
Jane Curry and Seana Smith take a deeper dive into self-publishing, using Seana’s self-published books as examples.
- Seana’s first self published book, made the mistake of not researching what people want to read. Did not sell at all well. And was pulled.
- So the next project was better researched and planned, Wildly Weird But Totally True: Australia.
- Commissioned a cover, and layout, which didn’t work well.
- Learning curve, it started selling when I began running adverts on Amazon.
- All the ways Amazon earns money; printing books, sales commission, advertising, Kindle downloads.
- Ingram also does print on demand, how Amazon interacts with them.
- Once books start selling on Amazon, Amazon helps you sell more.
- Amazon advertising, pay per click, but impressions are not paid for.
- The joy of checking daily sales.
- Jane’s now running advertising for some of her books via Simon and Shuster. Leaning int o the algorithm.
- Next came Wildly Weird But Totally True: Animals but it has not sold well, probably because there is a lot of competition in that area.
- Amazon does make it easy and intuitive to advertise, and support is good.
- Jane is now researching digital-first publishing for Ventura.
- But remember, there are many books on Amazon that sell no copies.
- Can also use Amazon to self publish books for yourself and family, it doesn’t have to be sold ever. A cheap and cheerful way to print books.
- Bookbub is an American company, a paid service to help you break into book selling.
- Many red flags, so many companies who are unscrupulous, selling very poor courses.
- Best to learn how to do the process yourself. Do one course, stick with that one teacher.
- Kindlepreneur is my favourite information source. Heaps of free information there.
- Another example, Jericho Writers are doing a course, expensive but you might choose to invest in what is a business.
- Book covers can be a great downfall, there are so many bad covers.
- Some Facebook groups can be helpful.
- Description in the mechanics of uploading a book onto a digital platform.
- The importance of the metadata, the description and the keywords that you put in.
- It’s a data driven world.
- Using Amazon Plus content to get more traction to your book listing.
- Seana’s earnings from her two fun facts books.
- Jane’s company now having a foot in both camps.
Search for the 20 Books to $50k group on Facebook
Banksia House Breakout by James Roxburgh – find on Kindle here
Buy Going Under
In Australia: Going Under is available in bookshops and online stores in Australia and on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com.au/Going-Under-memoir-secrets-addiction/dp/0645497231/
In the USA: https://www.amazon.com/Going-Under-memoir-secrets-addiction/dp/0645497231/
In the UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Going-Under-memoir-secrets-addiction/dp/0645497231/
Going Under Audiobook: Going Under on Audible, narrated by Seana Smith, click here.
Going Under on Spotify: Listen to Going Under on Spotify here.
Jane Curry Links
- Jane Curry Advisory: www.janecurryadvisory.com
- Ventura Press: www.venturapress.com.au
- www.instagram.com/venturapress__
- www.instagram.com/janecurry1
Seana Smith Links
- Seana Smith website: www.seanasmith.com
- Sober Journeys website: wwwsoberjourneys.com
- www.instagram.com/seanasmith
- www.instagram.com/sober_journeys
- https://www.facebook.com/groups/whatdidyoureadtoday/
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/swoop/blue-sea
License code: JIDFICQZAHSVHXUS