LAUNCH COMMUNITY PUBLISHING INITIATIATIVES WITH

SELF-PUBLISHED EBOOKS

How Libraries Can Foster a Culture of Authorship

April 11, 2014San Antonio, TX

Mark Coker Founder, Smashwords

Twitter: @markcoker

2

What We’ll Cover

Publishing past and present

5 Trends shaping the future of publishing

Aligning the common interests of writers, libraries and patrons

How libraries can promote a culture of authorship

How to publish and distribute an ebook (checklist)

3

Let’s begin with an over-simplified history of storytelling

4

The Story Behind Smashwords

5

Publishers Said “No”

• Despite great efforts of our agent, every major NY publisher said NO (TWICE!)

6

I evaluated our options

1. The rational (conventional) option Give up, admit failure

2. The irrational option Believe in ourselves

Try to fix the problem

7

How to fix a problem

1. Identify the problem Big 6 Publishers!!!

Toxic to the future of publishing

Don’t value all writers

Unable to take a risk on all writers

2. Visualize the utopian solution Every writer should have the freedom to publish

Readers should have the freedom to judge what’s worth reading

3. Create the Solution

8

My Answer: Smashwords

• * FREE * eBook Publishing Platform

Free ebook publishing tools help writers become ebook publishers

Free learning materials to help writers adopt best practices of professional publishers

Distribution to ebook stores and libraries

Smashwords Distribution Network

10

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 20130

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000 Chart Title

Ebooks published at Smashwords

1406,000

28,800

92,000

191,000

276,000+

11

How Smashwords Works

• UPLOAD

• Author uploads their manuscript to Smashwords (Word .doc or epub)

• Instant, free ebook conversion

• For sale within 5 minutes of upload

• DISTRIBUTE

• Distribution to retailers and libraries

• GET PAID

• Author earns 60-80% list

• Quarterly payments

12

Let’s bust a dangerous myth

13

What myth should we bust?

14

The Myth of Big Publishing

15

Writers (and libraries) were taught to bow subservient before the altar of Big

Publishing

16

Publishers were the bouncers at the pearly gates of author heaven

• Promised Perks of the Writer’s Afterlife

• editing

• printing press

• distribution

• marketing

• royalties

• fame and respect

• readers

• “published author” inscribedon their tombstone

17

writers taught they couldn’t graduate to author heaven until a publisher blessed them

… and unless they got a book deal, they were a failure

18

… and in a sense it was true

Publishers held all the power to connect books with readers

19

Writers were told to keep toiling, and waiting…

Rejection would make them stronger

“You’ll get published when you perfected your craft like these other great writers” …

20

Justin Bieber got a book deal

21

Snooki got a book deal

22

Kourtney, Kim and Khloe got a book deal

23

Stop

Don’t sell your soul

24

The old model of publishing is broken

It has become harmful

to writersto readersto libraries

to the future of books

25

Publishers have amassed too much power

• Publishers Decide

• What writers can publish• What readers can read• What libraries can buy

• limiting ebooks at libraries• outrageous pricing of ebooks

26

Big Publishers Not Friendly to Libraries

• Reluctant to sell ebooks to libraries

• Publishers fear library ebooks

• will cannibalize print books

• will cannibalize retail ebook sales

• don’t wear out

27

Big Publishers Fail to Understand that Libraries Drive Discovery and

Sales

• Libraries help reach new readers

• 41% of library cardholders who read ebooks purchased their most recently read ebook (Pew)

• 50% of library card holders go on to purchase books by authors they first discovered at the library (Library Journal, Bowker)

28Do publisher-controlled ebooks threaten the future of libraries?

29

Yes.

30

Yet the future for ebooks at libraries is brighter than ever

31

WHY?

32

THE POWER CENTER IN BOOK PUBLISIHNG IS SHIFTING FROM PUBLISHERS TO WRITERS

33

INDIE AUTHORS ARE PRO-LIBRARY

34

FIVE TRENDS TO ROCK THE WORLD OF LIBRARY EBOOKS

35

TREND ONE:

Reading Moving to Screens

36

Screens are the new paper

37

Ebooks as a percentage of US wholesale trade market

Source: Association of American Publishers, publishers.org. 2012-13 Smashwords estimate

38

Ebooks to overtake print

Print books

EbooksUnitsDollars

Print books

Ebooks

39

TREND TWO

The Rise of Ebook Self-Publishing (a.k.a indie ebook publishing)

40

Number of books published indie vs. traditional

Indie books

Today?

New trad. books

41

Readers are Embracing Indie Ebooks

• Indies scaling all the bestseller lists

• Every week, indie ebooks are in the bestseller lists of every retailer

• Almost every week, an indie ebook is hitting the NYT bestseller list

• Every week, every retailer is featuring Indie ebooks

Advantages of Indie Authorship

• Indie ebook author advantages• faster time to market

• creative control

• better distribution to global market

• immortal ebooks never go out of print

• lower expenses

• lower prices to consumers

• earn more per book

43

QUADRUPLE +

44

Indie Ebook Authors Earn Higher Percentage of List Price

• Indies earn more at lower prices

• At $2.99, an indie author earns more (~$2.00) than a traditionally published author selling an ebook at $10.00 ($1.20-$1.70)

• Lower price = reach more readers = more sales at higher profits per sale

60-80% 12-17%

Indie Traditional

45

TREND THREE

Publishers Losing Monopoly as Writers Gain Tools to Self-Publish

46

Big Publishers Losing Their Monopoly

• Publishing tools andknow-how are freely available:

• Printing press

• Distribution

• The knowledge of professional publishing best-practices

• Writers asking:

• “What can a publisher do for me that I can’t do for myself?”

• “Will a publisher actually harm my ability to reach readers?”

47

TREND FOUR

The Previous Stigma of Self-Publishing is Disappearing

48

Stigmas to Reverse: More Authors will Aspire to Indie Publish

Aspire Traditional

Aspire Indie

Today?

Aspire Indie

Aspire Traditional

6 yrs ago Soon?

49

TREND FIVE

As Publishers Turn their Backs on Libraries, Self-Published Authors Ready

to Embrace Libraries

50

Self-Published Authors Are Pro-Library

• Survey of 200+ Smashwords authors/publishers (June 2012)

• 82% believe by exposing their books to library patrons, they’ll sell more books at retail

• 2/3 said they’d price their books for libraries equal to or lower than the retail price

• 24% said they’d give their books to libraries for FREE

51

The Plan Forward

52

The 5 Trends Create a Future that Benefits Readers, Writers and Libraries

53

Patrons

• Patrons want• Accessibility• Discoverability• Diversity

54

Authors (the new publishers)

• Authors want• Availability• Discoverability• Readership

55

Libraries

• Libraries• Promote a culture of reading• Satisfy patrons with

• Accessibility• Discoverability• Diversity• Curation

• Deliver readership to authors

56

Ebook self-publishing aligns the interests of libraries, patrons and

authors

57

Libraries have an exciting opportunity to create a brighter future for books

58

THE PATH FORWARD FOR LIBRARIES:

1. Embrace ebooks

2. Promote a culture of authorship

59

Embrace Indie Ebooks (Step 1)

• Implement ebook checkout systems. Three options:

1. Outsource

• Baker & Taylor Axis 360, Overdrive, 3M Cloud Library, EBSCO, others

2. Insource

• Douglas County Model + Smashwords Library Direct + direct relationships with progressive publishers

3. Hybrid

• Multi-library cooperative such as Califa/ENKI

60

Utilize Crowd-Sourced Models of Curation (Step 2)

• Aggregated retailer bestseller lists reveal what paid readers are purchasing

• Smashwords can provide purchase lists

• Leverage social reading sites

• Library Thing, Goodreads

• Library Journal and Publishers Weekly now reviewing select indie ebook titles

• Implement patron-driven models

• Gardners UK example

• Multi-library collaboration on reviews by librarians?

61

Promote Culture of Authorship (Step 3)

• Facilitate Community Publishing• Orchestrate workshops, seminars, panels to

promote best practices for writing and publishing

• Help your community of writers to publish locally, distribute globally

• Smashwords can help• Free training materials

• “Publish to the library” with co-branded Smashwords publishing platform

62

Community Publishing Pilot Program with Los Gatos Public Library

• Kudos to Henry Bankhead of LGPL for his mentorship and encouragement

63

Henry Bankhead Recognized as 2014 Mover and Shaker

See March 12 Library Journal for more

64

Community Publishing Pilot Program with Los Gatos Public Library (Goals)

• Goals:

1. Marshal local resources to develop and promote a culture of authorship

• Library staff

• Graphic designers

• Published authors

• Patrons

2. Develop a future supply of library-friendly authors and books

3. Help authors publish locally, distribute globally

65

IMPLEMENTATION

66

Community Publishing Pilot Program with Los Gatos Public Library

(Implementation)

• Implementation:

1. Education:• In partnership with Smashwords, educate local writers

about ebook publishing best practices

• Leverage the physical space of the library to bring together patrons, published authors, aspiring authors, library staff

2. Co-branded publishing portal• Help authors publish locally, distribute globally

3. Partner with local high school to publish ebooks in the classroom

67

1. Education: LGPL/Smashwords Community Publishing Program

• Working with LGPL, Smashwords presented a 3-part seminar series of one-hour workshops

1. Introduction to ebooks (patrons, writers, library staff)

2. Introduction to ebook publishing (writers, staff)

3. Ebook publishing best practices (writers, staff)

Smashwords will supply updated presentations to any library that requests them

68

2. LGPL Co-Branded Publishing Portal

• Co-branded publishing portal with Smashwords• Free ebook publishing and distribution

services for library patron authors

• Local writer asks, “How do I…”• publish an ebook?

• make my ebook available to my community’s library?

69

2a. LGPL Publishing Portal

• Custom hyperlink from LGPL web site

70

2b. LGPL Publishing Portal

• Writer signs up for free Smashwords account

71

2c. LGPL Publishing Portal

• Free publishing and global distribution

• Smashwords manages end-to-end relationship from publishing to payments

72

2d. LGPL Publishing Portal Free Author Tools

• FREE publishing platform

• FREE, best-practices resources:

• Smashwords Style Guide (how to format an ebook)

• Smashwords Book Marketing Guide (how to market any book)

• Secrets to Ebook Publishing Success (best practices of successful authors)

73

3. Ebooks in the Classroom: LGPL/Smashwords Community

Publishing Program• A first-of-its kind experiment

• 125 freshman high school poetry students across five classroom periods will collaborate with Smashwords and LGPL to professionally produce, publish, distribute and sell a class poetry anthology

• Mark Coker addressing five classrooms to teach two classes:

• Introduction to Ebook Publishing

• Ebook Publishing Best Practices

• Students collaborate with one another to write, edit, format, publish and promote anthology

• Will be used as a freshman class fundraiser

• Official book launch will happen at Los Gatos Public Library May 6

74

Future plans for LGPL/Smashwords Collaboration

• Future plans

• Underway: LGPL and Smashwords are partnering with local high school (LGHS) to integrate ebook publishing into creative writing curriculum

• Once LGPL implements an ebook checkout system, the building blocks will be in place for local authors to “Publish to the Library”

• With over 90,000 authors, Smashwords has authors in nearly every zip code in the US.

• These authors can be invited to the library to for seminars, workshops and panel discussions to mentor fellow writers about ebook self-publishing

75

Let’s learn how to publish and distribute an ebook!

76

Checklist for Publishing an Ebook

Finish a super-awesome book

Format the book prior to conversion

Prepare cover image

Prepare the metadata

Ebook conversion to multiple formats

Pricing

ISBNs

Copyright

Distribution to retailers, libraries

Piracy

Marketing

77

Finish Your Super-Awesome Book

• Ebook publishing tools make publishing fast, free and easy, but…

• They don’t make it easy to write a great book

• The author is the publisher, so must act like one

• Edit, edit, edit, revise, revise, revise

• Involve beta readers (then revise again)

• Hire professional editor if necessary

78

Ebook Formatting

79

Formatting is the layout and design process to prepare your book for

publication

80

Formatting for Smashwords

300,000+Downloads!

81

Formatting Secrets

• Forget (some of) what you know

• Don’t try to make e- look like p-

• Ebooks consumed differently than print

• Less = more with ebooks

• Remove narrative from images

• Liberate text from complex formatting and layout

• Design for reflowability, small screens

Reflowability: Ebook devices (and customers) shape shift text

• Example of Smashwords novel, Heller by JD Nixon as viewed in iBooks e-reading app

• Users can select font style, font size and nightime mode, or view in portrait or landscape mode. Reflowability enables this!

83

Cover Image

Create Your Ebook Cover

• Covers are important

• First impression

• Great covers make a promise

• Make it:

engaging, matched to target audience

professional

good as thumbnail

good as B&W, greyscale

DIY Cover, or Hire Professional?

• Unless the author is an expert graphic designer or cover designer, they hire someone (covers are inexpensive!)

• Email list@smashwords.com for low cost cover designers and formatters

• $50-$150 (Mark’s list) or under $300 elsewhere (still cheap!)

• Library Idea: Find patrons expert in graphic design to leverage library’s multimedia lab to produce covers

86

Great covers make a promise

87

Great covers make a promise

88

Great covers make a promise

89

Great covers make a promise

90

Great covers make a promise

91

Great covers make a promise

92

Metadata

Metadata is data that makes your book discoverable in a store

Book title

Book description

Author name

Book category

Price

Publication dateISBN

Language Tags

94

Ebook Conversion

95

Conversion = Turning your formatted manuscript into an ebook file readable on

multiple ebook reading devices

96

E-reading Devices

Ebook Conversion at Smashwords

98

Pricing

Pricing

• Determine objective

• Platform building, sales, or both?

• Non-fiction supports higher prices than fiction

• If you publish multiple books, cover multiple price points to capture the most readers

• FREE, $.99, $2.99, $3.99, $4.99+

• Pricing strategy is integral to building readership

100

ISBN

101

What’s an ISBN?

• What it is:

• Unique digital identifier

• A 13-digit number

• Helps supply chain communicate about book

• Required for distribution to Apple, Sony, Kobo

• What it is NOT:

• Does not connote ownership or copyright

• Does not imply “professional” or “real”

• Not a common discovery method

102

Where to Obtain an ISBN

• Go to Bowker.com

• Expensive unless you purchase blocks of 10+

• Lists you as “publisher” in Books in Print

• Go to Smashwords

• FREE ISBNs

103

Copyright

104

Copyright Simplified

• By publishing something you created, you have copyright

• Copyright entitles you to an exclusive bundle of rights

• The notation of © is optional

• For best legal protection, go to Copyright.gov and register copyright online

• Learn more at the Copyright Clearance Center at www.copyright.com

105

Distribution to retailers and libraries

Smashwords Distribution Network

Maximize Availability, Avoid Exclusivity

• Ebook retailing is not like sports, religion or politics

• If your book is not available at every retailer, it’s not discoverable or purchasable

• Exclusivity

• angers fans

• limits audience

• increases your dependence upon a single sales outlet

Two options for getting your book on a retailer’s virtual shelves

1. Use a Distributor (such as Smashwords)

• Spend more time writing, less time on everything else

• Upload one file, reach many retailers

• Centralized metadata management

• Time-savings, consolidated payments and tax reporting

• Preorders to Apple, B&N, Kobo

2. Direct to Retailers

• Format for each specific retailer

• Upload to, and manage each retailer separately

• Some retailers (Flipkart, Oyster, Scribd, etc) and Libraries require distributor

109

Distribution to libraries

110

Libraries and ebooks

• Libraries are important to the future of books. Libraries…

• Make books available and accessible to everyone

• Promote literacy and a culture of books to children and adults alike

• Facilitate community around books

• Bring readers face to face with authors

• Beginning to offer ebook lending

111

Smashwords and our 90,000 authors and publishers see opportunity

• Smashwords library initiatives:

• Custom library pricing

• Smashwords Library Direct (direct sales to libraries)

• Distribute via library aggregators

• Baker & Taylor Axis 360

• Overdrive (coming soon!)

• 3M Cloud Library (future)

• Others in the works

112

Piracy

Everything you need to know about piracy

• Obscurity is bigger risk

• Black hat pirates who steal your book wouldn’t have purchased it anyway

• Most piracy is accidental – it’s an enthusiastic fan marketing your book for you

• Combat piracy by making your book easier to purchase than steal

• Broad distribution

• Low, fair price

114

Irrational fear of piracy leads leads to obscurity

• The only reliable method of piracy prevention is to NEVER PUBLISH

• Anti-piracy measures such as DRM only limit availability, accessibility and enjoyment

115

Marketing

116

Traditional marketing isn’t as important as you think it is

• Marketing is a catalyst, not fuel

• Your book is your best marketing

• Reader word of mouth determines your success

• Viral catalysts amplify word of mouth

• Build permanence

• Platform building

• Platform is your ability to reach readers, or people who can help you reach readers

117

The Plan Forward

118

Summary: How to Foster a Culture of Authorship in Your Community

• Indie authors are

• the future of publishing

• pro-library

• It takes a village to publish a great book

• Help your community publish great books

• Marshal local talent of patrons to mentor next generation of pro-library writers

• Hold events featuring local authors who can help mentor the next generation of authors

• Help your patrons publish locally and distribute globally (Smashwords PubPortal can help!)

119

Learn how to e-publish like a pro with Smashwords Tutorials at Youtube at

youtube.com/user/Smashwords

120

Free Ebook Publishing Resources

• NEW! Secrets to Ebook Publishing Success (best practices of successful authors)

• Smashwords Book Marketing Guide (how to market any book)

• Smashwords Style Guide (how to format an ebook)

121

Thanks for Listening, and Good Luck!

122

Q&A

Connect with Mark Coker and Smashwords:

Web: www.smashwords.com

Blog: blog.smashwords.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/markcoker

Facebook: facebook.com/markcoker

HuffPo: huffingtonpost.com/mark-coker

Twitter: @markcoker