Get Rich Self-Pubbing Your E-books with J.A. Konrath
“Brainstorming on the Beach” Conference with Novelists, Inc.
Here are my notes, keeping in mind this is what I heard and my interpretation.
Self-publishing eBook guru J.A. Konrath shared his experiences with us at the Ninc conference in St. Pete Beach. His sales figures are impressive and I’m not going to repeat them here. You can follow him on his blog, http://jakonrath.blogspot.com
Joe suggests making your website “sticky”, i.e. give people a reason to stick around. Content should be informative and entertaining. For example, you might offer an unsold book online for free as a pdf download. Joe calls this a “gateway drug” because these readers will go on to buy your print books.
Publishing houses still provide editorial services, cover design, and distribution, plus they serve as gatekeepers between the author and readers via bookstores. But should we pay for these services forever, or one time only?
If you are self-publishing, the cover art should be professional, even if you have to hire your own artist. Be sure to get the rights to use your cover design for any promotional purposes and also possibly if your book goes into print someday. Make sure your work is edited, error free, and correctly formatted so it looks professional. You’ll need to write the blurbs and back cover copy and get reviews and quotes. You’ll want the free preview option and no DRM.
Joe suggests doing a Kindle Nation ad but not necessarily a Facebook ad to attract readers. Participate in the kindleboards and social networks.
When self-pubbing, if you start out at Smashwords, you’ll get an ISBN there. You can opt out of the Kindle and Pubit (for B&N) and do those yourselves.
If you have an agent, think above having him sell the subrights to your eBooks, i.e. audio, foreign, film.
Books no longer have a shelf life. “This is infinite. It is forever…It’s a buffet mentality. We’re not going to have a saturation.”
“Brainstorming on the Beach” Conference with Novelists, Inc.
Multi-published authors are looking for a way to distinguish their epubbed books from the multitude. In some instances, they’ve banded together to form cooperatives. Here are three that presented to us at the conference. Again, these statements are from my notes and subject to my interpretation.
A Writer’s Work
This site is for authors who have had at least two commercially published works. They sell direct to readers. Books may be original or previously published. There is no exclusivity. The author can put it up elsewhere or pull it down at any time. The author gets 70%. Then 25% goes toward maintaining the website and the other 5% for Paypal fees. So far they have 18 multi-published authors participating. http://www.awriterswork.com/
Backlist EBooks
This site is for authors who put their previously published backlists up for sale themselves. They can list the titles here. This site does not put the books up for sale directly. There’s a small fee for website upkeep. Each author will have their own page and links to their sites. http://backlistebooks.com/
Membership in Book View Cafe is limited to authors who have had at least one novel published with a traditional advance and royalty-paying print publisher. Author members may sell original works as well as backlist titles through this website direct to readers. They offer free fiction as well. These authors have varied amounts of experience in epublishing and help each other format and prepare their work. They can help with cover design, publishing, and promotion. http://www.bookviewcafe.com/
Someone said that ePub and pdf are the two most requested formats.
I imagine we’ll see more cooperatives by career authors who want to distinguish their body of work from the uninitiated masses. If publishers are the gatekeepers, then these authors have already passed through the gate.
“Brainstorming on the Beach” Conference with Novelists, Inc.
Publishing Concerns with Carolyn Pittis, Senior VP, Global Author Services, HarperCollins
Carolyn reviewed the progress of publishing from the first cave drawings to the printing press to our current Digital Age. The pain over the digital media transition is caused by firms trying to hang onto their legacy business, the struggle to prevent piracy, and the fret over uncertain outcomes.
Media is digitized in the order of least resistance (i.e. newspapers, magazine, music, film, etc.) so books are last.
Carolyn predicts increased consumption by readers but less time with any one book or author, because readers have too many distractions.
Bloggers are the current reviewers. Reviews matter more than social media in terms of selling books. However, authors who are not engaged in social networking are at grave risk.
Issues in the digital ecosystem: advances, royalty rates, territoriality. The old business model is losing scale. There are reduced barriers to entry for new writers. Everyone is trying to figure out how to make money under the new model.
These five forces conspire to drive profitability out of the business:
Bargaining power of suppliers (writers)
Bargaining power of customers (readers)
Threat of new entrants
Threat of substitute products (products other than books)
Competitive rivalry within the industry
Considerations in the publishing world include Content Development, Production and Packaging, Marketing and Merchandising, and Distribution.
C = E-D-M-P = $$ If self-publishing, the author will have to do the E-D-M-P herself or hire someone to do it.
Carolyn distinguishes between Word Writers and Word Brands.
Word Writers need an advance, have low tech knowledge, have a small to medium fan base, and want a support system.
Word Brands don’t need cash up front, have other businesses, are confident in their abilities, possess tech knowledge and a marketing platform, and can hire people to complement their skills.
Which one are you? Which one do you think better leans toward self-publishing?
Ideally, a publisher’s role should be to grow an author’s reach in this manner:
Fund: Advance, royalties, subrights
Create: Edit, design, distribute
Defend: Protect intellectual property
Inform: Collaborate, communicate, integrate, lead, and advise
Amplify: Market, raise awareness and acclaim
Focus: Support creative renewal
***Don’t you wish all publishers would do these things for us?
“Brainstorming on the Beach” Conference with Novelists, Inc.
Here are my notes, keeping in mind this is what I heard and my interpretation. This panel was geared toward Harlequin Enterprises.
Writing for Worldwide Distribution with Marsha Zinberg, Executive Editor, Harlequin Enterprises and Author Vicki Lewis Thompson
Marsha: A breakdown on what’s popular with readers shows that cowboys, weddings, babies, and Texas remain favorite themes. The Presents line features the power dynamics between a hero and heroine. A new line is coming, HQ Heartwarming with wholesome stories.
Mini-series and connected series are always hits.
Direct to Consumer: No paranormals. Heroines should be focused on home not career.
Overseas: Fantasy and romance are welcome but not paranormal. Ugly Duckling, Cinderella, forbidden love, millionaires, and secret babies are themes that work. The romance should be the focus of the story.
When you, the author, are doing your fact sheet, keep in mind that overseas editors read them so make your universal theme evident right away. The synopsis shouldn’t be overly long or complicated since English may not be their first language.
Topics to avoid: Casinos and gambling, ballroom dancing, post-war traumatic stress disorder.
Medical sells well overseas but not in North America.
Be prolific to create your author franchise.
Time sensitive issues and brand names may date a book so be wary of using these. Ditto for technology and politically correct terms.
Vicki: Know what is selling but don’t always follow trends. Focus what you do well and write often. Be a pro regarding deadlines. Challenge yourself as a writer and take a chance on special projects.
Refilling the creative well implies that you drain your energy when you write. Instead, think of writing as recharging your batteries. The more you write, the more you want to write.
Coming Next: Sharing Concerns with Carolyn Pittis, Senior VP, Global Author Services, HarperCollins
“Brainstorming on the Beach” Conference with Novelists, Inc.
Lunch Break
Panelists
Lucienne Diver, Literary Agent
Angela James, Executive Editor, Carina Press
Brian O’Leary, Magellan Media Partners
Sue Lange, Book View Café
Barbar Keiler, Author
Chris Kenneally, Copyright Clearance Center
Lou Aronica, Publisher, The Story Plant
J.A. Konrath, Author & Blogger
Here are my notes, keeping in mind this is what I heard and my interpretation.
Lucienne: Unless you have an audience or a platform, you need a publisher. And to reach the broadest possible audience, you need a publisher to put your book into the different formats.
Chris: Digital publishing offers you a chance to experiment with a novella or a short story.
Google editions may discourage piracy because people won’t share their Google accounts.
Lou doesn’t advice just putting your book up on Amazon. They don’t put effort into marketing individual books. Plus with so many formats, going with a publisher is better.
Joe Konrath believes consumers feel less toward digital copies than toward works in print.
Agency Model: Publisher gets 70%, Amazon gets 30%, publisher sets price. Out of the publisher’s share, the author may get 25% and their agent gets 15% of that money.
Barbara: How will mobile phones affect the art of writing? Will readers have patience for paragraphs longer than 3 lines? Will description be tolerated or will it be replaced by a video clip? Will the Twitter novel become popular? How about turning off your cell phones on airplanes? Does this mean you can’t read during takeoffs and landings? People with shorter attention spans will want shorter books.
Brian: Re contract clauses and reversion of rights and subrights, try for a shorter term, like 3 to 5 years, after which these items are negotiable.
Publishers have to agree on terms of sale with eReader device providers in order to offer their stock in that format.
“Windowing” is when a hardcover comes out then the eBook comes out xx weeks later. You have to market the book twice when this happens so it causes the author more work. This also may happen with books that release in the U.S. market and later in the foreign markets. You lose sales momentum.
Final Advice:
Nancy Cohen and Five Star Editor Denise Dietz
Write more good books and write quickly.
Don’t be overwhelmed by the marketing aspects.
Spend time selling your book. Work it into your calendar.
You don’t need an entire social media strategy. Start with just one thing.
You can reinvent yourself. Don’t be frightened by the prospect; be excited by it.
Be transparent for your readers; let them see who you are.
You can find a smaller, devoted audience without a blockbuster mentality. This can be artistically liberating for writers.
Follow you own path while keeping in mind all your options.
“Brainstorming on the Beach” Conference with Novelists, Inc.
Annette Mahon, Nancy Cohen, Cynthia Thomason
Here are my notes, keeping in mind this is what I heard and my interpretation.
Panelists:
Lou Aronica, Publisher, The Story Plant
Donna Hayes, Publisher and CEO, Harlequin Enterprises
Al Zuckerman, Literary Agent and Founder of Writers House
Carolyn Pittis, Senior VP, Global Author Services, HarperCollins
Heather Graham, NYT Bestselling Author
Alan Kaufman, Literary Attorney
Loriana Sacilotto, Executive VP, Editorial & Global Strategy, Harlequin Enterprises
Angela James, Executive Editor, Carina Press
“Publishers are moving toward digital publishing because consumers want it.” Ereaders will be hot over the holidays.
A digital world offers no returns, no print production, and a different distribution avenue. It’s a very big opportunity for writers and publishers. Genre readers have adapted to the technology faster than others.
Neilsen Bookscan (if I got this right) reported $40.6 million eBook sales in one month. The Kindle is responsible for this explosion.
The competition, i.e. B&N, Borders, Amazon, and Google, are growing awareness of this product. What will really shake things up will be Smartphones. This is the next big opportunity. People who don’t own dedicated eReaders will have global Smartphones. Even eReaders may disappear in favor of these devices. The deciding factor is how long brick and mortar stores stay open.
See this article “Verizon Wireless Brings Kindle Experience to Android Smartphones and Other Devices” at http://bit.ly/9LypQG
Lou: He doesn’t distinguish between print or eBook writers and publishing houses re prestige. Readers want interaction with writers. You must connect in some significant way with your readers. The only way you can stand out from the pack is to market yourself, no matter the publisher or the format.
Regarding whether you should self-publish or go with an epub, Lou reminds you that epubs can manage the different streams of income. Convenience is a major factor to going with an epub for now. If eBook sales equivocate to print sales, perhaps these epubs should begin offering advances.
Print publishers have to set up a new infrastructure while maintaining their legacy print operation, but there may be casualties as their margins are very small.
Angela: Digital first authors may choose to go with an epub because they want to write something different or they want to start out in a smaller market. It doesn’t mean they’ve been rejected by the major houses as many perceive it.
“You don’t want to just publish a book. You want a career.” Authors are small business owners and have to market themselves.
Carolyn: How do pubs and authors collaborate together as partners in a new business model to sell more books? The major houses have to figure out how to reduce costs on the print side while increasing their investment in digital. Readers care about what reviewers think and what their own friends like. They care about a good story. She believes too much technology (i.e. enhanced eBooks) may interfere with this experience, at least for fiction. It might work better for nonfiction.
Alan believes things may look similar in five years if the general trade publishers acquire the eBook publishing houses. Then those pubs may in turn be acquired by Google.
“Publishers act as gatekeepers. This is their most important function. If they aren’t around to do that, who knows what’ll be out there?”
Harlequin is already ahead of the game because it has Carina Press. Angela says other issues like DRM and pricing will change the landscape.
Other issues mentioned in the panel were consumer pricing and the strong trend toward price reduction, demographics and the behavior of younger readers and their purchasing habits, and the foreign market which is hungry for content.
Coming next: Digital Rights
I’m guest blogging today over at Fresh Fiction on Creating Memorable Villains. Please check out my post and leave a comment: http://freshfiction.com/page.php?id=2864
“Brainstorming on the Beach” Conference with Novelists, Inc.
Contracts and Copyrights
Panelists:
David Forrer, Literary Agent
Alan Kaufman, Literary Attorney
Carly Phillips, NYT Bestselling Author
Deb Werksman, Editorial Manager, Sourcebooks
Donna Hayes, Publisher and CEO, Harlequin Enterprises
Chris Kenneally, Copyright Clearance Center
Al Zuckerman, Literary Agent and Founder of Writers House
Brenda Hiatt, Author
Here are my notes, keeping in mind this is what I heard and my interpretation.
Ad revenues surrounding e-books will increase. For example, books will be sold on Google with ads surrounding them. This will be new revenue to the publishers, and authors should share in it. Publishers have to staff up their royalty departments.
Regarding reserves against returns, one panelist believes they should not continue beyond two royalty periods. A book having ongoing sales a year or more after it was published should not have reserves held back. Another agent agreed that if there are ongoing sales above the advance, there should no longer be reserves.
Editors defended their reserves policies. One editor said backlist books are out there for a long time. 50% sell-through is considered a success in mass-market, but there are still going to be returns. Trade paperbacks can be returned at any time.
Regarding piracy, is it cannibalizing book sales, or would those readers not have bought the book anyway? One way to combat piracy is through education. Mention it in your blogs and on your website. You should let people know, those who feel entitled to getting whatever they want off the Internet, that information is valuable and it is not free. Another solution is to write to the advertisers on pirate sites and alert them to violations.
One panelist said she thinks the used book marketplace as we know it will go away. If publishers price eBooks reasonably, legitimate readers will buy them.
What about the issue of returns? Why are we still doing them at all? Because booksellers won’t stock the books otherwise. There have been attempts to launch imprints without returns, but the experiments failed. Booksellers demand return policies. There have even been eBook returns when a customer clicks on the wrong book or downloads the wrong format.
Reversion of rights and the definition of a book being in print entered the conversation. We should try to restrict this clause to trade editions, English-language editions, or a dollar amount like $250 sold over two royalty periods. You could also try to narrow this clause by saying the book is considered to be in print if 300 copies are sold electronically within two royalty periods. Publishers want to hold onto your rights and they will do so forever because of the clause “in any form whatsoever” as defining a book in print.
A similar phrase to watch out for is when a book is considered to be in print “in any format now or yet to be invented.” This is a sticky issue today as publishers are trying to grab whatever rights they can. “They have a huge challenge coming up and are running scared.”
According to one panelist, the most important rights to keep are your foreign and film rights. Try for a movie bonus in your contract, i.e. you get extra money if your book is optioned. Try to get an audio rights reversion clause for six months or later so if the publisher does not exercise these subrights within the specified amount of time, the audio rights revert to the author. 50% of net is a good deal for audio rights.
Also try for a Look Back clause regarding eBook royalties. For example, after three years, you can renegotiate your royalty rate.
The advantage of digital first pubs: no advance but a higher royalty rate. The size of the eBook market is equivalent to 67% of mass-market sales or 55% of hardcover sales. The Book Industry Study Group is looking to measure data but Walmart, for example, doesn’t report to them.
Copyright will be more important than anything in the future.
Some publishers are sticking a morals clause in contracts now. This means the publisher can cancel the contract if the author behaves in an immoral manner. Try to cross this one out.
And a final quote: “If you’re confused, you’re beginning to understand the problem.”
THE FUTURE OF PUBLISHING at Brainstorming on the Beach, Novelists, Inc. conference
Thursday, October 7, 2010
This day was entirely devoted to The Future of Publishing and was open to all writers. Impressive speakers spoke to us about what’s new and what’s coming in the publishing industry. The first panel’s topic was Promotional Teamwork. Here are my notes, keeping in mind this is what I heard and my interpretation.
PANEL ON PROMOTIONAL TEAMWORK
Speakers:
Eileen Fallon, Literary Agent
Brian O’Leary, Magellan Media Partners
Joan Schulhafer, Publishing and Media Consulting
Shannon Aviles, More Than Publicity
Kay Hooper, NYT Bestselling Author
Carolyn Pittis, Senior VP, Global Author Services, HarperCollins
Linda Parks, Co-Owner, Fireside Books
Loriana Sacilotto, Executive VP, Editorial & Global Strategy, Harlequin Enterprises
Joan: “The train has left the station,” meaning we’re all published authors and we have the choice of many destinations. We cannot let uncertainty about the future paralyze us in terms of what to do for promo. Determine who is your target audience and what you will send them in terms of printed materials. Communicate your plans to your publisher but be careful not to create more work for them. “Every time you have a request or idea, it creates work.” So be realistic in your expectations.
Loriana: Harlequin believes in building authors into their own brand. They hold weekly sessions regarding digital media and social networking. “Write consistently what you write best” to build your brand. Print and ebook sales should be looked at together. Publishers should ask, how is this book selling in each format? Bestseller lists still influence readers, distribution and discounts. Is there an alternate way to measure success other than the bestseller lists? How about total sales and the value of the backlist?
Carolyn: Review copies still sell books today but we need more book recommendation tools. Word of mouth hasn’t met technology yet. Think about who your promo activities are geared toward. Also consider the cost of your various promo efforts, i.e. “For this dollar, I get less or more.” Everything online is measurable. Co-op used to be the major marketing expense for publishers, but things are shifting. Independent booksellers still have tremendous influence. A big shift is coming in retailing. Google will allow indies to sell eBooks competitively with Amazon, etc. As consumers use more eReader devices, indies can leverage their connections with readers.
The market is booming overseas for English language genre fiction, i.e. vampire romance, thrillers. There’s a huge demand in India and Muslim countries in particular. Growing and developing technology in eBook formats, metadata, etc. will increase among pubs. “You can connect with your readers around the world. That’s where the growth is.” This growth surge will help combat book piracy.
Shannon: “Eastern Europe is in an upswing as are China, Scandinavia, Central/South America” re demand for English language books. Driving it is the eBook biz, apps, handheld tech, integrated marketing, widgets, and enriched content. Publishers have to recognize measurable numbers for eBook sales.
Linda: Send your book to the indie bookseller, not just a bookmark. Make a connection with your local independent bookstore. This will benefit both of you.
Brian: Ads in PW and newspapers don’t sell books. You want your brand to extend beyond what your publisher does for you. Social media provide an on-going effort to build your reputation. “Be visible and be searchable from the moment your book is published.”
Kay: Consider the cost of social networking to your creativity. “You have to find your comfort level because the future is now.”
Ninc has just begun a new newsletter, NINC BLAST, which includes information about our authors’ new and upcoming releases, as well as a “Did you know?” feature with tantalizing, little-known factoids about some of your favorite authors. To subscribe to NINC BLAST, please go to our Website: <http://ninc.com/> Then scroll down to the middle of the screen, where it says, “Let NINC BLAST you. ” Simply click on the pale blue envelope, then follow the protocols.
“Brainstorming on the Beach” Conference with Novelists, Inc.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
We checked in for the Novelists, Inc. conference at Tradewinds Resort in St. Pete Beach. In the lobby, I met authors Cynthia Thomason, Brenda Hiatt Barber, Thea Devine, Ruth Glick, Judy Fitzwater, Barbara Keiler, Annette Mahon, Patricia Rosemoor, and Mary Stella. It’s great seeing people I haven’t met up with in a while and meeting new friends, especially folks I’ve only seen online. It’s always good to match a face with a name.
Consisting of multiple buildings, the Island Grand portion of the Tradewinds Resort occupies several acres and includes beachfront property, numerous pools, picturesque footbridges over meandering canals, swans, plus several restaurants and bars. We went over to a tiki hut our first day. I had a Trade Winds Sunrise, a mixed rum drink, and hubbie and I split a potato skins appetizer. We ate dinner later in Beef O’Grady’s sports bar, a noisy venue with a reasonably priced menu. We watched the spectacular sunset over the water as the blazing tangerine orb sank into the horizon.
One of many pools
We had a standard suite, with a comfortable sitting area and a mini-kitchen separated from the bedroom and bathroom by a regular door. There are old-fashioned TVs in each room. Shampoo, lotion, bar soap, conditioner are supplied. There’s a coffeemaker in the kitchen with packaged supplies. The staff are all very courteous throughout the place. Guests can get Starbucks coffee at a bar in the main lobby beginning at 6am. Breakfast in the Bermudas dining room opens at 7am. My single complaint is that the soundproofing could be better in the rooms. I could hear outside noise through the doors/windows. Otherwise, it’s a lovely resort with many facilities and activities throughout the property.
