Monday, May 28, 2007
The Writers' Show - Writers’ Show - 21 - Vivien Bowers
A freelance writer for more than twenty years, Vivien Bowers writes elementary and secondary school material, as well as non-fiction books and magazine articles for children and adults. Wow Canada, a book based on her family's travels, has sold over 100,000 copies. About her book In the Path of an Avalanche she wrote in an email: "You do get more respect when you write an adult book. Less money, but more respect." About being a freelancer: "I think guts is a big part of it." Vivien Bowers has won the Science In Society Journalism Award in the Childrens Book category for Crazy About Canada. For more info go to Canadian Science Writers.
Download MP3 of this EpisodeMonday, May 14, 2007
The Writers' Show - Writers’ Show - 20 - Pauline Holdstock
Author of five fiction books and published internationally, is set in Florence during the Renaissance, China during the Boxer Rebellion, Canada during the smallpox epidemic. How does she do it and why? A quote from the show: "I can't write in a linear way. I have to write according to the kind of mood that particular day and where I want to go that particular day in my imagination." She reads from her novel Beyond Measure.
Topics: Banff Wired Writing Studio, creating authentic-feeling historical settings, Canada's interlibrary loan service, language rhythm, setting parameters to work within, dealing with the ego.
Monday, May 07, 2007
The Writers' Show - Writers’ Show - 19 - Morty Mint
Morty Mint distributes Ripleys and founded Mint Publishers Group. Living in Nelson part-time, he has begun representing local writers, including Anne DeGrace (Show #16), and has generously contributed information and expertise to the community through participating in various Oxygen Arts projects and other book events. He was the president of Penguin USA & Penguin Canada. A quote from the show: "Publishers in Canada are overwhelmed with manuscripts. The editors of these houses don't have time to edit books."
Topics: Canada Council publishers' grants, book pricing, The Writers' Union of Canada (TWUC) report on writers' satisfaction with publishers; Scott MacDonald's article What authors need to know, Quill & Quire, March 2007; publishing in Australia; word-of-mouth as the world's best seller of books; The Globe & Mail; The New York Times Sunday Book Review; why not to set your novel in B.C. or Newfoundland; the author as brand.
Info for show #19: Canada Council grants to publishers are tied to what they publish, not what they market. Poor marketing of their books causes writers the most dissatisfaction with their publishers, according to a recent poll taken by The Writers' Union of Canada (TWUC). The poll consisted of 62 questions to elicit responses in these six categories: Contract; Editing; Design; Marketing; Payment; Treatment. Diane Morriss in Show #18 talked about book marketing. Tom Wayman, Show #4, had a rant on this very issue. Hear Tom Wayman's "publisher's rant", first half of Tom Wayman's show.
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