Industry News
Three acquiring editors, including Jennifer Enderlin, editor-in-chief of St. Martin’s Press, tell consulting editor Alan Rinzler that traditional publishers offer writers certain benefits self-publishing can’t match. Find Rinzler’s Q&A with the editors at http://www.alanrinzler.com/blog/2011/10/07/getting-published-the-inside-scoop-from-3-top-editors/
A Publishing Trends article surveys a range of the epublishing business models literary agencies have adopted. Some agencies have their own publishing arms, while others use third-party distributors. Certain agencies focus on clients’ backlists; others publish new content. Read more at http://www.publishingtrends.com/2011/10/the-agent-publisher-business-model-new-approaches-to-epublishing-solutions/ Among the models mentioned in the article is one recently featured in the New York Times. Perseus Book Groups is joining forces with literary agencies to distribute and market ebooks via a Perseus unit called Argo Navis. Find more at http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/03/business/media/perseus-creates-new-service-for-authors-seeking-to-self-publish.html?r
Writers who tweet nothing but writing tips, writing news, and writing angst may lose non-writer followers, better known as readers, warns Kristen Lamb, author of We Are Not Alone-The Writer’s Guide to Social Media. Find her and her Dr. Twuth persona at http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/2011/10/04/dr-twuth-friends-dont-make-friends-eat-spam/
Last week. Curtis Brown Ltd. agent Sarah LaPolla featured five days of interviews/stories about self-publishing on her blog, Glass Cases. This link: http://bigglasscases.blogspot.com/ will take you to the blog, then scroll back to read day-by-day installments.
If you’re planning to participate in National Novel Writing Month next month, mystery writer Elizabeth Spann Craig has compiled links on the topic, including links to posts by Alexandra Sokoloff and Larry Brooks. Find Craig’s list at http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com/2011/10/all-about-nanowrimo.html
Writer Chuck Wendig says authors shouldn’t be dissed for choosing traditional publishing over self-publishing and vice versa. “Good books are good books no matter how they got to market.” He exhorts us to “elevate” the discussion away from publishing modes to good storytelling. “We should all be helping one another tell great stories,” he says at http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2011/10/05/the-publishing-cart-before-the-storytelling-horse/
RT Book Reviews interprets the semiannual book sales figures reported by US Publishers Marketplace at http://www.rtbookreviews.com/rt-daily-blog/publishing-dealmaking-insiders-look-what-books-are-selling The upshot? Publishers are buying more books overall; mystery and crime deals increased; women’s fiction, romance, science fiction, and fantasy deals declined slightly, and deals for inspirationals and thrillers tumbled.
If you’ve decided to self-publish, you’ll be interested in the following news via GalleyCat: Flickr has more than 200 million photos licensed through Creative Commons on its site, and writers are welcome to search the database for free cover art. Learn more at http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/free-book-cover-book-blog-image-resources-on-flickr_b39591
Have a happy and productive writing week.
