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| original work by Christine Steeves-Speakman |
That’s my reading corner. It’s right by the bedroom window, all cozy comfy, ready for me to curl up with your book. Whether I’m reading for reviewing or just reading for my own pleasure.
Daylight brings me fresh air and bright light, pure relaxation in the middle of the crazy day. Nighttime and I’m all cuddled in, feet up, house and street quiet, writers…take me away.
By now you may be familiar with my Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday postings…roaming ideas, poetry starts, and editor time. Well, something has come up and I thought why not Reader Time, we’ll go with Thursday as a start.
Being an editor with MuseItUp Publishing and an individual reviewer, as well as a writer, I know everyone’s always trying to grab a reader’s attention. Banging their heads against cyber-walls baffled for what a reader wants. I think the main question continues to be – how do we find readers.
Hey, hello (insert wildly waving hand) there’s one right here.
So, what’s with the title here: STOP Ignoring Me!
Simple.
Warning, I might peeve some of you off, big time.
Kindle is NOT my preferred reading device nor my preferred online bookstore.
GASP!!
No worries, we have time. Go ahead and find a cool cloth for your head. Pick yourself up off the floor, sure hope you didn’t bang your head or hurt yourself.
Let me repeat a little more quietly…I don’t buy Kindle books.
The only reason I have a Kindle is because the price was a steal and I wanted to be able to show friends how well MuseItUp books look on one.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Kobo. I LOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVVVVVVE the ePub format. It’s so easy to use on all my devices, from laptop to tablet to phone to iPod, no fussing around.
Okay, okay, stop the yammering on how I can download this or that and read on my computer. Why should I?
I’m your market.
I’m your reader.
You want me to read you…come to me. It’s my money you want me to spend…give me what I want.
But, but, but…EVERYone is at Kindle.
Ahhh, nope.
Do you know how many people use Apple devices? iPods. iPhones. iPads.
Do you know how many people use Kobos and Nooks?
Okay, so I don’t have those numbers either. But, my eyes and conversations with others have sure told me there’s an vast audience you’re missing by either (a) being Kindle only or (b) forgetting about the “others” and centering your marketing on Kindle only.
Seriously, I do not buy if it’s Kindle only. Even with having one for the previously stated other reason, I do not buy Kindle only books.
I can hear you..so what, big deal, plenty of others do. Yup, they sure do. No sweat off my back.
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| iBooks app |
But, dang, my book looks good on the iTouch, fits my purse, pocket, hand just right too. I can even listen to my music at the same time. Swiping page turns are a breeze. Heck, I swipe as fast as I read. Mind you I don’t have device as glued to my hand as some others I’ve seen, but it does tend to be charged and used more than my other eReader devices. Probably cause I use it so often for so many other things.
And wouldn’t you know, I look good on my Samsung smartphone, too!
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| Author Page MIU |
Maybe it’s time to think…nah.
Look, I’m not aiming to bash Kindle. Not even aiming to rant on those of you writers who only publish for Kindle. What I’m trying to tell you is in this world of finding an audience. Building a readership…get your book into as many devices and owner hands as possible. Stop ignoring the other readers out there. And other words…stop buying into the hype that only one place, one format is where you’ll make it.
We’ve moved away from putting up with our television entertainment being only from a single cable company. We’ve moved away from putting up with only one telephone company. And yet, we’re believing in only one eBook format/seller/device?
Sorry, got carried away there.
Simply put…what if that one person who could skyrocket your story to epic levels was me? But, you’re missing my attention because I’m not a Kindle shopper.
No one wants to be ignored. No one wants to be excluded from anything, let alone a product. In this world of electronic books, books readily available from anywhere to anywhere, exclusive to one device format doesn’t scream better or special. I see something that couldn’t make it in the full market. Yeah, even as far as “they” just can’t be bothered with me and others who don’t read that format.
If you can’t be bothered with my choices, why should I be bothered reading you? Yeah, yeah, yeah, but circle back to that same idea…the audience you’re ignoring.
In this vast publishing world, can you really afford to miss any potential reader?
I only use my Kindle to transfer my books to my Samsung. Can carry it with me and love it….
I have an early Kindle and find it very difficult to navigate. So I read on pretty much any other device too.
Hi…thanks for dropping by Jean, Rosalie. I must admit I love my Kobo. I also l just like getting what I want how I want it when I'm making a purchase. Till next time…keep reading
Well said, Chris.
For many authors, the bottom line is that their titles available through Amazon will outsell the same title on B&N. Period. So as an author, if you have to choose one format, it would be MOBI. Are there really publishing houses out there that only sell MOBI? Outside of Amazon, most seem to offer the big three: MOBI, EPUB, and PDF.
Yes, if you are self-published, you can easily create an EPUB file at the same time as a MOBI—but where do you sell it? If you have an author website, you can do it that way, but that supposes you are getting the traffic to make setting up a store worth it. (Although you can use Goodreads to indicate that the alternate formats are available through your website.) AllRomance eBooks allows for multiple formats, but as the name suggests, it’s for romance titles only. If you write in other genres, you don’t have all that many options for selling your books. Amazon, on the other hand, is a whole lot easier, and makes you jump through less hoops than B&N. You also don’t need to purchase ISBNs if you go with Amazon, and that’s a pretty big financial consideration for many indie authors.
I’ll admit I’m prejudiced. I have an older model Kindle Touch, and it goes everywhere with me. I could read on my tablet, but I find the screen glare is hard on my eyes, and the four-inch screen on my phone is too small. I was never impressed by other reading devices—and I’d never get one that doesn’t allow me to download MOBI files—and plan on upgrading my Kindle this year.
Hi, Nancy, thanks for presenting more of the other side and for dropping by, much appreciated.
This feels like a great topic of a larger venue…say an online live chat or presentation. Say a hand-in-hand approach working together to present each side in harmony.
For numbers, I do remember reading a paper a year or two ago, that the eReader numbers were varied as to percentages of Kindles sold versus other ePub devices throughout the world and it did surprise me that Kindle wasn't the seller worldwide. I'd have to do some searching and then more for current numbers.
It comes down to knowing your market and where you want your business to grow.
That and I've never been one to put all my eggs in one basket 🙂
Yes, to the publisher question. No names because business decisions can change and don't want to leave information here that could change.
Thanks Chuck, and for stopping by (hope this reply makes it through)