Self-Publishing & Big Five Dominate Book Market...

[Phogg]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

. Thanks again.
It all sounds grander than it really was and I have never been a "Madam".
Though that one sounds like fun.

That whole industry only sounds fun from the outside.

[Little.Egret]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I buy most of my SF and fantasy from Baen,

{...}

How can I equally reliably find new authors that I'll enjoy in the world of self-published books? I just don't have either the time or the inclination to download 50 book samples from Amazon in the hope of finding one reasonable one amongst them.

One other method is to look at the various writer co-operatives who check each other's standards.

So since Dave Freer is a Baen Author, try the madgenius club members

And since Chris Dolley was a Baen Author Bookviewcafe

Recommendations from authors you trust would be next

Sharon Lee blogs her reading for year to date

Sherwood Smith blogs recommendations too.

[Tom Fitch]

How to find books you like within the ocean of self published books can indeed be a challenge.

I guess that forums like this one should help. Reviews and comments by others, who read the book, should at least be pointing in the right direction. Then again, it is not because someone else liked a book, that you will like it. Liking or disliking a book is very personal matter after all.

I feel that self-publishers, certainly of e-books, should offer at least the 4 to 5 first chapters for free. That way, interested readers can get a decent idea of the book before spending money.

Tom

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Tom Fitch

I feel that self-publishers, certainly of e-books, should offer at least the 4 to 5 first chapters for free. That way, interested readers can get a decent idea of the book before spending money.

Tom

That is exactly what they do...
...at least the first 10% in the walled garden stores...
...and larger extracts at their websites.
And 100% of the titles they choose to enroll in Kindle Unlimited.
Another common strategy is to offer the first title in a series free either sporadically or permanently.

Visibility is a problem for everybody and one of the reasons the midtier tradpubs are getting squeezed: The BPHs have the money to buy (or not) front table visibility so the favored few can get necessary exposure. (Only a handful of authors benefit but it is possibility.) The midtier tradpubs, however, usually don't have the pockets for much payola or the deep discount game so their titles tend to suffer at B&M.

Indies, on the other hand, have the advantage over their tradpub siblings in that they control their own pricing and distribution so they can choose what to offer (or not) for free. They can do all sorts of dynamic marketing and promotions that just aren't practical for tradpubs since they have what amounts to a dedicated marketing manager.

[Thasaidon]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

. Thanks again.
It all sounds grander than it really was and I have never been a "Madam".
Though that one sounds like fun.

Visit the Philippines and you will be called "madam" or at least "Ma'am.

[murg]

Originally Posted by HarryT

That's one of the main reasons I'm reluctant to start reading a series until it's finished. I make a few exceptions to that rule, but not many.

By this logic, you must only read autobiographies written by people after they've died.

[HarryT]

Correct. I have never read the autobiography of a living person.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Correct. I have never read the autobiography of a living person.

An autobiography has to be written by a living person. I think you may have meant biography.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

An autobiography has to be written by a living person. I think you may have meant biography.

No, I meant what I said. I am perfectly well aware of the difference between a biography and an autobiography. I have read autobiographies, but not while the person who wrote it was still alive. The most recent one I read was Agatha Christie's.

[Rizla]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Coincidentally, this just came up.
Know any Good Self-pub Books?

Based on the recommendations in that thread, it seems that most self-pub authors who get the chance will go trad-pub. So it seems the latter route may be preferable, if achievable. Also, most self-pub authors recommended on that thread have gone trad-pub. It looks like a pattern.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by Tom Fitch

How to find books you like within the ocean of self published books can indeed be a challenge.

I guess that forums like this one should help. Reviews and comments by others, who read the book, should at least be pointing in the right direction. Then again, it is not because someone else liked a book, that you will like it. Liking or disliking a book is very personal matter after all.

I feel that self-publishers, certainly of e-books, should offer at least the 4 to 5 first chapters for free. That way, interested readers can get a decent idea of the book before spending money.

Tom

I've found several self publishing authors that I like that way.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by Rizla

Based on the recommendations in that thread, it seems that most self-pub authors who get the chance will go trad-pub. So it seems the latter route may be preferable, if achievable. Also, most self-pub authors recommended on that thread have gone trad-pub. It looks like a pattern.

Yep, but a number of authors go the hybrid route (some trad-pub, some self pub) as well. I don't think that there is any one route that is right for everyone.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Rizla

Based on the recommendations in that thread, it seems that most self-pub authors who get the chance will go trad-pub. So it seems the latter route may be preferable, if achievable. Also, most self-pub authors recommended on that thread have gone trad-pub. It looks like a pattern.

Of course it's a pattern. It just doesn't mean what you want it to mean.

Having the resources of a traditional publishing house at your disposal has never been seen as UNpreferable by authors. The question is whether or not the price/commitment that traditional publishers demand for their services is worth it. The self-pub authors who go on to sign with traditional publishers (after successfully creating a name for themselves) have the leverage to seek better terms (or hybrid contracts) for themselves (and quite often get them). THAT is the power of self-publishing. That self-pub success stories tend to eventually sign with traditional publishers is not an indicator that self-publication is undesirable or unsustainable. Far from it.

[Cinisajoy]

Many of those authors also do print only traditional deals and keep the ebooks themselves.

[BearMountainBooks]

To relate back to the article, I'm seeing quite a bit of renewed interest in print books. I've never sold tons in print, but kind of steady. There appears to me to be renewed interest in several forum groups that I'm on (especially FB--book clubs and the like).

In doing giveaways at my blog, I have started recommending authors do a print book giveaway (or ebook reader choice, but the print books are getting the attention). I think readers who never got into the e-reader thing are actively on the lookout for giveaways or reasonably priced print books (which is difficult to do for an indie).

I'm actually thinking about selling print versions of my books on my blog because if I order in quantity (any 5 to 10 books) I can sell them for $8.50 shipped and still make a buck per book (no, not a lot, but I don't make much per book anyway). I'd like to get that cost down to the magic $7.99, but I don't think I can sell the volume required. Anyway, it's something I'm looking at because there is more interest in it than I've seen in a while. It seems some readers have reverted to preferring print.

Re: the comment about indies go trad if they can--you don't hear about the ones who don't. There have been several who have blogged that they had offers. But in general, indies REALLY want to sell print rights and keep the ebook rights because they have spent years growing that type of audience. And to give up an income stream like that on "maybe you'll sell even more once it's in print" can be a "no game" for some authors.

For me personally, I am not looking to go trad. Sure, if an offer came to my door, I'd have to give it honest consideration, but I do not go out of my way to network or look for a publisher.

Re: Bookbub: It's just an advertising site. All the books on there are ad supported--to the tune of several hundred dollars an ad. They do some sorting in that they avoid the most obvious bad covers.

Re: Finding indie books:
I have a section on my blog where I track reads under 5 dollars that I enjoyed and/or reviewed (meaning that I found some of them competent enough to mention, but they may not have been my thing). Most of them are indie (I don't discriminate one way or the other.) BUT: I find it harder and harder to find books I want to read. I can't pay trad prices, so I rely on the library for many of those books. I've had a string of DNF from there lately. But yes, some indies aren't all that and more either because of typos or lack of plot. If anyone wants the link to the reviews/under 5 I mentioned, it's waaaay down on the left sidebar. Not that easy to find. If you PM me I can send you the link too. Your mileage will totally vary because I read in several genres.