Are you interested in publishing trend predictions? Do you want to get on Oprah’s show? Are you seeking writing markets, publishers, an agent, a job and/or book promotion ideas? You must spend some time with this month’s Market Update. As a bonus, learn how to throw a successful book launch party and how to sell more books this month.
Here’s What’s New – Stunning publishing prediction, innovative ideas in periodicals and more
Opportunities for Freelance Writers – 9 markets and 3 useful sites for freelancers
Opportunities for Authors – 7 new publishers and agents eager for projects
Book Promotion Opportunities – Book launch party, how to get on Oprah (seriously), how to amp up your book promotion activities and more
Opportunities for Photographers and Artists – Job boards galore. You CAN get work!
Going, Going, Gone – 6 to report
Resources for Authors – a recommended literary attorney, BIG resource directory, new showcase site and a magazine launch service.
Here’s What’s New
New Magazines on the Horizon
Mr. Magazine reports that there were 61 new magazines launched in April 2012. Most of them were annuals and book-zines. This is ten fewer than were launched in March of this year.
Ebook Publishers in the Majority
I saw a statistic this week indicating that 62 percent of print book publishers also produce ebooks. Another 22 percent plan to in the future. Will the remaining 16 percent follow suit or shrivel up and die? It remains to be seen.
Magazine Publishers Attempt to Replace Advertisers
You may hear that print newspapers and magazines are on their way to the landfill. However, a few innovative publishers are thinking outside the box in order to make up income from bailing advertisers. For example, staff at Time Out New York are selling event tickets through its website and iOS apps. The powers-that-be at Real Simple magazine have made it possible for you to shop from an app on your mobile device. Elle magazine launched a shoppable trend guide on Facebook that encourages users to make purchases on advertisers’ websites.
Fascinating/Encouraging Publishing Predictions for 2012
Here’s an interesting article focusing on predictions for the publishing industry in 2012. For example, it is predicted that there will be more self-published bestsellers in the future. That’s encouraging! Large publishing companies will restructure—now that’s predictable. I mean, what else can they do other than give up the ship at this point? There are also interesting predictions with regard to the Kindle, iPad and literary agencies. Check it out: http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2011/ten-bold-predictions-for-book-publishing-in-2012
Here’s another link to what some believe are publishing trends. Here, you’ll find a most interesting theory indicating that we may be able to someday tame the overwhelming information on the Internet into something akin to an app—each user having his own personal Internet app at his disposal. Personally, I welcome that day. I don’t know how it will be possible, but I welcome anything that would specifically address only those things personal to the individual in some sort of organized manner. Would hands-on researchers become obsolete or would they become enmeshed in technology to an even greater degree? Another change on the horizon, according to this reporter involves advertising practices. You gotta check out this list and the explanations that go along with the items. http://www.getthefive.com/articles/the-marketeer/daylife-predicts-digital-publishing-trends-for
I teach and preach that authors and hopeful authors MUST become educated about the publishing industry before getting involved. And it’s important to our success that we continue that education for as long as we want to publish and sell books. Here are a couple more sites where the owners are daring to make predictions with regard to the publishing industry. Some of them might make sense. We should certainly consider the possibilities and prepare for the inevitable. In fact, the only way we will get ahead in this industry is to stay informed and take appropriate action on behalf of our book projects.
http://www.thedirectnews.com/what-is-going-to-be-printed-in-2012-publishing-trends-for-2012
http://creativesatworkblog.com/2012/01/book-publishing-trends-that-will-affect-aspiring-authors
http://www.whoatemybrain.com/2011/05/5-hot-publishing-trends-for-2012.html
Mergers and Acquisitions in Publishing
Wiley acquires another publisher. Their latest acquisition is Harlan Davidson, a family-owned publishing business that publishes mainly history textbooks for college students.
Book printers, Edwards Brothers and Malloy have merged, creating one of the six largest printers in the US.
Here’s a blog post exploring which of the big 6 publishers will be the first to merge. Predictions are that they will merge with each other at some point—possibly within the next two to three years. Read the story here: http://publishingperspectives.com/2012/03/survey-which-of-the-us-big-six-will-be-first-to-merge
Independent Bookstore Headed for Major Airport
Denver-based Tattered Cover Bookstore is close to being approved for four concession spaces at the Denver Airport.
Opportunities for Freelance Writers
For Young Writers
One Teen Story is a literary magazine for and by teens. They run a contest each year, but we are too late to report the 2012 contest as the deadline was the day before we publish. If you know a teen ages 14-19 who loves to write, let them know about this site and this opportunity, in case they want to participate next year. http://www.oneteenstory.com
For Any Writer
Here are a few opportunities in trade magazines:
Expansion Management Magazine buys as many as 120 manuscripts per year covering economic development, and they pay as much as $400 for assigned articles. http://expansionmanagement.com
Business Travel Executive needs technical and how-to pieces related to corporate procurement of travel services. This is not a travel magazine. Study the website before submitting your query letter. http://askbte.com. They pay $200 to $800 for articles 800 to 2,000-words.
Pulse Magazine is for spa professionals and they use how-to, interview, new product and general interest pieces. If you’re going to write a piece featuring a spa, make sure it is a member of ISPA (International SPA Association). Payment is up to $500 for a 2,000-word piece. http://www.experienceispa.com/media/pulse-magazine
Technology Review offers good opportunities for those of you who can write intelligently on technology. Pays as much as $3/word. http://www.technologyreview.com
And a few consumer magazines you may not have thought about.
Family Tree Magazine uses book excerpts for books related to family history. And they also publish articles of up to 4,500 words on topics of interest to its readers. Pay is from $25 to $800. http://www.familytreemagazine.com
Black Gate is looking for horror and fantasy suitable for all ages. Book excerpts okay. They will pay $180 to $400 for 6,000 to 14,000-words. Guidelines here: http://www.blackgate.com/bg/guide.htm
Clarke’s World Magazine is an online venue and chapbook series for short works of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. They want 4,000 words and, if they use your story, they will pay 10 cents/word. Submission Guidelines: http://www.clarkesworldmagazine.com/submissions.html
Have you used your favorite Internet search engine to find magazines in your category, genre or topic, lately? Try it. You might be surprised at what you find. When you discover promising magazines, ezines, newsletters, log them and file the submission guidelines for future reference. As a freelance writer, you can and really should be proactive on your behalf. Always be in research mode seeking out markets for your work. Read publications like this WPN Market Update. But also explore markets on your own every chance you get.
Sites for Freelance Writers
Assignmint.com (yes, this is the correct spelling), is forming as we speak in order to “fix freelancing.” They plan to create a site that will digitally manage a freelance writer’s work, assignments, editorial calendars, pitches, invoices, expenses and contracts. All of this, according to everything I could find, is free. And the owners, including Jeff Koyen, plan to include other types of freelancers in the future. How will they make their money? Evidently, through extra services they offer such as tax preparation, collecting on invoices, etc. There’s nothing to look at yet, but their website is simple: http://www.assignmint.com. While some reports indicate that they will be ready for business this month, others say it won’t be until later in the year. If you want to be among the first to be notified when the business is up and running, there is a sign-up option at the site.
Are you familiar with Freelance Writing Organization, International? This is a website full of resources for writers and it is FREE. Here, you have access to calls for submissions, forums and contests, publishers’ guidelines, articles, a reference library, writing jobs and more. In fact, they boast over 5,200 writing resources and links. You really ought to check this site out at http://www.fwointl.com
Here’s a blog for freelance writers. I found it quite informative and helpful to the freelancer. http://freelancewriterroad.info.
Young Adult—What’s in and What’s Out?
I heard it said the other day that, in the YA world, vampires and werewolves are on the way out and angels and demons will replace them. If you are planning a YA fantasy novel, keep this in mind.
Opportunities for Authors
Publishers You Should Check Out
Waterside Productions and Vook have combined forces to begin a new ebook publishing house called Waterfront Press. It’s reported that authors will receive 75 percent royalty. http://www.waterside.com/agency
According to Publisher’s Weekly, Bruce L. Bortz, publisher at Bancroft Press is seeking memoirs for their 2012-2013 line-up. They have several already in the works and one to be released this month. If you have something you think they’d like, contact Mr. Bortz at bruceb@bancroftpress.com. Learn more here: http://www.bancroftpres.com.
Alive Communications, a Colorado-based literary agency, has launched an ebook publishing company named Bondfire Books. It looks as though they are planning to publish name authors. But this company might be worth looking into. http://www.alivecommunications.com
Familius is a new publisher of family-oriented books. The first ones will launch this month. If you write books on marriage, parenting and family activities, you might check with publisher, Christopher Robbins about a possible publishing contract. According to Robbins, authors do not receive an advance, but they will get higher than usual royalties and these will arrive monthly instead of bi-annually. http://www.familius.com
Walrus Publishing is open to general submissions of original work, but only for authors who reside in St. Louis. They want to see a query or fifty pages or so of your manuscript. http://www.walruspublishing.com. Submissions to submissions@walruspublishing.com. See submission guidelines here: http://www.walruspublishing.com/submissions
Looking for an Agent?
Erin Buterbaugh has joined the MacGregor Literary Agency and will handle children’s books, young adult books and some fiction. http://macgregorliterary.com
Also seeking YA books as well as thrillers, mysteries, and women’s fiction is Rachel Ekstrom, who has just joined the Irene Goodman Literary Agency. http://irenegoodman.com
Resources for Authors
For $10, you can purchase a book listing over 200 publishers, distributors, book clubs, publishing associations and more. http://www.scribd.com/doc/78658328/Publishing-Trends-Publishers-Contact-Sheet-2012
Be sure to order your copy of Executive Director Patricia Fry’s latest two books: Publish Your Book and Promote Your Book. Both books are at Amazon.com and most other online and downtown bookstores.
Book Promotion Opportunities
Throw a book launch party. In my upcoming book, Talk Up Your Book, How to Sell Your Book Through Public Speaking, Interviews, Festivals, Conferences and More, I have a section on the book launch party. I invited a few authors to describe their experiences with launching their books through parties. In fact, I even share my own story of a book launch party held way back in 1983. What makes a book launch party different from a book signing? Often it is the guest list, atmosphere, location, level of festiveness and the focus of the gathering. Just the word “party” should describe the differences.
A book launch party can be thrown by the author, publisher, bookseller, store/restaurant manager or a friend or relative. My daughters arranged for my launch party. We had a cake and around 100 guests. This event was in honor of the first comprehensive history ever written about our small town and I’d interviewed many of the people who attended.
Member illustrator, Teri Rider and author, Karen Stevens had a book launch party for their children’s book, Animals Have Feelings, Too and sold dozens of copies of the book to people who wanted to sponsor books to be donated to local schools. (This book is featured in the WPN Catalog of Member’s Books and Services.) http://www.spawn.org/catalogofbooks.htm
Try to get a celebrity to attend—even if it is just someone local. One author I know hired magicians to come in and entertain at the book launch party for her young adult fantasy. She also had actors read from the book.
You can have a virtual book launch party, as well.
Must you have a book launch party the minute the book is published? Heck no. While it is a good idea to arrange for a launch party when the book is new, there’s no reason why you can’t plan a book revival of sorts. For example, it’s spring. Your book features gardening techniques, tips for vacation-planning, local hiking trips for families, spring cleaning ideas or it would be an entertaining novel to read over the summer. Why not invite everyone you know to celebrate your book with you. Maybe you’ve sold your one-thousandth copy. That’s something to celebrate.
But everyone you know has already bought a copy. This is the time to get creative: suggest it as an Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or birthday gift. Advertise that you’ll give every friend, relative, acquaintance and stranger who brings a friend who doesn’t, yet, own a copy, some sort of gift—free latte at Starbucks, for example or an item related to the theme of your book.
Book Review and Oprah Opps.
Book Nutter is a book review site. Check it out at http://booknutter.com. To contact the reviewer, use the contact form at the site. Click “Contact.”
Here are the top ten book review sites according to one website. http://www.lovetoknow.com/top10/book-review.html
Directory of book reviewers: http://www.ebookcrossroads.com/book-reviewers.html
Do you still dream of appearing with your book on Oprah? There’s still a chance that you could have that opportunity. Oprah interviews interesting people at her OWN network every month. Just go to Oprah’s website and look over the list they post under Casting Call to see if your story might be appropriate. At the time I was working on this newsletter, the topics of interest were: feuding neighbors, caregiving the elderly, dysfunctional workplace environments, marriages on the rocks and more. http://www.oprah.com. Click “Own” and then “Casting Call.” Or go to http://www.oprah.com/own/casting_calls.html
Have You Stopped Promoting Your Book?
It came to my attention again recently that way too many authors don’t get enough word out about their books. They find their comfort zone and there they stay. They build a website, for example, post at their blog once a week or so, establish a FaceBook page and maybe participate in a program at the local library every year. Oh yes, some of them remember to post announcements about their books in a few member newsletters. This is all good. If this describes you, I’m sure you’ve sold some books. But I am just as sure that your sales do not continue to be brisk or even what you could call steady. Some of you are experiencing downright disappointing sales. And that’s because you are not putting in enough effort and energy to keep your book in front of your target audience on any sort of regular basis.
You’ve no doubt discovered that book promotion is hard work. It can be intense. You work for every single book you sell. It’s rare when someone comes along and offers you a good bookselling opportunity that you don’t have to actually work at.
This month vow to do more! Here are some ideas:
- Get your book reviewed many times over.
- Amp up the number of blog posts you write.
- Be a guest blogger at several related blog sites.
- Promote your blog at Twitter, etc.
- Write articles/stories for appropriate publications.
- Sign up for book festivals or flea markets locally and where you plan to travel.
- Send an announcement on some facet of your book to your emailing list.
- Place announcements in some of the free enewsletters related to your book topic/genre.
- Learn how to use the news to promote your book.
- Launch an enewsletter.
- Apply to be a speaker at an appropriate conference.
- Speak locally to civic groups.
- Throw a book launch party.
- Snoop at the sites of other authors to find out how they’re reaching their audiences.
- Order my book, Promote Your Book, by Patricia Fry! (All 14 of these ideas are expanded upon in the book.)
Opportunities for Artists and Photographers
Have you visited Indeed.com. It’s a job site. While checking it out, I found a list of over 2,000 jobs for photographers, 6,700 for artists and over 13,000 for writers. http://www.indeed.com.
Freelance Photographer Jobs at http://www.freelancephotographerjobs.com helps you to find jobs in the state of your choice.
You’ll also find a long list of interesting jobs for photographers at http://photographerjobs.org.
At http://www.artpromote.com/jobs.shtml you’ll find links to several job sites for artists.
I also recommend that you spend time with a directory of magazine market listings and locate magazines that use artwork and photography. You may be able to do an occasional job for them or hire on as staff. Contact some of their freelancer writers and ask if they need art or photos to accompany articles. Don’t tell me that, if you have skill/talent as a writer, artists or photographer that you can’t figure out a way to earn some money at your craft.
Going, Going, Gone
NFL Magazine has closed
Real Eats is closing
Body Smart is going out of business
Soap Opera Weekly is gone.
Pixie has folded
The Magazine Death Pool seems to have stopped reporting out of business mags.
Resources for Authors and Writers
One of our members offered this resource for those members seeking the assistance of a literary attorney. Sallie Randolph, author of Author Law A-Z. http://www.authorlaw.com
The Writers Resource Directory, at http://writersresourcedirectory.com is a great place to stop over in order to find the information you need. WPN is prominent on their list of organizations for writers. They also have a huge list of resources for those interested in producing ebooks, including conversion software and ebook publishers. They list book review sites, book fairs, cover designers, where to buy cover art and all sorts of other links for indie authors.
Storiad is a marketplace dedicated to the art and business of writing. The president, Ramzi Hajj invites authors to use Storiad to connect with other writers, showcase their work and access media professionals who are seeking written works. I’m not a fan of sites that claim to attract publishers or media who are seeking writers and good works, but if you are, here’s how to learn more about this company. http://www.storiad.com.
It wasn’t up last time I checked, but Chad Hurley and Steve Chen say they are launching a magazine publishing service. It is rumored that Zeen will allow you to design your own magazine. Watch for the launch here: http://zeen.com