A Publisher's Conversation with Authors: Getting into the Amazon Top 100

 


It is Tuesday. Monday's madness is over, and Wednesday will take us over the hump, so Tuesday it is--for some serious discussion with authors. Tuesday talks mean to address authors in waiting and self-published authors who would like to go a more traditional route or who would at least like to take their steps with a publisher by their side. 

Today's topic takes a look at how a book gets into the Top 100 on Amazon, based on the experience of our press. From what we have seen, there are at least three ways to get onto this very desirable list:

1.     The first month after your book is released, hustle like crazy to get sales. It is much easier to get into the top 100 of “hot new releases” because you are only competing with other books coming out that month, not with all books available on Amazon.

2.     Concentrate your book sales into a short time period if you can. (If you are selling at a workshop, for example, or a public event, this is not all that hard to do.) Amazon rankings are updated hourly; a monthly sales level of 300 books will have a different sales ranking depending on the time period in which those books are sold; 300 books sold in one hour will register as greater sales activity than 300 sold across 24 hours or across 30 days.

3.     Sell in narrow niches. It is more difficult to reach the top 100 in parenting books or religious books or self-help books for example than to reach the top 100 in travel humor, dream interpretation, or European architecture.

Bottom line: It is possible to get onto the desirable Amazon Top 100 lists.

Lesson for today's Tuesday talk: Work to get your book onto the top 100 list by hustling, observing Amazon's manner of reporting and accounting, and finding the most narrow niche possible for your book.

See more Publisher Conversations with authors HERE.



 Learn more about publishing from an acquisitions editor -- how to get your book proposal accepted, why proposals are turned down/accepted, and how to find the right publisher for your book. On special sale for $5 while inventory lasts at MSI Press webstore.



The Tuesday talks reflect real discussions between the management of MSI Press LLC and our own authors or those would-be authors who come through our doors but don't make the cut--yet. If you have a topic that you would like addressed, leave the question in the comment section. Chances are, in our 18 years of publishing first-time and experiences authors, we have had a conversation with one of our authors that we can share with you.

                             

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