Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
In this episode, Mark shares some thoughts and reflections from last week’s visit to Book Expo America in New York.
He explains a bit about what the fair is, why the fair is, his impressions and thoughts of this year’s fair and a bit about its history, as well as a few news items related to the fair.
Prior to the main content, Mark talks about a few comments and welcomes new Patron Stanley B. Trice.
This episode is sponsored by Findaway Voices . . .
During the episode Mark talks about:
- Headline – a cool way to promote your audio content
- An intriguing blog series from Penguin Random House with insights into traditional publishing that indie authors might find informative
- A deal between Dreamscape Media and LMBPN Publishing (Michael Anderle’s publishing company)
- James A. Hunter and the publishing company (Shadow Alley Press) that he runs with his wife Jeanette
Links of Interest
- Book Expo America
- BISG (Book Industry Study Group)
- LMBPN Publishing
- Dreamscape/LMBPN Press Release
- Shadow Alley Press
- Penguin Random House Blog Series (Book Lover’s Guide to Publishing)
- Findaway Voices
- Stark Reflections Survey
- Patreon for Stark Reflections
Is it vanity publishing if you are just trying to get a bigger reach? At the end of the day books shelves in say Target and Costco and book stores will give a lot more exposure than the niche of the niche in amazon.
I think the more interesting topic is your comment at the end of some how joining traditional and digital and audible all in one power house. Not sure what traditional is bringing to the table at this point though? Just reach / Marketing? I feel it is a chicken and the egg problem there. They will give you marketing after you are a household name at this point.
Finally have you read Neal Stephenson’s The Diamond Age: Or, A Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer ? I think the primer in there would be awesome but personalized narration combined with a choose your own adventure type writing seems almost too good to be true. Also pretty expensive in the production side.
Great comment, Chad! Thanks for sharing.
I was trying to use “Vanity Publishing” in an ironic sense. IE, for an author who is already stinking rich from eBook publishing wanting to get FAR LESS money just for the thrill of seeing their book on a bookstore shelf.
But also, you’re right, it truly is a BIGGER reach. That’s because between 70 to 80% of all readers are still reading print over eBook. (Ask the average person on the street who HAS read a book in the last year what format they’ve read and chances are that 3 out of 4 will say paperback/printed book). So having a print/traditional publishing deal DOES put you in front of a much larger reading audience than the audience of Kindle, Kobo, AppleBooks, Nook, etc. So the reach into bookstore shelves is where traditional publishers are bringing to the table in a deal like that. AND they also take on the risk/investment of the entire monstrous RETURNS issue.
And you’re 100% correct. There is a real chicken and egg situation happening – not just there, but in marketing itself. Amazon will auto market your book once you already have sales. (I even heard Mark Dawson talking about that on today’s episode of his podcast). Kobo too. The merchandisers pay attention to a title after it’s already moving. And in trad publishing, the publishers spend the majority of their marketing money on the Pattersons and Kings of the world (folks who are already household names). Sigh….
I haven’t read either of those, but THANKS for the recs and the great food for thought.
(I see you took a notepad out on your walk this time) Hoping that notepad also comes in handy for the likely story ideas that hit when you’re out and about too) 😉
Great solo episode—what I love about the indie world is hearing the respectful differing views of experienced people within the industry—agree with you on the concept of collaboration when it makes sense for the book..beauty of indie is the flexibility…