Author’s opinions are almost always based on our past experiences. What works for one may not work for the next. There’s no rhyme or reason to it, which can be frustrating when you’re trying to find that “formula” for your novel’s success. The great news is, there are as many paths as there are authors. Recently we discussed the advantages of going Amazon KU, verses wide. Here’s what our authors had to share:
“I think it’s hard to make a confident comparison because there are so many unknowns. The market has changed a lot since I was a first time author, but I’ve stuck with wide and now it’s paying off. The majority of my income is from non-Amazon sources. If I’d left all my eggs in the Amazon basket, the current dip in my Amazon sales would have been a lot harder to take. That said, I know KU is terribly tempting for new authors who want exposure.“
–Melissa Wright, Author of King of Ash & Bone
“I’ve had more luck long-term with wide than with KU. KU always seems to do well at first and then fizzles out later. To be fair, I never really sprung for the more KU-centric promotions either (i.e. AMS). That might’ve made a difference. When I start putting out epic and urban fantasy books again, I plan on keeping wide. I think the paranoia from getting laid off from my IT job last year made me paranoid to commit to one vendor. “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket” and all that. Some do all-KU very well, though, and I’m curious of their thoughts.”
–K.D. Jones, Author of A White So Red
“This is definitely one of those things that differs from author to author. Each of us have had different experiences either using KU or going wide. For me, I’ve always used both. For a while, I had everything in KU, and I actually had better sales all around. However, I prefer the wide appeal. I’d rather make my books available to as many people as possible. So once I had written enough books in two different series, I put them wide, with the first books in series free. Then, I keep my more romance-centric books in KU. But back to the actual question… I think if you’re just starting out, KU can be a very good option. Especially if you only have one book, or don’t plan on writing a series. Stand-alone can be very difficult to sell, trust me. But if you have a series, I advise putting it in wide. “
–Jennifer Silverwood, Author of Silver Hollow
“Yes. In today’s market, I would start with KU. It’s good exposure, especially when you’re fresh. Not only that, but it’s easy for newbies because they don’t have to deal with the different accounts. Get your feet wet first, then try to swim.”
–Belle Malory, Author of The Twelfth Keeper Series
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