The Dual Aspects of an Euntrepreneurial Spirit... God Help Me!!!

Hello my dear bloggy friends. I’m sorry that it’s taken me so very long to post anything new.

Many of you dropped in for the post I did in August that highlighted the idea I’ve been harboring over several years of launching a new independent Christian Press for Speculative Fiction. (If you haven’t read it yet, you can read it here: http://theravenquill.blogspot.com/2011/08/which-way-should-we-turn-ushering-in.html ) In that article I gave my reasons and passions for taking on such a project and how I would strive to make it grow.

Since then, I’ve started researching the process of starting a company, and looking into possible avenues of printing. I’ve been looking for and comparing marketing strategies and the ins and outs of print distribution vs. digital distribution. I’ve been narrowing down my options for a mission statement and have been considering values and principles on which to build this company’s morals. I’ve been considering the cost and preparation time involved with publishing a quality product, marketing it, and actually selling it. I’ve also been talking to friends of mine who are or have studied certain aspects of the publishing world, who are in the publishing world already, and who are working towards careers that could parallel with book publication. And in between all of that, I’m planning out how I will take a business class (hopefully next semester) to help me better understand the business and financial needs of such a company.

This is a dream, yes… but it’s one dream that (along with eventually having SOTD and Eldrei published) I plan to see into its reality (by God’s grace).

The scariest part of all? I have NEVER done anything like this before. :P My experience level in this area is basically zilch, and besides that I’m still pretty young. Twenty-three is not that impressive a number when it comes to age, and it seems that the older you are, the more experience you have. All I have right now is my dream, my research, a bit of passion, and a dash of drive/motivation. Is that enough? I have no idea.

Truthfully, people, I’m terrified. What does this mean, to take on such a large responsibility and see it into fruitarian? I’m only one person… one small dreamer in a vast sea of dreamers. I try desperately not to look at the impossible, but it seems to be staring me right in the face. How can I do this? How can I even try? It seems almost unattainable, yet I feel completely, utterly drawn and bound to the idea; I can’t fight it and I can’t shake it. Eventually something will need to be done.

I guess I’m writing this blog post as a sort of therapy. In truth, I feel like I’m trying to boost my own courage… trying to tell myself that “hey, it’s ok; you know you can do this with God’s help,” when half the time my mind is telling my mouth that those words are bold-faced lies. How can I really do this? It’s so BIG! I’m so small. Can I really pull it off?

Well, not right now and not by myself. “As iron sharpens iron(…)” so the Bible says, and the story of David and Goliath comes to mind. The publishing world is often times cruel and harsh… like a gigantic evil Philistine that wants to rip the heads off of unsuspecting writers. :P I haven’t been around too awful long, but I’ve seen a few small publishers come and go, many dashed to pieces by financial troubles. I don’t plan for Magpie Publications to be one of those… this venture must last and must grow; it’s not just a onetime thing that some upstart girl decides to tackle on her own just because she can. However, the publishing world is now changing: expanding. It’s not as cruel as it used to be, but it’s still a tough little nut to crack. It’s still a rock that stands in the doorway and breaks many young, noble writers who deserve better. I don’t know how one company can make that much of a difference, but there’s no hurt in trying. The more opportunities there are out there for writer’s who deserve them, the better chances those writers’ stories will have of finding a home.

But you see, that’s one of the reasons why I can’t start Magpie Publications right now, and why I can’t handle it alone. Strong businesses last; strong strategies endure; strong missions bring aid. The idea needs time to mature, to grow legs and learn to stand… It’s sort of like giving birth, only in a backwards sort of fashion (in the metaphorical sense, of course). Instead of the baby being born and then learning to stand, I sort of want to make sure that my baby will be able to stand before I give birth to it. Make sense?

The biggest part of the whole idea is that I know that this is not just my dream. I don’t even want it to be ‘just my dream’. Magpie Publications is not an endeavor I’m willing to undergo only for myself; if it were, I’m sure it would never get off the ground. There are so many people out there who have similar ambitions, who strive for parallel goals. I even know some people like this, but I also know that there is strength in numbers. I don’t want to be a single parent!!! I will need help… I will need support and I will need a team. Only then, when there is a group of us working together, can Magpie Publications actually be made into a success. Only then can one dream see the birth of its reality.

So, in keeping with this post’s title, what exactly are the duel aspects of an entrepreneurial spirit? Quite easily enough, “dread” and “drive”. I know lots of people who think I’m crazy for wanting to do this. (Come on writers, how many people do you know who think the same thing about your status as an aspiring author? It’s not such a new thing. ;D) There are plenty who think that I’m way too young to even attempt handling something this big, and I don’t doubt them. Right now I know that I am too young… too young to do everything I want to do, and too young to make this company a reality. I’m scared stiff (there’s your ‘dread’, people) but I’m absolutely determined (and there’s your ‘drive’. :P) In a couple of years, I will hopefully be better prepared. By 2013 or 2014 I will have much more research under my belt than I do now along with the tools I need to see this dream take flight. And hopefully I will have the right people alongside me willing to help.

Though nothing is set in stone just yet, I’m thinking to set the company launch date sometime in late 2013 to early 2014. That gives me around two years to prepare. I can’t explain the feeling very well, but there is an urge in me warning that I shouldn’t delay too long or the opportune moment will be missed and the door closed. At the moment, I believe that two years is a good amount of time to wait. I would be almost 25 by then… still rather young, but hopefully old enough that it matters. And I would have more education and experience under my belt while (hopefully) shopping around a few manuscripts as well.

In the meantime, I will try to keep everything updated around here while I’m working to gather a team and learning all I can about the business. I want to do more author interviews, and hopefully start some publisher interviews as well, both of which will be posted on the P&P, of course (starting with a guest post from Janice Hardy, author of “The Healing War” trilogy, which will be posted within the next couple of weeks, followed by an interview with Port Yonder Press.)

And book reviews!!! Lots of book reviews. After all, one must study the industry in order to join it… right? Right?

Ok, I admit, that may just be my way of saying, “I love to read”. *shrugs* The new CSFF blog tour is on Stephan Lawhead’s “The Bone House”, and I’m also reading through several other good books including Ross Lawhead’s “The Realms Thereunder,” Rick Riordine’s “The Son of Neptune”, and Jill Williamson’s “To Darkness Fled”. That’s not even touching the books I’ve read but have yet to report on. ;)

The main point being, this is no longer just an idea that I’m playing around with… now it’s turning into a goal, which is much more tangible and less fleeting. As I learn things, I will post about them. I’m currently reading several interesting articles and surfing through publishing interviews as well. As always, thoughts and advice from readers are welcomed. Never ever think that what you have to say is not valuable; sometimes its comments on blog posts that I learn the most from. I’m always curious about what readers think of the mad ramblings I sometimes post here. I’m sure that half of the time I must sound like a lunatic. Lol!

God Bless,
Nichole

A Spear + A Head = “Spearhead”

See? I'm not so bad at math after all. :)

Many of you have probably noticed by now, but there's a new buzz circulating among the readers (and writers) of Christian Fantasy and Science Fiction. The "buzz" is called Spearhead, a new Guild put together and run by Bestselling Christian Fiction authors Christopher Hopper, Wayne Thomas Batson, Christopher Miller, and Allen Miller. The Guild's launch was held yesterday, and ever since then, the world of facebook and the Blogosphere have been teeming with writers and readers interested to see where this new publishing method will go – and perhaps how they can get on board. After all, something serious must have happened to pull in these four bestselling authors and have them create a whole new system for publishing. As it states on their website:

"As culture changes, so too must the methods in which authors find their voice and share their words. Words that further move culture to change."

It also states:

"It's about relationships… The reality is audiences don't buy books because of a publisher's name on the spine. They buy books because they've been vetted and accepted by their culture. Readers flock to books they have heard about from their friends, have found an engaging discussion about, or have seen promoted by another trusted author.


Relationships matter immensely in today's socially networked world. By gathering like-minded creators and inventors whose allegiances are bound by willfully aligning themselves with one another, we hope to experiment with new distribution methods that meet our audiences where they are. And then take them further."
 
Ok, I'm definitely intrigued. We've all heard the term "Independent publishing" or "Indie Publishing" for short, but it looks like these four authors have decided to take that term to a whole new level. Instead of venturing out to be independent on their own, they've decided to be "independent" together – something that's never really been done before. At least not to this extent. The Guild will both publish and sell books written by its members, and as Wayne Thomas Batson stated on his blog:


"Every single title published will be professionally edited and proofed, triple checked for content, and adhere to a standard of Biblical quality."


Coming from one of my most trusted Christian author resources, I tend to believe him. And perhaps the best feature of this guild is that a user-friendly rating system will be installed to let readers know the kind of content they can expect to find. Listings, reader reviews, and an interactive forum will allow readers to help other readers find something they'll enjoy reading. If this is done properly and Spearhead is a success, it could blow the Traditional Christian Publishing meme out of the water! 


Every one of the four well-known authors who have founded the Guild, have several titles out branded with traditional publishing company names, and each one of those titles have (in my opinion) sold relatively well. So with the very opening of the Guild, the waters of the Christian Publishing World have become "well stirred".


What does this mean for Christian fiction writers everywhere? Well, it most definitely means that the tides are changing. According to the entry Mr. Batson posted on his blog concerning the Guild's birth:


"Last year, Amazon.com revealed that it had sold more ebooks than paper books for the first time in history…. Suddenly, the tide in the literary bay was sucked out to sea, leaving a muddy bog of barnacle-crusted driftwood and flopping fish…. iPads, Kindles, Nooks, and eReaders of all makes and models began to appear, even in the hands of the most dedicated paper-philes. Authors all over began to realize: "Wait a minute, I'm working my tail off sacrificing myself and my family for a mere pittance. But with eBooks, suddenly I can earn something much more reasonable? Hmmm…"


Well said, Sir Batson, well said. As a rather dedicated "paper-phile" myself and as an aspiring author, I couldn't have explained the phenomenon in better words.


For years I've explored the option of Independent Publishing and ePublishing vs. Traditional Publishing. At long last I finally came to the conclusion that Traditional Publishing was the way to start out in the literary world. And perhaps it still is. It's certainly a valid way to be included in many groups and bookstores that otherwise wouldn't take a second glance at an independently published book. Besides that, all four of the founders of Spearhead were traditionally published to start with before they made the decision to switch. However, perhaps what this amazing change in the wind is really saying is that once published traditionally, authors need not remain so. 


The question that I believe most Christian readers are asking is, "But if a book isn't published through a company I trust, then how will I know that it's 'safe' for me to read? Especially if I've never even heard the author's name before?" I think many Christian authors ask a similar question: "If I'm not published traditionally, then how will Christian readers know that my book is safe to read?"


It all comes down to branding. Readers trust brands that they know, or that they've researched. And it's the issue of branding that has bogged down the minds of Christian fiction writers (and writers of other genres) for years and years and years. Its hard work to become traditionally published and earn that honored brand, but its triply hard work to become known by publishing independently without the brand or a publisher's word to vouch for you. Just because the statistics show that more ebooks were sold in one year than paper books, doesn't mean that the ebooks sold were from independent authors; there are many traditional companies out there who sell ebooks as well as paper books, and they do so efficiently. If a reader were looking for Christian ebooks and they came across a few "independently published" titles, how would they know that those titles were trustworthy? 


Well, Spearhead is ready for those types of questions. As Mr. Batson also stated on his blog: 


"Spearhead is a Professional Writers' Guild… We are creating a brand, a seal of trust. When you go looking for books, we want you to have a landing pad, a place to start. Four authors now, but many more to come."


In light of that last statement, I have a question of my own: Who is going to join Spearhead next?


The major difference between Spearhead and a Traditional Publisher is that Spearhead is a community. It is a group of authors who work together to put out the best product that they can. Much like a Traditional Publisher, they don't undermine the value of branding, but they also appreciate the trust of their readers to a larger degree than I believe most Traditional Publishers do. From the looks of what I've read so far, Spearhead will strive to put quality and values before profit, and they plan to take their work to the nations.


Taking all of these aspects of Christian publishing into account, along with the shared values, morals, and advice of trusted Christian authors, and the knowledge and respect due to the hard work involved, I just have a couple of questions left: What does the Guild look for in an author, and how might another author join? Because in all reality, those shared values and morals are the values and morals that I prize so highly in the books I read, and that I strive to include in my own writings. Knowing that, you can bet I'll be looking for a way to join the Guild sometime in the future.

An Intriguing New Book... Hmmm...

So, I’m back after a very full spring semester, and today I decided to go apply for a job at the Berean Christain Bookstore in my area (yep… we still have one. :D).  As it happens, (and this is really, really freakin’ amazing), the general manager goes to my church.  I met him last Thursday after our writers group which takes place in a conference room at Berean.  He saw me as I was walking out and said, “Hey, don’t you sing on the Worship Team at Riverside Community Church?” (my church.)  Of course I said yes, because… well, because I do.  Then he said, “I knew I’d seen you before.  And that’s so cool because I will be singing with you on Sunday.”

Wow.  Now that’s just awesome. :D

Well, I had planned last Thursday to apply at Berean before I ever met the man, but then when I told him on Sunday, he told me to definitely come back and apply.  Don’t know what that means, exactly, but it can’t be all that bad.

Anyway, while I was there today, I decided to check out the books, of course.  You can’t go into a bookstore and not look around a bit… (at least I can’t).  Berean has a bookshelf at the very front of the store for local musicians and authors.  I thought it would be interesting to start there today, and as I was gazing over the shelf my eye fell on a book titled simply “The Chair” by Jim Eller.

 I honestly couldn’t tell you what compelled me to pick this book up.  Its cover wasn’t the most spectacular, but it really wasn’t bad looking either: clean and to the point.  The book was self published and the blurb on the back was an intriguing excerpt.  Now, I’m not the fondest of excerpt-blurbs, but this one really wasn’t that bad.  Flipped open the book and read the first chapter.  Again, very intriguing.  I would have continued reading but I had an appointment to make, and the book was $12.00 which I don’t have to spend.

 To be completely honest, I probably would have bought it just so I could keep reading.  I even put it on my list of books that I would like to look into and possibly buy in the future.  (That's a pretty extensive list... <_<) It’s not very often that I pick up a book on whim and read through the first chapter while I’m still IN the store… the whole first chapter, mind you, not just part of it.  If a book catches my eye it usually only takes ½ of the first chapter for me to decide whether or not I’d like to finish reading it.  If the first ½ of the first chapter grabs my interest and really intrigues me, then I’ll finish reading the first chapter.  And possibly read on while still standing in the middle of a busy store. (yes… yes, sometimes I find books like that at Wal-mart.  I’m not that picky of where I find the book, as long as the book is good. ;D)

Now many writers have been warned against self-publishing, and I honestly don’t know how well this book is doing on the market.  What I do know is that I read that first chapter without even realizing it until I had finished it completely.  That, to me, is what marks the beginning of a good book.  I haven’t read on, so I don’t know what happens in the book, or how well thought out the plot is, or how colorful and fleshed out his characters are, but that first chapter was GOOD.

I emailed the guy and found out he goes to a local church that’s affiliated with my church.  Then I invited him to our writers’ group.  Who knows whether he will come or not, but it should be interesting.  I would post a picture of the cover, but I couldn’t find one online.  I would post his website address, but I really wasn’t that impressed with his website and he doesn’t have an Amazon account for this book.  However, I did find a book trailer that seems to tell more about the book, and boy does it look interesting!  The tag line for the book is, “Faith lies somewhere between Obedience and Fear”.  “The Chair” is, apparently, a supernatural thriller.  It read like one too.  Reminded me a little bit of Ted Dekker, but not the same style… not really.  It was it’s own style.

Anyway, enough of my ramblings.  Here’s the trailer, and you can decide for yourself whether this book looks like a keeper or not. :D

Self Publishing VS. Traditional Publishing: Interview with Scott Appleton

Today please welcome Scott Appleton, author of The Sword of the Dragon series and owner of Flaming Pen Press.  Scott, thank you so much for agreeing to do this interview!  

NW:    First and foremost, why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself?

SA:  I was homeschooled by my parents. They chose to do that for religious reasons, wanting to keep me out of the secular public school system and the peer pressure that inhibits so many young peoples’ chances of success. I always loved to read and write. I told stories and wrote them down for my siblings. The wilder the tale, the more imaginative—or crazy—the more they loved it. I read a lot of history books, more than fiction, and never fantasy. When I was 18, I started putting together a fantasy story. I found it was the greatest outlet for my creativity. Since then I have spent six years pursuing a contract with a large Christian publishing house. I ended up self-publishing my first novel, but I built my own publishing company to do so. I hired a pro fiction editor, cover designer, artists, etc. and produced a product that sold 3,000-copies in one year. My wife and I traveled to 13 states, I spoke to thousands of students, and attracted the attention of AMG Publishers. Last year I signed a three-book-contract with AMG for my series The Sword of the Dragon. Book one is coming out mid-February, book two will release on July 15, 2011.

NW:  How did reading effect your childhood and then your life on into adulthood?

SA:  I read, and always have read, a large number of books. But the vast majority are non-fiction. I find non-fiction roots me in reality and makes me aspire to follow the heroes and successes down through history. I’m a collector of antique books, particularly volumes from the mid-1800’s. It is amazing how history has been muddled by the modern author trying to be politically correct. The old history books are untainted and provide me with hours of reading pleasure and education on facts that have been lost to modern society.

NW:  Did you always love to write, or was that something that you grew to love over the course of time?

SA:  I always loved both. I filled pages with stories, followed my mother to every library sale… I owned over a thousand of my own books by my twelfth birthday.

NW:  Wow... that's a really impressive amount of books!  So what is the writing process like for you?  I guess what I’m really asking here is, how do you get into that writing “groove”?

SA:  I generally sit at my laptop, put on my headphones, and listen to some epic soundtracks. The music helps me focus, zone out, and generally keeps my attention on the story so that if someone walks into the room I can work on, undistracted.

NW:  Tell us a little bit about your book Swords of the Six, and the new one coming out this year, Offspring.

 

SA:  Swords of the Six is a prelude novel, setting the stage for the big events in the Sword of the Dragon series. The story begins when a dragon prophet is betrayed by his choice warriors. He takes the traitors’ swords and gives them to human daughters, whom he hatches from eggs. The sisters set out to find the first traitor who escaped justice, with an offer of pardon from the dragon.

In Offspring The offspring of the dragon, born out of ultimate sacrifice, grows into a young woman. Unknown to those around her, the beloved warrior, Specter, keeps guard over her. But the enemy has grown strong and draws near to destroy the hope she symbolizes.

NW:  I know that Specter was my favorite character in SOTS.  I'll look forward to reading more about him in Offspring.  So what is the main story behind your entire book series, Sword of the Dragon?  I mean, SOTS is really good, and I’m sure Offspring will be even better… but what really ties all of the books together?

SA:  That is a tricky question, not because the story thread isn’t apparent to me, but because there are elements in each book that gradually reveal the mystery as it unfolds. The series’ story arc is the dragon’s plan to bring Letrias to justice for his betrayal and his crimes. Letrias has grown powerful as a wizard unto himself, and among those who work to deliver his downfall is the captain he once thought dead. The dragon prophet has been prohibited by God from directly dealing with Letrias, so he sets events in motion to accomplish that end by means of his agents.

NW:  I’m excited to hear that your book Sword of the Six will now be published through AMG.  You must be totally stoked!  As an author, how do you feel about this big step in publishing?

SA:  I am totally stoked! This is a dream come true, quite fully and literally. Signing with AMG gives my books greater clout in the publishing world, including more opportunities to sell in venues previously unavailable to me, such as wholesale stores. It also means that I can focus on selling, doing the leg work, while someone else deals with the tedious financial end of things.

NW:  Scott, you are a writer in a very unique position; not many people can rise up to take their book and themselves from relatively “unknown” to “known” by publishing the book themselves.  Still fewer dare make the decision to create their own company in the process.  Can you tell us what that process was like for you?  How did you make that decision?

SA:  I was working back and forth with AMG a few years ago. At the time, Dan Penwell was their acquisitions editor. He believed in my book and in me. Although he pushed for them to publish it, things fell through. But during the entire process I had been reading up on all aspects of publishing. I learned that six out of ten novels never sell over a thousand copies, and that when a book does sell past a thousand it can catch a publisher’s eye. I was an experienced salesman and had worked in retail for several years. I felt confident publishing my book was what God wanted me to do and that if I worked hard and persevered, He would reward my efforts.

I don’t believe there are many chance successes. I believe if you want to be successful you have to step out and do it, and close yourself off from anyone who discourages you.

My wife and I toured 13 states, selling many books at schools. It was by hitting the road that I saw real success.

Failure in this was never an option for me, so I had to make it a success.

NW:  It sounds like you really knew what you were doing; I mean, selling 3,000 copies is intimidating... even more so when you've sold that many books in one year!

So I know you’ve recently published through Flaming Pen Press an anthology of some of your short stories.  I’m sure you have ideas for future novels too; novels that aren’t part of The Sword of the Dragon series.  Looking at your past accomplishments, would you plan to publish such future novels through Flaming Pen Press first, or would you try to go straight to the bigger houses?

SA:  There are many other projects on my table. I plan to do most of my books through other publishing houses, mostly because it would be a challenge and very satisfying. I am presently working on a science-fiction political thriller that I may or may not publish myself. One of the chief factors in this consideration is I want stellar artwork, which many publishers are unwilling to look into. But I also have a YA fantasy trilogy titled Earth Passage, and I will shop that to a larger publisher.

NW:  How do you know when your writing is good enough for you to publish it on your own without a publisher’s help?

SA:  I don’t. For Swords of the Six I relied on peer criticism (authors published by large houses) and the professional fiction editor, Rebecca Miller (she worked on Bryan Davis’s series Dragons In Our Midst). As to my anthology By Sword By Right, many of the stories contained in that collection had already been published by magazines, and the rest fit into the book’s intended purpose: to show the reader my progression as a writer.

NW:   What do you consider the benefit of self publishing in a world where many people look down on such authors and consider them “half-baked” even when they are not?

SA:  The benefit of self-publishing? If an author has truly studied the market, sought professional advice, and read up on the details of publishing, they can produce an effective product and market it to their target audience with greater profit on each book sold than they would by going with a large publishing house.

However, I know of no one else who has gone about publishing their book in the manner I did. Unfortunately most authors go into self-publishing blind, and as a last resort or desperate, frustrated move. And most authors get sucked into the Print-On-Demand service providers (believing those places to be publishers, even though they are not).

NW:    How do you think Self Publishing and e-publishing effect the traditional market for Christian Speculative Fiction?

SA:  That’s a hard and long question. I’m not sure how to answer this except to say that e-publishing is an exciting venue. It can be very lucrative for the author. The market is swamped with Print On Demand authors of this genre, however few of them stand out because they have not truly researched. Patience is the key to success in this career; patience and who you make connections with.

NW:   Is there anything you did while publishing your books that you regret?

SA:  No, not that I can think of. I am a very deliberate person. I researched my options and then made my selections. The product I produced is beautiful, even enviable.

NW:   Is there anything you did while publishing your books that you ended up being proud of or surprised by?

SA:   I was surprised by the audience I attracted. I had not expected so many middle schoolers to go crazy over my first novel. That age group is still my most loyal following.

And I was very proud of the re-written prelude to my novel. The editor suggestion I make alterations but instead I revamped it. It is the first piece of writing that people think of when they talk of Swords of the Six.

NW:   Cool!  I enjoyed reading your prelude the first time, but now I want to know how you rewrote it.  The one I read was definitely exciting: it really makes the entire book.

Is there anything you feel able to talk about that you are planning to do in the future to further your books in the publishing market?

SA:   I am going to push my books in the wholesale clubs and hopefully in Walmart and Target. I am good at selling my product. All I need is a line of customers and those stores offer that opportunity… but first I have to get the In with them.

NW:   What is your outlook on social networking and blogging in furthering the market for your books?  How does it affect your following?  If you could start from the very beginning again, would you do anything differently than you are now?

SA:  Online marketing is tricky for me. I have found it too easy to spend too much time online, and my writing suffers as a result. On the other hand, most of my fans keep in touch online and I love the interaction. If I started from the beginning again I probably would have started with a professional website. I have one now at www.theSwordoftheDragon.com and it has proved invaluable.

NW:   I've looked at your site.  It really is well done.  I can't seem to get the hang of website-building myself... but maybe someday.  It's one of those things that take practice. :)

Right now I feel like the publishing world is precariously teetering between digital and Pod publishing, and the traditional venues.  Which way do you think the dice will fall?  Why?

SA:   All three will survive. Each serves a different purpose, meets a different need. POD answers the need for niche books, but the cost per unit is too high for selling thousands of copies. Traditional venues are shifting, but not going away. I think chain bookstores will gradually give way to the large retail stores that sell books. People will be going into Walmart and Target more often, where they can buy the books at a similar price to Amazon. Last year several hundred bookstores closed, nationwide. But folks still want to feel the book in their hand, not simply look at it online.

Digital publishing is a great opportunity to put books in the hands of more readers. But book lovers everywhere will continue to buy the print book as well as their Kindle copy (I have seen this evidenced in the sales of my books; never has the Kindle sales hurt the physical sales).

In closing, I don’t think the market is teetering. We are looking at a decade of new gizmos; gadgets that the consumer wants in order to keep up with the Jones’s. Some of these fads will fade, but physical books will remain. After all, I don’t think we can deny that if everything we did required batteries we would soon tire of it. The digital books are part of our fast-paced world; a hurried world that many readers are trying to escape when they pick up a book.

NW:    I can agree with you there.  

What are some of the biggest differences you can mark between Flaming Pen Press and other houses?

SA:   We deal with YA fantasy fiction, primarily. The most similar house to ours would be Marcher Lord Press, but they don’t look at YA. But unlike Marcher Lord Press, we put some of our titles into stores. We are unique.

NW:    What are some of the differences between self publishing through your own company and publishing through AMG that have affected you the most?

SA:   I feel freed up to write, which is awesome. I’ve been too busy with the business side of publishing; writing is my passion.

  

NW:    Flaming Pen Press released the book Kestrel’s Midnight Song last year which, if I understand correctly, was nominated for and awarded a Children’s Moonbeam award.  I am personally in awe of Jacob Parker’s ability to write a novel and get it noticed at such a young age.  And the story itself is amazing too.  Can you tell us what made you, as a publisher, take a second look at this book and decide to publish it?

SA:   I read the prelude on his blog and was impressed. He was web-savvy and understood the commitment needed to market the book. I found his manuscript spiritually compelling. The rest was history, as Jacob would say. He has now sold over 2,000 books, phenomenal!

NW:    It is indeed!


Tell us a little bit about the story of Kestrel’s Midnight Song (as I’m sure many readers out there have not read it yet.)

SA:   This would be better to direct at the author. I’m sure he’d be thrilled to do an interview here, too (-:

NW:   I'll be sure to ask him!  


As a Publisher, Editor, and Reader, what is your company looking for in a manuscript and author?

SA:   Originality is the first and primary key to success with me. I don’t like knock-offs. Don’t send me anything with elves in it, or tell me it’s the next Harry Potter. I look for a teachable author, or one that has educated themselves on the industry. It is very important that they be inventive and aggressive in their marketing, as FPP is a small company.

NW:    As an author who saw a literary need, and then created your own publishing company to fill said need, what would you tell others who might consider taking on such an endeavor as starting their own company to fill a niche market?

SA:   Research, research, research. Don’t wing it, educate yourself so that you know what you’re getting into. There are plenty of surprises along the way without adding a lack of knowledge to your worries.

NW:    What would you tell young authors out there who are considering self publishing?

SA:   Don’t jump into it. Do your homework. And don’t publish your manuscript: get it professionally critiqued and edited by a known fiction editor. Spend the money required to get it done right; first impressions are everything.

NW:     Is there anything else you would like to say to other readers and writers out there?

SA:   Check out my books and my website!

NW:  Will do!

Thank you so much Scott for talking with us!  It really was an enlightening and enjoyable experience.

For those of you who would like to find out more about Scott Appleton, you can visit him at his author website at www.theswordofthedragon.com or you can check out his publishing company at http://www.wix.com/scottappleton/flamingpenpress

The Great Publishing Debate Take 2: Other things you should know

Yes... a second post about Self Publishing vs. Traditional publishing.  I felt like there were some things touched on in the comments section of my last post that definitely should have been in the first post.  So I decided to talk about them here.


The first point brought up was the difference between a Print on Demand service (POD) and "self-publishing".  Yes, there is a difference.  Print on Demand services like Lulu and Createspace, are services where you can go online, upload your book and book cover yourself, press a button and POW!  Your book is ready for distribution.  It sounds easy -- and maybe it is at first... I mean, it doesn't take much time and you are in total control -- but it's the marketing that gets difficult.  This is the kind of publishing I was actually reffering to when I mentioned Self Publishing in my first post.


However, this isn't all there is when referring to self publishing.  There's also Vanity Presses and Subsidy Presses.  I'm sure many of you have at least heard of such companies.  Here's a definition pulled from the SFWA website.  And if you would like to read the entire article (which is highly recommended) you can go here:

• A commercial publisher purchases the right to publish a manuscript (usually together with other rights, known as subsidiary rights), and pays the author a royalty on sales. Most also pay an advance on royalties. Commercial publishers are highly selective, publishing only a tiny percentage of manuscripts submitted. They handle every aspect of editing, publication, distribution, and marketing. There are no costs to the author.
• A vanity publisher prints and binds a book at the author’s sole expense. Costs include the publisher’s profit and overhead, so vanity publishing is usually a good deal more expensive than self-publishing. All rights and completed books are the property of the author, and the author retains all proceeds from sales. Vanity publishers may exclude objectionable content such as pornography, but otherwise do not screen for quality.
• A subsidy publisher also takes payment from the author to print and bind a book, but contributes a portion of the cost and/or provides adjunct services such as editing, distribution, warehousing, and marketing. Theoretically, subsidy publishers are selective. A subsidy publisher claims at least some rights, though the claim may be limited and non-exclusive. The completed books are the property of the publisher, which owns the ISBN, and remain in the publisher’s possession until sold. Income to the writer comes in the form of a royalty.
• Self-publishing, like vanity publishing, requires the author to bear the entire cost of publication, and also to handle all marketing, distribution, storage, etc. However, rather than paying for a pre-set package of services, the author puts those services together himself. Because every aspect of the process can be out to bid, self-publishing can be much more cost effective than vanity publishing; it can also result in a higher-quality product. All rights, the ISBN, and completed books are owned by the author, who keeps all proceeds from sales.

So there you go.  And then of course, you also have POD publishing through something like Lulu or Createspace.  Technically, both of these websites are part of self publishing businesses, since an author can purchase certain services to aid them with their endeavorers.  However, both of these companies also offer a way to get a book bound, printed, and marketable totally free... with the understanding that the author is solely in charge of selling their books and will not receive further aid from the company without buying it.

The second point that was touched upon in the comments that I would like to talk about, is the fact that just because a book is "published" (through a POD or self publishing company), that doesn't mean it is marketable.  

What I mean by that is simply this: there are certainly benefits to becoming traditionally published.

1) not all authors are, in fact, visual effects artists: I know many people who can write like nobody's business, but who couldn't draw or paint to save their lives.  And some of these people can't tell good art from the bad stuff.  

Why would this be important?  For cover art purposes, of course!  Half the time it's the cover that actually sells the book.  If you don't have a good cover, it's likely you won't sell nearly as many books.

With a traditional publisher, this isn't so much of an issue.  The publisher hires artists and graphic designers who base their life around artwork and doing it well: basically, a professional full-time artist doesn't make money if he's not good at what he does. (And I ought to know, because that's what my dad is).  So, with a traditional publisher, it's likely you'll get good cover art, thus making your chances of selling well much higher.

2) Editing.  That's right, editing.

Galadriel pointed out something very important: Self publishing IS NOT a way to get around editing.  In fact, Self Published authors have to be even MORE aware of typos and misprints than the traditionally published author, and they have to be more concerned.  Why?  Because their book will reflect on their name... there will be no big publisher to hide behind.  Self Published authors will definitely want to look into editors, and have their books read over several times by critique partners and beta readers to try and catch all the flaws.

With traditional publishing, this isn't such an extremely huge deal.  Don't get me wrong here!  Editing is EXTREMELY important with traditional publishing too.  And a writer who is going for traditional publishing must strive to get their book as good as they can make it by themselves and with outside help in order to be confident when approaching a publisher or an agent.  But it's commonly known that writers are human, and humans make mistakes.  And, before manuscripts are actually bound, printed, and stamped with that big, glamorous publisher's name, they are chuck-full of typos and other mistakes.  


I look at SOTD here: reading through it the other day, I found a whole mess of typos that must of slipped through during a late night editing session.  And the book's already under submission!  


However, with traditional publishing your book is more likely to go through several rounds of possessional edits... without the cost coming out of your own pocket.  So that's bonus!

The last thing touched upon in the comments was e-books vs. paper books...

Eh, I'm not even going to mess with this subject.  There are so many different views!  I know many people who enjoy reading physical books as well as e-books, but who think that paper-bound books are superior. I know people who read the same way, only they prefer e-books.  And I know people who will only read e-books, and those who will only read paper books.

I personally don't own an e-reader, so from my point of view, paper books are better... namely because I don't like reading whole books on a computer screen.  It hurts my eyes and my brain, and I usually end up falling asleep (because my computer writing sessions are usually late at night, and for some reason the soft blue light of the screen makes me even more tired if my fingers aren't constantly moving.)  If I'm reading a physical book, my mind stays more engaged... can't really explain why.

However, the other day I was allowed to play with my sister's boyfriend's e-reader which he got for Christmas.  Now, I believe I could get used to that. :D  It really did feel much the same as reading paper, and it was more compact and lighter than many of the books I own.  There are troubles I can foresee with electronic devises, especially ones linked to any kind of network, whether the network is for books or not... but I won't go into those now.

And so ends TAKE 2.  Fell free to let me know what you are thinking on these matters in the comments.  And as some of you may have noticed, I have added a "reactions" tab to the bottom of each post.  If you want, click on one of those buttons to let me know that you read it and your  over-all take on this post.

Thanks!

Nichole 

The Great Publishing Debate

Shhh! Listen. Can you hear that? That slight buzzing noise? It sounds like millions of authors all across the world debating over the values and opportunities of the different publishing markets. Voices murmuring, keyboards clicking, cell-phones ringing… and the occasional outraged cry.

Well, at least I can hear it. But you should be aware of it too. Especially if you are a writer who is looking to get your book, novella, or short story published sometime in the future.

And what is this debate about?

It's about self publishing versus traditional publishing, and it's causing some major controversy.
Lately, as I've been browsing the web and different blogs on publishing and authors, I've noticed a rise in authors who believe that self publishing has changed over the last decade into a viable, money-making scheme that authors can take advantage of to get out, sell their books, and keep doing what they love over and over again while having total control of the outcome. Plus, some of these authors are making serious money, selling thousands of books a month and reaching best selling lists on Amazon while keeping 70% of their books' income. Their numbers are absolutely daunting. Now, tell me this doesn't sound appealing, because to me, it sounds like the ultimate publishing deal of a lifetime! But it comes with limitations. Of course it does. And those limitations can be quite the doosies.


For one thing, anything "publishing" or "marketing" related calls for money, and with self publishing, that money will be coming out of your pocket. I mean, you'll probably want to hire an editor who can get your book up to par with as few typos or misspelled words as possible. And you'll need cover art, right? And that means you have to hire an artist (unless you are in the fortunate position of being a fairly good artist yourself, in which case you can do the cover art for your own book). And what about stepping out there and shoving your book in the public's eye… trying to make people notice you? That can take money too. After all, you'll probably want a few adds in the paper and local magazines, and you'll probably want to send out a few review copies of the book – which in physical form can cost up to $15 a copy depending on your prices and which POD company you go through (typically, Lulu is said to have slightly higher price ranges when compared to Createspace). Then, if you feel that you can't be your own publicist, you'll probably need to hire one, which of course costs more money; you can't expect them to work for free unless you are really, really close friends with them or related to them somehow.

Because publishing is a business, all of these pros and cons must be taken into account. And if you become the publisher by self publishing your own book, then you are the one who is going to have to consider them. Otherwise your book will never get known.

With traditional publishing you will have to consider a marketing strategy as well… although the price for publication won't necessarily be coming out of your pocket and you probably won't be working on marketing your book alone. The publisher who decides to print you will, of course, want the books to sell well so that he can get paid and make money from the efforts he put forward to publish your book. You will also want to be in on this marketing strategy so that you, too, can get paid. Because of the publishers want and need for success, he/she/they will work towards pushing your book into the public's eye, even if your own selling and marketing strategies fail. And if the publisher succeeds in this, you are likely to gain a following, and your following is likely to grow. Plus you'll have a traditional publisher's name on your book, which can be important when trying to sell your books through the major retailers. By self publishing, all of this will have to be done by you, and if you fail then it is unlikely your book will get known or that your following will be very large. (So if you decide to self publish, it is a very good idea to make sure you don't fail. :D)

However, Publishing companies are known for giving authors somewhere around 10% of their books' income – maybe a little more for e-books – which is not a whole lot at all, and when compared with the whopping 70% total income likely to be made by succeeding in self publishing (even after paying off your publicist, editor, and artist), that meager 10% looks really frail. Also, with traditional publishing there is a whole process to go through, usually involving queries and agents, and rejections, and more querying, and editors, and more rejections, and then a waiting list before your book is actually looked at and accepted by a publisher, in which case it usually goes on to another waiting list and doesn't come out in print anywhere from one to two years later, (at least that's how it is if you are going for one of the Big Six companies). By self publishing, you don't have to wait forever to see your book in print; your book can get out there right away… but you'll have to work on marketing it practically by yourself.

And then you have E-publishing… which can be done by yourself or through an e-publishing company, and in which the market has been seriously growing since the release of e-readers like the Kindle and the Nook. I personally do not think e-books will ever take over the paper book market, and my outlook is that this e-reader fad is just that… a fad that's popularity will eventually pass, even if the e-reader market never completely dissipates… sort of like beanie babies. However, one cannot deny the fact that within the last few years, e-books have become a major competitor in the publishing market. An author can self-publish an e-book without so much hassle as with POD, and still have the book available through POD companies should readers want a physical copy. And you would still get your 70% income from e-books as well as whatever physical versions sold… if you decide to publish your e-book by yourself, that is.

However, you would still need a marketing strategy, still need cover art for marketing's sake, and still probably need at least an editor, if you don't think you also need a publicist. And to me, while offering e-books feels like a good idea alongside physical versions, I am not one who personally enjoys reading from a computer screen as much as I enjoy flipping a page, and I know many people who feel the same way.


It's hard to decide which version of publishing is better, really. I guess it all depends on what type of person you are. For me, it feels like there is a sense of accomplishment and acceptance behind being traditionally published, even if it seems to take forever to get there. However, I wouldn't mind trying out the self publishing business, if only as a personal experiment to see if I'm cut out for the job. I also know that many publishing companies are turning down books that could be amazing best sellers, and are definitely worth their weight in paper and ink. Some of these turned-down authors have decided to self publish as a means to get their work out there despite the publishing world's view on their manuscript and whether it will sell or not; some of these authors are among the ones I mentioned earlier, who are selling thousands of books a month and making Amazon best seller lists. However, I also believe there is a thing to be said about genre and what will sell through self-publishing, and what needs a traditional name behind it in order to make it anywhere in the market. It seems like the market is absolutely saturated with paranormal romance lately, and so many new "para-romas" are being turned down. If an author has a para-roma they think will sell, self publishing would not be such a bad idea since many people in the world have learned to enjoy this type of read because of the great "Twilight" hit. As for thriller, mystery, and erotica, it seems to me that there will always be a place for self published and e-published books in these genres, since the few people I know who enjoy such things are constantly collecting such books whenever they can find them, and e-books through Amazon is a quick and cheap way to get new reads without having to leave your home.


But what about Christian Fantasy and science fiction? You know… Christian spec-fic. It is my belief that in this particular genre, the market leans more towards physical and traditionally published books. However, there are authors out there who seem to be doing well by self publishing and marketing their books by themselves, and these authors aren't afraid to tell us so. And why should they be? Why should an author be afraid to say that they self published their book, or created an indie company through which their books are published? This concept is hard for me to understand: I mean, they worked hard, their book is written, edited and published – and it's selling. And this market certainly isn't saturated yet.


My views on the Great Publishing Debate are quite mixed (as you've probably noticed). So I've decided to conduct some interviews with other people in the publishing business to see their outlook on the matters. My first guest will be Rachel Starr Thompson, author and publisher of her book series "World's Unseen". You can visit her website here: http://www.rachelstarrthomson.com/ Rachel is also a freelance editor and a dancer. :D

Hopefully the interview will be up sometime around the end of the week. Untill then, however, what are your views on the publishing market? Where do you think we'll go from here, and which do you consider a better choice: self publishing or traditional publishing. Why?

Feel free to debate these issues in the comments. I'm looking forward to seeing what everybody thinks on the matter.


:D



Nichole