I also set up an extensive website that has loads of information about my background, the stories, and sample chapters. The majority of my sales (at least 80%) come from online sources: Amazon, B&N, other large and small online bookstores, and my website generates some sales, too. Next is brick and mortar stores because I don't have as much market penetration there (that's where the real effort occurs). For me the majority of those sales are specifically from gay bookstores. Lastly, sales are generated from other sources such as the publisher's bookstore, book signings, and silent auctions. Any author has the exact same advantage I do if they're willing to spend the time, effort and some money. But sales ultimately depend on at least two factors (that I’ve been able to identify). One, is that a writer must have a good story or it won’t sell to readers. There are plenty of awful stories that writers feel are good but don’t have the proper elements in them that make for a successful story. There are tried and true elements that must be in a dramatic story for people to want to read or finish them. Second, you have to be willing to market yourself and your product.
How did you become willing to market yourself? Do you have an abundance of self-confidence, or did you develop the ability out of necessity? Are there any suggestions you can give to writers who feel 'shy' about marketing themselves?
A writer must be willing to work hard at marketing or their story will just sit and do nothing. I really pushed. That part came naturally for me since I own a computer networking business. I’m constantly marketing my business, so putting on my salesman hat when it came to promoting my stories was also important. I have a natural enthusiasm and exuberance; plus, I don't mind selling or self-promoting. As for suggestions for 'shy' authors, well, I'm not the right person to ask. Perhaps a person is naturally gregarious or they're not. I can't say for sure. I can only recommend that if you believe in your story (and it has the right elements in it!) you should knock on every door available to you.
Writing for me is a process of self-discovery, not a retreat from the everyday world. It's a place where I can 'vacation' in my head during the time I'm writing (which can last for hours during my fugue-like writing jags). But it's a bit difficult for me to sustain that 'mode', if you will, since I'm normally an extroverted person. I suspect that I may be the exception to the 'normal' writer in that respect.
What are some of the advantages to POD?
Article comments
1 - Ashok K. Banker
Mark, congratulations on your success. I wish you a great deal more sales and popularity. Most of all, keep writing--and keep pushing those copies off those shelves, or rather, watch them get pulled off the shelves. You give hope to everybody who has a hard time making it (and breaking in) to the New York publishing world.
And I'm going to buy a copy of your book for sure now.
2 - Victor Lana
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Thank you, Parker Owens, for this fantastic interview.
Thank you, Mark Kendrick, for being an inspiration to us all.
I have been worried because I faced all your issues with publishers while trying to place my 9/11 book for over a year, so I turned to iUniverse for the same reasons.
THE SAVAGE QUIET SEPTEMBER SUN is coming out, probably next month; and now, thanks to this post, I have some great ideas for marketing it.
Thanks again!
3 - Steve Bell
I've been through the mill on this one and come back to the beginining.
Let me tell you the story of the new book & movie
Secret Revelation
www.secretrevelation.com
I have contcats in hollywood and in publishing so know that if I really want I can go the way of Harry potter, or Dan brown and follow the traditional publishing route. But...
What I soon realised was-- you go through all the hoops to get and agent, then to get a contract- your work gets butchered and then it languishes... why?
Because if you're not a big author you get little to no marketing money. That means you need to do it yourself -- so why not do it yourself from the start and cut ou the middlemen. I am now also using iUniverse to print it and then my own creative power to publicise the book... worth looking into...
4 - Victor Lana
Steve,
You express my sentiments very well (as to why I ultimately chose iUniverse).
My book was accepted by an agent over a year ago, who then proceeded to make contacts and then tell me the book needed work (after first telling me she loved it).
Then I sent it out on my own and the manuscript was accepted. This publisher wanted me to delete five stories (of the 12 short stories) and so on. Anothe rpublisher wanted me to change some stories, get rid of others, in order to publish it.
In the end, for the book that meant so much to my family and me to be truly the book I had written, I went with iUniverse.
Good luck, Sean! All the best!
5 - Victor Lana
I meant good luck, Steve! That's what happens when a four year old is watching cartoons in the same room.
6 - Mark Kendrick
First, let me thank Parker for asking me to do the interview. She is the best! Her interview style was great and her comments during the process indicate that she's someone I'd like to know personally.
Second, thanks to all of you who have commented so far. Those of you who have chosen the iUniverse route know exactly what it's like to have total creative control of your material - something that I forgot to mention in the interview. In fact, that's one of the most important elements with respect to POD.
It's also great to see your comments here, which indicates that there are people who are not only reading this blog, but who are published as well.
I think what's particularly amazing is how someone (Steve Bell) who has contacts in Hollywood was unable to get a proper audience. Now he'll get the audience he deserves!
I look forward to other comments. Please feel free to contact me directly if you'd like for more info about iU or the process. I've had nothing but good luck with this whole endeavor and am eager to share my experiences with anyone who wants to listen.
Thanks!
Mark Ian Kendrick
7 - alienboy
Could you put in some numbers about the costs involved, so potential authors know what they need to do in that regard?
Great work by the way, both author and interviewer.
8 - Steve Bell
For those asking about costs -- I'll share my full and expected budget:-
Preparation of manuscript: (Using the brilliant services of scribendi.com - can't recomend them enough!!) - $700 (optional but well worth it)
Printing through iUniverse - $600
Marketing:--
Web site - $30 per year and build myself with dreamweaver (But for about $200 you can but a great template) www.flashtemplates.com
Creating book marks - $80
Creating book business cards - $40
PR Web press released (very important!!) - $150 for the life of the campaign ($30 per release)
Travel for book signings (I have $1000 for total travel costs)
$500 for free book samples
So all in all for a 1-2 year campaign I have about $3500 budgeted - not so cheap but this covers everything.
You can of course do it a little cheaper .
Oh and of course if you really want traffic to your site - google add words is the only one worth doing -- $1200 for a major 6 month campaign. (but this is luxury)
Finally look at a realistic return on investment - to cover a $3500 campaign - you need to be selling about 3500 books if your ona 10% royalty. But my last book did this without too much trouble.
Hope this helps
Steve
9 - Victor Lana
In today's NEW YORK TIMES Book Review there was a full page ad for iUniverse.
Now that's wonderful, but my questions are:
1. How is your book/ my book going to get on that page?
2. What's the success rate of people buying from an ad like that?
3. Will the NYT Book Review ever accept an iUniverse book and actually review it?
If anyone can answer these things, I'd appreciate it.
10 - Steve Bell
This is known as a Co-Op ad and anyone can join it.
I will do it when Secret Revelation is published.
It is pricey but at $2000 it is good value to be part of this with a 1.5MM circulation.
I did ask iUniverse if they can measure the pick up rate -- but they said it was hard to track. Anecdotally they have had good feedback from authors saying they get major sales spikes.
You saw it... so maybe it works.
I will report back in the new year after i try it..
Steve
11 - Victor Lana
Steve,
Thanks for your thoughts on this. My book, THE SAVAGE QUIET SEPTEMBER SUN, will be out before the end of the year, so I am trying to gather as much info as I can to proceed the best way.
My page for the book can be found at:
http://journals.aol.com/vicl04/THESAVAGEQUIETSEPTEMBERSUN/
I'll keeping checking in on your page as well.
Good luck!
12 - Temple A. Stark
This post was chosen by the section editor as a BC pick of the week. Go HERE (link) to find out why.
And thank you
- Temple
13 - James Williams
i love it
U should check out another IUniverse writer
Jason S Lane a gay teenage poet his book is
21st Century Poet Jadam Loulock
help the kid and promote it
i read the book and it changed my life in a sense
14 - mec
Mr Kendrick is a remarkably successful author. Of some 18,000 titles, iUniverse publishes per year on 73 sell more that 500 copies. Authors who choose this method of publication should be very conversant with the editorial process or hire their own copy editors and proof readers. Those services are available from iUniverse but the outsourced providers are not professionally competent.