I’ve been working in publishing since the 1990s, during my college years. (A bit of trivia few people know: one of my first jobs was data entry for a directory of men who served on the USS Indianapolis, by an Evansville, Indiana, based publisher.)
Over at The Write Stuff conference blog, I answer a few questions about the publishing industry today, and what I think has changed about the writing community since I got into the game. Here’s a bit of what I say:
The biggest change by far is the growing voice and footprint of the self-publishing and e-publishing community, and the associated explosion of services for the independent author. While some of these services are much needed and welcome, it’s difficult for a new writer, without a history of experience, to distinguish between a service that’s worth her time or money, and one that is not. When in doubt, look carefully at the background and qualifications of the people who provide the service, and avoid those that don’t clearly identify who you’re working with.
I also discuss:
- How you can keep up with all the changes in the publishing industry without going crazy
- How introverted authors can engage with readers in a meaningful way
- How writers build platform and reach readers
Click here to read the full interview.
Jane Friedman has spent nearly 25 years working in the book publishing industry, with a focus on author education and trend reporting. She is the editor of The Hot Sheet, the essential publishing industry newsletter for authors, and was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World in 2023. Her latest book is The Business of Being a Writer (University of Chicago Press), which received a starred review from Library Journal. In addition to serving on grant panels for the National Endowment for the Arts and the Creative Work Fund, she works with organizations such as The Authors Guild to bring transparency to the business of publishing.
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