Labels
Posted by

Kindle Singles - The Application Process and My Experience

I've received a lot of great feedback on SWEPT AWAY, my first published Kindle Single. Here is how I found out about the program, and what the application process was like.

In an effort to improve traffic to episode 3 of my serial, I searched the web for guidance on choosing keywords. One of the tools available to Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) authors is the ability to assign seven tags, or keywords, to your publication. 

 In their Help section Amazon explains it this way: 
In order to list your title in certain sub-categories, you'll need to add Search Keywords in addition to the categories you choose for your title. Click a category in the list below to see the keyword requirements. The browse categories listed below are specific to Amazon.com with the exception of the Romance and Science Fiction & Fantasy categories which are also available for Amazon.co.uk.

Romance

Science Fiction & Fantasy

Children's

Teen & Young Adult

Mystery, Thriller, & Suspense

Comics & Graphic Novels

Literature & Fiction

Erotica
Religion & Spirituality
Business & Money

Restricted Categories

There are a few categories in the Kindle Store which are restricted and may not be enabled by publisher choice.


- Kindle Singles


- Kindle Serials

- Single Issue Comics

- Kindle Short Reads

I didn't think my original keywords were making it easier for Amazon customers to find ESCAPE FROM NEW ORLEANS. The keywords included: hitman, love, sex, action romance, romantic science fiction, action adventure.

 In my web search, I found this great video by +Jason Matthews - Amazon Keywords for Books and Authors.
 

Based on the information in that video, I was able to increase from three to nine the number of categories appearing in Look For Similar Items by Category.  You can find this section at the bottom of any product page (as an example, here a link to my episode.  


My new keywords now included: action romance, love, hitman, pulp, thriller, soldier, military. 

 I had forgotten about Devin Wayne's military background, and how many of the scenes in the episode had a battle-between-two-ex-soldiers feel to them. 

With the change in keywords, the episode was now listed in these categories: 

 I was ecstatic. But I also noticed that among the new categories was Kindle Short Reads > 45 minutes (22-32 pages) > Science Fiction & Fantasy.

If you go to one of these pages you may notice, on the left hand side, a link that says Kindle Singles. 

 Although the idea made sense immediately, I had never heard of Kindle Singles. So of course, I searched the web, and it wasn't hard to find the following:

 Amazon launched Kindle Singles on January 26, 2011.

 It's pretty easy to submit KDP publications to the Kindle Singles program. 

 Press about the program has included articles published in

 Digital Book World - 

Koontz Kindle Single Jumps up Ebook Best-Seller List, Hachette Holds on


 The Guardian -
The big short – why Amazon's Kindle Singles are the future

 The New York Times - Amazon Broadens Its Terrain

 And Wired - 
Amazon Launches Kindle Singles, Saves Long-Form Journalism

 I even found a couple of interesting posts by lesser known people and organizations, including one with this eye catching title Exclusive: How Much Do Kindle Singles Authors Make?

 On July 25, 2014, I nominated ESCAPE FROM NEW ORLEANS via email. Here are the submission guidelines:   
How to submit We will consider ebooks recently published via Kindle Direct Publishing, manuscript submissions, or pitches.

  • To nominate your self-published book, simply email us at kindle-singles@amazon.com and include the title, ASIN, and a brief summary.
  • If the work is not yet published, you can submit a manuscript or a detailed pitch for your Kindle Single. Send as much material as you have available to kindle-singles@amazon.com and include your name and a writing sample. 
  • All manuscripts submitted as attachments must be accompanied by a cover letter with a detailed summary of the submission. 
  • Writers or publishers wishing to propose an idea for a Kindle Single can write to our editors at kindle-singles@amazon.com.
As the instructions state, I included my episode's Title, ASIN, and Summary.

 Here is the complete email: 
ASIN: B00LOYV3WU






KDP Support emailed a response to me the next morning. 

 My proposal had been forwarded to Kindle Singles editors for review. 

Sales of both SWEPT AWAY and ESCAPE FROM NEW ORLEANS have been increasing steadily. 

 I will send out a notice and further information when I receive a decision regarding my submission to the Kindle Singles program. 
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts