Bkclb

We love libraries and bricks-n-mortar bookstores, but we’re not sure they’re the first places many readers search for new books anymore. (We like what Craig Mod has to say: ”To not exist digitally means to be walled off. Silo’d. Unpointable. It means a text feels flat or lifeless or limp.”) It depends on your audience, but for most savvy readers, the web - as opposed to the traditional bookstore - is the space for discovery. We also definitely agree there’s a place for big publishers, but we’re not sure they’re as important as they once were.

There are a few other things we strongly believe:

- Independent writers are distributing (e)books in new ways

- Readers are finding (e)books in new ways

- Many traditional large publishers are slow to recognise change

One real benefit of going “electronic only” and independent is that you have the freedom to explore new ways to find and engage readers instead of relying on existing channels that are becoming less effective. For example, no large publisher has yet made their books available to read through Readmill, which is an unbelievably fantastic social reading platform. Independent writers and small, savvy publishers are the only ones daring enough to experiment in this way (Bkclb books will, of course, be compatible with Readmill).

With regard to marketing, one thing we hope to achieve with Bkclb is to facilitate reader discovery: if we can provide great ways for readers to find independent work they wouldn’t otherwise stumble upon, it means indie writers don’t need to spend so much time self-promoting (which can get pretty tiring!). We’re experimenting with some pretty smart algorithms and hooking into social networks to work out ways to get the right books in front of the right readers. Publishers are great at what they do, but independent writers can be more agile and experimental and fun in how they market their work: that’s a big plus in some cases.

We also don’t necessarily think writers need to exclusively travel down one route or the other. We’re working with some established authors to publish shorter works it wouldn’t make sense for them to have published traditionally - but that doesn’t mean those writers have given up entirely on working with their publishers! On the contrary: if a writer can self-publish a work electronically to great success, and gain even a modest readership in the process, they’re more attractive to publishers than a writer who sits on a work for years hoping it might reach bookstores someday.

11 months ago 0 notes

Asking Permission

11 months ago

One of our goals with Bkclb is to change how writers think about ebooks. We think there are many writers out there who still believe they need permission to publish an ebook, or need the assistance of a publishing house or paid “expert”, or believe the gap between blogging and “serious book writing” is too wide for them to bridge.

It’s interesting that nobody ever feels the need to ask permission before setting up a Wordpress or Twitter or Instagram account. Nobody ever feels as though it’s illegitimate to hit “publish” on a blog post unless it’s first been accepted by a gatekeeper. The term “self-published blogger” is nonsensical because it’s assumed that virtually all bloggers are “self-publishers”. As readers, we don’t need gatekeepers to restrict who can hit “publish” in order to protect us from poor quality blogs. Instead, as readers, we use algorithms and recommendations from those we trust to find the blogs we love, and the cream rises to the top. The fact there are more blogs now than in 2005 doesn’t make it any more difficult for us to find great blogs. Quite the opposite.

So it’s strange that those who decide to publish ebooks independently are stigmatised as “self-publishers”. There’s still a prevailing perception that you do need permission to publish an ebook, and if you don’t have permission, you’re admitting that you’re a failure who’s unable to get published the “proper” way. This stigma, it’s worth noting, doesn’t really exist within other artistic communities: photographers or artists who sell their prints outside of a conventional gallery (perhaps on a site like Society6) aren’t stigmatised, musicians who sell their own music are more often celebrated as “indie”. Within other artistic communities, going it alone is often recognised as a deliberate choice. Within the writing community, for some reason, it still seems to be seen as a “last resort”.

We can’t tell for sure, but we think the stigma against publishing independently is leading a tonne of great writers to avoid experimenting with ebooks. Writers feel as though they still need to be tapped on the shoulder by a publisher or editor and invited to enter the “realm of authorship”. And they feel as though, even if they do decide to take a dip into working on an ebook independently, they’ll be branded a “self-publisher” and laughed all the way home.

Our goal is for writers to stop waiting for permission to publish the book they’ve been working on, or dreaming about working on. If you’re talented, and if you’ve got some creative and intelligent friends to help out with editing and design, you could produce something pretty darn cool. At the end of the day, the quality of the work will shine through, and you’ll get noticed - regardless of whether or not you have the weight of a publisher’s marketing arm behind you. Our goal is also to make it clear that the gap between blogging and publishing an ebook doesn’t have to be unbridgeable. What if, for example, you conceptualised your ebook as a “long blog post” and charged accordingly? Or what if you compiled some of your favourite posts (and maybe threw in a few new extras) to create a collection of essays?

There’s no reason why we need to think of ebooks as huge scary things that only “authors” are able to create. Because we’re all authors. And we don’t need to ask for permission.

11 months ago 2 notes

Bkclb seeks intrepid authors

11 months ago

We’re seeking writers to beta test Bkclb. If you’re accepted to beta test, we’ll help you get your ebook ready to publish and sell, then promote it when we launch. You’ll also be able to shape the direction of Bkclb by telling us what works and what doesn’t, and what features you’d like to see.

Bkclb is a platform for independent writers (and small publishing houses) interested in selling ebooks. We manage the fiddly stuff like converting ebooks out to multiple formats, handling payments, and securely storing your files. We also provide you with your own personal (and highly customisable) bookstore that you can use to sell your work online. Once we launch, we’ll begin exploring awesome ways to get your work in front of adventurous readers. We want to create the most exciting space for new writing, and we want you to be a part of it.

If you’re accepted into beta testing, we’ll sign you up for Bk School, a free set of tutorials and resources designed to get you up to speed with designing, editing, creating, and selling your book. You’ll be able to seek advice from other writers and get tips from editors and publishing professionals. We’re offering a pretty great deal because we want great writers to get on board.

In order to beta test, you’ll need to send us a quick pitch of the book you’d like to publish with Bkclb. This could be a book you’re already selling elsewhere, or something that you’re currently working on. It doesn’t need to be a novel or anything lengthy (though it definitely can be). Get original! If you’re a blogger, maybe you could compile a bunch of your favourite posts into an ebook. If you’re a student or academic, perhaps you’re sitting on a fantastic college paper or dissertation you think you could be reworked for a wider audience. Finished a few short stories? Turn them into a collection! Gather your family recipes into an awesome cookbook.

We’re also interested in working with independent publishers and editors. If you run a small press or publish a magazine or journal, we’d really like to help you sell through Bkclb.

At this stage, we’re only accepting beta test applicants who believe they can have a finished ebook ready by the end of July.

To beta test, head over to bkclb.co!

11 months ago 0 notes

Bkclb

A question for Bkclb:

The thing that concerns me is that it may be harder to get an audience for an ebook as (in my mind, at least) libraries and book stores are the main places new readers would look for new books. And so publishing companies seem... safer because they take care of a lot of the marketing for you.

Asked by aivlysann

11 months ago

Asking Permission

11 months ago

Bkclb seeks intrepid authors

11 months ago

What's Bkclb?

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