Time is the ultimate long tail. Even with a big wad of money up front, if something sells forever, the back end is what ultimately counts.
J. A. Konrath
After 20 years, a million written words, and nine rejected novels, I finally landed a book contract.
The publishing industry is an archaic and inefficient industry.
I don't care what people are saying about me, good or bad, in blogs or on Twitter or in the media. There will always be people who don't like you and don't like your books. Ignore them.
Together, Amazon and I are giving readers what they want - inexpensive, professional ebooks.
I can hire out for editing, proofreading, formatting, and cover design, and those are fixed, sunk costs. Once those are paid, I can earn 70% on a self-pubbed ebook.
We each take up one virtual space per title... Virtual shelf life is forever. In a bookstore, you have anywhere from a few weeks to a few months to sell your title, and then it gets returned. This is a big waste of money, and no incentive at all for the bookseller to move the book.
A company doesn't have to compete with Amazon. A company can instead innovate in sectors Amazon doesn't presently care about.
I've been saying for years that readers want inexpensive ebooks.
My Kindle readers have been incredibly faithful fans.
Writers aren't in competition with one another. It isn't a zero sum game. If you have a good book, a good cover, a good product description, and a low price, you can sell well.
Amazon is not a monopoly or a monopsony, and even if it were, that by itself isn't illegal.
We all need to focus on our writing. Because the millions of readers out there don't care about your blog.
The business model - where books can be returned, and where a 50% sell-through is considered acceptable - is archaic and wasteful. Writers get small royalties, little say in how their books are marketed and sold, and simple things like cover and title approval are unheard of unless you're a huge bestseller.
I know dozens of authors who have had a lot of books published by New York, and they won't ever take another Big 6 contract since they've gotten a taste of the freedom, control, and money self-publishing offers.
My grandchildren will be making money from the stories I write and sell as eBooks because they will continue to be making money.
If a traditional publisher offered me a quarter of a million dollars for a novel, I'd consider it. But anything less than that, I'm sure I can do better on my own.
I really think it is possible to make a very nice living by writing and not worrying about anything else.
I have turned off Google Alerts and don't Google my name or my pen names. I don't go on message boards. I don't read my book reviews.
Because we self-published 'Draculas,' we control the rights. Not just for now, but forever.
Authors need to decide if they want to keep forever to themselves, or share forever with a publisher who takes over half the cover price.
Writers are essential. Readers are essential. Publishers are not.
Publishers vet books, and they do a good job keeping out the low quality. But they also miss some good quality.
I enjoy writing. Publishing... not so much. I've been lucky to work with some very talented people in the publishing world, and the print industry has allowed me to write full time.
I just try to write entertaining books that are easily identifiable.
When a single author uploading his own books to Amazon can earn more money than a large N.Y. publisher exploiting both print and e-rights, there's something amiss.
E-books are preferable to paper; they can be delivered instantly. In many cases, they're cheaper; you can buy them with the press of a button.
It's easier to release an ebook than a print book.
No one was interested in picking up a midlist series, even though I have a decent fanbase and respectable numbers.
I love bookstores and booksellers. In my novel 'Dirty Martini,' I thanked over 3,000 booksellers by name in the back matter.
I doubt I'll ever have another traditional print deal.
