Blogs

To thine own self

17.02.12 | Neill Denny

The news that self-published content now comprises about a quarter of the volume of e-book fiction sales should serve as a wake-up call to traditional publishers.

For years publishers have looked down their noses at self-publishing, condemning it as vanity publishing, near enough a scam in which deluded authors part with their cash to publish unreadable books. It was the last option available for those who never escaped the slush pile.

But now the slush pile has gone online and some of it at least is commercially viable, with readers prepared to pay money for books professional publishers have turned down. Partly, this is the result of flawed decisions by publishers who have mistakenly—for whatever reason—rejected books that the reading public subsequently see value in. Partly, digital allows small groups of readers to come together online in a way that is impossible in physical retailing, and thus form a viable market for specialist and niche titles.

The current situation is perhaps reminiscent of what happened when the supermarkets starting selling books in the 1990s. A new market was created for new types of books: indeed, would Martina Cole, for example, have become a million-seller—or even been published at all—in the supermarket-free 1970s?

This is becoming a critical period for publishers. Play their cards right, and they can sign up the best self-published writers before they become too big to care. Additionally, they can use e-book-only publishing to test out new writers for far less cash outlay than that demanded by the old hardback model.  But leave it too late, through inertia or prejudice, and the self-published authors will become too powerful to need conventional publishers, or indeed, agents.

For Amazon there is no such dilemma. Sitting on the vast majority of sales data for e-books, it now has the ability to identify which writers and genres are succeeding—data publishers are very much in want of—and promote accordingly.

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By John Anthony

If you are comparing today with the 1970s, Martina Cole would certainly have succeeded without supermarkets. Publishers now have put such a strain on their relationships with authors and bookshops by trimming their stock lists, cutting their representation at local level, pinning their hopes on in-out, non-stock-selling items, for example celebrity books, agreeing to huge discounts to the detriment of author-royalties, paying massive sums to book-chains and supermarkets for selling space for the few, and generally revealing themselves to be (fairly shortsighted) businessmen rather than author-centred publishers, that self-publishing had to become more popular.

E-books are re-shaping the business. Small companies will form around fine editors, designers, production and publicity-sales people schooled in how to use social media to serve interest groups directly, as publishers' reps and local bookshop buyers once served their customers' needs. Distribution to the public will be the job of e-book reader companies, some of which are of course bookshops. Authors will have more of a slice of the cake.

Wed, 22/02/2012 - 19:22
By Christopher Greenaway

Not only are Amazon sitting on the sales data, they are trying to control the entire supply chain from author through to reader. In fact, to call their data 'sales data' implies that it will ever be available to anyone else.

I don't believe that the data will allow Amazon to see what's selling, I believe that what will actually happen is that Amazon will join the dots to tell customers what to buy. Remember, Amazon are no longer a retailer. They are a publisher, distributor and retailer. They are signing up authors and holding exclusive rights, and most importantly, they own the physical device that you read the book on. 20 years ago, mobile phone operators knew that whoever owned the device in your pocket owned you. They just didn't foresee tablets and ebook readers.

Amazon sign up the author and publish the book which they push directly to the customer's Kindle. It's like the old book clubs where you get a book every month and if you can be bothered to send it back they don't charge you for it. But this time, they don't post you a book, it's there on your Kindle, ready for you to buy at the tap of an image of a button, or maybe you'll have to tap to not opt out of the choice not to avoid declining to return the ebook. And if you can work that one out, you deserve to get the book for free anyway.

We already know that the traditional publishers dictate what consumers buy - or at least try to - through product placement at airports etc. But the consumer can still say no, thanks, and walk past the book shop. But with a Kindle or iPad in their carry on luggage, the latest bestsellers-to-be will already have 'automatically downloaded for your convenience' by the time you get on the plane.

Will this open up the market for new authors? Yes and no. Only if it allows Amazon to break the traditional publisher's stranglehold on the market. Once they've done that, they'll be as picky as the next man...

CGW Publishing

Thu, 23/02/2012 - 02:27
By Emma Harvey

I for one give Amazon credit for placing a bomb under publishers seats. The big-named three stick to named (branded) authors claiming their work best-sellers before they even hit the book stands. More than half of these so-called top-rated books are not up to best-seller grade. Slack editing etc., not to mention jaded penmanship. Supply equals demand and Amazon's free-for-all is good for previously unpublished authors and good for readers. Choice is the name of the game now, something readers didn't have by dictate of publishing houses and book stores.

There are Indie self-published books hitting the top 100 and reaching the heady heights of top listing. Someone is purchasing these books. Me included.

I'm reading authors such as Talli Roland (chick-lit) Francine Howarth (historical romances), Rachel Lyndhurst (modern contemporary). They're great authors in their own right. I haven't bought a book by a recognised best-selling author within the last twelve months. Nor will I for the present. Not while gems aplenty are to be found on Amazon Kindle listings & in paperback.

Thu, 23/02/2012 - 10:40
By John Anthony

If you are comparing today with the 1970s, Martina Cole would certainly have succeeded without supermarkets. Publishers now have put such a strain on their relationships with authors and bookshops by trimming their stock lists, cutting their representation at local level, pinning their hopes on in-out, non-stock-selling items, for example celebrity books, agreeing to huge discounts to the detriment of author-royalties, paying massive sums to book-chains and supermarkets for selling space for the few, and generally revealing themselves to be (fairly shortsighted) businessmen rather than author-centred publishers, that self-publishing had to become more popular.

E-books are re-shaping the business. Small companies will form around fine editors, designers, production and publicity-sales people schooled in how to use social media to serve interest groups directly, as publishers' reps and local bookshop buyers once served their customers' needs. Distribution to the public will be the job of e-book reader companies, some of which are of course bookshops. Authors will have more of a slice of the cake.

Wed, 22/02/2012 - 19:22
By Christopher Greenaway

Not only are Amazon sitting on the sales data, they are trying to control the entire supply chain from author through to reader. In fact, to call their data 'sales data' implies that it will ever be available to anyone else.

I don't believe that the data will allow Amazon to see what's selling, I believe that what will actually happen is that Amazon will join the dots to tell customers what to buy. Remember, Amazon are no longer a retailer. They are a publisher, distributor and retailer. They are signing up authors and holding exclusive rights, and most importantly, they own the physical device that you read the book on. 20 years ago, mobile phone operators knew that whoever owned the device in your pocket owned you. They just didn't foresee tablets and ebook readers.

Amazon sign up the author and publish the book which they push directly to the customer's Kindle. It's like the old book clubs where you get a book every month and if you can be bothered to send it back they don't charge you for it. But this time, they don't post you a book, it's there on your Kindle, ready for you to buy at the tap of an image of a button, or maybe you'll have to tap to not opt out of the choice not to avoid declining to return the ebook. And if you can work that one out, you deserve to get the book for free anyway.

We already know that the traditional publishers dictate what consumers buy - or at least try to - through product placement at airports etc. But the consumer can still say no, thanks, and walk past the book shop. But with a Kindle or iPad in their carry on luggage, the latest bestsellers-to-be will already have 'automatically downloaded for your convenience' by the time you get on the plane.

Will this open up the market for new authors? Yes and no. Only if it allows Amazon to break the traditional publisher's stranglehold on the market. Once they've done that, they'll be as picky as the next man...

CGW Publishing

Thu, 23/02/2012 - 02:27
By Emma Harvey

I for one give Amazon credit for placing a bomb under publishers seats. The big-named three stick to named (branded) authors claiming their work best-sellers before they even hit the book stands. More than half of these so-called top-rated books are not up to best-seller grade. Slack editing etc., not to mention jaded penmanship. Supply equals demand and Amazon's free-for-all is good for previously unpublished authors and good for readers. Choice is the name of the game now, something readers didn't have by dictate of publishing houses and book stores.

There are Indie self-published books hitting the top 100 and reaching the heady heights of top listing. Someone is purchasing these books. Me included.

I'm reading authors such as Talli Roland (chick-lit) Francine Howarth (historical romances), Rachel Lyndhurst (modern contemporary). They're great authors in their own right. I haven't bought a book by a recognised best-selling author within the last twelve months. Nor will I for the present. Not while gems aplenty are to be found on Amazon Kindle listings & in paperback.

Thu, 23/02/2012 - 10:40