Author: Guy LeCharles Gonzalez

This author has written 1999 articles
Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Publishers should be fretting over the illness, not its symptoms

The idea that publishers are fretting over losing a few past-their-prime bestselling authors is the least interesting aspect of Amazon's growing "traditional" publishing operation, but it sure has been driving a lot of chatter—and presumably clicks—this week. Several think pieces and a ton of tweets have been written about Amazon recently snatching up another couple of recognizable authors and what it means for the publishing industry, the latest twist on a decade-long story (remember J.A. Konrath and Seth Godin?), but it's just another symptom of an illness corporate publishing has been suffering from for years.

Continue ReadingPublishers should be fretting over the illness, not its symptoms
Halloween Half Marathon. 2019

Running Through 2019

Running has been my preferred form of stress release and 2019 was stressful af—for both personal and more general "the world is going to shit" reasons—and, from a running perspective, the most productive, as I set PRs for annual (563) and trail (65) mileage. I even ran my first half marathon since New Year's Eve 2016 when I needed 13 miles to hit 500 for the year and manufactured a local course!

Continue ReadingRunning Through 2019
Photo by Julius Drost on Unsplash

Where Do Libraries Fit In “A Viable Consumer Marketplace”?

Another notable factor that publishers seem to have trouble acknowledging is that books—especially ebooks—don't exist in a vacuum, competing only with other books published that month, but they fight for attention and discretionary income with every other immersive media format, too. Movies, TV, and gaming have all seen their own versions of digital disruption—not to mention other areas of publishing itself—so the idea that the one compelling villain to blame a decline in consumer ebook sales on is public libraries would be laughable if it wasn't so short-sighted and suicidal.

Continue ReadingWhere Do Libraries Fit In “A Viable Consumer Marketplace”?
An arm with a tattoo: "I was made for the library, not the classroom."

The Limitations of Data—Updates from Libraryland

Things have been a little quiet for me on the library front recently—periodic Twitter rants aside—as I've been working behind the scenes on refining the Panorama Project's focus for 2020 in light of recent events, identifying areas where we can have a measurable and actionable impact and figuring out how to implement the right initiatives. While I'm excited about what's in development for 2020, it's still too early to announce any of it, but two articles I wrote recently offer a glimpse of where things are heading.

Continue ReadingThe Limitations of Data—Updates from Libraryland
Read more about the article Author, Audit Thyself!—Marketing Advice from Kilby Blades

Author, Audit Thyself!—Marketing Advice from Kilby Blades

“Most book marketing advice comes from authors who’ve had commercial success with books but no actual marketing experience. Many are taking advice that isn’t meant for them yet because they're not where they need to be,” explained Kilby Blades, an award-winning indie author and professional marketer, sharing practical insights for effective paid marketing strategies with WDC19 attendees.

Continue ReadingAuthor, Audit Thyself!—Marketing Advice from Kilby Blades
Marketing Memos

Marketing Memos: Quality Content, Diversity, and PowerPoint

I read (and listen to) a lot about what's happening in marketing and media these days, and while the desire for clicks and the illusion of engagement generates a lot of useless noise, there are still some good, actionable insights being put out there that can be easily missed. I share the good stuff on Twitter and LinkedIn when I find it, but "Marketing Memos" is a weekly(ish) selection of 3-5 of the most interesting and insightful articles and podcast episodes—curated after I've had a chance to process them and identify the best.

Continue ReadingMarketing Memos: Quality Content, Diversity, and PowerPoint
Read more about the article Other Authors Are Not Your Competition—Marketing Advice from Amy Collins

Other Authors Are Not Your Competition—Marketing Advice from Amy Collins

"Market research is a very dry, dull topic, but finding and connecting with readers is how we make money." Too often, market research is limited to the basics—high-level demographics (age, gender, income) and/or broad genre interests (science fiction, romance)—leading to target audiences that either don't actually exist, or worse, reflect the researchers' personal interests. To find the right readers for a specific book or author, Amy Collins encourages writers to set aside personal assumptions and dig deeper.

Continue ReadingOther Authors Are Not Your Competition—Marketing Advice from Amy Collins
Newer Posts
Older Posts