Tag: authors

Writing a Book vs. Desiring to Sell Copies

Posted on | by Julie Schoerke | 7 Comments on Writing a Book vs. Desiring to Sell Copies

Best Seller Books

With the explosion of indie publishing and self-publishing, there’s a conundrum that was avoided through traditional publishing because there were gate keepers. Now, indie published or self-published authors need to ask themselves the tough questions hopefully before writing, and certainly before releasing.

You have a story to tell and you can’t bear not to tell it. It’s burning inside of you and you’ve always considered yourself a pretty good writer, so why not?!

Well, what some people feel compelled to write many more people do not feel compelled to read. If you don’t want to be encumbered by any “rules” or “gatekeepers” who annoyingly want you to conform to practices that have proven successful for other books and authors, then fine. But, be aware. Be very aware. Just because you write it doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll read … and certainly doesn’t mean they’ll buy it.

Recently I’ve had conversations with several authors who are determined to write exactly the book that they want to. And those same people often are determined to sell a lot of copies. Here in lies the problem.

Consider other industries. A self-trained musician who took some music appreciation classes in college may want to write a song, or many songs. That’s fine. But what do you think the chances are that the musician, working alone in her house without the guidance of Quincy Jones or another tried and true producer of hits, making it BIG? What about a kid who plays basketball on his driveway—every day for hours—but never against anyone else on a team and without a coach. What are his chances of making it to the top of the NBA? There are flukes. But I think we all agree that someone working with a mentor who has already made it in the big leagues probably has a better shot of selling more records, or tickets to a basketball game, than someone who is going it totally alone.

I believe that there are books that people have to write. Are compelled. But, and especially when it comes to writing about personal experiences, determine why you are writing and be honest about what your goal is. If your goal is to make a permanent statement or capture a time gone by, do it! If your goal is to sell as many copies of a book as possible, consider finding a veteran mentor. Surround yourself with other people successful in the business (go to author events at your local bookstore, follow and study your favorite authors and figure out what makes them successful, find a killer editor who has had success in your genre). Just as parents encourage kids on the basketball court—“Honey, you are really great at shooting that ball!”—recognize that family and friends don’t have a financial stake in your success. They love you, so they’re going to say your book is great. I promise, I’ve seen it literally hundreds of times. I get calls, “Twenty of my friends loved my book! One said it should win a Pulitzer!” I’m much more interested in what someone who doesn’t know the writer, doesn’t care about the writer, thinks of the writing. How can you get an unbiased opinion? I loved the ingenuity of one clever author that told me she gives her manuscripts to family and friends and says, “A friend wrote this and gave this to me to read. Let me know your thoughts.”

Lots of kids play little league baseball. Fewer kids play for their high school team. Really great kids play college or farm team baseball. The minutest number of those terrific baseball players ever makes it to the big leagues. And how many baseball players playing today can you name? My point is that there is a place for everybody on that baseball scale, but very few will become famous. It’s the same odds for writing a book. There are authors who will delight their family and friends. Some will go on to make an impression in their community or field of work. The really great ones who get some breaks along the way will sell 100,000. And of the millions of people who write books each year, many less than 1 percent will become household names. In baseball, the current players don’t have to play against Babe Ruth and stars of the past. In the book world, you’re still competing for the attention and time of readers against every book ever written as well as all the new stars coming up through the ranks this year.

Set realistic goals while reaching for the stars. Understand that if you choose to go it alone, then that doesn’t mean that you also necessarily get to have the luxury of demanding that others purchase and read your book.

Whether you’ve written a book that 2,500 people buy and many hold close to their heart or you become an overnight sensation like JK Rowling (and how many have there been since her?!), celebrate what you have done. You’ve created art that has its place. If you’re determined to rise to the top, make sure you’ve got a coach and team surrounding you that gives you a pretty good chance to showcase your talent on a national stage.

 

It’s Time for Ebooks to Get Innovative and Interactive

Posted on | by Chelsea Apple

I saw something recently that blew my mind: Piotr Kowalczyk pulled together a list of “35 Most Interesting Animated Book Covers,” which left me saying not only, “Wow, these 35 covers really are the most interesting animated book covers I’ve ever seen,” but also, “ANIMATED BOOK COVERS ARE A THING? How have I not heard of this??”

Perhaps you’re sitting back and chuckling to yourself, thinking, “Of course animated book covers are a thing. What rock have you been living under?” But I won’t hear this remark, because I am still scrolling, bright-eyed, through simple animated gifs that bring average ebook covers and illustrations to life, going particularly gaga over the gritty Batman and Joker motifs and, oh yes, the elegant reimagining of the Harry Potter series.

Ebooks are becoming more interactive, and it’s about time, too. In a world where new digital masterpieces continue to flood a thoroughly oversaturated market daily, it’s surprising that more authors aren’t taking advantage of, or at least exploring, new technologies that enable readers to truly interact with the written word—and taking advantage of opportunities to make their ebook stand out from the crowd.

Granted, some of this technology is still in development, but we can’t ignore the possibilities technology affords us not only for publishing work online, but also for creating multidimensional works of literary art.

Consider, for example, Ryan Woodward’s superb Bottom of the Ninth, an interactive graphic novel that not only showcases Woodward’s impressive animation skills, but gives us something truly “novel”: graphic panels that move fluidly with the plot, which the reader can interact with thanks to the tap of a button. The graphic novel, which follows ace baseball pitcher Candy Cunningham, can be read on its very own app, an iPad, iPhone, or online (take a look, it’s super cool).

Consider Eli Horowitz’s The Silent History, a digital novel written specifically for iPad and iPhone and also available via a custom app. This mysterious story about a generation of unusual children who are unable to create or comprehend language, but who demonstrate surprising skills, unfolds gradually via 120 “eyewitness testimonials” about the children’s unusual abilities. Plus, according to the novel’s website, “For readers who wish to explore the world of the novel in more depth, there are also hundreds of location-based stories across the U.S. and around the world. These can be read only when your device’s GPS matches the coordinates of the specified location.” New stories unlocked based on the reader’s physical location? The plot thickens, indeed.

Consider that Al Dixon, the visionary behind the innovative new digital imprint Imaginary Books, is publishing a new mystery novel, the real pleasure in life, in “dynamic typography,” or interactive, animated text. The gritty, animated text is integrated into the plot itself, so that the movement of every word illustrates a plot development, or reveals a clue in a philosophical, slapstick adventure about a man whose life is turned upside down after he receives a mysterious summons to a surreal version of Athens, Georgia, and, after falling in with an eccentric set of new friends, discovers that nothing in his life will ever be the same.

Here’s what all of these innovative digital stories have going for them: They utilize new technology not as a gimmick or a “look-what-I-can-do” bit of time-consuming irrelevancy, but as an actual enhancement to story itself. The technology isn’t there for the sake of being there, but because it actually enhances the story, and enables the reader to interact with the literature in wholly new ways.

In a world where there’s an app-improving update or new system available for your device every week, it’s surprising that tech innovations to digital publishing haven’t become more mainstream. However, the current innovations that exist—or will exist in the near future—offer savvy, enterprising authors a relatively untapped realm of creative possibilities for creating, releasing, and promoting their newest digital book.

Saying “Everyone” Will Love Your Book is Actually Hurting Your Readership

Posted on | by Chelsea Apple

There are three cringe-worthy statements when authors explain “who” will read their book:

“My book will appeal to both men and women, ages 10—100. Everyone will love it!”

“It’s the next [insert mega-selling international franchise here].”

“My book is completely unique. There’s absolutely nothing like it out there, there never has been, and there never will be.”

The fact is, the book that “everyone” loves does not exist, and never will. The only book that ages 10-100 are even potentially cracking open in the United States is the Bible (if that)—not exactly a great comp title for a new thriller. The misconception that everyone will love a book (or that it’s so unique that it’s completely dissimilar from books that are being read right now) can actually damage how authors understand and approach readers, and ultimately it can damage their sales.

The good news is that you do have a readership out there, and you can reach them if you identify them correctly. Here are some steps authors can take to understand and reach their real readers:

Identify your target demographic—really identify them. When I worked as an editor and wanted to acquire a book for my publishing house, I had to be very specific in identifying the book’s readership if I wanted to “sell” it to our team. For example, if I wanted to acquire a book about healthy living, explaining to the team that it will appeal to “women aged 18-50” isn’t realistic or useful. Saying it’s perfect for women aged 22-35, urban, physically active, interested in fitness and healthy eating habits, who probably shop organic is more accurate; we can research what these women read, and strategize how best to reach them. Your readers are out there, and the more you understand them, the better you’ll be able to approach them.

Choose good—and realistic—comp titles. Comparative or “comp” titles can do a lot of the heavy lifting when you’re pitching your book to an agent or publisher, writing a synopsis, or just trying to explain the premise to a friend. Publishers do it all the time when writing sales copy: “Fans of The Lunar Chronicles will love [this new book]” and “It’s the next read for fans of Eleanor and Park and The Spectacular Now.”

Be realistic when choosing three or four comp titles. Just because your novel has magic in it doesn’t mean it’s the next Harry Potter. Just because it’s a nonfiction memoir about a teen with cancer doesn’t mean it will appeal to fans of The Fault in Our Stars. While it would be amazing if your book really was the next literary phenomenon, picking comp titles just because they’re popular or have a thin connection to your book isn’t realistic—and can actually lead you to overlook books that are truly similar to yours, and are already garnering fans who would pick up your book when it hits shelves.

Also, if the comp title or franchise is older than three years, it’s outdated. With over three million books coming out every year, there’s always something new on the market. Once you’ve successfully identified your demographic, do some research and find out what they’re reading right now, and choose titles that accurately compare to yours.

With a little brainstorming and research, authors can more accurately identify and approach their target market, which can truly make all the difference in how a book is sold, read, and enjoyed!

Three Reasons To Hire A Book Publicist

Posted on | by Julie Schoerke | 2 Comments on Three Reasons To Hire A Book Publicist

DIY book publicity is a given. As an author, you must work tirelessly to promote your book – work as hard as you did to write it (or harder).

But, let’s be honest. There are some things you just can’t say about yourself. It’s a Catch-22 in which the author comes out either looking like a braggart or doesn’t do justice to the work by being coy.

 

 1. A book publicist can say things about you and your book that you simply can’t say without sounding at best arrogant, and at worst, crazy.

You better think your book is incredible. If you’re not its biggest cheerleader, there is something wrong. BUT, you need third party validation when pitching your book to television, radio, print and online media, or venues that invite authors to speak.

You can hardly say, “This is the best book on this subject ever written! It will have you laughing and it will have you crying. Truly a stunning masterpiece” about your own work if being likable and sounding sane are at all important to you. But someone else can.

Book stores, community organizations and the media, prefer to have an arm’s length relationship with the author when initially being pitched a story or event. I was on a panel a few years ago with a very powerful and well-known bookstore owner. The businesswoman (because that’s what bookstore people are!) said that she likes to be able to talk to a publicist to honestly find out what the strengths of the author are as well as their weaknesses. It’s very difficult to be objective about yourself. In the best of all worlds, your book publicist will know you well enough to be able to say if you would do well demonstrating something about your book, talking to a small group informally; if you are earnest and thoughtful, funny, speak loud enough or if you need microphone, etc.  

The media may also want to be pitched in a way that fits with the editorial calendar (what they have already mapped out to cover in the coming months). An experienced publicist will be able to pick out the angle most interesting to the journalist. Let’s face it, it’s tough to be objective about ourselves and how we can best partner with a media outlet to help them achieve their goals, not just us pursuing our own objectives.

You want someone who has your back and can say, “I stayed up all night reading the novel!”  Or, “I thought I’d read everything there was to know about bats, but this book is different because the author went to live with bats in a cave for 10 years and provided this incredible insight” etc…it’s so much stronger than an author saying that family and friends loved the book.

SPOILER ALERT: family and friends always say they love your book, because they care about you and have no skin in the game for you book’s success other than making you feel good. Media and bookstore professionals are told this by debut authors all the time and it means absolutely nothing.

Which brings up another point: if a book publicist tells you they will represent your book without reading it, run. That makes no sense. A cookbook author was surprised that I had made many of the dishes in her book before pitching her. Even her own editor at the publishing house hadn’t tried the recipes. How could I rave about her recipes (and they were mouthwatering!) if I didn’t experience them?

A professional publicist who is highly regarded in the industry does not throw out hyperbole. The publicist honestly shares the quality of the book, the ability of the author, etc.  A good publicist can help pave the way to the media and groups focusing on the best that you have to offer.

You want a publicist who has credibility in the industry. That alone shows that your work deserves attention. If a publicist is willing to put his or her reputation on the line by representing you, that sends a signal to the tastemakers in the industry.

 

2. Do you really want to reinvent the wheel? The learning curve in meeting the right people, following the proper steps with media and event venues to get accepted, and knowing the latest trends in the industry can be overwhelming when you need to be promoting this book, editing the one you just finished, and writing the next one. Spend your time wisely and use your team.

It makes me so sad when someone comes to us who has spent hours, days, weeks building a list of media contacts. We can go through our contact files, pull lists, and think of media that wouldn’t necessarily come to mind to someone who doesn’t do this every day, in a fraction of the time that it takes you.

An example of what a publicist can do for you that you may not be able to do yourself: We worked with a terrific author with a page-turning novel who happened to have a Chinese mother and Japanese father. In addition to media that would normally come to mind – book reviewers, feature editor of the local newspaper, etc. We created a list of journalists who were of Japanese and/or Chinese descent who covered topics from little league baseball to financial markets, and let them all know about this book and offered to get them a copy. The result? This author was invited to speak at the Shanghai Book Festival on his own stage with a crowd of more than 800,000 readers at that one festival. We then built an international book tour for him based on that invitation. It came to fruition because one of the journalists we reached out to  sat on the committee that chose speakers for the book festival. This journalist and committee member had absolutely nothing to do with books in his “day job” and actually lived in the UK. He wanted to promote Chinese American authors in Shanghai. We gave him the opportunity.

Find a book promoter who has personal relationships with key tastemakers in the book industry and beyond.

It seems counterintuitive, but if you are not a celebrity or don’t have a big platform, check out the publicist to see if he or she has been able to get traction for an author who isn’t well-known. Of course when Kim Kardashian comes out with a book it is going get incredible coverage because the media is clamoring for information on that celebrity. The publicist in that case is acting more as a gate-keeper than actively convincing journalists that the person and the book is worthy of ink in a publication or time on the air. You want to know that you have a scrappy, tenacious, but polite and well-respected publicist representing you.

 

3.  An established book publicist has connections and can pull in favors when you need it most with the media, book festivals, book stores, and events.

You may need a little help at some point, but you haven’t built up the IOUs to get it in the industry. Hopefully your publicist has.

If your pub date gets moved up and there isn’t as much time as is generally needed, or a deadline has been missed because of the timeline of the release of your book, sometimes a seasoned publicist can get exceptions made for you.

Perhaps there is a book festival at which you are dying to present, but you are a debut author and your advance reader copies weren’t ready in time for the book festival committee to review it. Publicists sometimes know ways to get the committee to consider you or have you replace someone who has to drop out at the last minute. Your publicist is working behind the scenes on behalf of you.

Marissa DeCuir, managing director at JKS Communications, and many of our team members are former journalists who have worked for major media outlets. So radio and television bookers and producers have come to rely on us when, at the last minute, they have a cancellation for a guest. They know that we will quickly get an interesting and timely guest to fill their last minute hole. As former journalists, we know that pit in the stomach that the producer feels when he or she finds out that a guest had to cancel an hour before the show goes live.

Because specific members of the media know that our team will help them in a crunch, they will often help us introduce new authors that we believe in. Our team can help develop a segment that show cases our authors/topics in the best light, but also provides the entertainment or educational factor that their audience and advertisers are counting on them to deliver.

A publicist can open doors that simply aren’t open to you as an author when you have  “do it yourself” campaign. But, that doesn’t mean you are off the hook. While your publicist is scheduling interviews, negotiating features or guest columns for you, you must be handling your career of creating, drafting, editing, and completing your future books, writing content for print and online media that has been requested, keeping up with your social media, etc.

Writing the book is just the beginning, and the easy part. Most authors today find themselves in a situation in which they are expected to spearhead the brunt of their book promotion themselves. The goal is to sell enough copies and develop enough buzz to get their next book sold to a publisher, or create a big enough fan base that there are readers that are salivating to get their hands on the next book.

 

Book publicity helps start the buzz….it’s the kindling on the fire….but in the end, it comes down to the book and the audience connecting.

Being an author is tough. Surround yourself with good professionals who genuinely want to help you succeed.

The Most Important Question Authors Never Ask

Posted on | by Chelsea Apple

When I first begin working on a publicity campaign with an author, we have a lot of bases to cover—How far can they travel for events? What type of media will fit the book best? How much lead time do we have? But there’s one question that I ask every author, and it will determine how the entire publicity campaign goes from that point. It’s this: “What does success look like to you?”

If you’re an author, take a minute to think about it—what does success look like for you? Is it a big New York Times Bestseller splashed above your name? Is it the mouth-watering prospect of your book sales spiking into the thousands, the tens of thousands, or more? Is it the movie deal, or the cross-country tour?

Or are your goals more compact, more personal—Is it about spreading an important message? Sharing a meaningful life experience? Connecting with readers, or helping readers connect with some part of themselves? Or maybe it’s simply that you’ve written and published a book at all—that’s a huge accomplishment in itself!

The answer is typically comprehensive: Many authors begin writing because of some personal catalyst, a desire to process, create, and connect. And it’s natural to want your art recognized, to see that big beautiful book you created find its way into more hands (and, let’s be honest, bestseller lists would be great too).

Why is defining what success means to you personally crucial as you embark on the publishing journey?

First: If you’re not sure what success looks like to you, you won’t be sure how to get there—or what it will even look like when you do.

For example, an author may dream of reaching the coveted #1 slot on the New York Times list, but knows that realistically she’ll have a higher chance of hitting a local bestseller list. Measuring success solely by the Times list will (statistically) result in nothing but bitter frustration—but if she takes strategic steps to hit a local bestseller list, she has a higher chance of hitting her goal, and becoming a bestselling author in the process.

Second: If you’re not sure what success looks for you personally, you may not recognize it when you get there. I’ve seen authors become so focused on the “big” gains—the mythical interview on The Today Show, the glowing reviews in the major trade publications—that glowing endorsements from smaller, respected reviewers feel insignificant. The meaningful event at the small bookstore doesn’t feel “big” enough. Although the reviews are good, the books are selling, the venues are confirming events, the author isn’t having any fun.

So take a moment, and write it out: What does success look like to you? Make a list: What are you big goals, your top-shelf ambitions? Now, what are some realistic, achievable goals? What personal benchmarks will you celebrate? What steps will you take to get there? As you figure out what success means to you personally, you may discover that “making it” as an author is closer than you think.