If the bookstore sells them - the publishing house get paid money. If the bookstore doesn't sell them - they can return all the books. It is ok to hold the books for several months and then send them back. Archaic? You bet. And still, the vast majority of New York houses embrace the model; and authors scramble to enter into these medieval contracts for the “prestige” of … [Read more...]
Are Mermaids the New Vampires?
Vampires have been hot subjects in novels and films with the Twilight series, True Blood, and more young adult (YA), romance and general fiction than you can shake a stick at. Although vampires are always popular, the Next Big Thing may be...mermaids. Really? Apparently so. USA Today points to a slew of recent mermaid books, including Mermaid: A Twist on the Classic … [Read more...]
Stop Book Returns
Industry statistics reveal that book returns can be 30% or more of sales. If you reduce or eliminate returns then you could increase your net sales and revenue by that same amount and your profits by even more. But, you say, you have no control over returns since Ingram and the bookstores return them at will without selling them. On the contrary, there are many things that … [Read more...]
How to Test Your Publisher’s Sales Reports
Last week, we heard from yet another author (I'll call him Author Al) who is accusing his distributor of theft because his Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com rankings moved. A few years ago, another author claimed she was owed millions because her Amazon ranking was...in the millions. As you've probably guessed, this is a common problem. New authors often try to use … [Read more...]
Don’t Fool Yourself About Poor Book Sales
Authors can come up with some pretty creative reasons to convince themselves of why they're book isn't selling. When you know as many authors as I do (more than 800) and you see the variety of successful and not-so-successful marketing techniques used today, there really are only two excuses for poor book sales...bad marketing or just a plain old bad book. One author … [Read more...]
Top Book Awards Authors Should Pursue
Do book awards matter? Absolutely YES! In fact, just recently one of my clients won the prestigious Los Angeles Book Festival award. That then led to a flurry of media interest, which then led to a major New York agent deciding to represent the book and pitch it to all the major publishing houses. Deals are in the offing. This author, needless to say, is happy he decided to … [Read more...]
Top Book Fairs and Book Festivals Authors Should Attend
Authors who want to sell books need to do what anyone else with a product needs to do – find the place in the marketplace where your buyers can be found. And, in the case of authors, readers will be found in largest numbers at book fairs, festivals and conferences. Book fairs and festivals are held every season around the world so it’s a fairly easy task to locate one to … [Read more...]
What To Do When Someone Steals Your Ideas
"I queried a major magazine and included a list of interview sources. They rejected my idea but, one year later, they just published the article I pitched to them, and they used my sources!" "I received a form rejection letter for a series of books I pitched to a large book publisher a couple of year ago. I just got back from Barnes and Noble and, guess what? That same … [Read more...]
Writers: Don’t Lose Your Worth
There’s a move happening in the world of arts and entertainment, particularly in the realm of the book industry. I hear tell that the industry is in a state of emergency, and has been for years. Apparently, people aren’t reading as much as they used to. Ebook sales are climbing, but as digital books are usually cheaper to purchase than printed books, some publishers feel … [Read more...]
Publishing Conferences, Expos, and Trade Shows-Why Go? What to Know
We are well into this new year and, as you look at the calendar in front of you and envision filling it with opportunities for you and your book, it is likely that publishing conferences, expos, and trade shows are high on your list of things to do. But attending these kinds of events can be daunting—especially if you don't investigate what they have to offer before deciding to … [Read more...]