Publishing News

With the holidays and its associated vacations, the publishing industry has slowed these past couple of weeks. One thing really worth looking into, however, is the rumor that Barnes & Nobles may consider not carrying books for which the author's website or blog only provides links to Amazon. Rachelle Gardner, who mentions the rumor, also provides links to other booksellers for authors wanting to update their websites.

Google is filing a motion to dismiss the Author's Guild as qualified plaintiffs for the book-scanning project. Not unexpected; that's been hovering for a while. The basis of their claim is that, because the AG doesn't own each individual author's infringed works, it can't say it had any copyrights violated by Google's book-scanning project, so it can't sue - only the individual authors can. Google is doing the same to the American Society of Media Photographers, who represent visual artists. Even if Google loses, it benefits by draining the pockets of the plaintiffs.

And HarperCollins sues OpenRoad for publishing the ebook of Julie of the Wolves, claiming their contract from 1971 includes e-rights due to phrasing. Jean George, the author, had decided to go with Open Road Integrated Media for publishing the ebook.

In non-local but noteworthy news, Japan's fighting back against Amazon. After seeing Amazon undercut local American competition in e-books, Japan's not eager to invite them in. Japanese publishers are refusing the terms offered for e-book sales.

Everything else is either industry advice or an opinion.

General Industry Advice

Gardner also offers the suggestion that writers should look at obstacles as proof of their determination. How much do you want to be published? Enough to overcome the 'brick wall' of rejection? Then you'll succeed. Because if you let rejection stop you, you didn't want to be published badly enough to keep trying. It's a test of your mettle, and up to you to prove you can pass.

Janet Reid points out two things that make editors raise an eyebrow - in a bad way. Don't write "Please respond" in your subject; don't ask the agent to respond to a different e-mail than the one from which the query was sent.

Carolyn Kaufman on QueryTracker answers questions about dissociative amnesia - what it is, how it develops, and how it might be treated, and how it differs from a dissociative fugue.

Rachelle Gardner offers a suggestion on what agents mean by "the intersection of literary and commercial." She suggests that they're probably looking for is non-genre fiction, well-written and appealing to a broad audience. Non-genre means something that would be titled "general fiction" instead of put in a genre.

Roni Loren offers her 10 commandments for being a successful writer.


Opinions

Courtney Milan offers her viewpoint on self-publishing versus traditional publishing, and her frustration with self-publishers who bash traditional publishers. She's self-published, by the by. And in the interest of full disclosure, I'm adding her link because I don't want to lose it. I agree with a great many of her points, especially about the possible incipient Amazon monopoly, and will be using the link in support of a post on my wishes for and my predictions of what will happen in the new year.

Almost new

The new year is edging in. Exactly one year ago, I quit a job to become a full-time writer. Then I discovered that being a full-time writer just isn't a practical idea for a new writer without an outside source of regular income. People become full-time writers after they're well-known and well-established, with a pile of published books under their belts and royalties slipping penny-by-penny into their bank accounts.

Following my dream lead me to a full-time job doing what I love: editing. Not novels, no - for now, that remains a hobby practiced mainly on my own work - but fixing mistakes and rephrasing sentences for greater clarity in a company that values my work. My own writing has gotten better. And I can afford my rent while spending more than $10 a week on groceries. The former may be more important in the long run, but latter is pretty awesome, too.

More importantly, I've realized that I'm just beginning the road to being an author. I've learned a lot. And I expect to continue to learn a lot. Joining the RWA (Romance Writers of America) and the local chapter thereof is 100% the second-best thing I've done since deciding to take this path. (The best? Actually finishing the book. The third-best? Listening to the feedback I've gotten and using it to revise said first book.)

I no longer expect my first finished novel to be my first published one; most published authors to whom I've spoken have a first manuscript collecting dustbunnies under their beds. I'm revising it, pulling out the editing scalpel with the tools I've learned this year, and making it better. But meanwhile, I'm working on another story. Because the secret to being a successful author is to never stop writing.

I may find an agent and get published by 2013 (you never know). But I'm not counting on it. If there's one thing I've learned in the past year, it's this: In the world of publishing, twelve months in is almost new. I've got the rest of my life to make a career. I've got a box full of ideas, plenty of enthusiasm, good role models, great friends, and plenty of time.

Sometimes, it's good to be the baby.

What have you learned in the past year? What possibilities have opened in the year, because of risks you've taken in the last?

Online Classes

Looking for a last-minute gift for a writer? How about sponsoring them to take an online class?
Looking for a last-minute gift for yourself? How about taking a class to improve your writing?
Looking for a last-minute gift for your cousin? How about a yummy edible arrangement? (What? Online courses aren't a good gift for everyone.)

Some upcoming online classes that may be of interest:
(Descriptions copied, pasted, and shortened from official class descriptions)


SLEUTH FACTS: REAL PI PROCEDURES FOR YOUR PLOT

INSTRUCTOR: Linnea Sinclair

WHEN: January 2 to January 22

WORKSHOP:

Slink down any interesting back alleys lately? Retired Florida Private Investigator and award winning sci fi author, Linnea Sinclair, invites you to step into the world of private detective work and learn the basic procedures -- and some not so well known tricks of the trade -- that will add a touch of realism to your stories as well as provide plot twists and conflicts. How quickly can a PI locate someone? How easily can things go wrong on surveillance? What happens when a mundane case becomes a murder case? A former news reporter, Sinclair was a licensed private investigator in Florida for ten years and is featured in the nationally distributed instructional video, "PIs". She has also taught investigative methodology for writers at COFFIN (College OF Felony and INtrigue online) and at various RWA and MWA conferences nationwide.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION:

Cost: $20

You do not have to be an RWA member to take this workshop.

Reistration ends Jan. 1.



Title: Hide and Seek: How to Disappear in Today's World

Instructor: Frank M. Ahern

Class Description: The idea of disappearing is appealing and has been used by writers over the years, but the rules of the game have changed. Rapidly evolving technology, social sites and the access of information has become the number one enemy to someone who wants to fade away. To correctly disappear and secure your privacy you need to embrace deception both offline and online.

In this class you learn about
Digital DNA
Digital Genes
Digital Distortion
Creating Fake Digital Identities
Corp-Distort-Delete
Photo Distortion
The Pretext Solution

and many more techniques your character or even you can use to vanish into thin air.

Cost: $30

Registration ends Dec. 27.





Title: The Game is Afoot: Writing the Steampunk Mystery

Instructor: Beth Daniels, aka Beth Henderson, J.B. Dane
Class Description:

Steampunk is a subgenre of a subgenre (Alternative History) of a genre (Fantasy), but it breaks down into even further subgenres of its own. One of those is mystery.

For four weeks – a full month – we’ll not only look at how to build a Steampunk novel, a Steampunk world, but how to make it a Steampunk mystery.

Cost: $30

Registration ends Dec. 27







The Word Loss Diet
Presented by: Rayne Hall

Date: January 1 – 31, 2012

Deadline: December 29, 2011

Fee: $25


Course Description:


Tighten and tone your writing style. Slim your manuscript in four weeks with simple revision tricks. Shed thousands of words without changing the plot!




Creating a Web Presence

Presented by: Casey Dawes

Date: January 1 – 31, 2012

Deadline: December 29, 2011

Fee: $25

Course Description:
This 4-week workshop demonstrates the three steps necessary to creating a web presence: People, Persona and Platform. It covers these topics:
Week One: Identifying your audience (Your People)

Week Two: Defining your brand (Your Persona)

Weeks Three and Four: How to let your people know about your persona (Your Platform) going in-depth on the following platforms

Your website/blog

Facebook

Twitter


At the end of this workshop the attendees will have a well-rounded picture of their readers, an idea of the brand they want to project, including what aspects of their personal life they are willing to share and what they won’t, and a plan to join the conversation on the world wide web using website/blog, Facebook, Twitter and more. The workbook will include specific instructions about what’s needed to set up and use these three platforms.


Assignments will be given on Mondays and due on Wednesdays. Answers to comments and questions will be given throughout the course. All attendees will get a free copy of “Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Basics.”




Going Deep: Creating an Unbreakable Connection Between Your Characters and Readers

(Scroll down to the 3rd class listed)

Presented by Toni Andrews

Date: January 1 – 15, 2012

Deadline: December 29, 2011

Fee: $15

Course Description:
We all want to write stories that pull readers in, bond them to characters, and forge relationships that will last to the end of the book. To do that, you must master three basic elements:
Point of View,
Character Voice, and
Showing vs. Telling.

In this workshop, you’ll learn how, handled properly, these three elements can be combined to make your writing more powerful and emotionally rich.

You’ll master simple, easy to understand techniques to identify the issues that are pull the readers out of the story and sever their connection to the characters, and easy ways to eliminate those issues.

Special Workshop Bonus: In addition to being a multi-published author, Toni Andrews is also a professional book doctor. For the first twenty participants to sign up only, Toni will perform a manuscript analysis of their first five pages, a service which normally costs $25 through Book Rx.



The Lessons of Firefly: Learning from the Works of Joss Whedon -- Presented by Jacqui Jacoby

Runs: Jan 2-29

Cost: $30


Although Joss Whedon's television show FIREFLY only aired through the fall months of 2002, it has continued to generate followers through word of mouth, DVD sales and an inexhaustible amount of discussion both at conferences and online in writing loops. FIREFLY, created by the Rod Serling of our generation, was a masterpiece of writing. Each of its thirteen episodes taught character development, dialogue and plotting techniques. Its motion picture sequel, SERENITY, not only touched on these subjects but added relationships, loyalties and loss to it's repertoire. In this workshop, Ms. Jacoby will reveal the lessons of FIREFLY. By using class participation and examples from the episodes, she will translate with words what Mr. Whedon was teaching us on screen. Joss Whedon has reviewed this workshop and has given his permission for it to be offered.

Wednesday Writing Prompt: Who's Insane?

"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
-Attributed to Albert Einstein

By this definition, who in your story is insane? What are they doing, and what do they want to happen? Why will that never happen?

(Science: expecting the same results, but trying again anyway.)

How to tie a perfect bow

Time to wrap presents. Just one problem: You're out of pre-made bows, and you don't know how to tie a nice one. Your bows tend to come out lop-sided, or even upside down!

Here's a guide to tying your bows and having them come out straight. I chose to tie mine around an old Teavana box, upside down so the pattern would be less distracting.

Basic Ribbon: Use a satin ribbon, string, twine, or anything that looks the same from all sides.

Tie a knot. Basic knot, any kind of knot, around a vase or on a flat package or on you kid's shoe.

Make sure the ribbon is lying flat against the box, no unsightly twists.

A basic knot.

See how one string comes down, and the other goes up? Good. Make a loop with the lower string.



Note the unfinished ribbon tails? This is how they began.

Wrap the "up" string over the loop.



Wrap over the loop, or your bow will turn out crooked.

Wait, finished tails? Oops; my camera ate some of my
 pictures the first time around, so I had to retake them!

Make a loop with the "up" string, and push it through the hole.






Tighten the bow.


Trim the tails.


Making a "fishtail" end.

Finished bow.

Fancy Ribbons: Use a patterned ribbon that is patterned on only one side, has a discernible "up," or has different patterns on each side.


You'll notice that the "bottom" end is showing its backside.

Tie a basic knot. When wrapping your ribbon around your package, make sure the pattern lies against the package facing up, so people can see it.

See how one string comes down, and the other goes up? Good. Make a loop with the lower string. Make sure the pattern is facing out in the loop.

Twist the ribbon so the pattern is facing up.

This makes sure the pattern is on the outside of the loop.

Here's where it gets tricky. Wrap the "up" string over the loop. Make sure the pattern is facing out in the section that's doing the looping. You'll have to twist the string once to get it to face the correct way.






Twist the string once more to make a loop with the "up" string whose pattern is facing out. Push the loop through the hole.



Twist the ribbon once more, so the pattern on the tail faces down.

Push through the hole. The downward-facing pattern
is now on the outside of your second loop.

This is your basic bow.
On the right, you'll see the backside of your ribbon.

Tighten the bow by pulling from the knot. On one loop of the bow, this will be the back end of the loop; on the other side of the bow, it will be the front side of the loop. Pull both loops at the same time for even tightening; hold the knot with one hand and tighten a loop with the other if one loop needs to be tightened more than the other. This is easiest to do with two hands, despite the photo.


Tighten the ribbon. In this case, the loop on the left's front section leads to the knot,
and the loop on the right's back section leads to the knot.
Don't pull the tails, or your knot will come undone.

My other hand is holding the camera...

Twist the second tail so that the pattern faces up.

You'll want to twist it close to the knot, and push the
twist up into the knot itself so you can't see it.

When the bow is sufficiently tight, you should be able to even out the loops. With one hand, keep a finger in the loop and another finger on the knot. Slowly and gently pull the tail until the loop reaches the desired size. Repeat with the other loop. Then "fluff" your loops and tails.

"Fluff" your loops by sticking two fingers into each one and
spreading them slightly apart to give the loop a rounded look.

"Fluff" your tails by spreading them out. Start close to the knot
and work your way downwards to the ends.

Trim the tails to be even. For a fancy look, cut at a 45-degree angle, or "fishtail" your ends.

To fishtail, fold the ribbon in half. Start at the fold and cut downwards (away from the bow) at a 45-degree angle. Or, start at the edges and cut up towards the fold.

Or start at the edges and cut up, towards the fold.

Look! It's a pretty, finished bow!

Congrats on your perfect bow!

Choosing ribbons:

Left: One-sided ribbon
Middle and right: Two-sided ribbons

Wired ribbons are good for bows, although they tend to be one-sided. Bow loops can be made larger, because the wire will help them keep their shape. However, they do sometimes take practice, and they can be more expensive than unwired ribbon (although you can usually hit the dollar store for spools of holiday ribbon, each spool usually containing 3 ft.)



Unwired ribbons are often less expensive, and come in both patterned and unpatterned versions. Unpatterned ribbons can be simpler to work with for a beginning bow-maker, because it can be hard to make the twists behave. Loops in unwired ribbons will need to be smaller, however, because without wires, the bow can't support its own shape and will droop if it gets too large. Wider ribbons tend to be able to make larger loops, and some ribbons are made of stiffer fabric than others, which also gives them more support.

Pretty much anything that is long and flexible enough to be tied can be used to make a bow. Tulle and raffia both add their own unique touches. A long strip of fabric (you know that dress you had to hem?) can turn into distressed-style bow. And who hasn't tied something up with string at one point in their lives? Or just purchase a spool of wrapping ribbon.

Now go, bow-ninjas, and put bows on things while no one's looking. Because you can.

Some bows require more ninja skills than others.
(Never leave a bow on an unsupervised cat.
They can't untie them, and if the ribbon gets caught on something,
kitty could choke!)

 (Yes, you may pin these images on Pinterest if you'd like, or even use them elsewhere. No worries--I took them myself and this is your permission. Just please include a link back to the post!)

Publishing News

On the news front, Amazon's getting scarier, and publishers are getting sued for price matching ebooks.

Big News

Amazon offered customers a discount (on things other than books) in return for spying on - um, I mean price-checking - competitors last Saturday. It was a short-term savings, but is Amazon's price-check app really a good idea? The downside to Amazon's price-check feature is that it gives Amazon knowledge of competitors' prices without creating jobs or offering discernible benefits to most customers. The app allows customers to scan prices at brick-and-mortar stores, then see what the price is on Amazon. Studies show that many people look at books in person, then buy online. But, by out-competing brick-and-mortar shops, Amazon begins to build an monopoly. Is it a good feature for customers? Right now, yes. Is it good for book buyers in the long run? ... But it is certainly a great business move for Amazon.

And it's no surprise that Amazon is also trying to eliminate other e-publishers from the indie market. In this case, Amazon is offering a prize package with strings attached: For a chance at a monthly cash pool, authors must sell their words exclusively on Amazon. No Smashwords, no Apple iBookstore, no Barnes & Nobles, not even their own website may offer the material. It's a direct move to consolidate all the indie authors out there, and I'd be surprised if other publishers don't start making counter-attacks.

At the same time, the U.S. Department of Justice is looking at mutli-agency ebook pricing deals. That's right, a bunch of publishers suddenly moved over to the agency model at the same time, and began setting identical pricing. Price matching across companies is legally discouraged (as in, there's a class-action lawsuit hitting the publishers right now for this practice). This is based on the idea that price matching discourages competition, which is anathema in a free-market economy. The DOJ has extended the deadline to resolve this issue, so it's something that will continue to be discussed in 2012. Oh, and the EU is looking into the same thing.

Weighing in: More sides to the Amazon debate
Charlie Stross argues that the Big Six publishing groups, by requiring DRMs, are cutting their own throats and handing the market to Amazon. DRMs are supposed to help prevent e-piracy. Unfortunately, it also  "gives Amazon a great tool for locking ebook customers into the Kindle platform." That means those ebooks can be read only on Kindles. Makes the Nook a lot less tempting, if Amazon's got a monopoly with tons of exclusive content, doesn't it? Or any other reading platform, for that matter.

Before you decide Amazon is the root of all evil, check out Farhard Manjoo's argument that Amazon, while engaging in sleazy practices, is actually good for the literary community. The problem with brick-and-mortar stores is that they're expensive. Amazon's a little cheaper. People buy books from Amazon. Lots of books.  Amazon certainly isn't a saint, but Manjoo points out that the local bookstore isn't sacrosanct, either - not when Amazon gets more people reading, and more people buying books, than their competitors.
Bookavore suggests a short list of reforms that would make most people stop hating Amazon. Allowing Kindles to download from any retailer, paying taxes, taking away the 90-day exclusivity of KDP Select, and donate to charities, they might actually lose the 'evil' reputation - and maybe even gain a good one.

Author, Agent, and Industry Blogs

Rick Daley, in a guest post on Bransford's blog, explains search engine optimization, SEO: basically, how to appear at the top of Google (and other search engine) results. You need to include key phrases relevant to your novel - not just what it's titled, but also phrases people who have never heard of you or your books might enter into a search engine when looking for a random book to buy.

Nathan Bransford says, "I don't network; I just have friends." Why are you networking? Why aren't you making friends instead? Because meeting people just to use them isn't the basis of a good relationship. You build your 'networks' by making friends, finishing things, and by having things worth saying.

QueryTracker reminds writers to make a professional e-mail account from which to send their queries. Your e-mail address is the first thing an agent sees. Make it count. And make sure the rest of the query is professional, too - no fancy fonts or weird colors. The site also offers advice on writing killer loglines: State the genre, name the main character, name what makes the main character unique. Include the inciting incident and your main character's goal. Add the major conflict and the consequences for failure. Then shrink it all down to one non-convoluted sentence.

Have you done your research? Do you know about the querying and submission process? Then you know not to call an agent's office. Agents don't have time to give you personal feedback over the phone on your query. They also don't take phone queries. And they might not remember you from a single query two months later. Janet Reid also adds that this even applies to writers who have already found a small publisher interested in them. Don't call. Just don't. That's what e-mail is for. Oh, and she explains platform for non-fiction authors.

Professional editor Alan Rinzler talks about when you need an edit, and how he evaluates cost and suitability. Are you thinking about hiring an editor? Because you need to know at what point an editor should be brought in. And there are several stages, as well: brief consultations in the beginning for developmental help, in the middle of a first draft for getting past writers' block, or a full edit at the end.

Author Deborah Niemann talks about overcoming her fear of public speaking. Just because she's done it frequently, doesn't mean she doesn't get butterflies. The trick is to control the fear.

Rachelle Gardner answers the question, "I write multiple genres. How do I find an agent?" She suggests sticking to one genre if you're still building your name, because you have to invest in building your market to two different audiences - and it's hard to build even one. She also addresses the issue of trying to sell a novel that will appeal to a foreign audience - either find an agent in that country, or find a way that it will appeal to Americans and then mention "will probably have high international appeal" as an additional thought.

Rachelle Gardner points out obstacles to avoid when trying to break into publishing. Sure, some authors make it work, but it doesn't really make agents want to represent you. If you can't stay within the recommended word count, are strongly political online, or have no online persona... you're making it harder on yourself.

Her guest blogger, Chuck Sambuchino, editor of Guide to Literary Agents, gives advice about publicity after publishing a book. My favorite take-away? Always carry "autographed" stickers with you, and sign your books whenever you see them. Bookstores can't return signed copies, so it's a 'garunteed' sale. Oh, and it's easier to get an interview on the radio than on television.

And Janet Reid answers the question, "Should I follow the market, or should I follow my heart?" Her answer? Writers who write to write, should follow their hearts. Writers who write to publish should do both.

Edit: Added Friday Afternoon
Because sometimes I don't find links until Friday.

Hachette Group leaks a document explaining why they think publishers are still relevant. What do they offer authors? Talent discovery, funding for writers in the form of advances, sales and distribution help (publicity!), and brand building and copyright watching.

And the Authors Guild files for class certification in hopes of taking on Google for Google's book scanning project. The basis of their rationale is that individual authors cannot practically expect to single-handedly take on the giant that is Google, and that Google's been using authors' works for commercial purposes. Working against them is the fact that, as a guild, there are questions on whether or not they can adequately represent all authors, including those not in the guild. Also, Google will probably be using a fair-use clause against them. Publishers are not part of the action - they've got their own settlement talks going on with Google.

Wednesday Writing Prompt: After the Story

Wednesday Writing Prompt: Think of the protagonist in your story. What is your character going to wear the day after the story ends? Why that outfit?


My example:
Carol will be stealing one of Lygos's tunics. (Lygos being the male lead, of course.) She isn't a big fan of dresses, and especially not of the Minoan dresses everyone wishes she'd wear. He'll concede the tunic only after she tries to go outside in her "underwear" rather than wear the underbust bodice and flounced skirt that most women don. Of course, this does have some disadvantages - Lygos gives her one of his dress tunics, which stylishly combines yellow polka dots, green waves, and purple stripes (he's a bit of a clothes horse - in a time period in which people have not yet invented the concept of clashing.) It may come down past her knees, but at least it covers her chest - more than can be said for the Bronze-age dresses.