Ebooks Cost WHAT?!?

by Raelene Gorlinsky

I noticed this snippet in the Oct. 6 Publishers Lunch e-newsletter:

Vodafone UK is launching a program to provide books on cellphones starting today in association with GoSpoken.com [...] Titles are expected to cost between 5 pounds and 15 pounds each. [...] GoSpoken has "signed up every leading publisher in Britain, including Penguin, Random House and HarperCollins

That price roughly translated to about US$9 to US$26. Up to 26 dollars for an ebook?? Wait, I thought one of the benefits of ebooks is that they are often less expensive than mass market paperbacks, definitely cost less than trade paperbacks or hardcovers. Or at least, that's what we e-publishers say. Apparently major print publishers who are now offering their books in digital format don't follow the same philosophy. And neither do Kindle and Sony.

Fiction Print Prices:
From my frequent trips to bookstores, I know that in the U.S., mass market paperbacks now cost up to $7.99; trade paperbacks seem to average around $14 - $15, can go up to $18; hardcovers are getting more costly by the day, $25 to $28 is common.

Prices for Ebooks from E-publishers:
Ellora's Cave/Cerridwen Press/The Lotus Circle (yes, we have three imprints) ebooks are priced from $2.99 to 7.99, depending on length. Large anthologies cost up to $9.99.

A scan of six other e-publisher websites showed prices from $1.50 to $8.99. Most seemed to be basing price on book length. (Those $1.50 or $1.99 titles were very short stories, possibly as short as ten pages.)

Price of Ebooks from a Major Print Publisher:
Harlequin has all types and lengths and genres of books, so I spent considerable time browsing their site to check out the prices for their ebooks. Their ebook-only (no print version for sale) short stories cost $2.99, which is comparable to e-publishers. A lot of the Harlequin/Silhouette category lines were $4.25 - again, these short novels seem priced comparably to books of that length from e-publishers. But then look at their single titles: random selection of about 40 ebooks showed prices from $6.30 to $22.45!

Prices for Ebooks from Ereader Vendors:
I can't for the life of me figure out how Amazon Kindle and Sony price their ebooks. They have a gazillion prices, sometimes differing by only a few cents. And the prices were clearly not based on book length.

The most common price for a Kindle ebook on Amazon was $9.99, but the 50 random books I selected had 20 different prices, ranging from $4.00 to $17.81. In between are prices like $6.04, $6.39, $8.24, $8.37, $9.59, $9.60. I'm sure Amazon has some formula or philosophy for the prices, but I couldn't spot any rhyme or reason.

Sony Reader ebook prices ranged from $5.19 through $17.46, again a random selection of books.

Okay, I'm going to stop wishing I could afford a Kindle or a Sony Reader. Even if I had the device, I am not willing to pay those prices for ebooks. I will continue to buy ebooks from e-publishers, who are offering reasonable prices on ebooks that can be read on a wide variety of devices.

Best-Paid Authors

http://www.forbes.com/media/2008/10/01/books-publishing-media-biz-media-cx_lr_1001authors.html

From Forbes Magazine, "The World's Best Paid Authors"

Based on advances, book sales, screen options, and other related income from their books for the period June 1, 2007 to June 1, 2008, the top five are:

1. J.K. Rowling ($300 million)
2. James Patterson ($50 million)
3. Stephen King ($45 million)
4. Tom Clancy ($35 million)
5. Danielle Steel ($30 million)

They are followed by Nicholas Sparks, Janet Evanovich, John Grisham, Dean Koontz and Ken Follett.

Update on Sony Reader

Sony has announced the third generation of their Reader Digital Book (model PRS-700), releasing in November. The new version adds a touch screen, and allows readers to use fingertips or a stylus to search, create notes and highlight text. The touch screen also provides a pop-up virtual keyboard. This model has new note-taking capability and an improved search function. A built-in LED reading light has been added to help in low-light situations. Memory has been expanded, Sony says itwill accommodate about 350 average-size ebooks; there are also optional removable memory cards for even greater storage capacity.

It supports multiple file formats for eBooks, personal documents and music. With the included eBook Library 2.5 PC software, you can transfer Adobe PDF documents with reflow capability, Microsoft Word documents, and other text file formats.

However, the Sony Reader is still not compatible with Macintoshes, and still does not have wireless connection capability.

Physically: six-inch screen, weighs about ten ounces. Very sleek and handy. There are five preset text sizes, plus you can zoom in. E-paper display.

The price for the new model is $399, ouch.

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/081002/lath027.html?.v=101

Meet the Editors: Helen

Helen is one of our Aussie editors. No, I don't know why she sometimes writes about herself in third person - must be reading too many books.

Helen Woodall

What is your background and experience in editing?
Helen spent more years than she cares to count as assistant editor and then editor for a company with a stable of newspapers, magazines and books. She then worked for an Australia-wide newspaper as Managing Editor before realizing that if she worked for ECPI she could actually get paid for doing what she loves most – reading fiction.

How would you describe your editing style?
Australians are characterized as laid back, relaxed, easy going. Helen considers she reflects her nationality in her editing style – giving authors the freedom to use their own voice and follow their own desires about what they write and how they write it, as long as they obey the EC style guide. Her authors write for every ECPI line – Cotillion, Cerridwen Press, Elloras Cave, Exotika, and The Lotus Circle – and in every length from 10K Quickies to 120K Super Plus Novels and Helen thinks this is A Good Thing because it gives her great variety in what she edits.

What is your favorite thing about editing?
I get to paid to read fiction. And between EC, CP, and TLC there is something for every taste.

What are your pet peeves in books or submissions?
Authors who don't read the submission guidelines. No, we don't accept books of 400,000 words!
Authors who get geography and history hopelessly wrong – Google is your friend – use it.
Would-be authors who submit the same book four times with four different titles and without fixing any of the errors in it.

For personal reading, what are your favorite genres and all-time favorite books?
Historicals and mysteries/crime.
Georgette Heyer, Jean M Auel, Jeffery Deaver's Lincoln Rhyme books, Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher books, Lilian Jackson Braun's Cat Who books But I will read just about anything at all.

Why We Love Stories

by Raelene Gorlinsky

The September issue of Scientific American magazine has an article I highly recommend you read: The Secrets of Storytelling: Why We Love a Good Yarn (by Jeremy Hsu).

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=the-secrets-of-storytelling&SID=mail&sc=emailfriend

It discusses how storytelling is a universal and timeless part of every culture, and what storytelling reveals about how our minds evolved and function.

Some interesting quotes:

Storytelling is one of the few human traits that are truly universal across culture and through all of known history. [...] People in societies of all types weave narratives, from oral storytellers in hunter-gatherer tribes to the millions of writers churning out books, television shows and movies.

Whether fiction or nonfiction, a narrative engages its audience through psychological realism--recognizable emotions and believable interactions among characters.

As our ancestors evolved to live in groups, the hypothesis goes, they had to make sense of increasingly complex social relationships. Living in a community requires keeping tabs on who the group members are and what they are doing. What better way to spread such information than through storytelling?

There's an interesting discussion of how common romance story themes reveal basic human needs and wants!

Plausible Police

by Raelene Gorlinsky

Do you write mysteries or suspense or romantic suspense? Anything with police in it? So, how do you research your police officer characters or police procedures? Uh, you DO research that, right? And NOT by watching CSI and such on TV! You do know the difference between reality and TV (even supposed reality shows), I hope.

One of the biggest - and completely unacceptable - flaws we see in mystery and romantic suspense submissions is incorrect and unbelievable behavior by law enforcement. It's also an all-too-common error in published books, indicating poor quality work by author and editor. Such problems really jar a lot of readers. If you are writing about real professions or agencies, then you MUST make every effort to get it right.

Yes, there are many sources of information, you should be using a lot of them. But one of the best to help you get a real "feel" for what your police characters should be doing and not doing is the hands-on approach. Contact your local police department. Many will arrange tours of their facility, complete with talkative officer who will tell you funny and touching and informative stories about cop actions and attitudes. (And you'll end up amazed that every cop doesn't burn out in less than a year.) My local RWA chapter did such a tour a few weeks ago, and it was fantastic. You know, I always assumed bullet-proof vests were stiff and hard -- nope, now I've actually held one, put it on, and know what it's really like. And I've seen the intake area (fingerprinting, photo, etc) of the jail, the massive file cabinets of information, the juvenile detention office, the firing range, the property room... I've learned about the different types of backseats in police cars, the requirements for prisoner meals, the ways to restrain a violent drunk. All sorts of tidbits that can help an author make a character or scene come alive with believable detail. Or at least keep you from getting it all wrong.

Some police departments offer ride-along programs. You can go on patrol with real on-duty cops, see what it is actually like, feel the emotions and the stress. The police may also offer citizen-education classes about law enforcement and laws. The local cops are often the teachers at firearm classes - and if you have characters in your book using guns, you have actually shot a gun, right? You do know how the recoil feels, what it takes to hit a target, before you have your character do it, right?

Keep in mind that police departments vary a great deal. One in a wealthy suburb is not going to have the same pattern or staffing or attitude as the inner-city department. Not that one is better or "nicer" than the other - but consider what type of police department you are depicting in your book and try to learn about the inner workings of a similar real one.

So if you are going to write about cops, get out there and find out what it is like to be one!

Meet the Editors: KelliK

I'd like to introduce you to the people behind the wonderful authors and books—the editors! Aspiring authors often ask what editors want, what editors like—and what editors are like. Well, they are people and come in every variety. The one thing they have in common is an absolute love for good books and reading. Publishing is a poorly paid career field—editors do it for the love of books, not for the love of money.

I have met some fantastic editors from many publishers, and learned a lot from them. And here at Ellora's Cave Publishing we are very proud of our editors and of our editorial standards. The editing quality of our books has been praised by big NY publishing companies.

So we're going to run a weekly feature to let you see "inside" some of our editorial staff. Learn what inspires them about editing and books, what their pet peeves are regarding submission, what they like to read. We'll start with...

KelliK

What is your background and experience in editing?
My editing background comes from a career in journalism, which didn’t begin in the editing field. I was a writer before the opportunity to become a lowly copy editor presented itself. I switched careers, and with the endlessly patient support and tutelage of my editor, worked my way up to associate editor.

Four years ago, my former editor wrote a cover story about Ellora’s Cave for my newspaper. I was inspired by the story and contacted EC about part-time contract editing work.

Four years later, I’m still working for EC and loving it so much that I wish I could edit books full-time. I’ve had dozens of trials and tribulations along the way, and with the help of my fellow editors and the seldom-seen but greatly appreciated final copy editors, I’ve become an editor who can be proud of her work. I’ve also learned as much from my authors as they have from me.

How would you describe your editing style?
Brutal. LOL! My authors would probably say I’m hard to please, extremely anal retentive and fixated on minutiae. I prefer to think of it as not letting anyone rest on their laurels. :-) When editing, I consider myself first and foremost an advocate for the reader, and I ask the questions I think readers are most likely to ask. I’m looking for understandable yet compelling, and I try to steer authors away from that which has been read or written too often.

It’s rare that I don’t request some revisions before accepting stories. I expect authors to learn from past mistakes, and should I find the same errors—whether grammar or narrative or world building—I require them to fix those items. I believe an acceptance should be a reward for hard-working authors who take their writing seriously.

What is your favorite thing about editing?
The power trip.

Kidding, kidding!

I’m just a more behind-the-scenes person. During high school, I always wanted to be the stage manager for school plays, not the actor. Some would say that suggests a need for control, but I really just wanted to be the one ensuring all the elements were in place for the actors. It comes down to wanting to feel helpful, which is still extremely important to me in every area of my life.

It’s the same with my authors. I’m more than content to let them shine…my satisfaction comes from knowing I helped them do so. And that satisfaction, for me, is immense. It’s my own personal “best feeling in the world”.

What are your pet peeves in books or submissions?
Spelling errors are number one. Hands-down. In this day and age, there’s simply no excuse. I’ve turned down projects based on the synopsis alone, due to excessive spelling errors.

Beyond that, there are the usual pet peeves…insufficient grammar skills, overdone plot lines, unfamiliarity with basic fiction-writing rules, lack of proper research. And in regards to potential EC submissions—sex for the sake of sex.

IMO, writing is a job and writers should arm themselves with the tools necessary to be successful. Those tools include grammar texts, formal education when possible, reference sites, research skills and knowing the market for which your book is targeted, to name but a few.

For personal reading, what are your favorite genres and all-time favorite books?
Oh man…how much time do you have? It might be easier to list the genres I don’t like. I haven’t read many self-help books…

I’m an ardent Chuck Palahniuk fan; have a fondness for horror in the vein of Brite and Lovecraft. I went through three copies of Charlotte’s Web by the time I was eight years old. My shelves are heavily lined with multiple titles from 19th century authors (Bronte sisters, Poe, Dickens, Twain, Irving, Hugo, Hawthorne, etc.).

A very, very short list of more “recent” all-time faves includes:
Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal
The Catcher in the Rye
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
The Bell Jar
The Great Gatsby
The Magician’s Assistant
And lots of biographies.

Secret guilty pleasures: Shipwreck biographies. Really. Probably has something to do with growing up surrounded by the Great Lakes. And photography collections; Annie Leibovitz, Herb Ritts and David LaChapelle are favorites, though I’ve some interesting ones by people you might not expect, like Dean Koontz and David Lynch.

"Last Line" Contest Winners!

Well, we definitely see that people would rather write and laugh about "bad" lines in imaginary novels rather than good ones. Or maybe it's easier to stick a spear through those genre cliches? We had only two entries each for the "best last line" categories, but plenty for "worst".
Notice that we did allow the stretching of "last line", as some of the entries were last paragraphs or so.

And the winners are ... {Drum roll}

1. Mystery Novel - Best last line
Sometime between dusk and dawn the body had disappeared and in its place was a black silk rose with a single blood drop on one petal. ~ windlegends

2. Mystery Novel - Worst last line
Gertrude dabbed her eyes with a frilly handkerchief as the radiant bride sailed down the aisle toward her groom.
"It is fortuitious that the authorities have apprehended that monster. Imagine beginning one's sixth marriage with the spectre of a husband-killing psycopath on the loose," whispered Fanny.
"Oh, indeed. Imagine the horror of having your own lingerie used to strangle each of your dearest loves in the honeymoon suite. The poor darling must be so relieved." Gertrude hid a delicate sniffle with her hanky.
"And this husband is so much wealthier than any of her others. I do so love happy endings!" ~ Kristi

Honorable mention:
"Harold died of arsenic poisoning," Harris said. "In the condiments."
"So I thought." Celia slipped a bead onto a strand of her macrame. "I checked his salt and pepper, but found nothing. Nothing in the relish, mustard, steak sauce, salsa or ketchup either. It was then I considered the toast."
"The toast?"
"Yes." Celia held her latest wool owl up and admired her work. "It seems the butter did it." ~ Ulysses

3. Romance Novel - Best last line
She grinned. "Did I tell you I have cellulite on my ass?" ~ windlegends

4. Romance Novel - Worst last line
Last line of The Greek Billionaire Cowboy-Surgeon's Secret Love Surprise:
"When you told me you had a secret baby, I never imagined this!" Carrie exclaimed, staring dumbfounded at Damien's rounded abdomen. ~ Mary Ann Chulick

So, winners -- email RedlinesDeadlines@gmail.com with your name and address. Specify whether you want an ebook (and format) or a print book. For romance, whether erotic or non-erotic.

People Still Want Stories

by Raelene Gorlinsky

The Booksquare blog has an interesting discussion on the state of the publishing industry, referencing the New York Magazine article "The End" (see our blog post of Sept. 16).
"It's Only the End of Rose-Colored Glasses" by Kassia Krozser
http://booksquare.com/its-only-the-end-of-rose-colored-glasses/

Her article points out places where she thinks New York Magazine missed the boat. I totally agree with her that there are still lots of book buyers and readers out there, for a fantastic variety of books. And that the traditional NY "literary" parts of the publishing industry just aren't keeping up with what readers want now. They are way behind on ebooks and other digital uses, among other things.

My opinion: People still, and always will, want stories (fiction) and information (non-fiction). It's just the packaging and delivery mechanisms that are changing, offering more options. Publishers need to be leaping into audio, ebooks, multimedia, online delivery, book-linked video and online products.

Nope, books are not going away. But the definition of "book" is expanding.

Your opinion? Where do you see publishing going in the next couple of years? Where do you WANT to see it going?

Contest Reminder

Remember, tommorrow the 20th is the last day for entering our Last Line contest.