tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post882434592997120100..comments2024-03-18T06:16:18.802-05:00Comments on A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: Konrath's New Year's Resolutions for Writers 2017JA Konrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-74242199110191139902017-03-29T23:44:34.946-05:002017-03-29T23:44:34.946-05:00Welcome back, Joe. Huge congrats on your Kensingt...Welcome back, Joe. Huge congrats on your Kensington deal! You are right. Stasis is Death. Change is Life. Nothing is set in stone in this biz. Please keep us posted. Alohas, Kiana DavenportKiana Davenporthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18006822100662057905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-68716365644371369712016-12-25T08:34:01.033-06:002016-12-25T08:34:01.033-06:00Great comment Steve. I'm not as of yet a bests...Great comment Steve. I'm not as of yet a bestseller but I have a large back list and was one of the initial authors accepted into Joe's fold of writers who helped to expand the Jack Daniels franchise to Kindle Worlds. Since I currently am not a bestseller but I have three polished manuscripts making the rounds would Kensington be open for me to submit to them on the merit that Konrath not only liked but agreed to publish my work? Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!BRYAN HIGBYhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01126595775432851053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-54077020948735329172016-12-25T07:10:27.212-06:002016-12-25T07:10:27.212-06:00As the CEO of Kensington, we are thrilled to be pu...As the CEO of Kensington, we are thrilled to be publishing Joe in mass market. I read the book that he suggested, The List, and it was a fascinating concept for a thriller. In fact, three of us in the office read it, and all enjoyed it. We're hoping Joe's popularity and great stories will translate well into print even though the ebooks have been out for a long time now. This will be a great experiment. Ideally we would work towards the releasing a new book in print at the same time the author would be releasing in e. This sort of arrangement only has the potential to work with authors that have sold very high levels of ebooks otherwise it would not be worth the risk for the publisher to only publish it in print. We've already heard from a few big romance authors who are interested in talking to us as well. So hopefully this all works. But I'm glad our first test is with Joe since he's always been an outspoken supporter of indie publishing. I'm glad he was willing to try this and I'm hoping for great results.<br />Happy Holidays to all.<br /><br />Steve ZachariusSteven Zachariushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16983313251604842703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-81447607203596426772016-12-22T09:56:25.249-06:002016-12-22T09:56:25.249-06:00I'm glad to see you back. You were sorely miss...I'm glad to see you back. You were sorely missed.<br /><br />I think you're right in that there is a different perspective with people who lived before indie, know rejection, and know that nothing lasts forever in this industry. I want to say to some indies with declining sales: sometimes, you know, it's not your turn any longer. It's the next guy's turn. I'm happy I got a turn at all (and it's nowhere near the level of success John, Amanda, or several others posting here have had, but it's plenty satisfying for me). I'm still grateful to Zon for starting and initially funding this revolution. <br /><br />I suspect there are more changes coming at Zon in 2017 (I even have a few WAGs). I can't control that. I can only control what I can control--what I write being most important. I find it self-defeating to get apoplectic about that which I can't control.<br /><br />I don't see your PB deal as at all contradictory with your previous posts. I signed an audio deal myself because they can do a far better job of production than I can, and I really don't need the extra admin burden that ACX would bring.Lou Cadlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12935156092407794490noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-23557382927303450332016-12-21T17:24:25.640-06:002016-12-21T17:24:25.640-06:00Welcome back Joe! Been missing your posts here for...Welcome back Joe! Been missing your posts here for a while. Congrats on the Kensingston deal! Sounds like a smart move, and the kind of collaboration between writers and publishers that may lead to new opportunities for both parties. Hopefully it will be a success for both, and we'll see more of these kinds of deals in the future.Andreashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12270408270077447744noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-3880238739426371132016-12-21T10:27:36.334-06:002016-12-21T10:27:36.334-06:00I did say speak, saying indies who lean toward wan...<br />I did say speak, saying indies who lean toward wanting to do both, trad and indie, approach mid and big pubs. I dont have a blog writers come to, and I spoke of our negotiations on some other people's blogs where leave comment on occasion. The response was sort of 'good for you' but 'that's not the way it works... because whosits or whomever said so.'<br /><br />you did great job dude. <a rel="nofollow">amazon kindle</a> always boss for me. always recommend this.<br /><br />Adam Rosenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-5189419347958708682016-12-21T09:48:03.488-06:002016-12-21T09:48:03.488-06:00You're alive! Hurray! I thought something had ...You're alive! Hurray! I thought something had happened to you Joe. Blake said you were still kicking but I wasn't convinced. Congrats on the new 3 book deal and happy to see you back blogging! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!BRYAN HIGBYhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01126595775432851053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-12017555739746368902016-12-20T20:08:56.720-06:002016-12-20T20:08:56.720-06:00Sweet deal. Kensington treated me fairly, but that...Sweet deal. Kensington treated me fairly, but that was a totally different era and it eventually faded. Hope it works out for you both.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01173507916784250430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-57446843918898759462016-12-20T10:22:27.891-06:002016-12-20T10:22:27.891-06:00I wrote: 'we first pub'd that way in 2011,...I wrote: 'we first pub'd that way in 2011, meaning the contract was made in 2010.' <br /><br />Joe, you wrote: "Did you sign an NDA to prevent you from sharing this with the world? If not, why aren't you shouting this from the mountain tops so more authors and agents are aware deals like this exist?"<br /><br />I did say speak, saying indies who lean toward wanting to do both, trad and indie, approach mid and big pubs. I dont have a blog writers come to, and I spoke of our negotiations on some other people's blogs where leave comment on occasion. The response was sort of 'good for you' but 'that's not the way it works... because whosits or whomever said so.'<br /><br />I think the trope was already out there somehow mountainously strong that trad pubs wont pub you if you dont give them erights and your next year's tax refund. I wondered at the time if there was something like what's called a perseveration wherein some people cant take in news that differs from their belief. sort of like being warned away from author solutions but jumping for the crack bait anyway. <br /><br />I think indies can do the same kind of negotiations and not sure since Im not an acquisition editor, but I can see indies keeping british, foreign, ebook, film rights as/if they display a track record of some sort, or as in the good old/bad old days, the work is written compellingly, and acquiring thinks there's a market for it.<br /><br />We'll be looking forward Joe to seeing you succeed in your latest venture. You have many creative ways: novels, coloring book, co-authoring, exploring licensing characters I think? and pub with Amazon and your old trad pub several books and now this too. Good luck.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-10970654965859628572016-12-19T12:10:13.868-06:002016-12-19T12:10:13.868-06:00Just wanted to say THANK YOU for your continued ge...Just wanted to say THANK YOU for your continued generosity to new writers, speaking as one of them, I have learned so much from you over the years! Alexishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16691048077410081216noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-63820951696963594302016-12-19T08:30:44.795-06:002016-12-19T08:30:44.795-06:00Happy New Year to you, Joe, and I'm looking fo...Happy New Year to you, Joe, and I'm looking forward to see how your new venture succeeds. <br /><br />Mir Writeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02156591500697731242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-17961717948977086772016-12-18T01:28:06.670-06:002016-12-18T01:28:06.670-06:00My recent box sets are still underperforming on a ...My recent box sets are still underperforming on a sales vs. page read basis.<br /><br />For example, Apocalyptic Fears II was published in November 2015 and soon averaged roughly 600-900 page reads PER SALE (out of the capped 3000 KENPC) until the present, day in, day out.<br /><br />AFIII, published 1 October 2016, functionally quite the same (good mix of authors, same series, same genre, same theme, same cover, same price, same promotion strategies) sold about the same in retail (red line, 99c sales) but the page read average (blue line) is about 200 page reads per sale. AFIV is about the same.<br /><br />This is an indication, though not proof, of a severe algorithm change, and it seems to be based on when the books were released.<br /><br />My old books, especially my single-novel titles, seem unaffected or only mildly affected. My newest single-novel title, launched on December 6, seems unaffected. But those two big box sets continue to be anomalous. It's simply weird. My working theory is that there is some sort of suppression factor now in the algorithm, either for capped box sets, or for multi-author box sets.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15912975310943543908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-2609440642690132882016-12-18T01:26:56.012-06:002016-12-18T01:26:56.012-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15912975310943543908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-48493402725852122842016-12-17T13:32:24.788-06:002016-12-17T13:32:24.788-06:00Joe, glad to see you back on the blog. Joe, glad to see you back on the blog. Jill Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10754506629717417267noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-18520551212636717172016-12-17T12:40:31.490-06:002016-12-17T12:40:31.490-06:00I would love A-pub - but they are even less approa...I would love A-pub - but they are even less approachable than traditional publishers, at least in principle, because the trad pub allow submissions. Assuming you can get an agent, and all that.<br /><br />Other than Kindle Scout, is there an avenue for indies? Or is Amazon Publishing the new gatekeeper?<br /><br />PS I found a way to contact Little A, made an approach, received a form 'sorry, we don't accept submissions' reply.ABEhrhardthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17211038591900883672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-42957382651921709992016-12-17T11:26:38.867-06:002016-12-17T11:26:38.867-06:00@ Peter Spenser
Hugh has signed four more print-o...@ Peter Spenser<br /><br />Hugh has signed four more print-only deals in the last year according to his blog, none of those with S&S I don't think (he didn't have a positive experience with them, from what he's shared publicly).<br /><br />My deal was North American print rights only, btw. It was one of the things that made the deal work for me, very limited rights.Annie Bhttp://anniebellet.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-6206730975651826122016-12-17T09:58:57.196-06:002016-12-17T09:58:57.196-06:00600k a day? Go Amanda!
I'm quitting thrillers...600k a day? Go Amanda!<br /><br />I'm quitting thrillers and writing about witches. :)JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-86369207864332988492016-12-17T09:23:42.570-06:002016-12-17T09:23:42.570-06:00My September to December stretch is always lower a...My September to December stretch is always lower and I combatted it this year with multiple releases under my main name (Amanda M. Lee) and pen name. My numbers have pretty much been exactly where I expected them. I average between 400K and 600K on page reads a day. I hit the high end when I have a popular new release and the low end about thirty days out from those releases. I'm a member in several groups and I've found those complaining about lower numbers to be less than 20 percent of the entire author pool on those boards, so I think there was a shift but nowhere near the shift other people are proclaiming. Personally, I think Amazon instituted a fraud filter and they're going after big collections and bonus books next, but I have no proof of that. It's just a gut feeling. I can say that my numbers are exactly where I would expect them to be this time of year and I'm all in with KU so ... that's just anecdotal but that's where I'm at.Amanda M. Leenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-38210414368790083102016-12-17T08:21:37.023-06:002016-12-17T08:21:37.023-06:00We first pub'd that way in 2011, meaning the c...<i>We first pub'd that way in 2011, meaning the contract was made in 2010. </i><br /><br />Did you sign an NDA to prevent you from sharing this with the world? If not, why aren't you shouting this from the mountain tops so more authors and agents are aware deals like this exist?<br /><br />I was one of the first authors to share data. Sales figures, profits, comparisons between legacy and indie publishing. Prior to me, the only talk you'd hear about advances were the big ones announced in Publishers Lunch, and the hushed conversation over beers at writing conventions.<br /><br />Everyone was in the dark, so no one knew what the best route was.<br /><br />Sharing is caring.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-51395605813580783722016-12-17T08:14:05.021-06:002016-12-17T08:14:05.021-06:00You'd be shocked, Joe.
I wouldn't be shoc...<i>You'd be shocked, Joe.</i><br /><br />I wouldn't be shocked.<br /><br />Writers today don't even have a concept of what a rejection is. I had over 500 rejections before landing an agent, and she couldn't sell the first three novels I wrote for her.<br /><br />Some indies self-pub their first novel, do their own cover on MS Paint, and wonder why their sales dropped from 5 books sold per day to 1.<br /><br />Not all indies. But I've seen this, firsthand.<br /><br />When something that was once difficult (publishing, starting a fire, travelling 500 miles, hunting and gathering food) becomes easy (self-publishing, matches, cars, grocery stores) it fosters a sense of entitlement. The path from keyboard to consumer was once a very long, complicated venture where the author kept very little of the money. And there was still no guarantee the book would do well.<br /><br />Self-publishing isn't a gold rush. It's a business. A few mediocre writers may make some money for a short while, but it will ultimately be the good books that develop loyal fans and continue to sell year after year.<br /><br />Gardens need tending. We must keep improving cover art and book descriptions, perfect editing and formatting, continue advertising and sale prices, participate in social media, develop newsletters, and produce regular new content that is high quality.<br /><br />You can make a buck ignoring the above. But I wouldn't stake a career on it. Long term success in this business means putting out a consistently exceptional body of work. Good isn't good enough. You have to be great. And even great is no guarantee of success. Luck always plays a part.<br /><br />But don't tempt luck by being mediocre. And if some algorithm devastates your income, change your gameplan. I've changed mine more times than I can count.<br /><br /><br /><br />JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-30508880140053505302016-12-17T07:38:13.902-06:002016-12-17T07:38:13.902-06:00Thanks Joe for your reply
"We're past th...Thanks Joe for your reply<br /><br />"We're past the deal memo and announcement stage, now I'm waiting for the contract. <br /><br />This is for world English print rights. I kept foreign language." <br /><br />-------------------<br />"Congrats Joe on your deal with kensington. Can you say what you negotiated in terms of how long they get to publish your books?<br /><br />The big five and other medium sized presses have published us with print on paper only and no foreign rights, no erights or any other rights. We first pub'd that way in 2011, meaning the contract was made in 2010. "Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-87978422790074060772016-12-16T23:45:22.899-06:002016-12-16T23:45:22.899-06:00It isn't zero sum when payouts are decided aft...<i>It isn't zero sum when payouts are decided after a pay period ends. How hard is that to understand?</i><br /><br />You'd be shocked, Joe. I still see indies in places like Kboards not understanding the very basic concept that Amazon DECIDES at the end of the month how much they want to pay. You still have people trying to assign reasons why the pay rate went up or down every month to various things. I have given up trying to educate them. There are reasons why some people are not cut out to own a small business, and make no mistake, self-publishing is a small business -- at least if you want to be a success at it. (Then again, I still see clueless indies asking how people are coming by the rates. Apparently division is not their strong suit. Gods.)<br /><br />Also, I'm flabbergasted authors are talking about lawsuits over 500-1000 page reads that are supposed to be missing. If all I'm getting are 500-1000 page reads a day I would prioritize WHY I'm only getting those petty numbers instead of trying to get Amazon to pay it. 1000 is basically $5 a day. If that's all you're making off your writing, it's time to either call it quits or bunker down and figure out WHY. <br /><br />Finally, re: people living in constant fear of what Amazon MIGHT do tomorrow. Tomorrow you could get hit by a bus or a meteorite might kill us all. TOMORROW is for tomorrow. Right now if you're making money off KU you'd be an absolute moron to pull out. If you're not making money off KU, good luck, but I can assure you that the money ain't gonna be out there in "wide." If you can't sell in an easy-peasy platform like KU, why in the world do you think it'll be easier out there? Wake up.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-36015858173810173782016-12-16T19:22:08.052-06:002016-12-16T19:22:08.052-06:00Of course they are rigging the system.
Amazon has...<i>Of course they are rigging the system.</i><br /><br />Amazon has an uncanny understanding of anti-trust law. That's why they weren't ever in any trouble during the Hachette debacle.<br /><br />Back in the day, the DOJ forced movie studios to sell the theaters they owned, because; monopoly.<br /><br />Amazon.com and Amazon Publishing are separate entities. Because of this, A-Pub doesn't get automatic product placement. They pay for it, competitively, bidding for the same space as legacy publishers.<br /><br />If they didn't, they'd get into legal trouble. You can't give yourself deals.<br /><br />One of the early discussions I had with Amazon was why they didn't promote their own publications more. Amazon divisions compete with each other, and with other publishers, for marketing opportunities. Otherwise they'd have an unfair market advantage.<br /><br />I'm unaware of any laws that govern product ranking. Amazon is free to rank products however they want to, just like they're free to censor books (erotica) and delete reviews. If they were rigging the ranking system, why isn't every Top 100 book in every category an Amazon title?<br /><br />JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-18337112948476278972016-12-16T19:18:01.514-06:002016-12-16T19:18:01.514-06:00For the record, I don't believe Amazon is rigg...For the record, I don't believe Amazon is rigging the system. I believe Amazon is maximizing profits out of its own system and it is 100% entitled to do that and I have no right to complain. What I do have the right to do, and what I've been doing for about thirty days now, is whine to my wife and my assistant about lost revenues because "something happened." But I and many others will get over that and we'll figure a way to get back what was lost and probably much more. Then Amazon will twist the dials again and there will be more whining and gnashing of teeth and adjustments will again be required. That's the business side of what we do and that will never be static. But the writer part of what we do is something I can control, and one thing I said today on another forum was that for me it is time (in the first of the new year) to step back, read some good craft books, read some of the top sellers (in my genre at least) and try to see how I can improve my own product. Maybe I can, maybe I can't. But doing the same thing over and over and expecting sales to increase is probably happy thinking at best.<br /><br />So glad you're back--or whatever this is. John Ellsworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10673913444403940178noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-78504068472700549502016-12-16T18:50:15.669-06:002016-12-16T18:50:15.669-06:00Joe says-Just posing some possibilities that aren&...Joe says-Just posing some possibilities that aren't related to Amazon rigging the system.<br /><br />Of course they are rigging the system. Just go into your local supermarket and look at any shelf and the answer is staring you in the face. What’s at eye level? Home brands and big names that pay for shelf position. And where’s that honey that you like from that small producer. It’s never in the same place, oh there it is on the bottom shelf half hidden by the support post.<br /><br />Yeah, you have to change with the times. I am going to try a few new genres and maybe open a juice bar.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com