If you are an author seeking publication or looking for ways to promote your book, this month’s WPN Market Update is designed with you in mind. We list 5 new publishing imprints, services and opps for authors, two great resources and seven solid book promotion opportunities, including interview sites for authors. Are you looking for a job in the industry? We provide 5 job boards for writers and editors. You’ll also learn about a major magazine database. Use some of the resources and links in this issue of the WPN Market Update and you could earn enough money for a fantastic summer vacation.
Here’s What’s New – 8 bits of industry news.
Opportunities for Freelance Writers – a major magazine database, mags and pubs seeking submissions and 5 job boards for writers
Opportunities for Authors – 5 new imprints, services and opportunities for authors.
Book Promotion Opportunities – 7, including author interview sites and services.
Resources for Authors – 2 amazing sites full of resources for authors.
Going, Going, Gone – 10 mags have quit. Some will go digital
Here’s What’s New
According to GalleyCat, ebooks sales are still increasing and paperback sales are—you guessed it—decreasing. It looks like children’s and young adult books are still popular. See charts here: http://bit.ly/10XQgcr
Goodreads is coming to a Kindle near you. Otis and Elizabeth Chandler launched Goodreads in 2007 and it is currently billed as the world’s largest site for readers and book recommendations. As authors, we look forward to getting our books reviewed by a Goodreads’ reviewer. They have over 16 million members, 23 million reviews and they have listed over 500 million books at their site. They’ve previously dealt with print books. Now, however, they are “joining the Amazon family” and they will be getting involved in ebooks. Learn more here: http://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/413-exciting-news-about-goodreads-we-re-joining-the-amazon-family
Jay Hartman at Untreed Reads Publishing has announced a new magazine they’re publishing on Flipboard. Flipboard is an app for Apple and Android devices. Learn more about Flipboard here: http://www.flipboard.com. The magazine, from Untreed Reads consists of their blog posts, reviews, announcements, Tweets, Facebook posts and ebook industry news. To start following the magazine, go into the Flipboard app, tap on the magnifying glass at the top, search for Untreed Reads, tap on it and then tap on “subscribe” at the top. They’ll be in your regular Flipboard feed after that.
Variety has re-launched. This weekly trade magazine focuses on stories targeting the entertainment industry.
The Canadian Kennel Club will re-launch Dogs Annual and Dogs Canada through their organization.
Google Analytics has added two new options for those who keep track of their website performance. Data Hub Activity and Trackbacks. Check them out herere http://bit.ly/XwLbWu
The Wall Street Journal plans to launch Risk and Compliance Journal this spring. http://www.wsj.com Contact Nick Elliot: nick.elliott@dowjones.com
You’ve probably read that Author Solutions is under investigation. Author Solutions is a subsidiary of AuthorHouse, iUniverse, Trafford, Xlibris, Inkubook and Wordclay. Now, complaints about these companies is nothing new. But I guess someone has taken their complaints to the next level. Learn more and get involved here: http://bit.ly/16DjsG1
Opportunities for Freelance Writers
Whether you write articles for a living, supplement your income through article-writing or promote your books by writing articles, you can enhance your experience by signing up with the Wooden Horse Database. For $149, you will have access to over 2,000 US and Canadian consumer and trade magazines for an entire year. Or you can sign up for 24-hour access for just $1.99. This is a great way to get a sampling of what Wooden Horse offers. There are other options, as well. One of the main features of this database are the editorial calendars offered by some of the publications. Learn more and sign up here: http://www.woodenhorsepub.com
Here’s a new magazine that is written predominantly in English, but uses 10 percent Spanish content. According to the description, Glam Belleza Latina is a spin-off from Glamour and the target audience is Hispanic women.
Gygax is a gaming magazine with opportunities for writers as well as artists. There’s no mention of pay, however. They publish articles of from 2,000 to 12,000-words. Submission guidelines here: http://gygaxmagazine.com/submission-guidelines
Call for submissions. Untreed Reads, an e-publisher, is looking for stories for an anthology showcasing mystery and crime stories which combine science fiction/suspense. Stories must be between 1,500 and 5,000 words and the deadline is May 30. For additional information or to submit your story, contact Jay Harman at jhartman@untreedreads.com
If you write romance that “takes the heat up a notch,” consider sending your stories to Untreed Reads After Dark imprint. For more information, jhartman@untreedreads.com
Job Boards and Lists for Writers
Looking for a job in the magazine industry? Check out the job board at the Association of Magazine Media (formerly The Magazine Publishers Association). http://jobs.magazine.org
The Media Bistro also publishes jobs. Check out their site here:
http://www.mediabistro.com/Magazine-Publishing-jobs.html When I checked, I found the following jobs available: Managing editor for a food industry magazine; managing designer in Miami; project manager in New Jersey; advertising jobs in CA, NJ and NY; editing jobs in NY, CA, CT, NJ, KY and many others.
http://www.indeed.com/q-Magazine-l-New-Mexico-jobs.html Here are several magazine jobs in New Mexico. This site also lists a variety of jobs in many other states. Just type in appropriate keywords to get the list that relates to your employment needs.
http://www.careerbuilder.com/Jobs/Keyword/Magazines
Here’s an interesting job site that you may have overlooked: http://www.ed2010.com
Opportunities for Authors
Amazon will be publishing literary fiction and memoirs through their new imprint, Little A. This makes 7 Amazon imprints. Up until now, literary fiction was published under “general” fiction. So far, there is no specific website available.
If you write creative fiction, you might be pleased to know that Coffee House Press is adding this genre, as well as essay collections to its publishing program. Up until now, Coffee House Press has been publishing literary fiction and poetry. http://coffeehousepress.org
There’s a new literary agency in town. Foreword Literacy is a full-service virtual literary agency. Learn more here: http://forewordliterary.com.
Strategic Media Books plans to produce eleven books this year and they are open to proposals for 2014. If you have a true crime, crime, mystery fiction or a story of Southern interest or international politics, you might want to contact their editor. Learn more at http://www.strategicmediabooks.com. Contact email: strategicmediabooks@gmail.com
Did you know that the World Literary Café now offers manuscript formatting and book cover services? Check their offerings out here: http://worldliterarycafe.com
Book Marketing Opportunities
The Masters in English organization has compiled a list of what they term, “100 Essential Sites for Voracious Readers.” This may be interesting to those of you who read, of course. But I’d also like to point out that this could be a great place to find review sites for your amazing book. http://mastersinenglish.org/voracious-readers.
I often teach and preach that readers want a relationship with the authors they read. You’ll also hear/read me say, “Personality sells books.” If you are at a loss as to how to reach your audience, here are some opportunities for authors to be interviewed.
http://www.armchairinterviews.com
http://www.goodreads.com/interviews
http://www.readingrockets.org/books/interviews (Interviews with children’s authors and illustrators.)
http://writerinterviews.blogspot.com
For additional help in locating speaking opportunities, honing your public speaking skills, learning interview tips and techniques, presenting a more successful book signing, setting up workshops and blog sites in order to promote your book and so much more, purchase Talk Up Your Book by Patricia Fry. It’s available at Amazon.com in print, Kindle and audio. Also available at many other online and downtown bookstores.
Are you familiar with Publishers Portal? Evidently they have a low-cost book promotion service for authors. They put an excerpt from your book in front of key book buyers—booksellers, librarians, online retailers, distributors, etc. in an attempt at enticing them to purchase copies. The fee per book is only $35. Might be worth checking into. http://www.publishersportal.com
Resources for Authors
Author Marketing Club seems to have a lot to offer authors who need help marketing their books. And they say that their services are FREE. Check them out here: http://authormarketinglub.com
The Writing Bomb blog has an interesting resource page you might want to check out. http://thewritingbomb.blogspot.com/p/author-resources.html
Going, Going, Gone
Risk-Controlled Investigating has closed.
The Boston Phoenix has closed.
Fiesta Magazine, San Antonio, has folded.
Garden Design has also closed its doors.
Human Events is gone.
Snow Magazine has ceased publishing.
Wine Access is no longer publishing.
Information Week will no longer produce a print magazine.
CRN will no longer publish in print.
Time Out Chicago is going all digital.