Archive for Book publishing
Apple iPad and a look back at the first ebooks, 1983
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Master's thesis, Boston University, 1984
Steve Jobs demoed the Apple iPad today, which although not available for several months, promises to take us closer to e-book reality.
Master’s Thesis
I first researched e-books in 1983-84 as part of my master’s thesis at Boston University’s College of Communication. The project analyzed what was then an emerging communications technology, driven through the videotext channels at the time. Videotext is a two-way interactive system which transmits information on telephone or cable lines to a specially adapted television set or home computer. Book publishing stood to be affected by videotext because it offered an important alternative to the familiar physical book that we all know. Read More→
A conversation with author Alan Korwin: self publishing and book promotion
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Author Alan Korwin
Book publicity is a talent that a lot of authors don’t possess. However you feel about the controversial topic of gun laws, (and I’m squarely in the middle), you have to admire someone like Alan Korwin. Through hard work and a natural promotional ability, he has taken his Arizona Gun Owner’s Guide through 24 successful self-published editions.
1). How did you first get the idea for your book, The Arizona Gun Owner’s Guide?
Moved here from NYC, where guns in the hands of the public are virtually unknown, and found Arizonans sold guns and ammo in supermarkets. When I asked, ”What are the rules?”, the guy at the counter asked me what I meant by rules. I figured there was room in the market for a book on it. I certainly wanted to know. People started making me offers for copies before I had it written. Read More→
Arizona Book Awards – publicity for your books
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The Arizona Book Publishing Association is calling for entries for the 2010 Arizona Book Awards. Submissions must be postmarked by Saturday, January 30th, 2010.
The goal of the annual awards is to promote and support quality work created by Arizona authors, produced by Arizona publishers, or written about Arizona and are meant to recognize excellence in craft and creation in the Arizona book industry.
My book, “Press Releases are not a PR Strategy,” won in 2008 in the business/career category. Think of the state lottery – you can’t win if you don’t play.
Entries have to have been published between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009. For information about judging criteria, application form, and fees click here. You’ll also see the list of 2009 winners.
What do you do when everything you’ve learned is obsolete?
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It’s not often I can sit (or stand) for a whole hour listening to a presenter without having my mind wander, but tonite I was really fascinated by Dan Poynter’s talk at the Arizona Book Publishing Association.
Now if you don’t know him, he’s best known for writing his “Self-Publishing Manual,” which has 16 revised editions and 20 printings in 28 years. He calls it “the book that launched a million+books.” Read More→
Scottsdale Society of Women Writers
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You don’t have to live in Scottsdale to become a member of the Scottsdale Society of Women Writers (SSWW). Founder Patricia Brooks told me that the society has members all over, including two out of state.
I presented to the group last night on the topic of “Press Releases 101,” and how the way we write and distribute releases has changed in the last three years. Credit Todd Defren at Shift Communications for crystallizing the changes in the 2006 proposed social media release template, which is constantly being updated to reflect ongoing developments in social media. Read More→
Check out local authors at Bookstreet this weekend
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As part of Scottsdale ArtFest’s Bookstreet, the Arizona Book Publishing Association will be featuring several local authors. Stop by their booth this weekend and check them out! Here’s a partial list of publishers and authors, covering everything from local Arizona attractions to gun laws, memoirs, self-improvement, murder mysteries, children’s books, house remodeling. I will be there as well, with my book, “Press Releases are not a PR Strategy.”
Acacia Publishing – Karen Gray
American Traveler Press – Bill Fessler – including Pete Chasar, Marshall Trimble, and Clay Thompson Read More→
Arizona book events next week
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If you have a client who plans to write a book in the future, or promote a book they have already written, there are two key events next week that can help out.
Dan Poynter – speaker – Thursday, Nov. 19 5:30 – 8:00 p.m.
“Opportunities: Book Publishing Past, Present & Future” - everything you’ve heard about book writing, publishing, distributing and promoting is obsolete. Dan will describe the changes in book publishing and share with us how to take advantage of them. Read More→
Is Wal-Mart killing publishing as we know it?
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If you haven’t heard, retail giant Wal-Mart plans to cut prices on their hardcover books to only $10.00, and Arizona Book Publishing Association President Bill Fessler had plenty to say about that…
President’s Message
The latest (big) news in the book industry is that Wal-Mart has begun selling bestselling, hardcover books for $10 on their website. Amazon.com decided to match this price, and now Target seems to be joining the fray. Things are getting heated, and the prices have dropped to $9. As a consumer, this sounds awesome; but as a publisher, this is awful. And yes, this includes those of us whose books are not on the bestseller list. Read More→
Are magazines dying?
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Meg Weaver
Meg Weaver of Wooden Horse Publishing analyzes magazine markets and trends, and provides this perspective on the state of magazines today:
Gourmet, Southern Accents, Vibe, Nickelodeon, Today’s Christian Woman, Portfolio, Pink, Spirit of Aloha, Hallmark, Memory Makers, Canadian Home & Country, Best Life, Western Interiors & Design, Blender, Pink – all magazines gone just this year!
What is going on? Are we seeing the end of the American magazine?
No – and yes. Many million-and-more circulation mass market magazines are, or will soon be, gone. Interesting, well-edited magazines, which give us a “good read,” will survive. Humans have always been suckers for a good story. Some publishers have already figured this out. National Geographic, The Economist, Consumers Reports, Smithsonian, Cook’s Illustrated, and others – to some degree even People magazine – have found that great content, targeted at smaller audiences of really interested people, make money. Read More→
Do you know what your book platform is?
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Grael Norton
Listened to an interesting presentation last night at the Arizona Book Publishing Association monthly meeting. Grael Norton, publishing consultant for Wheatmark, Inc. in Tucson, shared with us the ins and outs of creating a book platform.
What is a platform? It’s the people who know you and like what you do. Your fans. It’s how people hear about you and your projects.
Platform building in the digital age is cheap and can grow even when you’re not working on it. The beauty of the web is that it keeps a record of your activities. You can use a money site like Amazon or Barnes & Noble to sell, and drive traffic to your own blog/website as well.
The key activity or component is followup, he said. Keep in touch, test market new book ideas, collaborate with readers, and announce new titles. You can even use your blog to work on your book or ideas publicly.
Tools to help you create your platform include emarketing tools such as Constant Contact, and customer relationship management software, such as salesforce.com or Goldmine.
