the seven secrets of ebook publishing success - baipa may 14, 2011
DESCRIPTION
This presentation was given by Mark Coker of Smashwords on May 14, 2011 to the Bay Area Independent Publishers Association. The presentation begins with discussion of macro trends facing the publishing industry, then provides a summary of how to produce, publish, price and distribute an ebook. It concludes with The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success, a collection of best-practices gleaned from the best-selling authors at Smashwords.TRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
The Seven Secrets to Ebook Publishing Success
BAIPAMay 14, 2011
Mark Coker Founder, Smashwords
![Page 2: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
My Backstory
![Page 3: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
The Problem with Big Publishing
• Ossified business practices have changed little in 50 years
• Backward looking acquisitions
• Books acquired based on perceived commercial potential
• Manhattan sky rise rents add no value to a book
• Requiring authors to take on publisher responsibilities (editing, marketing)
• Unable to take a risk on every deserving author
• Readers shut out
![Page 4: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
My Answer to the Problem: Smashwords
• Ebook publishing and distribution platform
• Free ebook publishing tools for authors and publishers
• Ebook conversion, publishing and distribution
• Marketing tools
• Distribute to Apple, Sony, B&N, Kobo, ScrollMotion, Diesel, etc.
• 85% net back to author/publisher
![Page 5: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
How Smashwords Works
• UPLOAD
• Author/publisher uploads a Microsoft Word file, formatted to our Style Guide
• Free conversion to 9 ebook formats
• Ready for immediate sale online
• DISTRIBUTE
• Distribution to major retailers
• GET PAID
• Authors/publishers receive 85% of net = 60% list from major retailers
![Page 6: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
0
1000020000300004000050000600007000080000
2008 2009 2010 2011
Indie ebooks published at Smashwords
1406,000
28,500
75,000 (est)
![Page 7: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
THREE BIG TRENDS RESHAPING THE RULES OF PUBLISHING
(and what it means to you)
![Page 8: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
TREND ONE
Bookselling moving to the Web
![Page 9: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
Bookselling moves to the Web
• Superior book buying experience
• Customer drivers:
• Price
• Convenience
• Selection
• Self-published books (P- & E-) displayed side by side with traditional books
• Big publishers lose primacy
• If brick & mortar disappears, publishers lose key value proposition: exclusive access to distribution and readers
![Page 10: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Percentage of book purchases made online vs B&M, P- and E-
Brick &Mortar
Web
Today?
![Page 11: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
TREND TWO
Authors Become Publishers
![Page 12: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
Authors becoming publishers
• The power in publishing is shifting to authors
• Free and low cost self-publishing allows authors to bypass publishers
• Democratized access to distribution
• Favorable economics for indies
• reap up to 100% of retail price, vs. 5-17%
• More professional authors will go indie
• Mass exodus imminent?
![Page 13: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
Number of books published indie vs. traditional
Indie books
Today?
New trad. books
![Page 14: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
TREND THREE:
As Reading Moves to Screens, Ebooks Will Overtake print
![Page 15: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
Reading moving to screens
![Page 16: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
Ebooks as a percentage of US wholesale trade market
Source: Association of American Publishers, publishers.org
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
2002 2004 2006 2008 2010
![Page 17: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
Ebooks to overtake print
Print books
Ebooks
Today?
![Page 18: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
Ebooks replacing print faster than most realize
• In January 2011, Sourcebooks earned 35% of revenue from ebooks
• Jan-Feb 2011 vs Jan-Feb 2010
• E-Books increased by 169.4% while all categories combined of print trade books declined by 24.8% (Source: AAP press release, April 14, 2011)
• Ebook unit market share even higher
• Some best-selling indies selling 1,000 e- for every p-
![Page 19: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
Why ebooks are hot
• Screens can offer better reading experience than paper
•Changeable font size A A A A
• Portable and compact
• Ebooks offer better purchasing experience
• Huge selection
• Convenient sampling and purchasing
• Lower cost than print
![Page 20: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
Indie Authors and Small Presses Have Opportunity to Out-Publish Big
Publishers
• Asymmetric competition
• field tilted in indie’s favor
• Smaller indie authors/publishers
• democratized distribution
• instant access to global market
• lower expenses
• closer to customers
• never go out of print
• earn more per book
![Page 21: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
Indie ebook economics will drive revolution
• Higher profits than traditional
• Earn 60-100% list price for indie e- vs. 5-17% traditional
• Price ebooks for less yet still make more per copy than traditionally pubbed print authors
• $8 indie ebook earns ~ $5.00, vs <$.40 trad MMP
• $.99 indie ebook earns $.60 - $.70
• Lower price = reach more readers = more sales at higher profits per sale
MMP=Mass market paperback, aka “pocket book” in some countries
![Page 22: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
How to produce and publish an ebook
![Page 23: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
Planning your move to ebooks
• Forget (some of) what you know
• Don’t try to make e- look like p-
• Ebooks consumed differently than print
• Less = more with ebooks
• Liberate text from complex formatting and layout
• Design for reflowability, small screens
![Page 24: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
Ebook devices (and customers) shape shift text
• Example of Smashwords novel, All Good Things Die in L.A. by Anhoni Patel
• iPhone, using the Stanza reader. User-selected options: Font: Verdana; Background pattern: Stone carving; text color: Dark Violet; Font size: larger than normal
![Page 25: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
Multi-format important
• PDF does not = ebook any more
• Multi-format lets customer enjoy your book their way
• Top 4: EPUB, MOBI/PRC, PDF, HTML
• Expands your selling & distribution options
![Page 26: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
How to Create an Ebook
• Preparation
• Most books originate in Word or other word processor
• Anticipate the shape shift
• Simplify formatting and layout, see Smashwords Style Guide at http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/52
• Conversion Options
• Automated (e.g. Smashwords, Amazon)
• Direct from book layout software (e.g. save as PDF, EPUB)
• DIY conversion tools (Google ‘ebook conversion tools’)
• Hire ebook formatter/designer/coder (Complex books)
![Page 27: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)
Pricing
![Page 28: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/28.jpg)
Pricing
• Determine objective
• Maximize readers, profits or both?
• Price lower than print
• Low price is marketing tool
• Non-fiction supports higher prices than fiction
• Price is not sole determining factor
• High prices may encourage piracy
![Page 29: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/29.jpg)
Distribution
![Page 30: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/30.jpg)
Ebook retailers want indie ebooks
Mobile apps
![Page 31: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/31.jpg)
Content Distribution Options
Direct to customer
Direct to retailer Distributor Publisher
Pros High margin, direct contact with readers, retain all rights
Good margin, exposure to millions of readers, real time reporting, retain rights
Good margin, time-savings, access to multiple retailers , aggregated reporting and analytics, retain rights, priority support
Advance, access to B&M retail, editing and revision, marketing and promotion, prestige
Cons Customer service burden, credit card processing fees, tough to attract traffic
Time consuming to manage multiple relationships, not all retailers offer direct option, distributors may offer higher margins
Delayed reported from retailers (1-4 weeks), takes 7.5-10% commission on retail price
Low royalties, reporting delayed up to six months, limited distribution, Lose rights, can go out of print quickly
![Page 32: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/32.jpg)
The Seven Secrets to Indie Ebook Publishing Success
(how to participate in the ebook revolution)
![Page 33: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/33.jpg)
Secret #1
![Page 34: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/34.jpg)
#1 Write a Great Book
• With the power to publish comes the responsibility to be a great publisher
• Honor your reader with a great book
• Be fanatical about quality
• Edit, revise, edit, revise, repeat
• Leverage beta readers
• Invest in a great cover image
![Page 35: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/35.jpg)
Would You Buy This Book?
![Page 36: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/36.jpg)
Professional Covers Not Expensive (this was $45)
![Page 37: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/37.jpg)
Secret Two
![Page 38: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/38.jpg)
#2 Write Another Great Book
• Build a backlist
• Each new book offers the opportunity to market your backlist
• The best-selling authors/publishers on Smashwords offer deep backlists
• Build trust with your reader
![Page 39: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/39.jpg)
Secret Three
![Page 40: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/40.jpg)
#3 Maximize Distribution
• If your book is not available, it’s not discoverable
• Retailers invest millions of dollars to attract readers to your book
• Consider using a distributor to get your book sold in as many ebook stores as possible *
• spend your time writing, producing, marketing
* Smashwords is a distributor, so of course I believe this
![Page 41: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/41.jpg)
Ebook retailers want indie ebooks
Mobile apps
![Page 42: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/42.jpg)
Secret Four
![Page 43: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/43.jpg)
#4 Give (some of) Your Books away for Free
• The most misunderstood, most underutilized market development tool
• If you have a deep backlist, offer at least one book for free
• Eliminates financial risk for first-time readers
• The highest grossing authors/publishers at Smashwords offer at least one free book
Additional resource: Read FREE, by Chris Anderson
![Page 44: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/44.jpg)
Secret Five
![Page 45: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/45.jpg)
#5 Patience is a Virtue
• Ebooks can develop differently
• Trad. print books – big sell-in, then yanked from shelves, then sales go to near zero
• Ebooks – can start small and grow slowly before breakout
• Ebooks are immortal
• Never go out of print
• Think of each book and each retailer as an asset that will yield income over the long term
• Each retailer listing is a seedling, nourish it
![Page 46: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/46.jpg)
Secret Six
![Page 47: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/47.jpg)
#6 Trust Your Readers and Partners
• If you practice paranoia, you and your books might as well live in a cave
• Trust your readers
• DRM is counterproductive
• If you don’t trust your readers to honor your copyright, you’ll reach fewer paid readers
• Trust your supply chain partners
• If you limit distribution due to lack of trust, you’ll limit your success
![Page 48: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/48.jpg)
Secret Seven
![Page 49: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/49.jpg)
#7 Marketing Starts Yesterday
• Marketing starts before you write your book
• Cultivate your social network
• Contribute, share ideas, support your fellow writers and publishers
• Don’t spam your network
• Your social network will help you reach first readers
• Your readers are your sales force
• Give them tools to market your books for you
• Network your books with hyperlinks
Resource: Smashwords Book Marketing Guide
![Page 50: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/50.jpg)
BONUS Secret Eight
![Page 51: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/51.jpg)
Secret #8 Architect for Virality
• Secrets #1 - #7 help maximize virality
• Books have always been a word of mouth business
• Your readers determine your success
• It’s all about word of mouth (and mouse)
• Understand the power of your “first reader”
![Page 52: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/52.jpg)
The Viral Dream
First reader
More Readers
![Page 53: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/53.jpg)
Viral Decay, The Reality
First reader
Readers
![Page 54: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/54.jpg)
Negative Virality
First reader
This booksucks!!!!
= Last reader
![Page 55: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/55.jpg)
How to Architect for Virality
• Implement the Seven
• Eliminate friction that limits
• availability
• sampling
• purchasing
• enjoyment
Additional resource: Read The Viral Loop by Adam Penenberg
![Page 56: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/56.jpg)
The 7 8 Secrets to Ebook Publishing Success
1. Write a great book
2. Write another great book
3. Maximize distribution
4. Give (some of) your books away for FREE
5. Trust your readers and partners
6. Have patience
7. Marketing starts yesterday
8. Architect for virality
Visit the Smashwords Blog, 9/16/2010 for the 7 Secrets to Failure: http://blog.smashwords.com/2010/09/seven-secrets-to-ebook-publishing.html
![Page 57: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/57.jpg)
Summary
• With great change comes great risk
• Leverage change to your advantage
• Power of publishing is shifting to authors and small publishers
• Readers determine your success
• Opportunity to reach readers has never been greater
![Page 58: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/58.jpg)
Ebook Publishing Resources
• Smashwords Style Guide (how to format an ebook)
• Smashwords Book Marketing Guide (how to market any book)
• Mark’s List – Low cost formatters, cover designers [email protected]
![Page 59: The Seven Secrets of Ebook Publishing Success - BAIPA May 14, 2011](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062511/54c653ce4a7959ed238b459a/html5/thumbnails/59.jpg)
Thank you for listening!
Q&A
Connect with Mark Coker:
Web: www.smashwords.com
Blog: blog.smashwords.com
HuffPo: huffingtonpost.com/mark-coker
Twitter: @markcoker
Email: first initial second initial at
smashwords.com