Now it must be said that the book is a well-defined and specific form of transmission of thought and creativity which cannot in any way be exchanged with other forms of expression which have come into vogue with the advent of new media, even if writing it is.
In any case it can certainly be said that the new media have fallen like a meteorite into the placid pool of book publishing which reiterated its rituals like Kant its days. Before Amazon, the only major innovation in the book industry that could be remembered, provided you were octogenarians, was the invention of the paperback which took place in the XNUMXs by Penguin books. In truth it was Aldo Manuzio, with his Thus, to invent them at the dawn of the sixteenth century. It's easy to say innovation. According to the opinion of those in the know, like Jeff Bezos, the book is a technology of press perfect self and hardly perfectible. As you stated during the presentation of the Kindle 11 years ago “What can you add to War and peace? Nothing!" Perhaps it is for this reason that, as observed by one of the most brilliant contemporary commentators, the interactivity of Kindle it is similar to that of a potato. Yet with the Kindke something really important has happened, not so much in the content, but in the relationship between the public, writers and publishers, something that truly resembles the birth of a new paradigm.
EDauthors Prime weaponry
We want to try to briefly analyze what and how the author-publisher relationship has changed in recent years: traditional publishing, paid publishing, self publishing these are the obligatory steps that have led the author-publisher relationship towards a new renewed and amplified partnership in the context of the new publishing industry.
For about more than a decade, numerous publishing platforms have proliferated that publish books for a fee. The phenomenon is also widespread in Italy but was born overseas. Not that paid publishing is exactly new. Marcel Proust, after two resounding refusals of Research, in February 1913 he turned to the young publisher Bernard Grassetoffering to pay for publication and advertising costs. Grassethe accepted without even having read the manuscript. Something similar happened to Joyce that he had to go to Paris to publish there'Ulysses that the French linotypists in copying the manuscript will enrichono of new and exciting neologisms. Two of the greatest works of the twentieth century were therefore born outside the circles of major publishing.
The concept between the lines is: “Are you an author who can't make it? No agent discovered you or worse everyone rejected you but are you so stubborn that you want to publish your books? Well here's a new publisher available for you: tell me how many copies of your book you want to print, you pay for them and you can easily give them away or sell them to your friends."
The author falls into the narcissistic trap of publication as if his book had actually passed the scrutiny of an agent and the editing of a competent editorial board and finds himself published. It is no coincidence that the Americans called this type of publication Vanity Press
Lo writer Indie
This practice took away from new writers not only a large sum of money but also the possibility of growing a real author-publisher relationship that contributed to the success of the book. He created a false relationship by gradually weakening trust in the role, yet fundamental, of an expert in the publishing world who could guide him in the necessary steps for the production and marketing of an editorially valid product.
Then technology allowed the birth of a new author identity, the “indie”. He is the self-authorpublisher, publisher of se itself which therefore becomes self-agent, self-distributor, self-promoter and investor. He becomes a writer-entrepreneur.
This new avenue has become for many novice or marginalized authors from a last-ditch thing to something resembling an important opportunity. For them, the many great best-selling authors, not many, who have taken the step ofself-publishing happily saying goodbye to their publishers. But this is not so easy for everyone.
Publishing your book on the new digital platforms completely overcomes the problem of finding a publisher willing to make it into a paper text and it is certainly less expensive than it could have been for a paying author, but this does not absolutely guarantee the sale of the book.
The situation is obviously different for authors already known to the public, for those who already have thousands of fans awaiting the release of the latest unmissable "masterpiece". But the road for those who are unknown to most, for those who have to create their own network of followers and fans is all uphill.
How can a novice author publish his book?
How to create the appropriate marketing network for its distribution and sale?
Finally
Can the author really do all this by himself? Will his role as editor penalize the other half of this "couple" ie the author?
smashwords
To better understand this topic let us analyze the case of the platform Smashwords founded in 2008 by Mark Coker to change the way books are published, distributed and delivered to buyers. After Amazon, it is the best-known international platform forself-publishing. But not the only one, In the almost ten years since its launch, smashwords has grown to become the leading book distributor for indie authors, small publishers and literary agents. Over 180.000 authors from around the world publish and distribute more than half a million books on smashwords.
Mark Coker that before founding smashwords he was president of a public relations company he did not neglect the aspect of communication doing a great job of supporting authors and published various guides just for self-publishers so that they can hone their ability to be editors of se themselves.
The guides lead the authors by the hand advising them on the formatting of their text, on the publication and distribution on the platform smashwords and on marketing action.
Let's start right from the marketing guide. The guide offers 30 "suggestions" on what to do as soon as a new book is ready, or even better, it would be to start even before publication to create that minimum of expectation that never hurts.
30 suggestions di self-marketing
1. Update the signature at the bottom of the email: every day each of us sends dozens of emails to friends, relatives, work colleagues, etc., add a line with the title of the newly published book with a link to the site or Facebook profile or platform where you can download or order it.
2. Post the story on your website (and it would be essential for you authors to have it) on the blog (also essential) and put a notice that your book is available on the distribution platforms.
3. Contact friends, relatives, fans, collaborators, colleagues: write a brief and discreet email to everyone informing them of the release of the book, kindly asking them in turn to spread the word to friends, relatives, collaborators, colleagues, etc.
4. Post on your social networks: on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter let us know the news immediately. The more social networks you include in your communication strategy, the more chances you have of reaching potential readers
5. Updated forum signatures: Most of the forums you participate in (if you don't already, start doing it!) allow you to create a signature to insert at the end of the post. Also in this signature put your link.
6. Gather readers on Twitter: Twitter allows you to create a short profile that allows you to place a link to your personal site or blog. Of course, you'll need to have built up a large following of your Twitter followers in order for your tweets to reach many people.
7. Publish multiple books on the same distribution platform: the more books you have on the same platform, the more discoverable you and your works will be, and the more the chances of entering the book recommendation mechanism increase.
8. Link the new book to others already published: build a web of hyperlinks between the various books. It is advisable to insert the catalog of publications at the end of the publication as it was once done with books.
9. Make yourself known to readers: always insert a section called “The Author” at the end of the book. Your readers will want to know more about you if they get to the end of your book. Obviously you have to insert a link to the site or blog and don't forget to put your email address.
10. Write a press release and spread it everywhere: Press releases are an important tool if written well, they save time for journalists and bloggers. Time is the only resource that is scarce in cyberspace.
11. Help journalists talk about your book: Every day thousands of journalists have to write articles under contract and need to interview experts on various topics. Let them know what your book is about and try to get them interviewed by making yourself available to answer a few questions via email on topics related to your book.
12. Encourage your friends and fans to review your book: Other readers will be encouraged to purchase the book if they find reviews that are intelligent, thoughtful, and balanced.
13. Write reviews of other books on the publishing platform: in addition to supporting the work of other authors, you can activate new paths to be found.
14. Participate in online forums: if you participate in book forums you can "occasionally" publish a note on your book. However, you must not overdo the activity on your behalf.
15. Make promotions and discounts: promote your books with discounts for certain periods. Discounts, if agreed with the platform that undertakes to advertise them, can go a long way in making you known even if they do not improve the income statement. It's an investment in advertising that costs less than a banner.
16. Write a blog: Engage your potential readers in conversations. With time and patience, you will be able to build a following of people who will be intrigued to read your books or even just to promote them.
17. Write in the blog guest columns: most literary blogs are managed by people who love books and who, not always having time to produce new posts, allow readers to insert their own. Often at the end of the intervention you will have the opportunity to say who you are and what you have published, as the New York Times does with its contributors.
18. Invite other authors to write on your blog: you too can allow other authors to do the same thing on your blog and thus widen the network of relationships.
19. Conduct interviews with other authors on your blog: ask your favorite authors to give you short interviews. The interviewee will broadcast his interview on his channels thus expanding your network.
20. Participate in blog conversations: When you comment on something and are asked for the web address, you can give the page of your book. Please don't post messages to push people to buy the book: it would be counterproductive.
21. Organize a “blog tour”: it is analogous to what authors do who physically run the libraries to promote the news. Go around the various blogs to give news of your book.
22. Use Google Alert: use it to find out where the conversations are taking place: participate in blogs where conversations are happening about the topic of your book.
23. use YouTube to win readers: publish videos on why you wrote about a certain topic or in any case prepare short films on topics related to your book.
24. Print business cards: it may seem paradoxical in the digital environment but there are still contacts that take place in bookshops, shops, bars and finding a ticket with your data and web address is still needed.
25. THEencourage your fans a paral of your books: Smashwords, for example, has created an affiliate program for those who want to sign up as a fan and earn commissions.
26. Create a reading guide at the end of your book: Add a short guide to points at the end of the book that can be used as a basis for discussion for reading groups.
27. Insert a chapter from another of your books at the end of each book: so you can convince your reader to buy another book. But don't overdo it, just an appetizer: short and appetizing.
28. Swap titles or chapters with another author: look for another author who writes the same kind of book and associate with him by advertising each other.
29. Invite other authors to publish on the same platform: each author who publishes on the same platform can bring other readers who can become your potential readers.
30. Promote your book on the sites of greatest interest to your book: There are many sites that specialize in book recommendations that accept a link for the mentioned book.
This substantial list of suggestions gives us an idea of how much a good marketing operation constantly engages the author. the self-publishing however, it is actually possible and this is demonstrated by the fact that according to indie authors they have taken an important slice of the US book market.
Welcome to the era of the author-entrepreneur
