BOOK PUBLISHING: ONLINE OR CONVENTIONAL
Saturday, October 20, 2012 @ 11:03 AM
As an author’s ghost-writer I am often asked my opinion as to which is best; conventional book publishing or publish online; Amazon-Kindle. There really isn’t a contest between the two; it is like comparing a typewriter with a laptop of 45rpm record with a CD. If e-readers are not familiar to you imagine an ultra slim book with page sized screen and small keypad you use to order books and read them. Turning the page is a fingertip’s effort.
If you are a writer you have three options. If you publish conventionally, using your letter of introduction and synopsis you can spend months looking for a publisher who might show interest. They might publish five titles each year; focus on established authors; most won’t even open your letter. In the event you strike lucky you receive 10% of the cover price in royalties.
Option two is do it yourself. You take delivery of 1,000 printed and bound books. You now have to sell them shop to shop. After publishing, marketing and distribution costs; not forgetting the retailer’s 33%, you will be lucky to get 20% of the cover price.
Your third option; your book is now written: I refer it to my partner who takes over from where my ghosting leaves off. He provides an appropriate cover and pulls it together so it is e-reader ready. Within days it is available for the world’s book browsers to buy and read.
You and your book now have its own beautiful website; wonderful pictures of you; book cover, synopsis, your sales pitch for the world to see. The internet does your packaging, selling and marketing, delivery; it takes and makes money. Your outlay has been my modest ghosting fee plus the €250 for online publishing.
Some will buy it but even bestselling authors cross their fingers and say three hail Marys. The maximum profit is 70%; the rest goes to Amazon, which is only fair. You can decide on both the cover price and profit. Do not expect to sell at the same price as retail. One of the reasons e-books are popular is because they are cheaper. A conventional book might set you back €19.95; online €9.95.
Many drop the price on the principle of stack it high and sell it cheap. The math adds up; 1,000 copies at 95c are better than 10 copies at €7.95. The object of the exercise is to quickly get those sales in. When that starts to happen you go on the ‘buyers also bought’ grade; this fuels sales. You will even get book buyers’ reviews. You can cheat; I am not into moralising but you have to be careful. Amazon chucks cheats out. Go on, get typing!