Traditional or Self Publishing?

That is the question. The question new, wonderfully unproven authors (of which I could be considered among the latter) have asked me in recent days.

"What would you do if you were me?" That's a fan fave. Let me hash this one out in writing, since that is what we do.

When I first walked into the writing/publishing world, as many of you, the ball game stood in favor of a completely different team. The traditional brick and mortar publishing houses held the key to success. Authors, who were common folk, pined and paupered themselves at the feet of these "giants." Agents, if they landed a dough boy (famous author who never wrote their own words, but contracted ghostwriters who helped them pump out a few titles every couple years) had it made. No more work for them. They could kick back and enjoy the commission from their pseudo-famous money bag.

Few saw much success in the arena of vanity or self-publishing, unless they were a phenom: a famous person who actually wrote and promoted their own book. Many tried self-pubbing just as I was tempted to do so; only few did well. The idea of pumping my own work to the world like a peddler on a bike made my stomach turn and legs ache. I never attempted. Just waited and kept learning/writing.

Then along came electronic publishing who had been a twinkle in the industries ornery techy-brother's eye since the 80's. Well, maybe knocked down the door would be more accurate. Beginning in the early 21st century, the pendulum of book writing, manufacturing and marketing swung. In a matter of a few short years the giants began to fall or at least run in fear. The Juggernaut Amazon became an instant 800 lb. gorilla in the room when it came to promotion and sales of eBooks along with publishing. Many joined the concept and grew, others fought and still do the moving trend toward eReaders and their eye-strained owners.

My answer to: What would you do if you were me?
--I'd quit dreaming of landing a deal with a traditional pub. I'd suggest pulling on the big boy pants (as I would too if this were my dilemma--achy legs and all) and fight for my own work. No agent. No large advance or three book-deal. Instead, I would publish electronically (and yes, I am promoting the biz I help manage). Even if I loved paper, and my goal was to print it on a dead tree, then I'd market the hay out of my work. Post free sections on Wattpad (here's a great article on a gal who used it to launch her career), buy ad space from Google, create a buzz with social media (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) and be willing to try new ideas in marketing--so long as your book's integrity remained intact.

There is still no recipe or magic potion for 100% effectiveness in selling electronic work. Recent studies prove the consumer trends are still quite unpredictable when it comes to impulse buys. Strategies are being refined and developed everyday on the most effective methods to publish and market a written work. Cyberspace offers many opportunities and also many pitfalls. Copyright infringements being one.

Listen, this is neither an exhaustive rendition of publishing nor does it contain all the best ideas of marketing your book online. But it is an attempt at an answer to the above question.

Ta-ta for now, fellow readers.

Weekly eBook

We here at eMoon have decided to try something new: each week we'll post and promote an author and their eBook. This week's author is Marshal Myers. Marshal's specialty is sci-fi/fantasy. The two titles thus far in Marshal's queue are: Sword Dreamer and Lady of Naofatir.

Here's more on the first of Marshal's published work--Sword Dreamer.
Léofric is next in line to be the king's Sword Dreamer, the one who will dream of a battle the night before it is fought. This is the most important position in the king's army. But is Léofric ready for the challenge? And what of the strange Elven ways he must learn? And who is this True King whom Léofric must serve without question?

Lady of Naofatir couples quite nicely with Marshal's first work. Below is the back matter for L of N.
Miriam O’Connor is an Irish school teacher with a love for reading and mythology. She is thrilled when she inherits a mansion in filled with mythological texts.One day while reading in the attic of the library, she finds an old book filled with cryptic writing. It whisks her off to the country of Naofatir where the fairylike inhabitants are caught in a battle against their terrible Enemy.



Mr. Myers has begun to dabble in children's fiction and short stories. All his work is equally high in quality and worth every cent spent to take the mind on a fantastical vacation. This young man breaks all barriers and tackles the most difficult tasks with ease. His writing potential has no bounds.

If you're interested in a fantasy novel much like Lord of the Rings, check out Marshal's books, which can be purchased on Amazon, Smashwords, Sony, Apple, Barnes & Noble or Kobo for between $6.99 and $.99.

Today...

Today is the day. "What day?" you may ask. Well, it is the day we, Electric Moon Publishing, sent forth press releases to area newspapers. Want to see it? Want to put it in your newspaper? Well, folks, today is your lucky day, too. Cuz here it is...

New Publishing House Provides Great Opportunities for Authors

Electric Moon Publishing offers new and established authors a scalable, flexible, and cost-effective approach to electronic publication.

TULSA, April 22, 2010 (Business Wire)–-Electric Moon Publishing (www.emoonpublishing.com), based in Tulsa, OK, has entered the arena of electronic publishing and vanity paper publishing. Four business partners dove into the expanding ePublishing market in August of 2009, and their timing seemed almost perfect given the latest statistics in this fast growing industry. And if the timing is good for eMoon, it may be even better for potential authors who desire a professional product with higher commission rates, and in a matter of weeks instead of years.

Like many traditional publishing houses, eMoon offer its authors various services—only with a digital twist. Typical writer helps such as editing can be purchased “al a carte,” while other features come automatically or in a package: Cover design, copyright filing, marketing (video trailer, bookmarks, development of promotional material), and of course, book publication with companies such as: Amazon, Apple, Sony, Barnes &Noble, Kobo, etc. Any person who either has the free Kindle application download (good on any PC, Mac, iPad®, iPhone® or Blackberry®), the free Barnes & Noble Nook® application (for iPad® and iPhone®) or one of the myriad e-reading devices such as the Kindle®, Nook®, iPhone® or iPad® will be able to read what has been published electronically.

Though digital publishing remains the primary focus of specialty of Electric Moon, this new publishing house is also willing and ready to produce paperback books for their authors.

“The list of perks for digital publishing seems to keep growing,” explained founder, Jeff Dunn. “Such highlights include: Quick availability and delivery, flexible pricing, more frequent commission payments at a higher rate (50% net proceeds), freedom from restrictive editorial requirements (author can write whatever length of novel he/she wants), much greater control over book’s title and content, easy updating and account management, and basic hands-on approach—all of which is less available in the traditional publishing world.”

Electric Moon has also has an established relationship with the Christian community and especially encourages manuscripts with such a bend, though are looking to help any author with quality written work.

 “The time is now,” encouraged Jeff Dunn. “Of all the opportunities that have knocked on my door, including being an editor at a major publishing house and literary agent, I’ve honestly never experienced a more exciting era than the one we live in now: the digital age—where great writing has virtually no bounds.”

Starting this month, Electric Moon Publishing is putting out a call for submissions to any individual who has a quality manuscript with rights retained. This may include books that have been self-published or print-on-demand.

This new business intends to assist in ushering in the reality of digital publishing with a personal and friendly approach. Electric Moon Publishing encourages new and established authors to put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard, and write down what has been burning in their hearts—then let eMoon help make it available to inspire readers around the world.

For additional information on the news that is the subject of this release contact:

Jeff Dunn, President
Electric Moon Publishing
jeff@emoonpublishing.com
Or
Laree Lindburg, Publisher-Trade Books
Electric Moon Publishing
laree@emoonpublishing.com
http://www.emoonpublishing.com/

Ah, that Walmart!

It has been a busy week here at eMoon. More authors are choosing to publish with us, and more readers are finding the convenience of downloading books to read on Kindles, iPhones and iPods. I have been so busy with all this fun stuff that I have not had time to post on this blog all week. Please, I beg your forgiveness.

Another reason for my lack of an update is that the world of publishing is changing at such a frantic, breakneck pace that it is hard to keep up with--even during one day. If I post about a new device in the morning, three more are announced at noon. Fun, but the pacing could slow a bit. (But I know it won't for some time.)

So I thought I would vary from the topic of publishing for just a moment. I found something today I thought you might find, well, interesting. It was shared with me by my friend Michael Spencer, better known as the Internet Monk.

Walmart is now selling caskets.

Yes, now you can buy a casket online from America's favorite retailer. How about a Lovely In All Ways Stainless Steel casket? Or a Dad Remembered casket? The Pieta and Last Supper casket is my favorite.

I can't wait to see the UPS truck pull up in front of my neighbor's house and wheel an long, rectangular box up to their front door. Hopefully, if they're not home, UPS will ask to leave it with me. Naptime, anyone?

Before you click on the "Purchase Now" button, be very sure this is the casket you want to lie in for all time. (Theological discussions can commence now.) They are non-refundable, not even, as the iMonk says, if you wash it out really good.

Returns. Ah--now I see the connection with publishing. When traditional print publishers send books to retailers, they have already calculated that anywhere from 25-40 percent will be returned. Can you imagine any other industry preplanning for 40 percent waste? With eBooks, there are no returns. Readers can download samples of the books to read before they decide to buy. That way they know they have just book they want.

Now, if you will excuse me, I have some decisions to make. Stainless steel or bronze. Crepe or velvet interior. So many choices...

At War

Last week we witnessed "the shot heard 'round the world." Only this time it wasn't at Lexington and Concord, but at Bentonville, Arkansas. Walmart.com announced its intention to take on Amazon by lowering the price of ten bestselling hardcover books to $8.98. That means you can buy Sarah Palin's forthcoming autobiography, list price $28.99, for just $8.98. (This price is only good when ordering online--Walmart says the discount will not be available in stores.)

Target then announced they, too, would price their top ten bestselling hardcovers at under nine dollars. Amazon, of course, matched these prices on the same books. So now is the time to pre-order Stephen King's Under The Dome or Breathless by Dean Koontz. These books, with list price of nearly $30.00 each, can be yours for the price of a movie ticket. Great news, you say. Who could complain about lower prices?

Well, publishers for one. Yesterday the board of directors for the American Booksellers Association (ABA) sent a letter to the Department of Justice requesting an investigation of what they call "illegal predatory pricing policies" put in place by these retailers. The ABA's letter said that if not addressed, these prices "will devastate not only the book industry, but our collective ability to remain a society where the widest range of ideas are always made available to the public."

It's nice to think that the world's largest publishers are concerned with our ability to remain a society. They aren't rushing off to ask the Justice Department to stop Walmart and the others from selling books below their cost because the publishers are afraid of lowered profits. No. They are concerned for the future of our culture.

Or not.

I don't blame the ABA for being concerned about this. Their bottom lines are being threatened. But they have to realize that we are in a time of massive transition in the way we consume media. Retailers are lowering prices because they see consumers buying new releases as eBooks instead of printed books. Target wants people shopping on their site--and until they can start offering digital downloads of books, this is their way to capture a buying consumer. Publishers also see the impact eBooks are making on the sales of printed books. HarperCollins will not release the eBook version of Palin's book at the same time they release the printed book. The eBook will follow about six weeks later. Will that drive people to buy the printed book, or will consumers wait and buy the digital version? That we will have to wait and see, but it is my contention the publishers are fighting a losing battle.

Amazon knows the value of eBooks to their bottom line. Here is a look at just how much the Kindle eBook reader matters to Amazon, thanks to Publisher's Weekly:

Judging by Amazon’s third quarter results, the e-tailer can carry on its price war with Wal Mart and others for a long time. Total sales for the company rose 28%, to $5.45 billion, in the quarter ended September 30, (and increased 29% excluding exchange rates). Operating income jumped 62% (69% excluding exchange rates), to $251 million. The results appear to have been driven by the Kindle. Although no sales figures were released, Amazon chairman Jeff Bezos said in a statement that the e-reader “has become the #1 bestselling item by both unit sales and dollars – not just in our electronics store but across all product categories on Amazon.com. It’s also the most wished for and the most gifted.”

So if eBooks are becoming such a big part of retailing, why are publishers fighting against this transition? Imagine a record label releasing a new album by a popular group only as a plastic CD, saying the iTunes download would not be available for another six weeks. How well would that go over? Much better for those music companies who realized that the consumers are now buying and listening to music in a new way, and go where those consumers are spending their money. Readers are changing their habits--much more quickly than most of us in the publishing industry thought they would. Readers are becoming accustomed to downloading a sample of a book to their eReader, then deciding if they want to buy the whole book. If publishers don't make that option available, who is to blame for a downturn in sales?

When I was in college, students would veer off of the sidewalk and walk across the grass to a door that was closer to their classrooms. The school put up signs, ropes, barriers--anything they could to try to keep students on the sidewalk. Finally, one of the administrators ordered a sidewalk to be poured along the path the students had worn to the door. He concluded that "sidewalks need to be poured where people walk." Well, people are walking--running, in many cases--to buy books in digital form. The smart publishers will realize this and pour their sidewalks where the people are walking.

Nook and ante: Barnes and Noble in the game

Barnes and Noble jumped into the eBook reader wars in a big way today when they announced their new Nook.

Nook.

It's one of those words like "Jeep" that, after saying it a few times, feels funny in the mouth. Still, that is the name given, so that is the name we will use. Nooknooknooknook. I guess we will have to get used to it.

One thing we know already: With this introduction, eBooks are here to stay. Not that they weren't before, but now we have a second major retailer (the first being the king of the jungle, Amazon) willing to sell its products in a new form and at a lower price. With most eBooks priced under ten dollars, that is a major business shift for Barnes and Noble. By introducing the Nook and rolling out with it a load of premium services (built in WiFi; a color touch navigational screen; you can share a book you buy with a friend for 14 days; you can take your Nook into any Barnes and Noble store and read any book for up to two hours at a time, etc.), Barnes and Noble is shouting the obvious: Customers want the option to buy books and read books in a digital form. And now they can do it with a very cool eBook reader.

This is really good news for eMoon authors. More reading devices in the hands of more people mean more potential readers for your books. If you have been sitting on the edge of the pool, wondering if the wave of eBooks would diminish and fade away, well, you might as well jump in. You're going to get wet one way or another! Better to surf the wave then be buried by it. (Do you like how I stayed with the water metaphor all the way through?)

Oh, and be watching the response from Amazon. Jeff Bezos and his creative team are, I'm sure, working furiously to come up with the Next Thing. And, of course, we have Apple's Tablet supposedly coming out the first quarter of 2010. And that may swamp both the Kindle and the Nook. (Let's just hope Steve Jobs and Apple come up with a funkier name than Nook...) There is a lot happening on the eBook reader front right now. But none of these readers are anything more than a trinket without great books to read on them. Are you writing a great book right now? Do you have yours written and ready to publish with eMoon? If so, call or write to us. We are standing by to help get your book onto a Nook by hook or by crook.

You know, I think Dr. Seuss would have a great time with this one, don't you?

Remastering a master

I had traveled from Tulsa to Nashville by my preferred method: my own car. Now it was time for the trip home. I went through my pre-takeoff checklist. Gas? Check--I had just filled up. Snacks? Check. A Gala apple to go along with my favorite storebought cookies: Orange-Pineapple sandwich cookies available only at Wal-Mart. (You say they sound terrible? Great! Leave them for those of us who know better.) Only one more stop before I could hit the highway: Starbucks.

While I was waiting for my grande Sumatra (no room for cream--fill it to the top with hot, black coffee) I saw one copy of the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band on the counter. I knew that the digitally-remastered copies of many of the Beatles' albums had been released the week before, but hadn't heard any of them yet. I am more of a Beatles admirer than a Beatles worshipper, but after all, they are the Beatles. And this was, after all, Sgt. Pepper's. So I added it to my coffee, paid, and was on my way.

After I finished listening to a book on CD (The Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova--a great, fun read) I popped my new CD into the player. I was totally unprepared for what I heard. Yes, it was the same Sgt. Pepper's I had listened to countless times. It was the same order of songs as when the album was first released in 1967. There was Ringo asking me what I would do if he sang out of key. (Would I stand up and walk out on him? Well, no, because I was driving at the time.)

What was totally new and mindsmashing was the sound quality. I could hear lyrics, background remarks, even instruments I had never before heard in these songs. It was like hearing the album for the very first time. I listened straight through three complete times. Finally I was convinced: You can improve on perfection.

All that to say Welcome. Welcome to publishing for the 21st century. It is time to realize that what Gutenberg invented in 1455 is not the only way to experience the written word. What we have thought for so long to be the perfect way to communicate has been improved. And these improvements will change the way we write and read, the way we related to the written word.

Welcome to Electric Moon Publishing.

No, we did not invent the eBook. We are just making it more visible, more readily available. Starbucks did not invent the CD, nor did they do the digital remastering of a classic album. But they brought it to my attention, made it easy for me to get and enjoy. (Aren't you glad you don't have to travel with me? Imagine listening to the same songs three times--loudly! That's why I usually travel alone...) eMoon is going to do the same. We want to make it easy for, the author, to get your books published and in front of excited readers. And we want to make it easy for readers to find material that they want, writings that traditional publishers, for a variety of reasons, can't or won't make available.

Check in regularly for ideas, news, encouragement for the 21st century writer. We have only just begun (I wonder if the Carpenters' catalog of albums will be next for remastering?), and many new avenues of communicating your heart to readers are opening up. Ask questions, share ideas. We want this to be a group excercise where everyone benefits. See you again soon. Right now, I have some Beatles to listen to. Where is my coffee?