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Is self-publishing on Kindle the next frontier for IM?

by wannabetechie
18 replies
I am asking this because of some comments from members here who have written fiction and sold it to other websites. So with Kindle self-publishing gaining popularity, are IMers targeting that?

I know writing fiction is different from the usual articles that we write, but its surely a promising platform.
#frontier #kindle #selfpublishing
  • Profile picture of the author Istvan Horvath
    Unfortunately, they are targeting it. The sad part is some idiots buy PLR material and without even touching it they just put it up there for sale as their own "creation" - there were reports of 5-6 "writers" selling the same PLR crap with the same title, same formatting etc.

    As always, a nice and useful way to reach customers/readers/leads will be screwed up by all the morons.
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    • Profile picture of the author wannabetechie
      Originally Posted by Istvan Horvath View Post

      As always, a nice and useful way to reach customers/readers/leads will be screwed up by all the morons.
      That's what I fear. Eventually Amazon is going to crack down on this and make it harder for people who really want to be writers and get their stuff published.
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      • Profile picture of the author Don Schenk
        Originally Posted by wannabetechie View Post

        That's what I fear. Eventually Amazon is going to crack down on this and make it harder for people who really want to be writers and get their stuff published.
        Yep. All the folks trying to publish public domain material have caused Amazon/Kindle to change the requirements for selling PD books. It's only a matter of time (maybe a short time) until Amazon figures out the nonsense with folks all publishing the same PLR books.

        Obviously the key is to write your own original material, and if you must use PLR, completely rewrite it while adding more to it.

        :-Don
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        • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
          Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

          I can't think of anything more damaging to kindle as a product than to have it weighed down with tons of copies of PLR and old public domain stuff.

          kay
          I can. Having it weighed down with the trash that many marketers try to pass off as "ebooks" now. You know the ones - cobble together a few pages of gibberish or superficial tripe, format it as a PDF and call it an "ebook".
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          • Profile picture of the author edlewis
            Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

            I can. Having it weighed down with the trash that many marketers try to pass off as "ebooks" now. You know the ones - cobble together a few pages of gibberish or superficial tripe, format it as a PDF and call it an "ebook".
            I agree.

            I published a report about publishing short reports on Kindle and pricing them at low prices...but even though those reports are short, they still need to deliver quality content.

            Some "marketers" are snagging 5 or 6 ezine articles, turning them into a poorly formatted (for Kindle) PDF...and calling that an "ebook".
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  • Profile picture of the author ricoramiro
    I spent last night researching Kindle and I found that there are people buying eBooks on all kinds of topics. I've already decided to publish a public domain eBook that's selling like crazy. Formatting for Kindle is a bit tricky.

    You have to read their formatting guidelines first. I published an eBook on Kindle about a month ago and had no sales because I didn't follow the formatting tips.

    The problem is that if you just upload a PDF file it will not translate well and when people preview the eBook the text is garbled and basically looks like crap.

    Be prepared to spend a few hours on formatting alone!
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    • Profile picture of the author Istvan Horvath
      Originally Posted by ricoramiro View Post

      I've already decided to publish a public domain eBook that's selling like crazy.
      And probably, eleven other marketers decided to do the same, which means we'll have soon a dozen different "editions" of the same PD book. Do you really think we need that? Just asking...
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      • Profile picture of the author Canuckystan
        Don't underestimate how tough it is to get your book noticed among the millions of books available.

        I've had a fiction crime book on there for a year, 4.5 of 5 star avg review, lots of great comments. I promoted it like crazy (lots of time spent) and my best month did not crack 200 copies. On it's own it does maybe 10 copies per month.

        You need a dozen books in a popular category with great reviews, then you can start selling in bigger numbers.
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        • Profile picture of the author edlewis
          Kindle is great...but I don't know if it is the "next frontier"...

          It's a marketplace...a HUGE marketplace...combined with Amazon's sales system - which we know is extremely effective.
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          • Profile picture of the author Kay King
            I think Kindle will become even more popular in the next few years for one simple reason:

            In another year Kindle is planning to launch a library edition. My reluctance to buy a kindle has been due to my book buying habits.

            I use the local library extensively, buy books at garage sales and thrift shops and used book stores and I buy some paperbacks at wally-mart here and there. I don't pay full price for anything

            Adding kindle books as library selections would increase kindle use in my opinion. I could be wrong but I think it's a very smart move. I know I'd get one in a minute. I carry a book with me everywhere I go.

            I can't think of anything more damaging to kindle as a product than to have it weighed down with tons of copies of PLR and old public domain stuff.

            kay
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    • Profile picture of the author edlewis
      Originally Posted by ricoramiro View Post

      I spent last night researching Kindle and I found that there are people buying eBooks on all kinds of topics. I've already decided to publish a public domain eBook that's selling like crazy. Formatting for Kindle is a bit tricky.

      You have to read their formatting guidelines first. I published an eBook on Kindle about a month ago and had no sales because I didn't follow the formatting tips.

      The problem is that if you just upload a PDF file it will not translate well and when people preview the eBook the text is garbled and basically looks like crap.

      Be prepared to spend a few hours on formatting alone!

      Good luck publishing public domain....I have no problem with those who publish it, I started publishing public domain content...

      However, Amazon has instituted a new policy when it comes to public domain content. They will no longer accept undifferentiated PD content.

      They don't want 1000 of the exact same generic versions of "Think & Grow Rich" on Kindle...it's confusing and cluttered...and just clogs things up.

      Public domain content will now have to be different. Amazon laid out these new guidelines in an email to Kindle Publishers.

      No more "cut-n-paste" publishing...
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  • Profile picture of the author wannabetechie
    ricoramiro, I was looking up Kindle publishing and formatting policies today too!

    The best thing about them is they are a well known platform and the 70% royalty program!!! Although its 35% if your customers are outside the US, UK, Canada and a few other countries.
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  • Profile picture of the author niffybranco
    You can still publish public domain but you just have to do a little work to make it unique, here are a few things amazon suggested you can do to make it unique,

    create a unique translation.
    add annotations (unique, hand-crafted additional content including study guides, literary critiques, detailed biographies, or detailed historical context).
    include 10 or more unique illustrations.

    If you fulfill any of the criteria listed above amazon will view your publication as a unique version of a public domain work, however you can only charge 35% royalty , to charge 70% royalty you will have to really change the work up to a point where you can claim copyright on it , hope this helps.
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    • Profile picture of the author Moneyland
      Can anyone publish their ebook on Kindle? I have my own product, how much commission would I end up with? Also I have noticed a while ago someone has already published on Kindle with the same name as my ebook exactly. I hold the domain name to it. We are in the same niche but the contents are completely different.

      Could I still self publish knowing this and can anyone point me in the right direction of how to do this.

      Can anyone say if they have had any success here with their ebooks.

      many thanks in advance.
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      • Profile picture of the author pmbrent
        [DELETED]
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        • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
          Originally Posted by edlewis View Post

          I agree.

          I published a report about publishing short reports on Kindle and pricing them at low prices...but even though those reports are short, they still need to deliver quality content.

          Some "marketers" are snagging 5 or 6 ezine articles, turning them into a poorly formatted (for Kindle) PDF...and calling that an "ebook".
          Ed, I grabbed your report from the War Room a few days ago. Nice job...
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  • Profile picture of the author KenThompson
    I don't believe it's the next frontier for IM. For one thing, newer
    marketers will not be willing to put the time and effort into doing
    what is necessary to build a strong presence at Kindle.

    As others have pointed out already, we know such marketers will
    try to flood the place with cheap plr crap, etc. Amazon is smart,
    and they won't let their market get constipated with it, at least
    that's my take on it.

    People who know how to market and sell online will not see any
    great attraction to Kindle. However, I am aware that a few experienced
    people are using Kindle effectively, but it's just another method
    they employ and not a total solution. Some view it as a means
    to drive traffic to their other online sites, funnels etc.

    Lazy marketers are the digital equivalent of Typhoid Mary.


    Ken
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  • Profile picture of the author kindsvater
    The Kindle is a promising platform. My wife loves it. She also has an iPad which she uses for different purposes, so from my limited viewpoint the Kindle looks more and more like a longterm platform.

    As has been pointed out, there is a problem with the horde of idiots out to destroy any medium in the hope of making a couple bucks.

    On the other hand, if you seek to publish your own works with value, and not a public domain work with a minimal barrier to entry, you'll never see the horde.
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  • Profile picture of the author niffybranco
    Public domain works if used wisely, if you just copy n paste the exact same content of public domain books already available on amazon you will hardly see any sales as most of those works are already offered by amazon for free, on the other hand if you spend some time to find rare public domain works that have not been published on the kindle you might just find a winner, also you can rewrite public domain works to create something entirely new just like Walt Disney did. Do you think Disney would have made any money if he listened to people that said there is no money to be made from old worthless books ? Public Domain and PLR work if used properly.
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