Is your deadline looming?
Today’s image vividly expresses what every writer feels like as the day nears.
Who Owns Whom in Publishing?
Updated August 2023 (first created November 2011) For a comprehensive list, check out The Christian Writers Market Guide. Available in print at your favorite retailer or as an online subscription (updated frequently) at www.ChristianWritersMarketGuide.com. My emphasis in this post is the Christian publishing industry. There are many fine commercial publishers that do not publish Christian books …
Fun Fridays – August 11, 2023
Today is the last of the “Dog Days of Summer,” and major league baseball is in the home stretch. Thus, it is wonderfully appropriate to post today’s classic video, “Who’s on First?” by Abbott and Costello.
Four Million Books Published Each Year?
I read a statistic that estimates there were four million new books published in 2022 (sourced from https://www.zippia.com/advice/us-book-industry-statistics/). This includes all self-published books (at least 50%) and traditionally published textbooks and books for the trade. This means there is a new book published every eight seconds or nearly 11,000 per day, every day of the year. With our …
Fun Friday – August 4, 2023
Today’s Fun Friday is a bit more educational, but still fun! Learn, in three minutes, how wool goes from a sheep to your sweater and the ingenious processes that go into it. Much like all the various parts of making a book, it takes a lot of work and many smart people involved in the process. Enjoy! [If you are unable to view the video in your email newsletter, please go to our website and …
Do Gimmicks Work in a Book Proposal?
Here are a few “gimmicks” I’ve received over the years from people who mailed their book proposals to our office: Cover letter printed on fluorescent paper A twenty-dollar bill inside the SASE A wooden treasure chest full of chocolate gold coins A signed photo of basketball player Michael Jordan A rock (in a proposal about God as our rock) An 18″x24″ piece of artwork, …
Fun Fridays – July 28, 2023
A bit by the comedian Gallagher from the 70s and 80s. He was mostly known for his “Sledge-o-Matic” gag where he smashed watermelons on stage. But not today! Instead, he makes great fun of the English language. Enjoy watching! [If you can’t view the video in your newsletter email, please visit the website and enjoy.] Thanks to Deb Haggerty for the tip!
Words Can Last
We have become used to online reviews for all sorts of items. Book reviews on Amazon. Reviews of places to stay on AirBnb. Reviews on Yelp for everything from restaurants to dentists. And more. Nearly 3,000 years ago, in Babylon, these complaint letters were written on stone tablets in cuneiform and sent to the place of business. The earliest complaint letter uncovered by archaeologists can be …
Fun Fridays – July 21, 2023
Today’s video depicts a writer pouncing on an editor or an agent at a writers conference. Veteran editors are rarely surprised, but if you wait for it, “Success!”
Endorsements: How Important Are They?
How important are endorsements? (Those “blurbs” on the back of a book that exclaim, “A real masterpiece!”) Let me answer with a question. When browsing a book title, do you look at the endorsements or notice who wrote the foreword or the introduction? I suspect you do without realizing it. And if you are unfamiliar with the author but you know the endorser, then you are …