Month: September 2016

SFFMP 100: Increasing International Sales and Doing Better on Non-Amazon Platforms with Dan Wood of Draft2Digital

Author Interview, Podcast

Today, we spoke with Dan Wood from the ebook distributor Draft 2 Digital. We asked him a bit about D2D itself and then jumped into marketing questions and best practices based on what he sees.

Here are some specifics of what we covered:

  • Which stores can Draft2Digital get you into and in which countries?
  • Which e-tailers account for the most sales for D2D authors
  • The state of international markets and whether any are coming on strong
  • Some of D2D’s new features, such as the ability to do pre-orders with several retailers and the ability to put your own affiliate links in the back of your books
  • How to get on the radar with the various retailers and get invited into special promotions
  • Who pre-orders are best for
  • How to gain traction on the non-Amazon platforms
  • Whether permafree is still effective with Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, etc.
  • Suggestions for reaching international audiences and whether permafree works there too
  • Best practices when it comes to pricing in the different countries
  • When going wide makes sense and when it might make more sense to be exclusive with Amazon
  • If there is anything to watch out for as far as using keywords in titles and book descriptions
  • Whether D2D is going to make a deal with Google Play and start distributing to them
  • Who to email to ask about possibly getting invited into a promotion for a specific retailer (authorrelations@draft2digital.com)

You can visit Draft2Digital if you’re interested in creating an account or check out their blog for marketing advice. You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

 

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SFFMP 99: A Quick Release Schedule with Traditional Publishing + Rocking Patreon with Seanan McGuire

Author Interview, Podcast

Today, Seanan McGuire joined us on the show to talk about her urban fantasy and her science fiction, her rapid releases (under two different names) with traditional publishing, how she got started, and what led her to explore Patreon, where she is currently earning nearly $8,000 per short story.

**Note: a few curse words slipped out during the interview, so you might want to listen to this one with your earbuds in! 

Here are a few more details on what we covered:

  • How writing Buffy porn led to Seanan landing an agent
  • Publishing quickly even with traditional publishers
  • Why she has two pen names (Seanan McGuire and Mira Grant)
  • Seanan’s experiences with two different publishers, each with different ways of going about the business (she’s with Daw and also with Orbit)
  • What kinds of marketing things she does on her own, what she pays for, and what the publisher pays for
  • Why she decided to start a Patreon campaign and how she got the word out
  • Why she feels like you should submit to agents and try to make it through the gauntlet of traditional publishing even if you don’t ultimately sign
  • What a launch of a new book looks like for Seanan these days

For a limited time, grab Seanan’s first October Daye urban fantasy novel for 1.99 at Amazon. Visit her anytime at her website or on Twitter. You can also take a peek at her Patreon campaign.

 

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SFFMP 98: 40,000 Audiobook Sales and Counting with Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy Author Kristen Painter

Author Interview, Podcast

We’re talking to paranormal romance/urban fantasy author Kristen Painter today. She’s been traditionally published and is now self-publishing her popular Nocturne Falls books, a light-hearted paranormal romance series that’s been selling well. She’s also been doing great with the audiobooks through ACX, recently passing 40,000 in sales, so we asked her about what’s led to her great success there.

Here are a few details of what we covered:

  • How Kristen got her start in traditional publishing and when she switched to indie
  • Finding an underserved niche with comedic paranormal romance without the graphic content that is often a part of the genre
  • The difference between urban fantasy and paranormal romance, as far as tropes and what audiences expect
  • The state of the genre and how urban fantasy/PNR are for newer authors
  • When it makes sense to pay for the production of your own audiobooks (Kristen mentioned a 5 to 1 figure, i.e., you might get 5 ebook sales for each audiobook sale)
  • Whether to opt for a royalty split or pay a narrator outright
  • How important choosing a good narrator is with audiobooks (and how to find one you like)
  • Whether it’s better to launch the audiobook as close to the ebook release as possible or whether it doesn’t make much of a difference
  • Why Kristen shoots for at least 8 hours of narration for her audiobooks

You can find Kristen on her website, and check out her first Nocturne Falls book, The Vampire’s Mail Order Bride for free in the various stores.

 

 

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SFFMP 97: The Ins and Outs of Selling Science Fiction Erotica with Addison Cain

Author Interview, Podcast

We spoke to science fiction erotica author Addison L. Cain about getting started in the business, some of the differences between romance and erotica, how to market it when many of the advertisers aren’t interested in the subject matter, and how to get off to a good start. Addison’s first novel, Born to Be Bound, was just released in April of 2016, and she’s already selling very well, with three books now out in the series.

**Note: a couple of naughty words came up in today’s discussion, so if you’re uncomfortable with that, or frank discussions of what’s allowed and what the tropes are in erotica, you may want to pass on this episode and tune back in next week for a more typical show. Thanks! 

Here are some more details on what we touched upon:

  • Getting started with fan fiction and publishing on free-to-read sites such as LitErotica.
  • How Addison turned the readers of her free material into an ARC team that went out and left reviews of her books when she launched.
  • What’s working with SF erotica covers (and what to avoid if you don’t want your book to be nixed by Amazon)
  • Whether there really is “big money” in writing erotica
  • What the “Adult Dungeon” is on Amazon and how to avoid having your work stuck in it
  • Some of the sponsorship sites that accept erotica: The Romance Reviews, Spanking Romance Reviews, What to Read After 50 Shades of Grey, Excite Spice, Bookbub, BargainBooksy, The Naughty List.
  • How science fiction and fantasy let you play and be creative within the erotica genre
  • The pros and cons of publishing with a small press
  • Pricing considerations for SF erotica and whether or not to go wide or choose KDP Select/Kindle Unlimited
  • Challenges of being a big fish in a small pond (SF or fantasy erotica) versus jumping into more the more mainstream stuff with a larger potential readership
  • Who the primary reader is for these books (male/female)
  • The need to stand up for yourself and make sure your books are getting the attention they deserve when you’re working with a press

You can find Addison on her website or check out her books on Amazon and other retailers.

Her publisher is Blushing Books and she believes they are open to submissions for those who don’t want to go it alone.

 

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