Can a successful self-published book be re-queried?

EmpoweredOKC · Mar 22, 2010

My book, solely POD, sold 3000 copies quickly @ $21.95 each, garnered 10 100% 5-star reviews, and has attracted orders for boxes of 50 at a time, all with NO paid publicity. Sales are going up, not staying level. I know that 3k sales is nothing in the big picture, but I'm pleased that a POD with no publicity has passed a $60,000 net.

If my book has achieved decent results, it is tactically advantageous, or just plain tacky, to resubmit queries on the grounds that the book now has a proven track record of marketability? Not in a "See, I TOLD you this would sell!" sense, but in the sense that the book is clearly a viable product that I'd like to see in more markets. Should I re-query, or move on to the next product and simply cite this as a "previous publication"?

Cella · Mar 22, 2010

I have no idea how to answer your question but just wanted to say Way to Go!

Keep up the good work!

Cella

agentpaper · Mar 22, 2010

I don't think it's tacky, per se, but you're going to run into a lot of obstacles. Mainly because agents and editors may see it as it's sold everything it's going to. I don't think it'll hurt to requery it, but keep in mind it may be more difficult for you to have someone want to pick it up. Another option would be to write another book, query that one and then let them know that a previous book was self published and sold x number of copies. But that's just my .02.

Oh, and congrats. That's really great for Self pubbed POD. Great job!

William Haskins · Mar 22, 2010

yes it happens sometimes...

http://blogcritics.org/books/article/book-review-everyday-cat-excuses-why/

beatrix potter self-published the tale of peter rabbit after a dozen rejections, as well.

good luck.

Danthia · Mar 23, 2010

If it's done well and is selling well, you probably lose nothing by querying an agent about it. Just be sure to be very clear about the situation, what you've done, how the sales are going and how you're looking to take the work to the next level. They may not be interested because of rights issues, but self pub'd books do cross over into traditional publishing, so it's possible.

Jamesaritchie · Mar 23, 2010

Absolutely. Publishers take on many self-published book that are successful.

EmpoweredOKC · May 1, 2010

Thanks! Sales are actually continuing to increase each month.

Margarita Skies · May 1, 2010

EmpoweredOKC said:
Thanks! Sales are actually continuing to increase each month.

Based on all the information you've given here, you are an awesome writer! Would you please give me the name of your book so I can go buy it?

Kelsey · May 1, 2010

Vince Flynn had so many rejections for his first book, Term Limits, that he self-published. It ended up being one of the top-selling books in the Twin Cities area, and only then was it published big time. S&S, I think.

So it's been done.

Terie · May 2, 2010

The threshhold I've heard for self-published books to garner interest is 5,000, though some now put it closer to 10,000. Sounds as if you're there, or close, so sure, if you want to try for a commercial publisher, you're definitely in a position to query. Be sure to include your sales figures in your query letter.

ETA: Don't mention the Amazon reviews. That kind of stuff is meaningless (see the threads on recent Amazon review debacles), and besides, if an agent or editor is interested, they'll go look at the Amazon listing.

Bufty · May 2, 2010

Congratulations, Empowered, and I wish you continued success.

Is this non-fiction? Out of curiosity, did you have an existing platform or access to an initially known base of prospective readers?

profen4 · May 2, 2010

EmpoweredOKC said:
My book, solely POD, sold 3000 copies quickly @ $21.95 each, garnered 10 100% 5-star reviews, and has attracted orders for boxes of 50 at a time, all with NO paid publicity. Sales are going up, not staying level. I know that 3k sales is nothing in the big picture, but I'm pleased that a POD with no publicity has passed a $60,000 net.

If my book has achieved decent results, it is tactically advantageous, or just plain tacky, to resubmit queries on the grounds that the book now has a proven track record of marketability? Not in a "See, I TOLD you this would sell!" sense, but in the sense that the book is clearly a viable product that I'd like to see in more markets. Should I re-query, or move on to the next product and simply cite this as a "previous publication"?

John Grisham's first publisher for A Time To Kill couldn't sell the 5000 book print run, so Grisham tried to sell them on his own. He did, and he ended up landing a a contract with a big pub because of it. So good luck.

And tell us the name of your book, please. I want to read it.

Rjo · May 2, 2010

And tell us the name of your book, please. I want to read it.[/QUOTE]

Me too.

One would think that with these results, and so soon, agents or publishers would come knocking on your door, and you wouldn't have to query anyone. But maybe I'm being a naive newbie.

At any rate thanks for posting this thread. It makes me see POD as a viable alternative to the traditional routes in trying to get something published "in today's market."

Axler · May 2, 2010

It would be unusual for an editor at a mainstream publisher to solicit the writer unless they made contact at writer's conference or something or other.

It would be even more rare for an agent to seek out the writer. The best bet is a query letter.

Congrats on your success!

waylander · May 2, 2010

Kristin Nelson blogged about this on April 26th
http://pubrants.blogspot.com/

Chumplet · May 2, 2010

A writer I met last night at a conference queried the sequel to her self-pubbed book, got an agent, and now that agent is shopping both books.

Terie · May 2, 2010

Rjo said:
At any rate thanks for posting this thread. It makes me see POD as a viable alternative to the traditional routes in trying to get something published "in today's market."

Um, no. It is much more difficult to find the kind of self-publishing success that will lead to a commercial contract than it is to find an agent or publisher the usual way. Self-publishing is NOT a means to get a commercial deal.

The average number of self-pubbed/POD books sold is 75. Very VERY few sell 5,000 or more, and of those, most are by people who don't want commercial deals. (For example, a self-help lecturer who sells his book at lectures might well prefer to keep 100% of the profits himself.)

If you want to self-pub, have researched it thoroughly, and have decided that it's the way you want to go, that's fine. But do it because you think it's best for you, not because you want to capture an agent or commercial publisher's eye; the chance of that happening is vanishingly rare. Yes, it obviously happens, but statistically, it's much more rare than a manuscript getting picked up off the slush pile and resulting in a contract.

Axler · May 2, 2010

Very true.

But by the same token, with POD the playing field, if not exactly even, is at least a bit more broad. There are options to explore rather than consigning an unsold manuscript. to the tinderbox.

According to a recent report by Bowker, out of the one million plus books published in the US in 2009, well over 700,000 were produced by non-mainstream publishers.

Rjo · May 2, 2010

Terie said:
Um, no. It is much more difficult to find the kind of self-publishing success that will lead to a commercial contract than it is to find an agent or publisher the usual way. Self-publishing is NOT a means to get a commercial deal.....

Okay. Thanks for the advice. Guess I'll stick it out a little longer here on Square 1.

Terie · May 2, 2010

Axler said:
According to a recent report by Bowker, out of the one million plus books published in the US in 2009, well over 700,000 were produced by non-mainstream publishers.

Well, yeah. Corporate annual reports, government publications, and other such material (which make up a good chunk of that 700,000) weren't meant to be purchased by general readers. That really is a meaningless statistic.

veinglory · May 2, 2010

3000 sales in a period of, say, two years or less is a damned good result. Well done!

profen4 · May 2, 2010

Terie said:
Um, no. It is much more difficult to find the kind of self-publishing success that will lead to a commercial contract than it is to find an agent or publisher the usual way. Self-publishing is NOT a means to get a commercial deal.

The average number of self-pubbed/POD books sold is 75. Very VERY few sell 5,000 or more, and of those, most are by people who don't want commercial deals. (For example, a self-help lecturer who sells his book at lectures might well prefer to keep 100% of the profits himself.)

This is very true. There aren't many fiction POD's that have any notable sales. I can think of maybe 3 or 4 that managed sales above 1000 units.

Jamesaritchie · May 2, 2010

swhibs123 said:
John Grisham's first publisher for A Time To Kill couldn't sell the 5000 book print run, so Grisham tried to sell them on his own. He did, and he ended up landing a a contract with a big pub because of it. So good luck.

And tell us the name of your book, please. I want to read it.

No, not really. I wish the Grisham myth would die, but it goes on and on and on.

scope · May 2, 2010

EmpoweredOKC said:
My book, solely POD, sold 3000 copies quickly @ $21.95 each, garnered 10 100% 5-star reviews, and has attracted orders for boxes of 50 at a time, all with NO paid publicity. Sales are going up, not staying level. I know that 3k sales is nothing in the big picture, but I'm pleased that a POD with no publicity has passed a $60,000 net.

If my book has achieved decent results, it is tactically advantageous, or just plain tacky, to resubmit queries on the grounds that the book now has a proven track record of marketability? Not in a "See, I TOLD you this would sell!" sense, but in the sense that the book is clearly a viable product that I'd like to see in more markets. Should I re-query, or move on to the next product and simply cite this as a "previous publication"?

Some background information:
>Is this fiction or nonfiction?
>For children or adults?
>Genre?
>Based on your sale of 3000 books are you saying that after all costs ("net", as you say) you have pocketed $60,000? Also, that sales are increasing even though you have done no promotion at all? If that's the case let me throw out a hypothetical to you. I understand you want to be published by a traditional publisher. However, if making money from your writing is an important factor, why not continue the POD roll you are on with THIS book until it dies off? Meanwhile, if not done already, you can write your next book. That way you will have made (net) six figure money from the POD book and have another book ready for submission to an agent or a traditional publisher.
Before submitting to an agent or traditional publisher you could shut down your POD operation but be able to refer to your POD book and what in time would seem to be excellent sales figures.

Axler · May 2, 2010

Terie said:
That really is a meaningless statistic.

I cited Bowker's own report as to the number of aggregate ISBN sales, divided between mainstream publishers and basically everybody else.

Until you know exactly the type of publications all the ISBN's were applied to, your objection is fundamentally meaningless.

Can a successful self-published book be re-queried?

EmpoweredOKC

Cella

Cella

agentpaper

One of many

William Haskins

poet

Danthia

Jamesaritchie

EmpoweredOKC

Margarita Skies

Kelsey

Book Slut

Terie

Writer is as Writer does

Bufty

Where have the last ten years gone?

profen4

Rjo

.

Axler

waylander

Who's going for a beer?

Chumplet

This hat is getting too hot

Terie

Writer is as Writer does

Axler

Rjo

.

Terie

Writer is as Writer does

veinglory

volitare nequeo

profen4

Jamesaritchie

scope

Commonsensical Maverick

Axler