The Book Distribution Experiment
My first book, Grapevine, was published in 2005 (now in paperback!) by a major publisher and I saw the trouble with the publishing industry machinery first hand. For example, when my media company polled 15,000 BzzAgents about which cover we should choose, the publisher opted to go with the lowest ranked choice. Their reason? Because the people polled didn’t have “100 years of collective book experience.” Ignoring the opinions of real consumers so blatantly is one reason their marketplace is starting to crack.
That same publisher, even after paying me a sizeable advance, expected me to do the majority of the marketing myself. Few authors will get the full-page advertisement in the USA Today treatment. Even so, one publisher quietly informed me, “We have no idea if these work or not, but our big name authors love to see their names there.”
For Grapevine, I received a radio tour on AM radio, with a number of interviews being held before 6 AM. Of the 3 people who listened in, I’m hoping one may have bought a book. My publisher spent hours and hours debating the subtitle, yet we spent almost no time talking about the contents of the book itself. Yes, the subtitle is important, but connecting with readers is much more so.
Traditional publishers provide 4 distinct values for authors:
- Credibility: The fact is, being published by a big name publisher is still incredibly valuable. Immediate judgment is passed based on whether it’s a ‘real’ book or not, and getting a big fat logo from a publisher shouts real like nothing else – but it may not necessarily change the sales game in the end.
- Distribution: Yes, an author can distribute their book via Amazon or an independent network and get some reach. But getting into the major brick and mortar retailers [B&N, Borders] isn’t so easy. Nationwide front-table marketing distribution is still held closely by the major publishers. It’s still a big win for them. But that’s changing fast, and while their access will still play a critical role in the future, it won’t be the same way as it does now.
- Packaging: Previously, only the publishers understood how to get a book made. Slowly, digital companies like lulu.com offered do-it-yourself services. It’s a step in the right direction, but this is only the beginning. But what of the major publisher’s ability to ‘know what works’? To steer the book to be created to maximize its value in the market? While their experience is valuable, there is little doubt that their knowing exactly what will or won’t work is hardly a science. It’s why books like the Kite Runner take 3 years to take off (due, not to a major publisher’s marketing power, but rather to heavy book group promotion by the author).
- Money & Marketing: For those authors lucky enough to get an advance, it certainly helps offset the risk of course, but that’s not where the majority of authors live. They live in the spot where they can’t understand the royalty forms, the returns, the international or audio rights. Advances and payments just don’t seem to stack up to much anymore.
Everything is evolving. So what am I doing differently with my new book? It’s pretty simple:
- I’ve published it myself, putting all of my energy behind creating a worthwhile read inside of an intriguing package.
- I’m relying on you to help us start building a great audience.
- There are two ways to get the book:
- You can get a PDF of the entire book for free from 20 of the biggest, baddest thinkers out there on the web. I’ll alert you to who they are and where you can get it on Monday.
- …or, you can buy the water-resistant, special limited-edition (only a few thousand made) version (complete with original one-of-its-kind artwork from Seth B. Minkin) for $45 from Amazon.
So, will the major publishers see this as an insult – or an opportunity to get in on the new world order?
While you mull, check out this video of the artwork you’ll get with the book if you order online!
June 13th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Dave, Congrats!
What’s up with the monkey?
June 13th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Wow, that is too cool. Thank you for sharing. Can’t wait for Monday!
June 13th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
I’m rooting for ya! I used to aspire to be a great fiction writer so I definitely can identify with all of the points you covered with major publishers and I am so glad the tables are turning in favor of the do it yourself publisher/marketeers. Kudos!
June 13th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
I have to admit, Dave, I was kinda disappointed with the cover of Grapevine after all of the polling you did to get our input. Let me rephrase. I wasn’t disappointed in how the jacket turned out, just that it seemed our opinions didn’t really matter in the end game where the cover was concerned. It must have put you between a rock and a hard place trying to figure which way to go. Being a big market publisher had it’s pull, I’m sure, and part of me thinks they used your naivety on how to go about getting your book processed was used to their advantage more than yours. Once in the hands of the beast, it’s kinda difficult remembering you were able to make enormous decisions of your own accord or in the fashion that landed you where you are today.
Good news is that you learned from it all. I hope your newest addition is a hit in the business world and pays off dramatically more so than Grapevine in all respects.
June 13th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
i cannot wait to read this actually. i have not read the first one and i beleive i have that coming as well
June 13th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Dave, Congrats and good luck!!! I’m looking forward to reading it!
June 13th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
Dave,
You happen to hit a good start with people like us who trust in you and always look for more attributes to our community.
This is wonderful. It is always nice to see accomplishments many of us only jot down and never see put to life. I know all about the tossing of our creativity fomr one hand to another. Don’t worry your going to do great. We all have to start somewhere.
June 13th, 2008 at 10:16 pm
How do we get the book on Monday.
Will it be here on the BzzAgent ?
June 14th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
I think the book will be an interesting read. I’m not sure about the artwork, but I’ve never been one to *get* art. I couldn’t even tell what the yellow thing in the video was. LOL
June 15th, 2008 at 7:23 am
I’m confused … why did he cut the picture at the end of the video clip? We don’t all actually receive a “piece” of original arwork with our book order do we? lol
June 16th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Thank you so much for fixing the glitch so fast. I am now in the campaign and could not be more happy. I am off to read the online version while I wait for the one I preordered to arrive.
Thanks again!!
June 19th, 2008 at 7:56 am
The book was a nice read, although the choice if Falco as a one-hit-wonder is a little unfortunate.
While it may appear so from an American point of view, in Austria, where Falco came from, he had a long-standing reputation in the music community and produced big successes there before and after Amadeus. His typical style – mixing Viennese German with English fragments – resonated well with the local culture at the time but couldn’t be really translated. He also was one of the defining artists for the Neue Deutsche Welle, a music style popular in the 80s in German-speaking countries reviving German lyrics in pop. One can easily see, why that has passed by America.
The situation with Falco was more, that a solid niche player for some unknown reason landed one big hit in America and then went back to his usual business – a bit like the Grateful Dead appearing in the American Top 40.
June 20th, 2008 at 11:02 am
I’m internally buzzed to read Dave’s new book…and I’m curious to know if anyone has received their bzzagent pre-orders yet. I keep anxiously checking my office mail box everyday…but no luck yet.
I’ve been holding off on reading the free PDF…the fetish value of the printed version is just way too high!
June 21st, 2008 at 2:03 am
Dave, sorry NOT into the book. I’m a BIG believer of WOM and an even bigger USER of WOM!
My website as a rule owns positon 1,2 or 3 on ALL the major search engines. Except when I insulted Google on my website. Who cares, I was STILL #1 on MS LiveSearch and that’s who I’m backing for the future anyway. Guess Google forgave me back from nowhere to #4 and rising.
I get SO much e-mail and sadly also TONS of SPAM a few years ago I deleted the first e-mail from X’s Management (The Sex Pistols of LA Punk Scene and one of my most Favs) asking if I’d be interested in receiving a TON of FREE X 25th Anniverary DvDS to keep and give away as I choose. Thankfully they sent me a 2nd e-mail asking if I was on crack for not taking them up on their offer. Not exactly the wording but I’m sure that’s what they were thing.
Almost passed on an Interview with Al Jourgensen – founder of Rivet and a leetle band called Ministry.
I routinely pass up FREE pases to shows that would be ARENA shows anywhere but LA and also pass up FREE arena shows and Festivals like Coachella, Warped etc.
Sometimes I wish the Search engines and WOM would shut-down! This website is my personal passion… but a hobby and sometimes it demands WAY too much of my time.
Now if I could just figure out a way to get this type of WOM going on an almost non-existant acting career, I could be rich and famous!