Hello from Denver - self publishing success

[Held for Ransom]

Do you do any marketing of your books (goodreads/library thing ) ?

I do have a Goodreads author profile but I don't spend anytime over there other than adding new titles to it as they are released. I really don't do any marketing at all.

 

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[Held for Ransom]

You mentioned earlier about setting up the book as a funnel and that you have a website, could you explain this in detail?

Actually, I don't do this. I think you are referring to a question I answered from someone who asked about non-fiction? I do have a website but really it's just in place to give my pen name a bit more credibility. Also, I use it to redirect people who click my affiliate links in the back of my books.

 

[LeungJan]

Ah I see, I thought it would be a way of trying to gain some control from Amazon, like the mailing list you have. But thanks!

 

[SueC]

The limiting factor is that per KDP terms, you are only allowed three pen names per KDP account so you'd have to open multiple accounts if you wanted to scale it.

Just reading through this great thread, but I think the above is incorrect; you are allowed unlimited pen names, but only three author pages. So, you can only create profiles for three of those pen names.

Also, I am familiar with a lot of writers who outsource their F and NF ebooks, it's just that you do have to be on top of the quality and expect to get what you pay for.

I write NF and it's hard to sustain revenue without a back end source, but for those of us who can't write stories, I'm working on ways to build the revenue stream. Or, consider outsourcing some fiction.

Here's a reddit thread that might be helpful too, similar to what you're doing.

Broke $1000 in one day for the first time yesterday from self-published books. $1001.50. : writing

 

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[Held for Ransom]

Thanks for the info Sue! None of that stuff is an area of expertise for me at all so it's very interesting to hear about all of it.

 

[Rawr]

Thank you Sue for the great link. HFR, what do you think of that linking strategy, interesting idea to try and rank 1 book really well, and have people follow through.

Some other good nuggets in there.

 

[RahKnee]

Hey there,

I use Microsoft Word to write it and then use a free program to convert into the proper format for Kindle and other platforms. It's called Mobipocket.com.

I've been playing around with mobipocket recently, but I'm having some issues with getting the format right in MS Words so that it comes out correct when viewed on my kindle previewer. Any suggested reading for formatting advice?

Also, what do you think about breaking a larger novel up into chapters and selling them individually. I've got zero name recognition right now. I'm thinking about giving away the first chapter for free then selling the rest for 1.99 or so. Any thoughts on that approach?

 

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[dru-man]

Update on my progress since this thread inspired me...

Got my first novel up and running - feels nice to have it up. Already got some purchases last night, but I'm almost certain those were just people who knew me. I've contacted a bunch of people about having a look so I can get some reviews going and am going to do some free days to generate reviews.

Today, I uploaded a short story as well, though it doesn't have a cover yet - have someone working on one and should be able to add it in a day or so. Hoping to use the short story as a lead-in to the novel, as they are very similar in tone and subject matter. Amazing how easy it is to throw something up once you've gone through the process.

I've also started another novel and am editing another old short story of mine to put up.

Getting pumped!

Not getting much work done on my freelance writing biz though. lol Better work it in because I still need to pay the bills.

Can't say for sure this'll ever be a fastlane for me, but I'm sure as hell going to try!

 

[Held for Ransom]

HFR, what do you think of that linking strategy, interesting idea to try and rank 1 book really well, and have people follow through.

I remember reading that thread when I got going. I think pretty much everyone has if they are into self pubbing. I have my own version of the strategy at work.

I've been playing around with mobipocket recently, but I'm having some issues with getting the format right in MS Words so that it comes out correct when viewed on my kindle previewer. Any suggested reading for formatting advice?

Here's a site I used when I got started. Basically, I just turned all the steps into a macro in MS Word and before I publish, it scrubs the document.

Also, what do you think about breaking a larger novel up into chapters and selling them individually. I've got zero name recognition right now. I'm thinking about giving away the first chapter for free then selling the rest for 1.99 or so. Any thoughts on that approach?

That's not something I've ever done so I couldn't say whether it would be effective or not. Also, Amazon recently instituted a policy that prohibits stories less than 2,500 words so if you did go that route, you'd have to make sure it was long enough. If it were me, I'd just publish the whole thing. We all start out with zero name recognition, that's just how it goes...

Got my first novel up and running - feels nice to have it up.

Way to go man!

Can't say for sure this'll ever be a fastlane for me, but I'm sure as hell going to try!

I felt the same way. Truth is that until a few weeks ago I didn't think it would be for me either. Now, though, I'm not so sure. It just might be. But, as if you needed more convincing a former self pubber in Romance, Sylvia Day, just sold 550,000 copies of her new title IN ONE WEEK.

At a net royalty of ~$7 per sale, that's around $3.85 MILLION in the first week. Uhhhhmm, I don't think I have to crack open MFL to know that she qualifies.

Also, you'll be interested to know that (at the time of this post), that book almost has more 1-star reviews than 2s, 3s and 4s COMBINED.

 

[dru-man]

But, as if you needed more convincing a former self pubber in Romance, Sylvia Day, just sold 550,000 copies of her new title IN ONE WEEK.

At a net royalty of ~$7 per sale, that's around $3.85 MILLION in the first week. Uhhhhmm, I don't think I have to crack open MFL to know that she qualifies.

Also, you'll be interested to know that (at the time of this post), that book has more 1-star reviews than 2s, 3s and 4s COMBINED.

Awesome - thanks! I love reading stuff like this. Keeps me going. I know they're outliers, but if I can just do a fraction as good, I'm happy, and I figure the more high-quality stuff I put out and the better I get with each book, the more likely it is for something to randomly take off.

 

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[Jonleehacker]

In the post on the first page where you outline the forumla for selecting a target niche, I noticed that you sort the titles by "New and Popular" in order to gauge find the books that are making the most money.

But when I go to Amazon and do a search say for 'dark fantasy' by default it sorts the results by relevance.

So if you create a book based on a keyword, that's great it should show up when someone does a keyword search, and then you are hoping there is enough volume from those searches to push you onto the New and Popular list, where the real money is?

Can you explain why you use New and Popular for niche selection, when most poeple will never see the results listed like that?

 

[dru-man]

Held for Ransom,
Curious if you can recommend any information products about marketing on Kindle, specifically pertaining to keywords and ranking for fictional works. I did notice a product you dropped an endorsement on in the WF, but it didn't sound like their system gave you much beyond your initial insight into the opportunities on the platform.

Whether here or via pm, can you share any products that you think make for a good starting point?

Thanks!
James

 

[Held for Ransom]

Can you explain why you use New and Popular for niche selection, when most poeple will never see the results listed like that?

Uhhm, well, I don't have any reason other than just my own observations of the kinds of results that get displayed on a sort by Relevance vs. New and Popular. What I mean is that (from my POV), it seems that the results I get when I sort by N&P tend to reflect the current trends of the market better than Relevance.

I know this by looking at the Sales Ranks. Also, I wouldn't necessarily agree with the statement you made that says, "most people will never see the results listed like that". I think that Amazon has all of those sorting option there for a reason. That is, people use them. So while you may be correct that my book won't see the light of day for a N&P result, it still doesn't change the fact that those are the bestselling titles for that keyword and that at least a portion of the users choose that sorting option.

That's my purpose for choosing the sort in the manner when doing my research. I could be wrong, of course, but it's just the practice I've come to over the last 10 months or so. And, even if I am wrong, it isn't by much.

Curious if you can recommend any information products about marketing on Kindle, specifically pertaining to keywords and ranking for fictional works.

Not really. I only ever purchased one which you made mention of. However, the only thing I really learned from that course was the importance of choosing fiction vs. non-fiction.

Whether here or via pm, can you share any products that you think make for a good starting point?

If you are referring to a tool to perform market research, I am actually developing one right now. I have hired a local development team to put it together for me. It runs via Amazon's API and they have gotten the keyword research module functioning at the moment. Next up will be a second module in the tool which allows me to research by the various bestseller lists (Hot New Releases, Bestsellers, etc.).

It's only something I've used for my own purposes right now only because I don't really have a lot of time for answering a ton of questions about how to use it. If you are interested, I could PM you the link to the tool as it stands now though. The only caveat would be that you'd have to be fairly self-reliant for the moment. If enough people wanted to use it, I could probably put together some basic tutorials and things but for right now, that just isn't a priority for me.

 

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[dru-man]

If you are interested, I could PM you the link to the tool as it stands now though. The only caveat would be that you'd have to be fairly self-reliant for the moment. If enough people wanted to use it, I could probably put together some basic tutorials and things but for right now, that just isn't a priority for me.

I will pm you - definitely interested. And I completely understand. If I can figure it out on my own, awesome; if not, so be it. Thanks!

 

[Cyberseraph]

@Held for Ransom: Thank you for sharing with us your knowledge!

Why have you decided to use a pen name and not your real name? Is it about concealment of identity or are there any other disadvantages to use ones real name?

 

[Held for Ransom]

Why have you decided to use a pen name and not your real name?

Just privacy really. As far as disadvantages... Well, there could be a million reasons why someone would want to use a pen name.

But, here's a good one... Let's suppose you have the bestselling title on Amazon and next thing you know, you're raking it in. Well, by using a pen name you are able to stay under the radar. I know from experience that when people find out you are doing well, it's not always a good thing.

It's nice that at least you have the option!

 

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[RahKnee]

Held for Ransom,
I've reached a point where I need to get some covers for a few ebooks put together. Have you got any advice on covers, and can you recommend anyone who can make a custom cover from scratch? I've seen a lot of people on fiverr and sites like that who will use stock photos and customize some text on them, but I've got some concept sketches I'd like to have turned into digital format. I'd also prefer original art over stock.

 

[Held for Ransom]

Have you got any advice on covers, and can you recommend anyone who can make a custom cover from scratch?

Unfortunately, I don't. I make all of my own covers at the moment. I use stock photos from sites like 123rf.com and iStockphoto.com. I usually spend between $3-$5 per image. That, plus my time. It typically takes me around 90 minutes to make a cover.

I will be starting a different pen name at some stage and for that I will likely hire someone but at this point, I can't be of much help in terms of outsourcing.

 

[PrincessK]

Thanks so much for this !! synchronicity I am just getting started with this ! I love storytelling it is so powerful !! Your story and success is very inspiring and a testimony to what is possible !! Awesome!:eusa_clap:

 

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[AndrewKent]

The post is chock-full of some great actionable advice, so thank you. Truly.

Based on said actionable advice, I started researching genres. You were right when you said it's a pain in the a$$, but definitely worth the insight once you have all the numbers in front of you. I'm going to PM you for the link to the research tool you mentioned above, but in the meantime while that is in development, what do you think about outsourcing the research? Just hop on oDesk or eLance and hire someone for data entry? There are a lot of good workers in East Asia that do this sort of thing for cheap. Would you recommend this, or do you gain some valuable insight that makes it worth doing on your own?

I think a big help for the research side would be to at least have a list of titles in a particular genre. I've found a few tools where you can look up sales rank and other data on individual books, so it would be good if there was a tool that could grab a list of book titles in a certain genre, then I could just plug them into the query app and it could spit out sales rank data, etc. Is there anything you've come across for getting at least titles in a genre?

 

[Texan]

Have you got any advice on covers, and can you recommend anyone who can make a custom cover from scratch?

I've used this lady on Fiverr for decent covers: pro_ebookcovers's profile page on Fiverr.com (And no, she's not a relative or anything

And I know I've probably said it again, but HFR has created a brilliantly useful threat here. Thanks again!

 

[Held for Ransom]

You were right when you said it's a pain in the a$$, but definitely worth the insight once you have all the numbers in front of you.

Yeah. I'll PM you a link to the tool. It will help significantly.

Would you recommend this, or do you gain some valuable insight that makes it worth doing on your own?

I suppose this is doable and I could see a situation where you would probably want to do this if you are doing things on a large scale basis. For me personally though, I couldn't imagine turning this part over to someone else - for my fiction. You learn more than you could possibly imagine by sitting there and sifting through data, buying bestsellers and reading them, etc. There's no substitute for it from my POV.

Is there anything you've come across for getting at least titles in a genre?

Yeah, the tool does it. You just navigate to the genre you want first, enter your keyword, pick your method of sorting (Relevance, Bestsellers, etc.) and you get back the Top 100 results from the Amazon API. You can then sort by any metric you want (Sales Rank, Author Name, etc.), filter the data, export the data to a CSV, etc. In a couple of weeks, my hope is that the next module will be finished. That one is focused on list mining like Bestsellers and Hot New Releases and if they can get it to work like I want, it will make researching those lists very easy as well.

 

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[Cyberseraph]

Held for Ransom,

Thanks for your previous reply and advice about the privacy issues.

I really would like to write and publish my own kindle books but can't imagine to write fiction at this stage. My goal is to publish non-fiction books that are solving specific needs. In this case, what do you think about writing eBooks and create a landing page for each eBook where the visitor can purchase directly? Or would you still recommend to go with Amazon?

 

[Held for Ransom]

I really would like to write and publish my own kindle books but can't imagine to write fiction at this stage.

I couldn't either but here I am nearly ten months in still doing it. Once the money starts flowing in you might change your perspective as well. Also, and this is only my opinion, but literally there is no such thing as a saturated fiction market.

In other words, if you write enough and write to the best of your ability, eventually people will find your stuff. And people who read, read ALOT. Almost without exception, every title I've put out has done better than the one before it (especially since the spring of this year). I think there might be a bit of tipping point where people look for your stuff and buy when it comes out.

But, I could be wrong. My next story could be a flop. After all, it happens to the best of them!

But, "flop" is relative to where you are. I mean, when I first started, getting a sales rank of under 10,000 seemed like a friggin' dream - a smash hit! Now, if I can't get under 1,000, I'm really bummed - it's a flop. I really want to crack the Top 500 and Top 100. If you ever check the Top 100 paid Kindle E-books, you'll find it's almost always overwhelmingly fiction.

If you want to make bank with e-books, fiction is where it's at. I mean that only in the sense that if you are starting from nothing and you don't have any sort of non-fiction credibility (finance, business, health, self improvement, etc.), then your odds of "overnight success" are much better with fiction. Just my opinion of course. And, like MJ says in the book... over time, your process will tilt the odds of success in your failure as you continue to write and improve. Next thing you know, anything less than 1,000 in the Kindle store will seem sucky to you as well!

Anyway, the point is that the desire of fiction readers for new stories is insatiable - it really is. That will never, ever change. As evidence, I haven't done a single day of work in nearly a month - due to some neck and back issues that have finally prevented me from typing. I hope to have my new ergo workstation fully complete within the next two weeks. Even so, I'm still going to pull in a record month in spite of that!

In my opinion, my ability to earn without working is because I went with fiction. Anyway, I'll get off my soapbox on that topic.

Just something for you to think about...

In this case, what do you think about writing eBooks and create a landing page for each eBook where the visitor can purchase directly? Or would you still recommend to go with Amazon?

Do you mean setting up a website for the book specifically outside of Amazon? I can't say that I've ever done that so I really couldn't say how effective it might be. Not really sure what you mean there...

 

[gelsicapital]

Could you also pm me a link to the tool?

Thanks in advance! I almost have my first book finished. Thanks for motivating me

 

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[Held for Ransom]

Could you also pm me a link to the tool?

PM sent!

 

[earningmoney]

Thanks Held for Ransom for this awesome thread. You have inspired me to go for kindle. Although I know about kindle a year back but did not take it seriously. Because english is not my first language so I thought that it is not for me and other fear i have that i am not a writer. But your thread give me motivation to go for it.

Thanks a lot for this. I have sent you an PM. Please reply.


with warm regards,

 

[Cyberseraph]

Do you mean setting up a website for the book specifically outside of Amazon? I can't say that I've ever done that so I really couldn't say how effective it might be. Not really sure what you mean there...

Thanks for your insight and advice. Yes, I mean setting up a website for the book specifically outside of Amazon. For example, if I would write a "How To" course as an eBook and create a catchy website for it which is showing why the visitor has to buy this book. My idea behind it is that by doing it in-house without Amazon I would be able to generate more revenue (avoiding the Amazon fees). There are many of such websites (called "landing page" or sales page) that are selling eBooks for $39 - $79 each. But such websites are not common for fiction books though. Hope this makes sense now.

By the way, I was wondering how do you get the inspiration and creativity to produce different stories for your books over and over again. Do you have to fight with the "writer's block" condition some times?

 

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[Jonleehacker]

Could you recommend some books/resources for plot structure. I know you mentioned that you don't consider yourself to be a writer, so you must have learned how to tell a good story, I would appreciate any direction on this topic.

 

[Enki]

In other words, I've been able to systematize much of what I do. I think that was the biggest surprise of all to me. But, when you really learn about what the big earners do, it's all systems. Very, very, very few successful fiction writers do it for "passion" and in fact write in a formulaic manner and cater to what the genre wants to read. Honestly, I truly believe that almost anyone can do this if they work this as a system.

It sounds to me, that if you were to write for 5 years straight you could live in the fast lane for the rest of your life off of the residuals. not to mention you could later take the most popular of your writings and adapt them to screen plays.

I feel myself moving towards a similar journey as you. Is there any books that you could recommend I read?

Thanks