If we can’t laugh at ourselves we are doomed. Enjoy today’s commercial break.
(Add new words or phrases in the comments below but don’t use any of them in your next writing project!)
Fun Fridays – July 15, 2016
ICRS Observations 2016
On the last week of June Dan Balow and I attended the 2016 International Christian Retail Show (ICRS) in Cincinnati. It was my 35th consecutive year attending…which only means I’m old… By now you may have heard some reports regarding the low attendance, which are true. There were only 2,114 registered attendees, nearly a 30% drop from last year. Fortunately the convention hall …
Fun Fridays – July 8, 2016
Blind pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii plays his own composition at Carnagie Hall. The piece is titled “Elegy for the Victims of the Tsunami of March 11, 2011 in Japan.” Around the three minute mark you’ll see something very touching as he performs. Does your own writing move you?
Fun Fridays – July 1, 2016
Is this a metaphor for the writing life? If so, explain in the comments below. HT: Carol Ashby
Inspiration or Perspiration?
Thomas Edison was to have said that “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.” Apparently he made 1,000 failed attempts to invent the light bulb. After accomplishing it he was asked about all the previous failures. Edison replied, “I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.” The exercise of writing can be somewhat similar. If you …
Fun Fridays – June 24, 2016
“How NOT to get published!” Karen Porter of Bold Vision Books put together this hilarious video of the wrong way to pitch your book at a writers conference. As she says, every incident is based on real events. I can attest to that truth! Enjoy!
Confusing Industry News in Bookselling
Last week the Hastings, a chain of 126 retail stores, declared bankruptcy. Approximately half of their sales are from books (the other half are movies, music, games, etc). They claim “a decline in the market for physical media properties like music, movies, books, games and media rentals.” They had losses of $16 million on sales of $400 million. Among their largest unsecured creditors …
Fun Fridays – June 17, 2016
Ever been in a meeting like this? It never happens in book publishing. Ever. However, publishing does like its fiction…
What is a Book’s Trim Size?
Trim size is one of those terms we use frequently when talking about the dimensions of your printed book. The term comes from the fact that during the printing process the pages of the book first printed on large sheets which are folded, glued, and later “trimmed” to a specific size. (This linked video shows the entire book printing process.) Go to your shelf and pull down a few titles and measure …
Fun Fridays – June 10, 2016
Watch the entire nine minute segment from last week’s “America’s Got Talent” audition. Amazing. Now, as a writer, think of this from the judge’s perspective (or the agent or editor’s perspective). There are talented people who perform well and deserve praise. And then comes something special that stands out. Those of us on this side of the desk have experienced …