MSI Press Blog

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. This week we discuss Amazon's author pages. Do you really need one? Yes! 📚 Why Every Author Needs an Amazon Author Page Not every author sets up an Amazon Author Page. Some assume it’s optional, or that their book listings speak for themselves. But skipping this step can quietly depress your visibility—and your sales. Here’s why your Author Page matters more than you think: 🔍 1. Search Algorithms Rely on It If you have an unusual name—or even a common one—the Amazon search algorithm looks for an author page match before surfacing your book. No match? The system may redirect searchers to someone else’s page. Your book becomes invisibl...

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. This week we discuss Amazon categories. Such an enigma! Intentionally so. Amazon does not reveal much about its inner workings, but thanks to some research, we have been able to determine the following that might be helpful for authors to know. 📚 How Amazon Book Categories Work (with Niche and Volume Dynamics) 🧭 Initial Category Assignment When books are distributed via Ingram (LSI) , Amazon pulls metadata from Ingram’s feed, including BISAC codes. These BISAC codes help Amazon place the book into relevant genre categories (e.g., “Spiritual Memoir,” “Parenting,” “Historical Fiction”). Authors and publishers can influence category placemen...

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. This week we discuss free books. Are they worth it? Let’s talk about the word “free.” It’s seductive, isn’t it? BookBub swears by it. So do Freebooksy, Written Word Media, Goodreads, and a host of platforms that thrive on zero-cost promotions. They say free books are your best sales tool. And they’re not wrong—if your goal is downloads. But here’s the rub: downloads aren’t sales. And they certainly aren’t readers. The Psychology of Free: Why It Works (Sort Of) According to Written Word Media, “free” triggers a powerful emotional response. It lights up the brain, bypasses risk aversion, and creates urgency through FOMO (fear of missing out). Rea...