How Many Book Reviews Do You Need Before Amazon Promotes You?

So, you have a book available for sale on Amazon. Congratulations! However, you soon begin to realize that you threw a small rock into a big pond. It might be a great rock. It might even, in fact, be a diamond the size of your fist. The problem is that only a select few people, those already in your audience and whom you have promoted your book to, have seen it. Your ripples, in other words, didn't get you noticed.

Goddammit! My sales rank slipped again.

If you're wondering why your Amazon sales are low, chances are good it's because you aren't pushing the site's red buttons. Or, in technical terms, the activity on your sale page isn't satisfying Amazon's algorithm.

Please The Algorithm, And Sell More Books

For those of you whose eyes glazed over in math class, an algorithm in this sense is a formula used by a search engine to determine how good or bad a given page is. It's like that extremely shallow roommate you used to have who ranked people's value based on an arbitrary measurement of how much they made, how tall they were, and how many Monty Python references they could catch in a single evening. The only difference is the criteria used by an algorithm to determine how good, or how bad, a given page is.

That's why, when you do a Google search, some pages end up at the front of the line, and other pages end up 10,000 pages further along. The algorithm has decided that the pages with the right keywords, a lot of traffic, and regular updates, among other things, are the ones that are the best match for what you're searching for. And when we're talking about Amazon, the algorithm decides what order books show up on in searches, as well as which books appear on the front page, and in the, "customers who bought this also bought X," bar that makes recommendations along the bottom of the screen.

If the Amazon algorithm likes you, it promotes you, and promotion like that translates into more sales. If it makes it easier, think of the Amazon algorithm as the bouncer at the bestseller club. If you make it your friend, and it decides it likes you, not only will it let you in, but it will call you out of line, and tell you to go straight to the VIP lounge for being such a great author.

So, how much will it cost me?

Sadly, the loyalty of the Amazon algorithm cannot be bought. Nor can it be manipulated, since Amazon keeps the details of what the algorithm looks for a closely-guarded company secret. However, if you want to get the algorithm on your side, there are some things you can do.

#1: Sell Books

In some ways the algorithm is a self-perpetuating cycle. If you sell books, then the algorithm notes that you're a high-selling product, and it promotes you. While this might not help you much right now, it will be an aid if you start picking up consistent sales with the other tips.

#2: Keywords and Ranking

What's true at Google is true on Amazon; sometimes it's all about your tags. If you write in a niche genre, and you climb to the top of that genre's charts, then you're more likely to get extra attention. For example, you might be in the top 50,000 in sci-fi, but you're top 10 in steampunk. So that gives you an advantage. And, of course, if you have a title, a genre, or something else (like your name) that's getting searched a lot, that's going to increase your ranking as well. Because...

#3: Activity

This is where we get down to the bone and marrow. If your page gets a lot of traffic, even if you're making few sales, Amazon is going to notice that. If you change your price (especially if you make your book cheaper for a time), that could gain you some traction. That strategy should only be used every 6 weeks or so, though, according to The Book Designer. But one of the biggest, most important things you can do when it comes to activity on your book, is getting it reviewed.

Every time someone reviews your book, that's like refreshing your standing with the algorithm. It's significant activity that shows people are paying attention, and if people are looking at something, Amazon wants to sell it to them. And if enough of that activity builds up, Amazon is going to start letting your book cut to the front of the line, and featuring it near other titles, since it's clear people are reading it, and that it's popular.

How Many Book Reviews Do You Need?

The magic number, according to a lot of authors is around 50. According to R. R. Virdi (whose Amazon author page you should really check out), there is a definite difference in how Amazon treats you when you have 50 reviews, as opposed to only 10 or 20. That includes showing up higher in search results, as well as finally appearing alongside some of your competition when it comes to their pages.

Which is why I'd be much obliged, if I could persuade you to stop on by?

So, with that in mind, I'd like to remind my readers that if you love noir, steampunk, and stories that will gently wrap their fingers around your heart before squeezing till it pops, check out my book New Avalon: Love and Loss in The City of Steam. The first two stories are free, and it's part of Kindle Unlimited. If you do get your hands on it, please leave a review. Good, bad, ugly, or otherwise, I'd be pleased to hear your thoughts.

As always, thanks for stopping in to check out this week's Business of Writing post. Also, if you'd like to help keep this blog going strong, why not head over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to toss a little bread in the jar? As little as $1 a month will have a big impact, and it will get you a free book to boot! Lastly, if you haven't done so yet, please follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter to stay up-to-the-minute on all my latest.

Why "Fake It Till You Make It" Is Great Advice For Authors

Do you know who Hulk Hogan is? Chances are the name makes you think of a guy who used to be famous for terrible action movies and speedo-theatre (professional wrestling for the lay person), but who is now famous for being on reality TV and making you feel better about your own life decisions. However, did you ever ask how a tow-headed lunk from muscle beach managed to earn the moniker "Hollywood Hulk Hogan" in the first place?

Because he told everyone he was famous, and after a little while they believed him.

Would someone who isn't a superstar ever dress like this?

There's slightly more to the story than that (Hogan still had to go to the gym, work out, develop a persona, etc.), but a great deal of Terry Gene Bollea's success seems to have been derived from his tendency to walk into a place like he was the most important person there.

Authors could learn a lot from this muscle-bound lug's career approach.

Becoming A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

It takes a lot of swagger to walk into a room like you belong there. If you mix that self-confidence with charisma and a touch of professionalism, though, then you have a cocktail which will get you everywhere you want to be. Want to set up a book signing at a local store? Chances are good that a smile and a "I'm here to help you" attitude will make it happen. Do you want to become a panelist at a convention? Contacting the head of programming with a can-do attitude and a hearty handshake accomplishes wonders. Want a job working for a particular publication or website? Kick in the door, and ask for it. It's astonishing how often they say yes.

I'd like benefits, and a cut of the AdSense earnings, too!

This attitude sounds like something that won't work if you don't have a six-figure deal, talk show interviews, and a Big Name publisher at your back, but it's surprising how often you can get the things you want with moxie, flair, and by convincing other people that you are doing them a favor (and by that I mean actually giving someone the impression that you're helping, instead of saying those words to them in the tone of "you owe me for this"). In fact, sometimes all you have to do is speak clearly, logically, and with professionalism to make people think you're the next big thing.

Why does that work? Well...

Because Most People Have No Idea Who Is And Isn't Important

In my long-ago blog entry Things You Should Never Say To A Writer, I mentioned that one of the most irritating questions you can be asked is, "Have you written anything I may have seen?" The reason this is irritating is because it challenges you to prove that you are someone famous enough to be legitimate... but the flip side of it is that most people will hear the word "author" and be impressed instead of skeptical. You can use that to your advantage.

So you're like... published, and stuff?

It's all about presentation. If you show up confident, friendly, and with a few novels, collections, or anthology credits under your belt, it doesn't matter if you're not an international best-seller... you're an author. Maybe you can add additional angles by billing yourself as a sci-fi author, or a local author, to make you more appealing to the people you need to impress. And if you are sitting at a table with copies of your book(s) for sale, ready to sign them, then a lot of people are going to come over to see what all the fuss is about.

After all, you're an author, and since you're there in the flesh you can pitch to your future fans just why they should start reading your book(s) today.

Network, Hobnob, And Step Into Those Big Shoes

One book signing isn't going to make your career. One interview in the local paper isn't going to catapult you to fame and fortune. However, every time you show up to an event you meet new people (fans and event coordinators alike). You hand out more business cards, get people to at least look at your book (even if they don't buy one), and your reputation grows a little bit more. If you can keep up your Rolling Stone impression, then it's just a matter of time before you start running into people who see you as a regular. Those people will introduce you to their friends, and their friends will bring their friends, and pretty soon you're getting invites to appear at more events, you have people asking you back, and suddenly you're not faking it anymore; you've become the person you told everyone you were.

Just don't forget to keep writing books while you're doing all this.

Would you like a free book? I have a special event going on right now, and you can get all the details right here! If you want to catch all my updates then be sure to follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter, and if you want to support The Literary Mercenary just drop in on my Patreon page!

Sell More Books (By Always Being Ready To Sell More Books)

I'd like to start this week's entry off with a story. There's a local Chinese buffet in my town, and when I have a big story on my mind along with a big hole in my stomach I like to go there with a writer friend of mine to talk over plot while eating until I feel I have ingested my money's worth. Several years ago I was engaged in this pleasant past time, and discussing a novel idea I was contemplating. We were going back and forth on the finer points of plot when a woman I'd never met before stopped at our table and asked what we were talking about.

"We're writers," my friend said with a pleasant smile.

"Oh," our guest said, returning the smile in kind. "Are you working on a book?"

"Indeed we are," I said.

Right here is what professional authors whose books aren't flying off the shelves refer to as the sweet spot (or some variation thereof). What I had was a total stranger who had approached me of her own volition, and who was interested in my craft. The appropriate response for such a chance encounter would be to perhaps ask if she liked to read science fiction or fantasy (I had a story of each genre available for sale at the time), and if she was a fan of either/both genres to hand her a business card and tell her to take a look at my work. Perhaps I could even go so far as to offer her a free digital copy for finding the author "in the wild" instead of at an event.

That isn't what happened, though. Instead we all sat in a slightly awkward silence before she walked off, and my friend and I went back to our food and our conversation.

Five minutes later, I did this.

It's all too easy to let yourself sink into a routine, as an author. When you go to a book signing event, or you're at a convention as a panelist or a guest, you've got your professional face on. You're there to show people how awesome you are, and if all goes well to persuade them to buy a copy of everything you've ever had published. When you're just living your day-to-day life, though, you tend to leave your game face at home.

If you want to sell more books, don't do that.

I'm not saying that you should carry a briefcase with a full press kit in it everywhere you go, but it's a good idea to keep your professional face in your back pocket along with a few business cards and maybe a promotional bookmark or two. When you're at a bookstore or a convention you're fighting for attention, and it's kind of like you're one of a hundred other people in an orange vest during deer season. You're competing with all these other head hunters, and the readers know you're gunning for them. But if someone just walks up to you at a party, in the park, or in a restaurant it's like you're sitting on your back porch, rifle over your knees, and a deer just walks right out of the woods and stood there in your sights.

So what's your book about?

There's another benefit to this author-in-the-wild setup as well. At a convention, a book signing, or any other event, you're an expected presence. Finding an author at a convention is about as surprising or unusual as finding an 80s action movie on TV on a weekday afternoon. This means that unless you pull out all the stops and make a big impression you're going to fade into the background.

Meeting an author in a place you don't expect to meet one, though, makes the experience special. It's like how seeing a tiger at the zoo is no big deal, but seeing one while you're at the coffee shop is something you're going to talk about for weeks. As a tiger who writes books, this can be a huge advantage for you. Not only will you have no competition for a reader who is enthralled that a creature like you can be found in such a normal place, but that reader is more likely to tell other people about you. Whether she has a few friends in a reading group, or a thousand followers on Facebook is impossible for you to know. If you send her away with your business card, a smile, and the promise of a free book, however, you're a lot closer to finding a fan (and even better a fan that will talk about you) than you were five minutes ago.

While we're on the subject of selling books...

As a closer, did you know that May is National Short Story Month? As my last post for the month I'd like to let all my readers know that my new book New Avalon: Love and Loss in The City of Steam is now available! You can find it, along with a dozen other books, on my Amazon author page. The first two stories are free, so why not click over and see if this is the book you've been looking for?


As always, thanks for stopping in! If you'd like to support me and my blog, stop by The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a patron today! If you want to make sure you don't miss any of my updates then follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and even on Twitter.

Do Book Series Really Sell More Books Than Stand-Alone Novels?

I'd like to start this week's post off by reminding everyone that May is national short story month. If you want to get into the spirit of the holi-month, then take a look at New Avalon: Love and Loss in The City of Steam!

You get two stories free, but be careful, this book has teeth!

Now that I've done my duty and informed you of that tasty little tidbit, let's move onto this week's topic, shall we?

Do Novel Series Sell Better Than Stand-Alones?

With the jaw-dropping success of books like A Song of Ice and Fire or Harry Potter, to say nothing of The Hunger Games or The Wheel of Time, lots of authors with money on their minds are eyeing the series as a way to get their hands on fat stacks of greenbacks. All they need to do is pull a J.K. Rowling and, bam, they're sipping champagne on Good Life Beach.

Dibs on the blue one!

This logic isn't wrong... the problem is, of course, that the chances of your book series being the next Harry Potter is about the same as you picking a particular grain of sand out of the above picture. While we know that in the thinky-thinky parts of our brains, we often don't really come to terms with it until we've launched out boats and watched them sunk in the Amazon sea.

Is It Really A Better Idea To Write A Series?

Here's how the logic goes for authors who want to write a series as a way to sell more books. You tell a story that will take somewhere between three and twelve books, and by hooking readers with one book you'll make sure they keep coming back every time you put out a new one. You won't just sell a few extra copies of your previous books; you'll sell every previous book because people want to get caught up on your series as a whole.

That sound pretty straightforward, doesn't it? Before you start jotting notes on book four's plot arc, though, you need to ask yourself:

- Does your story require a series?

- Do you have the staying power to write a series?

- What if your first book flops?

These are some serious questions you need to answer before you start working on that 10-book monster between your ears. Nothing is worse than writing a series that leads off strong, but where character arcs meander, the thread of the plot gets lost, and your cast has to re-hash things that have already been solved in past installments. Coming in at second and third place in the awful-shit trifecta is an author that doesn't have the muscle to keep a series going, or who pins an entire career on a series that brains itself on the concrete fresh out of the gate.

We know what the best-case scenario for a series is; you sell a million copies, tell your manager to suck it, and get a contract guaranteeing you a six-figure advance for the next three books in your series. But what about the worst-case scenario? What do you do when you pour everything into the knock-out punch that is your first book, only to get a sea of form rejection letters? Do you work on book two of the series hoping the first one will eventually get picked up, thereby putting all of your chips on black? Or do you move on to a different project and then try to get your series published later?

Overlooked Truths

It's true that by writing a series of books you will have a bigger product on the market for your readers to check out. But the question you need to ask is whether or not a trilogy of books, or a five book series, will sell better than three or five stand-alone novels. Maybe it will, and maybe it won't. What if those novels are set in a shared world, so they get the benefits of cameos and tie-ins without sharing a plot? What if they're in different genres, which results in you drawing fans from different spectra?

What if you gave away a free gun to every 500th reader?

The point is there is no guaranteed way to sell more books, except to write more books and to write them well. The number of books you sell is dictated by your fan base, and how famous you are. That's why you could write a fantastic story of love and triumph, a riveting tale of heroism under fire, and you will still be out-sold by Jenny McCarthy.

Can you sell a huge number of books with a series? Sure you can! But it pays to look at the potential your series has to fail, as well as the potential it has to rise. If you're already established, you have an agent, or you have a company that is more than happy to take your series as you finish it, then that's probably a good investment. If you don't... well, you might be in for a very rude awakening.

My recommendation? Try a stand-alone first. If you really want to be adventurous then write a book that can stand on its own, or which can become the first in a series. That way if it does well you can keep going, and if it bombs you can move onto the next project without tying your next half dozen projects to a book that some publishers (and readers) may consider a boat anchor.

If you'd like to support this blog then make sure you stop by The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page and become a patron today! If you want to make sure you catch all of my updates then be sure to follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and now on Twitter as well!

The Elevator Pitch: What It Is and Why You Need One

Every author dreams of finding themselves talking to a publisher who's a big deal. The kind of person who could open up a cell phone, call an assistant, and have a five-figure contract in your hands by tomorrow if he likes your idea. Maybe you're at a cocktail party and you just said something really witty, and he wipes a tear from his eye, gives you a smile, and says, "So, tell me about your book." This is it, the moment when you get a chance to hook that big fish, but you can see someone else making a beeline for him. You know you've got thirty seconds, maybe a minute, before the big deal's attention will move on and you'll be lost in the shuffle.

So what do you say?

The Elevator Pitch

The term elevator pitch has been used for decades because it refers to the scenario where you and the aforementioned important publisher are in an elevator. He's going up to his floor and you have between now and the time he gets there to sell him on your book. What you don't want is to be reaching for a good explanation, tossing in buzzwords, or rambling through the entire plot. You want something short, sweet, concise, and engaging.

In short, you want a hook.

Tell me more.

That's the whole point of your elevator pitch; you want your audience hooked on what you just said. You could go on at length about how your main character is a demon who is summoned by a young girl and bound into service to help her find a mysterious artifact of power, and how your lead has to contend with other persons who want the same item, but you'll start losing the thread of the tale and your listener will wander away. Instead you should say something like this:

"My novel is a gritty crime thriller in the spirit of The Maltese Falcon, if Sam Spade was a demon."

Whether modern fantasy is your genre or not, that is the kind of line that is going to make people stop and blink for a second or two. That's the reaction you want.

Elevator Pitches Are For More Than Just Publishers

Getting your book published is just the first step; you're going to have to help sell it too. That's why you don't want to hang up your elevator pitch just because your book is newly minted and breathing on the shelves. If it worked once then there's no reason it won't work again. And again. And again.

So what is this thing about?

The number of times you are going to be asked by people what your book is about is legion. Casual acquaintances, complete strangers, and everyone in between is going to ask you some variation of the question within ten minutes of learning you've had a book published. If your elevator pitch got a professional publisher interested then it should work great when you're being interviewed, when you're trying to hand sell your book at a convention, or when you just want to leave someone with an itch in their head to know more about what your book is really about.

Your book is an infinitely complex tale, and everyone is going to have a favorite character, moment, or scene. Your job is to be the travel agent and to find the hook that gets every reader to want to travel to this mythical land you've created.

Speaking of which, would you like to read a story about a budding romance between two young journalists forced onto a knife edge in the flickering light of the silver screen? Then check out Double Feature, my contribution to American Nightmare.

You know you want to...

As always thanks for stopping by The Literary Mercenary, and if you find the advice herein helpful stop by my Patreon page and consider becoming a patron today! Also if you want to get all of my updates then you should make sure to follow me on both Facebook and Tumblr so you don't miss a thing.

How to Make Money on Your Blog With Affiliate Marketing

The secret to making money as a writer is simple; you have to sell something. If you write fiction you need to publish books people will pay money for. If you run a website, magazine, or newspaper then you need to charge readers a subscription fee for the content you create. If you have a big following you might even create a Patreon page (more about those here) so that people can donate to you as an artist. You can even put ads on your blog, as I have here at The Literary Mercenary, so that when your viewers click an ad you get a small fee for being an effective advertiser.

Or you could just sell products directly by becoming an affiliate marketer.

What The Hell is an Affiliate Marketer?

If you've never heard of affiliate marketing let me break it down for you. Companies like Amazon or Smashwords want to sell products. Because these companies cannot do all of their own marketing they ask affiliate marketers to help out. These marketers try to sell products by going to forums, running blogs, and just generally spreading the good word about products they like. After a sales pitch or a good review an affiliate marketer leaves a link. People who click that link will be taken to a page where they can buy the product, and the affiliate marketer gets a small cut of every product he or she sells.

Simple, right?

Wat?

Al right, let's try an example. Let's say I wanted to try and sell more copies of the anthology Shadows of a Fading World, which has my short story "Paths of Iron and Blood" in it. I would tell my readers the anthology is an astonishingly solid collection of post-apocalyptic sword and sorcery stories, and that the contributors channel the skill of the masters while still creating unique stories that will hold readers captivated. I would make sure readers knew Amazing Stories thought this collection was top-notch work, and link them to the review here.

After I'd given my pitch and told them all the great stuff about the book I'd show the reader the cover, and provide them a buy link like this one:

Buy your copy of Shadows of a Fading World today!

And Then Money?

That's the idea. If you make your pitch for whatever it is you're selling and people follow your link to buy it, then you're entitled to your cut. If you only sell a few copies then you'll probably only get about 4% of what you're selling (in the case of this anthology that's about $0.16 per copy you sell), but the more you sell the bigger the percentage you get paid.

And if you're selling your own books then you get paid twice; an affiliate marketing cut and a royalty check. That's what we call a win-win.

Isn't That Kind of Unethical?

Let me remind you that this is the main picture I use to represent my blog.

Does this scream "Paragon of Virtue" to you?

Kidding aside, marketing is kind of a cut-throat endeavor. It's your job to stand up on a platform, shout until you get people's attention, earn their trust, and then persuade them to buy something. Even if you have a quality product you really believe in, and everything you tell your readers is perfectly true the fact remains that your goal is to persuade them to buy something so you can earn a commission.

It should also be noted that even if you lie through your teeth and get people to buy a product that's total shit you still get paid.

It's All A Numbers Game

If you're an author with a blog chances are good you're always trying to sell books. You'll try to mention your books in every other entry, and sometimes you'll dedicate entire entries to your creative process to entice readers with your latest release. You might even put in a link taking them directly to a sales page in the hopes they'll buy a copy. If you're already putting in that much effort then why not get paid twice for it?

There's no rule that says you have to become an affiliate marketer. Just as there's no rule that says you have to accept donations, put ads on your blog, or set up a Patreon account. But if you're serious about making money from your blog and selling more books then you might want to give it some serious thought. If you want to become an Amazon affiliate then check out this link, and if you're more interested in Smashwords marketing then stop by this link.


Thank you as always for dropping by The Literary Mercenary. If you'd like to support me then please feel free to click the "Shakespeare Gotta Get Paid, Son!" button to make a donation, or drop by my Patreon page to become a patron today. An extra thank you for all those who purchase a copy of Shadows of a Fading World, and I hope you have as much fun in the reading as I had in the writing!