Writers soon learn that to be a successful author one needs to be one’s own PR staff, communicating regularly and engagingly with potential readers. But some authors never figure out that they have an equally important audience to communicate with–also …
Publishers
AI Update: Good Enough
I’ve continued to read about AI since I wrote my blog post on ways publishing could productively and creatively use this force. This week I spied several articles that caught my attention, causing me to want to share this AI …
Is There a Perfect Time to Submit?
Ever since I became an agent, I’ve been trying to figure out the rhythm of this industry— the perfect time to submit proposals. Every industry has “seasons” and because we agents are always trying to second-guess things, we are ever …
When a Tulip is Called a Rose–What IS Traditional Publishing?
Let’s call things what they really are, shall we? No euphemisms or mislabeling, okay? What exactly is–and isn’t–traditional publishing?
I’ve noted an uptick in new publishing entities entering the market lately that describe themselves as “traditional publishers.” But when you …
When a Tulip is Called a Rose–What IS Traditional Publishing?Read More
Changes in Literary Agency Life since 2004
Blogger: Michelle Ule
Sitting in for Janet Grant.
Changes at a Literary Agency since 2004
I’ve been working for Books & Such since January 2004.
(It’s now called Books and Such Literary Management).
I initially signed on to help with …
Publishing Culture
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about how important it is for an author to understand the culture of a publishing house or the culture of a literary agency. What do I mean by publishing culture?
I’m not …
How Book Buyers Decide What to Stock
I find it helpful to read articles written for book buyers. Gaining insight into how they think about what to stock in their stores helps me to understand the supply chain. The more I understand what stores are choosing to …
Flip Flop
At a staff meeting recently, we discussed how many things have changed in publishing. I’ve been a full-time agent for fifteen years and when I think back to what I taught or espoused back then and in the years since, …
What Does an In-House Editor Do for You?
Some publishers have chosen to downsize the number of in-house editors but instead to rely on freelancers. That decision raises the question, What does an in-house editor do for you?
Having been such an editor, I have personal insights into …
The Value of the Backlist
We often hear people in the publishing industry talk about backlist vs. frontlist. Today I want to talk about the value of the backlist in building an author’s career..
First a couple of definitions. The terms, backlist and frontlist came …