There Are No Rules - February, 2009

If you agree with one of the above statements, let me lay it out real clear for you: The landscape is changing, and if you haven't noticed, you're behind the times. This particular blog post addresses the quality issue, because the ethics issue is becoming less of a problem. The moment any self-pub service tries to pull a fast one or do something questionable, it's trumpeted far and wide online. And often it's the people who aren't doing their research and due diligence that get taken advantage of. I'm not saying it's right for this to happen, nor do I condone it, but all industries have bad eggs.

But moving on, consider:

Distribution models are changing. With advancements in technology, and the power now within an average writer's hands, it's not necessary to have physical bookstore distribution to achieve success. (See my interview with Smashwords and Stanza for more on this.)

Traditional publishers now rely on authors to do all the marketing and promotion. It used to be that writers could concentrate on writing and forget about that icky sales and marketing stuff. Well, welcome to the new world. Marketing is now expected from authors. And authors who survive will be the ones who find ways to authentically grow their platform and meaningfully reach their readership.

Communities will decide what books are worthwhile, and communities won't have ego-filled judgments. Publishers will always be giving their authors one thing that is hard to come by: a measure of instant credibility. (That is: Someone thought this was good enough to take a financial risk on.) In good scenarios, there is also collaboration: to make a good book a great book. But soon, communities will have as much power as publishers to decide what books deserve attention. Plus you and I will be more likely to trust judgments coming from people we know and have something in common with, not necessarily The New York Times. It goes back to the whole end of cultural authority.

You're probably thinking, "Oh my god, she's totally in the pocket of the self-publishers and enslaved to them because of their advertising dollars that support the magazine." You can take the cynic's view if you wish and choose to believe that what I write is not authentically my view. But my background is 10 years of traditional book publishing—acting as the gatekeeper. I have a lot of investment in that traditional model. But I know if we [insiders] don't change what we do, we'll become irrelevant, and that's a worse fate.

When I started working for Writer's Digest magazine, one of my first assignments was producing the special newsstand-only issue on self-publishing (called Publishing Success). And I noticed that self-publishing is a hell of a lot of work. You don't get any hand-holding from agents or editors, and you're on your own if you want to be successful. Most people execute it poorly because they are not business people, and they don't have a good grasp on their audience. They're simply writing for themselves (catharsis). But I'm not going to fault the entire self-publishing approach because many people use it as a tool for personal validation (e.g., by publishing a life story, 200,000-word novel, or manifesto).

While at Writer's Digest, I've seen thousands of self-published books come through our Self-Published Book Awards. Ninety-nine percent don't meet my standard of quality for publication. But I can also tell clearly they were a work of passion, and it meant something dearly to people to get it in print. I can be heartless and say, "Well if these people have a book inside them, that's exactly where it should stay," or I can say: "Go ahead, take a chance, get hurt even." Most people, even published authors, have a lot to learn when it comes to what deserves print publication.

You want to have a traditional publisher and a literary agent that you can tout—so you can strut around and call yourself a published author? Go right ahead. But here's the judgment I bring to the table: Does your book sell? Do you have visibility? Or are you living in obscurity? Because I can't tell you often enough: I don't care who published you or how much you were paid for an advance: If you ain't got readers, you ain't got love, you ain't got money, you ain't got a future in publishing.

It is exciting to be able to publish a book virtually within 5 minutes with the new services available (through Amazon & Kindle, through Smashwords-Stanza-iPhone, through Lulu, and others). Yes, it will lead to an unbelievable amount of media detritus. But we have the tools today to find what we want and ignore the rest.

Photo credit: jerine

Friday, February 27, 2009 4:12:13 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

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Thursday, February 26, 2009

A Thank-You to Self-Publishing Webinar Participants
Posted by Jane

This afternoon, I presented a webinar on self-publishing, meant to give an overview of how and why you might self-publish, and how much you should invest (monetarily) in it. If you weren't aware, there are many digital self-publishing options available that don't cost you a dime, and can get your work in front of many people (e.g., Lulu and Smashwords).

As part of the webinar, I published a Writer's Digest e-book on both Lulu and Smashwords: the Writer's Digest Red Heart Black Heart Valentine's Day Writing Contest anthology. You can see the fruit of our efforts here:

I published both of these within about 30 minutes. (Of course, I had my files ready to go, but they weren't complicated files—a PDF document and a Microsoft Word document, as well as a JPG of the cover.)

If you attended my webinar, thank you very much for joining me, and I hope you found the information you were looking for. Don't forget to network with me on Facebook, Twitter (@JaneFriedman), and LinkedIn; I regularly post and share information of interest to authors who are pursuing self-publishing and other alternative models of publication.

Also, click here for my interview with the lead guys on Smashwords and Stanza.

Conferences/Events | Self-Publishing

Thursday, February 26, 2009 3:43:46 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

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Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Are You Annoyed When Told to Visit a Website (While Reading Print)?
Posted by Jane

I received my first piece of reader mail in response to my article "Straight Expectations" in WD's March/April 2009 issue, which gives the official Writer's Digest stance on whether or not writers should self-publish. (The conclusion, of course, is that it depends on your goals and expectations from publishing.)

As part of our self-publishing feature package, we told readers they could find information on 60 self-publishing services at our site.

Leonard R. Cook from Goleta, California, sent me a snail-mail letter, saying:

ABC, and I suspect CBS and NBC, have a rather annoying ploy of, instead of telling it like it is, referring one to their website. Actually, the BBC also has one and I believe they began theirs because of the network news ploy. They thought they were missing out on something. So they don't tell the news story. They advertise the story and then presumably detail it on their website. I've never looked to find out.

In your article, you refer to 60 self-publishers on your website, where more information is just a click away. Why? Since you publish a magazine, why is "more information just a click away." Why isn't information "right here"? Does the information get contaminated if it's printed in your magazine? Do you get some kind of royalty if a reader puts down his magazine, goes over to his table, turns on his computer, searches for your website, and then scans the information? Or do two pages cost that much to print?

I don't know about you, but when I watch the TV newscasts, I don't surf the web at the same time. It could appear to be a case of laziness on my part, or on the other hand, what does it appear to be on your part? I've broached this question to several media persons with the same response, nothing!

This letter raises many issues I could address, but first I'll start with a direct answer to Leonard's question of why we didn't print this information in the magazine. There are two key reasons:

We do have limited space in our print publication, and it is in fact expensive to add pages. Print is precious, and we felt we had better things to offer in print.
We decided that information of this type is better delivered online, so you can click right through to any of these service's Web sites, or save the information on your computer for later access. This information is also likely to go out-of-date quickly, so having it online means we can revise it.

But there are also more wide-ranging reasons for magazines to direct people to their sites, and Leonard mentions one (the so-called royalty):

Magazine readers who go online indicates a very engaged and involved readership, which is attractive to both print and online advertisers.
Generating traffic on our website has many benefits (whether the traffic comes from print readers or online searchers); it helps us generate advertising revenue, and also brings us more readers in the long term (people who find our content online and decide they want the print product too)
For regular readers of this blog, it goes without saying that print is endangered. Relying on print is a doomed business model, but it's not enough to simply mimic what you have in print in an online setting. They are two different mediums or vehicles. Each should be a distinct experience and not try to replicate the other.

That said, I am sympathetic to Leonard's complaint that lots of good content is being pushed online rather than presented in print. As a subscriber to about a dozen magazines, I do have a little inner cringe every time I start reading a print magazine and see plentiful references to great online exclusive interviews, videos, etc. I'm annoyed, but not so much because it exists—more because I don't have that much time. There's no way I'm going to cover everything. I have noticed, though, if I'm really interested in exploring a topic or piece further, I love it if a publication provides a way for me to go online and get more.

On a final note, there are definitely some generational differences at work here. For example, I don't own a TV today, but when I did, I would regularly be working on the laptop while watching news, entertainment, anything. I wonder what percentage of people today can still watch television while NOT Twittering, or surfing Facebook, or browsing sites.

I hope one day Leonard reads this response to his letter. He didn't include an e-mail address, only his phone number. I'm definitely not going to call, and blogging about his letter is a better use of time (a community opportunity that benefits many)—rather than responding to him alone. I have a feeling many of his questions would be answered if he experienced the manner of my response.

Photo credit: DWZ

Digitization & New Technology | Self-Publishing | WD Magazine

Wednesday, February 25, 2009 6:19:01 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

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Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Book Reading (and Writing): Is It a Fundamental Human Need?
Posted by Jane

I don't like the term e-book very much. I'm not sure what it's supposed to mean in the long run. We even have trouble defining what it means in book publishing contracts.

Usually when I think of books, I think of a distinct experience where I slow down and focus my attention on something without filtering multiple streams of information or trying to accomplish an "items read" goal; it's a communion between me and the author. When I think "book," that's what I envision, and it matters little to me if I'm reading that book on paper, on a screen, over someone's shoulder.

(Compare this to the experience of online-based reading: The Atlantic published a 2008 article asking if Google was making us stupid because it changes the way we read and process information.)

People much smarter than I are predicting that the way we experience books will transform into more of a social, interactive experience, or an enriched multimedia experience, with opportunities to read and comment on the "book" (or the content) and watch others comment and respond at the same time as we do. The catchy idea in publishing circles is that books are community-driven, and if you take this idea to its furthest reaches, then the book simply becomes a way for people to connect, quite remote from the traditional reading experience of digesting and reflecting in relative solitude (although my closest friends know how I love to read things out loud from New Yorker articles when I'm charmed or amazed).

I do wonder, though, if there will be two different paths for "books" (and it pains me that I'm putting "book" in quotation marks): books that tell stories and books that offer information.

It makes sense that nonfiction books meant primarily to inform can immensely benefit from being built on communities and having continual interaction/experiences, since information is always changing, being updated, being improved upon. There's always more to say, more to discover.

But books that tell stories (and I'm thinking primarily of novels), this is more about artistry and entertainment: While we may want to discuss stories after we've finished reading them, it's hard for me to envision the enjoyment of a story transforming into something we would not readily recognize today. Great stories require that you get lost in the experience (no matter the vehicle of that experience, even if it's listening to the story rather than reading it, or digesting it in chunks on a mobile phone).

It's the difference between being entertained (and to some extent escaping daily life), versus having to think, analyze, and study information (the process of learning, of education).

Recently I received a book written by 9-year-old Mia (The Conductor's daughter). As you can see from the photo above, the title is Cats Will Do Things You Won't Do. (For the curious, one of the things cats will do that you won't is triumph.)

Mia has written half a dozen books, loves to read books, and loves being read to. (The latest book that we're reading together is Alice in Wonderland, off my iPhone of course.) The other night she exclaimed (during the Oscars), "I love books! I hope there will always be books. I want to write books!"

Mia doesn't have an agenda. She doesn't know or care about the debates going on in publishing circles about the survival of publishing and what will happen to books. It doesn't matter to her if the books are on paper or on some gadget. All she cares about: (1) is the book fun to read, and (2) can she stay up late finishing her book without getting in trouble with her dad?

Yes, Mia, I hope there are books in the future. I am reasonably confident there will be—or if not books specifically, then stories that we experience. We will always want to enjoy stories (see some perspectives from Paul Auster and Scientific American here and here).

Digitization & New Technology

Tuesday, February 24, 2009 6:27:09 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

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Monday, February 23, 2009

How Much Do You Care? It Might Determine Your Success
Posted by Jane

I've been thinking a lot lately about the concept of caring (and understanding), and how it affects our choices in life—whether to build a partnership with someone, to buy or commit to a product or service, or to participate in a group or organization. For example:

The Chief Happiness Officer has always believed that employers must actively care for and serve their employees first if they want customers to also be cared for, and for the business to grow.
A while ago, I copied the following from a magazine article about good speaking skills: "The audience does not care how much you know until they know how much you care. If you speak from the heart, you'll get inside their heads. Passion is more important than genius. Focus on lifting the audience higher."

I recently experienced the power of caring, up close and personal, with our rocky re-launch of WritersMarket.com. We serve many thousands of writers through this subscription service, and for a while, we had trouble keeping the site live. Eventually we decided the problems were pervasive enough that we needed to send a personal message to all subscribers explaining what was happening, and offer our sincerest apologies for the disruption in service. I wrote this note and included my personal e-mail address, along with the editor's (Robert Brewer), inviting people to contact us for any reason.

Many people did contact us, and while I expected (and received) very valid criticisms, I also received just as much (if not more!) positive feedback, from customers who thanked us for honest acknowledgment of the situation and appreciated our care for their concerns. While I would never wish to repeat the unfortunate series of events that led to me writing this letter, it was a huge lesson learned that many customers, even if dissatisfied, can experience a change of heart if they encounter a real person who is addressing their concerns, or attempting to meet their needs.

As an example of a bad-caring experience, I'll relate my recent encounter with Hilton. I had reserved two rooms at a Hilton for a conference nearly a year in advance. (The popularity of the conference means that early reservations are critical.) About a month before the event, due to staff changes and budget cuts, I called to cancel one of the rooms. I spoke with several of the Hilton staff directly, and they all refused to cancel without charging for a full night plus tax, since the cancellation policy was 55 days' notice (!). But we all knew the hotel would have no trouble filling that room if it became available, so it felt like this was one instance where they should have waived the one night charge. I felt like they did not understand, and worse, didn't even attempt to understand. (Every time I brought up any consideration, they simply restated their policy in a firm, monotone voice.) Result? I'll book anywhere but a Hilton.

In more direct relation to writing and publishing: Think about your creative drive and why you do what you do. No matter what motivates you, when it comes to putting your work (and yourself) out into the world, you have to stop focusing on yourself, and start focusing on how you care about people, and how you'll show that you care. More than ever, good businesses and good products are based on passionate people who care about what they're doing. People are searching for that authenticity. How can you match the needs of others to what you're producing? Stop thinking about your goals; if you can meet other people's goals, then you're on your way to success. As Seth Godin asked in a recent blog post: What could you build (or do) that would be a dream come true for a particular group?

Photo credit: Tim Parkinson

Building Readership | Getting Published | Marketing & Self-Promotion

Monday, February 23, 2009 5:49:40 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

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Friday, February 20, 2009

Handling Digital/Electronic Rights to Your Shorter Works
Posted by Jane

A reader of this blog (and MWW member!), Cathy Shouse, wrote to ask:

The Saturday Evening Post is buying first rights to my financial articles and are also including the right to put them on their website. They are archiving them and I'm concerned no one will want them in reprints or as chapters in a book since they're online. The topic of finances makes it a greater challenge to simply rewrite the stories.

This is an area with no easy answers, mainly because there are so many variables (the writer, the piece, the publication, the audience). The key considerations are:

Do you stand to earn a lot of money through reprints? Is it something you could re-use profitably and/or re-sell profitably for a long time to come?
Will the material go out of date quickly?
What were you paid for first rights? Is it appropriate for the additional archiving rights they are taking?
Does exposure with this publication (or through its site) help send more work your way in the long run? A highly trafficked or highly respected site might help bring your expertise to the attention of others.
Does it feel thrilling to think you'll always link to this piece (or this site) from your own blog or site?

In general, here's what I recommend.

If a publication asks for digital/electronic rights that include archiving or indefinite availability on their site, at the very least ask for a nonexclusive agreement so you can continue to use, post, or sell the material.
Ask for a contractual way out of these arrangements if you're particularly concerned about the use. E.g., within 30 days of your request, the publication has to remove the material from their site.
You may not have a problem reselling material that's posted online, especially if you're reselling to a very different site, media/platform, or audience with little crosssover. (For example, let's say this same piece would be absolutely perfect for the print edition of Plumber's Digest, whose audience doesn't even read or know about the Saturday Evening Post site.)
Most book publishers will not be concerned if portions of your work appear online for free. People consume information in different ways, and find information in different ways. Just because your material is freely available online doesn't mean (a) everyone knows it's there or (b) won't buy a book for the better reading experience or the convenience.

I would love to hear comments from readers who have had either good or bad experiences with selling electronic rights to their work. Do you think it can be helpful or harmful?

Photo credit: James Paul Long (from the London Book Fair rights center)

Digitization & New Technology | Getting Published

Friday, February 20, 2009 3:03:28 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

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Thursday, February 19, 2009

Monthly News from Glimmer Train
Posted by Jane

Glimmer Train has just chosen the winning stories for their December Fiction Open competition.

First place
Cary Groner of Tucson, AZ, wins $2000 for “Elaborate Preparations for Departure." His story will be published in the Summer 2010 issue of Glimmer Train Stories, out in May 2010.

Second place
Aaron Carmichael of Broomfield, CO, wins $1000 for “Driver Yu’s Penance.” His story will also be published in an upcoming issue of Glimmer Train Stories.

Third place
Aaron Cutler of New York, NY, wins $600 for “15 Shots.”

A PDF of the Top 25 winners can be found here. This quarterly competition is open to all writers and all themes, with a word count range of 2000-20,000. Click here for guidelines .

Also: Very Short Fiction Award competition deadline soon approaching, February 28. Glimmer Train hosts this competition twice a year, and first place is $1200 and publication in the journal. It’s open to all writers and all themes, and the word count must not exceed 3000. Click here for guidelines .

--

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

Thursday, February 19, 2009 5:53:35 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

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The End of Cultural Authority
Posted by Jane

There's a great interview over at Poets & Writers with four editors in book publishing. One of the best bits:

Q: When you look at the industry, what are the biggest problems we face right now?

CHINSKI: I think they're all so obvious. Returns. Blogs.
GARGAGLIANO: And just finding readers.
CHINSKI: The end of cultural authority. That's something we talk about a lot at FSG. Reviews don't have the same impact that they used to. The one thing that really horrifies me and that seems to have happened within the last few years is that you can get a first novel on the cover of the New York Times Book Review, a long review in The New Yorker, a big profile somewhere, and it still doesn't translate into sales.

Building Readership | Getting Published | Industry News & Trends | Marketing & Self-Promotion

Thursday, February 19, 2009 4:11:36 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

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Should Your Book Really Be a Book? How About a Website First?
Posted by Jane

One of the key points from my January webinar about salable nonfiction book concepts is that not every concept (or author) is ready for immediate book publication. Sometimes you should start by building a site and a community around your topic, and see where things lead. If you generate interest and gather people around you, then:

You'll have a built-in audience for your work that you can interact with and reach out to for ideas
You'll be building your author marketing/promotion platform that will help sustain your writing career over a lifetime
You might experience role reversal: editors/agents approach YOU about a book deal.

One author in my webinar, Marsha Toy Engstrom, presented a wonderfully focused concept related to book clubs, with a targeted and identifiable audience, but it just didn't feel like a book project (yet). I suggested she start with a site. She recently wrote me to say:

Although I've had both a literary agent and book editor give me a thumbs up on the book concept, I certainly took your advice to heart. "Build a Website" has been on my laminated list for quite some time--however, your feedback was my impetus to stop working on the book, and start working on the site. Since you are to thank for its creation, I wanted to share it with you: www.bookclubcheerleader.com. I think it's fun--which should mirror the tone my book will take.

So ask yourself (even if you're a fiction writer): Would it make sense to start off with an online site, project, community, or social group? Why does your project need to be in print first? If you're wondering: How do I make money if I'm not publishing a book or selling a book, you might be in for a big surprise when you find out how much—or how little—most authors earn on book sales. And remember: How are you going to sell a book without having a reachable readership first?

Note that my next webinar is on Feb. 26, on self-publishing (particularly for writers who aren't sure if they should pursue it or not). You can register here.

Photo credit: Ian Wilson

Marketing & Self-Promotion

Thursday, February 19, 2009 4:01:16 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

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Friday, February 13, 2009

The Burden, Joy, and Necessity of Networking
Posted by Jane

I have a confession. I am a lousy networker.

I make this admission as I sit behind the Writer's Digest table at the AWP Bookfair, and watch people walk past. Dozens and dozens, eventually hundreds … then thousands by day three. Some stop to look briefly, some even pick up a book, but I'm not much of a salesperson. I'm much better at answering questions and providing information, and listening. I like to hear about what resources people need or what they are looking for, and how I can help. Of course, if I were a good networker and/or salesperson, I could proactively ask, "So what do you write?" and see where it leads. But I have this thing where I think I'm bothering people.

I've seen some authors (particularly Michael Martone), who can sell a book in 2 minutes to a complete stranger, simply through good-natured charm and charisma. It makes me think that much of salesmanship relates to personality and talent, though I've also been told by very reliable sources (The Conductor, who moonlights as a Financial Advisor) that even the least talented salespeople can make up for lack of natural ability by simply putting in more time, calls, and appointments than anyone else.

When I think of all the excuses I'd like to make, I think of author Christina Katz, who has described herself as starting out in life as a shy introvert, but learning over time to connect with people (she likes the word connect rather than network—less intimidating). For her, it's more about being open to the idea of meeting people, finding common ground, and forming connections. (You can read an entire chapter on this topic in her book Get Known Before the Book Deal.)

On a side note (but very relevant), Christina was at the TOC conference, and because she's able to put herself out there—without expecting favors, being pushy, or asking for attention—she was mentioned in Chris Brogan's blog as an example of microfame. Her interactions are authentic and real, and, as she says, she wants to help make good things happen. People respond to that.

So even the most introverted of us (who don't have a salesperson's brass balls to take the abuse of a sit), let's endeavor to say, to believe, that we would like to help make good things happen. That's why we connect. That's why we take the risk of reaching out. And in the case of writers and authors, it's essential we practice this skill, and push the boundaries of what we think we're capable of.

Building Readership | Conferences/Events | Marketing & Self-Promotion

Friday, February 13, 2009 7:13:32 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

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Thursday, February 12, 2009

Secrets of Great Storytelling (Particularly for Memoirists)
Posted by Jane

If you've been reading this blog long enough, you know how strongly I recommend Ira Glass as a resource on learning how to storytell. Even though his medium is radio, the same concepts apply to written stories as well, particularly personal stories.

I recently discovered Ira's Manifesto over at Transom. As I've said before: It has the ability to change your stories overnight.

Two nuggets to get you interested:

Some stories definitely aren't worth pursuing. These are stories where everything reminds you too much of other stories you've already heard, and stories where there's no sympathetic character (it's hard for the story to carry much feeling if there's no one in the story to relate to), and stories where everything kind of works out as you'd sort of expect. Surprise is important. …

And yes, there are ways to get a story to work. Often this means you have to think about what the heart of the story is about, and figure out how to make that more present. This can involve adding moments and scenes that build up the central conflict (and pruning away the ones that don't). It can mean making explicit what the story means, stating more directly what the point of the whole thing is. More about that below.

Another reason to click-thru: The great Q&A session that follows each part of the manifesto. Rewarding.

Craft & Technique

Thursday, February 12, 2009 7:01:25 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

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Wednesday, February 11, 2009

WD Editor Intensives in 2009 (Registration Open for March)
Posted by Jane

After our successful debut of the WD Editors' Intensive in December 2008, we've decided to make it a quarterly event.

This event is unique because:

It's run at Writer's Digest headquarters in Cincinnati
It's run by Writer's Digest editors, whose primary objective is to help you succeed in your writing career
Everyone receives a WD editor's critique of the first 50 pages of your manuscript, plus a 30-minute appt. with that editor

This event focuses on getting you and your manuscript ready for publication, and we concentrate on giving you concrete next steps, e.g., should you revise further, are you ready to query, do you have a marketable concept?

Because our staff and our offices are rather small, we cap attendance at 50 people, so it's a very personalized event, and part of what delighted us with December's group is the amount of networking and camaraderie that developed among the writers who spent the weekend with us. I can guarantee you'll make some new friends if you attend.

You can find more info here, as well as links to register.

Conferences/Events

Wednesday, February 11, 2009 6:31:59 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

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Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Headed to AWP in Chicago
Posted by Jane

Tomorrow morning I hit the road for the Association of Writers & Writing Programs Conference, held this year in Chicago. Writer's Digest is exhibiting as part of the AWP Bookfair, which is open to the public on Saturday. Anyone who visits our table will receive a 40% off coupon for the WritersDigestStore.com, plus we'll have free copies of the magazine available (until supplies run out!). Please stop by and say hello.

Conferences/Events

Tuesday, February 10, 2009 5:04:47 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

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Finalists and Voting! Red Heart :: Black Heart Writing Contest
Posted by Jane

We received about 650 entries for our Valentine's Day writing contest, and narrowed the field down to 10 finalists. Now you get to choose the winner! Visit our forum and vote for the essay, letter, or poem that most strikes your juicy-red or bitter-black heart. The winner receives a $250 shopping spree at WritersDigestStore.com, as well as a personal congratulations from me (and a box of chocolates).

The WD staff chose 46 entries overall to be included in a contest compilation, which will be available as a free download from our site by Feb. 14. You can see if you made the finalist list here.

Fun

Tuesday, February 10, 2009 2:59:51 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

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Monday, February 09, 2009

Our Newest Look at Self-Publishing
Posted by Jane

The March/April 2009 issue of Writer's Digest magazine is now available, and it has an in-depth focus on self-publishing. There's an article by yours truly, that shows you where Writer's Digest stands on the issue, plus we offer insider perspective from people like O'Reilly's Joe Wikert and literary agent Andrea Hurst.

To coincide with this release of this issue, I'm giving a 90-minute live webinar on self-publishing on Feb. 26. You'll learn if you have what it takes to successfully self-publish, and get a personal tour of the popular online tools and sites that can help you. We limit attendance to the first 100. if you'd like to be walked step-by-step through what's involved with self-publishing, with an opportunity to ask me questions that pertain to your situation, I encourage you to sign up. (Register here. Link fixed.)

Conferences/Events | Self-Publishing

Monday, February 09, 2009 1:24:45 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

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Friday, February 06, 2009

More Books on Phones (and Other News for Writers)
Posted by Jane

It's Friday, time for a little reading break, so I'm sharing with you the latest interesting news I've digested this week.

Just today, the New York Times reported that Amazon is looking at offering Kindle books on the iPhone. Huge! Google also now has titles from Google Book Search available on mobile devices.
Smashwords will be the first to release Dan Poynter's new book about self-publishing. You can catch an interview with Poynter over at the Smashwords blog. My favorite quote from Dan: "Social networking is the ideal way for authors to promote their books. You can get the word out while discussing your favorite subject with colleagues all over the world. BTW, social networking has been around since the campfire. It is simply discussing your favorite subject with your friends. Today we have social media. We can reach our colleagues via the Internet and mobile phone systems. People anywhere in the world can join the campfire."
Which comes first, the product or the marketing? This brief post by Seth Godin is at the heart of what aspiring authors need to remember, especially those considering the indie route. (Freedom to publish yourself comes with great responsibility—if you want to be read, that is.)
Thinking about ways to build platform? As always, Chris Brogan offers tools and questions to think about as you survey the web for inspiration and direction, "57 Internet Possibilities to Investigate."
This blog has been very heavy on e-book commentary lately (due to my life's iPhone Renaissance). Here's an article for those of you wondering how anyone ever finds and reads e-books, and what factors you need to consider before publishing one.
Finally: a couple mainstream media articles on publishing e-books (Christian Science Monitor) and podcasting your book (Time magazine).

Photo credit: KB35

Friday, February 06, 2009 2:00:35 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

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Thursday, February 05, 2009

A Follow-Up on the Piracy Issue
Posted by Jane

There was an interesting comment related to my piracy post that I responded to within the comments, but that I'd like to bring more visibility to, in case other people have different perspectives:

I disagree with what is implied here. Sure, some authors choose to give their material away for free and that can be a good thing.

But, what does that have to do with authors who have their work ripped off? That isn't their choice, they are victims (of a crime). Is the implication that they should just roll over and not consider it theft? "Hey writer friends, even though it was someone else who decided to pirate your work, just consider it a PR move! Because, people love getting stuff for free and it could land you on the best-seller lists! Who cares if it wasn't in your marketing or business plan..." ????

Please tell me I missed something.

This may be picking at definitions, but what does it mean to have your work ripped off? Does it mean that someone makes it available for download, for free, to the masses? Does it mean one friend sharing the work with their friends?

When author Paulo Coelho found someone selling pirated editions of his work, he started a blog to help promote those pirated editions, and even encouraged further piracy, since in the long run, it has only increased his sales.

The tighter we try to hold onto things, the more we stand to lose. Sure, you can get mad, but what good does it do? Why not look for the opportunity inside it?

Building Readership | Marketing & Self-Promotion

Thursday, February 05, 2009 4:14:39 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

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Blogging Services for Writers to Try
Posted by Jane

As a follow-up to yesterday's post about meaningful blogging, one of the writing community staff (thanks, Winter!) recommended that I link to a few services where you can start a blog. Here are my favorites.

Wordpress. You can either start a blog for free, hosted by Wordpress, or you can install their blogging software for free on the back-end of your own website (if you're savvy enough to be running your own site).
Blogger. Editor Alice Pope swears by Blogger. It's also a free service, and if you already have a Gmail/Google account, you can get started even faster.
You can also check out Typepad and LiveJournal.

Digitization & New Technology

Thursday, February 05, 2009 2:03:44 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

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Wednesday, February 04, 2009

How Writers Can Start Blogging in a Meaningful Way
Posted by Jane

Last week, one of my webinar participants from 3 Secrets to Getting Your Nonfiction Book Published asked a question about blogging (in the comments section of this post):

You indicated today that blogging and/or creating a website to discuss my ... uh, area of interest is likely the best route. So, how do I "start" a blog? Does it need to be focussed, or can I start with say, "ponderings"? My book idea was, unfortunately, one of those memoir/self-help hybrids ... Hence the need, as you suggested, for a blog, to "create waves" and get a feel for the audience(s), and even really, to figure out what it is that I want to write about. In short, I want to learn the how to and where of blogging. I have absolutely no shortage of ideas, likely aimed at 40ish-woman-mother-student-goddess-doormat types. I also have a growing file of 1000-wd essays on everything from pretty-wine-label philosophy to chocolate penis envy to (s)mothering teenagers ... Please, Jane, help me blog.

First, there were several very helpful comments from readers (see end of this post)—and my thanks to them for sharing their experience.

Second, there isn't really a wrong way to start a blog, though it can become a distraction or something that's not really adding to your writing career or writing life (I'm particularly thinking of unpublished writers as I write this). As with so many things, it all comes down to your goals. Here are the most common goals associated with blogs started by writers seeking publication.

Creative outlet/inspiration. Blogging can be the one place where you can let yourself go without all the pressure, responsibility, and fear that's often associated with pursuing publication. Sometimes it can help you find your voice, or help you find what really matters to you. Plus, over time, it hones your writing skills, especially when you pay attention to which of your posts garner the most traffic and try to replicate a meaningful experience for your readers. It trains you to pay attention to what your readers like. Sometimes people start with no greater desire than this, but later find themselves in platform-building territory (#3) if they find a more specific focus or direction to the material.
Market testing and content development. When it comes to nonfiction, blogs in your area of expertise can be a way to interact with your audience and test ideas with them. Some books have appeared in rough discussion form on blogs, almost like a first pass of ideas, and become what they are through interaction with readers. (Chris Anderson is one of the biggest examples.)
Platform building and getting known. In some ways, this is similar to #2, but I would distinguish this as writing and delivering content that may or may not be book-specific. Its goal is to cultivate and grow your audience for any/all of your work, not a particular project. You can also essentially self-publish small chunks of your work (if you're able to handily craft them into blog posts), and if your work has an outstanding quality to it, and you have a strong readership, you might make the kind of waves that attract agents/editors to your door.
Community creation. This applies more to nonfiction, but a blog can help bring together a network of people in a new way. For instance, I read a blog called Cincinnati Imports that's for Cincinnati folk who aren't native to the area. (There's a long-standing cliche that it's hard to meet people in this town, since so many Cincinnatians have lived here their whole lives and tend to be an insular bunch. I will not enter the fray.)

While it's NOT mandatory that every writer blog, every writer does need to have a website of some kind, to make them visible online, and that website can take the form of a blog, or it can be a more static website. (And if you have any kind of decent blog platform, e.g., Wordpress, you'll have something that's called a blog-plus site, which has the blog as the primary site function and focus, but also allows for static pages/content, like a bio or list of publications. So don't feel the need to create ANOTHER site if you have a blog.)

OK, aside from that, these two bits of advice should save you from going down a painful road.

I recommend every writer give blogging a try, but if you don't like it, don't force it. Spend your time on something you do care about. There are many ways to build a platform aside from blogging.
"Just start," says Garland (in the comments). Amen. You don't have to get it right from the start. It doesn't have to be perfect. It WILL evolve. That's a good thing. You get to decide how this works. Do what feels authentic and productive and good. Don't do what feels like punishment or work.

Deborah also left a comment that's very insightful:

I actually have numerous blogs. It's a way that I test myself to see what I have the passion to write. If you look at my list of blogs and see which one has 300+ posts, it's pretty obvious. That blog gets about 100 visitors a day, and each post gets several comments. The other blogs don't have very many posts or readers. If they get 2 or 3 readers a day, that's great.

As a final note, you'll find incredibly rich content on blogging over at Chris Brogan's site. Good luck!

Photo credit: Annie Mole

Building Readership | Digitization & New Technology | Getting Published | Marketing & Self-Promotion

Wednesday, February 04, 2009 5:35:31 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

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Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Should Writers Worry About the Pirating of E-Books?
Posted by Jane

Many unpublished writers worry that their ideas will get stolen, or that their work will get stolen before it reaches publication. I always counsel writers to stop this unproductive thinking. First, writing isn't exactly a lucrative thing to steal. It is not a highly profitable venture to steal unpublished novel manuscripts. Second, given the extremely low success rate when pitching editors/agents, who wants to undertake the burden of selling an unpublished novel? (Not to mention anyone who steals work is likely to be exposed sooner or later.)

However, with the advent of e-books, there is a new concern that writers will lose out on sales if the files aren't adequately protected (the whole DRM issue, which has been eloquently and passionately discussed over at Booksquare).

Sandy James mentions this worry in a comment in my post Do Writers' Futures Lie in Indie E-Publishing Platforms?

My first five books are all ebooks, although they will eventually hit print. … I have signed with a great agent, and I hope to expand my fanbase by publishing with larger houses. But these ebooks were a fantastic way to get my foot in the proverbial door. I learned about the publishing process, how to handle edits, how to work with cover designers, etc... All of my books are given a great edit, they are available from many outlets, and all will be in print only a few months after the ebook release.

As far as worries -- pirating is at the top of my list. I suppose ebooks are as vulnerable as music files, and we all know about how easily data is passed around. Think the Napster debacle or the Google settlement. On the other hand, how is that any different than one person buying a book and loaning it to her friends? Either way, it's a loss of income for an author and publisher.

Now, I freely admit that I tend to worry a lot less than other people. I tend to think that the more unreservedly you give, the more you will receive. People notice, respect, and reward generosity. And I think this has proven out even in the music industry.

We've seen it happen in the book industry, too. When Suze Orman's book was available free from Oprah's website (to coincide with a show appearance), the book returned to the No. 1 spot on the New York Times bestseller list.

Giving things away for free, or at the very least, giving away a large portion of your work for free (to hook people and prove the value), leads to more sales. When your work is passed around for free, other people are doing your marketing for you. Presumably a new audience is being exposed to your work.

What is your experience? Does free sell?

Photo credit: St_A_Sh

Building Readership | Digitization & New Technology | Industry News & Trends | Marketing & Self-Promotion

Tuesday, February 03, 2009 2:54:37 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

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Monday, February 02, 2009

Fiction Writers Need Platforms, Too
Posted by Jane

There were many wonderful comments here last week that I plan to address. The first comes from Linda Adams, on The Essential Components of an (Unpublished) Author's Website:

I should note though that there's a difference between a non-fiction writer and a fiction writer. When I started seeing terms like platform, my first thought was, "What about the novelists?" A novel often doesn't have a platform. The advice in the post seems more suited to non-fiction authors.

It's true that nonfiction writers are different from novelists when it comes to pitching your work. Nonfiction writers almost always have to prove that they have authority/credentials, as well as a platform, that will help them market and promote the book effectively to a target audience. Nonfiction writers essentially put forth a business plan explaining the market need for the book. Novelists don't do this at the outset; the decision usually comes down to the quality of the writing and the storytelling.

However, what separates successful writers from NOT-successful writers (no matter what the genre), is platform, or visibility to a readership. If a novelist is unable or unwilling to develop a platform for his writing career, he will find that his books don't sell and the publishers lose interest fast. A novelist should never rely on the publisher to make his book sell.

Here are a few ways that fiction writers need to start targeting their audience and developing a platform. (And all of these are discussed in Get Known Before the Book Deal by Christina Katz, which has a special chapter on fiction-writing platforms.)

Look at how and where you write. How have you developed your fiction-writing chops? Through critique groups? Online workshops? Creative writing programs? Lounging at Starbucks? Whatever writing community you participate in, that leads to a part of your platform. For example, if you are a graduate of an MFA program, that makes you part of the MFA community, and gives you a way to build visibility with that community. If you are an expert critiquer in online workshop settings, and word spreads about you, then you're building a platform. Think about your interactions with other writers and how you network. These can provide the seeds.
Community/regional presence. Also think about your interactions within your community or region, which may or may not be connected to writing. Can you establish programs relating to reading, writing, or the themes in your work? Most writers are passionate about something connected to words; are you involved in your community, work for a greater cause, and have visibility that way? Usually the passions in our life come out in our writing, and vice versa.
Special relationships. Maybe you were mentored or coached by a notable writer or someone in the community. Or you have connections with people in the media (whether family or friends or colleagues), or with other influencers and tastemakers. While I don't suggest you take advantage of such relationships, having them can greatly help you when it comes time to think of your platform and spreading the word about your work. Who do you think will be willing to help you? And how can you offer something in return?
Look to your work. What themes, topics, or things are explored in your work? It's likely you will return to the same themes or topics throughout your writing career. (E.g., if you write about small-town life today, it's likely you'll still be writing about small-town life in a few years.) Becoming known as someone who explores certain themes or topics in life can make you interesting and visible to particular audiences. And that's what platform-building is all about: Knowing what audiences will be most interested in your work, and always thinking about how you can be more visible to them, and reach out to them in meaningful ways.

I would love to hear from aspiring and established novelists about what platform-buliding strategies have worked for you. MJ Rose (a columnist for WD magazine) often says that successful marketing strategies all depend on you and your book, and I agree. Some things that work for one author may not work for another. But it's helpful to see what's being done, to help spark new ideas, and to better understand your own position and strengths.

Photo credit: Mike Wade

Building Readership | Getting Published | Marketing & Self-Promotion

Monday, February 02, 2009 5:29:58 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

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