From Sandra Hutchinson, Sheer Hubris Press:
Sandra Hutchison interviews the ever-entertaining multi-genre author Steve Vernon about his experiences with Kindle Scout, the challenges of publishing across genres, his reviewing habits, and more.
Steve, you used Kindle Scout to successfully win a contract for your book KELPIE DREAMS, but I know that wasn’t your first try. What are your tips for those who want to try that?
First, write the very best book you can write. Try to make it marketable. Kindle Scout is simply a thirty day pitch to the world’s largest digital publisher – Amazon. Kindle Press (which is the publishing arm that actually publishes winning Kindle Scout novels) wants a book that is going to sell. So, if you have decided that you want to write something that is intense and personal and complex and damn near unreadable – DON’T BOTHER TRYING TO PITCH IT TO KINDLE SCOUT!
Or, maybe you should.
Why?
Well, really for me the very best way to think of Kindle Scout is like this. Kindle Scout is the a thirty-day extension to your book launch. Think of it as a pre-pre-order.
It works this way: You enter your book into Kindle Scout. You then have a thirty-day window to try to draw as much attention, in the form of nominations and views, to your book. If it’s selected, you get a $1500 advance and a chance to sell a whole lot more copies. The readers who nominated your book receive free copies – which can lead to a sudden boost in reviews.
BUT – if you AREN’T selected for Kindle Press publishing, you still have a note that you write ahead of time to your readers that can be used to notify them when you actually release your book. If you release it as a KU release you have the ability to set a free giveaway on your first few days of release and thus you have the ability to give away a whole lot more copies, boost your ranking and (hopefully) boost your initial flow of reviews.
I could talk a whole lot more about Kindle Scout – but let me just sum it all up by saying YES, I would do it again. The experience has been a good one for me and it continues to be good.
Link to the rest at Sandra Hutchinson, Sheer Hubris Press
Here’s a link to Steve Vernon’s books. If you like an author’s thoughts, you can show your appreciation by checking out their books.
I plan to submit my next novel to KS in hopes that will lead to some exposure with Thomas & Mercer for my work.
I’ve actually been considering KS, which is weird because I’m so in love with being in control. Still, there’s a lure there. Having work looked at and judged, then selected or not, brings challenges to the whole project that seems like it might be fun, particularly since it’s for words and work that come from inside.
Much as I like Amazon and the concept of the Kindle Scout (and I really do like it), I haven’t tried it because I’m afraid I might actually get accepted. I’ve gotten too used to the freedom of self-publishing, I guess. (Never thought I’d type those words back when I first started writing “professionally” in 2003.)