M.H. David's Blog, page 3

Let's Talk About Amazon Ads...

Let’s talk about Amazon ads.  I see a lot of mixed information on the dos and don’ts of running ads on Amazon.  More often than anything I see people saying they haven’t had much luck with the ads.  In my research I found that most of the people who haven’t done well with ads attribute that performance to the fact that they don’t understand how the Amazon algorithm works.  Well, that makes two of us.  However, I’ve still managed to get the ads to work for me—at least a little bit.  Okay, maybe my success depends on the angle you’re looking at it.

For anyone who doesn’t know what Amazon ads are, it’s basically a pay per click promotional tool offered by Amazon.  On your ads dashboard, you can monitor your ads exposure, it’s spending, and how many people are actually clicking on your ads.  Whether or not your ad is displayed is set up in an auction kind of arena.  You can set your bid limit per keyword (words that potential buyers use to search for a product).  You can populate keywords automatically, but I would recommend researching the best keywords for your product (500-2000 keywords works best in my experience.)  If you have a higher bid for that keyword, your book/product will be displayed at the top of the page to the potential buyer.  You are only charged for your bid if the potential buyer clicks on your ad.  Simple, right?  The only downside is, the click you just paid for does not guarantee a sale.  That’s where this turns into a gamble.  Amazon ads are an extremely useful tool to an independent author, but the key is knowing how to use it, and having the time to keep an eye on them.

My first attempt at running Amazon ads wasn’t a complete failure, but it was a near miss.  I didn’t know what I was doing.  I assumed I could add my book link, enter my search keywords, use the recommended bid amounts, and viola—I just sit back for the next month and let the sales roll in!  Nope.  That’s just a good way to throw $50 at Amazon.  Sure, I had a couple sales, and a lot of page reads to show for it, but the margins were completely wrecked. 

Let’s cut straight to this—most likely, you are going to spend more money on clicks that do not result in sales than you are ones that do.  Make sure you account for non-sale clicks when you set your bid budgets.  This can be tricky, but if you know how to budget your bills at home, you can figure this out too.  If you’re having trouble budgeting bills at home—erm, I really don’t know if I can help you with that.    

In order to soften your budget and not let the bidding-train run away with you, I recommend checking in on the ad’s performance at least two to three times per day.  You need to keep a running log of which keywords are preforming (making sales) and which ones are just making clicks (no sales).  The ones that don’t bring about sales, I would suggest cutting the bid amount back, if not removing the keyword all together.  (Don’t be too hasty on deleting keywords, because a keyword that doesn’t work one week, may deliver results the next week.)  When it comes to the keywords that make sales—you got it, focus your budget more toward them.  There are also negative keywords—if your book is and slow burn romance with a character named, Cook, you might put “Cook Books” as a negative keyword so as not attract the wrong buyers.  That might be a poor example, but I think you get the idea.  Negative keywords are essential to making sure the algorithm works for you.  For instance, besides Amazon ads, amazon will periodically recommend products/books to suited customers. 

On the Amazon’s Ad Dashboard, you will find a page which displays each keywords performance—how many clicks it’s had, how much money you’ve spent on it, and how many sales it has resulted in.  With this tool it isn’t a difficult thing to learn, it’s just time consuming, and unfortunately costs a few bucks in the beginning to find your groove.  There are so many people searching for books/products on Amazon each day, and each of them are looking for something different, and each of them are using different keywords.

I would like to share more about my experiences with Amazon ads, and other promotional tools as well, so look for those posts in the future.  For now, here is just a short punch list that may help on your own advertising journey:

·        First and foremost:  Make your book/product page is spotless!  Once you get a potential buyer to click on your ad, all the work you put into your ads goes out the window, and your book/product needs to speak for itself.  Make your pitch something that will grab the buyer’s attention, and sway them to click that order button.  Revise your product description—check for grammar, spelling, anything that might look unprofessional.  If your page looks unprofessional, or sloppy, a potential buyer may assume the book/product will be the same.  Ask for feedback, not only from friends and family, but, if possible, from your peers as well.    

·        Make sure your cover is the best it can be.  Does it attract attention?  Does it stand out on a shelf surrounded by five to ten other books?  Is it a clear image that can be made out if it is shrunk to 1 inch wide by 2 inches tall?  Because that is how your ad is going to be displayed.  Your cover will most likely be the focal attention grabber to potential buyers.  Make it pop!

·        Research a list of keywords suited to your book/product.  Remember, when making this list, stick to the basics at first.  See what works, then add and remove as needed.  There is a learning curve, but I know you can sort it out.  Also, just because Amazon recommends a keyword, that doesn’t mean it’s suited for you.  If Amazon recommends an author’s name who they believe writes similar books as yours, research that author and make sure.  The last thing a horror writer needs is to have their ads being displayed to buyers looking for uplifting spiritual writers.  Make sense?

·        Determine your bid amounts and be sure not to use your entire profit/royalty from a sale to make the sale.  It’s easy to find out how much you stand to make from each sale.  If it’s only $1.05, you shouldn’t place a bid for $2.  Furthermore, set your daily budget to something that fits your lifestyle budget.  Set it to something that won’t put a huge dent in your bank account at first, and slowly raise it if you feel you can.  If you can afford $20/day in ads, more power to you!  But you must set spending limits, or the bidding-train will run away with your credit card.    

·        CHECK YOUR ADS DAILY!  I can not stress this enough.  Set aside 15-20 minutes at least twice per day to check on how your ads are performing.  It won’t take the full 15-20 minutes most days, but don’t get in a hurry either.  Make sure you study the performance and make changes as necessary.

·        Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see any sales in the first week.  It takes time for Amazon to do their thing.  Be patient.     

·        Finally, don’t fall into the bidding trap.  You may get to the point where you see a keyword preforming well enough that you want to max out your bid in an attempt to lure in a buyer.  You might even justify this by telling yourself that it is a small price to pay to get the sale and the result will increase your Amazon Sales Rank.  Or maybe the sale will result in a review that will also draw mor attention.  In my experience, this is a trap, and it doesn’t work.  Remind yourself that you are already gambling enough with the ads, there’s no need to double down on the ads.  It’s only going to result in discouragement and regret.  If you have extra cash to spend on promotion, double down with an independent book promotion site.  These don’t always result in consistent sales, but they are great for exposure which is what the trap is selling anyway. 

Book Review: The Liar, The Bitch, and The Warmonger By: Morton R. Leader

What a twisted story of deceit, sibling rivalry, and double-crossing.  There is so much to unpack in this story, I’m not sure exactly where to begin.  Morton Leader is a fantastically creative writer.  The characters were all presented so perfectly.  Leader chose to write from multiple points of view, and because of this I felt like I was able to really get to know the characters and understand their, at times, dark ambitions, and how greed controlled each of their lives.  They each kept striving for something they wanted, but somehow still lost sight of the prize.  In more ways than one, they did each become their own worst enemy.  

The plot rode the edge of being comical, and tragic.  The actions the characters each took was like watching a train-wreck and hoping for a fender bender.  I could not look away from their desperate decisions and I just had to keep reading.  I had to know which one of their schemes was actually going to pan out.  The ending was kind of sad, but at the same time kind of satisfying—everything came together in about the best way possible and in a slightly unexpected way.  Excellent read!    

This is the second book I’ve picked up from Morton Leader, and it is just as amazing.  I would highly recommend checking out The Liar, The Bitch, and The Warmonger, as well as Morton’s many other works.  

Book Review: Shadows By: Renee Marski

If you’re looking for a mystery thriller with building suspense that’s also a fairly short read, look no further than Renee Marski’s, Shadows.  I found Shadows to be written in a fast-paced form of writing—a lot of events happen in a short number of pages, and the dialogue is short but to the point.  For me, this style of writing tends to have its up sides, and down sides in other books, but the style seemed to work well for Shadows.

The main character, Carson, is very determined and focus minded when it comes to figuring out who murdered the love of his life, Ophelia.  As the body count rises, Carson goes over and above, sometimes crossing some lines, trying to sort out what happened, and at the same time trying to protect the people he cares for from a lunatic hellbent on making his life miserable.  My only fuss with this book would be that the police presence in the book seemed to just sit back while Carson tracked down the killer.  Maybe there were things going on behind the scenes, but other than having that looming paranoia that the police would begin pointing the finger at Carson, they didn’t do much police work.  Overall, for a story that on the surface might sound predicable, it turns out it has a lot of twists and turns that I didn’t see coming.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book while on the edge of my seat, and I look forward to reading more books by Renee!   

I downloaded this book to my kindle, and it is enrolled in the Kindle Unlimited program, so it is free to subscribers.  However, Shadows is also available in paperback format.  Find it on Amazon here!

Book Review: Without Remorse By: Ava Strong

The blurb for this book drew me in almost instantly, and I was looking for a good short mystery read at the time, so I gave it a shot.  However, I failed to pay attention to the subtitle, and realize that this book is actually second in a series.  *palm on face  It's right there on the cover.  I was a few chapters in, wondering why the character development seemed a little shy before I realized I had clearly missed something which apparently happened in book one.  

That aside, Without Remorse was an intense thrill ride strapped into a buddy cop sequel kind of story.  Dakota Steele is a likable character who has demons she is struggling with, not to mention whatever it was that happened in book one.  The banter between her and her partner was great to not only move the plot forward, but also bring a shade of humor to such a dark story.  My favorite character though was antagonist.  He was portrayed very maniacal but believable in the that he concocted reason for everything he did.  His "artwork" felt like an original take on a villain. 

This is definitely a book and series worth checking out, but I would suggest reading book one first so you won’t be a little lost like I was.  Though I was able to follow the story just fine, I appreciate a little extra in the backstory area.  I will certainly be picking up book one for sure! 

Without Remorse if available right here on Amazon!

Someone Very Important Is Reading The Gouge...

Someone very important is reading, The Gouge!

It’s Alisha, my wife!  She snatched up one of the proof copies of The Gouge from my shelf and decided to dive into it.  You might be wondering: “Dude, that book has been out for like two years and your wife is just now reading it?  What gives?”  To be fair, though this is the first time she is sitting down and reading the book, Alisha is the one I bounce a lot of my ideas off of.  When we go on walks, I’ll occasionally bother her with my current plot ideas to see what she thinks.  She has been my most supportive friend when it comes to my writing ventures.  She already knows the plots of my books before I write them.  Now, I think she’s just given it enough time that she’s some of the details I shared with her have become foggy or swamped over by the details of my current work in progress, and has decided read The Gouge and get the full effect.  Anyway, I think she’s really enjoying it.  She’s told me so, and I know she’s sincere.  She’s even pointed out things in the book—things I forgot I put in there—just little easter eggs that only someone who knows me personally might pick up on.  It’s fun to share something like that, and very personal as well.  All good stuff!

Keep Reading!    

Book Review: The Letters Of A Stranger, By: Cathy J. Hopkins

 

The Letters Of A Stranger grabbed me with the it's blurb, and I knew I needed to read this book.  Good story with lots of twists and turns.  The author did a great job of building suspense and dragging the mystery out till the right moment.  There was an immense amount of paranoia of looming danger that really kept me hooked.  The main character was strong, very independent, and believable—some of her actions seemed a little unreasonable, but it also made her interesting.

I have a few qualms though, and some of this is just personal preference.  First, the style of writing seemed a little awkward to me.  It didn’t feel personal enough—though we were following the main character the whole time, I didn’t feel like I understood her thoughts much more than anyone else in the cast might have.  Secondly, and I’m not in law enforcement at all, so perhaps my understanding of the boundaries of law enforcement are skewed by what I’ve read and seen on TV, but I really feel like the police in the story dropped the ball.  To me, there appeared to be plenty of evidence near the beginning of the story for the police to act on something, but it seemed like all they did was just throw their hands up and say they couldn’t do anything.  However, maybe the police were working behind the scenes all along, and we just weren't made aware of it.

All said and done, this was an enjoyable debut thriller for the author.  Maybe it could use some brushing up here and there, but the plot kept me reading.

Letters Of A Stranger is available on Amazon, and it is enrolled in the Kindle Unlimited program, so if you're a member, you can read it for free!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Deceit, By R. S. Yeager

Okay, let me say this right off the bat, if you are any bit squeamish to the sight of blood, dead bodies, or are susceptible to nightmares, Deceit may not be the thriller murder mystery book for you.  I believe this book is capable of bending even the toughest of stomachs.

I honestly did not know what I was in for when I started reading this book.  I like a good thriller, and I’m always willing to show support to a fellow independent author, especially a fellow Hoosier.  I was only a few pages into Deceit when I realized I would be spending the rest of this reading experience living inside the mind of a serial killer.  The thoughts of the characters are very deep and very raw which really amplified their individual nature.  The author did an amazing job of bringing the characters to life in such a far-out story as well as setting a tone for each scene.

Gore, and pure evil thoughts aside, I won’t lie, I was gripped.  I just could not put it down.  For a bit, I didn’t really understand what was going on—you may find yourself in that same boat while reading, but just press through.  It’s worth it.  I did not expect a supernatural twist, but that was the least of the surprises.  There are several twists and turns to the plot, and a ton of suspenseful situations, so get ready to clench those book covers tight.

Awesome book.  Obviously not for everyone, but if you’re feeling a little experimental, or if this is just your thing, I highly recommend picking up Deceit. 

Deceit is enrolled in the Kindle Unlimited Program, so if you have a subscription you can read it for free!  It's also available in paperback (my preference)!  Check it out HERE!

Let Me Tell You About, THE BLUE HOLE...

 I want to tell you about the site which inspired my new book, The Blue Hole.  

There is a hair-pin bend in the Indian Creek that runs through southern Indiana.  In this bend is a swirling pool of water.  The water there is cold and dark, and blue.  The pool is told to be hundreds of feet deep and opens into the many massive underground water filled caverns of the Hoosier state.  A few people have dived it, but the strange underwater currents always confuse and frighten the divers, forcing them to return to the surface.  Teenagers set up camps and have parties on the banks of the pool—they swim, but never swim too deep for fear of being pulled under.

The water is hundreds of feet deep— 

It’s Blue, It’s Dark, It’s Cold---

They call it, The Blue Hole.

If you're wondering, yes, The Blue Hole in my story is a real place, and as far as I know, the myths about it's depth and connection to underground caverns is absolutely true.  *At least, that's what I was brought up to believe.  Either way, it's still very cool lore which I decided would work well with a suspenseful mystery!  

I was first introduced to the Blue Hole (place) when I was about ten years old.  I was on a canoe trip with my dad, my uncle, and one of my cousins.  We paddled out into the middle of the Blue Hole and let the water just spin us in circles.  It was very eerie looking down into the dark blue waters and wondering just how far down it was, and what could be lurking in the deep.  Later in life, I would return to the Blue Hole as a teenager for many all night parties.  We were teenagers, doing things as teenagers would in the late nineties.  The fields and the woods that surrounded the banks of the Blue Hole were an amazing place to have bon fires and loud music.  The hills around the area swallowed any noise we made, making it the perfect spot to be as loud as we wanted.  No one ever bothered us down there.  One of my good friends' uncle actually owned the property, and so far as I know, he didn't mind us having parties there as long as we cleaned up our messes and didn't get anyone killed.

I guess we all eventually grew out of that party phase.  I hadn't been down to the spot in over twenties years when I visited it earlier this year to gather inspiration for my book.  Unfortunately on that visit, I wasn't even able to make it to the water.  I found the dirt logging road which we normally used to access the banks had been mostly grown over, and a downed tree was strategically barricading the entrance.  "No Trespassing" placards were posted on trees every twenty feet--it was clear no one was welcome there anymore.  My friend later told me his uncle had passed away, and the property was handed down to someone else in the family.  Of course, I respected the signs and did not enter the property, but I had hoped to take a few pictures of the site to share with the two of you.  I'm afraid the best I can do is this google satellite view. 

From this image, I can tell a lot of things have changed in twenty years.  There aren't as many trees as there used to be.  It looks like the new owners have extended the farm land closer to the creek.  I am happy to see that the water there is still very blue even from the satellite view.  I really wish I could show you more, but things are what they are.  Maybe you could read my book to get a better picture... just a suggestion.
I would love to hear if either of you have a spot similar to what the Blue Hole is to me.  Where is your old stomping ground?  Or, maybe you and I are much closer than I'm aware, and you know or have even visited the Blue Hole.  Drop a message in the comments if you like!
The Blue Hole is available to Pre Order Now.  The Ebook will be available on December 2nd.  Paperback and Hardback editions will be available the following week.  

That's all for now.  Keep Reading!

Book Review: Built For This By: Jacqueline Fieck

What an outstanding book of one person’s walk with faith.  I applaud the author on her openness in sharing her journey, including her ups and many low places without sugar coating the latter.  She clearly understands the importance of sharing one’s story to be an essential part of living by the Word, and how it may touch and plant seeds in someone else’s life.  I am a Christian, (far from a perfect one) but I’m afraid I must admit to steering away from books like this on a normal basis.  I tend to find them difficult to read, and sometimes see books like this to be an outlet for the author to spill their life story in hopes of being the next, “look where I came from” story on the Hallmark channel.  Built For This, though the author does share her story, also lays out a plan and suggestive instructions on how to breakdown strongholds and burdens which hold us back from living our true lives that God has meant for us.  She also lays out the very real factors, which pronounce the title loud and clear—we are built for this life.  We are built to sustain the things that are happening in this world, in this day and age.  All in all, this is an encouraging message that brings to light a lot of struggles some of us tend to just outright ignore.

Built For This is available on Amazon for the Kindle, and in Paperback form.  You can FIND IT HERE.

Jacqueline Fieck is also the author of three other books which you can find on her Amazon Author Page.

Here's An Editing Hack...

 Disclaimer first—I do not consider myself a professional anything, so my suggestions and tips should be taken as just one more person on the internet sharing his personal opinion, based on his own experiences.  These tips and ideas may work for you too, but they may not.  Just saying.

Writing Tip #025

 

Okay, you’ve finished you first draft.  You’ve read through it once.  You’ve read through it twice.  You’ve fixed a countless number of mistakes both times you read through it.  You start in on your third pass through your work, and I’ll be damned, another misspelled word!  How is it that our eyes can read over the same misspelled word three to five times without even noticing it?

 

I’ve run across an easy hack which has helped me locate a lot of misspelled words in my latest work in progress, and it’s so simple.  If you’re using Microsoft Word to write your story, try using the “Read Aloud” tool in the Review tab.  Word isn’t flawless in paying attention to punctuation while reading, but when it reads a misspelled word out loud to you, you’re going to notice right away.

 

I use Word for all my writing, so I know this tool is available in the program.  If you need help finding it, please feel free to reach out in the comments, and I will do my best to direct you to it.  I’m pretty sure most other document programs have the “Read Aloud” option also.  I’d be happy to hear if any of those programs you are familiar with pay attention to punctuation while reading.  Please share if you can!

 

Keep Writing!