Amazon to download as a .99 ebook or buy the paperback. But with this one I did not do kindle select, instead I went to draft2digital and had my Word doc. converted and put onto Apple, Kobo, Page Foundry, Scribd, Oyster, Barnes and Noble, and Tolino--and it did not cost me a cent even though I had them generate a title page! Maybe a lot of you authors know about this. I just recently learned of this service from a very good friend who has generously given of her time to walk me through several marketing strategies. My question is: why is it so hard to format for kindle? I'm desperate to do my own formatting but so far have not figured it out.I had my first fantasy books up on Smashwords, which did nothing for me, but maybe this time with some targeted marketing I'll have some success!
From what I've heard from my friend and others trying to sell books, a series is the way to go. And once you have several books going you make the first one permafree. This is said to boost sales of subsequent books in the series. So on that note I'm hard at work on Book 2, Saffron and Seaweed. I absolutely love this cover, also done by Valerie Howard. I'm having a lot of fun with this new more light-hearted genre despite the murder aspect.On that note I have taken The Moonstone and Gypsy's Quest, the first books in each of my fantasy trilogies, off KDP select. By the middle of september I should be able to put them both permafree. And then I will see what happens. It is all new territory that I kind of wish I'd known about several years ago. I find it very hard to discover these marketing tips on my own despite being in several Indie author groups. I am most appreciative of Helen Page's ongoing help. She is an author with books in several genres as well as being an editor.
And so the struggle to find my peeps continues. But everything is a learning experience and I can't complain, especially since I'm having so much fun!
Thanks for reading!
Interesting. I didn't know about draft2digital. I used bookbaby for my novel and first erotica short, but it has become more expensive, and I think I need the exposure (heh heh) of KDP Select for the next short, so I'll be switching.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, about 10% of the (almost nonexistent) sales of both the above come from Barnes and Noble. Maybe if I get several books up, and they are selling, it would be worthwhile to move older ones to a publisher that can make them available at other retailers, too.
barnes and noble is part of drafttodigital--have no idea how mine will do there-
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