Tag: Kelly Schuknecht

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

Self-Publishing News: 8.1.2016

Look what we woke up to today!

anniversary

Eight years, really?  Boy, doesn’t time fly?  We are going to commemorate this milestone with a whole new look for the Self Publishing Advisor blog.  It’s now cleaner and faster/easier to navigate. We hope you like it.

And now for the news!

This week in the world of self-publishing:

In this July 28th press release as reposted on Broadway World, Outskirts Press makes known its latest crop of bestsellers, several of which you may already have heard–including, of course, actress Mirtha Michelle Castro Marmol’s Letters, To the Men I Have Loved.  Published just over two years ago in June of 2014, Letters continues to demonstrate its remarkable staying power while it holds on to spot number six.  (Her latest book, Elusive Loves, was published late last year.)  And in tenth place, Chidozie Osuwa’s What She Feels continues to make good on its international acclaim.  (Is it a coincidence, one might ask, that both of these regulars on the Top 10 list are books of poetry?  I don’t think so.  Whoever tells you poetry is dead–and there are plenty of people who do say this–clearly hasn’t looked at sales figures over the last year.)  The list includes several other books of interest (exactly eight, to be precise), several of them centering on the theme of faith, and several others of the memoir and nonfiction genres.  To read up on all ten books, check out the original press release here.

“The dismissal of self-published books in a grand sweeping statement is irresponsible of a modern newspaper editor,” writes Samita Sarkar in this July 28th Huffington Post article.  Her piece, while also a fine defense of self-publishing in general, serves as a highly specific takedown of one particular person: Globe and Mail Books Editor Mark Medley, who made it his mission to downplay the hard work of Canadian self-published author Douglas Gardham earlier in the month.  “It is fine not to consider most self-published books,” Sarkar continues, “but this shouldn’t be because they’re self-published, and if it is, at least have the good sense not to admit this to your audience.”  Sarkar goes on to explain the difference between self-publishing and vanity presses, giving eloquent pause to anyone who might have the audacity to judge or–worst of all–pity an author who chooses to publish and market without the backing of a traditional publishing company.  “By registering an imprint and truly self-publishing their work, self-published authors can compete with traditionally published authors for the attention of readers,” writes Sarkar: “The unethical vanity press ‘middle man’ should have no place in this industry.”  But she saves her final word for the unfolding story of Douglas Gardham, whose hard work is already being discovered–and will no doubt continue to be so.  For the rest of Sarkar’s essay, follow the link!

This is a week for lists, as John Maher’s July 28th post to Publishers Weekly online proves.  Not to be shown up by Outskirts Press, Publishers Weekly is also in the habit of releasing its lists regularly, and this week’s is a doozy.  Says Maher, “The tables were turned against the traditional publishers on the iBooks Bestseller list this past week, as five of the top ten titles on the list were self-published.”  The five titles in question include “top-slotted” Just Friends by Billy Taylor in first position and Helen Hardt’s self-published Obsession down at #4, with several volumes of Kendall Ryan’s self-published Hitched also making the list.  When you consider that Taylor and Hardt both beat blockbuster successes The Girl on the Train and J.K. Rowling’s screenplay for the newest addition to the Harry Potter canon–well, that speaks volumes about how far self-publishing has come in making its mark on book sales.  You can find Maher’s full list 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.

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.

Alternative Marketing Methods, Book Marketing, Kelly Speaks, Marketing Your Self-Published Book, Uncategorized

Book Readings: They’re About Relationships, Not Just Sales

This month we’ve been exploring the topic of preparing for and giving a book reading to help boost your marketing, your self-confidence, and to expand your comfort zone. The best way to gain a standing in your fans (and potential fans minds) is to see and hear you stand before them and share your story with them. Once you’ve given a passionate reading of your story before an audience, your readers will see the passion inside you that drove you to write the story in the first place, creating a connection that readers don’t often get to have with authors of their favorite books.

book reading
Lauren Weisberger reads at Books & Books (FL), July 19

If you think about it, as readers, we often get so consumed by the story and the characters that the author never comes to mind. I personally think that well-written pieces should have that effect on readers, one where the reader feels as though they’re inside the story and can’t hear the author’s, but only the character’s voices. However, once I’ve already fallen in love with a story, I find myself looking into these authors to find out more about them. I want to know how they knew so much about the history of jazz music in New Orleans, or about the intricacies of youth tennis academies, the mechanics of telephone switchboards, or the cobblestone streets of European cities. It gets to the point where I would give anything to sit down and pick the author’s brain to see if any of the characters in their stories were autobiographical, or if they grew up in the city the story took place in, etc. etc.

Just think of people who haven’t randomly stumbled upon your story, haven’t had the chance to have already been consumed by it, and don’t know anything about you. A book reading is your chance to convince those readers that they must have this book, that they must read it, and that they must also tell their fellow bibliophiles all about it.

While performing a reading with the kind of passion that can captivate an audience may terrify some more asocial writers, know that you’re not alone. I often dread social obligations and parties, choosing to shadow a more extroverted, socially affluent friend – however, that’s often because those gatherings are focused on small talk and catching up that I find generally uncomfortable and forced. The opportunity to speak, uninterrupted about something you love seems less intimidating for just that reason – I don’t have to force anything, it’s something I naturally love speaking about. A book reading allows me to prepare what to say in advanced in a way that doesn’t seem contrived, but is just a given part of the expected performance. When I am forced to interact with my audience, it is on the level of answering questions about something that I am deeply passionate about, which is my writing. For these reasons, while preparing for a putting on a book reading may bring about feelings of anxiety and general unease, know that the sense of satisfaction you’ll receive from having the opportunity to give your story a voice, and to gain readers who will stick with you for life will make it all worth it.

Thank you for reading!  If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or contributions, please use the comment field below or drop us a line atselfpublishingadvice@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. ♠

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. 10:00 AM
from the archives, karl schroeder, Kelly Speaks, Uncategorized

From the Archives: “Self-publishing – Authors become the Gatekeepers”

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: September 29th, 2009 ]

In a recent blog post, literary agent Nathan Bransford wrote of on-demand printing and distribution:

“No warehouses, no catalogs, no print runs. Online vendors, as we’ve seen, will sell anything. In this scenario, does the Author of the Future, especially one with a built-in audience, really need a publisher? Well… yes. Maybe.”

Bransford goes on to argue in favor of the author/publisher relationship, stating that the role of the publisher lies in the dirty work – copy editing, cover design, distribution, marketing, etc. We know that writing and publishing is often the easy part – the real execution comes in getting books effectively into the marketplace. That is where real self-publishing options stand out. Be prepared to pay for the services you and your publishing consultant determine best suited for your goals. In the long-run, you’ll thank your self. And so will the readers who have the privilege of enjoying your work.

Bransford: “But publishers would have to be extremely author-friendly — they would be providing a service, not relying on their traditional role as gatekeepers and distributors. Publishers won’t be able to rely, as they have traditionally, on the fact that authors need them in order to reach their audience, just as authors won’t be able to rely on publishers losing money on most of the books they publish.”

Keep your eyes and ears open. Self-publishing is on the way.

– by Karl Schroeder

Gatekeeping.  If you’ve spent much time around the literature of either traditional publishing or self-publishing, you’ll have heard the term “gatekeeping”–and often.  This is because it’s a big deal, regulating and potentially even censoring the works that others read for work and pleasure.

Publisher’s Weekly came to the phenomenon’s defense back in 2014 (“In Praise of Editors, Agents, and Every Other Gatekeeper in Publishing“), Self-Publishing Review called for it to stop just this last month (“Indie Author Gatekeeping Has To Stop“), while Porter Anderson of Thought Catalog and Hugh Howey of The Wayfinder both claim that self-publishing authors and companies alike have introduced new forms of gatekeeping to replace the old (“In Self-Publishing, The Gatekeepers Are Dead. Long Live The Gatekeepers!” and “Gatekeepers for Indie Publishing,” respectively).

And that’s just to list a few of the many, many, many hundreds of articles, blog posts, and other opinion as well as peer-reviewed pieces out there on the subject.  The furor over gatekeeping has far from died down since Karl first wrote his blog piece in 2009, some seven years ago.  If anything, the ferocity of debate has only been heightened by time, although some of the vim and vigor can no doubt be attributed to living during a politically charged time (on all issues, not just presidential) in which language has become a polarizing weapon (if it wasn’t already such before).  But there are other considerations too: the world of publishing, and the dynamic relationships between print and digital, traditional and hybrid and indie publishing, not to mention readers and authors via social media, has crossed a rubicon.

Several rubicons.

So, much has changed … except our ongoing concerns over what constitutes “rightful” or “allowable” control over what gets published and how, and who exerts that control.

Consider the fact that you, a self-publishing author, have a role to play in this drama.  You choose to publish, to believe your story is worth putting out there into the world, come what may.  (It is.)  You choose to hold your self-publishing company and awards panels and yes, even your readers, to a high standard of ethical behavior.  You fight for equal rights to publish, especially those who didn’t come to the table with the same resources or privileges as you.

Consider the fact that you, a reader, have an equally important role to play.  We’ve written in the distant past about controlling the market by controlling how and where you spend your hard-earned cash … and this is just a quick reminder that the market isn’t defined solely by top-down control from gatekeepers, or even by bottom-up grassroots gatekeeping.  It’s not really defined at all, but rather exists somewhere in the hazy tension between these two forces.

Karl’s 2009 post was accurate–to a point.  Self-publishing authors do control what they pursue publishing, at least.  But editors, publishers, and self-publishing companies exercise their right to reject or embrace those authors’ manuscripts, another obvious and visible kind of control.  And last but not least, readers control which authors (and publishers, and self-publishing companies) get a cut of their paychecks.  It’s a complicated relationship, and it’s not likely to streamline itself soon.

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.  ♠

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: 7.25.2016

And now for the news!

This week in the world of self-publishing:

“Authors of thrillers and mysteries who have endured the woes of traditional publishing may find that the indie route is the best way to go,” declares Nicole Audrey Spector in this July 22 article for Publisher’s Weekly.  The phenomenon of genre fiction authors finding success within the liberations of self-publishing is nothing new: romance and fantasy/science fiction writers have a long and storied relationship with going rogue in order to escape both the stigmas and the constraints unfairly imposed by the gatekeepers of Western literary canon.  And while crime fiction may come as a surprise to some, but Spector writes that “crime fiction lends itself well to self-publishing, in part because authors can pump out a ton of books in a relatively short time while building and engaging with an active audience online.”  Of course, it’s not without its challenges, Spector notes: “It’s a lot of work, but well worth it for those crime authors whose careers have taken off as a result.”  And those ranks are expanding, as more indie crime writers navigate the muddy waters of self-marketing to become “authorpreneurs.”  For the full story, check out Spector’s article at the link!

Anything with “Maverick women writers” in the title is bound to catch my eye!  Self-publishing has long provided refuge for the marginalized and the oppressed, given voice to those who have no means of their own and no access to the traditional publishing model, so it should come as no surprise that indie publishing has come to attract its fair share of women cut from a different cloth.  Says Maria Corte for Quartz in this July 22 article, chronicling the successes of authors like H.M. Ward, whose nice-guy Damaged series was too “weird” to fit comfortably within the bounds of traditional publishing.  Forced into self-publishing by the nature of her books, Ward met almost immediate (and overwhelming) success–books in the NYT bestseller list, massive sales–all while turning down offers from traditional publishers who wanted to capitalize on her now-proven success.

“Romance novels, home of heavy lids, hot breaths, and grabbed wrists, have long been the embarrassing secret money-maker of the book industry,” writes Corte, “But today, a renegade generation of self-published authors like Ward are redefining the romance novel, adapting to digital in a way that has long-lasting lessons for the book industry.”  The average American reads just 12 books a year, notes Corte, but those who fall in love with the romance genre tend to read far more (including one reader who owns up to reading 5 romance novels a week).  However you look at it, good news for the mavericks turns out to be good news for everyone–the more books a reader consumes, the more they support the publishing industry as a whole, traditional  and indie.  For more of Corte’s article, follow the link.

This week’s last big piece of news comes from Publisher’s Weekly, in Mark Coker’s annual list of trends to watch published on July 22.  “The future of publishing is fraught with opportunity and peril,” Coker warns before launching into his list; making note of the fact that many authors (self-publishing and otherwise) lack a complete understanding of market trends (past and present) and that these trends play a large hand in shaping the success or failure of a book’s sales.

But there’s plenty of good news in store for self-publishing authors, too, says Coker.  One of his ten trends centers on the democratization of publishing and distribution as a direct result of self-publishing: “Ten years ago, agents and publishers were the bouncers at the pearly gates of authordom,” writes Coker.  “Publishers controlled the printing press and the access to retail distribution. Today, thanks to free e-book publishing platforms, writers enjoy democratized access to e-book retailers and readers.”  That’s a rather rousing endorsement if ever I saw one!  And indie authors keep raking in the good news; three more of the ten trends include “The rise of indie authorship,” “Indie authors are taking market share,” and (happily) “The stigma of self-publishing is disappearing.”  It’s also worth noting that Coker closes with one final bit of good news: “Indie authors are writing the next chapter of their industry’s story,” he says.  It’s not all fun and games, however, and Coker warns against the continued power Amazon plays in undermining the individual self-publishing authors’ potential.  For more information, check out 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.

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.

Alternative Marketing Methods, Kelly Speaks, Marketing Your Self-Published Book, Uncategorized

Book Readings: Making a Success of the Big Day

Okay, so now you’ve committed to putting on a book reading, and here comes the big day!

Last week, we went over how one prepares for a book reading, but it’s just as important to break down what will happen on the big day itself!

poetry reading

First of all,

  1. SHOW UP.

No excuses. Set aside this time slot and stay committed to it.

Even if there are far less people in attendance than you expected when you do arrive, do not let them down. Give them the same reading you’d give a sold-out theater.

Also, bring your family or some close friends along with you – this guarantees that you’ll at least have some sort of very attentive audience, no matter what.

  1. Be Professional.

There’s a lot that goes under this heading, because being professional is so very important when trying to appeal to new readers and not let down old fans.

Show up on time and start on time – obviously. Don’t keep your audience waiting, some of them may have families or other engagements that they planned around this event.

Do not talk down to your audience, especially to those asking questions who haven’t read your book. Being pretentious won’t sell you books, so even if someone’s question seems silly to you, answer it genuinely and in a way that doesn’t insult their intelligence.

It’s important that you dress well, as well as dress to fit the venue. It may be over the top to show up to a coffee shop in a suit and tie, or to book store in ripped jeans and a tee-shirt.

I can’t think of anything more unprofessional than forgetting to thank your audience and the venue. This can be brief, but it shows that you respect the people who have taken time out of their day to watch you, or who have coordinated with you the weeks leading up to the reading to put on the event.

  1. Get live photos!

If it’s not on social media, then it probably didn’t happen. For those who are too far across the country to make it, but are friends with you on Facebook or follow your Instagram/Twitter, it’s still nice to “see” (even if it’s on a screen) that you’re out there telling your story!

  1. Feel Gratitude

Selling ANY books is something you should be excited about. So you brought 20 copies and only sold 5? That’s FIVE more readers you didn’t have before.

Be grateful for the opportunity given to you by the venue, and by the listeners.

  1. Don’t get yourself down if things go wrong.

Planning out a script at home and reading it to your cat will never be the same as the real thing.

Maybe the mic won’t work, maybe you’ll forget a pen to sign the books, maybe you’ll stutter over the answer to a question.

IT’S OKAY. You’re only human, and so is your audience. Take any potential slip ups in stride, but also feel free to lavishly celebrate if all goes exactly according to plan.

  1. Last but not least, ENJOY yourself.

It’s no small secret that many writers can be sort of recluse. A book reading shouldn’t just be strictly used as a marketing technique, but it should also serve the purpose of getting you out of your shell, speaking freely with an audience of potentially interested readers, and knowing that when you walk away you will have gained a better understanding of yourself as an author and as a person.

It’s not often that you get the chance to stand before others and talk about such an incredible accomplishment that you’ve maybe only shared with your publisher, family, close friends, etc.

Thank you for reading!  If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or contributions, please use the comment field below or drop us a line atselfpublishingadvice@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. ♠

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. 10:00 AM