R. Lawson Gamble's Blog: R Lawson Gamble Books, page 17

Write A Lot Of Great Books

Greetings on July 2. This past 24 hour period was the exact middle of the year, 182.5 days. Behind us is all we have done, before us all we hope to do. My goals and hopes for 2015 must now be accomplished in the 182 days that lie ahead. The sense of vast amounts of time I felt in the beginning of 2015 has begun to erode––in its place, the nagging thought that perhaps there is not enough time remaining.

Speaking of time, it is about time to continue my thoughts in regard to Mark Coker’s Five Best Marketing Approaches for the Self-Published Author. I will consider his third, which is: “Write a lot of great books”.

You will remember his previous two suggestions were to “write a good, no, a great book”, and, in a surprising bit of advice: “forget social media––it won’t help”. You may have read my own thoughts on those suggestions in the two blogs preceding this one. To condense my thinking, I fully agree the author’s first task is to write a great book. I also agree that you cannot rely on social media to get you over the top, but I think it can help.

As to Mark’s third point, it is indeed very important to write a lot of great books, publish them, and list them on-line. The publishing game today is about being discovered, not by agents or publishers, but by readers. This is unlikely to happen if you put all your marbles into one book (unless your name is Obama). For those of us without an automatic platform, we need to establish a consistent trail of works to grab the reader. A reader of fiction, for instance, who enjoys a particular novel, looks to see what else that author has written in order to continue the experience. Conversely, a reader may not even open your book if there isn’t another volume or two to follow it. It’s an investment of time thing. It’s why the Sanford, Patterson, Baldacci crowd do so well; there’s always another book waiting in the wings.

I found when my third Zack Tolliver novel, ZACA, was published, there was a swell in purchases of the first two. I even noticed a modest swell after my second book was published. I suspect this effect might even be exponential (here’s hoping, anyway).

At a recent signing, a friend suggested I bundle my three novels at an attractive price. I created five bundles, not convinced that people would pay the larger price just to obtain them all. At the event, the five bundles were my first sales, and people wanted more.

Readers read faster these days, not just the act of reading, but the speed with which they can obtain a book, the ease of transporting it, the ability to read it at small convenient moments. That first book is gone quickly; they want the next one to be ready at hand.

Readers want consistency. They want a similar experience in the second book, which means the quality, central characters, and general ambience should be familiar. They enjoy the experience, they want it to continue.

If you haven’t started your next book, shouldn’t you?.

Tagged: best book marketing, bundle books, consistency or works, readers today, readers want, write a series

Does Social Media Help Market Your Book?

In an interview for Indie Recon, the worldwide virtual conference for independent publishers and authors, Mark Coker of Smashword suggested four approaches for the self publishing author in today’s market. His first advice was to “write a good, no, a great book”. I discussed that thought in my April 17 Post, “Five Best Marketing Approaches for Self Published Authors”.

In this column I will reflect on Coker’s second bit of advice, to forget about social media.

I am sure he could hear the intake of breath after he made that statement. We all cut our teeth on the idea that we need to maximize Twitter followers, blog followers, have a dynamic website, and live 24/7 on Facebook in order to sell books. Beyond that, one needs to be current with the new Social Media possibilities that seem to arise daily. One needs to establish a brand, a recognizable name, and launch it around the virtual world.

But that takes time, a lot of time; time that could be spent writing. That, I believe, is Mark’s point. Spend that time writing and publishing a lot of good, no, a lot of great books, distribute them widely, and sales will take care of themselves.

This advice has the ring of truth, yet I have to think Mark’s idea is a tad self-serving. Where can one publish one’s books and distribute them widely? Why, Smashword. And his advice has a built-in caveat: if your books don’t sell, they must not be good enough.

In another presentation at the same conference H.M. Ward, a self-published author of fiction who has experienced remarkable financial success tells us we can sell any book. It’s not the what, but the how. Using a formulaic process, Ward has a fine-tuned procedure, at least for Romance. Write your book using her cornerstones, the three legs of her stool, and you will succeed. Those legs? Have a great cover, write a smashing blurb, and write a sample the reader just can’t put down. That simple. Have this formula in mind as you begin your book. Incidentally, Ward did not promote social media, either.

I heard Penny Sansevieri speak at a conference in Camarillo. She is a dynamic speaker and , more important, a dynamic thinker. She is all about Social media. It is her stock in trade, as an on-line marketer/promoter. The publishing world is changing and Penny changes with it; her approach is to make the most of all those (free) Social Media services, bend them to your will, be prepared for the next great service to appear, and find a way to jump aboard. Social media? You betcha!

My stand on this point is squarely in the middle. I agree with Mark that an author will not find sales success with a sub par product, or even a good product. The book must be special in some way, whether unique or excellent. Widely distributing a sub par product will ultimately bring you a well-distributed sub par product, not increased sales. I agree with H.M. Ward that book cover art is one of the most important factors in book sales. The blurb and sample are the follow-ups––the clean-up batters, to use a baseball analogy. But in the new virtual world of book self-publishing I must agree with Penny that a strong, consistent virtual presence is essential for an author to sell books today. The author’s website must be the sun around which the planets Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Utube, and all those new sites that are emerging revolve.

How can an author manage all of this and still write books? The jury is still out on that question, but I think it important to remember this is a building process. Your brand, your Social Media presence, your reputation are not achieved overnight, but gradually, brick by brick. Each isolated effort, however small, is a step toward the eventual sales network you desire. The internet never forgets, for good or ill.

Tagged: Author, blurb, book sales, cover art, E-book, FaceBook, internet, LinkedIn, marketing, promote, Social media, story sample, Twitter

Five Best Marketing Approaches for Self-Published Writers

 

IndieRecon (an independent publishing on-line conference) recently presented an interview with Mark Coker of Smashword. The topic, among other things; new marketing approaches for self publishing authors. He had five central thoughts:

1. Write a good, no, a great book

2. Forget Social Media – it won’t help

3. Write a lot of great books

4. Distribute widely  5. Patience!

I’ll admit I was smug as I listened to this. In a number of ways I have come to practice all four – to a degree. But when I went to check my bank account I saw that I’m not yet rich. Of course, that’s all about number five.

Indeed, Mark has raised good points. I plan to discuss each one of these from my personal perspective and experience. Today’s column reflects on the first bit of advice; write a great book.

It takes time to write a good book. It requires creative thought, the discipline to keep at it day after day, a sense of purpose and goals, sacrifice. All of this and more. But a great book?

For success in the eBook market today, an author now must write a great book, says Mark, because the competition has grown exponentially. There are many, many good books available to readers, tens of thousands of which are free. Your book should be so great that people will pay money to own your book instead of downloading a free book.

This raises an immediate question: am I capable of writing a great book? Does this mean I must be a Steinbeck, or Hemingway, or a King? If I don’t honestly think I have that kind of talent, should I give up?

In a word: no.

Let’s remember that Steinbeck wasn’t Steinbeck without a lot of practice, which means writing, writing, and then some more writing. Great writing evolves.

Does that mean you shouldn’t publish that good, not great book you just finished? Not at all. Go back and look at number three on Coker’s list. Each new book you publish helps the last to sell. Your good book may not rise high on Amazon’s best-selling list. But when at last you do write that great book, it will lift all the others. Keep practicing.

Another point. Great writers are unique writers. That is, each great author has a unique voice.  If you think about it, in many ways great and unique are synonymous in writing.

Here’s what I mean. Think of the great authors you have read. If someone hands you a book with the cover gone, no indication of who wrote it, wouldn’t you recognize the author after a few pages? Would you confuse T.C. Boyle with Larry McMurtry? I don’t think so.

To write a great book, an author must let his/her unique voice develop. Do not let other authors, critics, friends change it. In every critique group consisting of authors, comments on your work are likely to be colored by that author’s own voice. Learn to separate the useful critique from personal style criticism. Stubbornly forge ahead with the style that is you.

Stay true to your goal. In this amazing new publishing world, some authors aim for quantity rather than quality to make bucks. This concept was not approachable a decade ago; the quantity of books one could publish was necessarily cramped by the time it took to weather the publishing process. No more. Today you can be published tomorrow, if you wish. If your goal is money, this might work for you. However, I know many authors who have published scores of good entertaining books and sell just one of each per year. Do the math: fifty books at $5.00 each is only $250.

I still believe that quality, not quantity, will sell books. And as Mark Coker said, they will need to be great books.

In my next blog post I will write my thoughts about number two: Forget about Social Media.

Tagged: authors, book distribution, book marketing, book sales, E-book, marketing, Publishing, sales, self-publishing, Smashwords, Social media, Steinbeck, Writers Resources, writing discipline, writing influences

The New Marketing Approach for Self-Published Writers

 

Indie Recon (an independent publishing on-line conference) presented an interview with Mark Coker of Smashword. The topic, among other things; the new marketing approaches for self publishing authors. He had five central thoughts:

1. Write a good, no, a great book

2. Forget Social Media – it won’t help

3. Write a lot of great books

4. Distribute widely  5. Patience!

I’ll admit I was smug as I listened to this. In a number of ways I have come to practice all four – to a degree. But when I went to check my bank account I saw that I’m not yet rich. Of course, that’s all about number five.

Indeed, Mark has raised good points. I plan to discuss each one of these from my personal perspective and experience. Today’s column reflects on the first bit of advice; write a great book.

It takes time to write a good book. It requires creative thought, the discipline to keep at it day after day, a sense of purpose and goals, sacrifice. All of this and more. But a great book?

For success in the eBook market today, an author now must write a great book, says Mark, because the competition has grown exponentially. There are many, many good books available to readers, tens of thousands of which are free. Your book should be so great that people will pay money to own your book instead of downloading a free book.

This raises an immediate question: am I capable of writing a great book? Does this mean I must be a Steinbeck, or Hemingway, or a King? If I don’t honestly think I have that kind of talent, should I give up?

In a word: no.

Let’s remember that Steinbeck wasn’t Steinbeck without a lot of practice, which means writing, writing, and then some more writing. Great writing evolves.

Does that mean you shouldn’t publish that good, not great book you just finished? Not at all. Go back and look at number three on Coker’s list. Each new book you publish helps the last to sell. Your good book may not rise high on Amazon’s best-selling list. But when at last you do write that great book, it will lift all the others. Keep practicing.

Another point. Great writers are unique writers. That is, each great author has a unique voice.  If you think about it, in many ways great and unique are synonymous in writing.

Here’s what I mean. Think of the great authors you have read. If someone hands you a book with the cover gone, no indication of who wrote it, wouldn’t you recognize the author after a few pages? Would you confuse T.C. Boyle with Larry McMurtry? I don’t think so.

To write a great book, an author must let his/her unique voice develop. Do not let other authors, critics, friends change it. In every critique group consisting of authors, comments on your work are likely to be colored by that author’s own voice. Learn to separate the useful critique from personal style criticism. Stubbornly forge ahead with the style that is you.

Stay true to your goal. In this amazing new publishing world, some authors aim for quantity rather than quality to make bucks. This concept was not approachable a decade ago; the quantity of books one could publish was necessarily cramped by the time it took to weather the publishing process. No more. Today you can be published tomorrow, if you wish. If your goal is money, this might work for you. However, I know many authors who have published scores of good entertaining books and sell just one of each per year. Do the math: fifty books at $5.00 each is only $250.

I still believe that quality, not quantity, will sell books. And as Mark Coker said, they will need to be great books.

In my next blog post I will write my thoughts about number two: Forget about Social Media.

Tagged: authors, book distribution, book marketing, book sales, E-book, marketing, Publishing, sales, self-publishing, Smashwords, Social media, Steinbeck, Writers Resources, writing discipline, writing influences

Is Kafka The Same On Kindle?

The digital age has forced choices; smart phone or single purpose phone, GPS for the car or old-fashioned map (and instinct), broadcast TV or streaming video, and my topic for this column; eBook or physical book?

As an author, my support of the eBook revolution was a no-brainer. It’s all about little time and large numbers. Write it, finish it, publish it, and sell it. No wait for agents to get on board or publishers to anguish through their process. It is conceivable to accomplish the whole process within a week. I suspect some people do.

The large numbers? More and more books available, instantly (purchase and download to your tablet, right now), more books available for free or $2.99 or less, more royalties for authors, more control, more self-determination. More competition? Sure, but I still believe in the buoyancy of quality––it will eventually rise to the surface.

Back to my topic, the eBook or Physical Book question. I’m one of those caught in between, a hybrid, a flipped coin that hasn’t yet landed. I have a stack of books by my bed, those I’m currently reading (seldom one at a time), those I’ve started and stopped but will-get-back-to-one-day, those I intend to read, and those with attractive covers. And the kindle.

I turn to my kindle when I want a certain book, or a certain kind of book, a book that I don’t yet have. With my kindle, I acquire it Right Now. This may happen after I read a tantalizing review in a magazine ( I have a stack of those, too, but not at the bedside…ahem), or after a friend raves about a special author, or if I simply need to get my fix of Elmore Leonard or Larry McMurtry. I never know for sure what format of book I will read tonight––life events will determine that.

As a hybrid, I have come to notice something about book formats. I’m not sure it’s real, but I have a suspicion. So I put it to you. I believe I now judge books not by the cover, but by the format.

I realized this the other night reading Raymond Chandler. I always enjoyed Raymond Chandler. I was reading The Little Sister on the kindle. But there was something missing; the tough guy persona lacked bite, the sexy heroine had less allure, the twists and turns were difficult to follow. And I wondered––would I have those same feelings reading him in a dirty paperback with smelly pages? I wonder.

The next night I began reading Dog Soldier (Robert Stone) on my kindle. Same thing. Something was missing. Could it be the large print I use on the kindle which means I must turn pages every three sentences? Could it be that the light weight of the tablet somehow suggests light weight fiction to my mind? Perhaps it’s the commitment I make when I spend the money to buy a physical book. (I have noticed that those who buy my paperback books tend to give me better reviews, as if to confirm they did indeed spend their money wisely).

So I put it to you. Is reading the master writers on kindle the same experience as it is holding a brand new book that smells of binding-glue in your hand? Is Hemingway the same when his 50 word sentences run for three kindle pages? Does William Faulkner feel the same in a shiny tablet as he does in you grandmother’s dusty old volume? Does Steinbeck have the same power in plastic? Is Thomas McGuane the same author if you can look up his obtuse references immediately?

For my part, the jury is out. But I suspect the classics are meant to be served on silver, not in plastic.

Tagged: Amazon Kindle, do classics loose something on kindle, eBooks vs Physical Books, Elmore Leonard, Literature, readers, reading experience, reading experience on kindle

Take A Trip, Clear Your Mind

Writing is a routine. It must be. The brain adjusts well to regimentation, it likes to know when to start being creative and when to stop. I don’t banish thoughts or ideas about my books during other hours, but I sit down to type at the same time every day.

Every day. That is the crux, the good as well as the bad. When the thread is unbroken, the story flows. I write seven days a week, every week. I am guilty of writing on Christmas Day, Thanksgiving, New year’s Day, even my Birthday, just to keep the story flowing.

There are times, however, when time away from the computer can’t be avoided. There are family trips, business trips, conferences. Add up the hours and they can seem significant. Multiple days away can erode the thread of a story. Even if I bring my computer along and try to write elsewhere, it isn’t the same. It just doesn’t flow.

There is a downside to the regimentation I describe (beyond health, social life, and family, of course). The work can become ingrown. Too much time too close to the story breeds an overabundance of detail, micromanagement of plot and characters. This focus on minutiae is an unconscious thing. It’s rather like a relationship: too close too long causes one to worry about all the little things that ultimately mean nothing. Once apart, the little things evaporate, supplanted by the larger, more important matters.

So it is with writing. Time away from my story helps restore its essence, the big picture, the Great Idea. Not the family trips, or conferences, which bring new pressures and responsibilities, but a planned, short solitary excursion, no more than overnight, perhaps. It is a good way to empty the mind, to learn new things, to let ideas take shape at their own speed. Inevitably, during such trips, my mind travels back to my writing of its own accord, and I see where I have gone off track, or have allowed minutiae to conceal my plot, or hide my characters.

Occasionally it feels as if my trip had been destined, when I learn new things that have direct bearing on my story, things I can use to good purpose. Sometimes I meet people with personalities or mannerisms that help define my characters. Regardless of direct benefits, such trips always refresh the mind and spirit.

Try it. You’ll see.

 

LAWritersblog

Tagged: Author, books, project, Writing, writing discipline, writing techniques

An Editor For You

There is a lot of talk about self publishing. Everyone in the business of books has an eye on the trends. A less noticed trend is the growth, and the individualization of editing.

Readers have expected, and in many cases found, flaws in self published books. An inexperienced writer often does not realize how many errors an author just can’t see. A missing word in the right place disappears, camouflaged within the brain’s projected reality. Find the error, make changes, and like dominoes falling, another error may occur. It is difficult to publish the perfect book.

Publishing houses with their staff editors do better. Yet even here, perfection is rare.

Every book requires editing by multiple eyes. Preferably experienced eyes.

With the advent of self publishing there are many more authors. Consequently, there is a need for many more editors. That void is filling rapidly, but not everyone who hangs up a shingle has that experienced eye, or even the skill.

I recently spent an hour with a friend who plans to edit contractually. She is eminently qualified, a former life-long newspaper editor conditioned to producing clean, tight columns. She wanted to develop a fee scale. A potential client wanted her to prepare his book so “all I have to do is push a button to publish it” (Wouldn’t all writers like that?). The man said he wanted blue line editing. What is that, my friend wondered. That question is the nub of the issue.

There are many kinds of editing. In a publishing house, there are acquisitions editors who seek out ideas and authors, copy editors who correct spelling and grammar and impose a house style. Design editors will work on layout and organize printing. A project editor shepherds the book through the process.

But in contractual editing, there is so much more. Editing services may involve proofreading (errors in printed text), copy editing (formatting, style, accuracy), line editing (punctuation, grammar), developmental editing, and any combination of the above. With an increase of contractual editors has come an increase in terminology and specific services.

For instance, one editor of my acquaintance offers developmental editing, substantive editing, line & copy editing, and proof reading. In addition, she will contact agents and publishers. Some are book shepherds, who will coach the author from the beginning “brain dump” to the final proof.

The proliferation of authors means more varied demands of editors. Some writers want blue line editing, that is, everything but the content of the work. Others want red line editing, line by line for readability, plot and character development––in depth editing.

Never has it been more important to research an editor before contracting with one. Does the editor’s fee scale resemble those of editor consortiums or organizations? What are the editor’s credentials? Can the editor produce testimonials? Does the editor belong to a professional organization?

In today’s writing world, there is an editor out there for every author. And…every author should find an editor.

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Tagged: blue line editing, book editing, editing, editing for authors, line editing, proofreading

The Lineage of a Bandit

Several of my projects have intersected, and some of the subject matter has aligned with the expressed curiosity of some readers of this page, and so I will share, from time to time, that material from my research into the life of Salomon Pico, Bandit.

Salomon Pico was born into a family of “movers and shakers” in Alta California, and arguably every influence in his formative years must have urged him to undertake leadership and responsibility. The mantle of indolent spoiled patrician must not have rested as easily on his brow as some have thought, if one considers his heritage of mixed races within a caste-conscious Spanish society. His grandfather, Santiago de la Cruz Pico was Mestizo (Spanish, black, and Indian mix) and his grandmother Maria de la Bastida was Mulatto (African mother, Spanish father). His own father, Jose Dolores Pico, first married a Mulatto, and after her death, took for his spouse Maria Ysabel Asencion Cota, of pure Spanish blood and from an elevated family. Of that union came ten children, and with that union came an immediate step up the caste system beyond their father. Still, as Lawrence Brooks De Graaf points out in “Seeking El Dorado: African Americans in California”, at her death Señora Maria left over a hundred mixed race descendents.

By the time Salomon entered adolescence, his brothers were grown men. Salomon’s oldest brother by 15 years was Jose de Jesus Pico. Next was Antonio Maria Pico, older by 12 years. Both brothers left Salomon large footprints to follow.

Jose de Jesus Pico was known as “Totio” Pico. The meaning of the nickname alludes me. Like his father, Don José became a soldier and served from 1827 to 1831 in the Monterey Company. In the mid-1830s, Don José helped Juan Bautista Alvarado in his unsuccessful attempt to make California an independent republic, separate from Mexico. For this help, Governor Alvarado rewarded Don José with a grant of land, “south of San Carpoforo Creek to the Arroyo del Morena, and east from the ocean at high tide to the summit of the Santa Lucia mountains”, including about 14 miles of coastline––today the Hearst Mansion land.

By 1836 he had become administrator of the Mission San Antonio de Padua near Jolon and in 1841 he was appointed administrator of the Mission San Miguel. At this point he married Dona Gabriella Villa and they established a home in San Luis Obispo. Mexican law required him to build a home on the Rancho Piedra Blanca, stock it with animals and plant an orchard, all of which he did. His adobe home was constructed a short distance from the ocean on the bank of a creek about three miles south of San Simeon Bay. Today this creek is known as Pico Creek. The picture on this page is his ruined adobe (courtesy of Autry national Center of the American West).

All of these accomplishments are important, but the truly extraordinary moments in Don Jose’s life came about through his unusual relationship with Colonel Fremont. A soldier Mexican Army, Totoi fought against the Americans. He was captured by Fremont and “paroled”, a curious but gentlemanly condition in which he is allowed to go home promising not to fight again.

But he did. Fremont learned that he has taken part in the Battle of Navidad with Manuel Castro. When Fremont occupied San Luis Obispo, he was informed that Don Jose was in town and he promptly recaptured him. There was a short trial, and Totoi Pico was sentenced to death at dawn.

Edwin Bryant describes what happened next, from his perspective as a soldier with Fremont. “While standing in one of the corridors (of the mission) this morning, a procession of females passed by me, headed by a lady of fine appearance and dressed with remarkable taste and neatness, compared with those who followed her. Their rebosos concealed the faces of most of them, except the leader, whose beautiful features, I dare say, she thought (and justly) required no concealment. They proceeded to the quarters of Colonel Fremont, and their object, I understood, was to petition for the reprieve or pardon of Pico, who had been condemned to death by the court-martial yesterday.”

In “Fremont, Explorer for a Restless Nation”, Ferol Egan describes it this way: “Captain Dick Owens opened the door and ushered in a striking-looking woman dressed in black followed by a group of children. Owens introduced Colonel Fremont to Señora Pico. She knelt before him, tears in her eyes, and pleaded with him to spare her husbands life.”

Striking-looking she must indeed have been, for not only did he spare Don Jose’s life, but he took him into his service. Their relationship grew quickly, so quickly that on more than one occasion Fremont trusted Don Jose with his life.

Fremont moved his camp within two miles of the Santa Barbara mission, prepared to confront the forces of General Andreas Pico. He sent Don Jose to the mission to deliver a letter to the general. The response led to a meeting the next morning. Fremont rode to that meeting accompanied only by Don Jose, and there the general terms for the Mexican capitulation were agreed upon.

In a second remarkable association, Don Jose guided Fremont and his personal black servant Jacob Dodson on a ride from Los Angeles to Monterey for a meeting with then acting governor Kearney. It was an urgent journey made manifest by a question of the manner of disbanding of his California Battalian. This remarkable ride of 800 miles in eight days, including layovers and a detention of a day and a half, was a statement of the quality of the California horse as well as the character of the men riding them. A full account is available at http://www.longcamp.com.

To recount a small part, beyond San Luis Obispo, probably just beyond the Cuesta Ridge, the men halted for a few hours to rest. In the early morning hours, they were awakened by movement of the horses. According to the Egan account, “At first, they thought there was an attack by indians or bandits, but Pico heard the grunts and growls of grizzly bears. Fremont was ready to begin shooting, but Don Jose said that would only make the bears charge. He said it would be better to try the Mexican way. Sometimes, if one spoke to the bears the right way, they could be convinced to move along. Saying this, he walked slowly toward the growling bears. When he was close to them, he shouted sharply in Spanish. The bears hesitated, then slowly moved away.”

The courage, strength, and character of Salomon’s oldest brother are beyond doubt. these accounts and others speak additionally to his honor and gentlemanly qualities. This is the stock from which Salomon Pico, bandit, sprang.

When I return to the topic of Salomon Pico in future pages, the subject will be Salomon’s second oldest brother, Antonio Maria Pico.

Tagged: California bandits, Charles Fremont, history, Mexican War, research, Salomon Pico

Four Things I Learned In 2014

The holiday Season is upon us. Little is left of 2014 but the memories. I will build my New Year resolutions for 2015 upon the backs of my mischances and lost opportunities of the prior year, and shape them by my successes. My learning curve was influenced by several experiences over the past year. Allow me to share a few.

1. A rewarding marketing strategy is to give talks and presentations. The research I have done for a historical novel (some day) offered such opportunities. My illustrated talk at the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum and my non-illustrated talk at Casa Dumetz were not only enjoyable, but rewarding. It is satisfying to put such accumulated knowledge to a second use, and it is fun to engage with an audience. The personal contacts I made (and continue to make) as a result of those presentations are invaluable and have led to unforeseen benefits (See Boots On The Ground; October 3).

2. I attended two conferences for writers this year. The first, Western Writers of America, took place in Sacramento in June. Typically a loaner, I determined to take full advantage of this gathering of writers about the American West and reach out. I found this difficult, and did not do so well as I would like, yet even my weak effort yielded benefits. I met an author from a town near me who invited me to join her writers’ group. I did, and consequently have closed a glaring gap in my editing process (see The Value of Writers Conferences; November 12). More anon.

My second conference was in Santa Fe in October. It was The Tony Hillerman conference, WordHarvest. Having learned from WWA, I was more successful in making connections, including a book swap with an interesting young writer. While I have yet to recognize specific benefits from my attendance, I came away with a briefcase of valuable material I have not yet found time to assimilate, ranging from author legal matters to tricks for writing a series (see My Five Goals For A Conference; July 1).

3. As mentioned earlier, I joined a writers’ critique group near my town in July. The benefits here were immediate. This is a working group, attended by writers of Memoirs, YA, Fantasy, Mystery, and more. Some are accomplished editors, others publishers, all with a wide variety of experience and point of view. I bring my work, with several copies, and read it. I receive verbal and written comment, to consider at my leisure. The critics have the highest of standards, nothing is overlooked. I am not permitted even a scintilla of latitude beyond a word perfect result.

My experiences with this group extend beyond proper usage of grammar. I have learned that the editing process is rife with peril. Each author/editor is an advocate of a specific personal style, reflected in the critique, which, if absorbed completely, can undermine the development of an individual voice. Before joining this group, my voice was clear, even if my editing was murky. now I struggle to protect the former. It has been a good lesson.(see Do You Really Need An Editor; August 20)

4. In 2014 I participated in several books signings/sales events. Each taught me something. While my marketing success this past year has been disappointing, largely from a lack of time devoted to it, each event has added to my experience and confidence––in myself and my books (see Some Thoughts On Launch Parties; May 2).

To conclude this summary, I want to share a quote that has served me best in 2014. I can not remember which author said it, or even the conference where it was said, although I remember that the author was a very successful novelist. The quote: “Accept every opportunity that is presented to you.” Just that.

May You Be Blessed This Holiday Season

Tagged: book launches, book signings, critique groups, Editors, illustrated talks, presentations, talks, writers conference, writing groups

Ebooks vs. Print Books Revisited

While speaking to a friend and businessman today he surprised me when he said that a very small percentage of books sold are eBooks. I was surprised because I thought the number of eBooks sold as compared to print books was more than that. I may have this perception because I’m very involved with Ebooks. In my world, my books sell 90% better as eBooks than print books.

In checking the data, I found that Ebooks now make up about 30% of books sales, more than my friend realized, but still appreciably less than print books. True, the rise of Ebooks has been extremely fast, with Amazon fanning the flames. Apple and Barnes & Noble follow close behind. With sales at independent bookstores decreased by 50%, the stage is set for super stores like B&N to sell the most print books as well the most Ebooks. It is hard to find an independent book store either online or offline these days.

My friend’s statement surprised me in part because I look at book sales through an author’s eyes, an average author, not a name author pushed by a big publishing house. However, it is a fact that Amazon is currently selling more Ebooks than print books. It is fact that authors must market their own books, regardless of how they are published, and that it is far easier to market through on-line book sellers like Amazon than to get print books into stores and actually move them. Ebooks are the easiest form of all to sell.

This tendency shapes direction for authors. For example, I sell 80% more Ebooks through Amazon than all other on-line stores combined. There is little in those numbers to tempt me to sell my Ebooks anywhere other than Amazon. If you write to sell your books, you must follow trends.

Here’s another thought. I’ve found that when comparing royalties from my $12.50 and $17.00 paperbacks to my $2.99 Ebooks (I self-publish and sell my Ebooks through Amazon at the 70% royalty rate) I make less than a dollar more from the paperbacks. Such is the effect of overhead. So why work hard to sell my print books?

Consider that over 3 million books are published annually in the U.S. (that’s in 2010), that Amazon currently has 32.8 million books for sale, 1.2 million of which are Kindle and 22.9 million paperback, that Amazon lists 3,699,618 literature and fiction books for sale right now. To reach the top ten sellers at Amazon it has been calculated that your book must sell 300 copies per day. If you are managing that, you are already selling at the rate of 9000 books a month, which begs the question of why you need to reach the top ten. In other words, which came first, the chicken or the egg?

After crunching all this data, I continue to believe that my best chance for profit lies with selling Ebooks. I will continue to publish print books too, of course, but failing a lightening strike, my concentration will stay with the Ebooks.

Tagged: Amazon, Apple, author royalties, Barns & Noble, book publishing, book selling, brick & Mortar Stores, Online Sales, print books vs. ebooks, SmashWord, Top Ten List