To the best of my knowledge all Indy bookstores work very much the same way large bookstores do with the exception that they will take books on consignment (at least some will anyway.) Sadly this means I'll have to CALL any Independent Bookstore to chat with them about the "possibility" of them taking a few books to put on their shelves for my readers to find. And yes, my readers will have to FIND my books if they are placed as all the coveted shelf space goes to the large publishers even in Independent bookstores because bookstores have to put out soooooo much money just to get these books to begin with. Meaning they have to actually buy so many just to stock them. Of course this isn't a real problem because bookstores can then send unsold books back for a full refund, eventually. But it is a lot of money for them up front just to carry books by large publishers. Not to mention fees and all of that and I think they have to actually qualify.
So in the meantime us small publishers who've put as much money, time and energy (some who've even earned legitimate awards) have to peddle our goods in a way that keeps us from making any real sales. At least we do unless we make our books returnable.
Only there's a very real problem with making ones books returnable if you're with a small publisher. The only distributors small press can afford, like Ingram's Lightning Source, they don't allow for small publishers to ever see their returned books again. Therefore small publishers lose product if the book is returned (or destroyed which is what Lightning Source SAYS they do with ALL returned books.) Large publisher's returned books are resold to second hand booksellers like Books-A-Million so that large publishers actually make money off books that didn't sell when they first flood their large bookstores with their latest books to drive those books to the top of the "New York Times" best-sellers list. Yes. A win-win situation for them. Sorry crooks.
Lightning Source doesn't even give you the option to see your returned book again. They make claims that the books have been through so many hands that it isn't something you'll want back. So they conveniently destroy them (or so they say. They wouldn't tell me, when I asked, where I could go to see where the destruction occurs.) They offer to reprint you a "new" book for "half" the price. Oh wow! Now their customers only eat "half" the recovery cost. I've seen returned from the bookstore books. I've not seen one that wasn't in impeccable condition. They have to be because they're a commodity. Books-A-Million will scarf them right up and so will other second hand resellers.
Bottom line is, Lightning Source isn't the only distributor that operates like this. My second publisher went through Book Masters. When I ordered new author copies from them I was sent books that I'd hand delivered to a Barnes & Noble in Louisiana. Books I had signed and books that had an autographed by author sticker on the FRONT COVER!!! They had been sent back and were being resold as NEW through Book Masters who claim ALL returned books go to "returned books" inventory for the publisher to deal with. They claimed what happened to me was an accident and next time they'd be more CAREFUL!! There was a sticker on the front of six of the books I ordered. These books shouldn't have been with new books. EVER!
Due to this sort of activity I've made my books non-returnable. It makes my job tougher as far as getting my books into brick and mortar stores and onto the shelves but at least my books aren't stolen and at least my publisher doesn't lose more money than they stand to make.
How can Independent Bookstores help? Give us small published authors the time of day. Many of us are going to start making our books non-returnable just to survive. Give us the same chance you give any publishers who play a game they can't possibly win.
Showing posts with label random house. Show all posts
Showing posts with label random house. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Sunday, July 31, 2011
The Publishing Industry - Just so you'll know.
This very enlightening article explains it all in great detail and leaves no question as to why the publishing industry is the way it is presently. I quote it often and will continue to do so. The link I initially gave is a bit weird now though. So I've found a new link to the page:
This is the new link.
Though I've discussed it before it seems when I post about it again that new readers are immediately shocked and surprised. If you're an author and you want to understand more about why things are the way they are then you need to go to the link above and read it thoroughly.
For your viewing pleasure I will only quote some excerpts:
This is the new link.
Though I've discussed it before it seems when I post about it again that new readers are immediately shocked and surprised. If you're an author and you want to understand more about why things are the way they are then you need to go to the link above and read it thoroughly.
For your viewing pleasure I will only quote some excerpts:
"The 1920s saw the founding of such important publishing houses as Simon and Schuster, Random House, Alfred A. Knopf, and Viking Press. Although Random House would grow to be the largest and most successful publisher in the country, and would hold that position into the twenty-first century, Simon and Schuster introduced some important industry innovations with long-term consequences."
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Amazon Continues To Give Publishers Run-Around.
For all of those who'd post otherwise, I'm not talking about publishers that have the money and the where-with-all to sue Amazon or otherwise cause them loss of business if they don't pay attention to them. I'm speaking of all those OTHER publishers who are at Amazon's mercy.
Oh you want an example. Well while I can give you many, I'll stick with my own frustrations as not only can I provide facts but also prove that the facts are genuine.
Amazon shows the Hardback of Never Ceese as being available through them as "new." The hardback of Never Ceese is out-of-print though and has been out of print for some time. More recently, the rights to the book have reverted back to me. I have the letter from the original publisher that states this.
Baker & Taylor, the original distributor, also has the letter. I sent it to them upon request and after a conversation I had with them. Do I know whether they actually stopped distributing the book? No. And I doubt that they did but I would have to take legal action to force them to and I don't have that kind of money.
Regardless of whether Baker & Taylor are acting in a legal manner or not, Amazon should. I've told them of the matter as well. I told them that if they list the hard copy as new and available through Amazon as such then they are breaking the law. The basic response to all of my emails to them, please talk to the publisher even though I am the publisher.
Bottom line, buy the book through second-hand sellers. I still don't get money but neither does the original publisher who liquidated over 4000 copies without giving me the opportunity to buy them back myself, keeping 250 copies so they could sell them themselves. How much did I make off of Never Ceese the hardback? A $500 dollar advance against royalties. So basically $500 dollars and some pocket change. Considering what I paid for editing, the original publisher didn't edit the book, and publicity, the original publisher did little in this area, I will forever more be in the red for the hardback of Never Ceese.
Oh and if Amazon has copies and you buy one, it's stolen and they know it because I've told them and provided them with information to show this. Way to go Amazon. Keep on bullying.
Sue Dent
Oh you want an example. Well while I can give you many, I'll stick with my own frustrations as not only can I provide facts but also prove that the facts are genuine.
Amazon shows the Hardback of Never Ceese as being available through them as "new." The hardback of Never Ceese is out-of-print though and has been out of print for some time. More recently, the rights to the book have reverted back to me. I have the letter from the original publisher that states this.
Baker & Taylor, the original distributor, also has the letter. I sent it to them upon request and after a conversation I had with them. Do I know whether they actually stopped distributing the book? No. And I doubt that they did but I would have to take legal action to force them to and I don't have that kind of money.
Regardless of whether Baker & Taylor are acting in a legal manner or not, Amazon should. I've told them of the matter as well. I told them that if they list the hard copy as new and available through Amazon as such then they are breaking the law. The basic response to all of my emails to them, please talk to the publisher even though I am the publisher.
Bottom line, buy the book through second-hand sellers. I still don't get money but neither does the original publisher who liquidated over 4000 copies without giving me the opportunity to buy them back myself, keeping 250 copies so they could sell them themselves. How much did I make off of Never Ceese the hardback? A $500 dollar advance against royalties. So basically $500 dollars and some pocket change. Considering what I paid for editing, the original publisher didn't edit the book, and publicity, the original publisher did little in this area, I will forever more be in the red for the hardback of Never Ceese.
Oh and if Amazon has copies and you buy one, it's stolen and they know it because I've told them and provided them with information to show this. Way to go Amazon. Keep on bullying.
Sue Dent
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Gotta love these groups! NOT!
So I get an email solicitation today. Here it is:
I know y'all are eager to see my response. So here it is! ;D
Greetings Sue Dent,
We thought you might be interested in our site for authors!
Author & Book Promotions promotes literary works by best-selling and new authors wanting greater online book publicity! A&BP have worked with authors across the globe including Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Caribbean, and the United States.
Our mission is to bring as much publicity to Authors of all stages and expose their books to readers around the world! We not only want to support those whose works are in print, we also seek to guide those who aspire to become authors in the book marketing process.
For authors wanting greater exposure, a Featured Books section is available. It is a service that A&BP is providing to best-selling and new authors seeking an increase in their online book publicity.
Sincerely,
A&BP
Author & Book Promotions
I know y'all are eager to see my response. So here it is! ;D
Sorry I've seen this group on FB and several other groups like it but it is my belief that until you STOP offering publicity to "best-selling" authors your small efforts to help new and small-pubbed authors will fall on deaf ears. Clearly "best-selling" authors don't need help, DUH! And mentioning them is pointless. They're already "best-selling" and have access to all sorts of promotion already. Also mentioning these authors sort of defeats the purpose of what you propose your little FB page is for. Just my opinion of course.
Sue Dent
Give me a break!
Friday, April 1, 2011
Sue Dent signs multi-million dollar contract with Random House!
I've been waiting forever to post that headline. Thank-you April "FOOLS" Day for finally arriving so I could. And so everyone asks, "Sue if they did offer you that, would you turn it down? Knowing how you feel about large publishers and all."
To the "everyone" who might venture to ask this, that's one scenario I'll never have to worry about so I don't feel inclined to speculate.
To the "everyone" who might venture to ask this, that's one scenario I'll never have to worry about so I don't feel inclined to speculate.
HAPPY APRIL FOOLS DAY THOUGH!
Sunday, March 13, 2011
New York Times Best Sellers List for E-BOOKS???
Sure. Why not? And it seems some self-pubbed authors are making the list.
Oh my!
Should we be impressed?
Well, I don't know about impressed. It did make me want to go explore however. And so I did.
It should be common knowledge by now that the New York Times Best Selling print book list is determined by the number of books a publisher sells to bookstores. It should also be common knowledge that large publishers regularly ship tons of new releases to their large bookstores to ensure their numbers stay up, something small press and self-pubbed authors can't do. One, because they can't afford to play the big bookstores game of making books returnable and two, large bookstores won't order their books in large quantities. That's a deal they have with large publishers only.
Therefore the New York Times Best Sellers list for print books reflects which large publisher unloaded more books to their bookstores than say, the other large publishers that month. The number is not based on actual purchases of the books. There's no way to accurately track that.
Now lets look at how they're judging (or not judging) sales of ebooks. Here's what it says on the bottom of the list if you look:
You don't say. Leading on-line vendors. Hmm . . . who would that be I wonder. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, the very few on-line sites that cater to and are associated with large publishers. I noticed a few e-books on the list from authors who self-pubbed at Lulu. I thought, wow, they're considering books that Lulu sells. Then I decided that since all small press and self-pubbed authors end up on Amazon, whether they like it or not, that this is where the ranking comes from.
"Big deal," you say. "It still made the list."
You have a point there but the point is lost with me as I'll not list my ebooks on Amazon or Barnes & Noble because they still don't embrace small press or self-pubbed authors and never have. Well, to be fair, Amazon makes an attempt but usually succumbs to the barking big dog publishers when it comes down to it. Also both Amazon and Barnes & Noble take liberties with the e-books they list such as offering returns? or giving them away for free in an effort to sell their e-reader?
Therefore my ebooks will never show up on the New York Times ebook best seller's list even if I sell a million copies at my virtual book signing on March 20th. And neither will thousands of other authors who choose to distribute their work through sites that aren't considered "leading online vendors" and who don't take liberties with the work that they are only supposed to be distributing. EGADS!
And so it continues!!
So nope. For right now, I'm not impressed that a self-pubbed author makes the NYT best-sellers ebook lists but you can be impressed if you want to be.
Oh my!
Should we be impressed?
Well, I don't know about impressed. It did make me want to go explore however. And so I did.
It should be common knowledge by now that the New York Times Best Selling print book list is determined by the number of books a publisher sells to bookstores. It should also be common knowledge that large publishers regularly ship tons of new releases to their large bookstores to ensure their numbers stay up, something small press and self-pubbed authors can't do. One, because they can't afford to play the big bookstores game of making books returnable and two, large bookstores won't order their books in large quantities. That's a deal they have with large publishers only.
Therefore the New York Times Best Sellers list for print books reflects which large publisher unloaded more books to their bookstores than say, the other large publishers that month. The number is not based on actual purchases of the books. There's no way to accurately track that.
Now lets look at how they're judging (or not judging) sales of ebooks. Here's what it says on the bottom of the list if you look:
E-book rankings reflect sales from leading online vendors of e-books in a variety of popular e-reader formats.
You don't say. Leading on-line vendors. Hmm . . . who would that be I wonder. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, the very few on-line sites that cater to and are associated with large publishers. I noticed a few e-books on the list from authors who self-pubbed at Lulu. I thought, wow, they're considering books that Lulu sells. Then I decided that since all small press and self-pubbed authors end up on Amazon, whether they like it or not, that this is where the ranking comes from.
"Big deal," you say. "It still made the list."
You have a point there but the point is lost with me as I'll not list my ebooks on Amazon or Barnes & Noble because they still don't embrace small press or self-pubbed authors and never have. Well, to be fair, Amazon makes an attempt but usually succumbs to the barking big dog publishers when it comes down to it. Also both Amazon and Barnes & Noble take liberties with the e-books they list such as offering returns? or giving them away for free in an effort to sell their e-reader?
Therefore my ebooks will never show up on the New York Times ebook best seller's list even if I sell a million copies at my virtual book signing on March 20th. And neither will thousands of other authors who choose to distribute their work through sites that aren't considered "leading online vendors" and who don't take liberties with the work that they are only supposed to be distributing. EGADS!
And so it continues!!
So nope. For right now, I'm not impressed that a self-pubbed author makes the NYT best-sellers ebook lists but you can be impressed if you want to be.
Concerning Virtual Book Signings . . .
From press release:
Making books non-returnable to survive in large bookstores set up to only distribute large publishers books is a bad idea anyway. The scenario of these bookstores ordering thousands of books (to subsequently push large publishers books to the top of best seller's lists) and sending all most all of them back for FREE isn't a scenario that will EVER work for small press or self-pubbed authors. It will take them down and has in record numbers.
And because I've neither the funds nor the "connections" to advertise my book signing the way each and every large publisher does, I MIGHT sell five books. Thank you large publishers for taking over the world with your money. I guess that means you WIN!
Concerning the idea of a virtual book signing Sue says, "It's a very real solution to a very real problem. Large chain book stores are distribution centers for large publishers. They don't embrace small published authors and certainly not self-pubbed ones. Most of us aren't even allowed to do signings. The reason? We have to play it smart and make our books "non-returnable" so bookstores don't eat us alive. Large book stores won't order your books if you make them non-returnable which means you don't get a book signing. A virtual book signing means we don't have to worry about dealing with these bullies anymore and we can sell face to face with folks all over the world!"
Making books non-returnable to survive in large bookstores set up to only distribute large publishers books is a bad idea anyway. The scenario of these bookstores ordering thousands of books (to subsequently push large publishers books to the top of best seller's lists) and sending all most all of them back for FREE isn't a scenario that will EVER work for small press or self-pubbed authors. It will take them down and has in record numbers.
And because I've neither the funds nor the "connections" to advertise my book signing the way each and every large publisher does, I MIGHT sell five books. Thank you large publishers for taking over the world with your money. I guess that means you WIN!
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Not your usual LAME Virtual Book Signing!
That's right. There have been a few others ATTEMPTING to do a BRICK & MORTAR book signing and broadcasting it live via whatever platform providing the guest with a signed electronic CARD or label they can PASTE into their PRINT book should that be what they order.
My Virtual Book Singing will be the first ever and probably only one of its kind for quite a while where you receive, shortly after the signing, your very own personally signed DRM Free PDF to be converted into whatever format is your preference via one of many sites out there that allow this.
The up side, I don't have to go near a large "bully" book store and YOU get an ebook signed to YOU or to whoever you'd like it signed to with a personalized message. Just wanted to clarify that. No other author or publisher has offered this to date.
Here's the link once more in case you need it. ;D
Hope to see you there!
My Virtual Book Singing will be the first ever and probably only one of its kind for quite a while where you receive, shortly after the signing, your very own personally signed DRM Free PDF to be converted into whatever format is your preference via one of many sites out there that allow this.
The up side, I don't have to go near a large "bully" book store and YOU get an ebook signed to YOU or to whoever you'd like it signed to with a personalized message. Just wanted to clarify that. No other author or publisher has offered this to date.
Here's the link once more in case you need it. ;D
Hope to see you there!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Oh Let's do dicuss Random House shall we!
Alternante-Title: How many times do we have to watch large publishers go down this road?
New article out and hot of the press. What are large publishers doing now besides running around blindly as they hit wall after wall after wall. Well here ya go! A nice article on Random House's goings on.
Again just a link to support my discussion about parts of it. ;)
Oh boy! Small publishers of the world rejoice as one. The large publishers who could care less about your existence and step on you at every turn have now ALL decided on a way to hopefully keep you locked out of the market.
No! Really? Of course they showed up on Kinde and Nook stores. The Nook is Barnes & Nobles ereader format. Barnes & Noble is a chain bookstore set up to distribute books published by large publishers. DUH! And Amazon . . . well, they're just Amazon and for Random House another safe haven because the books are DRM encrypted (which really means very little if you know anything about anything.)
What? What? What?
Oh YEAH!!!! Another distributor attempting to corner the market by making something digital impossible to buy from anyone but them. *Sue chanting* "Go Apple, it's your birthday . . . go Apple . . .!"
I'm so glad all the large publishers know what they're doing. Aren't y'all? All I can say about this particular news is that, well, the APPLE doesn't fall far from the tree! HA!
Did you really think large publishers weren't going to band together to try and form some sort of alliance. They did it during the depression to survive with Simon and Schuster going out on that proverbial limb to extend that insane return policy to keep their bookstores from going under. All the other publishers of the day had to follow suit or go under.
Just keep this in mind. When it says large publishers have all joined together to do something, it doesn't mean they all agree. It simply means they don't trust each other. They're all in heated competition and each one is so influential that if something works for one of them the others are sure to fail if they don't go along with it.
This should all be very interesting to watch. *Sue sits back with her bucket of popcorn.* Very interesting indeed.
New article out and hot of the press. What are large publishers doing now besides running around blindly as they hit wall after wall after wall. Well here ya go! A nice article on Random House's goings on.
Again just a link to support my discussion about parts of it. ;)
Random House, one of the largest book publishers in the world, has finally joined its peers in coming on board to Apple's digital e-book platform, the last of the major publishers to do so.
Oh boy! Small publishers of the world rejoice as one. The large publishers who could care less about your existence and step on you at every turn have now ALL decided on a way to hopefully keep you locked out of the market.
Random House books do appear on the Kindle and Nook stores . . .
No! Really? Of course they showed up on Kinde and Nook stores. The Nook is Barnes & Nobles ereader format. Barnes & Noble is a chain bookstore set up to distribute books published by large publishers. DUH! And Amazon . . . well, they're just Amazon and for Random House another safe haven because the books are DRM encrypted (which really means very little if you know anything about anything.)
Apple has tweaked its guidelines and enforcement for apps like Kindle and Nook, which means it may soon not be possible to buy e-books on an iPad from any place other than the official iBooks outlet. . .
What? What? What?
Oh YEAH!!!! Another distributor attempting to corner the market by making something digital impossible to buy from anyone but them. *Sue chanting* "Go Apple, it's your birthday . . . go Apple . . .!"
I'm so glad all the large publishers know what they're doing. Aren't y'all? All I can say about this particular news is that, well, the APPLE doesn't fall far from the tree! HA!
Did you really think large publishers weren't going to band together to try and form some sort of alliance. They did it during the depression to survive with Simon and Schuster going out on that proverbial limb to extend that insane return policy to keep their bookstores from going under. All the other publishers of the day had to follow suit or go under.
Just keep this in mind. When it says large publishers have all joined together to do something, it doesn't mean they all agree. It simply means they don't trust each other. They're all in heated competition and each one is so influential that if something works for one of them the others are sure to fail if they don't go along with it.
This should all be very interesting to watch. *Sue sits back with her bucket of popcorn.* Very interesting indeed.
Listen to the "big dogs" bark on ebooks!
Yes, I believe ebooks are another wonderful way to get your books to your customers. It isn't the end-all to everything but technology has certainly made it a fun venture. It's also done a FINE and glorious job of leveling the publishing playing field.
Perhaps the MOST entertaining part of this technology for me has been watching the "big dog" publishers react. With profit margins flying out the window, they're hard-pressed to justify charging as much as they do for ebook versions of their print book. How do they explain where the money goes when EVERYONE knows there is NO real cost involved in creating an ebook.
On to the heart of this blog. Someone posted this story on FB today. I read it. It tickled me to know end. I'm not going to explain the article. I'll simply post the link if you wish to enjoy it as much as I did. Here's the link.
I will say it's an article about HarperCollins so that the comment I post next will make sense. Here's the comment made by Harper Collins.
Wow! Really? The "book publishing world" is "agreeing" on things such as an international standard for ebooks? Did Amazon not get the memo? Did anyone outside of HarperCollins get the memo? Sure they did. Do you want to guess who comprises "the book publishing world" mentioned here? It ain't us small publishers I can tell you that. And according to them EPUB is an international standard?
Well slap me twice and hand me to my momma!
*Sue pats HarperCollins on the back.* Okay, y'all just hold onto that thought. Who are we to dispute what you and the "book publishing world" agree on. Y'all got all the money!
So yeah, if you want an ebook of Never Ceese show up 3-20-2011 at my virtual book signing to get your DRM free PDF signed and personalized and convertible to your ebook format of choice EVEN the apparent INTERNATIONAL STANDARD. Y'all gonna sit back and let the "big dogs" determine what the international standard is? Go ahead on then.
Perhaps the MOST entertaining part of this technology for me has been watching the "big dog" publishers react. With profit margins flying out the window, they're hard-pressed to justify charging as much as they do for ebook versions of their print book. How do they explain where the money goes when EVERYONE knows there is NO real cost involved in creating an ebook.
On to the heart of this blog. Someone posted this story on FB today. I read it. It tickled me to know end. I'm not going to explain the article. I'll simply post the link if you wish to enjoy it as much as I did. Here's the link.
I will say it's an article about HarperCollins so that the comment I post next will make sense. Here's the comment made by Harper Collins.
He also said that the book publishing world has been fortunate in agreeing early an international standard around the ePub e-book format, . . .
Wow! Really? The "book publishing world" is "agreeing" on things such as an international standard for ebooks? Did Amazon not get the memo? Did anyone outside of HarperCollins get the memo? Sure they did. Do you want to guess who comprises "the book publishing world" mentioned here? It ain't us small publishers I can tell you that. And according to them EPUB is an international standard?
Well slap me twice and hand me to my momma!
*Sue pats HarperCollins on the back.* Okay, y'all just hold onto that thought. Who are we to dispute what you and the "book publishing world" agree on. Y'all got all the money!
So yeah, if you want an ebook of Never Ceese show up 3-20-2011 at my virtual book signing to get your DRM free PDF signed and personalized and convertible to your ebook format of choice EVEN the apparent INTERNATIONAL STANDARD. Y'all gonna sit back and let the "big dogs" determine what the international standard is? Go ahead on then.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Why are e-books returnable?
Music and software isn't returnable unless there's a download problem so why do the few e-book distributors out there offer e-books as being returnable for other reasons beyond that? The return policy for print books was put in place originally by Simon & Shuester during the depression to keep small bookstores of the day (now your large bookstores) from going under. All of the other publishers joined in so they wouldn't lose sells but nothing changed after the depression as it's hard to take something back once given.
Offering e-books as returnable for up to 7-days after purchase is ridiculous. Especially when you consider how little an e-book costs to begin with. Unless of course the e-book is provided by a larger publishing house who is still trying to operate under the mentality that folks will pay the same amount for an e-book as a print book even though it costs FAAAAAARRRR less to produce it. *I would like to laugh at this mentality but fears readers will let large publishers get away with this.*
Furthermore, why do authors not question this? It isn't like you have to put up with it. If a site doesn't let YOU the publisher decide whether you want to make the book returnable than something is very wrong. Why not just sell the e-book yourself? I actually know the reason for that. It seems there's no way for an individual to encrypt their e-books so they can't be stolen by law-abiding citizens who seem to not be able to obey the law.
So I guess we're at their mercy until an encrypting program comes along that an individual publisher can afford and utilize. Anybody know of one?
Offering e-books as returnable for up to 7-days after purchase is ridiculous. Especially when you consider how little an e-book costs to begin with. Unless of course the e-book is provided by a larger publishing house who is still trying to operate under the mentality that folks will pay the same amount for an e-book as a print book even though it costs FAAAAAARRRR less to produce it. *I would like to laugh at this mentality but fears readers will let large publishers get away with this.*
Furthermore, why do authors not question this? It isn't like you have to put up with it. If a site doesn't let YOU the publisher decide whether you want to make the book returnable than something is very wrong. Why not just sell the e-book yourself? I actually know the reason for that. It seems there's no way for an individual to encrypt their e-books so they can't be stolen by law-abiding citizens who seem to not be able to obey the law.
So I guess we're at their mercy until an encrypting program comes along that an individual publisher can afford and utilize. Anybody know of one?
Thursday, February 17, 2011
B &N Screws yet another author. And they're working the big dogs now!
I came across an interesting post on my FB page two days ago, from another author. As usual, I checked the publisher. I don't want any authors writing for publishers who discriminate based on denomination littering my page. Well this author actually did write for one of those publishers. His latest book was published by Stone House, Wesscott Marketing's "Christian" arm. I raised my finger to hit unfriend when something stopped me. I'm not sure what it was but something said, "hold up. Give him a chance."
So I perused his FB wall and found from his recent post that he was recently screwed by Barnes & Noble. Still I felt little remorse. After all, he's published by "one of those" publishers. I perused his wall a little longer to find him freely using words like "ass" and "f&*k" and oh MY!!! LOL Maybe I was wrong about Stone House. Maybe they weren't targeting that "Christian" market at all.
As it turns out Vincent Zandri is a straight up kind of guy (whom I'm quite honored to have met.) He's been published by some of the big dog publishers (in the day when such a thing was possible and actually happened.) His Barnes & Noble nightmare is outlined here in a blog post he made on his blog. It pretty much mirrors ALL the experiences EVERY small press or self-pubbed author is going through and has gone through since forever. Only now it's waaaaaay worse.
As I said in another blog, there is no mystery behind why chain bookstores are failing. They refuse to embrace that publishers exist outside their little world of Simon & Schuster and Random House and Knopf and the list goes on. It isn't the economy and it certainly isn't technology that's bringing them down. If anything technology has leveled the playing field. It has done what needs to be done.
Watch large publishers as they try to maintain a foothold outside their little story-book fairy tale of an existence. Welcome to the Jungle remains my motto.
My feelings on Stone House publishing taking on Vince Zandri, well I certainly have some but I'll keep from sharing them here. ;D
Feel free to ask though.
So I perused his FB wall and found from his recent post that he was recently screwed by Barnes & Noble. Still I felt little remorse. After all, he's published by "one of those" publishers. I perused his wall a little longer to find him freely using words like "ass" and "f&*k" and oh MY!!! LOL Maybe I was wrong about Stone House. Maybe they weren't targeting that "Christian" market at all.
As it turns out Vincent Zandri is a straight up kind of guy (whom I'm quite honored to have met.) He's been published by some of the big dog publishers (in the day when such a thing was possible and actually happened.) His Barnes & Noble nightmare is outlined here in a blog post he made on his blog. It pretty much mirrors ALL the experiences EVERY small press or self-pubbed author is going through and has gone through since forever. Only now it's waaaaaay worse.
As I said in another blog, there is no mystery behind why chain bookstores are failing. They refuse to embrace that publishers exist outside their little world of Simon & Schuster and Random House and Knopf and the list goes on. It isn't the economy and it certainly isn't technology that's bringing them down. If anything technology has leveled the playing field. It has done what needs to be done.
Watch large publishers as they try to maintain a foothold outside their little story-book fairy tale of an existence. Welcome to the Jungle remains my motto.
My feelings on Stone House publishing taking on Vince Zandri, well I certainly have some but I'll keep from sharing them here. ;D
Feel free to ask though.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
My thoughts on the current trend of large bookstore closings!
Large bookstores were once small bookstores who helped large publishers get their books to readers. When technology changed and made it easier and less costly to publish, along came small publishers. Large bookstores refused to acknowledge the change. Large publishers were fine with this. It limited the competition. Large bookstores weren't about to bite the hand that has fed them so long. But I'll bet they never expected that same hand to actually starve them to death and then come back looking for the scraps. Funny how that worked out. And I don't mean funny ha-ha either. :(
For those of you who say that technology ruined the publishing industry, you couldn't be more wrong. Technology has leveled the playing field and so to all those large bookstores who are collapsing under their unwillingness to embrace small and self published authors and to all large publishers who can't figure out which way to turn now, I have only this to say and you should just be glad you can't hear me sing it. . .
Welcome to the Jungle!
You can have anything you want but you better not take it from me.
For those of you who say that technology ruined the publishing industry, you couldn't be more wrong. Technology has leveled the playing field and so to all those large bookstores who are collapsing under their unwillingness to embrace small and self published authors and to all large publishers who can't figure out which way to turn now, I have only this to say and you should just be glad you can't hear me sing it. . .
Welcome to the Jungle!
You can have anything you want but you better not take it from me.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Nice eye-opener for Small Publishers.
I just called a Barnes & Nobles in Georgia to see if they, because sometimes individuals stores do, allow for Small Press authors to come in on conssignment since B&N corporate discourages, frowns on and otherwise makes it impossible for Small Press publishers to come into the stores and was told this (I am paraphrasing as I don't remember word for word):
CRM: Since you're a local author--
Me: I'm not local.
CRM: Small publisher, (actually that was word for word so far) then we would have to call our district office (maybe home office. Basically "B&N are Us") and have you approved and they only approve large publishers.
Me: Actually I already know that but have run into a few B&N's who will still take books on consignment from a Small Publisher. Just calling around to see if I might stumble across one.
CRM: Actually their phasing the in-store CRM's out. A lot of us have been laid off and the ones they've kept are for outside sales, like schools and businesses. They're working toward no more in-store events. Maybe you can find another store that does this.
Me: Based on what you just told me I'm sure I won't waste my time.
So there you have, B&N has regulated Small Publishers, not to the back burner, but out of the running altogether thus showing their true colors. Fine. The big publishers saved your butt once, let them go down with the ship.
CRM: Since you're a local author--
Me: I'm not local.
CRM: Small publisher, (actually that was word for word so far) then we would have to call our district office (maybe home office. Basically "B&N are Us") and have you approved and they only approve large publishers.
Me: Actually I already know that but have run into a few B&N's who will still take books on consignment from a Small Publisher. Just calling around to see if I might stumble across one.
CRM: Actually their phasing the in-store CRM's out. A lot of us have been laid off and the ones they've kept are for outside sales, like schools and businesses. They're working toward no more in-store events. Maybe you can find another store that does this.
Me: Based on what you just told me I'm sure I won't waste my time.
So there you have, B&N has regulated Small Publishers, not to the back burner, but out of the running altogether thus showing their true colors. Fine. The big publishers saved your butt once, let them go down with the ship.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Why are large chain bookstores going under?
*******
Note: facts suggest that Christian chain bookstores are going under for a completely different reason than the one given here since they weren't around during the depression. I may blog about that later.
*******
As with anything, there are many opinions out there but I tend to gravitate to finding the facts. Not that it will keep things from happening the way they're happening but at least, armed with the facts, I can help others understand should they want to.
Many businesses seem to be failing in light of the internet or the ability for others to provide something digitally and quicker than the brick-and-mortar store. And while I'll agree with this theory in part I do not feel it is the primary reason for the demise of larger bookstores.
Does it matter what I think? No, not really but if you read on you'll at least know why I feel the way I do and perhaps you'll sleep better tonight.
Here's an excerpt I've posted before from an article I link to quite frequently. Since it is in an on-line encyclopedia it is unbiased and can't readily be pulled or changed due to my linking to it. I only point this out because many articles I find on the internet now lead to dead links having been moved all together. While I say that I'm not worried about this link going anywhere, I've copied it none-the-less. It has valuable information in it. Here's the link and here's the excerpt:
"The Great Depression of the 1930s hit the book publishing industry as hard as it hit every other sector of the American economy. Booksellers at that time were mostly small local businesses, and to help them survive the economic hardships of the depression, Simon and Schuster invented a system allowing booksellers to return unsold copies of books for credit against future purchases."
(Warning long sentence coming up. Read with caution.) I typically use the above excerpt to point to the reason why once-smaller-now-larger bookstores don't give a poop about small pubbed authors while pointing out that it is this return policy that bites small press in the butt so that they have to make books non-returnable just to keep once-smaller-now-larger bookstores from taking them down which as a result keeps once-smaller-now-larger bookstores from ordering small press books because they can't return them whenever they darn well please causing small press to eat the print cost of their book because AS WE ALL KNOW, no POD publisher wants to pay for shipping of the returned-from-the-bookstore books to be sent back to them. (long sentence over.)
Today I will use the excerpt to point to a much different issue. If large publishers cared so much back in the depression that one of them, Simon & Schuster and subsequently the others for sheer survival--broke protocol and created a return policy that would help the bookstore more than the publisher, then why aren't they acting today? These are THEIR bookstores. The same ones from the depression.
Where is the call to arms? I don't see it? The larger chain bookstores of today are the once-small bookstores of yeasteryear. Where are these wonderfully gracious publishers?
Many still point to ebooks as being the demise of the brick-and-mortar bookstores. I say "nay-nay." I say that if larger chain bookstores embraced and worked with small press (afterall there are more of us than them) the same way they work with larger publishers or at least offer us something as lucrative, they most likely wouldn't be in the shape they're in today.
I'm certain that large publishers (starting with Simon & Shuster) meant well by offering the hang-by-the-neck-until-dead (for small press anyway) return policy but after reading the above excerpt, one has to wonder at their motive. Okay, maybe not everyone but I certainly do.
Small press publishers might help but it's difficult to do this when the door is shut and locked to their presence. I'll not mention the insults that are heaped upon small press when they actually attempt to ask for the type of agreement larger bookstores share with larger publishers. Ooops.
I hate to see this happen as I hate to see any large entity go down but it's their own fault . . . in my opinion.
Oh and since small press books are swatted down at every turn, here's the best place to go to find Black Bed Sheet Books recently published edition of Never Ceese
Buy Never Ceese here!
Hey, if I didn't tell you, how would you know?
Note: facts suggest that Christian chain bookstores are going under for a completely different reason than the one given here since they weren't around during the depression. I may blog about that later.
*******
As with anything, there are many opinions out there but I tend to gravitate to finding the facts. Not that it will keep things from happening the way they're happening but at least, armed with the facts, I can help others understand should they want to.
Many businesses seem to be failing in light of the internet or the ability for others to provide something digitally and quicker than the brick-and-mortar store. And while I'll agree with this theory in part I do not feel it is the primary reason for the demise of larger bookstores.
Does it matter what I think? No, not really but if you read on you'll at least know why I feel the way I do and perhaps you'll sleep better tonight.
Here's an excerpt I've posted before from an article I link to quite frequently. Since it is in an on-line encyclopedia it is unbiased and can't readily be pulled or changed due to my linking to it. I only point this out because many articles I find on the internet now lead to dead links having been moved all together. While I say that I'm not worried about this link going anywhere, I've copied it none-the-less. It has valuable information in it. Here's the link and here's the excerpt:
"The Great Depression of the 1930s hit the book publishing industry as hard as it hit every other sector of the American economy. Booksellers at that time were mostly small local businesses, and to help them survive the economic hardships of the depression, Simon and Schuster invented a system allowing booksellers to return unsold copies of books for credit against future purchases."
(Warning long sentence coming up. Read with caution.) I typically use the above excerpt to point to the reason why once-smaller-now-larger bookstores don't give a poop about small pubbed authors while pointing out that it is this return policy that bites small press in the butt so that they have to make books non-returnable just to keep once-smaller-now-larger bookstores from taking them down which as a result keeps once-smaller-now-larger bookstores from ordering small press books because they can't return them whenever they darn well please causing small press to eat the print cost of their book because AS WE ALL KNOW, no POD publisher wants to pay for shipping of the returned-from-the-bookstore books to be sent back to them. (long sentence over.)
Today I will use the excerpt to point to a much different issue. If large publishers cared so much back in the depression that one of them, Simon & Schuster and subsequently the others for sheer survival--broke protocol and created a return policy that would help the bookstore more than the publisher, then why aren't they acting today? These are THEIR bookstores. The same ones from the depression.
Where is the call to arms? I don't see it? The larger chain bookstores of today are the once-small bookstores of yeasteryear. Where are these wonderfully gracious publishers?
Many still point to ebooks as being the demise of the brick-and-mortar bookstores. I say "nay-nay." I say that if larger chain bookstores embraced and worked with small press (afterall there are more of us than them) the same way they work with larger publishers or at least offer us something as lucrative, they most likely wouldn't be in the shape they're in today.
I'm certain that large publishers (starting with Simon & Shuster) meant well by offering the hang-by-the-neck-until-dead (for small press anyway) return policy but after reading the above excerpt, one has to wonder at their motive. Okay, maybe not everyone but I certainly do.
Small press publishers might help but it's difficult to do this when the door is shut and locked to their presence. I'll not mention the insults that are heaped upon small press when they actually attempt to ask for the type of agreement larger bookstores share with larger publishers. Ooops.
I hate to see this happen as I hate to see any large entity go down but it's their own fault . . . in my opinion.
Oh and since small press books are swatted down at every turn, here's the best place to go to find Black Bed Sheet Books recently published edition of Never Ceese
Buy Never Ceese here!
Hey, if I didn't tell you, how would you know?
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
You'll just sound like you don't know what you're talking about.
To all my author friends out there who come to me for advice on occasion (don't understand it myself but okay) please keep this in mind. When you break the book market down into "Secular" and "Christian" you are showing your ignorance. That isn't meant to be mean even though I used the word ignorance. When you use these two labels to define the overall market you are telling any general market publisher you might be soliciting that you don't understand the industry at ALL!!!
Those general market publishers that are familiar with the two labels will write you off as someone who obviously writes for the targeted market that spawned the two labels and most general market publishers leave targeted markets alone.
The Christian Booksellers Association is most notable for using these to labels as they seem to believe that their targeted fiction is the only "Christian" fiction out there and any other fiction is "secular." If you're a Christian author seeking publication and your work has general market appeal it would be in your best interest when talking to publishers that you stay away from distinguishing the market as such.
There is general market fiction and non-fiction. Under this umbrella fall all the different genre's of the world. Just because some targeted market publishers say otherwise doesn't make it so. Good grief!
Those general market publishers that are familiar with the two labels will write you off as someone who obviously writes for the targeted market that spawned the two labels and most general market publishers leave targeted markets alone.
The Christian Booksellers Association is most notable for using these to labels as they seem to believe that their targeted fiction is the only "Christian" fiction out there and any other fiction is "secular." If you're a Christian author seeking publication and your work has general market appeal it would be in your best interest when talking to publishers that you stay away from distinguishing the market as such.
There is general market fiction and non-fiction. Under this umbrella fall all the different genre's of the world. Just because some targeted market publishers say otherwise doesn't make it so. Good grief!
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