Comments on: Staying positive in a volatile environment

By: jane Dystel

jane Dystel — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 15:43:42 +0000

Thank you Carol,

We feel it is very important to keep our readers totally up to date.

By: Lance Parkin

Lance Parkin — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 14:43:12 +0000

What’s changed is that it’s now very easy indeed ‘to get published’. You can get an ebook listed on Amazon with less time and effort than it used to take to make a photocopy of a manuscript.

And people have been blinded by that, because that used to be the endgame ‘I got my book published, look – you can buy it here’.

The challenge now is not to be published, it’s to be read. And to be read in a way that allows the author to earn some money for their work.

The best way to earn money writing a book is still, in a lot of cases, when you have a ‘big publisher’, a passionate editor, good designer and enthusiastic marketing department.

And with so many small presses now, and with cutbacks at the mainstream publishers, that means that an agent’s job has flipped, to some extent to gatekeeping publishers – making sure only the best of *them* get through the net. ‘OK, you’re “keen to publish” my client … so let’s see your marketing plan’. Protecting their authors from sharp practice or penny pinching.

I’m very happy with my agent (hi, Jessica), because as well as pushing me, she pushes my publishers. To do better, we have to be better.

By: Carol Svec

Carol Svec — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 14:26:08 +0000

When I was growing up, my family never lived anywhere more than three years. I went to three 4th grades in the same year. My sister went to three different high schools. No reason…my father was just a rover. I learned adaptation. I became a chameleon. I think it’s a form of optimism, but a stripped-down version. Not so much mental as visceral.

Each transition requires guidance from people who know the new norms and can provide a short-cut to change. Thank you for all the advice and perspective you give on this website. I may not comment often, but I read all the blogs.

By: jane Dystel

jane Dystel — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 20:58:28 +0000

That’s what I like to hear.

By: Any Author

Any Author — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 19:14:15 +0000

I have suffered some set-backs after my first two books were published and for a while, I found it very disheartening. But what I learned was to stop being attached to the results. To really focus on the process. It does make it easier. And yes, I do like this blog because it keeps me informed and also is usually very encouraging.

By: Lynn

Lynn — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 17:01:38 +0000

Interesting post, Jane. I just finished reading Janet K. Grant’s post over at Books & Such Literary Management and she was also talking about how the publishing world is constantly changing. To sum it up, Janet said publishers are taking less of a risk now when they should be taking more because who knows what the next trend will be. By taking a risk on a few new authors/titles each year, one could very well be the next trend starter. When that happens, it’s better business for everyone. It all comes back to staying positive in an ever changing environment.