tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post6876194057846060134..comments2024-03-29T07:29:32.276-04:00Comments on Janet Reid, Literary Agent: Marketing for savvy authors: your book isn't in the storeJanet Reidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-60451345983136311952015-06-12T23:32:16.333-04:002015-06-12T23:32:16.333-04:00When we had an indie bookstore in town, I gave it ...When we had an indie bookstore in town, I gave it as much business as I could. Even when we got a huge chain store in town, I'd still get whatever I could at the indie. (Prices were always the same, no matter where you got it.)<br /><br />When the big chain book store moved in - in the same part of town that the indie was - and when people started going online to get their books, yes, the indie lost some customers, but they could have kept going. All they would have had to do was move the store to the other side of the city, where there is no bookstore, and they'd have been doing bigger business than before. But the owners were older and decided to retire instead.<br /><br />So then my choice became: big chain store or online. Even the big chain store has books online - but they're always more expensive than the Canadian version of the A-place. Shipping cost more, too. The store itself is on the other end of the city - a 45-minute one-way trip by bus - so it's very inconvenient. And I never really liked the big chain store anyway. So I do most of my shopping at the A-store. Just because it's easier and cheaper. <br /><br />If another indie opened up in town, and it was easy to get to by bus, I'd be there once a week, I'm sure.<br /><br />Lovely to see you, Julie H! And I'm glad your surgery went well, kdjames!<br /><br />Sam: There are some publishers that are considering 'bundling' books - basically, if you buy the print one, you get the e-version with it. Which I think is a great idea.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-50113082458510610642015-06-12T22:38:16.811-04:002015-06-12T22:38:16.811-04:00I'm still looking for my first agent, but from...I'm still looking for my first agent, but from what I've information I've gleaned, there's several key people that are important to an author. I would imagine that it looks something like this:<br /><br />1. Agent<br />2. Publisher (abridged)<br />3. Editor<br /><br />If I wasn't going to call the store, I would've taken the following steps. Please tell me if I'm incorrect in any way here: <br /><br />1. Call the Sales and Marketing team at X publisher<br />2. Called my literary agent (the first and second is a close one)<br /><br />I really don't understand how the editor, in any way shape or form, could've helped this author or understood why the author thinks the editor puts books in stores. Can someone help me out here? Something isn't right.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03736352366533619152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-62961586758624332502015-06-12T22:01:08.711-04:002015-06-12T22:01:08.711-04:00Brian - while I appreciate the thanks, they're...Brian - while I appreciate the thanks, they're not that deserved. I remember being completely flabbergasted when my father told me that radio stations played RECORDS and it wasn't the band actually playing in the studio. Yes I was clueless as a youngster. And calling to request songs was just a fun thing to do. I really had no concept that it was anything more than that. I'm glad it would have been helpful tho. <br /><br />In my 20s I had a little more of a clue. I went to a concert one night and I LOVED the opening band so a friend and I called the radio station several times per day over the next few weeks to request songs by that band (which we never heard on the radio prior to the concert, but several times afterward). Once I started law school, all my free time evaporated (I worked full time and went to law school 3-4 nights per week). Then the kids came and free time was only a distant memory. I miss those days tho. I haven't been to a concert in a very long time. <br /><br />My last memory of shopping in a physical bookstore includes not finding the book I wanted, so I asked about it and the employee said she could order it but didn't know how long it would take for it to come in. This was MANY years ago tho, before all the big changes in the industry. <br /><br />The only constant is change. I feel old now =)<br />Dena Pawlinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14444683810125395220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-15094901851171736852015-06-12T21:21:24.628-04:002015-06-12T21:21:24.628-04:00AJ - yeah, I really like Harry Hartog's! It...AJ - yeah, I really like Harry Hartog's! It's a beautiful store and the staff are really nice. Already seen Robin Hobb and Joe Abercrombie there.Sam Hawkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05549251130820223139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-28849296546108617002015-06-12T21:15:49.266-04:002015-06-12T21:15:49.266-04:00I echo Sisi: Book-buying is a disease, but I don&#...I echo Sisi: <i>Book-buying is a disease, but I don't really want a cure</i><br /><br />Sam Hawke: Have you checked out the newest bookstore in town? Harry Hartog's at Woden are brilliant, order anything and regularly have guest author events in store.<br /><br />I go to my local bookstores (there are 2 in the one centre) and then compare prices between them and online. Sometimes the bookstores are cheaper, sometimes online is cheaper. I prefer a physical book but space is becoming an issue. Although we've been renovating and I have sneakily moved things around so when Ikea opens here later this year I might just happen to find a bookshelf to fill my new space =)<br /><br />I would never think of contacting an author to tell them their book is absent. Rather I tell my author friends when I do find their book on a shelf!AJ Blythehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04529233142099749005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-1407337535264914142015-06-12T19:48:54.909-04:002015-06-12T19:48:54.909-04:00My dilemma is that I love and want to support inde...My dilemma is that I love and want to support independent bookstores - and even chain ones that are locally owned - but I mostly these days prefer to read ebooks. Even though I thought I'd never get there, I actually do prefer to read on my kindle these days. It's light, I can hold it in one hand without risking losing my place when a kid knocks my arm (not to mention never having to sift through to FIND my place because for some reason I never ever remember to use a bookmark and always - despite years of evidence to the contrary - think that I'll remember my page number) and I can carry it in my bag everywhere I go so I never get stuck in a line without it.<br /><br />What I would like to see is a model where the physical space exists and you can go in and browse, then go up to the counter with the book you want and purchase the ebook then and there, from that store (or the physical book if you want, or if you buy the physical one, get a heavy discount on the e-version).<br /><br />No idea whether that is a viable model but it would combine the things I love!Sam Hawkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05549251130820223139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-54882578936992493322015-06-12T19:11:48.182-04:002015-06-12T19:11:48.182-04:00Gee, Angie, I wish I could be out partying like a ...Gee, Angie, I wish I could be out partying like a maniac. Is "canuk" another term for Canadian? If not, pls, Canadian friends, don't hate me.<br /><br />kd - yay on the new knee! Hope your pain subsides soon. And I didn't see any TYPOS, so you did good.Donnaevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09026536210749494257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-1052322428443445502015-06-12T18:52:17.744-04:002015-06-12T18:52:17.744-04:00Oh dear.42 comments, I'm skipping them all, so...Oh dear.42 comments, I'm skipping them all, sorry, I've been out partying like a maniac because canuk came to visit. Just want to say I love how Janet feeds us this story. Love the punctuation. How it it makes me hesitate then bleed.<br /><br />Yes, tell the manager to order that book, tell them you need three. Buy one and rave about it, tell your friends where you bought it.angie Brooksby-Arcangiolihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08000615140577512304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-88396332895723118972015-06-12T18:02:05.806-04:002015-06-12T18:02:05.806-04:00And now for a special, commercial free edition of ...And now for a special, commercial free edition of THE BLAME GAME<br /><br />"Hey, Gary, glad you called we are having a hard time unloading, I mean selling, your..."<br /><br />"That is why I called. One of my readers called. She said that X Store isn't carrying my book."<br /><br />"That's because it isn't selling."<br /><br />"It isn't selling because it isn't getting into stores."<br /><br />"Why don't you come down from that Ivory Tower and do a book signing or something. Get on a talk show or something."<br /><br />"If I wanted to promote my books I would have self published."<br /><br />"That might be a good idea. X Store used to carry your books. Book one sold 5 copies. Book two sold three, three sold two and four sold none. Do you see a pattern here?"<br /><br />"But Mom said she bought ten of my books."<br /><br />"Maybe she did. Ten is how many they sold there. Maybe you should self publish. I'll make you a deal."Craig Fhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07157301156577795781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-35424180031491744702015-06-12T17:32:33.231-04:002015-06-12T17:32:33.231-04:00I've been thinking about this all day and tryi...I've been thinking about this all day and trying to think of a delicate way to say this, but there just isn't. You'd have to pour ten gallons of stupid into a five gallon bucket to call an editor and rant like that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-7862251127570090012015-06-12T16:57:32.396-04:002015-06-12T16:57:32.396-04:00KD
Congratulations on the knee replacement. I ha...KD <br /><br />Congratulations on the knee replacement. I had my left one done last November. The first six weeks is the toughest. I need to get my right one done, but I'm putting it off for a bit.<br /><br />If I'd known I was going to live this long I might have taken better care of myself, but dang what a ride it's been.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-8994390564471870682015-06-12T16:44:28.012-04:002015-06-12T16:44:28.012-04:00I'm with Lizzie-- if a reader contacted me to ...I'm with Lizzie-- if a reader contacted me to say they wanted to read my book but couldn't find it, I'd be so thrilled it'd never occur to me to complain about distribution. I'd be asking what format they wanted and finding a way to send it to them ASAP. For free.<br /><br />Off topic: Just wanted to let you all know I survived the knee replacement surgery on Tuesday. They granted me an early release, on Wednesday, for good behaviour. Or so they claimed. The pain has been . . . substantial. But that was expected. The narcotic pain meds aren't making me woozy as I'd feared they might, so I'm not likely to say anything TOO outrageous (sorry about that), but my fingers are sort of lagging behind the thoughts in my brain and I'm mis-spelling almost every other word. It's taking forever to write this, since I'm compelled to fix ALL THE MISTAKES. Well, the ones I see. So I'll be following along, maybe just quiet for a while longer.<br /><br />Now I'm imagining being a fly on the wall (or whatever is on the wall in NYC) and listening to an Editor Excellence ranting to an Awesome Agent about publishing. What a blast that would be. Far more entertaining than my week, so far. <br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-79040457475853851142015-06-12T16:39:19.199-04:002015-06-12T16:39:19.199-04:00Julie: The coffee and snacks was just an e.g. Thes...Julie: The coffee and snacks was just an e.g. These places have other non-book merchandise for sale, and since they seem to want to compete with themselves online, I can only imagine those items are what offset the cost of running the B&M store. How else can they survive if they refuse to price-match and offer incentives to go to the B&M location, and not just shop at home?Colin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03292997431935215499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-3385787106159013232015-06-12T16:34:12.916-04:002015-06-12T16:34:12.916-04:00Colin,
No, coffee and snack purchases don't o...Colin,<br /><br />No, coffee and snack purchases don't offset their overhead in a brick and mortar location. I had my real estate office in a strip shopping center and even with paying agents strictly commission, it's expensive to stay in business.<br /><br />Have you ever seen any coffee shops in these book stores doing a booming business?<br /><br />On my last trip in there were two old couples who had borrowed some newspapers from the news rack and and were reading them. One couple each had a small coffee. One couple had a soft drink and two straws. There was one young person on a lap top with his coffee he'd been nursing forever. I got a large coffee and some soup. I was there for about an hour since I was waiting on my son to get out of an appointment and we were the only customers.<br /><br />Those customers were there when I arrived and there when I left. We didn't buy enough to pay the clerk's wages I don't imagine.<br /><br />Maybe they should follow the business plan of <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/life/a_fine_whine/2005/12/bitter_brew.html" rel="nofollow">this charming couple who had it all figured out.</a> <br /><br />Gads, I am not laughing at these people. I've been the dewy eyed youngling with a dream. It just takes so much more.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-65117915919513583942015-06-12T15:53:21.763-04:002015-06-12T15:53:21.763-04:00Adele: I wonder too at BCBs that don't price-m...Adele: I wonder too at BCBs that don't price-match their online offerings. It's as if they're driving people away from their B&M (Brick & Mortar) outlets. Why do that? I understand there are greater overheads with the B&M location, but surely those can be offset by non-book purchases only available in-store (e.g., coffee and snacks)?Colin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03292997431935215499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-80081655812030411292015-06-12T15:11:47.915-04:002015-06-12T15:11:47.915-04:00I wonder how the Big Chain Bookstores can stay in ...I wonder how the Big Chain Bookstores can stay in business with customers like me. I go to my local BCB, see a book I want, and go home and order it online from the same store for 15% - 30% off, with free shipping. So, the store functions as a display room where I can see books before I buy them online, and I rarely pay the full price.<br /><br />In contrast, my local indie bookstore, once a treasured resource, has been bought by somebody who, when I asked if an eagerly-anticipated book was out yet, said "If it's been released you've been called. If you haven't been called, it hasn't been released." Which turned out not to be true. I rarely go there any more.Adelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08790958029798438793noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-76113518665989735112015-06-12T14:50:49.146-04:002015-06-12T14:50:49.146-04:00Joining all the earmarkers here. Great advice.
Re...Joining all the earmarkers here. Great advice.<br /><br />Reminds me of when UNRAVELING by Elizabeth Norris was mis-shelved. To their credit, they had it corrected by the time I got there. <br /><br />Though I think Julie's story takes the cake. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/abakedcreation/3087158421" rel="nofollow">And the shark cupcake too.</a>Karen McCoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02640324898284007337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-36353317306913994802015-06-12T14:16:00.910-04:002015-06-12T14:16:00.910-04:00Julie W, I do love that as well, and am fortunate ...Julie W, I do love that as well, and am fortunate to live in a small town where I'm likely to see a stand or a pick-up truck with vegetables or fruit along some road, somewhere. The folks could be sitting under an umbrella while holding a homemade cardboard sign that says, "MELONS, 'LOPES, $2 each"<br /><br />I always stop. Because it's always the best watermelon or cantaloupe EVER. Unfortunately, even in our small town, we have a lot of crime - so highly unlikely anyone's leaving a box for money - but that sounds like a GREAT story premise - IMO - i.e. the old cliche, "honesty is the best policy."<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Donnaevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09026536210749494257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-31668219488036850362015-06-12T13:39:49.973-04:002015-06-12T13:39:49.973-04:00A 501C3 is an IRS form filled out by non profits. ...A 501C3 is an IRS form filled out by non profits. Yup, pretty much applies to most of us, sort-of.Carolynnwith2Nshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18394998702410764388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-71409126714405123112015-06-12T13:18:54.624-04:002015-06-12T13:18:54.624-04:00I must fess up. I don't spend a lot of time in...I must fess up. I don't spend a lot of time in brick and mortar bookstores. My small town doesn't have one (except an interesting used book store) and it is two hours drive to the nearest one. <br /><br />However, I did venture out to Kansas City to meet the delightful Loretta Ross at the ultra-ultra Barnes & Noble in the foo-foo part of Kansas City. It was a 3-story immersive geek experience with pop culture toys, cafe, coffee bar, records (yes, hipster vinyl,) stationary, gifts, and, oh yeah, books. And the place was hopping. <br /><br />After nabbing my signed copy of "Death & The Redheaded Woman," I wandered around with my camera, looking to photograph my author friends' books in the wild. <br /><br />I found very few. It was blockbuster best-sellers and tons of discounted last year's blockbuster best-sellers. Tons of non-fic guide, humor, pop culture, and gift books. Maps and magazines. Very little straight up mid-list fiction. I think a lot of that very pricey real estate has been ceded to online sales and ebooks. <br /><br />But still, the place was full and most of the people were carrying a book or book-like cultural object. They had one of those velvet rope mazes to get to the check out counter, so business must be good. <br /><br />And no, I would never bitch to an author. I might bitch to a bookstore manager about their utter lack of taste in not having a section dedicated to "Books by Terri's Friends," with a subsection, "Books by Terri's Friends That are Represented by Janet Reid," but not the author. I tend to celebrate sightings in places from supermarkets to Walmart rather than bitch about where it's not. <br /><br />But I also have a clue how this biz works. Not expertise, but a clue. <br /><br />TerriTerri Lynn Coophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07290316565247120848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-76967344242349024522015-06-12T13:08:49.297-04:002015-06-12T13:08:49.297-04:00Hi,
It has been my (vast and clearly uniformly su...Hi,<br /><br />It has been my (vast and clearly uniformly successful) experience that paths to contentment - if not outright happiness - in work come from understanding one basic tenet:<br /><br />Every Job Is A Service Job.<br /><br />Even writing.<br /><br />Because we all want something from someone else. And in order to get it, we need to understand how best to serve either <i> them </i> or someone else entirely.<br /><br />And in order to understand how to serve people, we need to understand how to communicate well, and <i> with whom </i> to communicate well, and <i> when </i>. Because no matter the intentions, blustering into your boss' office with terrible news that she really <i> does </i> have to hear just exactly at the time when she realizes that she mailed a pile of contracts to herself and has a horrible migraine - is probably not serving her well, serving you well, or serving whoever was on the other end of that terrible news well.<br /><br />One has to know what the goal is and how to get it, and in my experience, service and communication are critical.<br /><br />Fail on service, fail at goal.<br />Fail in communication, fail at goal.<br /><br />It means reining in anger and urgency; it means recognizing complex social signs and situations; and it means putting yourself in the proper position. Not last - because denigrating yourself when that's inappropriate can be just as damaging as unfounded arrogance.<br /><br />So as for Opie, as always, I agree with Janet.<br /><br />Recognize the store owner's need.<br />Recognize the reader's need.<br />The agent's need.<br />The editor's need.<br />The publisher's need.<br />And what else is coming? Amazon's need. Whether you like it or not.<br /><br />And then address them, one by one. Appropriately. In the right time, and in the right order, understanding that "Addressing a situation" may mean "Shut the heck up."<br /><br />Be well.<br />JJuliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15041316285692964293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-83714940805655278392015-06-12T12:48:40.103-04:002015-06-12T12:48:40.103-04:00brianrschwarz: Spice is life. Spice is necessary ...brianrschwarz: Spice is life. Spice is necessary for space travel.<br /><br /><br />In my little town, we no longer have a chain bookstore, unless you count a Barnes & Noble on one of the college campuses (and I haven't set foot in that bookstore since I graduated. Though I <i>could</i>). We have a number of used bookstores, and a single indie bookstore on Main Street where (drumroll) you can order books if they don't have 'em.<br /><br />I'm also the Interlibrary Loan clerk at my library (which is within blocks of the indie bookstore, one used bookstore, and one of the colleges). We're part of a 42 library, multi county system, though we're the largest library in our particular county. If we don't have the book on our shelf, it's frequently in the system. If it isn't in the system, we have a couple ways to go outside, including ordering directly from the New York State Library at Albany (which is discretely different from the New York Public Library, though I'm given to understand citizens of New York State may apply for both). If you need it Monday because of your finals/a project/a burning need, I can point you at one of the used locations and tell you to cross your crossables. <br /><br />We also have two gaming stores in town (,....for now....) so if you need to get your D&D on, or fulfill some points for your Warhammer army, well you can do that too. And then avail yourself of sushi from no fewer than 4 (5?) locations and hit up a local brewery. <br /><br />I think I got off course. But I love that boxer's face. Boxer is a breed we were considering as we narrowed the scope down to Doberman (I voted for sleekness and against jowls/drool. But they are adorable!)Jennifer R. Donohuehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00363886899308588391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-35100161948272989212015-06-12T12:14:45.103-04:002015-06-12T12:14:45.103-04:00This must pertain to writers who are popular enoug...This must pertain to writers who are popular enough that emails from readers aren't in and of themselves thrilling.Lizzie https://www.blogger.com/profile/15598041241979147543noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-42811518515124758062015-06-12T12:02:18.151-04:002015-06-12T12:02:18.151-04:00Julie, I absolutely agree about indie stores - the...Julie, I absolutely agree about indie stores - they usually have experienced staff members who can actually recommend books based on your mood or other preferences, and not just on "what other people who bought this book also bought."<br /><br />The big box stores generally fall down on this; the now-defunct one that used to be right down the street from me was terrible. They had one person in each department who actually knew the books, and everyone else was a part time college student who could not have cared less. Once, I saw a little girl ask the children's area staff person for something like The Little Princess and was told to read Harry Potter -- and when the girl told her, no, her daddy didn't hold with wizards, the woman SHRUGGED and walked away. <br /><br />Since I'm a busybody, I started scouring the shelves. But that's one of the reasons I try to support my little indie store, because their guidance is priceless. So many books I would never have found without recommendations.Laurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02180379908590112431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-7007246652518319312015-06-12T11:38:55.514-04:002015-06-12T11:38:55.514-04:00Dena - it's people like you who helped me do w...Dena - it's people like you who helped me do what I love for so long. You're amazing for doing that for someone/anyone. So let me thank you from the bottom of my heart for them.<br /><br />As a side note -- the weather on Carkoon is particularly "spicy" today. While attempting to walk (ride) my pet (sand)worm, I happened across a recent shipment of Old Spice that one of Janet's interns must have sent to cut down on the smell issues. The note read "Brian, please put this on. I can smell you from earth."<br /><br />Unfortunately, my (sand) worm was hungry and ate the enormous shipment of Old Spice, so you'll have to send another. Thank you Janet. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com