Moving Quickly

In Publishing News This Week,

Audio – the hot growth area for publishing. When the news broke of a potential move by Spotify into the audiobook business, there was a collective gasp. One of the biggest music subscription services taking an interest in audiobooks, how would it change the audio publishing landscape? Today, Storytel one of the fastest movers in this area partnered with Spotify. If you have an exclusive with Audible… you may want to reconsider.

 

The Alliance of Independent Authors has some great podcasts/ transcripts available. This week they looked at non-disclosure agreements and how these are being used as a weapon against authors' free speech.

 

Hugh Howey has put together a Self Published Science Fiction Competition. It’s all about eyes on books. 300 books to make the cut… and then the competition is on.

 

Anne R Allen has been fielding some plaintive emails from concerned friends on what to do when someone they know looks like they have been sucked into a publishing scam. Anne points out that friends don’t let friends do this but we all know how tricky it is. No one wants to burst their bubble. Read Anne’s excellent blog for tips on how to have these awkward conversations.

 

Roz Morris is a super resource for great writing advice. This month she wrote a great post on why writers have such difficulty ‘killing your darlings.’ If you haven’t come across this phrase it means when you have written a fantastic scene or dialogue and find that you have to cut it and you just can’t. She followed it up with a great post on the 7 steps to a long-haul novel.

 

Jessica Conoley has an excellent post on Jane Friedman’s site on creative stewardship. What do you owe your story when it goes out into the world? This is where many writers feel paralysed. Sometimes all you need is to make a tense change from My story to The story. 

 

Kris Rusch is writing a new series of blog posts on decisions made from fear. What do these decisions look like? This week it’s fear vs growth. How can you navigate through the emotional minefield to make a good publishing decision?

 

Have you ever read fan fiction? That is a story set in a familiar fictional world. These stories are written by fans of popular books. C M McGuire has an interesting blog post about using fan fiction to experiment and try new styles without pressure. It is an interesting idea.

 

In The Craft Section,

How to outline a series – K M Weiland

Character building - Angela Ackerman- Bookmark

Editing down your words- Kathy Steinmann- Bookmark

Know your audience- Melissa Donovan

The multi-layer book edit- Michael Gallant- Bookmark

 

In The Marketing Section,

Two posts from Sandra Beckwith - 9 things you wish you knew before the TV interview and Author branding

Four rules for designing your book cover- Nate Hoffelder- Bookmark

How to promote your seasonal read- Penny Sansevieri

Two interesting posts from New Shelves- Using a Dear Author letter for marketing  and Market your book in 10 minutes a day – Bookmark Both

 

To Finish,

Michael Lucas has a book in the Storybundle curated by Kris Rusch. He wrote an entertaining roundup of the books in the bundle and why you should buy the collection of writing business books. If you have been meaning to check out one or two of the books on the list grabbing the bundle will get you some bonus exclusives and it pays the authors directly with a cut for charity if you want. The Storybundle is available only for another week so don’t miss out.

Maureen

@craicer

 

Do you want the best of my bookmarked links in a handy monthly newsletter? When you subscribe you will also get a nifty mini book crammed full with marketing notes as a thank you. 

If you like the blog and want to shout me a coffee, hit the coffee button up top. I appreciate the virtual coffee love. Thanks.

 

Pic: Flickr Creative Commons – Brian

 

If you could see the future.

 

In publishing news this week…

 

The high-powered writing teams pulled together by various author organisations are having an impact on Disney. Finally, there has been some positive movement on behalf of the writers whose books were acquired by Disney in media buyouts. For some reason, Disney thought that meant they didn’t have to pay royalties. 

 

Meanwhile, Mark Williams decided to figure out how many royalties Amazon has paid out over the last few years to indie authors. A 1 with a lot of zero’s after it.

Mark also has an interesting news post on South Korean media giant, Kakao, and their deep chequebook. They are making a real play for eyes in the online reading serial space with China and India in their sights. 

 

The Alliance of Independent Authors has a comprehensive write-up on finding followers and true fans. This is a must-read. It goes into the background of the original 1000 true fans and how this has changed.

 

Five years ago I received an award from my peers where I had to give a lecture. I asked what they wanted and they told me ‘talk about the future.’ Since then other award winners have sometimes name-checked me- mostly to say they didn’t understand what I was talking about. I referenced the rise of blockchain and how publishing on the blockchain will change author's futures. Fast forward to now. I have had an eye on NFT’s trying to understand exactly how they work. This article explains how NFT’s have changed artist's lives. As you read through swop the word ‘art’ for ‘books.’ A little glimpse of the future that is coming.

 

This week Jane Friedman has an excerpt, The New Holy Grail of Traditional Publishers – Direct to Reader relationships, from a new book, Book Wars. The excerpt looks at how publishers are trying to get the sort of data that Amazon has and why it is important to them. Interesting reading.

 

Joanna Penn interviewed Gail Carriger this week on The Creative Penn blog. Gail talks about the heroine’s journey and how it differs from the hero’s journey. This is a deep dive into craft and fascinating reading /listening.

 

Don’t forget those deals from last week- They are both limited time.

 

In The Craft Section,

Overthinking your writing- K M Weiland - Bookmark

Deep Point of View – Joslyn Chase-Bookmark

What they want- same but different- Scot Myers

Tips for writing fight scenes -Sandy Dragon

Avoid cliché responses- Becca Puglisi

Mystery novels – 5 things you need- Melodie Campbell- Bookmark

 

In The Marketing Section,

11 free things you can do to buzz your book- Sandra Beckwith

How to set up an email list – Joanna Penn Bookmark

Book Advertising design elements- Bookbub- Bookmark

5 ways to improve book marketing on Amazon- Penny Sansevieri- Bookmark

The authors guide to eBook pre-orders- Written Word Media-Bookmark

 

To Finish,

Ten years ago I came across The Book Designer, Joel Friedlander, who had a blog devoted to font, typography and formatting of books. eBooks were just becoming a thing and there were lots of discussions over readable fonts etc. I fell in love with font sites and learned all sorts of odd information from Joel. A few years later Joel decided to help out authors by putting together easy to use templates for print books. I bought some and loved them. Then he went on to curate the Indie Cover design awards. Joel sold The Book Designer site last year but kept Book Design Templates going. This week Joel died from cancer. He leaves behind thousands of fans and a real legacy of service to the Indie Book Community. His products are top-notch and still available. His advice was stellar. He will be sadly missed.

 

Maureen

@craicer

 

Do you want the best of my bookmarked links in a handy monthly newsletter? When you subscribe you will also get a nifty mini book crammed full with marketing notes as a thank you. 

If you like the blog and want to shout me a coffee, hit the coffee button up top. I appreciate the virtual coffee love. Thanks.

 

Pic: Flickr Creative Commons – Steve Dean

Pick and Mix

 

What caught my eye in the Publishing World this week.

Reedsy has a very detailed look at Kindle Vella including how the money will work. This is going to be an eyes wide open enter at your own risk programme, which will only suit a few authors.

 

Victoria Strauss of Writer Beware shared a snapshot of a clause in a publishing contract that has everyone flabbergasted. Take a good long look- this is how royalties will be calculated at Cayelle Publishing. 

 

The Alliance of Independent Authors has a look at all the different ways you can make a living as an author these days. Take a look at this idea that came across my FB feed today. This is subscription serial writing on another level.

 

In the must have category…

AppSumo has one of the cheapest deals for stock photo’s around and this deal does not appear often. ($39 for 100 Depositphotos- limited time) I know writers and designers who jump fast on this when it comes up. So move quickly.

 

Kristine Rusch has compiled an excellent Storybundle of writing craft books. Available now. Storybundle is a pay what you want model. There are some fabulous books in this bundle!

 

Jane Friedman has an interesting guest post from Lisa Cooper Ellison on inconsistent voices in memoir. How do you keep them all in control when you are writing?

 

In The Craft Section,

What is an unsympathetic character- Anne R Allen – Bookmark

When you write Second Person Point Of View- Tal Valente

How to write faster- J D Edwin

The main  Hero character archetypes- Tami Nantz- Bookmark

Building the suspension of disbelief- Donal Maass- Bookmark

 

 

In The Marketing Section,

Unique promo ideas for May- Penny Sansevieri- Bookmark

How to pick a best selling title- Barbara Delinsky

Kindle Vella- Is it right for you?- Sandra Beckwith-Bookmark

Great ideas for Book Promotion Contests- Diana Urban

Social media mistakes that can damage your author brand- Penny Sansevieri

 

To Finish,

I try and keep things upbeat on the blog but I thought I would share with you something that has me muttering epithets. Disinformation campaigns around the Covid Vaccine. I know a few writers who have compromised immune systems, (including myself.) Covid is a nasty constantly mutating disease. Scientists are just beginning to understand that Long Covid symptoms are appearing in 50 % of patients that were hospitalised with Covid 19. The symptoms include organ damage that will last for the rest of their, now shortened, lives. This will be an ongoing burden to health systems worldwide. 

The vaccine is a lifeline to everyone to beat this disease and must have a worldwide take up if we are to stop it mutating into strains faster than we can cope with. (See India.) I do not know why there are people peddling anti-vaccine stories- but it is not based on proper science. There has been a significant breakthrough in the development of the Covid 19 vaccine that will change the way all future vaccines are made. It has nothing to do with your DNA. It is SAFE. (scroll down to @xolotl and @siousiewiles science cartoon on how it works) 

When you get the vaccine, You Will Be Saving Lives, especially the immune-compromised, (which includes every person who has had cancer for a start.) 

Put your Superhero cape on and get the Jab. 

Thanks for saving my life!

 

Maureen

@craicer

 

Do you want the best of my bookmarked links in a handy monthly newsletter? When you subscribe you will also get a nifty mini book crammed full with marketing notes as a thank you. 

If you like the blog and want to shout me a coffee, hit the coffee button up top. I appreciate the virtual coffee love. Thanks.

 

Pic: Flickr Creative Commons – Paul Wilkinson

 

Can You Hear The Rising Voices?

 

 

In publishing news this week,

NBC News published an opinion piece on the conflicts in publishing coming from the staff of publishing houses challenging the books that their publishing houses are publishing. In this week's challenge- It’s Mike Pence’s memoir. There have been rumblings around publishing Twitter on whether some books should be published, citing free speech and a balanced viewpoint against books that should never have been picked up because of their subject matter and/or author. (See last weeks blog) Are the publishing house’s only doing it for a quick buck to finance other books in the production list?

 

A task force of authors has come together to highlight the Disney-Must-Pay campaign. This campaign is gathering momentum. After all if the boot was on the other foot and people were using Disney’s exclusive content for their own gain – Their lawyers would be all over it.

 

Two interesting articles caught my eye this week from Mark Williams of The New Publishing Standard. Wattpad has paid out over one million dollars to writers in their subscription model. Apple is moving into podcasts with a subscription model. Are subscription models really worth it to writers or are we stuck with the new payment model for entertainment? Will we be seeing subscription wars soon between the big digital players?

 

Horrified magazine-(Guess the genre) have an interesting article on the revolution happening in their genre – The female experience of fear. Bram Stoker nominee Gemma Amor writes about the rising number of women writing in the genre.

 

Bookriot has an interesting article on disability in children’s books. How often do disabled children see themselves in a book in a positive way? How many books do you know where the protagonist wears glasses? Such a little thing but a huge deal to a child who doesn’t see themselves in a book. I remember my child running up to me clutching a book saying, ‘Look the boy has glasses just like me!’

 

Joanna Penn recently interviewed Mark Leslei Lefebvre on his new book Wide For The Win.

This is a great book on publishing wide – across all marketplaces, not just Amazon. The Title comes from the great Facebook group Wide for the Win which is full of authors who are working out how to market across all platforms. I have the book and I’m in the group. I recommend listening to/ reading this great interview.

 

Ruth Harris has a great blog post on the eight stages in the life cycle of a writer. This is a read and share post. Every writer will relate to the life cycle… and then we do it all again.

 

It’s the last week of April and that means a third of the year has gone. If you are still trying to make sense of this year and marketing books, take a look at Bookbub’s comprehensive list of ways to market in 2021.

 

A lot of the time I have, hopefully, inspiring blogs and links for you to think about to help you in your writing. Today I came across the anti-post. What writing advice do you love to hate?

 

In the Craft Section,

The importance of subplots- Scott Myers- Bookmark

How Can I have a Jerk Love interest- Mythcrants

Writing an audio first novel- Sophie Masson

Archetypes – The Negative King- K M Weiland – Bookmark

10 ways to write better plots- Now Novel- Bookmark

Debunking 6 myths on Steadfast flat characters- September Fawkes- Bookmark

 

In The Marketing Section,

How to create a YouTube channel- Hootsuite- Bookmark

30 days of Social Media content Infographic- Barb Drozdowich

Instagram Book marketing ideas- Bookbub- Bookmark

How to write a book title- Written Word Media-

Author Branding- Sandra Beckwith- Bookmark

 

To Finish,

Nalini Singh is a publishing superstar who writes in the paranormal genre. Recently, she was interviewed by Mitzi Rapkin from First Draft Podcast. Nalini talks about the unnecessary divide between Literary and Genre fiction.

Literary Fiction is just another genre, in my opinion. 

What do you say?

 

Maureen

@craicer

 

My monthly newsletter full of the best of my bookmarked links will be going out soon. When you subscribe you will also get a nifty mini book crammed with marketing notes as a thank you. 

If you like the blog and want to shout me a blog birthday coffee, hit the coffee button up top. I appreciate the virtual coffee love. Thanks.

 

Pic: Flickr Creative Commons- Kimba Howard 141119

 

Between The Covers

 

This week in the publishing world,

Simon and Schuster are back in the news again- for all the wrong reasons. In a case of not knowing what their left hand is doing- their distribution arm picked up a controversial book – this week of all weeks. This also begs the question, What was the publisher thinking when offering a book deal to someone involved in a heinous crime that hasn’t gone to court? Is it news? Is it privilege? Is it balanced? It’s not justice for the victim!

 

While everyone is talking about Amazon moving into serial publishing… Wattpad, the first serial publisher is heading to the movies. Publish the story – find the best – make a movie.

Is this what Amazon wants to copy with Vella? Crowdsourcing movie ideas?

 

This week, Mark Williams commented on Mike Shatzkin’s article about half the NY Times list being Print on Demand Books. Have the publishers turned a corner because of Covid 19?

 

Jane Friedman has two excellent posts on her blog. Everything you want to know about Hybrid publishing, a comprehensive rundown of this style of publisher. And how the pandemic has affected book publishing. Will 2021 be better? 

 

Kris Rusch celebrates 12 years of her business musings blog this week. She started it to make sense of the publishing world and we have all benefitted from it. She is an inspiration, mentor, and teacher to so many people in the business.

 

Kevin Tumlinson of Draft2Digital has an interesting blog post today on imposter syndrome. How do you know you are a real author? What are your benchmarks for this? Kevin offers some ways to think about what you are really asking yourself. 

 

Have you got a writing routine? Kristen Kieffer has an interesting post on the strong foundations you need to build a good writing routine. First, start with self-trust. 

 

In The Craft Section,

How David Lynch writes a script- take 70 cards.- Scott Myers

How to nail the first 3 pages- Lisa Cron- Bookmark

Writing prompt ideas- Now Novel

Write a story backward for climactic results- Save The Cat- Bookmark

Naming fictional characters- Anne R Allen- Bookmark

The negative Queen archetype- K M Weiland - Bookmark

 

In The Marketing Section,

Do you need to copyright your manuscript- Anne R Allen

Book promotion ideas for May- Sandra Beckwith- Bookmark

Marketing a children’s book- Penny Sansevieri- Bookmark

DIY graphics and fonts Pam Hillman- Bookmark

How to make an editorial calendar- templates- Norm Brekke- Bookmark

Should you start a podcast? Liz Barret Foster

 

To Finish

This writing game can take a lot out of you. Recently I had the day to myself. Right, I thought, I’ll get some writing done. That little comment to myself seemed to sabotage the whole process. I had an attack of the Writer Shiny Object Syndrome.

In the end I listened to MY music up loud and folded washing. Wonderfully energizing and I got some good ideas out of it too!

Scott Myers has a great article on writing and playlists for creative inspiration.

 

Maureen

@craicer

 

It’s nearly time for my monthly newsletter full of the best of my bookmarked links. When you subscribe you will also get a nifty mini book crammed full with marketing notes as a thank you. 

If you like the blog and want to shout me a blog birthday coffee, hit the coffee button up top. I appreciate the virtual coffee love. Thanks.

 

Pic: The assassins cabinet inside a hollowed book 1682- Article by Open Culture

 

Another Year – Another Publishing Model

 

 

In Publishing News this week… It is all about Vella. 

Amazon has developed a new publishing arm to publish serials- Amazon Vella.

But why, and how will it work? has been all the gossip in the last 48 hours since the news dropped.

Mark Williams takes a look at why Amazon might have jumped and jumped quickly as they seem to be making this up on the fly. 

Meanwhile, commentators are examining Amazon’s announcements and trying to pull together how it will work. Exclusive- America first. 50% revenue of ‘tokens’ to writers. Subscription model, sort of. Only new work allowed.

Time will tell whether it will take off. It could go the way of Worlds and Singles… but you never know. It could be the next big thing.

 

The subscription model of acquiring entertainment is becoming the norm. Orna Ross of the Alliance of Independent Authors and Joanna Penn have a monthly salon where they talk about big picture stuff in publishing. Recently they looked at Subscription models and how publishing might change because of it.

 

In Book Fair news – BookExpo is no more and in its place will be a digital fair called The U.S. Book Show. Publishing Perspectives has a look at what’s on offer. 

Just announced- London Book Fair will be digital this year. After last year’s debacle of will-it- go-ahead-or-won’t-it. They may have learned some lessons.

 

Kristine Rusch has Part 4 of her interesting Hollywood and The Writer series and this one is all about money- You would think that money would be the most important thing in the contract but Kris says No. There is more at stake than that. (N.B. Hollywood is a catch-all term for all film and TV work, regardless of country. They all operate in much the same way.) 

 

Randy Ingermanson (AKA – The Snowflake Guy) has an interesting article on action plans. He has developed templates for action plans for writing, for book projects, and other tricky tools for writers. 

 

In The Craft Section,

How to cut the cost of a professional editor- Jim Dempsey- Bookmark

How to build tension successfully- Angela Ackerman

The basic scene checklist- K M Allen- Bookmark

When you talk about your Work In Progress- Robert Brewer

3 ways to increase reader belief- Roz Morris- Bookmark

 

In The Marketing Section,

Know what you want to say and how to say it – Sandra Beckwith

Marketing questions – Joanna Penn- Bookmark

A beginners guide to Author Branding and 11 Book Marketing myths- Penny Sansevieri- 

Bookmark

Creating an author newsletter- Kirsten Oliphant- Bookmark

 

To Finish,

Today is the Blog Birthday! 13 years of weekly posts. 

It has morphed a bit from the beginning. I started the blog to learn about publishing and I must say I have had an education over the last 13 years. Publishing has changed significantly in that time. Publishing Houses have contracted. Gone Digital. Print On Demand. Kindle. Kobo. Subscription. Wattpad. Audio. Serial. 

There have been scandals, lawsuits, scammers, #publishingpaidme and dodgy deals done. But still, authors hang in there, sometimes by our fingernails. 

Around this time of the year, I start thinking about the next financial year- tax time etc. Writer Mag has a collection of products for writers to stay organized and The Plot Whisperer, Martha Aalderson, has a post on creating a universal story planner. 

 

Onto Year 14… I might finally get organized.

 

Maureen

@craicer

 

Do you want the best of my bookmarked links in a handy monthly newsletter? When you subscribe you will also get a nifty mini book crammed full with marketing notes as a thank you. 

If you like the blog and want to shout me a coffee, hit the coffee button up top. I appreciate the virtual coffee love. Thanks.

 

Pic: Flickr Creative Commons – Andreas Cappell