By Andrea Campbell

I haven't dusted off a crystal ball, but I do keep my ears, eyes, and, yes, even nose open to the world of book publishing (to see what smells figuratively), and you should too. I study marketing as if it were as important as grammar or syntax or spelling. And you should too. Why? If you don't operate as a business, in the market, with a product, you aren't selling.

In the Air

Book Expo America provided some clues as to what trade publishing has on its mind and I've put together some information for you to think about, should you want to publish a book. The book business is under a change, and just as the music industry morphed after the advent of downloads, we, too, will see a shift.

Bookstore Presence

Many writers are under the misconception that most of the selling of books will be done within bookstores. This is not true and because of the growth of technology and electronics, bookstores will see less business of the kind witnessed before. Books have, in a way, become devalued. I blame Amazon a lot for the change. With their acceptance and catering to the used book business, it has cut authors out of any royalties that they might have gotten with a first edition. Since a used bookseller pays no royalty and most of the money is made on quantity and shipping, the book loses its value and shortcuts the author. I believe we will see fewer trade bookstores as a result.

Go to _____.com

Have you noticed how even television shows today are trying to point the way to the Web? If you watch "Psych" you will see cartoons between commercials and an invitation to visit the site for fun facts and games. All media now will strive to become more interactive. This direction is meant to drive traffic and advertisers to a particular central site. Sign-ups are gathered for databases-- particulars on who you are, what you buy, and where you live-- are taking on a new importance. All fodder for further marketing. If you visit and participate, you are a potential buyer of kitch or product. (At the very least, a demographic for sale.)

Gadgetry

A few generations have grown up with a computer friend and are now carting around laptops, cell phones, and PDAs. There are even electronics for toddlers. Although I don't think that reading a traditional paper-bound book is going to cease, the medium for book delivery will only get slicker for e-books. And this is the point to consider. As these devices get smaller, it will be easier to collect content, tag it, and interact, so that in the near future, books, songs and movies, articles, journals, news, and professional commentary will vie for space and that almost every intellectual product created by man-- will be available in a hand-held device!

Distraction

With all this content available in so many mediums-- unimaginable competition-- there will be a tendency to be distracted with so many choices. The ability to tag and disseminate so much information at a thumb push means that many technology handlers will soon discover, as in a Wikipedia world, observations are done for them and attention spans will continue to get short, and shorter. As an example, more television, faster, has become quite commonplace with satellite TV; and who among us does not skip through commercials when at all possible? And the speed that comes with this means that information will become faster, we will see instantaneous results on video screens and, as has been happening with regularity now, we will be able to witness news, happenings, and events at record speed.

Throw Up Your Hands?

Are authors, like dictionary salesmen (yes, they used to go door-to-door!), doomed? Not necessarily. But it does mean that authors will have to protect their backs and be savvy, more savvy than ever before. Right now, how to get paid for all this content is still shaking out and one of the bones of contention that we're seeing is where do the writers fit into this changing picture? What can we do to align our thinking?

Here are some things we can do right now:

·         Learn more about marketing and keep your ear tuned toward industry chatter

·         Learn ways to brand yourself. The more you can be known for something-- to expertise yourself-- the more you will be the "go-to guy."

·         Copyright will be a challenge as more people are able to interact with your work, and rules about fair use are being flouted through ignorance or disdain by the masses. Googling yourself may not be all about vanity.

·         Find your niche audience and make it grow; centralize your knowledge, website-it and connect by collecting your own database for e-newsletters and future products.

·         Make sure your book proposals are spot-on.

·         Beware of all rights grabs in publishing contracts.

·         Be certain your product is not too thick, and not too demanding in terms of color, paper or size; the question of format will be more important here on out.

·         Look for special sales markets and opportunities.

·         Align yourself with like groups, bookclubs, and people who share your idea; seek cross-markets.

·         Try to personalize some of your content, (think consumer-designed and customized).

·         Don't look for trends because they are gone the minute you spot one.

·         Make your work organized and accessible.

·         Realize that promotion will be an ongoing thing and two to 10 hours a week is not unreasonable.

·         Give free content occasionally; not everything should have a price.

·         Web offerings should be updated and changed frequently.

·         Don't spam, be obnoxious or oversell.

If you're ready to put your expertise into book form, you'll need a nonfiction book proposal—the only medium literary agents will still consider. Sign up for Andrea's ongoing workshop called: Publish That Book: How to Write a Nonfiction Book Proposal That Sells. Intense, 8-week e-classes are ongoing at Absolute Write: http://www.absoluteclasses.com/Campbell/publish.htm

If you have a book proposal or need to know more about marketing, look for Andrea's e-course: The Gatekeepers: All About Agents and Editors—Getting them, working with them, and growing as a career author. Visit http://www.absoluteclasses.com/Campbell/gatekeepers.htm.

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