Newsletter, Trade Pub Market Still Thrives in DC

There's plenty of bad news to go around these days about the various segments of the publishing world, from newspapers and magazines to various types of book publishers. And there are more than enough people blogging about it. (You might even say it's gotten to the point where they're blogging a dead horse. Sorry--couldn't resist.)

So I'd like to focus on the good news for publishers and, by extension, writers. What's working in our favor? Where should we be focusing our marketing efforts? Who will buy our work?

I noticed this little intriguing item about newsletters in the nation's capital. Newsletters serve an important purpose and, along with specialty press and trade publications, they represent a thriving market.

I know some writing for government and trade publications gets farmed out to freelancers. Don't overlook these markets as places to seek out work.

Bottom line: there are all sorts of opportunities out there for writers. You just have to keep your eyes, ears and mind open for them.

Quotation for the Week of January 25

"If nobody spoke unless he had something to say, the human race would very soon lose the use of speech."
-- W. Somerset Maugham

An (Overdue) Optimistic Take on Book Publishing

What with all the publishers' restructurings, firings and so on, not to mention the reportedly weak book sales for the holiday season, plus the general sense all around that the sky is falling and book publishing is in its final death throes--well, it's nice to see that not everyone agrees that books are dead.

I mean I read stuff like this article in which Larry McMurtry foretells the end of book culture and I gotta say, "Hold on, here. It's not all that bad, is it? Kids read books. What about Harry Potter? What about this Twilight series I keep hearing about?"

It's important to note that McMurtry thinks books are a dying pastime based on his observation that most of the customers at his antiquarian bookstore are over 40. Um, Larry, that's not exactly a scientific sampling, is it? And how many kids do you think would have an interest in old and rare books?

Quotation for the Week of January 18

"If success is not on your own terms, if it looks good to the world but does not live in your heart, it is not success at all."
-- Anna Quindlen

Feeling Good

Never mind all the economic doom n' gloom. Here's a seven-step plan for success. (Some of the steps seemed to overlap, IMHO, but that's okay. It's still shorter than a 12-step program.)

Further, even though this article was written for nonprofits, the message of "spend in order to save in the long run" applies to any business or organization trying to survive tough financial times. Note it advocates using interns on stipends to supplement staff and the notion that better pay for staff results in lower turnover, better operations, etc. You could argue that it makes even more sense to pay freelancers as needed to supplement staff at a lower cost (when you factor in benefits, unemployment insurance, etc.) than you'd pay to hire more people.

And (to get all warm and fuzzy on you) this article urges you to choose happiness (it beats crying all the time).

Finally (on an unrelated note), this cat is scary, but I'm sure some editors out there can relate.

Quotation for the Week of January 11

"The trouble with our times is that the future is not what it used to be."
-- Paul Valery

Bits and Pieces

Well, now that I've broken down and actually signed up for Twitter, this news certainly makes me feel secure.

And I'm sure a lot of laid-off journalists will be overjoyed to see that this guy has become a foreign correspondent.

This item from The Writer's Edge is for any writer who's ever wondered what their agent is doing for them.

And . . . I'm not sure how to feel about this.

Quotation for the Week of January 4

"I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me."
-- Noel Coward

Good News for the New Year

After all the bad news we've heard about book publishing, it's more than a little reassuring to see The Book Deal report that publishers are still acquiring books.

Alan Rinzler writes: "Reports about the demise of book publishing are once again premature. Traditional book acquisition is alive and well." These are comforting words to hear in uncertain times.

Rinzler's post also gives a nice summation of what's really going on in publishing and how it doesn't mean the business is dead--it's just changing. And most people don't like change. But it's something we'll have to get used to.

So, if you're going to make resolutions for the new year, include one about embracing the changes in the publishing industry. Because you're not going to stop them.