Thursday, January 21, 2016

More 25 things authors should know about Amazon: 3) Imprints & 4) Kindle Worlds



If you prefer traditional to self-publishing, consider submitting to one of 3) Amazon Publishing’s 14 (!) imprints, listed at http://www.apub.com/.    

Each imprint releases different genres and types of books. For example, Thomas & Mercer is for mystery, thriller and suspense, while Grand Harbor Press is for personal growth, self-help and inspirational works and Two Lions is for kids' books. When you click on each, you're taken to that imprint's books on Amazon. There aren't any posted submission guidelines, probably because their site says Amazon Publishing doesn't accept unsolicited submissions at this time. So, as with many other traditional publishers, you'll need an agent.

4) Via Kindle Worlds, authors can self-publish fan fiction in the worlds of certain popular TV shows such as The Vampire Diaries and Pretty Little Liars, best-selling authors such as Kathryn Le Veque's World of de Wolfe Pack and J.A. Konrath's Jack Daniels and Associates, and comics. There are currently 49 worlds from which to choose. I suggest checking out what's already available in your world of choice and assessing which are selling the most before writing yours.

Make sure to follow the instructions and rules as you write a novella or book in that “world.” And, as with any publishing agreement, read the KW agreement very carefully.

Then you'll need to set up a KW account to upload your manuscript. You're responsible for designing (and paying for your own cover), making sure to leave room for both the KW log and the individual world's logo. They offer some free images to help you create one, but as with any self-published book, if you're not a capable of creating a competitive cover, I'd suggest hiring a designer. Amazon sets the price and offers 35% of net revenue as a standard royalty rate paid monthly for ebook projects over 10,000 words. You can now write shorter stories, too. And there are royalties offered for hardcover, paperback and audio should you be interested in those formats.

KW has its own section in Kindle Books and its own bestseller lists. And there's a blog geared toward readers and authors.

I'm in the progress of testing the KW waters...and will keep you posted. I've heard that novellas do better than full-length novels, so that's what I'm writing.

Stay tuned!





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