One of the many lovely things about being an independent author is that I make the major choices that impact my career. I choose what I want to write and publish. I get to choose the cover designers and editors I want to work with. I have the ultimate say on what I publish, when, and for how long. It's a wonderful position to be in!
But this position means that I have to make all the tough decisions that affect me long term. So I've decided that it's time to put in place the foundations I need to bring me into years five through ten and beyond. Amazon is not going to support me long term. They take away my reviews and make it harder and harder to get visibility. I've taken the last remaining books out of Kindle Unlimited and I don't plan on using it again. All of the other vendors are still small and barely a blip on my income stream. I need a place that's mine, where my readers know they can always get my books.
A few years ago, I tried selling direct and it didn't work out for me. But that was before many of the newer companies came to play in the sandbox. That was before I learned about sales tax. Before BookFunnel. Now I finally have the tools to make all of this happen, and I will!
In the coming weeks, you'll see me announce new offerings around here. First I plan to put all my individual books up for sale direct using PayHip for purchases (they are a vendor that takes PayPal) and BookFunnel for delivery. Then I will be selling exclusive box sets via the direct store too. I also plan on offering sales via the store with coupons, allowing me to give discounts direct that won't be available through any other vendor.
This website is my home. It's the place I send all of my customers, all of my traffic. It should be the place people come to buy my books directly from the source. I'm excited for this new direction with my career!