Are We There Yet?

Every parent I know who has taken a trip with children eventually loses patience the umpteenth time their kid asks, “Are we there yet?” Parents are different so they’ll have different approaches to answering the pesky kid, but eventually you are there. But those last few miles can be the worst. I suspect (but have not asked for fear of the answer) that when it comes to their books authors take the role of child and the publishers stuff their ears with wax to avoid hearing, “Are we there yet?”

My mystery Bad Policy has an official publication date of next Tuesday, March 5, 2013. Since I am a published non-fiction author (One Trick at a Time: How to start winning at bridge) I’ve been through the run-up to publication date. Everything is the same—except everything is different.

I’m reminded of the story about a ship’s captain who, on taking over the ship, discovered there were only two compasses on board. He couldn’t find a third to break a tie in case the two disagreed, so he threw one overboard to avoid being in a dangerous situation and receiving conflicting information.

I am living that captain’s fear. Moral of this story: I assumed based on one previous experience and instead experienced a different result. The fault is mine: had I asked, I would have been told what this publisher’s work flow was.

PROOF COPY

In both cases I received my “proof” copy as a pdf file months after I had turned in my “final” copy after working with the editor. Then from the ether the email arrives and I have only a few days to review the proofs. I drop everything and get it done. In both cases I found typos I couldn’t believe no one (including me) had not noticed before.

BLURBS

With the bridge book we did not get any advanced blurbs, but for Bad Policy I thought it would be a good idea. Asking people to say something positive about my book was not something I was particularly comfortable doing.

I considered authors I “knew” who might find a connection with the book and contacted three successful authors. One had helped my writing through a critique group; a second lived in the area where my protagonist grew up and I had a secondary character who (it turned out, I hadn’t planned it that way) was a younger version of her protagonist; the third had fans I thought might be interested in my writing. Two of three responded and gave me great blurbs. Since then I’ve tried to pay back that generosity and have provided a blurb for another author.

PHYSICAL BOOKS

With the bridge book I received my “free” books almost six weeks before the publication date and received my own initial order at the author discount nearly a month before the official date. With the novel, the books will be printed by the publication date, but unless I make a rush order, I won’t have any in hand. Since I’m thrifty and won’t pay for special shipping, I’ll pass the official publication date without any books in hand.

Which is the standard practice? I have no clue.

MARKETING/ADVERTISING

For the bridge book there were no press releases or flyers, but the publisher did purchase an advertisement in the monthly bridge magazine most US contract bridge players receive. I had to make up my own poster-board to advertise the book when I gave lectures at bridge tournaments.

With the mystery, the publisher has created a very attractive poster I can print and has written a press release. The publisher provides no advertising—that’s my bailiwick.

SALES VENUES

The bridge book is sold through a large US online retailer of bridge supplies, Amazon, Barnes &  Noble and the like and at the publisher’s website. E-books can be purchased only on the publisher’s website. The e-book versions were available at the same time as the print version. Most online retailers had the information by the official publication date, but for some it took a bit longer. I learned there is a long lead time.

Bad Policy became available at the publisher’s earlier this week. Online retailers are starting to include it and it will become available at each one depending on their scheduling. The e-book will be available sometime after the print version, perhaps as much as a month later. Unlike the bridge book with its limited online retailers, both versions of the mystery will be available almost anywhere books are sold.

The only physical booksellers for the bridge book are those folks who sell books at bridge tournaments. I suspect the mystery will only be available in bookstores at which I make an appearance.

ROYALTIES

Good thing I’m already retired, because royalty checks aren’t going to fatten my accounts. Of course I already knew the differences in royalty provisions since I signed both contracts. It is useful to sit with a calculator and determine the expected royalty for different books depending on how they are sold.

It is not surprising that I make the most on any book I personally sell. Not only do I get an author’s royalty, but I get the retailer’s mark-up. It makes sense since I am fulfilling both roles. The contracts structure the author’s discount & royalty rates differently, but in either case I make about $5-6 on a book I personally sell. (That’s gross – for example, if I am driving to a bookstore the cost of gas, etc. is on me.)

In neither case can I personally sell an e-book. Those generate royalties in the $1.65 - $2 range.

Otherwise, my print royalties depend on how large a discount the retailer receives on my books. The mystery will pay royalties at about twice the level of the bridge book.

And of course I get nothing from a used book sale.

LINKS FOR YOU

For the price of giving the publisher your email address, you can read the first four chapters of Bad Policy for free and earn a 35% discount when you buy the book (print or e-book).

If you’d like a signed copy from me, you can order from my website.

And if you are wondering if I’ll be in your area, I have a list of planned appearances.

~ Jim