Re: eBook Numbers and Prices

**D* G* <g*@gmail.com>**

Betty -

 I take that data  further in the next Q&T :-) with my own results on ebook
pricing and reader responses to different calls to action.  And part of the
deal is having a platform (something I've long championed) of readers who
will respond to your calls to action.  Sheri Ann has one to launch her
books I note.   Without the off-Amazon platform, launching ebooks is
another issue that's going to depend on several important variables - the
topic for yet another Q&T I suspect. :-)   Serious writers may be able to
create an on-Amazon platform instead but that too is a topic for another
Q&T - although the tools are sitting out there if you check out the help
sections and your own author pages/sales pages etc.  Pricing is going to be
critical in this task.

As for software etc to convert to the different platforms, people make it
really, really difficult. :-)   If you're a Mac - Pages outputs to both
epub (for Apple, etc) and doc files (Amazon)   Get the Kindle previewer
from Amazon to check how your doc file looks. Modify the raw file to look
good in one of the file formats and then modify it again to look good in
the other if there's an issue with the way you've laid it out.   If you're
a Windows - output to a doc file.  And buy Scrivener ($49) to output to
epub and review files. (I don't know about other Win options but that's a
quick and easy one.)  You can then direct upload to all platforms.  There's
a learning curve around images etc (Download the free Smashwords.com author
guidelines and read the help files on all retailers ) but once you figure
that out, you're good to go yourself with no added costs.  And ibook Author
from Apple is a free download if you want to go the highly interactive
route.

So it's fairly cheap and easy to get into e-publishing from the
software/technical points.  But like anything else (and you know this) it's
the marketing that makes the cash register sing.

Doug

On Wed, Apr 18, 2012 at 9:20 PM, Betty Mackey <BettyMackey@verizon.net>wrote:

> Did anyone see Doug Green's Quill and Trowel article on ebooks and pricing?
> He says Sheri Ann Richerson is doing a great job getting attention and
> sales
> for her very low priced Kindle ebooks. Lowering the prices brought ratings,
> attention, and sales. Go, Sheri!!!!!
>
> After reading Doug's article today I experimentally lowered the price on
> two
> of my Kindle ebooks, one that almost never sells and one that sells some
> but
> deserves more. Time will tell whether it makes a difference.
>
>
-- 

Doug Green
Editor-in-Chief, SGF Publishing
One million readers a month can't all be wrong
http://www.douggreensgarden.com/about.html <http://www.simplegiftsfarm.com>
https://www.amazon.com/author/douglasgreen
_______________________________________________
gardenwriters mailing list
gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/gardenwriters
GWL list website  http://www.ibiblio.org/gardenwriters
GWL has searchable message archives at:
http://www.hort.net/lists/gardenwriters
If you have photos for GWL, send them to gwlphotos@hort.net and they can be viewed at  http://www.hort.net/lists/gwlphotos