Maybe you should have bothered to read the thread, it's quite obvious..
Guys: Kindle is the Ticket!
- Thread starter GobBluthJD
- Start date
Maybe you should have bothered to read the thread, it's quite obvious..
Amsterdammer
Power Member
- Aug 9, 2011
- 516
- 566
Craigslist.
GobBluthJD (and any other kind soul),
I write fiction in my spare time (novels, novellas, short stories, screenplays). When quality is paramount - which it is, most of the time - my daily word target is 1,000, but I've been known to let rip and lay down as many as ten thousand, while still retaining an acceptable level of quality (plenty of dialogue helps in this case). I've published several shorts in offline magazines, a lesser amount in the online world, shying away from the world of novels and publishing houses until I feel the quality of my writing is at a level where I'd like to be associated with it. Without further preamble: should I target traditional publishing houses in the future, or do you think fiction writers (not operating in the erotic arena) can build a regular income from Kindle? I have several hundred shorts, many novellas, novels, and screenplays that could easily be packaged up, and I can turn out quick novels (at the lower 50K limit) in under two weeks. To be worthwhile to me, I'd need to see at least $100 a day and, for this amount, I'd happily use a pseudonym and build a web presence around it. I appreciate this is, likely, an impossible question to ask. I just wonder if you think the fiction route can be a worthwhile dedication of time. There are plenty of Kindle success stories in the fiction world, but these are cases where blind luck play a huge part. I wonder if my hobby could eventually turn a reasonable profit, or perhaps Kindle is already too flooded.
I write fiction in my spare time (novels, novellas, short stories, screenplays). When quality is paramount - which it is, most of the time - my daily word target is 1,000, but I've been known to let rip and lay down as many as ten thousand, while still retaining an acceptable level of quality (plenty of dialogue helps in this case). I've published several shorts in offline magazines, a lesser amount in the online world, shying away from the world of novels and publishing houses until I feel the quality of my writing is at a level where I'd like to be associated with it. Without further preamble: should I target traditional publishing houses in the future, or do you think fiction writers (not operating in the erotic arena) can build a regular income from Kindle? I have several hundred shorts, many novellas, novels, and screenplays that could easily be packaged up, and I can turn out quick novels (at the lower 50K limit) in under two weeks. To be worthwhile to me, I'd need to see at least $100 a day and, for this amount, I'd happily use a pseudonym and build a web presence around it. I appreciate this is, likely, an impossible question to ask. I just wonder if you think the fiction route can be a worthwhile dedication of time. There are plenty of Kindle success stories in the fiction world, but these are cases where blind luck play a huge part. I wonder if my hobby could eventually turn a reasonable profit, or perhaps Kindle is already too flooded.
blackfatcat
Junior Member
- Nov 19, 2012
- 122
- 58
You won't know until you try.
Very true! The trouble is, I already expend a lot of time on fiction writing, time I could devote to internet marketing. I'd be willing to devote time to Kindle, but I'd feel more comfortable if I knew the opportunity cost was decreasing, not increasing further. Like I say above: probably an impossible question to answer. This thread interests me a great deal, though. I've spent 20 years writing as a hobby; it'd be nice if there was a possibility of reward. The traditional publishing industry is truly a game of luck - the right novel written at the right time. Harry Potter was just another manuscript on a publisher's weekend slush pile, until his daughter picked it up, had a read, and positively insisted he snap it up!
GobBluthJD
Regular Member
- Aug 17, 2012
- 374
- 827
OP, can you answer these questions?
I use a female pen name on my erotica that is geared towards women, and a male pen name on the male-geared stuff. Pretty easy
And no - on other sites (smashwords, kobo, nook), I think you can set a reduced sale price, but on Amazon you can't.
sadshow
BANNED
- May 29, 2013
- 111
- 37
I'm working on my second book but I'm confused about linking the books to each other. Obviously as I'm writing new books I can put links to my previous books at the bottom, but what about the ones that are already published?
I was going to edit my first book (which is already published) to put a link at the bottom of that one too, and then continue to do this with all my books as each new one is added. The problem is that when you edit a book it goes into review for up to 12 hours. Do you do this with your older books? Will this take the book off of amazon until the new version is reviewed? That might hurt the momentum I have going.
Thanks for your time.
I was going to edit my first book (which is already published) to put a link at the bottom of that one too, and then continue to do this with all my books as each new one is added. The problem is that when you edit a book it goes into review for up to 12 hours. Do you do this with your older books? Will this take the book off of amazon until the new version is reviewed? That might hurt the momentum I have going.
Thanks for your time.
chockfactor
Power Member
- Jan 16, 2010
- 644
- 335
Random question my ass, the important part about kindle is to know what you should put into your book. I'm not talking about fiction here, I'm talking about non fiction
paperwario
Newbie
- Jun 20, 2013
- 1
- 0
This auto-moderation system is killing me. If you write one book and it sells horribly, you can publish under another name with no consequences right?
scribeforthetribe
Registered Member
- Jul 6, 2012
- 86
- 31
Yes, you do take them out of the market briefly to add the new links to your backlist. Stagger them one at a time so you are obviously not pulling ten books off the market at once to add your links.
scribeforthetribe
Registered Member
- Jul 6, 2012
- 86
- 31
I do not agree with you that it was blind luck. There are numerous cases of self pub writers who are making mad income. I am seeing that many of these authors, as they get beyond 12-15 longer works (novellas and novels) per pen name, it really starts to take off. The key is write a lot, and publish often. Preferably in series. If you are going to dabble in many unrelated genres of fiction, use pen names. I am more at the beginning stages of this but if I had a back catalog such as you, I would absolutely try to get them all out on Kindle as singles and compilations. In my mind, this is the great Pulp era for Indie publishers with Kindle. I can tell you of dozens and dozens of writers who've written online that they make more in a month now than they ever did in a year with a traditional publisher. You'd be lucky to get a $5000 advance these days on a novel from a Traditional...and if you don't sell like bonkers in the first six months, they stop pushing your book. At least with Self pub, you get to choose what you push and how hard. Good luck to you, I wish you well.
HerpDerpSlerp
Power Member
- Mar 19, 2013
- 777
- 629
I am a pretty decent writer and I think I would enjoy doing this. So far the research I did was reading this thread and thank you for sharing this in detail. The only question I have is how do I sign up for Kindle to start selling books? if you have a referral link just PM it. I will be more than happy to use it and give you some coin.
I like how you added to outsource the book cover or graphic(s). As I am no photoshop artist this would be my only downfall. As far as writing I could easily do that and a relative has a journalism degree so all the proof reading can go to her.
Thank you for this. Not only bookmarked, I created a shortcut, and copy-pasta'd your initial post, and applicable replies incase this thread disappears to the VIP section
I like how you added to outsource the book cover or graphic(s). As I am no photoshop artist this would be my only downfall. As far as writing I could easily do that and a relative has a journalism degree so all the proof reading can go to her.
Thank you for this. Not only bookmarked, I created a shortcut, and copy-pasta'd your initial post, and applicable replies incase this thread disappears to the VIP section
Thank you for sharing that! one of friends are also an old time kindle writer and I think he don't know what's coming for him: a horde of BHW member invading Kindle. I think it is a blessing in disguise. The competition is tough I guess, new timer will get a hard time competing with old book that's already have a good rating. Is this the case ? or I am just over-thinking it ?
GobBluthJD
Regular Member
- Aug 17, 2012
- 374
- 827
I am a pretty decent writer and I think I would enjoy doing this. So far the research I did was reading this thread and thank you for sharing this in detail. The only question I have is how do I sign up for Kindle to start selling books? if you have a referral link just PM it. I will be more than happy to use it and give you some coin.
I like how you added to outsource the book cover or graphic(s). As I am no photoshop artist this would be my only downfall. As far as writing I could easily do that and a relative has a journalism degree so all the proof reading can go to her.
Thank you for this. Not only bookmarked, I created a shortcut, and copy-pasta'd your initial post, and applicable replies incase this thread disappears to the VIP section
Just sign up at kdp.amazon dot com that's the publishing site.
GobBluthJD
Regular Member
- Aug 17, 2012
- 374
- 827
This is a pretty bad idea. If it's your blog, then okay, it can work. If you're just ripping content from other people's blog, you will get caught, eventually. Amazon checks every submitted book to see if the content is available on the web. Sure, you can get by the filter a couple of times, but even after uploading and being on sale for awhile, you can still get hit for plagiarism.
It's so much easier and safer to outsource, there's really no reason you need to steal content from blogs.