K. Victoria Chase's Blog, page 13

HOW I MADE THE AMAZON BESTSELLER LIST

HOT TIP: Utilize Amazon's Categories



That's how I made it on an Amazon Bestseller list. Whether you are e-publishing or self-publishing, when a book is uploaded to Amazon, you are allowed five categories to place it in for easy browsing. Easy browsing means when people search on Amazon, they have a better chance of discovering your book than if you didn't categorize it, or placed it into an Oblivion category (otherwise known as a Black Hole category--my terms).



I had both my books, Serial Games and Rafael, e-published by different publishers. Let's take a look at a few statistics. Each publisher choose to place my book in various categories. I provided the highest rank of each book at the time of release. Unfortunately, I knew next to nothing about categories at the time Serial Games was released and based on my highest ranking upon release (#20,083) I would have made the Hot New Releases list (based on book rankings on today's--8/11/2012-lists) in the last two categories--so I highlighted them.



Each category lists the number of books in them = the number of books you're competing against to make it to the bestseller list.



RAFAEL (Rank #11,292-last three digits are hazy/12,792 at the time I noticed bestseller status)



Books-Christian Books & Bibles-Literature & Fiction-Romance: 7,633 = HOT NEW RELEASES

Books-Literature & Fiction-United States-African American: 7,787 = HOT NEW RELEASES

Books-Romance-Multicultural: 4044 = BESTSELLER

Books-Romance-Romantic Suspense: 11,644 = HOT NEW RELEASES

Kindle Store-Kindle Ebooks-Romance-Romantic Suspense: 7,750 = HOT NEW RELEASES





SERIAL GAMES (Rank #20,083)

Books-Literature & Fiction: 2,530,986 = NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN

Books-Romance-Romantic Suspense: 11,644 = HOT NEW RELEASES 

Kindle Store-Kindle Ebooks-Romance-Romantic Suspense: 7,750 = HOT NEW RELEASES



Let's examine the figures. Rafael was placed in far more niche categories = specific categories with small numbers. Serial Games was placed in fewer categories with higher numbers.



Remember, the key is to make it easier for the reader to find your book. No reader (well, maybe someone out there will) will search through two million books to find your gem. Yet, if you sell enough copies, the reader can find you among 4,044 because you have a greater chance of making a noticeable splash in a pool of 4,044 than 2,000,000.



I even made the UK Bestseller list for Books-Fiction-Religious & Inspirational-Romance, and all because I was placed in the Books-Romance-Religious at 8,849.



But you weren't listed in the exact category to make the UK bestseller list???



That's correct. The day Rafael was released, the ranking was good but it wasn't listed in either the AA or the MC categories. I checked with the publisher who could only find the AA category in the list Amazon allowed her to view. Amazon appears to make you hunt for the sub-categories and even related categories. I'm not exactly sure how Rafael was placed in the MC category, but I suspect that after Rafael was listed in the AA category, other related categories were available to pick from. The publisher for Serial Games tried to re-categorize it into MC during the launch of Rafael but was unable to do so, citing Amazon only allowing three for that book. I contacted Amazon; no resolution. Not sure where the discrepancies lie, but one should be able to have their e-book listed in five categories--according to Amazon's own 'Help' page.



You (if you're self-publishing) or your e-pub editor will have to do some experimenting. It is important that you identify key elements of your story as they relate to Amazon category titles. Interracial/Multicultural is a prominent element in both Serial Games and Rafael and Rafael hit the bestseller list. If you're e-publishing, communicate your ideas about categories to your editor; let them know which categories you'd like to have your book listed under.



Now, I have to note that Rafael had a bit of a boost because it was my second novel. I had gained readers from Serial Games which helped propel Rafael no doubt, but if Rafael hadn't been in niche categories, it wouldn't have hit any bestseller lists, period. I would have had greater sales, but not the visibility bestseller lists provide.



Visibility



This is probably the most important element in marketing an unknown author. Your book needs to be placed in front of potential readers. The more they see your book, the more likely they'll buy it--or at least take a peek at the product description. See how many Hot New Releases lists Rafael is on? Enough to make an impact.



For more on categories, read here and here. Check out the Writer's Guide to E-publishing's series on Categorizing Your Way to Amazon's Bestseller Lists parts One, Two, and Three.

AMAZON GIFT CARD WINNER

Thank you to all who attended my new release party!!! It was a great launch (obviously by my subsequent posts) and as you're well aware, I'm obsessed with my Amazon rank! LOL, I blame my new author status.



Today's winner of a $10 Amazon gift card is:




SHANNON




Please email me at kvictoriachaseauthor@gmail.com to claim your prize.




Serial Games is being featured on Kindle Romance Novels!!

'RAFAEL' IS AN INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER!

Rafael has made Amazon's Top 100 Religious and Inspirational Romance Bestsellers in the UK!!! Thank you UK readers!! :-)

'RAFAEL' IS A INSPIRATIONAL BESTSELLER AT ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS

Another bestseller award!

'RAFAEL' IS AN AMAZON TOP 100 BESTSELLER!!!

Today, Rafael made Amazon's Top 100 Multicultural Books Bestsellers list!!! A huge thank you to those who bought the book! :-) And a massive THANK YOU to Deb who reviewed it, which is probably how it made it on the list since it already had the ranking but it wasn't distinguished as a bestseller. I'm still researching Amazon's categories and lists and will post my findings soon. Here is the snapshot (currently ranked #78 but still...) Is this a first for non-CBA interracial Christian romantic suspense???



Just click the picture to enlarge.

RELEASE PARTY!!!! (GIFT GIVEAWAY)

Today, I am officially a multi-published author!!!! Rafael (The Santiago Brothers Book One) has hit virtual shelves!!!



It is currently available on my publisher's site, but be feverishly watching Amazon, and B&N, as it should be up any minute! :-) (I'll post additional links throughout the day)



Update: Amazon link



Now for the giveaway! One random commentor will win a $10 Amazon gift card! Comment below between now and Friday and I'll announce the winner on Saturday!



Catch me today on Elaine Crandall's blog 'Hope. Dreams. Life...Love' and read excerpts from both (hehe, more than one) my books!



Thank you for celebrating with me! I'm excited to bring another story to you and hope you'll enjoy the start of the Santiago Saga: hot, reformed Latin men and the women who tame them!

THE WEEK AHEAD

This week will be a busy one for me. I'm the spotlight author for the week at my (
Desert Breeze Publishing) publisher's blog where I'll be discussing a variety of topics from connecting with readers to handling bad reviews.



Tomorrow is the RELEASE DAY for Rafael: The Santiago Brothers Book One (formerly The Snake Murders). I can't wait!!!! The count-down clock is the left side of the screen. A little more than 16 hours!!



Parents are in town for the week so blogging will be back to sporadic. I will be featured on other author blogs and will pass the links along. I have a partial to send to an agent so I'll be working on that this week as well as making progress (see left side bar) on book two of the Santiago Brothers.



What's on the writing agenda for you this week?

RWA DAY THREE

Last day of sessions!! Lots of classes today so get ready.




First off was Writing for the Inspirational Market. Not surprising, the first thing mentioned was a warning: getting published in the Christian market is extremely difficult. Several tips were given by the panel the first being persistence, followed by a few others such as read outside your genre (mysteries for plot, sweet for emotion to add to edgy stories), finish your manuscript, don't spread yourself too thin (pick one social media outlet), and don't take rejection personally.




Next, Series-ous Stamina offered useful tips on writing a series. Each book must pull something from the overarching idea/theme of the series. Don't save the 'good stuff' for the next book or the last one. Put all the great stuff in the first book because you have to hook your readers with that one. Remember to keep the band of main characters together--once you split them up, you'll upset your readers.




Branding for Self-Publishing was informative. The most I took away was how to market your book with your cover. On my next cover I hope to incorporate the following: author name in LARGE LETTERS, larger than the title (see Bella Andre books). You want the reader to remember you . Have a signature look; again, Bella Andre always has a kissing couple. I'm going to try to always have a kissing interracial couple. Obvious self-publishing tips were to change your cover if your book isn't selling, get multiple proofers, and if you write in different genres with pen names--don't cross promote. Interestingly enough, people tend to stick to one genre. Even if you write in multiple genres, your readers will not follow you from romance to sci-fi, for example. They prefer whatever genre they like to read.




Creating Inner-Conflict was another standing-room only lecture. In a well-written love story, the reason the hero/ine are each other's destiny is because he/she sees beneath the other's identity and connects at the level of essence: they see the value in each other that no one else does. When they are in conflict, it is at the level of identity-who each one is. That conflict is when one or both of them have become emotionally scared and retreat into their identity or something about them is hidden from the other. A good love scene will be proceeded by the characters taking an emotional risk--being vulnerable. We all recognize this in movies or in books, but to actually know it is a technique in story-telling is fascinating. 




Publicity and Marketing I'll roll into one. The lecturer for the publicity session spent more time focusing on how to write a press release and since I haven't seen anything definite about a release actually driving sales, I won't spend any time on it. The marketing class was more of the same. Have a plan, make sure your cover and price are within the norm, and utilize materials such as bookmarks, postcards, etc. I like the rule that if you never buy an author's book because of a bookmark/postcard, then don't spend your money on them to market your own (not the rule of the lecturer).




Do you think your book can be adapted into film? Don't write the screenplay. I high percentage of movies are based on novels (85%/45% of TV movies) so producers want the book--they'll hire experts to write the screenplay for you. If you have a good hook/log line (a one-sentence selling point) and a synopsis, you can pitch it to a producer who will option your book for a specific amount of time and in that time, they'll read the book and try to sell the rights to a studio. Don't expect the film to be exactly like the book (obviously), don't expect big bucks (an option can net you $1k, if bought by a TV studio=$45k), and do your homework--don't pitch a producer of thrillers a romance perfect for Lifetime.




Finally, if you want to know the advance amounts publishers are offering and what royalties you can expect to make over the life of a book, then check out Brenda Hiatt's 'Show Me the Money' page. She lists both traditional and epublishers. If you have your own stats, send them to her!




I hope you enjoyed RWA-At-Home! Okay, one more picture:



Me and Jimmy Thomas (cover model on my newest release, RAFAEL ). Yeah, he's huge now--and tanned. :-)

RWA DAY TWO

Day two of RWA started with a lecture on how to add a bit more thrills and chills to your writing. Three key elements to a good thriller/suspense are pacing, stakes, and character.

Pacing

- put the character in the middle of the scene (think Law & Order) and don't 'wrap' the scene

- nix most of the description to keep the pace moving

Stakes 

- Must be deadly

- What does the character have most to lose?

Character

- Pick three things in a scene that particular character would notice the most (this helps define the character)

- Try writing a scene from a different character's POV to help the reader understand context; a different interpretation of the scene



My next class focused on Print Disabled Readers. There are approximately 30 million PDRs and they read 5x the number of books non-PDRs do. 5X!!! The presenters keyed on the amount of money they are willing to spend to get a book and the amount of money authors can make if they market to PDRs. For example, a blind person can read a 400-page book in three hours. After that, they need another one. And the genre they are most hungry for? ROMANCE.



This class was eye-opening for me. My books are available in epub digital format which is exactly what is needed. With a little bit of marketing, I can let Print Disabled Readers know that my book is available to them.



Before lunch, I sat in a session where two bestselling authors offered their secrets to creating bestselling books. A few of them are as follows: develop a thick skin (for reviews), ask your critique partners to look for specific things in your manuscript--not an overarching impression, research as you write--not before so you don't waste time researching things you may not even use (I already do this)



--Side Note: I've come across blogs where authors talk about how they are almost finished with their month of research...you can have half the book (or even the whole book) written in that time so I agree with this tip--



Be prolific to build a backlist, have a platform, and submit to the assistant/junior editors who need to build their careers--they are hungry for manuscripts.



The Goodreads session was literally standing-room only. Goodreads is a website for readers to find books, discuss them, and for authors to join in the fun. Both my books are listed on Goodreads so you can search for them and add them to your To-Be-Read list. The key to Goodreads is getting involved in the discussion. Building relationships helps name recognition and expanding customer base.



Secrets to Epublishing Success was a refresher for me. Tips given were what I've gleaned from scouring various websites and blogs. Write a great book (obviously), publish another one, patience (sells grow slowly), create a great cover image (makes a promise to the reader about the material inside).



--Side Note: The cover image is key. I've heard authors complain about the lack of sales, despite the good reviews, and I have noticed their cover looks like they drew it themselves. The cover always draws me in first, then the blurb. If your cover looks unprofessional, 99% of the time I won't even read the blurb and I doubt others will either.--



Another tip I've heard before is not worrying about piracy. Not many people pirate books and if you price the book well, they'll buy it.



Whew. I hope you enjoyed Day Two. Have you learned anything yet? Stay tuned for Day Three!

IRMC BOOKS INTERVIEW

Be sure to catch my interview over at the Interracial and Multicultural Books blog!