UK Amazon Kindle Forum discussion
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KDP Select - What do you think?
I can only agree with MTM, Nell and John. Balance will come, and at the moment, things are better for authors than they've ever been, with more options than at any previous time in history. I've made about two tenths of bugger all, but over 6,000 people have downloaded one of my books for free this week. Even if 10% of them actually read it, I've just - miraculously - found 600 readers. How else would I have achieved that?! And those personal successes are absolutely vital to keep a writer writing. There's a value there that has nothing to do with money.
I wonder if there's any mileage in tracking actual quantifiable data. There seems to be a lot of anecdotal evidence and a lot of speculation, but it's really too early to know what impact this initial KDP Select frenzy will have on the book market.I would be happy to collate data about the long term effects of joining KDP Select, but I'm not sure that a fair cross section of people would take part. Those who would submit their figures are likely to be a) those with success stories, and b) those who regularly promote in forums.
As a reader, it has had little if any effect on me. I tend not to look at free book lists (since the first couple of months' elation of kindle owning 14 months back!) and get my books from reader recommendation here or Elsewhere and from the Amazon MOA forum promotions.I just hope it doesn't eventually have the effect that my favourite indie authors stop writing because of it but I suspect the best indies are those who would write if no one at all read their work. They are the ones who can't help it, not those after money or fame.
As you've said, people have read and enjoyed your work - mad ones like me have even paid for it! Keep it up, please!
Good to know Karl. While I'm here you'll still have a reader!
Ignite wrote: "I'll see what I can do! :)"Knowing youthat will be 5000 readers in the next 2 days!
I wish I were so influential GL. Our authors here would be best sellers!
Yep - just got to keep on keeping on. I hope to have the revised version of my first novel out in March and my third novel out in August!
Even considering going down to four days a week from September to make a real go of this!
I'm not sure that I agree with the sentiment that the best indies are those who don't care about money.There's nothing wrong with trying to earn a living. In some cases having your livelihood depend on your writing makes you work harder.
I don't mean they don't care about money Rosen - I do believe though, that they would write (and have written) whether or not.
I care very deeply about money. Unfortunately, the sentiment doesn't seem to be reciprocated.
Screaming ... though I admit I could be more attentive.
You could promote your books a bit more. There's a bit of an echo in here.
I did promote it once. Went quite well, I think. No sales, obviously, but all the other authors promoting their books were super friendly.
The received wisdom is that you have to do it more than once. Probably more than twice!
Ignite wrote: "The received wisdom is that you have to do it more than once. Probably more than twice!"That could be taken down soooo many side roads.
I've tried doing it more than once, but I always get sleepy.
It's your age, dear!I'll bet once upon a time ... Hmmm I'm distracting myself here!
Are any of the authors here having the same problem I am? My sales reports have frozen on the same numbers all day. My book in the free chart hasn't budged from the #3 slot but I have no way of knowing if that's because high numbers of downloads are keeping it there,or if the free chart is also broken! The paid chart does seem to be working though.Anyone else in the same boat?
David wrote: "Are any of the authors here having the same problem I am? My sales reports have frozen on the same numbers all day. My book in the free chart hasn't budged from the #3 slot but I have no way of kno..."You would have to ask someone whose book's are selling, so that counts me out :(
Seems to have gone a bit funny today ... wondering if it has to do with the change in month. Sales reports are month-based, but seem to be driven off PST.
Paul (not that Paul, the other one ... yes, him) wrote: "Seems to have gone a bit funny today ... wondering if it has to do with the change in month. Sales reports are month-based, but seem to be driven off PST."This is my theory too - that the change of month has caused a rubber band to snap somewhere...
I'm feeling in serious withdrawal! Numbers, I need numbers!! :-)
Monthly thing...driven by PMT....
Zero for me today! The bubble has burst!!
As far as I can tell, the chart rankings are working. If you're at number #3, it's almost certainly because you deserve to be.As you know from KUF David, my sales counter is stuck, but my books have been moving around the charts all day.
I am very new to all this - so just wondering if this sales freeze happens on the first of every month or whether it has happened before?
Good question. This is the first time that my sales totals have been high enough for me to notice.
To be honest mine haven't frozen, but there have been problems in the past. And sometimes while one person has a problem, another doesn't. Such is life, but it all comes good in the end :)
Shaun wrote: " it all comes good in the end :)"Phew!
Shaun, I'm holding you to that as if it were a contract signed in blood! :-)
Lol. No problem. It does happen fairly frequently and people get all flustered, but the missing sales eventually do appear :)
Rosen, I'm pleased your sales totals are high enough to notice. I'm sure they'll start to snowball now!David. Don't make Shaun sign in blood. Make him use 'THE FINGER'!!! Mwah ha ha!!!
I'm scared to ask quite what that means!
David wrote: "I'm scared to ask quite what that means!"Be afraid. Be very afraid. Muhaahhahha
You'll never know unless you read 'The Kult', David.'People are predictable. That's what makes them easy to kill'
Best. Opening. EVER!
I agree. I love that line. It's always getting quoted in forums too.
"On 6th May 2013 at 5pm I’m gonna kill someone - not worked out how or who or where but If you’re reading this then it wasn’t you - I suppose that makes you one lucky fuck"Another fine opening line...
Bizarre - by a complete coincidence, I DID read that opening line today! I found the sample of The Kult on my Kindle on my tube to work. I don't think I came across any finger action though. Er, so to speak.
First line of my next book Karl!! Cheers mate! Your opening of Shattered is stunning mate - you've got nothing to worry about!
Stuart wrote: ""On 6th May 2013 at 5pm I’m gonna kill someone - not worked out how or who or where but If you’re reading this then it wasn’t you - I suppose that makes you one lucky fuck"Another fine opening li..."
That's a good one but.
Then Killers.
'murder makes monsters of people'
Shaun has amazing open lines. Then he goes on to surpass the opening with story.
Just. Wow.
It appears that the books in select are having wonky sales!Let's hope we get all our lost sales back because with the Lady Gaga debacle last year I know I lost a couple of hundred and they were never returned. And coincidentally that's when my #200 ranking in the US started to diminish. I went from selling 250 a day to around 20-30. Maybe the Zon flicks a switch now and then!
It's another reason I don't think we should be TOTALLY reliant on the select programme! ;-(
This is still affecting me too - I think I've lost several hundred free downloads. Very frustrating!
Well, I've just signed up with KDP Select with my third book imminent - let's see if this gives things a boost. How have people found it overall? I've been hearing good things about the benefits of the free promotion days.
My counters are no longer stuck, but the numbers are still much lower than a realistic projection would suggest.Two of my short stories maintained their rankings yesterday, so I think it's fair to assume that their actual sales were consistent with other days, but that's certainly not reported in the figures.
What was the Lady Gaga debacle? Going from 250 a day to 20-30 is no joke, it can be the difference between being able to make a living from this and not.
Hi GR. I published my first ebook four weeks ago and I'm pretty sure I benefitted from the one day free promotion I did. Difficult to tell really as reviews were good so kind of a chicken and egg thing. I have heard that it really benefits people who already have two or more books available as the free book has a good knock on sales effect to the others. Makes sense!! Good luck with it and keep us posted with the result!!
I agree Rosen. My book is still number 50 in the literary fiction rankings but the reported sales certainly don't reflect that - hope it gets sorted!!
UK Amazon Kindle Forum
Books mentioned in this topic
The Mutilation Machination (other topics)Dark Seduction (other topics)
Revolution Earth (other topics)
The Hunter Inside (other topics)
Dark Seduction (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Harrison Davies (other topics)Michael Wallace (other topics)
1. I think round about 600 people have bought my book, as near as dammit - well, there was a booker prize shortlister a couple of years ago that had sold 300 copies in a year before being shortlisted. At least I beat that.
2. Even if, like me, your sales have earned you seven tenths of bugger all this year, it's probably still six tenths more than we'd earn from a mainstream publisher at this stage.
3. It's money we'd never have seen without print on demand and e-books because many of our books would be sitting in a drawer or on an agent's desk waiting to be read.
4. People are reading my book. Some of them like it. Again I'm sure most of us can say that.
I don't think there's ever been that much money in writing, any more than there has been in fronting a band etc unless you are one of a very hardworking and lucky few. However, if you do it because you have to, at some stage, surely it's going to... well... if not take off then flap its wings enthusiastically and hop into the air a bit.
Cheers
MTM