Tag: publishing

Play to Win: Authors, Empires & Why Amazon is Killing NYC Publishing

Amazon Publishing

Play to win. For me, this is a tough phrase. Maybe it’s culture or society or sunspots, but ‘winning’ feels like a suit cut for someone else. No, worse. Playing to win feels more like the pants I once wore to a conference. Even though they were too tight, I wore them anyway believing they’d …

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This is Gonna Leave a Mark: What Makes a “Real” Writer?

Those who’ve followed my blog long enough know I’m no fan of the Schrodinger’s Writer Game. Is the writer real or unreal? What IS a real writer? For ages, we quibbled that a real writer had an agent. A real writer scored a legacy publishing deal. One had to pass the NYC gatekeepers to be …

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Cocky-Blocked: How to Nuke Your Brand From Orbit

Call me cocky for even weighing in on this issue (at your own peril). But, seriously, folks. It’s rare to run across something so epically wrong AND foolish and…ironically, cocky. As an author branding expert, I’d be remiss NOT to say something about Cockygate (though I seriously hate having to). Cockygate. Yes, folks, it’s a …

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Fizzle or Sizzle? How Genre is Fundamental for Story Success

Genre is a word that makes a lot of new writers cringe. Many (mistakenly) believe any kind of boundaries will somehow impair or restrict creativity and crater imagination. This is why so many emerging authors (myself included) avoid learning about structure or how to plot until forced to…at gunpoint. Fine! Yes, I’m being melodramatic, but …

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Publishing Success: Genre Loyalty vs. Plot Bunny Saboteurs

Genre matters. Genre is the foundation for longevity, building a loyal fan base and also the key to unlocking all the other plot bunnies (other genres/story ideas) we’ve been dying to try out. Regardless of the publishing path we choose, genre focus is the game-changer that transitions us from published authors to powerhouse brands. Hello, …

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