THE AUTHOR BIO: What should be in it for query letters.
http://www.johnsonliterary.com/blog/2009/8/4/the-author-bio.html
QUERIES: What not to do in a query letter.
http://behlerblog.wordpress.com/2009/08/04/how-to-lose-an-editor-in-ten-seconds/
WORLDBUILDING: Patricia C. Wrede’s worldbuilding questions have a new URL:
http://www.sfwa.org/2009/08/fantasy-worldbuilding-questions-the-world/
BUSINESS OF PUBLISHING: Terms used by the publishing industry.
http://pimpmynovel.blogspot.com/2009/08/terms-to-know.html
CONTRACTS: Agent Jenny Bent discusses publishing contracts.
http://www.genreality.net/guest-agent-jenny-bent
PROMOTION: Why A Video Will Sell Your Book
http://www.alanrinzler.com/blog/2009/08/08/why-a-video-will-help-sell-your-book/
CRAFT: Ten Things to Spark Creative Ideas
http://pbackwriter.blogspot.com/2009/08/sparky-ten.html
CRAFT: Why a writer should know grammar.
http://behlerblog.wordpress.com/2009/08/05/grammarians-of-the-world-untie/
PROMOTION: What every author website needs to contain.
http://www.genreality.net/what-makes-a-successful-website
EDITOR INTERVIEW: Editor Angela James of Samhain.
http://www.ninc.com/blog/index.php/archives/meet-executive-editor-angela-james#more-3491
GENRE SALES NUMBERS: Pimp My Book is looking at sales numbers for various popular genres. A very general overview, but his lack of information on the specific makes his commentary less than useful for those in that market.
FANTASY:
http://pimpmynovel.blogspot.com/2009/08/genre-specific-sales-part-1-of-8.html
CHILDREN’S:
http://pimpmynovel.blogspot.com/2009/08/genre-specific-sales-part-2-of-8.html
MYSTERY/THRILLERS
http://pimpmynovel.blogspot.com/2009/08/genre-specific-sales-part-3-of-8.html
3 comments:
"GENRE SALES NUMBERS: Pimp My Book is looking at sales numbers for various popular genres. A very general overview, but his lack of information on the specific makes his commentary less than useful for those in that market."
Thanks for links Marilynn, again some interesting ones.
re above comment, are there better places?
The interview with Angela James was interesting in that she says that at Samhain they publish everything first in ebook format and then go into print (presumably if it is successful) is this typical of ebook publishers?
Do you see this as being a good way to publish?
Alison
Alison, a sense of what is being bought by editors and what the public is buying can be found in many of the blogs and articles I mention here. Sources include agent blogs, editor blogs, and trade paper articles.
I always try to link to articles and blogs on the subject.
If you find blogs here that really fit your market news needs, visit them daily and look at the other professional blogs they suggest to broaden your view.
I tend to bookmark new blogs that look interesting and follow them for a month or so. If they continue to provide new and relevant material, I stay. After a month, I delete the link if it proves to be a waste of time.
And, yes, it is satisfying for a writer to say "no" to an editor or agent.
Lots of small press including successful ones like Samhain and Ellora's Cave, expect you to prove your and your novel's worth by selling a certain amount of ebooks before they invest in a paper version.
Even POD costs the publisher money, and it's foolish to invest that money in a book that an author isn't bothering to market, and the public isn't buying.
Whether you want to take that route is up to you.
I suggest my article on finding the right type of market for your book before you make that decision.
http://marilynnbyerly.com/marilynnbyerly/tomarkettomarket.html
"If you find blogs here that really fit your market news needs, visit them daily and look at the other professional blogs they suggest to broaden your view."
I do that via Google Reader now. It's a great way to organise the sites I like and see what's new at a glance. It means my blogs are limited to ones that have that ability to subscribe or follow, but more seem to be doing that. The little orange box up the top is great.
Mind you it takes a fair bit of time if there are some good posts, but it's a worthwhile learning experience.
I'm always on the lookout for new viewpoints though, which is why I keep checking in here.
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