Monday, October 04, 2010

Learning From Other Genres

Because the rise and fall of publishers affects writers, we often discuss publishers here. Mostly, we talk about books. Sometimes, though, we can learn from others, like comics. Publishers Weekly has an article about comic publisher, Top Cow.

For one thing, the covers are usually eye catching. Link over and check out the cover for The Darkness.

Top Cow has two main properties, The Darkness and Witchblade.
Both series have been collected in a variety of formats, from economical paperbacks to deluxe oversized editions, and huge 1000+ page books collecting 50 issues each, called Compendiums.
There’s another thing Top Cow has done: They work in different formats. Their eggs are not all in one basket.

Here’s another: They sell back stock.
When a new fan discovers Witchblade, often within six months they’ve gone back and brought every Compendium and every single issue they can track down."
Even though the characters were introduced long ago, they keep them fresh by bringing in new “talent.” They’re going digital, as well as staying in print. They’re going into movies and games. They’re spinning off into series.

Now, these are comics, probably not what you write. But can you see anything here that you, a book writer, could learn from?

21 comments:

  1. Very creative, innovative and imaginative. I could see how if (WHEN I should say) a book of mine really takes off there would be the potential for creatimg comic books and games with the characters, print and digital, also of course the movies, althought that has gone without saying for a looooooong time.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think digital comics will be big. There's many aps for the iPad for comics.
    And I wish my book was a graphic novel as well.

    ReplyDelete
  3. When I worked with young entrepreneurs this is exactly what we would encourage. I think, for my mystery series, that a publisher would push back copies - they do on all the series that I read. As a reader I'm in heaven when I get on to a new to me series!
    I look at the sites of writers that I admire and see that they try and offer MORE than just their books - they give to the community of writers by offering writing help; they connect what they are doing to other causes they are interested in.
    As well, the writers I most admire try and meet their readers where ever and how ever they can - meaning large print for older eyes, books on tape for busy commuters or the blind, e-books for the technically savy etc...
    We need to be diverse in our business plans. Thanks for the good post! Jan Morrison

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think the publisher is being really savvy. It helps to try a bunch of things to try to stay relevant.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I've never understood why books go out of print in this POD age. Titles should always be offered, not consigned to oblivion. Maybe there should be a clause that covers that when the rights revert back?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Definitely good stuff here we can use. The core of it does seem to diversify into several markets, and stay relevant in doing so. Our work can be delivered in so many ways now.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Laura, because of the coming of digital books, rights are a big issue now - both when they revert and the e-rights.

    All of you have hit on a really important point in today's world - writers have options, many more than before.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I like the eye-catching covers. When I needed a new cover for the re-release of Pilikia Is My Business, I hired a comic book artist to do it. We'll see how it works out.

    ReplyDelete
  9. You have to be innovative and if there is new way of doing something you have to try it or else risk being left in the dust by your competition.

    Stephen Tremp

    ReplyDelete
  10. I agree that a writer today has to be open to many options in terms of how work is delivered. I am really excited about all that is happening with e-books.

    ReplyDelete
  11. As a writer, you can learn quite a bit by observing the dynamics of what works or doesn't in other genres.

    I love a good series. The good ones do keep their storylines as well as characters fresh. That's not as easy as it sounds when you're on a contract to produce the next installment.

    I love Christine Feehan, for example, and there have been a few of her stories in a couple of her series where the *excitement* factor is not quite there. The world is there, the characters are developed, but somethings missing.

    I've noticed that in a couple of series I've read.

    I think if I wrote a series, it would be only a few books rather than unending ones like Stephanie Plum. Don't think I could carry one that far without getting stale some where along the line.

    ReplyDelete
  12. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Linked over and the cover gets a great big Ew from me... but a delighted one.
    Gorgeous art in a gruesome way.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Fascinating topic. Covers really do help sell a book--so if it works, who can criticize?
    Sylvia Dickey Smith

    ReplyDelete
  15. Diversification is key. I'm working on a few novels, but I also spend a lot of time freelance writing and creating my own sites for places such as Weird Worm and Squidoo. I believe every type of writing, in the end, improves the abilities of the writer in some way!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I think it's important to keep an open mind. There are so many new things and new formats coming out. And that means so many possibilities.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Sounds like thinking outside the box worked once again!)

    ReplyDelete
  18. Smart and forward thinking. To attract ongoing customers, provide them with the old...and lots of different kinds of new.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I think self publishing authors are doing the same. They have paperback, ebook in different formats with different POD companies.

    My Darcy Mutates…

    ReplyDelete
  20. Just as movies and TV shows make a nice sum when they're adapted into comic book form (Buffy, Guiding Light, many movies, etc.), it would benefit any writer to consider if their work could be adapted to that medium as well. Romance writer Diana Gabaldon is having her wildly successful Outlander series adapted into comics: http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/2010-09-22-exile-gabaldon22_N.htm The concept is not unheard of!

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...