Frustrated with all the recent posts by Kindle-only authors - Page 6

BearMountainBooks · 08-27-2009, 12:41 PM

I am definitely learning a lot as I peruse sites and asked a few other authors questions!

Most authors I've spoken with like smash...I haven't heard from any readers! There are also far more fantasy/sci fi books than cozy mysteries--which can be a good thing in that there is less competition, but also could mean there is less demand. I was surprised that my Sage book (fantasy novellsa) has done better on Kindle than my Catch an Honest Thief book, which is cozy mystery. Could have something to do with who reads on devices or could just be that the mystery isn't that enticing! I do know that there are a LOT more fantasy short story markets online than mystery (mystery is about 5, whereas fantasy is probably over 50).

One thing is that there isn't a nice "store" where all customers flock--it would be nice if Sony had a storefront--if anyone knows of one, please let me know so that I can check it out. There's several storefronts (mentioned here and other places) with varying levels of file types, some with DRM, some not.

It's a lot to get a handle on. Guess that is what happens when you've got relatively new technology exploding into popularity!!!

Thanks again everyone for the suggestions and feedback. I do get the point that not everyone wants to own a Kindle (or can).

Maria

Steven Lyle Jordan · 08-27-2009, 01:47 PM

Thanks to the realities of the web, there is every possibility that a single or small group of online "stores" will be replaced by many individual storefronts (like my site), all connected through a combination of aggregate sites, search protocols and reader networks. Expect the realities of marketing a book to change accordingly.

BearMountainBooks · 08-27-2009, 01:50 PM

Steve, agree, things, they are a changin' After looking at some of the things I talked about earlier, I had begun to wonder about just posting a couple of other formats to my own blog/website. I'm sure I get less traffic than smashwords and others, but it might fill the niche and allow me to get a handle on exactly how to proceed without jumping into everything at once.

You have a Very Spiffy looking site. Someone did an awfully nice job on the design!

Maria (who needs to figure out that cool signature thingie.)

Steven Lyle Jordan · 08-27-2009, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

You have a Very Spiffy looking site. Someone did an awfully nice job on the design!

Thanks... and that would be me (I was a graphic and web designer before I started writing).

krischik · 08-27-2009, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

As to market leader, no way is it Amazon. Amazon is only 45%.

... of 5% of the world population which makes grand total 2.2%.

Sorry to repeat my self but USA might be big but only hosts 5% of the world population. The EU has twice that (which too is only 10% to be honest).

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Sony at 30%.

Which again is only there US share - unlike Amazon Sony sells outside the US.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrMoze

This clearly means that Amazon IS the market leader. Sony is #2. There's no other interpretation of these figures.

Sure there is - just use world wide sales figures. Heck - even using "English spoken customers" salve figures will put Sony ahead.

Martin

krischik · 08-27-2009, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WFT

As an author, you touch upon my own concern and an important reason why I posted to this thread. I don't own any e-readers, but I see scores of formats listed on this site's e-book wiki page. How can I possibly know which formats I need in order to make my novel compatible with every reader? Do I need all of the available formats listed on that wiki page?

No, you need Mobipocket to cover the legacy (and Kindle) and ePUB to cover the future. Especially if you don't use DRM. Then users can convert for them-self.

Ea · 08-27-2009, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krischik

.... The EU has twice that (which too is only 10% to be honest).

What about Europe? Remember that not all European countries are members of the EU.

Elfwreck · 08-27-2009, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

One thing is that there isn't a nice "store" where all customers flock--it would be nice if Sony had a storefront--if anyone knows of one, please let me know so that I can check it out. There's several storefronts (mentioned here and other places) with varying levels of file types, some with DRM, some not.

Sony does have a store, but it only sells LRX files, and is only usable on Windows machines, and you have to install special software to use it at all, so it's less user-friendly than Amazon's.

But "all ebook customers" aren't going to flock to any one store, any more than "all book customers" shop at one store. Amazon gets the lion's share of online purchases, but they are still competing with Barnes & Noble and plenty of physical bookstores, and the same dynamic applies for ebooks: people with different needs will shop at different stores.

As long as ebook device sellers try to lock people into their formats, the stores will continue to be scattered. There won't be a big, single, most-of-the-web ebook store until DRM is gone... and by the time that happens, many of the smaller stores may be so well-established that no ebook seller can ever reach Amazon's level of market dominance.

AnemicOak · 08-27-2009, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

Sony does have a store, but it only sells LRX files, and is only usable on Windows machines, and you have to install special software to use it at all, so it's less user-friendly than Amazon's.

Also available on Mac's now and will be switching from LRX to EPUB at some point. Don't know if you'll have to use Sony's software or not once they make the switch.

starrigger · 08-27-2009, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Wasn't there an MR author that wrote a series of articles that went into some writing periodical about creating and publishing ebooks. I want to say it was either Jeffery Carver or Steve Jordan.

I wonder what the exclusive period of those articles was... and if the author would want to put them on line, maybe even here once the exclusivity period ends.

BOb

That was me, and it was published in the SFWA Bulletin in, I think, January. And such is the rate of change that much of it was outdated by the time it was published.

Developments in Calibre alone have changed what I would write if I were redoing it now.

That said, I was told it would eventually be posted to the SFWA website, which is currently undergoing a massive reorganization. I should check on the status of that.

(SFWA = Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America)

Edit: I should add that, while I haven't read this whole thread, I would agree with those who said that most writers simply don't know anything about ebooks, and don't feel a great need to learn right away. It's a lot of work, and many don't see the payoff. In fact, one writer friend contacted me after reading that article and wanted to know something about mobipocket formatting, because he was putting his out-of-print book up on Amazon. I suggested expanding beyond that market, but he wasn't too interested in putting out the effort unless he saw some reasonable return on the Amazon listing. I think that's not uncommon, even among ebook somewhat-savvy writers.

starrigger · 08-27-2009, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krischik

No, you need Mobipocket to cover the legacy (and Kindle) and ePUB to cover the future. Especially if you don't use DRM. Then users can convert for them-self.

Don't neglect PDF. It's still the most popular download format, for all the grief we give it.

JSWolf · 08-27-2009, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by starrigger

Don't neglect PDF. It's still the most popular download format, for all the grief we give it.

But if we do start ignoring it, maybe it'll go away.

starrigger · 08-27-2009, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

But if we do start ignoring it, maybe it'll go away.

I doubt it. More likely your readers will go away instead.

Smart sellers offer the customers what they want, not what the seller wants the customers to want.

JSWolf · 08-27-2009, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by starrigger

I doubt it. More likely your readers will go away instead.

Smart sellers offer the customers what they want, not what the seller wants the customers to want.

I doubt they will go away. If they have to have ADE to handle DRM PDF, then they can easily switch to DRM ePub instead since they already have the software installed.

starrigger · 08-27-2009, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I doubt they will go away. If they have to have ADE to handle DRM PDF, then they can easily switch to DRM ePub instead since they already have the software installed.

Jon, you're making all these assumptions about what people will have on hand. Most people are not ebook followers, and they'll look preferentially at a PDF because they already have Adobe Reader and that's all they want. Just mention the other stuff and their eyes glaze over.

My free books are in something like 8 different formats. PDF is by far the most popular download. (Though .PRC is gaining.)

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08-27-2009, 12:41 PM	#76
BearMountainBooks Maria Schneider Posts: 3,746 Karma: 26439330 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Near Austin, Texas Device: 3g Kindle Keyboard	I am definitely learning a lot as I peruse sites and asked a few other authors questions! Most authors I've spoken with like smash...I haven't heard from any readers! There are also far more fantasy/sci fi books than cozy mysteries--which can be a good thing in that there is less competition, but also could mean there is less demand. I was surprised that my Sage book (fantasy novellsa) has done better on Kindle than my Catch an Honest Thief book, which is cozy mystery. Could have something to do with who reads on devices or could just be that the mystery isn't that enticing! I do know that there are a LOT more fantasy short story markets online than mystery (mystery is about 5, whereas fantasy is probably over 50). One thing is that there isn't a nice "store" where all customers flock--it would be nice if Sony had a storefront--if anyone knows of one, please let me know so that I can check it out. There's several storefronts (mentioned here and other places) with varying levels of file types, some with DRM, some not. It's a lot to get a handle on. Guess that is what happens when you've got relatively new technology exploding into popularity!!! Thanks again everyone for the suggestions and feedback. I do get the point that not everyone wants to own a Kindle (or can). Maria

08-27-2009, 01:47 PM	#77
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	Thanks to the realities of the web, there is every possibility that a single or small group of online "stores" will be replaced by many individual storefronts (like my site), all connected through a combination of aggregate sites, search protocols and reader networks. Expect the realities of marketing a book to change accordingly.

08-27-2009, 01:50 PM	#78
BearMountainBooks Maria Schneider Posts: 3,746 Karma: 26439330 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Near Austin, Texas Device: 3g Kindle Keyboard	Steve, agree, things, they are a changin' After looking at some of the things I talked about earlier, I had begun to wonder about just posting a couple of other formats to my own blog/website. I'm sure I get less traffic than smashwords and others, but it might fill the niche and allow me to get a handle on exactly how to proceed without jumping into everything at once. You have a Very Spiffy looking site. Someone did an awfully nice job on the design! Maria (who needs to figure out that cool signature thingie.)