Day 24 1/9/12/ (6:10 AM)
A well-written page-turner that is more character- than plot-driven and has a clear beginning, middle and end is what editors (and readers) want.
Book Publishing in 2012
?Not to be argumentative, but I?m not sure what editors or publishers want in today?s market. The book publishing business has changed so much since these prompts were written that I can?t begin to speculate on what editors might want from a writer. According to an article by Jeremy Greenfield, Editorial Director, Digital Book World, ?Ten Bold Predictions for Book Publishing in 2012, ?We will see more self-published best-sellers next year with an exponential rise in the number of million-selling authors.? He continues,
In November of 2011, the Kindle Million Club ? a list of authors who have sold over 1 million paid copies of their books on Amazon?s Kindle store ? swelled to 14 with the addition of David Baldacci, Amanda Hocking and Stephenie Meyer.
?This may have serious implications for traditional publishing houses,? said Dr. Windsor Holden, research director at Juniper Research and one of the authors of Juniper?s recent report on the future of the book publishing industry. ?By facilitating publishing, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others are eroding the position of the publisher in the value chain in much the same way Apple eroded the gate-keeping role of the carriers when it introduced the app store.?
Read more at DigitalBookWorld.com: Ten Bold Predictions for Book Publishing in 2012 | Digital Book World http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2011/ten-bold-predictions-for-book-publishing-in-2012/#ixzz1iyMWRxrq
One thing I do know, however, is that a writer is not likely to get an agent unless they have a platform?a following from a previously published book, a ton of facebook fans, a brilliant public speaking career or something similar. Another thing I know is that self publishing? (especially eBooks and print-on-demand) although it?s not for everyone?has become a respectable way to circulate a first or second novel. This is especially true if you are writing for a clearly identified niche market.
After I wrote my memoir, Searching for Jane, Finding Myself, I contacted exactly one agent before deciding to take the self-publishing route. I?d read several books on self-publishing (the best information out there is by John Kremer), and believed I knew my niche market?adoption agencies and adoption professionals. I thought it would be a no-brainer. Marketing plan in hand, I launched my book with a local book signing, began speaking to local organizations, did another book signing in my home town (Toledo, Ohio) and was well on my way. When I began sending out press releases to adoption agencies without selling many books, I came to the realization that the niche I identified was the wrong one. People looking to adopt didn?t want to read a memoir about an adoptee whose life was less than perfect.? Adoptees, on the other hand and people ? especially women ? who came of age in the 1960s loved my book.? How to reach that audience?? It is estimated that there are 5 million adoptees in the United States, but it?s not like we have identifying features or run in the same social circles. ?Baby-boomers are easier to reach.? Many of us blog and post on facebook, but in spite of having a decent amount of marketing experience, setting up a blog tour or creating an Amazon bestseller seemed daunting to me.
Last summer, I took an 8-week online course on book marketing and learned exactly what to do. By then, I had Jane?s story, the book I?m writing now, crying to be free.? The point I?m trying to make is: don?t let getting published stand in the way of writing.? After going through the process once, the best advice I can give is to learn as much as you can about writing and follow it to the best of your ability. In other words, write the best story you can.? Have strong, interesting characters, i.e. people your reader will care about; put them in an interesting time and place; and provide obstacles along the path that thwart their progress or prevent them from easily attaining their goal or what they desire.
Let?s hope I can follow my own advice and at the very least give you, my blog readers, what you want.
If you have thoughts or questions about this blog post, please leave a comment on the blog or contact me directly: janfishler@gmail.com.
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Source: http://searchingforjane.com/2012/03/20/book-publishing-in-2012-how-to-write-a-novel-day-24/
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