tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7970703367799585001.post7777086859693953856..comments2023-12-31T14:09:29.720-08:00Comments on The Pen and Parchment: Which Way Should We turn? Ushering in the New Publishing Era…Star-Dreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14298850366884374226noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7970703367799585001.post-11994369555324119902012-04-03T03:05:58.266-07:002012-04-03T03:05:58.266-07:00My humble opinion for new writers...
If I remembe...My humble opinion for new writers...<br /><br />If I remember correctly, 50% of all book sales are in the Romance genre.<br /><br />So, combine what ever you're writing with romance.<br /><br />Like a YA Paranormal vampire Romance... oh wait that was Twighlight, heehee.<br /><br />But seriously, the series did sell really well. And Amanda Hocking looks like a YA Paranormal Romance author.<br /><br />P.S.<br /><br />I'm not an author and have never sold a story. :(<br /><br />So take my advice at your own discretion.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7970703367799585001.post-47853634267771948902011-10-11T12:59:19.938-07:002011-10-11T12:59:19.938-07:00Ah, thanks Stratton! ^_^ You are absolutely right...Ah, thanks Stratton! ^_^ You are absolutely right, of course. Technology is changing so fast around here, it's almost pointless to buy something new because the minute you do, there will be something better to replace it. I just continue to hope and pray that when the time is right, I'll know what to do and be equipped properly to do it. Your encouraging words are always such a blessing, so thank you very much! ^_^<br /><br />NicholeStar-Dreamerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14298850366884374226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7970703367799585001.post-74821682779528183472011-10-11T11:51:57.341-07:002011-10-11T11:51:57.341-07:00That is a great dream, Nichole! You definitely hav...That is a great dream, Nichole! You definitely have the passion for it and your tenaciousness will definitely be an asset when you eventually try to start Magpie up. <br /><br />Who knows, when you do decide to start it up there could be a totally new technology available anyway. Good luck!<br /><br />(Stratton)Lisa Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09054151451738617839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7970703367799585001.post-52894238349853410332011-09-07T10:15:31.122-07:002011-09-07T10:15:31.122-07:00*Nods to Jake* Yeah, I know what you mean. :P I&...*Nods to Jake* Yeah, I know what you mean. :P I'm a perfectionist too. lol! Actually, it's a little strange, I guess, but I think that might be partially why I'm thinking of creating a publishing company... I don't know. *shrug* Self publication allows control and specifics... <br /><br />However, I think I'm still going to try for traditional publishing first with SOTD. I'm not quite ready to start Magpie Publications, (or Magpie Eclectic Press, or whatever the name will end up being. ;D) For right now I think the best option for me is to learn as much as I can about the publishing world, and I truly think one of the best ways to start is to get published traditionally... or at least through another indie press, so that I can feel what it's like. :)Star-Dreamerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14298850366884374226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7970703367799585001.post-17912723116301229822011-09-06T20:23:18.390-07:002011-09-06T20:23:18.390-07:00Hey, Jacob—*I* have an unsigned copy of Kestrel...Hey, Jacob—*I* have an unsigned copy of Kestrel's Midnight Song. *Bwahahahahaha*<br /><br />*ahem* Sorry to interrupt the conversation...<br /><br />Anyhow. I'll be praying for you and your decision on this. :) Good luck to you, and may God guide you wherever this takes you!<br /><br />Personally, I think I'll at least try the traditional publishing route, if I ever consider my work good enough to publish. (Being a perfectionist is hard sometimes. >_>) I'm not really in it for the money, anyway. If I can get my book to readers and hopefully impact them, I wouldn't trade all the money in the world for that.Jakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07013859345463250479noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7970703367799585001.post-63272722910276692942011-09-04T09:46:17.139-07:002011-09-04T09:46:17.139-07:00I'm not entrepreneur and I'm new to the ot...I'm not entrepreneur and I'm new to the other side of publishing (so I have no advice for you there :)). <br /><br />But my view of publishing changed as I watched the publishing world evolve. I was like you, wanted to be published by a big company. But as the years went by, I realized my readers did not buy those books (I write Christian fantasy for the adult market). My readers were looking online or other places for their books, not in traditional bookstores (and certainly not Christian book stores).<br /><br />So that is what made me change my mind on what publishing houses to query. I wanted a publisher who was going after my readers.<br /><br />I think what Jill said above is true: put out a good product (good story, good edits, and an excellent cover because yes, people judge a book by its cover). Then with a little marketing and word of mouth, the book will take off.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7970703367799585001.post-27987866713976185832011-09-02T20:53:08.754-07:002011-09-02T20:53:08.754-07:00I like the reasoning behind the name "Magpie&...I like the reasoning behind the name "Magpie". Reminds me of the scripture about treasure hid in the sands (in this case, sands meaning people). In a sense, that's the story of history, of God looking for treasure in people.Philip Nelsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15407695870657587787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7970703367799585001.post-88612643879217086012011-08-31T20:03:52.886-07:002011-08-31T20:03:52.886-07:00*Hugs Adele* Let me just say now that you are awes...*Hugs Adele* Let me just say now that you are awesome and thank you. ^_^Star-Dreamerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14298850366884374226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7970703367799585001.post-22731926768169186362011-08-31T20:00:23.229-07:002011-08-31T20:00:23.229-07:00Nichole, if that's what your dream is, keep on...Nichole, if that's what your dream is, keep on figuring it out, and you'll get there someday! :D If so, I look very forward to seeing the creation of Magpie Eclectic Press!<br /><br />Yo' beta,<br /><br />~AdeleAdele Treskillardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05818527845025646334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7970703367799585001.post-35302960527935796952011-08-31T19:19:12.151-07:002011-08-31T19:19:12.151-07:00Book events: yes, I can definitely see how that wo...Book events: yes, I can definitely see how that would be stressful. Lots of gas and time involved. And I suppose that sometimes the return is not nearly as great as the author might hope. <_< I can understand that.<br /><br />But even with very, very little return... it's still promotion. People will see you. Whether they remember you or not, they will see you. The hard part will be getting them to remember and then come back, or better yet, getting them to pick up a copy of the book and buy it!! Like I said, there's going to be tons of work and thinking involved before I'll feel anywhere near confident enough to launch the company. I have a few ideas that will go towards that particular avenue of promotion, but while they look great on paper, my theories aren't tested yet. We'll have to wait and see. <br /><br />And working with consignment might cause some difficulties, I'll admit... I'll have to think about that one. My idea is that the company will be based mostly online, but my hope is also to be able to get a few books into stores... not too many at a time, but at least get some titles out there on shelves. I'm sure with time, good advice, and lots of thinking, something will eventually come up... some brilliant idea... that would take care of that problem. But it will definitely take some thought. (I wonder how I might be able to look into warehousing and distribution? Print-run power can be worked with... I live about 40min from Versa-Press, where Brock Eastman's book "taken" was printed, and my good, good friend's son works there. Who knows... it's very complicated, I'm sure. Loop-holes all the way. lol!)<br /><br />I would probably be working at another job at the same time. If I can balance out one job, all my classes, and my volunteer time, plus writing, art and commissions, not to mention social networking/platform-building/online presence, yet still feel like I'm in for the count, I can figure out how to manage time around opening a business. lol! ;) I'll probably wait until I'm out of school though... or at least until I transfer. And I hope to build a team that will help me open and keep the company afloat. That will be essential. Who knows... I may come back to you later and see what you would think of becoming part of such a team. *shrug* It's not happening just yet of course, but I will eventually need to take that step in future years and start inquiring towards interested parties who would be willing to take a risk. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. :D<br /><br />And thank you for your enthusiasm and cheering. Cheering is always good. :DStar-Dreamerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14298850366884374226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7970703367799585001.post-51991738141815460012011-08-31T19:19:05.641-07:002011-08-31T19:19:05.641-07:00Jacob: Wow! great insight. The information you pr...Jacob: Wow! great insight. The information you provided is definitely something to mull over. And, of course, what better way to learn about the ins and outs of such things than to talk to another author who HAS been published? I'm gonna have to find more people to talk to... I'm just plumb full of questions. :D It is definitely an exciting time for publishing. <br /><br />Hmmm.... adult genres. That's very interesting. I thought the YA and Middle Grade market were totally booming right now. But then again, I can see how that might be a slight misconception. It is getting quite a bit more difficult to find YA titles that don't have anything to do with vampire love triangles and so on. It's so interesting to watch the market shift. Whenever this dream takes off (future years, lol!) I would probably publish things in the range from Middle Grade to Adult, depending on the content of course. Right now my reading centers mostly around YA, but I have found amazing titles in the other age ranges as well.<br /><br />Print publication... hmmm... I was thinking of perhaps working with some print books. Yes. But they would be POD, for the most part. I would strive to get some books into a few physical bookstores (I don't know how much I could do right now for getting physical copies into stores the nation over, but I could start with my area bookstores. It would be something anyway. And the author could work in their area as well.), and of course I'd be working online: Barnes and Nobles, Berean, Borders (I believe they still plan on running a website for their books, even though their physical stores are now dying...), Amazon... <br /><br />I would start out small, of course, and build up. It's no good trying to start large and then suddenly discovering that I can't handle the work. :P Sales would be small, I'm sure... at least at first. That's expected. But it would be movement. That's how I keep looking at it. :) Any movement forward is better than none at all... much better than a step backwards!! (That's a funny bit you gave about the worth of your unsigned copies! :D loved it!)Star-Dreamerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14298850366884374226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7970703367799585001.post-21449767769709451982011-08-30T19:47:07.825-07:002011-08-30T19:47:07.825-07:00Hey Nichole,
I'm honored to be mentioned in th...Hey Nichole,<br />I'm honored to be mentioned in this post. And I can tell you've been thinking about and researching this for quite some time. <br /><br />It's certainly an exciting time to be in the publishing industry, isn't it?<br /><br />I've thought about self-publishing, too. It's tempting because:<br /><br />A) You don't have to share your profits with a publisher.<br /><br />B) You get complete control over the content, packaging, and marketing of your book.<br /><br />C) Entrepreneurship is very exciting and adventuresome.<br /> <br />I thought it would be relevant to share a link to a blog post I found the other day. It was so gratifying to me because I feel it hits the ebook issue on the head: http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2011/03/amanda-hocking-and-99-cent-kindle.html<br /><br />Other than that, the only thing I can offer to this discussion is some things I've learned from my own indie publishing experience.<br /><br />First, my kindle sales aren't great. I average about 17 ebook sales a month, which comes to $35, or a sales rank generally ranging from 30,000 to 120,000. It seems to me that, currently, the indie ebooks making it big are all in the Adult Thriller/Horror, Adult Fantasy/Sci-fi, or Romance genre. That could change quickly, though.<br /><br />Second, I'm not sure if you would be pursuing print distribution with Magpie Publications or not, but I ran into quite a few pitfalls on that side of things that you might find helpful to hear about as you plan your publishing house.<br /><br />A) Almost all of my sales have been through book signings. I often joke that the unsigned copies of Kestrel's Midnight Song will someday be worth more than the signed copies because they'll be more rare.<br /><br />B) Book events, in my experience, are a nightmare to set up. A signing at my local Borders involved an estimated five phone calls and six store visits to set up and get paid. In nearly every signing where I sold books on consignment through a bookstore, I haven't been paid. Costco was a dream to work with, but it was really a surprise and a blessing in the way that came about. And Costco returns a lot of books, which brings me to...<br /><br />B) Without the distribution, warehousing, and print run power that big traditional publishers have, returns can be a financial killer, which is why nearly all indie publishers don't offer returns and stay out of print distribution altogether.<br /><br />With all the time and money I've put into promoting Kestrel's Midnight Song, I would actually be thousands of dollars in debt if I didn't have the blessing of being able to stay at my parents' house when I'm not traveling. My hope is that my hard work will result in a traditional contract with a big publisher for my next book.<br /><br />But I have my eye on ebooks and indie publishing. And I will be watching Magpie Publications with much interest and cheering.Jacob R Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15955608969188162033noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7970703367799585001.post-53923600010888812762011-08-30T19:07:40.894-07:002011-08-30T19:07:40.894-07:00(Oh, and if you would ever like to read part of my...(Oh, and if you would ever like to read part of my WIP, let me know. But you know... that's totally up to you.) :D<br /><br />Also, thank you for offering to help advise me when I actually get around to starting this. I know I'm still such a baby in what I know about the publishing world. I love to research it though! :D I will definitely take you up on that offer. ;)Star-Dreamerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14298850366884374226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7970703367799585001.post-59476480943955286692011-08-30T18:39:15.405-07:002011-08-30T18:39:15.405-07:005) The point you made about how most of the people...5) The point you made about how most of the people that I mentioned above(authors and publishers alike) have been previously published or have worked in publishing and so have built a following is very, very valid. I've thought through that as well, and it's definitely one of the reasons that I'm not jumping into the creation of Magpie Publications right now. I haven't decided yet as to whether or not I will work to publish my book "Song of the Daystar" by myself, or continue to seek out other traditional and Indie routs. As of this moment, I'm still working to perfect my query and strengthen the manuscript, as well as my pitch. The improvements that the manuscript has undergone over the past year is like the difference between air and fire: I certainly wouldn't want to present anything less than my best! ^_^ And you are right, if I were to be published traditionally or through another indie company, It's likely I would build up a stronger fan base... and it would improve my social networking skills, as well as my experience within the publishing world. All of which must be taken into consideration.<br /><br />6) Last but not least, writing critique circles. :) I'm forever searching for good critique groups. Currently, the only one I'm a member of is "critique circle" on the forums at writersdigest.com. I'm "star-dreamer" on the sci-fi/fantasy forum there. I also do some beta-reading on the side. I have several authors I'm reading for at the moment, including Robert and Adele Treskillard, Robert Mullin, and (now in the past) Brock Eastman (to whom I also gave an endorsement). As well as a few other online friends. My beta-partner is Adele Treskillard: we work together to help critique and strengthen each other's work. :)<br /><br />And last year I was surprised by an unexpected honorable mention for a poem entered in a Writers' Digest Contest! I was like "WOW! How did this happen?" :D And I also have a few things published through the school literary journal.<br /><br />It's all a journey, I guess, and one I absolutely look forward to. It won't be easy, but then again, no one ever said it would. And yet, I'd take the hardships and the experience over being handed the reward on a silver platter. There's some sense of accomplishment that comes with the work, and besides that, the work and the progress will help to keep you humble: it can only happen through God. :D I keep reminding myself that. That, and the fact that no matter how good I may feel I am, I could always strive to be better, so why settle now?<br /><br />If you have any suggestions for critique groups, please do let me know! I would love to look into them! ^_^<br /><br />AND THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!Star-Dreamerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14298850366884374226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7970703367799585001.post-89826811161074568402011-08-30T18:38:55.034-07:002011-08-30T18:38:55.034-07:00WOW Jill! That's some good insight you gave. ...WOW Jill! That's some good insight you gave. I'm going to try and reply to everything you said (just because I can. ;D). This comment may get super long. <_< If so, please excuse my wordiness. :P<br /><br />1) What you said about mastering the skills it takes for publication is absolutely right. That's partly why I know I'm not ready to jump into the process right now. I know there's so much I should learn first; I have a lot of research ahead of me before this dream can ever become a reality! :) I'm still learning how to build a solid online platform and presence. After all, I've only been at it now for about a year... maybe a year and a half. It's a very intriguing experience and process for sure, but I feel that I should be 100% confident in my abilities at online networking (or at least 90%) before I try to promote something that isn't mine, or something that isn't connected with me personally and emotionally. Hopefully my experience and abilities will continue to grow as I move into the future!<br /><br />2) Your faith in my art is extremely inspiring. :) And quite humbling. I'm so very glad that you like it. ^_^ I still have much I want to learn, and I'm by no means what I would call a "master" yet... I've a long way to go and much to learn, by God's grace. <br /><br />3)I'm double majoring in English and Music. (English for writing, editing, teaching, or working in publishing... trying to cover all my bases. I'll probably end up in Editing. Music for vocal performance and perhaps teaching.) :D Originally I was going to try to do a triple major and add Art or Graphic Design to my list of beloved subjects. I finally decided that I had better cut that down, and my dad was a professional artist for years so I can still take lessons from him (and they don't cost me a thing! ;D)<br /><br />4) Professional editing and marketing will definitely be a challenge... but I believe that marketing will be the biggest obstacle. I really need to take business and marketing classes in college. I'll need to do that before I transfer. <_<<br /><br />I'm not a professional editor for sure, but I think that editing is one of my stronger points. I also have a very, very good family friend who just happens to be a professional editor... and I have just now become a writing consultant at my school as. I'm so excited to see where God takes me on this trail of my life. ^_^Star-Dreamerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14298850366884374226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7970703367799585001.post-47510577886764428872011-08-30T17:45:15.677-07:002011-08-30T17:45:15.677-07:00I love your passion and drive, Nichole! It's p...I love your passion and drive, Nichole! It's people with vision and tenacity who succeed in God's perfect timing. And if over time you decided to do this, you certainly could succeed, as long as you respect this dream enough to put in the time to master all the things you would need to do—or learn how to hire the right people who already know how, if that makes sense. <br /><br />My book with Zonderkidz hasn't come out yet, so ask me next year for a better comparison on indie versus traditional publishers. <br /><br />I will say that many self-publishers or indie publishers fail because they don’t have the experience or they make poor choices in editing, covers, or marketing. You are an incredible artist, so I know without a doubt that your book covers would look amazing. I’m just now getting to know you, so I don’t know your major at school and haven’t read your writing or had you critique any of my writing, so I can’t comment on your editing skills. But it might be the professional editing and marketing that would be your biggest challenges starting off. Are you in a critique group? If not, I can help you find a good one.<br /><br />I can’t speak for the other authors here, but a few that you mentioned were traditionally published first and have decided to start their own presses years later. But they have a fan base ready to buy whatever books they write, so that is a huge part of why they succeed. With Jeff Gerke, he didn’t have a fan base for Marcher Lord Press, but he had many years of editing experience from working at Christian publishing houses and some great contacts for covers and copyediting. So that helped him create a great product. And if you have a great product, the marketing isn’t as big of deal because word-of-mouth will sell the book.<br /><br />So those are a few things to think about while you consider chasing this dream. I hope that helps some. Keep me posted on Magpie Publications, okay? I worked as an acquisitions editor for a while years ago, so I can share with you some other things that you would encounter as a publisher.<br /><br />God bless!<br /><br />JillJill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7970703367799585001.post-63576398229239254402011-08-30T16:26:33.555-07:002011-08-30T16:26:33.555-07:00Colleen & Gillian: Absolutely. I would most ...Colleen & Gillian: Absolutely. I would most certainly need a team for this. <br /><br />And Colleen: You're right... <_< I can be too nice sometimes. (I'm told I get it from my mother...) I think I have a good idea about what makes a good story, and I know what I like to read... As far as submissions go, before anything was accepted I would have to be hooked on the query, and then if I like what I see, I might decide to request the full manuscript... (I would start by reading just the first three chapters, and continue on if those first chapters caught my interest).<br /><br />(And of course, this would all happen in the future... not just yet. ;D)<br /><br />The only thing is that I would definitely need several sets of eyes. I feel like I would be overwhelmed if I tried to take on the whole thing by myself. Maybe I could do it with just MY book, but it would probably be a different story if I opened it up for outside manuscripts (which is exactly what I want to do.) I wouldn't want to be bias or anything, and there are other aspects of the publishing world that I'm not so savvy with.<br /><br />Any chance you might be interested, Colleen? ;)Star-Dreamerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14298850366884374226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7970703367799585001.post-79371588605489590562011-08-30T16:09:05.750-07:002011-08-30T16:09:05.750-07:00John: AH! ^_^ It must be all the hype I've be...John: AH! ^_^ It must be all the hype I've been following about your contract then. ;) I'm excited for you, and let me finally formally congratulate you as well. So CONGRATS!!<br /><br />*goes to edit post*Star-Dreamerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14298850366884374226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7970703367799585001.post-19327419566793581632011-08-30T16:02:41.852-07:002011-08-30T16:02:41.852-07:00Um, I wish I was a Christy nominee. My book with M...Um, I wish I was a Christy nominee. My book with MLP hasn't been published yet, though. So unless you're getting some divine messages about the future (from your mouth to God's ear, LOL!), you're probably thinking of Marc Schooley. Or Kirk Outerbridge.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13919292358655167603noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7970703367799585001.post-41378064542122702352011-08-30T14:48:48.607-07:002011-08-30T14:48:48.607-07:00Wow! Nichole! That is super exciting! I will be...Wow! Nichole! That is super exciting! I will be praying for you as you figure this out and decide whether this is the route God would have you take! <br /><br />It would be a lot of hard work! But as someone who's written for a long time, you're not afraid of persevering when times get tough! :) I agree with Colleen that having a good supporting team would be very helpful, especially when it comes to rejecting/accepting manuscripts! <br /><br />It's obvious that you have really thought this through and that this is something that is very close to your heart! I can't wait to see what you come up with!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00204802545454891530noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7970703367799585001.post-11983121085213158402011-08-30T13:17:22.662-07:002011-08-30T13:17:22.662-07:00What a cool idea! I say go for it. You have a lot ...What a cool idea! I say go for it. You have a lot of passion, and this is what you love. It wouldn't be easy, but I think you know that. You're extremely talented and your enthusiasm would do wonders for authors who would submit work to you. You would, however, have to be careful about how you selected what you wanted to publish. You're an awfully nice person and I think sometimes you'd have a hard time saying no! But that's a skill you can develop over time. The options are out there - and I fully believe you can make it happen. You've got the heart and talent for it.<br /><br />Consider coming up with a team that might help you with the business - I think it'd be hard to go this route on your own!Colleenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11463803397494061234noreply@blogger.com