Deconstructing a BookBub & KDP Countdown Promotion

A condensed version of the article below originally appeared as a guest post on BookBub's Unbound blog.

As a bestselling suspense author who has been indie published since 2003, I've learned that being flexible and open to learning and adapting to change is key to being successful in this industry, and success for a professional career author should be defined by sales and income, though there are other indicators of success.

Too many authors schedule discount sales, post a couple of Facebook posts and send out a few tweets and then complain about lack of sales. Some do many small promotions, paying for 1-2 inexpensive advertising spots each time, and again don’t see high sales. Promos like these might get your book on a Top 100 genre bestseller list on Amazon, but they’re not enough to produce high sales.

You need to understand that watering down the impact of a discount sale by doing them too often just isn’t the way to go. You’re better off saving your advertising budget for a MAJOR promotion, and by “MAJOR” I mean spending $600-1200, and running 1-2 major promos a year per title. This is an investment in your career, in your work and in you.

Today, I’ll share some stats on my last major BookBub promotion, detailing my recent experience with a BookBub promo, so that you can see what advertising on book sites can do for sales.

Organizing and setting up my promotion:

First, I selected a book that has sold well but had never been on BookBub before or priced at $0.99 for many months. I chose SUBMERGED, a standalone thriller with tie-ins to my #1 bestseller, CHILDREN OF THE FOG. When I run a promotion for one title, there is always a strong possibility that some of my other titles will see an increase in sales too.

I decided to run a Countdown/BookBub combination promo, since Countdown deals get extra exposure from Amazon, and they create a bit more excitement. I determined I would only run this promo if BookBub accepted SUBMERGED (they'd turned it down numerous times in the past), so the first thing I did was pitch my book to BookBub, letting them know that my dates were very flexible. I requested a date close to the end of the month—payday. I did not book any other ads until after I had a BookBub date.

Once my BookBub ad was secured, I used that date as Day 1 of my Countdown promo and set up both US and UK Amazons. (Since we only get one Countdown promo every 90 days, you may as well do both Amazons.) I used all 7 days because it can take a few days to get into the overall Top 100 on Amazon, and I wanted to stay there as long as possible, building momentum.

My promo for SUBMERGED was set for the last few days of October and first few days of November, from October 28 - November 3rd (evening). This worked out great because most people are paid at the end of the month. I’ve found better success when I run a promo during a payday—15th and 30th.

I priced SUBMERGED at $0.99. I selected this price as this title had only been on sale for $0.99 once before, and that was when the SUBMERGED was first published, 8 months earlier.

Then I purchased other advertising, including Kindle Nation Daily, Fussy Librarian, BookSends, Story Finds, Bargain Booksy, Digital Book Today, Ereader News Today, The Kindle Book Review and more.

5 ads ran on Day 1 (Tuesday)

4 ads ran on Day 2 (Wednesday)

2 ads ran on Day 3 (Thursday)

4 ads ran on Day 4 (Friday)

3 ads ran on Day 5 (Saturday)

2 ads ran on Day 6 (Sunday)

2 ads ran on Day 7 (Monday)

Four of the above ads were free for various reasons; 18 ads were paid. I paid a total of $1214 for 22 ads.

I also set up various tweets to go out every couple of hours at random times each day of the promotion. During the promotion, I posted various updates to my Facebook pages, creating excitement and getting my readers and fans involved in where I was in my promotion. I used screen captures to show them when I made the lists. I had screen captures that showed where my book stood in relation to other Big-Name authors.

It’s important to note that prior to this promo and during the first 27 days of October, I had only sold 26 copies of SUBMERGED across Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

Results of my BookBub/Countdown promotion:

On Day 1 (Tuesday) SUBMERGED made Amazon's Top 100 overall bestseller list, which provides extra exposure to potential new readers. (This is the first time I made the Top 100 overall on the 1st day of a promo.) SUBMERGED remained in the Top 100 overall for the first 3 days of my promo. It remained in the Top 1000 overall for a week and in the Top 5000 overall for almost 2 weeks.

SUBMERGED also made Amazon.com’s Top 100 Movers & Shakers list, which provides extra exposure to potential new readers.

In the first 4 days of my promo (October 28-31) I sold* 2421 copies of SUBMERGED. Approx. 500 copies of SUBMERGED sold* in the first week of November (Nov 1-3). In the first 17 days of November I sold* 1000 copies of SUBMERGED. I sold* a total of 3421 copies of SUBMERGED on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk during my promo and in the 14 days afterward.

Three of my other titles’ sales increased approx. 50% during and after the time SUBMERGED was on the Countdown deal.

SUBMERGED, sold from October 28 to November 3 inclusive, was on sale for $0.99, which earned me a 70% royalty (a perk of the Countdown deals) for most, or were KOLL/KU sales. I earned $1633 for SUBMERGED sales* in October; the majority of that income was created in the last 4 days of October.

When my Countdown deal was over, SUBMERGED sold for $4.99, which also earned me 70% royalties for most. I earned approx. $3000 for SUBMERGED sales* in the first 2 weeks of November. And even after those first 2 weeks, I still saw an increase in sales of SUBMERGED. Many of my other titles continued to sell at a higher rate than before this Countdown/BookBub promo.

I earned an approx. total of $4633 for SUBMERGED sales* during my BookBub/Countdown promo and in the 2 weeks following. I averaged a royalty of $1.36/sale.* From the $4633 I earned during this promo from one single title, I paid $1214 for 22 ads, which results in a $3419 profit. If I had to split my profit with a publisher at 50%, I still would have earned $1709.50 for this one single title and I still would’ve seen a profit.

My takeaway: RUNNING A BOOKBUB PROMO WITH A SELECT COUNTDOWN DEAL WORKS! I will do this again…and again.

PS: If BookBub turns one of your books down, try, try again!

*Sales data marked with an asterisk includes Countdown sales or after-Countdown sales plus KOLL and KU.

To summarize, I put SUBMERGED (a psychological thriller) on sale for $0.99 via a KDP Countdown deal on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk from October 28 to November 17, 2015, and I sold 3421 copies. I paid $1214 for 22 ads (including BookBub--$500 Thrillers category), leaving me with a profit of $3419.

Authors: Submit your book to BookBub, and follow a similar marketing plan if they accept your work. I am sure you'll see great results.

PS: I recently did a similar BookBub promo for my DIVINE TRILOGY, and it too was a success and sold thousands of copies during my promo--and after.

Kindle Unlimited: Amazon's new program for KDP Select authors and publishers--and readers

As I predicted months ago, Amazon has come out with a new program to entice indie authors and publishers using KDP back to the Select program, and it's called Kindle Unlimited. The easiest way to explain this program is that it's just like Netflix, only for ebooks and audiobooks.

Kindle Unlimited is a subscription-based service similar to Oyster and a few others that gives customers unlimited ebooks and audiobooks, providing those ebooks/audiobooks have been enrolled in Amazon's KDP Select program.

You may all remember that I was one of KDP Select's success stories in 2012/13 and a strong proponent of the program until it slowed to a crawl.

Let's break down the advantages and disadvantages of Kindle Unlimited for readers and indie authors/indie publishers...

Advantages of Amazon's Kindle Unlimited for Readers: 

• You can sign up for a free 1-month trial of unlimited, participating ebooks and audiobooks. 
• After the trial period, you pay $9.99 US per month to subscribe to this service and read as many ebooks and listen to as many audiobooks as you want.
• You can cancel any time.
• Anyone in the US can read a Kindle ebook in this program, even without a Kindle ereader, by downloading a free app for smartphones, tablets or PC.

Disadvantages of Amazon's Kindle Unlimited for Readers: 

• You'll pay $9.99 US each month, even if you don't download any books.
• Not all ebooks on Amazon will qualify for this program.
• It is only available for US readers at this time. There is no word yet on when it will open to Canada, UK or other countries.

Advantages of Amazon's Kindle Unlimited for Indie Authors & Publishers:

• You'll most likely earn more per download than you would per sale without participating.
• Your books will have more exposure and a better chance of being discovered with this program.
• Even if someone only reads 10% of your title, you will receive your royalties for that title.

Disadvantages of Amazon's Kindle Unlimited for Indie Authors & Publishers: 

• eBook/Audiobook titles enrolled in Kindle Unlimited will be exclusive to Amazon and won't be sold anywhere else in ebook/audio format (other than Audible, an Amazon company).
• Authors will risk alienating customers who read ebooks on other ereading devices.

US readers, sign up here: Kindle Unlimited

Indie Authors/Publishers, learn more here: KDP Select - Kindle Unlimited

Special guest author Jesse Giles Christiansen talks about why authors should sometimes embrace insanity

Sometimes when you lose, you win.

This weekend is the big kickoff for a promo that I don't think I'll ever forget, and one that I've done everything in my power to ensure that I always remember. September 27-29 are my free days for my first foray with Amazon's KDP Select program through my publisher, Imajin Books. Imajin Book's owner and bestselling author, Cheryl Kaye Tardif, has used this program to become a bestseller, as well as other authors, including her own.

A part of me is afraid. A part of me is thrilled. The whole of me is a human live wire.

My novel, PELICAN BAY, was a list bestseller out of the gate. Being in a genre top 100 is like going to your local theme park. It's terrific, and you definitely want to go back ... but it isn’t Disney World folks.

I want to go to Disney World.

Really badly.

And stay.

Maybe I'm already there, hiding in the Haunted House and sleeping there with the familiar ghosts.

Am I a ghost? Right now I feel like a familiar ghost. And there's nothing wrong with that. No. Not at all. I'm a new author who has tasted some success like drops of deliciously acidic rain on my tongue.

To go from ghost to bodily form, I must make the top paid 100 on Amazon ... where the magic happens. But as most of you already know, this is much easier said than done. I have the help now of my marketing savvy, mentoring publisher, great authors, passionate readers, keen reviewers, artists, editors, and friends and family. However, as I write this, my promo group, which I'm calling Captain Shelby's Skeleton Army (Captain Shelby is the big character from PELICAN BAY), consists of only 38 people. But you know what? I'd rather have 38 faithful, like-minded, artistic souls than a 1000 bandwagon-jumpers or doubters. Yes, I'll take my little army and we'll see what we can do.

My free days end Sunday, and then PELICAN BAY has to swim. I mean REALLY swim. I think it can. I really do. I believe it, but I need your faith, too. Your help. No one is an island, after all, in any realm.

What started all this madness, really, were two things. First, I've been watching PELICAN BAY and it has done some things I never dreamed a new book from a new author would. There are those days. Yeah, those days. When I'm not doing any promos, sending out just basic tweets or Facebook posts, and suddenly the book's ranking, which I fear on those days will sink into oblivion, makes these jumps like a great tarpon finding its third and fourth winds. It truly amazes me. Also, PELICAN BAY was a list bestseller for over two months.

The other reason, truth be told, is that I was supposed to do this promo later in the year with a power author. Certain circumstances led to her having to cancel our promo. I was disappointed, not at her, but at life. Don't laugh here, but I started to feel like Rudy in that cheesy but inspiring film, after his friend dies in the factory fire. This voice inside me just said, "You have to do this now, on your own ... don't wait."

And so the insanity began.

Why is my promo insane? Why is reaching for the top paid 100 on Amazon nuts? Well, I'm not a math genius, but you don't have to be to understand the statistics of a new author reaching for such a goal. There are over 3 million eBooks on Amazon. The closer you get to the top paid 100, the more your book, no matter how strong, turns into a colorful snail. It slithers inches along the pavement as if begging to be squashed by Amazon's mighty foot.

But it's good for an author to embrace insanity, chiefly because even the most basic, consistent things that we come to rely on in life ... are incomprehensible. Take these words, for instance. Perhaps you are reading this blog post, and I thank you warmly for that. But these words. What are they? They appear so consistently to you now, but do you "know" them? You may be reading a computer screen in a complicated dream. You may forget that these very words are not objects, but only consistent flickers of your senses. Were any of countless possible events to occur inside or outside of you, these words would simply vanish.

So insanity for the artist may boil down to, really, reaching for things that defy our reliable senses, our common knowledge. If you want to do something unusual, you have to think unusually. Reach senselessly. Or as Cheryl Kaye Tardif says, "Think BIG." And yes, she's part of the Captain Shelby Skeleton Army. And I'm deeply thankful for that.

But what if I fail? Well ... sometimes win you lose, you win.

Yours in literature,

J.G.C.

Web Site: www.jessegileschristiansen.com
Blog: www.jgchristiansen.wordpress.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JesseGilesChris
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jesse.gileschristiansen.7
Join the Army: https://www.facebook.com/events/366857243444298/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5261095.Jesse_Giles_Christiansen

Amazon’s Kindle MatchBook Program Allows Readers to Buy Discounted eBooks When They Purchase the Print Edition

Amazon recently announced a brand new program for readers—Kindle MatchBook—which will launch in October 2013. The concept is simple: readers will be able to download select ebooks at a discount when they purchase the print edition of the same title. And the cool thing is Amazon is going to count past print sales, so this offer is retroactive—all the way back to 1995 when Amazon first opened its online bookstore. So if you purchased a print edition of a title and there’s an ebook edition available, you could get the ebook for a discount if it has been enrolled in MatchBook. This means consumers will get a better deal overall and writers have a chance to earn more income.

There are some great advantages to owning both the print and digital editions of a work. First, if you don’t own a Kindle ereader, you can easily read the paperback. You can read the print edition on a plane when all electronic devices have to be turned off. You can then continue on your ereader if you want to. For those of you who like to collect books, especially signed editions, you can keep your print collection in pristine condition as you read the ebook edition.

Indie authors can easily enroll any ebook with a matching print edition on Amazon by going to their Bookshelf, selecting the book, clicking on the Rights & Pricing tab, scrolling to #9 – Kindle MatchBook and selecting the option and the discount price. Enrolling in MatchBook is non-exclusive and you do not have to have that title enrolled in KDP Select to offer the program to your readers. You can opt out any time.

Indie authors or publishers using the Kindle Direct Publishing platform can set their discounts from the dropdown list that appears once you’ve selected MatchBook. Discounts offered are predetermined by Amazon, based on your current retail price. You may be offered a discount price of $2.99, $1.99, $0.99 or free. Authors and publishers can then select their preferred discount.

Readers will have over 10,000 qualifying titles to choose from when Kindle MatchBook launches in October. Many publishing companies are expected to sign up. Imajin Books, a small, independent Canadian publishing company has already signed up for the program and most of their titles will be offered via MatchBook.

So how about you? Are you an author considering enrolling your ebooks in the program? Are you a reader excited about this new program? Would you use it? Do you see any real value in owning both the ebook and print editions of a book? I’d love to hear from you.

How my marketing book on KDP Select helped one author

Ever since I published my marketing book, HOW I MADE OVER $42,000 IN 1 MONTH SELLING MY KINDLE eBOOKS, which was designed specifically for Amazon's KDP Select program, I have received emails, tweets and FB messages from authors who have used my strategies. My marketing book has been reviewed 212 times as of today.

Some people have questioned my integrity and intention regarding this book, but the email I received yesterday is the best way for me to explain WHY I would reveal my "secrets" or strategies. The simple reason: because I like helping other authors; I always have, always will.

One author contacted me yesterday to let me know how excited she was at the success of her first free promotion. She gave me permission to use her email in this blog post. (Thank you, Renee-Ann.)

Dear Cheryl,

I'm sure you get this kind of messages all the time but I really wanted to share what your book, "How I Made Over $42,000 in 1 Month Selling My Kindle eBooks", has done for me. First let me say that your name and book has become a topic of conversation among the writers in our group.

I wrote Stella's Plea as part of the NaNoWriMo challenge in 2010. It’s my first novel, a Christian Suspense about the abduction of a deaf little girl, and her mother's struggle to find her. I published it in November 2012.

Last week, Sarah Butland, a writer-friend, highly recommended your book, and to make sure I take notes as I read. Thank God for technology, I read it on my Kindle and took notes in my Windows Phone.

It hasn’t been a week since I finished your book but I'm aiming for the moon and feel like one of the stars. My novel wasn't selling because I lacked the market savvy you're so good at. I had no idea how to promote my novel, let alone sell it. Even an interview with the local newspaper didn't move my rank. But then, Sarah recommended your book. It was awesome. I jotted the tips down -- and then some -- recommended the book to others on our writers groups, and put the strategies to the test. WoW! You weren't kidding.

I removed my novel from Smashwords, deleted the excerpts, and advertised a FREE promo from Thursday, Sept 5 to Saturday Sept 7. I was shocked when, Thursday evening, Sarah told me to check my ranking/stats. The book had gone from #800K+ on Wednesday to #569 in less than 24 hours. The book was now #6 on the Christian Suspense genre, and I had 492 downloads. Need I say I barely slept that night? Friday morning, I had 652 downloads and had moved to #5 in Christian Suspense, and #386 in Free Kindle.

Now, Saturday afternoon, I have well over 1265 downloads and my promo isn't over yet. I lost count of the invites to Share and Tweet, and Pin. As you suggest, I aimed at 500/day and reached that goal the first two. I'm still hoping to get 500 today, though I'm aiming at total of 2K. :)

It's not just the downloads though. I'm overwhelmed at people's response to help me get my book to number one. And just the fact that it reached #5 in the Christian Suspense, even though it's free, I'm ecstatic about that.

I haven’t had a chance to do everything yet, as it's been less than a week since I finished your book. Plus I work fulltime outside the home so my time is limited to when I'm off work. But Cheryl, I am truly having a blast with this promotion, and I thank you for sharing your story in this marketing book.

I apologize this is so long but I really wanted to share the whole story with you. I will continue to share the book, review it once my promo is finished, then I'll have another promo in 6-8 weeks, depending how fast the numbers plunge again. In an ideal world, they'd stay where they are! :)

Lastly, will you please download a copy of my book, and also tell your friends about it? http://amzn.to/18jprie

Blessings to you. Renee-Ann  (aka R.A. Giggie)

I believe that my methods still work, even though Amazon has messed up the algorithms so that we don't see the huge numbers we saw last year. There is still value in using the Select program, especially for niche authors and new authors, or those with only 1-2 titles.

I've also tested my strategies on 99 cent sales--and guess what? They work. I've done 99 cent sales without my methods and seen only a slight increase. But when I do everything in my book, my sales skyrocket.

If you're serious about promoting your book, and if you aren't one of those people who only "reads" a book on marketing and you're not afraid of working hard or experimenting, I encourage you to pick up a copy of HOW I MADE OVER $42,000 IN 1 MONTH SELLING MY KINDLE eBOOKS. It's only $2.99.

• Updated: Sept 4, 2013 - Contains OVER 130 LINKS TO WEBSITES THAT WILL PROMOTE YOUR FREE BOOK
• The #1 Marketing book specifically designed for Amazon's KDP Select program
• International Bestseller
• Contains detailed Select experiments & analysis

NEWS: I've now earned over $210,000 with KDP Select! I signed with an agent at Trident Media Group; I was contacted by the senior editor at a "big 6" publishing company because of my success on Amazon; Amazon hand-picked two of my titles for special promotions; and I have signed a 2-book audiobook deal with Audible--ALL because of my KDP Select success.

http://www.amazon.com/Month-Selling-Kindle-eBooks-ebook/dp/B0080USSYW

New Release: How I Made Over $42,000 Selling My Kindle eBooks

In March 2012 one Canadian author boldly went where few have gone before—into the land of making real money with Amazon's KDP Select program.

This is her story…

My name is Cheryl Kaye Tardif and I am an international bestselling suspense author who earned over $42,000 dollars in March 2012 selling ebooks via Amazon's KDP Select program, captured the interest of a major literary agency, and went on to sign with a foreign rights agent. And I'm about to tell you HOW I did all that.

I don't normally tell people how much money I make, but I believe writers need to know it IS possible to earn a real income from your books. Seriously, if I can do it, anyone can—if you have the right combination of criteria and techniques.

In this book, I'll share with you what I believe are four key elements you must have in place to see high sales. And I'll reveal the strategic techniques I used during my KDP Select promotions that resulted in earning over $42,000—with $32,000 of that from ONE title alone.

Not only did I earn over $42,000 in ebook sales, I was contacted by one of the leading literary agencies in New York. The chairman noticed my success when my one title made #4 in the Top 100 Bestselling Kindle ebooks, right under The Hunger Games trilogy. Since then, I've signed with another agent for foreign rights.

So, if you're ready to earn some real money with Select, let's begin…

Available at Amazon (Kindle)

The KDP Select Experiment: Part 11 - Conclusions - Updated: Sept 24

I'm going to keep this post short and hopefully you'll get enough out of it to make up your mind about Amazon's Select program. I began enrolling in Select as an experiment. I was a skeptic. I didn't like the exclusivity clause. But I knew I could always opt out and return to my old ways of selling if things didn't work out.

I also knew that even if I saw a slight increase in sales, it didn't mean I could maintain that increase every month--or make any of the big numbers a few people like JA Konrath have mentioned.

My experiment took place from January to March...

In January I made 3 times more money than I was averaging per month last year. If my math is correct (and remember, I admit I do suck at math) that's a 300% increase.

In February I made 13 times more money than I was averaging per mth in 2011.

In March I made 42 times more money than my 2011 monthly average.

From January to March 2012, I've earned more money than I've made in the last 5 years. Do I expect the numbers to keep getting higher? No. Like anything else, I expect they'll rise and fall. But I don't expect to ever go back to making only what I made each month last year. Why? Because I'll eventually have another book on the Select promo.

Conclusions: It's WORTH giving up exclusive distribution rights and enrolling in KDP Select because you'll make more money this way than with ANY other distribution system.

UPDATE: September 24, 2012: 

I have now earned over $150,000 with KDP Select. Two agents contacted me after they saw my success and I have signed with Adrienne Lombardo at Trident Media Group. A senior editor from Penguin contacted me about CHILDREN OF THE FOG in particular but I wasn't willing to let it go for low terms. She is awaiting my next new novel. 

I'll be represented at the Frankfurt book fair this year--I'm excited. A possible audiobook deal is in the works, foreign rights deals are being pursued. THIS is what happens when you take a chance, are bold enough to try something new and find ways to make the numbers soar.

***
If you haven't read my experiment results, please visit: The KDP Select Experiment Link List

My KDP Select Experiment

I began experimenting with Amazon's KDP Select program in late January 2012. Since then I have watched my numbers soar, along with my income. Never have I earned so much from my writing!

In 11 months I have earned over $210,000 just from my Kindle ebooks alone.

And I have discovered some marketing techniques that really work. When I consistently follow the same techniques, my income dramatically increases. When I slack off, my numbers decline. I have used the same techniques for the past 9 months.

And my ebook HOW I MADE OVER $42,000 IN 1 MONTH SELLING MY KINDLE EBOOKS unveils every technique I use, plus includes over 110 resources--sites/blogs etc that will help you promote your Select freebies. During the month where I made over $42,000, over $32,000 of that was from ONE single suspense novel.

Many of those who have followed my strategies have seen increased numbers. The ones who haven't seen higher numbers most likely did not use ALL my techniques. I'll be clear here: if you want this to work for you, do everything I did. And that includes advertising your freebies on paid and free sites.

Pick up a copy of my marketing book designed specifically for KDP, giving you all my strategies, lots of tips and lists of resources for advertising your free promotions on Amazon. For only $2.99 you could be earning $200,000+ like I am, just from KDP Select.

How I Made Over $42,000 in 1 Month Selling My Kindle eBooks

If you have conducted your own KDP Select experiment and have shared your stats (positive or negative) on your blog, please leave a link to your blog in the comments. Thank you.

~ Cheryl

Amazon's new carrot: KDP Select

Today someone asked me what I thought about Amazon's new KDP Select program, a program that has an exclusivity clause that prohibits participating authors from selling their ebooks anywhere else. After sending him my thoughts on the matter, I realized something: I had enough for a blog post. So here is my answer to his question of whether I was tempted to enroll and what I thought about the program...

I’m happy to share my thoughts on KDP Select, though I’ll warn you, they’re very “strong”. 

First, I think this is a ballsy move on Amazon’s part to try to monopolize the industry. From a business perspective, it’s not necessarily wrong, but they won’t make a lot of people happy.

I am definitely against aspects of this new “program” of Amazon’s, but it's compelling all the same. I think they’re using much higher numbers and authors won’t be too pleased when they realize how little they’ll actually make from it. That’s my prediction anyhow. It sounds good at first glance, sharing a pool of money, but at what cost?

The exclusivity clause is a big red flag for me. Amazon is asking authors to put all their “eggs into one basket.” It’s obvious they’re hoping to weed out other ebook retailers like Smashwords. They want the monopoly. But this is a huge risk for authors who blindly follow Amazon. Once they’re “in” and bound by exclusivity contracts, Amazon can basically do what they want and those authors won’t have any choices. They could raise ebook prices, put ebooks on sale etc.

The automatic renewal poses a serious problem as well. If it isn’t timed properly, authors who do want out will find themselves locked into another term.

I think new authors, especially the very young or very old, may be drawn into this “program” without realizing the full effects and risks. That bothers me. I’ve already seen on forums where authors have blindly signed up, not realizing until it’s too late that they won’t be able to sell anywhere else. It’s amazing how many writers don’t read the fine print—or understand it—or question it.

I don’t think the increased numbers came necessarily from Smashwords. Many writers who dealt with Smashwords and KDP probably thought it was a good idea. Some probably thought it worth checking out or experimenting with. Then again, who’s to say the increase came from authors in this program? Amazon often makes “deals” with publishers and it wouldn’t surprise me if they held back a large number of titles so it would appear that authors are “jumping ship.” Nothing Amazon may do would surprise me.

Amazon is a huge company. There’s no way around that. I have a Kindle and love it. I also have a Kobo. I have friends who have Sony ereaders. With KDP Select in place, readers with Kobo, Nook or Sony ereaders won’t be able to get the same content, unless these ereaders can download a Kindle app, which some don’t.

As for the free ebook option, it’s a short one-time promotion opportunity that probably won’t do much good for the average KDP author. If Amazon allowed unlimited free ebooks, that may draw in more authors. Many would like to offer a free ebook, just to get people interested. But even if they had that as an incentive, it wouldn’t be enough to entice me to cross over to the “dark side”.

What would entice me? If Amazon stopped their greed campaign long enough to remember that authors deserve respect. And KDP Select shows zero respect for authors and their rights by making us sign any kind of exclusivity contract. Amazon needs to learn to play fair. They don’t have to have it all. There’s room for Smashwords, Kobo, iBooks, B&N and more. And readers deserve the choice.

Ok, I’m climbing off my soapbox now...well, you did ask. hehe

For more information on KDP Select, please check out the following:
http://blog.smashwords.com/2011/12/amazon-shows-predatory-spots-with-kdp.html
https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/KDPSelect
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/violetblue/amazon-kdp-select-controversy-golden-opportunity-or-trap/861
http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2011/12/fine-print-of-amazons-new-kdp-select.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-coker/amazon-ebooks-kdp-select_b_1139260.html
http://kaitnolan.com/2011/12/21/feeling-grinchy-about-kdp-select/


P.S. Authors: Do NOT enroll your books until you understand all of the risks and conditions.


KDP - Kill Da comPetition...

UPDATE: January 6, 2012

I thought I'd clarify a few things: I still don't agree with the exclusivity clause; I think Amazon should remember that not everyone owns or wants a Kindle ereader. But I AM glad that this exclusivity is short-termed. This allows authors to test the waters. Those who see great results may stay in the program; those who don't will leave.

Anyone who knows me knows that I've always been a risk-taker. I don't shy away from taking the plunge into uncharted waters, but I do my homework and investigate everything carefully. I like to be informed.

I know there are pluses to this program. That's always been a given. If authors are paid more, that's great. If a book makes a top 100 list, and sells thousands as a result of this program, even better.

I never said Amazon was stupid. :-) Though I don't like or agree with their tactics, this program is something to be tested. Since it's a short-term (3 months), there's less risk. My biggest concern is alienating readers who don't own a Kindle. But as an author trying to get my name out there among an overcrowded pool, I've decided I WILL test these waters, but only with one or two of my titles.

Always do your homework and read the fine print. Then if you think it'll work for you, take the risk.