THE Group for Authors! discussion

If only I had the faintest idea of how to start the process of "putting my book into categories" ... sigh

Sophie wrote: "If only I had the faintest idea of how to start the process of "putting my book into categories" ... sigh"

You do it with the keywords in KDP where you upload your book, give the title, etc.

Oh, I see.Thank you, Edward.
I am reading one of your books, by the way ... Not my usual genre but it has gripped me in the first few pages ...

Sophie wrote: "Oh, I see.Thank you, Edward.
I am reading one of your books, by the way ... Not my usual genre but it has gripped me in the first few pages ..."

Really? Wow! What an awesome coincidence!
I hope you like it.

While as a reader I can see the advantage of specific lists, if I am looking for a very specific type of character book.

I do find it deceptive to label a book as a number 1 Amazon best seller when you find out it is number 1 on the Alien Viking Paranormal Poetry List with an overall ranking of 435,678 and it has sold a total of 2 books in the last year.

To me a bestseller is a book that is ranked in the Top 100 OVERALL on Amazon and selling thousands of units. I think readers are becoming jaded at the "bestseller" label as it seems most self published books are now bestsellers.

A.W. wrote: "While as a reader I can see the advantage of specific lists, if I am looking for a very specific type of character book.

I do find it deceptive to label a book as a number 1 Amazon best seller whe..."

An author asked me once if she could call her book a bestseller since it was number one in a specific category.

I told her she could say that it was number one in that specific category.

No, that would be the same thing. If one achieves a noteworthy rank in any category, it's deceptive to omit the category.

It's also deceptive to add your book to a category it doesn't belong in. I was reviewing my keywords this morning since I had to re-upload after making a correction, and I thought about this categorical aid that can occur if one can rise in a niche category, but I couldn't think of anything suitable, so I'm just sitting in "apocalyptic" and hoping for the best.

I hate the marketing part of SP. I'm more devoted to improving my craft so people will like what I write and tell others about it - you know, the old fashioned way of rising thru the ranks. :)

Linda wrote: "Graustarkian Mermaid Historical Erotica Non-fiction"

I love it. lol

Mahala wrote: "Oh-you're one of those writers, you know, a professional."

I don't know if I could say that yet, but at least aspiring to be.

ThreeRs (Got Logic?) wrote: "This just sounds like another way to lie to readers. Like when you say you won an award... and it turns out that the award is offered by a blog no one has ever heard of, and you were the only cont..."

Or that anyone can get the award. For a nominal fee, of course.

This is deceptive. It's just another way to scam readers.

To any authors lurking here: Please don't do this. Just write good books we'll love and want to spread the word about.

I've been going on about this deception business for ages - and getting abuse for it. The loudest complaints come from authors I have then checked out only to find they have sold NO books ...

Tina wrote "This is deceptive" a few posts up.

It is deceptive to proclaim # 1 Amazon when your book has been first on a category on the Goodreads site ... and so easy to check if you go to the Amazon page for that book and find it is # 100000000 by Amazon's rating.
There are also writers who claim they are doing really well yet Novel Rank shows they have in fact sold 0 copies.
Sock puppetry is possibly the worst deceit (and is surely a case of the author deceiving him/herself): on another thread I gathered that many of the responses came from people who thought we were discussing footwear and stringed dolls.

Linda, I accredited Tina with using the word deceptive because her post was just above my post. Others also tagged on to the word. No offence was intended.
This has been one of the best threads I have joined - no sniping, just an honest exchange of ideas.
I shall go now and look at all your books ... without feeling pressurised.
Good luck to you all with your writing ...

The word deceptive is mine.

No, really. I own it. Bought it months ago.

You all owe me $2.37 for each time you've used it. Cash only.

It shows in the chart, Vicki ...

Hey all,

Just chiming in to say Hello. I'm new to Goodreads, and for that matter, all of this. I recently published CreateSpace, Nook Press and Kindle Direct. My mystery suspense detective novel, titled The Victim, went live about 10 days ago. Enjoying the process and learning more every day.

Thanks,

Joe B Parr

The N0 1 ranking can be there and gone in a few days. I was No 1 on spy thrillers and .com when my book was free using KDP Select. A few days later it had disappeared into the 100s of thousands. Now mine wobble around from 1.5 million up to that position again totally dependent on whether one or more copies are purchased

Amazon algorithms are complex and sales rank is not necessarily actual total sales

TinaNicole ☠ Le Book Nikita ☠ wrote: "The word deceptive is mine.

No, really. I own it. Bought it months ago.

You all owe me $2.37 for each time you've used it. Cash only."

Damn. I know I said it at least once. You take Paypal?

Actually, I will accept PayPal, Edward.

But there's a $483.29 transaction fee.

Your choice.

Linda wrote: "You lied! You're deceptive!"

Will that be cash or paypal?

(Psst. Have you not figured out my marketing scheme yet?)

TinaNicole ☠ Le Book Nikita ☠ wrote: "Actually, I will accept PayPal, Edward.

But there's a $483.29 transaction fee.

Your choice."

Man, they screw you in the drive-thru, and with the shipping costs, and now the transaction fees!

Linda wrote: "I'm gonna get even, though. I bought "review" and "promotion." I figure even at $.99 each use, I should break even in, oh, 10 minutes."

Damn you!

Oh, well. I just bought 'bully'.

I'll see your 'even' and raise you.....

(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)]

Linda wrote: "I'm gonna get even, though. I bought "review" and "promotion." I figure even at $.99 each use, I should break even in, oh, 10 minutes."

LOL

Edward wrote: "TinaNicole ☠ Le Book Nikita ☠ wrote: "Actually, I will accept PayPal, Edward.

But there's a $483.29 transaction fee.

Your choice."

Man, they screw you in the drive-thru, and with the shipping c..."


Yup. It's a lot of work for me to take your money. What'd you expect? ;)

TinaNicole ☠ Le Book Nikita ☠ wrote: "

Damn you!

Oh, well. I just bought 'bully'...."

You guys are cracking me up! :)

Linda wrote: "Well, I don't think that was such a smart buy, 'cause everyone knows that word is never used CORRECTLY. People throw it around a lot, but they really don't know what it means. So their posts are ..."

There are NO REFUNDS!

People should think before they use words they don't understand. O.o

LOL