Have you heard? KU changed their policies again, and it sent another panic wave through the author community. It’s a hot topic so SPRT must tackle it. Join the usual crew and guest panelists Mat Morris, Carl Sinclair, and Zach Bohannon as we calm our collective nerves. We will discuss the benefits of KU or going wide and how each of us frames it within our business plan. Join us at 7 PST/10 EST for another rousing conversation.
Someone on kboards (yes I know) sought further clarification and posted the response from Amazon: http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,216672.0.html <– actually answered one of the questions I had.
FYI: I am currently not panicking. I writer shorts up to novellas and am currently in KU.
I’m early!
Wait…there’s no extra credit for that? Shit.
Cheers.
RChazzChute
So…does anyone find it a bit creepy that Amazon is watching what pages you are reading in a book?
JamesEThoenes Did you ever think it was any different? 😛
HAI E’ERYBODY
JamesEThoenes My favorite is when I buy something on Amazon, and then I find personalized adverts elsewhere, like Facebook, and they’re trying to get me to BUY IT AGAIN. You already have all my money, Amazon–I HAVE NOTHING MORE LEFT TO GIVE. *sobs*
CateMorgan JamesEThoenes Hi Cate
writerwade JamesEThoenes Hiya!
RChazzChute
Oh shit, I just got back from lunch. What timing 😛
CateMorgan RChazzChute How do you drink like that? Wouldn’t it be easier to have someone pour it down the snokel?
RChazzChute All my love and affection. It’s a cheap prize, but we have a low budget.
Hi all
JamesEThoenes They’ve done that forever. Now hopefully we’ll see that info as well 😛
Good evening ladies and gentledudes!
Ki ora tamariki ma!
WADE FINNEGAN! I loved you on Mr. Dressup! YAY!
(That’s a Canadian joke.)
YES!
Wade – the only man without a beard.
kia ora, talofa, it’s our time of day
Carl Sinclair not sure if I should be offended that you implied I was a child…
Carl Sinclair We should scratch our beards in unison. Mid-podcast scratch.
Kindle Unlimited – buys me pizzas.
and wine…
What will John Read’s avatar be today.
Also – I had another borrow today. *Does one page count worth of a cheerleader kick*
Unless they don’t bother reading all of that longer book 😛
michelleread brad pitt a la 12 monkeys
matmorrisauthor michelleread Argggggggg yeah
matmorrisauthor michelleread So close
MrJohnRead matmorrisauthor michelleread Way to eff it up, John!
MrJohnRead matmorrisauthor michelleread A solid choice!!!
matmorrisauthor MrJohnRead michelleread Bandicoot Cumbersnatch in front of a tardis…WIN
This is what a lot of authors with longer works wanted as they felt the previous model disadvantaged them.
matmorrisauthor michelleread
MrJohnRead I call him Bindlesnitch Cummerbund 🙂
michelleread MrJohnRead matmorrisauthor Beatrice Cocklepickens!
BatmanErica But it ruins my plans for hundreds of 8 page books.
Zach said a naughty word!
xgranville michelleread MrJohnRead matmorrisauthor Ahahahaha!!
MrJohnRead matmorrisauthor michelleread <3
michelleread matmorrisauthor I’m not crazy.
michelleread matmorrisauthor
No! People need to read shit I link! They pay you per month whatever is read. So if they read 10 pages one month you get paid that and then another 10 pages next month, you get that then.
BatmanErica I can see this as being Amazon’s answer to those people who upload a 4 page useless pamphlet with twenty pages of front matter to get people past the 10% mark.
xgranville michelleread MrJohnRead matmorrisauthor Butterfree Candlestick
MrJohnRead xgranville michelleread matmorrisauthor This one made the slow smile….where I eventually just ended up looking like that Brad Pitt picture I posted.
CateMorgan Yip. And even if they double space and have a large font it won’t matter as Amazon will judge it on a full page equivalent
JamesEThoenes no reason to give up on that plan. We don’t know how well this will work until a few months after the change.
Cat memes shall abound tonight, too long on the road…
michelleread MrJohnRead xgranville matmorrisauthor Bimbleditch Cuddlebath
JamesEThoenes BatmanErica Not if you buy my new Fiverr service where I’ll read your 8-page books twenty times!
MrJohnRead Yeah beware. He’s gone cray cray.
xgranville michelleread MrJohnRead matmorrisauthor Butawhiteboy Cantbekhan
PerryConstantine JamesEThoenes BatmanErica haha! Genius
PerryConstantine you’ll need 8 different Kindle accounts then 😛
xgranville michelleread matmorrisauthor http://benedictcumberbatchgenerator.tumblr.com/
MrJohnRead xgranville michelleread matmorrisauthor Cabbagewank is my favorite last name. Or favourite, as it were.
BatmanErica PerryConstantine Don’t question my methods, just buy my scam!
Err…I mean valuable service…
michelleread MrJohnRead xgranville matmorrisauthor riought
What will be interesting will the all star payments and how they are calculated.
The internet has gone too long without seeing Carl’s face. I just scrolled up for the first time and saw that he’s actually there on camera. Excellent!
Of course we’re cogs. Amazon has never cared about authors.
BatmanErica Interesting for the all stars :-
michelleread I know someone who ISN’T here…
Heh, pull out.
PatrickSzabo Hi patrick
PerryConstantine lol
Loss leader or no, Amazon is losing tons of money on KU and that will continue until someone above the KU department pulls the plug.
PerryConstantine the rhythm method.
MrJohnRead michelleread xgranville matmorrisauthor Oh by the way…the name is Herlock Sholmes.
michelleread PatrickSzabo Hi Michelle!
Carl said he’s rich, someone grab his wallet.
MrJohnRead Aw yee muffins, we so baked!
Make it while you can, Carl. KU will be gone within a year.
michelleread Checked. It’s a decoy.
PatrickSzabo what if it’s not?
PatrickSzabo Bold statement
xgranville michelleread Dangit
xgranville michelleread The old “decoy wallet” trick
BatmanErica PatrickSzabo It can’t survive. It hemmorages money.
My sales are from US and UK. Australia and Canada follow that but I get very little from them. They’re Kobo countries 😛
PatrickSzabo I don’t agree.
michelleread PatrickSzabo Not really that bold.
MrJohnRead xgranville michelleread Maybe he’ll accidentally leave it in that box of Snickers he’s going to post to America.
In theory, this system will reward better writers vs. poorly written book.
Carl Sinclair PatrickSzabo I think this change saves them from potentially pulling the plug any earlier.
PatrickSzabo it’s only one part of their business. They move money around all parts of it to keep it all working well.
JamesEThoenes Better storytellers, not better writers.
PatrickSzabo JamesEThoenes I would argue these are *very* close to the same thing. But that’s an entirely different topic.
PatrickSzabo JamesEThoenes Better way to put it.
michelleread MrJohnRead xgranville
xgranville Carl Sinclair PatrickSzabo Agreed Xavier. This is buying them some time and that’s all. Unless t hey can talk some trade publishers into joining.
MrJohnRead michelleread xgranville DO NOT TEMPT HIM!!! I want my Snickers (and snickers only!)!!
There is a lovely lack of giggling on this show. I feel like I’m getting smarter.
michelleread I miss the giggling.
michelleread
matmorrisauthor PatrickSzabo JamesEThoenes A good storyteller can write poorly but still tell a good tale. A good writer can put out a total crap book and still have to work at Starbucks.
MrJohnRead michelleread hahaha! I loled! Nicely done, dear.
RChazzChute michelleread heeeheeeheee. Better?
PatrickSzabo matmorrisauthor JamesEThoenes *cough* 50 Shades *cough*
michelleread RChazzChute Somewhat. Send me giggling audio.
PatrickSzabo matmorrisauthor JamesEThoenes I would say that *isn’t* a good writer, though.
RChazzChute michelleread On it now……incoming.
matmorrisauthor PatrickSzabo JamesEThoenes still makes money
BatmanErica matmorrisauthor PatrickSzabo JamesEThoenes I was referring to Patrick’s comment, not 50 shades.
michelleread MrJohnRead
Carl I understand all that, but they are adding millions and millions per month to keep KU afloat.
PatrickSzabo That’s not much in the scope of “Amazon”
I buy mp3s still. Not whole albums. Bought some J-Rock the other day–much to the annoyance of my husband 😀
Write more books!
Apples and oranges, music to books. Not a good comparison.
PatrickSzabo and they wll continue to do that because people are coming back to buy more books. They aren’t losing makret share.
Amazon wants to be a subscription service or even utility. KU is part of the method of creating that model.
PatrickSzabo Don’t hit me – I actually disagree with this.
matmorrisauthor PatrickSzabo With their think margins? Sure it is.
PatrickSzabo It’s a creative medium that up until now had relied upon archaic structures like brick and mortar publishing/music labels. As a musician and author, I can say that both fields have their similarities as far as actually making money at it.
JamesEThoenes Interesting metaphor, utility companies will often pay to install service to industrial establishments, because, in the long run they will make their money back many times over.
This change to KU will be able to show you which of your books readers are actually interested in and reading all of. So it would be a good gauge of what your readers are actually liking. And if they don’t read it all, then what is at that point that made them stop? This might be a good way to test the waters with your books. And maybe you should try another genre 🙂
KindleBoards is a wretched hive of scum and stupidity.
Someone seriously suggested that disclaimer? Holy crap.
PatrickSzabo And stupidity.
Amazon track how long it takes a reader to read a page, so if they start scrolling through instead of reading, they’re going to notice.
PerryConstantine Yes they did
BatmanErica I have a subscription to spotify…
PatrickSzabo We must be cautious.
*beats xgranville* you keep to your novels and I’ll keep to my shorts / novelettes and novellas 😛
Carl Sinclair PerryConstantine Fucktards.
MrJohnRead BatmanErica I can’t bring myself to subscribe.
xgranville I am not a scammer >.<
PerryConstantine Carl Sinclair I think the author owes the reader, not the other way round :p
BatmanErica assuming they break it down to tell us when and what books.
PatrickSzabo MrJohnRead BatmanErica
Some people have reported that the ‘what’s hot’ list has been replaced by ‘featured’. Some split testing going on.
BatmanErica PerryConstantine Carl Sinclair Correct 🙂 And I love hearing you all say that.
BatmanErica xgranville I know you’re not haha. I write shorts too, but I think they’re more promotion that anything.
PerryConstantine Carl Sinclair I’m not the only one that uses this phrase!
MrJohnRead PatrickSzabo BatmanErica
xgranville you are entitled to your own opinion just like I’m entitled to disagree with you 😛
MrJohnRead PerryConstantine Carl Sinclair Oh no…it’s worldwide, apparently.
BatmanErica xgranville Well obviously if that’s what you write exclusively :p Erica needs her cake too g’dammit!
BatmanErica xgranville Just don’t beat me haha
michelleread MrJohnRead fucktards? Yeah that’s global 😛
xgranville I have cake. Lemon drizzle cake. I baked cake yesterday 😀
Shifter duck porn?
BatmanErica xgranville Salivating.
PatrickSzabo Close. Geese.
xgranville so good that hubby had some for breakfast :p
MrJohnRead <3
matmorrisauthor PatrickSzabo They mate for life, ya know.
PatrickSzabo matmorrisauthor It’s a huge source of tension in my books.
matmorrisauthor PatrickSzabo you mean erotica, not porn 😛
matmorrisauthor PatrickSzabo
MrJohnRead matmorrisauthor PatrickSzabo I redact that heart I posted earlier.
I’m just really glad I didn’t buy a Paperwhite last month. Or a Voyage.
BatmanErica matmorrisauthor PatrickSzabo Pornotica.
michelleread MrJohnRead he’s saying you’re like geese as you two mate for life 😛
Robert Crane has a three-book boxed set on permafree and it kills.
JamesEThoenes new paperwhite out. Apparently it’s sweet 😛
PatrickSzabo who?
MrJohnRead
PatrickSzabo oh yeah, he does
BatmanErica PatrickSzabo Robert J Crane. The Girl in the Box series.
michelleread PatrickSzabo He’s my hero.
writerwade how long until your product is released? 🙂
PatrickSzabo I’m not familiar with him.
BatmanErica PatrickSzabo He writes urban fantasy and epic fantasy. Has 3 series going on at currently.
matmorrisauthor have you considered hiring a virtual assistant to do marketing, etc?
BatmanErica writerwade Hey writerwade , how’s that book getting on?
It is far easier to sell more to someone who has already bought than to find a new customer. This is basic marketing.
Get sale. Sell again to buyer. Sell more to buyer again.
PatrickSzabo ah k. Not really a genre I read which is why I’ve not heard of him.
BatmanErica matmorrisauthor Yes.
MrJohnRead BatmanErica writerwade http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTSGp4UdEvQ
matmorrisauthor do you have one / will you get one?
What kind of guitars are those in the background, Mat?
PatrickSzabo Taylor GS Mini and a Seagall (not sure what model).
For matmorrisauthor
matmorrisauthor PatrickSzabo Nice. I had a Seagull S6 (cedar) and a cousin has a GS Mini.
michelleread matmorrisauthor YESSSSSS
matmorrisauthor PatrickSzabo
MrJohnRead matmorrisauthor PatrickSzabo He must be destroyed.
PatrickSzabo MrJohnRead matmorrisauthor Got a chortle out of me…
Kobo needs a better site, front end and back end 😛
matmorrisauthor michelleread I found my copy of the Douche Journals this morning. Oh Schmidt.
The problem with a lot of the other stores is the discoverability issue. There also need to be more ad sites that cater to them since most are heavily geared towards Amazon.
michelleread matmorrisauthor It’s NICK MILLER TIME!!
xgranville matmorrisauthor michelleread *looks around with crazy eyes* You speak New Girl? That’s wonderful news.
BatmanErica Kobo needs someone heading them up that doesn’t worship DWS and the SPP guys.
The other platforms don’t change. That’s part of the problem. Amazon changes and innovates. The others do not. (War chest is a big part of that, but it’s also inability to change or not wanting to change.
MrJohnRead PatrickSzabo matmorrisauthor What a PT. He’s a got a stellar PT. Everyone who is cool calls their pony tails PTs.
MrJohnRead michelleread matmorrisauthor
http://www.buzzfeed.com/lukebailey/its-nick-miller-time#.gaXm1BoQ8
xgranville MrJohnRead PatrickSzabo matmorrisauthor I cut my PT 18 years ago.
michelleread xgranville matmorrisauthor Winston be puzzling. Puuuzzzzlllleeeessss….
michelleread xgranville matmorrisauthor
xgranville michelleread matmorrisauthor Friend achievement, unlocked.
MrJohnRead Can you find that level up thing
MrJohnRead michelleread xgranville matmorrisauthor WINSTON’S BOUT TA DO SOME… PUZZZZLLLINNNNGGGGGG
MrJohnRead michelleread xgranville matmorrisauthor so handsome. so pensive.
michelleread xgranville matmorrisauthor MrJohnRead
Love Carl’s hair.
AJ Vale Hi AJ! And yeah, I think he fixed it special for being on TV.
AJ Vale He seems to be waking up now. I wonder what time it is there.
JamesEThoenes AJ Vale It’s eleven am. He should be ready for lunch soon.
Bookstores aren’t bookstores anymore. But I do like all that stationary 😛
Agreed, Carl. Even if Amazon does something you don’t like, that does not equate to improvement in the other platforms. It’s frustrating to hear other platforms insist authors promote them to readers but they often seem weak on the quid pro quo on that score.
michelleread JamesEThoenes AJ Vale At my natural sleep cycle, that would be too early in the day.
BatmanErica Right! and bookmarks and nail files too.
MrJohnRead Nick Miller, you say. Sounds like a guy who can keep a secret.
RChazzChute Totally agree on that second sentence.
MrJohnRead BatmanErica I got a cool bookmark last time I went.
JamesEThoenes we got bookmarks as xmas presents from hubby’s parents. We had both moved to kindles by then 😛
BatmanErica JamesEThoenes haha awww darnit
BatmanErica JamesEThoenes You can keep them as collectibles
So did you hear that Amazon are developing a game?
BatmanErica Is it called “Kindle Direct Publishing” ?
Amazon’s general merchandise sales is around 65%
michelleread AJ Vale It’s bed hair. Baby was in hospital until midnight. Slept on the sofa.
matmorrisauthor BatmanErica A fun game! Everyone wins.
michelleread not sure where they ended up. They were 3d ones and messed with my head. So I guess I’m glad I don’t know where they are…
Carl Sinclair michelleread AJ Vale 🙁
JamesEThoenes michelleread AJ Vale I sleep between 1 am and 5 am every day
I don’t see another platform effectively challenging Amazon soon. They have incredible market share and market inertia behind them because they already have our credit cards numbers and we’re one click away from another sale.
BatmanErica michelleread Yes probably best that way. I could go for some Harry Potter style ones that have moving pictures.
Didn’t B&N get Author Solutions?
BatmanErica michelleread Mine is in the copy of LOTR that I bought with it.
BatmanErica JamesEThoenes
Carl Sinclair JamesEThoenes michelleread AJ Vale Sporadically probably with wee man
MrJohnRead BatmanErica JamesEThoenes The new bookmark
NEVER!!!
……..wow guys. What are you, twelve?
michelleread I didn’t have to worry about pulling out at 12.
michelleread Every guy has the sense of humor of a 12 y/o.
Just kidding! Thanks for making me giggle.
michelleread You say that like being 12 is bad.
michelleread that’s what she said!
matmorrisauthor michelleread *shakes head*
That’s what he said
Thanks for the great podcast. Always interesting and on point.
What?
Yay erica!
Can’t believe Carl slipped that in there at the end.
And Carl Sinclair gets the last second shot for the win!
michelleread wait, what?
michelleread That;’s what she said.
BatmanErica michelleread Calm down I’m messaging you <3
PatrickSzabo michelleread Dammit, you beat me to it.
Hey folks, if you wanna jump in for the after party, click here!
https://plus.google.com/hangouts/_/hoaevent/AP36tYeu-pDBlhJGfkzhTN6IK656qfBKLRKGmAehwZh5UUIpZXL85g
PatrickSzabo michelleread Yeahhhhhh.
PerryConstantine PatrickSzabo michelleread I am quick like a bunny.
michelleread BatmanErica Calm down, I’m massaging you <3
xgranville I’m only going in if MrJohnRead is going in.
MrJohnRead michelleread BatmanErica ^^ Got it, thanks.
PatrickSzabo not something a guy should be proud of :p
michelleread xgranville MrJohnRead Anytime baby
MrJohnRead I could do with a massage
michelleread MrJohnRead BatmanErica
There’s room, kiddies.
xgranville Nah, we’re making’ out.
xgranville That’s what she said
MrJohnRead xgranville hahaewwwwww
MrJohnRead I JUST clicked over there to check my messages, Read! Geeeeeze, dad.
matmorrisauthor michelleread I did.
MrJohnRead correct.
ElianneAdams Thanks for watching.
RChazzChute Don’t get it??
What’s next, I wonder? Will authors be paid full price for books that get 5-star reviews, but only 20% for books with 2-star reviews?
Don’t be ridiculous