If you have an Amazon account (and who doesn't?) Amazon knows a lot about you. With a prime membership, it knows which TV shows and movies you stream on its Prime service. It also knows, naturally, which books you've already downloaded, what non-book products you've purchased, even which books your neighbors have selected (and I don't even know my neighbors!) Thus, even if you have a particular book in mind, Amazon will include other "options" roughly based on the dossier it has compiled.
And if you've somehow signed up for new book emails, which I apparently did at some point, Amazon will send you a selection of books based on your purchasing history. That explains why they keep suggesting children's books to me. I've bought them as gifts, not to personally read (my reading comprehension level actually exceeds that of a four-year-old). It also recommends a lot of political books, which I also purchased as gifts. But it also knows that I like biographies, so it keeps prodding me to buy more of those.
What does all this mean for an indie author? Nothing good. Unless you've won the "First Read" lottery (I never have, though I keep trying -- why not?) your book will never get an Amazon push, either via newsletter (email) or on the landing page. And frankly, it's not Amazon's job to promote you. I do wish, however, that in its Kindle section it would have a category for Best Indie Books. After all, the site certainly encourages authors to publish books with them, and it certainly keeps a portion of indie sales. I'm not saying my books would ever be included in this hypothetical category, but it would feel good to actually have the opportunity.
I still maintain that most people search for a particular book, either one they've heard about through word of mouth or perhaps via an author interview they've watched, either online or on TV. I really only do a genre search when I'm buying a gift. Or, as a biography purchaser, if I read about or watch something about a person (or most commonly, a band) that intrigues me, I'll search for a book on that topic by the person's (or band's) name.
If anyone does search via genre, an indie author's book is not going to show up on Page One or Page Two or Page Three Hundred Fifty-Four. I don't know if publishing houses pay for placement (Amazon says it doesn't accept payment anymore), but it's clear that trade-published books appear first on the list. One might say that being trade published connotes a certain quality, but I've bought trade-published books that were awful. And if you've ever had the misfortune of dealing with literary agents, you know that you are not what these twenty-somethings are looking for.
So what do people like us do to get our books in front of eyes? I've tried publishing to other sites like Barnes and Noble, Apple iBooks, and Kobo (which also populates on Walmart's site), but I never sold one single book through those entities.
Nobody's going to promote your books for you, so you have to do it yourself. Twitter, Facebook (ick), Instagram -- one or more of those could work. They've never worked for me, but I don't have a very wide network.
Promote on book promotion sites -- for a cost. If you really, truly believe that everyone in the world needs to read your book (and what author doesn't?) and you have a tidy nest egg, go all out! Just make sure all your ducks are in a row -- compose a compelling blurb, present an enticing cover, make sure you've placed your book in the correct category -- then sit back and...wait. I hope you hit the big time. Really I do.
Or give your book away. Not on Amazon, because nobody cares that your book is free. Believe me. Again, pay for a book promotion, only this time praying that readers will snatch up your free book and go looking on your website for more. It could happen, Lots of things could happen. Why, just yesterday I won a dollar in a lottery drawing. I haven't decided how to spend it yet.
Let's face it; the cards are stacked against us, and as hard as we wish, that's not going to change. The good news is, if you write romance or science fiction, your odds have shot up exponentially.
I'm working my way through the five stages:
Denial ~ Oh dear, I spent tons of time in denial.
Anger ~ Yep!
Bargaining ~ I would, but I don't have anyone to bargain with.
Depression ~ (sigh)
Acceptance ~ I'm working my way through this stage. This post furthers my progress. Yet, I'm always looking for that magic solution.
If you're a spanking-new author, I don't mean to disillusion you. I think you're probably great. But I've been at this game for eight years, and it's not a fun game. It's not like buying Park Place and sniggering every time someone lands on it. It's more like Free Parking. My books just sit there. Inert.
But here's to all of us who try.
No comments:
Post a Comment