04/22/2008

By Lisa Burns

HarperCollins is announcing big changes in the way it publishes books. Their newest imprint, yet to be named, will offer little to no advances and will not accept returns from retailers.

These changes to the business side of the publishing process present a substantial difference from traditional publishing practices. HarperCollins’s announcement to change its business model is a landmark decision, for the simple fact that they are the first big publisher to think outside the box. Small publishers, on the other hand, have been practicing this business model for years, to the dismay of critics. “We do not have the means to offer huge advances and print an astronomical number of books,” says Publisher and CEO of SterlingHouse Publisher in Pittsburgh, Dr. Cynthia Sterling. “It’s nice to see them thinking outside the box. SterlingHouse Publisher is ahead of the game. Not only are we thinking outside the box, we’re thinking outside the oval.”

In addition to paying little or no advances and not accepting returns from retailers, HarperCollins new imprint, according to the Wall Street Journal, likely won’t pay for prime placement in the front of bookstores either.

This decision comes at a time when e-books are gaining more and more popularity. Because of slumping book sales, between 30-40% of books shipped to retailers are returned to publishers. This results in less money for the author. Currently, according to the New York Times after authors have paid off their advances, their royalties are typically 15% of the hardcover price for each book sold.

High advances not only hurt the publisher; they also hurt the author. Many times, the advances are so high that the publisher barely makes a profit, resulting in lower or no royalties for authors.

HarperCollins issued a press release on April 3 in which they stated, “HarperCollins Publishers today announced it has signed publishing veteran Robert S. Miller to develop and launch a new global publishing program based on a non-traditional business model.” The release goes on to say, “Miller will publish approximately 25 popular-priced books per year in multiple physical and digital formats including those as yet unspecified…Authors will be compensated through a profit sharing model as opposed to a traditional royalty, and books will be promoted utilizing on-line publicity, advertising and marketing.”

Currently, when unsold books are returned to publishers, the publisher is left with the high cost of returning and restocking books. Miller believes that the money publishers will save by not having to pay for returned books can be shared with the author.

For small publishers, this is a step in the right direction, a step that should have been taken a while ago. Many industry insiders look to the big publishers to see what trends in the literary business will change the industry. The time is now for the big publishers, critics and agents to notice what the small publishers are doing.

The business model HarperCollins is implementing is the same publishing format small publishers like SterlingHouse Publisher have been following for years. By heavily publicizing books online and making a profit off the sale of the book, authors and big publishers will finally start working together to produce a project worthy of respect in the industry.

When asked if she thought SterlingHouse Publisher should say, “I told you so!” to the critics, Dr. Sterling replied, “Time will tell who will prevail in this industry. It’s nice to know that the small publishers are ahead of the times.”

WNW will continue to follow this developing story.

Agree? Disagree? Tell us at editor@writersnewsweekly.com

By Anil Giga

Karma is a Sanskrit word translated in English as “Action.” Since every action has a consequence, the law of karma refers to the simple spiritual principal of cause and effect. Therefore, everything we think, intend, say and do is the cause and the effect will at some point manifest into our life. So stop and take a look at your life today and remind yourself that, whatever situation you find yourself in now, whether you are contended or unhappy, you cannot change your present! Why? Because our circumstance today is the effect and the cause of it is rooted in the past. Hence we need to fully accept our present situation; it is exactly what it should be. However, since our actions today affect us in the future, the law of karma empowers us to create our future. This means that, through the sum of all our actions today, we are actually writing the script of our life in the years ahead. Therefore, if you are not satisfied with your life today, if you feel unfulfilled and incomplete, you can change it. Only in the last few decades has the western world encountered spiritual concepts which have existed in eastern philosophies for thousands of years. Indeed, while the West was pre-occupied in trying to understand and define our physical world, the East was exploring the occult. As the Western world mapped out every square inch of earth and discovered the scientific principles that operated there, the Eastern cultures were mapping out the human soul and how we could experience it. Today we have the unique opportunity of bringing both these perspectives together in the understanding that they are really two sides of the same coin. Let’s face it, excessive materialism has led to nothing but unhappiness, for we have yet to find anyone who was able to take their wealth with them at death. Similarly those submerged entirely in spiritual contemplation never did help the sick, feed the hungry or make our world better. Yet when the two come together, in balance, we find hope, happiness, purpose and meaning. Why is this? Because of the simple truth that we are both physical and spiritual in nature, and when we live our life in balance, we create powerful ripples; these are the seeds that will yield contentment in the future. So are you ready to transform your life? In future columns I will share with you the spiritual principles that will help us find our life balance.

Anil Giga Bsc is the author of The Invisible Way (USA Best Book Award) and an Investment Professional in Calgary.

By Cliff Fazzolari

I headed to the local YMCA for a dip in the hot tub and a sweat in the sauna. As I entered the lobby, I noticed that there was a used book fair going on. Realizing that I had signed books at the YMCA for the book club, my heart skipped a beat as I considered that someone would be selling a copy of Counting on a Miracle for a quarter.

I walked all around the tables, just praying that my book wasn’t in one of the bins. Each story takes a year or more to write and the task is a little like giving birth. Would someone actually sell one of my babies for a quarter?

I noticed a Stephen King book that I absolutely loved – hardcopy – and on sale for $1.00.

There were three Grishams and two copies of The Great Gatsby! The YMCA was asking fifty cents for each work of art.

Again, I felt as if I might cry. At home, my books are stacked high to the ceiling, as a badge of honor. I read about sixty books a year and love some more than others, but I have a real hard time throwing them away. In a world where we are in search for instant gratification, there is something to be said of my love of books.

I continued my exploration, but thankfully did not see any of the signed copies of my book that were now on sale. I had a proud moment as I considered that my customers kept my books. Take that, Grisham and King!

There are moments when, searching for a book deal, you envision a life of leisure and endless accolades. Perhaps all us authors can really hope is that our books don’t end up for sale two for a buck.

Cliff Fazzolari is a professional writer and prolific author. He is on the Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo PICU Parent Advisory Council. He currently resides in Blasdell, New York.

By James S. Payne

When crafting a proposal to submit to a literary agent, the section on how the proposed book will be promoted by the author is the single most important section of the proposal. The promotion section explains how the author will help get the book marketed and sold. Examples include:

Pre-sold books: Purchase 500 books from the first printing at a reasonable discount.

Visit bookstores: visit (specify number) bookstores in (author’s) geographical area. All bookstores that are members of BookSense will be visited and given a complimentary copy of the book. The author will discuss, in person, possible future readings and book signings.

Send book reviews and excerpts: Send book reviews to specific magazines and excerpts to newspapers, to specifically stated sources.

Radio: Place an ad in Radio-TV Interview Report and conduct radio interviews as requested. This could generate a significant number of reviews.

Print media: Send news releases to local and regional newspapers.

Website: Establish a website and web page and an 800 number that will be used on all publicity connected with the book.

Blog: Establish a blog and respond in a timely manner.

This is not an exhaustive list but it is offered to help new, unknown authors get started. Most successful authors spend as much time promoting their work as they do writing it. They make a fundamental shift in their thinking from having something to say to having something to sell. For want-to-be authors this is not a pretty picture, but it is a realistic one.

Dr. James Payne, a nationally-recognized scholar, educator and speaker, is a professor of Special Education at the University of Mississippi and a Fulbright recipient. He is the developer of the PeopleWise Event Management System and the PeopleWise Profile System.

By Lisa Martin
Martin-McLean Literary Associates LLC

As mergers and downsizing continue to cause unexpected changes in New York publishing houses and independent publishers are becoming more prevalent, an author’s platform is essential for an individual looking to be published.

A platform describes who the author is in relation to the subject-matter. Related educational degrees, certifications, speaking experience, accomplishments and involvement are all part of the platform that proves the writer is a reliable source.

This list of credentials is not only a description of what the writer stands for and represents, it must state the author’s willingness to help the publisher promote his work. There is no other person who can market a book better than its author. Those who actively publicize their titles almost always sell more than those who don’t, and for an independent publisher, that will most likely make or break the project.

Nowadays, it takes a lot more than the ability to write a good book. Too many authors mistakenly believe titles with positive reviews sell themselves. They don’t realize that although a publisher can produce a first-rate book for them, it can’t magically establish a market. If an author is not involved and visible, it is extremely difficult for a publisher to find a way for potential readers to understand why they should pick up that specific title.

Publishers are not marketing or public relation firms. They are not only more responsive to authors who understand the importance of contributing time and energy to marketing their book, they tend to be more enthusiastic in helping those writers who have the passion and capability to do what ever it takes to make the work a success.

A book written by an author with marketing savvy and a platform has a tremendous advantage over an equivalent book by an author without a platform.
Lack of credentials and experience is one of the main reasons well-written manuscripts are rejected by so many publishing houses. Given the limited marketing budgets of independent publishers, the shrinking acquisition of books, and heavy competition, writers need a lot more than a good story.

Lisa Martin owns Martin-McLean Literary Associates LLC. She represents established authors as well as new writers.

By Tyler Oaks

Tyler and Thomas Pradzynski in Carmel, CA.

“Painting is silent poetry, and poetry is painting with the gift of speech.” - Simonides 556BC

Is a still life really still? Frozen in time maybe, but life, even when still, conveys movement. Inanimate objects do not move by themselves, but could the bowl of peaches exist in a human-void room? Even a still life moves our minds to the past and future. Who left the wine glass on the floor? Is the woman coming back to her apartment? A painting is a story sealed in time.

The images I hang on the walls of my home take me to other places. I find that through these images I’ve lived out one story after another in my mind while putting on my mascara each morning. Paintings remind me of worlds I once walked through or take me places I will only travel in my imagination. Words do the same. Books are friends that lead us into other worlds, all the while teaching us how to relate better to our own.

While the paintings I have written about in my stories exist only in my imagination, one of my favorite artists painted scenes of Venice as romantic as my own. I had the opportunity to meet Thomas Pradzynski, famed modern realist painter, in October at a benefit exhibit in Carmel. He was kind and gracious, interested in my work as a writer while I admired the red hues of his Venetian canals. Several years ago I was given one of his paintings of a bookstore in Paris, long before I ever dreamed of being a writer. As I stood talking with Pradzynski in that Carmel gallery, I never could have imagined he would be tragically killed on the streets of Paris within two months time.

When I went to Pradzynski’s tribute exhibition in Carmel this past weekend, I realized that the artist had left a legacy of seeing the world through his own eyes. He painted those worlds for others to experience. There are stories in his edifices just as there are paintings of poetry in the books we read. We see characters and live with them as we turn each page. The images in our minds and the words that form them are clearly interconnected, the painter and the poet one.

Tyler Oaks earned her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from California State University, Stanislaus and her Master of Arts in Spanish from California State University, Sacramento. Tyler lives in California's Napa Valley with her husband and twin daughters. Tyler is presently at work on her next novel.

By Carlotta G. Holton

Jonathan Maberry

Jonathan Maberry is a published author, former journalist and writing teacher who has sold three novels (Pinnacle Books), 16 nonfiction books, two plays and numerous articles, short stories and video scripts. The winner of the Bram Stoker Award for horror, he teaches writers of all genres.

Q: Why do you write in the horror genre?

A: I was influenced by my grandmother’s fascinating folklore. (She was Scottish, French and German.) In some of my books I present monsters as they appear in folklore.

Q: How important is it to a writer’s career to be acknowledged with a writing award?

A: Incredibly important because it opens doors of communication and networking and brings you new visibility. It also validates a writer’s work.

Q: You are “The Career Doctor for Writers.” What is the biggest difficulty new writers have to overcome in their writing?

A: Writers often get frustrated thinking the first draft should tell a story and use beautiful language. Storytelling comes naturally and beginners should concentrate on this first. The beautiful language is a craft to be learned. Polish goes on last.

Q: How important is it to have a literary agent?

A: It is absolutely important, though I did sell without one at first. My agent gets me better deals and protects my rights. A good query to the right agent with a track record in your genre should pitch why your book will make money for this agent rather than the hook of the story

Carlotta Holton is the author of Salem Pact and Touching The Dead, and is a member of the National Federation of Press Women and an affiliate member of the Horror Writers Association.