Tag: Kelly Schuknecht

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

Self-Publishing News: 10.10.2016

And now for the news!

This week in the world of self-publishing:

“Bowker has reported that 625,327 books were published in the United States last year. This is the first time that we have an official figure about the state of self-publishing,” writes Michael Kozlowski for the Good E-Reader blog in this October 4th piece, commenting on a new report released by the industry watchdog. That’s a lot of e-books, which all on its own may prove an impressive figure, but what does it actually mean? If we’re looking at the long-term growth of the industry, the number alone isn’t enough. As Kozlowski puts it, much of the data comes from ISBN sales, and many ISBNs are purchased as duplicates or for re-releases. So proportion is important, and there’s good news on this front, too: “In all, the amount of ISBN numbers purchased by indie authors increased 21% in 2015 vs 2014.” If the market itself has increased a similar amount, that’s good news for the present and future of self-publishing, particularly when it comes to cross-platform distribution. For the rest of Kozlowski’s piece as well as material linking back to the original Bowker article, click here.

If you’ve ever wondered about the peculiar and wonderful niche works that self-publishing makes possible, this article from Tom Seymour for the British Journal of Photography on October 4th might provide an insight. Seymour follows the work of Czech photographer Stanislav Bříza, who self-publishes through a platform called “BFLMPSVZ” (which we’re assuming either stands for something or operates on an Eastern European pronunciation with which we’re not as familiar as we’d like to be). According to Seymour, Bříza uses the edgy possibilities of the indie universe to publish a “chronicle of a joint road trip through America, and through the dark recesses of a relationship ‘that goes beyond the confines of the road,'” here quoting Bříza himself:

The series documents what is very much the liberated youthful dream of discovering the continent itself of America – a photo diary of the pair as they hitchhiked, ate wild mushrooms, slept under the sky, or, when that got too much, gorged on McDonalds or checked into the relative luxury of cheap roadside motels.

But the trip was about H, and her struggle with her body that, at times, felt like it could threaten her very life. “Her problems were crucial for the whole journey, her life and our relationship,” Stanislav says.

The female body has long been an object of the male gaze in print media, but as Bříza notes (through Seymour), going indie offers the chance to break the accepted perspective and offer fresh insights into the sometimes disturbing realities of life. For more of Seymour’s piece on Bříza and H. and the vagaries of their publishing choices, follow the link. (It’s fascinating!)

 

“We all wear masks, whether to seem more corporate in the workplace by covering up tribal tattoos or simply to fit in with friends by pretending to like EDM music that you actually hate,” writes Rebecca Brown in this September 27th article for PopSugar. Brown, who began writing her memoir eight years ago but only reached the point of publication earlier this year, decided to go indie after facing an all-too-familiar routine from the traditional publishing institution: rejection, followed by the cold shoulder. Even after reaching a breaking point with this system, however, Brown wasn’t automatically drawn to self-publishing. She admits: “Self-publishing felt like a huge failure.” But she grew past this knee-jerk reaction to disappointment to reach a more comprehensive revelation: “My end goal was to share my work with the world — or some minuscule fraction of the world — and while Simon & Schuster would have been an incredible resource to help usher the project through, I didn’t have to have them. If my goal was really just to publish a book, I had the resources to do it.”

And so do you! For the rest of Brown’s excellent piece, including insight into dealing with the most common fears associated with going indie, access the original article here.

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.
Book Design, Kelly Speaks, Uncategorized

The Book Beautiful: Summary Edition

The past six weeks we’ve been looking in depth at all of the steps that it takes to turn a manuscript into a polished, professional, finished copy of a book. As we’ve learned, this is a complex process full of choices such as whether or not to go with hard or soft cover, what cover illustration to use to draw in your readers, what information to include in your front and back matter, how will you format your text and your back cover, will you illustrate your piece, etc. etc. This process can be long and daunting, especially as a self-published author, which is why we at Outskirts Press want to assist our authors through it with our advice on this blog, but also with our hands-on services as a company.

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I’d like to wrap up the last six weeks by evaluating what it is I think authors should take away from each in depth look we took at the different aspects of bringing a text to life. It seems critical to note that each of the choices you make while publishing all answer to a reader’s unconscious sensuous experience of picking up your book in a store. Each choice you make when formatting or designing the final copy of your book is something that a reader will be assessing from the minute they walk by it on the shelf, to the first time they pick it up in their hands, thumb through the pages, read the back, and decide whether or not to bring it to the counter to purchase it. This is really about first impressions, and we all know how important it is to make a good one when someone’s approval is important to us.

first impressions
[ first impressions matter ]
What is the first thing a potential reader will notice about your book when they walk by? Presumably if it is hard or soft cover. Do you need to go with a hard cover to look professional? Certainly not. In fact, it seems that the chance of selling your book in soft cover is much higher. The next thing to make an impression after someone has read your title and pulled the book of the shelf will most likely be the cover illustration. I feel I gave some entertaining examples of what not to do, but the best advice I feel I could give is again, use something that embodies your theme and draws in your target audience. Also, remember that less is more, don’t clutter the cover with unnecessary or flamboyant text or illustrations.

As far as formatting the interior of your book is concerned, remember that the status quo is usually the way to go here. You don’t necessarily want the formatting of your book to stick out, but to ‘fit in’ to what people expect to see when they open a book. That’s not to say that you don’t have some creative freedom when it comes to formatting the text and illustrations (the standards of which often vary from genre to genre), but going out on a whim with a bizarre font choice is not necessarily a wise idea either. Remember that you have creative liberty with which front and end matter you want to include, such as a personalized dedication, epigraph, acknowledgements, bio, etc.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, don’t forget how critical the back cover of your book is. With the 150-200 words you have to sell a reader your story, you get more space than let’s say…a Tweet, but not much more. Make it exciting without giving anything away.

Remember that these aren’t decisions you have to make alone. If you have questions beyond what has been provided in these blogs, don’t hesitate to contact one of our professional, knowledgeable representatives at Outskirts Press. Our experience as writers helps us guide new authors toward the best decisions. We will always put our authors first.

Thank you for reading!  If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or contributions, please use the comment field below or drop us a line at selfpublishingadvice@gmail.com.  And remember to check back each Wednesday for your weekly dose of marketing musings from one indie, hybrid, and self-published author to another. ♠

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
Book Marketing, from the archives, Kelly Speaks, Marketing Your Self-Published Book, Uncategorized

From the Archives: “Determining What Book Readers Want”

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: July 20th, 2010 ]

Your book content – fiction, non-fiction, children’s, religious – naturally presumes a value to readers intending to be entertained or learn something from your work. How do they decide they want to read your book?

They don’t. You do. Sound like an incredible power? It is. Its name: Marketing

When Thomas Edison turned 16 do you suppose he wanted a Tesla Roadster? Probably not. In order to want something you need to know it exists. One definition of marketing is convincing a a mass of people to want what you have. That puts you, the author of your book, in the cat bird’s seat. Who knows your book better than you, after-all.

How readers know about books has changed a great deal over the past decade, and my guess is that trend will continue. With Amazon, Twitter, Podcasts, Bookfinder, etc. we no longer rely on a single-minded source for telling us about books. A good CEO (the self-published author) knows how to leverage the expertise of others and delegate work. Consider the long-term. Research self-publishers with ongoing marketing support and services. Being published is rarely even enough.

– by Kelly Schuknecht

“Readers are not sheep, and not every pen tempts them.”
― Vladimir Nabokov, Lectures on Literature

“Why are we reading, if not in hope of beauty laid bare, life heightened and its deepest mystery probed? Can the writer isolate and vivify all in experience that most deeply engages our intellects and our heats? Can the writer renew our hope for literary forms? Why are we reading if not in hope that the writer will magnify and dramatize our days, will illuminate and inspire us with wisdom, courage, and the possibility of meaningfulness, and will press upon our minds the deepest mysteries, so we may feel again their majesty and power?”
― Annie Dillard, The Writing Life

***

When we talk about knowing what we want and making our readers want it to, it’s not quite the same thing as the sales pitch for selling a car. (Although sometimes I envy car salesmen their confidence.)  When we talk about selling our readers on our book, we’re talking about something more grand and with farther-reaching effects–we’re talking about selling that reader on a dream.  We’re not simply marketing, as nice and simple of a descriptive term that might be. We’re in the business of changing the trajectories of peoples’ interests … with nothing more or less than the power of words.

know what you want

Which is not to discount the profound importance of marketing in the world of self-publishing! Marketing isn’t optional for the self-publishing author–it’s absolutely vital. How else will new readers know that your book exists? How else will they know where to track it down and buy it?

You can’t sell readers on a dream if they don’t know it exists.

So how do you keep your marketing strategy from dipping into the hazardous waters of the car salesman’s sales pitch? Several thoughts:

  • Be authentic. We dislike car salesmen as a stereotype at least because we’ve been taught to perceive them as fake.
  • Actually care. Care about your reader. Remember, writing and selling a book isn’t just about your bottom line. It’s making sure your book is received by its ideal audience at the ideal moment. Money is great, but it shouldn’t be the sole purpose of what authors do–and your readers can sense when it is. Prioritize your readers’ needs by putting yourself in their shoes. What is their native habitat? Where do they feel safe? How can you reach them where they already live?
  • Be engaged. You might not be able to respond to every tweet and Facebook comment you receive as an author, but making an effort to respond to readers regularly on the platforms they love is a great signal that you’re not some aloof writer who’s out of touch with the world you live in.
  • Give back. There are a lot of fun ways to do this that drum up your marketing base, too–giving is, in fact, necessary to receive. Consider giveaways, donations, free webinars or live chats, and all of those other ways in which you as an author can interact with your readers in a way that’s fresh and honest and mindful of their needs.

Remember, too, that marketing doesn’t have to be boring. You’re not selling a car. You’re selling your book. And your book is amazing!

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.
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.
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.

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[ 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.