Thinking of turning Smashwords publisher

[nomesque]

Seeking opinions!

I've been mulling over this idea for a while...

There seem to be a number of authors around who find epublishing more effort than they'd like to expend, and also a number in need of an editing service. So I'm thinking that there could be a market for an epublishing service - editing + ebook formatting for a share of whatever sales might be made. Which, I honestly believe, WILL be higher with some polishing.

Here's the model I'm considering:

- I retain worldwide global rights to distribute the ebook for 2 years (to protect me from doing lots of work on a book, only to have the author take it back and not share profits)

- Two pricing options (author pays me): US$300 upfront and 10% of the list price (OR sale price) per sale - OR nothing upfront and 30% of the list price (OR sale price) per sale

- I publish via Smashwords using a Publisher account, which ensures that the correct person (the author, not me) gets credit for the work, payments go through me, but as long as the author has a Smashwords account, they get independent sales figures from Smashwords.

If you fitted into one of those categories, do you think you'd be interested in signing up with someone who'd edit and format your ebook (you having final say in the editing process), plus do some promotion for you, on those sort of terms? Would you have any concerns that I might not have considered? Would you consider this sort of thing to be different to Lulu and the like?

[dadioflex]

Edit.

[nomesque]

Originally Posted by dadioflex

I think you'd be opening yourself up to a world of hurt for too little money. $300 isn't enough, you'll be swamped. If you're capable of offering proper editing services then $300 looks like amateur chump change.

IMO.

But, yeah I'm more than capable of doing the Smashwords bits myself but letting someone else take care of the headache for $300 and 10% is a no-brainer. But I thought they outlawed slavery.

Well, 'too cheap' is a pretty easy problem to solve - if demand exceeds supply, raise prices for new clients

Hrmmm... if this is something that even folks who'd usually do their own would consider taking advantage of, it might well be a goer.

Anyone else got opinions, good or bad? I don't mind if you say, "this sounds like a horrible scam and I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole" ...

[dadioflex]

Edit.

[WAPatterson]

Well, if I'd seen this before self-publishing myself there and getting their ISBN, I'd be more willing to do the second option since it's no cash out of pocket and saves me the trouble of promoting it. I'll think about it when I finish the next book.

It's a good idea, and I think you have your work cut out for you. I think you would need to publish a few other books first to show your track record to build confidence in people - otherwise it'd be too easy for them to just do it themselves and let the mistakes be.

[WAPatterson]

Hi there! Would you give your opinion of my own idea here: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...900#post892900

[nomesque]

Originally Posted by dadioflex

Oh, something you didn't mention, but that I think is really important, are covers. If you just want to write and don't want to get involved in the techery, you probably don't know where to begin making your own cover.

Good point! I wouldn't class myself as a graphic artist by any means, but I think I can produce something a cut above the usual amateur effort.

Originally Posted by WAPatterson

Well, if I'd seen this before self-publishing myself there and getting their ISBN, I'd be more willing to do the second option since it's no cash out of pocket and saves me the trouble of promoting it. I'll think about it when I finish the next book.

It's a good idea, and I think you have your work cut out for you. I think you would need to publish a few other books first to show your track record to build confidence in people - otherwise it'd be too easy for them to just do it themselves and let the mistakes be.

Mmmm... I'm thinking of offering a straight 10% (no $300 upfront) to start off with, and see how it goes. Regardless of how nuts dadioflex thinks I am (*grin*) I'm not prepared to do work absolutely free.

At some stage, of course, I'll have to tackle the Kindle store. Can't really do one without the other, even with Smashwords eventually distributing to Amazon as well.

Thanks for the feedback, guys.

[dadioflex]

Edit.

[nomesque]

Originally Posted by dadioflex

I guess the question is, what's your time worth?

Perhaps I'm being hopelessly pessimistic about potential sales.

You're absolutely right, I'd be gambling. With the first few, even more so. But the biggest gamble is on me - that my editing is high enough quality, 'my' authors will listen to suggested changes, my covers are eye-catching enough, and that I'm as good at promotion as I think. And that all of that will make enough of a difference to each ebook to eventually make me a decent ongoing income. That's the kicker, you see - if I'm good, my authors will win out and so will I. If I'm crap, my authors do about the same, minus 10%, then all band together to publicly abuse me and garner lots of publicity along the way. And they sell more books.

[dadioflex]

Edit.

[nomesque]

Originally Posted by dadioflex

When you finish your latest book will you be charging for it? That would be your test case.

Oh heck yeah

[Marseille]

Originally Posted by nomesque

Good point! I wouldn't class myself as a graphic artist by any means, but I think I can produce something a cut above the usual amateur effort.

I imagine a lot of writers would consider cover work important. It's something I (and I suspect, a lot of other writers) don't really have the skills for, but wish I did as it can really set one book apart from others. Maybe you can't accurately judge a book by its cover, but people try every day. There's so much content out there, and if you want someone to make the buy, you have to reel them in first and get them close enough to look at what you have. And not having a real cover at all doesn't scream high quality to the average reader. So any little bump helps.

Freelance copyrighters often loosely team up with freelance designers to offer package deals to clients. You might consider something like that someday. You could offer a lower tier (no slight intended there) cover yourself, and then offer an upgrade from one of the hipster dufus mac-loving .... errr, I mean, from someone who does design for a living with maybe some sort referral arrangement that gives you a cut.

I'm not one of your potential customers (this is hobby I don't want to spend much on), so take my advice with a grain of salt. Just tossing in my 2 cents (guaranteed to be worth every penny). Good luck though. It sounds like it could be a good idea.

[SameOldStory]

Strangely enough I almost started a thread on this subject today, but coming from the other direction.

Make no mistake. I can't help you in any way. Except that I did download your book -DEAD(ish). But no points there as I didn't know that you were a MR member 'til now.

I do read a lot from new writers and after reading a page or two from one of them today I had wanted to put a general question out there asking if any MR members wanted to do what you are proposing.

One of the few books that I really hated was "A Confederacy of Dunces". Yes, I know, EVERYBODY else loves it.

What I remember reading somewhere is that the author couldn't get it published, committed suicide, and his mother had someone edit and publish it.

From that I've learned that editors and publishers can be critical. I'm not going to mention the person that made me think of A Confederacy of Dunces. Their writing isn't so bad that they should take that rout out. Maybe close though. You, nomesque, can save their life if you can find them.

I do agree with David Marseilles. Good cover will attract my attention and may get me interested.

A cover like this will not get my money.




This one catches your attention.




And that is it. I wish you good luck because some writers need help.

PS- thanks for DEAD(ish).

[jaxx6166]

Nomes...

I'm going to have to agree with dadio here. I think you'd be opening yourself up to a huge can of worms. I can do basic cover design, so can just about everyone with a couple tutorials in GIMP.

What you propose sounds almost like a vanity press, which will most likely get you all sorts of freaks and weirdoes. Plus, it would be your (professional) reputation at stake. You'd need to be a gate keeper to filter out 98% of the junk. I've read slush piles before. I know the kind of crap they get. And I'm sure you know too.

The only thing I'd be worried about is the ePubs come and go...i don't want you to overwork yourself for minimum pay..I think you'd probably have better luck workin as a freelance editor. I've looked into the concept and several other guys here have too. I think it usually boils down to start up costs and stuff.

But hell, I wish you the best of luck. Hopefully you won't need it. If you need a hand tho, let me know.

[erslyman]

A question -- if an ebook publisher supplies your ISBN number, who owns the ISBN number?

So when you purchase the ISBN number is it yours forever, or just with that ebook publisher?