Why We Need Kindle Scout to Succeed

The first week of my “campaign” on KindleScout has passed and with it I have many answers and even more questions. My novel, Housebroken, has thankfully been trending HOT since its release last Monday, garnering additional attention by being amongst the cycling wheel of other novels which have received multiple nominations. A HUGE Thank You to everyone who has taken the time to read my excerpt and nominate my work – it means more than you know!

So what does it mean to have a book considered HOT on Kindle Scout?

I wish I knew. (And if you find the answer please let me know).

HOUSEBROKEN has been trending HOT since its debut on Kindle Scout!

Because there are no nomination counts attached to the trending books it’s impossible to know what criteria Amazon is requiring to be included within this group. What is known is that the odds of “winning” a publishing contract with Kindle Press will likely be higher should the books garner attention. However an influx of nominations does not guarantee your book will be chosen as the Kindle Scout team will be reviewing and awarding them according to their own criteria.

But, just like in high school, you want to be found on the list considered HOT and trending. It can only increase your chances of that coveted contract.

In following what other Kindle Scout authors have been doing I’ve seen a lot of efforts made through Twitter seeking nominations, a few guest blog spots and mass retweets. I’ve had some success with Facebook, mainly with people reposting my initial announcement. I am now dividing my time between promoting the program itself rather than just promoting my own link.

Why, you might ask?

We need Kindle Scout to succeed.

If novels presented on the Kindle Scout platform are solely selected as a popularity contest, we all lose. Authors, readers, even Amazon. What we need are active readers selecting those works that are truly deserving of a publishing contract, helping to sift through some of the slush and promote great work and up-and-coming novelists.

I’d be curious to know how many authors with books on KindleScout have nominated books that aren’t their own. You can nominate up to three novels at a time. So with all the noise of us promoting ourselves have we even taken the time to do what we’re asking others to do — review the books and nominate what we’d like to see published?

This program, and others like it, are needed right now more than ever, as publishing continues to redefine itself and the lines between traditional and indie publishing blur.  I have always believed good writing will find a way to rise to the top. Eventually. “Reader-powered publishing” is a concept that can help speed that process along.

So Discover – Read – Nominate – And Share. And do it here, at KindleScout.Amazon.com.

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