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
Thoughts on Writing
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 The knowledge and skills required by an author to market a book have nearly (and in some cases actually have) superseded the skills necessary to write a book.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
Salomon Pico Addendum
It is past time to make good my promise to the history buff followers of this column to share findings from my research. Of my ongoing projects, the latest development of interest concerns my research into the life of California bandit Salomon Pico, considered by some the Zorro model. The Pico family (or should I say families) … Continue reading Salomon Pico Addendum
Do You Really Need An Editor
Editors are engaged in a task which never ends. No work is ever complete, no manuscript ever reaches perfection. I know this, because when I review my own work, there is always something I need to change. Certainly every writer should seek different perspectives on his/her work. Everyone is subject to their own brain orientation, … Continue reading Do You Really Need An Editor
Should You Read a Book To Review It?
Reviewing 101, right? First you read the book, then you review it. THE OTHER was a recent recipient of a ‘2' rating and a very critical review from someone who admitted he/she stopped reading after just a few pages. Fair enough. Stop reading if the book is not your cup of tea. But don’t review it. … Continue reading Should You Read a Book To Review It?
It Ain’t Necessarily So
In the absence of knowledge, we assume. Such assumptions can be erroneous and lead to fallacious thinking which can create problems for us. This is particularly so in publishing a book.Once the author has completed a work and committed it to the public, nothing remains but to await the court of public opinion. Yet often … Continue reading It Ain’t Necessarily So
Why Their Success Story is not Your Success Story
Recently, while reading an encouraging piece about someone’s ten steps to successful book marketing, it dawned on me that there might possibly be more authors of how-to-succeed books than people who are actually successful authors. Let’s face it, how-to-succeed books are a tremendous market. We are drawn to them like bears to honey. In a … Continue reading Why Their Success Story is not Your Success Story
