My publisher just pushed back my release date by six months. This has also happened to some friends of mine (different publisher). I also have a friend who kept getting their date pushed back, then finally, the publisher dropped them completely. I'm worried. What's going on?
If you'd asked me this question a year or two ago, I'd have said that most likely your book was pushed back because the publisher picked up another book with a more timely topic or a book they thought would sell a little better. And that could still be the reason for your change of release date.
These days, however, it could also very well be that they just don't have enough money to publish according to their original schedule. Publishers all over are delaying releases and trimming their publishing budgets. It's just part of this wonderful economic boom we're experiencing.
Unfortunately, the only thing you can do about it is to come up with some killer promotional ideas, present them to your publisher, and hope it will impress them so much that they'll bump someone else's book back and put yours in their slot.
[Sitting, Waiting, Wishing. . . by Jack Johnson (Love this song!)]
1 comment:
I am just a beginning writer but I did earn a business degree. Writers need to understand that publishing a book is just as much about making money as it is about entertainment, if not more. If an author can't think of why or how their book should stand out, then perhaps it isn't worthy of publish. I have noticed as I have started to network with other writers that sometimes the creative factor overrules the marketability factor. It is great to write symbolically or have an impossibly twisted plot but if the book has marketing issues, it won't get done. I would suggest to be examining the way your book could be marketed long before it is submitted to a publisher and submit your ideas with your manuscript. Just a thought (or 10). :)
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