Author Biz Sense

Carrie -- that's an intersting point about sch...

2012-04-05T18:06:23.322-05:00

Carrie -- that's an intersting point about scheduling the shorter time that you actually can make productive. better to have more two-hour sessions booked on your calendar than bigger chuncks that get blown off...so true. Thanks.

Onward! I know for me, I do better having 2 hours ...

2012-04-05T18:01:20.730-05:00

Onward! I know for me, I do better having 2 hours a day dedicated for writing, than bigger chunks of time when I kid myself by saying, "All I'm going to do is write today." Invariably, those are the days I piss away!

When all is said and done, writing is a job. That&...

2012-04-05T15:18:42.986-05:00

When all is said and done, writing is a job. That's why, Laurie, when you speak of professionalism, it's particularly apt. Writers are - or should be - professionals and view themselves as such.

If you've already got the gig - whether for an article, guest blog post or book - it's easy to forget that there's a whole machine that's waiting on your content. If you've committed to a date, a particular topic, a number of words...whatever it might be...it's incumbent upon you to uphold that commitment. That's integrity - and, ultimately, your reputation.

Writing is a joy but it's also a business - your business, just as much as it is your publisher's. So, plan, strategize, be disciplined and, more than anything, be honest and keep your voice in the forefront. That combination will create the win for you within the industry and with your reading public.

Laurie, this is excellent. Good for you letting al...

2012-02-18T13:18:40.401-06:00

Laurie, this is excellent. Good for you letting all your readers know that good ideas, good stories - and good representation - will get new authors their opportunity to shine! As you say...Onward!!

Thank you for this! I am excited about Tim Shriver...

2012-02-18T09:12:40.110-06:00

Thank you for this! I am excited about Tim Shriver's book!

Good advice! Nothing's worse than finally, FIN...

2012-02-17T11:36:14.601-06:00

Good advice! Nothing's worse than finally, FINALLY being in the flow, and having that interrupted by life!

I couldn't agree more. I know everyone is just...

2011-11-28T14:12:59.143-06:00

I couldn't agree more. I know everyone is just asking because they care, but you can watch the mojo go right out the window with each telling.

Thanks, Carrie. As an agent I would agree to whate...

2011-11-21T22:05:48.647-06:00

Thanks, Carrie. As an agent I would agree to whatever my author needed--so if he or she needs to go self-publish without me, I understand. If another author wants me onboard in a new venture, I can do that. I always work and feel better that way. But agents who feel territorial and unappreciated and who are tired of doing the work and not being paid, have a point too.

I just know how hard my agent works, and she deser...

2011-11-21T20:47:03.839-06:00

I just know how hard my agent works, and she deserves a cut of all the millions I'm sure to make, for perpetuity!

Great info., thanks!

2011-10-04T10:00:54.656-05:00

Great info., thanks!

Brava, Laurie. You wrote the things that no one w...

2011-08-06T04:36:59.899-05:00

Brava, Laurie. You wrote the things that no one wants to admit out loud - most particularly that there are two different types of book-buying.

As a long-time lover of independent bookstores, I'll continue to shop in them no matter what city I visit. They open new horizons and possibilities. There's nothing better.

But, also as you describe, I'll do my immediate shopping online for the price and convenience.

If the independents are smart, they'll understand their value proposition in this new marketplace and build on how they differ. That's how they'll succeed.

Jealous. I want a room with four walls of bookshel...

2011-07-28T13:19:58.612-05:00

Jealous. I want a room with four walls of bookshelves in my dream home, with one of those sliding ladders, too, please!

Thanks for this! In Portland we are lucky to have ...

2011-07-20T12:09:08.041-05:00

Thanks for this! In Portland we are lucky to have Powell's, and powells.com!

YES--a lovely one called WIL OF GOD, which I'l...

2011-07-05T14:54:24.942-05:00

YES--a lovely one called WIL OF GOD, which I'll be sending to you soon. And one other, called THIS IS NOT THE STORY YOU THINK IT IS--
:-)

Read any good memoirs lately? : )

2011-07-05T14:49:17.729-05:00

Read any good memoirs lately? : )

TO ALL--I'm sorry I cannot get the spacing to ...

2011-05-14T00:10:33.027-05:00

TO ALL--I'm sorry I cannot get the spacing to work on this blog...for the life of me! Still working on it. Bear with me (or help!).Laurie

I both needed to know this and am interested in kn...

2011-02-21T13:29:41.987-06:00

I both needed to know this and am interested in knowing this!

Such good advice, thank you! And having seen your ...

2011-02-10T12:46:15.176-06:00

Such good advice, thank you! And having seen your life first hand now, I have so much more empathy for what we're asking of agents and all the rest!

Thank you -- I'm glad it helps. Keep coming b...

2011-02-04T21:08:51.086-06:00

Thank you -- I'm glad it helps. Keep coming back. :-)
Laurie

Thanks for this. So often, the publishing world se...

2011-02-04T19:50:35.615-06:00

Thanks for this. So often, the publishing world seems so alien, like they speak a different language that I'm not allowed to learn. So often, I send off a query to an agent or publisher with excitement and anticipation, and as time wears on, I begin to wonder if they even got my materials. This gives me a little more insight and food for thought.

Thank you. Happy New Year, Laurie! love.

2010-12-31T22:29:27.479-06:00

Thank you.

Happy New Year, Laurie!

love.

Onward!

2010-11-23T21:17:15.750-06:00

Onward!

Ha ha -- for you and for me!

2010-11-22T21:43:51.937-06:00

Ha ha -- for you and for me!

Are you writing these just for me? love.

2010-11-22T21:16:00.475-06:00

Are you writing these just for me?

love.

I couldn't agree more. Love, Learned the Hard...

2010-11-21T16:59:39.306-06:00

I couldn't agree more.

Love,
Learned the Hard Way