Writers in the Storm

by Lisa Norman

There's a secret power in the traditional book world, a cohort of people who determine the success or failure of published books. And most authors don't even know they exist.

As a small indie publisher, I've been told that if I truly want to succeed, if I want to play with the big kids, I need to gain the favor of a book distributor. This starts not with a great book, but with a profit and loss statement and a marketing plan.

Authors generally don't consider distributors in their writing business, and many don't understand what these companies even do.

With the sudden collapse of Small Press Distribution (SPD), the title of distributor has been in the news. How could this company so many authors didn't even know existed disappear, taking author royalties with them?

What is a book distributor?

I was surprised to learn that Amazon and Ingram Spark are not distributors. These are wholesale fulfillment centers. Yes, they provide "book distribution" but this is not the same as being a distributor. In an industry where words matter, this tiny difference has a huge impact.

A book distributor is a centralized company that sells books from many different publishers. (Yes, even the Big 5 use distributors, although they generally have their own in-house and support other smaller publishers.) Each book can only be purchased from one distributor. This means that if a book is put on Amazon, it is put up BY the distributor, not by the publisher. All sales, barring special circumstances, must go through the distributor. The distributor gets the money and sends the publisher a portion of the profits.

Compare this to the way that indie authors and indie publishers work: putting their books up on Amazon, Ingram, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, etc. Every month, they receive sales reports from each of those vendors and the vendors send the profit to the publisher/author.

Depending on the distributor, the reports that the publishers receive may be an aggregate, which makes their reporting and royalty distribution to their authors much simpler, but also means that they don’t have as much raw data as indies do.

A distributor works with printers and warehouses books. They manage fulfillment and logistics. The logistics of the book industry are extensive, encompassing a global market of paper shortages, printing costs, resources, and retail spaces. Printed books are sold to bookstores as returnable commodities, with 10-20% loss being considered good. 50% loss is not uncommon. (By loss, we mean destroyed, pulped, thrown away.)

The Secret Sauce

But the key feature of a distributor is that they have an on-staff marketing department. That marketing department is made up of sales representatives with connections. Very special connections with book buyers.

Bookstores want the ease of working with a sales representative that they know. They want the very favorable terms they have negotiated with these distributors, knowing that books will be available when needed, and knowing that someone has researched the marketability of the books that they're offering.

Distributors receive a percentage of the profit from any book sale.

How distribution affects book sales

Distributors can't market every book the same. They have to pick and choose based on the sellability and the promise of a book.

Note that each publisher should only have a distribution relationship with one distributor. In order to be accepted by that distributor, the publisher’s catalog needs to be of a proven level. In other words, the distributors do have the ability to limit the types of books they work with, creating a situation where some marginalized voices can not be adequately represented through the distribution network. (I want to point out that there has been a lot of work done in this area recently and that work is ongoing.)

Publishers can't afford to market all books the same. They choose the ones they're going to invest most highly into, and those are the ones the distributors push.

Imagine you own a bookstore. An author comes in off the street and asks you to carry their book. That author generally isn't offering you 50-60% of the profit OR the ability to return the book if it doesn't sell. Now imagine your friendly distribution agent contacts you and tells you that a publisher is about to drop a lot of money on an advertising campaign for a book. Early sales predictions are off the chart. They'll send you a case of them, you pay for them if they sell, and you keep that healthy profit.

Who would you buy from?

Why I think authors need to understand distribution

I admit it, my approach to distribution is along the same lines as “know thy enemy.”

As a small indie publisher, I have chosen not to work with a distributor. If I *had* been working with one, SPD would probably have been the one I’d’ve been working with. So yay for missing out on that mess!

Indie authors and small publishers generally don’t have access to distributors. Even some traditional authors may not have been chosen by their publisher’s distributor as “the next hot thing.” So what can authors do to help book sellers connect with our books? Or should we go directly to readers?

With the closing of SPD, more and more small presses are experimenting with creating their own distribution networks. Perhaps indie authors will join them in innovation.

TikTok has been the darling of the industry, driving readers to ask for books, creating a demand that is even more powerful than what the distributors have built.

If we’re going to win at the marketing game, we need to understand how the industry works. Maybe simply so that we know how best to disrupt it.

Do you work with a publisher who uses a distributor? Were you affected by the closing of SPD? Have you encountered situations in the industry that may have been related to having or not having a distributor?

About Lisa

Lisa Norman's passion has been writing since she could hold a pencil. While that is a cliché, she is unique in that her first novel was written on gum wrappers. As a young woman, she learned to program and discovered she has a talent for helping people and computers learn to work together and play nice. When she's not playing with her daughter, writing, or designing for the web, she can be found wandering the local beaches.

Lisa writes as Deleyna Marr and is the owner of Deleyna's Dynamic Designs, a web development company focused on helping writers, and Heart Ally Books, LLC, an indie publishing firm.

Interested in learning more from Lisa? Sign up for her newsletter or check out her classroom where she teaches social media, organization, technical skills, and marketing for authors!

Top image from Depositphotos.

by Rebecca Forster

I have never kept journals. I did not dream of being a writer. I am a disappointment to 90% of the writing community and probably considered blasphemous by some, when I admit my career started as a joke. 

The Joke

I was a travel/fashion executive at an advertising agency in San Francisco. One of my clients preferred to have meetings after hours, and I would to drag my peeved and tired account team to his mansion on the hill. He was a valuable, if thoughtless, client. On top of the extra hours, his wife often interrupted our meetings. 

Frustrated, I asked my secretary, * “Who does that woman think she is?” 

My secretary whispered back, “That’s Danielle Steel.”

I did not know who Danielle Steel was. When I found out, I made this flip remark:

“I could write a book.”

She snapped back, “I dare you.”

Joke, right?  Normal people don’t become published authors. Still, I accepted the dare in the spirit of good fun. I loved research, I wrote heft marketing plans for my clients, so I would apply the same talents to a ‘novel’, satisfy the dare, and wash my hands of my own silliness.  

It didn’t take long for me to realize, that I was on an amazing journey. The end of the road might not be a published novel, but I learned a profound lesson: with the right information, motivation, and spirit real people can pretty much do anything they set their mind to. 

Following are the primary take-aways from those early days.

Attitude is everything.

I embraced the fun of the moment and rejected any expectations of publication. This cleared my mind and left me fearless. 

A specific objective is imperative.

My objective was to complete the challenge with the least disruption to my livelihood and family life. Unrealistic objectives would have hobbled me. Wanting/needing to write is quite different than wanting/needing to make a living writing.  

Discipline is key.

Tennis is fun, but I had to spend a hours learning the game and honing my skills in order to play the game. The same holds true for writing. A fun dare was to be taken seriously. If I wasn’t going to give it my all, I shouldn’t have accepted it in the first place.

Know the market.

With no computers to aid me, learning about publishing was time consuming. I needed a path of least resistance to break in, and I found it in category romance. No agent needed, minimal submission requirements, specific creative guidelines. For someone who did not plan to write the Great American novel, this strategy was tailor made. Understanding your market will save time and heartache.  

Have a personal plan,

I work best in a structured environment, so I assigned myself specific writing hours and goal pages each night, seven days a week. I communicated this plan to my husband who willingly took over household chores because he understood there was an end date. 

Let go.

When I finished the three chapters and synopsis, I mailed the submission and forgot about it.  Did I allow myself to dream that I might sell this ‘book’? Absolutely. Did I become obsessed with that idea? Nope. I went back to working and enjoying my leisure time.  Little did I know, that my life was about to change. My flippant remark, my colleagues dare, and my willingness to go along with the fun was a seed that would eventually bear fruit. But for those weeks between submission and a request for a full book, I barely gave it a thought.

The Possibility

I am now 39 years into my writing career. 25 years as a traditional author, thirteen as an independent author, and one ill-fated year with an online publisher. I have published 41 novels in the following genres: category romance, women’s fiction, rom com, legal thrillers and police procedurals. I’m known for my thrillers. I’ve had five agents, four traditional publishers, and I made the USA Today bestseller list when readers still had to go into bookstores and physically purchase my books. My work has been translated into many languages. An audio publisher bought my most popular thriller series, The Witness Series, and produced it; I have used AI to produce audio of my other books. I taught at UCLA writer’s program, lectured on a cruise ship and to a college class in Albania. I have spoken at philanthropic and writers’ conferences around the country. I have made my living writing for 20 of those 39 years. 

I tell you all this not to brag, but to let you know that the dream is possible. You won’t realize you’ve been living it until you look back. 

One Constant

And then, just when you are sure you’ve got a handle on this business, something changes, and the hard work begins anew. 

Bookstores go out of business and E-books become a thing. Newspaper reviewers are swapped out for thousands of book lovers populating a handful of social media platforms, all of whom have an opinion about your work. If you’re an indie author, you will need to pay for editorial and creative services or learn to be your own cover designer, formatter, public relations professional, and social media maven. You will have to learn how to advertise your work. You will have to write. The only constant is that readers want good books.

The Bottom Line is this:

Writing is for the spiritually bold, the imaginative, those with big hearts, sharp minds, and a tempered ego. Writing is for those with a clear-eyed understanding of themselves, their abilities, and their desired objective. Above all, writing is about challenging yourself for the glorious fun and satisfaction of crafting a book. 

I know you can do it. 

I dare you.

About Rebecca

Rebecca Forster started writing on a crazy dare and found her passion. Now a USA Today and Amazon best selling author, Forster is known for her legal thrillers and police procedurals. Over three million readers have enjoyed her Josie Bates thrillers in the Witness Series alone. With over 40 books to her name, Rebecca had a long career in traditional publishing before becoming an indie author. Her fast-paced tales of law and justice are known for deep characterization and never-see-it-coming endings.

In an effort to make her work as realistic as possible, Rebecca has graduated from the DEA and ATF Citizens academies, landed by tail hook and spent two days on the nuclear submarine U.S.S Nimitz, engaged in police ride-alongs, and continues to court watch whenever possi

Rebecca has taught at the acclaimed UCLA Writers Program and various colleges and universities. She is a sought-after speaker at bar and judges' associations as well as philanthropic groups and writing conferences. Rebecca is also a repeat speaker at the LA Times Festival of Books.

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram • Amazon Author Page • Bookbub Author Page

Image Credit

Top image purchased from DepositPhotos.com

by Tari Lynn Jewett

I began the transition from freelance magazine and newspaper writer, to fiction writer right at the cusp of what I call “The New Indie Publishing”. I call it that, because previously the primary way to indie publish was with a vanity press. Today our publishing options as authors are truly amazing.

Small Press and Indie Publishing

My first romcom was published in an anthology, so for classification purposes, very small press. I had no intention of writing for an anthology, or writing romcoms for that matter. I was working on a darker 1920’s historical fiction, but my friend, the late author, Joyce Ward, was part of the anthology, and pushed me to submit. I wrote #PleaseSayYes and was so excited that it was accepted. When the rights reverted back to me, I called on all of my experienced indie author friends for advice on indie publishing. Thank you, you know who you are!

The characters from #PleaseSayYes continued to call to me…the pandemic was in full swing, and I was happy to work on something light and hopeful, something with a happily ever after. The anthology had a Valentine’s theme.  So of course, #PleaseSayYes was focused on a Valentine’s romance. I love holidays, so as the characters talked to me I realized each of their stories should be centered on a holiday, and the #HermosaForTheHolidays series was born. 

Traditionally Published

When I’d ‘finished’ the series...who knows if it’s really finished, one of the characters with an untold story could tap me on the shoulder anytime. But, when I published the 5^th book, another author friend, Claire Davon, told me about an opportunity to write a holiday story for one of her publishers, The Wild Rose Press. TWRP had a submission call for stories with a Christmas cookie theme. I was in. I wrote the story and submitted it, with the thought that if they weren’t interested, I’d indie publish the book. I was thrilled when I received an offer, and now I was working with a real publisher.

Now I was truly a hybrid author.

So, here are 10 things that I’ve learned as a hybrid author.

1. Work Hard

Whether you publish as an indie author, or with a publisher, you’re going to work hard.

2. Choices

As an indie author, you get to choose your editor, cover artist, deadlines, release date, etc. As a traditional author, these are generally chosen for you.

3. Responsibilities

As an indie author, you coordinate everyone who works on your book…unless you can afford to pay an assistant. I’m not there yet, so this is all on me. You also foot the bill for everything up front, so the cost of editing, covers, formatting, etc. All on me. On the other hand, a publisher takes a huge cut of the profits, as an indie author…all mine.

4. Challenge

It’s really nice to get to choose who you work with, and how the work is done, but people you’re paying may not challenge you in the same way that someone who buys your manuscript will, and they may teach you something new.

5. Marketing

Whether you work with a publisher, or indie publish, you’re probably going to have to do all of your own marketing and promo. The publisher may offer resources, but the bulk of the work and expense will fall to you (in most cases).

6. Sales

With indie publishing, you can see your sales, see which advertising strategies are working, or not working, tweak your blurb if you feel it needs it, change your cover, even change the price if you want to. With traditional publishing, it will depend on your publisher how much access you have to sales information, how often you get it, and whether they’re willing to make any changes once the book is published.

7. Schedule

As an indie author, you can turn on a dime. When readers told, me they wanted a story for one of the characters in my 5^th book, even though the series was done, I was able to give them the story they wanted. I shared it in an anthology, and now that I have all of my rights back, it will be given away free when people sign up for my newsletter. As a traditional author, you have to submit a proposal to your editor, and they can say yes or no, if they say yes, it comes out on their schedule, not yours, or your readers.

8. Timing of Releases

You can put out indie books much more quickly than traditionally published books. Your book isn’t put on someone else’s calendar, it’s on yours, so you decide to release your books once a month, once a year, or once a decade. With a publisher, they decide, and yours isn’t the only book on their agenda, so your books may be released further apart…or they may expect you to get revisions done when you planned a vacation…or surgery.

9. Options

You don’t have to make one choice or the other, you can publish both traditionally and indie, allowing yourself full control over some projects, but considerably more financial freedom from others. The nice thing about being an author in 2024, is that we have options.

10. Hard Work

Whether you publish as an indie author or with a traditional publisher, you’re going to work hard. Yes, I know that was number one, but it’s number ten as well

I’d love to know if you’re published, are you indie, traditional or hybrid? Do you prefer one option over another? If you’re not yet published, do you want to publish indie, traditional or hybrid? And why? 

Bonus

WITS is delighted Tari has returned to share her insights. To learn more read her previous post: 10 Things I Learned Indie Publishing my First Book.

About Tari

Tari Lynn Jewett lives in Arizona just off Route 66 with her husband of thirty-five years (aka Hunky Hubby). They have 3 amazing sons, and 2 beautiful grandsons. For more than twenty years Tari wrote freelance for magazines and newspapers, wrote television commercials, radio spots, numerous press releases, and many, MANY PTA newsletters. As much as she loved writing those things, she always wanted to write fiction…and now she is.

Tari writes light, fun romcoms, but she is also working on a historical women’s fiction series set in the Los Angeles area, spanning from the late 1920’s to the ‘50’s. These are darker, edgier full length novels. 

A voracious reader, Tari’s favorite treat is to turn off her phone and computer and curl up with an un-put-downable book. 

She also believes in happily-ever-afters,

…because she’s living hers.

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Image Credits

Image above compiled of Pixabay images by BedexpStock,  Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Sara Torda, and BeezeeStock