For book/ebook authors, publishers, & self-publishers
What's Your Biggest Challenge with Your Book?
I'd be interested to learn what authors/publishers on this network think their biggest challenges are with their book. I wonder if there's any common, pervasive challenge we all face.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Dr. Marlena Corcoran on
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The only question I can answer with certainty is the first one. First ask yourself, "Too long for what?" If your goal is to sell the book widely, you can be sure that 600 pages is too long.
Two dollars a page for editing seems inexpensive to me. It's important, though, to be clear about your expectations. Please don't take this as advice about what you should or should not do. It's only a suggestion that you think about a reasonable hourly wage for the editor.
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Permalink Reply by albertasequeira on
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Hi Marlena,
Thank you for your input. It meant a lot. I'm comfortable with dividing the book. After three years, I feel like I separated twins.
I guess it is expensive to get editing.
Thanks!
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Another thought: Writers Market used to have a list called something like, "What Should I Charge?" They probably still do. You could look there for suggested prices for editing.
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A few authors are debating over what Sales Rank means with online bookstores.
When my book first come out (2006) my Sales rank with Barnes and Noble was somewhere around 625,000. Now it's 400,570. A few weeks ago it was 350,480.
What is that and how do they come up with it? Is it better going up or down? If going down means more books are selling ( I know it doesn't actually mean 400,750 books are selling) then why doesn't my royalities show my books could be moving?
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Permalink Reply by Bill Frank on
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Online bookstores are revolutionizing book selling. While brick & mortar bookstores are struggling to make money, Amazon and BN.com continue to grow.
Online bookstores have the luxury of infinite shelf space for books. A typical superstore (Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million or Borders) carry between 80,000 to 125,000 titles. Amazon carries over two million books. I'm not sure how many BN.com carries.
The point is, online book retailing has been the best thing for independent book publishers. Amazon or BN.com can carry a wider range of titles, many of them from lesser-known authors. The superstores must turn inventory to make a profit. They cannot take as many chances on unknown books, therefore, because they must concentrate on books they know will sell. That's one reason you will see some authors on the best seller list who seem to crank out a new book every three months, or so.
The goal for publishers on online booksellers is to climb up the charts. If Amazon can carry two million books and your book hasn't sold any, then your book is number two million. Sell a book and you move up to the charts to a number lower than two million. The progression of your book from 625,000 to 400,570 to 350,480 shows a steady increase in the number of books sold.
The rankings on both Amazon and BN.com are logarithmic. See my chart on Flickr to show how Amazon's rankings progress (http://www.flickr.com/photos/83954104@N00/6559511/). A ranking of one million on Amazon means you've sold 15 books, or so, in total. Moving up to an Amazon ranking of one hundred thousand means you're selling one book a week. Getting to one thousand on Amazon means you're selling ten books per day.
Here's to your continued success with your book as it moves it's way up the charts.
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Your chart was extremely helpful and informative, Bill. Thanks for posting it! What was your source for this information?
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Morris Rosenthal's article AMAZON SALES RANK FOR BOOKS, http://www.fonerbooks.com/surfing.htm
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Hi Frank,
Thank you for explaining the rank. Mine went from 650,000 in 2006 to 350,000 in 2008 and my royalties show no great sales?
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Permalink Reply by Will Z. on
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Well my biggest issue was that I was working on a memoir and I had to relive over and over and over again painful memories of when I dealt with a situation my ex-girlfriend and I went though. That was her abortion. It nearly destroyed me but after journaling(which proved to be very theraputic) I realized that my experience and healing could possibly help quite a few others. That's the main motivation for writing it. So I guess it's just the reliving of feelings you don't really want to, but you know if you do go through it, you can not only heal, but also possibly help others.
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Hi Will,
Yes, your book can help someone. You can move this book faster than you realize. I wrote my memoir about losing a husband and daughter from alcoholism. I've started speaking. Believe me, I'm not brave in front of people but I want my book to have a reason.
You can go out to abortion organizations and introduce yourself, whether by telephone or a letter, and ask if they need a speaker.
Television shows love fill ins and check the programs that carry this topic.
I forced my daughter into an abortion and never forgave myself for it. I've written about it in my new book.
Take your experience and help others besides depending on your book reaching them; talk about it.
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Permalink Reply by carol stanley on
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I was just reading your addition here. And know it must have taken you lots of courage to write your history. However ...forgiving yourself...that is so important...I have done many dumb things in life, like we all have, and decided that life is too short to keep on regretting. We just keep putting one foot in front of the other and go on. Lots of luck with your book. Chekc some of the women magazines..they love these stories...carol stanley auhtor oF...For Kids 59.99 and Over...to be released Sept.1
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Permalink Reply by David M Pitchford on
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That's easy. I am terribly uncomfortable sending anything out. It's not so much a fear of rejection - not at all, really. I'm just kind of a bashful person around folks I don't know. I've been working on getting over it for years. I'm also of that school of woeful souls who, though having utmost personal confidence, have an almost pathological aversion to bragging or promoting themselves.
I dwell in the creative process; the publishing and promotion makes me feel like a fish on a bicycle.
Thanks for the forum of discussion. Would love advice.
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