Poke the Box, by Seth Godin
One of Godin’s running themes throughout Poke is to be an initiator, and that risking failure is the best road to achieving success, and by making Poke the Box the first offering from The Domino Project, he’s practicing what he preaches. He initiated, he shipped, and he pretty much failed to deliver a good book.
DIY’s Great, But WHO Are We Doing it For?
“Just do it!” was definitely an underlying theme of the day as the deceptively sexy notion of the “democratization” of content creation and distribution was frequently noted, but I realized towards the end of the day, what was missing was any reference to the issue of access, and the ever-widening digital divide.
Why I Love Librarians, and Publishers Should, Too
I find it somewhat ironic that, at the same time publishers are scrambling to fill ill-advised budget gaps left by their blind co-dependence on Borders, HarperCollins decides to play hardball with the one channel that offers the maximum combination of discoverability and NON-RETURNABILITY.
The Art of Immersion by Frank Rose
The Art of Immersion is a much-needed bridge to/from Henry Jenkins’ seminal Convergence Culture, as Frank Rose crafts an engaging, insightful overview of how storytelling has evolved in the digital age that’s accessible to all, whether enthusiast or skeptic.
Talking Community at the (f)Unconference #Book2
Every argument that begins with “But most readers…” ignores the reality that the Internet has made micro-marketing not only viable, but also enables a publishing program to be more sustainable, focusing on quality over quantity.
Take This Job and Slam It!
All good things do eventually come to an end, and for me, on the heels of an amazingly successful DBW11, I realized I was coming upon a crucial fork in the road, and while the DBW path will surely continue to be an exciting one for those continuing on, it’s one I realized would ultimately take me away from my true passion: Books, Authors, Readers and the myriad connections still to be made between them.
Marketing Yourself in the Digital Age
It doesn’t matter if you’re an aspiring writer, traditionally published or going the DIY route, marketing is every writer’s responsibility, and it takes the same level of commitment, dedication and self-discipline as sitting down and actually writing does.
Ready for Publishing Camp NYC?
Beyond the sessions, the best part of any conference is being able to spend time talking to smart people from a variety of backgrounds, and both WDC11 and DBW11 are sponsoring fun gatherings to accommodate that.
Goodreads 2010: My Favorite Books
I’m not a big bestseller, hardcover or literary fiction reader, though, and have only started to embrace ebooks recently, so most of what I read is unlikely to appear on any mainstream “Best of 2010” lists.
2011: Are You a Writer or Creator?
10 questions writers should be asking as they look ahead to the future of publishing—and where they fit in.