The ever-evolving writer

Someone I follow on Twitter has just asked do we ever want to edit earlier work. I would say the answer is “yes” for most writers and publishers. We move on all the time. Many writers, I know, often want to edit their work as they read it aloud at author events. Recently I watched one I admire pause as she read the opening to her novel that she’d read many times before. She stumbled on the word “suddenly”.

Giving away books?

There’s a lot of talk at the moment because of World Book Night about giving away books. It would surely be, you might think, the last thing a publisher would want to do. Each unit has its manufacturing cost and other pro rata costs – warehousing, delivery, discounts to wholesalers and retailers, editorial services, design service and of course royalties. And yes, even e-books attract many of those costs. Okay, there’s no print, shipping or warehousing costs but all those techie skills cost something and the bulk of the other skills remain. So yes, we treat the words “free” and “give away” with some suspicion.

However, it isn’t all that simple, really. 

Review copies  

Traditionally we always give a few of those away free. There’s no guarantee that they will lead to sales and there is not way of tracking this reliably but they never do any harm – not even the bad ones!

Cheap-almost-free books for learners

In a former existence I was a private tutor who helped young people struggling with reading. I used to buy books from a certain publisher that disturbs both publishers and writers by repackaging books and selling them very cheaply. I defend this on two levels:

·         The parents would never have afforded the books at full price

·         The young people developed a love of reading and went on to buy books from mainstream sellers and mainstream publishers.

Second-hand bookshops

Publishers and writers both sigh. Oxfam is one of the biggest bookshops in the UK. We shouldn’t mind because this is a charity. Personally I’d rather pay a fair price for the book, one that I know will benefit both writer and publisher, and make a donation to the charity. Then you’d expect me to say that.

I do have to remember also that I bought from a second-hand book shop the first book I ever read by an author who went on to become a favourite. Thereafter I would buy her books as soon as they were out in hardback.

And better, actually, that people read than don’t read, if they really cannot afford to do it the proper way.

Book Aid

This is a charity that accepts donations of books. However, do look carefully at how they accept books. Donations have to be useful to them and made in an organised way. If you care about getting books to people who need them but can’t get them, they’ll show you how. And a monetary donation may be more useful than an actual book.

In the spirit of World Book Night 2014

Okay, so the first ten people to DM us with why they think books should be given will get a randomly chosen YA book. You may like to have the book sent to a friend or an organisation.

The Life Cycle of a Book

We’re talking here about the post-publication life-cycle of your book. Each published book goes through certain stages and we look here at how shelf-life may be maintained or even extended. 

The initial buzz

Release day approaches. Press releases and product information sheets go out. The author launches the book, some book shops arrange signings, maybe there’s also a cyber-launch and perhaps the author goes on a blog tour. There is a buzz of sales activity and the rankings on Amazon go up.

Reviews and book clubs

The first reviews come in. Some book clubs might obtain the text. Some more serious reviews then come in. It’s great to have all 5* ones but actually all reviews help; they inform the readers of what the book is about and they raise awareness. They also keep your book appearing on searches.

Drip feed

Sales settle down to a trickle. Yet if you have several books trickling sales you may still have a torrent. The proactive author anyway will massage this quite successfully.

Backlist

When you next book comes out you may successfully sell several earlier works, particularly if they have a connection with the new one. Even if they don’t, the new book brings your name nearer the top of the list.   

The proactive author

This author makes sure they are always visible – but does it in such a way that they are not saying “Hey, look at me,” all the time. They will use social media sensibly – maybe 80% of the time being cheerful and friendly and responding to others, only 20%  talking about their own work and then never as a direct sales pitch though it’s always okay to announce the release of your book and any events you’re organising. And they’re never daft there.

Proactive authors are also willing to go and talk to people - festivals, writing groups, schools, even if it’s not precisely about one particular book but perhaps about writing, being a writer or about a theme in your book.

Proactive authors must also be proactive in seeking these opportunities.  

Balance

Many writers, of course, prefer to spend their time mainly writing. That is fine, but the trickle will be slower in the “drip feed” period. Consider also that you may not be able to write 24/7 or even 8/5 and a balancing activity may well be welcome. Each writer must find their own perfect balance. Note, however, many successful indie writers admit to working seven days a week and spend 50% of their working time writing and 50% marketing.

Worth a thought?          

Working with your editor

How can you better best?

We’re always keen to know, particularly when an author is new to us, how well that author can react and respond to editorial comment. Any professional will make any text they send to us the best it can be. That can be part of the problem: how do you make your best even better. Do not fear; there are two mitigating circumstances here:

Why authors and book covers often don’t mix

New authors frequently have a very good idea of what they would like their cover to look like. More often than not, however, they have very little say in it and even if they are invited to make suggestions much of what they suggest is impractical.

When we think about covers we have to think about the following:

The final 20%

Decisions about whether to publish or not can be very difficult. A text can have everything going for it:

·         It tells a good story

·         It is well written

·         It suits what we’re currently aiming at

·         It’s written by someone we’ve published before and we know:

o   We can work with that person

o   They sell well

·         The text doesn’t need all that much editing.

Cherish your editor

The relationship between a writer and her editor can be complex. The writer often fears the editor and some editors may fear higher profile writers – they have a track-record so they must be doing something right. Who is the mere editor to say that this time they are wrong? 

Yet the editor performs several services for the writer: