In Publishing News this week,
Microsoft launched a non-fiction publishing arm publishing original research, ideas and insights from the intersection of science, technology, and business. Publisher’s Weekly reports on this venture that looks like a mashup of a research journal and a vanity imprint.
Sharjah International Book Fair clocks up nearly 2 million visitors. Publishing Perspectives looks at the huge impact of the fair.
Bologna is starting to ramp up its planning and guests five months out from the big children’s book fair scheduled for the end of March. With the roaring success of the Chinese Children’s Book Fair will they be implementing any new ideas?
There is a lot of comment around the news of the HarperCollins AI deal that has publishers and writers talking. Publishers Weekly looks in depth at the implications for agents and writers. Under the terms HC want to split 50/50 the pot of cash for allowing AI to scrape the book. Everybody has an opinion. Authors Guild has come out with their recommendation. Don’t take the money. Publishers have a different view, it looks so sweet and backlists are just sitting there.
Joanna Penn commented on her podcast that in the space of a year the mood of authors has changed around using AI tools. She is just back from Author Nation – the rebranded 20books Vegas conference (also known as the biggest writers conference in the world.) AI can offer shortcuts and great tools to help with mundane tasks but it shouldn’t be used to create the content.
Josh Bernoff writes about how his developmental editing business is being impacted by AI writing. It’s harder to edit AI generated content because it is inconsistent, repetitive, and a grammar mess. AI shouldn’t replace your own writing voice.
Meanwhile, after the election, the publishing industry is trying to make plans or sense of what might be coming down the track in the brave new world after January. Mark Williams of The New Publishing Standard details the lawsuits that face publishing from the president elect already and how this might be a sign of things to come. It looks like a lucrative time to be a lawyer.
Kathleen Schmidt from Publishing Confidential points out where publishing can learn from the election.
Jennie Liu writes about the authors note… that’s the page in your novel where you write about your influences. Readers love them… authors struggle.
Michelle Baker has a post on the five fears of writers and how to defeat them. (Don’t reach for the alcohol just yet.)
James Scott Bell reassures a young writer that writing can be good again in his excellent piece on writing past discouragement.
Ellen Buikema has a great post on Writers In The Storm about Writing Anxiety and how to overcome it.
Look after your mental health- give yourself healthy writing challenges, check in with your writing friends. Remember, you write so your readers can escape from stressful lives. You are vital to each other and the general population. Be the rainbow after the storm!
In The Craft Section,
How to trust yourself as a writer- K M Weiland- Bookmark
What are the stakes- how to find out- Becca Puglisi- Bookmark
Nailing teen dialogue in YA Fiction- Kris Maze
Humorous scenes – Dale Smith- Bookmark
Balancing showing with telling- C S Lakin
In the Marketing Section,
18 book marketing tips from the trenches- Sandra Beckwith- Bookmark
Harnessing the power of AI for author branding- Kimberley Grabas- Bookmark
Identify your most successful marketing paths- Emily Enger- Bookmark
Colleen Story on Selling at Craft Fairs- YouTube video
The best concepts of Write to Market-
To Finish
Look Rainbows!
It’s Black Friday sales time so here are some writer focused deals. Some of these are time sensitive so don’t wait around.
The Dream Team – Angela And Becca have a roundup of some great writer deals for software and craft books.
Don’t forget Storybundle still has their collection of writing craft books up until the end of November if you are looking for good cheap craft books.
Katie Weiland has 25% off all her courses and books. (I snapped up her new revised expanded edition on structure. I loved her first edition!)
David Gaughran has links to the EXCELLENT AppSumo deal from Deposit Photos. This is a total no brainer if you do your own book covers or ad images. $49 lifetime deal on 100 stock photos or videos- limited time! Dave also has a video showing how to use two stock images to generate a whole ad campaign.
Amid the depressing news there are little gems to make you smile. And these deals might just help with that.
Maureen
@craicer
It’s nearly time for my monthly newsletter. If you want the best of my bookmarked links you can subscribe here to join our happy band.
If you want the weekly blog in your inbox subscribe to the Substack version.
If you like the blog and want to buy me a coffee, I appreciate the virtual coffee love. Thanks.
Pic Photo by Agustin Gunawan on Unsplash
