December sees the ALLi team look back at the year and review the highs and lows. Today is the AskALLi Member Q&A Podcast review of 2019. ALLi team member Michael LaRonn, is here with his round up of the best moments this year.
AskALLi Member Q&A Podcast Review of 2019
2019 was another great year for the AskALLi Member Q&A Podcast. Together, Orna Ross and I answered over 50 self-publishing questions for ALLi members! Every year seems to have slightly different trends though, and 2019 was no different. Here's a roundup of some of the most interesting questions from the AskALLi Member Q&A Podcast this year, plus some predictions for 2020.
#1: Help! My publisher isn't paying my royalties (or, my royalties are incorrect)!
We received this type of question more times this year than we would have preferred. Some members who have published with small presses have written to us privately about not receiving their royalties on time, or being paid the wrong amount. Either of those situations is a red flag that should not be ignored.
We recommend reviewing your contract to see what your options are. First, write the publisher to ask what's going on, and if necessary, see what your termination or reversion rights clause says to see if you can get your rights back.
We also recommend that you read this excellent post by our Watchdog John Doppler.
#2: What's the best way to brand my series?
This is such a great question that we’re hearing more of. We’re seeing stronger author branding in the marketplace right now, especially for self-help and nonfiction. As the ebook market continues to mature, it will be critically important as ever to make your book stand out however you can.
Listen/watch this episode of the AskALLi Self-Publishing Fiction & Nonfiction Salon where Orna Ross, Adam Croft, and Boni Wagner-Stafford talk about this very topic!
#3: What is hybrid publishing and should I consider it?
Hybrid publishing is a publishing model where the author and publisher both share the costs of book production. It's still a relatively new publishing model, so ALLi is watching the space closely. As always, we recommend being the creative director of your career and retaining your rights wherever possible.
Read this post to get up-to-speed on how hybrid publishing works.
Looking Ahead to 2020: Our Predictions
Audiobooks will continue to gain steam. We have been seeing an uptick in audiobook questions and expect that to continue.
As the market matures and gets savvier, we also predict we’ll get more savvy business and copyright questions as authors continue building their businesses. We received a number of great copyright questions this year, and it's definitely on our members’ minds.
Thanks for another great year, and we’ll see you in 2020!
OVER TO YOU
What was your favorite question or helpful answer this year?
If you enjoyed this post, you might like these from the ALLi archives:
