Etsy for Books! I don't really know how Etsy manages the disbursements of earnings, but the model for cooperative indie selling is out there. Picking it apart is the challenge, I guess. If there was a way to automate royalties paying to authors quickly, that would be a cool add-on for the RM bookstore. We've never really put a lot of thought into the ebook market though.
I’m looking at using PayHip with our Mastermind group, but we’re in the early stages of researching the development of a store. The goal would be to sale author signed copies of all our books (each author in charge of their own fulfillment) and selling ebooks via the site.
I think what hits people hardest is that driving traffic takes time and energy. A lot more than people realize. It also takes marketing chops, education, learning - a lot more than people realize. I say this having studied going wide in multiple groups and in an extremely thorough paid course (yup, I'm in AMMO). It is a ton of work.
The 'Zon offers something unique - a massive storefront that lets you drive traffic without as much effort. And for a while, it worked for pretty much everyone.
Now the 'Zon is realizing that their loss leader (because they don't make money on the books) is a bit cumbersome, so like any business they're going to cut things up, ditch things, and shift things around. Because they're allowed to do that, since it is their spot (the downside of being exclusive).
And some of their choices are alienating readers - and also, giving BookTubers things to chew on. Bad press and miffed readers can quickly cause sales to tank.
So that "sure thing" is becoming far less of a sure thing. And the social media algos that favor negativity mean that the things readers dislike about Amazon (again, I'm not defending the 'Zon, there's a lot to dislike) will continually get pushed up the algos. Criticism has always sold, but it does even more so these days.
But the hard thing is that the alternative is a ton of work with potentially little yield. It requires having a lot more books out there to make any kind of a profit (in most circumstances, unless you go all-in for Kickstarters, special editions, Patreon, etc - which are their own kind of extensive work).
I know. Welcome to small biz life. And your words here are gracious. But also, just saying "do direct and/or go wide" is a bit trite for the amount of work it is, and the understanding that with people scattered everywhere to all the sales platforms, it's very challenging to wrangle cats into a specific space.
However, I am a huge fan of doing things to help and serve the author community so that people can take the steps they need to. The shared ebook store around a specific genre or category - like MG fiction - is a great idea. It's inspiring how you step in to do the things, JJ!
You’ve summed up the challenges so well—none of this is easy, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Selling direct or going wide isn’t just a switch you flip; it’s a long-term commitment that takes strategy, trial and error, and a whole lot of patience. And you’re right—Amazon shifting things around is frustrating, but it’s also a reminder that relying too heavily on one platform always comes with risks.
I really appreciate your perspective, especially on how negativity tends to rise to the top in algorithms. The landscape is shifting, and while there’s no perfect answer, having these conversations helps us all figure out what’s next. My goal is really to challenge others to try and think a bit more out of the box. Always appreciate your insight
Yeah, I think I'm going to do a deep dive into this for my paid subs. The more I research into all of this, the messier it gets. And I want to help people find some new solutions that work for them, as well as a little validation for the "it sucks."
It's a bit rough when a populist movement that's "for the people" ... is hurting a lot of micro-business and people because corporations have lawyers and tons of money. *sighs* But all you can do is move forward and create new solutions.
Part of the reason Im not boycotting the zon or hoping on that band wagon. But, if there are options for others to explore, Im all for it. But, it takes work and learning. And that takes time.
If you ever set up an e-store like that I'd love to join it. I'd also love it if Christian Speculative Fiction writers could create their own version of Wattpad/Kindle Vella. I'm so sick of feeling locked out of the serialization world because I refuse to write the filthy smut that permeates these sites. YA and middle grade readers need wholesome alternatives that actually seek to protect them from inappropriate content!
Etsy for Books! I don't really know how Etsy manages the disbursements of earnings, but the model for cooperative indie selling is out there. Picking it apart is the challenge, I guess. If there was a way to automate royalties paying to authors quickly, that would be a cool add-on for the RM bookstore. We've never really put a lot of thought into the ebook market though.
I’m looking at using PayHip with our Mastermind group, but we’re in the early stages of researching the development of a store. The goal would be to sale author signed copies of all our books (each author in charge of their own fulfillment) and selling ebooks via the site.
I think what hits people hardest is that driving traffic takes time and energy. A lot more than people realize. It also takes marketing chops, education, learning - a lot more than people realize. I say this having studied going wide in multiple groups and in an extremely thorough paid course (yup, I'm in AMMO). It is a ton of work.
The 'Zon offers something unique - a massive storefront that lets you drive traffic without as much effort. And for a while, it worked for pretty much everyone.
Now the 'Zon is realizing that their loss leader (because they don't make money on the books) is a bit cumbersome, so like any business they're going to cut things up, ditch things, and shift things around. Because they're allowed to do that, since it is their spot (the downside of being exclusive).
And some of their choices are alienating readers - and also, giving BookTubers things to chew on. Bad press and miffed readers can quickly cause sales to tank.
So that "sure thing" is becoming far less of a sure thing. And the social media algos that favor negativity mean that the things readers dislike about Amazon (again, I'm not defending the 'Zon, there's a lot to dislike) will continually get pushed up the algos. Criticism has always sold, but it does even more so these days.
But the hard thing is that the alternative is a ton of work with potentially little yield. It requires having a lot more books out there to make any kind of a profit (in most circumstances, unless you go all-in for Kickstarters, special editions, Patreon, etc - which are their own kind of extensive work).
I know. Welcome to small biz life. And your words here are gracious. But also, just saying "do direct and/or go wide" is a bit trite for the amount of work it is, and the understanding that with people scattered everywhere to all the sales platforms, it's very challenging to wrangle cats into a specific space.
However, I am a huge fan of doing things to help and serve the author community so that people can take the steps they need to. The shared ebook store around a specific genre or category - like MG fiction - is a great idea. It's inspiring how you step in to do the things, JJ!
I think your idea of an online storefront
You’ve summed up the challenges so well—none of this is easy, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Selling direct or going wide isn’t just a switch you flip; it’s a long-term commitment that takes strategy, trial and error, and a whole lot of patience. And you’re right—Amazon shifting things around is frustrating, but it’s also a reminder that relying too heavily on one platform always comes with risks.
I really appreciate your perspective, especially on how negativity tends to rise to the top in algorithms. The landscape is shifting, and while there’s no perfect answer, having these conversations helps us all figure out what’s next. My goal is really to challenge others to try and think a bit more out of the box. Always appreciate your insight
Yeah, I think I'm going to do a deep dive into this for my paid subs. The more I research into all of this, the messier it gets. And I want to help people find some new solutions that work for them, as well as a little validation for the "it sucks."
It's a bit rough when a populist movement that's "for the people" ... is hurting a lot of micro-business and people because corporations have lawyers and tons of money. *sighs* But all you can do is move forward and create new solutions.
Part of the reason Im not boycotting the zon or hoping on that band wagon. But, if there are options for others to explore, Im all for it. But, it takes work and learning. And that takes time.
If you ever set up an e-store like that I'd love to join it. I'd also love it if Christian Speculative Fiction writers could create their own version of Wattpad/Kindle Vella. I'm so sick of feeling locked out of the serialization world because I refuse to write the filthy smut that permeates these sites. YA and middle grade readers need wholesome alternatives that actually seek to protect them from inappropriate content!
I agree. Im researching some things…
'What if a group of authors joined forces to create a shared ebook store?'
I saw a group do this a few years ago, but they went wide, trying to create a more author friendly Amazon alternative that any author could submit to.
Actually, there were two in the same year. One was exclusively for Christian books and the other was for everyone.
The latter lasted longer, but lost momentum. The former disappeared.
Are you speaking more specifically of a small group of authors creating a shop for their own works?