Writers and the recession: Writers Digest's Jane Friedman talks about problems and solutions

April 19, 10:41 PMNY Writing Careers ExaminerTad Richards

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Jane Friedman
Illustration by Tad Richards

As publisher and editorial director of the Writers Digest community, Jane Friedman has her finger on the pulse of the publishing industry, particularly what's happening to it today as a result of both the economic downturn and the sea changes that are affecting every aspect of publishing as a result of the new electronic media. She discussed these issues with us in a recent interview.

Jane Friedman writes a blog for Writers Digest called There Are No Rules  -- a must for any aspiring writer --  and she's the editor of Beginning Writer's Answer Book.

Tad Richards: So -- to start at the top -- What has been the effect of the recession on the book publishing industry?

Jane Friedman: When looking at the book industry, you see the effects in (1) decreased traffic in major bookstores and flat or declining sales, depending on category/genre (2) drawback on number of titles being published (3) lower (sometimes much lower!) advances for authors (4) layoffs. Publishers Weekly daily newsletter always includes now a "comings and goings" section that gives e-mail addresses of people who have been recently set free. Editors, marketing people, sales people, everyone. Agents have told me they are sitting on some quality projects, waiting for things to turn around.

TR: Are some genres worse than others?

JF: Nonfiction has always been easier to sell, and that's more true than ever. Agents/publishers are looking for known quantities that can nearly guarantee a certain level of sales. So authors with strong marketing platforms and audience reach can still succeed in getting a deal, but their advance will likely be lower. Fiction is a tough area, especially literary fiction. And university presses are another area where we see movement to digital platforms, or suspension of lines.

TR: You put out publications geared to the newer or beginning writers -- are new writers too worried about the effect of recessions on markets, or not worried enough?

JF: I would say both are true! But writers worry far too much about how they're going to make a living off their writing or sell their writing or get a publisher/agent, and this is understandable -- especially for anyone in a freelance career. But they may not realize that the industry is not ever going to recover in a way that takes us back to the good old days. So writers need to change HOW they approach their writing careers. Publishers/agents aren't going to have the authority or resources or reach they once had, and they're going to be relying on writers to bring marketing/promotion expertise, and social media know-how, to the table. There will be more of a partnership, and writers need to be able and powerful partners, not waiting for the publisher to do everything on their behalf. [Entrepreneur and marketing guru] Seth Godin is known for saying, "The book becomes the souvenir." Print products are going away, so writers need to think about how they will change with the times.

TR: So a writer today really needs to be aware of the fact that he/she has to develop different skills. I've been pushing my college, so far without success, to start a course co-listed with creative writing and business: freelancing as a small business venture

JF: That would be incredibly smart. The business angle is usually left out of the equation at universities, and that's setting writers up for failure.  Successful writers in the next 5-10 years will be the ones who are good at positioning themselves, knowing what makes them unique, and being able to create diverse products/content, without a focus on print.

TR: "Without a focus on print" is a huge issue, isn't it?

JF: Incredibly huge. My company changed its name from F+W Publications to F+W Media to reflect the change we're seeing. While digital book sales are still less than 1% of total book sales, online information/content can be so much more powerful and interactive than print, and writers have to realize not everything deserves print treatment.

TR: I think one of the big successes of the past decade has been the political bloggers - like TPM or Kevin Drum or Powerline -- who've turned a product that they gave away into real business models, or so it seems to me. And I have a friend, Greg Prince, who's turned a New York Mets blog into a book deal. Are those opportunities still out there, or is that field clogged already?

JF: It's definitely not clogged. It's a matter of finding what makes you remarkable, and being yourself, and providing something valuable to an audience. If you look at my blog post from last night, where I noted an e-book, 279 Days to Overnight Success, here's a guy that's basically giving you the blueprint for creating a sustainable living based on creating an online following, then selling value-driven content to the loyal following. It's still possible -- you just have to identify a need.

TR: With print periodicals in danger of becoming dinosaurs, what's the future there for writers?

JF: Where is journalism headed or what will happen? I have no idea. We're in the middle of a huge transformation in the culture, and it's nearly impossible to say how it will shake out. Clay Shirky wrote a fabulous essay on this  that I highly recommend to every writer. I do think the culture is headed into a media environment that does not value advertising, but has a lot of respect for content. Writers who can build a trust factor and also specialize in reaching a particular audience should find plenty of opportunities no matter what happens. Being online and being engaged (the social media thing) will be essential. Everything will be more community-driven ... but how all of this will be monetized and provided writers/journalists with a living ... We'll see!

TR: And for editors?

JF: On the editorial/publishing side, I see it also moving to a model that favors specialization and serving vertical niches, and providing credibility behind information.

TR: One last question: "providing credibility behind information"?

JF: You've identified the wobbly factor: This has been a matter of debate: can publishers still act as the stamp of authority, or will communities really drive it without needing that "authority"? It will probably be a combination of both; definitely publishers need to be part of the community and helping moderate discussion/direction, or aggregating information, helping people cut through to the most valuable and relevant stuff. I think both writers and publishers can be very helpful in that regard: in pointing people to right answer/solution/experience based on a trust-driven relationship.