Effective Money-Making Through Kindle E-Book Publishing
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION 3
What is Kindle? 3
The History of Kindle 4
Kindle Versions and Releases 4
THE BASICS: KINDLE AND E-BOOKS 8
Noteworthy Features of the Kindle 8
Types of E-Books and Downloadable Content Supported by Kindle 11
Browsing the Kindle Store 12
Via Device 12
Via Amazon.com 13
KINDLE AND MONEY-MAKING 14
Introduction to E-Book Writing 14
Introduction to E-Book Publishing for Kindle 15
WRITING CONTENT THAT SELLS 17
E-Books and Kindle Singles 17
Choosing Your Topic 18
The Do’s and Don’ts of Kindle E-Book Writing 19
5 Essential Tips for Effective E-Book Creation 21
PREPPING YOUR E-BOOK FOR PUBLICATION 23
DIY versus Outsource 24
Front and Back Content 25
Editing and Proofreading 27
Front and Back Covers 29
Converting and Formatting 31
PUBLISHING: THE MOMENT OF TRUTH 37
Pricing and Royalties 37
Pricing Basics 38
Kindle E-Book Royalties 101 39
E-Book Pricing Tips and Tricks 40
Kindle Direct Publishing 41
PROMOTING YOUR E-BOOK 43
Online Advertising 44
Your Own Website or Blog 44
Social Networking Sites 46
Book Reviews 48
Free Press Release Websites and E-Zines 49
Offline Advertising 50
CONCLUSION 51
INTRODUCTION
Technology has brought many innovations and conveniences in the past decade that has enabled individuals to pursue their passions more fervently by making creative avenues more accessible to those who seek them.
There are now wide varieties of gadgets and programs that allow users to have an easy and sometimes direct access to the source of their interests without having to leave their seats. Music fans can now purchase their favorite artists’ records through online music stores such as the iTunes Store or Amazon using their iPods, while art aficionados can view and purchase an up-and-coming artist’s latest painting from their official websites through netbooks.
Literature enthusiasts are not to be left behind. Online shopping centers like Amazon and eBay are known to sell physical copies of books and magazines which they ship to buyers worldwide and for a long time, this was the most popular way for readers to gain access to copies of literature that may not be available in their local bookstores.
While effective, this method posed a lot of problems in terms of shipping times and costs, which developed a craving for a more practical and wireless approach to literature publishing and distribution.
What is Kindle?
Today’s modern technologies make it easier for authors, publishers and even aspiring writers to make their materials more accessible to their audiences than ever before. Some say that it will bring the death of physical books that can be bought in brick-and-mortar bookstores and shops while others insist that the Kindle will revive interest in literature.
Whatever the case may be, it is evident that the Kindle has been widely accepted all over the world as a convenient way to access books, articles, newspapers and other written material in digital form in one lightweight and compact p device.
Essentially, the Kindle is an electronic book reader conceptualized by Amazon.com, a website that specializes in selling goods online. It allows its users to browse and download a wide variety of digital content ranging from novels to magazines using an Internet connection.
There is an estimated 900,000 titles currently available in the Kindle Store that Kindle users can download and read, depending on a title’s distribution agreement. Readers can access their purchased content in a matter of minutes, eliminating the waiting period to receive physical copies in the mail. Because digital copies are produced without paper and printing, the prices are also generally lower than in bookstores, both offline and online.
The average price for an e-book can range between $0.99 to $14.99 depending on the title and author, with new bestsellers from major publishing companies like MacMillan costing somewhere between $12.99 to $15. Alternatively, lesser known authors and first-time writers can offer their content for less than a dollar while some publish free titles.
With 700,000 titles to choose from, there is no shortage of content from a wide variety of topics in the Kindle Store with an equally wide variety of prices and terms for each download.
We will be exploring e-book purchases in greater detail in later chapters. For now, let’s look into the history of the Kindle so far.
The History of Kindle
To satiate and address the need for a more effective and cost-efficient method of delivering copies of books, newspapers and magazines to readers all over the world, Amazon.com has conceptualized the Kindle, which was developed by its subsidiary Lab 126.
The original Amazon Kindle was released in 2007, which was welcomed by the public with equal parts of curiosity and pessimism. It should be noted that in terms of gadgets and consumer technology, the years of 2006-2007 was dominated by Apple products such as the iPhone and the iPod Touch, making the entry of the Kindle even more interesting.
Kindle Versions and Releases
Kindle I
Despite the uphill battle for a slice of the tech market, the first version of Kindle did exceptionally well and was received with much fanfare. Within five and a half hours, the Kindle – exclusively released on Amazon.com, of course – was sold out and it took almost five months before it was restocked.
Kindle 2
In 2009, Amazon announced that it will release the Kindle 2, a new and improved version of the original that was released two years prior. Additional features, as well as functional improvements were added to the newest version. The best-selling author Stephen King even helped in promoting the product by releasing his latest novel entitled UR exclusively on Kindle 2. Despite the rolling success of this version however, it was discontinued only nine months after it was released, replacing it with the international version of the Kindle 2.
Although physically similar to the US-only version, the main difference of the international version of the Kindle 2 from the original is its mobile network standard, which allows users from 100 different countries to download content and titles. Many reviews from notable gadget websites such as Gadget Lab often criticized the second generation Kindle for having a higher contrast screen that made it difficult to read small-sized fonts, which are regularly used in e-books. Despite these criticisms, the Kindle 2 (the US and international versions combined) went on to sell more units than the original Kindle.
The Kindle DX
The next Kindle version to be released was named the Kindle DX, which was made available to the public in 2009. To date, the Kindle DX is the thinnest version to be released, with the physical measurements of 10.4” x 7.2” x 0.38” or about the same size of most magazines.
Many critics and even loyalists complain about the overly large screen, which makes it seem like a tablet but without the apps and functionalities to go with it. Many fans however love the bigger screen size, which makes it easier for them to breeze through their downloaded content.
A year later, Amazon released the Kindle DX Graphite, which saw the signature white casing of the four versions turn to a grayish black. The E Ink displays the main feature of this version, which improves the contrast ratio by 50%. The dark-colored encasing is also believed to improve the screen contrast, making it easier for users to read content.
Kindle Keyboard
Wasting no time in getting the latest in e-book reader technology to the consumers, Amazon released the Kindle Keyboard on August 2010. This version branches out to two more versions: the Kindle Wi-Fi and the Kindle 3G + Wi-Fi.
Both Kindle Keyboard versions came in two different colors: white and graphite. It is also smaller than its predecessor, the Kindle DX. The new and smaller design has made holding the device for long periods more comfortable than the previous versions, and the six-inch screen was also enhanced to improve readability and screen contrast.
The first ad-supported Kindle also began with these versions, which lowered the standard retail price from $139 to $114 for the Wi-Fi only units. Other special offers were also included later on which further reduced the unit price to only $99.
Kindle 4 aka Kindle Touchless
The first to debut in the Fourth Generation line of Kindle devices is the Kindle 4, which is the most affordable version to date. With the introductory rate of $79 when it came out, many Kindle Keyboard users considered ditching their older devices in lieu of the lighter and smaller Kindle 4.
Unlike all of the earlier versions, the Kindle 4 has no keyboard or a touch screen functionality, which made it very difficult for users to search for e-books in the Kindle Library or to use the device as a web browser. Navigating and typing is solely dependent on the five-way controller, which requires a lot of patience and familiarity for the user to be able to maximize the Kindle 4.
Kindle Touch
The Kindle Touch is the first touch screen device of the Kindle brand that had a lot of observers wondering what the delay was in entering the touch screen world that was already being used extensively by other competitors’ devices.
It is widely accepted though that the quality of the Kindle Touch’s touch screen is well worth the wait. The Kindle Touch comes with 4GB of internal storage space with a battery life that could last up to two months on a single full charge. Users can also choose between a Wi-Fi only device and a unit that can connect to the Internet through either Wi-Fi or 3G networks.
Kindle Fire
The Kindle Fire is the last of the Fourth Generation line that was also released in September 2011 along with the Kindle 4 and the Kindle Touch. Another first for Kindle, this version has a color touch screen and runs using the Android OS.
Now more than just a humble e-book reader, the Kindle Fire functions’ expand to web browsing, movie and video watching, music listening and game playing. In short, the Kindle Fire is now more like a tablet device than an e-book reader and not a lot of people are complaining about the added features.
The Kindle Fire retails at $199 with Wi-Fi connectivity only, a lot cheaper than Apple’s iPad, which sells for $499. With Amazon Prime membership, a user can have access to 50,000 bestselling e-books that they can “borrow” free of charge. Unlike libraries though, there are no due dates.
THE BASICS: KINDLE AND E-BOOKS
Despite’s Kindle’s departure from being a dedicated e-book reader in its last version – the Kindle Fire, it’s main purpose and function is still centered around electronic books, digital versions of publications and newsprints and from the Kindle DX version onwards, academic and personal publications that are in PDF format.
However, if you want to make money off of Kindle content, it’s practical to know the potentials and limitations of the devices so that you can maximize your offering. The extra features may allow you to package what you’re selling more effectively which would greatly help in increasing your profits.
The next sub-chapter will explore the different key features of the Amazon Kindles.
Noteworthy Features of the Kindle
Being able to sell millions of device is not an easy feat but is something that Amazon has been doing with ease ever since the first version of Kindle came out. Of course not all the admiration is without merit. Consumers purchase the Kindle because it satisfies their e-book reader needs better than other e-book readers in the market.
Let’s look at the different features of the Amazon Kindle that millions of users all over the world love and appreciate.
Access to thousands of e-books through the Kindle Store.
Bestsellers and obscure titles alike can be browsed and downloaded from the Kindle Store. Users will be able to see the cover art and e-book description before making a purchase, much like anyone would in a real bookstore.
Moreover, there are other applications or “apps” that allows Kindle users to download a title from their own selection of content. With this much title choices, it’s nearly impossible to not find a book, magazine or article worth downloading.
Versions: All Kindle versions
Portability
Imagine being able to carry hundreds, even thousands of books with you wherever you go. Kindle has made it easier for book lovers to bring with them all of their favorite titles and must-read literature no matter where they go without having to allot massive amounts of space in their bags or luggage. Kindle users no longer have to decide which books in their collection to take on an intimate vacation or on their daily commute to work. Every piece of downloaded reading material is secured in one place.
Version: All Kindle versions
Easy-to-use e-book search and browsing functions.
The available e-books are categorized according to their genres, authors or titles making it extremely easy even for non-“techy” users to navigate through the Kindle Library. Unlike in bookstores where shoppers will have to walk around the store in order to find the title they’re looking for, Kindle only needs its users to either use the control pad or touch screen to browse through the titles lists.
Versions: All kindle versions
Text-to-Speech function