tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post2840746163228300813..comments2024-03-18T21:30:04.613-07:00Comments on <b>Smashwords</b>: Mark Coker's 2013 Book Publishing Industry Predictions - Indie Ebook Authors Take ChargeDovetail Public Relationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05039664167177159146noreply@blogger.comBlogger95125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-56394561259976783202013-12-13T20:15:35.454-08:002013-12-13T20:15:35.454-08:00I am publishing the books, but here i would like t...I am publishing the books, but here i would like to know that should i do if i will increase the my business are in all over the world, right now i am doing this only italy based area. So suggest me the solutions.SEONBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05019042934743906492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-77775685342569295812013-03-29T07:25:40.013-07:002013-03-29T07:25:40.013-07:00I've read through your 21 predictions for 2013...I've read through your 21 predictions for 2013 and, while I know little about the antiquated publishing business model, agree with you on most counts. The only point I happily disagree with you on are the following: That the ebook market is becoming saturated with content (or the existence of a glut). While this may be true on a relative basis, I believe we are still just inches into the 'tip of the iceberg', and there remains an entire iceberg to be melted by authors who will write well beyond our life spans. As long as there is a thirst for knowledge and entertainment, books and increasingly audio books will be in demand. The explosion of online periodicals speaks to this. While the volume of ebooks will increase greatly, there will occur a substantial vetting process, this time by readers, rather than publishers, as you have pointed out.<br /><br />A "glut" will come, but not as soon as you may think. There will probably occur a revolution in the vetting process, though, which we would all do well to prepare for.<br /><br />As for Amazon's threat of using robo writers, while AI technology may advance to the point if producing coherent, grammatically correct content (it is still far from that), it will never approach and speak to the human soul as a gifted author can, of this I am certain. If it does, it would be evidence of the degeneration of the human soul, not a triumph of technology.David Minthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02946351281477626233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-89884178740144643552013-02-18T11:36:39.875-08:002013-02-18T11:36:39.875-08:00Things are changing so fast, a lot of what you say...Things are changing so fast, a lot of what you say here Mark may or may not pan out. Certainly you have the best insight to be found on the web. The most important point in your predictions, I think, is #11. Apple has done a horrible job so far of developing their book marketing system. Gonna guess that's because of the DOJ suit and the loss of the fearless leader. If they could get their shit together and put the iBooks store on par with iTunes, they can compete with Amazon. If not, if they continue being so wishywashy, then I'm going to assume they buy Smashwords and you'll figure it out for them. David Biddlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01345556742542739160noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-27310851567059674182013-02-06T16:31:47.768-08:002013-02-06T16:31:47.768-08:00My name is JT Foxx and I think as consumer culture...My name is JT Foxx and I think as consumer culture becomes more revolved around word of mouth and community review rather than marketing/advertising I think things like Indie self book publishers will take off... in all industries. Who's going to need an agent anymore? If youtube can make people famous why can't other avenues of media? www.jtfoxxlawsuits.com/Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10604664137689538672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-12334709980748435012013-02-05T16:41:46.397-08:002013-02-05T16:41:46.397-08:00I like Graham's point. Free may well make sens...I like Graham's point. Free may well make sense as a marketing ploy, but I suspect that in the long run a downloader is more likely to read a book they paid money for. Many years ago, when I was a student, I was involved with writing and producing an underground newspaper. We found we got more traction and reaction from our audience if we charged for it. We knew other groups that gave away their product, and it rapidly became waste paper. We rarely saw ours in wastebins.rodgriffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07071168728713662123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-86291096239765032132013-02-05T16:14:56.596-08:002013-02-05T16:14:56.596-08:00I don't have much to say on this 'vision&#...I don't have much to say on this 'vision' because I agree with most of it. One point I might make though is about "free". The generational idea of everything having to be free, but expecting payment for themselves will have to be addressed sooner rather than later. Any writer creating original work deserves payment. Other than certain promotions, to me "free" = "of no value". If I spend a year writing a new novel and paying the expenses, then it is my choice whether or when to promote or give away free copies. Frankly I avoid all free books. Authors creating original work deserve my dollars and I will pay for them. I expect the same. The problem is that in the words of the old song "everyone wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die.' Under most circumstances I boycott free, especially when it's 'enforced'. Nothing is FREE. Someone somewhere makes a profit... but it may not be the author. grahamwhittaker.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04028098893788219248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-91064368556170998632013-02-04T22:46:27.469-08:002013-02-04T22:46:27.469-08:00Mark and the rest, please read OWNING OUR FUTURE,T...Mark and the rest, please read OWNING OUR FUTURE,THE EMERGING OWNERSHIP REVOLUTION by Marjorie Kelly. This book goes right along with what Mark is saying, although it's not about publishing but about the transition from an extractive economy to a generative economy. A generative economy benefits all of us whereas an extractive economy benefits the richest one percent. With the current extractive economy bottoming out, its businesses where ownership is in the hands of those directly connected to the product rather than stockholders who care only about what the share pays without regard for the health of the business that will create a healthier environment for all. Kelly gives some excellent specifics and cites several models of a generative economy that already exists. Indie authorship is more attuned to a generative community than what is happening to the traditional publishing companies these days. I've been pretty abstract about this, but Kelly is concrete and very readable. Everyone owes it to him/herself to read this book. It brought optimism to this cynic.Valeriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06503881811072034962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-62087133777581606022013-01-11T10:48:44.037-08:002013-01-11T10:48:44.037-08:00Mark, how would one go about presenting a ripping ...Mark, how would one go about presenting a ripping way to promote both Smashwords and every author here on a massive scale and for little or no cost? I've hit upon something no one has thought of and researched it. I've tried to find an email or phone for you but to no avail. I don't want to post it for obvious reasons. If I could present it, and make sure you got it, you needn't answer if you think it's crap. You won't. <br />JH Gordon joelhouseperu@gmail.comJH Gordonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02083291625948383288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-23622498147448748952013-01-09T13:12:20.898-08:002013-01-09T13:12:20.898-08:00Ian is spot-on regarding erotica. I'm VERY hes...Ian is spot-on regarding erotica. I'm VERY hesitant to point readers and other authors to Smashwords because of the prevalence. While I greatly appreciate all you and Smashwords have done to promote indie publishing, I would appreciate even more keeping erotica separate. Nothing against it as a genre, but it's the reason I don't tell my readers to buy books at Smashwords. Just sayin'.Rich Bullockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01967352889417483787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-12715888768363466972013-01-09T12:58:03.892-08:002013-01-09T12:58:03.892-08:00Why require coupon codes at all? Why not just allo...Why require coupon codes at all? Why not just allow date-sensitive special pricing (for SW Direct only, I realize - not for extended channels), so that when we run "sales" we can point people to Smashwords and they can click and go, with the sale price instantly visible, without having to worry about whether they have a valid coupon code, or are in the valid date range?Lane Diamondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10904466741203791441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-25127746792175990632013-01-09T07:24:28.643-08:002013-01-09T07:24:28.643-08:00I love your varied predictions and I do believe I ...I love your varied predictions and I do believe I need to start marketing my iBooks more since unlike other book reading apps on the iPhone it allows me to get instant purchase, search gratification. Although the book search features on iBooks isn't my favorite. Also, now that I own a galaxy I enjoy the instant gratification on the nook and kindle apps offered there so I can see how those areas may increase.LM Prestonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16624508396760965680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-48352523086153899272013-01-09T06:51:23.768-08:002013-01-09T06:51:23.768-08:00Prediction
The nightmare of uploading a doc file t...Prediction<br />The nightmare of uploading a doc file to be converted to an EPUB format on Smashwords Premium Catalogue, will have been just that, and now we are awake and it is gone.<br /><br />erchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12165496943715911269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-74676627318932648042013-01-08T18:57:02.062-08:002013-01-08T18:57:02.062-08:00Great stuff on the financial issues ..you would li...Great stuff on the financial issues ..you would like THE DEVIL'S AUDITORerchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12165496943715911269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-26207268392698493822013-01-08T17:57:11.413-08:002013-01-08T17:57:11.413-08:00I just read # 12 I can't believe it, I had wri...I just read # 12 I can't believe it, I had written my comment on the WATSON in my book over a year ago ...half kidding, but also believing it possible.<br /># 7 is right on target. Ever consider partnering up with Goodreadserchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12165496943715911269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-26074559550146115762013-01-08T17:56:46.636-08:002013-01-08T17:56:46.636-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.erchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12165496943715911269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-44372121494999982952013-01-08T16:56:39.256-08:002013-01-08T16:56:39.256-08:00And traditional publishers hold so much sway over ...And traditional publishers hold so much sway over what readers get to read. <br />Ed: Oh, I think so, these are just the medium or means of dissemination, in fact, I read somewhere that the new technology was going to increase demand for more content, it takes humans for that, there is no substitute for taste or imagination, and creativity. Besides traditional publishers are like "buggy whip makers” in the era of the automobile. They should be afraid ... very afraid. The democratization of the publishing process will curtail their distribution oligopoly and omnipotent power, then they will be offering incentives to you for selecting them. For too long has the concentration of the entire printing business been in the hands of too few. No more shall they sit like effeminate aristocratic Romans at a gladiator’s fight giving thumbs up or down. Before the “Statute of Anne” in England…<br /><br />Manny interrupted, ”There’s a statue of a woman named Anne?”<br /><br />Ed: No Manny …a law (Ed continued)… it was the printers who restricted the wide distribution of literary works, since then it has been the publishers. Printing privileges then and traditional publishing privileges now, serve as a censorship device that it is used to limit content and does not foster the wide distribution of knowledge. Authors are at the mercy and beneficence of the traditional publisher, a group currently not known or associated with generosity. <br /><br />The statute of Anne was known as “An Act for the Encouragement of Learning, by Vesting the Copies of Printed Books in the Authors or Purchasers of such Copies…” E-publishing accomplishes the same, only better. The last chapter of this new “Battle of the Book Sellers” has not been written, and you can bet that the “Star Chamber” members of traditional book publishers will not go down without a fight. <br /> <br />Manny: …You know this editor said I had to cut so much out of my draft that it changed the whole thing.<br /><br />Ed: It seems like “surgeons” always suggest what they are good at as a solution, and not necessarily, what’s best for the patient. You know what I said to one after all his excessive questioning, slashing, and testing ….<br /><br />“An editor once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some black beans and a nice Corona.” <br /><br />Manny: You like that line don’t you? <br /><br />Ed: Well there are an awful lot of pontificators in this world that should have their livers eaten.<br /><br />Manny: You being one--just payback for that earlier comment-- what about these “formula books?"<br /><br />Ed: Just like there are diploma mills so it is that there are “novel-mills.” Any one can write a cookie-cutter type novel on a Henry Ford type assembly line. This type of novel is devised through the use of templates that aid in cranking out formulaic drivel that might as well have been prepared by a copying machine for all of its originality. One could also use intellectual fraud or intellectual dishonesty by employing subordinates or hired “freelance contract players” to write creative material that is then legally plagiarized by “name brand authors,“ that merely stamp their name on the cover. <br /><br />You could argue that this at least provides income to these starving authors and therefore it is a good thing. You could say that it’s the money centric publishers that cause this situation, by not providing an outlet or venue for these new authors, or you could say it’s the reading publics fault for not venturing into new territory and experimenting by reading the works of unknown authors. <br /><br />Who knows, now with the invention of these “thinking” computers such as the “Watson,” which recently beat the Jeopardy human champions, perhaps all novels will be written by machines in the future, that’s probably all a publisher will need …no royalties will be paid, only electrical utility bills and the programmers’ salary will be required for out of pocket expenses. Look out proofreaders and editors your next!erchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12165496943715911269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-66177801458513664222013-01-08T16:25:52.844-08:002013-01-08T16:25:52.844-08:00I too would have preferred to upload in epub forma...I too would have preferred to upload in epub format. When I exported my files to epub myself they came out exactly as I wanted them to. I even went to the trouble of downloading a trial of Micosoft Word, which opened my files perfectly. Yes, I have to admit that, and I've hated Word ever since the fiasco of Word 6. So I saved my files as Word docs, as directed, and uploaded them. But Meatgrinder made a mess of them. Yes, I got my books into the Premium catalog, but I still consider them a mess!Laraine Anne Barkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13869300616419407003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-34993803112045018732013-01-08T16:23:33.805-08:002013-01-08T16:23:33.805-08:00Boy you sound pissed.
This guy you spoke with at ...Boy you sound pissed.<br /><br />This guy you spoke with at the seminar meeting during dinner reminds me of the day I went to purchase eye glasses.<br /><br />I went to a discount house, a new establishment that sold eyewear at very reasonable prices, I think it was called ‘For Eyes”, out of curiosity, before I purchased them I went across the street and asked the “traditional optometrist “ why his were so expensive.<br /><br /> I expected a reasonable argument that his were of better quality instead he got extremely angry (not unlike a white man in a Spike Lee movie) and began disparaging his competition , at that moment the phrase “Me thinks the lady protest too much “ crossed my mind. I think your friend was hit hard in the pocket book and the agency gig has not gone too well and now he is whoring himself out to the publisherserchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12165496943715911269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-7438304720413528722013-01-08T13:36:08.063-08:002013-01-08T13:36:08.063-08:00Hi Emmanuel, I had several additional predictions ...Hi Emmanuel, I had several additional predictions I didn't make due to the epic length of this post, but DRM wasn't one of them. We've always been outspoken opponents of DRM, but I don't have a strong opinion for how anything will change in 2013. Most retailers now give authors and publishers the ability to go DRM-free, and when our retailers offer it, we take it. The retailers, truth be told be told, hate DRM because it increases their customer service expense. I do see one good use for DRM, and that's with library checkout systems so titles can time out.Dovetail Public Relationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05039664167177159146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-27409278002504752342013-01-08T13:11:17.265-08:002013-01-08T13:11:17.265-08:00Excuse me, Mark, but : not a single word about DRM...Excuse me, Mark, but : not a single word about DRM in your predictions. <br /><br />Big fail. DRM are what annoy readers on e-devices. <br /><br />Even if you believe nothing will change regarding DRM in 2013, you should have mentionned it. <br /><br />As an indie author, I have a no-DRM policy. Yes, I prefer to go direct with retailers, but I would use more the Smashwords channel manager if it was possible to distribute without DRM.Alan Spadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12265515535005420739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-66913540062577129032013-01-07T10:08:52.663-08:002013-01-07T10:08:52.663-08:00Thanks for your thoughtful post. A lot to think ab...Thanks for your thoughtful post. A lot to think about as 2013 begins. The industry continues to get more and more interesting. Cheers.Jack W Perryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17723278952207724822noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-64092550226349211772013-01-06T06:54:05.464-08:002013-01-06T06:54:05.464-08:00Just wanted to note this article from the WSJ, kin...Just wanted to note this article from the WSJ, kind of a put down of eBooks. The article mentions the decline of eReaders (like Kindle, Kobo, Sony, etc.), pointing to the surge in tablets as being indicative of a decline in eBook reading. But he fails to recognize that one can read eBooks on a tablet! jarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16895952755225231011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-20310858207756448662013-01-02T17:13:31.448-08:002013-01-02T17:13:31.448-08:00As a small publisher, I find the process of publis...As a small publisher, I find the process of publishing to be easy and a bit tedious (thank you, Mark, for providing the capability to create multiple formats in one step and making it as easy as possible.) <br /><br />My prediction is .....the primary and preferred "book" will be e-books - in schools, libraries and in general. I believe that building a DIY platform to include high quality animation, video, audio, and interaction will be the next best success story of the future for indies. Whoever creates the next DIY App builder (this could be you) providing readers, authors and publishers the ability to point, click and drag to create true interaction and social engagement (more than just a share)....then He, She or They will be the pioneer in the future of indie-books.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09135201279091348227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-8844221057679844172013-01-02T02:03:04.614-08:002013-01-02T02:03:04.614-08:00That is an interesting idea, for two reasons. It m...That is an interesting idea, for two reasons. It might give readers an indication of quality, but it would also require agreement as to the professional standards of editors. Which professional society, in which countries would be relevant. As a writer I am assailed with commercial offers to edit my work, but while most will tell me how brilliant they are, few offer any sort of kite mark. You could not get away with that in teaching, or medicine. I'd be happier to pay for editing if I was certain that it was any good. So far I have paid for three edits, of three different books, none of which have made much difference to my work. I am also fairly certain that if I sent the same work to three different editors I would get three different results. None of the edits I have purchased have been associated with increased sales. OK, so I may write rubbish books that are beyond rescue, but they didn't tell me that.<br /> I have never seen a book advertised with the quality of the editing as a feature. It seems to me that there would be real value, to both writers and readers if editors could get their act together.rodgriffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07071168728713662123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-72836965370922590912013-01-02T00:58:26.570-08:002013-01-02T00:58:26.570-08:00Speaking as someone who was traditionally publishe...Speaking as someone who was traditionally published with small press and now has gone indie, I can definitely confirm a lot of the trends cited here in terms of my own anecdotal evidence (with the caveat that anecdotal evidence is not very good evidence, of course).<br /><br />But speaking as both a reader and a writer, I see the biggest problem with the burgeoning indie market to be a lack of sorting in terms of basic quality. I don't mean in terms of genre preference or any of that more difficult stuff to determine, but basic story readability. Despite being an indie author, I read very few indies myself because the vast majority I've tried are posting works without professional-level editing.<br /><br />It's not that having a professional editor guarantees a good book, but in my experience as a reader, not having a professional editor does guarantee a bad book and a waste of my time. I've read too many meh stories with painful grammar and broken formatting to ever read something unedited again.<br /><br />There needs to be some kind of label, tag, or other indicator that distinguishes between professional-level products with editing done by established, experienced, knowledgeable editors versus that which is unedited or "friedited" (where you get a friend to read it for you and pat you on the back).<br /><br />I firmly believe that the world of indie books will remain unimpressively hit-or-miss until it's easier for readers to determine at a glance that Book A has been edited for spelling, grammar, format, and basic plot coherence versus Book B which is someone's unfiltered ramblings.<br /><br />I recognize and appreciate that Smashwords has a mission to not get into content gatekeeping, but I think it would help the indie world enormously if a site like this could help establish some kind of distinguishing marker for those books that have been professionally edited versus those that have not.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02973405888540293627noreply@blogger.com