Kindle Singles Will Bring Novellas, Chapbooks and Pamphlets to E-Readers Amazon is announcing that a new kind of content will soon join books, magazines, newspapers, and blogs in the Kindle store. In addition to sharing overall sales information about the Kindle Singles program, Amazon allowed Kindle Singles authors to break their non-disclosure agreements and share their sales figures with me. I chose about a dozen authors, out of the list of over 100 or so, to speak with, and interviewed them without any restrictions from Amazon (NSDQ. Self-publish eBooks and paperbacks for free with Kindle Direct Publishing, and reach millions of readers on Amazon. Get to market fast. Publishing takes less than 5 minutes and your book appears on Kindle stores worldwide within 24-48 hours. Make more money. Some Kindle questions from readers: Q1. How do I turn off the annoying Kindle singles crap that takes up half of my Kindle's screen?! Menu - Settings - Device options - Personalize your Kindle - Advanced Options - Cover View Recommendations - Off.
Digital
The Kindle Singles store, according to its editor David Blum, is 'like a bookstore where the manager also edits the books.' Blum is that manager-editor, and under his guidance the store has grown to feature nearly 400 works since launching in January 2011. When the store went live, its mission was to publish the kind of long-form journalism that has become harder to find as more magazines have shuttered and those still standing allocate fewer pages to in-depth pieces. Since the Singles program started, it has gained enough respect to attract major names—among the many heavy hitters who've released Singles are Christopher Hitchens and Stephen King—and to delve into fiction.
Blum, a veteran of alternative weeklies—he worked at both the Village Voice and the New York Press, during the papers' headier days—has gained a fair amount of attention since the store took off. In an April profile in the New York Times, Leslie Kaufman wrote that he has 'transformed himself from doctor of the dying to midwife of the up-and-coming,' becoming 'a man whom authors want to court.' Certainly Blum has had a key role in raising the profile of the store. Telling PW that Amazon hired him 'with a concept, but no content,' he said the directive from the beginning was open-ended: find 'compelling ideas.' Now, with 'a couple' of other editors on staff in New York, and Singles stores opening in both the U.K. and Germany (which will each be overseen by one editor), it's fair to say that Kindle Singles has been a success. Last week, Amazon announced the launch of the Kindle Singles Interview series, featuring long-form interviews with popular figures.
Although Blum did go after some big names early on—he pitched Christopher Hitchens on doing a piece—he was, and remains, most drawn to discovering new talent. Established authors are the biggest sellers in the store—according to Amazon, the biggest-selling Kindle Single to date is Lee Child's story, 'Deep Down,' which has moved 285,000 copies—but unknown writers, most of whom published Singles when the store was relatively new, have been able to reach impressive sales.
Among lesser-known writers, one of the top sellers is a Columbia M.F.A., Mishka Shubaly. Between April 2011 and July 2012 he released four Singles—'Shipwrecked'; 'The Long Run'; 'Bachelor Number One'; and 'Are You Lonesome Tonight?'—and, according to Amazon, Shubaly has sold more than 129,000 copies. With Amazon offering a 70% royalty on each Single, and each of Shubaly's pieces priced at the popular Singles price point of $1.99, he has been making about $1.39 per copy. This means that, overall, Shubaly has made just under $180,000 from his four Singles. Given that an advance for the kind of work Shubaly has published—memoir-style nonfiction by an author without a platform—might fetch between $5,000 and $10,000 at a major trade house, the Singles numbers are impressive. (It should be noted that Singles authors have the option to publish exclusively with Amazon and, of the 394 Singles in the store, 212 are exclusives. Authors who do publish exclusively with Amazon get the benefit of inclusion in the Kindle Lending Library, where their work is free and they receive a royalty on each borrow. Shubaly, who has published all of his Singles exclusively through Amazon, estimated that he has made $40,000 from borrows alone.)
Shubaly's first Single, 'Shipwrecked,' about his being marooned on an island in the Caribbean, sold more than 6,700 copies its first week on sale, Shubaly said, adding that he didn't have concrete reasons for the book's success, but that Amazon, which promoted the title (as it does with all Singles) certainly helped. Among Amazon's outreach was e-mail to customers alerting them to the title's release. 'But one e-mail from Amazon has the power to move continents,' he said. 'I really didn't believe it was real until I got my first check. Then I quit my job.'
As is the case with a number of other authors who have self-published, Shubaly has found that having a large body of work has helped bring in more money; put another way, backlist is key. 'Each time I publish something new,' he said, 'all the other titles get a boost.' Now Shubaly, who does not currently have a literary agent, plans to release another Single in September. As for the print world, he's not so sure. 'I would love to publish a paper book.. but Amazon has spoiled me, so it would have to be the right deal.'
While the Singles store has grown in both size and cachet, Blum hasn't changed his focus. Singles remain at 5,000–30,000 words and, although fiction is now an established part of the mix, he remains focused on nonfiction. (Blum estimated that the ratio of fiction to nonfiction in the store now is roughly one to three.) But with success Singles authors face more competition. Blum said he is now getting over 1,000 unsolicited submissions a month; to date he has published 45 Singles that have come in unsolicited. He said his publication schedule has remained largely the same, as he focuses on releasing between three and four new Singles every week.
Shubaly is not the only unknown to have made a surprising amount of money by publishing Singles. The question is whether he is an outlier. Now that the Singles store is populated by a growing roster of authors with major platforms, reaching bestseller status may be harder for those without immediate name recognition. Amazon believes the store is too new to draw any conclusions on long-term trends. Still, some wonder if lesser-knowns can truly compete with the bigger names.
Fred Stoller, a character actor who, during the Singles store's early days, published a piece called 'My Seinfeld Year' about a stint he spent writing for the sitcom Seinfeld, has sold more than 67,000 copies to date. Now, though, he doubts he could duplicate that success. 'I'm fortunate I got in when I did,' he said over the phone from Los Angeles. 'If I tried getting in now, and [readers] didn't know me, I might not have the same luck. Andy Borowitz knocked [my Single] out of #1.'—Rachel Deahl
218 reviews for VictoriaHearts, 1.6 stars: 'Sex, the World History; Through Time, Religion, and Culture by John R. Gregg, is a daring exploration of human sexuality from the ancient to the modern world. Which revamps our views of sexuality A cross-cultural examination of sexual beliefs, the book traces sexual practices, the unusual and the transcendent, throughout the worlds' cultures. VictoriaHearts.com has free services, as well as the paid ones. You can benefit from either or both. Here are some basic things that will show you the picture of how the website is going to help you find your future love: free registration; sending messages is also out of charge. How to get free credits on victoriahearts. The prices are fair enough. Despite a high rating from the users, VictoriaHearts offers moderate package credits. Besides, a man is free to surf through the website, check the profiles, and give likes to the favorite ones for free. Registration is also free. One credit costs $0.49, and one outgoing letter requires ten credits. So, you end up paying five bucks for every message. Viewing a photo is also ten credits while watching videos are pricier — 50 credits. Live chats are two credits a minute. The upside is that when you buy credits in bulk, you get a chance to save quite a lot of cash. VictoriaHearts has been around for long enough to gather the profiles of lots of amazing people on the platform. People that already experienced the opportunity to socialize via our website offers have enjoyed it. Moreover, new members keep joining VictoriaHearts. Be the next one to join us!
Kindle Singles are 'compelling ideas expressed at their natural length.' In other words these are writings that do not fall into the conventional space for magazine or print – typically 5,000 to 30,000 words.
Essentially it is a short short story, article, post or opinion with prices ranging from 99¢ to $4.99.
The submission process is slightly different than simply self-publishing through Amazon's KDP service. First, each submission is reviewed by an Amazon editor, which they state that they will 'read and respond within two weeks.' At that time, if Amazon is interested in publishing your work, they will provide further instructions on how to formally submit your title via Kindle Direct Publishing.
The only problem with Kindle Singles is its unfamiliarity. Customers buy a low-priced book expecting a full-length novel. Authors can combat this by offering the most bang for the customers money.
Some helpful Tips when writing a Kindle Single
Consider the Sample Book
Think small or at least condensed. A traditional book includes a table of contents, title page, copyright information, acknowledgements, the dedication, preface, foreword, prologue and contact information. For a Kindle Single, you only want to have the following on the first page:
- Title of the article
- Author's name
- Table of contents
- Copyright
Samples offer only the first 10% of your book. This sample preview is your opportunity to make your work shine so you don't want to waste this important space with boatloads of book information. By condensing the information onto one page, you allow viewers to see more of your work and increase your chances of a sale.
Add a Resource list
As you compile information for your book, include resources you used. This will add validity to your work. Giving away free information adds value to your book.
Use of Images
Be very selective of the images you choose. You don't have a lot of real estate so make every page count.
- Only use images if your article absolutely requires it.
- Avoid using images with text embedded, unless they are high quality and contrast. Text in images can be difficult to read. Consider a text caption instead.
- You want the best resolution and the fastest download time so the consensus use images of .jpg (.jpeg) for photos, .gif for art and graphics, that are 100 kb or less.
How to submit a Kindle Single
The their Kindle Singles, Amazon will consider ebooks recently published via Kindle Direct Publishing, manuscript submissions, or pitches.
- To nominate your self-published book, simply email Amazon at kindle-singles@amazon.com and include the title, ASIN, and a brief summary.
- If the work is not yet published, you can submit a manuscript or a detailed pitch for your Kindle Single. Send as much material as you have available to kindle-singles@amazon.com and include your name and a writing sample.
- Writers or publishers wishing to propose an idea for a Kindle Single can write to Amazon's editors at kindle-singles@amazon.com.
Selection process
Each submission is carefully reviewed by Amazon editors. Once your submission is received, Amazon states they will read and respond within two weeks. If interested in your submission or pitch, they will provide you with further instructions on how to submit your title via Kindle Direct Publishing and any additional next steps.
Rights and Royalties
How much does a professional matchmaker cost. Accepted Kindle Singles are published using the Kindle Direct Publishing platform, which means that the author earns royalties on each sale. Kindle Singles must have list prices between $0.99 and $4.99, and authors can choose the 70% royalty option for their accepted titles, even when the list price is below $2.99. All other Terms and Conditions of Kindle Direct Publishing will also apply to content sold as a Kindle Single.
Writers retain all rights to their work when accepted and published in Kindle Singles. Amazon will consider Kindle Singles from authors, publishers, and agents, and you will need to confirm that you have the rights to publish the work you upload. Short dating profile examples for females over 50. If accepted, your Kindle Single must be made available in all territories where you have rights, so Kindle customers around the world have the option to purchase your title.
Like all Kindle books, Kindle Singles can be purchased and read across the entire Kindle family of devices, as well as on our Free Kindle Reading Apps (Kindle for iPad, iPod touch, iPhone, Mac, PC, BlackBerry, Android, etc.).
Kindle Singles Program
Kindle Singles Criteria
- Length: 5,000 to 30,000 words
- List price: $0.99 to $4.99
- Original work, not previously published in other formats or publications
- Self-contained work, not chapters excerpted from a longer work
- Not published on any public website in its entirety
- Amazon is currently not accepting how-to manuals, public domain works, reference books, travel guides, or children's books.(Jan 1, 2012)
Kindle Dating Site
How to submit a Kindle Single
The their Kindle Singles, Amazon will consider ebooks recently published via Kindle Direct Publishing, manuscript submissions, or pitches.
- To nominate your self-published book, simply email Amazon at kindle-singles@amazon.com and include the title, ASIN, and a brief summary.
- If the work is not yet published, you can submit a manuscript or a detailed pitch for your Kindle Single. Send as much material as you have available to kindle-singles@amazon.com and include your name and a writing sample.
- Writers or publishers wishing to propose an idea for a Kindle Single can write to Amazon's editors at kindle-singles@amazon.com.
Selection process
Each submission is carefully reviewed by Amazon editors. Once your submission is received, Amazon states they will read and respond within two weeks. If interested in your submission or pitch, they will provide you with further instructions on how to submit your title via Kindle Direct Publishing and any additional next steps.
Rights and Royalties
How much does a professional matchmaker cost. Accepted Kindle Singles are published using the Kindle Direct Publishing platform, which means that the author earns royalties on each sale. Kindle Singles must have list prices between $0.99 and $4.99, and authors can choose the 70% royalty option for their accepted titles, even when the list price is below $2.99. All other Terms and Conditions of Kindle Direct Publishing will also apply to content sold as a Kindle Single.
Writers retain all rights to their work when accepted and published in Kindle Singles. Amazon will consider Kindle Singles from authors, publishers, and agents, and you will need to confirm that you have the rights to publish the work you upload. Short dating profile examples for females over 50. If accepted, your Kindle Single must be made available in all territories where you have rights, so Kindle customers around the world have the option to purchase your title.
Like all Kindle books, Kindle Singles can be purchased and read across the entire Kindle family of devices, as well as on our Free Kindle Reading Apps (Kindle for iPad, iPod touch, iPhone, Mac, PC, BlackBerry, Android, etc.).
Kindle Singles Program
Kindle Singles Criteria
- Length: 5,000 to 30,000 words
- List price: $0.99 to $4.99
- Original work, not previously published in other formats or publications
- Self-contained work, not chapters excerpted from a longer work
- Not published on any public website in its entirety
- Amazon is currently not accepting how-to manuals, public domain works, reference books, travel guides, or children's books.(Jan 1, 2012)
Kindle Dating Site
Resources:
- Kindle Singles: http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000700491
- How to Publish and Sell your Article on the Kindle : http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004MDLKKK/
Tinder
Related Posts:
