Comments on: Some advice on the business end of being a writer. http://writersgroupblog.wordpress.com/2008/01/26/some-advice-on-the-business-end-of-being-a-writer/ Thu, 15 May 2008 15:39:38 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: James Buchanan http://writersgroupblog.wordpress.com/2008/01/26/some-advice-on-the-business-end-of-being-a-writer/#comment-21310 James Buchanan Tue, 12 Feb 2008 00:42:39 +0000 http://writersgroupblog.wordpress.com/?p=415#comment-21310 Thank you Randy. I'm glad you like my yammering. And, writerworking, it also has to be some in moderation. There are some authors I will likely never read because they are constantly bombarding lists I'm on with repeat promos. Thank you Randy. I’m glad you like my yammering.

And, writerworking, it also has to be some in moderation. There are some authors I will likely never read because they are constantly bombarding lists I’m on with repeat promos.

]]> By: writerworking http://writersgroupblog.wordpress.com/2008/01/26/some-advice-on-the-business-end-of-being-a-writer/#comment-21081 writerworking Mon, 28 Jan 2008 14:40:48 +0000 http://writersgroupblog.wordpress.com/?p=415#comment-21081 Sound advice, James. Very sound advice. As all the Southern mamas from my childhood said, "Be nice, honey." And it's so true about having to work your tail off. I have one friend who now does nothing but school visits for her picture books. She gets paid for them, sells books, and has gone into a second printing on the strength of that alone, because as a mid-list author, the publisher hasn't really done that much for her. Another friend got a huge advance for her middle-grade novel (a two-book deal). I thought the publisher would blow her out of the water since they had so much skin in the game. But they really didn't do that much. And she has had a number of issues in her life that have distracted her from the hard task of getting out there and hustling her book. As a consequence, sales have been disappointing. It's a business. When we put out butts in the chair and write, it's art and love and exhileration. When it's done and bound between covers and for sale, it's up to us to promote it. That said, promotion has to be undertaken with the same kind of professionalism and humility that we bring to the art part of it. Hype and hyperbole is a turn-off. Honesty and engagement work. Sound advice, James. Very sound advice. As all the Southern mamas from my childhood said, “Be nice, honey.” And it’s so true about having to work your tail off. I have one friend who now does nothing but school visits for her picture books. She gets paid for them, sells books, and has gone into a second printing on the strength of that alone, because as a mid-list author, the publisher hasn’t really done that much for her. Another friend got a huge advance for her middle-grade novel (a two-book deal). I thought the publisher would blow her out of the water since they had so much skin in the game. But they really didn’t do that much. And she has had a number of issues in her life that have distracted her from the hard task of getting out there and hustling her book. As a consequence, sales have been disappointing. It’s a business. When we put out butts in the chair and write, it’s art and love and exhileration. When it’s done and bound between covers and for sale, it’s up to us to promote it. That said, promotion has to be undertaken with the same kind of professionalism and humility that we bring to the art part of it. Hype and hyperbole is a turn-off. Honesty and engagement work.

]]> By: Randy Nichols http://writersgroupblog.wordpress.com/2008/01/26/some-advice-on-the-business-end-of-being-a-writer/#comment-21069 Randy Nichols Sat, 26 Jan 2008 20:55:03 +0000 http://writersgroupblog.wordpress.com/?p=415#comment-21069 I found your site on google blog search and read a few of your other posts. Keep up the good work. Just added your RSS feed to my feed reader. Look forward to reading more from you. - Randy Nichols. I found your site on google blog search and read a few of your other posts. Keep up the good work. Just added your RSS feed to my feed reader. Look forward to reading more from you.

- Randy Nichols.

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