Surfing The Waves Of Change

 

In Publishing News this week,

 

Recently a publishing industry analyst in America predicted that 2023 would be a year of transition for the publishing industry. Change is scary for a conservative industry. Many big publishers will hang on to old ways of doing business for as long as possible while closing their eyes to the swells gathering momentum, ready to break over their heads. Mark Williams has a quick rundown on what publishers should be preparing for. 

 

Meanwhile in the UK, the BBC reports on Welsh publishers who can no longer absorb rising print and paper costs. Either they stop publishing or they raise prices. What will they do?

 

Over in Germany, RTL Deutschland, owned by Bertelsmann, is responding to the “rapidly changing media landscape” by closing 23 magazines with the loss of over 500 jobs.

 

Publishing Perspectives reports on China’s rapidly declining bookstore sales but there is an upsurge in digital book sales. Once again children’s books are saving the publishers.

 

Around the Indie publishing watercooler, the talk is the rights grab clause appearing in Findaway Audiobooks contract. (Schedule D) Apple is able to use your audiobook to teach its AI voice. ‘Not on,’ scream the writers. However, it’s not the writers who lose out, it’s the narrators. They own the rights to their voice. An article on the problems of voice over artists and AI spells out what is coming.

 

AI isn’t all bad, says David Meerman Scott. He has an interesting article about how he uses the tool to work with articles he has already written. Think of it as a super-fast word processing assistant that can repurpose your own content.

 

Kelley Way has collected the top articles on Intellectual Property from 2022 that appeared on the Writer Fun Zone. If you need a quick refresher on what is your IP and how to use it to your advantage- check out this comprehensive list. 

 

Victoria Strauss has a roundup of last year’s big writing scams, shonky contract clauses and vanity publishers who rip people off. Remember that money flows to the writer. If a publishing company asks for money to print your book…tread very carefully as you run in the other direction. 

 

The Guardian reports that the Women’s Prize Trust is expanding their writing prize to include a new Non Fiction prize.

 

Anne R Allen has a great post on Beta readers. What they are and how to manage them. First, figure out what you want them to focus on when they read your book.

 

Scott Myers has a great article on high concept vs strong concept in writing. Check it out to see which one is best.

 

In The Craft Section,

Are you writing a shiny idea or a robust story- Sandy Vaile- Bookmark

A books worth of character development questions and articles- Now Novel – Bookmark

How to write a rich setting- Donna Jo Stone

How to write physical pain- Becca Puglisi- Bookmark

Tips for dealing with the passage of time- K M Weiland

 

In The Marketing Section,

24 quirky March promotions for your book- Sandra Beckwith- Bookmark

The lazy authors guide to platform building- David Gaughran

How to use comp titles- -Robin Currie-Bookmark

Why you should have a blog- Nina Amir

A step by step guide to using Booktok- Penny Sansevieri- Bookmark

To Finish,

Roz Morris has an interesting article on how easy reading is hard writing. In it she reflects on the writer process and how every writer has their own unique way of coming to grips with a story. Many writers take years to nail down a process that works for them.

Kris Rusch also writes about process in her latest blog post. When the world feels like its falling apart your process can get you through the tough times. When sales drop off, when marketing feels useless. When you slog through the story.

You write the book word by word. And that is all that is needed.

 

Maureen

@craicer

 

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Pic: Photo by Matt Paul Catalano on Unsplash

That Dirty Word...

Sometimes, as I research sites on the blogosphere for this weekly roundup, a topic just keeps getting highlighted. 

This week it is marketing. 

Everyone seems to be talking about marketing books or ideas in some way or another. 

Marketing is one of those dirty words that authors need to know and understand but would prefer that other people say and do on their behalf.

Now that the author is stuck with having to learn marketing tips, as the publishing industry either ditches their authors or ditches their publicity budget, marketing is becoming a hot topic.

What works?

This week some online gurus had some interesting things to share about this bright, new, shiny, wholesome word.

Michael Hyatt is CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers and has a popular blog. This week he is looking at How to use FREE as your marketing strategy.

The BookDesigner has started a new series on Book Marketingfor the beginner self publisher. Even if you are not self publishing take a look. You never know where you might find a golden tip to generate more sales.

Ducttapemarketing has posted a podcast interview on their site with David Merman Scott on his new edition of New Rules of Marketing and PR. David’s book changed the landscape of small business marketing when it came out in 2007. His ideas and tools quickly became a bible for small business. So if you are seriously in business, drop by to listen to David.

Tony Eldridge recently reposted his Bookbuzzr link.  This is a nifty piece of code that allows you to put a sample of your book in a book icon with your cover on it on your websites with links to bookseller sites....and it is free.

While you are focussing on the word FREE... a group of dedicated contest lovers have started a Facebook page where they list every free book giveaway contest going. This is an interesting bit of marketing...for authors... bloggers...publishers....  Word of mouth is an incredible force and so is Facebook. They have only been going a couple of days and already they have over 200 people joining in.

The Children’s Writer’s and Illustrators Market Guide 2012 is out this month and Kidlit.com has a free copy to give away...because they contributed a couple of articles. With our exchange rate looking so good it is worth investing in a copy of the Guide. It is the white pages of publishers, agents, and art editors across the US (and their international section is growing every year) for people working in Children’s Publishing. It has great articles and how to tips as well. It is tax deductable and, if you get a free shipping bookseller, so worth the money. ($28 NZ for over 400 pages)

In the hot topics being discussed this week...David Gaughran’sidea of getting translators to translate your ebook/book for a share of theroyalties became a hot topic amongst the translating community as well as the Indie publishing community. Writers and Translators were weighing into the discussion to say how it might work or should work. Lots of interesting comments and examples of how to get your book translated into other languages as publishers get ready for the roll out of Kindle into non English speaking markets later this year.

Publishing Perspectives has focussed their critical eye onthe Gamification of books. If you are scratching your head...Children’s publishing has taken a head start on this with 39 Clues and Pottermore...those poor adult writers...how do you make a game out of your cookbook? Ah ha, read the article to find out...

Mark Coker, the guy behind Smashwords, has uploaded his slideshow keynote from The Central Coast Writers Conference last weekend about Five Big Trends That Will Rock The Future Of Publishing.

Over in the Craft Section,

The Five Elements Of The Riveting First Line. K M Weiland takes a scalpel to the first line and shows you how to craft the layers in. (take some time to trawl around her site too. You Will Be In Awe.)

Over on Craicerplus (My Amplify Page) I have links to articles on...

Links to Free Clip Art

The Agents Side Of The Gay YA Saga

What StartUps Can Teach Publishers....This is a great article looking at crowd sourcing, dynamic pricing...

To Finish,

 A couple of months ago Writer Beware highlighted the questionable behaviour of Publish America...a ‘publishing’ firm who (for a fee) would take your MS to Edinburgh and present it to JK Rowling for comment. Yesterday, Writer Beware has become aware of a new scheme(scam) by this ‘reputable’ company...They can get your Christian Book in front of Christian Booksellers (for a fee.) Read the whole story and BE AWARE that sometimes Marketing (by unscrupulous people) is still a dirty word.

enjoy,

maureen

pic from ablebrains

Changing The Variables

March is New Zealand Book Month. Already I have attended a National Address, hosted a dinner, attended a book launch and organised an award party. Somehow I have managed to be out nearly every night since March began.

The National Address, The Janet Frame Memorial Lecture, was given by Joy Cowley. Joy is one our most beloved writers for children and as befits one of our own being chosen to give this prestigious address, the children’s writers were out in force. There was a huge crowd! Afterwards I hosted a dinner for members of the Wellington Children’s Book Association. It was a great night.

I missed one of our member’s book launches but managed to attend another. Mandy Hager has finished her Blood of the Lamb trilogy with Resurrection.  This whole series has been a tour de force.

Our Patron, Jack Lasenby, turned 80 this week and as he has been shortlisted for the New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards (his 30th novel for children) we thought it might be a good idea to get all the other Wellington area finalists together. It was a bit of a mission but we managed to surprise them all with flowers and Jack with a large birthday card signed by quite a lot of people...(it helped that he couldn’t make the memorial lecture as I was running around like a mad thing getting signatures and the card would have been hard to hide.)

Today I was reflecting on Bob Mayer’s article on the three author variables and thinking about the quality of the writing here in New Zealand. Both Joy Cowley and Jack Lasenby are among the very best writers for Children we have produced. Joy is known internationally with her readers and picture books and the famous Mrs WishyWashy. Jack is not. He has been a huge influence on generations of children through his work as a School Journal editor and the fact that he has personally known and encouraged our best literary writers over the last 50 years to write some stories for children.

Bob talks about the mix of Platform, Product and Promotion. We have always had strong product but New Zealand is small and our publishers are small and the print runs are small and so the head offices of the big publishing companies pretty much ignore books printed here. With internet and the new global market place, New Zealand children’s books might just be ready to be discovered. All we need is a strong platform and great promotion.

Somebody who has been swinging all the variables of Platform, Product and Promotion is Seth Godin. David Meerman Scott interviewed him on his new project, Poke The Box.

Anne Mini has taken a look at how clichés can destroy your chance of being picked up with a series of funny examples of overridden cliché queries that are in need of editing or just search and destroy.

John Rember has written a guest post for Jane Friedman on the relationship between author, agent and publisher and the need to examine this carefully in the fast changing world of publishing.

March is also Small Press Month...and Elisabeth Spann Craig has taken a look at small press vs large press. Which is better?

Over on Craicerplus (My Amplify Page) I have links to articles on

9 Questions Editors Ask When Reading Your Submission

Authors Engage Or Die

Justine Musk On The Best Way To Blog

Harpers ebook Lending Policy Trashed.

To finish,

Mashable is looking at new digital trends...the way the news is being gathered is changing also how brands are becoming social media and how aggregation is changing bestselling statistics. This is a good article to read if you want to know how these trends will change the variables in publishing through the rest of this year. As New Zealand is about six months behind we have a little bit of lead in time...use it wisely.

The New Zealand Book Council’s video shows some 3D storytelling which is our associations next event in New Zealand Book Month. 


enjoy,
maureen

Amplifying into the future...

Blogging demands commitment and so I trawl the web searching for interesting information for my weekly post. (well that's my excuse)

Often I find lots of interesting stuff which is not directly related to the topic of Author Marketing. So what to do...? I could make my blog articles longer....No (they are way to long already.)

 I could post more than once a week. No (because I have a computer addicted personality and I would never get any writing done if I gave myself any more permission ‘to research.’ )

Amplify to the rescue. In my sidebar you will see the amplify button. This will take you to a cunning page that I have set up called CRAICERPLUS. 

On this page are comments and links to sites and articles of interest to writers and publishers. There are links to futurists Mike Shatzkin and Guy Gonzales who have both posted interesting blog posts on future change in publishing. 

On CRAICERPLUS you can comment on what you’re reading back to me if you like.

So what made it to the Blog today.

Bologna, ah Bologna...Oh don’t I wish I was there....however Agent Kristin of the very popular Pub Rants blog is and she is letting her readers know about the latest trends there. Midgrade is making a comeback...yippee coz I love midgrade and that’s what I write. And werewolves and vampires are mostly over.

David Meerman Scott is writing about Brand Journalism...Companies need Journalists or Writers to mange the content of their online business. This cannot be left to IT departments. He has written an open letter to Journalists to tell them about the new opportunities he sees.

You don't need to compromise your integrity. You still tell stories. You still practice your craft. You still have followers who care about what you do. You still change people's lives.

The Huffington Post has a very popular post on the eleven most surprising banned books...Judy Blumes, Are You There God? is on it.  I can’t for the life of me think what is so bad about that book....

Justine Labalesteir has a great post on teenagers and reading...Yes they are and No don’t get worried...

But even if we could reach a consensus on good writing—so what if a teen is only reading books you consider appalling? Plenty of adults are doing ditto. The pleasures of bad books are many. The pleasures of reading a book your parents don’t want you to read are even greater.

Have a great Easter...
Maureen

Back on the blogosphere with news, views, and a pretty picture.

I have a good friend, a marketer by trade, who knowing of my interest in marketing for authors sent me this link to David Meermans Scotts web blog.

Trawling around the site I discovered little gems on marketing and case studies where companies have got it all right The world wide rave....or horribly wrong....the worldwide rant.....

Have a look. David talks about how Lisa Genovia self published a book and then through great viral marketing it became a NY Times best seller.

We came back from the extended holiday a few days ago and in the midst of getting children’ ready for school and dealing with the ‘on hold until we get back’ issues, I have been working and swearing about the latest funding application for the Conference.

In mid December we released information about the conference inviting people to register their interest by going on our mailing list.....wow what a flood of interest there is....we sort of suspected there would be.... the list is climbing towards 100 and that’s after only a month in the blogosphere and being emailed around.

If you haven’t registered your names for early bird updates do so...the intention with the mailing list is to let everybody on it know first, before the general public, when registrations open...It will be on a first come first served basis...i.e. because we only have 80 places.

The big bloggers are waiting for our official logo (coz they like pretty pictures) and the mocks of the proposed logo look funky indeed. We have some amazing speakers confirmed we’re waiting on a few more....and obviously funding applications because our overriding quest is to provide you with a conference YOU CAN AFFORD to go to.

In our conference meeting on Saturday...two of our number have confirmed books coming out this year and two of us have been rejected due to the recession....(I’m one of them... yet again it was we would publish but.....) I will be very interested in the quality of the books published this year by the publishing houses who have contacted me with their rejections....I would like to have a career not a hobby.

I would like to thank my eldest child...smart, beautiful and most of all kind... for looking after the younger two so I can use the computer with relatively little interruption....

Just a little note as I tweak my blog layout....I came across this from Janes blog...Does the author need indie epublishing platforms....lots of food for thought....go look....

pic is tulips among the vegies in our garden...