In Publishing News this week…
Publishers Weekly highlights a problem facing manga translation freelancers, poor pay. While Manga is surging in the sales lists the money isn’t trickling down to the people actually doing the work in translation ($1 a page isn’t fair) You may as well get an AI to do it… and really scramble the translation.
The New Publishing Standard sounds a warning to publishers who are relying on Booktok to boost their sales. Tiktok is facing bans in some states… Don’t put all your publicity eggs in one basket.
There was lots of chat this week as the first ads inside audiobooks started rolling out on the Audible platform. Audible promises there will be only 8 ads every 24 hours.
It’s another marketing platform which is probably here to stay.
Recently a writer alerted me to this very damning report from The Bookseller on publisher and agent support to authors in the last few years. I have heard of instances of all these issues highlighted. Publishing is not like it used to be with editors nurturing writers and guiding careers last century (or even 30 years ago)
Kris Rusch writes this week on the way the past can highjack a writers expectations and stop them from trying new things. She compares two different writers she knows who are struggling with new ways of doing things- spoiler alert it’s not the 80 year old writer who has publishing blinkers.
Google has quietly launched some new tools for writers and publishers. If you have been wondering about patreons or substack or some sort of mailing list or paywall, Google has got a new subscription tool for you.
Joanna Penn has an excellent interview with Halima Khatun on how to get free publicity from newspapers etc. It’s all in the way you pitch a press release.
Congratulations to the Dynamic Duo of Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi – They have reached 1million copies sold of their Emotion Thesaurus Book series. If you haven’t checked these books out yet you are in for a treat. They are often cited as essential textbooks in writing courses. Being the Dynamic Duo – they are celebrating by having a huge giveaway of cool prizes.
Anne R Allen has a great blog post on that old chestnut- everybody has a book inside them (and there it should stay.) She has the 10 do’s and don’ts for people thinking that they might want to write a book someday.
Of course many people procrastinate and never write that book – if you want some tips on productivity check out these gems from BangtoWrite.
In The Craft Section,
Backstory Techniques- Part2- K M Weiland- Bookmark
Choosing scenes to cover the right information- Mythcreants- Bookmark
Heinlein’s rules for writing – Becca Puglisi
How to decide what story to write- Scott Myers
Tell Don’t show- Terry Odell- Bookmark
Using Sensory Perception – DiAnn Mills
In The Marketing Section,
How to pitch a book to readers- Penny Sansevieri
Silly fun June dates for promotion- Sandra Beckwith- Bookmark
Book Marketing Plan guide-Adacted
Free resources - Shayla Raquel- Bookmark
5 pieces of blurb advice to avoid- Written Word Media – Bookmark
To Finish
If you are constantly scribbling plot points on bits of paper you might like this planning tool.
It is like mind mapping plot points but on a screen.
If you are thinking about audiobook production – check out whether there are audiobook narrators in your area. One of our local audiobook narrators is keen to rent out her studio and coach and edit if you want to narrate your book yourself. (If you are in NZ email me for her details.)
It could be the start of a whole new career.
Maureen
@craicer
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PicPhoto by Hannes Wolf on Unsplash
