New Year’s Publishing Predictions, Resolutions
#32 be the change by the8rgrl
I’m not usually one for making predictions — the only thing I hate more than gurus and pundits are self-proclaimed futurists! — but I couldn’t pass up offering my two cents to Folio: for their 2010 round-up of magazine and media predictions:
Consolidation and debt restructuring will continue apace. More niche brands will focus on ‘communitizing’, with magazines becoming part of a larger ecosystem that will include virtual events and books, both print and electronic. Advertising will finally stabilize, but “growth” will mainly come from search and custom initiatives, including some ill-conceived “conversational marketing” programs that imagine Twitter as a viable hub. Digital magazines and mobile apps will be a bust for all but a few brands as the ROI fails to materialize. The Apple Tablet will be more horse than unicorn, becoming a major player in portable gaming but with minimal impact on publishing.
New Year’s resolutions have never been my thing, either, but in light of all of the negativity and DOOM! surrounding the “future of publishing”, I thought it would be fun to make a few public resolutions, if for no other reason than to see which ones I can stick with, and how long before I break the others.
1) I will read at least two books from every major genre — one print, one eBook — and write reviews of them. (Bring on the recommendations! I’m starting with steampunk, and Cherie Priest’s Boneshaker.)
2) I will champion 3 independent publishers and/or collectives who are doing interesting, innovative things. (There’s strength in numbers, people!)
3) I will maintain my skepticism about eBooks, but avoid letting their more vocal advocates skew my take on them. (You are not the benchmark!)
4) I will continue to be optimistic about the future of publishing, and direct more of that optimism into this blog. (I believe in the publishing community.)
5) I will either start writing fiction or go back to poetry (or do both!), and stop using this blog as an excuse for doing neither. (Writers write. Period.)
Considering 2009 has been an unpredictably amazing roller coaster ride for me, I have no idea how realistic any of these are (#5 in particular), but a goal unspoken is like a poem unread — it effectively doesn’t exist and has no power.
PS: To all the readers of this blog, thank you for your attention, comments, feedback and support this year. I’ve learned much from all of you, and look forward to continuing to do so in 2010.
Happy holidays!
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I love these – love the positivity.
1 will either be a great ride through some fantastic new territory, or will tie you up all year, depending on your take on “major genre”! Can I recommend you the ne wBook View Cafe Steampunk anthology “The Shadow Conspiracy”
2. Having met up with them last week (I blogged it yesterday), I know they're from the UK and you probably won't get the chance to meet them personally, but can I unreservedly recommend you send some love to To Hell with Publishing – everything they do is awesome, but To Hell With First Books is the coolest thing in publishing right now
3. :p So are you and Mike on each other's Christmas card list? Or do you just send e-cards?
4. Finding this blog was one of the things that energised me in the latter half of this year. Just keep doing what you do.
5. The word you're looking for is “novel” :p
Have a great 2010!
Great recommendation for #1; I just have to figure out how to get it on my wife's Kindle or my Blackberry. I fully expect Year Zero Writers to be in the mix for #1 and #2, too. 😉
Back at you on #4!
Hi Guy,
Nice blog, a Twitter link brought me here. Regarding #2, feel free to spread the word about a new community-driven Twitter project I've recently started. It's for a good cause and should be a lot of fun. More info can be found at http://bit.ly/91bCtE or you can find me on Twitter @OneTweetFiction. Hope this doesn't look or seem too spammy because it's not meant to be.
Thanks,
Matt
Found The Shadow Conspiracy on Kindle; downloaded Kindle for PC and am sharing my wife's account. Tipping point for me might be the Blackberry app, but there's something unreal about the buying process. Psychologically, the intangibility of it all, from money transfer to end product is unsatisfying.
Bravo! I agree with the Shadow Conspiracy recommendation (it's my christmas present to myself) and Boneshaker is really good.
Kindle for PC is a win.
Have fun!
Glad you found it – The BVC are very ebook driven so I'd have been surprised if it wasn't available. I'll be intrigued to read what you make fo steampunk – it's one of those genres I've steered away from but KNOW I have to dip into at the very least.
I'd be inclined to count the blog as writing. Also, emails, tweets, instant messages, comments, forum posts, etc.
My husband and I have decided to organize and downsize. We will be following a book called “One Year to an Easysaver Life”. Then when the housing market improves we can sell our over-sized house for a smaller one, since the kids are all away from home. I also will be scheduling exercise time, even on those days when the fibro is flared out of control. I’ll do some kind of exercise daily, even if it is just stretching in the pool.