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Publishing Links – Paragraph Bombs and the Editor's 30 Percent

Posted on 16 Jul 10 by Editor

Happy Friday, loyal readers and visitors future loyal readers!

It has been a crazy week, from figuring out that Dan Brown is lately more popular than the Bible to learning that the Hulk is now a literary critic. My favorite Lit Crit Hulk observation: “HULK KNOW IT PASSE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT TWILIGHT FRANCHISE, BUT HULK STILL WANT TO SMASH EVERY GROWNUP HULK SEE ON TRAIN READING THAT CRAP.”

(Hello, Xbox? Wii? Marvel Superheroes vs. Twilight characters, please.)

So, a crazy week, but you know what’s not crazy? Checking out this week’s links from publishing industry pros:

Continue reading →

Category: Blogroll | Tags: books, carolyn kellogg, dan brown, david b. coe, dennis johnson, ebooks, edmund schubert, faith hunter, galley cat, incredible hulk, jacket copy, janet fitch, jason boog, la times, latin phrases, litcrithulk, literary critic, moby lives, pimp my novel, publishing, the bible, twilight, wii, writing, xbox 360

Publishing Links – Titles, eBooks, and Sticking to Your Story

Posted on 10 Jun 10 by Editor

I have received a few submissions at Facebook for the graphic icon for “Reading Cats,” and I should have the final decision — and a developed icon — by the end of the weekend. Thanks to all of the entrants, and a great looking bunch of felines; for your own safety, may they never learn to read!
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And, without further side-lining, let’s get to what you clicked that link to find: publishing industry professionals offering up their advice and opinions on books, writing, and all things literary! Continue reading →

Category: Uncategorized | Tags: Alan Rinzler, barbara kingsolver, ebooks, fiction, galleycat, ipad, kindle, mark byrne, mediabistro, moby lives, orange prize, pimp my novel, publshing, seth godin, the book deal, the lacuna, writing

Publishing Links – Trends, Desires, and the End of Things

Posted on 03 Jun 10 by Editor

Let’s just dive straight into the links this week!

♣ The Author Magazine blogster reminds us that a really good story forces us to ask the question: “What do I want most?” (This is also true of magical compasses, I hear.)

♣ Moonrat at Editorial Ass(istant) tells us how to throw an awesome book launch.

♣ Kassia Krozser at BookSquare points out that change in the publishing biz must start at home, with the executives who run it.

♣ The Moby Lives blog asks whether we are seeing the end of book ownership.

Finally, the ever-prolific Eric at Pimp My Novel:
♣ issues a call for guest posts (you have until 16 June!);
♣ warns us of the approaching E-Pocalypse;
♣ explains the difference between billing and point-of-sale; and
♣ analyzes publishing trends like The [Adjective] Wife, vampires/werewolves, literary mash-ups, and the world ending in 2012.

Category: Blogroll | Tags: 2012, author magazine, book launch, Booksquare, editorial ass, kassia krozser, literary mash-ups, moby lives, moonrat, pimp my novel, vampires, werewolves

Publishing Links – Book Expo, Book Titles, and Lost Redux

Posted on 26 May 10 by Editor

Before I get into the links to publishing pro blogs, let me do a short follow-up on my Lost-inspired “Advice From A Dude” column. I was surprised to find it one of my most well-received advice pieces; I really expected a lot of defensive Lost fans in the comments trashing my trashing of the show’s creators. Thanks for being kinder to me than I was to them.

And thanks to Jade Smith for including me in a Lost-oriented link soup. If I am missing anyone else who linked me up, just speak out!

Also: I am the creator of the parody Lost – Gilligan’s Island graphic used in the article. I consider it covered by the Fair Use doctrine; one of the perks of being an American! Insofar as I have any control over it as an original composition based on sampled (parodied!) pieces, I hereby free it for use to anyone who credits me, John Nelson Leith, with a link.

And now, on to the publishing links! They may seem a little thin this week, perhaps because everyone is busy at Book Expo America 2010.

♣ Speaking of which, MediaBistro‘s GalleyCat is promising all the news and snarks on BEA 2010.

♣ The Author Magazine blog opens up the forum to Deb Caletti, author of The Six Rules of Maybe, who advises writers to be who they are.

♣ The Moby Lives blog follows up on Editorial Ass‘s recent piece on giving your book a title that another book already has. (That phrase just seemed more descriptive than “duplicate titling.”)

♣ Eric at Pimp My Novel offers his own take on the Lost finale, a little peek into the future of self-publishing with Barnes & Noble’s new PubIt service, and a few pointers on writings (and selling) literary fiction.

Also, as a bonus

Category: Blogroll | Tags: author magazine, barnes and noble, Book Expo America, deb caletti, editorial ass, galleycat, gilligan's island, jade smith, lost, mediabistro, moby lives, pimp my novel, publishing, the six rules of maybe, writing

Publishing Links – Eavesdropping, eBooks, and Evil Drill Sergeants

Posted on 20 May 10 by Editor

Do you guys know how hard it is to come up with these quirky little introductions? After flagging the articles around the web I want to share, devising a compelling preface is often the most difficult part of the process.

The pressure to tap out enough text so that it wraps down below the badge! Something topical, quirky, engaging, and yet not too distracting from the cool links to follow?

The need for a new joke, a new angle, a new … oh, hey! Hmmm, I guess I’m done.

And now, links from publishing industry insiders: Continue reading →

Category: Blogroll | Tags: Alan Rinzler, author magazine, dennis johnson, editorial ass, ipad, kelly burdick, literary agents, melville house, moby lives, new orleans, norman mailer, pimp my novel, publishing house, query letter, the book deal

Publishing Links – Bookstores, Reviews, Adventures, and Misadventures

Posted on 27 Apr 10 by Editor

Just in time for Tuesday (yeah, I’m not sure what that means either) here are some publishing professionals to link up!

Author magazine encourages us to ♣ embrace simplicity in our lives and our writing, while Moon Rat at Editorial Ass regales us with ♣ tales of adventure in book reviewing.

Alan Rinzler at The Book Deal ♣ lets us in on the dynamics of bookstore visibility, and ♣ explains how writers build courage.

♣ Publishr’s Brett Sandusky is interviewed at BookSquare on the future of publishing, while Eric at Pimp My Novel discusses ♣ the “middle way” of indie publishing

And wrapping it up for this week, the Moby Lives blog ♣ flings a harpoon or two at “clownish historians” — specifically ♣ Stephen Ambrose and ♣ Orlando Figes.

Category: Blogroll | Tags: Alan Rinzler, Booksquare, brett sandusky, melville house, moby lives, orlando figes, pimp my novel, publishr, stephen ambrose, tuesday

Publishing Links – Chick Lit, Beck Lit, Kid Lit, e-Lit

Posted on 22 Mar 10 by Editor

Topping the list of this week’s publishing links is Kate Harding writing for Salon.com on the (perceived?) duality of women’s fiction: self-pitying “misery lit” vs. fashion-and-romance “chick lit.”

I would say that it’s a must read for anyone with a word processor and a pair of X chromosomes, but male writers could also benefit from it: the piece might help them look at their own writing to see how it fits or violates various ideas of what constitutes “dude lit.”

Consulting editor Alan Rinzler at The Book Deal reveals how one young adult author landed two multi-book deals, while Dennis at the Moby Lives blog reveals an alternative to all those Amazon associates links and discusses redactive poetry and the Fair Use doctrine.

(Also, there’s a really funny example of redactive poetry there: “How To Be Charitable, Glenn Beck”)

Moonrat at Editorial Ass answers reader questions about submissions that need more work, what books should be made into movies, and whether one even wants to be published at all!

Finally, Eric at Pimp My Novel dives into the factors affecting how many of your books an account will buy, and how the approaching “e-pocalypse” is unveiled* in the iTunes store.

* You have no idea how much this trans-linguistic pun pleases me.

Category: Blogroll | Tags: Alan Rinzler, amazon.com, chick lit, editing, editorial ass, fiction, glenn beck, itunes, moby lives, pimp my novel, publishing, redactive poetry, salon.com, women's fiction

Publishing Pro Links – Sweet Little Soup

Posted on 15 Mar 10 by Editor

Okay, let’s kick out some links from publishing and editing professionals. It’s my slimmest category of link soups, but this week’s ingredients are tasty indeed.

For example, there’s a bit of hope for authors having a hard time breaking into the industry: Eric at Pimp My Novel is wondering if print-on-demand is the future of print, while Alan Rinzler at The Book Deal explains how self-publishing can lead to a real book deal.

Moonrat at Editorial Ass explains what the standard submission process is like, and the Moby Lives blog tackles a slew of publishing issues: the new ISBN format, the trouble with iPad’s text-reading functionality, and 21st Century information overload.

Category: Blogroll | Tags: Alan Rinzler, ebooks, editorial ass, fiction, ipad, melville house, moby lives, pimp my novel, publishing, the book deal, writing

Professional Links : Publishers & Editors Speak!

Posted on 06 Mar 10 by Editor

Booyah! I am thrilled to be on to my second round of publisher/editor links. Splitting up the authors, agents, and publishing house professionals was such a good idea!

Editor Alan Rinzler tells writers how to use a voice journal for character development, while Melville House‘s “Moby Lives” blog celebrates the fact that books outnumber games on iTunes.

The Editorial Ass answers questions about writing in your favorite genre, why he became a book editor, and how book deal advances are divided up.

Finally, Eric at Pimp My Novel has punched out some good stuff, including: the face of the publishing industry, how to read an ISBN, and the four things it takes to succeed as a writer.

Enjoy!

Category: Blogroll | Tags: Alan Rinzler, editorial ass, fiction, melville, moby lives, pimp my novel, publishing, writing