Let me know in the comments, and don't be shy! No question is too basic or too complex.
Monday, April 5, 2010
900!
I've noticed PMN has a few new followers, so I thought I'd once again open the comments to general questions & requests for posts about various topics. Do you want to hear more about comp titles? Co-op? Book covers? E-books? Print on demand? Profit-and-loss statements? Or even... self-publishing?
Let me know in the comments, and don't be shy! No question is too basic or too complex.
Let me know in the comments, and don't be shy! No question is too basic or too complex.
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Well, since you asked ... Can you discuss the role of scouts in publishing? No one seems to talk much about them. Are they important? How important? Are they more beneficial to the agent or to the publisher? And is there anything the writer can do to influence the projects they talk up? (Other than the obvious of writing something worth talking up!)
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the insight you're providing! I always look forward to your posts.
I have no idea,...just sock it to me!
ReplyDeleteP.S. Your success is our collective success.
Cheers!
As a cover artist, I'm eternally fascinated by how much of a role the cover art actually plays in sales, specifically in e-publishing. So I'm gonna hop over to your other cover-themed blog posts, and hope to hear more!
ReplyDeleteHow are book distributors such as Ingram and Baker & Taylor dealing with the changes in the book world? Many independent booksellers deal through these book distributors rather than direct from publishers. How will the changing publishers business model affect both book distributors and independent bookseller?
ReplyDeleteAnd when will a smart publisher release a press release with a list of their books "Banned By Amazon"? I mean Amazon could replace Boston as "the" place to be banned.
Eric,
ReplyDeleteI am focused on ebooks these days. I'd be very interested in hearing your ideas about reaching influential reviewers and forum participants that can drive ebook sales.
CJ
Your posts are always so interesting so please continue with the good stuff.
ReplyDeleteI think covers are very important. Maybe you can tell us more about them and specifically, if and how, a writer can influence the design, or at least chat with the artist to share ideas.
ReplyDeleteMaybe CGriffin can help us with that one, too.
I'm also interested in hearing about the cover's role in ebooks.
What is the next big thing, after Amish romance?
ReplyDeleteHow about some postings re: agent/publisher "pitch" conferences. I'm going to one the end of this month (Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance in Portland, ME). The idea is to present a short pitch (the appointments are only for 7 minutes and need to include time for Q&A time between the writer and contact). I am so uncomfortable trying to put everything into a canned three-sentence pitch. Would rather just synopsize WHY the story is different (because I lived the story, even though I've written it as fiction).
ReplyDeleteUsing phrases such as "arena novel", ensemble characters with a female protagonist, etc. are not really the hook. What is the hook is the "inside/back track" aspect of story, and that a 20+ year career knows how to tell it.
Why is the cloth-first tradition so dominant for literary fiction? Is the resistance to paperback originals driven more by publishers or by authors? I think buyers would be very happy to have a lower "try me" price, and the buzz rarely seems as big when the paperback appears.
ReplyDeleteHi Eric!
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I are currently arguing about whether or not there is additional overhead for e-book versions of books, in terms of preparing the book (e.g. formatting, programming). My husband seems to think that it's as simple as taking a digital file of the book that already has to exist for print publishing and zipping it off to e-tailers. I think there are added costs. I apologize if you've answered this before - I'm a new reader and haven't had a chance to catch up on all your informative posts yet!
Thanks so much...
Renee
just to get an insight and understanding - is it desirable and beneficial or not for an author to be on the 3 for 2 offers table, or the buy one get one free tables? Or are authors better off getting solid single sales from their shelf position? Basically, are the buy 3 pay for 2 type books hiding poorer than expected sales figures and the next step before remaindering, or are they a super and popular promotion tool?
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the 900 followers! I'm happy to be one of them. I'll get back to you on the question.
ReplyDeleteI've written a Non-Fiction book about the financial markets, more specifically about how to build your own set of trading rules around your strengths and weaknesses. I'm at the point in my proposal where I need the sample chapters. Do they have to be the first three? I was told by one agent who wants to see the proposal to get rid of the Chapter-by-Chapter Synopsis, but keep the outline, is that specific to her or the industry as a whole?
ReplyDeleteThanks for opening this up to questions!
Hi, Eric,
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot for opening up this opportunity to ask questions! There are many great suggestions on this list, I would love to hear from you on most of these topics.
For my own purposes, I was wondering if you could discuss the issues with opening a small press and using it to publish your own books. Is there any way books self-published this way could be taken more seriously in the industry? And how does this compare to using the traditional venues, such as Lulu or Create Space, for self-publishing?
Thanks,
Anna.
How important is it to attend writing conferences? And which ones are the BIG/important ones on the list? What if you already have an agent? Is it still a good idea to attend? Are they pricey? Thanks! Love your blog! :)
ReplyDeleteHow can we discourage good writers from writing in our genre so that there's less competition? :-)
ReplyDeleteKeep in mind that gaining a high number of snapchat followers requires time and work; there are no shortcuts or ways to do it. Your following will increase over time if you put your efforts into producing high-quality material and interacting with your audience.
ReplyDelete