The digital age has forced choices; smart phone or single purpose phone, GPS for the car or old-fashioned map (and instinct), broadcast TV or streaming video, and my topic for this column; eBook or physical book? As an author, my support of the eBook revolution was a no-brainer. It’s all about little time and large numbers. … Continue reading Is Kafka The Same On Kindle?
Thoughts on Writing
Take A Trip, Clear Your Mind
Writing is a routine. It must be. The brain adjusts well to regimentation, it likes to know when to start being creative and when to stop. I don't banish thoughts or ideas about my books during other hours, but I sit down to type at the same time every day. Every day. That is the … Continue reading Take A Trip, Clear Your Mind
An Editor For You
There is a lot of talk about self publishing. Everyone in the business of books has an eye on the trends. A less noticed trend is the growth, and the individualization of editing. Readers have expected, and in many cases found, flaws in self published books. An inexperienced writer often does not realize how many … Continue reading An Editor For You
The Lineage of a Bandit
Several of my projects have intersected, and some of the subject matter has aligned with the expressed curiosity of some readers of this page, and so I will share, from time to time, that material from my research into the life of Salomon Pico, Bandit. Salomon Pico was born into a family of "movers and … Continue reading The Lineage of a Bandit
Ebooks vs. Print Books Revisited
While speaking to a friend and businessman today he surprised me when he said that a very small percentage of books sold are eBooks. I was surprised because I thought the number of eBooks sold as compared to print books was more than that. I may have this perception because I’m very involved with Ebooks. In my … Continue reading Ebooks vs. Print Books Revisited
The Value of Writers Conferences
Having just returned from my second writers conference in six months, I find it natural to contemplate the value received versus the fiscal drain. Most conference attendees , at least those to whom I speak after their conference is done, tend to evaluate the experience in terms of useful gain. That is to say, what did … Continue reading The Value of Writers Conferences
The New Editing Conundrum
Like most writers, I am excited about the advances in digital publishing. In past columns I have detailed the many advantages we currently experience and those we anticipate in the future. There are, however, some less delightful aspects of the new Indie Publishing revolution, as I have discovered recently. This article is not about those … Continue reading The New Editing Conundrum
Boots On The Ground: Selling Real Books to Real People
Last weekend I spent 10 hours a day for two days selling my books from a booth at the Los Alamos Old Days Celebration. I shared a booth with my wife, who sold handcrafted jewelry. We were outdoors under a canopy. Day 1 was very windy, which meant constant retrieval and resetting displays. Day 2 … Continue reading Boots On The Ground: Selling Real Books to Real People
What Works in Book Marketing: Part Deux
There’s been a lot of scuttlebutt on the digital wires (so to speak) about what works, and what doesn’t work in book marketing. By and large, the substance of what I have read suggests that much of the social media we were once encouraged to use is no longer seen as useful. There are exceptions. … Continue reading What Works in Book Marketing: Part Deux
The Holy Grail of Book Marketing
We have written of this many times in the past, yet it bears more discussion. The knowledge and skills required by an author to market a book have nearly (and in some cases actually have) superseded the skills necessary to write a book. Gone are the days of devoting one’s time exclusively to writing. The learning … Continue reading The Holy Grail of Book Marketing
R Lawson Gamble 