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Thursday, September 22, 2016

Changes Coming!

COMING SOON!  eBookLister will be making some big changes that authors and readers alike need to know!  So we'll share it here first, then when the changes go into affect, nobody will be surprised!

First, after more than 4 years of being in service, providing promotional support for authors in all stages of eBook promotion, eBookLister will no longer be accepting listings with fewer than 5 reviews.  We have enjoyed providing support for the newer authors and the newer eBooks, but there comes a time when we must make a business decision and that time has come.  Unfortunately, we are no longer in a position to be able to provide promotional opportunities for newer eBooks.  We encourage new eBook authors to take advantage of early readers, ARCs and other options to get early reviews.

Moving forward, we'll be requiring at least 5 reviews and a rating of 3.5 or higher on all submissions.  These numbers are checked at the time of submission and on review of the submission, and again on the day(s) of promotion.  Listings that don't have the required rating/reviews will be auto-declined.  Please note that eBookLister provides our promotional listings in a 'Value' order, using on our own formula, based on ratings and reviews.  It should be clear that higher is better in both categories.

Change #2: We have already begun to crack down on the submission guidelines and will continue to more and more.  Unfortunately, after more than 4 years in service, there are still many authors that can't seem to follow (or perhaps even read) our submission guidelines.  Because of this, we must regularly filter through hundreds of submissions that do not meet our submission guidelines.  To provide the best service possible to those authors who are 'following all the rules', we must clear out those that are not.  We are no longer sending notices to 'problem' listings.  If your listings doesn't meet our guidelines you should already know it and it will be declined without question. 

Common Problem Examples:
Title too long: 
This is a good title:  "Elevator Pitches - Sell Your idea!"
This is a bad title: "Amazon Best Seller!! and New York Times Best Seller!!!!  Elevator Pitches.  Even if you are in the smallest of windows to sell your idea, this best selling book will teach you all the ways to Sell Your Idea!  From simple to complex, this book from America's greatest 'On-The-Spot seller', Joe Hiemsman is the ultimate guide to Elevator Pitches. (elevator pitches, sell your idea, elevator selling, spot selling, spot pitching, selling ideas, sell your ideas, idea pitching, idea selling, elevator moments)

(Don't laugh at this terrible title.  It might shock you that it is scarily accurate to many submissions that we get!)

Insufficient rating/reviews:
eBookLister requires favorable reviews before we'll accept a listing for possible promotion.  This means that at least 5 reviews and at least a 3.5 rating or better.  We provide our listings in a 'Value' order, based on ratings and reviews.

Description Grammar/Content
Simply put - you need to put more effort into your description than you put into writing the book!  Seriously, bad grammar, bad spelling, bad content, multiple and many paragraphs straight from the book, etc.  Your description needs to be clear, precise, and get a 'hook' into the readers.  If it's a bad description, your listing will be declined.

About the Author info:
Authors have a plethora of places to updated and maintain author information.  The title and/or description of your listing on the eBookLister Service is NOT one of those places.  There are very rare circumstances where we feel some kind of author information is allowed/required in a description, but for everyone else - don't even mention it.  If we see that author's name anywhere but in the "Author's Name" field, then there is a Really good chance your listing will be declined.

Promotion Description:
The description is for the book - not the promotion.  Don't describe when the book will be free, don't describe why the book will be a bargain listing, don't describe the promotion.  Describe the Book!

Change #3:  Editorial Preference.  We are taking more liberties on what we choose to promote and what is declined.  We had previously promoted everything that met our submission guidelines, but we are focusing our efforts more to the listings that look the best and sound the best.  We reserve the right to decline any listing for any reason.  To ensure your listing will be included in our promotional opportunities, make sure your cover image is perfect, your Title is exact and your Description perfectly describes your eBook.

Change #4: Focus on our Daily Email.  We have received great feedback from our thousands of readers and authors alike.  More and more, people are no longer interested in visiting a website to get great free and bargain eBooks.  They want the books delivered to them!  Because of this, we are putting a great effort into focusing on our Daily email.  Our listings are getting better, we are limiting how many go out and when and we are working to track those listings even better.  As we transition more to the Daily Email, authors will want to note that there are a very limited number of spots available on any given day. 

With all ventures, changes must happen and adjustments to the current trends and interest continue.  eBookLister continues to focus on helping authors and readers connect and in so doing, must make changes.  We believe these changes will benefit all and look forward to many more years of providing a great service to authors and readers.

Have a question about some of these changes?  Please visit our website and use our Contact form.

 - Johnathan
eBookLister