Indies Anonymous

Indies Anonymous

A piece of common book industry wisdom frequently cited by self-publishing proponents such as myself has it that there's an anonymous cadre of indie authors quietly making millions on Amazon. This popular bit of publishing lore happens to be true. It also presents indie authors--and the emerging New Scheme of…
October 16, 20176 Comments
Reviews Matter

Reviews Matter

Reader Xavier draw our attention to an older but still relevant article explaining why book reviews are crucial to an author's success. One reason authors may find it such a struggle to get reviews is because readers may not realize how important they actually are. As authors, we know the…
August 31, 20176 Comments
Amazon Keywords

Amazon Keywords

Author David J. West, a.k.a. James Alderdice joined Daddy Warpig, Dorrinal, and myself on Geek Gab to discuss his new book BRUTAL and share his Amazon marketing secrets. In this episode, you will learn: How to pick Amazon keywords to successfully market your book Whether indie authors can benefit from…
August 28, 2017
The Secret Kings Is Free on Amazon

The Secret Kings Is Free on Amazon

A lot of aspiring authors ask me how they can beat the odds and find success as professional writers. One piece of advice I always give is to know your reason for writing. Do you have one big story that you're driven to get off your chest and onto the…
August 25, 2017
Hillary Hard Choices

Kiss Tradpub Goodbye

Evidence continues mounting that indie authors publishing with Amazon have sent the Big Five traditional publishers into a death spiral. An inexorable reality of today’s commercial book publishing world is that it is shrinking. Although there have been no obvious signs yet that actual long-form book reading itself has declined…
August 10, 201710 Comments
I’m Bullish on Amazon, and So Can You!

I’m Bullish on Amazon, and So Can You!

There have been rumblings in the small and indie publishing scene of late foretelling Amazon's imminent lapse into tyranny. "They're just too big!" goes the lament. "With no moral or economic checks on their operation, Amazon is sure to screw authors...somehow!" I've been publishing with Amazon for two years. I…
June 2, 20171 Comment
Amazon Terrifies the Big 5

Amazon Terrifies the Big 5

A friend alerted me to an article published by Vox.com which purports to show that Amazon is an evil monopoly bent on destroying the publishing industry. I greatly enjoyed this story, and not just because it's rife with the usual Amazon zombie memes. Here, Vox.com take their butthurt over the fact…
May 25, 201711 Comments
Amazon’s Civil War

Amazon’s Civil War

The controversy over The Corroding Empire just gets stranger and stranger. Amazon KDP has given Castalia House's new science fiction parody more green and red lights than a drag racing track. First it was thought that the book had been pulled at the behest of Tor Books, publisher of The Collapsing…
March 22, 201714 Comments
Tor Gets Desperate

Tor Gets Desperate

Today I'd intended to do a post signal-boosting the launch of The Corroding Empire from Castalia House. But when I clicked on the link in CH's newsletter, a dog informed me that the book is not to be found on Amazon. I did some digging and found out that failing publisher…
March 20, 201732 Comments
Amazon Draws Genre Lines

Amazon Draws Genre Lines

Amazon has warned romance authors not to list their books in the science fiction, fantasy, or children's categories. I think this is a smart move on Amazon's part, even though I'm notorious for bending genres in my own books. Proponents of the Pulp Revolution who argue that contemporary genre delineations…
March 9, 20177 Comments