Comments on: Marketing Mondays, #6: Submissions 101

By: Emma

Emma — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 23:27:34 +0000

Barbara -
You can explore jacketflap.com, mediabistro.com and linkedin.com… though I suspect you may have to create an identity for all sites in this regard. My best advice would be to stiffen your resolve and open yourself up to professional feedback (not criticism!). You may be pleasantly surprised – and anyone who is serious in this industry is also respectful of the author’s dreams, process and feelings. It’s all about learning the craft – and having enough resilience to keep moving forward.
Best of luck! It’s worth the effort.
Emma

By: Barbara

Barbara — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 13:56:51 +0000

Hi Emma, I really am grateful I came across your site. I am an inspiring writer in Nigeria interested in writing for kids.I don’t have any published works and my write-ups have never actually been viewed by many. I just sort of concluded my first book for children, but my greatest fear is that I won’t find anyone who thinks much of it, and it just might as well have never existed. I want to know, is there an online site of editors, publishers, proofreaders… you know, a place where I can ANONYMOUSLY put up some of my writings for a professional’s criticism?

By: Emma

Emma — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:01:30 +0000

Hi Eric,
This is, of course, the perennial question… and Tower Records vs. iTunes is a good template to look at. My feeling is, regardless of whether content goes entirely digital or stays “hard copy,” the principles of the content are the same. Whether you get your music via mp3 or CD, you’re looking for the same quality and value form the music itself. The same is true for literature – whether we are read via Kindle or via good old fashioned book, we still have to craft a story with compelling characters, a beginning, middle and end, a strong conflict, meaningful themes etc. etc. So regardless of the format or venue the work is published through, the creative challenges remain the same. Marketing-wise, of course, everything is moving into the digital world… so focusing on that for marketing and promotion can only help, in either format. Hope that’s helpful.

By: Eric DelaBarre

Eric DelaBarre — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:00:19 +0000

Looks great, Emma. Have a question about publishers…as in…do you think we are about to witness the big plunge, much like the music industry experienced five years ago? I guess what I’m trying to say is this; Do you think Barnes & Noble will be the next Tower Records?