Other versions of PDSP - Audio, Kindle, etc

[Savage]

Just got off the phone with Reid Tracy (Prez of Hay House) and asked him about other versions of Personal Development for Smart People.

There will be a Kindle version which should be available shortly after launch (hopefully within a week or two). Apparently Amazon is converting 5-10K books per week to Kindle format, and they have a backlog. Since PDSP already hit the top 100 (briefly), that will probably be enough to get them to make a Kindle version available at launch day. Hay House will certainly push for it.

There will also be a Sony ebook reader version available. This should either happen at launch or very shortly thereafter (within weeks). Other ebook formats may be available after that as well.

An audio version will depend on sales of the hardcover book. Audio versions don't sell nearly as well as hardcover books... like 10% as many copies. The book will need to sell at least 25-30K copies before buyers will want to see an audio version. I expect the book will sell more than enough copies to warrant an audio version, but even so it will probably be a year before an audio version is available.

Foreign translations are a virtual certainty. It's too soon to say which languages, but we may see some non-English versions available shortly after the English version ships. The book should be available in many countries. Hay House is an international publisher that licenses many books for translation to other publishers.

Hay House's sales team is excited that the book is doing so well with pre-orders already. This gives them a lot more leverage with the buyers they work with, especially since I'm a first time author with no prior track record in the book trade.

[Kazeko]

Great news! I'm looking forward to see the Russian version

Yes, I'm happy to say that, indeed, we have many Hay House books in Russia. However, often there are really poor translations, made by people, who don't know PD topic well enough, and I'm talking about translated American books in general, not only Hay House's.

For example, the well-known phrase, which Mark Allen uses a lot: "In an easy and relaxed manner, in a healthy and positive way". One translator simply replaced "in a healthy and positive way" with "honestly and without a risk", and the word "relaxed" with "un-forced". Yes, the exact translation sounds a bit weird in Russian, but that "better sounding" one contradicts to the fundamental principle of any affirmation (all the words must be positive, not negative).

Anyway, I'm very grateful for any translations available. I can easily correct their flaws in my head.

[Brutha]

Anyway, I'm very grateful for any translations available. I can easily correct their flaws in my head.

After you corrected it in your head, it could be a good idea to write the publisher a mail when it's the kind of book that will be republished.

If there are a lot of books that you read and you do that one a constient basis it's probably a good way to develop relationship with a publisher should you ever want to publish a book yourself.

For example, the well-known phrase, which Mark Allen uses a lot: "In an easy and relaxed manner, in a healthy and positive way". One translator simply replaced "in a healthy and positive way" with "honestly and without a risk", and the word "relaxed" with "un-forced". Yes, the exact translation sounds a bit weird in Russian

What does that say about the Russian language in general?

[Adrienne]

Awesome on the kindle version!!
Since i already ordered a hardcover, i may still keep it or give it to someone who i think will appreciate it.
Thanks for asking about it Steve!

[Kazeko]

Originally Posted by Brutha

After you corrected it in your head, it could be a good idea to write the publisher a mail when it's the kind of book that will be republished.

Indeed, a good idea! Never thought about it. And I would definitely throw a lot of e-mails to the publisher, if Steve's book would be poorly translated. This is the case when I care very much.

What does that say about the Russian language in general?

It says that Russian language is negativity-biased a bit (and may sound really evil or painful sometimes). Even the word "compassion" is mostly translated as "co-suffering" (although we have less used word, close to "co-feeling"). And the word "insurance" has the only possible translation. It has the same root with the word "fear" (the word means something like "fear-elimination", but sounds like "bringing the fear").

Well, again, I'll read Steve's translated book carefully, and definitely let the forum readers know if something seems wrong (in addition to other actions I told about).