Getting readers to notice your book can be difficult, especially when you are competing with thousands of other Kindle books. If you are an indie or self-published author, reaching new readers without a large advertising budget or email list can be even harder.
Stuff Your Kindle Day for authors offers a simple way to put a free Kindle book in front of readers who are actively looking for new books to download.
BookBelow runs genre-specific Stuff Your Kindle Day events throughout the year, giving authors an opportunity to submit eligible books and reach readers interested in specific genres.
In this guide, you'll learn what Stuff Your Kindle Day is, why authors submit their books, what requirements you need to meet, how to submit your book on BookBelow, and how to prepare your book for the event.
Stuff Your Kindle Day is a book promotion event where readers can discover and download free eBooks for a limited time.
Readers visit these events specifically to find new books, making them an opportunity for authors to introduce their work to people who are already interested in reading.
BookBelow runs genre-specific Stuff Your Kindle Day events, including events focused on genres such as Romance, Mystery, Thriller, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult, and other popular categories.
Authors submit their eligible books, make them free on Amazon during the event dates, and have their books included in the relevant BookBelow event.
You can view current and upcoming events on the BookBelow Kindle Stuff Event page.
One of the biggest advantages of a genre-specific book promotion is that readers are already looking for the type of book you write.
For example, a Romance event attracts readers looking for Romance books, while a Fantasy & Sci-Fi event attracts readers interested in those genres.
This gives authors an opportunity to put their books in front of a more relevant audience instead of promoting to completely general readers.
A book can be difficult to discover when it is competing with thousands of other titles on Amazon.
A Stuff Your Kindle Day event gives your book another place where readers can discover it.
Authors who participate may see an increase in downloads during the event, although results vary depending on factors such as genre, book cover, description, author platform, timing, and reader interest.
Free promotions can be particularly useful for authors with multiple books.
For example, an author might make the first book in a series free during an event. A reader who enjoys that book may then continue with the next book in the series.
A free book can therefore serve as an introduction to an author's wider catalog.
You don't need a huge email list or a large advertising campaign to participate.
You submit your eligible book, make it free during the event dates, and BookBelow promotes the event to its readers through its website, email marketing, blogs, and social media channels.
Authors can also promote their participation through their own website, newsletter, and social media accounts. If you are exploring other options, you can browse this list of book promotion sites to build a wider marketing plan.
Readers are often more willing to try an unfamiliar author when the book is temporarily free.
This can be especially useful for:
Authors who want additional visibility can choose the optional Top Placement add-on when available.
The $7 add-on places the book at the top of the event newsletter and the reader download page.
Top Placement is optional. Authors can submit their books without purchasing it.
Stuff Your Kindle Day can be useful for authors who want to introduce their books to new readers through a temporary free promotion.
It may be a good fit if you:
The most important thing is to choose an event that matches your book's actual genre.
Authors who have participated in previous BookBelow events have reported strong download numbers and Amazon category rankings.
For example:
These results are examples rather than guarantees. Download numbers and Amazon rankings can vary significantly between books and events.
Factors such as genre, cover, book description, author platform, timing, competition, and reader demand can all affect the results of a free book promotion.
Before submitting your book, make sure it meets the requirements for the event you want to join.
Your book must be available for $0.00 on Amazon during the event dates.
If the book is not free when the event is checked, it may not be added to the event.
BookBelow runs genre-specific events, so your book should fit the genre listed for the event.
For example, a Romance book should be submitted to a Romance event rather than a Mystery event.
You need a valid Amazon Kindle book link or ASIN for your submission.
Apple Books links may also be accepted where applicable.
Make sure your submission includes:
Your description should accurately represent the book and give readers a reason to click.
BookBelow's Stuff Your Kindle Day events do not accept erotica.
Always check the requirements for the specific event before submitting.
Events have limited space, and available spots can fill before the event date.
Submitting early gives you more time to prepare your book's free pricing and make sure all your information is correct.
Submitting a book through BookBelow is straightforward.
Look through the upcoming events on BookBelow and choose the event that best matches your book's genre.
Once you find the event you want, open its author submission page.
For example, authors interested in a Romance event can find the relevant submission option through the upcoming events listed on BookBelow.
You'll be asked to provide information such as:
The description can contain up to 3,000 characters.
ISBN and Apple Books information may be optional depending on the submission form.
If available for the event, you can select the optional Top Placement add-on for $7.
This places your book at the top of the event newsletter and reader download page.
You can participate without purchasing the add-on.
You'll need to confirm that your book will be free on Amazon during the event dates.
Make sure your Amazon price is scheduled correctly before the event begins.
Complete the payment through PayPal and submit your book.
Your submission will then be reviewed for the event.
BookBelow checks the book when the event begins.
If the book is free on Amazon and meets the event requirements, it is added to the event and you receive an email notification.
Because Amazon controls pricing updates, authors should check their book's Amazon price before the event starts.
BookBelow regularly runs genre-specific Kindle book promotion events.
Upcoming events may include genres such as:
Event dates, submission deadlines, genres, and available spaces are listed on the event page, so check it early to find an event that matches your book.
Readers can also browse all past and upcoming events on the Stuff Your Kindle Day page for readers, which is where they find free books to download. This is the page your book will be seen on once your event goes live.
Submitting your book is only one part of a successful free promotion. Your book's presentation and your own promotion can also affect how many readers choose to download it.
Your cover is one of the first things readers see.
Make sure it clearly communicates your genre and looks professional at thumbnail size.
A Romance cover should look like a Romance book, while a Thriller cover should immediately communicate the tone of the story.
Your book description should make readers want to learn more.
Start with an interesting hook, introduce the main conflict or premise, and give readers enough information to understand what makes the book worth reading.
Avoid giving away major spoilers.
Make sure your book is submitted to an event that genuinely matches its genre.
The more relevant the audience, the more likely readers are to be interested in your book.
Before your promotion begins, review your Amazon categories and keywords.
Make sure they accurately represent your book and target the readers you want to reach.
Don't rely only on the event organizer.
Share your free promotion through:
Tell your existing audience exactly when the book will be free.
If you have other books available, consider adding a short author note or "next book" section at the end of your free book.
This gives new readers an easy way to discover more of your work.
Don't wait until the event has already started to change your book price.
Amazon price changes can take time to update, so make sure your book is scheduled to be free before the event begins.
If you want additional visibility within the BookBelow event, you can consider the optional Top Placement add-on when it is available.
It places your book at the top of the newsletter and reader download page.
Yes. Your book must be free on Amazon during the event dates. If it is not free when the event is checked, it will not be added to the event.
Because space is limited, BookBelow typically accepts one book per author per event. If you have other books, you can submit them to other events that match their genres.
Yes, if the book fits a different genre event or if the same genre event repeats later in the year. Priority may be given to books that have not been featured before.
Books are selected on a first-come, first-served basis, as long as they meet the requirements: the book is free on Amazon, matches the event genre, is available on Kindle or Apple Books, has clean content, and has complete submission information.
BookBelow checks your book when the event begins. If it is free on Amazon and meets the requirements, it is added to the event and you are notified by email.
Events are genre-specific, so your book must match the genre of the event. Erotica is not accepted.
Top Placement is an optional $7 add-on that places your book at the top of the event newsletter and the reader download page.
For indie and self-published authors, Stuff Your Kindle Day can be a useful way to introduce a free Kindle book to readers who are actively looking for new books in their favorite genres.
The key is to choose the right event, make sure your book meets the requirements, prepare your Amazon free promotion in advance, and promote the event to your own audience as well.
Results will vary from book to book, but a well-timed free promotion can give readers a chance to discover your writing and potentially lead them to your other books.
Ready to participate?
Find an upcoming Stuff Your Kindle Day event and submit your book on BookBelow.
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