Why Books Do Not Sell
By Jerry D. Simmons | November 17th, 2010 | 1 Comment » (Click to add yours!)
When you ask any experienced publisher why a new title by an unknown author was unsuccessful in the market they can give you plenty of reasons but ask why a similar title was successful and the answers are few and far between. The truth is that publishers rarely know why a new title is successful, certainly there are always components that work but timing plays a role and no one can accurately predict when the time is right to publish.
Most titles are unsuccessful for a handful of reasons—overpriced, bad market timing, unidentifiable package, poorly written, poorly edited and lack of appropriate marketing are the most common reasons. For the independent author is could be all of the above plus the method in which the title was produced and published. The marketplace for book sales is a tough one and one misstep can result in bad or nonexistent sales.
Under the very best of circumstance book sales are unpredictable, combine that with a print-on-demand production process with a combination of bad decisions and the result is highly predictable. Failure to market is the single biggest reason why books fail to sell copies. Marketing a book is a difficult process and the only way to maximize the opportunities for any title is to work with a professional.
Self-marketing without consulting an expert is tantamount to sailing around the world without experience in a boat. You won’t lose your life with a bad book but you can certainly put a hit on your wallet and sacrifice hours treading water. The price of a consult is much less expensive than any product or service you can buy. Starting with a basic consult will save money as well as time.
Content is all that Matters
By Jerry D. Simmons | November 16th, 2010 | No Comments » (Click to add yours!)
The day you sign that first publishing contract recognize that your publisher is not in love with you, but your writing. The content you create on a consistent basis that keeps readers turning pages is all that matters. You can do that from an island paradise or your basement office, at the south Pacific or Toledo, it’s all irrelevant. Content drives the bus, you are a back seat passenger, and your writing creates the revenue stream.
Once you complete that first manuscript and move on to the next step in the publishing process do not waste all of your time marketing and promoting your first work, begin writing your second and third. Once the first is off the computer and into the hands of professionals handling your publication the sooner you will need a follow-up. New writers without a few manuscript ideas ready to complete, submit and publish are seen as authors with less than stellar value. The more you have in the pipeline to publish the better.
The business of publishing centers around books to be published, if computers could write bestsellers you better believe these big companies would be the first in line to sign them up. The author is secondary, your book comes first. You are a commodity and as long as you can submit consistent, predictable writing that has the potential to sell in incrementally greater numbers year after year the greater your value. Writers that can achieve that are the gold standard, they are the ones you never hear about but who earn a substantial living as an author.
Writing Comes First
By Jerry D. Simmons | November 15th, 2010 | No Comments » (Click to add yours!)
Many times first time writers approach me with questions about marketing, publishing and even distribution before their manuscript is complete. There is nothing wrong with asking the questions but the answers would be for purposes of educating them about the business and not taking direct immediate action. Preparation is important, learning more about the marketplace and business of publishing is highly recommended but the writing always comes first.
Once the writing is complete and editing in progress, that would be the time to have a preliminary discussion about the next step. Once the revising and rewriting is complete and the manuscript is ready to go, then is the time to launch into the next phase. However that next phase is dependent on the personal goals for the writer and whether or not the manuscript is strong enough to meet those goals.
Final marketing, publishing and distribution decisions are highly dependent on the strength of the writing, genre and current market conditions. It might mean writing the query letter and shopping to agents or making independent publishing decisions. However none of that should happen before the manuscript is complete, done, over and finished. I’m all for getting an early start but not too early, the writing comes first.
Creating Author Value
By Jerry D. Simmons | November 12th, 2010 | No Comments » (Click to add yours!)
Writers produce value in three ways: first, they create marketable content that moves the reader from page to page; second they have an ability to generate publicity through their platform namely their personality, background and writing; third they are able to deliver a product that sells consistently and predictably over the course of several years. The rest is fluff!
Writers value their work and that is understandable but at some point reality needs to set in and they must understand they are producing a product to be marketed and sold. That product has value, the writer is a commodity. There are tons of writers that can produce valued content however the market is only so big. It can accommodate only so many books. There is not an unlimited market for quality content.
As the business transitions the model under which publishers can work will change. There is little time now to nurture authors who need their hand held through the tough times. Resources are limited and the new publishing model will require authors to have a basic understanding of the market. There will be no more hand holding or nurturing through poor sales. Start now, learn the market, and get smart about your business or else you will be destined to become a former author.
Bookstore Evolution
By Jerry D. Simmons | November 5th, 2010 | No Comments » (Click to add yours!)
Every day it seems there are more and more bookstores, chains and independents, which have fallen victim to the bad economic times and are closing their doors. The interesting fact is that retail book sales are going full circle in the transition of publishing and evolution of the retail sector.
Bookstores started as small independent stores offering new titles to locals and regular customers. Over time the big chain stores launched to massive inventories and larger than life shelves stocked with every imaginable title. These became a publishers dream come true. As times have changed so has the impact of the mega store. No longer are sales growing or inventory turning, the retail sector has evolved.
As the mega chain bookstore diminishes in importance the small independent bookstore that has managed to survive is finding a new audience that prefers local shopping to spending money in big corporate stores. It appears the next step for the retail bookstore will be the disappearance of the chain store and the emergence of the smaller boutique shops where consumers are willing to pay the higher prices for the latest hardcover.
Publishing is truly in a transition from print to digital and the retail bookstore has come full circle—from small independent to large mega chain store back to the small independent. In the final analysis this may actually grow book sales, let’s all hope that more people start reading.
Print Versus Digital
By Jerry D. Simmons | November 4th, 2010 | No Comments » (Click to add yours!)
This is a question I get most often—why do I need an eBook when I have a print book? The answer is because it provides you with an entirely new market. An eBook is nothing more than a new format for your writing, much the same as a hardcover is a different format from a trade or mass paperback. Different formats provide new audiences since some eBook readers are not print readers and vice versa. If you must choose one over the other at the moment the eBook has advantages in open markets and distribution while the print does not.
The same concerns for eBooks exist as they do for print, mainly you must create a professional product that is packaged, priced and positioned for the market. There are already tons of companies offering low priced everything for eBooks and the same principles that hold true for print hold true for digital—buyer beware! In publishing you never want to rush and you absolutely never want to buy on price. In addition you must be knowledgeable about who is handling your content. Are they reputable? Were they recommended? Do you know anyone that has used the services of the company or person? Do they have a contact number in case of problems? Are they located in the US? And the list goes on and on. Due your research, network, and trust the company or individual handling your writing.
Book Reviews and Awards
By Jerry D. Simmons | October 14th, 2010 | 1 Comment » (Click to add yours!)
One of the best ways of gaining notice for your writing is through book reviews and awards. However just like anything else you can go overboard. After receiving half dozen reviews your maximum potential will have been reached. There is no need to continue with another dozen or more, it’s a waste. After the first couple of reviews if you are not getting the acclaim you hoped then there is no reason to continue. It has been my experience that reviewers tend to think alike so a good review rarely becomes a great review.
Book awards are similar but again, you can go overboard. Entering contests where the fee is more than one hundred dollars in hopes of winning first place makes no sense if you’ve never achieved more than an honorable mention. Face the fact that your book is good but not great and it may not be first place potential. That does not mean you will not sell copies, it simply means that someone somewhere felt other titles were better.
Timing always plays a part in reviews and contests. Any reviewer who just read a fantastic novel and follows with your book will only compare you to the great writer and the rest is self explanatory. Same for awards, you might just enter a contest in a year when there were dozens of really good books and your novel may not have made grade. It is part of the business and in no way takes away from what you have achieved—writing a book you are proud of. Keep writing, the more you write the better you will become.
Publishing Transformation
By Jerry D. Simmons | October 13th, 2010 | 1 Comment » (Click to add yours!)
There is a transformation in the future for the publishing industry. The retail sector, especially the major bookstore chains are under intense financial pressure due to falling sales. The beginning of this debacle started more than a decade ago but the smartest people in publishing are just now catching on. If the major bookstores close their doors then a major shift will occur on the retail side of publishing.
This will impact the business model the major companies operate under and will give birth to a major transformation in publishing. For writers this means two things: (1) content is now and will always remain king so the more content you create the better, and (2) not only will major publishers give strong consideration to the marketability of the title and author but to the level of publishing knowledge the author possesses. The reason is evident, they cannot afford the time or resources to hold the hands of worrisome authors.
If you have not started to school yourself in the basics of how the business operates it would be a good idea to get going. There is plenty of information available but only one book. I know because I wrote it and now sell it at this web site exclusively. You need to understand what goes on behind the scenes and how you as an author can help your publisher sell books. It’s not difficult but important, as much as reading your category competition and visiting bookstores (while they exist) on a regular basis. It is the market knowledge you need as well as a good personality and professionally edited content.
The Importance of Having Access to the Market
By Jerry D. Simmons | October 12th, 2010 | 3 Comments » (Click to add yours!)
Imagine for a moment you bought a new car for your family and wanted to take it out for a spin. As you head down the street of your neighborhood you notice the roads to the main city streets are blocked and you have no way of getting to the grocery or pharmacy, your access is blocked. Then you discover that your particular model of car has been restricted to the local streets of your neighborhood and nothing further. This is the same problem authors have when they publish and lack access to the market. You are destined to driving the back streets.
Certainly you can walk to the grocery or drug store, which will take longer and you may encounter bad weather. Walking long distances can also create other problems but eventually you may get to where you want to go. Certainly the lack of transportation is a problem if you hope of moving beyond your local neighborhood and venturing out to another city or state. The time and effort required to get to your final destination may be beyond your capability. You have a perfectly good car in the garage but have limited access to the services you need for your family.
Distribution or access to the market for published content is key to having any opportunity at selling significant quantities of your work. Publishers that utilize the print-on-demand model may provide you with a car, but it will be restricted to back roads. The major booksellers will never allow your POD book in their stores. This is limited access to the market and a major problem that most self-published authors face in today’s marketplace. The same scenario holds true for eBooks. A simple PDF file is great for downloading to another computer but in the real market for eBooks, again, you are limiting yourself to the back roads.
If your published work is not allowed direct access to booksellers via direct sales to book buyers working for those booksellers, your chances of becoming a successful author is handicapped. Distribution comes in two forms: access and availability. Here is a description of each.
(1)Access to the market is described as a sales group or distribution company selling your title to book buyers of established and recognized booksellers for the purpose of ordering quantities for their stores or catalogs. These titles are often stocked for quick and easy fulfillment and placement onto store shelves and online catalogs.
(2)Availability means your book title is being entered into a database with the millions of other book titles making it available for sale should a consumer walk into a bookseller and special order. This is the type of distribution used by the print-on-demand companies which in essence is not distribution or access to the market.
The same process is at work for digital content in the form of eBooks and Audiobooks via MP3 files. The biggest difference is that print book distributors are heavily influenced, subsidized and dependent on the major print book publishers. In the digital field that is not the case, at least not yet, digital distributors have no dependence on the biggest publishers. This makes distribution of digital content much more accessible for the independent author.
Regardless of whether you decide to publish in print or eBook format, without access to booksellers you cannot sell significant quantities of your work. Whether the seller is a brick and mortar store or an online retailer, library or school, if you do not have the ability to expand your readership through access to those that actively market and sell product then your audience may forever remain small.
My recommendation for authors is they consider all formats for their published work: trade print, eBook and Audiobook. At this time the market for the eBook has tremendous opportunities for the independent author over either of the remaining two formats.
The market for publishing is changing rapidly and in order for authors to maximize their opportunities and in turn their potential, they must stay informed. The difficulty with the print market has been obvious for many years yet we all tend to think of print when discussing publishing. The business of printing books and shipping to booksellers is anachronistic and outdated way of thinking. As the market for print continues to decline the barriers to entry continue to grow. Not the case with eBooks.
The digital marketplace is new, vibrant and growing rapidly. With over 760,000 new print titles being published each year compared to 50,000 eBook titles the competition is less and access to the market is open and available. The window of opportunity for any new market is small and the time for eBook publishing is today.
How to Convert Your Manuscript to an eBook
By Jerry D. Simmons | October 12th, 2010 | 4 Comments » (Click to add yours!)
The eBook market is exploding with the introduction of the Apple iPad and now Google is making plans for a competitive eReading device. The time to enter the market with your own eBook is now! The process is simple, there is only one step required to convert a manuscript into an eBook.
Have your manuscript converted from its original Word document into the style formats of the leading eReading devices by a professional eBook formatter. There is no need to worry about margins or page numbers, an eBook will be formatted to fit a particular style compatible with a multitude of market leading electronic reading devices.
The reading devices that are on the market today require that eBooks available for download must be compatible with the formatting style adopted by that particular eReading device such as the Sony Reader or iPad from Apple. Currently there are over nine various formatting styles that fit a wide assortment of eReading devices. Unfortunately the industry at this point has not agreed upon a universal formatting style compatible for all eBook readers.
Do-It-Yourself formatting is possible, however, if you are not familiar with the various styles for eReaders then it is not recommended you attempt the conversion on your own. If your eBook is not properly formatted to fit the particular style of eReader then the consumer will not be able to download to their device and the potential sale would be voided. This is an obvious problem for the author and eventually will result in your eBook being eliminated from the online catalogs of all retailers. The cost of converting a word document to the top formatting styles is inexpensive compared to the time and frustration of trying it on your own.
Professional formatters who have experience with these styles make the process simple and inexpensive. The cost of converting a manuscript into an eBook is dependent on the length and various components of a manuscript. The price more than compensates for the potential problems you may encounter if you attempt to convert on your own and lose sales.
In addition to the professional formatting of your Word document the other consideration is that your cover be easily read and identified by category on a computer screen. If your title is not easily recognizable by the category from which you write and easily understood by title and sub-title you stand a very good chance of missing a sale. Considering working with a professional who can guide you on how to properly price, package and maximize the marketability of your title.
In some cases the original print cover may need only a slight variation in font, color or style. In other cases an entirely new design may be necessary. Since eBook covers are not as demanding from a consumer standpoint as a printed cover, prices are much less expensive. The visual component of your eBook cover as viewed on a computer screen is critical to your success.
Once your original manuscript in a Word document has been converted to the top eBook style formats and cover is evaluated online, you will have a marketable eBook ready for distribution. Demand for the top professional formatters is high and most word documents can be converted within 30 days, in some cases that may run into 60 days. It all depends on the demand at the time the submission is made. The total cost of converting a simple Word document containing your manuscript into a marketable eBook with a complete new cover design will be a fraction of the cost of a similar print comparison.
The eBook market is growing rapidly, the time for the independent author to take advantage of the opportunities is now. An eBook provides unpublished writers and published authors with a new market for selling content. An eBook is a new format for publication with a completely different audience. These are but two of the advantages that independent authors have when creating an eBook.
