Archive for the ‘Bookselling’ Category

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Understanding Amazon’s KDP Program

Saturday, November 7th, 2015

Have you published your books through the Amazon KDP program? Do you understand the statements/reports? I think I’m beginning to. I started getting confused when they introduced KOLL (Kindle Owner’s Lending Library) and now there’s KENP (Kindle Edition Normalized Pages).

Suddenly, I noticed that book sales for my Klepto Cat Mysteries were down a little, but my monthly payment from Amazon was staying steady and even rising some months. After studying some of my Amazon “reports” this week, I realized that fewer customers are buying the books outright, but more of them are borrowing books—and the author still gets paid. In fact we get paid based on the number of pages the borrower reads.

Now that’s an interesting fact on its own. How do they know how many pages are read? Technology! One of the world’s greatest mysteries. At least it’s a mystery to me. However, as long as the monthly payments from Amazon stay steady or increase, I’m a happy Amazon author. And, if you’ve been reading this blog and my books, you know that sales (even the KOLLs and KENPS) reflect the authors efforts in promoting the book. If you want to generate more income from your book, you need to do the work. Promote, Promote, Promote!

Learn more about publishing and book promotion through my series of books, “Publish Your Book,” “Promote Your Book,” “Talk Up Your Book,” and “Propose Your Book.” All available at http://www.matilijapress.com

Posted in Book Promotion, Bookselling | No Comments »

Why Write a Book Proposal?

Monday, September 7th, 2015

At some point during the process of writing a book, you may realize that you need a book proposal. Maybe you’ve finished writing your memoir, travel guide, business book, cookbook, mystery, or historical novel and you’re seeking publication. You approach a publisher or an agent who says, “Please submit a complete book proposal.”

Perhaps you’re just thinking about writing a children’s book, a how-to, or an inspirational book and you’ve recently join a local writers’ group or attended a writers’ conference. Surely, during a workshop, a presentation, or even casual networking, the term book proposal will come up.

You wonder, “What is this thing called a book proposal?” And some of you will resist finding out for as long as you can. You’ll go ahead and write your book to please yourself. When you start receiving rejection slips from publishing houses every time you submit the finished manuscript, you may realize that you should have written a book proposal. You eventually learn that, in some cases, this formality can make the difference between a publishing contract and that dreaded rejection letter.

Not only is a book proposal required by most publishers of fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books today, you (the author) should consider it a mandatory part of the book writing/publishing process. Why? A complete book proposal can help you to make better decisions on behalf of your book project, thus experience greater success.

If you’ve resisted the task of writing a book proposal or if those you’ve submitted have been rejected, this book is for you. If you’ve just entered into the world of authorship and you’re faced with the prospect of writing a book proposal, keep reading.

Propose Your Book is designed to take the mystery out of the book proposal. I know how overwhelming writing that first one can be. I was introduced to the book proposal over three decades ago and I didn’t take too kindly to the idea. After dodging the bullet for as long as I could, there came a time when it was inevitable. I had to bite that very same bullet and write my first book proposal. I’ve since written dozens of my own book proposals and I’ve coached many other authors through the process of writing theirs.

Keep in mind that today’s book proposal is not the same document required by publishers in the 1980s and ’90s. Over the years, as the publishing industry has changed, the book proposal has taken on a new significance and form. The online courses I taught throughout the early 2000s, and the subsequent book I wrote featuring tips for writing a book proposal (2004), are no longer in alignment with industry standards.

While there are hundreds more publishing options and opportunities for authors today, there is also an enormous increase in competition. What does this mean for you, the hopeful author? It means that you need all of the ammunition you can muster in order to succeed with your project. Educate yourself about the publishing industry and enter into it only after you are entirely and completely prepared.

In order to succeed in the highly competitive publishing business, it’s imperative that you strive to keep up with the trends and requirements of the industry. Part of that requirement for most authors involves writing a book proposal.

If you’re stressed just thinking about this daunting task, the information and suggestions in this book may provide the antidote you need. Herein, you’ll learn to successfully meet the challenges of writing the all important and necessary book proposal with elevated understanding and purpose. Order your copy here:

 

Posted in Book Proposals, Bookselling | No Comments »

Your Book Review

Tuesday, May 6th, 2014

I read the other day through one of my online discussion groups that Amazon was running a paid review program. Color me gullible, but I was ready to believe it—but I couldn’t actually believe it. I mean, things are changing so fast and furious in publishing and companies are reaching out and trying new things… But Amazon? Naw, they wouldn’t sanction paid reviews.

Turns out, this was not an Amazon program at all—the company offering reviews for a fee was using a word in their company name that makes you automatically think it is Amazon.

Sure some book reviewers charge. But there are hundreds of book reviewers who do not charge, except, maybe, to accept a copy of your book to review, which is now frowned upon by Amazon.

Over the years, it was acceptable—even common practice—to send out review copies of your book. It’s a good way to make reviewers aware of your book. They love receiving free books—they read and review a lot of them and it could get costly. And I have to tell you that those reviewers to whom I’ve gifted my Kindle books generally make it clear that no matter how they acquire a book, they will give an honest review.

Have you been approaching reviewers for your book? Don’t know how to locate them? Not sure how to proceed with them?

Start by doing an Internet search using keywords, “Book Reviewer” or “Book Reviews” or “Reviewer+Mysteries,” “Children’s Book+Reviewer,” etc.

There are also review directories. “Directories of Book Reviewers.”

Visit blogs related to the theme of your book—cats, wild life, autism, business management, cooking, jewelry-making and so forth. Study the blog sites—often, the blogger will review your book, feature it at their site or conduct an interview with you.

For more about book reviews and hundreds of other book promotion ideas, read “Promote Your Book,” by Patricia Fry. It’s at Amazon in print, Kindle and audio.

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What’s to Become of the Book Festival?

Wednesday, April 16th, 2014

The giant Los Angeles Times Festival of Books (LATFB) is over. Typically, we would still be planning for the event, but it came earlier than usual this year. I guess the timing of Easter had something to do with that.

SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) had a presence at the LATFB as we have most of the last 18 years. But this year it was a little different than usual. Our booth still received a lot of visitors—we handed out over 300 SPAWN Catalogs of Members’ Books and 200 people signed up to receive the SPAWN newsletter. But it was not a buying public this year.

Typically, I sell around 30 or 40 of my books for authors—“Publish Your Book” and “Promote Your Book.” I sold only 3. I didn’t see many people lugging books around in tote bags or in backpacks. Those who talked about the books they carried said they were free books they picked up here and there. (Several asked if the books we displayed were free.)

My books and our members’ books received a great deal of attention. But we made few sales. Most visitors asked if the books were online. Then, before walking away, they’d ask for a card, bookmark or brochure.

I had stacks of my first two Klepto Cat Mystery books in the booth. It was fun watching so many people stop and smile at the cute covers, pick up the books and look them over, etc. Most then asked, “Are they at Amazon?” I explained, “Yes, in print and on Kindle.” Two young women pulled out their iPhones and ordered the Kindle version of one of the books on the spot. And when I returned home, I discovered that sales for the Kindle books and the print books produced through CreateSpace had increased. I hope this was true for our SPAWN members, as well.

The times, they continue to change—especially within the publishing industry. Does this mean book festivals will become obsolete? Maybe as we know them. Perhaps we’ll do online book festivals in the future.

That would be sad. There would be no face-to-face contact, handshaking, fresh air and exercise. You would miss the sights and sounds of these festive events and talking to people in person.

I can envision physical book festivals in miniature—smaller booths with computers showing intriguing and entertaining book trailers, a sample book or two on display and handouts with quick codes one could click to place an order on the spot. There would be no more expansive tables covered in colorful clothes, schlepping boxes and boxes of books from the car to the event, creating massive displays, charging credit cards and making change. However, there would still be that face-to-face connection with people and a lively exchange of ideas and information in the fresh air.

Do any of you have more advanced visions of the very likely evolution of the book festival?

If you are a hopeful or struggling author, please consider purchasing my book, “Publish Your Book.” I wrote it for the many people I’ve met at book festivals and writers conferences who have either failed as a published author or are headed in that direction. http://www.matilijapress.com/PublishYourBook.html (Be sure to use the caps as shown.)

Posted in Books, Bookselling | No Comments »

“Is my book good enough?”

Saturday, October 19th, 2013

This is a question I sometimes get from new authors. “Is it publishable?” I sometimes wonder if they actually mean, “can I make a lot of money selling this book?” Or do they simply want to know if they’d be embarrassing themselves if they publish this book?

When an author asks this, he or she usually doesn’t have a particular audience in mind. He hasn’t read other books like his in order to become familiar with the style, writing, etc. He has simply written a story or a nonfiction book that pleases him and hopes others will find it interesting or informative.

If you have a book in mind or in the works, do your homework:
• Find out if there is an audience for your book. How many people read poetry books, are passionate about their exotic fish, collect buttons or enjoy an entertaining Gothic novel, for example?

• How many books are already out there like yours? Is there room for another one? How can you make yours stand out and still keep the aspects that people want in a book of this type?

• How will you promote this book? What do you know about book promotion? Are you willing to study the process of book promotion and prepare yourself for this activity way before your book is a book?

• What do you know about your audience? What books do they want/need at this time? Where do they learn about the books they buy? Where do they buy books of this type? How do you approach this audience?

Successful authorship does not mean writing the book of your dreams and publishing it hoping someone will buy it. It means considering the points above and more. It also means opening yourself up to criticism. Sure, if you’ve done the necessary research and have produced the right book for the right audience, you’ll receive accolades. But also expect rejection and negativity from some.

All you can do is the best that you can do. But do so with knowledge and understanding. Read Publish Your Book and Promote Your Book. Available at Amazon.com in print, Kindle and audio, as well as most other online and downtown bookstores.

For an enjoyable read, order Cat-Eye Witness, the 2nd in my Klepto Cat Mystery series. http://amzn.to/1bJiq0x

Posted in Book Promotion, Bookselling, Writing | No Comments »

Kindle Novels Are Selling

Monday, August 12th, 2013

If you have a novel in the works or if you’re currently seeking a publisher, I urge you to consider signing up for the Kindle Direct Publishing program (KDP). Here are the facts: Nearly seventy-eight percent of all books produced each year sell fewer than 100 copies. Of course, that’s generally because authors aren’t aware that they need to or aren’t willing to promote.

But I believe there’s more to the story, as well. Most authors produce print copies of their books. One consideration is commitment. It takes a commitment for a consumer to purchase a print book. You’re putting out more money for a print book than you would for the same book on Kindle or another e-reader. And, when you purchase a print book, you’re taking on a sense of responsibility for that book. Now you own it, it takes up space, it requires careful handling and what do you do with it once you’ve read it? Some readers commit to the point where they will keep it, others feel they must pass it along. Along with commitment comes guilt. “If I don’t handle it with care, as I was taught in grammar school, if I don’t pass it along to an appreciative reader, if I put it in a yard sale or hand it off as a donation, I’ll have to deal with some level of guilt.”

I know, I know, I’ve sort of blown this out of proportion. But those of you who cherish books, I think you know what I’m saying here. However slight your sense of commitment and/or your sense of guilt, it’s there, isn’t it? You do take your print books—especially the really attractive ones—more seriously than you do your electronic books. Is this why so many people are purchasing my new novel, Catnapped and the novels of so many authors that I know? I’ve sold over 800 copies within two months. One new author sold 2,000 copies of his fantasy novel during the first few months.

For those of you with novels—especially your first or second one—consider signing up with KDP. So far, I’m finding it a great way to introduce a new novel. If you get a lot of interest in your Kindle book, you’re more apt to attract the attention of a publisher. So KDP might be a perfect giant step toward landing the publisher of your choice. All you have to do is promote, promote, promote and, if it’s a good book, it has been professionally edited, it’s in a popular genre, and you’ve priced it right, it should do well. https://kdp.amazon.com

If you like a good cozy mystery and if you like cats, be sure to read my novel, Catnapped. It’s a charming, gripping, romantic story that might occasionally bring a tear to your eye. http://amzn.to/14OCk0W

Read my Catscapades blog today and learn how to keep your outside cat safe. http://bit.ly/1cZs8K5

Posted in Bookselling, E-Books | No Comments »

Card Readers, Amazon and Library Sales

Tuesday, April 23rd, 2013

I’m still catching up with my contacts made from the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. I had to manually make a few credit card charges. My new Intuit card reader quit working and the backup I brought with me would not work, either. Bummer. I have had a merchant account system connected to my website for years and I can fill out credit card forms when I sell books out in public and charge the customer’s card manually when I get home. So that’s what I had to do.

If you don’t have the ability to take credit cards and if you want to sell books, you really should get a system either through Intuit, Paypal or some other company. You want to accept every form of payment or you will miss sales.

Some authors balk at having their books at amazon.com because they make little or no money through Amazon sales. I maintain that it is important to have your book available everywhere. Amazon is often the first place someone is going to look for a book and if it isn’t there, you could miss sales. It could be that someone will browse through Amazon to locate books on a particular topic. If your book is there, they might see it. Perhaps they won’t buy it on the spot. But then they might read a review of your book someplace and notice it again. When they see it at a local book festival, they are apt to buy it then—why? Because they are familiar with it. It is familiar to them. It often takes a potential customer seeing a book (or another product) numerous times before they make the decision to purchase it.

I had someone ask me this morning how to sell books to libraries. Here was my response:

“Is yours a book that libraries would want? They do love reference books, for example. And they want books that are sturdy—have a spine, etc. I guess the best way to get noticed by librarians is to consider soliciting a review in Library Journal. Here is a link that might help: http://reviews.libraryjournal.com/?ref=menu

Use a library directory to locate and contact libraries individually or library systems.
http://www.librarydir.org
http://www.americanlibrarydirectory.com
http://www.publiclibraries.com

You will also want to have your book distributed by Baker and Taylor. They sell to libraries. http://www.btol.com

Two keys are, a book that fits their requirements and locating contacts to libraries. Offering them a discount doesn’t hurt, either.”

Do you want to know which libraries your books are in?
http://www.worldcat.org

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Posted in Authorship, Bookselling | No Comments »

What’s the Value of a Book Festival for Authors?

Monday, April 22nd, 2013

I’m back from the Los Angeles Festival of Books (LATFB). And I have stories to tell. If you’ve never sat in a booth at a major book festival with your book, I recommend it. But I have to tell you that it will not be a relaxing way to spend an afternoon or an entire weekend.

First, you have to decide how many books to take with you—how many books could you conceivably sell? You must figure out how to make your booth or your booth space appealing and how to attract potential customers to your booth. If your book is a mystery with an attractive cover, create professional posters featuring your book cover and/or have a banner that says, “mystery.” Use table cover colors in shades that show off your books. And then come up with something to say to visitors to your booth.

If you have a nonfiction book on quilting, aviation, gardening, health and wellness or how to sell an ebook, for example, post something that will attract readers of this particular book. Just like you would with your website, make sure that your presentation represents your product—that people will know at first glance what you are all about.

You’ll want to write and rehearse a short spiel describing your book, for example. And also practice discussing your book in more depth in case someone is interested in knowing more. Engage people—reach out and ask passersby, “Does your child like to read?” “Do you like mysteries (quilting, gardening, cats) etc.?”

And most of all, when you plan to participate in a book festival, expect that the biggest positive to come out of it will be the exposure you get for your book. Exposure is what you are after. Sure, you may sell a few books and I hope that you do. But there are going to be a whole lot of people who will pick up your book, talk to you, maybe just stop and read your poster, who will not purchase your book at that time. Those people are as important—maybe more so than those who buy your book on the spot. Why? They now know about your book. They’ve heard of you. Maybe they spoke with you and learned something about you and why you wrote this book. They may have picked up one of your advertising bookmarks and perhaps they even left their name and email address on your sign-up sheet.

Each and every one of those people are potential customers. Now, if they see you book at Amazon or they happen across your website or they read a review of your book someplace or they hear you speak locally, they will remember you and will be more apt to purchase the book the next time they have the opportunity.

Those who signed up with you for a free garden planting schedule, a short-story mystery you wrote, a list of 10 tips for ebook authors, etc., are definitely potential customers. Now they have received something free from you and that freebie contains more about your book as well as ordering information. AND you have their email address and you can contact these people when you have a book signing, a new book out or won an award, for example.

Book festivals are a lot of fun, a lot of work and can be extremely important to authors who take every advantage of the opportunities offered.

That’s just what we did in the SPAWN booth at the LATFB over the weekend. We sold books and we made some great contacts. I’ll be writing more about our experience and about book festivals in general throughout the week. So let me know if you have questions.

http://www.matilijapress.com
http://www.patriciafy.com

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Get More Valuable Exposure for Your Book

Saturday, February 2nd, 2013

I promised I would talk about exposure today. Exposure is one of the most valuable benefits you take away from nearly any of your promotional efforts. The exposure benefits are especially prevalent and important to authors who get out and speak to their audiences. Whether you are speaking to a group, talking casually with people at a signing, book festival, flea market or conference or you’re just chatting it up with potential readers, you are getting exposure. One or 1001 people (or more) now have the opportunity to learn about your book. This may be the first or twenty-first time they’ve become aware of you and your book. It doesn’t matter. If it is a book they can use or would be interested in reading, they will eventually do so, but only if they know about it.

Stay hidden behind your computer reaching only those people who happen across your website, stop in once in a while to read your blog, subscribe to the newsletters you write for, communicate with you via FaceBook, etc., and you will miss out on a lot of valuable exposure.
The fact is:

• People are more apt to buy books from an author they meet and like.
• The power of persuasion is more effective in person.
• When someone bothers to hold a book in their hands, they are more apt to buy it.
• The memory of a real-time experience is greater/stronger than that of one occurring online.

While some people purchase books they’re interested in on the spot without much contemplation, others need time to consider the book. The more times they see, hear, read about or are otherwise aware of you—the author of the book they’re considering—the more apt they are to eventually purchase it.

Exposure has other positive side-effects, as well. I’ve known many authors who have attended book festivals, signed books and spoke to groups, for example, and were disappointed because they didn’t sell many books. Some of them have vowed never to do that activity again because they sold so few books. What these authors didn’t consider, however, were the benefits outside of making that on-the-spot sale. For example,

• Awareness of you and your book expands every time you speak to new groups and individuals.

• You are reaching even more people when you publicize these activities and events.

• While out talking to people, you may meet someone or your publicity might reach someone who wants to purchase your book in bulk for an event, who invites you to speak to a large group of your potential readers, who has a radio show and wants you to appear, etc. It happens. I’ve seen it happen more times than I can count.

The next time you speak before a group, are interviewed on the radio, do a signing at a small bookstore, reserve a booth at a book festival, etc., don’t view this so much as a bookselling opportunity as one for exposure. Look at the bigger picture—how widespread can you direct the publicity? What opportunities might present themselves beyond just making those immediate sales? But you have to do your part.

You must get out of the office and mingle with your readers. You have to direct the publicity far and wide. You need to keep an attitude of gratitude which will help to open you up to whatever comes your way. And stop thinking so much about sales that you miss those opportunities that can lead to greater success.

For more about how to have more successful speaking engagements, book festivals, signings, etc. be sure to order your copy of “Talk Up Your Book.” It’s available in print and on Kindle at http://amzn.to/ZMJndK

Posted in Book Promotion, Bookselling | 1 Comment »

Bookselling Opportunity for Authors

Friday, February 1st, 2013

SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) is offering some major book-promotion opportunities right now. Join SPAWN ($65/year) and you can sign up to sell your books at the gigantic Los Angeles Times Festival of Books in the SPAWN booth. $203 per day instead of the $1,000 (or so) you would pay for a booth of your own. Event dates: April 20-21, 2013.

If you don’t live near Los Angeles, you are a member of SPAWN and would still like to participate in this event, you can send one copy of your book to us for display in our booth. They typically get around 140,000 visitors to the event, which is now held at the USC campus. The fee for this opportunity with SPAWN is $20 per book.

Another level of promotion we offer members is an entry in our SPAWN Catalog of Members’ Books and Services. For $37, you can have your book featured in our catalog, which is online all the time and which we print to hand out at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books as well as other events throughout the US over the year. This year, it will also be distributed at the Tucson Festival of Books as well as several other events in Southern California, Texas, Louisiana and possibly others.

There are countless other reasons, of course, to join SPAWN. Read about them here:
http://www.spawn.org/member.htm

Join here: http://www.spawn.org/join.htm

Sign up to participate in the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books—share booth space, display books and/or place book in catalog. http://www.spawn.org/latfb.htm

See the lovely SPAWN Catalog of Members’ Books and Services here: http://www.spawn.org/catalogofbooks.htm

Deadline for Catalog entries is a firm February 15, 2013.

I want to remind those of you who scoff at the cost to sell books at an event such as this, about the value of exposure. I’m going to talk about that in tomorrow’s post. Don’t miss it.

Questions: Patricia@spawn.org

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