Comments on: NYC Writers Conference Day 2 http://www.teleread.org/2009/04/25/nyc-writers-conference-day-2/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:52:26 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Paul Biba http://www.teleread.org/2009/04/25/nyc-writers-conference-day-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1044433 Paul Biba Sun, 26 Apr 2009 16:00:58 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/?p=20874#comment-1044433 As a matter of fact, a number of the publisher's representatives said that they relied on the authors to do a significant amount of promotional work. One even said that with all the changes and firings, if you don't do your own promotion you are likely to get none at all (don't remember which publisher this was). As a matter of fact, a number of the publisher’s representatives said that they relied on the authors to do a significant amount of promotional work. One even said that with all the changes and firings, if you don’t do your own promotion you are likely to get none at all (don’t remember which publisher this was).

]]> By: Michael Pastore http://www.teleread.org/2009/04/25/nyc-writers-conference-day-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1044372 Michael Pastore Sun, 26 Apr 2009 13:14:51 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/?p=20874#comment-1044372 If Flint is saying what I think he's saying, then I disagree with him completely. Here's a key passage from Eric Flint's article, The Internet is not a Magic Wand: http://baens-universe.com/articles/The_Internet_is_Not_a_Magic_Wand ========================== And that’s the advice I always wind up giving at these panel discussions. Here it is, stripped to the essentials: “Spend no significant time or effort promoting your work, which is minimal to begin with. Instead, sit your ass down and write. As soon as you’ve written something, submit it to a professional publisher. While you’re waiting to hear the results, write something else. Yes, it’s a dreary business. Yes, it will get damn depressing. But it’s the way I got published and it’s the way almost all authors initially get published." ========================== To me, Flint seems to be saying: Internet marketing does not work. Therefore, writers should not self-publish; writers should keep writing (and submitting) until they find a big-name publisher. After that, let your publisher do the marketing, by getting your books into bookstores. Nice work if you can get it. The photo on Flint's website -- which shows him lounging on a couch, relaxed as a Roman emperor -- seems to corroborate this interpretation. http://www.ericflint.net/index.php/contact-eric/ With luck, we might get Mr. Flint to comment here and clarify. Michael Pastore 50 Benefits of Ebooks If Flint is saying what I think he’s saying, then I disagree with him completely.

Here’s a key passage from Eric Flint’s article, The Internet is not a Magic Wand:
http://baens-universe.com/articles/The_Internet_is_Not_a_Magic_Wand

==========================
And that’s the advice I always wind up giving at these panel discussions. Here it is, stripped to the essentials:
“Spend no significant time or effort promoting your work, which is minimal to begin with. Instead, sit your ass down and write. As soon as you’ve written something, submit it to a professional publisher. While you’re waiting to hear the results, write something else. Yes, it’s a dreary business. Yes, it will get damn depressing. But it’s the way I got published and it’s the way almost all authors initially get published.”
==========================

To me, Flint seems to be saying:
Internet marketing does not work. Therefore, writers should not self-publish; writers should keep writing (and submitting) until they find a big-name publisher. After that, let your publisher do the marketing, by getting your books into bookstores.

Nice work if you can get it.

The photo on Flint’s website — which shows him lounging on a couch, relaxed as a Roman emperor — seems to corroborate this interpretation.

http://www.ericflint.net/index.php/contact-eric/

With luck, we might get Mr. Flint to comment here and clarify.

Michael Pastore
50 Benefits of Ebooks

]]> By: Paul Biba http://www.teleread.org/2009/04/25/nyc-writers-conference-day-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1044134 Paul Biba Sun, 26 Apr 2009 03:47:19 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/?p=20874#comment-1044134 I'm not competent in this area, just reporting, but the universal theme from the panels of editors, writers, agents and consultants was in line with what I reported above. Nobody said anything like what you report Eric Flint saying. I’m not competent in this area, just reporting, but the universal theme from the panels of editors, writers, agents and consultants was in line with what I reported above. Nobody said anything like what you report Eric Flint saying.

]]> By: Chris Meadows http://www.teleread.org/2009/04/25/nyc-writers-conference-day-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1044095 Chris Meadows Sun, 26 Apr 2009 02:30:09 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/?p=20874#comment-1044095 If you'll read the actual article, Flint specifically explains that his advice is aimed at unpublished authors too; it's the advice he gives on the "how do I make a living writing" panels he inevitably ends up on. And he elaborates. If you’ll read the actual article, Flint specifically explains that his advice is aimed at unpublished authors too; it’s the advice he gives on the “how do I make a living writing” panels he inevitably ends up on. And he elaborates.

]]> By: Steve Jordan http://www.teleread.org/2009/04/25/nyc-writers-conference-day-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1044059 Steve Jordan Sun, 26 Apr 2009 01:10:56 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/?p=20874#comment-1044059 Flint's comments may be relevant for the published author who is actually likely to see his books printed by a publisher and make it onto a bookstore's shelves. But in this digital era, that advice is less than helpful for the many e-book authors out there. Flint’s comments may be relevant for the published author who is actually likely to see his books printed by a publisher and make it onto a bookstore’s shelves. But in this digital era, that advice is less than helpful for the many e-book authors out there.

]]> By: Chris Meadows http://www.teleread.org/2009/04/25/nyc-writers-conference-day-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1044034 Chris Meadows Sun, 26 Apr 2009 00:00:58 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/?p=20874#comment-1044034 Funny thing is that in his latest "Salvos Against Big Brother," Eric Flint says <a href="http://baens-universe.com/articles/The_Internet_is_Not_a_Magic_Wand" rel="nofollow">pretty much the opposite</a> in regard to marketing. His view is that the best form of "marketing" is to have a book on shelves in a bookstore, and time spent self-marketing is time that the writer could more productively spend writing more stuff instead. Funny thing is that in his latest “Salvos Against Big Brother,” Eric Flint says pretty much the opposite in regard to marketing. His view is that the best form of “marketing” is to have a book on shelves in a bookstore, and time spent self-marketing is time that the writer could more productively spend writing more stuff instead.

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