Book Shep, Book Shepherding, bookshep, self publish, self publishing, Smarketing Consulting, starting your own independent publishing company or small press

Over the more than three decades I've been Editor-in-Chief of the Midwest Book Review I've encountered hundreds of well-meaning authors confronted with bookreviews they felt were substandard, erroneous, or simply wrong.

If the author could demonstrate a reviewer's error then I either had the reviewer correct the review or simply deleted it. If the author's objections were on matters of taste or perception, then the review stands as is. But I also provide the author with an opportunity for a second reviewer if the author wants to invest another review copy on the chance of an improved review given by a different reviewer with a different background, set of life experiences, etc.

One difference that makes the Midwest Book Review stand out from other reviews is that my reviewers are instructed to not bother writing a review for book that they feel they cannot positively recommend to the attention of the prospective reader. They are to simply discard that book and pick up another.

The background to this distinctive policy is that, from it's inception some 34+ years ago, the Midwest Book Review was and is dedicated to priority consideration to self-published and small press authors over titles from the major New York publishing houses -- although we routinely review large numbers of their titles every month as well.

Back before the desktop computer revolution in publishing there were 'vanity' presses such as Vantage. The Midwest Book Review was (as far as I could tell at the time) the only book review willing to give Vantage authors a consideration for review. For those who don't remember (or aren't old enough to recall) all an author with a manuscript had to do with vanity presses like Vantage was to write them a check. Just like the POD-published titles of today.

When you accept for review consideration books whose authors have paid to have them published you encounter a very great many defective titles that simply cannot be given a positive recommendation to their intended readership. Not then and not now.

But when an author has invested their time, energy, hopes, dreams, expectations, and cold hard cash in the publishing of their book, their response to a negative review is going to be somewhat emotional and all to often hostile toward the reviewer. That is one of the main reasons why so many established book reviews and book reviewerswill not accept a self-published title in the first place.

Why do I still do it (and believe me, I've been on the receiving end of
many an unhappy and disappointed self-published author)? Because every now and then I find a diamond amidst all the coal. That diamond might be rough and in need ofpolish, but it's a diamond none the less.

Plus, self-published authors have steeper odds against them than any others, and the Midwest Book Review can make a larger impact in their professional lives and aspirations than it can on those 'Best Seller List' authors from those corporate owned and financed New York houses. And when you can furnish a self-published author with a positive review and position that review in a number of various forums making it accessible by large numbers of potential readers, the thanks that come my way are very special indeed.

Just some thoughts and a bit of history with respect to reviewing self-published books by amateur authors.

Writer Karen McQuestion spent nearly a decade trying without success to persuade a New York publisher to print one of her books. In July, the 49-year-old mother of three decided to publish it herself, online.

Eleven months later, Ms. McQuestion has sold 36,000 e-books through Amazon.com Inc.'s Kindle e-bookstore and has a film option with a Hollywood producer. In August, Amazon will publish a paperback version of her first novel, "A Scattered Life," about a friendship triangle among three women in small-town Wisconsin.

Ms. McQuestion is at the leading edge of a technological disruption that's loosening traditional publishers' grip on the book market—and giving new power to technology companies like Amazon to shape which books and authors succeed.

--Dan Poynter, The Book Futurist.

Prepublication reviews are history because bookstore selling-seasons are history.

Independent bookstores follow three selling-seasons per year: four months each. The purpose of pre-pub reviews were to alert the independent stores while the publishers’ sales reps were out visiting them. Store owners could read the reviews, listen to the reps and make buying decisions.

But independent book stores have been going out of business at the rate of two per week in the UK and three per week in United States. They can't compete with the online stores because their location, location, location is downtown where the rents are high. Goodbye Indies; the handwriting is on the wall.

Without independent stores, there is no need for selling seasons. Without selling seasons, there is no need for pre-pub reviews.

We are living in an instant-delivery, 24-hour, full-color world. There is no justification for holding a book off the market for several months to fit a selling season that is no longer required.

This is great news for authors and publishers. Now you make get to press earlier and reap the rewards for your work sooner

It is also great news for readers/buyers. They will be entertained sooner by fiction and will get valuable information (nonfiction) before it goes out of date.

The book industry is changing. Some of the changes we like while some make us anxious. Whether we like the changes or not, we can’t control them. We need to understand where the book industry is going and adapt to the new book world.

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TIP # 3 From Dan Poynter
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Pre-Press: Book Design, Typesetting & Layout

Book design. Visit a bookstore. Check your section, then look into other sections. Find a book you like-on any subject. Consider binding, layout, feel, margins, type style, everything. Then buy it. Use this book for a model. Tell your typesetter (or do it yourself) and printer you want your manuscript to look like this book. To get what you want, just buy a model and adapt it.

Most publishers today set their own type. All you need is a computer, a word-processing program such as MS-Word and a 600-dpi laser printer. Just draft and typeset your book in MS-Word and convert the file to PDF with Adobe Acrobat. Then you can send the disk to the printer. Or hire a typesetter with a page layout program such as PageMaker or QuarkXpress.

Testimonials, forewords, endorsements and quotations or "blurbs" sell books because word-of-mouth is one of the most powerful forces in marketing. Anything you say is self-serving but words from another person are not. In fact, when readers see the quotation marks, it shifts their attitude and they become more receptive.

Your mission is to get the highest-placed, most influential opinion-molders talking about your book. You have more control than you think over who you quote, what they say and how you use their words. Testimonials are not difficult to get if you follow a plan. The easiest and best method is a two-step process.

Book covers matter. Everyone knows you shouldn't judge a book by its cover-but everyone does. Readers look at the front cover and the back cover and then make a buying decision. They do not read the book first. Retailers (bookstores) buy from the cover. Sales reps do not lug books around. Wholesalers make buys without seeing the text. They want you to submit just the cover-they don't judge the content. Reviewers receive dozens of books each day and can only review a small number. They have to select the books that appear to be the most interesting. Your book cover has to survive "the glance test."

Everyone judges a book by its cover. There are so many books and other things to look at-and so little time. All these very important decisions-whether or not to buy your book-are made on just one thing: the cover.

Stores display tens-of-thousands of books with the spine-out. With all this congestion, it is hard to get attention.

The package outside sells the product inside. The bookstore browser spends just 8 seconds on front cover and 15 seconds on back cover and this is assuming the spine was good enough to get him or her to pull it from the shelf.

A well thought out cover design will take into consideration who the competition is, who the target market is, and where the book will be distributed. A strong book cover acts as a marketing tool. It is an advertisement for your book.

Too often, cover artists for large publishers miss the point of the book or fail to relate to its intended market. The wrapper outside should reflect the message inside.

Too many small author/publishers put all their energy into the text. Then the cover becomes an afterthought. This is terribly unfortunate because, from a sales standpoint, the cover is the most important part of the book. The author may feel the text is the most important but it is the cover that attracts the buyer. If you do not attract that buyer, you won't get your message to him.

Unfortunately, many first books scream self-publisher for their loving hands at home look. Your book has to look like a book if you want it to sell like a book. Customers will not buy kitchen-table-published books. If they buy sight-unseen through the mail and are not thrilled, they may send it back.
More at http://www.parapublishing.com

This from Rick Frishman, PR man extraordinaire!

You should also own "Your Name.com" and all possible misspellings and variations.

What happens if you have a common name like Chuck Smith? Well, Chuck happens to be one of my clients ... and somebody already
had his name. So he went and reserved TheChuckSmith.com. What if that one had already been taken? Well then he could have reserved TheOriginalChuckSmith.com.

Just some ideas. The bottom line is to be creative and cover off as many different pathways to you as possible. You never know how
someone is going to find you.

If New Media is a Giant Killer, Will Independent Publishing Get the Golden Eggs?

Editorial by Andy Hunter

In these stormy times, large publishers are jettisoning everything they can in order to lighten their sinking ships. What are they tossing overboard? Among other things, promising authors who haven’t found an audience, as well as anything too literary, difficult, or narrow in appeal. As Random House clings to the desperately inflated Dan Brown, hoping a 5 million print-run and gargantuan promotional budget will keep its head above the waves, what becomes of the cast-offs? Might some happy-go-lucky independents haul a few brilliant writers into their skiffs? And what steps can independents take to ensure they are able to support the new writers and roles they’ll be taking on?

As Ursula K. Le Guin recently pointed out in Harpers magazine, publishing wasn’t always about profits, and isn’t capable of providing the fiscal growth that anxious shareholders require. Private independents, with their low overhead, small staffs, and narrower missions, are better suited to thrive in an age where profits are smaller, audiences are fragmented, and low-fi marketing can go viral. They can afford to experiment with affordable ebook pricing, iPhone applications, electronic subscriptions, and DRM-free formats. They can directly reach readers through email, blogs, and social networking tools.

Promotionally, the Internet is like the Wild West: boundless, lawless, and full of opportunity for the inventive, the hungry, and the risk takers. Unfortunately, “hungry” and “risk-taker” are not adjectives typically associated with an industry whose end product is best consumed by a reader curled up beside the fire. Books are sedate; they go well with tea. Like knitting.

Yet knitters are actually thriving online, thanks to the platform, advocacy, and community provided by innovatorEtsy.com. Good stories, like mittens, will always be welcome in a decent home. The question is, can independent publishers get them there?

Stitching Together a Movement

Etsy has taken handicrafts out of the flea market and into the global market. In doing so, they have exponentially increased the number of customers for craft. By uniting small independent producers, giving them online tools, sponsoring physical and virtual events, emphasizing community above competition, and vastly increasing their exposure, Etsy has been a catalyst for the blooming of craft culture. As in the local farms movement, when awareness is raised and barriers are removed, many customers will eschew the corporate for the individual.

With the right platform, ambition, programs, and marketing, the independent press can fill the vacuum left by the major publishers. Like craft, independent publishing has a great history and tradition. Also like craft, it is typically supported by a small group of informed consumers. Raising awareness, increasing exposure, and creating or leveraging online platforms can inform millions more. Rather than compete for a small group of educated book buyers, independents need to make a coordinated effort to increase the size of the independent publishing market, working together to advocate for the manifold virtues of independent publishing: quality, diversity, and personality.

The crisis in publishing creates an opening, an opportunity for independents to take the middle — the creative space between the avant-garde and the blockbuster — but it will require both virtual and physical activism.

by ANDY HUNTER!

Hi everyone, there are some wonderful contests out there and the IPPY's are one of them. So is indieexcellence.com. Here is what Jim says about Book Awards:

Winners are featured prominently in our monthly newsletter, which goes out monthly to over 8,000 subscribers worldwide, many of whom are editors, agents, buyers, booksellers and librarians, and appear indefinitely at www.IndependentPublisher.com. We distribute a results program at BookExpo, and send the results press release to an additional 500 media outlets.

Entering your book titles in awards programs -- and winning -- brings credibility, publicity, prestige, and personal satisfaction. It can extend your publicity campaign, get you a whole new round of attention from the press, and open new doors with distributors and vendors.

Awards do influence reviewers and buyers. A 1999 Cookbook category IPPY finalist was discovered this way, and 187,000 copies were sold to a pharmaceutical company. A cookbook winner in our inaugural 1997 contest has reordered stickers continually and the book keeps on selling, thanks in part to the gold seal on the cover.

"Our winning of a gold medal in the 2008 competition has greatly helped book sales. We sold nearly 2500 copies of Wild Alberta at the Crossroads last year and had to order a reprint of 1500. When we show retailers the gold medal they are always impressed and invariably order some books."

Robin White, NatureWatch Partners

"Winning the silver award last year (Useppa, a Passage in Time, 2007) improved our ability to market the book in a multitude of ways. It gave us credentials that we used in our public relations and marketing; it made a real difference in our ability to get book signings and presentation opportunities; it enabled us to get radio and TV interviews; and often people selected to purchase the book because of the silver award medallion sticker. We actually had a couple of people return the book because their book did not have the medallion sticker. It also made the author and the artist feel appreciated and honored, and gave us a reason to celebrate their success!"

- Chris Ludwig, Passages Press

"The fact is award stickers help to convince buyers to purchase. I've seen this happen with librarians -- when faced with two competing titles and a limited acquisition budget the librarians will take the one that won an award, any award, over the title that doesn't have an award to its credit. I'm confident that this same phenomena works for bookstore patrons browsing the shelves as well."

- Jim Cox, Midwest Book Review

After they've signed with a publisher, most authors are surprised to learn that they have to spend their own money to publicize their book. For authors, hiring a publicist has become more the rule than the exception because publishers can't be counted on to publicize their books. And book publicity is a bottomless pit--you can never get enough!

Hiring a publicist can be a costly and risky venture. You may get great publicity that doesn't translate into enormous book sales. But if publicity brings you fame rather than fortune, it could still be beneficial to you as an author. The point is, publicity may not be beneficial to you or your book, and if it is, the rewards may not always be immediate and clear.

Sometimes, you just can't publicize your book by yourself; it takes too much time and work. Deep down, you may also feel that you don't know enough about publicity to get the results you want because every time you try, your publicity campaign sputters and doesn't get off the ground.

Often, it's smarter and more cost effective to call in a professional to help with all or parts of your campaign. If you hire a publicist, you can concentrate on your business, what you really do best, while the pro keeps your campaign humming.

Now that you understand more about publicizing books, it should be easier for you to find the right publicist for you and for you to work with them. You have a better understanding of the language, your options, and what a publicity campaign involves. You may even have ideas on how you should proceed and be able to make valuable contributions that could make your publicity campaign go much smoother.

One word of warning: When you hire a publicist, even for just part of a campaign, stay involved! Publicists, including the best of us, are not miracle workers, and we usually can't get the best results with uninvolved clients. We need cooperative clients, clients who become our partners by giving us information, insights, and help in achieving their objectives. However, don't interfere, disrupt, or try to micromanage your publicist. Don't make your publicist dread your constant calls.

When you want to publicize your book, you have three basic options: Hiring a PR firm, hiring a consultant, or doing it yourself. Let's look at some of the pluses and minuses of each.

PR firms are one option. If they're large and well established, you probably will be paying top dollar, which will include sums for their overhead and reputation. However, they may also have great know-how and fabulous contacts, which could make them well worth the price. Smaller firms may cost less, have lower overhead, and provide more personal service.

The key when hiring any firm is to evaluate its client list, determine its level of understanding of your book, and see if you are a good fit. Size does not matter; we've seen small, well-connected firms make a book soar across the media; we've also seen large firms with offices across the world network do zilch. Smaller firms are often run by experienced pros who have worked for bigger firms or corporations. Make sure to understand the firm; find out who will do the daily work on your account and what contacts, skills, and services they will provide. PR firms usually work on monthly retainers, but may agree to run your campaign for a project price. The culture of each PR firm is as different as the results that can be achieved, so get involved up front, during the hiring process--that's the time to find out what you can expect.

Hire a firm that's rich in your niche. Since book publicity is such a specialized field, look for PR firms that specialize in or have extensive experience publicizing books and consider hiring those that know and have experience in your topic. Usually, they will provide better, more targeted results. Most experienced book publicists have vast knowledge and close contacts that they've developed over the years. Often, they can accomplish more with one well-placed phone call than non-book specialists can achieve in weeks--if at all.

Overall, book publicity specialists tend to be creative and open to new ideas and approaches; they know firsthand that the most off-beat promotions can work wonders, so they love to devise and try the unusual in the hope of creating big hits. Professional publicists also are aware that they're in the relationship business, so they're normally easy to work with.

Avoid agencies that do publicity on the side or it's not their main focus; they rarely promote books well. Examples of these agencies are advertising or branding firms that also offer PR services. Chances are that they haven't successfully promoted many books. Naturally, exceptions to the rule exist, but working with a firm that focuses on authors and books usually produces the best results.

Usually, it's preferable to hire experienced book publicists, but don't discount those who have never dealt with books, because they can contribute brilliantly to your campaign. Although they may not have the best book publicity contacts, they may have fabulous, inventive, and innovative ideas. A foray into books may rejuvenate them and stimulate their enthusiasm, drive, and creative flair. They may import ideas or tactics that are foreign to book promoters and bring a new vision that sees what others might have missed or were too close to see.

When you truly believe in a publicist, go with him or her. When you find yourself being swept up by an individual's vision, energy, or excitement, follow it through. Publicity is a business of sparks; lots of little sparks can ignite a campaign, send it roaring, soaring, and doing wonders for you and your book.

These freelancers usually work on their own, without staffs. Most worked for PR agencies or businesses before they decided to go it alone, so their experience and abilities will vary. Check their backgrounds and credentials thoroughly.

Consultants may not be any less expensive than agencies, but they usually have less overhead. They may be more flexible in what they charge and agreeable to working for a stated fee to promote your book. Consultants usually have networks that they use to perform specialized tasks, so you may have to incur additional costs.

If you hire consultants, make sure that they are experienced in promoting books. Before you pay them a dime, find out exactly what books they promoted, what each campaign involved, and the results it achieved. Ask to see the promotion plans for those campaigns and documentation of the results they produced.Since publicity is a contact sport, the most hardworking, dedicated, and personable publicist may not know which buttons to press to get the right people on the line. Ask prospective publicists whom they have as close media contacts and listen for familiar names.

Okay. Although we've advised you to beware of running your own book publicity campaign, we would be remiss not to mention that option. Regardless of whether they hire professionals, all authors must be their own books' publicists. They must roll up their sleeves and go to work. The best authors are involved authors. Some authors excel at representing themselves; they have fabulous contacts and the time, inclination, and energy to tirelessly promote their books. They may also have media savvy. If this sounds like you, you could pull it off.

When authors decide to publicize their own books, few have the same contacts and knowledge as PR firms or consultants. Even so, there is much they can do themselves. Should you decide to be your book's publicist, build your contact and knowledge base.

If you go it alone and discover you're lost or barely making a dent, you obviously need some help. If you still want to be hands on, consider breaking down the effort into smaller chunks and hiring a professional to handle matters in which they excel and/or in which you may be weak.

Authors Turn to Online Marketing to Promote Their Books

Austin, TX February 26 2009

Staff cuts at publishing houses and the trend toward independent publishing fuel the popularity of online book promotion.

Both traditionally published and independently published authors are increasingly relying on the Internet to promote their books.

Publishers often provide little marketing support beyond a book's launch, leaving most of the promotional responsibility to the author. With so many staff cuts at major publishers in recent weeks, that situation is likely to get worse.

In addition, more and more authors are turning to independent publishing. These authors typically have modest marketing budgets and lack the media connections of publishing houses and publicists.

Both groups of authors face the same challenge: how to effectively promote their books without spending a fortune. Traditional book publicity tactics, such as pitching stories to the media and booking appearances on radio and television, can be a challenge if you're not working with an experienced publicist. Other promotions, like print ads, author tours and premium placement in bookstores, are expensive.

"With the Internet, authors can reach a huge targeted audience around the world at a very low cost," says book marketing coach Dana Lynn Smith, author of The Savvy Book Marketer's Guide to Successful Social Marketing. "Online book marketing levels the playing field, allowing small publishers to compete with the big guys."

In the new world of book marketing, authors and independent publishers have a variety of free and low-cost promotional tools at their disposal, including blogging, virtual book tours, online article distribution, videos, forums, interactive Web sites, social networking, online media releases and more.

The ability to reach a highly targeted audience is one of the major advantages of online book promotion. A few hours of research can turn up literally hundreds of blogs, websites, networks and forums that focus on a book's topic or cater to a niche audience.

"Online book marketing also allows authors to connect with their readers in new and interactive ways," explains Smith. "Social networking is really hot right now, as evidenced by the explosive growth of sites like Facebook and Twitter."

The downside of online marketing is that it can be very time consuming. Smith advises authors to have a written promotional plan and to budget their time wisely. "With good planning and tracking, authors can work smarter, not harder," she says.

Book marketing coach Dana Lynn Smith is the author of The Savvy Book Marketer's Guide to Successful Social Marketing,

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Self-Publishers Flourish as Writers Pay the Tab

By MOTOKO RICH

Published: January 27, 2009

The point may soon come when there are more people who want to write books than there are people who want to read them.

At least, that is what the evidence suggests. Booksellers, hobbled by the economic crisis, are struggling to lure readers. Almost all of the New York publishing houses are laying off editors and pinching pennies. Small bookstores are closing. Big chains are laying people off or exploring bankruptcy.

A recently released study by the National Endowment for the Arts found that while more people are reading literary fiction, fewer of them are reading books.

I am the author of seven cookbooks that were published by a large publishing company, and two children's books that I published independently. Notice I use the word "independent" to refer to my publishing method, rather than the word "self". To most of the world, Self Publishing often means poorly edited books with skimpy illustrations, poor story lines and run of the mill covers. On the other hand, when I say that I am an Independent Publisher, I seem to garner more respect.

When my first cookbook was published by Prima Publishing Co. in the 1980's, I thought I had arrived. Instantly my books were in bookstores nationwide. I thought I would just sit back and collect my royalties while happily writing my next volume. We all know how that works. It doesn't. After the hooplah of the initial book launching began to wane, and the publisher directed his attention to his next featured attraction, I realized that if the book was going to be successful, I would have to step into the arena of marketing and promotion. And I did. I traveled all over the country as a featured speaker and guest on radio and TV shows. I even appeared on the Regis Philbin show. I visited schools, hospitals, bookstores and basically any place that I could arrange an event. The result was a total of seven very successful cookbooks and a burned out author.

Several years ago I decided to re-invent my career. My bachelor's degree in education and my minor in children's literature were calling to me to re-enter the book world. My first children's book is the tale of the mischievous fairy who flies into children's rooms at night and is responsible for the knots and tangles in their hair when they awaken. I just KNEW that any publisher would jump at the chance to publish my book. After all, I AM a published author. I sent copies of my manuscript to five publishing houses. The result was five letters wishing me luck and informing me that they do not accept unsolicited manuscripts. Several of the publishers suggested that I contact a literary agent instead. So, I sent a number of query letters to literary agents. The result was a number of return letters telling me that they do not accept unsolicited clients. This seemed to be a classic Catch-22. Now, I know that authors have to face the fact that rejection is a part of the entire process. And I've been to the lectures where published authors stress the fact that you haven't really entered the book world until you have received your first rejection, and that this simply means that you are really on the path to having your book published. Well, that's all well and good if you have time for this. But, to be honest, I'm a grandmother now and I wasn't sure I had the time to spend waiting around while filling a shoebox with rejection letters.

I thought long and hard about independent publishing. I knew that I would be solely responsible for marketing the book. However, I realized that I had to do this anyway with the traditional publishing. I had also learned something along the way that some independent publishers fail to realize: In order to compete in the book world, you MUST produce a high-quality product! So I formed a corporation and launched my own publishing company. I did mountains of research. I studied hundreds (maybe even thousands) of children's books. I hired the best illustrator I could find. I hired a very talented graphic/cover designer. I hired an editor. I was very choosy about the printer I hired. I invested a lot of time and money so there was no choice but to do it right. Failure was not an option. Two years later, The Knot Fairy was born. Three months later, I was thrilled to order my second 5000-book printing. It's now another year later and the book has won two awards and has been selected for the BookSense Children's Pick List. My second book, The Sock Fairy, is coming soon.

Would I recommend independent publishing? Yes, but if you are going to do it, I strongly suggest that you do it right. Let's face it. As independent publishers, our books are judged more critically and held to a higher standard than the traditionally published books. Independent Publishing may be the wave of the future. Therefore, if we're going to represent ourselves, let's make our books the very best.

As anyone who’s courageously ventured into the arena of self-publishing knows—or soon will—there’s much more involved in the process than simply sending your manuscript off to a printer, dropping off review copies at a handful of bookstores, and kicking back and waiting for the revenues to roll in.

To the uninitiated author journeying alone, the critical decisions that need to be made along the way can be overwhelming, frustrating, and even downright daunting.

Fortunately, a new breed of publication consultants has grown up right alongside the flourishing self-publishing population to serve as guidance counselors through each phase of the complicated process. Though self-publishing is largely considered a DIY endeavor—hence the designation self-publishing—there may be many advantages to using a professional book shepherd (as book consultants have been dubbed by self-publishing guru Dan Poynter) that makes hiring one well worthy of consideration.

But, just what exactly is a book shepherd? In practice, many of the professional services book shepherds provide include either direct assistance with or advice on cover and interior book design, manuscript editing, printer brokering, forms filing, production, distribution, marketing, and publicity. Some shepherds work within fully staffed one-stop firms that will ferry your book through production and beyond; others work autonomously and will often refer you to experts in the areas they don’t handle.

Collaborating with a good book shepherd can increase your chances for publishing success—in more ways than you might think. “There’s a bit of a misconception about what a book shepherd does,” says Ellen Reid of Smarketing-Infinite Possibilities, “that it’s all about book production. That’s a component of what we do, but it’s not the entire reason to hire a book shepherd.”

Reid likens her consulting approach to playing the role of a creative director at an ad agency or the producer of a film, and she revels in the creative aspect of her job. First, she assembles a creative team of resources for each of her clients—a copywriter, an editor, and a cover and interior designer—then she oversees every aspect of design, production, and distribution.

The National Indie Excellence Awards proudly announces the winners and finalists of its 2008 competition

Moving into its second successful year and gaining considerable industry attention, The National Indie Excellence Awards , an annual competition designed to champion independent publishers and the phenomenal products they produce, is proud to showcase over 200 winners and finalists in over 65 categories in its 2008 competition for titles published in 2007.

The National Indie Excellence Awards (NIEA) is owned by Ellen Reid, the founder of Ellen Reid's Book Shepherding™.

Reid is a strong proponent of independent publishing and believes it is essential for smaller publishers and authors to have a prestigious platform to receive well-deserved recognition. The competition is judged by an independent panel of experts from all aspects - editing, marketing, publicity, and design - of the publishing industry. This year, the growing number of entries were received from as far away as Australia.

Reid says, "Why is it that in our world today, an independent film producer is a hero while an independent publisher is viewed as someone who couldn’t get a 'real' publisher to take on his or her project? It's time to challenge that mind-set. As someone who walks the same path, I am delighted to announce the winners and finalists of the 2008 Indie Excellence Awards."

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.

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 early 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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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)."

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."

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

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.

* Explores an event or series of related events that remains lodged in the 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

Here's another great reason to produce your book in hardcover with a dust jacket (just in case you become famous!)

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.

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.