tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post3569338840225491306..comments2024-03-18T06:16:18.802-05:00Comments on A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: Ebooks Ain't A BubbleJA Konrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comBlogger166125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-21492386550850939042012-01-31T21:24:27.713-06:002012-01-31T21:24:27.713-06:00Thanks a lot for another terrific post!
I'm i...Thanks a lot for another terrific post!<br /><br />I'm in an unusual position. I was offered a contract by a mainstream publisher in India. My unpublished MS was also shortlisted for the Tibor Jones South Asia prize for unpublished manuscripts. <br /><br />But I refused the publishing contract. My author friends think I'm nuts considering this is my first book. <br /><br />Perhaps I am. You talk about 14.9% royalties. Yeah right. I was offered 8% and told this was the industry standard (we don't have literary agents here). And royalties on ebooks? 25% (of the 70% that Amazon offers). Since I'm a no-name author, I can't imagine selling ebooks for very high. I'm hoping to price it at $3.99. I'll also be offering it for review to as many book bloggers I can.<br /><br />I'm paying for a cover designer, an editor and a print book formatter (for CreateSpace). Formatting for ebooks is about all I can manage.<br /><br />Am I crazy? Only time will tell.Rasana Atreyahttp://rasanaatreya.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-67892357136337270622011-09-14T11:15:37.070-05:002011-09-14T11:15:37.070-05:00JTPlayer,
After reading your exchange with Joe, I...JTPlayer,<br /><br />After reading your exchange with Joe, I agree with Joe. In one instance he said "new technology outsells old" (which is just common sense), and you even disagreed with THAT! o:O<br /><br />I think your answer was "whatever, man" or something like that. You start off with "Dude" and end with "Man" after every sentence. You just sound like Wayne's World to me. I think you're just trying to get a rise out of Joe to see how far you can push him. And you failed. People come here to listen to Joe, not you. Why not go argue on your own blog...DUDE?Sweet Sweetback's Baaaadasss Songhttp://sweetsweetback.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-71411015816339772492011-09-14T11:14:07.144-05:002011-09-14T11:14:07.144-05:00JTPlayer,
After reading your exchange with Joe, I...JTPlayer,<br /><br />After reading your exchange with Joe, I agree with Joe. In one instance he said "new technology outsells old" (which is just common sense), and you even disagreed with THAT! o:O<br /><br />I think your answer was "whatever, man" or something like that. You start off with "Dude" and end with "Man" after every sentence. You just sound like Wayne's World to me. I think you're just trying to get a rise out of Joe to see how far you can push him. And you failed. People come here to listen to Joe, not you. Why not go argue on your own blog...DUDE?Sweet Sweetback's Baaaadasss Songhttp://sweetsweetback.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-48945995235964389082011-03-11T04:38:18.364-06:002011-03-11T04:38:18.364-06:00Hi. Totally agree that it's not a bubble - ebo...Hi. Totally agree that it's not a bubble - ebooks and indie publishing offer writers a new medium to connect with their readers, and with global distribution through the Internet.<br /><br />I really see it as similar to the revolutions in online music and other formally physical industries going online for a wider, more social experience than offered before.<br /><br />Enjoyed the post, thanks.<br /><br />Adam<br />iwritereadrate.comAdam iwritereadratehttp://www.iwritereadrate.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-3925467750963986252011-03-09T22:07:03.813-06:002011-03-09T22:07:03.813-06:00OK Joe, whatever you say, I'm thick...you'...OK Joe, whatever you say, I'm thick...you're not. Been down this road with you before dude. It's your world after all, the rest of us are just livin' in it.<br /><br />Carry on man.jtplayerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14231456054855215404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-84117799239600126022011-03-09T20:21:01.821-06:002011-03-09T20:21:01.821-06:00Dude...you have no point.
New tech outsells old t...<i>Dude...you have no point.</i><br /><br />New tech outsells old tech. Always.<br /><br />You're being thick.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-50949881157652045342011-03-09T19:18:49.214-06:002011-03-09T19:18:49.214-06:00Dude...you have no point. Not on this one anyway....Dude...you have no point. Not on this one anyway.<br /><br />But keep up the good work, seriously, as the information you put out is invaluable.jtplayerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14231456054855215404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-69135529688588372892011-03-09T16:02:40.467-06:002011-03-09T16:02:40.467-06:00Walkmans aren't made anymore.
Exactly my poin...<i>Walkmans aren't made anymore.</i><br /><br />Exactly my point.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-17082628029257510352011-03-09T10:30:33.284-06:002011-03-09T10:30:33.284-06:00"You see many CD Walkmans these days?"
...<i>"You see many CD Walkmans these days?"</i><br /><br />Walkmans aren't made anymore. But I can go into my local Target or Walmart and buy any number of portable cd players. Hell man, they even sell portable cassette players. Imagine that dude.<br /><br /><i>"How many new cars have CD players rather than mp3 jacks?"</i><br /><br />Uhh...they have both. I recently bought my daughter a new car, and every single model we looked at had both. And we looked at a shitload of cars.<br /><br /><i>"All of my friends who still buy CDs immediately rip them to mp3s."</i><br /><br />Yeah, so do I. In fact, I just did it last night with the new R.E.M. disc. So what? People still play the cds. <br /><br /><i>"The CD exists as a storage device, so its contents can be played on new technology like iPods and smart phones and Android tablets. That's why they're still around."</i><br /><br />That is simply an ignorant statement. Period.<br /><br /><i>"But they won't be forever."</i><br /><br />Riiight...like ebooks will be forever.<br /><br />Sorry to say Joe, but it is possible for you to be wrong sometimes. Like now. Have a great day dude.jtplayerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14231456054855215404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-80902884896920995402011-03-09T05:35:08.632-06:002011-03-09T05:35:08.632-06:00Robert B -- You don't understand Joe.
Yes, he...<i>Robert B -- You don't understand Joe.</i><br /><br />Yes, he does.<br /><br />But you, Coolkayaker, don't seem have a clue.<br /><br />This blog is about helping authors. Always has been. Hence the title "A NEWBIE'S GUIDE TO PUBLISHING."<br /><br />I've learned through hard-won experience that legacy publishing is a huge mistake, and I use my blog to inform authors of this Very Important Fact.<br /><br />I'm not anti-print, or anti-publisher. In fact, for years I've been trying to show publishers what they're doing wrong.<br /><br />They choose not to listen. Their loss. Their big loss.<br /><br />But lots of authors ARE choosing to listen.<br /><br />That's the thing about beating a drum. It may sound old to those who have heard the tune before, but there are many more who haven't heard the tune yet. So the tune is worth repeating.<br /><br />That doesn't make me venomous, or vindictive. It doesn't mean I have a crusade against legacy publishing and want to watch it burn.<br /><br />It simply means I want to write for a living, and I found a way how to do that.<br /><br />I'm sharing that way with others and warning them against ways that don't work.<br /><br />Legacy publishing is broken. It's a dinosaur, and the meteor has already hit the earth. <br /><br />Worse than that, it harms authors. Financially, and emotionally.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-65606248572984422792011-03-09T05:21:09.853-06:002011-03-09T05:21:09.853-06:00No Joe, compact discs have not survived merely bec...<i>No Joe, compact discs have not survived merely because they can be converted and played on an ipod.</i><br /><br />Yes. They have.<br /><br />You see many CD Walkmans these days?<br /><br />How many new cars have CD players rather than mp3 jacks?<br /><br />All of my friends who still buy CDs immediately rip them to mp3s. <br /><br />The CD exists as a storage device, so its contents can be played on new technology like iPods and smart phones and Android tablets. That's why they're still around.<br /><br />But they won't be forever.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-65394939317305102292011-03-08T20:48:39.233-06:002011-03-08T20:48:39.233-06:00Thank you for the inspiration! Doomsayers like Sco...Thank you for the inspiration! Doomsayers like Scott damper my enthusiasm for the future of e-books. But, you give me hope that this will be an enduring market.Michelle Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14170005122226026954noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-31999489662425625362011-03-08T14:18:47.289-06:002011-03-08T14:18:47.289-06:00haha, I like your Pink Floyd comparison, Joe. I t...haha, I like your Pink Floyd comparison, Joe. I think you're spot on in any case --- the sheer number of e-reading devices out there is mindboggling, and most of us have a lot of interests, fiction wise.<br /><br />My sales are picking up nicely...particularly considering how I just uploaded my novel length modern ghost story <a href="http://www.amazon.com/One-More-Day-ebook/dp/B004P1IZY8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=books&qid=1299615111&sr=8-1" rel="nofollow"><i>One More Day</i></a> two weeks ago.<br /><br />Thanks again for a great blog, as always!<br /><br /><a href="http://nicholaslasalla.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Nick</a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/One-More-Day-ebook/dp/B004P1IZY8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=books&qid=1299615111&sr=8-1" rel="nofollow"><i>One More Day: A Modern Ghost Story: Only $0.99 Now!</i></a>Nicholas La Sallahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00672628766188470171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-88530716119142743882011-03-08T10:57:01.130-06:002011-03-08T10:57:01.130-06:00Well I'm not Joe, but I think Robert is spot o...Well I'm not Joe, but I think Robert is spot on. :PSelena Kitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17783685215421352626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-80482068467546404392011-03-08T10:39:07.591-06:002011-03-08T10:39:07.591-06:00Maybe, maybe not. But I'd prefer to hear that ...Maybe, maybe not. But I'd prefer to hear that from Joe.<br /><br />--Robert Bidinotto<br /><a href="http://www.Robertthewriter.com" rel="nofollow">RobertTheWriter.com</a>Robert Bidinottohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11777797272563802442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-70309243359735297122011-03-08T10:05:29.359-06:002011-03-08T10:05:29.359-06:00Robert B -- You don't understand Joe.Robert B -- You don't understand Joe.Coolkayaker1https://www.blogger.com/profile/16480679419271233314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-91387341234793859662011-03-08T10:05:03.624-06:002011-03-08T10:05:03.624-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.jtplayerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14231456054855215404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-76032643366833573962011-03-08T09:02:23.663-06:002011-03-08T09:02:23.663-06:00Joe, I love reading your blog. This post is anothe...Joe, I love reading your blog. This post is another one that is spot on. And I've been meaning to thank you for some time now. I started following your blog when you did your blog tour, maybe two years ago. I've followed all your advice and put my three backlist books up over the fall. Since Christmas, sales first rose nicely, then last month exploded (over 3500 sold). They are exploding again so far this month (2000+ in one week). If sales stay at my current average for this month I'll make more than the combined advances on all three books from my NYC publisher (which were spread over four years) in one month. Mind you those advances were 5K each and I was expected to turn around and "invest" those advances in promoting my books.<br /><br />The best part is that my first book, which at 4% royalties and a sucky print run never earned out, is now my best seller. Instead of 24 cents per book, I'm making more like $2 and the price of the book went from the publishers 5.99 to my 2.99. How is this not a win-win for authors and readers?<br /><br />I can't see a scenario where I will ever give over control of my books to anyone else again. Why would I? In addition to being bad for me and my career, it would be bad for my readers.<br /><br />Again, thanks for sharing your experiments in epublishing. The lessons have been invaluable.Laurin Wittighttp://laurinwittig.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-33034866143355464882011-03-08T08:06:26.307-06:002011-03-08T08:06:26.307-06:00Going back through the comments, where I saw jtpla...Going back through the comments, where I saw jtplayer's comment. I don't disagree - older formats have their place, and will linger for a long time.<br /><br />But not every new song comes out on CD today, and far fewer still on vinyl. Few (if any!) new VCR cassettes are made. <br /><br />Sure, older formats still exist. I can still buy old 8-tracks if I want them. But newer formats are superseding the older formats, which are fading into the background. <br /><br />And some older formats, inevitably, WILL cease to be made. Polaroid's out of business. I understand some small company saw a market opportunity and began producing their film, but Fuji and (I think) Kodak went out of the film business.Jeff Fariahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12311004609431680032noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-11135969453352282352011-03-08T08:05:49.488-06:002011-03-08T08:05:49.488-06:00People keep interpreting Joe as being anti-print. ...People keep interpreting Joe as being anti-print. I don't see him saying that at all.<br /><br />Because his argument is not about ebooks vs. print books. Those are mere means; they are not the end.<br /><br />As I understand him, Joe is pro-author. That's his end. Because he is pro-author, he's anti-legacy publisher. Specifically, he's anti-legacy publisher because they give authors poor deals on print books and <i>worse</i> deals on ebooks.<br /><br />So, being pro-author, Joe advocates self-publishing over legacy publishing. Why? Because self-publishing is the most pro-author route.<br /><br />Now, it just so happens that in driving the self-publishing route, the ebook is a new vehicle that is so fast and fuel-efficient that it can usually out-perform the print book. That doesn't mean the print book isn't a good vehicle for some purposes. After all, when you buy a new car, you don't <i>have</i> to stop driving your old car; you can simply turn the latter into a second car, and drive it when it's more useful or convenient.<br /><br />So this isn't about the vehicle. Primarily, it's about the best route for the author to drive. I read Joe as arguing for authors to abandon the legacy publishing route, because it's a dead end. He advocates the self-publishing route for authors, because it opens us to limitless horizons. And he recommends that we select the ebook to drive that route for the most part, because it's faster and more fuel-efficient than yesterday's print vehicle. Even Joe still keeps his old print vehicle, because it's useful for specific purposes; but it's the spare car in his garage.<br /><br />So, Joe: Are the analogies apt? Or have I just driven myself off the metaphorical cliff?<br /><br />--Robert Bidinotto<br /> <a href="http://www.RobertTheWriter.com" rel="nofollow">RobertTheWriter.com</a>Robert Bidinottohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11777797272563802442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-30962022673786952132011-03-08T07:53:27.769-06:002011-03-08T07:53:27.769-06:00I think the best way to describe e-books is that t...I think the best way to describe e-books is that they are a trend. Just as the move away from CDs was a trend, just was the move away from VCRs to DVDs and now to on-demand streaming was/is a trend.<br /><br />And the same way we're not going to reverse these trends, we are also not returning to paper-based publishing.<br /><br />Loved the 'Stockholm Syndrome' analogy. Dead-on. <br /><br />I've been reading your blog for just a few days, and enjoy it very much.Jeff Fariahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12311004609431680032noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-8749903517836841952011-03-08T07:42:39.500-06:002011-03-08T07:42:39.500-06:00"Compact disks survived because they ARE digi...<i>"Compact disks survived because they ARE digital, and can be played on iPods."</i><br /><br />No Joe, compact discs have not survived merely because they can be converted and played on an ipod. They've survived for the same reason vinyl has survived, because there are still many, many consumers who want their music in that format. <br /><br />Just like paper books will survive, niche or not, because many, many people will always prefer their books in that format.<br /><br /><br /><i>"Good luck reading your print version of War and Peace on a Kindle."</i><br /><br />I don't have to "read" my print version on my Kindle, because I can download the electronic version, and read it alongside my print version.<br /><br />Just like I can go buy the new REM on cd today, and vinyl, and if I really want to contribute to Mr. Stipe and Co. I can buy all the songs individually as digital downloads. <br /><br />See how that works? Choices man, plenty of choices...enough to suit everyone.jtplayerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14231456054855215404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-3721922145141215332011-03-08T07:30:34.233-06:002011-03-08T07:30:34.233-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.jtplayerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14231456054855215404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-79795492038751699072011-03-08T07:22:44.907-06:002011-03-08T07:22:44.907-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.jtplayerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14231456054855215404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-77577355196581579912011-03-08T07:18:26.811-06:002011-03-08T07:18:26.811-06:00Great post!
People want to apply the "bubb...Great post! <br /><br />People want to apply the "bubble" to ebooks because they're looking for it to fail. When you compare the price of an ebook to a print one, the only bubble I see is the one about to burst in traditional publishing. <br /><br />I think one reason why ebooks haven't taken over the market is the price of ereading devices. They're coming down. Fast. When they reach the right price, the only *whoosh* you'll hear is the rest of the traditionally published authors flooding into self-publishing where it's an open field.Marcia Colettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12551159547626173738noreply@blogger.com