Elliott Turner's Blog - Posts Tagged "creation"
The Price of Pricing Out Success
So, I finished the conclusion and all the first draft edits. Overall, the book is 78 pages long in WORD and boasts 40,000 characters for you online reader types. Thus, it is twice as long as my last book. This raises a serious dilemma for an independent publisher: what sticker price do I put on it?
As a former purchaser of dead tree-produced books, I am suspicious of any book priced under $5. Even an eBook. Yes, I gobble up the free out-of-copyright classics, but I need a solid rec from a good friend (or somebody on Goodreads) before I spend $3 on an Indie book. Hence, I priced my last eBook at $5.99. Just high enough to look respectable, but not about to break the piggy bank.
This book is twice as long, has taken three times as long to write, and, I've heard, just may be a bit more commercially viable than en esoteric foreign language guidebook. Also, as an Indie publisher, I face the real possibility that Amazon or Google will cut my asking price without my consent (as they did with my first eBook). The increased file size will eat away at my royalty (curse these edelivery costs).
Thus, the little devil on my right shoulder whispers that $6.99 and $7.99 is not so far-fetched. However, on the other hand, I want my writing to reach as many people as possible. I also think my first eBook did so well because it was modestly priced.
As a reference point, Junot Diaz's most recent eBook price tag is $12.99. Call me arrogant, but I think my book will be at least 50% as enjoyable for soccer-lovers. Also, some recent soccer eBooks have launched at prices between $6.99 and $9.99. Thus, I'm leaning towards staying at the $5.99 price tag.
As a former purchaser of dead tree-produced books, I am suspicious of any book priced under $5. Even an eBook. Yes, I gobble up the free out-of-copyright classics, but I need a solid rec from a good friend (or somebody on Goodreads) before I spend $3 on an Indie book. Hence, I priced my last eBook at $5.99. Just high enough to look respectable, but not about to break the piggy bank.
This book is twice as long, has taken three times as long to write, and, I've heard, just may be a bit more commercially viable than en esoteric foreign language guidebook. Also, as an Indie publisher, I face the real possibility that Amazon or Google will cut my asking price without my consent (as they did with my first eBook). The increased file size will eat away at my royalty (curse these edelivery costs).
Thus, the little devil on my right shoulder whispers that $6.99 and $7.99 is not so far-fetched. However, on the other hand, I want my writing to reach as many people as possible. I also think my first eBook did so well because it was modestly priced.
As a reference point, Junot Diaz's most recent eBook price tag is $12.99. Call me arrogant, but I think my book will be at least 50% as enjoyable for soccer-lovers. Also, some recent soccer eBooks have launched at prices between $6.99 and $9.99. Thus, I'm leaning towards staying at the $5.99 price tag.
Drafted
Hello hello,
it's so funny this publishing world as compared to, say, online writing. In the land of journalism and internets, I email an idea to an editor, he or she responds a day later, I spend a week drafting a solid first draft, and then it's filed and published within a few days.
Total turnaround time from idea to publication: maybe, like, two weeks? Of course, the equation is way different for reported pieces. My reported features actually take longer now because I'm a known "FOIA terrorist" whatever that means.
Basically, I have to fight tooth-and-nail now to get any records from anybody. Thus far, I've held off tapping my attorney buddies to file FOIA lawsuits for me, but that day is rapidly approaching. I will relish watching them sock cities and the feds for ten figure attorney fee awards all because some PIA officer decided to fuck with me.
But that's besides the point. Fiction.
I finished a solid first draft of my Spanish language novela, titled right now "Notas de Junior." I contacted and hired a cool dude from Mexico City to edit it pre-MS submission. His name is Leo and if you need a smart, reliable editor who speaks Spanish but has an English letras degree from UNAM, message me.
Sigh, I also translated a version for my agent to read before his (hopefully "yes") decision to represent me and take this puppy to market.
Yes, I wrote the first draft with my thumb and "notes" and iPhone, but I'm editing this baby on Google Drive, on PDF, and I even ordered a pre-gally printed version from BookPatch. It is on my desk alongside my ergonomic keyboard as I type this.
Now that I better understand how the book world works, I'm happy to wait a few years as my agent (hopefully) hits up about 5-15 publishers. Still, after 2-3 years, I'll be happy to go indie if we don't get any serious bites (Related: I'd rather go indie than be low-balled - fuck prestige).
The good news is my little bro lives just North of Barcelona, so he can be a courier and hand-deliver stuff to the major presses in Spain. The bad news is he always blows off my WhatsApp messages (shakes fist vaguely Eastward).
It's funny that the NOTV "my book is on sale" circus is about to get seriously started, yet...I'm kinda sorta scheming about other things....
it's so funny this publishing world as compared to, say, online writing. In the land of journalism and internets, I email an idea to an editor, he or she responds a day later, I spend a week drafting a solid first draft, and then it's filed and published within a few days.
Total turnaround time from idea to publication: maybe, like, two weeks? Of course, the equation is way different for reported pieces. My reported features actually take longer now because I'm a known "FOIA terrorist" whatever that means.
Basically, I have to fight tooth-and-nail now to get any records from anybody. Thus far, I've held off tapping my attorney buddies to file FOIA lawsuits for me, but that day is rapidly approaching. I will relish watching them sock cities and the feds for ten figure attorney fee awards all because some PIA officer decided to fuck with me.
But that's besides the point. Fiction.
I finished a solid first draft of my Spanish language novela, titled right now "Notas de Junior." I contacted and hired a cool dude from Mexico City to edit it pre-MS submission. His name is Leo and if you need a smart, reliable editor who speaks Spanish but has an English letras degree from UNAM, message me.
Sigh, I also translated a version for my agent to read before his (hopefully "yes") decision to represent me and take this puppy to market.
Yes, I wrote the first draft with my thumb and "notes" and iPhone, but I'm editing this baby on Google Drive, on PDF, and I even ordered a pre-gally printed version from BookPatch. It is on my desk alongside my ergonomic keyboard as I type this.
Now that I better understand how the book world works, I'm happy to wait a few years as my agent (hopefully) hits up about 5-15 publishers. Still, after 2-3 years, I'll be happy to go indie if we don't get any serious bites (Related: I'd rather go indie than be low-balled - fuck prestige).
The good news is my little bro lives just North of Barcelona, so he can be a courier and hand-deliver stuff to the major presses in Spain. The bad news is he always blows off my WhatsApp messages (shakes fist vaguely Eastward).
It's funny that the NOTV "my book is on sale" circus is about to get seriously started, yet...I'm kinda sorta scheming about other things....
