Comments on: The Myth of Sisyphus http://booksquare.com/the-myth-of-sisyphus/ Dissecting the publishing industry with love and skepticism Sun, 14 Mar 2010 04:31:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Jack http://booksquare.com/the-myth-of-sisyphus/comment-page-1/#comment-167325 Jack Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:49:58 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/the-myth-of-sisyphus/#comment-167325 But Sisyphus had also taken on the habit of writing before learning how to live. He had already decided to go on with all the ups and downs of his life by tricking his mind. But Sisyphus had also taken on the habit of writing before learning how to live. He had already decided to go on with all the ups and downs of his life by tricking his mind.

]]> By: K.S.R. Kingworth http://booksquare.com/the-myth-of-sisyphus/comment-page-1/#comment-167301 K.S.R. Kingworth Fri, 07 Mar 2008 10:38:42 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/the-myth-of-sisyphus/#comment-167301 Hi Kassia, I read your blog frequently, for the very reason that you provide great information just like this! It seems like "influencers" in publishing misunderstand who is in the position of power. They want you to read their book, yet they want to know what your plans are for covering the it. Did I miss something here? To answer your question: So what would I do if I were you? Put myself in your shoes for starters, and try to remember who butters my bread for another. And to remember that I bake my own bread, and not feel entitled to getting a hand out AND ask that the hander outer 'butter it to, while you're at it.' I hope you've got that Sony eReader in your lap! Hi Kassia, I read your blog frequently, for the very reason that you provide great information just like this!

It seems like “influencers” in publishing misunderstand who is in the position of power. They want you to read their book, yet they want to know what your plans are for covering the it. Did I miss something here?

To answer your question: So what would I do if I were you? Put myself in your shoes for starters, and try to remember who butters my bread for another. And to remember that I bake my own bread, and not feel entitled to getting a hand out AND ask that the hander outer ‘butter it to, while you’re at it.’

I hope you’ve got that Sony eReader in your lap!

]]> By: What you should know about pitching blogs « The Book Publicity Blog http://booksquare.com/the-myth-of-sisyphus/comment-page-1/#comment-167300 What you should know about pitching blogs « The Book Publicity Blog Fri, 07 Mar 2008 03:07:09 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/the-myth-of-sisyphus/#comment-167300 [...] — ycheong Kassia Kroszer, who blogs at Booksquare, posted an entertaining and informative piece about pitching bloggers. I encourage you to click through to the post to read her frank but fair [...] [...] — ycheong Kassia Kroszer, who blogs at Booksquare, posted an entertaining and informative piece about pitching bloggers. I encourage you to click through to the post to read her frank but fair [...]

]]> By: ConpicuousChick http://booksquare.com/the-myth-of-sisyphus/comment-page-1/#comment-167299 ConpicuousChick Wed, 05 Mar 2008 16:08:54 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/the-myth-of-sisyphus/#comment-167299 As the content editor of an online music magazine for eight years, I have great empathy for your plight. Record labels and publicists, just like book publishers and their related PR folks, are inundated with projects to promote. In my opinion, this leads to a situation where no artist or author are garnering the attention they truly deserve from their publicist. On the reviewer/media side, we're forced to sift through identical, nonconcrete requests for coverage that may or (or more likely) may not be read and acted upon. The standard press release sounds like empty campaign promises and barely tells the prospective reviewer/interviewer anything of substance. And let's face it, none of us have the time or the inclination to wade through it all and find out for ourselves. I agree - Reduce the output of books/albums thereby saving money on product costs (which, not coincidentally, will free up a smidgen more of the publicist's time and energy) then spend that money on intelligent and effective marketing. Publicists themselves should create databases of media outlets/reviews, notating what authors/projects they carry (and if they praised or panned them) and respond accordingly. While this approach probably does require more effort, what is the ultimate goal of the publicist? For their clients to actually garner media attention or just the appearance of doing their jobs? As the content editor of an online music magazine for eight years, I have great empathy for your plight. Record labels and publicists, just like book publishers and their related PR folks, are inundated with projects to promote. In my opinion, this leads to a situation where no artist or author are garnering the attention they truly deserve from their publicist. On the reviewer/media side, we’re forced to sift through identical, nonconcrete requests for coverage that may or (or more likely) may not be read and acted upon. The standard press release sounds like empty campaign promises and barely tells the prospective reviewer/interviewer anything of substance. And let’s face it, none of us have the time or the inclination to wade through it all and find out for ourselves.

I agree – Reduce the output of books/albums thereby saving money on product costs (which, not coincidentally, will free up a smidgen more of the publicist’s time and energy) then spend that money on intelligent and effective marketing. Publicists themselves should create databases of media outlets/reviews, notating what authors/projects they carry (and if they praised or panned them) and respond accordingly.

While this approach probably does require more effort, what is the ultimate goal of the publicist? For their clients to actually garner media attention or just the appearance of doing their jobs?

]]> By: Mrs Jones http://booksquare.com/the-myth-of-sisyphus/comment-page-1/#comment-167298 Mrs Jones Tue, 04 Mar 2008 23:23:54 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/the-myth-of-sisyphus/#comment-167298 "What you need to know: you’re hitting me and my peers with pitches all the time. All of you. Every day. This means we need to sift through the good, the bad, and the scary (don’t get me started on the scary) of pitches every day. What would you do if you were us?" Publishers say this to writers all the time when they're wailing about their ever-expanding Slush Piles. So the shoe does eventually migrate to the other foot then? I like it. “What you need to know: you’re hitting me and my peers with pitches all the time. All of you. Every day. This means we need to sift through the good, the bad, and the scary (don’t get me started on the scary) of pitches every day. What would you do if you were us?”

Publishers say this to writers all the time when they’re wailing about their ever-expanding Slush Piles. So the shoe does eventually migrate to the other foot then?

I like it.

]]> By: David Thayer http://booksquare.com/the-myth-of-sisyphus/comment-page-1/#comment-167297 David Thayer Tue, 04 Mar 2008 21:53:35 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/the-myth-of-sisyphus/#comment-167297 This is why our Mrs. Frothingmunster resigned as postmistress of Wellington Leg, a tidal flux of titles made the afternoon sort a veritable ordeal. Still she should have read your article or given notice or both if you ask me. This is why our Mrs. Frothingmunster resigned as postmistress of Wellington Leg, a tidal flux of titles made the afternoon sort a veritable ordeal. Still she should have read your article or given notice or both if you ask me.

]]> By: Clive Warner http://booksquare.com/the-myth-of-sisyphus/comment-page-1/#comment-167296 Clive Warner Tue, 04 Mar 2008 21:13:40 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/the-myth-of-sisyphus/#comment-167296 Dead Right, Kassia! Reviewers are like mushrooms. You go out expecting to find them because it isSeptember and damp. But there are none! After 4 hours you finally spot one. Then another, then you suddenly see they were all around you. It's a question of being tuned in. Dead Right, Kassia!
Reviewers are like mushrooms. You go out expecting to find them because it isSeptember and damp. But there are none! After 4 hours you finally spot one. Then another, then you suddenly see they were all around you. It’s a question of being tuned in.

]]> By: Shannon http://booksquare.com/the-myth-of-sisyphus/comment-page-1/#comment-167294 Shannon Tue, 04 Mar 2008 18:50:35 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/the-myth-of-sisyphus/#comment-167294 Great piece. Hardly anyone reads my little book blog, and I'm still starting to get these ill-conceived pitches. I'm taking the delete approach for now--since the blog is a hobby/journal for me, I don't feel obligated to help out publishers/authors for whom I have no personal connection. But I would sit and up pay attention if contacted by someone who had a clue about the way this new world is working. Great piece. Hardly anyone reads my little book blog, and I’m still starting to get these ill-conceived pitches. I’m taking the delete approach for now–since the blog is a hobby/journal for me, I don’t feel obligated to help out publishers/authors for whom I have no personal connection. But I would sit and up pay attention if contacted by someone who had a clue about the way this new world is working.

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