Prismatic Publishing

Let’s talk about marketing the books we’ve written, but first:

Most people, I believe, who desire to read a book do one of the following:

1. Find one off their own bookshelf which they have enjoyed in the past.
2. Head for the nearest Brick & Mortar bookstore…browse, and select.
3. Head for the local library and, again…browse and select.
4. Pull out their cell phone or book reader…download through the internet, or
5. Select a book from the many on-line bookstores.

It is a little known fact that more books are now published in some other way than through traditional publishing. These alternative ways of getting one’s writings within reach of the reading public are as follows: POD (print on demand), e-books (books available as a download directly to your computer), self-published, or independently published.

In a nutshell, POD books are, by the individual copy (book will be printed only after purchased by a reader) and are quite expensive. The high cost and limited supply tend to suppress the potential mass market appeal for the books. They will never show up at a Brick & Mortar bookstore because they are so high priced and available in such limited supply.

Next, e-books. They are relatively low in cost, but require the reader to change the way they think about book reading. The rising generation may well adapt to the idea of books being stored in a computer memory and reading them via LCD screen, but it is commonly felt that there will always be a tendency to hold in high esteem a tangible, page containing book. We’ll have to see how this concept plays itself out. It is also thought, that if a reader loves something they are reading via e-book, their next action will be to purchase a soft- or hard-bound copy to keep on the book shelf in their home.

Third, self-published books. Typically, they are the result of a writer finishing his/her book, hiring someone to design the cover, edit, format, etc. and then taking everything to a printer, who prints as many copies as the author chooses. These books may or may not have an ISBN or bar code. All too often several boxes of their “master pieces” sit in the dark corner of the basement or garage. There was no thought at all about how to get the books into the hands of a potential reader/fan base. I know of authors that writes a book and admits that his/her subconscious must have somehow been convinced that the world would somehow know they had written a “master piece” and find them—perhaps even mob their house in search for the written word they were destined to possess.

Lastly, independently published books. This method of putting out books is comprised of a working agreement between a writer and a publisher. The primary costs of producing a book are borne by the author. But, the publisher contributes significantly in the cost factor by arranging the production of the book (cover design, editing, layout, printing) with established business partners. The result is a more professional book at a lower cost. The publisher, as a rule, has an online bookstore. He is actively networking and promoting the books and authors with which he has labored. He makes available to the author his experience and expertise which aid the author in producing a polished, marketable book on a par with the quality the public has come to expect at any Brick & Mortar bookstore.

The trend, as I see it, is in the direction of and in favor of the writer that chooses to take the independent-publishing approach. It is my intention to present in future blogs an in depth exploration of the current trends with books and their readers. The cold, hard truth is that there has been in recent years a literally “explosion” of books that hit the market. There is no way that the Brick & Mortar bookstores can handle them all. Bookstore shelf space is very limited, especially when considering the number of titles produced each year (in excess of 750,000). If a book store carried only five copies of each book, the size of the book store would need to cover several acres in floor space.

So, join me as we dig into the alternative ways books are made available and see if there is a “best” way for you to proceed and thereby maximize the chances for you to obtain sales of your books in an amount that will provide you with sufficient funds to keep your books available to your future fans.

Just as a hint of what is to come in future blog posts, we will deal extensively with the writers opportunity to market his/her own books. Your first reaction to this idea may be, “I’m a writer, darn it. Don’t suggest I go out and “sell” my books.” That position may in and of itself spell failure on your part. Look around yourself…right now. Everything within sight got to you because someone was willing to perform some salesmanship. Think about it.

Author: Bill Walker
Contributing author: David R Christensen