26 October 2015 - What's new
26 October 2015
- You'll have to move fast to get involved in National Novel Writing Month 2015, which starts on Sunday 1 November and finishes on 30 November, and is this week's Writing Opportunity. NaNoWriMo is a thoroughly international writers' event which challenges you to write a 50,000 word novel in one month - and thousands of writers accept the challenge every year! Is it for you?
- '...Downton has been a big thing for me. It's been a worldwide sensation to a degree that is unknown in most careers. I consider myself lucky to have had one; I would be astonished if there was another.' Julian Fellowes, creator and writer of Downton Abbey, in the Sunday Times provides this week's Comment.
- Tom Chalmers of IPR has written two articles about rights for self-publishers, Self-publishing - the rights way and How to get your book in the hands of an international audience. 'It's a fact that most self-published authors understand the process that takes them from a written manuscript to a published book, but few realise the additional elements that make publishing a profitable business. Rights licensing is arguably the most vital element in this equation. Whether it's selling translation rights, audio rights or optioning the film rights, these all help balance the book's books...'
- Two of our links this week relate to AmazonCrossing's announcement of $10m to be spent on publishing translations, an impressive figure which shows how much translations are entering the mainstream. Whatever your view about Amazon's initiative, there's no doubt that translations in general are garnering much more international attention than they used to. News Review
- Joanne PhillipsUK-based freelance writer and ghostwriter. She has had articles published in national writing magazines, and has ghostwritten books on subjects as diverse as hairdressing and keeping chickens. Visit her at www.joannephillips.co.uk' The Business of Writing for Self-publishing authors offers terrific advice for all writers: 'Self-publishing authors - also known as ‘indie' authors or author-publishers - have had a steep learning curve these past few years. Getting to grips with the various sales channels available to them, producing top quality ebooks and paperbacks, and finding a place in mainstream outlets have left many writers struggling to keep up with the paperwork. What follows is a brief guide to the essentials your self-publishing business needs - because it is a business, even if you only publish one book!'
- Some links from this week: For publishers, sending authors on tour is expensive - they have to cover transport, meals, and nice hotels. And perhaps more importantly, touring doesn't necessarily translate into better book sales, What Book Tours Are Like in the 21st Century - The Atlantic; a new survey shows that young adults 18-29 were more likely to have a read a book over the past year than their older counterparts, New Pew Survey Finds Kids Reading More Than Adults; more on Amazon and translations, Amazon Commits $10 Million to Translations, Prompting Questions - Publishing Perspectives; and a long and thoughtful article considering the issue, America's Biggest Publisher of Literature In Translation is Amazon | The New Republic.
- Do you want to self-publish your work? WritersServices offers a suite of services which help writers get their work into shape before they self-publish.
- More links: When it comes to reading books, the kids are all right. But the rest of us have some work to do, Fewer Americans are reading books, but don't blame the millennials - LA Times; the first of two articles on the burgeoning Indian book market, Nielsen Values Indian Publishing at $3.9 Billion - Publishing Perspectives; and, moe about th epublishing, Jo Henry reports on some of the findings of the Nielsen India Book Market Report 2015, launched last week at the Frankfurt Book FairWorld's largest trade fair for books; held annually mid-October at Frankfurt Trade Fair, Germany; First three days exclusively for trade visitors; general public can attend last two., BookBrunch - India: Huge possibilities and challenges.
- 'Writing a novel is actually searching for victims. As I write I keep looking for casualties. The stories uncover the casualties.' John Irving in our Writers' Quotes.
