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Do you have a minute? I could use your input about something.
As you probably know, I recently released an ebook about weaving. I may have mentioned this once or twice. :-)
Well, it’s been out for about two months now. Interestingly, I’ve had lots of visitors to the book’s page and my online store, but comparatively few sales.
This data tells me that there’s something about the book itself or my website that isn’t quite right yet. I’m trying to identify what it is. Can you help?
I’d love to see more self-publishing in the craft community, and I’m sure your insights will be super-helpful both to me and to others.
So, if you’ve looked at this ebook, and considered buying it, but ultimately didn’t, would you be willing to share what it was that prevented you? Feel free to leave a comment here, or you can email me.
(No worries at all, by the way, if you didn’t make the purchase. I won’t try to re-sell you!)
Thank you!
Wow, I'm only a tiny part of the way through all these comments, and there's tons of juicy stuff!! As someone who DID buy the e-book – and as someone who is currently going through the book-writing and painful feedback gathering process and knows that none of it is easy – I thought I'd throw out a few tidbits . . .
1) The format is so readable – I was able to quickly scan it and get the basic idea behind each project, and know I'd have help if I chose to dive in further. I liked the idea of the printable pages for instructions, but realized that I probably wouldn't use them – because I'm so visual, I'd want the pictures. I'm a page-flipper for sure.
2) The free project was almost a deterrent to me purchasing the book. Weird, huh? But I felt like I got so much with the free project that it wasn't really a teaser, it was a meal . . . I'd be curious to know what the ratio of free downloads to purchases is. You already offer so much free stuff on your site – if somebody wants something free, send them over to the weaving podcast! Weird metaphor, but it's like Gap giving away a free pair of jeans just because you walk in the door – I go to Gap for jeans. If I get what I'm really wanting for free (a taste of how to do more nifty off-loom weaving projects) I may not buy more. Give 'em a totebag (something cool, but not quite what they're looking for) for walking in the door.
3) Cover, shmover. I thought the cover was fine – What really tempts me is to see a huge variety of finished projects . . . 5 or 6 step by steps in a 60-page book is fine, but I gotta say, I was curious to see more variations . . . and yes, perhaps a “showstopper” . . . something I might never take the time to do, but that might push me off in new directions. I buy books for BOTH inspiration and instructions.
4) One way to get both more variations on the projects and more sales? Put out a call for project variations (I've been toying around with that wall hanging one, and I have those weaving in the box things I did that were totally inspired by you and your off-loom weaving podcast and links). Feature the work of other crafters/artists in your next edition – poof, more pages, more pictures, more variations, more inspiration, no cost to you (except maybe handing out a free .pdf to contributors), no time spent trying to do a bazillion new projects, and suddenly, all of those contributors become advocates for your book because they're in it! Linda Womack did that with her second edition of Embracing Encaustic, and wow, did it ever work!
This is all marvelous uncharted territory – the more I've researched P.O.D. and self-publishing, the more the book I'm working on has changed – and yes, the more feedback I've gotten, the more the book has changed! Part of the great thing about doing this is that we get to discover and test and figure out what works – and how ideas and strategies translate from print to digital distribution. Thanks so much for including all of us in the conversation.
I've been reading ebooks for the past 2 years. The first thing that I notice about your book is that the format (.pdf, .mobi, .epub, etc.) and compatible ebook devices aren't listed anywhere. Without that information I don't know if the book is compatible with my Sony Reader 505 or Amazon Kindle 2. Also, I don't buy craft books in ebook format. The current e-ink ebook devices only display black and white. Colors pictures are typically an important feature of craft books. If your book contains any color keys, I would likely have difficulty distinguishing between the shades of grey on my devices.
If you're interested in learning about ebooks and what is important to ebook readers, check out http://www.mobileread.com/forums/. As an author, you might particularly be interested in the Writer's Corner (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/forumdisplay.p…).
Thanks, Dreamer – that's good input!
Wow, I'm only a tiny part of the way through all these comments, and there's tons of juicy stuff!! As someone who DID buy the e-book – and as someone who is currently going through the book-writing and painful feedback gathering process and knows that none of it is easy – I thought I'd throw out a few tidbits . . .
1) The format is so readable – I was able to quickly scan it and get the basic idea behind each project, and know I'd have help if I chose to dive in further. I liked the idea of the printable pages for instructions, but realized that I probably wouldn't use them – because I'm so visual, I'd want the pictures. I'm a page-flipper for sure.
2) The free project was almost a deterrent to me purchasing the book. Weird, huh? But I felt like I got so much with the free project that it wasn't really a teaser, it was a meal . . . I'd be curious to know what the ratio of free downloads to purchases is. You already offer so much free stuff on your site – if somebody wants something free, send them over to the weaving podcast! Weird metaphor, but it's like Gap giving away a free pair of jeans just because you walk in the door – I go to Gap for jeans. If I get what I'm really wanting for free (a taste of how to do more nifty off-loom weaving projects) I may not buy more. Give 'em a totebag (something cool, but not quite what they're looking for) for walking in the door.
3) Cover, shmover. I thought the cover was fine – What really tempts me is to see a huge variety of finished projects . . . 5 or 6 step by steps in a 60-page book is fine, but I gotta say, I was curious to see more variations . . . and yes, perhaps a “showstopper” . . . something I might never take the time to do, but that might push me off in new directions. I buy books for BOTH inspiration and instructions.
4) One way to get both more variations on the projects and more sales? Put out a call for project variations (I've been toying around with that wall hanging one, and I have those weaving in the box things I did that were totally inspired by you and your off-loom weaving podcast and links). Feature the work of other crafters/artists in your next edition – poof, more pages, more pictures, more variations, more inspiration, no cost to you (except maybe handing out a free .pdf to contributors), no time spent trying to do a bazillion new projects, and suddenly, all of those contributors become advocates for your book because they're in it! Linda Womack did that with her second edition of Embracing Encaustic, and wow, did it ever work!
This is all marvelous uncharted territory – the more I've researched P.O.D. and self-publishing, the more the book I'm working on has changed – and yes, the more feedback I've gotten, the more the book has changed! Part of the great thing about doing this is that we get to discover and test and figure out what works – and how ideas and strategies translate from print to digital distribution. Thanks so much for including all of us in the conversation.
I've been reading ebooks for the past 2 years. The first thing that I notice about your book is that the format (.pdf, .mobi, .epub, etc.) and compatible ebook devices aren't listed anywhere. Without that information I don't know if the book is compatible with my Sony Reader 505 or Amazon Kindle 2. Also, I don't buy craft books in ebook format. The current e-ink ebook devices only display black and white. Colors pictures are typically an important feature of craft books. If your book contains any color keys, I would likely have difficulty distinguishing between the shades of grey on my devices.
If you're interested in learning about ebooks and what is important to ebook readers, check out http://www.mobileread.com/forums/. As an author, you might particularly be interested in the Writer's Corner (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/forumdisplay.p…).
Thanks, Dreamer – that's good input!