Blogger: Wendy Lawton
Location: Books & Such Central Valley Office, CA
For my last good-news-post of the week, let me make one more prediction. We are going to reap the results of a pent-up buying demand on the part of publishers. They have been very conservative, very risk-averse for quite some time. Some publishers cut their lists a couple of years ago, causing an overstock of contracted books. All of that– cutting and overstock– is drawing to a close.
When I was in the toy industry, one retailer used to say, “You can’t sell from an empty shelf” each time she placed her hefty order. Wise words. Every business needs to have great product. Janet and I have sat in a number of different meetings when publishing representatives have offered variations of, “We’re going to publish fewer books but put more behind the books we do publish. Fewer books but bigger sales for those books.”
Yeah, right.
When we hear that, it takes everything we’ve got not to snicker. As if a publisher could predict which books would break out and only publish those “big” books. We all pride ourselves on our gut instincts but the only way to really identify a bestseller is to get the book out there and see what it does. In the old days, when I created a collection of dolls, I knew there would be A-level sellers, B-level sellers and C-level sellers. It didn’t matter how good the line, you never got all As because people have to make choices. There’s only so much buzz. If I had nine editions of dolls, one would be an immediate sell-out– impossible to buy even on the secondary market– two more would be As, two or three would be Bs and the rest Cs. If, instead of nine dolls in a line, I said I would only make the three As, guess what I would get? One A, one B and one C. It’s just the nature of merchandising.
If my retailer friend were to advise publishers she would say, “You can’t sell from an empty catalog.”
So how is that good news? We’re seeing an uptick in book sales. My own 2010 book sales to publishers were up 23% over my already very ambitious goal. This year is already looking to be strong for all of us at Books & Such. We keep saying the market is sluggish and we know that to be true at retail but we’re not seeing that with sales to publishers. They are buying.
If you are a writer with books to sell, this is a good thing. I’m hoping we’ll see publishers begin to add to their catalogs. The only way to discover more bestsellers is to develop a broader offering. The more gallons of milk in the tank, the more cream that will rise to the top, right?
So, that’s the end of my good news for this week. The demise of the publishing industry has been greatly exaggerated. And I think the chances of you becoming a published author have never been better.
Your turn: So what do you think? Do you think it’s time to roll up your sleeves and keep pursuing your dreams?
Thanks for a lovely, upbeat week. I really am feeling encouraged and ready to tackle my writing with greater gusto. Proof a reality check isn’t necessarily a bad thing!
I echo what Sarah said. It’s been wonderful hearing why traditional publishing isn’t dead. For so long, it seemed that was all anyone was saying–agents, editors, writers. So this has been very encouraging.
Now off to write!
What an uplifting week you have brought us amidst all the “bad” news in the media this week! You’ve given us the positive reinforcement we need to continue to work, work, work! Thank you, Wendy!
It’s great to have an inside look at it all. Thank you for the insight. This week I’m feeling more optimistic than ever, and your postings only add to that. I started a new WIP yesterday and can’t wait to finish it (a picture book doesn’t take nearly as long as a novel). 🙂
I’m rolling up my sleeves as I type! This is so awesome to hear people say encouraging things instead of the doom and gloom. Your posts this week have really encouraged me. Now to finish up the school day so I can yank out that YA novel and tighten some loose screws!
I appreciate your posts this week, Wendy. Good news is always welcome, more so than ever to counter all the negative talk that’s floating around the web these days. Your timing was inspired. This post especially is encouraging to me.
Thank you for another much-needed uplifting post. My husband is a former Marine (honorably discharged after five years and a combat tour in Iraq), and one of the unofficial mottos of the Marine Corps is “Adapt, overcome, improvise.” He says Marines are taught that you don’t give up and you don’t retreat. When you meet a seemingly impenetrable obstacle, you find a way to keep moving towards your objective. (If anyone has watched Battle Los Angeles, it’s accurate in how Marines think and operate.)
I think the same mindset is needed by writers as well, so I’d say it’s definitely time to roll up my sleeves and keep pursuing my dreams. One day hard work, training, and a little creativity will (Lord willing) see me reach my objective too.
Fabulous end to a stupendous week. I’m a stubborn old goat, so it’s rare I abandon anything once I start it. There will always be room for quality books. And just like all things, the economy is cyclical. We won’t be struggling forever. I’m going to keep writing and keep submitting–in good economic markets and bad ones.
Thanks for a week of wonderful and inspiring posts.
Thank you for that high note. Yes. I will keep pursuing my dreams. We are a fickle people, but isn’t that what keeps us all hoping?
Thanks for the encouraging insight. I haven’t paid a lot of attention to the doom and gloom. The economy, etc. are all things I notice but don’t affect my attitude towards getting published much.
I write because I can’t not write. When I finish one manuscript and begin working on editing and eventually submitting it, I’m already working on a new one. I just have too many stories to tell. Getting published is a dream, and I continue to make choices to hopefully get me closer to that end – but regardless I keep writing. My mother says I’m beating my head against a wall – maybe. But I’ll be forwarding your post on to her and sticking my tongue out as I hit send 😛
Dreams…..dreams are a funny thing. Are they a window into an invisible world which lies beyond the veil of this one? A mirror reflecting our innermost desires, or one which distorts them funhouse-like into an impossible country to where none may travel?
If we are to follow them—
If we are to follow them, who or what would we leave behind?
Me or I or You that never was?
Is it the height of selfishness to chase after a self that we are not?
But of course—
The path is narrow so do not stray
And leave the Light
To find where dreams serve only to betray
And become nightmares.
……Guess I’ll stick to prose 🙂
Haha, I second what Cheryl said. I can be quite stubborn, which, while getting in the way sometimes, can help me persevere.
This post might be the most uplifting so far, Wendy. Thanks for this series this week. I’ll keep on working, focusing on spreading His love and goodness and striving to increase my skill to better serve Him.
Have a lovely weekend, everyone!
Thank you for the encouragement this week, Wendy. When it comes to the writing industry, I try to keep my feet on solid ground. However, too much negative news can make it feel like I’m sinking in quicksand before I’ve taken more than the first steps.
I was especially happy to learn that historicals are still “fashionable.” I not only like writing them, but I enjoy reading them. Of course, I’m hoping mine will be added to a publisher’s expanded catalog in the near future.
Wendy, this has been a great week of inspiring posts and interesting discussion. Thanks for the positive beat on publishing. 🙂
Wendy,
You’ve heard the expression, “Don’t Feed the Bears.” Now with a full week of hand crafted Pollyanna dolls, you’ve got all of us gullable grizzlies wandering the campground, knocking over trashcans and looking for pic-a-nic baskets. Thanks for the yummy huckleberries. We don’t need much to be able to survive these publishing winters of discontent.
Another inspiring post just like all the others here this week. I feel renewed determination to pursue my dream of being published. So refreshing to hear that the publishing industry is doing better than some would have us believe. Thank you, Wendy, for passing on your experiences and observations.
This was so encouraging, thank you. I have two manuscripts I hope to sell in the near future and the doom and gloom surrounding the publishing industry had dampened my spirits. You’ve given me hope 🙂
What an encouraging note to end on! Thanks for a great week of posts.
Wendy, this is what you are so good at doing and this post just sings to me! You just have a good eye and are able to put this business into words I can understand. 🙂
I asked some of my Facebook friends what genre of fiction they liked best and what they liked to read. Not that many answered,and there were the typical smart aleck replies :)(“Amish Zombies fiction,”) which show how some people are fed up with the offerings. And one person wisely linked to your post this week! 😉 But there also was this thread–they want to laugh and want light, uplifting positive fare. An obvious reflection of the uncertainty of the times or are my readers old? 🙂
This winter one of my friends who is 94 (not Imy) said she wanted to read something to take her mind away from the facts that she just buried the 3rd of 4 sons and has outlived her husband, too. She begged me for books that would make her smile, laugh.
And another friend who runs a Christian bookstore asked me what was so special about a particular book she CANNOT keep on her shelves. I just said to my bookstore manager that I thought it was because that book gave hope and simple joy in a dark situation. Maybe this is the next thing. I’m hoping so! 🙂
I agree with everyone that this series was great.
Thanks for this post and the passion you bring to both this industry and your role in it. Great series, very encouraging.
Great!
Thank you so much for this uplifting post. I know that I can’t help but write and I’m sure the publishers can’t help but publish. It’s their life.
Wonderful week spent with you, Wendy.
Thank you, for pointing us all in the right direction and giving us hope.
I think this is great and it makes sense. What I want to see are publishers being willing to pick up tradition adult high fantasy again. They seem to all want to hold their noses and call it all derivative these days, despite the fact that it has a huge audience and always sells well.
This sounds good and it makes sense. What I want to see are publishers deciding to buy traditional adult high fantasy again. These days it seems they just want to hold their noses and call it all derivative, despite the fact that there is a huge audience for it and it always sells well.
Awesome! Hopefully, I’ll have my own novel polished by then to begin looking. Very encouraging!