AuthorHouse Blog

Mr. Johnson,
I attended your presentation about marketing in St. Louis last weekend. I
found it to be informative and worthwhile. Thank you.
I had questions though, that came to mind throughout this week.
First off, explain to me how to go about getting my book into stores. Who do I speak with? How do I go about the whole thing?
I’m looking at, first and foremost, the big bookstores: i.e. B & N and Borders. Do I contact the stores individually?
Next, in using Pressblaster, I will eventually invest in the software, but I’m a starving college student, so how would you best suggest to take advantage of that one free use? What kind of content should I include, etc.?
Next, when I get business cards printed up, is there anything you suggest I have written on the card, as I have in mind the name of my novel and where it can be purchased, along with my name, obviously? That’s all I can think of now. I’m going with the expedite service, and should have the finished product by the last week in April. Just to familiarize yourself with how I
intend to aggressively market my book, I’m going to first target the universities around the country where I have friends, and then if enough of an interested is present, I will subsequently travel to and do a book signing at that school and others in the area. Any other pointers?
Thanks,
John Zur

John,
Thanks for the kind words. Let’s discuss your questions one at a time.
1. The question of how to get your book into bookstores is a very valid one. First and foremost, I would suggest that you purchase AuthorHouse’s Bookseller Return program - which will allow your book to be fully returnable by retailers. If money is a concern, I would suggest you invest in this service instead of the expedited production of your book. When trying to get your book on bookstore shelves, I would suggest the following:

• Call your local bookstore and ask to speak with the manager. Set up an appointment for a few days in the future.
• Be honest. Tell the manager you want to talk about your book and the possibilities of them shelving it.
• When you go in for your appointment, bring a copy of your book and some extra marketing materials.
• Be on time, dress professionally and be brief. You have about 10 minutes before you lose the manager’s interest.
• When you’re finished, thank him or her. The next day, send a thank you note.

If the manager is not interested in shelving the book, you can make an end run to drum up interest and business. Go to the Community Relations Manager and inquire about the possibility of holding a book signing event at the store.

If you have a successful signing event, the approach the manager again, this time with a proven track record. REMIND THE MANAGER THAT YOUR BOOK IS RETURNABLE.

2. You mentioned a computer program called PressBlaster. It can be found at www.PressBlaster.net. It is a program which helps you make a press release and them helps you distribute it electronically.

For your press release, you should include 50-100 words about your book. Another 50-100 words should make the pitch as to why the media outlet should be interested. For example, tie the slant of the release to some current event. Make sure you list contact information and instructions on ordering a complimentary review copy. (The media can request review copies at the e-mail address of bookorders@authorhouse.com)

Keep the release down to one page (250-325 words). Any more will not get looked at.

3. For your business cards, I would suggest the following:

• On the front, put your cover
• On the back, put 25 or 30 words about the book. The book title, the ISBN, and complete ordering information.

4. As for using your friends as contacts at colleges through the country - don’t be bashful. If you have a friend who can help you, use that to your advantage. When the late Tip O’Neill was Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, he once said “All politics is grass-roots politics.”

He was completely correct. One could extrapolate that out to your situation in saying “All book marketing is grass-roots book marketing.”

I hope this helps.

RMJ

During the month of April, we will be making several appearances in the Golden State. On April 23-24, AuthorHouse will be at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books.
On April 25, we will be hosting a free writers’ workshop at the Los Angeles Airport Hilton and on April 26, we will travel upstate to beautiful San Jose for another writers’ workshop at the Hyatt San Jose.
For information on any of our workshops (or to register), please go to www.authorhouse.com/seminars
Hope to see you in California!

Do Your Homework Before Signing on the Dotted Line

ST. LOUIS – Every time I put on a workshop or speak at a writers’ conference, one question in particular comes up.
“How do I know who to go with to publish my book?”

Now, I’ll state this up front – I work for AuthorHouse, a company I consider the best in the business. However, I’ll also say that we may or may not be the right fit for you and your book depending on what your needs are.

The answer to the aforementioned question is simple: Do your homework. Ask questions.

Demand honest answers. Then – and only then – make a publishing decision.
The best judge of what’s right for you is … you.

There are literally volumes written comparing and contrasting the various self-publishing companies. Exercise caution. Many of them were written by either someone directly associated with one of the companies or someone who has an axe to grind with another.

Internet Web posting boards are also a hotbed for misinformation. In case you aren’t familiar with them, most allow anonymous posters to make scurrilous comments about people and companies without checking the facts. In fact, some of them are owned by self-publishing companies merely wanting to get a leg up on the competition.

Get online and look at the Web sites of the reputable self-publishing companies: AuthorHouse, Infinity ,iUniverse, Trafford and Xlibris to name a few. Sign up to receive information from all of them. Call and speak directly with a live human being.

Make sure to ask the right questions:

• What are the initial costs associated with publishing my book?
• Are there other fees I should know about, such as revision fees?
• How is the final retail price of my book determined?
• Will my book be distributed through all three of the major book distributors (Ingram, Bowker and Baker & Taylor)?
• How often are royalties paid and are your royalty statements independently audited?
• What kind of marketing support does the company offer, and at what cost?
• Where is the actual production of the book performed?
• How much creative control do I have during the production of my book?
• Do I retain all of the rights to my book, no strings attached?
• Can you put me in contact with a couple of your authors who have been through the process and can give me some insight about what to expect?
• How long will it take before my book is available for sale?
• What happens if I want to change my book after it is available?

These are just some examples of the multitude of questions which will help you make an informed decision before you sign on the dotted line and send a check.
Also, don’t be shy. Don’t be bashful.
This is your book. It is the fruit of your labors.
Do your homework. Be educated and make the best decision for you.

ST. LOUIS - Good morning from the shadow of the Gateway Arch! We had an absolutely magnificent day Saturday, attending the National Federation of Press Women’s St. Louis conference.
The winner of a complimentary publishing package (valued at $700) was Marge Polcyn of St. Louis.
But I just couldn’t resist helping out one aspiring author, in particular.
Now, keep in mind that this is the National Federation of Press WOMEN. There was one lone young guy in the crowd - who came to hear all about how he could get his book published.
For his courage and to encourage, Bobby Wegusen of Chesterfield, Mo., will also receive the services to get his voice in print.
Bobby is a college student at Miami University of Ohio and writes fiction. But seeing his enthusiasm, his drive and his goals, I just had to make sure his book gets published.
Congratulations, Bobby and Marge!
And, thanks to the National Federation of Press Women’s St. Louis chapter for inviting us to speak.

Do Your Homework Before Deciding on Retail Price

LAS VEGAS - I received an interesting question over dinner with one of our authors in Las Vegas last week.

The author in question has written a 500-page-plus novel and was concerned that it would not necessarily be commercially viable because of its size and its accompanying price tag. High-priced fiction is definitely a hard sell at best.

But our discussion over dinner at Lawry’s The Prime Rib brought up a couple of good talking points – points all authors should consider when thinking about the production and subsequent pricing of their book.

First, size does, in fact, matter. There can be a difference of 100 or more pages between a five-inch by eight-inch book and a six-inch by nine-inch book. If you are trying to bulk up the book, consider a smaller trim size. If you want to keep the page count (and the price) reasonable, the larger format might be better.

Second, the amount of royalty you chose definitely affects the final price. With AuthorHouse, authors are able to pick which percentage of a royalty payment they wish to receive. If an author picks an unusually high royalty (40 percent or more), the final price of their book may end up far outside the norms for books of similar size and genre in the commercial marketplace.

I recently advised an author against seeking a 50 percent royalty payment for a humor book which was 108 pages. The book would have retailed for $15.75 – which is about $6 or $7 more than similar books are selling for at the local book store. The author finally chose a 20 percent royalty and the book retails for $9.50 – which is right where it belongs.

So, be careful and be thoughtful about your royalty schedule. Sometimes, less is more and while you may only be getting a 5 percent royalty payment, you are more likely to sell a lot of books. It’s the old sales philosophy of making up the difference in volume.

Advice I give a lot of authors when they are mulling over the price point for their book is to do some homework.

Go to the local Barnes & Noble or Borders or other book store. Do some comparison shopping. If you wrote an historical fiction work that is 300 pages long, look for similar books on their shelves. Check out the prices for those books and try to price your book within a buck of the traditionally published book (50 cents is even better).

That works in the majority of cases where an author is looking for some kind of commercial success. But there are instances where an author can get away with a higher-priced book. College professors are good examples. If a professor writes a book for use in his class, he has a captive audience that will pay whatever is necessary for the book.

One can also charge a little more if they are using their books during public appearances and speeches. I guarantee that if you are the keynote speaker at an event, at least half of the room will want to buy your book (if your speech was any good) at whatever price you set – so long as it is within reason.
The bottom line in pricing your book is actually pretty simple. Remember this one rule: Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered.
Which one do you want to be?

Remember - YOU CAN WRITE!

SAN DIEGO - Anyone who has ever plopped down in front of a computer keyboard or cuddled up in their porch swing with a pen and legal pad has, at some time, toyed with the idea of being a “professional writer.”
Some make it and, sadly, some do not. But in either case, one thing is certain – you stand a much better chance of succeeding in your dream of writing professionally if you set yourself up as a professional writer from the start.
While I was on the faculty of the Southern California Writers’ Conference in San Diego recently, I had the opportunity to attend a workshop taught by Canadian humor author Gordon Kirkland on the subject of setting up shop as a writer.
Kirkland, who was twice-published traditionally and is currently self-published (and is also a syndicated columnist), gave quite a few great hints and tips for writers wanting to make the leap.
First, Kirkland tells conference attendees, the actual title of his workshop was “God, I Wish Somebody had Told Me…” He says he calls it that because all of the tips he gives are things he has learned over the last decade or so of writing.
He tells the crowd, “Margaret Lawrence (author of Blood Bones and a number of other best-selling mysteries) was at a cocktail party when a neurosurgeon asked her what she did for a living,” he said. “She said she was a writer.”
“Oh,” said the surgeon. “I was thinking of taking that up after I retire.”
“Neurosurgery,” said Lawrence. “I was thinking of taking that up after I retire.”
Kirkland illustrated the point that a lot of people don’t take you seriously when you tell them you’re a writer. As a matter of fact, a lot of writers don’t take themselves seriously when they tell themselves they are writers.
“That’s your biggest mistake,” Kirkland said. “Tell yourself every morning ‘You can write.’”
He suggested putting a Post-It note on the bathroom mirror with the three words, “I can write.” Then, he said, “Read it every morning, every night.”
Aside from convincing oneself that you, in fact, are a professional writer, Kirkland gave the following instructions for setting up shop:
Get established as a business: Incorporate as a sole-proprietorship, Limited Liability Corporation or other entity. This will not only give you some instant credibility in the “real world,” it will also help you when the tax man comes knocking. Often, one can write off certain expenses if they are incorporated. One example is the fact that a number of the conferees were in San Diego for the weekend, writing the entire trip off their taxes as a business expense. AuthorHouse has more than several authors who write off the cost of producing and promoting their books. Once established as a business, act in a business-like manner. “You get looked at differently if you have put in that effort,” Kirkland says.
Set up an office – a writing room: This one is a must – the room absolutely, positively has to have a door which closes completely. “You need someplace you can get away from everybody and everything,” Kirkland says. Included in the office must be a good desk, good lighting and a comfortable chair. “If you’re going to be a writer, a kitchen chair just won’t get it. For Kirkland – who was involved in an auto accident a number of years ago – the ultimate in writing chair comfort is a $5,000 wheelchair. “For most of you, this is not necessary,” he smiles. “But if you’re going to sit there for hours at a time, everyday, you need to have a good chair.”
Find or buy some time: Whether it involves getting up before the rest of the house or staying up late or missing the weekly episode of “American Idol” … do it.
“Even if you have to pawn the kids off on your folks for a couple of hours, do it,” says Kirkland. “You need the uninterrupted time.”
He laughingly adds, “Hire a babysitter, send your spouse bowling, whatever it takes.”
Get a good computer, just for you: More specifically, get a laptop. This computer will have your work and the stuff you need ONLY. It will not have all your husband’s games, your kids’ music or your wife’s accounting software. This will be yours and only yours. Kirkland’s reasons for suggesting a laptop are two-fold. First, the current crop of laptops is just as powerful – if not more so – than most desktops, and they are now extremely reasonable in price. Plus, a laptop computer can be a traveling or on-the-go writer’s best friend. With a laptop, you can keep writing onboard an airplane, in the doctor’s office waiting room, on the train going to and from work. “I found out too late that the laptop is the greatest thing…ever,” Kirkland says. “Wherever I am, my office is with me.”
He also suggested getting a laptop with wireless capabilities. “For example, in all Best Western motels in America, you can use their wireless Internet for free when you stay there,” he says. “That way you can stay in contact with your e-mail and do research no matter where you are.”
While you’re buying a computer, take the time and plunk down the cash to also buy an external hard drive for back-up purposes. “Does anybody know what it feels like to lose an entire year’s worth of work when your computer crashes?” Kirkland asks the class. “I do.”
Also, get high-speed Internet access. Trying to do research for a book with a 56k modem is, at best, frustrating and time-consuming.
The right software can make all the difference: Kirkland recommends a couple of must-have software packages (some of which are free) – Microsoft’s Office suite of products, including Word, Excel and Outlook are a must. The entire Microsoft Office suite is available for both Windows and Mac computer platforms. The reason for Word is obvious – it is great for writing. Excel will help with managing the money part and Outlook is great for managing appointments and schedules, as well as managing e-mail communications. The Office suite costs about $450.
Other software Kirkland recommends for professional writers includes Norton AntiVirus, Norton Ghost (for backing up everything to that external hard drive you dutifully just bought), Norton Internet Security for firewall protection and a free program (shareware) called “Stickies.” Norton’s programs cost about $120 or less apiece.
“Stickies” literally allows computer users to put Post-It notes on their computer screen. “And, every time you turn on the computer, there are all of your messages,” he says.
If you’re planning on traveling to do research or a book tour, the Rand-McNally atlas computer program is also a must. It’s called Trip Maker and costs about $50.
Before closing his seminar, Kirkland again reiterated the need for writers to believe in themselves.
“People who want to write can write,” Kirkland says. “Writing is the easy part. Thinking of something to write is the hard part.”
He tells writers to write – every day. “I don’t care if it’s Christmas or May Day,” he says. “Write something.”
As for experiencing writer’s block, Kirkland encourages writers to find a way around it. “I’ve had writer’s wall,” he says. To conquer writer’s block, Kirkland says he goes for a drive. He has a former colleague who used to go home and take a shower when he had writer’s block. “We actually installed a shower in our offices so he wouldn’t have to drive all the way home,” Kirkland laughed.
He encourages writers to find something to break their routine if the dreaded writer’s block starts. Take a drive, watch cartoons, run. In short, get up, get out and clear your mind.
“There’s a reason they call that little blinking thing on your computer screen a ‘cursor,’” he laughs. “There is nothing worse than that little thing blinking at you from the blank page.”
Kirkland closed with a simple but earnest charge for all of the conferees: “Write what you want. Write what you like.”

Gordon Kirkland is a Canadian-based humor writer whose syndicated column appears in dozens of American newspapers every week. He is the winner of Canada’s prestigious Stephen Leacock Award of Merit (Canada’s version of the Pulitzer Prize), and is in the running for a second Leacock again this year.
Kirkland and Johnson are making numerous conference appearances together during 2005, speaking on topics ranging from publishing alternatives to book marketing and everything in between.