Ebooks . . . A Contemporary "David and Goliath"

Books are no more threatened by Kindle than stairs by elevators.           - Stephen Fry

But has Stephen Fry seen the research on this anomaly?

This is a sad day for all who love books.  It was announced that our beloved Borders would close forever on Sunday, September 18, 2011.  Rumors were flying like locust, but the starkness of the situation was a jarring reality. It's happened!!

Ebooks are now being viewed as the new bully on the block as they push forward toppling the mega-booksellers in their wake.  Much like these same establishments buried the small bookstores of the past, which was the premise for the movie, "You've Got Mail" . . . if you remember.
 
Last week, a member of SheWrites brought an article to our attention.  This article noted a decline in the sale of adult paperbooks of 64%, whereas the increase in Ebook sales was 162%.  These figures are staggering!!

Technology has proven Ebooks are here to stay.  We must adapt our writing careers with this in mind.  The entire publishing world is changing like a giant Transformer . . . and no one knows for sure what it will look like in the end.

(Note: Much of this information has been drawn from the article listed below with the author's written permission.)

"I believe there will be a war between the writers who want agents and traditional publishers to "take care of them" and indie writers who want to control their own careers."    - Barry Eisler

Another article mentioned that some publishers attempt to slow the transition from paper to digital by holding back the Ebook release date, or they may authorize insanely high Ebook prices.  

We're the writers.  We provide the content that is printed and distributed. 
 
For hundreds of years, writers couldn't reach readers without publishers.  We needed them.  Suddenly, we don't.  Publishers don't seem to be taking this into account.

It appears that most publishers offer 25% royalty on ebooks, which equates to 14.9% to the writer after everyone gets their cut.  Now consider there's virtually no cost to creating Ebooks . . . no cost for paper, no shipping charges, no warehousing.  No cut for Ingram or Baker & Taylor.  Yet they're keeping 52.5% of the list price and offering only 17.5% to the author.  Does this seem right?

NYT best seller Barry Eisler turns down $500,000 advance in favor of Self-Publishing.

I mentioned this same article in last week's blog.  I don't know how many of you found the time to read it, but please do your career this favor.  Google: Ebooks and Self-Publishing - A dialog Between Authors Barry Eisler and Joe Konrath."  It's a MUST READ for anyone ready to publish their work.  The article is extensive, but worth the time . . . then decide for yourself.

Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.    - C.S. Lewis

I'm a new kid on the block.  I've spent sixteen years writing my memoir, my first book, and my journey into publishing has opened my eyes to a world I was unfamiliar with.  In my other life, I worked as a Sr. Buyer in Aerospace and Electronic manufacturing, both on an international basis.  That is, until these companies moved overseas in order to increase their bottom-line profit.  Was this fair?  Not for me . . . and the thousands of other displaced workers left behind without jobs in America.  But it too happened . . .

And it taught me a valuable lesson . . . LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP.  In essence, do your research!! 

 "Experience is a brutal teacher, but you learn. My God, do you learn."   -  C.S. Lewis

My original plan was to query agents for one year . . . until November.  Then move into self-publishing, if I wasn't picked up by an agent.  Little did I know what was happening behind the scenes . . .

The explosion of the Internet gives writers the opportunity to do tremendous online promoting: blogs, social networking, chatrooms . . . and now with digital books, there's no more profitable use of an author's time than writing . . . traveling and book tours may become passe.

The writer must believe that what he is doing is the most important thing in the world. And he must hold to this illusion even when he knows it is not true.   - John Steinbeck

Ask yourself this question . . . Are you writing for pleasure or money?
 
Personally, I love to write!  The entire process makes me feel complete, doing what I was born to do.  But it's hard work!  Most people hold a 9 to 5 job, Monday through Friday, where they collect a paycheck for their time and productivity. Writing should be no different . . . but it is! We work in isolation, sometimes for years, creating a piece of work from our very soul that hopefully will touch others. And we too would like to be paid for our work . . . I know I would.

I think Henry Miller has had huge influence not because he wrote about sex, but because the memoir or the nonfiction novel has become such a monumental force in American publishing, if not in literature.       - Leslie Fiedler

There are two major differences between virtual shelves and physical shelves.

• A virtual shelf is infinite.  A bookstore has a limited amount of space.  Books are crammed spine out, and copies are limited.  A virtual shelf, like Amazon or Smashwords, carries all titles, all the time.
•  A virtual shelf is forever.  In a bookstore, you have anywhere from a few weeks to a few months to sell your title, and then it gets returned.  A big waste of money. 

But Ebooks are forever.  Once they're live, they will sell for decades.  Someday, long after we are gone, our grandchildren may be getting our royalties.  Forever is a long time to earn royalties!

If you're thinking about Self-Publishing, be sure your manuscript has been refined to perfection, as you would do when submitting to an agent.   

You can make 70% self-publishing!  You can set your own price.  There are reams of data what show how ebooks under $5 vastly outsell those priced higher.  This is a critical point.  Digital books are a price-sensitive market, and it appears maximum revenues are achieved at a price point between $.99 and $4.99.  You set the price, but keep this in mind.  You can always lower it later . . . have an international sale!

Lessons learned . . . my two cents 

If you find you are having trouble writing and nothing seems real, just write about food.  Write about the foods you love most.  Be specific. Details.  Where did you eat it, who were you with, what season was it? 
  - Natalie Goldberg

Think of "Julie and Julia". . . one of my  most favorite and delicious movies!  This movie taught me how to cook mushrooms to taste like succulent bites of fillet mignon.  The secret?  Butter and . . . "don't crowd the mushrooms!"

Welcome!! I'm so happy you stopped by during Blogger Ball #7.

My name is Nancy MacMillan, and my blog is My Uncharted Journey into Publishing My First Book, a memoir, Diary of a Vet's Wife, subtitled, Loving and Living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  My blog shares the steps I'm taking towards publishing and what I'm learning along the way, which I share weekly with others.  My first blog on April 9th, In The Beginning, sets the stage . . .

Please share your thoughts on this topic by leaving a comment  listed below in red, and include a link to your blog.  I'll visit and comment as soon as possible, I promise!  Then double-click on the bookshelves to return to SheWrites.  And please visit again. 

2011 Agents . . . What Do They Really Want?

It was November 2010 . . . I had made a vow to query agents and publishers for one full year before I'd seriously consider Self-Publishing my memoir.  But somewhere along the way I was subtly seduced by the many facets of marketing, drawn from a multitude of online articles and books I discovered.  Soon I was up to my chin in market research gasping for air, while my Agents sulked in the corner.

This came to a screeching halt last Sunday afternoon when I realized how many days and months had vanished . . . it was time to get back on track.

Self-discipline is a writer's key to success!  We must be as passionate in our self-discipline as we are in our writing!  It doesn't come easy, but it can be attained with practice.  I must stay focused!

The future of your book is in the hands of the person who knows more about it . . . cares more about it . . . and will benefit more from it than anyone else . . . you!     
               Michael Larsen, How to Write a Book Proposal

My initial blog on Agents was posted June 19th, so let me continue . . .

At first, I was excited to be searching for an agent after spending 16 years writing my memoir.  Once the novelty wore off, I was able to look at the process more clearly and uncover key data . . .

• Most agents want clients with the ability to produce more than one book stating they represent careers . . . not books.
• If your writing focuses on a particular area . . . you may benefit by submitting your work directly to a small or specialized press.  Small presses often give greater attention to the writer with editorial help and marketing expertise. 

Since my book is a memoir, my research should focus on the small or specialized presses.  I will never stop writing . . . I'm only uncertain of the genre.

An exciting find for my memoir . . . On Friday, I came across an agent who has worked in the publishing business since 1979, first as an editor at W.W. Norton.  There she published DEAR AMERICA: Letters Home From Vietnam, which became an Emmy award-winning documentary.  This is the first agent I've found who was passionate about my subject.  Will my query letter ignite this flame again?  Only time will tell.  This weekend I plan to redraft my query for submission.  All prayers are welcome . . .

What are agents really looking for?

• Agents can only spend a minute at most reading your query letter . . . explain what you want them to know IMMEDIATELY.  They want to be taken by SURPRISE.  Be surprising!
• Fiction - Agents look for a track record.  Are you committed to your craft and building an audience?
• Memoir is a tricky genre.  Agents look for two main things: a UNIQUE story and GREAT writing.  Memoirs should read like novels.  They should have suspense, conflict, emotion, character development, dialogue and narrative throughout.  Why will people be interested in you?
• Why are you qualified to write what you wrote and how does it DIFFER from what's already been published on this topic?
• Agents want to see a MARKETING PLAN.  What the author can really do that will sell the book, not wishful thinking.
• It's not rude to ask for more detailed feedback following a rejection . . . but be POLITE.

A sampling of agent footnotes:

1. "We like storytelling defined - by its extraordinary power to resonate universally on a deeply emotional level."
2. "We seek strong new voices in fiction and nonfiction and are fiercely dedicated to our authors."
3. "Narrative nonfiction - projects that simply teach me something new about the greater world and society around us."
4. "Accomplished storytellers with their own distinct voice, who are able to create psychological conflict with their narrative."
5. "Projects that tackle big topics with an unusual approach."
6. "An analysis of why your proposed book is different and better than the competition is essential."

What your giving can do is . . . help your reader be braver . . . be better than they are . . . be open to the world again.   Anne Lamott, bird by bird


The 34th Annual Family Reunion . . . 

I leave for Ohio on Thursday at 8:05 a.m.  This is where I grew up . . . until my husband was transferred to California.  Yipee!!  I escaped the SNOW!

The announcement displays a full-color group photo with my mother, the matriarch of our family, seated in a folding chair surrounded by grinning faces and a sea of children at her feet.  42 attended last year.  These are my roots, where I feel safe in times of trouble.  Though we may not always agree, we're a family who cares with unconditional love.

At 94, my mom still lives at home with the help of a caregiver five mornings a week.  Her mind is sharp as any of you, though her body grows weak.  She may use a walker, but every year she makes over 100 cream puffs from scratch for "her family."  This is tradition. 

I look forward to this trip back in time, surrounded by family and friends, reliving tales of when we were young.  Two weeks brimming with lots of love, lots of laughter and lots of food.  These times I truly miss . . . until I remember the SNOW!

Lesson learned . . . my two cents  

"We meet no ordinary people in our lives." - C.S. Lewis 

Marketing in an Electronic World. . . My First Steps

Writing is ninety percent listening.  You listen so deep to the space around you that it fills you, and when you write, it pours out of you.                         Natalie Goldberg, Writing Down the Bones

Our world may teem with pain and violence, but we have the ability to turn off the chatter, and open our minds to the peace and tranquility all around us . . . this is your choice.

I see wonder in the ordinary, and often get lost in taking pictures of no one . . . pictures without people. 

A weathered wooden fence dappled with layers of peeling blue paint, lifted by decades of heat and rain.  A single rusty nail draws me close.  Who pounded that nail and why?  "Click, click."  Or white crusted barnacles growing on the pilings under Santa Monica pier like on a grizzled old whale.  "Click, click."  Staircases, fire escapes, the angles, the lines.  "Click, click."  A vine hidden treehouse abandoned in the woods long ago.  Where are the laughing children who once played there?  "Click, click." 

Shadows are my favorite, clinging to their subject, if only by a thread.  Shadows add character, depth and dimension to the existing beauty.  If only I can catch it before it disappears.  "Click, click."

Do others see what I see?

Less than 10 percent of new writers have enough promotional ammunition to interest large publishers.                                    
                     Michael Larsen, How to Write a Book Proposal

Never before has a writer had more opportunities to market their own book than today.  Technology continues to advance at such a fast pace it's hard to keep up.  Yet, this is one of the most success-filled avenues to promote your book . . . and the best news is that your choices are ENDLESS.

I'm still wallowing in information, but I want to share what I'm learning as I go . . .

• Start promoting BEFORE your book is finished - Your objective should be to first create interest.  Then sustain that interest as you build on it.  This will begin your potential reader base . . .  

Currently, my book is in its final edit.  Kay Thompson Lee, my freelance editor, is smoothing out any rough edges she may find, and I'm extremely pleased with her subtle changes and expertise.

• Create a blog

The first item on my to-do-list, and soon-to-be constructed MARKETING PLAN, was to create a blog . . . my first blog ever.  This was accomplished on Google Blogspot with little difficulty.  My first post was April 9, 2011, and as of today, I've had 1020 page viewers, which includes many other countries.  I'm stunned but delighted because my story needs to be heard.   

How did this happen? 

Each week, after I post my new blog, I send an announcement to all friends and family in my email address book (approx. 80).  This way they know it's posted, and don't have to search for it.  And they have the option whether to view it now or later, or not at all.

• Join a Writers Group Online

Next, I joined SheWrites, which is an online writers group that was recommended.  SheWrites consists of groups within the group, depending on your genre, interests and the stage of your work.  I joined Blogging about Books and Writing . . . Memoir Writers . . . I'm Thinking of Self-Publishing . . . Marketing Ideas . . . and What Did You Blog About Today?

Each day, SheWrites forwards emails from these writers showing what they posted that day.  I reply to the emails of interest, or to new friends I've made.  My blog address is attached at the end of my reply.  This is time consuming, but definitely joy-filled, and a necessary tool for your success.  And I've met the most amazing women! 

This is where Time Management plays a key role.  And once I figure out how to manage my time . . . I'll be the first to share because I know all writers wrestle with the infamous time bandit.

The women on SheWrites are talented writers willing to share their expertise.  It's been a pleasure getting to know them, and their work, gleaning new ideas daily.  Their comments and encouragement were unexpected, offering friendship from across the country and around the world. 

 . . . to be continued.  

Lesson learned . . . my two cents

Anytime you meet someone new, and they learn you're a writer and show interest . . . NEVER miss an opportunity to ASK for their email address.  Then add it to your address book ASAP (placing a key word next to their name for later recall where you met).  Little pieces of paper have a tendency to disappear, and you don't have time to waste looking for it . . . nor lose a potential sale.

Note:  You can visit:  In The Beginning . . . and Q is for Query Letter . . .  to learn what my book is about.

What Next? . . . Time for An Agent

When was the last time you saw something that took your breath away?

A week before my trip to New Zealand, I drove a friend to the ocean, which she hadn't seen in years.  The day was perfect.  The water's surface dimpled by a steady breeze, frothy white curls crashed against one another.  I pulled my car off the road overlooking the view, and opened my sunroof to listen to its rhythm.  

Suddenly I notice three, massive brown pelicans gliding in formation over the road coming toward us.  Their seven-foot wing span cast shadows on the mountain wall.  Strong necks stretch to conceal their pouches, purple feet are tucked against their belly.  I am spellbound.  Then I see another formation off to the right.  I count eleven huge birds gliding along the ocean's edge . . . then another group of eight . . . and then three.  They keep coming until I lose count.  These mammoth birds fly over my car like small airplanes.  I feel like we're in Jurassic Park . . . expecting to see an Allosaurus lumbering down the road after us.  It takes my breath away!!! 

Literature is like any other trade; you will never sell anything unless you go to the right shop.    - George Bernard Shaw

Searching for an agent can be overwhelming, whether you just finished your first book, or have several publishing credits on your resume.  The question is . . . do you need a literary agent, or can you submit the work directly to publishers on your own?

Research suggests the following . . .

• Large publishing houses like Simon & Schuster, Random House, etc. require literary agent representation.  They lack the time and manpower to go through a plethora of queries in search of the next best seller.  However, an agent will dive in looking for the biggest fish.  His/or her reputation is at stake, as well as his income.
• Medium and small  presses may accept query letters, but you must do your research.

I found two main sources for literary agents . . . the 2011 Guide to Literary Agents by Writers Digest (20th Anniversary Edition) and the 2011 Writers Market (90th Annual Edition).  Armed with a strip of stick-on page markers, one of these references could keep you busy until your next birthday.
 
Genres are listed in the back of the book.  Mine are Memoir, Military, Creative-Nonfiction & Christian.  The literary agencies in your genres will list their requirements.  Mark the ones that show promise.  Next . . . go to their website for more detailed information.  Does your work still fit within their guidelines?  If so, highlight the specific agent handling your genre . . . then start your list of Submissions.

A query letter can be sent to as many agents and publishers as you desire.  I normally work with two to three at one time.  Each query letter is personalized, then noted on a Submission Ledger . . . which lists the date sent, agent/agency/publisher, comments and the date returned.

Queries that are concise and compelling are the most intriguing. 
                                  - Regina Brooks, founder, Serendipity Literary Agency
An Agent:

• Gets 15% of whatever you get
• Monies go directly to your agent, they send the balance to you
• Sells an idea and your ability to write
• Handles paperwork for the IRS
• Do not pay an agent for anything - including a reading fee

I started to submit query letters the middle of November 2010.  Some wanted a SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope), while others stated "email only."  An interesting experience!  I checked my emails constantly, as I nervously waited for the mailman.  I was out of control.  But I'm getting better.

Polite rejections are status quo for queries mailed . . . most are form letters.  One was handwritten . . . Not for me, but thank you.  I'm so sorry for your loss.  And of all the emails . . . only one replied!  Possibly the fastest rejection in history!  Sent at 5:01 p.m., the rejection arrived at 5:50 p.m., but it was polite.  I guess it's a lot easier to hit the delete key, then take a minute to say, "No Thank You."

My plan has been to give the "traditional way" one year . . . then consider self-publishing.  In this round, small publishers will be my target with some agents sprinkled throughout.  I'll never know unless I try!

Death leaves a memory that no one can heal, love leaves a memory that no one can steal.                 Anonymous

The demons of war continue to rage out of control.  Throughout the world brave men and women are engulfed in fear, death and destruction as they pray for strength and protection  Others long for the way it use to be, knowing it will never be again.

We must never forget the price these brave men and women are paying for their country . . .

My story is only one of millions.  A family shattered by the horrors of war dwelling in the man I loved with no understanding of what was happening.  Caught in a maze, I couldn't find my way out.  I want to touch others who know this heartache.  They're not alone.

I have a vision to find someone who knew my husband.  Someone willing to share what happened in Vietnam.  Someone who can give me a reason why.  And how do I find this person?  One day I will post the return address information off of letters received from Vietnam . . . letters yellow and faded by the hands of time.    

Lesson learned . . . my two cents

Each new day is a gift . . . cherish it . . . for this day will never come again.