Day: September 11, 2014

Two New Indies Unlimited Features

two new free features from IUHere at Indies Unlimited, we are always looking for ways to bring great titles to readers, and opportunities for authors to get the word out about their books. So, beginning in October, we’re introducing two new features to help do just that: First Friday Pre-Releases and Kindle Unlimited Fridays. Similar to Thrifty Thursdays, these will be “self service” features, meaning authors should follow the instructions in the posts when listing their titles in the comments sections. Books for self service features do not have to go through the grueling IU vetting process.

First Friday Pre-Releases

Many folks are attempting to submit their pre-release books for free IU features. Pre-release books are not eligible because they cannot be vetted. We can only vet a title after it has been officially released. Since the Amazon pre-release program has become so popular, authors will now be able to post about their participating books on First Friday Pre-Releases. Detailed instructions will be provided for authors each month in the body of the article. The following information will be required from authors:

  1. Book title
  2. Author name
  3. A one sentence blurb (about tweet length)
  4. The Amazon link to the book
  5. The date the book is scheduled to be released

Kindle Unlimited Fridays

On the third Friday of each month, authors with books available in the Kindle Unlimited program (part of KDP Select) will be eligible to post their books in the comments section of the Kindle Unlimited Fridays feature. Since readers get unlimited free books (not a member of KU? If you’re interested, you can get more information here), there is no need to list a price. The following information will be required from authors:

  1. Book title
  2. Author name
  3. A one sentence blurb (about tweet length)
  4. The Amazon link to the book

All very simple and straightforward. Remember, PLEASE do not post links to erotica, political, or religious titles.

Authors, we hope you will make use of these new features, and readers – we hope you will enjoy them.

Choices for Publishing: eBooks, Part One

publish buttonCongrats! You’ve finished your book! Your editor and beta readers have worked their magic, you have a kickass cover and an awesome blurb, and your ARC readers are ready to post their reviews as soon as you push the “do it” button and release your book.

The question is which “do it” button to use. The good news is that you don’t have to pick just one; you can mix and match, depending on how many ways you want readers to be able to buy your books. And the choice you make now doesn’t have to be your final answer; if your book isn’t performing on a particular platform, you can bail out and try something else.

But there are a few things to keep in mind when you’re making your initial choice. I’m going to cover eBook publishing options today, because I happen to think eBooks are quicker and easier than print. (Your mileage may vary, of course.) We’ll get to the options for dead-tree books later this month. Continue reading “Choices for Publishing: eBooks, Part One”