November 23, 2011 In Flourishing in the Margins By Rachel Gold

Happy Thanksgaming!

From the same family that brought you the hit holiday National Day Off for Jews (celebrated Dec. 25), we present: Thanksgaming!  Celebrated annually on the same day as Thanksgiving, this holiday gives gamers everywhere a day to give thanks for our tremendous good fortune in the variety of great games available, the easy accessibility of the “flow” state to us, and the way games bring together diverse people over vast distances. There are two main ways to celebrate this holiday (though of course you’re invited to invent more): 1. Spend the day at home in comfy clothes, eating easy to prepare foods and playing your favorite games. Periodically log in to the social networks of your choice and express heart-felt thanks for these wonderful games and your brilliant achievements in them. Congratulate your friends on their Thanksgaming achievements. 2. Spend the day with family and friends and play games together. Give thanks for the way games bond people, build teamwork, and keep your crazy relatives from fighting (much). Isn’t it time for a holiday that unites gamers without requiring us to leave the comfort of our homes, dorms or apartments? Join us in celebrating Thanksgaming and consciously increasing the amount of happiness in the

August 12, 2011 In Uncategorized By Rachel Gold

Survey Shows Publishing Expanded Since 2008 – NYTimes.com

BookStats, a comprehensive survey conducted by two major trade groups that was released early Tuesday, revealed that in 2010 publishers generated net revenue of $27.9 billion, a 5.6 percent increase over 2008. Publishers sold 2.57 billion books in all formats in 2010, a 4.1 percent increase since 2008. via www.nytimes.com YA fiction is up 6.6% and adult fiction up 8.8%. I like those numbers! And that's post-Harry Potter. Speaking of which, seeing The Deathly Hallows parts 1 & 2 recently really demonstrated to me that ways in which novels can go so deeply into characters, moments and story arcs in a way you just can't get in a movie.

June 1, 2011 In Uncategorized By Rachel Gold

Reader Buying Habits

I'm in the process of merging my Novel Marketing Strategies blog into this one now that I've had an epiphany about how to marketing novels. (Yes, soon I'll post a longer article about that epiphany.) Here I'm bringing in some of my favorite reader data from that other blog: From a 47-page report of stats from Bowker Pubtrack, assembled by Sisters in Crime. (The report focuses on mystery novels, which may be why some of the numberd reasons above are missing for SFF.)  What influences book sales: Fantasy Part of a series: #1 reason Know/Like this author: #2 In-Store Display/On Shelf/Spinning Rack: #3 Friend/Relative Recommended: #4 Online – Book Review: #5 Online – Author’s Website: #6 Online – Retailer Recommended: #7 Book Club: #8 Best Seller List: #12 Book Review (Not Online): #25 What influences book sales: Science Fiction Know/Like this author: #1 reason Part of a series: #2 In-Store Display/On Shelf/Spinning Rack: #3 Book Club: #4 Friend/Relative Recommended: #5 Online – Author’s Website: #6 Online – Book Review: #7 Online – Retailer Recommended: #8 Best Seller List: #11 Book Review (Not Online): #15 In a study by Verso Advertising about book-buying behavior in 2010 (full study online at: www.versoadvertising.com/beasurvey/), the primary factors in a book purchase decision were: Author reputation 52% Personal recommendation 49% Price 45% Book review 37% Cover artwork/blurbs 22% Advertising (including online) 14%  

January 23, 2010 In Uncategorized By Rachel Gold

A Writer’s Time – Ken Atchity

I've read many books about how to write and this remains one of my favorites. He covers not only time management tactics, but also creativity management, which is crucial. I recently found this page of notes that I wrote to myself as a quick review of my favorite points of the book. I'm presenting it here to give you an idea of the scope, but to really dig into his strategies for managing yourself as a write, I recommend you read the whole book. (He has a good style, you'll enjoy it!) A Writer's Time: Making the Time to Write Also I didn't make it all the way through the book with my transcription of my notes, so there's a lot more content that's not covered here: "During the next year or the next few years, plan to lay the foundation for your writing career. Immerse yourself in the planning process and build the foundation, and take your satisfaction from the doing of it, not from the having done it. The poet, e.e. cummings reminds us, cares not for things made but only for the making. Your career, you'll discover, will take the shape of your foundation." (p. xv) Ray Bradbury says: "Start writing more, it'll get rid of all those moods you're having." (p.1) "Writing is a craft.