Welcome Sunny Frazier, acquisition editor for Oak Tree Press.
WHAT DO YOU BRING TO THE TABLE?
Independent presses have a lot to offer today’s aspiring authors. The slush pile is smaller and the chance for an unknown, untried author to get a contract is greater. Unlike large publishing houses, there’s still very personal interaction between editors and writers. Unlike self-pubbed books, the publishing house takes care of cover art, lay-out, printing and distribution. Authors are nurtured and a bond builds between the author and publisher.
What most authors fail to realize is that they are expected to don the hat of promoter once the ink has dried on the paper. The job’s not finished when THE END is typed on the last page of the novel. In fact, the hard work has just begun.
Anyone aspiring to a career in publishing cannot be blind to all the posts and forums talking about book marketing. It’s the #1 topic discussed today. Yet, when the long-awaited novel is finally on the shelf, there it sits. Why? Because authors are unprepared or unwilling to dirty their hands in selling the book to the public. Isn’t that someone else’s responsibility?
Depending upon the contract, the average amount a publishing house gets is less than $2 profit per book sold. It takes the sale of approximately 200 books before a small outfit sees any profit on a title. That covers production cost, plus Amazon gets their cut and the author gets royalties. Industry stats say the average book will sell about 500 copies. Nobody is out to get rich, but in order to keep producing more books, money has to come from somewhere.
Independent houses exist only when authors and publishers work side by side to do book promotion. I would be more inclined to recommend to my publisher a well-written book backed by an enthusiastic marketer over a great novel written by a prima donna who has no interest or intention to sell.
Sunny Frazier worked with an undercover narcotics team in Fresno County for 17 years before turning her energies to writing the Christy Bristol Astrology Mysteries. Based in the San Joaquin Valley of California, the novels are inspired by real cases and 35 years of casting horoscopes.
Christy Bristol Astrology Mysteries
Stop by next week and read what mystery G. Thomas Gill has to say about his publishing experience.
Keep it up, Sunny, that's what aspiring writers need to know.
Thanks for stopping my Marilyn.
Sunny speaks the truth in such a measured and intelligent way. Yet again, thank you, Sunny.
The author's work is never done! Writing and promotion go hand-in-hand. Thanks for the reminder, Sunny.
Sally Carpenter
You never mince words. Thanks once again, Sunny.
You give birth to the book and then the labor pains start.
Well said, Sunny! Thanks for laying it all on the line!
Annoymous = Billie Johnson
Oops!
Echoing my beliefs exactly, Sunny. I have a good friend whose books are with OTP and she loves you all. That Radine Trees Nehring. I'd love to add my 300 words worth about indie presses, where I'm involved now in a switch from NY publishers.
Great comment, Susan, and so true.
It's nice to have choices, Velda. Good luck with your switch.
Sunny is so good about getting the word out, and helping authors promote.
So true! I wrote THE END on the last page of 'American Caliphate' a long time ago, but I'm still out there trying to get readers. It's a tough game, and a tough market, but it sure is a lot of fun!
William Doonan
http://www.williamdoonan.com
Thank you Sunny for getting us to these great authors and sites; and for all the good encouragement. Thaks also to Kathleen here.
Tim Desmond
Sunny's Posse
timdesmondblog.wordpress.com
Pleased to add my two cents to Sunny and Marilyn's information. The only thing "wrong" with small presses is no matter how old the publisher, early '60's they die before they can publish the entire series and folks are STILL asking for the next book, written but not published. Did that stop me from pursueing another small publisher, NO!!!!! It's the only way to go for me. Billie, Sunny, Barry, everyone keep it up.
Pat Canterbury—Every Thursday
We are published with two small presses, including OTP. We find that they are far more personal than the bigger organizations. We have become good friends with both publishers, so it feels like a real family. As for promoting, even the big houses don't do it for their authors any more. Everyone is expected to (at minimum) have a website, Facebook presence (profile AND author page), post to Linked In, Twitter, Pintrest, Goodreads, and others. And we need to be reminded that social media is a two-way street. Liking, friending, and holding conversations with others is a requisite part of being a published author. Those who recognize this will succeed. Those who do not, won't.
Sunny "tells it like it is." I wish every first time novelist could read this post. It would save them a lot of heartache and a lot of time!
I agree with all of the comments. When I finish my sequel, I may type THE BEGINNING instead of THE END. But as long as you can put a smile on people's faces, as well as your own, then it's worth it!
Sunny, thanks for the informative post. It's good to know that large publishing houses & self publishing are not the only options out there.
Small presses dare to take risks and publish books that matter to both writer and reader. Big publishers once offered marketing budgets to writers but that's no longer the case and promoting and marketing the book you write is absolutely necessary and vital to insure even a modest success. If you care about what you write you should not have a problem marketing and promoting it. If there's any stigma to self-promotion…get over it. You can learn how to market and promote and it is a vital and necessary part of writing. —
I agree wholeheartedly, Chris. Marketing/promoting takes time, but I've learned to schedule it into my writing day. It's all about balance.
I think the best kind of marketing is a conversation between writer and readers about books–the writer's and others as well. There are so many places for this conversation to happen nowadays, that whether you're published by a major, a small press, or yourself, there's a good way to start talking. Listen to Sunny. She knows many of them.
Sunny is great at teaching marketing and promoting. She has helped the posse memebers (like me) navigate the net and find ways to promote our books. Great Post Sunny.
Kathleen, I want to thank you for hosting me and for giving indie presses a voice in the blogsphere. And, thanks to all the Posse members and friends who chimed in with worthwhile comments. Looking forward to next Friday's post!
Great post, Kathleen! I agree with Sunny. Authors have to be willing to promote their work, but it's difficult to find the time to be both a writer and a publicist. One way I find balance between writing and marketing is to schedule time every day for marketing, just as I would for writing, proofing, etc. I also keep a list of reviewers and acquisition librarians by the computer. It only takes a few minutes to compose a request and I can sometimes fit a few in between other tasks. Every sale counts!
It was my pleasure, Sunny. I learned so much today thanks to you and your Posse. And thanks to every one who stopped by and contributed to today's discussion. Three years ago, I signed up with Facebook because I read an article about current-day promotional strategies. Then I saw the movie Julie/Julia and thought maybe I should start blogging. It boggles my mind to think of how things have changed since 1996 when I sold my first article. The editor of the magazine contacted me with the good news via a phone call from a landline.
Having always been with a "small" press, I always assumed promotion was part of the job of writing. While I slack off now and then when life interferes, I always know I have to jump back in to kick start the sales again. Believe it when I say even little things can make a difference in sales. As difficult as the process seemed to be when I first started out, having Sunny as my mentor since the beginning has made the road a whole lot smoother. Cherish her advice, it's worth its weight in gold.
Holli Castillo
I agree completely, Sunny. I’m only a few units away from completing an AA in marketing management, and I have pursued this course primarily to promote my books once I became officially published. I learned quite a bit about online marketing and promotion. I’m also obtaining business management certificates because being an author is like running a small business. There’s marketing, promoting, advertising, accounting, customer service, and other facets of small business management involved in selling a book. I am just about finished with a 5-page marketing plan based on the OTP questionnaire. It’s important preparation if I want to insure the success of my manuscript and to make my name known at places like Amazon and in bookstores.
Sincerely, Carole Avila
Posse Member
Hear, hear! Small presses are putting out the sorts of books I like to read. These books are more meditative and philosophical, more "thinky" and edgy, than the blockbusters aimed at the mass audiences. What if I do not want to read about the internal workings of a sparkly vampire who is in love with a teen airhead, or the mind of a cereal killer (he's already done in Snap, Crackle, and Pop), or a zombie apocalypse mashed up with ersatz Jane Austen? The stuff I like is now harder to find from the traditional industry. That's why I seek out books from small presses, and it's the reason I am now with Oak Tree Press for my mysteries and Pandora Press for my YA fantasy and mainstream (literary chick lit).
Wherever you're published, though, the burden of publicity and promotion falls solidly on the author. You'd better be ready to get the word out about your books. Neither the large nor the small presses can do the promotion the way they did back in the day. I can only hope that readers who are looking for that special book will tour the blogosphere and look for recommendations through social media. It's our barbaric yawp–will anyone hear it?
Great post. The title gave me a start – I'm giving a talk this coming Wed. on this very subject with partly the same title – "The End" is Just the Beginning: Creative Ways to Promote Your Book. Ha! Great minds! (If anyone is in NC and interested, Pomegranate Books, June 27, 7-8:30 p.m.).
I knew when I tried for publication that there was no end to this process, only beginnings and middles. I went with a small publisher because I was a timid soul and felt I needed help in promoting my book, and I don't mean financial help, but direction for how to market myself. I certainly found that with Oak Tree Press. It is truly a partnership between the author and the press, and I feel responsible for holding up my end. The people at OTP treat me like I'm spcial and I like having a lot of contact with other authors at the press also. We all–authors, OTP–brain storm almsot daily about issues of platform, protion and marketing. You won't get that anywhere else, not with a biggie nor alone. Sunny is a big mouth, for which I am thankful!
Thanks, Sheila, for stopping by.
I'm giving a similar talk later this fall. I had no idea it was such a HOT topic.
Shalanna,
With all of us shouting in the blogosphere, we're bound to be heard.
As a member of Sunny's Posse I can tell you that she is on the ball, if she sends out a message to check out a site you know it will be worth your time. Thank you Sunny once again for telling it like it is not was!
Thank you Kathleen for hosting Sunny, you made a wise choice.
Augie
I echo what everyone has said in support of Sunny, OTP, and small presses. My experience (OTP is my 2nd small press) has been positive. I love the one-on-one attention. It's personalized publishing (as opposed to publishing-by-committee).
Marketing doesn't come naturally to me, but I'm slowly learning to tackle it. My favorite book on the subject so far is John Kremer's 1001 Ways to Market Your Books. Even if you're shy, you'll find some strategies in his book that will help get you started in the "selling" direction.
This comment has been removed by the author.
Little late here, but Sunny always comes up with excellent points or reminders of things we have been doing, need to be doing or need to be doing better.
Hi Stephen,
The above shows that I removed one of your comments, which I didn't. Sorry, I don't know how that happened. Anyway, glad you stopped by.
Thanks for the information about Kremer's book. I've had to learn to get out there and promote myself, which isn't my favorite thing to do, but it does get easier.