tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post1143277786193259733..comments2024-03-18T06:16:18.802-05:00Comments on A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: A Gentle ReminderJA Konrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-44893028381443723102015-10-10T11:01:53.758-05:002015-10-10T11:01:53.758-05:00All good, except I don't believe in luck. It&#...All good, except I don't believe in luck. It's all cause and effect. We may not always get what we want when we want it but if we keep putting in earnest effort (in a sensible way) the rewards will come.John Maberryhttp://johnswriting.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-89322488633869025562015-09-25T15:10:01.590-05:002015-09-25T15:10:01.590-05:00Jeff..
I suppose we'll find out in the coming...Jeff..<br /><br />I suppose we'll find out in the coming years...maybe a mix of the two....but maybe it will be just like Twitter and Facebook where celebrities and politicians can now bypass the established media (big publishers) and go direct with their message/product.<br /><br />Incidentally, I think the rise of twitter, facebook and you tube has led to the rise of more alternative and 'outside the system' politicians as their message can now go unfiltered directly to the electorate - whereas the media would have crucified these alternative politicians a few years back.<br /><br />Maybe it will be the same for authors.<br /><br />Good luck with your writing Jeff.<br /><br />AnonymousWriterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11346079936078675252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-16588369769006681892015-09-25T14:15:29.611-05:002015-09-25T14:15:29.611-05:00AnonymouseWriter said, "It's about the ad...AnonymouseWriter said, "It's about the advantages they can implement for themselves..." <br /><br />I understood. Appreciate your add-on detail. Operative word is "Themselves". There are too many old and new, really good story tellers that the Big Five still wish to abuse regarding favorable royalties, ownership, and control. Readers become loyal to the creators, not publishers. Don't think BF "could crowd them out as a whole..." As long as we Indies have Joe, Barry, Howie and others speaking out with the truth, and creating new pathways, we'll be successful for a long time to come.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13650618703761755628noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1323833876912225572015-09-25T06:39:20.243-05:002015-09-25T06:39:20.243-05:00Jeff...you misunderstand...re-read what I wrote.
...Jeff...you misunderstand...re-read what I wrote.<br /><br />It's about the advantages they can implement for themselves once they do play the e-book game at an optimum level.<br /><br />- Money to buy exposure on Amazon<br />- Big name authors<br />- Money to market and advertise<br />- Massive back catalogues<br />- Low pricing to bring readers to their stable of authors<br /><br />If they were wise they could crowd out many indie authors.<br /><br />Not completely. Not the big name Indie authors. But they could crowd them out as a whole. Luckily they are failing to do this at the moment as they don't want to devalue their printed product. So make hay while the sun shines.AnonymousWriterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11346079936078675252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-9503239097276330582015-09-23T15:36:42.202-05:002015-09-23T15:36:42.202-05:00"Once the 'Big Five' get their act to..."Once the 'Big Five' get their act together", C'mon AnonymousWriter, in whose lifetime? You don't mention vastly improved royalties they will offer for the new creative product producers. Hah! ROFLOL! We "Indies" will still be writing great stories, collecting great royalties, CONTROLLING our product, with the publishing pathway improving every day. Most readers don't give a damn who published the book as long as it's entertaining, acceptable quality, priced right, and delivered on time. Indie has all that and more. Ever heard of a reader saying, "I would have bought the book but it wasn't published by XYZ of the Big Five." NOT.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13650618703761755628noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-90961688619643642552015-09-23T11:01:02.335-05:002015-09-23T11:01:02.335-05:00Once the 'Big Five' get their act together...Once the 'Big Five' get their act together they will be able to buy space on Amazon, spend money on marketing and advertising, introduce low prices for certain titles of famous writers to get people hooked and lower prices all round they should be able to dominate. AnonymousWriterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11346079936078675252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-27883613336393833792015-09-22T19:21:13.697-05:002015-09-22T19:21:13.697-05:00I attribute some success to publishing Kindle book...I attribute some success to publishing Kindle books in 2010 and 2011 when new authors had the Kindle catalog to themselves. Now we're getting crowded out by the backlists of established authors. Fortunately for me many publishers shun science fiction, so I still have less competition.Walter Knighthttp://www.waltknight.yolasite.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-85201478127997385992015-09-21T19:26:54.961-05:002015-09-21T19:26:54.961-05:00Rumor has it, Joe is back on the beer diet. :-)
H...Rumor has it, Joe is back on the beer diet. :-)<br />He ain't got time for us.<br /><br />Hey, Joe, how are the Belinda Duchamp books doin'?<br />I went in with one of Summer Daniels' KU 10 volume boxed sets recently.<br /> Just for the hell of it.<br /><br />In case anyone's wondering, the umbrella title is What To Read<br />After Fifty Shades. Now, I don't read stuff like Fifty Shades, but<br />will, and have, written erotica––just for kicks.<br /><br />Meanwhile, all my horror fans are going: WTF, Dude? You go from<br />blood & guts to...T & A ???<br /><br />Hey, I'm a genre hopper. Not unlike the Energizer Bunny: I bounce around.<br />Else I get bored. <br /><br />Hey, Joe, ever consider joining up with Summer for one of her MULTI-VOLUME<br />Boxed Sets? Thought I'd ask.<br /><br />K.Kirk Alexnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-53315133608191395352015-09-21T05:54:24.299-05:002015-09-21T05:54:24.299-05:00The mapview of the EBM in the world: http://ondema...The mapview of the EBM in the world: http://ondemandbooks.com/ebm_locations.php<br /><br />Sorry for hijacking your thread, Joe.Alan Spadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12265515535005420739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-91126698099191907032015-09-21T05:43:24.424-05:002015-09-21T05:43:24.424-05:00In the list I provided ( http://ondemandbooks.com/...In the list I provided ( http://ondemandbooks.com/ebm_locations_list.php ), p.3 and 4, there are bookstores listed as independent ones. If I were living near one of these towns (Las Vegas, Denver, Portland, Cambridge, Grand Rapids, Seattle, Saint Johnsbury...), I think I would try to establish contact with the bookseller owner to establish if they would be opened to a signing session with an indie. <br /><br />It's especially valuable if you have a series, because if you sell book 1 during a session, a reader can later ask for book 2 to be printed by the EBM... I don't know if these booksellers have made possible for their readers to order a printing through their home via the bookseller's website, in order to allow them to retrieve the physical book a little later. Maybe it would cause storage issues. Alan Spadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12265515535005420739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-60744258416158064782015-09-21T05:27:02.442-05:002015-09-21T05:27:02.442-05:00Hi Kirk,
I don't think Zon to be on this. Th...Hi Kirk, <br /><br />I don't think Zon to be on this. The print they use for Createspace is not an Espresso Book Machine (EBM). If they use it, it will be indirectly, I think, through parners like Ingram. <br /><br />I did a quick search and found this list: http://ondemandbooks.com/ebm_locations_list.php<br /><br />One of the EBM in the US is owned by a library, two others by Barnes & Noble.<br /><br />I think most of the EBM must be owned by large booksellers, libraries or universities in the US. That seems to make sense.Alan Spadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12265515535005420739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-88426545141520334932015-09-20T23:14:47.746-05:002015-09-20T23:14:47.746-05:00Hi Alan,
I wasn't aware of the history behind...Hi Alan,<br /><br />I wasn't aware of the history behind this stuff. Merely saw the article (w/photo), & thought: Wow! Great.<br />Vending machines for books. Who actually owns the Espresso Book Machines in the U.S.? Is Zon in on any of this?<br />They gotta be. And if so, some of the titles will most certainly be Indie titles, right? Let's hope<br />for the best.<br /><br />Regards,<br /><br />Kirk Alex<br />Author: Ziggy Popper at Large Kirk Alexnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-29030948809793730252015-09-20T15:27:26.750-05:002015-09-20T15:27:26.750-05:00@Kirk: there are only six Espresso Book Machine in...@Kirk: there are only six Espresso Book Machine in France and 150 in the United States.<br /><br />http://www.idboox.com/infos-ebooks/espresso-book-machine-imprimer-son-livre-en-5-mn-video/<br /><br />If you want to think about a country were Hachette Book Publishing rules and that is desperately attached to traditional publishing, think France.<br /><br />An example? One of the ebook manufacturer, Bookeen, exists since 2003. Its founders had already built an ebook device since 1998, with another company. They have tried to sell their product to publishers and bookstores for years.<br /><br />No one wanted their product. And what happened when Amazon finally succeeded in making the Kindle viable and started the indie revolution? The founders of Bookeen clung to the traditional publishers, and even now in 2015, an indie publisher cannot sell her books through their portal. <br /><br />So, I guess that even if they were far more Espresso Book Machines in France than in the US, which is not the case, the indie french authors would be the last ones to benefit. Alan Spadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12265515535005420739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-29080405815319175612015-09-20T13:32:33.454-05:002015-09-20T13:32:33.454-05:00Joe,
RE: Zon attack on the author, and not the bo...Joe,<br /><br />RE: Zon attack on the author, and not the book. <br />You were spot on! A Zon rep got back to me within a day with a promise to take down<br />the "review."<br />This is just one reason why we love Amazon: fairness & support.<br /><br />RE: Expresso Book Machine.<br /><br />They've had them in France for quite some time now. Here's an article I saved from a few years<br />back:<br /><br />***Voila! Vending machines serve up good reading*** by Jenny Barchfield - The Associated Press<br /><br />PARIS –– Readers craving Homer, Baudelaire or Lewis Carroll in the middle of the night can get a quick fix at one of the French capital's five newly installed book vending machines.<br /><br />"We have customers who know exactly what they want and come at all hours to get it." said Xavier Chambon, president of Maxi-Livres, a low-cost publisher and bookstore chain that debuted the vending machines in June. "It's as if our stores were open 24 hours a day."<br /><br />When the bookstores close, Parisians can still satisfy their craving for a good read at five new vending machines around the city.<br /><br />The article goes on, but you get the idea. And since this was from about two years ago, they must have a lot more than the five stores (mentioned) out there by now, etc. <br /><br />Best,<br /><br />Kirk Alex,<br />Author, Ziggy Popper at LargeKirk Alexnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-54723622044060662222015-09-20T10:20:10.006-05:002015-09-20T10:20:10.006-05:00Once again, Joe, you've done it. Brought reali...Once again, Joe, you've done it. Brought reality to the page. Where would authors be without your clarity, honesty, willingness to share your hard work, personal experiences and revenue generation? We'd still be fighting to find an agent and then kissing up to find a publisher and the lucky few accepted, then resigning to paltry royalties and giving up their intellectual creations. The Indie path is now more than a viable path, it's dominant for budding authors and becoming so for many traditionally published who want control and more revenue. Kudos to Barry, Hugh and others for their contributions. Timing and luck contributed with Amazon and others creating a pragmatic vehicle for product delivery and vastly improved royalties.<br />I send people here at every FB opportunity so they may have a better understanding of the publishing world today, historically and politically. Newbies Guide supports them in making more informed decisions about their writing future.<br />Bravo! Bravo!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13650618703761755628noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-12894425377926104272015-09-19T22:31:50.781-05:002015-09-19T22:31:50.781-05:00Wise words, Joe. Wise words.Wise words, Joe. Wise words.Stephen Leatherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08179238880325952527noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-42590832502485574262015-09-19T14:07:49.694-05:002015-09-19T14:07:49.694-05:00I think it would be doable with Lightning Source, ...I think it would be doable with Lightning Source, because even if you print just 10 paperback, you already have a nice scaling saving.<br /><br />As an author, though, I wouldn't do it if I hadn't the possibility of coming to this bookstore in order to sign my books. That's what I do to make a living now, so I'm used to it. <br /><br />It means that I would have to live near said bookstore. <br /><br />Regarding the Expresso Book Machine, did you know that a bookstore has opened in Las Vegas? The last place in the world where one was likely to open! <br /><br />And that bookstore, The Writer's Block, is equipped with an Espresso Book Machine. <br /><br />http://www.thewritersblock.org/<br /><br />But I agree that the two concepts would be great for writers if they were mingled... although it's always hard to rentabilize an Espresso Book Machine. Alan Spadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12265515535005420739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-24796296516139404632015-09-19T12:42:56.962-05:002015-09-19T12:42:56.962-05:00Hey, Joe, nothing to do with your blog post, but d...<i>Hey, Joe, nothing to do with your blog post, but did you hear about PJ boox? </i><br /><br />Interesting. The problem I predict is shipping. Mailing books isn't cheap. $98 to rent a shelf for 4 months, plus shipping, plus POD costs--well, it'll be tough for even known authors to make a profit.<br /><br />The idea I came up with years ago was for bookstores to use an Expresso Book Machine to print indie books at their store, and indies get paid a royalty for each one sold. No shipping, no returns, no waste, more profits for everyone.<br /><br />http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/2011/05/indie-bookstores-boycott-konrath.htmlJA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-59682786409683431412015-09-19T10:03:58.537-05:002015-09-19T10:03:58.537-05:00Hey, Joe, nothing to do with your blog post, but d...Hey, Joe, nothing to do with your blog post, but did you hear about PJ boox? http://www.pjboox.com/#!about/fgxkr<br /><br />It's a bookstore in Florida selling only indie books! The one linked will open in the first of October. Apparently, another bookstore like that had already opened in april, and because of its success, this new bookstore will very soon open. <br /><br />Perhaps an interview on your blog of the author Patti Brassard Jefferson, who created the concept, would be a good idea? Just saying...Alan Spadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12265515535005420739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-68465346324043373432015-09-18T19:06:38.341-05:002015-09-18T19:06:38.341-05:00Whew. Thanks Joe. I was hoping you'd say that....Whew. Thanks Joe. I was hoping you'd say that. <br />Then I will fight, fight, fight to get my 13 books back when they're legally mine. I just hope Amazon sees that it is right to kick off that publisher's expired version and replace it with the legal one...mine. Grin. As always thank you for changing my career. Since I've started self-publishing in 2012 I am making real money for the first time in 44 years and I LOVE the control. I do it all now (I was once a graphic artist and am not afraid to format and stuff...though I have a fantastic professional cover artist I use) and I have found having complete control is amazing. See ya in the libraries.Kathryn Meyer Griffithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05034564063539239120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-89422170692288231112015-09-18T18:10:59.573-05:002015-09-18T18:10:59.573-05:00So...is it whining to want to right a wrong?
That...<i>So...is it whining to want to right a wrong?</i><br /><br />That's not whining. That's enforcing your copyright.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-59288218253909781362015-09-18T16:43:46.021-05:002015-09-18T16:43:46.021-05:00Joe about #3 Stop Whining?
That really stopped me ...Joe about #3 Stop Whining?<br />That really stopped me today and now I need some good advice.<br />I am still with a publisher (13 books) and that publisher is refusing to return (by taking it down from sales venues) a book that the 5 year (miserable...made but pennies on all 14 books every year when my self-published do really well) contract has positively run out on...2 weeks ago. The publisher won't even return my emails or phone calls the last month and I still have 13 more books with them that will return to me one by one every few months for the next 17. I've been a published writer for a very long time and had many awful publishers...but this is a first. Is it whining to want everyone to know how bad the publisher is? To warn potential authors of what they're going to get if they go with this publisher? I read your post today and decided to take things into my own hands instead of wringing them...I self-published the book today with Amazon (and others) and alerted Amazon to the "copyright infringement" problem. I asked them to publish my version and kick that publisher's version off...or at least I can hope they will. I have a signed contract as proof. So...is it whining to want to right a wrong? You or anyone else can email me off this blog at rdgriff@htc.netKathryn Meyer Griffithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05034564063539239120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-76766890481331408022015-09-18T01:24:18.430-05:002015-09-18T01:24:18.430-05:00Thank you, Joe. Good stuff.
It always seems to me...Thank you, Joe. Good stuff. <br />It always seems to me that you speak from the heart; I'd say that all three of you guys do.<br />That probably means more to many of us than anything else. You hung in when the attacks by the trad-pub shills were not only vicious and full of misinformation about indie publishing, but deliberately misleading. You, Barry and Hugh kept coming back & kept coming back, refusing to let them beat you down with their outrageous claims.<br /><br />Indies are here to stay! We ain't goin' away. :-)<br /><br />One last thing, Joe: are you still accepting donations/guest blog posts with regards to Tess Gerritsen's War on Alzheimer's?<br />I know it's been since June 2013 when the drive was initiated... I'd like to participate with a donation & a brief post, if at all possible.<br /><br />Best,<br /><br />Kirk Alex Kirk Alexnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-72706417919398413932015-09-17T22:02:44.315-05:002015-09-17T22:02:44.315-05:00Had the same issue with one of my first novels. I ...Had the same issue with one of my first novels. I published before a thorough copy edit was done and a reviewer who had done like 1,000 reviews gave it a two star review. He said he liked the story and the writing but the story was filled with a lot of typos and it detracted from the story. I paid for a thorough copy edited, republished, apologized and that reviewer changed his review to four stars. Its all in how you approach the reviewers. I do agree though that battling for truth in other peoples perceptions is tricky because everyone has their own perceptions. Who's to say yours is any more valid than anyone else? Just stay true to yourself and don't lose focus. BRYAN HIGBYhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01126595775432851053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-15927135180385895612015-09-17T20:35:58.015-05:002015-09-17T20:35:58.015-05:00What would you or Barry or Hugh do? Let it go?
Ye...<i>What would you or Barry or Hugh do? Let it go?</i><br /><br />Yes. Let it go. I've had reviewers call me all sorts of nasty things, and outright lie in reviews about books of mine that they've never read. <br /><br />Consider what might happen: you respond, saying you aren't racist. The reviewer replies, getting nastier, and goes on Goodreads and gets fifty other readers to add their 1-star reviews, parroting the racist comment and also blaming you for engaging a reviewer. I've seen this happen so many times it has become its own meme. Don't respond to negative reviews, ever. The potential for disaster is huge. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Let them spout their incorrect info, and leave it alone. Let some other reviewer respond to it.<br /><br />I have responded before. I self-pubbed a book too soon and it was riddled with typos. When I uploaded the error-free version, I thanked every reviewer who mentioned typos, explained they were gone now, and offered to send them a clean copy. In that case, I acknowledge my mistake, apologized, and tried to fix it, while also letting new readers know it was fixed.<br /><br />I wouldn't tell a reader they're wrong. You can always try reporting the review to Amazon, and getting some of your peeps to do the same. Say it is attacking the author, not the book. <br /><br />Beyond that, ignore it. You have enough reviews that one flake won't matter.<br /><br />JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.com