I recently did an online discussion regarding publishing and wanted to post some of the key points that were covered.
The first thing you should realize: read every blog, every article, every book, every interview taking into account the bias of the person who is writing it. Because there are many people protecting their turf right now at the expense of moving in the right direction. For example, there are many people at publishing houses, in bookstores, at printers, etc. whose jobs are being threatened. Regardless of reality, they will fight tooth and nail to hold on to those jobs, even if it hurts writers.
The next point is this: don’t let emotion make your decisions. We all have strong feelings about books and writing and bookstores, etc. That’s fine. Put them in a box. Focus on reality. This is a business. Numbers rule, not emotions. If you want to succeed in the new world of publishing, you have to deal in reality.
My background: 20 years in traditional publishing with over 40 titles. Hit all the bestseller lists. Have made my living as an author for all that time. At the beginning of this year, I had two manuscripts I could give my agent to sell. But I took the time to consider some things: I focused not on where publishing is right now, I focused on where it would be in two years. Because the traditional publishing model is built on a year long production schedule and selling a book, negotiating a contract, etc. etc. often takes another year.
I was seeing bookstores disappear. eBooks taking a larger share of the market with each month. No one really knows what the sales percentage are. There are too many variables. But I believe for fiction, eBooks are outselling print NOW. The only thing propping up print numbers are wholesalers like WalMart and Costco and the only authors they rack are the top 5%. For the midlist, it’s pretty bleak.
I’d started my own little company, Who Dares Wins Publishing in Jan 2010 with Jen Talty to get my backlist into print. But it wasn’t a priority. In January of 2011 we sold 347 eBooks.
Then I made a decision. I decided to go 100% indie and publish my new books myself. Last month, in July, we sold over 80,000 eBooks. Well over 2,000 a day and grossing well over $100,000 in sales (once August numbers are in, I’ll do a blog showing exactly where these sales are occurring).
Last week I talked to a major NY Times bestselling author and she was most interested in learning about the eBook market and how it worked. There is a tipping point coming where the numbers are going to indicate major authors can put the books out themselves and make much more money than any publisher could ever possibly pay them. Right now, the math dictates that a publisher has to sell 4 to 6 times the number of eBooks than an author on their own, to make the same amount of royalty to pay the author. And when the royalty statements show well over 50% of sales are eBooks—authors can do the math.
And that’s the key: very, very few people really understand the intricacies of the book from the writer to the reader via eBook. There are so many little tricks of the trade that Jen and I learned by trial and error.
So a few observations:
Pricing. It’s the key advantage I have over a traditional publisher. All our books at Who Dares Wins Publishing are between $2.99 and $4.99. We have two titles at .99. Regardless of what you feel about the .99 price point there is absolutely no doubt there are many people who troll for books at that price. We view them as hooks—Atlantis at .99 is the hook to get people to read my science fiction; Eyes of the Hammer at .99 is the hook to get people to read my thrillers. Pricing has allowed me to have two of the top ten titles in science fiction on US Kindle, UK Kindle and Nook for months now. I’m not even considered a science fiction author. But my Area 51 and Atlantis series are good, priced reasonably, and have covers that . . .
Have to pop in thumbnail. Different than regular print covers.
Promotion. Community and building brand. At this blog Write It Forward, we view ourselves as author advocates and also try to explain all the changes in publishing for authors. I have people starting to come to me now to discuss this new age of publishing not only because I have the expertise, but I also have the sales numbers to back up what I say.
New writers self-publishing: It will be as hard to succeed doing that as getting traditionally published. The #1 mistake I see new writers making are slapping their first book up on Kindle and then running around trying to promote the hell out of it. No. Write first book. Start writing second book. Finish. Start writing third book. When you have at least three good books, then you can start promoting. It’s a learning curve. Also, how many are willing to put that sweat equity into it? It’s a marathon, not a sprint. If you want immediate validation, play the lottery. I’m succeeding now because I have 23 years of sweat equity in backlist I can use. Also, I’m applying what we did in the Green Berets to publishing. My book, Write It Forward: From Writer To Successful Author uses Special Forces tactics to teach a writer how to be an author, something no one really focuses on.
Stay savvy on the business. You must try to stay up to date because everything is changing fast.
Look three to five years out. I really don’t know where publishing will be six months from now—and neither does anyone else—but you have to constantly project and evaluate and make plans.
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. I’m looking to the future with foreign translations, working with Amazon and PubIt (Barnes and Noble) and doing direct sales. I still have an agent and am open to working with traditional publishers. Never rule anything out.
Be active rather than reactive.
Always learn to become a better writer. Our September on-line course at Write It Forward focuses on finding your one sentence Kernel Idea and making sure you have Conflict Lock using the conflict box.
My next blog post will about who the real gatekeepers in publishing are. The answer will surprise most people.
Write It Forward!
Being a novice writer with a first manuscript in progress, I’ve dreamed of getting traditionally published. But your blog posts, and especially this one, make me think that self-pubbing is the only way to go. You’re very convincing for someone whose been considering both.
Thanks for the thought provoking post. I’ve been trying to get published the traditional way, but you and others are causing me to rethink my strategy.
I had a recent moment where I had to push my emotions aside. I’ve been wanting to write a short story to release for free prior to my novel as a loss leader so that people can get a look at my style and the world I’m writing in at no risk to their wallets. Unfortunately, the stories are getting way longer than “short” length so I decided to just carry on and release it as a novella. Which gave rise to the price question – do I release it for free and then charge, or do I charge from the beginning but only 99c, or do I just release it for free and let it always be free? In the end, I’ve decided to take door #3. Without 23 years of backlist and bestsellers behind me, every little helps
Yet again, insightful observations from the trenches. To those who pay attention, those insights are invaluable. Many thanks for sharing. LT
Another excellent article. I have two self-published eBooks. Book 3 will be ready November 1st, and book 1 is currently #2 in Teen Horror on Amazon. Movie producers have been contacting me about acquiring rights. I don’t have an agent, but I will hire an entertainment lawyer to represent me ( for a flat fee) and I will read a book or two on entertainment contracts.
I would love to get an agent for paperback rights, but the ones I have tried are not responsive. Friends in the traditional industry think I’m moving too fast by doing it on my own, but I don’t think waiting on agents for 4 to 6 months each to decide if they want to represent you, is worth it.
Unfortunately, the stories are getting way longer than “short” length so I decided to just carry on and release it as a novella. Which gave rise to the price question – do I release it for free and then charge, or do I charge from the beginning but only 99c, or do I just release it for free and let it always be free? In the end, I’ve decided to take door #3.
Anne – have you ever read Dean Wesley Smith’s series, Think Like a Publisher? I’m taking his ideas on pricing: 99 cents = short stories; $2.99 = novellas/short novels/small collection of short stories; and $4.99 = novels/large collection of short stories. Although his Number 1 thing for promotion is what Bob says as well: Write another. And another, etc. The more you have up, the better chance people will be able to find and buy your stuff.
What am I doing? I uploaded the first in my novella series for $2.99, and I just released the other day a short story (actually two inside one ebook) for $0.99. Now, once I release the next book in the series sometime next month, I *may* drop the first in the series to $0.99 as a loss leader.
But we’ll see.
And good luck!
Had some similar experiences – folks talking in “expert manner” about how bad an idea self publishing is. Only – you find out they’re an agent. Or work for a publishing house. Or even an author who’s heavily invested in the old system, sometimes.
No self interest going on there, I’m sure.
I agree with you on the numbers. If fiction is not already 50%+ ebooks, I feel *extremely* confident that it will be by Jan/Feb, after the holiday sales kick tens of millions of new ereaders out into the environment.
I’m regularly out there telling folks – this is not something that *will be* happening down the road. This is happening NOW. And now is the right time to get involved.
Great points. Business is business. Emotion is leading a lot of folks astray.
I’ve heard you mention your write-three-books-then-promote advice in the past, and I happen to agree. My personal experience bears out the wisdom of this approach. My wife/coauthor and I recently calculated that together we’ve sold nearly a quarter million copies of our traditionally published books, but we’re still virtual unknowns in the larger publishing world. Why? Because those books were scattered across multiple genres, and the publishers decide if those books live or die.
I think it makes sense to stick to one genre at first, write a series, and THEN promote. I’ve done little to no promotion of my latest eBooks beyond mentioning their existence to friends here and there. It just doesn’t make sense to waste time marketing until I have enough eBooks to keep and hold a reader’s attention. I have agents, but they will not be involved in any of these books until the time is right.
I’m preparing to write a non-fiction guide and am well into writing a historical novel that will be the first in trilogy. I’m considering selling the NF as an ebook available in Kindle for PC. It will be my first published work. Other options are to give it away free or self pub it and sell on amazon and elsewhere for $.99-$4.99. I’d love your thoughts, Bob. Do you have a class that teaches this subject?
Bob says we learned a lot by trial and error, which is true. Even with his 20+ years in traditional publishing and my experiences in ePublishing and business, there was still a lot for us to learn. Anyone entering publishing either wanting the Traditional route or the Indie Route, or something else, the most important thing you can do (besides learning to write the better book) is to be tuned into the business and consider all the points of view.
One of the things that helped with our success was that we constantly re-evaluated our plan–always looking 6 months out, a year out, 3 years…and so on. As things changed, we changed. But there is one other thing that really helped us–team work.
Excellent advice and well needed in this changing business and economy.
Another ‘keeper’ article. Love everything I’m learning here, feeling that knowledge amass in the fashion of Aesop’s fable: The Pitcher and the Crow, a marathon of sorts for the protagonist of that story, I suppose.
As always, thank you for the wealth of knowledge you share!
Excellent advice and gratifying news.
Two years ago I attended a couple of your workshops in DFW. You worked hard all weekend long. I left wondering about the life of a professional author. You had 40 books published. Good books, I’d read several before I knew who Robert Doherty was. Yet with all that behind you, here you were, working night and day, and with many of your books no longer in print. It wasn’t a great feeling as someone who wanted to write, be published, and maybe making a living at it.
So, it’s great to hear that shifting to digital distribution and all those years off effort are paying off for you. Congratulations, you deserve it.
Of course the other bit of news is that Eyes of the Hammer is available. I remember you talking about it. At last I can find out if they blink before they hit the nail!
Cheers.
It stresses me out. I dont even own a kindle or any other such toy.
I peeked at Smashwords today and I was immediately overwhelmed.
I know you are right, but it bums me out.
Thanks for this, very informative.
Evelyn – one thing I did that got me more comfortable with the whole Kindle thing was to download the free Kindle for PC app and then download a couple of free titles just to get the feel of it.
Next thing you know, you’ll find writing books you need to buy and you’ll wonder what took you so long!
Good luck!
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You’ve got my attention
I’ve just discovered your website and find that you are giving excellent advice. People should listen to you. This is the democratisation of the publishing industry. The traditional publishers are really nervous and are reacting in many ways including being behind what appears to be indie sites e.g. http://www.youwriteon.com.
Good luck to one and all and keep writing.
Regards
Steve Walsh
Pyjama Press
Great advice. Checking sales is addictive and counterproductive. Keep writing. That’s the mantra.
Excellent advice. I’m now e-publishing after getting tired of being at a publisher’s beck and call. They decide whether my paperbacks will remain in print, where they are stocked, when they will let them die. The main advantage for me in epblishing is that it gives the author control over what happens to their books.
Thanks, Bob, for posting this. I was at your chat and appreciate your answers to my questions. I’m still searching for the “right” way to promote, although I know there’s no real answer to that one. I hope to see you at the Emerald City conference.
Terry
Terry’s Place
Once again, brilliant post. I’m not much for taking advice – I tend to be hardheaded, however, your advice is always worthwhile and measured. You have the experience I lack and I gain by paying attention to your predictions and willingness to adapt to rapidly changing times. Thanks.
I found Bob via the wonderful Kristen Lamb. Bob is 100% correct in every single thing he says.
That’s the wonderful thing about being a writer, you never stop learning.
If you can’t or won’t attempt to use Smashwords or Kindle, then a find a person to do it for you. But don’t put anything up until you have a stable of work that’s been revised and edited by a professional. You’ll need proof readers and a copy-editor too.
The paying public are the ones making decisions about what will or won’t be picked up by a publisher. It’s got everything to do with making money. The industry is in a state of constant flux at the moment and no one can predict the future.
It’s not easy this game and it’s only become even harder in one way with authors taking personal responsibility for what’s put out there. We’re bound to make mistakes, we’re human beings, but it’s an incredibly exciting time too. We need to grab the opportunity by the balls and run with it.
From what I’ve read here, Bob knows his onions. I’ll be following his progress with interest.
Jen and I will work on putting together an online workshop about what we’ve learned about becoming a self-publisher. The key is we have a team. Without Jen none of this would exist; so we’ve combined what we’ve learned and need to make an SOP– which I’m big on in Write It Forward. I also see traditionally published authors have one of two reactions to all this: wanting to know more so they can be business savvy or wanting to know nothing because they’re afraid.
Bob – thanks in advance for creating a workshop – and you can put my name at the top of the list.
I totally agree with you on the need for a great team – I’m currently dropping hints to my excellent-copy-editor hubby that he could assist with some of the prep work while I keep writing.
If the hints don’t work, the Foot of Death is within arm’s reach!
Without the great books Bob wrote none of this would exist.
My upload SOP just changed…again. I’m sure in a few months, it will change again.
Bob Mayer quote: I also see traditionally published authors have one of two reactions to all this: wanting to know more so they can be business savvy or wanting to know nothing because they’re afraid.
I have a traditionally published friend who just had five novels from her backlist revert back to her.
I said, “Why don’t you self-publish them?”
She heard, “Why don’t you commit suicide?”
You are correct when you state some are not open to self-publishing. She thinks it will be looked at as treason by her current houses, even if they have no interest in bringing them back out.
Hmm, that’s interesting, Lisa.
Send her the link to this blog and let reality percolate into the grey matter. You would be doing her a great service. Bob’s right, the fear factor is playing a major part in her thinking process.
Authors usually respond to the ‘what if?’ question. What if she self-pubs, her backlist rocks and that in turn drives sales of her current and future work? How can that be a bad thing? What if her publishers are delighted that her backlist sales are up and she’s shown committment, drive and is pro-active in selling her work? What if her readers are excited to find her on smashwords, ipad and kindle etc? I don’t see how an author and publishing house can lose, one can feed the other.
I’m wondering how much of her fear is based on fact or in listening to sheeple. I would get her to ask the question of her publishers and I would be gobsmacked if they don’t say, ‘go for it.’ Or am I being Alice in Wonderland here? Because I seriously do not understand what the problem is if they have reverted her rights to five pieces of work.
Hi ccmackenzie-
Part of the problem is she’s been a mentor to me and she has over thirty novels and various other works published, while I only have one traditionally published book, and only two self-published works out. (My third and fourth are releasing in November.) My advice isn’t “worth” anything in her eyes.
I have brought up Bob’s articles and links on a forum we both belong to, but at this point, she is fearful of upsetting and being black-listed by her publishers (and maybe it is her agent planting these ideas, I don’t know) which is what she has told me.
I can understand how you feel Lisa and I can understand her point of view too. I hope things become more transparent and open for her in the future. How wonderful she’s been a mentor to you, she deserves to do well. I always believe that good things come back to people who give. The only thing you can do is keep her up-to-date with what’s happening.
Good luck.
Great post Bob. I watched your video interview last week too (w/ Dan Blank I believe) and it’s all great information. I personally did jump the gun with my publishing plan… I didn’t have enough out before pushing. And while some books sold, it was slow.
Now, with four titles, I notice a better increase in sales – even though aren’t near your numbers yet.
I think people jump in with the idea of writing one book, selling it like Hocking or Locke did/does, and then enjoy life. I blame this on national reporting when they spin the stories as if those people were just run of mill writers. We all work ourselves to the bone writing. We sacrifice, we write, and the cycle continues.
I like your comment about 3-5 years out. This is a business and we must treat it like a business. Write for today, think about tomorrow, but plan for the next few years, yes, yes, yes.
-Jim
So much for my “I have work to do, no internet” mentality. I think I will just have to allow myself an hour on the net every evening or I will probably go nuts.
There is no one publishing path, especially now. Authors have more options than ever before. The key is to be educated and then not to let fear get in our way. Change is hard and can be very scary. Just as I think what we are doing is forward thinking and is the best decision I’ve made in my career, others have different opinions–based on their perspective.
I really believe the key is to be open and willing to learn. We all have to decide what is best for us, but if we aren’t open to all the possibilities we might be missing something wonderful.
Jenni -
First – can totally relate to the ‘no internet tonight’ rule. alas..will need to stay up a little later writing to compensate.
Change IS hard and scary, but without change, and especially without reflection and improvement, we never make it to that next level. The most exciting…and terrifying part about the new world of publishing is that so much is in our hands. It’s up to us to make the best of it, the worst of it, a few mistakes – however the path meanders.
.
In another part of my life I work in process improvement. One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned in that field is: you can’t expect every new process to be perfect, or to solve 100% of the problems. You aim for fixing 80%, constantly reevaluate, and do another round of improvement activities later.
Betty–And sometimes a new process that solves one problem might create another one. With how fast technology in ebooks is changing right now, and how different all the platforms are it makes it hard to keep up. Would be nice if t here was one standard format, but I don’t see that happening anytime soon.
Great post, Bob. (As usual.) I just blogged about it here and also recommended your blog to my readers. I’ve found your advice to be invaluable. Thanks so much.
This blacklist thing is kind of strange– publishers, agents, etc are in business to make money. I doubt they keep a list of people who self-publish and check it. I think they will grab anyone who is selling well and they can make a dollar off of. The question is whether the author’s percentage of that dollar will be worth it for the author to sign a contract. I’ve already said no to a couple of authors because I wasn’t offered enough to make it worth my while.
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I just had to do this with the big decision I made. And I did just what you said. Set emotions aside, looked at publishing in the next two years and where I wanted to be. I could not get there the traditional route, even through an ebook publisher. Selfpubbing isn’t for everyone, but it is no longer something to discount as a fad. And, you have to see yourself as a publisher.
Another great blog as usual.
Thank you for another thought-provoking post.
I still wince when I see the .99c ebook from a brand new author. Especially tweets like ‘read my debut fiction novel, only .99c!’ It triggers things in me. Perhaps the feeling that only one person was involved in the production of the book?
I agree with your previous advice that authors should not rush to epublish on book one. Wait till they’ve written at least 3, make them the best they can be, then consider the move to ebooks.
However, .99 is brilliant for backlist titles, or as a loss leader to entice readers to other books that are also on sale. It’s changing so fast. Thanks for helping me keep up.
Excellent advice, though it can work when you start with one book and release the next a few months later, but: it better be good. What I observed is that people slap their books on Kindle/Nook/Smashwords when it’s not ready, in need of, at least, another edit, and definitely proofing.
I have blogged about not to rush into publishing myself. Our readers will thank us for taking our time.
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What a wonderful, constructive post; thank you! I’m treading along the edge of diving into indie publishing in a few months, and so I’m trying to consume all the advice I can right now. This has been an incredibly helpful and encouraging read, because it’s really confirmed a lot of what I was thinking and leaning towards, while giving a good light on some of the other aspects.
It’s also good to know that my desire to have at least two or three finished books in the wings before stepping forward isn’t just a hoarding tendency, but good common sense!
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Hello Bob, How does your business differ/improve on what Dymocks is doing with their D Publishing?
Regards, Liz
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