A college senior told a friend of mine, “I think I’d like to work in publishing.”
So the friend asked me, “Do you have any suggestions I could offer her?” Here’s what I said.
Continue reading “Getting a Job in Publishing”
Lighting a Candle Instead of Cursing the Lack of Reading
Once again another survey has emerged noting the decline of book reading among Americans across all formats–print, digital or audio. The new Pew Research Center Survey confirms a long-term trend. As more forms of entertainment arise and as education levels decline, reading goes down.
Continue reading “Lighting a Candle Instead of Cursing the Lack of Reading”
Questions Academic Authors Should Ask (4)
Here are two final questions in my series (see here and here and here) of questions that scholars should be asking about publishing.
What about self-publishing?
Continue reading “Questions Academic Authors Should Ask (4)”
Questions Academic Authors Should Ask (3)
I’ve been writing (here and here) about questions scholars should be asking about publishing, but often aren’t. Here are a few more.
What about academics writing for a general readership?
Continue reading “Questions Academic Authors Should Ask (3)”
Questions Academic Authors Should Ask (2)
In my last post I offered a few questions academic authors should be asking before they start thinking about a manuscript. Here are some more.
Aren’t simultaneous submissions taboo?
Continue reading “Questions Academic Authors Should Ask (2)”
Questions Academic Authors Should Ask (1)
Sometimes academic authors come to me as an editor with questions about book publishing. Too often they do not. They simply have their proposed manuscript to present. As a result, they sometimes make missteps on the road to publication. As we approach the season of academic conferences where I will be meeting dozens of prospective authors, here are some questions they should be asking.
Continue reading “Questions Academic Authors Should Ask (1)”
An Un-Business Book
Leadership and Self-Deception is one of the most unusual business books I’ve ever read. It’s a parable or fictional story, but that’s not what made it different. A number of business books have taken that approach in recent years.
What surprised me was that I found nothing in this book about strategy, tactics, mission statements, creativity, disintermediation, Hedgehogs, BHAGs or getting the right people on the bus. It didn’t talk about innovation or being customer focused or how we live in a totally new normal.
Continue reading “An Un-Business Book”
A Sci-Fi Homage to The Canterbury Tales
Dan Simmons pays homage to The Canterbury Tales in Hyperion, his sweeping science fiction classic, by tracing a group of pilgrims who journey to confront the mysterious and godlike entity known as the Shrike. As they travel each one tells his or her tale of why they are compelled to go on this dangerous journey. We even find these long short stories or novellas entitled “The Priest’s Tale,” “The Poet’s Tale,” “The Soldier’s Tale” and so on.
Continue reading “A Sci-Fi Homage to The Canterbury Tales”
Authors Are Like Pioneers. Editors Are Like Settlers.
Bill was thinking about a mid-life career switch and wondered if publishing might be the right thing for him. He knew conventional wisdom says that you should move into expanding industries. But since he likes books and ideas, editing came to mind. So we talked.
Continue reading “Authors Are Like Pioneers. Editors Are Like Settlers.”
The Book of Strange New Things
What if you had the opportunity to explain the gospel to an alien species? How would you go about it? Where would you start? That is the premise of The Book of Strange New Things, a science fiction novel that explores the ultimate in cross-cultural evangelism. While Peter is perhaps not the most likely person to be chosen for the task, he brings a winsome innocence and willingness to enter into the mental/cultural world of the Oasans. He also brings a certain optimism and faith that you wouldn’t quite categorize as evangelical but is certainly deep and committed.
Continue reading “The Book of Strange New Things”