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Honestly, my head hurts from thinking about what authors have to do now-a-days in this new publishing paradigm. I’ve written posts before about this topic and all the tasks writers are up against. Write, rinse, repeat has become an author’s slogan. The world wide web is crammed full of blogs, publishing services, publicists, and anything a writer needs to get their books into the hands of readers. This whole industry has changed so much in the last ten years, and I’ll wager it will keep changing. What won’t change are those who try to pass themselves off as ‘authors’ and continue to write bad books thinking they’ll get rich quick, and those who are in for the long haul, invest in themselves and write good, even great books. The proof is truly in the pages.
Apparently there are five ways authors can succeed in publishing. Bet you’re biting at the bit to know what they are, right? Okay, I’ll share, but just to let you know, I found this same information on numerous blog posts I read (when I should be writing my next book). That said, I added my own two cents based on my own experiences as an author. I believe most of this advice is just common sense, but you be the judge:
Have a strong, savvy social media presence. When I first burst into the publishing world with my debut book, The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, I had a year under my belt with my blog, and a Facebook account. That’s it. My then publisher (now defunct) gave their authors a basic idea on what we had to do to promote and market our books, but it truly felt like once my book was published, I was put out to sea in a life raft with one paddle and a megaphone. Since then, I’ve gotten more of a presence (Twitter, Google +, LinkedIn), and made so many social and business connections for which I’m eternally grateful. It takes a village to raise an author!
The Power is in the Pricing ($2 to $3.99). Readers love to fill their ereaders up, and giving them a great price for hours of entertainment or education is your best bet to building your audience. This is a no-brainer. Although, if a reader wants to spend $10 or more on an ebook by his or her favorite author, then they don’t break a sweat when hitting the buy button.
Pre-Orders. Again, you’re creating buzz with this sales tactic. Add a cover reveal, a Goodreads giveaway, or raving book reviews into the mix, and you may just have a bestseller on your hands. When I was first published, we never had this option, so I’m looking forward to seeing how it works with the next installment of my YA time travel series, The Last Timekeepers and the Dark Secretdue out October 17th, 2016. (Yes, that's me creating buzz! Wink.)
Write a Series. I’m on that gravy train! Or at least I’ve left the station. So far I’ve got two books in The Last Timekeepers time travel series out: Book #1, The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, and the prequel, Legend of the Timekeepers. Now with Book #2 contracted and scheduled for release, I feel I’m on my way. I’ve already started to research and outline Book #3. The master plan is to have a total of ten books with the prequel making eleven. Guess I’m in for the long haul for sure!
Hook Readers with a Free Installment. Part of me has a problem with this. Authors work hard, damn hard, at their craft. Somehow, a free book seems to cheapen an author’s work (but that’s for another blog post!). I do get the idea, and technically FREE is a good thing. Hell, I like free stuff. Who doesn’t? I’ve even have a free short story on my website for readers to download. Still, many authors give away their first book for free in the hopes that readers will like it enough to invest in more books written by the same author. Again, a great strategy, but I somehow think it’s akin to selling a piece of your soul. That’s just my opinion.
For another book sales strategy, here’s a comical, great post that helps authors to understand how finding readers is comparable to shopping at warehouse stores like Sam’s or Costco:
So there you have it. Five ways to try to find success as Author 2.0. Hate it or love it, publishing has become a game of misdirection and manipulation – the trick is to find a Houdini instead of a charlatan. Authors, have you found success using any or all of these strategies? Readers, do you buy books based on price point, pre-orders, an ongoing series, or do you just download free books? Would love to read your comments! Cheers and thank you for reading my blog!
0 Comments on Author 2.0: How Writers Are Supposed To Succeed In This New Publishing Paradigm… as of 1/1/1900
The task of engineering exciting excerpts is actually easy for a writer. You've already written it. Now you just have to find it. An excerpt is typically 500 words, and for a short story about 200-250 words. The advice I have is general—pick an excerpt from the first third of your book. Told you it was easy! Although very rarely does that mean that you need to copy and paste the first five hundred words of your story and call it a day. For a short story? Yes—that's exactly what you do. But not a novel.
Why, you ask? Well, that's inherent in the differences between long and short fiction. A successful short story begins with a strong hook. In order to sell a short story, you have to pull the reader in from the very first sentence. With a novel, the creation of the story comes along with a more deliberate pace. With a novel, you want to select a scene that sets up the story and above all makes the reader want to read MORE.
In other words—a cliff hanger.
Say you're writing a young adult romance novel. A good choice for any YA romance novel excerpt is a scene between the heroine and the hero. A first meeting, perhaps. A confrontation. The moment when the heroine first realizes that there's something different about this guy.
Say you're writing a middle grade fantasy novel. Pick a scene that jump starts the action. A fight. The moment when the hero realizes that he or she has a purpose to fulfill. The moment when everything changes.
Once you've decided on a scene, the real skill comes into play. You need to pick the moment of that scene where the reader absolutely has to know what happens next. And if the reader wants to know, what does he or she have to do? Buy the book. Which is, of course, the point.
So that's the kind of scene you want to choose for your excerpt. And here's another little hint, too—if you DON'T have a moment like this in your book, then you have some work to do. Every good story should have a moment like this—several in fact. That's how you want to end a chapter, a POV section. That's a real cliffhanger—the excerpt, the paragraph, the SENTENCE that forces the reader to turn the page. The moment that the reader thinks, "Well, one more chapter won't hurt. I'll just read a little while longer." That moment is the holy grail for every story in existence. This is how writers should approach every excerpt they choose.
And one last thing—wait to pick your excerpt until an editor has gone through it with you and cleaned it up. The absolute worst thing that can happen here is for spelling and grammar errors to make it through to publication. Your excerpt, like your blurbis part of your sales strategy. You can't sell a car if the engine doesn't work, right? Well, technique—grammar, spelling, structure—is the writer's engine. It doesn't matter how great your story is, it's not going to run unless those techniques are there and sharp.
If you’re an author, how do you go about choosing excerpts? If you’re a reader, what makes you purchase a book based on its excerpt? Would love to hear your comments! Cheers and thank you for reading my post!
0 Comments on Engineering Exciting Excerpts… as of 2/22/2016 6:06:00 AM
Trade book sales were up 0.3 percent among publishers from January to July, as compared to the same time period in 2014.
However, overall publisher revenue was down 2 percent during the seven months at $8.37 billion. These metrics include book sales from more than 1,200 publishers across several categories including: Trade (fiction, non-fiction, religious), K-12 Instructional Materials, Higher Education Course Materials, Professional Publishing, and University Presses.
Interestingly, book sales in July were up among trade books. Adult book sales were up 10.9 percent, Children/YA Book sales were up 11.5 percent and Religious Presses saw book sales up 14. percent as compared to July 2014.
Recently, I had the pleasure of attending my first Art Market with my new publisher, Mirror World Publishing. I looked forward with anticipation to the throngs of new readers I would meet there. I had my bucket of candy good to go. I had signed postcards and trading cards lined up across our table. I had my Sharpie® marker at my side, ready to sign the copious amount of books I’d sell. And I had Justine, my trusty publisher by my side to introduce me to the world. Um. Yeah. Cue the crickets. What I found out was Art Markets and Craft Shows are not for the faint of heart and may not be the best venue for authors. However, NEVER underestimate the power of connecting with future readers, and getting the word out about your books and products.
Below are six simple tips I picked up from ‘working it’ on the blacktop during those two days at the local Art Market:
1. Usually potential customers (a.k.a. readers) are lured to tables when they see books. That’s a no-brainer. Make sure you have an eye-catching banner running across the length of your table and that your books are strategically placed in stands (you can purchase these at any dollar store) and positioned together in the same genres.
2. Engage readers immediately and ask them what genre they like to read. Then, go for the sweet spot and ask them the names of their favorite authors. Since my publisher had an array of books and authors of different genres splashed across the table, we had a better chance at filling the readers’ literary needs. For example some liked fantasy, others were avid young adult fans, so we steered them toward the appropriate section. FYI – two of the most popular genres were mysteries and historical fiction. I think Justine made a note of that!
3. Next, ask the reader what book covers hook them. You’d really be surprised at their answers. A group of gray-haired women loved to read blood and guts (still laughing about that), yet my cover for Legend of the Timekeepers—the prequel to my time travel series—scared the hell out of one of them! They ended up buying one of the darkest books we had on stock. *Head desk.
4. If children or teens are in tow, move to the front of the table and go for the candy. They’re already staring at the jar, so why not offer something that they love! Just make sure their parents are on board. Even adults love candy, so go with your gut and offer them a sweet temptation.
5. The elements of nature can be a loving force or a force to be reckoned with. Be prepared for anything. My publisher brought a drop sheet in case it rained, but when the wind kicked up we had to hold onto the tent for dear life! Thankfully a kind vendor across from our table loaned us a couple of cinder blocks to batten down the hatches!
6. Finally, never ignore anyone, and always end conversations on a positive note whether they purchase a book or not. Hand them a brochure on your products or a signed postcard along with a smile. You never know. They might just buy your book at later date!
So there you have it! My six tips based on my first experience working at an Art Market. If you’re an author who loves doing the Art Markets or Craft Shows what tips can you add? If you’re a reader—what book covers pop for you? What covers scare you? Would love to read your comments! Cheers!
0 Comments on 6 Tips on how Authors can be Artful at an Art Market… as of 1/1/1900
Book sales were down 7.5 percent for the year as of February 2015 reaching $1.71 billion as compared to $1.85 billion for the same two-month period in 2014, according to new metrics shared by the Association of American Publishers (AAP).
AAP tracked sales for Trade -fiction/non-fiction, K-12 Instructional Materials, Higher Education Course Materials, Professional Publishing, and University Presses and included sales from more than 1,200 publishers.
Sales in Trade books for January & February were $1.01 billion, down by 4.3 percent. Childrens & Young Adult book sales were down 15.5 percent for the year. Paperback book sales were up 7.8 percent during the period. Downloaded audio books were up 33.0 percent and eBooks were down by 11.7 percent year-to-date.
Sales from eBooks were down by 10.2 percent in January 2015, as compared to the same period in 2014, according to The Association of American Publishers (AAP)’s latest StatShot.
A drop in eBook sales, led to a 1.6 percent decline in the Children/Young Adult category despite gains in other formats. Paperback book sales were up 10.9 percent and board book sales increased 34.1 percent in Jan. 2015, but the 37.4 percent decrease in eBook sales caused the category’s decline.
Overall, publishers’ book sales for the month of January 2015 within the Trade category reached $543 million in January 2015, a 0.9 percent increase over the same period in 2014.
The last book in my Taken trilogy, Forged, released last week! (Such a bittersweet moment.) I heard from lots of readers through social media, all of whom were excited to get their hands on the final installment and see how things concluded.
I am so very grateful for all the readers who pre-ordered Forged or went out and bought a copy during that first week. Pre-orders and first week sales are hugely important for authors. The pre-orders help publishers gage interest in a book and determine first print runs. Opening week sales are a continued display of reader interest and, for best-seller hopefuls, an important sales window if the book is going to hit the list.
But as many of us know, success in the publishing world is a marathon, not a sprint. While out-of-the-gate performance is important, authors’ careers are dependent upon continued sales and steady growth in readership.
So how can you support authors beyond buying their book(s)?
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, and have a compiled a short list…
1. Post a review to a major retail site. I think this is one of the best things you can do after purchasing a novel. Reviews on goodreads are great, but only the super-passionate-uber-book-fans are on goodreads. Your average online book shopper is not. By leaving a review on Amazon or B&N, you are increasing a book’s chance of being seen by others. The reasoning is two-fold: Many ‘you may also like’ algorithms consider a book’s popularity when making suggestions to consumers, therefore more reviews means more potential for exposure. Additionally, a greater number of reviews has a more positive impact on shoppers. What seems more enticing to you: the book with three reviews or the book with three-hundred?
2. Tell others about the book.
Plug the book to anyone and everyone—friends, family, your followers on social media. Word-of-mouth is huge for authors and simply talking about a title you loved can have a ripple effect. A friend picks it up because you were gushing about it. They love it and recommend it to others, and another person picks it up. And so on and so forth!
3. Gift the novel.
It’s a well-known fact that books make amazing gifts. If you think a certain title would be great for your sibling/cousin/parent/friend/etc, consider buying a copy for a birthday or an upcoming holiday. Authors are grateful for every extra sale!
4. Donate a copy to your local library.
Was the book fun, but not something you plan to read again? Head to your local library and donate your copy to their collection. Loved the book so much you can’t part with it? Considering buying a second copy specifically for your library (sort of like point #3). Either way, this ensures that new readers continue to find the title!
5. Read the book in public.
This is like the silent version of #2… If you have a physical copy, flaunt that bad boy in public spaces—the coffee shop, the park, the train ride to/from work. Book lovers are always noticing what other folks are reading, and someone might pick up a copy of the book just because they saw you enjoying it.
6. Recommend the title to booksellers and librarians (when you don’t see it on the shelves) If you notice the book isn’t part of the collection, tell someone who works there! Simply knowing that readers are interested in a title will put that book on the bookseller’s and librarian’s radar. The store might order a few copies. The librarian might snag one next time he/she expand the collection. Shy? Put a hold on the title through your library’s catalog system. They’ll get a copy (one for their shelves or through ILL), and you won’t have to say a thing in person. ; )
Aaaand… that’s about it.
Personally, I do #s 2 and 4 a lot, and I feel like I can safely say they have an overwhelmingly positive impact! Are there any other suggestions you’d add to this list? Share ‘em in the comments, please!
Remember that kid who decided to take apart a toy just to see how it worked? And then, surprise…that same kid couldn’t figure out how to put it back together again. We authors can sure learn something from that one kid. We can learn how to use reverse engineering to figure out why readers buy our books. Think about it. Kids take something (computer, radio controlled car, Barbie dolls) apart to see how it works, get to the guts of what makes that thing go, run, fly, burp. So why shouldn’t authors be able to take apart the sale that lured readers to buy the book in the first place?
The first question you should ask yourself is: Why did you purchase insert name of book? Was it because it was your friend’s book? Perhaps a suggestion? Or a book you learned about through a review? Was it an emotional purchase? A New York Times Bestseller? Or was the book part of Oprah’s book club? I want you to chase down the sale and figure out what made you buy that certain book. Got it? Good.
Now once you do this kind of reverse engineering you can build a profile for the sale. You get to see how a sale is built. You get to know how the book market works. That’s when you can develop a marketing strategy for your own books. Get it? Great.
A lot of times you’ll find the answer is word of mouth via the social media, or a friend suggested the book (or wrote it), or they passed by a bookstore window and the cover caught their eye. Even Oprah has the golden touch. Dig deep, and find the reason for that sale.
While doing my own reverse engineering, I suddenly saw this quote from Bill Gates in my Twitter feed: “You’re most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.” That’s when it hit me. Book reviews. Not the one-star reviews you get from trolls, but those reviews that seem sincere, yet only give you a 3 star. Those are gold. Use these kinds of reviews to fine tune your writing. Listen, really listen to what the reader/reviewer is conveying to you, and apply their advice in your next book if it rings true with you. I know you can’t please everyone, but you can certainly make changes in your writing that will help boost your book sales and reach new readers.
Thanks a heap for reading my blog. Authors, if you have time, please leave a comment and share what you do to track down your book sales. If you’re a reader, please share what leads you to buy a certain book? I’d appreciate your input. Cheers!
0 Comments on Building Book Sales using the Reverse Engineering Method… as of 1/1/1900
It's a real thrill (but rare) to see my books in an actual, physical bookstore, so I take my kicks where I can get them. I saw an ad for the Children's Bookstore and their online book fairs in SLJ, and clicked on the link. I scrolled down the list of authors, which was short, and I wasn't there. Maybe this was a small operation working with select authors, I thought. I typed in Farmer George, and it popped up along with four of my other titles. Yippee!
If you're books are in their catalog, they welcome a short (250 word) author's note that they will add to the book listing. In their instructions they ask that the note be original, "not the usual marketing blurb or cut and pasted information from your website." They'll check! They recommend a short description about why you wrote the book, or how the book can be used in the classroom, or what expertise you bring to the subject. I asked about being added to the author's roster, but haven't heard back yet. I will also add their link on my website to give them a bit of traffic.
So, for all of you who are always looking for ways to help promote your books, check out the Children's Bookstore. You might be there.
0 Comments on Children's Bookstore as of 2/11/2015 4:31:00 PM
Book sales from January to October 2014 were up 5.5 percent in all categories, as compared to the prior year, according to new stats from the Association of American Publishers (AAP).
Childrens & Young Adult Books saw the greatest percentage of sales growth during the 10 month time frame, up 21.6 percent from the same period in 2013. Here is more from the report:
“Within the growing Children’s & Young Adult category, all formats continued to experience double-digit growth; compared to the same ten-month period last year, the greatest growers were eBooks at 47.8% and Board Books at 36.6%.”
This month-long series of blog posts will explain author websites and offer tips and writing strategies for an effective author website. It alternates between a day of technical information and a day of writing content. By the end of the month, you should have a basic author website up and functioning. The Table of Contents lists the topics, but individual posts will not go live until the date listed. The Author Website Resource Page offers links to tools, services, software and more.
Help Your Fans Buy Your Books
We’ve been emphasizing all month the 2008 Codex study that explains why readers want to come back to an author’s website. One thing that is NOT on the list is links to buy your books. But you should definitely provide these.
Call to Action. When businesses advertise, they emphasize the importance of a Call to Action. This is when you ask your reader to DO something. Every page on your site should have a Call To Action (CTA). Buy my book. Download a sample chapter. Download coloring pages. Read this unpublished story. And so on.
Decide what you want a reader to DO when they come to a certain page. And then make the CTA a bold, bright and clickable button. Or use a larger font or interesting color. For interesting buttons, try DaButtonFactory.com or other similar free sites that let you customize the text, colors, style and size.
Affiliate Book Sales
Where would you like to send readers to buy your books? Some online bookstores offer a commission when you send readers to their site. The percentage varies from program to program and often the more referrals you send to a site, the higher the percentage. You’ll need to read the terms and conditions of each affiliate program to understand if it fits your needs. Here’s three affiliate to start with.
Amazon affiliate: http://affiliate-program.amazon.com. The grand-daddy of affiliate programs, Amazon.com offers affiliate sales on books and everything else they offer for sale. Not available if you live in Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, or Rhode Island.
The IndieBound program allows you to link to any Independent Bookstore and earn a commission on referrals. Indie bookstores use the Kobo ebook reader, and you can link to ebooks through the IndieBound program, too.
Other online bookstores offer affiliates and it makes sense to look around for one that maktches your book’s niche.
NOTE: If you use affiliate links, you’ll need to go back to your Privacy Page and indicate this.
If you are linking to affiliates to create a secondary income, also consider this: Readers want to know Author’s Literary Tastes. Readers want lists of the author’s favorite writers and recommended books. Younger fans are also more interested in knowing about their favorite authors’ book, music, and movie recommendations. You could create recommended lists of books, music, movies and so on, and add affiliate links. Link to your own books, of course. But don’t be shy about listing your Top 10 Favorite Mysteries of the Year. Or anything else that reflects your literary tastes.
To make the process easy, Search for plugins that make it simple to add the affiliate codes to your site.
Plugins to Sell Your Books Yourself
When we talked about WordPress Plugins, I mentioned that there are times you may want to sell books from your site. Epubs and pdfs are easy enough because you only have to deliver a digital file. This article summarizes WordPress Plugins that make this simple. On the other hand, this Smashing Magazine article summarizes five shopping cart services that work well within your WordPress.
Of course, I have to add a CTA to this page, to practice what I preach! Even if you don’t want to buy, click below to see how the Gumroad shopping cart works. Did you also notice that I added a button to the Author Website Resources link above? It’s a button from DaButtonFactory.com
Buy two ebooks for the low price of $1.99 Get these 2 ebooks, WISDOM and ABAYOMI, for $1.99:
During checkout, use this coupon code: tsunami14
NOTE: This bundle is available in two versions: Kindle and ePub for all other ebook readers. For information on reading on your Kindle read this tutorial.
This January illustration was sent in by Dow Phumiruk who is a pediatrician with a passion for art.www.artbydow.blogspot.com
Using Nielsen BookScan dara, Publishers’s Marketplace takes their annual look at the top sellers in multiple categories. (Nielsen tracks print book sales only, at the point of sale.)
Total print book sales for 2012 as recorded by BookScan were 591 million units, down 9.3 percent compared to 2011 (and those sales were down 9.25 percent from 2010). The 2012 data reflects both the absence of Borders from the marketplace, as well as the harder-to-quantify increase in ebook sales. Year-to-year comparisons are tricky, since the 2011 data included the deeply discounted inventory from the Borders sell-off (Nielsen BookScan tracks unit sales, but not dollar expenditures)–and next year’s comparison will also be difficult since Nielsen is growing the data pool significantly for 2013 with the addition of WalMart data.
Trade paperback sales declined more in 2012 than in 2011, down 8.6 percent. Hardcover sales fell 5.7 percent and mass market paperbacks were down 20.5 percent.
EL James’s Fifty Shades books sold over 14.4 million prints units, and Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games books sold over 9.6 million print books. Collins’ 2012 total is only slightly lower than all the top 15 children’s books in 2011,which sold roughly 10.2 million books altogether.
On the children’s list, Collins taking 6 places left fewer slots for Wimpy Kid author Jeff Kinney, who occupies 3 places this time around, compared to 6 books on the 2011 list. and 2 for Rick Riordan.
2012′s Top 15: Juvenile
1.THE HUNGER GAMES*, Suzanne Collins (Scholastic; trade paperback 9780439023528) 2,810,000
2. CATCHING FIRE*, Suzanne Collins (Scholastic; hardcover 9780439023498) 2,612,000 3.MOCKINGJAY*, Suzanne Collins (Scholastic; hardcover 9780439023511) 2,302,000 4.THE THIRD WHEEL, Jeff Kinney (Amulet; hardcover 9781419705847) 1,402,000 5.THE MARK OF ATHENA, Rick Riordan (Hyperion; hardcover 9781423140603) 705,000 6.THE HUNGER GAMES*, Suzanne Collins (Scholastic; hardcover 9780439023481) 652,000 7.THE HUNGER GAMES*, Suzanne Collins (Scholastic; trade paperback 9780545425117) 631,000 8.THE HUNGER GAMES TRILOGY*, Suzanne Collins (Scholastic; hardcover 9780545265355) 599,000 9.DIARY OF A WIMPY KID # 6: CABIN FEVER*, Jeff Kinney (Amulet; hardcover 9781419702235) 584,000 10.ELF ON THE SHELF, Carol Aebersold (CCA&B; hardcover; 9780976990703) 467,000 11.THE WIMPY KID DO-IT-YOURSELF BOOK*, Jeff Kinney (Amulet; hardcover 9780810989955) 446,000 12.THE SERPENT’S SHADOW, Rick Riordan (Hyperion; hardcover 9781423140573) 440,000 13.THE LORAX, Dr. Seuss (Random House; hardcover 9780394823379) 368,000 14.OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO!, Dr. Seuss (Random House; hardcover 9780679805274) 359,000 15.GREEN EGGS AND HAM, Dr. Seuss (Random House; 9780394800165) 348,000
*These editions were first published prior to 2011; underscored books appeared on the 2011 list in the same edition +Means the title was on the 2011 list in a different edition.
2012′s Top 4: Adult Fiction -
1. FIFTY SHADES OF GREY, EL James (Vintage; trade paperback 9780345803481) 6,345,000
2. FIFTY SHADES DARKER, EL James (Vintage; trade paperback 9780345803498) 3,834,000
3. FIFTY SHADES FREED, EL James (Vintage; trade paperback 9780345803504) 3,441,000
4. FIFTY SHADES TRILOGY, EL James (Vintage; trade paperback 9780345804044) 787,000
5. GONE GIRL, Gillian Flynn (Crown; hardcover 9780307588364) 701,000
6. THE CASUAL VACANCY, JK Rowling (Little, Brown; hardcover 9780316228534) 590,000
7. THE RACKETEER, John Grisham (Doubleday; hardcover 9780385535144) 553,000
8. BARED TO YOU, Sylvia Day (Berkley; trade paperback 9780425263907) 506,000
9. THE LAST BOYFRIEND, Nora Roberts (Berkley; trade paperback 9780425246030) 319,000
10. THE LUCKY ONE*, Nicholas Sparks (Grand Central; mass market 9781455508976) 317,000
11. WINTER OF THE WORLD, Ken Follett (Dutton; hardcover 97805259529232) 315,000
12. THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET’S NEST*, Stieg Larsson (Vintage; trade paperback 9780307454560) 309,000
13. CALICO JOE, John Grisham (Doubleday; hardcover 9780385536073) 308,000
14. THE GREAT GATSBY*, F. Scott Fitzgerald (Scribner; trade paperback 9780743273565) 301,000
15. NOTORIOUS NINETEEN, Janet Evanovich (Bantam; hardcover 9780345527745) 290,000
2012′s Top 15: Adult Nonfiction
1. NO EASY DAY, Mark Owen (Dutton; hardcover 9780525953722) 908,000
2. KILLING KENNEDY, Bill O’Reilly (Holt; hardcover 9780805096668) 861,000
3. KILLING LINCOLN*, Bill O’Reilly (Holt; hardcover 9780805093070) 781,000
It’s amazing how only 4 authors dominate 15 spots in “Juvenile” (sorry, but imo, ELF ON THE SHELF does NOT belong there!), but happy to see Suess is still up there I was also amazed to see THE GREAT GATSBY there, too! Classics are still big sellers
catugeau said, on 1/13/2013 2:07:00 PM
actually I got a good feeling about printed books vrs ebooks from this article too….for kids books particularly. Seems the slide has slowed, and people are somewhat remembering how much more fun it is in MANY cases to hold a paper book.
:Donna Marie said, on 1/13/2013 2:11:00 PM
Christina, maybe I wasn’t interpreting this properly, but it sounded like print books were dropping over the past couple of years due to e-books
Three myths about KDP Select (and how you can capitalize on them)
Guest Post by Maggie Ball
Are you a self-publisher? In 2011, Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) started a program called “Kindle Select”. To enroll in it is easy. When you upload your book into KDP, you’ll be asked if you want to enroll. Tick yes, and you’re in. That’s all there is to it, but is that all? What does it mean? In a nutshell, enrolling in KDP Select means that, for the period of enrolment, you have to commit to making the digital format of your book available exclusively through KDP. You aren’t able to distribute your book digitally anywhere else, including on your website, blogs, etc. This means that it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to enroll in KDP Select if your book is with a traditional publisher, as they’ll want to sell it from their own site and other sites as well. The benefits of doing this are:
• Your book will be available from the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library for anyone who joins Amazon Prime. Every time someone borrows it, you’ll get a share of at least $6 million throughout 2012 • 70% royalty for sales to customers in India instead of the standard 35% • Use of a Promotions Manager tool that allows you to schedule 5 free book days a year.
It seems like a simple trade off – exclusivity for benefits, but confusion and mis-information abounds. Read on for the three biggest myths about KDP Select and what you can do to make sure that you utilise the benefits of this program to its full capabilities.
Myth one: KDP Select means you can’t sell your book on other sites. When you enroll in KDP Select, you only have to commit to 90 days – roughly three months. After that you can put your book up anywhere. This means you can try it out, use it for a bit, and then opt out. But be careful. When you sign up, there’s an auto-renewal box. If you don’t tick off that, or diarise the renewal date, you’ll automatically be renewed and then you’ll have to wait another 90 days to opt-out. Also remember that you are free to sell print and audio copies of your book anywhere while you’re in KDP Select – it’s only for digital editions.
Myth two: If you put your book into KDP readers will come.
No promotions work without effort on the author’s part, and as more and more people become aware of KDP Select, the number of people participating in it will grow, which means more noise and more competition for attention. You’ll have to get the word out and promote your involvement as hard as you promote anything else to do with your book. Tell readers that your book is always free to borrow for Amazon Prime (you can see what Amazon gets out of it!). Tell your readers when there are free days and make sure you maximise those. Tweet and use appropriate hashtags (like @KindleBookPromos). Tell Kindle book blogs. Don’t just hope people will find out about it.
Myth three: KDP will cause you to lose sales. Giving your book away doesn’t cause a loss of sales. It’s well known that giving your book away can dramatically increase readership awareness, potential reviews, and ultimately, sales (just ask Cory Doctorow). The more people who have heard of you, the more people will hear of you. That’s called “buzz”. It’s good.
So there are your three myth, busted. Of course I’m practising what I preach and two of my books are free this month. For Christmas, there's the poetry book Blooming Red, which I co-wrote with Carolyn Howard-Johnson, available (just click on the link below) on the 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 of December (that would be now – go!). It makes a great thoughtful, fast electronic Christmas gift for someone you care about, and yes, you’re welcome to download, and then send it to someone. Then there's Black Cow(just click on the below) available between the 20th and 24th of December. I hope you'll download a free copy of both of these books, and try out KDP Select from the users point of view. Then drop me a line when your book is up so I can grab a copy.
Magdalena Ball runs The Compulsive Reader. She is the author of the poetry books Repulsion Thrust and Quark Soup, the novels Black Cow and Sleep Before Evening, a nonfiction book The Art of Assessment, and, in collaboration with Carolyn Howard-Johnson, Deeper Into the Pond, Blooming Red, Cherished Pulse, She Wore Emerald Then, and Imagining the Future. She also runs a radio show, The Compulsive Reader Talks. Find out more about Magdalena at http://www.magdalenaball.com.
Do you have a box or two of your published books sitting around waiting to be turned into a little cash?
Well, it isn't too early to think about Christmas!
Have you considered renting a booth (or table) at a local Christmas craft show?
I posted some tips here to help make the event a success for you.
HAPPY CHRISTMAS BOOK SALES
TO YOU!
2 Comments on Selling Books at Christmas Craft Sales, last added: 9/8/2012
Happy sales to you too! You are right; it is never too early to think of potential gifts. :) <br /><br />Thanks for stopping by my blog the other day. It was great to see you!<br /><br />Have a great week,<br />Karen
Today, I have the great pleasure of featuring an article by a multi-published author, Nancy Sanders. With over 80 books traditionally published, Nancy knows what she's talking about and she says exposure is a key element to generating sales.
Marketing Exposure
by Nancy Sanders
When your book gets published, a good way to generate exposure for it is to submit it to various state reading lists that it qualifies for.
Even if your book does not get selected for the list, it is still being read by teams of professionals in the world of literature. This in itself is good exposure.
And if it's selected for reading lists, the exposure is really great!
It can be daunting to look at the huge list of state awards and reading lists, at first glance.
But if you break it into smaller chunks, it can be very workable.
After I submitted my manuscript to the publisher on my deadline for my book, America’s Black Founders, (www.AmericansBlackFounders.wordpress.com) I knew it would take nearly a year for the manuscript to go through the process of becoming a book.
So during that year, I planned small sessions when I would sit down and go over various links to lists for awards and state reading lists. My goal of course was to win an award or be selected for a reading list, but secondary to that was exposure for marketing to increase the sales numbers of my book.
So over the months, I compiled a list of links that worked. I read about each different state reading list. I made a file of the ones my book qualified for and that interested me to submit to.
I especially noted the deadline for each one. I arranged them in order according to their deadlines so I could see at a glance which ones I needed to work on first.
I tried to enjoy this process and also kept in mind potential future books I might do this with, so I felt it was worth my time to create this master list that I could use again in the future.
After I compiled my list of state reading lists and awards that my book, America’s Black Founders, could qualify for, I looked over that list.
For some state reading lists, all you have to do is e-mail them the name of a book you’d like to nominate.
So I did! And of course, I nominated mine!
For other lists, someone wh
3 Comments on Marketing Exposure by Nancy Sanders, last added: 11/12/2011
A long time ago in a blogosphere far away, I promised I’d talk about what sells middle grade books.
Then promptly got swept up in writing and revising my YA trilogy. Oh the irony! But today I am finally pulling this topic out of my hat. Since so many of the components of MG sales are teachers, librarians, and school visits, it seems an especially appropriate time to discuss this, now that school is back in session and fall is in the air.
One of the kind of funny things about MG is that when you talk to publishing houses and editors, they all bemoan the lack of MG and talk about how they are on the hunt for great MG books.
But.
It is YA that gets all the sparkly attention—higher advances, bigger publicity push, and often higher sales numbers. In fact, it is rare for a publisher to put a big publicity push behind an MG title unless it is part of a series and already a proven big seller. With YA there is a better chance of hitting the publicity lottery because there are simply more opportunities. If you look at PW’s list of Bestsellers for 2010 which lists 546 titles, only 108 of those were middle grade books. 2009 was had similar numbers, with only 96 middle grade bestsellers out of a list of 500 titles.
Part of that is because YA has a huge crossover potential to adult readers. There are huge numbers of adults who very happily read YA, but not MG. Also, marketing to YA readers is more of a cause and an effect. It’s easier to reach them because they’re older, online, and the role of the gatekeeper is not as much of a driving force in getting the word out about the book.
Also, in general, there are generally lower sales expectations for MG titles and (slightly) more willingness to wait for the slow build that happens as MG filters through the system. Many of the things listed below don’t even happen until a year or so after a book has been out. That means having enough publisher support to keep it in print long enough to find its audience, as well as accruing small sales milestones and accomplishments along the way. It means keeping the book out there long enough for the right people to stumble upon it and begin taking notice. It often means smaller advances, so the publisher has less capital invested upfront and can allow for that slower build.
Tools In The Middle Grade Sales Arsenal:
Write an amazing book. No, seriously. This cannot be said enough. Write a book impossible to ignore, or one that people cannot wait to press into eager readers’ hands.
Good Industry Reviews. Once upon a time, they only had to be good reviews, but a star or two never hurts. Especially with more and more library budgets being cut, they must radically prioritize their purchases and often will rely on starred reviews to do that. (However, do not panic if your book does not garner a star—many don’t and as long as the reviews are good, some sales will follow.) And how does one get starred reviews, boys and girls? That’s right—by writing an amazing book.
Attention from Book Bloggers. More and more, these book loving bloggers are having an impact on spreading the word about great books. There are fewer opportunities for MG out there than there are for YA, but there ARE opportunities.
Gatekeepers. Adults falling in love with your book and hand selling it to young readers. These gatekeepers can be indie booksellers, teache
14 Comments on What Sells Middle Grade Books?, last added: 10/12/2011
Thanks for all the great tips. I agree some of the problem is that MG does not get all the hype that YA books do on book blogs. Thankfully more authors are trying to promote middle grade books. For example, Shannon Messenger started a Marvelous Middle Grade series to spotlight middle grade books on Mondays that I often participate in at Literary Rambles.
And some book reviewers are talking about middle grade books some. I try to comment on these days to support them.
I'm part of a local author group that does live events, including B&N educator days and local book festivals. There are tons of local town book festivals, run by a town's Chamber of Commerce, or by a school or a library or a bookstore or what have you. They're everywhere, and many of them are annual events.
At both educator days (which you can find out about by contacting your local B&N) and live events, MG and picture-book authors have a big advantage over YA authors. These are the events that teachers and librarians for younger children attend. The book fests are the events that draw parents with young children. After seeing this happen over and over, I've decided that if I were an MG author, I would do less online promo and I would do as many live local events as possible. For YA, it's the reverse: there are good live events that focus on YA books, but there are more opportunities online.
Thanks for the list and for highlighting the main differences between marketing YA and MG books. I, too, have been wondering about the seeming irony of publishers wanting more MG but being more aware of YA (doesn't necessarily mean more YA is published; just that my unconscious kidlit radar is usually more aware of YAs.)
You are so right on with each of these. Thanks for spelling it out and for the reminder to write the best book you can . . . because it all begins with that!
Natalie, I've been very happy to see more and more MG-centric sites popping up around the 'net!
Jenn, it's so funny, right after I posted that I thought, I should have mentioned book festivals. However, my personal experience with them has been tepid at best, so I am really glad to have your perspective in the mix. I especially agree with your assessment that MG works better for live events and YA for online.
Yat-Yee, it IS an odd conundrum!
Hey Donna! Thanks for commenting. And if anyone would know about writing awesome books, it would be YOU!
There are some great middle grade blogs popping up in the last year or two. From the Mixed up Files of Middle Grade authors is one. Middle Grade Mafioso is another. Fuse #8 is one of the oldest and best known book blogs out there and she's never done young adult books. And some blogs feature both MG and YA: Cynsations, Teens Read Too, Guys Lit Wire, and Book Slut are a few.
So just because a blog is usually YA focused doesn't mean they won't feature a MG book. If the subject of the book fits the tone of the blog, the blogger would probably be glad to hear from you.
Much depends on the quality of the book, so I'm glad to see you mention Write Something Fabulous as the first step.
Thanks for this very comprehensive and informative list. I write Picture Books, but a lot of these same things apply, although there's probably even more gatekeeping. I'm interested in expanding to Skype (a little unsure of how successful it will be with what is a very interactive presentation) but haven't tried it yet. But like you said, in the end, it all boils down to write something amazing!
As a MS librarian, I hate that book fairs have all that junk to distract from the books. I only put out the erasers, silly pencils, and bookmarks. I ask Scholastic not to send the cases/boxes of toys and other "school supplies", and mostly, they don't.
Thanks for this great and very timely post! I've got some MG books coming out next year so I'll be re-reading this several times over the next few months (and as a promotional introvert, I'm hoping it will help!)
I'm so grateful for this detailed round-up! My first MG book is coming out in early 2013, and I've been wondering about the effectiveness of online vs. in-person marketing. Thanks, too, Jenn for your added comment.
As an imprint that exclusively publishes middle grade books, we couldn't agree more with all of your points. We work within many of the realms you mention and encourage our authors to do the same. It has worked very well for us. Thanks for putting together this fantastic resource for authors!
Thank you for such a helpful and interesting blog - I shall be adding it to my favourites. I'm concentrating on promoting my novel through online marketing / social networking at the moment. I'm working to overcome that "shrinking violet" horror of asking people directly for what you want, & accepting that you may be totally ignored. So far I've found people responsive and genuinely keen to help. Clearly I should do more of "asking for what I want" - it works!
Today I have a guest post from award winning author and expert marketer, Carolyn Howard Johnson. So, get out your pen and paper, or just copy and save this informative article for your personal use.
*****
Book Sales Getting Musty? By Carolyn Howard-Johnson Adapted from the multi award-winning Frugal Book Promoter (www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo)
In the world of publishing as in life, persistence counts. If course, there is no way to keep a book at the top of the charts forever, but if you keep reviving it, you might hold a classic in your hands. Or your marketing efforts for one book may propel your next one to greater heights.
I can’t tell you how often I’ve seen authors who measure their success by book sales give up on their book (and sometimes on writing) just about the time their careers are about ready to take off. I tell my students and clients to fight the it’s-too-late-urge.
Publicity is like the little waves you make when you toss pebbles into a lake. The waves travel, travel, travel and eventually come back to you. If you stop lobbing little stones, you lose momentum. It’s never too late and it’s never too early to promote. Rearrange your thinking. Marketing isn’t about a single book. It’s about building a career. And new books can build on the momentum created by an earlier book, if you keep the faith. Review the marketing ideas in this book, rearrange your schedule and priorities a bit, and keep at it.
Here are a few keep-at-it ideas.
*Run a contest on your Web site, on Twitter, or in your newsletter. Use your books for prizes or get cross-promotion benefits by asking other authors for books; many will donate one to you in trade for the exposure. Watch the 99 Cent Stores for suitable favors to go with them.
Hint: Any promotion you do including a contest is more powerful when you call on your friends to tell their blog visitors or Facebook pals about it.
*Barter your books or your services for exposure on other authors’ Web sites.
*Post your flier, brochure, or business card on bulletin boards everywhere: In grocery stores, coffee shops, Laundromats, car washes, and bookstores.
*Offer classes in writing to your local high school, college, or library system. Publicizing them is easy and free. When appropriate, use your own book as suggested reading. The organization you are helping will pitch in by promoting your class. The network you build with them and your students is invaluable. Use this experience in your media kit to show you have teaching and presentation skills.
*Slip automailers into each book you sell or give away for publicity. Automailers are envelopes that are pre-stamped, ready to go. Your auto mailer asks the recipient to recommend your book to someone else. Your mailer includes a brief synopsis of your book, a picture of the cover of your book, your book’s ISBN, ordering information, a couple of your most powerful blurbs, and a space for the reader to add her handwritten, personal recommendation. Make it clear in the directions that the reader should fill out the form, address the envelope, and mail it to a friend. You may offer a free gift for helping out, but don’t make getting the freebie too tough. Proof-of-purchase type schemes discourage your audience from part
4 Comments on Book Sales Getting Musty?, last added: 8/25/2011
I don't know how well this idea works, but I've heard that some people will include business cards or bookmarks, with info on their books, in with each bill they pay. I guess you never know who will be the one opening that bill on the other end.
In a recent blog post, writer and blogger Livia Blackburne shared reasons why novelists shouldn’t devote too much time to their blog, declaring: “I think blogging is a waste of time.”
Below, we’ve collected three of her arguments from the essay. Blackburne (pictured, via) studies neuroscience at MIT and writes YA fantasy fiction in her spare time. She runs two blogs; one to study the art of writing and one for her academic career.
1. Blogging is better for nonfiction writers because they share their expertise for a specific audience; connecting with that audience could potentially help sales.
Today is Part 2 of “Children’s Writing and Publishing Process - The Traditional Path”
The prior article focused on the writing aspect of writing for children to get published. The first step is to learn the craft and actually write. The second step is to have your work critiqued. The third step is to revise and edit until your manuscript is POLISHED.
Now, we can move on to Part 2’s focus: Submissions, a Contract and Sales, and a Career in Writing.
2. Submissions
Before you think about submitting your work anywhere, be sure you’ve completed the necessary steps in number one. You’re manuscript needs to be as polished as you can possibly get it.
Submissions can fall into two categories: those to publishers and those to agents. In regard to submitting to agents, in a Spring 2011 webinar presented by Writer’s Digest, agent Mary Kole advised to “research agents.” This means to find out what type of agent they are in regard to the genre they work with and the agent platform they provide: do they coddle their authors, do they crack the whip, are they aggressive, passive, involved, or complacent. Know what you’re getting into before querying an agent, and especially before signing a contract.
Here are a couple of sites you can visit to learn about agents:
The same advice works for submitting to publishers also. Research publishers before submitting to them. Know which genres of children’s books they handle and the type of storylines they’re looking for.
Whether submitting to a publisher or an agent, always follow the guidelines and always personalize the query. There may be times the guidelines do not provide the name of the editor to send the query to, but if you can find that information, use it.
According to Mary Kole, it’s also important to know how to pitch your story. This entails finding the story’s hook. Agents and publishers also want to know what the book’s selling points will be and what successful books it’s similar to. In addition, they will expect to be told what your marketing strategy will be. It’s a good idea to create an online presence and platform before you begin submissions; let the agents and publishers know you will actively market your book.
Along with the story’s hook, you need to convey: who your main character is and what he/she is about; the action that drives the story; the main character’s obstacle, and if the main character doesn’t overcome the obstacle, what’s at stake.
Ms. Kole recommends reading “the back of published books” to see how they briefly and effectively convey the essence of the story. This will give you an idea of how to create your own synopsis.
When querying, keep your pitch short and professional, and keep your bio brief and relevant. You will need to grab the editor or agent and make them want to read your manuscript.
3. A Contract and Book Sales
If you do your homework, you’re manuscript will eventually find a home. Don’t let initial rejection
0 Comments on Children’s Writing and Publishing Process - The Traditional Path Part 2 as of 1/1/1900
One lazy afternoon, over a bucket of beers and stale pretzels at a local watering hole, I had an epiphany. A nonfiction book idea poured into my mind, and when I shared my best-selling proposal with my husband, he asked the one question an author doesn't want to hear: "What if you can't find a publisher?"
Since that day, I've been investigating publishing options, including self-publishing. After talking with writing friends who have pursued this route, I've learned several valuable lessons about entering the publishing market:
Investigate the competition. What sets your proposed deal apart from what's presently available in the market? How many books are already printed on this topic? How recently were they published? Once you know these answers, you can strategize the best ways to set up your book. Can you add infographics? Photographs? Sidebars? Think beyond the printed word and you will be one step ahead of your competition.
Hire the best of the best. Once the book is written and edited, you should plan to hire a professional editor to give the script a once-over. A writer has an intimate working relationship with her script and all too often, you tend to overlook even the simplest of mistakes. Better to hire a professional than to print a book filled with glaring mistakes.
Look professional. Your book needs to look professionally printed, and this begins with the outside package: the cover. Design a book cover that draws attention and actually fits the book. (How many times have you looked at a book cover and wondered if the author threw together a graphic?) Also don't forget that your book needs an ISBN number. Contact ISBN.org for information. You may want testimonials or positive reviews for the book jacket. Consider who you can ask for a review. What sets their opinion apart from others?
Check on the inside. Not only does the cover need to draw attention, but the inside of the book needs to be reader-friendly. Text shouldn't run too close to the binding. Margins need to be precise so the page layout doesn't look crowded.
Investigate publishing options. So many options exist today, so make sure you thoroughly investigate publishing options and costs. The least expensive option isn't always the best option, but don't get carried away with option overload either. Does your book need all the bells and whistles offered? Or can it it survive - and SELL - with the KISS method?
Establish a marketing plan. Authors should be considering a market plan from the beginning. I've been working on the platform for my book at the same time I've been writing. I've remained open to options and ideas from my research subjects. Marketing must begin before the book prints. Otherwise, how will you sell books?
I'm still working on publishing options, but since I've done my homework, I feel comfortable about the possibility of heading down the self-publishing route.
Have you done your homework? What options have you considered for publishing your work?
This weeks Essay in the NY Times Book Review struck a chord with me, in it the author talks about his youth when he would go to a yearly church book sale and stock up on cheap paperbacks to get him though the year.
This is exactly what I do every year with a local charity book sale sponsored by our local daily newspaper. Each year I go and pick up a bag full of books to help limp my reading habit though the year on budget, but there are always extras. This year I picked up the entire Foundation series to go along with a number of other gems that I have sitting in my to be read pile. Apparently I am not alone, the author also had many, many, extras. So many extras that he is still reading his selections thirty years on
As the author looks back at his youthful self I see my future self in his words, I foresee the day that I too will be forced to institute "the First Law of Literary Thermodynamics, otherwise known as the conservation of
libraries. No book can come into our household without another book leaving it."
By Jim Milliot — Publishers Weekly, 2/2/2010 3:16:00 PM
HarperCollins’ bet on Sarah Palin paid off over the holidays as Going Rogue helped to drive sales for the publisher in the quarter ended December 31. Total revenue in the period rose 25%, to $381 million, and operating profits jumped to $65 million from $23 million. Comparisons were helped by the fact that the fourth quarter in calendar 2008 was one of the worst at HC in several years, with revenue falling 25% and profits plunging 66%. Despite the turnaround, CEO Brian Murray said he remained cautious about prospects for the year. “I’m still worried about retail, and consumer spending in general,” Murray said.
The improved results in the most recent quarter put sales and earnings close to where they were at the end of the 2007 holiday season. Last year’s poor fourth quarter was followed by a significant downsizing at HC a little over one year ago. Among other actions, the Collins division was integrated back into the general books group and Brenda Bowen’s imprint was closed. HC said the increase in profits was driven by higher revenue, improved margins on sales and lower costs.
In addition to Rogue, which has 2.8 million copies in print, other titles that did well in the quarter included Where the Wild Things Are, which benefited from the release of the movie, The Vampire Diaries, The Lacuna, Pirate Latitudes, SuperFreakonomics and Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas. E-book sales continued to do well and accounted for about 5% of adult sales in the quarter.
For the first half of fiscal 2010, revenue at HC was up 11%, to $691 million, and operating income jumped over 200% to $85 million
This year consider buying books as Christmas gifts!
This year is the 10th anniversary of the founding of Twilight Times Books(1999) and the 5th year since they went to print (2004). Those aresignificant milestones.
In celebration, Twilight Times Books will have a print book sale from nowuntil Dec. 15th. Most titles will be offered to the general public at a 10- 30% discount.
I usually don’t blog on the weekends, but here I am at the fabulous Main Library up the street from my house. I’m working on creating a spreadsheet to help me with my revision process (I’ll share that in an upcoming post).
Anyway, of course the library has Internet access and so I felt the need to “ease” in to my revision process (i.e,. provide myself with a procrastination tactic).
I read some blogs, including the latest This Week in Publishing post on agent Nathan Bransford’s blog. He highlighted a publishing-related article in the NY Times, Book Sales are Down, Depsite Push. Just makes up want to jump up and sing right?
Nathan also pointed to a related blog post, Book Sales and Wails by Jane Dystel, of Dystel & Goderich Literary Management. Here are some things she said in her post that struck a chord with me:
“Readers are becoming used to the fact that they will be able to find the books they want to read either in their originally published form or through used book sites or e-book editions. Just because these people are not in the bookstore the day a book is published doesn’t mean that that audience, if marketed to correctly, can’t make a title a bestseller six months after publication.
Despite this, publishers are still overpaying for a tiny percentage of books and then rolling them out as if the entire business depended on them, and they are invariably disappointed when they don’t sell by the truckload within a couple of weeks.”
I also think Ms. Dsytel makes a good point in her post about how the book industry isn’t necessarily like the movie industry where readers are going to bookstores on Tuesdays to purchase new books (okay, maybe I do, but you know what I mean, LOL). Some of the best books I didn’t even know about until several years after publication.
Maybe I’m being naive about this whole thing but I do understand that publishing is a business. But if a book’s survival is based on its sales performance in the first few weeks rather than giving it time to build an audience—these are going to be some tough times indeed for writers.
Okay, back to the spreadsheet and revision.
2 Comments on A Saturday Post, last added: 10/11/2009
Here’s some nice news from the industry — mixed with some bad. Borders reported a $185 million loss for its 2008 fiscal year, which ended Jan. 31 — that’s not the good news — but the chain has plans and among them is giving more floorspace to children’s books. Now, that’s good news. Even better, is that the reason Borders is expanding its children’s book selection is that the category is performing above others. Sales have been growing. That is even better news.
Now, I don’t know if this is related, but Borders is supporting that decision with another program: The chain will promote summer reading for kids through a book drive. Customers at Borders and Waldenbooks stores will be asked to buy books that will be donated to non-profit organizations across the nation, including Lighthouse Rescue Mission, Boys and Girls Clubs and libraries.
This program is good on a number of levels: Borders gets the revenue, most likely a little extra than customers had planned to spend, which will keep the chain in business selling our books. Kids all over the nation will get access to books they might not otherwise be able to see. And the publishing industry will get new readers, who will hopefully continue to enjoy books for the rest of their lives.
So, go to Borders, buy something for yourself and your friends and family, and while you’re there, don’t wait for them to ask if you’d like to donate a book, choose one and give it to them. If you get in there before the program has started, buy the book anyway and donate it to a local charity. You’ll be thanked in so many ways.
Write On!
0 Comments on Children’s books at Borders as of 4/5/2009 4:43:00 AM
So there you have it. Five ways to try to find success as Author 2.0. Hate it or love it, publishing has become a game of misdirection and manipulation – the trick is to find a Houdini instead of a charlatan. Authors, have you found success using any or all of these strategies? Readers, do you buy books based on price point, pre-orders, an ongoing series, or do you just download free books? Would love to read your comments! Cheers and thank you for reading my blog!
Get these 2 ebooks, WISDOM and ABAYOMI, for $1.99:
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It’s amazing how only 4 authors dominate 15 spots in “Juvenile” (sorry, but imo, ELF ON THE SHELF does NOT belong there!), but happy to see Suess is still up there
I was also amazed to see THE GREAT GATSBY there, too! Classics are still big sellers 
actually I got a good feeling about printed books vrs ebooks from this article too….for kids books particularly. Seems the slide has slowed, and people are somewhat remembering how much more fun it is in MANY cases to hold a paper book.
Christina, maybe I wasn’t interpreting this properly, but it sounded like print books were dropping over the past couple of years due to e-books