Monday, August 30, 2010

Some Tips On Selling Your eBook in Amazon Kindle Format

LAS VEGAS - JANUARY 07:  An Amazon Kindle is s...Image by Getty Images via @daylifeAre you an author who has penned an e-book? Are you experiencing slow sales or no sales at all? If so, you should spend time on marketing. By ensuring more people see your e-book sales page, you increase interest and profits. You can also take an additional step. That step is targeting a new market, Amazon Kindle owners. Within just a few minutes, you can easily convert your e-book to an Amazon Kindle book and list it for sale on Amazon.com.

If you recently authored an e-book, you likely used Microsoft Word to do so. Microsoft Word is popular with writers, as it has an easy-to-use format, spell checker, and grammar checker. To sell an e-book, you convert the document into an Adobe PDF file. If you have the original Microsoft Word document, great! If not, use the Adobe PDF file.

Since you already wrote and proofread your e-book, the hard work is done. As previously stated, it takes only a few minutes to list an Amazon Kindle book for sale. To get started, visit Amazon.com. You must have a free account. If you don’t, create one.

Scroll down to the bottom of Amazon.com. Click on the link titled “Self-Publish with Us.” On the next page, select “Get Started,” from the Amazon Kindle section. This leads to the digital text community. This is your gateway to making money on Amazon.com. Sign into your dashboard. Do this using your Amazon.com account information. From your dashboard, add a new item. You will then start the three-part process.
Step one is to add product details. You are asked to summarize the book you are selling. Enter your name as the author, the title, and write a product description. Your product description is very important. Shoppers will see it and read it before making a purchase. Describe what your book is about, but don’t provide too much information. Leave shoppers feeling like there is more to learn.

Step two is to upload and preview your e-book. The upload process automatically converts your document into digital text. As previously stated, both Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF documents can be converted on Amazon’s digital text platform. During this step, preview your book. Browse through the entire document. Formatting errors are rare, but not uncommon. Fix any mistakes before proceeding to the next step.
Step three is to set your price. If you have yet to browse the Amazon Kindle Store, do so now. Search for books that are similar to yours. Did you write a horror novel? If so, look for others in the same genre. What is the average selling price? You want to make money, but a high price can hurt your profits. On average, first-time authors sell their Amazon Kindle books for less than $10.

After entering a selling price, hit the “Publish,” button. Your document will no longer be a draft, but a live book. It won’t appear in the Amazon Kindle Store right away. It should take around 24 hours to appear.
When listing an e-book for sale on the Amazon Kindle Store, you will be asked for a lot of information. This includes your email and bank account information. This is legitimate and do not be afraid to give it. Amazon needs a way to contact you and pay when your royalties total $10.

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Monday, August 23, 2010

How Best To Use Amazon's Digital Text Platform

How Best To Use Amazon's Digital Text Platform

Amazon offers writers new and innovative ways to write their ebooks. Lets investigate the digital text platform.

Amazon’s digital text platform, also known as DTP, may not mean much to you. It may be just another application you don’t need. Stop right now! Don’t think this way. As an e-book author, Amazon’s digital text platform is not just an application, but a moneymaking tool. It allows you to covert your e-books into digital text format. What is so special about this format? It makes your e-book compatible with the popular Amazon Kindle. In fact, when finished, your e-book is sold in the Amazon Kindle Book Store!

You can visit the Amazon DTP two ways. The easiest is by visiting DigitalTextPlatform.com. Access is also possible through Amazon.com. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the “Self-Publish with Us,” link. Choose the Amazon Kindle. In fact, while on this page, examine Amazon’s other self-publishing options.

Amazon owns and operates this website. All Amazon accounts will work. If you do not have an Amazon account, create a free one. All users need to visit the “My Account,” section on the dashboard. Make sure your information is up-to-date and accurate. They need a way to contact you and pay you when a sale is made.

To start the publishing process, select “My Self,” from the dashboard headings. Then, click to add a new item. A new box will appear. This is step one of three. Enter in product details. An ISBN number is requested, but not required. A description of your book is optional too, but this is a must. Reader will not buy a book based on its cover and title alone. Write a short, but detailed description. Highlight the steps covered in the how-to guide or summarize the storyline in the horror book.

Also in the product description box is a heading for category and search keywords. These steps too are optional, but important. Choose the right category for your book. Don’t list a creative horror book in with the romance novels and so forth. As for keywords, be accurate. Describe the book in short words or phrases. Does the e-book show people how to save money? Save money on groceries, save on groceries, how to save money, and ways to save money are great keyword search phrases.

Once the product details are complete, save the page and the move onto the next. This page is titled “Upload and Preview Book.” A box will appear asking for the media location. Browse your computer to find the file. HTML files are recommended, but documents ending in .txt, .pdf, and .doc are acceptable. After finding the proper document, upload. The process will begin. The file is not only uploaded, but converted into digital text too. For that reason, this process can take time. File size and internet connection impacts upload times.

The second half of this step is previewing your document. Most files will convert without complications, but they do occur. In most cases, they are formatting issues, such as missing paragraph breaks. Scan your document. Make necessary changes before saving the page and moving onto the next.

The final step in this process is to set your selling price. Prices can be .99 cents to $200. According to Amazon’s Terms and Conditions, you receive 35% in royalties from each sale. You are paid after your royalties total $10. Don’t overprice your book, as it will limit sales. Don’t under price, as it will impact your profits. Save your price and move onto the next step, this is to publish. Within 24 hours, your digital text book will be available for sale on Amazon.com.

Monday, August 16, 2010

How to Market And Sell Your Amazon Kindle Book

How to Market And Sell Your Amazon Kindle Book

If you are an author or an article writer who would like to expand your horizons, head on over to Amazon.com. Once there, you will see a number of self-publishing options, including for Amazon Kindle books. If you enjoy writing, this opportunity can not only be fun, but a moneymaker.

As nice as it is to hear that you can self-publish books for the Amazon Kindle, you may want more information. The Amazon Kindle is a portable, handheld e-book reader. It is equipped with Whispernet, which enables all users to browse or search the Amazon Kindle bookstore. Owners then purchase the book of their choice and it automatically downloads to their device, even on the road.

So, why should you write self-published books for the Amazon Kindle platform? Because you can make money. After writing your product details and uploading your files for digital text conversion, you set your own selling price. Since Amazon handles the sale, they pay you 35% in royalties for each sale, as outlined in their Terms and Conditions. Unlike many other moneymaking opportunities, no investment is needed. It is free to list a digital text e-book on the Amazon website.

Another reason why you should try to profit from the writing and sale of an Amazon Kindle e-book is because the devices are popular. As previously stated, owners can download books on the go. No cables are needed. And, since the Kindle weighs less than most paperback books, it is a hit! In fact, Amazon is finding it difficult to keep these devices in stock. This goes to show how popular the Amazon Kindle is and how there is a great potential to profit from it.

As you likely already know, Amazon is a popular online marketplace. Internet users and retailers are able to buy and sell goods through the website. Since Amazon is already a well-established website, this works to your advantage. Kindle owners browse or search the store for books they like. Essentially, Amazon not only handles the sale of the book, but they market it on their website. Since it is a popular website, you should get a number of page views and sales.

Even though Amazon is already a well-established website, you should still market your books. By taking a few simple steps, you generate interest. Interest is what leads to more sales. Yes, you will make money by just letting your Amazon Kindle book sit for sale on the website, but why not take additional steps to increase your profits? As previously stated, you have a number of options and they are very easy.

Online message boards. If you enjoy writing for pay or just as a hobby, you may belong to a number of online communities or message boards. Use this to your advantage. Most have a buy, sell, or trade section. Create a post stating you created a new book for the Amazon Kindle and post a link to your sales page. Many message board communities also allow signatures. These are messages and links that appear at the bottom of each post. Write the title of your book and make it a clickable link leading to your sales page.

Article directories. Article directories are websites that are content and user driver. Authors write articles and place a link at the bottom of the article. For example, if you are selling a how-to book on running a daycare, write an article about doing so. Offer tips for daycare providers. At the bottom of your article, write something like “In short, running a daycare for profit is an easy and fulfilling way to make money from home.” Make the phrase “running a daycare for profit,” a clickable link leading to your Amazon sales page.

Sales page. Speaking of a sales page, create your own. Take the description you provided Amazon with and transfer it to a new website or blog. Highlight the selling price and provide a link to your sales page.

In short, self-publishing an e-book for the Amazon Kindle platform is an easy and fun way to make money from home. Due to Amazon’s popularity, you should make money, but implement a few marketing strategies on your own and you can increase your profits.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

More Dos and Don'ts About Selling Your Amazon Kindle Book

More Dos and Don'ts About Selling Your Amazon Kindle Book

Are you an author or an article writer who wants to profit from the popularity of the Amazon Kindle? If so, you can put your writing skills to work and create an e-book. Once finished, that book is uploaded onto the Amazon website, converted to digital text, and sold in the Kindle Store.

Whether you have written a print book, an e-book, or a collection of articles, you are at an advantage. Many people trying to capitalize with Amazon’s self-publish option are inexperienced writers at best. For that reason, many make mistakes. Unfortunately, most of those mistakes are costly. They lead to bad reviews, poor profits, or no sales at all.

As previously stated, you are at an advantage being a professional writer. You already know the importance of compiling coherent sentences, proofreading, and editing; you are good to go. That doesn’t mean you can’t make mistakes, so don’t let your guard down. If you do make them, it will likely be in the selling process. How do you avoid these cost eating mistakes?

DO create an eye-catching cover. If you have sold e-books before, you have one more advantage up your sleeve. That is the ability to make a cover or the contact information of a graphic designer. Use the same approach you did to create previous e-book covers. If you are unfamiliar with graphic design, hire a professional. Your cover is the first thing buyers see in the Amazon Kindle Store.

DON’T assume you have a good cover. As previously stated, Kindle Store shoppers will see your book cover first. For that reason, it needs to be good. A poorly designed or created cover will be a turnoff. If your cover appears to be sloppy, buyers will automatically assume your writing is too. So, ask for feedback. Create two or three different covers and ask those you know for input.

DO make sure your e-book is in proper format. Not all eBooks are compatible with the Amazon Kindle device. All documents must be in digital text format. Luckily, Amazon handles the conversion for you. You will, however, need to start with an HTML, word, text, or PDF file. They recommend an HTML file. If you use Microsoft Word, keep your file as is or save as HTML.

DON’T assume your documents loaded properly. Once uploading your e-book to the digital text platform, you can override the preview function. Don’t do this. Instead, preview the book. Look at its formatting. It is not uncommon for formatting malfunctions. You may find page break errors and more. You must spot them before you can fix them.

DO provide many details about your book. Before you convert your e-book file into digital text, you will provide details about it. This involves the title, author names, descriptions, genre, and more. Use this section to your advantage. Recheck your title. Is it the perfect fit for your book? If so, move on to the description. Provide as much information as possible. Use this spot to convince buyers your book will be the best they ever read.

DON’T set your price too high. Amazon lets you set your own price for your Kindle book. This provides you with a unique opportunity, but also the opportunity to make a mistake. Set a fair price. If your book is less than 50 pages, don’t expect to get more than $10. Also, consider the cost of the Kindle. It is expensive. After paying a lot for the device, owners don’t want to spend $20 for a book to read. After all, they can head to the bookstore and pay less.

DO market your book. After you describe the book, upload and covert the files, and set your price, it will appear in Amazon’s Kindle Store in about 24 hours. Many first-time authors decide to sit back and wait for the sales to roll in. Yes, you can do this. Or, you can continue to market your Amazon Kindle book online and increase your profits.

In conclusion, whether wrote books or articles for the web or for print, you have a good chance of making money through the Amazon Kindle Store. Unfortunately, the ability to write a good book does not automatically translate into sales. Have a good cover, check the formatting, and market it on your own time.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

10 Easy Ways To Selling Your Amazon Kindle Book

10 Easy Ways To Selling Your Amazon Kindle Book

Amazon makes selling such an easy process that it is almost childs play. Now is the time to really catch a hold of this process and see just how easy it is to publish your writing and sell it.

You may already know that the Amazon Kindle is a popular electronic device that is rapidly increasing in popularity. In fact, over a year after its release, Amazon is finding it difficult to keep up with orders. If you are author, whether you write for fun or for money, you can take this popularity and capitalize on it. You can do so by writing and selling an Amazon Kindle book.

So, what do you do?

1 – Write an E-book Outline

This is your brainstorming session. Decide on a category. What type of book do you want to write? Do you want to compose a how-to guide or express your creativity with drama, horror, or romance? Regardless, start planning your outline. For creative books, you may want to avoid an outline and just write from the heart. That is fine, but for how-to guides, an outline can be beneficial.

2 – Write an E-book

When writing the e-book, consult your outline. With an outline, you are less likely to experience writer’s block. This means you can write your e-book quicker. As for writing, compose your document in Microsoft Word. They have a helpful grammar and spell check programs. Start with the introduction, move on to the chapters, and end with the conclusion.

When writing your e-book, don’t focus on length. Just tell your story or explain the how-to process. Readers don’t want to be bombarded with fluff. E-books have varying lengths. Don’t believe yours has to have the same word count or page numbers as a best selling novel.

3 – Proofread the E-book

Even if you composed your book in Microsoft Word, proofread and edit. Spell check and grammar check programs are nice, but they are not 100% guaranteed. If you have a trusted friend or relative, ask them to proofread and analyze your book.

4 – Create an Amazon Account

To sell an Amazon Kindle book in the store, you need to have a free Amazon.com account. If you already have one, skip this step.

5 – Get Ready to Self-Publish

To self-publish your Amazon Kindle e-book, scroll to the bottom of the page. You will find a link titled “Self-Publish with Us.” Click on the link and visit the Kindle section.

6 – Go to Your Dashboard

While on the digital text platform, go to your dashboard. Here, you click on the link to add a new item. This gets the process started. If you aren’t already logged into your Amazon account, do it now.

7 – Enter Product Details

You will be prompted to enter in product details. Just fill out the form. Enter the title for your book, your name as the author, and complete the description. This description is very important. Provide many details. Prospective buyers will see it. This is your opportunity to sell your e-book.

8 – Upload

The next step is to upload your e-book to the digital text platform. Browse your computer to find the right file. It will then be converted into digital text. This is the only format compatible with the Amazon Kindle.

9 – Preview and Make Changes

After uploading and converting your Microsoft Word document to digital text, you can bypass the preview options, but don’t. Although rare, it is not uncommon for formatting issues to arise. Preview the document and make any necessary changes.

10 – Set Selling Price

Amazon enables you to set your own selling price for your Kindle book. Use your best judgment. How-to e-books are often shorter in length, so they should cost less. If you are first-time author, consumers will automatically expect to pay less. Don’t undersell yourself, but don’t set too high of a price. To profit from an Amazon Kindle book, a fair selling price is required.

As you can see, writing and selling an e-book for the Amazon Kindle is a relatively easy process. Not only is it easy to do, but to make money too. You can sit back and wait for sales or start your own marketing campaign. By driving traffic to your Amazon sales page, you generate interest and should increase your sales.