Tag: Amazon

Kelly Speaks, Self-Publishing Week in Review

Self-Publishing Week in Review: 01/13/15

As a self-publishing author, you may find it helpful to stay up-to-date on the trends and news related to the self-publishing industry. This will help you make informed decisions before, during and after the self-publishing process, which will lead to a greater self-publishing experience. To help you stay current on self-publishing topics, simply visit our blog every Tuesday to find out the hottest news.

Social Media Marketing: Simple Tips That Some Self-Published Authors Tend to Forget

Social media is an excellent marketing tool for self-published authors. It’s free, effective, and fairly easy to use. This excellent article offers simple tips to help authors harness the power of social media.

2015 Book Publishing Industry Predictions: Slow Growth Presents Challenges and Opportunities for Authors

This Huffington Post article by Smashwords founder Mark Coker explains the current trends and news in the publishing industry and offers insight into 2015 industry predictions. The article is well-informed and thought-provoking. It is a must read.

INFOGRAPHIC: Should you self-publish or go traditional?

In today’s publishing world, writers have lots of options. You can publish at a Big 5 press, publish with a small press, publish with a micropress, or self-publish both digitally and in print. This handy infographic breaks down whether self-publishing or traditional publishing is the right choice for you.

If you have other big news to share, please comment below.

ABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog at http://kellyschuknecht.com.
Kelly Speaks, Self-Publishing Week in Review

Self-Publishing Week in Review: 01/06/15

As a self-publishing author, you may find it helpful to stay up-to-date on the trends and news related to the self-publishing industry. This will help you make informed decisions before, during and after the self-publishing process, which will lead to a greater self-publishing experience. To help you stay current on self-publishing topics, simply visit our blog every Tuesday to find out the hottest news.

 How Self-Publishing Services Blossomed in 2014

This article talks about how hybrid authors have become the new norm and how many authors are rejecting traditional publishing all together. It also shares insight on what to expect from self-publishing in 2015 and recaps some of the highlights of 2014.

Amazon Offers All-You-Can-Eat Books. Authors Turn Up Noses.

This New York Times author discusses why authors are angry about Amazon’s new subscription service and how all-you-can-eat type services are devaluing artists. This is a fascinating read for all writers  and readers.

H.M. Ward’s Publishing Predictions For 2015

Successful self-published author H.M. Ward shares predictions for 2015 in this Media Bistro article. Topics discussed include branding, technology, and interactivity. This is an interesting read for all writers.

If you have other big news to share, please comment below.

ABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog at http://kellyschuknecht.com.
Jodee Speaks, Uncategorized

What is Sales Annotation ?

Many writers tell me they don’t know what an annotation is. What they don’t realize is they are already very familiar with annotations, they just never knew what they were called. To help clarify this sometimes confusing topic, here is what you need to know about sales annotations.

What is an annotation?

An annotation is also known as a wholesaler’s summary. It is the sales copy that will be used for online descriptions on retail sites like Amazon and Barnes & Noble, so it is an important component to selling your book.

How do you write a good annotation?

It’s best to make this description as persuasive and comprehensive as possible. Take advantage of the maximum length allowed by the website, which is usually around 4000 characters, including spaces. It’s a lot, but these 4000 characters are what will convince many online shoppers to either buy your book, or someone else’s. Also, SPELL CHECK YOUR WORK before submitting it.

What is the difference between Back Cover Copy and Annotation?

In many cases, annotation copy can be exactly the same as your back cover synopsis, but in some cases, you may have reason for it to be different.  Keep in mind that people who shop for books online will see this information about your book long before they see your back cover text. In fact, in many online cases, this will be the ONLY information available about your book as they decide whether to buy it.

To help you decide, here is a description of both.

BACK COVER COPY

  • Restricted by the size of the book’s back cover
  • Three main components: 1) the headline, 2) the synopsis or marketing copy, and 3) the author biography
  • Can also include quotes, cover blurbs, or other testimonials about either the book or the author
  • The back copy should be composed with the goal of getting a browser to become a buyer.

ANNOTATION

  • Used by Ingram during the distribution process
  • When the book is listed on Amazon or Barnes & Noble’s website, it’s the annotation that fills the PRODUCT DESCRIPTION/OVERVIEW section.
  •  Restricted in length, although very often can be substantially longer than the Back Cover Copy
  •  Should be as long and as detailed as possible, perhaps requiring multiple headings to separate elements of the annotation.
  • Both Amazon and Barnes & Noble have the capability of understanding basic HTML formatting tags, so judicious use of several tags can help an annotation really stand out.  Two specific tags that should be used are the BOLD tags and the italics tags, both of which can help draw a reader’s attention to specific words and phrases within the annotation.
  • Bullet point and numbered lists are good here, too.
ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 25 years of experience in sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Director of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps and publishing consultants; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process in order to help them publish the book of their dreams. Whether you are a professional looking to take your career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Jodee Thayer can put you on the right path.
Jodee Speaks

Spooky Self-Publishing Statistics and Trends 2014

Happy October, everyone! In honor of this month, I’ll be sharing Halloween-themed posts each week. Today, I’ll start with some self-publishing and industry statistics and trends from the most recent data available. The information may shock you, but don’t be afraid; just keep reading.

  • The Big Five traditional publishers now account for only 16% of the e-books on Amazon’s bestseller lists.
  • Self-published books now represent 31% of e-book sales on Amazon’s Kindle Store.
  • Indie authors are earning nearly 40% of the e-book dollars going to authors.
  • Readers prefer longer e-books. The bestselling books tend to be over 100,000 words.
  • Series books outsell standalone books.
  • Pre-orders give authors a sales advantage.
  • Non-fiction earns more at higher prices.
  • The number of self-published titles in 2012 jumped to more than 391,000, up 59 percent over 2011 and 422 percent over 2007.
  • Ebooks continue to gain on print, comprising 40 percent of the ISBNs that were self-published in 2012, up from just 11 percent in 2007.
  • Self-published books’ share of the UK market grew by 79% in 2013.
  • In the UK, print sales fell by 10% last year and book purchasing as a whole was down 4%,  but ebook sales continue to grow.

Being knowledgable of book industry and self-publishing trends and statistics can help you make important decisions as a self-publishing author.

I’d love to know, how do these statistics impact your plans as a self-publishing author?

ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 20 years of experience in sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Manager of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps and publishing consultants; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process in order to help them publish the book of their dreams. Whether you are a professional looking to take your career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Jodee Thayer can put you on the right path.
Kelly Speaks, Self-Publishing Week in Review

Self-Publishing Week in Review: 9/09/14

As a self-publishing author, you may find it helpful to stay up-to-date on the trends and news related to the self-publishing industry. This will help you make informed decisions before, during and after the self-publishing process, which will lead to a greater self-publishing experience. To help you stay current on self-publishing topics, simply visit our blog every Tuesday to find out the hottest news.

Amazon launches self-publishing program for kids books

In its latest move to generate more original content, Amazon launched KDP Kids, a set of tools to allow authors to publish illustrated and chapter books for children. Amazon’s KDP Kids is modeled after its self-publishing program.

Self-publishing changes book world, library collections

The Springfield-Greene County Libraries now own over 300 self-published titles, and the number is increasing rapidly. In the past year, they added almost three times as many self-published titles as the previous year. Many of the self-published books in their collection have been added based on customers’ suggestions after learning about the titles through social media, blogs and authors’ websites.

Indie Author Interview: Judith Kohnen

Judith Kohnen is a novelist, poet, healer and an intuitive counselor. In this interview, she discusses all aspects of the writing process including her writing routine and her self-promotion methods. This is an interesting read for all writers.

If you have other big news to share, please comment below.

ABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog at http://kellyschuknecht.com.