Perennials

Why Publishers Should Blog

June 23rd, 2008 · 32 Comments

Let us begin with synopses and cover copy: both are fine bits of information that only begin to convey the character of a book (although cover copy sometimes lies!). These snapshots of information are nice, but, well, not prime examples of great writing about books. Publishers are bizarrely hands-off when it comes to talking about […]

File Under: Perennials · The Future of Publishing

BEA 2008 – Basic Web 2.0 Takeaways

May 30th, 2008 · 8 Comments

The BS team spent the first full day of 2008’s Book Expo America watching booksellers, publishers, agents, authors, and everyone else get religion. In 2006, Don Tapscott, author of Wikinomics, spoke to what should have been this crowd about the future and how the publishing business needed to move forward quickly…sadly, Tapscott spoke a large […]

File Under: Marketing For Introverts · Perennials

Life On Venus: Authors Do Market

May 21st, 2008 · 36 Comments

Dan Green is one of my favorite bloggers — smart and provocative — even though we see the world from very different perspectives. I would rather read a 1000 of his words over 10 of most bloggers, even when he takes exception to one my recent comments, one where I was baffled about authors who […]

File Under: Marketing For Introverts · Perennials

Not A Formula For Success

May 12th, 2008 · 28 Comments

Once there was an author who wrote a book. He (though he could have been she) sent the book to his editor who cried at the beauty of the words and published the book and the people bought this book and declared it a thing of wonder and the book was deemed an American Classic […]

File Under: Marketing For Introverts · Perennials

The Art of Conversation

March 10th, 2008 · 5 Comments

I’m still trying to create some coherence from this year’s SXSW Interactive Festival. Lots of ideas coming in, very few coming out. I think there’s a high level meeting happening in my brain. Presumably, the neurons will let me know when it’s time for me to get involved. In the meantime, one quick thought about […]

File Under: Marketing For Introverts · Perennials

Blogging In The 21st Century

February 25th, 2008 · 19 Comments

I swear this is going to be my last TOC 2008-related post*. There is one more topic that has been rattling around BSHQ and, well, it’s time to get it out in the open. Blogging. It’s good, it’s bad, it’s ugly, and it’so misunderstood. We need have some frank discussion. There is no such thing […]

File Under: Marketing For Introverts · Perennials

How The iPhone Can Save The Book Business

January 10th, 2007 · 34 Comments

Here’s how things work: yesterday, Paramount Pictures announced they’re going to make downloads of feature films available via iTunes. In other news, Apple changed its name and announced the long-anticipated iPhone. Lightbulb, on. Bad timing, Paramount. Great news, book industry. Omigosh, you’re saying, cellphone? Books? Hello? Apples, oranges, dropped calls, excessive fees, itty bitty screens. […]

File Under: Non-Traditional Publishing · Perennials

And You Make How Much?

May 17th, 2006 · 13 Comments

I’ve mentioned this before here on Booksquare. There’s an odd thing that happens when someone learns you’re a published author. This can be friend or complete stranger it doesn’t matter. Once they know you have a book on the shelf they now have a complete license to ask you anything. This can be your sex […]

File Under: Perennials