Kindle Direct Publishing

Sent KDP an email about imprints. Here's the reply.

Things have changed dramatically in indie publishing since this thread began.

Read the fine print before committing to KDP. Know that a LOT of readers subscribe to Kindle Unlimited. Having a book available on KU means getting paid per pages read. It may not seem like much, but it adds up. You CAN make a buttload of money when you work it right and have lots of books up. You also have to promote a LOT, but it can literally pay off.

I recently shifted an old title (from 2011) to KU and in two months earned more on it than I have in the last 2 years. I am learning how to use sponsored ads to develop a wider audience in that genre.

It's going to sound painful to many in the Old Guard here, certainly I was in their number, but some indie writers are making a real living at it, bypassing commercial publishers and selling directly to readers.

What's painful to me is that of course there are writers who can't scribble a grocery list, but they are selling in mad numbers of copies and pages read. This applies to commercial writers, too. There are names on the NYT bestseller list who write bloody awful books -- but they sell.

I am not giving up on commercial writing, but my backlist is going up on KU exclusively for digital sales. For hard copy sales to bookstores and libraries I am using IngramSpark distribution. They provide an ISBN cheaper than Bowker. All I had to do was register the copyright for that edition and it will cost 49 bucks to upload a PDF. I had other expenses like editing, cover art, and interior formatting, but it's all tax deductible.

Will you be a bestseller, make a living at it? Probably not, but if you want to try it, the info is there to find.

My info source was a Facebook group called 20BooksTo50K. Not a wild exaggeration. The guy who formed it did just that and is sharing how he did for FREE. https://www.facebook.com/groups/20Booksto50k/

I was skeptical. My BS meter is a precision instrument. But the info he is giving away is working for me.

The closest thing I can compare the other writers there to are the ones who filled magazine pages during the golden age of pulps, when the magazine markets were wide open.

You did not have to be good (though it did not hurt) just fast and prolific. These writers are doing just that, some are kicking out full novels every two weeks like Maxwell Grant (Walter Gibson) kicked out novels for The Shadow Magazine. The only difference is they're on computers or dictating into their phones, not typing on a Smith Corona.

Is it award winning prose? I doubt it. But it IS selling.

I've seen more and more people on the trade side talking about how indie publishing isn't such a horrible thing--just a different thing--lately.

Personally, it's not part of my make up to put out a book every two (or twelve) months. But I firmly understand brand loyalty, as a consumer, and how much learning a voice and loving it matters. It's like music. I remember when Taylor Swift had her first hit and her voice was unlike anything I'd heard before. It takes getting used to. When you do, you start to appreciate it. Same with lots of other artists, in various endeavors.

What matters is what has always mattered, long before there were Kindles or printed books.

What matters is story.

That's the key to the door. That's always been the key to the door.

Woollybear said:

I've seen more and more people on the trade side talking about how indie publishing isn't such a horrible thing--just a different thing--lately.

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Exactly. It won't work for everyone. Except for a short novel sold as signed, numbered limited edition and a collection of previously sold short stories my editor turned down flat, that's the limit of my indie publishing venture. I sold some digital copies, usually 1-2 a month since 2011. The last two months? I've had modest 3-digit earnings from page reads and some sales. That's the 2 by 4 that got this mule's attention.

I tried KU in the early days when they did divide a large pool of cash up between thousands of writers, and I lost money on it. They dropped that in favor of paying per page read. It's a fraction of a cent, but some of these writers rack up a million pages.

I do not kid myself that I'll be in that crowd. I write too slowly to have such numbers, but others are cracking out full novels twice a month. No idea if the writing is any good, but they hire editors, invest in excellent cover art, produce newsletters, assemble mailing lists, and advertise. They treat and respect it as a business, even going for LLC status.

That's over my head, but I respect their professionalism in checking all the boxes.

Some are old colleagues of mine, getting their backlist up and releasing new works. They can wait 18-24 months for a publisher to sort things for a new title -- IF they even land a contract -- or start collecting payments 2 months after they publish.

There is flexibility for length and subject matter as well. Short works are popular at only .99, minority and LGBTQ writers are creating loyal followings. Commercial publishers have been slow to cater to those markets.

Are there stinky books? Absolutely.

There is one writer who's got a massive space opera series that's got the dashing ship captain and a harem of eager female space cadets boinking their way around the galaxy. I tried to get through one page of it on the Look Inside feature. I could not and I've survived the slush pile. No publisher would touch it, but it has an audience. Near as I can estimate -- he happily posts screenshots of his dashboard numbers -- he's clearing $18,000 a month.

Remember the old "stroke books" from back in the day? He's found THAT audience.

Some of the romance writers are doing even better.

No stars in my eyes, but my backlist ain't making me any money sitting in a computer file, so I'm gonna see what happens.

Gillhoughly said:

There is one writer who's got a massive space opera series that's got the dashing ship captain and a harem of eager female space cadets boinking their way around the galaxy. I tried to get through one page of it on the Look Inside feature. I could not and I've survived the slush pile. No publisher would touch it, but it has an audience. Near as I can estimate -- he happily posts screenshots of his dashboard numbers -- he's clearing $18,000 a month.

Remember the old "stroke books" from back in the day? He's found THAT audience.

Some of the romance writers are doing even better.

No stars in my eyes, but my backlist ain't making me any money sitting in a computer file, so I'm gonna see what happens.

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Would that happen to be Ryk Brown?

I've pretty much given up on indie books. Too much stuff out there nowadays. I am, however, dabbling with audiobooks. It's a very different world. Not everyone and their cousin can do it (or is willing to pay to do it) and narrators are selective on what they undertake. My first audiobook just hit Audibles a couple days ago, and I'm hitting promotion pretty hard. We shall see.

Would that happen to be Ryk Brown?

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Nope. I forget the name, remember the numbers.

AW Admin AW Admin

What matters is what has always mattered, long before there were Kindles or printed books.

What matters is story.

That's the key to the door. That's always been the key to the door.

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John D. MacDonald agrees with you.

Just an update on KDP: In addition to supporting paperback versions of your book (after absorbing Createspace), KDP now supports casebound hardcover editions as well.

Ideally you can use the same manuscript as for the paperback file, but be sure to alter things like ISBN numbers if you have your own. If you have paperback cover art, some dimensions may need changing for the casebound cover.

I've done a hardcover version of Castle Falcon, and so far test versions look good, so I've put it up for sale along with the Kindle and paperback version. Pricing is more than for paperback, of course, but pretty reasonable for a POD hardcover.