Writers: This is Not the Pyramid Scheme You’re Hoping For

I’m a writer. Always have been. Always will be. I’m also a writer who wants to work on a project that will hopefully attract new readers and get paid. Sometimes that works out. Sometimes that doesn’t.

Like everyone else, I too dream of “making it big.” But what does that mean, anyway? Let’s say the hand of publishing blessed me and I made millions on a book. What then? Would I stop writing?

No.

What happens if I didn’t sell as many copies as I thought I did. Would I stop writing?

No.

If tomorrow, an EMP destroyed the entire internet and all my digital files, would I stop writing?

No.

If some reader publicly came out and said “Gee, I don’t like any of the other books in your series besides the first one, so stop writing.” Would I listen?

Yeah, not a chance.

I write because I love it and I’m trying like hell to make an honest living from my words.

The thing is, the publishing industry has always been in flux. For as long as I can remember, there’s always been some kerfluffle or another. We’re seeing it and hearing more about it now because that’s what the internet does — highlights micro-and-macro trends as they happen. Yes, what’s happening now is a big deal for the industry. Bookstores are going out of business. e-Readers are changing their buying habits. Advances are changing. Prices are all over the map. Self-publishing is less and less of a stigma. But it won’t getting sorted out by the end of this year. Chances are, it will take five, ten or twenty years for the dust to truly settle before there’s any sort of a baseline trend. Even after everything stabilizes, there will always be an anomaly. There will always be change. Adapt or don’t.

So why then, are so many writers freaking out? Well, here’s the thing: we all want a guarantee that we’re going to be successful… Only there is NO guarantee… And that’s where people get a little nutty about this stuff. I often imagine an author sitting at his (or her) keyboard with a calculator figuring out ye olde writing algorithm to scale the proverbial publishing pyramid. Make the rounds at small presses? Check. Sell 20 short stories? Check. Get an agent? Check. Don’t forget to level up! Overnight publishing success? Of course!

But being a successful writer isn’t a zero sum game. You don’t get 1,000 readers who will only read your work and no one else’s. You don’t forgo small presses and self-publishing because they’re so much worse off than the larger houses. You make choices that work for you. Period. If self-publishing works for you? Then do it. If you’re happy going through a small press? Then okay! Trying to get an agent? Go you.

Hopefully, you make informed choices based on what you want to earn, how much time is required, etc. Even then, you have to realize you’re going to screw up. And that’s okay, too! If you’re in it for the long haul, like I am, then persistence is key. Just say it with me: money flows to the writer…

Here’s what I focus on: writing. And then? Selling my work. If that doesn’t pan out? I pitch. You know, for more writing. To sell. That’s it. Maybe go to a con or two. As my readership increases, my tune may change to include more appearances, but right now that’s what I’m focusing on.

Am I worried about what the future will bring? Yeah, but worrying about writing and actually sitting down and writing are two, very different things. I can whine about wanting to be a popular and successful author all I want, but if I have nothing for people to read… Well, I guess I can keep whining. For a different reason. As in: What was I thinking?

Oh, I suppose I should remember to have fun. If I’m not doing that, then why am I writing again?

March 22, 2011
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Your Business Model is not Your Neighbor’s

I’ve been in a lot of discussions recently with other authors and a few game designers about pricing. Over and over again, I hear comparisons to the iTunes model or whatever Amazon is doing. If “free” is not the golden calf, then ninety-nine cents is the deal of the decade.

From my perspective, pricing right now is being determined not based on the content that is being created, but by its ease of distribution and the potential market reach a website has. The iTunes model worked for music, and now it’s being applied to fiction and games, too. While I understand why this is happening, I’m disappointed that the pricing is based on availability rather than its intrinsic value. Impulse buy? Sure, but in my opinion, some things are worth paying more than ninety-nine cents for.

Just for the sake of argument, say that it takes a composer as much time to write a good song as it does an author to write a short story. Should they be priced the same? From a consumer standpoint, you listen to a song, regardless of what you’re doing. You can consume this song over and over again, and don’t have to drop your activities to listen to it.

Ninety-Nine Cent Pricing Should Work for All Publishers, Right?

Readers who purchase a story are making an investment because they are committing their time to the product, much like a movie. Games are another beast entirely, because they often require a larger time investment depending upon the type of game. Also, many games require multiple players and have a much higher production value in terms of formatting than a story does.

Just for a second, take a game and price it at ninety-nine cents. Is it text-based? Typically, no. There’s often art, tables, borders and even color. What happens to your sales when you strip out all of that formatting? I honestly don’t know. Phil Reed was recently speculating about that, too. Would you pay the same price for two products that are identical in every way, with the exception of the formatting?

Now, to be clear, I am not advocating that hobby games publishers shouldn’t experiment with their product offerings. However, I am suggesting that ninety-nine cents is too low for the standard price of a game. If I had a hobby game company and my production costs were low, I would experiment with structuring themed games for four to six players with a suggested running time and package/develop/market it like that. (Renting, on the other hand, is a different beast entirely and I don’t want to get into that here. And yes, some publishers, like WoTC, are already going with boxed sets. My idea is nothing new. I just like the idea of playing around with a streamlined digital version.)

Lastly, a publisher’s inventory also comes into play. Say I own a gaming company and I have a total of twenty products. Would it make sense for me to price them that low? What if I had two? Or five hundred? What then? Of those products, how long are they? Core books or supplements? What value do they provide to my players?

Now, one thing that fiction publishers are doing is offering short stories from an anthology as individual downloads and then bundling them together in an anthology. This is interesting to me, because now instead of having one product to sell, you have eleven or thirteen. In this way, the “singles” idea from music increases a publisher’s inventory. Even though singles have always been sold, traditionally we have purchased albums or CDs from musicians or, in other words, an anthology of an artist’s music. Here, there’s a loose correlation to fiction based on how a product is structured.

I have also heard some use “piracy” as a low-price argument. My two cents: Pricing your products at a lower price because you think they’re going to be stolen is not a business model. Why? Because you are defining your sales goals on either making more than nothing or generating revenue to cover losses you have not experienced. To quote Spock: This is not logical. By structuring your business around whether or not you think your product will be stolen, you’re predicting that your potential customers could all be thieves. Ugh. That’s a crappy way to treat your customers. (On the receiving end, too. Went to two, different businesses for returns this holiday season and I felt like a criminal.)

But Biff is Doing It, So Why Can’t I?

I have never talked to a creative professional that deeply and truly did not love to write, design, paint, program, photograph or draw, but I have talked to people who hate running and owning a business. When you write or edit and sell that work, even if it’s in your spare time, that’s pretty much what you’re doing. Many people, including myself, are thrilled that the internet gives them the chance to collaborate or see what the next guy is doing to keep up on the trends. However, what works for your neighbor may not work for you, which is why I strongly encourage you to think before you leap. Yes, you have to take risks and believe me I understand that now more than ever. This is where your business acumen comes into play. Run the numbers. Do the cost analysis. Ask yourself those important questions. What percentage do you need to increase sales by at a lower price to break even? Do you know what your production costs are? Can you look at historical trends? Is there a segment of your business you can safely experiment with? How long can you offer this promotion before it hurts your bottom line?

To be clear, I am not saying that some sort of industry standard for pricing is bad. What I am saying, is that I believe the standardization of a popular business model is not a healthy or reasonable expectation for any business. You can’t take a template and mold businesses that have been around for a year, five years or even ten years and expect them to change overnight just because something is working right now. Unfortunately, like offering things for free, the market (e.g. customers) may react that way even if the reality is very different. Take social media for example. It’s the hot thing that everyone’s talking about, but no one knows why. Does every business need to be on Facebook, Twitter, etc.? No, because like any other business venture there are pros and cons to doing it and social media doesn’t always equate to sales. Does it mean that that business is evil? Not at all. They’re doing what works for them. Same is true with ninety-nine cent pricing or offering free product, etc.

Can You Give Me An Example?

Recently, I brought up this topic with Jason Sizemore over at Apex Book Company. What I told him was, that even though Apex publishes science fiction, horror and fantasy books and may be the same size as other small press publishers, he has his own modus operandi, goals and future. It’s great to talk shop and be inspired by like-minded businesses, but no one should immediately run out and change their business structure because someone else is doing something that appears to be successful without thinking it through. I feel that Apex has a better chance of emerging as a leader because Jason is concerned with forging his own identity and he has good people to help him do that.

One big change that I recommended, was to stop offering the magazine for free and go to a subscription-based model. This was in place already, after a fashion, but I had suggested the semantics were confusing. Many creatives use the word “support” when talking about their artwork or music or whatever. You support a team or a cause. You buy from a business or you purchase something you want. In order for the magazine to be profitable, the donation suggestions needed to be removed and the subscribers rewarded. This was a great example of how free stuff works for some businesses, but too much free can distract a reader from converting into a buyer. In the end, Jason’s decisions aren’t solely based on his gut or my suggestions, they’re inspired by data, which gives him something to work from.

For extra credit, here’s some additional reading material and tools on the subject that pinpoint different issues through the past year:

Your comments are welcome. Please respect Biff.

January 7, 2011
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25 Mantras on Writing and Professionalism

As a follow-up to my previous post about “bad news,” I decided to write my thoughts on what I feel it means to be a professional writer. You may disagree with me, and that’s okay. I firmly believe that your path is not the same as mine. Take what you want and leave the rest.

    1. Any advice, news, tools, or people that distract you from getting words down on the page is not valuable to you as a writer, regardless of how positive or uplifting you feel afterward.
    2. Having a writer’s platform is meaningless if you don’t have any readers, because your brand’s awareness does not always equate to sales.
    3. Avoid any bandwagon that declares publishers or retailers are bad or evil.
    4. Know your own worth but be realistic about it.
    5. Learn the tools, but don’t make your platform your primary focus if you have nothing to sell.
    6. Don’t quit your day job. Don’t quit your day job. Don’t quit your day job.
    7. If you submit a story, pitch or job application, don’t wait to hear back before starting on the next one.
    8. Respect and support other writers that are more experienced that you are.
    9. Writing is NOT a competition. What (or who) one reader or employer likes is going to be very different from someone else. Sometimes, you aren’t a good fit for the job. Sometimes, an employer doesn’t want to re-train a new writer to work with them. There’s a lot of slots to fill; find the ones that work for you and keep looking.
    10. Understand that some people will be happy for your success and some people won’t. Learn to tell the difference and distance yourself from those who are jealous or are willing to sabotage you.
    11. Don’t talk shit or make boasts you can’t back up. You never know how that will come back and haunt you — until it does.
    12. Remember that there are misconceptions about writers and, in some cases, there is nothing you can do about it.
    13. Know that success is relative. One writer’s accomplishments are not your successes, so quit worrying about what someone else is doing. Their “greatness” doesn’t mean you’re a failure.
    14. It’s okay to have a bad day! Experience that bad day, then get over it and get back to work.
    15. If you are a writer, be flexible but write what you’re interested in and work for the people you have a good relationship with. Do not become a slave to your job.
    16. If you can’t afford to be a full-time writer, explore your options and find a part-time job or something else to do. Being a poor artist isn’t virtuous or ideal — it sucks.
    17. Always keep an eye out for new jobs or opportunities and network, network, network.
    18. Don’t be afraid to say “No” when you need to.
    19. Resign yourself to the fact that you may never be as popular or wealthy as Steven King. The, focus on the readers that you DO have.
    20. Learn how to resolve interpersonal conflicts and identify people who can’t. If you wind up on the receiving end of something like this and your assignment/job/project is affected, know that even though it might feel like a personal attack, it’s more of a reflection on the person who can’t resolve the conflict.
    21. Get it in writing.
    22. Realize that you are not a machine. Some days you’ll write faster than others.
    23. Recognize that everyone functions differently and cultural nuances affect not only how people work, but how they respond to people and what they do at work, too. If someone doesn’t get back to you right away, it’s not because they’re ignoring you.
    24. Understand that your rejection letters may not have anything to do with the quality of your work or “you” as a person. Don’t take them personally.
    25. Keep up-to-date on technology and don’t be afraid to learn new things that make you more marketable.
December 2, 2010
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Chocolate versus Vanilla Personas

A couple of days ago I had the chance to sit down with my friend Jason Blair. Jason is an interesting guy; he’s a very talented game designer and has even written for a few video games. One of the things we talked about was the broad variety of writer’s personas we’ve seen on the web and how people might perceive a writer not just from a reader’s standpoint — but from an employer’s standpoint.

What’s in a Plain, Vanilla Persona?

A vanilla persona is a safe persona. The content that supports this persona doesn’t include pictures of drunk people or swear words. Content doesn’t strive to be edgy or cool just to get readers; topics tend to be evergreen. If photos and post subjects are personal, they’re the type you’d share with an acquaintance rather than a lover. This type of persona also translates well offline because people’s expectations about the real person aren’t as controversial as someone who has a chocolate persona.

Examples of my vanilla topics include: commentary on relevant trends, what I’m working on now, reviews of software or tools, insight into writing or the freelancer’s life, recipes, etc. Right now, my goal is to build my brand as a writer. My ability to do that depends upon the content that I have available for people to read. My goal may sound familiar to you: project my successes and minimize my failures.

Many writers online are striving to achieve the appearance of success, regardless of whether or not that’s actually true. After all, would you buy a book if it’s poorly reviewed? What about hiring a writer that had to resort to asking donations via social media to pay their car payment? While that may be honest (e.g. writers tend not to make a lot of money) it sounds like that writer can’t make enough money to to survive. Without realizing it, that type of commentary then leads to: “Well, why aren’t you making money? You must be a bad writer.”

Several authors, like Lori Devoti, Matt Forbeck, James Lowder, etc. have a vanilla persona. They talk about their writing and they share some personal tidbits, but they don’t make it a point to be in-your-face or be a part of every internet kerfluffle that hits the web. An example of a writer’s vanilla persona who I really admire is Holly Lisle.

In my case, I’ve also got two aspects of my personality. “Monica the author” is a lot different from “Monica the business professional.” However, we are one and the same individual. A vanilla persona allows me to blend all those pieces together without requiring me to spend buckets of time maintaining an edgy or cool personality separate from my blog. I’ve been experimenting with that on Violetwar.com, but find that it’s too time-consuming to maintain one persona let alone two.

A Chocolate Persona?

A chocolate persona is full of flavor. It’s the type of online personality that swears and comments on everything under the sun to sound cool, hip and popular — whether it’s relevant to their writing or not. It’s the type of persona that whines when things don’t go well and tries to start internet fires to get traffic. People who have chocolate personas incur opinions about their personalities, which doesn’t always work when you meet them in person.

There’s a lot of writers who fabricate a persona that is either nothing like them in real life or seems to be more grandiose, akin to reality television. That’s their choice and to them — being popular online means something. Would a young adult publisher want to buy my novel if I had a foul mouth? Probably not, unless I had a pen name. Would a business put their content in my hands if I infused internet slang into everything I wrote? I can tell you that their answer would be “No,” because I’ve heard some people complain about that before.

Don’t get me wrong: having a popular persona online can provide a lot of benefits for a writer. In some cases, it absolutely makes sense for a writer to create a chocolate persona. However, there is another piece to consider. Why does it matter? What’s the point of having a persona if you’re not going to do anything with it? After all, I could be the most popular writer online but if I don’t make any more money than a writer who isn’t popular online? Then what good does it do me? At the end of the day, all writers have to make a living somehow. Being a writer means you write more than forty hours a week; sometimes you have a full-time job, sometimes you don’t. Our time is limited. If we have to market ourselves, wouldn’t you much rather spend the time that you have doing something that matters?

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Popular authors online have to sell more books. Right? *shakes head* Not necessarily. I cannot tell you how many conversations I’ve had and how many threads I’ve followed where writers say it’s had little to no impact on their sales. Not to mention, more than a few have complained that the time they took to create that popular persona could have been used to *gasp* write.

Online marketers know the reality behind internet popularity all too well. You can drive tons of traffic to a web page, but if people don’t convert (e.g. take an action) then that traffic is useless. Brand awareness may be a goal, but often that comes with its own price. What do you want to be known for? Your writing or your foul mouth? There are other ways to get your name out in front of potential readers without pissing people off.

Lastly, it is a lot harder to maintain a persona that is an advertorial or a well-marketed aspect of anyone’s personality for long periods of time. Trendy personas are not sustainable unless you constantly put the work into it. Not to mention, it can be very exhausting if you are known for “this one thing” and have to keep up those appearances.

The Proof Is In The Data

Although this is a pretty simplified view of personas, the last thing that I’d like to point out is that you can prove how well your persona is working with data. What kind of persona do you need? Well, first you need to have some goals. Goals have to be measurable, traceable and provable. Then you need to figure out how to track those goals with a few, different metrics that are related to what you’re trying to accomplish. The more you look at your data, the more realistic your expectations will become.

For example, just looking at “hits” is pretty meaningless for several reasons. A “hit” can be a spam bot, a search engine spider, a refresh on a page or a visit. I’ve seen retailers who got really excited about getting thousands of hits in one day, only to find out their sales had decreased and the traffic came from a hacker. Web analytics tracks a three-dimensional visit to your website. Use that data to support your existing content and test new ideas. I guarantee that you’ll be happier in the long run because that data will take the guesswork out of what you’re doing. After all, your data can help shape not only when you post, but how often and what you post as well.

By using data to your advantage, you can create a persona that you’re satisfied with. What’s more, you can make your persona more manageable and (here’s the best part) get back to writing what you want to rather than what you feel compelled to.

November 17, 2010
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Announcing My New Column at How to Write Shop

howtowriteshop.comThis month I started writing a new series of articles for a website called the How To Write Shop. This new website launched a few months ago and is designed to help aspiring writers learn how to write.

In addition to the strong emphasis on fiction from professional authors like Lori Devoti and Alex Bledsoe, I will be popping in on a monthly basis to help provide advice related to areas in non-fiction and marketing. This month, I ask a pointed question to kick things off. Why Are You Writing and Publishing Online?

Most people and businesses have no idea why they’re online; they know that it’s important, but they don’t have that other piece to the puzzle so they often wing it. Questions to ask yourself might be: Are you informing or entertaining? Are you giving people the chance to act? Trying to attract more readers? If so, why? Build awareness? Do you want to rank for keywords using search engine optimization (SEO)? To sell books? What? — SOURCE: Why Are You Writing and Publishing Online?

This article clearly outlines my take on writing for the web. The short version? Have a plan! For more information, be sure to check out my article this month or take a peek at some of the other articles on the site. Until next time, write thee well!

November 11, 2010
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