Getting started

After I gave the keynote speech at Of Dark and Stormy Nights, a conference for new and aspiring writers last month, a number of people asked if I'd post the text on the web. This blog and the rest of my website, located at www.statelyhuangmanor.com, are the result. I'll use this webspace to gather up some of what I've written and said about mysteries, the business of books and whatever else comes to mind.

To kick things off, here's the text of the Dark & Stormy keynote. Post your comments via this blog entry.

Comments

[Beth Anderson]

Well done, Jim. You managed to tell it like it is in this crazy business and still remain very encouraging. I feel better after having just read your speech and I regret not having been there to meet you and hear it.

Thank you!
Beth Anderson

[Amy Proni]

Nice argument for continuing involvement in the industry, Jim. You probably would've been a good lawyer. As it is, you're a great friend to the mystery community.

One thing you didn't mention is how many of the publishers today are not really publishers but are instead media-oriented conglomerates. After all, these are the same people who put dreadful shows on TV and produce movies that appeal to the lowest common denominator.

Uh, not that there's anything wrong with that...

Keep up the good work!
~Amy

[Pat Browning]

Every writer should read this, Jim, maybe even commit it to memory.

It's a thoughtful, reasoned and fascinating speech on publishing.

And for writers -- if you can't remember it all, remember this: "What's hot today? Good books."
Yesterday, today and forever, I hope!

Pat Browning

[JA Konrath]

I was fortunate to have seen this speech live.

I applaud Jim for giving it to us straight, and encourage him to send this to Writer's Digest or The Writer Magazine. Every writer should have a chance to read this. It's that important.

Joe

[Jean Marie Molony]

Jim,

Great Speech. As a reader, I always look for new writers and have been supporting them for many years. I buy books because of word of mouth at the bookstore, reviews in mystery magazines and after meeting the authors at conventions. Book selling is a business and successful authors know that. I remember meeting Jane Evanovich on a book tour after her second or third Plum mystery. I bought all of them immediately. Harlen Coban is another author who gets a lot of attention now but 10 years ago he was at Magna Cum Murder talking aboout his first mystery novel.

Jean

[Kevin Wignall]

Jim, great to see your new blog, and a very interesting speech. I nodded constantly as I read it because it reflects so many of my own experiences as an author. On the other hand, I really wish I'd had the chance to read it a few years ago when I was just starting out!

[Jenny]

Great speech! I'm not writing mysteries per se--though I read a million of them, and both the novel I've already published and the one I've just finished could be described as sort of alt-mysteries--and I think what you've said could be profitably read by anyone writing any kind of fiction. I don't have any background on the business side of publishing, but I too was horrified by "Jane Austen Doe"'s sublime disregard for the money side of things. A propos of your observation that St. Martin's has a business model that means it can run in the black on books with a 4000-6000 print run: this is very much what independent presses like Soft Skull (who published mine) are doing. High-quality paperback originals, a good effort on marketing (including low-budget book tours): it is a pity that so many newspapers will not review books that aren't initially published in hardcover.

[robert ferrigno]

Great overview of the dangers and opportunities. i like the advice of not chasing the lastest trend, but i would suggest that even thinking about chasing what's "hot" is an indication that the writer has lost focus on what should be primary: his or her private passion. it is the process of making the private accessible to a wide readership, to let others feel what matters and why it matters, that makes for good writing and good writers. also, as someone whose work sometimes gets "complimented" on transcending the genre, i have taken to responding, "thanks, but have you READ the genre?" shuts them up every time.

[M.J. Rose]

Thank you for making that speech and posting it. Lots of brilliant points all worth noting. Writing is an art, publishing is a business (a crazy business at that) and writers need to underdand that to survive they have to become smart at both. Good luck with the blog!

[Jon Jordan]

This should be handed out to all authors old and new
alike. Jim is in such a unique position to be able to actually
be involved in all parts of the business. And he's damn good at it
while managing to stay one of the nicest people
I've ever met.

Someone should get smart and hire Jim as a consultant.

[Ali]

Great Insight Jim,

Thanks for posting

Ali

[Aldo]

Ji,, weelcome to the blog world. I enjoyed the speech and it was well researched.

I have a question, why did you start this blog?
Aldo

[Bill Crider]

Welcome to the blogosphere, Jim. Excellent speech.

[Lee Goldberg]

Terrific speech -- lots of very useful insights into the biz, Jim. After reading your blog, I've decided to chuck my new novel "The Rembrandt Riddle" and write chick lit instead...

[Sarah]

First of all, I agree with the consensus, as I said on my own blog--this is a speech that should be widely circulated across all genres, not just within the mystery world. And I echo the welcomes into the 'sphere--can't wait for the next post!

[Bob Kellogg]

Jim, I shared this with writers on other sites, both struggling and...wait. Everyone's struggling, right? Anyway, everyone was heartened and impressed with your clear-eyed vision.

Thanks for sharing.

Bob Kellogg

[Kris Neri]

Great speech, Jim. I thought I knew a fair amount about this crazy biz, mostly learned the hard way, but I bought into a lot of that so-called conventional wisdom. Thanks for the sharp insights. I've shared your speech with other writers because most of us need this eye-opening.

[Victoria]

Jim:

I finally had time to read your speech -- it is the most sensible approach I think I've ever seen -- and inspiring.

Since I come out of a publishing career myself -- in promotion and sales with Andrews & McMeel -- I've often reminded myself of the virtues of slow but steady growth, of not shooting yourself in the foot with unreasonable or selfish expectations.

You hammered home some key points that I've forgotten but are good to see right now as I start my seventh book in my series, still not making a living at it, but getting such warm emails from dedicated readers that I know in my gut I'm doing the right thing.

Thanks so much for reinforcing that. I know your talk took a lot of time to prepare but you have legions of people who do and will appreciate it.

You've made my day!

Victoria Houston

[Nancy Means Wright]

Julia Spencer-Fleming sent this essay to me and I'm overcome with its wisdom, insights, sharing, and downright good sense. It seems you were writing about me --that is, me as representative of authors who manage to keep publishing (St Martin's Minotaur), get enthusiastic reviews, but then quietly ooze out of print. St M. sends my hardcovers to Worldwide Mystery for paperback reprints--which with the last four novels has quickly sold out--and then never,on principle, been reprinted. Little they care about one's career! Armed with your advice I shall leap on my white horse and (blindly) charge forward. But it has taken three years to get the rights back from SMP for my second mystery! I love my editor (Ruth Cavin) and am happy to be with SMP, but as you say--it's a business. Anyway, thank you for that terrific essay. An oasis in a wilderness! Warm regards from Nancy in Vermont

[Cornelia Read]

I'm a late-comer to this speech, but enjoyed it a great deal--especially as I used to work for Jason Epstein.