Tips for Writers
How Technology Will Grow Book Sales
By Jerry D. Simmons | September 7th, 2011 | No Comments » (Click to add yours!)
There was a time when publishers printed books and shipped them to retailers while bookstores focused on merchandising. Readers browsed aisles for their favorite authors eventually paying retail prices and the cycle continued while each company made money. Not anymore, times have changed and the publishing industry is learning to adapt while readers and writers will reap the benefits of a new and different business.
Mobile technology is the future and there are a number of entrepreneurs who are adapting mobility with shopping. The result is a reshaping of the brick-and-mortal retail business for all products which is particularly exciting for books.
Imagine walking through a mall and your mobile phone vibrates or chimes alerting you to the fact that certain book your friend told you about is now available at a discounted price in the store you are about to pass. This is not science fiction or fantasy, this is real.
Recent studies have shown that 78 percent of frequent shoppers at mass retailers use smart phones for product information and pricing. They use apps and location based services to locate what they want and at what price. This eliminates the need for item shopping for those busy people whose schedules are increasingly crowded.
Cross merchandising in the publishing business was a dismal failure before the smart phone and Wi-Fi technology. The reasons are numerous and boring but the basic problem was that books were expected to be impulse items for which readers would drop five dollars for a specific category or niche title. That did not happen and major efforts to cross merchandise garden books in a garden section for example was abandoned.
The new mobile applications allow for the possibility that retailers will agree to book placement could grow and expand the reach for writers of all categories. Surely this is not going to happen overnight nor are major retailers suddenly going to change their footprint to include printed books. However the possibilities are present and when the major publishers figure out how to merge mobile technology with high profit margins, there is always an opportunity.
Tags: Book Marketing, Book Publishing
New Technology Feature for eBooks
By Jerry D. Simmons | September 7th, 2011 | No Comments » (Click to add yours!)
The online giant Amazon is now making it possible for readers of select eBooks to ask the author questions, while reading. The new @author feature was launched last week with a group of bestselling authors. Purchasers of these selected eBooks, read on a Kindle will be allowed to send a question to the author via their Twitter account and home page of Amazon.
The company stated during the launch they wanted to “create what the company hopes will be a reader community around Kindle titles.” This newest feature is a clear indication that Amazon hopes to diminish the role of the publisher and go directly to the reader where they hope to build relationships directly with authors.
The carefully selected authors who have agreed to respond to reader questions are all very active in social media. Obviously the authors will not be able to answer every reader question but the idea is simple and clever, get other readers to respond to questions as well as the author. The goal of Amazon seems to be to create a social media feature around eBooks that connects readers to authors and eventually eliminates the need for a publisher.
Consumers of Kindles now have the ability to follow other readers the same way you can follow anyone with a Twitter account. This allows readers to see what others are reading and even ask questions in a way of obtaining a pseudo book review or endorsement. Readers sharing their thoughts with other readers of similar titles and connecting with the authors is a brilliant marketing strategy.
All of this is another step in the direction of giving the writer more control over their content and ultimately publishing independently with….you guessed it….Amazon. As hard as it is for this writer to admit, at the present time the online retailer offers writers the greatest number of opportunities for those wishing to publish on their own.
Amazon must get credit for making self-publishing more credible as an option and with their huge resources now have the ability to select the bestselling independent titles for additional promotion and sales. Without the services of Amazon it is unlikely neither Amanda Hocking nor John Locke would have been recognized for their writing.
The balances of power in the publishing business are shifting away from the large and formerly dominate companies based in New York to the hands of the independent author and small publisher. Writers that demonstrate they can connect with readers and build an audience are gaining in strength. Large traditional publishers must continue to adapt and modify their models or writers with the help of Amazon will continue to transform the business of book publishing.
Tags: Book Marketing, Book Publishing
The New Direction for Book Publishing
By Jerry D. Simmons | August 31st, 2011 | 3 Comments » (Click to add yours!)
The predictors of doom for book publishing are wrong. Certainly the market is changing and evolving into new and exciting areas but the demise of books and giant publishers is not going to happen anytime soon. What we are seeing is a shift of major proportions in the way books are produced, marketed and sold. Writing, editing and storytelling are alive and well but the old business model is going away.
No longer will the major publishers control the market for published content to the extent they have in the past. While controls of distribution channels for print are still dominated by the big six now seven major publishers the network for digital is wide open. As readers become more comfortable with the electronic format and the affordability of the tablet makes it accessible to a larger number of consumers, expect eBooks to continue their unprecedented growth.
Approximately 80 percent of all books sold in the US today are in the printed format while a mere two years ago that number was around 95 percent. Print runs for the major publishers are off as much as 25 percent from one year ago. Advances for new authors have also dropped while at the same time the biggest companies are slowly cutting fixed costs to try and compete with market shifts.
The signals are clear, content is in high demand and writers that can tell a good story or share information is an interesting manner will succeed if they are informed and understand how to market. The days of authors flying below the radar and allowing their publisher handle everything is over. Publishers do not have the time or resources to manage books and authors the way they did in the past.
The more savvy the writer, the larger the fan base, the better chance at being successful as a published author. As long as the writer is prolific and can produce quality content that is consistently marketable every six to nine months, the better the chance at success. While the business model is changing the economics have not and publishers need production from their authors. The opportunities for discovery have never been greater.
Additional articles on eBooks and Marketing can be found on this page under Archives October 2010.
Tags: Book Marketing, Book Publishing
Publishing Marks a New Trend
By Jerry D. Simmons | August 31st, 2011 | 1 Comment » (Click to add yours!)
John Locke is a self-published author that managed to sell over a million eBooks world-wide on his own and in the process negotiated a ground breaking deal with a major publisher. Simon & Schuster announced that the independent author has signed with them to publish the printed format of his books, leaving the digital publications to Mr. Locke.
This departure from the norm clearly indicates the willingness of the major companies to negotiate certain terms with independent authors. No doubt this will become a trend as major publishers seek new content to publish with authors that have a proven track record of sales. This also opens the door for independent authors that have garnered a social media following without the proven sales record.
Mr. Locke’s Donovan Creed thrillers are published through his own company, John Locke Books. He will continue digital publication of all his eBooks where he controls content, packaging and final edit. On the print side Simon & Schuster will obtain distribution rights for all hard cover and paperback. Even though it appears on the surface that Mr. Locke got the better of the deal, in fact his new print publisher will capitalize on the market already established with aggressive plans for attracting a new audience in a new format.
Among all the changes that have occurred over the past year in the book publishing business this is a major turning point and signals the market has not yet fully evolved. This means opportunities for writers are growing as the demand for quality content continues. Media demands content and writers create what the market wants. If ever there was a time to get motivated to write, that time is now.
Tags: Book Marketing, Book Publishing
Book Distribution Should Follow Demand
By Jerry D. Simmons | August 24th, 2011 | 3 Comments » (Click to add yours!)
Many writers are concerned about book distribution before their manuscript is completed. To be clear, the reference to book distribution for this article is specific to print in bookstores. Issues of how to get your book out into the marketplace is normal but creating demand for your writing should proceed before concerns over book distribution. Getting books into stores ahead of marketing and consumer demand will be costly.
Creating a plan for your book marketing should include distribution but not until you have established yourself on the publicity front or built a following of potential readers clamoring for your new release. In order to make your marketing cost effective you need steps targeting a specific audience in a particular area before you attempt to take your distribution national. Otherwise you will spend a lot of time, effort and money that are unlikely to produce positive results.
Marketing should begin at the local level, followed state wide, then regional. If you live in Atlanta, targeting an audience in Seattle would be unwise unless that is the setting of your book or you went to school and have friends and family in the area. If your writing has a particular narrow niche, especially non-fiction, where the retail outlets may be small or outside of a bookstore, then you can expand your focus but only after you have made a local, state wide then regional attempt.
As difficult and time consuming as marketing has become, doing the little things and following a step-by-step plan is the best approach. The single best way to begin creating demand is speaking to local groups, holding book signings where stores will accept copies on consignment and generating publicity through free media such as print, radio and if possible local television.
This is not easy, as most of you know, but building an audience takes time and patience. The real key is positioning yourself and your writing. The media doesn’t care about the fact you have written a book. The real hook is the story of you and your writing. Media needs a story their audience will be interested in reading about, listening to, or watching. The hook is different for each book and author and depends on many factors. If the thought terrifies you then I’m sorry but publicity is an important component of book marketing.
Attempting to gain nationwide distribution into bookstores for a printed book even if you are successful at creating a large audience through social media is risky. Distributors are in the business of finding ways to charge authors fees for everything. If you are truly concerned about how to get your book in print form to your readers then the best path is Amazon.
Companies such as Lightening Source and Amazon print on demand. They don’t print until orders come into their order system for the book. This is distribution by availability as opposed to what is referred to as access which means the distributor keeps inventory on hand in a warehouse to fill orders. Book distribution by availability is the most common among POD companies, while book distribution by access is much more limited and not common for most self-published titles.
The bottom line is start creating fans, followers and potential readers before you worry about getting your book distributed to bookstores or other specialty outlets. Should you be successful at the local level then state wide and regionally, market demand will take care of national distribution. Working with Amazon is the best choice, both from a cost and availability standpoint. But if you don’t continue to write and create more new content, then the best book distribution in the world won’t help you sell more copies.
Tags: Book Marketing, Book Publishing
False Book Publishing Promises
By Jerry D. Simmons | August 24th, 2011 | 1 Comment » (Click to add yours!)
This past week there appeared an article in the Los Angeles Times titled “J.K. Rowling and Publish America’s unfulfillable promise.” It said that the well known POD company was promising hopeful authors an opportunity for the world famous author to read and comment on their manuscript for a $49 fee. Needless to say J.K. Rowling denied that and her lawyer has issued a cease-and-desist order.
The article went on to describe the company as one that “offers hopeful authors the opportunity to be published outside of the mainstream publishing ecosystem, accepting manuscripts without agents and has little of the traditional retail distribution and marketing infrastructure that established publishers do.” In addition Publishers Weekly commented that Publish America “has a long history of making dubious marketing promises to its authors.”
Mrs. Rowling offered the following through her spokesperson, “the claim was ‘completely false’,” and she also stated that her attorney’s would take” ‘appropriate action.’” Since the article appeared the company has removed the original offer from their website but vowed to continue with their promise.
The only reason this is worthy of your attention is the fact that hundreds of experts, professionals and even print-on-demand companies make promises and guarantees that are not factual and can never be fulfilled. There are never any guarantees in publishing and anyone or any business making such claims should be viewed with skepticism.
If any offer sounds too good and too inexpensive to be true, then you can bet you are right. The claim will not be true or inexpensive. Save you money, and defend your reputation, stay away from false book publishing promises.
Tags: Book Publishing
When to Start Your Book Marketing
By Jerry D. Simmons | August 17th, 2011 | 2 Comments » (Click to add yours!)
The following article was inspired by the questions and feedback from Sonia Marsh. Check out her website Gutsy Living (http://soniamarsh.com) thank you Sonia.
Sales and marketing executives in New York will tell you that it is never too early to start marketing a book, especially if the launch date is firm and planned well in advance. For those with a publication date in the next twelve months, blogging, using social media and speaking to promote themselves and their upcoming work is an excellent idea.
Early marketing should be focused on building your author brand, increasing your audience, and giving away excerpts of your upcoming book. This is a great way to seed the market and develop an audience. As long as your launch date is firm and you have gathered names and email addresses of interested readers and stayed in contact with them on a consistent basis, you are doing what every successful author should do.
What you do and how you do it depends greatly on the format in which you intend to publish. Print books are excellent for offering free chapters from your web site since consumers of print are not necessarily the ones who will download an eBook. On the flip side, if you are planning on launching in digital format then free chapter downloads is the way to go. Different strategies are necessary for different audiences.
If you are at the point where you have decided to publish on your own then consider the options. Large cooperative and subsidy publishers, even the ones considered reputable by other authors, have a negative image in the marketplace. This means regardless of the quality of the writing and editing, the book will not be given credence from reviewers or independent bookstores.
The distribution of these publishers makes your book available for order from any retailer but they will not be marketed or promoted in anyway. That still remains your responsibility. Local retailers can order for sale but the chance of widespread distribution is unlikely. The reason is guilt by association; the market tends to downgrade all books publisher by certain subsidy companies.
Advanced reading copies or ARC’s, can be a good idea only if you have a mailing list that does not include major book reviewers and media outlets. The reason is that competition for attention will by overwhelmed by the New York publishers since they tend to dominate these people. Postcards or other mailings can get lost unless you have a long and systematic campaign that covers many months and many mailings.
If you have attended a writers conference where the speaker outlined the reason why you should never publish on your own without the help of a cooperative or subsidy publisher then consider the source. One of my biggest complaints about this business is the number of experts and professionals who spread misinformation for their own gratification and profit.
The fact is that you can properly and professionally publish on your own without negative consequences. Publishing on your own, without a cooperative publisher has a much more positive market perception that using the services of a one size fits all company. These are the rules of the marketplace.
Should your decision be to publish yourself then consider creating your own publishing imprint and do it yourself. The market still will not welcome you with open arms however your book will be head and shoulders above the POD companies in market perception which at least gives your writing a chance at success.
When you have a firm date established for the release of your new book, start marketing and if you are considering using one of the big cooperative or subsidy companies, don’t. Market perception of you and your writing is equivalent to how you publish and with whom. Like a personal reputation, you need to protect and enhance it at every opportunity. My mantras—follow your heart and instincts will not lead you astray.
Tags: Book Marketing
Know Your Publisher
By Jerry D. Simmons | August 17th, 2011 | No Comments » (Click to add yours!)
Publishers that rely solely on the printed format for their revenue are clearly becoming dinosaurs in this business. With the second largest bookstore chain now bankrupt and closed, the retail outlets for print is shrinking. The access for small and niche print publishers in the established accounts are minimal and may soon disappear. It is important for authors to know their publisher.
Mass merchants once the stalwart in dedicating space and marketing to books are rethinking their commitment. They were never married to books and never made books a priority, they wanted the fifty percent profit margin that publishers offered. Now that the business is shifting away from print these retail giants are reevaluating their space and marketing dollars and placing it elsewhere.
In New York publishing houses the slush piles that once lined the shelves in an editor’s office have been replaced by inexpensive eBooks. For years the biggest publishers have rejected unsolicited manuscripts instead relying on agents almost exclusively for their new product acquisition. Agents are now finding it harder to entice publishers because new content is widely available on the Internet.
For any writer considering a contract, step back and take a look at how and what your publisher publishes, this understanding is important for your future success. If your company is not relevant in the category in which you publish then your writing will not garner the attention, reviews, or distribution you may deserve. Today a print only publisher with no immediate plans to enter the digital market is not someone with whom you want to sign a contract.
Know your publisher, their strengths and weaknesses, then decide how that fits with your overall goals as a writer. It is not about getting published, it’s about getting published in the right way, with the right company. Success is fleeting, you need every advantage you can get.
Tags: Book Marketing, Book Publishing
Using Technology to Sell Books
By Jerry D. Simmons | August 11th, 2011 | 2 Comments » (Click to add yours!)
Experts in the field of technology predict that mobile phones and apps (applications) will be the trend toward the future. The market demands smaller, lighter, and faster computing time on hand held devices such as smart phones and tablets. Just as the publishing business is moving from paper to digital, so too will the world of books move to mobile technology.
One of the newest trends is called a QR code (abbreviated from Quick Response code) which is a specific matrix barcode (or two-dimensional code) that is readable by dedicated QR barcode readers and camera telephones or smart phones. The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background. The information encoded may be text, URL, or other data. You will find these new QR codes on the back covers of many books.
When the mobile app scans the QR code the user will be introduced to an author, their writing and even more advanced ways including video, audio and more. The QR code is another level of what you might find on a hardcover book jacket, just more advanced. The key is to convert users into buyers of books and other content. This is one way that publishers are utilizing the growth of mobile technology to introduce the consumer to new writers and their content.
One free application for smart phones that can read the QR code is from a web site Mobiletag.com. As technology moves to mobile, publishers and authors must stay up on the latest trends and understand how to capitalize to sell content. If you want more information on the QR code check out the the expert explanation at Wikipedia, here is the link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QR_code.
The bottom line is that the content you create, the stories you tell or information you share will continue to be in demand. The method for which that content is delivered to the customer will change. As technology evolves so too must authors and publishers. Print is not and will never be out of date; it is just no longer the standard for books.
Tags: Book Marketing, Book Publishing
Prepare to Succeed as an Author
By Jerry D. Simmons | August 11th, 2011 | 1 Comment » (Click to add yours!)
Writers need to think about their work in terms of the content they create and not so much about the format, forms of delivery or distribution to the consumer. The quality as well as the breadth and depth of your content are a big part of an author’s success. With each new blog, article and manuscript the writer greatly increases their chances of becoming recognized, building a fan base and selling more content.
Everything you do as a writer must have an end point, or goal, otherwise you cannot plan your marketing and will increase your chances of failing to meet your won expectations. Of course if you truly do not have an end point or goal, then how can you fail? The answer is that every writer, author and publisher has expectations of success and regardless of whether or not those expectations are written down, or committed to achieving; there is potential failure in meeting those expectations. Prepare for it.
For years the editorial staffs at the big publishers were the gate keepers to new writers and their work but not anymore. As staffers scan the Internet for blogs, web sites, and articles, the possibilities of being read and recognized are greater than ever before. The problem is the huge influx of new writers promoting their work in much the same way. The opportunities for being read and recognized may be greater but finding an audience for your writing has never been more difficult.
Web sites are launching pads and a great way to introduce yourself and your writing, but linking from there to the large social media and niche genre specific sites is important. Publishers are looking for good writing and an author with a large following or fan base. Developing your personal brand through social media sites is a starting point for recognition as well as the blogs you write and the amount of free content you provide. This represents a shift in what publishers are seeking for new authors.
The amount of leverage you will have as a new author is equal to the audience you bring to the table. If a publishing committee is considering a dozen new authors and one has thousands of followers or fans while the others have none, guess who wins? The more you learn how to leverage your social media contacts will be an advantage toward your future goals whether you wish to land a contract or sell more of your writing independently.
Failure is possible, but preparing for a slow start or non response to your initial marketing efforts is all part of doing business. Don’t fret! There is a steep learning curve but if you have an end point or goal in mind and you are moving in the right direction then your work will pay off. The key is to keep writing and creating new and interesting content, and experiment with your marketing. Trying new things on a consistent basis is an important part of book marketing.
Tags: Book Marketing
