[Triceratops]

As of this hour

#9 Kind of Hindu (Nothing Like I Imagined) at $1.99
#11 Please Like Me (But Keep Away) at $1.99
#15 Big Shot (Nothing Like I Imagined) at $1.99
#23 Searching for Coach Taylor (Nothing Like I Imagined) at $1.99
#24 Help Is on the Way (Nothing Like I Imagined) at $1.99
#25 Once Upon a Time in Silver Lake (Nothing Like I Imagined) at $1.99

https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Kindle-Store-eBooks/zgbs/digital-text/154606011

I wonder if more celebrity books will follow this template: a series of chapter-length shorts with different covers at $1.99 each.

This seems like a new publishing strategy (of hers). Her two previous books, both memoirs, are traditional length and traditionally priced. The 6 new books, above, are short reads. Kind of Hindu is listed as 17 pages.

Good for Mindy, I like her, but this strategy kinda crowds others out of the list, ya know?

 

[markpauloleksiw]

Kind of money grabby as a practice. Not sure if it follows amazon rules.

Essentially, someone is paying like 1.99 per 17 pages...

Mark

 

[Nick G]

Not sure if it follows amazon rules.

What rule is she breaking, hypothetically?

 

[markpauloleksiw]

Amazon put a cap on pages for page reads in unlimited.

What stops someone from dicing a novel into 1,000 pieces when combined are well over the limit. Someone with more detailed knowledge of amazon rules can perhaps add to this.

It just struck me as something that could totally get out of control if everyone did it.

Mark

 

[binaryhermit]

These seem to be published by "Amazon Original Stories".

This would have been abusive toward the KU system when they paid by books read to 10%, now that they pay by "pages" read...

 

[markpauloleksiw]

I am just imagining if others did this. The top kindle list would suddenly be dominated by a handful of popular authors which would box out others.

So why not a popular author do this as well and dominate various positions on the chart for what in fact is one book.

Mark

 

[RBC]

Does Amazon Original Stories mean they get more organic marketing from Amazon? If so, that would seriously help.

What are those 'Original Stories' actually? Never seen it much before...

 

[K'Sennia Visitor]

https://www.amazon.com/b?node=17506527011

The sales page to find Original stories

https://goodereader.com/blog/kindle/julia-sommerfeld-discusses-amazon-original-stories-and-kindle-singles

https://amazonpublishing.amazon.com/amazon-original-stories.html

 

[J. Tanner]

This seems like a new publishing strategy (of hers). Her two previous books, both memoirs, are traditional length and traditionally priced. The 6 new books, above, are short reads. Kind of Hindu is listed as 17 pages.

It's not her strategy, it's Amazon's.

Look at how they're pushing them:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HRCMMS6

And they're free for Prime/KU so zero friction to climbing up the charts. I'm sure they're selling great too, but their position is deceptive as it's being propped up by the pure power of Amazon.

 

[RBC]

https://www.amazon.com/b?node=17506527011

The sales page to find Original stories

https://goodereader.com/blog/kindle/julia-sommerfeld-discusses-amazon-original-stories-and-kindle-singles

https://amazonpublishing.amazon.com/amazon-original-stories.html

Thanks for those!

Seems smart. I would not be surprised if short reads will take off soon. Bite-sized content is popular all over. Short reads make sense in some situations, like commutes (whenever they are back).

Maybe this is a start of new trend. Kinda hope it is.

 

[Crystal_]

Amazon put a cap on pages for page reads in unlimited.

What stops someone from dicing a novel into 1,000 pieces when combined are well over the limit. Someone with more detailed knowledge of amazon rules can perhaps add to this.

It just struck me as something that could totally get out of control if everyone did it.

Mark

What?

The KENPC limit is 3,000 pages. Based on what I've heard about page counts, that's somewhere around 500k words.

Someone would need to write a several million word novel for this strategy to make sense.

As far as the practice, if readers don't like it, they won't buy it or KU it. Anything that creates friction is going to drop sales. Even a series with epic cliffhangers is going to lose people between books.

 

[Flying Pizza Pie]

I'd be unhappy if I didn't realize the book was 17 pages before I started reading and finished what's about a single chapter in most books. Of course it's Amazon's own imprint, and they must be loving it - they get 70% on books less than $2.99, right? Six book, that together don't make a decent-size read, and you can't even look at the "Look inside" because it's too short and shows only the title pages and front matter - and they are selling combined for $11.95 on Kindle.

I've got an opinion, but it won't change Amazon's mind about screwing the reader.

 

[Sheri LHP]

I want to know who can afford to spend 1.99 for 17 pages? So I can go back to college to get whatever degree they have. 

 

[jaxonreed]

There's a higher price and lower price strategy with KU. Amazon is taking the higher price route with these books (at least in terms of what you get for the price). Also, they subtly encourage joining KU this way. "You could get all these $2 books by a famous author for free in KU."

I noticed that Mindy is being pushed considerably on top banner ads lately. So, there is an effort behind these titles and other projects to heavily promote her. It makes sense for Amazon to take talent with an audience elsewhere (Mindy Project, etc.) and announce to the world her work can now be found on Amazon.

 

[markpauloleksiw]

This kind of goes to one of the big complaints from critics about Amazon in general. Basically, that they create an unfair playing field on their platform by promoting "their products" versus non-Amazon. 

Kind of related to this is how Amazon ranks books in subcategories.  In one subcategory, my novel was ranking in the top 10 for awhile but, the 4 of the top ten spots were held by  the same book in 4 different formats (ebook,paperback,hardback and audible)...Kind of sucks because a mega seller can dominate a listing a squeeze out the smaller players. If this title was combined it would still be number 1 but, mine would have had top 3 status in the subcategory.

So Mindy Kaling's short stories will take up 6 spots in a top ten listing potentially...does not seem right. But I don't make the rules.

Mark

 

[jaxonreed]

This kind of goes to one of the big complaints from critics about Amazon in general. Basically, that they create an unfair playing field on their platform by promoting "their products" versus non-Amazon.

I wouldn't call this one an unfair playing field. From what I understand, the different Amazon publishers still have to pay for promotions on the platform out of their ad budgets. So, if another publisher wishes to plug their new author, they have access to the same tools the Amazon publishers have.

Plus, this is a highly popular actress. Even I've heard of her.

 

[Amanda M. Lee]

These seem to be published by "Amazon Original Stories".

This would have been abusive toward the KU system when they paid by books read to 10%, now that they pay by "pages" read...

Amazon published books are not included in the pot, so it doesn't matter.

 

[unkownwriter]

It's nothing a boatload of self publishers aren't doing, or wanting to do. There's at least one recent one on the KDP forums. If people want to pay for bits and pieces, I'm sure Amazon is happy to let them do so. Especially if it's from a traditional publisher. They don't have to follow the same rules we do.

 

[nightwork]

I want to know who can afford to spend 1.99 for 17 pages? So I can go back to college to get whatever degree they have.

that's $2.16 with tax, so even a homeless guy on the street could afford it if he had a phone to read it on

personally i've bought several Amazon Originals by authors i collect