Selling Audio-Books and E-books to Libraries

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How Do Libraries Get Their e-Books?
OverDrive, the main distributor to libraries has more than 1,000,000 e-book titles available and growing.  They were the early pioneers in the digital lending space and developed the e-book lending systems used by most libraries today. Overdrive uses the same Adobe DRM (Digital Rights Management) system as Kobo, Sony, B & N and Google Books to protect files from piracy and manage the lending period of library e-books. Overdrive also offers a program called “Advantage” where individual libraries and library systems buy extra titles or copies to fill local demand.  Other vendors who sell to libraries are Ingram and Baker & Taylor.
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Audio-Book and e-Book Lending Exploded.
In these statistics you can see the tremendous growth in circulation numbers from just one library during the last years. In the meantime the numbers are much higher!

Audio-Books
August 2005 – 231
August 2009 – 16,680

Ebooks
Nov. 2009 – 17,521
Jan. 2014 – 57,672

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Technology Challenges:
Libraries face many challenges from setting up their internet infrastructure to the actual ebook license acquisitions. In regards to e-Books the initial problems were: staff training and learning how to use and upload e-books to different devices. Integrating the titles into the library system’s online catalog took some time. Getting a download link from the catalog took even more time.
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Trade Publishers are the Problem for Libraries.
Acquiring the e-books, is a problem for most libraries because e-book licensing from trade publishers can cost as much as or more than a print book. Several publishers still refuse to sell to the library market. Other publishers are taking advantage on cost and “metering.” Random House will charge $83 for an eBook and Harper Collins has a 26-time checkout limit.  Libraries “buy” the books, but ownership is determined by the vendor/publisher agreements.  If a contract is not renewed will the library still own the titles?

The e-book library market is split between vendors and devices. Costs of content and administrative fees are increasing which can make e-books more expensive than print. Library users persevere because the rewards of checking out e-books from a library are tremendous with the ever-growing inventory of e-books. Yet there are usually a couple extra steps between checking the item out and loading it onto a device. Using an app does seem to solve a lot of this trouble.
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Selling eBooks to Libraries.
The Washington County Library System in Minnesota, United States, has been growing their e-book collection in the last few years.  Their entire system is using an innovative method to develop their ebook portfolio.  Local authors are encouraged to submit their own novels in electronic format to add to the existing library system using “Library Local Connect.”.  A similar initiative is currently in place in Douglas County, Colorado, USA. This helps libraries to increase their online e-book portfolio and gives exposure to local authors.  Ask your library if they have a similar program.
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Small Publishers:
Overdrive downloads into the library catalog.  However, as an author, if you’re interested in getting your ebooks into libraries, you have limited choices.  They are explaining on their website:
“OverDrive delivers BEST-SELLING digital audio-books, eBooks, music, and video for download directly from a custom-built ‘Virtual Branch’ website.  The world’s leading libraries, including New York Public Library, Toronto Public Library, and Singapore National Library, use OverDrive to deliver content to their patrons.” 
Which means dealing with the wholesaler/distributor OverDrive works only for authors who can proof great sales numbers.
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Certain Review Sites are Read by Librarians.
Getting a positive review in a publication that both vendors and libraries recognize is really critical to getting your book considered by libraries.  Books for reviews are selected for their potential interest to a broad spectrum of libraries.  If you’re interested in submitting your forthcoming book for review, keep in mind that many of these publications require submission several months! prior to the book’s launch:

http://self-e.libraryjournal.com/#sthash.MwY9kve1.dpuf

http://reviews.libraryjournal.com/about/submitting-titles-for-review/?ref=menu#Books

http://www.slj.com/about-us/review-submissions/#_

http://www.voyamagazine.com/publishers/#sthash.MwY9kve1.dpuf

http://www.hbook.com/about-us-2/submissions/#sthash.MwY9kve1.dpuf
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These are the essentials for your book to even be considered for purchase by a library:

• A professional cover image and book layout
• Accurate BISAC / subject codes 
• Complete and well-written book description
• Accurate readers age range for the book
  

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Hopefully sales from self-publishers to libraries will one day be commonplace.

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If you would like to get more support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or to learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer all this and more for only $179 for three months – or less than $2 per day! Learn more about this customized Online Seminar / Consulting for writers: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 1,050 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.
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10 Tips: How to Sell Your Books to Libraries

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US Libraries purchase books for nearly $2 billion per year. But not only books, also audio books and other forms of publications, such as e-books.  How can authors reach out to this lucrative market? And what about the distribution channels?

Ask the Library:
Ask if the library needs a purchase order for every book it purchases. Many libraries are publicly funded, and a purchase order, or PO, helps them keep track of their budget.
Ask for a current list of books the library needs to acquire. Most libraries put an emphasis on acquiring very new books; however, they may also be in need of replacements for lost or stolen copies. Find out whether they prefer hardcover, paperback or library bound books. Most libraries prefer library-bound or hardcover books.
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Distributor to Libraries
Quality Books Inc.  provides libraries with small press books that are not widely available through other
distributors. Their inventory is devoted ONLY to libraries.They explain:
“For the small publisher, getting noticed, by the appropriate librarian can present an
overwhelming challenge.  Since the vast majority of books and non-print resources produced annually never reach a professional review page, Quality Books Inc. has a stringent review process for all of the
titles we distribute. Our Title Selection Committee is made up of two MLS-degreed librarians and three publishing professionals. The committee uses more than 20 criteria with which to evaluate every title submitted to QBI for possible distribution.”  They give very detailed info what they are looking for at Quality Books’ webpage. They also state clearly how to submit your book, audio-book, CD etc.

Another major distributor to libraries is UniqueBooksInc  and specialist in non-fiction books and DVD’s. “We are a full service library resource providing our customers with newly copyrighted titles. Unique Books Inc. solves the small press dilemma of reaching the elusive, high maintenance library market profitably.”
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How Else Can You Promote Your Book in the Library Market?

• Offer a free (1-2 hour) class in local libraries, where you can certainly mention your book and maybe even sell it.
• Most online retailers, bookstores, and libraries find books through purchasing relationships with large distributors.
• Find out the dates of library trade shows and exhibit through co-operative exhibit programs such as those offered through IBPA, the Independent Book Publishers Association.
• Authors with several books, or those who can join with another small publishers, might try to get a booth at the ALA (American Library Association) Annual Conference in June 14, in Las Vegas, or at their other conferences, to show your books.  See a video about the Publisher halls at the Conference.
• However, such conferences are not a place to sell hundreds of books, it is a place to introduce and take orders or hand out business card and ask librarians for theirs (maybe an iPad as drawing price, when people give their card into a fishbowl.)  It’s more of a PR stunt, than big sales.

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When is the Best Time?
Many libraries make the majority of their acquisitions at the beginning of their fiscal year, whatever this might be. This is a good time to buy books. If you want to approach Libraries directly: The best time to approach libraries might be in early December and early June (also mostly quiet months there) – as this is when they typically do their purchases.

More tips

https://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2013/11/19/myths-and-truth-about-selling-to-libraries/https://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2013/04/05/how-to-sell-your-book-to-libraries/

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If you would like to get more support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or to learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer all this and more for only $159 for three months! Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars
Or visit http://www.e-book-pr.com/book-promo/
to advertise your new book, specials, your KDP Select Free Days or the new Kindle Countdown Deals.

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 970 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.
Thanks a lot for following:

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HAPPY CANADA DAY !!! HAPPY CANADIAN WRITERS!

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July 1 is Canada’s National Day, and today’s blog post is dedicated to everything Canadian. The Canadian government is supporting and fostering literature, writers and publishers, even ISBN’s are FREE in Canada!
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There is a huge list of government grants and support for writers and publishers. The Canada Council for the Arts offers a range of benefits for professional Canadian writers, collectives and publishers.  In addition to providing support for the creation, translation, publication and promotion of Canadian literature, the “Writing and Publishing Section” funds among others for example author residencies, literary readings and festivals, as well as new areas of activity such as rap poetry, storytelling and electronic literature.
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PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT BENEFITS
Just one of many provincial benefits for publishers is the Ontario Book Publishing Tax Credit, offering  generous tax deductions.
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WHERE and HOW TO OBTAIN A FREE ISBN IN CANADA
Good news for Canadian authors and publishers: the ISBN application process is simple and free of charge – but only if you are living in Canada and your publishing company is registered in Canada.
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COPYRIGHT CANADA
What Every Writer Needs to Know About Copyright. Register your manuscript or articles online to the Copyright Office, Canadian Intellectual Property Office Web site (fee Can $50).
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CANADA’s ONLINE BOOK RETAILERS
Mobile media and cloud computing emerged over the past years and enabled the e-book market to rapidly expand worldwide. These are just a few of the numerous possibilities to submit e-books in and to Canada:

Native – PowWow

http://www.Amazon.ca

http://www.Chapters.indigo.ca

http://itunes.apple.com/ca

http://www.kobobooks.com
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CANADIAN WRITERS DON’T NEED AGENTS
“You must get an agent!” is an advice that aspiring authors hear and read everywhere. Is it really true? Not for Canadian writers! Beacon Literary Services owner Julie Ferguson says: ”Publishing statistics in Canada demonstrate that it is simply a misconception caused by American influence. In Canada, only ten percent of books are agented. Aspiring and established authors here successfully submit the majority (10,000) of the titles published every year directly to editors.”  Julie Ferguson wrote a great blog post for Canadian authors, explaining in detail how publishing “north of 49th parallel” works, with a link to Publishers.ca, featuring listings and contact information for several important literary agents and agencies in Canada.

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CANADIAN SHORT STORY PRIZE 2013
Canada Writes, with partners CBC, Canada Council for the Arts, Air Canada’s enRoute magazine and “The Banff Centre”, are pleased to announce the Grand Prize winner will receive $6,000, courtesy of the Canada Council for the Arts, and will have his/her story published in Air Canada’s enRoute magazine and on the Canada Writes website. She or he will also be awarded a two-week residency at The Banff Centre’s Leighton Artists’ Colony, and will be interviewed on CBC Radio. The 4 runners-up will each receive $1,000, courtesy of the Canada Council for the Arts, and their stories will be published on the Canada Writes website.
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WRITE FOR AIR CANADA INFLIGHT MAGAZINE “ENROUTE”
Writing for airline magazines, such as enRoute represents a real opportunity for freelance writers. Travel pieces are a staple of in-flights, yet airline publications also offer articles on technology, business, sports, and food, as well as lifestyle trends. Find as much of the articles online. Or try to get hard copies. Since in-flights are not sold on newsstands, request a copy from the magazine’s publisher and ask traveling friends for their help.
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Canada Day in Ottawa

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HOW TO OPEN A PUBLISHING BUSINESS IN CANADA?
Authors are smart and able to start their own publishing business, REAL publishing, not POD and not Vanity Publishing: Finding and getting quotes or referrals for an editor, a book lay-out company or book designer, cover artist, e-book formatting company and a printer is not difficult.
Setting up their own company can be done online – in minutes.
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READING CANADIAN BOOKS and ARTICLES
English is English! – No! Not at all! Canada and America are two countries separated by a common language – this is how George Bernard Shaw’s statement could be converted. Many American (and other) readers are surprised to learn that there are huge differences in spelling between English-speaking countries. A book, written and published in Canada, needs almost to be “translated” into American English and vice versa.
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ACCESS Copyright
A study found that 80% of all copies made on copy machines are from books! As a Writer and first-time publisher, back in Europe in the early 1980′s, I was thrilled to receive a copy-royalty cheque for $180.00 from VG WORT.
Later I found out that the same system works well in Canada under the name ACCESS COPYRIGHT. One of the benefits of being a small publisher or trade-published writer in Canada! However you must have set up a small business in Canada, if you are not with an established (not Vanity) publisher ACCESS COPYRIGHT explains on their website.
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BERTON HOUSE Writers’ Retreat, Dawson City, Yukon Territory
Professional Canadian writers who have one published book and are established in any creative literary discipline(s) — fiction, non-fiction, poetry, play-writing, journalism — are all encouraged to apply for Canada’s most northern Writers’ Retreat.  The Writer’s Retreat offers writers time, and a remote location to pursue their professional projects. The writer will be housed in the Berton House at no cost in rent or utilities. Travel costs to and from Dawson will also be covered! The writer is responsible for a public reading in Whitehorse and Dawson City and a summary of their stay at Berton House.
Applications may be submitted by mail or email to: jdavies@writerstrust.com
Berton House Writers’ Retreat,  c/o The Writers’ Trust of Canada
200-90 Richmond St. East, Toronto, ON M5C 1P1
http://www.bertonhouse.ca/retreat.html

A monthly honorarium is provided to help cover food and other living expenses. The competition to be a writer-in-residency during the 2014-15 season is now open. An online application form is available.  The deadline for submissions is October 4, 2013.
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Canada Day celebrations July 1, in front of the Parliament in Ottawa, Ontario. Image courtesy NCC.
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HAIG BROWN RESIDENCY
Published authors are being invited to apply for the 2013-2014 Haig-Brown House Writer in Residence position. The residency entails spending the winter months (or a portion thereof) living in the Haig-Brown Heritage House, which is under the management of the Museum at Campbell River on Vancouver Island (BC).

The modest four bedroom house reflects the character of writer Roderick Haig-Brown and his wife Ann. Located in a peaceful setting on the banks of the Campbell River on Vancouver Island, it contains a Heritage library and is surrounded by two acres of garden and 17 acres of public parkland.

The writer’s time will be divided between pursuing personal writing projects and providing literary advice and support to the local community, and participate in Museum winter programming.  A stipend of up to $2000 per month, depending on available funding, will be provided.

Please include a resume (maximum two pages), a list of publications, a one-page proposal of anticipated community activities, and a sample of work in progress (20 pages); with reasons why the residency would further your work. Forward your application package to Sandra Parrish, Museum at Campbell River, Box 70 Stn A, Campbell River, BC V9W 4Z9. Deadline is January 31, 2014. For further information contact sandra.parrish@crmuseum.ca.
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CANADIAN WRITER ASSOCIATIONS

Writers Guild

Professional Writers Association of Canada

Canadian Writers Union

Canadian Authors Association and Branches

Crime Writers of Canada

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RCMP-officers-on-horse, courtesy NCC

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CANADA WRITER CONFERENCES

Surrey Intl. Writers Conference Oct 25-27, 2013 Surrey, BC

Guelph, Ontario Writers Conference

Writers Conference Orillia, Ontario

Ontario Writers Conference Ajax, Ontario

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WRITING CONTESTS in CANADA
compiled by Can Authors
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LIST OF CANADIAN WRITERS
Past and present writers, including poets, novelists, children’s writers, essayists, and scholars. compiled in a Wikipedia article.
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PUBLIC LENDING RIGHT PAYMENTS TO AUTHORS
Canadian authors receive approx. $10 Million per year/ in average $600, and up to $3,500 The Canada Council for the Arts distributes annual payments to Canadian authors through the Public Lending Right (PLR) Program as compensation for the free public access to their books in Canadian public libraries. Canada is one of 29 countries with an active public lending right payment program.  Well, not bad to be a writer in Canada! Happy Canada Day!

Read also:  35 things Canadians say that Americans don’t understand
http://www.businessinsider.com/canadian-slang-terms-2015-7?op=1#ixzz3ew8dB83F

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If you would like to get more support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites: We offer all this and more for only $179 for three months!  

Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars  Or visit http://www.e-book-pr.com/book-promo/  to advertise your new book, specials, your KDP Select Free Days or the new Kindle Countdown Deals.
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Libraries: More Popular Than Ever!

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Courtesy of: CityTownInfo.com
infographics/public-library-adaptive-success
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In the face of new technologies, libraries are adapting to a new reality and they are more popular than ever!

81 % of American adults use the Internet and almost as many people agree that free computer and internet access (including Wi-Fi) are very important services that libraries offer. 62% of libraries are the sole provider of computers and Wi-Fi for free in their community.  Libraries also offer technology assistance, help with social services applications, tutoring and advice for job-seeking patrons.
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Between 2000 and 2009, public libraries increased by 1.7 percent, but the national population increased by 11.7 percent.
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San Antonio, Texas, is planning to open a public library without books this fall.  Instead, it will have computers, tablets, laptops and e-readers with pre-loaded titles.  While the book-less library has been attempted in the U.S. in 2002, it didn’t last: patrons eventually asked for actual books.
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Sources:
Pew Research Center, “Demographics of Internet Users”, 2012
American Library Association, “State of America’s Libraries Report”, 2012
Institute of Museum and Library Services, Public Libraries Survey (Fiscal Year 2009), 2011
NPR, “A Launch of the Bookless Library”, 2013

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If you would like to get help in all things publishing, have your book heavily promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites: We offer all this and more for only a “token” of $1 / day for 3 months. Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/seminar

If you enjoyed this blog post, please feel free to check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 720 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Chime.in, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.

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How to Sell Your Book to Libraries

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According to statistics from the American Library Association and the Book Industry Study Group, libraries yearly purchase books for nearly $2 billion. But not only books, also audio books and other forms of publications.

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Imagine, you sold your $15 book at 50% discount to only 10% of these libraries, you will earn more than $75,000. But how can you tap into the lucrative library market?
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On the downside: Many of the more than 100,000 public, university and specialty libraries throughout the United States have been forced to scale down their budgets and have to use creative means to update their book collections. They even take advantage of online bargains through Amazon.com, eBay and discount book sites.

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Create a Library-Quality Book

• Librarians read reviews — at least those in Library Journal and Kirkus. It is not easy to get your book reviewed in these journals; however, it is possible.
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• Your book has to be available through major wholesalers.
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• Apply to work with a library distributor such as Quality Books or Unique Books, if you have a nonfiction book.
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• Librarians prefer hardcover books and soft cover perfect-bound books with the title printed on the spine. The cover on a perfect-bound book must be sturdy. Librarians particularly like reference books. If you are writing or compiling such a non-fiction book, be sure to include an index, a bibliography and/or a resource list.
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• Books for library-use need a Library of Congress Catalog in Publication block or in advance of publication in the Publishers Cataloging in Publication  and / or a listing with Bowker worldwide.
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• A note, printed on the upper left back cover should indicating the type of book this is and the topic: reference/book publishing, writing/reference, history, autobiography, parenting,
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Sell Books Directly to Libraries

To find their addresses, use  Gale’s Directory of Libraries or Online Library Directory
You cam also buy mailing lists from Library Marketing List. You can get listings for 25,000 university libraries or 18,000 public libraries, or 400 listings for community college libraries.
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You can’t just walk into a library and hope they will take your book, not even if you are giving it away! Librarians are happy to get  books, but they also have constraints on what books they can accept. One of those constraints is the written or unwritten “acquisitions policy” at each library, depending on what that library is collecting. Space and the high cost of storing and/or distributing books to library patrons is another huge limitation. Time is another issue for librarians – they have little time to spend reading about books.
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Each kind of library: academic; public, school, and special, has different purposes. And they buy different kinds of books. Choose the right type for your book selling efforts. For example: Young Adult and Children’s authors: The largest library market are school libraries (grades K-12). The budgets of academic libraries and public libraries are much larger than those of the typical school library.
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Send a press release to the contact name via e-mail or snail mail. Describe your book and the binding and list any amenities such as index, color photos, resource list and/or bibliography. Be sure to include all your ordering information in detail. Add a list of wholesalers / distributors that carry your book.
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Selling to libraries as an author-publisher (and signing up with book whole sale) works best when you have at least three quality print books.

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What else can you do to promote your book to libraries?

Offer a free (1 hour) class in local libraries, where you can certainly mention your book.
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Find out the dates of library trade shows and exhibit through co-operative exhibit programs such as those offered through IBPA, the Independent Book Publishers Association.
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Consider donating a copy of your book to a few top library systems, to encourage purchases for branch libraries.
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The best time to approach libraries might be in December and June as this is when they typically do their buying. If you deliver directly to the library and not through whole sale, you may want to offer the same discount to entice them to purchase your book.

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If you would like to get help in all things publishing, have your book heavily promoted and learn, how to navigate Social Media: We offer all this and more for only a “token” of $1 / day for 3 months. Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/seminar

If you enjoyed this blog post, please feel free to check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 700 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article, where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Chime.in, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.

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11 Reasons Why You Should Offer Print Books Too

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Last October I wrote a blog post why every author should offer print versions of their e-books. 
In the meantime I discovered even more reasons to have at least a small amount of printed books
listed.  Read on:

E-book authors might be happy with their sales on Amazon, Apple, Kobo or Barnes & Noble. You might have even turned it into an audio book. But the questions for a “real” book, paper back or hard-cover copy from conservative friends or elderly family members are nagging… And wouldn’t it be nice to walk into a Chapters or Baker & Taylor or one of these rare independent book shops and see your book in the shelf?

You will not earn a fortune, not even a living, but for a couple of months it is a nice pocket change. Only months… yes, because longer than this, barely any book will stay in the book store, unless it really is a bestseller and gets re-printed.

If you go the indie route and choose for sample the POD services and worldwide distribution through Lightning Source, (provided you have at least 3 books to be considered a small publisher) your book is printed on demand and will never get discarded (good: no-return-policy in POD worldwide distribution). See my blog from last month How to Distribute Your Book Worldwide.
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All you need is the spine / back of your cover designed and professionally formatted (graphic designer, book designer, lay-outer). To work with Lightning Source you need to have at least three books to be considered a publisher and you will not receive technical help. Using CreateSpace as a POD service is the better choice if you are not a computer geek and you have less than three books.
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Due to the high print-on-demand printing costs, you need to sell a 180-page fiction book for more than $10 to make any profit at all. Still you don’t make real money with your paper book, unless you are a marketing pro, very entrepreneurial and able to organize a small publisher business and invest in your written work and in letterpress print.
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Role models are enough out there and they will tell you exactly how to do start as a real publisher with their books and blogs – from Dan Poynter, Aaron Shephard to John Kremer, Joanna Penn and Joel Friedman. Author David Gaughran wrote in one of his blogs: Making Money from Paperbacks  “I was really slow to see the potential in print, and it was probably the biggest mistake I made over the last year.”
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But then again: Why on earth should you go with a paper edition of your e-book?

1. The majority of book buyers still chooses printed books at the moment (that will change)
2. You can give out review copies to newspaper/magazine or book blog reviewers
3. To be hosted at local media / TV interviewers who want to show a copy of your book
4. To sell your book easier to libraries
5. To participate in a Goodreads giveaway
6. To sell your book to those who really don’t want an e-Reader or just love paper books
7. If you write non-fiction it is almost a must to offer it in paper as well
8. You have an ISBN number and can get listed with Bowker at worldwide bookstores
9. Physical books are just nicer to give on Christmas – unless you put an e-book on a new e-Reader and wrap it
10. To sell more e-books! Yes – because they seem to cost so much less in comparison…
11. To list your book in more categories / genres on Amazon: per book type you are allowed to choose two categories / genres. Two print and two digital versions – which increases your books’ visibility and also shows you exactly in which genre you have the most success.
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And last but not least: Think hurricanes or other reasons for power outage. I know e-Readers have batteries. But guess what: just yesterday my Kindle went dead and needed to be re-charged! With heavy thunderstorms around the house due to hurricane “Sandy”, I did not want to plug it in – and instead I read a paper book surrounded by lots of solar lamps and candles.

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If you enjoyed this blog post, please feel free to check out all previous posts of this blog (there are almost 570 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.

Follow on Twitter: @111publishing

And don’t forget to spread the word on other social networking sites of your choice for other writers who might also enjoy this blog and find it useful. Thanks, Doris

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Why You Should Sell Paper Books Too

BookStaple

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E-book authors might be happy with their sales on Amazon, Apple, Kobo or B&N. You might have even turned it into an audio book.  But the questions for a “real” book, paper back or hard-cover copy from conservative friends or elderly family members are nagging… And wouldn’t it be nice to walk into a Chapters or Baker & Taylor or one of the rare independent book shops and see your book in the shelf?

You will not earn a fortune, not even a living, but for a couple of months it is a nice pocket change. Only months… yes, because longer than this, barely any book will stay in the book store, unless it really is a bestseller and gets re-printed.

If you go the indie route and choose for sample the POD services and worldwide distribution through Lightning Source, (provided you have at least 3 books to be considered a small publisher) your book is printed on demand and will never get discarded (good: no-return-policy in POD worldwide distribution). See my blog from last month How to Distribute Your Book Worldwide.

All you need is the spine / back of your cover designed and professionally formatted (graphic designer, book designer, lay-outer). To work with Lightning Source you need to have at least three books to be considered a publisher and you will not receive technical help. Using CreateSpace as a POD service is the better choice if you are not a computer geek and you have less than three books.

Due to the high print-on-demand printing costs, you need to sell a 180-page fiction book for more than $10 to make any profit at all. Still you don’t make real money with your paper book, unless you are a marketing pro, very entrepreneurial and able to organize a small publisher business and invest in your written work and in letterpress print.

Role models are enough out there and they will tell you exactly how to do start as a reall publisher with their books and blogs – from Dan Poynter, Aaron Shephard to John Kremer, Joanna Penn and Joel Friedman. Author David Gaughran wrote in one of his blogs, Making Money from Paperbacks: “I was really slow to see the potential in print, and it was probably the biggest mistake I made over the last year.”

But then again: Why on earth should you go with a paper edition of your e-book?

• The majority of book buyers still chooses printed books at the moment (that will change)
• You can give out review copies to newspaper/magazine or book blog reviewers
• To be hosted at local media / TV interviewers who want to show a copy of your book
• To sell your book easier to libraries
• To participate in a Goodreads giveaway
• To sell your book to those who really don’t want an e-Reader or just love paper books
• If you write non-fiction it is almost a must to offer it in paper as well
• You have an ISBN number and can get listed with Bowker  at worldwide bookstores
• Physical books are just nicer to give on Christmas – unless you put an e-book on a new e-Reader and wrap it
• To sell more e-books! Yes – because they seem to cost so much less in comparison…
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And last but not least: Think hurricanes or other reasons for power outage. I know e-Readers have batteries. But guess what: just yesterday my Kindle went dead and needed to be re-charged! With heavy thunderstorms around the house due to hurricane “Sandy”, I did not want to plug it in – and instead I read a paper book surrounded by lots of solar lamps and candles.

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If you enjoyed this blog post, please feel free to check out all previous posts of this blog (there are almost 570 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.

Follow on Twitter: @111publishing

And don’t forget to spread the word on other social networking sites of your choice for other writers who might also enjoy this blog and find it useful. Thanks, Doris

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Pingates

 

Turn Your Manuscript into a Cash Cow

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Do you remember my blog “Split Your Book Apart“? What else could you do with your manuscript and your copyright? One of the suggestions was audio.  In other words: Re-purpose your manuscript and make more out of it than just a book and an e-book. Why not additionally create an audio-book from your novel or even from non-fiction? Audio-books are becoming more and more popular!

• Your readers can listen to your audio-books, which can easily double their book consumption because they are using time that previously was not available and turning it into valuable “reading” time.
• They can listen in the car, bus, train, plane… while exercising, walking or hiking, on the beach or while doing mundane tasks around the house or yard.
• Special needs readers, such as blind ones will have access to your written words in form of an audio-book.
• Audio-books can be listened to on an iPod or iPhone/SmartPhone or other MP3 player, even on most e-readers such as Kindle and Nook.

A membership at www.Audible.com (owned by Amazon.com) is a good deal for your readers. They can choose from various plans, and easily download digital audio-books to their preferred device. Or they can go to their local public library to get audio-books for free.
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There are three ways of producing an audio-book:

1. You do it all yourself. If you are on a very tight budget you can make audios with some relatively inexpensive equipment.
2. You use a narrator who is specialized on audio books and who gets a percentage of royalty after production of your audio-book (for which they charge too).
3. You organize a professional production and keep all your royalties for yourself.

Here are some tips to achieve this:

• You should find an experienced sound editor and an audio director to get the most out of your studio time and ensure a quality production. Check the packaging on audio-books in stores to see if a producer is credited.
• Choose only the ones who are used to work with audio books.
• Get a good microphone and a screen to soften explosive sounds.
• If you choose professional help, try to find a trained speaker, such as a graduate from an actor school or drama school.
• A professional voice-over artist website has a large pool of excellent audio performers and will greatly enhance your project. Order sample audios, emailed to you, to evaluate talent.  The ball park figure for an audio book production service ranges from $500 – $1.200, but can be higher, depending on the books’ length.

To have your audio-book sold, check www.Audible.com / Amazon.com. You will be referred to ACX, the Audiobook Creation Exchange  where you get tons of good advice how to narrate your own audio book or what to look for when outsourcing.  I was positively surprised how well they explain in detail the whole process for author on their website, including case studies, how much you will earn, contract samples and how to promote your audio-book. Check it out before you start your project!

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If you enjoyed this blog post, please feel free to check out all previous posts of this blog (there are almost 570 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.

Follow on Twitter: @111publishing

And don’t forget to spread the word on other social networking sites of your choice for other writers who might also enjoy this blog and find it useful. Thanks, Doris

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Hyper Smash

Pingates

 

5 Beautiful Old Bookstores

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El Ateneo BuonesAires by David @Flickr

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Even avid e-book readers will be enchanted by these beautiful, magnificant old bookstores in Europe and in South America, housed in former opera buildings or churches.
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Photo Alex Duret-Lutz Paris

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Shakespeare & Co Paris Photo Tuuli Saarikoski

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BookStore Maastrich Photo by Kevin Gessner

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Porto Portugal Photo Marcella Bona

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Some Bookstores are so beautiful they are worth getting out of the house (or the country) to visit whether you need a new hardcover or not.  Find many more at FlavorWire.com under “The most beautiful bookstores in the world”.

Did you discover any beautiful bookstores? Let us know or send a photo!

If you enjoyed this blog post, please feel free to check out all previous posts (there are almost 500 of them : ) if you haven’t already.  Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email?   Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “Like” next to it.

Follow on Twitter:  @111publishing

And don’t forget to spread the word on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Tumblr or StumbleUpon – or other social networking sites of your choice) – other writers might also enjoy this blog and find it useful.

 

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76% of Libraries in the USA Lend eBooks

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The American Library Association has released the results of the ALA annual survey, which is conducted in October of each year (and released more than 6 months later). Budgets being cut while responsibilities are increased, however things are looking good.

More libraries were lending e-books and audiobooks last fall than the year before (76% vs 67%), and a significantly larger number of respondents said they were lending e-readers as well (39% vs 28%). There is also an increase in the number of libraries that offer free Wifi, internet access, and technical training for patrons trying to use all the technology.

E-book stats are up and the same goes for the e-reader lending stats. 2011 was a tumultuous year for libraries, when HarperCollins deciding to limit checkouts to only 26 per copy. However, libraries are going into e-books no matter what the major publishers do.

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