September 19: the nineteenth day of InSeMaMo Today's challenge is to write a first and last page that will help sell your books.
Even though you may be publishing an e-book, on the first page don't forget to add a list of "Books by the Same Author", followed by your Amazon author URL.
The last page is even more important. It's said the ending of your novel sells your next book. As long as the opening gets them to read it, and the middle keeps them reading it, this is true. :-)
There's a sense of satisfaction and even exhilaration in a good ending to an interesting story. If you've done your job well, the reader wants to read more. So don't stop after "The End".
If you're writing a series, and you've already written the next book in the series, put the first chapter here and end it on a dramatic scene so they can't wait to read the next book, and include where they can buy it. (make sure you've clearly indicated where this book ends, and that the following pages are the beginning of the next book, and give its title. Otherwise your readers may feel like the book they've have reading doesn't have an ending.)
But this still isn't the end. The last page of your book/e-book is a note to the reader.
What's in this note? A call-to-action, of course. One call-to-action. Don't confuse your reader with multiple requests. You've already listed your other books at the front, with the URL where to find them. What you want to ask for now, is a book review! Most readers have no idea how important these are to an author. They just need to be asked, and the best time to ask is when they're in that warm afterglow of finishing your book.
As an example, here's my last page for Walls of Wind:
Hello,
Thank you for joining me in the world of the Ghen and Bria on their planet, Wind.
If you have enjoyed Walls of Wind, please consider posting a review on Amazon or Goodreads. Your review will help others find this story. Every review matters and is valuable to me, no matter how short or long it is. I would love to hear what you thought of my book – I read every one.
To write a review on Amazon.com, go to http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00HO1IOWE where all my books are listed. Click on Walls of Wind and scroll down to the button marked “Write a customer review”
I really appreciate it!
J. A. McLachlan
http://www.janeannmclachlan.com
However you write it, that final page will increase your number of reader reviews.
Even though you may be publishing an e-book, on the first page don't forget to add a list of "Books by the Same Author", followed by your Amazon author URL.
The last page is even more important. It's said the ending of your novel sells your next book. As long as the opening gets them to read it, and the middle keeps them reading it, this is true. :-)
There's a sense of satisfaction and even exhilaration in a good ending to an interesting story. If you've done your job well, the reader wants to read more. So don't stop after "The End".
If you're writing a series, and you've already written the next book in the series, put the first chapter here and end it on a dramatic scene so they can't wait to read the next book, and include where they can buy it. (make sure you've clearly indicated where this book ends, and that the following pages are the beginning of the next book, and give its title. Otherwise your readers may feel like the book they've have reading doesn't have an ending.)
But this still isn't the end. The last page of your book/e-book is a note to the reader.
What's in this note? A call-to-action, of course. One call-to-action. Don't confuse your reader with multiple requests. You've already listed your other books at the front, with the URL where to find them. What you want to ask for now, is a book review! Most readers have no idea how important these are to an author. They just need to be asked, and the best time to ask is when they're in that warm afterglow of finishing your book.
As an example, here's my last page for Walls of Wind:
Hello,
Thank you for joining me in the world of the Ghen and Bria on their planet, Wind.
If you have enjoyed Walls of Wind, please consider posting a review on Amazon or Goodreads. Your review will help others find this story. Every review matters and is valuable to me, no matter how short or long it is. I would love to hear what you thought of my book – I read every one.
To write a review on Amazon.com, go to http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00HO1IOWE where all my books are listed. Click on Walls of Wind and scroll down to the button marked “Write a customer review”
I really appreciate it!
J. A. McLachlan
http://www.janeannmclachlan.com
However you write it, that final page will increase your number of reader reviews.
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