Many of our clients are not professional writers. They are entrepreneurs and leaders in the fields of technology, parenting, politics, business, sports, and science. They’re used to writing reports and other longish documents, but writing a non-fiction book for a general audience requires a different skill set.
When we became literary agents, an inquisitive child we know asked if we’d have to start wearing hats. It took us a while to realize why he was asking that question. In many of the cartoons he’d watched, agents have a specific role: they are secret agents — mysterious people wearing fedoras and trench coats, whose briefcases contain intelligence that can crack open big cases and change the world.
These days there’s an endless barrage of articles about why traditional publishers are horrible (they’re not.), and why self-publishing is a bad idea (it’s not).
So you’re publishing your book and you’re wondering how to make it stand out from the other 600,000 new books published in North America over the last year. You’re not alone. One of the biggest issues publishers and self-publishers are grappling with these days is how to make readers aware that their books exist.
We’re pretty quick to admit our biases at Page Two. If we had a written list, great editing would be at the very top of it. We’re always in favour of editorial work, no matter who the writer is or what length of text she’s working with.
On July 1, 2014, new Canadian anti-spam legislation (CASL) came into effect that restricts the use of email, text messages, and instant messages for commercial purposes. Businesses now need consent to send electronic commercial messages to individuals.
There has been much debate over the ebook pricing dispute that’s emerged between retail giant Amazon and Hachette, a large multinational publisher. The issue could have enduring and serious consequences for the industry, and the stakes feel high.
Stephen King says in his memoir, On Writing: “Write with the door closed, rewrite with the door open. Your stuff starts out being just for you, in other words, but then it goes out.” He meant that you should think about your reader when you’re revising your manuscript.
Yesterday we attended a thought-provoking talk by an excellent speaker: Darren Dahl, Senior Associate Dean of Faculty and professor of marketing and behavioural science at UBC’s Sauder School of Business. The event was hosted by the Professional Women’s Network, and it was called, “what’s the point of creativity?” Darren addressed the role of creativity in business: why it’s important, how it can lead to innovation and how it can push us to do things we never previously dreamed of doing.
At this time of year, writers across Canada are scrambling to organize their receipts and invoices before filing their income taxes. Maybe some of you are kicking yourselves for not being better organized, or you’re wondering if you have a handle on your finances.
A pervasive characteristic of the digital shift in publishing is the attempt to connect directly with readers. Every publisher, and every self-publishing author, is urged to consider carefully not only who their target readers are, but also how to reach them directly.
For years now, niche bookstores (specializing in mystery, sci-fi, kids’ books, etc.) have been seen as better positioned than most indie bookstores to survive the changing book retail landscape. In a piece about the upcoming closures of Oscar’s Art Books and Toronto’s Cookbook Store, we write about whether niche stores are still the future.
