Trends in Writing and Publishing: What to Look for in 2016

It’s that time of year when we feel compelled to look forward and back. Individually, we assess the progress we made last year toward the goals we’d hoped to achieve—you know, the ones in your business plan (writers, you do have a business plan, yes?) as we draft new plans for the fresh new year ahead.

It only makes sense that we accomplish all of that with a nod toward the context in which we work—the greater world of crafting and publishing books. Of course, there is always this caveat—none of us has a crystal ball. Still, there are trends to be watched for.

In looking ahead, I draw on what I’ve learned from nearly 20 years in this industry, working with six different publishers and three literary agents on 16 books. I’ve also benefited from my position as a staff writer with The Independent, a publishing trade magazine, though the views expressed here are entirely my own.

Here, in no particular order, are trends worth watching in 2016:

·         Balance: Digital sales leveled off in 2015, and print sales were bolstered by, of all things, the adult coloring book phenomenon. In 2016, we should see balance that restores, at least in part, a sense of normalcy to writing and publishing. Expect a lot less hand-wringing and wrangling over who’s going to come out on top. As many observers have been quietly pointing out for years, there’s room at the expanded publishing table for lots of diverse participants.

·         Settling: As some of the frenzy diminishes, we can enjoy a more expansive sense of purpose. 2016 may indeed be the year when authors and publishers and everyone else in the industry draw the biggest collective breath they’ve taken in a good long while, followed by a sigh of relief. At last, we can point ourselves back toward our root. We can quit worrying ourselves to pieces over fluctuations in the marketplace and focus again on our first love—creating great books.

·         Fewer Players: No matter how you publish, chances are you’ve experienced diminishing returns in the past few years—lower advances, fewer sales, smaller checks. The bright-eyed optimism with which many ventured into publishing during the last several years has been tempered by the hard truth that our world is populated with many more books than will ever find readers in numbers significant enough to sustain their creators. Authors will continue to drop out of the business, and on their heels will be many in the burgeoning author services industry.

·         More Personal: No doubt about it—the Amazon behemoth is here to stay. But part of Amazon’s success is how they manage to be big and small all at once by catering to a customer’s individual tastes and desires. Authors and publishers may not be able to beat Amazon at its game, but they’re learning that they can best Amazon at its own game, interacting in more significant and creative ways with their readers.

·         The Unexpected: In the Information Age, the same dichotomies that governed 2015 will prevail through the next year and beyond. Hyped trends (Star Wars, Go Set a Watchman) are to the publishing landscape what corn is to an Iowa interstate—an ubiquitous blur that threaten to make us forget why we came.Thankfully, there’s always the potential for a surprise. For that reason if nothing else, long live the coloring book!

Co-founder of 49 Writers and founder of the independent authors cooperative Running Fox Books, Deb Vanasse has authored sixteen books. Her most recent are Write Your Best Book, a practical guide to writing books that rise above the rest; What Every Author Should Know, a comprehensive guide to book publishing and promotion; and Cold Spell, a novel that “captures the harsh beauty of the terrain as well as the strain of self-doubt and complicated family bonds,” according to Booklist. Her next book, Wealth Woman: Kate Carmack and the Klondike Race for Gold, comes out in April, 2016. She is also a staff writer for the IBPA Independent.

Choosing an Editor

from indiepublications.com

Earlier this month, I had the privilege of speaking with a group of emerging and published writers at an event hosted by Adventures by the Book in San Diego. Among the many smart questions posed by the authors in attendance was one about how authors can make sure they’re working with a top-notch editor.

Here, several items to consider before signing on with an editor:

Check credentials: Editors on staff with reputable publishing companies have been vetted, but if you’re hiring a freelance editor or paying an author services company for editorial services, be sure to ask about the qualifications of the person who’ll be editing your work. In emails received from people soliciting editorial work, I’ve found punctuation mistakes and grammatical errors. Among freelance editors hired by small publishers, I’ve come across those who don’t know the difference between proofreading and line editing. A degree in English isn’t enough to qualify someone as a freelance editor. A good editor should have experience in all types of editing—developmental, line edits, and proofreading. Ideally, she should also have publishing experience, and she should provide client references. She should use a stylebook appropriate for the type of writing you’re doing (Chicago Manual of Style for most trade publications) and she should be able to explain the reason for every suggested change. “A comma sounds right” isn’t a reason—there are grammatical rules that apply in every situation.

Make sure the editor works in stages: If you’re working with a legacy publisher, editorial work will progress in phases. If you’re hiring editorial assistance before submitting or publishing, there’s no sense spending a lot of money on proofreading when the big parts of the book—plot, character, structure, pacing—aren’t yet what they need to be. Likewise, when it’s time for proofreading, you don’t want a bunch of line edits that change the style of your narrative. Developmental editing should come first, followed by line edits, and then proofreading. If you’re considering an editor who doesn’t seem to understand these distinctions, keep looking.

Beware editors who change your style: A good editor understands that it’s always your project. She asks about—and pays attention to—the specific area in which you’d like help, and she works to refine your style without changing it into her own. If you’re hiring an editor, ask for a brief sample edit to make sure the editor’s work is done to your standards and expectations. To prospective clients, I offer a ten-minute sample.

Budget realistically: With legacy publishing, the percentage that goes to your agent and publisher helps to offset the cost of their editorial assistance. If you’re paying for editorial assistance on your own, you’ll need to budget at least 2.5 cents per word, or $50 per hour, for developmental editing and line edits. For proofreading (also called copyediting), expect to pay 2 cents a word, or $35 per hour. For my clients, I offer to bill either by the hour or by the word—whichever is cheaper. From my sample edits, I extrapolate the cost of projects if billed by the hour—because I’ve been editing for years, my hourly rate is usually substantially cheaper than the per-word rate.

Get it in writing: Regardless of how they’re paid, good editors will explain clearly, in writing, how their work will proceed. In either an email exchange or a formal agreement, they’ll cover the scope of the project, timelines, and any costs that will be incurred. 

The Successful Writer: An Editor's Perspective

Source: carpediem

As a freelance editor and writing teacher, I’ve enjoyed working with all sorts of writers on all sorts of projects. Over the years, I’ve discovered there are four basic types of writers—and I’ve realized that at various times during my nearly twenty years of writing and publishing, I’ve fit into each of these four categories myself.

Which type of writer are you?

·         The One-and-Done: This writer revels in the draft, which she pursues with abandon, forsaking sleep, food, and family for the pleasures of freewheeling through her story, spilling words onto the page. Forget mere books—she writes epics, logging thousands of words in each writing session. All year long, she looks forward to NaNoWriMo, when she throws herself into the challenge of drafting an entire novel in thirty days. The One-and-Done is speedy, determined, productive, and wildly imaginative. She has no problem finishing her draft, but in the glow of her accomplishment, she’s prone to releasing her work too soon—and suffering disappointment when it isn’t well-received.

·         The Winchester: Remember the Winchester heiress who feared she’d die if she ever quit adding onto her mansion? Some writers suffer from a variation on this malady, writing on and on but never completing a project. Not uncommonly, these writers tend to share a subconscious fear of finishing, which inevitably invites judgment. In other cases, the author just isn’t sure how to finish, and so she keeps on writing and writing and writing and writing…

·         The Wheel-Spinner: This writer paces nicely through a project. When she hits a rough patch, she finds her way through to the finish, wisely seeking help wherever it’s needed. Recognizing the difference between a draft and a marketable book, she seeks advice on how to improve her project, then rolls up her writerly sleeves and attempts revision. But somewhere along the way, she gets stuck. She knows change is needed, but the means to accomplish it alludes her. Her wheels spin and spin, rutting her road to completion.

·         The Sequoia: This writer is strong and productive, but she started out like all other writers, as one tiny voice in a big literary forest. Hardy and adaptable, she learns, grows, and perseveres through the years. Criticism that makes others wither only strengthens her resolve. She stands tall yet acknowledges her dependence on a vital ecosystem of fellow writers, devoted readers, and insightful editors. She’s seen lean seasons and full ones, but by the time she’s old, you could drive right through her middle and she’d continue to thrive.

As a freelance editor, Deb Vanasse enjoys helping all types of writers. Co-founder of 49 Writers and founder of the independent authors cooperative Running Fox Books, she has also authored sixteen books. Her most recent are Write Your Best Book, a practical guide to writing books that rise above the rest; What Every Author Should Know, a comprehensive guide to book publishing and promotion; and Cold Spell, a novel that “captures the harsh beauty of the terrain as well as the strain of self-doubt and complicated family bonds,” according to Booklist. Her next book, Wealth Woman: Kate Carmack and the Klondike Race for Gold, comes out in April, 2016. 

The Successful Author: Making Change

Denali sunrise from my office window

We humans are strange creatures. We crave routine, and yet in many ways, we’re inspired by change. As writers, we can tease out our best work by playing to both aspects of our creative selves.

At the end of my Jumpstart Your Writing workshop, I ask students to write down what will be different as they move forward with their projects—what they’ll allow themselves, what they’ll remember, what actions they’ll take. Among their responses are this yin-and-yang—creating “mini-routines” that get them into writing mode and also making changes that energize their work.

Among the changes that can move your writing forward:

Break free of the linear: In our culture, we’re trained from a young age to think and work in linear ways, from beginning to middle to end. But especially in the early stages of a writing project, linear thinking inhibits creativity. There’s no reason to write straight through from beginning to end. Stuck in the middle? Jump ahead. Write key scenes from later in the piece. Write your ending. Then go back and fill in the rest.

Switch up the way you write: Writing will never be efficient, but with the advent of word processing, writers are able to work faster than ever. Still, typing has disadvantages. Handwriting jars us out of the keypad-to-screen rut. By putting pen to page, you can explore in more freewheeling ways. Visual activities such as mapping, illustrating, and webbing help you access the more creative parts of your brain.

See your work differently: When it’s time to revise—literally, to re-see your work—find ways to make it look different. Change the font. Load up the file on an e-reader. String a line across your work space and hang pages with clothespins. Spread pages out on the floor.

Acknowledge the reader’s desire for change: Part of what keeps readers turning the pages is their desire to vicariously experience change. Active readers enjoy anticipating how characters, setting, and event will activate changes in a protagonist. A helpful goal for a writer: By the end of each scene, at least one of the characters has experienced a change of mood, attitude, or direction. A slight change, perhaps, but a change.

Refresh yourself with new perspectives: Writing retreats and residencies aren’t just about getting away from it all. One reason so much good work happens there is that changes habits and scene nudges us to think and see in new ways. Travel is wonderful, but there are other ways to shake things up. Take a writing workshop. Join a writing group. Write in new places that are easily accessible from your home. Write in new places within your home. The bathtub? Sure. Just remember that water and laptops don’t play well together.

As I write this post, I’m in the midst of acting on this last point—packing up to leave Alaska after thirty-six years. It’s hard to leave the familiar, especially as wild and beautiful as Alaska, landscape on a scale that amazes no matter how long you’ve lived here. A place where the routine never feels routine, where even daily walks with the dog immerse you in natural wonder.

Alaska is also the place where I've grown into myself as a writer. It's where I've written all my published work (and a good amount that's unpublished). It's where I’ve enjoyed the generosity and warmth of the writing community at 49 Writers. A place where I’ve even built something of a reputation, with one Library Journal reviewer kindly referring to me as “one of Alaska’s leading storytellers.”

Still, I’m excited about the new perspectives that come with relocating, a prospect I hadn’t entertained until a few months ago, when my husband suggested a move to the Oregon coast. Family and job prospects (his) are a huge draw, as is living within walking distance of the ocean. I’ll miss the Denali sunrises, viewed from my office window. I’ll miss the moose strolling through the yard. And I’ll miss my friends and writing colleagues.

Alaska has been good to me in more ways than I could ever name. And in some small way, I hope I’m leaving it a little better than I found it.

But change is good. I intend to make the most of it.

Co-founder of 49 Writers and founder of the independent authors cooperative Running Fox Books, Deb Vanasse has authored sixteen books. Her most recent are Write Your Best Book, a practical guide to writing books that rise above the rest; What Every Author Should Know, a comprehensive guide to book publishing and promotion; and Cold Spell, a novel that “captures the harsh beauty of the terrain as well as the strain of self-doubt and complicated family bonds,” according to Booklist. Her next book, Wealth Woman: Kate Carmack and the Klondike Race for Gold, comes out in April, 2016. A regular contributor to the IBPA Independent, her views here are her own.

Author Tips for Success: Beyond the Book Launch

Good surprise, bad surprise.

Last week was the good kind. My husband brought me the Sunday magazine from our local newspaper—we subscribe to the online edition, so a hard copy is a rare thing around here. I assumed there must be something in it he wanted me to see, so I began turning pages. Lo and behold, three pages of the magazine were devoted to an article featuring and reviewing two e-book anthologies I’d co-edited with author David Marusek.

If either of the books had been newly released, I would have been pleased—of course—but not surprised. But one title came out half a year ago and the other a year and a half ago. The reviewer spoke highly of both editions as well as our authors’ co-op, Running Fox Books.

As a result, we’ve seen an uptick in downloads. More significantly, Tip Jar donations rolled in, thanks to the journalist pointing out the Tip Jar feature as part of his write-up.

The bad surprise isn’t news to anyone who’s been publishing for any length of time. After the launch, sales on most books taper off. There are exceptions, of course—audiences that grow over time—but upheavals in the publishing industry still haven’t changed the fact that the market tends to be launch-centric.

However, that nice newspaper coverage long after launch proves that there are ways for fresh energy to flow toward a book long after its release. Here, four ways that can happen:

·         Special sales at events that feature a topic related to your book: As a reporter for the IBPA Independent, I’ve come across lots of proof that special sales to target markets can increase a book’s sales substantially over time. For this reason, I’m looking forward to an onstage conversation at our local museum Oct. 4. The topic is the future of fiction, and the bookstore will be featuring fictions by all four participants.

·         Teach from your book: This old trick of college professors—write a book and then make it required reading for the course you teach—has applications outside academia. This weekend, I’m teaching a workshop, Jumpstart Your Writing, for our local writing center. As part of the course fee, students will receive a copy of Write Your Best Book, one of two books I’ve written on writing and publishing.

·         Media coverage: The article on the Alaska Sampler series in our local paper is but one example of how media coverage can boost interest in your books. Send press releases for your books, and make sure they’re tied to items of interest to the media. Don’t be surprised if it takes awhile to see results, as was the case with our Sampler coverage.

·         Book Clubs: Because book clubs generally make their selections a full year in advance, it may take some time before they begin picking up your title for discussion. Book clubs also rely heavily on word of mouth, so the post-launch potential for interest may extend for years after launch. In early October, I’ll be Skyping with a library book club that’s featuring my novel that came out more than a year ago.

Co-founder of 49 Writers and founder of the independent authors cooperative Running Fox Books, Deb Vanasse has authored sixteen books. Her most recent are Write Your Best Book, a practical guide to writing books that rise above the rest; What Every Author Should Know, a comprehensive guide to book publishing and promotion; and Cold Spell, a novel that “captures the harsh beauty of the terrain as well as the strain of self-doubt and complicated family bonds,” according to Booklist. Deb lives and works on Hiland Mountain outside of Anchorage, Alaska, and at a cabin near the Matanuska Glacier. A regular contributor to the IBPA Independent, her views here are her own.