Kindle Scout... reader powered recommendations.

[Beatnic_jazzman]

I'm not sure that this will work as they think.

 

[DriftWood75]

I'm not sure that this will work as they think.

Sounds like their Amazon instant television pilot system. Where people view all the pilots and then vote for the best ones to go green and get made. That system seems to work quite well for that, looks like they think it can be shoehorned into the book market too.

Should be interesting if they run with it what sort of books get published.

Is your concern what sort of books will come from this, a glut of twilight, 50 shades wannabes rather than deeper more niche?

 

[Beatnic_jazzman]

With such a vast selection to chose from how will they select the featured few?

 

[DriftWood75]

With such a vast selection to chose from how will they select the featured few?

They will probably run it like a publishing house, sure they will get hundreds of novels, but someone will sort the wheat from the chaff and the reading public will only see the ones kindle scout deem printable on paper or digital.

Then it is up to the public to decide the best of that lot.

The size of the excerpts could be an issue, one chapter or two. Some people can get hooked right off the first paragraph others may take a good few chapters.

 

[redzinger]

Is your concern what sort of books will come from this, a glut of twilight, 50 shades wannabes rather than deeper more niche?

That would be my concern. Just another popularity contest.

 

[DriftWood75]

That would be my concern. Just another popularity contest.

Also how long before the big publishing houses start offering nice big fat freebies and gifts to kindle scout to push a book that otherwise would not sell.

If,IF Amazon are going into publishing and only truly scouting new writers with no previous book deals this could be a really good idea that pays off.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Isn't this just another way of capturing an author, like KDP Select does? So, now you as the author are stuck with Jeff and his monopoly wannabe and you can't publish anywhere but with them. Such a deal.

 

[DriftWood75]

Isn't this just another way of capturing an author, like KDP Select does? So, now you as the author are stuck with Jeff and his monopoly wannabe and you can't publish anywhere but with them. Such a deal.

You just have to go on Amazon and see the glut of self published kindle books that are out there. Many will see kindle scout as Mr. Legit-moneybags and not think further ahead until they have signed their life away.

It happens with bands a lot, and can take them years to slip their contract. Counting Crows in fact for the last few years just dumped a load of live albums out which met the contract quota and jumped ship right after.