Are you an Amazon KDP Select Advocate?
I recently saw and commented an article (linked below) from Derek Haines on KDP Select (publishing only and exclusively on Amazon) as THE way to go for self-publishing authors. From the article:
“Unlike myself, my old friend Derek Haines (and a few other writers I know) constantly hop in and out of bed with whichever publisher they decide is the flavour of the month at the time, only to cast them aside later like an ex lover, when they decide they hate them for some reason or other. God only knows why they do it. It’s not that difficult to work out – stop acting like prima donnas. Chose one and stick with them!
View the original: Should I Publish Exclusively With Amazon?.
The problem with the article is that it reads as based on outdated information. You don’t need to have multiple file versions for the various distributors. One is enough (unless, as one commentator complains, you put links to your books on Amazon in your eBooks)
What you really want is to upload yourself to KDP so you have the dashboard, and to Smashword for the Premium catalogue and the wide distribution to the other vendors.
I sell daily and in the hundreds per month on both Amazon and Barnes&Noble + iTunes.
This part of life is not at all complicated.
Besides, with Smashwords, it is a breeze to do giveaways and promotions for all your titles, and it is the only way to have Amazon have one of your book (let’s say #1 of a series) as a perma-free to capture more readers.
Smashwords—and its grinder, the file converter—does not require the special “Smashword edition” copyright note as an additional page, so you can have One File to Bind Them All.
You can also upload ePub on Smashwords, and as Kindle format on Amazon which is actually the best method of all because—this way—you have the control of what you will sell to your readers, and you’re not using a bloated word document (whatever format, .docx or .doc).
You can use Vellum to produce your eBook and upload those, rather than Word documents. (or the free product Calibre).
What’s your take?
PS
Once you get a manuscript ready for Smashwords, you have a template valid for all subsequent books. Really, it’s not particle physics.
Massimo Marino is a scientist envisioning science fiction. He spent years at CERN and The Lawrence Berkeley Lab followed by lead positions with Apple, Inc. and the World Economic Forum. He is also co-founder of “Squares on Blue”, a Big Data Analytics service company.
Massimo currently lives in France and crosses the border with Switzerland multiple times daily, although he is no smuggler.
As a scientist writing science fiction, he went from smashing particles at accelerators at SLAC and CERN to smashing words on a computer screen.
He’s the author of multi-awarded Daimones Trilogy.
His novels have received the Seal of Excellency from both AwesomeIndies.net and IndiePENdents.org
• 2012 PRG Reviewer’s Choice Award Winner in Science Fiction
• 2013 Hall of Fame – Best in Science Fiction, Quality Reads UK Book Club
• 2013 PRG Reviewer’s Choice Award Winner in Science Fiction Series
• 2014 Finalist – Science Fiction – Indie Excellence Awards L.A.
• 2014 Award Winner – Science Fiction Honorable Mention – Readers’ Favorite Annual Awards
His novels are available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble (Nook), iTunes Apple Store, and many other retailers around the world.
Join his mailing list for new releases, or follow him on Facebook, Google+, and Twitter.
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