Heading out to DragonCon, Publisher’s Weekly’s Barbara Vey had an interesting conversation on the plane with a potential reader, which led her to ask the question: How do you get new readers? Read her answer, it’s maybe not what you would think. http://blogs.publishersweekly.com/blogs/beyondherbook/?p=4683

No new reporting on the agents-as-publishers controversy. Meanwhile, Chuck Sambuchino reports on a new agent—Barbara J. Scott of Wordserve Literary—who, among other things, is interested in representing women’s fiction.http://www.writersdigest.com/uncategorized/new-agent-alert-barbara-scott-of-wordserve-literary

 “This industry is an eco-system: you get exactly out of it what you put in,” says Lauren Cerand.

Galley Cat’s Jason Boog interviewed publicist Cerand last week, discussing whether new authors need to hire out publicity skills to promote their books. Boog’s written summary: http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/should-i-hire-a-book-publicist_b38096 pulled from a 10 min MP3 file interview that can be accessed from this link as well on the MediaBistro site.

A previous worry of e-book authors is being put to rest as companies are now launching technology that makes it possible to digitally sign e-books. In a press release, Autography and Open Road Integrated Media touted their e-signing technology for author Jonathon King and his Edgar award winning mystery The Blue Edge of Midnight.

“Autography’s e-signing technology works across all major eReader platforms and applications. Jonathon’s signature page will feature special graphicsjust for Bouchercon and can include a picture with the author that is also inserted into the ebook. The now personalized greeting can be exported to the consumer’s Facebook or Twitter space with a single button if they choose.”

http://www.bookbusinessmag.com/article/autography-open-road-host-first-ever-autography-ebook-signing/1

Evoking the myth of the three-headed hydra, Bob Mayer divides the publishing landscape up into tech people, business people, and content providers. In his blog post he exhorts writers to let go of their fears and, “Lead, follow, or get out of the way.” http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/2011/09/07/the-three-headed-hydra-of-publishing-that’s-consuming-itself/

In his analysis of screenwriter Harlan Ellison’s (I, Robot) on-air rant, Steven Pressfield makes the point that,

“The problem is that we as artists and entrepreneurs don’t control the means of production or distribution. If we want our work to get “out there,” we have to make a deal—with a bank, a movie studio, a record label, a publishing house. Art and commerce inevitably clash, and we know who comes out on the short end of that.”

So he recommends writers develop two key skills… http://www.stevenpressfield.com/2011/09/un-screwing-the-writer/

And if you need some good news (I know I do!), Sourcebooks’ publisher and CEO Dominique Raccah has some good news for her company, which means good news for the book industry too, as she writes in this open letter introduced in Richard Curtis’s E-reads blog: http://ereads.com/2011/09/sourcebooks-ceo-raccah-upbeat-and-so-are-her-stats.html

From Industry News Team Member Kecia Adams

Workshops

Snakebite Scenes and Hollywood Plots: Enhancing Action and Emotion in Romance, sponsored by the Heart of Dixie Chapter. May 3 – 17, 2010. Carrie Lofty, author of sexy, adventurous historical romances for Kensington, will demonstrate how action can make your novel more exciting and more emotional. Questions and registration at Heart of Dixie.

Dunes & Dreams RWA Chapter 215 (from Eastern Long Island) present their May 2010 Online Workshop: Curing the “What Comes After the First 3 Chapters” Blues with Beth Henderson. May 3 – May 28. Open to all. Check out http://www.dunesanddreams.org/writing-workshops for more info.

The ‘W’ Plot, or The Other White Meat for Plotters, from NEORWA Chapter. Workshop open to all; you do not need to be a member of RWA. See the chapter website for more info.

A PASIC Exclusive: Accelerated Screenwriting: The Crash Course. One month PASIC online writing course begins Tuesday June 1st. The Crash Course is a take your foot off the brakes month long introduction to screenwriting that covers the foundations of writing for film: Format; structure; characterization; dialogue; subtext; action; description, etc. This is a no holds barred course taught by professional screenwriter Max Adams [Excess Baggage, The Ladykillers]. Deadline to Register: May 28, 2010. Go to: http://pasic.net/class_adams_062010.html#register

CAMEO, Chapter 123 of RWA is proud to present ‘And then What Happened’ a class based on putting your plots into a structure of how to connect your writing and keep the reader turning the pages. Join Connie Cox and find out how to make ‘and then what happened’ work for your work. Date: May 1, 2010 until May 30, 2010. If you have questions you may email them to Lpatrice9. Subject line: CAMEO class. Open to non RWA.

Yellow Rose Romance Writers is pleased to announce our May 2010 workshop! Just in time for Nationals, Gemma Halliday presents Get Your Foot in the Door: Query Letter and Synopsis Workshop. This is a 2-week course and begins May 31, 2010. To register, go to http://www.yellowroserwa.com/workshops.php and fill in the form. Registration deadline is May 30, 2010.

Yosemite Romance Writers is proud to present their online workshop, Aim High, Shoot Straight: Setting and Reaching Your Writing Goals, 05/03/2010 – 05/28/2010. Instructor: Kara Lennox. RWA Membership isn’t required. You may register online at our website, www.yosemiteromancewriters.com.

Also from Yosemite Romance Writers is Muse Therapy, with instructor D.D. Scott. Muse Therapy is all about injecting life into tired and/or stressed out muses. Writers will get fun and fabulous tools to analyze their muses’ funks, reign in their creative divas, and up their page counts. Dates are 05/03/2010 – 05/28/2010 Check it out at the link for Yosemite Writers above.

And yet another from Yosemite Romance Writers (those girls are busy)–Prose and Contests: Everything You Wanted to Know about Writing Contests but Were Afraid to Ask, with instructor Amy Atwell. Same dates and website info above.

Online Class: I Dinna Ken: Incorporating Dialect and Research into Manuscripts. Instructor: Sandy Blair. To register for this class: http://www.heartsthroughhistory.com/classreg.htm

Also from Hearts Through History: Online Class: Critique and Collaboration. Instructor: Anthea Lawson. Dates: May 1-31, 2010; Registration Deadline: April 30, 2010. To register for this class go to the link above, or email the HHRW Campus Coordinator: melindaporter60.

The Carolina Romance Writers Chapter of RWA is pleased to announce our May Online Workshop: Symbols of Super Heroes, with instructor Kristy Mabe, a.k.a. Skylar Masey. Date: May 3-16, 2010 (Mini Workshop) For more information email Carole at: workshops.

Also from Carolina Romance Writers–What Earl and Mary Teach Us About Humor, with instructor Jane Myers Perrine. Also held May 3 – 16. Registration Deadline: April 25th. Register Now! For more information, email Carole at: workshops.

Conferences

The Florida Romance Writers are proud to presents Heather Graham, Joan Johnston and Sally Schoeneweiss
as the keynote speakers for the 2011 Fun in the Sun Conference. Join us and Cruise with your Muse, January 20th-24th, 2011 on-board the Carnival Destiny. Cruise departs from Miami, Fl. Ports-of-Call: Key West, Fl. & Cozumel, Mexico. Confirmed Agents and Editors are: Wanda Ottewell- Harlequin, Lucienne Diver- The Knight Agency, and Lucy Childs- Aaron M. Priest Literary Agency, more are expected. Space is limited, so don’t delay. Reserve your spot and get those passports ready. For more information visit our website at http://frwfuninthesunmain.blogspot.com/

Women’s Fiction is in the news — and the blogs. First up, a link to an article from our Wise Woman, Barbara Samuel, that was posted on Likes Books in 2000. Nine years later, everything she says still holds true.

More recently, agent Jim McCarthy from Dystel & Goderich Literary Management blogged about the importance of voice for romance and women’s fiction.

Halfway down this Oxygen blog, which summarizes the panel on genre fiction from The Surrey International Writers’ Conference, is a question from an audience member about women’s fiction, with a great answer by Donald Maass.

Pimp My Novel has a great blog about Women’s Fiction, with links to blogs on the subject by agent Jessica Faust and author Jennifer Weiner.

If you want to go straight to Jessica Faust’s blog on The Future of Women’s Fiction, here’s the link.

Of interest to all writers is JA Konrath’s blog where he shows and tells his e-royalty figures.

I thought it would be fun to throw in this job position description posted on MediaBistro:

Finally, Penguin Group seeks a Senior Editor/Executive Editor for the New American Library. Here’s more about the job: “This position will work primarily with best-selling womens fiction and non-fiction authors. Offering a wide selection of commercial fiction and non-fiction, NAL aims at reaching the largest number of possible readers, the true mass market.”

Last, enjoy this video from Barbara Vey’s Beyond Her Book PW’s blog on Women’s Fiction last June.

If you have news about women’s fiction, please email me at edieramer.