Struggling as an author? Stop writing only what you want to write

Earning a living as a writer is as likely as winning the lottery. Instead of writing books and persuading others to buy them, find out what people want to write, then do it for themPhilip Pullman: professional writers set to become ‘an endangered species’ due to low wagesI left school with a burning urge to lead the life of a writer: travelling like Byron, feted like Wilde before his fall, creating laughter like Wodehouse and crafting sentences like Nabokov. I had no professional contacts, so I wrote my masterpieces speculatively, and every path I went down ended with a rejection slip or total silence. The perceived wisdom then, as now, was that earning a living as a writer was about as likely as winning a lottery.Then I discovered the secret of marketing: instead of writing things and trying to persuade people to buy them, I would find out what writing services people needed and offer to provide them. So, at the same time as begging publishers and editors for commissions, I made myself available to anyone who might want to write an article or a book but did not feel able to do it for themselves. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2016-01-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Frankfurt Book Fair 2014: Spanish Author’s Short Novel Causes Stir

Amid a flurry of seven-figure deals igniting this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair—many for books by first-time American authors—a short Spanish novel has generated buzz, and some hefty advances. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors on the Air October 7, 2014: Katha Pollitt

Katha Pollitt, author of 'Pro: Reclaiming Abortion Rights' (Picador, 9780312620547), will appear on NPR’s 'Diane Rehm Show' on Wednesday, October 8. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors ask the government to investigate Amazon

The Authors Guild met with Justice Department officials to ask the agency to launch an investigation into Amazon, expressing concern that the retail giant might be violating antitrust law in its fight with Hachette over ebook terms. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-10-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Americas Authors Guild presses US justice department to get aggressive with Amazon

The literary body, representing 9,000 authors, is calling on the US government to launch a competition investigation into Amazon, following the long-running dispute between the internet retailer and publisher HachetteAmericas Authors Guild has met with the US department of justice to call for an... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-10-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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HC Offering Authors Direct Sales Option, Higher Royalty

HarperCollins is ramping up its direct sales efforts by offering authors who sell direct the chance to earn a higher royalty rate in the process. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Howard Books Signs 'Shack' Author to New Deal

Howard Books, the Christian imprint of Simon & Schuster, will publish two new books by William Paul Young, author of the bestseller 'The Shack.' Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors Guild Calls for Antitrust Scrutiny of Amazon

In a message circulated to members, and shared with the public, the Authors Guild today confirmed that it hosted a meeting on August 1 between a group of authors and the Department of Justice, in an effort draw antitrust scrutiny of Amazon's practices. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors on the Air October 2, 2014: Charles M. Blow and Ron Perlman

Charles M. Blow, author of 'Fire Shut Up In My Bones' (HMH, 9780544228047) will appear on MSNBC-TV’s 'The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell' on Thursday, October 2. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Picoult to Write Second YA Novel with Daughter

Jodi Picoult has inked a deal with Delacorte Press to co-write another YA novel with her daughter, Samantha van Leer. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Brazil in Focus at Göteborg Book Fair, Authors React

Brazil is the country of honor at the Göteborg Book Fair and a trio of Brazilian authors reflect on having had their work promoted overseas these past several years. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-09-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors on the Air September 29, 2014: Joel Osteen

Joel Osteen, author 'You Can, You Will: 8 Undeniable Qualities of a Winner' (FaithWords, 9781455575718), will appear on the 'Michael Smerconish Program' on Monday, September 29, and 'Fox & Friends' on Tuesday, September 30. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors will fire back at Amazon with calls for a government investigation

If you've been following the protracted war between Amazon and Hachette, you know that Amazon's been stymieing sales of certain books by making it impossible to pre-order them, and pushing back delivery of others all over a ebook contract dispute.... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2014-09-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ellora’s Cave Files Libel Suit Against Dear Author Blog

Erotic romance publisher Ellora’s Cave has filed suit in Summit County, Ohio, against Jennifer Gerrish-Lampe, aka Jane Litte, and her blog Dear Author, claiming libel and defamation and asking for "no less than" $25,000 in damages. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Lee Child On Why He Signed with Authors United

The reason the author of the Jack Reacher novels weighs in on Amazon-Hachette dispute has nothing to do with the "protection money" that Amazon is demanding from publishers. Child signed with thriller writer Douglas Preston's Authors United, a group of writers who want to take authors out of... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors on the Air September 26, 2014: Paul M. Barrett

Paul M. Barrett, author of 'Law of the Jungle: The $19 Billion Legal Battle Over Oil in the Rain Forest and the Lawyer Who'd Stop at Nothing to Win' (Crown, 9780770436346), will appear on NPR’s 'On the Media' on Saturday, September 27. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Little, Brown to Release Authorized Nick Drake Book

'Remembered For A While' will go on sale December 9, timed with the fortieth anniversary of Drake's death. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors United’s Next Move: DOJ

With the Amazon-Hachette dispute cutting Hachette authors sales by at least 50 percent, a group of concerned authors is turning to the government for help. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors United 'asking DoJ for antitrust inquiry'

Authors United is to call on the US Department of Justice to launch an antitrust inquiry into... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-09-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors on the Air September 23, 2014: Charles M. Blow

Charles M. Blow, author of 'Fire Shut Up In My Bones' (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 9780544228047) will appear on 'The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell' on Tuesday, September 23. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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