Just keep in mind that there was a time that any book not published by one of New York's big houses wasn't considered a real book either. Times are a changing folks and I'm not the only one saying so. I just have to share this with you. The following is by Gail Delaney, Editor-In-Chief of Desert Breeze Publishing (one of the up and coming Ebook publishers) in an informal discussion among authors of the publishing house.
… Mind you, there are some exceptionally successful self-published authors. Did you know Eragon -- a hugely popular YA fantasy novel -- was technically self-published? The parents of the young man who wrote it created a publishing company to produce it.
I realize as the owner of the company, some might see my view as tainted -- but remember, I was first an author with other houses.
Ebooks are your money makers. Book for book, you will make more on an ebook than a print book. That goes for traditional publishing, small press, wherever. The cost of producing an ebook is realized mostly before the book is published, and while it takes the sales of a few books to make up for the cost to the publisher it's not the same as a print book.
Print books have upfront costs, distribution costs, and manufacturing costs. The manufacturing costs hit every single book produced -- POD or not. We made the decision to keep our print prices on the lower side to encourage sales. Yes, both DBP and you make less per book, but if we SELL more books because they're more competitively priced then the bottom line is more attractive. Rather than making $1.00 a book for five books sold, you might make $.75 per book but sell twenty. You're ahead of the game.
When I tell people we publish ebooks, I never ever use phrases like "Only ebooks", "Just ebooks", etc. That diminishes the ebook. Present it from the get-go as the best possible means of reading a book and you'll convince people. "My book will be available in multiple electronic formats" sounds better than "It's an ebook."
Personally, I hardly EVER read print anymore. I find it cumbersome. And I like having a bunch of books to choose from at any given time on my iPad or Nook. And I tell people that. I tote the benefits, pluses, and reasons for ebook.
Gail R. Delaney
Editor-In-Chief
Desert Breeze Publishing
http://www.desertbreezepublishing.com/
In the same discussion, an ongoing discussion I might add this from one of our most successful authors.
Stepping back from my personal opinions and feelings, to look at the industry, I see this.
Book stores wouldn't have declined if sales hadn't dropped. Thriving businesses don't usually close their doors. There were reports of reading being down, of younger people not reading.
We may look back and see that eBooks saved the print books. It could be the best thing that ever happened to books. Book stores, libraries and reading had all declined to a certain degree.
Young readers love ebooks. I know seniors who do too. And ebook sales are up and still climbing. I see this as a good thing. More people reading and individuals reading more books.
Debra Parmley
western historical romance:
Dangerous Ties, release Feb 15, 2012, Desert Breeze Publishing
A Desperate Journey, March 2009, Samhain
contemporary romance:
Aboard the Wishing Star release Oct 2012, Desert Breeze Publishing
http://www.debraparmley.com/
3 comments:
Interesting. Thanks for sharing!
I got fascinated with your book banner or widget! Do you choose all the books that go on it?
Patti,
I love this newest widget too! Most of the books that I place on this widget are books I've read or authors I know or have interviewed. A few I'm anxious to read. I have plans to add the books of authors that I interview in the future. So next to the line-up is More Than a Job by Lynette Endicott. That one I haven't read yet.
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