Coyote Con

Speaker: Scott Nicholson
11PM Eastern, May 29, 2010

[scottnicholson] 11:02 pm: Scott Nicholson—six novels published through NY, two collections through small press, and three indie books. Also screenplays, comics, songs, articles, etc. I’ve knocked about a bit so I feel qualified to give advice you probably shouldn’t take.

[scottnicholson] 11:02 pm: I’ve been with three different agencies and worked with other agents, and I also run a small digital publishing company as well as work as a freelance editor. And I format ebooks. So I see the biz from a lot of different sides.

[scottnicholson] 11:02 pm: the mini-lecture then we can go to questions

[scottnicholson] 11:02 pm: publishing is a changing –or dying–industry

[scottnicholson] 11:03 pm: writers below the bestseller list have always had it tough

[scottnicholson] 11:03 pm: and soon they won’t be getting published in NY

[scottnicholson] 11:04 pm: publishing has been going to a narrow and enclosed system steadily since the mid-1990s

[scottnicholson] 11:04 pm: now there are only a couple of major publishers that will even look at unagented novels

[scottnicholson] 11:04 pm: and the bottom line pressure is such that unless a book can sell 20,000 copies or so they don’t want to chance it.

[scottnicholson] 11:04 pm: niche or cross-genre books have a tough time

[scottnicholson] 11:05 pm: obviously fad fiction is in

[scottnicholson] 11:05 pm: but if you write it you better hit the trend

[scottnicholson] 11:05 pm: actually you better hit it before it’s a trend

[scottnicholson] 11:05 pm: if you’ve read the reports out of BEA then even publishers realize they are dying

[scottnicholson] 11:05 pm: ebooks will kill them

[scottnicholson] 11:05 pm: but ebooks will probably save you and me

[scottnicholson] 11:06 pm: so that’s the basic story of the next decade, at least, if maybe not the 21st Century

[scottnicholson] 11:06 pm: okay, any questions, or can we all grab martinis?

[scottnicholson] 11:06 pm: or both?

[Deena] 11:07 pm: I like the martini idea. How are ebooks going to save you and me? How do we take advantage?

[graham] 11:07 pm: how will ebooks save authors?

[scottnicholson] 11:07 pm: I should qualify it–ebooks will save you if you have a good chunk of your rights

[scottnicholson] 11:08 pm: major publishers want to pay 25 percent royalty

[scottnicholson] 11:08 pm: but you can do better than that on your own

[scottnicholson] 11:08 pm: a lot of this will veer into self- and small publishing instead of NY pubbing

[widdershins] 11:08 pm: crystal ball question … Will the big houses turn around and suck up all the indies once they FINALLY see what’s happening…. i.e. mainstream them … as they did with indie hard cover publishers?

[scottnicholson] 11:09 pm: I think the dynamic is too different

[scottnicholson] 11:09 pm: the main one being there is no overhead with ebooks

[scottnicholson] 11:09 pm: (aside from basic editing and design)

[scottnicholson] 11:10 pm: unless someone is really promoting you and bringing you an audience you couldn’t reach, why give them the bulk of the money?

[scottnicholson] 11:10 pm: there were a few Kindle success stories…Boyd Morrison, John Rectore

[scottnicholson] 11:10 pm: people who sold a ton out of the gate and got picked up

[scottnicholson] 11:11 pm: some think that will be an emerging model but I don’t see it

[scottnicholson] 11:11 pm: too many successful Kindle authors are already too smart to give up their rights and wait a year and then make less money

[Jazzyartwriter2] 11:12 pm: My publisher pays 40%. However, I’m unknown, just learning how to promote. Is it possible to make decent money? I have excellent reviews but, as I said, I’m relatively unknown.

[scottnicholson] 11:12 pm: the last decade, publishers have been whipping authors into building their own audiences, spending time and money on their own promotion

[scottnicholson] 11:12 pm: and getting an 8 percent royalty

[scottnicholson] 11:12 pm: that’s insane

[scottnicholson] 11:12 pm: if you’re going to drive the audience, you ought to keep the money

[scottnicholson] 11:12 pm: 40 percent is pretty generous at the moment

[scottnicholson] 11:13 pm: again, it all depends on what the publisher is bringing to the table

[scottnicholson] 11:13 pm: whatever makes you the most money is the best move, regardless of the royalty

[scottnicholson] 11:13 pm: if the publisher pays 25 percent and sells three times more than you can sell making 50 percent, that’s the smart move.

[Babs M] 11:14 pm: and srsly if i’m with Drollerie or ZumayA or Dragonfly…or Random House…people can still go to amazon.com or B&N.com and buy my book just the same. Midlisters end up doing their own press…why can’t we?

[scottnicholson] 11:14 pm: sure, all you need is an Internet account

[scottnicholson] 11:14 pm: Amazon already has easy opt-in for small presses and indies

[scottnicholson] 11:15 pm: B&N is starting it and so is Apple

[scottnicholson] 11:15 pm: it would be stupid not to, because it’s easy money

[scottnicholson] 11:15 pm: You can get on iPad, not that that’s going to be a huge book audience

[Jazzyartwriter2] 11:15 pm: Yes, you can buy from Amazon, but if your book is on Amazon, they don”t pay the publisher-and of course you–until you’ve sold a certain number of copies.

[Deena] 11:16 pm: Jazzy, are you talking print or kindle?

[scottnicholson] 11:16 pm: not true, Jazzy, I get a check every month

[scottnicholson] 11:16 pm: it may depend on the deals they sign with publishers

[Jazzyartwriter2] 11:16 pm: I’m talking Kindle. My books are ebooks at this point and I haven’t earned $70 from them yet. Good thing I have other income.

[scottnicholson] 11:17 pm: I’m not sure what my Createspace deal is but I don’t think it’s been paid out yet, but I haven’t been on it long

[Jazzyartwriter2] 11:17 pm: Interesting. I’m going to talk to my publisher. I’m also going to look for a different publisher for my next series.

[scottnicholson] 11:17 pm: that’s odd, Jazzy, I made $50 the first month I did it and got it transferred to my bank account

[graham] 11:17 pm: I worry about the market being flooded with free ebooks from wannabee authors offering their book for free to get noticed, to libraries lending ebooks, to millions of out of copyright books, and illegal downloads. How will a new author make any money and get noticed in amongst all those free ebooks?

[scottnicholson] 11:17 pm: Graham, that’s going to be the challenge…

[scottnicholson] 11:18 pm: it’s going to be hard to get noticed in the sea

[scottnicholson] 11:18 pm: but here’s what I think…

[scottnicholson] 11:18 pm: I think readers are smart, smarter at picking the books they want to read, than NY is

[scottnicholson] 11:18 pm: some people like “anointed” books, ones that they are told are good or popular

[scottnicholson] 11:19 pm: but most people know what they like and will find it

[scottnicholson] 11:19 pm: in the long run, you will find your audience, and the chance is fairer than ever.

[Jazzyartwriter2] 11:19 pm: What is Create space? Also, I joined something called Authornation some time ago but haven’t figured it out yet. It’s the combination of not being a tech expert and not enough time. Does anybody know anything about them?

[scottnicholson] 11:19 pm: Createspace is Amazon’s POD

[scottnicholson] 11:20 pm: they print and ship the books or you can buy your own at a fairly low price

[scottnicholson] 11:20 pm: it’s a great deal, though it does make the books a little higher than mass market paperbacks

[Babs M] 11:20 pm: and just like 15 years ago Siskel and Ebert told people what movies to watch…now reviewers are far less important. people rely instead on what their facebook friends have liked. and tweeted.

[scottnicholson] 11:21 pm: BTW Graham–free ebooks may be the future of the 2020s

[scottnicholson] 11:21 pm: we’ll get to that later!

[scottnicholson] 11:21 pm: for most of us, getting illegally downloaded would be flattering

[scottnicholson] 11:21 pm: but you’re not going to lose if you keep your price reasonable, $1 to $3

[Jazzyartwriter2] 11:21 pm: My publisher doesn’t do print books until you’ve sold 100 ebooks. Would Amazon allow you to buy print books anyway before your publisher had turned it into print? Nutty question, I know. I think I need some good advice.

[scottnicholson] 11:22 pm: the publisher should try to make money whichever way possible

[scottnicholson] 11:22 pm: though I can understand it’s extra work for POD but once the work’s done, it’s
done forever

[Deena] 11:23 pm: Could I address some of that, Scott?

[scottnicholson] 11:23 pm: sure, Deena

[Deena] 11:23 pm: POD through Create Space makes your book available on Amazon. You can pay extra to also get it listed in Baker & Taylor.

[Deena] 11:23 pm: Most of the small presses, if they’re doing POD, are going through Lightning Source.

[scottnicholson] 11:24 pm: Yeah I think the books are a little cheaper but then you have the whole nightmare of distribution

[Deena] 11:24 pm: Set up is a little higher (depending on how many books they send through a year), and usually, sales of about 100 ebooks will cover those costs, so they’re not losing anything on an unproven book.

[scottnicholson] 11:24 pm: LightningSource, I mean

[scottnicholson] 11:24 pm: I looked into that and it was a lot of work and expense

[scottnicholson] 11:25 pm: OK Deena, I understand that

[Deena] 11:25 pm: Editing, at least from what I’ve seen–small press wise–is often more than “basic editing”, and then there’s book block and cover art, so the press isn’t looking at no expense at all.

[scottnicholson] 11:25 pm: a lot of different models are emerging

[scottnicholson] 11:25 pm: I don’t know what’s right or best for each author or publisher

[Deena] 11:25 pm: I agree, though, with Scott, that if you’re confident in your editing, and want to go it your own, have a way to provide yourself with great cover art, go for it.

[scottnicholson] 11:25 pm: but I do know what’s best for me right now and what I’d give up

[scottnicholson] 11:26 pm: The big decision is “How much value does a publisher add?”

[graham] 11:26 pm: a 1 to $3 price for ebooks – I can’t bring myself to buy such a cheap ebook, I think they can’t be edited and the author does not value their work, so why should I.

[eBrock] 11:26 pm: It seems to me that e-books can be as productive as music mp3s. I suspect that the biggest down-turn will be that writers will make less money and fewer will be able to make a living at it.

[scottnicholson] 11:26 pm: Ebrock, I disagree, I think there will be more working-class writers

[scottnicholson] 11:26 pm: the food chain is heavily skewed to the top feeders right now

[scottnicholson] 11:27 pm: because there are people sitting around making million-dollar deals on one-line pitches

[scottnicholson] 11:27 pm: most bestsellers are made before they are even written

[scottnicholson] 11:27 pm: hardly seems fair to me

[scottnicholson] 11:27 pm: but that is the publishing industry and what it does best

[scottnicholson] 11:28 pm: It makes perfect sense for them to try to sell a million copies of 10 books

[scottnicholson] 11:28 pm: instead of 10,000 copies of 10,000 books or whatever the math works to

[scottnicholson] 11:28 pm: I want to go to Graham’s point–visit JA Konrath’s blog

[scottnicholson] 11:29 pm: I sell my ebooks for 99 cents or 1.99, and I will go to $2.99 when Amazon raises its rates

[scottnicholson] 11:29 pm: I am making more than I made per book from a NY publisher

[scottnicholson] 11:29 pm: and it’s the one competitive advantage a lesser-know writer has.

[amyleigh07] 11:30 pm: yeah, speaking as an indie filmmaker and working class writer I have to agree with scott. I’m not wealthy by any stretch. by the way things are going I think the higher quality interesting material can find a home you just have to hustle. and if they’re going to short change you at a major house

[scottnicholson] 11:30 pm: you have to build your own audience anyway

[amyleigh07] 11:30 pm: you’re doing all the work anyway it’s just smarter to at least

[scottnicholson] 11:30 pm: plus you get the direct connection

[eBrock] 11:28 pm: I worry that the average reader won’t be willing to pay competitive prices for ebooks. I know far too many people who think that since it’s “digital” it should be free (or at last much cheaper).

[scottnicholson] 11:31 pm: eBrock, here’s what is stunning to me:

[eBrock] 11:31 pm: Maybe I’m being too cynical?

[amyleigh07] 11:31 pm: find a way to keep your rights and do it yourself or with a small press

[scottnicholson] 11:31 pm: on Netflix, you can get all the movies you want to watch for a month for $8 or $9

[scottnicholson] 11:31 pm: NY expects you to pay $15 for ONE ebook

[scottnicholson] 11:31 pm: that’s clearly skewed and is not getting supported

[scottnicholson] 11:32 pm: compared to a rock single, $1 to $3 is very fair for a book that has nothing but content, no “product”

[scottnicholson] 11:32 pm: I expect by this time next year major new releases will be $5 in ebooks

[scottnicholson] 11:32 pm: indies may have to get down to 99 cents to compete then

[scottnicholson] 11:33 pm: look at Amazon and the Kindle bestseller list

[scottnicholson] 11:33 pm: more indies cracking it with cheap books, even NY is moving down, even after that pricing war

[scottnicholson] 11:33 pm: consumers set the price, not wishful thinking

[Jazzyartwriter2] 11:34 pm: I’ve been wishing I could go to another publisher (I know of one recommended by someone
at the Univ of Wis) but my first book is a series and the second one in the series is coming out sometime this year. I
have another book out but it’s not part of the series. Also, my publisher charges $5.99 for my ebooks.

[scottnicholson] 11:34 pm: a little more on cheap ebooks–you can sell waaay more copies at cheap prices

[scottnicholson] 11:34 pm: you will get readers who would hesitate over a $15 trade paperback or even $8 mass market paperback

[scottnicholson] 11:35 pm: I know firsthand–They Hunger from Kensington is $5.59 and is usually ranked around 80,000 on Amazon

[scottnicholson] 11:35 pm: my cheap ebooks rank from 3,00 to 8,000 usually

[scottnicholson] 11:35 pm: clearly the lower price is way more than offset by volume

[Jazzyartwriter2] 11:36 pm: Is it possible to find out from Amazon how many of my books have sold?

[scottnicholson] 11:36 pm: yes they tell you in real time if you have your own DTP (upload) account

[scottnicholson] 11:36 pm: I can go 10 times a day and check if I wanted

[scottnicholson] 11:37 pm: but your publisher gets that info, probably

[scottnicholson] 11:37 pm: not trying to disrespect publishers, but again, you give up control, so make sure they offer enough to make it workth it

[scottnicholson] 11:37 pm: it’s a partnership

[Deena] 11:37 pm: But if your publisher signed up through Mobipocket, they probably won’t be able to access that information easily.

[spot_writes] 11:38 pm: I’m convinced epub is the way of the future, here’s why…a friend convinced me to offer my blog for subscription on kindle. I got a check the other day. People will pay, granted, it’s a pittance, to read what I offer for free on the Internet every day, just for the convenience of having it delivered to their kindle. Crazy!

[scottnicholson] 11:38 pm: I think they pay quarterly or something

[Deena] 11:38 pm: I meant the kindle through Mobipocket, Scott. We used to do it that way. It doesn’t work.

[Deena] 11:38 pm: Sorry, not intending to derail.

[scottnicholson] 11:38 pm: ah I see, back in the “old days”!

[Deena] 11:38 pm: It’s been a long day.

[scottnicholson] 11:39 pm: this is all changing so fast it’s hard to track

[scottnicholson] 11:39 pm: B&N decided they want in on it, so they are starting indie uploads

[scottnicholson] 11:39 pm: Apple is doing it too

[scottnicholson] 11:39 pm: Amazon has the advantage because they want to drive traffic to also buy underwear, tires, and even iPads

[Deena] 11:40 pm: Borders now too.

[Deena] 11:40 pm: eBrock asked: Do you think the fact that ebook readers will have to be “updated” every few years will have an impact on sales? One of the reasons I have been holding off on purchasing an eBook is because (just like computers/cell phones) they will always need to be upgraded.

[scottnicholson] 11:40 pm: an army of indie authors pushing people to their books at Amazon is worth it, plus they make money on the book sales too, It’s brilliant

[scottnicholson] 11:40 pm: the Wal-mart of publishing, for better or worse

[scottnicholson] 11:40 pm: eBrock, I am waiting myself, I use the free PC Kindle

[scottnicholson] 11:41 pm: I think ePub will be the dominant format one day

[scottnicholson] 11:41 pm: everybody wants to sell their own device and have it proprietary to keep the audience

[scottnicholson] 11:41 pm: if anyone remembers the different VHS and DAT tape wars

[scottnicholson] 11:41 pm: same thing

[widdershins] 11:42 pm: you mentioned ebooks being free in the future circa 2020?

[scottnicholson] 11:43 pm: well if ebooks get under $10 by the end of the year (and I’m already seeing established backlist at $3 to $5 of Koontz and the like)

[scottnicholson] 11:43 pm: then the bottom end will move to 99 cents

[scottnicholson] 11:43 pm: and readers decide they don’t want to pay for any content

[scottnicholson] 11:43 pm: that’s when it gets tough and you have to find sponsors, advertisers or other ways to make money

[scottnicholson] 11:44 pm: but interactive or transmedia “books” may be the rage then anyway

[scottnicholson] 11:44 pm: it’s changing faster than anyone predicted, in ways no one can foresee

[Jazzyartwriter2] 11:44 pm: I’ve never heard of the free PC Kindle. What is it? And what’s interactive or transmedia books?

scottnicholson] 11:44 pm: free Kindle, just go to amazon and look at any kindle book

[scottnicholson] 11:45 pm: there’s a click there to get it, even for Mac

[Deena] 11:45 pm: It’s an ebook reading program for the PC or MAC

[scottnicholson] 11:45 pm: you can get a lot of free ebooks and a kindle tonight and read yourself silly

[scottnicholson] 11:45 pm: go into classic lit and public domain and you might never buy a book again

[scottnicholson] 11:46 pm: transmedia is pictutes, audio, hyperlinks, etc, extra stuff to add to the book

[scottnicholson] 11:46 pm: publishers think this is where they have a shot because they have the money to develop that content

[scottnicholson] 11:46 pm: it will be harder for indies to develop complex formats

[scottnicholson] 11:46 pm: but then you get into movies and away from books, so the audience is not the same anyway

[eBrock] 11:46 pm: Will/are agents still the necessity that they are for print?

[scottnicholson] 11:47 pm: eBrock, agents are vital if you want to sell to a major publisher

[scottnicholson] 11:47 pm: again, you are giving up 15 percent but that’s the only way you will get a big check

[scottnicholson] 11:47 pm: I think publishing in NY is worth it for maybe the next five years

[scottnicholson] 11:48 pm: but remember, even if you wrote it now it might take two years for it to get out

[scottnicholson] 11:48 pm: bookstores are dying fast

[scottnicholson] 11:48 pm: and that’s one of the three main advantages of a major publisher–getting you on shelves

[scottnicholson] 11:50 pm: agents really have little place in the ebook world

[scottnicholson] 11:50 pm: unless they are spinning your ebooks into different markets or products

[spot_writes] 11:51 pm: did you have an agent who worked with the movie deal or did you do it all yourself? How did
that come about?

[scottnicholson] 11:51 pm: long story, basically I set it up myself and then had to beat the agent into following through

[scottnicholson] 11:51 pm: which is actually the way a lot of the world works

[scottnicholson] 11:51 pm: you always have to believe in yourself more than anyone

[scottnicholson] 11:52 pm: agents can be a drag as much as a help

[scottnicholson] 11:52 pm: it’s a marriage

[spot_writes] 11:52 pm: Lol.

[scottnicholson] 11:52 pm: but in the end, they are polygamous and you only get one…unfair

[Deena] 11:52 pm: I offered to reprint a book for an author I admire at a very high royalty because he was having a lot of financial difficulty. He loved the idea, but wouldn’t contact his agent. He asked me to do it. I did, she never responded. I asked him about it, he said, “Oh, she’s like that.”

[scottnicholson] 11:52 pm: so they will always have some they may like better than you or who makes them more money

[scottnicholson] 11:53 pm: yeah, I couldn’t get my agent to do overseas deals

[scottnicholson] 11:53 pm: after I canned him, I immediately got three on my own

[scottnicholson] 11:53 pm: when they are a barrier instead of an asset, well, they can walk home from Lover’s Leap

[eBrock] 11:53 pm: Since it’s obvious that ebooks are the future, what criteria should we look for in purchasing a e-reader (both as a reader & writer)? It seems that each have there (dis)advantages.

[scottnicholson] 11:54 pm: eBrock, that’s very complex and depends on taste

[scottnicholson] 11:54 pm: they are starting to show up in outlets like Target and elsewhere

[scottnicholson] 11:54 pm: you can try out a Nook at B&N

[scottnicholson] 11:54 pm: go to mobileread.com and read about the different ones

[scottnicholson] 11:54 pm: it’s all overwhelming to me

[scottnicholson] 11:54 pm: I just saw my first iPad and I love what it does for comics

[Deena] 11:54 pm: Teleread’s a nice site too.

[scottnicholson] 11:54 pm: but I wouldn’t buy one for $100

[scottnicholson] 11:55 pm: much less having to pay their monthly fees

[Deena] 11:55 pm: There’s a transcript up on here somewhere that talks about all the differences. I can’t remember which session it was.

[scottnicholson] 11:55 pm: yeah Teleread is good, mostly linking to lots of resources

[scottnicholson] 11:55 pm: Sarah Weinman has a good article too

[widdershins] 11:55 pm: re: Agent tales …grounds for divorce I’d say! @ Ebrock… talk to a teenager geek… they’re a great resource

[scottnicholson] 11:57 pm: summary–just be aware of what’s going on and keep up with changes

[scottnicholson] 11:57 pm: think of ebooks as never going out of print

[scottnicholson] 11:57 pm: make sure your publisher gives as much or more than they take

[scottnicholson] 11:58 pm: and still the most important thing is be committed to the craft and your passion! Way more important than worrying about format or print/e

[Jazzyartwriter2] 11:59 pm: Is there any recourse if a publisher hasn’t been fair? I’m thinking of mine. What about making an “or else” statement? I want some books in print so I can do book signings, etc.

[scottnicholson] 11:59 pm: Hmm I am not an attorney and without seeing the contract I couldn’t say anyway

[scottnicholson] 11:59 pm: just look it over and talk to the publisher

[scottnicholson] 11:59 pm: if all else fails, concentrate on the next book

[scottnicholson] 12:00 am: five of my books are left for dead at Kensington

[scottnicholson] 12:00 am: it’s a sick, sad feeling

[Jazzyartwriter2] 12:00 am: The next book is part of the same series.

[scottnicholson] 12:00 am: they are not even putting them out as ebooks

[scottnicholson] 12:00 am: makes no sense

[scottnicholson] 12:00 am: Jazzy if it’s written you either get your rights back and publish the two yourself

[scottnicholson] 12:00 am: or move on to something else

[scottnicholson] 12:00 am: or just bite the bullet and go with it

[Jazzyartwriter2] 12:01 am: Thanks.

[scottnicholson] 12:01 am: sorry I know that’s no fun

[riversway] 12:02 am: if you live in Canada you can go to a legal aid society and speak to a lawyer for an hour

[scottnicholson] 12:02 am: Jazzy you might even have to buy your rights back

[riversway] 12:02 am: sometimes they are lawyers in training

[scottnicholson] 12:02 am: if it’s not selling a whole lot it may make more sense for everybody

[riversway] 12:02 am: perhaps something like that in the US

[riversway] 12:02 am: its worth a try

[scottnicholson] 12:03 am: yes there are legal aid groups

[riversway] 12:03 am: maybe you can ditch the publisher

[scottnicholson] 12:03 am: but honestly, if you’re talking 100 ebooks, it’s not worth the hassle

[scottnicholson] 12:03 am: always better to resolve it clearly

[widdershins] 12:03 am: one thing about this side of the writing business… you have to develop a thick skin real quick… or you fade away

[scottnicholson] 12:03 am: look at your contract and see exactly what your options are

[Deena] 12:04 am: I don’t like to be blunt, but you might also look at your writing. If you’re not selling, maybe it’s not the publisher.

[scottnicholson] 12:04 am: be blunt Deena, it’s in short supply in this biz

[scottnicholson] 12:04 am: all of us need to be told to write better!

[Jazzyartwriter2] 12:04 am: I thought I had a thick skin after all the rejections I got from publishers. Now I’ve gotten reviews with “top” ratings and haven’t sold much.

[scottnicholson] 12:05 am: sometimes it takes a while to find your audience

[Jazzyartwriter2] 12:05 am: Maybe it’s the type of book – cozy

[scottnicholson] 12:05 am: I truly believe we all eventually find the audience we deserve

[Deena] 12:05 am: Read the reviews. Are they well-written? Do they articulate your good points? Do they sound like fangirls? Maybe they’re not attractive reviews, even if they’re rated well.

[scottnicholson] 12:05 am: it just might not be that big for any particular author

[Deena] 12:05 am: Which is sometimes a scary thought, Scott.

[scottnicholson] 12:05 am: 1,000,000 different titles were published last year!

[scottnicholson] 12:06 am: I didn’t even know there were that many people who could read…

[scottnicholson] 12:06 am: and with voice-recognition and one-button blog publishing as a book…

[scottnicholson] 12:06 am: well, you have to be your best

[zan] 12:07 am: I was once told by another author that most writers don’t have the stick-to-it-ivness to make it. I hope to prove him wrong in my case anyway. And I read about a book a day so that takes care of about 365 of them.

[scottnicholson] 12:07 am: lol well done Zan

[scottnicholson] 12:08 am: do you know anybody who DOESN’T think they can’t write a book?

[zan] 12:08 am: ya a few

[scottnicholson] 12:08 am: everybody I know wants to write one or have ME write it for them

[Deena] 12:08 am: If you talk to my mother, all her friends can write one. Most of them are poetry with charming illustrations.

[scottnicholson] 12:09 am: well, beats love letters to cats, I suppose!

[scottnicholson] 12:09 am: everybody has something to say

[Babs M] 12:09 am: lol

[scottnicholson] 12:09 am: as I said, you may not get a big audience though, but you deserve to say it

[scottnicholson] 12:09 am: saying “I’m published” is not a big deal anymore

[scottnicholson] 12:10 am: it won’t even get you laid in a coffee house anymore…

[Deena] 12:10 am: damn. there go my weekend plans.

[scottnicholson] 12:10 am: so what’s the point?

[spot_writes] 12:10 am: Will you write my book for me Scott? Hahaha…just kidding. No, really. Back off…it’s my book!!

[widdershins] 12:10 am: are we getting punchy now or what!!!

[scottnicholson] 12:10 am: do I get HALF the money after I write ALL the book? (that’s the standard offer)

[Jazzyartwriter2] 12:11 am: Sue Grafton, the A,B,C author, said it takes 3 books to get going. I had a friend who didn’t read, couldn’t type, and expected to make lots of money on a book.

[spot_writes] 12:11 am: mmm…well it was my idea so you can have 25%

[scottnicholson] 12:11 am: I know several dyslexic authors…god bless’em

[zan] 12:11 am: The point is that when I tell their stories they get off my back Sometimes those characters can get real pushy

[Jazzyartwriter2] 12:11 am: We might not make much money, but we have a heck of a lot of fun writing and meeting other authors online.

[spot_writes] 12:12 am: That is the spirit Jazzy!!

[scottnicholson] 12:12 am: yeah Zan, it’s all about the journey

[scottnicholson] 12:12 am: a good day of writing is better than a good day of bookselling, that’s for #$%^&* sure

[graham] 12:12 am: Thanks, you’re confirming what I have been saying on my blog: that ebooks will eventually destroy the publishing industry, including nearly all author incomes. Perhaps now I’ll start to think about how I will write for a free ebook world.

[scottnicholson] 12:12 am: Graham I have already thought about it

[scottnicholson] 12:13 am: sponsorships and product placement

[Jazzyartwriter2] 12:13 am: Like I said before, it’s good I have other income – otherwise I’d be living in the park – and you can’t connect a computer and internet there.

[scottnicholson] 12:13 am: there’s a thing called “fictotizement” or something

[scottnicholson] 12:13 am: where the content is really a veiled advertisement

[widdershins] 12:13 am: @jazzy hang out near cafes and go wireless

[scottnicholson] 12:14 am: like the funny commercials people send viral

[scottnicholson] 12:14 am: if it’s entertainment in itself, it will work

[spot_writes] 12:14 am: that sounds very sci-fi and vaguely disturbing Scott

[Deena] 12:14 am: we could all just illustrate with lolcats.

[scottnicholson] 12:14 am: well it; already happens with ideas

[scottnicholson] 12:14 am: and propaganda

[spot_writes] 12:14 am: Like big business will take over the world. Oh wait…

[Babs M] 12:14 am: hahahaha

[widdershins] 12:14 am: I don’t know whether to feel excited or terrified about becoming published… its a great feeling!

[Rae ] 12:14 am: lol

[eBrock] 12:14 am: More book trailers!!!

[riversway] 12:14 am: @jazzy get someone to translate your contract so you can make a decision…sitting in confusion will eat you alive

[widdershins] 12:14 am: @Deena… lolcats?

[scottnicholson] 12:15 am: it’s the most libertarian time ever in the publishing business

[scottnicholson] 12:15 am: it used to depend on who owned the presses

[scottnicholson] 12:15 am: you had to write to please the church or king or lose your fingers

[Deena] 12:15 am: oh. Dear. Widder. I’m sorry I mentioned it. um, http://icanhascheezburger.com/

[Deena] 12:15 am: I have friends who are addicted to that site.

[scottnicholson] 12:15 am: then you had to write to an elite crowd because only the wealthy could read

[scottnicholson] 12:15 am: then books got cheap and maybe the 50s were the golden age

[scottnicholson] 12:16 am: that site sounds familiar…

[scottnicholson] 12:16 am: see, that’s why books will fade out

[Deena] 12:16 am: don’t go, Scott. Don’t go.

[scottnicholson] 12:16 am: this is the Twitter age

[Rae ] 12:16 am: What about the declining reading percentage? That can get scary. And the people who say “when will the movie version of your book come out so I can “see” it” Yikes.

[scottnicholson] 12:17 am: what does it say about us when Facebook is too “slow”

[scottnicholson] 12:17 am: more people write more than ever

[Jazzyartwriter2] 12:17 am: This has been the most interesting and fun session. I’m glad I came. And I’ll fight against books fading out – right to the end.

[widdershins] 12:17 am: @Deena… just checked out the site…. LMFAO twice!

[spot_writes] 12:17 am: I know Rae it’s sad.

[scottnicholson] 12:17 am: tweet, text, etc

[scottnicholson] 12:17 am: pecking at little gizmos

[scottnicholson] 12:17 am: but it’s different

[scottnicholson] 12:17 am: books will evolve

[Rae ] 12:17 am: Yeah

[scottnicholson] 12:17 am: reading will evolve

[scottnicholson] 12:17 am: the whole 80-100k word novel will change

[Rae ] 12:18 am: Will shorter fiction become more popular in the near future?

[eBrock] 12:18 am: Maybe serial novels will make a return.

[widdershins] 12:18 am: Noooooo… Scott… I write 80 -100k novels… say it ain’t so

[scottnicholson] 12:18 am: sure I already sell more ebooks of my story collections than I ever did in paper

[scottnicholson] 12:18 am: because the editors say you have to

[Rae ] 12:18 am: That’s sort of a plus for me because I write on the shorter end

[Jazzyartwriter2] 12:19 am: I love long books. I don’t want to give them up.

[scottnicholson] 12:19 am: and they say that because they fill 48 books to a carton

[scottnicholson] 12:19 am: has nothing to do with an “ideal”

[widdershins] 12:19 am: Ok I can live with serialising ‘em… because I like creating on a grand scale

[Deena] 12:19 am: I think there’ll be a market for everything.

[scottnicholson] 12:19 am: it’s product and distribution concerns

[spot_writes] 12:19 am: I think kids aren’t encouraged to read anymore unless there’s something big like Harry Potter or Twilight. That was the best part of homeschooling my monsters, I got to pick what they read and we read a lot!!

[scottnicholson] 12:19 am: I agree Deena it’s broadening

[Rae ] 12:19 am: I like that. Variety for everyone

[scottnicholson] 12:19 am: novellas are in

[scottnicholson] 12:19 am: anything works

[Jazzyartwriter2] 12:19 am: Seems like a writer has to be 60% salesperson – grrr. I hate sales.

[Deena] 12:19 am: Think of the most popular fan fiction-130-250 k, serialized. People read long, they just read in chunks.

[scottnicholson] 12:19 am: niche and cross-genre stuff can now find its audience

[Rae ] 12:19 am: Spot, that’s awesome

[scottnicholson] 12:20 am: no more “This is a great book but I don’t know where to PUT it?”

[Jazzyartwriter2] 12:20 am: Rowling considers her Harry Potter series as one big book.

[spot_writes] 12:20 am: Well, at least they have a firm basis in literature. And will buy books. Lol.

[riversway] 12:21 am: me too, but if I really believe in it I can sell easily

[scottnicholson] 12:21 am: Twilight is fad fiction, not very well written

[riversway] 12:21 am: guess that’s believe ing in yourself

[scottnicholson] 12:21 am: but what can you do? Kids still read a lot more than adults do

[scottnicholson] 12:21 am: sales is not hard if you think of it this way:

[scottnicholson] 12:21 am: and I am trying it

scottnicholson] 12:22 am: instead of thinking of this faceless blob of people with wallets…

[scottnicholson] 12:22 am: visualize the people or one person your book will HELP

[scottnicholson] 12:22 am: or inspire or uplift or entertain or enrich

[scottnicholson] 12:22 am: then you are giving

[scottnicholson] 12:22 am: I tried it with Drummer Boy, just in my mind

[scottnicholson] 12:23 am: “Get it to that 13 yr old kid who will feel less like a misfit”

[scottnicholson] 12:23 am: boom my sales rank went from like 13,000 to 7,000 in a day

[scottnicholson] 12:23 am: I don’t think stuff like that is an accident

[scottnicholson] 12:23 am: we could all do with a little more service work

[spot_writes] 12:23 am: So it’s a karmic payback, Scott?

[widdershins] 12:24 am: beautifully said Scott

[scottnicholson] 12:24 am: give people slightly more value than you charge

[riversway] 12:24 am: thank you scott – that’s beautiful

[scottnicholson] 12:24 am: be incredibly humble

[spot_writes] 12:24 am: that is a lovely idea

[Jazzyartwriter2] 12:24 am: Great idea, Scott. Thanks.

[scottnicholson] 12:24 am: it’s a miracle even ONE person wants to read our minds

[scottnicholson] 12:24 am: and if you have the talent and persistent, well, thank your god or higher power for it

[Rae ] 12:24 am: I like that

[riversway] 12:24 am: it’s been a real eye opener

[Jazzyartwriter2] 12:25 am: I’m going to have to read your books.

[scottnicholson] 12:25 am: and if all else fails, even if you never get rich, you can sleep at night

[Deena] 12:25 am: He’s also a good writer.

[eBrock] 12:26 am: Scott, I agree. Fame & fortune would be nice, but knowing that someone (or a group of someones) is enjoying my work would be much more fulfilling.

[scottnicholson] 12:26 am: blush thewre are plenty better than me

[scottnicholson] 12:26 am: I just do my thing as best I can

[scottnicholson] 12:26 am: I tell you, these days, it’s not “How can I sell more books?” it’s “How can I be a better human?”

[scottnicholson] 12:27 am: eBrock, that’s interesting

[scottnicholson] 12:27 am: I recently told my wife, “I’m glad I’m not a bestselling writer”

[scottnicholson] 12:27 am: think of the worry, the stress, the expectations, the push to duplicate your previous success and formula

[scottnicholson] 12:27 am: and then having to go all over the place and sit on panels and hang out with industry folks

[scottnicholson] 12:28 am: I get exhausted thinking about it

[spot_writes] 12:28 am: I’ll just be happy if one person has to leave the light on when they go to bed. Is that wrong?

[Rae ] 12:28 am: That’s so true Scott.

[scottnicholson] 12:28 am: that’s right!

[Deena] 12:28 am: I think that’s pretty awesome, Spot.

[spot_writes] 12:28 am: Well, it means I did my job well.

[scottnicholson] 12:29 am: I tell you, I’ve never had as good of feeling in my career–awards or contracts or whatever–that matches nailing that last sentence

[riversway] 12:29 am: the widder says goodnight … she hit the wrong button on her keyboard and exploded

[spot_writes] 12:29 am: And if millions of people are leaving the light on, then I’m kind of a power drain. Can’t have that…

[scottnicholson] 12:29 am: or getting in that good writing session

[eBrock] 12:29 am: A loyal/enthusiastic group of readers is worth far more than all the accolades being a “star” brings.

[scottnicholson] 12:29 am: sweet, Stacey, always thinking of the environemnt!

[scottnicholson] 12:30 am: being a better human

[spot_writes] 12:30 am: Yes!

[scottnicholson] 12:30 am: well I am a taoist

[scottnicholson] 12:30 am: everything fades

[spot_writes] 12:30 am: In my own round about way.

[scottnicholson] 12:30 am: books go out of print

[scottnicholson] 12:30 am: money burns

[scottnicholson] 12:31 am: so enjoy the moment and wherever you are on your writing journey

[scottnicholson] 12:31 am: well any last questions?

[scottnicholson] 12:31 am: you can email me at hauntedcomputer At yahoo.com if you want

[Jazzyartwriter2] 12:31 am: No, just thank you and goodnight.

[scottnicholson] 12:32 am: I have a bunch of articles at www.hauntedcomputer.com

[spot_writes] 12:32 am: You can friend him on facebook too!

[spot_writes] 12:32 am: Lol.

[Deena] 12:32 am: Scott, thank you so much. You’ve been a huge asset to the con. I don’t think it would have been nearly as good without you.

[scottnicholson] 12:32 am: and you can get a free writing manual at http://writegoodordie.blogspot.com

[spot_writes] 12:32 am: Thanks Scott. It’s been fun and informative.

[scottnicholson] 12:32 am: thanks Deena for all your work

[eBrock] 12:32 am: Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[Rae ] 12:32 am: This was such an awesome panel. I’m glad I caught a little bit of it. I’ll def be trolling the transcripts

[scottnicholson] 12:32 am: it’s been fun

[Rae ] 12:32 am: Thank you so much Scott

[riversway] 12:32 am: thank you Scott and Deena, it’s been a great

[scottnicholson] 12:33 am: be careful of my advice! Find out what works for YOU!