Category Archives: advice

April 01, 2013   Jane   advice, Jane, problem solving, relationships  
4

The power of networking

The other day, one of my clients approached me asking if I knew anyone – an agent or a manager – in the music business who could help a close relative who is a talented songwriter and singer.  This is something way outside of my bailiwick but then I remembered that a colleague, who I really like, respect and trust, works at a large, multi-faceted agency, and it occurred to me that they must have a music component.  Sure enough, I contacted him and he got right back to me saying that he had been in touch with someone in their music department about my client and his situation.  I put them all together and am really hoping that something solid comes out of this.

This got me thinking about the power of networking in our business.  Over the years, publishers have come to me for recommendations on people they should interview for jobs and I have not hesitated to recommend those who I think are qualified and appropriate.  And, of course, as an agent, it is networking that gets me to the right editors and publishers for my projects.

Historically, I haven’t seen a lot of networking  among the various segments of the writing community.  (Sure there are cliques – but these are small and not always effective.) That, however, seems to have changed now, and I think this change is a very positive one.  Over the last year or two, a number of my newer clients have recommended me to their friends and colleagues and everyone has benefitted from this.  By networking, these writers are learning more about their craft and about the business and I am learning more about new talent.

In fact, I think networking is absolutely essential in this crowded and very competitive marketplace. I would love to hear about your own networking experiences.

March 28, 2013   Michael   advice, creativity  
3

Still good advice

It’s been a bit of a crazy week, in part because I’m away next week and I’ve been trying to tie things up. I’m looking forward to my week in London, meeting with our publishing colleagues there (and hopefully seeing some sights, too).

But something came up this week that comes up rather often: authors and day jobs. First, I had a conversation with an author about her upcoming books and her current work situation, and whether she wanted to change that. She’s trying to decide if the security and distraction of the day job are more important than having all her time for writing. Shortly after that, my lovely client Anne Jamison tweeted a link to this newly discovered letter from Oscar Wilde, in which he advises a young writer that the best artists are those who don’t do it for a living.

I have pretty strong feelings on the subject, and they haven’t changed much since this blog post from (gulp) 2006. I don’t think my advice has changed at all, and the only thing I’d add to what authors worry about is Twitter and other social networking.

While it’s wonderful to make a living doing what you love to do, I think the benefits of most jobs (and benefits at most jobs) often outweigh the freedom. As author Sara Zarr points out in that old blog post, it’s not even necessarily either/or. Sometimes one can figure out a way to keep their job in a modified fashion to allow for the best of both worlds: security on the one hand, and freedom on the other. Especially in these uncertain economic times, playing it safe seems the wise way to go.

March 21, 2013   Stacey   advice, bestsellers, inspiration, Stacey  
3

Thoughts from Ann Patchett

I’m a big Ann Patchett fan. Her books are always so good. She is a one-of-a-kind talent who writes nonfiction as well as fiction, a rare accomplishment. And she is also someone who has mindfully decided to refrain from social media and even television, making her success in this market that much more notable (although it’s also worth noting her success came long before social media).

So I’m always happy to discover an article by or about her. I came across this recent interview from denverpost.com where Patchett shares candid advice about her own reading and writing habits. It’s short but there are a few golden nuggets of takeaway in there. Like the fact that she doesn’t have a regular writing routine and it’s ok, her favorite book last year and one she learned about novel writing from was J.K. Rowling’s A Casual Vacancy, and that she doesn’t care about how people read or what they read, only that they are reading. Her last line: “I’m all for trash” to illustrate her point made me laugh out loud.

Enjoy this piece, and hope it’s useful as you think about your own writing style and inspiration.

March 06, 2013   Stacey   advice, bestsellers, inspiration, Stacey, writing  
7

The moment you became a writer

I like learning about writers and their lives outside of their work. It’s always interesting to read about how a writer whose work we love got started and what compelled them to begin writing. When I came across this lovely essay from the incredibly talented author Ron Rash, not only did I order his book Serena, which sounds amazing, but I felt the need to share his words of wisdom with our readers. It also follows my recent post about Quiet and I am once again reminded of the power in observing and listening in our daily lives.

Rash’s story is so personal, but I think there is a focus on looking at things in a different way, as a writer, that also got me to thinking about life-changing moments. Do you remember the moment when you decided you would become a writer? Was it never a question, but rather instinctual? Or did something happen that took you on the road to writing? Please share with us your thoughts on your own gift of storytelling. And I hope you find some inspiration from Rash’s story.

 

February 14, 2013   Michael   advice, Barnes and Noble, Michael, writing  
1

Random thoughts from this week

Yesterday, I know I had a great idea for a blog post. Perhaps it was the Novocain at the dentist, but today I have no clue what that idea was. I know for sure that it was genius, perhaps world-altering, but alas, it is lost like Atlantis. Instead, some random thoughts from the week:

  • I really liked this “7 Things I’ve Learned So Far” post from Melanie Gideon over at Writer’s Digest.  The question of to-Google-or-not-to-Google is always a big one, and I tend to agree it’s best to let a trusted friend or spouse filter through all the information and present just the important things–both good and bad.
  • Speaking of Google, their Valentine’s Day doodle is quite possibly my favorite yet. Too cute!
  • B&N’s Nook news isn’t good. I wonder if they should go back to selling books?
  • The DOJ cleared the Random House/Penguin merger in record time and without any conditions. Maybe they’re being lenient since Penguin (and now Random House, as part of Penguin Random House) agreed to the e-book settlement.
  • And, finally, if you want to feel old: Scholastic announced a new cover for the first Harry Potter book to coincide with the 15th anniversary of its first publication.  I think Kazu Kibuishi did an amazing job. That’s one brave dude to tackle such a daunting challenge!
February 06, 2013   Stacey   advice, bestsellers, fun, opinion, Stacey, writing  
6

Welcome to the writing club

We’ve talked a lot about the difficulties that come with a writing career. With the market changing as it has the last couple of years, rejection and disappointment has become an even bigger part of our reality. In some ways, all the rejection makes success feel that much better. In others, it feels like a punch in the gut after running a marathon. Why does it have to be so hard? Talented writers who are penning wonderful books with dedicated agents and supportive publishers still often face challenges making it all work.

So, let’s all just give up now, right? I mean, did you read the piece in The Paris Review about the writer who approached Philip Roth in a deli on the Upper West Side with his just-published novel, and was told he should quit while he was ahead? That’s not the most inspiring story to share with our blog readers.

But this one is. Perhaps you’ve heard of Elizabeth Gilbert, bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love, one of the biggest books of, well, all time. She read the Paris Review piece and has something to say to Roth, and about being a writer. Let’s just say she puts a more positive spin on the subject than Roth did. It’s entertaining and hopeful, and pretty funny.

So while the gloom and doom scenarios about publishing abound, and all of us in the business will face inevitable rejection (repeatedly), writing and the business that surrounds it will always be a place we can go to find creative energy and inspiration in the art of creating something from nothing. And how many jobs can you say that about? Not many so chin up, keep writing, and welcome to the club!

January 23, 2013   Stacey   advice, awards, children's books, fiction, fun, mentors, middle grade, Stacey, writing, YA  
0

What happens after you win a Newbery or Caldecott?

The Newbery and Caldecott award nominees are being announced on Monday, January 28th. Each year I look forward to seeing who is chosen for these prestigious awards. Children’s literature has exploded over the last decade and the quality of material being published in this category is outstanding. When I create my reading lists for pleasure, there are always at least a few middle grade or young adult novels on there. Recent additions include  the much-hyped bestselling FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green and CODE NAME VERITY by Elizabeth E. Wein, which I recall receiving starred reviews when it was released from all of the major trade publications.

So I loved coming across this piece in Publisher’s Weekly recently which interviews previous recipients of this award to ask about how winning has impacted their lives and careers. The answers vary considerably, but it’s always interesting and can be insightful to learn about how writers respond to this type of rare positive attention to their work. Most seem to agree the media outreach and public speaking present a new and unexpected challenge. It’s like becoming a literary celebrity overnight!

I’d love to know if you find any helpful advice for your own work in these interviews, and also if there are books you think or hope will be nominated next week. Please let us know.

January 09, 2013   Stacey   advice, articles, grammar, Stacey, writing  
2

Starting 2013 off right with some help from writersdigest.com

I know we are well on our way to forgetting all about our new year’s resolutions, and is it me, or does the holiday break already seem like an eternity ago? So, instead of complaining about all that work that is already piling up, let’s try to focus on good intentions for the new year, and reminders of ways to do better.

This post from my favorite go-to site for writing advice, writersdigest.com, collects in one great piece the most popular 19 writing articles from the site for all of 2012. It’s so nice to have a bunch of cool pieces collected in one place. Many are about grammar. I mean who hasn’t wondered about the usage for who vs. whom, and aren’t you dying to read about the 12 Clichés All Writers Should Avoid (the comments are particularly entertaining – anyone ever attend a cliché party?)?

It also includes some free downloads and motivational tools like the 12-day plan of simple writing exercises which seems just perfect for, well, right now. Enjoy, and hope these pieces give you the inspiration you need to be your best writing self in 2013 and beyond.

January 07, 2013   Jane   advice, goals, holidays, Jane  
6

Resolutions

It’s a new year, so what else would I write about but New Year’s resolutions?

I know, I know – New Year’s resolutions sound  soooo  boring, but I have found that making them, and checking them monthly and keeping them in mind is very important to moving forward in life and in work.

Putting together a written list—and I do think these should be written down in order to cement them in our minds—takes time and it should take thoughtfulness.  What do we want to achieve this year, health wise, relationship wise, business wise and in our efforts to give back to the universe?

A few of my clients this week presented me with their lists of what they wanted to achieve in their book publishing careers this year, and I am so happy to have these.  It will help me to focus my efforts in helping them.  In fact, I plan to encourage as many of the authors I work with as possible to do the same thing in the coming weeks (a goal should be to have all New Year’s resolutions completed by no later than the middle of January, I think).

And of course, I have done my own set of resolutions in all of the above areas.  I plan to review them very regularly and refine them when necessary (resolutions should be as specific as possible, I find).  Then at the end of the year, I will do an overall evaluation of how  I’ve done in each area, and that will enable me to put together next year’s resolutions that much more easily.

So, what do you think of this whole idea of setting New Year’s Resolutions?  Do you plan to do them for yourself?  I am eager to know your thoughts on the subject.

December 10, 2012   Jane   advice, Jane, social networking  
13

Social media—do I practice what I preach?

So, many of us here have been “preaching” to our clients for years about the importance of them using social media to build their fan base and to sell their books.  We have even created an “Author Website and Social Media Guide” which we share with everyone we represent.

This week, one of my authors called me on my Twitter usage (or lack thereof), saying that I wasn’t following her and asking me why that was.   She told me how important it was to her to have me follow her on these sites and I realized that if that was the case for her, then it must also be true for many of my other authors as well.  The fact is that I simply don’t use Twitter much and am only a bit better on Facebook.  Don’t even talk to me about LinkedIn.

Why is that?  The truth is that despite its value, I don’t really know how to use social media effectively – what to say, how often to say it, and most of all does anyone care are all issues that  stop me from being more active on these sites.  In fact, I who preach using it every day, several times a day to whomever will listen, am totally intimidated by it.

I wonder, as the year is coming to an end and I establish a new year’s resolution to increase my social media presence whether you can suggest ways to make this easier for me. I am eager to hear your ideas.

« Older posts
Newer posts »