Watch this tongue-in-cheek look at what a writers conference asks of a “famous” writer.
Very clever.
Jul
1
2011
Fun Fridays – July 1, 2011
Jun
30
2011
Build it Before They Come
by Tamela Hancock Murray
If you want to be a published writer, realize that someone will look for you on the web. Agents will Google your name. I guarantee that editors and marketing folks will visit your web site to find out more about you.
Thus your web site needs to be both professional and effective. It is a bit like putting on your “Sunday Best” before going to an interview. That first impression is critical.
Allow me to share unscientific, subjective thoughts regarding a few elements I especially enjoy as an agent learning about writers through their web sites:
[ Read More → ]Jun
29
2011
The Care and Feeding of … WORDS!
by Karen Ball
“Handle them carefully, for words have more power than atom bombs.”
Pearl Strachan
“By words the mind is winged.”
Aristophanes
“The turn of a sentence has decided the fate of many a friendship, and, for aught that we know, the fate of many a kingdom.”
Jeremy Bentham
Amazing, isn’t it? Something so small as words can have such huge impact.
The right word in any circumstance can bring peace, comfort, laughter, tears. It can elicit emotion, stir action, deliver forgiveness, change lives. For generations, words have moved and motivated. Writers, steeped in the wonder of words, have poured their hearts out on stark paper, only to have those pages come to life in ways they never imagined, and to have their words live on in the hearts and minds of readers long after they’ve been read.
[ Read More → ]Jun
28
2011
News You Can Use
A $30 iPad…for kids? – take a look at the new anaPad. Have to admire the entrepreneur, even when the idea seems a little odd.
Twitter Profile Mistakes – Excellent advice for writers who tweet.
Andrew Wylie in the Wall Street Journal Magazine – See what this uberagent has to say about the future of publishing. Especially note his thoughts on the global market.
Would James Joyce have used an iPad? – An interesting look at a “classic” writer and what tools he might have used today.
Top Ten Misused English Words – A great list. Any words you would add? (Calvary vs. Cavalry…)
Take a gander at this fascinating infographic comparing Walmart and Amazon.
[ Read More → ]Jun
27
2011
Many Happy(?) Returns!
by Steve Laube
Every first-time author is confronted by the reality of “Reserves Against Returns” as part of publishing economics. It is usually a shock and elicits a phone call to their agent crying “What happened to my money?”
Did you realize that book publishing is the only “hard goods” industry where the product sold by the supplier to a vendor can be returned? This does not happen with electronics, clothing, shoes, handbags, cars, tires…you name it. If it is a durable good the vendor who buys it, owns it (which is why there are Outlet Malls – to sell the remaining inventory). Except for books. Somewhere along the line the publishers agreed to allow stores to return unsold inventory for credit. In one sense, publishers are selling their books on consignment. Bargain books are actually resold by the publisher (after getting returns or to reduce overprinted inventory) to a new specialty bargain bookseller or division of a chain (which buys the bargain books non-returnable).
[ Read More → ]Jun
24
2011
Fun Fridays – June 24, 2011
Steven Sharp Nelson playing eight cellos. Watch and enjoy.
His album “Sacred Cell0” is one of my all time favorites.
[ Read More → ]Jun
23
2011
Letting Go of Your Babies
by Tamela Hancock Murray
One of the worst mistakes writers can make is being too possessive of their words. They fight for each adjective, adverb, and conversation tag.
My early writing suffered from too many words. I once wrote an artist didn’t “really” understand the difficulties of making a living in his profession. The editor kindly cut all instances of “really,” “just,” “so,” “very,” and other weak words experienced editors call “weasel” words.
[ Read More → ]Jun
22
2011
Print: A Thing of the Past?
by Karen Ball
Remember the musical Oklahoma? Gordon MacRae singing to, of all people, Rod Steiger: “Poor Jud is daid, poor Jud Fry is daid…”
Well, the way folks have been talking lately, I’m waiting for the new musical, “Digital World,” where a Gordon MacRae-esque editor will stand next to a book and sing out, “Poor print is daid, poor print books is daid, they’re lookin’ oh, so tattered and passé…”
[ Read More → ]Jun
21
2011
News You Can Use
by Steve Laube
Thirty Three Twitter Feeds to Follow – The folks at Poets & Writers put together a helpful list of publishing and writing oriented twitter feeds to follow.
Kindle Spam Clogging Amazon – What a mess. Fake compiled books are being uploaded on the Kindle digital platform and sold to unsuspecting people. Another argument for Curation.
Google Books Creates Affiliate Program – Click this to apply to become a sales affiliate for Google Books. Similar to the Amazon program. At least it gives you an alternative if your state has been shut out by Amazon’s war with State Departments of Revenue.
Turn Off Your Phone – Donald Miller seeks out the secret to productivity. Simple but effective.
How Many of Your Facebook Friends do You Know? – Tech Crunch summarizes a Pew Research Study. They claim, “Facebook users have about 229 Friends, with about 22% of their total Friends list being comprised of people they know from high school, 12% extended family, 10% coworkers, 9% college friends, 8% immediate family, 7% people from extracurricular groups and 2% being neighbors.” I guess I’m not normal.
[ Read More → ]Jun
20
2011
The Fear of Rejection
Randy Ingermanson recently interviewed author Mary DeMuth in his “Advanced Fiction Writing E-Zine” and the topic of rejection surfaced. I thought it was very insightful and, with permission, am posting their conversation.
_______________
My friend Mary DeMuth recently published an e-book with the title The 11 Secrets of Getting Published.
Given that the price is only $2.99, I assumed the book would be about 50 pages with a few simple tips on breaking into publishing.
When Mary sent me a copy, I was astounded to find that it ran to 229 pages of solid information on breaking in. Developing your craft. Learning discipline.
Learning to accept critiques. Writing a query and a proposal. And tons more. Mary packed this book.
The chapter that hit home for me was titled, “Overcome Fear and Rejection.” You’d think I’d be good at that after 23 years of this writing game, but I still hate rejection and I still battle fear.am posting their conversation.
[ Read More → ]
