Vincent Zandri's Blog - Posts Tagged "j-carson-black"
PART II of my Q&A with J.Carson Black: Is it Possible to Achieve Multiple Climaxes?
Ok, get you're mind out of the gutter.
This is a family show after all.
But what J.Carson Black has me exploring this time is this: Is it possible for an indie author experience multiple climaxes with his or her books or, what's known as "spikes" up the E-Book, Kindle, and NOOK bestseller lists?
My simple answer is "yes."
While in traditional publishing, it's more common to have a single spike after which the book will slow down and hopefully enjoy steady sales (as Black points out in her query to me), it's more likely that with the indie publishing model, our books can enjoy multiple spikes for as long as we live, or for as long as E-Readers are sold to the reading public, which will be forever and ever.
Unlike in traditional publishing, we authors can better control our pricing (in my case, I consult with my publisher, Aaron Patterson, at StoneGate Ink, who is always receptive to price changes if it's worth it). Take THE INNOCENT for instance, which reached No. 3 on the Amazon Kindle E-Book Bestseller list last month, and stayed in the Top 10 for more than a month. It rose up like a rocket after we changed the price from $2.99 to $.99. But what also fueled this fire was that the novel had just been the subject of a month long virtual tour, and the cyberwaves were full of fresh reviews and interviews regarding the book.
Since May 1st, 'Innocent' has been priced at either $3.99 or back to it's $2.99, and it's never descended lower than 270 or so. Which means we're probably making more money by not being priced at $.99 and holding our own in the top 10. While I'll sell somewhere around 12K copies of 'Innocent' this month, I'd have to sell around 70K in order to receive the same cash payout at the $.99 price. That's a lot of books.
But...and this is a big BUTTTT....Books that are able to reach not only the Top 100 of the Amazon Kindle Bestseller List, but the Top 25, help propel your other higher priced books. Just take a look at Black's novels. Incredibly, she has something like 4 books in the Top 100 right now, and these books are almost certainly fueling one another. With a $.99 price tag, they are priced to sell, netting her a very nice payday. If she were to price some of her novels at $2.99 or even $3.99, they might not reside in the T0p 100 but they would certainly generate a whole lot of pretty green for her.
So can THE INNOCENT achieve a multiple climax?
Almost certainly.
There are certain books that will drag ass no matter how much you push them. There are other books that will sell steadily at a certain range and not move too far up or down no matter what you do (those are you money makers...your bread and butter books)). Then there are those books that will do better than others if given the slightest nudge, and THE INNOCENT seems to be one of them. Right now it's selling at around 200, making us a nice, fair profit. But I'm certain StoneGate will run a special at some point in the future and when it does, the novel will likely work it's way into a hot, loud, screaming climax.
But remember folks, it ain't all about pricing. It's more about great writing, and putting out a lot of books. You never know which ones are going to take off. So concentrate more on the writing as a craft and you will succeed. Inevitably, it's your best marketing tool. If the writing is no good, you'd better plan on getting a real job.
Get this blog and others like them at The Vincent Zandri Vox:
http://vincentzandri.blogspot.com/201...
Concrete Pearl
This is a family show after all.
But what J.Carson Black has me exploring this time is this: Is it possible for an indie author experience multiple climaxes with his or her books or, what's known as "spikes" up the E-Book, Kindle, and NOOK bestseller lists?
My simple answer is "yes."
While in traditional publishing, it's more common to have a single spike after which the book will slow down and hopefully enjoy steady sales (as Black points out in her query to me), it's more likely that with the indie publishing model, our books can enjoy multiple spikes for as long as we live, or for as long as E-Readers are sold to the reading public, which will be forever and ever.
Unlike in traditional publishing, we authors can better control our pricing (in my case, I consult with my publisher, Aaron Patterson, at StoneGate Ink, who is always receptive to price changes if it's worth it). Take THE INNOCENT for instance, which reached No. 3 on the Amazon Kindle E-Book Bestseller list last month, and stayed in the Top 10 for more than a month. It rose up like a rocket after we changed the price from $2.99 to $.99. But what also fueled this fire was that the novel had just been the subject of a month long virtual tour, and the cyberwaves were full of fresh reviews and interviews regarding the book.
Since May 1st, 'Innocent' has been priced at either $3.99 or back to it's $2.99, and it's never descended lower than 270 or so. Which means we're probably making more money by not being priced at $.99 and holding our own in the top 10. While I'll sell somewhere around 12K copies of 'Innocent' this month, I'd have to sell around 70K in order to receive the same cash payout at the $.99 price. That's a lot of books.
But...and this is a big BUTTTT....Books that are able to reach not only the Top 100 of the Amazon Kindle Bestseller List, but the Top 25, help propel your other higher priced books. Just take a look at Black's novels. Incredibly, she has something like 4 books in the Top 100 right now, and these books are almost certainly fueling one another. With a $.99 price tag, they are priced to sell, netting her a very nice payday. If she were to price some of her novels at $2.99 or even $3.99, they might not reside in the T0p 100 but they would certainly generate a whole lot of pretty green for her.
So can THE INNOCENT achieve a multiple climax?
Almost certainly.
There are certain books that will drag ass no matter how much you push them. There are other books that will sell steadily at a certain range and not move too far up or down no matter what you do (those are you money makers...your bread and butter books)). Then there are those books that will do better than others if given the slightest nudge, and THE INNOCENT seems to be one of them. Right now it's selling at around 200, making us a nice, fair profit. But I'm certain StoneGate will run a special at some point in the future and when it does, the novel will likely work it's way into a hot, loud, screaming climax.
But remember folks, it ain't all about pricing. It's more about great writing, and putting out a lot of books. You never know which ones are going to take off. So concentrate more on the writing as a craft and you will succeed. Inevitably, it's your best marketing tool. If the writing is no good, you'd better plan on getting a real job.
Get this blog and others like them at The Vincent Zandri Vox:
http://vincentzandri.blogspot.com/201...
Concrete Pearl
PART II of my Q&A with J.Carson Black: Is it Possible to Achieve Multiple Climaxes?
Ok, get you're mind out of the gutter.
This is a family show after all.
But what J.Carson Black has me exploring this time is this: Is it possible for an indie author experience multiple climaxes with his or her books or, what's known as "spikes" up the E-Book, Kindle, and NOOK bestseller lists?
My simple answer is "yes."
While in traditional publishing, it's more common to have a single spike after which the book will slow down and hopefully enjoy steady sales (as Black points out in her query to me), it's more likely that with the indie publishing model, our books can enjoy multiple spikes for as long as we live, or for as long as E-Readers are sold to the reading public, which will be forever and ever.
Unlike in traditional publishing, we authors can better control our pricing (in my case, I consult with my publisher, Aaron Patterson, at StoneGate Ink, who is always receptive to price changes if it's worth it). Take THE INNOCENT for instance, which reached No. 3 on the Amazon Kindle E-Book Bestseller list last month, and stayed in the Top 10 for more than a month. It rose up like a rocket after we changed the price from $2.99 to $.99. But what also fueled this fire was that the novel had just been the subject of a month long virtual tour, and the cyberwaves were full of fresh reviews and interviews regarding the book.
Since May 1st, 'Innocent' has been priced at either $3.99 or back to it's $2.99, and it's never descended lower than 270 or so. Which means we're probably making more money by not being priced at $.99 and holding our own in the top 10. While I'll sell somewhere around 12K copies of 'Innocent' this month, I'd have to sell around 70K in order to receive the same cash payout at the $.99 price. That's a lot of books.
But...and this is a big BUTTTT....Books that are able to reach not only the Top 100 of the Amazon Kindle Bestseller List, but the Top 25, help propel your other higher priced books. Just take a look at Black's novels. Incredibly, she has something like 4 books in the Top 100 right now, and these books are almost certainly fueling one another. With a $.99 price tag, they are priced to sell, netting her a very nice payday. If she were to price some of her novels at $2.99 or even $3.99, they might not reside in the T0p 100 but they would certainly generate a whole lot of pretty green for her.
So can THE INNOCENT achieve a multiple climax?
Almost certainly.
There are certain books that will drag ass no matter how much you push them. There are other books that will sell steadily at a certain range and not move too far up or down no matter what you do (those are you money makers...your bread and butter books)). Then there are those books that will do better than others if given the slightest nudge, and THE INNOCENT seems to be one of them. Right now it's selling at around 200, making us a nice, fair profit. But I'm certain StoneGate will run a special at some point in the future and when it does, the novel will likely work it's way into a hot, loud, screaming climax.
But remember folks, it ain't all about pricing. It's more about great writing, and putting out a lot of books. You never know which ones are going to take off. So concentrate more on the writing as a craft and you will succeed. Inevitably, it's your best marketing tool. If the writing is no good, you'd better plan on getting a real job.
Get this blog and others like them at The Vincent Zandri Vox:
http://vincentzandri.blogspot.com/201...
Concrete Pearl
This is a family show after all.
But what J.Carson Black has me exploring this time is this: Is it possible for an indie author experience multiple climaxes with his or her books or, what's known as "spikes" up the E-Book, Kindle, and NOOK bestseller lists?
My simple answer is "yes."
While in traditional publishing, it's more common to have a single spike after which the book will slow down and hopefully enjoy steady sales (as Black points out in her query to me), it's more likely that with the indie publishing model, our books can enjoy multiple spikes for as long as we live, or for as long as E-Readers are sold to the reading public, which will be forever and ever.
Unlike in traditional publishing, we authors can better control our pricing (in my case, I consult with my publisher, Aaron Patterson, at StoneGate Ink, who is always receptive to price changes if it's worth it). Take THE INNOCENT for instance, which reached No. 3 on the Amazon Kindle E-Book Bestseller list last month, and stayed in the Top 10 for more than a month. It rose up like a rocket after we changed the price from $2.99 to $.99. But what also fueled this fire was that the novel had just been the subject of a month long virtual tour, and the cyberwaves were full of fresh reviews and interviews regarding the book.
Since May 1st, 'Innocent' has been priced at either $3.99 or back to it's $2.99, and it's never descended lower than 270 or so. Which means we're probably making more money by not being priced at $.99 and holding our own in the top 10. While I'll sell somewhere around 12K copies of 'Innocent' this month, I'd have to sell around 70K in order to receive the same cash payout at the $.99 price. That's a lot of books.
But...and this is a big BUTTTT....Books that are able to reach not only the Top 100 of the Amazon Kindle Bestseller List, but the Top 25, help propel your other higher priced books. Just take a look at Black's novels. Incredibly, she has something like 4 books in the Top 100 right now, and these books are almost certainly fueling one another. With a $.99 price tag, they are priced to sell, netting her a very nice payday. If she were to price some of her novels at $2.99 or even $3.99, they might not reside in the T0p 100 but they would certainly generate a whole lot of pretty green for her.
So can THE INNOCENT achieve a multiple climax?
Almost certainly.
There are certain books that will drag ass no matter how much you push them. There are other books that will sell steadily at a certain range and not move too far up or down no matter what you do (those are you money makers...your bread and butter books)). Then there are those books that will do better than others if given the slightest nudge, and THE INNOCENT seems to be one of them. Right now it's selling at around 200, making us a nice, fair profit. But I'm certain StoneGate will run a special at some point in the future and when it does, the novel will likely work it's way into a hot, loud, screaming climax.
But remember folks, it ain't all about pricing. It's more about great writing, and putting out a lot of books. You never know which ones are going to take off. So concentrate more on the writing as a craft and you will succeed. Inevitably, it's your best marketing tool. If the writing is no good, you'd better plan on getting a real job.
Get this blog and others like them at The Vincent Zandri Vox:
http://vincentzandri.blogspot.com/201...
Concrete Pearl
Sunday Blog in Bed: The Eye of the Reader
The following blogs is "now appearing" at The Vincent Zandri Vox: http://vincentzandri.blogspot.com/201...
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This isn't the first time I've blogged about the new importance of book covers....E-Book covers that is...and I'm sure it won't be the last. Never before has a reader's initial impression of a possible read been more important. Everyday dozens (or is it hundreds? Thousands?) of new E-Books are uploaded and/or published and everyday those same books must attempt to catch the eye of the reader. Because in this day and age, you damn well can and in some cases, should be able to judge a book by it's cover.
The power of covers has never been so well demonstrated as it has been with the recent success of John Locke whose thriller series all sport a very recognizable set of sexy legs on the covers. What do these legs have to do with the story itself? Prior to having read his work, I simply wasn't sure. But I can tell you this: those legs did tempt me into buying a couple of his titles. And now, whenever I come across one of those leggy covers, even if it's a brand new one, I know precisely who the author is and that no doubt the book will be a major bestseller. That's what's commonly known in the business as "branding." As authors, we all are creating our own unique brand of writing. Readers will come to rely on that brand for it's particular qualities (Pay attention newly graduated graphic designers. There's a ton of new work out there for you).
Another writer whose covers have the power to draw me in towards that "BUY NOW WITH 1-CLICK" button, are those of J. Carson Black. Her covers are not only rich in color and texture but utilize photographs and words to convey the dark thriller within (So do the "dark" titles).
Darkness on the Edge of Town is one such thriller that is a runaway bestseller (Carson is currently smoking my sales numbers). What makes this novel enticing initially is the cover. Its depiction of a neon lit street corner screams noir. The image has depth and wickedness in it, and mucho suspense. Words appear floating over the image...words that appear to have been typed on an old fashion Smith Corona typewriter. The kind Dash Hammett might have used when writing The Maltese Falcon, or when typing up a grocery list for his mistress Lillian Hellman which no doubt included several bottles of gin.
One word in particular shoots out at the reader: "Girl12." That, combined with a great quote by T. Jefferson Parker and you have a cover that not only draws, it provides information and tells a story about the story you will no doubt be compelled to purchase.
I was shocked to learn the Black and her husband produce these covers on their own. I've spent the past year bragging about my own covers on my own books like The Innocent and The Remains and how instrumental they have been in making those books Amazon bestsellers. But then, I had no part in creating them. They were made for me by my publisher.
The only cover of mine I've never been quite sure of is Godchild, since it's so dark and mobsterish looking, when in fact, it is the sequel to The Innocent (the book is presently about to be repackaged and retitled to The Guilty...Please make a note of it). In any case, whether you DIY or publish traditionally, beware of getting the cover wrong since it risks sending off an unintended message. Covers these days must convey precision. The images and layout must be specific to the story or the reader will barely get through only a few pages before deleting it from his or her E-Reader or prematurely shelving the trade paper version. No one likes a bait and switch.
That's why I love Black's covers so much. You know what you're getting just by gazing into the image and reading her non de plume ("Black" is not an indiscriminate choice) . Her covers create a different reality for me that I can't wait to enter into. The same can be said for the covers of Aaron Patterson (especially Sweet Dreams), Joshua Graham, Dave Zeltserman, Charlie Huston, Simon Wood and so many others. You recognize a specific brand of writing when you look at their covers. You know what you're getting.
Of course the cover just gains you admission to the show. Inevitably, a good price, product description, and most of all, damn good writing, will mean the difference between a reader who reads only one of your novels and one who can't wait to read the mother load.
WWW.VINCENTZANDRI.COM
The Innocent
----------------------------------
This isn't the first time I've blogged about the new importance of book covers....E-Book covers that is...and I'm sure it won't be the last. Never before has a reader's initial impression of a possible read been more important. Everyday dozens (or is it hundreds? Thousands?) of new E-Books are uploaded and/or published and everyday those same books must attempt to catch the eye of the reader. Because in this day and age, you damn well can and in some cases, should be able to judge a book by it's cover.
The power of covers has never been so well demonstrated as it has been with the recent success of John Locke whose thriller series all sport a very recognizable set of sexy legs on the covers. What do these legs have to do with the story itself? Prior to having read his work, I simply wasn't sure. But I can tell you this: those legs did tempt me into buying a couple of his titles. And now, whenever I come across one of those leggy covers, even if it's a brand new one, I know precisely who the author is and that no doubt the book will be a major bestseller. That's what's commonly known in the business as "branding." As authors, we all are creating our own unique brand of writing. Readers will come to rely on that brand for it's particular qualities (Pay attention newly graduated graphic designers. There's a ton of new work out there for you).
Another writer whose covers have the power to draw me in towards that "BUY NOW WITH 1-CLICK" button, are those of J. Carson Black. Her covers are not only rich in color and texture but utilize photographs and words to convey the dark thriller within (So do the "dark" titles).
Darkness on the Edge of Town is one such thriller that is a runaway bestseller (Carson is currently smoking my sales numbers). What makes this novel enticing initially is the cover. Its depiction of a neon lit street corner screams noir. The image has depth and wickedness in it, and mucho suspense. Words appear floating over the image...words that appear to have been typed on an old fashion Smith Corona typewriter. The kind Dash Hammett might have used when writing The Maltese Falcon, or when typing up a grocery list for his mistress Lillian Hellman which no doubt included several bottles of gin.
One word in particular shoots out at the reader: "Girl12." That, combined with a great quote by T. Jefferson Parker and you have a cover that not only draws, it provides information and tells a story about the story you will no doubt be compelled to purchase.
I was shocked to learn the Black and her husband produce these covers on their own. I've spent the past year bragging about my own covers on my own books like The Innocent and The Remains and how instrumental they have been in making those books Amazon bestsellers. But then, I had no part in creating them. They were made for me by my publisher.
The only cover of mine I've never been quite sure of is Godchild, since it's so dark and mobsterish looking, when in fact, it is the sequel to The Innocent (the book is presently about to be repackaged and retitled to The Guilty...Please make a note of it). In any case, whether you DIY or publish traditionally, beware of getting the cover wrong since it risks sending off an unintended message. Covers these days must convey precision. The images and layout must be specific to the story or the reader will barely get through only a few pages before deleting it from his or her E-Reader or prematurely shelving the trade paper version. No one likes a bait and switch.
That's why I love Black's covers so much. You know what you're getting just by gazing into the image and reading her non de plume ("Black" is not an indiscriminate choice) . Her covers create a different reality for me that I can't wait to enter into. The same can be said for the covers of Aaron Patterson (especially Sweet Dreams), Joshua Graham, Dave Zeltserman, Charlie Huston, Simon Wood and so many others. You recognize a specific brand of writing when you look at their covers. You know what you're getting.
Of course the cover just gains you admission to the show. Inevitably, a good price, product description, and most of all, damn good writing, will mean the difference between a reader who reads only one of your novels and one who can't wait to read the mother load.
WWW.VINCENTZANDRI.COM
The Innocent
