Another Bookstore Goes Away

 

Once again, it is time to say goodbye to a bookstore, and if one of the "big guys" had to go away, I am sorry that it is Borders. Their store in Athens, Georgia, was one of my favorites. The customer service was always good, and the store was in a great location.

As I have noted in previous posts, the new way to read is the ebook. I am actually surprised that it took this long for the ebook to finally fulfill its destiny. Previous readers, including the Rocket eReader, the similar EBookman, and the Palm, were all were capable of displaying a variety of books, but the new generation of reading devices, including the Nook, the Kindle, and the multipurpose iPad have made reading ebooks so convenient that even beautiful stores with good coffee, friendly faces, and ample parking are not going to be enough to keep them in business.

A decade ago, I first learned about the problems with print publishing from long-time literary agent Richard Curtis. As a first-time attendee at the Harriet Austin Writer's Conference in Athens, I was in a bit of awe as Curtis described the vast number of books which are printed but never sold. Some of these are recycled into pulp after sitting in a warehouse, but many of them go out to stores then come back in as "remainders." There are other models for selling books, including print-on-demand, but the larger houses do waste a lot of paper and ink.

Bookstores, by and large, do not pay for the books on their shelves, but those volumes are on "loan" from large publishers. When customers buy the books, a part of the money goes to the store, part goes to the publisher, and a wee bit goes to the author. If a customer browses in the store, then buys the book for his eReading device (whichever one) then the publisher gets more money than with print, unless the book price is substantially less. And, depending on the price paid, the author gets a wee bit or a wee bit more. Either way, the physical store gets zip. While I am sure some customers were still buying printed books, and maybe a coffee or a gift, there just were not enough of them to keep the Borders chain afloat. Business people who are writing about the situation mention that Borders, which was selling CDs and DVDs just a few years ago, was slow to realize that video and music were moving to online delivery. Now, books take their place alongside film and music. There will still be some good independent bookstores, I hope, and Barnes and Noble has its Nook and Fictionwise eBookstore, so it may survive the downward trend in print sales. I suspect the next casualty will be Books a Million.

While I will certainly miss Borders, I did not buy much there. I guess that makes me one of the many reasons that it went bankrupt. So, I will be buying the next novel I read for the iPad. Just like the last few that I read.

Coming soon— a review of a SF series by Thomas DePrima.

Weird

I bought my own book a few days ago. Okay, I have ordered new copies of each of my novels to sell, from time to time, but not lately. I didn’t have a reading copy of The Gift Horse, having given away the one I used for that, so I bought a used one via Amazon. It is signed by the author (me), to someone named Diane, so she must have either sold it or given it away. I don’t recall ever doing that with an autographed book, but this one only cost about ten bucks, including shipping, so my signature isn’t worth much.

Today, daughter came in from college and asked, “Mom, why are you reading your own book?” That was, I am sure, a valid question, but it has literally been years since I read it. There is something rather final about putting a book into print. I write and then I re-write, seeking perfection. When I have given the go-ahead to the final draft, there is a certain regret. I can’t work on a book at that point any more. Oh, I can promote it, I can analyze it, I can breathe a sigh of relief, but I can no longer make revisions.

The Gift Horse was published in 2004, but I did much of actual writing in 2000-2001. Some of the events and minor details cry out for revision. If I could rewrite it, I would probably do something more with the opening chapters. The lackluster efforts of the police, who don’t do much toward looking for Angie when she disappears, doesn’t ring true any more. Maybe they would not actively search, but someone would surely put her picture on a missing child website. Also, in the early part of the story, I have her, repeatedly, reading the newspaper. I would re-think that, if I could revise the story, for within a few more years, newspapers will be similar to 8 track tapes.

When I wrote the scenes where Angie is in college, struggling to please an old fashioned photography teacher, I had her doing darkroom work. That was based on my own experience in grad school, some twenty years ago. At the time I wrote it, digital was making great strides, but there were purists who used film. Almost no one uses film anymore, and certainly not in college. Those scenes could be easily repaired by having her bending over a laptop, struggling with Photoshop, trying to get the image just right. Just give me a couple of sessions, and I can fix that.

There were times when I deliberately omitted details, for when I was writing it, I knew that I risked dating the story with too many details. For instance, Marc brings some videos to share with Angie, early on in the story. I remember changing the term from tape to DVD, but fearing some new format, I switched to movie, a term which has stood the test of time. What I did not anticipate was downloading content from the internet.

Marc drives a BMW early in the story; later he drives a Lexus, but I didn’t name specific models, for the same reason. I did use two specific models— Billie drives a Ford Explorer and Angie drives a Mazda Miata. It took a few years, but the Miata has become the MX5; but I got lucky on the Explorer, which Ford still makes.

As I read, I want to revise away these minor issues, but I can’t. I have to read The Gift Horse the same way I read other books, taking it as it comes. I am enjoying it, but it does seems weird.

Google Alerts, a great tool for authors

I discovered a hidden gem via one of my author groups, Google Alerts. Within minutes, authors can be signed up for email alerts that can give them a new way to keep track of what people are saying about their titles, including new reviews, and keep up with publishing news.

Here is how it works—

Google Alerts sends you an email each time a new page for your chosen term makes it in the top twenty results on Google’s web search. You can also have the alert check Google News and/or Google Groups for terms you choose.

To sign up for a Google Alert, all that you need to do is visit the Google Alerts homepage, enter the search term, type of alert (search Google News, Google Groups, or the web), frequency of emails (daily, as it happens, or weekly), and your email address.

You can set up alerts for as many terms as you like using a Google Account. I have mine set to let me know when searchers look for my author name, my married name, and my book titles. I’ve learned of new reviews via Google Alert, and at the beginning of each quarter, my married name (the one I use at my school) usually gets several hits. There is no information on the web for my students, but they always try to find out about the English instructor, and Google lets me know about it.

Why should authors use alerts?

By receiving alerts on publishers and/or other authors who write in the same genre, you can learn who has a new contract, which might steer you toward a new publisher. Negative news can be just as important, when you might want to seek a different publisher or agent.

By having Google Alerts on both of my names and my novels, I can be on top of anything negative relating to either of them. Also, it is fun when an alert lets you know of someone praising your work or your publisher. Those are the types of things that you want to make sure are on the PR page of your website. Get a free account, and let the info come to you!

This & That

People like to talk, don’t they? Sometimes they tell news and sometimes they tell something else entirely. I’m sure you know people who are of such integrity that you believe what they say, and others that you must take with more than the proverbial grain of salt. Lately, I seem to be bombarded with gossip, via phone, online, email, and especially over the dinner table.

After I posted an entry about poor editing in online publications and ebooks, I began to follow up on some of the problems in small press and epublishing. One fascinating source I came across is Dear Author. This site has book reviews, commentary, and news of the publishing industry. Some well known authors are among those who respond to the entries, so if you want to be “in the know” this site will interest you.

A friend mentioned a book, Conversation Peace, which is described as presenting “principles to help women revolutionize their speech habits and improve their relationships by focusing on ways to positively avoid sharing gossip, throwing negative barbs, or snapping sarcastic replies throughout everyday life.” If you are like me, you can think of some acquaintances who could benefit from this one. Some of the folks who call or visit seem to find their entertainment in spreading tales, often of questionable veracity. Yet, questioning “the news” can make one seem rude, but any rational person would have to question some of the tales which go around my small town.

I’d heard about a new bookstore here in Jackson County. A couple of weeks ago, I visited Bookstand of NE GA, which is at 337 Pottery Factory Drive, in Commerce. The phone number is 706-335-BOOK (2665). Their advertising touts “gently used books” and that certainly was the case when I visited. This store trades as well as sells, so you might bring in some of your gently used items. Locals, this store is at Banks Crossing, so stop in and check it out.

"You're an author, so can you tell me how I can get published?"

Every once in a while, someone asks me how to get into print. It is far easier than it used to be, but there is still much to learn.

First question— fiction or non-fiction? The rules for these two major types of books differ. Novice fiction writers must have a finished manuscript and for small publishers, a series which is largely complete is even better. Many authors with my current publisher are series writers.

Non-fiction authors need a good resumé and an even better proposal. To write non-fiction, an author should be some sort of authority on whatever it is that he wishes to write. Then, an outline plus some sample chapters are generally enough to win a contract, perhaps even an advance, from a publisher. That may not be fair, but it is how publishing works.

Fiction authors who have an established track record with a publisher can often get a contract based on a brief outline, but the initial book must be finished and polished before it will win a contract. Getting a free lance editor is really a good idea, but that won’t guarantee a contract. It takes skill, determination, and luck to get a good publisher.

Some years ago, I heard a small southern press publisher explain how he passed on John Grisham’s debut novel, A Time to Kill. Upon hearing the gasps from the audience, he explained, “That book needed a lot of editing. Quite frankly, it was better when it was published, but it was still in need of a good editor.” Grisham was unable to get wide distribution for that novel until his sophomore effort, The Firm, hit it big.

On the other hand, Travis Taylor, a science fiction writer who sat beside me on a panel at Liberty Con, mentioned that established authors can often explain an idea to an editor via the phone and get a verbal commitment from his publisher. Taylor is published by Baen Books.

Authors who don’t want an established publisher or who can’t land a contract often seek another avenue. I chose Booklocker when Gardenia Press went belly-up, and I found their service adequate for my needs. Lulu.com is another low cost alternative for people who want to be in print without landing a traditional contract. Each of these firms charges different amounts, and distribution is usually poor. Amazon.com is really a necessary outlet, so make sure being listed with them is part of the package.

I’ve touched on this topic previously, so new readers of Pam’s Pages might wish to look at previous entries such as So you want to be published, and Facts about Publishing or check out the links here and on my website.

Those of you who are really serious about winning a publishing contract would want to check out Writer's Market, the big book, or some of the more specialized publications from them as well.

Separating the Sheep and the Goats

The Judeo-Christian parable of “the sheep and the goats” pictures the final judgment in which sheep have followed the shepherd, so they will inherit eternal life, but the goats are rebels and will be cast into the lake of fire. In the real world, sheep graze on the grass growing on the ground, predictably, but those pesky goats will browse all over, eating whatever. Sheep tails dangle down; goat tails rise up. Perhaps the greatest difference is in behavior; however, the sheep flock together, but the goats are independent.

Sometimes I think writers are either sheep or goats. This may be especially true for genre writers, like science fiction and fantasy. Those who belong to the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA) are among the sheep. For any of you who don’t know, there is a rather short list of accepted publishers, and “real” SF writers must flock to those. Using another publisher or another method to get a book out (such as ePublishing or small presses) makes the author a goat. Romance writers have similar issues with the RWA, but I know more about SF/F, so I’ll stick with that.

When I visited LibertyCon in 2006, I realized I’m a goat— big time. I’d been told to be there at six on Friday evening, when all of the con guests would be introduced, followed by a mass book-signing. Those guests who had been invited got seats at the head table and a formal introduction. The rest of us, fledging authors who asked to attend, formed the audience, and we merely got to stand and wave from our seats as our names were announced. After that, the con staff set up the room for the book signing. Again, the sheep were at the head table, but the goats were parked at the side of the room. The program director told us that he did that, rather than seat us at the back of the room, to give us a chance to snag an occasional autograph seeker. I was a bit surprised when one gal assigned to the goat section grabbed her preprinted name and taped it on the end of the sheep table. In fairness to her, she had co-authored a book with a prominent sheep, but apparently the con staff had never heard of her. Her behavior throughout the con was no doubt designed to make everyone aware that she was “somebody.” I didn’t attend this year, but I’ll bet the staff now knows she’s a member of the flock.

At LibertyCon, the panels were set by the staff, but guests, even goat-guests, had input into discussion panel assignments, and I was lucky there. I was seated beside a sheep on the first panel; he couldn’t have been nicer. He asked about my book and encouraged me to tell the audience how I managed to get a contract, which was the overall topic. Another panel was strictly goat territory: self-publishing pros and cons (no pun intended) so my co-panelist and I managed to conduct an informative panel, even though we’d never met prior to that event. You gotta stand on your own feet to be a goat.

Don’t misunderstand me. Being a goat isn’t all bad. Sometimes good sheep are stranded as their shepherd-publishers go looking for the next big thing, and being sheep, these authors won’t or can’t seek out a publishing alternative beyond the sheepfold. That’s sad, because many worthy stories are out there, waiting to be told. In my own reading and book buying, I embrace the works of small publishers and ebook publishers because some of the goat stories are fresh and more interesting than the same old stuff from the flock.

Where are they now?

Recently, I looked back a couple of years to the Yahoo Group messages of the publisher of my science fiction story, Trinity on Tylos. My contract has seven more months, but I’ve been considering the feasibility of trying to resell it to another publisher. One of my author friends recently pulled two titles which she had with WCP and placed them with other publishers very quickly, so I decided to see where the WCP authors of 2005 have gone. I chose that year, because the standard contract with this publisher is two years, which means that all of those folks now have the option of going elsewhere. Some of them are still at WCP, of course, but many have moved on. I listed the first 20 authors who posted information about their books or publishing activities during the early months of 2005. Three of the twenty have several current titles with WCP, and one author has a single title plus an anthology title. Six of the twenty no longer have any titles with WCP. Many of these authors seem to be in transition. Three writers who had only one title with WCP have moved that title to other publishers. Mardi Gras Press, Black Velvet Seductions, and Vintage Press picked up these former WCP titles.

Writer “A” had several titles with WCP, but she recently pulled all her titles with the publisher; however, this prolific author has 2 older self-published books still available, and has a recent title with Liquid Silver Books as well as two with newcomer Mardi Gras Press.

Writer “B” has two eBooks with WCP, but her newer print title is with LBF books. Writer “C” had multiple titles at WCP, but only one is still for sale; she does have 14 titles with Midnight Showcase. Writer “D” has no current titles with WCP but now has two with Samhain. Writer “E” still has three titles with WCP, but her newer works are one title each with Liquid Silver Books, Phaze, Loose ID, and two with Samhain. Writers “F” and “G” each have a single title with WCP, but other books which are self-published. Author “H” has three current titles with Amber Quill Publishing and a couple with 5-Star, but no current WCP titles.

Author “I” is really prolific, having a “debut” novel with Zebra this year, a novel with Medallion this year, and five eBooks with Double Dragon. That ePub lets authors get a paperback version at Lulu.com, which seems to be a far better plan than the Pawprints option that we have with WCP.

Writer “J” has one title with WCP, but her new title is with Wings, which is a very similar company, using the same printer. Author “K” rounds out the survey of twenty authors. She has a one current title with WCP, one forthcoming from WCP, and another forthcoming at Wings and four others which seem to be self-published.

Some of you are saying, Pam should have created a chart. If I knew how to do that for a blog, I would have. I did notice that Samhain and Mardi Gras either picked up old titles or got newer titles by former WCP writers. Also, as I checked publishers and availability, I noted that Samhain and Mardi Gras titles are around ten dollars, which is more in line with real world pricing, and the authors didn’t have to pony up a fee to get into print either. Perhaps the authors who moved in their direction are seeking a more author friendly contract. Unfortunately, both of these publishers are closed to submissions except by invitation, which basically means you need an “in” to get consideration.

One reason to consider WCP may be that they are open to a variety of genres and they have not closed submissions, even briefly, as yet. Having to pay a fee for very limited paperback distribution and ultra high pricing continues to be a thorn in the side for WCP authors. If you can get a referral, the best bets seem to be Amber Quill, Samhain, or Mardi Gras [Update: Mardi Gras Publishing closed this week, reportedly filing for bankruptcy protection]. Science Fiction and Fantasy authors who are willing to do ePublishing might also consider Double Dragon, which is apparently taking submissions for 2009.

In case you are wondering, I haven’t decided what to do!

So, you want to be published. What now?

Sometimes folks ask me about my publishing experience. Generally, I say that it is fun, but there is no money in it, which really does reflect my experience. There is much more to tell, but Voltaire once said that the secret for being a bore is “to tell everything” so I usually keep it brief. However, some people want more information and ask. In that case, I’ll gladly tell all, and after six years I have a good bit to tell. Recently, erotic romance writer December Quinn, who has published more books than I have, and who has many “coming soon” titles, has done an exemplary job of explaining what to look for when seeking a publisher on her blog. This is multi part series which will run this summer, and I am linking to the first post. Once you are on her blog, you’ll no doubt find the other posts in the series, which I can’t recommend enough. She has covered almost all the bases and promises more to come.

If you are in the early stages of writing or are just beginning to explore publishing what you’ve already written, a writer’s conference can be a great help. Some of these offer agent evaluations of your work. If there isn’t a conference near you, or you don’t have the money, an online writer’s conference such as Muse It Up might help. I’ve heard some good things about this one.

I’ve mentioned some other resources for writers in previous blogs or on my website, including the Writer’s Beware blog and HiPiers.com, science fiction author Piers Anthony’s site, which has an informative section on internet publishing. When looking at internet sources such as forums and blogs, do be aware that some writers, for reasons I can’t fathom, are “cheerleaders” who will refute any negative information which is posted about their publisher, even if the negatives are accurate and should be considered by authors prior to signing a contract.

Anyone who asks me about my publishers will get straight answers, since honesty was drilled into me at Papa Dodd’s knee. For POD, Booklocker tells you up front how much it is going to cost. They charge out the ying-yang for corrections, but they never lie about it. The biggest downside is few reviewers will accept a POD, so it is hard to publicize these books outside the writer's circle of acquaintances. WCP is a mixed bag, wherein some authors are happy and others have paid or begged out of their contracts to seek better distribution and higher royalties. Gardenia Press, which once had a contract on The Gift Horse, was a publishing nightmare, but even they had some cheerleaders.

There are many opportunities for those who want to be published, via print on demand, ePublishing, and small presses, but be careful out there. As the old saying goes, it’s a jungle.

Laptop in limbo

My beloved G4 iBook was DOA last evening. Hubby and I made an early morning trek to the Apple Store at Lenox Square in Atlanta this morning, where I made an appointment with an Apple Genius, who did what I did at home, plus trying to run it via a remote server and came up with the same conclusion that I did: hardware problem. That means a trip to a service center, and I have applecare on it, so the repair won't cost me, but my hard drive may or may not be salvageable. I do write some of my Pam's Pages posts a bit ahead of time, and I have one on getting published ready, but it is on that computer and not on this one. If Lazarus makes it back, I'll have that post in a week or two.

In the mean time, I'll mention some of the things going on in the publishing world—
•A romance ebook publisher, Triskelion, just folded. Some of their authors are scrambling to find new homes for their books, so that will make publishing that genre and method a bit more difficult for a time.
•Whiskey Creek Press continues to have issues with distribution. Right now, the authors on their Yahoo group are bemoaning the fact that Barnes and Noble stores won't even order a trade paperback book from WCP, saying they are non-returnable. Actually, WCP does take returns, but B&N is quite arbitrary in their policies, so good luck changing that, folks. Unless WCP will bow to publishing conventions and use a distributor such as Ingrams, the books will experience very slow sales indeed.
•Some of my author friends are saying that My Space is the way to promote authors and books. One of them told me that his My Space profile gets more hits than his website and his blog, combined. I don't yet have a My Space. I have looked at it, but it seemed so busy and confusing that I just went back to blogging. I have looked at some profiles of my teenager's acquaintances, and all I can say is that the entire site should be rated "R"or "X" and I prefer to have my promotions be family friendly.
•POD pricing, which was high to begin with, is getting higher. Booklocker went up on set-up fees and cover prices in June, and they are among the cheaper such publishers. It will cost approximately $500 to get into print there, and you'll pay a bit more for Lulu or iUniverse. Xlibris, once a viable printer, is up to a couple of thousand, so I wouldn't recommend that to anyone, although I have done so in the past.

That's it for this week folks. Let's hope the repair facility can resurrect my computer without sacrificing my hard drives' contents. BTW, all of my current manuscripts are on it, and they haven't been backed up lately. If it goes, so does a few months of work...

Criticism

I am preparing to teach a course at a local technical college, and while the longest paper those students will write is a research project with a suggested length of two to four pages, this will be the first time I have evaluated student writing since I published my books. Having basked in the praises of some wonderful reviews and been skewered by others, I will find it a bit more challenging to write those comments this time. What is wrong will still be wrong, but having the experience of dealing with reviewers will make me more sensitive to the emotional side of criticism, I am sure.

One of the reviewers who shredded Trinity (and me, of course) claims to be an award-winning author, but on her website, she acknowledges that she won her prize in middle school. That same site offers free “exerpts” from her works— no kidding. Sometime I’ll publish the link to her “jack of all trades” site, but this post is actually supposed to be serious, and y’all would be laughing when you returned to my post.

Any rebuttal to a bad review is considered bad form for the author, but reading one (and knowing that others are reading it) is worse than any other aspect of publishing. In an article published in P&W this author acknowledges the pain of a bad review, which is quite real, I do assure you.

Facts About Publishing

A recent National Endowment for the Arts survey reveals that reading is going the way of the cassette tape. Oh, books will be around for a while longer, but it’s probably not a good time to get into the publishing business. According to the NEA, only 47% of adults read any sort of literature at all. Just under 90 million people in the United States did not read a book— any book— in 2002. As a classroom teacher, I can remember being told that when school was over, so was reading.

Today’s average book buyer is a woman, not a young woman. Younger women are more likely to read a magazine or look at the internet when they want to read. Sixty eight percent of book buyers are women. That average book browser will spend eight seconds looking at the front cover and 15 seconds scanning the back cover. What is absolutely unfathomable to me is that this same so called average bookbuyer gets to page 18 before she quits. Now maybe I’m just cheap, but I don’t buy many books that I don’t read. And 52% of all books are not sold in bookstores. Instead those buyers get their reading via mail order, online, in discount or warehouse stores, through book clubs, or some other venue.

Book publishing is a weird business in many respects. It’s almost like buying and selling produce, because so many of the products are thrown away. Yep, it’s true. Go strolling down the aisles in your local bricks and mortar bookstore looking at the mass market paperbacks. About half of all of those books will be destroyed, their front covers ripped off to send back to the publisher, indicating that the book was never sold. Customers pay $7.99 for a paperback with tiny print on cheap paper because half of all the ones printed are never sold, so they have to charge twice as much to make up for it.

Despite the shrinking market, more than 150,000 titles are published each year. Bigger publishing houses are bringing out fewer books these days, so 78% of all books published are put out by small publishers or self-publishers. Quite a number of small publishers are using POD, or “print on demand” which makes a lot of sense to me. Books printed via this method are quite similar to conventionally printed books. Often the quality of the printing is better, just as the output from your laser printer is better than a newspaper’s printing. This method isn’t quite as cheap as conventional printing, so each book may cost a couple of dollars more.

Most POD books are trade paperbacks, which are a bit larger than those mass market paperbacks, but far fewer of them will be used to line landfills or make recycled newsprint. Both of my books are produced via this method. If lots of people like my books, then several will be printed. If there is no market for my POD books, or anyone else’s, then they just don’t ever have many copies in print. Indeed, the average self-published book sells seventy-five copies, which means The Gift Horse is well above average, so I can take heart in that.

Sources for this article include Tom and Marilyn Ross’ site, which is on my links in the sidebar, and John Kremer’s 1001 Ways to Market Your Book, which is one of the best books on marketing ever written.

The Gift Horse

In the two plus years it has been available, I have had quite a bit of feedback from The Gift Horse, far more than I’ve gotten from Trinity on Tylos, and much of it has been positive, but not all, of course. At the end of each calendar year, I think about canceling my contract with Booklocker. Oh, it isn’t really expensive to keep it up— less than the price of a meal at a good restaurant— but having my “self-published” title still in print sometimes makes me feel like a lesser author. While I believe that there are some really good self-published books out there, the stigma does exist.

However, the business person in me insists that as long as there are people interested in buying it, I should go on another year. A fellow writer suggested that I get the rights back to The Gift Horse and market it in tandem with another suspense story, a Work in Progress, but one fairly close to being finished, to an epublisher. Since it only sold two copies in eBook form (and one of those was to me) that would be a new audience, I suppose.

I’ve been fortunate, in that the owner of a gift shop here in town bought twenty five copies of The Gift Horse early this year, and Living Jackson Magazine chose to review it recently. For whatever reason, this somewhat outlandish but very suspenseful tale continues to be read, enjoyed, and occasionally spark controversy.

More than once, I’ve been asked what these books have in common, since they do reflect differing genres of literature. Both of these books have heroines who are willing to sacrifice something of themselves to be what someone else wants them to be. In our society, people profess to be liberated and self-motivated, but that is a fallacy. If you don’t believe me, go to any place where young people gather and watch them act like the folks they see portrayed in various media. Some will play sluts, some act and dress like rappers and pimps. Oh, the gods of our age come to us via small rectangular boxes— television, computer screens, and the like. But they are perhaps more demanding than those who dwelt on Mount Olympus in the days gone by, who only wanted an occasional sacrifice. Nowadays, bowing to the god of media is a 24/7 duty.

“Show Me the Money!”

Romance Writer Brenda Hiatt has a page on her website with that title. Since she depends on volunteers to report the terms of their contracts and earnings, the survey isn’t really an accurate account of what writers make. The publishing industry is notorious for obscuring all sorts of numbers, from how many books are actually sold, to what authors make, and whether or not those same authors ever receive what’s due them.

As an ePublished author, I am a bit disappointed that so few such publishers are listed. Indeed, one of the ePubs listed isn’t in business anymore. However, it is really interesting to know that some books put out by ePublishers “earn out” at less than $100.00, while others reach as high as $9000. Of course, there is much more info on print publishers, including many of the traditional romance lines. If you want to know where the money is in publishing, especially in romance, take a look at her “Show me the Money” page. It really is fascinating.

The Downside of ePublishing

In June I made a couple of posts which were enthusiastic endorsements of eBooks and vendors. Honesty makes me publish this post, but I really am, for the most part, an enthusiastic eBook customer and happy to be an ePublished writer. Someone out there has to be saying that Pam is just plugging eBooks b/c her novels are available in that format, so here are some points for the sake of balance.

First, some of the ePubs are either not able to produce a good product, or they don’t concern themselves with quality. That was more of a concern a few years ago than it is today. Several of the early ePubs went under due to poor sales, and their sales sucked b/c the books did too. Unfortunately, today’s ePublishers are somewhat handicapped by the bad reputation garnered by some of the those early efforts which were not quality works, and by the occasional bad apple which still exists.

Second, being ePublished may not get you any respect. Indeed, having an ePublisher is sometimes equated with being self-published. My first novel, listed by Booklocker as an eBook and as a trade paperback by many online vendors, is self-published. I’ve written about the whys and wherefores of that decision elsewhere in this blog and on my website, so I won’t bore readers with that again, but suffice it to say that many folks do not distinguish between The Gift Horse, which was self-published, and Trinity on Tylos, which is a Whiskey Creek Press publication, other than by genre. Since I paid my cover artist and the fees for getting The Gift Horse in print and I didn’t pay Whiskey Creek Press, my checkbook and I see a big difference. (Huge!) However, I’ve heard fellow eBook authors lament that they have problems getting reviews and/or recognition by writer’s organizations. Actually, I’ve gotten reviews from four different sites, good ones for the most part, so I am quite pleased. The only problem I have seen has been in getting reviews has been from science fiction only sites, which seem to be rabid in their disgust with self-publishers, so I consider this unfortunate but inevitable.

Third, there isn’t much money in ePublishing. The percentage earned per book (i.e. royalty) is usually better than for print, but for many writers the numbers just aren’t there. This lack of sales volume is sometimes due to ePublisher distribution problems, but there still just aren’t enough converts to the format. (Not yet, anyway.)

My first novel didn’t make any money at all the first year, but I managed to make some in the second year after publication. Trinity on Tylos is still a loser, from a financial standpoint, and that is due to my promotional efforts, which includes a number of give-away copies, to reviewers and potential vendors. On the plus side of this equation is that ePublishers know it takes more time to find an audience, and they generally give a book two or more years to build an audience, which larger publishers and bookstores almost never do. So while I’ll probably report a loss in ‘06, I should make a profit in ‘07 and even ‘08.

Actually, my total sales to date are less for my ePublished book than they were for my self-published book at the same number of weeks after publication. (That is for total sales, not just eBook sales.) My promotional plans are a bit different this time, because of the change in genre, and due to this being a sophomore novel, which seems to be the red headed step-child of the publishing world.

Lastly, it is really hard to autograph an eBook. I’ve heard of ePublished authors giving away autographed “cover flats” but that seems kinda weird to me.

Here’s the bottom line— if any readers of this post are thinking about seeking publication, getting a contract with an ePublisher, even an award winning one, might not be the best thing that ever happened. Patience and hard work, especially in marketing, are requirements for this new publishing frontier, so if you want someone else to do that work, don’t bother with ePublishing.

Universal Themes in Trinity on Tylos

In my last post, I mentioned some themes, typically found in science fiction, which are in Trinity on Tylos. Good stories, regardless of genre, will have themes that appeal to many people. Spoiler alert— again, there might be some details in this post which you wouldn’t want to know if you have yet to read Trinity on Tylos.

Motherhood is the most important job in the world— Some in our society frown on the sacrifices that women have often made for their offspring, thinking that these keep the women from reaching their full potential. Yet, thank goodness, quite a few young women continue to bear children and devote themselves to rearing them. Venice becomes a mother in an unusual manner, one that makes some readers cringe. (Good– if the book didn’t challenge the reader’s thinking just a bit, then it would be boring.) Never-the-less, once she joins the mom club, she doesn’t shirk her duty, and that is one definition of character.

Duty trumps personal desire— That theme isn’t popular in our culture at the moment, but it has been part and parcel of heroism through out history and will be again. If man is to succeed in the future, he will have to reverse this trend toward egocentric selfish behavior. Both Venice and Alathea make decisions which might seem unrealistic for today’s audience, especially sacrificing their personal safety for that of their shipmates, and that is one reason I set this story in the future.

Human beings can be both fallible and honorable— Superheroes were invented within the past hundred years, and popular fiction and film have embraced the idea that to be heroic is to be invulnerable. Yet, history is filled with examples of people who were far from perfect, yet were held in great esteem. From Moses, who became the spokesperson for the Israelites, despite being tongue-tied and inarticulate, to Patton who was a great general, despite a gruff personality, many great men who wouldn’t fit too well into Superman’s tights have been heroes. In Trinity, Captain McPherson believes he is doing the right thing, even when Venice makes it plain he is not. Despite this flaw, he is an honorable man who continues to lead the crew of the Excalibur effectively. Captain Mac is human, with all the foibles associated with that label.

Love can last through many trials— We tend to throw in the towel rather quickly when it comes to relationships nowadays. Venice loses her spouse early in the story, but she never lets go in her heart. Although he is separated from his wife, Steve quietly continues being the executive officer of the Excalibur, but he doesn’t seek a new lover, for the same reason. In a serially monogamous society, readers may have trouble empathizing with their steadfast love, but real love can last long and overcome incredible odds.

A fan of The Gift Horse asked why I chose a futuristic setting for Trinity, and I did so because some of the themes might not work as well in a contemporary story. But Trinity is a relationship book and an action/adventure story at the same time. Some of my readers have said they didn’t expect to enjoy a science fiction yarn, but they did like it, and I believe that is because Trinity is much more than a space opera.

POD revisited

If you're looking for info on buying my latest book, check out my website and click on the Events button for upcoming booksignings and a link to my publisher's website.

I've been doing a bit of research and I ran across a simply wonderful blog. It's by an anonymous published author who is on a quest to find the very best print on demand (that's POD) books. Since there are many, many such books being printed, and lots of them are really bad, this person has some work ahead. Unfortunately, the low costs associated with producing these books means that almost anyone can get into print, and quite a few of them don't deserve to be there. But there is some buried treasure, and this site has 50 books with detailed reviews to explain why they're great books.

In the opening entry, Pod-dy Mouth explains that the five big New York publishers aren't interested in books which sell in smaller numbers. So what's an author to do if a really good book is rejected by larger publishers or the agents who can get it there? Throw it in the trash? The alternatives fall into three vague categories. First, try a small (maybe really small) publisher. This can take years and years, b/c most of publishers take a few months to respond to a manuscript, and if it isn't accepted, then it has to move on to the next one. Second, try an e-publisher—and some of these also offer paperbacks, so they sort of blend into the first category. Or, third, cut out the middle guy and do POD. More and more folks are tiring of the shop it around for a few years approach and accepting the trade-offs associated with being "self-published."

When I decided to use Booklocker to publish The Gift Horse, it was a little like having a baby and abandoning it on the steps of a church in a basket. I felt that I sentenced it to the stigma of POD and low sales. However, the doggone thing continues to sell after two years in print, and some of the mass market paperbacks from two years ago are selling for .o1 at the used booksellers who list their wares on Amazon. So, as I concluded in my previous post on this topic, I can't say the decision was all bad.

My second novel, Trinity on Tylos, is published by an eBook publisher, but they do offer the paperback option to authors who are willing to pay a small set up fee. I gladly wrote that check in order to have books to sell locally. Since my first novel sold two eBook copies—and one of those was to me!— I'll be curious to see my sales figures. WCP does list their books with Fictionwise, and I've heard that greatly increases sales of eBooks.

Time will tell. In the meantime, do check out the Pod-dy Mouth blog. I've spent some time there this weekend, and I will be returning, because there are reviews, interviews, and the blog entries as well. It's lots of fun for struggling authors and readers looking for something different.

On being a book reviewer

About two years ago, I decided that I could save a few bucks and learn more about current trends in fiction by signing on as a book reviewer. After sending an email to the staff of Timeless Tales, an internet site with almost a thousand posted reviews, I was given an eBook and a month to read it and write a review. Apparently my efforts were satisfactory, because after that I could choose as many as three titles a month from their huge list of available eBooks as long as I got the reviews done within a month or so. Some of the titles I would have loved to read, especially those destined for print, were taken before I saw the updated database of titles, but there were always items of interest. Unfortunately, a few months after I signed on, the review coordinator died. The last few reviews I sent in were never posted, nor were any new requests for titles met by the owners of the site. Timeless Tales stayed online for a few months, but it wasn’t updated, then it simply disappeared. I’m sure running such a site is a great deal of work, but I miss both the reviews and the opportunities it represented.

One of the other reviewers for Timeless Tales with whom I had corresponded did let me know that Sizzling Romances needed reviewers, so I emailed the owner of that site, and I was soon back in the reviewing business. Although a few of the novels I chose from their list sizzled a bit too much for my tastes, I really enjoyed reading and writing for that site. The site owner has had numerous problems, including some severe health issues, so it has gone on hiatus for now. I’m beginning to think having me as a reviewer is bad luck, so I’ve decided to focus on my own writing career and leave reviewing to other able readers and writers.

One of the books I reviewed while I was with Sizzling Romances was an ARC from Whiskey Creek Press, and I liked it so much that I kept that publisher in mind when I was seeking a home for my futuristic novel, Trinity on Tylos. I did send Trinity to another publisher first, because I had corresponded with one of their authors, but after that publisher rejected it, I sent it to Whiskey Creek Press. I was delighted, of course, when they accepted it.

Now that Trinity on Tylos has been through the copy edit, I’ve been given the green light to seek prepublication reviews. As of this date, I’ve queried twelve internet review sites, but I've only had two requests for an ARC (advanced review copy). As a former reviewer, I know that many sites will take an ARC and if none of the reviewers pick the title, then it won’t be reviewed. I’m hopeful that I’ll get a few reviews before the release date, but those aren’t easy for fledging writers to acquire. If I get those reviews, I’ll link to them from www.pamelajdodd.com.

Redesign!

I like that word. Re means to do again, which sounds like I didn’t do it right the first time, but that’s not precisely true. Okay, my first pamelajdodd.com lacked something, but version two, which just bit cyberdust was “pretty good”, as we say here in the South. So version three, which just went up, owes quite a lot to that previous version. Design is a magical word. Carpenters drive nails and make a house, but it is an architect who designs it, and there is so much vision in design-- even if it is just a small website like mine.

That said, here’s what I like most about the new site: First, is the color scheme. I’m fond of dark colors and reverse type, even on the web, so I went back to that. Some experts say that black on white is easier on the eyes, but why have a computer screen that can produce all those snazzy colors, and only use it for black on white? Second, I enjoy the energy in the header graphic. You know something big is coming from behind that planetscape. Third, I think that sans serif type looks more modern, so that’s appropriate for beginning the promotion of a futuristic novel. Finally, this site is considerably smaller than my previous one, because with each update, a site gets larger, and mine needed to slim down again.

I hope readers will find the excerpt and back cover blurb for Trinity on Tylos interesting, and I’m sure other writers will find some good links and a bit of advice in the articles. No doubt I’ll find more to put on the events page and be able to add some ordering info for the new book when the release date nears, but I hope everyone enjoys the new look and content.

New hope for eBook authors

While cruising around the Sci Fi channel's really excellent website, I read a favorable review of Linnea Sinclair's Finder's Keepers, which I bought a few years ago as a pdf file (that is, an eBook) published by NovelBooks, Inc. Here's the link to the review: http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue423/books2.html

Finder's Keepers is "new" in a mass market paperback edition, and I wish the author much success as she bridges the gap between the fringe market of eBooks and traditional publishing. This book is a lighthearted futuristic romance and deserves to find a larger audience than it had when it was just a download away. In an earlier post, I examined the role of eBooks in modern publishing, so I won't rehash that here.

My new novel has been accepted by an eBook publisher. I'm glad that Whiskey Creek Press offers trade paperbacks as well, so I can purchase those for resale at booksignings and so forth, but I hope that people who don't know me will purchase Trinity on Tylos for the same reasons that I purchased Sinclair's book— because it looked like a fun read. I've never met Ms. Sinclair, but I've enjoyed several of her books, and I see the publication of Finder's Keepers by a New York house as a reminder that the original publisher isn't always the only publisher.

Also, I'm glad that futuristic romance is becoming a genre recognized by larger publishers. I've been reading them for some time, but some publishers and authors are bringing this genre into the mainstream. Susan Grant's books, published by Dorchester, are among those which are finding a large audience.

So check out Sinclair's book and the Sci Fi channel's website, especially the reviews and letters.

Why attend a writer’s conference?

A few weeks ago, I got registration information for the 12th annual Harriette Austin Writer’s Conference, which is held at the University of Georgia, about eighteen miles south of my home in Jefferson. My first visit was in 2000. I went with a friend, who basically went for moral support. Although I’d heard a number of authors do readings and workshops at conferences for English teachers, I was intrigued by the people who showed up, as well as the wide variety of information available. There is a link to this conference on my website, and I am adding one to this blog as well, just in case a writer or a wannabe writer reads this entry.

At HAWC, I met a number of authors who, like me, were struggling to get the attention of an agent or a publisher. Some were jovial, realizing that their chances were small, but determined to have fun with the process. Others were almost desperate. At dinner one evening, I met a woman, in her mid-fifties, who had wiped out her retirement account so she could spend three years devoted entirely to getting her mystery novels into print. Her game plan was to then use the royalties to pay back her retirement. And if she didn’t succeed, then she would have few more years to work and hopefully restore at least a portion of her retirement. I was amazed at her devotion to her avocation and yet troubled by her sacrifice.

Often, there are far more folks over fifty than under at such events. This seemed strange at first, but often people don’t have time to write when they are rearing children and working hard to make a living. The empty nest years and the retirement years afford the opportunity to write, so writer’s conferences will have naturally have more older participants. However, most of the ones I spoke with were filled with energy and hope, just like their younger counterparts.

Apart from meeting a variety of people, topics at writer’s conferences vary somewhat, but there is usually a choice among small sessions, and large group sessions often revolve around a successful author. I’ve found inspiration in the speeches made by those authors, but occasionally, there is a bit of wisdom which will remain long after the emotional afterglow is spent. One well respected regional writer at HAWC advised writers to listen more to the opinions of readers than to those of editors or agents. I took that to heart, and while polishing Trinity on Tylos, I gave the manuscript to three trusted “first readers” rather than seeking a professional editor. Often, editors and agents are too focused on what they feel will sell, rather than on simply judging writing on its own merits. Readers are more objective, and really, they are the target audience. How many books are purchased by editors and agents, anyway?

In choosing small group sessions, I have often visited those held by agents or small publishers, hoping to find someone who might be receptive to my writing. At first, these sessions were informative, but after each speaker covered the basics of “what I am looking for” all of their advice began to blend into what soon becomes common knowledge. If you don’t know how to approach an agent or publisher, then these sessions are quite helpful, of course, but they tend to focus on the needs of the novice.

Overall, there is probably more to learn at sessions which focus on improving writing, and often those topics are quite varied. Since HAWC is co sponsored by an association of mystery writers, there are usually some presentations by forensics professionals. I don’t write in that genre, but I have attended a couple of those presentations, and they are quite interesting.

Almost all of the “how to write” sessions are led by writers who want to plug their own work, but even so, it’s possible to take away some new ideas. One of my favorite topics was “great first lines” and the author who presented it gave some wonderful examples from modern fiction, as well as acknowledging such lines from the classics.

During the last such conference I attended, a publicist gave a talk on book promotion, which I found both useful and quite interesting. Of course, she was touting her media relations firm, and if I had a few extra thousand dollars, I’d be interested. But she did have some practical advise, and some of it conflicted with what I’d been told by my previous publisher, Gardenia Press. In fact, I wish I’d heard her talk before I got my first contract. Basically, she said that it is a waste of time to promote a book which hasn’t yet been printed, and yet many publishers push authors to promote months ahead. Apart from seeking reviews, there isn’t much to do prior to the publication date.

So, why visit a writer’s conference? To meet other writers in various stages of their careers, to be inspired by the success stories of writers, and to garner information from real people who actually work in the publishing business. Writing is a lonely task, and attending a conference is a chance to make contacts with people who just might help you later in your career. If you have income from writing, it is tax deductible, too.