Chicago

The traditional book publishing industry as we know it is broken. But amid the dysfunction, authors have an opportunity to find ways to publish their ideas. During Social Media Week Chicago on September 19, representatives from alternative publishing and marketing resources share some examples during the session, “The New Rules of Publishing: From Digital to Beyond.”

Ross Kimbarovsky of crowdSPRING discusses how authors are using crowdSPRING as a marketplace for creative assets ranging from book covers to logos.  crowdSPRING taps into its network of more than 100,00 creatives to crowdsource the best idea for the author.
crowdSPRING partners with companies like Amazon for the actual marketing of your book.

“One of the mistakes people make with troubled industries is to apply existing business models that don’t work,” Ross says.

For instance, the conventional wisdom of publishing says authors must work with publishers to compete for shelf space on bookstores – a mindset that no longer holds true given the demise of bookstores.

Moreover, consumers can get access to free content from blogs instead of paying for books.

“We are no longer competing for bookshelf space but for mind share,” he asserts.

So you have to try different things: for instance, by keeping your name visible through blogging (if you can’t beat them, co-opt them). Or cracking into a genre by selling PDF downloads of a book cheaply to attract readers.

“Most people are finding about your work on Amazon,” he says. “And they will look for reviews of your book to make a judgment. So invest your time to build credibility with others by sharing your work for them to review.”

Lise Marinelli, president of Windy City Publishers, shares how her company helps authors (especially unknowns) develop and market books.

“We are partners with our authors. If they don’t sell books, we don’t go anywhere,” she explains. “I help marketers think of marketing their book even as they are writing it.”

By contrast, Melissa Giovagnoli Wilson, founder and CEO of Networlding, mentions that her company focuses on the use of social media and marketing to help more established thought leaders find their audiences.

Both Melissa and Lise stress the importance for authors to become their own marketers, whether you are an unknown or relatively high-profile content creator.

According to Lise, “When I sit down with an author who wants to collaborate with us, one of my first questions I ask that author is this: ‘How do you describe your book in one sentence?’” The question forces authors to focus on articulating a sales pitch for their book.

Her message: authors are more empowered than ever before, thanks partly to the rise of social media, which gives writers platforms to create communities of readers. But only authors who are willing to aggressively promote themselves will benefit.

The experts espouse these new rules of publishing, as articulated by Melissa:

1. You are in control. You have the power to do your own marketing and the tools to build a community of fans.

2. Don’t underestimate the power of social media. “You can’t be an author without being a participant in social media.”

3. An eBook is a necessary component of your publishing strategy.

 4. Think digitally. eBook sales are up 167 percent in 2011. Meantime, sales for hardcovers are down. Amazon killed Borders, and, according to Ross Kimbarovsky, Barnes and Noble will die. No traditional bookseller can compete with the digital world.

5. Bookstrap. Don’t write a book and then market. When you are writing a book, get started promoting it. Create your book cover before the book is done.

6. Build a networld of influencers and businesses – in other words, find a business network that delivers highest quality return for the lowest cost.

7. Keep seeking the new edge. Follow thought leaders like Seth Godin for innovative ideas like the Seth Godin Domino Project.

“You have to build your platform,” says Lise. “Especially if you are an unknown first-time author, you have to build your audience. Figure out how to find readers and give them a reason to follow you. Give away information on a blog, for instance. You can entertain. You can educate. But you need to give something away.”