While the turbulent forces of publishing industry storms have been brewing, I’ve been wondering how science fiction romance readers, authors, and small press/digital publishers could take advantage of the changing times.
This isn’t to say that the traditional publishing model is on the way out—far from it. Mainstream print publishers will continue to be a driving force, but they are tightening their belts to maximus restrictus.
Even though SFR is a niche market, there’s no reason we can’t get creative about connecting the product with both current and new readers. Developing and implementing new strategies will require an innovative mindset and lots of elbow grease, but I believe there’s plenty of opportunity for science fiction romance to grow despite the sturm und drang. New seeds are being planted.
As I reflected on how to make science fiction romance a contender, ten points came to mind....
10) A new belief system is in order: The reader, not the bookseller, is the customer.
9) Customers are demanding affordable books, especially digital ones. (It bears repeating that paperbacks outsell hardcovers, and this article outlines “the shocking few [hardcovers] sold at that price [$20 plus dollars].” (Thanks to Jane from Dear Author for the link.)
8) Inexpensive ebooks can translate to higher profits. We can’t control the market, but we can control our own behavior. What, then, are specific, straightforward, and realistic strategies we can use to nurture SFR? How can we monetize the various components of our online community?
7) Authors could explore selling digital science fiction romances at competitive prices through their Web sites or in venues such as publication on the Kindle (more on this below the cut). In this case, you’re not just selling science fiction romance. You’re selling inexpensive digital content in an ever-expanding market. Plus, you’d reap a higher per-book income and reach new customers.
6) Aspiring authors should seriously consider bypassing New York altogether—at least for now—and either aim for a career in digital publishing or taking advantage of publication on the Kindle or through Smashwords (in which case, only serious entrepreneurs need apply (more on this below the cut). To refresh your memory, here’s a list of publishers who will consider science fiction romance.
5) Is there a small press/digital publisher willing to brand itself as the leader in quality science fiction romance? If not, it's an excellent chance to grab and own the brand. Opportunities like this don't come often, but here it is—a shiny apple waiting to be picked.
4) Readers (including those that are writers) can buy new, spread the word about their favorite books, and give feedback to authors about what they are willing to pay for ebooks. If you don’t have an e-reader but are willing to read a novella or short story on your laptop, let authors know.
3) Ebooks are the future and the future is here now. You may or may not be a fan of ebook readers in their present form (I know I'd like to see lower prices and better tech), but once a 10-ton train like this starts rolling—and it is—then it's either hop on and enjoy the ride or get out of the way. Paper will still be around for a long, long time, but digital is the future—something that blends well with this little thing called SFR.
2) People who like science fiction like gadgets. I know, who would ever guess? But, it's an important point to make. When this once-niche format called DVD first leaped onto the scene, the best selling discs were all SF related—first was STARSHIP TROOPERS, which was supplanted by THE MATRIX. People who like SF love new technology. And if that technology requires new media to drive it...well, you do the math. Hand meet glove.
1) The science fiction romance online community is its own marketing department. Not everyone can be a J.A. Konrath. But what might we accomplish if we start exchanging our skills and resources to help promote both authors as well as the subgenre? Sometimes it happens organically, but I’d wager an organized approach would benefit the community as well. How about we start the conversation right now?
I realize many of the ideas involve time and the building of new skill sets. And the idea of venturing out into the digital landscape, with its onus on the author to "Do Everything" can seem daunting. But in a niche subgenre like science fiction romance, I don’t believe anyone has to go it alone.
I’m also not alone in discussing alternate publishing business models:
Agent Nathan Bransford believes “It’s a Great Time to Be An Author” because, “In the e-book era, everyone will have a shot.” However, “this new era will require more of authors than just writing a book in a cabin in the woods and shipping it out for someone else to do the rest. It will require an entrepreneurial spirit and a whole lot of virtual elbow grease.”
From the comment section of Are free ebooks a good idea or not? “…crowdsourcing of fiction is becoming ever more common and does have the potential to make a decent return. Two examples - Lee & Miller wrote the first drafts of their recently published (by er Baen) novels Fledgling and Saltation a chapter at a time visible for all to see on the Internet. As I understand it, they raised somewhere north of $20,000 doing so - I think it may have been over 30k but am niot sure. That's not too different from the typical midlist authorial advance.”
Michael A. Stackpole, in his commentary about authors who lost sales because of the Amazon-MacMillan face-off, posed the question, “What could these authors do to get more income for their writing?
They could take all the stories for which they own the ebook rights, prep them for publication on the Kindle, and set them up for sale on their own websites. Sales of material from their own websites will pay them today. Kindle sales will pay them in sixty days. Between now and October, an author could easily and fairly effortlessly, pull in $1000 to $3000 via such digital sales. If they work at it, even more.”
He elaborates on the above in his next post:“Make no mistake about it: the fight over ebooks is a fight by publishers to stay relevant. I’ve already pointed out that they are defending a grossly inefficient business model. Authors now have direct access to their audience and by going direct (even charging less than the publishers) authors can make money faster than the publishers will allow. Authors have plenty of content which they can sell digitally, and can generate more, faster. When you can make more off a $2 short story than you can off an $8 paperback set in the same world, and not have to wait 6-9 months for a publisher to send you your cut, you can take control of your own economy. [Emphasis mine]
Are digital sales to the point where they can supplant traditional publishing income? For some authors they are. Digital readers are proliferating, and the J. K. Rowling demographic is very comfortable with reading off a screen. They’re reading more. And if your work is not available digitally, you don’t exist to them.
It’s time for writers to stop lamenting how the inefficiencies of the old system treat them badly, and to embrace the future. If writers don’t take control of their future, they doom themselves to the obscurity that will swallow the current business model whole.”
In A Fix For Publishing Business Model, Jacqueline Lichtenberg proposes an ambitious “"story-supported-advertising" business model…Writers wouldn't be selling their "intellectual property" at all. They'd give away their stories, and get paid for giving them away by manufacturers who see their products being bought in order to get access to the story.”
And I’d like to sign off with this inspiring quote:As publishers pull back from buying the rights to as many books as they try to husband their capital in fewer, more successful titles, they will open the door for new hits to be developed outside of their control.
“New hits,” of course, must mean science fiction romance! That’s what I’m talkin’ about!
Joyfully yours,
Heather
Related posts: 25 Ways to Boost SFR
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
10 Steps To Making Science Fiction Romance A Contender
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15 comments:
I think it'd help if more SFR was written to appeal to younger readers too. I love that it leads the Romance genre in mature heroines, but...
...if we don't bring in younger readers the subgenre dies with us.
Remember, girls are still getting the love of Science and Science Fiction peer pressured out of them in Junior High. I think we should champion Science Fiction-flavored YA novels with girl heroes, like SKINNED by Robin Wasserman, and also regular SF novels which appeal to young people and/or have girl heroes, like XOMBIES by Walter Greatshell. If there's romance in them, all the better.
No Babies, No Future.
Personally, I am excited about this change in publishing. Music has already started the shift from major record labels to more indie bands. The audience is now exposed to a wider variety of entertainment and this change will require more from the individuals to market their own material and to be in more control of their material. Very exciting!
It seems to me in this new publishing universe it is going to be much harder for the reader to make sure they are getting quality for their money. I know that there are good writers out there who don't get published by the traditional system, and there are big selling writers who are not edited at all and could probably get the scratch pad by their phone published based on past sales, BUT the traditional publishing system does act as a sieve that keeps just anything from getting to the shelf in my local bookstore.
Lets face it when anyone can put out a professional looking book or website it make it much harder to tell who has a well written story to sell.
I do see new opportunity for growth in this new future, but I also see wading through much more crap to find good reads.
"I do see new opportunity for growth in this new future, but I also see wading through much more crap to find good reads."
I agree with that, except that I'd rather wade through crap to find something I like, than have some big think-tank force-feed stuff I hate. For example, I don't listen to the radio. It's the same songs over and over and over. And OVER. Someone somewhere decided these 12-15 songs would be what I'd listen to for the next 2 weeks, and play them ad nauseam. Me, I prefer to listen to music of my own choosing. So I go online, I buy tunes, or I listen to CDs (old-school, I know). Yes, I wade through some crap, but *I* will be the one who decides if it's crap to me, or if it's good to me, not some music exec in his gold tower.
Plus, big publisher equals not quality read.
p.s. my safe word is "unmula". Does that mean I'm poor? :)
Hey Heather, your list of small pubs was put together before Carina opened, so I'll just remind everyone that we're out there and we're eager for science fiction and fantasy romance. In fact, in addition to myself (and everyone should know by now that I love the genre!), we have a former editorial assistant from Dorchester who's very familiar with the genre, Deb Nemeth formerly of Samhain who's been a champion of fantasy, plus Laura Anne Gilman is now editing for us and I don't think anyone can argue that she knows the genre!
I'm a believer when it comes to ebooks, but I'm not sure anything I could say in these comments would change anyone's mind about quality of ebooks vs traditional print. I'll just say I have some favorite SFR authors in the ebook/small pubs.
BUT, I'd like to point this out. Ebook and small press publishers do tend to give the reader not just access to excerpts, but many times an entire first chapter, or more. You don't usually get that with traditional print. If you're worried about quality, check the excerpt first. If it hooks you, then not only have you found yourself a good read, but you can download it immediately. If not, don't buy the ebook.
I don't disagree with anything you've said, Heather, and think there is plenty of potential in the digital world. But until the issue of piracy is addressed is some satisfactory way, I don't see how this can yet work to the author's advantage. Even when books are published through well-established and careful e-publishers, titles are ripped off and "shared" openly on public sites. And the more popular the books are, the more it seems to happen. I can imagine the protections will be even fewer for authors who try to go it alone on their own websites. One of the most vocal advocates of e-publishing I know, a prolific and multipublished author, admits she's been pirated a number of times and has made virtually nothing off her sales. I'm not sure I understand Jackie L.'s idea at all, but then, hell, I'm just a writer. Maybe that's the problem. What we really need is a new class of AGENTS who could find us the best deal, NEW AGE digital OR OLD SCHOOL print, or both.
Kimber An, well said. What better way to stimulate critical thinking as well as a love of math and science than YA SF? Fingers crossed the subgenre sprouts wings.
@JLC Exactly. I for one never want to go back to the terrestrial and monolithic music market of my youth. Same with books (and what Nathalie said).
Mary, I agree that two challenges the digital market has to tackle (at least in the case of self-published books or those published using an alternate model) are editorial and distribution. The solutions may not be solidified yet but is that because they don't exist or because no one's created them?
In my post, I was thinking more of grass-roots efforts (i.e., an author connects with good beta readers and learns to self-edit), but you're right, even great writers can use a second set of eyes. And that service can't or shouldn't always be free. But hmm, what about old-fashioned bartering? Just a thought.
Hey Heather, your list of small pubs was put together before Carina opened
@Angela Oopsie! Lol, I'm so used to Carina being around now that I forgot. Thanks for the heads up--I added Carina to the list.
@Ella I have my go-to authors in the digital realm as well, and have discovered stories that rival and also exceed the quality of books from mainstream print publishers (at least in the case of science fiction romance). However, I agree that one way digital publishers could be more competitive would be to offer quality books more often.
@Donna I agree, piracy is a problem, but one significant way to combat it is to offer ebooks at fair prices. There are people who will pirate books out of spite simply because of outrageous prices (not saying all ebook prices are outrageous, but there is a reason to question the pricing strategy of some print publishers) or in reaction to publisher backlash against ebooks. Immature? Yes, but that's how some of them think.
Part of me questions whether the issue of piracy is, in part, propaganda spread by some within the publishing industry to stem the tide of the digital book market. Piracy is a challenge to face, but so is white collar crime. People can still make a profit even when both exist.
I think you know how I feel about the prospect of investing MORE virtual elbow grease doing even MORE things than I already do *sigh*.
I had an ambitious idea that I wil neer do, so anyone who likes it could take it!
What about a specialized ebook store? After all there is a Mobi store, a short story ebook store etc.A one stop shopping place, maybe with a forum, author interviews, reader's reviews, coupons, contests, related sales items like coffee mugs,t shirts etc? I know I would hang out there.
Also know it would be a huge undertaking!
Stackpole's idea works...if you're Mike Stackpole.
I've taken my expired stuff, bundled the shorts into collections and made them available. No sales so far. Mostly, I don't want to be a publisher and an editor and a cover artist. I just want to write and sell the finished product.
There are people who will pirate a $1.29 short story where all the royalties were donated to charity. It's no tied to pricing. It's all about the sport and collecting as many ebooks as possible. I know. It was my short story.
Good point, Angelia, the hundreds of stolen copies (supposedly) of one of my inexpensive Samhain titles probably surpass the number of legit sales *laugh*. I know I'm not the only one.
I like the idea of the specialized ebook store!
Cross-pollinate. I found my way to SF via Fantasy via short fiction--the shorts in Dragon magazine, and then later on the zines that introduced new writers via a sort of "sponsorship" with experienced names--Asimov's World and such. I don't think Romance has the equivalent, except maybe the anthology book, and from what I understand, most are done at the publisher's prompting, or with material that the publisher already owns the rights to. Where are the skiffy romance zines?
Like others, it's the "wading through crap" part that gives me pause. And much of that would be taken care of via price point. If I had some easy way of finding new writers--say, 99-cent short stories, or 1.99 or 2.99 collections, as opposed to 5.99 or 7.99, I'd consume more and not worry so much about ending up with a clunker.
On the piracy issue? Piracy did not begin with ebooks. I recently read an interview of a book pirate and he talked casually about scanning print books. Piracy began with scanners, not ebooks. JK Rowling is one of most pirated authors and she refuses to release her books in e.
While I don't believe it, I read one guy who said the way to truly stamp out piracy was to eliminate print books. Now I know there are those who go after DRM like, well, I won't say what. So don't believe that either. I'm not even sure it is a price issue. Because many pirated books are reasonably priced.
Music sharing was rampant until the music companies started hitting ordinary people. I'm sure music is still shared, but not as rampantly as it was before big fines. If people realized how expensie copyright violation really is, they might not be so quick to do it. IMHO.
Writer and Cat--I hear you.
Melisse--cool idea. I'm wondering if this isn't something digital publishers could do, or something similar, e.g., create a retail section for their SFR books, which should include erotic offerings as well. As long as the metadata allows for ease of shopping, everyone should be able to find the heat level they want. I'm sure there's a risk there, but I say go for it! ;)
Angelia, so sorry that happened to you. That does suck, and it definitely points to the depth of the problem.
Where are the skiffy romance zines?
The closest equivalent--kind of--to a skiffy romance zine was the Science Fiction Romance Newsletter (the link is to part one of a four part feature I did), which ran from 1994-2007. When the print version ended, it became Speculative Romance Online (see link in my blogroll). From the efforts of this newsletter came the 2006 Zircon Anthology of Speculative Romance.
I think a zine is a fabulous idea--who wants the job, LOl?! While it'd be quite an undertaking (who would edit it, for example? And it would probably have to be a labor of love), I think the idea has huge potential. The SFR online community has got the marketing covered--now all someone would have to come up with are the stories, editing, and technical stuff. Er, no small feat, to be sure.
Music sharing was rampant until the music companies started hitting ordinary people.
That, but also two other things: The shuttering of Napster and the birth of iTunes. Before iTunes, it was much, much harder to purchase digital music than it was to grab it for free. Yes, you could still buy the CD and load it onto an iPod, but people liked the convenience of downloading music digitally.
The music publishers actually shot themselves in the foot by waiting so long to provide music digitally. People wanted it, but the publishers didn’t want to provide it. That set up the general feeling of “fine, then I’ll just take it” that still exists to this day. Many teenagers today have been downloading files for free over half of their young lives. Once that mentality sets in, it’s hard to break.
All in all, I think a small percentage are going to pirate something, even if it’s only a nickel, but the vast majority of people will pay if the price and product are right.
At any rate, let's just hope that pirated books does not equal millions upon millions of downloads/illegal sales of every book pirated.
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