Publishing Trends

I've been so wrapped up in doing taxes (for everyone else), that I haven't been as focused on my blog as I need to be.  Tax season is nuts for a day-time accountant, night time writer with a novel she's trying to edit! *sigh*

In light of my recent time crunch, I wanted to bring you some interesting reading choices from other writers about the current trends in the publishing industry.  Check out these great posts:

Slow Down, the Tortoise Won is Zoe Winters' blog about the current "get rich quick" mentality of many entering the e-books market. 

Thirsting For Blood, written by Sue Dent, has been focusing on the decline of the big bookstores.  There are several posts in this series.  Sue also has many posts on the history of the publishing industry and why things are the way they are.

A Newbie's Guide to Publishing, the title of Joe Konrath's blog seems self explanatory.  Recently however, he's been focusing on epublishing.  Recently, he's been featuring guest authors, all self-published via ebooks.

Let's talk.  What's your opinion of the boom in indie e-book publishing?

A Blog on Blood

My friend Sue Dent calls her blog Thirsting For Blood...Satiate Your Thirst, well I did just that today.  I "satiated" someone's thirst.  I gave blood.  Twice a year my church has the American Red Cross Blood Mobile come and park outside during services.  It's hard to walk by that red bus and not give.


A couple of weeks ago, the Red Cross put out a plea for blood.  It seems that for the first time since 2003 there is a real shortage of blood.  They've also had to cancel several blood drives due to the winter storms.  And to add to the situation, the need hospitals have for blood is increasing.


I just want to encourage everyone reading this to get out and give.  Someone out there is "thirsty".

Why Not Me? (Or You Either For That Matter)

I've been thinking quite a bit about what it takes to be successful, and I've decided it depends on how you define success.  Do you define success by fame?  I think that may be how a lot of us define it.  And I think that may be exactly what stymies us, too.  How can we ever become famous for our (fill in the blank) talent, if no one ever knows who we are?

I've done some musing (was actually up most of the night), and I got to thinking, why not me?  I grew up in Hendersonville, Tennessee, a bedroom community for music stars.  In my first part time jobs I waited on Leon Russell, Duane Allen, Joe Bonsall, Barbara Mandrell and others.  Taylor Swift graduated from my high school (some years after me).  My mama grew up with Buddy Holly, and I'm two degrees of separation from Kevin Bacon  None of this name-dropping has anything to do with my writing, but bear with me.  I promise I'm making a point here.

On a more personal note, an old friend of mine, Johnny Talbot is a successful fashion designer (Talbot Runhof).  My friend Chambers Stevens (formerly Steve Chambers) is an actor, married to a producer, and my new friend, Sue Dent, is a writer.  So what does any of this have to do with my success?  Not one dang thing. 

Except for this.  If you look at each of these people, they have a couple of things in common.  First, there is no denying that they are talented at whatever they chose to do.  Second, and probably most important:  they had a dream, and they did not give up on it.  They kept on until they reached their goals.

I was reflecting on the two I grew up with, Johnny and Steve.  Neither of them were voted "Most Likely to Succeed", and if I remember correctly, there was nothing about them that screamed "Future Success".  Talented, yes, but lots of people are talented.  What separated them from the crowd was the fact that they believed in themselves enough to keep going.

It took me a long time to pick up the pen and write.  I spent years looking at all the successful writers thinking that there was no way I'd ever write as good a book as Stephen King or Nora Roberts or John Grisham.  But you know what?  I'll never know unless I try.  My definition of success is not to be a best-selling author.  My definition of success is to write the best book I can, put it out there, and have people read it.

After all, why not me?

I Got A Mention in Sue Dent's Blog

Okay, I'm so excited, I can't stand it.  Sue Dent, author of Never Ceese, and I have been emailing back and forth to for the past few days.  I've had so many questions about writing and publishing, and she has much wisdom to offer. 

But I got a mention on her blog today.  Me.  My name.  Fran Veal.

Click here to see: #links

Thanks Sue!  And thanks for spending so much time with me this morning.  You are a treasure!

By the way, if you are an aspiring writer and want some good free advice, check out the other posts in Sue's blog Thirsting For Blood.