tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post9166144514173115448..comments2024-03-18T06:16:18.802-05:00Comments on A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: A Bedtime StoryJA Konrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comBlogger99125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-26745116765098949322011-02-03T20:58:15.281-06:002011-02-03T20:58:15.281-06:00I can't find the right place to post this, but...I can't find the right place to post this, but didn't Joe (I feel like we're on a first name basis) say that there should be a conference for ebook authors? If I remember right, he said he didn't want to organize it, but I'm sure some enterprising people (I wouldn't mind) can put together a Virtual conference! It's happening more and more with other industries, so why not us? Joe you could do a speaking event from the comfort of your own home and wearing slippers! Anyone interested?Coralhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02211853852350425927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-79243278234696009192011-01-17T04:53:20.505-06:002011-01-17T04:53:20.505-06:00The opening reminded me of a limerick
There once ...The opening reminded me of a limerick<br /><br />There once was a writer named Joe<br />Who wrote more than you'll ever know<br />He wrote several great books<br />with fabulous hooks<br />and now he has money to blow.<br /><br />Thank you so much for this blog. It's really inspiring me to just go for self-publishing and be my own gatekeeper.Najelahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03529650047480022627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-26753236160359959602011-01-05T22:42:59.689-06:002011-01-05T22:42:59.689-06:00Thank you for "The Gatekeeper". In Soci...Thank you for "The Gatekeeper". In Social Work we use this term to describe one of the roles that people take on in classical dysfunctional social systems, (such as families, organizations, and communities). Please visit www.createspace.com/3385239 to see my online book. I'm going to try to get it on Kindle now.Book Wellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04412280645208177395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-11712517970807860132011-01-04T12:22:12.028-06:002011-01-04T12:22:12.028-06:00And they all lived happily ever after.
The End.
...And they all lived happily ever after. <br /><br />The End.<br /><br />Well, Joe did anyway. ;-)<br /><br />P.S. Joe, ever thought of writing a novel titled Gatekeeper? lol<br /><br />Cheryl Kaye Tardif<br /><a href="http://www.cherylktardif.com" rel="nofollow">www.cherylktardif.com</a>Cheryl Tardifhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15160526951596806898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-19141407797647436982011-01-02T17:01:54.780-06:002011-01-02T17:01:54.780-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.jtplayerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14231456054855215404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1260066471024596922011-01-01T02:52:22.115-06:002011-01-01T02:52:22.115-06:00I am an aspiring writer, and even though e-publish...I am an aspiring writer, and even though e-publishing looks like a very promising (and more profitable) endeavor, I'm leaning more towards the traditional publishing route, because that way, I can be more focused on writing, while I can let the publisher worry about the other aspects of publishing (finding/assigning an editor, cover art, etc). <br /><br />If I had all those additional responsibilities all on my shoulders, I know I would be distracted, and make it difficult for me to focus on what I would REALLY want to be doing, which is trying to tell a story. I guess I'm trying to say that I'm not one of those writers who must have control over EVERYTHING, which is why I'm okay with traditional publishers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-4744377973733357102010-12-30T02:54:24.233-06:002010-12-30T02:54:24.233-06:00One of the best fairytales I've read in a long...One of the best fairytales I've read in a long time...except it's not really a fairytale. Perhaps we could call it a reality tale. The Gatekeeper may be one of the great villians, up there with the Big Bad Wolf, The Sherriff of Nottingham, Darth Vader...or maybe just a misguided soul, like Scrooge, refusing to see the Ghost of Xmas Future...Iain Edward Hennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16527914346574994713noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-37850998714156929042010-12-29T20:13:23.498-06:002010-12-29T20:13:23.498-06:00I love your story. Sometimes, I see myself staring...I love your story. Sometimes, I see myself staring at nowhere thinking how I can pursue my dream. Checking out professional author Delatorro's book at >>http://bit.ly/eluyUl has helped me a lot, and Joe's story makes me move my first step of my dream! Thanks!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01894696756131116592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1589281965750862092010-12-29T15:55:37.657-06:002010-12-29T15:55:37.657-06:00I used to want to be like Mike. Now, I want to be ...I used to want to be like Mike. Now, I want to be like Joe.<br /><br /><br />Thanks Joe,<br />Jeff BenningtonJeff Benningtonhttp://www.jeffbennington.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-15007537944633404592010-12-28T20:07:41.340-06:002010-12-28T20:07:41.340-06:00Neil, I agree with you there. While there may be a...Neil, I agree with you there. While there may be a method to their madness, it's still madness nonetheless, and writers and readers end up getting the short end of the stick.<br /><br />I have seen, with my own eyes, an outstanding novel being passed over in favour of a self-help book written by an author with dubious credentials. Only because the author of the self-help book already had a 'platform' -- namely, he runs financial seminars and is able to hand-sell his books to clientale.<br /><br />And that's just one incident among many; where the actual merit and potential of a book is discounted. And it's happening more and more.John Linghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09730542399060677436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-80585208017136871132010-12-28T19:49:40.933-06:002010-12-28T19:49:40.933-06:00I prefer fiction, but this is a great real-life st...I prefer fiction, but this is a great real-life story!. <br /><br />I share many of these blog postings and commenter "debate" with my writing group.<br /><br />Soon to be on Kindle. Can't wait for the ride...<br /><br />thrillersRus.blogspot.comDouglas Dorowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10626666935442821895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-40297124235141173282010-12-28T18:40:10.130-06:002010-12-28T18:40:10.130-06:00Robin,
Thank you for working with someone who wri...Robin,<br /><br />Thank you for working with someone who writes as well as Nathan!<br /><br />My 'complaint' with him is the slow pace of his sequels! ;) (Classy kind of problem for a new print author to have...) I feel 30 years younger reading his books..<br /><br />And yes, I have solarclipper.com bookmarked. :) <br /><br />John,<br />Thank you for the link. I do appreciate the industry insight. While Arbitrary might not be the word you would pick, when there is a haphazard process... An outsider might say the shoe fits...<br /><br />On Joe's topic: I'm loving the new SciFi. With much anticipation do I anticipate Konrath switching Genre. The genre needed a 'kick start.'<br /><br />Neilwannabuyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04297458705683991405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-49739460319879447972010-12-28T17:32:13.491-06:002010-12-28T17:32:13.491-06:00I know that's what they do. I'm saying it&...<i>I know that's what they do. I'm saying it's wrong.</i><br /><br />I can call them royalties because people call me the King of Kindle, and kings are royalty.<br /><br />Plus, they're royalties. Amazon is the publisher, and they pay authors after taking their cut. <br /><br />But I do think it's cute that you protest so strongly.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-60871902892001102562010-12-28T17:25:34.566-06:002010-12-28T17:25:34.566-06:00@Selena and @ChristyPenheiro
I know that's wh...@Selena and @ChristyPenheiro<br /><br />I know that's what they do. I'm saying it's wrong.<br /><br />When I get a statement from LSI, it's reported as sales, not royalties because LSI is not my publisher. Likewise, Amazon is NOT my publisher. Amazon is the retail space. The digital product is no different than the physical product I ship to them every Monday.<br /><br />CreateSpace, now... I don't know. I guess that would depend on who owns the ISBN.Moriah Jovanhttp://moriahjovan.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-43753977853210584972010-12-28T17:19:08.920-06:002010-12-28T17:19:08.920-06:00The main thing newbies need to understand about th...The main thing newbies need to understand about this path (and I include myself in that group) is that it's a marathon, not a sprint. My editor told me that, and I remind myself every time I look at my sales figures.<br /><br />Three months after book launch I've sold close to 80 paperbacks and 200 ebooks, which is about 75 paperbacks and 190 ebooks more than most self-published efforts, so I'm okay with that. I have just three books in my catalog so far, and the other two are small and niche (paranormal wild west soap opera first draft/last draft--fun, but a small audience). Even so, one of those is free and has been downloaded some 8600 times this year.<br /><br />I don't know if I'll ever be able to tell a bedtime story like Joe, but then, how many tradpub writers can tell a bedtime story like Nora Roberts or John Grisham? At least I've got a shot this way. I've gotten stellar reviews, and I have a small but hardcore fanbase that funds the editing and production of my books ($2500 for the first full-length one, and they're all lined up to fund book two, along with some new hardcore fans picked up along the way).<br /><br />I'm just getting started. Finish your book, and you can get started too, folks. :)MeiLin Mirandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17590059336785844546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-46536628220805523492010-12-28T17:12:49.739-06:002010-12-28T17:12:49.739-06:00Dude, for the love of cost accounting, please stop...<i>Dude, for the love of cost accounting, please stop referring to your sales on Amazon as ROYALTIES</i><br /><br />Actually, they are reported to the author as royalties. Author royalties are then <i>taxed</i> as self-employment income. The reporting by the end receiver of the royalties varies depending on entity type and also whether the copyright was self-produced or not.<br /><br />I get a 1099 from Amazon and from CreateSpace every year, and the amounts are reported as royalties. <br /><br />This is the correct way to report them, although the way that a self-employed author reports them on the tax return is not typically on a Schedule E, but on a Schedule C.<br /><br />Joe is right. They are royalties and reported as such by the payee. The PAYOR must then correctly decide how to report them on his/her tax return, and it varies from one individual to another.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-48168245877710164802010-12-28T17:10:31.133-06:002010-12-28T17:10:31.133-06:00"Amazon is WRONG to call them this unless the...<i>"Amazon is WRONG to call them this unless they're planning to report all the royalties to the IRS and send you a 1099." </i><br /><br />Um... they do. At least, they did last year. And the year before that.Selena Kitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17783685215421352626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-52155057486823539142010-12-28T16:55:36.418-06:002010-12-28T16:55:36.418-06:00"There are too many new authors who were reje...<i>"There are too many new authors who were rejected by the 'old guard/club' for arbitrary reasons that I'm enjoying reading."</i><br /><br />Having served in an editorial capacity in the industry, what I've found is that the reasons for rejection are not arbitary at all. Yes, there are manuscripts that front-line editors do enjoy and wish they could take on. But, at the same time, they are fearful of risking their jobs or damaging their careers. Because there is nothing worse than pushing forward a manuscript that, in the end, fails to meets the profit-oriented expectation of their bosses. Bosses who, I will concede, do not love or even understand books like editors do. <br /><br />Hence, to minimize blowback, it becomes easier to say no than to say yes. And over time, it has snowballed into a culture that's both corporate and ingrained.John Linghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09730542399060677436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-87720386194035777892010-12-28T16:55:32.071-06:002010-12-28T16:55:32.071-06:00Dude, for the love of cost accounting, please stop...Dude, for the love of cost accounting, please stop referring to your sales on Amazon as ROYALTIES.<br /><br />They are not, in fact, ROYALTIES. They are SALES. INCOME. REVENUE.<br /><br />You have COGS. You have EXPENSES.<br /><br />There are real tax implications of ROYALTIES versus INCOME. Amazon is WRONG to call them this unless they're planning to report all the royalties to the IRS and send you a 1099.<br /><br />Part of this self-publishing gig is getting out of the Gatekeeper mindset.<br /><br />You are manufacturing a product and putting it in a co-op stall. They are not paying you royalties. You are paying Amazon a booth fee. They are not paying you. YOU are paying THEM. Amazon's cut is an EXPENSE.Moriah Jovanhttp://moriahjovan.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-34037845797102334762010-12-28T16:47:24.506-06:002010-12-28T16:47:24.506-06:00@wannaby Seriously, have you tried quarter share b...@wannaby <i>Seriously, have you tried quarter share by Nathan Lowell? The guy couldn't get a print deal (despite being a successful audio publisher). By avoiding the big6, he now has a large fan base...</i><br /><br />Thanks for bringing up Nathan he deserves the praise - I'm actually the founder of <a href="www.ridanpublishing.com" rel="nofollow">Ridan Publishing</a> who picked him up in January. He's selling great in both ebooks and print and we are putting out all books in his series just as fast as we can!!Robin Sullivanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00613910688999698522noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-42883743871691151612010-12-28T16:41:12.702-06:002010-12-28T16:41:12.702-06:00A very familiar story...with a happy ending!A very familiar story...with a happy ending!Normahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12685538277690762655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-55973390070542206962010-12-28T16:37:36.411-06:002010-12-28T16:37:36.411-06:00"I do not suggest throwing unedited work out ...<i>"I do not suggest throwing unedited work out there. But missing the early opportunity is going to be a botched carrier launch. Not taking risk ironically is its own risk."</i> <br /><br />Anyone who wants to see how true this statement is should check out Michael Stevens' blog here: http://fortunathebook.com/blog/tag/michael-r-stevens/<br /> <br />Michael kindly took the time to chronicle everything he experienced with his print publisher -- from the initial sale of his novel all the way to editing and marketing. It is, for lack of a better word, a disheartening and torrid dissection of the state of traditional publishing today.<br /><br />Read and decide for yourself.John Linghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09730542399060677436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-37760902906499098152010-12-28T16:37:32.126-06:002010-12-28T16:37:32.126-06:00STH,
Good point. Arbitrariness is... frustrating...STH,<br /><br />Good point. Arbitrariness is... frustrating. So is sticking to 'old rules' that do not apply to new readers.<br /><br />There are too many new authors who were rejected by the 'old guard/club' for arbitrary reasons that I'm enjoying reading. I doubt any would have made it to print under the old system. What is fresh is against the 'old rules.' Yawn. <br /><br />After finding out how many ereaders sold this holiday season, it is obvious we're entering the next stage of ebooks; a stage I'm excited to see progress. Thus the discussions change...<br /><br />Neilwannabuyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04297458705683991405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-68667171114076673032010-12-28T16:27:40.852-06:002010-12-28T16:27:40.852-06:00@Elizabeth I think it's great, the kind of mon...@Elizabeth <i>I think it's great, the kind of money you're making. But I still don't buy that it's viable for everyone, especially those who've never worked with an agent or editor before, and don't know how to take their writing to the next level</i><br /><br />My husband made $17,500 in November and so far in December about $38,000 - Unlike Joe, he had no agent or big-six contract to do that.<br /><br />Amandan Hocking sold 50,000 books in 3 weeks of December (some at $0.99 and some at $2.99) but even if all were at $0.99 that would mean $17,325 and at $2.99 $104,650 so somewhere between the two. So yes it can be done by those that didn't start out that wayRobin Sullivanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00613910688999698522noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-40574560303046168832010-12-28T15:53:34.952-06:002010-12-28T15:53:34.952-06:00But Joe, in this great story you forgot to mention...But Joe, in this great story you forgot to mention that the Gatekeeper had an evil sister, wily and seductive, trying to get you back into the Gatekeeper's domain.<br /><br />That could be for the noir version.Mike Dennishttp://mikedennisnoir.comnoreply@blogger.com