tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post1931093559243071265..comments2024-03-28T02:00:11.260-05:00Comments on A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: I Understand and SympathizeJA Konrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comBlogger71125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-2078878032819602932014-07-04T06:26:01.822-05:002014-07-04T06:26:01.822-05:00Your best blog post to date. And that's saying...Your best blog post to date. And that's saying something.<br /><br />Not sure I'm comfortable with the Mr. Nice Guy attitude, though. Feels . . . weird. ;)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07845331055523361528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-54801486621872850432014-06-28T14:16:44.513-05:002014-06-28T14:16:44.513-05:00Edward Grant, have you actually read the post? Or ...Edward Grant, have you actually read the post? Or Joe's comments on it? Because I'm pretty sure he didn't say any of those things. Like a lot of us, he's a strong advocate of self-publishing <i>when it's the best thing for the author and his/her career.</i><br /><br />This post deals with those cases when an author is afraid of hurting her career by taking steps towards self-publishing, and sympathizes with author who find themselves in those situations. He's pretty adamant that it would make no sense for the top bestselling authors to give up the advantages Big Pub gives them.Bridget McKennahttp://www.bridgetmckenna.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-44907785481623050622014-06-12T22:03:28.547-05:002014-06-12T22:03:28.547-05:00Joe's right on a lot of things, but not about ...<i>Joe's right on a lot of things, but not about best selling authors switching to self publishing.</i><br /><br />Pottermore.com.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-76930943634049708572014-06-12T14:34:50.975-05:002014-06-12T14:34:50.975-05:00Anyone doing it full time should be able to consis...<i>Anyone doing it full time should be able to consistently manage 1000 words a day. In a year, that's three 100K word novels, with a couple of months left over for goofing off. :)</i><br /><br />Awesome! Do you have a list of what full time writers also "should" do?<br /><br />I'm sure Harper Lee, George RR Martin, Joseph Heller, Thomas Harris, William Styron, and many many other "under-achievers" would love to have it!daneyulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01930578640196786871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-85938082336751671602014-06-10T17:35:26.818-05:002014-06-10T17:35:26.818-05:00Edward Grant says:
"As you say, King has no ...Edward Grant says:<br /><br />"As you say, King has no incentive to self-publish, because trade publishing has been so good for him."<br /><br />Exactly. Which makes it all the more strange that Joe seems to think they're all crazy not to self publish.<br /><br />Joe's right on a lot of things, but not about best selling authors switching to self publishing.<br /><br />Great opportunity for everyone else though!<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-28369772635487757952014-06-10T10:59:32.534-05:002014-06-10T10:59:32.534-05:00And exactly how much would Stephen King have to pa...<i>And exactly how much would Stephen King have to pay to get his rights back?</i><br /><br />Zero. According to the WSJ, King licenses his rights to the publisher for a short term, I think they said five or ten years?<br /><br />As you say, King has no incentive to self-publish, because trade publishing has been so good for him. But there are very few Stephen Kings and JK Rowlings in trade publishing, and, as the power of the mass media and big bookstores declines, I doubt there will be many more.Edward M. Granthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08149744619931445003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-81124721502297673022014-06-10T10:20:29.260-05:002014-06-10T10:20:29.260-05:00writing more than a book a year...a good, quality ...<i>writing more than a book a year...a good, quality book...is bloody impossible.!!!</i><br /><br />Anyone doing it full time should be able to consistently manage 1000 words a day. In a year, that's three 100K word novels, with a couple of months left over for goofing off. :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16298343190864662091noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-10503848127159923962014-06-10T10:13:42.663-05:002014-06-10T10:13:42.663-05:00I understand all the points of self-publishing ebo...<i>I understand all the points of self-publishing ebooks. What I would like to know is just how you make them a success.</i><br /><br />Unfortunately, there's no secret formula. You have to start with a strong product, and then do what you can to make it visible. Then you have to write another book, and another, and another, and another...<br /><br />Like Joe always says, this is a marathon, not a sprint. All you can do is keep writing and promoting and hope for a little luck along the way. Odds are you can make more money doing almost anything else, so you have to do it because you love it, because it's part of who you are.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16298343190864662091noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-21036328852090894212014-06-10T10:07:32.073-05:002014-06-10T10:07:32.073-05:00Joe says: "...maybe you're a slower write...Joe says: "...maybe you're a slower writer and can only write a book a year." <br /><br />Hello????? Unless you're a genius like Joe with whole scenarios bursting through your forehead, or a cokehead wired to the max, writing more than a book a year...a good, quality book...is bloody impossible.!!! <br /><br />Joe, exactly who are you addressing here? <br /><br /> Kiana Davenporthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18006822100662057905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-28761196027966080232014-06-10T08:07:17.388-05:002014-06-10T08:07:17.388-05:00I've run at least half a dozen BookBub ads, al...I've run at least half a dozen BookBub ads, all with good results (don't want to hype them too much, because they'll continue raising their prices!), but they've turned down my last two submissions. I think they must be inundated with new authors. <br /><br />BenB. Rehderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16257032594180958877noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-25767724718193612472014-06-10T07:26:39.171-05:002014-06-10T07:26:39.171-05:00I understand all the points of self-publishing ebo...I understand all the points of self-publishing ebooks. What I would like to know is just how you make them a success. <br />How do you get bloggers to let you guest blog? How do you promote your book? Within all the advice I have read (and I am working on my website now) just where do you start to make your book a successSAVanVleckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16526439123724746902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-48138857474444513842014-06-10T07:16:51.779-05:002014-06-10T07:16:51.779-05:00Joe mentions, almost as a throwaway line, "Ma...Joe mentions, almost as a throwaway line, "Maybe you can only write one book a year". <br /><br />And it's not really addressed in the rest of the things people can do (hire lawyers, buy back rights, etc.)<br /><br />If you are new, and do write slowly, one or fewer a year, is self-publishing not then a good fit compared to traditional?daneyulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01930578640196786871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-37529858462899447802014-06-10T04:01:33.091-05:002014-06-10T04:01:33.091-05:00I would like read more information about this, is ...I would like read more information about this, is very interesting! Thanks for the information.<br />by <a href="http://www.juegostudio.com" rel="nofollow"> <b> Game Development Company | Mobile Game Development Company </b> </a> ProviderAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16352258416035440254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-45524501831639351832014-06-09T21:33:44.855-05:002014-06-09T21:33:44.855-05:00and as Jude Hardin said in a another post - "...<i>and as Jude Hardin said in a another post - "Bookbub are now controlling what books gets in to Amazon's bestsellers"</i><br /><br />I don't remember saying that. Could you please provide a link to the post?<br /><br />I've used BookBub several times, with good results, but in my experience the spikes in sales were temporary. There are many factors that determine a book's sales and rankings. BookBub is a nice tool, and an ad with them will provide a surefire boost, but there are plenty of bestselling titles on Amazon that have never been featured in a BookBub ad.<br /><br />They turned down my last two submissions, by the way, but I will keep trying. In fact, I sent them a submission earlier today.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16298343190864662091noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-34551184290646429192014-06-09T20:53:44.216-05:002014-06-09T20:53:44.216-05:00I'm self-published, and I've recently gott...I'm self-published, and I've recently gotten two discounted BookBub slots. Each was for 99ยข, and my WOOL tie-in reached #75 on the overall bestsellers list, while a mystery author I publish got to #11, and stayed in the top 100 for four days. Patrice Fitzgeraldhttp://www.patricefitzgerald.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-48376167740864760932014-06-09T20:33:21.965-05:002014-06-09T20:33:21.965-05:00Yes, Joe, but when it comes to gatekeepers do you ...Yes, Joe, but when it comes to gatekeepers do you not think Bookbub have now taken over that role and things are returning to the old status quo. <br />Many of us who promoted with Bookbub in their early days are now being forced to keep offering our books for FREE because of all the dsscounted promos slots are going mainly to publishers and agents (and you of course) and the self-pubbers are only being offered the Free slots even though they have higher sales and higher reviews than some of Legacy titles.<br />Your opinion on this? I know you said in a lst post "not point in getting upset if Bookbub reject your book or want you to give it away - but to me they truly are becoming the "new gatekeepers" and as Jude Hardin said in a another post - "Bookbub are now controlling what books gets in to Amazon's bestsellers" So much for self-publishing. Gretta Curran Brownehttp://www.grettacurranbrowne.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-78762440061265156602014-06-09T18:34:34.397-05:002014-06-09T18:34:34.397-05:00I was merged out of publishing back in 1989 and we...I was merged out of publishing back in 1989 and went on to have a very rewarding and exciting career in technology. In 1991 I got a call from one of the authors I edited saying he feared he had been duped. His book was apparently printed but not actually distributed. I suggested he call twenty top bookstores and sure enough none had been presented the book to purchase. He had no champion at the new publisher once I was gone. Ten years of exhaustive research on a nonfiction book all for nothing. As I was the only one from before who was not working in publishing, I told him I would tell the publisher's lawyers my honest assessment when they contacted me, which I did. The author ended up settling but his book could not be saved. This was before self-publishing. The author is now dead. I am proud I did the right thing at the time, sad for how an author got tangled up in a huge publishing conglomerate interests and egos. This was back when Robert Maxwell killed himself by jumping off his yacht. He and Murdoch were buying anything they could find to one-up each other. Publeratihttp://www.publerati.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-11984613776242577882014-06-09T17:32:57.694-05:002014-06-09T17:32:57.694-05:00"I am one who has always believed that the ma..."I am one who has always believed that the magic of self-publishing is not the 70% royalties or any of the perceived benefits of going it alone.<br /><br /><i>It is the reality that having a published book is possible at all.</i>"<br /><br /><b>Beautifully said, Thom!</b><br /><br />I hope to make a living off my writing someday (the sooner, the better), but just being able to get my work out there has been such a thrill after years of rejection and stony-faced silence from publishers and agents.<br /><br />--Vincent C. Martinez (author of "Electric Elizabeth" and "Christmas in Culm")Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15151078359160547507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-69910092467276460342014-06-09T17:28:51.243-05:002014-06-09T17:28:51.243-05:00What's missing in this whole conversation (not...What's missing in this whole conversation (not here on Joe's blog, of course), are the thousands of indie authors slogging away trying to make a sale or trying to crank out a new book to sell on Amazon (or Smashwords, etc.) while those on the Hatchette side are saying how they're fighting against Amazon for "the authors." <br /><br />I just watched the Colbert-Sherman interview again and wanted to punch the monitor when they said that Amazon will "hurt" new authors. Really?! Say, Sherman, I'm a new author BECAUSE of Amazon! No, I'm not a bestselling author (yet), but now I'm on the playing field, which is a hell of a lot better than having my manuscripts grow moldy in a file cabinet somewhere.<br /><br />Joe, you can lay out your case eloquently to those writers, but they won't listen. They're all happily ensconced in their legacy pub contracts behind their publishers' high walls. But now they hear the barbarian indie writers outside, and the walls are crumbling, and instead of seeing opportunity, all they feel is fear. <br /><br />--Vincent C. Martinez (author of "Electric Elizabeth" and "Christmas in Culm")<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15151078359160547507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-21644080976991120552014-06-09T15:25:58.459-05:002014-06-09T15:25:58.459-05:00Joe said:
"But as you said, how many King...Joe said:<br /><br />"But as you said, how many King's and Pattersons are there?"<br /><br />Not many. But since Joe is fisking Patterson and telling Big 5 authors to go self-published it seemed appropriate to mention him (Anonymous 5.18). That's my point. A point I grant that Joe's fellow fiskers here managed to miss.<br /><br />There are obviously very few King, Patterson, Rowling, Dan Browns etc. But these are the authors that are going to get media attention over this matter.<br /><br />These are the authors who will not be leaving the Big 5 for all the reasons I cited.<br /><br />These are the authors Joe has to battle against if he's to get his message to the forefront of public opinion. I should add that Joe chose the battle and I wish him well.<br /><br />No one wants to interview mid list authors on Colbert or any other show. But the media will pay attention to whatever the Pattersons and Kings of the writing world say.<br /><br />And until they say something different, they'll make out that Amazon is the bad guy in this.<br /><br />People wanting a different view on the matter can come to Joe's blog and watch him fisk, a task he excels at I might add.<br /><br />If there ever is a live debate with Joe and any of the Big 5, I'll gladly buy a ticket.<br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-12674090600678746102014-06-09T14:51:18.729-05:002014-06-09T14:51:18.729-05:00Kit, I'm angry at you for making me give that ...Kit, I'm angry at you for making me give that idiot a click.Dan DeWitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10670824200284467170noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-60040008697327251542014-06-09T13:03:10.453-05:002014-06-09T13:03:10.453-05:00Can we nominate fisking candidates?
That guy is d...<i>Can we nominate fisking candidates?</i><br /><br />That guy is delusional. No need to fisk him. Anyone reading that post with an iota of common sense can spot the gigantic gaps in logic.<br /><br />JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-56149213542478815912014-06-09T11:27:10.311-05:002014-06-09T11:27:10.311-05:00Can we nominate fisking candidates? Because there ...Can we nominate fisking candidates? Because there is so, so much fail here... :/ http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/amazon-ebook-dispute-with-hachette.htmlKit Powerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06317554510591570958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-16998369327506893422014-06-09T11:02:41.796-05:002014-06-09T11:02:41.796-05:00Thom Reece said,
"It is the reality that hav...Thom Reece said, <br />"It is the reality that having a published book is possible at all."<br /><br />I agree. And there is nothing quite like getting an unsolicited five star review or email through my website that says my book has touched someone deeply or even changed someone's life. That means so much, and was made possible for me through this self-publishing revolution. My books have been submitted by one of the most successful book agents in the world to publishers with no results. But in the meantime every week, I get letters and reviews from real life readers that make my day. <br /><br />My wife and I love getting our work out there so much that we give a lot of our non-fiction spiritual ebooks away for free here:<br />http://endless-satsang.com/free-ebooks-free-spiritual-books61.htm<br /><br />And of course it doesn't hurt that some of our books also sell well and we get paid for that. This self-publishing option works for non-fiction ebooks also even though they do not generally sell as well as fiction.Nirmalahttp://endless-satsang.com/free-ebooks-free-spiritual-books61.htmnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1244583292902629352014-06-09T09:55:58.256-05:002014-06-09T09:55:58.256-05:00Woefully off-topic, for which I apologise, but Joe...Woefully off-topic, for which I apologise, but Joe, have you seen this? http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/apr/08/the-guardian-legend-self-published-book-of-the-month<br /><br />Seems like another major crack in the wall between self published authors and mainstream coverage/acceptance, and one to be celebrated...<br /><br />No, I don't work for or have anything to do with The Guardian. I'm just juiced about the idea of self published titles getting mainstream press attention and reviews.Kit Powerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06317554510591570958noreply@blogger.com