IE #4: Book Industry Statistics

Sometimes the last thing you want to do is take time from your writing to study the business end of writing. But that's what has to happen if you want to get published. I'd prefer to use 99% of my time for writing, but instead I set aside 30% for learning the business of this trade. This includes finding new markets for my material, researching contests and fellowships, marketing my book in all forms (through in-person events and online efforts) and networking with other writer friends.

Today my research took me to a press release by the Book Industry Study Group, a trade association for policy and research, that has just published Book Industry TRENDS 2007. While I won't recommend you buy the book, which is $125 for BISG members and $835 for non-members, I will pass on a few tidbits from the release in the hopes you'll get more curious about the market for your material and so do more research:

• Publishers' net revenues went up 3.2% to almost $35.7 billion in 2006. The report projects that amount will increase to $42 billion by 2011.

• Religious books made the largest dollar gain, up 5.6% in 2006, while adult trade came in second with a growth of 3.9%

Book Industry TRENDS 2007

Bookselling This Week (list of articles about industry statistics)

CQ #4: Quirks and Curiosities

A guy who drives miles out of his way for gas that's a few cents cheaper per gallon.

A woman who only ever drinks half of what she pours, so that you know she's around by the half-filled glasses she leaves in her wake.

Did you ever wonder what these habits say about the people? Consider asking that question the next time you observe a seemingly odd quirk in another person, because that's the kind of detail upon which great characters are made. Not only will readers be able to identify with such oddities — because everyone knows someone who... — but the habits themselves will explain how a character thinks. That not wasting is imperative, for example, or that it's important to try, even if you may not succeed that often.

So the next time you're people watching, go the extra mile and extrapolate about what the habit or behavior might say about the person.

For more reading about odd behaviors and the joy of people watching, consider the following sources:

People Watching for Fun and Profit

Odd Behavior and Creativity May Go Hand-in-hand

BQTP #4: What are Your Writing Goals for 2008?

Tuesday morning, Jan. 1, 2008, seems a great time to ask, what are your writing goals for the next year?

Most people I run into treat writing like a hobby in which they'll get a certain piece of writing done whenever. I'm all for a relaxed attitude and allowing plenty of time to experience life through vacations, classes, outings with friends, etc. But I also think a little ambition goes a long way to becoming a better writer because the more you write, the better you get. Having targets to shoot for over the next year will increase the likelihood you'll write more on a regular basis.

That said, one of the biggest traps writers seem to fall into when making goals is setting them too high. Think of how many people you know who make, and subsequently break, their lofty New Year's resolutions?

So as you contemplate what you'd like to accomplish in the next year, whether it's finishing a novel or submitting an article/essay/short story to a writing magazine or contest, think of the following equation:

lifestyle + modest, manageable increase in writing time = success in reaching goal

Here are a few more resources to help you on your New Year's journey:

Goal Setting: Powerful Written Goals in 7 Easy Steps

SMART Goal Setting

WW #4: What Do You Hear?

I've had relatives visiting and so have been busy driving, arranging and organizing. Usually I'm efficient regarding the last, but today I found myself in a parking lot with a 15-minute wait. I parked, and the day being sunny and mild, I sat on the rear bumper of the car, closed my eyes and turned my face to the sun for my dose of sunscreen-free Vitamin D absorption. Then I listened.

We're such a visual species that unless we're forced to examine the world with our other senses, we forget about scent, sound, taste and feel, or if we do use these methods to describe things, we do so in a general way that excites little response in our readers.

In terms of sound, just writing what you hear is somewhat interesting. But why not get the most from your effort? Sit somewhere and listen to everything. Then 1) list everything you hear, 2) tune out the most prevalent sound, and 3) attempt to describe the more unusual sounds. Rather than say "the wind blew through the leaves," of what does the sound remind you?

See my effort at the bottom of this page. If you'd like some tips on how to listen better, here are a few resources for you. Lastly, have a happy New Writing Year.

Speaking & Listening Skills

How to Listen to People

How to Listen: A Poem