Writer asked me recent question:
Why don’t you just make your books available exclusively through Amazon to cut out all the headache of trying to find your money, plus you can get nice sales and reviews there?
Here’s my reply
DON’T PUT YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET…
Becoming an author is difficult and then at the end of the month, I have to become a pimp and constantly ask where is my money.
True Amazon does cut down on the frustration, but I’m an author, which means I’m in the business of publishing books for readers.
Readers are my customers and I have to think about them instead of concentrating on my frustration.
Four years. four years I’ve been on smashwords. the first year, I didn’t make a bump. Not even a free download, the second, I think I did like $50 dollars.
The third and fourth… I would say it’s been nice.
There are soooo many books out there, the competition is very hard.
Although Amazon offered me some nice sales bumps and reviews, I still made books exclusively available on Smashwords because #1 I can offer books for free easily over there and #2: I can send them through the ever growing and popular iTune and B&N channels.
I also found out that readers need action statements, so in the last part of my books, I would encourage them to visit the Smashwords store to see more book by me and please leave a review wherever they purchased the book.
I also would use my blog, FB & twitter to send out at least twice a week:
- Send out thanks for people who purchased on Smashwords & Amazon
- Remind people if they haven’t purchased on Smashwords or Amazon they can do so (with a short link attached to that message)
- Remind people to leave a review now that they’ve downloaded the book.
To encourage people even more to get books off of Smashwords, I would often do free fridays and use hashtags (#amreading #freefridays #shortsundays #SeductiveSaturdays)
I also on my blog set up a free read page and if others had free reads on their page, I would connect with them. On the page, I had free book links to Smashwords and in those books I had links to PAID books which readers would click through and buy right from smashwords or back into my site which lead them back to smashwords.
It worked like a charm.
Readers were flocking to smashwords and I would say my sales have bumped nicely every quarter.
The most important thing I learned and I think you should also think about is that you shouldn’t be your eggs all in one basket.
The nook and itune stores are really coming strong in 2013 and you don’t want to miss those sales
As much as I LOVE getting your books from Amazon I think it is a wise decision not to “put all your eggs in one basket”. Although there is a free kindle app that can be downloaded, not everyone prefers to do so. You are making your material easily available to all. However, eventhough I search every site for books I may have overlooked for my convenience or rather the convenience of those I referred your books to, they get frustrated trying to search various sites when all sites should carry the same books as possible. You have been great directing the path to get to you, but I’d love for ALL paths to lead to Sylvia. I have you on Kindle, Nook & PDF in my documents, but my main source is Amazon Kindle.
I found a problem a while ago with people trying to find my books and that’s why I started using my website as a pathway to find my books. the online bookstores have helped grouping me on their site in the right way, but I wish it was an easier economical way people could get my books. I’m always looking.
Very wise decision ……and I hope you and your family is doing better…
we’re getting better. i need a lot of home depot gift cards to help me get my fixer upper lived in. sigh…
Can I send a gift cards to the po box on your site?
awww, PO Box 43439, Detroit, MI 48243.
That’s be so awesome!
This is great to know, I will be sending something soon.
I don’t shop at amazon so I am glad to get your books at Barnes and Noble. If you were only there I would not have found such a good author to read.
thanks Ann!!!
I have you on my kindle and cell phone. So I can read you anywhere.
double awesome!!! Cyp!
Girl great minds think alike. I have the nook & kindle apps on my phone. Its easier to carry then my kindle fire. I always have my phone with me & access to a Sylvia Hubbard read. 😀
Hi Ms. Sylvia,
I too am glad that your books are found on other sites. Because of that reason, I have purchased every novel that you have to date. I have purchased most of them from amazon, but I have also purchased some from smashwordds(PDF), some from LuLu, some from Hub books, and some from Goodreads. There are a couple of other sites that I can’t remember the name. I think that putting your books on other sites helps you to reach more readers. I know some of the people I refer to your site are able to get your books at places other than amazon. That is how I got my sister to start reading your novels. I enjoy searching other sites for authors that I love to read novels, because, I may find something that I don’t already have. I’m glad that you and your family is doing better. I’ll send a gift card also. Thanks for the address and keep up the good work that you are doing.
Your loyal fan,
Stephanie
Yes, Having more than one venue helps catch a wider array of readers..True Readers are usually off the beaten path looking for something refreshing and diff ways to accomplish that….Coo dose Ms Hubbard for understanding that…
maybe cuz im like that to. i find books everywhere & if an author cant afford paperback printing then i think they shld make themselves avail where they can afford to be
I have a kindle fire but I like my kindle touch better. When I leave home I always have my phone and kindle touch. I will turn around and be late for work if I leave my kindle at home.
really? maybe i.might get a kindle touch to see cuz im lovimg my kindle fire
I use the text to speech when I am driving or I am at the gym. The kindle fire doesn’t have it. Don’t get me wrong, I love both devices but I take the kindle touch with me everywhere I go.
AND that’s one of the things I was thinking that would be the reason I want to get it.
definitely on my tax return buying list.
Thanks!
Reblogged this on Authoress Tramaine Green.