Author Nation Live 25 G-43 Wide Author Launch Strategy: The Easy Mode Playbook
LAUNCH YOUR BOOK IN EASY MODE
"Wide publishing"—distributing indie books across Amazon, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and Google Play simultaneously—represents a fundamentally different business model from Amazon-exclusive Kindle Unlimited. In this session, Erin Wright, a six-figure-earning wide author and co-founder of Wide for the Wind, outlines the strategic ecosystem for launching debut books across platforms without overwhelming complexity. The core philosophy: prioritize newsletter growth through exclusive content, leverage free excerpts to build pre-order momentum, and let each platform's algorithm (which rewards longevity and review history over Amazon's 30-day recency bias) work in your favor. Rather than optimizing for Amazon's narrow window, wide authors can maintain 16-week pre-orders, release rapid series, and build sustainable income from multiple storefronts where Apple and Google Play often outperform Amazon for specific genres. Wright emphasizes that the difference between "easy mode" and "hard mode" isn't capability—it's comfort level with tactics like cross-author promotion and direct platform applications.
Tools & Platforms
- BookFunnel: Lead magnet delivery platform for exclusive short stories in exchange for newsletter signups
- Story Origin: Alternative to BookFunnel for hosting free newsletter magnets
- Draft2Digital: Distributor that sends ebooks to Apple, Kobo, Google Play, and libraries (avoids direct submission complexity)
- Amazon KDP: Direct platform where indie authors publish (different algorithm rules than wide platforms)
- Apple Books: Wide platform offering 100% boost for pre-orders AND another 100% boost at release (double-counting pre-order revenue in algorithm)
- Kobo: Wide platform with dedicated Canadian/French language support; offers Kobo Plus (loyalty program)
- Barnes & Noble: Wide platform particularly strong for women's fiction, cozy mysteries, romance; allows direct submissions
- Google Play: Prefers direct submissions; dominant for spicy paranormal romance and dragon shifter romance
- Ingram Spark: Print-on-demand (effective for print) but inadequate for ebooks
- Kindle Unlimited (KU): Amazon exclusivity program with monthly subscription reward pool; incompatible with wide strategy
- Cobo Plus: Wide-platform-equivalent to KU; rewards box sets; no exclusivity required
- BookBub: Paid newsletter advertising service for genre-specific promotion
- Written Word Media: Newsletter service for indie fiction promotion
Key Concepts & Strategies
- Wide Publishing: Multi-platform distribution vs. Amazon exclusivity
- Newsletter Magnet: Free short story (exclusive to newsletter signup) used to build subscriber list
- Free Excerpt Strategy: First third of book (ending at emotional cliffhanger) placed free on all storefronts; reader then pre-orders full book
- Pre-Order Longevity: Long pre-orders (16 weeks) reward on wide platforms (Apple, Kobo, B&N) because they mimic traditional publishing model
- The 30-Day Cliff: Amazon's algorithm visibility drops sharply after 30 days; wide platforms reward older books with established reviews
- Cross-Promotion: Direct author-to-author reach-out to newsletter lists (requires 500+ subscribers baseline)
- In-House Promotions: Free promotions run directly by retailer (Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble) vs. third-party paid services
- Cover Variation: Tinted excerpt covers (color wash + banner) that signal "preview" without confusing readers
- Rapid Release Calendar: Books 2-4 on pre-order simultaneously while Book 1 is still on pre-order (3-month stagger between releases)
- Box Sets: Bundled 3-6 books at discount; rewards on Cobo Plus and traditional publishing-style bundling
- Distributor vs. Direct: Using aggregators (Draft2Digital, PublishDrive, StreetLib) vs. going direct to each platform
- Genre-Platform Matching: Google Play dominates spicy/high-heat romance; Apple excels across most genres; B&N favors women's fiction/cozy mysteries
Professional Concepts
- Sell-Through (not Downloads): Earning from paid sales, not free downloads; newsletter magnet builds audience for future sales
- Reader Loyalty: Newsletter subscribers from direct magnets more loyal than cross-promotion subscribers (who don't know author personally)
- Craft Improvement Trajectory: Each book must be better than the last; by Book 10, authors typically rewrite Books 1-5
- Trade Review Journals: Professional reviews (Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, etc.) targeting librarians and booksellers; some free, some paid
- Direct-to-Reader Sales: Personal storefronts (Shopify, custom websites) recommended only after author has "gotten the business down"
- Royalty Cliff: $9.99 = 70% royalties; $10.00 = 35% royalties (one penny costs 35% of revenue)
- Library Distribution: Requires distributor (libraries don't work with individual authors); separate from retail distribution
Professional Roles
- Wide Authors: Indie authors publishing across multiple platforms (term of pride within the community)
- Traditionally Published Authors: Different algorithm incentives; indie authors can undercut on price while staying profitable
- Librarians: Decision-makers for library acquisitions; influenced by trade reviews
- Booksellers: B&N staff who recommend books; influenced by author platform and reviews
- Co-Authors/Collaborators: Other authors in your genre a few steps ahead of you (ideal cross-promotion partners)
🔒 Unlock the Full Replay
In the full video, Erin Wright reveals the exact positioning technique for your free excerpt cliffhanger. Here's what most authors get wrong: they end their free sample too late. Wright demonstrates where to cut your first third to create genuine suspense—she uses the example of a car accident where readers don't know if the character survives. That's where the excerpt ends. Unlock the full replay to see how this single decision multiplies pre-orders across all five major storefronts.
Q: What's the one piece of content you should never sell on retail storefronts?
A: Your newsletter-exclusive short story. Erin Wright explains: "You want that email address more than you want 99 cents for a short story. The only time you'll hear me say this: keep it exclusive to your newsletter." This exclusive content becomes your lead magnet on BookFunnel or Story Origin. Readers must sign up to access it, building your owned audience—something you never own if you sell on Amazon or Apple.
Q: How much do you lose in royalties by pricing a book at $10 instead of $9.99?
A: 35% of your total royalties—instantly. At $9.99, indie authors earn 70% royalties on most platforms. The moment your price hits $10.00, that drops to 35%. "That one penny," Wright says, "costs you 35% in royalties. It's a very expensive penny." This is why box sets and bundle pricing require careful calculation to stay under the $10 threshold.
Q: How early should you apply for in-house promotions on wide platforms?
A: Sixteen weeks before your book launches. Apple, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble offer free in-house promotions (run by the retailer, not third-party services like BookBub). Wright emphasizes: "You can squish it in as close as eight weeks. But you will have better response if you do 16 weeks before your book goes live." These platforms are coded for traditional publishing timelines and reward advance planning.
Q:Which platforms should I go direct to vs. using a distributor?
It depends on your comfort level and genre. Wright's recommendation:
- Go direct: Amazon (non-negotiable), Kobo (easy), Barnes & Noble (if your genre performs there—women's fiction, cozy mysteries, romance)
- Never direct: Google Play and Apple (use Draft2Digital for Apple; Google Play is "a pain in the ass" with tech requirements)
- Always use a distributor for: Libraries (they require aggregators; no direct author relationships)
- General advice: If you're not in sci-fi/fantasy or spicy romance, skip Google Play entirely. Use Draft2Digital for everything else.
Q What's the recommended newsletter subscriber baseline before I can do cross-promotions with other authors?
500 subscribers. Wright explains: "If you can grow your author newsletter to 500 subscribers or more, that's kind of a baseline. Cross promotions typically want at least 500 people." But a warning: "Don't get too reliant on cross-promotions as a crutch. People who come via cross-promotions tend not to be quite as loyal. You can end up with a really big newsletter list and not a very big fan base."