Question on distribution media: Flash for Books

[Steven Lake]

Hey fellow writers, I'm curious of something. I've been looking at the market in general, and have noticed the increased amount of sales involving audiobooks and ebooks. Ebooks of course tend to only be sold online (at least that I've found), but audiobooks continue to be sold on CDrom. However, there's also an interesting trend I'm seeing away from the cdrom as well to an all digital environment.

That creates a bit of an issue with physical sales of your books. Say for example that someone walks into a local Barnes and Nobels, or you meet them at a book signing, there's getting to be an increasing number of these people who won't buy the paper copy of your book, or even the cd version of your audiobook. They want to be able to take their audiobooks or their ebooks in a physical media format that they can either plug into their mp3 player, or their ebook reader and take the books on the go.

Two of the reasons for this have been A) having a physical copy that can go anywhere with them and be stored on a shelf is preferred (digital only copies are apparently too easy to lose), and B) it allows for digital sales in a more traditional brick and mortar store such as B&N. It also makes things convenient when you're selling your product at a book signing or show, as those who want the digital copy instead of the paper one, can still get it signed, and still get the digital copy they want, and the physical media to ensure it remains safe for a long time to come.

So, with that said, what are your feelings on something like this? I'm actually right now exploring this idea with Sandisk, looking at the possibility of using either their SlotMusic, or MicroSD format for this.

[Mobile Mason]

I think that publishers should allow a free download of an ebook of a physical book that you buy.

That way the "brick and mortar" stores, libraries, and readers are all happy.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

My feeling is that it's a waste.

A digital file, by definition, doesn't need a physical package to be transported. Putting it into a physical package, in order to allow it to be manufactured, shipped and driven about, stored on shelves, just so someone can have an object to fit in their hand (and which can also be lost) is being contrary to the product itself.

The storage size of an e-book, even an audiobook, is going to be so small as to barely fill the smallest SD cards... and you'll still have to add the cost of the card onto the product. Then you're looking at customers downloading the contents of the SD card to their device and, having no further use for such a small-storage card, likely landfilling it. Where's the sense in all that?

So I would toss the idea of tying e-books in any format to a physical media. A better solution would be a kiosk at the store that would allow customers to download their purchases on the spot, or have them e-mailed to an account that their devices could access. You want something personal? Send the books from a personalized e-mail address with a custom signature.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by Mobile Mason

I think that publishers should allow a free download of an ebook of a physical book that you buy.

That way the "brick and mortar" stores, libraries, and readers are all happy.

That's like giving a consumer a free paperback with every hardback. Who needs 2 of the same book? Seriously! Pick one.

[Steven Lake]

Steve Jordan: The idea behind putting the digital file on a physical media is to give the person the digital file they want, a hard copy backup, and something for you as a writer to sign.

Sure, not everyone will want one, but some will, and it satisfies all three needs on one shot.

[Moejoe]

I think I'm with Steve on this one. We need to get away from physical objects altogether. Except for t-shirts, everyone loves t-shirts. Offer a free t-shirt, or pay for the t-shirt and get the download. And you can sign a t-shirt too. That's what I'm going to do, sometime, maybe, in the future

[plumboz]

Moejoe,

The t-shirt idea is spot-on. Like going to a concert or play, if you want a physical souvenir of the experience, you buy a t-shirt. I guess another option would be a "program" featuring a short essay by the author on the subject of the book. How it came to be written, how many people he/she knows will be irritated at seeing themselves as unflattering characters, the number of cups of coffee that were spilt on the keyboard during the production of the thing, something like that.

Souvenirs, that's what's wanted!

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by Lord Raiden

Steve Jordan: The idea behind putting the digital file on a physical media is to give the person the digital file they want, a hard copy backup, and something for you as a writer to sign.

Sure, not everyone will want one, but some will, and it satisfies all three needs on one shot.

My feeling is that they probably already have storage media to put backups on... why squeeze out more plastic that will just end up in a landfill?

The idea of signing a book is an artifact of the physical product age. I don't plan to ever sit at a table for hours, signing my name and pushing it at people standing in line before me... that's so twentieth century! It's time for a new paradigm, a new way of showing customers your appreciation. (Besides, how am I supposed to sign an SD card?)

[Steven Lake]

(Besides, how am I supposed to sign an SD card?)

You sign the package, silly. :P

And no, I don't think that signing books is so "twentieth century". You'd be shocked to realize how many people actually ask, or even demand that I sign their book. It's really crazy. I know a few who are "enlightened readers" who don't see that as necessary, but they're still in the extreme minority. That may change in the next 20 years, but I really don't think it will. Book signings are still too important to too many people.

One of the biggest reasons is you get to meet the author in person, so the book has special meaning, plus signed items sell for a ton more cash than non-signed stuff. Just look at the recent book signing for Sarah Palin, or even J.K. Rowling. My gawds, have you seen the massive lines at her book signings!? Seriously. Signings are not dead, and likely won't be for quite a while, as much as some people might want them to die.

[Xiaopanda]

Originally Posted by Lord Raiden

You sign the package, silly. :P


One of the biggest reasons is you get to meet the author in person, so the book has special meaning, plus signed items sell for a ton more cash than non-signed stuff. Just look at the recent book signing for Sarah Palin, or even J.K. Rowling. My gawds, have you seen the massive lines at her book signings!? Seriously. Signings are not dead, and likely won't be for quite a while, as much as some people might want them to die.

Hmm... Seems to me a Movie Star can sign a photo or a page in an autograph book, so why can't an Author? Maybe a stack of Head-shots with the cover of the Latest book on hand to sign would be better all 'round... or an on line Version that can be printed off and signed as needed.

[Steven Lake]

Yeah, those are good ideas too. I'm not a big fan of running around getting celebrity signatures, but a LOT of people are. So long as that's true, I'll keep doing signings. When that avenue dries up, I'll move on to whatever is new. In the meantime I plan to continue with ways to provide A) a physical media, and B) a signature as customers request them. I'm not trying to stall progress, but merely looking back towards those who are slow coming into the 21st century and the "new" way of doing things.

What good is it if I alienate readers just because they don't keep up with the pack? I'd rather go out of my way and cater to every group I can so as not to leave anyone out. Because if you leave someone out or leave them behind, that *will* come back to haunt you later on in life. Maybe not right away, but it will. That's a lesson I've learned in living color from the tech world.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Book signings aren't too fair or practical when your "fans" are quite literally all over the map (as mine are). And a signature doesn't increase a book's worth... it only signifies that you came within speaking-distance of the author. For about ten seconds.

OTOH, being able to connect with fans directly, online, can give everyone a more direct and enjoyable experience. Fans can actually engage in individual and group dialogs online, and really interact with an author, not just push a sheet of paper at them, then get pushed aside once it is signed.

I'd like to see something like that replace book-signings, an online "e-book opening," with some other offering to replace the signed whatever... possibly a personalized digital file sent to each person who signs into the online space.

Originally Posted by Lord Raiden

What good is it if I alienate readers just because they don't keep up with the pack? I'd rather go out of my way and cater to every group I can so as not to leave anyone out. Because if you leave someone out or leave them behind, that *will* come back to haunt you later on in life. Maybe not right away, but it will. That's a lesson I've learned in living color from the tech world.

You don't have to turn your back on them... you encourage them to join you. And if they're not ready for it... make sure they know you'll be waiting until they are.

[Steven Lake]

Well, as I said, I'm not opposed to the new way of doing things, or any new way for that matter, however, I don't want to abandon an old way until it's tapped out. Being in tech for 15+ years, I've grown tired of forced obsolescence, and just dropping an old way of doing things just because there's a shiny new way frustrates me to no end, as I'm sure it does for an incredible number of others. And if I hate getting left behind, imagine how they feel.

Plus, book signings have a special magic to them you either don't see, or have forgotten. The magic of having your 30 seconds in front of an author and having them sign your book is not only hugely exciting for some people, but it's also a great way to connect with fans and increase your chances (by as much as ten times!!) that they will in turn share that excitement with others, which will automatically increase your sales with little more effort on your part than a few simple pen strokes.

Now, if you had the chance to no less than triple you sales merely by doing a few book signings for those "poor out of date people who are behind the times and/or locked in the literary stone age", could you honestly say no? Dude, it's simple economics. Heck, if standing on your head for an hour a day clucking like a chicken could increase sales, I'd do it. Never dismiss a potential sales avenue just because it's "out of date". Sometimes those "out of date" people are loaded and have friends who are too!

[dreams]

Originally Posted by Moejoe

Offer a free t-shirt, or pay for the t-shirt and get the download. And you can sign a t-shirt too. That's what I'm going to do, sometime, maybe, in the future

Excellent idea!

Originally Posted by plumboz

Moejoe,
The t-shirt idea is spot-on. Like going to a concert or play, if you want a physical souvenir of the experience, you buy a t-shirt. I guess another option would be a "program" featuring a short essay by the author on the subject of the book. How it came to be written, how many people he/she knows will be irritated at seeing themselves as unflattering characters, the number of cups of coffee that were spilt on the keyboard during the production of the thing, something like that.

Souvenirs, that's what's wanted!

I seem to have a collection of those T-shirt souvenirs.

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

Book signings aren't too fair or practical when your "fans" are quite literally all over the map (as mine are). And a signature doesn't increase a book's worth... it only signifies that you came within speaking-distance of the author. For about ten seconds.

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

OTOH, being able to connect with fans directly, online, can give everyone a more direct and enjoyable experience. Fans can actually engage in individual and group dialogs online, and really interact with an author, not just push a sheet of paper at them, then get pushed aside once it is signed.

I'd like to see something like that replace book-signings, an online "e-book opening," with some other offering to replace the signed whatever... possibly a personalized digital file sent to each person who signs into the online space.

Oooooh, this sound like a great idea.

Originally Posted by Lord Raiden

Well, as I said, I'm not opposed to the new way of doing things, or any new way for that matter, however, I don't want to abandon an old way until it's tapped out. Being in tech for 15+ years, I've grown tired of forced obsolescence, and just dropping an old way of doing things just because there's a shiny new way frustrates me to no end, as I'm sure it does for an incredible number of others. And if I hate getting left behind, imagine how they feel.

Plus, book signings have a special magic to them you either don't see, or have forgotten. The magic of having your 30 seconds in front of an author and having them sign your book is not only hugely exciting for some people, but it's also a great way to connect with fans and increase your chances (by as much as ten times!!) that they will in turn share that excitement with others, which will automatically increase your sales with little more effort on your part than a few simple pen strokes.

Now, if you had the chance to no less than triple you sales merely by doing a few book signings for those "poor out of date people who are behind the times and/or locked in the literary stone age", could you honestly say no? Dude, it's simple economics. Heck, if standing on your head for an hour a day clucking like a chicken could increase sales, I'd do it. Never dismiss a potential sales avenue just because it's "out of date". Sometimes those "out of date" people are loaded and have friends who are too!

Sad to say, I do have friends in this category and they do get excited about those few seconds in front of a "celebrity".

[Jonas777]

Originally Posted by Lord Raiden

They want to be able to take their audiobooks or their ebooks in a physical media format that they can either plug into their mp3 player, or their ebook reader and take the books on the go.

I am not a writer but I think it sounds like something you should try. To be able to sell it anonymously in a package and move it from the memory card to a mp3-player or e-book reader, you would probably need to get rid of the current kind of DRM. Which is fine by me but may be hard to convince the publishers to do.