Travel Write Publish

Books on Shelves at Barnes & Noble

2008-06-02T19:43:00.000-07:00

Great news! Tourist Town Guides are beginning to appear on bookstore shelves, particularly in Barnes & Noble stores across the country.

With few exceptions, Barnes & Noble is places these books regionally. The closer you are to the destination, the more likely you will be to find the book on the shelf. A few of the larger stores, for example in New York City, will carry a wider variety simply because they are flagship stores.

This could be great placement, especially during the current high-gasoline-price situation. People will be traveling and vacationing closer to home, so these guides near the location might be ideal.

In any case, if you're up to buying a Tourist Town Guides book, please make a visit to your friendly neighborhood B&N.

To eBook or Not to eBook...

2008-05-19T17:40:00.000-07:00

I am seriously considering releasing all TTG titles as eBooks as well as physical books. But it is a proposition that leaves me with a few concerns.

One the one hand, eBooks are a definite wave of the future. Amazon's new Kindle has become the talk of many in the industry, even though electronic portable book readers have been around for a while.

However, the problem is, like the online music business, there is not much structure or supporting data yet. Amazon seems to be setting the standard for eBook fees at $5 for electronic versions of books released as paperbacks. I'm sure the kinks will be ironed out in the next few years, so I guess it is an advantage to get into the format while it is still young, and grow with it.

It is my opinion that travel books would be an ideal test for eBooks, for several reasons. First off, the content of a travel guide is not as creatively unique as, say, a fiction book Plus, the books get quickly dated, so the old Bbooks would have to be updated regularly. Finally, the portability of ebooks make it more ideal to go on vacation with than a physical book (stores in your cell phone or portable reading device).

These reasons make the eBook market appealing for me.

Another Good Yahoo! Travel Article

2008-05-16T17:52:00.000-07:00

Yahoo! seems to have a bit more about tourist towns than the standard Internet news compendium. Here is a great article (with a link to Forbes Travel) with the top 25 American tourist destinations, based on annual visitors:

http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-22888930

Exciting Possibility

2008-05-14T20:41:00.000-07:00

Today I got a call from a local television affiliate requesting an interview with one of my authors. I hope it works out, a television interview would be fantastic publicity!

A Breakdown of 2008 Marketing Plans

2008-05-09T20:16:00.000-07:00

There are a good number of books yet to be sold that are sitting in a warehouse in Kansas. In order to move them out and onto store shelves, and in turn off the shelves and into people's homes, spreading the word is a necessity. So, for those who are interested, following is a very general breakdown of the four main marketing points for the immediate future:

1. A web site. Obviously! The official website is located on the back of each book, and attached to whatever marketing plans and correspondence is generated. All book information is available on the website, including links to purchasing from various online merchants.

2. Blogging, ezine contribution, and social networking. The obvious way to get the word out is to connect with people who may share interests in traveling to a Tourist Town Guides destination.

3. Review books. 150+ books have already been sent to pertinent media outlets, along with press releases. Hopefully some of the books will generate press. Hopefully good press.

4. Representation at regional trade shows. This is where the distributor helps out. The books will be on display and represented at various regional book shows. We're not doing BEA this year because - I'm told - the market for these is regional, not national.

5. Paid ads to wholesalers and retailers. This is another point where the distributor is immensely important. They will help to organize, design, and place appropriate ads in appropriate trade magazines. Though this method gets books into stores, it doesn't necessarily get the ultimate consumer to buy.

Of course, there are specifics to each of these that I'm not going to get into here. I'd like to hear any additional marketing ideas.

Talking Too Much About Marketing...

2008-05-07T20:28:00.000-07:00

I know I have been focusing a lot on book marketing in this blog, but only because that is what I'm currently most involved with. I promise there will be more information about other aspects of publishing as soon as I start to work on the "next round" for the next year(s).

Website Pros and Woes

2008-05-05T20:23:00.000-07:00

These days, a website is as important a selling tool as door-to-door and direct mail have been historically. Whenever a company representative is interviewed, one of the first questions is "What is your website?" (not "Do you have a website?" - since it is automatically assumed that you do). It is that important.

This is especially true with companies that sell information - like books and newspapers. It is hard to find information online that you have to pay for that isn't readily available elsewhere for free, or (in the case of copyrighted works) a free alternative. So a website for information companies must be designed with great care.

My ultimate goal for TouristTown.com is to provide free travel information online, but without losing book sales. I want customers to be able to view the site not just as an online store front, but also as a place to communicate with other users, find peer reviews for tourist attractions, and learn generally about the covered tourist destinations. These kinds of sites already exist, so the important thing is to make sure the site stands out - still, without detracting from book sales.

I just got around (this past weekend) to uploading the new cover designs to the Bookstore pages of the site, and I realized how far behind I was in keeping it updated. The site should be my next big important step since the books are already starting to show up on store shelves, and the website traffic is inevitably going to increase as more people become aware of the series.

Google Books vs. Amazon's "Search Inside"

2008-05-01T11:29:00.000-07:00

It used to be that customers had to go to a bookstore to read books before they bought them. That trend is fading. The new trend is for publishers to use various online portals to allow people to view books online - looking at the actual book interiors - before buying them. It started with Amazon.com's "Search Inside The Book" feature, which is still the most popular exploitation of this technology. But now Google, Microsoft, and others are getting with the program.

As an experiment in marketing, I have made book content for Tourist Town Guides available at both Google Books and via Amazon's "Search Inside the Book" feature. Both services let people virtually flip through the books' pages. Google Books gives people more access to content (about 20% of the book), whereas Amazon offers less online content, but the opportunity to buy the book (Google Books links online stores). I'm going to be monitoring internet traffic to see if these techniques make any difference.

Google Books is at http://www.books.google.com. To view the interior of books on Amazon, search for the and click on the book's cover.

They finally came!

2008-04-28T20:43:00.000-07:00

The boxes from the printer finally came, though not on schedule and hardly on pleasant terms. At least I can continue at this point to send out review packages.

On another note, I replaced the old covers on the website with the new ones. I also added a "media downloads" section, which is referenced in the various news releases that I have been distributing. Download hi-res cover images here.

My Terrible Experience with a Shipping Company

2008-04-25T19:36:00.000-07:00

Argh! I was expecting a large shipment of books today, but instead I had a run-in with the shipping company, which quickly became a very frustrating experience. I'm not going to say the name of the shipping company, except to say that it was not FedEx, DHL, or the United States Post Office.

I planned my day around receiving this shipment, which I knew could arrive at any time between 9am and 5pm. So I waited patiently by the door all day. At 4pm, I decided to check the tracking number online, and - to my surprise - it said that a delivery had already been attempted! But did I see a notice left on my door? No! Did I hear the bell ring? No!

So, I called the shipping company and (eventually) got ahold of a gentleman who told me what I already knew. I verified the shipping address with him, and it was correct. He told me the driver would make another attempt that evening. Long story short, an hour later I called back and the same gentleman told me that the driver had made a second attempt and had already gone home. But Did I see a notice on my door? No! Did I head the bell ring? No! Now I have to wait until Monday for my package, and I can't even guarantee that the driver will not skip my house again. I personally think he was being lazy about having to deliver ten large boxes.

I may write a letter.

Handling Book Updates and Corrections

2008-04-24T20:16:00.001-07:00

I'm trying to figure out a way to handle updates and corrections for these guidebooks. There is already an e-mail address listed on the copyright page of every book that tells readers where they can send corrections, but how should these corrections be noted on the website?

Obviously the corrections should be listed somewhere, but I'm toying with the idea of going one step further: providing a free, complete replacement page (as a PDF file for download) for every found correction. I'm not sure how really valuable this feature would be, but its unique enough that I would hope that readers would appreciate the thought. Of course, any errors found would be fixed in reprints and revisions.

(Notice how I'm avoiding the word "error"; corrections can either be an actual problem with the book, or an update that needs to be made since the book's printing; the latter might be more difficult to keep track of on a timely basis.)

Tourist Traps Survey

2008-04-24T10:25:00.001-07:00

Yahoo! Travel published a small article on popular tourist traps in the United States, based on user input. The Yahoo! article links to more comprehensive information on BudgetTravel.com.

The Yahoo! Travel Article: Click Here
The Budget Travel Article: Click Here

A few of these are already in Tourist Town Guides (like Dixie Stampede and Mallory Square and the Hoover Dam), but there are also some good ideas for new guidebooks.

Courtesy Copies

2008-04-22T19:52:00.000-07:00

So, 29 review copies went into the mail today! That's 29 down, about 400 more to go!

As long as I'm stuffing envelopes, I'm also sending a few books to vendors that are covered. I call these "courtesy copies" but the media industry calls them "tear sheets". But since I'm giving them the whole book (not just a clipping of their press), it just sounds nicer. These courtesy copies are basically to let them know that they are receiving publicity. They can then use that press to either promote themselves, improve themselves, or correct any mistakes that they have found (or whatever). It works both ways - if a book reviewer covers one of my books, I would expect a tear sheet from them. In many ways, book and media publishing is a very formal and courteous business.

By the way, I'm not sending every vendor mentioned in the book a courtesy copy - that would be hundreds of free books! Only those that are featured in lengthier articles (such as the resort media relations departments) will get the free books. The rest will get either an e-mail or a regular copy of just their review. I'm trying to be fair in terms of what I provide them to the coverage that they provided me.

What Exactly is in a Book Review Package?

2008-04-21T22:08:00.000-07:00

When a book is published, one of the best ways to increase sales is to get publicity by way of book reviews from various media outlets (newspapers, magazines, radio, television, websites, etc.). Publicity this way is more effective than paid-for advertising. Unfortunately, as a publisher, I don't have control over the review, or even if the book gets reviewed at all. So, I must put my best foot forward by making enticing book review packages and sending them to as many reviewers as I think would be necessary.

Right now I am in the process of sending out review packets for Atlantic City. When finished, I will move on to the next books, as appropriate. I gathered the names and addresses of media contacts in and around Atlantic City (there are a surprising number of local papers in that area). In a book-sized padded envelope, I am sending the following pieces:

1. A free book. Of course, this is what I want reviewed! The book is unmarked except for a sticker on the inside front cover that introduces the book and provides basic data (page count, ISBN, number of books in print, etc.).

2. A cover letter. The letter introduces my book to the potential reviewer and describes the contents of the package. The letter is short but printed on resume paper with an official letterhead.

3. A news release. This is a basic one-page description of the book written as a newsworthy item. Many times, print and online publications will simply reprint a news release, which saves them time. This means that the release must be journalistically written and not sound too much like an advertising blurb.

4. An author interview. This is a sample, one-page interview with basic questions about the book directed to the author. The media outlet may choose to quote the interview directly, or it may prompt them for a more in-depth telephone or in-person interview.

The total cost of each review package, including the cost of the book and shipping, is about $5. Even if I send out 500 review copies, it would still cost way less than a small paid ad in Publishers Weekly, and the potential publicity would be much, much more valuable.

I will continue to send out review packages over the next few weeks; this is an ongoing process.

Getting Ready to Send Review Packages

2008-04-20T20:10:00.000-07:00

Today was a "supply gathering" day for me. Since I received 300 books this past Friday to be used for marketing, I want to get them packaged and shipped as soon as possible. There's no sense in having books sitting around. From my local Office Depot, I bought the appropriate package materials; bubble mailers, labels, etc.

I am creating two different "review packages" for two difference audiences. The first audience is the book reviewers. I am sending free books and review packages to local media (that is, media around the books' covered destinations). This includes print media, radio, television, and appropriate online companies. The second audience is those whose properties are reviewed in the book. While I don't suspect the second group will write reviews to generate sales, it is appropriate to let them know their property has been reviewed (kind of like a "tear sheet"). Plus, developing relationships with these key personnel should research for future editions. I suspect most of them will like the free publicity.

In total, I am sending out about 40-50 books in this first round per book (150 total). My goal is to have the books in the mail by Tuesday. We'll see if that happens. I will be receiving 400 more books sometime this week or next week, and I don't want the work to pile up - it's good to keep ahead.

To Market, to Market

2008-04-19T13:42:00.000-07:00

I'm getting ready for a big marketing push for the 2007/2008 guides. The first three titles are arriving at Midpoint Trade (the national distributor) in the next few days, and Midpoint will be filling the backorders that have been piling up since the printing began last month.

I the meantime, I have a few hundred books that I will be sending- along with press releases and other such material - to area media and public relations offices. I expect these books will sell best regionally (that is, near their covered destinations), so I will be focusing most efforts on the local outlets. This part is a bit repetitive for me, lots of envelope stuffing, but ideally this should result in some much-needed publicity.

How to Tell if a Book is POD

2008-04-18T07:47:00.000-07:00

Print on demand ("POD") technology is what I first use to "test the waters" of various book projects. They are cheap to produce, you only need to order one copy at a time, and they look very similar to books printed via traditional offset technology. Many people may even believe that POD books look identical to offset. But there are some very obvious differences. Here are a few telltale signs which indicate that the book you just purchased might be POD:

1. The spine shows no signatures. Books printed using offset usually have larger signatures, such as 24 pages, whereas POD books might only have 2-page signatures. If you can see large signatures on the spine (which look like groupings - or blocks - of text pages), then the book is not POD.

2. The last page has a barcode. POD book companies put the book's barcode on the last page so that the binders can match the book to the cover automatically. This is necessary because the books aren't printed in bulk.

3. Pages tear out easily. POD book pages are glued in 2- or 4-page signatures, which are easier to pull out of a book, attributing POD books to poor construction.

4. Slight spine misalignment. POD book covers have a wider margin of error. If the cover seems a bit misaligned, the book might be POD, since traditional printers are very careful with spine alignment and width calculation.

Despite these flaws, there are some good arguments for using POD technology, including (1) the book sells very few copies but the publisher still wishes it to remain in print, and (2) the publisher wants to test the market with a new/unique book before going to press with it.

A Very Informative Review

2008-04-17T12:13:00.001-07:00

I never think to check Epinions.com for books reviews, yet I just stumbled across a customer review from one of my old books about Wisconsin Dells. And it was a very nice, informative review.

Perhaps the best piece of information is that the customer - who visited Wisconsin Dells with her family - would recieve coupons from various sources (hotels, travel brochures) and then check the book to see if the attraction was any good. This is how I envision that these books be used, so its great to see that they are actually being used this way. I also learned that more photos would have been more helpful.

The book is no longer available, but portions of it are used in the new Tourist Town Guides book of the same name. At any rate, these kinds of reviews are the most helpful in creating future editions; it addresses how the book is specifically used during a vacation, which, as a publisher, is great to know.

The full review, written last summer, is available here.

Picking a Blog Name

2008-04-16T19:21:00.000-07:00

While I search for a more appropriate name, I will call this blog "travel write publish" because that's basically the order in which I get anything done. First I travel, this is my research. Then I write about what I have done, and I write about whether it would be worth it for you, my readers, to do the same thing. Finally, I publish, combining all the tidbits of information into one softcover perfect bound packet.

Of course, I really should have called this blog "travel write edit layout design publish market sell revise" but all those words didn't fit very well in the headline graphic. Regardless, I hope to come up with a better, more catchy name as soon as possible.

Welcome to my Blog!

2008-04-16T13:11:00.001-07:00

Welcome to my new blog! This is the first entry I am writing, so allow me to introduce myself and the purpose of this blog. My name is Dirk Vanderwilt, and I am a writer and publisher of regional travel guidebooks. I have written travel books about Niagara Falls, Wisconsin Dells, Atlantic City, and Las Vegas. In other words, I love tourist towns!

In my "other life" (outside the travel publishing world), I have training in film production, music composition, and information technology. I didn't get into publishing because I like to read. Rather, I was annoyed with the fact that I couldn't find any good travel guidebooks on Atlantic City - a favorite vacation spot of mine (since I live in New York City). So, several year ago, I set out to write one on my own. As I did, I noticed that many of my favorite places lacked a good travel guide. And so, with the much-appreciated help of a small group of fellow authors and editors, the Tourist Town Guides series was born. Today the series has eight books, but we are fast expanding.

I will continue to write about traveling to my favorite spots while learning about the favorite tourist towns of others. I will use this blog to share with you my knowledge and love of tourist towns. When I learn something exciting is developing - like a new theme park - I will share it here. If you are interested in learning about the book series, then please visit the website http://www.touristtown.com.

Again, welcome, and I look forward to sharing with you all the love of these fun places that I have.