Quotable Wisdom

I was in an online discussion recently and one of the members there posted this little bit of valuable wisdom -- the moment I read it, I just knew I had to pass it along:

"Make sure your goals truly are your own, and not a shadowy inheritance from someone else's expectations..."

Nina M. Osier is the author of 23 books, including 2005 EPPIE science ficton award winner REGS and the Fictionwise.com best selling FARTHINGHOME trilogy.

LINK: http://www.geocities.com/nina_osier

Winners Announced for 2008 Out of the Box Promotion Idea Contest

TRI Studio LLC in cooperation with the Authors’ Coalition announce the winners of The 2008 Out of the Box Promotion Contest for Writers.

The top winners include promotional experts Janet Elaine Smith, Allyn Evans, Phil Harris and Billie Williams. Honorable Mention awardees include authors Mindy P. Lawrence, Dorothea Buckingham, Nikki Leigh, Margot Finke, Karina Fabian and Jessica Kennedy.

Ideas range from a Book-of-the-Week Club partnering the publisher and author with an internet radio program, to an Amazon Tour Group, a Video Tour Group, and an idea of letting readers watch the progress as an author writes a book.

The contest was sponsored by TRI Studio LLC, producer of The Fiction Flyer, a free e-zine for writers of fiction. Entries were judged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of The Frugal Book Promoter and The Frugal Editor using the following criteria: 1) the originality of the idea, 2) The breadth of applicability, and 3) the ease of use. The contest showcases new and interesting promotion ideas by authors and for authors. As Kathe Gogolewski, author and President of TRI Studio LLC said, “We wanted to create a tool to help writers in their craft."

There is now a free e-book full of the winning ideas is available from TRI Studio and Authors’ Coalition. It is also available for free distribution for those interested.

LINK: http://www.tri-studio.com/outofthebox.html

Amazon Seizes the Reins

It's verified. Amazon will be requiring POD authors and publishers to print through their services. For all the info, here's the links:

Writer's Weekly

Amazon Media Room

CreateSpace Pro - Running Some Numbers

As I'm checking the options to see what would have to be done to keep a title for sale on Amazon should the "Buy Buttons" disappear, I've started "running the numbers" and thought I'd pass along what I've learned so far:

First, let it be said that for (most) traditional self-publishers and small presses, there is a strong possibility that Amazon/BookSurge may not want to work directly with them as a "formal publishing entity" as do other printers so most likely, if they're not a already and established Big Guy, they'll be shuffled off to CreateSpace (of which has recently added their Pro Option just for "professionals" like us).

But let's just get to the numbers:

To a have a POD book produced through the very popular "Option A Printer," it costs about $4.80 for a 300 page B&W book plus a $75 set-up fee. Books thru this company are currently sold through all online retailers.

To have the same POD book produced through the "A-Pro Service" will run $8.75 per book plus a $50.00 set-up fee. These books will be sold through the Amazon.com website only.

So now we have a basis of what it costs, let's consider the potential profit with our 300 pg. B&W, 6x9 trade paperback set at a conservative, and hopefully competitive, $9.99 cover price.

Through our "Option A Printer," there will be approximately $2.69 leftover per book with offering a 25% trade discount to retailers ($2.50).

THE MATH: $9.99 - $2.50 - $4.80 = $2.69

With "A-Pro Service," there's about $1.24 left per copy (with no discount) with it sold only through Amazon. (Yes, I know it can be sold thru e-Stores for a larger profit but let's stay comparable for now.)

THE MATH: $9.99 - $8.75 = $1.24

Now let's estimate our book publisher can at least sell a meager 100 copies and see what the difference might potentially be in costs recouped (whilst also allotting for the title set-up fees):

With Option A Printer: 100 X $2.69 - $75 = $194 potential profit

With A-Pro Service: 100 X $1.24 - $50 = $74 potential profit

Now, keep in mind this doesn't include all those other costs involved in publishing like cover design, ISBNs, editing, man hours used, and the other incidentals but it is interesting.

And to put it into another perspective, consider this:

If the same book is printed through the Option A Printer and given the standard 55% industry discount, the minimum cover price of $12.99 would be necessary to pull a meager $1.04 a copy in profit (which'll leave about $24 in profit after selling 100 books and paying the set-up).

THE MATH: $12.99 - $7.15 (55%) - $4.80 (print cost) = $1.04

Anyway, there's something to think about.

Bye-Bye "Buy Buttons" for POD Authors?

If you're a "POD author," or anyone whose books are produced On-Demand, unless you've been hiding under a rock, by now, you've probably heard the buzz going around of how Amazon may possibly remove the "Buy" buttons on printed works produced on-demand (by Lightning Source specifically) in order to shift more POD printing business to their affiliate Booksurge.

Now as to whether this has happened (yet) or not or even will, you'll have to check out your own publisher or publishing service to see but it's quite scary to think this just might possibly happen.

Why? Well, for one, it's already happened before a couple years ago with ebooks that were being distributed through LS--and the resulting action caused many authors (myself included) to lose a very viable source of revenue.

And yes, personally, it's hard for me to be critical of a decision made by any business just because it is *business* and there is no other reason to be in business except to make money (nuf said there) BUT on the other hand, I do think that if this does happen there's a possibility of this resulting phenomenon:

Oh, at first there'll be a furious uproar and chaos will ensue as all of the POD industry comes together as one (for once) and rallies against Amazon in an act which causes a huge drop in sales, a decline so colossal that it will ultimately compel them into seeing the light through the accrued value of tens of thousands of POD Industry dollars...

But as time goes by (and this is probably what many are banking the possible decision on), On-Demand sales (thru certain providers) will falter to a slim trickle and the affected authors, publishers, services, and the like will find they are not happy with how things have gone but without any other comparably viable sales source online (and them being in business to make money as well), they will of course begrudgingly accept it as being what it is and bow down to the powers that be...

Putting us all into an impossibly possible situation--one where one doesn't even want to believe that what is presently an ideal model of free enterprise and healthy competition will once again be brought to an end by the power of one retail conglomerate...

*sigh*

After being on the cut end of the stick once, if things go as some are predicting they will, as it stands it doesn't look promising for anyone who has 'hedged their funds' solely in one facet of the POD industry (for it seems you have to stay flexible in an ever-changing industry) but regardless of what is being debated now, in the meanwhile, all authors and industry pros should stay aware of what is going on, start checking out their options just in case something should happen, and keep the discussion open.

For more info, here's a couple links to get your started:

Foner Books

Writer's Weekly

You can find much more info from there!

Too Much POD Info & Site Updates!

Just a quick note, the POD Database was updated recently but due to the considerable amount of print-on-demand publishing information it now holds, I've found it has grown too big to be posted as an HTML page anymore so the format has been changed to a PDF download (only).

Hopefully, this change will not only help me to be able to keep it up but make it more useable for those who need the information since it prints out so nicely and you won't have to pan across the screen to read it.

I've also updated my website as well, adding a few new cool graphics and streamlining the whole set-up from the first page on in with the hopes of making it easier to use overall. When you get a chance, go check it out and let me know what you think.

Ta-ta!

P&E Award & Query Tips

No, I didn't get one this year. In truth, I didn't even enter. But it wasn't that I forgot. On the contrary, I usually try to at least get the POD Database listed under the 'Writer's Resources' part, if anything. No, I missed it for I've been a bit under the weather as of late and doing a lot of offline work so time kinda slipped by before I realized it.

Anyway, thought I'd just let everyone know if you're looking for the Preditors & Editors Top 10 Award banner--the one I contributed for winners to use on their websites--just email me and I'll send it to you. I've had several requests already and don't mind sending it along if you're having difficulty getting it off the site.

Another note: If you're not yet aware, there's an ebook out by Noah Lukeman titled How to Write a Great Query Letter you may want to check out. It's a free download [PDF-link below] so I'm sure the price is right for most ;)

Scanned through and although some if it may not pertain to every query letter to be written, there is a fair bit of valuable info in this work--enough so I felt I should pass along the word. A specific note as to why it may be useful to you is that it addresses both nonfiction and fiction queries and it also stresses a point I also agree with which is: Less is more when it comes to querying.

But why you ask do I think this concept is important? Cuz I can't tell you how many lengthy, boring queries I've read--ones that make your eyes glaze over by the end of the second line. Yes, they make for a good sleep therapy aid but look at it this way, if I lose interest before the end of the first paragraph, an agent or publisher won't even get that far--and that is not what you want to happen when you're querying!

Anyway, if you're interested, here's the link: http://www.lukeman.com/greatquery/index.htm

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