Thinking of writing a book? Some comments you should read

I'VE had an interesting few days on the book front, with several (okay three) people getting in touch to tell me how much they have enjoyed The Greatest Freelance Writing Tips in the World.

Apparently, I'll be getting sales figures after about six months. Can't wait for that. Ho hum. Realistically how many do you think it will sell by then? I've been bowled over by great reviews, but I have no idea what impact these will have. Not much, I fear.

I've sought reassurance from fellow writers.

One tells me her book on a relationships-related topic, has sold hundreds in the past two years. To say she's fed up is an understatement. She says she should have done more PR and not relied on the publishers.

Another tells me: "I think with any book (or any piece of work) you have to think of it just as one more stepping stone and a way to get to the next job. Very few books make decent money on their own but if you have enough of them out there sooner or later the figures start to add up."

That was a bit of a "lightbulb moment" I can tell you.

I have another book due out in the summer. It's with another small publisher. Discussing small publishers in general, a poster on a writers' forum tells me:

"Someone I know did a book with one publisher who were a nightmare to work with, what with staff changes and not keeping in touch. He had to battle to get the second half of his advance after he'd written the book and had to chase them for months. They also didn't send him any royalty statements when they were due and he had to chase them too. It took a long time (years) before they sold enough books to actually pay him royalties, despite him doing a lot to promote it."

Are you feeling queasy yet? No? Well here's something you absolutely have to read - brace yourself, this is an illuminating piece but it may just tip you over the edge:

Dreaming of having your book published? There are some things you need to be aware of.

Someone pass the tissues!

Comments

[Craig McGinty]

Still think there is plenty of room for "alternative" means of promotion.

As someone once said, I can't remember who, the worst thing for a writer is not theft of copyright of their work, it's not being read in the first place.

[Linda]

Hi Craig - yes there is, I'm sure - but it's the time element that can put people off - Fran Sandham who featured here about his book has had phenomenal PR - loads of radio interviews etc - it'll be interesting to see what impact that has.
For me, out of people who asked for my book to review, there are some who haven't yet - either they haven't found time, they think it's crap or they may still do so, but one thing I haven't got is time to chase and chase and chase.
I've done loads of PR and online people have been really supportive - there are more than 250 people in the facebook group for this blog which is excellent - but have they or will they buy the book? I have no idea.
Meanwhile there is a PR company but they have to work across a whole series on behalf of the publishers - they haven't gained any coverage of my book, while I have been plugging away. Was it realistic to expect them to get any coverage considering everything else they have on? I really don't know!Is it realistic to expect people to buy the book just because they have read about it? I'd really hope so!

[Craig McGinty]

>> there are more than 250 people in the facebook group for this blog which is excellent - but have they or will they buy the book? I have no idea.<<

I think it is important to think beyond the old ways of book promotion.

At the moment very few people in the Facebook group have bought a copy I presume.

But it's clear they are interested, what have you to lose by giving them a digital version of the book?

There not buying the book anyway, but now you've given them a real insight into the title and there is a real chance that the digital version of the book would be spread around FB.

And without a PR team, newspaper pitch or journalist's review in sight.

As Albert Einstein (maybe) said: "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

Not that I'm calling you insane!!!

[Linda]

But I don't know what a digital version is!!

And what would I be losing? The price! I don't want a free version passed around, I want some cash. :) Is this an old fashioned view?

And as I have already sent out copies to bloggers for review and have had some lovely reviews, how do we know your suggested strategy would have any effect? Eh? Eh? Go on then answer me that Sir.

Good Day.

[Craig McGinty]

>>But I don't know what a digital version is!!

A simple .pdf version that your publisher most probably has anyway. Or put the chapters up on the blog and have an index page linking to them.

>> And what would I be losing? The price!

You are already losing the price as you are not selling any. But what you are really losing is many people promoting the title and doing a much more effective job than an office full of PR people working solely on your book.

>>And as I have already sent out copies to bloggers for review and have had some lovely reviews, how do we know your suggested strategy would have any effect?

We don't but check what Einstein said. With this strategy at the end of each review bloggers can include a link to download the ebook, as well as a link to Amazon.

So others can take the ebook and do a review, link to it, offer a link to Amazon and let's face it, the type of book it is means that most people will carry it around with them, ultimately that's difficult to do with a .pdf version.

I'd take a little time to listen to this conference call:

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/01/getting-stuck-i.html

And from the same man this quote: "Offering low marginal cost items for free is a shortcut to generating word of mouth, which is a lot cheaper than buying ads."

Finally if as Danuta Kean says most authors can only expect to earn £4,000 from a book, what you learn from trying this method will be incredibly more valuable in the future.

[Linda]

Oi you bugger I am selling some.
But seriously Craig thank you so much for taking the time to expand on all of that - I need to have a good look through and get to grips with it.
You are a superstar. Now do you know anyone who went into labour cos of something weird? :)

[Craig McGinty]

I don't if it was due to this, but like any good journo it could be worked that way.

But this past weekend a friend was taking a Guardian journalist on a tour of Paris and she went into labour on the Sunday evening...

[Linda]

I quite fancy the idea of having your baby in France (does that read like *your* baby? I'd better get my coat :))For us it was a toss up between Walsall and Stafford. Stafford won.

[Louise Bolotin]

Is this a private conversation or can anyone join in? :)

http://www.sfep.org.uk/pub/gen/br/skguides/jones_gfwt.asp

is the review I did for the society for Editors and Proofreaders. It's only gone live in the last few days.

[Joanne Mallon]

Blood Sweat & Tea has been a huge seller, despite also exisitng as a free giveaway or creative commons edition as I believe it's technically known: http://www.thefridayproject.co.uk/Files/pdf/BloodSweatAndTeaCC.pdf

Also this fine biography of Timothy Leary has the cunning ploy of giving away the 1st quarter as creative commons: http://www.ihaveamericasurrounded.com
Hasn't done too badly either. I think it's seen by the publishers as a good promotional device.

Giving your book away - it's the future I tell ya

[Nick Daws]

I'd certainly consider giving away a chapter via your website in the form of a PDF file - it might whet the appetite of potential purchasers. Like you, though, I'd be wary of giving away the whole book in this form!

Btw, don't forget to register your book with the PLR office and ALCS. I've found that some of my own books that haven't sold very well do still get borrowed a lot from libraries. In a few cases I've actually pocketed more from PLR, photocopying fees, and so on than I ever earned from sales!

[Linda]

Thanks Nick - that is something I had read about on your blog before and not really thought about since. My friend Alex has also advised me to make sure this is in hand so I need to crack on with that. It sounds like a bit of work but well worth it.

[Linda]

Louise - thanks so much for posting that review - looks great, thanks for writing it! :)

[Niamh]

Hey, I just wanted to send in my little tit-bit about digital version!

I have no idea how much you can expect from roaylties or even if it is a breach of contract for you to produce a digital version - that's something for you to look into!

However, you can create an e-book very easily, and the best way to do this is to purchase this e-book for $7.00 - yip - next to nothing!

http://instantcommissionpayments.com/?e=niamhjuhl@hotmail.com

You could possibly just write two or three of your chapters and leave it at a cliff hanger, then tell the reader where they can purchase your book! Make it relatively cheap, as they wont want to pay that much if they have to go out a purchase the whole book later!

You could also check out LULU.com where you can self publish a book and make it an e-book as well as a hold in your hand book, or only make it available as an e-book! You have full controll. The price for both is different and is set by you!

Good luck!

[June Austin]

You can also convert your files to an e-book via amazon, although like others have said, check the clause in your contract first. Don't forget google books as well, it is worth putting the book on there so that people can search inside it and see whether or not it is for them. That is a far better option that the amazon search inside facility as they take a higher discount for the privilige, google on the other hand is free!

[David]

Talking about Google Books, when are they going to implement their much-touted scheme to sell full online access to books ? They seem to have been promising this for years but when I ask them about it they never reply. Maddening.

[Linda]

Thanks everyone for your comments, I am learning more each day about the maddening aspects of this process.