Groovy ice cream flavors based on favorite books.
These days, only folks who cling to old notions of what used to be turn their nose up at self-published books simply because they weren’t backed by a big house. Now the boundaries between the two kinds of publishing are dissolving even more rapidly as traditional publishers, including some of the biggest in the world, enter the self-publishing arena.
Confused? It’s easy to see why. But Simon & Schuster has Archway Publishing while Penguin Random has Author Solutions (and the much maligned AuthorHouse). So if it’s self-published through a company that is part of a big publisher, is it still self-published?
For now, yes. The manuscripts aren’t vetted by anyone; some authors don’t even bother with editing before hitting the print button. And for now, the publishers aren’t likely to look more kindly on any author who approaches them and admits to using the self-pub arm at their company (unless of course that author has managed to sell well on his or her own).
Remember that self-pub is still self-pub. The big publishing house is looking for the same thing as the other printers: a check. The ground is turning to liquid beneath their feet and they’re trying new things to keep afloat. There’s nothing wrong with that, and if it helps them continue on with the old methods, great. Just be aware of what you’re getting…and what you’re not.
Top hotels are adding a new amenity for their clients: libraries.
The move is intended to keep patrons in the bars and lobbies longer. Books are being stocked in central areas, dedicated suites and even reading rooms. The cozy feel and the availability of their favorite authors helps them connect with younger patrons, who want a community feeling even while away from home.
Country Inns and Suites, with 447 hotels across the nation, now has an exclusive deal with Penguin Random to stock their authors.
If you’re a local author, don’t downplay the importance of that with your local hotels. If any are stocking books, stop in and place a few copies with the manager yourself. Be sure to sign the copies!
Amy Tannenbaum of Jane Rotrosen is seeking new adult, romance, high quality commercial women’s fiction.
Berta Treitl of Grosvenor Literary is seeking nonfiction: science and technology; current events, law and politics, biography, business and marketing; and art, design, cooking, health, and lifestyle.
In fiction, she’s interested in historical and high-quality mysteries. Focuses on projects with unusual communities, travel and foreign locales, and female main characters.
Authors aren’t the only ones utilizing the internet for their careers. Literary agents are searching for information about authors who query to help them decide whether to follow up with the writer.
One of the top reasons they search is to see if they can verify what the author says about their credentials.
Agents also look at the author’s social media pages to check how active they are (and to verify any numbers the authors has provided in their pitch materials).
They also judge how the author’s web presentation looks…sloppy or professional, all sites up to date, and other indicators that tell them they’re dealing with a serious author.
Spruce up your web presence before sending out that first query.
The Rockefeller Foundation is looking for a deputy speechwriter to produce a wide array of materials including speeches, op-eds, blog posts and publications. Link here for more info.
Pics of bookish desserts here.
Michael Krüger, publisher at Carl Hanser Verlag in Munich, recently bemoaned the number of bad books out there. He explained that they are present in such numbers because they sell…and he can’t figure out why.
Let’s put aside judging whole categories as bad and focus on the real issues.
First, it’s about story. The MFA programs have been hammered because they churn out writers who focus on the florid beauty of their words at the expense of their characters. Thus no story. Without story, a book is just a jumble of words.
Second, it’s about story. Readers are willing to buy even poorly written books because the story tells them something they can’t find elsewhere. Look at 50 Shades…panned everywhere for awful prose yet sold oodles of copies because the storyline contained something women wanted to read about.
Third, it’s about storytelling. Bad books might be poorly written or have worn-out plotlines yet they clip along at a fast pace (nearly always, anyway). So storytelling, getting to the heart of the matter through action and forward movement, is present in a way that might not be as obvious in a pretty MFA grad’s work.
What’s YOUR story?
A written analysis is one of the most popular services authors request. This examines the structural and storytelling elements of fiction and memoirs such as opening chapters, the
ending, primary events, character development/history, point of view, use of narrative and dialog, and other critical components. When the work is nonfiction, the structural and writing elements of that category are considered.
The write-up for a manuscript of average length is usually between 10 and 15 single-spaced pages. This is all narrative text; no tables, charts or graphs are used as filler. The commentary points out major and minor issues that should be addressed. It also makes recommendations for how to correct the issues along with discussions of how specific changes might resonate with other areas of the manuscript.
The usual turnaround time is 3 to 4 weeks.
The rate for a manuscript of standard length is $6.50 per double-spaced page. Short story or article/essay collections have a slightly higher fee if each piece is short.
There is a minimum fee for shorter books; if the project is longer than average, a flat rate is applied because the per-page rate would become prohibitive.
If you decide that you do not have the time to implement the recommendations or would like the work done for you for other reasons, this can be accomplished as the second step. A price quote will be created at that time based on the amount of work to be done. If the work progresses within 30 days of delivering the write-up, 60% of the write-up fee will be credited to that price quote.
Another way to approach this issue is to work with only the first 100 pages, including a synopsis. This allows me to see how you are handling the primary structural elements on the page. Since so often the primary issues appear in those first 100 pages, the mini-analysis can help you take a big step forward in a more affordable fashion. The write-up you receive averages 4 to 6 single-spaced pages. Once you see how certain issues impact those opening pages, you can extend the lessons learned to the rest of what you’ve already written.
Turnaround for a mini-analysis averages 2.5 to 3 weeks. The rate is a flat fee of $985.
Ten copies of my first novel Message Stick are being given away on Goodreads for 30 days in July. The literary thriller won two national awards and a host of smaller awards.
You have until tomorrow, July 30, to put your name in the hat!
Happy reading!
On Friday, Amazon began offering discounts that have never before been seen even on its own site. The move is supposedly a response to Overstock.com’s full frontal assault, which consists of discounting books to match or beat Amazon’s prices.
Dan Brown’s Inferno is now available on Amazon at a a 61% discount. And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini has a 58% discount. Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In is at a 64% discount. A whopping 64% discount is offered on The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.
There are signs, however, that even Amazon is not invincible in this battle. J.K. Rowling’s The Cuckoo’s Calling, written under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, is discounted only 42%. That’s right in the usual discounting area of 40% to 50 percent. Amazon likely doesn’t want to discount something that is selling well regardless of price, and wants to keep the profits involved in that title.
Overstock.com’s shot across the bow of the mighty frigate Amazon is a long-overdue attempt to take some of the wind out of Amazon’s sails. The recent verdict against Apple has already spurred Amazon toward discounting books to eliminate the real competition that is left: the thousands of indie booksellers who together hold more clout among readers than any website ever will.
Unfortunately indies do not yet hold any kind of combined economic clout with publishers and so cannot discount books at the same rate. Thank goodness someone has noticed what’s going on in book publishing and has thrown the economic might of their company onto the battlefield.
Emma Patterson of Brandt and Hochman is looking for literary and commercial fiction, upmarket women’s fiction, historical fiction, narrative nonfiction, pop culture, memoir, food writing, and YA and MG fiction and nonfiction.
William Boggess of Barer Literary is looking for fiction with strong voices and a fresh perspective. He loves Southern fiction and story collections.
In nonfiction, he’s interested in literary memoir, popular science, narrative history, and smart sportswriting.
Last month, Amazon announced that Oliver Potzsch, author of the Hangman’s Daughter series, is their first author to have hit 1 million copies in print, digital and audio combined.
Before you hit the submit button for Amazon’s publishing group, consider that 25% of all books are still sold through bookstores.
Another 23% are sold through other retailers like Costco and other big box stores.
If you’re thinking of giving up on regular publishers just because of all the coverage of digitally published success stories, consider that e-books are one of the biggest changes in publishing right now. Of course the media is seeking out their success stories and covering them in larger numbers right now than traditionally published success stories.
You have a lot of options these days. Be sure to make an informed choice to find the best path for your books.
Writer's Resource/Sunspot Lit 