Potter E-books - Magical or Just Muggle Mischief?

Howdy Gang! Not going to lie, life is pretty swell in South Texas this time of year. Not too hot, never cold. Wild flowers seem to cover everything that isn't paved. Lots of rain too, which I couldn't say--well, the entirety of last year really. In fact, if you'd have been here just a few months ago you might be surprised to see anything growing at all. I know most of us locals are.

You see the entire place--I'm talking ALL of Texas, and it's a big dude--was burning up. Literally. In September, Bastrop County caught fire. Less than a one hour drive from my home some 34,000 acres burned, over a 77 square mile area. That's about three times the size of Manhattan Island. Well over 1,500 homes were destroyed. And that was just one (albeit the largest) of our fires last year. There were 27,000+ wild fires reported in the state in 2011. (Not a misprint, that's 27 with a K.)

Drought was to blame. It just didn't rain. None. For months and months and months. Then it got really hot. San Antonio had 57 days of 100 F or over temperatures in 2011 (I think our average is around 9 per year). The combined effect put us on the brink of becoming a burned out desert, and that's no overstatement. 

Now, less than a year later, my yard is green, the bugs are out and my roses are even blooming!

Just goes to show that the world keeps plowing ahead, never looking back. Nature doesn't care what happened last year, just give it some water and you'll see. 

I think Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling is forcing the publishing industry to do the same.

The Harry Potter series is perhaps the most popular book franchise of all time. All told, well over 400 million copies have been sold worldwide. 8.3 million copies of the seventh (and final) book in the series were sold in the first 24 hours of its release (way back in 2007 ... yes, we're that old), making it the fastest selling book of all time. Suffice to say, they're kind of a big deal. (More details can be found here.) 

Fast forward to now...

Electronic books are a big deal and getting bigger by the month. In 2011, the e-book market generated just shy of $2 billion in the U.S., and that's projected to be somewhere north of $5 billion in five years. (More here.) That's just the U.S. mind you. With little provinces like China being relatively new passengers aboard the e-book express, who knows what kind of growth we'll see globally.

It's not a slam on paper publishing, it's just the digitization of the world we live in. It has happened to medical records, music, banking and everything else under the sun. Now it's happening to books. And it has been happening for a while now.

You can tell from our faces that Ron, Harry, Hermione and I think this is serious business.

So why then, is the most beloved book franchise of our time just now getting the digital treatment? Most of that has to do with the author. You see, when J.K. Rowling first published Potter in 1995 (now you feel REALLY old, right?), electronic rights weren't part of the negotiations. Her publisher didn't buy them, just the print (and audio and whatever else was standard for the time). Major oops. Not their fault, but major oops nonetheless.  

Trust me, if Bloomsburry/Scholastic had had the e-rights, we'd have had Kindle versions three years ago. Just too much money to be had. Instead, we waited. More than anything, it seems we had to wait for J.K. to get comfortable with the idea. (And she certainly didn't need the money right away, did she?) 

No, J.K. needed to embrace the idea of e-books. You can read an interview she did in June of last year HERE where she discusses the role of e-books in her life (the beauty of taking 50 books on vacation with no extra luggage, downloading stories on the go for her children, etc.) 

She also had to overcome her fear of piracy. She put on record many times that the idea of people being able to run wild with her property on the Internet was a primary objection to her books being digitized. An irony of sorts, because the Harry Potter books have been a hot item on the digital black market for years. Some have even theorized her reluctance to publish a legitimate digital copy has only exacerbated the issue. 

Lego Harry would use a forbidden curse on pirates. Don't let the smile fool you...

Whatever the case, the wait is over. As of this week, you can now download fully legal copies of all 7 books in all their digital glory for your Kindle, Nook, Kobo--well, anything really. By legal I mean you have to pay for them, of course. 

But the 'why' really isn't the important part. It's more about the 'how'. 

In a move straight out of the playbook titled, Oprah: Seven Ways to Dominate Everything You Touch - Billionaires Only Addition, J.K. created her own gigantic website, refused to sell her books on anything but her website, and essentially squeezed until the retail giants of the world agreed to play with her. Yes, you can go to Amazon and Barnes & Noble to purchase the Potter e-books, but they just route you around to her site.

Did I mention J.K. has the electronic rights and therefore keeps (according to estimates) 70-90% of every dime she makes? No subsidiary. No 15-30% cut for the author. No distributor cut. So when you purchase the $7.99 to $9.99 book (depending upon which book in the series you buy) through her Pottermore site, J.K.'s cash register rings to the tune of $6 - $9. Amazing! 

Can you imagine going to Amazon and saying, "Hey, I want you to advertise my books, but you can't distribute them or otherwise benefit. You just get to put my name up and have a link in your book store." And then imagine Amazon begging you for the opportunity. 

It's called ultimate power, and it's something very few of us will ever get to taste for ourselves outside of deciding if we want fries with our meals.    

But even if we don't wield the power of the Elder Wand, this turn of events holds the potential to change life for all kinds of authors. (Even the non-billionaires types.) I'd wager digital rights conversations between agents and publishers are getting more heated by the minute. 

And as I say, it doesn't just apply to the big dogs. After all, who knows what and how something becomes as popular as Harry Potter. We DO know J.K.'s rags to riches story (my thoughts). We DO know how very few people, in the beginning, thought the books would be successful, even on a small scale. Who's to say you're not next?

It's not just big news for publishers, either. This could be a moment where Amazon and other retailers are put on notice. Maybe they can't make all of the rules going forward, as so many Indie authors and traditional publishers are worried? 

Perhaps this proves that if an author gets big enough, they can hang their own shingle? And make no mistake, it's the big name authors that make the business go round, so when they talk others listen. Furthermore, I'll be surprised if more publishers don't start pushing direct e-book sales as a result of Pottermore. Most of the big publishers despise Amazon anyway, so why not ride J.K.'s coattails into a new era to table turning? 

And we won't even go to the, "if it succeeds" kind of talk. It's Harry Potter. It's going to generate millions PERIOD 

Also, don't be quick to think that no true Indie e-book author will ever be able to pull off that level of fame without the help of a big publisher and big advertising. 

There are John Locke's and Amanda Hocking's out there who've done loads more (already) on their own than anyone thought possible just a couple of years ago. I'm fairly convinced there will be many more millionaire authors who've never published traditionally as we move forward.

My questions for you: Is this a watershed moment in publishing? Or is this just an isolated case, never to be replicated by anyone else? (Mischief managed?) 

Do you think publishing is pretty much the same as it has always been? If it isn't, do you think it can/will return to that point? 

~EJW~

The Spaces Between - Great Stories Are More Than Words

Ever notice how many of the most important things in life are often the things left unstated? How communication is more about the things you do before and after words than what you actually say? Sure, saying I love you is a big deal, but it's a lot bigger deal if it's followed by a kiss. You can tell someone you're angry or you can say you're angry and throw something at them. Which one do you think gets the point across more effectively?


I think good storytelling is a lot like that. 


It really struck me this weekend while talking books with some friends. The conversation consistently turned to a discussion of things implied by the actions of characters in the story rather than what was actually written on the pages. Don't get me wrong the words are important; without them there'd be nothing to infer from or to fuel the debate. However, I think I've underestimated just how much a reader likes to put themselves--and conversely, their own reasoning--into a story. 


I'll confess, the idea that what readers really get into is being able to fill in the gaps of a story rather than simply enjoying what is ACTUALLY written has probably been a tad complex for my mind to truly wrap around. I guess I've kind of had a rather simple, neanderthal-esque writing mindset of, "ME WRITE WORDS. YOU READ WORDS." 


Moreover, the concept of people intellectualizing beyond the words has always seemed a little highbrow or lit snobby to me. The stuff for writers, graduate programs, term papers and History Chanel specials to discuss. After all, the reader in me always really enjoyed the reading, appreciating what the author was communicating over implications. 


So it's not surprising that I reasoned that Twilight fan just consumed the story and could care less about deeper meanings and character intentions, right? 


W.R.O.N.G. You're everyday Joe or Susan reader loves to take stories to places beyond the margins. They constantly scrutinize Bella Swan's love choices and wonder what might have happened if Harry Potter had joined Slytherin instead of Gryffindor. Furthermore, the average reader loves to draw parallels between the lives of fictional characters and their own lives. 


As a writer here's the scary part; that's stuff that no author could contrive no matter how carefully they plot. J.K. Rowling could have had no idea that I'd be able to see my own family in the Weasley's. Nor could she have known that so many kids would feel Harry's pain and joy on such an intensely personal level to the point they write stories about his grandchildren in the form of fan fiction. 


I guess I'm saying that great stories are more than what they are on paper. It's those spaces between the words that hold the real power of a story. In the end, words are really just coal to fuel the fires of the imagination. Perhaps the real challenge in writing is learning how to create the spark to set it all off. 


~EJW~   

Goodbye Harry Potter - A Love Story

Howdy folks!  I've been on a once a week blog cycle this summer, and while I've certainly missed the catharsis involved in sharing my thoughts with you fine people on a more frequent basis, I must say it has alleviated some of the bulge in my 'to do' list.  I'll get back to my regular 3-ish postings a week at some point, but to be honest I'm kind of enjoying stretching my legs a bit.

I previously posted about the runaway summer I've been having, and was relieved (in a morbid sinking ship kind of way) to see how many of you were experiencing a similar amount of 'nuts'.  In conclusion, I think it's just the season to get distracted.

Perhaps the single biggest indication of just how much my time has gotten away from me this year was my delay in getting to the newest (and last) Harry Potter movie.  You see, over the last 9 years I've managed to be at the theater on opening night for the previous 6 films.  I missed the opening for the first film because I had no idea who or what a Harry Potter was, and I couldn't have told you the difference between a muggle and a mud cat.  Ultimately, I decided the movie might be worth a shot after a couple of weeks worth of strong recommendations from friends and coworkers.

ONE NIGHT IN HOGWARTS ...

I can still remember that night vividly in my mind.  The girl who would soon become my wife asked if I could make an evening showing after classes, and of course I agreed.  In retrospect it was never really a decision, because 1) I was crazy about her and would have agreed to drive to the moon to fetch lemonade if she'd have asked it of me, and 2) I was--and still am--in love with the big screen too.  I'll watch just about anything once.

I recall walking up to the theater holding her hand and suddenly letting it drop as I saw a line of a couple dozen people formed outside our tiny cinema.  It was two weeks out from opening night and there were still droves of people (keep in mind we attended college in a VERY small town) lining up to watch it!  "This must be some kind of story," I thought as we finally were allowed in to find a seat.

AN UNKNOWN LOVE

Backtracking a bit, you should know that I was not a big reader at that point in my life--at least not fiction.  In my teens I'd become a pretty BIG fan of Stephen King and spent a fair amount of my time nose-in-book.  Unfortunately, when I started college I put away the fun reads for textbooks.  That trend continued all the way through grad school and the first Harry Potter film.

You should also know (for the sake of this story) that my wife and I were somewhat star-crossed in the love falling department.  We first met in May of that year (2001), I asked her to marry me just shy of two months later.  As we lay on her tiny dormitory bed listening to Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong sing a duet, the idea came to my mind that I'd never be able live another day without her, so I asked if she'd make sure that never happened.  She thought I was joking, of course, but thankfully said yes.

That might sound crazy to you, and in hindsight I'd probably agree that it was, but there really wasn't much else for us to do BUT get married.  I'm not exaggerating when I say that we had EVERYTHING in common.  It was like we'd been walking on opposite sides of the same road our entire lives completely unaware that the other person was there.  All of a sudden we found ourselves in the middle of the road staring at each other.  From that point on, continuing to wander that road alone no longer seemed like an option.

When Harry rolled around, I'd found the hidden love of my life only months before.  Little did I know that I was about to rediscover a lost love, and gain a new one all in the same magical evening.

A MUGGLE NO MORE

"We have to get the books," my wife said on the drive home.  The next day we had all four and began to tackle the hardest part of any relationship: sharing.  Luckily she wanted to read the first one to see if the movie matched the book, and I was already eager to start the second to find out what happened next.  Who knows, if she'd have wanted to start with book 2 we might not be celebrating our tenth anniversary next year!

I read the next 3 books in a week.  I'm not a fast reader, and keep in mind that I hadn't read much of anything in the way of fiction in years.  Suddenly I found myself in love with reading again, and all of it thanks to some kids' books about wizards.  I also started to see some of the children I worked with at the counseling agency reading them.  Naturally, I explored what value they were getting from them.  Seems that these kids, many of whom had absolutely awful home lives, could really relate to this orphaned boy who was terribly mistreated by his adopted family.  It was escapism of the highest importance, in my eyes.

That's when I decided I'd like to be able to write those kinds of stories.  Stories that could make adults remember the fun of reading, and stories that could truly mean something for people without much else to hold on to.

A TEARFUL GOODBYE

Nearly ten years later, last night I once again clutched the girl's hand in a darkened theatre as we watched the opening credits of a new Harry Potter film.  Only this time I knew it was the last.  I squeezed her hand and asked, "You going to make it through this?"  Only half-joking, because I knew what it meant for her as well.

We fell in love with Harry in much the same way we did with one another.  It was instantaneous, inexplicably familiar and lasting.  Our relationship has evolved with Harry, and so many of our fondest memories together have come at his wand.  Staying up all night to purchase (and read) each new book, laughing at the costumes people wore to the theaters, snuggled together in blankets on rare free weekends to re-watch the movies, and hashing out the meanings and relevance of the books over countless dinners.  That's not to mention the number of friends we've made just because we had a shared love of Mr. Potter.    

Like so many others, to us Harry Potter has been much more than a book or film franchise.  Harry Potter has been a companion in our lives.  He has marked the passing of time and provided us with a lifetime of special moments to look back on.  Trying my best to sum it up, I'd say Harry Potter has proven to me that sometimes the journey truly is the destination.

~EJW~