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News You Can Use – April 30, 2013

By Steve Laubeon April 30, 2013

How an E-Book is Like the Treadmill at the Gym – One of the better explanations regarding the question of whether you own your e-books or not. Read this and comment below if it helps you understand. It is worth your time.

With Bookselling in Deep Turmoil, Book Sales Are on the Rise – Excellent article by Peter Onos for The Atlantic.

May Holidays – Excellent list of events in May that you can use to promote your book. Thank you Edie Melson for the list!

Literary Agents: Now More Than Ever – Thank you Will Weaver for this great article on The Huffington Post.

Who Inherits Your Copyrights? – If you haven’t thought about this yet, now would be a good time!

A short (24 minute) documentary on the importance of C.S. Lewis. You owe it to yourself to watch it sometime soon. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egYTTe4w0tk

Fun Fridays – April 26, 2013

By Steve Laubeon April 26, 2013

"The Last Bookshop"
This short film is delightful. It is 20 minutes long, but if you view the first five minutes I think you might be hooked into watching the whole thing.

I'd be curious to hear your thoughts about this in the comments below.

On YouTube the creator of the film actually responds to comments and questions made by viewers! So very rare to see that.

Category: Fun Fridays, Steve

Fancy Schmancy!

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon April 25, 2013

I just saw a funny short video about how to go from boring to fancy. Examples included labeling the same bread as "bread" and then "artisan bread" and the identical "cheddar" as "aged cheddar." I would have gone with "artisan" cheddar, myself. The last time our family dined in a restaurant with my in-laws in Connecticut, "Cheese made by Vermont artisans," was offered as an appetizer.

How about …

Category: Craft, Creativity, Tamela, Writing CraftTag: Characters, Craft, Writing Craft

I DID Finish Your Book…and I Plan to Read it Again!

By Karen Ballon April 24, 2013

After reading Steve’s and Tamela’s thought-provoking blogs on why they don’t finish books, I decided to talk about the flip-side. I totally agree with all that Steve and Tamela said. I’m not among the camp that has to finish a book once I've started it. But what a delight it is to find a book that I not only want to finish, but that I wish would never end. Those are rare treasures that live on my …

Category: Craft, Creativity, Karen, Writing CraftTag: Books, Craft, Writing Craft

News You Can Use – April 23, 2013

By Steve Laubeon April 23, 2013

7 Reasons Your Manuscript Might be Rejected – I loved this post by Darcy Pattison

9 Things to Know Before Your First TV Interview – I would add a 10th. Remember the Media is not your friend. – Be prepared for anything. Including being bumped because of some breaking news (like happened to a client last week…for good reasons!)

How to Market Part-Time While Working Full-Time – Excellent …

Category: News You Can Use, Steve

A Moment of Silence

By Steve Laubeon April 19, 2013

Sometimes it is appropriate to set aside our routine and spend a moment in silence. Please use the time you would have spent on our regular Fun Fridays post and pray. Pray for a world in need of redemption. Pray for far too many families shattered by senseless violence (and not just those in Boston). Evil has once again touched us in a tangible way.

Pray the following Psalm with us …

Category: Personal, Steve

I Didn’t Finish Reading Your Book, Either

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon April 18, 2013

Followers of this blog know that on Monday, Steve Laube wrote a superb post on why he doesn't finish reading certain books. I have stopped reading certain books for those same reasons. And for different reasons.

Beginnings

When I was in grade school, one of my mentors said always give a book at least one chapter, preferably three, before giving up. I have followed that rule on any book I …

Category: Craft, Tamela, Writing CraftTag: Books, Craft, Writing Craft

Focus from the Mountaintop – Part One

By Karen Ballon April 17, 2013

Our valley is watched over by two majestic sentries: Upper Table Rock and Lower Table Rock. A number of years ago a friend of mine and I hiked the trail to the top of Lower Table Rock. We both suffer from asthma, and it’s not an easy hike, so we feared they might find us collapsed halfway up! But we made it, and when we reached the top…well, you just don’t see views like that often enough.

I …

Category: Book Business, Career, KarenTag: Career, Focus

News You Can Use – April 16, 2013

By Steve Laubeon April 16, 2013

This is Your Brain on E-books - From the MIT Technological Review. Bless you David Zax.

The Non-essential Comma Quiz - A great exercise from Dianna Booher. Did you pass the quiz?

E-Books Sales Growth Slowed in 2012 - From Forbes magazine. Of course it slowed. Few things can sustain over 100% growth each and every year. At some point the statistics catch up.

42 Traits of the Perfect Reader …

Category: News You Can Use, Steve

What Do You Do For a Living?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon April 11, 2013

We have a new eye doctor and this past weekend I had my first appointment with him for my annual checkup.

He noted that I'm a literary agent. For one, I was impressed that he understood what a literary agent is. Most people have to ask. The conversation led to thoughts about professions as they are portrayed in books and on TV. Let me recap his thoughts:
"There are very few opthamologists in …

Category: Book Business, Career, Craft, TamelaTag: Career