Fantasy Geeks discussion

Hi Jaq, I'm new to the group but saw this topic and thought I'd share my experience and thoughts.
KDP select and the promo giveaways are two separate marketing tools offered by amazon for authors. The free library has now a million books in it. The chances of a 'cold sale' are less than winning tattslotto, unless of course you have a known title and/or name. The free book giveaway idea seems initially a good one for increasing author profile, until you realise that most of those 600 books you managed to give away went to the free book trolls who collect but rarely read or review what they get for free. Kind of like bargain hunting for the sake of getting something for free. So for an unknown, not much of a chance really. Especially with 40,000 new ebooks in last month. The supply has swamped the demand.
Truth is, if you want to market your books it's going to have to be the old fashioned hard way, friend by friend.
Being with Amazon certainly can't hurt, but don't get your hopes up for the sales.
I'm about to put the first two books from my series up at smashwords (as soon as my 90 day agreement with KDP ends). I think the answer is to gain the widest possible distribution, including every online outlet you can find.
Wish I could be more positive about that, but at least there is always the pleasure of writing and having your work "out there"!

I'm about to place a controversial comment in the Australian writers group. But I think it makes sense. Please go and see what you think!

Cheers
Bruce

Jaq: http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/7...

Also pop into Gothic Tastes, I believe Sherri is interested in reviewing your book.

:) Georgina

I'm too prolific to waste my time with KDP Select, but I wanted to join the conversation about free books.
As you know, Amazon doesn't allow "free" unless price-matching some other retailer (Sony or Kobo or B&N, because Smashwords doesn't count). But I now have 2 titles permanently free on Amazon as loss leaders.
One went free last September and had 1400+ downloads in the first month (it jumped at #5 in the first few days). The other went free last April 30 - 147 downloads the first day, then up tp today I haven't reached 100 yet (it's still #5000 or something).
I think people are sick of free or cheap books. We can raise our prices as suggested by Dean Wesley Smith! :-)

Jaq wrote: "How do you make them permanently free on Amazon?"

If they're free everywhere else (meaning Sony, Kobo or B&N which I get through Smashwords because I'm not American, so I can't get on B&N PubIt), just ask all your friends to go and tell Amazon with the links to Sony, Kobo & B&N, they'll match the lower price.
I asked the good people at CreativeReviews here on GR to help me make the second book free... took them a few days, but that "Tell us of a lower price" button eventually worked! :-)

Jaq wrote: "Thanks for that. I have just one in progress that I want to put on permanently free when it's done, maybe I can recruit you lot to help do this. ;)"

sure, and all the members of this group! ;-)
We'll be very happy to tell Amazon of the lower (free) price! :-D

Count me in! :)

Barbara has two books out there free as 'loss leaders' and as I'm writing a six book series I'm thinking of doing the same with either my first in the series or maybe even the first two. But she also raises a question about the valence of free books nowadays. There are so many out there that now 'free' has lost its 'value' My concern is I give away the first two books and either don't get enough interest to promote the rest of the series, or readers read the first two for free and wont be bothered buying the rest because there is so much other free stuff out there. It's a problem, and I'm not sure which way to go. What do others think. Does the free book incentive generate future sales of other books?

I'd only let the first one go free. I have my fairy tales and the short story in The Taint series free, but my TBR novel will be priced (I think at $3.99). I will set up a coupon at smashwords for a week, to make it free, and a much longer one for my Beta readers and wonderful editor (thanks Tricia!).

I think having something free allows readers to sample your work before committing money.

There's one Smashwords author that gives away his first book of a series and has made a lot of money (read Mark Coker's Secret to e-book success).
But as I follow more Dean Wesley Smith's school (no free or cheap books, LOL), I suggest you do a loss leader like mine: a short story collection that ties to your series. Joleene Naylor is also giving away for free short stories of secondary characters to her Amaranthine series.
It's less of a loss for you, spreads your name and you don't need to give away a novel for free!

Barb, what price should I go for? Releasing next week via all channels. It's an 87K novel. $3.99, or $4.99?

Georgina wrote: "Barb, what price should I go for? Releasing next week via all channels. It's an 87K novel. $3.99, or $4.99?"

definitely 4.99$! Here's Dean's pricing for 2012:
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=6391

And yes, Jaq, that's the spirit. Stories that introduce the reader to your world and make him/her want to read more!

Done! $4.99 it is. Thanks. :)

Georgina wrote: "Barb, what price should I go for? Releasing next week via all channels. It's an 87K novel. $3.99, or $4.99?"

Looking forward to it.

Thanks, Tony! Tweaking now with Tricia.

:):) Georgina.

Like Barb, I'm a bit of a fan of Dean Wesley Smith's ideas. I thought this article interesting in terms of promotion:
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=6190

Georgina wrote: "Like Barb, I'm a bit of a fan of Dean Wesley Smith's ideas. I thought this article interesting in terms of promotion:
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=6190"

Oh, yeah! And try to attend one of his Publishers Workshops when you can, worth all the money even if you go there from the other side of the world (dunno if Australia or Italy are furthest from the Oregon Coast, LOL)! :-D

He's good. Plus he makes me feel good about my natural inclination to shun marketing, and just plunge back into writing the next book. ;)

Georgina wrote: "He's good. Plus he makes me feel good about my natural inclination to shun marketing, and just plunge back into writing the next book. ;)"

That's why I'm following his school of thought, LOL!

Georgina wrote: "Thanks, Tony! Tweaking now with Tricia.

:):) Georgina."

Is that a euphemism??

Bruce wrote: "Hi Jaq, I'm new to the group but saw this topic and thought I'd share my experience and thoughts.
KDP select and the promo giveaways are two separate marketing tools offered by amazon for authors. ..."

I agree with Bruce about it not necessarily attracting a higher reader base. I wonder how many people get free books and never read them. If they don't read them, they can't recommend them to a friend, which is the best form of viral marketing.

The other important thing to remember is that, unless the rules have changed, to use KDP Select, you have to unpublish your book from everywhere else. This is a bad thing to do, particularly if your book has been selling at distributors for a long time, because it resets your sales ranking. Sales ranking is one part of the algorithm that raises your book in the recommendation engines on amazon etc. It's ok if you do a KDP promo in your first couple of months after publishing, since you won't have gained a high sales ranking.

Tony wrote: "Georgina wrote: "Thanks, Tony! Tweaking now with Tricia.

:):) Georgina."

Is that a euphemism??"

You are a cheeky man. Love it :):)