tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post1140950594116374183..comments2024-03-28T02:00:11.260-05:00Comments on A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: At Home with the SixesJA Konrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-27822769289017795082012-02-06T22:29:16.875-06:002012-02-06T22:29:16.875-06:00Excellent story. I'm new to your blog and I&#...Excellent story. I'm new to your blog and I'm learning so much. Just about to dive into writing my first ebook. Thanks for your tutelage.Tamarahttp://laacupuncture.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-89662775195882734582012-02-02T02:56:28.168-06:002012-02-02T02:56:28.168-06:00And "is" is proper use with "Big Si...And "is" is proper use with "Big Six" as The Big Six is a single non-plural monolithic entity.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-90111786759743633002012-02-02T02:08:25.979-06:002012-02-02T02:08:25.979-06:00I found this a heartwarming family depiction of th...I found this a heartwarming family depiction of the Big Six. In real life as parents the Big Six is somewhere between the guy in the movie 300 who threw newborns off a cliff and Casey Anthony.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-39616226175610167962012-01-31T13:00:57.490-06:002012-01-31T13:00:57.490-06:00Worrying that some day we'll be hit by a meteo...<i>Worrying that some day we'll be hit by a meteor is silly. Instead, worry about the disaster already occurring in publishing; The Big 6.</i><br /><br />That's "Evil Amazon monopoly" counterpoint #1.<br /><br />Here's #2: Google Rakuten Kobo. They're just as big overseas as Amazon is here in the US, bigger in some regards. They're not going to roll over and let Amazon rule the world.<br /><br />Neither will Apple. As dismal as some analysts say their publishing future is compared to Amazon trust that they'll find a way to compete and won't just give up.<br /><br />And if they're never able to out-muscle Amazon (the way they've never been able to out-muscle Microsoft) then they'll find market share through innovation. It's what they do. <br /><br />I think the Amazon monopoly discussion is like the President Donald Trump discussion. It generates a lot of noise, gets attention, but that's about it.<br /><br />Just the way I see it.David L. Shutterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08357694121376734716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-75204686475191443412012-01-31T12:06:28.990-06:002012-01-31T12:06:28.990-06:00I also read his previous article. He really sounds...I also read his previous article. He really sounds like a representative for several industries that have taken hits to their profits because they failed to innovate.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/aug/22/are-books-dead-ewan-morrison" rel="nofollow">Are books dead, and can authors survive?</a><br /><br />Again, Ewan Morrison makes a lot of points, but he missed the bigger picture--especially when he starts talking about piracy. His long tail and free arguments don't seem to be grounded in reality.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NRRIH8" rel="nofollow">The Vanguard Society</a><br /><a href="twitter.com/jeathen" rel="nofollow">@jeathen</a>Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00514825730483772992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-56207470243100900362012-01-31T11:30:23.151-06:002012-01-31T11:30:23.151-06:00Do you really think a complete monopoly will be go...<i>Do you really think a complete monopoly will be good for writers or readers?</i><br /><br />Yes. A thousand times yes.<br /><br />Right now there is a quasi-monopoly. Barry Eisler calls the Big 6 a cartel. He's right. While there is a slight chance there may be no collusion, and that every publisher independently arrived at the exact same royalty rates and payment structures, I'm a bit skeptical.<br /><br />The Big 6 have missed out on a lot of good books. Books readers can now enjoy because they are self-published.<br /><br />Amazon has allowed me to sell over 700,000 ebooks--books that the Big 6 Cartel missed out on. <br /><br />Worrying that some day we'll be hit by a meteor is silly. Instead, worry about the disaster already occurring in publishing; The Big 6.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-73306038527155737212012-01-31T11:09:32.612-06:002012-01-31T11:09:32.612-06:00AMEN !AMEN !C Ehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550901066508791798noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-17882769746110894922012-01-31T11:07:28.992-06:002012-01-31T11:07:28.992-06:00re: the Self-publishing Bubble
I read that articl...re: the Self-publishing Bubble<br /><br />I read that article yesterday, too. It starts off like it might make sense, but then his logic gets really, really strained. He's comparing self-publishing to an economic bubble, like the dot com and housing bubbles of recent years. But once he starts equating authors with "investors" who will lose their shirts when the "bubble" bursts... it pretty much stops making any sense at all. <br /><br />He also seems to start out with the false premise that the overriding belief is that all self-publishers will be millionaires within a year, or some such straw mannish thing.<br /><br />One thing I feel is true that is reflected (though buried) in his wafer thin argument... The rush to get into to self publishing - and the whole "omg... that about the Tsunami of Crap?!?" thing will thin out once people realize that there is little value in actual crap. The ratio of good work to bad will increase when low-low prices cease to be a selling point for sub-par work. <br /><br />Or maybe not. just another 2 cents piled on.Sharper13xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18275818335558623630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-62075347749324312822012-01-31T10:31:06.179-06:002012-01-31T10:31:06.179-06:00Sure it's cathartic and fun to kick the legacy...Sure it's cathartic and fun to kick the legacy publishers who have cruelly rejected many and disappointed the few who made it through their narrow gates. But what happens when Amazon has eaten the big six, snacked on the small presses, buried the indie bookstores and wiped out the last chain? What happens when one corporation OWNS the reading experience? Do you really think a complete monopoly will be good for writers or readers?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-68024917785210911122012-01-31T10:13:32.453-06:002012-01-31T10:13:32.453-06:00I just shed a tear for my many writer friends who ...I just shed a tear for my many writer friends who are exactly like the other “naive” children...I’m soft, I know. But I’m sooo glad the agents said “no” enough to give me time to find Joe before it was too late for me too.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07755199616389026198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-85883093338507615712012-01-31T10:02:06.929-06:002012-01-31T10:02:06.929-06:00Joe, I read this article from The Guardian by auth...Joe, I read this article from The Guardian by author Ewan Morrison, thought you might be interested.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/jan/30/self-e-publishing-bubble-ewan-morrison" rel="nofollow">The self-epublishing bubble</a><br /><br />In the article, he paints a very apocalyptic picture of the future of publishing--both self and traditional. His claim is that self-publishing is just another bubble, akin to the dotcom and subprime mortgage bubbles. Interesting read, although he sounds a lot like the cardboard sign holding vagrant shouting end of the world conspiracies on the street corner.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NRRIH8" rel="nofollow">The Vanguard Society</a><br /><a href="http://twitter.com/jeathen" rel="nofollow">@jeathen</a>Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00514825730483772992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-82283720224594836352012-01-31T09:49:11.202-06:002012-01-31T09:49:11.202-06:00Joe,
question; you mentioned a agent you have befo...Joe,<br />question; you mentioned a agent you have before on your blog. since you are self publishing your stories, why would you still have one?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-69721087698330934342012-01-31T07:40:54.856-06:002012-01-31T07:40:54.856-06:00Who's Jonathan Franzen?
Never heard of him be...Who's Jonathan Franzen?<br /><br />Never heard of him before reading his snobbish remarks.<br /><br />And as someone upstream said, he sure hasn't sent back any royalties he's made off of his OWN ebooks, now has he?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Demon-Daughter-Haven-Jersey-ebook/dp/B006QQ0CZA/ref=sr_1_6?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1325093065&sr=1-6#_" rel="nofollow">Demon Daughter</a>Nancy Beckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06214579721075450777noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-4800266388684352682012-01-30T22:02:19.985-06:002012-01-30T22:02:19.985-06:00@Nancy Beck Re: don't worry about the promo st...@Nancy Beck Re: don't worry about the promo stuff just yet, write more books --<br /><br />Thanks. I've heard this advice before but it's good to hear it again, and again and again.<br /><br />Not hard advice to take since writing is what I love (and promo is just barely tolerable), so back to my rewrite of Book 3 in my series now!Kassandra Lambhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12868883056262771642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-40559968879699106112012-01-30T20:03:19.556-06:002012-01-30T20:03:19.556-06:00Here's the original reporting on Franzen's...Here's the original reporting on Franzen's press conference, from the Telegraph:<br /><br />http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/hay-festival/9047981/Jonathan-Franzen-e-books-are-damaging-society.html<br /><br />He does seem to claim that world peace and democracy are at stake if these awful ebooks prevail... <br /><br />I, for one, adored "Freedom," though I was less impressed with "The Corrections." Clearly Franzen, for all his would-be naivete, is a bit of a provocateur. Remember how he single-handedly destroyed the original Oprah Book Club by objecting to her selection of his book? Didn't want some sort of common stamp of approval. Very high art he produces! <br /><br />A bit effete, I would say. Too good for the likes of mere mortals like us, who make lots of filthy lucre selling entertainment to the masses... rather like William Shakespeare in his day. Heard of him, Jonathan?<br /><br />Patrice Fitzgerald, author of the best-selling ebook thriller RUNNING, and destroyer of world peace :PPatricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01526130858885611254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-41610357378769625542012-01-30T18:12:59.735-06:002012-01-30T18:12:59.735-06:00Chuckle
I knew that was gonna piss someone like J...Chuckle<br /><br />I knew that was gonna piss someone like Jude off.<br /><br /><i> Who's work will be around a hundred years from now? Jonathan Franzen's or Stephen King's?</i><br /><br />Nice point. His horror seems fairly mild by todays standards but when King was coming up with his first few novels he was criticised, banned from schools and panned with every negative tag you can hang on an author by those who considered themselves aligned with "proper literature".<br /><br />In recent years, having stood the test of time, he's been given Grand Master status and a little thing called the Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters.<br /><br />But y'know, once a genre hack always a genre hack. I guess. Especially if some elitist columnist somewhere says so.David L. Shutterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08357694121376734716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-2675889121665757022012-01-30T17:28:52.296-06:002012-01-30T17:28:52.296-06:00Here is a quote from Franzen:
"Am I fetishiz...Here is a quote from Franzen:<br /><br /><i>"Am I fetishizing ink and paper? Sure, and I'm fetishizing truth and integrity too."</i><br /><br />Yeah, I read <i>The Corrections</i>. It was pure crap. I didn't find much truth or integrity contained in the ink and paper between the covers of that printed book.Casey Moretonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08600174380649628026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-45016787823124353442012-01-30T16:38:52.455-06:002012-01-30T16:38:52.455-06:00E-Books are not for Serious Fiction. This E-Book R...<i>E-Books are not for Serious Fiction. This E-Book Revolution is strictly a Genre show.</i><br /><br />What an ignorant statement. Did Franzen really say that? Got a link?<br /><br />I consider my fiction as serious as anyone's. Whatever "serious" means.<br /><br />But then I think I know what it means. I think it means a plotless hodgepodge of musings that The Literati might someday deem appropriate to shove down students' throats like some sort of bitter medicine.<br /><br />Just because a work conforms to the conventions of a certain genre doesn't necessarily mean it's garbage; conversely, just because a work is deemed "literary" doesn't mean it will achieve any sort of lasting value. Who's work will be around a hundred years from now? Jonathan Franzen's or Stephen King's?<br /><br />My money's on King. The digital version.Jude Hardinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-91488377163590003422012-01-30T16:24:28.442-06:002012-01-30T16:24:28.442-06:00So I guess Franzen won't accept the royalties ...So I guess Franzen won't accept the royalties on his digital sales...since he's got such integrity. And those 350,000 sales of Freedom last year alone, those were part of that lowly genre show.Adam Pepperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05373970026826497817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-20535288889908268882012-01-30T14:59:11.592-06:002012-01-30T14:59:11.592-06:00E-Books are not for Serious Fiction. This E-Book R...<i>E-Books are not for Serious Fiction. This E-Book Revolution is strictly a Genre show.</i><br /><br />"Serious fiction". Interesting concept. By your statement "serious fiction" would be Lit-fiction print books only.<br /><br />How "serious" will they continue to be when only mom & pop used bookstores are all that's left. <br /><br />If you're privy to the corporate details of the big print comeback that's being secretly engineered we'd love to hear about it.David L. Shutterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08357694121376734716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-88702261310496861102012-01-30T14:49:03.391-06:002012-01-30T14:49:03.391-06:00Hi, Joe!
Thanks for sending us AT HOME WITH THE S...Hi, Joe!<br /><br />Thanks for sending us AT HOME WITH THE SIXES. I enjoyed Son's voice and attitude, but I'm afraid I didn't quite fall in love with the story enough to make an offer of representation. It seems this project just isn't for me, but I know other editors will love to champion THE NOBLEMAN AND STABLE GIRL. Thanks again for letting me take a look and I wish you the best of luck.Rachel Howzell Hallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00024968013102962506noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-22610458262176977602012-01-30T13:16:39.552-06:002012-01-30T13:16:39.552-06:00Did you hear the news?
Jonathan Franzen says you&...Did you hear the news?<br /><br />Jonathan Franzen says you're wrong.<br /><br />He may be right about one thing. E-Books are not for Serious Fiction. This E-Book Revolution is strictly a Genre show.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-17407468489458841442012-01-30T12:40:49.657-06:002012-01-30T12:40:49.657-06:00I'm finding that it is hard to keep writing/po...<i>I'm finding that it is hard to keep writing/polishing my books to make them top-notch and also do all the promotional stuff. And I'm retired so I don't even have a day job to worry about!</i><br /><br />@Kass Lamb - Don't bother with the promo stuff right now. Concentrate on getting more books uploaded. More books = better chance for people to find your books (because that can find your stuff since you have so much available).<br /><br />Not entirely convinced? Have a go at <a href="http://www.deanwesleysmith.com" rel="nofollow">Dean Wesley Smith's site</a>. Read everything there, but especially his two series, Think Like a Publisher and Killing the Sacred Cows of Publishing (they're tabbed at the top of the site).<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Demon-Daughter-Haven-Jersey-ebook/dp/B006QQ0CZA/ref=sr_1_6?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1325093065&sr=1-6#_" rel="nofollow">Demon Daughter</a>Nancy Beckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06214579721075450777noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-11163133022871585962012-01-30T11:50:10.462-06:002012-01-30T11:50:10.462-06:00I've seen this show...
...only it wasn't ...I've seen this show...<br /><br />...only it wasn't called "At Home with the Sixes".<br /><br />I think it was called "The Sopranos".<br /><br />Todd<br /><a href="http://www.toddtrumpet.com" rel="nofollow">www.ToddTrumpet.com</a>Todd Trumpethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15791428949552390682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-20408938246689556332012-01-30T11:42:50.048-06:002012-01-30T11:42:50.048-06:00this is terrific! I enjoyed reading it, and appr...this is terrific! I enjoyed reading it, and appreciate all the points you made with you usual biting humor~<br /><br />JoanJoan Hall Hoveyhttp://www.joanhallhovey.comnoreply@blogger.com