When I talk to audiences of new authors I try to get the vocabulary straight so that we're all on the same page. What sometimes surprises me is how many veteran authors misuse publishing terms. We really do need to understand the terms to communicate well. Soooo, my friend Diane Wolfe is guest blogging for me today with a little rundown on that subject:
Publishing Industry Defined
By L. Diane Wolfe "Spunk On A Stick"
The road to publishing is often confusing.
There are numerous publishing paths and e-books have added some loops. However, everything comes down to three basic models.
Traditional publishing
Manuscript is accepted by publisher (directly or with an agent’s help) and author is paid royalties on the sale of the book. Publisher often retains many of the rights to the book, such as foreign, paperback, or movie rights. Publisher does some marketing and author is also expected to market his or her book. Publisher owns the ISBN.
Self Publishing
Author owns the ISBN, the publishing company, and controls all rights. Author occasionally farms out individual aspects of book production such as book designing and formatting. Author selects printer and acquires distributor. Author does all marketing.
Subsidy or Vanity Publishing
Author pays a servicing company to package, print, and distribute his or her book. Company owns the ISBN. Author pays a fee for marketing or does it all. Subsidy publishers are not true publishing companies. Examples - Lulu, BookSurge, Trafford, IUniverse, AuthorHouse, Taft, etc.
For more information on subsidy publishing, visit: http://www.aeonix.com/vanity.htm
If you’re still confused, here’s an easy checklist:
Do I own my book’s ISBN?
Yes - I am self-published
No - go to next question
Did I pay to have my book published?
Yes - I am subsidy published
No - I am traditionally published
There are always variables. I know one traditional publisher who does require her authors to foot part of the bill and they receive 100% in royalties until they recoup their investment. (She also screens her submissions like any other traditional publisher.) Is that still traditional publishing? One can also self publish with the help of another small publisher by accessing that company’s printer and distributor. Where exactly does that fall?
The publishing industry is such a fascinating place!
It’s pretty darned screwy, too.
- L. Diane Wolfe, Professional Speaker & Author
www.spunkonastick.net
www.thecircleoffriends.net
www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com
-----
Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books for writers, The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. Her FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques. She is also the author of the Amazon Short, "The Great First Impression Book Proposal". Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor .
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Showing posts with label subsidy publishing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label subsidy publishing. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Friday, November 06, 2009
Obama's Half Brother To "Self Publish"
A news story in the LA Times (Page A32, Thursday, Nov 5) caught my attention.
The reclusive half brother of President Obama has written a memoir. I hadn't read much about this man before and I was fascinated by his accomplishments, but the part of the story that caught my eye was this:
Mark Okoth Obama Ndesandjo published with Aventine Press in San Diego. The Times called it a "self-publishing press" but it is really a subsidy or partner press in the vein of iUniverse (most of these publishers offer a different set of services, different personalities, different prices).
What the Times didn't say is why he chose to publish that way and I was curious because it is obvious his book will sell well and could have made a lot of money for most any traditional publisher. In fact, it would sell well worldwide because Ndesandjo is known here, in China where he lives with his wife, in Africa and, by association with his brother's name, about everywhere else.
Here's the thing. I can't ask him. Or, at the very least, if I were able to it would probably take a long time to get the question to him and to get an answer back. Here's what I think he might have been thinking:
1. In the long run, he can make more money than he might have traditionally published. If this memoir takes off big, his profits per book will be huge compared to his royalties per book. This thinking, of course, will only pay off for him if the book sells like crazy but the possibility for this particular author is certainly out there. (By the way, 15% of his profits will be donated to a charity for children.)
2. He wanted full control over every aspect of the publishing and marketing process for his book.
3. He wanted to get the book out there fast.
4. And this is certainly a possibility, too. Memoirs are hard to sell via the traditional route. Unless you are a celebrity. Maybe the traditional presses were so shortsighted they didn't see him as celebrity material. If that's the case, I think they are wrong. Up to now he has been a quiet type. But the media possibilities are there. The article I read was a page headline, the full width (six columns) wide, filled the upper half of the page, and includes a three-column (colored!) photograph of the author.
The article didn't say whether Ndesandjo's book will be printed on digital press or offset. Aventine may offer both possibilities. I hope it's a large edition printed on an offset press becaue the profits will be greater for him that way and I know this book is going to sell big time so the risk of doing a full run (rather than a few here and there on demand) is not great.
PS: If you should know anyone who is uncertain about their publishing path, please let them know that I consult and can also coach them through the publishing process. I have published almost every possible way--from e-book to POD to traditional. And the word "publishing" is not just the printing process (a concept many publishers seem to be missing these days). True publishing includes marketing and that includes distribution, promotion, and publicity, too.
Technorati Tags:
Mark Okoth Obama Ndesandjo, President Obama's half brother, Aventine Press, subsidy publishing, traditional publishing, partner publishing, POD publishing, offset press publishing, publishing memoir, book promotion, book publishing, book marketing, LA Times
-----
Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books for writers, The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. Her FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques. She is also the author of the Amazon Short, "The Great First Impression Book Proposal". Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog.
The reclusive half brother of President Obama has written a memoir. I hadn't read much about this man before and I was fascinated by his accomplishments, but the part of the story that caught my eye was this:
Mark Okoth Obama Ndesandjo published with Aventine Press in San Diego. The Times called it a "self-publishing press" but it is really a subsidy or partner press in the vein of iUniverse (most of these publishers offer a different set of services, different personalities, different prices).
What the Times didn't say is why he chose to publish that way and I was curious because it is obvious his book will sell well and could have made a lot of money for most any traditional publisher. In fact, it would sell well worldwide because Ndesandjo is known here, in China where he lives with his wife, in Africa and, by association with his brother's name, about everywhere else.
Here's the thing. I can't ask him. Or, at the very least, if I were able to it would probably take a long time to get the question to him and to get an answer back. Here's what I think he might have been thinking:
1. In the long run, he can make more money than he might have traditionally published. If this memoir takes off big, his profits per book will be huge compared to his royalties per book. This thinking, of course, will only pay off for him if the book sells like crazy but the possibility for this particular author is certainly out there. (By the way, 15% of his profits will be donated to a charity for children.)
2. He wanted full control over every aspect of the publishing and marketing process for his book.
3. He wanted to get the book out there fast.
4. And this is certainly a possibility, too. Memoirs are hard to sell via the traditional route. Unless you are a celebrity. Maybe the traditional presses were so shortsighted they didn't see him as celebrity material. If that's the case, I think they are wrong. Up to now he has been a quiet type. But the media possibilities are there. The article I read was a page headline, the full width (six columns) wide, filled the upper half of the page, and includes a three-column (colored!) photograph of the author.
The article didn't say whether Ndesandjo's book will be printed on digital press or offset. Aventine may offer both possibilities. I hope it's a large edition printed on an offset press becaue the profits will be greater for him that way and I know this book is going to sell big time so the risk of doing a full run (rather than a few here and there on demand) is not great.
PS: If you should know anyone who is uncertain about their publishing path, please let them know that I consult and can also coach them through the publishing process. I have published almost every possible way--from e-book to POD to traditional. And the word "publishing" is not just the printing process (a concept many publishers seem to be missing these days). True publishing includes marketing and that includes distribution, promotion, and publicity, too.
Technorati Tags:
Mark Okoth Obama Ndesandjo, President Obama's half brother, Aventine Press, subsidy publishing, traditional publishing, partner publishing, POD publishing, offset press publishing, publishing memoir, book promotion, book publishing, book marketing, LA Times
-----
Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books for writers, The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. Her FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques. She is also the author of the Amazon Short, "The Great First Impression Book Proposal". Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Be Submission and Promotion Brave: What Do You Have To Lose?
Famous Internet Voices Radio host and author Lillian Cauldwell is guest blogger today. She is playing a bit of psychologist because we were talking about how painful it is for us to see talented authors take their chances and let their books ride on the belief that it will get somehow get lots of readership. What if it doesn't? Our books are our babies! We really don't want to trust to luck! So here she is, inspiring as usual:
Ever hear of that phrase, "You've got nothing to lose".
They're right. You don't have anything to lose because you're not putting your best foot forward. You're not taking any chances with your writing, placing in a contest, submissions to an e-zine or regular magazine or even submitting your query letter, synopsis, and bio of yourself to an agent or a book publisher.
What does this sentence really mean? More importantly, what does this sentence really mean to you and how do you overcome such a seemingly minimal responsibility.
For one thing, you lose more if you don't submit. I know what I'm talking about. My first alternate history book was released this August by Publish America. How are sales you're going to ask? Let me tell you, "Sales are not good." Why, you ask?
Because after receiving only two book reviews for my book and three national chain bookstores refused to carry my book or promote me in a book signing, I quietly withdrew from the fray. You can't do that if you're a serious writer or what book publishers and agents call, professional writers.
I consider myself a professional writer. After moaning and groaning and kicking myself in my posterior, a mid-list writer, Jacqueline Lichtenberg, told me to get off my butt and promote myself.
"What do you have to lose?"
My big loses were: branding my name, getting my book noticed, getting me noticed, and letting the world know about my achievements. How, you may ask, did you do that? This is what I finally did.
I created a newsletter; This-n-That that provides additional information and tips to writers who want to enhance their writing careers. Simegen.com hosts my mailing list for this list.
Secondly, I joined www.authorsden.com and put up my Web page with general information, filling in their forms, transferred the rest of me and my books to their online site where people visit your web and learn some interesting things about you. A Web site! Aha! Did something explode into your brain with sparklies and colored lights?
Thirdly, I involved myself in several writers' groups online, joined one or two writer's organizations, submitted articles to my Author's Den Web site, put them in my newssletter or sent them out to writers' e-zines and other magazines. People are hungry and thirsty for FREE information on the many ins and outs of writing.
I wrote science fiction, fantasy, and speculative short stories and submitted them to other Web sites, to online e-zines, at my Author's Den Web Site and submitted to www.simegen.com charitable donation site, Simecenter, where readers can download them for a contribution to a charity. I also submitted one short story, "Lottery," to www.sffworld.com and it was accepted for their December issue online. I had my first e-zine credit. I submitted to another fantasy short story to Playboy Magazine, "Mask, A Modern Fairy Tale" and six poems to The Atlantic Review.
What did I have to lose?
I am resubmitting my first nonfiction, book, "Teenagers! A Bewildered Parent's Guide" to publishers and agents who do reprints of books that are no longer contracted with their previous publisher and they reprint them.
Poetry was another niche that I found I was quite good at. I submitted them to several prestigious magazines.
What do I have to lose?
The answer is still, NOTHING, of course.
When you reach a time in your life when something hits you squarely in the face, the first thought that comes to you should be: What do I have to lose? And, the answer facing you squarely should be, "nothing." Send that short story out. You might be surprised and the magazine will accept it, return it with good rejection advice, or the editor might scribble a note telling you to resubmit it when it's corrected. The possibilities are endless.
What do you have to lose? You know that answer by now. I shouldn't have to shout it.
Send out review letters asking Publisher's Weekly, Midwest Book Review, The New York Times Review, or The Los Angeles Book Review to review your book. Again, you might be surprised, and one of them might review your book and give you a five star rating. It could happen, you know.
Or get yourself interviewed on radio, TV, Internet; what do you have to lose? You might actually be invited for that interview. You might talk to a national host where 80,0000 people are listening to you. Luck... or is it? What do you have to lose?
Life is funny. It can take you completely unaware sometimes, but if you don't try, if you don't put out your best foot forward, if you don't take the chance, how will you ever know if you're a clunker or a flyer?
When you come across this sentence, "What do you have to lose?" Remember, one thing. It's not the reward that counts (although it does make one glow), but it's the work and effort you put into it that makes you shout out loud, "I've got to try or no one will know about me or my titles, except me, myself, and I.
------
Lillian is "Creator" Cauldwell:
Voices of the People - United We Roar!
734-332-5902
Her radio show may be found at: http://internetvoicesradio.com
She blogs at: http://pivtr.blogspot.com
Her Web site is: http://lilliancauldwell.com -----
This blog comes to you from Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books for writers, The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. Her FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques. She is also the author of the Amazon Short, "The Great First Impression Book Proposal". Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog.
Ever hear of that phrase, "You've got nothing to lose".
They're right. You don't have anything to lose because you're not putting your best foot forward. You're not taking any chances with your writing, placing in a contest, submissions to an e-zine or regular magazine or even submitting your query letter, synopsis, and bio of yourself to an agent or a book publisher.
What does this sentence really mean? More importantly, what does this sentence really mean to you and how do you overcome such a seemingly minimal responsibility.
For one thing, you lose more if you don't submit. I know what I'm talking about. My first alternate history book was released this August by Publish America. How are sales you're going to ask? Let me tell you, "Sales are not good." Why, you ask?
Because after receiving only two book reviews for my book and three national chain bookstores refused to carry my book or promote me in a book signing, I quietly withdrew from the fray. You can't do that if you're a serious writer or what book publishers and agents call, professional writers.
I consider myself a professional writer. After moaning and groaning and kicking myself in my posterior, a mid-list writer, Jacqueline Lichtenberg, told me to get off my butt and promote myself.
"What do you have to lose?"
My big loses were: branding my name, getting my book noticed, getting me noticed, and letting the world know about my achievements. How, you may ask, did you do that? This is what I finally did.
I created a newsletter; This-n-That that provides additional information and tips to writers who want to enhance their writing careers. Simegen.com hosts my mailing list for this list.
Secondly, I joined www.authorsden.com and put up my Web page with general information, filling in their forms, transferred the rest of me and my books to their online site where people visit your web and learn some interesting things about you. A Web site! Aha! Did something explode into your brain with sparklies and colored lights?
Thirdly, I involved myself in several writers' groups online, joined one or two writer's organizations, submitted articles to my Author's Den Web site, put them in my newssletter or sent them out to writers' e-zines and other magazines. People are hungry and thirsty for FREE information on the many ins and outs of writing.
I wrote science fiction, fantasy, and speculative short stories and submitted them to other Web sites, to online e-zines, at my Author's Den Web Site and submitted to www.simegen.com charitable donation site, Simecenter, where readers can download them for a contribution to a charity. I also submitted one short story, "Lottery," to www.sffworld.com and it was accepted for their December issue online. I had my first e-zine credit. I submitted to another fantasy short story to Playboy Magazine, "Mask, A Modern Fairy Tale" and six poems to The Atlantic Review.
What did I have to lose?
I am resubmitting my first nonfiction, book, "Teenagers! A Bewildered Parent's Guide" to publishers and agents who do reprints of books that are no longer contracted with their previous publisher and they reprint them.
Poetry was another niche that I found I was quite good at. I submitted them to several prestigious magazines.
What do I have to lose?
The answer is still, NOTHING, of course.
When you reach a time in your life when something hits you squarely in the face, the first thought that comes to you should be: What do I have to lose? And, the answer facing you squarely should be, "nothing." Send that short story out. You might be surprised and the magazine will accept it, return it with good rejection advice, or the editor might scribble a note telling you to resubmit it when it's corrected. The possibilities are endless.
What do you have to lose? You know that answer by now. I shouldn't have to shout it.
Send out review letters asking Publisher's Weekly, Midwest Book Review, The New York Times Review, or The Los Angeles Book Review to review your book. Again, you might be surprised, and one of them might review your book and give you a five star rating. It could happen, you know.
Or get yourself interviewed on radio, TV, Internet; what do you have to lose? You might actually be invited for that interview. You might talk to a national host where 80,0000 people are listening to you. Luck... or is it? What do you have to lose?
Life is funny. It can take you completely unaware sometimes, but if you don't try, if you don't put out your best foot forward, if you don't take the chance, how will you ever know if you're a clunker or a flyer?
When you come across this sentence, "What do you have to lose?" Remember, one thing. It's not the reward that counts (although it does make one glow), but it's the work and effort you put into it that makes you shout out loud, "I've got to try or no one will know about me or my titles, except me, myself, and I.
------
Lillian is "Creator" Cauldwell:
Voices of the People - United We Roar!
734-332-5902
Her radio show may be found at: http://internetvoicesradio.com
She blogs at: http://pivtr.blogspot.com
Her Web site is: http://lilliancauldwell.com -----
This blog comes to you from Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books for writers, The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. Her FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques. She is also the author of the Amazon Short, "The Great First Impression Book Proposal". Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
How and Why I Chose A Subsidy Publisher for The Frugal Book Promoter
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Recently I was approached by someone who was presenting on e-publishing and asked me to help her with ideas to help her audience with subsidy publishing. She says, " I got a list of the stuff to look out for, but I know you did a successful book with a subsidy publisher. You told me at the time you really have to do your homework. What did you do to identify a good publisher, and how did you find publishers to compare? This is what I wrote to her:
This subject is a whole lot more complex than it seems. Each person has different goals and that will affect their choices. I do an entire two hour workshop on the subject myself! Having said this, this is why I chose my publisher.
Star came with good references from people I knew personally and I had known the publisher as a Webfriend, knew I could trust her. That’s the value of networking.
Star right up front tells her authors that marketing will be their responsibility. Having said that, she sponsors an e-group and offers up articles and ideas on promotion--these are a big help to her authors with no promotion experience. That she does this is an extra, not an essential IF one has a good book on promotion to refer to-- like THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T, also published by Star.
Though I am an editor, I didn't have time (or the interest!) to learn all the other aspects of publishing like formatting and the nitty gritty stuff about cataloguing, online sales, ISBNs, etc. (See more about speed below).
She works with a marketer who will--at an additional but very reasonable charge--work to get your book into bookstores.
She accepts returns (which the author must guarantee) so that bookstores will feel comfortable stocking Star books.
She has a tiered program and one of them fit my needs. My needs were:
1. I needed fast publication because I intended to use my book as a practical text that is light reading--not filled with marketing jargon-- for the fall class I was teaching at UCLA. It can easily take two years to find an agent and then give that agent time to place a book in the hands of an publisher. Add the actual publishing time onto that!
2. I wanted to make an actual profit on this book and in one of her tiers, paperbacks get near-full royalties. That means authors make almost the entire difference between the cost of the book and what it sells for at retail unless they give over part of that profit to Amazon and/or other online or brick and mortar bookstores and/or distributors. I made back my investment within 60 days.
3. Her prices are reasonable but if one factors in the profit margin in number 2 and promotes a book well and has a "book product" that is NEEDED, her fees are not all important because an author will earn back her investment in short order.
5. I needed complete control over my book if it was going to be used as a syllabus/text for my class. No way did I want my name on something that had been diddled with by an editor who never had a book of her own and didn't know beans about promoting one.
6. I needed a publisher who would work with me on special needs, like changing the cover to announce the USA Book News's "Best Professional Book" award. TC, the publisher, had a new cover out within two to three weeks of the announcement of the award.
7. I wanted a publisher who wouldn't take on just any book because the services were being "paid for." The quality of a publisher's other books is a reflection on yours.
Star is at http://starpublishllc.com.
To compare subsidy publishers, use Google. Use the terms POD publishers, subsidy publishers. Then do a "+ list" and you may even find a whole list of them. Then use an e-group where authors gather to ask them about their experiences. Many I know have been happy with iUniverse. I prefer not to use them, though, because they are too known as a subsidy publisher and there is still some bigotry about self- and subsidy-published books--especially among bookstore buyers. Most readers don't care but some do. Though I believe that an author can be proud of self- and subsidy-publishing and all the publishing models in between if an author's goal is to sell in bookstores, a publisher that is not easily identifiable as any specific kind of publisher helps keep the book from being pigeonholed. That's a sort of bigotry akin to judging a book by its cover but it exists.
Do know that there is a publishing model for every title and for every author’s personality. No one way is right for all. I’ve published many, many ways. I consult with authors on their choices, guide them to the likeliest process for their work and pocketbook. The thing that is important to know is that any author can take control of his or her own publishing career today. No one must be at the mercy of old way, old prejudices. Or new ones for that matter.
Technorati Tags:
self publishing, subsidy publishing, vanity publishing, carolyn howard-johnson, star publish, the frugal book promoter, choosing a publisher, control of publshing
-----
Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. She is also the author of the Amazon Short, "The Great First Impression Book Proposal". Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Selling Your Book The Way People Want to Buy It
Or Your Per Book Net Profit and What You Can Do About It
Stop Whining!
You know, about how much money you make per book.
If you self-published and your margin is too small to accommodate the profit margins of bookstore or Amazon sales it's your own fault. You didn't do your homework upfront. So swallow hard and console yourself. You've learned a valuable lesson for the next time you publish.
Ditto for subsidy- or partner-published books. Your publisher doesn't give you enough royalties? Next time negotiate better or choose another publisher or, better still, self-publish (yes, a new learning curve for you but you'll have more control over your profitability).
If you're traditionally published, you made the tradeoff! You hoped for fame. And you hoped for big sales. You may have gotten one, both or neither. You knew there were no guarantees. And didn't you know, too, that the publisher was taking the financial risks and therefore needed to take a bigger share of the pie to pay for his or her expenses and to make a profit to stay in business? If you didn't, maybe you should have taken a Business 101, Basic Economics or The Essentials of Capitalism course before you embarked on what, after all, is a business. In fact, an industry!
So the fact remains, you're boo-hooing because you don't make enough per book, right? Well be comforted because volume counts for something, too. So, roll up your sleeves and go for more sales. Promote like crazy. To do that, you'll want to be able to write a picture-perfect query letter so you can:
Pitch your next book to a publisher or agent who can be a partner in increasing your profits.
You'll want to know how to query appropriately for feature stories on you or the content of your book.
You'll want to know how to write a presentable cover letter to contest judges so you can win some awards to make your book stand out.
You'll want your query to entice radio and TV producers so they'll want you on their show. To do that, get controversial -- yes, even in the query!
You'll want to query magazine and e-zine editors to publish your articles and/or excerpts so you can build credibility for your book and more easily sell the next one. And you do that by -- you guessed it -- doing your homework. Buy a book that tells you how to do that.
By the way, The Frugal Editor is a good start on all of the above!)
And then get a few good books on promotion. You need to understand what the different kinds of editors need. And you need to know how to offer them what they want in a way that makes it supremely easy for them to pick you.
You want to sell your book any old way your customer wants to buy them. Many people prefer to buy from Amazon so why would you try to force them to buy direct from your site? What if it doesn't work and they buy somebody else's book from Amazon instead. You know, they may be at Amazon spending their money and be interested in a book like yours. Lots of people are. They may need one more book to make the minimum to get free shipping. Or they may not want to pay sales tax. Or they may not want to take the time to make two purchases, one with credit card, one with Paypal. Or they may just get ticked because you're trying to make them buy your book YOUR way, they won't buy your book regardless.
What if they like to read e-books or need a book instantly and your book isn't available that way? Yep, they'll buy somebody else's! Loyalty only extends so far.
Ditto for Kindle!
What if they long for a signed book? Do you offer a way for them to get your treasured signature? With a label sent directly to them. Your autograph is one way to entice readers to buy directly from you if you prefer that.
Many authors rely solely on online bookstore sales. Authors can avoid some or our industry problems by selling their books that way. But what about customers who prefer to buy from bookstores? You should have at least made the effort to assure that your book can be ordered for customers who request them at B&N and Borders or at your local independents.
And here's a last idea for boosting your profitability. It's especially useful for authors who have only one book. Sell another book with yours at book fairs and your speaking engagements. It helps if the second or third books are related to yours but don't duplicate it so closely that a reader wouldn't need or want both. You can offer a little gift with purchase if a customer buys both. Authors' Coalition does that at their booth at the LA Times Festival of Books.
To make something like this work, of course, the second book must be purchased in quantity and marked up. Here are some ways to do that:
You can cross-promote with an author friend.
Or you can contact an author, tell them your plans and ask for a bookstore discount if you buy, say, six of his or her books.
Or you can sell The Complete Writers' Journal which was designed with this purposed in mind and is available at discounts in quantity. Find it at www.redenginepress.com.
I guess it comes down to this. We all make mistakes. But we don't benefit from them if we don't own up. Hoist up your panties, do what you can to rectify the mistake this time around and avoid making it again.
And keep learning. You do that by reading, reading, reading. Add evaluating to that list. Not all resources are born equal. Listen but don't swallow whole anything you hear or read. (I'm sure you've noticed that there is a lot of griping-to-no-purpose going around the Web!)
Once you've been around the industry a little while, it will be easier to tell if what you hear is right for you. You'll know what to adopt and what to discard. Hooray for you. Now you're a real author. An author who knows the industry you're in and how to make it work for you. The school of hard knocks isn't all bad.
-----
Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Her other blogs include TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com and AuthorsCoalition.blogspot.com, a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.
Stop Whining!
You know, about how much money you make per book.
If you self-published and your margin is too small to accommodate the profit margins of bookstore or Amazon sales it's your own fault. You didn't do your homework upfront. So swallow hard and console yourself. You've learned a valuable lesson for the next time you publish.
Ditto for subsidy- or partner-published books. Your publisher doesn't give you enough royalties? Next time negotiate better or choose another publisher or, better still, self-publish (yes, a new learning curve for you but you'll have more control over your profitability).
If you're traditionally published, you made the tradeoff! You hoped for fame. And you hoped for big sales. You may have gotten one, both or neither. You knew there were no guarantees. And didn't you know, too, that the publisher was taking the financial risks and therefore needed to take a bigger share of the pie to pay for his or her expenses and to make a profit to stay in business? If you didn't, maybe you should have taken a Business 101, Basic Economics or The Essentials of Capitalism course before you embarked on what, after all, is a business. In fact, an industry!
So the fact remains, you're boo-hooing because you don't make enough per book, right? Well be comforted because volume counts for something, too. So, roll up your sleeves and go for more sales. Promote like crazy. To do that, you'll want to be able to write a picture-perfect query letter so you can:
Pitch your next book to a publisher or agent who can be a partner in increasing your profits.
You'll want to know how to query appropriately for feature stories on you or the content of your book.
You'll want to know how to write a presentable cover letter to contest judges so you can win some awards to make your book stand out.
You'll want your query to entice radio and TV producers so they'll want you on their show. To do that, get controversial -- yes, even in the query!
You'll want to query magazine and e-zine editors to publish your articles and/or excerpts so you can build credibility for your book and more easily sell the next one. And you do that by -- you guessed it -- doing your homework. Buy a book that tells you how to do that.
By the way, The Frugal Editor is a good start on all of the above!)
And then get a few good books on promotion. You need to understand what the different kinds of editors need. And you need to know how to offer them what they want in a way that makes it supremely easy for them to pick you.
You want to sell your book any old way your customer wants to buy them. Many people prefer to buy from Amazon so why would you try to force them to buy direct from your site? What if it doesn't work and they buy somebody else's book from Amazon instead. You know, they may be at Amazon spending their money and be interested in a book like yours. Lots of people are. They may need one more book to make the minimum to get free shipping. Or they may not want to pay sales tax. Or they may not want to take the time to make two purchases, one with credit card, one with Paypal. Or they may just get ticked because you're trying to make them buy your book YOUR way, they won't buy your book regardless.
What if they like to read e-books or need a book instantly and your book isn't available that way? Yep, they'll buy somebody else's! Loyalty only extends so far.
Ditto for Kindle!
What if they long for a signed book? Do you offer a way for them to get your treasured signature? With a label sent directly to them. Your autograph is one way to entice readers to buy directly from you if you prefer that.
Many authors rely solely on online bookstore sales. Authors can avoid some or our industry problems by selling their books that way. But what about customers who prefer to buy from bookstores? You should have at least made the effort to assure that your book can be ordered for customers who request them at B&N and Borders or at your local independents.
And here's a last idea for boosting your profitability. It's especially useful for authors who have only one book. Sell another book with yours at book fairs and your speaking engagements. It helps if the second or third books are related to yours but don't duplicate it so closely that a reader wouldn't need or want both. You can offer a little gift with purchase if a customer buys both. Authors' Coalition does that at their booth at the LA Times Festival of Books.
To make something like this work, of course, the second book must be purchased in quantity and marked up. Here are some ways to do that:
You can cross-promote with an author friend.
Or you can contact an author, tell them your plans and ask for a bookstore discount if you buy, say, six of his or her books.
Or you can sell The Complete Writers' Journal which was designed with this purposed in mind and is available at discounts in quantity. Find it at www.redenginepress.com.
I guess it comes down to this. We all make mistakes. But we don't benefit from them if we don't own up. Hoist up your panties, do what you can to rectify the mistake this time around and avoid making it again.
And keep learning. You do that by reading, reading, reading. Add evaluating to that list. Not all resources are born equal. Listen but don't swallow whole anything you hear or read. (I'm sure you've noticed that there is a lot of griping-to-no-purpose going around the Web!)
Once you've been around the industry a little while, it will be easier to tell if what you hear is right for you. You'll know what to adopt and what to discard. Hooray for you. Now you're a real author. An author who knows the industry you're in and how to make it work for you. The school of hard knocks isn't all bad.
-----
Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Her other blogs include TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com and AuthorsCoalition.blogspot.com, a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Q&A a la Ann Landers: Stigma, Book Bigotry, and Other Publishing Terms We May Have Got Wrong
Question: There seems to be some confusion between the terms "print on demand" and "publish on demand." Are some calling self publishing and vanity publishing "publish on demand" hoping to avoid the stigma that's attached to vanity and self publishing?
Answer: The term "publish on demand" rather than "print on demand" goes all the way back to the days when monks published a book when they got orders. They'd copy it, illuminate it and deliver it. But only if they already had a client waiting. The term "publish on demand" has a long tradition. We moved away from the monk's model when printing presses were developed. Large runs were more economical so we printed 'em up and waited for orders.
"Print on demand" became a term when digital printers became available. We could go back to doing it "on demand" as the monks did it but it with a lot more speed. Of course, it was also--to many--still "publish on demand." To further complicate the issue, M.J. Rose (and I'm only paraphrasing) said in Poets and Writers that publishing is a word that should only be used when a book is both printed and promoted. I agree. Printing up a bunch of books or even getting one ready to be printed on demand isn't really publishing. Further, the big publishers do a disservice to the whole industry when they print a book and then don't give over a budget so that readers will know it well enough to buy it.
Now, about that stigma thing. Let's just ditch the term "vanity publishing." Some of the best (and richest) authors I know self-publish. The kind of press they use does not make their books bad or good. The content makes them good; their promotion makes what they do lucrative.
In fact, let's ditch anything that smacks of book bigotry. Let's stop doing what we were told never to do when we were young. Let's stop judging books by their covers. And that's a metaphor for judging them any way at all other than by their content.
-------
Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Her other blogs include
www,TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favoite reviews.
www,AuthorsCoalition.blogspot.com, a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.
www.TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com, a blog about editing, grammar, formatting, indexing--all the nitty-gritty parts of publishing we're not to fond of but need to know.
Answer: The term "publish on demand" rather than "print on demand" goes all the way back to the days when monks published a book when they got orders. They'd copy it, illuminate it and deliver it. But only if they already had a client waiting. The term "publish on demand" has a long tradition. We moved away from the monk's model when printing presses were developed. Large runs were more economical so we printed 'em up and waited for orders.
"Print on demand" became a term when digital printers became available. We could go back to doing it "on demand" as the monks did it but it with a lot more speed. Of course, it was also--to many--still "publish on demand." To further complicate the issue, M.J. Rose (and I'm only paraphrasing) said in Poets and Writers that publishing is a word that should only be used when a book is both printed and promoted. I agree. Printing up a bunch of books or even getting one ready to be printed on demand isn't really publishing. Further, the big publishers do a disservice to the whole industry when they print a book and then don't give over a budget so that readers will know it well enough to buy it.
Now, about that stigma thing. Let's just ditch the term "vanity publishing." Some of the best (and richest) authors I know self-publish. The kind of press they use does not make their books bad or good. The content makes them good; their promotion makes what they do lucrative.
In fact, let's ditch anything that smacks of book bigotry. Let's stop doing what we were told never to do when we were young. Let's stop judging books by their covers. And that's a metaphor for judging them any way at all other than by their content.
-------
Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Her other blogs include
www,TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favoite reviews.
www,AuthorsCoalition.blogspot.com, a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.
www.TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com, a blog about editing, grammar, formatting, indexing--all the nitty-gritty parts of publishing we're not to fond of but need to know.
Friday, September 07, 2007
What the Authorhouse Acquisition Means to Readers and Writers
News about an acquisition from Publishers Weekly confirms that the publishing industry keeps changing and that those of us interested in books must keep up with it, even if it doesn't seem to pertain to us.
Why is the news that AuthorHouse, the Bloomington, Ind-based self-publisher backed by the private equity firm Bertram Capital, has acquired competitor iUniverse, backed by Barnes & Noble, important to those of us not involved with either as well as those who are? Because this kind of thing can affect the pricing of printing services(with less competition, you may have to pay more if you want to use those services). Because this kind of thing can affect the numbers of books being printed which affects how any book must meet the competition. For readers it may mean they will have to choose more carefully and watch their book allowance more carefully.
That both of these giants (iUniverse publishes about 400 books a month and AuthorHouse does between 500 and 600) now have competition they didn't have before may have been instrumental in the acquisition. After all, Lulu.com and the looming presence of Amazon's CreateSpace are nothing to sniff at.
So what does all this mean? The principals at both subsidy-publishing giants assured Publishers Weekly that they had no plans to cut back on production or close offices. Nor to change the branding of the two houses. (iUniverse offers lots of editorial services and AuthorHouse tends to "give authors more control over their work" which, in the long run may mean a less professional product). Authors, especially new authors, may need more guidance than they get from many of the subsidy-publishing companies. That may mean more opportunities for editing services. It may also mean more scam artists will get into the already considerable praying mantis mode. In fact "preying mantis" might be a more appropriate spelling.
That aside, it looks as if authors in general need to ratchet up their marketing efforts. Certainly, there is no indication the numbers of competing books will drop.
Further, all authors -- those who are traditionally, self- and subsidy-published -- will want to battle the idea that all books that are printed on demand are somehow inferior.
In spite of this cozy acquisition, I see the industry becoming more finger-pointing and intolerant rather than less. Our role, as readers and writers, is to demand that books be judged not by their covers or the press they are printed on but by their quality.
And how can individual authors, regardless of how they publish plan for success?
1. Think niche markets as you plan your titles. Jewel Sample's children's book that focuses on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is an example. A niche helps you find your specific reader more easily by going where they hang out -- on the web or in real-life venues like bookstores and classroms.
2. Promote wisely and frugally. You're in competition with writers who can pay for lots of services from iUniverse (or others) and/or writers who have the budgets of big publishers behind them. The Frugal Book Promoter will help you sort out the possibilities and give you the details you need to work the choices you make.
3. Write as if your career depended on it. It does. That means edit for all you're worth, from the first cover letter that gets sent with your first contest entry to your book manuscript. The Frugal Editor is now availalble to help you with that.
------
Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how-to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Her other blogs include The New Book Review a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.
She is also the founder of Authors' Coalition.
Why is the news that AuthorHouse, the Bloomington, Ind-based self-publisher backed by the private equity firm Bertram Capital, has acquired competitor iUniverse, backed by Barnes & Noble, important to those of us not involved with either as well as those who are? Because this kind of thing can affect the pricing of printing services(with less competition, you may have to pay more if you want to use those services). Because this kind of thing can affect the numbers of books being printed which affects how any book must meet the competition. For readers it may mean they will have to choose more carefully and watch their book allowance more carefully.
That both of these giants (iUniverse publishes about 400 books a month and AuthorHouse does between 500 and 600) now have competition they didn't have before may have been instrumental in the acquisition. After all, Lulu.com and the looming presence of Amazon's CreateSpace are nothing to sniff at.
So what does all this mean? The principals at both subsidy-publishing giants assured Publishers Weekly that they had no plans to cut back on production or close offices. Nor to change the branding of the two houses. (iUniverse offers lots of editorial services and AuthorHouse tends to "give authors more control over their work" which, in the long run may mean a less professional product). Authors, especially new authors, may need more guidance than they get from many of the subsidy-publishing companies. That may mean more opportunities for editing services. It may also mean more scam artists will get into the already considerable praying mantis mode. In fact "preying mantis" might be a more appropriate spelling.
That aside, it looks as if authors in general need to ratchet up their marketing efforts. Certainly, there is no indication the numbers of competing books will drop.
Further, all authors -- those who are traditionally, self- and subsidy-published -- will want to battle the idea that all books that are printed on demand are somehow inferior.
In spite of this cozy acquisition, I see the industry becoming more finger-pointing and intolerant rather than less. Our role, as readers and writers, is to demand that books be judged not by their covers or the press they are printed on but by their quality.
And how can individual authors, regardless of how they publish plan for success?
1. Think niche markets as you plan your titles. Jewel Sample's children's book that focuses on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is an example. A niche helps you find your specific reader more easily by going where they hang out -- on the web or in real-life venues like bookstores and classroms.
2. Promote wisely and frugally. You're in competition with writers who can pay for lots of services from iUniverse (or others) and/or writers who have the budgets of big publishers behind them. The Frugal Book Promoter will help you sort out the possibilities and give you the details you need to work the choices you make.
3. Write as if your career depended on it. It does. That means edit for all you're worth, from the first cover letter that gets sent with your first contest entry to your book manuscript. The Frugal Editor is now availalble to help you with that.
------
Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how-to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Her other blogs include The New Book Review a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.
She is also the founder of Authors' Coalition.
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