Since the earliest days of mechanized publishing, when Herr Gutenberg was putting ink to paper in what for the time was a staggering pace, there have been printers and publishers and, as noted earlier, these were usually two different people. The publisher paid the printer to produce the book, and …
The difference between writing and oratory
A common piece of rhetorical advice is usually phrased this way: “Tell them what you’re going to tell them, then tell them, then tell them what you told them.” This advice, which some attribute to Aristotle, is great if you’re giving a three-hour speech in the agora. If you’re writing …
Publishing is simpler than it seems
The publishing business seems really complicated, and I’ve been trying to sort it out to make it simpler for those new to the business to understand. I’ll be teaching a class called “Publishing 101” at the Florida Youth Writers Conference this fall, so I really needed to figure this thing …
When your agent is your publisher
Many people say the new publishing landscape makes agents irrelevant. I’m not sure that’s entirely true, but it certainly seems that, except for those able to represent the biggest best writers to the biggest best publishers, agents have a hard time justifying their role. Agents often won’t take on new …
Q&A: What are backlists and midlists?
Publishers usually put the emphasis on the frontlist. And you often hear authors speak of their backlist. Occasionally you’ll hear a reference to “midlist authors.” The front pages of a publisher’s printed catalog contain listings of their new books, especially the ones by proven, best-selling authors. When people speak of …
Choosing your publishing model part 2
The other day, we looked at three of the factors that go into choosing your publishing model: Money, Skill, and Control. Today we’ll finish up. Time Royalty publishing takes a looooooong time. It can take up to 18 months to get a book through the production process. At major houses, …
How to decide which publishing model is right for you
I’ve spent a lot of time talking about the different models for publishing—royalty, subsidy, and do it yourself—and you’ve probably noticed I haven’t come out and said which is best. That’s because none of them are perfect for everyone. There are four main factors to consider when choosing which model …
Does self-publishing violate Yog’s Law?
Many opponents of subsidy publishing criticize it and even some forms of self-publishing because they violate Yog’s Law: Money flows toward the writer. Who is Yog, and how did he become a lawgiver?
Q&A: How does writing a book feed your social media marketing?
Q: I’m told having a book will help me build my social media platform. Can you explain how that works? A: It’s not so much that the book helps build the platform. Actually, you need the platform to sell the book. But the book can be one plank in your …
Writing Q&A: Do I need to study English to be a writer?
Q: I’m interested in writing a book. I’ve always enjoyed writing, and I’ve been blogging for a while, but I’ve never tried writing a book. Should I go back to college and take some English classes? I’ve also considered getting an MFA. Would that help? A: You certainly need to study, …