If you haven't realized by now, eBooks are here, and they aren't going away anytime soon. Managing how long I stay online visiting my social networking sites, talking with people I'll likely never meet in person, reading books in PDF form, or on my Nook, Kindle, iPad or iPhone - these are all activities I do for work or pleasure. And I know I'm not alone. So have you embraced the eBook Revolution yet? If you're a reader or a writer, the answer is probably, "Yes!"
I decided to pose the question to the online community I frequent. I asked, "Do you download ebooks from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc and if so, do you still buy books in print or not so much?" The responses seemed to be from both camps. Many commented that they loved their paperback books, but did enjoying downloading books. They are shopping online to download their books. Often they are buying from online retailers like Barnes and Noble, Amazon, even Sony and Diesel which are two ebook retailers I was unaware of until recently.
In January 2011, I quietly ventured into the Independent Publishing world (at Smashwords.com) by publishing a Paranormal Romance short story titled The Vampire from Hell: The Beginning (Part 1) (a Free download by the way :). And I have been overwhelmed with the response. Readers have demanded to know what's next for Rayea, the daughter of Satan who is turned into a vampire by her father, Lucifer in Part 1. In less than three months, the story (6,500 words) has been downloaded almost 500 times. Indeed, with this response, I've learned that Rayea has more to tell us.
I'm happy to report that at least three more installments of the Vampire from Hell series are in the works now. These will average between 30,000 to 50,000 words, the size of a novella. Additionally, I'm working with friends in England to create a new website, preparing a marketing strategy for each installment, and writing at a feverish pace. I admit it's a unique way to begin one's fiction writing career, but I think the journey into the eBook Revolution will be worth the ride. I'm just thrilled that I'm writing daily, and that I'm getting closer to a lifelong goal!
As I read other authors' blogs who are selling their books online, I'm fascinated by how well it seems to be going for many, despite the sales strategy they choose or despite the fact they have not published in print before publishing online. Authors are embracing the eBook revolution.
Joe Konrath is a fiction writer working in the mystery, thriller, and horror genres. He is having success with an experiment he decided to perform last month. Read more in his blog article called "The List Experiment." Joe decided to drop the price of a recently published book from $2.99 to $99 just to see how it would sell in about a month's time. He said, "In the 28 days it was 99 cents, and it sold about 20,300 copies." Joe's total in sales for that change in price earned him $7,100 in one month! According to Wikipedia, Joe promotes the Amazon Kindle and the eBook Revolution in general. As of June 2009, he had become one of the top selling authors in Amazon's Kindle Store. And yes, Joe had not published the traditional way (i.e. going through a large publishing house to print only paperbacks or hard cover books) before joining the Independent Publishing world.
Neither has Randy. Randolph Lalonde started publishing with Smashword.com in 2009 as a science fiction writer. Today, after having selling thousands of his ebooks, he writes full time. I emailed Randy last month asking for advice on independent publishing. He suggested always offering the reader a free story for any series you're writing. The free story gives the reader a new story and shows them your writing style, beginning plot, characters, etc which may promote interest in buying your ebooks later. I thought it was sound advice he shared with an author just starting out. You can keep up with Randy's success in the SciFi genre and with his Spinward Fringe Series at http://www.nightbynight.net/.
A few years ago I dreamed of writing books and seeing them on the bookshelves at Barnes and Noble a year later. Now, I can walk into a B&N store anywhere and know that my story is on their web site, waiting to be downloaded by a reader. And I will be writing more books and they will be delivered to the NOOKBook library within months after their publication through Smashwords.com, not a year, or two. And to me, whether I sell any ebooks or not, that IS progress. For upcoming authors/novelists, it's a blessing from the House of G. (Read Part 1 to learn what I mean by that term :))
Feel free to share your comments! The eBook Revolution - Are you onboard?
Thanks again to everyone for your emails, comments, reviews, feedback, advice, and ongoing support!
~ally
Other Articles to Read:
How eBook lending clubs will extinguish eBook Piracy
B&N Pines for a Storybook Ending
I decided to pose the question to the online community I frequent. I asked, "Do you download ebooks from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc and if so, do you still buy books in print or not so much?" The responses seemed to be from both camps. Many commented that they loved their paperback books, but did enjoying downloading books. They are shopping online to download their books. Often they are buying from online retailers like Barnes and Noble, Amazon, even Sony and Diesel which are two ebook retailers I was unaware of until recently.In January 2011, I quietly ventured into the Independent Publishing world (at Smashwords.com) by publishing a Paranormal Romance short story titled The Vampire from Hell: The Beginning (Part 1) (a Free download by the way :). And I have been overwhelmed with the response. Readers have demanded to know what's next for Rayea, the daughter of Satan who is turned into a vampire by her father, Lucifer in Part 1. In less than three months, the story (6,500 words) has been downloaded almost 500 times. Indeed, with this response, I've learned that Rayea has more to tell us.
I'm happy to report that at least three more installments of the Vampire from Hell series are in the works now. These will average between 30,000 to 50,000 words, the size of a novella. Additionally, I'm working with friends in England to create a new website, preparing a marketing strategy for each installment, and writing at a feverish pace. I admit it's a unique way to begin one's fiction writing career, but I think the journey into the eBook Revolution will be worth the ride. I'm just thrilled that I'm writing daily, and that I'm getting closer to a lifelong goal!
As I read other authors' blogs who are selling their books online, I'm fascinated by how well it seems to be going for many, despite the sales strategy they choose or despite the fact they have not published in print before publishing online. Authors are embracing the eBook revolution.
Joe Konrath is a fiction writer working in the mystery, thriller, and horror genres. He is having success with an experiment he decided to perform last month. Read more in his blog article called "The List Experiment." Joe decided to drop the price of a recently published book from $2.99 to $99 just to see how it would sell in about a month's time. He said, "In the 28 days it was 99 cents, and it sold about 20,300 copies." Joe's total in sales for that change in price earned him $7,100 in one month! According to Wikipedia, Joe promotes the Amazon Kindle and the eBook Revolution in general. As of June 2009, he had become one of the top selling authors in Amazon's Kindle Store. And yes, Joe had not published the traditional way (i.e. going through a large publishing house to print only paperbacks or hard cover books) before joining the Independent Publishing world.
Neither has Randy. Randolph Lalonde started publishing with Smashword.com in 2009 as a science fiction writer. Today, after having selling thousands of his ebooks, he writes full time. I emailed Randy last month asking for advice on independent publishing. He suggested always offering the reader a free story for any series you're writing. The free story gives the reader a new story and shows them your writing style, beginning plot, characters, etc which may promote interest in buying your ebooks later. I thought it was sound advice he shared with an author just starting out. You can keep up with Randy's success in the SciFi genre and with his Spinward Fringe Series at http://www.nightbynight.net/.
A few years ago I dreamed of writing books and seeing them on the bookshelves at Barnes and Noble a year later. Now, I can walk into a B&N store anywhere and know that my story is on their web site, waiting to be downloaded by a reader. And I will be writing more books and they will be delivered to the NOOKBook library within months after their publication through Smashwords.com, not a year, or two. And to me, whether I sell any ebooks or not, that IS progress. For upcoming authors/novelists, it's a blessing from the House of G. (Read Part 1 to learn what I mean by that term :))
Feel free to share your comments! The eBook Revolution - Are you onboard?
Thanks again to everyone for your emails, comments, reviews, feedback, advice, and ongoing support!
~ally
Other Articles to Read:
How eBook lending clubs will extinguish eBook Piracy
B&N Pines for a Storybook Ending
