Book Publishing News 05/12/17

Amazon to open bookstore in D.C.Amazon to open bookstore in D.C.

Amazon plans to open a bookstore in Georgetown. According to Vornado Realty Trust CEO Steve Roth, Amazon has agreed to lease a 10,000-square-foot space at 3040 M St. NW. Amazon currently operates bookstores in California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Oregon and Washington. Its website lists six “coming soon” locations in California, New Jersey, New York and Washington.

The State of Utah Benefits from Amazon Sales Tax Model

The Denver Post reports, “The state of Utah has seen its sales tax revenue skyrocket since the online retail giant Amazon.com agreed to collect taxes on purchases.” Officials refused to say how much of the tax revenue came directly from Amazon. Amazon began collecting the 4.7% sales tax in Utah in January under a deal with the state that allows Amazon to get the same 1.31 percent of the taxes-collected-handling-fee that in-state retailers receive.

EU’s New E-book Rules Worry Booksellers

“While the European Commission’s aim is to foster competition, the new rule may have the opposite effect,” says the The European and International Booksellers Federation. The EIBF, which primarily represents small and medium-sized booksellers, believes the shift may force many booksellers to abandon selling e-books altogether. In a press release they state that although 70-85% of booksellers in any given country in the EC sell e-books, the rule change would be to the “sole benefit” of the dominant multi-national e-book platforms, such as Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, and Google Play Books.” Read the full story …

2016 Was a Tough year for Independent Christian stores

Christian stores saw a 6 percent sales decline in 2016 over 2015. According to CROSS:SCAN data, 61 percent of reporting stores saw higher transaction averages but less traffic. While a decrease in store traffic is a major contributor to the sales decline, Christian stores also lack strong omnichannel capabilities (voice, email, SMS/text, web, mobile or social media presence)  that enable them to connect with consumers online.  As a percentage of the population with more disposable income increases, Christian-store customer segments may see a boost print-book sales. Read the full story …


Tips for Marketing Your Book

Join me May 21 – 25 at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference  where I’ll teach workshops on:

Why You’re Not Getting Book Contracts and What To Do About It

The book publishing industry changed last decade … year … month. Did you?  Learn the top mistakes writers make when they pitch their book and what to do about it.

Why You’re Not Getting Amazon Reviews and What To Do About It

Amazon book reviews are social-proof and one of the top reason online consumers make a purchase. Learn how to increase the number and rating of your book’s Amazon reviews.

Why You’re Not Selling Copies of Your Book and What To Do About It 

Do you have a sales goal for each of your books?  A royalty target?  A marketing budget?  Would you like to have a top-seller?  Learn the secrets that can turn any good book into a “blessed seller.”

Is There Life After Amazon?

is there life after Amazon?

“Lord, is there life after Amazon?”

That’s the question isn’t it? For authors and publishers? If Amazon conquers Barnes & Noble, LifeWay, Family Bookstores, and Books-A-Million, will there remain the freedom to write, publish, and sell novels and nonfiction outside of Amazon?

In July Amazon banished LPC from its KDP Select program. When I asked to be re-admitted, they replied, “We can’t offer any additional insight or action on this matter.” So while our titles continue to appear on Amazon as Kindle eBooks, they are no longer prominently featured or promoted by Amazon.

Thus my question to God: “Lord, reveal to me what you want me to learn from this. Show me the next step for LPC.”

Here are a few insights God gave me this week, followed by my prayers.

David was banished from the presence of Saul. I Chronicles 12:1

“Lord, may you be with us and bless us during our time of exile.”

Some Gadites defected to David. I Chronicles 12:8. The least was a match for a hundred. I Chronicles 12:14

“May the God of our fathers see what has happened to Christian publishing, and send modern-day Gadites to help change the face of publishing. Individuals who are strong in faith, where the least is a match for a hundred.”

Success, success to you, and success to those who help you, for your God will help you. I Chronicles 12:18

“I do not assume this verse of success is for LPC, but if it is your will, please give us success in the marketplace.”

Day after day men came to help. I Chronicles 12:18

“I ask that you send men and women to help LPC grow and reach new markets and more readers.”

Will not God also graciously give [you] all things? Romans 8:32

“Lord, show us a better way. Create opportunities for us outside of Amazon. If the LPC Ambassador Program is your idea, bless it.”

I do not know what will become of book publishing in the wake of Amazon’s growing influence, but the trends remain discouraging. Here are a few recent headlines from the book publishing industry.

Beacon Hill Press ClosingKansas City-based Nazarene Publishing House, parent company of trade imprint Beacon Hill Press, will shut down on December 1.

Abingdon re-evaluates publishing programs beyond 2015Abingdon Press, an imprint of The United Methodist Publishing House, announced Thursday that it is reassessing and realigning its Christian Living and Abingdon Fiction programs as a result of shifts in the industry.

Last week I received word that another popular romance imprint was shutting its doors. Each time a house or imprint contracts, another group of authors looks at the landscape and considers self-publishing with Amazon – a company that demands total loyalty.

Where are our Gadites of our day? Where are those men and women eager to change the face of book publishing? If you feel called by God to rise up and run at the giant, please email me. Together, I believe we can make a difference.

One percent of anything with God by your side is a recipe for success.

 

(All typ0s are orijinal and copywrited. Any rebroadcast or distribution without the XPress riden permission of the author is just find by me.)