UK Amazon Kindle Forum discussion
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KDP Select - What do you think?
KDP Select is working for me. After almost a year of struggling to make sales, it's suddenly taken off.
On Sunday 22nd Jan I put my crime novel on the free promotion. It was downloaded 1,849 times. Now I'm getting real sales. Today my UK ranking was #429. This morning it was #63,787.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Doll-Collec...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Doll-Coll...
On Sunday 22nd Jan I put my crime novel on the free promotion. It was downloaded 1,849 times. Now I'm getting real sales. Today my UK ranking was #429. This morning it was #63,787.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Doll-Collec...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Doll-Coll...
I find I really enjoy marketing my books, and I've learned a great deal about social networking; however, it does get in the way of my writing. I have to get better and dividing my time and get back to writing.
I agree Will, the promoting and marketing is definitely taking me away from getting on with my next book - as is the fun and interesting stuff on this forum. I too must try and strike a balance!
It's finding the balance though. I'm having the same problem. I have a list of things I need to get done, but I can't seems to be able to drag myself away from here and there.
I think we're all feeling this. Writing requires time, but the marketing stuff does too, and places like this forum are just so distracting, and yet making connections with people here feels very worthwhile too... argh! Where's my clone when I need him?!
I actually have a twin brother but he is bringing a book out in March so I don't think that will work!
I sat down at 4 am one morning and wrote myself a schedule for the week - in an effort to drag myself away from following links, reading blogs, and chatting away. How long do you think it lasted?
Stuart wrote: "I actually have a twin brother but he is bringing a book out in March so I don't think that will work!"A twin who writes too? Wow talented family. You should introduce him to GR x
Rachel wrote: "I sat down at 4 am one morning and wrote myself a schedule for the week - in an effort to drag myself away from following links, reading blogs, and chatting away. How long do you think it lasted?"well, you're still here so not long me thinks. lol
So, folks how are we going to do this. What the cure?
They found a cure for authors hanging around on Amazon. We could all be horrible to each other but I don't think I'd like that, effective though it might be.
Somebody should switch off the internet for a few hours every day. Not for too long though...
Emma - Party Co-ordinator wrote: "Stuart wrote: "I actually have a twin brother but he is bringing a book out in March so I don't think that will work!"A twin who writes too? Wow talented family. You should introduce him to GR x"
He is on here - just hasn't been on the Forums - he probably will when his novel is published!
It's an addiction and I need therapy. Help!
I couldn't keep away at first, but I've managed to force myself so I can crack on with my sequel. The people on here are so nice that they don't seem to mind you interacting less while you're writing. It's got to be done after all. Now in the morning before I start writing, I check my emails (and those stats that none of us can keep away from) and I get on with the writing. I often do a bit of lurking in the evening to keep abreast of what's going on here and there and I try to put an update in my thread once or twice a week. You have to resist the temptation to post when you lurk though, because once you do, you're in and you have to keep checking then to see what replies have come back. That's when it gets distracting. I'm posting this because I've just finished writing a long scene today and wanted a tea break. :o)
Ignite, mwah ha ha hargh, nice one but let's not do that!I don't really do this to sell books because what online social networking hooks me up with is other authors.
However, the sharing angst, laughs, information etc side of that has been invaluable. Things that are worth every bit as much in a different way.
Cheers
MTM
Well congrats, Steve, That's the way to go. I'm just having a quick read through posts them I'm off to edit. Really... I am. Honestly!
Go do it, Karina. Uh oh... Why am I back here? Actually I must confess to just having had 20 mins on my PS3. Now I'm having a cuppa. I can write until about 8pm though today so it's kind of an extended writing day. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. :o)
It's the rationalising that's the first sign of addiction!! Congratulations on your sales Steve and may they long continue!!!
Thanks Stuart. And just look at that. It's gone 10pm and I managed to stay away and write for 5 hours and 16 mins. I've got this obsession licked!
Goodreads, reading author blogs and checking book stats is a full time job. It's a wonder any books ever get written.
It's a crack habit, writing is the drug, the forums bit is the looking for dealers...
The trouble with having to do all the selling yourself means there's not so much time for writing. Sometimes I just want to hide away and not bother with it all, but surely the point of writing something is so that it will be read. Also finding an agent doesn't necessarily mean that they will be able to sell your book. Ebooks live OK!
Well I'm proud of myself, I managed to get some editing done and play a game of chess with my 8 year old daughter. Just reading posts now and hoping to finish the edit later.See it can be done.
Well done to all of you managing this addiction. You're my inspiration! I've been seriously considering turning off the broadband for a few hours every day, just so I have no distractions from writing.
I tend to work in cafes without WiFi - it makes the world of difference.
I am house-bound/pub-bound at the moment because of my knee so having to try to develop some will-power - never been one of my finer qualities!!
But a cafe might not be the best place for avoiding cake....
If you lived in Italy, you wouldn't need to worry about turning off broadband - Telecom Italia kindly does it for you on a regular basis. They came to fix it yesterday, but he decided not to bother because it was raining and didn't want to get out of his van!
I couldn't write without internet access. I'm always dipping in to research this and that as I go. Even when I do the research ahead of a scene, there's always some reason to go and confirm something. I guess in the end it just comes down to will power, although I agree that you have to find time for marketing, but isn't that just about planning a little time for it each day and sticking to the plan. Back to will power. Like stop yourself from eating cake all day. :o)
A day without cake is a day without...
Ha, you will all be pleased to know that this site also affects us readers!! I have far less reading time since I joined here!I know it is not the same but just sayin!!
well, I very chuffed with myself. Finished the editing and then uploaded Heads and Tales on Amazon for Kindle.Just need to wait for the okay from Amazon and then I'll start promoting.
Thanks. It's taken ages to finally get this done. I kept putting it off. But I had a few persistent fan's that kept reminding me.
I see someone has gone and mentioned cake again...
OK, I don't know which side roads this conversation has wandered off on, but bringing it back to the main road ...I decided to give Select a go with Cellar Door, and today I've got it on a free promo day. So far it has about 70 downloads from the US, 60 from the UK, and then there's the one I'm really excited about:
One person in Germany has downloaded it. My first German "sale". Could this be the spark I need to light up the whole German market, the catalyst for a best-selling juggernaut run of sales which will make me publishing's equivalent of David Hasselhoff?
I'm pretty sure it will be.
Nice one Paul!! I too had a German sale and....wait for it...a FRENCH one!!!The best of luck with Cellar Door mate!!
Nice one Karl ... and Stuart, I am quell jealous. A French sale! With the state of the Euro, I'm surprised there haven't been any takers of a free book offer on the Italian and Spanish sites. I don't care if they can't read English, free is free!
If I had an Italian or Spanish sale, Karl and Paul I think I would hang up my keyboard and retire!!
Hey Paul, wait till they find out in Deutschland what's behind the door!
Stick with it Karl - from all I've read about ebook sales from the likes of us, it's a slow start, then gets steadier and gradually the sales come over months as opposed to weeks - here's an interesting blog on the subject - http://www.williamking.me/2012/01/09/...
I had a paid sale in Spain once - just the once. I'm pretty sure I've not had any in Italy though, but I get a few in Germany each month, although so far they've just fizzled and not led to anything. France is another matter. Every time I go into Amazon France it feels like I'm visiting Disneyland, Paris. :o)
You are the main man Steve!! Keep going!! I'm only three weeks in but loving it!
That's exactly it mate - keep the passion and keep the faith!
Ignite wrote: "Hey Paul, wait till they find out in Deutschland what's behind the door!"Ah ... well ... hmm. Yes. Excellent point. That could make things very awkward for me, in more ways than one.
Come on France!
What I want to know is...What can I do to make sure that the interest I'm getting at the moment, continues after my books dip out of the Amazon charts?
I've got blurbs for other books at the back of blurbs on KDP Select. What else can I do?
I'd rather my readers were getting info about my from sources I control, like my blog and Twitter.
At the moment, my "success" is at the mercy of the Amazon website. How can I translate it to something less vulnerable?
If you get an answer Rosen, may I share it, because they are the exact same questions on my mind too!
UK Amazon Kindle Forum
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Oh Yes! I originally started writing because what I wanted to read didn't exist. I still write for me and if other people like what I've done, that's gravy. If there's a joke I think only three or four other people will get and I think it's funny, I'll include it. One of the things that sells books is integrity. I'm never going to do commercial but I might manage something honest and true if I keep going long enough! That's my theory at any rate.
Cheers
MTM