Comments on: ONE MORE THING that may be killing your Amazon book sales!

By: Brenda Hampton

Brenda Hampton — Sun, 10 May 2020 23:43:52 +0000

Excellent article. Thanks.

By: Isabel Jolie

Isabel Jolie — Sat, 09 May 2020 12:30:30 +0000

Great post. Thank you for your insight. I hadn’t yet ventured into the land of FREE, but this is great knowledge to have. And Jim, in your fantastic comment, you hit it on the head – Amazon is a business. They will always do what is best for Amazon. Tracking changes is important so authors can understand why something that used to work now doesn’t. I can’t tell you how many marketing advice blog posts are out there touting Also Boughts. Which makes this article, highlighting the recent platform change, valuable. Thanks, Ginger!

By: Jim

Jim — Fri, 08 May 2020 18:14:50 +0000

Ohhhkaayy… I only picked up a pen & paper to write back in ’12. I got involved in Indy pubb’ing when I learned about the arduous process a new author faces in TradPub. I have a coupla’ thoughts:
1. This is at least the second, if not third time writers have bailed. But writers bail all the time. During the era of TP, most writers had day jobs- even NYT Best Selling authors. If the effort doesn’t provide enough pay-off, of course ppl get out. Me? Heck, I wanted to be a doctor, but could never get thru Organic Chem.

2. I had been told from the jump that if you expect to make $ @ this gig, you’d be better off working @ McD’s.

3.I was also told that you can’t stop writing if you intend to succeed. This is CRITICAL, and has also been expounded by ppl much more experienced and successful as I (I do about $50K/ year now). Dean Wesley Smith has a wonderful perspective in that he says you need FIFTY titles up. (I have about 35 or so and have been bag of rocks lazy since Jan 2019; only 3 published last year) But that backlist… yeah, it’s does a good job; my current best $maker was put up in ’16.

4. Back in ’15, the NYTimes had a real vendetta against Amazon (started w/ the Hachette dispute and worked out from there). Many Indies stuck up for Amazon, but a few (again, smarter than I) said repeatedly: AMAZON IS NOT YOUR FRIEND. IT’S A PLATFORM THAT WANTS TO MAKE PROFIT FOR ITSELF.
That’s important, and it pretty much sums up the relationship b/t any publisher and any author when you get down to it.

For me, being a writer is a lifestyle. It pays me decently for hard effort I expended years ago. The flexibility is wonderful. But it was a MOUNTAIN OF EFFORT for me to get here from eight years ago. Back then, I was working about 70 hrs a week at this if not more. I’m familiar enough w/ the advertising process to make it somewhat cost effective.

So, my advice to anyone starting out:
1. You need five or more books (60K each minimum)
2. You need a wicked cover. You can get awesome ones for about $120.00. I used to make our own, but Juan Padron does a much better job and turns it around fast.
3. If you can’t write a killer blurb, fuggeaboudit. You died in the starting blocks.
4. DO NOT rush to publish. Let that Manuscript percolate for about a month and do your rewrite. Most Indie stuff (probably 80%+) is truly dreck, and that IMO is the main reason why.
5. When you start a writing sesh, TURN OFF THE INTERNET until you’re finished. Seriously.

This was a great post by the OP. One of the better ones I’ve read about this biz this year. Congratualtions to him.
Now get back to work.
Or not. If if not, find something that can make you enough $ to have a decent life. You may not have to LOOOOVE it (there are many days I hate writing), but something that you won’t mind doing for 10 years or more.

All the best to all of you.
Jim

By: Jennifer Hotes

Jennifer Hotes — Fri, 08 May 2020 16:15:05 +0000

This is an excellent post. I admit, I get lazy about my book promotion and advertising. Thanks for the reminder to keep up with Amazon trends and look at my book marketing with fresh eyes.

By: Lily Baines

Lily Baines — Fri, 08 May 2020 14:21:21 +0000

Thanks for this post. As a first time author on Amazon, I struggle with marketing my book and am still trying to figure it all out. I learned a ton of things via the mistakes I’ve made with my first book’s launch, and hope to do much better on the second (which is now ready for editing). I hope to be one of those who make it, but I have to say – marketing is not my forte but I am willing to fight for it. Thanks

By: Lexi

Lexi — Fri, 08 May 2020 13:52:45 +0000

Great post! It’s so true that authors have to constantly adapt to keep ahead of the curve, but then, that can be said in most other industries as well! Thanks for the informative and uplifting post! I love reading your articles!