John, this is so disheartening to hear. In the current age we live in I’ve found that one must advocate hard for themselves. If one doesn’t, much is or can be lost at the hands of another. Excuses are no excuse. Getting the word out is so important for others who may be facing the same challenges. Thank you for sharing this.
Thanks, Maggie! I guess the one redeeming feature for freelancers is that there's always another book to start dreaming about. Anyhow, that's what I do...
Gosh, that's rough. I hear so often of friends sharing how little is done to promote books and it just baffles me - picture books are expensive to produce...don't publishers want them to thrive and be profitable?
Yeah, I hate how all the editorial teams I've worked with consider any book is 'done' when they send out author copies. It ought to just be the start of having the book make money for the company.
I guess it's like what one old timer told me "Basically, we take the book and throw it against the wall... and see if anything sticks". Yep... but when it's hidden down in the basement, they can't even throw it against the wall to see if it'll stick.
Yes, it's really kind of sad. All the book makers do their jobs, the editors and designers... who'd have thought that the bookstore would choose to make it hard to even see the finished product? Very disheartening... and I don't know if I've ever seen this issue discussed in any of the online book places. People always say 'oh, but it will still be in the smaller bookstores..." but then most of those have been finished off by B&N and Amazon.
I think you brought this issue over at KCU yesterday. One of the most puzzling behaviors of the publishing industry. Gets me to think if there is something about bookstores and book display akin to payola in radio -- where songs, hits or not, were put in heavy rotation thanks to lump sums of cash. Payola now is fuzzier with streaming these days, but I can’t explain other way of seeing meritless crap rise to the top while awesome artists get largely ignored. Anyway, I’m rambling...
Five years is a long time! To think that in time, we will be losing such a magnificent part of our generation...the magical experience of reading a book while holding it in our hands. Small book stores are a dying breed. You can still find a few in NYC, where I grew up. Many collections there are from estate sales of the locals that passed away. Imagine some of the rare finds there!
I can't believe they closed the last B&N in University Village. Not a single bookstore left, when there used to be about 3 - a mystery book store that sold mystery books - a BIG children's bookstore - and a travel bookstore - Kays Bookmarks. All gone... and then they sold B&N and Amazon (which used to have a brick & mortar store). Yeah... so what do the kids do now? Only furniture stores are left.
It appears that B&N closed stores in many city areas, but where I live in the suburbs, it is very much alive! When I get the chance, I will photograph the B&N near my home and you will be amazed. I will look for your books and message you some photos.
That's absolutely crazy! While I love book illustration and writing, I reserve my work for surface pattern design because of fears I have as such. I have 10-15 good years to work and after 32 years of abuse in the education system, I have yet to have my hard work appreciated. Policies, politics and bureaucracies have succeeded in stifling the creative spirit. Fight on for your hard work to be seen among those that will greatly benefit from it. You have made a great difference in the lives of many! Just a shame that creatives have to revert to such measures.
Thanks! Zerly, I guess what bothers me the most is that for the previous 5 years, B&N had shut out every other bookstore by being such a behemoth... so after all the little book stores in my neighborhood were closed down (3 of them) - then B&N decides to just not even show my book on their shelves. Very sad...
And then Amazon came along and closed the rest of the real stores down.... so wow. I’m kinda glad I can just retire now...
Yep... thanks. I'm thinking just painting on canvas is probably a better deal.
Publishing is a weird way to try to make a living... and since I'm kind of retired now, maybe I should just forget about the books I've written... and try to just enjoy life.
Yep… something’s broken. And the whole industry needs fixing.
I sort of thought that as the person who thought up the book… wrote the book… illustrated the book… found the editor to sell the book…. And I also did the promotion for book… that I had done enough for the world of children’s books. Lol!
John, this is so disheartening to hear. In the current age we live in I’ve found that one must advocate hard for themselves. If one doesn’t, much is or can be lost at the hands of another. Excuses are no excuse. Getting the word out is so important for others who may be facing the same challenges. Thank you for sharing this.
Thanks, Maggie! I guess the one redeeming feature for freelancers is that there's always another book to start dreaming about. Anyhow, that's what I do...
John, thank goodness. Now you know the challenges and can plan your follow up strategy on how to ensure your books get front facing to the customer.
Gosh, that's rough. I hear so often of friends sharing how little is done to promote books and it just baffles me - picture books are expensive to produce...don't publishers want them to thrive and be profitable?
Yeah, I hate how all the editorial teams I've worked with consider any book is 'done' when they send out author copies. It ought to just be the start of having the book make money for the company.
I guess it's like what one old timer told me "Basically, we take the book and throw it against the wall... and see if anything sticks". Yep... but when it's hidden down in the basement, they can't even throw it against the wall to see if it'll stick.
Yes, it's really kind of sad. All the book makers do their jobs, the editors and designers... who'd have thought that the bookstore would choose to make it hard to even see the finished product? Very disheartening... and I don't know if I've ever seen this issue discussed in any of the online book places. People always say 'oh, but it will still be in the smaller bookstores..." but then most of those have been finished off by B&N and Amazon.
I think you brought this issue over at KCU yesterday. One of the most puzzling behaviors of the publishing industry. Gets me to think if there is something about bookstores and book display akin to payola in radio -- where songs, hits or not, were put in heavy rotation thanks to lump sums of cash. Payola now is fuzzier with streaming these days, but I can’t explain other way of seeing meritless crap rise to the top while awesome artists get largely ignored. Anyway, I’m rambling...
Five years is a long time! To think that in time, we will be losing such a magnificent part of our generation...the magical experience of reading a book while holding it in our hands. Small book stores are a dying breed. You can still find a few in NYC, where I grew up. Many collections there are from estate sales of the locals that passed away. Imagine some of the rare finds there!
I can't believe they closed the last B&N in University Village. Not a single bookstore left, when there used to be about 3 - a mystery book store that sold mystery books - a BIG children's bookstore - and a travel bookstore - Kays Bookmarks. All gone... and then they sold B&N and Amazon (which used to have a brick & mortar store). Yeah... so what do the kids do now? Only furniture stores are left.
It appears that B&N closed stores in many city areas, but where I live in the suburbs, it is very much alive! When I get the chance, I will photograph the B&N near my home and you will be amazed. I will look for your books and message you some photos.
That's absolutely crazy! While I love book illustration and writing, I reserve my work for surface pattern design because of fears I have as such. I have 10-15 good years to work and after 32 years of abuse in the education system, I have yet to have my hard work appreciated. Policies, politics and bureaucracies have succeeded in stifling the creative spirit. Fight on for your hard work to be seen among those that will greatly benefit from it. You have made a great difference in the lives of many! Just a shame that creatives have to revert to such measures.
Thanks! Zerly, I guess what bothers me the most is that for the previous 5 years, B&N had shut out every other bookstore by being such a behemoth... so after all the little book stores in my neighborhood were closed down (3 of them) - then B&N decides to just not even show my book on their shelves. Very sad...
And then Amazon came along and closed the rest of the real stores down.... so wow. I’m kinda glad I can just retire now...
Yep... thanks. I'm thinking just painting on canvas is probably a better deal.
Publishing is a weird way to try to make a living... and since I'm kind of retired now, maybe I should just forget about the books I've written... and try to just enjoy life.
Yep… something’s broken. And the whole industry needs fixing.
I sort of thought that as the person who thought up the book… wrote the book… illustrated the book… found the editor to sell the book…. And I also did the promotion for book… that I had done enough for the world of children’s books. Lol!
Sad lesson to learn….