publishing

Brace Yourself: A Brand-Building Reality Check

Corey Blake — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:13:46 -0500

I’ve talked before (and will continue to talk about) my growing impatience with clients and potential clients who think we’re ready to call Oprah because the first draft of their manuscript is written. Not only is this expectation both naïve and grandiose, it’s completely based in fantasy. This childlike look at the book industry would be completely laughable if it weren’t so frustrating. What people need to understand is that, yes, it’s possible to get Oprah’s attention. Yes, it’s possible to get on the bestseller list. But it will not happen overnight.

Corey’s Book: From the Writer’s Perspective

Corey Blake — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:41:03 -0500

Hello! I’m the third member of Corey’s book-writing, storytelling, epiphany-creating team—Katie, the writer. Corey has asked me to contribute one blog per week describing our unique process from my point of view, and I’m happy to do it. The truth is that, to many, the writing part of this equation is quite mysterious. I’d like to shine some light. But, first, a little history.

Automated AOL News: Heralding the Future of Online News Writing?

Kit Eaton — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 07:15:57 -0500

AOL's CEO Tim Armstrong has just launched his company into a world of controversy (nothing new there, then) by promising to "spark a revolution." In what? In online news reporting: He's got plans to automate it, kind of. Try not to snigger, please.

Fierceness

Corey Blake — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:54:19 -0500

My big take away from today was an attribute that I have recently labeled about myself as impatience, but that my story guide Annie Hart redirected this morning as fierceness. As my business is growing and our authors and company are gaining more popularity, more and more people are contacting me to help them with their branding.

Got Courage? Then You're in Business

Corey Blake — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:52:05 -0500

I blogged recently about how important-no, invaluable-integrity is in business. As you may know, I believe that integrity should be the linchpin of every business, no matter how large or small. But tied up in integrity is something else: courage.

If eBooks Are the Future, Do Publishers Have a Plan?

Lydia Dishman — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:09:12 -0500

The numbers are in, and eBooks may very well be the bright spot in book publishing's dim future--but only if publishers can figure out a way to keep the momentum going.

Apple Tablet Delayed, but With OLED Screen and Condé Nast Mags

Kit Eaton — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:53:17 -0500

Whee, the Apple Tablet merry-go-round spins and spins: Today adds a clutch of rumors that, if you grapple them all together, are another quietly confident tick in the "it's definitely real" box. But one suggestion is that the beast is delayed, which is the kind of rumor we hate to hear.

Conde Nast Getting Ready, Wired to have an iTablet Edition?

The weight of Story

Corey Blake — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:59:44 -0500

This morning on my call with Katie and Annie I spoke mostly about my recent trip with Daniel Cardwell and our work together on “A Question of Color”. I told them about my first trip to the grocery store with Dan to stock up our cabin in preparation for our five days together and how unusual it was to go shopping with someone for the first time. The experience opened my eyes to how stories are often told between the lines. Imagine how much I learned about Dan when he reached for a dozen tins of sardines, four boxes of Nutrigrain bars, two cans of beans and three onions.

How to Write a Book Proposal That Sells

Adam Penenberg — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:22:27 -0500

Since Viral Loop hit bookstores a month ago, I've chronicled the Viral Loop Facebook application that was designed to spread and accompany the iPhone app to promote the

Google Books Takes a Hit: Foreign-Language Works Ditched

Kit Eaton — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:33:09 -0500

Google's Book deal is so controversial it makes fascinating news every time the story takes another turn. But for Google, things have just turned pretty sour: Due to huge legal pressure, it's chopping foreign texts from the archive.

Day 3: A Question of Color

Corey Blake — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:35:30 -0500

Because we are at the bottom of a small valley in the Solomon Islands, the rain from behind us and from across the street in front of us was all flowing beneath our cabin on day three of this tropical storm. Not the best week to choose to hang out on an island off the coast. The water was raising on us so quickly, that we were forced to put garbage bags over our boots and walk through the foot deep water to get to the car. See Dan’s German born; he likes German cheese and he drives a Mercedes.

Day 2: A Question of Color

Corey Blake — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:17:00 -0500

Yesterday began early again and was one of those creative days that flowed from the get go. Dan and I hit a groove and Erin was awesome about getting me back transcribed material we were recording. We had a couple of striking epiphanies about origin vs. destination, about Dan’s experience in the military, and I figured out how to fit his unprecedented work with cancer into the story in a way that drives it forward.

A Question of Color

Corey Blake — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:12:23 -0500

Yesterday was day 1 of a 6 day trip working with Daniel Cardwell on A Question of Color.

Alesia Shute and Everything’s Okay: Another Story Inspiring Change

Corey Blake — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:04:39 -0500

As some of you know, our client, Alesia Shute, was diagnosed with cancer when she was seven years old. At a time when most kids are learning to ride bikes, Alesia was overcoming obstacles that knock adults to their knees. As a child, she survived six major surgeries and several minor ones and endured years of pain and uncertainty. But Alesia didn’t want to tell a story that focused on the pain and struggles of her journey; she wanted to tell a story about overcoming, a story that would inspire other patients and survivors to live openly and joyfully.

What Will Google's Newspaper Crusade Mean for Readers?

Chris Dannen — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:54:31 -0500

It's nice that CEO Eric Schmidt feels Google has a "moral responsibility" to help reinvent the newspaper industry. But how?

From Mission to Marketing, How to Show Integrity in Everything You Do—and Why You Should

Corey Blake — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:18:46 -0500

iPhone Beating E-Readers at Their Own Game?

Kit Eaton — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 06:34:11 -0500

With the iPhone still the hottest smartphone, there's much speculation about how its future will pan out. For some the money's on gaming, but new research from Flurry is surprisingly different: eBook apps are overtaking games in the App Store.

What’s More Important Than Exceptional Work? Integrity.

Corey Blake — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:06:49 -0400

If you ask me, integrity is the backbone of any good business—no, great business. But it’s a broad term, one that people find more difficult to define than, say, “results-oriented.” And without knowing what integrity is, it’s almost impossible to live it.

So, what does integrity mean to me? Well, to start:

Why You Should Prioritize Your People Above the Product

Corey Blake — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:27:53 -0400

When I lived in L.A., I was fortunate enough to take part in a number of really fantastic film projects. Either as an actor, producer, or director, I dove headlong into making these projects a success, and to some extent, they all were. I worked on one film, however, where the environment was completely different from all the rest: It was all about the product.

Did The New York Times' Bill Keller Confirm the Apple Tablet?

Kit Eaton — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 06:58:31 -0400

Warm-up the Apple rumor engine again, because the mythical iTablet just got a boost from a very significant source indeed: The executive editor of The New York Times, Bill Keller.

Blogging Is Dead, Long Live Journalism

Kit Eaton — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:39:21 -0400

Technorati's regular "State of the Blogosphere" analysis of the business is just out, and among the stats is the incredible fact that bloggers are being paid more than ever. Is it time to rethink the definition of blogging? Yes.

Forget Everything You've Heard About Book Publishing

Adam Penenberg — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:00:26 -0400

Part 1: Today's Author, Yesterday's Business

Forget everything you've heard about book publishing.

For instance, recently at a party to celebrate the publication of my latest book, a number of people asked, "Is your publisher sending you on a tour to promote your book?"

Dicl;dsCKWDfce9qdck. Sorry, I was laughing so hard recounting this story that I hit my head on my keyboard.

Annie Hart Strikes Again

Corey Blake — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:15:10 -0400

After our morning call with Katie, Annie reached out to talk privately with me to check in and see if there was some unresolved tension from last week. I admitted that last night I had gotten nervous about our call today because I’m starting to feel how these calls impact my week. With so much else in life feeling all over the place (especially my own businesses), my anxiety struck late last night and I jumped in to dictate the direction of today’s call without letting Annie in on the “why”. I usurped her role as story guide and jumped in to lead. I was feeli

Back on Track

Corey Blake — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:15:38 -0400

Last night I shared with my story guide Annie Hart that I needed us to have a structured call today. Since our call last week I was beginning to feel a bit desperate and depressed, like we had fallen off track. Thankfully, because I am a story guide myself, I was able to pin point quickly that and ask Annie for structure.

Did Sears Just Whoop Wal-Mart, Amazon, and Target in the Book-Price War?

Chris Dannen — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:18:12 -0400