Announcing my Dive into ePublishing

[Sparkie]

my instinct is to not self-promote.

I can relate. While I don't mind making my stories avaliable, I shudder at the thought of drawing attention to them. It just seems so... I dunno. I guess I'm just not the sort who wants to stand up in the middle of a room and say "Hey! Look at me everyone!"

 

[MichaelSullivan]

There's a big difference between sayng "look at me" and interacting with readers. The mere fact that you are conversing at a site like this shows that you can talk to others. Don't scream, "buy my book" be a member of a community. Talk about all kinds of things - and when the context is appopriate feel free to mention you have a book. It's not about "selling" it's about "informing". Readers want to find new books. Just let them know it exists and leave the decision making to them.

The only thing that gets books sold is word-of-mouth but that requires the book to be known by a core group (think of it as priming a pump). My first two books just went into second printings (one has been out for a month - the other a few weeks) so the news is spreading...but if you aren't willing to help spread the INFORMATION who will?

 

[Dreamhand]

Congratulations, Tel! And Congratulations, Michael! This whole thread is chock full of good news and good ideas.

Tel, I would love to see your blog detail the entire process: emails sent (and responses), screenshots of forms filled out (with personal info blurred, of course), weekly stats of downloads... all of it. Some of us have never seen the web pages for listing e-books on the various sites. A guided tour would be a VERY welcome addition to the canon of "How to..." goodness.

I completely support Michael's observation of engaging with readers and contributing to the various communities as a key to self-promotion. I think it's vital for an author to foster his/her OWN community (through a blog or whatever) but also demonstrate a connection to the broader community through message boards, etc. One of the key "excitements" inherent to self-publishing (for me, anyway) is the notion that we're all "in the trenches" and that "published author" no longer equates to "unapproachable celebrity".

You GET what you GIVE, brothers and sisters... share, don't beg... support the community and the community supports you. These universal truths are particularly true in the digital realm.

 

[sashamerideth]

Amazon is very cagey about their sales figures, I am pretty sure publishing sales numbers will get you banned from Amazon.

I am interested in the whole Smashwords experience, I am debating Smashwords and their meatgrinder, or just go directly to Amazon. Sure the meatgrinder gets me into B&N as well as wider availability, and a free ISBN, but isn't Amazon responsible for something like 80% of the eBook market?

For me, Smashwords hints at bad erotica that no one else wanted, some of the worst that ePublishing has to offer. I have been pretty selective on Amazon, nothing with fewer than three stars, or at the very least a recommendation from someone I trust. I will be taking a look, and when I get my own there, hope y'all will do the same.

Sent from my Blade using Forum Runner

 

[Devor]

I completely support Michael's observation of engaging with readers and contributing to the various communities as a key to self-promotion. I think it's vital for an author to foster his/her OWN community (through a blog or whatever) but also demonstrate a connection to the broader community through message boards, etc. One of the key "excitements" inherent to self-publishing (for me, anyway) is the notion that we're all "in the trenches" and that "published author" no longer equates to "unapproachable celebrity".

All of that's true, of course, but insomuch as your goal is self-promotion you have to be a little selective of what you actually post and where. Web-community's in your market might be small, so you might need to focus on providing a few quality-posts in a larger quantity of locations, picking only a small number of communities to really immerse yourself in. You may only need to get involved in one or two threads if they are active and relevant to your story. But appearing several times in one good conversation will be more appealing to your readers than appearing once in several weaker ones.

 

[Telcontar]

I am debating Smashwords and their meatgrinder, or just go directly to Amazon.

These are not mutually exclusive. Do both. I plan to. Amazon accounts for about 70% of the eBook market, last I heard. That doesn't mean you shouldn't be trying to reach the other 30%. It's true that much of the Smashwords offering is... well, bad. I've given some a look. But that is not their fault. A lot of the Amazon offering is bad as well.

Dreamhand, that's certainly a lot of info. I suppose it's a possibility to put up all sort of things like that. Might happen. I still don't actually have my work published - that'll happen at the end of January or so.

I definitely pick my communities. Quite frankly, an honest person only has so much time to devote to marketing. My time spent here is not marketing, it is my personal interest. I was here long before I knew I would want to advertise my eBooks. I'm not going to join forums on the sole hope of advertising - I want them to interest me as well.

 

[terence.soule]

Someone may have mentioned this already, but there are a lot of free QR code generators on the web. You plug in your website address and they generate the correct image, which you can save and paste where ever. Given the number of people reading eBooks on smart phones this might be a helpful approach. Potential readers can scan the code and be taken write to where they can purchase the book.
[email protected]
The Seventh Bridge

 

[MichaelSullivan]

Amazon is very cagey about their sales figures, I am pretty sure publishing sales numbers will get you banned from Amazon.

Amazon does play their numbers close to the vest but they don't care if authors post their numbers from Amazon. Myself and a ton of authors from kindle boards do this routinely and no one has any comments from Amazon telling them to "keep this a secret."

 

[MichaelSullivan]

I am interested in the whole Smashwords experience, I am debating Smashwords and their meatgrinder, or just go directly to Amazon. Sure the meatgrinder gets me into B&N as well as wider availability, and a free ISBN, but isn't Amazon responsible for something like 80% of the eBook market?

Why does it have to be one or the other? Most people I know do the following:

1 - Post directly to Amaon with DTP
2 - Post directly to B&N with PubIt
3 - Post to ibookstore and Kobo with Smashwords

You'll not get many sales on Smashwords only. The most sales will USUALLY come from Amazon although some people have had some huge success with B&N and outsold their Amazon numbers there.

 

[OrionDarkwood]

Hi everyone! Some of you have no doubt already seen me say that I'm doing this, but I wanted to make a real announcement so I can get some feedback on a few things.

The short version is: I'm putting up the full version of this story as a eBook, through Amazon and Smashwords (and other places, if I hear about them). I'll also be releasing a couple other stories for free at the same time.

I'm in the beginning of getting everything done that needs doing, including securing cover art, formatting the books themselves, worrying about things like promotion

... to that end I now have a blog: Rant, Ramble, and Rave

... and a twitter handle: @GregoryWrites

Both are in rather skeletal phases, as I won't have time to play around with formatting and style and such until the holidays.

What I really want to know from you, gentle reader, is what you want to hear about? I wanted to start documenting this from the beginning so that everyone here - I assume most of us are interested in learning about publishing - and elsewhere might benefit from it.

What parts of this process do you most want me to write about? Do any of you (I'm looking at the published ones, especially) have any tips?

And finally, the plea which I wish I could - for reasons of class - leave unstated but - for reasons of necessity - I must say, often and loudly: When the time comes, won't you help me pimp my work?

I pimped you on my twitter, facebook and wordpress

 

[Telcontar]

Many thanks! For anyone who is watching, my story will be coming out by the end of the month, come hell or high water.