The Self-Published American

The Oscar winning screenwriter of Juno, Diablo Cody, began her writing career on the blogosphere and by self-publishing her book, Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper. I located an interview she did on NPR. An aspiring screenwriter called in and asked what advice she had for young writers, and in a refreshing change of pace from the typical “Go out and take your licks,” type of answer, she actually recommended that young writers self-publish. You can listen to the entire interview here: Diablo Cody Pens Sweet, Sassy ‘Juno’

Note: It’s possible that Diablo Cody is using the term “self-publish” in much broader terms in this context. She may be referring to her blog when she says “self-publish.” At any rate, I still think her advice applies to those of us who have decided to self-publish through a POD provider.

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I found this 13 minute clip on NPR of African American publishing professionals talking about the industry. I found it very educational and I think their wisdom is universal.

The Economics of Book Publishing

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As authors, the one thing we can expect without fail is bad reviews. It doesn’t matter how well written, how thoughtful, how impeccably edited your book is, you can count on someone not liking it enough to tell the world. I love Stephen King’s book, Bag of Bones, and I was totally blown away to read some vicious reviews of the book on Amazon. How could that be? Simple. Everyone has minds of their own, and a need to express their opinions.

National Public Radio did a program not long ago on bad reviews in the age of the Internet. Its 30 minutes long, but if you have a book for public consumption, it is extremely educational. If you’ve ever received a bad review, you are not alone. That which does not kill us, only makes us stronger.

Click here to listen: The Web and The Rise of Rotten Reviews

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I found this interesting clip from National Public Radio on the state of Bestseller lists. There are dozens of bestseller lists, and all of them seem to be different. What makes a bestseller a bestseller, and can having a bestselling book make your career? Like most authors, I hope to find out someday.

Bestseller – What Does It Mean To Be One?

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