The question is whether I should pay $150 to have my novel listed in a brand new, quarterly supplement being produced by Publishers Weekly Magazine. PW is a highly regarded trade magazine for literary agents, publishers, booksellers, media, librarians, and pretty much anybody who has an interest in the world of books. PW, with their supplemental insert, is conceding to the fact that self-publishing is currently too big to ignore.
Here is their offer’s opening sentence: “In recognition of the boom in self-publishing and as an acknowledgment that valuable works are being published outside traditional publishing, PW is giving self-published authors a chance to present their titles to the publishing trade.”
Is it me, or is that a little offensive?
Isn’t it saying: “Here’s your chance to let us make money off of you”?
In April of 2010, the New York Times published an article by Virginia Heffernan titled: The Rise of Self Publishing. Heffernan stated that in 2009 Bowker (issuers of ISBNs – International Standard Book Numbers) had issued 764,448 ISBNs to self-publishers and micro publishers vs. 288,355 to traditional publishers such as Random House.
PW isn’t exactly embracing self-publishers as much as they’re embracing their dollars. $150 times more than 764 thousand authors, hello mama! O.K. Sure, not every self-published author is going to want to be listed in this new quarterly, but you surely can see the potential for amazing money.
The deal is sweetened by the promise that 25 of the titles submitted for the quarterly will actually be pulled for a bona fide review by staff at PW. So then it becomes an odds game. If 100 manuscripts are submitted then the odds of getting a professional review are not great, but not horrible either. If 100,000 manuscripts are submitted, then that’s a bona fide long shot.
Every week I get a colorful envelope in the mail that contains coupons for discounts at local businesses: oil change, carpet cleaning, dog grooming, etc. It goes straight from the mailbox to the trash while I grumble about wasted paper. Is that what’s going to happen to this PW supplement? How likely is it really that any of the book biz notables are ever going to lay eyes on my $150 worth of ink? When was the last time you perused the phone book just to see if something interesting was in it? Is the supplement going to get anything more than the most cursory glance?
But what if it is taken seriously, even if only by a few, or just one person? Then, I think I want to be in it. The PW website says they have over 80, 000 readers from across the literary spectrum. Maybe a couple of those folks do actually read the magazine from cover to cover and love the supplements. I don’t know. Maybe. Will $150 break my bank? No. But I don’t part with that amount of hard-earned cash without some serious thought to value. I have doubts that this magazine insert carries any value at all.
Oh, I just don’t know. I have until 10/31 to make up my mind.
I’ll be missing next Friday’s post, but I’ll write on the following Friday 10/29, Have a great next two weeks!