The story is the product. Writers produce story. The reader consumes the product, which is story.
That sounds so basic yet it’s a concept that publishing has a hard time wrapping its brain around. For centuries, the product has been the book. Printed words on a page. Even the Bible is called The Book, in capitals. Yet aren’t the concepts and stories more important than the physical object?
Note that in that first paragraph, publishers, agents, bookstores, etc. are not mentioned? That’s because they are between the creators of the product and the consumers of the product. It’s normal in business to have middlemen. Often those in the middle add some value, such as packaging, shipping, sales, advertising, distribution, etc. etc.
With the digital age, however, the distance between the writer and the reader is simply the Internet. At Thrillerfest a week ago, I participated in a digital booksigning sponsored by Audible and Fanado. I interacted directly with fans and were able to send them a digital signature and free audio downloads.
We currently sell a “very nice deal” in eBooks and audiobooks every month and have been doing so for a while. And am looking to expand, as Cool Gus’s COO Jen Talty just went to Canada to visit Kobo’s headquarters.
To change a large business model is very difficult. I participated in a fundamental business model change in one of the largest organizations in the world: the United States Army. In 1984, I went right from my Infantry battalion at Fort Hood, Texas to the Special Forces Qualification Course at Ft. Bragg. I was flat out told by my commanding officer that I was destroying my career. At the time, Special Forces were red-headed bastard step-children of the Army. There was no Special Forces branch, so any assignment in the an SF unit took you off the traditional career path to “success” according to most people’s definition of success.
I went to 10th Special Forces Group and commanded an A-Team. At the time we were realizing we had to modernize the training for Green Berets. Also, there was a strong push among some visionaries in the Army for Special Operations to become something separate from the regular army because the training, deployment, and operational parameters were so different. To expect a soldier to maintain both a regular army career pattern and still do tours of duty in Special Operations was foolish. So they made Special Forces a branch. I took off my crossed rifles of the Infantry and pinned on my crossed arrows of Special Forces; while attending the Infantry Officers Advanced Course at Ft. Benning. That went over well.
I was on the task force that completely revamped the Special Forces Qualification Course into the intensive program it is today.
I believe this experience prepared me in 2010 to make the switch from traditional publishing to digital/indie publishing. I took a successful 20 year career and completely changed directions into a new and exciting opportunity.
We sold three eBooks our first month. Not exactly inspiring.
Since that time we’ve grown and grown. We’ve detailed how we did it in The ShelfLess Book: The Complete Digital Reader. Here are some keys to success as I reflect upon my digital eye:
- Being willing to stop doing things that are harmful, stupid, or habits just because they’re habits.
- Willing to admit I’m wrong, when I’m wrong. See my blog at The Newbies Guide to Publishing reference this.
- Constant re-evaluation of our business plan at Cool Gus. We’re in the process of once more doing this.
- Trying different things. Some work. Some don’t. But we take chances. If you’re not willing to risk things, you won’t succeed.
- Always remember it’s about content. The story rules.
- Social media doesn’t sell books. It builds community and is great for networking.
- Networking is absolutely critical. Like every business, it’s a people business.
- Part of networking is helping others. Our philosophy when approaching others who we are working with are to approach by first giving them something that makes their job better or easier, before asking for help with our job.
- It’s a business. Take the emotion out of it. Put the emotion in the writing, but when making business decisions, don’t do it because you are espousing a cause; do it because you’re running a business.
- Break rules with my three rules of rule breaking from Write It Forward:
- Know the rule
- Have a good reason for breaking the rule
- Take responsibility for breaking the rule
The best thing about self/independent publishing is taking the responsibility for our own careers. Helping others, asking others for help, and finding the right balance in life are the biggest challenges. Thanks for boiling it down for us, Bob, because it is easy to lose sight of the goal.
I agree with Christy, the best thing about being indie is the sole resonpsibility of your career. I am just starting to like doing different things with my writing. Eg I have put my name down to be involved with the WG2E indie anthologies with DD next year, and I have put my name down for the BeachBookBlast Anthology organised by the Street Team. I am excited, as these things are new for me as I have not worked with other authors before. I see this as a new way to get new readers, as DD says in her new book. This is an expansion of commenting on here with others.
Wonderful post. I think I’ve realized that just when you think you’ve got it all down pat, things change and we will need to continue to adapt. But the need for great stories doesn’t go away. I’ve heard non-writing friends comment after reading some indie published books things like: “The book had a few typos, but I liked the story.” “I’ve never read a story like that before indie publishing came along. It was different but good.” If the story is good, it covers a multitude of sins.
U nailed this for me, Bob! Exactly this…the story is our product not our book…because that story can be told using a variety of mediums in today’s multi-media world.
Product diversification is the key as each of us build our own multi-media empires. That way, when you’ve risked something and it’s not going as well as you expected, you’ve still got other avenues performing well and perhaps even above your wildest calculations!
It’s the best time EVER to be a writer!!!
D.D.,
I didn’t get my email reminder today to check your site. It typically comes in on Monday with Monday’s post. I suppose that’s the reason for the few comments today and most Sundays. I didn’t know if you were aware of this or not. Have a great weekend.
For some reason, Christy, Google seems to not pick up a lot of Sunday posts til Monday on a lot of the blogs I follow too. It then emails out two posts for Monday. So, watch your email tomorrow, and it will have both Bob’s post and mine since I’m up tomorrow.
Also, I’ve noticed recently that if on any given day, the post is not set to go live by no later than 2:30 AM Eastern Time, it seems as if it’s potluck whether Google catches it that day or the following day.
We have the site set to send out each new post for subscribers as soon as the post goes live, but it doesn’t work that way.
I’ll keep fiddling with it to see if I can get it to work and email Google again about the issue.
I love all of these! I think they apply to most things in life, not just writing. Absolutely spot on, Bob!
Being willing to stop doing things that are harmful, stupid, or habits just because they’re habits.
Willing to admit I’m wrong, when I’m wrong. See my blog at The Newbies Guide to Publishing reference this.
Constant re-evaluation of our business plan at Cool Gus. We’re in the process of once more doing this.
Trying different things. Some work. Some don’t. But we take chances. If you’re not willing to risk things, you won’t succeed.
Always remember it’s about content. The story rules.
Social media doesn’t sell books. It builds community and is great for networking.
Networking is absolutely critical. Like every business, it’s a people business.
Part of networking is helping others. Our philosophy when approaching others who we are working with are to approach by first giving them something that makes their job better or easier, before asking for help with our job.
It’s a business. Take the emotion out of it. Put the emotion in the writing, but when making business decisions, don’t do it because you are espousing a cause; do it because you’re running a business.
Break rules with my three rules of rule breaking from Write It Forward:
Know the rule
Have a good reason for breaking the rule
Take responsibility for breaking the rule
Great post, Bob Mayer! I will forward it to my cousin, an ex-Navy Seal, who saved a lot of lives and broke a lot of rules along the way! He’s now engaged in writing his memories and several novels about the Seals. I will definitely gift him with your books, WRITE IT FORWARD, and SHELFLESS BOOKS, and will buy copies for myself. Thanks! And alohas from Hawaii.
Kiana Davenport, author OPIUM DREAMS, CANNIBAL NIGHTS, HOUSE OF SKIN.
davenportdialogues.blogspot.com