself to sell or give as gifts.)
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For the longest time Amazon has offered two distribution platforms for books. Publishers could use KDP to sell ebooks in the Kindle Store, and they could use Createspace (and before that, Booksurge) to distribute POD books. Now Amazon is testing a combined interface where publishers can manage both their ebooks in the Kindle Store and their POD books in Createspace. The new feature is called KDP Print, and according to the comment thread at KBoards this feature has been available to a limited number of KDP users since July 2016. […]
Source: KDP Print – Amazon is Beta-Testing a Combined Kindle and POD Dashboard | The Digital Reader
CKBooks Publishing
Where Publishing Dreams Become Reality
Amy Collins gives us some good advice about planning ahead related to book marketing and sales, not something I am particularly good at. I also want to add, it has been my experience that libraries also tend to budget quite a bit ahead, so if you want to offer a writing program, or “How I Self-Published My First Book” workshop, or a book reading/sale, you would want to contact libraries now. Many will be planning for next year about now.
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Amy’s post:
October already? How the heck did THAT happen? Another month of great marketing and sales successes to be had. Let’s get started with this month’s three tidbits of book promotion experience:
Source: Book Promotion: Do This, Not That – October 2016 – The Book Designer
Not exactly what we mean by “launching” your book 🙂
Are you currently writing a book? Is there a little niggle in the back of your brain that is telling you, “I wonder if I should start working on a plan for my book launch.” Kathy Meis of Bublish has put together some nice information about what to think about and put in your book launch plan. There are many things you can do, and Kathy doesn’t mention them all, of course, but she’s got some good ideas and reiterates things you probably already know but haven’t gotten around to doing.
Keep in mind, even if your book is already out there and you want to implement some of these things, it’s really never too late. Earlier is always better but do what you can when you can and slowly work you and your book into the reading public’s eye. She is definitely correct in that if you want your book(s) to be a commercial success, you have to treat your book like a business, which requires time and a bit of money.
Thanks for your insights, Kathy!
NOTE: I am not endorsing Bublish or Alliance of Independent Authors in any manner – I actually don’t know anything about them other than I’ve heard their name around the book word.
CKBooks Publishing
Where Publishing Dreams Become Reality
(image from imgflip.com)
“One of my goals on this blog is to share my self-publishing mistakes so you don’t repeat them yourself. I’ve already discussed the importance of spending your money wisely with my artic…”
Great opening paragraph to a good post by Michel Sauret (no I didn’t spell his first name incorrectly – what parent does that to a kid!) about Publishers Weekly paid reviews. Check it out (and his Kirkus article)! I’d think long and hard before I spent money on a review for all the reasons Michel says in his Kirkus posts. I’d rather spend my money on facebooks ads or on travel to actual bookstore, libraries, book events… I think my marketing dollars are better spent getting more Average-Joe/Jane reviews. I haven’t cracked the library barrier (other than person to person), but I’m not sure getting a paid review from say Kirkus or Blue Ink will get me looked at anyway. Obviously PW Select is not the way to go, either!
You can get a free review from Library Journal and Foreward Review (a new co. in the review business) if you plan ahead – get them the galley or book 2-3 months ahead of your publishing date. I wish I could make myself do this, but I have not been able to hold onto a finished book for that long. I’ll have to try it sometime, but it’s a lot to ask when a review from one of these places might not even get noticed. It is a risk you take.
Library Journal will also review already published books, but it would only be if one of their online magazine folds wants to read it and post a review. I sent my Agnes Kelly MG mystery adventure (Intrigue in Istanbul) to one such reviewer and never heard back. It cost me the printing cost of the book and shipping, so I wasn’t out much. If you go to their site and read their submission policy, you’ll be directed to how this works.
Michel said it cost $50 for a Midwest Book Review. Midwest Book Review didn’t used to charge for reviews. That’s new to me. I’ve had a few of my books reviewed by them (before they charged for it) and I’m not sure how much the reviews helped, though $50 is not too much to charge, in my book.
I’d love to hear other author’s insights or experiences. How do you get your reviews?
Some interesting information for authors everywhere! Like that ibooks bestseller list too! Thanks for gathering this information, Amy!
Interesting news from book business and Thad Mcilroy. I also know a print book author that got her book in a local (Wisconsin) B & N store, I think primarily because of a supportive store manager. She had to show the manager her book promotion plan and she let her do a reading and stock her book – Tween/YA fantasy fiction. For others, it might not be as easy going (per the article). Slowly, slowly, they are learning that self-published authors are an asset.
In its latest effort to reclaim lost territory from Amazon, Barnes & Noble will sell self-published books, in print, in its stores.
Source: B&N to Sell Self-Published Books In Stores
CKBooks Publishing
Where Publishing Dreams Become Reality
CKBooks Publishing 