Let’s All Wear Our Grown-Up Pants: An author speaks frankly about the publishing industry.

The publishing industry is changing. This is not news. Well... it is news, but in my opinion, old news by now. So what’s the “new news?” It’s what we’re all going to do about it.

Let’s face it the facts:

• More people are reading e-books than ever before.
• Many still enjoy reading physical books.
• Consumers (including readers) are shopping online more.
• Every “Joe Schmo” can self-publish, making it difficult to ascertain what’s good.
• Literary agents (and by extension, publishers) are taking on fewer and fewer projects, thereby making it nearly impossible for actual skilled writers to get their books into the marketplace through traditional channels.

“But it’s not fair!” we all chorus. “We don’t like it this way!” “How  are we supposed to do our jobs and make any money with all this craziness?”

The answer is simple: Move forward. Find ways. Embrace change. Be creative. Or not. But if you choose “not,” then don’t be surprised to discover that you’re lagging behind at the tail end of a forward-moving march. Make no mistake--the march is not going to stop just because you refuse to join in.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not crazy about some of the changes either. As an actual skilled writer, (who remembers how much simpler it was when you simply queried and got hired because you’re good), I can personally attest to the frustrations. Having been self-employed my entire life, I understand the peril experienced by bookstore owners. And as a consumer, who has purchased a book that made me say, “Seriously? How did this book ever get printed when the author doesn’t know the difference between there, their, and they’re?” I have experienced those frustrations too.

However, I decided a while back that either I can let my work languish in my laptop never to be read by anyone, or I can move forward within the parameters of today’s reality. After receiving dozens of personally written e-mails from top literary agents saying how strong my writing is and how much they love my book, yet lamenting that they just can’t take my project because of their ever-shrinking list, it became apparent that I may need to think outside the box. Yet I didn’t want to self-publish and be perceived as a “Joe Schmo” either. Time to get creative.

A close friend who owns a small, local bookstore, was nearly going out of business. Yes, he had the three-legged store cat, beloved by visitors. He had a crackling fireplace and cozy sofas. He also had a shrinking clientele that basically consisted of a few moms, far outnumbered by their kids, who would run wild, destroy things, and scare his cat, while the moms would sit in their coffee klatch, drinking their $1 cup and making no other purchases. Time to get creative.

Interested? Stay tuned for Part Two of this series: Outside the Box Ideas for Small Independent Book Stores.


I welcome you to comment, share, or even repost on your own blog or website. I do ask that you include the following information about me: Lori Verni-Fogarsi is a writer whose novel, “Momnesia,” is being released 3/16/2012 by Brickstone Publishing. She is also the author of one nonfiction book, and has worked as a seminar speaker and small business consultant. She invites you to visit www.LoriVerniFogarsi.com.

Is the Amazon Scandal Backfiring?

This holiday season, Amazon is getting a lot of press coverage... and not in a good way. There's a huge backlash from the book industry regarding Amazon's Price Check App, which allows people to scan barcodes with their mobile device (on books for example), compare the price on Amazon, and then decide where to buy. Not surprisingly, brick-and-mortar bookstores--already suffering in a changing industry--are often unable to compete with Amazon's prices.

Now, I do have to say that the thought of walking into a bookstore, leafing through their books, and using their free wi-fi to put the items in my cart elsewhere is a concept that I find disgusting. I would never do it--not before knowing about the App and not after. My entrepreneurial spirit and personal ethics would simply not allow such a thing.

However, with all the media coverage (although negative),  I can't help but wonder: How many people are reading these articles and thinking, "Wow, I didn't know about that App! What a great idea! Let me download it right now."

Further, store owners who are "catching" people doing this are asking customers to leave, warning them as they arrive, and doing other things to try and prevent this from happening in their stores. And to some extent I respect them for it.

On the other hand, asking customers (perhaps some of their only customers) to leave, or alienating them as soon as they walk in, is likely not the best way to maintain a client base in an already struggling situation.

Are there any alternatives? Maybe. Having been self-employed for more than 20 years, including as a small business consultant, I have found that befriending the competition is far more effective than fighting them. (Just because you wish it, does not make them go away.) What if stores were to set up a computer, open to Amazon's page, for customers to use? And what if they were to post a sign next to the computer welcoming patrons to compare and providing a short list of reasons why it's worth it to pay a couple of bucks more here in their store? What if, instead of "warning" customers as they arrive, they were to welcome them warmly, thank them for patronizing their store, and hand them a small flyer listing the reasons why it's wonderful to buy here? (Free coffee? Helpful staff? Free gift wrapping? Cozy sofas? A 5% coupon? The store cat? Genuine appreciation?)

I understand how frustrating it is for a small business person to try and go up against a "giant." Believe me... I'm in the middle of launching a book release as a debut novelist, faced with obstacles due to my "smallness" at every turn! But just as the huge publishing houses are not going to back off just because I wish they would, neither will Amazon.

It is my hope that this holiday season, some of the brick-and-mortar stores will find ways to turn the tides in their favor. I hope this article gives them some great ideas. And I look forward to meeting some of them in person when I'm on my old-fashioned, in-person book tour!... At their actual store!


To learn more about my upcoming release, "Momnesia," I invite you to visit my website, www.LoriVerniFogarsi.com, my publisher's website, www.BrickstonePublishing.com, and join me on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/LoriTheAuthor.

Tiny Businesses Really Matter

Small businesses. Big businesses. We know that they all make an impact on the economy, jobs, and ultimately, our communities.

However, it's one thing to say that and it's another to experience it firsthand. This being an election year, there's a lot of talk about whether to tax corporations less (or more), the regulations that apply to (and often impede) small businesses, etc. But I'm not here to talk about any of that because--let's face it--I want us to stay friends and it's best not to talk politics.

What I would like to share is this: As the mom of two daughters, 10 & 13, I spend a lot of time at their dancing school. And when I say a lot, I don't mean a quick jaunt for one hour here and there. I mean that I've considered selling my house and simply living in my car in the parking lot of Studio Five Dance Company, because I might as well.

It's a great dancing school and I love my kids participating in their classes and events, but that's not the point. The point is, this very small business makes a pretty decent impact on the local economy!

Since I am, by far, not the only parent who spends so much time there, we see one another throughout the hours while we're waiting for our kids: At the local gas station, pharmacy, Wendy's, BoJangles, nail place, etc. We're everywhere! And not only do I see the people I know, but I also notice the cars of additional families (because of course we all have a S5DC magnet proudly displayed on our vehicles).

Now, it is true that we would all still food shop even if our kids weren't at the dancing school. But the fact is, we wouldn't food shop there... we'd shop near our homes! Instead, the surrounding community benefits from the purchases we all make because we're there, waiting anyhow, and might as well get some errands done.

Thankfully, most towns have many of these small businesses, so it all works out in the end. But the thought process I have--especially in this election year, and also because I've always owned by own business--is this: If small businesses make such a great impact, why is everything made so difficult for them? They're not allowed to have significant signage, they have to get a permit to put up a banner during registration season, they have to pay extra for everything, and the red tape involved with seemingly every small task is nearly insurmountable!

All I have to say is, Thank goodness they and all the other small businesses are willing to go through all that. Because we all benefit in big ways.

Oh yeah, I guess I do have more to say... don't forget to vote!