UK Amazon Kindle Forum discussion

Afternoon everyone!

Am I allowed to ask this question on this forum?

For a couple of months I've been talking mainly to myself on a lonely MOA thread over on amazon.com. When I spotted a tumbleweed blowing past, I tried Kindleboards, which is more friendly. However, no real change in US sales and obviously no reviews.

All suggestions gratefully received - I've been a slow learner of self-promo! And I'm sure I'm not using Goodreads to its maximum potential :)

Janet Jackson danced with Justin Timberlake and got noticed a few years ago. You could try that.

Being serious I don't think there is anything specific to the US market you can do really. Search out book review blogs and see if anyone is interested in reviewing your work.

Thanks guys, I'll certainly try that. Perhaps not the Justin Timberlake thing, though, not my type!

I must admit, I've only appeared on one book review blog so far.

I have the problem of not being noticed in the UK - though it has got better recently. US sales are always way ahead of UK ones (and reviews, too). I didn't do anything to make it that way. It has been estimated that based on population difference and Kindle ownership, the US should but kindle books at about 7-8 times more frequency than UK purchasers, My experience is that it is more like 20:1

Karl wrote: "Nicola, can I recommend www.thebooksdebut.com to you, they're a fairly new site but it's been set up by a group of writers (myself included, though I'm only a very small part of it). They'll list y..."

Karl, on the submission form there is a 'rating' box. What is it referring to? Age suitability?

Groovy, thanks.

Hi,

I had a look at the books debut and have submitted my latest book for consideration. It's interesting to read how different each authors experience is. My sales in America are slightly higher than the UK despite my books being set in the north west of England.

I have read so many blogs and topics where people sell more in one area than another and nobody seems to have any idea why. It fascinates me.

Anyway, thanks for suggesting the books debut.

Talli said to David, who said to me:
http://www.pixelofink.com and http://ereadernewstoday.com

Thanks, Rosen!

No problem. :-)

If anything knows how to boost sales in the UK, then do let me know! :)

D.M. Andrews wrote: "If anything knows how to boost sales in the UK, then do let me know! :)"

Promote on http://www.kuforum.co.uk
Join a local book group.
Host a local book event.
Read and review books by other British indie writers.

As an Australian, I have problems getting noticed anywhere! :)

Thanks, Rosen. Just joined them a few days ago for exactly that reason - must get back there soon! That's an idea about British indie authors. Hmm.. Thanks.

lol @ Katie

Katie wrote: "As an Australian, I have problems getting noticed anywhere! :)" Not true, you've all taken over London's Earls Court!

My sales seem to fluctuate month on month, sometimes they are higher in the US and sometimes the UK and I can't seem to figure out how or why. I guess I'd just like steadier sales at the moment.

Thanks for all the suggestions here of things to look into. I think I'm going to need to make some kind of list of social places I need to check in on regularly or I won't be able to remember everywhere I've been and chatted.

Jess, I think a couple of our authors mentioned they do *gasp* spreadsheets! to keep track!

I couldn't imagine...

I do for sales but yeah I might need to start doing so for chatting, thankfully most places seem to email when there are replies which helps significantly.

Use browser bookmarks - very useful things. I have one for blogs, one for forums, one for review sites, etc.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. Spreadsheets! My book marketing certainly does need some organisation!

Katie, I have noticed you and your books on other forums too. Hello!

I don't do so well in the U.S. either, despite having a few good reviews over there. I know American's who like my book but the positivity doesn't seem to generate many sales.

This is an interesting question and one I struggled with for a several months when I first published. Sales in the US were very slow to get going for me, too, but now I sell almost three times the number of books in the US than I do in the UK. From my own experience so far, I'd say it was down to the reviews. Good reviews boost a books discoverability. You can be way down the list by bestselling or popularity, yet be high by average customer review. Reviews came in pretty quick in the UK and sales followed - this was significantly boosted by UK book clubs (such as this fine example), which hasn't happened in the US. But in the US, the reviews started to come in and so did the sales as the reviews made the book more discoverable. This is also what helps to keep a book steady in the charts IMO. I've had big sales days from being featured on other websites, but the effect doesn't last. Writers have seen huge sales increases from free promos via KDP Select and they can keep a book selling well for some time, but for most do not seem to last. So I think over the long term the average review rating is very important for unknown/lesser known writers who aren't being widely talked about.

Hi Steve
Thanks, this is useful to know. I shall have to try harder in my quest for reviews!

Nicola wrote: "Hi Steve
Thanks, this is useful to know. I shall have to try harder in my quest for reviews!"

Two great ways to increase your review potential is to have a polite request at the end of your book. If a reader has enjoyed your book, that's the best time to have them think about reviewing it. I also have my contact email at the end of my book and when I get an email from a reader, I usually mention reviewing the book in my reply. Not everyone one does, but some do, and over time they add up. Best of luck. :o)

PS Great jacket cover for Alice Parker's Metamorphosis

Declare war.

Thanks for the info Steve, that's useful to know. I guess I had better try and get some more reviews as well. I'd not stopped but sometimes it's good to be a little more active.

Thanks Steve.
Hi Shaun - that would certainly get some attention!

Nicola wrote: "Afternoon everyone!

Am I allowed to ask this question on this forum?

For a couple of months I've been talking mainly to myself on a lonely MOA thread over on amazon.com. When I spotted a tu..."

Nicole, there is definitely an etiquette to promoting yourself on goodreads. Here is an article about it, http://ellelapraim.com/how-to-use-goo....

Other than that, I say join some goodreads groups that are based in America. That is a great way to get the buzz out there. People don't actually care where you're from and a lot of Americans like discovering talent in other countries. The more self-promotion you do, the better. I'm an American and some months I get almost as many sales in the UK as i do in America, I just make sure I am promoting in both places.
Best of luck, let us know how it goes.

Thanks Elle!

Rosen wrote: "D.M. Andrews wrote: "If anything knows how to boost sales in the UK, then do let me know! :)"

Promote on http://www.kuforum.co.uk..."

Good advice, Rosen. Thank you from me too. I have gone over there to register and will check the other sites you recommended. My only problem is that I am not a big chatterbox, but I do post from time to time.

Nicola wrote: "Thanks everyone for your suggestions. Spreadsheets! My book marketing certainly does need some organisation!

Katie, I have noticed you and your books on other forums too. Hello!"

Hi, Nicola!

To be honest, I've been pretty happy with the way my books have sold in the UK this month and I'm pretty sure it's from being in places like this and the Kindle Users Forum, where people are very supportive. :)

In fact my children's book has sold a heap more in Britain than in the US (which is a bit worrying, because it was written for Aussie kids and they can only buy it through the US).

My sales have thankfully been fairly even in the UK and US this month and also thankfully over 400% this time last years (though I have two books now rather than one) so sales have only really doubled. I guess promoting somewhere is working.

Hi Katie and Jess

That's good to hear. It will be interesting to see how sales change when I have a second book out. I wonder if the increase is proportional if you have third and fourth books...we shall see ! :)

I'm very much hoping so Nicola. My second novel and third release is with my editor so hopefully won't be much longer.

Karl My two books are in different genres and very different lengths but it does seem to have boosted sales. I imagine the same genre etc would have done more but I wouldn't underestimate the number of people who are willing to read different genres by the same author.

I can't get use to this term "shorts". I don't want to sell shorts (or eat them), I want full-length trousers - er - I mean, novels...

;)

:) If you have been waving your shorts in front of readers, Karl, I hope it's worked. I won't ask if they're speedos or baggies, clean or otherwise!

For some reason I have sold twice as many copies in the US this month as in the UK. I have no idea how that has come to be though!

Well, based on population and Kindle frequency, all else being equal, US sales should be about 7-8 times more than UK sales. I just find it weird that it seems reversed with some books (not mine). Makes no sense!

Stuart wrote: "For some reason I have sold twice as many copies in the US this month as in the UK. I have no idea how that has come to be though!"

You do have 'staff' who have mentioned you books over there though!

Ignite wrote:
You do have 'staff' who have mentioned you book..."

He doesn't pay very well though :(

He's not seen the invoice yet!

and 'pfff', like Kaiser Soze, he was gone...

Ignite wrote: "Stuart wrote: "For some reason I have sold twice as many copies in the US this month as in the UK. I have no idea how that has come to be though!"

You do have 'staff' who have mentioned you book..."

So true. When I see a blip I head over to certain forums and more often than not a mention has been made, for which we are most grateful. Word of mouth rules once KDP Select bumps have worn off.

Getting onto US blogs is hard unless you get lucky or have a contact to recommend you.

I sometimes feel like that kid in the school playground, waving his hand in the air: Pick me! Pick me!

I think British reserve has a lot to answer for as well. I feel plain uncomfortable self promoting.

Most authors hate self promotion Paul. That's where I think fans can help. If you just push a single author you start to sound like his/her mum but I like to put in a word over there for any good book I've recently read. I feel it's the least I can do after the pleasure the indie books give me (and so inexpensively too!)

Promotion is a necessary evil and you just have to roll up your sleeves and get on with it.

Hi Paul! I'm the kid you can see in the far corner of the playground - the weird one no one wants to play with! Lots of people to play with here, though :)

Ignite, you're absolutely right - I hate self promotion. Your support is much appreciated. I don't mind if you play mum!

Shaun wrote: "Promotion is a necessary evil and you just have to roll up your sleeves and get on with it."

Necessary Evil would make a good name for an Iain M Banks ship.

You are, of course, quite correct in what you say.

I don't like direct promotion either and rarely do it, it's probably why I have lots of lovely reviews but few sales. I can get people to say nice things once they've read it but can I ask people to read it, nope, not very good at it. I am learning though. Hopefully one day I'll get better at it.

'Buy my book or else I'll send the boys around.' See, how hard's that?