Cozy Mystery Authors: Some Ideas on How to Succeed in the Cozy Marketplace!

By James Moushon and 16 outstanding Cozy Authors

 

So, you have written a Cozy Mystery. Or you want to start writing in the Cozy genre. You ask: What do I need to do to be successful?

Your ready. You have strong woman who wants to solve the crime. And your small town with likeable characters is filled with suspects. Your fiction novel is ready to market. Oh, and your dog is ready for the hunt and your recipes are ready to cook. What's next?

As more and more authors tackle the Cozy marketplace, I needed to get some ideas from some Cozy authors. Of course, I knew the best source for information was from my Spotlight Crew. I have interviewed over the years (10 years, 1300 interviews and book showcases). 

What is a Cozy mystery?
What are the usual characteristics of a Cozy Mystery?
How to Succeed in the Cozy Marketplace!

Cozy Mysteries are a sub-genre of the Crime and Mystery genres. Here is a list of the common elements found in a Cozy.

An amateur sleuth - likeable person – usually a woman
An unsuspecting victim
A quirky supporting cast - characters are likeable
A trail of clues and red herrings are put out there for the readers
Small town or village setting
Several twists and turns - reader has the opportunity to solve the murder
Food or animals and a cartoonish cover are a part of a Cozy

As all marketplaces this genre is changing. It is a long way from Agatha Christie, Nancy Drew, and Jessica Fletcher in Murder, She Wrote.

Here are some ideas the group came up with:

 

Dianne Harman

We will start with Dianne Harman. She has written will over 100 novels included in 10 Cozy Mystery series.

Dianne is an Award-Winning Bestselling Cozy Mystery, Suspense and Romance author.
Website - Twitter: @DianneDHarman - Facebook - Goodreads

I won't go into the obvious, good book, good cover, covering the basics, etc. I think a strong newsletter list is crucial. I discount my preorders and let my readers and Facebook followers know. The day before a launch, I send out a newsletter and again, put it on Facebook, that that day is the last one for them to save 20%. I can always count on a number of buys from it.

Some authors are afraid of competition and don't want to work with others. One of the best ways to reach new readers, and we all need them, is to promote one another's books through newsletters. And I think just putting out one newsletter a month isn't worth it. I put one out several times a week, and I have never had a complaint that it's too often, because I give them value. Almost every newsletter has news of an author's sale or new release. My open rate is quite high because of it.

It's very important to cultivate influencers. I have several people I send a gift certificate to each time I publish a new book. And always send a gift certificate. If you send them the book, Amazon doesn't count it as a sale and it doesn't help your ranking. Almost always, these influencers will promote my book in their newsletter, on their blog, or on their Facebook pages. It's a very cheap way of advertising. 

My audience:

I'm not sure it's a "one size fits all" type thing. My readers are predominantly female, over 50, well-educated, and generally well-off. I think that may be because my books tend to have women in them who reflect my readers' lifestyles, so they feel a sense of connection with the protagonists. Another cozy author may write with much younger people in their books and would appeal to a younger audience.

Too Good To Be True - B0B4KR6G4J - Dianne Harman
Northwest Cozy Mystery Series Book 25
Available at Amazon

Ellen Mansoor Collier

Ellen feels a unique setting or hook is important.

Ellen is the author of a Jazz Age mystery series set in 1920s Galveston. She is a Houston-based freelance writer and editor.  Facebook - Goodreads

I think what’s most important is standing out from the crowded cozy mystery genre, especially if you’re self-published.

Does your mystery have a unique setting or hook or feature that captures a reader’s attention?

Does your character like to play sports or travel or have a fun hobby readers may like? Consider offering your books in alternative retail outlets like gift/hobby/sports/coffee shops, not just bookstores.

My Jazz Age mysteries are set in 1920s Galveston and feature Jazz Cross, a young society reporter whose barkeep brother is constantly dodging crooked cops and the local Prohibition agent. 

Lucky for me, Galveston is a historical beach town that draws visitors from all over the world (my target market). My books have sold in various retail outlets in or near major tourist attractions on the island and in the Southwest region, including a museum, hotels, restaurants, gift shops, resorts, and for a while, even a casino in Louisiana.

I know several authors who create fictional towns which does give them creative license but I enjoyed writing about a town with such a rich and colorful history—and an illicit gangster past.

My audience:

My Jazz Age series seems to attract a wide variety of readers, from teens to seniors. Since my protagonist is 21, I think younger readers can relate to her as well as the 50+ group. I’ve had all sorts of people come to my book signings, from high school girls to middle-aged women and men. I think the Galveston setting has something for everyone! 

Deco Dames, Demon Rum and Death by Ellen Collier
A Jazz Age Mystery #5
Available at Amazon

Dianne Krogh

Dianne feels a unique setting and the target age group is critical part of her novel.

Dianne is a self-published Contemporary Fiction Author who writes Family Sagas.
Website - Twitter: @kroghdianne - Goodreads

Why I Wrote The Yellow Belles

I had been intrigued with the idea of writing a novel where the setting is a critical part of the plot. The Yellow Belles is a mystery set in an over-55 community, a setting that provided an opportunity to explore a whole new cast of characters in an environment unfamiliar to many readers. A late-night assault in an exclusive retirement neighborhood leads to the investigation of a group of feisty elderly ladies known as the Yellow Belles. As the investigation careens through accusations of attempted murder, blackmail, fraud, and the improper wearing of a Speedo, the Yellow Belles gives the readers an amusing but thoughtful look at aging and an inside look at the lifestyle and characteristics of the people who live behind the gates of retirement communities.

The Yellow Belles by Dianne Krogh
Available at Amazon

Meg Mims

To Meg writing Cozy is a craft that is very important to an author's success.

Meg is an Award-winning mystery author and a part of the writing team of D.E. Ireland with Sharon Pisacreta.  Website - Twitter: @megmims - Facebook - Goodreads

LEARN THE CRAFT -- how to write beginning, middle, end using Michael Hauge's plot structure (very helpful) or other kind of outline. Do in-depth studies of your protagonist and antagonist. Nothing hurts the flow of writing if you get stuck, not knowing where to go in the plot. Make sure the motivation of the killer is strong enough.

LEARN HOW TO EDIT AND PROOFREAD -- relying on others isn't always a good thing. Catch as much as you can by revising, revising, and revising again, giving yourself a breather between each step. Run the Word Tool "Spelling and Grammar" as well. 

My audience:

Cozies usually have an audience of older teens (we hope!) up to 100+, mostly women but why not men also! 

With A Little Bit of Blood by D.E. Ireland
Available at Amazon

RJ Blain

RJ likes the comforting feeling of a Cozy Mystery.

RJ is a Fantasy and Cozy Mystery writer. She is the author of Requiem for the Rift King and Witch & Wolf series plus the A Magical Romantic Comedy collection.  

Website - Twitter: @rj_blain - Facebook - Goodreads

More than anything else, Cozy is about the tone and vibe of the book. Readers picking up a cozy want to feel like their book is giving them a warm hug. Anything that disrupts that mood may turn the reader off. 

Cozies are comforting, which is what I like about them.  

My audience:

One thing I do quite like about the Cozy genre is that it typically is more age friendly; most of the ones I have read are 13+ With some minimal risk of adult subject matter or themes of the non-sexual variety. 

But that isn’t a guarantee. But most of the time, that is usually how it rolls. 

Plaidypus by RJ Blain
A Magical Romantic Comedy (with a body count) Book 19
Available at Amazon

Debra S. Sanders

Debra feels character development is the key.

Debra writes thrillers and mysteries. She is a member of Sisters in Crime Desert Sleuths.
Website - Twitter: @DebSanders01 - Facebook - Goodreads

Keep a character bible. Cozy mysteries are series with recurring characters. I can't emphasize enough how important it is to keep track of every detail from the color of a character's eyes to the flowers planted in a garden. Cozy readers are vigilant amateur sleuths who look at every element in your story as a clue. They'll be the first to catch a consistency blunder and are not shy about letting you know.

Know the subgenre. No gore. Crime and violence occur off page. Your main character is an amateur sleuth, typically a woman. Settings take place in a small town or community.

DEAD MEN CAN'T DANCE by Debra S. Sanders
Available at Amazon

Heather Day Gilbert

Heather feels a readers expectations are important.

Heather is an Amazon Norse Bestseller author. She is the author of Hemlock Creek Suspense, Vikings of the New World Saga, and A Murder in the Mountains series. Heather writes Historical Fiction and Mystery Novels.  Website - Twitter: @heatherdgilbert - Facebook - Goodreads

I would strongly recommend reading bestselling cozy mysteries (indie cozies, if you're an independent author) and writing down the popular tropes (ie: pets, inheriting a business, etc.) to replicate to a certain extent in your own books. Cozy mystery readers have clear expectations for the genre, and they are not happy when expectations are not met (for example, never kill a beloved pet!). When I launched my cozy series, I modeled the series pricing and the Amazon landing page/book blurbs after bestselling indie authors, and I have found that works very well.

I participate in cozy reader groups online and have made connections with cozy mystery authors over time. 

My audience:

I know the typical cozy reader skews age 40s and up. I do have teen readers, however, since my cozies are clean and I think my sleuth’s “hobby jobs” also appeal to younger readers (exotic pet-sitting, cafes, video gaming, etc.). It really depends on the sleuth’s job/locale, I feel. So I have readers from teens into the 80s (maybe 90s!). I’d say the majority of my readers are in their 30s-80s.

Cold Drip by Heather Day Gilbert
Barks & Beans Cafe Cozy Mystery Book 6
Available at Amazon

Emma Jameson

Emma feels lovable character development is the important.

Emma is the NYT bestselling author of the Lord & Lady Hetheridge series and the Dr. Benjamin Bones Mysteries.  Website - Twitter: @msemmajameson - Facebook - Goodreads

To love and respect the genre. There's a curious belief out there that cozies are easy to write, and that the market is easy to break into. While it's true that mystery readers are very open to new voices, which is wonderful, I caution authors not to jump into the genre because it appears simple. Any actor will tell you that drama is easy, but comedy is hard. It's the same with cozies. You need a light touch, engaging and loveable characters, and a little bit of magic. Those things are acquired by reading lots of cozies over many years.  

My audience:

Cozy mysteries are for anyone who loves a good read, or for anyone who likes engaging characters who seem like old friends.

The real answer I'd tell a fellow writer is, women 45 years old and up. But a male reader or younger reader might take that the wrong way!

A Death at Silversmith Bay by Emma Jameson
A Jemima Jago Mystery Book 3
Available at Amazon

If your just starting in the Cozy marketplace, here is some good feedback from some award-winning authors.

Lucinda Race - Starting Cozy

Award winning author Lucinda Race writes about family, love and happily ever afters.
Website - Twitter: @LucindaRace - Facebook - Goodreads

I would love to read this report when it's complete as I'm just entering the genre of Cozy and plan to release my first book in a series. 

But I will share what I've done so far. 

I'm part of 2 groups on Facebook, cozy related. Which has been a great help. 

I plan on using a reader magnet with BF to garner interest for the books. I plan to release the first book at a regular price of 3.99 and when I'm getting ready to release the 4th put the 1st on sale for a bit hoping for read through. 

I'm hoping my romance/ romantic suspense readers currently on my list will cross over to my cozy. We shall see.

I'm just adding a new section to my website and updating my tag line to include both. As I don't want to create and pay for 2 websites.  

My audience:

I think cozy mystery readers are any age range due to the non-graphic violence and the absence of sex in the books. I read a lot of Agatha Christie and Nancy Drew growing up and they both fit in the genre. 

I would say teenage to elderly can read and enjoy a cozy mystery. 

BARRETT by Lucinda Race
Last Man Standing - Book 2
Available at Amazon

S.R. Mallery - Starting Cozy

Sarah is the award-winning author who writes Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction, and Mysteries.
Website - Twitter: @SarahMallery1 - Facebook - Goodreads

I've been relatively new in the Cozy World compared to many others!
First a preview about starting out in a new genre: When I started my Brooke Abby
Cozy series I decided to make my books somewhat different from so many others in
that genre. After all, there is SUCH a bevy of cozy authors out there who are far more
knowledgeable in this specific genre promotion area than I.
 
Since I’ve been basically an historical fiction writer, I wanted to include time
traveling back in time in order to get answers to modern murders. Besides that, I
definitely wanted a very different looking cover than the usual cozy fare.
 
I’ve also been doing a lot of Newsletter Swaps with various authors I know in
general and working with the site, StoryOrigin.com, specifically, both of which have certainly helped with Eyes On and buys/downloads. 

My audience:

“Despite some push a few years back toward cozy mysteries reminiscent of Nancy Drew, or more targeted for younger readers, the profile of a typical cozy mystery reader is “overwhelmingly female, and overwhelmingly over 40,” says Josh Getzler, a literary agent with HSG Agency in New York City.”

Tea, Anyone by Sarah Mallery
Available at Amazon

Toby Neal - Starting Cozy - Kindle Vella

Toby is starting in the Kindle Vella environment with her Cozy writing which could be a great opportunity for others.

Toby is a bestselling Author. She is author of the Lei Crime Series. 
Website - Twitter: @tobywneal - Facebook - Goodreads

I'm venturing into cozy mystery for the first time with COCONUT WIRELESS, Paradise Crime Cozy Mystery #1. 

Here's the blurb and link to the story on Kindle Vella, where I'm market testing it...with great results!

link: https://tobyneal.net/z91w

 

Escape to Hawaii with a funny cozy mystery!

"The coconut wireless is humming in Ohia, Maui, and the latest topic of gossip is me, Kat Smith. I'm Secret Service, not Postal Service, but what I feel like is a criminal when I'm appointed postmaster to a cozy little town on Maui. 

 

Important to know:

 

This is my first venture into cozy, but I'm going all in with a trilogy planned to start. I think it's really important to study how this genre differs from regular mystery or thriller, which I'm very familiar with.

 

To get ready, I read several "how to write a cozy" books, and then dove into reading in the genre exclusively for months. I have also never written "funny" before, but I knew I could do it because I wrote vignettes on my travel blog that were well received with chuckles, the highest compliment!

 

The response to my Vella story has been phenomenal and writing Coconut Wireless has been the most fun I've had in ages. I was really craving something lighter after so many years of exploring the "dark side" of human behavior, and though this genre does do that with similar themes, there's no gore and more time is spent on character development, small town life, romance "lite" and pets. ALWAYS A PET which I had in my regular mysteries and thrillers, but this time I came up with a grumpy cat sidekick that I'm just loving.

 

So what's important? Study the genre and write until you're familiar, and then test with readers! I have had them vote on covers, give input to blurbs and scenes, all in the name of teaching me about the genre.

 

 I tested a scene with readers in my fan group (discovery of the body) and got feedback that it was "too detailed and creepy" so I dialed back the icky info, which readers LOVE in my regular mysteries. 

 

There really are a lot of key differences and it’s important to know them. 

My audience:

I believe that the main group of readers for Cozy Mystery are 40+ older folks who may be nostalgic for simpler times and more positive themes. 

When I ran ads for my cozy on Kindle Vella that was the audience that clicked most, even though they generally don't love phone reading. 

COCONUT WIRELESS by Toby Neal
Paradise Crime Cozy Mystery #1
Available at Amazon

Patricia McLinn

Patricia feels that being entertaining is very important in the Cozy Marketplace.

Patricia McLinn is an award-winning,best-selling author. She writes Romance, Women's Fiction,and Mystery novels.  Website - Twitter: @PatriciaMcLinn - Facebook - Goodreads

The most important thing for any author -- cozy or not/new or not -- is to write sustainably. For me, that means writing what entertains me, so I'll (happily) continue writing.

The other area I see facing cozy authors is the nomenclature. It feels like "cozy" has been narrowed to a very specific type of book . . . which would exclude the original cozies of Agatha Christie and other authors of her era writing non-bloody/violent, non-procedural whodunnits.  I've been told my books aren't cozies because my titles aren't cute, the sleuths don't own small shops/bakeries.

I wish cozy would widen again to include those and other variants.

Cross Talk by Patricia McLinn
Caught Dead in Wyoming, Book 11
Available at Amazon

Wendy Corsi Staub

Wendy feels the reader wants to meet engaging people.

Wendy is a New York Times bestseller Wendy Corsi Staub is the award-winning author who writes Mystery & Thrillers.  Website - Twitter: @WendyCorsiStaub - Facebook - Goodreads

The publishing landscape is constantly changing, so from a business standpoint, the approach that might make you successful now might be entirely different next year. But creatively speaking, if I'm writing a series, I focus as much on world-building as I do on plot. Readers hope to meet engaging people and spend time in places they'll want to revisit. That means zeroing in on the unique and memorable details that will bring to life your characters and setting.  

How did you create the reader list?  Through Social Media, my website, my email marketing list, reader feedback through different media, etc.

The Other Family by Wendy Corsi Staub
Available at Amazon

Abby L. Vandiver

Abby is an Amazon Bestsellers author. She is the author of Logan Dickerson Cozy Mystery Series and the Mars Origin "I" Series. Abby writes Cozy Mystery novels.
Website - Twitter: @AbbyVandiver - Facebook - Goodreads

You have to produce a lot of books. In the traditionally published world, to catch the eye of an editor, you have to have a good hook.

I have an email subscriber list. I contract with promotion groups, I ask people to sign up on my website and I get emails from people at in-person events. 

My audience:

All ages. Especially now. Where cozy mystery demographics were older women (40-65), publishers are now seeking books that appeal to Millennials

A Ticket To Murder by Abby L Vandiver
An ABC Murder Mystery Book 1
Available at Amazon

Have you developed a reader list? How did you create the list?

Meg Mims

Meg is an Award-winning mystery author and a part of the writing team of D.E. Ireland with Sharon Pisacreta.  Website - Twitter: @megmims - Facebook - Goodreads

Using my Facebook page and website, plus posting on Instagram, I sent out "quarterly" newsletters to readers who subscribed.

With A Little Bit of Blood by D.E. Ireland
Available at Amazon

Patricia McLinn

Patricia McLinn is an award-winning,best-selling author. She writes Romance, Women's Fiction,and Mystery novels.  Website - Twitter: @PatriciaMcLinn - Facebook - Goodreads

I have a reader list. I generally send newsletters to both mystery and non-mystery readers. I offer a list for those who want only mystery info, but fewer than 80 people of 17k opted for that.

That combined with polls of my reader list -- Patricia's ReadHeads -- asking their favorite (other) authors to read. It's always a wildly eclectic list ... and has persuaded me that readers are not as niched as we sometimes believe they are. At least mine aren't. 

Cross Talk by Patricia McLinn
Caught Dead in Wyoming, Book 11
Available at Amazon

Emma Jameson

Emma is the NYT bestselling author of the Lord & Lady Hetheridge series and the Dr. Benjamin Bones Mysteries.  Website - Twitter: @msemmajameson - Facebook - Goodreads

I have a newsletter that I've grown over the years by offering a reader magnet in exchange for an email address. Of course, the individual can unsubscribe at any time. Over the years, I've developed real friendships with some readers, and lovely cordial relations with many more. There's no shortcut that I know of. You ask readers to sign up, you send them updates from time to time, and see what happens. It's better to have 10 subscribers who really like your books than 10,000 names you bought from an author or gained through a series of giveaways.

A Death at Silversmith Bay by Emma Jameson
A Jemima Jago Mystery Book 3
Available at Amazon

Debra S. Sanders

Debra writes thrillers and mysteries. She is a member of Sisters in Crime Desert Sleuths.
Website - Twitter: @DebSanders01 - Facebook - Goodreads

It's important to engage with readers these days, especially cozy readers! They want to build a relationship with authors beyond the marketing/author appearance/book sales type newsletters. I utilize a reader magnet option for my newsletter that sends a free short story each month to my subscribers. I know another author who sends out a short segment of one of her backlist titles each week. They're teasers and readers love them. 

I am in the process of setting up a couple of promos to build my newsletter list but want to make sure I'm targeting my demographic. No one should waste their time or money on platforms that are not reaching the right market. I have a successful TikTok platform but cozies are not one of the more popular genres on BookTok. The amount of time it took to build my following just hasn't produced results that warrant a continued media assault. 

DEAD MEN CAN'T DANCE by Debra S. Sanders
Available at Amazon

Dianne Harman

Dianne is an Award-Winning Bestselling Cozy Mystery, Suspense and Romance author.
Website - Twitter: @DianneDHarman - Facebook - Goodreads

My feelings about readers lists are above. I spent money over the years advertising my books with advertisers who asked people to sign up to my newsletter in order to win a free book or whatever. At the conclusion of the sale, they would send me the list of people who signed up, and I would send it to my newsletter server. At the end of each of my books, I ask for a review, and I leave the Amazon link. Also, in the beginning and at the end of each book is information for signing up for my newsletter, where they can get free books for doing so. Lastly I run a cheap ad on FB daily for signups. 

Too Good To Be True by Dianne Harman
Northwest Cozy Mystery Series Book 25
Available at Amazon

Heather Day Gilbert

Heather is an Amazon Norse Bestseller author. She is the author of Hemlock Creek Suspense, Vikings of the New World Saga, and A Murder in the Mountains series. Heather writes Historical Fiction and Mystery Novels.  Website - Twitter: @heatherdgilbert - Facebook - Goodreads

I've developed my reader newsletter over time. I have participated in a couple of Booksweeps giveaways to increase my mystery reader list, but many are organic subscriptions from readers of my series (this can't happen until you have books out, although some will giveaway a novella connected with the upcoming series and build a newsletter list that way).

Cold Drip by Heather Day Gilbert
Barks & Beans Cafe Cozy Mystery Book 6
Available at Amazon

Cozy author support groups

Debra S. Sanders

Debra writes thrillers and mysteries. She is a member of Sisters in Crime Desert Sleuths.
Website - Twitter: @DebSanders01 - Facebook - Goodreads

I am a member of Sisters in Crime National and Grand Canyon Chapter, as well as a SINC break-out marketing group. They've been so helpful in keeping me focused and accountable for my efforts. We all write mystery/crime of some sort so most of the programs provide useful information that applies to my genre - and the presenters are top-notch. Plus Sisters in Crime National offers an online library of genre-specific resources that are available with a click of my mouse.

DEAD MEN CAN'T DANCE by Debra S. Sanders
Available at Amazon

Dianne Harman

Dianne is an Award-Winning Bestselling Cozy Mystery, Suspense and Romance author.
Website - Twitter: @DianneDHarman - Facebook - Goodreads

I think the most important thing is getting an email list and continuing to make it grow. I also think another thing that's important is to cross-promote with other authors. Because of that, I send out emails when I have something, and it can be anywhere from once or twice a week to three or four times. I don't put a lot of fluff in or personal things, and I've never had a complaint that I send out too many.

I belong to several cozy groups, but I'm not particularly active in them. I am the moderator of a cozy tweet team where we retweet each other's tweets regarding something or other about our cozy books, like a new release or price drop. I don't know whether it's really effective, but it does get my name and books out and it takes very little time.

Too Good To Be True by Dianne Harman
Northwest Cozy Mystery Series Book 25
Available at Amazon

Rhys Bowen

Rhys thinks knowing your audience is very important to an author's success.

Rhys is the New York Times bestselling writer of the Molly Murphy Mysteries and A Royal Spyness Mystery series.  Website - Twitter: @RhysBowen - Facebook - Goodreads

Most important is to know your audience. No graphic sex or violence and try to come up with. Unique heroine/ situation

Make use of all aspects of social media. Post regularly on Facebook/Instagram/Twitter. Interesting posts about you not your book. The cozy audience likes a personal connection with their authors 

Offer giveaways and build a newsletter list from the answers

Sisters in Crime, especially the Guppies are invaluable to a new writer

And finally be prepared to build your audience one reader at a time by writing good books. 

Wild Irish Rose by Rhys Bowen
Molly Murphy Mysteries Book 18 
Available at Amazon

Terry Ambrose

Terry is the author of the McKenna Mystery series and the Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast Mystery series.  Website - Twitter: @terryawriterguy - Facebook - Goodreads

These days, it feels like most cozy mysteries are rehash together with the same old characters—curious heroine, detective boyfriend, etc. While this formula currently works, I suspect that the authors who succeed will do so because they find a way to differentiate their characters/series from the competition (of which there’s a LOT!) 

I belong to a blogging group called Booklovers Bench. Our group is currently all cozy writers. The main purpose of the group is marketing. This mostly includes rotating postings to our site, but we also ask the others in the group questions about various marketing topics.

My audience:

While there are no hard-and-fast rules, the majority of my target audience consists of women aged 40-70. Many of those cozy readers held professional jobs and have since retired, however, there are also a good percentage who are still in the workforce. There’s also a bit of a shift going on as younger readers, i.e., 25-40, decide they need a break from the grit and gore found in other genres.

Lies, Spies, and the Baker's Surprise by Terry Ambrose   
A Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast Mystery Book 6
Available at Amazon

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Authors: Is the Future of eBooks Unlimited? – A study

Picture this. A reader is curled up on her couch with a Kindle in her lap, reading and swiping a mystery novel. She had found this author a month ago and already had read three of his books. She used Kindle Unlimited to receive the eBooks online.

Where is Unlimited headed. Well, let us look at the environment we’re in.

The book industry is moving more and more toward eBooks. They are easy to quickly obtain and read. The reader can just find an eBook and buy it or read it for free. The trick is to have the readers find your books.

Millions of books and readers and lots of money available from Amazon. And the good thing is your book will be there forever.

You just have to get the reader to check your book out. Of course, the more books you have on-line the better opportunity you have for sales. And if the books are linked together like a series, the potential for more reads is greater.

The question is: What has been your experience with Kindle Unlimited?

It is time to do a study of Kindle Unlimited and the program’s impact on authors. Over twenty outstanding contributions to the study.

1. What has been your experience with Kindle Unlimited?

2. Are you involved with a group that promotes Kindle Unlimited?

3. Has making your eBooks available on Kindle Unlimited been worth the time/effort?

In my last study, Group Hug, several top authors acknowledged that sometimes they received more revenue from Kindle Unlimited than from the sale of their books. 

The Starting Gate

The following is a summary of their experiences with Kindle Unlimited.

Dianne Harman

Dianne is an Award-Winning Bestselling Mystery, Suspense and Romance author.
Website - Twitter: @DianneDHarman - Facebook - Goodreads

About 65% of my royalties are from Kindle Unlimited, so I'm a huge fan. I have never had a problem putting them on there. It's quite easy. As to why I went there? I tried wide for about a year when I started but got nowhere. I switched to Kindle Unlimited and my royalties started going  

Mimi Barbour

Mimi is a NYT & USA Today, best-selling, and award-winning author. She writes Romance, Paranormal, and Suspense novels.
Website - Twitter: @MimiBarbour - Facebook - Goodreads

All along, I’d been submitting my books to multi-author box collections, and when I was invited to join one where the books would be strictly for Select [Kindle Unlimited] so we would earn pages-read as well as sales, it went over incredibly well. I decided the ladies at the Billboard needed to have the same experience, and so we started with the first box collection put together in the group called Unforgettable Romances. What a rush! It still sells well to this day. That began a landslide of collections in every genre.

Between us, I often make more on my page-read amount than I do on my sales.

Experience

What was their experiences with Kindle Unlimited.

Cheryl Bradshaw

Cheryl is the New York Times & ten time USA Today bestselling mystery, thriller, and suspense author.
Website - Twitter: @cherylbradshaw - Facebook - Goodreads

I write primarily in mystery/thriller and find the KU program to be very competitive in those genres. KU works for me in subgenre categories where visibility isn't as hard to come by. My ghost mystery series is a perfect example of that. It's a smaller demographic, but that series does a lot better in KU because the competition isn't as fierce. If you're looking to break out in KU, consider publishing in a niche genre where you can attract a demographic of readers who struggle to find enough new books to read in those smaller categories.

Denise Devine

Denise is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary sweet romance, historical and cozy mystery.
Website - Twitter: @denisedevine5 - Facebook - Goodreads

Being part of a multi-author series in KU has been a positive experience for me. Often when someone reads my series book, it leads them to read other books of mine as well.

Bonnie Edwards

Bonnie writes Romance, Contemporary and Paranormal novels and novellas.
Website - Twitter: @BonnieEdwards - Facebook - Goodreads

For years, I kept my books "wide", which is a term for making eBooks widely available on lots of platforms.

I moved most of my books to Kindle Unlimited about 3 years ago because I wasn't marketing my books well enough to make a profit. I had to do something different. My experiment with KU paid off and I've been happy with my decision to focus on only one retailer. My income more than trebled very quickly...but please realize I was a terrible marketer and I take full responsibility for my lack. Moving into KU made marketing easier for this lazy writer.

Dani Haviland

Dani is a USA Today best-selling romance author. She writes the timetravel series, The Fairies Saga.
Website - Twitter: @dani_haviland - Facebook - Goodreads

I publish both solo titles under my own name and box sets for The Authors' Billboard. The KU revenue is much more for the sets (roughly 85%) than my single titles. Weird.

Marla Madison

Marla is the bestselling author of the Detective Kendall Halsrud series and the TJ Peacock & Lisa Rayburn Mysteries.
Twitter: @MarlaAMadison - Facebook - Goodreads

I love KU! I do make more money on my pages-read than on book sales, so I only use KU.

S.R. Mallery

Sarah is the award-winning author who writes Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction, and Mysteries.
Website - Twitter: @SarahMallery1 - Facebook - Goodreads

Having started out with my eBooks being on Amazon, B&N, Kobo, etc., after a couple of years, I realized that by far, the vast majority of my book sales were coming from Amazon. That led me to temporarily pausing those eBooks on B&N and signing up for Kindle Unlimited on Amazon. That was the best decision I ever made! Now, with all of my books in KU, I find that no matter how many books I sell per day, or, if every once in a while, I don’t even sell that day, I always have pages read, which continues to bring money in.

Amy Metz

Amy is an Author of Mystery & Thrillers as well as a blogger and book editor. She writes the Goose Pimple Junction mystery series.
Website - Twitter: @authoramymetz - Facebook - Goodreads

I've had a really good experience with Kindle Unlimited. Last year's numbers show I made more money on Kindle Unlimited than I did on eBooks or paperback. Making my books available on Kindle Unlimited has definitely been worth it, even though I've done very little to promote my books with it. I like Book Report, because it gives a breakdown of number of pages read through Kindle Unlimited. I can even see daily sales vs. Kindle Unlimited payments.

Stephanie Queen

Stephanie is a USA Today Bestselling Author who writes steamy sports romance novels.
Website - Twitter: @StephanieQueen - Facebook - Goodreads

Your request for information about KU experience is very timely! I haven't had my books in KU except for a few novellas as I wanted to be wide for philosophical reasons. And although with the help of numerous BookBub Features, I'd been able to get my percentage of non-Amazon revenue up to about 40%, I realized it would be very difficult for my romance books to be competitive on Amazon unless they were in KU. 90+ books of the top 100 in every romance category are in KU.

Joan Reeves

Joan is a NY Times & USAToday best-selling author of Contemporary Romance.
Website - Twitter: @JoanReeves - Facebook - Goodreads

My experience with Kindle Unlimited is probably like most authors. It's the biggest game in town and definitely can keep a book earning. However, like books not in KU, discoverability is a factor. The system is glutted by millions of books, and I happen to write in the most popular genre, Romance. Without placing ads, sending newsletters, and always promoting, it's difficult to get and keep traction in the marketplace. There are drawbacks to having all your books on KU too: (1) unable to give away free copies for reviewers (2) unable to satisfy readers who like your work but who buy only from Barnes & Noble, Kobo, etc. I usually feel as if I'm missing sales at other platforms. (3) Readers who grab your "free" KU read but never read it because their Kindle is already filled with the max number of KU free reads (not to mention hundreds of box sets they received free or for 99¢). A reader may forget your book when another "new shiny" hits KU, and your book gets shuffled off unread to make room to grab the newest book.

Revenue

What is the bottom line here? What kind of money are we talking about?

Terry Ambrose

Terry is the author of the McKenna Mystery series and the Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast Mystery series.
Website - Twitter: @terryawriterguy - Facebook - Goodreads

I’m one of those authors who typically receives more revenue from Kindle Unlimited that I do book sales. When I first started, I resisted the urge because I felt I should try to have the broadest audience possible. However, what I’ve discovered is that big names get big sales, the rest of us—unless we’re very lucky or extremely good marketers—wither and die. Kindle Unlimited levels the playing field to some degree. I’ve found the restrictions of the KU program are outweighed by the increased readership.

Mimi Barbour

Mimi is a NYT & USA Today, best-selling, and award-winning author. She writes Romance, Paranormal, and Suspense novels.
Website - Twitter: @MimiBarbour - Facebook - Goodreads

(Experience ) - A few years before Select first started, I had spent many hours setting my books wide on all the major sites and doing each singularly in order to reap as many benefits as I could. Not an easy chore for a Canadian because B&N wouldn't let us upload directly to their place and Apple insisted one needed a Mac to add books there.

But, I found my ways and persevered and was just beginning to benefit from all those places when Amazon came out with the Kindle Unlimited program. In a matter of months, my earnings dropped to half of what I had previously made, and I was floored. After all that work, I didn't want to delist everything and be exclusive to Amazon. But eventually, after getting the feedback from other authors, I did just that.

Now, other than some paperbacks and my two freebies (Retaliation and Partners), all my books are in Select. It took me a while to crawl back up to my earlier earnings but time, patience, and more books finally got me there. I have to admit that it's the pages-read income that has been the major contributor for that happening.

(Worth the time/effort)- Yes. Absolutely. As I said earlier, a lot of my income is from the pages-read portion of the Amazon royalties. You know what, it kind of tickles me because I used to wonder how many folks actually read my books after getting them on their Kindles. Now I know for sure that a lot do, and it makes all this work seem more worthwhile.

Barbara Ebel

Barbara is an award-winning bestselling author. She writes Medical Suspense and Thriller novels.
Website - Twitter: @BarbaraEbel - Facebook - Goodreads

KU has proven to be the cornerstone of my book avenue for exposure and sales. I believe the marketing of an author's books/backlist totally depends on the author's personal circumstances.

Bonnie Edwards

Bonnie writes Romance, Contemporary and Paranormal novels and novellas.
Website - Twitter: @BonnieEdwards - Facebook - Goodreads

I moved most of my books to Kindle Unlimited about 3 years ago because I wasn't marketing my books well enough to make a profit. I had to do something different. My experiment with KU paid off and I've been happy with my decision to focus on only one retailer. My income more than trebled very quickly...but please realize I was a terrible marketer and I take full responsibility for my lack. 

Katherine Logan

Katherine is an Award winning, best-selling author. She is the author of the Celtic Brooch Time-Travel Series.
Website - Twitter: @KathyLLogan - Facebook - Goodreads

I have always been in KDP. I make more money on Kindle Unlimited books than I do on a purchase. The Topaz Brooch - $6.99 for eBook x 70% = $4.89 The book has 1414 KDP pages @ .0044 (coverage per page) = $6.22 I don’t really have a quote, but for me it’s more profitable to stay in KDP.

Judith Lucci

Judith is a Best-Selling Mystery, Thriller & Suspense author.
Website - Twitter: @JudithLucci - Facebook - Goodreads

I’ve been working with Kindle Unlimited for the last six years and have found them to be a good avenue to market books. Currently, about half of my income comes through Kindle Unlimited. What I don’t like with this program it’s not knowing month-to-month what the global fund will pay. It seems to vary more now than it used to. I wish that would change and they would pay us the same rate each month. It would be nice to have a rate we could depend on.

S.R. Mallery

Sarah is the award-winning author who writes Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction, and Mysteries.
Website - Twitter: @SarahMallery1 - Facebook - Goodreads

YES, I love being on KU! And although I pretty much sell every day, if my book(s) is on sale, I often make more money through my KU pages read than I do from the eBook. 

Stephanie Queen

Stephanie is a USA Today Bestselling Author who writes Mystery and Romantic Comedy novels.
Website - Twitter: @StephanieQueen - Facebook - Goodreads

So I recently (9 days ago) launched my first book in KU, a new adult/college romance. And it was my best launch ever, with 18-25k page reads every day since launch day. KU daily earnings are 2-3 times book sales earnings, including other non-amazon retailers.

So my experience with KU has been short, but phenomenal and I am planning to launch and keep the entire series in KU, including 3 more books currently in pre-order so far.

Maggie Toussaint

Maggie is an Award-winning southern author. She is a Mystery and Romance writer.
Website - Twitter: @MaggieToussaint - Facebook - Goodreads

I have several books in KU, but many of my books are “wide” in that I use other vendors too. My KU experience has been interesting. I made more money from books in KU back before Amazon started giving people that had the most reads a higher cut of the profit. Still, the pages read income is very nice. I’ve found that KU readers are loyal and keep seeking out KU books and authors.

The Unlimited Approach

The challenge is the same as always. How do I get to the readers? And how do I get them to READ more of my eBooks? With READ the keyword.

Cozy Power! Collection - HBS Author's Spotlight Showcase 

One approach that I have blogged about is an Unlimited Cozy Mystery Collection. Twelve Cozy authors submitted one of their first-in-a-series novels to the collection. The objective was to get readers to read one of their eBooks in a series and to continue to read the rest of the series. Another objective was to have multiple authors displayed so the reader could get exposure to other Cozy authors.

The jury is out on the success of the collection but so far there are good reports. But it sure makes sense. Outstanding authors. The same genre. Free to read on Unlimited. Multiple author exposure.

Bonnie Edwards

Bonnie writes Romance, Contemporary and Paranormal novels and novellas.
Website - Twitter: @BonnieEdwards - Facebook - Goodreads

Our [Romance Gems group] main objective is exposure, support, and marketing. We have monthly themes and sometimes we offer free books or chances to win. We've done some box sets and have some others in the works. These are fun because now that we've created our setting, we'll revisit and write more stories in the same towns. There's nothing like having a whole team of us supporting and marketing at the same time.

Absolutely, moving the bulk of my eBooks to KU has been worth the effort. Marketing is streamlined and effective for me (the lazy marketer).

Marla Madison

Marla is the bestselling author of the Detective Kendall Halsrud series and the TJ Peacock & Lisa Rayburn Mysteries.
Twitter: @MarlaAMadison - Facebook - Goodreads

Definitely worth it. Less time and effort than going wide. I will say that it is absolutely necessary to have a book that people want to read. So many self-published authors make the mistake of having a boring first chapter. Also, it helps to get a Book Bub feature. And absolutely necessary to advertise on the best sites. (they aren’t cheap, but it pays off)

Joan Reeves

Joan is a NY Times & USAToday best-selling author of Contemporary Romance.
Website - Twitter: @JoanReeves - Facebook - Goodreads

The blog groups to which I belong, always promote our KU listings. However, I know many authors who try to keep some titles in wider distribution and do quite well. I've never liked having all my eggs in one basket so I'm trying to pull some from KU as the enrollment expires. It's tough because I have many of my books in box sets that are in KU, so I can't do much with them. This year, I'm releasing new books wide first in order to get NetGalley reviews, then at a later date, I'll probably put them in Kindle Unlimited.

Jinx Schwartz

Jinx is the Award-Winning Mystery Author of the Hetta Coffey series.
Website - Twitter: @jinxschwartz - Facebook - Goodreads

At one time I hired a guy to promote my books on to Kindle Unlimited readers and boy, did he. I was making good money on KU, more than sales, but he was a little on the pricey side and then things went wonky on his end and I felt I had to get out of that. How he knew where to find and engage KU readers I don't know, but he did. He reconfigured all of my key words in Amazon and ran frequent freebies.

Problems

There were some problems or reservations reported.

Peggy Jaeger

Peggy is an award-winning author. She writes Romance, Contemporary, and Mystery novels.
Website - Twitter: @peggy_jaeger - Facebook - Goodreads

[My perspective as a hybrid author] Even though I get hundreds of page-hits every month, I rarely make more than one dollar on the KU experience per month.

[Worth the time/effort?] No, it has not. I have since pulled my indie books because I have decided to go wide with distribution to reach a wider audience.

Judith Lucci

Judith is a Best-Selling Mystery, Thriller & Suspense author.
Website - Twitter: @JudithLucci - Facebook - Goodreads

Currently, all of my books are in KU, but I’m planning to move my standalone books and my new series wide. I know it’ll take quite a while to catch on, but I kind of like having my work spread out.

It’s hard to get recognized on Amazon now because there are so many books. Every time I send an email, run a special or post on Facebook I always say what are the book is available on KU.

Jake Needham

Jake is a best-selling Mystery & Thrillers Author. He writes the Jack Shepherd crime thrillers & The Inspector Samuel Tay Novels.
Website - Twitter: @jakeneedham - Facebook - Goodreads

My books have never performed well in KU. Over the last six months or so in particular, their KU performance has dropped to such a miserable level that I have withdrawn one of my two series from KU entirely.

Joan Reeves

Joan is a NY Times & USAToday best-selling author of Contemporary Romance.
Website - Twitter: @JoanReeves - Facebook - Goodreads

Making my ebooks available on Kindle Unlimited has been worth it in terms of financial reward in the short term, but one never knows whether Amazon will change their Terms of Service. They did that with Audible, reducing an author's royalty from 50% to 40%, and the authors had no recourse. One thing I don't understand is why Amazon does not pay a larger Page Read fee for the books in KU. I always think the per page read fee is too low. However, none of the other ebook sellers have any more than a small piece of the market. It's like that immutable law of marketing says: "It always pays to be the first with an idea." 

Maggie Toussaint

Maggie is an Award-winning southern author. She is a Mystery and Romance writer.
Website - Twitter: @MaggieToussaint - Facebook - Goodreads

My quote for KU: “Using KU is a two-edged sword. An author makes more money that way but in the process, you exclude and alienate readers who can’t access mobi files.” Maggie Toussaint, author of the Seafood Caper Mysteries.

When I recently brought out my reissues on KU for 90 days, one reader who didn’t use Amazon said she’d never read another one of my books because I’d excluded her. I would rather have reader satisfaction than a disgruntled reader. 

Conclusion

This study highlights the experiences of Kindle Unlimited from a group of outstanding authors. Many of them have had good experiences with Kindle Unlimited and increased revenue with pages read as the catalyst.

One approach the authors used. They formed a small group. They create a book set like Cozy Power. Their goal was to have readers read the first book in one of their series, all on Kindle Unlimited. And then continue to read the whole series.

All the authors in the study had lots of quality books on Unlimited. They were marketing their backlist. One of eBook’s advantages. There is no time stamp on reading an older book. A good read is a good read.

Marketing to the Kindle Unlimited audience directly is growing. Listings are starting to display the KU logo. The goal is to find readers and keep them coming back for more.

Author groups are starting to see the rewards. They are organizing by genre and themes and they are developing collections. Visibility and exposure are the goals.

There are some problems reported but many authors say that Unlimited is the way to go. Like always, if you put the time and effort into the future of eBooks, your reward could be Unlimited.

Recent related articles

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Post Created by: James Moushon
Mystery writer, book industry blogger, and the sponsor of the following blogs:
HBS Author’s Spotlight
Indie Author's Corner
Mystery Reader’s Circle