Eclectic Gifts

It is an eclectic mix of links for you all today (a day late, SORRY)

In The News,

Hachette is working with Gumroad using Twitter to sell selected books.  (No prizes for guessing why after their recent experience with Amazon.) This is really interesting and may change the face of online buying. Gumroad enables creative people to sell work directly using social media.Their first test (today), Amanda Palmer’s book The Art of Asking sold out in 20 minutes. 

Bookbaby ends its free distribution of eBooks. Indie Pub Magazine looks at what this might mean for authors.

Zoe Sugg, author of best selling book Girl Online, reveals they had a ghostwriter help.

People are still finding ways that Kindle Unlimited subscriptions are not necessarily helping the author. Go in with Eyes Wide Open.

An interesting discussion over at Writer Unboxed on writing resumes... Do you need that MFA?

Anne R Allen talks about how to craft a blog for the long haul.

Two wonderful writers who produce a lot of work look back on 2014 and examine where they went wrong. These are two very good articles on production and marketing schedules and organization. Kris Rusch - Business Musing and Popcorn Kittens and Johnny B Truant – 15 Self-publishing lessonsin 2014

With NaNoWriMo over, thoughts are turning to revision checklists.As any writer will tell you the work is in the rewriting!

In the Craft Section,

Goals for you and your characters- Plot Whisperer

The importance of Vulnerability- Angela Ackerman

5 writing lessons from a vocal coach

10 thoughts about writing sex in YA (good stuff in this article)

Dungeons and Dragons and story conflict

Free writing

One simple step to ensure your plot and story work- Jami Gold

The fine art of Story Resonance

In the Marketing Section,

10 ways to promote your book

Using Scrivener to Research and Market your book –Susan Kaye Quinn

Small publisher myths busted –Julie Musil

What are agents, editors and art directors looking for when they search you online -InkyGirl

Joanna Penn - Interview with Reedsy. Another of Joanna’s amazing info packed interviews. (Reedsy is an author concierge service with a difference)

Looming up on the horizon, Christmas! I am constantly being asked what do I want for Christmas. That’s tough because the asker can’t actually deliver the tropical island with the dedicated time to write and cocktails. Some good pens, kids!

In the Christmas Gifts Section,

Gifts for Writers – Chuck Wendig (usual warnings)

Children’s Illustrators who sell on Etsy

Insanely clever gifts for book lovers

To Finish,

Some Charts...

The Periodic Table... yes but its figures of speech

Do you have Writing Talent? –Jane Friedman

The mad mad mad world of End of School Year and Christmas has overtaken. If you are lucky you may get one more post this year.

maureen

Pic from Flickr/Creative Commons/ Kasia

It's All In The Story

This week one region in NZ was declared a drought zone and a few others are staring down the barrel. On the official last day of summer with the temperatures climbing again...anybody want to predict a wet autumn? What happens if the Rain Gods don’t come back? If we stay forever in a stuck weather zone...

Ok enough scary story starters.

In the publishing blogosphere...Everyone was talking about what they learned at Indie ReCon. If you didn’t check it out last week DO IT NOW. The advice...the posts...the how to’s...the why’s....

A writing conference that promised lots...and gave HEAPS...all free. Just scroll down the posts over three days (19-21 on the left.)

Publishing Perspectives had a guest post with NZ company Vangelizer. Three Epiphanies on Social Media Marketing of Books. They are offering some very cool products to writers out there...but one of their comments intrigued me. “Make it easy for people to buy your book once you generate interest.” As a bare minimum, you should have a link embedded in every tweet and post that takes people to a mobile-optimized site with a range of global buying options.

This reminded me of Gumroad...the outfit I told you about in January. They do just that for one off things from ‘content’ creators. I clicked on over to check out new offerings and there was a video with Gary Vaynerchuk about storytelling being the way to create empathy which you can convert to a sale...(and before you go aaaargh...You are in the business of selling your stories aren’t you?)

Author Media has ten tips for getting readers to your novel website...

Jane Friedman has interviewed C J Lyons who is a Hybrid star. This is one of those must read articles to see how to navigate the Hybrid world successfully.

Another big conversation this week on the blogosphere, besides Indie ReCon, was Joel Friedlander AKA The Book Designer. Joel has reached out to all the Indie/ Hybrid people out there and designed a collection of Book Templates you can buy to drop your novel into that saves you the hassle of converting from Word to POD format...People are raving! The guy is a genius! Joel talks about how astounded he was at the sheer number of downloads in the first few days along with FAQ’s on his new offering.

In England the talk is all about the Beanstalk Literacy Charter...with the Children’s Laureate getting behind the ‘fund a reading teacher in every school...as well as a library.’ I did not realise that in England a school library was optional! I got a shiver down my spine!

Hilary Mantel has been in the news lately...mainly for the inept reporting from tabloid journalists who did not check what she actually said. Here she gives her Ten Rules for Writing and Jolly Good They Are Too!

Chuck’s recent blog has been getting a lot of comment too. This is the bit where you gasp and say “he actually said that about editing a novel!”

If you remember when iTunes hit the music industry...Mixtus Media has a look at Five Things Book Publishers should be prepared for.

Writer Beware checks out scammers that tell you to register copyright...let them do it for you...

Biting your readers in the buttocks...The Forest Gump Guide To Writing.

How to create deadlines for yourself...Yes there is a guide.

In Craft,

K M Weiland hits Part 12 on Scene Structure.

Edittorrent puts ambiguity under the spotlight with examples...her pet hate as an agent and something everybody could sharpen up on.

The BookshelfMuse talks to the Plot Whisperer...One of those gotta read interviews, along with What and How to Revise by Darcy Pattison

The Query Letter...Chuck Sambuchino tells you how to craft it if your MS doesn’t fit the expected box...

In Marketing,

Google authorship and SEO...Did you know you may not be the author of those blog posts according to Google?

Susan Kaye Quin talks formatting for iTunes. (How to do it without buying a MAC)

Writersinthestorm take a look at setting timelines in your business plan.

Passive Guy looks at Indie Authors and gift cards...I have done this and it is quite a good idea.

Rachelle Gardner wants you to look good on a webcam and offers tips to help.

To finish, 

Sadly we must come to the end...with this thought provoking post from one of our top writers of Y A about what it means to write for children. 

maureen

pic.

Special thanks go to the Pulp-O-Mizer website...I had sooo much fun creating this on the neat website! (tho I'll stick to writing...)

Raise A Glass to 2013

Predictions for 2013 have been circulating the publishing blogosphere over the last week.

Will we be down to 3 mega publishers by years end?

Will Amazon drop free?

Tablets over e-readers over print?

What kind of gatekeepers will be around for the new new new publishing order?

With the publishing business going through a revolution every other week...most predictors have thrown up their hands saying we can’t predict anything!

One person who has stuck his neck out is Mark Coker of Smashwords. Mark has a unique position to comment from. As an author and Bright Guy behind Smashwords he straddles not only the publishing distribution side but also the trenches of the content providers bearing the flag for small publishers and indie authors. He has 21 predictions and an in depth analysis of why he thinks each one will happen. (grab a big coffee)

Kristen Lamb has also stuck her sword into the ground and put together some interesting comments on what is coming in 2013. She has some great ideas on how you can use different ratings on different editions too. Great food for thought in 2013. Kristen had a huge 2012 establishing the international WANA Tribe community along with a busy writing and speaking schedule...(Raise a glass to her)

What will happen to literary agents in 2013...their role is changing as rapidly as publishing.

For other writers...the emphasis is not on what they think will happen outside the walls of their study but what they should be focusing on inside.

Dean Wesley Smith is always a quality read...he has his list of what writers should be thinking about going into 2013. This is GOOD ADVICE. (take with a nice boutique beer)

For those that want Chucks take on 2013 and writing....take a deep breath and plunge in. (warning it’s Chuck! You could need a stiff drink!)

The NY Times has even started their year with a look at publishing...but of a different sort. A book designer fed up crappy covers on classic books has taken books he loves but can’t find new editions of and is redesigning them and publishing them himself under the Whisky Priest label. (cool label!)

e Singles burst onto the publishing scene last year. PaidContent looks at why and what this year may hold for eSingle writers.

Passive Guy has an IP lawyer talk about legal issues in publishing...how much can you quote? (share out the rest of the Christmas cake)

Rachelle Gardner looks at working in 90 minute increments...break for a drink.

Catherine Ryan Howard has written a great article on ebook pricing and why she is moving all over the place with it...(too much espresso? LOL)

Catherine uses Gumroad on her website to sell her books and this intrigued me so I investigated. Pretty nifty outfit similar to PayPal but it means buyers don’t need to belong to PayPal to use it and sellers can get shortened links to embed directly into websites.

In Craft,

The brilliant K M Weiland has been continuing her examination of scene structure. Take a look at story scene structure part three and four and it will be completely obvious why a major publisher has asked her to take some classics and apply her magnifying glass to their construction this year.

Editor Lyn Price has a close look at the multifunctional life of dialog tags used right.

Three ultra fast ways to self edit your work.

Should you slam on your story’s brakes..?

In Marketing,

It’s time to look at author websites...Have you cleaned up your website?

Do you give a good reader first impression?

How about your audio book platform?

Have you got a good book marketing plan?

To finish,

Joanna Penn also had a huge 2012...She looks back at her achievements and how she is working on a refined plan for this year. Plan A: indie career, working with her agent, continuing her series, starting another one, audio books, podcasts, her online courses, speaking schedule...

(Pass out in envy overload.)

maureen

photo from Flicker/ Dinner series. (Mojitos...yum!)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dinnerseries/6005326941/sizes/m/in/photostream/