In the month of January, I’m doing a Twitter Interview (Twitterview) of many of the participants of the #BookMarket chat. These are people who come and generously share their wisdom week after week. The Twitterviews give them a chance to shine.

Today, I spoke with David Rozansky, @DavidRozansky. David is the owner of a local publisher Flying Pen Press.

My take on the interview: 

I found this conversation particularly baffling. The nice thing is that I wasn’t alone. Eighteen months ago, or so, David states that he changed the model of his publishing company from an author centric model to a platform centric model. M’k. There’s a lot of definitions for a platform. The most widely understood is that a platform is short hand for an author’s readership or fan base; in some cases, it’s short hand for the author’s reach or influence. Our chat got a little stuck on this point because every publisher since the beginning of time is focused on who purchases their books.

So what did I get from the interview outside of being confused? I guess that publishing is wide enough, and open enough, to encompass all kinds of ideas and theories. The question is whether they are successful or not. With privately held companies, it’s very hard to know. I choose to take it all in and continue to move step by step.

Because this chat was so confusing, I tried to edit it for clarity.

Here’s the whole transcript:

ClaudiaC  Q.1 – What 5 words would you use to describe your publishing company? #bookmarket #twitterview

DavidRozansky: Hello, glad to be interviewed today, so looking forward to this. 5 words to describe Flying Pen Press: 1. Innovative. 2. Fair. 3. Shoestring. 4. Agile. 5. Fun.

ClaudiaC  Q.2 – What is your favorite thing about the publishing/writing world today? #bookmarket #twitterview

DavidRozansky: What I like about today’s #publsihing world: Authors now empowered to do business directly with their readers.  I apologize for the madcap typing skills…or lack thereof.

ClaudiaC: Doesn’t that eliminate your role as a publisher? #twitterview #bookmarket

DavidRozansky: I started out as writer in 1988. I started Flying Pen Press because I was tired of abusive Ivory Tower publishers.  About a 18 months ago, we changed from author-centric pubsliher to paltform-centric. Being platform-centric publisher = building brands readers follow that writers want to write for. Series & such. Many publishers are confused by the new dynamic of the author-reader relationship. Much anxiety going on right now.

ClaudiaC And that means…. what? That’s obtuse, even for you David. Can you give us an example?

DavidRozansky: LIke a TV show or magazine that has loyal audience, where anyone can write, so too will book-series work.

joythebooky @behlerpublish there is no confusion! Publishers know their audience.

DavidRozansky: @Jothebooky Most large publsihers know their trade: stores, distributors, sales reps. But readers, they have no clue. The reason I say that is that every book has a different set of readers. Pubs that track readers have advantage.

behlerpublish @DavidRozansky I’m a publisher, and I have no idea what confusion you’re talking about. Care to expand on this? How would that confuse me, as a publisher?

DavidRozansky: @behlerpublish Editors at Big 6 are watching as authors bail to self-pub. They all guess at reasons. Fun to watch.

behlerpublish @DavidRozansky I’d like to see proof Big 6 pubs are watching authors self pub. They, like us, are 2 busy to notice

angelaperry @DavidRozansky I see. So like the James Frey model? Stables of authors who write under a single pseudonym?

DavidRozansky: .@angelaperry That is one workable model, out of many.

ClaudiaC  Every publisher does that.For ex, Stephen King’s pubs. Janet Evanovich’s pubs. How is ur model diff?

toughLoveforx @DavidRozansky “author-centric pubsliher to paltform-centric” sounds interesting. links? or more tweets?
Jothebooky @ClaudiaC this is sad. Honestly. It’s upsetting to read this interview
angelaperry Simpson’s parodied that business model, in an episode with @neilhimself. Hilarious!

DavidRozansky: @Jothebooky Why? Writers have more clout than ever before. They control their own platforms. Reduces risk all around.
@ClaudiaC You name grade A frontlisters. What of midlist? The old model is to pub new authors and see which flies. Today, midlist author brought to maturity self-pubs once they have platform. Publisher loses investment.

ClaudiaC I have a # of friends who are mid-listers. They work from proposals&do quite well. What is ur point?
Jothebooky @ClaudiaC yes. Mid listers can and many do quite well
ClaudiaC My friends have made living for decades – still do.
Jothebooky @ClaudiaC yes! And they will continue to do so
ClaudiaC @jothebooky It’s not a bad way to write. In some ways, I wish it was my way. Is it yours?
Jothebooky @ClaudiaC not writer. Reviewer. But many author friends. Both trad and indie houses

behlerpublish @DavidRozansky There’s plenty room for all writers and all pub options, so what’s your point?

DavidRozansky It comes down to numbers. Profits better than royalties. If you control platform, don’t need 3rd party publisher.

ClaudiaC Ok, folks, can we agree that we’re not getting something. Shall we move on?? Q.3 – If a reader was totally dialed into what you publish, what’s your message?

DavidRozansky Our Full-Throttle Space Tales series readers follow it to enjoy short stories of adventure in space.  Terry Grosz is a writer who appeals to platform of hunters & wildlife law officers. Writes of Mountain Man West.

ClaudiaC @davidrozansky And how is Terry Grosz related to your message as a publisher?

DavidRozansky @ClaudiaC My “message” is to find profitable publishing projects. Establish platforms that we can control.

angelaperry @DavidRozansky Sorry, still confused. How is this different than other publishers? Sounds like audience definition.

DavidRozansky Terry Grosz is the start of one of those platforms. Wildlife law enforcement is niche building a mailing list.

Jothebooky @angelaperry I’m confused as well. Getting annoyed
ClaudiaC @davidrozansky Ok, so u’ll publish anyone w anything as long as they are profitable & u can control the platform?

TaylorTrade @DavidRozansky You’re not getting into stores easily if stores are using AMZN to look up your books though, right?

DavidRozansky .@TaylorTrade Again, we noticed stores using Amazon to research reader comments. So that is a priority for us.  Bookstores seek readers. Having control of readers gives us that edge. Theory moving nicely with Grosz titles.

ClaudiaC @taylortrade Libraries too. Libraries prefer Ingram catelog & Library of Congress (of course)

DavidRozansky As to controlling author’s platforms, won’t work that way. That’s author-centric thinking, what publishers used to do. You have to have your own readers, like a magazine does, then find readers to serve those readers.  An author can reach his or her own platform easily. Stop pursuing those, create brand-centric followings.

Jothebooky @DavidRozansky @TaylorTrade bookstores don’t use amazon reviews as basis for carrying books!!!!
Exactly. Again, nor do libraries. RT @Jothebooky: bookstores dont use amazon reviews as basis for carrying books!!!!
DavidRozansky @Jothebooky I only know that indie bookstores open amazon to look at our titles when we make sales calls.
ClaudiaC @davidrozansky @jothebooky How about if I find out and get back? I’ll ask @tatteredcover & see what they do.
Jothebooky @ClaudiaC I contacted a couple myself. They said looking at amazon reviews to choose stocking was laughable at best
ClaudiaC Thx Jo. RT @Jothebooky: I contacted a couple myself.They said looking at amazon reviews to choose stocking was laughable at best

ClaudiaC @DavidRozansky Um. Okay.Sorry I’m a little baffled&we’re running out of time.Q.4 – how are you picking authors now? 

DavidRozansky We find a niche that needs books. Then we find writers that are trying to be heard by that niche.

ClaudiaC @davidrozansky Q.5 – Everyone has a super secret ninja skill. What’s yours? #bookmarket 

DavidRozansky My superskill is listening to the train tracks. I know when train is coming before others see it barreling down.

angelaperry @DavidRozansky Still unclear how this differs from other publishers. All publishers connect readers and authors.
ClaudiaC @angelaperry We’re all confused.

ClaudiaC @davidrozansky Thanks for the #twitterview #bookmarket! 

DavidRozansky I enjoyed the opportunity to share my thoughts. I’ll be here for a while answering questions.

angelaperry @BookMarketChat @davidrozansky Yes, thanks! It was…interesting.

I hope that’s clearer than it was. lol! As always, I’m interested in your thoughts or perceptions. You may easily understand what I missed.

Tomorrow, I’m interviewing @DanBlank at 3p ET for my next twitterview!

Previous #twitterviews:

Eco-fantasy and @Harmonygirlit 

Serial fiction, Moody vampires, and other fun with @TechTigger

Publishing with Kate from @CandlemarkGleam

Self publishing with @FriesenPress

Historic fiction with @CarolBuchananMT

In the month of January, I’m doing a Twitter Interview (Twitterview) of many of the participants of the #BookMarket chat. These are people who come and generously share their wisdom week after week. The Twitterviews give them a chance to shine.

Today, I had a chance to chat with Kate from the eBook publisher @CandlemarkGleam Candlemark and Gleam is a small publishing house based in Vermont.  They are proud supporters of new authors and new mediums.

My take on this interview:

One of the most interesting thing about my interview with @CandlemarkGleam was the idea that because there are so many books now, techniques that created success in the earlier days of Twitter, Facebook, etc, are no longer as successful. The old school, straight up, tried and true book marketing techniques used by people in the industry for the long time may become the ‘go to’ techniques in getting books noticed. Only time will tell.

Here’s the transcript:

ClaudiaC Q.1 – What 5 words would you use to describe your publishing company? #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam Quirky, fierce, dedicated, motivated, optimistic RT @ClaudiaC: Q.1 – What 5 words describe your publishing company? #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam Although I might have to say “qüirky” after how someone ELSE described us once! #bookmarket #twitterview
ClaudiaC I have to ask – Q.1b Fierce? What does that mean about you and the company? #twitterview #bookmarket
ClaudiaC Love this! RT @CandlemarkGleam: Quirky, fierce, dedicated, motivated, optimistic #twitterview #bookmarket
CandlemarkGleam I’d say it means we fight for the books we love, regardless of how “marketable” they seem, @ClaudiaC #twitterview #bookmarket
CandlemarkGleam Not everything finds its place in market right away, or resonates w/ everyone. We dig in, try to get books in right hands #bookmarket
ClaudiaC That’s such a rare thing for a publisher. Good new for an author though. Is it hard?#twitterview #bookmarket
CandlemarkGleam It’s not easy! Some reviewers don’t “get” certain books, some are niche. Keeping motivated is hard @ClaudiaC #twitterview #bookmarket
CandlemarkGleam Basically, we just try to find new approaches to sell that book, track down audience @ClaudiaC #twitterview #bookmarket
ClaudiaC Oh gosh, I’d love to hear more about how you track down the audience. Any tips? #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam Still working on perfecting that, @ClaudiaC ! Mostly, try to think of what ELSE ppl like… #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam For instance, seeking gamers as audience for CONSTELLATION GAMES, history buffs for EREKOS #bookmarket #twitterview (@claudiac)
ClaudiaC Very smart! And is it working for you? Your authors? #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam So far, yes. DEF worth seeking gamers for CONSTELLATION GAMES, looking for other crossover @ClaudiaC #bookmarket #twitterview
ClaudiaC Yea!! RT @candlemarkgleam: So far, yes. DEF worth seeking gamers for CONSTELLATION GAMES, looking for other crssovr #bookmarket #twitterview
ClaudiaC It’s definitely a benefit of having an engaged publisher.They can step back to look at whole field. #bookmarket #twitterview

ClaudiaC Q.2 – What is your favorite thing about the publishing world today? #twitterview #bookmarket
CandlemarkGleam @claudiac We like to think so! Engaged AUTHOR is still critical element, but pub can sure help #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam How dynamic it is RT @ClaudiaC: Q.2 – What is your fave thing about publishing world today? #twitterview #bookmarket
CandlemarkGleam Of course, that’s also my LEAST fave thing. So hard to keep up w/ everything, yet so exciting! #bookmarket #twitterview
ClaudiaC So you know I have to ask – dynamic? how is publishing/writing dynamic now? #twitterview #bookmarket
CandlemarkGleam Gosh, how ISN’T it dynamic right now? Changing revenue models, formats, distribution…all in flux! #twitterview #bookmarket
CandlemarkGleam There’s so much to experiment with, but also more and more books out there – harder to get noticed #twitterview #bookmarket
ClaudiaC Yes, I’ve wondered if the sheer quantity of books in some ways negates the ease of the medium #bookmarket #twitterview
ClaudiaC It’s almost becomes the wild west again – or more like Twain’s day – to get a book noticed. You? #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam I think so, yes RT @ClaudiaC: Yes, I’ve wondered if the sheer quantity of books negates ease of the medium #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam EXACTLY. RT @BookMarketChat: It’s almost the wild west again – or more like Twain’s day – to get a book noticed. #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam Terribly, terribly hard to stand out w/o a HUGE marketing budget. Gotta get creative #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam That’s where a lot of the tips and camaraderie of #bookmarket comes in handy. See what works for others! #twitterview
ClaudiaC or go back to tried&true? RT @candlemarkgleam: @ClaudiaC Terribly hard to stand out w/o a HUGE marktng budget.#bookmarket #twitterview
ClaudiaC Love It RT @candlemarkgleam: That’s where a lot of the tips&camardrie of #bookmarket comes in handy.See what works for others! #twitterview

ClaudiaC Q.3 – If a reader was totally dialed into what you publish, what’s your message? #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam Oof, that’s tough 1! Do you mean “what do we want readers to know” or “what type of readers do we love”? #bookmarket #twitterview
ClaudiaC Oh I guess I think ppl do things for reasons & publishers do them for BIG change the world reasons #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam Hmmm, so are you asking what our reasons for being are? Or our reasons for publishing? #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam The message, then, is “good stories are out there. Don’t limit yourself” #bookmarket #twitterview
ClaudiaC I’m asking if you look for a particular message in your authors&want readers get. We can move on. #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam We’re, ah, pretty simple on that one. Message = fantastika is fun, & unlimited. So don’t limit yourself! #bookmarket #twitterview

ClaudiaC Q.4 – What drew you to becoming an eBook/paperback publisher? #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam Was a matter of “do or die” really RT @ClaudiaC: Q.4 – What drew you to becoming an eBook/paperback publisher? #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam Basically, I saw all the changes in the industry, and was complaining about lack of good reads, and realized (1/2) #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam …that it was time to either DO SOMETHING or stop complaining. Wanted to be in on action, not whinging. (2/2) #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam I’d been in publishing/journalism professionally for years, and put all the pieces together for fiction. #bookmarket #twitterview
ClaudiaC Were you in publishing before this? I guess I didn’t realize that. #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam And from there, just started experimenting and seeing what worked. So far, working pretty well! #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam Yep, I’ve been a pro editor and designer for nearly 10 years now, just not in fiction #bookmarket #twitterview
ClaudiaC Yea! I love that things are working so well. Did you work at a big pub? small house? #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam Magazines and freelance, actually #bookmarket #twitterview
ClaudiaC I’ve seen recently how veteran’s of publishing have better idea of what’s going on now that field is leveled #bookmarket
ClaudiaC There was a time when pub insiders/experienced were flummoxed. I think the next 5yrs they will really shine. #bookmarket
CandlemarkGleam I think a lot of us see what’s wrong in the industry from the inside, and want to try to smooth it out #bookmarket
CandlemarkGleam And those of us who’ve been on the fringes of it…we can see from both inside and outside. Good perspective #bookmarket

ClaudiaC Q.4b – What have you learned about writing & publishing as a publisher? #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam That I’m much better as editor than a writer! RT @ClaudiaC: Q.4b What have u learned about writing as a publisher? #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam And that publishing really does take a village. You need experts to help you, even if YOU”RE an expert #bookmarket #twitterview
ClaudiaC Love this! RT @candlemarkgleam: publishing really does take a villg.u need experts to help u, even if U’R an expert #bookmarket #twitterview
ClaudiaC That’s a pretty great place to be in as a publisher! #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam I think so! Honestly, couldn’t be much happier with how things are going #bookmarket #twitterview
ClaudiaC I’m so glad – makes me smile! RT @candlemarkgleam: Honestly, couldn’t be much happier with how things are going #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam There’s always more work to do, always more readers to reach, but we’re doing REALLY well for a new press #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam Like I said – optimistic! About future of C&G, the book, the story…all of it! #bookmarket #twitterview
ClaudiaC Ok, last question Q.5 – Everyone has a super secret ninja skill. What’s yours? #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam I am actually a ninja RT @ClaudiaC: Ok, last question Q.5 – Everyone has a super secret ninja skill. What’s yours? #bookmarket #twitterview
ClaudiaC ahahahaha!! 5 element animal? Brazilian jujitsu? sword skills? #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam But really? I’m a skilled cook, can edit while stir-frying! RT @ClaudiaC: Q.5 Everyone has ninja skill. What’s urs? #bookmarket #twitterview
ClaudiaC I think stir fry is a bit like editing – making sure every piece is cooked to perfection. #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam LOVE this RT @BookMarketChat: I think stir fry is like editing – making sure every piece is cooked to perfection. #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam Also, edits go down easier with some hoisin. #bookmarket #twitterview
ClaudiaC Ok yum! RT @candlemarkgleam: @ClaudiaC Also, edits go down easier with some hoisin. #bookmarket #twitterview
ClaudiaC Is there anything you think we missed or you would like to add? #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam Just another plug for #bookmarket, really! Everyone interested in publishing issues, books shoudl follow! #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam Because, seriously, it is great resource for bouncing ideas, seeing how others do it, using those experts #bookmarket #twitterview
ClaudiaC Gosh, thanks so much! I’m grateful for your help Kate. Think of you everytime I use Atlantis! #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam ATLANTIS. Oh, be still my e-booking heart #bookmarket #twitterview
ClaudiaC Indeed! Great program you hooked me too! RT @candlemarkgleam: ATLANTIS. Oh, be still my e-booking heart #bookmarket #twitterview
ClaudiaC Well, thank you very much for the awesome #twitterview #bookmarket! *applause* *applause* *applause*
ClaudiaC Let’s plan to get together for stir fry someday – date? Thanks again for your time and support! #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam @ClaudiaC Edits and hoisin, babe. You got it! #bookmarket #twitterview
CandlemarkGleam Many thanks to @claudiac and @bookmarketchat for a very fun #twitterview for #bookmarket!

Tomorrow, I’m interviewing Tak from @FriesenPress at 3 p ET – Join us!

Previous #twitterviews:

Eco-fantasy and @Harmonygirlit 

Serial fiction, Moody vampires, and other fun with @TechTigger

We’re joined today by Kate Sullivan publisher extraordinaire at Candlemark and Gleam. This year, Kate decided to dip her toe into the river of serial fiction. She did so well, she’s never looking back. She joins us today to talk about the modern importance of serial fiction.

~~~~~~~~

The time is right.

That’s all there is to it. Every so often, the wheel spins around and something that was once popular is again a hit. This happens more with fashion than anything, but other styles also come and go – just look at the wave of retro-inspired cars that have hit the market in the past few years. When the time is right and all the stars align, anything old can become new again.

And the time is right, right now, for serial fiction.

Back in the Victorian era, when publishing was a free-for-all and your average reader was either immensely wealthy, or barely scraping by, serial fiction was hugely popular. Many writers we think of today as novelists – people writing huge, monolithic tomes – were working as serial authors, cranking out installments of fiction perfect for publishing in the inexpensive magazines and newspapers of the time, getting their words in front of audiences eager for that next chapter. The tradition continued on even into the 20^th century, with pulp fiction magazines often commissioning sci-fi and adventure stories that would span several issues.

But serial fiction largely died out with the demise of those great pulp magazines, and people got used to getting their fiction fix from long-form writing, like novels. Sure, serialized stories still existed in a few scattered magazines, and in the form of television series, but if you wanted written fiction, it was pretty much novels or nothing.

With the advent of the internet, though, we’re back in a perfect environment for serial fiction. It’s easier than ever to publish stories – whether you’re publishing free, or selling subscriptions, or using a tip jar or other method – and it’s easier than ever for people to find and read all sorts of new fiction. Beyond that, serials fit perfectly with today’s hectic schedule. We’re always on the run, trying to get ten thousand things done in a day, and few of us have the time to sit and really immerse ourselves in a 600-page novel. Reading a quick chapter of a serial novel, though? No problem! You can do that on your way to work, or in line at the bank, or on your lunch break. And with technology offering tons of different ways to get access to that chapter – emailed weekly, delivered straight to your phone through an app, available through a website subscription at your convenience – it’s simple, easy, and convenient to read a serial. You don’t even have to wait for that magazine in the mail.

All that said, though, writing serial fiction is not easy. You have to be committed, and you have to be detailed, and you have to have a plan. You have to watch out for inconsistencies and continuity errors, too, if you haven’t written the entire serial ahead of time and edited it like a standard long-form work. You might be able to write by the seat of your pants, but you have to remember that you’ve got an audience out there, hanging on your every word, waiting to see what happens next. If you get the flu and can’t write or post and wind up two weeks behind, you’re stringing readers along with you; it’s not like the novel’s sitting there waiting for them. And, of course, the last thing you want to do is pull an Edwin Drood, where you simply never finish the work, even though you have an audience desperately awaiting that conclusion. In a way, having a serial is like having a pet – are you willing to take care of it? Will you feed and water it, and take it for walks?

If you can handle the responsibility, it’s a grand adventure, and the time is right!

Join us tomorrow when PJ Kaiser talks about various types of fiction and what draws you in.

~~~~~~~~

Kate Sullivan is the editor-in-chief of Candlemark & Gleam, a small press specializing in fantastika. Their first serial, Hickey of the Beast by Isabel Kunkle, has just wrapped up its run and is now moving into eBook and print forms; the next serial, Constellation Games by Leonard Richardson, will start in November. It will be available as an email subscription or as an iPhone, iPad, and Android app.

You can follow Kate on Twitter or on Facebook.

Hey folks, Eisley James asked me to participate in her Independent Authors and Publishers series. You can check out the whole series here. Here’s my take.

~~~~~~

When Eisley asked if I would participate in this series, I assumed I’d wax on about our brilliance for starting a publishing company only days before the BIG SIX (or BS as I like to call them) laid off half of their editorial staff. I figured you’d desperately need my wisdom on finding a good editor, creating a beautiful book interior, or writing a serial fiction. I was sure I’d win your undying adoration.

Of course, this Indie Bound series is rife with authors who shine much brighter than my  wisdom. If you haven’t had a chance, you should read the entire series. Take notes. Print it out. You won’t find greater wisdom and experience.

What to do?  What’s uniquely Claudia? Hmmm… Well… I know a lot of people? You see, I’m the girl that everyone knows. You know. That girl. The one everyone knows? Yep, that’s me!

And I happen to know a lot of published authors. I’ve interviewed and chatted with (in person) literally hundreds of published authors. I talking about the big guys – fiction and non-fiction; the people who’s work was parked on the NYT bestseller list for a year. I’ve chatted with folks who have been to Oprah’s home and a few who’ve been on her book list. I was interviewing authors during the gravy days of publishing through the beginning of the end days.

So I think I can speak with some authority on what a seasoned, published author would tell you about publishing with a BS publishing house.

Of course, they won’t tell you right away. They, almost more than anyone, are invested in the myth of the BS publishing. But no  author will ever turn down a free meal? Add tequila and  you get…

5 things a NYT bestselling author will tell you about publishing after a few shots of tequila

 1. Everyone has to market their own book: When I say ‘everyone’, I mean every author who ever existed – ever.

Think of Mark Twain. According to biographers, the only thing he wanted to do was stay home with his beloved wife and children. Yet, he left the house to schlep around the country by train for ‘speaking engagements’ (read: market his books). Walt Whitman sold his books door to door.

In modern times, most authors pay for their own publicist.

Sure the publishing company has a marketing department. But you don’t know if your book will make their radar. Many great books languish because the marketing department is too busy. Imagine this: After two years of drama, pain, and torture, your book is due to drop in April for the summer reading season. A month before your book is ready to be released, Adam Levine is impregnated by an alien, or whatever. Without your knowledge, your book is bumped to the back of the line in support of a hotter, better selling story. This means: your print run is slashed, your marketing campaign obliterated, that visit to Jay Leno’s couch is given to the person who wrote ‘Rock star to Alien Mommy.’ And your book? If it’s distributed, your book will have a ‘limited run’  (run: most of your books will end up in the bargain bin.)You would be amazed at how many seasoned, bankable, best selling authors this has happened to.

Most authors use at least half of their advance to pay for their publicist. They have their own websites and schedule their own press junkets. They create and manage their own platforms. They are active participants in the creation and implementation of their marketing plans. (Did you really think James Patterson was on Castle for fun?)

No matter who you are, what you wrote or who published your work, marketing your book is your responsibility. Period. It always has been. It always will be.

2. A ‘book advance’ is actually a loan against your cut of projected book sales.  A lot of people see book advances like car sales. You sell your car; you get a big check. You sell your book; you get a big check. It doesn’t work that way. When you sell your book, you get something called an ‘advance.’

How do book advances work? For every copy of your book sold, you get a certain amount of money or royalties. Using round numbers, if your book is lists for $15, your cut can be 5-20% of the price. Your agents 15-30% (avg. 20%) is taken from your take. Being optimistic, your take is $3/book or $2.40 less your agents take. That assumes that the book was sold for $15. Traditionally, publishers give bookstores a 55% discount. That means your book actually sold for $8 or less. (Your cut: $1.60 less your agent = $1.28) Ok, $1.28 a book. That seems pretty good.

Here’s the thing: Your advance is a type of loan against future book sales. You only get more royalties after you’ve sold enough books to pay the advance back to the publisher. And the future part? That’s 10 years after the print of your book, any language. One writer shared with me a common BS publisher strategy. One of her romances was a week away from finishing its final 10 years when the publisher decided to publish the book in Korean. Thirty years after her book was published, the ten years starts over again.  All those Korean sales? They go against the advance she spent decades ago.

Depending on your contract, the publisher can add marketing costs to your advance. This means that your book royalties are used to repay their marketing departments xeroxing time. Your book sale becomes a little like loading sixteen tons - the amount you owe continues to rise, the only way to pay it is through book sales, until you owe your sole to the BS publisher.

And, more disheartening, it’s not unheard of for publishers to ask you to refund your advance when your book doesn’t pay off your advance.  (This is a time to make a plug for having your own entertainment lawyer to review your contracts. Not your agent or your agent’s lawyer. Not the BS publishers lawyer. But someone who’s on your side only.)

3. Every great author employs their own editor or series of editors before the manuscript gets to the publishing editor. In On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, Stephen King discusses the eight or ten friends who are his pre-readers. He runs his books past these early readers and then to an editor before he sends it to the publisher’s editor.  Janet Evanovich’s entire family is involved in her reading and editing her manuscripts. Why would these world class authors have hire their own editors?

Because your book editor is employed by the publisher. And the BS publisher’s primary goal is to make money for it’s stockholders.  And if their stockholders don’t like something? It’s the editors job to get rid of it. If hot dogs are considered disgusting at the moment, they are gone from your manuscript. If ‘anything with gay marriage in it sells’? Harriot, the blonde buxom bombshell heroine you spent four years developing along with her husband Joey, becomes Harry, the hot beefy hunk married to Joey. They can and do slash and burn your manuscript based solely on the winds of profit.

The best way to avoid the slash and burn is to employ your own editor. That way, your overworked, much hassled, and abused publisher’s editor can glance over your flawlessly edited book and pass it along while leaving all the hidden gems and hot dogs alone.

No matter who you are or what level of this game you are playing, you will employ your own editor.

4.The quality of your writing matters far less than how famous you are. Oh come on. This can’t come as a surprise. Snookie has a book. Tim Tebow published his memoirs before he’d played even one game in the NFL. Sensation sells.

If you truly want to be published by a BS publisher, stop writing. I’m dead serious. Stop writing. Spend all those nights and weekends becoming famous. Go on a reality television series, get drunk or better yet fall and hurt yourself will having inappropriate sex on camera. Kill your daughter and get away with it. Kill you spouse and get away with it. Die. An agent and publisher will be waiting for you sooner than if you spend years perfecting your manuscript.

If you insist on writing a book, and still want a mainstream BS publisher, the best way to do that is to sell a million of copies of your book. However, you have to ask yourself. If you can sell a million copies of your book, why do you need a BS publisher?

5. No one knows what works sells now; and they probably never did. Yes, there’s that ‘s’ word again. Publishing is about selling books. Period.  The only thing always sells is whatever is hot right at this moment. Outside of that, sales happen one book at a time. Your publisher doesn’t know what will sell your book.

And right now? Until you get out there and try to sell it, you won’t know what sells your book. There aren’t magic bullets. Or as Seth Godin says, Make your own path. I started the Twitter chat #bookmarket to see if I could figure out what works right now. Almost two years later, I still have no idea.

You’ve got to be asking yourself – why would anyone publish with a BS publisher?

Now that’s a very good question. If you have an answer or a question or a complaint, leave it in the comments. I’d love to hear from you.

You cannot imagine how many times I’ve heard “publishers support authors so authors can just write.” Or…

“It used to be that publishers supported authors so authors could just write.” Or..

“I can’t wait until I’m published so I can just stay at home and write.” Or…

“I wish was (fill in the blank with bestselling author). Their publisher does everything for them so they can just write.”

These statements are fantasy at best. Let’s take a look at each of these statements.

“Publishers support authors so authors can just write.” Writing contracts include publicity and promotions requirements for authors. Further, since 2003, most publishing houses have gutted their publicity budgets. Even bestselling authors are funding their own press and publicity agents. When I worked in the Open Grove, I met many authors who funded their own travel and hotel expenses. One woman, with a bestselling book under her belt, couch surfed around the country in support of her book.

“It used to be that publishers supported authors so authors could just write.” When I hear this statement, I usually ask “WHEN was that?” Pick an era, authors have always had to promote and sell their own books. Walt Whitman went door to door with his book. When people didn’t like Dicken’s work, he and his large family didn’t eat. Mark Twain hated traveling away from home, but left his family for a speaking tour to sell his books and make up for his debts. Even in the recent past, Jennifer Louden traveled the country in her parent’s vehicle teaching Free Adult Ed classes to support Women’s Book of Comfort. To my knowledge, there’s never been a time that author’s could ‘just write.’

“I can’t wait until I’m published so I can just stay at home and write.” This statement reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of the word “advance.” An advance is basically a loan against your future earnings. For easy math, let’s say you receive $50 in an advance. Of that $50, your agent takes $7.50 leaving you with $42.50. You need to save 1/3 for taxes ($12.75) and at least 1/3 for publicity or a press agent ($12.75) This means that you live off of $12.75. But that’s okay, right? You’ll get more. Most authors never see another penny from their books. In fact, outside of about 50 books a year, most books lose money for publishers. What if your book becomes a best seller? Doesn’t help because you make the deal for your book up front. When you signed, you would have signed for anything – and usually authors sign for less than anything. When your first, second or third book becomes a best seller, the publisher wins for the risk of their investment, not you. What about when the story sells to the movie people? David Morrell sold Rambo for $50,000. Total. Period. That’s it. He was delighted for the $50,000. But once it’s sold, it’s sold. The entire billion dollar franchise was started from the $50,000 investment.

“I wish was (fill in the blank with bestselling author). Their publisher does everything for them so they can just write.” When I hear this statement, I always ask “Who are you talking about?” Janet Evanovich in How I write, speaks of working eighty hours a week. Moreover, after writing for eight hours, she spends the afternoon and evening working on marketing efforts. Nora Roberts, one of the most prolific authors of our time, writes all the time, including when she’s on press junket. You can find her in the middle of book tours working on her laptop in the smoking room of airports.  She writes in the car, at the hotel and any moment she’s not interacting with someone else. Even after 159 published books, most of them bestsellers, she still doesn’t have the luxury of ‘just writing.’ Stephen King is in very much the same position. Stephen is constantly trying to find better ways to promote and publish his work. He writes at least 8 hours every day then spends the rest of the time trying to find a better way to do business.

The only authors who are able to “just write” do so because they have family money, are supported by a family member, or have other sources of income. No working author gets a free ride.

If you want to write, you will have to learn to promote your work. That’s how it was for Chaucer. It’s how it’s going to be for you.

From Newsweek:

Books aren’t dead

The number of books in print in 2008 rose 38 percent from the year before (which itself was up 38 percent from 2006).

Where are all those books coming from? Both mainstream and self-publishers have contributed to the flood. But the real answer lies in university libraries, which are suddenly hawking publishing rights to the contents of their stacks – or at least what’s out of print or in the public domain. Latest example: The University of Michigan (partnering with Google for the digitization and with an Amazon offshoot called BookSurge for printing) plans to offer more than 400,000 titles for sale on demand. Cornell plans to do the same with 500,000 titles, and the University of Pennsylvania plans to add another 200,000. Publishing’s obituary may be, much like Mark Twain’s, premature. – Malcolm Jones

What do you think?  Are books dead?

Thursday 13 – On publishing

(Thursday 13′s were revived by Janet and?Megan?)

Ok, I’m on a little bit of a rant. So please forgive me, but I think people need to know about the changes in publishing. So many authors hold on to their fiction, hoping and praying for to win the lotto and a big publishing house will deem them valuable.?

It’s a new time. New times require different and new methods of publishing.

So here’s my list of thirteen thoughts on publishing:

1. Publishing standards were created when books were set one character at a time.

2. Most ‘great works of fiction’ were written long hand with fountain tip pens.

3. There’s never been a time when so many people not only could read but had the capacity (internet, libraries, Amazon) to read.

4. eBooks are the only growing segment of the publishing market.

5. Large publishers have consistently lost money while small publishers have flourished.

6. Large publishing houses no longer support their authors with editing, copyediting or marketing assistance.?

7. More and more, authors are on their own to care for their books including all marketing, copyediting and content editing.

8. ?On average, a new book sells fifty copies. Most assume that’s the number of friends and relatives recruited to purchase the book. (This number is from ‘How to write a bestseller by Mueller.)

9. The large publishing houses have stopped or dramatically slowed their purchases. I’ve heard that they are simply ‘not buying’.

10. At the same time, traditional distribution channels (i.e., book stores) are locked down by publishers. In other words, you must be a publisher to get your book into most bookstores.

11. ?If you’re interested in publishing, and books, you should read these articles.?

• Giving it away by Corey Doctorow
• Books, Going Forward by Mark Tavani
• Read it and weep by Jason Boog
• Blog books open doors by Jason Davis
• Generate Buzz on the Web
• The Wovel
• Tim Ferris on using a viral idea to create a best seller

12. Many publishers are hiring writers to churn out the same books over and over again so that they can fill their list. These authors work for the publishers writing exactly what the publishers want them to write. Period.

13. The number one reason publishers fail is over stock. Publishers must pre-print books. They sell them to book stores who buy them on credit. Book stores have months to attempt to sell the book. If they are unable to sell them, they return the books to the publisher. Ever been to a 50% off store? That’s all the back stock that didn’t sell and was returned from bookstores.

Share with me - what do you know about publishing today that you’d like to share? Leave it in the comments and I’ll link to you here.

For much of my life, this was the motto. You have to publish or you’ll perish in achedemia. Day by day, research grant by research grant, theories and bullshit were pulled together into papers. Most papers were published because:

• Frank knew Sam
• Sam knew Joe
• Joe sits on John’s research grant committee.
• John’s brother’s wife’s sister’s husband runs a scientific magazine.

Of course they have ‘peer review’ but that’s mostly Sam, Joe, John, and Frank. Yep, that’s how it works.

Have friends? You’ll get published.

When this thing happened to me, and I had to had to had to write a novel, I had friends. Just not friends in publishing. That’s not exactly true since Lynda Sandoval and I are friends. Still, you know what I mean.

First, I was arrogant. Write a great book, it will get published. (I’m sure you’re laughing WITH me here….)

Because I wrote for the Open Grove for ten years, I knew that a great novel needed a peer review. The first draft of the novel went out to twenty-five friends. Their responses were amazing, helpful, and fabulous. One woman bought me a copy of her seventh grade English book so that I would have it. People were so generous with their time.

A second draft came. Another round of peer reivew with fabulous helpful suggestions. Amazing.

After revisions, the second draft made the rounds of agents, publishers, and anyone I could show it to. The rejections were immediate, painful, sometimes personal and worse, impersonal dismissive. Wow.

Until Scott Eagen emailed me to say, “Love the characters, but you need to rework it”.

Fuck.

The third draft happened and made the rounds. ?In the process, people said things like: “The best book I’ve read all year” or “If I was on the bus, I’d have missed my stop”.?

I was thrilled! I finally have a book ready, really ready to present to the publishing world.

And the publishing world fell apart.

Three years of work, fifty people’s time and effort, and… the publishing titan are falling down. I couldn’t imagine putting my three years of work onto the Titanic and hope that it makes the voyage. I’m not stupid.

Out of frustration:

• ?I started the Denver Cereal. And loved it. ?
• I read a few interesting articles.
• I watched?Cory Doctorow?create a career for his fiction online. ?(If you haven’t read the article?Giving it away, it’s worth a read.) His latest book was on the New York Times bestseller list for months.?

What should I do??

Then Black Wednesday happened. December 3, 2008, the publishing industry downsized.

Crap.

After a long, heart wreching conversation, I made my decision. ?I’m releasing the novel, called The Fey, into the wild.

To that end, the group of us started Cook Street Publishing. We plan to specialize in novels released on the web. Our motto is “fiction that’s written to be read.”

The Fey will make it’s debut appearance on this blog on Friday. Like Denver Cereal, I will release one chapter at a time on this blog and StoriesbyClaudia.com. The book will be available every day at AlextheFey.com. And the book is available for purchase.?

Unlike Denver Cereal, which is a serial fiction, this is a novel. It has a beginning, a middle and an end. The Fey is a thriller and the first of a series. The second book, Learning to Stand, is another waiting in the wings to be released, probably next year. The third book, Who I am, will be released in 2011.

At least that’s the plan so far.?

We’re starting something that’s sort of new and sort of old school. Remember James Joyce published the Dubliners himself. Walt Whitman sold his books door to door. Even Mark Twain owned a publishing company.

In the end, I can either leave the manuscripts rotting on my hard drive or share them.?

I guess I’m fool enough to share.