Happy Monday, WG2E-Land!
Coming out of a holiday weekend full of superfab holiday movies, I found myself stuck on this wonderful concept from Disney’s “The Santa Clause” movie (the first in the Tim Allen-starring franchise):
“Seeing Is Not Believing, Believing Is Seeing”
Remember the Snow Globe that served as the basis for this theme?
Here’s the exact scene in the movie…
Wouldn’t it be wonderful, if just like Bernard and Charlie, we could shake a snow globe and all the Bestseller Lists we need to be checking, then checking twice, would just appear amidst the swirling snowflakes?
Last week, one of WG2E-Land’s terrific regular commenters – Debra Burrough’s – ask me this question when I mentioned my ebooks have recently been on something like 89 Bestseller Lists:
Wow, eighty-nine best sellers lists! That’s spectacular!
I don’t mean to sound dumb, but I am rather new to epublishing and I’d like to know where one finds all of these lists?
Debra’s question was perfect…and no question is ever dumb…well, unless you don’t ask it.
As writers writing-for-publication, we spend a bunch of time in our worlds unable to “see” the results/impact of our work, and thus, we doubt ourselves and have a tough time believing in the possibility that readers might just luuuvvv our books!
No one can possibly understand that “Seeing Is Not Believing, Believing Is Seeing” like a writer can!
If we didn’t believe in ourselves and the chance that someday our books will be “seen” and adored by readers the world over, we’d have given up years ago, right?
BUT…
Once you’re Ebook is out there, you can believe, because, for the first time, you may have the opportunity to ”see” your success on Bestseller Lists.
But, like Debra asked…Where Do You Find All These Bestseller Lists?
Here’s the scoop:
1. On Amazon, you look right below your Amazon Rank for a listing of all the Bestseller Lists you’ve hit (thanks to using my Categorization technique). Here are a few of my results:
For LIP GLOCK
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,643 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
- #80 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Humor
- #81 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Comic
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,658 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
- #2 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Nonfiction > Cooking, Food & Wine > Special Occasions
- #24 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Entertaining
- #38 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Special Occasions
2. On Barnes & Noble Nook, you can find your rank on your Ebook’s page, but I have yet to find a way to figure out what Bestseller Lists you’re on there except to watch each weekend’s emails announcing this week’s B&N Nook Must-Read Picks. For the last six weeks now, at least four of my books have made those Bestseller Lists each week! Here’s an example of this past week’s superfab B&N marketing blitz…”Finished Stuffing Yourself? Now Stuff Your Nook with Top Bargain Books”:
3. For iPad, thanks to one of our over the moon superfab WG2E Commenters (Lisa Scott…I think it was), I found the terrific site Book Chart, which shows your Bestseller List appearance on iPad US, UK and Canada too! Here’s my scoop there:
http://bookchart.info/author/47107/D–D–Scott
To use Book Chart, you just put in your author name and/or book title, and if you’ve made the iPad Bestseller Lists, your data will be there!
4. For Sony, Kobo and Smashwords, I’m clueless…so if any of y’all have resources to get Bestseller Scoop on those platforms, please let us know!!!
Now then…Why is making these Bestseller Lists sooo very important?
One word:
VISIBILITY
Making these Bestseller Lists give you and your books Visibility!
It’s basic psychology really…
People want what they think everyone else already has.
In other words, for most peeps, Seeing Is Believing.
So when a potential reader sees that your Ebooks are on these Bestseller Lists, they know tons of peeps are buying your books, which makes them more likely to take a chance on you because they now believe you produce great books! They’ve seen your success in the bestseller rankings.
Another side note here…it’s not just about the Bestseller Lists via the platforms themselves (i.e. Amazon, B&N, iPad, etc.).
It also helps to be listed as Top Picks on Ereader-Centric Blogs - like Kindle Nation Daily (which will feature MADNESS UNDER THE MISTLETOE the weeks of Christmas and New Year’s), Ereader News Today (which is featuring my LIP GLOCK this Thursday, which could get me on Amazon’s glorious, bestsellers’ Movers & Shakers List), Pixel of Ink, etc.
It also helps for your readers to create Listmania Lists on Amazon where they list your books as some of their faves.
And, it also helps to then use your appearances on these lists on your social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter! (For examples, read through the posts on my Facebook Wall as well as those of Tonya Kappes, Talli Roland and Sibel Hodge. You’ll be able to see how we make these wonderful lists work for us even more!)
It’s Your Turn, WG2E-Land: How are you tracking your Bestseller Lists Appearances? What sites are you using to discover your Ebooks’ Bestselling Sales Status?
The Best of The WG2E Believing Is Seeing Wishes — D. D. Scott
How cool is that! I’ll bet is it super fun to watch & chart your progress…….makes all of your hard work worth while, I’m sure. Just think……you’re giving your readers some special enjoyment, as they read your e-books! Congrats!
Nothin’ beats treatin’ readers to great books for great prices, Jeanne! And that’s exactly what the Bestseller Lists measure for me.
When I see that my books have hit more charts, it’s not about the money or the status, it’s totally about knowing I’m reaching tons more readers with my brand of LOL fun!!!
Cheers to making readers LOL…that’s what it’s all about for me!!!
You are always informative and super helpful. I learn so much formyou all. Thank for another great post:)
U betchya, Lois!
That’s what it’s all about here at The WG2E…Paying It Forward with great scoop!!!
Good information! Now I have another question for you: how do you promote yourself & make yourself visible? I know you have this blog, your own blog, Facebook, Twitter, etc…but how do you get it out there?
Good Mornin’, Dr. Pope!
Kindle Boards and Nook Boards are a superfab way to get the word out…here’s a post we did on that:
http://thewritersguidetoepublishing.com/must-read-then-participate-on-kindle-boards
All of the platforms you mentioned – WG2E, my D. D. Scott-ville Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, etc. – are all part of the mix too!
And here’s a little something I do too: Every month, I choose a couple nights and stay up later than usual to catch peeps who are night owls!!! I pick up a ton of new readers that way!!! Just by being on all these sites at a different time!!!
That is so cool! Looks like my first book showed up on the ITunes lists 85 times! I just recently put the second book up on Smashwords (not sure what took me so long on that one….) So hopefully, I’ll be able to see the second book up on those Apple lists soon too! Thanks so much for providing this info, DeeDee! Hope you had a wonderful holiday!
Right backatchya, S.J.!!!
Isn’t that iTunes List totally rockin’?!
All I know for sure is that it wasn’t till I went Free on my debut book that I got the visibility necessary for my entire backlist to sky-rocket onto all these lists!!!
DD, I read this blog daily, you offer so much information to self-pubbers. I really appreciate it. Especially as I am preparing for my own release.
I’ve heard a great deal of rumbling about Kobo lately, after it was bought by a Japanese internet firm. It may become the new international distributor for all those books Amazon is tacking that $2 fee on that Mark mentioned. So I would be interested in learning more about Kobo, and their lists.
Welcome to The WG2E, Ansha! We’re thrilled to have you here!
There is indeed a ton of “rumbling” about Kobo. The interesting thing is they seem to play by their own rules. By that I mean, they have Bestseller Lists, but they’re not very visible…here they are:
http://www.kobobooks.com/top50.html
***Note: Along the left sidebar of their Top 50 page, you’ll see some other lists.
And please…somebody pipe-in here, if you know about more Kobo Bestseller Lists
Also, they don’t seem to adapt to price matching as quickly. For example, they just now made my Bootscootin’ book Free, and it’s been Free everywhere else since September!!!
I’ve also noticed that their readers don’t seem to be as vocal a group…in that they don’t review and rank or Facebook “Like” books as much there.
But, all that said, what I do sell there seems to be mostly to international readers! Yayyy for that!!!
Thanks. This is welcomed information for those just beginning down the road to Epublishing.
That’s what we’re here for, Janice!
We totally believe in Paying It Forward…by writers helping writers reach readers!!!
Welcome to The WG2E!!!
Congrats on beginning your new Indie Epub Journey!
We’re here to help u any way we can!!!
Excellent post! Didn’t know about the iPad chart and will have to check it out – and will have to check out B&N more often. But the current status of Playing For Keeps is…
#8,540 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
#8 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Fiction > Genre Fiction > Sports
#17 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Sports
A cool thing happened yesterday… The print release for Playing For Keeps is happening this week and when I went to the best selling list for sports fiction there was my book cover on the left under Hot New Releases!!!!! I nearly fell over. Oh yeah, I screen shotted that!
Cheers to screen-shots, Liz, and superfab congrats on your stellar ranking and Hot New Release appearance!!!
And isn’t the iPad Chart terrific?!
I luuuvvv how it tracks your highest list ranking as well as the dates of each appearance plus the country and date of last appearance too!!!
Amazon’s Author Central is kinda of doing that but not in as much detail yet…
I’ve not really tracked the number of times I’ve made the best sellers list. I do print the screen when I’ve made Amazon’s Movers and Shakers. E Reader News Today really helped me out. Greg has been GREAT and promoting my novels, which has propelled me to the best sellers list and beyond. I’ve never done Kindle Daily Nation, so I’m excited to see where that put MADNESS UNDER THE MISTLETOE.
Cheers again to Screen Shots, Super T! LOL!
And ohhh yeahhh, Movers and Shakers Appearances are the Queens of Visibility!!!
I also print the screens when my books are nestled in between authors and peeps I get a kick out of…for example, I did one recently where it was Shirley MacLaine, Me, then Chelsea Handler! LMAO!!!
I’ve got my first push with the superfab Greg at ENT this coming Thursday, December 1st!!! I can’t wait to see if that finally gets me to Movers & Shakers Land!!!
And no doubt, Kindle Nation Daily will rock our Madness Under The Mistletoe!!!
You know… that sounds like the Indie e-version of taking a picture of your book on the shelves of a bookstore. I’m going to keep that in mind. *giggles*
:} Cathryn
It’s exactly that, Cathryn! LOL!
And it sooo works to keep your muses crankin’ out the next book…and the next…and the one after that…and so on…
Cheers!!!
Congrats! You’re soooo right. Getting on these lists is super fab for exposure. I’m regularly on the Amazon genre lists for romantic suspense, comedy, humor, women’s writers & fiction, which helps drive sales.
Thanks for the scoop on the other lists! I’ve just discovered I’m on B&N mystery and thrillers list http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s?sort=R&size=90&dref=2425&prc=0.01-4.99&size=20&sort=d&store=EBOOK&view=grid and I have 3 books on the iTunes lists, too! http://bookchart.info/author/36539/Sibel-Hodge I’m doing a happy dance!
Thanks for another excellent post, D.D. That brain of yours is always working! I love that about you. Your sunny disposition and pay it forward attitude are jus the icing on the cake.
I’m amazed at how quickly one can move up the lists. My Pixel Of Ink ad went up yesterday afternoon and within six hours I’d sold 150 books and was #650 on the Amazon rankings. That may not seem like a big deal, but when you start down in the #68,000 spot, It’s very exciting! We’ll see what today brings. I’ll be checking out some of those other lists.
Funny you should mention Visibility. It seems like one of the hardest, but most important ingredients to becoming a success in this business. I’ve been focusing on Visibility a lot lately and will be blogging about that tomorrow on the Seven Scribes site. I’ll be sure to refer our readers back to this blog. You guys are fantastic.
Good Mornin’, PJ!!!
Thanks bunches for the super sweet message! U rock!!! Nothin’ makes me happier than helping other writers.
And I sooo hear ya on the Pixel of Ink awesome sauce-ness!!! (***Note: My honeymoon from that push lasted about a month and a half…in other words, that’s how long my sales were waaay above their average…and I still get tons of traffic on my sites from there.)
You’re sooo right too about the speed with which these Ereader-Centric Blog pushes take you up the charts!!! It takes this kind of visibility and the huge hourly sales that result from them to get the Amazon Algorithms behind you.
Ooooo…I’ll be checking out your Seven Scribes blog tomorrow too!!! I do totally believe that VISIBILITY IS THE KEY!!!
Thanks for the info DD! I had no idea that Kissed by Fire hit the iPad charts earlier this month. lol
Congrats, Shea!!!
U Go Girl!!!
Isn’t it over the moon wonderful when you find these lists?!
Great info, D.D. — thank you! I love looking at those charts, although I must admit I have never paid much attention to Barnes and Noble or charts other than Amazon. I’m still waiting for Build A Man to show up on B&N courtesy of Smashwords. It seems to be taking forever!
*rant over*
It was lovely to see two of my books in the top 5 on Amazon UK Movers and Shakers last week! And, of course, Madness Under the Mistletoe on the short stories bestseller list. Truth be told, I try not to look too much, because it’s very easy to become obsessed about those things — and you can’t control it! It is super exciting when your books gets on a list, though.
Great point, Talli, about not checking these lists too often…it can indeed take you over the edge! LOL!
And WooHoooooo on having two books in the Top 5 spots on Amazon’s UK Movers & Shakers!!! Now that’s some kinda awesome sauce sweetness right there!!! Congrats!!!
I have viewed over twenty different blogs that are billed as good resources for self-published authors. Your blog continues to be the most helpful by a country mile. Keep up the good work! thanks, Bill
Awe shucks, Bill, thanks sooo very much!!!
We simply luuuvvv sharin’ with all of you!!!
That’s the only way to truly learn enough to make your own, super-savvy Indie Epub business decisions.
Cheers to sharin’ the luuuvvv across “country miles”!!!
Great post – one I’ll keep filed for future use. I haven’t had to worry about “bestseller” anything yet with my debut novel. Now this next one, I will keep a closer eye on. Perhaps it’ll make the first one’s sales pick back up. Just keep on keepin’ on…
That’s the spirit, Jamie…”just keep on keepin’ on”!
And yes, bookmark these lists so you’ll have ‘em handy for when your books are on ‘em too!!!
Cheers to that!!!
Thanks as always for all the awesome info, D.D.
I’ve recently found a site that allows members to track their Amazon rankings for free. I believe though it’s just tracking the rankings in the Amazon US store, but I’m not positive.
http://www.metricjunkie.com
Once you add a book to your collection, you can track its rankings day by day, hour by hour.
Ooooo…thanks bunches, Abbey, for the superfab scoop on the Metric Junkie site!
I had not heard of this, and it would sure beat going into Amazon every couple days and having to make your own spreadsheets!!!
Thank U!!!
My DH thanks you too…’cause he’s the one tracking all this stuff for me!!! LOL!!!
Great post, D.D.! Luv your metaphor. And thanks for more useful info. You’re not only the Muse therapy Go-to gal, but the E-pub Smart Moves Go-to gal!
Thanks sooo very much, Alicia!
And I’m a snow globe queen so anything I can relate to shakin’ up those little beauties makes me and my muses dance like FootLoose chicks (the new Footloose…the country version)!!! LOL!!! If I tried the moves in the original film, I’d been in the hospital in traction!!!
I don’t know if all my Indie Epub Moves have been Smart, but the ones I’ve flopped on at least allows y’all to learn what NOT to do! Which is more than half the struggle!
You’re so welcome, D.D.
I was extatic to come upon a message in a Yahoo group I belong to that mentioned it.
Indie Romance Ink is very resourceful. Everyone there is so helpful.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/indieromanceink
That is a good resource group, Abbey.
And cheers to you sharin’ what you’re learning! Way to Pay It Forward!!!
I also like the Yahoo Group Worldwide Indie Novelists (WIN):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Worldwide_Indie_Novelists
Thanks so much for sharing this information. It is so helpful. I’m definitely going to save this post to refer back to over and over again.
Congratz again for hitting 89 of the lists!
I’m tickled the post helped you, Debra!
Thanks bunches for the great post idea!!!
And thanks too for the sweet congrats!!!
Thanks so much for clearing up that mystery for me. Love the snow globes.
U betchya, Anne!
And I luuuvvv the snow globes too!
If only we could shake ‘em and find new readers too!!!
Ooh, not sure what happened to my post – it disappeared!
Congrats! You’re soooo right. Getting on these lists is super fab for exposure. I’m regularly on the Amazon genre lists for romantic suspense, comedy, humor, women’s writers & fiction, which helps drive sales.
Thanks for the scoop on the other lists! I’ve just discovered I’m on B&N mystery and thrillers list http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s?sort=R&size=90&dref=2425&prc=0.01-4.99&size=20&sort=d&store=EBOOK&view=grid and I have 3 books on the iTunes lists, too! http://bookchart.info/author/36539/Sibel-Hodge I’m doing a happy dance!
U betchya, Sibel!
And congrats on making all these lists!!!
Nothin’ gets you visibility like starting to see your books on all these superfab bestseller lists!!!
Again…it goes back to basic human psychology…
People want what they know others already have.
Wow, some of you here are rocking those lists!
My book, too, is #1 on a list, although the list consists of (cough) only 34 books:
› Mystery, Thriller & Suspense › “Geology”
It’s a start
Indeed it is a start, Toni…a great start!!!
Go, You, Go!!!
Thank you for all your posts.
I think that I might be a successful author. I’m not sure. My first book, From Baseball Clown to Cooperstown,” was completed last month. I publicized my book to various peer groups. The book has been in the works for three years. All my mail was, “Where’s that book you’ve been promising?” I priced the ebook at $17.00 and sold 98. Everybody loved it. Am I a success? Now I want to do it the right way. Any step by step suggestions? Help!
Steve Allison
To begin with, Steve…you’re successful because you’ve dared put yourself and your book out there for readers to take a look at!!! So congrats for that!!!
Now then…as far as step-by-step suggestions…tell us where you’re at in your Indie Epub Journey…by that I mean, do you have your books professionally formatted as Ebooks yet? Do you have a professional Ebook Cover? Has your book been professionally edited? Have you studied up on the various Ebook Publishing Platforms such as Amazon’s KDP, Nook’s PubIt, Smashwords, etc.?
We can point you in the best directions, if we first know where exactly you’re at in your journey…
In the mean time, just simply go-for-the-gusto by beginning to read all of our posts here on The WG2E! You’ll find a wealth of information on all kinds of must-know Indie Epub topics. You can also use our site search engine (at the top right of our home page) and search by topic you need…for example, you can search for say Ebook Price Point posts, Ebook Covers, Promotion, etc.