Jane Friedman's Blog: Jane Friedman, page 215

2 Tricks to Keep Your Online Reading Manageable

As you can imagine, I do a LOT of online reading, across hundreds of sites and blogs. To manage it all, I do 2 things:



I use Google Reader, which is an RSS reader. See
here to learn how and why to use it, for free.

I use the PostRank extension for Google Reader.
PostRank helps me see which posts are most popular (and perhaps important) for me
to read/review.



Here's what my Google Reader looks like WITHOUT PostRank.



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And here's what it looks like WITH PostRank.



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Additional tips




Many professionals use RSS readers (and/or Twitter) to keep on top of important online
posts & articles. This makes your article/post headlines incredibly important!


You can use Google Reader as a social networking & conversation tool by following
what other people share/comment on in the Reader. (See Guy
Gonzalez up there in "People I Follow"!)



You can add Twitter feeds to Google Reader, too. (Just paste in the Twitter user URL
into the subscription feed box, e.g., http://twitter.com/janefriedman.)

Keep up with my Shared
Items even if you don't use Google Reader.






Do you have any tips to share to streamline online reading? Leave them in the comments!



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3 Publishing Trends Writers Must Stay On Top Of

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This week marks the publishing industry's largest trade show, BookExpo
America. This is the first year since 2004 that I'm not attending, but in honor
of that show, I'm offering up 3 key industry trends you should stay on top of. (Above:
My cat Zelda implores you to stay informed.)




1. Agents Becoming Publishers


This is becoming more widespread and accepted. Agents are starting to publish/distribute
clients' e-books editions; see Ed
Victor in the UK for the biggest recent example. Agents are also testing e-book
originals, e.g., Scott Waxman's Diversion
Books.




Also, a
recent article by Victoria Strauss at Writer Beware has a good summary of what's going
on.

Why you need to stay on top of this


Agents' roles are changing. To make the best decisions for your career, you need an
understanding of what constitutes traditional vs. emerging practices. While some people
might question whether agents can stay on the right side of ethics when they publish
clients' work, it will boil down to an agency's reputation and clout, rather than
its adherence to a set of increasingly outdated ethical guidelines.

2. Amazon Becoming a Publisher


Hopefully you haven't been living in a cave, and you've heard about Amazon's growing
footprint as a publisher of e-book originals. There's
a good summary of its current imprints here, but it's already out of date. Thomas
& Mercer, a mystery/thriller imprint has since been announced, and also—just announced
in the last 24 hours—one
of the biggest names in book publishing is leaving agenting to head up yet ANOTHER
imprint, still to be named.

Why you need to stay on top of this


Amazon is ramping up its publishing operations and poaching recognized book pub talent.
One day, instead of dreaming about your next big deal with Penguin, you might be dreaming
about your big break with Amazon.




Don't forget Amazon now has two of the most popular self-publishing services: CreateSpace (for
POD) and Kindle Direct Publishing. Amazon would
be foolish not to be actively surveying the ranks of self-published authors for statistical
signs of the next Amanda Hocking.




Will self-pub via Amazon become a proven way to get noticed? If that seems far-fetched,
see this post: Is
an e-book the new query?

3. E-Book Sales Increasing


Speaking of Amazon, they just recently announced that their Kindle
e-book sales now outpace print books sales. Remember: This is just the ratio at
Amazon, not the entire book industry, but the decline of physical bookstores (see
Borders bankruptcy) will only quicken the transition.

Why you need to stay on top of this


The faster this happens, the more it impacts what decisions you make on when, how,
and why to publish. It's
why JA Konrath and Barry Eisler have decided to step away from a traditional publishing
house: Because they see more money to be made in the long run from strictly e-book
sales paying a higher royalty.




Of course, there are always trade-offs—otherwise self-pub phenom Amanda Hocking wouldn't
have moved to a traditional publisher.




(We always want a taste of what we DON'T have, right?)




I recommend that no matter what path you choose, look for and demand flexibility in
the contracts you sign. Agents can help with this, which is why agents now help their
clients self-publish. (See
this story of Neal Pollack, who is sticking with his traditional publisher AND self-publishing
with the help of his agent.)

What other trends would you add to this list?

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Best Tweets for Writers (week ending 5/20/11)

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I watch Twitter, so you don't have to. Visit each Sunday for the week's best Tweets.
If I missed a great Tweet, leave it in the comments.





















Best of Best

How to earn your info dump


@elizabethscraig



7 Pre-Launch Tips for A Successful Kickstarter Campaign


@nathanielhansen



Best post on Facebook marketing I've read in a very
long time from @allfacebook (Very smart!)

@calliemiller

Getting Published + Agents/Editors

When your agent shops your book, but nobody's
buying


@RachelleGardner



Is the ebook the new query?


@annerallen



One of publishing's true greats shares the rejections
he received for his memoir


@twliterary

Craft + Technique

How does Jonathan Franzen deal with
writer's block? The answer


@gothamwriters



So you think you can proofread? Test your skills
& appreciate your editor more


@eBookNewser



An Agent on Interiority vs. Telling


@elizabethscraig



Creating the non-stereotypical character


@elizabethscraig



Characters and the Codes They Hold Dear


@nickdaws



Tips on how to choose character flaws that add to your
story


@Janice_Hardy

Publishing News + Trends

Literary Agents as Publishers: An
Accelerating Trend


@victoriastrauss



Kindle Books Now Outselling Print Books: a look
back by @rewordnik

@DigiBookWorld



To Do Digital Books Right, Writers Will Learn to Talk
Tech


@bklynanne




Audible launched ACX, a rights marketplace 4 audiobooks
that connects narrators & rights holders


@laurahazardowen

Marketing + Self-Promotion

How to Avoid the 5 Pitfalls of Free Content


@copyblogger



The Future of Media: It's Not Piracy, It's Marketing:
Yet another take on 'Go The F**k To Sleep'


@PublishersWkly



Book Marketing Strategies Found in a Casino


@GreenleafBookGr

Websites + Blogs

How to Send Visitors Away from Your
Website in Two Seconds or Less


@elizabethscraig



The Resume Is Dead. The Bio Is King! - Why you need
a great bio & how to craft one


@the99percent

Social Media

20 LinkedIn groups for eBook authors,
publishers & readers


@eBookNewser

Self-Publishing + E-Publishing

Guide
to Amanda Hocking's publishing success - very useful highlights


@tkpublisher



Neal Pollack in NYTBR: For a writer like me — midcareer,
midlist, middlebrow — self-publishing makes a lot of sense


@PublishersWkly

Online Tools + Resources

How to make a Super 8 book trailer with
an iPhone & free apps


@GalleyCat

Writing Life + Fun

The Artist and the Addict


@SPressfield

Looking for more?




Subscribe to my newsletter, 3 Happy Things.




Want to know about the best stuff I read each week?


Click here to subscribe
to my shared items.




Get Best Tweets for
Writers — Daily!

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There Are Some People Who Don't Wait

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I shared the following on my Facebook
page, but it's too good not to post here as well.



Robert Krulwich (who hosts Radiolab—a phenomenal
radio show & podcast if you're not familiar) delivered an inspiring commencement
address to graduates of the Berkeley School of Journalism. The
full text his talk is now available online.




His message applies not just to journalists, but ALL creatives. Here's a brief snippet:

… I want you to just think about this: Think about
NOT waiting your turn.

Instead, think about getting together with friends that you
admire, or envy. Think about entrepreneuring. Think about NOT waiting for a company
to call you up. Think about not giving your heart to a bunch of adults you don't know.

Think about horizontal loyalty. Think about turning to people
you already know, who are your friends, or friends of their friends and making something
that makes sense to you together, that is as beautiful or as true as you can make
it.

And when it comes to security, to protection, your friends may
take better care of you than CBS took care of Charles Kuralt in the end. In every
career, your job is to make and tell stories, of course. You will build a body of
work, but you will also build a body of affection, with the people you've helped who've
helped you back.

Go
read the full address. You won't be sorry.





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Get Your First 1,000 Words Critiqued By Agent

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Among the most popular events at writing conferences today are "Why I Stopped Reading"
panels, in which brave attendees offer up the opening pages of their manuscripts to
participating literary agents, who then read them aloud and explain when and why they
would likely lose interest (or, with any luck, not!). The agents follow this with
a brief critique of constructive advice for the writer and for the others in attendance
to learn by example.




Writer's Digest wants to translate this experience to the pages of Writer's Digest
magazine, thanks to superstar agent Kristin
Nelson of Nelson Literary Agency—and, with any luck, a little help from you. Here's
how it will work.



HOW TO SUBMIT


Writer's Digest is looking for writers willing to submit their work to be considered
for a free agent critique in the pages of the magazine.

To volunteer, submit the first 1,000 words of your novel manuscript
in the body of an e-mail to writersdigest@fwmedia.com with "First Page Critiques"
in the subject line.

You must include your name, mailing address and e-mail address to be
eligible, but if you'd prefer for your work to be anonymously attributed should it
be chosen to appear in print, simply write "PLEASE WITHHOLD NAME" next to your name
at the top of your manuscript. Select entries will be chosen by Kristin Nelson to
excerpt and critique in Writer's Digest.




IMPORTANT


By submitting your work, you are consenting to have it published alongside an agent's
critique in the pages of Writer's Digest and Writer's Digest publications. (Your manuscript
excerpt may be edited for space.) Of course, you will retain the copyright and all
other rights to your work.




WHAT YOU'LL GET


A small selection of manuscript excerpts will be chosen by literary agent Kristin
Nelson to receive an honest, personalized critique in the pages of Writer's Digest,
in which she will share her professional assessment of the opening pages of your manuscript
as if it were a submission crossing her desk. She'll explain what might entice an
agent or editor to read further, and what might stall your submission's chances before
it starts, so that you can use her feedback to make your submission even stronger.
You'll also receive two copies of the issue in which the critique appears. Selected
writers will be notified by June 30, 2011. All other submissions will be discarded.



DEADLINE: 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, May 22



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Glimmer Train Monthly News

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Glimmer Train has just chosen the winning
stories for their March Fiction Open competition. This competition is held quarterly
and is open to all writers for stories with a word count range between 2,000–20,000.
The next Fiction Open will take place in June. Glimmer Train's monthly submission
calendar may be viewed here. Glimmer
Train's monthly submission calendar may be viewed here.

First place: Melissa Yancy, of Los Angeles, CA, wins $2000 for
"Teeth Apart." Her story will be published in the Summer 2012 issue of Glimmer Train
Stories. [Photo above. Photo credit: Stacy Clinton.]  




Second place: Susan Messer, of Oak Park, IL, wins $1000 for "Angstschweiss."
Her story will also be published in an upcoming issue of Glimmer Train Stories.



  Third place: Nellie Hermann, of Brooklyn, NY, wins $600 for "Meanness."
Her story will also be published in an upcoming issue of Glimmer Train Stories, increasing
her prize to $700.



A PDF of the Top 25 winners can be found here.

Deadline soon approaching!


Short Story Award for New
Writers: May 31

This competition is held quarterly and is open to all writers whose fiction has not
appeared in a print publication with a circulation over 5000. No theme restrictions.
Most submissions to this category run 1500-6000 words, but up to 12,000 is fine. Click
here for complete guidelines.


 

--



If you didn't know, Writer's Digest partnered with Glimmer Train to publish two compilation
volumes of the best stuff from their Writers
Ask newsletter.




Check them out: Volume
1 and Volume
2.



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5 Things The Great Books Taught Me About Writing

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Today's guest post is by Robert Bruce, a full-time writer and a book blogger at 101
Books, where he is currently blogging through Time Magazine's 100 All-Time Novels. Follow
him on Twitter. 




--



Last summer, I started a personal quest to read through Time
Magazine's "All-Time" Top 100 books (plus Ulysses), blogging about the
experience as I read.




What started as a project to reignite my love for fiction has also become a casual
study of how some incredible authors approach writing.




As a nonfiction writer, I've always errantly sought inspiration within my own world
of writing. But reading these novels has helped me see that the other side of the
street isn't all that different.




I'm still early in this 101 book project—16 books completed—but here's what I've learned
so far:   




1. Choose substance over style.


In deference to the title of the blog on which I am guest posting, "There are no rules."
Read George Orwell, John Updike, and Cormac McCarthy consecutively, and you'll see
that there's no formulaic method to writing well. Every great author has a unique
style, but they all have one thing common—powerful stories.




2. Embrace the dark side.


Bad things happen in real life. Some of the most powerful passages I've ever read
were also some of the most depressing passages I've read. Whether it's Janice Angstrom
accidentally drowning her infant daughter in Rabbit, Run or Joelle Van Dyne
attempting to kill herself with heroin in Infinite Jest, some downright brutal
stuff happens in great fiction—as in real life.




3. Open with a bang.


I love the opening line of Lord of the Flies: "The boy with fair hair lowered
himself down the last few feet of rock and began to pick his way towards the lagoon."
So many questions: Who is the boy with fair hair? Why is he climbing down a rock?
Why is a kid in a lagoon? Great books have a way of pulling the reader in within the
first page. The writer doesn't necessarily have to drop you into the middle of a car
crash or fiery explosion, but they paint a picture of a setting or a scenario that's
hard to resist.




4. Explore deeper issues.


I think a misconception about fiction is that it serves only as an escape. While everything
isn't spelled out in black and white, every good novel has great lessons buried within.
What can you learn about power from 1984? Or social justice from To Kill
A Mockingbird? Or self-indulgence from Infinite Jest?




5. Read with purpose.


It's been said many times before: To write well, you must read, read, read. But don't
read passively, as if you're skimming a biology textbook in high school. Unengaged
reading will never spark creative writing. Read with a purpose. Highlight. Look for
something that moves you, and keep coming back to it. 




If you're struggling with the pen lately, read a little Hemingway, Orwell, Fitzgerald.
What better people to emulate, and be inspired by, than some of the greatest writers
to walk the planet? Just find some of the great books and read them. Your writing
will thank you. 




--



Go visit Robert's blog, or follow
him on Twitter.



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Videos to Help You Find the Muse

In
my last newsletter, I mentioned several videos that I find inspiring that aren't
really about writing. And I asked readers to share with me videos they find memorable.



Here are two of the best. One is Elizabeth
Gilbert's TED talk; the other is JK Rowling
at Harvard commencement.

Thanks to Jan Markley and Lexus
Luke for the suggestions.



Also check out:



The Power of Words (2 minutes), suggested
by Lindsay Oberst and Cynthia
Friedlob




Looking for more? Take
a look at my most recent newsletter.

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8 Things Readers Want From Self-Published Authors

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My post last week, The
"Self-Pub Is Crap" Debate, has probably generated more comments than any other
post in 2011.



Reviewing the comments provides an excellent to-do list of how self-published authors
can be taken seriously by readers.



Hire professionals for editing, proofreading, and design.




Put most of your cost toward editing. That means, aside from development or
content editing, you must eliminate all proofreading errors and typos if you want
to be taken seriously. Evelyn Lafont also recommends using beta readers to put out
quality work.

Hire a conversion house for clean e-book formatting.




Understand the difference between vanity publishing and the BUSINESS of being an
author. Don't do it just for the rush of seeing your name on Amazon. (Evelyn Lafont)

Don't give 5-star reviews to friends' books that don't deserve it. Some people
give 5 stars to every friend's book. This is a problem with both traditional and self-published
books, but several readers complained that absurd and false high rankings tend to
be more widespread in the self-published arena.




Don't self-promote constantly. Self-published bloggers can be less fun to follow
because they promote constantly. Many blogs, Twitter, and Facebook posts have become
advertisements. (Theresa Milstein)


If there's no quality sample, readers won't buy. Most readers decide whether
to buy the book based on the quality of the sample, regardless of ratings/reviews.
(Ann Best)

Be patient. In an environment where NO ONE seems patient enough to put out
quality work, your book will stand out if you take the time to do it right. (Tony
McFadden)



As Fiona commented, "If you self-publish … you have to take responsibility for the
finished product."

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Best Tweets for Writers (week ending 5/13/11)

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I watch Twitter, so you don't have to. Visit each Sunday for the week's best Tweets.
If I missed a great Tweet, leave it in the comments.





















Best of Best

Seth Godin explores people's goals in publishing
a book


@DanBlank



6 tools to help you format your eBook; includes
tools for ePub, Mobi & PDF files

@eBookNewser



What Is the ROI of a Conversation?


[business context, but applies to authors]


@DanBlank

Getting Published + Agents/Editors

Author, Know Thy Self [knowing your genre]


@Porter_Anderson



Should
you ask a published author to look at your work and/or give you an agent referral?


@RachelleGardner



What kind of advance can you expect?


@WendyLawton



Query letters – do you have personality?


@elizabethscraig

Craft + Technique

10 Ways to Totally Screw Up Your Novel


@storyfix



10 Ways to Create a Plot Twist


@tn_tobias



Ticking Clock or Option Exhaustion: 2 Ways to Bring
Your Novel To A Crisis


@elizabethscraig



The most critical storytelling skill


@AdviceToWriters



Does Your Story Have a Hook or Merely a Gimmick?


@elizabethscraig



3 ways to end your chapters


@writersdigest





8 Ways NOT to Describe Your Main Character


@victoriamixon

Children's Writing

5 Fast Differences Between YA and MG


@elizabethscraig



Picture book writing tips: "allow the child character
to be the one to figure out a solution"


@GalleyCat

Publishing News + Trends

Bookish fits in between Amazon and Goodreads,
to solve a "problem" that only exists for publishers, not readers.


@glecharles



Big Think on redefining the e-book experience


@PublishersWkly



Piracy vaults a book to number one bestseller and scores
it a movie deal.


@AlanBaxter

Marketing + Self-Promotion

Smashwords Book Marketing
Guide is now in the Kindle Store, and it's FREE starting now


@markcoker



The Dials, Levers and Buttons of Building Your Author
Platform


@DanBlank

Websites + Blogs

Do You Really Need a Blog
if you're on Facebook or Twitter?


@KMWeiland



21 Ways to Create Compelling Content When You Don't
Have a Clue


@copyblogger

Social Media

Editors, writers & producers are using
reactions from fans to improve their storytelling methods


@filodaria



The Ultimate Guide to Twitter Marketing


@copyblogger

Self-Publishing + E-Publishing

Ooh, 2 of my favorite authors: @scottsigler
guests on @jakonrath blog on self-publishing


@thecreativepenn



Creating Amazon Kindle bestsellers


@40kBooks



Tracking a Bestseller Through Price Changes - One Book's
Story


@DigiBookWorld



Tips to improve your Amazon sales page


@craftycmc talks to @thecreativepenn

Online Tools + Resources

Looking for some good online writing
communities? Check out my FB page - lots of great ones!


@RachelleGardner



10 Kindle Tricks
and Tweaks


@Jane_L




10 websites where you download free & legal eBooks


@eBookNewser

Writing Life + Fun

"Famous authors tend to write only for 4 hrs during the morning." Interesting
study about productivity


@irisblasi



Writers & Kitties


@GalleyCat




Writers talk about their lives before they "made it" - an inspiring blog


@jessicastrawser



Stereotyping people by their favorite author


@elizabethscraig



Against Professionalism


@elizabethscraig



Beautiful essay by Christopher Hitchens on losing his
voice & the relationship of voice & writing.


@RachelleGardner



Can
you teach creative writing?


@guardianbooks

Looking for more?




Subscribe to my newsletter, 3 Happy Things.




Want to know about the best stuff I read each week?


Click here to subscribe
to my shared items.




Get Best Tweets for
Writers — Daily!

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