When to be an Author, When to be Publisher

Great Free Advice Friday today everyone!  Here is the recording of our session today!

Getting Your Publishing Ducks in A Row - Free Advice Friday!

“My Publicist says my cover is all wrong”

“My local store says my book is too expensive"

“Reviewers are slamming my editing job and are complaining about typos” 

 What to Do…

                                                  What Order to do it in…

                                What is optional and what is not….

Getting your Publishing Ducks in a Row

Come ask us anything on this week’s Free Advice Friday *Friday at 12 noon Eastern Time

(* Yup… we really mean it!)

At 12:00 pm EST, please call in to The Cadence Group Free Advice Friday line:

Dial: 218.486.1616
Use Passcode: 1074462

And get your questions answered!

Free Advice Fridays is a weekly session of free consulting and advice from The Cadence Group.  This week we are having a session about the right time line for your publishing process.  Feel free to email us your questions ahead of time or bring them with you to the call.  Don’t be shy!

Please email or text at any time during the call with questions you would like us to address:

To email: http://www.blogger.com/advice@thecadencegrp.com
To text:  330.219.7108

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Free Advice Friday - How do I market and sell an older book?

My local bookstores says they only take new books.

Reviewers websites say that they won’t review older books

My book is a few years old
What do I do?
Come ask us anything on this week’s Free Advice Friday *
Friday at 12 noon Eastern Time

(* Yup… we really mean it!)

At 12:00 pm EST, please call in to The Cadence Group Free Advice Friday line:

Dial: 218.486.1616
Use Passcode: 1074462

And get your questions answered!

Free Advice Fridays is a weekly session of free consulting and advice from The Cadence Group.  This week we are having a session about marketing your older book.  Feel free to email us your questions ahead of time or bring them with you to the call.  Don’t be shy!

Please email or text at any time during the call with questions you would like us to address:

To email: advice@thecadencegrp.com
To text:  330.219.7108

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Free Advice Friday - July 23 12:00 EST

How Do I get my Book on Amazon?  BN.com? Borders.com?
How do I sell more copies on-line?

Come ask us anything on this week’s Free Advice Friday *
Friday at 12 noon Eastern Time

(* Yup… we really mean it!)

At 12:00 pm EST, please call in to The Cadence Group Free Advice Friday line:

Dial: 218.486.1616
Use Passcode: 445118

And get your questions answered!

Free Advice Fridays is a weekly session of free consulting and advice from the Cadence Group.  This week we are having a session about Amazon.com and on-line bookselling.  Feel free to email us your questions ahead of time or bring them with you to the call.

Please email or text at any time before or during the call with questions you would like us to address:

To email: advice@thecadencegrp.com
To text:  330.219.7108

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Best,

Bethany Brown
Amy MacGregor

Today's Free Advice Friday Questions!

We've had an overwhelming response to our call for questions for today's open forum Free Advice Friday! There were several questions that shared a common theme, so we've pared the list down to the seven following topics/questions that we'll address.

• How do I get my book in Barnes and Noble and Borders?
• How do I get my book on Amazon?
• Do I need a distributor?
• What’s the difference between Ingram, Baker & Taylor and a distributor?
• What is an ISBN and do I need one?
• How do I get published?
• How do I get people to buy my book?

If you'd like to add something, please feel free to email advice@thecadencegrp.com or text 330.219.7108 either before or during today's call.

Hope to "see" you there!

eBook sales on the rise!

According to this morning's PW Daily, eBook sales saw a significant jump in May 2010.

In fact, PW reports that eBook sales rose 162.8% in May to $29.3 million at the 13 publishers who report results to AAP's monthly sales report.


With so many areas of the publishing industry in decline, this is some great news for hump day.

Happy Wednesday everyone!

An Open Letter from The Cadence Group

Dear Friends,

The Cadence Group was founded to offer services to new and small presses. At the heart of each of our programs is a commitment to share our experience with others. We believe that knowledge should not be a commodity and the more we educate others, the better off the publishing industry will be.

We are a group of dedicated men and women who are passionate about books and who have extensive experience in the book industry. We strive to offer clients and prospective clients guidance and services that will maximize their potential and minimize their costs. Our commitment is to ensure that our clients, big and small, leave with the tools, skills, and knowledge they need to make smart decisions for their current projects and for their future growth.

In order to achieve these goals, The Cadence Group is constantly reviewing and updating the services we provide to ensure that we continue to grow and change with our ever-evolving industry.

We were thrilled to announce the expanded New Shelves Distribution program at this year's Book Expo. We have been even more excited by the warm reception the expanded New Shelves program has received from clients, colleagues, friends and retailers!

In 2008, we founded New Shelves to offer publishers a more effective, less-expensive way to get books in front of book buyers, wholesalers, librarians and specialty chains. Our goal is to combine low-cost warehousing and fulfillment services with an aggressive and focused sales program specifically designed to meet each publisher's individual needs.

The Cadence Group is proud to be working in such a wonderful industry!

Bethany Brown and Amy Collins MacGregor

The Author Weighs In

You might remember a couple of months ago when I blogged (ok, went on a rant) about the poor quality and editing of ebooks.

That post,  Are eBooks Held to a Different Standard? chronicled my frustration with the fact that book after book after book available on my Kindle is riddled with typos and errors.

Finally, I was driven to write The Letter to both publisher and author outlining my dissatisfaction with a particular book that was particularly error-filled.

Customer Service at Publisher X responded within the first 24 hours. It was a relatively brief and somewhat uninformed response letting me know that my comments would be passed on to the appropriate editor.

The Author finally responded today. And, quite frankly, I believe her response clearly shows an author's perspective, and frustration, with mainstream publishing today. Even bestselling authors have begun to struggle with the increasingly lackadaisical approach to good editing, copyediting and attention to detail. In the rush to make books available as eBooks for the various available readers, the true core of good publishing and good editing appears to have fallen to the wayside in the rush for profits.

I must admit, I take this all quite personally. I hate to have a good read spoiled by poor editing. It ruins the entire story. But apparently, I'm not the only one. The Author's voice, too, falls on deaf ears.

Her response to me, below.... 

(Please note: author name, publisher name and editor name have been pulled from this correspondence along with any personal information that might identify any of them.)

Dear Bethany,

    I forwarded your e-mail to my agent who then forwarded it to my editor, demanding that they crack down on the "quality control" of the books they license to Kindle.  I was so horrified by what you told me, I couldn't even look at the edition myself.  I've complained to Publisher X about typo's in my books and sloppy Kindle editions, but your e-mail was so specific and articulate, I knew it would carry more weight than the author griping about the bad reproduction of her books.  My agent has just gotten back to me saying that my Editor finally got back to her. Anyway, she has started taking the problem seriously and has promised to pay more attention to both the regular publication of my books and the Kindle editions.  After all, this problem reflects on Publisher X  and Editor.  I do not set the type for my own books or do the final proofreading.

    Thank you for the e-mail.  It helped tremendously!

Let's face it folks, when an author's complaints about typos and sloppy editing is categorized as "griping", our industry has taken a huge step backwards. Publishers really need a good wake up call that consumers, and authors, are tired of poorly produced books.

Special thanks to this special author for responding so thoughtfully to my email!

It's Book Expo America 2010!

We’re thrilled that The Cadence Group is exhibiting at BEA this year and we look forward to spending time in NYC this week with book people discussing what’s working, what’s not, and what the future of publishing holds for our many clients and friends.

If you are attending BEA, please stop by our booth at #3914.  We are giving away Cadence Group badge holders, tote bags from Tributary Press, bookmarks from Life Possibilities Publishing, and free chances to win a trip to Okinawa from One Peace Books.
 
We hope to have a great show in New York and look forward to sharing news and updates from the show floor.

 

Vocabulary Friday

We've had several questions from friends, clients, and colleagues about what all this publishing "lingo" actually means.

So, in honor of a beautiful spring Friday morning, we thought we'd put together a list of terms that are frequently used and sometimes misunderstood.

Digital Printing – A form of printing technology that uses smaller machines and makes short runs more cost effective. Typically more expensive per unit, anyone can hire a short run printer.  Digital printing gives self-publishers more options. (This is a great option for small print runs and the quality is top-notch!)

Offset Printing – Traditional way of printing using big presses for big print runs. Offset printing makes sense for non-traditional trim sizes or any printer run of over 1,000 units. The cost per unit is a lot cheaper but the upfront investment is much higher. (Inventory must be managed – make sure you have a warehouse!)

Print on Demand (POD) – POD uses digital  print technology to print just in time inventory (JIT). All publishers have some form of POD program. POD is only to manage inventory. (If small press or self-published author decides to POD, it should be an inventory decision not a financial decision!)

Vanity Presses – Vanity Presses are companies that specialize in self-publishing programs. In recent years they have co-opted the term POD term to give themselves more credibility. Most Vanity Presses will provide your ISBN and have the capability to take your book from manuscript to finished book.

Co-Publishers – Co-publishers design their programs so they are “sharing costs”. For most Co-publishers, the term “co-publishing” is actually just a fancy way of not calling themselves a vanity press. However, there are several quality co-publishers out there that can help a new author get their book packaged and ready for sale.

Distributor - Distributors are companies hired by publishers that will warehouse, fulfill and sell your book. They will take a percentage of your sales and a percentage against your returns. Most distributors have a sales team that actively sells your title (IPG, NBN, etc.)

Fulfillment House – A fulfillment house will pick, pack and ship your book. They will also ensure your book is available at the major wholesalers (Ingram, Baker & Taylor) and Amazon as well as the .com sites (bn.com, target.com, wal-mart.com, etc). They will also handle all of your billing and collections.

Warehouse – A warehouse picks, packs, and ships your book only. Some warehouses handle billing but many do not. Major publishers tend to have their own warehouse services.

Wholesalers – A company used by retailers and libraries to supply books in a timely and efficient manner.  The number one place any self-published author needs to be! If you’re not listed at Ingram and Baker & Taylor, you cannot be ordered easily by bookstores and libraries.

Happy Friday everyone! 

An eBook Experience

The Setting: A small local restaurant

Waiter: "So nice to see you again!"

Me: "Thanks"

Waiter: "Wow. I see you've gone to the Kindle?!"

Me: "Yes, I love it!"

Waiter: "I tried it and hated it."

Me: "You actually bought one, used it, and didn't like it?"

Waiter: "Yes, I did."

Me: "Was it the actual Kindle or something else you didn't like?"

Waiter: "I will never give up a printed book. I love it too much. The eBook just didn't feel right."

And, there you have it.

We might believe eBooks are the future of publishing and the world is just waiting to jump on our bandwagon. But, there are still people out there who would far prefer to hold, smell, and read an actual printed book.

No eBook can ever replace that.

Free Advice Fridays

For months, we've been talking about launching a weekly (or monthly) program designed to help our clients and friends learn more about what's going on inside the publishing industry.


For those of you who don't know, the core of our mission statement reads as follows:

The Cadence Group was founded to offer services to new and small presses. At the heart of each of our programs is a commitment to share our experience with others. We believe that knowledge should not be a commodity and the more we educate others, the better off the publishing industry will be.
 

 To that end, we're talking about setting up a weekly (or monthly) one hour conference call. We'll accept questions or inquiries via a designated email address and try to address the most popular or pressing topics each week. We're hoping that these pre-submitted questions will lead to some lively conversation and discussion during each call.


This call-in number will be open to any book lover or publishing enthusiast who wants to participate in a live discussion with passionate book people talking about the industry we all love.  

Perhaps, along the way, we might be able to provide some insight in to where the publishing industry has been, where it is today, and where, we believe, it's heading.


So let us know. Good idea? Something you would want to participate in?

Key Online Resources for Writers and Publishers

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of speaking to a wonderful group of writers down in Florida at the Space Coast Writer's Guild. This is a group of people who are passionate about their craft and eager to soak up information. They also asked some great questions!

I promised the group that I'd address some of the things that came up last weekend here on this blog...and I'm finally getting to it. First up....a list of some of those websites I was throwing around!

Question: What are some Key Resources for Writers and Publishers?

Answer: 

Bookmarket.com - On his incredibly useful website, John Kremer provides invaluable information for authors and publishers. For you writers out there, John has compiled lists of the 101 Top Independent publishers, 161 Business Book Editors and Publishers, 318 Children's Book Editors and Publishers, 422 First Fiction and Debut Novel Editors and Publishers....just to name a few. If I was trying to get published and looking for publishers in my category, Bookmarket.com would be one of my first stops!

Publishersmarketplace.com - Publishersmarketplace.com is a great place to find out what books are being sold, who is buying what and what literary agent's are looking for. If you just want the indusry news and gossip, Publisher's Lunch is free! If you want full access to all of the information and tools that Publishersmarketplace provides, you can register for a full subscription for $20 per month.

AgentQuery.com  - A great resource for writer's searching for representation, AgentQuery.com allows you to search for a literary agent by category - fiction or nonfiction. Remember, any of these sites are very useful for finding literary agents, but please, visit any agent's website before you submit to ensure you're following their most up-to-date guidelines. AgentQuery also has a fabulous blog roll where you can find some of the best blogs in the business.

PublisherWeekly.com - If you're not a publisher, you probably don't need a subscription. But, if you're interested in what's going on in the industry, stop by Publishersweekly.com every morning to ready PW Daily. Or, sign up to have it emailed to you!

Preditors and Editors  (http://www.invirtuo.cc/prededitors/) - I believe the name says it all. Certainly a site to visit to educate yourself about the people you might be dealing with.

WritersWeekly.com - I love this ezine and have her weekly issues emailed to me. It's free to sign up and the information is great. For instance, this week's issue breaks down POD price comparisons for writers. Angela also runs a "Warning" section on her site that can be educational.

WritersDigest.com -Every writer should know about this site. Every one. If you haven't visited it, stop reading this blog and go there now! The folks at Writer's Digest are committed to providing writer's with valuable information to help them in their craft and career.

AbsoluteWrite.com - If you visit the Forums through Absolute Write, you'll find a number of writers helping writers, providing invaluable information about the good (who's buying what), the bad (who's closing, who's rejecting, who's no long accepting manuscripts) and the ugly (publishers, agents, etc. to avoid).

Shelf-Awareness.com - Publishers read it, so should you. Much of the information might not be applicable to you, but what you can learn about the publishing industry and the direction it's heading as well as new books, new stores, etc. can really build your knowledge base.

This should be a good list to get you started. If there's a website that you love and I haven't listed, feel free to add it in the comments below. Or, of course, you can email us!

A look inside TCG

Many of you know Amy and I as business partners, colleagues and the women behind The Cadence Group (and this blog!). What you may or may not know is that Amy and I are also friends.

Last week, a friend of mine wrote and asked for my advice on starting a business partnership.  Most importantly, she wanted to know about a business partnership between friends.

The Cadence Group is a joint ownership between Amy and I and she wanted to know how it was going. A 50/50% joint partnership is not easy, but after I wrote the letter below, I thought it might be an interesting look inside TCG and how we work:

***

Hi!

The NUMBER ONE thing that can help you and your partner is open and honest communication. The good, the bad and the ugly. Also, open access to all accounting (this helps!). You really have to have the same long-term goals in mind for your business or it will never work.

For example, Amy and I got together recently to work out our partnership papers and our Business Plan. The partnership papers were actually the easy part. We spent three straight days at her dining room table putting together our business plan. Trust me, it wasn't easy. But the ground rules for our friendship also apply in our partnership - don't pull any punches, be honest, and talk it out. We push back on each other all the time regarding all manner of things. But because we started out with a business plan, it's also "easier" for us because we can also remind the other person to go back to our business plan and see if something makes sense.

Our goals from day one have been aligned in how we want to build our business, how long we want to own our business and our core commitments to customer service, free advice and helping people figure out what makes the most sense for their publishing program - even if it means they don't hire us. If our goals were different, I could get pissed that we "give away" 5-6 hours of consulting time a week. But I'm not because that's part of who we are and who WE want to be.

My suggestion would be to sit down separately and outline the following (this worked for us last year when we started down this path).

Personal 5 year plan (top 5 goals)
Professional 5 year plan (top 5 goals)
The business itself - where do you want it to be in 5 years (top 5 goals)
How do you want to extricate yourself from the business (sell, close, etc.) when you're ready to retire
5 Strengths and weaknesses I bring to the business and the duties related to those
5 Strengths and weaknesses my partner brings to the business and the duties related to those

This is something you should spend some time working on individually and then plan to spend several hours going through together. They won't match up perfectly, but if they're completely different, it might not make sense for you to be in business together.

Business can ruin a relationship but Amy and I have always had an open and honest friendship and been willing to have the difficult conversations with each other which makes us work well together. To be honest, we spent the first 6 months kind of walking on eggshells together but our business - and our friendship - has been better for us getting over the honeymoon stage and being ourselves and working together.

If the plan is solid and if both parties are committed to the same vision, it can work.

Profit and Loss

Over the last few weeks, we have been discussing the dollars behind the decisions publishers make. Hardcover vs paperback, cover design, retail pricing... all of these items and many more need to be weighed against the bottom line. In these discussions, we have been tossing around the phrase "P&L".

A reader contacted us off-line to ask about "P&Ls" and how they are set up. Thought I would share some of the more important "Profit and Loss" line items that we believe every publisher should add up before publishing a book.

Author Advance: How much you paid the author against future royalties for the right to publish the book.

Development Edit: The cost of hiring an editor to shape and polish the writing.

Copy Edit: The cost of hiring a separate editor to check for grammar, spelling, inconsistencies, fact check and smooth out awkward sections.

Proofread: The cost of having (preferably two) editors review the finished file right before it goes to print and catch the inevitable errors.

Design: How much you pay the designers to design the cover and interior look of the book.

Layout: How much you pay the designer to layout the text and images within the design template and fix all the errors your proofreader finds.

Art costs: The cost of the photos or illustrations you will purchase for the book.

Marketing and PR: The budgeted amount for promoting the book. Email blasts, on-line optimization, ads in industry newsletters, author tour, getting reviews, in-store display allowances, co-op, book club and library outreach, etc.

Sales and Fulfillment: The costs associated with warehousing, shipping, selling, and billing for your books. (This is often portrayed as a percentage of the billing per unit if you are using a distributor. Sales rep groups, fulfillment houses and distributors often charge a percentage per sale)

Printing and freight: The costs to print and ship your books from the printer to the warehouse.

Once you have added the figures associated with every aspect of your book's production. marketing and sales, divide by the number of books you believe you will sell in the first two years. Be realistic. As we have said before, you are not going to be on Oprah (we promise).

Here is a sample breakdown of how a P&L works for a book. I'll call the book "Blown: My Life and Fortune as a New Author"

Blown (at 336 pages, paperback) retails at $16.95

This book's entire budget totals $30,000 for the items listed above.

After careful research, you expect to sell 5000 copies in the first two years.

The cost per unit is $6 a book.

Let's say you sell the book through traditional channels which means that you sell the book at a 55% discount off of the retail price of the book.

Your gross income from each sale is $7.63

You will net $1.63 per unit sold. (This is a healthy profit margin on a P&L)

But what if you only sell 2500?

The cost per unit will be $12 a book and you will never make your money back.

The solution many new publishers reach for is to raise the retail price of the book, but that is usually not a great idea. As we have said before, set your price to match what the marketing is asking for. It is better to adjust your expenses than raise the price of your book beyond what a consumer will pay for it.

Be very careful about your expectations and sales projections. The more accurate they are, the better you can work your profit and loss and keep your budget in line with potential sales.