Stacy-Deanne's Blog
June 1, 2012
Author George Weir discusses the ins and outs of writing fiction. And he happens to be a fellow Texan, yaaa! He hails from East, Texas where my mother and father grew up! How cool is that?
Check out George’s Amazon Author Page and learn more about his books!
http://www.amazon.com/George-Wier/e/B004USCNYO/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
I will be posting a list of writing books every so often for newbies as well as veterans.
You can find all these books on Amazon.
Note: I am not endorsing these books. I haven’t read them. I am just posting them for possible resources for writers to check out. To check out writing books I have used and enjoyed, check out the books in my sidebar. I highly recommend each one of those.
Fun to Write Fiction: A Step-By-Step Guide to Writing Your First Novel by Donna Monday
Gotham’s Writing Workshop: Writing Fiction by Gotham Writers Workshop
Grammar Girls Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing by Mignon Fogarty
The Moonlighter’s Guide to Online Writing for Immediate Income by Connie Brentford
May 31, 2012
So you’re wondering if doing a book signing in 2012 is worth it to you. Well I can’t answer that but I can tell you that you definitely do not have to do book signings to be effective at selling books. In fact book signings are probably one of the worst promotional options right next to purchasing ads. There are tons of things you can do to promote your book that will get it in front of readers better than a book signing.
But, I’m not saying you shouldn’t do them. It’s up to you as an author and whether or not it’s worth it to you. Book signings aren’t worth it to every author but if you intend on doing them there are things you should know.
Book signings Do Not Sell Books
That’s right. So if you plan on doing them, don’t make selling books your priority because you will be disappointed at the end of the day. Book signings are for meeting and greeting readers (if you’re lucky enough to get them to talk to you) and make the most out of that face-to-face experience. But they are not the best way to sell books. And whether doing book signings gets the word out to people outside of the venture remains to be seen.
Have an Outgoing Personality Because You’re Gonna Need It
Look you’re not JK Rowling. You’re not even Harold Rowling from down the street. When your butt gets in that bookstore no one is gonna give a fig newton. You’ve gotta drive people to your table and hold them hostage some kind of way. So if you can’t turn on the charm most likely your book signing will be a bust.
I sense that this is why most authors end up just sitting behind a table for two hours, mean-mugging customers that pass them up. Who knows?
This is where that thick skin really comes in handy.
Book Signings Do Nothing for Long Term Sales
Even if you sell a book, that’s it. It’s in the past and there’s no record of it. This is why so many authors prefer online promotion. With the Internet you leave pieces of yourself everywhere. You can reach thousands of people from all over the world from a blog tour alone. So remember that if you do pursue book signings, don’t count on it bringing sales for the long-term.
Don’t Expect Your Publisher to Promote The Event
Don’t even waste time wondering if your publisher is gonna help out with promoting the event because they won’t. Those days are over. Some publishers might help but the majority will not. Some publishers won’t even book the signing for you. Most likely you will be completely on your own.
If Ya’ Broke, Don’t Go
I hate to see authors who don’t have a pot to pee in, using their money for signings and events. Look these things are a luxury. If you can afford them, fine but everyone isn’t able. Publishers used to pay for authors to appear at events but that’s not how it happens today. Book signings can be expensive if you plan on doing them out-of-town.
You’re better off promoting online and saving your money. No one expects you to starve to go to a book signing.
Bookstores are Dying Out
That’s a huge monkey wrench right there. The closing of Borders and a lot of indie stores was a horrible blow to the industry. It also limited places for authors to sign books. Don’t think you can just call up Barnes and Noble and book a signing like in the old days. No. Now you have to prove to them you’re worth the effort by promising a certain amount will show up before they even think of working with you. Some bookstores have stopped doing signings altogether or only allow them for very popular authors.
Ask Yourself: Do People Even Go to Book Signings in 2012?
When’s the last time you’ve heard of someone you knew saying they went to a signing? I mean in the last five years? I bet it’s not many and if you weren’t around the writing crowd it would be none at all. People aren’t going to book signings these days. Book signings can’t compete with all the other events out there today. And the people who go to book signings go to see the new author sensation, not the unknown with the debut novel. So really, really ask yourself how many people you know who go to book signings and weigh whether or not it’s really worth it.
I’ll be honest. I’m not a fan of book signings. I think they’re torture. I think festivals or signings where you are with other authors could be more beneficial.
The point is that you don’t have to break the bank or run yourself ragged going to book signings if that’s not what you wanna do. They don’t make or break your book. If you wanna do them and enjoy them, by all means do them. But authors should not feel they have to, especially in an age where it’s so hard to get people to participate.
What sparked this topic was an old blog post from Karin Bilich. Now mind you, she wrote the following post in September 2011. You can check it out below. I feel she was spot on back then so you can imagine how things have changed in almost a year.
Karen’s post: http://www.smartauthorsites.com/authorsblog/2011/09/are-author-readingssignings-worth-it-any-more/
What do you think? Are book signings still relevant? Do you feel there are other methods that are better at selling books?
May 30, 2012
I don’t understand why some self-published authors limit their readership by not putting their books in as many stores as possible. I just can’t grasp the knowledge in this as an author and as a reader.
First off, I read self-published books. I try to support all authors. But I feel like readers like me who have devices other than the Kindle and Nook are ignored. I have a Sony Reader so I can only get titles from the Sony Store or sites like Smashwords that have books in all formats.
I…don’t…get…it.
Why would an author want to limit themselves? Your books should be in as many places as you can get them.
I’m reading Mark Coker’s The Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success and apparently a lot of SP authors never read it because a lot only have their books on Kindle. I just can’t figure out why this seems sensible from a business standpoint.
On top of that these are some of the same SP authors who are complaining about a lack of sales. You have to remember that when you chose to self-publish you became a business. You are no longer just a writer. Would you wanna sign with a publishing house that only distributed to one store? No. What sense would that make right? So why would you limit your own books?
Some authors might think since they are selling well on Kindle that means they don’t need other markets. Wrong. If you are selling well on Kindle imagine how much more you would sell on other places. Sure sometimes it might seem like it’s not worth it to be on other sites but that’s not good business thinking at all. You also have to have patience. Not all sites bring in fast results.
Anyway what difference does it make if your book doesn’t sell well on a certain site? It could one day. It’s best to be there than not. If you’re not there then you certainly won’t sell at that store.
You and your book needs to be everywhere for you to have the best shot.
Mark’s talks about how putting your eggs in one basket can screw you out of becoming a potential best seller. Think about that. If you have your books in a ton of stores, then you never know when you will break out in a particular market. You are giving yourself more chances to succeed when you put your books in a lot of places and more chances to fail when you don’t.
And think about your readers. Do you really think the average person wants to read books off the computer? No. So why wouldn’t you wanna please as many people as possible? Sure Sony Readers and other devices might not get mentioned as much as the Kindle but there are a lot of people with these devices.
And don’t think that readers will just download the Kindle-for-PC and the Nook-for-PC and be satisfied with that. Why? Because most people are like me, they don’t want to read off of a computer screen. I have the KPC and NPC and I only use them for samples of books. I don’t use them for my primary reading and I refuse to sit in front of a computer and read. That’s not relaxing at all for me and I read books to relax.
If you use this knowledge for not putting your books in more places it seems more like a cop out and it’s unfair to your readers.
It’s hard for any author to gain readership. Don’t limit yourself by cutting off your nose to spite your face. Remember you are writing for readers. Put your books where they can get them.
If you haven’t read Mark’s book, read it.
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/145431
Okay so your manuscript is all ready to go. You’ve pinpointed your goals. You aren’t interested in commercial publishing or self-publishing but would like to get a piece of the e-book pie. If so, e-publishing is your best alternative
.
When people speak of publishing choices they rarely mention e-publishers. E-publishers can be the best of both worlds. You get the professional expertise of a publisher without the long wait to find an agent or seek out a print press.
E-publishing is perfect for those who write in certain genres like romance and erotica. These genres are huge with e-publishers and little by little e-publishers are broadening out to different genres. It’s not the best solution if you write YA, children’s books or literary works because these are still primarily read by print lovers but e-publishing is perfect for everyone in between.
Say you write cross-genre work. Say your work might not attract a huge audience. Maybe your book is time sensitive and you need to get it out there as soon as possible. Maybe you don’t wanna wait for a long turnaround just to be published. Reputable e-publishers will provide you with a finished product to be proud of and you can build your resume.
You can still explore print publishing while seeking out e-publishers. If you get a print deal you can continue to e-publish work on the side. Many commercial authors do both.
There are cons to e-publishing to consider. Your book won’t be in print. Some e-publishers offer print editions of books that sell well but most e-publishers do not do print books. So if you have your heart set on your work being in print you should not seek out an e-publisher.
Some people do not consider e-publishing as real publishing. You might face that attitude a lot but e-publishing is the same as being with a print press. You’ll have a qualified team behind you that will make your book the best it can be. You also have the benefit of editing, something you’d have to work out on your own if you self-published.
This new generation of writing has presented tons of wonderful opportunities for writers. It’s all about what your goals are and how you hope to achieve them. So if you’ve been struggling between going the commercial route and self-publishing, give e-publishers a thought. You might be glad you did.
May 28, 2012
If you haven’t read Nathan Bransford’s latest blog post then you really should. I agreed with everything he said!
The gist of the post is about self-publishing vs. commercial publishing and how there is no such war (or at least their shouldn’t be), between authors.
I think this “war” has been blown out of proportion by bloggers and certain writers who shall remain nameless that love to cook up things just to get more visitors. I’ve been in the industry over a decade and it’s true you always run into snotty people but I find the majority of authors are very supportive of each other no matter how they are published.
I’m also glad Nathan pointed out that there are authors who are doing both. For instance, I am commercially-published but will be releasing e-books on the side very soon. There are many authors doing both and there doesn’t have to be a war on either side.
Check out Nathan’s post if you haven’t. He makes some wonderful points: http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2012/05/traditional-vs-self-publishing-is-false.html
How come we can find millions of debates on self-publishing vs. big publishing but never anything about how this will have affect on small presses? I believe that a lot of small presses will not survive for the long term and the ones that do will have to stay a step ahead of e-publishers and self-published authors just to compete.
Now I love small presses. I have so much respect for them. Small presses were there for many authors when they couldn’t get agents or big houses interested in their work for whatever reason. So personally I would love to see the reputable small houses survive but is this realistic? Is it possible?
The problem for small presses is not just competing with e-books and self-published authors. No. That’s only a part of it. The big problem for small presses is that a lot of new authors are no longer seeking them out. If a newbie decides not to pursue the big six then most likely they will seek out an e-publisher or self-publish. What about small publishers who made their money selling print? It seems like these guys have been ignored when people point out big changes in the industry.
More and more small presses are closing each year. It’s just too hard for them to survive.
Of course I don’t know the future but it’s not looking to promising for the small press market as a whole.
My opinions on what’s hurting small publishers the most:
Authors No Longer See Small Presses as the Only Alternative to Big Presses:
It used to be that writers sought out small presses for books that big houses wouldn’t accept. A lot of today’s new writers would rather self-publish and take their work straight to readers than go through a small house. To many newbies a small press is just not worth it.
Money:
It’s hard to make money no matter how you’re published but it’s extremely hard with a small press. Small houses often don’t have the resources to promote books on a scale necessary to reach a wide audience. They aren’t built for that. Most small presses were created to fit a niche but that went out the window when the digital storm blew in. Small presses no longer had “niche targeting” as an advantage.
Also some small presses don’t have distribution in stores and are only providing e-books. So to some writers it’s worth it to just do it themselves if a particular publisher doesn’t have the clout or means to do more for their work.
Print:
The need to have books in print doesn’t seem to be as important to today’s author as it used to be so many feel they might as well go with an e-publisher or self-publish.
Slow Progress:
Some small presses are as slow as the big ones when it comes to releasing books. A lot of writers see that as a turnoff and would rather get their books out in a timely manner instead of waiting over a year for their book to be released.
The Worth of Some Small Presses is Questionable to New Writers:
A lot of new writers wonder if small presses can do anything they can’t do for themselves. A good small press should but if you end up with an author mill or some new company that doesn’t know the business you’re better off on your own.
I can go on and on but there are many reasons why small presses are in trouble. I believe and (hope) the better ones survive but if they can’t attract authors into submitting, that’s not gonna be possible.
So what do you think? Can small presses survive? Will writers pass them up in the future?
May 26, 2012
Okay if you’ve been paying any attention to the latest buzz in the writing world you’ve probably come across a new article from the New York Times. Apparently authors have more pressure from publishers and readers to put out more than one book a year. But is this always possible?
Sure it is possible for many but is it realistic for every author? Every author is different. We all write differently and work differently. Is it fair for all authors to be expected to write a book a year?
Maybe. Maybe not.
Let’s examine this closely. Writing a book a year is not just writing the book. Anyone can write more than one book a year or something is wrong. I don’t care if you have a full-time job and twelve kids, you can write more than one book a year. Now the books might be crap if you just scribbled something down but anyone can write more than a book a year. That’s not the issue.
People don’t seem to realize that people are saying authors should release more than one book a year, not just write one.
Okay, there are some writers who pump out books rather fast and they are very good. Then you have some who pump out garbage after garbage because they’ve been seduced by the “quantity over quality” thing. Most authors cannot write a ton of books in one year and surely can’t release them all in the same year.
Do people forget the factors that are involved for this to happen?
It depends on a lot of things:
The length of your books (shorts can be done in days compared to full-lengths)
A writer’s mode of publication (a self-published author might can get out more books a year but for most commercially-published authors it’s not possible)
Is your book with an e-publisher and not a print house (e-book publishers can get out books much faster than a print house)
What type of book are you writing (a fiction short would take no time compared to say, a nonfiction full-length where you have to check over facts and other things)
Also, readers aren’t as impatient in this day and age as they used to be. There are millions of books in the world for a reader to choose from. Believe me they aren’t waiting for your next book. Unless you’re Stephen King or JK Rowling, most likely a reader is not waiting with bated breath for your next release. Sorry if that sounds harsh but it’s the truth. Authors put more pressure on themselves when it comes to releasing books then the readers do. Your book will have readers when it comes out and that’s all you should worry about.
But back to the fundamentals. You don’t just write a book. It has to be edited. If you’re like me you probably go through at least six drafts (or more) to get the book as perfect as possible. Sometimes I end up doing an entire rewrite! Another thing is I write full-length novels. I don’t write shorts that can be written in a day. On average it takes me at least three or four months to write the first draft then I sit it down for a few weeks then I begin editing and so on.
So when people say everyone can release more than a book a year, what about the editing? And if publishers expect authors to do this, how can they demand this when it’s incredibly slow to get a book published? You could send most publishers three books a year and it might be three years before all of them come out.
There is more to writing a book than just writing the book. Kudos for those who can pump out multiple books a year that are publishable without much work. The truth is that most of us cannot. My motto is that writers need to stop worrying about what others say about how they should write and how fast they should. We are all different. If you’re fast, you’re fast. If you’re slow, you’re slow. There’s nothing wrong with being either. It’s when you try to be someone else that you shortchange yourself.
So be merry and write to your heart’s content! Just do it at your own pace and block out those who say you shouldn’t.
You can check out the New York Times article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/13/business/in-e-reader-age-of-writers-cramp-a-book-a-year-is-slacking.html?_r=2&hp
So what is your opinion?
May 19, 2012
Stay tuned!
Best Wishes!
