The next big "it's not fair!!!" moment..

by 43 replies
57
...will be when Amazon cracks down to get rid of super short ebooks. Amazon is trying to promote them as "shorties" but I don't think it's working well. Ar article is not a book - a scene is not a story.

Just read yet another thread about a kindle book where the OP states

WF members are offering all sorts of advice and I'm the only one saying "4000 words is a BOOK???".

Of course, it's in the "erotica" niche. I'd guess from the length it's a story of premature ejaculation...but then, could just be people in a rush.... Clearly this is a "scene" rather than a "book".

Of course, threads like that give a few members who are visible for quantity of one liners...a chance to say

Wow - what an illuminating suggestion!

This place is getting downright embarrassing....
#off topic forum
  • Banned
    I've seen many "Kindle WSOs" that advise.... Publish a book in 24hrs on Amazon Kindle and make gazillions. Amazon should crack down on garbage articles being passed off as books. It makes their "book selection" look tawdry.
    • [ 3 ] Thanks
    • [1] reply
    • I agree on almost everything. I hear of a colleague writing a book, and I see on Kindle that it's 40 pages. Forty Kindle pages is about the same as twenty printed pages.

      The only time I think this is a good value, is when it's clearly in the description. There are some highly specialized subjects that can be covered in just a few pages. But I can't see selling these for more than 99 cents.

      And in the business category, most really short books are full of fluff, and are purely promotional. But a short book, light on real content only promotes one thing...that you rip off your readers.

      And if a WSO is telling you to go the "cheap short book route", I promise you...they are making their money on the WSO.....not their books.
      • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • Banned
    Are you saying Amazon accepts Kindle books?

    Lol, this place is awesome.
    • [1] reply
    • Yup - enlightening, isn't it?

      The guy that posted that one liner has posted so many similar comments I've wondered what a real life conversation with him might be like....I think it could be viral stuff on YouTube....just sayin'....
  • 4000 words is probably a decent and substantial size, IF IT IS A KIDS BOOK, like SEE SPOT RUN! Let's see, 4000 words is like 24000 characters or, for an old fashioned 80*60 standard, about 5 pages! But YOU KNOW, see spot run has a lot of pictures! So it is like 40*5 or about 120 pages!

    Steve
    • [1] reply
    • What the heck?

      I write articles with more than 4000 words.

      And the ship sinks down into the water a few more feet.


      Terra
      • [ 1 ] Thanks
      • [1] reply
  • Kay, get your point and agree. Remember the days when Allen would write one short paragraph and it was "The Road To Riches" for many. Miss those days. In many ways, I suppose it is not about the length, but more about the quality... and the "who" of it all.

    Jeffery 100% :-)
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • Understand and agree with the point. But I think we need to be clear about words versus pages (in the other thread you referred to pages). A 60 page 8.5x11 work turns into let's say 110 or so "real" book pages if it goes to a standard 8.5 x 5.5.

    Also keep in mind that many famous and credible authors have shorter books.

    So what does everyone consider enough words for a "real" book?

    Mark
  • I've got "ebooks" that are only around 40 pages. It depends on what the format is on what they'd be called, but it's always been my understanding that most ebooks are shorter than hard books the same way novellas are shorter than novels. You would not buy a novella expecting a full read.

    However - 4,000 words is a report, not a book even in "e" speak.

    My ebook on Amazon is called a short read, and I think that's appropriate. It's not really a guide or report because of the story - it's not really a story because of the guide in it. Short read seems appropriate.
    • [1] reply
    • I read a book about a dog last week - it was 40+ pages and I enjoyed the read. I have other Kindle books (non-fiction) that are 25-50 pages. I have none that are less than 20 pages.

      I've purchased "how to" or specialty non-fiction books that were 30 pages or more and been happy (paid no more than $2 for any of them) with those.

      BUT - most of the time I want a big story, a complex plot, well drawn characters. Most of the books on my Kindle are 350-850 PAGES (I looked),

      4000 words is 13-16 pages according to the Amazon estimate of 250-300 words per page. I think for Kindle that estimate is low as I think pages I read are 350-400 in length but it depends on what size font you use.

      There are some stories that FIT into a few pages....but mostly what I see from people writing "shorts" is the wish to toss out something that will "make money". I've never understood why people would buy them...but...

      ... talking to a neighbor yesterday about this topic he pointed out "some people may want short erotica for 'practical' reasons"...at which point I said "ewww" and realized I know nothing about that genre...and don't want to know more.
      • [2] replies
  • I write about 5,000 words a day, 4-5 days a week, so I guess that means I should be publishing one book a day! lol

    RoD
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
    • [1] reply
    • Last night I got a sales email selling a guide to creating Adult Coloring E-Books. Apparently they make up an alarming percentage of the top ten E-Books selling on Amazon. A new trend or fad that will just be popular for a while?
      • [1] reply
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
    • [1] reply
  • Banned
    [DELETED]
  • [DELETED]
  • [DELETED]
  • [DELETED]
Join the discussion

Next Topics on Trending Feed

  • 57

    The next big "it's not fair!!!" moment..

    ...will be when Amazon cracks down to get rid of super short ebooks. Amazon is trying to promote them as "shorties" but I don't think it's working well. Ar article is not a book - a scene is not a story. Just read yet another thread about a kindle book where the OP states