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.
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.
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.
10 questions writers should be asking as they look ahead to the future of publishing—and where they fit in.
Brook's worldbuilding skills are impressive, her Iron Seas setting rivaling Cherie Priest's Clockwork Century for potential stories, and I daresay its backstory is actually a bit more compelling, despite my general preference for American-flavored steampunk.
If your core pitch is your "innovative" business model and not what you publish and for whom, your 15 minutes are almost up.
While Epic Mickey can certainly be used as an example of transmedia development, I'd argue that the process only got it half right since there doesn't appear to be an integrated marketing plan in effect.