News and Notices from the Writing Trenches #128…
Ebook prices. Maybe it’s time to increase mine? Up to now I’ve followed most people’s cost-of-living increases in salaries, Social Security, and pensions—in other words, my prices haven’t gone up because they don’t, in general! All ebooks save one (soon to change, I hope) are $3.99 or less, a tremendous bargain. Why? OK, you might want it for free or $0.99, but consider this: I just noticed the newsstand price for the Sunday NY Times is $5. Granted that they have all the news that’s unfit to print, but I guarantee you the total time they spend putting together that NY Times is much less than the average time I spend writing and publishing a complete novel (I’m discounting all those ads in the Times, of course, which seem to dominate every newspaper today). Because I don’t have many readers anyway, would higher prices make any difference?
The prices of my books have been permanently low—always on sale, if you will, so maybe discounts of a few dollars don’t seem like much. J. C. Penney tried that tactic when the CEO put all store merchandise “permanently on sale.” Didn’t work there. Customers look for large discounts, so many merchants have high prices so they can offer 30 or 50% discounts on select items, knowing that customers will probably buy other things at the full, inflated price. It’s a well-known marketing strategy. Should I use it? Dunno. Something to think about. My goal is to have a larger readership because I think the stories I tell are entertaining and relevant. I’d much prefer that every reader who has read one of my books tell ten or twenty friends, “Hey, I discovered this great storyteller!” That doesn’t seem to work, though.
I flunked the Strand’s hiring test. Speaking of the Times, one of those stupid articles they obviously throw together without much thought was the 7/19 one about the Strand Book Store (guess someone flunked spelling—bookstore is one word). The article offers examples the bookstore uses to screen applicants in order to determine whether they could perform well as future employees; they test your ability to match up books with authors. I flunked them all. I’m an avid reader, so what’s my problem?
Here’s a partial list of personal quirks leading to this abysmal result: (1) Too many books in the quizzes aren’t very entertaining, so even if I’d ever even considered them, I wouldn’t read them. (2) Too many books are for snobs, i.e. those books in that catch-all category “literary fiction” where books tossed that have a lot to say about absolutely nothing. I don’t read those either. (3) Interestingly enough, there’s no nonfiction in those example in the Times, at least. Nonfiction books also tell great stories. (4) In general, I tend to remember titles more than authors. Flash Boys is a great book, for example, but I can’t remember the author without looking up the book on “Steve’s Bookshelf.”
(5) I can’t afford most of the books in the lists—they’re traditionally published and too expensive. I never pay more than $5 per book. I only read Flash Boys in hardcover (trad-pubbers put those out first because they can charge readers more for them and they want to preserve the “old ways”) because some kind soul gave it to me. Of course, as a Strand employee, I’d tell customers to buy it online—even the trad-pubbed books are cheaper there because there’s not that bookstore markup. Finally, there’s (6) in this partial list: No books about bookstores? Sombra del Viento, The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry? Foreign books? Garcia Marquez, Stieg Larsson?
I guess I’m showing my illiterate, uncultured, and blue-collar side by not being able to pass the Strand’s test. Then again the only bookstore I’d work in is my own dealing exclusively with used and old books (as I do in cameos in two novels). While the Strand sells used books and “books costing less than ebooks” (not hard to realize compared to ebooks from traditional publishers) in its miles of bookcases, I’m pretty sure its location at Broadway and 12th between Greenwich and East Village would be one hell of a commute! (Yeah, I once visited it back in the sixties—it’s not far from Bleecker Street. It opened in 1927.)
Some changes. The last 10+ years have been interesting. I’m humbled by and appreciative for my few dedicated readers. I know you have many reading choices, so it’s an honor for me that you read this blog and/or my stories. At this point, though, I wonder if I have more books than readers. I also wonder why all the visitors to this blog aren’t reading my books. Oh well…it’s time for some changes.
Those who read this newsletter regularly already know that my ebooks once exclusive on Amazon are not anymore, and are being added to Smashwords (they’re retailers and distributors, even to Amazon, and also are affiliated with the best borrowing option in the business, Overdrive)—see below for the sale on the “Mary Jo Melendez Mysteries,” ONLY on Smashwords.
But it’s time to make changes in this blog too. Starting Monday, August 1, 2016, I’ll be less prolific with my often progressive-inspired op-ed articles on current news items. While writing these is a fulfilling part of my writing life and maybe important to a lot of readers who visit this website and know me far better for my articles than my books, it isn’t easy to publish all by my lonesome what essentially has become an online newspaper.
I will continue this blog with the following reduced schedule:
Mondays: “Words of Wisdom”—quotes of note.
Tuesdays: “Op-Ed Mishmash”—comments on current news items
Wednesdays: “Scribblers”: author Interviews AND/OR Steve’s shorts
Thursdays: “Writing & Publishing”: articles AND/OR “News and Notices from the Writing Trenches” (this newsletter)
Fridays: “TGIF”: book and movie reviews
Yeah, I know, the schedule still looks full, but I won’t guarantee every business day of every week is filled. And, if you want more progressive-inspired posts, consider subscribing to Common Dreams’ newsletter at their website.
Why am I ramping down a bit? To spend more time writing my stories! Until I recover costs, you won’t see any new novels, so I’ll probably have quite a backlog very soon (right now two manuscripts are ready and waiting in the queue, and another is nearly finished). Call this my own version of crowd funding: if you want to see more books, start buying the ones I have—they’re still entertaining and relevant, maybe more so now than when they were published! (Or, send me your winning lottery ticket as a donation to the cause.) You’ll still see free short stories and novellas occasionally in “Steve’s Shorts”—I’m a fan of the short story.
Review policy reminder. For authors wanting me to review their books, don’t query me directly; query Bookpleasures. For reviewers wanting to review my books, I offer a free ebook in exchange for an honest review PLUS a freebie (a thank you for being a reviewer)—all ebooks in my catalog are available to reviewers.
Last weekend! The “Mary Jo Melendez Mysteries” are on sale. Mary Jo is inviting you to celebrate with her for leaving Amazon exclusivity and appearing on Smashwords too. She’s an ex-USN Master-at-Arms who manages to get into a lot of trouble as a civilian; she also manages to beat the odds and survive, though. Muddlin’ Through (Smashwords coupon code KY27A) is an international thriller where she works to clear her name and pay back the group that framed her. In the process, she discovers the MECHs, Mechanically Enhanced Cybernetic Humans, and romance as she runs around the U.S., South American, and Europe. Silicon Slummin’…and Just Gettin’ By (Smashwords coupon code VT64E) takes place almost exclusively in the Silicon Valley where she has two government groups pursuing her, one U.S., the other Russian. She also has a stalker on a revenge mission. Both books, normally $2.99, are $0.99 on Smashwords, using the coupon codes, until August 1—lots of entertaining summer reading for $2!
In libris libertas!
