Category: self publishing news

from the archives, Kelly Speaks, self publishing news, Uncategorized

From the Archives: “Statistics Suggest Good News for the Self-Publishing Author”

Welcome back to our Tuesday segment, where we’ll be revisiting some of our most popular posts from the last few years.  What’s stayed the same?  And what’s changed?  We’ll be updating you on the facts, and taking a new (and hopefully refreshing) angle on a few timeless classics of Self Publishing Advisor.

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[ Originally posted: December 17th, 2008 ]

Bowker, the global leader in bibliographic information management, recently released 2007 book publishing statistics compiled from its Books In Print database. Based on figures from U.S. publishers, Bowker is projecting that U.S. title output  last year increased slightly from 2006 to almost 300,000 books. That’s over a quarter of a million books published in one year alone.

Here’s another interesting statistic, while traditional book publishing was basically flat last year, there was a staggering rise in the reported number of on-demand and short-run books to 134,773, pushing the grand total for projected 2007 U.S. book output to 411,422 books. In fact, Bowker has planned to separate this particular output from its traditional reporting and has begun tracking the On Demand industry segment separately.

What does this mean for you? To begin, your book may not stock in every bookstore. Or any bookstore. And it’s entirely possible that you may not want it to.

As a self-publishing author, these statistics undoubtedly suggest your sales opportunities will continue to grow and become more profitable. Sales are shifting from offline to online. More and more people are becoming comfortable with (and even accustomed to) shopping online. Selling books online is more cost-effective than selling through a typical bookstore, and that means more money in your pocket. It’s no coincidence that Amazon’s book sales numbers mirror the same increases on an annual bases. That’s good news.

It’s been said before on this blog, make sure your self-publishing choice lets you set your own retail price, royalty, and discount to take maximum advantage of shifting consumer trends.

Something to keep in mind as you wrap up your writing and begin the publishing process.

Have fun and keep writing.

– by Karl Schroeder

While in many ways the e-book and digital book industries have stabilized, reaching a kind of balance with print publishing in the wake of Hachette’s price-fixing settlement with Amazon, much has changed.  Nielson, for example, is reporting that “in 2014, US publishers sold almost 142.5 million adult fiction titles in the three major print formats (hardback, trade paperback and mass market paperback) and 132 million ebooks (across all platforms).”  To put that in the context of Karl’s original statistics, Publisher’s Weekly and Bowker both reported that earlier, in 2013, “the number of self-published titles rose [by] 16.5%, to 458,564. The increase was due entirely to the release of new print books which rose 28.8% to 302,622 offsetting a decline in self-published e-books which fell 1.6%, to 155,942.”  In less than a decade, then, the number of self-published books outpaced the total number of books of ALL kinds published in the United States in 2007.  Not only that, but there are now more self-published print books alone being published each yer than there were traditionally published books in 2007.
bowker

But what does this mean for you, the indie author, in 2016?

First of all, it means you’re not just on the cutting edge any more–you’re part of a phenomenon.  And because self-publishing is in some ways the new normal, that presents both some very good and some very hard news.  Good news first: there are loads more resources out there and available to you now than there were a decade ago.  You can probably find a “how-to” step-by-step guide for each and every aspect of self-publishing just by hopping on Google and typing in a few keywords.  Need to convert your book to a new format or launch a fresh marketing campaign?  There are entire companies out there that specialize in such things, now.

The hard news is this: self-publishing has more or less lost its novelty.  It’s a stable market niche that has gained a lot of attention and a fair bit of respect over the years, and it’s clearly not going anywhere.  Libraries have policies in place as to whether they can add self-published books to their collections, and bookstores like the Tattered Cover in Denver and the Amazon Bookstores now dedicate entire shelves to self-published titles.  Algorithms have been tweaked.  News has been made.  And all of this presents a bit of a challenge to you, the indie author.  How to stand out in such a crowded marketplace–and for the right reasons?

Luckily, I have one last bit of good news.  Well, I guess it’s more a statement that comes full circle.  If you take care with your book, and give it the time and energy and focused attention that it deserves–or rely upon the assistance and advice of paid professionals to do so–then your book will stand out.  It has always been the case that readers can recognize a well put-together title from across the bookstore, library, and even airport.  A beautiful cover, a polished jacket, a carefully managed marketing campaign: all of these things are within your reach, thanks to the hard work of many who have gone before.  And if you stick around on Self-Publishing Advisor, you just might stumble across the exact insight you need in my Wednesday marketing strategies posts, Elizabeth’s Thursday reflections as a longtime industry expert, Royalene’s Friday perspectives as a successful self-publishing author, and our other posts throughout the week.

If you have any other ideas, I’d love to hear them.  Drop me a line in the comments section below and I’ll respond as quickly as I can.  ♠

KellyABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog, kellyschuknecht.com.

 

 

Kelly Speaks, news from the self publishing world, self publishing news, Uncategorized

Self-Publishing News: 3.14.2016

This week in the world of self-publishing:

It’s not often that self-publishing makes a mark on a major East Coast newspaper, especially one known for covering international politics and economic affairs, but this week self-publishing is the byword everywhere, including this March 10 article by Jeffrey Trachtenberg and Felicia Schwartz that appeared in the Wall Street Journal.  Why the big fuss?  Well: “Three major U.S. book publishers, several trade groups and others in the publishing industry have signed a petition urging the White House and Congress to end the Cuba trade embargo for books and educational materials.”  So far you might be forgiven for thinking that the Big Five were the driving force behind this petition, but bear with me for a minute.  “The petition,” write Trachtenberg and Schwartz, “argues that the embargo ‘runs counter to American ideals of free expression’ and lifting it would be ‘consistent with the will of the American people.'”  This, of course, is fully in line with the independent streak so fiercely guarded by the anti-gatekeeping indie publishing movement, and as it turns out, self-publishing authors have come out in force to support the petition.

While only WSJ subscribers can read the full article, the story has been picked up by a variety of other news outlets, including the Huffington Post, specifically this HuffPost Books article by Mark Coker, the founder of SmashWords––a distributer of independently published ebooks––and a driving force behind the petition.  As he earlier wrote on the SmashWords blog, Coker says the petition was inspired by a visit to Cuba, where he discovered that “it’s extraordinarily expensive and difficult for Cuban publishers to gain access to even the simplest raw materials of bookmaking, such as paper and ink. And for self-published authors, even if they had access to self-publishing services or book printers, the set-up fees of such print services would be prohibitively expensive.”  Says Coker, “Cuba has an adult literacy rate that is nearly 100%. Compare that to the the US where adult literacy is only about 80%. Cuba has a rich literary heritage. They value books.”  To deliberately quash literary entrepreneurship in Cuba is to suppress a priceless literary heritage––as well as future potential.  To read more about the petition, you can visit the WSJ article here, the HuffPost Books article here, the SmashWords blog here, and the corresponding public White House petition here.

“Independent publishing doesn’t mean what it used to,” writes Brooke Warner in this March 11 for Publisher’s Weekly.  She goes on to explain that today, “when people talk about ‘indie’ authors, they’re talking not about authors published on small presses but about a thriving movement of self-published authors who are green-lighting their own work and riding the wave of a movement that’s far from peaking.”  This movement is so distinct, she argues, that it well deserves the title of “revolution”!  “Self-published authors have been working for years to improve their own standards, and the results are impressive,” writes Warner, who publishes via She Writes Press and SparkPress, is president of Warner Coaching Inc., as well as an independently published author herself.  As such, she’s perfectly positioned to declare with authority: “If the past 16 years are any indicator of what’s to come, we better hold on. We’re in the middle of a sea change, and indie authors and publishers are not only forging new territory, they’re leading the way.”  For the rest of her piece, visit the original article here.

You might have heard the name “Data Guy” floating around during conversations about the digital book market, particularly in the context of Author Earnings, an annual report and nonprofit organization run by said Data Guy.  Well, in this March 13th article by Michael Kozlowski for the Good e-Reader, Kozlowski records the keynote presentation to the 2016 Digital Book World conference as given by the heretofore anonymous Data Guy, including screenshots of each slide.  (You can also view the original presentation on the Author Earnings webpage.)  Aside from some necessary boilerplate material and a couple of unabashed slides dedicated to justifying the work done by AE, Data Guy spent the vast majority of the presentation focusing on how the current market statistics on ebook sales as given by Amazon and other retailers skew indie authors’ expectations and, possibly, undercuts their ability to contextualize their experiences within the framework of a larger, more realistic, picture.  As it turns out, the shift from print to digital poses a significant challenge to data collection, given that sales have largely shifted from the Big Five traditional publishing houses to a new monopoly held by Amazon, Barnes & Noble, the Apple Store, and Kobo … or so they would have us think.  As it turns out, a large proportion of ebook sales and distribution is now happening independently of these sites, and these sites are famous for underreporting relevant information to begin with.  Data Guy demonstrated how greater transparency and advocacy can do a world of good for indie authors, and I highly recommend reading his full keynote at the link!

As a counterpoint to certain points made by Data Guy in his keynote presentation as reported above, Ángel González of the Seattle Times reports in this March 9th article that “Sales of e-books from major publishers have waned since 2014, the year in which many of them gained the right to price their digital titles sold through Amazon—and jacked up prices.”  Says González, “Those moves suddenly made books printed on dead trees a better deal. But that doesn’t mean the e-book market is stagnant. Far from it.”  As González goes on to say, many of the Big Five traditional publishers are publishing their quarterly sales figures along with announcements that they are seeing a drop in digital sales after Amazon and Hachette resolved their price-fixing dispute last year, and as a result print sales are up.  The general consensus seems to be that if you can buy a book in physical form off of a bookstore shelf for roughly the same price as purchasing an ebook online, why not cave to the superior attractions of a full bookshelf over a full iPad?  And while many indie authors do sell their books in multiple formats, including print, many focus their efforts on the digital market for obvious reasons of economy of launch funds and ease of distribution.  In short, these sales figures have great significance for many indie authors.  Somewhere between the Data Guy’s optimistic keynote and González’s report on the dire predictions out of the traditional sector, we must be able to find a balance.

spa-news

As a self-publishing author, you may find it helpful to stay up-to-date on the trends and news related to the self-publishing industry.This will help you make informed decisions before, during and after the self-publishing process, which will lead to a greater self-publishing experience. To help you stay current on self-publishing topics, simply visit our blog every Monday to find out the hottest news. If you have other big news to share, please comment below.

KellyABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog, kellyschuknecht.com.

Kelly Speaks, news from the self publishing world, self publishing news, Uncategorized

Self-Publishing News: 3.7.2016

This week in the world of self-publishing:

“Not happy with your Amazon royalties?  Not thrilled with Amazon’s latest strategy to pay self-published borrowed books is a pool based on pages read?” asks Liesha Petrovich for HuffPost Business on March 3rd.  Answers Petrovich: “You’re not alone.”  And indeed, as she points out in her article, a number of high-profile as well as mainstream self-publishing authors are growing dissatisfied with Amazon’s offerings, services, and standard of treatment for its customers––readers and writers alike.  And just because Amazon may appear to have a stranglehold on the indie publishing marketplace doesn’t mean that it’s the only option available; as Petrovich writes, “If you’re a current or future writer, with dreams of making a living writing, Amazon isn’t the only path to self-published success.”  Her suggestions are threefold, and they don’t rely on switching companies––such as leapfrogging from Amazon to Kobo, or some other platform––but rather upon changing the sales paradigm altogether.  Her recommendations are to:

  1. Sell from your own site
  2. Sell on other platforms (such as the Apple store, or through B&N), and
  3. Create your own path to publishing success.

“You’re not limited,” says Petrovich, “and you may have to try a few [options] before you find the results you’re looking for. Just remember you choose to go independent for a reason, and not to increase Amazon’s profits.”  Amen to that.  For the rest of Petrovich’s article, follow the link!

Says Meg Kehoe of the Romper in another article from March 3rd, “The amazing range that self-published books provide can be hard to navigate, but thanks to sites like Indie Reader and Goodreads, the world of books becomes slightly less daunting.”  Kehoe herself is a handy resource for readers looking to break into the world of ebooks but find themselves without a map or compass.  Her list of books you can’t afford to miss includes Jabberwocky by Theodore Singer (CreateSpace)––with obvious ties to Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland series, just in time for a new movie coming out this summer––and Jack Hammond Junior’s The Last Hanging in Scots Bend (Lujack Press), Nina Ansary’s Jewels for Allah (Revela Press), and Russell Newell’s The Boy and the Bastard (Dog Ear).  I don’t know about you, but after perusing Kehoe’s list and reading her summaries of each, I definitely feel like cracking open a few new ebook covers (figuratively, at least) this next week!  You can view the entire list here.

Sometimes, it’s nice to hear from the very demographic we write so much about here on Self Publishing Advisor, and in his March 2nd column for The Beacon, the official (online and print) student newspaper of the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, Mitch Chapman speaks up for teen authors everywhere––and what he has to say may come as a surprise, in that he asks for us to stop defining teen authors as “teen authors” and instead define them simply by what they do (write) and how well they do it.  Says Chapman, “even before the rise of self-publishing platforms such as CreateSpace and Lulu, there has been an unusual fixation towards teenage authors that sometimes bleeds into college life.”  He goes on to argue that, although the phenomenon of the teen author pop icon has its roots in a fascination with the gifted youngsters among us, it has created a culture which commoditizes and monetizes an author’s age … and by turning age into currency, we of course perpetuate an opportunity for unhealthy exploitation.  The label “teen author” also has the undesirable side effect of following young writers into adulthood, and diminishing the true value of what they do.  Chapman concludes that, “At the end of the day, what matters is not your age, but the quality of your work and your personal integrity.”  Wise words for us all.  You can find the rest of his article at the MCLA Beacon website.

spa-news

As a self-publishing author, you may find it helpful to stay up-to-date on the trends and news related to the self-publishing industry.This will help you make informed decisions before, during and after the self-publishing process, which will lead to a greater self-publishing experience. To help you stay current on self-publishing topics, simply visit our blog every Monday to find out the hottest news. If you have other big news to share, please comment below.

KellyABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog, kellyschuknecht.com.

Kelly Speaks, news from the self publishing world, self publishing news

Self-Publishing News: 2.28.2016

This week in the world of self-publishing:

In this February 28th article for Khaosod English (“a Bangkok-based news website providing coverage of Thai politics, economics, and culture to an English-language audience”), Chayanit Itthipongmaetee recounts the history of zines, particularly in eastern Asia, and the positive impact that they have had on Thailand’s literary scene.  Says Itthipongmaetee, the zine has its origins in a thoroughly Western context: they “started in Western countries […] with topics considered outsider, aggressive or antisocial such as hardcore punk or metal,” and “exploded in popularity when reproduction technology such as photocopying machines made it cheap and easy for anyone to create their own.”

The story of the zine is, in this context, the story of every narrative that breaks the mold and leaks out around the edges of “standard practice” and “standard interest” in traditional publishing.  But zines didn’t stay a Western concept.  As Itthipongmaetee recounts, “Whereas zines in the West vanished as soon as anyone could roll a Geocities site, they endured until internet access became widespread in Thailand in 2004 or so. Most Thais turned to blogs, boards or services such as Exteen, Pantip and Thaimail.”  This has made zines a more enduring expression of creative freedom in Thailand than they have been in the United States––and, since most zines are self-published, they have become a focal point around which the east Asian indie movement rotates.

For the rest of Itthipongmaetee’s excellent article, including her conclusions on where zines in Asia are headed in the near future, check out the original article here.

“Publishing is not really a business at all, it is a verb, the act of putting something into the wild, usually with a consequence,” writes Philip Jones in this February 26th article for The Bookseller: “They are creationists—in a good way. They need to believe. Yet there is a flip side. Publishers occupy positions of power: what they project into the world has an influence precisely because it has been ‘published.'”  This means that self-publishing, rather than just an exercise in ego and self-benefit, is truly a radical act that challenges the established information hierarchy of many nations and cultures.  It has the potential to effect real change in redressing many great wrongs that have been handed out to aspiring authors by the traditional publishing industry.

As Jones goes on to point out, “publishing may now be starting to listen (and act).”  He’s speaking, of course, about Penguin Random House’s decision earlier this year to sell its self-publishing business (Author Solutions): “acknowledging, one might hope, that investing in authors with one hand, while taking their money with the other, always looked at best uncomfortable and, at worst, an existential disaster.”  In a brilliant move that I highly recommend following up on, Jones then points his readers to  Penguin Random House’s (UK division) decision to roll out a comprehensive “Creative Responsibility strategy,” with CEO Tom Weldon remarking that a “publisher of our size really could be a force for good in society above and beyond the books we publish.”  The fact that Weldon and Penguin Random House recognize the fact that a healthy self-publishing sector boosts their traditional publishing sector––with everyone benefiting from increased value and increased sales––is a hopeful sign, indeed.  For the rest of Jones’ article, click here, and for a look at Penguin Random House’s creative responsibility strategy, click here instead.

In a February 25th press release for PRNewswire that was reposted to Crowdsourcing.org, the makers and runners of BookFuel––”a company that provides professional self-publishing services to aspiring authors”––announced the launch of FundMyBook.com, a website dedicated to helping authors “publish with the help of sponsorships and other support by friends and family. FundMyBook.comprovides a viable option to any writer who may have been intimidated by the effort required by other crowdsourcing sites or the expense of self-publishing.”  And we’re all very well aware of just how expensive it is to be an author, both in respect to the actual production of a book, and in the marketing campaign that follows.  FundMyBook.com is designed to serve as a book-specific analogue to Kickstarter and GoFundMe, two popular project-funding platforms that allow people to raise money from like-minded individuals.  There are several key differencees between FundMyBook.com and these other crowdfunding services, however.  As the press release points out, it is “difficult for writing projects to stand out” among all of the competition for the average person’s attention.  “These other crowdfundingsources also don’t provide the social media exposure or the help planning for the costs of the reward fulfillment that FundMyBook.com does for aspiring authors,” the press release states.

It looks like FundMyBook.com might be of legitimate use as authors look for new ways to reach untapped markets.  For the entire press release, follow the rabbit hole all the way down the link!

And last but not least in our lineup for this morning, I give you Jonathan Kile of the Tampa Bay’s Creative Loafing fame on the fundamentals of self-publishing.  In his February 24th article for CL, Kile begins with a subtle flourish of dark humor: “So, let’s get this out of the way. Amazon apparently works their people really hard, practices predatory pricing to establish dominance in whatever it is they choose to sell, and also has a special machine that crushes kittens.” But Amazon, Kile argues, is so omnipresent that resistance, in the classical sense and especially as pertaining to authors aspiring to break out into the self-publishing method and market, truly is futile.  The “why?” as Kile explains, is nowhere near as important as the “what next?”  And as Kile so simply puts it, this step consists of getting “into bed” with the Big Bad corporate world via Amazon.  It may not be the ideal situation, he writes, but it’s the one that we must face in any case.  “It takes a lot of work to write and publish,” says Kile, “and just as much work to get noticed.”  And while he states that this is simply the first salvo in an ongoing series about digital content and Amazon, Kile’s article captures a fascinating cross-section of opinion as regards the current state of indie publishing and how it intersects with the wonderful world of Amazon.  For the whole thing, follow the link.

spa-news

As a self-publishing author, you may find it helpful to stay up-to-date on the trends and news related to the self-publishing industry.This will help you make informed decisions before, during and after the self-publishing process, which will lead to a greater self-publishing experience. To help you stay current on self-publishing topics, simply visit our blog every Monday to find out the hottest news. If you have other big news to share, please comment below.

KellyABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog, kellyschuknecht.com.

Kelly Speaks, news from the self publishing world, self publishing news, Uncategorized

Self-Publishing News: 2.22.2016

This week in the world of self-publishing:

It looks like Reedsy––a self-publishing marketplace platform that “empower[s] writers, publishers, editors and designers to build hybrid careers and work together quickly and effortlessly through bespoke, user-friendly digital tools”––is filling in some very important gaps for the indie community, as this February 19th article by founder Emmanuel Nataf for The Bookseller intimates.  Writes Nataf, “Until only recently, the self-publishing arena was an unchecked battleground, a veritable free-for-all where authors and freelancers alike placed their profits in the hands of lady luck.”  But a sea change has arrived as the indie publishing industry matures, as he goes on to say––a sea change that has taken some endurance to see through, as self-publishing authors and companies face social stigma and constant critical examination coming from the traditional commercial publishing sector.  Things may be changing, however: recently named FutureBook’s BookTech Company of the Year, Reedsy is looking to find its place in a stabilizing conversation with other industry standouts about the future of self-publishing.  “After all,” writes Nataf, “if there’s one thing we’ve learnt, it’s that successful growth as a startup depends on looking out, as well as in.”  For more information about Reedsy and the FutureBook awards, follow the link!

Big news for the digitally inclined!  As per this February 16th press release, Outskirts Press has officially completed work on a suite of apps for smartphone users that aim to make the self-publishing experience an even richer and more rewarding one; the apps are available to authors with both iPhone and Android devices, says the article, and “provide users with self-publishing guides and information, connect users with the Outskirts Press social media community of self-publishing authors, and provide direct links to contact Outskirts Press instantly by phone or email.”  Outskirts––which describes itself as offering “full-service, custom self-publishing and marketing services for authors seeking a cost-effective, fast, and flexible way to publish and distribute their books worldwide while retaining all their rights and full creative control”––sees the apps as a way for its authors to connect with both their audience and their self-publishing team.  Other indie publishing companies, like Kobo and Amazon Direct, offer supplementary apps, but Outskirts’ newest offerings may prove to be the most streamlined yet.  For more information, visit the original press release here.

If you’re looking for the latest and greatest news when it comes to bodice-rippers and steamy romance, Publisher’s Weekly has got you covered.  In its annual review of what’s going on in and what’s to come in the genre––this year courtesy of Ryan Joe on February 19th––PW first takes a moment to define the difference between the two terms:

Erotic romance, according to a definition from the Romance Writers of America, refers to “novels in which strong, often explicit, sexual interaction is an inherent part of the love story, character growth, and relationship development and could not be removed without damaging the story line.”

And erotica? “Erotica is just people doing it,” says Cordelia Logan, who has written 19 stories under five pen names and is beginning to focus on BDSM.

Good to know.  More importantly, erotic romance and erotica make for a good slice of the self-publishing industry’s total footprint (written and read) … so even if you don’t like it, don’t read it, or don’t like to admit that it exists––it does!  And it’s churning along in any case.  And “Thanks to the rise of self-publishing,” writes Joe, “authors can now experiment more.”  For the full article, and lots more pith for the aspiring indie erotica or erotic romance writer, you can always stop by the original Publisher’s Weekly article.

spa-news

As a self-publishing author, you may find it helpful to stay up-to-date on the trends and news related to the self-publishing industry.This will help you make informed decisions before, during and after the self-publishing process, which will lead to a greater self-publishing experience. To help you stay current on self-publishing topics, simply visit our blog every Monday to find out the hottest news. If you have other big news to share, please comment below.

KellyABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog, kellyschuknecht.com.