There’s That Number Again

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411,422.

As I was teaching at Blue Ridge, I opened one of my sessions by pointing out that there’s good news and bad news for authors. The good news is that last year, more than 400,000 titles were published. More opportunities. The bad news is that there were 400,000 titles published. With no more book stores, shelf space, readers, and liquid income for entertainments such as books. The focus of the sessions was how to edit, how to position your book so that it stood out in a crowd, creating a “wow” factor that will get the attention of agents, editors and consumers.

We’re in a tough business. And, honestly, anyone who writes with the idea of making extra cash should think about a part-time job delivering pizzas. It’s easier and the money comes faster.

Publisher’s Weekly today released the new stats, and the news just got better and worse by more than 11,000 titles. 411,422.

What’s a girl to do?

Well, if you’re like me, writing isn’t actually an option. I HAVE to write. If I hope to get published, then I have to study the craft, pick and study a market, work the requirements, network, market, keep a website going, network, go to conferences, pitch to agents and editors, and network. Oh, and I need to network.

I cannot emphasize how important that part is…telling a good story is only the beginning. A successful writers spends at least 40 percent of his or her time marketing…either in finding a publisher or pushing a book. Without that effort, you’re writing for yourself.

Which is NOT a bad thing. I write a lot for myself. If I weren’t selling, I’d still keep a blog and write my fantasies. I have to. Writing isn’t just something I DO. It’s who I AM.

More on Blue Ridge later. I need to take a short side trip….through MarketingLand….

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