Support for Indie Authors discussion

Well, my book's been out for 3 months... Being this was my first go-around, I tried out KDP Select. (Can't say I noticed a phenomenal advantage to the exclusive listing, but that's neither here nor there.) I'm wonder where else to distribute (aside from iBook and Nook) What have you done? Did you go thru a source like BookBaby, or similar

Smashwords.com is another good retailer, and if you can format your book properly, they'll send it out to all the major book retailers on the internet as well.
If you're looking to get a hardbound copy of your book, check out Lulu.com

Thanks! Someone else recommended IngramSparks... is that similar to Smashwords?

You can put your book for free on Smashwords where is it looks like Ingram is going to require you to pay in order to have your titles featured. so it just depends it looks like Ingram will take and do all the work getting it formatted properly, but you're going to pay each book you do.

Thanks Riley!

For print, Createspace was around $6 for cost for my approx 440-page 5.5x8.5" book. They only do paperback. Lulu does hardcover and paperback, but I remember their paperback cost was more like $10, which is why I went with Createspace. I'm also on Smashwords, which gets it out there to the places that wouldn't have otherwise accepted my book without a lot of jumping through hoops.

So, right now, I'm on KDP for ebook, Createspace with expanded distribution for paperback (which drives up the price of the paperback, but gets it onto B&N. I did that just for the fact that I've always gone to B&N first to look for books, so to me there was a definite coolness factor), and Smashwords for ebook distribution to B&N, iBooks, potential for library catalog (if I contact my city library about it), and a bunch of others.

I only pay Createspace if I buy a book, and KDP and Smashwords are both free.

For my first three months, I was on KDP Select. I had a fair amount of KU downloads (I should stress that it's all relative, and my expectations were low), but now that I've branched out, I see the benefit from not being exclusive, and the sales in the other channels have filled that [tiny] hole.

On a side note: what gets my goat is that two people actually paid over $15 for my paperback. I don't even care if it was someone I know or one of those market places that buy books just to sell them. I still earned 3.35 each, so that's cool regardless. I sold two other paperbacks before I went expanded and earned 1.50 each. To me it's worth having my paperback listed on websites other than Amazon and therefore having my paperback cost more. The way I see it, if no one buys it because they don't want to pay $15 for a paperback, I'm cool with it, since my only reason for expanded distribution with my paperback is more legitimacy, if only in my own mind.

So for me, it's not a money-making game. It's having my book exposed in as many places as possible. I'll wait for any monetary goals until I finish this first series. Right now, I just want readers to know my book exists.

This is great! Do you do both KDP and Smashwords for e-book? Have you ever done a free book giveaway without enrolling into KDP Select?

Yes, I do. And I made a free coupon on Smashwords and gave it to my newsletter folks. The majority of them downloaded it. Since they signed up for my newsletter, I know they're interested in reading it, as opposed to my free days on KDP Select. Smashwords is cool that way. You can choose how long you want to give your book for free or for whatever discount. Total control over that.

Is there any conflict with pricing between Smashwords and KDP?

You set the price on both.

So you can just do free promos across the board? Cool, thanks!

Smashwords and KDP operate differently. No free days with KDP. With KDP Select, you only get 5 days during those three months to use for a free promo. With Smashwords, it's up to you, and you can also choose perma-free. I'm sure there's other platforms that also offer perma-free and coupons like Smashwords does. KDP/KDP Select don't.

Gotcha... I think KDP was a stickler for maintaining the lowest price. Doing free promos on Smashwords doesn't conflict w/your agreement with KDP?

The only time there's an agreement like that with KDP is if you're in the exclusive, KDP Select program. It's confusing but that extra word, Select, makes all the difference. As long as you're not in Amazon's exclusive, KDP Select, 90-day program, you can list and offer discounts and free days on other sites all you want. They can't control that. If anything, perhaps they'll price match it if a buyer mentions it to them.

so good to know! thanks :)

You're very welcome!

However, if you have a book permanantly listed as free on smashwords, I believe you can contact amazon and have them also list your ebook as free.

Good to know!

Google Play!! Good call!

One note: If you distribute your eBook in any other sales channels besides Amazon, like Smashwords, you can't participate in any free giveaways through Amazon.

Morris

Nope, but Smashwords doesn't put a limit on the coupons you create to share your book, and they have all the differing file types so even kindles can read your book.

I use (and highly recommend) Draft2Digital for distribution to channels other than KDP. They're fast, pay monthly, and have very good customer service.

Hey, everyone I'm new to the site and new to publishing or self publishing I should say. I personally just joined smashwords primarily because it was free. However, I lot of people tell me they like the ease of just getting it from Amazon. I was think of ingram spark for the paper pack the rates look better. Any want to check out my book Gods Will But My Choice let me know. Then I'll post link
thanks

Kindle Unlimited vs Scribd?

I've had my first novel enrolled with Kindle Unlimited since its birth last year, but never enrolled my second. I tried this as a marketing tactic, although there's no scientific way to measure the results. I'm thinking of removing my first from KU, leaving them on Amazon of course and in addition distributing both through Scribd. Lots of readers in my genre subscribe and the payout is a different calculation than KU. I'm wondering if anyone has experience with both and what their thoughts are?

My books are Contemporary Romance and my third will be out this summer. Also, I get anywhere between 3-7 hits a day on KU in case that helps in the evaluation!

Thanks to any and all for their input!

Brynne

Oh, meant to add that this means I could also distribute through Smashwords.

Has anyone had any luck getting promotions/sales from Bublish? I just stumbled on this and I was wondering. Every single person that has read my book, Survival Tactics, is raving about it but it's not doing me any good if more people don't know about it. Advice? Thanks!