Friday Fun – Ebooks vs. Print Books

Friday Fun is a group post from the writers of the NHWN blog. Each week, we’ll pose and answer a different, get-to-know-us question. We hope you’ll join in by providing your answer in the comments.

QUESTION: Our experience with these mediums is always changing. Let’s talk about the pros and cons of digital vs. printed ink – as readers and as writers. 

Jamie Wallace: We are reading and writing our way through an evolution of the written word. Not since the Gutenberg Press has there been such evolution and upheaval around the capturing and dissemination of ideas and stories. It feels like someone pushed the fast-forward button and we’ve all been propelled into a brave new world without warning. As a reader, I’d say that I spend half my reading time with printed materials and half with digital media. My digital reading consists mainly of blog posts and online articles with a few ebooks thrown in on my Kindle. My print reading is split between magazines and books (both fiction and non-fiction). I prefer print books when the material is something I’m studying. Navigating back and forth on the Kindle is too unwieldy for me, and although the idea of digital note-taking is appealing, I haven’t found it easy to do in real life. With fiction, I can go either way, the medium doesn’t impact my enjoyment of the message. As a writer, though I appreciate the expediency and economical efficiency of digital distribution, I still hope to eventually publish in both formats. There is something about holding a physical book in my hands that I know will be deeply satisfying. I don’t want to pass that up.

Lisa J. Jackson: I’m always going to prefer print reading. I just like holding the paper in my hands. That said, I got a Kindle as a birthday gift last year, and have a bunch of books on it – that I have yet to read. I can see the benefits of using an e-reader on a plane or on vacation to avoid having to pack a lot of books, but so far, I haven’t had the time or desire. And, to me, having to worry about ‘charging’ my book in order to read it makes me a little crazy. Will the battery die right at the good part?  E-books are big sellers, so I certainly want my writing to be in print and in e-book versions.

Julie Hennrikus: I used to be the kind of woman who used half of her suitcase for books. My Kindle (and Kindle app) have changed that. When I have a friend releasing a book, I pre-order it for downloading on my Kindle. Most of my entertainment reading is done digitally these days. That said, I still have too many paper books. I recently donated six boxes of books, and can donate more. It made me think a lot about this question. What books do I keep/value? Which don’t I? I kept non-fiction and reference books. I kept books I treasure. I kept coffee table books. And I kept books that had been signed to me. I love this digital age, and the ease of reading. My aging eyes love that I can bounce up the font size. But to ponder, to think? I need paper.

Deborah Lee Luskin: I own a Kindle, and I take it when I travel, which leaves  room in my suitcase for a toothbrush and a change of clothes, which is nice. But I was horrified the first time I took it on a plane and had to turn it off for take-off and landing. So now I always travel with a print magazine, as well – one I can leave on the plane when I arrive at my destination. I also prefer magazines and printed matter when I read in the bath – for obvious reasons! (I know, there’s a waterproof case available, but .  .  .) I’m impressed by my Kindle -  being able to download a new book from the middle of nowhere, to change font size, and to read for months between charges. But when all is said and done, I still prefer to read books. But digital books make sense – and money. It’s a fabulous method of distribution, and since I brought the eVersion of my print book out myself (never sold the electronic rights), I’m pleased by the higher royalties I receive for these.

Wendy Thomas – I have a Kindle and a Nook. I’ve downloaded and read many books on each device. (I have also watched many movies on my Kindle but that’s probably a different conversation.) The beauty of an eReader is that if I want a book, I can literally get a copy of it within minutes.

I also, however, continue to buy hard copies of books (far too many, if you ask my husband.) I personally don’t like reading an eBook it just doesn’t have the same experience for me as holding a book in my hands.  But I recognize that eBooks are the way of the future. It’s clearly a waste of resources to print books on paper when you can immediately deliver electronic files.

eReaders are also changing who gets published.  Now anyone who has a computer can write and “publish” an eBook. That means that we have access to an unprecedented amount of new writing – some of it very good, some it, well, not so good.

Moving to eBooks (and as a culture, that’s where we are going, do you think anyone under the age of 15 is ever going to buy a hardcopy book?) means that we are going to have to rely on new ways to get the word out on which eBooks are worth reading. eBook reviewers (good ones, not those who are being paid to review) are going to become very important and eBook marketing is going to look very different from the large cardboard displays we currently see in book stores.

Diane MacKinnon: I love books and magazines and all things printed. But, my Kindle has saved my back when traveling and possibly my marriage. The first time I traveled with my husband, he was horrified to see me packing enough books and magazines to last me a month if we were going somewhere where there was nothing to do but read–which we weren’t. And, we were going for a long weekend. When he asked me if I needed all those books, I said “yes.” When he tried to convince me to leave at least the hardcovers at home, all I could say was: “I need them. I’m not saying it’s rational, I’m just saying I need them.” He gave me a Kindle as soon as the first one came out. I love it. I download a book before I leave home and, if I’m feeling squirrelly in the airport, I download another one (or two) just to be on the safe side. Plus, I have all my archived books. I tend to download nonfiction books I know I’ll reread to my Kindle so I have them with me at all times. As a writer, I hope to hold my own book in my hands someday, but I’ll be sure to make it available for the Kindle, too.

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Where Do You Find New To You Books To Read?

I was a voracious reader as a child. In those days, book recommendations came in the form of school assignments or the Scholastic Book club flyers. Fast forward more years than I’d care to count, I am once again a voracious reader. I have a Kindle people and I am NOT afraid to use it! I have a bunch of samples in a folder labeled TBR (To Be Read), but I don’t think you can EVER have enough books in the wings. I am always looking for book recommendations.

So, in a reversal of the old “You show me yours and I’ll show you mine”, I’ll tell you where I get my book recommendations, hoping, you’ll tell me where you get yours. Who knows, maybe we’ll both end up with new suppliers of good book crack.

• Twitter – Although I’ve heard it said otherwise, I get many of my book recommendations from Twitter. I follow a number of my favorite authors and a few editors. I always know when my fav’s next release is due, but they are also excellent sources for new authors. They tweet “Happy Release Day to XYZ” and I head to Amazon to check it out.
• Amazon – Speaking of the behemoth, I frequently get book recommendations for new Authors from the “Customers Who Bought This Also Bought” section.
• Yahoo! Groups – I’m subscribed to several Yahoo! Groups associated with different writing groups. Some of them are made up of local writers that I know IRL, but several are large groups made up of writers from around the country and around the world. I’ll skim the table of contents at the top of the summary post looking for new release announcements and again head off to Amazon to grab a sample.
• Publisher E-mails – I’ve consented to allow a few romance publishers to market directly too me. Carina Press is the one that jumps to mind, but there are a handful of others. It’s nice to get the cover, a description and an excerpt right in my in box

Those are my biggies. I have yet to sign on to Good Reads because I’m not one to check out reviews prior to buying a book. I prefer to make my own judgement based on the sample I’ve read.

What is your best source for book recommendations?

Lee Laughlin is a writer, wife, and mom, frequently all of those things at once. She blogs at Livefearlesslee.com. Her words have appeared in a broad range of publications from community newspapers to the Boston Globe.

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Top 10 Gifts for Writers

What do you give a writer? You can’t bottle inspiration, buying an agreeable agent would probably be out of your budget, and I don’t think the antidote for writer’s block has been discovered yet (though I’m betting a placebo would do just as well).

Have no fear. There are plenty of widely available and reasonably priced gift ideas for the writer(s) in your life. Here are my top 10 picks (which may or may not be on my own list).

• Pens and Notebooks: If you’ve been hanging out here at Live to Write-Write to Live, you already know we have a pretty strong addiction to pens and notebooks. They are, after all, the writer’s constant companion and tools of the trade. We can never get enough. Seriously. Never.
• Online and Offline Classes and Workshops: Nothing makes writing procrastination more palatable than being able to say the “distraction” (in this case an educational opportunity) is actually helping you with your craft. Enable your writer friend with a seat in a virtual or real world classroom. There are also a lot of different book-ish courses out there in the online world, covering everything from writing to publishing to e-publishing to proposal writing. Worth a look.
• Coffee Shop Gift Certificates: Cafes are a writer’s home away from home. Help us pay our transient rent by tossing us a few bucks for one of those fancy, foreign drinks that make our fingers twitch and our brains reel.
• Writing Software: This one could go either way: procrastination tool or productivity booster. Writing software can be tricky to select, but I don’t think you can go wrong with the cream of the crop – Scrivener (originally only for Mac, now also available for PC).
• Writing Books (and E-books!): Like pens and notebooks, we can never get enough books on writing. In moments of desperation, we’ll take advice from anyone so don’t worry too much about which title to choose. Just find something with a comforting looking cover. (May I suggest anything by Larry Brooks?)
• Consultations and Services: Perhaps your writer friend could use an editor’s assistance or a professional review of a book proposal. Giving professional services may be just the fire your writer friend needs under the proverbial butt.
• Tickets to an Event: Professional networking events, author speaking tours, and writer’s conferences can be pretty pricey. Give your writer friend the opportunity to rub shoulders or admire from afar with tickets to a special event. (Earlier this year, my beau and I went to the Portsmouth Music Hall to see Neil Gaiman speak – loved it!)
• Reading Accessories: Writers are, by default, readers, so anything related to reading works. There is, of course, the ubiquitous e-reader, but you might also consider a subscription to Audible Books (audio books aren’t cheating), or some nifty something-or-other from Levenger.
• Reading Material: Books, magazine subscriptions, e-books … we don’t really care about the format, we just want more good stuff to read. (And, please, try to support an indie bookstore if you can!)
• Time: The best gift of all for any writer is time. Is your writer friend a mom who has a hard time carving writing time out of her busy day? Offer to babysit for an afternoon. Maybe your writer friend is a colleague who can’t finish his book outline because he’s always having to work late. Offer to help out at the office so he can leave on time. Maybe your writer friend is your spouse. Skip the honey-do list for a weekend and give him or her forty-eight hours of uninterrupted (and enforced) creative time.

Whatever gift you choose, something to do with writing and/or reading will let the scribe in your life know that you support that creative urge. That’s what we love to hear. So, merry-merry and happy-happy and good writing to all!

What was your favorite writerly gift ever – given or received?

Jamie Lee Wallace is a writer who also happens to be a marketer. She helps her Suddenly Marketing clients discover their voice, connect with their audience, and find their marketing groove. She is also a mom, a prolific blogger, and a student of voice and trapeze (not at the same time). Introduce yourself on facebook or twitter. She doesn’t bite … usually.

Image Credit: Oliver Hammond (“sparkled” using iPhone app LensLight)

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Kindle Fire vs. Hard Copy Books – who wins?

Last week I wrote a post about the new Kindle Fire I had gotten. Since then, it turns out my college son has won a Fire in a school auction making us a two Fire family and I’ve got to say, we couldn’t be happier. We are now able to share our electronic library, he at college, me at my office. There is no longer any geographical distance or time constraints on what we read and pass on. 

I’ve continued to read books on my Fire and watch movies. (Cowboys and Aliens, le sigh) and even my husband has gotten into the act and has watched all three of the Dragon Girl European movies. Although he admits that his tablet now feels heavy, he is in agreement that the Fire should be considered a personal entertainment device and not something on which to do work.

It’s small, portable, easy to use, and literally gives me any book at the touch of a screen. What’s not to like, right?

Except that if you followed the conversation under the post, you’d see that actually there are a few things not to like about the Fire (more accurately e-readers in general.)

The first point raised was that a hard copy books feels good in your hands. Those of us who are readers know where this argument is going. There is a sensual quality to holding the story, in being able to quickly flip back a few pages, and in opening a book to the last page you were on without having to press a button first and wait for the system to turn on.

I get it, trust me, I get it. I have a few thousand books in my house (no lie) I’m right up there with you about liking the feel.

But I also know that the more I use an e-reader, the more I get used to reading from it. Holding the book doesn’t mean as much as it used to. The cover I have (Marware Jurni) opens up like a book, it’s a similar sensation. I’m not sure if I’m just getting used to the e-reader or if the feel part of a book, really wasn’t that important after all.

Bottom line is the more I use my Fire, the weaker that old “in my hands” argument becomes.

Another point was that with e-readers, local independent bookstores will most likely go out of business.

That one I can’t argue, it’s true, local small book shops might be a thing of the past, like the local butcher (um, even large bookstores are a thing of the past, Borders, anyone?) Times change, media changes, there are very few out there using 8-track cassettes anymore, we’ve moved on. Sure I’ll mourn the passing of small bookstores but it doesn’t necessarily mean that the “indie” author voices won’t get heard. With the ability to download a book file at a cost of roughly 1/3 that of a hard copy book, chances are I am going to be reading a lot more books than I would normally. That means I’m going to be supporting a lot more authors.

There is a chance, that e-readers will get authors’ books out to many more people than if they were solely found on an independent bookstores shelves. My guess is that e-readers are going to be the best friends of up and coming authors.

Lastly, the point was raised that e-readers contain plastics ,metals, and chemicals and are actually horrible for the environment when disposed. And while that may be a valid point, once purchased, the e-reader could potentially help to lessen the direct impact publishing has on the environment. After all, if you follow the life of a book, someone has to print it, drive the trucks that deliver it, and create the advertising that promotes it. Take the entire Harry Potter series, the trees, the travel, the fuel used to transport. Harry made more than just a literary impact.

Although books are recyclable, as thekalechronicles pointed out, I have yet to ever recycle a book, other than to donate books to Senior Centers or the Goodwill. Those of us who love books rarely send them off to the recycle center. It would just break our hearts in half. As one who reads up to three books a week, this drug of choice of mine can over time end up having a significant impact on the environment – the Fire can certainly help to ease that load.

Look, I’m not a techie. I hate the fact that every time I get a new phone I have to get a newer version (complete with new functionality.) Why can’t I just get what I had? I tend to like things the way they are.

To a degree.

But, when I look at my kids, the writing is clearly on the wall (or in the case, in the e-reader) this is a new generation of kids who are learning to read off of computers. Although they are willing to gobble up everything on a subject (including all relevant books), they have absolutely no interest in buying books at the bookstore. Why waste the time in travel and browsing haphazardly filled shelves when you can do a quick electronic search and immediately find what you need?

“Geesh, get with the times mom.”

 

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Wendy Thomas is an award winning journalist, columnist, and blogger who believes that taking challenges in life will always lead to goodness. She is the mother of 6 funny and creative kids and it is her goal to teach them through stories and lessons.

Wendy’s current project involves writing about her family’s experiences with chickens (yes, chickens).

All I want for Christmas is an Amazon gift card. 

Photo credit: AlishaV

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Review of the Kindle Fire – walk with me

I recently got a Kindle Fire.

Can I just say right here and now, that I love it? I’d had a Kindle before but it left me feeling kind of blah, lots of grays and it just didn’t feel good in my hands. Reading the hard copy of a book was still more satisfying. My older Kindle is currently in the boys’ room being used as the download accessory for all High School assigned paperbacks. They don’t care that’s it’s gray, as long as they can read the chapter for the test tomorrow. 

So when I won a Kindle Fire in Jonathan Field’s book launch party for this video, although I was excited, I didn’t have the greatest of expectations. After all, my husband had just gotten one of the $99 HP tablets and I thought, the Fire couldn’t be much better than that, right?

Except that I was wrong and it is.

The Kindle Fire is a nice size and weight to hold, you can actually hold it in one hand (unlike the tablet which would cause your wrist to get whiplash.) It’s sleek and thin. It’s also intuitive to use. The operating instructions were included as a small card in the shipping box. The only reason I even looked at them was to evaluate the design.

The first thing I did was to sync up the Fire with my other Kindle. Bam!, all my books were instantly available to read (including my sons’ school books, but I’m not going to tell them that.)

I decided to take the Fire for a test drive and downloaded The Boy in the Suitcase, a new book that’s getting so much buzz it was on my list of books to pick up next time I went to the book store. A $9.99 download is very nice compared to the $24 jacket price. $14 saved right there. (And yes, I spend hundreds, if not thousands at books stores, very often just passing the book on to friends when I’m done – that part I might actually miss (the passing on of books, not so much paying the cost.))

I’ve finished the book and it was enjoyable. In fact, at times I forgot that I was reading on a Kindle, it felt like I was just reading a book. I even read it in bed at night, no need for a lamp because of the lighting, a nice touch when you husband goes to bed early so that he can do the 5:00 a.m kids’ swim team practice drop-off (2 mornings a week.)

The only downside was when one particular chapter made reference to something in a previous chapter that I had missed, it was a little tough trying to flip back to the page I had wanted to reread. I imagine though, that as I get more used to electronic books, this will get easier.

Yesterday I was at the Doctor’s office and he suggested I read a book on Lyme Disease – Cure Unknown – Inside the Lyme Epidemic  (yup, we have several kids infected with it right now) and while I was still in the waiting room, I got on the Fire and downloaded the book. That evening I started reading it.

He’s right, the book is both well written and heart-breaking. My Fire gave me instant knowledge on the subject – something that as I writer (and mother of sick kids), I can really appreciate.

I’ve downloaded a movie on my Fire, it’s a nice personal size on which to watch (better with headphones.) Certainly not the best device to see the “big screen extravaganzas” but then, that’s why there are movie theaters. For something like The Nightmare Before Christmas it works just fine.

And please, don’t get me started on Angry Birds (damn that little boomerang one, anyway.) If you are a gaming person (I’m not, to tell the truth, it was a short and torrid love affair with those cantankerous birds) I imagine the Fire will be a better device than the small screen in a phone or the larger one on the tablet. It’s more portable, more discrete, something you can pull out when waiting for the kids’ to be done with the swim team practice in the afternoon (2 times a week.) Your very own personal entertainment center.

Don’t get the Fire if you want to use it as a writing device. You’re able to access the net and do things like search or check your email but a tablet or a laptop is still going to rule in the writing department. And if you do get a Fire, consider a protective case a necessity. I got the red zippered Marware ($29.99). As one who dropped and cracked her (un-insured) Droid the first day I got it, I didn’t rest well until my Fire was buckled and zipped inside it’s case. Consider it a necessary added cost to the base price of $199 for the Kindle Fire.

Bottom line? Love the Fire. As much as I adore holding a book in my hands, electronic books are the way of the future. It’s kind of like when we were asked to move from the literal cut and pasting of our news stories from a legal pad to that of a word processor. How many of us continued (for awhile anyway) to write the story in long hand and then re-typed it into the computer just because we didn’t trust the new process or it didn’t feel right?

I’m not sure how many writers still do that these days, just as I’m not sure how many readers are going to continue to read hard copy books just because that’s what they feel comfortable with and, for now anyway, trust more than reading their stories in electronic format.

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About Wendy Thomas 

 Wendy Thomas is an award winning journalist, columnist, and blogger who believes that taking challenges in life will always lead to goodness. She is the mother of 6 funny and creative kids and it is her goal to teach them through stories and lessons.

Wendy’s current project involves writing about her family’s experiences with chickens (yes, chickens).

And this time, if you need me, I’ll be in my yellow reading chair with my Kindle Fire. 

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Structure First, Story Second Debate

If you read this blog, you’ve probably seen the name Larry Brooks mentioned a few times. Larry is a writer who takes one of the most sane approaches to writing I’ve ever seen. He believes that all marketable writing should fit into a formula, a predetermined map where predictable events (such as plot points) happen at predictable places in the novel. If you follow the formula, he contends, you have a better chance of being published then if you did not.

Mr. Bad Self - Larry Brooks

As an ex-tech writer, I absolutely love this approach. I can see how it makes a writer’s life so much easier. If you know that you need to have a plot point at roughly one-quarter of the way into your book, then that’s where you plan to put it.

I can’t tell you, however, how many discussions I’ve had with other writers about how this is a “fake” way to write. “A good writer emotes, she tells her story her own way.” And while that might be true, I’m guessing that that creative writer is probably not published. You can be the best emoter in the world but if no one buys your stuff that leaves you being nothing more than a starving-emoter who writes well.

Not what I want to be when I grow up.

I have signed up for Larry’s email list (if you haven’t you should, it’s free and he sends out terrific information) which is how I found out that Larry is running a special on his website this month. If you buy an electronic copy of one of his books he’ll send you free (FREE!!) a .pdf copy of his book “Get Your Bad Self Published.”

Here’s the offer:

Hi — thanks for being a Storyfix.com reader.  Which means you’re a writer… which in turn means you might like the little free ebook promo I’m running in August.  Go to www.storyfix.com for more.  I’ll make this short here:

I’ve just launched three of my previously published novels (including my USA Today bestseller and my PW “Best Books of 2004″ honoree) via Kindle, Smashwords and Nook. To help this get going, I’m offering a free copy of my ebook, “Get Your Bad Self Published” when someone buys one of those novels (for $2.99; the free ebook sells for $14.95, so it’s a pretty good deal).

The freebie offer also applies to my most current novel (“Whisper…”), AND to my new writing book, “Story Engineering” (new purchases only, please).

The books and deal are described HERE, hope you’ll check it out.

If you’d like to learn more about the FREE eBook itself, click HERE.  Just don’t click “Buy” on that page, you can get it free by opting in to the buy-a-novel-get-the-ebook-free offer.

Larry
www.storyfix.com

Well how could I refuse right? I ordered the e-copy of his book, sent him my electronic receipt and in the return mail Larry sent me the .pdf file. In my email I also happened to mention that some of my writer friends continue to have heated debates with me on his material, that they claim that if you plan a book out the way he suggests then it’s not “real” writing.

This is Larry’s response, worthy of inclusion in a post on this blog:

Interesting. I always wonder what those writers are thinking… because… the books of successful authors who don’t understand or accept these structural principles — including those of your group members who happen to author a successful story — end up with a story that looks ALMOST EXACTLY, in terms of structure, layering, and the demonstration of all six core competencies, as writers who BEGIN with these goals in mind.

It’s really a debate (or issue) about process, never about outcome. Because the outcomes — which are the SAME as the goals of the six core competencies and the principles of solid story architecture — is always the same basic model. You can’t, nor can they, come up with meaning exceptions or contrary examples without resorting to ancient literature or experimental fiction. This is about commercially-viable, professional (as in, commerce) writing, not journaling.

Hope you’ll share this answer… I always wonder, when put under the gun on this stuff, who these writers think they are (are they published and successful?) to say what is “real writing” and what isn’t. Process is personal, outcome is defined outside of that, and is not negotiable. Even by “real writers,” which in this case are writers who aren’t for some reason, able to process or proceed according to a proven pathway, but rather, think they must carve their own path toward the goal… which is in the exact same place.

And by the way, I’m a “real” writer, I can assure you and your group. I have the scars, and the published track record, to prove it. (BIG SMILE HERE, Wendy.)

The debate is unwinnable. The outcome of it, however, it inevitable.

I’m happily married with 6 children, but man, I LOVE this guy.

How about you? On which side do you fall in the structure debate? Structure is how it sells or structure is a sell out?

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Wendy Thomas is an award winning journalist, columnist, and blogger who believes that taking challenges in life will always lead to goodness. She is the mother of 6 funny and creative kids and it is her goal to teach them through stories and lessons.

Wendy’s current project involves writing about her family’s experiences with chickens (yes, chickens).

And someday you’ll be reading a book about our chicken adventures that was written using  Larry’s “Story Structure” guidelines. 

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The One Thing Every Successful Writer Needs

Whether they write fiction or non-fiction, pen children’s books or spy thrillers, self publish or have a NY publishing contract, every successful writer has one asset that they can’t live without: an audience.

The thing most authors get wrong about “audience,” is that you automatically get one when you get published. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The truth is most agents and publishers expect you to bring the audience to them. When a new author is under consideration, the size and quality of her existing audience is one of the key factors that will be examined. From the publisher’s point of view, a strong audience helps mitigate the risks of launching a new author. If you can deliver a certain number of prospective readers, buying your book is much more viable business decision. For self-published authors, having a strong audience is even more critical. That network will be the foundation of your whole book-marketing platform.

Another common misconception is that the best time to build your audience is once your book is published. The truth? If you’re only starting to think about your audience as your book is coming off the presses, you’re way behind the 8-ball. “Build it and they will come” only works in the movies. Building your reader audience is something you can be doing before you’ve even finished your book’s outline. Finding, reaching, and building your audience takes time. Don’t wait until you’re sitting there with a warehouse or kitchen full of books. Build the audience and then deliver the product.

But don’t stop there. Even the authors who get audience building right can still slip up by falling into the “build and abandon” trap. To leverage the true power of your audience, it’s not enough just to build it. You have to nurture it. Smart authors develop a strong relationship with their audience. They initiate a dialog and keep that conversation going through blogs, social media, and real world appearances. Building an audience requires intention, strategy, and old-fashioned work. Though many people will try to sell you on, there is no silver bullet, uber-automated way to build a truly loyal audience. You need to “attract and retain” each member of your audience; and that’s an on-going job.

The bottom line is this: your audience is by far your most valuable asset. Lose your agent, your publisher, your editor, or your publicist, but don’t lose your audience. If you do, your professional writing career is done for. Kaput. Get really clear about this fact: your audience is what makes you or breaks you.

Audience building and nurturing is a topic I’ll be covering a lot in future posts, but for now – in case you missed them the first time around – here are a couple of related posts that might help jump start your thought process around building your own audience:

Building Your Social Network from Scratch

The Writer’s Platform (a four-part series)

What questions do you have about building an audience for your work? What parts scare you? What do you think you can and can’t handle? 

Jamie Lee Wallace is a writer who, among other things, works as a marketing strategist and copywriter. She helps creative entrepreneurs (artists, writers, idea people, and creative consultants) discover their “natural” marketing groove so they can build their business with passion, story, and connection. She also blogs. A lot. She is a mom, a singer, and a dreamer who believes in small kindnesses, daily chocolate, and happy endings. Look her up on facebook or follow her on twitter. She doesn’t bite … usually.

Image Credit: Giorgio Rafaelli 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Your Book, Your Way

Shortly after Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press, the publishing house was born: Publishers owned the presses, bought the rights to what they published, and established a network for marketing and distribution. Five hundred years later, digital technologies now allow authors to publish their own books, retaining the rights and sometimes earning money from the enterprise. In this rapidly changing industry, there’s a lot for an author to learn, and Sonja Hakala’s Your Book, Your Way: How to Choose the Best Publishing Option for Your Book, Your Wallet and Yourself is a great place to start.

            Hakala has many years’ experience in all aspects of the business, from author to book designer to publicist to publisher. She knows the industry, and she has written a guide outlining the many different methods writers now have to get their work to their audience. Audience is key: the author of a family history written for thirty to a hundred relatives has different publication needs from the author of a educational workbook, who has different needs from the author of a fast-paced thriller.

Your Book, Your Way lists and defines all the methods available to those who want to publish privately (books usually given as gifts to a small, specific, audience) or openly (books meant for sale in the marketplace), and then breaks down all the steps required to create a finished book, regardless of format. As Hakala points out: even eBooks need editing, formatting and design. She gives an overview of design elements a publisher must keep in mind for reading ease.

The heart of Your Book, Your Way, however, lies in the two chapters in the center of the book, one on marketing and the other on publishing math. In this digital age, it’s easy to publish; it’s much harder to sell books – no matter how they’re made available. Chapter Nine on marketing is full of advice for anyone who intends to sell their books, no matter how they’re published – including by a traditional, big house. It is these big houses that have set some of the – now archaic – standards in publishing, like the Standard Trade Discount, and other oddities of an industry whose established model is imploding.

In Chapter Ten, Hakala explains Publishing Math – including how independent publishing is likely to be more profitable for more writers than publishing with an old school publisher. Any writer intending to turn a profit would do well to learn the arithmetic Hakala explains with great clarity.

Your Book, Your Way is an essential text for anyone considering publishing their own or others’ books in today’s publishing arena. It includes a glossary of publishing terms, ample examples of parts of a book, cogent warnings against rushing unedited books into print, and a useful index. My one complaint is the sometimes hokey authorial voice, but even this is well-meant, and the clear presentation of complex information more than made up for this one stylistic tic.

Deborah Lee Luskin is the author of Into the Wilderness, winner of the 2011 Independent Publishers’ Gold Medal for Regional Fiction. Learn more at her website: www.deborahleeluskin.com

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E’s your way into being an oft-published author

Today’s post is by guest blogger Marlene Caroselli, Ed.D.

The ebook is gaining greater acceptance now that consumers are finding they actually like holding their Kindles and Nooks. If you’re a not-yet-published author, the ebook affords you a great opportunity to transition into the world of multi-book authorship. Some of the “books” can actually be booklets. They can be sold for 99 cents or even given away.

“But I won’t get rich this way!” I can hear you shouting out right now. That’s right. You won’t. But remember, the rationale behind doing a small book is not wealth. It’s credibility. You can direct readers of your blog to the book. Or, you can refer potential clients there. You can use the ebook as a giveaway to your followers. Or, link up with a charity and make the book available for fundraising purposes. And, best of all, you can list your book(s) on your resume.

VERBUM SAT SAPIENTI (A WORD TO THE WISE)

Just because it’s short, you shouldn’t give your ebook short shrift. A hastily-assembled collection of ideas can definitely taint your future if it’s filled with grammatical and typographical errors. In the world of business, they say you are only given one chance to make a lasting impression. Similarly, if your early ebooks do not reflect quality, buyers will remember and will be less likely to purchase books in the future.

HOW TO DO IT

You may wish to start with a list. You can broaden your ideas by asking friends, colleagues, and even strangers to add to your list. Then, simply expand upon each of the items. Voila. Your ebook is done.

To illustrate, you may be interested in writing for other moms. You could make a list of “Why Kids Hate Vegetables.” Brainstorm ideas and ask for input from other mothers. Then offer a love-antidote for each of the hate-reasons.

Of course, there are many other ways beyond list-making to get your book done. Once it is done, upload it to places like Booklocker, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. (If you can’t do the requisite formatting yourself, I recommend Dan Case, the editor of Writing for DOLLARS, who is both reasonable and extremely qualified.)

WADING IN THE INCOME STREAM

You probably won’t be able to do more than get your toes wet in your new income stream–at least not at first. On the other hand, you may be able to replicate the success of Amanda Hocking, a 26-year-old author, whose 99-cent books have turned her stream into a ocean-ful of dollars. In January of this year, she sold more than 400,000 copies of her books!

Dr. Marlene Caroselli is the author of 60 business books and uncountable curricula and articles. She has served as an adjunct professor at UCLA and National University, while conducting training for Fortune 100 companies and numerous federal agencies. Her assignments have taken her all over the country and the globe as well.

Hew newest book, Jesus, Jonas, and Janus: The Leadership Triumvirate explores leadership through the prism of historical figures.

In addition to books, Dr. Caroselli writes frequently for Stephen Covey’s Executive Excellence, for the Employment Times, as well as for numerous other print and electronic publications. She also writes podcasts for Workplace English Training E-Magazine.

It may be time to “dive into” e-waters yourself.

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Born Yesterday

I wasn’t born yesterday – but I might as well have been. The technologies of contemporary life are all new to me. In the past month, I’ve upgraded to an iPhone, purchased a Kindle, and brought out an electronic edition of Into The Wilderness, a novel that appeared in print last year. In the process, I’ve had to create a dizzying number of new user names and passwords, and I’ve had to learn to navigate in lesser-known waters – at least lesser known to me. But I’m determined not to become an old dog unable to learn new tricks. Indeed, I became a first-time author in middle-age; I’m just starting my career.

Not only was I not born yesterday, I’ve spent most of my intellectual life in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Britain. For me, living at the pace of a walk, in a world where penned notes passed by hand were the height of communication, seems normal. I was born in mid-century America and grew up in an era when phones were attached to the kitchen wall with a long cord, and long-distance calls such a rarity they almost always carried bad news. By the time I went to college, electric typewriters had become portable – if you were strong – and in 1984, I purchased my first computer: a MacIntosh with less memory than today’s microwave oven.

For those who were born yesterday, texting will be the norm – until something else comes along, and the best thing that those of who weren’t born yesterday can do is pretend that we were – not superficially, with cosmetics, injections and surgery, but profoundly, with a commitment to staying au courant with the technologies of publishing, which are evolving even as you’ve been reading.

To lament the end of the printed book or bemoan the advent of the electronic one seems pointless. It’s not an either/or proposition. What is new and scary and exciting is the possibility of an author controlling her own publication. When I sold the English World Rights to my publisher, I sold only the print rights and held the electronic ones for myself. Dumb luck, is all.

I found someone to convert my files through shewrites.com, an on-line writing community, and I was able to blunder my way through uploading it onto amazon myself – which is an indication of how user-friendly the process really is. Versions for iBookstore and googlebooks are in the works.

As much as I try to embrace these new technologies, I also try to honor my own limits – and to contain the business side of writing and publishing to the afternoons; I try not to let these necessary tasks interfere with the important one of creation. Because despite all the changes that technology has wrought, one thing has not changed: We are a narrative species. Lucky for us writers, humans have an insatiable appetite for stories.

Deborah Lee Luskin is the author of Into The Wilderness, “a fiercely intelligent love story” between two 64-year-olds, set in Vermont in 1964. Luskin is a regular Commentator on Vermont Public Radio, an editorial columnist, and a free-lance writer. In addition, Luskin teachers literature and writing in prisons, hospitals and libraries; she holds a PhD in English Literature from Columbia University. Learn more at her website: www.deborahleeluskin.com

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