Oh my goodness. This video is a perfect metaphor for the author who suddenly has to master everything in order to build their platform–Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, blogging, newsletters, websites–all while writing their book, working their day job, supporting their family, and more!
But the writer does at some point make their publisher jump through a few hoops too!
Hard to believe that it was 15 years ago this week that The Steve Laube Agency was formed. Happy anniversary to us! Since those nervous beginnings, we have been blessed by so many wonderful clients and publishing relationships. Over the years we have secured about 1,000 new contracts for more …
I found this video about the man behind the paper props you see in movies fascinating. The attention to detail for something that is only there for a split second is quite extraordinary. (five minutes in length)
The popularity of last week’s post on the phrase counter set me on a journey to find something that would do the same sort of “counting” but instead focus on single word usage instead of phrases.
Use this link to the Word Counter web site and run your WIP (work in progress) within its walls.
Today’s video is of three professionals against 100 school children. Someone said, “This shows some sort of publishing metaphor just waiting to get out!” (The first two minutes are enough to get the idea.) What do you think this is showing as it relates to the pursuit of publishing? HT: Dan …
When I ask a room of writers if they would buy their own book if they saw it on the shelf at a major bookstore I am met with a variety of reactions. Laughter. Pensiveness. Surprise. And even a few scowls. How would you answer that question?
But the question is meant to ask if your book idea is unique. Whether it will stand out among the noise of the competition.
It is not a question of whether your book is important or valuable or even well written. It is ultimately a question of commercial viability.
This video shows what an author will always do upon hearing they have received a contract offer. They can do it on one leg too!
Below is a visual representation of some astounding statistics regarding Internet usage. A little more than twelve years ago I wrote a chapter for a writing book on how to use the Internet for research. I re-read that article recently…umm, Google didn’t even exist back then (founded in September 1998), much less Wikipedia (where the jury is still out if is a reliable source for verifiable facts).
210 billion emails sent per day? I think I get half of those. <!>
20 hours of YouTube videos uploaded every minute?
We swim in a sea of data. So how do you discern what to read or view? In other words, what makes you buy or click?
Take that same mindset and apply it to your next book idea or article. What would make the consumer buy or click it, especially when faced with a plethora of competing options? If your idea, your novel, your insight, can withstand competitive scrutiny then you have a chance to impact this world. Obscurity equals no audience. That is why publishers are pushing agents and authors to make their “platform” bigger.
Via: OnlineSchools.org
Today’s video features Victor Borge at his concert-conducting best. One of the finest musical comedians of all time.
I would like to tell you about a most enjoyable day. Our agency’s guidelines request that unsolicited manuscripts come via the post (I know it’s old-school but it works for us), but we still receive e-mail submissions. I spent an entire morning going through that particular in-box, having an assistant send standard e-mail rejection letters, since none were anything our agency could/would handle.
Very soon I received three separate responses:
