Good question! You have to go to the Help page in your Author Central account and follow the instructions to contact them and let them know which categories you wish your book to be placed in. Here are the directions as listed on their platform: https://author.amazon.com/help/GJV2QYPVX9EN7DHV (In case the link to that page doesn't work, just log into your account, click "Help" at the top right, then in the Help Topics column choose "Amazon Store & Detail Page," then click "Categories.") Good luck!
You and most other authors! I joke that I have made a living basically spending half my career on help desks. But thankfully, Amazon does make this part easy. They accept requests to change categories and have the steps all laid out for authors. You just have to send them the details to make the switch on the back end.
Things are usually not obvious and difficult to find. It's tough!
Unfortunately, Amazon says if you use a third-party publisher (basically not KDP), you have to contact them to change the categories. Yet my publisher has always said Amazon chooses the categories based on where it thinks it should go ("Amazon does what it wants to do").... So I'm going to contact Amazon anyway and see what happens!
It IS true that Amazon reserves the right to change the categories on you. But I have found that when you send them a request, as long as it is legitimate (i.e. you're not trying to put your sweet romance in a paranormal category), they will honor your request--at least for awhile, to give your book a chance in that category. Definitely contact them -- and let me know how it goes! Good luck!
I have no idea how Amazon can do that correctly, since it has to be automated given how many books are up for sale. In fact, I wonder how exactly it's done! BUT - good news - Amazon quickly responded and said they'd change the categories, but it would take up to 72h (which I expected). Thanks for all your help!
Good info! How can traditionally published authors change our book's categories through Amazon Author Central?
Good question! You have to go to the Help page in your Author Central account and follow the instructions to contact them and let them know which categories you wish your book to be placed in. Here are the directions as listed on their platform: https://author.amazon.com/help/GJV2QYPVX9EN7DHV (In case the link to that page doesn't work, just log into your account, click "Help" at the top right, then in the Help Topics column choose "Amazon Store & Detail Page," then click "Categories.") Good luck!
Thank you!!! Can't believe it didn't occur to me to contact their Help Center.
You and most other authors! I joke that I have made a living basically spending half my career on help desks. But thankfully, Amazon does make this part easy. They accept requests to change categories and have the steps all laid out for authors. You just have to send them the details to make the switch on the back end.
Things are usually not obvious and difficult to find. It's tough!
Unfortunately, Amazon says if you use a third-party publisher (basically not KDP), you have to contact them to change the categories. Yet my publisher has always said Amazon chooses the categories based on where it thinks it should go ("Amazon does what it wants to do").... So I'm going to contact Amazon anyway and see what happens!
It IS true that Amazon reserves the right to change the categories on you. But I have found that when you send them a request, as long as it is legitimate (i.e. you're not trying to put your sweet romance in a paranormal category), they will honor your request--at least for awhile, to give your book a chance in that category. Definitely contact them -- and let me know how it goes! Good luck!
I have no idea how Amazon can do that correctly, since it has to be automated given how many books are up for sale. In fact, I wonder how exactly it's done! BUT - good news - Amazon quickly responded and said they'd change the categories, but it would take up to 72h (which I expected). Thanks for all your help!