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On writing, publishing, and e-books
Two articles caught my eye this week, all about the business of writing.
The first was this article on James Patterson, who is the best bestselling author in pretty much the history of ever, and the "secrets to his success". (His secret? Be a brilliant ad man, and have a half-dozen co-authors actually write his books.) It's far too long to copy/paste here to my journal, but I urge you to go read it ~ it certainly makes for interesting fodder.
The accompanying MeFi thread quickly derails into an argument over printed vs e-books, which was disappointing as that's only tangentially related. What I find interesting - and rankling - is the way he turned writing into a business. I don't know why it bothers me so much to learn other people write his novels (credited or not), considering some of my favorite series when I was growing up were also ghost-written, but it does. I suppose I feel one should have more pride in their writing than to just become a hired hack for a BNF, no matter how good the money is *shrug*
On the opposite side of the spectrum, the WSJ gives tips on whether or not being an e-book reader is worth it at this point in time. I'm inclined to agree with the writer's points, and since this is much shorter, I can c/p it here and save everyone a link click :p
Are E-Books Worth the Money?
AUGUST 25, 2010, 9:57 A.M. ET
Write to Brett Arends at brett.arends@wsj.com
If you walk out of the cinema this week with a burning desire to read Elizabeth Gilbert's "Eat, Pray, Love," you can download it onto your Amazon Kindle electronic book reader–if you have one–for $12.99.
Then again you could just walk into your local Borders bookstore with a coupon and get the paperback for $10.
Barnes & Noble will charge you $12.99 to read the book on its e-book reader, the Nook. But it's only $9.36 (shipping may cost you extra) if you order the paperback at bn.com.
As a society, we have gadget-itis. No new machine that goes ping goes unsung. People stand in line for hours to purchase an iPhone barely distinguishable from the one already in their pockets. Amazon's newest Kindles sold out within days of going on sale. (Those who bought quickly will receive theirs this week.)
E-book readers are booming. Amazon says in the past few months sales of e-books have zoomed past sales of the paper ones. While e-books are still in an early stage–the Association of American Publishers says that so far this year they account for 8% of consumer books, compared to just 3% in 2009–the growth rate is dramatic. (This is one of the problems besetting Barnes & Noble, which has just announced a quarterly loss following a decline in sales of traditional books.)
Beyond all the hype, are e-book readers a good deal? Are they worth the money? If so, how can you get the maximum return on your investment?
Here are six money tips for pennywise book lovers.
1. Casual readers probably shouldn't bother.
The median American book-buyer purchases just seven books a year, according to an AP-Ipsos poll in 2007.
An e-book reader right now typically costs about $150 (more on this below). Even if you save a couple of bucks per book by downloading them onto your e-book reader, the payback isn't going to be much for the casual reader. If you saved $5 a book, you'd have to buy 30 just to earn back your initial investment. If you only saved $2 a book, you'd have to buy 75.
I don't want to sound negative. I happen to think e-book readers are great. But that's because I read books avidly. (I've been known to take 10 books on a beach holiday.) If you are in my camp, e-book readers let you carry a library in your pocket or bag. But if you're a casual reader, they probably don't make much economic sense yet. (On the other hand, once you buy an e-book reader you will probably buy and read more books.)
2. The books aren't as cheap as they should be.
E-books are far, far cheaper to produce, distribute and sell than paper ones. There is no paper, no printing, no trucking and no retail space.
So they should cost a lot less to buy, but the deal often isn't anywhere near as good as it should be. Amazon has tried to drive prices for best sellers down to $9.99, but the publishing industry has fought back. A lot of best sellers go for $12.99 instead. That may be cheaper than the hardbacks, but the gap should be wider.
As in the case of Elizabeth Gilbert's runaway success, you may sometimes find the traditional version cheaper. Looking for Stieg Larsson's "The Girl Who Played With Fire"? It's $7.99 on the Kindle. I bought it in Borders, with a coupon, for $5.68.
Books are cheaper in electronic format, but not all.
3. Savvy readers read the classics anyway.
Why? Because they're free. From Aesop to "Zarathustra." From "Hamlet" to "Huckleberry Finn." They won't cost you a penny. These books are outside of copyright. Just go to Gutenberg.org and download them. Thousands of them. And they're better than most of the stuff published more recently anyway.
4. Be aware of the potential costs of buying a Kindle.
Amazon sells the best-selling e-book reader. It's a great product, very easy to use–much easier, I've found, than the competition. But Amazon has given the device a cellular connection and a keyboard so you can access its online bookstore any time, any place, to buy a book. Good for them. Not so good for you. The results are predictable: You may end up making lots of impulse purchases. Don't be surprised if you spend hundreds of dollars on books in your first year. (Amazon now sells a Kindle that only has a Wi-Fi connection instead of cellular. This may save you money, as the connection will only work in a Wi-Fi hot spot. By the time you've found one, you may have decided you don't want the book.)
5. Be aware of the costs of the rivals.
The main ones are time and hassle. The many rivals to the Kindle generally use a software platform from Adobe, and it can be a pain. Even worse: Adobe provides only very basic help if things go wrong. In extremis, you may find yourself emailing India. I asked Adobe why this was. A spokesman explained that because Adobe Digital Editions was given away for free, the company only provides "a baseline level of support, which is web-based," he says. This includes "an active user forum"–in other words asking other customers how to solve your problems. Good luck with that.
If you can overcome that problem, rivals do offer benefits that may save you money. First, they let you shop around for e-books at different online bookstores, and many run promotions. Second, they will let you borrow some e-books online from your local library. Third, many of them come without any wireless connection whatsoever. That means fewer impulse purchases.
6. And if you're thinking of buying a book reader–wait!
At least, hold off for a month or two or maybe even a few weeks. Prices simply have to come down. They may do so fast.
Amazon's first Kindles went on sale three years ago for $399. Its latest versions, out this week, start at just $139. That's cheaper than rivals. They're going to have to respond.
There's an upgrade cycle going on as well. E Ink Corp., the company that makes most of the screens, has developed a newer version with somewhat sharper contrast. (Handy if you're reading fine print, but not so important for most books).
In a rational market, we should see big price cuts this fall, especially as the last of the old models go on sale. Of course, that's in a rational market. Let me know if you ever find one.
Thoughts?
The first was this article on James Patterson, who is the best bestselling author in pretty much the history of ever, and the "secrets to his success". (His secret? Be a brilliant ad man, and have a half-dozen co-authors actually write his books.) It's far too long to copy/paste here to my journal, but I urge you to go read it ~ it certainly makes for interesting fodder.
The accompanying MeFi thread quickly derails into an argument over printed vs e-books, which was disappointing as that's only tangentially related. What I find interesting - and rankling - is the way he turned writing into a business. I don't know why it bothers me so much to learn other people write his novels (credited or not), considering some of my favorite series when I was growing up were also ghost-written, but it does. I suppose I feel one should have more pride in their writing than to just become a hired hack for a BNF, no matter how good the money is *shrug*
On the opposite side of the spectrum, the WSJ gives tips on whether or not being an e-book reader is worth it at this point in time. I'm inclined to agree with the writer's points, and since this is much shorter, I can c/p it here and save everyone a link click :p
Are E-Books Worth the Money?
AUGUST 25, 2010, 9:57 A.M. ET
Write to Brett Arends at brett.arends@wsj.com
If you walk out of the cinema this week with a burning desire to read Elizabeth Gilbert's "Eat, Pray, Love," you can download it onto your Amazon Kindle electronic book reader–if you have one–for $12.99.
Then again you could just walk into your local Borders bookstore with a coupon and get the paperback for $10.
Barnes & Noble will charge you $12.99 to read the book on its e-book reader, the Nook. But it's only $9.36 (shipping may cost you extra) if you order the paperback at bn.com.
As a society, we have gadget-itis. No new machine that goes ping goes unsung. People stand in line for hours to purchase an iPhone barely distinguishable from the one already in their pockets. Amazon's newest Kindles sold out within days of going on sale. (Those who bought quickly will receive theirs this week.)
E-book readers are booming. Amazon says in the past few months sales of e-books have zoomed past sales of the paper ones. While e-books are still in an early stage–the Association of American Publishers says that so far this year they account for 8% of consumer books, compared to just 3% in 2009–the growth rate is dramatic. (This is one of the problems besetting Barnes & Noble, which has just announced a quarterly loss following a decline in sales of traditional books.)
Beyond all the hype, are e-book readers a good deal? Are they worth the money? If so, how can you get the maximum return on your investment?
Here are six money tips for pennywise book lovers.
1. Casual readers probably shouldn't bother.
The median American book-buyer purchases just seven books a year, according to an AP-Ipsos poll in 2007.
An e-book reader right now typically costs about $150 (more on this below). Even if you save a couple of bucks per book by downloading them onto your e-book reader, the payback isn't going to be much for the casual reader. If you saved $5 a book, you'd have to buy 30 just to earn back your initial investment. If you only saved $2 a book, you'd have to buy 75.
I don't want to sound negative. I happen to think e-book readers are great. But that's because I read books avidly. (I've been known to take 10 books on a beach holiday.) If you are in my camp, e-book readers let you carry a library in your pocket or bag. But if you're a casual reader, they probably don't make much economic sense yet. (On the other hand, once you buy an e-book reader you will probably buy and read more books.)
2. The books aren't as cheap as they should be.
E-books are far, far cheaper to produce, distribute and sell than paper ones. There is no paper, no printing, no trucking and no retail space.
So they should cost a lot less to buy, but the deal often isn't anywhere near as good as it should be. Amazon has tried to drive prices for best sellers down to $9.99, but the publishing industry has fought back. A lot of best sellers go for $12.99 instead. That may be cheaper than the hardbacks, but the gap should be wider.
As in the case of Elizabeth Gilbert's runaway success, you may sometimes find the traditional version cheaper. Looking for Stieg Larsson's "The Girl Who Played With Fire"? It's $7.99 on the Kindle. I bought it in Borders, with a coupon, for $5.68.
Books are cheaper in electronic format, but not all.
3. Savvy readers read the classics anyway.
Why? Because they're free. From Aesop to "Zarathustra." From "Hamlet" to "Huckleberry Finn." They won't cost you a penny. These books are outside of copyright. Just go to Gutenberg.org and download them. Thousands of them. And they're better than most of the stuff published more recently anyway.
4. Be aware of the potential costs of buying a Kindle.
Amazon sells the best-selling e-book reader. It's a great product, very easy to use–much easier, I've found, than the competition. But Amazon has given the device a cellular connection and a keyboard so you can access its online bookstore any time, any place, to buy a book. Good for them. Not so good for you. The results are predictable: You may end up making lots of impulse purchases. Don't be surprised if you spend hundreds of dollars on books in your first year. (Amazon now sells a Kindle that only has a Wi-Fi connection instead of cellular. This may save you money, as the connection will only work in a Wi-Fi hot spot. By the time you've found one, you may have decided you don't want the book.)
5. Be aware of the costs of the rivals.
The main ones are time and hassle. The many rivals to the Kindle generally use a software platform from Adobe, and it can be a pain. Even worse: Adobe provides only very basic help if things go wrong. In extremis, you may find yourself emailing India. I asked Adobe why this was. A spokesman explained that because Adobe Digital Editions was given away for free, the company only provides "a baseline level of support, which is web-based," he says. This includes "an active user forum"–in other words asking other customers how to solve your problems. Good luck with that.
If you can overcome that problem, rivals do offer benefits that may save you money. First, they let you shop around for e-books at different online bookstores, and many run promotions. Second, they will let you borrow some e-books online from your local library. Third, many of them come without any wireless connection whatsoever. That means fewer impulse purchases.
6. And if you're thinking of buying a book reader–wait!
At least, hold off for a month or two or maybe even a few weeks. Prices simply have to come down. They may do so fast.
Amazon's first Kindles went on sale three years ago for $399. Its latest versions, out this week, start at just $139. That's cheaper than rivals. They're going to have to respond.
There's an upgrade cycle going on as well. E Ink Corp., the company that makes most of the screens, has developed a newer version with somewhat sharper contrast. (Handy if you're reading fine print, but not so important for most books).
In a rational market, we should see big price cuts this fall, especially as the last of the old models go on sale. Of course, that's in a rational market. Let me know if you ever find one.
Thoughts?
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You also have to look for those 'large' editions they're putting out for books you can get for 5.99. Nora Roberts books are notorious for this. In one instance you can get a small paper back for 5.99, and then in another aisle it's there in a larger book for 11.99. WTF? It's the same story!
E-Reader versions ARE good for the Classics because they're free. There's not doubt about that. Google also offers full books to read online, though you can't download, youj just have to read in the Google reader.
As for buying an E-Reader, I've been cautious like point no.6. The Kindle really looks shiny and tempting, but honestly a majority of books I download are PDF (and I heard it has a problem with it), especially if it's a book by a lesser known author from an E-publisher (IY writers
I think it's a bit of a fad really. You can enjoy the e-reader and e-book offers out there if you're cautious and if you do your research.
/sorry for the rant, this is a pretty big issue for me lately, lol
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My mother and my grandmother both have Kindles, and they love them. Of course, they also download a lot of freebie short stories with them, and don't feel quite so guilty when they don't enjoy them ;) But I am a book person. I live in a library. There's nothing I enjoy more than holding a book in my hands and turning the pages as I savor a story...so I'm not sold on how e-readers are going to Kill the Traditional Book or whatever.
The main issue I have with this, besides the price gouging (which is truly ridiculous) is the fact that you don't own what you pay for. especially with Amazon, you're really most just "renting" it, and they can take it away forever whenever they choose. If I'm going to invest that sort of money into something, I want to be able to hold it in my hands, you know? (That's one of the reasons it took me so long to pay for an LJ account, because one day this could all go "poof" too and I wouldn't be able to say diddly :P)
As for file formats...yeah, that's another thing. The Kindle has its own format, which is not PDF (unfortunately). And the Kindle format can't be read on other e-readers without Kindle software. If e-books really are the future, then this is the next battle.
As it is? I'll read my online fic online, thank you :P
And this whole "e-books are outselling paper ones!" makes my blood boil every time I hear it. NO. E-books outsell hardcover books, which is no great shocker. I don't know anybody who buys hardcover anymore, especially not when trade and mass market paperback are so much cheaper, and come out relatively quickly these days.
(IY writers
Where are they at? I think I heard rumblings of Resmiranda publishing at Ellora's Cave, which is definitely not a small house, so far as e-pubs go. They also have a print division now.
One of the Dokuga twits is published at a tiny e-pub press and she acts like she's the #1 writer for fucking Avon or something *shakes head* Last time I attempted to visit her publisher, Firefox flagged the site for malware and blocked it, LOL.
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That's good to hear. I generally like physical books like you do, but I'm getting used to reading online so I don't mind reading them on a little (Star Trek-y like PADD) device.
I think there are enough people who still enjoy regular books to buy them. My thing is the environmental impact of e-books and getting your hands on free works. (As long as they don't price gauge you otherwise, but sometimes it's obvious.)
I have a ton of PDF books so they're really needs to be an e-reader that reads EVERY kind. I don't know if it exists yet.
I don't know anybody who buys hardcover anymore, especially not when trade and mass market paperback are so much cheaper, and come out relatively quickly these days.
The only time I buy hardcover is if I can't wait to read something or if I like the series well enough to have a hardcover version to keep nice, to last longer.
I heard rumblings of Resmiranda publishing at Ellora's Cave
I checked, and yeah it's Ellora's Cave that Res uses. Since I don't know much about e-publishers, I didn't know they were a big company. [shrug]
Del's stuff is at Lyrical Press and Red Rose Publishing. I think she has four books published now.
One of the Dokuga twits is published at a tiny e-pub press and she acts like she's the #1 writer for fucking Avon or something *shakes head*
Yikes! Makes you wonder about the kind of e-publisher she used...
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I don't see an e-reader beating back the Kindle as king of the mountain anytime soon. I don't know why everyone got into such a tizzy over the iPad as an e-book reader, because its pretty terrible for things other than magazines.
Since I don't know much about e-publishers, I didn't know they were a big company. [shrug]
*nods* One of the biggest, and one of the first to successfully publish 'romantica' (aka porn with plot, LOL). I've done a fair bit of research into publishing in the romance genre, and as far as e-pubs go, this is just about the best there is. Cheyenne McCray got her start there, and now she's at St. Martin's Press, so its not like authors are necessarily stuck in e-book limbo forever :P
Yikes! Makes you wonder about the kind of e-publisher she used...
One about a step above a vanity press, from what I've been able to find. o.O I belong to a bunch of listservs and boards for aspiring authors, and this is one of the best places to vet all the tiny presses popping up on the web.
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If you have any more links for aspiring authors that you think I'd might like, please do share.
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For me, it was that he was alternatively putting down Stephen King, and having absolutely no shame about the fact that he is essentially paid to write 50-page, triple-spaced outlines that someone else writes, and for which he gets all the credit. Just - ugh. There's a way to be an author and to making a living wage from what you love to do without the major side-step into churning out the same old shit.
I guess for some folks, the almighty dollar speaks loudest...
I'll stick with the free stuff on the web. A lot better than the books I've seen as of late.
It's funny; for all I espouse my love of books and how many I own (and love and reread), I read a lot more fic on the web nowadays - mostly because the internet is just another window to have open, and I'm rarely without a computer these days. And I write for an electronic format *shrug*
Fanfic writers can be brilliant and original sometimes. All the authors I read I enjoy because they take a different spin on the same ol' cliches. I like to think I'm original, too, but *shrug* I'm biased ;) Its no fun to retread the same ground over and over again. Give me something fresh, something new, that will make me think and feel. Is that so much to ask? :)
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I'm not surprised that Patterson does have that cadre of writers though. I knew no one could have that much energy to write so many books. That market share is shocking. But although my family are big mystery readers, we've never picked up Patterson. That one snippet within the article tells me that that was the right decision. The quality + the sales figures = depressing. Although Stephanie Meyer's success has already sucked 99% of surprise out of me at that sort of thing.
Anyway, as for e-book readers, I'm rather divided. Personally, I buy used books like mad and often go back to them over and over. I enjoy having the actual book in my hands - I even collect first editions and illustrated children's books (and how would *those* translate in any way but badly?). However, the eco-benefit of the reader, combined with the savings on space? That's really attractive. I think, though, that I'm going to let everything shake itself out before I jump into the mix. Like Beta and VHS. ;)
In the end, I don't think that the publishing industry is dead and done - far from it. But it'll probably follow a similar path to the music industry. There will be adjustments on both sides. The unholy amount of dreck isn't going to stop, but neither will the gems. Maybe it'll get easier to separate the two? *hopes*
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LOL, yes. Its a pity that those folks with no shame are also the ones with the most arrogance o.O
the assembly line version of writing bothers me just as much as Thomas Kinkade's "art".
Funny you mention that, because one of the apt comparisons in the MeFi thread is Patterson to Kinkade. Even though they got derailed big time by the e-reader topic, the few who actually wanted to discuss the article did just that.
it's that one, real person is taking the credit for these faceless people that are doing the real work (unlike, for example, the Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew series, written by several ghostwriters under a pseudonym).
Okay, I think you nailed it. For the most part, all the series I grew up loving when I was a kid were also ghost-written, save BSC ~ Ann M. Martin *did* actually write the first 35 books herself before succombing to help. It's way too hard to push out a book a month if you're the sole author of the series, so I guess that makes me forgive them, just a little. Patterson, on the other hand? He's like a runaway fic author: way too many ideas, not enough time, but he also shapes his series ideas almost exclusively to the market. Not enough West Coast sales? Let's set the next series there, and make it about a group of women who solve mysteries instead of a grizzled old lone PI. Just...what?! Who does that?! Who lets the market dictate their ideas?
And I couldn't believe the guy who they talked to, one of his ghostwriters, who seemed so content with the situation, even after publishing his own work! I just can't even wrap my mind around his mentality, you know?
That one snippet within the article tells me that that was the right decision. The quality + the sales figures = depressing.
Hmm, just like fanfic, LOL :P
That's why I was a bit floored he was so snippy about Stephen King calling him a bad writer. LOL really? Like him or not, at least King writes all of his own material, and takes full responsibility for it. I have a lot of respect for him, too, because of what he went through to get published, unlike Patterson, who basically came to this game from a marketing angle.
I'll admit, Patterson's first novel sounds pretty interesting, considering the genre. The fact that it's about the only one he wrote on its own? Probably means it's halfway readable.
I don't think that the publishing industry is dead and done - far from it. But it'll probably follow a similar path to the music industry.
Oh, Lord, I hope not ~ not many people are willing to give their work away for free if its quality. I do think the publishing industry needs to get with the program, re: progress, but the music industry made such a total fuckup of it that I fear my beloved books going down the same path...
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Besides that, I've never really heard of James Patterson before, but... I can't say I'm a huge fan of the huge use of ghostwriters. I wonder what the proportion of such books to self-written books is?
As for eReaders... eh. Clearly, I don't mind reading off of a screen, but I'm always very hesitant to put down money for something digital. All it takes is one unfortunate virus to wipe out a computer harddrive, or a single slip to crack a screen. Books are a little more sturdy than that. I'd rather put my money in something I know will last.
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*snerk*
I can't say I'm a huge fan of the huge use of ghostwriters. I wonder what the proportion of such books to self-written books is?
It sounds like he's written more outlines than actual novels, because the ones he pounded out himself weren't very good. So instead, he's going to hire a bunch of people to write exactly the same book over and over again...
I'd rather put my money in something I know will last.
THIS.
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eReaders: God knows I'm all about the latest and greatest in the tech-world - it's also useful with the amount of traveling I do and would like to do... but that being said, I don't think I'll be ponying up for a Kindle anytime soon. I'd like one with .pdf support (so I can convert all my favorite fics, LOL) - hence, I'm leaning toward a Nook. It's based on the Android platform, which I really like, and has the wi-fi capability: necessary, as I refuse to give money to AT&T xD
Gabe from Penny Arcade has also really supported the Nook - I trust him wholeheartedly when it comes to tech options ^_^
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SVH is such a cracky little escapist series...and it spawned so many spinoffs that the continuity is forever fucked. I kinda think that's part of the fun of it, but with SVH you knew what you were getting. "Created by" one person, written by a zillion others under a linked pseudonym...I guess I can't really complain.
As for e-readers...I'd rather wait until one comes out that unifies all file types, so I have a feeling I'm going to be waiting for awhile :P Not that I mind ~ I'd much rather savor the feeling of holding the book in my hands if I'm going to invest in it.
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He doesn't have any ghostwriters--the books he has done with co-authors have both names right on the cover. They are getting credit, getting paid, and trading on Patterson's name to become known themselves. Win-win. And while he does write some things with co-authors, he also still writes on his own, too. He has 38 books to his credit alone.
I have to say that after reading that article, he actually rose in my estimation. I only knew him as one of my favorite mystery/thriller authors--I didn't realize he was such an incredible businessman, too. Heck, if I could be the storyteller I want to be, market myself so I sell like hotcakes, and get other people to do the boring stuff, I'd be all over it. ^_~