Whew. I can’t believe it’s only been 12 days since launching Fuse Literary with some of the best folks I know in the business. There is so much good stuff happening and lots to talk about: new clients, new deals, new brands we’re launching, new e-books and free guides we’re publishing, and new client books coming out from major publishers. To keep up on all that (and get access to special discounts and goodies) subscribe to our Fuselit Newslet, which we’ll be launching next month.
Yes, we just released a new *free* e-book yesterday, THE SHORT FUSE GUIDE TO WORKING WITH BOOK BLOGGERS by our own Jen Karsbaek. Jen came into agenting following her years as a book review blogger, so what she has to say is gold and based on firsthand industry experience.
And tomorrow, we’ll be publishing what may be the most useful thing aspiring career authors will read this year. AUTHORPRENEUR: HOW TO BUILD A BUSINESS AROUND YOUR BOOK by bestselling author Nina Amir will show you just that–how you can actually make a living from what you write, whether it’s fiction or nonfiction, whether or not you have an agent, by thinking outside of the covers and taking advantage of the unique business opportunities available to authors. Watch this space.
I’d like to take a moment, if you don’t mind, to reflect on recent events, some of which you may have heard about via social and mainstream media.
So much of this business has to do with not just who you know but who you are known as. If you are known as a problem, most folks in publishing will not want to work with you, regardless of your platform. Ethical-minded consumers may avoid buying your work as well. But if you are known as a stellar presence in your community, one who constantly delivers, strives to improve, follows guidelines, supports others, and is pleasant to deal with, you’ll find that success comes a lot easier because people will want to know you, work with you, and support your efforts.
One of the most important things to keep in mind throughout your writing/publishing career is that everyone in this business is in fact a human being (some are also other animals, but that’s a different discussion). We have real human wants and real human feelings. As writers, we are perhaps more keenly aware than most that we as humans have our own preferences in how we work and organize information. This is why submission guidelines, be they for an agent, publisher, review blog, or media outlet, differ so much. So, when interacting with humans, anyone really, remember to not just treat others how you’d like to be treated, but value their unique humanity on an even level with your own. This may mean treating them differently than you’d prefer to. Remember basic human conduct:
- No means no.
- Respect stated preferences and personal opinions.
- Respect personal space.
- Be quicker to give than you are to receive. This is actually a great tip for building author platform.
- Your actions do not happen in a vacuum. What you do will affect others.
- Be aware of the nature of your relationship, whether business or personal, and know what is then appropriate.
- If you’re having trouble with these, take a seminar, read a book, or watch some f*cking Mr. Rogers.
More soon. Whether you’re new here or you’ve been following us since our previous incarnation, we appreciate the read and wholly acknowledge that there is so much more out there on the internet.
G
