Blogger: Mary Keeley
Location: Books & Such Midwest Office, IL
As you would expect, while I attended conferences this month, I heard lots of buzz about what Amazon, “the largest retailer in the U.S.,” is up to now and speculation about its future plans. All that remains to be seen, so we can save it for future discussion.
What was clearly reinforced is that in the changing world of publishing, opportunities for both publishers and authors are opening up and being exploited. For instance, publishers are beginning to partner with other publishers to launch new online stores for eBooks. A feature that one of these start-ups will offer—that Amazon doesn’t—is recommending books on its Facebook and Twitter pages. Great sales potential for books are offered on this site. We’ll be watching this closely because of the implications for publishing contracts.
In the midst of the “change within the industry” buzz, Curtis Riskey, Executive Director of Christian Booksellers Association (CBA), spoke in one of the general sessions. CBA is sponsoring Christian Store Week October 1-10 this year. As we all know, independent Christian bookstores are struggling. He put out a plea to everyone to promote this event on our blogs and social media pages. Anyone willing to do so is welcome to e-mail info@cba.org to request a widget or two to post. Speaking to all Christians, he also urged that we point friends and family to www.Christianstores.org to purchase books. Just passing that along…
Several editors commented they see a new trend developing. They are interested in publishing short stories—“chunkies”—as short books. These are chunks of a bigger book. Kindle is selling these. A promise of hope for publishers, authors, and also we agents, who are guiding, protecting, and negotiating on your behalf, is that not only will you reap sales from these small books, but that readers of these will be led to read the complete big book as well.
Publishers are making further adjustments to the changing landscape of the industry. An editor from a large publisher commented that they are marketing to readers now, instead of to the Christian retail stores. (Of course, they’ve been doing this for a while.) In days gone by, marketing and sales forces focused efforts on placing titles into bookstores by responding to owners’ preferences, which in turn were based—in part or the whole—on preferences of customers who frequented the stores. Publishers continue to stretch way beyond this small world to reach readers directly by keeping pace with new, global opportunities.
So, what does this feedback tell you? Have you observed any of these trends? Which ones might you be able to take advantage of? Do you need further explanation from me on any of the items I’ve mentioned? And what about those independent Christian bookstores—what can they do to compete? I’m looking forward to your feedback.
Mary:
I’m way too far down the food chain in the highly vertical publishing world to have sensed any of these trends. No publisher is sending me e-mails; not even showing up in my spam catcher. I did publish a short story on Kindle, which has sold a whole three copies in three months. The good news is none of those three were to family. The bad news is my family couldn’t care less. 🙁
I’ll be watching for trends at Write To Publish.
I’m intrigued by changes in the publishing industry. Just a few comments and questions.
1. I looked at the http://www.Christianstores.org website and did not find the two Christian Bookstores we have in our town. I’m going to let the Christian Bookstores know about this site.
2.How is a “chunkie” complied? Is it by word length, chapter or ? Are the editors you mentioned suggesting to publish a “chunkie” as an ebook-like Kindle- or as a paper print book, like a short story? Are editors suggesting the public has become conditioned to “article-blogging” word count and isn’t as receptive to longer story manuscripts?
3. I’ve noticed several of the larger publishing houses have a blog, are on Facebook and Twitter. The smaller presses also seem to be reaching out to readers in a more meaningful way.
4. I’m not sure what the Christian Bookstores can do…innovate…perhaps create an environment similar to B&N with a coffee shop, comfortable chairs, tables & chairs. Of course, not sure it worked too well for Borders.
Thanks Mary.
Like Kate, I’m interested in learning more about these “chunkies.” Is the author writing a separate story using their characters or does the story actually come from the book? If that’s the case, how do have a beginning, middle and end? How long are these short stories? The concept is interesting and sounds like one to be explained in a whole blog post.
Thanks, Mary.
Coupons drive me to buy books. We have three book stores in town; Barnes and Noble, Borders and Life Way Christian Books. The reason I shop at Borders is because I get a regular e-mail from them with at least 30% off coupons, sometimes up to 50% off retail price. I have signed up for the Christian book store’s e-mail/coupons and I haven’t ever received an e-mail from them. Our Christian book store also doesn’t have the most inviting atmosphere. I sort of feel like I should be making the sign of the cross or something before I enter. I think they could do a lot to make their stores more inviting to Christians and non Christians alike.
Wow! Fabulous post today. I’m curious about “chunkies” too. I haven’t heard of them. Would love more details.
I’m also intrigued by this partnership between publishers, especially how it affects authors’ contracts. Are authors truly helped by this or are there pitfalls to this scenario?
I feel blogging has helped switch the focus to marketing to readers. It makes sense, because blogging is word of mouth promotion, except it’s done online.
Is price point an issue for Christian retailers? Honestly, I rarely set foot in a store to buy a book; especially now that I have my Kindle. If it’s a book I’m unsure of, I would rather purchase a cheaper Kindle version and risk being disappointed than drive to buy a book and pay a higher price for a printed version. In addition, since online retailers like Amazon offer free shipping when you spend more than $25, why would I waste the gas anyway?
I hate to sound unsupportive, but my work schedule doesn’t allow for a lot of leisure time, so online shopping is the norm for me.
You bring up very interesting points, Jenny. Substantial savings might encourage me to make the trek to a store.
For a while, we had three Christian bookstores in the area. One was strictly Catholic, and I got the feeling like a should genuflect upon entering and before leaving. I visited another one once, but didn’t find that great of a selection, and they tended to have a lot of trinkets and gift items to make up for that. If I wanted those things, I would visit Hallmark. I’ve never been in the only existing Christian bookstore we have, since it’s a bit of a drive. I wonder what my impressions would be.
Like Jenny, I resort (out of financial need) to going to whichever store offers the best coupon. Those coupons can sometimes even beat out the Amazon price. I really don’t know much about business, but I wonder if stores could offer more incentive programs or lower prices enough that they’d bring in so many more customers that they’d end up making more total sales. I know there’s so much more to business than that… I just don’t know what that “more” is!
Like Kate said, I love an atmosphere with books and coffee and areas to discuss or lounge. There are a couple of independently owned bookstores/coffee houses in my area that I enjoy going to because they’re family-owned and the environment is so welcoming.
Thanks for your observant and watchful eyes, Mary.
You know what, I would love to see Christian publishers publish what I’m interested in. I end up reading general market books and skipping page after page of sex and so on, to find a story I’m interested in reading. So many of my late 20 – early 30 something friends are doing the same. I would love to have a voice about what Christian publishers publish, to influence trends, etc. I feel like all I’m offered is another same old same old. I want real life.
But on Facebook, all I get are blasts that tell me about their newest book or author signings (which are fine), but there’s very little conversation going on at all. It seems like publishers just found a new way to put something in front of my face and say, ‘buy this’
(sorry for the rant) As a consumer/reader I would like to be heard (or at least feel like I’ve been heard). Maybe that’s asking too much?
I really agree with what Jenny said about coupons. Not only would this entice the general consumer, but there is practically a coupon sub-culture right now, and reaching such a large audience through coupon-centric blogs and websites would really help in getting the word out about Christian bookstores.
But there is a larger question, and one which deals directly with the current state of Christian bookstores.
Do Christian bookstores make themselves irrelevant?
A common complaint I have heard from my workings with secular college students is that when they search for Christian literature which addresses themes and issues relevant to them, it is nearly impossible to find. Or when they do find something that attempts to grapple with those themes that the books white wash the realities of this world.
I do not doubt that there are Christian writers trying to reach those students, and other people as well. Yet if there are elements of the Christian writing / publishing / retail community who are actively choosing to not distribute or carry their work, where will anyone find it? (For those writers cannot —will not—- get published in literary journals who are supposedly based upon the free and open exchange of ideas).
Then there are more mainstream genres which are completely overlooked, such as Christian sci-fi or fantasy. One would think with the success of the Narnia books and movies that it wouldn’t be a problem, but I constantly hear from fellow writers how no publisher seems willing to approach the market.
Yet clearly there is a market for science fiction; there is an entire cable channel dedicated to it, the last “Star Trek” movie was a success and is getting a sequel, and the fan base is intensely loyal. (One point which one could debate is that the reason that the “Star Trek” movie was successful is that it has name recognition and a loyal base, and thus an established franchise is not comparable to new Christian spec-fiction; however, the reason that the “Star Trek” movie was so successful was that it appealed to people other than the fan base, which is what I believe Christian spec-fiction does. Not only does it tap into the latent science fiction sub-culture, it also appeals to readers of Christian fiction who like science fiction yet find offense with the way religion and people of faith are portrayed in science fiction).
Though I guess a question I would like to ask, is that as readers is there more than one place everyone here goes to buy fiction, or do you primarily go to Christian bookstores? And if you shop at non-Christian bookstores or both Christian and secular bookstores, what are the reasons why?
Larry, Marcher Lord Press does Christian Sci-Fi.
Larry, I’ve become a one-stop shopper out of necessity. If that means I buy my Christian fiction at WalMart or Amazon because I’m buying something else, then that’s what I’m going to do. Part of it is that I honestly don’t enjoy shopping in any form, so if I am somewhere buying another item and I stumble across a book I know I want, I might pick it there instead.