Blogger: Janet Kobobel Grant
Several times recently I found myself having the same conversation with various Books & Such clients, and I realized what often seems obvious to me isn’t obvious to everyone: Every author has two audiences.
Business of writing
The Peanut Butter Approach to Fiction
Blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
Did you know that one of the first uses of peanut butter was as a protein source for a physician’s patients who had no teeth? “Lost your dentures again, Edgar? Here, have some peanut butter.”
“What’s that …
Publishing Forecast–Part 1
Blogger: Janet Kobobel Grant
What is publishing’s next iteration? Every once in awhile I like to take a look to the future to see where publishing might be headed. As I “guess ahead,” I see several trends that I believe …
How Not to Query an Agent
Blogger: Janet Kobobel Grant
You know how you have a bad feeling before you even open an email? Last week I felt obligated to click on an emailed query even though I suspected reading the missive would be a waste …
Book Marketing Trends
Blogger: Janet Kobobel Grant
I’ve been visiting a number of publishing houses lately, often accompanied by one of my clients. Brainstorming content, strategic career planning, and marketing plans took center stage in most of our meetings.
These sessions prove endlessly …
Seven Deadly Sins and the Writer
Blogger: Michelle Ule
Sitting in for Wendy Lawton, whom I hope is no longer waiting for a plane in Duluth . . .
What are the seven deadly sins for a writer?
The usual ones:
- Lust
- Gluttony
- Greed
- Sloth
- Wrath
Hold These Truths as Self-Evident
blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
What truths do we hold as “self-evident”? With the United States’ Independence Day just behind us, many of us are still eating cake with strawberry stripes and blueberry stars, picking up yard evidence of expired sparklers, and …
Are Publishers Too Cowardly to Take on Your Book?
Blogger: Janet Kobobel Grant
Do you think publishers are afraid to take on your book? Maybe you’ve decided, after much striving to find a publishing house, that your work is too (pick whichever apply):
- revolutionary
- daring
- explicit
- graphic
- esoteric
- honest
How Many Hats Does a Literary Agent Wear?
blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
How many hats does a literary agent wear? And why would I want an agent on my side?
Among the many questions agents field at writers conference where newcomers to the industry are in attendance are these: …
Meaningful Marketing
Blogger: Janet Kobobel Grant
Authors often wonder what marketing materials they can ask their publishing house to create for them. A list of suggestions for new titles appears below for both physical events and online marketing.
Let me add that …