Blogger: Wendy Lawton
Location: Books & Such Central Valley Office, CA
First published: February 12,2009
On Monday we talked about book advances and how important it is to “earn out” advances. Tuesday’s blog addressed the sometimes-depressing subject of sales numbers. Since we’ve been talking reality so far this week, let’s talk about what can be done if we’ve got a less-than-stellar sales track record.
1. Learn from our past. Don’t be afraid to perform a postmortem. Did you put 100% effort into author promotion? The easiest thing is to blame the publisher or the marketing department. “If they just put the same kind of effort into my book that they put into John Grisham’s last book, well. . .” or “The title and cover killed it.” Some of that may be true, but assigning blame doesn’t help you come up with a game plan for future books. Was it the right book? Did you rush the ending? Did it start out slow? Was it derivative? The more problems you uncover, the more solutions you can devise to make next time different.
2. Assess the possibilities. Okay, you may have bombed. Or if you didn’t actually bomb you may be stuck in ho-hum territory. The best possible scenario is that your editor and publisher still believe in you and are looking forward to your next book. If so, skip down to #3. Unfortunately, we are living in a nervous, knee-jerk climate right now so there’s always a chance that your publisher will have to pass on your next project. If that is the case, throw yourself into #3, work on #4 and focus on #5 as you seek to find a new publisher.
3. Dig deep and come up with that break-out book. This is no time to dust off a manuscript from your bottom drawer and put a little spit shine on it. You need to write the best book of your career. Publishers have reduced the number of slots for authors so they are looking for the perfect go-to person for each slot. Try to come up with the book only you can write. The book of your life. No pressure, of course. 🙂
4. Work on your platform and your connections. While you’re waiting to make that next sale you need to keep expanding your territory. Stay active online. Network. Go to writer’s conferences. Speak. Write articles. Become the kind of writer a publishing committee simply can’t turn down.
5. Trust your agent. As we present your next project, it’s up to us to try to put your numbers in context. We work hard in our presentations to balance reviews and the quality of writing with the fiscal aspects to help mitigate concern over numbers. While in a shrinking market everyone wants a sure thing, editors take great pride in discovering that break-out book.
6. Be realistic about advances and be willing to share the risk with the publisher. Once your agent has made your next sale, we’ll want to work hard to make sure this project is a success. That’s what career-building is all about.
7. Lean on the Lord. This strategy is first, last and in the middle. That’s the wonderful thing. We analyze, theorize, mitigate, justify and do cartwheels, but how many miracles have you seen in this business of ours?
I’ve only touched on a few strategies. What are some other strategies that might work?
So… From a “multi-dimensionality” standpoint, what conferences, etc., would be worth going to to network and enhance the platform?
I notice your office is going to the SF bookfair. Should authors make an attempt to go there? Stuff like that. Is there a short list?
Lovin’ your blog. Thanks!
That’s a tough question, Bill, since there are so many options and geography is an important consideration. I know you can’t beat Mount Hermon Christian Writer’s Conference. http://mounthermon.org/adult/professionals/writers-conference/
You asked about the San Francisco Writer’s Conference which Janet and I will attend this weekend. It’s an ABA conference and we go to connect with many of NY editors. If you are writing for that market it’s a great regional conference with excellent speakers.
But also consider non-writing conferences in your particular specialty. for instance, Jan Kern, who writes great books for teens in crisis attends youth ministry conferences to connect with the pastors who need to recommend her books. For you, you might see if you could host a book signing at your denominational annual meeting. Be creative.
Sometimes we stick to close to our fellow writers when we need to get out there and connect to potential readers.
Love #7, Wendy! God has a wonderful way of surprising us, yes?
Thanks so much for your insight!
Warmly,
~Jill
This is fascinating, Wendy!
Reading this entire week with great interest. I love how each of these women is putting their heart and soul into helping writers see more clearly. You are all a blessing.
God is in control – and working for us, not against us. He has a plan for our future – one that is for good and not evil.
We need to hear the truth about writing business – it helps us focus on what is important and to live authentically. Thanks so much, Wendy!
Wendy,
I too, love #7…He continues to amaze me with His strategies!
Are you advising scrapping promotional efforts for a book with minimal sales,and moving on to another project? What about re-packaging that book with a CD “read by author,” or making a downloadable excerpt of the book available online? Would it be worth the time and energy?
Has it happened that an author’s next book actually increased sales of a previous book that didn’t perform well in the beginning?
Do you ever feel like a lawyer presenting a “case” before a Judge? (#5…that’s a LOL)
Thanks for sharing your expertise.
Great insights, Wendy! Thanks for taking the time to clearly walk us through the process. With my book releasing in paperback next month, I’m working hard at #4. Great to see where that fits in the bigger process.
Cheers, jon
P.S. Great connecting at the Writer’s Conf!
Another intriguing post, Wendy. Do you find that many editors are willing to stick with an author whose previous project didn’t fare so well and work through it, or do most pass on that author completely? (I know this is a hard question to answer, as I imagine it’s a case-by-case situation, but I’m just wondering if you’ve noticed a majority one way or the other.)
Thank you again for these helpful posts.
Good post. What part does “jacket” design play in Ebook sales? How does compare with paper books?
Thanks!
Kate, that’s a hard call to make from afar. If marketing has not done the trick in the first six months, chances are, it won’t. Books that get a slow start and explode in the second or third year do so by word of mouth. It’s spontaneous and usually can’t be orchestrated.
When publishers see that kind of spontaneous combustion, they often come alongside with a brand new marketing push. If a book starts to break out, there’s usually no stopping it.
But if a book just isn’t moving I’m not sure any amount of money and energy can change it. I might be wrong, but. . .
What do you think? How much can marketing accomplish? How much of it are circumstances, timing, etc? How much of it is that the book just didn’t catch the readers’ attention?
Caroline, I’m finding that publishing houses are less willing to keep working with a not-yet-successful author than they ever were. Of course it depends on the house and the editor and how much they love working with the author and how much they love the writing and/or topic.
But with a limited number of slots and an unlimited number of exciting potential talent out there, authors don’t have an unlimited time to prove themselves these days. Many an editor is reading about exciting debut authors with break-out books published by their competition and it contributes to a feeling of urgency. “It’s just not happening here and by continuing I may be missing out on the next big breakout.”
All these things are cyclical and as soon as we start hearing more twenty-years-to-build-to-stardom stories, we’ll see a shift.
Stowe, e-books are a totally different subject. I recently talked about them at https://booksandsuch.com/blog/broken-things-e-books/
I think it’s too early to tell how important covers are. We think very important, but we need to keep watching.
I’m hoping (and praying!) to attend the ACFW conference this year and I’m sooo nervous, but excited, too! I LOVE networking and making new friends. Probably sounds incredibly cheesy, but it’s true. : )
Any helpful hints/tips about that one, Wendy? (I have these horrible visions of getting locked in a bathroom stall and then missing something really important!)
Cynthia, Rachel Kent addressed writer’s conferences recently at https://booksandsuch.com/blog/making-the-mos…onference-time and
https://booksandsuch.com/blog/be-prepared/.
You’ll love it. ACFW does a wonderful job of making attendees feel right at home. You’ll feel like an old pro before many hours pass.
I’m not going to be on faculty this year but I plan to be there just to enjoy the conference, so be sure to introduce yourself.
One thing a book that breaks out later down the road and one that’s an instant best seller have in common is they strike a chord in people. They somehow deal with an issue that’s close to people’s heart. In both fiction and non-fiction.
So I think it’s important to look at ourselves and pinpoint what really strikes us at our core. Then take these and apply them to our book and our characters. We have to dig deep.
I have to remind myself I’m doing this not just for myself, but to reach people with God’s message through my stories. It helps when I want to complain about the tough things.
Thanks, Wendy. It’s far too easy to make sweeping judgements about where “fault” lies. It would be difficult, I think, to find a failure borne from just one variable.
In my day job (health care quality), problems are called “opportunities for improvement.” I prefer success, but failure is a very effective teacher. You packed a lot of hope into this post, Wendy. Thank you.
#7, the number of perfection, is exactly right for this redemptive strategy.
Thanks for your thorough answer, Wendy. That’s on track with what I was thinking. And, thank you for pointing out the cyclical nature of even this kind of trend. Thankfully, as you said in your seventh point, He’s in control through ALL of these cycles!
Thank you Wendy for answering my questions.
Six months seem like a very short period of time for a book to reach it’s potential, considering the lengthy publishing process. I’m assuming there must be considerable pre-publication/distribution promotion by the author and publisher.
Do agents participate in promoting their clients books?
I wish I knew the answer to your questions. How much could marketing accomplish and how much is timing and circumstances…well, if I had a clue, you can bet I’d write a book and try to get it published! I’m not sure there is a formula for success. There are some principles we can put into practice, but beyond our efforts, prayer and the grace of God, I think we have to attribute some things to being in the right place at the right time…and it just all comes together.
Hi Wendy,
I tried to click the links about preparing for Writer’s Conferences you posted, but there seems to be something wrong with them (the first says “Nothing found” and the second enters into the last half of a post). Is there another way I can find the material?
Thanks!
This is just what I needed to read right now.
Got some rebuilding to do.
Thanks, Wendy!
What a great article, Wendy. I’m just catching up, it’s been a crazy week. Number 4 has always been something I’ve pushed with my clients.