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 Thursday, June 04, 2009
What Does It Take for a Blog to Become a Book?
Posted by Jane
I find myself advising writers more and more frequently to develop an
online presence first—sometimes by blogging—before attempting to get a
book published. Some types of content simply work better online,
or when you're engaging in real time with a community.
Online
platforms allow you to test ideas, develop your readership, and craft a
stronger premise for a print product. Plus, if you really catch on fire
with a particular readership, you can start attracting editors and
agents to YOU, rather than you chasing them. Doesn't it sound better to
be fielding offers rather than begging for them?
Of course, this
process takes patience. You can't launch your online efforts today and
expect interest overnight (or even in a year). You have to be invested
and dedicated to what you're doing, and involved in an authentic way,
for you to produce something of value.
And you also have to let
go of this idea of being online only to reach the holy grail of a print
book. You need to NOT want it in order to get it. That is, you have to
be Zen about it. Have goals, but no expectations. Know that your
project will likely change, or your goals will change, as you put
yourself out there more and more.
Key to remember:
Even the most popular blogs don't necessarily translate into great (profitable) books or a book deal
No
matter how much positive feedback you get on your blog, that doesn't
mean it's going to interest a publisher. It's the same thing as telling
an agent, "My mother loved it." You always need to back up "positive feedback" with hard-core numbers about subscribers, unique pageviews, newsletter subscribers.
So, what does it take for a blog
to become a book? It often takes someone in the mainstream media (or a trusted
voice or opinion maker) to scream to the world, "Have you seen this person's
blog? It's a must-read!"
When notable people talk you up to agents/editors,
and/or when you are featured by the so-called mainstream figures of online/offline media, then you can bet that agents/editors will start to
take notice and ask if you've thought of doing a book.
Now, keep
in mind that most blog material is not suitable for straight-to-book
publication. Bloggers turned authors usually have to start book
manuscripts entirely or partially from scratch, or undergo a very
thorough revision process. But if industry professionals see that you
have a strong voice, a strong message, and a strong following, they'll
work with you to figure out what your best book is, and help you adapt
your ideas for the best book product.
Here are a few extremely successful and visible examples of bloggers turned book authors.
If
you want to transition from blogger to book author, consider how a book will offer an experience or a benefit that is
unique or distinctive apart from the blog. Why would people want the
book in addition to or instead of reading the blog? Is it simply
because you think you can reach a broader audience? Sometimes that's
not reason enough. Consider why and how the book can be a vehicle for what's not easily or feasibly accomplished online, and how
readers would benefit from the book format.
Photo credit: Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com
Building Readership | Digitization & New Technology | Getting Published | Marketing & Self-Promotion
Thursday, June 04, 2009 7:01:19 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  Trackback
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Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Everything You Need to Know About Self-Publishing (Sort of)
Posted by Jane
In the March/April 2009 issue of Writer's Digest magazine, our staff collaborated on a feature package that explains in plain English the hows and whys of self-publishing. Our goal: To be fair and honest about the advantages and disadvantages.
While the print issue has great visuals to help you understand the options available, we've also posted much of the content at WritersDigest.com.
I wrote the opening article for the feature package, giving writers straight expectations on the self-pub path. Here's a snippet:
2. WILL I KILL MY CHANCES WITH A TRADITIONAL PUBLISHER IF I SELF-PUBLISH?
Of course not. Even if you publish what in hindsight is a terrible
book, or you’re embarrassed by the results, no agent or editor would
turn down your subsequent work if it looked like a surefire winner in
the marketplace. But, you may ask, have you ruined your chances of
traditionally publishing that same work?
Click here to read the full article I wrote.
Links to related content:
Getting Published | Self-Publishing
Wednesday, June 03, 2009 6:47:32 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Trackback
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Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Persistence Doesn't Matter If You Make This Common Mistake
Posted by Jane
I've talked with thousands of talented writers over the years, and nearly all unpublished writers have 1 thing in common that trips them up, every time.
They rush to submit their work before it's ready or before they are ready—especially those writers who are fresh with the excitement of having just completed their very first book-length manuscript.
A typical example: Countless writers at our BEA pitch slam had just completed their books, and some were so new to the business they didn't realize that their manuscripts of 100,000+ words are a tough sell for a first-time author. (However: Good for them for understanding, maybe by accident, that you can speed your path to publication by meeting agents/editors in-person and learning these lessons more quickly.)
If you've just spent months (or years!) writing a manuscript, why rush it to an agent or editor, and why rush it to just ANY agent or editor? And why rush it if you're new to the publishing business?
When I read Tim Ferriss's Four-Hour Workweek, I loved reading about his process of due diligence in learning what it would take to write and publish a New York Times bestseller. He talked with dozens if not hundreds of people who knew how to achieve the results he was looking for. And he developed an excellent and concrete plan of how to position himself for success.
There are two things to always remember after you complete a manuscript or proposal:
- Is the book really done? Is it really the best you can make it? And have professionals (whether editors, agents, or published authors) encouraged you, because they see and know you are ready? Do you feel confident that it's ready to submit?
- Are you informed enough about the publishing business to understand where to submit the work, how to submit the work, and what obstacles you might face? Does your work break the rules of the industry? (If so, that's OK, but know it going in!)
For beginners, it can be difficult to connect with experts and professionals who can get you moving down that path of readiness. A good place to start? Local writers groups, online writing workshops, and writing conferences. (Shameless plug: Our next Writer's Digest Editor Intensive on June 20-21 will give you an editor's take on your first 50 pages, and teach you about industry expectations.)
You should also find a mentor, someone who has accomplished something you're after.
Your work and your success is worth the wait. Slow down.
Photo credit: aussiegall
Conferences/Events | Getting Published
Tuesday, June 02, 2009 5:47:47 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Trackback
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Monday, June 01, 2009
Recap of 2009 BEA/WD Writers Conference
Posted by Jane
We had another amazing year at our writers conference hosted in conjunction with BookExpo America. Here are a few places you can find reaction and summaries:
- Literary
agent Janet Reid (and blogger behind QueryShark) helped with pitch slam
practice by entertaining a crowd of nearly 400 writers, showing them
how to tighten and structure their pitches. Here's her inspiring take.
- Conference attendee Michelle Reynoso blogged about her experience here and here.
We were honored to have Ron Hogan from GalleyCat at our conference, where he live-tweeted N.M. Kelby's session:
- Sitting in on N.M. Kelby's Closet Writer's Workshop. She's got 2 books coming out in September.
- N.M. Kelby's advice starts with believing in yourself.
- N.M. Kelby quotes Robert Frost: "No writer has ever been corrected into importance."
- N.M. Kelby has another Frost: "Why have we wings if not to seek friends at an elevation?"
- "write. read. write more. travel. write even more. repeat. And show people your work!"
- "When I say 'get a hobby,' I mean it. There's nothing that will drive you crazier than writing."
- N.M. Kelby also preaches the importance of proper nutrition for writers. Live mindfully!
- "When you write, it's art. Once you send it out, it's business."
- "If you can give the book to your mother-in-law," it can become a bestseller. "But more importantly, if the publisher doesn't treat the book like a bestseller, it's unlikely to be one."
- "Publishing is all about relationships. Play nice." Join writers groups, be active in the literary community.
If you'd like some images from the event, I've posted several on my Picasa account—click here.
Agents | Conferences/Events | Getting Published
Monday, June 01, 2009 6:40:22 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Trackback
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Sunday, May 31, 2009
Monthly News From Glimmer Train
Posted by Jane
 Glimmer Train
has just chosen the winning stories for their March Fiction Open. This
quarterly competition is open to all writers for stories on any theme,
with a word count range of 2000-20,000. Monthly submission calendar may be viewed here. First placeJustin
Torres of New York, NY, wins $2000 for “Surrender Unto Us”. His story
will be published in the Summer 2010 issue of Glimmer Train Stories,
out in May 2010. Second placeVauhini Vara of Iowa
City, IA, wins $1000 for “We’ll Rise Above the Sky”. Her story will
also be published in an upcoming issue of Glimmer Train Stories. Third placeKeith Meatto of New York, NY, wins $600 for “Tierra Santa”. A PDF of the Top 25 winners can be found here. Also: Short Story Award for New Writers competition
(deadline soon approaching! May 31) Glimmer Train hosts this
competition twice a year, and first place is $1,200 and publication in
the journal. It’s open to all writers who haven’t had their fiction
appear in a print publication with a circulation greater than 5000.
Word count range 500-12,000. Click here for complete guidelines.And beginning June 1, Glimmer Train opens a brand new category! Guidelines here: Best Start
--
If
you didn't know, Writer's Digest partnered with Glimmer Train to
publish two compilation volumes of the best stuff from their Writers Ask newsletter. Be sure to check them out.  
General | Getting Published
Sunday, May 31, 2009 3:03:49 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Trackback
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Saturday, May 30, 2009
Best Tweets for Writers (week ending 5/29/09)
Posted by Jane
 I
watch
Twitter, so you don't have to. Visit every Friday for the week's best Tweets. (If I missed a great Tweet, leave
it in the Comments.) Apologies for the lag this week— catching up from our BEA event. Look for a recap with photos in the next few days. Best of Best54 Tips For Writers, From Writers
@MeghnaK
Five Novelists' Web Sites That Offer Great Writing Advice
@jharmonwriter
Amy Tan (TED): The Ted Commandments
@Krizanovich
Cory Doctorow: Writing in the Age of Distraction
@dbschlosser
Stand Alone (no links)
"Write down the thoughts of the moment. Those that come unsought for are commonly the most valuable." —Francis Bacon
@wayne1009
Be suspicious if your editor only corrects grammar, typos. The less you're outraged, the less it'll sell. Editing equals improving. @gyokusai
"Writing has got to be an act of discovery. I write to find out what I'm thinking about." —Edward Albee
@UpWritePress
To get ahead, at the very least, write out at night your next day's objectives. Writing focuses your energies to accomplish your tasks.
@yourdaytoshine
In writing fiction, finding "facts" to fit your narrative = recipe for success. In real life, not so much.
@dbschlosser
Your editors are like coaches: they know audience & reject writing for good reasons, even if you don't know specifics. —T. Whalin
@QuipsAndTips
Getting Published, Agents/EditorsWhy writers should avoid content aggregators such as Helium:
@milehighfool
Reality check from author: Getting published is just the beginning
@KFZuzulo
Tips for the editor/agent appts
@heatheragoodman
The Five Traits of a Successful Writer
@saithota
Ask the editor: Do publishers have rules about POV?
@kdwashburn
Wed writing exercise: historical figures in fiction, by the Donald Maass Literary Agency
@motsjustes
Craft & TechniqueThe key to prolific writing? Genre.
@motsjustes
How to salvage writing disasters by @quipsandtips
@motsjustes
How Screenwriting Broke My Writer's Block
@jharmonwriter
I wrote a guest post called Embracing a Million Crappy Words
@beagooddad
Tips for writing a killer opening line, via @mariaschneider
@motsjustes
To drop the F bomb or hold it in reserve: choosing when to cuss in your writing
@dbschlosser
"If the character does not change in the course of the writing, it is not fiction. It is information."
@jshelley78
One of the challenges of writing is ... writing. 13 Tips For Actually Getting Some Writing Done
@musicasmessage
Summarized Dialogue: The many uses in fiction and memoir.
@KimsCraftBlog
The yin and yang of characterization in writing
@dbschlosser
Marketing/PromotionThe author's own story. Marketing, conversations and lies.
@paperbackjack
How you can use eBooks and the Kindle to market your writing from @jakonrath
@benwhiting
Twitter on TwitterLiterary Tweets: 100+ of the Best Authors on Twitter
(via @tweetmeme)
@DebraMarrs
Check out "Best of Writing on Twitter"
@MeghnaK
News, Trends, Opinions
Why AmazonEncore matters (via @BubbleCow)
@thecreativepenn
Richard Curtis on changes to copyright due in 2013
@bookmarketology
"Demise of Writing Greatly Exaggerated" -- a teen is not deterred from pursuing her dream job
@motsjustes
Online & Offline Resources/Tools
@michellerafter reviews 10 great virtual hangouts for freelance writers
@milehighfool
Free Online Writing Courses (via @BubbleCow)
@thecreativepenn
101 Best Websites for Writers: Our 2009 list from the May/June mag issue.
@WritersDigest
Wired's Ebook reader buying guide - good roundup of current state of art.
@thecreativepenn
Random Writing Prompt Generators
@MeghnaK
PhilosophicalDo we Miss Authorial Omniscience?
@idtheory
How writing saved me from myself
@joanna_haugen
"to cast a spell [on the reader]–possess them, manipulate them, coerce them into turning another page"
@jshelley78
Writers Reveal the Book the Changed their Lives
@blogofinnocence
Looking for more social networking and updates from Writer's Digest?
Best of Twitter
Saturday, May 30, 2009 2:47:29 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Trackback
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Friday, May 29, 2009
Just a Start (How a Writer Builds Confidence)
Posted by Jane
 Today's guest post is from the lovely Jane Koenen Bretl—an aspiring author taking one day at a time, and
writing about it. Her blog, jane, candid, is a sometimes funny,
sometimes thoughtful, often irreverent account of one mom trying to
start a writing career and make the kids catch the bus. Really, it’s
just one jane’s look at life.
As someone just embarking on a new writing career, I am hard-pressed to offer hard-earned wisdom or sage writing advice. I have, oh, maybe 20 more years of rejection letters to look forward to before I will feel qualified to offer those nuggets of wisdom to the readers of this blog. What I can share is one jane's journey to become an Author, the kind I think of with a capital A.
Technically, I have no formal writing education. A business degree, ten years in the food industry, nearly a decade as a full-time mom, a children’s photography business of my own—none of these pursuits specifically qualify me to write more than newsletter cover articles and the Christmas card letter. Still, through career after career, one thought returns time and again—the desire to express myself through writing, and to ultimately be published. Sometimes it is better for me not to know how much I don’t know. The publishing industry might serve as a good example. However, a series of serendipitous events landed me in a writing course last June, where I finally found the courage to pursue my dream of becoming an author—to step off the ledge of comfort and face failure as a viable, admittedly probable, option … at least, I thought, until I figured out what I was doing.
Start by starting.
I worked on a few children’s book ideas, and threw myself into my new career the same way I did each one before it—by researching and reading and absorbing everything I could find about the topic. I had bookmarks of writing websites; the list was a mile long. I bought lots of books and writer's market guides and reference materials. The Elements of Style sat on my bedside table, as if the contents would continue to seep into my subconscious while I slept. All this research quickly led to lots of thinking about writing and reading about writing and planning for writing—without much actual writing about writing.
Did I mention start by starting?
I did submit one story to an anthology, because a writing instructor advised that anthologies were a good place to start building clips for a resume that had none. I wrote a second anthology piece but never bothered to send it in, since by then I hated the first submission and was seriously questioning the sanity of breaking into the publishing world in the first place. The more I read, the more intimidating the whole proposition seemed.
But I continued to read, read, read about writing until last December, when I signed up for the Writer’s Digest Editor’s Intensive event. How lucky that the F+W Media office is in my hometown! Serendipity strikes again! In my newbie enthusiasm, I glanced over one little detail: it is a really, really, REALLY good idea to have actually polished something before I sit down for 30 minutes with an editor.
Good thing we don’t know how much we don’t know or it would be hard to ever try something new.
So I showed up at the event, all bright eyed and shiny, ready to learn, learn, learn. It quickly became obvious (at least to me) that most everyone else in the room had several novels under their belt, had paid their dues, logged their hours, and were blogging or freelancing or had been writing full-time for years. I swear some attendees had tattoos with long-suffering potential book titles on their arms, and those were just the ones I could see. Oh, and they had actually written something great to discuss with the editor the next day.
Oops.
When I arrived for my 30-minute time slot, I wasn’t feeling so shiny. I did have a crackin’ query letter that received good feedback, but my chosen editor kindly and gently indicated the actual story needed a lot of work. Like the “start by starting over” kind of work. Not a surprise, really—after only a few months working on the story (in between all that reading), I already knew it was not ready for prime time. I did receive a wealth of helpful information and actionable advice from the editor. It was a great experience, even though I was secretly hoping the work contained a glimmer of brilliance somewhere deep down. Well, not this time. But the good news? I now had my first (albeit unofficial) "rejection" under my belt. Now I felt free to make more mistakes along the way. Rejection in any form, even the most kind, is painful yet still liberating. It was like that first scratch on a new car—it took away the need to worry about my mental bumpers.
So I listened, and I walked out the door with a new focus. Jane Friedman and the rest of the staff inspired me to join some social networks to build contacts and connections with other writers and potential readers. I could commit to writing (something) daily. I would start a blog (as soon as I figured out what a blog was) and use that as part of my daily writing practice, and as an idea incubator and network builder. I would start visiting lots of other blogs, leaving comments, and building up my own readership while creating more and more contacts along the way. Learning something new every day.
The fellow attendees of the conference? Several of them formed a Facebook discussion group, invited any attendee to join, and shared a heap of experience and information. And, of course, I learned that some of them shared my state of mind, the writer's blessing/curse to never think the words are quite right, yet. To keep revising and rewriting and wondering when. I wasn't alone with my doubts, or my over-active imagination. (I still wonder about the tattoos.)
That anthology piece? It was actually published this spring, and that gave me a shot in the arm. Actually it is still an IV drip of confidence as I keep the book next to my computer, there to remind me how I felt the day that book arrived in the mail. The book with my name in it. And my little story. Someday, my name could be on the cover, if I work hard.
Using Jane's advice to become more productive while becoming cyber-savvy, I started using (for the love of god) an RSS reader. Now I could satisfy my need to read voraciously about writing and still have time to write something. And, four months after its launch, I can say I truly enjoy the process of blogging and have, through that social media, found a new voice within myself. I just passed the 5,000 hit mark for jane, candid, a small number by many blog standards but a big milestone for me. I am not sure yet where this voice will take me. Actual income is a rational goal. I have to start by starting …
Craft & Technique | General | Getting Published | Guest Post
Friday, May 29, 2009 12:46:35 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Trackback
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Friday, May 22, 2009
Best Tweets for Writers (week ending 5/22/09)
Posted by Jane
I
watch
Twitter, so you don't have to. Visit every Friday for the week's best Tweets. (If I missed a great Tweet, leave
it in the Comments.)
Best of Twitter
Friday, May 22, 2009 6:40:46 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Trackback
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The Song of Writing
Posted by Jane
Today I am thrilled to present a guest post from
writer Darrelyn Saloom. I  met Darrelyn at a
recent Writer's Digest Editor Intensive, along with Deirdre Gogarty. These two amazing women are collaborating on a memoir about Deirdre, who is the 1997 Women's International Boxing Federation champion. You can follow Darrelyn on Twitter. (Photo shows Darrelyn in Cincinnati, with writers Barbara and Sean on either side, after the first day of the WD intensive event.)
It took me a long time to believe I could write. I’ve always enjoyed biographies and have read numerous lives of authors who lauded an educator in adolescence as their source of inspiration—a flash of insight burst forth while reading lines of dead poets: Shakespeare, Emerson, Dickinson, Keats. But no such teacher manifested for me in my teens or twenties (that would come later). For me, the muse bloomed with poetical songwriters of my generation: Smokey Robinson, Johnny Rivers, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and Carol King.
But it was my father, an encyclopedia salesman, who first planted the melodic seed. Filled with wanderlust, he never stopped traveling. Life with Daddy was spent in the backseat of a book-laden car, absorbing adventurous yarns, chirping along to Peter, Paul, and Mary. My Kentucky-born father crooned Stanley Brothers’ tunes and recited “The Raven.” Poe blended into a folk song of enchantment. So it was in the backseat of Daddy’s Ford Thunderbird (where my sisters and I hid kittens and candy) that I fell in love with the imagery of words, the rhythms of poetry, the song of writing.
But falling in love was easy. Hard was to realize I wanted to write. Harder was to believe that I could. The writers I craved were distinguished professors of the humanities. Columbia University PhDs or graduates and teachers of MFA programs; I had no degrees. I dropped out of high school, hitchhiked from the Louisiana bayous to the Oregon coast, picked beans on a farm, married young (and often) and birthed a family. But I grew restless for something unknown to me.
So I went to college in my thirties. I never finished. But now I could lay claim to teachers of literature and writing who encouraged me. Into my forties I continued to read and to study: The Southern Review, The Gettysburg Review, Glimmer Train, and—yes—Writer’s Digest (long before I ever met Jane Friedman). Circled words, underlined phrases and sentences, lists of definitions littered the backs of my books and magazines. I studied libraries on writing and punctuation, even The Chicago Manual of Style.
When I began to write narrative, my restlessness ceased. But did I believe in my ability? The stories I wrote were printed and stuffed into folders and drawers. A few were lost on an old hard drive. Yes, I was still intimidated by the MFAs and PhDs and only wrote for friends and family. But even with their praise, I did not believe in my ability. Belief would have to wait. (And to make things worse, I was about to turn fifty.)
Unable to submit my stories, I printed business cards and worked as a freelance editor. I excelled at spotting clients’ errors, picking apart proposals and briefs. Red ink pen in hand changed me. It improved my writing by opening my eyes to writers’ mistakes. Taught me that writing is a place I can never be impatient or lazy. For a writer must never stop learning. As for intimidation, it has started to slip away. Because now I know it’s hard work that conjures words into music and not a degree.
Here are two verses my father would often sing. I’ve started to wonder if he knew that one day (years after his passing) the lyrics would serve to sustain me. I can still hear his voice.
If I had the wings of an angel
O’er these prison walls I would fly
I would fly to the arms of my lover
And there I would lie till I die
Oh, meet me tonight in the moonlight
Meet me tonight all alone
For I have a sad story to tell you
It’s a story that’s never been told
(Researching this old ballad, I found as many versions as strings on three guitars. So I stuck to the only two verses and lyrics my father taught me when I was only two or three. It took me nearly fifty years to grasp that as a writer “belief” is like an angel’s wings. If you, too, struggle to believe in your writing ability, I hope this will inspire you to grow some wings and tell your stories.)
Craft & Technique | General | Guest Post
Friday, May 22, 2009 10:03:52 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Trackback
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Thursday, May 21, 2009
5 Ways Writers & Book Publishers Need to Embrace Change NOW
Posted by Jane
In today's writing and publishing industry, knowing how to change and quickly adapt to change can be your biggest competitive asset.
This has been a key takeaway for me from the weekly Twitter editorchats that I started participating in last week.
The discussions often focus on industry change and trends, especially in relation to new media and technology. Part of the discussion last night was about the generation gap in publishing, sparked by Time's article on how by 2019, leaders will have to manage and motivate people in new ways due to generational changes.
I read the Time article and thought: Yes, but this kind of change can't wait 10 years! Just like magazine and book publishing can't wait 10 years to find a new model for survival.
The editorchat was insightful, but I don't see a generation gap. Rather I see a gap between those who can adapt to change and shape a new vision of the future (on a daily basis these days!), and those who get stuck and/or have pessimistic outlooks on the change.
There's a stereotype that "old" people can't adapt to change as well as "young" people—but my experience has shown it's more of a mindset or attitude.
Some people have the ability to act as soon as they know a change is needed, while others think so long and hard about making a change (in order to make the "right" decision and feel comfortable) that it's too late.
Here are 5 specific ways that writers/publishers need to embrace change now.
- Writers: The book is not the beginning or the end. Let me restate that: Do not make it your life's work to get that first book published. It's not the Holy Grail any longer (if it ever was to begin with). The book is only one piece of a much larger effort that you need to focus on. Stop thinking you need a book to accomplish your goals (E.g., "I can start speaking/promoting once I have a book.")
- Publishers: The act of reading is not tied to books. Stop thinking that if physical books disappear, that reading will also disappear, or that reading will be diminished, or that your jobs will evaporate. Books are not tied to the act or survival of reading. It's a romantic and lovely object, I agree, but it's merely one (sometimes limited) vehicle for something much, much bigger (storytelling, innovative ideas, inspiration, instruction).
- Writers: Power lies in your reach to readers, not in the prestige of your publisher. Kevin Kelley has become famous for saying that it only takes 1,000 loyal followers to really make a go of something. If you develop those followers, you can have a much more stable and rich career that is not dependent on publishers to distribute and sell your work—because you already know where and how to market to your audience.
- Publishers/agents: Be a true partner and add value to authors' careers. Or become irrelevant. Because of #3, publishers stand to suffer more in the long run, because today's (and tomorrow's) savviest authors already have the tools they need to be successful without a publisher's distribution strength. (Just not all of them have learned this yet!) Publishers who truly partner with authors, and start offering support in new and meaningful ways (see this great idea of a Digital Concierge over at PersonaNonData), will attract the best authors, the best content, the best value, the best readers, the best community.
- Publishers and authors alike should focus on vertical communities/niches. The more connected to a specific community you are, the more you understand what it values, what it is willing to pay for, and what sparks action. Paradoxically, the wider you cast your net in terms of audience, the harder it is to get anyone to notice or care.
When you take these 5 things together, I think authors will partner with publishers who offer a community of other like-minded authors (networking/growth potential), who offer diverse opportunities and methods of support, across all types of media, and who share the same values.
New media and technology has made the world transparent. Everyone is going to partner and invest based on mutual benefit/support and values. Those who don't stand for anything special, who lack a great story (or myth) to share, will struggle. (See this cover story from Inc. magazine for an example of a company and CEO who intimately understands this.)
The world is changing, and I'm grateful for it.
Digitization & New Technology | Getting Published | Industry News & Trends
Thursday, May 21, 2009 3:41:59 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Trackback
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