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You've Got Books
I still recall my aunt's reaction three years ago when I bought my first audio book. I was certain she'd applaud the practicality of my staying on top of current literature by listening to tapes on my daily commute. Instead, she admonished it. "It isn't real unless you can smell the words off the page, Christy dear," she said. I'm waiting for a good time to tell her that some of my own novels have been published electronically.The phenomenon of "e-books," as they call them, is a relatively new industry. Is it really any surprise, though, that the popularity of web sites and electronic communications should launch so burgeoning a playing field for both aspiring and established authors? It's also at the center of a controversy that is raising eyebrows among traditional publishers, mega-bookstores, and agents who see this innovative forum as formidable competition.
For a first-hand look at what all of this means to the writing--and reading--community, I compared notes with two women who respectively managed to turn the stings of rejection into the rings of cash registers. Curiously, the decisions that led them to explore the path of e-publishing are similar; both had experienced the frustration of lengthy delays, form-letter correspondence, and short-sighted editors who, while recognizing a good story, were nonetheless reluctant to buck any current (translated: safe) marketing trends. It should be of further interest that neither one of these entrepreneurs resides in that publishing Mecca of the world--New York.
President/Owner Madris Gutierrez of New Concepts Publishing (Lake Park, Georgia) was at a Romance Writers of America conference in 1996 and was intrigued by the websurfer chatter about a phenomenon called e-books. "I could identify with the plight of the mid-list author," she said, "considering that I was one of them!" Between the number of publishing houses, which had recently merged, and the percentage of literary reps reluctant to take on "untried talent," fledgling authors such as Gutierrez were feeling the brunt of closed-door politics.
Mary Wolf, Owner/Publisher of Hard Shell Word Factory (Amherst Junction, Wisconsin) was struggling with her own book the very same year and meeting with limited success. "Hard Shell was founded by Teri Lea Chandler in Missouri in November 1996," Wolf reveals. "My book was contracted the following month and went online in January 1997." A year later, she was in the process of forming her company when the chance came to buy Hard Shell itself; at that time, it had only 12 books online. "During 1998, not one but several companies publicly announced development of e-book reading devices. It has been mushrooming ever since." Under Wolf's direction, Hard Shell has now grown to 120 titles.
A NEW VOICE...IN LESS TIME
Certainly, the concept of a short timeframe from submission-to-publication is an attractive proposal to those of us who have ever endured an agonizing wait by the mailbox for word--any word--from a prospective editor. During my stint with HarperCollins, for instance, it took approximately 18 months from contract-to-print. I often joked with friends that I had forgotten half of my characters' names by the time the novels were finally released. Compare this to e-books, which can be available for download or CD-ROM almost as soon as the finished product is in the publisher's hands. Even better, that finished product can be in the hands of readers without them ever having to leave their keyboards and go to a store.
Consider as well the gratification that authors don't have to write cookie-cutter manuscripts in order to be recognized. One of my own peeves with traditional publishers--especially in the romance genre--is the mind-set to produce the same story over and over, the only variance being the heroine's hair color and wardrobe. E-publishers, in contrast, are comparable to magazine editors in terms of seeking fresh new material and plenty of variety to keep buyers coming back.
A case in point was the recent sale of my romantic comedy, Everything but the Groom. After holding a 3-chapter partial for well over a year, a major house curtly rejected it as unsuitable for publication because it stretched the boundaries of the company's 'formula'. Ironically, the letter arrived on the same day as a contract from NCP, which not only had reviewed the full novel in just six weeks but also enthusiastically lauded it for its humor, originality, and diverse supporting characters.
SOME HEALTHY COMPETITION
So how are traditional houses reacting to this fast-growing industry? Gutierrez' observation has been that "they're basically keeping quiet because they're either planning to grab as big a chunk as possible, or fence-sitting so they can jump in whichever direction seems most advantageous." Wolf embraces the view that publishers may come to regard the profit potential of this new medium as a way to offset the more costly divisions of their business. "In no way," Wolf adds, "does it ruin one's chances of getting paper-published. Authors who sign with us are free to pursue print, audio and screen opportunities...and some of them have successfully done just that." (Heaven Only Knows--written by me was recently purchased by Hard Shell, and is currently in pre-production with an independent film company in Maine.)
Gutierrez cites that there are also ecological considerations why electronic publishing is rapidly gaining momentum; nearly 30% of all books currently published on paper end up in landfills. In contrast, a novel downloaded to one's own computer neither takes up shelf-space nor contributes to global garbage when the reader finishes with it. Adding to the medium's popularity is the flexibility with which the font size/style can be adjusted to accommodate a reader's vision level. (Take it from someone who now needs reading glasses for the small print so prevalent in paperbacks.) And that's not just the beginning of the benefits.
SHELF LIFE
The concept of a "virtual bookstore" resolves two major problems inherent with traditional publishing: (1) where does it go in the bookstore, and (2) how long does it stay there? Sadly, new fiction by authors not yet established in the public eye has a shelf life of about six weeks. Further, its physical placement in the store is contingent on what "niche" it best fits. (Where, for instance, would you put a science-fiction romantic suspense?) By comparison, an e-book is available from 1-5 years and catalogued by title, author, genre, and key themes, thus increasing its sales visibility to browsing readers.
New e-book authors also have more input on their "back cover blurbs" and cover art than is generally allowed with regular publishers. Both NCP and Hard Shell are earnest about striking a comfortable balance between the writer's vision and the commercial wisdom of how to package and promote an attractive product.
RIGHTS, ROYALTIES AND AGENTS
For the time being, e-publishers such as NCP and Hard Shell do not require agents. (See--you're already saving yourself that 15% commission!) Nor do you necessarily need an attorney to understand their respective contracts. Since the electronic rights are the only rights being negotiated, authors retain the full flexibility (and copyright) to sell subsidiary rights (excluding e-rights for the duration of the contract) wherever they want, including the sale of the book to a traditional publishing house. While advances are not currently offered by either of these two publishers, it is balanced out by the payment of quarterly royalties as soon as the product goes online.
"As with any publisher," Wolf points out, "you need to know what you're getting into. There are vanity publishers as well as vanity print publishers, some of whom charge as much as $500 to 'publish' your book and don't put any editing or promotion into a project other than displaying it on a web site." Authors are advised to read contracts, which can be found on the web sites of most legitimate e-publishers in order to apprise themselves of the level of service being provided. NCP currently receives an average of 50 submissions per month, and plans to publish 6-8 new books per month by mid-2000. Hard Shell receives 120-150 submissions, and presently publishes 8-12 new titles monthly.
SOCIETY'S ADDICTION TO TECHNOLOGY
There's just no getting around it; computers are here to stay. I can remember the first time I took my nephew to the new city library, regaling him with stories of all the school summers I had spent checking out the maximum number of books allowed and blithely losing myself every week in new plots and characters. "Well, what do you think?" I said as we stepped into the gleaming foyer.
He looked around, suddenly spied something, and excitedly proclaimed, "They've got Internet. Cool!" The experience of seeing row upon row of tantalizing and neatly organized volumes became incidental to the prospect of logging on and joining a chat-room.
Sadly, I don't think the kid is an exception. Considering the amount of time we sit in front of a monitor performing our jobs, communicating with others, and learning about current events, is it any surprise that my nephew's generation and those that follow will be more attuned to the feel of a keyboard than to the texture and weight of that antediluvian thing called a paperback?
On the flip side are those who believe that electronic publishing is just a fad and/or an outlet for authors whose work is substandard. A review of the growing (and high-variety) book-list of either company points to the contrary. "There are always hold-outs with anything new," Wolf remarks, nonetheless enthusiastically noting that more and more readers are being converted every day. "The advent of better resolution screens for palm PC's and PDA's has also been a big plus."
The important thing to remember is that e-books aren't meant to replace existing habits but rather to encourage further opportunities to read in concert with our high-tech lifestyles. When you stop to consider that a device the size of one thick paperback book can electronically hold the equivalent of ten regular-sized novels, wouldn't it be easier to pack THAT for a cross-country plane trip or a week at the beach? If that's not enough to convince you, maybe the purchase price will: e-books are roughly half the cost of a regular paperback.
ADVICE TO WRITERS
Gutierrez and Wolf are in total accord when it comes to what they want to see from prospective authors. Among their 'must's': (1) Follow the web-site guidelines, (2) Don't worry about word-length--take as many or as few words as are necessary to tell your story; (3) Sample some of the existing on-line books in the genres and subject areas you want to write; (4) Write the very best book you can write...and write from the heart. In closing, Gutierrez adds what is wise counsel for anyone who wants to pursue a career in writing: "Always remember that your job as an author is to take the reader away from their boring or perhaps troubled existence, to a place where there is romance, excitement, humor, and adventure...happily ever after!"
For more info and submission guidelines:
New Concepts Publishing
Hard Shell Word Factory