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**TIPS FROM THE TOP*****
The Industry Players.....
In the past decade or so, the publishing industry has been
confronted with powerful new competitors. For example, mountains of
information and entertainment now stream into readers' homes as a
result of the emergence of the Internet and the explosive expansion
of cable television. Access has become easy and virtually universal
because it leapfrogs boundaries. In the process, it's changed the
culture.
Simultaneously, the book-publishing industry has gone through
massive changes. It has consolidated dramatically. Imprints that
were formerly rivals are now sister companies and partners.
Standardized, corporate organizational practices have replaced
looser, more hands-on, family-oriented operations. Book publishing
has also benefited from waves of technical innovations that have
impacted virtually every aspect of the business, including how
books are printed, distributed, and sold.
Picture today's book-publishing industry as a sharply pointed
triangle. The narrow top of the triangle contains a handful of
players, while the bottom portion is densely packed. As the
triangle rises, the mass of publishing companies thins.
Six huge, multinational conglomerates dominate the book-publishing
business; together, they put out about 80 percent of all books
sold. Four of these giants are foreign owned, but all have
headquarters in New York City, which is the world book-publishing
center. As a result, the big six are considered "New York
Publishers," which carries a certain literary cachet, even though
they're actually owned by corporations based in Munich, London, or
Sydney.
The six publishing colossi are:
Read more...
Publishers Promote Books By Video
By HILLEL ITALIE
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Author Marianne Wiggins doesn’t pretend she’s up on
modern technology. She writes in longhand and doesn’t bother
with cell phones, except in her car—“in case I have
a flat.”
But she needed no persuading when Simon & Schuster called
her—at home—to ask that she make a promotional video
for “The Shadow Catcher,” her latest novel.
“I was all for it,” says Ms. Wiggins, a University
of Southern California professor whose other works include “John
Dollar,” “Almost Heaven”: and “Evidence
of Things Unseen,” a National Book Award finalist in 2003.
“I’m a professor . . . I’m plugged into what
individuals in their earls 20s are thinking about, people who live
on the Internet. I’m not writing in a vacuum.”
Ms. Wiggins is one of 40 writers featured on a video site launched
recently by Simon & Schuster that includes clips of Ms. Wiggins,
Zane, Jeannette Walls and Sandra Brown. The publisher expects to
add videos for books by former President Carter, Vince Flynn and
Jodi Picoult, among others.
Once a novelty, book videos are increasingly common and, publishers
say, essential. Hyperion Books, HarperCollins and Penguin Group
(USA) are among those using them. Powell’s books, a leading
independent store based in Portland, Ore., plans its own series
of films, starting with a video for Ian McEwan’s new novel, “Oh
Chesil Beach.”
“I don’t know if we’re reaching people we wouldn’t
otherwise be reaching, but we are reaching people who are not necessarily
reading book review selections, or always watching a TV show,” says
Sue Fleming, Simon & Schuster’s vice president and executive
director for online and consumer marketing.
No one makes definitive claims that videos increase sales, but
publishers and booksellers agree they can help, especially if they
catch on at You Tube and elsewhere on the Internet. Brian Murray,
present of HarperCollins Worldwide, noticed the recent attention
given to a video for the best seller “The Dangerous Book
for Boys.”
“It was such a good piece that the Today’s show picked
up on it and aired the whole thing,” he says.
Publishers say they want videos to be lively, but not too slick,
and to help readers get to know the author and get a feel for the
book.
“The Dangerous Book for Boys” video works like a mock
home movie as a father and son (friends of the video’s producer)
play soccer, toss a waterbomb and act out other activities described
in the book, a how-to guide that covers everything from paper airplanes
to go carts.
Publishers differ on which books are ideal for videos, although
they agree that poetry and short story collections are bad candidates.
Mr. Murray says he prefers works that are not of a specific genre,
where “you have to communicate” what the book is about.
Ms. Fleming says she’s interested in targeting self-help
readers and book clubs.
Ms. Wiggins was filmed on a pier in Malibu, about 30 minutes from
her house. The two-minute clip shows the author walking about on
a sunny day, her dark hair tossed in the wind as she discusses
her current novel, which features the late photographer Edward
Sheriff Curtis and a modern character named “Marianne Wiggins.”
“The pier is a place I go to frequently for the healing
properties, for standing at the edge of the continent,” Ms.
Wiggins says, adding that she chose the location. “There
was no script. It was all very informal and easy to do. It took
about an hour.
“I don’t know any writers these days who would say
that it is beneath their dignity to make a video. Sales have been
flat for publishers, and I want to find readers. If my publisher
suggests something like this tome, I’m certainly going to
go hand in hand with that endeavor.”
PUBLISHING SALES RISE IN FEBRUARY
April 24, 2007, New York, NY: Books sales tracked by the Association
of American Publishers saw an increase for the month of February
with net sales up by 12.6 percent for the month and 10.2 percent
for the year.
The Adult Hardcover category was up by 43.4 percent in February
with sales of $111.9 million; sales were also up by 40.8 percent
for the calendar year. Adult Paperback sales also saw a gain
of 3.2 percent for the month ($97.6 million); however, sales
were down 4.9 percent for the year. The Adult Mass Market category
declined by 11.2 percent for February with sales totaling $59.3
million; sales declined by 7.8 percent year-to-date. The Children’s/YA
Hardcover category grew by 43.4 percent for the month with sales
of $37.4 million; sales year-to-date were also up by 31.7 percent.
The Children’s/YA Paperback category increased 5.7 percent
in February with sales totaling $34.1 million; however sales
were down by 12.9 percent for the year.
Audio Book sales posted a small decrease of 0.5 percent for February
compared to last year’s figures with sales totaling $10.5
million; sales for the whole year were up by 9.5 percent. E-books
sales rose by 44.7 percent for the month ($2.5 million); the category
also posted an increase of 26.4 percent for the year. (E-book figures
were compiled in cooperation with the International Digital Publishing
Forum.) Religious Books posted an increase of 31.8 percent for
February with sales of $39.5 million; sales were also up by 33.0
percent for the year.
Sales of University Press Hardcover books were up 6.8 percent
in February with sales of $5.4 million; sales were up by 3.6 percent
for the year. University Press Paperback sales decreased by 0.2
percent for the month with sales totaling $4.5 million; sales were
up 5.5 percent for the year. Sales in the Professional and Scholarly
category posted a decrease of 7.3 percent in February ($36.2 million);
sales were also down 2.3 percent for the year.
Higher Education publishing sales were up by 3.2 percent for the
month ($10.3 million) and sales were also up by 15.2 percent for
the year. Finally, the net El-Hi (elementary/high school) basal
and supplemental K-12 category posted a decrease of 10.1 percent
in February with sales of $79.0 million; this category also posted
a decrease of 13.8 percent for the year.
The Association of American Publishers is the national trade association
of the U.S. book publishing industry. AAP’s more than 300
members include most of the major commercial publishers in the
United States, as well as smaller and non-profit publishers, university
presses and scholarly societies—small and large. AAP members
publish hardcover and paperback books in every field, educational
materials for the elementary, secondary, postsecondary, and professional
markets, scholarly journals, computer software, and electronic
products and services. The protection of intellectual property
rights in all media, the defense of the freedom to read and the
freedom to publish at home and abroad, and the promotion of reading
and literacy are among the Association’s highest priorities.
NOTE: All sales figures cited in this release are domestic net
sales.
BOOK SALES UP IN THE NEW YEAR
March 19, 2007, New York, NY: Publishing sales showed growth for
the month of January for most of the categories tracked by the
Association of American Publishers (AAP) with net sales up by 6.4
percent for the month.
The Adult Hardcover category was up by 32.2 percent in January
with sales of $92.5 million. Adult Paperback sales were down 11.7
percent for the month with sales of $97.7 million. The Adult Mass
Market category was down slightly by 3.1 percent for the month
($54.9 million). The Children’s/YA Hardcover category posted
an increase of 18.4 percent in the new year with sales of $39.9
million. The Children’s/YA Paperback category declined by
18.1 percent for the month with sales totaling $23.9 million.
Audio Book sales were up by 21.2 percent for January compared to
last month’s figures with sales totaling $11.0 million. E-books
climbed by 18.7 percent for the month ($1.8 million). These figures
were compiled in cooperation with the International Digital Publishing
Forum. Religious Books were up 28.2 percent for January with sales
totaling $34.6 million.
Sales of University Press Hardcover were up by 4.0 percent in January
with sales of $6.1 million. University Press Paperback sales were
also up by 8.6 percent for the month with sales totaling $9.7 million.
Sales in the Professional and Scholarly category posted an increase
of 3.9 percent for the month ($46.0 million).
Higher Education publishing sales saw an increase of 10.5 percent
for January with sales totaling $246.7 million. Finally, the net
El-Hi (elementary/high school) basal and supplemental K-12 category
posted a decrease of 18.7 percent in January with sales of $69.3
million.
The Association of American Publishers is the national trade
association of the U.S. book publishing industry. AAP’s more than 300
members include most of the major commercial publishers in the
United States, as well as smaller and non-profit publishers, university
presses and scholarly societies—small and large. AAP members
publish hardcover and paperback books in every field, educational
materials for the elementary, secondary, postsecondary, and professional
markets, scholarly journals, computer software, and electronic
products and services. The protection of intellectual property
rights in all media, the defense of the freedom to read and the
freedom to publish at home and abroad, and the promotion of reading
and literacy are among the Association’s highest priorities. NOTE: All sales figures cited in this release are domestic net
sales
###
Books That Were Originally Self-Published ....By Dan Poynter
BOOK SALES HOLD AT OVER $10 BILLION IN 2006
Wednesday, February 7, 2007, New York, NY: Books sales tracked by the Association
of American Publishers for 2006 remained steady for the year, on par with figures
from 2005, at $10,027.9 billion compared to 10,044.2 billion in 2005, a small
decline of 0.2 percent. Net sales in December were down slightly by 0.6 percent
for the month, at $1,396.4 million.
The Adult Hardcover category was up by 16.6 percent in December compared to the
prior year, with sales of $155.4 million; sales were also up by 4.1 percent for
the calendar year. Adult Paperback sales were down 19.3 percent for the month
($105.0 million), with an increase of 8.5 percent for the year. The Adult Mass
Market category declined by 12.8 percent for December with sales totaling $55.3
million; however, sales were up 4.6 percent year-to-date. The Children’s/YA
Hardcover category saw a drop of 11.3 percent for the month with sales of $44.9
million; sales year-to-date were down by 29.0 percent. The Children’s/YA
Paperback category fell by 17.7 percent in December with sales totaling $36.2
million; sales were also down by 1.3 percent for the year.
Audio Book sales posted a decrease of 11.4 percent for December compared to last
year’s figures with sales totaling $13.4 million; sales for the whole year
were down by 11.7 percent. E-books sales rose by 38.0 percent for the month ($3.0
million); the category also posted an increase of 24.1 percent for the year.
Religious Books were down 8.3 percent for December ($50.6 million) and were also
down 10.2 percent for the year.
Sales of University Press Hardcover books were up 7.8 percent in December with
sales of $7.8 million; sales were up by 4.1 percent for the year. University
Press Paperback sales increased 5.1 percent for the month with sales totaling
$11.0 million; sales were also up 4.7 percent for the year. Sales in the Professional
and Scholarly category posted an increase of 4.6 percent in December ($113.6
million); sales were also up 2.3 percent for the year.
Higher Education publishing sales were up by 1.9 percent for the month ($797.3
million) and sales were also up by 2.8 percent for the year. Finally, the net
El-Hi (elementary/high school) basal and supplemental K-12 category posted a
decrease of 1.8 percent in December with sales of $130.1 million; this category
also posted a decrease of 5.8 percent for the year.
The Association of American Publishers is the national trade
association of the U.S. book publishing industry. AAP’s more
than 300 members include most of the major commercial publishers
in the United States, as well as smaller and non-profit publishers,
university presses and scholarly societies—small and large.
AAP members publish hardcover and paperback books in every field,
educational materials for the elementary, secondary, postsecondary,
and professional markets, scholarly journals, computer software,
and electronic products and services. The protection of intellectual
property rights in all media, the defense of the freedom to read
and the freedom to publish at home and abroad, and the promotion
of reading and literacy are among the Association’s highest
priorities.
NOTE: All sales figures cited in this release are domestic net
sales
Book Shepherds - Who are they? What do they do? Should you hire
one?
WSJ.com - New Soft Sell: Straight to Paperback
Ellen Reid is a Book Producer!
Creating books is a labor-intensive craft that often involves
whole teams of writers, editors, designers, illustrators, photographers,
researchers, and other specialized talent whose separate contributions
must be integrated into a seamless whole.
No one makes books better than book producers. This is because
book producers are set up precisely for this purpose. Staffed with
experienced publishing professionals and equipped with sophisticated
design and production technologies, they make it their business
to devote the focused time, energy, and attention necessary to
bring these projects to fruition.
But the book producer's mastery of complicated books goes well
beyond mere execution: Book producers are visionary as well, conceiving
and developing the books that they create.
Producers combine a distinct individual aesthetic with a keen
sense for the demands of the marketplace and a savvy about what
is technically feasible to generate a steady stream of smart, original
ideas. They are then able to pull together the necessary ingredients
to see these visions through. It is largely for this reason that
book packagers are also known as book producers or book developers.
--excerpt from ABPA
Oops! Blogger's Book Makes U-turn!
From the New York Times 9/22/06
The entire print run of "The Conservative Soul" a new
book by Andrew
Sullivan, the blogger and political commentator, is being discarded
after Mr. Sullivan spotted a significant production error in the
text; half of the fifth chapter had been inserted into the middle
of
the sixth chapter. Writing on his blog Mr. Sullivan called the
mistake "every writer's nightmare, especially as I discovered
the
error myself while rereading the book late one night last week
and
couldn't believe my eyes." The finished books were already
en route
to retailers, so Harper Collins recalled the print run of 26,500,
ordered a reprinting and delayed the publication date by one week,
to
Oct. 10 from Oct. 3. Kate Pruss, a spokeswoman for Harper Collins
said the printer would cover the additional costs (The total cost
of
the error has not been determined)."
Ellen's Editorial Note...Proof, proof, proof, proof!
Literary Novels Going Straight to Paperback
Robert Caplin for The New York Times
Knock-offs of "The Da Vinci Code," made-up memoirs and
accounts of life with ornery pets are selling tens of thousands
of hardcover copies a week. But publishers say there is no harder
sell in the world of books these days than literary fiction.
Even critically acclaimed literary novels often have a short shelf
life in hardcover, with one-half to three-quarters of the books
shipped to stores often being returned to the publisher, unsold.
That has a growing number of publishing companies, from smaller
houses like Grove/Atlantic to giants like Random House, adopting
a different business model, offering books by lesser-known authors
only as "paperback originals," forgoing the higher profits
afforded by publishing a book in hardcover for a chance at attracting
more buyers and a more sustained shelf life.
"In the last four or five years, it's gotten hard to publish
fiction by lesser-known authors, and even by some better-known
authors," said Morgan Entrekin, the publisher of Grove/Atlantic.
And when a book fails in hardcover, booksellers often will limit
their orders for a paperback edition, making it harder to sell
the author's next book. "When you're taking back 50 to 70
percent of the hardcover copies you shipped," Mr. Entrekin
said, "the stores — rightfully so — are not willing
to take another chance."
Continue...
Definitions of Memoir
DICTIONARY DEFINTIONS FROM http://www.onelook.com
MEMOIR: A type of autobiography in which the principle interest
usually resides in significant events or persons other than the
author him- or herself, although s/he was a witness to them.
<
psychology> A memorial account; a history composed from personal
experience and memory; an account of transactions or events (usually
written in familiar style) as they are remembered by the writer.
memoir noun [C] a written record of a person's knowledge of events
or of their own experiences
She wrote a memoir about her years as a war correspondent.
ORIGINAL DEFINTIONS
A memoir is a piece of autobiographical writing which is often
shorter than a comprehensive autobiography. The span of time
covered in the memoir is often brief compared to the person's
complete life span. The memoir often tries to capture certain
highlights or meaningful events in one's past. Included in
the memoir is a contemplation of the meaning of that event at the
time of the writing. The memoir may be more emotional and descriptive,
and concerned with capturing the feelings of the event, rather
than documenting every fact and detail of a person's life.
A
memoir usually has a particular focus of attention, focusing
on the selected events from a perspective that may not include
other facts and details from the person's life. In other words,
the memoir is highly focused and selective in the memories
it includes. (N. Zuwiyya, 10/2000)
A memoir does the following:
* Explores an event or series of related events that remain lodged
in memory
* Describes the events and then shows, either directly or indirectly,
why they are significant --or in short, why you continue to remember
them
* Is focused in time; doesn't cover a great span of years --
that's an autobiography
* Centers on a problem or focuses on a conflict and its resolution
and on the understanding of why and how the resolution is significant
in your life
(Burch, C. Beth. Writing for Your Portfolio. Boston: Allyn and
Bacon, 1999.)
 Here's another great reason to produce your book in hard cover
with a dust jacket (just in case you become famous!)
WEEK OF October 23, 2005
Going… Going… GONE!
The Mystery Bookstore has recently acquired two extraordinary
items that will excite any serious mystery collector: Knopf first
editions of Raymond Chandler’s novels THE BIG SLEEP and FAREWELL,
MY LOVELY.
Both books are in excellent condition, but do not have dust jackets.
If they had dust jackets, they might sell for $10,000 or more.
As they are, they are still extremely desirable.
Read
the Norwich Bulletin
INFORMATION FOR CONVERTING ISBN'S TO THE NEW 13 DIGIT FORMAT
Subject: ON CHANGES IN THE BOOK BUSINESS
by Godfrey Harris
Last night I delivered a major speech to the Book Publicists of
Southern California on the changing nature of the book business.
For those interested, here is a truncated version of that talk:
To understand what the future of the book business may hold,
let me first quickly review how publishing got to be where it is
today. We start with the fact that ALL publishing before the middle
of the 19th Century was self-publishing. Rich authors sent their
completed handwritten manuscripts to a printer who would design
the pages, set the type, and bind the finished books. Authors would
give most of this inventory away; a few would be sold and sometimes
the author would collect money, sometimes not. The fact that today
it still takes 90 to 180 days for publishers to get paid and all
sales are contingent rather than final is a legacy of post roads,
horse drawn coaches, and rich men who didn't care a toot about
having to ask for payment. Point: Self-publishing is not only honorable,
it is historic. In the mid-19th century new energy sources arose-first
steam, then electricity-to change the publishing dynamic. Substantial
amounts of leisure time and significant amounts of educational
opportunity became available to more people. Suddenly printers
realized that they could make a lot of money by not only printing
the books, but by selling them for others to distribute.
Read More...
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