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Two questions about Kindle

by Graham Maddison
4 replies
I have tried searching for the answers as I am sure the questions have been asked before, but there are so many threads I cannot find the answers I am looking for.

Q1. Is there a minimum size for a kindle book ..I mean minimum number of pages?

Q2. Can I link back to my website from within the book, to a page which offers a free download complimentary to the book itself.?

I have never used Kindle before and am considering this as an option.

Thanks in advance for your replies.

Graham
#kindle #questions
  • Profile picture of the author flyingdutch
    Q1: In theory, no. I've seen "booklets" of 4000 words.
    Q2: yes. I do it in all my books. Tip: put your site on the title page. In that way, people will see it even if they just use the "look inside" feature.

    Keep writing!
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      flyingdutch gave you the right answers, but I want to expand on the first.

      While there is to published lower limit for size, you have to be careful not to mislead people. If your offering is very short, say so and price accordingly. Otherwise, reviewers will crucify you.

      Four page PDFs may pass as "books" in some circles, such as using them as lead magnets. But Kindle buyers actually expect a book. Amazon estimates my book at ~58 pages, and I consider that pretty short.
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      • Profile picture of the author flyingdutch
        About the length of your book: Here is an excerpt out of one of my books which talks about the length of ebooks :

        Concerning the length of your book (nr of words): All studies show that, the longer your book is, the more it will sell. Of course these studies are conducted over thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of books. And the exception confirms the rule.


        Moreover, there is a big difference between fiction and non-fiction. If you write a fiction book the “minimum” word count seems to be 80.000 words. (Yes, that’s a lot). But real bestsellers go up to 100.000 or 150.000 words or more!! Just so that you know that when you write your new thriller of 30.000 words and it doesn’t sell, this might give you a clue.


        On the opposite side, if you write non-fiction, like How-to guides, advice, teaching books etc. more is not always better. Sure, a 300 page “Bible” book about “How to Photoshop” will probably sell better than a quick 30-page copy on how to open a PSD file and how to save a JPG. But if you write a 300 page book about “How to grow plants on your balcony”, I’m not sure that you will sell more than a 50 page book that gets right to the point.


        Non-fiction books often treat a specific problem for their audience. The person that bought your book has THAT specific problem, and if you can write that down in 50 pages then they will be more inclined to buy it then a 500 page reference book. They have a problem and they want to have it solved NOW. The sooner the better.


        Having said all this, I think the bottom line is: Your reader wants to get value for his money. A novel reader wants to have a complete story. With characters, situations, twists, surprises etc. So a 10.000 word book will just not cut it.


        For a non-fiction self help book like “How to stop smoking”, IF you could write a 10.000 word book on that one, with really GREAT value, it might become a bestseller. But you will experience yourself when you write several books, that explaining something in detail and adding enough value, will take a lot more than 10.000 words.
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  • Profile picture of the author internetmarketer1
    Yes, when readers are told that there is a specific number in the book and they expect a long story, only to discover some really short stories, then this is really worth looking into.

    Yes, they expect a book. They don't expect a short PDF file that showcases a simple story. They want to be lead into a story.
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