Category Archives: Publishing

September 14, 2014 · 6:30 pm

Author FAQ: On self-publishing

So far, these FAQs have been pretty straightforward, and have primarily dealt with the writing process, which is something every scribe can relate to, along with agents and traditional publishing. Today, we get into self-publishing.

This is a touchy subject for some, and I genuinely believe there’s a lot of sturm und drang here that’s unwarranted. (I’ve blogged about this before.) If you disagree with my take on self-publishing — which is by no means meant to be the end-all, be-all on the topic — feel free to comment here. But please do so respectfully. Let’s have a discussion without name calling and such. I know this the Internet, but I don’t feel I’m asking too much.

As always, this is my take, and your experience will vary, as will the experiences of other authors.

Ready? Let’s go: Continue reading →

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September 12, 2014 · 6:30 pm

Author FAQ: On publishing (and my publisher)

So far, we’ve tackled frequently asked questions about writing and getting an agent. Today, I’m going to talk about publishing.

Now, granted, my experience with the publishing world has been both limited in scope and complex in nature. I’ve had two contracts total in my fiction career, so it’s a limited sample. And as I’ve said before, your experience likely will differ. In fact, I hope it goes a bit smoother. But that said, I can’t complain. My books are on shelves, and that’s an awesome feeling.

Again, as a reminder, other authors may have different opinions, which is great. Don’t just rely on me to inform your authorial and/or publishing escapades. Do your homework!

With that said, on to the next: Continue reading →

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September 10, 2014 · 6:30 pm

Author FAQ: On getting an agent

So yesterday I answered some questions about writing, my process, and what’s worked for me. Today, we’re going to talk about getting an agent, which is the source of no small amount of angst among many would-be authors.

As I said yesterday, my experiences will likely be very different from yours, and other authors may have different opinions here. This is my take on it.

Here we go: Continue reading →

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September 8, 2014 · 6:30 pm

Author FAQ: On writing

Believe it or not, that “Contact” tab sees a decent amount of use, which pleases me greatly – I love hearing from folks about my work. Some of it is out-and-out fan mail, which will never ever get old. Some of it is about writing and publishing and requests for advice.

Between e-mail and some in-person questions I’ve received at readings and conventions, it’s readily apparent that there are folks out there very interested in my experiences writing novels and getting them published.

Now, my advice is probably worth that portion of your monthly electric bill used solely to power your computer, but since people have asked, I’ll do what I can. As with so many things in life, your experience can, and likely will, be different.

I’ll be doing a topic every other day for the next week or so. Note that the questions are tongue-in-cheek but also reflect things I’ve actually had folks ask me. With that said, here we go: Continue reading →

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August 11, 2014 · 11:08 am

Why I signed the Authors United letter regarding Amazon

So yes, there was this thing where a whole heap of authors got together to sign a letter protesting Amazon’s tactics in its spat with the publisher Hachette. That letter, after circulating on the Internet for quite some time, ran as a two-page ad in The New York Times on Sunday. My name was on it, along with 908 others.

Here’s why I signed it.

While I’m not published with Hachette, I have friends who are. These friends are not best-selling authors, but simply folks trying to make a go of it as a writer. Some are doing it full time. And let me tell you, it’s rough sledding being a full-timer. You rely on those book sales. And you rely on Amazon because it represents – literally – a majority of the sales you’ll make in the United States.

I’m sure it’s not an actual policy, but Amazon customarily discounts nearly every single book in its inventory. The list prices for my novels are $15.99, but on Amazon, they go for less than $12.50 in print and $9.99 in ebook. Those discounts are attractive to a lot of consumers, obviously. They keep my books competitive with other works, both on Amazon and among other vendors.

In its ongoing dramatics with Hachette, Amazon has done a number of things that have directly impacted authors published by Hachette. They’ve also impacted consumers. As the Authors United letter pointed out: Continue reading →

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July 6, 2014 · 3:45 pm

Amazon vs. Hachette is not traditional vs. self-published authors

I was going to write up a big post about Amazon-Hachette and how it was made, by some, into a self-publishing vs. traditional publishing brouhaha. But as usual, Chuck Wendig did it first, and did it better. I recommend his post wholeheartedly.

As for my opinions, I’ve stated my affinity for traditional publishing before, and I also believe that self-publishing is extraordinarily valid and awesome for those who really put the time and effort in. I also believe that Amazon vs. Hachette has very little to do with this. It’s a contract dispute between two large corporations that has inconvenienced readers and probably harmed authors in the short-term — and not just the big-name authors, but the mid-list and debut Hachette authors as well. Assign blame between the two companies as you will.

I happen to like Amazon as a company, and I think their hardball tactics here, while perfectly legal, really suck. Those are not conflicting opinions. You can really love Star Wars and still think Phantom Menace was horrible, after all. I also think Amazon provides great resources and a fantastic marketplace for self-published authors — and I’ll point out that The Gravity of the Affair is self-published through my literary agency.

I have no dog in the fight with regard to Hachette, as I don’t work with them. I have author-friends who do, and they’ve seen their books become pawns in all this, particularly Amazon’s tactics of slowing shipments and/or putting ads on book pages that divert consumers away from their books. Naturally, I tend to side with my friends on this one.

Anyway, read Chuck’s post. It’s worth the time, and it’s funny too. Because it’s Wendig. Duh. And although I realize this is the Internet, it’d be really cool if we could show each other just a touch more respect all around.

#SFWApro

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July 3, 2014 · 10:20 am

Notes from the Rockies

Not a bad way to spend an afternoon in Colorado.

If you’ve been following my Twitter feed at all, you’ve probably noticed I’ve been in Colorado this week, and also that I’ve been having fun. If you haven’t been following that, I’ll do my best to catch you up.

I’m here visiting family, including my 4-month-old first-cousin-once-removed, who is now tied with my daughter for Cutest Baby Ever and don’t you dare tell me otherwise. This being Colorado, there’s also been hiking and biking and a goodly amount of beer, including a tasting of 22 different beers on Tuesday as part of a bike-tour of various Fort Collins breweries. Thankfully, tastings are in tiny glasses, which means over several hours, I wasn’t unduly wrecked.

Author and agent: Talking books in Boulder.

Last night’s discussion and Q&A at Boulder Book Store with my agent, Sara Megibow, went really well. Ben and the rest of the store crew were awesome. We had a great crowd and lots of good questions about the writing life and publishing and getting your stuff out there in to the big wide world. I also saw a lot of copies of The Daedalus Incident and The Enceladus Crisis head out the door, so thank you to everyone who bought them, and for supporting a fantastic independent bookstore as well.

And speaking of that support, Boulder Book Store still has autographed copies of both my books in stock, so if you’re around the Denver-Boulder-Fort Collins area, go grab a copy!

The fermenters at Walnut Brewery, full of great beer.

Knowing that I’m both a beer aficionado and a home-brewer, Sara arranged a tour of Walnut Brewery‘s brewhouse before the signing last night. Brewmaster Rodney Taylor himself took us around the brewpub’s facilities, explaining his process and how he comes up with Walnut’s excellent brews. Rod has a pretty sweet 14-barrel brewhouse going, and he’s very into the art of brewing. It was a huge treat for me to see it. Many thanks to Rod for taking the time, and Sara for making it happen.

So yeah, when you’re done picking up my books at Boulder Book Store, go down the block and around the corner and have one of Rod’s beers (and some excellent food, too) at the Walnut Brewery!

#SFWApro

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July 1, 2014 · 10:57 am

A new excerpt of The Enceladus Crisis out today in Apex Magazine

Happy July! And given that it’s the first Tuesday of the month, today is when Apex Magazine comes out with their newest monthly issue. In this month’s issue 62, you can catch a brand new excerpt from The Enceladus Crisis in there, full of late 18th century sailing ship action. I don’t think this bit of the book has been put out there yet, so enjoy!

And do check out the rest of the magazine, which has brand new stories from Laura Davy, Victor Fernando R. Ocampo, Gillian Conahan and others. Plus poetry, interviews, essays and more. Apex is a 2014 Hugo nominee for best semiprozine, after all, so you know it’s good. You can buy individual copies on Kindle or Nook, or via the Apex site and at Weightless Books. Or you could subscribe, which is a great deal and supports a great magazine and darn it, just makes you a better person thanks to all the great, thoughtful fiction and commentary you’ll be reading.

Many thanks to Apex for the opportunity. Keep on being awesome.

While I’m here, a reminder: Tomorrow (July 2) at 7:30 p.m., I’ll be at Boulder Book Store with my agent, Sara Megibow, to talk about my books, getting them published, and a variety of other writing-and-publishing things. There’s a $5 voucher to attend, but you get to use it as a coupon to buy books at the store, including The Enceladus Crisis. So if you’re around, say, Colorado, and you want to come out, I’d love to see you! Here’s the event page with all the details.

Speaking of Colorado, it really is nice here. Exhibit A:

That was from a great hike in the Rocky Mountain National Park. Today, it’s bikes-and-breweries touring here in Fort Collins. If you follow me on Twitter or Untappd, you may see a lot of beer-related stuff today. You’ve been warned. (And don’t worry…if you see me logging a dozen beers today, it’s because I’m doing small tastings, not because I’m torturing my liver!)

#SFWApro

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June 30, 2014 · 9:30 am

Come see me Wednesday at Boulder Book Store!

Just a quick reminder: Awesome-agent Sara Megibow and I are doing a panel on publishing a debut novel this Wednesday, July 2, at 7:30 p.m. at Boulder Book Store in beautiful Boulder, Colo. The event page is here. Sara and I have near-perfect banter, along with excellent jazz-hands technique, so this will totally be worth the $5 voucher to get in. (And the voucher is good for use in buying The Enceladus Crisis any time, or anything at the store on the night of the event.)

Seriously, though, I think if you’re interested at all in the publishing process, this will be helpful. I’ll also be doing a reading from Enceladus and taking questions about the books, and Sara will be taking pitches from would-be authors after the event. Plus you’re supporting a great indie bookseller. So you have so very many reasons to attend. Plus, did I mention jazz hands?

Hope to see you there!

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June 27, 2014 · 5:45 pm

Food for thought: This blog’s book vendor clicks

I’m a big fan of WordPress, which is the engine behind this site. For a pretty low annual fee, I get a custom design package, web hosting and URL registration, and I get an intuitive, easy-to-use blogging system. And as it happens, I also get some interesting stats on my site traffic. I have a good idea of where folks are coming from and what they click on when they leave — including the links to vendors selling my books.

Overall, the top-most “click-out” on my blog was for Amazon’s sites (both domestic and international), and it’s not even a close game. Now, I’m pretty good about making sure I link to a wide variety of book vendors whenever I blog, and you can see all the purchase links to the right of this post. I do my best to give readers a wide variety of choices, and thanks to WordPress, I know how they’ve chosen.

Here’s the breakdown of all my book vendor clicks. Note that these are strictly sales links, ones that will take you directly to a book’s sales page on the below sites. The vast majority of these are for my books and novella, with less than 5% going to books by other authors I’ve mentioned or hosted on the site. The figures don’t add up to 100% because of rounding.

Amazon: 66.5%
Barnes & Noble: 9.6%
IndieBound: 5.6%
Kobo: 4.5%
Audible: 3.5%
iTunes: 2.6%
Google Play: 1.9%
All others (including international): 5.3%

So basically, when people click on a sales link, 70% of them go to Amazon or Amazon-owned Audible, either here or abroad. That’s a lot. I thought B&N would’ve had more fans, frankly. I’d love to see IndieBound and Kobo (an e-book vendor that works with many indie booksellers) get more clicks, but their results were better than I expected. As for iTunes and Google, that’s not too surprising, as some users may be more likely to open the relevant app and search.

Those “all others” vendors, by the way, include Books-A-Million (BAM) as well as a smattering of Canadian, U.K., Australian and German booksellers.

My takeaway, both with these stats and in general: Amazon pretty much owns bookselling right now. Authors and publishers are (rightfully, I believe) peeved at Amazon for the whole Hatchette thing, but consumers are still voting with clicks and, presumably, wallets. Changing that, if that’s what folks want to do, is going to be really tough.

Finally, for those interested in the efficacy of book links on author blogs (an undoubtedly compelling topic, amirite?), I have a click-through rate to a sales page of about 2.2%. In other words, for every hundred page-views I get, I get 2.2 clicks to a book vendor. Considering that the average banner ad typically boasts a click-through rate of 0.2% to 0.3%, I consider those vendor links highly effective.

In fact, you could click on one right now if you wanted. Just saying.

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