Publishing Mistakes
By Jerry D. Simmons | May 26th, 2010 | 2 Comments » (Click to add yours!)
Some of the biggest publishers make mistakes. Trying to capitalize on a celebrity book when their star is rising is a possibility, launching a new title when their star is falling can cost a publisher his or her shirt. This is the problem with the Kate Gosselin book from yesterday’s TIPS for WRITERS, click here to read.
The most curious thing about her new book was the fact that selling a little more than 10,000 copies could make it all the way to the #11 spot on The New York Times bestseller list, #103 on the USA Today list and ranked #862 on Amazon. Just goes to show how much publishing is based on “perception.” The book was sold based on previous sales, there were tons of copies stacked high in stores and even though it had very poor sales the first two weeks, the bestselling “perception” was created before anyone knew the truth.
This simple principle holds for any book: IF you are successful at creating buzz around the launch of your new book, get enough copies stacked into stores, create a false impression that the book will be a bestseller, anything is possible. In the end it may come back to bite you and cost lots of money, but perception in publishing is still a very strong strategy for success.
New Face of Publishing
By Jerry D. Simmons | May 14th, 2010 | No Comments » (Click to add yours!)
Once the current top management of the major publishers move on and out, younger executives with new ideas that fully embrace the digital technology will take over and more emphasis will be placed on eBooks. For the independent author the delay from old to new provides a window of opportunity to be among the first to gain a footing in the digital world before the majors take over and attempt to dominate like they do with print.
Every author with a print title should not hesitate getting into the eBook market—AS LONG AS—they do it the right way with the correct brand and global distribution. The major publishers will eventually attempt to influence the market as they do with print titles and will do everything they can to dominate and eliminate competition. Small category publishers who have been around for fifty years are still holding space on shelves due to their longevity and ability to hang on. If they were new publishers today trying to gain a foothold in the market with print books their chances of survival would be slim at best.
Don’t make a digital mistake that you may have made in print, select your publisher wisely, be concerned about the level of production, become part of a quality group of authors and not just another name on a list. Digital publishing will eventually focus on the “perception” of the product and the independent author will improve their chances at success by making wise decisions today. If you have questions about digital product or the market for eBooks, please send an email Jerry@WritersReaders.com and let me help you navigate the process.
Non-traditional or Specialty Publishing
By Jerry D. Simmons | May 6th, 2010 | 1 Comment » (Click to add yours!)
There is a market for books outside the mainstream mass market and bookstore chains and that is called specialty publishing often referred to as non-traditional book sales. Although this market exists, penetration in large quantities is difficult. Most niche publishers target this market and aggressively pursue sales by developing relationships with customers and creating product specifically for that market. That is the most established form of specialty book sales.
Unfortunately there are programs available to independent authors that charge fees for presentation of a book by a thousand plus sales force which in reality means nothing. This form of direct sales rarely results in actual copies being sold and is only successful at separating the author from their money. If you are interested in pursuing this form of direct sales for your title please email with questions and I’ll gladly assist you. Specialty publishing is not the answer to poor book sales and in the end, it may very well be another disappointment.
Publishing is easy, selling books is difficult. For authors who understand the market and the business behind the book, they have a much better chance at being successful by utilizing the power of the information they possess to their full advantage. This web site was created as a free information resource for unpublished writers and authors. The key is understanding how the pieces fit and where you and your writing can make an impact. It’s not rocket science.
Print is One Option
By Jerry D. Simmons | April 28th, 2010 | No Comments » (Click to add yours!)
The business of publishing and distributing books into retail booksellers is overrun with problems for independent authors and small publishers. Not only do the large NY corporate companies control the marketplace but they force retail bookstores to pressure the little guys into paying fees for placement, in-store appearances and even nondescript and unrelated promotions. Since the retailer’s inventory is basically subsidized by the largest publisher they have little choice.
Every author wants a print book and that is certainly understandable. The public at this point in time is enamored with print. However, if you cannot access the market and gain space in bookstores you will have a tough time of marketing successfully. Nothing is impossible and anything can happen if you follow the Book Industry Standard rules for production. But the mountain is a bit steeper to climb when your hands are tied behind your back.
Print is but one publishing format, audio is another and the most promising is the eBook. That market is expanding rapidly and the opportunities for growth and exposure to booksellers is uninhibited for independent authors and small publishers. Every author who has a print title should also have an eBook. If you hope to capitalize on the market potential, the time to act is now.
Can eBook Sellers Control the Market?
By Jerry D. Simmons | April 26th, 2010 | No Comments » (Click to add yours!)
It would be a momentous leap from where we are today to a point where Apple and Amazon or any other online seller of digital content might possibly be in control of the bookselling market. Certainly anything is possible, but in this case not likely. Amazon has been working toward vertical integration from some time. They want to control all content by turning themselves into a publisher who can distribute and sell products to consumers without the need for outside assistance of any kind. That scenario is not only possible but could happen at some point but creating a dominant position capable of controlling the publishing market is a stretch.
Apple on the other hand doesn’t seem interested in controlling the publishing market, they simply want to be the best at what they do and create products that consumers want to buy. Producing electronic devices that consumer’s want places Apple in a position of supplying both the device as well as the content that goes into it, such as music for the iPod and eBooks for the iPad. The big publishers in New York are still in control and even though they are at the mercy of booksellers who distribute and sell their products they ultimately control the flow of content which in turn the booksellers must have to be profitable. It is doubtful that Amazon or Apple if they wanted could duplicate the process that book publishers have mastered over eighty years.
Marketing the Brand
By Jerry D. Simmons | April 20th, 2010 | No Comments » (Click to add yours!)
Early indications in the eBook market are that brand marketing is working. In the print business the author is the brand and typically that means bestselling authors with huge audiences that sell millions of copies. Not so in the digital world, it appears that brands are selling for category titles.
When thinking of brands, consider THE DUMMIES SERIES, or CHICKEN SOUP and even HARLEQUIN BOOKS. Those are brands which have worked in the print business, but beyond that Wiley has never been able to create a brand for their notable business titles and neither has Tor for Science Fiction/Fantasy.
Paying attention to market movement of titles by category is important and will provide a huge boost to authors within the INDI Publishing Group Global Distribution Program for eBooks and Audiobooks. If you have not considered converting your manuscript to digital format, now is the time. Send me an email for more information.
Early eBook Lessons
By Jerry D. Simmons | April 19th, 2010 | No Comments » (Click to add yours!)
Seems the small and niche publishers that were early adopters to the eBook market have run into some trouble. Sources have told me that many who tried to short cut the conversion process from manuscript to eBook have been unsuccessful in the download to eReading device. This error voids the sale and after a number of successive failures the online catalogs cancel the titles causing problems.
As with any relatively hot, new market there are tons of web sites and individuals offering discounts on converting manuscript to eBook. The problems are these quick and easy, let’s make a buck, fly by night schemes do nothing more than separate authors from their money. It is an unfortunate part of being an independent author, the fastest and cheapest is usually not the best.
If you want to get your manuscript converted into a marketable eBook with global distribution then let me help you. The process is not difficult as long as you have credible sources that can provide a service for a reasonable fee. The market for eBooks is only going to get bigger and the authors that succeed are the ones that team up with a reliable source for distribution. Learn the early lessons and be part of the best.
Access to Booksellers
By Jerry D. Simmons | April 13th, 2010 | 3 Comments » (Click to add yours!)
In the world of publishing, if your book does not have access to booksellers then the prospects for sales are handicapped. If you have a book printed by one of the POD companies then you have no access or distribution. They will tell you that you have distribution through Ingram or Baker & Taylor but they never explain what that actually means in terms of access.
If your book is listed in the databases of either of the two accounts mentioned then anyone interested in buying your book can special order from a bookstore and have a copy shipped to them for purchase. When this happens the bookstore orders from either Ingram or Baker & Taylor since neither will stock your title due to the fact it is a POD book. So the reader wants to buy a copy and the bookstore orders from the distributor who in term orders from the printer/publisher. This is what is referred to as having your book “available” for sale and does not provide the author with “access” to booksellers.
The reason you have no access is because publishing with the POD companies gives booksellers a negative perception about the quality of your writing since none of these companies utilize editorial control over the content they publish. This is why booksellers refuse to stock any title published by a POD printer. Keep in mind, without access to booksellers provided by a publisher with a positive perception in the market, you are handicapped in selling your book.
Book Expo America
By Jerry D. Simmons | April 5th, 2010 | 1 Comment » (Click to add yours!)
Soon the largest book showcase in the world will take place, Book Expo America, also referred to as BEA. For anyone planning to attend, let me provide you with some ideas on how to maximize your time and experience. Two years ago I was interviewed about Book Expo and the entire text is below.
1) For those who are reading this who don’t know what BEA is, can you explain what it is?
Book Expo America is the annual showcase for the largest publishers in the world. It’s a place where companies rent booth space to display their goods and services. The convention hall includes publishers and related businesses both large and small that offer products and services to industry professionals directly or indirectly related to the industry.
2) Someone reading this might wonder? Why would I attend BEA? Do you think it benefits anyone in publishing to go to an event like this and if so, why?
If you’ve never attended it is fun to attend at least once just to get a feel for what the bigger world of publishing is all about. Depending on your particular situation either as an author or business person, it is the one place where all related companies gather to display their offerings so if you want to see what the industry is all about and how you or your business might fit, it’s worth the visit. Book Expo can be as much or as little as you want out of it, but if you derive your revenue from books, publishing, or anything related, you should attend at least once.
3) Can you explain the set up of BEA? It seems that the big 6 New York publishers are always taking center stage of this event, is that true? Is it a case of “whoever can throw the most money at this event gets the biggest booth”? Or is BEA generally a primary focus of corporate publishing?
BEA is focused around the six big publishers, no doubt, without them the BEA would hold little relevance to the general public. As it stands today, the media is interested simply because of the celebrity authors and future bestsellers that are on display. Each of these big companies may spend well in excess of $1 million on this show so it is a big deal for them and they spend a lot of time in New York preparing.
Booth placement is key for this show and the sponsors do the best they can to make everyone happy. Size of the booth is indicative of how much money the sponsors are receiving from the big publishers. Having attended more than 20 I would have to say that the BEA as it now stands is as much representative of corporate publishing as anything else.
4) So, let’s say I’m a small publisher looking for more exposure for my books. How would I strategize BEA to my best advantage?
For small publishers BEA becomes a necessity to attract the kind of attention it takes to build your business and sell books. If you are small and do not attend, then industry wide you are not seen as a “player” in the publishing business. The best way to strategize if you are a small publisher is to make sure your booth reflects who you are or who you want to be as a publisher. You have to promote your company to the industry, such as agents, authors, and other publishers. It’s important for you to put forth the perception that you publish quality product and are serious about your own development as a company. The BEA is the place where you have an opportunity to capture the attention of the bigger players regardless of their area of expertise. This is especially true if your books rarely get reviewed in the traditional media and if you are not based in Manhattan.
5) As a small publisher, what’s my best plan of attack? How should I prepare for this event?
The first thing you have to do is make sure you have developed an image you want to portray to the industry. If your focus is quality fiction then you need to have large images of your covers, with free and review copies available, and complete marketing plans, including promotion, publicity and advertising. You have to mimic what the big publishers are doing which gives the impression you can compete even if you are on a smaller scale.
6) If I’m a vendor, looking to acquire more business. Let’s say I’m a publicist or marketing person…why would I want to go to this event and how could it benefit me?
The first thing I would do is walk the halls and get the lay of the land, in other words, where are the big publishers located and what are all the other booths about. It’s one thing to read the BEA catalog or read Publishers Weekly for the convention layout, it’s quite another to walk the hall to see for yourself what each of these businesses are all about. The employees of all the big companies constantly walk the halls looking at their competition, and not just the big publisher booths, but the entire hall.
As a vendor trying to acquire more business, I’d gather as much free information in the form of handouts as you can possible carry, including catalogs from everyone. I would also gather as many business cards as you can and shake hands and speak with as many people as you can meet. Then at night in your hotel pour over all of this information looking for opportunities. I’d pick up as much competitive information as possible and then use this information in acquiring more business.
7) As an author, how could BEA impact my career? How could BEA help me?
Depending on where you are in your writing career attending a BEA for the first time should open your eyes to the possibilities. The books you see from the biggest publishers could easily have been written by you, it‘s all about understanding the market, positioning your manuscript, having knowledge of what the big guys are looking for, how they purchase rights to publish books, and then knowing how to market yourself as an author. As you walk the hall you will get a sense of just how big the industry, how serious you need to approach your writing, and how extremely important it is to know how the business operates. The books you see in the catalogs of the big publishes are no more talented than you, but they know something about the business and how to market themselves and their writing. If you’re serious about a career as a writer, you can learn what you need to know to be successful by keeping your eyes open and developing your plan.
Eight) As someone who’s attended many of these events, what are some insider tips you can share about event networking and attracting new business at an event of this magnatitude?
The idea that you can walk into any booth and make a cold call on an editor, publisher or any business and accomplish something is the easiest way to be seen as an amateur. When that happens no one will take you seriously. The BEA is not the place to try and transact business, it’s the place to meet people that will hopefully allow you to transact business in the future. The only way for anything to get accomplished at BEA is to have established some contact prior to the show and then set an appointment to meet during the show. That is the only way. Dropping in on people and sticking your hand out with a business card is the quickest way to ruin what reputation you might have established.
9) Many people say that “deals are made at Book Expo” but is that true, are there deals made on the event floor?
The biggest deals the largest publishers make is international rights transactions. I can’t say that deals are never done on the floor, but if there are, then BEA is the end point, not the beginning. Discussions are held that lead to business being conducted, but rarely do agents and authors, service and product vendors initiate contact at BEA that result in business being conducted at that moment. The atmosphere is more festive and most executives hate to have serious discussions on the floor. BEA is the place for introductions, exchanging of information, but not serious business.
10) As an service prodivor, publisher, or author – what are some things to look for in book placement, catalog placement, or promotional piece that might clue me into new trends, or vendors one might want to connect with…
First of all depending on the product or service you provide, you need to scope out the competition. Who else is offering the same and how are they presenting themselves to the public. This is very important. If you are looking for opportunities from publishers catalogs, look for books that are similar to ones you have worked on in the past. Particularly check out the marketing of these titles and make a mental note on those which you have something to offer that is new and exciting for the publisher.
If you are a small publisher again, take note of the competition. Publishing is about perception, compare your presentation to your competitive publishers. Does your catalog compare? What about your marketing plans? Prices? Page counts? What are they doing different? The goal is to figure out how to compete effectively.
As an author, there are tons of free and review copies available on the floor of the big publishers at all times, these are the titles they are heavily promoting. Pick them up and read them, this is what is selling today, compare the story, not the writing and pay attention to what publishers are doing to promote their books. Regardless of how you publish, there are plenty of marketing ideas floating around, right in front of your eyes, pay attention because chances are you can take those ideas back home and use them.
11) What type of information gathering do you recommend someone do prior to the event? What’s the best way to prepare for Book Expo?
Remember, the BEA is not the place to transact business, it’s the place to meet people who you can eventually do business with. It’s okay to have a plan on how you want to tour the hall, especially if your time is limited. But the best preparation is hunting and gathering as I’ve discussed before. The BEA has plenty of information to share, take advantage of the free offering in one location, and it happens only once per year.
The best way to prepare for a BEA is REST! Attending a BEA can be exhausting, go in with your eyes open and don’t let the show overwhelm you. It can be daunting to walk in and see all the huge displays and walk away feeling like your lost. This is the place to see what’s going on in the world of publishing. I tell my clients that the bookstore is their laboratory, where they can find out what’s being published and how books are being marketed. If the bookstore is your lab, the BEA is the PhD program for students of the business. There is a lot to learn and much you can gather at a BEA.
As a final note, let me share with you what the Independent Bookstores around the country are looking for when they attend BEA. There are searching for non-book product that is compatible with their store and shows promise of selling. They are not looking for books. Yes of course they drop by the big publishers booths and visit but they rarely make appointments. If they do, they typically are promoting their stores to the publicity department asking for more author events. For those book professionals BEA is not all about the books, but the industry as a whole.
If you have questions about any of the answers please send an email Jerry@WritersReaders.com.
How to Sell More Books
By Jerry D. Simmons | March 26th, 2010 | No Comments » (Click to add yours!)
There’s a ton of information on the subject of publishing books. Through all the rhetoric, articles and blogs, the question remains: how does an author sell more books? In my opinion there are three very important considerations—price, package and distribution.
Cover prices on all books (hardcover, paper and now eBooks) published by the NY companies are set for one very distinct reason: to generate billing in a time when single copy sales are declining. Higher cover prices make up for the sin of paying undeserving authors higher-than- necessary advances. For those who are in control of their own destiny and publish independently, there is no reason why your book should be priced higher than those you find in bookstores. If your publisher is forcing these higher prices on your book then you need to find another publisher. The rule of thumb is price as aggressively as you can. Sometimes print editions make that difficult but certainly with eBooks you can. Pricing aggressively means undercutting the competition on cover price as much as possible.
For all the faults of the big New York publishers the one thing they get right is packaging. They understand how to effectively package a book. Covers and copy are paramount to selling books. Get it wrong and your book could fail in the marketplace, regardless of how great the writing, story or message. If your book does not fit in with all other categories of books you find in bookstores then refocus your attention to how to properly package your book. Before you make mistakes you might consider consulting a professional for advice.
Finally, the best price and package means absolutely nothing if you do not have direct access to the market via a professional sales force presenting, selling and distributing your book. This is especially true for print and even more so for eBooks. Sorry, but without distribution, you will not get the exposure or sales you need to generate the kind of attention your book requires to gain traction—defined as having the ability to backlist and reorder on a continual basis.
It’s really simple…write a great story, price according to the market, package with distinction yet fit into a specific category or genre, and gain access to the market via complete distribution. These are the keys to improving your chances of selling more books.
