A Publisher's Conversation with Authors: Aging Books and Aging Authors
It is Tuesday. Monday's madness is over, and Wednesday will take us over the hump, so Tuesday it is--for some serious discussion with authors. Tuesday talks mean to address authors in waiting and self-published authors who would like to go a more traditional route or who would at least like to take their steps with a publisher by their side.
This week, we talk about an inevitable fact of life: aging. In the publishing industry, two things age every day: books and authors. So, what can you do? There are things you can do, things you should do, and things you must do. We deal with a big range of life circumstances, including surprises in the aging domain. Based on that experience, here is some advice for authors:
Aging Books
There are a few things you can do about aging books. Chief among them is relaunching them (a second edition) if new information is available and has dated your book.
A book does not always have to be re-launched if there is no truly new information in the content domain of the book. In that case, you can revise and re-launch, just to bring attention to the book, but you do not have to. You can expand your promotional efforts, bringing your book to the attention of new audiences.
If the book is standing the test of time, you can gain some attention for it as a legacy book. There are several book award competitions that identify and award legacy books.
Sometimes a publicist or Influencer can bring new attention to an old book.
Aging Authors
As authors age, unless they keep writing new book (one of the best ways to keep all books in the public's attention), their book(s) often slip in importance until eventually they are just something that the author did at one point in his/her life.
For authors who want to stay active in publishing and marketing their books, this is generally one field that can be accommodating for age -- especially given the capacity for marketing through social media, conducting seminars and workshops online, and writing articles that are not deadline-dependent.
For authors who cannot remain active, publicists can help if an author is willing to invest money in lieu of energy.
Of great importance for all authors, aging or otherwise, is for them to notify heirs about their books and notify publishers of heirs. We have sometimes had to track down the heirs, which is not an easy task. Heirs should be educated beyond just, "I have a book," They are generally not authors and do not understand the ramifications of "having a book." One of our affiliated authors (writers of books we did not publish but recommend in our webstore) died; he happened to be local, and I saw in the paper that his brother was in town, wrapping up his affairs. I contacted him, and he had clearly no idea what it meant to be an heir to his brother's copyrights. Even though his brother had no financial or legal connection to us, I was able to walk the heir through financial and legal issues related to his brother's books.
For specific questions, being able to leave the name of a lawyer and accountant familiar with your book can really help your heir.
Bottom line: As in all aspects of life, authors should plan for the long-term care of their books.
See more Publisher Conversations with Authors HERE.
Learn more about publishing from an acquisitions editor -- how to get your book proposal accepted, why proposals are turned down/accepted, and how to find the right publisher for your book. On special sale for $5 while inventory lasts at MSI Press webstore. Also available as an e-book and an audiobook.
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The Tuesday talks reflect real discussions between the management of MSI Press LLC and our own authors or those would-be authors who come through our doors but don't make the cut--yet. If you have a topic that you would like addressed, leave the question in the comment section. Chances are, in our 18 years of publishing first-time and experiences authors, we have had a conversation with one of our authors that we can share with you.
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Julia Aziz, signing her book, Lessons of Labor, at an event at Book People in Austin, Texas.
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