With so much debate currently raging about both book pricing and book deals--especially where indie authors are concerned--it's good to hear some concrete news that worked in an author's favor. While pioneers like Hugh Howey continue to release minutely specific and incredibly detailed reports on book sales for both self- and traditionally published authors, other authors are … [Read more...] about HM Ward on the Aftermath of Her Book Deal Decision
Hugh Howey
The Hugh Howey Booktrack Competition Open to Entries
Technology and art are blending in two exciting new contests, hosted by Booktrack with sponsorship from Wattpad, Writer's Digest, and Indaba Music. Booktrack, a music overlay platform that engages readers by allowing creators to add ambiance-style music of their choosing over the text so that music plays as they read, is holding two contests around Hugh Howey's work, Half Way … [Read more...] about The Hugh Howey Booktrack Competition Open to Entries
New Author Earnings Report Examines Revenue of Startup Authors
Self-published author and indie author advocate Hugh Howey turned the publishing industry on its head, not with his beat-the-odds success story that made him a household name, but for his willingness to throw open the vault of secrecy surrounding what authors of every ilk actually earn. Considered a taboo subject to the point that discussing exact book sales actually violates … [Read more...] about New Author Earnings Report Examines Revenue of Startup Authors
New Look at How Titles Sell Across Genres
The recent furor caused by Hugh Howey and the team at Author Earnings helped publishers and authors rethink the concept of "secret data," but unfortunately, it's been slow to have a lasting impact on how publishers and retailers guard their sales information. But one author, Edward W. Robertson, published his own look at how titles were selling in different genres, not so much … [Read more...] about New Look at How Titles Sell Across Genres
Overcoming the Scarcity of Attention for Books
One of the more crowded panels at the recent PubSmartCon was the Bowker-sponsored panel, Discoverability in the Digital Age, a session which addressed the increasingly difficult task authors face--both traditionally published and self-published--in finding an audience for their works. With independent bookstores closing at an alarming rate and even libraries facing … [Read more...] about Overcoming the Scarcity of Attention for Books
Hugh Howey and the Road Map to Publishing
Despite the successes Hugh Howey has enjoyed as an author, he began his keynote at today's PubSmartCon event by stating that his is not a road map to success that anyone should follow, largely because he doesn't know where he's going. The tongue-in-cheek opening to his presentation is only partly humorous; part of Howey's charm and allure as a writer and a publishing industry … [Read more...] about Hugh Howey and the Road Map to Publishing
PubSmartCon Kicks Off Tomorrow in Charleston
A revolution in writing and publishing conferences will kick off tomorrow in Charleston, South Carolina, one that is working to bridge all aspects of the publishing industries to better enable professionals of every kind. Alongside self-publishing mainstays like Hugh Howey, Nook Press, and Bibliocrunch will be speakers like Stephanie Bowen of Sourcebooks and Tracey Adams of … [Read more...] about PubSmartCon Kicks Off Tomorrow in Charleston
Hugh Howey Explains the Need for Authors to Give Away Their Books
On last week's IndieChat event, hosted every Tuesday night on Twitter by publishing solutions company BiblioCrunch, the guest speaker was from a new tool, InstaFreebie. This platform allows authors to easily create a free version of their books--with or without DRM and reader watermarking, as they choose--in order to share them with readers. I happened to mention that I used … [Read more...] about Hugh Howey Explains the Need for Authors to Give Away Their Books
PubSmartcon: Reenvisioning the Writer’s Conference
Writers' conferences have long been a source of networking and support for authors looking to hone their crafts and develop their business acumen for life in the publishing industry. One of the biggest lures to attract writers to conferences has always been well-known keynote speakers selected from top literary agents and publishers. Even better, many conferences offer authors … [Read more...] about PubSmartcon: Reenvisioning the Writer’s Conference
Hugh Howey Gives Toxic Advice for Self-Publishers
Hugh Howey is a self-published author who leveraged Kindle Direct Publishing to distribute his Silo Saga about a post-apocalyptic wasteland. They have sold over 300,000 copies in the US and have been optioned for a movie to be directed by Ridley Scott. You might say that Howey is a self-published professional author whot did well for himself. Lately, he has transcended from … [Read more...] about Hugh Howey Gives Toxic Advice for Self-Publishers
What Does It Take to Sell 100M eBooks? Smut and Marketing
It still makes headlines whenever a self-published author manages to sell one million copies, or makes a major bestseller list. for some self-published authors, that level of success is actually a cumulative total of all of their titles, but it's still quite a big deal. EL James might disagree. News came out this week that the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy--admittedly all three … [Read more...] about What Does It Take to Sell 100M eBooks? Smut and Marketing
New AuthorEarnings Report Highlights B&N Sales
Massive change is being sparked in the publishing industry, thanks to the enterprising--and exhausting--work of authors who've taken it upon themselves to share sales information with the intention of helping authors make informed decisions where publishing opportunities are involved. Authors like HM Ward and Hugh Howey have been as transparent as they can be about their own … [Read more...] about New AuthorEarnings Report Highlights B&N Sales
Anti-Transparency: Why Are Book Sales a Secret?
The book industry has certainly been overwhelmed since the beginning of 2014 with information gleaned from author surveys on their satisfaction with publishing, in all of its forms. The first survey, conducted by Digital Book World and Writer's Digest magazine, already contained a mild slant given that the thousands of survey respondents were subscribers to a decidedly … [Read more...] about Anti-Transparency: Why Are Book Sales a Secret?
Transparency: Author HM Ward Discusses eBook Sales and Pricing
A number of authors, including JA Konrath and Hugh Howey, made international headlines this week with their open discussions of what is wrong with ebook pricing and sales data. The lack of open access to the information, guarded like a state a secret by the online retailers, presumably don't help authors know which publishing decisions are right for them. Without accurate data, … [Read more...] about Transparency: Author HM Ward Discusses eBook Sales and Pricing
Us vs Them Rears Its Head in Publishing Once More
First, there was JA Konrath's post with Hugh Howey on how to determine how many ebooks are sold, and how that information can affect authors in their publishing decision making. Then there was a literary agent's harsh response to Konrath and Howey's insight, once again claiming that traditional publishing is the way to go. Then there was the rebuttal to the rebuttal of … [Read more...] about Us vs Them Rears Its Head in Publishing Once More
Traditional Publishers Learn What Indie Authors Have Known All Along
Ask any traditionally published author what frustrates him most about the industry, and the list of complaints might be rather varied. A survey of 9,000 authors conducted by Digital Book World and Writer's Digest cited lack of creative control, royalties, and editorial decision making on the list, but one other factor that still plagues authors is the seemingly random and … [Read more...] about Traditional Publishers Learn What Indie Authors Have Known All Along