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Helping to Change the World…Word by Word

The Steve Laube Agency

The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World Word by Word

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Home » Writing Craft » Book Business » Page 20

Book Business

The Perils of Social Media

By Steve Laubeon January 9, 2012
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Guest Blog by Tosca Lee

Our guest today is Tosca Lee, author of Demon: A Memoir and Havah: The Story of Eve. She is also the co-author with Ted Dekker of the NYTimes bestseller Forbidden. The next book in that series will be out this Summer. A sought-after speaker and former Mrs. Nebraska, Tosca was a senior consultant for a global consulting firm until turning to writing full-time. She holds a degree in English and International Relations from Smith College and also studied at Oxford University. Please visit her web site at www.toscalee.com.

_______________

Facebook. Twitter. Shoutlife. LinkedIn. Dopplr. Google+. Plaxo. Blogger. WordPress. Shelfari. Goodreads. Writer’s loops. Conference loops. Endless loops.

By the time I finish updating my status, writing my blogs, tweeting, pasting my bulletins, my newest pictures, my URLs and YouTube links, recruiting friends, recommending friends, sharing reads, rating reads, ranking reads, ranking friends, tagging friends, responding to posts, responding to friends, responding to blogs, ranting, reblogging, re-bulleting, re-accepting (plants, gifts, pinches, bits o’ karma, flowers, flare, tickles, candy, drinks, siege warfare by angry goats and lil green patches–what the heck is a lil green patch anyway??) it’s time to repost my status–and respond to those responding to my status who are reading their walls, shuffling friends, organizing bookshelves, recommending contacts and waging mob wars.

By then, the day is over. I have missed my hair appointment, my deadline and a conference call, needed to go to the bathroom three hours ago, blown off dinner, ticked off my friends (who live in town and did not check my wall to see why I never showed up), neglected my Significant Other, alienated my family, and defaulted on my mortgage.

I’m already grossly behind on an article and some reading, on projects for friends and the synopsis I owe my agent… and yet I cannot tear myself from Facebook because I might miss something important–say, another lil green patch–and then I will have gone from being behind with writing, reading and work, to being behind with the relational fiber of my life that is supposed to make the reading, the writing, the work all meaningful.

***
Bouncing back and forth between the social, networking and professional sites I signed up for to catch up with friends, connect with readers and promote my work, it’s plausible that I might never have time to write another book–or if I do, it’ll be 360 pages of 140-character one-liners.

I don’t know half the people in my extended network, but they came highly recommended. And even though I may not actually know Marlene in Dekalb, I’m fascinated by how white her teeth are in her picture and the fact that her relationship status just changed from “In a relationship” to “Single.” I’m wondering if they broke up or she forgot to change it before her last boyfriend. And if I know any friends of friends willing to dish.

I’m fascinated by hub friends, who seem to know and be on everyone’s page, horrified at how many colleagues know schoolmates who have seen me do stupid things, appalled friends’ exes who never had the decency to settle down more than one degree away.

It gets a bit uncomfortable–I worry if raucous friends will offend the straight-laced among my network (or vice versa). I wonder whether I’ll say something dumb that will haunt me forever–or at least until it scrolls off the new bulletin list, pushed down by the newest rants, requests, ramblings or reciprocal idiocy of others.

The only way to know, of course, is to stay pasted to the screen. I find that trolling for feedback is an especially convenient time to spy on high school friends and frenemies, the real lives of people I only see in suits, my exes, my readers (it seems only fair), my colleagues, my neighbors. And I am at peace with my virtual social life, holed up like a voyeuristic hermit, my picture neatly made up in the window as I sit stinky and unkempt at home in my sweats.

One of these days, God willing, I’ll start a new project. Crickets will chirp from the void that was my blog. The status line of my Facebook page will stare blankly at no one. Invites will turn kudzu on my homepage, and my Shelfari shelves will grow dust. Concerned friends will send notes like morose pings into the ether as I wrestle with metaphors and confront the empty page, wishing I could trade my Roget’s for the tiniest lil green patch or bit o’ karma.

***

Tosca just sent you a lil green patch.

[Accept] [Decline] [Ignore] [Wage Mob War Instead]

#caffiene

 

 

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Category: Book Business, Get Published, Guest Post, Humor, Marketing, Social Media, Writing CraftTag: Agents, Facebook, Marketing, Social Media, Time Management, Writing Craft

2011 – The Year in Review

By Steve Laubeon January 2, 2012
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It is a good exercise to reflect on the past year. Count the blessings, reflect on the hard lessons, and remember the good times.

The highlight was bringing both Tamela Hancock Murray and Karen Ball into the agency in late May. I was and continue to be very excited about the talent and work these two are doing on behalf of our clients.

That hard work had visible results as we secured …

Read more2011 – The Year in Review
Category: Agency, Book Business, Contracts, Get Published, SteveTag: Agents, Book Business, Contracts, Get Published, Year in Review

What Role Do Influencers Play?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon December 15, 2011
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One of the services a traditional publisher provides is working with authors in regard to getting publicity about books through word of mouth. This piece of the publicity puzzle is more important for trade books than for mass market books because they fit into an established line and are less author-focused than trade books. Trade books rely more on author identity and brand recognition to be …

Read moreWhat Role Do Influencers Play?
Category: Book Business, Book Business, Tamela, The Publishing Life, Writing CraftTag: Book Business, Contracts, Get Published

News You Can Use – Nov. 15, 2011

By Steve Laubeon November 15, 2011
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The End of Borders and The Future of Bookselling - BusinessWeek article shows why Borders failed and why it doesn't mean the demise of bookstores. Every writer should read this.

Another Change in How We Read Books? - Cloud-based book rentals...is it the future?

You Don't Have to Accept Rejection - Copyblogger makes the case for the Indie route

Does Your Web Site Use Flash? - If so, then …

Read moreNews You Can Use – Nov. 15, 2011
Category: Book Business, E-Books, News You Can Use, SteveTag: News, Publishing News

A Matter of Taste

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon November 3, 2011
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I always enjoy reading comments on our blog posts. Recently a reader posted a provocative question:
In this time of great emotional upheaval, instability, and unrest, aren't we ready for something more solid and inspiring than just different types of romance novels?
Those of you familiar with my career know that I am the author of many romance novels and stories -- and Bible trivia books!

And …

Read moreA Matter of Taste
Category: Book Business, Genre, Marketing, Romance, Tamela, Writing CraftTag: Get Published, Marketing, Romance, Tamela, Traditional Publishing

Any Regulatory Issues with the Purchase of Thomas Nelson by HarperCollins?

By Steve Laubeon November 2, 2011
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By most accounts the purchase of Nelson by HarperCollins will put the #1 largest Christian Publishing house under the same ownership as the #2 largest Christian Publishing House (Zondervan). The press release mentions that the sale "is subject to customary regulatory clearance."

It will be interesting to see if the Department of Justice cares about Christian publishing, or even understands it.  …

Read moreAny Regulatory Issues with the Purchase of Thomas Nelson by HarperCollins?
Category: Book Business, Steve, TrendsTag: Book Business, News, Trends

Perspective on the Sale of Thomas Nelson Publishers

By Steve Laubeon November 1, 2011
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In light of yesterday's announcement of the sale of Thomas Nelson Publishers to HarperCollins I thought I would write a few thoughts.

Without question this is the biggest news story in the Christian publishing industry this year, if not the last few years. Most of us have been caught flat-footed. Partly because Thomas Nelson is such a large company. And partly because they were just purchased …

Read morePerspective on the Sale of Thomas Nelson Publishers
Category: Book Business, News You Can Use, Steve, TrendsTag: Book Business, News, Traditional Publishing, Trends

More on the Purchase of Thomas Nelson by HarperCollins

By Steve Laubeon October 31, 2011
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One bit of speculation about the sale of Thomas Nelson to HarperCollins comes from PaidContent.org written by Laura Hazard Owen: “Thomas Nelson has been on the forefront of experimentation with digital publishing, and HarperCollins is buying not just the company but also that digital experience….Thomas Nelson has done a bunch of cool things in the digital space. The company’s chairman …

Read moreMore on the Purchase of Thomas Nelson by HarperCollins
Category: Book Business, News You Can Use, Steve, TrendsTag: News, Publishing News, Trends

HarperCollins Buys Thomas Nelson Publishers

By Steve Laubeon October 31, 2011
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BREAKING NEWS! Startling industry news. HarperCollins will purchase Thomas Nelson by the end of this calendar year. HarperCollins already owns Zondervan (which they purchased in 1988). The combination will create the largest and most dominant Christian publishing company in the world. Wow. Here is the official press release.

Read moreHarperCollins Buys Thomas Nelson Publishers
Category: Book Business, News You Can Use, Steve, TrendsTag: News, Publishing News

Don’t Quit Your Day Job

By Steve Laubeon October 27, 2011
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I’ve been talking with writers who have another job as well as their writing to see how they juggle doing both. I was a social worker before my daughter was born and started writing soon after, but now that my youngest is off to college I’ve thought about getting back into the work force. I just don’t know how I’d balance the two yet.

The first thing I thought of was that I’d have to do some …

Read moreDon’t Quit Your Day Job
Category: Book Business, Career, Get Published, Writing CraftTag: Book Business, Career, Writing Craft
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