Got this post from book guru Derek Doepker and is one every writer should read. BookBub is big in the book world. (Thank you, Derek.)
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Check out these tips for using BookBub’s marketing tools and growing visibility on the platform without breaking the bank!
Menna Azzollini wrote this post about why authors shouldn’t use social media. I agree with some of the things she is saying. I don’t think social media is the greatest place to sell books, but I think it’s a good place to make connections to readers and writers and a place authors can support each other. Yes, you putting yourself out there might not get a lot of attention, but if you are supporting other authors and they are supporting you, then your reach gets a little wider 🙂
I also agree that it’s not good to spend too much time on social media. I set up my website posts to go to FB, Lk’d-in, and twitter so one thing I do goes to 4 places! I “like” and post other author’s posts to twitter and facebook, which doesn’t take much time, either.
I do like her list of other marketing options.
What do you think about social media for authors?
Source: Why Authors Should Not Use Social Media | TCK Publishing
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
Wow! This post by Mark Coker of Smashwords lets all us indie authors on some very disturbing news – basically the devaluation of an already inexpensive way to read your book.
Amazon is decreasing the fee needed for readers to get into their book subscription service: Kindle Unlimited. Now in India, it has cut the cost of this service from $9.99 to $3! with hints of doing the same in other countries.
Read Marks post and see how some readers are responding. It is sad but not to surprising. And Mark gives us all a way to change this. Please read on!
Source: Smashwords
Laurence has made some good suggestions about tweeting for book sales. Take a peek:
7 Must-Do Tactics for Promotional Tweets | BooksGoSocial Book Marketing Blog.
According to The New York Times:
In the United States and Britain, sales of e-books represent between a quarter and a third of the consumer book market and, by 2018, will edge out printed and audio books as the most lucrative segment, according to projections by the consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers.
As Nate Hoffelder of The Digital Reader points out though, the “perennial ebook optimists” at PricewaterhouseCoopers have now moved that goalpost back two years running. In 2012 they predicted that eBook sales would outpace print by 2016. In 2013, they said it’d happen in 2017. Now… it’s 2018.
One thing is certain, though: for many years to come, authors in the United Sates and Britian will need to make their books available in both print and digital editions in order to reach the most readers.
It’s also interesting to see how much less a share of the marketplace eBooks hold in many European countries. It’s exciting to see the growth opportunity for digital books in that region, but also a great chance for authors to continue selling print books to the millions of English-speakers in countries like Germany, Sweden, Norway, etc.
From Chris Robley of bookbaby
If you are not planning on doing this for your next book launch, you need to add it to your do to list. It can be a wonderful way to push your book up in the sales list.
I am going to give it a go with my new book Will the Real Carolyn Keene Please Stand Up, which I plan to release June 30th. I’ll let you know how it goes. Amazon (and Smashwords, strangely enough) doesn’t allow people to order ahead but I created a work around using a Smashwords coupon code. It will require me to keep a running list of Kindle book requests, but I’m not worried about that, since I’ll have the posts on my blog to help me keep the names.
Just an FYI. I asked Amazon about presale for print books. They do do that, but it has to be 6 month from when the book is available. I’m not sure what indie author has a cover set over 6 months before launch. Not me!
Smashwords: Hit the Ebook Bestseller Lists with Preorders – A Guide to Preorder Strategy.
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I have attached my presale page so you can see what I came up with for additions to the sale to my new book.
Cover by Earl Keleny and selfpubbookcovers.com
Have you every wondered who came up with the clever, handy, intelligent and fashionable Nancy Drew?
Well now you can find out by reading “Will the Real Carolyn Keene Please Stand Up.”
It actually wasn’t one person who created Nancy, it was three, but there is some debate about even that.
The ebook is on pre-SALE for $2.99 now through June 30th! Come July 1 it will sell for $4.99
Barnes and Noble Apple ibookstore (and soon to be on Kobo presale!)
Note for Kindle Users: Amazon doesn’t do presales for ebooks, so if you have a Kindle and want to take advantage of this sale, leave me a comment to that effect on this post and I’ll give you a code for a discounted ebook come July 1 with the same extras as below depending on when you post your message.
IF YOU BUY THE EBOOK IN
Week 1: between June 1 – 7, and you sign up to get email notices from this blog
(or if you are already a fan of this blog and you tell me in a post that you referred a friend to this blog),
I will give you the paper version of the book for $10! (That’s 40% off the normal cover price of $16- shipping not included)
Week 2: between June 8th and 14th, if you write a review for this book on your favor book site and you send me a link to your review,
I will give you the paper version of the book for $10 and a free ebook of your choice! (That’s 40% off the normal cover price of $16- shipping not included)
Week 3: between June 15th and 21st, and you like my book facebook page (www.facebook.com/ckbooks), I will give you any one of my other ebooks absolutely FREE!
Week 4: between June 22nd and June 30th, if you tweet or share this book or this blog post on facebook, I will give you any one of my other ebooks absolutely FREE!
So tell your friends and pick up “Will the Real Carolyn Keene Please Stand Up” and find the true story behind the Nancy that everyone knows and loves.
Barnes and Noble Kobo Apple ibookstore
(note: the Kobo link is not up as of today, but I’ll add it as soon as it becomes live!)
from flickr
Pat yourself on the back all you self-published authors (or soon to be) for helping the publishing industry in general. Interesting article by David Vinjamuri.
Is Publishing Still Broken? The Surprising Year In Books – Forbes.
Now is about the time to start signing up for those fairs and festivals that frequently occur in the fall. Terry Cordingley has some ideas about the subject that I thought you might like. I have found that craft fairs can be fairly profitable affair for a book seller. You are frequently the only person selling books so it’s a nice place to stand out.
I think it’s handy to have a smart phone with a credit card swiper at these sales – the folks at these sales have only have so much cash and they are much more likely to buy your book(s) if they can use credit. I use the free paypal swiper. Make sure it works for your smart phone before you got to the sale. I had to change phones to get mine to work. I should have had the swiper with me when I bought the phone but I didn’t. Live and learn.
Anyway, sign up and go to any fair or festival you can get to. It’s a great way to get your name out locally.
Terry Cordingley: Day 15: Selling Books at Fairs and Festivals. Thanks for the reminder, Terry!
Serendipity and Samples Can Save Barnes & Noble – Bloomberg.
I don’t think Virginia’s idea of a Barnes and Noble book warehouse/membership house would work. Sounds like a library to me. But it is a good question whether B & N can survive. Smaller stores might be a better idea. If they go under, my guess is the indie bookstores that have managed to stay afloat will still be around and can fill in the gap.
I am no fan of B & N since they make it very difficult (if not impossible) for indie authors to put their books in their stores (unlike the sadly defunct Borders), but I do buy from them on occasion.
As with most things, time, and the pocket book, will tell.
CKBooks Publishing 