Taking his Emerging Writers job quite seriously keeps our friend Dan Wickett very busy. In addition to reading like a fiend, discovering more new authors than one man should legally have time to do (no, Dan is not languishing in library-like prison, though that does sound lovely about now), and keeping tabs on the literary scene, Dan has convened a brilliant panel dealing with first-time authors and publicity.
As MJ Rose notes in her introduction to the panel:
It’s literally painful to read about authors going through the publishing process. Not the writing process. Or the agenting process or the selling process or the editing process. But the publishing process. The “what happens from the day the book goes into production until it hits the stores and for the two to four months after†process.
Thankfully for authors, there are many experienced professionals out there who are willing to offer guidance. It is rather humbling when you realize how many of your peers are willing to help you, the first time author out. For example, this fine discussion between Dallas Hudgens, Sheila Curran, Dean Bakopoulos, Lisa Selin Davis and Kevin Smokler. . .
