Anyone who still doubts the potential power in being able to publish work in ebook format should consider Karen McQuestion.
Less than a year after publishing her books for Kindle, McQuestion (who was recently interviewed on Joe Konrath's blog, because she was outselling him in the Kindle Store) landed a movie deal for her self-published ebook, A SCATTERED LIFE.
For more details, read the GalleyCat interview with the author.
Clearly, not every author self-publishing ebooks can expect to get a movie deal. (Not every traditionally published print author gets movie deals, either.) However, even though your mileage may vary, isn't it nice to contemplate the possibilities?
Thursday, 29 April 2010
Saturday, 24 April 2010
Quotation for the Week of April 25
"If I had only known, I would have been a locksmith."
-- Albert Einstein
-- Albert Einstein
Thursday, 22 April 2010
The Evolution of Joe Konrath
As you may know if you read one of my absolute favorite blogs, Joe Konrath who writes A Newbie's Guide to Publishing (and writes under the name J.A. Konrath) has made an absolute killing selling his backlist and never-before-published work as ebooks for Kindle. He's encouraged others to follow his lead -- sort of.
He's cautioned those who would rush to publish their work as ebooks to stop and consider a few things. Fair enough and I agree. You shouldn't rush to self-publish anything -- print or ebook.
In fact, Joe (for the most part) has emphasized the importance of running the traditional gauntlet of queries and rejections (he's gotten more than 500 of them, I believe), as a necessary rite of passage before getting published.
However, lately Joe's views seem to be changing -- in fact, he recently blogged about his "crisis of faith." As in, he wasn't sure what advice to give newbie writers today. Like, maybe that gauntlet he had to run doesn't apply so much, anymore? (Imagine that.)
It's interesting that Joe feels so conflicted, yet (and I quote) "I never wanted to be the poster boy for self-promotion, even though my efforts (chronicled on this blog) have made folks think of me that way. And I certainly don't want to be the new poster boy for self-publishing."
Well, God forbid! (And, hey, I'll accept the title, once I earn my stripes -- assuming that happens.)
And what's really interesting is that Joe takes issue with the notion being spread about that (quoting again) "Konrath is selling well because he has a name and a fan base." He goes (in great detail) into the reasons why he doesn't believe this is so. (So, about that query-and-reject gauntlet -- still necessary?)
Okay, you say, it's Joe Konrath. He's been kicking around the publishing world for years now, promoting like crazy, traveling around the country, visiting bookstores and libraries, blogging it up, querying and submitting, on and on and on and on, etc. Surely, his great success is attributable to all these efforts.
Well, the answer, at best, is maybe. Okay, I'm being kind here. The answer is clearly NO, when you consider the story of Karen McQuestion, who's outselling Joe and who's interviewed on his blog. McQuestion has NO traditional publisher. NO name recognition. NO backlist. None of that traditional publishing route stuff. Yet, she's selling more ebooks than Joe Konrath. (Again, imagine!)
Joe even says that ebook success isn't so much about making print sales the traditional way, but (more quotes here) "price, quality, and professionalism."
He also says:
"Many years ago, I was arguing with someone who said the secret to selling a books is simple: just write a good one.
"I disagreed. First of all, there is no set definition of what 'good' is. Second, many 'good' books go out of print, and many 'mediocre' books become bestsellers (at least in my subjective opinion.)
"The success of as [sic] book, I posited, depended on how much money a publisher threw at it, how big the coop was, how large the print run and distribution.
"In the age of ebooks, where print runs and publisher dollars don't mean anything, there is still an unknown Factor X that determines why some books sell well and others don't.
"But I'm also changing my thinking a bit. Writing a good book, with an interesting premise, a professional, eye-catching cover, a decent description, a low price, and a hooky preview, does help sell ebooks. Perhaps even more than it ever helped sell print books." [Italics added.]
Okay, NOW do you people believe me when I say ebooks are changing all the rules?
He's cautioned those who would rush to publish their work as ebooks to stop and consider a few things. Fair enough and I agree. You shouldn't rush to self-publish anything -- print or ebook.
In fact, Joe (for the most part) has emphasized the importance of running the traditional gauntlet of queries and rejections (he's gotten more than 500 of them, I believe), as a necessary rite of passage before getting published.
However, lately Joe's views seem to be changing -- in fact, he recently blogged about his "crisis of faith." As in, he wasn't sure what advice to give newbie writers today. Like, maybe that gauntlet he had to run doesn't apply so much, anymore? (Imagine that.)
It's interesting that Joe feels so conflicted, yet (and I quote) "I never wanted to be the poster boy for self-promotion, even though my efforts (chronicled on this blog) have made folks think of me that way. And I certainly don't want to be the new poster boy for self-publishing."
Well, God forbid! (And, hey, I'll accept the title, once I earn my stripes -- assuming that happens.)
And what's really interesting is that Joe takes issue with the notion being spread about that (quoting again) "Konrath is selling well because he has a name and a fan base." He goes (in great detail) into the reasons why he doesn't believe this is so. (So, about that query-and-reject gauntlet -- still necessary?)
Okay, you say, it's Joe Konrath. He's been kicking around the publishing world for years now, promoting like crazy, traveling around the country, visiting bookstores and libraries, blogging it up, querying and submitting, on and on and on and on, etc. Surely, his great success is attributable to all these efforts.
Well, the answer, at best, is maybe. Okay, I'm being kind here. The answer is clearly NO, when you consider the story of Karen McQuestion, who's outselling Joe and who's interviewed on his blog. McQuestion has NO traditional publisher. NO name recognition. NO backlist. None of that traditional publishing route stuff. Yet, she's selling more ebooks than Joe Konrath. (Again, imagine!)
Joe even says that ebook success isn't so much about making print sales the traditional way, but (more quotes here) "price, quality, and professionalism."
He also says:
"Many years ago, I was arguing with someone who said the secret to selling a books is simple: just write a good one.
"I disagreed. First of all, there is no set definition of what 'good' is. Second, many 'good' books go out of print, and many 'mediocre' books become bestsellers (at least in my subjective opinion.)
"The success of as [sic] book, I posited, depended on how much money a publisher threw at it, how big the coop was, how large the print run and distribution.
"In the age of ebooks, where print runs and publisher dollars don't mean anything, there is still an unknown Factor X that determines why some books sell well and others don't.
"But I'm also changing my thinking a bit. Writing a good book, with an interesting premise, a professional, eye-catching cover, a decent description, a low price, and a hooky preview, does help sell ebooks. Perhaps even more than it ever helped sell print books." [Italics added.]
Okay, NOW do you people believe me when I say ebooks are changing all the rules?
Sunday, 18 April 2010
Quotation for the Week of April 18
"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it."
-- Flannery O'Connor
-- Flannery O'Connor
Thursday, 15 April 2010
Under the General Heading of WTF??
So, how long has the iPad been out? Less than a month? Less than two weeks even? And already another item has come along, trying to rival it.
There's a new tablet PC setting out to compete with Apple’s iPad, promising "even more technology such as a bigger screen, a webcam and USB ports."
Damn! That didn't take long.
And, in other even stranger news, turns out the ebook version of the new "Twilight" novella is priced higher than the hardback print version. I mean, seriously--WTF???
Not strange enough for you? Try this. The Library of Congress is creating an archive of tweets. From Twitter, of course. (I'm not talking about bird calls.) This received coverage in GalleyCat, as well as the New York Times.
Okay, I think the Apocalypse really is nigh.
There's a new tablet PC setting out to compete with Apple’s iPad, promising "even more technology such as a bigger screen, a webcam and USB ports."
Damn! That didn't take long.
And, in other even stranger news, turns out the ebook version of the new "Twilight" novella is priced higher than the hardback print version. I mean, seriously--WTF???
Not strange enough for you? Try this. The Library of Congress is creating an archive of tweets. From Twitter, of course. (I'm not talking about bird calls.) This received coverage in GalleyCat, as well as the New York Times.
Okay, I think the Apocalypse really is nigh.
Sunday, 11 April 2010
Quotation for the Week of April 11
"When everyone is against you, it means that you are absolutely wrong – or absolutely right."
-- Albert Guinon
-- Albert Guinon
Thursday, 8 April 2010
Publishing: An Empire on the Verge of Falling?
There's no getting around it, anymore. Ebooks are coming into their own fast and furious.
When an author like John Grisham, who was adamantly against selling his novels as ebooks, capitulates on the issue--well, that's saying something, isn't it?
Although the iPad's appearance on the market has created more buzz, plus more industry concern about the whole thing, this was a revolution on its way, even before iPad's release was announced.
So, for publishers, it's e-publish or perish. After all, when an iPad is simple enough to be used by a two-and-a-half year old, you have to see where this will eventually go, right?
Notice her quick and intuitive understanding of this gadget. The girl doesn't need a user guide.
Not only that, but--shock and horror!--book sales (by which, I'm assuming they mean print books) dropped 1.8% in 2009, while ebook sales rose a whopping 176% (holy sh*t!).
Okay, so maybe publishers are trying harder to keep in the game now (because now they can clearly see this whole ebook thing is for real). But can they do it with the "agency model"? Can they really expect authors to sign their e-rights over and readers to pay more for ebooks?
Ultimately, how will publishers compete with authors who self-publish their ebooks, like Joe Konrath? (Read the post--Konrath so much as kicks publishers to the proverbial curb.)
Don't believe me? Read the last two paragraphs from Konrath's post:
"So in two years I can make more money on my own on a self-pubbed ebook than a book released by a major publisher in hardcover, trade paper, paperback, and ebook formats, supported by a tour and advertising.
"Unless it's a big offer, I can't imagine selling rights to my work ever again... "
Hello? Did you notice he didn't qualify that statement by limiting it to ebooks? Basically, he just said that unless it's a "big offer" (how big? don't know), he can't picture ever selling his rights to a publisher anymore.
I'll let you draw your own conclusions.
When an author like John Grisham, who was adamantly against selling his novels as ebooks, capitulates on the issue--well, that's saying something, isn't it?
Although the iPad's appearance on the market has created more buzz, plus more industry concern about the whole thing, this was a revolution on its way, even before iPad's release was announced.
So, for publishers, it's e-publish or perish. After all, when an iPad is simple enough to be used by a two-and-a-half year old, you have to see where this will eventually go, right?
Notice her quick and intuitive understanding of this gadget. The girl doesn't need a user guide.
Not only that, but--shock and horror!--book sales (by which, I'm assuming they mean print books) dropped 1.8% in 2009, while ebook sales rose a whopping 176% (holy sh*t!).
Okay, so maybe publishers are trying harder to keep in the game now (because now they can clearly see this whole ebook thing is for real). But can they do it with the "agency model"? Can they really expect authors to sign their e-rights over and readers to pay more for ebooks?
Ultimately, how will publishers compete with authors who self-publish their ebooks, like Joe Konrath? (Read the post--Konrath so much as kicks publishers to the proverbial curb.)
Don't believe me? Read the last two paragraphs from Konrath's post:
"So in two years I can make more money on my own on a self-pubbed ebook than a book released by a major publisher in hardcover, trade paper, paperback, and ebook formats, supported by a tour and advertising.
"Unless it's a big offer, I can't imagine selling rights to my work ever again... "
Hello? Did you notice he didn't qualify that statement by limiting it to ebooks? Basically, he just said that unless it's a "big offer" (how big? don't know), he can't picture ever selling his rights to a publisher anymore.
I'll let you draw your own conclusions.
Saturday, 3 April 2010
Thursday, 1 April 2010
E-Books 101: Part 4 - Promoting Your E-Book Through Blogging
Jeez! Where do I start? Well, first, you start with your own blog. You have a blog, don't you? If not, you should. It's a flexible online means of promotion. You can post to it daily or every other day or twice a week (at the minimum, IMHO).
It's easy to make announcements, talk up your signings, share your thoughts and keep people up-to-date in general.
Your blog is the perfect place to provide a link to where people can purchase your ebook. Like I do with IDENTITY CRISIS, whether I'm linking to the Amazon version or the Smashwords version, which is also available on BN.com. Can you see where I'm going with this?
You can provide the latest news and reviews about your ebook, while linking to these pages. Not to mention embedding multimedia, like podcasts, online radio interviews and book trailers.
You can also guest blog and talk about your ebooks there. Bloggers often like to have guest posts on their blogs. (It provides a brief respite from blogging duties and freshens the content, as well as helping to promote the guest blogger--a win-win scenario, if there ever was one.)
Some blogs offer author interviews, too. Another way to spread the word by including a link to your ebook in the interview or your bio. Or you can make announcements about your ebooks at blogs like this one.
You can even go all out and do a blog tour. Apparently, though labor intensive, they can be effective in getting your name and book title out and about in the blogosphere. (This author, for instance, did one and look what happened!)
I recently hosted Stephen D. Rogers on my blog (not this one, but another I write). And I'm contemplating a blog tour, as well. (Just need to line the hosts up and write the posts. Easy, right? LOL Well, possibly not totally easy, but could be worth the work.)
Anyway, these are just a few suggestions. Can you come up with any interesting additions? If so, feel free to leave a comment.
It's easy to make announcements, talk up your signings, share your thoughts and keep people up-to-date in general.
Your blog is the perfect place to provide a link to where people can purchase your ebook. Like I do with IDENTITY CRISIS, whether I'm linking to the Amazon version or the Smashwords version, which is also available on BN.com. Can you see where I'm going with this?
You can provide the latest news and reviews about your ebook, while linking to these pages. Not to mention embedding multimedia, like podcasts, online radio interviews and book trailers.
You can also guest blog and talk about your ebooks there. Bloggers often like to have guest posts on their blogs. (It provides a brief respite from blogging duties and freshens the content, as well as helping to promote the guest blogger--a win-win scenario, if there ever was one.)
Some blogs offer author interviews, too. Another way to spread the word by including a link to your ebook in the interview or your bio. Or you can make announcements about your ebooks at blogs like this one.
You can even go all out and do a blog tour. Apparently, though labor intensive, they can be effective in getting your name and book title out and about in the blogosphere. (This author, for instance, did one and look what happened!)
I recently hosted Stephen D. Rogers on my blog (not this one, but another I write). And I'm contemplating a blog tour, as well. (Just need to line the hosts up and write the posts. Easy, right? LOL Well, possibly not totally easy, but could be worth the work.)
Anyway, these are just a few suggestions. Can you come up with any interesting additions? If so, feel free to leave a comment.
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