Blogger: Wendy Lawton
Location: Books & Such Central Valley Office
Times are tough. How often have we heard those words of late? Publishing is less forgiving. Retail is brutal. The upshot is that everyone is risk averse these days. Everyone wants the tried and true– a sure thing.
What does that mean for authors? If you are a bestselling author you are on everyone’s dance card. Your biggest challenge is to figure out how best to say no to the offers that come in. When it comes to shelf space in bookstores, you are front and center. If you are a new author or a midlist author, it means the opposite. It is difficult to get someone to take a chance on you and, if you are published, even more difficult to get shelf space. You may walk into your book superstore only to find that they will be “happy to place an order” for your book. You’re promoting like crazy, and the stores aren’t even stocking the book.
Even when we look at it from the publisher’s point of view or through the eyes of the bookstore buyer, it’s still so frustrating. We understand. We want both to be fiscally healthy so the industry can be healthy, but how do we build a career?
It’s an unfortunate trend, and one change I need to mourn. When publishers concentrate on the tried and true:
- They forego discovering something new, something Harry Potter-ish, that could change the very climate of publishing.
- The books published by the same circle of writers run the risk of becoming predictable.
- Publishers forget that it took years (and a lot of risk) to develop those bestselling authors. Are they investing in the new crop of authors? (Truthfully? Many are.)
- If publishers decide a book has to follow a certain tried-and-true formula do we risk boring the readers?
When the bookstores focus on the bestsellers:
- They potentially limit their customer base.
- Because most books are still returnable, there’s little risk in shelving a wide variety, and it gives the customers a wider world of possibilities.
- They miss the joy of ownership that comes with discovery of a new voice.
- They don’t allow their customers the fun of being “first fans” and the excitement that comes with that.
Most publishers and most bookstores are doing a good job with the resources available- they are still champions of the great new book–but if the trend continues, who knows where we will be?
Now it’s your turn. We’ve talked about discovering new voices. Who have you discovered? Have you been a “first fan” of someone long before they became a bestseller?
Morgan L. Busse
I have been doing some book reviews for Marcher Lord Press and discovered a great book. I know the description would turn off most people (and I’ll admit I wasn’t sure if I would like it myself). Its a non-human non-earth science fiction (there, I just lost some of you lol). It took a couple chapters to get in, but then I was hooked.
Not only did Stuart Stockton write a great science fiction, Starfire has some deep, meaty themes and conflicts going on. The end surprised me and had me thinking about both the plot and the characters long after I finished the book.
Excellent, excellent book 🙂
Lynn Dean
My most delightful discoveries were personal and somewhat accidental.
When Ronie Kendig asked my military husband and I to read through Nightshade and Digitalis (the first two books of her Discarded Heroes series) for authenticity, I was blown away by the intense emotional experience. A newcomer on bookshelves, Ronie made me feel the impact of post traumatic stress disorder and its human casualties. I was thinking of those stories just this morning (Veterans’ Day).
Another recent discovery was Sharon Hinck’s Restorer. Beautiful spiritual truths wrapped in an allegorical fantasy reminiscent of Lewis and Tolkein. Sadly, I heard that the publisher may have canceled these wonderful, ministering stories. Perhaps an illustration of the risk aversion you describe? If so, it’s a real loss to all of us.
Nicole
As you pointed out, Wendy, the industry is doing their best, trying to stay profitable. However, their risk is alienating the serious reader by not expanding their audience. They do this by sticking with the “tried and true”. The book return policy is just bad business.
CBA will eventually lose (or has lost) innumerable readers to the general market if and because they stick to the formulaic, predictable fiction.
Crystal Laine Miller
I read Karen Witemeyer’s Head in the Clouds and fell in love with it! I didn’t know her, didn’t know anything about the books she wrote, but liked the cover and the fact it was a historical romance. It made me giddy to find that book.
Another author I found was someone I’d met at Mt. Hermon long before she was ever published. Her novel Petra (T.L. Higley) was sent to me for review, so I had to read it a couple weeks ago. It was one of those books I read in two days. Just loved it. T.L. Higley has several published books, so now I am going to go back and try some more of her books, and I’m amazed that I had passed over her work before now.
It’s a great feeling to “discover” an author in a manuscript, but I delight in finding a book that I hadn’t heard anything about and enjoy, too.
It makes me sad to think we miss so many good stories because they’re buried somewhere or have a short shelf life.
There have been several instances where I read a great manuscript, and it wasn’t finding a publisher–and I was just heartsick about it. I can think of 3 authors/manuscripts in this category. All three eventually found publishers, but it took forever, if you ask me.
I’m thrilled about Marcher Lord Press, and agree with Morgan. We were missing a whole genre of books until Jeff Gerke filled that need with his company.
Bill Giovannetti
I always feel weird when a bookstore offers to “order” a book for me. Can’t I do that for myself… way cheaper? This is when all my loyalty/cheapskate values collide. What to do?
You’re exactly right about authors marketing like crazy and the book’s not on the shelves.
Michael K. Reynolds
I shared this on Nick Harrison’s Blog and I’ll repeat it here as well. I wonder when considering this trend (which I find disturbing) how many of the great classics would get through today’s pub boards?
But I would also add that it’s not just the publishers…it’s the dear readers. It’s our own mugshot in the mirror. When we abandon our local bookstores, and aren’t willing to take risks in our own discovery of new writing talent, we contribute to the problem.
In the busyness of today’s world, the buyers are skipping the places that offer selection (buying at Wal Mart when getting milk as opposed to making an intentional trip to a traditional bookstore). They also are going with the “safe pick” by buying book number 15 from the same author, rather than investing reading time in a debut writer.
sally apokedak
I was a Suzanne Collins fans long before the Hunger Games. I loved her from the time I read her first Gregor book.
I’m also a huge fan of Jonathan Rogers who is not a bestselling author yet, but he will be, I’m pretty sure.
I’m a Jonathan Stroud fan and an Eoin Colfer fan and I liked both of them before most people had heard of them. Eoin Colfer is…well they both are…brilliant.
Judith Robl
I was at a writing conference with Jill Elizabeth Nelson when she got the call from her agent that her first three book deal had been sold! Talk about excited. And yes, I have copes of all three – autographed.
I read proposals and partials for Sheaf House Publishers from time to time and was thrilled to find three of my recommendations on their publications schedule.
It is exciting to discover new voices and new twists to old plots. It’s equally thrilling to help polish diamonds in the rough to blazing gems of fire.
Hooray for reading and writing.
Wendy Lawton
Michael said: “But I would also add that it’s not just the publishers…it’s the dear readers. It’s our own mugshot in the mirror. When we . . . aren’t willing to take risks in our own discovery of new writing talent, we contribute to the problem.”
Yikes! Convicted!
I often read the bestsellers because, as an agent, I have to keep up with the current trends. Besides it’s fun to read the books everyone is talking about. But, with time constraints, how often do I go on a discovery hunt?
I need to heed my own advice when it comes to my own reading choices.
Lauraine Snelling
I love it when I find a treasure book. Wesley the Owl was one of those, I have recommended that little book and the beloved story to many readers. Saw it standing open on the top of a medium high shelf.
It is a real charge up when I find a new author at a writer’s conference and can get them face to face with editor or agent. We pass on the help that was given to us that way.
I’m grateful to my reading group b/c then I read books I otherwise might not have picked up. Helps keep one out of the rut.
some of these trends are hard, but we can make a difference by our choices and our recommendations.
Blessings
Cat woods
LOL, Sally. You are a girl after my own heart. I absolutely loved Collins from the first book of the Underland Chronicles, and Jonathon Stroud is beyond amazing. His Bartemeaus Trilogy knocked my socks off. Colfer, yep. Funny how great minds think alike!