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

Self-Publishing News: 10.3.2016

And now for the news!

This week in the world of self-publishing:

“I’ve got an agent. So now what?” asks William Kowalski as he opens this October 1st article for AuthorLink.  You wait and you wait, but nothing happens.  “If your agent hasn’t managed to sell your book within a year or so, you may be justified in moving on,” he writes before urging authors not to wait that long before opting to go with self-publishing.  He acknowledges the checkered past attributed to authors choosing this route (“It was the last resort of the unpublishable, the illiterate, the hack, and the crank who couldn’t get anyone to take him seriously.”) before moving on to defend it as anything but:

There is nothing inherently wrong with self-publishing.  It does not mean the author is devoid of skill; it means that the commercial publishing world does not yet see a market for it.  There’s a big difference.

[…]

I think that writers are on the right side of the historical tsunami that is currently sweeping over the publishing world.  As of this writing, it is no exaggeration to say that the publishing industry is on life support, and is not expected to recover.  It’s really that simple.

And it is.  Kowalski gives ample attention to authors of genre fiction as well as hybrid and experimental works, “literary fiction,” and the constant struggle to make peace with traditional publishing and all of its attendant demands.  An all-around fascinating piece, you can check out Kowalski’s article at the link.

A lot has been made recently of Rupi Kaur’s self-publishing blockbuster success with milk and honey–yes, that’s all lower-case in e.e. cummings fashion–a collection of poetry with a firm grip on the bestseller list despite its complete lack of traditional connections.  “Forget Wordsworth, Whitman and Yeats. A new generation of inspiring young female poets are changing the way we look at the form, using social media to reach their rapidly growing fanbase,” writes Stephen Russell in his October 1st piece for The New Daily.  Because Kaur’s not the only young female poet making a mark in the world this year, and she’s not even the only young female self-publishing poet.  Although Kaur’s book has been picked up by AMP after proving it had legs, she’s just one of several “insta-poets” AMP’s publisher and president Kirsty Melville says to watch out for, according to Russell: “These young poets write as a way of communicating their inner lives in a very relateable way, and in a form that is readily shareable.”  By choosing to self-publish on Instagram and other social media websites, Melville says, readers are given “immediate access to poets’ written and performative work and this immediacy engenders a closer emotional connection.”  Kaur is in good company, with “insta-poets” Lang Leav, Cleo Wade, Hera Lindsay Bird, and Alicia Cook round out Russell’s list of authors to watch out for.  To read more, click here.

The people behind Indie Author Day 2016 are spreading the word of a new opportunity related to their upcoming event in this press release posted to Digital Journal on September 28th.  The event, taking place at the Montclair (N.J.) Public Library, is one to watch!  It will feature Jane Tabachnick, a book promotion consultant (with her own website and everything!) and take place on October 8th along with all other IAD2016 activities, the featured online streaming element of which is scheduled to begin at 2 PM EST.  According to the organizers, Tabachnick “will outline the key components for publishing and promoting your book successfully,” and will focus on “best practices for self-publishing and book promotion”:

While the industry often speaks about the two sides of publishing – tradition and self-published, Ms. Tabachnick will speak about the complexities of self-publishing, which underscores that it is more than one single method, in contrast to traditional publishing. She will cover the range of options for authors to consider within self-publishing, going over the pros and cons of each strategy, so that authors will be better informed about how to position themselves for success She will also cover top book promotion strategies including no cost, low cost and premium options.

Tabachnick’s panel will take place just before the main event, from 12 noon to 1 PM, and while there’s no word yet on whether any of the on-site interviews will be archived for public access, the Montclair Public Library encourages drop-ins and last-minute registrations.  So if you’re in New Jersey on the 8th of this month, consider swinging by their website to learn more!

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.

Kelly

ABOUT 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.
indie author day, news from the self publishing world, self publishing news, Uncategorized

Indie Author Day is ONE WEEK from today! Time to get your writer on.

Last week we alerted you to the rapid approach of a very, very special day on the literary calendar: Indie Author Day! And this week, we’re popping our heads out of the holiday season frenzy to remind you of its imminent arrival. Mark it on your calendars! (We’ve certainly marked it on all of ours.) Indie Author Day takes place on October 8th, 2016. And there’s a lot you can do to get involved, from tracking down the closest participating library and attending events to streaming the headline “Digital Gathering” online.

indie author day 2016

Want to sign up? Hop on by the official Indie Author Day website at www.indieauthorday.com. Most helpful, the website includes a “NEWS” tab, where you can find up-to-date information on events happening both near and far from you. You can also check out the latest information on the online “Digital Gathering” for indie authors, advocates, and fans. As with everything else Indie Author Day-related, this will take place on October 8th at 2:00 PM Eastern Time (ET) and will feature a Q&A session with writers, agents, and other industry leaders.

The Digital Gathering will be moderated by Jon Fine, a native New Yorker as well as longtime industry expert and author advocate by way of his experience as Director of Author and Publisher Relations for Amazon, and before that he worked for Random House, NBC, and King World Productions. Having left Amazon as of 2015, he now works as a consultant.

The program’s four panelists are Robin Cutler, who has worked in publishing for over 30 years for many of the industry’s major players, indie and traditional both; Kiera Parrott, who works as Reviews Director for both Library Journal and School Library Journal and has years of experience as a children’s librarian; Jim Blanton, Chair of the Kentucky Public Library Association and repeated award-winning librarian before that; and last but not least, L. Penelope, self-published author of Song of Blood & Stone, her debut novel and winner of the 2016 Self-Publishing eBook Award from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association. You couldn’t begin to dream up a more star-studded cast than this one! Better yet, they have been primed by very particular life experiences to answer your questions related to the indie publishing process.

And as we mentioned last week, libraries hosting the Digital Gathering and other Indie Author Day related events will be streaming these events onsite, but if you can’t make it in or if no library near you happens to be playing host, you can also watch the event live or after the fact on YouTube. The Indie Author Day website even offers a “How-To” page with information on tuning in.

See you at the library!

Thanks for reading!  Keep up with the latest in the world of indie and self-published books by watching this space every Saturday!

Self Publishing Advisor

selfpubicon1

Conversations with a Self-Publishing Writer, Royalene Speaks, Uncategorized

Conversations: 9/30/2016

PROMOTING YOUR BOOK—EVERY WAY—EVERYWHERE! (Part II)

Over the last few weeks I mentioned the importance of connecting with the right helpers who can not only do the tasks needed to launch your book into the Reading World, but who can lift you into position and inspire you to be the successful Author you’d like to be. Here’s a list of a few other folks you might like to become acquainted with.

social media

  • The PR Publicists: This person can do as little or as much as you’d like from distributing your Custom Press Release and collecting leads from those for your use, to making contact with the leads and promoting to book more aggressively. They might also specialize in getting TV-news and radio interviews as well as updating and re-sending your Press Release throughout a specific amount of time.
  • The Social Media Specialist: These marvelous people “live” on the Internet participating in every social media avenue that exists—and sometimes creating their own. For authors, this means they will “post” information about your book—everywhere—from Facebook, to Instagram, to Twitter, etc., etc.
  • The Webpage Designer: Do you already have a webpage? Did you start it up because you heard you had to have one IF you’re going to be a successful Author? How many people have visited it? Has anyone contacted you directly from getting your address or email on it? I ask those questions because I’ve been down that road. Then the Director of a Writing Conference I was attending recommended a specialist in web-design who had re-done her page. The results were remarkable. Occasionally a traditional publisher (and most self-publishing companies) will offer this assistance. If possible, I recommend working directly with this person, so they can capture the essence of your book and the person you are as its author. Building a relationship with your Webpage Designer is crucial, and will continue into the lifespan of all your books.
  • The Blogosphere Specialist: The term “blogosphere” refers to folks who are “fluent” in both the WEB and Blogging communities. They are not necessarily webpage Designers, but some are. Their expertise expands into both Internet spheres where they can write about/promote your book without a concern about redundancies. They love to incorporate mini-statements that will grab the viewer’s attention. These are memorable moments that plant the title of your book (or your name) in a Reader’s thoughts so that they will search for more information!
  • Designer/Producer of promotional items: Every Author needs “business cards.” Whether you think of the writing and publishing of your book(s) as a business, or not, the reality is—it IS. Depending on the genre of your book and who the specific people are in your “book-club,” you may not need the assistance from this type of specialists. Many of the authors I know design and create their own business cards through online services. However, if you write in a splashy genre—such as Sci-Fi or Mystery/Suspense—you might want to take a look at some of the promotional items other authors (and movie producers) have created. THINK FORWARD! If you believe your book has movie theater potential, start to promote those images now!

There you have it—my list of helpers who are available to work with you in making your book a GREAT SUCCESS. Don’t be shy about talking with any publishers about their access to people who are experts in these areas. Birthing the book you’re writing deserves all the support you want. ⚓︎

Royalene

ABOUT ROYALENE DOYLE: Royalene has been writing something since before kindergarten days and continues to love the process. Through her small business—DOYLE WRITING SERVICES—she brings more than 40 years of writing experience to authors who need “just a little assistance” with completing their projects. This is a nice fit as she develops these blogs for Outskirts Press (OP) a leading self-publisher, and occasionally accepts a ghostwriting project from one of their clients. Her recent book release (with OP) titled FIREPROOF PROVERBS, A Writer’s Study of Words, is already receiving excellent reviews including several professional writer’s endorsements given on the book’s back cover.  

Royalene’s writing experience grew through a wide variety of positions from Office Manager and Administrative Assistant to Teacher of Literature and Advanced Writing courses and editor/writer for an International Christian ministry. Her willingness to listen to struggling authors, learn their goals and expectations and discern their writing voice has brought many manuscripts into the published books arena.

elizabeth speaks, in your corner, Uncategorized

In Your Corner: Settling on a Price

We’ve been at it for a few weeks now, examining a few of the many choices authors have to make during the self-publication and marketing processes, starting with the Big Whopper (“Choosing a Self-Publishing Company“) middling with the choices authors make regarding the text itself (“Choosing a Trim Size for Your Book“), and winding through deciding on a genre for your book–assuming, of course, that genre remains a useful identifier (“Know Thyself (& Thy Genre)“).  Today, we’re going to look at something a little different.  We’re going to ask the money question.  (Or … one of the money questions.)

How Much Do I Charge Per Book?

I’m already aware it’s complicated. Just tell me already.

It’s true.  Pricing is complicated, not least by the fact that we’re probably looking at two different products here, even when we’re talking about one book–because let’s face it, it’s a good idea to sell both a digital copy or ebook edition as well as a physical copy or print edition of your book.  The more diverse your offerings, and so on and so forth.

price in euros

Some facts hold true no matter which edition you’re looking at, however.  The first being:

  • Pricing your book too high relative to your competitors all but guarantees your readers will go elsewhere.

Readers are whatever the book version of an omnivore is called.  (A genrevore?  Never mind.  I’m terrible at coining memes.)  They’re far more likely to pick a sequel of a book they’ve already read than a book by a new author, and failing that, they’re more likely to pick a book within the same genre as an existing favorite.  But a book by an unfamiliar author that’s expensive compared to its shelfmates?  Not going to happen.

The second fact?

  • Pricing your book too low undercuts the perceived value of your book, unless the pricing is temporary.

When we talk about selling readers on a new book, we’re actually making a value proposition; we are attempting to cultivate a perceived value of the book in someone who has never encountered it before, and there’s nothing that shouts “Not worth my time!” than something that doesn’t come with its own built-in novelty factor. There should be a synergy between the quality of your book as an object in the hand and its price; and unless you’re creating the aforementioned novelty by running a short-term sale or discount, your book should be only fractionally lower than the average price of a new book in its genre.

Thirdly:

  • Print books need to account for physical manufacture costs.

So, yes, your ebook should probably cost less than your print edition. It follows.

And lastly:

  • Price is a question of audience.

What does your audience expect of a book like yours?  I’m not just talking about genre; I’m talking about length (Wolf Hall costs more than Moll Flanders, for example), paper and binding quality, whether it’s an oversize or mass market size, hardback or paperback.  The only real way to make a thoroughly researched decision on what these expectations mean in terms of pricing in today’s market is to wander through a bookstore.  Don’t just hang around in one section, either–walk every aisle.  Eye every book.  What qualities does your book share with each item?  What makes it stand out?  Flip through books of a similar page count.  Turn a few books with similar cover designs and aesthetics over to check the price.  Check the gloss of the pages.  Count the illustrations.

Ultimately, the price of your book can only be set and determined by you, so you will at some point have to just make a call and stick with it.  But if you’re feeling particularly brave, take your book in to a bookseller and without giving them much of a clue, let them handle the book and try to guess the price.  Let them estimate how much they would charge.  Neighborhood and indie bookstores are the best for this.  There’s no substitute for experience, and there’s not substitute for the assurance that you’re part of a larger network and system dedicated to putting books like yours in the hands of eager readers.

You are not alone. ♣︎

Elizabeth

ABOUT ELIZABETH JAVOR: With over 18 years of experience in sales and management, Elizabeth Javor works as the Manager of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable publishing consultants, pre-production specialists, customer service reps and book marketing specialists; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process to help them publish the book of their dreams. Whether you are a professional looking to take your career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Elizabeth Javor can put you on the right path.
from the archives, Kelly Speaks, Uncategorized

From the Archives: “Give me six hours…”

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.

∗∗∗∗∗

[ Originally posted: August 7th, 2009 ]

Give me six hours to chop down a tree and
I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.
– Abraham Lincoln

Let’s look at breaking down your self-publishing book project into the short, mid, and long range in terms of the process in goals. The actual time involved for each phase varies with each author and each project. Nevertheless, you’ve worked hard on writing, revising, and preparing your book for publication. Congratulations. The first step or phase is done or nearing complete, and it’s time to publish.

Many authors confuse this second step – actual publishing – with step 3. Let’s slow down and take a closer look. Phase 1 is the writing, or artistic phase. Step 2, the publishing or business step. Time to begin sharpening the axe. Upfront prices are important, but take the time to avoid the ever present instant gratification of free and quick publishing and research beyond. What kind of pricing control will you have? Professional production options? Will your book be situated to retail competitively on the market? What kind of marketing services and options are available after publication? These are critical questions to ask as you research full-service self-publishing options, customize your mid-range work, and begin to look at getting your published book into reader’s hands. Now your prepared to chop the tree.

– by Karl Schroeder

Karl’s recommendations for breaking the publishing process down into three simple steps has as much to offer the self-publishing author in 2016 as they did in 2009. The steps are straightforward:

  1. Writing (the “artistic” phase)
  2. Publishing (the “business” phase)
  3. Publishing (the “chopping of the tree” phase)

There’s some lack of clarity between these two final points in Karl’s original post, but there doesn’t have to be. Think about it more like the distinction between planning and execution, which in reality ought to be separate steps and given equal weight from the outset. If the planning is not given your full attention, the execution can only ever be mediocre. And your book deserves better than mediocre!

planning

There are plenty of services out there to help you organize your plan and navigate the oft-hazardous process of publishing. If you’re still in the process of writing your book and you need a little more structure, I can’t begin to recommend the Scrivener writing software highly enough. Better still, you can try it for free for 30 days, which if you’re doing NaNoWriMo this November may be just enough time to knock out what’s left of your book.  If not, the renewal fee is minimal. It is, at its core, a digital studio space.  That’s Stage 1 taken care of.

If you’re at Stage 2, however, it might be time to reach out for help.  In doing your research for Stage 3, you will have stumbled across any number of companies offering self-publishing services–but how many of them have customer support?  Even if you’re not ready to commit to a specific company, it’s well worth getting to know who’s on the other end of the line when you call in.  In the case of Outskirts Press, you’re hooked up with a Publishing Consultant almost right away. (A real live person, in the age of the Internet?? Amazing.)  Some of your early questions can be answered by such a person, but if your questions require further attention, it’s worth paying (a reasonable amount, one would hope) someone like a Personal Marketing Assistant for that insight.  After all, as Karl said, marketing needs to start before your book hits the shelf.  It’s more of a lifestyle than a small component of a larger project.

Stage 3 is easy if you have knocked out the first with your customary thoroughness, in part because extensive planning will have made you aware of what you value most in a self-publishing company, and what steps to take once you’ve chosen one.  It might seem simple or reductive to break the publishing process down into just three steps … but then again, it works!

Thanks for reading.  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.  ♠

Kelly

ABOUT 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.