The Writer's Perspective by Maria Schneider - publishing news and views

Thanks and goodbye!

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 15:24:57 GMT

Hi Writers,
Just wanted to say a final farewell since I'm leaving WD a little earlier than expected. Thank you so much for your comments, your well wishes and good thoughts and especially for reading this blog. I believe they'll be ending future postings to The Writer's Perspective but I'm starting a new blog at editorunleashed.com next week so please stop by and say hi.

I've so enjoyed my time here with you.
Keep Writing,
Maria

So long ... farewell...

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:06:19 GMT

Hi Writers,
I wanted to let you all know that I'm leaving my position as editor of Writer's Digest effective October 10. I'll be checking in and trying to chat more before I leave.

The reason I'm leaving is that they've appointed a new editorial director (Jane Friedman, editorial director of Writer's Digest Books) and we have very different visions for the direction of the magazine, so it seemed like a good time for me to check out.

I don't have a plan B yet, but I'll be sure to let you all know if I do figure it out.

Hey, if nothing else there's always writing, right? ;)

I've always said, I was a writer when I took this gig and I'll be a writer when I leave. It's turned out to be more than just a decent gig, though, it's been an amazing ride. Thanks to all of you for sharing the ride with me.

Keep Writing,
Maria

Digital Publishing

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:57:34 GMT

Hi Writers,
There have been several recent articles on the independent publishing front that I wanted to draw your attention toward.

First is from Publishers Weekly Editor Sara Nelson who argues that POD technology is more cost-effective in the long run than traditional offset publishing: "The Summer of POD."

Here's a short excerpt:
"I understand that there are issues that still bother traditional publishers, like what to do about a POD book always being more expensive to produce than a “regular” offset one. To that I say, consider this: as the bestselling PublicAffairs/McClellan example proves, it's probably better for a publisher to take the reduced profit on an immediately available POD title rather than risk that the public losing interest in the two weeks it could take stores to restock traditional versions. Besides, when you factor in the cost of returns, you almost always will win by printing on demand."

Second, is this press release from the Perseus Books Group, announcing a new digital initiative to offer a full range of digital services--EBooks, POD, Short Print Run and marketing and distribution services. This new service is aimed at small, independent and self-publishers. If you fall into that category, I think this new service would be well worth exploring.

I'd love to hear about your experiences with self-publishing and where that trend is heading. Please leave a comment here or on our WD forum.

Keep Writing,
Maria

Stephenie Meyer and the first draft

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:43:12 GMT

Hi Writers,
I've been editing a feature for an upcoming issue of Writer's Digest. It's entitled "Roughing up your First Draft." There's a quote from Ernest Hemingway in the lead:

"The First Draft of Anything is Shit"

In light of this quote, I've been thinking about Stephenie Meyer, author of the mega-selling Twilight series.

I'm not much for vampire stories myself, but I know a lot about Meyer and the Twilight series, due to being an industry observer, not to mention the mother of a teenage girl (Olivia who you may know as a frequent commenter on this blog). ;)

Meyer—who in just a few years has achieved rock star status among teenage girls—has been writing what is probably the bestselling YA series since Harry Potter. She's selling lots and lots of books, not to mention movie options.

So you may have heard that this week, Meyer announced on her blog that she won't be releasing her most recent book because the first draft was somehow leaked out to the Internet. Of course, you can guess what happened from there, it's everywhere. Meyer is so distressed over the situation that she's now refusing to release the book.

Wow, it's difficult for any writer to imagine what they might do in that same situation. How about you, what would you do if your first draft was released on the Internet without your permission? Let's hear it, drop me a comment or you can discuss on our forum.

Keep Writing,
Maria

Speaking of crazy slush piles...

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:38:10 GMT

Hi Writers,
Thanks to all who spoke their piece on my previous post. Great discussion, feel free to continue the dialogue.

The issue Charlotte Cook brought up though, about facing an overwhelming slush pile, is something that's a widespread problem in the publishing industry.

And I found an article on BookSeller.com "The Slush Pile Goes Online" that has a lot of great info about this move to get the public to vet the slush, so to speak. I've been thinking about this since around the Writer's Digest office we've been chatting about HarperCollins soon-to-launch Authonomy project, in which writers are invited to post lengthy excerpts from their novel for peer review and ostensibly recommendation for publication by HarperCollins. I'll post more on this when Authonomy actually launches.

But in the mean time, here's a brief excerpt from the Bookseller.com piece:

HarperCollins ahead

With its eye closely trained on digital opportunities, HarperCollins is now developing its own peer-review website for unpublished writers. Rahim Hirji, HC corporate strategy manager, says: "We realise there are talented would-be authors out there, and also recognise the onset of digital. We tried to think about those two things together to look at how we could utilise the internet in finding new talent."

Would-be authors will be asked to submit all, or at least 10,000 words, of their work so that it can be reviewed by other writers or those looking for talent. "We are using the democratic nature of the internet, where people like to give opinions and review and rate work," Hirji says. "There are two sides of the project: the cream of the crop rising in the sense of the best reviews, but also we will put the reviewers into their own leagues."

The site, authonomy.com, is provisionally scheduled to go live in February 2008. Hirji adds: "It’s difficult for publishers to go through every manuscript that comes in, so we look to agents. We wanted to create a site where talent is showcased. It’s not just a marketing exercise; we are looking to source talent in new ways."

So what's your take on the movement to bring the slush pile to the people? Good trend or not? Let's hear it.

Keep Writing,
Maria

Writers are Readers

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:42:18 GMT

Hi Writers,
Publishers Weekly published an essay last week "Two-Way-Street" by Charlotte Cook.

Cook, an independent publisher of her own book line, Komenar Publishing, was the subject of a short profile in Writer's Digest last year. She writes that she was deluged with queries, phone calls and submissions after that article came out. It seems like attention would be a good thing for a small publishing house.

But here's the rub: Cook writes that even with all of the attention Komenar received for that article in WD, they've seen little impact in the way of sales.

I suppose the implication here is that writers aren't supporting the industry that they're asking to support them. This makes me sad on a number of levels, but especially because I don't believe it's an accurate assumption to draw from one publisher's experience.

I think, if anything, writers are the heaviest readers and the heartiest supporters of the book industry.

So, in the spirit of solidarity with your fellow writers, I'd love to hear your comments on what you're doing to support the struggling book industry.

"A writer is a reader moved to emulation."
-Saul Bellow

Keep Writing,
Maria

Writer's Digest TV: M.J. Rose

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:22:31 GMT

Hi Writers,
It's another visual aid bonus day here on the Writer's Perspective!

Here's a short video interview with bestselling author and Writer's Digest marketing columnist M.J. Rose, who knows more about marketing books than anyone I've ever met. She's a true industry dynamo and visionary. Check her out here.

Keep Writing,
Maria

Free Books for Funny People

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 14:43:48 GMT

Hi Writers,
I wanted to let you all know that TOW Books, a humor book imprint here at F+W Media is offering free digital downloads of their books, including that of my favorite humorist, Jason Roeder who writes the Roeder Report for Writer's Digest.

If you're not familiar with Jason, here's one of his recent columns:

The Roeder Report: Just Trying to Be Nice

by Jason Roeder

“Your story puts my navel-
gazing claptrap into reassuring perspective.”

“I’ve never considered literacy a mixed blessing until now.”

“Did you outsource this story to the dumbest squirrel you could find?”

A few years ago, I shared a short story with my writing group. It was a speculative work that dared to ask, “What if the circus took over the world?” The comments above were the three most encouraging I received from my cohorts. Of the two remaining members of my group, one handed me back my heavily wept-upon manuscript without a word, while the other simply dropped out of society.

But it wasn’t the criticism that bothered me; it was the brutality of it, the absolute absence of tact or empathy. It didn’t have to be like that. If my group had followed the suggestions below, I might not have lost confidence in my story. Instead, it just gathers dust at the bottom of a drawer—in the issue of The New Yorker that published it with no changes whatsoever.

1. SAY SOMETHING POSITIVE.
You can usually come up with at least one morsel of genuine praise: “I love your use of sensory details,” “This story hardly triggered my gag reflex at all” or “Outstanding work. You should definitely consider submitting it to a journal with no stated plagiarism policy.” A small dose of encouragement demonstrates that you’ve been evenhanded, and when you get around to making more critical comments—or feeding the pages of the manuscript into the fireplace, shrieking, “Back! Back to the hell from which you came!”—you already will have put them into a more balanced context.

2. PLEAD IGNORANCE.
Sometimes it helps to qualify a critical remark by emphasizing your unfitness in making it. For example, when you’re handed an atrocious J.R.R. Tolkien knock-off, you can say, “I’m not sure why you devoted the entire 23 pages to having the elf king carefully review the prospectus for his new Vanguard mutual fund, but I don’t read much fantasy.” Or, when presented with an awful horror story: “While I personally might not find 5,000 words about bubble baths particularly frightening, I’m probably missing something that regular horror readers would pick up right away.”

3. GIVE THE WRITER A KITTEN.
Sometimes, there’s no rhetorical maneuver to bail you out. Sometimes you read something that makes you wish you could take the English language in your arms and reassure it that the bad man with the 900-word sentences isn’t going to hurt it anymore. If there’s no way to soft-pedal your comments, you might as well do something nice to compensate. If no kitten is available, consider giving the writer—along with the feedback you’ll never be forgiven for—a day of beauty at a spa or some gourmet preserves. And then run like hell.

You can get free digital downloads of many books in the TOW Books line here.
Keep Writing,
Maria

More on simultaneous submissions to agents

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:09:19 GMT

Hi Writers,
Since there were so many comments and questions about the Brad Thor post on simultaneous submissions to agents, I asked my favorite agent expert, Chuck Sambuchino, of the Guide to Literary Agents to give us his take on the issue. Here's Chuck:

First of all, I have to disagree with Brad's comment that agents hate simultaneous submissions. They are the norm, and most agents accept that they are not the only one receiving a specific query. So all of these comments here with people saying "I agree with Brad" are right!

Indeed, don't put your eggs in one basket. It's silly. But just as bad as putting your eggs in one basket is querying TOO MANY agents - such as 100. You're showing you haven't done any research. You should have about 5 "ideal" agents and maybe 25 total "possibilities" after doing some research and reading. Send queries out in waves. Query your top five. If none say yes, try the next five, and so on. The more vigorous research you do, the fewer possible agents you will have on your list, but the payoff is that you will be able to impress those agents you DO query by showing WHY you picked them out of the bunch. That goes a long way.

Next, know that "multiple submissions" and "simultaneous submissions" arenot the same thing. The former is when you send several works (or queries) to the same agent at the same time. Perhaps a script manager wanted to seeall the screenplays you had in your arsenal, for example. The latter is what we're talking about here - querying multiple agents at once.

All that said, yes - do know that some agents request an "exclusive" look at your work, but these are rarer than you may think. It's up to you as to whether you want to agree. You're getting a close read of your work, but your hands are tied, so to speak. Requesting an exclusive is much more common when an agent requests a full manuscript than just when we're talkingabout queries. So you should be OK sending out plenty of queries, but then you'll run into exclusive requests when they want to see a partial or the full work.

Good luck.

Chuck Sambuchino
Editor, Guide to Literary Agents
guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog

Keep Writing,
Maria

Brad Thor on simultaneous submissions

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 21:02:10 GMT

Hi Writers,
I'm in the middle of transcribing a lengthy Q&A with Brad Thor (The Last Patriot) for the December issue of Writer's Digest and I thought what he had to say about literary agents was quite interesting for going against the grain of traditional publishing wisdom (this is unedited, direct from a transcript):

I know agents hate hearing this, but the single agent submission process is so un-businesslike, and this stuff about well you should only pitch one agent at a time and wait to hear back—that’s BS. I really don’t believe in that. I tell people, put together the strongest best package you can. Why should you wait months to hear back from an agent only to be told no, and then you have to wait a few more months. It’s ridiculous. I had agents lose my submissions, take forever to get to it and I thought, you know what, this is ridiculous. I’m not doing this just because this is the rules that they’ve set up for themselves. I thought, they’re not going to know if I’m submitting to multiple places. And what happens with agents when they’re submitting you’re book? They try to start a bidding war! They’re not going to wait onesie, twosie, at every publishing house to see what they think. Authors should do multiple submissions to agents. I mean, that’s the way the business world works and whether or not the industry likes it or not, they can’t stop you from submitting to multiple agents and you know what? If an agent misses out on you because they took too long with your query letter, tough luck for them. It will be a smart, savvy agent who recognizes your talent, who snaps you up. And I really believe that.

So, what do you think about multiple submissions to agents?

Keep Writing,
Maria

The L-Word

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:21:37 GMT

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

Random stuff overheard from New York literary agents

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 20:51:38 GMT

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.

Alegra Clarke on her New York trip to meet agents

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:06:23 GMT

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

Our New York trip to meet Literary Agents

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:39:17 GMT

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

I'm in New York!

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:06:17 GMT

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

PRINT WINS!

Mon, 05 May 2008 17:12:50 GMT

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.

Hey, Graphomaniacs!

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 18:43:05 GMT

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

Before You POD

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 20:14:38 GMT

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

Open Letter from Amazon

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 18:09:36 GMT

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

Amazon's Response

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:56:31 GMT

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

The POD Wars

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:54:06 GMT

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

(Fore)going Postal

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 20:00:37 GMT

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

Laurell K. Hamilton on her fantasy series

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:55:10 GMT

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

Still linear in a networked world

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 19:34:50 GMT

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

Does Generosity Pay Off?

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 15:02:49 GMT

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

Have your reading habits changed?

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 20:00:16 GMT

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

The Liar's Diary by Patry Francis

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 15:11:13 GMT

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

PROJECT 20/20: BUILD MY BLOGROLL WEEK 19 ADD!

Sat, 22 Dec 2007 00:19:10 GMT

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. : )

PROJECT 20/20: BUILD MY BLOGROLL WEEK 18 ADD!

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 20:59:43 GMT

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

PROJECT 20/20: BUILD MY BLOGROLL WEEK 17 ADD!

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 21:20:38 GMT

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

Is Copyright Now Necessary?

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 19:05:49 GMT

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

The Best of WD Interviews CD

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 18:58:10 GMT

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

Pay me for my content?!!!

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 15:43:14 GMT

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, by Jaron Lanier.

Lanier, one of the early Silicon Valley Internet pioneers, wrote the following:

Like so many in Silicon Valley in the 1990s, I thought the Web would increase business opportunities for writers and artists. Instead they have decreased. Most of the big names in the industry — Google, Facebook, MySpace and increasingly even Apple and Microsoft — are now in the business of assembling content from unpaid Internet users to sell advertising to other Internet users.

This is a brief, but really provocative (and potentially depressing) essay. Read it in full if you have the chance. The gist of the piece is that writers and artists really get (pardon the expression) screwed (he says it more politely than that) with the current model of the Web 2.0, because people now have the expectation that content (read: your writing) should be free.

Free content is a lovely ideal, as Lanier asserts, but who's then paying writers for their work? Is it too late to re-make the system and ask people to charge for what they're now, in many cases, getting for free?

Please leave your thoughts, concerns and crazy visionary ideas here.

Keep Writing,
Maria

PROJECT 20/20: BUILD MY BLOGROLL WEEK #15 ADD!

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 22:40:57 GMT

Hi Writers,
This is week 15 in my Project 20/20 Build My Blogroll project
Please follow the link for details about the project where you'll find many of the writer's blogs nominated in the comments section of that original post.

There's still no shortage of great writer's blogs to add to my blogroll, as you'll see with this week's add: Kelly Spitzer

There's a lot to admire about Kelly's blog, including helpful book reviews and journal recommendations. But one of my favorite features is her Writer Profile Project in which Kelly profiles writers and also editors of small literary magazines and journals.

I love literary journals, but admittedly have a difficult time keeping up with them all. Kelly's blog is going to be my new go-to source for information on what's new and happening on the journal front.

Kelly's also an editor herself. She's the submissions editor of Smokelong Quarterly an online journal featuring flash fiction “about a smoke long.” I'm embarrassed to admit I hadn't heard of Smokelong, but I'm definitely going to become a regular peruser there. The art is striking and they're publishing some recognizable names, including our new fiction columnist himself, Mr. Steve Almond.

So Kelly, welcome to my blogroll, and thanks for doing such great work on behalf of the indie press.

Keep Writing,
Maria

PROJECT 20/20: BUILD MY BLOGROLL WEEK 14 ADD!

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 20:12:06 GMT

Hi Writers,
Well, it's week 14 in my undeniably ambitious, slightly insane quest to add one writer's blog to my blogroll each Friday for 20 weeks. A time consuming project, yes, but definitely worth it.

I've been regularly perusing many of the blogs nominated for my blogroll. As I've mentioned before, it's been quite inspiring to watch new-ish blogs grow and develop over a period of time. You can find the majority of nominations by following the link in the left navigation here (Project 20/20 Build my blogroll link). And feel free to keep nominating blogs.

My week 14 add is another blog that I've been watching for awhile now, I do like to see that they're being consistent over a period of time, which as any blogger will tell you, is challenging.

Becoming a Writer Seriously: Tools and Trade Secrets for Aspiring Writers
By Tom Colvin

Tom is seriously doing a fabulous job of being both an aggregator of news and resources for writers, as well as writing his own reviews of tools of the trade.

Here's one helpful post: A comprehensive review of word processors. Tom has done lots of good posts on marketing and self-publishing. One other thing I find particularly interesting, in Tom's bio he mentions that he plans on turning his blog posts into a book. I'm curious to hear more about, so Tom please get on here and explain more about this project of yours—I think it's something a lot of writer/bloggers consider.

Congratulations Tom, my newest add. A warm welcome to my online stomping grounds.

Keep Writing,
Maria

PROJECT 20/20: BUILD MY BLOGROLL WEEK #13 ADD!

Fri, 09 Nov 2007 19:44:09 GMT

Hi Writers,

It's oh-so-lucky week #13 in my unstoppable quest to add one writer's blog to my blogroll each week for 20 weeks.

And without further adieu, I'd like to announce this week's add:

The Renegade Writer: A Totally Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing Succes
by Linda Formichelli

If you're trying to break into freelancing, make this blog your go-to source for advice, resources, and just plain chutzpah that's necessary to establish a freelance writing career. I'd pay attention to anything Linda had to say—she's a real pro.

Check out the Renegade Writer’s FAQ advice archives, for lots of sassy, saucy advice for the working writer.

Here's one post I found especially useful in that renegade writer way:

The sneaky way to e-mail a magazine editor:
If you want to e-mail an editor, but don’t have her address, don’t fret — I’ve compiled the e-mail formats of some of the bigger publishing companies. Of course, there are always variations, such as when an editor has a hyphenated last name…but this list will still help in many cases.

The Renegade Writer’s blog even shares some real query letters that won assignments here. I think this is quite useful to help illustrate what editors are really looking for in a query.

Congratulations Linda, you renegade you. My blogroll is charmed by your rebel spirit.

I'm still taking nominations—7 spots to fill!

Keep Writing,
Maria
P.S. A correction: All apologies for neglecting to mention Diana Burrell in my original post. Diana and Linda co-blog on the Renegade Writer site.

OFF THE PAGE: Laurell K. Hamilton

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 15:53:09 GMT

Hi Writers,
I adore having this blog. For one thing it gives me infinite space for all of the things I'd like to fit in the magazine. But of course, there are space constraints we magazine editors are up against.

With that I'd like to bring you an outtake of an interview I conducted with horror/fantasy writer Laurell K. Hamilton, author of the Anita Blake vampire series and the Merry Gentry fantasy series. Our WD Interviews often involve 2 or more hour long phone conversations. When transcribed this translates into more than 10,000 words and a 6-page feature typically clocks in at about 3,000.

So here's what won't make it into print. For the complete interview with Laurell K. Hamilton, you can pick up our April 2008 Genre Fiction issue, available on newsstands next February (I know, it's crazy how far ahead we magazine folk work).

Here's what Laurell K. Hamilton has to say about blogging:

You have a great blog. Why do you blog, and how do you fit it into your routine?
The blog is something I do first thing in the morning before I’ve done any writing, or last thing at the end of the day after I’ve done my writing. If I make a commitment to do something I try to do it well. I can’t just say well, there’s not time for writing today, the blog included. But I was a little confused about the blog when it first started. It feels private like a diary. It’s a very interesting form of writing. I went back to read essay writers. E.B. White is one of my favorite writers, he was an early influence on me. He’d done a series of essays for The New Yorker, I got that collection. I look at the blog as a collection of essays.

So you hadn’t done any essay writing previously?
Oh, I hate writing essays! They’re one of the hardest things for me to write because I have trouble writing short. Writers usually have one kind or another that they’re good at. Some people are absolutely amazing essay writers and a short piece is where they shine. Other people are good at short stories and novels. Novels are where I’m comfortable; I like huge works. So the blog was very difficult at first. But I’ve gotten better at it and more comfortable with it. I think having to do the blog on a regular basis, has helped me have more economy with language, which I think is always a good lesson for a writer to re-learn—especially a writer who has been successful, because they don’t edit you as you become successful. So it’s up to the writer to re-learn that economy of form.

What was the purpose of starting your blog: To keep in touch with your fans? Or was it more of a personal thing for you?
The helping the writing was an unexpected side-effect. It truthfully helped with writing the comic version of Guilty Pleasures and my husband Jonathan and I had a comic script. That actually helped me with the economy of language because you only have so many pages, but it was additionally to give something to the fans. Something that they could look at in between books. And also it was to help promote and keep the name out there. I cannot put a book out a month. So the blog is a way to let people know what I’m doing, to keep interest up, and also to give them something in between book releases so they can get a glimpse into it. Some fans said I write more detail about how I write the books than other people do.

I’d agree with that. There’s a lot about your process in your blog.
That’s how I learned, by reading other writers talk about how they write. It’s not a competition. There’s never enough good books out there. So if it can help people learn how to do it then great. But the writing process is individual. The fans seem very interested, though, even if they don’t want to write. They’re interested in how people write—it just fascinates people. To me it’s my job. But because I understand that since that’s the question I get asked most, I try to put in the blog what I’m writing, my schedule, etc. and I also try to explain how I come up with unique ideas. And that is the hardest thing actually: uniqueness. There are two things I don’t think can be taught, and those are the things you need most if you’re going to have a career. You need to find your unique voice and you need a unique vision.

Keep Writing,
Maria

feelin' blue in a red state...

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 14:52:25 GMT

...or seeing red in a blue state

Hi Writers,
On this election day, it seemed appropriate timing to make a statement about the so-called political leanings of Writer's Digest. Well, I hereby declare Writer's Digest independent and neutral territory—the Switzerland of the publishing world, if you will.

We've been getting a lot of flack recently about our "On the Edge" column, in particular, and I wanted to clarify a few things.

In the December issue we featured Alternative Fare, an article on Gay and Lesbian writing markets. We're doing, I think, a great job of providing analytical reports on publishing niche markets. In the past year we've covered markets for street lit, erotica and spiritual writing among others. These are potentially heated topics and—depending on what the topic is—we get called right wing wackos, left wing hippies, crazy liberal freaks and on, and on.

These are writing markets, pure and simple. We're not endorsing any lifestyle or religion or political party. We're not taking a stand on any particular issue. There are certainly plenty of places on the Web and on the newsstand to find political commentary. But there aren't many sources for fair, objective reporting on writing markets, and that's what we strive to bring you.

We're reporting on industry trends—sometimes these trends fall within the realm of heated political topics. You have my word that we're going out of our way to maintain fair, unbiased reporting.

If you think we cross the line into the realm of political commentary, I'd like to hear it, please leave a comment here.

Keep Writing,
Maria

PROJECT 20/20 BUILD MY BLOGROLL: WEEK 12 ADD!

Fri, 02 Nov 2007 20:32:22 GMT

Hi Writers,
It's Week #12 in my Project 20/20 Build my Blogroll contest (see left for more details). If you haven't been following along, I'm spotlighting one writer's blog and adding it to my blogroll each week for 20 weeks.

One of the most amazing things about this project is due to the long scope of it, I've been able to watch many of the nominated blogs blossom. Many were relatively new-ish when this all started 12 weeks ago. And if there's one thing good blogging requires, it's continuity—you have to continually feed the blog monster, so to speak, if you want to keep a lively site that people will actually visit.

With that I'd like to announce my Week #12 add:
LEFT BRAIN WRITE: Musings on Writing and the Mind...
authored by one of my favorite WD forumistas Dr. Linda Simoni-Wastila

Linda is a psychology professor by day, writer by night. And she brings both of her passions together in this blog. Who better to help us figure out the connection between our crazy writer brains and creativity?

Here's an excerpt from Linda's most recent post "Creativity, it's all in your head."

Editing and revising sometimes feel like glorified secretarial work: typo annihilation, grammar correction, formatting perfection. It’s easy to let the mechanics of writing override the rest of the process, to get so stuck on the getting the words exactly right that you miss the message. At least, this is the way I feel of late, revising Brighter Than Bright for the 8th time (yes, the 8th full revision; my friend Jimmy’s discovered enough ‘ouches’ to cause anemia). Editing gets old. Real quick.

I missed writing new stuff. Waking in the morning, cup o’joe steaming by my side, the full moon blaring through the window, the rest of the world asleep, greeted only by a fresh white piece of paper daring me to write… anything my mind desired. It gives me shivers just thinking about it…brrrrrr… The revision process removes me from my characters and their sticky, complicated, crazy lives. It has to, because this stage requires the entrance of distanced critic, not the emotional writer. In other words, the polishing stage requires the left hemisphere of the brain, the home of language and linear thinking and logic and laterality, to assert control of the creative process.

Left-brain thinking, though necessary, is not sufficient. My right brain, where images and patterns and spatial relations reside, is where the ideas flow from, where the brilliant bon mots and the realization that your protag sports a ying-yang tattoo under the right shoulder blade originate. It’s the imagistic, intuitive, FUN side of creativity.

As I mentioned in the intro, Linda's site was one of the blogs that was really brand new when I kicked of Project 20/20 12-weeks ago. I didn't feel that I could recommend such a new blog then, because, as I said, consistency is such an important trait in a blogger. Well, Linda's shown her stuff.

Congratulations Linda, on being the latest addition to my blogroll. And I promise I won't even ask you for discounted psychiatric services.

Keep your nominations coming. There are still 8 spots left!

Keep Writing,
Maria

Welcome Screenwriters!

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 13:03:37 GMT

Hi Writers,
WD is going Hollywood. That's right, today we're kicking off a fabulous new blog Script Notes to keep you in the know about writing for the stage and screen.

Please welcome writer Chad Gervich. Chad is a television producer, published author, and award-winning playwright who spent five years as a development executive and producer with the Littlefield Company, former NBC president Warren Littlefield's production company with Paramount Television (now with ABC).

Chad created and produced the Style network’s hit comedy/reality series, Foody Call, and recently executive produced Celebrity Drive-By, a talk show pilot for E! Entertainment. Last fall, Chad developed Dirty Laundry, an internet soap for FOX TV Studios, and wrote and produced on Wig Out, an online sitcom for Warner Brothers.

Most recently, Chad’s book Television: A-Z was sold to Random House/Crown for an August, 2008 release.

Chad has also worked in development at NBC Studios, Sony Pictures, CBS Production, and Twentieth Century Fox. He’s been worked on countless series and pilots, including "Malcolm in the Middle" (FOX), "Love, Inc." (UPN), "Keen Eddie" (FOX/Bravo), "Do Over" (WB), "Time Tunnel" (FOX), and "Star Search" (CBS).

And, yes, this is an especially timely topic, in a rather ironic way, since there's a looming screenwriters strike. Here's an article from today's Los Angeles Times for the latest on the seemingly inevitable strike: Studios, writers quit talks at deadline; strike looms.

I can't wait to see what Chad has to tell us about the strike, and all other script-related news and views.

Welcome Chad, we're so glad you're here!

Keep Writing,
Maria

Adult vs. YA Lit

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 18:40:56 GMT

Hi Writers,
Do you ever wonder what genre you're writing in? Should you?

If so, you definitely need to read this essay from this week's Publishers Weekly:
Identity Crisis? Not really: Let the marketing people decide whether I'm writing adult or YA novels, written by Meg Rosoff.

You may have encountered this familiar writerly dilemma:

According to my (new) publisher, I used to be a Young Adult writer. This statement has caused one of my bookseller fans so much outrage, she e-mailed me at home, saying, “I am all set to be enraged at 'Formerly a YA author’ on your bio. Like YA was just a phase you grew out of? And now, finally, you’re writing Respectable Literary Fiction?” It’s a problem. The truth is, most writers simply write, and by virtue of the subject matter they choose (divorce, sexual deviance, the Peloponnesian wars), are deemed to be adult writers. The presence of puppies and pigs in a story line usually indicates a children’s book, except when it doesn’t (Marley and Me, Animal Farm). And according to the marketing departments of most American publishers, there are children’s books and adult books, and never the twain shall meet.

Rosoff goes on to say that her writing hasn't changed even though the way her work is being marketed has. She's still writing about coming-of-age themes just as she did several years ago when her debut novel How I Live Now was sold as YA fiction.

Have you ever confronted this problem of having to figure out which genre your writing fits in? Is this essentially the writers responsibility to know or should writers just leave it up to the marketing departments, as Rosoff suggests? Please drop me a line here.

Keep Writing,
Maria

PROJECT 20/20: BUILD MY BLOGROLL WEEK 11 ADD!

Sat, 27 Oct 2007 00:21:15 GMT

Hi Writers,
Wow, we're on week 11 of my Project 20/20 Build my Blogroll Project (see all the details in the left navigation). I've been adding a writer's blog to my blogroll every Friday for 11 weeks now. More than 75 writer's blogs have been nominated so far. I encourage you to check them out in the comments section of the Project 20/20 link.

This week's add is all about the subject writer's hate talking about but really need to know.
And that subject is—you guessed it—MONEY!

I've been acquainted with this writer for a while now. She provides such a valuable service to writers by tracking down grants and making the listings readily available.

Please check out this great resource/ blog by C. Hope Clark:
Funds For Writers

This blog will give you a great boost toward getting funds to enable you to write.

Thanks for all you do on behalf of writers, Hope.

Keep the nominations coming, there are still 9 spots to fill!

Keep Writing,
Maria

Dzanc Books Rocks!

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 15:17:01 GMT

Hi Writers,
Two posts in one day—I know I spoil you—but you're worth it. Also we're between deadlines for the print magazine and I get bored easily.

I like to pass along good publishing news whenever I run across it. Please read this wonderful article from Wired on a small, renegade publishing house that's moving and shaking things up on its own terms:

From Old to New Media: Blog Begets Publishing House

A small press, growing? How could it be?
    Against market trends, Dzanc Books is a small publisher poised to succeed, hiring staff and expanding quickly. And that may be because it sprouted from a blog rather than a traditional printing press, and it is certainly web-savvy.
    Since its launch in 2006, Dzanc Books has acquired other presses, signed numerous authors, launched an education program and started an award -- the Dzanc Prize -- to encourage writers to undertake community literacy projects.
    Dzanc is growing at a time when there are few independent publishers left, and the remaining ones were hit hard by the recent bankruptcy of Advanced Marketing Services, a major distributor.
"We do not intend to fall into the potholes that sent the hubcaps of our predecessors flying," says co-founder Steve Gillis. "We are not caught in the old template of how publishing has been done."

Dzanc Books ~ I salute you!

Keep Writing,
Maria

On the screenwriters strike

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 15:00:19 GMT

Hi Writers,
These are scary, scary times for writers. You'll realize this quickly if you've been following the news on the looming screenwriters strike. The Writers Guild is at a standstill in negotiations with the Hollywood production studios. The primary issue of contention—compensating writers for "New Media" (read: Internet) rights.

Here are two must-read recent articles on the topic, with brief excerpts:

From the Los Angeles Times:
Writers Guild votes overwhelmingly to authorize strike
Writers have rallied behind a theme that might best be summed up by the Who's hit song "Won't Get Fooled Again." Writers maintain they were shortchanged years ago when they agreed to a discounted pay formula for home video sales, only to see that business take off. And they're determined not to make the same mistake again as the digital revolution upends the entertainment industry.

"The guild made a bad deal 20 years ago and they've been angry ever since and they don't want to do it again," said Jonathan Handel, an entertainment industry attorney with TroyGould in Los Angeles and a former associate counsel for the Writers Guild. "That's why we're seeing a line drawn in the sand."

For their part, the studios maintain that DVD sales are needed to offset rising marketing and production costs, and they contend that it's too early to lock into pay formulas for shows distributed online because technologies are rapidly changing and they're still grappling with uncertain business models.

Also, please read this article in Variety: WGA strike talks log digital divide: Sides still far apart on new media revenues.
Accounting for digital revenues has emerged as a major sticking point during the three months of contract negotiations between companies and the Writers Guild of America. The guild has seized on Hollywood's bullishness over digital deals to hammer home its dual points: Digital media revenues will be a major driver of revenue growth at the media congloms, and writers deserve a slice.

Why this should matter to you if you're not a screenwriter? Well, if you're writing for publication and haven't had to grapple with so-called "New Media" rights yet, you will be soon. I think the outcome of this strike really sets the stage for protecting writers' rights for years ahead.

OK, please allow me to pontificate for just 30 seconds. You shouldn't have to be poor in order to practice your craft. There are many, many big companies becoming very, very wealthy from the work of writers, and yes, they can afford to compensate writers fairly (psst: don't believe anyone who tells you otherwise).

Please read the articles linked here and share your thoughts. And best wishes to our screenwriting friends.

Keep Writing,
Maria

PROJECT 20/20 BUILD MY BLOGROLL: WEEK 10 ADD!

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 19:58:53 GMT

Hi Writers,
It's the 10th week in My Project 20/20 Build my Blogroll Project. You can read all about the project and nominate a writing blog in "Project 20/20" in the left navigation.

This week's add is all about the power of friends.

I've been noticing a trend lately, in the form of multiple writers gathering together to form a blog collective. This makes a lot of sense when you realize the time and commitment it takes to put out a quality blog on a continuous and relenteless basis. And when you consider the exponentially increased audience a group of writers can reach, well, a group blog really starts to make a lot of sense.

One of the first writing collective blogs I came across is this fine blog that was nominated at the beginning of my project. Congrats to our friendly writing neighbors to the north:
The Canadian Writers' Collective
hosted by the following writers:

Melissa Bell
Anne Chudobiak
Tricia Dower
Steven Gajadhar
Tamara J. Lee
Antonios Maltezos
Andrew Tibbetts

I'm guessing with 7 regular writers and specical guests, it's easy to keep the blog fires burning. Not to mention the fun factor of blogging as a group experience.

This blog is a bit of everything you'd want in a writing blog, really. Yesterday they posted a Halloween Haiku contest. There are posts from one writer's "Journal of a Wannabe Novelist" to advice on which writing books to invest in.

I'd love for any or all of the members of the Canadian Writers' Collective to stop in and tell us what it's like to be part of a group blog. I'd like to get into one of those myself!

Keep Writing,
Maria

The 15th Annual WD Self-Published Book Awards Winner

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 14:01:39 GMT

Hi Writers,
A big congratulations to Norma Lehmeier Hartie, winner of our 15th annual Writer's Digest Self-Published Book Awards. She took home the prize (including $3,000 in cash) for her book Harmonious Environment: Beautify, Detoxify & Energize Your Life, Your Home & Your Planet, which was entered in the Inspirational category.

You can read an interview with Hartie on the Ecolibris blog, where she discusses the process of self-publishing her book, and how to be a "green" author. A fascinating read.

Here's what one of our judges wrote about the book:

"This is a beautiful looking, very well organized and thoughtfully written book. The author obviously has thoroughly done the necessary study/homework as she writes with an authentic voice, one of experience. The cover is especially lovely, evenly designed and inviting to the potential reader to open the book and go further. In reading we can only be inspired to beautify our lives, make the necessary changes that would make us happier, healthier, more at peace—on a personal, group, community or global level. I found myself drawn in to clean out my cluttered basement and give things away, as well as to get out my pendulum again for special use, and to be more conscientious about my cleaning products or home purchases. The benefits for clearing out, cleaning, and adjusting energy are explained succinctly and reasonably, and these tips are therefore encouraging and convincing. A lovely book to keep and refer to often. So many answers therein – if lots of people would accept this wonderful holistic approach."

Our interview with Hartie, along with the list of top winners in each category, will run in the April 2008 issue of Writer's Digest.

Keep Writing,
Maria

Meet 90-year old debut author Millard Kaufman

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 12:50:33 GMT

Hi Writers,
Bless McSweeney's for publishing 90-year old debut novelist, Millard Kaufman, whose novel Bowl of Cherries has been compared (in Publishers Weekly) to the work of Vonnegut, Heller and Camus.

I wanted to line up a forum guest appearance/ live chat with Kaufman, but I'm told technology isn't his friend. I'm trying to get a phone interview, but in the mean time, please enjoy this video of Millard Kaufman discussing his work, courtesy of McSweeney's and You Tube.

Keep Writing,
Maria

PROJECT 20/20 BUILD MY BLOGROLL: WEEK 9 ADD!

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 17:15:47 GMT

Hi Writers,
You may or may not know, I've spent the past nine weeks lurking around the blogosphere perusing writers' blogs, for my Project 20/20, in which I'm spotlighting a writer's blog each week for 20 weeks.

Now, at week #9 I'm almost at the halfway mark and still getting lots of great nominations for my burgeoning blogroll. You can check out many of the nominations—and nominate a blog—on the Project 20/20 Build My Blogroll link on the left navigation.

As I've mentioned several times here on The Writer's Perspective I have eclectic tastes, I read widely and try to not pigeonhole myself into a genre. And I'm really proud of the diverse range of writers assembled so far on my blogroll. So I was looking over the blogroll today and realized, wow, I don't have a poet yet.

Of course, every good blogroll needs its own Poet Laureate. With that, here's my Week #9 add, who I hereby decree the official Poet Laureate of The Writer's Perspective blogroll:

Sage Said So by Sage Cohen

I was charmed by the asthetics of Sage's blog and website, which I think makes such a positive statement about her and her work. It's clean, elegant and makes good use of white space. The simple line drawings add personality and match the graphics on her new book of poetry, Like the Heart, the World. Sage just started her book tour and shares the experience on her blog, which is a wonderful way for writers to promote their work without seeming overly self-promotional.

I loved this recent post: "From Stopper to Striker" in which Sage compares the evolution of her writing career to lessons learned on the soccer field.

Sage, congratulations on being my newest blogroll add, and on your new role as the official Poet Laureate of The Writer's Perspective blogroll.

Have a lovely weekend. And, of course...
Keep Writing,
Maria

Can you make money with a blog?

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 15:40:40 GMT

Hi Writers,
I've been saying for a while now that there will soon be a time when many writers will be writing blogs as a full-time job. Since I've encountered a lot of skepticism about this, every time I find an article in the mainstream media to support this viewpoint, I'm going to post it here.

This is from the Los Angeles Times "Newspapers, Bloggers, Now on the Same Page."

This year, the Washington Post added a sponsored blog roll to its website, a directory of links to blogs that specialize in travel, technology, health and more. If the Post sells an ad on the blog roll's main page, the bloggers split the money with the newspaper. So far, about 100 bloggers have signed up.

To Caroline Little, the chief executive of Washingtonpost Newsweek Interactive, the ad network is good business. Most ad buyers don't want to take the time to buy space on dozens of different blogs, she said, and the staff-driven side of the website often doesn't have enough stories about technology, business or health for advertisers looking to place ads near that content. With the blog roll, the Post can grab ad revenue that might have gone elsewhere.

Have you found a creative way to make money blogging? If so, please share here with your fellow writers.

Keep Writing,
Maria