During Week I, we talked about sad assumptions and irrational expectations new authors usually have about book sales. We then discussed the dire need for an author to have his OWN website (not a URL controlled by someone else!) and a periodical (ezine/blog) to market their book.

During Week II, we discussed how important it is to offer a free excerpt of your book. We also shared URLs to “free article” websites where you can post your excerpt as an “article.”

During Week III, we talked about posting your book excerpt on FreeBookExcerpts.com, a free service for everyone, including book lovers. Authors can post excerpts and readers can discuss them.

During Week IV, we cozied up to websites that have a good Google ranking.

During Week V, we asked websites, ezines, blogs and magazines to publish an excerpt from our book.

During Week VI, we subtly marketed our book to online discussion groups.

During Week VII, we subtly promoted our book on other people’s blogs.

During Week VIII, we subtly promoted our book on major news sites.

This week, we’re going to list our ebook for sale at some ebookstores and also take advantage of a few free ebook directories.

This activity is only going to work if you own the electronic rights to your book. If your book was traditionally published, your publisher may emit a loud guffaw if you ask them for permission to allow someone else to sell your ebook.

If you self-published your book and you now don’t own the electronic rights to your book, you chose a really bad and greedy publisher. Let’s face it. If you’re paying someone to publish your book, they don’t deserve to own ANY rights to YOUR book.

While working on my new book, which will hopefully be released in a month or two, I started researching ebookstores. I was pretty surprised to discover that many ebookstores that used to be free now charge a fee to list a book there. That was pretty disheartening.

HERE ARE THREE EBOOKSTORES THAT DON’T CHARGE SETUP FEES

Booklocker.com
https://publishing.booklocker.com/submit.php

BookLocker now lists and sells non-fiction **AND FICTION** ebooks for free, even if another company is printing the book for you! The process is fast and painless.

Royalties are 70% of the list price for ebooks priced $8.95 or higher and 50% of the list price for ebooks priced under $8.95. Booklocker pays authors monthly on accounts with a balance of $20 or more. NO ISBN REQUIRED and you can cancel at anytime! Simply submit your manuscript directly to Angela Hoy (me!) using this form: https://publishing.booklocker.com/submit.php

Amazon.com’s Kindle
https://dtp.amazon.com/mn/signin
The Kindle is Amazon.com’s ebook reader, or “wireless reading device.” It’s too expensive and hasn’t received great reviews. However, while listing your ebook with them is a bit of a headache (okay, it’s a huge headache), it is free.

Pays 35% of the “suggested retail price” of your ebook 60 days after the last day of the calendar month when your account reaches $10. It looks like you can “unpublish” a book at anytime. However, like I said, the site is very confusing and cumbersome so you’ll really have to poke around to find your way in and out.

Mobipocket Ebookbase
https://www.mobipocket.com
“eBookBase is a secure wholesale and DRM distribution center for publishers seeking to sell their eBook through a growing network of Book and eBooksellers.”

The sign-up process is pretty cumbersome but the company does not charge a setup fee to list ebooks.

Pays 50% commission (40% on affiliate sales if you allow affiliates to list/sell your book). Pays quarterly on accounts with a balance of $150 or more. Requires 90 days notice to terminate.

Go to https://www.mobipocket.com. On the left-hand side, down toward the bottom, under Publishers, click the Welcome Page link and follow their instructions.

FREE EBOOK DIRECTORIES

There are specific directories online that feature ebooks and then lead potential buyers to the websites where the books can be purchased. List your ebook(s) at the sites below:

eBook Palace
https://www.ebookpalace.com/cgi-bin/search/add_url.cgi

Jogena’s Ebook Directory
https://www.jogena.com/ebookdir/ebookform.htm

eBook Index Directory from See-Search Engines
https://www.see-search.com/asp/urlsubebook1f.asp

Angela Hoy is the co-owner of the ebook and print on demand publisher, BookLocker.com, and the publisher of WritersWeekly.com.