Today, Hartford Books Examiner welcomes Betsy Lerner.
The author of The Forest for the Trees: An Editor’s Advice to Writers (Riverhead Books, $16), Lerner will bring her unique brand of wisdom to R.J. Julia Booksellers in a two-part workshop entitled WRITING AND PUBLISHING: The Agony and The Ecstasy. (See event details below.) In a near three-decade long career in the publishing industry, Lerner has been an editor and an agent, and is a partner with Dunow, Carlson, and Lerner Literary Agency. She earned an MFA in Poetry from Columbia University and was the recipient of a Thomas Wolfe Poetry Prize, an Academy of American Poets Poetry Prize, and was one of PEN’s Emerging Writers in 1987. She was also the recipient of the Tony Godwin Publishing Prize for Editors Under 35. Lerner’s writing credits include the memoir Food and Loathing.
An invaluable guide for aspiring writers, The Forest for the Trees was released in a revised and updated edition in 2010 that addresses the dramatic changes – including electronic etiquette and promotion in the age of social networking - that have reshaped the publishing industry in the decade since the book’s initial publication. Entertainment Weekly praised the book for its “Inspiring, uncondescending advice for writers” while the New York Times noted, “Lerner doesn’t preach on how to write a book but rather tries to help writers and would-be authors cope with such problems as being ‘alone with it.’ It’s a survival course.”
Lerner will present WRITING AND PUBLISHING: The Agony and the Ecstasy in two Saturday sessions at R.J. Julia in Madison on February 11th and February 18th from 3 – 5 PM. The first session (‘Writing’) will help participants to assess where they are in the writing process and what their next steps should be; the second session (‘Publishing’) will include topics such as building an audience, writing query letters, and finding an appropriate agent. The cost of enrollment - $60 for one session, $100 for both - includes a copy of The Forest for the Trees.
Now, Ms. Lerner takes us inside her multi-faceted mind…
1) THE FOREST FOR THE TREES is considered by many to be a classic resource for writers. What first inspired you to write the book? How does your perspective differ from that of others?
I was a young assistant editor working on a book called, NO BAD DOGS by Barbara Woodhouse. The dogs’ personalities and what got them in trouble reminded me of the writers I was working with. It was originally called NO BAD WRITERS. I have a threefold vision into writer’s psyches, from the point of view as an editor, agent and author.
2) Tell us a bit about your blog. How does it continue the mission and spirit of your book? What is the relationship between you and your readers?
The blog is a place to lash out, lament, celebrate, and dish about working with writers and surviving in publishing. Like the book, it hopes to help people feel less alone while giving good solid advice. My relationship with my readers: it’s a love fest.
3) Let’s talk social networking… How important is having an active presence on sites such as Facebook & Twittter? What are the benefits of this type of outreach? The fallbacks (if any)?
Everyone is very carried away right now with social networking. It’s a completely different skill than writing. Some authors are good at it, some less so. It’s far more important to hone your craft as a writer. That said, I blog to reach out to an audience, get reading invitations, and invitations to write articles. For my book and what I do, it’s useful.
4) As a publishing veteran of more than 25 years, how have you seen the industry change and evolve? What do you see as the future for books – and for those who write and publish them?
From my first day on editorial row people were complaining about the shrinking world of books and bookselling. That said, there are huge changes but also opportunities. From where I sit: writers will always come along and do amazing things, take us amazing places, reimagine the world. How we help them get their work out there is what make publishing exciting. You can publish and market a book from your laptop, find a million readers. I think that’s amazing. But I still want to browse in a store and take in the beauty of books, and people watch, and bring home something unexpected.
5) You will be conducting a two-part workshop at R.J. Julia – Writing & Publishing. Who do you feel would benefit from attending either one or both sessions? What do you hope that participants will gain from the program?
It’s a great way to find out where you are in your writing life and what steps you should be taking toward eventually seeking publication. It will offer the nuts and bolts of writing a query letter, how to find an agent, how to know if your work is good/ready, how to approach publishing people, etc.
***
Both sessions of WRITING AND PUBLISHING: The Agony and the Ecstasy are now full; future writing workshops will be announced.
With thanks to Betsy Lerner for sharing her time and thoughts and to publicist Heidi Richter for facilitating this interview.
Comments