Writing Excuses 8.44: Talking Publishing with Tom Doherty

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Writing Excuses 8.44: Talking Publishing with Tom Doherty

From http://www.writingexcuses.com/2013/11/03/writing-excuses-8-44-talking-publishing-with-tom-doherty/

Key points: A publisher sets the direction for the editors to look. Editors are hired based on how their previous work fits the direction. Advice for new writers: Write from your heart, what you care about. Try to find an editor that your book will appeal to. To become an editor, plan on apprenticeship. Ebooks are wonderful, but we have lost the retail space, the impulse situations that used to be a launching point for new authors and that built readers. Where will readers browse and buy on impulse? Don't get caught by trends, write what you love, not what's popular.
( Here we go again! )

[Howard] We need a writing prompt.
[Brandon] We need a writing prompt. We do. Oh, dear. Tom, would you be capable of telling the listeners what they should write if they need a writing prompt?
[Tom] I thought I just did.
[Laughter]
[Mary] All right. I can make a writing prompt for you out of that. Write a story about a publisher trying to predict the next trend, and the piece of technology he's using to try and predict it.
[Brandon] Oh, that's awesome. Okay. This has been Writing Excuses. You're out of excuses, now go write.
[Applause]