A Deep Dive Into Morgana Best’s Authors Selling Direct: Ecommerce for Authors
Why Direct Sales Matter More Than Ever
There has been a shift in the publishing landscape. Ads are more expensive, organic reach is shrinking, and retailer algorithms can be unstable. Authors are rethinking the “Amazon-only” mindset. And while that works for some authors in genres like romance or cozy mystery, that may not work for other authors, especially if they create standalone novels. There will always be exceptions like Freida McFadden, James Patterson, Dean Koontz, but their brand names stick out because readers already know them. Their books are in libraries and bookstores. They’ve achieved widespread visibility and fame.
But this is not the case for most authors. Most of us are not as well known and are learning the ecosystem. What works for us and what doesn’t. Are there exceptions for the genres I write, or aren’t. Do I need to create a pen name for this type of writing? Then authors must consider whether they want to use ads on Amazon, ads through another retailer, or ads for selling direct. Authors are rethinking the Amazon-only mindset because it takes sixty days for them to see any royalties, and they only get less than fifty percent of royalties.
I’ve been studying the landscape to see what would work for me, seeing that I specialize in mysteries and thrillers. I often dabble in other genres, but that’s simply to experiment (for now). I recently learned about an author named Morgana Best. I like her name. She’s a USA Today bestselling author, Shopify Partner, Klaviyo Partner, and a long-time ecommerce authority. Morgana Best did not wait for selling direct to be widespread. She jumped right into it.
I read the paperback of Authors Selling Direct in detail, and it was a true blessing. I’m still working out the kinks on what works for me, but it was great information that I’ll share in this review. Granted, nothing is like getting the book and reading it for yourself. The prospect of creating a storefront is intriguing, albeit a time and money risk. Ecommerce is a true business, and it’s not like posting your books on retailers. I’m documenting my journey for other indie authors and readers to see. This book isn’t just a guide—it’s a blueprint for author independence.
Lesson 1: Why Authors Must Sell Direct to Future-Proof Their Careers
Who Morgana Best Is And Why Her Expertise Matters
Morgana Best is a cozy mystery author, a tech-savvy entrepreneur, and an early adopter of direct sales. She’s a true authorpreneur. An authorpreneur is a writing professional who treats their writing career as a business, applying their skills to promote, market, sell, and profit from their books. Her credibility includes decades of ecommerce experience, partnerships with Shopify and Klaviyo, and real-world results from her author store. Her perspective differs from typical “author advice” books.
Rather than relying on retailers, she took matters into her own hands and created a store to sell directly to customers. This empowers her to funnel deep into series and create box sets, collections, and more using her storefront. She does not sell other people’s books—she focuses only on hers, which shields her from retail giants like Amazon.
In Authors Selling Direct, she explains why choosing fiction and cozy mystery, she had to learn her types of readers and what they want. For example, her readers lean toward sixty-five years and older, since that’s who she’s targeting with cozy mysteries. She had to experiment with what works and doesn’t work. Just because she’s a partner with Shopify does not mean she didn’t try other things. She tried Payhip but asserts that Shopify is superior. Then there is the option of WooCommerce too, but Shopify storefronts have a premium look to them.
What the Book Promises (and Delivers)
In Authors Selling Direct, Morgana Best explains how to automate fulfillment, marketing, and upsells. These are the exact strategies that retailers use, but now authors can use them. For example, you can use automation to reach customers who had something in their cart but did not complete the order for whatever reason. Authors Selling Direct felt updated and rich with information that I can use in the long run.
It’s simple for me to dive back in since I read, underlined key points, and studied it thoroughly. Morgana helps with his but using bullet points, bold, and italics in her book. It was an interesting read, and as I typed this, I found myself grabbing the book and flipping through it.
Key Concepts Explained in Authors Selling Direct
Lesson 2: Why Relying on Amazon Alone Is a Dangerous Business Model
A. The Author’s Store Mindset Shift
Relying solely on Amazon is risky because there are audiences outside of Amazon that don’t use Amazon. Amazon has around 50% of the audience, so if you don’t go wide, many people won’t know you. I’ve tried Amazon-only, and for me and the genres that I use, I’ve found it lacking. It works for some authors, especially if their books are in KU, but you also must consider which books in KU are hot. Traffic leads people to your site, whereas sales ads are made for engagement.
An example would be Amazon ads, where you are double-dipping and paying Amazon twice for engagement. Amazon is your supplier, and you are double-dipping by giving them a portion of your royalties and then paying them again for traffic to your book. If you choose this route over selling direct, you ensure that you maximize conversions.
How do you do that? Get editorial reviews, ensure you have A+ content, and ensure your book blurb and the book’s cover are strong. Selling directly to customers is not for all authors. It is time-consuming and may require study and focus.
Lesson 3: How Author Storefronts Build Long-Term Reader Relationships
Owning customer data changes everything because of the relationships you can create with fans, including through their email or through SMS. Communicating through SMS is a different beast, and I highly recommend you read the book if this is something you are considering for the future.
Lesson 4: How Shopify Empowers Authors to Control Pricing, Data, and Sales
B. Choosing Your Platform (Shopify versus Payhip versus WooCommerce)
There is a cost to setting up shop because you must pay for the hosting that is needed for the website. This can be problematic for authors if they don’t perform well in selling to fans. This is one of the main reasons authors choose not to sell direct. They feel more comfortable selling through retailers and would rather invest their time in other things. Everyone’s situation is unique. Authors must choose what works best in their situation.
Shopify is often the best long-term choice because the storefront feels premium. There are a lot of apps you can install, but be careful because they can slow down your website if you have too many. If your storefront is too slow, it will negatively affect your conversions. This is why setting up a storefront is a different beast–a true business–and requires a unique mindset, and many authors do not use it.
Integrations like BookFunnel, Klaviyo, BookVault, and more are invaluable to authors because they simplify the process. I love how Morgana Best reinforces the importance of integrations like BookFunnel when you’re selling direct because it will save you time and headaches. You must buy your time back to be a successful author, especially when you have up-front costs to pay when you sell direct. You have recurring costs on your domain, host, storefront, book covers, promotions, tools, and more.
C. Automating eBook, Audiobook, and POD Fulfillment
It is imperative that if you choose to sell direct or wide, you don’t lock your eBooks in KU. You can still get seventy percent royalties for your books as long as they’re priced $2.99 to $12.99. It’s not necessarily bad to lock your books in KU if your genres are attuned for it or if you have a big brand name. If your book is in KU and you use Virtual Voice, you also lock your audiobook for the ninety-day duration (unless something changes).
But automated delivery is fantastic. In Authors Selling Direct, Morgana explains the importance of integrations like BookFunnel and Payhip to deliver files automatically. All formats, including eBooks, audiobooks, paperbacks, and hardcovers, benefit from this recommendation. If you sell direct to fans, you need a reliable digital delivery partner, so you don’t end up having to deal with a lot of customer service issues down the road. POD stands for print-on-demand.
D. Email and SMS Marketing for Authors
Whether you choose to sell wide, use Kindle Unlimited, or sell direct, you won’t escape email marketing. It’s essential for authors to communicate with their fans to build relationships. SMS marketing is the next step, but it requires more steps to ensure fans are okay with you texting them. But the conversions speak for themselves, and if you read Morgana’s book, you’ll know why. You can also use email service providers to create segments, so you’ll know who used this sequence or another one.
E. Upselling, Cross-selling, and Funnels
Morgana Best explains that the same methods that retailers use, you can use on your storefront. Upselling, cross-selling, and funnels are essential to succeeding when selling direct. When you have deep funnels, you can create box sets, omnibuses, and more to sell to your fans. You can differentiate your store from retailers by selling a unique experience that fans cannot receive through retailers. Examples of upsells are box sets and bundles. You can bundle an eBook with an audiobook. You can do more. This is possible when you own your own store. You can set your own prices, which is powerful.
F. International Tax and Compliance
Morgana Best explains that the biggest reason authors don’t sell direct is because of sales tax. You must understand VAT/GST. Things can get complicated quickly, and Morgana Best goes in depth in her book about this. This matters for global sales because you need to understand how it works. This is why authors may go wide but won’t create a store. They’d rather the retailers handle this, which is okay. That’s their choice.
What Makes Authors Selling Direct Different From Other Authors’ Business Books
Most authors’ books focus on Amazon, rapid release, or ads, chiefly through Amazon ads. This is because selling direct requires a unique mindset and skills. Morgana Best, which most likely is a pen name, focuses on ownership, automation, and long-term stability. But it takes time, especially if you’re like me and you want to experiment with different things and not just sit in one series at a time. But if you seek long-term stability, selling direct and creating funnels are key.
This isn’t only for fiction because plenty of nonfiction authors also create series. She treats authors like ecommerce entrepreneurs, not content factories. When you rapidly release books on Amazon, you’re showing the Amazon algorithm that you’re active. But you could release books fast on your own store and on the retailers. This requires more work and time. If you use an aggregator, it can cost you royalties. Authors Selling Direct is practical, not theoretical—full of workflows and tools authors can use to sell direct. It’s updated for 2024-2025 ecommerce realities, so it’s not outdated advice.
Lesson 5: The Practical Steps Morgana Best Recommends for Starting Your Store
My Personal Takeaways After Reading Authors Selling Direct
1. The “Aha” Moments
Owning customer data is powerful because you can market to them as much as you want. I realized how much I’m losing by not selling direct or going wide. It’s not just sales; it’s potential audiences. But that doesn’t mean that my time spent solely on Amazon was a waste. I had to learn this business, and now I know what works for me. Authors must discover what works for them.
I realized the volatility of retailers, but my biggest dislike of Amazon’s royalty payout is that I must wait sixty days to get paid. If I used other retailers, I would not have to wait that long to get paid. Understanding the difference between traffic ads and sales ads is essential to becoming a successful authorpreneur. You will convert some customers into upsells, which will increase the order’s value.
2. What I’m Implementing in My Author Business
You’ll discover soon if I choose to create my store. I’m not telling. I have created permafrees for retailers to create a funnel to get readers into my universes, but creating a store is a different prospect. I don’t want freebie hunters in my store if I create one. Neither should you. My books are valuable, as are yours. Time, energy, money: this is what it takes to create books.
I will create box sets and collections for higher-value purchases. I have already set up small automation sequences for subscribers, but I try to email them weekly, so I won’t blow up their inboxes. Rather than releasing short books fast, I’ve switched to evergreen content. But you will see more collections in the future.
3. What Surprised Me
If authors sell direct, everything regarding their store is on them. It’s their responsibility. And it’s not for everyone. But you can get more money if you sell direct and do it right. But traffic doesn’t come magically to your store; it takes work, action, and consistency. The best part about selling direct is that you get paid a lot faster. You won’t have to wait sixty or thirty days; you get paid the same week. But you must be profitable because hot and warm leads alone are not enough to stabilize your business. Some authors were successful at first, then gave up down the line because it’s difficult.
Who Authors Selling Direct Is For
Authors Selling Direct is for authors who want long-term stability and are serious about their writing careers. Ecommerce is an actual business, and it requires sacrifice, focus, time, and responsibility. Authors Selling Direct is for writers who are tired of retailers. Retailers can change their rules, but if you own a store, you make the rules. Authors Selling Direct is for authors who want to get paid faster. It creates another income stream, at the cost of a lot of work and money. If you’re okay with managing your own store, then this book is for you. If you’re an author and you prefer evergreen content, then this book is for you.
Who Authors Selling Direct Is Not For
Authors Selling Direct is not for hobbyists or the faint of heart. If authors will only produce fewer than ten books in their lifetime, this book is not for them. This book is not for authors who do not want to build an ecommerce business. If an author prefers to release books fast over creating evergreen content, this book is not for them. This book is not for authors who prefer “quick-fixes” over long-term strategy.
My Final Verdict on Authors Selling Direct
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