Mark Leslie Lefebvre has worked in the book industry since 1992 in almost every tyle of brick and mortar, online, and digital bookstore. He is a past President of the Canadian Booksellers Association, former Director of Self-Publishing and Author Relations for Rakuten Kobo, and the founder of Kobo Writing Life, Kobo's free direct publishing platform. He has given talks about the business of writing and publishing across North America and in in Europe.

With over thirty years of experience in bookselling and as an author who has embraced both traditional and indie-publishing opportunities, Mark is an advocate for helping authors understand the options available to them for finding success on their own unique author journey.

Mark's more than thirty years of experience in the book industry as both a writer and an author, makes him a much sought-after consultant. He has sat on the board of directors for BookNet Canada and was a professional advisor for the creation of Sheridan College's Honors Program in Writing and Publishing.

Wide for the Win by Mark Leslie Lefebvre

Are you looking for ways to stop being dependent upon only Amazon for your author earnings income?

Are you hoping to expand and grow your sales on multiple platforms in global territories?

Do you need strategies to help you get started NOW in terms of creating a successful "publish wide" author plan?

Would you like to increase and optimize your sales on Apple Books, Kobo, Nook, Google Play and more?

Then WIDE FOR THE WIN is the book for you.

Based on knowledge derived from decades of working within the publishing and bookselling landscape, author Mark Leslie Lefebvre has compiled those learnings and in depth discussions, interviews, and insights shared from represenatives from the major publishing platforms along with tips, strategies, and pathways to success from hundreds of authors who have already discovered the thrill of forging their own unique pathways to success.

If you're looking for a magic bullet, you've come to the wrong place. But if you're looking for ideas, inspiration, and strategies for planning out your own long terms success as an author selling globally on multiple platforms, then you're in luck.

WIDE FOR THE WIN prepares you not only with an understanding of the mindset required for long-term writing and publishing success, but also insights and proven processes that allow you to take full control of your intellectual property's earning potential and to reach more of the right readers for your work than ever before.

CURATOR'S NOTE

Wide for the Win is a must-read for aspiring authors seeking to prosper in the chaotic and ever-changing global marketplace. Mark Leslie Lefebvre brings a wealth of practical insight and real-world expertise to the table. His accomplished twenty-five-year career in the book industry includes his tenure as a former President of the Canadian Booksellers Association and the former Director of Self-Publishing and Author Relations for Rakuten Kobo. The information is relevant, well-organized, and presented in plain yet articulate language. More than anything else, Mark embodies the epitome of that storied Canadian virtue–he is an epically nice guy. – Melissa Snark

 

REVIEWS

  • "It's well organized and written in clear prose, so it's easy to use as a reference guide. But I recommend reading it from cover to cover first, as there are lots of hidden gems tucked inside. It's wonderful having all this information in one place delivered by a writer who has played an integral role in the publishing industry for decades. I highly recommend Wide for the Win for all writers."

    – Jo-Ann Carson, Author/Reviewer

  • "I'm not exaggerating when I say that this may be one of the only books that you need if you're a self-published author. After breaking down all of the benefits of going wide and the downsides of being exclusive, this book covers just about everything you need to know. It breaks down every major book distribution platform, how they work, and the pros and cons. Then, it discusses a wide range of marketing strategies as well as how and why you need to get your books in libraries."

    – Chris Boutte, www.therewiredsoul.com

  • "Mark has crafted the ultimate book for WIDE publishing. This is the first book I read that lead me to think about publishing wide as a mindset, rather then simply a long-term strategy. If I had to summarize this book in one world I would sat 'possibilities'. Wide for the Win is really about that. The endless possibilities an author can unlock if they just stop for a second and think of the whole world that exists outside of Amazon."

    – Michele Amitrani, The Strategic Authorpreneur Podcast
 

BOOK PREVIEW

Excerpt

Wide is More Than Just About Eggs and Baskets

It's inevitable that, whenever someone starts talking about the concept of publishing wide versus being exclusive to Amazon Kindle, there's talk of eggs and baskets.

The phrase "to put all your eggs in one basket" is often attributed to Don Quixote (1605) by Miguel de Cervantes. "Tis the part of a wise man to keep himself today for tomorrow, and not venture all his eggs in one basket."

In 1894 Mark Twain wrote, in Pudd'nhead Wilson, "Put all your eggs in one basket and WATCH THAT BASKET."

One of the challenging things, of course, in watching that basket, is that's all you can really do.

You can watch it.

But there's not much else to do.

Because someone else owns that basket.

But you own the eggs.

In other words, you own the content that's being placed in that basket, and other baskets. And the great thing about the content you own, particularly in this digital environment, is that you can place a single egg in multiple baskets.

I like to think of this concept as quantum eggs.

We'll get into that in the next chapter.

But in the meantime, let's go back to the original analogy and that sage advice Cervantes shared.

The caution, in his words, and this oft-repeated phrase, is regarding risking it all on a single venture.

And that's what it can feel like.

Sometimes, when advocating for wide publishing, people might toss out the following thoughts or worries:

•What if Amazon goes out of business? Remember Blockbuster? They used to be a dominant company. And even Jeff Bezos himself said that one day Amazon will be disrupted, will fail, and eventually will go bankrupt.

•What if Amazon changes their terms and cuts their royalty in half like they did with Audible? That cuts your sales revenue in half.

•What if Amazon decides to shut down your author account? They've done it with other authors. Nobody is safe from their fickle whims.

•What if Amazon withholds your KENP earnings because you're being accused of [reason of the day] or [whimsical term change you missed]?

You can argue about the legitimacy or likeliness of those things happening. That's neither here nor there. But the important thing to remember is that Amazon Kindle is a retail platform that is allowing you to publish your book content to their platform for free.

It's their platform.

They can do whatever they want to, regardless of how you and I feel about it. Regardless of what's in the best interest for authors or publishers.

It's theirs. They built it. They own it. They manage it.

You and I are mere pawns in the grand scheme of things. Our worries, our concerns, our anxieties, mean nothing.

This doesn't mean they are cold and evil. It just means they are a business. They have customers they sell things to. They set the terms on how those sales occur. They decide what to show what customer.

You and I are merely providers of content to sell to their customers.

When the content/customer connection is right, Amazon, and the publisher can both make a significant amount of money.

That can be a good thing. Heck, it can be a grand thing. And it is, for many authors.

But, like the Rush song "Tom Sawyer" states, the wise person knows that things can change, and those changes are definitely not permanent. The only thing that is permanent is change itself.

Things can change.

Things will change.

The question is, are you prepared to adapt to that change? Or, better yet, instead of adapting after the fact, are you willing to be proactive and in control? Are you going to invest time and effort into not having to rely on a single ecosystem that is completely out of your control?

If you are coming from a KDP Select/KU mindset, you might think this argument is all about and only about Amazon Kindle exclusivity.

It's not.

It's about any sort of exclusivity related to your Intellectual Property (IP).

I would argue, if you are coming from the world of traditional publishing, that you also consider opening your mind up to the options available within self or indie publishing.

Conversely, I'd argue that if you're coming from an indie or self-publishing experience, that you consider opening your mind up to the options that exist in traditional publishing.

Being open both ways is going to help you expand your basket options.

But be leery about exclusivity clauses in publishing contracts the same way you might be about exclusivity in direct publishing.

Because the publisher you are working with can decide, at any time, to not offer another contract. Or, if you read the terms of your contract closely, you'll likely find some clause that allows them an out. Sure, there might be a kill-fee involved, but that funding or income source is limited.

That's not to mention that they can go out of business or declare bankruptcy prior to your annual or semi-annual royalty payment coming in.

For me, WIDE is about carefully licensing, offering, and distributing your work to as many different platforms as possible, to maximize your ability to generate revenue from multiple sources.

The question isn't "Why wide?"

It's "Why wouldn't you be wide?"