Scott Nicholson's Blog, page 38
June 16, 2010
Publishers aren't as dumb as people think
(Reprinted from guest post at Megalith Books)
Most observers and even some authors believe the major publishing industry has been slow to respond to the electronic-book era. True, the industry is struggling with pricing while trying to protect hardcover sales and has not been especially welcoming of digital books, especially those that compete with their higher-priced versions. But they have not been putting their heads in the sand, either.
Publishing contracts of this century almost universall...
Most observers and even some authors believe the major publishing industry has been slow to respond to the electronic-book era. True, the industry is struggling with pricing while trying to protect hardcover sales and has not been especially welcoming of digital books, especially those that compete with their higher-priced versions. But they have not been putting their heads in the sand, either.
Publishing contracts of this century almost universall...
June 8, 2010
What happened to your heart?
My friend and artist/writer Lee Davis had read the first part of The Red Church (my first published novel) and emailed me with his initial thoughts:
"Your understanding of humanity is crucial, ranging from complexities of the young boys' mind to the conflict of a deteriorating marriage and then on to the law that is trying to maintain the peace and keep the town from falling in on itself. I immediately felt empathy to Donnie's young and troubled thoughts at life in general as he goes inside hi...
"Your understanding of humanity is crucial, ranging from complexities of the young boys' mind to the conflict of a deteriorating marriage and then on to the law that is trying to maintain the peace and keep the town from falling in on itself. I immediately felt empathy to Donnie's young and troubled thoughts at life in general as he goes inside hi...
June 1, 2010
La Chiesa Rossa--red in any language
Some good insight by Sarah Jae Jones, a St. Martin's editor, on the different types of book readers and how the digital era might affect their reading habits. My own thoughts as a writer are similar--I believe the bestsellers in hardcover will still have a print following, especially those casual readers who only read the blockbusters they see on the cover of People or Entertainment Weekly--Da Vinci Code, twilight, Harry Potter, and the like. They read a few books a year, what Jones' accurate...
May 26, 2010
Social media for writers
Marketing is dull. Practically everyone hates it. We are all trained to tune it out. Authors have it drummed into their heads: "Get people to buy your book or you're dead."
I've been a busy proponent of marketing and have written about it a good bit. More and more, my ideas fall under the category of "Everything I know is wrong." I do sell books, maybe not millions, but a respectable amount that pleases more. But the whole push is not that satisfying, and not the real goal. Selling lots of boo...
I've been a busy proponent of marketing and have written about it a good bit. More and more, my ideas fall under the category of "Everything I know is wrong." I do sell books, maybe not millions, but a respectable amount that pleases more. But the whole push is not that satisfying, and not the real goal. Selling lots of boo...
May 25, 2010
BEA and I'm not there...
Book Expo America. Everybody who is somebody in the publishing industry. Corporate people saying dumb things, writers taking notes. Happens every year. Life goes on.
I was telling my wife that I am glad I am not a bestselling writer. What an incredible burden, sitting in all these panels, vying for attention, having to listen to protectionist ideas of what a book should be and which way the industry should go. As I've moved farther along the path of my career and chucked more of the "conventio...
I was telling my wife that I am glad I am not a bestselling writer. What an incredible burden, sitting in all these panels, vying for attention, having to listen to protectionist ideas of what a book should be and which way the industry should go. As I've moved farther along the path of my career and chucked more of the "conventio...
