At PW I would get a lot of self-published memoirs for review, and authors never quite understood why I wasn't assigning their work.  I couldn't exactly say, "Your writing sucks," even if that happened to be true, but I would tell them the same kinds of things you are saying here -- that unless you already have a celebrity platform or some kind of wonderful eat-pray-love kind of experience, no one outside your immediate circle is usually going to care what you have to say.

I laughed when I saw your description of writers who rely on their friends and family to tell them that their writing is terrific and sure to be featured on Oprah.  I was on a panel once with an editor who asked all the first-time writers in the audience if they had ever seen the early episodes of American Idol.  Most had.  He said something like, "Those people who can't sing are always telling Simon Cowell, 'But my friends and my parents say I'm a really great singer!' And those people are horrible singers. You need a professional opinion."  It was a great analogy and, judging from the uncomfortable looks of many people in the audience, he got his point across.

Another technique I have tried when speaking to writers is to ask them about the memoirs they have read recently.  What did they like about them?  Then I point out that the memoirs they have mentioned are without exception either a) written by celebrities or b) already bestsellers.  It's a sobering thing when they realize that if THEY don't read memoir when it's not already water-cooler talk, why should anyone plunk down $24.95 for their story?

[Her book] was inspired in part by "The Sopranos" and Morrell's realization that an anti-hero such as Tony Soprano can be at least as compelling as any good guy.

"A lot of the old advice writers have been given is really outdated," Morrell said.

Like what?

"Like you should only write likable characters. Like the hero should always be someone the reader can relate to. Things don't have to be black and white. Most of the characters that are fascinating and have depth are colored gray."

What kind of guy draws a monster every day? Bucher leads a lifestyle that some might classify as monstrous. Or, at the very least, vampiric. When the rest of the city is sleeping, he is drawing, from midnight to 4 a.m. He reasons, “Drawing is a monastic activity, on a straight line from illuminating manuscripts. Drawing a monster a day every day for 100 consecutive days? It becomes a stamina question.”

Bucher’s monastery, though, is open to the world, and people complain if no monster appears on time. It’s their morning coffee or lunch break.

That's kind of a good description for many HOW titles: art that's open to the world. Buy a HOW Book, support art! (Now off soapbox.)

• What are ten outdated men's fashions that still have charm?
• Are the suburbs killing your manhood?
• What are the five financial discussions to have before getting hitched?

Wow. Now we just need werewolves reading sonnets and I'm set!

You heard it: "Writer's Market IS a great resource."

I am surprised, however, that the conversation didn't shift focus at that exact point from Meyer to Writer's Market. A good interviewer would've interrupted saying something like, "Whoa-whoa, Stephanie--Writer's Market?!? Here let me get my pen out; can you give us all the URL on that? (pause) And one more time for the folks at home? Thanks, Stephanie. And tomorrow, we'll be bringing you an interview with the folks from Writer's Market." I mean, that's how I would've handled it. ;)