Comments on Smashwords: Exclusive Interview: Norman Savage, author of Junk...

Shelley, I don't want to speak for Norman, but...

2010-05-22T23:21:01.027-07:00

Shelley, I don't want to speak for Norman, but when your 60+ and your health is failing plus your talent has gone unrecognized for so long your perception of value no doubt changes a lot.

Plus all art is useless, it has no actual value. Marketeers attempt to create a perceived value, not to service the art world but to make themselves money.

Norman's work is great, therefore it has value to me!

Plus, this is a market that in a state of flux. 10 years from now people will be comfortable paying 10 bucks for a download (as marketeers will have succesfully changed their perception of value). Today they won't so in the meantime you have to make compromises and any system that can minimize on overheads and production costs and therefore enable an artist to take home a majority cut is great. We will look back on these days with fondness because it allows us to be one step ahead of the industry if only for a few short years.

I'm rambling! Go Norman!

Hello, Mark,
I understand the logic, and you're...

2009-02-28T08:37:00.000-08:00

Hello, Mark,
I understand the logic, and you're right that profit is more important than list price. But, Norman will need to make more than $2.21 per copy precisely because he doesn't have a publisher that is providing an advance or any money toward marketing. And what if he charged $7.99 or $9.99? His work would appear a bit more valuable, he'd make a few dollars more, and the price is still low enough not to discourage a download.

Of course, unless you have a runaway bestseller, you are not going to make serious money on book sales alone. Most authors either have a job or they use the book to leverage speaking, consulting, coaching or other income-generating activity related to the book.

My issue is with the perceived value. In truth, most writers give away a lot of their time and work to build a platform and a recognized name, so they can charge more for their paid services or get a publisher or high-paying assignments. We write free newsletters and blogs for our readers so we can build an audience, but also to communicate our message.

And so it is a balance--a delicate balance. I just didn't want aspiring writers reading the interview to think that self-publishing meant they can't or shouldn't earn a profit. It's not just about doing it yourself, either. Self-published work still needs to meet certain standards of excellence or no one will read it anyway. One thing every writer should do before making a decision about how to publish his or her work is get educated about all the options...and know what questions to ask, such as "How much will it cost me?" and "How much will I earn per book?"

Writing is a passion. Publishing is a business. Successful (VIP) authors know the difference.

Hi Shelly, great comment. I think we all agree au...

2009-02-28T07:56:00.000-08:00

Hi Shelly, great comment. I think we all agree authors deserve to be well compensated for their hard work.

However, the definition of compensation is changing, especially with the advent of self-published ebooks. The debate shouldn't be about list price. Instead, we should focus on proceeds to the author.

Norman, selling his book for $2.99 on Smashwords, is making a per copy royalty of $2.21, which is six times higher than the per unit royalty he might earn on a commercially published mass market paperback (assuming $7 retail price, 5% royalty, or $.35) and on par with the 10% royalty he might receive (after the agent's 15% cut) on a $25 hardcover (and yes, if he had a good seller on his hands, he could see that royalty rise a bit).

In fairness, a commercially published print author receives some benefits a self-pubbed ebook author won't receive, like an advance, editing, cover design, pre-pub sales and marketing support, and distribution to shelves in thousands of stores (for a short period of time at least), whereas indie authors like Norman are on their own to assume the risks and benefits of being the captain of one's own destiny.

All this time, energy, pain, love, work and seekin...

2009-02-28T05:47:00.000-08:00

All this time, energy, pain, love, work and seeking...and the book sells for $2.99??? The interview alone is worth more than that. Writers do a disservice to the craft (and other writers) when they give away their work.

Yes, it can be a marketing strategy to use a book or ebook as a promotional tool to lead to a bigger product or service. That does not seem to be the case here. And, please, do not say it's not about the money. Fine, then, keep a journal. But every time a serious work comes out and is given away, it creates an illusion that our work isn't worth anything and the expectation that something can be had for nothing. Self-publishing can be profitable. In fact, it can be more profitable than traditional publishing for the author.

Is Norman trying to get enough people to download the ebook so that he can prove to a publisher that he is not an unknown risk? Then that's a marketing strategy, and let's say it is. Many new authors are using that strategy successfully. But beware with that low price. Just because someone was willing to pay $2.99 for quickie look does not mean they will shell out $19.99 for a print edition. And publishers are not ignorant of that fact.

Please do not imagine for one instant that it's a good idea to give away your work, unless you have a plan on how to leverage that to your benefit. And if you're not trying to make a living with your writing, be respectful to the rest of us who are and stop giving it away. Free never garners respect for you or your writing, regardless of your ultimate goal for your writing.

Brilliant insights. Thanks, Norman, for giving me ...

2009-02-26T13:53:00.000-08:00