[hughhowey]

A top Amazon author emailed me this morning with a link to a blog post he'd written. The gist of the post is that one of my publishing experiments is paying off, and a theory about why. It's fascinating to read a stranger's take on my work, to get a different perspective. And I think it might help some of you who are writing shorter works and wondering how best to publish them. Well . . . polish them up and get them on the Kindle store, I say! And then write another, and another, and another. And just keep having fun until something starts moving, and then focus on that story!

Here's the blog post:

http://thinkingscifi.wordpress.com/2012/01/09/diverting-the-amazon/

[MrBF1V3]

There is something to be said about making use of the materials at hand, even if they are e-materials. There is a lot being published these days, some of it good. It gets to be a bit daunting. By my count, smashwords is posting near 20 books a day. It hard to get noticed.

Good work there, btw.

B5

[hughhowey]

There is something to be said about making use of the materials at hand, even if they are e-materials. There is a lot being published these days, some of it good. It gets to be a bit daunting. By my count, smashwords is posting near 20 books a day. It hard to get noticed.

Good work there, btw.

B5

It is very hard to get noticed. Truly, the only hope an author has is to write something that stirs the reader's soul, something that has them gaping at the final page, so stunned that they tell a stranger.

And we are so inured by plot twists, by conventions, by simulated forms of violence and love, how are we to move the reader so? Once you've seen a movie where the protagonist's pregnant wife has her head stuffed in a box, driving the man into a murderous rage so keen that he does what he loathes the most: gives his enemy the gift of completion while also the curse of death...

I mean, *SPOILER ALERT* how do you compete with that, or with Bruce Willis being a ghost all along? Or with Ender's simulation not being all that simulated?

This is the challenge for the writer. Sculpt lovely prose, draw the reader in, and give them something their brain cannot contain, something that spreads like a virus.

And hell, I have no idea how you replicate that. It sounds bloody impossible once you spell it out. But I do know the short form has a better chance than the novel. At least, I think that's what I'm figuring out, and what Mr. Cawdron's article alludes to.

[tmso]

But I do know the short form has a better chance than the novel. At least, I think that's what I'm figuring out, and what Mr. Cawdron's article alludes to.

I agree that short stories seem to be making a comeback in the advent of digital readers (and short attention spans), but I hesitate to advise new writers (like me) to just put their stuff out there.

Mr. Cawdron also pointed out all "the deadheads in the trash pulp section".

It may be that your stories are doing well in that section simply because you have managed to stand out from the crowd. A mediocre story probably would languish in the 99 cent pulp section just as much as it would in the $4.99 novel section.

I think it all boils down to the quality of the writing (and editing).

[hughhowey]

Hmm. Some good points.

It sure would be nice to know. You know, so it could be reproduced. :)

[tmso]

It sure would be nice to know. You know, so it could be reproduced. :)

Ha! You are so funny. Don't you see? Your story has touched folks. Enough so that they tell others they should read the stories. It's the whole mysterious 'word-of-mouth' thing KatG is always going on about.

I don't think you can plan that.

Just go with the flow, grasshopper... ;)

[hughhowey]

*bows*

Aye, Sensei.

[Window Bar]

Hugh --

Great article... accurate, too.

Amanda Hocking has employed a similar pricing strategy: relatively short works for a very low price in the fantasy genre--at least for her intro books. And today's news at Smashwords is that Darcie Chan's Mill Creek Recluse has taken the #1 spot at Apple's iBookstore. (Chan's work is full-length, but it's 99 cents, and it's her first venture).

I prefer your own prose to either of the above-mentioned authors, but that's not the point. All of you were unknowns; now all are known. This strategy is natural. It can be compared to musicians who start out in small, inexpensive venues. They build a following... then it's their choice to raise prices if necessary.

My hat is off to you -- WB

[hughhowey]

And I doff my hat to you, WB.

But I really shouldn't be mentioned with those other folk. They seem to know what they're doing! ;)

Edit: I should see if SFFWorld would want to review the Wool series. I haven't contacted any review sites for these books (been too busy writing). Over the weekend, I had a review site contact ME, which has never happened before. I sent them all four books, and gladly. I'll have to make some time to send out feelers, see if I can scare up blurbs for the inevitable "Omnibus Edition." :)

[tmso]

*bows*

Aye, Sensei.

Oh, dear. Not a sensei. More like a slug.

@WB - I saw that email from Smashwords this morning,too, and I read a piece about Chan somewhere (NYTimes online? NPR? a blog?) - and you know what? It gave me hope.

I know it's about having a quality product and getting it out there, but just knowing that she "made" it (and Hugh too) gives me hope. It might be misplaced, but there it is.

Congrats to you, Hugh. I wonder, should you package up Wool (when finished) into a proper novel and make a book/e-book out of it?