Taking the Erotica Leap

[Rainy_TX]

B&N is Barnes and Nobles

 

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[Rainy_TX]

I don't know how, but I managed to write 2k words today, going back and forth from doing internet research on ebook marketing. Guess these characters are really starting to talk to me.

 

[jimr]

Wow... I just got the best review from Amazon:

Nice work

 

[deepestblue]

I don't know how, but I managed to write 2k words today, going back and forth from doing internet research on ebook marketing. Guess these characters are really starting to talk to me.

Congrats on the Amazon review. There's nothing like positive reinforcement to have a person heading back to churn out more of what is proven by the marketplace to be working. Nice action taking

 

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[Rainy_TX]

Congrats on the Amazon review.

Thank you!

I have a high-profile ebook author link to me on a social media platform. I am very exited about this and wonder if it would be wrong of me to contact them and ask them about marketing? I'm sure they get bombarded with questions just like it every day...

 

[Lauryn]

I have a high-profile ebook author link to me on a social media platform. I am very exited about this and wonder if it would be wrong of me to contact them and ask them about marketing? I'm sure they get bombarded with questions just like it every day...

They already linked to you without your asking, so if you were to thank them and strike a conversation, there's potential in this. If the conversation goes nowhere, take a break and offer to invest in mentorship from them. No harm in that.

You've been doing great by the way!

I don't know about creating perma-free on my first novel, but I'm thinking of creating a Prequel novella and using it to promote the novel. I admit a lot of my growth will come from no longer being lazy.

 

[Rainy_TX]

You've been doing great by the way!
I don't know about creating perma-free on my first novel, but I'm thinking of creating a Prequel novella and using it to promote the novel. I admit a lot of my growth will come from no longer being lazy.

Thank you Lauryn! Yeah, I don't know if creating a perma-free novel would be a good idea unless it's going to be part of a trilogy or something like that. A prequel novella does sound like a good idea though!

Because my 'books' are only 10k-ish words and are part of a series, I am making the first book free. The cool thing is that it will still take some time before it's live on B&N even though I've been accepted into Smashwords premium. I will have time enough to write other 'books' and get them published to Amazon before the perma-free shows up on B&N and I start my bid to have Amazon price match. Then, when Amazon finally has the first book for free, readers will be able to read the next two in the series immediately, if they so choose.

 

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[Lauryn]

How often does Smashwords pay, and what's their royalty cut? I'm pretty used to monthly Kindle payments now.

 

[Rainy_TX]

How often does Smashwords pay, and what's their royalty cut? I'm pretty used to monthly Kindle payments now.

Honestly, I don't know. I can say that I'm not bothering with them after my first book is permafree... not near the exposure Amazon has. I'm basically just using them to push my book to B&N for the permafree that Amazon will match.

 

[Lauryn]

Got you. I might do that just to get it permafree on Nook and Kindle. How about Google Play?

 

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[Rainy_TX]

I haven't considered Google since they aren't one of the big ebook marketplace players. In doing research, I've found that the break down is close to this:

Amazon - 65%
B&N - 24%
Apple - 10%
Other - 1%

Apple is, however, gaining speed. Apple could have a 24% market share in the ebook retail business worldwide, according to Horace Dediu, the founder of Asymco, a website that publishes analysis of business trends.

I've also read that if you get your book permafree on Apple and Amazon finds out, they will almost instantly price match. (I guess Amazon is afraid of Apple.)

 

[avispa]

Got you. I might do that just to get it permafree on Nook and Kindle. How about Google Play?

it will cost $25 to publish Aps on the play store (one time Fee)

 

[COSenior]

How often does Smashwords pay, and what's their royalty cut? I'm pretty used to monthly Kindle payments now.

I think they pay quarterly. Don't recall their cut, but I think it's comparable to one of the Amazon options. I'm thinking either 40% or 65%. Sorry, I know that's a large range. You can find it on their FAQs.

 

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[COSenior]

Thank you!

I have a high-profile ebook author link to me on a social media platform. I am very exited about this and wonder if it would be wrong of me to contact them and ask them about marketing? I'm sure they get bombarded with questions just like it every day...

I agree with Lauren. I had a fairly high-profile author approach me for a review swap, and it ended up being an excellent opportunity for me. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Most authors are only human, after all.

 

[Rainy_TX]

They already linked to you without your asking, so if you were to thank them and strike a conversation, there's potential in this. If the conversation goes nowhere, take a break and offer to invest in mentorship from them. No harm in that.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Thanks guys! I took a step and thanked her and told her that I loved her work. She responded about a hour later. I'm going to leave that alone for a few days and then see if I can chat with her more later. (Ha ha... like a first date. You never want to call them the next day!)

I've done a lot of research today on promotion and have gained some incredible insights and tips that I wouldn't have thought of. Right now, I am making a plan. First and foremost is getting more books of my series published. I don't know when my first book will become permafree (it's pending becoming available on B&N and then Amazon price matching B&N), so I need to have a few more books in the series up by then. After that, I can spend a little more time working on some of the tips I've learned. (Like contacting top rated Amazon reviewers and asking them for reviews. Not only will you get reviews but because they are top rated, it will bump you up by association! Just be careful not to contact just any reviewer. Some review actual products and don't have any book reviews.)

Whew. What a Monday! I've also been able to write more in my second book... hoping to have the 10k word goal by Wednesday afternoon.

 

[Lauryn]

I love love love the momentum.

Please check out Rob Eagar's Sell Your Book like Wildfire. He has dope information on book marketing.

 

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[Rainy_TX]

Please check out Rob Eagar's Sell Your Book like Wildfire. He has dope information on book marketing.

Just bought it. I watched the youtube vid he made... looked good. Thanks Lauryn!

 

[britnidanielle]

I have my series "Bad Dates & Other Disasters" up on Google Play. You can set a book there for free on your own. It still hasn't forced my first book permafree on Amazon yet. So....there's that. People buy it from Amazon & DL it for free on Google Play. So, whatevs.

 

[Lauryn]

Just bought it. I watched the youtube vid he made... looked good. Thanks Lauryn!

​

I am doing the exercises now for my novel! Let me know what you think!

 

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[Rainy_TX]

Hey guys, I found this podcast and I thought some of you'd be interested:

http://authormarketingclub.com/blog/podcast-how-to-make-10000-a-month-writing-erotica-books/

 

[DontGiveTheEnd]

You have amazing drive!

Cant wait to read your Confessions novel...

 

[Rainy_TX]

You have amazing drive!
Cant wait to read your Confessions novel...

Thank you!

 

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[Rainy_TX]

Wow, it's amazing that life can say "yeah, you're not doing that today", even when you have a well-developed plan. BUT, I did manage to finish up book two for my Thicker than Blood series, "Fallen from Grace", today and it's off to my beta readers and editor. WHEW! I also created it's cover and tried to keep it in line with the cover of the first book. (below)

So far, the only thing I have published is the first book in the Thicker than Blood series. While I'm doing nothing to promote it, I've made 6 sales on Amazon with one five star review and I've had 280 free downloads on Smashwords with one four star review. I keep checking B&N to see if the book has been published there and so far, it has not. Will update when it does.

After all of the edits are done, will be publishing book two... hopefully tomorrow or Saturday.

 

[COSenior]

I've made 6 sales on Amazon

Make that seven. Just one-clicked it, and I'll read it in turn. Catching up, but still lots to go. My reading has been seriously impacted by my writing.

 

[Rainy_TX]

Make that seven. Just one-clicked it, and I'll read it in turn. Catching up, but still lots to go. My reading has been seriously impacted by my writing.

Thank you so much, COSenior! I actually have have 9 purchases now! AND... it's published to B&N. Now, I need to get Amazon to price match.

Book two is off to the editor and beta readers.

 

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[Rainy_TX]

Critique back on book two from a beta and the survey says... "Bloody awesome ending! I did NOT see that coming!"

I'm going to attempt at writing book three over the weekend as I have family stuff during the week but don't want to slow down the momentum I have going.

Learning so much from recommended reads, such as Rob Eagar's Sell Your Book like Wildfire, recommended by Lauryn. (Thank you!)

Hope everyone is doing well this evening!

 

[Rainy_TX]

Update:
*Have sold 17 books on Amazon since uploading my first book last week.
*Book two, Fallen from Grace, is published and live.
*3k words into the next book in the series, Truth in Legends.
*In following the lead from an author I follow on Twitter, I have created a pinterest account and am making boards to pin images for inspiration for my current projects. http://www.pinterest.com/leighton1238/truth-in-legends/ It also is a cool way for readers to see what might be coming up for the next book!

 

[COSenior]

Update:
*Have sold 17 books on Amazon since uploading my first book last week.
*Book two, Fallen from Grace, is published and live.
*3k words into the next book in the series, Truth in Legends.
*In following the lead from an author I follow on Twitter, I have created a pinterest account and am making boards to pin images for inspiration for my current projects. http://www.pinterest.com/leighton1238/truth-in-legends/ It also is a cool way for readers to see what might be coming up for the next book!

Way to go! You do indeed have great momentum going. I downloaded about ten books that I had already purchased to my Kindle today, yours among them. Hope to catch up over this week off, though I'll have my family here so I doubt I'll get to all of them. Making progress, anyway.

I saw that post about Pinterest, and it's an interesting idea, but one more non-writing task. I was intrigued because I can see it would help get to know our characters. I may follow your lead sooner or later.

 

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[Rainy_TX]

Hope to catch up over this week off, though I'll have my family here so I doubt I'll get to all of them. Making progress, anyway.

Thank you and I hope you have a good time with the family!

 

[joanna]

Update:
*Have sold 17 books on Amazon since uploading my first book last week.
*Book two, Fallen from Grace, is published and live.
*3k words into the next book in the series, Truth in Legends.
*In following the lead from an author I follow on Twitter, I have created a pinterest account and am making boards to pin images for inspiration for my current projects. http://www.pinterest.com/leighton1238/truth-in-legends/ It also is a cool way for readers to see what might be coming up for the next book!

Congrats on the sales! I like the Pinterest trick. I've tried using it before, but didn't really have an idea about what to do with it other than gathering pretty pictures. Having all the inspirations for each book as a pinboard each actually might work well to focus my efforts.