|
Pen Press believes books are
there to be read. Therefore it is not enough just to give our
authors a good-looking book; our ultimate aim is to find its audience
and sell it in as large a quantity as possible. Experience has taught
us that selling books takes effort, optimism and diplomacy; this is because
we are at the mercy of bookshop managers and large chains, with their
penchant for big names, limited shelf space and demands for large discounts
(usually 45-55%). However, since booksales are in our joint interests,
it is a vital part of our service.
As soon as your book is published, it will be accessible to the British
public. We undertake all legal registrations, as well as registering it
with NIELSEN and BOWKER book data listings - and these are the databases
that bookstores download their files from.
Marketing Seminar
We run regular training courses to help self-publishing authors on How
to sell your book. We will automatically invite you onto this course
once we have a date for receipt of printed copies of your book, and this
event kicks off the Launch Phase. Those unable to attend will receive
a free copy of our acclaimed book What Do I Have to do to SELL a
Book! by Jo Anthony (rrp £12.99) packed with advice, ideas, tips
and guidelines for authors who wish to maximize their chances of publishing
success
Launch marketing
As a result of the Seminar, you will have the outline of a Marketing Plan
and Press Release, and we welcome you to visit us to finalise the planning
on a one to one basis to tailor it to your specific needs. We work with
you to launch the book and start the process of creating awareness of
your book:
We assist you in arranging book events at a local level.
We liaise with local press & radio for reviews & interviews.
We support any specialist interest events set up by promoting
it to local media, and contacting other bookstores in the area to try
to secure book stocks.
We identify very specific target audience groups and endeavour
to bring your book to their attention.
We have experience in approaching the book market, booksellers
and book
reviewers in newspapers, magazines, radio and TV to whom we selectively
and appropriately submit your book to.
Local events & media
Local newspapers & radio are often interested in local individuals
achieving their ambitions such as releasing their first book -
and bookstores in the region are often willing to hold book-signing sessions
for local authors, or perhaps arrange a display of author-signed copies
for sale. Our marketing team will implement the local marketing campaign,
ensuring your book event has every opportunity of being promoted by way
of author interview or book review, in the local press and magazines.
Publicity Material
We can arrange publicity material on your behalf, charging only a small
increment for design time and cost of production, which we dont
mark up. We have a range of local suppliers who can produce posters, flyers,
postcards, display jackets and order forms for these events. These are
all produced to a very high standard to reflect the quality of your book.
Ongoing marketing
Self-publishing enjoys the luxury of being able to exploit the long window
of opportunity, whereas mainstream-published authors experience a One
Shot, One Season selling period and one season means 3 months!
Inadequate sales result in an early demise of a title onto the De-listed
database.Experience has taught us that selling books requires effort,
optimism and determination. Writing and producing the book is only the
halfway point; the most successful authors are also the authors who embrace
self-promotion and pursue all marketing opportunities. Our Marketing Seminar
and book not only ensures you are well versed in what we can do to help
you but also how you can best help yourself both at launch and onwards.
Your book remains in print, in stock and on databases for as long as there
is demand, and we will always remain enthusiastic to hear and build on
any ideas you have.
National launch
Our recommendation is to follow the Local Launch programme to assess market
response, and use this to inform the potential for a National Launch.
National Media Coverage
Whipping up interest at a local level can potentially lead onto national
coverage. Pen Press will respond quickly to any opportunities to bring
your book to the attention of national newspapers. Reviews in the national
media are much desired but are notoriously difficult to get. We are therefore
proud to boast of our success with features in media including the Sunday
Express, the Observer, the Daily Mail the Mail on Sunday, the Daily Telegraph,
Choice, My Weekly and Best of British magazines, plus BBC Radio, and a
Richard & Judy TV interview. Pen Press will submit books to the national
newspaper literary editors, but with a very specific approach which is
based on previous successes, and it is designed to avoid sending out loads
of books that sit in a forgotten pile. We are also able to offer an Advanced
Marketing Programme or recommend professional independent PR consultants,
which is charged additionally and independently, but this is a big time
and cost investment and would only be recommended judiciously.
SUBSIDIARY RIGHTS
Pen Press are proud to demonstrate success in sales of rights. We work
with associated businesses in this field: Skylight Communications, Indepublishing
CIA, and US company Books Crossing Borders NY.
TV, Film and Dramatisation Rights
Pen Press offers these associates a first-look option on materials published
under our imprint for exploitation within the industry. This includes
radio broadcasting, television (free and pay-for), theatre, personal appearances
and motion picture.
Within a few short weeks of working with Skylight, they
held negotiations on our behalf with LWT (London Weekend Television) and
the independent drama producers, Taylor Made Films. Meanwhile, Sheila
Geddes WWII novel, A Strange Alchemy, was optioned for a TV mini
series, and Colin Campbells police thriller, Through the Ruins of
Midnight was similarly optioned recently.
Due to our links with Indepublishing CIA, Myra Lyngs
teenage adventure fantasy books, Alice and the Witches of Babizar and
Alice and the Ofira Charms, are currently with Universal Pictures, having
been selected at the London Book Fair. Our beach must read of the
year (Mail on Sunday You Magazine) Bastards Leave Suckers Who Love
Too Much is under similar scrutiny having secured national stock with
Borders and Books Etc including airport shops. Launching at the 2007 London
Book Fair, C.E. Trumans The Bone Cradle has attracted the attention
of 20th Century Fox, and the pre-release trade publicity in Publishers
News and The Bookseller of
J.H. Lewis The Magic Lantern of Kimbustan has secured interest from
scouts worldwide, and advance orders excessing 5,000 from major retailers.
Large Print and Audio Rights
Ahead of paperback release with Pen Press, popular author Claire Lorrimers
80th book, You Never Know is with BBC books for large print and audio
release.
|
| Book Launches & Media |
| |
 |
| Mark Harris author of Family Court Hell on the Richard & Judy
Show in 2007 |
 |
| Book Launch of Journey of the Fool by Camilla Coletta at Farnham
Castle |
 |
| Nick Davis author of Diana: the killing of a Princess on the Richard
& Judy Show, 2005 |
|