Wednesday, May 12, 2010

A Publisher Weighs In

A Business Insider article on HarperCollins’ Debbie Stier caught my eye. She weighs in on Publishing in 2010. She was an Associate Publisher for HarperStudio, then the plug got pulled on that operation. Now she’s an Editor-At-Large, yet still enthusiastic about the future. She sees a place for both e-books and print books. She’s also a believer in authors knowing how to promote themselves. Like other publishers, she’s embracing social media.

She gets a lot of her own information through social networking and bloggers.
In the future, some authors will tweet, blog, and make video, but Stier is quick to point out that you can’t make authors into someone they’re not.
“Gary [Vanderchuk]would be the first to tell you, you know, 'Use what medium is most native and comfortable for you.' So if you're not comfortable on video, don't do video if you're comfortable with words,” she said.
“I do believe that the internet is the ultimate engine behind 'the cream will rise,' because, you know, we were talking about word of mouth before. If something's not great, then it's not gonna rise. The people will speak.”
For most of us, “word of mouth” has always been the way to sell. We’re just using different and more mouths now.
TweetIt from HubSpot

19 comments:

  1. How true. Social media is just another form of word of mouth. However, unlike "traditional" word of mouth it can be much more time consuming... but can also be much more effective.

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  2. I'm far more comfortable online than in person, so this is my best hope.

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  3. Jill said it. TIME CONSUMING, indeed.
    But it is fun. I love my bloggy friends.

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  4. It is time consuming. On the other hand, it can be done in your house, in your pajamas, without even brushing your hair.

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  5. I look at the net as a big library. Some books have a full dance card while others are still waiting. People will find what they want whether it's in a building or a box.
    It's great to be able to do everything in comfort!
    Maribeth
    Giggles and Guns

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  6. Blogging is a "word of mouth" so to speak and some of us are way more open here than in person. Interesting post.

    Mason
    Thoughts in Progress

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  7. Makes sense to me! I wouldn't be comfortable with video..not even going to try it at this point. :)

    Elizabeth
    Mystery Writing is Murder

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  8. Authors have a lot more options than in the past, due to the Internet.

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  9. Because of the vast number of authors using social media these days, I think it is going to take really unusual or creative approaches and maybe a bit of luck for a writer and their book to stand out.

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  10. I read a fellow blogger's post just yesterday about exposure through blogging and twitter. Building networks this way is becoming great for marketing your work, as well as building a community of support.

    Laurita
    Brain Droppings

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  11. I agree that the cream will rise to the top. Some of us are better writers than bloggers and vise versa. I hope I'm in the first category. :)

    Jean
    http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fans-of-Jean-Henry-Mead/334147262834?filter=3

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  12. For those who are bad bloggers and bad writers, blogging can be a nice way to practice writing ... and maybe improve both >:)

    Cold As Heaven

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  13. I like the idea of the internet being "word of mouth" these days. And I especially like the suggestion to use the media we're most comfortable with, and not necessarily all of them. What works best for one may not be so for another, so it's nice to focus on the ones we enjoy.

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  14. Very true! It's still word of mouth, just on a global scale and with different media.

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  15. Yeah, even the Internet has become crowded and you have to standout in some way to get noticed.

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  16. I love your last line, Helen! It really is just a new twist on our way of talking :)

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  17. Some days I really enjoy the social media I use online but other days I dread the time I have to use. But I always enjoy here. I'd much rather visit blogs than spend time on facebook or twitter.

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  18. I think blogging allows for more direct communication. Facebook and Twitter is huge and the comments whiz by.

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  19. I like the suggestion to only do what one is comfortable with. Too often we get caught up in the excitement over the latest, greatest thing and don't do a good job of it.

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