Amazon Kindle Scout (https://kindlescout.amazon.com) is a promotional platform for new authors wanting to promote their e-book (and try and garner ‘reads’ of your 5,000 word opening extract and nominations from those with amazon accounts) prior to launch, provided you are willing to commit to it being published exclusively on Amazon Kindle for a minimum period of 75 days. Phew! there’s always conditions….
Their blurb says: “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.”
I submitted my entire manuscript (which just crept over the 50,000 word minimum requirement, and further qualified as having been professionally proof-read and copy edited, although no proof of this was asked for – they must make their own assessment). I selected the category as ‘Mystery/Thriller’.
Also, you must have a decent book cover. I designed my own but sent it to a graphic designer through fiverr.com to give it a more ‘professional’ look, and ensure the cover image used is copyright paid. I’m happy with it, although it perhaps is a little too much dark, brooding and foreboding for a novel with plenty of tongue-in-cheek humour!
I was accepted, whoopee! and my promotional exposure period on their site ran from 9th March – 9th April 2016. It has just ended and they have emailed the following message:
“Dear Tim Walker,
Thank you for submitting DEVIL GATE DAWN to Kindle Scout. The nomination period for your campaign has just ended and we are reviewing your book for possible selection.
Here’s what happens next:
- You will receive an email from us in the next few business days notifying you whether your book has been selected for publication by Kindle Press.
- Each Kindle Scout reader who nominated your book will also receive an email from us with the result, along with the following thank you message you submitted with your campaign:
“Dear Reader, many thanks for taking the time to read and nominate my book, Devil Gate Dawn. I hope you were suitably entertained by my storytelling, my attempts at raising tension and alleviating it with some humour. I sincerely hope you were engaged and enjoyed the ride. Thanks again, and look out for the return of George!”
- We will list all books selected for publication on the Kindle Scout website a few days after the selections are made.”
Yeah, forgot to mention that when you fill in the application form at the start, you also put in a ‘thank you’ message to all who nominated you. Also, Amazon will email them when your book is up on Kindle – something useful, even if you don’t win a deal and put the book up yourself, they will still do this.
Now, my campaign did not break any records! I could moan about being up against US authors with huge social media followings, but I won’t!
I amassed a total of 320 page views over the 30 days, and 0 (yes, zero) hours in ‘Hot and Trending’. Totally stuffed by the Chick Litters and heavy-weight Yanks!…
But consider this…I was always going to put the book on Kindle, and this has given me greater exposure, plus those who nominated will get an email with the link once it goes ‘live’. Fine by me.
THANKS EVERYONE! WATCH OUT FOR IT ON AMAZON KINDLE IN A WEEK OR TWO…AND I’M PLANNING TO MAKE IT A FREE DOWNLOAD FOR THE FIRST SEVEN DAYS…PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!
Tim Walker 