October 13, 2011

WHEN THE 1000 LB SHARK ISN’T SCARY

A friend recently sent me an article from the “New York Times” concerning Amazon’s electronic bookstore. For those who pay no attention to such things, authors are ranked with the company based on the number of sales per day, per week, etc. I read somewhere what the numbers mean, but I threw the information away as I am so far down on the sales list the 10th pit of hell looks like a penthouse to me. 

I wish my numbers were better and I know there are techniques for getting the tally up for a day; but it amounts to gimmicks and little more.

(National Geographic)

According to the article my friend sent, Amazon is offering a new service, one that allows authors to research their sales by geographic location. The big publishers are up in arms about this. They argue these numbers are part of their proprietary right and that Amazon is invading their turf and behaving toward the industry like the thousand pound shark.

This battle among giants means little to an author published by a small, independent press. Like a coral reef at the bottom of the sea, the turbulence overhead has little effect on me. I win my audience slowly, one precious reader at a time.