Category: e-Book Publishing (Page 5 of 5)

A recent release from the Association of American Publishers, which reports continuing growth in eBook sales, prompted some reflection on the business of self-publishing. While our Evolved Publishing venture is not self-publishing, neither is it a clone of the traditional publishing model. We are a hybrid small press.

When I was in the U.S. Air Force—about a million years ago—I toiled in an office where nine individuals worked with, and often against, each other. Within our section, we performed three primary functions. The nine individuals, in random combination, rotated between those three functions. Seems fair, right?

Just one problem: one of those functions provided greater headaches and pressure to perform than the other two, and nobody wanted to go anywhere near it. Hey, we were government employees—no one advanced on merits; only seniority mattered. So why bust your butt to perform a stressful, thankless job if you didn’t have to? I should make clear that this was not my attitude.  Mama taught me better. Four or five in our section, however, had not learned those proper lessons.

When half a team—geez, I hesitate to call what we had a team—crashes the team bus in a fiery ball, the entire team burns up. The end result? Poor performance, poor service, poor atmosphere, poor outlook. Poor. Thus, some lowly bottom-of-the-ladder two-striper—that would be me—approached the section chief with a proposal: convert the nine hey-I’m-just-in-it-for-me individuals into three let’s-pull-together teams. Let each team of three learn to rely on each other to succeed—no whining, no finger-pointing. If one member of the team failed, the entire team failed, and their individual performance reviews would reflect that. Suddenly, it was in everyone’s interest to ensure that the other members of the team succeeded (only two others on the team now—much more manageable).

If my teammate needed help, I helped—this new dynamic swept through the section. Even the one or two hopeless sourpusses had to step up, because no one wanted to shoulder the blame for a team’s poor review. No one wanted to be a pariah. Better yet, and on a more positive note, those very sourpusses appreciated that now, finally, someone else was in their corner, rather than constantly fighting against them.

We no longer suffered the lesser demons of nine individuals. We now encouraged the greater angels of three teams.

This lowly two-striper even received a U.S Air Force Achievement Medal, for “designing creative solutions to promote excellence in service.” Hoo-rah!

I took the lessons learned in that setting into the real world (working for the government bureaucracy, even if military, is not the real world). As I took on management roles in a couple companies, responsible for hiring, training, project and personnel development, I focused heavily on the team approach. No, all was not bliss. You can’t bring together a large group of people and expect everything to be perfect.

Nonetheless, I saw firsthand, time and time again, how a well-coordinated team always outperformed a group of individuals focused solely on themselves. On top of everything else, the sense of camaraderie it promoted, when it worked well, created a pleasant working atmosphere… and quite often, lasting friendships.

Now, we bring this same philosophy to our new publishing company. If you haven’t already, and particularly if you’re an aspiring writer, I hope you’ll check out what we’re doing at Evolved Publishing.

‘Til next time, and as always, remember: To write well, you must work hard. To succeed in this tough gig, you mustn’t be lazy (or discouraged).

e-Books continue to dominate the marketplace, and those in the old brick-and-mortar publishing business are sweating bullets.

Many are warning of this trend, and of what it will mean to the business. As an author who’s soon to release his book for the e-Reader market, my question is simple: Who cares?

I don’t mean to be snarky (well, maybe I do), but perhaps if fewer publishers treated authors, the very reason publishers even exist, as a necessary nuisance, the industry would be suffering less. They protest such claims, yet when most authors (those who aren’t already famous and established) can earn so much more by releasing an e-Book, can do so easier (by an unfathomable order of magnitude), can retain their rights for their lifetimes, and must do all their own marketing anyway, why would most authors pay attention to the cries of the old-world publishers?

For too long, in my opinion, publishers have had it precisely backwards.  Authors do not exist to support publishers. Publishers exist to support authors. In the end, the work is all that matters—the story/biography/expose/how-to book/etc. The writing is the engine that propels the industry.

It should be a symbiotic relationship, a partnership, a mutually respectful and beneficial arrangement. Yet that often seems to be the case only for established authors, those who’ve already proven themselves a safe bet—beyond risk. I read many blogs and websites that suggest otherwise, that tow the company line, as it were—out of loyalty, or political correctness, or fear.

Part of the reason for the success of e-Books is that many authors and aspiring authors are saying, “Enough is enough.”

Those old-world publishers can fix at least some of their problem, if they would treat budding authors more as partners and less as gambles to which they’re willing to risk little or nothing. Success in any business always involves a fair amount of risk. Every business attempts to minimize it to the greatest extent possible, of course, and well they should. Yet for too many authors, the publisher’s doubts and aversion to risk becomes a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy. Their sheer incompetence on issues of marketing, alone, makes one wonder if they get it, or if there’s any hope they’ll survive.

They face plenty of challenges, to be sure, and some of those will be daunting, impossible to overcome completely. Yet the sooner they recognize as a group that they no longer own a monopoly, that authors now have options that don’t include them, and therefore no longer need to act as doormats, the sooner those publishers can develop some workable solutions.

Will they do it? Will they dedicate themselves to service and shared rewards? Perhaps. Eventually. After many of them have died off.

It’s a harsh, competitive world out there—as it should be. For the first time in a long time, markets are actually opening up for authors. What a refreshing twist.

If publishers can’t offer authors convenience, service, and value that makes clear they at least recognize the new competitive environment, then many will surely die. And, if that’s the case, then I say, “Good riddance.”

Someone’s taking away the spoiled kids’ silver spoons. Ah shucks.

New opportunities will arise for booklovers and authors alike. If the old fail, the new will step in. That’s the way of the world. Some of those old publishers should go back to school. They seem to have missed a lot the first time around. Or perhaps they got greedy and took too much for granted.

See this online article about the old brick-and-mortar publishers’ continuing demise: Kindle, Nook, Other E-Readers Wrecking Publishing Industry: Report.

‘Til next time, and as always, remember: To write well, you must work hard. To succeed in this tough gig, you mustn’t be lazy (or discouraged).

In my March 17th post, To e-Publish or Not To e-Publish; That Is the Question, I mentioned that I’m working to establish a new e-Publishing group.  My partner and I are making some progress, including a name and website (we’ll share all of that soon), commission schedules, basic mission and strategy, etc.  We’re still a long way from done, but we’re moving forward.

One of the big concerns we’ve had—indeed, the real impetus for this project—is how to rise above the inevitable noise in what will be a crowded field of new eBooks.  How can we get our books noticed, and then build sales momentum?

There are many answers to that question, but I’ll focus on one in particular here: Professionalism.

One of the advantages the old brick-and-mortar publishing industry offered book buyers was this simple assurance: “We reviewed, and likely edited, this book prior to publication, and you can rest assured it meets the industry’s standards for quality work.”  Publishers, editors and literary agents served as “gatekeepers” for the industry, guaranteeing at least a minimum of professionalism.

Yet who shall be the gatekeepers of this brave new world of eBooks?

Well… no one.  Mostly.

For the books put out by our group, at least, we will be the gatekeepers.

Our work, and that means the work of everyone in our group, must be professional grade.  For the sake of this discussion, let me just assure you that we have a plan in place to guarantee professional quality.  Great!

Now, how do we get the word to potential book buyers?  Two words: Marketing, Reputation.

First, we have to deliver on our promise right out of the chute, with the very first books we offer.  Second, we have to build steadily on that reputation, advancing it with each additional book we release, so that our group’s name will be synonymous with professional literature.

Our name, stamped on a book’s cover, must serve as a SEAL OF APPROVAL for discerning readers who expect professional level work.  That will take some time, and great diligence on our part, but that’s the plan.  Readers will know this when they purchase a book with our group’s stamp of approval on it: the book has already passed our own rigorous internal review.

We are the gatekeepers.  If we’ve endorsed it, buyers can relax and purchase the book with great confidence.  It may or may not be a story that appeals to them, but they can take comfort that the book is professional: correct spelling, proper grammar (excluding stylistic flare, of course), proper structure, a coherent plot and well-drawn characters.  Professional.

Readers will come to trust us, which means readers will come to trust our authors.

That’s the plan.

Watch for future news, as our group progresses and we are able to formalize our offering, particularly if you’re an author, editor, or graphic artist looking for new opportunities.  Just know this: WE WILL DEMAND PROFESSIONALISM at every step in the process.  Our readers will expect no less.

Stay tuned.

‘Til next time, and as always, remember: To write well, you must work hard.  To succeed in this tough gig, you mustn’t be lazy (or discouraged).

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