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My book is live and I've gotten my Author Central page set up as well. Does everyone bother with Book Extras? I've never heard of Shelfari but it looks like an Amazon-version of Goodreads.magnificent7 posted:I can actually answer my own question. Yesterday I was flying through Audible looking for my next audiobook; checking the cover, the title, and the rating. Never even read the description, (I had like five spare minutes, so i was in a rush).
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May 2, 2015 22:50
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You could put it on two lines, like: SNAP SHOT
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May 2, 2015 22:56
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The Deadly Photograph sounds straight out of a Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark book
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May 3, 2015 00:44
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Snapshot is way better. It reminds me of the film Blowup (though it probably won't remind very many people of that, since it's an old not-very-popular movie).
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May 3, 2015 01:12
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Shelfari was trying to be like Goodreads, yes, but then Amazon bought Goodreads and I haven't heard anything about them since.
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May 3, 2015 01:36
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Dr. Kloctopussy posted:Snapshot is way better. It reminds me of the film Blowup (though it probably won't remind very many people of that, since it's an old not-very-popular movie). in response to why it's a great idea for a title (Blowup, Rear Window, Pulp Fiction), and why it's a weak idea for a title (people will have to be familiar with titles like that instead of "The Very Scary Bloody Story." I hate being creative. I always overshoot or undershoot what I'm after. SO, perhaps, I should say, I hate being kind of creative. Bobby Deluxe posted:You could put it on two lines, like:  I have actually tried this a dozen times and keep seeing "SLAP SHOT", the 70s hockey movie with Paul Newman. And/Or, "What? A book about a gun shooting in a snap decision?" Perhaps I've spent too drat long on this story and it's time to move on. Here was one, trying to go with "Old book, and a photograph too."  magnificent7 fucked around with this message at 16:20 on May 3, 2015 |
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May 3, 2015 16:14
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I have no idea what genre you're shooting for. What genre are you shooting for?
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May 3, 2015 17:04
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magnificent7 posted:I have actually tried this a dozen times and keep seeing "SLAP SHOT", the 70s hockey movie with Paul Newman. And/Or, "What? A book about a gun shooting in a snap decision?" Perhaps I've spent too drat long on this story and it's time to move on. Taking the southern gothic element to heart and jacking everybody elses ideas:  But that's just me dicking around and not knowing much about anything.
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May 3, 2015 17:40
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This twitter posted my short https://twitter.com/Laday2727 Does it just trawl through the free lists and tweet them? Or is someone pruning it? Is this like a lucky break for me, or do most all free stories end up getting posted here? It seems like it just spams everything...but it does have a lot of followers at least. I slaved away the past two days--working like 15 hours straight yesterday--and submitted another short at like 5am last night so that it would come available during the free promo period for my first short. I'm exhausted, but hopefully it will be worth it!
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May 3, 2015 17:53
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angel opportunity posted:This twitter posted my short https://twitter.com/Laday2727 II can't say that it will definitely pay off now on your second book but "willingness to put my family and health aside to capitalize on luck/a smart move" has made me hundreds of thousands. It is serious life skill.
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May 3, 2015 19:05
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moana posted:I have no idea what genre you're shooting for. What genre are you shooting for? Horror/suspense/reluctantly also paranormal but hardly.
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May 3, 2015 23:25
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EngineerSean posted:II can't say that it will definitely pay off now on your second book but "willingness to put my family and health aside to capitalize on luck/a smart move" has made me hundreds of thousands. It is serious life skill. I'll confirm this. The greatest skill I've learned from writing is diligence. At the end of the day the only things that matter to me is writing better than I did yesterday and meeting my daily goal. Lunch breaks, coffee breaks, oatmeal in the morning, after the kiddo goes to bed, all valid writing times.
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May 4, 2015 01:13
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magnificent7 posted:Good point. http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/digital-text/157323011/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_kstore_1_4 Make it so that it fits into the bestsellers list. None of the examples you posted look anything like these. They look like literary fiction.
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May 4, 2015 01:29
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Sorry if I'm just spamming this thread with dumb questions, but here we go: Here are my "sales" so far:  I used my free giveaway immediately because I wanted to have some momentum and motivation on my first release, and I also did the fiverr thing with BKnights. I'm guessing that's why I had the initial boost in downloads, which is dying down fairly hard. My first story broke into top 10 free in some fairly specific sub-categories, but one was "erotica --> paranormal," so that seemed pretty good. It also went into top 1,000 in the free store. Despite that, it still has no reviews, and no one signed up for my newsletter that was in the back of the book. I know 90% of the answer to all of my questions is "just keep writing more," and I therefore went crazy and wrote another 10,000-word short in like two days. It was released yesterday, so it will be out for two total days while my first story is still free. This second short is directly targeting one of the best selling markets rather than a less popular paranormal genre. The cover I did for this second short is really good; it and the blurb are modeled after other best sellers in the market that I am targeting. I'm doing this as a three-part series to hopefully help strengthen sales with each new part's release. Each part is ~10,000 words, which I'm thinking may be too short. I'm thinking of selling all three parts as a $5 bundle once they are done, though each single part is $3 as I release them. I may do the tactic of listing part I for free on another market so that Amazon price matching kicks in (once the KU period is over). All of my stuff is on KU. My second short has not sold a single copy or had a single KU borrow. I feel like there's nothing I can do to get it noticed. Is the answer to just keep writing so that in three months when I do my next free offer, I have a lot of other stuff available to buy? angel opportunity fucked around with this message at 15:13 on May 4, 2015 |
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May 4, 2015 15:10
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angel opportunity posted:and I also did the fiverr thing with BKnights.
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May 4, 2015 15:18
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Bobby Deluxe posted:What fiverr thing? Some people from this thread recommended it to me in IRC: https://www.fiverr.com/bknights Basically during your free promo period, you pay like $15-20 to them and they put your free book on a bunch of Facebook pages and newsletters to help it get exposure.
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May 4, 2015 15:20
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angel opportunity posted:Despite that, it still has no reviews, and no one signed up for my newsletter that was in the back of the book. You had a five star review yesterday, but it did look a little suspicious. Do not worry about reviews, they do not matter in your part of the bookstore. I have great sellers with five stars, 1 star, and no reviews at all. They don't matter. Newsletter signups will take months of constant publishing to trickle in. Fans are hard to win over. quote:My second short has not sold a single copy or had a single KU borrow. I feel like there's nothing I can do to get it noticed. Five day free promo. quote:Is the answer to just keep writing so that in three months when I do my next free offer, I have a lot of other stuff available to buy? In three months your first story will be effectively dead. You'll put it up for free and maybe you'll get a little bump in sales for a day or two. I doubt you'll have hundreds downloading it again like you did this time.
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May 4, 2015 16:37
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I really wouldn't fret too much about how many sales you did or did not have on your first two stories out. Just keep writing. And yeah, sometimes stories just bomb for no obvious reason. When I had my first 1k+ € month it was on the back of one story that accounted for more than half of that. Of course, I quickly pushed out two more stories that were virtual copies of the first, with slightly different storylines and new characters, obviously, but targeting the same niche. Both of them combined haven't made half as much as the first story.
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May 4, 2015 17:02
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Just wanted to post about an eBook formatting service that I've started (thanks for the thumbs up OP) at www.rasformat.com, with a fixed rate of $40 for any eBook, done in your choice of .mobi (Kindle) or ePub or both. No charges are added on for length, images, tables of contents, links etc. I aim to work with you and deliver the finished goods within 48 hours. Oh and there's a 25% discount for goons using the code: 'raspberry68' - just enter it in the discount code field at https://www.rasformat.com/buy.php The website has a portfolio of some eBooks I've previously formatted, with sample images showing the formatting. Here are a few examples (click for big):        Let me know if you have any questions, and good luck with your publishing shenanigans! 
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May 4, 2015 19:25
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I recently took the plunge to learn InDesign my paperback layouts instead of just relying on open office. I am pleased with the results.
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May 4, 2015 21:22
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moana posted:None of your covers fits in here: I just read this - I started it on Saturday - picked it for the blurb as well as the cover. It's a horror book. This is pretty close to what I'm after.  So - thanks for the link to all the horror books - I absolutely understand what you're trying to say. I realize I'm coming across as one of those, "tell my why my X is no good... oh, wait, that's your answer? Well you're wrong." -- I swear I'm not trying to be that person, as I hear myself saying it. Yeesh.
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May 4, 2015 23:28
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May 4, 2015 23:49
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Do you guys pay for advertising, or do you just put in the effort with free promotions and and tricks to get a high category rank? edit: My collection of short stories is off to a good start. Have 8 sales (@ 2.99) so far today plus a few KU reads, hope to keep it up until I can get a second volume out.
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May 5, 2015 00:57
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magnificent7 posted:I think every one of those covers are forgettable, kind of like a Halloween 5 movie poster. Sure, it plays to the expectations, but at the cost of being memorable.
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May 5, 2015 02:07
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moana posted:Are you trying to sell books or massage your ego? This is exactly what I was thinking. Like, I totally get what you're saying in wanting a memorable, iconic sort of cover, but there's a reason covers are done the way they are. Would you rather bank on the minuscule chance that you're going to stumble across a classic, or bank on the style that has been determined by the market to sell the best?
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May 5, 2015 08:45
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Hey guys, what are the rules around using a title that is already out there? I'm writing a mob/alpha romance, and "Caught" would be perfect (works thematically for the book and for the series). There's a book already called 'Caught' that's selling really well. I don't want to look like I'm just stealing its thunder or something, but then again, you see books with the same title all the time in the Kindle store. So should I consider it, or just find something else?
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May 5, 2015 17:31
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the brotherly phl posted:Hey guys, what are the rules around using a title that is already out there? I'm writing a mob/alpha romance, and "Caught" would be perfect (works thematically for the book and for the series). There's a book already called 'Caught' that's selling really well. I don't want to look like I'm just stealing its thunder or something, but then again, you see books with the same title all the time in the Kindle store. So should I consider it, or just find something else? The rule is to be honest with your audience. Titles cannot be trademarked and your book sharing a title with another is absolutely acceptable and in many cases unavoidable so long as you aren't deceitful.
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May 5, 2015 17:44
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The problem though is that there is already a popular book by that title, making your book even more obscure and hard to find. It's also impossible to Google. "Caught erotica novel the brotherly phl" vs. "UNIQUE TITLE" You probably need to weigh how much you like that title vs. how many logistical problems the title will cause for you.
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May 5, 2015 17:49
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angel opportunity posted:The problem though is that there is already a popular book by that title, making your book even more obscure and hard to find. That said, titles aren't copyrighted, you can repeat. If you do it on a really popular book, you risk fans of the original coming to give you one-stars. I wouldn't be too worried if it's a different genre and the cover is completely different. But please don't be a little poo poo and copy the title to piggyback on success like these people: http://www.amazon.com/Stepbrother-Dearest-Penelope-Ward-ebook/dp/B00NVY6JPC/ (the original) http://www.amazon.com/Stepbrother-Dearest-Secrets-Full-Books-ebook/dp/B00UCDG5VS/ http://www.amazon.com/Stepbrother-Dearest-Secret-Forbidden-Romance-ebook/dp/B00VC20US2/
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May 5, 2015 17:55
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angel opportunity posted:The problem though is that there is already a popular book by that title, making your book even more obscure and hard to find. Solid point. Then again, I'm all-in with select, so I'm guessing most people find me through amazon. I doubt very many are getting to my books by Googling my author name or book titles, or at least I doubt I'm big enough for that yet. I don't know. I'm on the fence on this one. I really like the title and think it would work, but I don't want to come off like I'm trying to steal that audience or something.
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May 5, 2015 17:55
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the brotherly phl posted:I don't know. I'm on the fence on this one. I really like the title and think it would work, but I don't want to come off like I'm trying to steal that audience or something. Unless you also happen to use the same graphic design, fonts, layout and blurb...you're probably fine. It's a single word: no one can expect to have a monopoly on it. Now if it was "Caught While I Was In A Compromised Situation: Lust Reforged" and you copied that...it would be a different issue. I've published stories then realized that someone else had the same title. I gave a little shrug and moved on.
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May 5, 2015 20:13
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moana posted:Are you trying to sell books or massage your ego? No wait. I'm not trying to sell books. I'm trying to publish a book that I spent over a year scrutinizing every little lovely word. Once I've knocked out twelve books and my cherry and dreams are both busted, I'll probably give no shits. But this first book? I'm not trying to sell books as a means of support. I'm trying to publish a creative thing I toiled over that means a lot to me. So, there. Sadly, no, no I am not trying to sell books. I'm trying to publish my book. Toaster Beef posted:This is exactly what I was thinking. Like, I totally get what you're saying in wanting a memorable, iconic sort of cover, but there's a reason covers are done the way they are. Would you rather bank on the minuscule chance that you're going to stumble across a classic, or bank on the style that has been determined by the market to sell the best? I just came. Okay, so fine. I'll hire you to design my cover. Are you on Booktrope yet? If not, tell me where to send you money and (I AM NOT loving KIDDING) please make the cover of my dreams.
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May 5, 2015 21:17
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magnificent7 posted:I'm not trying to sell books. quote:You say there's moneys to be had here I'm in. gently caress off if you're going to waste people's time and energy. I don't give advice to be told "oh I didn't really wany any advice anyway, I'm going to do whatever poo poo makes me feel good about ~my artwork~."
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May 5, 2015 21:27
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moana posted:gently caress off if you're going to waste people's time and energy. I don't give advice to be told "oh I didn't really wany any advice anyway, I'm going to do whatever poo poo makes me feel good about ~my artwork~." Thanks everybody for your input.
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May 5, 2015 21:44
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Aight, peace. I hope your book sells a million copies anyway and you get forced to sell out on the cover to the sequel 
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May 5, 2015 21:47
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moana posted:Aight, peace. I hope your book sells a million copies anyway and you get forced to sell out on the cover to the sequel Oh I will bitch and I'm'a call it MOVIECLIP.
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May 5, 2015 21:49
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magnificent7 posted:Are you on Booktrope yet? lol, I ain't working for no royalties, son. edit: In other news, my magazine is out.   http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00X4WWLF8 ravenkult fucked around with this message at 02:00 on May 6, 2015 |
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May 6, 2015 00:50
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You know, it really doesn't take long to get back into the swing of things. The KDP Select borrows on 25 titles really help, and with the next three books in review now, I think things are looking up. I've already made more in five days just on borrows than I did all last month. I remember how awesome this used to feel now. Self-pubbed thousandare, here I come.
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May 6, 2015 07:56
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ravenkult posted:In other news, my magazine is out. awesome cover
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May 6, 2015 15:31
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Has anyone ever played with their publishing schedual? Say you are prolific enough to pub 6 novels a year at a roughly 1 every 2 months rate. Assuming book buying has some kind of retail like cycle (aka xmas or whatever being a good time and march being poo poo). Has anyone tried pubbing say 1 book every 3 months in the poo poo times and then blowing the doors down with 4 in quick succession over the good times to try and capitalise on it?
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May 6, 2015 18:56
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