More on Agent Assisted Publishing

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Amazon offers a White Glove publishing service. In this program, your agent works directly with Amazon to publish your book.

I wrote not too long ago about agent-assisted publishing, and this is just another incarnation of the same process. You might end up walking this road if the traditional publishers reject your agent’s efforts to place your book. But again, you end up with the agent as your book’s advocate.

On this road, you don’t travel alone. That in and of itself can be a boost to your passion. The fact that it can also boost your career sweetens the deal.

Inspiration and Tips from Bestselling Authors

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Here’s a link to a great roundup of inspiration and tips from bestselling authors like Anne Rice and David Morrell. There is also wisdom from agents and acquisitions editors.

My favorite: “Write the book that only you can write.”

Barnes & Noble is Good for Amazon…and Readers

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Leonard Riggio, the original founder of Barnes & Noble, is considering buying up the stores and taking them private. He’s thinking about the move because bookstores are still a sound business.

One of the biggest surprises in the constant battle between brick-and-mortar stores and the e-giant Amazon is that after Borders failed, sales of e-books immediately fell. Analysts think it’s because with fewer opportunities to browse, readers just aren’t going to buy as many books.

Congratulate your local bookstore owner with a cup of coffee, a chocolate truffle…and a new sale.

Agent-Assisted Publishing: The Latest Shift in Traditional Book Publishing

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Lately the news has been covering quite a number of agent-assisted books that have sold well. Agent-assisted publishing might sound repetative…after all, doesn’t an agent get authors published with traditional houses?

Yes, and nowadays agents are doing more. If they are unable to place a client with a publisher, they might funnel that client into their own publishing unit. The agent doesn’t become the publisher; they simply help the author self-publish.

The benefits to this kind of self-publishing are many. Agents have long done much more for authors than simply sell their books. They are fantastic advocates with the media and (when appropriate) colleges or other organizations that might offer paid speaking engagements. The agents can often boost sales for the author in a way that the writer could not do himself through regular self-publishing methods.

Book Publisher Info

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Daw Books Inc accepts manuscripts directly from authors. They accept sci-fi and fantasy novels and prefer lengths of about 80,000 words.

Literary Agent Info

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Sarah Nego of Corvisiero Literary accepts middle grade and YA fiction of any genre but prefers speculative fiction.  

New App Helps Readers Find Books

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A new app called BookVibe sorts through your Twitter feed and pulls out information on books people you’re following have recommended.

The app isn’t perfect yet but it’s a great start. Try it to keep up with what your crowd is reading.

Just for Fun

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Unique words presented with equally unique graphics here. 

The Difference Between a Ghostwriter and an Author

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I once met a man who told me that five books he’d written had hit the bestseller list…but that no one knew his name because he’d ghostwritten all five. He seemed very bitter about the lack of recognition. I wanted to tell him he was in the wrong business. If he couldn’t let go of his books at the end of the project, he needed to stop ghostwriting!

He seemed to have forgotten one of the key differences between a ghost and an author: Ghosts write the work then disappear. Authors build the platform for the book’s sales and market the work.

I have had clients ask if I will go on tour with them after ghostwriting their books. I tell them they’re the experts; readers want to see them, not me. And with the new focus on branding for all authors, really a ghost can’t help with the marketing aspects. The author is the brand, not the ghost. No matter how high on the charts the book climbs.

Goodreads has 20 Million Members

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Recently Goodreads announced that they doubled their membership to 20 million. That’s a big number of people who love books. And since many of them are interested primarily in fiction, authors should get their profiles upgraded to an author member profile.

Recently I did a giveaway on Goodreads for my first novel. I expected maybe 100 people to sign up for the ten copies; over 400 did. That’s great exposure.

The exposure resulted in specific actions by Goodreads members. More than 200 added the book to their to-read list, and another 200 added it to their shelves.

Sales figures won’t be in for a while, of course. But since the book is available in print and e-book versions, I’ll check that month when it’s available to see what happened.

The other books I’ve written also received some small attention but not nearly as much as the one featured on the giveaway. If you can spare a couple of copies, give it a shot. For only a few dollars in postage, you might gain a substantial number of new fans.

New Self-Pub Book Market: Penguin’s Book Country

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Note: Penguin’s Book Country operates separately from their other self-pub arm Author Solutions.

Book Country allows self-published authors to sell their works through their website. There are the usual marketing packages authors find at many self-pub companies but there is one difference: authors keep 85% of the royalties. This is higher than both Amazon and B&N.

Literary Agent Info

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Beth Campbell of BookEnds is interested in romance, cozy mystery, YA, fantasy, science fiction, and women’s fiction.

Book Agent Info: Jennifer De Chiara Literary

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Linda Epstein of Jennifer De Chiara Literary seeks accessible literary fiction, upscale commercial fiction, vibrant narrative nonfiction, some fantasy, and compelling memoirs. She also accepts middle-grade and YA fiction.

Nonfiction areas include alternative health and parenting books, cookbooks, select memoirs, and spiritual/self-actualization books. 

Language Changes

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Here’s a list of words with their original meanings. Amazing! 😉

Audio Books

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Just connected with a woman who does voiceovers for audio books. She specializes in children’s books but has samples up from a variety of categories. Link here and call or email Becky to see how she can help you.