tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1501463630673400966.comments2012-11-15T20:47:05.857-06:00Northwoods Words of (Fiction) WisdomDarren Kirbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04740713709369182258noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1501463630673400966.post-4397129630161841312012-11-15T20:47:05.857-06:002012-11-15T20:47:05.857-06:00Hey Anonymous from 10/31 - which post are you refe...Hey Anonymous from 10/31 - which post are you referring to? And I apologize that it's taken me this long to reply to you. Please email me directly if you like, I'd be happy to answer you that way: dlk (dot) writer (at) gmail (dot) comDarren Kirbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04740713709369182258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1501463630673400966.post-27535149148999005392012-10-31T00:02:46.235-05:002012-10-31T00:02:46.235-05:00great issues altogether, you just received brand n...great issues altogether, you just received brand new reader. What could you recommend in regards to your post that you just made some days in the past? Any positive?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1501463630673400966.post-48835048566246473892012-10-25T10:38:26.490-05:002012-10-25T10:38:26.490-05:00Love your blog, in fact arrived by checking yahoo ...Love your blog, in fact arrived by checking yahoo and google for a comparable issue to this post. Which means this might be a late post nevertheless keep up the great work.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1501463630673400966.post-59911088420288028012012-09-21T21:41:07.917-05:002012-09-21T21:41:07.917-05:00I greatly appreciate all the info I've read he...I greatly appreciate all the info I've read here. I will spread the word about your blog to other people. Cheers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1501463630673400966.post-22338792755456673652012-08-17T08:24:02.923-05:002012-08-17T08:24:02.923-05:00Absolutely. Hard work writing. It is what separate...Absolutely. Hard work writing. It is what separates the one who wants to write a book and the one who actually does it. Nice.Elizabeth Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12288854281121779443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1501463630673400966.post-44321046353314269962012-08-16T14:06:23.795-05:002012-08-16T14:06:23.795-05:00Very well said. The work part sticks in my mind. ...Very well said. The work part sticks in my mind. Thousands of words and punctuation and grammar...over and over. But, as you point out nicely, it can get done.TrademarkAbusehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10830182513162437377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1501463630673400966.post-48299620582705517792012-07-31T14:53:19.510-05:002012-07-31T14:53:19.510-05:00Thanks for writing this. I stumbled on it while s...Thanks for writing this. I stumbled on it while searching for snowflake-related things, and was happy to see a fellow-Wisconsinite!<br /><br />I've recently decided to write full-time and reading things like this makes me optimistic that I won't write my book and find out that I'm missing some sort of vital "writer's gene" and that all my past and future efforts are doomed because I lack some magical quality that makes a writer a writer.Lindseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12893311988373006753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1501463630673400966.post-2100158707682365302012-07-14T18:31:23.887-05:002012-07-14T18:31:23.887-05:00So true! It takes work to be a writer, but it isn&...So true! It takes work to be a writer, but it isn't magic! Just determination! It's easier than it might first appear, you just have to keep at it!Nicole Pyleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06920135146911951755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1501463630673400966.post-35213235345007414682012-07-13T21:27:20.759-05:002012-07-13T21:27:20.759-05:00Inspirational! Thanks! I know an Olympian and I ha...Inspirational! Thanks! I know an Olympian and I have learned a lot about perseverance from her. If you want something, you must keep at it and never doubt yourself. Meet me on Twitter @AMooreWriter!AMooreWriterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00312128172782581343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1501463630673400966.post-83851819523852168332012-05-01T07:25:30.330-05:002012-05-01T07:25:30.330-05:00You posted the very things I've been thinking ...You posted the very things I've been thinking while considering the KDP Select. How in the world will an unknown author make up all the sales missed by placing it for free?<br /><br />I guess if you have several books out it may not be a bad idea as a promotion for your newest release, but for someone like me with a debut novel, I think I'll stick to various forms of publishing. <br /><br />Great post!a traditional housewife against the worldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03360118274239382315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1501463630673400966.post-29446101369760052292012-04-21T10:59:24.960-05:002012-04-21T10:59:24.960-05:00I'm tending in your direction. I have several ...I'm tending in your direction. I have several works on Kindle Direct and will not renew after 90 days and will list to other ereader sites. The freebies are a kind of drug and I'm not sure they have done me much good. All that said, my strategy for release of two books which are part of a series is to introduce them through Kindle select and try to use the free days in a more strategic way and after 90 days list the books with other ereader sites.Attwood Collected Workshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12939221864173785283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1501463630673400966.post-61666370754467720992012-04-20T00:10:27.722-05:002012-04-20T00:10:27.722-05:00I agree!I agree!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14177267684105105969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1501463630673400966.post-24463356201864317282012-04-04T19:03:41.501-05:002012-04-04T19:03:41.501-05:00True-they MIGHT read it. But guarenteed they WON&#...True-they MIGHT read it. But guarenteed they WON'T read it if they don't have it. KDP-S puts that variable in the hands of thousands. Last point- yes, Amazon locks you into an exclusive contract. For 3 months. That's a drip in the ocean of time. Still, what works this season or for this author or for that book might not work for another. :)Donna White Glaserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00802142273102557253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1501463630673400966.post-70787486201334463162012-04-01T09:52:12.275-05:002012-04-01T09:52:12.275-05:00Marla, you are correct, I probably won't let t...Marla, you are correct, I probably won't let this opportunity pass by. But I'm going to go after it slowly.<br /><br />Donna, you point out something that is really important with KDP Select, and that is that Amazon can change the "rules" of how it works whenever they deem appropriate. If you go exclusively with Amazon, you are locking yourself into potential issues just like this. While some might argue that this isn't a big deal, it's still illustrative of the reasons for diversification. Oh, and I slightly disagree with you on the "if they have they will read it". If they have it, it is LIKELY they will read it, but no guarantee exists that they WILL read it. Just like everything else in life, if you spent money on it, you'll use it, if you didn't spend money on it, it holds close to zero value to you; it's like a throw-away object, because you gave up nothing to get it. Just my take on the whole thing, and thanks for sharing your views too!Darren Kirbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04740713709369182258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1501463630673400966.post-41131652993677466562012-03-31T19:20:12.729-05:002012-03-31T19:20:12.729-05:00Not waiting. Had a big jump that lasted over 6 wee...Not waiting. Had a big jump that lasted over 6 weeks. However, there is certainly a slump now. I think what we will see happen is that many authors who are not seeing the results as immediately as the Dec/Jan/Feb Selectors, may jump ship from Select, which might bring the author/book population in Select back down. Or it might bring the Select offerings quality down, in which case AMZ would need to re-evaluate their exclusivity clause.<br />In addition, there are more authorial grumblings re: KDP-S, especially since AMZ apparently adjusted it's algorithms to a 3:1 ratio. Now you have to give away 3 books to have it count as 1 sale in the free promo days. BIG difference in how that affects your rankings, which makes a big difference in where your book is placed when you come off the promo. It's made a lot of authors mad. Plus there seems to have been some kind of system wide glitch in AMZ software a week ago, that caused some books to "disappear" from the shelves for hours at a time. Mine did. Came back though, thank heavens.<br />Who knows though. It's a volatile, ever-changing atmosphere. I wouldn't hang out too long in the waiting camp, though, Darren. Sometimes waiting for the right time means missing the boat. A three month trial is worth, well, trying. <br />It is true that people who snatch up the free (for the moment) books might not read them right away. But they will eventually and that's when you will see a come-back for your other books. So really, you won't know if people are buying because they just recently found you or if they're buying because they'd found you months ago, just got around to reading it, and are now coming back for more. <br />Bottom line: if they have it (via free promo), they will read it; if they read it, there is the chance they will come back for more.Donna White Glaserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00802142273102557253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1501463630673400966.post-49621987368462815212012-03-31T19:04:35.721-05:002012-03-31T19:04:35.721-05:00Hmm. The waiting camp? What happened to the advent...Hmm. The waiting camp? What happened to the adventurous Darren we all know and love? He wouldn't let an opportunity pass.<br />I had a huge sales boost after my KDP select "free" promo. It's dwindled since, but I had huge exposure and made some nice money. Hard to argue with that.Marla Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04004295584548524776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1501463630673400966.post-23280979160337837822012-03-13T23:07:08.061-05:002012-03-13T23:07:08.061-05:00I am with you on the Google thing. They (?) seem t...I am with you on the Google thing. They (?) seem to have their hands in everything and doing well on all fronts, thus I would suspect that it is only a matter of time before the ebook avenue kicks in.<br /><br />Congrats on the radio interview. I can't recall who said it, but it went something along these lines, 'All publicity is good publicity.'Jeremy Bateshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00877532315856151843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1501463630673400966.post-28401883542639339592012-03-11T08:49:59.975-05:002012-03-11T08:49:59.975-05:00A\\\\\\\\\ZXA\\\\\\\\\ZXAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17981667522071522103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1501463630673400966.post-75926348409371261812012-03-11T07:57:13.333-05:002012-03-11T07:57:13.333-05:00Hi Darren,
Thank you for the very helpfu...Hi Darren,<br /> Thank you for the very helpful ideas re: Audio books. I have had a look at Audacity software and think I could use it. Inspired to explore! Christopher J F Gibson. Great Blog page!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17981667522071522103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1501463630673400966.post-26117772349063989052012-03-11T07:57:13.076-05:002012-03-11T07:57:13.076-05:00Hi Darren,
Thank you for the very helpfu...Hi Darren,<br /> Thank you for the very helpful ideas re: Audio books. I have had a look at Audacity software and think I could use it. Inspired to explore! Christopher J F Gibson. Great Blog page!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17981667522071522103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1501463630673400966.post-48747048397873081922012-03-10T10:13:44.140-06:002012-03-10T10:13:44.140-06:00Thanks for your comment, Paul. It's gotten in...Thanks for your comment, Paul. It's gotten incredibly easy for an author to put out not only ebooks, but print books and now audio books. I'm surprised that more authors don't pursue all of these options. I can only figure that they don't know that they can do it. Cheers!Darren Kirbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04740713709369182258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1501463630673400966.post-49872762910983371052012-03-10T01:26:58.872-06:002012-03-10T01:26:58.872-06:00Interesting blog and some excellent advice, Darren...Interesting blog and some excellent advice, Darren! I was particularly interested in what you had to say about audio books. Thank you for sharing your experiences.Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14114500434250963224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1501463630673400966.post-25736612949950602262012-02-26T11:46:05.247-06:002012-02-26T11:46:05.247-06:00Actually, I haven't even considered it. I'...Actually, I haven't even considered it. I've been so busy marketing that I've zapped all my energy. I'm currently battling a bug. I like the idea of an audio version of my books though. <br /><br />It's been nice talking to you, Darren. I enjoy your debates on IN.Joylene Nowell Butlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04497637513532136615noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1501463630673400966.post-40976016893242328452012-02-26T11:33:40.568-06:002012-02-26T11:33:40.568-06:00Good for you, Joylene! I have no doubt that you&#...Good for you, Joylene! I have no doubt that you'll enjoy the experience of writing a children's book. Have you done any audio books of your current works?Darren Kirbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04740713709369182258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1501463630673400966.post-66481238467698245882012-02-26T10:39:29.685-06:002012-02-26T10:39:29.685-06:00for some reason it duplicated my comment, so I del...for some reason it duplicated my comment, so I deleted one.Joylene Nowell Butlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04497637513532136615noreply@blogger.com