Don’t Write, Create
Writers basically have two choices: they can build enough of a platform to entice an acquisition, or build one that’s bigger than just books and enables their long-term independence. (And by independence, I mean making a sustainable living, not just self-publishing your book via Amazon or Lulu or Smashwords and declaring yourself an “indie”.)
Similar to work-for-hire vs. creator-owned, it’s evolving into the difference between being a writer and creator. In the digital era, writers sell stories, while creators build storyworlds.
The former is a transaction-based existence focused on the traditional publication of books or articles, with everything else viewed as ancillary. The latter is an approach that sees traditional publishing as just one of many ways via which a storyworld — your fictional universe — can be experienced, and focuses on your ability to reach and engage with readers across a variety of channels. (loudpoet.com)
Why “limit yourself to just writing and publishing a book?” Guy LeCharles Gonzalez asks over at loudpoet.com. The ever burgeoning array of media channels is encouraging a new era of writers, storytellers who see the transmedia evolution as an exciting and promising renaissance.
What about you? Do you long for the black and white publishing world of yore? Or are you ready to embrace the multimodal storytelling opportunities emerging today? And tomorrow?
Related articles
- Gutenberg, Meet Amazon (virtualdavis.com)
- Jane Friedman on the Future of Publishing (virtualdavis.com)
- Digital Book and Audio Book Integration (virtualdavis.com)
- What Good Salespeople Know That Writers Should (janefriedman.com)
- Can’t Live Without Us, Says Publisher. Can Too, Says Konrath (ereads.com)
- Traditional Publishers Relevant? Hmmm…… (diamondpublicationz.wordpress.com)
- Everybody Knows (accordingtohoyt.com)
