In case you haven't heard of this, Kindle Scout belongs to Amazon. It’s part of their publishing arm, but they don't choose the books, votes from people choose the books, like a popularity contest.
“Kindle Scout is reader-powered publishing for new, never-before-published books. It’s a place where readers help decide if a book gets published. Selected books will be published by Kindle Press and receive 5-year renewable terms, a $1,500 advance, 50% eBook royalty rate, easy rights reversions and featured Amazon marketing.”
If the author manages to get 3k clicks/nominations on their book in 30 days, it will be published and all those who nominated it will receive free ecopies when it releases. (Scout pages used to list how many nominations each book had received and the number needed to reach the goal. They don’t post it now, so I can't be sure of the number authors need. But I’ve seen several before and I think the goal was either 3k or 5k.)
Many writers have contacted me on Facebook or Twitter and asked me to go vote for their book. I always felt sorry for them, having to contact complete strangers and beg for a vote. I've only heard of one writer who got enough votes to be published -- all the others failed.
Then, as I was searching for giveaways for this week's post, I came upon a giveaway tied to Kindle Scout that's very clever.
The author, Lincoln Cole, is offering a $50 Amazon card and the first task on the rafflecopter is to go to Kindle Scout and vote for his book. I know a lot of people would like to get their hands on a $50 Amazon card, and a "click" on Kindle Scout is pretty easy.
I hope all the authors I know have publishers or are happy self-publishing, but if you want to try Kindle Scout, I recommend this clever giveaway idea. You don't have to write a ton of strangers and beg, just put up some money for a gift card and offer a chance to win it as an incentive to vote.
Here's Lincoln Cole's giveaway so you can have a look-see: https://www.lincolncole.net/giveaway
I'm celebrating that I already have a publisher because I'm way too cheap to cough up the money for a gift card!
Have you ever contacted complete strangers and asked them for a favor?
My kind and wonderful co-hosts of Celebrate the Small Things are:
L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge
Tonja Drecker @ Kidbits Blog
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Foxy's Friday Freebies!
Foxy has been nosing around the net.
When she finds great FREE STUFF, she'll feature it on Friday Freebies posts -
- Free short stories, novellas, and novels
- Giveaways for books and swag
- Free services for authors
Here are Foxy's suggestions for June 9, 2017:
If anyone has a FREE short story (for download or online at a free ezine), novella, novel, special giveaway, or author service, please let Foxy know so she can plug you here! Write to: laura.6eg(at)gmail.com
34 comments:
Bummer, meant to ask if you could include the giveaway for CassaFire on audio! Well, maybe I'll remember in time for the third book...
Popularity contest publishing. Sounds kind of shallow.
You don't have to like my book, buy my book, or read my book--just vote for it! Well, there are multiple routes to publication, I guess this is just one more. I'm confused about one thing: are people putting up self-published books, or just posting blurbs about their (presumably) completed manuscripts? Because, if it's self-published, that kind of squashes the idea of "new, never-before-published," doesn't it?
I never cared for the popularity voting system because it's too easily rigged. Even on FB many authors with my publishers are always asking us to go vote for them for this or that. As of yet, I haven't contacted complete strangers, even for a review. However, complete strangers have contacted me. But, Lincoln does have a good idea here. I haven't heard of Kindle Scout.
Not sure how great this way is to pick publishing contracts. It seems like it more judges who is better able to think of clever ways to get people to vote vs. the quality of the story. Hadn't heard of it before though, so thanks for letting us know about it.
It's a clever idea but I find this whole Scout thing to be strange. Online voting seems to be so easily rigged. But I know it won't be something I ever do because I have a hard enough time asking friends to do something for me, let alone strangers! LOL it would make me a nervous wreck.
That's a screwy way to pick a book to publish. What if it's really not that good? Plus it will only be available from Amazon. Putting all of one's eggs in one basket is never a good idea.
Have never heard of Kindle Scout. I hope it generates sales for those who try, but I have to admit this self-promotion stuff has me in a tizzy. I know we should do it (even having a publisher), but asking strangers to vote on something they've never read seems off. Asking for votes based on reviews would make more sense.
Yes, I had a give-a-way to try and top three hundred followers but it didn't work.
Not sure what I think about Kindle Scout. It does seem like a popularity contest, but with no assurances that the winners have any substance.
Seems like a weird way to publish… And asking strangers to vote for something they haven't read just makes me feel oooky! Nope. Not for me, I'm afraid.
Hmmm. That definitely sounds interesting. It's kind of backwards publishing, but it makes me very curious.
Going to look into it. Thank you. :)
I'm nearly always different. This is no exception.
I think Kindle Scout is a great way for indie authors to gain exposure to new readers, whether or not their book is chosen for publication. I've read several really good books from there and some not-so-good. You get to read as much as you would on Amazon's Look Inside feature before you vote. And if the book you voted for is chosen, you get a free copy.
I am not so sure how I feel about this one. Do the best authors get published, or just the most popular. Are people reading the books or just voting for them? And where do you get the copy to read, if you don't get a free copy until it's a winner?
That is probably a service I will never use.
I'm a daily voter and I LOVE Kindle Scout. It's intriguing trying to pick a winning book and there is even a points systems for voters and readers. Amazon is very savvy on getting writers and readers together. Plus the prize isn't bad. You get an advance and your book published. Also they'll help you get a new cover if the current one isn't working. I've seen a few wins with mediocre covers get great upgrades. I plan to send in a book to Kindle Scouts one day. Great chat Lexa.
Thanks for the info! Good to know!
Seldom have i had to ask strangers for a favor, and i'm glad it hasn't been often. It is a good thing to have your own publisher, i'm glad you do!
I have heard of this. It sounds bizarre. Even if the voting thing is to give Amazon some idea of potential sales, with 5000 give-always, that's a large chunk out of potential royalties for the winner. If you have an advance, it's that much longer before the royalties begin.
How different, I wonder, is it from an on-line crowdfunder? Well, you don't have to chip in, just click. But people who contribute to crowd-funding usually do it for people whose work they know and love, to help produce another great book, and they do have to look good, at least, to tempt us to join in. You have to be persuasive and take trouble to get people to put money into your book. Whereas this only requires you to pester complete strangers to vote for your book, which doesn't have to be brilliant to get votes and nobody has anything to lose. Not, IMO, a good start to a wonderful new book.
Heavens, I rarely ask favours of my family or friends let along strangers - I would cringe at doing this!
It seems like a disingenuous way to get published and too easy to cheat the system. Also, isn't having people enter for a giveaway and then getting to vote on the book cheating?
I hadn't heard of Kindle Scout before. I hate asking for votes and it would be disappointing not to be published so not sure I'd ever venture into it.
Celebrating your publisher is a good thing. Have a great weekend.
I've been asked to vote in this competition, or whatever it's called. I do, even though I don't know the person. Recently I received a free book that I had voted for. I like my publishers so thankfully I don't need to do this. Whatever works, I suppose.
What a surprising approach! Thanks for sharing...not sure I'd ever do it though. LOL!
Intriguing idea, but I , like many other posters above, would not want to vote to get a book I hadn't read published.
My initial reaction was "another popularity contest" . No quality control, and this is what bugs me about the way things are now. I reckon they are too many poor and average quality novels available. The market is too crowded. I read through the comments and I can see some benefits for this Kindle Scout thing. I wouldn't use it because a) I already have a publisher and b) I don;t think I could even get 300 clicks let alone 3000. Bottom line: good luck for those you use it and gain some advantage, but it's not for me.
As far as asking strangers for favours? I do it all the time. I don't mind asking for help, and I don't mind helping however I can.
No, never a complete stranger. I had no idea Kindle Scout required so many votes! That's insane. Unless you're already a success, that's way bigger than an author's own circle can achieve.
The book would have to speak for itself. Giveaways are a great incentive, though.
Placing the vote together with a giveaway is a good idea. I've had several authors ask me for a vote, but only one book made it through. I've always wondered how many make it through.
I didn't know anything about this. I don't recall ever being asked to vote for anything like this. I would have a hard time asking friends and family (and possible strangers) to do this for me- especially since 3000 votes sounds like a lot of votes to have to get! I don't know that many people. :) The gift card is a good incentive. Thanks for sharing!
~Jess
I'm not so sure about this path to publication. I think JeffO summed it up pretty well. Meanwhile, congratulations that you already have a publisher. That's great.
So true. You can always attract people with an offer of money, and readers love GC from Amazon. Great idea for the Indie.
I agree, that giveaway angle is clever. And LOL, already having a publisher very much seems like something to be grateful for, for sure! XD
I've never had any luck with any kind of popularity contest, but giveaways are indeed a good incentive for many. I know I'd never have the guts to beg complete strangers for votes. I have trouble asking for votes from people I know well, though.
I agree with Diane, but I understand the attraction. It's so disheartening to have no one backing you up. As an author, I feel blessed to have a publisher and not have my work graded this way.
If the only criterion is who gets the high votes, people will act this way. It shows that most of the people who blog here are not naturally born politicians.
But if I could make it, I certainly wouldn't turn it down.
Good luck to the authors who are taking this route. Only time will tell if readers will go to the trouble of reading and then voting. Most people reach out for a book after reading reviews.
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