2011 will definitely be seen as the biggest shift in reader habits and book publisher products since the invention of the printing press hundreds of years ago. Does that sound like an exaggeration? For some, of course, it will be, because they are doing things the same ways. And there’s still a place for acquiring and publishing print products, whether through the traditional “big” houses– that I heard referred to as “legacy publishers” at a media women’s breakfast I attended a couple of months ago — or through self-publishing or the small or medium-sized houses that are sprouting up. But it has also been the transformation for so many of book publishing from print to delivery by electronic means, whether right on the computer’s desktop or through handheld device, like the Nook, Kindle, iPad, and even the iPhone.
What is the same? Having to do publicity to drive traffic to a book — and sales — has not changed. yes, the publicity techniques might be through bloggers and online publications, and Internet podcasts, as well as — or instead of — TV, cable, radio, magazines, newspapers, or newsletters — but the need to get the word out there for an author or a title is still crucial. I have observed that it is even more important than before with the increased “noise” because of the huge expansion of the number of new titles that are being published, through traditional, print, or electronic and newer means.
The irony is that so many authors — yours truly included — are somewhat shy. Yes, I LOVED being on OPRAH, THE VIEW, the TODAY SHOW, GOOD MORNING AMERICA, and even doing a LIVE TV interview with the top morning show in Australia, SUNRISE, while I was on a business trip to Charleston, South Carolina, among other amazing TV/cable media experiences. And, yes, those appearances give me a chance to share my expertise and to build my platform and, often, yes, those opportunities do sell books, but it also takes the times that I could have been writing a new book and puts it into publicity efforts instead. I’m certainly not complaining. I’m ready, willing, and able to do more and more media of all kinds to help connect with my current or future readers, but all writers — and publishers as well as book publicists — have to remember that some authors will not embrace the media experience the way I do. For some authors, it will be better if they write a blog or do print or online publication interviews rather than go on TV or cable shows, or even do radio. Talking in sound bytes might not be their thing, and it might not be a definite skill that they wish to — or can — acquire.
So I hope that 2012 is the year that everyone who cares about books — publishers, authors, the media, the readers — find the customized approach to building and growing a “platform” as its now called has to do with that author or that book. The “one size fits all” approach rarely works and its as true about authors, and books, as it is about anything else. And I also hope that 2012 is the year that authors — as well as publishers and the media and the public — spend money on books and even go to the library and borrow books (which will reinforce to the libraries and those who fund the libraries that they need to keep buying books because there is demand).
So I don’t see the growth of electronic books as a negative development in the book business. Yes, there will be adjustments in terms of pricing and availability and all sorts of stylistic and other concerns. But the number one issue that has been behind the book business from the day that the first book was put together way back when has not changed: books need to be well-written and the author needs to have something to say that others want to read and hear, whether it’s an audience of one, a hundred, a thousand, hundreds of thousands or millions. Whether it’s a provocative nonfiction book or a beautifully illustrated and thought-provoking children’s book, a collection of poetry, or a novel that takes you to another time and place, all of us need to remember that the first and most important consideration is creating fresh, memorable, and interesting books that add to our world.
Changes in the book business? I say “bring it on” and let’s improve the book publishing industry because of those changes rather than fear the changes might mean the end of books! It’s the continuation of an amazing intellectual, emotional, and artistic product we call a book.
–Jan Yager’s first book was published by Scribner’s when she was 26 years old. She’s worked at Macmillan Publishing Company, Grove Press, and she’s run Hannacroix Creek Books, Inc. since 1996. A book publicist and foreign rights coach, Jan’s 30 nonfiction and fiction books in 28 languages including “When Friendship Hurts” and “Grow Global.” For more on Jan, go to: www.drjanyager.com
What Will The New Year Hold for Book Publishing?
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Exhibiting at the Frankfurt Book Fair
I have been attending the Frankfurt Book Fair on behalf of my independent publishing company or my own titles published by other houses for more than a decade. This year, however, I made the commitment to have my own stand. It was a lot more efficient. Rather than running back and forth between the cavenous halls, taking up time in transit rather than meetings, I was able to sit at my stand and meet with more than 70 agents, publishers, editors, and vendors from around the world. Since you can’t leave your stand unattended for even five minutes, I hired a booth sitter so I could have three four-hour slots when I could get to other halls so I would see more of the Fair than just Hall 8 which is the hall for English language speaking countries such as the U.S. and Australia. I had at least a dozen drop in visitors; hopefully at least one of those unanticipated visitors will lead to sales. That’s why having a stand can be a much better option than just going from meeting to meeting. You have the serendipity opportunity of stopping dropping by and showing interest in your books because of the display of posters and samples of forthcoming titles (as well as selected current and backlist books).
I was much more relaxed during the meetings because I wasn’t always watching my watch worrying about running back and forth between meetings since I was already right where I needed to be.
The only negative about having a stand is that it obviously increasing the cost of being at the Frankfurt Book Fair. This is a debate for many publishers: is Frankfurt a “meet and greet” opportunity or do you have to see real ROI (return on investment) direct offers and deals based on the scheduled meetings or drop in visitors?
Here’s the good news: yesterday I got my first firm offer on translation rights to one of the books that I had at the Fair with one of those appointments. It was especially meaningful because this was a rights manager for a publishing company in China whose appointment with me at the London Book Fair last April (2010) had to be canceled because we were both unable to get to London because the airports were closed due to the volcanic ash situation. Could she have made the offer without meeting me based on our e-mail communications? Of course since that’s how the majority of my rights deals happen. But it was so much nicer to be able to meet in person. This year, I used my iphone to take a picture of each person I met with to help me to remember faces.
A couple of weeks later, I’m still doing follow-up from the Frankfurt Book Fair. I’m optimistic that all of that follow-up will lead to lots of additional firm offers and deals. I learned a lot about what’s going on in publishing in various countries around the world since I find most people who are not writers exchange information in a much more flowing way when you are meeting in person compared to their more focused and succinct business-like e-mails.
I am still assessing the practical benefits of exhibiting at the Frankfurt Book Fair for the first time. It was definitely a positive educational experience and it will make communicating with those I met with by skype or phone or e-mail easier because we either met in person for the first time or reconnected after previous meetings. With almost 300,000 attendees from more than a 100 countries, the Frankfurt Book Fair held each October in Frankfurt, Germany is still the book publishing industry leader for book fairs.
Those who are unable to personally get there, however, have the option of displaying their title through co-op stands and/or through their agents, distributor, or publisher, depending upon whether they are published by a commercial house or self-published. More about those options in my forthcoming book on foreign rights. Stay tuned for details when my book is finally available, after 6 years of research and writing and decades of first-hand foreign rights professional experience dating back to when I was 24 and the head of foreign rights for Grove Press, Inc.
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Print on Demand (POD) is a Type of Printing Not a Statement on Quality
There is a new development in the way books are being printed that everyone who publishes, writes, sells, or even reads books needs to know about. Known as the Espresso Book Machine (EBM), produced by On Demands Books (http://www.ondemandbooks.com), it is currently in nine library and bookstore locations in the United States, Canada, Australia, London, and Egypt. Yes,  Print on Demand has been around for more than a decade, enabling publishers to print one book at a time as an alternative to printing short runs – printing thousands of books at a time through offset technology– print on demand (POD) used to be accomplished through a wholesaler or printer who then ships the book to the customer (an individual, publisher, or self-published) or to the retailer. But what is unique about the EBM approach is that POD is now available through local bookstores or libraries rather than just through commercial printers or wholesalers and distributors.
 I recently spoke with someone at Northshire Bookstore (http://www.northshire.com) in Vermont where the EBM is proving a very valuable tool to local self-publishers. They are also using it to print and sell bound copies of books that are in the public domain.
               The person at Northshire Bookstore explained to me that there is a one time set up charge of $95 as well as a per-page charge of 6 to 7 cents, depending on the length of the book. But there is no minimum quantity that they have to print. (Although most self-publishers print just a few books, one local author, who is doing a lot of publicity for his book, has already printed more than 250 copies of his title. The bookstore requires a final pdf file of both the cover and the contents of the book before it can be put it into their system.) It takes just seven to fifteen minutes to print one book, depending on length.
               This system requires that self-publishers or publishers do all the design and typesetting of a book either by the self-publisher or on an outsourced-basis so they can provide the final pdf file  for printing.But itstill offers a  portable and localized printing and distribution system.
               But it is still as important as ever that authors, publishers, bookstores, or libraries make sure that each book, whether published POD locally or not, meets a standard of excellence. That means the book should be professionally proofread and that standards for consistency in design should be met. Covers should look professional and not amateurish, facts should be checked, and contents should be reviewed by peers, experts, as well as sent out for review by trade or popular publications, as deemed appropriate and necessary.
               Each author who elects to become a self-publisher should also become as versed in the ways of the publishing industry and the expectations of the media as someone who is published by the biggest book publisher in a major city. The reader needs to know that whether a book is part of a 100,000 copy print run authorized by a high profile international publisher or only the second copy of a POD (print on demand) self-published book through a local bookstore or library, it is produced according to universal standards of quality and, depending upon personal tastes or interests, it should be  worth everyreader’s time and attention.
               What have been your experiences with POD as a publisher, self-publisher, bookseller, librarian, reviewer, member of the media, or reader? I welcome hearing about your positive or negative POD encounters or, if you have never even noticed whether a book is printed through traditional or POD means, that would be useful to learn as well.
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Those Annual Mass Holiday Greetings
Have you ever gotten a mass holiday greeting, from a friend or family member, or even from a business associate, and found that you were not included? That happened to me at least twice. Obviously if it’s a distant friend of a friend of a friend, it’s not going to be all that annoying. But if it’s someone that you think should have remembered you, it can be very painful. In business, if someone is summarizing the highlights of their business year and you thought you were one of those highlights but your view is not shared, that is also disappointing. So what do you do? Ignore it? Say something and risk being criticized as the mass holiday summary writer defends his or her “take†on the year as an opinion that is personal and therefore beyond reproach. A few years ago, I had the courage to tell an extended family member that I felt slighted by my omission. I didn’t hear anything about that comment. This year, I mentioned to a business associate that I felt hurt that I wasn’t noted in his year of highlights. He was definitely not grateful for my honesty although, after a couple of heated e-mails back and forth, he reconsidered his overreaction and realized that I had a right to express my feelings. I don’t know if he’ll include me in next year’s roundup but that relative I told you about? I recently received her two page roundup of last year’s top events and, guess what, I was included. “I made the cut,†I said to my husband after I read the holiday greeting. And it felt good to be included.
Have you ever sent, or received, a holiday mass greeting? What was the experience like? Do you recommend doing it? I welcome hearing from you about your experiences with this unique approach to trying to get a lot of the same information out to lots of different people in as efficient a way as possible.
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Buy Books!
Yes, it’s a hard time in publishing these days. Everyone knows it (unless you’re lucky enough to be a bestselling author or a publisher with viagras that are selling really well). Just ask the booksellers, the publishers, the authors, and especially the editors who have been downsized in just the last few weeks. Book sales are down, in general, and it’s a sign of the hard economic times. But it’s also a sign of a change in how information is obtained and what the public wants as some are beginning to prefer reading their books electronically or as e-books. Just as some magazines are going to online only formats, why, when, and whether someone will buy a book is changing.
If you love books, make sure you show that love of books in your own purchasing behaviors. If you’re going to give someone a gift, whether it’s for a holiday or for a birthday or another special occasion, try to include a book with that gift or even consider giving a book as the only gift. But you can add a book to any gift and still support the book industry and the publishers, authors, and even the printers, illustrators, indexers, and wholesalers who are part of this vital industry. If you want to give a romantic partner a piece of jewelry, consider including a book of poetry as well. Cooking utensils or dishes for the newlyweds? How about adding a classic or new and innovative cookbook or two? A shirt for a teen who is graduating from high school? How about a novel or two that he might enjoy? A blouse or sweater for a new college student? She might find a collection of essays, short stories, or a novel might be a welcome gift as well.
I have books dating back to my earliest years and I save those books especially the ones inscribed it to me, particularly if it was a gift. I have a hardcover collection of Shakespeare’s sonnets that I bought for myself when I was in high school. The cover has multicolored design work that makes the physical book a pleasure to behold, not just the words. When I met my husband, his first gift to me twenty-four years ago was Stick, a novel by Elmore Leonard, one of his favorite contempoary novelists.
Just as boxed sets of DVDs of movies and TV series are “hot” gift items, books need to be included in those “wish lists” if we are to see the book industry thrive, not just survive. Have you bought a book today?
I recently received an e-mail from Pat Schroeder, CEO and President of The Association of American Publishers (AAP), letting me know that our association has just launched a new website: Â www.booksaregreatgifts.com. Check it out!
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In the Zone
What does it mean to be “in the zone?†To me, that’s a place where I am focused, creative, avoiding distractions, and truly “on task.â€
When were you last “in the zone?†What did it feel like? What were the circumstances that made it possible? Did you turn off your cell phone? Shut the door to your office, if you have an office? Did you stop checking e-mail every five minutes….every five seconds?
It’s so crucial for so many of us to find that place within ourselves that enables us to have optimum concentration. It is definitely more difficult these days to find quiet for reading, thinking, writing, or planning. In my workshops so many more people than ever before are sharing with me that they are getting into work earlier and earlier and leaving work later and later so they can find that quiet time. But is that right? If you are paid for 40 hours a week, and you’re working 50, 60, or 70, or if you are a business owner who has to be open from 9 to 5 but you’re there from 7 till 7, are you living a balanced life? Do you have increased productivity to show for all those hours?
Is it possible to find an inner peace, to get yourself “in the zone,†even within your work day? What about that lunch hour you should be taking? Are you even taking a lunch half hour? If you are taking even half an hour for lunch, could you use that time to think, to take a walk and reflect? How about finding a quiet place at your office or place of business where you can recharge your physical and mental self so you can get so much more out of the rest of your day?
How will you get yourself “in the zone†today? What great ideas might you come up with if you’re not racing from task to task, dealing with distraction after distraction, rather than giving yourself even twenty minutes a day to consider what innovations you might come up with to revolutionize your business perhaps even transform your industry.
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Jan Yager, Ph.D. is the Founder & CEO of Hannacroix Creek Books, Inc. She also helps individuals and companies to become more efficient and to handle their relationships better through workshops, coaching, and her writings, most recently, Work Less, Do More: The 14-Day Productivity Makeover (Sterling Publishing Company). She is also the author of Creative Time Management for the New Millennium (Hannacroix Creek, 1999). For more information, go to: www.drjanyager.com
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