Posts tagged ‘bookstore’
Barnes & Noble Launches e-Book Store: Rumors Circulate of Plastic Logic Partnership
This week, Barnes & Noble opened their e-Book Store online. They have hit the ground running with plans to grow aggressively. The word on the Web is that they are going to be partnering with Plastic Logic to distribute content via a device scheduled for release early next year. The device is said to be a big step in the right direction, hopefully minimizing the annoying parts of the Kindle2, Kindle DX and Sony Reader.
It would be logical to assume that Barnes & Noble will be able to establish themselves in a market that they have dominated for so long. They understand books and consumers, which is quite clear when you visit their site. The eBook Store interface is extremely user-friendly. People can download the apps they need in order to interact with the new eBook Store, including options for your computer, iPhone and Blackberry.
Overall, I think that this is a healthy development. While I don’t see any indication yet that there will be an interface such as the Digital Text Platform available to upload content to the Kindle Store, I would be surprised if this is not in the works. The strength that Amazon has brought to the e-book market is a good starting ground and I believe that strong players getting into the game will drive Amazon and any other serious participants to adapt and improve.
Barnes & Noble’s new eBook Store has a clear impact on your ability to sell your book. Familiarize yourself with this new development, so that you can be one step ahead of where your target audience is going.
-1,000 Chimps
Nashua Telegraph Author’s Forum: Wordclay Author Michael Philion Celebrates Native Americans in Baggattaway
Sunday, May 24, 2009, author Michael Philion and his Wordclay publication Baggattaway were featured in the local Nashua Telegraph Author’s Forum, where he discussed his motivation for writing the book and the audience he is trying to reach with his new novel.
From the Nashua Telegraph Author’s Forum:
WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO WRITE THIS BOOK? HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING ON IT?
I heard an account of a battle during Pontiac’s Rebellion (1763) in which Indian tribes violently retook a Michigan fort using their game of baggattaway as a ruse against the English. I developed a novel around this historical core idea. Active writing and rewriting took two and a half years.
IS THE BOOK GEARED TO A PARTICULAR TYPE OF READER? WHAT DO YOU HOPE READERS WILL TAKE FROM THE BOOK? Baggattaway is geared to the literary fiction reader, especially those interested in Native America and sport. My hope is that readers will register the shocking loss of cultural identity for the Native American tribes and celebrate its temporary resurrection.
READ THE FULL INTERVIEW AT NASHUATELEGRAPH.COM>>
ORDER YOUR COPY FROM THE WORDCLAY BOOKSTORE>>
Final Note: Let author Philion stand as an example to all those emerging writers who are self-publishing their first book. Start marketing locally, and reach the readers around you first; then you’ll have a much easier time reaching millions of interested readers around the world through Internet coverage like this…
Amazon Content: Rank and Restriction, Finding GLBT Books Online
Obviously Amazon.com knows how to direct online activity. Over the past several years we have seen Amazon rise to dominance in the online retail market. The likelihood is that they have the best price for the book you need and for the backpack, school clothes, vehicles — pretty much anything you want.
In fact, Amazon is so big and powerful that it might be easy to forget that they are as free as anyone else to make decisions regarding what materials are listed in what way on their site. This is offset by the idea that if Amazon or any company behaves in a way that the overall society sees as unethical or irresponsible, the offending party will not see continued support from the markets that they may have angered.
On Amazon’s site we are able to understand the success of products by their rank. GLBT books suddenly found themselves dropped from ranking recently. This is clearly a step that can limit the success of the titles in question. If the buying public cannot find referential information about the behavior of the competing products in our free-market, then many of those products are effectively invisible.
One problem with electronic information is that it can be vulnerable to attacks and errors. There are several theories regarding the change in status for these titles. One man claims to have caused the issue himself using the complaint function within Amazon and a line of code that would basically cause that same complaint to be registered repeatedly. It has also been suggested that the issue was the result of a minor error made when adjusting the code on Amazon’s French site.
I find that most enterprises that are extremely successful listen very closely to the dominant voices in their markets and shape the customer experience on a day-to-day basis in response to feedback. It is likely that if Amazon suddenly removes a certain type of book from prominent promotion, they are responding directly to more vocal voices within the market. In the case of disagreements, I assume they would try to find the most suitable compromise. Considering the variables, however, it seems that before forming an opinion, we might want to consult the IT crowd to see if there is another explanation.
-1000 Chimps
Books Stand the Test of Time: Selling Your Book in a Lean Economy
-‘And what have I to give you back, whose worth may counterpoise this rich and precious gift?’- Much Ado About Nothing-Wm. Shakespeare
There seems to be a serious financial crunch going on these days. One thing that you can take comfort in as an author is that reading books is still one of the most cost-effective entertainment options out there.
Most people will devote hours and hours to reading a book. Compared to music, movies and the Internet, books give you good bang for your buck. If you are planning a promotional event, mention this to the people that stop by. The only gasoline they will use is the little bit it takes to get them home, then they can find themselves absorbed for days in your novel. Even if the whole economy collapsed and Y2K came back to rain down ash and cinder upon the modern world as we know it, the last person left could still enjoy your book.
When it comes to investing in the future of your writing, you are the key to selling your book. If you are willing to put the time in, there is no reason why you shouldn’t be able to sell a few copies everywhere you go. It is likely that if you present yourself in a professional manner, people will not even realize that you might be self-published. Admittedly, most Americans still don’t know what it means to be self-published. If you are doing a book-signing at their local bookstore and your book looks good and you are confident about presenting it in its most impactful light, they will probably assume that you are a famous and successful writer, you just don’t happen to be one of the few that they have heard of.
There are high-priced, high-tech text-delivery systems on the market. I encourage all of you to get to know the advancing industry of e-readers and Kindles — if only to make sure that someone who prefers the new technology isn’t left out when it comes to picking up your hot new bestselling title. (Wordclay and many other publishers out there are making it easy to make your book available in the new formats.) But as it stands, the good old printed and bound book rules the market and is likely to do so for the near-term in the least.
-‘To be a well-favored man is the gift of fortune; but to write and read comes by nature.’ – Much Ado About Nothing-Wm. Shakespeare
Researching, Sharing & Learning from Experience: How Search Engines Can Benefit Your Book Marketing Efforts
“My salad days/ When I was green in judgment.“
-William Shakespeare, “Antony and Cleopatra”
People often mention their early inexperience. If I had it all to do over again… If I knew then what I know now…But in the digital era of book marketing, this can actually be an advantage.
Unfortunately, earlier generations never had the option of typing words into an Internet search engine only to discover thousands of Web sites, online communities and blogs. Nowadays, however, with a simple registration, participating in communities and employing technological advantages through online research can allow you to explore new promotional concepts in cyberspace.
For example, if you have plans to schedule an event in a local bookstore, you might choose to spend a little time researching the location. Maybe visit the company Web site and find the name of the local manager. Searching, you may even find mention of the bookstore on another blog suggesting authors bring their own chairs. You may even stumble upon a comment about an event that was ruined due to the tanning salon next door that tends to block the bookstore entrance with its weekend crowd.
The above might be random examples, but you should begin to understand the necessity of researching your marketing plan. Type locations and specific book strategies into search engines like Google, Cuil and Yahoo, and you’ll likely find at least a few ongoing or resolved conversations about your question.
From the first moment an idea about a novel pops into your head, search and see if any other authors have posted about similar fiction ideas. When you finish writing your book, type “I just finished writing my book” into a search field and read the search results. You’ll be surprised at what Web site and social networks you can visit!
Don’t be afraid to share you insights and discoveries with the world either. Post a comment below about your research experience, and perhaps you help a few other emerging writers startup their career.
“Experience is by industry achieved.”
-William Shakespeare
Hook, Line and Sinker: Publishing with a Sub-Title Makes All the Difference
Book titles have captured the imagination with word play and symbolism for centuries, and promise to continue doing so for centuries to come. But as the Internet becomes the new publishing marketplace and bookstores pack their shelves with hundreds of new publications each month, the sub-title has become an increasingly important feature for many books today.
Consider The New York Time’s Best Seller The Story of Edgar Sawtelle (by David Wroblewski). One of the first things most readers want to know is whether this book is fiction or non-fiction. It’s a fair enough question. Some prefer novels, while others prefer memoirs and biographies. But you can hardly tell what genre Wroblewski’s book is from the title alone.
Luckily, Wroblewski is smart to this audience, and his cover includes the brief, but descriptive sub-title “A Novel.” Think about what these two simple words establish. Suddenly, readers know the genre; online retailers know under what category to list the new publication; bookstore managers know where to shelve the title; and Wroblewski’s publisher knows one more keyword to use in their book promotion campaigns.
Even with a small sub-title “A Novel” (as with The Story of Edgar Sawtelle) or say another like “A Collection of Pop Culture Essays” can make all the difference. Don’t waste your chance to associate more keywords with your book that are not only valuable to your online marketing, but just as important to communicating the heart of your book to your readership.
To avoid confusing your target audience and retailers who are prone to list your book under the wrong genre without complete information, an informative sub-title accompanying your book can ensure that potential readers find your title and buy a copy without hesitation.
The Point: While your title can be a catchy pun or symbolic reference, don’t pass up the opportunity to inform your audience and take advantage of some valuable keywords with a descriptive sub-title.
This is Justin, blogcasting from Wordclay, signing off.
Real Writers Make Their Own Luck: Self-Promoting Your Book Sees Real Returns
“Let every eye negotiate for itself
And trust no agent.”
Much Ado about Nothing, Act 2
Some writers will be fortunate enough to fall into a lucrative writing career without much application beyond their natural talent, but let’s be realistic about the odds. With the publishing industry growing and changing, more and more people are actively participating in the market.
A colleague of mine, who works directly with emerging authors, actively reminds them not to expect full-time pay from their writing unless they are willing to put in full-time hours and effort. This is obvious, but surprisingly, many of writers are caught off-guard by this statement. Everyone would like to discover their “Golden Ticket,” however if a book is published in the woods and nobody is around to hear it, truth is it probably won’t make a dime in royalties.
That said, it’s important to adapt to the changing environment of the book marketplace. Those other authors out there are competing in the same market as you, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you should work against them. Ask both the writers who employ literary agents and the ones who don’t – both will tell you that ultimately they are their own representatives.
As a former manager in a retail bookstore, trust me when I say that there were several instances during which famous authors would get booked for a signing at our store and wind up sitting quietly by themselves in the café area. That is until our staff approached the author, asked for their autograph and encouraged them to keep at their promotion.
Those authors were often from major publishing houses with a team of marketers working the area. Even in the best case scenario, there is still a chance that working hard won’t guarantee a title or author bestselling status. There is, however, almost no chance that an author who isn’t working to draw attention to their efforts (whether through local media, public appearances or hosting big release parties) will be able to rest on their own laurels or retire on royalties.
Most self-publishing authors already know first-hand that personal investment is what got you this far. The good news is that the more you focus on your projects (prior to and after their completion), the better acquainted you will become with the market and the general response to your work. The more you put into your promotion, the more you are likely to get out of it.
“It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.”
-William Shakespeare
The Results Are Here: Wordclay Announces Short Story Contest Winners
After an extremely difficult selection process, our judges have convened, argued, read, reread, brewed coffee, read some more, and finally made their decisions.
Now, please join me in congratulating Wordclay’s Short Story Contest Winners!
…in the category of the Wordclay Single Short Story Contest
The Grand Prize goes to Samantha Weiss for the story, “Simulated in Black and White.”
The Runner-Up Prize goes to Benjamin Solomon for his story, “This Is Called Prowess.”
For a complete list of Finalists, you can now visit Wordclay’s Contest Connection or jump directly to the listed winners here.
All the Finalists, along with Weiss and Solomon, will be featured in the upcoming Wordclay short story anthology, titled Best Modern Voices: Words for the New Millennium: A Short Fiction Anthology.
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…and in the category of the Wordclay Short Story Colection Contest
The Grand Prize goes to Patricia Coble for her collection titled Legogote: Tales from the Bottom Township.
The Runner Up Prize goes to Anne Greenawalt for her collection titled Growing Up Girl.
Both Coble and Greenawalt’s books should be available within the next few weeks, so keep an eye out for them at the Wordclay Bookstore.
Kudos to the winners and everyone who entered! If you weren’t selected this time around, you should definitely consider entering one of our upcoming contests (guidelines pending on Contest Connection).
This is Justin, blogcasting from Wordclay, signing off.
Must-Read Insider Tips of How to Get Your Self-Published Book into Your Local Barnes & Noble
Sara Kelly says:
As a member of the Wordclay team, I hear it again and again: now that I’ve published my book, how can I get it on the shelves of Barnes & Noble or Borders? Well, as a former employee of a Barnes & Noble, here’s what you’ve been waiting for – a peek inside the cutthroat world of your local chain bookstore.
OK, so I spent most of my shift shelving books, not choosing the next bestseller, but two main tidbits of advice come to mind that may help you in your pursuit of fame, glory, redemption, the Nobel Prize, or simply the enjoyment of selling a few books:
1. Returnability isn’t just a weird word. Bookstores really do appreciate returnability (Retail Return Insurance), and it is the number-one tool to invest in if you want your book on the shelves. No one wants to be stuck with 100 copies of anything, even if it is the next Harry Potter, Da Vinci Code or Tom Cruise tell-all. Returnability makes things easier for a bookstore when trying to set up a book signing or similar events. If a few books don’t sell, no problem, they can just send them back to the publisher.
2. Put on your happy face and remember to brush your hair. Community Relations Managers are incredibly busy people. They organize all in-store events, such as author appearances, book clubs and storytime events for children as well as directing the store publicity. They are also the main point of contact for local schools, educators, literary groups and arts groups. (more…)
Like Politics, Selling Books Starts with a Grassroots Campaign
One of the benefits of being the Customer Service Manager for a publishing company is getting the opportunity to speak with authors from all walks of life, about all stages of the publishing process.
A question that frequently comes up in conversation is “how do I sell more books?” While I am the first to admit that I am not at all a marketing guru, I have been able to collect information about what works and what doesn’t work from hundreds of authors over the last four years. Perhaps some of this information can help you.
We all know that the ultimate goal is to find your book on the shelves of all Borders or Barnes & Noble stores across the world or to become an elite member of Oprah’s Book Club. The reality, however, is before that could ever possibly happen, you have to start small.
I recently read an interesting article in Publishers Weekly about independent bookstores across the country. In my own home state of Indiana, more than 65 percent of bookstores are independents. 65 percent! I’m not sure if that’s as surprising to you as it was to me, but I think this illustrates a very interesting point: While it’s very tempting to get your first book order, load them in the car, and immediately head to the nearest Borders store to find the manager, I’ve heard from many authors that it’s not the most effective approach.
Think about it: by ignoring the independent bookstores, you’re limiting yourself to only 35 percent of the market (at least in Indiana). (more…)
