Amazon offers indie authors reward for going exclusive

[Ken Maltby]

Since there is only the one book (and some related short stories) and I've already
bought that, this might not mean anything to you but:

1. While you were selling your book in greater numbers at Amazon you were
also making some additional sales through the other outlets.

2. While it is exclusive to Amazon you have no real reason to expect your Amazon
sales numbers to increase. If Amazon's greater "foot traffic" resulted in a certian
number of sales when it wasn't exclusive, why would there be more sales at Amazon
because it is now exclusive to Amazon? Your other store sales are no more, of course.

3. I have no problem with an author selling his books on Amazon, but I for one won't
be buying them there. If that is the only place they are sold then I won't be buying
them. I realize that I am likely a member of a smaller group of ebook buyers who would
hold that position.

Luck;
Ken

[rhadin]

Originally Posted by Fbone

Yes, an author can submit multiple titles. Currently 1291 individual authors are listed as having books in the Prime Eligible program.

We're up to 57,800 titles.

From impressive to unimpressive. Explained or described numbers are so much more telling. Considering the vast universe of indie authors -- certainly many more than 1,291 -- I'm not impressed by the level of penetration. I was much more impressed when I thought 56,000 referred to number of authors; I didn't even associate the number with titles. Perhaps the program is not as successful as Amazon leads people to believe.

Regardless, this is an excellent example of why access to hard numbers is so important. When Amazon starts touting that Sally Unknown participated and received a check for $20,000, indie authors will be flocking to join because in the same breath Amazon is unlikely to boast that Sally Unkown was one of a small author pool and the check represents borrowings for 137 of her books.

It is just like the millions and millions of Kindles sold. What does that really mean and how many were upgrade purchases instead of new purchases?

I find the KDP program curiouser and curiouser.

[rhadin]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

. . .3. I have no problem with an author selling his books on Amazon, but I for one won't be buying them there. If that is the only place they are sold then I won't be buying them. I realize that I am likely a member of a smaller group of ebook buyers who would
hold that position.

A small but elite group . I suspect there are a fair number of readers who worry what will happen if the only choice for buying ebooks is Amazon (or B&N or Kobo or whomever). I see nothing good coming about market as a result of consolidation on the retail side.

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

3. I have no problem with an author selling his books on Amazon, but I for one won't
be buying them there. If that is the only place they are sold then I won't be buying
them. I realize that I am likely a member of a smaller group of ebook buyers who would
hold that position.

Luck;
Ken

I think you're probably NOT a member of a small group -- one thing about the MR echo chamber is that everyone assumes that everyone else knows how to strip DRM just fine and is willing to do it.

My Real Life Kindle friends only buy from Amazon; my Real Life Nook friends only buy from B&N. Half of them buy FROM THEIR DEVICE, which gives me the shivers -- they don't back up their books, don't even understand why I would think that was necessary. Who needs Calibre when you have 3G/Wi-Fi delivery? *eek*

[John Carroll]

Originally Posted by anamardoll

My Real Life Kindle friends only buy from Amazon; my Real Life Nook friends only buy from B&N. Half of them buy FROM THEIR DEVICE, which gives me the shivers -- they don't back up their books, don't even understand why I would think that was necessary. Who needs Calibre when you have 3G/Wi-Fi delivery? *eek*

This is very true. My wife owns a nook and hates trying to figure out Smashwords even though I try to support them as much as possible. She will buy from B&N first. Many of my fans have told me they will avoid using any other company because buying direct from Amazon or B&N is so much easier.

[carld]

Originally Posted by anamardoll

My Real Life Kindle friends only buy from Amazon; my Real Life Nook friends only buy from B&N. Half of them buy FROM THEIR DEVICE, which gives me the shivers -- they don't back up their books, don't even understand why I would think that was necessary. Who needs Calibre when you have 3G/Wi-Fi delivery? *eek*

I have to admit I'm pretty much the same. These days I buy everything from Amazon, and I don't back up anything from them. It's too much bother, and I don't have any real fear of losing access.

Hopefully the future won't prove me to be a chump.

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by carld

I have to admit I'm pretty much the same. These days I buy everything from Amazon, and I don't back up anything from them. It's too much bother, and I don't have any real fear of losing access.

Hopefully the future won't prove me to be a chump.

To each their own, but I should warn you that if Amazon does screw you over, 70% of all Mobile Readers will tell you it's your own fault.

That's kind of what scares me about not backing up: not the idea that I might lose my content, but the idea that I'll have no legal recourse because the majority of people will say "your fault, should have made backups"...

...in between threads that call all DRM-strippers horrible, thieving scoundrels who hate freedom and apple pie.

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by John Carroll

This is very true. My wife owns a nook and hates trying to figure out Smashwords even though I try to support them as much as possible. She will buy from B&N first. Many of my fans have told me they will avoid using any other company because buying direct from Amazon or B&N is so much easier.

FWIW, I hate Smashwords because I hate the meatgrinder.

I'm a B&N buyer first, Amazon second, anything-Smashwords-outletted as a distant third.

When I publish my book next year, I'm just going to plunk down the money to hire a Smashwords formatter. I hate the waste, but I know I don't have the patience to deal with their chatty blah-blah-blah style guide. I read it once and wanted to throw my reader at the wall -- if I wrote my professional user manuals that I write at work like that, I'd be fired in two seconds, and good riddance.

See? I'm already getting worked up. Deep breaths, Ana, deep breaths.

[Fbone]

59,000 titles

Rich, to you that's 1299 authors

[Ken Maltby]

So they are averaging 45 titles per author? Not a lot of 800 page novels, I take it.

Does that mean that all the rest of these author's manuscripts are Amazon's as "works
for hire"?

Luck;
Ken

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

So they are averaging 45 titles per author? Not a lot of 800 page novels, I take it.

Does that mean that all the rest of these author's manuscripts are Amazon's as "works
for hire"?

Luck;
Ken

Amazon's author list probably isn't as accurate as possible. Or many titles have multiple authors or authored by a company. Vook and Lonely Planet are listed as having a few hundred titles each.

[Fbone]

We have 60,100 titles!

It's speeding up again.

[stonetools]

Originally Posted by Fbone

We have 60,100 titles!

It's speeding up again.

You love to count, don't you?

Thanks for keeping us in the loop.

I think Amazon might just raise the pool for remunerating the participating authors to $1 or even $2M.
And I definitely think they will move on to offering a general subscription plan soon. They know 60,000 possible titles they could put in the subscription pool.

[J. Strnad]

It's all a grand experiment! One rolls the dice and whatever happens, happens.

90 days. The blink of an eye. If signing up for KDP Select is the great regret of my life, I've been pretty damned lucky!

I can't remember who said it, but it was someone famous...that if all possible objections have to be overcome before you undertake something, nothing would ever be done.

So, let's see where we are in March 2012. I plan to be here, and I hope all of MR is still here with me!

[Fbone]

61,400 titles