The Writer's Perspective by Maria Schneider

Hi Writers,
To follow up on my previous post, I wanted to comment further on the term "literary" as in a "literary novel."

First, I want to say that I love smart, character-driven literary novels. They are what I gravitate to for my own leisure reading.

So please don't get too angry with me when I share that labeling your book "literary" will, in the minds of many agents, brand your book as being dark, depressing, boring, overly intellectual, mid-list, unsalable, (insert your own adjective for not-money-making here), etc.

When our annual competitions winners (see below) called their novel manuscripts "literary" you could almost see the agents' eyes roll up to the ceiling. As Peter Rubie put it: "When you call your novel "literary" you put yourself on a really difficult level—up against Annie Proulx, Philip Roth and the like."

But what did get the agents revved-up were terms mentioned in my post below, for example "crossover novel" (catchword meaning: a character-driven novel that might actually sell to a mass audience), or book club novel (catchword meaning: somewhat intellectual, culturally relevant, might actually sell to a mass audience if it catches on with the book club set). Much of this is industry jargon, but it's certainly worth knowing if you're trying to pitch a novel.

Feel free to share your thoughts on this but please don't shoot the messenger, I've got a busy schedule this month.

Keep Writing,
Maria

publishing news and views | the writing life

6/30/2008 1:21:37 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [4]

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Random stuff overheard from New York literary agents
Posted by maria

Hi Writers,
Sorry for the lame headline. I’m putting the October issue of Writer’s Digest to bed and my clever headline writing capacity is shot.

But I wanted to share some of the notes I kept during my recent trip to New York to accompany our annual competitions winners to meet agents (see posts below).

Many thanks to the agents who guided us including:
• Annelise Robey
• Mollie Glick
• Peter Rubie
• Stephany Evans
• Jennie Dunham
• Michelle Brower
• Donald Maass

So here, in no particular order of importance is random stuff overheard from New York agents:

• The term “book club novel” is hot; consider using in lieu of “literary” fiction; “crossover appeal” is another good catchphrase.

• Make sure your synopsis is concise; stick to the main plotline and characters.

• Know what the core conflict/ turning point of your story is.

• Practice your “elevator pitch.” Be able to verbally sum up your novel in less than two minutes.

• It takes a long time and a lot of effort to find the right agent because you want to find an agent who shares your vision for your writing career. This is one of the most important relationships of your life.

• Many newer/ younger agents are coming into the field with strong editing background and expect to do a lot of editing.

• Never mass e-mail agents; take the time to get to know the other authors they represent and if you’re a good fit.

• Get some publishing credits however you can before you pitch a novel, this sends a signal to everyone that you are a publishable writer.

For everything else you always wanted to know about literary agents but were afraid to ask, go seek the keeper of literary agent wisdom Chuck Sambuchino, editor of Guide to Literary Agents.

Keep Writing,
Maria

Let me know if you have any questions, comments or clarifications and I will attempt to once again decipher my own handwriting.

publishing news and views | the writing life | writing technique

6/26/2008 4:51:38 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [8]

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Alegra Clarke on her New York trip to meet agents
Posted by maria

Hi Writers,
I asked our annual competition winner, Alegra Clarke (see posts below) for some decompression notes from her New York trip to meet agents and she sent me this lovely little essay. She's promised to send me updates on her progress in selling her novel and I'll post future updates here.

Here's Alegra:
My husband and I arrived back onto New Zealand soil yesterday morning. After 30 hours of travel, lost luggage, four plane flights that were delayed so that we almost didn't make it home to New Zealand, I now find myself sitting at my desk feeling as though I left some part of myself on the other side of the planet. This morning I took down the calendar that has been up in the kitchen, marking down the days from when I first recieved the 'Congratulations!' from Brian Klems to the date for the NYC trip. So much has happened in this last year, and as I took down the old calendar and put up the new one, really all I could do was smile. For a person usually overflowing with commentary, I have found myself unusually challenged in trying to sum up this experience.

What has struck me most about this nearly year's worth of effort and dreaming, alternating moods of self-doubt, gratitude and inspiration, is that while it was a life altering experience to finally recieve that 'break', to feel as though my dream had come striding up to me, tapped me on the shoulder and shook my hand, telling me to 'Go for it! Write!', it is what I have gained in the experience of the generosity of others in supporting this dream that has made the process so full of magic. Starting with a close group of friends, including my dear friend Kemari who was cheering me on as I submitted Salamander Prayer to the competition last year, I began to understand the intimate process of writing, not only in the usual idea of a writer pouring herself onto the page, but that a piece of writing, whatever form, gets into print through a process of relationships. It is not just the writer who is invested in the work, it is a collective effort of people who fall in love and face similiar risks as the writer does. It gave me humility and courage to understand this - the risk of heartbreak is not a solitary one and the writing itself really does take on a life of its own.

This time has reminded me again and again of the saying that providence moves when commitment is present. In the last year I have found myself in experiences I could have never imagined for myself, and they all arose out of the generosity of other people, the apex of this being the moment I found myself sitting in Joel Gotler's office, having him share his wealth of experience and insight with me. I walked away from that meeting so full of gratitude that I repeatedly said to my family and friends (and when I say 'repeatedly' I mean for at least six weeks after the meeting), 'Look from here on out, I can only do my best, I have been so blessed already.'

The meeting with the agents in NYC brought this theme to completion for me - not only did I receive invaluable insights into the realities of the publishing business, but I was also honored with being able to meet these six talented, passionate, fascinating people, who were willing to sit down and share with us, not just as agents but as people who are passionate about what they do. I was impressed by the way that they each listened, communicated with honesty, and responded with enthusiasm. It was a thrill to watch them speak about books that had done well, stories they had risked believing in, writers that they were deeply committed to, the time they put into making sure a book has the greatest chance of being met with success in the world - listening to each agent's opinion and experience, I realized that an agent is not a gatekeeper, but a companion willing to invest, risk and believe in what we as writers have created. The NYC trip has inspired me to continue to do my best to write authentically, to listen to the advice of those further along on the path and to take strength in knowing that the path ahead is not a solitary one. No matter what the final outcome, I am in fine company every step along the way.

Keep Writing,
Maria

publishing news and views | the writing life | Writer's Digest news

6/25/2008 10:06:23 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [8]

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Our New York trip to meet Literary Agents
Posted by maria

Hi Writers,
I'm near the end of my trip to New York City. As mentioned in my previous post, I'm accompanying our 2006 and 2007 Writer's Digest annual competitions winners Mary Feuer and Alegra Clarke to meet literary agents.

I've met so many great agents on this trip and learned so much. But I've decided to let Mary and Alegra give you the full rundown in their own words. They're going to be contributing to this blog later in the week when they've had a chance to decompress, so stay tuned. In the meantime, here are some pictures of our adventures in agent land.

Keep Writing,
Maria

pictured below:
1. Alegra pitching Michelle Brower
2. Mary, Alegra and Jennie Dunham
3. Mary, Donald Maass and Alegra
4. Mary, Alegra and me at our hotel
5. Annelise Robey, Mary and Alegra lunching

publishing news and views | Writer's Digest news

6/18/2008 9:39:17 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [3]

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

I'm in New York!
Posted by maria

Hi Writers,
I’m reporting live from New York City, where I’m accompanying our annual competitions winners Alegra Clarke and Mary Feuer.

So Alegra and Mary and me are making the rounds to meet literary agents. This is part of their prize for winning our annual competition for the past two years. I was so happy to meet these two great ladies, really I couldn’t imagine this happening to two nicer, more deserving, talented writers.

Even though she won the contest in 2006, Mary has been tied up as a screenwriter on location in Hawaii for the TV series “Dante’s Cove.” Mary’s working on a novel length work stemming from the great “House on Fire” she won our competition with two years ago.

Alegra, who won our competition in the memoir category for her “Salamander Prayer” has completed a novel since she found out she won our competition less than a year ago, and she’s already working with a L.A. based screenplay agent Joel Gotler on the screen rights.

We have two days of meetings with literary agents lined up. Yesterday we met with Annelise Robey of the Jane Rotrosen Agency and Mollie Glick of the Jean V. Naggar Agency.

Both Annelise and Mollie were so enthusiastic and positive about the prospect of finding new talent, the meetings were really delightful; I got quite a charge from it.

A lot came out of these meetings and I learned quite a lot about the current state of the market. I don’t have time for a full report but here’s a bit of what each had to say.

Annelise Robey says literary fiction is selling, especially if it’s accessible, not overly intellectual and has crossover appeal.

Mollie Glick had each writer give her “elevator pitch.” She told Mary if you have a choice between writing the book as a series of linked short stories and a novel, definitely go with the novel as short story collections, even linked short stories, are incredibly difficult to sell.

We have four more meetings lined up today so I have to run, but I’ll report back tomorrow, with visual aids!

Keep Writing,
Maria

publishing news and views | the writing life | Writer's Digest news | writing technique

6/17/2008 10:06:17 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [7]

Monday, May 05, 2008

PRINT WINS!
Posted by maria

Congratulations to our sister publication [at F+W Publications] Print magazine, for once again winning an Ellie Award—its 4th—for general excellence in its category at the National Magazine Awards!

Here's a link to all of the ASME award winners; as always, an impressive, inspiring lineup.

Pictured here: a close-up photo of the Ellie Award, and the Print magazine team.

publishing news and views

5/5/2008 1:12:50 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [2]

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Hey, Graphomaniacs!
Posted by maria

Hi Writers,
I know I said Friday was going to be the official rant day here on The Writer’s Perspective, but you never can predict when a good rant is going to come on.

I read an essay in the New York Times Sunday Book Review: "You’re an Author? Me Too!" that really gets to the heart of what we do here at Writer’s Digest. The piece was written by NYT Book Review editor Rachel Donadio.

Here’s an excerpt:
In 2007, a whopping 400,000 books were published or distributed in the United States, up from 300,000 in 2006, according to the industry tracker Bowker, which attributed the sharp rise to the number of print-on-demand books and reprints of out-of-print titles. University writing programs are thriving, while writers’ conferences abound, offering aspiring authors a chance to network and “workshop” their work. The blog tracker Technorati estimates that 175,000 new blogs are created worldwide each day (with a lucky few bloggers getting book deals). And the same N.E.A. study found that 7 percent of adults polled, or 15 million people, did creative writing, mostly “for personal fulfillment.”

In short, everyone has a story — and everyone wants to tell it. Fewer people may be reading, but everywhere you turn, Americans are sounding their barbaric yawps over the roofs of the world, as good old Walt Whitman, himself a self-published author, once put it.

“As publishing has become less expensive, the urge to write my own self has become the opportunity to publish my own self,” said Gabriel Zaid, a Mexican critic and the author of “So Many Books: Reading and Publishing in an Age of Abundance,” a meditation on literary life in an over-booked world. Today, he added, “Everyone now can afford to preach in the desert.”

The gist of the piece I agree with. With all of the outlets now available to writers: POD, blogs, etc. it’s easier than ever for writers to get published, since the gatekeepers are taken out of the equation. And it’s true that the number of published books is increasing substantially (mostly due to POD), while the reading public, or at least the book-buying readers, is on a downward decline. I can’t disagree with any of this.

What bugs me, though is the between-the-lines implication that perhaps writers shouldn’t be getting their writing out there any way they see fit.

Think about this in comparison to the other arts.

For example, have you ever heard anyone say something like this: “There are just too many street musicians. They really shouldn’t be playing music in public if they’re not with a record label.”

Or this: “Who is buying all of the art at those neighborhood art festivals? Why do these artists even bother—nobody is going to enjoy or buy their paintings!”

Why is writing held to a different standard than the other arts? How does a writer know if he’s good or not without getting his work out there any way he can?

Power to the people!
That’s my rant. Please feel free to add yours here, too.

Keep Writing,
Maria

publishing news and views | the writing life

4/29/2008 2:43:05 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [12]

Monday, April 14, 2008

Before You POD
Posted by maria

Hi Writers,
With all of the chatter surrounding Amazon’s recent announcement that they’ll now only sell POD (print-on-demand) books printed by their subsidiary BookSurge, I wanted to offer some important questions to ask yourself before you enter into any POD arrangement.

Writer’s Digest has occasionally been criticized for accepting POD advertising. I’ve already stated my stance about that here. You can go to My Manifesto, if you’re interested in my point-of-view on advertising.

To be perfectly honest, when trying to publish a book, it’s almost always the best first course of action to attempt to land an agent and get on with a commercial publishing house so you don’t have to underwrite the expense of publishing the book yourself.

But there are instances when good books don’t fit into the right business model or the right trends to garner attention from commercial houses.

Whatever your opinion on PODs, it’s a legitimate industry made up of publishing companies that run the gamut from the good to the bad to the truly ugly.

With that in mind, here are three essential questions to ask yourself before you go POD:

1. What’s your Goal?
So you’ve written a book. You probably think it’s a great book given that you’ve put a lot of time and energy into it.

But if you’re going to publish your book and attempt to sell it, it’s essential to put some distance between you and your book and start thinking of it as a product. Who’s your target market? If it’s just your family and friends, realize that and proceed consciously knowing and accepting that you’re probably not going to sell 500 books.

Have you brought it to trusted readers who will offer you honest, objective opinions? This should be your first step before any attempts to get your book published, POD or commercially.

2. Are you a good self-marketer?
If you already have an established platform—a newspaper or magazine column, a popular blog, etc., or if you have some expertise and make frequent appearances on TV and radio—POD might actually be a viable alternative for you. If you’re a businessperson or motivational speaker with regular speaking engagements, that’s actually a great way to sell books.

Of course, “sell” is the operative word. If you’re shy about selling, think twice before going POD because the selling impetus rests entirely on your shoulders. If the idea of cold calling a local bookstore gives you cold sweats, think twice.

3. Have you done the research?
Enter into a POD agreement with the due diligence you’d give any contractual agreement. I’d strongly consider running any POD contract through a lawyer (one with experience in publishing law or, at the very minimum, intellectual property law), since the language and terms vary widely. Make sure you know the bottom line number you’ll be paying and the specific terms of what you’re getting.

Have you seen first-hand examples from the POD company you’re considering? Make sure you’ve seen at least several examples of their work. Is the binding firm? Are the pages intact? Is the cover art attractive? Check references of other authors who’ve used the POD’s services.

A few more things to consider:
There are some professional associations that overshadow the POD industry. These are the current affiliations you should know about in order to make an informed decision if you do decide to go POD:
• BookSurge is a subsidiary of Amazon
• Barnes & Noble is a shareholder in iUniverse
• Most POD books are actually printed by Lightning Source, which is owned by Ingram (the industry’s primary book distributor and wholesaler). Infinity is one notable exception.

If you’re interested in learning more about PODs—and self-publishing in general—here are two good primers:

The Evolution of Self-publishing by our online managing editor Brian A. Klems

Print on Demand article at Writer Beware (sponsored by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America)

I hope this post wasn’t too basic. But I really wanted to put some solid, factual information and suggestions out there for any writer who’s considering POD as an alternative because it can be very confusing. I don’t want any writer to get blindsided.

Please consider this is an open forum. Feel free to post any thoughts, questions or experiences with POD companies here.

Keep Writing,
Maria

publishing news and views

4/14/2008 4:14:38 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [15]

Friday, April 11, 2008

Open Letter from Amazon
Posted by maria

Hi Writers,
Since there seems to be some problem accessing the link posted below, here's the letter Amazon posted re: their stance on carrying POD books:

[posted March 31, 2008]
Open letter to interested parties:

We wanted to make sure those who are interested have an opportunity to understand what we're changing with print on demand and why we're doing so.

One question that we've seen is a simple one. Is Amazon requiring that print-on-demand books be printed inside Amazon's own fulfillment centers, and if so why?

Yes. Modern POD printing machines can print and bind a book in less than two hours. If the POD printing machines reside inside our own fulfillment centers, we can more quickly ship the POD book to customers -- including in those cases where the POD book needs to be married together with another item. If a customer orders a POD item together with an item that we're holding in inventory -- a common case -- we can quickly print and bind the POD item, pick the inventoried item, and ship the two together in one box, and we can do so quickly. If the POD item were to be printed at a third party, we'd have to wait for it to be transhipped to our fulfillment center before it could be married together with the inventoried item.

Speed of shipping is a key customer experience focus for us and it has been for many years. Amazon Prime is an example of a successful and growing program that is driving up our speed of shipment with customers. POD items printed inside our own fulfillment centers can make our Amazon Prime cutoff times. POD items printed outside cannot.

Simply put, we can provide a better, more timely customer experience if the POD titles are printed inside our own fulfillment centers. In addition, printing these titles in our own fulfillment centers saves transportation costs and transportation fuel.

Another question we've seen: Do I need to switch completely to having my POD titles printed at Amazon?

No, there is no request for exclusivity. Any publisher can use Amazon's POD service just for those units that ship from Amazon and continue to use a different POD service provider for distribution through other channels.

Alternatively, you can use a different POD service provider for all your units. In that case, we ask that you pre-produce a small number of copies of each title (typically five copies), and send those to us in advance (Amazon Advantage Program-successfully used by thousands of big and small publishers). We will inventory those copies. That small cache of inventory allows us to provide the same rapid fulfillment capability to our customers that we would have if we were printing the titles ourselves on POD printing machines located inside our fulfillment centers. Unlike POD, this alternative is not completely "inventoryless." However, as a practical matter, five copies is a small enough quantity that it is economically close to an inventoryless model.

Might Amazon reconsider this new policy?

Only if we can find an even better way to serve our customers faster. Over the years we've made many improvements to our service level for consumers. Some of these changes have caused consternation at times, but we have always stuck with the change when we believe it's good for customers. An early example: many years ago we started offering customer reviews on our website. This was a pioneering thing to do at the time. The fact that we allowed *negative* customer reviews confounded many publishers -- some were downright angry. One publisher wrote to us asking if we understood our business: "You make money when you sell things! Take down these negative reviews!" Our point of view was that our job was to help customers make purchase decisions. It made sense to us to stick with the customer-centric position of embracing customer reviews, even negative ones.

Another example: a few years ago, we made the decision to offer used books, and to make those used copies available directly alongside the new editions. This caused significant consternation, but we stood by the decision because we were convinced it was right for customers. Sometimes a used book will do and it can sometimes be had at a significant cost savings relative to a new book. We stuck with the customer-friendly decision.

Our decision with POD is the same. Once a book is in digital format, it can be quickly printed on modern POD printing equipment. It isn't logical or efficient to print a POD book in a third place, and then physically ship the book to our fulfillment centers. It makes more sense to produce the books on site, saving transportation costs and transportation fuel, and significantly speeding the shipment to our customers and Amazon Prime members.

We hope this helps those who are interested understand what we're working to do and why. We believe our customer-focused approach helps the entire industry in the long term by selling more books.

Sincerely,

The Amazon.com Books Team

More on this topic next week...
Keep Writing
Maria

publishing news and views

4/11/2008 2:09:36 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [4]

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Amazon's Response
Posted by maria

Hi Writers,
I'm trying to get you more information about the Amazon/POD situation (see my previous post).

Today, I put in a request for an interview with an Amazon exec. and received this note back from their PR department:

Hi Maria,

We received your request to interview an Amazon executive. Please refer to our open letter here— http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=176060&p=irol-printondemand—as it should answer your questions on the topic. If there's anything else you need, please let me know.

Regards,
Drew

Drew Herdener
Senior Public Relations Manager
Amazon.com

So you can check out that link for the official Amazon response.

I'd like to open up this blog as a forum for all interested parties: POD houses, Amazon and, of course, writers to discuss the issue. I'm neutral on the matter and I'd like to extend an offer to serve as a moderator so that all concerned parties can voice their concerns.

Please post any thoughts, questions and concerns here.

Keep Writing,
Maria

publishing news and views

4/10/2008 11:56:31 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [9]

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

The POD Wars
Posted by maria

Hi Writers,
The publishing community is in a virtual tizzy over Amazon's recent announcement that they will require all POD (print on demand) books to be published by Amazon's subsidiary POD company BookSurge.

Publishers Weekly has been keeping up with the story. Here's the first of a series of articles: Amazon to Force POD Publishers to use BookSurge.

I have no doubt that many of our readers will be affected by this new situation. And because many POD companies, including BookSurge, are among our advertisers, I'm withholding my own opinion on this issue.

But I'm curious to know what you think. Will you be affected by Amazon's recent move? What do you think about this latest publishing controversy?

Keep Writing,
Maria

publishing news and views

4/8/2008 9:54:06 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [6]

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

(Fore)going Postal
Posted by maria

Hi Writers,
Please excuse me for abruptly ending My Archival Wanderings without proper closure, but I have a wonderful excuse: Our managing editor (and contributor to this blog) Kara Gebhardt Uhl had a baby this weekend. Congratulations Kara!

I'll keep posting My Archival Wanderings occasionally, when the spirit moves me.

But just to let you know, I'm now serving as de facto managing editor in addition to my regular gig as the Editor of Writer's Digest. And well, I'm busy. Really, really busy. The managing editor is the key person on staff responsible for all of the editorial trains coming in on time, so to speak.

One of the responsibilities I've had to take over for now is overseeing our general submissions including a two-foot high stack of good-old U.S. mail queries and submissions. Well, to make a long story short, I've had to confront how truly inefficient this system is.

Now because Writer's Digest has been taking mail queries since the days of the pony express, this wasn't an easy decision to make, but I've decided to change our editorial guidelines to state that we're now exclusively accepting e-mail queries. You can read our updated submissions guidelines here.

Here's the list of pros and cons I made to come to this decision:
Pros:
• E-mail queries are faster and more efficient to process
• E-mail queries save writers money (stamps and stationery)
• E-mail queries are better for the environment
• E-mail queries won't make me the victim of a tragic envelope-licking accident

Cons:
• Hmmm...can't think of anything to write here

OK, good decision or bad? Feel free to yell at me in ALL CAPS!!! I can take it--just don't mail it.

Keep Writing,
Maria

publishing news and views | the writing life | Writer's Digest news

4/2/2008 4:00:37 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [9]

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Laurell K. Hamilton on her fantasy series
Posted by maria

Hi Writers,
There seems to be some blogosphere chatter surrounding a quote from the Laurell K. Hamilton interview in our April issue. So I'm posting that particular Q&A here. The full interview will be available on our website next week.

Do you work on only one series at a time?
Yes, especially when the Merry series was new. I'd written five Anita books in a row so Anita's voice was very strong. Merry's voice was hard to stay in and the Anita voice kept intruding. So I had to be very careful at the beginning. When I was working on Merry I had to not be thinking about Anita and vice versa.
A Lick of Frost is number six. Sometime around book four, the world begins to solidify and it's not as much work to do the voice of the characters. Book four seems to be the magic number for me. And somewhere between books six and eight, it just gets to work.
One of the things I did before I started Merry was research mystery series, because at that time there were no fantasy series that had gone past five books. A lot of writers seem to get bored with their own series between books five and eight. One of the reasons I didn't do a straight mystery series is because I thought I'd get bored. That's why I have fantastic elements; I thought it would keep me interested, and it has.

Stay tuned for more.

Keep Writing,
Maria

publishing news and views | Writer's Digest news | writing technique

2/20/2008 1:55:10 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [0]

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Still linear in a networked world
Posted by maria

Hi Writers,
Prodigious print buyers are winning by a landslide in my poll below “Do you buy less print (magazines, newspapers and books) than you did five years ago?"

To continue along that same vein of thought, I read an intriguing article this week on the Publishing 2.0 blog: The Evolution From Linear Thought To Networked Thought by Scott Karp.

Karp says that although he reads prolifically, he rarely reads "books" any more (as in print books). He posits in this article that perhaps the way we read is inherently changing from “linear” (as you do with a book) to “networked” (as you do with a blog).

Here’s an excerpt, but please network and read the whole piece. (Then network back here, of course):
So do I do all my reading online because it’s more convenient? Well, it is, but it’s not as if I don’t have opportunities to read books. (And I do read a lot of Disney Princess books to my daughter.)

But the convenience argument seems to float on the surface of a deeper issue — there’s something about the print vs. online dialectic that always seemed superficial to me. Books, newspapers, and other print media are carefully laid out. Online content like blogs are shoot from the hip. Books are linear and foster concentration and focus, while the web, with all its hyperlinks, is kinetic, scattered, all over the place.

Fascinating stuff. I guess I’m old school because I still like to read books. But I like to read blogs, too, so what can I say...

I’m a prolific reader of both linear and networked writing. I'm networked all day, but at home, I still want to cozy up with a good old-fashioned linear book. Judging from the results of my poll, you all aren’t quite willing to give up linear thought, either.

Basically though, if I had to choose, I'd have to say I'm still linear in a networked world.

How about you?

Keep Writing,
Maria

blogs and online writing | publishing news and views | the writing life

2/14/2008 2:34:50 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [1]

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Does Generosity Pay Off?
Posted by maria

Hi Writers,

To follow up on my previous post on changing reading habits, the poll right now:
Do you buy less print (books, magazines, newspapers) than five years ago?
37 people so far have voted “yes” (they are buying less) vs. 51 people who voted “no.” I'm keeping the poll open so scroll down and cast your vote.

Reassuring numbers for writers, although the fact that writers are the primary readers of this blog skews those numbers. Interesting to note comments here and on the forum, many mentioned that while they do buy fewer newspapers, they buy just as many if not more magazines and books than they did five years ago. So that’s encouraging.

On that note, HarperCollins is rolling the dice with a new program that will offer the full contents of many of their books online free of charge.

HarperCollins Will Post Free Books on the Web

Here’s an excerpt from The New York Times article:

In an attempt to increase book sales, HarperCollins Publishers will begin offering free electronic editions of some of its books on its Web site, including a novel by Paulo Coelho and a cookbook by the Food Network star Robert Irvine.

The idea is to give readers the opportunity to sample the books online in the same way that prospective buyers can flip through books in a bookstore.

“It’s like taking the shrink wrap off a book,” said Jane Friedman, chief executive of HarperCollins Publishers Worldwide. “The best way to sell books is to have the consumer be able to read some of that content.”

A gamble to be sure, one the whole publishing industry will no doubt be watching closely. Hopefully what Paulo Coelho had to say is true: “I believe that generosity pays off.”

I love that. And I hope he’s right.
What’s your take?

Keep Writing,
Maria

blogs and online writing | publishing news and views

2/12/2008 10:02:49 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [10]

Friday, February 08, 2008

Have your reading habits changed?
Posted by maria

Hi Writers,
Thanks to everyone who chimed in on my previous post about the gray areas of publishing your creative writing online.

One thing that seems to come up over and over again is this:
Will people pay for print versions of what they can get online for free?
I think this is a really important topic for writers to think about, since the whole world seems to be going online.

I can tell you that corporate types are encouraging editor types to get as much "content" (I hate that word) as possible online. The current thinking: putting content online is like free advertising and people will pay for print versions of what they're able to get for free online.

I don't necessarily believe this and was wondering about other writers' opinions on this important topic. I've seen how quickly and dramatically my own reading habits have changed over the past five years. I was previously a daily subscriber to my city newspaper, now I bypass the city paper entirely and read the The New York Times online daily. I've failed to renew many magazine subscriptions when I know I can read the full contents online for free. So I have my doubts about this theory, but maybe I'm wrong.

What about you? Do you buy less print (magazines, newspapers, books) than you did five years ago? Here's a yes or no poll, so cast your vote and don't forget to drop a comment. I'll follow up with the results next Tuesday.

Keep Writing,
Maria

blogs and online writing | publishing news and views

2/8/2008 3:00:16 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [12]

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

The Liar's Diary by Patry Francis
Posted by maria

Hi Writers,
I love it when the literary community comes together to help one of their own.

In April 07 we featured a write up on a debut author named Patry Francis, a waitress and mother of four who had just written her first novel The Liar's Diary. She wrote the book in serial form for a group of writer friends who encouraged her to keep writing more.

Today, Patry is facing multiple surgeries and battling cancer. So her friends got together to help out with the PR for her paperback release and initiated a publicity effort for the release of The Liar's Diary, which will be featured on hundreds of literary blogs today.

So, I'd like to dedicate this post to Patry Francis and The Liar's Diary.

The Liar's Diary has gotten some fabulous reviews including this from Tess Gerrittsen:

"A twisting ride full of dangerous curves and jaw-dropping surprises. This is one of my favorite reads of the year!"

If you like suspense, don't miss this great read.

For more information about The Liar's Diary, check out Patry's website and blog.

Keep Writing,
Maria

publishing news and views | the writing life

1/29/2008 10:11:13 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [4]

Friday, December 21, 2007

PROJECT 20/20: BUILD MY BLOGROLL WEEK 19 ADD!
Posted by maria

Hi Writers,
Well, you didn’t think I’d forget about my Project 20/20: Build My Blogroll, just because it’s the holidays, did you?

This is the 19th Friday in as many weeks in my project to add 20 writer’s blogs to my blogroll and now we’re counting down to the home stretch. I started a two-week vacation today, and I’m taking a bit of break from the blog next week. But no worries, I’ll definitely be back to post my final blogroll add.

I’m glad to see there’s still blogs getting added to the nominations (see many of the nominations in the Project 20/20 thread in the left nav). All told, I’ve received about 100 nominations and have thoroughly enjoyed exploring all of the great writer’s blogs.

But alas, I have to chose just one a week. Anyway, as I’ve stated numerous times, I want to have a well-rounded blogroll. I want my writer’s blogroll to be the definitive writer’s blogroll. I decided it was high time to add a good go-to blog for the times when we’re not really in the mood to write; when we just want to explore the work of other writers. With that I’d like to announce my week 19 add:

Bluestalking Reader: Weblog of Lisa Guidarini - Book Critic, Library Grad Student, Avid Photographer and Editor-at-Large of her own life.

Here’s a post Lisa did on a recent blogument she found herself in.

Shazam!

It's been one of those weeks. Early in the week I engaged in a fairly public argument over on the NBCC blog with a disgruntled self-published writer with some very strong opinions on the subjects of publishing and bookselling. After a couple rounds I realized if you put that episode in perspective it's truly the proverbial tempest in a teapot. Like there aren't a few hundred thousand disgruntled writers out there looking for a scapegoat. Phooey.

Hardly worth the time and aggravation, though the opinions expressed are definitely ones held near and dear to me. I guess I should really thank the woman for helping me sort those out. It was some very cheap therapy. Considering the fact I saw how it impacted her, I think I also got off fairly easily. One more example of me blowing off steam and coming out of it okay.

Phew.

You're a sassy one Lisa! Not to mention witty, charming, and skilled in serving up good topical information for writers—what more could you ask for in a blogger. (That was a rhetorical statement—don’t try to engage me in a blogument.)

Lisa, I appoint you the official book critic of my blogroll. Every good blogroll needs a resident critic.

Have a great holiday everyone!

Keep Writing,
Maria
P.S. check out my cute staff, below. : )

blogs and online writing | publishing news and views | the writing life | Writer's Digest news

12/21/2007 7:19:10 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [2]

Friday, December 14, 2007

PROJECT 20/20: BUILD MY BLOGROLL WEEK 18 ADD!
Posted by maria

Hi Writers,
It's been energizing reading all of your writing goals for 2008 as they're rolling in. Keep them coming, I'm going to announce the 10 winners and post their goals here next Tuesday.

In the meantime, it's Friday, and that means it's again time to add another writer's blog to my blogroll. I'm up to 18 now—only 2 more weeks, 2 more blogs to go! You can find all the details and blogs nominated on the Project 20/20 thread in the left navigation here.

And with that, I'd like to announce my week 18 blogroll add:

Release Your Writing
by Helen Gallagher

On "Release Your Writing" (which is also the title of her book; smart move), Helen offers lots of great newsy items as well as practical advice for the working writer, including some really solid information for writers who are interested in self-publishing.

I adore the title of this recent post she did: "Pajama Marketing" and not just because I wish I were in my PJs right now.

Did you know you can buy a mailing list of U.S. independent book stores from a reliable source (NewPages.com). The cost for over 1,400 book store names and addresses is $75, but they also list the addresses on their site, where you can snag them for free. You could copy and paste the addresses for the shops in your area into a word processing document, do a mail-merge to print labels or letters, and let your work fly! New Pages also has lists of public and academic libraries at the above link.

What would you send to stores? That's up to you: The book synopsis, colorful postcard, media sheet, telling them how to order from your publisher, and stating the handsome 35 or 40 percent discount you'll offer. Include customer comments from your Amazon page and other testimonials from readers. No need to include sales figures - they have easy access to that information.

Welcome Helen. Stop by often and you're welcome to visit in your pajamas. Gotta love the Internet!

Keep Writing,
Maria

blogs and online writing | publishing news and views | the writing life

12/14/2007 3:59:43 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [2]

Friday, December 07, 2007

PROJECT 20/20: BUILD MY BLOGROLL WEEK 17 ADD!
Posted by maria

Hi Writers,
It’s Friday and that means it's time to announce my 17th add in my Project 20/20: Build My Blogroll contest (you can find details and many of the nominated writing blogs on the left navigation).

This week’s add is an ambitious young blogger/writer, who focuses on the teen writing scene at:
Innovative Teen: a word for the wri-teen
by Gabrielle Linnell

Gabrielle posts weekly magazine-style features including interviews with Teen writers—she’s scored some impressive interviews. And she also posts on craft and inspiration for Teen Writers.

Here’s a post Gabrielle did recently on facing burnout:
Burnout is different from inspiration-loss. Look, if you wait to write until you're inspired, you'll be waiting a long time. You won't write, actually. The discipline of writing is writing anyway, always, whenever, however. Burnout is when you are really empty, not just tired. But fear not! Burnout is neither forever, nor untreatable. The best cures, I've found, are below.  
-Take a short break
-Throw yourself into your book or short-term project.
-Listen to lots of music. 
-Take long nature walks.
-Read an article you really disagree with 
-Eat really good food.
-Watch a lot of cheesy, feel-good movies
-Or watch one gripping drama 
And the best way:
Read a really, really, really badly written book.

Gabrielle, I use that last one—reading a really, really really badly written book works wonders for me for some reason (although I will not divulge those books). I think this is counter-intuitive yet practical advice for writers you have here.

Here’s a big Writer’s Perspective welcome to my favorite new up-and-coming blogger and writer—Gabrielle Linnell.

Only 3 more weeks/ 3 more blogs to go so keep the nominations coming!

Keep Writing,
Maria

blogs and online writing | publishing news and views | the writing life

12/7/2007 4:20:38 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [2]

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Is Copyright Now Necessary?
Posted by maria

Hi Writers,
Wow, I hate to be a buzz-kill over the holidays, but I read an alarming report in Publishers Weekly and thought it was important to share with you: Court Voids Settlement in Tasini v New York Times

Here's an excerpt:
The Second Circuit Court of Appeals has thown out a settlement between freelance writers and publishers reached after a 2001 Supreme Court ruling that publishers had violated the copyright of freelance writers by using their works in electronic databases without their permission. The 2001 Supreme Court decision was reached in Tasini v. The New York Times, a case involving Jonathan Tasini, then president of the National Writers Union, and five other plaintiffs. The appellate court ruling voids a settlement that created a pool of $18 million that was to be paid out to freelance writers in an associated class-action suit.

In the 2 to 1 decision, the appellate court ruled that only writers who had registered their works with the copyright office were eligible to file claims for damage. Since the overwhelming majority of freelance writers did not register their works, the appellate court reasoned that the courts did not have jurisdiction over the dispute and were wrong to approve the class action suit as well as the subsequent settlement. However, in a dissenting opinion, Chief Judge John M. Walker, argued that registering for a copyright was more of a “claim-processing rule,” rather than a “jurisdictional prerequisite.”

If so inclined, you can read background on the case here: Tasini vs. New York Times.

Also, it currently costs $45 (ouch!) to copyright a manuscript. To learn more about copyright, here’s the U.S. Copyright Office website

Until now, Writer's Digest hasn’t recommended writers getting their own copyright, since it was deemed both costly and unnecessary. Unfortunately, we may soon have to change that stance.

Here’s my question for you: In light of this new threat to writers' rights, is it now necessary for writers to get each and every manuscript copyrighted?

Keep Writing,
Maria

blogs and online writing | publishing news and views | Writer's Digest news

12/4/2007 2:05:49 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [11]

Thursday, November 29, 2007

The Best of WD Interviews CD
Posted by maria

Hi Writers,

I've never made a secret of the fact that the WD Interviews are my favorite feature in Writer's Digest. It's a rare privilege to get first-hand advice on the craft and business of writing from some of the finest writers of our times.

We've done some amazing interviews over the years, if I must say so myself. When I went back through our archives recently, I compiled a list, and it was like a who's who of the bestseller lists, including:

•Jane Smiley •Jennifer Weiner •Alice Hoffman •Ted Kooser •Po Bronson •Gay Talese •Jay McInerney •Anna Quindlen •Sebastian Junger •Alexander McCall Smith •John Searles •Augusten Burroughs •Mark Winegardner •Fannie Flagg •James Rollins •Melissa Bank •Michael Connelly •Bill Bryson •Jack Kerley •Caroline Alexander •Margaret Atwood •Marian Keyes •Dave Eggers •Jeffrey Eugenides •Michael Chabon •John Updike •Tom Clancy •Joyce Carol Oates •Janet Evanovich •Ann Brashares

The friendly, fearless editors here at Writer's Digest are pleased to offer our newest venture into the digital divide: The Best of WD Interviews CD

A few of my favorite quotes from past WD interviews:

John Updike: "We're past the age of heroes and hero kings. If we can't make up stories about ordinary people, who can we make them up about?"

Jeffrey Eugenides: "Stay in touch with the first impulses that made you start writing—the pleasure of it and the interest of the story, and not so much the professional side of things. Remain close to that—when you began writing and were intoxicated with it. If you do, the rest will come."

Joyce Carol Oates: "I suggest to my students that they write under a pseudonym for a week. That allows young men to write as women, and women as men. It allows them a lot of freedom they don't have ordinarily."

This is an online-exclusive offer. The Best of WD Interviews is just $14.95 and it's the perfect holiday gift for your favorite writer—even if it's you!

Keep Writing,
Maria

publishing news and views | the writing life | Writer's Digest news | writing technique

11/29/2007 1:58:10 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [1]

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Pay me for my content?!!!
Posted by maria

Hi Writers,
If you're trying to write for a living, I don't need to tell you what a volatile industry writers are facing right now, with the Internet rising quickly as the dominant media force.

I'll leave it up to Chad Gervich to fill you in on the nitty-gritty of the screenwriter's strike—which has vast implications for all writers' rights—on his Script Notes blog.

But on a separate but related note concerning writers' rights, please read this Op-Ed from The New York Times Pay Me for My Content</

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