tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post7620338358607179196..comments2024-03-18T06:16:18.802-05:00Comments on A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: Who Wants Whom? - A Dialog Between J.A. Konrath & Blake Crouch About Who Has the Power in PublishingJA Konrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comBlogger133125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-52070354745263206312011-09-03T07:08:24.876-05:002011-09-03T07:08:24.876-05:00I've been saying for quite some time that unle...I've been saying for quite some time that unless you are selling direct you aren't removing all the middle men. Ridan has been selling both ebooks and print books (signed/dedicated) since we’ve started and it has been very successful for us. We offer all formats and the only downside presently is we email them by hand after ordering. I hope to have a fully automated system in the future.<br /><br />Robin Sullivan | <a href="http://bit.ly/ivMp8P" rel="nofollow">Write2Publish</a> | <a href="http://bit.ly/kgyKuE" rel="nofollow">Ridan Publishing</a>Robin Sullivanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00613910688999698522noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-34149784434904632772011-09-02T17:50:46.706-05:002011-09-02T17:50:46.706-05:00Missing from this discussion? The amount of spam e...Missing from this discussion? The amount of spam e-books already on Amazon and Amazon's unwillingness, so far, to do anything about it. I think self-sale is a great idea in theory, but, there are tech issues indeed so far.Gadflyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13075757287807731373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-19629765664339948292011-09-02T17:47:45.807-05:002011-09-02T17:47:45.807-05:00The two of you sound like you're riffing a bit...The two of you sound like you're riffing a bit on Jaron Lanier's long take on Amazon and Google likewise wanting to be information monopolists. http://socraticgadfly.blogspot.com/2011/08/dark-side-of-internet-apple-google-and.htmlGadflyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13075757287807731373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-3338573708334861332011-08-30T20:16:25.341-05:002011-08-30T20:16:25.341-05:00@ Blake, what do readers want?
Price: I wouldn&#...@ Blake, what do readers want?<br /><br /><br />Price: I wouldn't pay more than amazon would charge.<br /><br />Extras: i.e. out-take scenes similar to things at the end of a dvd. Funny stuff and perhaps what happens next to a great secondary character. You could add sexy stuff for the romance junkies out there. I could go on and one, but I suspect you're getting the picture. Then you could add music, say the music your hero sings when he's drunk as a skunk, or a song he hears in a bar when all looks lost.<br /><br />The key is to connect to the READER and have somewhere they can meet and talk about what they loved. You couldn't pay for feedback like that.Christinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08716116861063875454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-25618311323057990732011-08-30T11:27:16.027-05:002011-08-30T11:27:16.027-05:00As an avid reader and converted e-reader, I would ...As an avid reader and converted e-reader, I would be extremely cautious of making book purchases online from other than a well known seller (like Amazon or B&N) without some kind of branded financial middleman (Paypal, e.g.)<br /><br />And the suggestions, reader reviews, and fora on Amazon and elsewhere have sold me many an enjoyable book I would never have looked at otherwise.<br /><br />Then, who would be responsible for re-sending purchasers' books that got screwed up or lost? I can move books onto and off of my Kindle with a few clicks; no storage issues or proof-of-purchase involved. It's like having an offsite library of my own books at my fingertips.Peripherahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15534717949547090473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-22935561415825881552011-08-30T10:29:15.732-05:002011-08-30T10:29:15.732-05:00Joe,
Do you think this model is genre specific, ...Joe, <br /><br />Do you think this model is genre specific, or will it work for everything out there? For example, young adult is big ... but I don't know that it's selling as much digitally as it is in print (I can't find figures to back it up right now.) But, then we look at the infamous Amanda Hocking. I'm putting finishing touches on a my debut - YA Urban Fantasy - and I'm leaning toward self-pub, but does it make business sense for the genre?????Rileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04427108641342487179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-30550956276605956792011-08-30T09:43:50.085-05:002011-08-30T09:43:50.085-05:00You have a lot of good points here, but I think so...You have a lot of good points here, but I think something I'd like to see more about is cloud computing. I've heard a fair bit about this, but no specifics, just general how-tos and explanations. I'd like to see some good data on how effective cloud computing really is, especially for new writers who only have one or two books published (because that's me).tmastgravehttp://tobiasmastgrave.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-2619685130345978362011-08-29T20:13:56.006-05:002011-08-29T20:13:56.006-05:00I guess that answers my earlier question about sel...I guess that answers my earlier question about selling from your own site, which seems like it should be the goal. But I’m confused about something. The best (read: simplest) strategy would seem to me to involve bundling books: a reader finds you on the retailer (Amazon, etc.); he then gets referred to your site from the inside your book; you offer bundles of your books for less than individual titles on Amazon as an incentive to buy directly from you, which makes you money because you don’t lose the royalty and you sell more books to boot.<br /><br />Now, I suspect that this has already been thought of and rejected because Amazon somehow prevents you from doing this presumably through contract (or maybe there's something else I'm missing). But I’d like confirmation from someone.W. Deanhttp://platoshead.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-66955709052531095632011-08-29T16:52:03.608-05:002011-08-29T16:52:03.608-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.frank palardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09899686689884850209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-86566805865757909472011-08-29T16:35:47.648-05:002011-08-29T16:35:47.648-05:00Good God, people. I can't believe you just now...Good God, people. I can't believe you just now figured this out. I've been selling my own books and ebooks from my own site for <b>4</b>. years! It's true people would rather go to the instant delivery sources, but I do pretty well on my own. You can see how I do it on <a href="http://www.antellus.com" rel="nofollow"><b>Antellus</b>.</a>. And I am planning some new features, like a slideshow instead of a list of covers. You can do anything you want in this verse and still reach the readers. It's just a matter of getting some discipline and doing it!Theresa M. Moorehttp://www.antellus.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-22222376899195202252011-08-29T16:15:50.821-05:002011-08-29T16:15:50.821-05:00I still hope you two are right about all of this, ...I still hope you two are right about all of this, but I am still plugging away at Costco watching members toss dirt-cheap legacy publishing superstar authors' old & new books into their carts along with the gourmet triple cream cheese and fruit leather. Why not? Costs the store nothing to throw them on a couple of folding tables next to the produce, and as said, it is an international corporation that apparently is able to cut deals with publishers for a low unit cost in order to sell millions of books to one chain store that stretches from Podunk Wisconsin to Hong Kong. Lot less trouble than wading through thousands of internet choices and waiting for delivery of anything but an ebook. <br /> It also still seems to me that publishers have managed a mighty coup through their own inertia. Writers have agreed to take on all the cost and risk of their own launch. The Big Six has only to sit back and wait and offer the very few winners a fat advance and a contract. Since they haven't invested one cent in trying to pick the front runners, they ought to be able to manage some decent advances.<br /> I ask again, if Amazon has become its own publisher, as it were, what are they prepared to do for writers as far as advance publicity and financial support? All of this cheering on the part of hopeful writers leaves me a bit queasy. The other shoe has yet to drop, I think.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-934509985827944192011-08-29T15:12:52.856-05:002011-08-29T15:12:52.856-05:00I am relatively new to this discussion, but these ...I am relatively new to this discussion, but these concerns about legacy publishers and the promises of self-published success seem simplistic. If you peel away the layers of rhetoric, it boils down to two things: money and control. Successful self-published authors want more money and more control. Pretty simple, pretty understandable. <br /><br />But, on a deeper, crowd-pleasing, grassroots-developing level, the conflict here reaches aspiring authors who see the "us vs. them" mentality appealing. Rejection is Hell. I can relate. <br /><br />Following your advice can lead to self-published success, one could demise. No gatekeepers, no one keeping your hard-earned money (the author is, afterall, the producer of the intellectual collateral), no one to override your decisions on marketing or cover art and no one to tell you which book to write next. Sounds downright sexy.<br /><br />After reading much of what you have written, though, I have discovered that the truth is actually more complex than: self-publish, you will be better off. To become successful, a self-published author must have one of three traits: a great marketer, a great writer or an established celebrity (have an existing platform). This, regrettably, will leave many aspiring authors still on the outside of publishing success looking in. <br /><br />Your real audience is those authors that are great marketers, great writers and established celebrities who want more control and more money. It is a genius marketing ploy (ok, technique) to appeal to a larger group of less than talented writers and marketers who want the success you have had. They become potential customers, gladdened by your heartwarming message of "you can do it, too!" <br /><br />Reading ebooks is a choice. So is reading traditional, clunky, dusty tomes stocked in obsolete brick-and-mortar stores. The revolution you say is coming may very well come to pass. I hope, though, our future holds a place for both types of distribution. Choice is paramount to change.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08257647241697248404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-60759168395994440602011-08-29T14:54:01.860-05:002011-08-29T14:54:01.860-05:00Oh and as far as Indie Authors banding together to...Oh and as far as Indie Authors banding together to share their fan base and sell eBooks - here's an invitation to Konrath, Crouch and any other authors on here to check out Indie Book Blowout Sept. 2-5 <br /><br />http://www.indiebookblowout.com/Indie_Book_Blowout/Home.html <br /><br />I don't know if they are still accepting titles, because there are a couple of things you need to have done in two days, but so far it's been really great and well organized.Coralhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02211853852350425927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-44322873077890089902011-08-29T14:02:09.785-05:002011-08-29T14:02:09.785-05:00And sales tax reports are a bitch.
I live in NJ, ...<i>And sales tax reports are a bitch.</i><br /><br />I live in NJ, and <i>this</i> is what stopped me from considering offering my stuff from my own site.<br /><br />My husband owned a homebrew supply shop back in 1990s, and I had to set up a sales tax account. PITA to keep track of all that (not that he did a huge business, but it was enough to make a tiny profit for a few years).<br /><br />I really don't want to go through that again.<br /><br />If I get to the point where writing is my main source of income, I might consider it then (but then I'd work with someone else to take care of that).<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ten-Cent-Wings-ebook/dp/B005J5XHFQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1314644337&sr=8-3" rel="nofollow">Ten Cent Wings</a>Nancy Beckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06214579721075450777noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-8644742802747824522011-08-29T12:59:50.913-05:002011-08-29T12:59:50.913-05:00I've seen this on author websites and the one ...I've seen this on author websites and the one I like is e-junkie, so you don't need to spend a fortune. 10 items for $5/month. I just don't have 10 items, yet. :)<br />http://alchemyofscrawl.wordpress.com/2011/08/29/who-wants-whom/Coralhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02211853852350425927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-69426855073842463402011-08-29T11:35:37.144-05:002011-08-29T11:35:37.144-05:00Speaking as a reader only I am more interested in ...Speaking as a reader only I am more interested in convenience than additional content (even more so than price). I know I can download ebooks from other sites for my Kindle but I haven't as I don't want to mess with it. I will sometimes look at an author's website for their bio or info on upcoming books, but I still buy everything on Amazon.<br /><br />As a sidenote I'm in the tech world and cloud computing has a lot of security issues as yet unresolved. I would not be comfortable with that setup as a buyer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-74843239816868956192011-08-29T10:57:09.140-05:002011-08-29T10:57:09.140-05:00@Scott Nicholson, I'm right there with you. I&...@Scott Nicholson, I'm right there with you. I'm focused on creating content, not developing new ways to deliver it.<br /><br />My 5-year goal is to have 20 books available. That comes out to 4 books per year. During that time I hope to find a formula that works for me - 2 novels and 2 novellas, 3 novels and 1 novella, 3 novels and a book of short stories... Right now I don't know what will work best for me and my readers, but in 5 years I will know. Then I'll produce my work according to that model.<br /><br />Like Jude, I want to be a writer first and foremost. If someone else can handle the distribution and delivery for me I'm more than happy to pay them a reasonable percentage of the sales.<br /><br />Like Rob Walker, the last thing I want to do is worry about making payments to other authors, managing their listings on my sites, etc.<br /><br />I admire the vision of some of the people on this site and it's interesting to read some of the comments. But I'm still learning to walk right now. For me, walking is being able to produce 4 new books each year. After I learn to walk, I may consider some of this other stuff. But right now it's still baby steps for me.<br /><br />Merrill Heath<br /><a href="http://merrillheath.wordpress.com/bearing-false-witness" rel="nofollow">Bearing False Witness</a>Merrill Heathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00164361657325279390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-31532045797109726542011-08-28T23:51:21.888-05:002011-08-28T23:51:21.888-05:00Take two aspirin and get back to me in the morning...Take two aspirin and get back to me in the morning. Would having 100 other authors selling their wares on my website give me headaches esp regarding accounting, and as for paying an accountant, do you know what they charge per hour? I personally need no more nightmares in my life but if you want to sell my books on your site, fine and dandy. Let me know. It is hard enough for me to know what day it is much less how much I will be owing another author who, eventually, would likely sue hell out of me for slow payment or nonpayment. Or am I missing something?<br /><br />As some others have said as well, Kindle is King and will very likely remain so, and I may have no fortune-telling experience worth a damn, but I do believe that amazon has a special place in its heart for authors and readers and they're not out to shaft us.<br /><br />rob walkerRobert W. Walkerhttp://www.robertwalkerbooks.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-2964964298272943172011-08-28T22:32:55.881-05:002011-08-28T22:32:55.881-05:00I love innovation and trying new things. Good for ...I love innovation and trying new things. Good for you and I hope it works out. But since I kinda like you guys and appreciate all the shared info all the time, I need to ask a few questions. (And really, I'm asking everyone who has said they sell books on their sites.)<br /><br />What are you doing about sales tax? I haven't researched this topic, but since I work in the world of retail finance, mentions of it catch my eye from time to time and it seems there is a bit of contention about who is supposed to collect sales tax on ebooks (if anyone), and based on what location (seller's v. purchaser's). I've noticed that some ebooks I buy have sales tax added, some don't. I don't know why. As I said, haven't researched it.<br /><br />Also, since you're becoming retailers, I assume you all are going to apply for the proper retail business licenses? In all the locations in which the writers will be doing business? And related to the sales tax thing, if you do have to collect it (now or in the future when the dust clears from that battle), I hope you realize that the more states in which you have physical locations, the more sales tax reports you'll have to file [for physical goods, sales tax is based on where the customer takes possession, so "delivery" is a critical concept]. And sales tax reports are a bitch. <br /><br />When you pay each other, are you considering each other to be independent contractors? And do you plan to issue 1099s at the end of each year? Or will you be employees of a group "company," in which case you'll need to compute and withhold and report payroll taxes?<br /><br />I'm not trying to be a wet blanket (well, maybe a little), I just think these are legitimate business concerns. You don’t have to answer me here in public, but you should be asking yourselves this stuff. Although I really have been wondering about the sales tax thing for a while now and am curious to know how others are handling it.<br /><br />If I were in a position to make this choice as a writer -- and I'm not, yet -- I'd much rather let Amazon keep 30% if they're willing to be the retailer and do all the related paperwork for my writing business. Because I do it all the time in my day job. <br /><br />I love the cross-promotion stuff, I'm just not sure this idea, as presented, is the best way for independent writers to do business.KDJameshttp://kdjames.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-20943739360496325342011-08-28T20:05:35.165-05:002011-08-28T20:05:35.165-05:00I'm generally in favor of giving more money to...I'm generally in favor of giving more money to writers, but I'd be very unlikely to go to an author's website to buy a book vs. Amazon. I hate PayPal, whereas I already have a trusted relationship with Amazon. I use the synchronization feature available on books bought from Amazon. I don't worry about backing up the books I've bought from Amazon. We can argue about whether I should back them up or not, but I think it's pretty clear that Amazon's less likely to lose my book in the cloud than an author is. <br /><br />I don't know what features you could add to get me to buy it from the author instead of Amazon. Getting it early wouldn't be enough; I have too much to read already. Interviews don't do it; I don't really care that much about them. The content provider is important, no question; but Amazon has made the process of getting and consuming the content easy and frictionless, and that's important, too. Middlemen who provide a service are still quite useful.Sherrinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-30073247317762646072011-08-28T19:39:48.170-05:002011-08-28T19:39:48.170-05:00I've stockpiled enough razor blades to last al...I've stockpiled enough razor blades to last almost 14 years. Find out why:<br /><br />http://rexkusler.blogspot.comRex Kuslerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06629682795065138786noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-79022550556139433882011-08-28T17:45:37.907-05:002011-08-28T17:45:37.907-05:00Joe said, "That's why every dime I earn o...Joe said, "That's why every dime I earn on ebooks is going toward shotguns and canned beans."<br /><br />No beer?Adam Pepperhttp://www.adampepper.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-62025684358772393412011-08-28T16:47:04.166-05:002011-08-28T16:47:04.166-05:00Not to get off topic, but those suburbanites who s...<i>Not to get off topic, but those suburbanites who stockpiled assault weapons and years of food in advance of Y2K made the right call?</i><br /><br />Stop being so unreliable, Blake. We both know how we should constantly be worried about everything, all the time, and let fear and paranoia influence our every irrational thought.<br /><br />That's why every dime I earn on ebooks is going toward shotguns and canned beans.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-49893188458801421492011-08-28T16:26:51.170-05:002011-08-28T16:26:51.170-05:00Thank you, once again for making my head swim with...Thank you, once again for making my head swim with info. 8-)<br /><br />The only struggle I have is that as a reader, I very rarely visit author websites. Oh sure, a few here and there but not much. I don't have time.<br /><br />Do readers truly spend that much time visiting authors' direct sites?<br /><br />BK Jackson<br />http://www.bkjackson.blogspot.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-60031097573846763092011-08-28T16:06:09.416-05:002011-08-28T16:06:09.416-05:00@Anon 3:53
Not to get off topic, but those suburb...@Anon 3:53<br /><br />Not to get off topic, but those suburbanites who stockpiled assault weapons and years of food in advance of Y2K made the right call?Blake Crouchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06523902534623143473noreply@blogger.com