Episode 177 – Bestseller Lists, Nook First Look, and Half a Million Downloads

Question of the Week: Why do some authors spend time getting angry about fellow indies attempting to get on bestseller lists when they could instead learn from the marketing successes of box sets like Dominion Rising?

We’ve reached 500,000 downloads, and we couldn’t have done it without you! This week, Jim and Bryan discussed tips on ad copywriting, indie author mistakes, and writing by hand. After thanking their patrons Peaks of Passion, Where the Leaves Wither, and The Last Days Begin, the Walter Cronkites of self-publishing took on the latest news stories, including Australia’s trad pub matchmaker site, Smashwords Special Deals, Nook First Look, KU’s drop in per page payout, and the Dominion Rising’s exclusion from the New York Times Bestseller List. This week’s Question of the Week: Why do some authors spend time getting angry about fellow indies attempting to get on bestseller lists when they could instead learn from the marketing successes of box sets like Dominion Rising?

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Episode 176 – IndiePicks, YA Hate, and Hallmark Publishing

Question of the Week: Is it fair for readers to leave customer reviews en masse if they haven’t yet read the book? How can publishers and retailers avoid situations like this in the future?

Director of Content Abigail Dunard visited the show this week to talk tips and news with Jim. After thanking their patrons, We Own the Sky, Kick Author Overwhelm to the Curb, and The Newbie’s Guide to Sell More Books with Less Marketing, Jim and Abigail discussed tips on major marketing campaigns, six-figure steps, and reader on-boarding. News stories included Amazon’s new shipping policy, Hallmark Publishing, IndiePicks, and a contentious campaign fighting a popular YA book. This week’s Question of the Week: Is it fair for readers to leave customer reviews en masse if they haven’t yet read the book? How can publishers and retailers avoid situations like this in the future?

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Episode 175 – Augmented Reality, Texting Stories, and Whale Readers

Question of the Week: Which is going to hit big first and why: texting-based stories or stories with augmented or virtual reality?

Thank you, listeners, for helping us reach this landmark episode! This week, Jim and Bryan talked tips about scheduling social media, adopting habits of successful authors, and evolving with your readers. After thanking their patrons The Commons: Book 1, Time Code, and Stalked by Flames, the publishing pair discussed using Overdrive through Draft2Digital, refining your Amazon Ads, WattPad’s Tap app, virtual and augmented reality, and whale readers. This week’s Question of the Week: Which is going to hit big first and why: texting-based stories or stories with augmented or virtual reality?

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Episode 174 – Kindle Unlimited 3.0, Six-Figure Steps, and the Power of Habit

Question of the Week: As a reader, what makes you put down a book in the first 10%? Conversely, what makes you keep reading and read on to future books in the series?

20Books Vegas head honcho Craig Martelle visited the show to talk tips and news with Bryan this week! After thanking their patrons Cold War: Alien Incursion, Shades of Treason, and Angelborn, Bryan and Craig talked tips about productivity, strong habits, and conquering BookBub Featured Deals. News stories included a Goodreads competitor, new ebook taxes in Australia and India, Kobo’s preview conversion feature, KENPC version 3.0, and steps to take to become a six-figure author. This week’s Question of the Week: As a reader, what makes you put down a book in the first 10%? Conversely, what makes you keep reading and read on to future books in the series?

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Episode 173 – China Literature, Facebook Groups, and International Wattpad

Question of the Week: How long will it take for mobile reading to take over as the primary form of online reading in the U.S. and why?

Is China’s online reading marketplace significantly larger than the U.S. and U.K.? Find out in our latest scorching episode! After thanking their patrons A Finger in Every Pie, Awakened, and The Prosperous Writer’s Guide to Finding Readers, Jim and Bryan tackled tips on starting from scratch, grading your own writing, and targeting the right readers. News stories included gender fluid pen names, potential changes in Facebook Groups, Instafreebie’s app-based attempt to solve side-loading, France adopting online reading, and China’s massive growth in e-reading. This week’s Question of the Week: How long will it take for mobile reading to take over as the primary form of online reading in the U.S. and why?

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Episode 172 – Thinking Small, Author Bullying, and Scammers Hit #1

Question of the Week: Do you think Amazon will do anything about its click-farming problem? Why or why not?

What should Amazon do about its clickfarm problem? Jim and Bryan have their thoughts on that question and this week’s other top stories. After thanking their patrons Faster Than Falling, Leaving Eva, and Inharmonic Fantasy, the powerful publishing pair tackled tips on author mindset, beta readers, and pricing. News stories included the BookBaby’s author survey, author apps, bullying, PublishDrive, thinking small, and a click-farmed book hitting #1. This week’s Question of the Week: Do you think Amazon will do anything about its click-farming problem? Why or why not?

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Episode 171 – Amazon Prime, Going Against the Grain, and the Return of Google Play

Question of the Week: How would you go against the conventional wisdom of self-publishing to try a new marketing or publishing experiment?

How would you go against conventional publishing advice? That’s what Jim and Bryan want to know in the latest episode of The Sell More Books Show. After thanking their patron Joanna Penn and her masterpiece How to Market a Book, the triple-threat-twosome talked tips on using your backlist, adopting long-term thinking, and using InstaFreebie. News stories included EU ebook law changes, the return of the Google Play Partner Center, the true price of being an indie, the need for experimentation, and the growth of Amazon Prime. This week’s Question of the Week: How would you go against the conventional wisdom of self-publishing to try a new marketing or publishing experiment?

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Episode 170 – Fast vs. Slow, Reader Engagement, and $2.8 Billion

Question of the Week: Do you believe Michael Cader’s estimates of the size of the ebook marketplace? Are they too high, too low, or just right, and why?

Just how big is the ebook marketplace? Listen all the way to our top story to find out the latest estimate. After thanking their patrons, Star Flame, Merkiaari Wars, and Awakened, Jim and Bryan talked tips on engaging with audio, staying sticky in the rankings, and nonfiction book length. News stories included Amazon’s six-month KU deal, engaging with your fanbase, newsletter subscribers from giveaways, going fast vs. slow as a writer, and the size of the ebook marketplace. This week’s Question of the Week: Do you believe Michael Cader’s estimates of the size of the ebook marketplace? Are they too high, too low, or just right, and why?

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Episode 169 – Amazon Beta Testing, Author Obligation, and Being Prolific

Question of the Week: What do successful authors owe the community?

What do authors owe their readers? It’s a question Jim and Bryan ask in the top story of this week’s Sell More Books Show. After thanking their patrons, God and Gigs, Witch’s Sacrifice, and How I Sold 80,000 Books, the deep thinkers of digital books discussed tips on coming up with titles, updating your website, and creating your own tsunami of content. News stories included millennials using libraries, trad pub’s new deal with libraries, the 2017 Smashwords survey, Amazon’s beta test without the word “kindle,” and what authors owe their followers. This week’s Question of the Week: “What do successful authors owe the community?”

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Episode 168 – Findaway Voices, KENP Drops, and One-Click Foreign Rights (with Lindsay Buroker)

Question of the Week: Would you give up the 40% royalties from going exclusive with ACX to get lower royalties but gain price control from D2D and FV?

Lindsay Buroker joined Bryan this week to talk big news in audio and Kindle Unlimited. After thanking their patrons Gods and Gigs, WordPress Security 101, and Pirates vs. Dragons, Bryan and Lindsay talked tips about time management, email scheduling, and Facebook Messenger Bots. This week’s top stories included Amazon buying Whole Foods, Facebook Page video cover images, translation rights, KU payouts dropping, and Draft2Digital’s new partnership with Findaway Voices. This week’s Question of the Week: Would you give up the 40% royalties from going exclusive with ACX to get lower royalties but gain price control from D2D and FV?

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