Why Don't Authors Research the Industry Before Publishing Their Book?
Sunday, April 11, 2010 It never ceases to amaze me how many authors, particularly those that self-publish or use a subsidy press, don't research the publishing industry to understand basic concepts that are necessary to create a book that is comparable to one published by a traditional publisher. If the self-published author feels his or her story is as exciting and as good as Dan Brown's books, then why would this same author not take steps to create a product that is as superior in design?
For example, our guidelines for submission for review indicate "...be sure to give us the BISAC/genre of the book." We are inundated with emails asking what BISAC means. First of all, it is obvious the authors didn't research criteria necessary to place on the back of the book, nor have they perused the local books stores to see what is actually on backs of books. Not only that, it's clear that these same people didn't google the term before they emailed us. (If you are wondering why we need the BISAC it's because many times we don't have a clue what the genre is of the book - sometimes it looks like a novel, but it could be a memoir.)
But, it's not only the authors that are not aware what makes a cover pass industry standards; many of the author coaches, shepherds, or consultants don't either. Just recently I communicated with an author wondering what the BISAC was that we required. In the same email she explained that she hired an author shepherd to help her with the self-published book. I told her that she needed to consult with the shepherd on this matter. However, the interesting response was that she had sent the question to the shepherd and got the answer "I don't know what BISAC is. "Expert? Not.
Another thing that never ceases to amaze me is many authors don't read books, or even go to book stores. If this statement surprises you, I understand. It surprised me too! On many occasions we've had the opportunity to ask authors who their favorite authors are or what books they recently have read. Majority of the answers we get go something like this:
I haven't read a book for several years.
I haven't read a book for the past year.
I haven't been to a bookstore for years.
What?!! Why would a writer, who wants to become a successful author, not read books? And, why wouldn't a writer, who wants to become a successful author, not go into a bookstore? I just don't get it.
To continue in that realm, why is it these same authors expect others to read their books yet don't read other author's books? These are also the same ones that get discouraged, and in fact angry, because their books aren't selling. Well, duh.
But, it's not only the BISAC that's missing. Some self-published or subsidy press books have blank back covers and/or the interiors are often badly formatted. For example, some interiors are double spaced, others look like someone has taken the manuscript off the Word doc file and reduced it to "sort-of" fit on the page, others have the text running into the fold of the book, and others have used a font that is extremely hard to read or super large.
There is more than just writing a book and expecting it to become a best seller overnight. The book will not have a hope of going anywhere if the product is inferior or extensive research isn't done. Writing is a minor piece of producing a book. For example, some of the aspects that need research are:
Why is there a need for this book?
What hole in the genre or topic can it fill?
Why are you the best person to write this book?
Will readers still be reading your book 2 to 5 years from now? (And, the answer isn't "I hope so.")
What are the 6 most recent successful books in this same genre? Why are they successful? Does your book meet the same standards as these successful books?
I can venture to say most authors that self-publish or use a subsidy press haven't even considered these questions. It's a sad truth because I see it over and over again in the books we receive for review. Not only are many books in dire need of editing, (see my previous post) it is obvious no thought was given into creating a product that meets the standards of books published by a traditional publisher.
Why not? I want to hear your thoughts on this. Please leave a comment below.
Okay, I'm not going to embarrass you if you don't know what a BISAC is. Check it out here.
As well, I have to qualify and say that some (not all) subsidy presses do have the BISAC on the backs of the books but only if they create the cover. If the author sends in the cover image without the BISAC it's not included.
Irene Watson is the Managing Editor of Reader Views, where avid readers can find reviews of recently published books as well as read interviews with authors. Her team also provides author publicity and a variety of other services specific to writing and publishing books.
Reader Comments (9)
Hello Irene
Good article. I believe why some authors don't research is:
1. do not know of an author personally,who can help them in the business.
2. Or they may know of a friend or family member who wrote a book, but did not talk to them about publishing dos and don'ts
I will speak for myself. I did a lot of researching. Talk to other small authors and went to the Book Expo to gain more information. Order books on how to publish and I had a friend who published a book and ask her questions. But, let's be realistic, you only get the answers from the questions you ask. After I published my first book, I thought I knew at least 90% of the business, however, when publishing the second book, I had a rude awakening. I published with POD companies and they only tell you what you ask. so, I left the publishing up to them. And it was a huge mistake.
My first mistake, I didn't let a professional photogher take the pictures and each time the book was printed the pictures were darker. The second company, I thought I asked all the right questions, but it was a color- picture-book, and if the book has flaws due to printing, they didn't want to reimburse me for damage goods and the book cost to sell was $40.00, no one wanted to buy a book that expensive. So, I took a lost, by buying the book for 27.00 from the company and sellling it for 20.00. I have taken the disk back and with the help of my book coach will redo the book and find another printer.
With my third book, I have self-published and invested in a book coach. This time around, I know I spent my monies worth, In addition. I spent less self-publishing then with the PODs companies.
You can say, you learn as you go, especially for those of us, who are not in the industry.
But with your helpful newsletter and your interest in authors to achieve their best. I strongly believe: authors will have a better platform and success with their books.
Thanks for all your help.
Renee Wiggins
Amen! I too am amazed at how many people invest a huge amount of time in writing a book but don't take the time to understand the publishing business. Writing for personal fulfillment is a wonderful thing, but if you want to make money from your books and be taken seriously as an author, you need to treat it like a business.
There are lots of resources available (articles, websites, blogs, books, podcasts, teleseminars, coaches) but it's a good idea to make sure that the folks you are listening to are experienced in the industry. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation floating around the Web. Here are some books to get you started: http://bit.ly/9t6lNk
Dana Lynn Smith
The Savvy Book Marketer
One of the most ironic things about the "information" age is that despite the fact there is so much knowledge on the Internet, in book stores, libraries etc...and how easy it is nowadays to look for and find information, many folks remain hugely ignorant about what they say is important to them.
For example, when working as a career coach at a top university while getting my doctorate, each semester recruiters would bemoan the high number of students who did not know (or cared to find out) even the most basic things about their company/business before applying for jobs. They never took the time to go to the organization's website or useful online sites such as Vault.com, to discover not only what the job was but to consider whether it fitted their personality and personal goals.
I've pondered this question for some time: Why do so-called aspiring writers not do more to inform and educate themselves about the industry which they say they desire to enter? Two things occur to me;
1) Words are cheap; what really determines the measure of a person's passion and drive is what they do. Those who expect things to be handed to them on a plate, or are happy to wander around in complete ignorance, are likely--in terms of the hero's journey--to give up when presented with the inevitable challenges. They just haven't got what it takes and there will always be a huge chasm between what they say they want and what they're prepared to do to get it.
2) I read a snippet by Stephen Covey in the Readers' Digest some months ago regarding how to find work in an economic downturn. Some individuals acted like ideapreneurs and would wow prospective employers by showing rather than telling them how they could add value to their business. They'd dispense with the usual "send in a resume and cover letter" nonsense that only puts you in a heap with everyone else. They'd go out of their way to find relevant contacts within the company, think long and hard about a current organizational issue or problem, then offer--freely--one idea that would help mitigate that. As Covey pointed out, everyone he knew who did that found work (sometimes to the point of an organization creating a new job just for them), but only 10% of folks tended to bother.
Which brings me to my final point. People who talk less, act more; demonstrate uniqueness; have the passion and drive to succeed in whatever sphere they set their mind to etc., are extraordinary indeed. Look up the definition of "extraordinary" and you'll find words like "rare," "superior," "uncommon." Covey's right: only a small percentage of the population fit the bill. I'm proud of being one of them and need to get over my dismay that not more folks want to be part of this exclusive club!
Hello Irene:
I'm a subscriber to your newsletter. But I had not taken a close look at it until today.
So I'm writing to say that I appreciate your remarks concerning budding authors.
Your observations on submissions and authors are especially important because
you are in the publishing business.
That said, I plan to start reading more of your columns. Why? I hope to write a novel
some day. But now, I realize that being a veteran print journalist is not enough.
Good research and in-depth education concerning the publishing world is imperative.
So your advice is just the kind of input I needed.
Thank you for taking the time to inform your readers.
Rosie
Good article, Irene.
I am one of the people who doesn't do many of the things you say authors must do. I am not a saleswoman, and my heart sinks and my stomach clenches when I think I am going to have to explain why my book will sell better than others. I hate sitting at the computer researching things when I want to be writing. I don't know if my books will sell better than others, and I don't want to have to prove that they will do something I don't know they will do! I am a writer; that is to say, my head gets filled with words that demand to be written, and I have to write them. I do as good a job as I can, and that includes presenting them in a way that will make them easily available to others. However, I don't think everyone should read my books. Only the people who are interested should read them. I don't know who those people will be. I'm often surprised at the people who enjoy my books.
I read a great deal when I was younger, but nowadays I read very little because I find most books are either depressing or limited in their perspective on life (I have a particularly broad perspective on life). I also have a very hard time reading books that are badly written, and I regret to say that includes a lot of books.
So, that's what goes on for me. I often feel I am not very suited to this world, and I would not be producing books if I could stop the words that demand to be written, but if I don't write them they keep me awake at night.
Yes, I need someone to market my books for me! I'm already on a pretty tight budget and losing money rapidly on my books, however.
So there you go!
It’s true that many writers don’t read books by other authors. I used to read a lot more before I started writing. Part of the problem is as writers, we have to do heavy research almost every day. Add to that marketing via social media, advertising and etc plus working on one's writing skills, very little time is left to do much else. At lease that’s true in my case. I read a ton of material to a point where my eyes are exhausted and sometimes they hurt. So when I take a break, I really need to stop reading and go for a walk, do a load of laundry or sleep in order to give my eyes the badly needed rest. This is one of the biggest problems that I deal with everyday. I so do love reading as much as writing. And I still do read books by other authors but not as much and as often as I would like to.
I do agree with submerging ourselves in the book industry so that we may learn as much as possible. If there’s a word or a term I don’t understand, I usually look it up online. The internet is truly amazing and informative. It’s crucial that independent authors research bookstores and books published by major publishing houses in order to learn what other authors are doing and make sure that their project is in line with other books and that it looks professional.
Your article touches on many important points and reminds us all of the things we should be doing to support each other and help our books succeed.
Hi, Irene!
All your points are well taken. As a generalization, I would certainly agree that most budding authors do not read books. However, I feel you do exaggerate the importance of BISAC Subject Headings. This is a wonderful program admittedly, but I've yet to see it used. No doubt there are some books carrying this code in my library, but looking at the three books I purchased at Borders the day before yesterday -- all 2009 first editions from mainstream USA publishers -- not one of them carried this information, either on their back covers or anywhere else!
All my very best wishes!
John
Dear Irene,
I want to complement you on the recent series of editorials. A couple of weeks ago, I recall you writing that people had asked if you were getting burned out or negative about publishing. Doesn't seem that way to me. Your editorials sound like the words of a mature, seasoned participant in the publishing industry. They're wake up calls for the rest of us.
Your most recent editorial on BISAC codes prompted me to write. Why don't people publishing books know about BISAC codes? Because they're normal human beings. I've been reading Harvard professor Daniel Gilbert's bestselling STUMBLING ON HAPPINESS. Gilbert says that the facts that we have language and use tools are not what distinguish human beings from all other species on the planet. Rather, we're unique because we're the only species that thinks about the future.
According to Gilbert, we're also distinguished by the fact that we make really lousy predictions. We're incurable optimists and imagine the coming years will be far better than they turn out to be. In fact, Gilbert cites studies showing that clinically depressed people have a much better track record in predicting the future than normal people.
What does this have to do with BISAC codes and properly set up books? Lots. That unsinkable human optimism operates for writers, too. Say I have an idea for a book. It's burning inside me. When I write, I feel like the words are being dictated by a higher power. How can this one fail? Won't readers see its intrinsic goodness even if I make a few little mistakes?
After querying for a year and getting nothing but rejections from literary agents, I decide to self publish. (Do I know anything about querying or self publishing? No.) Fortunately, the self publishing industry is poised to leap forward, giving me all sorts advice: good, bad, and utterly stupid. I get my book in print.
"In print" means anything from "indistinguishable from a book put out by the top major publishers" to "something with pages and a cover." Does this matter? Yes.
Have you ever watched your local book store owner leaf through your book, determining whether or not to stock it and let you have that author signing?
I have. It took her about 15 seconds. She went to specific spots on the book (top left rear cover, cover in general, copyright page, index). She knew what a BISAC code was.
Fifteen seconds. That's what you've got to get your book on the shelf. The book's set up has to be close to perfect if your goals are sales and success as an author. If you're writing for your friends and family, you can relax forget about all this and produce whatever you want. (Chances are, your mom will not tell you it's a mess.)
But do we write just for our friends? Don't we all harbor the desire for literary success? To have millions of people read share our vision? Don't we believe our book will beat the odds?
That deep down conviction IS our inner optimist, ignoring reality and predicting the future with typically inaccurate results.
I have read statistics about how many books fail to earn back production costs, the number of small presses created each year (in the tens of thousands), the number of new titles coming on line (in the millions or hundreds of thousands) [and here, Irene, help me if you have more data ] The competition facing any new book is horrendous.
How am I going to make my book stand out given what's facing it? Contemplating the facts is enough to make a person clinically depressed. But people–-including me–– don't look at the facts because of that grand ol' optimism.
Rather than getting angry when a book doesn't sell, a smart author/publisher will make sure his or her books pass muster before a word hits the page. Getting competent help is a good idea. (If your book shepherd doesn't know what a BISAC code is, you've got a problem.)
Also, having a wonderfully produced and written book is NOT a guarantee of success. Many beautifully written and produced books fail to sell. Why? I dunno.
How about an editorial on that subject, Irene?
Sandy Nathan
Vilasa Press
Award-winning author of Numenon
www.YourShelfLife.com
Irene - well I regret to confess I had never heard about BISAC codes, even when talking to bookstore managers about carrying my book. They usually ask for the genre, and then subclassification, ie. Fiction/Fantasy/Epic. In all my research, I never once came across it.
It really makes one wonder what we don't know - one of the other bloggers adroitly pointed out that there is so much information it can be overwhelming. And so many "experts" that winnowing through them is rather a challenge in itself.
After your newsletter, I went off to research BISAC codes, and found (what I thought) was a very helpful piece from the Writers Guild of East Oregon at http://blog.wgeo.org/2008/02/20/what-is-a-bisac-code/ which I share with other readers.
Best regards,
Claudia Newcorn
Author of Crossover & Dark Fire
Award-winning fantasy fiction like nothing you’ve ever read!
http://www.claudianewcorn.com