Author Topic: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread  (Read 15341 times)

TheLadyNyra

The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« on: September 28, 2018, 12:49:12 AM »
Why not have one for the British and Irish writers too?  Anyone out there?

Have you all managed to sign up to the UK AMS service (or whatever they've changed their name to)?  I wasn't seeing much movement on it until the last week. Since then I've been getting sales via it and it's now paying for itself.
« Last Edit: September 28, 2018, 12:51:13 AM by TheLadyNyra »
 
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Simon Haynes

Re: The British & Irish Writers Support Thread
« Reply #1 on: September 28, 2018, 12:51:59 AM »
Does it count if I have a British passport but happen to live in Australia?

No? Well, back to your regular programming then!


Actually, being serious for a minute, Amazon UK is the biggest market for my fiction, so I wouldn't mind checking in on this thread occasionally.



Also, bit of a tip, but if you email KDP support you can ask them to add your books to several categories involving 'British/Irish fiction'

Handy for amazon.com.au and .ca


e.g. on Amazon.com.au and amazon.com:

Kindle Store : Kindle eBooks : Literature & Fiction : World Literature : British


Get in quick before it's filled with man chests.


« Last Edit: September 28, 2018, 12:55:57 AM by Simon Haynes »
 

TheLadyNyra

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #2 on: September 28, 2018, 12:56:43 AM »
Ummm, I totally think the passport counts!


Also that's a really good tip!
 

Simon Haynes

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #3 on: September 28, 2018, 01:11:39 AM »

Go to https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/contact-us

Then click Book Details, Update Categories And Keywords

The email is half filled out already.


Quote
Ummm, I totally think the passport counts!

Bonza sport!


 

Gerri Attrick

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #4 on: September 28, 2018, 01:18:53 AM »
I’m a Brit reporting in, ma’am.  :mhk9U91:

I tried the original AMS on both my permafree first in series and the second which was $2.99/£2.99. I couldn’t really make head nor tail of the results, but they were massively underwhelming.

I’d love to try again with the UK AMS service, but I’ve no idea where to find it (I think someone said you needed an Amazon Advantage account). Besides, I really don’t understand all the jargon connected with ads and fear I’d just be throwing good money after bad.  :icon_cry:
 

The Doctor

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #5 on: September 28, 2018, 01:21:33 AM »
Excellent tip!


Hello, another Brit here. Up in rainy (what else?) Scotland. Just South of Edinburgh, though I work in the city (hate the commute).


Have been using UK AMS for a while. Was doing okay but I was burning through my non-existent budget. Can't seem to change my daily budget on the site. Was previously £5 a day (two ads), then I lowered it to £1.50 each. Now I want to raise them to £3 each.
 

Genre: Weird Fiction | Science Fiction | Fantasy | Horror |
Gayle Ramage Website
 

Simon Haynes

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #6 on: September 28, 2018, 02:06:52 AM »
I'm using AMS UK a lot, and have been for months. It's still a bit of a mystery, but at least the new reporting is light years ahead of the US site.
 
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Gerri Attrick

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #7 on: September 28, 2018, 02:30:00 AM »
I’m using AMS UK a lot, and have been for months. It’s still a bit of a mystery, but at least the new reporting is light years ahead of the US site.

Where did you find it and how did you get in, Simon?
 

TheLadyNyra

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #8 on: September 28, 2018, 02:34:20 AM »
Ugh, I wish I remembered how I got into the UK AMS now. I know that I created an account but didn't 'finish' setting it up...


/frowns/ Okay, that sounds weird, but I know that was the case. Then I used something from that 'account' to gain access to the AMS stuff, but I genuinely can't recall what these things were!
 

Simon Haynes

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #9 on: September 28, 2018, 03:08:23 AM »
You have to sign up for Amazon Advantage UK, but don't go any further than creating the account. (Don't enter any financials, for example.) Remember, you're not actually going to be listing and selling products, just advertising with AMS, so you don't need this to be fully configured.

You have to use a different email address to your KDP/Amazon UK signin.

After that you can join AMS using via Amazon Advantage UK, and *as far as I know* you don't have to pay anything. (They haven't charged me a monthly fee, but then I didn't put in any financials. Maybe at the end of the year they'll go 'ello, 'ello, 'ello wots all this then?)

 
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Robin

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #10 on: September 28, 2018, 06:25:52 PM »
I was hoping someone would start a UK thread.  :banana:  I'm in the South East  :mhk9U91:


I don't use AMS anywhere, but then again maybe I should in the UK because the vast majority of my sales and page reads come from the amazon.com site (I'm a prawn).

 

cecilia_writer

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #11 on: October 02, 2018, 03:51:21 AM »
I've just noticed this. Also in cold, rainy, windy Scotland. If only I could get my head round AMS but there is so much else going on that I think my mind is nearing full capacity. Maybe in the Xmas holidays...
Cecilia Peartree - Woman of Mystery
 

spin52

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #12 on: October 03, 2018, 03:47:05 AM »
I'm in Oxfordshire for about two-thirds of the year and in Seattle the rest of time, so it's soggy no matter where I am.
     


Traditional mysteries with a dash of humor -- no cats, no cupcakes, no covens.
 

NathanBurrows

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #13 on: October 03, 2018, 05:31:21 PM »
Greetings from Norwich, a fine city.

guest14

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Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #14 on: October 03, 2018, 05:47:17 PM »
I'm an Ex-Pat in Greece so, I totally need a base in the UK. At the moment I survive on a postal address in Gloucester.

Even though I write as a Brit, 90% of my market overall is US-based. Whilst I would like a bigger home market I don't think I would be very successful with AMS. I'm not sure what the UK people would react to, except price. I did try and join them a while back, but they required a VAT number to proceed. There was no way around it then.
 

fleurina

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Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #15 on: October 03, 2018, 07:56:21 PM »
Hello,  :mhk9U91:

I'm in Argyll - on the rainy, soggy west coast of Scotland, although I'm originally from Liverpool.

I sort of glaze over when I read the 'how to'  AMS posts - all those algorithms and keywords.  I have one automated ad running, which has done zilch so must get onto that.  Must check out the UK one. Adds it to long list!
Just gone wide as KU was beyond underwhelming.  So far, Apple seems to like me better than Amazon, although still very prawny.
I didn't notice the D2D sales report until after I made my first book free a few days ago - doh! Maybe I should have waited for a while. However, I am planning a quest for the Holy Grail - Bookbub - so guess free is a necessity to be in with a chance.

Have a good day.


 

NathanBurrows

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #16 on: October 03, 2018, 09:59:03 PM »
I don’t know how much difference it made, but after several knockbacks I updated my BB profile to include everything (even a pic), and got a featured deal with the next application.
 
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guest14

  • Guest
Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #17 on: October 03, 2018, 10:02:40 PM »
I don’t know how much difference it made, but after several knockbacks I updated my BB profile to include everything (even a pic), and got a featured deal with the next application.

Yes, they certainly value commitment on your part. I'm certain it was why I got an acceptance within 5 hours of applying. I'd given them a whole gamut of data from my previous BB and I think that was useful to them. They do have a post-promotion debriefing link that asks some pretty decent questions.
 
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alawston

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #18 on: October 11, 2018, 08:13:37 PM »
Hello, a Londoner here. My books have held steady in the UK for as long as I've been publishing, while my US sales have gradually ramped up. The UK now accounts for just 25% of my earnings, according to Book Report, but I can't get out of the habit of thinking of it as my primary market.
 

VanessaC

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #19 on: October 12, 2018, 02:56:38 AM »
Another Brit here - in not-so-sunny Scotland. Unexpectedly glorious day yesterday, raining cats and dogs today and we're expecting gales tomorrow.  Again. Good times.

Oh, sorry - continuing the stereotype that we're all obsessed by weather, I think that's enough weather chat from me today!

Haven't ventured into AMS (or whatever they are called now) yet - waiting for my series to be done before I get serious about the marketing.  By then, I'll be working on the next project so probably won't have much time for marketing.   :icon_mrgreen:
     



Genre: Fantasy
 

wearywanderer64

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #20 on: October 14, 2018, 02:21:00 AM »
I'm Glaswegian but live in Spain.

(If you're interested)

NCB

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #21 on: October 14, 2018, 03:21:27 AM »
London based here, hopefully getting into this seriously now having published a few shorts a few years ago.
I have an awful lot to learn, learning to write well probably the biggest hurdle

Sorry Nathan I'm a Tractor Boy, though I guess I'm the one that should be sorry these days!
 

Robin

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #22 on: October 16, 2018, 05:36:10 PM »
Nice to meet you all!  :pdt
 

Doglover

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #23 on: October 17, 2018, 05:23:00 PM »
Scottish people don't refer to themselves as British; neither do Welsh people; nor Irish people (why they get a separate mention, I don't know). I'm NOT British; I am English.

Anyway, now I've got that off my wotsit, I am glad to be here, if only to use the cool emoticons or whatever they're called.  :clap:
 

Dormouse

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #24 on: October 17, 2018, 06:05:40 PM »
Scottish people don't refer to themselves as British; neither do Welsh people; nor Irish people (why they get a separate mention, I don't know).
The big island is Great Britain.
Ireland is a smaller, but still large, island.
Lesser Britain (Brittany) is in France.
 

NathanBurrows

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #25 on: October 17, 2018, 06:38:41 PM »
Sorry Nathan I'm a Tractor Boy, though I guess I'm the one that should be sorry these days!

I won’t hold that against you mate, at least not while we still maintain the unbeaten streak between us and the honours stay at the top end of the A140.

We’re probably the only two people on the entire forum who know what that means!

NathanBurrows

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #26 on: October 17, 2018, 06:44:25 PM »
The big island is Great Britain.
Ireland is a smaller, but still large, island.

Apart from the large chunk in the north of the small island of course. Most people I know from the north there would probably take offence at that statement, as would most from the south! I’m married to one of them (from the south) and every time we have an argument, Irish independence or the potato famine gets brought up somewhere!!


wearywanderer64

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #27 on: October 17, 2018, 09:40:09 PM »
Scottish people don't refer to themselves as British; neither do Welsh people; nor Irish people (why they get a separate mention, I don't know). I'm NOT British; I am English.

Anyway, now I've got that off my wotsit, I am glad to be here, if only to use the cool emoticons or whatever they're called.  :clap:

Rangers fans would beg to differ.

Dormouse

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #28 on: October 17, 2018, 10:06:12 PM »
Apart from the large chunk in the north of the small island of course. Most people I know from the north there would probably take offence at that statement, as would most from the south!
Not sure which bit they'd take offence at. The island names are geographical and unrelated to nationality. As Doglover said most inhabitants of Britain regard themselves as Welsh, Scottish or English, rather than British. More complicated in Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom but not Great Britain. Some there regard themselves as mostly Irish a but wouldn't want to give up UK benefits, others have a complicated identity with religious and mostly Scottish origins and a strong allegiance to the UK. I have relatives in all parts, and would usually say I'm English, but in some circumstances would say I'm Irish.
 

NathanBurrows

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #29 on: October 18, 2018, 01:05:44 AM »
I stand corrected. The U.K. does include Northern Ireland, but Great Britain doesn’t. Every day’s a learning day!!

cecilia_writer

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #30 on: October 18, 2018, 09:54:43 PM »
At the last census I recorded myself as being Scottish, British and European, but events have conspired to make me ashamed to be British and on the way to not being European any more so I will 'only' be Scottish in future.

I share an office at my day job with someone from the Irish Republic, and what really annoys her is any suggestion of deference to the Royal Family!
Cecilia Peartree - Woman of Mystery
 

issy

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #31 on: October 18, 2018, 10:40:04 PM »
Hello from Lancashire. I do feel British not English. Dunno if that means anything.
 

PaulineMRoss

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #32 on: October 21, 2018, 06:35:02 PM »
Hello from the Highlands of Scotland (way up near Inverness). I tell people I live at the back of beyond, and then four hours on bad roads beyond that.  grint

I used to think of myself as British - mostly English, but with Scottish and Welsh blood in the mix. I was born and raised on Merseyside, lived most of my adult life in Surrey, then moved to Nairn a few years ago when we got tired of chugging up and down the M6 several times a year. Now I think of myself as Scottish. Still get bitten to death by the bleeping midges, though. They can smell my English blood.

Writing epic fantasy as Pauline M Ross; writing Regency romance as Mary Kingswood
Bookbub score: 16 for 93
 

Robin

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #33 on: October 21, 2018, 07:04:32 PM »
Still get bitten to death by the bleeping midges, though. They can smell my English blood.

 :icon_lol2:

 

VanessaC

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #34 on: October 21, 2018, 07:36:23 PM »
Hello from the Highlands of Scotland (way up near Inverness). I tell people I live at the back of beyond, and then four hours on bad roads beyond that.  grint

I used to think of myself as British - mostly English, but with Scottish and Welsh blood in the mix. I was born and raised on Merseyside, lived most of my adult life in Surrey, then moved to Nairn a few years ago when we got tired of chugging up and down the M6 several times a year. Now I think of myself as Scottish. Still get bitten to death by the bleeping midges, though. They can smell my English blood.

Those flippin' midges.  It's amazing how much misery can be created by something so small. I don't venture out unless smothered in Smidge.
     



Genre: Fantasy
 

A Fading Street

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #35 on: October 22, 2018, 03:23:21 AM »
Just to add myself to the Brit parade.
Slap bang in the middle of England although, continuing the theme, I do consider myself British first and anywhere else later :)
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Victoria

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #36 on: October 26, 2018, 12:38:23 AM »
I'm Welsh - and consider myself Welsh, British & European :)
 

Vinjii

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #37 on: October 26, 2018, 01:51:28 AM »
I'm originally Swiss, but been abducted by a British partner and now live in England. To make matters worse, I was abducted to Essex  :icon_mrgreen:
 

Robin

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #38 on: October 26, 2018, 07:01:24 PM »
I'm originally Swiss, but been abducted by a British partner and now live in England. To make matters worse, I was abducted to Essex  :icon_mrgreen:

I lived in Essex for a while. I feel your pain  :hehe
 

Authoress

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #39 on: October 26, 2018, 08:56:38 PM »
I'm English, born & raised in London, living in the land of the concrete cows & roundabouts for the last 40+ years.  grint

PaulJWhite

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #40 on: October 27, 2018, 01:45:43 AM »
Hi All, I'm an English expat now living in Ireland (so I'm gonna check both boxes on the thread title!).

SILLY QUESTION: I'm hoping to upload to Amazon this weekend, can I set a publish date for Wednesday 31st? I've read it can take up 72hrs for a book to be cleared by Amazon, is that still true in these ever-changing times?
 

Robin

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #41 on: October 27, 2018, 01:51:37 AM »
Hi All, I'm an English expat now living in Ireland (so I'm gonna check both boxes on the thread title!).

SILLY QUESTION: I'm hoping to upload to Amazon this weekend, can I set a publish date for Wednesday 31st? I've read it can take up 72hrs for a book to be cleared by Amazon, is that still true in these ever-changing times?

Hi Paul, it should be fine. I've never had a book set up for pre-order that hasn't gone live on Amazon within 24 hours.
 
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PaulJWhite

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #42 on: October 27, 2018, 03:31:17 AM »
Hi All, I'm an English expat now living in Ireland (so I'm gonna check both boxes on the thread title!).

SILLY QUESTION: I'm hoping to upload to Amazon this weekend, can I set a publish date for Wednesday 31st? I've read it can take up 72hrs for a book to be cleared by Amazon, is that still true in these ever-changing times?

Hi Paul, it should be fine. I've never had a book set up for pre-order that hasn't gone live on Amazon within 24 hours.

That's great! Thanks for answering that for me, Robin.  grint
 

Robin

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #43 on: October 27, 2018, 03:36:28 AM »
Hi All, I'm an English expat now living in Ireland (so I'm gonna check both boxes on the thread title!).

SILLY QUESTION: I'm hoping to upload to Amazon this weekend, can I set a publish date for Wednesday 31st? I've read it can take up 72hrs for a book to be cleared by Amazon, is that still true in these ever-changing times?

Hi Paul, it should be fine. I've never had a book set up for pre-order that hasn't gone live on Amazon within 24 hours.

That's great! Thanks for answering that for me, Robin.  grint

No problem!
 

Gerri Attrick

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #44 on: October 27, 2018, 06:40:51 PM »
I’m English, born & raised in London, living in the land of the concrete cows & roundabouts for the last 40+ years.  grint

Then you’re about 15 miles down the road from me. Small world!  Grin
 

NathanBurrows

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #45 on: October 27, 2018, 06:58:52 PM »
I'm English, born & raised in London, living in the land of the concrete cows & roundabouts for the last 40+ years.  grint

I’ve been round and round and round that town hundreds of times. But for real roundabout excitement I just got to Hemel Hempstead.

Authoress

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #46 on: October 27, 2018, 11:57:48 PM »
I’m English, born & raised in London, living in the land of the concrete cows & roundabouts for the last 40+ years.  grint

Then you’re about 15 miles down the road from me. Small world!  Grin

Not far at all   :mhk9U91:

I'm English, born & raised in London, living in the land of the concrete cows & roundabouts for the last 40+ years.  grint

I’ve been round and round and round that town hundreds of times. But for real roundabout excitement I just got to Hemel Hempstead.

Oh, is that worse than MK? Don't think I've ever been there.  Grin

Fee

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #47 on: October 28, 2018, 03:35:42 AM »
I'm Irish born and bred.  Grew up in Dublin but live in the countryside now.  And like the Lady Nyra, I've definitely seen an improvement in sales in the UK store since I managed to get my head around the AMS (or whatever they're calling themselves now) ads.
 

NathanBurrows

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #48 on: October 28, 2018, 04:01:53 AM »
Oh, is that worse than MK? Don't think I've ever been there.  Grin

It’s worse.

http://www.roundaboutsofbritain.com/maggic-roundabout/

Authoress

Re: The BRITISH & IRISH Writers' Support Thread
« Reply #49 on: October 28, 2018, 04:16:31 AM »
Oh, is that worse than MK? Don't think I've ever been there.  Grin

It’s worse.

http://www.roundaboutsofbritain.com/maggic-roundabout/

Interesting page, thanks, according to that MK has the most :)