One of the most frequent questions I receive from writers is how to manage it all: how to write, market and promote, stay on top of new technology and tools, and still have time for a life.
How is it possible to be active on several social media sites and still have time to explore a new one?
How can you learn a technology when it’s just going to change again in 6 or 12 months?
How can your focus on producing a quality work while also building a quality platform?
These are tough questions.
I had the opportunity to interview David Houle—a futurist who has spoken at publishing industry events—about the tension that emerges when living in an age of information abundance and technological change, and how it challenges creativity, particularly as it pertains to writing and publishing.
I think you’ll enjoy the conversation; you can find it at VQR.
In the comments below, I invite you to share tips, philosophies, or favorite tools that help keep you sane and productive during an age when nothing seems to stay the same for long. (You can see my tips here: The Secret to Finding the Time to Write, Promote, Market, Promote, and Still Have a Life.)
Jane Friedman (@JaneFriedman) has 20 years of experience in the publishing industry, with expertise in digital media strategy for authors and publishers. She is the publisher of The Hot Sheet, the essential newsletter on the publishing industry for authors, and was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World in 2019.
In addition to being a columnist for Publishers Weekly, Jane is a professor with The Great Courses, which released her 24-lecture series, How to Publish Your Book. Her book for creative writers, The Business of Being a Writer (University of Chicago Press), received a starred review from Library Journal.
Jane speaks regularly at conferences and industry events such as BookExpo America, Digital Book World, and the AWP Conference, and has served on panels with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Creative Work Fund. Find out more.