tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post8956468345510444884..comments2024-03-18T06:16:18.802-05:00Comments on A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: Zero SumJA Konrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comBlogger286125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-58008351649918797142012-08-06T02:01:44.359-05:002012-08-06T02:01:44.359-05:00Thanks for this excellent blog.Thanks for this excellent blog.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15997766805131026533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-75326936938865376752012-07-30T21:38:49.184-05:002012-07-30T21:38:49.184-05:00Well, I have no more access to a crystal ball than...Well, I have no more access to a crystal ball than anyone else, but if my local B&N closes, it'll be because people like me stopped trying in vain to find books amongst the toys. They're shooting themselves. Can we not have a bookstore that sells -- I dunno -- BOOKS?Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13100565897627429788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-90265367253285042312012-07-29T16:02:17.523-05:002012-07-29T16:02:17.523-05:00Thanks for this post - I couldn't agree more. ...Thanks for this post - I couldn't agree more. And thanks especially for the last part about your own advertising. I have spent today, in fact, researching marketing online until I have a migraine and feel discouraged. My book is good, and the sequel is coming out in Sept. I can write 4-6 a year. I'm going to do what makes sense and works for ME, not necessarily what conventional wisdom is. (Which is what we did 12 years ago in homeschooling, and that worked out great!) You've restored my self-confidence!Jenningshttp://jenningswright.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-85962061734292039752012-07-26T19:03:48.118-05:002012-07-26T19:03:48.118-05:00The Big Six will remain viable for as long as they...The Big Six will remain viable for as long as they continue to retain their monopoly on paper book distribution to bookstores.<br /><br />I do not see any way to break that exclusive club. Paperbooks will always be an important market. I sell lots of E-books, but cannot break into their paperbook distribution monopoly. Selling paper books on Amazon a very small market for new authors.Walter Knighthttp://www.waltknight.yolasite.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-62419621308426575992012-07-25T00:07:11.567-05:002012-07-25T00:07:11.567-05:00I personally see Facebooks as a useful marketing t...I personally see Facebooks as a useful marketing tool. I hardly think anyone would have ever known of my book without it. The writers and readers groups have changed the last six months and I have made many sales from them. I do see social media as a selling tool and have no problem hocking my books. <br /><br />I understand that Joe is in a much better place than most of us. I'm hardly selling 100 books a day, but I'm happy with the ones I am selling. I'm selling print copies too. It seems that I have a few fans that insist their friends have signed copies that I'm selling myself instead off Amazon. <br /><br />I did my time building relationships online the last three years before I published my first ebook. Marketing is a love/hate relationship. You hate to do it, but if you don't your books won't ever sell. <br /><br />I have listened well to your advice Joe, and see you are spot on paying for marketing. I have invested little of it, but focused instead on giving prizes away for a book launch party. Sometimes an author needs to give back to its readers.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00741339742186444605noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-10273294289123012632012-07-24T20:33:17.312-05:002012-07-24T20:33:17.312-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.GEO777https://www.blogger.com/profile/16381771676191301025noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-15704218225577854572012-07-24T20:31:58.101-05:002012-07-24T20:31:58.101-05:00Thanks for pointing that out Rob
Also, Ray Brad...Thanks for pointing that out Rob <br /><br /><br />Also, Ray Bradbury wrote Fahrenheit 451 in 9 days. That novel is now considered a modern american classic. The library he wrote it in has a plaque citing that event took place there.<br /><br />I'm a new writer but I get all kinds of people telling me 'not to write fast'. I write fast and I had to fight hard to conquer the fast = bad myth. <br /><br />I don't have a blog yet or anything but I'm writing without this myth over me for the first time in my life and Im not stopping. I plan to finish the novel I am on currently, form a blog and try out the things Joe Konrath speaks about here. BTW Im printing out your answer to put on my wall.<br /><br />GeorgeGEO777https://www.blogger.com/profile/16381771676191301025noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-88657840044468090832012-07-22T06:46:56.090-05:002012-07-22T06:46:56.090-05:00Okay, so I wouldn't have a boss, and I wouldn&...<i>Okay, so I wouldn't have a boss, and I wouldn't have to commute 25 mins to work, but I see just as much torture - if not more - in becoming a one-man mediocre-novel factory. Am I missing something?</i><br /><br />Why would you write mediocre novels? Being prolific does not make you a bad writer. If you really think so, you are caught up in a major writing myth that's historically unproven. A little research will show you this. Steinbeck wrote Grapes of Wrath in only 5 months with minor editing afterward. And nobody is expecting the Grapes of Wrath. A well crafted genre novel written in 2-4 months means you're writing 1000 words or less a day. If you can't pull that off, even part-time, you don't really want to be a full-time pro. Do you really think writing a couple sentences every hour makes the work better? Better to keep writing a hobby then.<br /><br />Also, that number--six novels a year--not sure where that comes from. Joe only writes 4 novels, and then some shorter stuff. The point is, frequent and consistant output is key in managing a pro career as a fiction writer. Do the best you can, but you can probably do more (and do it well) than you think.<br /><br />(Usual disclaimers apply. This is my opinion. Every writer is different. Take it for what it is, etc.)Rob Cornellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04388119793952454397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-13815916838446886922012-07-21T08:55:55.952-05:002012-07-21T08:55:55.952-05:00I'm curious as to how a book becomes a Kindle ...I'm curious as to how a book becomes a Kindle Daily Deal. Is that solely a decision on Amazon's part?B. Rehderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16257032594180958877noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-74277666688126249792012-07-20T23:44:40.867-05:002012-07-20T23:44:40.867-05:00I don't know if I'll ever make a living as...I don't know if I'll ever make a living as a writer. Novels, and even short stories come slowly to me and my work doesn't fit neatly into a genre. I do write some pretty funny parodies when I find time, but I'm not convinced there's a market, so I give them away for free at my blog and hope that some day the market will find them. <br /><br />The novel I have for sale and the book of short stories took years to write, but I've sold very few copies so far. I dont know if it's because the books are no good, they don't appeal to the people buying self pubbed authors, or because I haven't given it enough time. <br /><br />Despite my lack of positive results so far, I think about stories I've heard about the publishing industry--about Zen and the Art of Motorcylce Maintenance being rejected by over a hundred publishers, or how Harper Lee's editor worked with her extensively to whip her novel into shape--and how those novels probably wouldn't even find a publisher today, and I think about all the other points Joe and others here have been making,I feel like I made the right choice. Sure, I'll be putting my work out among some good books and a bunch of crappy ones, but at least I'll have some control over what happens. And I'll have complete control over my books.christamarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04967381105282205039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-61931083812897749082012-07-20T21:26:40.458-05:002012-07-20T21:26:40.458-05:00So what is that magic number to sell 100 books a d...So what is that magic number to sell 100 books a day at $2.99? How many decently-written stories must you create? Even 100 books a day, after Amazon takes its cut, is only $75K a year. I say "only" because I'm fortunate enough to have reached nearly double that in annual salary at my "day job". I realize not everyone is in the same position, but I sit here thinking, as much as I love to write, if it gets to the point where I have to crank out a half-dozen mediocre novels a year just to sustain a decent living, is that really an improvement in my quality of life? Okay, so I wouldn't have a boss, and I wouldn't have to commute 25 mins to work, but I see just as much torture - if not more - in becoming a one-man mediocre-novel factory. Am I missing something?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-48705449519991966482012-07-20T11:49:07.618-05:002012-07-20T11:49:07.618-05:00@Rob Gregory Browne
Your book looks great, I have...@Rob Gregory Browne<br /><br />Your book looks great, I have to say. Very pro, down to the logo, and the fine print and the inset blurbs. and love the 'division of'part -- friendly lol.<br /><br />Can I ask who your designer is?<br /><br />You're right about my friend, the only way she'd know you're self-pubbing is if she googled.<br /><br />Even then in your case, since you've been published by a trade house, it's unclear whether you're now with a small imprint or doing it yourself.<br /><br />I would say you've done an excellent job that would be the exception rather than the rule in self-pubbing. Amazon obviously noticed too, it's probably why they decided to give the title some special marketing.<br /><br />Good for you.<br /><br />Regards,<br />HenryHenrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-86743639968999113182012-07-20T09:28:25.369-05:002012-07-20T09:28:25.369-05:00Henry said, I would say she is a typical mainstrea...Henry said, <i>I would say she is a typical mainstream reader, and has never yet bought a self pubbed title.</i><br /><br />How does she know she hasn't, if she doesn't know who the publishers are?<br /><br />Many self-pubbed books, my own included, are published under company names. Penname Press/Braun Haus Media in my case. But how does the average reader, like your friend, know this?<br /><br />They don't. And they don't care.<br /><br />Readers are looking for a good book. Period.Rob Gregory Brownehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12785299355462748009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-3159658481136628942012-07-20T08:42:54.517-05:002012-07-20T08:42:54.517-05:00Henry said: A last word on publishers: I'm one...<i>Henry said: A last word on publishers: I'm one who actually pays attention to who a book is published by; but then I'm part of the industry. So I put it to a friend who's a reader and couldn't care less about publishers. She said she doesn't even know who the publishers are - true. But she also said that knowing a book had a publisher was a sign that the book was vetted by someone, which is not the case with a self-pubber. I would say she is a typical mainstream reader, and has never yet bought a self pubbed title.</i><br /><br />Henry, I also pay attention to who publishes a book, but only because I'm a writer and I'm curious to see how things are changing in the industry. I do not make a purchasing decision based on the publisher.<br /><br />It might be interesting to ask your friend if her favorite author self-published a book, would she not buy it because it hadn't been vetted by a traditional publisher?Merrill Heathhttp://merrillheath.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-81580556699555014502012-07-20T06:58:22.754-05:002012-07-20T06:58:22.754-05:00I think Anthony Horowit was the first person reque...I think Anthony Horowit was the first person requested to carry on the stories by the estate of Conan Doyle. Many others have written Holmes stories and had an OK from the Doyle Estate but they actually solicited Anthony Horowitz. There is the confusion.Gary Dobbs/Jack Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10935686140719743351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-67992288717913173852012-07-20T04:17:02.302-05:002012-07-20T04:17:02.302-05:00Interesting thing in The Bookseller today about Pe...Interesting thing in The Bookseller today about Penguin (part of the Pearson group, presumably):<br /><br />"Pearson has acquired self-publishing company Author Solutions Inc for $116m (£74m) in cash, with Penguin c.e.o. John Makinson saying "self-publishing has moved into the mainstream of our industry"."<br /><br />The article is here:<br /><br />http://www.thebookseller.com/news/pearson-buys-author-solutions-will-integrate-penguin.htmlSashanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-10588271883391406792012-07-20T04:08:06.125-05:002012-07-20T04:08:06.125-05:00In reply to me: "<<
Anthony Horowitz, t...In reply to me: "<<<br />Anthony Horowitz, the first ever author to be authorised by Conan Doyle's estate to write a new Sherlock Holmes story . . ." <br /><br />Duane Spurlock said: "I've seen this stated elsewhere. Wasn't Caleb Carr authorized to write The Italian Secretary? Wasn't Cay Van Ash authorized to write Ten Years Beyond Baker Street?"<br /><br />I didn't check, Duane - I was going by the first article I found on the internet about the background of House of Silk - thanks for this info.Sashanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-74795195465985212672012-07-19T23:26:30.012-05:002012-07-19T23:26:30.012-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Rob Gregory Brownehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12785299355462748009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-62982909398144326932012-07-19T22:56:41.092-05:002012-07-19T22:56:41.092-05:00Quoth Henry: But my point is that from a big pictu...Quoth Henry: <i>But my point is that from a big picture POV they (the publishers) are managing to create more money for the sale of words than self pubbers. Period. And that's a seriously large amount of more money.</i><br /><br />Per unit sold, yes. But their unit sales, in many cases, are so utterly paltry that they are doing a piss-poor job of making money per title.<br /><br />And that’s leaving out the well-known royalty shenanigans, where authors with numerous titles from a particular publisher were seeing exactly identical sales figures for every one of their ebooks — and pathetic figures, too: for instance, three copies of each book sold in a six-month royalty period. It takes some doing to make an ebook sell that badly. To make <i>all</i> your ebooks sell <i>exactly</i> that badly? Someone is fiddling those figures.<br /><br />Art Linkletter famously said, ‘I’d rather have 3 percent of something than 100 percent of nothing.’ But I would rather have 70 percent of a $3.99 sale than 17.5 percent of a $9.99 sale. And if I have to choose, I’ll take 1000 sales a month at $3.99 over <i>three</i> sales every <i>six</i> months at $9.99, no matter what my percentage is.Tom Simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16067031472666752839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-52386907330120890802012-07-19T21:25:58.961-05:002012-07-19T21:25:58.961-05:00If you really believe a publisher's name sells...<i>If you really believe a publisher's name sells high-priced e-books, you'll have to explain why so many mid-list authors have complained that their e-books are so expensive that hardly anyone buys them.<br /><br />How can that be? Since the publisher's name is selling the book, they should be selling by the million, just like King.</i><br /><br />I didn't say the publisher's name is selling the book. What I said is that only publisher's are consistently getting high prices for titles; self pubbers (far as I know) simply can't do it -- at all.<br /><br />It is true, as Joe pointed out, that they are doing it in order to protect their print franchises. They don't want consumers to fall out of the habit of shelling out a relatively large amount for their intellectual property. They want to preserve cachet and they fear low-priced ebooks will make selling high priced paper much tougher.<br /><br />But my point is that from a big picture POV they (the publishers) are managing to create more money for the sale of words than self pubbers. Period. And that's a seriously large amount of more money.<br /><br />To a publisher, the mid-lister's low sales are not as important as a Dan Brown hit. They operate on the hit model: they'll take small losses on the majority of titles (though they aim to break even) in order to have that Da Vinci Code smash. <br /><br />But if they were to discount titles then the Dan Brown hit would be just a sizzle. The high prices put them in the game for that jackpot.<br /><br />It's like movie tickets. If you have slow sales, do you reduce theatre prices? No. You suffer through your flops, knowing your Batman is going to put you into the black.<br /><br />Bottom line: major publishers are the only ones who can turn a novel into a 100 million dollars as of this moment. I think that's indisputable; and I also think it is the reason that many prominent self-publishers have signed with big houses. 52 Shades is but the latest example. I've already mentioned the NY Times list as a relative indicator of self-pubbers losing ground to the majors, getting squeezed out.<br /><br />Look -- I'm in the writer's corner and hope for the most options for them. It's possible that the future is self pubbing and the end of publishers. On the other hand it is possible that publishers are adapting and will dominate ebooks once this disruptive pattern has settled. Here's an interesting link, apologies if it's been posted before, lots of data:<br /><br />http://www.teleread.com/paul-biba/top-self-published-kindle-ebooks-of-2011-a-report-by-piotr-kowalczyk/<br /><br />A last word on publishers: I'm one who actually pays attention to who a book is published by; but then I'm part of the industry. So I put it to a friend who's a reader and couldn't care less about publishers. She said she doesn't even know who the publishers are - true. But she also said that knowing a book had a publisher was a sign that the book was vetted by <i>someone</i>, which is not the case with a self-pubber. I would say she is a typical mainstream reader, and has never yet bought a self pubbed title . . <br /><br />Regards,<br />HenryHenrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-38405895854065393522012-07-19T20:32:09.633-05:002012-07-19T20:32:09.633-05:00<<
Anthony Horowitz, the first ever author t...<<<br />Anthony Horowitz, the first ever author to be authorised by Conan Doyle's estate to write a new Sherlock Holmes story . . .<br />>><br /><br />I've seen this stated elsewhere. Wasn't Caleb Carr authorized to write The Italian Secretary? Wasn't Cay Van Ash authorized to write Ten Years Beyond Baker Street?Duane Spurlockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06102074370101800708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-41211161840446310722012-07-19T20:30:00.778-05:002012-07-19T20:30:00.778-05:00<<
I read a Jeffrey Deaver hardback lately (...<<<br />I read a Jeffrey Deaver hardback lately (I forget which) and was amazed at how many typos there were in it. If even JD can't get properly checked, it does make you wonder<br />>><br /><br />I remember when Arthur C. Clarke's 2010 first was published. It was full of typos. I was really surprised that such a high-profile novel was so badly copy edited. I think it was rushed into print for the holiday selling season.Duane Spurlockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06102074370101800708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-8354483252595404582012-07-19T19:26:39.681-05:002012-07-19T19:26:39.681-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Jude Hardinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-29395678912747667492012-07-19T19:11:06.340-05:002012-07-19T19:11:06.340-05:00"I, frankly, have never trusted any reviewer ..."I, frankly, have never trusted any reviewer to tell me what to buy or not to buy."<br /><br />True words. Reviews, even when they're honest (not sock puppets, not haters or trolls) are nothing more than one person's reaction. That person may or may not have the same literary taste as you and, in fact, probably don't.<br /><br />My last hardcover, for example, had one major review source describe it as "less than compelling" while another applauded it as having "a riveting plot." The only difference between a starred review and a trash review is the luck of the draw as to who you get for the reviewer.Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10859927878400261464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-31264355025983000342012-07-19T19:04:29.904-05:002012-07-19T19:04:29.904-05:00Due to the subjective nature of what each individu...Due to the subjective nature of what each individual likes as far as prose and literature, I would submit that it isn't just possible to rip apart something if you try hard enough or are hostile towards the author, it's something that can't be helped.<br /><br />Some people will hate your work. No matter how good it is. This is just due to the fact that people like different things.<br /><br />You can't put out a work that will please everyone.<br /><br />Add violence and some will like it, others will hate the whole thing.<br /><br />Add sex and some will treat you like a pervert, while others wonder why you were so tame about it.<br /><br />Add a romance subplot and some will be turned off while others wonder why you bothered with having them fight the alien menace at all when you could have been focusing on that!<br /><br />If you add everything and the kitchen sink for good measure, people will hate it, because of all the "junk" in there that they don't like.<br /><br />This doesn't even get into the idea of taking an actual risk or two in writing.<br /><br />Need to add a gay sex scene to an otherwise straight book? You're going to hear about it!<br /><br />Need a character to have problems with the police? Cop hater. (Even if other books of yours show the police in a decent light...)<br /><br />Have a main character that's a demon who's mentor isn't wild about Christians?<br /><br />Devil! (Though that one star review drove sales up by almost fifty percent for that series. Go figure?)<br /><br />So I don't think it's as much about "failing" a given reader (though I do get the point behind the statement) as much as the idea that you have to fail some of them just to convey an idea.<br /><br />Any idea.P.S. Powernoreply@blogger.com