Trust in Publishing
By Jerry D. Simmons | January 17th, 2012 | No Comments » (Click to add yours!)
When consumers make a book purchase they are placing their trust in the hands of the author and not the publisher. Most independent bookstores over the years have refused placement of independently published books because they feared the quality of the writing would be less than acceptable, and this reflects negatively on them. Certainly this is not true of all such books but the perception overall is negative. The only way to overcome this is to improve the minimum standards of all independently published titles.
Many large publishing companies have been guilty of marketing bad books but overall the writing quality is much better than the average independently published title. To restore consumers trust in independent authors they need to improve the editing of their work and begin the process of raising the standard in the industry. Good independent books exist but are rarely discovered simply because the marketplace has developed an overall negative market perception.
The author is the brand, never the publisher. Consumers who purchase your book(s) are customers. Bad writing reflects on the author, not the publisher, and will forever be linked to that person. It is time for writers to accept responsibility for the work they produce and focus on the quality of their writing. The reading public deserves the ability to trust that the books being published are well written, well edited, quality titles. Any published book is in essence a recommendation of that author and the consumer should be able to trust the quality of the writing in every published title.
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.
Optimistic About Books
By Jerry D. Simmons | October 15th, 2010 | No Comments » (Click to add yours!)
I’m a lover of books and writers. From the time I was a child the ability to escape to a magical world of words set the tone for the rest of my life. However I’m not a fan of big publishers simply because over the past three decades they have shredded the fabric of the market for books and writers. It is time to move toward a new approach and I’m hopeful that is what we are on the verge of seeing, a new movement in publishing.
There was a time when the business focused on books and building the career of writers. Unfortunately with the takeover by large corporate media giants that mission changed and as a result many great books and even greater writers never got the chance to become published. It is possible the world may have missed the opportunity at the next great American writer, we just don’t know. My call is for writers everywhere to take a new approach to their publishing habits and get back to producing quality content.
I’m an advocate for writers, plain and simple. My background and experience has given me a tremendous opportunity to share what I know with writers around the world. I can honestly say that publishing, in any format, without professional editing is a sin against the reading community. Too many writers are quick to publish without seeking the proper guidance and advice of an editor. The publishing world is drowning in bad writing, bad books and just bad publishing. It’s time to stop before we give the world the impression that Americans are just bad wordsmiths.
Anything is Possible
By Jerry D. Simmons | May 21st, 2010 | 1 Comment » (Click to add yours!)
There is no easy road to becoming a successful author. Successful is defined as the ability of one to make a living writing. Anything beyond that takes talent, a lot of luck, timing and following the proper steps to publishing success. Paying tens of thousands of dollars to have an aggressive promoter provide you with a special “success package” that includes seminars, workshops, personal coaching and messages from bestselling authors will only drain your pocketbook and not get you closer to publishing success.
There are no secrets and never any shortcuts! Having spent more than two decades in the New York publishing world I can honestly say that many great writers with terrific books never achieved publishing success even though their publisher spent hundreds of thousands of dollars and let out all the stops to try. It’s neither easy nor quick to become a successful author and sitting down in front of a large crowd of people who all paid a lot of money to listen to how anyone can become a bestselling author is totally bogus.
Anything is possible, if a writer will practice their craft by writing lots and lots of material. Hire a professional editor to help them become a better writer. Focus on becoming the best writer you can be. Don’t fall for get rich quick schemes and never let your dream die. Publishing is a highly competitive business and there are over one million new titles published each year. If you do the right things including reading and researching competitive titles and authors, you have as good a chance as any to be the one who becomes the next big bestselling author.
Editorial Critique
By Jerry D. Simmons | May 20th, 2010 | 2 Comments » (Click to add yours!)
Once you have finished writing, the manuscript is not quite complete. Before you make decisions on the next step, it is very important to get an editorial critique. There are a variety of ways to publish and the best course is following your heart and make every attempt at achieving your goal. Don’t let friends or fellow writers discourage you from your dream. However, you should submit your writing to an objective professional who can give you honest feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of your manuscript.
Searching for an agent with a weak manuscript will be wasted time and energy. The manuscript is not complete until you have a professional editor read for feedback and critique your writing. Once the critique is complete you can self-edit to the best of your ability before attempting that next step in the publishing process. If your choice is to publish on your own, then spending money on production and marketing with a less than stellar manuscript will result in bad word of mouth which can be disastrous for sales.
Every publisher worries about content and whether they have packaged and priced the product correctly followed by a focused marketing campaign. But all is for naught if the writing is poor, the story doesn’t flow, dialogue is shoddy and the characters are not fully developed. Publishing companies cannot sell a poorly written book anymore than they can sell great literary writing; it has to be a good story or message written in a manner that is pleasing to the consumer. Who better to help make that decision that an objective professional editor. Consider a critique; it’s the next logical step after you have finished your writing.
Hopes, Dreams & Reality
By Jerry D. Simmons | May 10th, 2010 | 1 Comment » (Click to add yours!)
Anything is possible in publishing, dream big but follow a few simple rules. First: write your own story and never worry about a potentially hot category or bestselling style of another writer. Second: seek professional editorial help, someone you are comfortable with who can challenge you to be a better writer. Third: follow your publishing dreams and find a way to make it happen. There are no secrets, it takes hard work, lots of time and don’t give up attitude.
If you dream of being a bestselling author then recognize the fact that talent is required. Believe in yourself and your writing but don’t spend foolishly, you cannot buy your way to a bestseller list, there are entirely too many people that will take advantage of you if you let them. There are never any guarantees in publishing so don’t listen to the sales pitch and never invest money in marketing unless you completely and totally understand how what you are getting makes a positive difference in the market. If all else fails seek professional guidance from someone with experience that can answer your questions.
Publishing is an extremely competitive business and selling books successfully is difficult. If you follow the rules, make smart decisions about how you publish and spend on marketing then you have as much a chance of realizing your dreams as anyone. Mistakes could ruin your chances as well as cause you to spend money unnecessarily. Consider investing in a publishing expert for guidance. You are only a first time author once and you only launch a new title one time. Make the most of your opportunity and who knows what might happen?
Write Your Own Story
By Jerry D. Simmons | April 9th, 2010 | 1 Comment » (Click to add yours!)
Many times I attend writer’s conferences and am asked about the market for a specific genre or sub-genre, as though current sales would be reason enough to invest time in writing for that category. This is the wrong approach, writers must write their own story in their own words. The background, experience and life history of each writer is what brings that uniqueness to their work and separates them from all other writers.
Writers should not try and emulate another writer’s style, chapter length, or characterization. Writers need to write their own story and not worry about the market, sales potential or whether their characters fit the times. These are questions for your editor and every writer, regardless of their success level must utilize the skills of an editor.
Rarely can any writer copy the exact style of a bestselling author and their attempt is highlighted by their inadequate storyline which often times makes the work not publishable. Writers should be inspired by the craft and encouraged by their ability to tell a story or share a message. Publishing is not about great writing, it’s about good storytelling.
Book Marketing
By Jerry D. Simmons | April 8th, 2010 | No Comments » (Click to add yours!)
Marketing your printed or digital book is not easy; in fact it is hard work and takes lots of time. The one thing about independent publishing that disturbs me is the large number of people who claim to be experts and sell marketing products and services that are worthless in the real world of book publishing.
The latest are these companies that offer quick and easy marketing plans with “stellar guaranteed results,” which is not possible and in the end you would be sorely disappointed in the results. These plans will not get you the audience or sales that you pay for. In fact, you could design a marketing plan yourself if you read and do your homework. There is plenty of material at this web site to get your started.
After investing countless hours writing your manuscript don’t cut corners on editorial, production or marketing. Not if you hope to become successful and sell copies of your book. If you do not have faith in the quality of your work then don’t publish. If you are not willing to utilize the skills of professionals to help you achieve some level of success then keep writing and delay publishing. We need to separate the dedicated, quality writers of independent titles from everyone else.
Decide what you hope to achieve as an author and then follow the rules to quality book publishing. By the way, successful book marketing takes time!
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.
Writing and Editing
By Jerry D. Simmons | April 2nd, 2010 | No Comments » (Click to add yours!)
Have you ever wondered why we write? I’ve never considered myself a writer, but I do get enjoyment out of putting words on paper. I’ve written one book with plans for updating and revising, and am penning a new one. The work is daunting and I struggle with words. Thankfully I have a friend who helps with my editing.
I’ve spent my entire working life in publishing and it wasn’t until I started writing that I realized the importance of a good editor. I’m fortunate in that I have worked with many great editors in New York. But I never quite realized how important they were to the success of publishing in general. I hate to say that they were often taken for granted.
Without editors and their objective yet caring and professional set of eyes, I’m afraid many words and sentences just wouldn’t be as clear as they become after the work of a great editor. I’m partial to editors, because their skills and ability clear up my own words. If you have a good editor, then thank them, if you don’t, then find one. Writing and editing go hand-in-hand. For those who believe editors change the meaning of your writing, then all I can say is, you aren’t working with the right editor.
