Author Website Service - Books.by

Hello, good people of the blogosphere! I bet you all missed me like crazy, huh? Well, I missed THIS. Once we got moved, our renovation wasn't done, so I took hold of the job and bossed a lot of people around for a number of weeks. It finished pretty quickly after that. Now, we're somewhat settled and getting into a routine, so I'm back, like I said last week. Man, it's good to be back and giving you all something worth reading.

Soooooo... Today, we're gonna look at one of those author website offerings called Books.by. These guys say they outdo Amazon for self publishers because they don't take a portion of your sales. Let's check them out and do some math, shall we? Here's what their homepage looks like:

I closed the popup, and you can see the tabs at the top. We'll go through each one then math ourselves into a coma after we scroll down the page a bit. Sound good?

Scrolling down, I see this:

It seems like these folks are loving the platform, so I did a little digging. Claire Messud is indeed an author (here's her Wiki page), but her website looks a bit like a shell. For a woman that's published at least ten novels, it seems as though nothing is clickable. Only one of her books is listed on her Books.by page.

Author John Buck seems like a real author, too, and all his books are on editing.

This search sent me down the mother of all rabbit holes. Apparently, the site is owned by Tablo Publishing. You should check this Reddit thread out. Also check out this page on Kindlepreneur (they mathed, too, but not as hard as I math below). 

Also, what's with this math on the homepage?

That math ain't mathing... $31 for each sale? Something's rotten in the state of Denmark, y'all, and I'm fairly certain it ain't the fish.

Anyway, you can go down your own rabbit hole, but let's move on to the About Us page! Right away, we get this cartoon talking about royalties disappearing.

Snark. They go on to talk about how they were founded in 2022 and tell you very little about their pricing structure. You all know me. I ONLY look at the math when I'm thinking about a service. By the way, in case I didn't say, they ONLY do paperbacks. If we keep scrolling down, we see another math equation. 22 books sold, and 963 in royalties. This one is $41 per book. Um... What? I can't get a reader to pay $20 for a paperback, never you mind $30 or more. WTF?

Okay, so enough of that crazy mathing. Let's move on to the FAQ page. Jeebus. Okay, so I scrolled down a little and found a TOY! Oooooooh! A royalties calculator. Let's click it!!! I'm so excited right now.

Clicked it. Here's the link in case you want to check it out. Probably not, but hey, I give you options, right? There's a lot of information to fill out here, so I'm gonna just pop some numbers in based on one of my books currently published with *gasp* Amazon. Here's what it says:

You can also choose either to charge the customer an ADDITIONAL $5 for shipping or let them take it out of your royalties. That brings the number down to $3.83 paid to you, and for the customer with Prime, they just spent an extra $5.

So, what does Amazon send me when someone pays $19.99 for that massive paperback (on Amazon, mind you, not for other marketplaces)?

Also, my customer gets free shipping, and I don't PAY for the site use other than the fees. We'll be tacking that on in a moment. Isn't this fun?

Their Printing tab just goes over sizes, so we're skipping that one. It's boring.

Royalties tab is the same calculator they sent me to before. Skipping that screenshot, too, because you already have it. haha. ha.

Reviews! Yay! Let's take a look at them. Okay, I literally loaded all of them. None of the reviewers have given fewer than three stars (I refuse to buy from any website where all the reviews are praise). That's weird. I'm going to run an analysis on the page and see what we get. Hang on. INTERESTING. Here are my results:

Now, is it conceivable that with only 239 reviews, that many people have the exact same name? When it looks like a coincidence, it's usually a lie. BTW, there were also a TON of variations on each of those names, and I didn't list all the 3s. Sheesh.

Let's go on to the pricing page and REALLY dig into the math, shall we?

Well, here's where I hit a wall--a paywall. If you don't give them that $99 (right now--it's usually $199--or is this just some cheesy, ongoing "promotion" to drive sales?), you can't see more. I wonder if you get charged per title over X number of titles. That would be helpful to know. I have 52 titles. Ha.

Anyway, that's neither here nor there. Let's base it off the $99 per-year subscription fee.

Okay, so at $99 per year, you'd need to sell at least 26 books at $19.99 (with you paying the shipping, which gets you $3.83 per book) to make up your overhead. Those 26 books do NOT count towards royalties you earn because it's a fee. For a site that says they don't charge fees for sales, that's pretty substantial.

Once the price goes up to its usual $199, you'll have to sell a minimum of 52 books before you make a single dollar. Of course, if you're getting $41 per book sold, you can recoup that in no time. *more snark*

Amazon charges me $7.72 to print my book. Books.by charges me $10.28.

Now THAT math is mathing. 

It seems like these guys have found an angle that sells, but you always need to be looking at the math. Don't get taken advantage of.

They say, "You're driving all the traffic and still paying a percentage, but we don't do that." It's a lie. They're still taking a fee, even if it's hidden in that $10.28 AND the yearly fee.

I hope you all got something out of this post. I know I learned a lot by writing it, and it pissed me off a lot, too. Y'all know how much I despise companies that take advantage of Indie authors. We have enough to deal with.

Well, that's all for today, folks!

Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo 

The Indie Author's Guide to Creating a Great Book - Manuscript

Hello, everyone, and happy Monday! I was right! I'm back. I also have my book ready to go. I did take a few links out that were no longer working, but I didn't update a ton of stuff. Most of it is timeless. Without any ado whatsoever, here's your link to download the PDF of The Indie Author's Guide to Creating a Great Book! 

Get it here.

The Zon can suck it.

I hope you all enjoyed this post! Happy reading. :)

Well, that's all for today, folks!

Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo 

Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia

Hello, good people of the blogosphere! Long time no speak, eh? Well, I've moved, and my house is finally done (it's been done for a minute), but the bigger thing here is: I'm starting to nail down a routine, and it's feeling pretty darn good. All I have left is a minor surgery 11/12, and I'll be back off to the races. I miss my workouts, ya know?

 Today's title is a word that means fear of long words. Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is the second-longest word in the English language. There's your bit of trivia for today (if you can pronounce it, that is).

I've been super busy with work, and I have a new author on board for editing. He'll be releasing his book soon. I'll be sure to share it with you all. It's about addiction and overcoming or succumbing to it. I know it sure pulled at my heartstrings.

That's neither here nor there. I've missed you all, and Monday, I plan to drop that book of mine in its entirety. Yes, I'm still working on that novel I've been promising (psychological thriller in the PPSK series), and you'll get it once I'm done. I'm not rushing it.

I've also finally finished the edit for Recipe for Redemption - Izzy's Story. YAY! It's off to the proofreader for a final looksee. We'll be ready to publish by the beginning of the year, I'm pretty sure. That one is women's fiction, and the first in the series was SO FUN. I have ONE more recipe to finish working out for this book, but I think you'll all salivate over the ones I've completed.

Who doesn't love a cookie?

My day job has been busy, but I'm nearly caught up with that from the move, so we're getting there. I may actually encourage my newest author to start blogging, and if he does that, I'll point you in that direction, too. How fun!

Tricia Copeland has another romance book coming next year under her pen name Maria Jane. That will be hitting my desk on the first of December.

I've also read some really great books, and some serious stinkers lately. One author who hasn't let me down, yet, is Alex Aster. If you haven't read her stuff, do it! 

Bigger news: I believe IBGW is going to start hiring new editors soon. If you're interested, keep an eye on my blog here for instructions on applying. We're a great team, but we're down to just three people, and one of us only does proofreading. *gasp* It's become a struggle, and nobody wants to worry about who'll be available for a proof if they edit.

Anyway, I'm rambling, and I don't want this to get too long. Wonder if there's a word for fear of long blog posts...? :) I'll see you guys next week (we'll say Monday, but I'm not promising Monday) with that book.

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed catching up with me as much as I've enjoyed writing this.

That's all for today, folks! 

Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo 

Print Books and Royalty Rates - Authors (or Readers?) are LOSING

Welcome back, good people of the blogosphere! I'd say happy Friday, but it's been a challenging day so far. Today, I'm going to show SO many of you a side of Indie publishing you may not be aware of and what the current economy has done. I invite you all to join me on this adventure with your warm coffee and sunscreen, because it's HOT outside, and I don't want you getting skin issues. Now, let's dive RIGHT on in.

This should piss EVERYONE off. My issue: I have several books that I make very little on when they sell in print. Here's MY list, but I also have some printed through a different account (one of the other collaborators). I'm sure she hasn't logged in recently, so she probably knows nothing about it.

Right now, let's focus on The Indie Author's Guide. That book is currently listed at $2.99 for an ebook and $6.99 for a paperback.

When I sell an ebook, I make $2.07. Delivery costs are low because the book is small (around three cents), and I get 70% of the profit. Now, when I sell a paperback priced at $6.99, I make $0.50 as of today. That's right, FIFTY CENTS. I kept that number small to keep the cost for other authors LOW. Most people want the print book because you can write in it. Today, I log in and see this:

So either I raise my price for YOU, or I make nothing. How is this okay? As you can see, the book is only 54 pages, because I wanted to keep the fluff to a minimum and sell you a book you can actually use that has relevant information in it that doesn't cost you a ton of money.

My at-cost price has also increased, so I'd have to charge $5 minimum in person just to recoup what I paid to have the book printed and shipped to me.

You don't see them on the list because they're not published under me, but this will also impact the War and Pieces ~ Frayed Fairy Tale series books. Those are also priced as low as possible so you guys don't have to spend so much to get a copy with pretty artwork that I literally spent MONTHS on creating.

So, my solution is: You can just get the information FREE right here on the blog. Yep, that's right, we'll bypass the Zon completely, and I'll post each section of the book here for you to read as you wish. I'm already giving it away after June 10th, so why not?

If you guys can't tell, I'm angry. Grr.

I feel like I need to buy at least one copy of each book just so it doesn't cost ME an arm and a leg to shelve them in my own library (which I haven't done yet). I keep giving them to friends. I know. Don't lecture me.

Readers should be pissed, too. After all, when we start losing money, we have to raise prices or not get paid for our craft. That falls on y'all.

What do you guys suggest I do about the others? All of these are only $6 for a print book right now because I wanted low costs for my readers.

I'm ready to scream.

Deep breath. Release. Cripes on a cracker.

Drop me a comment below with your ideas, so we can all benefit from them, and keep an eye on the blog for that book. ;)

Well, that's all for today, folks!

Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Serials - What Now? 7 Ways to Repurpose Your Serial Novels

Happy Wednesday, good people of the blogosphere! I know it's been super quiet around here the last TWO times I was supposed to be here, BUT I have the best reasons ever. 

My house is now packed and ready to move. That's the first thing, and it happened over the last five days. We were so close, but we were also so far away. Our movers will be here Saturday, and then it's on to Florida. Goodbye weird Georgia weather! :D 

Second, my buddy from NZ was in Atlanta due to a layover on her flight home. If you haven't read any of Tee Ayer's books, you simply MUST. Find her on Amazon here. I spent the day with her. How often do you get a friend in town from halfway around the world? Exactly. My schedule was cleared right away when she told me she'd be here.

Those things meant no blog posts. Talking about those serial novels you have scattered all over your computer that have now gone the way of useless is what was planned, so I'll be diving into that now. I've wasted enough of your time up here. Let's get into the nuts and bolts. Grab that coffee and get to scrolling!

We all heard the collective sigh when Kindle Vella decided to shutter. Now there are all these authors with all these serial novels screaming for a place to go. Here are some ideas to get your novel repurposed and out to the world:

1. Hire an Editor and Package It as a Full-Length Novel or Novella

Combine your serial episodes into a cohesive standalone eBook and/or print edition, save a few of those, and offer the chapters as exclusive bonus chapters or new content to attract previous readers.

2. Host It Independently on Your Website or Blog

Offer chapters one by one via your website or blog to build direct reader engagement. You can monetize through reader donations, subscriptions, or membership tiers (like Patreon or Ko-fi).

3. Create an Email Newsletter Series

Serialize your novel via email, offering weekly episodes to subscribers. This options would build your mailing list and reader loyalty simultaneously.

4. Podcast Serials

You could record and release episodes (chapters) weekly or monthly in audio form via podcast platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Audible, and you can monetize them with sponsorships, donations, or ad revenue. You can also do this with the first book in a series and offer a discount code for the others by selling direct to consumer from your website.

5. Publish on Alternative Serial Fiction Platforms

• Wattpad: Yeah, it's still there! Crazy, right? You can leverage their large user base and active reader communities via Wattpad though.
• Radish: It seems great for monetizing romance or drama serials through reader micropayments.
• Royal Road: New to me, but this one is more for fantasy, sci-fi, or litRPG serials.
• Ream: Ream is specifically designed for authors offering serialized fiction and supports direct reader subscriptions. It seems to be the replacement platform for Vella.

6. Exclusive Content on Patreon or Substack

Offer serialized chapters as exclusive content for paying subscribers, or provide additional incentives like author Q\&A, behind-the-scenes, early access to content, or special editions of other books.

7. Interactive Fiction or Game Adaptation

Turn your already serialized novel into an interactive narrative! I just found out this is possible by using platforms like ChoiceScript or Twine. Pretty cool if you ask me. It might be better if the story isn't done yet, but what have you got to lose? You can engage readers by letting them shape the story as it unfolds.

Many of you might've already uncovered a lot of these, but I truly think it sucks when they yank a carpet you've been riding out from under you. I thought this might be a helpful post, anyway.

Did you get anything out of it or find something you didn't know about? Was there something in there you hadn't considered doing? Do you have something else that's working? Drop a comment so other readers can find it. A rising tide lifts all boats!

Well, that's all for today, folks!

Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Instagram Book Spotlights: Pretty Posts, Zero Sales

Hellooooo! Welcome back to the blog! I'm so excited you're here today because we're talking about Instagram spotlights. Like many of you, I’ve dabbled in book promotion strategies from blog tours, to Facebook ads, to the ever-tempting Instagram book influencer. This post will be a reflection of the latter. You all know I'm out there trying the things so you'll know if they work or not. Yeah, I may lose a little money, but it's a business writeoff for me, and it gives me a ton of first-hand information to pass along to you. You all know how I feel about money. That's probably the most serious topic you'll get from me here. No, I won't name anyone, so don't ask me to. I'm not that guy.

If you're interested in reading more, grab a coffee or a tea, and let's dive right into it.

So, it all started with a DM from an IG account, asking me to DM yet another account (fishy already) and inquire about a book spotlight. I bit. I figured there wouldn't be any sales of my book over that period, but I thought "what the hell" and gave it a go. It at least got me blog fodder. Ha.

That account promised a gorgeous spotlight post and potential visibility to thousands of readers. Man, I was dying at this point to know how much all this was gonna cost me, so I asked. Book promo packages started at like $29 and went up to $99.

For $99, you got a month's worth of posts, one per week, on their page plus one story per week and one highlight that's permanent. Okay, I did that one.

THEN they asked if I also wanted ads. I was like, sure! I mean, why not? We're on a roll.

Remember, I'm prepared to lose this money ahead of time.

Ad sets were an additional $49. We're up to $148, if you're keeping track.

It looked amazing. It got likes. It got comments. It was beautiful. After all, this account had several thousand followers.

Know what it didn’t get? Sales.

How do I know?

Well, like any good writer does when they run a promo, I tracked my sales from day one to day thirty. There wasn't a single sale during that period.

Wanna know what did happen?

SPAM. I got hit from a million sides with requests from accounts offering to host my book on their pages. DMs, comments on images, aggressive people that didn't give up when I politely said no thank you.

I'm talking 15+ messages a DAY.

Guess who followed that account I promoted with? All the people sending me DMs, leaving comments on my stuff, and being aggressive with their marketing. Also probably all previously featured authors. You know that's a pet peeve of mine.

Now, I'm not saying everyone was a total ass when I said no. There were quite a few people who just thanked me and moved on, so that was nice, but the others? Oh. My. Lanta. It was like fending off a herd of starving cats while you're holding a salmon. Sadly, I ended up reporting them as spam to IG.

You all know me. This post isn’t about blaming or shaming influencers. It’s about empowering authors with information. A beautiful spotlight doesn’t guarantee results, especially if the audience isn’t primed to buy. I highly doubt there are 1k+ people who enjoy reading thrillers who are following that account.

As I've always said, put your money where your readers are. Places like Amazon, for example, but pretty much anywhere you can target your readers yourself. So remember:

• IG engagement ≠ book buying behavior.
• Most bookstagram followers are other authors, other influencers, or casual readers, not high-intent shoppers.
• There’s rarely targeting by genre, niche, or intent.

Would I do it again? No. Am I glad I tried it? Honestly? Yes. Because now I know what (for sure) doesn’t work, and I get to share that with you lovely people.

Save your money. Save your sanity. Promote with purpose.

I hope you learned something from this post, and I hope I'm able to save you money you didn't need to spend in the first place.

Have you ever tried a spotlight promo? Did it work for you? Drop your experience in the comments so others can see what you learned and get some info from it.

Well, that's all for today, folks!

Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

A Thriller to Add to the PPSK Series

Happy Monday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm telling you all about a new psychological thriller I'm working on. I hope everyone is looking forward to the week ahead (I know I am), and I also hope all the moms out there had a wonderful Mother's Day. I got flowers from one kid, lunch and time spent from another, a visit from one, a text, and a phone call. It was an awesome day! Anyway, let's dive into the reason I'm posting, shall we?

So, if any of you have read Innocent, you'll know it's about a woman who ends up in a psych ward after she kills three people (or does she?). It's told from her POV, not something I usually do in my books, and she's speaking directly to the reader throughout.

Well, this book is the continuation of that story. Y'all are finally gonna find out if she's guilty or innocent. Or will you?

If you haven't read it, check it out here. It's free!

I've decided to title the new book Fabrication, and I know the beginning and the end, which is what I need, personally, to craft the middle. I suck at plotting, but I know where the story needs to go and which characters from other books in the series will make an appearance. I'll tell you two of them:

Nicky Moretti - Hank's partner from Intensification and the officer investigating Warren Vanderhorn's death in Manipulation.

Shelley Whitaker - She's back under an assumed name after the police started looking into her background when her husband, James, disappeared.

Both these characters will play pivotal roles. Ms. LeBrague's first name is Casey, and her bestie in the institution is Tina.

I'm seriously considering holding a drawing for a rather large Amazon gift card for folks who can give me an outline of all my crossover characters throughout the series. haha

I also devised a cover, but I'll save the showing of that for later so you guys can all ooh and aah once I have more of the book written.

My pivotal character is Silas. He's the ice-blue-eyed orderly Casey thinks is the killer. I guess only time will tell, right?

Well, I'm gonna get back to writing while you guys get back to thinking about the book and what it may entail. :)

I hope you're all excited! I know I am. Any guesses on whether she's innocent or guilty?

That's all for today, folks!

Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo