Writing Is My Business and So Is Publicity

I recently heard a writer who teaches at a Midwest college talk about the brave new world of publishing. Since her last book came out in 2005, she's seen an enormous shift, she said.

Her publisher wanted her to do things she knew absolutely nothing about: create a web page, open a twitter account, go on Facebook, start a blog, produce a book trailer, speak to book groups, organize a blog tour.

As she spoke, I thought how lucky she was to have a day job. She said it herself after her reading: ...