I'm SO excited for these new editions of the TAKEN Trilogy! And I'm so excited for all the people who are about to discover this wonderful series for the first time. <3
Hi Erin, thanks for sharing about your experiences with both trad pub and self pub! I always find your newsletters so helpful. I'm currently in the self pub process as well and wondering if you have used Ingram Spark to release wide? That's the one I'm planning to use this time. I've been trying to read up on it and what the process is like vs KDP which is what I used last time I self pubbed, years ago. Also wondering if you've ever had your self pub books toured or marketed for you? I will look through your newsletter archives for more on self pub too, in case you already talked about how this has gone for you in the past! Thanks!!
For these titles I'm just using expanded distrbution via KDP, which should allow for the book to be available wide. (When I do my YA thriller In the Dead of the Night later this year, I plan to try releasing with Ingram.) I want to do both methods so I can weigh pros and cons, because based on my research there are definitely up sides to both. That said, I will be comparing apples and oranges, since this trilogy already had a shot in the trad space and is re-releasing as a new edition, whereas the thriller will be making it's first splash.
I do not have any experience with self pub book tours or marketing at this time. But hopefully that changes as I release more titles!
Did you have to get permission to reuse the design? (font, raised letter, etc.) I assumed that the design would also have been copyrighted, not just the photo.
I'm actually using my own fonts for this (ones I have licensing for), they just happen to look very similar to the fonts used on the original covers. Even still, I reached out to my contacts at Harper to confirm that it was okay to use the similar color palettes and mimic their font treatments, and was given the okay by folks there.
Erin, I’m also excited for you that you’ll be doing this.
I’m about to venture into these same waters with my “Gidion Keep” novels. I’ve been using Atticus (the most popular Windows equivalent to Vellum that I’ve found) to rebuild them for paperback and ebook. Got new cover art being created and was even trading texts with the artist a few minutes ago.
Lord, yes! I did like getting to make some changes, though. I had a very different concept for my second book where it was going to be from two POVs, but the publisher only wanted Gidion’s POV (the publisher was right). I’m adding in the first scene with the other POV, though, as a prologue. I’m going to be purchasing the ISBNs soon. Taking advantage of the option to buy ten at once for a big discount.
I did the ten-pack too! I wish there was a 25 or 30 pack options. I'm not ready to splurge on 100, but with my trilogy requiring 7 ISBNs between pbs and ebooks, I sorta wanted more than ten!
I'm honestly not sure, as I imagine it would vary between publisher/imprint. I suggest reaching out to your editor and having them put you in touch with the right person within the publisher to get an estimate on what the costs would be.
I have considered it and talked about it with fellow self pub friends. The market for audiobooks continues to grow, however they can be quite pricey to produce. Taken never had an audiobook, so I'd love to get into that space, as it would open me up to new a new potential audience. I don't have the budget for an audiobook at the moment (I'd want to do all the titles if I took this leap, not just book one), so maybe in the future.
Oh, I love those new covers. Will the new editions be available on Ingram with reg discounts, returnable? I want to make sure Gibson's can still carry them! (We can always do consignment, of course!)
Your posts are always so interesting and informative and honest, dear friend, I learn so much! Thank you. And I love how you are taking control and always driving your beautiful writing forward.
Great information. Even though I am not a writer, I have learned a lot from this and developed deeper appreciation for your work and what authors deal with.
What if the publisher is keeping the book in print as an e-book, but not the hardcover? Would this be in my contract, or is there an industry standard for "out-of-print?"
I'm SO excited for these new editions of the TAKEN Trilogy! And I'm so excited for all the people who are about to discover this wonderful series for the first time. <3
Thanks friend! 🖤
Hi Erin, thanks for sharing about your experiences with both trad pub and self pub! I always find your newsletters so helpful. I'm currently in the self pub process as well and wondering if you have used Ingram Spark to release wide? That's the one I'm planning to use this time. I've been trying to read up on it and what the process is like vs KDP which is what I used last time I self pubbed, years ago. Also wondering if you've ever had your self pub books toured or marketed for you? I will look through your newsletter archives for more on self pub too, in case you already talked about how this has gone for you in the past! Thanks!!
For these titles I'm just using expanded distrbution via KDP, which should allow for the book to be available wide. (When I do my YA thriller In the Dead of the Night later this year, I plan to try releasing with Ingram.) I want to do both methods so I can weigh pros and cons, because based on my research there are definitely up sides to both. That said, I will be comparing apples and oranges, since this trilogy already had a shot in the trad space and is re-releasing as a new edition, whereas the thriller will be making it's first splash.
I do not have any experience with self pub book tours or marketing at this time. But hopefully that changes as I release more titles!
Did you have to get permission to reuse the design? (font, raised letter, etc.) I assumed that the design would also have been copyrighted, not just the photo.
I'm actually using my own fonts for this (ones I have licensing for), they just happen to look very similar to the fonts used on the original covers. Even still, I reached out to my contacts at Harper to confirm that it was okay to use the similar color palettes and mimic their font treatments, and was given the okay by folks there.
ooh sneaky I didn't notice it was a different font :)
Erin, I’m also excited for you that you’ll be doing this.
I’m about to venture into these same waters with my “Gidion Keep” novels. I’ve been using Atticus (the most popular Windows equivalent to Vellum that I’ve found) to rebuild them for paperback and ebook. Got new cover art being created and was even trading texts with the artist a few minutes ago.
Good luck with the process. It's "easy" in that it's pretty straightforward, but boy are there lots of steps, huh?
Lord, yes! I did like getting to make some changes, though. I had a very different concept for my second book where it was going to be from two POVs, but the publisher only wanted Gidion’s POV (the publisher was right). I’m adding in the first scene with the other POV, though, as a prologue. I’m going to be purchasing the ISBNs soon. Taking advantage of the option to buy ten at once for a big discount.
I did the ten-pack too! I wish there was a 25 or 30 pack options. I'm not ready to splurge on 100, but with my trilogy requiring 7 ISBNs between pbs and ebooks, I sorta wanted more than ten!
And I just signed my reversion letter, so it’s getting real.
What would you guess the cost would be if I wanted to keep the cover art for a middle-grade novel that has met the reversion threshold?
I'm honestly not sure, as I imagine it would vary between publisher/imprint. I suggest reaching out to your editor and having them put you in touch with the right person within the publisher to get an estimate on what the costs would be.
Erin, just curious if you were also considering releasing audiobook versions, and what your thought process is for doing that or not doing that?
I have considered it and talked about it with fellow self pub friends. The market for audiobooks continues to grow, however they can be quite pricey to produce. Taken never had an audiobook, so I'd love to get into that space, as it would open me up to new a new potential audience. I don't have the budget for an audiobook at the moment (I'd want to do all the titles if I took this leap, not just book one), so maybe in the future.
Oh, I love those new covers. Will the new editions be available on Ingram with reg discounts, returnable? I want to make sure Gibson's can still carry them! (We can always do consignment, of course!)
I’ve been meaning to email you guys about this and what would work best! Stay tuned! (And thank you!)
Such an interesting post! I hope the series finds a legion of new readers!
Thanks, Julie! 💗
Your posts are always so interesting and informative and honest, dear friend, I learn so much! Thank you. And I love how you are taking control and always driving your beautiful writing forward.
It’s new and scary, but it feels like the right move!
Great information. Even though I am not a writer, I have learned a lot from this and developed deeper appreciation for your work and what authors deal with.
Thank you, so happy to hear this! :)
Erin,
Thanks for this great post!
What if the publisher is keeping the book in print as an e-book, but not the hardcover? Would this be in my contract, or is there an industry standard for "out-of-print?"