Kickstarting my Kickstarter project

With just 11 days to go, my crowdfunding project on Kickstarter for the professional editing and cover art of my fall release, The Rule of Love, needs a swift kick in the you-know-what. Fiction project have a notoriously hard time generating funding on Kickstarter, but I'm trying to break the trend. Can you help? If you can't, please consider forwarding this link to a friend or someone who you think might be interested. You'll have my eternal gratitude. If that's not enough, how about one of the lovely prizes I'm giving away to backers? Thanks for checking out the project.

FREE isn't what it used to be

Found this out as I'm offering Sultana for free in January, through Smashwords' distributors, and two days ago on Amazon US only (not through KDP Select, but the old-fashioned way). Hard to believe but next month marks one year that the book has been available. The feedback from readers has been positive and heart-warming, especially when I consider my earlier struggles to find representation and then get a publisher to take on the story. In case you're wondering why I would cannibalize sales of the one book among my four that's a consistent money-maker, there's the sequel Sultana's Legacy, which could use a boost in sales and ranking. If you want to find out what makes thirteenth-century Spain so fascinating, pick up your free copy of the book here, here and here by January 31.

What makes offering an e-book for free different this time around? Did I mention KDP Select? Everyone's book is free every other day now, or at least it seems that way. For authors trying to build any momentum, there's a crowded room effect - harder to get your free book noticed when everyone else's own is competing by the same terms. By comparison, the freebie of On Falcon's Wings generated over 10,000 downloads last June on the first day, whereas the latest one managed 4,000 downloads in the same time period. The glut of free has definitely changed things, which tells me marketing had better become more innovative to attract interest. Secondly, this time around I have a sequel to offer, which picks up fifteen years after the events in the freebie end. I'm hoping readers will like the first book enough to buy the second one. So far? Five sales of the sequel the day after the freebie appeared. So, as for whether the free offering will have an impact on sales of the sequel,  it's too early to tell  after two days. I've done all I can to generate interest with complex characters and a layered plot. The rest is up to readers.      

ABNA starts January 23: is your pitch ready?

The 2012 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award will open to entries next Monday (January 23). I spent part of my day preparing the submission of Sultana's Legacy, after weighing whether or not I should participate. Last year, the prequel Sultana made it to the quarterfinals and remains my best-selling title. Since the contest remains open to entries that have already been self-published (provided the author owns all the rights) I'm hoping to give this latest novel some much need exposure. Up to 5,000 entries each in the General Fiction or YA categories will be accepted.


Contest information is here, but I'll sum up. Between January 23 and February 5, all entrants must submit:

• A completed manuscript in either of the categories, between 50,000 and 150,000 words.
• Three to five thousand words in an excerpt.
• A pitch that must not exceed 300 words.   

All submissions must be submitted as a Word .doc, .docx, .rtf or .txt file. Only original works of fiction authored by one person in the English language will be considered. No clues to the author's identity can be included, such as a real or pen name. Be sure to remove your name from the headers, the copyright page, author's note, references to additional or related works, etc.

Based on the strength of the pitch, entrants will move on to the second round. Here's my first draft of the pitch for Sultana's Legacy - thoughts?

SULTANA’S LEGACY, a completed novel at 118630 words, is an epic historical set in thirteenth century Moorish Spain. The novel’s themes of loyalty and faith, and empowerment and sacrifice explore the fragile ties that bind and fray between families. The protagonists Fatima, the daughter of a Sultan, and her beloved husband Faraj offer differing perspectives on fast-changing events. The novel provides an adventurous escape into the past, with rich details about the period’s most unpredictable and dangerous historical figures.   

The matriarch of her family, Fatima’s love for her husband and children rivals an overwhelming devotion to her cherished father. When his death occurs unexpectedly, the kingdom faces a bleak future. Fatima’s brother, a corrupt maniac, seizes the throne. Cruelty abounds, as former rivals and trusted retainers alike fall victim to his machinations, including almost everyone whom Fatima once held dear. A choice awaits her: acceptance or defiance.

In the ensuing rivalry for the throne, Fatima risks her personal safety and even her marriage. The years of love and trust she has enjoyed with Faraj erode, as treachery and intrigues divide the couple. A thin line between justice and revenge blurs. As Fatima’s noble quest devolves into bitter violence, the cost of victory may prove higher than she anticipated. Even in her triumph, the root of a final heartbreaking betrayal takes hold, one that may destroy the legacy of the Sultans of Granada forever.   

Historical fiction audiences will find the Moorish period in SULTANA’S LEGACY fascinating and unusual. Complex characters run the gamut of genuine good to uncompromising evil. In particular, the heroine Fatima is multifaceted. Her greatest strength, her devotion to family, is also her fatal flaw. Her struggle against overwhelming odds and cunning adversaries will appeal to those who admire strong female personalities. 


I'm wishing everyone who decides to enter the best of luck, especially my #ABNA tweeps on Twitter!

How much of you is reflected in your characters?

Do you ever find your personal struggles mirroring those of your characters? This is a first for me as I prepare my next title, The Burning Candle, for a spring debut. I'm one chapter / long weekend away from finishing the story of Isabel de Vermandois, who was the wife of two powerful Anglo-Norman earls in the twelfth century, Robert de Beaumont and William de Warenne.  As I've written her, Isabel is a young woman struggling to find her voice and a sense of her true self against society’s expectations, against the backdrop of King Henry I's scandal-ridden court in England. She's also lucky enough in her journey of self-discovery to find love on her own terms. Writing this book has become cathartic for me in an unexpected way, where many of the frustrations the character experiences seemed very familiar. Still, Isabel and I couldn't be any more different, beyond the almost nine centuries that separate us. 

Adultery and bastards in
medieval times? Shocking!

First off, her lineage included generations of French kings. She married as her parents dictated to a hero of the Norman Conquest, a man several decades older that her. Robert de Beaumont might have been 16 or 18 when he fought at Hastings in 1066. He and Isabel married by 1096, when she was between the ages of 11 and 15. She later gave birth to least three sons and five daughters. At some point, she might have had her fill of all that dutifulness to her "old man", because she had an affair with a younger William de Warenne that might have produced a daughter named Ada or Gundred. A year after Robert died, Isabel sealed the deal for real with William and had more children. The sons of Robert and William became good friends, except for the Anarchy period when Henry's daughter Matilda and nephew Stephen fought for the crown. Isabel had died by then, but I'm sure she would have proud to know both sets of her kids put aside their fathers' individual resentment and jealousy, the affair and bastard children issues, and focused on what was really important - carving up as much of England for themselves as they could. 


Just as an aside, I wouldn't really mind the living in a castle bit. While I do adore kids, there is nothing on God's green earth that could make me push out THIRTEEN of them like Isabel did. So, all the other stuff in her life, I could do without.


Why does Isabel's perceived struggle appeal so much? In medieval times, there were great consequences for flouting conventions or disobedience, things like disinheritance and excommunication. Even if Isabel did as her parents and society dictated when she married Robert, she obviously chose a life beyond those expectations when she embarked on an affair with William. It's the only example I have of a moment in her life where she did as she pleased, without caring about the consequences. Where did she find the strength or was it always inside her? Read The Burning Candle for my take. 


I can understand some of the sentiment behind Isabel's choice, having known moments where I want to abandon concerns about family and my job and just do only what I want to do, whether that's writing or absolutely nothing at all. Interestingly, the more I've written about Isabel finding her voice, discovering love instead of duty and defining herself as a woman, the more I'm focused on my priorities. In writing about this one person's possible struggles, seems like I'm finding ways of dealing with my own. 

Truths about publishing

Happy New Year! The arrival of 2012 has me thinking about the writer's journey and what I've learned. Several years back, writing was little more than a hobby for me. It is amazing how a critique group and the feedback of other authors changed my perspective. I have gained from the experience of turning a mild interest into a goal for publication, but knowing the following truths beforehand would have aided my journey:

Nothing guarantees traditional publication. As much as your agent may champion the writing, there are other reasons the manuscript has not sold, factors beyond his or her control. There is always the possibility that the work, while good enough to attract an agent’s attention, is not up to a publisher standard. An editor may be interested in a manuscript, but is the chosen genre already overly saturated genre or focused on an old, tired topic? The publishing house might have already chosen the six vampire-related books for release in a particular year. Perhaps the market is too small and the book is not commercially viable – as much as the editor may like the project, a publisher will not invest in a manuscript that does not scream limitless potential.  The only factor within the author’s control is to write the best book possible.

There are many paths to publication. A Chinese proverb states, “There are many paths to the top of the mountain, but the view is always the same.” Whether starting out with a submission to an agent or editor in the hopes of landing a traditional contract, or taking the steps in self-publishing, the aim is to find others who see value in the final manuscript. Along each path, there are the proverbial forks in the road, each requiring a choice. Those decisions often hinge on the idea of control – how much must be maintained or surrendered in the accomplishment of the aim. Whatever the path toward publication, the goal remains the same: to gain readers.     

“Build it and they will come” does not apply to readers and reviews. Even if a book is well written and promoted by various marketing efforts, it may not capture a large audience. Readers do not have limitless money or time.  While the author’s objective is to convince readers that the book is entertaining, inspirational or perhaps even life changing, the intended audience may still be asking, “What’s in it for me?” For those books that do well, getting the word out is critical. Reviews are an integral part of promotion, but writers often wonder why it is so difficult to obtain them. The reader needs a reason to review – perhaps the writing touched an emotional cord, or gave instructions that are not otherwise obtainable. Gaining an audience and getting their vital opinions all starts with the book.

Trends fade, but readers’ desires remain the same. Why do we read? Of all the things we could each be doing with our valuable time, what satisfaction does reading a good book provide? Whether it involves getting lost in an alien or unfathomable world or finding spiritual strength through another’s journey, reading fills some void inside each of us, by expanding our knowledge and awareness, or entertaining us. To increase our visibility, it may seem that authors have to focus on certain markets. Yet, all writing should start with passion and interest. If we do feel any enthusiasm for the topic in the first place, how can we convince readers to invest their time? When we write, we invite readers into our experiences and imaginations. Let them know the time spent was worthwhile.

Writers' Conferences in 2012

Looking to network with fellow writers, agents and editors next year? I can't say enough good things about writers' conferences for building those all-important connections. So far, I've managed to attend meetings of the Historical Novel Society and Writers' Digest, both well worth the costs because of the diverse topics each offered to writers. You can learn the basic elements of craft, how to sell manuscripts and market your published works, insight into character sketches and research, or pitch to your dream agent or editor. Conferences are one of the best opportunities to aid personal growth and reach your publication goals. If you're worried about financing a future trip, I hope this listing of the following conferences in 2012 will give you ample time to save up - you'll want to attend at least one these venues next year. 

January 2012

2012 Writers' Digest Conference: January 20-22, Sheraton New York Hotel. $525 for general three day registration, $375 for Saturday attendance only or $275 for student registration with student ID and proof of enrollment. Note that this does not include room reservation. Highlights: Author Barry Eisler & agent Chuck Sambuchino.  


13th Annual Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators Conference: January 28-29, Grand Hyatt, NYC. Early registration rate of $360 for members, $450 for non-members. 

February 2012

2012 San Francisco Writers Conference: February 16-20, Intercontinental Mark Hopkins Hotel, California. $595 general registration (ends December 31, 2011), $695 thereafter, $645 includes Speed Dating with Agents session. Room rate $179 per night. Highlights: Author Lisa See.  

March 2012

Sleuthfest 2012: March 1-4, Royal Plaza Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando, Florida. Sponsored by the local Mystery Writers of America chapter. $255 for MWA members, $275 for non-members by January 15 to avoid a late fee. Room rate $119 per night. Highlights: Author Charlaine Harris. 

April 2012

Romantic Times Booklovers Convention: April 11-15, Hyatt Regency O'Hare Hotel, Rosemont, Illinois. Varying rates for writers and industry insiders. Room rate $130 per night. 

May 2012

DFW Writers' Conference: May 19-20, Hurst Conference Center, Dallas-Forth Worth, North Texas. Regular registration $295 until March 19, late registration $325 until April 19; thereafter $350 until May 19. Highlights: Author James Rollins.

Backspace Writers Conference: May 24-26, Radisson Martinique, NYC. $425 conference registration through February 1; $525 thereafter OR $595 conference registration includes author-agent day through February 1; $720 thereafter.  Call for room rate. Highlights: Agent Donald Maass

June 2012

32nd Annual Romance Writers of America Conference: July 25-28, Anaheim Marriott, California. Registration opens January 16. Varying rates based on member, non-member and early or late registration status. Highlights: Authors Stephanie Laurens and Robyn Carr.    

July 2012

7th Annual ThrillerFest: July 11-14, Grand Hyatt, NYC. Varying registration packages. Call for room rates. Highlights: Authors Jack Higgins, R.L. Stine, Lee Child and Catherine Coulter (whom I always thought of as a romantic novelist - learn something new everyday!).

August 2012

Killer Nashville: August 24-26, Hutton Hotel, Tennessee. Varied  registration rates, including student and senior citizen discounts. Highlights: Authors C.J. Box and Peter Straub.  

September 2012

8th Annual UK Historical Novel Society Conference:  September 29-30, The University of Westminster on Regent Street, Central London, United Kingdom. Registration details forthcoming.

October 2012

Surrey International Writers Conference 2012: October 19-21, Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel, British Columbia, Canada. Receive updates on registration rates. Check room rates online. 

November 2012

American Christian Writers Conference: November 2-3, Phoenix, Arizona. Registration details forthcoming.

December 2012

Check back for updates.


If you decide to attend any of the conferences, safe travels, and enjoy the experience! I'm sure you'll find it worthwhile.

Meet your creative needs with crowdfunding

Yeah, I never heard of crowdfunding either until a friend on Twitter got tired of my bellyaching about the costs of cover art, editing, etc. for a self publisher. Good friend that she is, she sent me this article.  Essentially, crowdfunding in its various forms allows you to get your creative project off the ground through much-needed donations or assistance. It's more than just begging virtual strangers, friends and family, or anyone in your social circles to help you. Your backers expect something in return for their generosity.

I had two months of reservations about crowdfunding to work out, before I launched my first project with Kickstarter, which focuses on creative projects needing a source of capital. For now, it's only available in the US, but there are similar international sites like Pozible (Australia) and FundIt (Ireland). To date, the site has connected artists, filmmakers, fashion designers, musicians and writers with backers who have pledged varying amounts; the minimum pledge is $1. The setup costs you nothing, unless your project is fully funded. Some exceed their goal with the creators receiving all funds, minus a fee of up to 5%. Over 10,000 Kickstarter projects have been successfully funded; that's approximately 44% of the total submitted. With the average successful submission raising up to $5,000 (much of it donated by strangers), the rate seems reasonable. This isn't a quick or easy opportunity to abuse the kindness of others; not only do you have to provided incentives to donate and fulfill those requirements, you're expected to fulfill the project or cancel your funding request if you don't think you can complete the work.

But before you rush to sign up, consider the guidelines. Also, think about what you have to offer as a reward. Can you provide greater incentives for those who donate a little more? When can you offer those rewards? It's important to consider how you can thank those who help, including the associated costs, like shipping, for delivering rewards to them. Lastly, what's your timeline to achieve your funding goal? Kickstarter allows creators up to 60 days in advance. If a project is successfully funded, the money is transferred to your account via Amazon Payments, using the same settings you may already have in place as an Amazon buyer or self-published author through Kindle Direct Publishing.  

Here's the way in which Kickstarter works:

• Sign up for an account at the Kickstarter website. You can also login with Facebook, but at some point you'll need to provide a password.
• Follow the steps under Start A Project to submit your proposal to the Kickstarter staff.  It may take upwards of a day to receive a response. Your proposal includes;
• The category and name of your project; for a writer, the genre and title of your book.
• A range for your funding goal.
• A project description; writers, try a two-line summary of your work with a sample of the first two or three lines.
• Reward levels, if any. There should be at least one.
• Once your proposal is accepted, you can flesh out the ideas. Set realistic goals on your funding amount, the timeline and rewards deadlines. None of this can be altered once your project is launched.
• Make a video that explains your project - this is required. Since I hate this slightly nasal twang in my voice, I decided to do a book trailer pertaining to the project. If you look at the site, you'll see a variety of creative ways in which others are making videos.
• Lastly, set up an Amazon Payments account, which will allow you to collect funds if you meet your goal.        

Once your project goes live, you can update backers on the status as your project. You must achieve the goal of your funding in full to receive the money - all or nothing. If you set a goal of $1,000 but only receive $990, you get nothing. Seems tough, doesn't it? Not when you consider the role social media has in our lives, or the shared interactions you have with others. If you're a writer with an interesting concept or story to tell, the same way word of mouth works to sell books, applies to crowdfunding. Also, if you're just that close to reaching your goal, perhaps a friend or family member would be willing to help you achieve it - you never know until you ask. In case you're wondering, don't try to get over by providing that last $10 yourself - Amazon has ways of tracking that kind of activity.

My Kickstarter funding goal is to raise $1,200 for editing fees and costs of my cover for The Rule of Love, a historical set in fifth century India, by February 4.  It's due out Fall 2012. Wish me good luck with my crowdfunding project.        

How to sell books from your author website with PayPal

A website is one of several ways you can increase visibility online for you and your work. Before I ever blogged, tweeted or established a Facebook page, my website had been up and running for at least 3 years. That the initial design was crappy minimal is besides the point.

If you don't already have a website, get one. Now. Find an affordable web designer or, if you have some tech savvy, build your own. Even unpublished writers should have a website. By the time you've finished your manuscript and have it out on submission, agents and editors will be searching for you on the internet. A perfect manuscript and query letter aren't enough - the decision-makers in the industry are also looking at your online presence. Some want to know whether you can market or promote your own work. Do you really want to be building a site in the midst of edits and rewrites?

Are you self-publishing your work? Your personal website is essential to helping people find YOUR book among the millions of available titles. Invest enough time in your site and it becomes one of your best marketing tools. After all, potential readers can't buy your books if they don't know about them. Once your book is available, feature it on your website. Encourage sales by adding links to where the book can be bought; offline and online locations.

You can also grow your readership and maximize potential profits by selling from your own website. If you've featured buy links for your book, why shouldn't one of those include an opportunity for you to sell your work directly? When I've spoken about this to other writers, three responses typically occur. "Wow, that seems so hard." or "Oh, I don't know to do that." I'll talk about the third one later. Let me show you how to address the first two.

What you need 

• Inventory on hand ready to be delivered to readers as soon as they order, whether it's hardcover / paperback copies or ebooks. Nothing says 'amateur' or ticks off potential readers more than being told, "This book is not available for purchase at this time."
• Some reviews or testimonials that inform your potential readers about the book(s) and the benefits to them for buying your product direct.  
• The ability to process orders online in real-time. Unless you already run a secure business site that processes online transactions, you'll need to establish a merchant account. 
• Software that can process credit card orders, safely. 
• If you're selling more than one book, you'll need to develop a virtual "shopping cart" experience to allow for multiple orders.
• Immediate notification of payments processed with orders that must be fulfilled.
• An order fulfillment or completion process. Learn the shipping rates of your hardcovers / paperbacks to various locations and build that cost into your pricing structure.
• A feedback form or visible email address that lets readers communicate with you.        

What your readers want

• A secure shopping experience. They want to know that their credit card will be encrypted in each transaction and their address information will be safeguarded.
• Instant or fast delivery of their orders
• Ability to communicate with you, to provide feedback or let you know if there is problem with fulfillment.

If you've read all that and think it's daunting or not worth your time, PayPal allows you to do all these processes and met reader expectations. There are other sites where you can do the same activity, including eBay. Since I have no experience with it, but tons with PayPal, that's my focus.

Steps for selling via PayPal

• Establish a PayPal personal and / or business account at https://www.paypal.com/. Notice the URL; the typical http followed by 's' which indicates that this is a site to allow credit card authorizations and secure transactions. Something that will give you and your readers peace of mind. I recommend both types of accounts. The personal account allows me to pay my cover artists and editors, while a business account lets me transact sales of books online.  
• At minimum, PayPal will need your real name, physical address, email address and a funding source for your accounts, be it a bank account or credit card. The latter allows you to process payments through your personal account and have a link to where you can transfer monies received from your business account.
• Be prepared for low fees dependent on the number of transactions you're filling each month on the business account. A business account will also be helpful for tracking what you've earned when the tax man cometh. Yes, you should report sales through your website as income earned. 
• Once you have completed the setup, take advantage of PayPal's tools for merchants, including shipping and tax calculators, accepting multiple currencies, tracking inventory and my favorite, buy buttons for your website.       

Configuring PayPal buy buttons for single orders or virtual shopping carts for multiple transactions takes some forethought. How do you want to sell the book(s)? Are they available in varying formats? If you have more than one book, do you want potential readers to buy one book in one transaction, or offer them the ability for multiple selections in one transaction? The Merchant Services section can help you determine the best approach. Here's how I did it.

Since I have more than one book in multiple formats, I chose to setup a virtual shopping cart with two buttons, one for ordering paperbacks and another for ebooks. Setting up the virtual shopping cart was simple:

I set multiple prices on each type of book and added comment fields for readers that enable fulfillment; e.g. for someone who wants an autographed paperback, I need to know who I'll be dedicating the book to or in the case of ebooks, the specific format my readers want. After saving each button, an HTML code was  generated, which I copied to my website:

The virtual shopping is the best experience for your potential readers, allowing them to place orders for multiple products, with totals automatically calculated. Each time an item is added, the shopping cart is updated, all in one transaction. Here's an example of how it might look to readers. Notice the exact quantities and pertinent fulfillment information is visible, and will be transmitted to the author when a transaction is completed. 

 Even better, if your readers don't have PayPal accounts, they can still complete the transaction. There's nothing to stop them from purchasing off your site. Except... 

"Readers won't buy sites they're not familiar with!"

Sad but true. The average person would rather go to Amazon or any other online retailer they're familiar with than buy from an author website. However, this shouldn't stop an author from making the option available. For instance, I recently purchased Dara Marks' Inside Story: The Power of the Transformational Arc on the recommendation of a friend. So far, it's an excellent read. I tried to buy the book direct from the author website, where it was cheaper AND shipped faster than from the Amazon affiliate site where it's offered. A problem with the author website wouldn't allow me to submit the transaction. So, guess which giant online retailer (or its affiliate) got my money that day? Money that could have gone directly to the author. 

As authors establish trust with their readers through good storytelling and a well-crafted online presence, the perception about buying direct from an author website will likely change. No reason you should be caught flat-footed when it does. 

Would You Give Amazon Exclusivity Over Your EBooks?

That's the proposition Amazon is offering thousands of self-published authors who distribute ebooks via its Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) arm. Details regarding KDP Select can be found here. I found out out about the offer as I logged into KDP this morning to, um, you know, eh, check out the KDP Community and what's happening with them! Yeah, that's the ticket.

Basic terms of KDP Select: if you're a self-published Kindle author or publisher, for a period of at least 90 days, you vow to sell your soul to the Devil can enroll as many ebook titles as you choose. To participate, you just have to promise that your ebook(s) will not be sold online anywhere during the term. Not online through Smashwords or its distribution partners, Kobo, Deisel, Apple, Barnes & Noble or Sony. Not Xin Xii, OmniLit or Pubit (owned by B&N). Not even through your website or blog.  Your paperbacks are unaffected.  During the proscribed period, you have the option of making the book free for up to five days. Your enrolled titles are also made available for borrowing through Amazon's Kindle Lending Library, which is also available EXCLUSIVELY to Amazon's Prime members (of which I am a card-carrying member - I buy enough from Amazon to justify the $79 fee). You can learn how many people borrowed the books, something which isn't available to authors automatically enrolled in Kindle lending based on their enrollment in the 70% royalty scheme. Non-Prime customers can still buy your ebooks and you earn the same royalties. There's also some slightly muddied language about additional royalties, but I don't feel like sorting out legalease this morning.


Before unrolling this offer to all, Amazon previously invited certain high profile indies to try KDP Select for six months. Several of them said no and I would have too. Six months AND I have to rely on Amazon for revenue exclusively? Oh, and Prime members get to borrow, not buy the book? As the one book per month that they can borrow through the Kindle Library? So they have the choice of Stephen King's Dome for $19.99 or mine for $2.99, and will somehow choose the cheaper one as the freebie? As Whitney once said:  

HELL TO THE NO!

Except - you knew this was coming - if you're like me, a self-published author whose revenue is generated mainly from Amazon and more directly, through sales on Kindle. If you are, then certain parts of this deal start to look attractive. For instance, if you have a title that you already have made available only through Amazon, you don't have the hassle of making the title unavailable anywhere else. If your revenue as a self-published author comes mainly or only through KDP, what have you got to lose?


Before you think I'm suckling at the teat of Amazon or afraid of biting the hand that feeds me every month, allow me to assure you: Amazon fucks up sometimes. Like this bonehead move announced on December 6 right here: Amazon Will Pay Shoppers $5 to Walk Out of Stores Empty-Handed. Really, Amazon? How about that $2 surcharge on delivery of Kindle in certain geographic areas, which was mentioned in a recent post? Whether or not Kindle authors choose to participate in this power play (and believe me, they're discussing the pros and cons at Kindleboards), this is another blatant attempt to create a monopoly over ebooks and tether authors to the existing system, even if it's for a mere 90 days.

So why has Amazon made this move now? Will it increase their bottom line by enlarging the offerings that make Prime membership so good? Does creating goodwill with self-published authors by inviting them to the grownups' table make Amazon the go-to guy for future authors? The reasons are less important than the fact that Amazon can do these things. Do you see any of its competitors thinking in similar terms? Part of why Amazon can make this offer as attractive to self-published authors is because ITS RIVALS DON'T DO DIDDLY SQUAT TO COMPETE. Forgive the shouting, but all of those sites, like Smashwords, like Pubit, that also offer the opportunity to self-publish do next to NOTHING to promote their authors or self-published works. If Amazon recognizes yet another area they can exploit and make some Kindle authors happy in the process, more power to them. Perhaps this move may shake up the competition. Lord knows they need it.


EDIT: Since folks on Twitter and Kindleboards are asking, I'm enrolling the omnibus edition of the Sultana books, raising the price to $6.49 and doing a freebie December 24-29. I'll post about the results of my experiment with KDP Select in the spring KDP answered my inquiry about enrolling books in a series, I won't be testing Select.      


What do you think of this latest move by Amazon? If you're an author publishing through KDP, will you consider enrolling in KDP Select?
   

UPDATE: Fall & Winter Writing Competitions

Here's an updated list of writing contests with fast approaching deadlines in 2011 or early  next year 2012:

2012 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards - Entry period January 23 - February 5, 2012.  Best benefits of ABNA? Free entry AND making lots of new friends! Prizes include $15,000 to the top winners in two categories.

Benjamin Franklin Awards - Second call deadline is December 31, 2011, for books published September 1 - December 31, 2011. Prizes include trophies, and gold and silver award certificates. Entry fees; $90 per title for Independent Book Publishers Association members or $190 if you're not in the IBPA, which will give you a one-year membership. 

Erma Bombeck Writing Competition sponsored by Washington-Centerville Public Library and established in 1997 to pay tribute to hometown writer Erma Bombeck, one of the greatest humorists of the 20^th Century. The contest, now held every two years, opens for online entries ($15 entry fee) at 8 am (EST) Tuesday, January 3, 2012, and closes at 7:30 am (EST) Tuesday, February 14, 2012. Entries should be 450 words or fewer and cannot be published more than once in the calendar year 2011 (blog posts are allowed).

A $500 cash prize and Registration Fee (value $350) to the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop at University of Dayton from April 18 through the 20^th will be awarded to four writers: Humor category (local entry and a global entry) and the Human Interest category (local entry and a global entry). Panel of judges include authors, syndicated columnists, and experienced writers and some entries will receive feedback. Winners will be announced in mid-March. No more than one entry per writer. For complete contest details, visit http://www.wclibrary.info/erma/index.asp.

Foreword Reviews - Deadline January 15, 2012. Varied categories with a grand prize of $1,500 for the best Fiction and Non-fiction books. Entries are $99. 


International Book Awards - Deadline December 31, 2012 for $20 off entry fee (regularly $69); final entry date of April 30, 2012. Over 150 categories. Affiliated with USA "Best Books 2012" Awards; includes full listing on USABookNews.com's webpage for six months.

IPPY AWARDS - Deadline March 15, 2012. Prizes include medals. Tiered entries; $85 per title October 16, 2011 - January 7, 2012; $95 per title January 8 2012 - March 15, 2012. So, the earlier, the better. Includes ebook awards. See entry form for eligibility details.

Next Generation Indie Book Awards - Deadline February 24, 2012. Grand prize of $1,500 for the best Fiction and Non-fiction books. Initial entry fee is $75, additional fee of $50 for other categories. Seriously debating this one, as I know some previous winners who've spoken well of the contest.

2012 San Francisco Writers Indie Publishing Contest - Deadline January 4, 2012. Grand prizes include an hour-long consultation with a literary agent OR free publishing package from Author Solutions. Stated aim to compete with the ABNA, which offers free entry, doesn't quite match the $35 entry fee for this contest. Click here for the form. 


USA "Best Books 2012" Awards - Deadline December 31, 2012 for USABookNews.com coverage leading up to final entry date of September 30, 2012. A $69 entry fee and multiple categories including several specific to e-books.

For more on why you might want to consider entering a writing contest,  author Jody Hedlund wrote a great article earlier this year on the benefits of such activities for published and unpublished writers.  If you decide to enter any of these contests, good luck!

It's ABNA time again. Maybe.

Today's announcement of the fifth annual Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards has got me wondering whether I'll enter the contest again in 2012. If I do, Sultana's Legacy will be my submission. Since it just debuted this past October, the entry qualifies under the rules that allow self-published novels into the contest. Submissions are open January 23 to February 5; sorry, English-language only.


What are the merits of this contest? It's one of few where you can participate without an entry fee. On a modest writer's budget, free becomes very appealing. There are TWO grand prizes in each of the categories, general fiction AND young adult fiction. In addition, you'll meet some great people in the forums and discussion pages, many of whom have done this contest several years running. All that camaraderie bolsters you as the judges start winnowing the entries from 10,000 manuscripts to 5,000 until the final two are chosen for the grand prize sometime in June. Writers are amazingly supportive of each other, even when we are effectively competing. Penguin co-sponsors the contest, and did I mention those grand prizes include a publishing contract with a $15,000 advance? Also, a self-published entry can elicit some new eyes on your available work and generate those reviews we need.


So why am I less than super excited about this contest in just a few days?    


I truly was eager for an announcement of it. Since Sultana's Legacy is so new, having it in the contest may boost its presence and spark some interest or sales. Or maybe not. If I make it as far as the quarterfinals like last year, Publishers Weekly will read and review the manuscript in full. Oh joy. If you want some of the great and gory details of my previous entry of Sultana, click here to understand why I'm not thrilled to bits at the prospect of PW dissecting my work again. Yet, there's one factor that looms above all other concerns - the contest's end game, that contract and advance - I don't know if I'm so interested in the hype surrounding that.

WTF? Is she being serious?

Yes, I'm actually serious. Don't get me wrong - the chance offered by the contest is great. I'm not making a killing at self-publishing, and the marketing aspect is making me nuts. Yet, I'm not wondering when or if I'll ever get good reviews, great fan mail or a nice royalty check. Honestly, I'm just not aiming for a publishing contract, nor do I hold out much hope I'll garner one. Something about not querying agents or thumbing up my nose at certain tactics in the industry may seal this as fact. Odd how the possibility no longer bothers me, when three years ago, it was all I wanted. Plus, I don't know if the masochistic control freak in me, who actually enjoys all the hard work that goes along with self-publishing, is ready for a publisher's timetable and their oversight of the financial aspects.

The only valid reason for my entry would be further exposure of my work. At no cost, that seems pretty good. I have two months until February 5 to decide.

Will you be entering ABNA 2012?