Friday, March 8, 2013

Wall Street Leads The Way For Books


The Dow Jones is at an all-time high, soaring past its previous record close of five years ago – and it has doubled where it was four years ago, when the crash smacked it down to around 7,000. It’s now up to 14,329 as of March 7th.

So what does it mean to book publishing?

<1. It’s great news because a better economy means more book buyers with more money to spend.
<2. The rise on Wall Street means publishers who trade publicly may soar as well. High trades raise all boats.
<3. When economic times are better, companies will take some risks and experiment, maybe even expand. Publishers may launch new lines or invest in more marketing of their books.
<4. A positive change in the economy could ignite new interests for readers.

The new economy will also see a shift in book content. Rather than books telling us why Wall Street went bust, bold to this will again tell us how to run in a bull market. Instead of books talking about how to sell a house in a down market, we’ll see books on how to buy in an up market, how to decorate, and what to do when your house sells so quickly. We’ll see books that address new hobbies and spending habits. Fashion will change with wealth creation and books will reflect that. Travel will increase and so will books catering to that. Instead of books about finding work in a tight market, there will be books bemoaning the shrinking labor pool in a blazing marketplace.  

It won’t happen at once, but change is happening. The Great Recession is over and done with. The next few years will be like the late 80’s and late 90’s – until the next bust happens. For now, enjoy it while it lasts and write for the new economy. It’s going to be a good time.


 

Interview With Author Kristen Reed


1.      Kristen, how did you dream up the world in your new book?  I had previously started writing a story years ago that took place in the world of Faerie, but I lost inspiration and the story died. However, I was recently doing some research into popular modern fairytales and fantasy-based television shows and movies for work, and the entire premise behind The Kings' Council just came to me one day as I was working.

2.      Would you rather exist in the world that you created-- or the real one? I think it would be nice to vacation in Faerie, but I wouldn't want to live there. As much as I love the magic and potential for adventure, I like modern plumbing way too much to ever give it up.

3.      What are readers looking for in their books of fantasy? I think readers want a chance to escape from the real world in a believable way... meaning that they want to immerse themselves in a fantastical world of magic, wonder, and intrigue where the characters are exciting and a little exotic, but still realistic and relatable.

4.      What do you love most about writing? I love writing for the same reason that I love reading: the escape. Whenever I write, I get lost in the worlds I engineer and the lives of the characters I create. I also love hearing people's reactions to my storylines and seeing them become engrossed in the plots and fall in love or hate with the characters.

5.      What advice do you have for writers? Don't stop writing. You can only call yourself a failure as a writer if you quit. If you keep writing and perfecting your voice, eventually your words will speak to someone and your work and imagination will be appreciated whether by one man or thousands of fans.

6.      Where do you see publishing heading? I'm not sure if it will ever happen, but I think that traditional publishers should take a page from Amazon's book and look into providing services for authors who want to self-publish. Many authors would love to have a big name behind their books and access to the same marketing minds as established authors, and if well-known publishers offered Kindle Direct Publishing-like services to unknown writers, they could use that program to find talent for their traditional publishing.

Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog © 2013

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.