Panel Notes: Writing: The Business
Contents:
Small Press/Electronic Press: Path to Riches and Fame?
Changing Modes of Communication
Whither Copyright? (WindyCon 2003)
Internet has made it possible for pirates to make any text available to everyone in a matter of minutes
“Mickey Mouse copyright extension” makes public think material will never go into public domain
Napster and Kazza have helped people lose respect for copyright (this in turn is due to gov. not putting antitrust laws into effect for the high prices the music industry charges for CDs)
Is intellectual property system better than patronage system?
Patronage system would impose more restrictions on art than intellectual property system
Shareware system doesn’t seem to work (though Linux is successful)
Could Internet access fees be used to compensate authors for work that is copied?
The Copyright Handbook www.nolo.com Fishman
Small Press/Electronic Press: Path to Riches and Fame? (WisCon 27—2003)
Self-publishing shouldn’t be looked down upon (don’t assume the work automatically sucks)
Self-publishing isn’t path to riches and fame
Hardcovers may be too expensive for readers
Publishing houses may be too small/limited
Amazon.com charges publisher to carry book
E-publishers don’t offer advance, but offer much bigger royalty
Big houses offer some publicity help and get paperbacks into bookstores
Small presses may be staffed by volunteers
Small presses put out books that are comparable to big presses
Big houses give book two-week shelf life before they get remaindered
Small press gives you more time (and better covers)
POD – books will always be there
Publishing houses (big ones) turn down books that they don’t know how to market
Big publishers want authors who can turn out “more of the same” books
(Gavin J. Grant—publisher)
small presses put out quality work and pray
cross-genre books hard for publishers and distributors to put into niche
Internet excellent for self-promotion
Small press less likely to make stupid mistakes with your book
Search for “small press” or “electronic press” and look for ones that might be interested in your work
www.Ebookweb.org
www.Knowbetter.com
publisher deals directly with Barnes and Noble
http://ebooksnbytes.com/publishers.html
B&N managers can make decisions about stocking books
Do signings at several stores, then approach small press buyer
Bring signed book as door prize
Have reading and Q & A session before signing
Get ISBN for books
Set up signing close to holiday if possible
Libraries are now offering e-books for loan
Keep an eye on your rights when you sign contracts
e-publishers can rescue out-of-print books
Mentoring and Being Mentored (WisCon 28—2004)
Mentoring very important in helping authors get started
“Invisible mentor” – find writer who does some of the things you do or want to do and watch them from afar (observe their career and their behavior)
you can learn about markets that way
can approach authors through websites and e-mail (use subject line that will get their attention)
Can get agents through other authors
Science fiction is a community having conversations
You can’t be anyone else, but you can look at people who do similar things
Also ask about former agents of authors
Find someone who knows other people in the field (but remember there are two sides of the story)
Mentoring can be done with students
Workshops helpful because you can connect with other writers and discuss problems
Pro writers have very little time
The best thing to do is to work with people who are both higher and lower levels than yourself, but this is hard to do
Most pros are happy to talk to you if you’re polite
Success isn’t unlimited (other writers can ride on BNA’s coattails)
A handful of writers support the publishing house; others are “investments”
Online mentoring and critiquing
Is there difference between short story writers and novelists?
Need to read what genre or story length you want to write
Don’t use paid story doctors
MONEY FLOWS TO AUTHOR!
SF has best mentoring in the writing field
Writers sponsor new writers
SF authors are very conscious of craft and won’t let others get away with poor craft (but BNA can get away with what seems like poor craft)
Average level of craft in SF is much higher than in other fields
Only writing (and editing) will teach you about writing
Everything you do will help you become a better writer (especially if it enriches your life experience)
HAVE MORE EXPERIENCES!
Changing Modes of Communication (Wiscon 30—2006)
Popular blogs have helped their authors get book deals
Blogs provide networking opportunities
People don’t want to use proper spelling/grammar anymore in the real world
Voice recognition programs need to retrained from time to time
May need to relearn how to write when switching to voice recognition programs
People still need to learn how to use blogs and other new types of communication in fiction (return to epistorarly novel?)
People trying to use blogs in writing fiction (posting parts of stories, etc)
Internet can be used to create non-linear fiction
Deaf and blind people now have more access to communication
Losing common culture; more access to subcultures?
Email doesn’t provide a lot of emotional cues—easier to start a fight
Self-publishing removes filtering from publishing; allows crap to get out
Misunderstandings happen in all types of communication
Slang and different types of speech exist in all cultures (e.g., you talk differently to different people)
Will we change as we do less and less face-to-face communication?
Copyright 2003-2006 Sandra M. Ulbrich