As a self-published author, I have to make a LOT of decisions. Decision fatigue is very real, and can sneak up on you very quickly.
One of the decisions one needs to make when you publish your own books is to go ‘wide’ or ‘KU’ (Kindle Unlimited). Wide is when your ebook is available on several different platforms, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Nook, etc. KU is a program where your ebook is ONLY available on Amazon, and monthly subscribers can read your book for free. If you aren’t a subscriber to KU, you can still buy the ebook on Amazon, but nowhere else. Authors get paid per page-read, rather than when someone buys the book.
This exclusivity doesn’t apply to print copies or audiobooks, just ebooks.
Now, some genres do better in KU than others. Romance, for instance, is huge in KU. Urban fantasy does great. Historical fiction, not bad. But each one is different and that changes with time.
I had originally gone wide. I figured, the more platforms that my books are available on, the better, right? And fair enough, I’ve made decent sales. Nothing gangbusters, but decent. However, as I’m in the midst of rebranding my books and republishing with new, more on-genre cover art, I reconsidered. I did some research. I looked at figures. (I’m an accountant – this is second nature to me).
I decided to give it a try. One by one, I’ve been de-listing my books from their ‘wide’ platforms and enrolling them in KU.
The first two books, Better To Have Loved and Past Storm and Fire, went on KU in mid-February. A few reads here and there, not a huge amount. But more than I’d made in actual sales the month before for them, so slight win.
Then I moved Time Tourist Outfitters, Ltd. over in late March. I’ve increased my daily average sales by $5. Not much, but that’s $150 a month I didn’t have before.
Now I’ve moved over the first three books of my Druid’s Brooch Series, and I’m hoping they’ll also do well. The other six books just reverted to me from my publisher, so once I get new covers, I’ll be releasing those on KU, too. Series do well in KU, from everything I’ve heard.
So, wish me luck! And get your copies today!
Celtic Fairies, Fables, and Folklore! Bestselling author (top #100 Amazon Canada, #1 in Paranormal Fantasy, Amazon Canada) Christy Nicholas, also known as Green Dragon, is an author, artist and accountant. After she failed to become an airline pilot, she quit her ceaseless pursuit of careers that begin with 'A', and decided to concentrate on her writing. Since she has Project Completion Disorder, she is one of the few authors with NO unfinished novels. Christy has her hands in many crafts, including digital art, beaded jewelry, writing, and photography. In real life, she's a CPA, but having grown up with art all around her (her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother are/were all artists), it sort of infected her, as it were. She wants to expose the incredible beauty in this world, hidden beneath the everyday grime of familiarity and habit, and share it with others. She uses characters out of time and places infused with magic and myth. Combine this love of beauty with a bit of financial sense and you get an art business. She does local art and craft shows, as well as sending her art to various science fiction conventions throughout the country and abroad. Facebook: www.facebook.com/greendragonauthor Homepage: www.greendragonartist.com Blog: www.greendragonartist.net Twitter: www.twitter.com/greendragon9
Historical fantasy, time travel adventure, and urban fantasy 
Wishing you the best of luck. I’ve also heard that series do best at KU. I’ve also heard it’s best to be consistent with releases … something I’m not good at.
P.S., I’ve decided to wait on publishing under a pen name, and concentrate on rebuilding my regular name, its brand, and readership. All the same, I look forward to reading about your ventures into it, should you decide to blog about it. Write on! 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! I have been doing well enough so far, so I hope that continues. I may write on my pen name ventures, too! Thanks for the great idea.
LikeLiked by 1 person