Every year Smashwords examines sales data to extract insights about best practices that give indie authors and publishers incremental advantages in the marketplace. This data is probably the only firm facts anywhere about digital sales. The survey is based on over $25 million in actual verified ebook sales data, aggregated across the Smashwords distribution network between April 2014 and March 2015.
1. Preorders. Less than 10 percent of books began as a preorder, yet two thirds of the top 200 bestselling titles were born as preorders.
2. Series with free series starters earn more money.
3. Free still works to build readership.
4. Longer books sell better than shorter books.
5. $3.99 remains the sweet spot for full length indie fiction.
6. 99 cents is still good for building readership.
7. Bestselling authors are more likely to have a presence on Facebook and Twitter, and more likely to have a blog.
8. Top Fiction categories during the period: 1. Romance. 2. Erotica. 3. YA and teen fiction.
9. Top Non-fiction categories during the period: 1. Biography. 2. Health, wellbeing and medicine
Anyone seriously interested in making a success of a writing career needs to read the full article and apply areas that relate to them. Here's the link:
http://blog.smashwords.com/2015/12/SmashwordsEbookSurvey2015.html
Helen Woodall
helen.woodall@gmail.com
Helen is available to line edit and/ or content edit fiction and non-fiction. Rates on application.
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