tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post7974467084353199271..comments2024-03-18T21:30:04.613-07:00Comments on <b>Smashwords</b>: 2014 Book Publishing Industry Predictions - Price Drops to Impact Competitive DynamicsDovetail Public Relationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05039664167177159146noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-21185958852949449702014-11-22T14:37:50.444-08:002014-11-22T14:37:50.444-08:00Mimi, I think most of the advertising services wil...Mimi, I think most of the advertising services will raise prices up to the point that authors will bear, and that's probably the point in which the ad spend is slightly less than or equal to the earnings from the sales. Authors will still use the services at that rate because there's value in gaining a paid reader.Dovetail Public Relationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05039664167177159146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-75347495682512035422014-11-22T11:10:31.631-08:002014-11-22T11:10:31.631-08:00I must add here that while Indie authors are busy ...I must add here that while Indie authors are busy building their careers, more and more promoters are juping into the picture and making scads of money from these frantic writers. Everyone wants - or should I say - needs to get noticed and there are only a few ways of doing this effectively. One of the best ways I know of is through promotion. Amazon has tried to help with their countdown program and 5 free days but only if one choses their select. I know Kobo helps with discount days every month. But what of the others? Smashword and Apple or B&N? We're forced to buy promotions from those with foresight who built large lists and now are in charge of the future sales like Bookbub, Kindle Books & tips, Booksends, etc. I'm happy they're out there and helping us (at rising prices -I might add) and that's their perogative....we'll pay to get the exposure...but I'd like to know what you see as the future of that area of publishing? Will the authors who can afford these costs be the ones who win out in the end? Mimi Barbourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00542349311785494020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-62185252058150781502014-09-30T01:47:49.009-07:002014-09-30T01:47:49.009-07:00These are great predictions but some of it are a b...These are great predictions but some of it are a bit too forward. Though this things might happen but we all say that these are just predictions.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-53575535152692128452014-01-16T14:13:15.977-08:002014-01-16T14:13:15.977-08:00Thanks for this - interesting stuffThanks for this - interesting stuffAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-54111238947847284012014-01-09T09:56:31.820-08:002014-01-09T09:56:31.820-08:00Publishers who demand cash to do their job are cle...Publishers who demand cash to do their job are clearly not up to the mark. Publishamerica demands money to send details to wholesalers!<br />Mark's comments and info are always welcome and interesting. Going to so much trouble purely for the love of us chickens is simply awesome!!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09752964348858034599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-57407035770769856452014-01-08T06:14:26.606-08:002014-01-08T06:14:26.606-08:00I wish the price of hardcover novels would drop ba...I wish the price of hardcover novels would drop back down again. The average price for a hardback novel has nearly doubled in the past few years. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-30731472684266915642014-01-07T08:17:22.034-08:002014-01-07T08:17:22.034-08:00Fascinating and encouraging. I'm going to post...Fascinating and encouraging. I'm going to post this on my bulletin board!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-26174719051179581572014-01-05T03:58:54.546-08:002014-01-05T03:58:54.546-08:00Good tips. I like the keep writing part - it'...Good tips. I like the keep writing part - it's the cheapest and I have the most control over it.gpstberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01388470847179787109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-2578241705349684852014-01-03T16:06:18.725-08:002014-01-03T16:06:18.725-08:00Karen, that's a great question, and the answer...Karen, that's a great question, and the answer involves time management. An author's biggest platform building tool is their book. Focus on platform building tactics that give you the greatest leverage for the least amount of time. One such tactic is to place "connect with the author" social media links at the end of every book. Many authors neglect to do that, which means they're squandering a golden opportunity to build platform at the exact moment when they've got the reader's attention, affinity and desire. Similarly, I'm surprised by the number of author web sites, blogs and even Smashwords author pages where the author hasn't listed their social media coordinates. Once the book is configured to snag readers, price promotions (or better yet, perma free) on at least one title will help prime the platform building pump. The Smashwords Book Marketing Guide is almost entirely devoted to platform building ideas. Do the easy things first, especially those things that are permanent. Dovetail Public Relationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05039664167177159146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-21252006344127848222014-01-03T15:23:35.939-08:002014-01-03T15:23:35.939-08:00Not to be a naysayer, but how do you reconcile &qu...Not to be a naysayer, but how do you reconcile "Authors who can build, maintain and leverage their platforms will have a significant competitive advantage over those who cannot" with "Organize your time to spend more time writing and less time on everything else." As a trad-pubbed author who's also indie-pubbed, finding the time to build an *effective* platform while still writing can be an overwhelming prospect.<br /><br />Also, regarding multi-author collections, great idea (and it can be profitable), but there are some IRS pitfalls in that model. I suspect there are authors out there unknowingly running afoul of tax law with these multi-author projects. Karen Sandlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10936881753398966224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-36719262987626442522014-01-02T11:16:20.282-08:002014-01-02T11:16:20.282-08:00Yes!! Mark, I love how you say we authors are writ...Yes!! Mark, I love how you say we authors are writing the future of publishing. This reminds me how powerful I am, and feeling powerful is a great way to bring forth superawesome writing and many more books!<br />Happy New Year, Smashword peeps!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-66617649592057640912014-01-01T04:04:40.948-08:002014-01-01T04:04:40.948-08:00I suspect you may be being a bit too forward-think...I suspect you may be being a bit too forward-thinking saying all authors will become indie authors. Certainly here in the UK I've heard traditionally published authors still extolling the virtues of going down that route; and I suspect it's partly because it allows them the luxury of just writing. By that I mean that they don't have to learn the discipline and skill to edit beyond spell-check. Nor do they have to stop and think "is that title really going to generate sales?" Someone in the marketing department will do the drudgery of rethinking the title and an appropriate and marketable cover, just as an outside editor will pick up on the glitches, leaving the writer to simply polish up those bits highlighted.<br /><br />Now that's great work if you can get it! Who amongst us wouldn't want to 'just write'? Well me for one, because when you're writing a series of books, who wants to be told that a character in book 1 should be cut when you have them critical to the plot in book 4? But it then means that the onus is on the author to get to grips with editing and marketing, and those who've had it easy for a long time don't take to that as readily as those of us who've had no choice but to learn these skills. And of course, there's little milage for the publishers themselves to have on board authors who think in such an independent way!<br /><br />So I think those authors who do move from the traditional publishing houses to self-publishing will tend to be those who have not had the best of experiences with them, and who genuinely have something to gain by moving across. Authors who come into the category of 2nd tier authors - the ones who fill most of the shelves in book stores but only ever have 1 or 2 of their books there, even if they have a back catalogue of 20+! And they really are competition for us indie authors, because somewhere along the line they already have a fan-base to tap into. So I don't see us having to compete with the best-sellers in whichever genre we write in, but those writer's who've been mistakenly shoved aside by the big guys will re-emerge as good, steady sellers in 2014, and their new work will form a goodly chunk of the best-sellers in the indie market.<br /><br />Love the blog, and all the other predictions! I think you definitely have of a finger on the pulse of what's happening.L. J. Huttonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10697385764493201653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-1372499768044015762013-12-31T15:56:17.418-08:002013-12-31T15:56:17.418-08:00In 2014, I would like to see the traditional publi...In 2014, I would like to see the traditional publishers embrace the indie author for the valuable low-hanging fruit they offer. I can imagine a new kind of partnership between the two where publishers offer quality works from seasoned indies. In other words, titles that have been vetted or screened out from the ‘not ready for prime time’ titles flooding the indie market. I don't mean to sound cruel, but who among us doesn't have a Kindle, Nook or iPad full of mediocre books, or worse. Certainly, there is still some stigma associated with the indie. Traditional publishers have established reputations they can bank on. It seems to me that with little effort and resources, they could partner with quality indie authors, non-exclusive, of course, and reel in readers who are tired of weeding through the bog, looking for that diamond in the rough. Let’s face it, it’s what they already do best. Now they can do it without the risky investment in capital.<br />Just saying. <br />dana e donovanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09018257326494278111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-5517120540555842572013-12-31T15:28:48.381-08:002013-12-31T15:28:48.381-08:00Awesome predictions! Bring on the New Year! Wooot!...Awesome predictions! Bring on the New Year! Wooot!<br /><br />Happy New Year everybody!<br /><br />janJan Springer, Erotic Romance Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17916337941392326184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-27261507665426567382013-12-31T07:13:50.555-08:002013-12-31T07:13:50.555-08:00Ebook growth slows? Makes me wonder, with India an...Ebook growth slows? Makes me wonder, with India and China just now entering the picture, if this will happen or not. At some point soon, I believe the growth will grow even more than it has for the past decade.Jason Matthewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12789780815865767782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-65283057575274081572013-12-31T02:01:41.747-08:002013-12-31T02:01:41.747-08:00Interesting 'stuff', Mark. Acceptance leve...Interesting 'stuff', Mark. Acceptance level of subscription services for ebooks will something to keep an eye on.<br /><br />Posted your predictions on our <<b>Smashwords Forum.</b>Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01426348248468370418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-106892459710752972013-12-30T22:08:27.119-08:002013-12-30T22:08:27.119-08:00I'm just about to break the 10k downloads barr...I'm just about to break the 10k downloads barrier with my first book.<br /><br />I remember getting real excited when 100 people had downloaded my book.<br /><br />Enough said...Oswald Bastablehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11828229103486326473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-18996637298781588322013-12-30T17:47:43.923-08:002013-12-30T17:47:43.923-08:00The Author Solutions business model is wholly depe...<i>The Author Solutions business model is wholly dependent upon making money by selling overpriced services to unwitting authors. </i><br /><br />Very well said.Les Abbeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17837044003424177148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-73625965111596147242013-12-30T17:42:10.447-08:002013-12-30T17:42:10.447-08:00It's still an exciting time for authors. I act...It's still an exciting time for authors. I actually would like to see the trad publishers cooperate, but I think it will be a few years down the road yet.TMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00409364932685911754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-72725685840809626602013-12-30T17:18:31.285-08:002013-12-30T17:18:31.285-08:00The best line in this:
"...the writers who a...The best line in this:<br /><br />"...the writers who achieve the most success will be those who take their readers to the most emotionally satisfying extremes."<br /><br />I like that.Vern at AimforAwesome.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11466361319966072681noreply@blogger.com