Comments on: The Uneconomics of Book Publishing http://www.memwg.com/the-uneconomics-of-book-publishing/ Google AdSense Tips and Advice Tue, 13 Apr 2010 23:47:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Eric Giguere http://www.memwg.com/the-uneconomics-of-book-publishing/comment-page-1/#comment-1800 Eric Giguere Fri, 16 Nov 2007 15:14:47 +0000 http://www.memwg.com/the-uneconomics-of-book-publishing/#comment-1800 Good point about the using the draw program in OpenOffice, although if you're selling ebooks only then a cover isn't actually a necessity -- you need a graphic for selling the book, but the actual cover can be pretty plain and simple. Deciding to go the print route is a big decision that shouldn't be taken lightly, just because it's more work. As you say, it's not that hard but there's a definite time factor involved... Eric Good point about the using the draw program in OpenOffice, although if you’re selling ebooks only then a cover isn’t actually a necessity — you need a graphic for selling the book, but the actual cover can be pretty plain and simple.

Deciding to go the print route is a big decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly, just because it’s more work. As you say, it’s not that hard but there’s a definite time factor involved…

Eric

]]> By: Solveig http://www.memwg.com/the-uneconomics-of-book-publishing/comment-page-1/#comment-1795 Solveig Thu, 15 Nov 2007 16:30:45 +0000 http://www.memwg.com/the-uneconomics-of-book-publishing/#comment-1795 Hi Eric, Great article! I would also recommend, for the self-publishers, considering the Amazon Advantage program. They take their large, unwieldy pound of flesh but I sell quite a few through them. I also sell the same exact book "used" on Amazon and surrender a much smaller pound of flesh (couple ounces) that way to Amazon. Getting ISBNs, bar codes, and other stuff takes a little time but can be done through bowker.com and sites like barcode-us.com. (There are lots; that's just the one I use.) One of the simplest ways to print, and not too expensive at 15 copies or more, is Cafepress.com. Good quality, too. Excellent OpenOffice.org plugs! I would also say that you can do a killer cover design in OpenOffice.org Draw. Solveig Hi Eric,

Great article! I would also recommend, for the self-publishers, considering the Amazon Advantage program. They take their large, unwieldy pound of flesh but I sell quite a few through them. I also sell the same exact book “used” on Amazon and surrender a much smaller pound of flesh (couple ounces) that way to Amazon.

Getting ISBNs, bar codes, and other stuff takes a little time but can be done through bowker.com and sites like barcode-us.com. (There are lots; that’s just the one I use.)

One of the simplest ways to print, and not too expensive at 15 copies or more, is Cafepress.com. Good quality, too.

Excellent OpenOffice.org plugs! I would also say that you can do a killer cover design in OpenOffice.org Draw.

Solveig

]]> By: Zac http://www.memwg.com/the-uneconomics-of-book-publishing/comment-page-1/#comment-1789 Zac Wed, 14 Nov 2007 22:29:52 +0000 http://www.memwg.com/the-uneconomics-of-book-publishing/#comment-1789 Eric, this is a succinct and informative analysis of the book business. As a freelance book editor, I know that authors are truly at the mercy of traditional publishing houses. Even the "print on demand" places extract their pound of flesh. Luckily I earn a flat fee per manuscript based solely on word-count. Well-written material I can breeze through generally balances out the poorly composed stuff, yielding me perhaps $30-40 an hour on average. An author rarely has the opportunity to monetize his hours in this manner. Eric, this is a succinct and informative analysis of the book business. As a freelance book editor, I know that authors are truly at the mercy of traditional publishing houses. Even the “print on demand” places extract their pound of flesh. Luckily I earn a flat fee per manuscript based solely on word-count. Well-written material I can breeze through generally balances out the poorly composed stuff, yielding me perhaps $30-40 an hour on average. An author rarely has the opportunity to monetize his hours in this manner.

]]> By: Eric Giguere http://www.memwg.com/the-uneconomics-of-book-publishing/comment-page-1/#comment-1774 Eric Giguere Tue, 13 Nov 2007 12:50:29 +0000 http://www.memwg.com/the-uneconomics-of-book-publishing/#comment-1774 Chuck, you're quite right: there are a lot of parallels between the book publishing and music recording industries. As you point out, recording artists have been looking for different ways to make money while still being creative. It's also true that having a human element in the loop can filter the crap from the good stuff. Or not. The great hope with the Web is that over time communities of like-minded individuals will be able to filter things their way... and that the search engines will be able to incorporate those views. Chuck, you’re quite right: there are a lot of parallels between the book publishing and music recording industries. As you point out, recording artists have been looking for different ways to make money while still being creative.

It’s also true that having a human element in the loop can filter the crap from the good stuff. Or not. The great hope with the Web is that over time communities of like-minded individuals will be able to filter things their way… and that the search engines will be able to incorporate those views.

]]> By: Paul http://www.memwg.com/the-uneconomics-of-book-publishing/comment-page-1/#comment-1770 Paul Mon, 12 Nov 2007 21:45:29 +0000 http://www.memwg.com/the-uneconomics-of-book-publishing/#comment-1770 That was a great post. I write a variety of content but know nothing about book publishing. The article is extremely helpful in narrowing down the publishing (in the most generic sense) options to those that provide the best reward for time and money. That was a great post. I write a variety of content but know nothing about book publishing. The article is extremely helpful in narrowing down the publishing (in the most generic sense) options to those that provide the best reward for time and money.

]]> By: Chuck http://www.memwg.com/the-uneconomics-of-book-publishing/comment-page-1/#comment-1769 Chuck Mon, 12 Nov 2007 19:28:23 +0000 http://www.memwg.com/the-uneconomics-of-book-publishing/#comment-1769 Very interesting, Eric. And very similar to the recording industry...which is probably in a lot more trouble than the book publishing industry. The web is great for both. And as a sometime songwriter, solo pianist and recording artist...I've come to the same conclusion. I haven't really dreamt of a recording contract since I was in my teens (back when I was dreaming of playing on stage at Carnegie Hall). But I learned at one point in my life that, while there are certainly perks to celebrity, you're mostly a piece of meat...which is why so many of these folks crash and burn. Their relationships crumble, they anesthetize themselves and we get to watch them become train wrecks on TV. Yes, money will buy you some safety and a good PR spokesman. But, I'd rather have a life. The web is much better for connecting with large numbers of people...whether you're selling music or giving it away (I do some of both). Sadly, there's a long way to go before the web is a great place to do any of those things because of a lack of support resources. The great value of the record labels and book publishers used to be that they were the filter. Most of the crap was weeded out before it got to market. I can't speak to book publishers...but record publishers no longer seem to be able to distinguish decent music. I am as likely or more likely to lean toward indies these days...and especially with my taste for instrumental music (piano, guitar, etc). But there's still a crying need for support resources for indies. The great thing about the web is that anyone can put their stuff out there. The worst thing about the web is that anyone can put their stuff out there. But how do you find GOOD stuff? Even setting personal taste aside, there's so much junk online that it's really hard to wade through all the lameness to find the really well-done work. That was the advantage of the publishers. And now what the web needs is better resources for review, promotion and the like. It probably won't be a great place for that until better monetization options become available. Otherwise, any lame artist can BUY a good review...and that helps no one. The independence of a review means everything. It's the same gripe I have in relation to the other stuff that we discussed (made for AdSense web sites). As you said, spammyness is not easily distinguished by machines. We need the human element. In book publishing, in music reviews and in helping to distinguish and promote great web resources. Which is why its such a tragedy that...blah, blah, blah...I know, I've said it all before. ;-) Very interesting, Eric. And very similar to the recording industry…which is probably in a lot more trouble than the book publishing industry.

The web is great for both. And as a sometime songwriter, solo pianist and recording artist…I’ve come to the same conclusion. I haven’t really dreamt of a recording contract since I was in my teens (back when I was dreaming of playing on stage at Carnegie Hall). But I learned at one point in my life that, while there are certainly perks to celebrity, you’re mostly a piece of meat…which is why so many of these folks crash and burn. Their relationships crumble, they anesthetize themselves and we get to watch them become train wrecks on TV. Yes, money will buy you some safety and a good PR spokesman. But, I’d rather have a life. The web is much better for connecting with large numbers of people…whether you’re selling music or giving it away (I do some of both).

Sadly, there’s a long way to go before the web is a great place to do any of those things because of a lack of support resources. The great value of the record labels and book publishers used to be that they were the filter. Most of the crap was weeded out before it got to market. I can’t speak to book publishers…but record publishers no longer seem to be able to distinguish decent music. I am as likely or more likely to lean toward indies these days…and especially with my taste for instrumental music (piano, guitar, etc).

But there’s still a crying need for support resources for indies. The great thing about the web is that anyone can put their stuff out there. The worst thing about the web is that anyone can put their stuff out there. But how do you find GOOD stuff? Even setting personal taste aside, there’s so much junk online that it’s really hard to wade through all the lameness to find the really well-done work. That was the advantage of the publishers. And now what the web needs is better resources for review, promotion and the like. It probably won’t be a great place for that until better monetization options become available. Otherwise, any lame artist can BUY a good review…and that helps no one. The independence of a review means everything.

It’s the same gripe I have in relation to the other stuff that we discussed (made for AdSense web sites). As you said, spammyness is not easily distinguished by machines. We need the human element. In book publishing, in music reviews and in helping to distinguish and promote great web resources. Which is why its such a tragedy that…blah, blah, blah…I know, I’ve said it all before. ;-)

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