Getting your Kindle Ebook out there through free promotions and giveaways!

I made use of Amazon’s free Ebook promotions this week with two of my publications, for two days each. Prior to that I also offered the latest one for free on Facebook, and in total 90 copies went out. I also sold nine Ebooks, and one paperback last week, so that was a total of 100. There are writers who see that number of books flying out within minutes, but I am certainly a long way from that lofty position at this moment in time!

I have currently received four 5-star reviews on my newest offering and will consider myself lucky to end up with ten, overall, from amongst the 100 readers! As we all know, only a small percentage of customers actually leave reviews – or is that just my experience?

My intention is just to create awareness, at this stage; I still have to add to my collection so that satisfied customers have plenty to choose from if they so wish… well, that’s the plan, anyway!

However, I have one book that I just cannot give away! It is a 68-page dating guide, which has been a huge source of frustration for me. I wrote it because my ‘day job’ allows me to work with people from all over the world, responding to their life questions/issues… and the subject that absolutely comes up again and again is… love!

I began to recognise that there are only so many problems that we humans face; they just pop up a hell of a lot. And, I also recognised that people, especially women, were falling into the same dating traps again and again – so, I identified those traps and wrote about them, hoping to help the habitually love-lorn and disappointed to avoid them like the plague, and therefore have more success in finding love! Sounds simple, doesn’t it?

Now, this was a bitch of a book to write. I struggled because I am aware of how sensitive and defensive people can be where their love life is concerned. I re-wrote the darned thing a million times, but I was determined not to let it get the better of me. I promoted it by email to a large number of my customers… with only a few takers. I also published it on Amazon and did receive a couple of reviews, one stating that it was almost too close to home for comfort! However, I didn’t like the cover and it was going nowhere, so I unpublished it. I have recently republished it, re-written and with a different cover. I have put it up for free promotion on Amazon for two days, but at the time of writing there have been no takers (the others started to go out almost immediately). I have decided that I am just going to let it run and leave it where it is… it isn’t eating up any space, as they say!

But, I really think that it is time I let this one go. There are loads of dating books out there (most of them talking to women as if they are made out of cut glass and deserving of the most perfect man in the world… wow, I’m not bitter, am I!), so I do know that the subject matter does sell… just not this book. It isn’t even that people are reading it and saying, “dear God, this is s**t!” They just aren’t interested, even for free. So, there you go, a lesson learned! From now on I am going to stick with my favourite niches of spiritual and everyday life/relationships. None of my other books have caused me anywhere near the same level of suffering as that 68-page bitch!

 

 

Aha, I finally discovered how to place my books in additional categories on Amazon!

I bet you all knew how to do this, and I am the only one who has only recently cottoned on… you know, how to have your books added to more categories on Amazon. But, just in case there is anyone out there who didn’t know, here is the email I received when I asked how I should go about it (if you are viewing this through a phone a little of the following email may be cut off. If so, I am happy to send it to you via email):

I am happy to help you! I would like to inform you that you won’t be able to add more categories from self-service option in neither KDP, nor Author Central. But for your convenience, we can add them for you from our end. Please write us back with the list of categories, that you want to be added to your books with ISBN/ ASIN of Books, and we will be happy to help you. You can easily write us back using the below link: https://authorcentral.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/contact-us **** Here’s how to find and choose the category path: For Books: 1.    Go to https://www.amazon.co.uk/ 2.    Locate the search bar 3.    Change “All” to the “Books” Department. Click Search. 4.    Find the section titled, “Show results for” on the left side of the webpage. 5.    Below this section, you can view categories under “Books” 6.    Click on a category to view subcategories. Choose which ones fit your paperback(s). This will be your category path. Send us the category path in the following format: “Books > CATEGORY > SUBCATEGORY.” For Kindle ebook: 1.    Go to https://www.amazon.co.uk/ 2.    Locate the search bar 3.    Change “All” to the “Kindle Store” Department. Click Search. 4.    Click “Kindle eBooks” under “Kindle Store,” located on the left side of the webpage 5.    Under the same section, “Kindle eBooks,” you can view available categories. 6.    Click on a category to view subcategories. Choose which ones fit your ebook(s). This will be your category path. Send us the category path in the following format: “Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > CATEGORY > SUBCATEGORY.” We also have this helpful guide on categories: https://kdp.amazon.com/help/topic/G200652170 we look forward to assist you further. Thank you for using Author Central.

Just in case you need to know, the ISBN/ ASIN number can be found on your book listing info, or on your KDP bookshelf. I successfully had my publications added to more categories than the ‘sign up’ form allowed, which has to increase the chance of being seen, even if only to a small degree. It takes a little time but is worth trying. I received confirmation within an hour or so that the categories had been added, although you need to allow up to 72 hours for it all to happen.

Obviously, how many extra categories are relevant depends upon the genre of the book; I write about spirituality, and also about ordinary people in everyday life and their relationships, and they don’t sit under the same umbrella. But, it is worth looking into and is quite easy to do. You have to follow it exactly as they state: I forgot to say Kindle Store before adding the rest of the info and they told me that I had to re-submit it. Anyway, there it is… you might find other categories for your book/s that are not currently being utilised!

If you write regularly, then you ARE a writer… you don’t need to be on a best sellers list in order to qualify!

If you say you want to be a writer, then you have to write. If you write regularly, then you are a writer. Writers are not just those who make it onto some or other best sellers list… they are people who are compelled to write, regardless of their level of skill or experience. They have something to express and to share. If you are a writer who hides all of your work in the bottom drawer, you are a closet writer… and hopefully, you will ‘come out’, one day!

Can a slow writer make a living as a freelancer? It appears that the answer is probably not!

I am a slow writer, and it takes me forever to write a blog. Having researched the subject of freelance writing it is clear to me that anyone who wants to make a living from the writing of articles and blogs needs to be able to whip them up in the blink of an eye. One woman, in particular, outlines her daily routine and allocates 2 hours for the production of her commissioned articles (notice I say articles, in the plural!). Usually, I can’t complete even one blog for one of my websites in 4 or 5 hours, never mind 2, and so the idea of being able to make it big as a freelancer is probably a bit of a pipe-dream!