Wednesday, July 8, 2020

July 2020 and What's Selling in Amazon Free Books

I will admit that I'm centered on Amazon since they control half the book sales in the US and nearly 80% of the ebook sales. That said, I'm also centering on Free Books in this post, so we can get a fair judgment in them before moving on.

Many new authors put their first book on Amazon and wait patiently for sales only to realize that it takes a concerted effort to move even a few copies. Without some good marketing and good reviews, it's always an uphill battle to get sales. And, the only thing worse than no marketing is bad marketing.

So, plenty of new authors try giving their book away for free to get some readers and perhaps some reviews. It can help, and there are great lists for free listings, so don't feel bad if you go that way!

Other authors have found that giving away a book, especially if it's the first in a series, can drive future sales that make the giveaway a wonderful idea for the reader and the writer.

One of those writers is Cassia Leo, a New York Times bestselling author, who is offering her latest book, Raise Your Game, for free. In this case, it's a stand-alone novel, but introduces the author's writing to new readers and can generate plenty of sales from her hefty catalog of novels.

Today, her score looks like this:

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Free in Kindle Store)


Now if you haven't caught the drift, the genre of Romance and Women's literature are soaring high this summer. Exactly half of the top ten Free Books are romance, and that's the scoop. Happy reading!

To get your book reviewed, go to Working Authors!

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

What Books Are Selling and Why

Well, things have certainly changed here in the Book Sales World in the last couple of months. The evolution of online retailers and Ebooks has been at work for years, but an entire planet of readers suddenly staying at home instead of going out to play is new.


What that means for authors and booksellers is anybody's guess, but the smart money right now is on a great deal of new interest (or at least sales to infer interest) in books, both in the paperback variety and in Ebook form. There's only so many Netflix shows we can watch before our eyelids droop and our IQ's plummet. Right?

What's Selling in Books

As during the Great Depression, there is likely to be more interest in fantasy, not just with Hollywood (which is shut down), but with books. People may catch up on their history, but let's face it, history for most people just reminds them of high school. People want to indulge in a little fun, so humor, fantasy, and probably romance will sell well right now. 

If I was a bigtime stock trader, I'd be all-over Amazon right now. Amazon, Target, and Walmart. I'd still be leary of Barnes & Noble, but online sellers right now and in the months to come are going to do so much more business they won't be able to spend all that income.

As for authors, now is the time to finish whatever you are working on and get that next book published! I guarantee you that if you follow the top tips for launching your book, you'll have the best success you've had in years by releasing it very soon. There are many people at home looking for something constructive to do inside. 

How long with this stay-at-home lockdown last? Nobody knows, but expect it to last through summer. With that in mind, you might even get a second book out before we all have to go back to work every day. Don't miss out.