Midwest Independent Publishers Association (MIPA)

Tonight's meeting canceled

2011-06-08T15:44:00.001-05:00

Unfortunately, due to illness, tonight's meeting has been canceled. We will keep you up to date on when it will be rescheduled. We're sorry for any inconvenience.

Come hear about this year's IBPA Pub-U on June 8th!

2011-05-19T17:26:00.000-05:00

Who: Midwest Independent Publishers Association (MIPA)
What : June meeting notice
When: June 8, 7 pm (6:30 pm social time)
Where: 1200 Washington Ave, Minneapolis, Joule meeting space, second floor; free parking available
Why: topic will be "A Report Back from Pub U."
Speaker: Brandon Paumen, editorial, North Star Press of St. Cloud, Inc

If you could not make it to the Independent Book Publishers Association Pub University in New York this year, come and hear what it was like. Our own member Brandon Paumen will tell all!

Note: we are starting a summer series of meetings; please join us.

Midwest Book Award Winners and Finalists

2011-05-19T17:23:00.000-05:00

Arts:
First place (a tie): Friendship: The Art of the Practice, Tristan Publishing
and The Saint John's Bible: Historical Books, Liturgical Press
Finalist: The Prints of Warrington Colescott, University of Wisconsin Press

Biography/Memoir
First place: John Paul Stevens, Northern Illinois University Press
Finalists: A Lifetime Burning, Borderland Books, and Czechs Forever, Penfield Books

Business
First place: Sacred Ground, Beaver's Pond Press
Finalist: Selling It Softly, Grand Oaks Press

Children's Picture Book
First place: Looking for Lucy, Beaver's Pond Press
Finalists: Stranger in the Woods: Snowflake Edition, Carl R. Sams II Photography, and Yafi's Family, Amharic Kids Press

Children's Fiction
First place: Ben and Lucy Play Pond Hockey, Beaver's Pond Press
Finalists: Henry! You're Late Again!, Beaver's Pond Press, and Military Life, Elva Resa Publishing

Children's Non-Fiction
First place: Be Fit, Be Strong, Be You, Free Spirit Publishing
Finalists: Frankie, the Rock 'n Roll Therapy Dog, Joyful Paws Prints Press, LLC, and
Pingpong Perry Experiences How a Book Is Made, Picture Window Books/Capstone

Young Adult Fiction
First place: Wilkinshire, iUniverse
Finalists: Siberia John & The Mystery of the Amazing Zoo, Three Towers Press, and
The Ugly Tree, Comfort Publishing

Coffee Table Books
First place: Whispers of the Ancients, University of Michigan Press
Finalist: Like an Old Friend, Beaver's Pond Press

Cookbooks
First place: Let’s Cook, Appletree Press, Inc.
Finalists: Café Indiana Cookbook, University of Wisconsin Press, and Cooking Ala Heart, Appletree Press Inc.

Crafts/Hobbies
First place: Amy Barickman's Vintage Notions, Amy Barickman LLC
Finalists: Quilting: The Basics and Beyond, Landauer Publishing, and Threads: The Basics and Beyond, Landauer Publishing

Culture
First place: Living in Two Worlds, World Wisdom
Finalists: Paris from the Heart, Beaver's Pond Press, and Whispers of the Ancients, University of Michigan Press

Current Events
First place: Quick Cash, Northern Illinois University Press
Finalist: Men of a Single Book, World Wisdom

Family/Parenting
First place: Heading Home with Your Newborn, American Academy of Pediatrics
Finalists: First the Broccoli, then the Ice Cream, Two Fish Books, and Yafi's Family, Amharic Kids Press

General Fiction
First place: The Peculiar Boars of Malloy, Switchgrass Books (Northern Illinois University Press)
Finalists: Cranberry Red, University of Wisconsin Press, and Today's Special! Yes It Is, Tristan Publishing

Genre Fiction
First place: Girl in the Gatehouse, Bethany House
Finalists: Deadly Reunion, North Star Press, and Death's Imperfect Witness, North Star Press

Health
First place: Mental Health Naturally, American Academy of Pediatrics
Finalists: The Reluctant Donor, Beaver's Pond Press, and Yoga for Every Room in Your House, Great Bear Press

History
First place: Sierra Summer, 1874, Pineneedle Press
Finalists: Living in Two Worlds, World Wisdom, and Lost on the Lady Elgin, In-Depth Editions

How-To/Do-It-Yourself
First place: Amy Barickman's Vintage Notions, Amy Barickman LLC

Humor
First place: Hitchhiking After Dark, Gale Force Press
Finalists: Garage Logic, Beaver's Pond Press, and The Athletic Benchley, Glendower Media

Inspiration/Gift Book
First place: I'm New at Being Old, Temuna Press
Finalists: Bringing Jon Home, Beaver's Pond Press, and Whispers of the Ancients, University of Michigan Press

Midwest Regional Interest
First place: The Opposite of Cold, University of Minnesota Press
Finalists: H. H. Bennett, Photographer, University of Wisconsin Press, and Whispers of the Ancients, University of Michigan Press

Nature
First place: Nature’s Garden, Forager's Harvest Press
Finalists: Amazing Hummingbirds, Adventure Publications, and Common Dragonflies of Northern Door County, Stonehill Publishing

Poetry
First place: Beso the Donkey, Michigan State University
Finalists: Jackson, Jesse, and the Almost Free Lunch, Beaver's Pond Press, and The Wind Blows. The Ice Breaks, Nodin Press

Recreation/Sports
First place: A Grouse Hunter's Almanac, University of Wisconsin Press
Finalists: Live Happily Ever Active, Jabberwocky Books, and Raising Stanley: What It Takes to Claim Hockey's Ultimate Prize, Triumph Books

Reference
First place: A Handbook of Scandinavian Names, University of Wisconsin Press
Finalists: 2011 Saint Paul Almanac, Arcata Press, and MFA in a Box, Dream of Things

Religion/Philosophy
First place: The Saint John's Bible: Historical Books, Liturgical Press
Finalists: Circle of Catholic Women, Juloya, and Kierkegaard, Lutheran University Press

Self-Help
First place: Living with the Enemy, Beaver's Pond Press
Finalists: The Joyful Professor, MavenMark Books, and Yoga for Every Room in Your House, Great Bear Press

Social Science
First place: Whispers of the Ancients, University of Michigan Press
Finalists: Spirits of Earth, University of Wisconsin Press, and Stalking Mary, Beaver's Pond Press

Travel
First place: Lake Superior: The Ultimate Guide, Lake Superior Port Cities, Inc.
Finalists: 2011 Saint Paul Almanac, Arcata Press, and Paris from the Heart, Beaver's Pond Press

Illustration
First place: Whispers of the Ancients, University of Michigan Press
Finalists: An Illustrated Introduction to Taoism, World Wisdom, and Stranger in the Woods: Snowflake Edition, Carl R. Sams II Photography

Interior Layout
First place: Living in Two Worlds, World Wisdom
Finalists: Live Happily Ever Active, Jabberwocky Books, and Sacred Ground, Beaver's Pond Press

1-2 Color Cover
First place: The Butterfly Key, Butterfly Publishing Press
Finalist: Legacy of Life, MavenMark Books

Congratulations to all of the winners and finalists!

3 or More Color Cover
First place: Living in Two Worlds, World Wisdom
Finalists: An Illustrated Introduction to Taoism, World Wisdom, and Marilyn and Me, Augusta Wind Press

Total Book Design
First place: Wisconsin's Own, Wisconsin Historical Society Press
Finalists: An Illustrated Introduction to Taoism, World Wisdom
Living in Two Worlds, World Wisdom

Publisher's Website
First place: Beaver's Pond Press
Finalists: Granny Girl Press and World Wisdom

2010 Midwest Book Awards Finalists

2011-04-25T14:39:00.000-05:00

We are pleased to announce the finalists in the 21st annual Midwest Book Awards. First place winners will be announced at the Midwest Book Awards Ceremony and Celebration on May 11, 2011.

*The following finalists are listed in no particular order.*

Arts
Friendship: The Art of the Practice -- Tristan Publishing
The Prints of Warrington Colescott -- University of Wisconsin Press
The Saint John's Bible: Historical Books -- Liturgical Press

Biography/Memoir
A Lifetime Burning -- Borderland Books
Czechs Forever -- Penfield Books
John Paul Stevens -- Northern Illinois University Press

Business
Sacred Ground -- Beaver's Pond Press
Selling It Softly -- Grand Oaks Press

Children's Picture Book
Looking for Lucy -- Beaver's Pond Press
Stranger in the Woods: Snowflake Edition -- Carl R. Sams II Photography
Yafi's Family -- Amharic Kids Press

Children's Fiction
Ben and Lucy Play Pond Hockey -- Beaver's Pond Press
Henry! You're Late Again! -- Beaver's Pond Press
Military Life -- Elva Resa Publishing

Children's Non-Fiction
Be Fit, Be Strong, Be You -- Free Spirit Publishing
Frankie, the Rock 'n Roll Therapy Dog -- Joyful Paws Prints Press, LLC
Pingpong Perry Experiences How a Book Is Made -- Picture Window Books/Capstone

Young Adult Fiction
Siberia John & The Mystery of the Amazing Zoo -- Three Towers Press/MavenMark Books
The Ugly Tree -- Comfort Publishing
Wilkinshire -- iUniverse

Coffee Table Books
Like an Old Friend -- Beaver's Pond Press
Whispers of the Ancients -- University of Michigan Press

Cookbooks
Café Indiana Cookbook -- University of Wisconsin Press
Cooking Ala Heart -- Appletree Press Inc.
Let's Cook -- Appletree Press, Inc.

Crafts/Hobbies
Amy Barickman's Vintage Notions -- Amy Barickman LLC
Quilting: The Basics and Beyond -- Landauer Publishing
Threads: The Basics and Beyond -- Landauer Publishing

Culture
Living in Two Worlds -- World Wisdom
Paris from the Heart -- Beaver's Pond Press
Whispers of the Ancients -- University of Michigan Press

Current Events
Men of a Single Book -- World Wisdom
Quick Cash -- Northern Illinois University Press

Family/Parenting
First the Broccoli, then the Ice Cream -- Two Fish Books
Heading Home with Your Newborn -- American Academy of Pediatrics
Yafi's Family -- Amharic Kids Press

General Fiction
Cranberry Red -- University of Wisconsin Press
The Peculiar Boars of Malloy -- Switchgrass Books/Northern Illinois University
Today's Special! Yes It Is -- Tristan Publishing

Genre Fiction
Deadly Reunion -- North Star Press
Death's Imperfect Witness -- North Star Press
Girl in the Gatehouse -- Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group

Health
Mental Health Naturally -- American Academy of Pediatrics
The Reluctant Donor -- Beaver's Pond Press
Yoga for Every Room in Your House -- Great Bear Press

History
Living in Two Worlds -- World Wisdom
Lost on the Lady Elgin -- In-Depth Editions
Sierra Summer, 1874 -- Pineneedle Press

How-To/Do-It-Yourself
Amy Barickman's Vintage Notions -- Amy Barickman LLC

Humor
Garage Logic -- Beaver's Pond Press
Hitchhiking After Dark -- Gale Force Press
The Athletic Benchley -- Glendower Media

Inspiration/Gift Book
Bringing Jon Home -- Beaver's Pond Press
I'm New at Being Old -- Temuna Press
Whispers of the Ancients -- University of Michigan Press

Midwest Regional Interest
H. H. Bennet, Photographer -- University of Minnesota Press
The Opposite of Cold -- University of Minnesota Press
Whispers of the Ancients -- University of Michigan Press

Nature
Amazing Hummingbirds -- Adventure Publications
Common Dragonflies of Northern Door County -- Stonehill Publishing
Nature Garden -- Forager's Harvest Press

Poetry
Beso the Donkey -- Michigan State University
Jackson, Jesse, and the Almost Free Lunch -- Beaver's Pond Press
The Wind Blows. The Ice Breaks -- Nodin Press

Recreation/Sports
A Grouse Hunter's Almanac -- University of Wisconsin Press
Live Happily Ever Active -- Jabberwocky Books
Raising Stanley: What It Takes to Claim Hockey's Ultimate Prize -- Triumph Books

Reference
2011 Saint Paul Almanac -- Arcata Press
A Handbook of Scandinavian Names -- University of Wisconsin Press
MFA in a Box -- Dream of Things

Religion/Philosophy
Circle of Catholic Women -- Juloya/Elva Resa Publishing
Kierkegaard -- Lutheran University Press/Kirk House
The Saint John's Bible: Historical Books -- Liturgical Press

Self-Help
Living with the Enemy -- Beaver's Pond Press
The Joyful Professor -- MavenMark Books/Henschel Haus
Yoga for Every Room in Your House -- Great Bear Press

Social Science
Spirits of Earth -- University of Wisconsin Press
Stalking Mary -- Beaver's Pond Press
Whispers of the Ancients -- University of Michigan Press

Travel
2011 Saint Paul Almanac -- Arcata Press
Lake Superior: The Ultimate Guide -- Lake Superior Port Cities, Inc.
Paris from the Heart -- Beaver's Pond Press

Illustration
An Illustrated Introduction to Taoism -- World Wisdom
Stranger in the Woods: Snowflake Edition -- Carl R. Sams II Photography
Whispers of the Ancients -- University of Michigan Press

Interior Layout
Live Happily Ever Active -- Jabberwocky Books
Living in Two Worlds -- World Wisdom
Sacred Ground -- Beaver's Pond Press

1-2 Color Cover
Legacy of Life -- MavenMark Books/Henschel Haus
The Butterfly Key -- Butterfly Publishing Press

3 or More Color Cover
An Illustrated Introduction to Taoism -- World Wisdom
Living in Two Worlds -- World Wisdom
Marilyn and Me -- Augusta Wind Press

Total Book Design
An Illustrated Introduction to Taoism -- World Wisdom
Living in Two Worlds -- World Wisdom
Wisconsin's Own -- Wisconsin Historical Society Press

Publisher's Website
Beaver's Pond Press
Granny Girl Press
World Wisdom

Thank you for participating in the Midwest Book Awards! And congratulations to the finalists!

Search for a Silver Bullet

2011-01-27T14:07:00.000-06:00

In publishing today the questions are Ebooks? Print books? Online marketing?

Do you want a rehash of old ideas? Or a look at new ones? Join in the discussion at the February Midwest Independent Publishers Association (MIPA) meeting on February 9, 2011 at 7:00 pm (social hour at 6:30 pm) in the Joule Suites at 1200 Washington Ave, Minneapolis.

Kirk House Publisher Leonard Flachman will highlight the pertinent learnings for 2011 from the May 2010 publishing university in the context of a "Search for the Silver Bullet." Leonard was the 2010 MIPA scholarship winner; applications for the 2011 award will be available at the meeting.

Leonard will talk about technologies that were not around in May of 2010, and their implication for the publishing industry. He will talk about the new technologies, about change, about adaptation, and about hype.

Leonard said, "as publishers do we use new technologies to churn out the same old stuff? 750,000 books published in 2009, one million in 2010. In 2011? At what number is the quality line? Are we creating a new low common denominator? What contributes? Does that hurt the publisher who produces with quality? Will we find the silver bullet? Is it too elusive?"

Come and find out!

October 2010 Meeting Notes

2010-10-27T22:20:00.000-05:00

MIPA Meeting, October 13, 2010Timing of a Book Release

When a book is released is just as important as other aspects of the book. Here are some thoughts from others in the book trade.

Julie Arthur-Sherman (regional buyer for Barnes & Noble): When a pub date slips, buyers cancel their orders and you lose sales.

Dorothy Molstad: Aside from a pub date, you should have a warehouse date. That's the date when books have to be in warehouses, to be shipped to stores. It takes a long itme to go from warehouse to store to shelves--about six weeks from warehouse to shelf, allowing time for buyers.

Pat Bell: Beware of holiday scheduling. Don't launch a book in December. Fiction has one year (at most) in the market. A book published in December will be seen by stores in January as an "old book." If a book is pubbed in November, it only has about three months to sell.

Set up book events for the holidays in June/July. Slots fill up fast.

Leonard Flachman: You should be working from March-June for books to be sold in Nov-Dec, and August-September for books to be sold in the spring. You need to allow time to get into [your distributor's/wholesaler's] catalogs to be presented to store buyers.

Trade reviews require books 3-4 months in advance of the pub date. Julie Arthur-Sherman wants info at the same time as Publishers Weekly, New York Times, etc.

Seal Dwyer: If you're not thinking about the marketing while you're writing the book, you're too late.

Leonard Flachman: Regarding endorsements and testimonials: get them before printing. Even better, get them before ARCs (Advance Reading Copy). Make a list of the opinion leaders of your audience. Contact them directly. Send a copy of the manuscript (PDF, hard copy), even before editing, as a first proof. Call it an "unedited, unformatted manuscript."

Endorsements for pictures books: send 2-3 pages in color and the rest in b/w so the reader can get an idea of the illustration quality.

Linda Strommer: You should have at least 3-5 endorsements on the back cover. Get as many as you can. Ask the thought leaders [those who influence the thinking of your audience]. They're helping to create awareness for your book.

Dorothy Molstad: Midwest Booksellers Association puts out a holiday catalog every year and send it out to all bookstores in their 11-state region. Take advantage of their "Midwest Favorites" if you're eligible.

Pre-selling your books generates buzz and helps sales.

Seal Dwyer: Create the ebook as soon as the book is done. You can have the ebook available before the print book. It helps the visibility of the print book, and doesn't hurt the sales of print books.

Check out the websites of Brian Jud and John Kremer for timelines of what needs to be done when, in terms of book production.

If your book is going to have a foreword (non-fiction), allow 6-12 months before the pub date. You may have to pay the author of the foreword for their writing.

Cover artists can take six months to do a cover. Some may take a year.

Sybil Smith: There's so much money at stake to not do it right.

Pat Bell: Tap into organizations like MIPA, IBPA, Pub-U (IBPA's intensive publishing univerisity, just before BEA), other educational opportunities.

Some things can kill timing. Make sure books are physically available, not just "available" through POD.

You need to be able to pay up front and you need to have the cash flow available. You may not get sales until 3-6 months after sales.

Keep your deadlines with your printer, get proofs back on time, or you could lose your printing slot with the printer and delay the schedule.

Keep communication in mind. For instance, if the author is going to be interviewed on the radio, make sure books are in stores for listeners to immediately go buy it.

As to whether stocking extra books in stores in anticipation of interviews and signings is putting the cart before the horse, Leonard Flachman says "There is no cart and there is no horse."

Pat Bell: Being a publisher is being in a state of constant education.

October 2010 MIPA Meeting

2010-10-06T18:36:00.000-05:00

What do the following places and acronyms have in common: BEA, ALA, Frankfurt, London, MBA, TCBF, BWF. (Answers at the end of the post.)

If you guessed that they're all trade shows or other book festivals where you can showcase your new releases, you're right. But what if your new release isn't ready yet?

Timing is key in publishing, whether you're planning a book release around a bigger news or product release, a life cycle event, or doing not so much planning at all. How you time your releases can affect when you're eligible to showcase titles in trade shows and enter them into awards. And depending on your market, the timing of your books may be different from another publisher's.

And how do you learn, and take advantage of, good timing? Join us for a lively give-and-take about the best and worst decisions on setting the pub date for your book in "Who's Got The Time: What to Do and When to Do It to Sell Your Books."

7:00pm-9:00pm.
October 13, 2010.
Hotel Sofitel, Bloomington, MN

Answers to above: Book Expo America, American Library Association, Frankfurt Book Fair, London Book Fair, Midwest Booksellers Association Trade Show, Twin Cities Book Festival (Rain Taxi), Bloomington Writers' Festival.

September 2010 MIPA Meeting

2010-09-07T18:05:00.001-05:00

“You get what you pay for” is usually wise advice, but not necessarily in the world of online publishing and printing. It’s often closer to “What you put into it is what you get back” and money has little to do with that. But that doesn’t mean money isn’t part of the equation—sometimes lots of money. Sometimes, not very much. Some people feel they’ve gotten good deals; others know they were ripped off.

What is clearly true is that many of the online companies understand the value of marketing . . . their own companies. But what do you get when you buy their marketing packages for your own books? What should you look for in their contracts? Do they really hold “sales”? Editing? Design? Should you buy those services from them? What are your options? What about CreateSpace? Do you have to use it to get onto Amazon? No. But there are things you need to know before you sign on to use the site as your printer.

Given the animated discussion that erupted at our Board meeting when the subject was brought up, Wednesday’s meeting on this topic should be interesting, enlightening, educational, and maybe just a bit raucous.

Bring your questions. Share your experiences. Let’s help one another understand “The good, the bad, and the ugly of online publishers.”

Wednesday, September 8, 2010 at 7:00pm at Hotel Sofitel, 5601 West 78th Street, Bloomington, MN 55439.

Election results will be announced at the meeting. Hope to see you there!

Call for Entries Now Open in the 21st Annual Midwest Book Awards

2010-09-07T17:56:00.000-05:00

It's time to enter your 2010 books in the 21st Annual Midwest Book Awards!

In a nutshell, here's the scoop:

ELIGIBILITY
All entries are required to carry a 2010 copyright and an ISBN. New editions of previously published books are eligible. Reprints do not qualify.Entries must be PUBLISHED within the 12-state region: IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, NE, ND, OH, SD, & WI.

Deadline for receipt of books and entry fees is January 28, 2011. Absolutely no exceptions. Judges’ decisions are final.

AWARDS and BENEFITS
Three (3) finalists are selected in each category. From those, one (1) winner is chosen. Finalists and award-winning authors and publishers receive certificates and may purchase foil seals for use in their marketing efforts. Winners will also receive a bronze medallion and be featured in the MIPA catalog and MIPA News, on the MIPA website, and at MIPA displays throughout the year, including the Midwest Booksellers Association (MBA) trade show. Judges’ individual book evaluation sheets will be provided to the entrants after the awards are announced.

For more information, including entry forms, please visit http://www.mipa.org/Awards.html.

Autumn is coming!

2010-08-04T21:00:00.000-05:00

Summer has gone by quickly and MIPA is getting ready for another year of education, networking and marketing opportunities for our members. Our September MIPA meeting will be on Wednesday, September 8, 2010 at 7:00pm. We are planning to talk about online publishers. Stay tuned for details on location.

Midwest Book Awards

2010-05-13T20:32:00.001-05:00

Finalists and winners of the Midwest Book Awards for books published in 2009 are here:

http://www.mipa.org/2009_Winners.html

Have a 2010 copyright and want to enter? Look for a call for entries this fall.

Amazon.com's CreateSpace and Ingram/Lightning Source Make Deal?

2009-12-29T23:26:00.003-06:00

Wonder whatever happened with the brouhaha with Amazon.com demanding that anyone using a POD printer switch to CreateSpace (formerly BookSurge) if they wanted to sell their book(s) on the Amazon.com website? It appears they've come to an agreement with Ingram's Lighting Source, Inc.

Read the Publishers Weekly article here:
http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/ca6709709.html

Borders Joins eBook Reader Race

2009-12-17T18:09:00.002-06:00

PW Daily reports that Borders has invested in the newly minted Kobo ebook reader, joining the Kindle, the Sony Reader, and the highly anticipated Nook (Barnes & Noble) and Apple Tablet.

Read the full story here: http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6711935.html

Major Publishers Delay eBook Releases

2009-12-17T17:59:00.003-06:00

The American Booksellers Association today reported on four major publishers that are delaying the release of ebook editions until months after the hardcover editions are on sale, pointing the finger in part to low ebook prices.

Read the full article at http://news.bookweb.org/7242.html.

Free eBook Conference - December 14, 2009

2009-12-13T16:16:00.001-06:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

IBPA Announces FREE Conference Call on EBooks

How to Develop and Implement an Ebook Strategy: A Conversation with Mark Coker of Smashwords

When: December 14, 2009 at 10:00 am PST/1:00 pm EST

Ever wished you could actually TALK to an ebook expert and get your questions answered? Well now you can!

And at no cost to you thanks to IBPA, Independent Book Publishers Association and Mark Coker, CEO of Smashwords.

Plus one lucky caller will walk away with a prize—a Sony Reader Pocket Edition, courtesy of Sony!

What are publishers saying about Mark Coker’s previous IBPA program in July?

"Fast and efficient -- started on time, focused discussion, and informative. What better way to keep abreast of developments in the industry?" - Len Barot, Pres., Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

"Mark Coker has command of an explosive, emerging market opportunity - Ebooks - and he shared the keys necessary to unlock it."- Rana DiOrio, CEO of Little Pickle Press LLC

Ebooks are the fastest growing segment in an otherwise stagnant book publishing market. How can the independent publisher develop a smart ebook strategy to profit from the rise of ebooks?

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to bring your ebook questions directly to Mark Coker of Smashwords who is “walking the talk” when it comes to ebooks!

Whether your readers want to consume your book on the iPhone, a laptop, an e-reader or other device, you’ll be ready to “serve up” your content the way they want it after listening to our e-book expert.

And your questions are the star of the show!

* What’s the latest market data on ebooks?
* What’s driving the growth of ebooks?
* What are my ebook reader options? Are smart phones the killer device?
* How do ebooks fit within an overall publishing strategy?
* Which books work best as ebooks?
* How is ebook formatting different?
* Why are multi-format ebooks important?
* How do you organize your ebook supply chain?
* To DRM or not DRM, and do customers really care?
* How do I price my ebooks?
* How do I market my ebooks?

Get the answers to your ebook questions (and be eligible to win a Sony Reader Pocket Edition) in this Lively 90 minute FREE Q & A Conference!

Visit http://ibpa-online.org/conferencecall.aspx and register today.

About the Speaker: Mark Coker is founder and CEO of Smashwords [www.smashwords.com], an ebook publishing and distribution platform serving independent authors and publishers. Smashwords helps publishers publish and distribute ebooks to major online retailers including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Sony and Shortcovers, and across all mobile smart phone platforms. Mark is an outspoken advocate for independent publishing. He frequently writes and speaks about how ebooks will transform publishing and open up new worldwide markets for publishers. Mark blogs for the Huffington Post’s Books section, where he writes about ebooks and the future of publishing. Mark is also the co-author, with his wife, of Boob Tube, a novel that explores the dark side of Hollywood celebrity.

About IBPA: The Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade group for publishers in the United States, serving more than 3000 book publishers of all sizes. IBPA's mission is to help independent publishers market their titles, to provide education on all aspects of publishing, and to act as an advocate for publishers' rights.

What Publishers Shouldn't Do (link)

2009-11-30T18:06:00.002-06:00

Check out the "50 Things Publishers Shouldn't Do" at The Nervous Breakdown by four guys with tons of experience in the publishing industry.

What's on your list of what publishers shouldn't do?

Reminder: Midwest Book Awards -- Call for Entries

2009-11-16T18:01:00.003-06:00

A reminder that the Midwest Book Awards deadline is January 29, 2010 -- that's just over two months away! Visit http://bit.ly/29gFxY for more information.

Publishers and authors are invited to enter the 20th Annual Midwest Book Awards for excellence in books published in 2009. Awards recognize creativity in content, execution, overall book quality and the book’s unique contribution to its subject area.

Deadline: January 29, 2010

Why enter awards?

When you are a finalist or a winner of a Midwest Book Award (or any book award), you can put that information on your website, on blogs, in your publicity and marketing materials, press releases, announcements, other book sites such as Amazon, and anywhere else you can think of. A book award is a good excuse to resubmit your book to venues that may not have accepted the book before. In a way, it’s like a new book again and your sales will experience a boost. You can also put the award designation on the cover of reprints.

For more information and eligibility requirements, visit http://www.mipa.org/Awards.html

MIPA Tweets About Social Media

2009-11-11T22:09:00.003-06:00

We had a great meeting tonight with Ken Kadet of Kadet Communications. If you missed it, you're still in luck—we tweeted highlights of the meeting! Check it out on our Twitter page at http://www.twitter.com/mipa_org or follow the specific topic at http://twitter.com/#search?q=%23mipa.

November 2009 MIPA Meeting: Social Media

2009-11-05T23:03:00.003-06:00

Have you blogged, Facebooked, LinkedIn, or tweeted today?

If you consider these time-wasters, think again; it could be good for your business. The world of social media is now one of the best tools to reach your audience, whether you want to promote your services or sell your books. The type of social media and how you use it, however, is based on your business goals. Learn how to create an optimal social media strategy with communications expert Ken Kadet.

Ken Kadet is president of Kadet Communications, a consultancy that helps clients move people through communications strategy, brand positioning and storytelling. Ken has more than 17 years experience advancing the goals for companies that range from large corporations like Kodak, Imation and Rockwell to emerging businesses and nonprofits. Before starting Kadet Communications in 2007, Ken led the technology and Internet/new media practices at the Twin Cities office of Fleishman-Hillard, an international communications agency.

Since the dawn of the web, he has helped numerous clients and colleagues better understand the opportunities and pitfalls of our fast-changing media environment. You can check out Ken's blog at http://kadetcomm.wordpress.com and follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/KadetComm.

What: Create a plan to increase publishing success through social media.

Who should come: Publishers and others in the industry who want to learn a strategic method of using social media to increase business; writers who want to use social media to expand their readership and sell more books; publicists who are not as familiar with the new rules of marketing and PR and want to adapt to this new environment.

When: 7:00pm - 9:00pm Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Where: Cherokee Tavern in West St. Paul

Why: The means may change, but social media is here to stay.

Book Publishing Terms and Definitions

2009-10-19T19:08:00.003-05:00

Confused about the differences between traditional publishing, commercial publishing, POD, self-publishing, vanity publishing, subsidy publishing, and cooperative publishing?

Tired of explaining the differences to others?

Here are three great articles that nicely underscore what we at MIPA have been saying all along, by Tony Burton of the Atlanta Writing Examiner:

How are Books Published? (Part 1 of 3)

How are Books Published? (Part 2 of 3)

How are Books Published? (Part 3 of 3)

Future of Books: The Problem of Filtering (part 1)

2009-09-14T17:45:00.003-05:00

By Dale Cozort
This article originally appeared on Bertram’s Blog. Reprinted with permission.

If you’ve been around aspiring writers much you know that a good percentage of them produce the writing equivalent of really bad karaoke. You also know that there are undiscovered gems out there. Until recently the book buying public has not had to deal with the ‘bad karaoke’ books. We’ve probably missed a few gems too. What we saw in bookstores was filtered. Sometimes that filtering kept out good books, but it mainly kept readers from wading through an awful lot of crap.

Like it or not, the filters are going away. Good books are still being published but they are hard to find among increasing amounts of drek. Readers, authors and publishers need to figure out how to deal with the glut. If we don’t the book market will continue to spiral downward, with more writers pursuing fewer and fewer readers.

The key issue for readers, authors and book publishers is going to be how to replace the traditional filters and get high quality novels together with their audiences.

In part one I’ll look at what has happened to the traditional filters. Part two will look at potential replacements.

So what have the filters been and why are they going away?

Filter One: The Expense Of Putting Together a Manuscript: Until recently putting together an acceptable manuscript was difficult and expensive. Personal computers and affordable laser printers made writing a novel and putting together a manuscript much easier. Before affordable PC and laser printers you didn’t just have to write the novel, you also had to type up the manuscript, then retype revisions, a slow and cumbersome process that kept many would-be novelists (including me) from ever sending a completed manuscript to a publisher.

Affordable computers and laser printers let more people write novels. Established writers could write faster. The result was empowering. A lot more people wrote a lot more stuff. The result was also disastrous. The publishing industry simply couldn’t deal with the increased flow of manuscripts. That brings us to filter two..

Filter Two: Publishers: Publishers used to look at the stream of manuscripts coming in from aspiring writers and rejected the ninety-nine percent or more that for one reason or another they couldn’t profitably sell. That took care of most of the ‘bad karaoke’ writing.

Writers had little choice but to accept the verdicts of the publishers. Publishing and promoting a book was expensive. An author could almost never make money publishing a book independently. Also, ’subsidy publishers’ preyed on would be authors, charging exorbitantly to print unsellable books. Most readers correctly felt that self-published books were mostly junk because if a book was any good it would have been published by a real publisher.

The system worked for the most part. Authors with enough persistence and skill could find a publisher. Readers could know that the books they saw on a booksellers shelves usually, though by no means always, met a set of minimum standards. Publishers prospered in that environment, taking most of the risks and most of the profits from publishing. Most writers didn’t prosper, though authors who made it through the filters and established a name for themselves could earn a modest living at writing, and a few very big name authors became moderately wealthy.

Smart publishers made an effort to find the few publishable manuscripts among the “slushpile” of unsolicited manuscripts they received. That made sense because if they didn’t they not only lost out on a potential profit, but they also handed that profit to their competitors. Good publishers also took pride in finding and nurturing new talent.

Several things changed that system over the past several years. First, the sheer number of manuscripts coming in made even skimming the slushpile more expensive. Second, many major US publishers were bought out by conglomerates from outside the publishing industry. They moved to the short-term “what is the bottom line this quarter” thinking that has destroyed so many US industries. Many publishers also seemed to develop a “who needs talent when we have marketing?” view of the industry.

Most major publishers stopped looking at unsolicited manuscripts a few years ago. They farmed that function out to agents. As the slushpile flood diverted to agents, those agents were also overwhelmed and most of the good ones stopped looking at unsolicited manuscripts too.

New authors found it harder to get published by traditional publishers. They also found it easier to take other routes. Print-on-demand and e-book technology makes both self-publishing and being a publisher much less expensive.

Some readers still look down on self-publishing and to some extent on being published by small POD or e-book publishers. Part of the problem is lingering attitudes left over from the old “big publisher versus vanity press junk” dichotomy. Part of the problem is that a lot of small POD and e-book publishers do publish “bad karaoke” writers.

Small POD and e-book publishers have little short-term incentive to filtering out the junk. Being selective can actually hurt a small publisher in the short-term because most novels will attract enough of the novelist’s family and friends to pay the bulk of the (very low) costs of publication. That makes it close to cost free in the short term to take a chance on a new novelist if the advance is low enough or if there is no advance. Some, but by no means all POD publishers actually charge the author for publication, which gives them incentive to publish just about anything.

At the same time, POD and e-books are in many ways a much more rational way of publishing books than the traditional publishing model with its wasteful return policies. Some newer, smaller publishers are finding and publishing gems or at least books that satisfy certain audience niches more effectively than traditional publishers. Readers who stick exclusively with traditional publishers do miss out on some good reading.

Filter Three: Bookstores: Up until the last couple of decades, bookstores acted as an additional filter, with small bookstores owned by people who were also avid readers Those bookstore had limited shelf space and did not stock books that they didn’t like or think would sell.

That changed in two waves. First, bookstore chains pushed most small independent bookstores out of the market by stocking a larger selection and charging lower prices. That cut out much of the filtering function of bookstores. More shelf space meant that bookstores didn’t have to be as careful what they stocked. Loose return policies meant that if a bookstore overestimated many books would sell it was the publisher’s problem, not the bookstore’s.

The increasing power of the chains also made the market less responsive to local preferences. A local bookstore had to know what would sell locally and order accordingly. Owners often knew and talked with customers. That was much more difficult for chains.

Second, Amazon.com rose to challenge the chains. Amazon lists books at very little cost to themselves and do almost no filtering. Best sellers from big traditional publishers are listed along with self-published “bad karaoke” POD books. Amazon reviews can give some idea of the quality of a book but they’re fairly easy to game.

So the traditional filters are disappearing. Readers can’t find new authors they like among the glut of “bad karaoke” books. New authors often can’t find a publisher, and often can’t find an audience even if they find a publisher. Traditional publishers no longer reliably find fresh talent and increasingly rely on marketing rather than talented writers. That shrinks the market by making books less attractive to younger readers.

So how can all of that be reversed? I have some ideas. They’ll be in part two.

Dale Cozort is author of American Indian Victories. Visit his website at http://www.DaleCozort.com

Interior Designing

2009-09-14T17:41:00.000-05:00

By Dick Margulis, editor and book designer, New Haven, CT

The lowly paragraph indent. Most of the time, you don't even think about it, do you? If you're old enough to remember manual typewriters, maybe you hit the space bar five times or set a tab at that point and just tabbed to it. If you're too young to remember that ritual, perhaps you just accept the default half-inch indent in Microsoft Word. You may never have thought about why it is there or what it is good for. You just know that somehow every paragraph seems to have one. In book design, the paragraph indent is important enough that you should know a little bit about it.

Semantically, the indent marks the break in thought we call a paragraph. In medieval manuscripts, the capitulum (an ornate letter C that developed into our modern pilcrow-¶) was inserted into the middle of long, unbroken text to indicate the start of a new thought. This technique is still used on occasion. Today, though, we have two methods in common use to mark paragraphs-the indent and the paragraph space. What we try to avoid is double marking-using both methods together.

It is a convention in certain kinds of technical books, such as computer software manuals, to use paragraph spaces. The reasoning is that the reader is unlikely to be reading the book for pleasure or in long, continuous sessions. The reader is more likely to be looking for a specific fact, and the paragraph space, together with frequent subheadings, helps the reader do that. This block style is used in a lot of business communication (letters, marketing materials) too.

In most books intended for continuous reading, though, the paragraph indent is used, and there is no extra space between paragraphs. Where there is a space, such as at the beginning of a chapter, below a heading, or after a list, the indent is superfluous and should not be used. The standard indent is one em (the same number of points wide as the type size). A significantly wider indent (two or three ems) can add a little visual interest to an otherwise conventional page. Or it can be an annoying affectation that distracts the reader from the text. You get to decide that one for yourself.

This article appeared in Brian Jud’s Book Marketing Matters. To subscribe or for copies of all the previous issues visit http://www.bookmarketingworks.com/mktgmatters.asp

POD People: a thought on semantics

2009-09-14T17:36:00.001-05:00

Originally published in the August 2009 MIPA newsletter.
By Sheyna Galyan, Yaldah Publishing

“We don’t review POD books.”
“Bookstores won’t carry POD books.”
“POD books are of the lowest quality.”
“If you have a POD book, you might as well say goodbye to your writing career now.”

Have you ever heard any of these? I have. Sometimes these warnings come from literary snobs who believe that anything not published by the Big Six isn’t really published. Sometimes they’re meant with the best of intentions, but a lack of definition. Just what exactly is a POD book?

The problem, at its core, is that POD can stand for Print on Demand, a printing technology that allows for cost-effective (in contrast to offset printing) digital printing of a small number of books that can be as many as a thousand or as few as a single book. POD can also stand for Publish on Demand, a term used to describe online vanity publishers that use digital printing in their production, but offer precious little in the way of editing, design, or distribution in exchange for substantial investment from their authors. The stigma is attached to the Publish on Demand meaning of POD, but so few understand the difference in how the acronym is used, the method by which a book is printed is called into question when the real question should be the quality of the book before it ever gets to print.

W. Paul Coates wrote a 2004 article in the IBPA Independent called “Kill POD” that is still oh-so-true, in which he states, “The technology that made it possible to print books on demand is stronger than ever, and, from all indications, it has not even reached its growth midpoint. But using the term as we currently do hurts all book publishers.” The benefits of digital short run printing are not lost on successful publishers, including the Big Six. It’s more eco-friendly than thousands of unsold books sitting in a warehouse. It’s cost-effective for testing new authors or keeping backlist books in print. And it allows high-quality, well-prepared books to make it to the marketplace even when their publishers don’t have tens of thousands of dollars for printing alone. But for years attempts to more accurately describe the printing process as digital, or short run, or even just-in-time printing are often met with the confused, “Is that POD?”

Consequently, I was pleasantly surprised to turn to the July 2009 issue of the IBPA Independent and an article by Margie Dana called “Sixteen Ways to Save Money on Printing.” In it, number seven said, “Print only what you need. Reduce waste.” And number eight said, “Go digital. Digital printing lets you print exactly what you need—even one copy!” But wait a sec. Is that POD?

What Does the Google Book Settlement Mean for You?

2009-09-14T17:24:00.002-05:00

Originally published in the August 2009 MIPA newsletter.
by Sheyna Galyan, Yaldah Publishing

If you haven’t yet heard about the Google Book Settlement, make an appointment with yourself in the next month to sit down for some intense reading. Author Victoria Strauss has a blog article with a number of useful links. In a nutshell, the Google Library Project had made arrangements with some libraries to digitize books in those libraries, including books that were under copyright. The Authors Guild and the Association of American Publishers, among others, sued Google in 2004, claiming that this digitization infringed on their copyrights. After lengthy negotiations, they settled rather than go to trial.

The resulting Google Book Settlement is 141 pages (without attachments) of Legalese that is only fun for law students who earned an A in Contracts. Lest you think this has nothing to do with you, if you are a publisher or author and hold the rights to a book or insert (text or graphic portion of a book), you are included in the settlement.

You have the option to opt out of the Settlement, but you have to register that decision on the Google Book Settlement website or send a hard copy letter by September 4, 2009. Opting out means that you reserve all legal rights against Google in the future, and you are not entitled to any payments, revenue, or benefits as a result of the settlement.

You can do nothing and remain in the settlement. You can object to one or more parts of the settlement (but you have to be in the settlement to object to it). You can request that one or more of your books not be digitized, and you can request that one or more of your books or inserts be included or excluded from a variety of display uses, from which revenue may be earned.

These display uses will allow Google to sell online access to digitized books for a fee, and vary from allowing paid subscribers to view and annotate the entire digitized book, as well as copy and paste portions of it (Access Uses), to being only able to view select or small portions of the book (less than 20%).

If you’re okay with having your book digitized, and small portions of it displayed, and if you want any revenue due to you as per the terms of the settlement, you need to claim your books using the Claim Form found on the settlement website. Rights holders who claim their books via the website’s claim form are entitled to 63% of any revenues Google earns through these display uses.

Additionally, rights holders whose books were digitized on or before May 5, 2009 are eligible for a cash payment of up to $60 per principal work as compensation for copyright infringement. You must claim your books to receive this payment. The deadline for this claim is January 5, 2010.

If your book was copyrighted prior to May 5, 2009, but was not digitized by Google, you are not eligible for a cash payment. You are, however, still eligible for revenues earned through the display uses if you claim your books.

There is no right or wrong response to the settlement. For some, staying in the settlement and taking advantage of one or more of the display uses could be an additional marketing opportunity and create more visibility for your books. For others, it could take away some of the control over and revenue from who has access to the content of your books. Become as informed as possible before you make your decision. There are answers to FAQs on the settlement website.

One last interesting note: My 2003 book, Destined to Choose, had not been digitized on or before May 5, 2009, a fact I found out when I submitted a claim form for it. The day after I submitted the claim form, Google digitized it.

Feedback on the MIPA/IBPA "Publishing Matters" Conference

2009-09-14T17:04:00.002-05:00

The results are in on our Publishing Matters conference from last month. If you were able to come, you know what great information was shared. If you weren't, it was fabulous, and maybe you can come to a future event.

Thank you! Thank you! I am so delighted and grateful that I came. I have learned so much and take with me renewed optimism that I can get my books published and be successful at marketing my writing. I’ll come to the next conference for sure.

I feel I’ve had my first college course in publishing. Thank you for the invaluable experience. Next step. Publishing University and MIPA membership (as well as IBPA) Good job planning committee!

“The presentation was wonderful.” Kira Henchel, Goblin Fern Press

“I think your choice of topics was excellent. The beginning session was really important.”

“I’ve been to a lot of conferences and I’m learning a lot.”

“I’m glad I came! I’ve taken a few bids already.” vendor Greg Harren, Sentinal Printing

“It’s good to be able to speak directly with people to see what the needs are, and be able to describe services in a face-to-face manner. I’ve seen people here with whom I’ve worked but never met in person. I joined IBPA in 1990 and their site drives business to our website, and that is where we get the majority of our business.” vendor Sherry Roberts, The Roberts Group

“Excellent conference. Shows the hard work of the board, especially compared to other conferences of this type.” IBPA board member Cevin Bryerman

“The sheer numbers here are impressive. I’ve been to gift shows with fewer attendees.” Sam Spiegel, Partners Book Distributing

“The general level of experience of the panel members is impressive. Jeanne and Nancy are on top of the info.”

“Great experts, great sessions, great information. People from each niche were very knowledgeable.” Linda White, Wonder Communications

“Interesting and I learned a lot. Very complete.” Ellen Shriner, Ellen M. Shriner Communications

“This was an incredible event.” Jill Beaudette

“I didn’t come with high expectations. I’m leaving with many.”

“I do a lot of these events, nationally, regionally, and locally. This is well organized; the information is of good quality, and the attendees are motivated to learn.” Danny O. Snow, Unlimited Publishing, IBPA board member

“I really enjoyed myself.” Stephen Mettee, Quill Driver Books/Word Dancer Press, IBPA board member

Thank you. I can't believe the amount of information available to us this weekend. It was a very worthwhile conference. It was great to meet and exchange information with other fledgling publishers and to soak up wisdom from veterans. I am particularly grateful for the opportunity to have my book critiqued. I came away with valuable marketing strategies. Just what I was looking for. And after reading two issues of the IBPA Independent publication, I will now join IBPA too.

We really learned a lot! Thank YOU!

I felt so comfortable and welcomed by all. What a great group of people!

I had a great time and now have a lot of valuable information, and I made some good contacts.

I loved it all! What a welcoming, collaborative, and inspiring group on all levels. I feel blessed to have attended the day. I am so pleased and happy to feel so full after attending Publishing Matters. I look forward to the next event.

It was an inspiring time. I learned a great deal and thank you for your efforts at assembling such a fine group of presenters for the conference. Each aspect in the publishing business was represented, except for the poor agent (of root canal fame). Excellent meals and snacks—first class, all the way. Thank you.

There's a lot that goes into conferences behind the scenes and I appreciate what you did for us. I got a lot of ideas and info. Now to put some of what I know into practice.

Dear MIPA Board, Brava to each of you. The seminar was well done. I took away some new insights and resolved about social marketing. And, had some excellent conversations to forward the action here.

September 2009 MIPA Meeting: Amazon.com

2009-09-08T15:12:00.002-05:00

Just a reminder that tomorrow night’s MIPA meeting is on all things Amazon. We will have a roundtable discussion to share the Amazonian experience, talk about which programs are worthwhile and which to skip, the value of Amazon reviews, the importance of the sales ranking, and anything else people want to talk about. Bring your questions and your experiences.

What: MIPA roundtable on Amazon

Who should come: New writers and publishers who want to learn about Amazon, and experienced writers and publishers who want to make sure they’re optimizing their listings and can share insights they’ve learned with others.

When: 7:00pm - 9:00pm Wednesday, September 9

Where: Lower level of the St. Anthony Park Library, 2245 Como Avenue, St. Paul

Directions to the library:
From the east or west, take I-94 to Highway 280. Proceed north on 280 to the Como Avenue exit. Proceed north on the frontage road to Como Avenue. Turn right on Como Avenue and proceed to Carter Avenue (2nd traffic light). The library is on the southeast corner of Como and Carter Avenues.

From the north, take I-35W or Highway 36 to the Highway 280 exit. Go south on Highway 280 to the Como Avenue exit. Go east on Como Avenue to Carter Avenue. The library is on the southeast corner of Como and Carter Avenues.

Alternately, from the north, take Snelling Avenue south to Como Avenue. Turn west (right) on Como Avenue and follow Como to Carter Avenue. The library is on the southeast corner of Como and Carter Avenues.

Why: Love it or hate it, Amazon cannot be ignored.

Enter the Midwest Book Awards -- Open Now!

2009-09-05T20:46:00.002-05:00

20th Annual Midwest Book Awards ~ CALL for ENTRIES

Presented by the Midwest Independent Publishers Association (MIPA)

Publishers and authors are invited to enter the 20th Annual Midwest Book Awards competition for excellence in books published in 2009. The awards recognize creativity in content and execution, overall book quality, and the book’s unique contribution to its subject area.

ELIGIBILITY

All entries MUST carry a 2009 copyright and an ISBN.

New editions of previously published books are eligible. Reprints do not qualify.

Entries must be PUBLISHED within the 12-state region: IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, NE, ND, OH, SD, & WI.

Deadline for receipt of books and entry fees is January 29, 2010. Absolutely no exceptions. Judges’ decisions are final.

AWARDS and BENEFITS

Three (3) finalists are selected in each category. From those, one (1) winner is chosen. Finalists and award-winning authors and publishers receive certificates and may purchase foil seals for use in their marketing efforts. Winners will also receive a bronze medallion and be featured in the MIPA catalog and MIPA News, on the MIPA website, and at MIPA displays throughout the year, including the Midwest Booksellers Association (MBA) trade show. Judges’ individual book evaluation sheets will be provided to the entrants after the awards are announced.

ENTRY FORMS can be downloaded from the MIPA website http://www.mipa.org/Awards.html

SUBJECT CATEGORIES – Publisher or author selects one or more categories in which to enter each book:

Arts (art, design, architecture, photography, coffee table books)

Biography/Memoir

Business (commerce, career, technology)

Child/Young Adult Fiction

Child/Young Adult Non-fiction

Children’s Picture Books

Commercial Fiction (genre-specific, e.g., mystery, sci fi, romance)

Cookbooks

Crafts/Hobbies/How-to

Culture (diversity, gender issues, aging)

General Fiction (non-genre specific, e.g., literary, story collections)

Health

Humor

Midwest Regional Interest

Nature

Poetry

History/Current Events

Recreation/Travel/Sports

Reference

Religion/Philosophy/Inspiration

Social Science (psychology, family, self-help)

DESIGN CATEGORIES

Illustration

Interior Layout

Cover: 1 or 2 Color

Cover: 3 or more Color

Visit www.mipa.org for up to date news, programming, and book award announcements.

Books for Rent

2009-08-06T02:11:00.005-05:00

We all know about renting books from the local library (if you don't, run--don't walk--to the nearest public library and ask how you can support them). Here's a new take: renting ebooks. MIT Press now offers time-limited subscriptions for their ebooks without the subscribers having to purchase the entire book. Read the full article at Books on Rent!

Meet and Network with These Experts!

2009-07-28T22:39:00.004-05:00

Check out some of the awesome speakers we have coming to the Publishing Matters conference on August 14-15. You can meet and network with them, too. Read full speaker bios at the MIPA web site and register today!

Cevin Bryerman, Publishers Weekly

Kassahun Checole, Africa World Press and The Red Sea Press, Inc., New Jersey

Marly Cornell, Artist, Writer, and Editor, Minnesota

Tamara Dever, TLC Graphics, Texas

Kathi Dunn, Dunn+Associates Design, Wisconsin

Corinne Dwyer, North Star Press of St. Cloud, Minnesota

Seal Dwyer, North Star Press of St. Cloud, Minnesota

Sheyna Galyan, Yaldah Publishing, Minnesota

Norman Goldfind, Basic Health Publications, Inc., California

Robert Goodman, Silvercat Publications, California

Greg Harren, Sentinel Printing, Minnesota

Ron (Hobie) Hobart, Dunn+Associates Design, Wisconsin

Florrie Binford Kichler, Patria Press, Indiana

Jeanne Kramer, National Book Network, New York

Maggie Lichtenberg, Open Heart Publishing, New Mexico

Dave Marx, PassPorter Travel Press, Michigan

Dorie McClelland, Spring Book Design, Minnesota

Steven Blake Mettee, Quill Driver Books/Word Dancer Press, California

Dorothy Molstad, Book Architects, Minnesota

Pat Morris, President, Midwest Independent Publishers Association, Minnesota

Mitchell Muncy, Institute for American Values, New York

Debbie Orenstein, Literary Property Attorney, Minnesota

Patti Phillips, PhD, ROI Institute, Inc., Alabama

Joe Riley, Liturgical Press, Minnesota

Galen Schroeder, Dakota Indexing, North Dakota

Carlene Sippola, Whole Person Associates, Minnesota

Sybil Smith, Smith House Press, Minnesota

Dan Snow, Unlimited Publishing, LLC, California

Sam Speigel, Partners Book Distributing, Partners Publishing Group, Thunder Bay Press, Michigan

Erin Stark, TLC Graphics, Texas

Nancy Stewart, Ingram Book Company, Tennessee

Stephanie Stewart, Fitzhenry & Whiteside Limited, Publishers, Ontario

Patricia A. Zurlo, Attorney, Zurlo Law Office, Minnesota

Early-bird registration deadline extended through July 31!

2009-07-17T22:51:00.009-05:00

Midwest Independent Publishers Association (MIPA) and Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA, formerly PMA) invite you to participate in a unique and important professional conference.

PUBLISHING MATTERS

Friday and Saturday, August 14-15, 2009
Embassy Suites (airport location)
7901 34th Avenue South, Bloomington, Minnesota 55425
(Hotel rates and more conference details at www.mipa.org)

Publishing professionals and authors from all over the country are coming to the Twin Cities. We all want to make sense of the changes that technology and the economy have created in publishing, and to speculate on the future.

The conference begins on Friday afternoon with two 3-hour workshop tracks. The first, “Publishing Basics” is an overview of the publishing process and the options available. Track Two is aimed at the experienced publisher, with workshops on the psychology of design and legal issues facing writers and publishers.

Saturday starts with “Breakfast with the Experts” to provide one-on-one time with the conference faculty (experts on marketing, distribution, design, publishing economics and more). Daytime panels include: “Book Promotion in a Digital World—Social Media and Beyond,” “How to Partner Effectively with Distributors and Wholesalers,” “Tips for Tough (and all) Times,” and “The Future of Publishing: It’s Crystal Ball Time.” At the end of the day, are more opportunities for continued discussion, and to brainstorm solutions for marketing your book, business management issues, the feasibility of a new project, and cover design critique.

Extended Early-bird registration before August 1.

Please come—learn and share your ideas with other publishing professionals. To read more about the conference faculty, presenters and topics, or to register go to www.mipa.org or call MIPA at 651-917-0021.

Publishing Matters: Regional Pubishing University Aug 14-15 Minneapolis MN

2009-06-28T17:24:00.003-05:00

MIPA will host this year’s Regional Publishing University, co-sponsored by IBPA, Independent Book Publishers Association, formerly PMA. Please join us on Friday, August 14, and Saturday, August 15, at Embassy Suites (airport location) for presentations, discussions, good food and camaraderie. IBPA board members, publishing professionals from all over the country, will be flying into the Twin Cities to join us in trying to make sense of all of the changes that technology and the economy have created in publishing, and speculate on the future (how popular will e-books get? What does Google Book Search mean to authors and publishers?). There’s no shortage of subjects to talk about!

The conference will begin on Friday afternoon with two tracks. The first, “Publishing Basics” will be an overview of the publishing process and the options available. Whether you’re hoping to be published by Simon and Schuster, or you’re planning to publish on your own, you should be as knowledgeable as possible about the publishing process. This 3-hour workshop is for you. Track Two is aimed at the experienced publisher, with workshops on the psychology of design and legal issues facing writers and publishers.

Saturday starts with Breakfast with the Experts, one-on-one time with the speakers, who can answer your questions on marketing, distribution, design, publishing economics and more. The rest of the day will include panels on Book Promotion in a Digital World—Social Media and Beyond, How to Partner Effectively with Distributors and Wholesalers, Tips for Tough (and all) Times; and The Future of Publishing: It’s Crystal Ball Time. At the end of the day, there will more opportunity for continued discussion, but also to brainstorm solutions for marketing your book, business management issues, the feasibility of a new project, and critique cover designs.

All conference attendees are invited to a reception Friday afternoon sponsored by IBPA.

We’ve kept the cost of this conference as low as possible: if you’re a MIPA member, an IBPA member or a member of another IBPA affiliate, the early-bird (by July 15) registration is only $50 to attend Friday afternoon ($60 for non-members); if you plan to attend only Saturday, the early-bird cost is $125 for members; $150 for non-members. To attend both Friday and Saturday, $150 for members; $175 for non-members. After July 15, add $25. Registration fees include Friday’s reception, Saturday’s lunch, snacks, “goody” bag, a chance at great door prizes, and the opportunity to meet many other publishing professionals, including our wonderful vendors.

WHO: YOU and publishing professionals from around the country (speaker bios are on our website)
WHAT: IBPA/MIPA Regional Publishing University
WHEN: August 14 – 15, 2009
WHERE: Embassy Suites, airport location
WHY: To learn, to ask, to discuss, to eat, to enjoy

For much more information, and to register, visit our website, or call Marly Cornell at 651-917-0021.

Publishing Matters: Regional Pubishing University Aug 14-15 Minneapolis MN

2009-06-20T18:07:00.009-05:00

Everywhere we turn there are articles, stories, and presentations on the changing world of publishing. The Kindle, the digital revolution, people reading on their iPhones, Google Book Search — what does it all mean for publishers and writers? Despite all the new technology, print books are still what many people want to read. How can we produce the best books at the lowest cost? What's the best way to market those books using traditional techniques as well as today's technology?

Join experts at this year's Regional Publishing University, co-sponsored by IBPA, the Independent Book Publishing Association (formerly PMA), and Midwest Independent Publishers Association (MIPA). Lively discussions and presentations will include IBPA board members from Publishers Weekly, Ingram, National Book Network (NBN) and others, as well as Midwest publishing industry leaders and entrepreneurs. There will also be plenty of opportunities for one-on-one discussions and brainstorming ideas for the future.

Be a part of this dialogue on publishing matters because, well, publishing matters!

Who should attend: publishers of all sizes, authors, writers who want to publish or be published, others in fields related to publishing

Where: Embassy Suites Minneapolis Airport, 7901 34th Ave S, Bloomington, MN 55425
MAP

When: August 14–15, 2009

Costs: Early registration deadline: July 6, $25 discount
Only Friday: $85, $75 (IBPA/MIPA/Other IBPA Affiliate)
Only Saturday: $175, $150; Friday and Saturday: $225, $175

SAVE THE DATE! Regional Publishing University

2009-05-31T20:54:00.002-05:00

August 14-15, 2009 • Minneapolis, MN

Minnesota has been chosen to host this year’s Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA, formerly PMA) Regional Publishing University! The planning is underway for this event, which will be held at the Embassy Suites near the airport.

Check here or at http://www.mipa.org for the latest information.

Congratulations Midwest Book Award Winners

2009-05-31T20:50:00.003-05:00

Winners are listed at MIPA.org from the 149 titles from 66 publishers in the 12 eligible states that were entered in the MIPA 19th Annual Midwest Book Awards competition for excellence in independent, academic, and non-profit publishing. More than 667 books were reviewed in 25 categories.

Winners were announced May 13, 2009, at the Minnesota Humanities Center with the help of special guests from Publishers Weekly, Matthew Hurley and Associate Publisher Cevin Bryerman, who is a board member of the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA).

Our special thanks to Publishers Weekly and IBPA for helping to sponsor the 19th Annual Midwest Book Awards again this year!

Entries for the 20th Annual Midwest Book Awards (for books published in 2009) will be accepted starting September 2009. A new form will be available at our website: http://www.mipa.org.

Bloomington Writers' Festival and Book Fair

2009-03-11T22:21:00.005-05:00

sponsored by MIPA

Share information, techniques, skills and resources with budding and established writers with published authors and other experts in the field. Pre-registration required; space limited.

For registration and more information, visit:
http://www.bloomingtonartcenter.com/Pages/Writer's Festival.htm

E-books: is it time? MIPA Meeting notice for March 11, 2009

2009-03-05T22:26:00.002-06:00

For immediate release
For additional information contact Dorothy Molstad
Dorothy@bookarchitects.net

E-books: is it time? Midwest Independent Publishing Association Meeting notice for March 11

E-books…they are in the news, from B&N buying Fictionwise; Amazon adding iPhone function; rumors that Hearst is building an e-reader for newspapers and magazines; to the audio rights concern expressed by the Author’s Guild and Amazon backing off…it in the now topic for independent publishers.

Join us for our March Meeting, 7 pm, Wednesday, March 11, for a presentation by Don Leeper, the President of Bookmobile. He will discuss the evolution of e-books, give an overview of the making of an e-book, and talk about selling e-books, including the advantages and disadvantage to publishers.

Non-members of Midwest Independent Publishing Association (MIPA) are welcome to attend.

Meetings are held at
St. Anthony Park Library MAP
2245 Como Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55108

www.mipa.org

Follow MIPA on Twitter and Facebook!

2008-11-22T18:54:00.002-06:00

Can't get enough MIPA?

Wondering what to do between monthly meetings?

Want more publishing-related reading material between newsletters?

Then follow us on Twitter and Facebook! With Twitter, you're up to date on what we're doing behind the scenes. And on Facebook, you can post items to our Wall, start or join in discussion topics, and have conversations with each other, which is sometimes harder to do on a blog.

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November 2008 MIPA Meeting Announcement

2008-11-11T21:26:00.000-06:00

REMINDER: Wednesday night's MIPA meeting (November 12) will feature Sam Richter, former president of the James J. Hill Library, who will be talking about "Do you have what it takes to write and sell a book?"

MIPA members and friends,
Too many books are written without adequate research on the topic (or for fiction, details) and, often more important, without adequate research on how to reach your target audience (aka: marketing — please do not mention Oprah). In this digital age, there is a whole new world of marketing opportunities...but you still need to know who and how.

Sam Richter, author of Take the Cold Out of Cold Calling, Web Search Secrets for the Inside Info on Companies, Industries, and People, has over 20 years’ experience in advertising, public relation and ecommerce, and has helped many others in their technology, sales and marketing programs.

Join us at 7pm Wednesday night at the St. Anthony Park Library.

WHO: Sam Richter: "Do you have what it takes to write and sell a book?"
WHERE: St. Anthony Park Library When: 7:00pm, Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Where: Lower level of St. Anthony Park Library, 2245 Como Avenue in St Paul

July Field Trip for MIPA

2008-07-06T19:48:00.004-05:00

Michael Bushilla, owner of MGB Printing Services, respects the past while investing in the future. His 158-year-old barn now houses his printing business, including the latest Konica Minolta Biz Hub Pro, which can print and perfect bind a book in minutes. On July 17 at 7 pm, he will demonstrate the speed and quality of digital printing.

RSVPs are required.

News From Our Members, July 2008

2008-07-06T19:45:00.001-05:00

Lutheran University Press (an imprint of Kirkhouse Publishers) won two bronze IPPY awards for And Grace Will Lead Me Home: Images of the Prodigal Son from the Jerry Evenrud Collection by Robert M. Brusic. One award is in the Fine Art category, the other is in Outstanding Books of the Year / Most Original Concept.

Saint Mary’s Press began operations of an internal POD (Print-on-Demand) center this past fall after months of study. According to John Vitek, president of Saint Mary’s Press, “We are putting in place a whole new way of thinking about and approaching inventory management.” He adds, “The technology has gotten to a point, both in terms of capabilities and economics, that it is a smart decision for a publisher of our size and with our product mix.”

The 2008 Bloomington Writers Festival was co-sponsored by MIPA and included a workshop called “Getting Published: What are My Options?” led by MIPA board members Corrine and Seal Dwyer (North Star Press), Sheyna Galyan (Yaldah Publishing), and Sybil Smith (Fins Publications/Smith House Press). The workshop was sold out and earned high marks in the evaluations. It was one of several that were taped to be shown throughout the year on Bloomington Cable.

FTL Publications, a multiple award-wining science fiction, fantasy, and mystery publishing house founded in 1993, obtained the only license ever issued in the U.S., and the only current license in the world, to create original novels based on the “Thunderbirds” TV series (1965-66). Joan Marie Verba, FTL's publisher, announced that the first book, which she will write herself, will cover the origins of International Rescue, and will feature “plenty of action and adventure, as well as rescues, rescues, and more rescues.” Publication is slated for June 2008, with a cover by one of the classic Thunderbirds artists.

February 2008 MIPA Meeting: The Pre-Press Process

2008-07-06T19:39:00.002-05:00

By Connie Anderson, Words and Deeds, Inc.

At the February 2008 MIPA meeting, Phil Freshman, freelance editor since 1999, talked about timing when a manuscript should be to an editor: 9-12 months in advance of deadline. He works primarily with art-related institutions on their books and art catalogs. He likes to see almost everything is done before he receives the content so he can check accuracy of all elements.

Dorie McClelland, Spring Book Design, has designed over 150 books. She spoke on book design and the importance of the overall concept to the design as well as the typography and formatting. She said no book should be designed in Word but in InDesign or Quark. She suggested that many designers have book publishers they work with and can recommend as the relationship between designer and printer is an important one.

Linda Strommer, StrommerGroup, spoke on providing the “buzz” for books. She said ideally the planning of marketing and publicity for a book should start a year in advance of publication. Start thinking about your market and where you can sell it. “Buzz” about a book is word of mouth—hand-selling.

Her handout listed the top ten things to do for your book:

Website
Media kit
Press release
Reviews
Newsletters/ezines
Articles
Be an expert/resource
Book awards
Start your next book

Dan Breyak of Catalyst Graphics talked about what printers want, need and expect. His handout of ten points covered both the technical and quality of what you send. Printers today want to see a PDF—and only the final version. The author needs to hire “experts” before so it is correct and approved before getting to the printer. If all is “perfect,” from PDF arrival to printed book could be 2-3 weeks delivery time.

A Q&A session followed that included:

Picking paper quality (price is based on weight)
What do different kinds of editing mean: developmental editors will rewrite, reshape; copy/line editing is finding simple mistakes.
Indexing—attendee Sue Nelson spoke on indexing and timing.
Cover design—Dorie said it pays to have a professional cover designer and that the cover design should be part of the whole design of the book.
What does it mean to take your book national? Trying to get reviews in NY Times, Kirkus, etc. They are not interested in self-published books. You have to develop your own theme and market.
How to pick the typeface(s) for your book. Dorie showed samples and says she thinks about it a lot so the type matches the book’s content/feel.
Setting the price for a book with a lot of 4-color photographs

March 2008 MIPA Meeting: It's Easy Bein' Green

2008-07-06T19:34:00.003-05:00

By Sheyna Galyan, Yaldah Publishing

The March MIPA meeting focused on green publishing and ways we can turn an otherwise tree-hostile industry into one that can help save the planet.

“Green is the topic of the day. Green is gold. It is the new black,” said Kristin, one of the stars of Blueprint for Green, a weekly television show following her and her husband as they build an upscale, contemporary, green home.

Right now books about green technology are all the rage, from new building to remodeling using sustainable materials and methods. More than a topic for books that sell, going green is something publishers can do with just a little effort.

Want to go green? Try these ideas:

Recycle ink cartridges
Recycle paper and cardboard
Print only what you'll sell (books)
Use email over snail mail letters
Use PDF instead of hard copies
Replace incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient ones
Turn computer monitor/lights off at night; use power strips for appliances and equipment that are “instant on”
Plant trees
Work from home (use less gas, decrease oil consumption)

Green businesses are also showing up to help publishers. The Green Press Initiative (http://www.greenpressinitiative.org/) aims “to help those in the book and newspaper industries better understand their impacts on endangered forests, indigenous communities, and the Earth's climate.”

An estimated 20-30 million trees are cut down annually for book production. With the help of the GPI, “Over 160 publishers, representing about 40% of the book industry’s market share, have either developed strong environmental policies or signed the industry-generated treatise on responsible paper use. The treatise has also been endorsed by more than a dozen book printers and paper mills.”

You can let your readers know that you’re going green, too, and Eco-Libris is happy to help. Their program (http://www.ecolibris.net/) allows you to plant a tree for every book you print (you pay $1 per tree; they take care of the tree-planting). In addition, you get a book cover sticker for each paid tree, announcing “One tree planted for this book.”

By using paper or a printer certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (http://www.fscus.org/), you can apply to use the FSC logo on your printed products without having to pay by the book.

If all this talk about going green has you seeing red, you can blame Harry Potter. “[J.K.] Rowling is credited with encouraging 16 of her publishers to print her books on environmental papers, spawning a trend that has seen an additional 300 publishers, including HarperCollins UK and Random House US, adopt green paper policies.” (Source: Markets Initiative)

For more on green publishing, please visit:http://www.pma-online.org/articles/shownews.aspx?id=2586

Marketing a Book from Birth and Beyond

2008-07-06T19:31:00.001-05:00

By Sheyna Galyan, Yaldah Publishing

When does a publisher start marketing a book? “The moment I say yes to a book,” answers Brett Waldman of TRISTAN Publishing at the April MIPA meeting. “It has to fit our mission and our vision,” he says, “I have to adore the book, I have to believe I can sell it, and I have to believe it will touch others.”

He asks of each book, what makes it special and stand out? What can we do that is unusual?

One method is called stacking, where a book is seen multiple times by potential buyers. Getting a book out there through postcards, catalogs, email, Advance Access programs through Midwest Booksellers Association and American Booksellers Association, bookstore events, and contact before and during major events such as Book Expo America (BEA).

“What we all have to realize is that booksellers are being inundated with this stuff,” adds Ian Leask of Scarletta Press. “You have to find something fresh, something new.”

Before acquisition, Leask looks at a book and asks who is the audience? “It needs to fire you up in the beginning. Your consciousness, your instincts really need to be lined up.”

Smaller publishers understandably have smaller marketing budgets while larger publishers have larger budgets. Catalogs are better to leave out at book fairs than actual books and bookstores are not reading galleys unless they request them.

“I have a budget for galleys,” says Waldman. “Nothing sells the book like the book. It’s about being hungry, creative and tenacious. The goal of the hunger is to get publicity. It’s not free. But it’s much less than the cost of advertising, and is usually in the form of an endorsement.”

Booksellers live fast-paced, busy lives. Too busy to remember your book, so don’t expect them to do so. It’s important to contact and remind them about your book, especially if it sold well.
Waldman adds, “Being in Barnes & Noble is not ‘making it.’ You only want to be in the big box bookstores if you have a lot of momentum, because otherwise you’ll get [the books] back in returns in 90 days.”

Internet promotion is certainly a factor. Says Leask, “We have one full-time employee who, all he does is get bloggers to review our books.”

Dorothy Molstad of Molstad Marketing suggested Midwest Connections, a program through the Midwest Booksellers Association. Books must have some Midwest connection, be it setting, author, or publisher. Distribution is required and publishers must have at least 50 advance reading copies (ARCs) or published books to send to member stores. In return, the book can get high visibility in member bookstores.

Remember the independent seller, Molstad encourages. What can the author do for them? Don’t just come in with a book; come in with a program. Everyone comes in with a book. What can you do to make their job easier?

In response to a question about marketing fiction differently from non-fiction, Leask smiles. “I start thinking about marketing before acquisition. Who is going to buy it? Fiction is very difficult in this economy. You can’t be romantic about the novel; you have to be hardnosed.

“That said, the novel is the highest form of art. There is nothing like a novel; it’s the best thing in the world. Publish a novel and you’re doing something wonderful for the world.”

Provided you can sell it.

Book Marketing for Introverts

2008-07-06T19:21:00.003-05:00

Are you organized, professional, creative, patient, disciplined, open-minded, experimental (vs. efficient), focused on customer service, invested in building a foundation, and do you look for win-win solutions? Great! You’re a natural for electronic marketing.

Your electronic marketing starts before your book is published. Write down what you want to do and how you can best do it, similar to a larger, more inclusive marketing plan. Use timelines and tickle files, share with your authors, and always be willing to tweak it as needed.

Start with email. While less personal than a telephone call, it has its advantages, especially for those of us who get tongue-tied when under pressure. Take advantage of auto-responders and signatures to promote your newest book, and be aware that plain text is ultimately the best format for email marketing.

You have a website, yes? Of course you do. That’s another pillar of e-marketing. Always remember that search engines and surfers alike want fresh, new content, easy navigation, and something of value. Remember who your audience is: readers? Resellers? Media? Have a place for each and make sure it’s clearly marked.

Key elements of a website include:

News / Buzz
About / contact info / feedback
Products
Online store (if appropriate)
Terms (if you sell directly)
Media kit (all PDF/JPEG)
Link to blog

Remember that less is more when it comes to websites, and don’t do what is hurtful unto others. If bright blinking graphics hurt your eyes, don’t make your visitors endure them too.

Get a blog. Under most circumstances, you need a blog for every book. Every. Book. Allow comments and responses. This is how your readership will interact with you, the human element. Update it at least once a week. Use and read your statistics. Do not let it go stale or you will lose readers. I speak from experience, thus birthing the mantra, “Feed the blog!”

Market your blog through aggregators, feeds, and by commenting on other, related blogs. Write real comments, which does mean you have to read the other blogs. SPAM comments are noticeable and detested. Network with like-minded bloggers. Maybe they’ll host your next virtual book tour.

Experiment with newer technology such as podcasting, videocasting, book trailers on YouTube. Embrace the whimsical and unusual—that’s what will get you and your book noticed.

The Internet is a tool you can harness and use. Make it work for you with Google alerts, social networking sites, discussion groups, chat rooms, online news releases, online book reviews, e-zines, book clubs, Internet radio, and a source for culling potential contacts.

Remember tactile marketing pieces, too, such as business cards, note pads, post cards, t-shirts, stickers and giveaways. Let your voicemail work for you, screening calls while you work. You can take your time to think of a response instead of feeling pressured.

Finally, remember that in this new era of publishing, sales are not the only bottom line. What are your goals and what can you do to meet them?

This is the third in the "What I Learned at PMA-U/BEA" series by Sheyna Galyan of Yaldah Publishing.

Amazon Adventures: From Policy to Politics

2008-06-01T19:13:00.001-05:00

By Sheyna Galyan, Yaldah Publishing

With the digital printing revolution, it was only a matter of time before someone declared war. This time the first move goes to Amazon.com and their subsidiary POD printer/publisher, BookSurge.

Amazon set new policy requiring that all publishers who have their books printed digitally must now use BookSurge to print their books or risk losing their “Buy” button on Amazon.com. Anyone not wishing to print through BookSurge could still use Amazon Marketplace or a third-party vendor, but would no longer be stocked by Amazon.

“Over the last year, BookSurge has been trying to cut into the market share of POD leader Lightning Source and is using the selling clout of Amazon to generate more business,” claimed Publishers Weekly on March 28, 2008.

Three days later, PW reported a response from Ingram, parent of BookSurge rival Lightning Source. “We all live in a world where decisions are made about insourcing and outsourcing, and free choice is important,” stated John Ingram, opposing Amazon’s policy that reduces POD choices to one.

IBPA—the Independent Book Publishers Association released a statement that read, in part:

“‘This policy imposes a significant financial burden on tens of thousands of small and independent publishers who can least afford it,’ points out Executive Director Terry Nathan. ‘Without the opportunity to benefit from competitive pricing, small publishers risk, at best, an expensive and needless overhaul of their manufacturing process, and at worst, the loss of their livelihood.

“On behalf of all the small and independent publishers whose businesses are in jeopardy, we urge Amazon to reconsider its position,” continues Nathan. “Over the years, Jeff Bezos and his company have given small and independent publishers a level playing field to compete with the largest of companies. Suddenly, this magnificent playing field has been converted into a ‘members only’ club, to the detriment of those very publishers who have contributed to Amazon’s success.’”

SPAN, the Small Publishers Association of North America, also spoke out in a three-page letter. You can read the full text at: www.spannet.org/Amazon-POD.htm.

Information, including links to news reports and original sources can be found at Writers Weekly. Visit http://www.writersweekly.com/amazon.php for more.

2007 Midwest Book Award Winners

2008-05-15T19:09:00.000-05:00

The Midwest Independent Publishers Association (MIPA) 18th Annual Midwest Book Awards attracted an unprecedented 167 nominations from 78 publishers from the twelve Midwestern states in our region.

The winners in each of the 25 categories were announced May 14 at the Midwest Book Awards Ceremony at the Minnesota Humanities Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, with the help of our special guests, Matthew Hurley, from Publishers Weekly and Florrie Binford Kichler, president of IBPA The Independent Book Publishers Association (formerly PMA).

A full list of the winners is available on the MIPA website at www.mipa.org.

I Really Am A Publisher!

2008-02-03T19:01:00.000-06:00

The most important thing I learned from last summer’s PMA University wasn’t listed in the program, taught in a seminar, or available in the handouts. At the same time, it was priceless.

What I learned is that I know more than I thought I knew. I learned that, despite my fears and reservations, I’m going about this whole publishing thing the right way. Or at least the way that’s right for me and my goals. I learned that I’m not alone in my doubts or mistakes. I learned that I really am a publisher.

Like many publishers starting out (I learned), I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was doing it all wrong, that every other publisher would take one look at my work and see me as a neophyte, or worse, a fraud. I thought that when I showed up at PMA-U, everyone else would know so much more than I did.

Imagine my shock when I learned that not only was I doing what many other small publishers are doing, I had a few things I could teach as well.

Since I’ve been back from PMA-U, I’ve met a number of other publishers who feel the same way I did when I arrived in New York, and as a result of my change in perspective, I hope you will find the following Top Thirteen Ways to Know You Really Are A Publisher helpful.

13. You’ve done your homework on setting up your company, from ISBNs to distribution.

12. You have short-term and long-term goals for your company and you work toward meeting them.

11. You care passionately about your books, your authors, your reputation, your image, and your relationships with readers, booksellers, and other industry professionals.

10. You understand the difference between amateurs and professionals, such as the difference between a professional editor and a friend who can proofread.

9. You understand that all the marketing expertise in the world boils down to one thing: convince a potential reader to buy your book.

8. You know deep down in the core of your being that #9 is the hardest part of publishing, and as a result, you learn to become a marketing expert for your titles.

7. Even a promotional tabletop sign at a restaurant inspires marketing ideas.

6. When in a bookstore, you look at the publisher information and copyright page of a book before you read what it’s about.

5. When a friend recommends a book, you wonder what went into that book’s marketing plan and distribution.

4. While the rest of the world complains about rising book retail prices, you’re thinking about unit costs, discount schedules, and cost-effective print runs.

3. Friends are either excited or nervous about telling you that they’re writing a book.

2. You know the best way to pack and secure a 23 lb. box of books.

1. At the end of the day, beyond sales figures and expense projections, publishing makes you happy.

Disclaimer: being a happy publisher and being a successful publisher are not necessarily the same thing. But you knew that too.

This is the second in the "What I Learned at PMA-U/BEA" series by Sheyna Galyan of Yaldah Publishing. Stay tuned for future entries in this series, which will run through spring 2008.

MIPA Upcoming Events

2008-01-04T13:19:00.000-06:00

February 1: DEADLINE for submitting books in the 18th Annual Midwest Book Awards. Entry forms are available on MIPA's website, www.mipa.org.

February 2: RED HOT INTERNET MARKETING On Saturday, February 2, marketing pro Penny Sansevieri will lead two workshops at the Bloomington Art Center (98th St. and Logan Avenue). The morning workshop will be "Using the Internet to Your Advantage," while the afternoon workshop, "Working with the Media" will explain why traditional marketing no longer works. Each session is $90, or you can register for both for $150, which includes lunch. All sessions include a copy of Penny's latest book, Red Hot Internet Marketing.

Penny will also be available for 15-minute personal consultations to help with ideas on marketing your specific book or to evaluate your website. More details and registration will be available next week at www.BloomingtonArtCenter.com.

Penny, who is based in California and New York, owns Author Marketing Experts (www.amarketingexpert.com). Check out her website, sign up for her newsletter, then come hear this dynamic speaker on February 2.

April 5: Bloomington Writers' Festival The Bloomington Art Center will again be the venue for the 5th Annual Bloomington Writers' Festival and Book Fair, sponsored by the Bloomington Literary Council and MIPA. The keynote speaker is novelist Faith Sullivan.

You can register now for the many workshops. For more details and to register, go to www.BloomingtonArtCenter.com.

Join us for any or all of these events. If you have any questions email me at parmorris [at] comcast [dot] net.

Pat Morris, President
Midwest Independent Publishers Association

January 2008 MIPA Meeting: Moving Your Books Out The Door

2008-01-04T12:55:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year!

Someone on BookTV once said that the only people getting rich in publishing are FedEx and UPS. It is true that packaging and shipping costs can take a major bite out of your bottom line.
Sybil Smith, a publisher for 27 years, will lead a panel discussion about the best and most cost-effective ways to get your books out the door, including:

Cost comparisons of shipping rates for FedEx, UPS, USPS, DHL and others you've probably never heard of;
International shipping options;
Internet postage vs. postage meters;
Sources of shipping bags, boxes, and stuffing materials;
Easy address labels ‹ forget the label machine;
Merchant card options ‹ what's best for you? Bank merchant cards, PayPal, ProPay?
Federal Trade Commission laws governing cash-with-order mail order operations.

If you're new to publishing, consider this Shipping and Handling 101 ‹ it may not sound too interesting but you'll find it's very important; if you're an experienced publisher, see if you're using the most cost-effective methods and share your ideas.

What: "Moving your books out the door"
When: Wednesday, January 9, 7:00 PM
Where: St. Anthony Park Library (lower level)
2245 Como Avenue, Saint Paul

Twin Cities Now 2/3 of Top Three American Literate Cities

2008-01-01T13:43:00.000-06:00

Minneapolis bumped Seattle out of its #1 position in 2007 in the study recently released about America's most literate cities. And in a surprising but not unexpected move, St. Paul has taken the #3 spot, putting both of the Twin Cities in the top three "Most Literate Cities in America" according to a Connecticut university study.

To read more about how this happened and what it means for the book industry, please read the entire article "Minneapolis out-reads Seattle; St. Paul hot on their heels."

More information can be found at the "America's Most Literate Cities" site.

November 2007 MIPA Meeting: Marketing for Introverts

2007-11-11T15:59:00.000-06:00

Marketing for Introverts (aka The Future of Book Marketing).

Some people are born marketers, but what about those of us who aren't born to sell, who hate cold-calling, and are even uncomfortable making phone calls?

Luckily for us, the Internet holds the future of book marketing and is one of the greatest tools small publishers and authors can use to compete with big publishers and their much bigger marketing budgets.

Sheyna Galyan of Yaldah Publishing (and MIPA's newsletter/blog editor) attended PMA (Publishers Marketing Association) University last summer and spent the better part of a week intensely learning about online marketing. Come to our November meeting and she will show you how the Internet has changed publishing forever and is the author's and publisher's best friend.

There will also be a demonstration of what to look for when your book gets to the printing stage. Seal and Corinne Dwyer (North Star Press) will "show and tell" what to look for at the printer.

What: MIPA meeting

When: Wednesday, November 14, 2007; 6:30 pm social time; 7:00 pm meeting.

Where: We meet in the lower level of the St. Anthony Park Library in St. Paul.

MIPA Welcomes Your Comments

2007-11-11T15:46:00.000-06:00

All of the MIPA blog posts to date now have comments enabled on them, and future posts will also allow you to leave your questions, comments, thoughts, experiences, etc.

We encourage you to take this opportunity to dialog with us on the book publishing industry and ask only that comments are professional and respectful.

If you'd prefer to contact us privately without leaving a comment, you can also email us at mipa.blog@gmail.com.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Printing Solutions: What's Right for Your Book?

2007-11-05T16:00:00.000-06:00

by Sheyna Galyan, Yaldah Publishing

Publishers will tell you that the most expensive part of publishing a book is printing it. Reducing costs, maximizing profits and royalties, even determining retail price and how much (or how little) a wholesale discount to offer all depends on the cost of printing.

There are, however, a mind-numbing plethora of printing options available, and at the October MIPA meeting, we attempted to clear up the confusion just a bit.

At its most basic level, there are two types of printing: offset and digital (sometimes referred to as on-demand printing). Offset printing involves creating plates and using the plates to press ink to paper. Digital printing involves something like a high-end laser printer. For black and white book interiors and to the average reader, there is no discernible difference between the two.

For publishers there is a big difference. Offset printing requires that you print a large(ish) number of copies for your first print run, which can run several thousand dollars up front. Digital printing can print much smaller quantities, requiring less cost up front but a higher unit cost, which can undermine your profits if the book sells well.

According to Davis Scott of McNaughton & Gunn, a Michigan-based book printer, the break even point between digital and offset is around 500 copies or so. In other words, if you're not sure you'll sell more than 500 copies, digital will eliminate a lot of the risk. If you know you'll sell more, especially if you know you'll sell much more (based on more than just a gut feeling or new-author optimism), it's worth looking into offset printing.

Within the offset world, you can print domestically or offshore. Domestic printing is almost always more cost-effective for black and white interiors, but full-color interiors can cost 30-40% less overseas.

Leonard Flachman of Kirkhouse Publishing has been satisfied with Regal Printing in Hong Kong, stating that the process was relatively easy and painless. He added that before you submit your book, they will ship a sample to your specs so you can see how it will look and feel. Economically, however, he recommends printing no fewer than 1500 copies.

All good book printers, offset or digital, are happy to send you a sample of their work upon request. It's a good idea to request a sample of the size and binding for your book so you can compare like products. Similarly, you can request quotes for several different quantities so that you can see what sort of investment and savings are involved at different levels.

Many very small publishers (also sometimes referred to as micropresses), new publishers and self-publishers aren't prepared to invest several thousand dollars into a print run for a single title, knowing that it could be months to years - if ever - before the investment turns into profit. For these folks, as well as for market testing, unproven authors and similar low-risk needs, digital printing may be the answer. Even here, the choices are staggering.

Several samples of digitally printed books were distributed and examined during the meeting, including books from Lightning Source Inc. (LSI), G&H Soho Inc., BookMasters, Lulu, and the printed-while-we-watched books produced by the Konica Minolta printer (shown below).

There were some key points to note when comparing book construction and quality, and author/publisher Sheyna Galyan had Lulu print one copy of her book to compare to a copy of the same book from LSI. Of note were the following:

The LSI copy cost about $5.50 to print and ship; the Lulu copy cost over $15. For a book that retails at $15.95, Lulu would make any sort of profit unrealistic and wholesale discounts impossible.

The Lulu cover was significantly more washed-out and dull compared to the LSI cover.

The Lulu cover was not cut exactly to the book block, creating a small margin where the pages were visible under the closed cover.

There was extra glue that seeped past the spine on the Lulu copy, creating a ridge.

Part of the spine edge was gouged during the cover folding process on the Lulu copy.

The book text was off-center on the Lulu copy, despite the Lulu and LSI copies being produced from the exact same PDF.

Other things we talked about regarding book construction included whether or not you could open a book completely without breaking the spine, if the cover sits flat when the book is laying face-up, too much/not enough glue, paper quality, pixelation of text (though this can be due to a problem with the uploaded file - more on that in a future article), and how much emphasis the printer places on customer service should you not be satisfied with your book.

Several local book printers were in attendance at the meeting, including Sentinel Printing and Sunray Printing, both of St. Cloud, MN.

If you have a favorite book printer for offset (domestic or overseas) or digital printing, please send the company name and website URL, along with a sentence or two about your experience with them, to us at mipa.blog@gmail.com. We are working on a recommended printer list for our members.

Not a member yet? Visit http://www.mipa.org/ to find out more!

MIPA Field Trip: Konica Minolta Book Printing

2007-10-31T14:05:00.000-05:00

by Sheyna Galyan, Yaldah Publishing

MIPA's October meeting involved a field trip to the Konica Minolta office in Edina, where the packed room was able to watch as several books were printed and bound on the BizHub Pro 1050. Below is a video of the binding process for one book printed that evening. (Covers were printed and trimmed separately and prior to interior printing and book binding.)

How to Write a Book... and Get It Published

2007-10-31T13:37:00.001-05:00

by Sheyna Galyan, Yaldah Publishing

On September 25, 2007, the Society of Professional Journalists and the Minnesota Historical Society Press co-sponsored a panel discussion called How to Write a Book... and Get It Published.

Naturally, MIPA was present, though we weren't presenting. (We may be holding a Publishing 101 panel on different ways to get published early next year. Stay tuned for details.)

The four panelists represented four different ways of getting published. Peg Meier self-published her books, including Bring Warm Clothes, published 25 years ago and still selling well. "Publishing is a risky business," Meier says. "I do it for the satisfaction."

Larry Millett writes both fiction and non-fiction. His fiction is a series of mysteries about what it would have been like if Sherlock Holmes had been in Minnesota. He was published "traditionally" by Viking/Penguin.

William Swanson, senior editor at Mpls St. Paul Magazine, had a true crime book published by Borealis Books, an imprint of the Minnesota Historical Society Press.

Greg Britton is director of the Minnesota Historical Society Press and created the Borealis Books imprint to publish books that were outside the scope of the Historical Society Press.

The most important information that came out of the panel was that different methods of getting published fit different types of books and authors. No author pursued publication for the money; as Swanson stated, "Satisfaction comes in other areas, if at all." Britton added that on a $20 hardcover, authors might see a $1 per book royalty at most. And the vast majority of books sell fewer than 50,000 copies over their lives in print.

The entire panel agreed that self-published books can be successful if you do it right, which includes having your book professionally edited, designed, and making sure you get it into distribution channels. Good subsidy presses were also considered acceptable, though going with the large vanity presses was discouraged due to the lack of professional editing and design.

One question from the audience asked about reviewers not being willing to review self-published or subsidy-published books. The panel agreed that while reviewers may eschew books by large vanity presses such as iUniverse, Author House, and the like, they will review self-published books that look professional.

The bad news, however, is that "reviews don't sell books anymore," according to Britton. Due to cutbacks, reviews sections are a fraction of what they used to be.

What does sell books? Feature articles in local presses on how the author wrote the book. And word of mouth. Always word of mouth.

October 2007 MIPA Meeting: Field Trip!

2007-10-10T14:18:00.000-05:00

MIPA's October meeting will be a field trip to learn up close how new technology can produce a book, maybe your book, in minutes. We will meet in Konica Minolta's Edina showroom to see the Bizhub PRO 1050e produce several books while we learn about the machine's capabilities and discuss the technological future of publishing.

The Bizhub PRO 1050e prints up to 105 pages per minute, can handle custom paper and registration adjustments, then will perfect bind up to 600 pages.

What about quality? What about cost? When is offset printing the better choice? What about offshore printing? What else is on the publishing horizon?

We will discuss the wide range of printing options surrounding publishers today and will have representatives of large and small printing companies available to answer questions, including Davis Scott from McNaughton and Gunn, a Michigan book manufacturer that produces over 6,000 titles a year and smaller local companies where "everybody knows your name."

Visitors are always welcome at MIPA monthly meetings.

Ready, Set, Pitch!

2007-09-13T13:37:00.000-05:00

by Sheyna Galyan, Yaldah Publishing

Has the following ever happened to you?

Perfect Stranger: So what do you do?
You: I'm an author and publisher.
PS: You've written a book? Cool! What's it about?
You: Uh...

Maybe I'm the only one who's had a brain fade in this sort of situation, but with some tips on how to deal with this situation using the so-called "elevator pitch" this can be a thing of the past.

Nick Pease, a speech writer and writing teacher at the U of MN, gave MIPA the following tips at the September MIPA meeting.

The origin of the "elevator pitch" came from Hollywood. It used to be that the only chance script writers often had to catch the attention of Hollywood producers was to jump on the elevator with a producer and pitch their script in the time it took for the elevator to go from the ground floor to the penthouse, or about 30-40 seconds. That became the "elevator pitch" (EP) and is one of the most useful tools you have as an author or publisher.

The EP is a 30-second summary (about 50 words or less) of your book designed to capture the listener's interest and invite them to ask for more, or even better, how to buy it. It can be an introduction to a longer piece, such as part of your bio on TV, radio, or other speaking engagements. It can be used for reporters, reviewers, bookstores, book fairs, cold calls to publishers, networking, even email signature lines.

Creating an Elevator Pitch

Now that you know why it's important, the real question is how do you create one? According to Pease, there are four steps:

1. Write it down
2. Recite and rehearse it
3. Memorize it
4. Be ready with follow-up material

Okay. But write what down? What are the parts of an EP? Is it just a summary of the book? No, says Pease. There's more to it than just a summary. There are five required parts to an EP:

1. Who you are
2. Your credentials (why you're qualified to write this book)
3. What's the product? (book, script, article, etc.)
4. How is it unique? / Why did you write it?
5. What is the readership / market?

Pease gave an example: "My name is [...]. I am a [your job or credentials]. My book is [title]. It presents [topic] and unlike others it [unique point]. This book is for [specific audience].

Other tips Pease gave included:

Name-dropping is potent but too long for an EP
Don't use hype; it will stick out (no "heartbreaking tales of staggering originality")
Focus on informing and motivating your listener
Break it down to the bare bones; time your EP to keep it under 30 seconds

Pitching Fiction

Non-fiction lends itself well to an EP because it's information on a particular topic. But what about fiction?

A 50-word maximum summary of a novel is often required for catalogs, news releases, and other marketing materials. Describe the essential features and maybe one major detail. Use active verbs. Make it intriguing. Look at short summaries that entice you and try to emulate them. Don't be afraid to rewrite it.

What Credentials?

Many authors have resisted the credentials part of the EP because they believe they don't have any. Nonsense, says Pease. Look at your background, he says. You've written a book. You did research (even for fiction). Perhaps you're already a published author. Nothing says credibility, according to Pease, more than having a published book. What's in your employment history? Your life history? You couldn't have written your book without having or developing some credentials, so take advantage of that, build your confidence, and the next time someone asks what you do or what your book is about, you'll be ready.

September 2007 MIPA Meeting

2007-09-01T10:00:00.000-05:00

Can you explain what your book is about in 30 seconds?

That’s often all the time you have to interest an agent, a publisher, a bookseller, your cousin or a potential customer in what has taken you months, if not years, to create. The “elevator” speech, as it’s called, is probably the single most important marketing tool you have, and certainly the one you will use the most.

Learn how to create an effective elevator speech and other speaking techniques to promote your book. Nick Pease of Pease Prose Services, a writing/editing firm that produces textbooks, business documents and, of course, speeches, also teaches writing and humanities at the University of Minnesota and other area colleges.

Nick has written over 500 speeches for elected officials and university administrators, CEOs and many others, including speeches for Mario Cuomo, David Dinkins, Sharon Sayles Belton, Mark Yudof… and Nick Pease.

Whether you’re a publisher who wants to promote your company or your latest book, a published author who wants to create a buzz for your book, or a writer still in the middle of research, learn how to answer the questions, “What do you do?” or “What is your book about?”

Come to our September MIPA meeting on Wednesday, September 12, 2007 at St. Anthony Park Library, social networking at 6:30pm, speaker at 7:00pm. We'd love to see you there!

American Express, Merchant Accounts Court Very Small Businesses

2007-08-31T12:28:00.000-05:00

By Sheyna Galyan, Yaldah Publishing

If you sell books directly to your customers, which generally is considered a Good Idea, you probably have a merchant account. And if you don’t yet have one, getting one can make the difference between making a sale and accumulating inventory. Let’s face it, we live in a world of credit, and credit cards are the payment of choice for most buyers.

How you get one and from whom, though, is a whole different story. PMA: The Independent Book Publishers Association offers an attractive merchant account through a partner bank, provided you make enough sales each month. If you use Quick Books or Quicken for your accounting, Intuit also offers a competitive merchant account, and when I compared the two, based on my projected sales, Intuit actually came out ahead. But ahead still wasn’t great, because I had monthly sales minimums to meet and when your business is as small as mine is, the fees can hurt.

Pro Pay

Enter ProPay, an online merchant account made just for the very small business. No monthly fees, no minimums and you can accept Visa, M/C, Amex and Discover. There’s an annual fee of $59 for a Premium Account, which averages out to $5/month, a big improvement over the standard $20+ for other merchant accounts. The catch is that you have processing limits, $500 for a single transaction, $3000 for a single calendar month. For a higher annual fee, you can choose an account with higher ceilings.

The transaction fees are slightly higher, compatible with PayPal, though with ProPay you can process via the Internet by keying in cards or process by telephone. I invested in a Bartizan 4850 credit card imprinter ($20 with s/h on eBay) and a custom imprinter name plate ($4 on eBay) and take that to shows, fairs, or other places where I can sell direct. Cards are imprinted on sales slips that came with my imprinter and I key them into ProPay when I get home. That’s not a feature PayPal allows.

For more information on ProPay, visit http://www.propay.com/.

American Express

But then I had a problem with American Express. Although I could accept Amex through ProPay, Amex added its own charge, a flat fee of nearly $6 per month for the honor of allowing customers to pay with their card. Transaction fees were included, but that doesn’t help when one had no Amex charges each month. This applied to every business making less than $5000 in Amex card sales in the previous twelve months.

For some businesses that may be pocket change, but when you’re a very small indie, every expense better prove its worth. This one did not, considering that in eleven months, I’d only had one customer choose to use an Amex card. When I called to have them cancel my account, they told me about a new program just for very small businesses.

It’s called American Express Micro and it works like this. As long as you make less than $2000 in Amex card sales within the previous twelve months, American Express Micro charges no fees at all other than a 1% processing fee per transaction. That’s it. If you go eleven months with no Amex sales and then a customer uses an Amex card for a $300 purchase, Amex takes $3 and you get the rest. Period.

Should you go over $2000 in Amex card sales in a year, they’ll change your account to the Flat Fee, and should you maintain more than $5000 in Amex card sales in a year, you can bypass the flat fee and pay only the regular discount percentage.

Since American Express developed Micro to attract and keep very small businesses as merchants, despite the fact that they may actually lose money on this deal, they don’t advertise it. You have to call them and ask for American Express Micro. For me, it’s well worth saving $6 each month and still offering Amex to my customers. And for businesses who don’t yet accept Amex because of the high costs involved, this might be the answer.

News From Our Members, August 2007

2007-08-31T12:04:00.000-05:00

Lutheran University Press, Leonard Flachman, owner and publisher, recently published the “Study Document of the Lutheran Roman Catholic Commission on Unity.” Titled The Apostolicity of the Church, the book is published under the auspices of the Lutheran World Federation and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. In late June, Leonard received an acknowledgment of the book from His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI.
Lutheran University Press also just published the book And Grace Will Lead Me Home about Jerry Evenrud's Prodigal Son art collection. The collection, with pieces dating from the 1500s to 2005, is said to the be world's largest on the Prodigal Son. More than 100 pieces are reproduced in the book.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune ran a full page review on Saturday, June 23. The Lutheran, a 600,000+ circulation denominational periodical, ran a 2/3 page review in its July issue. The Lutheran usually reviews one book and one video on 1/3 page. The New York Gallery, Museum of Biblical Art, will open a five month exhibit of some of the pieces in Jerry's collection beginning with a reception on October 3. There will be another New York reception in the Trump Towers on Saturday, October 6. Lutheran University Press is an imprint of Kirk House Publishers, Minneapolis.

Alibris Promoting "Alibris Basics for Publishers"

2007-08-31T12:00:00.000-05:00

By Leonard Flachman, Kirkhouse Publishers

Alibris is promoting a new marketing program to publishers. On the surface it sounds pretty good. The initial registration fee of $19.95 allows you to list 1000 books. Alibris takes $1.00 and 15% for each book sold. On a $10.00 book that is 25%, which is better than the bookstore or Amazon discounts. The order is forwarded to the publisher (seller) who fills it. They say they will forward money to the publisher monthly.

So far, so good. But, it is not quite what it appears.

The term "seller" is the key word. I searched for one of my titles on Alibris. It is listed 15 times from 15 different sellers. If I list that title with Alibris Basics program, I will be the 16th seller to list that title. Only if someone chooses to order from my listing will the order be forwarded to me. If they click on the book listed by another of the 15 sellers, the order will be forwarded to that seller.

If you want to explore, enter Sturgis Stories under title on Alibris’ website, http://www.alibris.com/. That is one of my titles. Scroll down. Look at the seller identification for each entry or listing. Each is different. Each of those sellers has listed my title there; I did not. Look at the great price variation for a book with a retail price of $24.95.

If you have three or four titles that are not listed on Alibris by another seller, it is a relatively inexpensive way to get broader catalog exposure. That will be especially true if Alibris is going to do some promotion after adding new titles through this program. But if your title is already listed by a dozen other sellers, I don't know what the response will be to your specific seller entry.

When this notice from Alibris came, I had some questions and sent them an email. I received specific answers to my questions almost immediately, and they followed up with a telephone call. In the world of book marketers, this is unusual.

Explore the Alibris program; it might be right for you.

Remembering Jan Nathan

2007-08-31T11:50:00.000-05:00

By Pat Bell, Cats-paw Press

Jan Nathan has left us. It’s hard for me to believe that she’s gone. I was dimly aware of her name back in 1988 when I first became a PMA member. I had a little contact with her over the next couple of years as I reported to PMA on our MIPA membership.

But it was 1994 when I actually met her. She and then-PMA president Jerry Marino came here to present a MIPA program. We had dinner and I transported them to the meeting. I was impressed with her warmth and energy at that time.

That was when I also learned of the online community that PMA had with its mailing list. It was a big list, lively and informative, and Jan was a frequent contributor, friendly and informative. I began to get a sense of what PMA was trying to do for its members.

I discovered that PMA’s Publishing University, always held just before the annual huge book convention, known then as the American Booksellers Association Trade Show and later as BookExpo America, was in reality a must-do event in the life of a neophyte publisher. I attended Publishing University (Jan was most insistent that it NOT be known as P-U) for several years, continuing my education as a small publisher.

Those events are commonly attended by several hundred people and I was frequently astonished by how many of the attendees, the presenters and the vendors Jan knew. And those she hadn’t met she treated with the same warmth of old friends. I was always fascinated with the range of experts and adepts who came to share their experience and expertise with attendees. She was warm and accessible if you needed help.

One of the things that struck me in the old days of the PMA-L mailing list was that it was really a community, albeit most had never met one another. Yet the culture of the list was that of people with common interests, with the suspicion and wariness that seems to come in industries where competition is sometimes fiercely intense. But I didn’t see that competitiveness there, nor in the lists that arose out of it.

MIPA and Minnesota have had a connection with her, too, for nearly 20 years, from about 1992 when a MIPA member, Vince Spadaccini, became a PMA board member. In 1996, Don Tubesing went onto the board, served his four years (and later returned for a two-year term as President). When Don’s term ended in 2000, I went on for four years, and in 2005, Carlene Sippola took my spot.

But Jan’s value to the small press/independent press world became vividly apparent to me during my term on the board. There I truly came to appreciate her incredible connections throughout the publishing world – and not only the U.S. I’m sure she had a major hand in selecting candidates for each new board term, and the people tapped all had particular skills, connections and expertise that contributed toward the growth of PMA. (Consider that in 1980, its parent was a small organization in California much like MIPA. Now its membership numbers over 4,000 and can be found in Canada and the United Kingdom as well. That simply doesn’t happen without somebody’s guiding insights and energy.)

Jan was a person of diverse interests. She was an excellent bridge player and I recall one time she spoke of playing bridge online with Warren Buffett.

She was the mother of six sons, including a set of twins, which probably explains her skill in keeping track of things and thinking ahead.

Her vision extended to her company, which was the formal manager for PMA. For several years, her son Terry has been her second-in-command and he stepped up to the job when Jan became ill last fall. Because he is Jan’s son and because she trained him well, I feel good that he is now Executive Director.

Was Jan Nathan somebody special? You bet she was! I’ll always remember her kindnesses to me, her warmth, her intelligence, her amazing memory, and her energy. Our publishing world owes much to her.

Jan, we miss you. As Douglas Adams said, “Goodbye, and thanks for all the fish.”

Is There a Smarter Way to Publish?

2007-08-24T12:30:00.000-05:00

Rudy Shur of Square One Press thinks so, as do Robert Rosenwald of Poisoned Pen Press, travel writer and marketing expert Pam Swarz, and a growing number of other publishers.

The old publishing style is the one with which we’re all familiar: sign a great manuscript, pour everything you can into national pre- and postpublication marketing, announce a huge release, watch the book hopefully fly off bookstore shelves and out of Internet store warehouses for a few months, give it a few more months to a year to die a quiet death, and relegate it to remainders or out of print (OOP) status within 24 months.

But unless you happen to be sitting on top of the eighth Harry Potter book, this approach just isn’t costeffective—or very smart, according to Shur—for most independent publishers.

So what is the smarter way to publish?

There are two types of publishers, Shur explains. The old publishing style is the frontlist publisher, focusing only on the new releases. Backlist books, if not taken out of print, are stuck in small print in the back of the catalog. The smart publishing style is the backlist publisher.

The backlist publisher is focused not only on new releases, but also on backlist titles continuing to sell well over years. Certain types of books, such as children’s titles, fiction, history, biography, and memoir among others, rarely become obsolete. They will always be new to someone, to children growing into the target reading age or to adults discovering interests in your subject matter. The backlist publisher doesn’t relegate backlist titles; the backlist publisher re-energizes them and continues to sell them successfully for years.

But how? There are four basic areas to consider:

Catalog

First, don’t put older books in the back. Provide a photo of the cover and author, the author’s bio, all of the information you’d provide for a newer release except the pub date. The point is to not draw attention to how old the book is, but to present it in a new way, to attract the interest of people who haven’t seen it before. It’s a new book to those people.

Second, consider a series of similar type books or related topics. Or create a mini catalog tailored to a specific holiday, time of year, topic, or other niche and send it out to your regular mailing list, promoting all books in the mini catalog equally, no matter how old or new.

Marketing

It’s most important to get creative. Use non-selling books as promos. Create a book of the month club for your readers and use older books interspersed with newer ones. Consider from the onset of publication how you might market that book years from now, including a revision and update schedule. Develop strategic partners.

Use technology. This can mean having the author submit articles on a related topic in both online and print journals and magazines. Help your author(s) build a platform, including increasing their credibility and speaking opportunities. Build an optimized website. Write a blog and offer spots for guest writers or interview other authors. Write book reviews.

Take advantage of secondary markets such as book fairs, conventions, excerpts in related magazines, and well-placed advertising.

Readers

The first rule is to know your audience. Build a base of readers, not only of your books but also of your website and/or blog. Attend conventions that your readers attend. Offer promotions such as bundling older books with newer ones, especially in a series or from the same author. What can you give your readers that will have them coming back? Nurture those relationships;
they may wind up helping you in the future.

Editions

Sometimes the book is just old. Outdated, obsolete. In that case, depending on what is appropriate, consider a new cover. If it was published in hardcover, release it as softcover or vice versa. When you first go to print, anticipate these possibilities by writing the copyright page to include hardcover, softcover, perhaps even ebook or audio ISBNs. This way you don’t have to reprint the copyright page or the entire book.

Use newer technology such as digital printing to maintain stock between print runs, or to keep a slower-selling book in print. And if the content itself is old, release a new edition.

The bottom line is to continually find new and creative ways to offer older books to your always-changing readers. Just because the titles are old to you does not mean they’re necessarily old to everyone. And think long-term. Start small and work on growing your business, growing your readership, and aiming for a backlist that will support your company even as you prepare for newer frontlist releases.

This is the first in the "What I Learned at PMA-U/BEA" series by Sheyna Galyan of Yaldah Publishing. Stay tuned for future entries in this series, which will run through spring 2008.

It's a Mystery to Me: Book Category Clues and Solutions

2007-08-24T12:00:00.000-05:00

by Sheyna Galyan

I had no idea when the April 2007 MIPA meeting began that it would change my life as an author.

The meeting focused on cataloging, on determining a book’s category so that booksellers and librarians and others know where to place a book on the shelf.

The evening began with a panel of four: Dorothy Molstad, publicist for Voyageur Press; David Unowsky of Magers & Quinn Booksellers and Scarletta Press; Susan Henry, cataloging
librarian for the Saint Paul Public Library system; and Connie Anderson, reviewer for Armchair Interviews.

All four agreed that choosing the right category and printing it on the back of a book is an important part of a book’s marketing and success. While many publishers print the category in the upper left corner, the best place is actually the lower left corner, with no more than three categories listed.

For a reviewer, one of the first questions is “What sort of book is this?” For awards submissions, the book must be entered in a category. For librarians, the category determines how the book is cataloged and shelved. And for retailers, the category determines where on the store shelf customers can find it.

And that was where my ears perked up. I had agonized over the correct category for my first publication, a novel titled Destined to Choose. I was pleased that my method for choosing the category—going to the Book Industry Study Group website (http://www.bisg.org/) and clicking on the BISAC Subject Headings—was what all four recommended. I settled on Fiction / Judaica. At the time (2003) there was no category for Fiction / Jewish (there is as of 2006).

However, I did not print it on the back of the book. Big mistake. Amazon.com, in their infinite wisdom, looked at the subtitle (A Rabbi David Cohen Novel) and promptly categorized it as Christian Fiction. Barnes & Noble placed it in their Religious Fiction section, a small number of shelves teeming with 99.99% Christian fiction. Though I had chosen the category to help Jewish
readers, hoping it would not get buried in the popular fiction section, my efforts backfired and would-be readers complained about not being able to find it.

Libraries had no problem with it, though. As Susan Henry explained, libraries don’t use BISAC cataloging. They get their category headings from the Library of Congress or by shared cataloging with other libraries. In the case of fiction, only mystery, western, and science fiction are typically broken out. Everything else that’s fiction is shelved as popular fiction.

As the speakers continued to talk about the importance of categorization, I started feeling very concerned. I was the author and publisher of this book, and I didn’t know where to categorize it. This thought was really driven home when Connie said there are “books rejected by big publishers because they don’t know where to put it. If you [the author] don’t know what genre it’s in, imagine what it’s like for us.”

One of the best ways to get buzz going is through hand selling by independent booksellers. I knew this from experience. One of my biggest supporters is a bookstore owner who knows her customers well and would often grab my book off the shelf, place it in their hands and say, “You have got to read this book!” I can’t buy that kind of support.

In fact, 14% of all new books are sold by independents, but they have to know the book’s category in order to place it in the store, as well as answer customer questions like “What is this book about?” Is Finding Buddha While Biking Through Bermuda (a made-up title) a book about cycling? Traveling through Bermuda? Or Buddhism?

The answer to this troubling question of categorization provided me with some relief. Pick the brains of librarians and booksellers, they said. Take them to lunch once in a while and ask what they think about a book. Buy them a cup of coffee. But make an appointment first, because showing up on your timetable and not theirs won’t win any points.

“Most booksellers are happy to help out,” said David Unowsky. “We’re all about making better books and letting people know about them.”

So at the end of the meeting I took their advice, handed them a copy of Destined to Choose and asked for their opinion. They looked it over, read the cover copy, looked through the inside, asked me a bunch of questions about the novel’s structure, role of characters, and so forth. They agreed that categorizing it as Jewish fiction was a mistake, partly because of where it would be shelved and partly because it was of just as much interest to non-Jewish readers.

Would it be general fiction, then? I asked. No, they unanimously agreed. It’s not general fiction. It’s a mystery, or more specifically, Fiction / Suspense. I was shocked. Who knew? Apparently everyone but me. And yet it was the best piece of information, because now the category makes the marketing of the series much, much easier.

It identifies a specific target audience. It opens doors to events and organizations and genre-specific book clubs. It will help sell more books. And SOLD is a category I like to see.

Back to the Real World

2007-06-03T22:14:00.000-05:00

I'm back home again, the end of another successful PMA-U and BEA. It was an intense, awesome, incredible experience. I don't think I've ever learned so much in such a short period of time, except for perhaps the first time I was the mother of a newborn.

I have so much I want to share, so many things that came out of brainstorming Q&A's at the end of a PMA-U course, or as the result of an otherwise spontaneous conversation with another publisher at BEA. Months ago I initially questioned the value of attending BEA when I wasn't exhibiting, didn't have a brand new title coming out. But money couldn't buy the kind of networking and exposure I've gained, or the contacts I've made, or the things I've learned simply by watching and listening to others.

Tonight I'll share this nugget of wisdom. I stopped by the Jewish Lights Publishing booth to talk to the founder, Stuart Matlins, in part because I wanted to politely announce my existence as a fellow Jewish publisher, and in part because a good friend who is also a bookseller is a dear friend of his.

And in the course of our conversation, he told me about when he was just starting out as a publisher, when our mutual friend was one of the few who believed in him, and everyone else was waiting to see how long it would take before he packed it in. "Other people want you to fail," he said, "because then they don't have to try."

I frowned. "Really?"

"Other people," he said with a nod of experience, "say 'I would do blank, if only...' But you're not waiting for the if only. You're doing it. And that makes them feel like they ought to be doing something too, and they don't like that. So they want you to fail, because then that means they were right in not trying at all. So don't give up."

Just Awesome

2007-06-01T02:41:00.000-05:00

I'm not being paid to say that!

PMA-U for 2007 is now over and BEA begins tomorrow. I've learned so much and met so many cool publishers and authors and editors and publicists and... and... and... yeah. Just awesome.

I feel like I've had all the coursework for a degree in book publicity crammed into my head, but I've learned a ton and even contributed a time or two. Or three.

What I have to share with you all will not be a single "What I did this summer" article. No, you get to be subjected to at least one article on publicity, one on backlist titles, one on web site optimization, one on blogging, and whatever other gems are buried in my notes.

But for now it's quarter of two in the morning and I'm off to bed, sure to dream of backlist marketing strategies, web site redesigns, and catchy PR hooks.

Until tomorrow, or rather, later today....

Information Overload

2007-05-31T00:26:00.000-05:00

Hi again from PMA-U in New York. We'll see how long my wifi connection lasts this time.

I had an extremely long but productive day today. TONS of information about publicity and marketing, both pre and post pub, and a lot of it harnessing the tools and power of the Internet.

Of course, what else would you expect from a techie like me?

I got some fabulous information about web site optimization that I know our members can use (hi Sybil!), including some information I didn't know. I had a phenomenal class on doing an online publicty campaign, and aside from the time investment, the cost is... FREE.

Blogging, online author tours, book plugs on high-traffic web sites and news/special interest groups... it's all there, and I'll be writing much more about it when I'm not on my Palm and a tiny keyboad with a sketchy wifi connection.

Oh, and not on five hours of sleep and having walked a gazillion miles all over Manhattan.

Tomorrow is the day I'm really looking forward to: passion and publishing, marketing fiction, creating buzz and word of mouth (WOM) sales, and reenergizing backlist titles.

Today's highlight? I have met so many other young(er) people here at PMA-U, all involved with some aspect of publishing, most of them working from home, several others with young children (like me), passionate about what they do, and both the publishing industry and the media are taking them very, very seriously.

This is an awesome time to be involved in the book publishing industry, and it's clear from the stories and sales experiences I've heard over the past 36 hours that publishing and readers and books are alive and well and flourishing.

Greetings from New York!

2007-05-29T22:12:00.000-05:00

Not wanting to haul my laptop all over Mahattan, I'm blogging from my Palm TX and a folding infrared (IR) keyboard. Talk about the wonders of technology!

We had our first day of PMA-U today. I took both afternoon sessions, the first focusing on effective book publicity and the second titled "Stay Small, Stay Profitable".

I was really intrigued by the second session, having a very small (so far) publishing company. While I'll be writing in greater detail about the sessions, the best advice in the second session was "start slow, let it grow."

This could mean printing a smaller print run, focusing on regional publicity and sales before aiming for the national market, or the way I took it.

How did I take it?

Publishing gurus will often talk about reducing unit cost by investing in larger offset print runs, thereby increasing profits and making your company more competetive because you'll be able to offer the same discounts as the big guys.

But for those of us who don't have the initial capital, or who don't publish enough each year to qualify for wholesale or distribution acceptance criteria, "start slow, let it grow" means maybe setting your sales goals lower, printing digitally, and/or scaling back your budget in all areas.

It is possible to sell a book successfully without spending five figures. It just depends on your definition of success.

If it works for you, if you're working towards your goals, and if you're bringing in revenue to keep the business going, then you're successful. No matter how small your operation might be. Slow is ok, even good. It will grow if you want it to, at the pace that's right for you.

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Publishing

2007-05-27T21:52:00.000-05:00

Or maybe not quite that much.

I, Sheyna Galyan, MIPA member and generally responsible party for the MIPA blog and newsletter, representing Yaldah Publishing, will be attending PMA University (think college for publishers) this next week, followed by Book Expo America (BEA).

The plan, such as it is, is that I will take a few minutes each evening and post the highlights of the day and what I've learned in the courses for which I've signed up. There's a definite theme in the courses I've chosen, with a lot of focus on publicity and marketing, though I also picked courses that are designed for the smaller publisher, drawing on our passion for contributing good books to the world.

You can follow along here as I navigate my way through the Big Apple, big(ger) publishers, and big dreams.

Next stop: New York!

Midwest Book Awards Winners

2007-05-27T21:51:00.001-05:00

The winners have been announced and you can read more about it here:

http://www.mipa.org/awards.html

Congratulations to all who participated!

April 2007 MIPA Meeting

2007-04-08T14:31:00.000-05:00

IS YOUR BOOK ON THE RIGHT SHELF?

One of the most important decisions you must make about your book is what category (i.e., what shelf) does your book best belong. Often, bookstores and libraries have limited shelf space to shelve books. You want to be sure your book is on the right shelf to attract the maximum number of readers.

And what about book contests? Choosing the right category can make the difference between a first-place winner and a book that is not noticed.

Even fiction writers need to choose: is your book literary, commercial or general fiction? If your mystery has a romantic understory, do you want it displayed on the mystery shelf or the romance shelf?

Nonfiction books are also sometimes complicated. Does your gorgeous, artistic book on frost belong in the nature, coffee books, or some other category?

Our panelists will help you choose. Susan Henry is a cataloging librarian, Connie Anderson is a book reviewer (yes, book reviewers have a hard time deciding what category will best serve the book), Dorothy Molstad is a publicist for Voyageur Press, and David Unowsky, renowned owner of the Hungry Mind, Ruminator, and currently of Magers & Quinn and Scarletta Press, will, pardon the term, "ruminate" on this dilemma.

Join us for this illuminating discussion about one of the most important decisions you will make about your book!

Where: St. Anthony Park Library
When: Wednesday, April 11, 7 PM, networking at 6:30 PM.

Midwest Book Awards Finalists

2007-04-08T14:00:00.000-05:00

The Midwest Independent Publishers Association (MIPA) 17th Annual Midwest Book Awards attracted an unprecedented 146 nominations from 65 publishers in ten of the twelve Midwestern states in our region. The 69 award-winning titles come from 35 different publishers representing all ten states. There were ties in two categories. Please note that finalists are listed in alphabetical order by publisher in each category. First Prize, Merit Award, and Honorable Mention certificates will be presented at the 2006 Midwest Book Awards ceremony on May 9, 2007.

To view all of the finalists, click here.

Publishers Weekly Reviews Industry

2007-04-08T13:30:00.000-05:00

“Big books come from small/indie presses,” according to Matt Hurley, sales director for Publishers Weekly. He joined Louisa Ermelino, Reviews Editor, and Claire Kirch, Midwest Correspondent, to talk about the state of the publishing industry at the packed MIPA meeting in March.

Overall, Hurley said, his impression of the publishing industry is “mixed, but always optimistic. Hurley focused primarily on what the independent publisher needs to know. “Education is so critical today,” he said, and added that a publisher must know their customers, markets, distribution, returns, and the impact of digitization on their company in order to succeed.

Distribution is a key factor, he said, especially with distributors reorganizing and finding their place in an increasingly digital age. A growing number of publishers are selling from their own websites, Hurley noted, and are printing lower runs to reduce returns. Some are doing their own distribution or looking to third parties, but the bottom line, which Louisa Ermelino echoed, is that if books cannot be found easily by booksellers and customers, they have little chance of succeeding, no matter how wonderful the book is.

“Never before have I seen a more opportune time for the small press to penetrate the market than now,” Hurley said.

He quoted some statistics from the recent meeting of the Association of American Publishers (AAP), at which the 2006 Industry Statistics Report was made available. Of particular note was that sales of adult trade paperbacks were up over 8% and adult hardcovers up over 4%. Sales in the religion category were down slightly, but number one in growth.

There were 172,000 new titles in 2005 with the smallest presses showing a 7% decline in new books. For more detailed information, please visit the MIPA blog.

Louisa Ermelino then spoke about reviews in Publishers Weekly, saying, “Any small publisher has as much opportunity to be reviewed as the large houses. We are very partial to good, beautiful books from small houses.”

That said, she had some guidelines for those hoping for a PW review.

PW does not review POD published books. Ermelino stated that POD printing is a separate issue and they don't care how it was printed. She said this is not a blanket judgment against self-published books. Rather, because PW receives 1,000 books a week from presses that represent more than one author, they simply don’t have the time or resources to extend reviews to books for which the author paid to have his or her book published.
Essentials include 3-4 month lead time, two galleys, an ISBN, the month/day of publication, a cover letter with synopsis, and if sending more than one title, which one is the “lead title” or most important. Follow the requirements on the web site.
Know what PW reviews, what’s a fit for PW. Availability through both Ingram and Baker & Taylor—as a minimum—is a must. Again, if the booksellers can’t order it easily, a PW review (aimed at the trade, not the consumer) is a waste of time.
Finished books will be accepted so long as the pub date is at least 3-4 months away and there is a note on the book saying, “In lieu of galley.”
Fancy color covers versus white galley covers make no difference. “We don’t care,” Ermelino said.

PW is also expanding their reviews to web exclusives on the PW web site, so they can provide more coverage. These reviews are licensed to Amazon.com and other sites.

“We pay particular attention to independent presses,” Ermelino said. “They have the ability to do things that big publishers can’t.”

With that, Claire Kirch spoke about her role as the Midwest correspondent. “I see myself as a liason between PW in New York and Minnesota. Kirch writes news coming out of the Midwest for PW, and stated that there’s a difference between what’s news in the Midwest and what’s a good fit for PW.

“When pitching me for stories,” she said, it’s important to be sure that the “news coming out of the Midwest is of interest and relevant to a national or international audience. “There has to be a broader interest than just the Midwest.”

As with any submission, it’s important to know that the information is a good fit for the publication. “I know my editors and what they want,” Kirch said. “When you pitch me, I have to pitch them. I’m like a filter.”

Kirch had wonderful things to say about the Midwest publishing community, rivaling both coasts. “This is a really fertile publishing community here in the Midwest,” she said. “I want New York to know that. I want the rest of the country to know that.”

A question was asked about the stigma that small presses still face in favor of large houses. “We’ve worked hard against that,” Ermelino said. “Small presses are the backbone of the industry.” For instance, she said, a small press is more likely to have an interesting cover, while the big houses pigeonhole their books.

Hurley noted that of the sixty titles on the PW bestseller list, at least two to four are consistently by small presses.

“We often ignore the big blockbusters,” Ermelino said. “They don’t need us. I’d rather use the space for independent presses.”

“And the quality of the book counts,” Kirch added, “even if it’s self-published. If your book is reviewed and it isn’t available (except on a single web site), it’s a waste of space.”

“You’ve got to know your market,” Hurley said. “Anyone can publish a book today. Anyone can get it into a bookstore. The hard part is getting it out the door.”

Another question was asked about which categories are doing well. The top two are Spanish language books and bilingual children’s books. While religion has been a big seller, sales are currently flat.

The panel was then asked how they defined a small press or independent publisher. “We consider the terms independent press and small press synonymous,” Ermelino said, adding that the category includes every publisher that isn’t part of the “Big 7.”

Self-publishers cross that line between small press and not, Ermelino said, adding that the definition of a small press is based on the press publishing others’ work, whether the owner publishes his or her own or not.

“Independent publishers really shine with fiction,” Ermelino said. “They’re quirky; they take risks.” And she said that both fiction and non-fiction have equal review opportunities.

Reviewers for PW are hired from all over, based on their expertise in reviewing or a specific background. Reviewers typically aren’t in the publishing industry, Ermelino notes. “They’re avid readers.”

She states that with a thousand galleys per week being submitted, it takes about 30 seconds to look at a fiction galley and make a review decision. Key features include timeliness, how it looks, info on cover or back, interior design, paper, interest to readers, and the marketing plan. Sloppy work and typos will get a galley thrown out.

“It’s such a loud world out there,” Kirch said, “you really have to be unconventional.”

“Everyone seems to be doing the Web,” Ermelino said. “Blogs, video, author interviews. There’s a magic to publishing a book.”

“Do what you love,” advised Kirch. “The money doesn’t matter.

“Unless you like fancy handbags,” Ermelino added.

Hurley agreed. “Marry someone with good health insurance.”

***

AAP 2006 Publishing Industry Statistics Report

2007-04-08T13:00:00.000-05:00

The following information was provided by Matt Hurley, Sales Director for Publishers Weekly, at the March 2007 MIPA meeting:

The figures from the Association of American Publishers (AAP) show that trade sales in 2006 increased a little over 2%. Biggest growth was in trade paperbacks where sales were up over 8%, while adult hardcover sales rose 4%. Without a new Harry Potter, sales were down in children's hardcover, probably about 5%, while paperback was about even.

Mass market paperback sales were up a little more than 4%, helped by premium paperbacks that have a larger format and higher price points.

The AAP figures show religion publishing down, though some of the religious trade associations indicate there was a slight gain in the year. AAP numbers are off, in all likelihood, because there wasn't a blockbuster last year along the lines of The Purpose Driven Life or Your Best Life Now.

Audiobooks were also off last year, according to the AAP, which is somewhat surprising since sales of digital downloads of audiobooks have been growing rapidly.

The association also shows that e-books grew last year, but still represent a very small market, under $100 million. It is doubtful that e-books will grow rapidly anytime soon, though we are seeing efforts by publishers to monetize their digital assets in other ways. Audio is showing companies that it can be done. Sales of digital products have been substantial for educational products for several years, and trade publishers are very slowly finding ways to sell digital materials. Harlequin and Random, for example, license materials to mobile phones. Many of the travel guide publishers have created web sites that sell advertising. And a growing number of publishers sell books directly from their own web sites.

Retail bookstore sales, according to the Census Bureau, fell 1.8% last, to $14.1 billion. In contrast, Amazon's book sales are estimated to have risen by more than 10%, and for a growing number of publishers Amazon is their second largest account after B&N.

Titles output numbers for 2006 haven't been released yet, but after four straight years that included some huge increases, title output fell 9.5% in 2005 to 172,000 new titles and editions, according to preliminary estimates from R.R. Bowker. Figures indicate that the largest decline occurred at small and mid-sized houses; production from the smallest house fell 7%, while new titles from small-to-medium and medium-to-large publishers dropped 10% and 15%, respectively. New titles from the largest houses fell 4.7%, to 23.017.

Prior to 2005, the gain in title output had been driven by increases in books from indie presses, with a significant boost coming from self-publishers.

The biggest issue facing many indie presses now is distribution. With Perseus' purchase of many of the distribution agreements of PGW, a major consolidation in the business has taken place within a short period. In about 2 years time Perseus acquired CDS, Consortium and PGW, creating, by far, the largest third-party distributor in the country. How Perseus will integrate PGW will be interesting to watch.

Not all former PGW clients ended up at Persues. NBN, IPG and Ingram have all picked up some clients and a few have gone to major publishers. Both the third party distributors and large publishing houses remain interested in adding new clients, but all are focusing on finding publishers of a substantial size, and with vibrant publishing programs.

The AMS/PGW bankruptcy revived the debate over whether its best for indie publishers to do distribution themselves or find a distribution company. In PW's, March 5 issue Chelsea Green president Magot Baldwin has an interesting piece touting the value of self-distribution. And the bankruptcy also sparked talk of the possibility of the creation of a new distribution along the the lines of a PGW or Consortium. While many indie publishers would probably like that option, given the brutal economics of the business, it's doubtful it will happen.

On the returns front, returns appear to have fallen slightly in 2006, mostly due to publishers' efforts to keep initial runs lower. More and more publishers are also using POD printing to keep slow moving titles in print, embracing the "long tail" theory that says in the future companies will sell fewer copies of more items since the web makes it easier to find content.

March 2007 MIPA Meeting

2007-03-12T14:33:00.000-05:00

WEDNESDAY'S MEETING: PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

Topic: Trends in Publishing and more
Who: Matthew Hurley, Louisa Ermelino, and Claire Kirch

Though all 3 speakers come from PW, they're not coming to sell magazines but to talk about the publishing industry. Some of the topics that will be discussed include:

Emerging role of independent publishers
Which book categories are doing well and which are tanking
Book review process
Issues related to book distribution (very important in light of recent events)
Changing roles in all steps of the publishing process including wholesaling, returns and other factors that influence the business; and
How technology is changing the industry.

Matthew Hurley is celebrating his 18th year with Publishers Weekly. Recently appointed sales director, he shares responsibilities in the U.S., Canada and Europe. He has a strong passion and commitment to the success of the independent publisher.

Louisa Ermelino joined PW as Reviews Editor in April of 2005. She had been a reviewer for both trade and consumer magazines, most recently chief of reporters at InStyle magazine. She is also the author of three novels, and teaches creative writing at Columbia.

Claire Kirch has been the Midwest correspondent to PW for the past 3 years.

When: Wednesday, March 14th 7-9 p.m.

Where: We meet in the lower level of the St. Anthony Park Library in St. Paul.

Directions to the Library: From east or west: Take 94 to Highway 280; Go north on 280 to the Como Avenue exit. Continue north on the frontage road to Como Avenue. Turn right on Como and take Como to Carter Avenue. The library is on the southeast corner of Como and Carter Avenues.

The Importance of Cover and Interior Design

2007-02-23T13:24:00.000-06:00

With ten years in business specializing in serving small and self-publishers, TLC Graphics presented their case for why professional book design is a must for anyone serious about publishing.

"We want to dispel the notion that self-published books are subpar," says Tami Dever of TLC Graphics' Austin TX office. Representatives from the company's three offices in Austin, Roseville CA, and Chaska MN shared a before and after slide show of both covers and interior page designs. The differences between before and after are startling, and they have some of these now in a gallery on their website.

While the information they provided is specific to their company, it can give publishers a good idea of what questions to ask when they are looking for a professional cover/interior designer.

What a designer needs from the customer (publisher)
* A conversation by telephone
* A completed questionnaire, including an identified audience and competition (Note: Saying that the identified audience is "everyone" and the competition is "no one" is a bad answer. Be specific and realistic.)
* Ideas
* Word file of text (interior only)

Turnaround time
For the whole package, including cover and interior design, allow four months. For a cover only, expect a month.

Ideal author photo
* Not too big, especially if the author is an unknown
* Better ones feature the author doing something they love rather than just a headshot

Cost
For covers only, expect to pay anywhere from $1550-$1750, depending on whether your book is a hardcover, softcover, the trim size, custom image fees, and so forth. Get an estimate from the cover designer before you assume what the price will be.

For interior design, TLC Graphics prefers to charge a higher price per page and no extra charges for unlimited changes. Other companies have a lower per-page price but charge X number of dollars for every change you want made to the text, which can add up quickly. Blank pages are included. You can expect to pay from $9-$16 per page, with novels at the lower end of the scale.

Biggest Back Cover Mistakes
* Too much information
* Big or too-long chunks of information
* Huge author photo
* Price not listed
* No summary

Reviews
Prominent reviews should be featured on the back cover. As for reviews on the inside of a book, Tami's opinion is that two or three reviews are great, but multiple pages of reviews are generally dismissed by readers and don't influence sales.

And finally, use the BISAC subject codes. They help bookstore employees know where to shelve your book!

Getting Book Reviews in Large Local Newspapers

2007-02-23T12:55:00.000-06:00

"Democratization is here," says Mary Ann Grossman, book critic for the Saint Paul Pioneer Press. "People don't want to read critics; they want to read what other people think."

Grossman, who has an impressively long history with the Pioneer Press, was one of the presenters at the MIPA monthly meeting on February 14, 2007. She talked about what she called the literary explosion in the Twin Cities from roughly 1975-2000 as The Loft began, along with the arrival of non-profit small presses such as Coffee House Press, Milkweed Editions, and Graywolf Press. This time period also includes the rise of Garrison Keillor and the 2000 opening of Open Book.

Then she got down to business. What many small publishers want to know is how to get reviews, especially in large local newspapers, which may be something of a dying breed as information and news are increasingly available through the Internet. To that end, Grossman offers the following suggestions:

Timeliness
A book is considered "old" for a newspaper review if it's more than two months past the pub date. The sooner you can get a published book in to the newspaper, the better.

Human Interest
Grossman says she prefers to do interviews with local authors over reviews on the book page. This way, she can give the book coverage outside of the book page, which has limited space. Blockbusters have to be covered on the book page, and Grossman gives preference then to local authors over non-local (even if the publisher is local), and to mid-list fiction, which she believes gets lost in the shuffle.

Know Your Niche
Grossman doesn't review self-help at all, and other topics may get delegated to other departments, such as features, health, religion, or science.

Hook Up to Local Events
Wherever possible, Grossman tries to tie reviews in with local events, such as readings, book signings, and events in the community. It helps her if publishers point out such events and submit books as well as the dates and times of any such readings or signings at least a month in advance.

Literary Calendar
The Pioneer Press has a literary calendar listing readings, talks, signings, lectures, and so forth. Grossman tries to dress up the calendar with covers from the books featured in the literary calendar. At least two weeks notice is required for inclusion in the calendar.

Send More than Just a Book
Include with the review copy a letter and press release. If there is other applicable material, include that as well. Do not refer a reviewer to a web site for more information. Grossman says that is a guaranteed way to not get reviewed. It seems like it would only take a few moments to check out a web site, Grossman says, but if she had to go to a web site for every book she receives for a possible review, she'd be spending all of her time chasing down web sites and none of it actually writing reviews.

Get Out There
"There's no substitute for getting out there," Grossman says. "People love to meet authors." The independent bookstores and even the big chains, she says, are friendly to helping authors do readings.

Image Isn't Everything
Finally, when asked if cover design or interior design influenced Grossman's choice of what to review versus what not to review, she said, "No. Not at all."

February 2007 MIPA Meeting

2007-02-13T12:19:00.000-06:00

What could be more heartwarming on Valentine's Day than talking about books? Wednesday evening's MIPA meeting will first feature Mary Ann Grossmann of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, who will talk about the book review process and how it has changed and continues to change. How does she decide what books to review? Does a book's cover design enter into that decision? Come and find out.

Both the front and back covers enter into readers' book-buying decisions, so Tamara Dever, Erin Stark and Monica Thomas of TLC Graphics will follow with the do's and dont's of book design and show examples of each. Tami, who is from Austin, Texas, began her career in magazine design but soon focused on books, winning numerous regional and national awards. She founded TLC Graphics in 1997. The company soon grew from a small design studio to a complete author services firm as she was joined by Minnesotan Erin Stark who, in addition to designing covers has a passion for creating beautiful, yet readable, book interiors. Monica Thomas, who is flying in from California and is going to have temperature-shock, joined TLC in 2003 after working for a medium-sized publisher in Roseville, California. She says she
was drawn to the firm because of "the passion TLC Graphics has for making small and self-publishers look like the big guys."

Books are In and the Judges are Reading!

2007-02-07T11:43:00.000-06:00

by Marly Cornell, Chair, MIPA Midwest Book Awards

I am happy to report that 146 titles from 65 publishers in the 12 eligible states have been entered in the MIPA 17th Annual Midwest Book Awards competition for excellence in independent or non-profit publishing. More than 700 books have been distributed to the judges for review in 24 fiction, nonfiction and design categories.

The judges will return their evaluations by March 31, results will be tallied, and the finalists will be posted on the MIPA web site (and possibly here as well?) in early April. Our special guest Matthew Hurley from Publishers Weekly will present first place, merit awards and honorary mention certificates at the awards ceremony on May 9, 2007.

Your RSVP is requested if you plan to attend the Midwest Book Awards Ceremony at the prestigious Minnesota Humanities Commission, 987 East Ivy Avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota, on Wednesday, May 9, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Please email Marly at animarly@aol.com with your reservation.

Many thanks to the publishers, authors and judges for this exciting event!
Questions? Email Marly at animarly@aol.com

More Awards

2007-01-10T13:02:00.000-06:00

The postmark deadline for submissions was scheduled Monday, January 15th for ForeWord's Book of the Year Awards.

But we are extending it until Wednesday, January 17th. Martin Luther King, Jr. is being honored by many over a long weekend, by the post office on Monday. We hope this time frame didn't put people off the submissions because the deadline loomed as a surprise. Plus, we don't wish to appear disrespectful!

If you have lingering thoughts about the value of Awards programs, I invite you to read an article outlining some interesting points at a blogsite authored by Sarah Bolme. She notes:

Book awards, like book reviews, can be harnessed to promote your title in endless ways. One benefit of a book award over a book review is thatan award warrants press coverage. Newspapers, magazines, and newsletters like to highlight authors and books that have won awards. Another benefit of a book award is that consumers tend to want to read books that have won an award. An award tells a consumer that a book is worth the money to purchase and time spent to read it. An award signals booksellers to purchase the book for their stores as book awards almost always guarantee sales.

For a full-text version of the article, please visit http://blog.selfpublishing.com/?p=158

Thanks in advance for your kind consideration of entering your good books.

Warmly,
Victoria Sutherland, Publisher
www.forewordmagazine.com
231-933-3699

PUBLISHERS: LAST CALL FOR FOREWORD 2006 BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARDS

Registration online at www.forewordmagazine.com

ATTENTION PUBLISHERS

March/April 2007 issue of ForeWord
Featuring FAITH, our supplement on religion titles

This issue will see bonus distribution at London and Bologna Book Fairs in the Spring.

See http://foreword.texterity.com/foreword/200601/?pg=35 for the last issue.

ForeSight Features: Spring Announcements, Childrens and Travel title previews
Ad reservations February 9th, Materials February 15th

Book Awards

2007-01-10T11:48:00.000-06:00

** Greetings Independent Authors and Publishers **

Here's hoping you're having a great New Year, and all your resolutions are on track.

I'm here to help you with an important one:

Sell More Books in 2007

Enter your 2006 releases in the eleventh annual Independent Publisher Book Awards, the largest and best-known unaffiliated awards program open to all members of the independent publishing industry. That means no membership fees or extra charges, and at $75 per title, entering the IPPY Awards is a great book marketing value.

Complete info and secure online entry form at: http://www.independentpublisher.com/ipland/IPAwards.php

Sponsored by Independent Publisher Online and Jenkins Group, Inc. and accepting entries in 65 national and 20 regional categories, the IPPYs are open to all independent, university, small press, and self-publishers who have books published with a 2006 copyright or were released in 2006, and are intended for sale in the North American market. Final entry deadline is April 1, 2007 and results will be announced at BookExpo America in New York on June 1st.

65 Category Awards - 20 Regional Awards - Ten Outstanding Books of the Year

If you have 2006 book releases and haven't yet entered the 2007 IPPY Awards, here's a reminder about the January 15 Early Bird fee deadline. To save $5 per category entry, mail in your entry by midnight on the 15th, or if you're running late, enter online by the 15th; books can arrive later. Don't miss this affordable and effective promotional opportunity! Visit the IPPY Awards page to enter online or download a printable entry form at:

http://www.independentpublisher.com/ipland/IPAwards.php

Let me know if I can answer any questions or help in any way: jimb@bookpublishing.com or 1-800-644-0133 x1011

Also, don't forget, **THE NAUTILUS BOOK AWARDS ARE BACK **

We proudly announce the return of the Nautilus Book Awards for literary contributions to spiritual growth, conscious living, and positive social change. This prestigious awards contest was suspended in 2005, but thanks to a sponsoring partnership between Marilyn McGuire & Associates and Independent Publisher Online, the Nautilus Awards contest is back, with its mission to recognize and promote books that change people's lives and help heal our planet. Nautilus 2007 will accept books copyrighted or released in2005 or 2006, in 20 adult and children's categories, including three children's book categories, and both adult and children's Visionary Fiction.

Final Deadline: February 15, 2007.

Visit the Nautilus Book Awards website at http://www.marilynmcguire.com/ for background information, or contact Awards Producer Marilyn McGuire at marilyn@marilynmcguire.com
with any questions. A downloadable, four-page PDF with complete guidelines and entry form, and online, secure entry are both available at http://www.independentpublisher.com/nautilus.

Again, if I can help in any way, email or call me at 1-800-644-0133 x.1011.

Thanks, Happy New Year, and Best of Luck!

Jim Barnes, Awards Director
jimb@bookpublishing.com
Independent Publisher Book Awards
Jenkins Group Inc.

2006 Midwest Book Awards - Call for Entries

2006-12-18T11:43:00.000-06:00

2006 Midwest Book Awards- Call for Entries Reminder – Deadline February 1, 2007

You still have time to enter the 17th Annual Midwest Book Awards sponsored by the Midwest Independent Publishers Association (MIPA). This competition for excellence in independent or non-profit publishing recognizes creativity in content and execution, overall book quality, and the book’s unique contribution to its subject area.

AWARDS- First, Merit and Honorable Mention winners are awarded in each category. Award winners receive certificates and may purchase foil seals for use in their marketing efforts. This year, for the first time, authors of award-winning books will also receive certificates. First-place winners are featured on the MIPA web site, in a special edition of the MIPA Newsletter, at the 2007 Midwest Booksellers Association (MBA) trade show, and other MIPA associated events. In addition, you are invited to attend the Midwest Book Awards Ceremony at the prestigious Minnesota Humanities Commission, 987 East Ivy Avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota, on Wednesday, May 9, 2007, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

ELIGIBILITY: All entries MUST carry a 2006 copyright. Independent and/or non-profit publishers, and self-publishers located in the 12-state Midwest region are eligible: IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, NE, ND, OH, SD & WI. Entry Fees must accompany your book submission. Entry deadline is February 1, 2007.

For fee information, book entry categories, entry form, and further details, please visit http://www.mipa.org/

Please contact me if you have any questions. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Marly Cornell
Chair, 2006 MIPA Midwest Book Awards
animarly@aol.com

It's Coming...

2006-12-13T11:03:00.000-06:00

Several months ago US News and World Report, in its cover article about publishing, mentioned a machine that will revolutionize publishing. It's already in a few libraries but will start appearing in bookstores in 2007.

The Espresso Book Machine can print up to 20 books per hour. You can learn more about it from Jason Epstein, one of the co-founders of On Demand Books, which makes the machine, this Sunday on Book TV (C-SPAN 2). In a talk that was part of the Fourth Annual International Conference on the Book hosted by Emerson College in Boston, Mr. Epstein talks about what this machine will mean to publishers, authors, even editors and publicists.

Jason Epstein is the founder of Anchor Books and has been credited with introducing quality paperbacks to the American market. He is also a co-founder of the New York Review of Books and the author of "Book Business:
Publishing Past, Present, and Future."

What: Print on Demand: A Revolution in the Making
When: 7:45 AM Eastern; 6:45 Central and Noon, Eastern; 11 AM Central

To learn more, visit booktv.org and/or ondemandbooks.com.

What is this going to mean to publishing? Feel free to send your comments to mipa [dot] blog [at] gmail [dot] com and we may include them in a future post.

What IS an independent publisher?

2006-12-07T19:18:00.000-06:00

There are so many different categories of publishers that it can be a bit confusing, so I thought I'd try to add a bit of clarification. Or muddy the waters even more. You be the judge.

In the March 2003 issue of the PMA Independent, PMA's Director Jan Nathan wrote an article called Who's A Publisher? In that article, she wrote in part:

"In today’s publishing community, many people who have written a book have paid for its production and been informed that they are its publisher. Paying for a product definitely does not make one a publisher. Owning the product’s ISBN (International Standard Book Number) definitely does make one a publisher. But there’s more to it than that."

Answering her article in the April 2003 issue, publisher and long-time publishing guru Pat Bell (also a MIPA member) continued the exploration with Who's Really a Publisher? Her conclusion was:

"In short, the consensus seems to be that someone who has set up a publishing company and established an identity as a publisher is in fact a publisher, as Jan pointed out, but an author who is simply paying for publication without learning and executing publishing skills is just walking away with a published book."

Nearly a year later, in January 2004, Jan Nathan revisited the topic in A 10-Step Program for Becoming a Publisher and with significant contributions from Pat Bell, pointed to several aspects of publishing as key indicators of whether or not one is really a publisher or not:

Acquisition
Financial
Planning
Author/manuscript development
Publishers’ author obligations
Production
Standards
Vendor interaction
Product development
Administration

Definitions

There is general agreement on the following definitions:

Self-publisher: a publisher who publishes only his or her own books and does not publish the works of others. Self-publishers must own the ISBNs assigned to their books.

Independent publisher: a publisher who publishes the books of others and pays royalties. Independent publishers may or may not also publish their own books. They may use either offset or digital printing.

Subsidy publisher: a publisher who publishes the books of others for a fee and/or with an agreement that the author will purchase a certain number of books. The fee paid by the author may cover only some or all of the production and printing costs. Note: some subsidy publishers have high standards of manuscript preparation, design, production, printing, and distribution, and work closely with their authors to create a high-quality book. Other subsidy publishers do not. Subisdy publishers are also sometimes referred to as POD publishers (not to be confused with POD printing - a printing technology) or vanity publishers. Small subsidy publishers are still considered independent publishers.

Non-profit or university publisher: a publisher whose backing and/or funding is provided by a non-profit organization or univeristy.

There are some less well-defined areas. The term micro-publisher is generally used to describe an independent publisher who either publishes a smaller number of books per year (some say fewer than 25 books per year) or generates less than some amount of revenue per year. Ingram Book Company, for example, has defined a micropublisher as one who generates less than $15,000 in net sales over a two-year period. Other sources say the definition is less than $20,000 through Ingram over two years. In the 2007 Writer's Market (Brewer, Robert, Joanna Masterson (2006). Writer's Digest Books, p. 337), the definition is a publisher who publishes an average of fewer than 10 books a year.

In contrast, a small publisher is generally defined as a publisher who produces 25 or more books per year, or generates more revenue than a micro-publisher. Both are still considered independent publishers.

Gray Area

There is some gray area surrounding who is not an independent publisher as well. Publishers who are part of large conglomerates or multinational corporations are often not considered independent publishers (Herman, Jeff. Jeff Herman's Guide To Book Publishers, Editors & Literary Agents, 2007: Who they are! What they want! How to win them over!: 17th Edition. Stockbridge, MA: Three Dog Press, 131-132, 367-372.). Publishers who are run by boards of directors or who answer to shareholders rather than being run by an individual, partnership, or small corporation or LLC are also in this gray area.

To add to the confusion, many of the large subsidy publishers are marketing themselves as self-publishing companies, inviting their authors to believe that if they have their books published with these subsidy publishers, they become self-publishers. Publishing industry experts agree that this is not true. The owner of the ISBN - the subsidy publisher - is the publisher of record, not the author.

As technologies change and publishing becomes more viable to the average person, there are valid concerns about the decline in standards for published books. Enough badly edited (or not edited at all), badly designed (or not designed at all), badly packaged books have been published that booksellers, distributors, wholesalers, and others in the industry are justifiably wary about independent publishers and the books we produce. It is our goal that through professional associations, education, networking, and a commitment to high standards of quality, whether a self, micro, small, subsidy, non-profit, academic, or other publisher, we can demonstrate to the book industry and to the reading public that independent publishing represents a vibrant and valuable contribution to publishing.

MIPA Announces New Blog

2006-12-07T16:20:00.000-06:00

At our September 2006 meeting, we discussed how technology has contributed to the independent publishing industry. In particular, we explored podcasting, e-books, and blogging. In that vein, we've decided to launch our own blog.

The MIPA blog will help keep our members and everyone interested in independent publishing current on issues that apply to independent publishers in general and Upper Midwest publishers in particular.

Should you have news, announcements, or other information you think would be appropriate for this blog, please send an e-mail to mipa [dot] blog [at] gmail [dot] com.

Enjoy!