Self-Publishing: Eight Tips to Selling Ebooks on Amazon–Handout

M. Louisa Locke (this was created for a talk in January 2012)

 

I. Introduction:

M. Louisa Locke, author

Maids of Misfortune: A Victorian San Francisco Mystery

Uneasy Spirits: A Victorian San Francisco Mystery

Author website: http://mlouisalocke.com/

Author Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/mlouisalockeauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/mlouisalocke

Historical Fiction eBooks: http://historicalfictionauthors.com/

II.  Tip #1 Write the best book you can (and rewrite, and rewrite) and have it professionally edited.

Resources on Writing: http://www.publetariat.com/write

Importance of Editing, Covers, and Formatting:

http://www.publetariat.com/business-end/investing-your-own-e-book

http://mlouisalocke.com/2010/03/15/how-to-be-your-own-best-editor-part-iii/

III. Tip #2: Besides having a well-written and edited book, your cover design, interior design and formatting are crucial elements to success.

Cover Design: http://www.katiesalidas.com/2011/05/self-publishing-cover-art-part-one.html

http://www.thebookdesigner.com/2012/01/3-secrets-to-e-book-cover-design-success/

https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/help?topicId=A2J0TRG6OPX0VM

Book Designing: http://www.thebookdesigner.com/

IV. Tip #3: Make sure your book page on Amazon is ready for prime time before you start to promote.

Product Description: http://www.publetariat.com/publish/how-write-back-blurb-your-book

Your Author Central Page:

http://bookmarketingmaven.typepad.com/book_marketing_maven/2011/12/authors-are-you-using-your-amazon-author-central-page-.html

Indie Book Reviews: http://www.theindieview.com/indie-reviewers/ http://www.stepbystepselfpublishing.net/reviewer-list.html

V. Tip #4: Make your pricing competitive—be willing to experiment.

Pricing: http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/2010/09/ebook-pricing.html

http://www.thebookdesigner.com/2011/04/fiction-vs-nonfiction-e-book-pricing-in-the-kindle-store/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/dec/23/ebook-price-swindle-publishing

VI. Tip #5: Think about selling from the buyer’s perspective.

http://mlouisalocke.com/2010/07/02/working-amazon-some-strategies-for-selling-in-e-retail-stores/

VII. Tip #6: To get the Word Out: Hang out where readers of Kindle books hang out.

Social Media:

http://www.mysterysuspence.blogspot.com/

http://www.cozy-mystery.com/

http://brerfox.tripod.com/historicalmystery.html

http://www.facebook.com/groups/49053000305/

http://www.goodreads.com/

http://www.kindleboards.com/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CrimeThruTime/

Guest blogs and blog tours: http://mlouisalocke.com/2011/12/10/my-alternative-to-blog-tours-two-week-vacations/

http://susannealleyn.wordpress.com/2011/11/15/interview-with-annie-fuller/

http://www.jennymilchman.com/blog/?p=1997

http://www.indiebookpodcast.com/2011/11/14/thriller-this-is-life/

Commenting on social media: http://www.publetariat.com/sell/promote-your-book-commenting-blog-posts

VII. Tip #7: Use Amazon’s browsing capabilities effectively.

Categories, keywords, tags:

http://www.publetariat.com/7-ways-get-your-book-discovered-amazon

http://mlouisalocke.com/2011/10/24/categories-key-words-and-tags-oh-my-why-should-an-author-care/

VIII. Tip #8: Don’t make your big promotional push prematurely.

Promotions:

http://mlouisalocke.com/2012/01/02/kdp-select-free-promotion-discoverability-experiment-part-one/

http://mlouisalocke.com/2012/01/08/kdp-select-free-promotion-discoverability-experiment-part-two/

http://mlouisalocke.com/2012/03/03/simple-steps-to-a-successful-kdp-select-free-promotion/

http://mlouisalocke.com/2012/04/14/why-being-in-the-kdp-select-is-not-a-bad-business-decision-for-me/