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Hi Ken,
it rather depends on what you use a book for. My current one and my previous one (published by Saatchi & Saatchi) are and were credibility and promotional tools - and they work.
Re. shop booksellers, well you would know they are battling like mad against the online suppliers - amazon, barnes & noble etc. They are never a great source anyway as their stock levels and variety are limited in the extreme. Quite legitimately they also require 40% markup at retail (onlines are a bit less, . IF you wait to go through a 'legitimate' publisher - well good luck, it's a good way to learn to accept rejection, and go old in the process, but that's about all I can say for them.
Plus, even if succesful you only get 10% of the cover price as an author, whereas on-line sales release about 40%. Your choice I suppose.
The average text book is regarded as a best-seller if it makes sales of about 5,000 copies. My first text sold 2,000 and I made peanuts on the sales - but the fact that I had authored the book opened up an amazing number of doors. My new book is just starting to move a little - and already I have received lecture offers - totally on the strength of it being seen.
Anyway I like people who want to write to be able to get the satisfaction of producing a book. There is what is called 'self-actualisation' in life - which is the best antidote I know to depression and rejection. If someone has the skill and patience to write a book - why should they be locked out by the Random House dictatorship? Nobody is forced to buy - but if you just want some credibility out there - or plain satisfaction, then why not?
Authorhouse DO charge, and I can't say my experience with them was altogether a happy one, mainly through timing problems, although the end-product was and is fine. As I said earlier I am looking to see what Lulu comes up with. I am also looking to India and China where my business seems to be taking off (fingers crossed).
Of course I am talking business books here, although my autobiography does cross over.
No mainline publisher is at all interested in this area unless you are a 'personality' - footballer, TV newsreader, fashion model etc. However as these don't and can't write, then their material is all 'ghosted' How credible (or interesting for that matter) - is all that?
I genuinely believe I have had an interesting an varied life - even living and working in 12 countries does have some interest I think? Plus having spent 50 years in Advertising and Marketing - a pretty varied product base, has also been interesting to review over the time.
I was prompted by others in the business to write this latter book, and although it is not yet finalised. I have enjoyed doing it -and maybe others will enjoy reading it. If they do - fine, if they don't - no big deal. For me the real pleasure is in the creation - anything else is a bonus.
In my art, the same thing applies. The first and main person to please is myself. Self-publishing also allows this to happen -and where there are no upfront fees to pay - there is little or no risk.
Sorry to rave on about this - but if you want some real cynicism look at the Random House contrived Court Case The Holy Grail v. The Da Vinci Code, which just happened to rejuvenate sales of the former after 25 years! Brilliant PR - but don't tell me it had anything to do with the books. Pure business folks.
Anyway - nothing will ever stop me writing. I love it as a craft, as a leisure pursuit, and as an interesting hobby when combined with all the research - particularly with my Social History CD's.
You may have noticed that I have not provided titles to any of these things. I have no desire to bore people with promoting the things. I have already mentioned them on other posts and that's enough.
Back to the keyboard!!
Cheers,
Norm
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