Interesting tweet #1: "@Jennie_Lucas: #rwa12 holy cow. Stephanie Laurens just said traditional publishing is dead. What an amazing, gutsy speech."
Who is Stephanie Laurens? She's a New York Times bestselling author.
I have to admit, I was STUNNED when I read this tweet. Who would stand up at RWA, an organization who doesn't recognize self-pubs, and say this in front of a crowd of agents, editors, and writers?
Luckily for us, Ms. Laurens posted her keynote online. You can read it here. In her defense, she never said "traditional publishing is dead." Here's the crux of the speech, the part I think you'll find the most interesting:
"So my last words to you are these: Seize the day. Go forth with that same exuberance, joy, and passion in your heart - and write your stories. Seize the day - because for authors there is no danger in this new era. Take your passion and make it happen. Seize the freedom, embrace the opportunity, because one thing is absolutely certain - in all the millennia, there has never been a better time to be a storyteller."
I agree with her 100%. It's what I've been screaming to anyone who will listen. Write with passion. Publish with purpose - in the way that suits you best. I also think she's telling people to get over their hatred of self-pub because it's not evil.
Now back to the other statement I made above about RWA not being self-pub friendly. I have writer/friends who are members of RWA and have long complained that no matter their level of success, they can't get RWA to recognize them as PAN (Published Authors Network) members. It frustrates them as much as it frustrates me as a member of SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators). I have more sales to my name (and far more income) than many SCBWI members, and yet I'm not automatically granted PAL (Published and Listed) membership. I'm fighting for PAL membership. It's a good fight, I think.
Anyway, back to RWA.... Now self-pubs WILL be able to get PAN membership.
Interesting tweet #2: Courtney Milan @courtneymilan
AGMnotes #rwa12 Golden Heart next year will be entirely electronic; $5000 self-pub earnings make you PAN eligible.
Wow. Did you hear my jaw drop on the floor?! WOW, WOW, WOW! I checked RWA's website and couldn't find confirmation of this. It's possible the announcement was a surprise and won't be put on the website until after the conference.
If it's true, and I totally believe it is, then RWA has made amazing strides. I want SCBWI, my writing organization, to do the same. Self-publishing is not a black hole of crap. We work our asses off. We love writing. We love readers. We should get validation too. Hats off to RWA for recognizing this!
9 comments:
Wow, just read trough her whole speech. It's great. And yes, what she's saying is not that traditional publishing is necessarily dead but it's of no value to the reader. It's of value to the author if the author needs the publisher (to make and distribute the book). But that today authors can reach the readers without the publisher and that's an important change. Very interesting stuff!
If you are an RWA memeber you can log in and read the July Hot sheet which has the info about the GH, etc.
Pretty interesting stuff. I agree completely reading Tina's summary above: that readers don't care about publishers, they just want good books.
This article is really worth reading, it has too much details in it and yet it is so simple to understand, Thanks for sharing
GED Online
Traditional publishing of no use to the reader? I realize everyone is quite enthused about the idea of being able to publish whatever we care to write, with no thought to the gatekeepers of agencies and print publishing houses, but to completely discount ANY venue that helps the writer to get his or her work before readers is more than a bit foolish. Yes, the power is in our hands, but lest we forget power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely - not just the villains everyone seems determined to make the Big Six publishing houses into but any and all writers who dismiss those readers - yes, they are still out there, who buy the books the Big Six Villains publish for all sorts of reasons - including their gate keeping proclivities.
I think what the fabulous Ms. Laurens was saying is yes, the choices are ours and yes, we now can decide what modes of publishing we as the writing customers can choose to patronize, but never ever forget it is all about the writing AND we should try very hard to respect every aspect and venue of this business. We may discover we are standing on the shoulders of those Big Bad Six as we navigate this wide open world. Our customers are like the ocean - changeable and we had better be prepared to sail on every kind of vessel available to us if we hope to make the voyage a successful one!
Louisa,
I agreed with Ms. Laurens as well! :D I was quoting a tweet that had made the rounds.
I agree - there are many wonderful paths to publishing. I think it's amazing that more people are starting to look at self-publishing as a viable option.
No one is a villain in my opinion. I read widely and I've loved books from many forms of publishing. :D
Louisa, yes, I think we all agree that publishers are important. I think the interesting thing to note is that the average reader would have no clue who the Big Six were or even if a book is self published--if they bothered to look at the publisher at all (there are many books on our library shelves that people think are published by large publishing houses that are in fact self published.) Granted it's much harder to get a self published book in the hands of a reader, since librarians and book buyers count on reviews so much. And then to have it recommended by a friend it has to be polished as can be, which publishers are very important for. I think the point is just that the average reader doesn't care. And I can certainly say based on working in a library that this is a fact. So it's neat that there are other options out there now to get readers, who have love for all authors that put out great books!
Louisa, yes, I think we all agree that publishers are important. I think the interesting thing to note is that the average reader would have no clue who the Big Six were or even if a book is self published--if they bothered to look at the publisher at all (there are many books on our library shelves that people think are published by large publishing houses that are in fact self published.) Granted it's much harder to get a self published book in the hands of a reader, since librarians and book buyers count on reviews so much. And then to have it recommended by a friend it has to be polished as can be, which publishers are very important for. I think the point is just that the average reader doesn't care. And I can certainly say based on working in a library that this is a fact. So it's neat that there are other options out there now to get readers, who have love for all authors that put out great books!
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