Sell Your Book on Amazon

Here is a recent review I received for my latest book:

Sell Your Book on Amazon: The Book Marketing COACH Reveals Top-Secret "How-to" Tips Guaranteed to Increase Sales for Print-on-Demand and Self-Publishing Writers

Brent Sampson’s “Sell Your Book on Amazon” is the book I have been waiting for so I can understand how Amazon ranks my books and how I can better promote my books on Amazon. As an author myself, my books have been listed on Amazon, but I had no idea I had any control over how popular they could become.

While I had already been doing a couple things Brent Sampson suggests, primarily writing book reviews, I learned there is a great deal more I can and should do. Brent Sampson takes us step-by-step through the jungle of Amazon. He explains to us about creating an Amazon-Connect account, which includes a profile to show up on your book-detail pages. He explains in detail all the aspects of the Book-Detail page for a book. And he provides instructions for all those features on Amazon such as writing book reviews, participating in listmania, creating tags, and “So You’d Like To” guides. Throughout the book, he gives excellent advice. Not being the most computer-savvy individual, I never would have figured out on my own the many features he discusses. I guarantee “How to Sell Your Book on Amazon” will sit by my computer for a long time and be frequently referred to as I learn to use Amazon to my advantage.

My greatest revelation from reading “Sell Your Book on Amazon” is that Amazon is not only a bookstore but a networking site for authors. I have already been promoting my book at other sites like Myspace, Facebook and Shelfari, but I now realize Amazon is a fantastic networking site to meet readers, and to group and associate my book with other similar and more popular books in my subject area. I am guessing it is far more effective and lucrative than those other sites as well.

I would say “Sell Your Book on Amazon” is 95% user-friendly. I actually sat at my computer and followed the steps on Amazon as I read the book, so although the book is only 164-pages long, it took me a good week to read through it, spending a few hours each night working on my author profile and creating tags and lists on Amazon. I did get a bit confused at times, but I think that’s because Amazon may have changed the placement of a few things on its website. I hope Mr. Sampson is diligent about keeping the book updated because I think it is already a bit out-of-date in one or two places because of Amazon’s website changes. The only addition I wish the book had was a chart listing all the different addresses for Amazon programs—Amazon-connect, a seller-account (part of Amazon-connect), an associates account, and the different email addresses to contact Amazon depending on the section you need help with. My head rather swam as I grew to realize you don’t just have one Amazon account, but probably several different ones depending on whether you’re selling or directing traffic from your website to Amazon, or simply purchasing from Amazon. I did greatly appreciate the several pages in the back of the book designated for notes. I now have several pages of notes for quick reference when I need to perform a task on Amazon.

Brent Sampson also recommends authors tell people to go to Amazon and write 5 star reviews for their books. He even asks the reader to write a five star review for “Sell Your Book on Amazon.” I am happy to comply with his request, and at the same time, follow his advice that I sign my review with a plug for my own book.

- Tyler R. Tichelaar, author of “Iron Pioneers” available on Amazon.

Sell Your Book on Amazon: The Book Marketing COACH Reveals Top-Secret "How-to" Tips Guaranteed to Increase Sales for Print-on-Demand and Self-Publishing Writers
Brent Sampson
Outskirts Press (2007)
ISBN 9781432701963
Reviewed by Tyler R. Tichelaar for Reader Views (9/07)

Competitive acquisition

I might stand corrected from my earlier post today. It looks like it may be an acquisition of our competitor after all. Betram Holdings, which is a private equity firm in California, looks like they may have acquired one of our competitors (they already have a stake in the other big one). Interesting, interesting...

Publishing Competitors Joining Forces

Our two largest competitors are joining forces under a new brand. From what I can tell so far, it doesn't look to be a merger so much as a strategic partnership. It's hard to tell how this will prove advantageous to authors. When the press releases start hitting the waves, we may learn more about what motivated this move, but right now it is my guess that Amazon's recent entry into the vertical may have helped. Interestingly enough, each publisher will still exist in its own right, and its own location, and continue to offer the same old stuff. So what, then, is newsworthy about this? That's the big question. If nothing else, it may simply be another, co-branded website that appears on search engines, and helps authors make the best choice for their publishing needs. At Outskirts Press we've always been a big proponent of educating authors about the industry and about their choices, so if that is the result of this new partnership, good for everyone. Fortunately, authors have always had a way to get on-going support and help with their publishing decision in advance of making any decisions by joining our free author's center at http://outskirtspress.com/authors.php -

The publishing industry, and POD in particular, is constantly changing and growing. I won't be surprised to see more moves like this in the near and no-so-near future.

Kirkus Reviews and Kirkus Discoveries

I spoke with the founder of Kirkus Discoveries, the paid review service today. The topic was Publisher's Weekly, but naturally the conversation turned to paid reviews and the inherent difficulty that lies therein.

On one side, there is something to be said for the value to the author. Securing reviews is tricky since the number of books published so heavily outweighs the number of reviewers available to review them. One advantage a publishing service provider can offer is the ability to help an author overcome those odds.

On the other hand, the moment a review is "paid for" its creditability is called into question (the same can be said for paid-for-mention blogs and more on that at a future date).

Kirkus Discoveries seems intent to counter such prejudices by being particularly brutal in its reviews of on-demand books. Is that biting the very hand that feeds it, or is that simply its way of maintaining its impartial MO? According to the founder (not sure if he wants to be mentioned or not, which is why I'm referring to him like that), Kirkus has a reputation for being somewhat callous and cruel in its reviews anyway.

Our major competitor offers th "Kirkus Review" for $360, which is $10 more than anybody can get it for from the Kirkus website. Presumably the $10 additional fee above and beyond was is available directly from the Kirkus website is their service fee (ie, profit), but knowing what I know about the 50-word "reviews" coming out of Kirkus Discoveries (that's $7 a word, in case you're calculating), I wonder if that publisher is coming to the same conclusion their authors are coming to -- that paying $350 for a bad review kind of...sucks.

That's where the Outskirts Press Marketing COACH helps. Not only does it tell you what to do; it tells you what to avoid. But if you're the gambling type and feel like playing roulette, place $350 on black at http://www.kirkusreviews.com/kirkusreviews/discoveries/index.jsp

Revising Print-on-Demand books

One of the advantages of publishing a book on-demand is being able to make moderate changes to it after publication without absorbing a whole new publishing fee, and without having to "eat" high quantities of books that you paid for in-advance with an off-set printer.

However, the publishing logistics involved in administrating post-publications is a daunting one. At Outskirts Press, we apply a lot of administration and technical resources to our post-publication revision process.

From my stand-point, I can see why many other on-demand publishers do not offer revisions at all. It's complicated from an information management and systems point of view. But, by not offering revisions, many publishers are removing one of the core advantages of POD. If you accidentally let a misspelling slip by (it happens to the best of us) or want to add a cover quote that you just received, there is nothing more liberating (and financially responsible) to being able to do so without taking a major hit to your wallet.

Few authors plan on making revisions to their book after publication while seeking out a publisher to begin with. But it is something to keep in mind as you look for the publishing service that is best for you. Will revising your book cost just as much as starting over from scratch? Make sure you have all the flexibility you need, in terms of post-publication revisions, setting your own pricing, and keeping all your rights. Your book deserves it.

Denver Business Journal recognizes Outskirst Press as 3rd fastest growing privately-held company in Colorado

In the category of "better late than never" I figured I would share some exciting news from July. Every year the Denver Business Journal recognizes the fastest growing privately-held companies in Colorado, based upon reported revenue for a three year period of time. The companies that demonstrated the greatest overall percentage of revenue growth between 2004 - 2006 were honored at a breakfast banquet in downtown Denver. The fastest growing company was a software company (Rally, I think), out of Boulder. The second fastest growing company was also a software company.

Outskirts Press was the third fastest growing privately held-company, which is a testament to the value our authors find in our services.

Even though I live and breathe this industry every day and night, it takes a step out into the other business sectors to realize just how revolutionary (and still brand-new) the concept of print-on-demand publishing truly is. When I was speaking at the podium while accepting the award, and explained what it is we do, there were surprised and amazed looks on the faces in the crowd. "I can pull that old forgotten manuscript out of my bottom drawer, dust it off, and give it to you and actually be selling it from Amazon in about 12 weeks?" their jaw-dropping expressions seemed to ask.

Writers and authors who are already searching for a solution to their publishing woes are already well-informed about their publishing choices.

But 95% of our market remains untapped, because these are people who would never think of typing "self publishing" into Google.

Our task is tapping them...

WRITER’S DIGEST PARTNERS WITH OUTSKIRTS PRESS FOR 4th STRAIGHT YEAR

Outskirts Press, Inc. has signed an agreement extending our publishing partnership with Writer's Digest. For the fourth year in a row, Outskirts Press will publish the Writer's Digest Writing Competition Collection, which is the anthology of winners from Writer’s Digest’s most established annual writing competition.

Writer’s Digest magazine sponsors one of the oldest, most prestigious annual writing competitions in the country. The compilations published by Outskirts Press showcase competition winners while the broader distribution available through Outskirts Press increases visibility of the Writer’s Digest brand in the publishing community.

Obviously, we are excited to continue our publishing partnership with Writer's Digest. We both cater to savvy, professional authors who recognize the importance of high-quality. It's a natural match.

Outskirts Press Award Winning Books

Yesterday I introduced our affiliation with the EVVY Awards. Last March, Outskirts Press won the most awards by a publisher. Below are the winners.


FIRST PLACE



Building a Champion Character: A Practical Guidance Program
Primary Version
by Susan R. Rose, M. Ed.

Category: Workbooks





Judge’s comment: “Perfect for counselors and parents.”







Defending Liars
In Defense Of President Bush And The War On Terror In Iraq
by Howard L. Salter Category: Political/Social





Judge’s comment: “The author put a lot of time and research into this book.”







RV Rentals
A Vacationer's Guide
by Dave & Kay Corby

Category: Travel





Judge’s comment: “Packed with information.”



SECOND PLACE



Christmas Tree Advent Calendar
A Country Quilted and Appliquéd Project
by Ruthy Sturgill Category: How to





Judge’s comment: “Well organized.”







The Struggle Among Ideas
A Tourist Guide to the Natural World and the Human Predicament
by J. Ivey Davis Category: Political/Social





Judge’s comment: “Nicely woven history of philosophies.”







The War Chest
by Gary W. Buehner Category: Business/Finance





Judge’s comment: “Brilliant!”



THIRD PLACE



Blue Max
Missions & Memories
by N. G. Brown Category: Non-Fiction/Experiences





Judge’s comment: “Very realistic view of the Vietnam War.”







See Sally Kick Ass
A Woman's Guide to Personal Safety
by Fred Vogt Category: How to





Judge’s comment: “Very clear, very straight-forward.”







Simple Successes
From Obstacles to Solutions with Special Needs Children
by Rachelle Zola Category: Parenting





Judge’s comment: “Professional, through and through.”







Wake Up with Fleas
by Carla Kienast Category: Fiction





Judge’s comment: “Well paced and entertaining.”



MERIT AWARDS



Aidan’s Shoes
by Brent Sampson Category: Children’s





Judge’s comment: “The storyline is truly wonderful.”







Fly Me to the Moon
Bipolar Journey through Mania and Depression
by H. E. Logue, M.D. Category: Fiction







Judge’s comment: “Beautifully designed and immediately intriguing.”







Full-Bodied and Peppery
Chronicles of a Western Colorado Wine Wench
by Christine Feller Category: Fiction





Judge’s comment: “A delightful book.”







Into the Light
A Phantom of the Opera Story
by Debra P. Whitehead Category: Fiction







Judge’s comment: “Loved it!”







The Literary Six
by Vince A. Liaguno

Category: Fiction





Judge’s comment: “Maintains interest and suspense from page one. I had trouble putting it down.”