Re-inventing The Publishing Wheel

 

 

In Publishing News this week.

Another week another lawsuit. This time it’s the textbook authors who are heading into court over the wholesale copying of their books to feed the AI machine. Meanwhile, second hand book sellers are getting unusual requests for large orders of old books and lo and behold they are ending up in scanning facilities. AI tells me it’s because books written before 2022 haven’t been written with AI so aren’t contaminated with false information. But that was an AI précis. So it could be wrong.

 

Harper Collins is the latest publisher to launch a manga imprint. Publishers Weekly reports they made the announcement in the week of the American Manga Awards. 

They will be developing stories specifically for girls as well as boys.

 

I had a moment of staring into the future and swearing when I read this news article from Publishers Weekly. Source Books has a new imprint to bring out middle grade books with shorter word counts but new formats so that they look like regular length middle grade fiction books. It’s because of attention spans, they say. Putting on my teacher hat for a moment. Children need to be encouraged to read longer form stories. It helps with attention span, learning new words and concepts, brain connectivity, mental creativity… I could go on and on. Yes, reading is under threat, but watering down the experience is not the answer.

 

Mark Williams reports on Indie Bookstore Day plans in Singapore. This will be their first year and they want to celebrate the community building nature of the Indie Bookstore. They have plans to collectively publicise their events and then make it into a treasure hunt. A great initiative. 

 

Dan Holloway reports on the collapse of the Self Publishing Partnership company which helped authors to distribute their books through Gardners. Obviously, authors are left in the dark and wondering where their money is. I agree with Dan that transparency is always the first casualty in a company collapse.

 

Publishing Perspectives has an interview with Jenny Kuehne the rights manager of the new Frankfurt Rights platform for the Frankfurt Book Fair. This is a platform set up to support rights trading year round with a new initiative called Instant Permissions. 

 

Finding your people is the key to book marketing says Emilie Noelle Provost. When selling books is the make or break for writers to get a second book deal it can be an uphill struggle. Instead of a scatter gun approach, a narrow focus might work wonders.

 

I was reading this article by Sarah Sally Hamer on writers and creativity and nodding away. How many of us start a project and have our brain supply unwanted advice as we get to grips with the story. Writing : A Room of Mischievous Interns

 

Have you backed up your manuscript lately? Derek Haines writes about the fool proof method of saving your manuscript in different formats and in different places. If you rely on one format what if it gets corrupted?

 

Tracey Cooper Posey has an excellent article on dusting off those short stories and doing something with them. She talks about rights, and collections, and translations. Just because you published the story doesn’t mean its life is over. 

 

In the Craft Section,

The Quest-Laurie Schnebly Campbell

Sharpening your dialogue- K M Weiland _ Bookmark

Common writing mistakes- Angela Ackerman

Fast drafting- Podcast Interview with Jessica Brody of Save the Cat Writes a Novel.- Bookmark

Choosing Your Opening Scene- September Fawkes- Bookmark

 

In the Marketing Section,

Changes to Facebook ads - James Blatch- Bookmark

Using local publicity- Sandra Beckwith

Newsletter tips- Ines Johnson - Bookmark

2 great posts from Indie Author Magazine -The secrets of custom printing and Solid pre-launch 

strategies - Bookmark

 

To Finish

What does your writing eco system look like? Are you trapped in a one book dream? Laura Mitchell has an excellent article on writing careers that are not straight lines. These writing eco systems can open up other side projects that make you even more creative than plowing your way through book after book. You never know where your writing eco system could take you.

 

Maureen

@craicer

 

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Shining A Light

 

 

In Publishing News this week,

 

The news that Claude, Anthropic’s AI, was introducing watermarks has caused comment and derision across the publishing blogosphere. Commenters like Mark Williams are asking why? The AI has been trained on our work. What does a water mark bestow? That the work is legitimately AI? 

 

Dr Sam Illingworth has written an essay on the fact that every author will be accused of using AI. Even if you didn’t. He details how you can prove that you haven’t used AI and he recommends you put some procedures in place now so you aren’t scrambling to prove your innocence. 

 

Meanwhile James Blatch has raised some questions about the way a romance reader event in England is demanding no 'AI using authors' attend. They seem to be asking for people to inform them about who might fit this criteria. AI is being used in publisher’s offices. It’s writing marketing plans, back cover copy, and editing and grammar checks. Do we want to witch hunt authors using a new tool in their author business? 

This week I was asked about the Jason Arday story which gripped the UK recently. The tragic death of Cambridge’s first black professor shows what happens when the mob gets out of hand over an unsubstantiated claim. 

 

Mary Kole, has been an agent and specialist children’s book editor and writer. She recently reevaluated her editing business after she received two AI assisted manuscripts. They were not easy to edit as they were missing a critical factor. Author voice. She details her new strategies in an in-depth essay on Jane Friedman’s blog.

 

Ingram Spark has been quietly testing a new service which is a shot across Netgalley’s bows. They have launched Covered-  a digital review copy website for publishers aiming squarely at the bookseller and librarian market. They are also chasing the influencer market next year. Meanwhile they have been expanding their direct buy links to Australia.

 

It’s happening. I said it would. Being a space geek, I knew it was only a matter of time before a book made it onto the moon. The fact it’s a graphic novel is even more interesting. The book will be etched in its entirety on a non destructible disc to last for all time.

Finding and getting the word out about author events can be difficult. Publishers Weekly interviewed an ex bookseller about a new venture she has created- a database tracking author signings, events, and book clubs.  

We have all had those days when we have stared at the manuscript and thought I’m supposed to be a writer and I’m not writing. Jenn Windrow has an interesting essay on productivity - The Most Productive Writing Day I Never Had. Jenn reminds us that deleting pages is also productivity.

 

Joanna Penn had an interesting chat with John Bond on all things Indie publishing recently. They discussed marketing and innovation and how the Indie publishing space is breaking new ground all the time.

 

James Scott Bell is an excellent writing teacher. This week he wrote about the three writing selves that the author has, the voice, the public face, and the private face. How different are they to the real you?

 

In The Craft Section,

Antagonists and action- Lisa Miller- Bookmark

Writing Sex – Jennie Crusie – Bookmark!

7 Elements of an enduring tale- Kathryn Craft- Bookmark

Your story Hook and Heart- K M Weiland – Bookmark

Showing fear in real time- Angela Ackerman- Bookmark

 

In The Marketing Section,

Darcy Pattison has 3 links for understanding children’s book marketing- Bookmark

The introverts guide to author visibility- Rea Frey- Bookmark

YouTube deep dive for authors- Dale Roberts interview- Bookmark

When back copy goes bad- P J Parrish- Bookmark!

A+ content creation tips – Written Word Media- Bookmark!

 

To Finish,

Every year since I judged the Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, I have been watching and celebrating the rise of indigenous language publishing. Children need to see themselves in their own books. With the flowering of indigenous language schools (kura) alongside mainstream English language schools, it is important that we support publishing New Zealand books in our own pacific languages. The librarians had a separate set of awards just for Te Reo highlighting separately picture books, junior fiction, and young adult. It was ground breaking. When the amalgamation of the LIANZA Children’s Book Awards with the National Book Awards happened ten years ago, the Māori language awards continued in one category. They have recently expanded to a translation award alongside a written in Te Reo first award.  Since the amalgamation I had not seen any long form books make it into the Te Reo category until this year. It has always been picture books. And very few of them at that. Most years everyone that entered finalled, they were so few. Last night at the annual Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, the best first book award was given to a Young Adult novel, written in Te Reo. Finally. I hope it’s a sign of great things to come. 

Amongst the best speeches of the night and there were some great ones, The Young Adult prize winner, Rachel Craw talked about how we need these pats on the head, these gold stars, because publishing can be brutal. Her book and career almost came to a shuddering halt when her American publisher folded. Mark Lefebvre has an essay reflecting this. Believing in yourself when nobody else seems to. It’s hard. All you need is one person to shine a light on you. If you are struggling in this writing game, try to shine a light on others and bask in the reflected light. You never know who you might have encouraged to have a massive career in the future.

 

Maureen

@craicer

 

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If you want the weekly blog in your inbox subscribe to the free Substack version.

If you like the blog and want to buy me a coffee, I appreciate the virtual coffee love. Thanks.

 

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Something To Talk About

  

In Publishing News this week

 

The news dominating the last two weeks in publishing is the fall out over the cancelled $2M book deal for Call Me I’ll Hide The Body. When the news broke, the publishing community went into a spin. First there was the bidding war among 14 editors- then there was the advance deal of $2Million! Then the agents walked away from a huge payday for them. The recriminations started. The author is maintaining innocence. 

Publishers Weekly looks at what the industry can change going forward. 

 

There has been some excellent commentary around the whole problem of publishers demanding transparency from authors while using AI in their own offices. Kathleen Scmidt wrote an excellent article on how publishers need to figure out some guidelines fast. She writes "Publishers must slow down and better assess projects they receive with hype surrounding them. It’s too easy to get blinded by dollar signs. They must also take a beat before being too reactive if a manuscript seems to have the hallmarks of AI-written material.”

There seems to be a feeding frenzy on people accused of using AI. Yes there are AI generated books but if you use any grammar program you are using AI. How much is too much? Kathleen and three other writers debated this issue recently. 

 

Parker Peevyhouse has an interesting article How Will You Prove You Didn’t Use AI to Write Your Novel. This is the new normal as we try and navigate our way through this swamp. Parker advocates talking about your work as you are writing it. (I can already see writers curling up into balls over the thought of this.) 

 

Diamond Comics are back in the news. Aside from the bankruptcy, the liquidation of assets in the warehouse that hadn’t been paid for and then the court cases about this. It has been a quiet few months. Now the small publishers in the middle of the mess have been told if they want their inventory back, they have to go to the warehouse in Mississippi, where it’s been sitting for a year, and get it or see it destroyed. Ouch.

 

Publishing Perspectives celebrated the news that 6 indigenous books from one publisher in New Zealand were selected by the International Board on Books for Young People, in their inaugural partnership with UNESCO, to highlight endangered languages. 

We are all super proud of Huia here and Oratia who had two of their books selected. (Of course I’m not going to say anything about the fact that this acknowledgement is what we were trying to highlight to our Minister for Arts and Culture. CoughBolognaCough. And it will be interesting if he shows up at next week’s National Book Awards Ceremony and mentions it. CoughnotlikelyCough. *I’mnotbitter*)

 

Overdrive wants to be the world’s digital library. Publishing Perspectives reports that they have just bought a German Digital library to add to their portfolio of library services.

 

Mark Williams looks at China’s book festival linking to the APEC leader’s economic forum. They are highlighting an APEC cultural pavilion showcasing member countries literary works. 

 

The Alliance of Independent Authors is highlighting a new scam- when your books are being sold under another authors name. They detail what you can do about it.

 

Agent Richard Curtis writes about Mortality and what happens when an agent gets the call that a writer has died. The agent is often dealing with family members who know nothing about the book industry. I recently wrote an article on this from the point of view of my family about to deal with a significant literary estate. Be Prepared is the motto.

 

Boo Walker writes about Finding Balance as a Creator, he starts by blaming Stephen Pressfield’s The War of Art. (I have this excellent book) If you have set up rigid routines for yourself can you cut some slack? Or have you gone too far.

 

Kristine Kathryn Rusch is looking at websites and how important they are for marketing. Are you missing important information?

 

Donald Maass writes about the emotional state. How many emotions do you have in a day? Does your character react from an emotional state? 

 

Noah Charney writes about Surviving The Second Draft This is a great article about editing. I’ve recently watched a great author wrestle with her opening chapter in the second draft stage. In despair she threw it to her newsletter readers for help. And we pretty much followed Noah Charney’s recommendations. The opening chapter is now cracking. 

 

In The Craft Section,

Why a sagging middle needs a strong mirror moment- Diana Stout- Bookmark!

What your character notices is important- Susan Watts- Bookmark

How to make your readers forget your story isn’t real-Janice Hardy -Bookmark

Your premise is not your plot- Peter Gelfan- Bookmark

The lie the character believes- K M Weiland- Bookmark

How to developmentally edit your book- Suzy Vadori- Bookmark!

The best plot twists surprise the author first- Rick Eve- Bookmark

 

In The Marketing Section

When should you write the next book?- Sandra Beckwith- Bookmark

Deep dive into Draft2Digital- Dale Roberts- Bookmark

5 ways to publicise your book without spending a fortune- Stephanie Weaver -Bookmark

Why your book description feels flat and how to fix it- Morgan Lee Clasper- Bookmark

Expand your reach- Harshini Fernado- Bookmark

The invisible art of formatting- Susan Odev-Bookmark

 

To Finish

You know the dreaded words- “Tell me about your book.” You freeze and your mind goes blank. You wrote the blessed thing and now you can’t talk about it. Dan Blank has a great article Help Readers Know How to Talk About Your Writing where he does a deep dive into an author illustrators work and figures out what the core messages are. If you can figure out your emotional theme, then you have something to talk about.

 

Apologies for no blog last week. We lost the internet and that meant no blog research. It was a good wakeup call on how we have come to depend on this form of communication. You have extra links to make up for it. 

 

Maureen

@craicer

 

Do you want the best of my bookmarked links in a handy monthly newsletter? You can subscribe here to join our happy band.

If you want the weekly blog in your inbox subscribe to the free Substack version.

If you like the blog and want to buy me a coffee, I appreciate the virtual coffee love. Thanks.

 

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