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Publishers Weekly had an interesting blurb this month in their Publisher News section. It had to do with ebook sales for publishing giant Random House. It seems that for some titles released this fall, nearly half of the first-week sales were in ebook format. The article goes on to state that they expect digital format sales to increase significantly in the coming year.
I tell you this because I've been hearing in the blogosphere lately, the constant murmuring of authors who want to ride the same lucrative wave as the big guys. They're using self-publishing to do it. Internet giants like Amazon and Barnes and Noble offer the opportunity to get your stories out there.
This can be a wonderful thing. On the flip-side, doing so may hurt your chances with royalty publishers down the road. So there are some things to consider...
Terry Burns, my agent at Hartline Literary, posted an interesting article on his blog, Cowboy Musings this week. It had to do with question of whether or not the decision to e-publishing your book on a site like Amazon might have a negative effect on your proposal to publishers. He surveyed over 100 editors in both main stream publishing and the Christian market. Their responses were surprising, and I encourage you to head on over to his blog to read them for yourselves.
You see, publishers expect the digital rights to your book to be part of the package they're paying you for when they offer you a contract. The problem, is that once Amazon has your book available in Kindle form...they're not going to give it up. And that is a dilemma that could knock your proposal out of the running.
Of course, ebook publishing is a wonderful opportunity for a lot of authors. Those who write non-fiction field, are a part of a larger organization, or who have a following all do exceedingly well with this route. Speakers and teachers get in front of their audience and self-publishing goes hand in hand with immediate sales at conferences where you make a real connection with your reader.
I encourage you to consider your future plans and hopes for your manuscript when deciding whether or not to self publish a digital version of your book. As always, its your dream, your direction, and ultimately your decision.
Until next time...Go Write!
Photograph by Andrew Mason.
A number of interesting things are happeing in publishing this month. Specifically 'General Market' or secular publishing but we see the effects trickle down into other markets. Publisher's Weekly reported that Dorchester, a publisher of mass market romance, has dropped its print publishing business in favor of an e-book / print-on-demand model.
This ties in with something Terry Burns wrote in his blogpost for From the Heart, Heartline Literary's webiste, an excellent post explaining the difference between self-publishing and print-on-demand. It seems that the idea of e-books being a growth market is catching on big time.
Speaking of technology. Writer's Digest recently posted an article on the Anatomy of a Writer's Website that was timely in its advice. They likened the author website to a business card and that it shows editors and publishers that you are a professional that can be reached by readers, or for assignents like articles and speaking engagements.
The article goes on to list some of the mainstays of the do-it-yourself web domains and some 'for hire' professional sites. The thrust of the article is clear though...Your blog and your book website are two different things meant for two different audiences. I urge you to take a look at the post.
Over all the trends in publishing and technology aren't unexpected. No one is hailing the reign of the e-book just yet or predicting the demise of brick-and-mortar retailers anytime soon. Small steps in the direction of more effiecient, less costly ways of doing business are the order for now. For writers, the message is clear. Keep honing your craft and refining your work because no matter what the venue...it still is all about the quality of the product.
Until next time...Go Write!
***update***
Judging from the comments, there seems to be some confusion over what the article says. The writer suggests using BOTH sites, the blog AND the book site, to complement each other.
I don't think its a matter of choosing one over the other, only recognizing the different audiences.
