The Covid 19 virus has started spreading across the world and the media are spending more time on the sensationalist aspects and ramping up the hysteria instead of the facts.
In the publishing world, the big conferences that are the tent poles of the publishing year are looking very shaky. London Book Fair has just been canceled due to many big publishers pulling out. Already we have book launches canceled or delayed. China is the world's largest printer for publishers. Due to travel restrictions, books are being delayed. If you can’t get your books out to the stores what can you do?
The latest Bond movie is delayed due to worries about audiences in theatres staying away because of contagion concerns.
Kris Rusch talks calmly of what happened to book sales in moments of crisis. Are you prepared for business disruption?
The news was out today, Simon and Schuster are up for sale. Among the reporting of dire predictions was the whimsical, what would you do with a book publishing company?
Will Amazon buy it to get print legitimacy? Just think of all their backlist. (Stephen King… Judy Blume… Cassandra Clare…)
While you are contemplating owning a big publisher, Anne R Allen has a great blog post on the clueless ways people who know nothing about publishing offer advice. How many of these have you fielded at parties when someone finds out you write?
The Guardian recently published an opinion piece from a writer about the guilty secret many of us have. We are sponsored by someone rich to write. This is a truthful piece on what it is really like to be a writer these days. Sadly, it doesn’t look like it is going to get any better.
Audiobooks are going from strength to strength in the publishing world as the new format to get into. Joanna Penn has a great interview with Michele Cobb on all the opportunities in audio publishing.
I’ve been experimenting with writing sprints lately. They are lots of fun and you can get a surprising amount down if you don’t stop to edit your words in the middle. (Note to self!) The Pomodoro technique does work. If you don’t know how to do it check out this nifty post.
Do you belong to a writing group? This week I was thrilled to see the last person in a writing group I have been keeping an eye on for a long time finally have her book published. Writing groups can be your best cheerleaders. -There are many different types so search around to find your cheerleading tribe.
In The Craft Section,
Tips for revising your work- Amanda Zieba
9 Types of Narrative Devices- Joe Bunting - Bookmark
Your Subconscious speaks a different language- Cathy Yardley
Screenplay structure simplified- Scott Myers- Infographic- Bookmark
How to power your novel through the second act- Wendy Heard- Bookmark
Tips for writing a cozy mystery- Elizabeth Spann Craig
3 steps to writing diverse characters- Lucy Hay - Bookmark
In The Marketing Section,
Looking Good -Design tips for authors- Heather Weidner- Bookmark
Panel Best Practice- Penguin Random House
How to make your author future reality- Angela Ackerman- Bookmark
How to add extra categories on Amazon- Deborah Jay
How To Grow Your Author Social Media platform- Frances Caballo - Bookmark
Anatomy of a Bestselling Amazon Book Promotion- Penny Sansevieri – Bookmark
To Finish,
What do you do when you find out that your work has been plagiarized - but worse… they won a prize with it. You could go up in flames or you could doubt yourself or you could write an interesting thoughtful piece of how you deal with this.
Take a breath, people. Innnnnn. Ouuuuut. Don’t use hysteria as your default emotion. Check out the facts. Make considered decisions. (I’m looking at you people in the back overstacking your shopping trolleys with toilet paper and bottled water.)
Just a note- One of my nurse friends reported today that people are stealing bottles of hand sanitizer from the hospitals. Surgical masks, sanitizers, etc are needed by medical professionals. The mask does not work if it gets wet- One cough and it’s done for.
Please use soap and water (20 seconds) and dry your hands. It works just as well.
Maureen
@craicer
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