Interesting Links #11: Writerly Setbacks
No matter how well things go in life, there are bound to be setbacks, alas. Since setbacks are inevitable, it is important to learn to deal with them in a constructive way. So a lot of this week’s Interesting Links discuss dealing with the problems of writing and publishing.
-The best way to avoid the pitfalls of a traditional publisher is to self-publish: The Pitfalls Of Landing A Traditional Publisher.
-I’ve spent a lot of time wrestling with whether or not to use Kindle Unlimited because of the exclusivity clause, but to deal with that problem, writer Lindsay Buroker might have thought up the cleverest use for Patreon that I have seen in a while.
-This is a really excellent post about a writer persisting in the face of chronic pain and health problems: When The Going Gets Tough – Writer Edition.
-It is always instructive to observe how Amazon responds to setbacks. Like, the Fire Phone in 2014 was a failure, but that directly led to the current highly successful generation of low-cost Fire Tablets: Amazon Review Policy Change.
-Of course, sometimes when things go wrong, it’s best to retreat entirely and fight another day: We Messed Up. We’re Sorry, And We’re Not Rolling Out The Fees Change.
-And then sometimes things really go wrong: Barnes & Noble (Accidentally) Sends Millions Of Nook Related Emails.
-On the other hand, traditional publishing isn’t dealing with its ongoing setbacks very well: Stability in the book marketplace does not mean commercial publishers continue to maintain their share.
-If writing books doesn’t make you happy, then you probably shouldn’t do it. But this is true of many of life’s optional activities, not just writing: Business Musings: Quitting.
-I finished college, but I think I was at the very end of the time period when it made financial sense to do so (and I dropped out of graduate school and never went back): The World Might Be Better Off Without College For Everyone.
-I do feel like I do my best thinking by my bookcases: Why You Should Surround Yourself With More Books Than You’ll Ever Have Time to Read.
-JM
