The Big Bad Book Blog
Ever wonder what happens to the unsold books sitting in the major publishers’ warehouses across the country once that publisher decides to call it quits on a title? In short, they get the hook. This hook isn’t the one that a roomful of people spend weeks devising to convince the media and public to pay attention to the title in the first place; it’s the one that unceremoniously pulls our featured performer offstage. continue reading
You’ve spent hours beautifying your manuscript, preparing it for submission to your publisher or agent—or getting it ready to wow potential publishers and agents. Then you get a note from your editor that everything you’ve done to make it interesting and attractive is killing the editorial and production process. Oops. You cry yourself to sleep on your inspired manuscript pages.
Manuscript preparation is a strange little detail in the publishing world. It’s the bane of authors, editors, and production artists alike. Today the majority of writers are working on computers, not typewriters. They’re working in sophisticated word processing programs, not simple-format software with few options. And as wonderful as these advances are, they’ve caused a bit of confusion and consternation, particularly for the editors and production artists who work with the manuscript down the line. So if you want your manuscript to be publisher-friendly or if you want your submission to be taken seriously, here are a few tips. continue reading
3 Tips to Help You Deal with Returns
FACT: The average return rate in the book industry is almost 30 percent—and it’s close to 40 percent for mass merchandisers like Wal-Mart and Costco.
Behold the Publisher’s Paradox: One of the best ways to increase book sales is to roll out big supplies supported by big publicity. One of the best ways to reduce book returns is to aim for steady, consistent sales and to be conservative with supply. Can these two truths find a way to coexist, to live together in peace, harmony, and net profits? The honest answer is . . . well, let’s just say it’s tough. To better understand the relationship between targeted promotions and returns, let’s take a brief look at the buying process. continue reading
