tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post6520037795052851385..comments2024-03-29T05:07:06.873-04:00Comments on Pimp My Novel: Prithee, Inform Me: What's the Deal?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-58368032517647770622009-10-21T18:46:40.854-04:002009-10-21T18:46:40.854-04:00I'd love to know what the sales curve for a ty...I'd love to know what the sales curve for a typical novel looks like, including backlist sales if it stays in print. In other words, if a title sells X in hardcover, Y in trade paperback the following year, Z in mass market, A in electronic, B in audio, and C is trade/mass market paperback sales in subsequent years. And how quickly the book's sales decay even as it remains in print. I am guessing it probably varies quite a lot, but I'd love to hear about some typical ratios between X, Y, Z, A, B, C and how they change for books that only sell a few hardcover copies vs. bestsellers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-19212698356508033622009-10-21T07:26:06.207-04:002009-10-21T07:26:06.207-04:00As non-American I'm interested to hear how Ame...As non-American I'm interested to hear how American publishers (or agents) market their books for translations. Is it based on existing contacts ("This German house has done a lot of our titles, let's contact them again"), are US publishers actively out seeking foreign publishers or do they wait passively somebody from other country contacts them? Do the publishers have a standard contract with foreign house, or is every translation negotiationed case-by-case? <br /><br />Thanks for your blog, it's very interesting to learn how publishing works in US!Danish Dognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-9128012438560814222009-10-20T20:27:21.375-04:002009-10-20T20:27:21.375-04:00All sorts of good ideas here, looking forward to t...All sorts of good ideas here, looking forward to the definitive answers :) Keep up the great work!<br /><br />On a recent trip to Half Price Books I got hit with a giant guilt wave wondering if authors saw any money from these stores. Obviously not the used books, but it looks like many for sale are new, like a giant bookstore had over-purchased. Are these books that would otherwise be returned to the publisher and counted against the author's sales? What is the appropriate guilt level for being seduced by books for half price?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-19735590314394289212009-10-20T20:20:24.939-04:002009-10-20T20:20:24.939-04:00i'm new here, and so far i've enjoyed ever...i'm new here, and so far i've enjoyed everything. <br /><br />someone recently said to me "it's not the bestseller's list, it's the best publicized list." it really got me thinking about how integral the marketing machine is to a successful author. i'd love to hear your thoughts on that topic.I'm a bad liarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17891699222222106538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-42136215592956591052009-10-20T18:44:49.431-04:002009-10-20T18:44:49.431-04:00They say the time to get yourself into viral marke...They say the time to get yourself into viral marketing is before your book is sold. Give me some examples of what you'd suggest. Blog? Facebook? Website? Frankly, I'd rather be working on my next novel.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-49552776713585793682009-10-20T10:33:49.591-04:002009-10-20T10:33:49.591-04:00I'd like to know about publishers' logic b...I'd like to know about publishers' logic behind acquiring and publishing books that are given very little marketing push. You know: ARCs, page in the catalog, and little else. And what happens to those books and their authors when said books get little to no sell-in at the chains? I have several writer friends whose debut novels and 2nd novels have met this fate. In my head I call them "ghost books" -- they're out there, theoretically, but there's almost no physical evidence that they exist. And these are books sold by well-known agents to major publishers.<br /><br />Why do publishers continue to spend money packing their lists with books that disappear? And is there anything an aspiring author can do to avoid being in that situation in the future?laurennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-80216937706453216052009-10-20T08:03:59.317-04:002009-10-20T08:03:59.317-04:00I would love to hear anything at all about how mar...I would love to hear anything at all about how marketing works, what if any research they do, and how they come to their decisions. Really. Anything.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-79136784520808460602009-10-19T22:21:35.515-04:002009-10-19T22:21:35.515-04:00No to Balloon Boy, Yes to Pirates.
And more about...No to Balloon Boy, Yes to Pirates.<br /><br />And more about publishing in Children's books (Middle Grade esp), even though I know that's not your bag. <br /><br />Love your stuff!Susan Kaye Quinnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07348197999397141067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-19555994763007976242009-10-19T20:20:52.522-04:002009-10-19T20:20:52.522-04:00I may be in the minority, but I'd like to hear...I may be in the minority, but I'd like to hear more about Sarah Palin's book sales, once it comes out. Specifically, info about bulk sales, what the numbers really mean, and what profit (or loss) her publisher is really looking at after that humongous advance they gave her.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-48802798510354537292009-10-19T19:18:14.007-04:002009-10-19T19:18:14.007-04:00I'm especially interested in things the author...I'm especially interested in things the author can do that can help sell a first novel, and science fition novels in general. I've heard selling to libraries can be a two edged sword for a best selling author since they may lose some bookstore sales, but is very good for a new author trying to get their name out there.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00819223137850041043noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-39550559715395470992009-10-19T16:56:24.967-04:002009-10-19T16:56:24.967-04:00PLEASE BLOG - lots:
The future of publishing? YES ...PLEASE BLOG - lots:<br />The future of publishing? YES <br />The past? TOO GRIM <br />Profits - PUBLISHER'S VERSES AUTHOR'S, <br />losses - SELF EVIDENT?, <br />comps - YES, PLEASE, <br />co-op - DONE? BUT, WORTH A REPEAT, <br />Sarah Palin - or MICHAEL? , <br />new authors - WHO WILL BE BIG (apart from Nathan) IF ONLY PEOPLE BUY BOOKS WITHOUT HYPE?<br />self-publishing - YES, PLEASE, <br />what the NEXT HOT TREND WILL BE - psychically -MAYBE LINK WITH COMPETITION?!<br />Around the world in less than 80 days - GLOBAL VIEWS/NEWS WHAT SELLS NEARLY EVERYWHERE?<br />And other stuff of this ilk. :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15459671422564355990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-24735555300694825182009-10-19T16:51:55.088-04:002009-10-19T16:51:55.088-04:00auctions and series
Thanks for all you're do...auctions and series <br /><br />Thanks for all you're doing!<br />:-)Chris Eldinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16732006129353079344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-36104653228777610792009-10-19T16:09:21.879-04:002009-10-19T16:09:21.879-04:00Please don't talk about Sarah Palin, Eric. I l...Please don't talk about Sarah Palin, Eric. I live in Alaska. I can't take it - or her - any more.Keith Popelyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18414205709400912353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-4760492584147304122009-10-19T16:06:13.708-04:002009-10-19T16:06:13.708-04:00I found your break down of how the different genre...I found your break down of how the different genres were doing to be extremely helpful and interesting, and I wouldn't mind seeing that revisited regularly, or in more depth.Merhttp://www.merriehaskell.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-86771252764292463612009-10-19T15:48:21.956-04:002009-10-19T15:48:21.956-04:00I'd love to know how authors decide on which p...I'd love to know how authors decide on which publisher to sign with. Do editors ever approach writers or just wait for an agent to approach them. Also how do smaller publishers make themselves known to agents and sign books?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-59212817617929315982009-10-19T14:51:52.183-04:002009-10-19T14:51:52.183-04:00As much as you can, would love to see your report ...As much as you can, would love to see your report on what really goes on. I think that's what a lot of us want (well, me)-- an honest account of what goes on inside publishing. I mean, you're pretty much doing that already. You could throw in a few stories about pirates, if you like.Sierra Godfreyhttp://sierragodfrey.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-27953076687078610912009-10-19T14:48:46.005-04:002009-10-19T14:48:46.005-04:00Anything with more Shakespearean language please ;...Anything with more Shakespearean language please ;)Beth Mannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14279427592537427039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-60189478351483140982009-10-19T14:38:56.170-04:002009-10-19T14:38:56.170-04:00The others' ideas interest me as well.
I woul...The others' ideas interest me as well.<br /><br />I would especially like to hear more about series. I'm under the impression that it's almost mandatory for a murder mystery to be pitched as a series.<br /><br />Otherwise you're doing great. You're bringing up issues I haven't even thought about. Not that that's unusual.Terry Stonecrophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03726985400500572770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-36010653353942651072009-10-19T14:30:21.393-04:002009-10-19T14:30:21.393-04:00Any lists of other good sources for "almost r...Any lists of other good sources for "almost ready to hunt down an agent" would be appreciated. And the illustration ideas, too. What about bringing along your own illustrator?<br />What if your mss has maps? Do you have to use the publisher's artist for that or can you use your own?<br /><br />How about the use of real towns/cities and agencies. My series is all centered on a protagonist who is employed in one particular law enforcement agency. Are there any particular "no-no's" I have to watch out for?She Wrotehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16904590643441964769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-33910825940747353272009-10-19T14:25:00.046-04:002009-10-19T14:25:00.046-04:00NO Sarah Palin! Otherwise, I'm done. (Oh, and ...NO Sarah Palin! Otherwise, I'm done. (Oh, and not the balloon boy, please. Haven't we had enough of people taking advance of trying to turn themselves into "news". If I could only find a way to watch TV Guide network to see the television schedule WITHOUT Michael Jackson.<br />But how book tour schedules are decided/created - now that's worth writing about/reading/studying.She Wrotehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16904590643441964769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-86735014512797667552009-10-19T13:38:30.069-04:002009-10-19T13:38:30.069-04:00I haven't heard enough about balloon boy, can ...I haven't heard enough about balloon boy, can you dedicate a week to him?<br /><br />For a publishing-related topic, how about book auctions?Rick Daleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-86021725255514558832009-10-19T13:05:17.854-04:002009-10-19T13:05:17.854-04:00I'd love to know about how you handle differen...I'd love to know about how you handle different adaptations of the book: how do some books become movies while others become tv shows while still others become graphic novels? If an author is an anime/manga fan, can she push for her book to become a manga-style graphic novel (or even a manga drawn by an actual manga artist)? I know Tokyopop has made quite a few book turned manga in the past, but they're not the only game in town, are they?<br /><br />What about deadlines? Let's say the book sells to editors on January 1st. How long does it take for it to get to the bookshelves and how long does the author have to write book 2 (if it's a series). Can deadlines be pushed back?<br /><br />How are book tour schedules decided?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-25445068120574845622009-10-19T13:04:39.851-04:002009-10-19T13:04:39.851-04:00Anon 11:58, there is a great Editorial Ass post ab...Anon 11:58, there is a great Editorial Ass post about this if you haven't seen it: http://editorialass.blogspot.com/2009/03/publishing-by-omission-or-fighting.htmlmarienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-17489108990193082502009-10-19T12:48:48.257-04:002009-10-19T12:48:48.257-04:00I'd love to learn about everything that happen...I'd love to learn about everything that happens "after the sale": covers, interior layout, galleys, ARCs, blurbs. And, how the sales team view all of this. What gets you excited about a book, excited enough to really push it to buyers?Emilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03268176982403270066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-27815034914305561862009-10-19T12:33:35.561-04:002009-10-19T12:33:35.561-04:00Yes please explain more about the New York Times B...Yes please explain more about the New York Times Best Seller List & what is exactly does the big craze behind the holiday season mean for a debut author?Steph Schmidthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00975939582442193113noreply@blogger.com