tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1786573611032564530.post7761386971733588216..comments2024-03-15T01:25:39.204-07:00Comments on Dean from Australia: What Do I Do Now? The Darker Side of An AuthorDeanfromAustraliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12292995600982621329noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1786573611032564530.post-21175611029434618612011-08-01T08:16:39.417-07:002011-08-01T08:16:39.417-07:00Update 8/2/11 - cheque received from one out of tw...Update 8/2/11 - cheque received from one out of two stores today. Persistence pays off!DeanfromAustraliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12292995600982621329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1786573611032564530.post-46911049695379079502011-07-30T04:19:53.046-07:002011-07-30T04:19:53.046-07:00That's just another reason to go strictly elec...That's just another reason to go strictly electronic through Kindle/Nook/Smashwords. Dealing with bookstores in this tenuous economy is a nightmare.<br /><br />Hope things improve for you, Dean.Chicki Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01866110558880351017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1786573611032564530.post-15606018553563701462011-07-29T15:52:23.447-07:002011-07-29T15:52:23.447-07:00@Anne - I'm intrigued to know how you went abo...@Anne - I'm intrigued to know how you went about setting up those speaking engagements. I've done several book signings in the past where they were attached book stores so they took a cut of the sales. If I could do something where I can cut out the middle man, I would jump right in with it for sure. <br /><br />@Crimsai - the very fact that you've stopped here, read and considered my post tells me that you are in no way naive at all. I hope that you can take something away from this post that will help you when it comes time to promote your own book. <br /><br />I'm in no way denigrating all book stores because some of them have been fantastic, but there are some tough realities about selling books that don't allow for warm and fuzzy feelings. You have to develop a tough business side to yourself - without compromising on your integrity.DeanfromAustraliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12292995600982621329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1786573611032564530.post-51831117660274006292011-07-29T07:36:43.717-07:002011-07-29T07:36:43.717-07:00It sucks that such a lack of integrity is just acc...It sucks that such a lack of integrity is just accepted as the norm in the book marketing world. I guess I'm just a naive teenager but it seems ridiculous.Crimsaihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12680536070486705955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1786573611032564530.post-11775172460697225352011-07-29T06:11:48.926-07:002011-07-29T06:11:48.926-07:00I think you're right to be irritated, Dean. I&...I think you're right to be irritated, Dean. I've thought about trying to get some local stores to stock my book, but ultimately, I think I'm better off scheduling events at those stores and selling the books myself, on site, for cash, where the cash goes from the reader's hand to mine. <br /><br />In all honesty, you probably are better off foregoing the brick and mortar bookstore route. In my personal experience, I've had no trouble being paid on time by CreateSpace (the company that prints my paperbacks) and all the e-book distributers. <br /><br />Nobody needs this kind of annoyance in their lives, you know? Stick to online, and just do events around town. I've got a speaking event tomorrow in which I will sell my book. I always have great success selling books after speaking about my experience with writing.Anne Rileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15142671531881407934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1786573611032564530.post-30981393437110478472011-07-29T02:16:16.400-07:002011-07-29T02:16:16.400-07:00I can't quite accept that logic. These arrange...I can't quite accept that logic. These arrangements have basically been a books on consignment arrangement whereby the store stocks my book for an agreed period, I check in with them regularly ie. once a month, they report their sales to me and I send out an account based on copies sold with terms of 30 days from the date of the invoice. <br /><br />What could be simpler?? If I don't pay an account for a product or service, then there are consequences for non payment. Certain book stores seem to operate in a parallell universe where those rules don't apply. It's wrong and they should be called out on it.DeanfromAustraliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12292995600982621329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1786573611032564530.post-66159330674469265442011-07-29T00:39:44.316-07:002011-07-29T00:39:44.316-07:00Hmm. I'm sorry to hear about your problems wit...Hmm. I'm sorry to hear about your problems with the bookstores, but this is really the darker side of marketing books, not of being an author. To be honest, I'd be amazed if they'd all paid up their May accounts before the end of July! You won't get such a fast turn-around from a publisher. If I invoiced a publisher on 1st May, the bill would be paid, earliest, 2nd July. That's the meaning of 30 days nett (ie 30 days after the end of the month in which the invoice is sent). It is not uncommon for them to pay after two or three months, and some pay up to nine months late (or even more) despite much nagging. That's for advances/fees. Royalties come at least three months after the end of the royalty period. I know it's hard, but once you're over the first few months, the flow is steady.Stroppy Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16560035800075465845noreply@blogger.com