Offering timely advice in an era when the burden of production and publicity frequently falls on authors, this essential reference reflects on methods for being focused, productive, and savvy in the craft of writing. Discussing a wide range of essential topics for self-promoting authors, this important guide explores questions such as How can authors use social media and the internet? How does the new online paradigm affect authors, readers, and the book industry? How can authors find the time to both create and promote their work? and What should never be done? Through good-humored encouragement, practical tips of the trade culled from 25 years of experience as a writer, reviewer, editor, publisher, agent, and blogger are shared. Including topics such as personal space versus public space, deadlines, and networking, the benefits of interacting with readers through new technologies is revealed.
Booklife
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Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Author and blogger VanderMeer (Finch) outlines ways for writers to harness both the emerging power of the Internet and their own creativity in this informative guide. VanderMeer differentiates between a Public Booklife (marketing the book and the writer) and a Private Booklife (strategies to help get words on the page) and suggests that one's ideal Booklife is a dynamic balance of the two. Even though the Web's landscape is constantly shifting, his hints about ways to maximize a writer's exposure—including weighing the pros and cons of Facebook, MySpace and Twitter—can certainly be applied to future social networking sites and blogs. The tips for creating a flourishing Public Booklife will appeal to a wide variety of writers, from those just starting out to those trying to navigate the changing world of book publishing, while the Private Booklife section seems more tailored to new authors. With anecdotes from VanderMeer's own life as a writer, reviewer and blogger, as well as input from agents, editors and publicists, this guide will surely help writers traverse the often difficult journey from first draft to finished product. (Oct. 15)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
"This guide will surely help writers traverse the often difficult journey from first draft to finished product." —Publishers Weekly
"Well-organized masterclass in understanding how to fit both writing and a writing career into your life." —Cory Doctorow, Boingboing.net
"Jeff VanderMeer is an extraordinary writer . . . passionate, beautiful, complex, terrifying." —Tamar Yellin, author, The Genizah at the House of Shepher
"One of the things that sets VanderMeer apart is his embrace of technology and media. His online presence is considerable and includes a number of web sites, frequent blogging, a short film adaptation . . . his Alien Baby photo project and even a project involving animation via Sony Playstation." —Wired.com
"A brilliant writer!" —Peter Straub, author, Lost Boy Lost Girl
"I've long marveled at Jeff's mad alchemist-like techniques of creation, promotion, and artistic survival through his artful navigation of brambly networks of writers, artists, musicians, historians, hatmakers, bloggers, booksellers, reviewers, and fans. To steal a line from an Eddie Izzard stand-up act, 'No one can live at that speed.'" —Leslie Ann Henkel, publicist, Berkley/New American Library
"One of the most literary fantasy writers or fantastic literary writers we've got working these days, take your pick." —Ron Hogan, Mediabistro's GalleyCat
"The thing about life is that it's bittersweet. It is both funny and dreadful and horrific and beautiful and everything else. And so to capture that . . . I turn to fantasy for that reason." —NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Finally, a comprehensive book for the modern writer - it's about time
October 22, 2009
By tangerine
Format:Paperback
Booklife is really the first book that addresses the two main challenges facing modern writers: balancing self promotion and the craft of writing.
The first half of the book - Public Booklife - covers online forums like blogging, social networks such as Twitter and Facebook, and how publishing actually works, all of the practical aspects of writing as a career. The second half - Private Booklife - is about how to become a better and more satisfied writer, with the benefit of the author's own (fascinating!) creative methods as well as insightful essays from other authors.
"Web-entrepreneur" Jeff VanderMeer has *25* years of experience (whoa) in publishing as a writer, editor, reviewer, high-profile blogger ([...]), and a whole lot more. He's absolutely the right guy to help writers understand how to become more successful while maintaining integrity and vision. He covers the best ways to use the Internet to increase your profile, the mysteries of the publishing cycle, how to work with publicists effectively, how to create an identity that is in sync with the quality and character of your writing, the process of establishing long-term writing goals, and how to maintain enough personal space to nurture your creativity, and much more. Plus VanderMeer's writing style is enjoyably infused with his humor and genuineness.
This book is an absolute must for any writer hacking their way through the jungle of modern publishing. Check it out.
The first half of the book - Public Booklife - covers online forums like blogging, social networks such as Twitter and Facebook, and how publishing actually works, all of the practical aspects of writing as a career. The second half - Private Booklife - is about how to become a better and more satisfied writer, with the benefit of the author's own (fascinating!) creative methods as well as insightful essays from other authors.
"Web-entrepreneur" Jeff VanderMeer has *25* years of experience (whoa) in publishing as a writer, editor, reviewer, high-profile blogger ([...]), and a whole lot more. He's absolutely the right guy to help writers understand how to become more successful while maintaining integrity and vision. He covers the best ways to use the Internet to increase your profile, the mysteries of the publishing cycle, how to work with publicists effectively, how to create an identity that is in sync with the quality and character of your writing, the process of establishing long-term writing goals, and how to maintain enough personal space to nurture your creativity, and much more. Plus VanderMeer's writing style is enjoyably infused with his humor and genuineness.
This book is an absolute must for any writer hacking their way through the jungle of modern publishing. Check it out.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By Laura Cross
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Booklife is an informative guide for creating a successful and balanced writing life. VanderMeer breaks the book into two sections: Public Booklife, covering marketing elements, and the Private Booklife, focusing on the writing process - while emphasizing the importance of creating an authentic balance between the two.
The first section delves into online platforms and media opportunities including blogs, social networking (Twitter, FaceBook), book trailers, reviews, podcasts, and dedicated book / author websites, and provides insights to select the most effective and honest strategy. VanderMeer recommends setting goals and outlines how to create detailed plans. In part two, he discusses writing and revision, how to deal with rejections, and setting work schedules. This well-organized, thoughtful book concludes with more than 100 pages of appendices filled with information from and about agents, booksellers, editors, publicists, and published writers.
The first section delves into online platforms and media opportunities including blogs, social networking (Twitter, FaceBook), book trailers, reviews, podcasts, and dedicated book / author websites, and provides insights to select the most effective and honest strategy. VanderMeer recommends setting goals and outlines how to create detailed plans. In part two, he discusses writing and revision, how to deal with rejections, and setting work schedules. This well-organized, thoughtful book concludes with more than 100 pages of appendices filled with information from and about agents, booksellers, editors, publicists, and published writers.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Jeff VanderMeer is a writer who's done a little bit of everything, whether it's publishing compelling fiction, editing his own anthologies (as well as co-editing with his wife, Anne), going on book tours for author appearances, or presenting writer workshops around the country. He's the sort of guy who has a lot of say about writing and publishing and advice he can offer just about any level of writer. Fortunately, he's done just that in his new book, Booklife: Strategies and Survival Tips for the 21st-Century Writer.
Booklife is a book for any kind of writer whether he's someone who's never published anything and is looking to make it in the business, or whether she has a few books under her belt and is looking to make it really big. Booklife has a little something for every type of writer. The book is divided into two parts: Public Booklife, which covers how to present both yourself and your work as a writer, how best to organize and carry out successful signings and book tours, and - most importantly - creating and managing your goals so you can really make it as a writer. The second part, Private Booklife, covers some of the mechanics of writing, how important feedback is - and not just from friends and family, and using some of the lessons from the first part of the book in different and constructive ways to make your writing the best it can be.
And it doesn't all end when you reach the last page of Booklife, there is the booklifenow.com website, filled with helpful articles, tips and strategies, updated three times a week, and affiliated with Publisher's Weekly Booklife portal. Booklife is not just a book, but a whole package experience that gives you ideas and suggestions to help you achieve your goals; it's not necessary to do every thing this book tells you; it's up to get what you want out of it, which depends on how much work you put into it. But Booklife will certainly help you along the way to becoming that bestselling writer you've always dreamed of.
Originally written on December 11th 2009 ©Alex C. Telander.
For over 500 book reviews and exclusive author interviews, go to [...].
Booklife is a book for any kind of writer whether he's someone who's never published anything and is looking to make it in the business, or whether she has a few books under her belt and is looking to make it really big. Booklife has a little something for every type of writer. The book is divided into two parts: Public Booklife, which covers how to present both yourself and your work as a writer, how best to organize and carry out successful signings and book tours, and - most importantly - creating and managing your goals so you can really make it as a writer. The second part, Private Booklife, covers some of the mechanics of writing, how important feedback is - and not just from friends and family, and using some of the lessons from the first part of the book in different and constructive ways to make your writing the best it can be.
And it doesn't all end when you reach the last page of Booklife, there is the booklifenow.com website, filled with helpful articles, tips and strategies, updated three times a week, and affiliated with Publisher's Weekly Booklife portal. Booklife is not just a book, but a whole package experience that gives you ideas and suggestions to help you achieve your goals; it's not necessary to do every thing this book tells you; it's up to get what you want out of it, which depends on how much work you put into it. But Booklife will certainly help you along the way to becoming that bestselling writer you've always dreamed of.
Originally written on December 11th 2009 ©Alex C. Telander.
For over 500 book reviews and exclusive author interviews, go to [...].
Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Strategies and Survival Tips will need to be mined
I found this book a little wordy. Probably much longer than it needed to be. Useful, but not a great resource. Finding tips and strategies will require some digging. Read more
Published 5 months ago by L. Dekay
1.0 out of 5 stars
Tedious
What comes to mind while slogging through this boring tome is, "Will this guy ever shut up?"
Once in a while there is a kernel of useful information. Read more
Once in a while there is a kernel of useful information. Read more
Published on May 23, 2011 by Louis Eagle Warrior
5.0 out of 5 stars
Belongs on every writer's reference shelf
Writing used to be all about putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). In the 21st Century, there are so many other things for a writer to consider. Read more
Published on February 9, 2011 by Paul Lappen
5.0 out of 5 stars
Maybe I will have a Booklife
This was a very positive push for anyone who wants to write and has cold feet. Like me. There is information on two fronts: what kind of PR and online social networking you should... Read more
Published on December 8, 2010 by Jennifer Andersen
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wish I'd Had This Years Ago
This book covers an amazing amount of ground, from big topics to small, and everything in between. As someone who had to figure out a lot of things for myself (when I started out... Read more
Published on November 23, 2010 by C. Yu
5.0 out of 5 stars
Works for Booklife and for Careerlife
Just like the name of this book states, the focus and the examples are on writing and books. However, Booklife works as a practical guide also for anybody building their career in... Read more
Published on August 11, 2010 by Aattu
4.0 out of 5 stars
The perfect book for building your writing career
Outstanding book on the business of writing, and managing a career as a writer. As a fairly new writer with a couple of professional story sales, this is the book I always hoped... Read more
Published on July 14, 2010 by Jamie Rubin
3.0 out of 5 stars
This guy has all the answers, it seems
There are many ideas in "Booklife", and some are good ones. VanderMeer has obviously attempted to cover every topic a would-be author needs to consider. Read more
Published on April 23, 2010 by Recliner
5.0 out of 5 stars
*BookLife* is excellent strategy I'm applying to my own career.
I blurbed Jeff Vandermeer's *Booklife*. I found it full of excellent advice for authors who are trying to expand their public and especially online presence. Read more
Published on October 24, 2009 by Minister Faust
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thinking Outside the Book
BOOKLIFE serves as a much-needed corrective to the sad "market your book like a carnival huckster" approach too often found in books of advice for writers these days. Read more
Published on October 22, 2009 by Michael Arnzen
