Comments on: Dear publishers: It’s not too late to get a clue! http://theunbook.com/2009/09/01/dear-publishers-it%e2%80%99s-not-too-late-to-get-a-clue/ it's not a book — but it is a book Mon, 27 Jun 2011 21:57:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Lomtik http://theunbook.com/2009/09/01/dear-publishers-it%e2%80%99s-not-too-late-to-get-a-clue/comment-page-1/#comment-706 Lomtik Wed, 02 Jun 2010 00:31:49 +0000 http://theunbook.com/?p=116#comment-706 "Very little ink required, and I have thousands of people following me on twitter; I could help you promote the book." Where I have been able to read about it? “Very little ink required, and I have thousands of people following me on twitter; I could help you promote the book.”
Where I have been able to read about it?

]]> By: Rebecca Woodhead http://theunbook.com/2009/09/01/dear-publishers-it%e2%80%99s-not-too-late-to-get-a-clue/comment-page-1/#comment-597 Rebecca Woodhead Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:38:10 +0000 http://theunbook.com/?p=116#comment-597 There are many great publishers and agents, but many feel they can't be seen to break away from the small group of industry elite who've set the menu to this point in case, I presume, they do something unmentionable to their metaphorical entrée. There's a digital camp-fire now; writers and readers are sharing stories together again. The industry either needs to cosy up by the fire with the rest of us - they'd be very welcome - or they need to use their experience to come up with a better idea. I have great respect for many in the industry, but I have a heck of a lot more respect for my readers. My decisions will be guided by THEIR needs and not by fear of an archaic structure that increasingly fails to deliver, and seems incapable of understanding the part it plays in its own downfall. It will take courage, decisive action and a touch of humility but they may still pull it off. I hope they do. I'll put some sausages on sticks to one side just in case. By the way, wish me luck; it's the last day of voting on the Shorty Awards and after support from Neil Gaiman, Writing Magazine and others, I'm on the front page and may reach the finals. If not, I'm happy to be the top unpublished writer in the contest. http://ShortyAwards.com Rebecca http://blog.rebeccawoodhead.com There are many great publishers and agents, but many feel they can’t be seen to break away from the small group of industry elite who’ve set the menu to this point in case, I presume, they do something unmentionable to their metaphorical entrée.

There’s a digital camp-fire now; writers and readers are sharing stories together again. The industry either needs to cosy up by the fire with the rest of us – they’d be very welcome – or they need to use their experience to come up with a better idea. I have great respect for many in the industry, but I have a heck of a lot more respect for my readers. My decisions will be guided by THEIR needs and not by fear of an archaic structure that increasingly fails to deliver, and seems incapable of understanding the part it plays in its own downfall.

It will take courage, decisive action and a touch of humility but they may still pull it off. I hope they do. I’ll put some sausages on sticks to one side just in case.

By the way, wish me luck; it’s the last day of voting on the Shorty Awards and after support from Neil Gaiman, Writing Magazine and others, I’m on the front page and may reach the finals. If not, I’m happy to be the top unpublished writer in the contest. http://ShortyAwards.com

Rebecca
http://blog.rebeccawoodhead.com

]]> By: Judith Angeles http://theunbook.com/2009/09/01/dear-publishers-it%e2%80%99s-not-too-late-to-get-a-clue/comment-page-1/#comment-432 Judith Angeles Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:27:09 +0000 http://theunbook.com/?p=116#comment-432 Wow, wonderful post. I love it. I am glad this is happening because there shouldn't be a hierarchy in writing. For God Sake, its art! There shouldn't be bullies in art. Working together is always better. I am just waiting for the government to be the same- where we are actually working together. Wow, wonderful post. I love it. I am glad this is happening because there shouldn’t be a hierarchy in writing. For God Sake, its art! There shouldn’t be bullies in art. Working together is always better. I am just waiting for the government to be the same- where we are actually working together.

]]> By: Dan Holloway http://theunbook.com/2009/09/01/dear-publishers-it%e2%80%99s-not-too-late-to-get-a-clue/comment-page-1/#comment-396 Dan Holloway Thu, 03 Sep 2009 23:59:22 +0000 http://theunbook.com/?p=116#comment-396 Great post. I've been saying this to publicly all year, and even wrote a long article (http://streamwriting.com/blog/?p=116) on the subject, not because I want publishers to fail, but because I want them to wake up! What publishers need to do is to show writers they have something to offer - we can now outsource evrything from cover design to web work and printing directly. We can market ourselves, or through collectives - and yet publishers still believe we need them. Bless 'em, even progressive old Harper "cutting edge" Studio, for all I love 'em, today blogged about Radiohead's In Rainbows as though it was breaking news (coincidentally hours after I'd been blogging about in Rainbows at http://www.loudpoet.com It's NOT too late, you're right. But publishers need to rethink their offering. Currently they've got a duff query, and they need to redraft it quick! Great post. I’ve been saying this to publicly all year, and even wrote a long article (http://streamwriting.com/blog/?p=116) on the subject, not because I want publishers to fail, but because I want them to wake up! What publishers need to do is to show writers they have something to offer – we can now outsource evrything from cover design to web work and printing directly. We can market ourselves, or through collectives – and yet publishers still believe we need them. Bless ‘em, even progressive old Harper “cutting edge” Studio, for all I love ‘em, today blogged about Radiohead’s In Rainbows as though it was breaking news (coincidentally hours after I’d been blogging about in Rainbows at http://www.loudpoet.com

It’s NOT too late, you’re right. But publishers need to rethink their offering. Currently they’ve got a duff query, and they need to redraft it quick!

]]> By: Alex Osterwalder http://theunbook.com/2009/09/01/dear-publishers-it%e2%80%99s-not-too-late-to-get-a-clue/comment-page-1/#comment-395 Alex Osterwalder Wed, 02 Sep 2009 07:54:24 +0000 http://theunbook.com/?p=116#comment-395 Dave, wonderful illustration of the publishing industry! Fully agree: Publishers have to catch-up! I was invited to give a talk for big German publishing houses to talk about our book writing process for Business Model Generation. My main message: Authors are re-gaining an important role. Publishers better wake-up and create value for them before authors leave them behind. With Business Model Generation we (the authors) were able to mobilize 470 who paid to participate in the writing/evaluation process and 400 people who pre-purchased the book. All that without a publisher. No publisher yet offers the services and support we would have required... Keep up the great unbook work! Alex Dave, wonderful illustration of the publishing industry! Fully agree: Publishers have to catch-up!

I was invited to give a talk for big German publishing houses to talk about our book writing process for Business Model Generation. My main message: Authors are re-gaining an important role. Publishers better wake-up and create value for them before authors leave them behind.

With Business Model Generation we (the authors) were able to mobilize 470 who paid to participate in the writing/evaluation process and 400 people who pre-purchased the book. All that without a publisher. No publisher yet offers the services and support we would have required…

Keep up the great unbook work! Alex

]]> By: Publishers, please get a clue. : clusterflock http://theunbook.com/2009/09/01/dear-publishers-it%e2%80%99s-not-too-late-to-get-a-clue/comment-page-1/#comment-391 Publishers, please get a clue. : clusterflock Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:51:27 +0000 http://theunbook.com/?p=116#comment-391 [...] friend, Dave Gray, recounts his hilariously depressing interaction with Penguin Publishing: Recently I was contacted by an Art Director at Penguin Publishing. They [...] [...] friend, Dave Gray, recounts his hilariously depressing interaction with Penguin Publishing: Recently I was contacted by an Art Director at Penguin Publishing. They [...]

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