This week, Kelly and JJ explain what happens after you get published, including print formats, the life cycle of a book, and publicity and promotion. Plus, a NaNoWriMo pep talk!
Show Notes
A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: Remainders by J. A. Konrath
What Are Remainders? by Rachelle Gardner
Self-Promo and Marketing Materials That Work by Erin Bowman
Do You Have to Say "Yes" to Everything? Sherlocks v. Watsons by Stacey Lee and Stephanie Garber
Making the Most of Social Media Networks as a Writer by Erin Bowman
Exciting New York Times Bestseller List Changes Mean Your Favorite New YA Books Are About To Get More Attention at Bustle
The Times it is a-changing, part deus by Michael Bourret
We've written quite a few posts on the topics of promotion, self-promotion, and social media here at PubCrawl, so browse at your convenience!
TL;DL Version
There are different print formats: hardcover, trade paperback, and mass market.
Books can get remaindered, which means that the publisher is selling off the remaining stock of a title at a loss to make room at their warehouses for new titles. This does not necessarily mean your book is going out of print.
The best way to promote books is to make personal connections, i.e. DON'T (solely) BE A SHILL FOR YOUR OWN WORK.
The New York Times bestseller list is...complicated.
Creative Endeavors
Both Kelly and JJ are doing NaNoWriMo this year! Add us as writing buddies and keep us accountable! We are bookishchick and sjaejones, respectively.
Some NaNoWriMo tips
JJ won NaNoWriMo 13, and then went on to sell that novel, so she feels she's got a leg to stand on. Some tips and links:
What should you write about? Anything you want, but if you're stuck for plot, retelling something can help!
Pick a story with a small element of "wish fulfillment". No judgement! Writing from a place of subconscious desire really helps you with word count.
The Big Idea: How to Turn an Idea into a Book (a post I wrote about finding what to write about)
More posts on Ideas on PubCrawl!
Books Discussed/What We're Reading
Girl with the Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (on audio)
The Rose Society by Marie Lu
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore
The Burning Sky and The Perilous Sea by Sherry Thomas
The works of Courtney Milan
The Raider by Jude Deveraux
For My Lady's Heart, Shadowheart, and The Shadow and the Star by Laura Kinsale
Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase
Again, Georgette Heyer!
The works of Sarah MacLean (the series JJ keeps calling Fallen Angels but is actually called Rules of Scoundrels)
Off-Menu Recommendations
Secret Garden, Enchanted Forest, and Lost Ocean by Johanna Basford (grown-up coloring books!)
Dear Bitches, Smart Authors podcast
Girls Next Door webcomic by Pika-la-Cynique
And as per usual, EVERYTHING IS STILL HAMILTON. Both Kelly and JJ are loving "Right Hand Man" at the moment.
5. Publishing 101: Publication & Beyond