Links and Notes in Publishing Today

I am regularly asked if the questions on this blog actually come from people writing in, or if I make them up. When I first began the blog three years ago, I culled some questions from writing conferences I was at. Since then, every question I've answered has come from somebody sending me a note. (And yes, I've got a backlog. So sue me.)

One follow-up to the last couple of blogs on Thomas Nelson's new "WestBow" initiative... A couple folks wrote to ask, "Does this mean Thomas Nelson is destitute?" Nope. It just means they're a business, and they see an avenue where they can make some money. The world of publishing is changing rapidly, and I think we're going to see publishers try all sorts of new ideas. Look how newspapers have changed (they've gone online, given away content for free... then gone out of business), or how magazines have changed (they've gone online, cut costs, moved their income base from subscribers to advertisers, and focused on niches). Book publishers are trying to navigate those same changes. They're trying to figure out how to make money with digital books, how to improve the bottom line, how to trim costs, and how to increase income. 

A happy note in the world of publishing... This week Barnes and Noble is expected to reveal their own e-reader. It has a color screen (actually a two-part screen -- color to see covers at the bottom, but a black-and-white reading area at the top), uses cell phone technology to deliver books, allows hyperlinks in the text, has full browsing cabability, and uses a Google operating system. Early reports say it allows both Word and PDF documents, so it'll be useful for people in the industry. Expect some serious competition for the Kindle. 

And another note: it looks like the government might end up canceling the Google rights deal. They consider it too much of a reach (putting all out of print books into the hands of Google), so it looks like they're going to break it up. We're still moving toward a digitalized future for all oop books, but probably not the one you did all that paperwork for. Sorry!

The folks at Novel Journey continue to interview some of the most fascinating writers. I loved the video from Brad Meltzer, an author who was panned by Kirkus, PW, and everyone else before he hit the big time (check out his great video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fubceELexE

And if you're really into marketing, you have GOT to read a wonderful piece in the New Yorker: http://www.newyorker.com/humor/2009/10/19/091019sh_shouts_weiner

Several folks have asked if we're planning to do the Fiction Marketing Seminar as a webinar, or if we're going to make the materials available somehow. Maybe one day in the future. But the GOAL of the seminar (which we're doing in Dallas Nov 20-21 and Indianapolis Dec 4-5) is for every participant to walk out of the weekend with a workable marketing plan for his or her novel. That requires some hands-on work (I'm teaching this with Jim Rubart, a longtime marketing consultant), so it's not the sort of thing you can stick into a workbook and sell for $19.99. If you're a novelist interested in finding out how you can market your fiction, check us out at: www.themasterseminars.com

Some folks have asked if Christian Manuscript Submissions (www.christianmanuscriptsubmissions.com ) is legit. Yeah, they are. That's a system that was set up by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association. They charge a fee to have you submit your book proposal and sample chapters, so that they can stick it into an electronic slushpile and make it available to publishers. Can it turn into a deal? Theoretically. But practically speaking, the odds are VERY long. For all the people who have submitted in recent years, there have only been a couple of projects that were actually picked up by publishers. So there's two ways to view it... (1) If you take the perspective that an author needs to try every avenue in a quest to get published, then I suppose this is one other way to try. (2) Most editors already get a ton of legit proposals from agents, so what's the motivation for checking an electronic slushpile? If you really want to be seen by an editor, hook up with a good agent. 

Okay, so a couple moments of bragging... Jon Acuff has one of the world's most popular religious blogs (Stuff Christians Like), and he's coming out with a book of his musings at Zondervan next year. Seven months out, the book is in pre-orders on Amazon, and it's already the most popular book combining religion and humor. Wow. Seven months out? Have I ever purchased a book seven months before it released? AND I read two novels recently that knocked my socks off... Susan Meissner is famous for last year's The Shape of Mercy, which was widely regarded as the best religious novel published last year. But if you haven't seen her new one, White Picket Fences, you're missing out. It's really good. And I know I've been guilty of raving about Lisa Samson's novels in the past (Tiger Lillie and Quaker Summer were great reads), but by all means take a look at her new one, The Passion of Mary Margaret. Man. Fabulous. Oh, and if you like thrillers, Irene Hannon's debut, Against All Odds spent three months on the bestseller lists. Her new one, An Eye for An Eye, is just as good (and doubtless headed back to the bestseller lists). I know I can't rave about every book I represent, but these three are all good. 

I have been asked by several people to point them toward writers who are really good, but who don't get the attention they deserve. Without a doubt I can give you two names: Ginger Garrett and Kimberly Stuart. No question. Both great writers, and both staying under the radar. There are doubtless a bunch of others, but those are the first two names that come to mind. 

For some reason, I keep having font and spacing issues in the new Typepad blogs. Don't know what's up, or why some of these paragraphs are larger than others, but I'm working on it. Back to more questions -- and if you've got a question about writing and publishng, feel free to send it along. 

Comments

[Ashley]

Chip, no need to lie. We all know you make up these questions to make yourself seem intellijint.

[Nicole]

Absolutely a top flight novel: The Passion of Mary-Margaret. Made my all-time Top Ten which is an incredible feat.

[Rachel Hauck]

Great post! :) Answered a few of my questions.

Rachel

[N. J. Lindquist]

Re the font issues, I prefer WordPress, but usually putting your post in Notepad (or ASCI) and then back into blogger works as long as you delete everything that was in blogger. The main thing is not to paste anything without stripping the formatting first. But other things can go whacky too. :)

[Irene Hannon]

Thanks, Chip, for the plug for "Against All Odds" and my latest release, "An Eye For An Eye." And just to update your comment that the latter seems headed for the bestseller list (in the footsteps of its predecessor)--it's there! Number 11 on the ECPA list and, as of today, #14 on the CBA list. Woo hoo!

[Marla Taviano]

I'm one of the weirdos who got discovered through a manuscript submission site. My first 2 books were published by Harvest House w/o an agent. Second 2 were published by HH and Howard with an agent. Now I'm on book #5 with a NEW agent (she's on your Blogs I Like list).

When people ask, I recommend they go straight for the agent.

[Ramona Richards]

Oh, my word, that New Yorker piece is a scream. I'm still giggling, and I'm pretty sure I woke up the neighbors when I got to the reason editor Jason had locked himself in the supply closet. And there's some strange sort of irony in that I immediately wanted to paste it to my Facebook page. Thanks for sharing - and for the great book recommendations.

[Sharon A Lavy]

I'll have to check these author's out. Thanks.

[Leah Morgan]

I grew up without television; books were my allowable entertainment. I've read plenty and favored the classics. With a reading palate that rises above Twinkies, I find Lisa Samson's works curriculum worthy as a fine example of a modern day genius of a writer.

[Crystal Laine Miller]

I have been a fan of Ginger Garrett since I read her book, Chosen, and agree with you that she is a brilliant writer.

I ranked her book, In the Shadow of Lions, my favorite book this year.

[Helen]

The only reason I haven't preordered my book, is because I want mine autographed. Can I get that preordered, or do I need ot wait for the book tour. Seriously...

[Gina Holmes]

Loved the New Yorker piece! The Passion of Mary Margaret is in my TBR pile.

[L. C. Sterling]

Ditto on The New Yorker piece. Thanks for sharing how insane the insanity has gotten.

[Pam Halter]

I want to plug The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow by Joyce Magnin. She was able to sell it to Abingdon without an agent, but has a really good one now. ;)

[Mark Young]

Thanks for the chuckle over The New Yorker article on marketing. Now ... back to writing, since I don't have anything to market yet.