POD Rising: Is Print on Demand the Future of Publishing or the Latest Fad?
As Sara Nelson pointed out in her Publishers Weekly Blog The Summer of POD, neither traditional publishers, nor independent presses are above approaching POD companies such as Lightning Source or Amazon’s BookSurge when there’s high demand for a title.
Simply put, publishers can approach POD printers when their inventory runs short. Instead of waiting for a massive print-run, POD printers can store a digital file of the book, which can be printed as each copy is sold. Which means, should you purchase a copy of a POD book online, the printer only needs to print your individual copy only, shipping your order the same day.
Theoretically, this not only saves traditional publishers money on physical warehouse storage space, but also ensures anyone who wants a copy, actually receives a copy in merely a few days time. In a word, POD printing allows indie presses to curtail the risk so often associated with standard printing, like:
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Going out of print because you’ve run out of copies
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Running short on titles during hot market trends
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Warehousing unsold copies of out-dated books
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Potentially wasting resources such as paper and labor
And it doesn’t seem as though POD is losing momentum. In fact, POD companies seem stronger and healthier than ever before. As self-publishing becomes a more viable and respected option for even established authors, and traditional presses begin to come around to the advantages of the print-on-demand process, the future of books has never been brighter.
Now, the smallest press can partner with The Perseus Books Group Constellation or even Author Solutions Publishing Serives Group, where publishers can basically request an affordable POD option for some of their titles and rush orders. “Out-of-print” is quickly becoming a thing of the past, and print-on-demand is definitely gaining acceptance.
The Point: Saving time, money and energy is the ultimate goal of POD, and though traditional publishers may be hesitant to the change, bother readers and authors should expect a print revolution that can benefit everyone!
1 comment September 9, 2008
Honey, While You’re Out: Traveling to Support Your Book
“I will go lose myself, and wander up and down to view the city.”
William Shakespeare-The Comedy of Errors
Going on vacation? Taking a business trip? Going to see the in-laws? Why not take your marketing plan with you?
You might as well multi-task in your free-time. As an emerging author, you are probably used to doing more than one thing at a time (hopefully making time for writing, too). Likely, you’ve become familiar with your local market and gotten involved in promoting your book in your hometown.
So if you are going to be out in the world for some reason, why not take that opportunity to double the impact you’ve already made in your local market? We’ve talked about electronic resources and going online to support your projects, but let’s not forget about the real places out there where you can make an impact.
I have personally worked with a number of authors in the past, and many have told me stories about sneaking copies of their books into bookstores and leaving them on the shelf. Nowadays, with communities like Book Crossing, you can actually tag your book and follow its progress. Who knows, your publication could take on a life of its own. Why not release a book into the wild any time you’re on the road?
While you’re at it, call ahead and see if local bookstores might have an opening for you to do a signing. Call the area newspapers, and let them know that you’re an author and you’ll be in their area soon. Editors might like to feature you in their local events, or even do a review about your book.
Don’t stop there. Contact the local radio stations where you might be wandering, and see if they would be inclined to interview you or host a radio event. There’s absolutely no shame in promoting your project. While you might not be able to take six months off for an international tour, you can definitely hit the road for other practical promotion strategies. Let’s see what kind of impact you can make while you’re out there…
“By east, west, north, and south, I spread my conquering might…”
3 comments September 4, 2008
A Novel in 31 Days: Preparing for National Novel Writing Month
Let’s talk about November, which you may know as National Novel Writing Month. That means you only have two more months to register at NaNoWriMo, and think about the novel you’ve always wanted to write.
But what is NaNoWriMo?
NaNoWriMo.com is an innovative, yet fun approach to novel writing. Anyone can register for free, and join the thousands of others in your area who want to finish a novel. All participants begin writing Nov. 1, 2008, and try to write at a 50,000-word novel by midnight, Nov. 30, 2008.
Because of the limited writing window, the only thing that matters in NaNoWriMo is output. It’s all about quantity, not quality. The kamikaze approach forces you to lower your expectations, take risks, and simply write. Reread, rewrite and revise later, but get your draft out in November.
Make no mistake: You will be writing a lot of crap. And that’s a good thing. By forcing yourself to write so intensely, you are giving yourself permission to make mistakes. To forgo the endless tweaking and editing and just create. To build without tearing down.
As you spend November writing, take comfort from the fact that, all around the world, other National Novel Writing Month participants are going through the same joys and sorrows, taking breaks and heading to work in the morning. Wrimos in your area even meet throughout the month to offer encouragement and commiseration.
In 2007, they had over 100,000 participants. More than 15,000 of them crossed the 50k finish line by the midnight deadline, entering into the annals of NaNoWriMo superstardom forever. They started the month as auto mechanics, out-of-work actors, and middle school English teachers. They walked away as novelists.
Seriously think about entering. You have a passion for writing, and you may have a novel inside you. What’s the harm? Simply register, buckle down and churn out a book. Maybe your revision will take a few more months, but we just hope you’ll remember Wordclay when you’re finished.
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Add comment September 2, 2008
We’ll Never Forget You, Beta! Wordclay DIY Self-Publishing Site Celebrates First Year With Free ISBN Promotion
It’s hard to believe that one year ago today, that the beta version of Wordclay was launched. It seems like only yesterday we were celebrating the first live chat with an author, the first book published through our DIY platform and first success story from a Wordclay author. Ah … sweet memories …
But I’ll try to focus here, because this truly is a milestone. And Wordclay wants to mark this milestone by giving back to the authors who have become the true essence that Wordclay is today.
To give back to the Wordclay community, now through Sept. 30, Wordclay is giving out a free Wordclay ISBN and Channel Distribution when you preorder 10 or more copies of your book. So, not only can you publish you book for free with Wordclay’s DIY self-publishing wizard, but you can also get a free ISBN and distribution (usually priced at $99 on Wordclay).
In a recent press release, Dave McCauley, Wordclay president had this to say about the current promo: “We are offering this promotion to authors to make it even easier for them to get their books to market and celebrate what has been an eventful and exciting year for Wordclay. With more than 30,000 registered users, we are more than pleased with the growth and popularity of this exciting publishing option.”
Since its beta launch, many writers have reached for the stars and become published authors. And established authors are reaching new heights with the help of professional services, while still remaining in complete control of their book. We at Wordclay are happy to be a part of that.
How can a free ISBN and global channel retail distribution help in marketing your book? Are there any other items you’re interested in as a writer, author or small publisher? Share what you’ve found in your publishing experiences.
-Angie
Add comment August 28, 2008
Branding Your Web Site: Maintaining Your Unique Voice on the Internet
Nowadays, promoting and selling your book means you need a strong Internet presence. Of course, you can start your own blog with WordPress, or you can create profiles in social networks like Myspace, Booksie or WOW! But in order to distinguish yourself, you’ll need your own author Web site.
Looking for free Web site design? Check out AuthorTree, or maybe even Weebly and Homestead for your options.
That said, once you’ve secured your Web site and your memorable domain name, you’ll need to establish your voice, generate content and insert images that all reflect your unique book and authorship. That’s what branding is all about – portraying a product (your book) in a catchy, yet informative away.
Here are some basic tips on how to brand an effective Web site:
- Know your audience, and design your site to meet their needs and desires.
- Think of their perspective when marketing your book and offering promotional opportunities.
- Genuinely engage real people within blogs, forums, e-mails and social networks.
- Avoid aggressive and silly copy that only seeks to sell.
- Increase your fan base with conversations that reflects your goals and voice.
- Research collaborations, partnerships and your target audience.
- Maintain a newsletter or mailing list, and consistently send updates.
- Post regularly within your own blogs and other relevant blogs.
- List all your reviews, contact information and testimonials on your site in a clear, concise manner.
Obviously, each Web site is different, and hence requires a unique brand mentality, but authors who follow the above guidelines should create sites that not only dazzle audience members, but attract new readers who could potentially buy more books!
This is Justin, blogcasting from Wordclay, signing off.
Add comment August 26, 2008
Researching, Sharing & Learning from Experience: How Search Engines Can Benefit Your Book Marketing Efforts
“My salad days/ When I was green in judgment.“
-William Shakespeare, “Antony and Cleopatra”
People often mention their early inexperience. If I had it all to do over again… If I knew then what I know now…But in the digital era of book marketing, this can actually be an advantage.
Unfortunately, earlier generations never had the option of typing words into an Internet search engine only to discover thousands of Web sites, online communities and blogs. Nowadays, however, with a simple registration, participating in communities and employing technological advantages through online research can allow you to explore new promotional concepts in cyberspace.
For example, if you have plans to schedule an event in a local bookstore, you might choose to spend a little time researching the location. Maybe visit the company Web site and find the name of the local manager. Searching, you may even find mention of the bookstore on another blog suggesting authors bring their own chairs. You may even stumble upon a comment about an event that was ruined due to the tanning salon next door that tends to block the bookstore entrance with its weekend crowd.
The above might be random examples, but you should begin to understand the necessity of researching your marketing plan. Type locations and specific book strategies into search engines like Google, Cuil and Yahoo, and you’ll likely find at least a few ongoing or resolved conversations about your question.
From the first moment an idea about a novel pops into your head, search and see if any other authors have posted about similar fiction ideas. When you finish writing your book, type “I just finished writing my book” into a search field and read the search results. You’ll be surprised at what Web site and social networks you can visit!
Don’t be afraid to share you insights and discoveries with the world either. Post a comment below about your research experience, and perhaps you help a few other emerging writers startup their career.
“Experience is by industry achieved.”
-William Shakespeare
Add comment August 22, 2008
Extra, Extra, Blog All About It: Five Basic Blog Tips for Authors
Greetings, Earthlings,
Blogging ain’t easy, especially when you’re trying to get noticed among the million or so other blogs currently posting. Intimidated? Not even sure how to manage a successful blog? Need a few pointers? Then, look no further. Wordbot has five basic blog tips that should help emerging writers and new authors make waves in the blogsphere.
Keep it short and sweet. Sure, it’s important to have a playful tone and establish a good voice, but not at the expense of your content. Make sure you have a strong SEO title and keyword-friendly first paragraph, so your readers know what your post this week is actually about. Long, irrelevant blogs will definitely get swept under the digital rug before Internet surfers have even finished reading them.
Be honest, but excited. Sometimes the truth can hurt, but as long as you look on the bright side and find a rhyme to the reason, your readers will respect you. Don’t get bogged down by negativity or marketing pessimism. Instead work to help your fellow writers and yourself with useful information and proactive suggestions.
Use your common sense. You’d be surprised – simply being practical can works wonders for your blog. When you pose real problems and offer time-tested solutions that are easy to implement and adaptable, you should definitely seem an increase in Internet traffic and positive comments. Before long, people who stumble upon your insightful posts will link back to you, ask questions about your experience and subscribe to your feedburner.
Stay current. Make sure your posts are always relevant to your mission and address topics that in the news. People want to stay in the loop. Even tidbits and reasonable predictions can make a world of different. Publishing industry buzz and printing technology updates will not only earn you hot keywords, but a contemporary audience as well.
Balance is key. When you’re designing your blog, be sure to think about your layout. Most blogs include search engines, about the blog text, author links, other site information along with a wide variety of widgets. Incorporate graphics, podcasts, viral videos, humor and information into your posts, and create a memorable blog people look to for guidance. Consider purchasing a personal domain name as well, and giving your blog a URL title that readers won’t forget.
Though there’s no guarantee that your blog will become the latest craze on the Internet, by following these rules of thumb you can definitely turn your weblog into a hot spot for your target audience.
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Add comment August 19, 2008
Zero Multiplied by Two Is Still Zero: A Wordclay Free Self Publishing Math Lesson
There’s a wonderful math lesson that we all learned one day in school: the times table for the number zero. It was wonderfully simple, and it’s a shame more of the times tables couldn’t follow zero’s lead. But when Wordclay introduced its free online publishing service, a friend to writers was born, and this times table became a new source of inspiration.
Writers pour their heart and soul into their work, but it’s true that extreme fear can set in when the reality of publishing hits. Yet there’s a wonderful truth about Wordclay I’d like to point out to writers. When you’re preparing your work for publication with Wordclay, and you want to know that it’s ready – really ready – for publishing, you don’t have to wait. Just publish it.
Now, that might sound a bit crazy. But you know that you’ve put in the time with your work, so you’ve most likely ironed out any major kinks. Once published with Wordclay, if you find a couple of errors, it’s no big deal. Since you have the control to both publish and discontinue your books through Wordclay, you’ll only be out the cost of publishing your book, which is a big fat $0.00.
Time and time again, writers of all walks find out the hard way that one of the best ways to find errors that you’ve overlooked is by reviewing your work in a new format. What better way to review your manuscript than in a compact, handy book? If you do find any errors, you can simply make the corrections and republish your book with Wordclay, which again, costs you nothing.
No matter how many times you need to republish your book, and then simply delete the previous version through Wordclay with a click of your mouse, just remember that the cost of publishing, zero dollars, multiplied two (or four or ten) is still zero dollars.
Class dismissed.
Angie
2 comments August 14, 2008
Hook, Line and Sinker: Publishing with a Sub-Title Makes All the Difference
Book titles have captured the imagination with word play and symbolism for centuries, and promise to continue doing so for centuries to come. But as the Internet becomes the new publishing marketplace and bookstores pack their shelves with hundreds of new publications each month, the sub-title has become an increasingly important feature for many books today.
Consider The New York Time’s Best Seller The Story of Edgar Sawtelle (by David Wroblewski). One of the first things most readers want to know is whether this book is fiction or non-fiction. It’s a fair enough question. Some prefer novels, while others prefer memoirs and biographies. But you can hardly tell what genre Wroblewski’s book is from the title alone.
Luckily, Wroblewski is smart to this audience, and his cover includes the brief, but descriptive sub-title “A Novel.” Think about what these two simple words establish. Suddenly, readers know the genre; online retailers know under what category to list the new publication; bookstore managers know where to shelve the title; and Wroblewski’s publisher knows one more keyword to use in their book promotion campaigns.
Even with a small sub-title “A Novel” (as with The Story of Edgar Sawtelle) or say another like “A Collection of Pop Culture Essays” can make all the difference. Don’t waste your chance to associate more keywords with your book that are not only valuable to your online marketing, but just as important to communicating the heart of your book to your readership.
To avoid confusing your target audience and retailers who are prone to list your book under the wrong genre without complete information, an informative sub-title accompanying your book can ensure that potential readers find your title and buy a copy without hesitation.
The Point: While your title can be a catchy pun or symbolic reference, don’t pass up the opportunity to inform your audience and take advantage of some valuable keywords with a descriptive sub-title.
This is Justin, blogcasting from Wordclay, signing off.
1 comment August 12, 2008
Real Writers Make Their Own Luck: Self-Promoting Your Book Sees Real Returns
“Let every eye negotiate for itself
And trust no agent.”
Much Ado about Nothing, Act 2
Some writers will be fortunate enough to fall into a lucrative writing career without much application beyond their natural talent, but let’s be realistic about the odds. With the publishing industry growing and changing, more and more people are actively participating in the market.
A colleague of mine, who works directly with emerging authors, actively reminds them not to expect full-time pay from their writing unless they are willing to put in full-time hours and effort. This is obvious, but surprisingly, many of writers are caught off-guard by this statement. Everyone would like to discover their “Golden Ticket,” however if a book is published in the woods and nobody is around to hear it, truth is it probably won’t make a dime in royalties.
That said, it’s important to adapt to the changing environment of the book marketplace. Those other authors out there are competing in the same market as you, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you should work against them. Ask both the writers who employ literary agents and the ones who don’t – both will tell you that ultimately they are their own representatives.
As a former manager in a retail bookstore, trust me when I say that there were several instances during which famous authors would get booked for a signing at our store and wind up sitting quietly by themselves in the café area. That is until our staff approached the author, asked for their autograph and encouraged them to keep at their promotion.
Those authors were often from major publishing houses with a team of marketers working the area. Even in the best case scenario, there is still a chance that working hard won’t guarantee a title or author bestselling status. There is, however, almost no chance that an author who isn’t working to draw attention to their efforts (whether through local media, public appearances or hosting big release parties) will be able to rest on their own laurels or retire on royalties.
Most self-publishing authors already know first-hand that personal investment is what got you this far. The good news is that the more you focus on your projects (prior to and after their completion), the better acquainted you will become with the market and the general response to your work. The more you put into your promotion, the more you are likely to get out of it.
“It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.”
-William Shakespeare
1 comment August 7, 2008
