Changing Seasons in a Writer's Life!

By: Marcia King-Gamble
www.lovemarcia.com

Happy March!  Spring is definitely in the air.  I can feel it, even in the tropics (where I live). I can smell it and see  in the foliage.

   For those of you living in places where there is a visible change in the four seasons,  it's  usually a sign that  temperatures are rising and there  is a beach in your future.

But this months blog isn't about weather changes. It's about changes in the publishing world.

A little over a decade ago, eBooks took the publishing world by surprise. Many publishers and even readers were dubious, claiming it was a fad. On-line publishing was supposedly a place for the not-so-talented who couldn't get published anywhere.  That perception quickly changed when authors and publishers realized there were some serious money to be made. Books authors were told would never sell, and were subsequently rejected, found a home, and new life on the Internet. Just You, my mainstream book, http://a.co/i3MCJrX, for example had been sold three times to a traditional publisher. For one reason or another,  it never made it to the shelves. I got back my rights, self published and  received decent reviews. It's been one of my  better selling books.

The good news for Indies continues. According to The Written Word Media, in 2017 the majority of Fiction book sales will come from eBooks.  Statistics indicate that    70% of adult fiction sales were digital last year. Good news indeed for the Indie world.

In 2016, market share for traditional publishers continued to drop.  Small presses, Indie authors, and Amazon imprints accounted for over 50% of market share. This means reader perception continues to change. Readers are open to reading authors that are not traditionally published. This means smart marketing and developing a loyal following will become even more important this year.

Amazon imprints will command the top ten spots in 2017. This is based on last last quarters results when Amazon imprints took an additional 4% of the market share.

Mark Coker of Smashwords predicts that this year Kindle Unlimited will be king,  He talks about the value proposition of Kindle Unlimited for readers. He also believes that crowding will increase competition. Crowding means the availability of  more books online. Typically a print book has a shelf life. Not so in the e world as there is no limit to shelf space. So get out there and upload that back-list, my  author friends.

Audio books will increase in popularity in 2017. This comes as no surprise, given longer commuting hours, and  the ability to multi-task. You can use a device while doing house or gardening work.  Confirming this upward trend, The Association of American Publishers reports that audio remains the fastest growing format. Additionally, in a survey completed by Pew Research, 14% of respondents said they listened to audio books.

Mark Lefebvre of Kobo Writing Life believes this is the year authors should seriously consider expanding their offerings. By this, he means you should branch out and take advantage of multiple formats and sales platforms. He advises not to rely on a single retailer or format for your income.  The more formats you have available, the more readers you can reach.  Link: http://a.co/8xTJbcq


Market, market, market. The time and money are well spent, especially in an increasingly crowded  market. Overall  email marketing has proven to be the best way.   And it's not just about writing,  it's about career building Barbara Freethy says, and she is the classic example of an author who left traditional publishing behind. In July 2014  she was named the Amazon KDP Bestselling Author of All Time!  She's since built an even huger following. To quote Barbara, " It’s  about engaging and re-engaging the core audience and exploring ways to diversify income."

Facebook ads are supposed to decline.  Costs have increased.  So broaden your marketing efforts and diversify. Test and try new avenues.  Don't  be afraid to see what works for you.

Expand your audience internationally. Markets like India and Germany are growing just as fast as the UK and US  market did.  Mark Lefebvre of Kobo suggests you focus on International markets where English is spoken and there is no need for translation. And do consider selling the rights to your book to foreign publishers. Read Joanna Penn’s article on international rights for more information.

Finally, authors need to continue to support other authors. Collaborate on promotions.  Use your social media presence to share each others work This can be done through group giveaways, anthologies, samplers and author promotion websites,  Promoting your own book is no longer a  solo endeavor. The success of box sets  are a clear example. Reach out to your fellow writers and see who might be interested in working together. I know I did, and the results were phenomenal.

This  is your year. Change is in the air. Dust off those unsold manuscripts and get them out there!

Pic taken in Cozumel on a Writers Cruise Feb 2017 LR authors Marcia King-Gamble, Carol Stephenson, Karen Kendall.

About Marcia King-Gamble

Romance writer, Marcia King-Gamble originally hails from a sunny Caribbean island where the sky and ocean are the same mesmerizing shade of blue. This former travel industry executive and current world traveler has spent most of life in the United States. A National Bestselling author, Marcia has penned over 34 books and 8 novellas. Her free time is spent at the gym, traveling to exotic locales, and caring for her animal family.

Visit Marcia at www.lovemarcia.com or “friend” her on Facebook: http://bit.ly/1MlnrIS

This Crazy Business of Publishing

By Courtney Pierce

When I wrote my first novel, Stitches, the thought of being published was the furthest thing from my mind. I wanted the challenge of plotting a compelling story, to learn the craft, and to dive into the story that burned in my imagination. I took a sabbatical from corporate life to write that story, a deeply personal story of immortality filled with humor and adventure. Now, two trilogies later, I’m finishing my sixth book, Indigo Legacy, and I’m back to balancing work, a new family, and my writing.

But there was no greater feeling than finishing that first book in 2012, a creation born from the pure joy of pushing through the process and challenging myself with questions. To turn over the manuscript to the first reader was a test of fortitude, self-confidence, and my openness to criticism. I developed that much-needed thick skin.

I came up for air in a swirl of adventure, humor, and magical realism, only to feel a bit lost atHow to get Published and critiquing queries for a hefty fee. They weren't selling many books. Publishers were only interested in celebrity memoirs and established authors with a proven track record, those who could make them money without a marketing budget. What to do next? The publishing industry was in chaos in 2012, and so were retail bookstores, both big chains and independent ones. Life for the average reader had shifted to be an E-book experience―at a rate of $.99 or free. Only a select few were making a decent living from being a writer, earning pennies on the dollar for the long hours invested. The book business was about volume...in the millions. The industry had been plunged into a perfect storm of capitalism: an antiquated, crumbling process in need of rebuilding, fueled by new technology. Amazon was living up to its name. Literary agents had shifted their focus to teaching workshops about

And then a funny thing did happen on the way to being published.

The lone writer―the little gal―suddenly could have her own voice.

I could do everything myself: Tweet, Facebook, set up a website, hire an editor and cover designer, format and produce a book at the push of a button. Not easy, mind you, but I would’ve had to do much of it anyway. If I was prolific and built my audience with a steady stream of books, then the publishing industry might chase me. Publishers aren’t in the business of making dreams come true. That’s my job.

I made the choice to be a pioneer. I decided to go it on my own, and the process was liberating if not amazing. As a first-time author during that tumultuous period, my chances of getting traditionally published were a long shot at best. Self-publishing allowed me to control my timeline, protect my content, and retain ownership of my copyrights. I taught myself the business, and I got better at it with every book. But most of all, I found my audience, without delusions of grandeur. If I didn’t sell millions of books, I wasn’t a failure. I’m thankful for those 73 Million baby boomers, just like me. Those boomers who bought my books and personally connected with me showed me the way forward.

My sense of purpose is to stay true to my audience…and to myself. Chasing trends doesn't work to be successful. That can't always be measured in dollars. I write for the pure joy of it. I’ve circled back to my roots of why I got into this crazy endeavor in the first place. 

Courtney Pierce is a fiction writer living in Milwaukie, Oregon, with her bossy cat. She writes for baby boomers. By day, Courtney is an executive in the entertainment industry and uses her time in a theater seat to create stories that are filled with heart, humor and mystery. She has studied craft and storytelling at the Attic Institute and has completed the Hawthorne Fellows Program for writing and publishing. Active in the writing community, she is a board member of the Northwest Independent Writers Association and on the Advisory Council of the Independent Publishing Resource Center. She is a member of Willamette Writers, Pacific Northwest Writers Association, and She Writes. The Executrix received the Library Journal Self-E recommendation seal. 

Check out all of Courtney's books at:

courtney-pierce.com and windtreepress.com. Both print and E-books are available through most major online retailers, including Amazon.com

The Dushane Sisters are back in Indigo Lake. More laughs, more tears...and more trouble. Protecting Mom's reputation might get the sisters killed―or give one of them the story she's been dying to live.

New York Times best-selling author Karen Karbo says, "Courtney Pierce spins a madcap tale of family grudges, sisterly love, unexpected romance, mysterious mobsters and dog love. Reading Indigo Lake is like drinking champagne with a chaser of Mountain Dew. Pure Delight."

Colorful characters come alive in Courtney's trilogy about the Dushane sisters. Beginning with The Executrix, three middle-age sisters find a manuscript for a murder mystery in their mother's safe after her death. Mom’s book gives them a whole new view of their mother and their future. Is it fiction . . . or truth? 

Get out the popcorn as the Dushane Sisters Trilogy comes to a scrumptious conclusion with Indigo Legacy. Due out in 2017.