tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post7289754837829342211..comments2024-03-28T02:00:11.260-05:00Comments on A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: Konrath Vs. ColbertJA Konrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comBlogger104125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-80681115521908215402014-07-05T09:17:13.849-05:002014-07-05T09:17:13.849-05:00Amazon provided a way for storytellers to market t...Amazon provided a way for storytellers to market their wares in direct competition with the old gateway to the publishing world: agents and mainstream publishers. The anachronistic rusty gateway sentinels find themselves competing against a growing independent author element, assaulting what they considered their own sacred marketplace. Those sentinels, forced to abide by the same rules governing everyone on the Amazon world marketplace, abhor a taste of their own medicine. Great post, Mr. Konrath.BernardLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09722619048888613647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-42083516124369694172014-06-09T21:19:38.665-05:002014-06-09T21:19:38.665-05:00Vincent Martinez (above) said it all. The Big Fiv...Vincent Martinez (above) said it all. The Big Five won't give new authors the time of day. <br /><br />Screw 'em. They don't care about new authors, never did, and should not be pretending to care with their phony lobbying efforts for government intervention to save American culture.Walter Knighthttp://www.waltknight.yolasite.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-53288282299436354852014-06-09T19:15:47.817-05:002014-06-09T19:15:47.817-05:00There was a name (which I can't recall) given ...There was a name (which I can't recall) given to the phenomenon in which we hear/read media utterly botch something we know something about, and yet move on to the next story which we don't and still consider them authoritative.<br /><br />JK, a wise man might consider if he's falling prey to that phenomenon if he buys what Colbert is selling in the future.Alexnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-17686388984920592482014-06-09T13:32:25.959-05:002014-06-09T13:32:25.959-05:00I love Colbert, but what I hate is how wealthy, es...I love Colbert, but what I hate is how wealthy, established writers and large legacy publishers are trying to say they're doing what they're doing for "authors."<br /><br />For years, I tried so hard to get noticed. For years, my work was rejected, and I was ignored by agents. I didn't see any of these entities reaching out to me. All I got were unanswered phone calls, sneers, and form rejection letters. Trying to get published was like trying to break into a bank vault with a pipe cleaner. So, for almost a decade, I gave up on writing--except for my dead-soul job as a copywriter. <br /><br />It wasn't until I started self-publishing a couple of months ago that I finally started getting my work into the hand of others. I'll be honest, I've not sold much, and I'm having a hell of a time trying to move my stories on my limited marketing budget, but at least my work is OUT THERE. At least it's getting a shot at being read and noticed.<br /><br />All I see from Hatchette and the wealthy authors is, "We're doing this to protect you, and protect writing, and protect America!" but where were these people when I humbly offered up my manuscripts, when they wouldn't even give me the time of day?<br /><br />Yes, I love bookstores, and, yes, I love printed books, but now that authors now have the chance to bypass the traditional traps of publishing, maybe these publishers and bookstores should try figuring out how to reach out to those of us using the new methods of publication, instead of trying to demonize and tear it down.<br /><br />--Vincent C. Martinez (author of "Electric Elizbeth" and "Christmas in Culm")Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15151078359160547507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-38865865724872490702014-06-08T15:18:11.194-05:002014-06-08T15:18:11.194-05:00I didn't watch Colbert before an am def. not w...I didn't watch Colbert before an am def. not watching him now. Dr. Jesu Estradahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11254514005488330090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-88338090219307370392014-06-08T14:22:23.082-05:002014-06-08T14:22:23.082-05:00I believe Hachette sent out talking points to crea...I believe Hachette sent out talking points to create bargaining chips for negotiations. We will see more class envy political celebrity rants about big bad Amazon. <br /><br />I wish Hachette and all the Big Five would keep their E-book and back list prices high. Let them learn the hard way about competition.Walter Knighthttp://www.waltknight.yolasite.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-12683470699874069062014-06-08T12:54:02.694-05:002014-06-08T12:54:02.694-05:00From a new PW piece (surprisingly) on Amazon not b...From a new PW piece (surprisingly) on Amazon not being entirely evil.<br /><br /><i>"Some industry observers view the much-vilified Amazon far more favorably than they do Hachette, emphasizing how Amazon has expanded reading and access to books, not to mention digital reading, while empowering untold numbers of self-published authors, many of whom were once rejected by traditional publishers. All the while, Amazon pays these self-published authors far better royalties than the Big Five houses offer."</i> <br /><br />http://publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/62785-is-amazon-really-the-devil.html<br /><br />Hmm. Kinda funny how people outside of Legacy world, who are neither invested in or otherwise beholden to its survival, have drawn these wacky conclusions.<br /><br />And one thing Joe, the new AG Prez is almost begging to be fisked in this article.David L. Shutterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08357694121376734716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-3066686813533995252014-06-08T00:29:17.273-05:002014-06-08T00:29:17.273-05:00I don't think this is that surprising - for al...I don't think this is that surprising - for all of Colbert's anti-Bush stuff when he started (which was gratifying and hilarious), he is pretty pro-establishment in many respects.<br /><br />I mean, you can tell that he lays off the persona when he brings in guests he agrees with (if I remember right, he had Paul Krugman on there and you don't get more "establishment" than Krugman).<br /><br />Walter Knight: Yeah, he's a "liberal." Have you notice how illiberal the so-called "liberals" really are? In this regard, yeah Colbert is playing to type - have a huge business monopoly that shuts out competitors. Not to get too political on this blog, but that's been the whole O administration economic policy - and Colbert is on their side.<br /><br />However, Colbert could just be defending his publisher. If he felt otherwise, he should've just vetoed the story and did something else. Because of this, I think Colbert really doesn't like Amazon or he's jumping on the establishment media bandwagon.Non-Spinning Regular Tiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01670164316396195162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-24409383174900477532014-06-08T00:25:30.097-05:002014-06-08T00:25:30.097-05:00You act as though it should be self-evident Hachet...<i>You act as though it should be self-evident Hachette is pulling the strings</i><br /><br />Follow my posts. It's very likely Hachette is pushing for the agency model.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-62568567329510366622014-06-08T00:22:54.186-05:002014-06-08T00:22:54.186-05:00Many American, including you, vote liberal, but li...<i>Many American, including you, vote liberal, but live conservative. </i><br /><br />I vote libertarian, not democrat.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-13496094107556231442014-06-07T15:55:06.459-05:002014-06-07T15:55:06.459-05:00Since Hachette was just the first to negotiate wit...Since Hachette was just the first to negotiate with Amazon (because a federal judge forced it to), are we ready for four more media shit-storms from clueless celebrities who have books published with them?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-75945831669413765432014-06-07T15:34:10.113-05:002014-06-07T15:34:10.113-05:00Colbert is a liberal, so of course he would favor ...Colbert is a liberal, so of course he would favor government intervention to harm Amazon, an 'evil corporation.'<br /><br />Many American, including you, vote liberal, but live conservative. You have no problem doing that until the liberals finally try to take a bite out of your ass. Even then, you will probably continue to vote liberal. It's a Chicago tradition.<br /><br />Still love you, man.Walter Knighthttp://www.waltknight.yolasite.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-60660914239683716102014-06-06T21:38:41.466-05:002014-06-06T21:38:41.466-05:00This bottom-lines it for me pretty well :-)
"...This bottom-lines it for me pretty well :-)<br /><br />"I like to think I have balls. But even I didn't start really laying into the legacy industry until I got my rights back. You don't shit where you eat. <br /><br />That said, you don't blame others for stuff your publisher does."adanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00710750989853277203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-78789107997673305892014-06-06T18:24:31.070-05:002014-06-06T18:24:31.070-05:00Joe: You act as though it should be self-evident H...<b>Joe:</b> You act as though it should be self-evident Hachette is pulling the strings, but the whole thing is kind of confusing if you haven't been following it. And also, it wasn't Hachette who decided to pull the pre-order buttons, which was one of Colbert's main complaints.Chris Meadowshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04298615284856498608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-13552266466440877192014-06-06T18:20:33.128-05:002014-06-06T18:20:33.128-05:00If media coverage is anything to go by it looks li...If media coverage is anything to go by it looks like Colbert is winning:<br /><br />http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/new-chapter-in-antiamazon-feelings-as-hachette-loses-the-plot-over-margins-9503906.html<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-76428401986961784232014-06-06T17:24:32.151-05:002014-06-06T17:24:32.151-05:00The character is a narcissist. Therefore, anything...<i>The character is a narcissist. Therefore, anything that keeps his works out of the hands of people is evil.</i><br /><br />That would be Hachette. Which he would have known, had he done a modicum of research.<br /><br />But in character or out of character, who has the balls to criticize their own publisher?<br /><br />I like to think I have balls. But even I didn't start really laying into the legacy industry until I got my rights back. You don't shit where you eat. <br /><br />That said, you don't blame others for stuff your publisher does. It's weak. JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-562376166511574532014-06-06T17:12:01.150-05:002014-06-06T17:12:01.150-05:00Joe: Going off on Hachette wouldn't fit Colber...<b>Joe:</b> Going off on Hachette wouldn't fit Colbert's narrative. The character is a narcissist. Therefore, anything that keeps <i>his works</i> out of the hands of people is evil. Any other considerations are secondary to his ego.Chris Meadowshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04298615284856498608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-72900226203165820742014-06-06T15:35:25.352-05:002014-06-06T15:35:25.352-05:00I watched Colbert's show exactly once, years a...I watched Colbert's show exactly once, years ago. <br />At the time, I thought to myself "Wow. This guy is a classless, unfunny hack who is forced to rely on vulgarity to get a laugh," and I never watched him again.<br />I did see him pop up on The Tonight Show when Fallon took over, and again he took the opportunity to prove how classless and vulgar he is, yelling cusswords on one of the show's most monumental episodes.<br /><br />My only shock and dismay about this whole Colbert ordeal is finding out that more than a dozen people still waste time watching him.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07274209183117440416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-76038149438943290402014-06-06T15:35:19.437-05:002014-06-06T15:35:19.437-05:00Hey guys, why not leave a comment on the Colbert N...Hey guys, why not leave a comment on the Colbert Nation website asking for Joe to be a guest? I just did. <br /><br />Here's the link (hope this works):<br />http://thecolbertreport.cc.com/videos/ukf9gv/amazon-vs--hachette#commentsSean Mitchellnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-40341196752715012982014-06-06T15:32:37.231-05:002014-06-06T15:32:37.231-05:00This is admittedly defensive of Colbert, but isn&#...This is admittedly defensive of Colbert, but isn't this entire skit meant to be hyperbolic? Colbert (the character, that is) is known for his narcissism, and it seem a bit overblown to attack to his logic because, frankly, he oftentimes doesn't have sound logic. Similarly, it's strange to me that some pro-publisher sites are championing Colbert as "joining the fight against Amazon." Again, Colbert (the character) may well be joining fray because his personal sales are being hurt due to the dispute. To say that Colbert (the real person) does not do his research seems to me to be an overreaction. Remember, this is the exact same character that said: "Contraception leads to more babies being born out of wedlock, the exact same way that fire extinguishers cause fires." Among many other much more ridiculous things. Why is it that we're taking this Amazon stance at face value rather than ascribing an understanding of hyperbole and satire, which I personally think it's due.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-5802792031606773012014-06-06T15:18:34.428-05:002014-06-06T15:18:34.428-05:00Maybe Colbert could have redeemed himself by blami...Maybe Colbert could have redeemed himself by blaming this on the so obvious real villains of this entire Amazon/Hachette kerfuffle... George Bush and the Koch Brothers... Duh. McDooglehttp://www.heritage.org/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-20730334754295399562014-06-06T15:17:19.032-05:002014-06-06T15:17:19.032-05:00What’s better for authors— dealing with a legacy p...<i>What’s better for authors— dealing with a legacy publisher like Hachette? Or self-publishing via Amazon, Apple, Smashwords, or somewhere else?<br /><br />But they didn’t go there.</i><br /><br />Too bad. Instead Colbert has his silly anti-Amazon download sticker still on his homepage.<br /><br />Double fail. Fail to get to the core of the issue (and even though his show is a comedy, he's constantly getting to the core of the issue) and fail to back the wrong horse. JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-77139527694665161312014-06-06T15:14:37.956-05:002014-06-06T15:14:37.956-05:00Poe's law involves it being hard to differenti...Poe's law involves it being hard to differentiate between a radical viewpoint and a joke.<br /><br />How can anyone reading this:<br /><br />"Once I get my thousands (yes, THOUSANDS) of loyal followers to boycott your show, your ratings will plummet and you'll wind up as a second-string character on a Fox sitcom."<br /><br />not realize I was joking?<br /><br />I said I had so much power, I'd make Colbert gain weight. Who could possible read that and think I was being serious?<br /><br />I have no power. That's the joke.<br /><br />I'm not joking that Colbert got on the wrong side of the issue. But I presented it humorously, like he does on his show. Didn't talking about green bean casserole and flipping off his Nana and saying I'll read his book in 4-6 weeks telegraph that point? <br /><br />According to countless pinheads on the Internet, no. People think I actually expect Colbert to put me on his show and sell my books on his website.<br /><br />I don't know what else to say. I've been stunned by stupidity before, but this whole Hachette thing has brought out more collective stupid than I've seen in a long time...JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-26455858698211119052014-06-06T14:58:12.802-05:002014-06-06T14:58:12.802-05:00Joe said: “He could have done a very funny skit ex...Joe said: “He could have done a very funny skit explaining how the Hachette really didn't collude to fix prices, because a company that pays its authors 12.5% royalties and keeps rights for the author's life plus seventy years would never do something so low. That's in character, and the kind of satire he could have done.”<br /><br />As a semi-regular watcher of Colbert, this struck me as well. He came out of character to do this piece. Odd.<br /><br />But there’s something else that happened after the clip Joe posted ends. Colbert interviews author Sherman Alexie.<br /><br />Colbert: Is this a giant creating a monopoly, trying to crush the little guy?<br /><br />Alexie: No, it’ two giants fighting each other. Hachette is a big corporation—<br /><br />Colbert: Oh, okay. Who do I root for then?<br /><br />Alexie: You root for the authors.<br /><br />Then there’s an awkward pause. Here is where both authors, Colbert and Alexie, almost make the leap into asking some important questions: Whose side am I on? What’s better for authors— dealing with a legacy publisher like Hachette? Or self-publishing via Amazon, Apple, Smashwords, or somewhere else?<br /><br />But they didn’t go there.Sean Mitchellnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-11595859233184867112014-06-06T14:37:50.398-05:002014-06-06T14:37:50.398-05:00Hmmm, I think (from reading the many comments abov...Hmmm, I think (from reading the many comments above) you may have strayed into Poe's Law territory here.<br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poe's_lawAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com