Marketing your book is like driving with your foot on the accelerator and the brake at the same time. One must have patience while waiting to see and understand results from Social Media advertising, waiting for readers to write reviews (or not), waiting for reviewers to read the book, waiting as the sales algorithms at … Continue reading Publishing Patience
Amazon Kindle
Tis The Season For…Crime and Carnage?
The Holiday Season is a wonderful time for most, a time of special music, colorful lights, great food, renewed friendship, and renewed souls. What's not to love? It's a rewarding season for all. Not so much for authors of eBook mystery and crime novels. I've noticed a lag in sales during most U.S. holidays, lasting … Continue reading Tis The Season For…Crime and Carnage?
About Relating To Reviewers
Perhaps I should begin by emphasizing that I appreciate all my reviewers immensely (even, or possibly especially the critics). I know the time it takes to assess, formulate, and write one's feelings about a book. A book is a complicated blending of thoughts, actions, and emotions, many of which often conflict. Reviews are not judgments; … Continue reading About Relating To Reviewers
Is the Amazon Kindle Countdown Effective?
Recent chatroom wisdom tends to dismiss the Amazon KDP marketing tools Countdown and Free Books as less than effective for eBook marketing. The reasoning is all about numbers - there are simply too many free books at any one time, too many books offering countdown prices, too many authors altogether. I disagree For those who … Continue reading Is the Amazon Kindle Countdown Effective?
Why Pre-sale?
Pre-order for books is a fairly new tactic, now wholeheartedly embraced by Amazon, iBooks, Smashword and other on-line sellers. My newest Zack Tolliver, FBI novel Under Desert Sand will be placed on pre-order at Amazon.com immediately after Easter. In this article I will discuss what I feel are the advantages and disadvantages of using pre-order … Continue reading Why Pre-sale?
Crunching The Numbers
As the old year wanes, the time has come to evaluate my book sales and learn from the data, hopefully to improve sales in 2017. Many charts and graphs are available to authors through the auspices of various retailers and distributors. In part, because these businesses must keep the data for their own purposes, in … Continue reading Crunching The Numbers
Changing Genre Midstream
As writer and reader I've noticed few authors write in more than one genre. I wondered why. An author of a crime mystery series, I decided to try another category of writing. In so doing, I think I may have learned the answer to my question. It is not about ability so much as expectations, … Continue reading Changing Genre Midstream
Why An Audio Book?
The hot topic in my writing circles lately is audio books. I sense a fascination among my fellow authors. Several have made them, many want to make them. And why not? Audio books are enjoying an enormous surge in popularity, having more than doubled sales in the last several years. For the author, it's never … Continue reading Why An Audio Book?
Is Kafka The Same On Kindle?
The digital age has forced choices; smart phone or single purpose phone, GPS for the car or old-fashioned map (and instinct), broadcast TV or streaming video, and my topic for this column; eBook or physical book? As an author, my support of the eBook revolution was a no-brainer. It’s all about little time and large numbers. … Continue reading Is Kafka The Same On Kindle?
The Wrong Side Of Amazon
Is there a wrong side of Amazon? Is there a punishment algorithm for those who violate the expectations of this mighty retailer? I’ve heard many stories from those who have failed to follow directions, particularly authors. Have they reviewed another writer on amazon who writes in a similar genre? Has someone who is closely related … Continue reading The Wrong Side Of Amazon
R Lawson Gamble 