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5 Industry Trends Requiring Every Writer's Attention
Jane Friedman on Mar 18 2013 | Filed under: Business
We're so glad that former WU contributor Jane Friedman agreed to visit today as a guest, to give us some updates on the state of the ever-changing publishing industry.
Most writers are aware that the publishing industry is undergoing a range of transformations, new beginnings, failures, and consolidations. But there's so much change it can be difficult to weed out and understand the most relevant and important changes—especially when hundreds of opinions seem to surround the smallest change.
Based on industry conversations I've had in the last six months, as well as reports I've read by people I trust, here are five trends that writers should keep a close eye on.
1. Publishing Contracts
When I started working in trade publishing (1998), it was very rare that the company's boilerplate contract would change. Obviously it was negotiated in minute detail by every agent that came into contact with it—so contracts differed from author to author—but the process always played out by a certain set of expectations or guidelines.
By the time I left trade publishing (2010), the contracts were being tweaked every 6 months to reflect a changing business environment and new opportunities in digital and multimedia publishing. I'm starting to wonder if there will ever be a "typical" contract again, given the increasing number of variables. Consider:
- The increasing leverage of successful self-published authors (see Hugh Howey and his traditional publishing deal that allow him to keep his e-book rights).
- New digital imprints or start-ups that offer very different contracts than established outlets—and rightly so, though some are good contracts and others are bad, more on that below.
- Print publishing deals and distribution rights are becoming more and more like subsidiary rights. In other words, they're not always the most important or profitable right for an author to license.
- Foreign and translation rights will become increasingly important as e-book sales grow in international markets.
Unfortunately, most publishing contracts are closely guarded and not available for public review. So what is an author to do? Here's my advice.
- Do your due diligence on any publishing contract you sign. Fully understand what rights you're granting and if it makes sense for your career and what you're getting paid. If you don't have an agent to negotiate your contract, consider hiring one on an hourly basis.
- Think carefully and negotiate hard when it comes to digital-only publishing contracts. Some ebook-only publishers take a healthy share of your profits for doing things you could accomplish on your own. I'm skeptical of many digital start-ups that promise visibility and "talent discovery" when they have no success stories, no better distribution than what's already available to a self-publishing author, and limited (or no) industry experience. If the publisher isn't reaching a greater audience than you could on your own, ask yourself why you want to sign a contract with them. What value are they providing?
- Always double-check how and when rights revert to you (the reversion clause). With traditional publishers, rights often revert after sales fall below a specific threshold. With digital-only publishers, rights often revert after specific time period has passed, or upon written notice. Make sure you understand the terms, and always negotiate for a better deal on this particular clause—to make it easier for you to get your rights back. (For more detail, read Dean Wesley Smith's post on rights reversion.)
- Don't be afraid to walk away from a deal. Too many authors get caught up in the excitement of a publishing offer, and overlook contract terms that could hurt them in the future. If you can't be hard nosed about negotiations, find someone who can. No deal is better than a bad one.
2. The Evolving Role of Agents
To further complicate matters, your relationship with your agent may be the first contractual obligation you need to consider or reconsider.
Traditionally, an agent takes 15% commission on every book she sells. But what happens when you self-publish some of the titles that your agent couldn't sell? Or what if your agent sells your work to an imprint that pays no advance and even charges you (the author) upfront fees—a scenario that was briefly on the table when Random House rolled out new contracts for their digital-only imprints? Or what if you get the rights back to older titles that your agent sold, and you want to self-publish them on your own?
It's a hornet's nest of complications, but some of the best practices I've seen work off some variation of the following:
- As usual, the agent takes 15% commission only on those books they've sold (where there is an advance or the makings of a "traditional" deal).
- The agent does not take 15% commission on any type of self-published work by the author. However, if the agent is able to sell subsidiary rights or make other deals with that work, then they get their usual share on those specific deals.
Most agents are not interested in selling your work unless an advance is involved (70-80% of books never earn out their advance). However, agents often assist existing clients on all kinds of deals if there's a longstanding relationship in play. A good agent will be transparent and upfront about how all deals are handled, and will be closely following the evolution of best practices in the industry.
3. The Value and Distraction of Author Platform Building
As far as trends go, the idea of building a platform has been around for at least five or six years now, if not longer. Unfortunately, as time has passed, I'm not sure the discussions surrounding platform—or the common wisdom that gets spread—is any better than it was in 2007, and social media as both marketing tool and creative tool has greatly complicated matters.
The questions that often get asked include:
- When publishers or agents look at a writer's platform, what are their criteria? Is it a numbers game? What numbers do you have to reach?
- Do you need an established blog or website?
- Must you be on Twitter, Facebook, or the social media site du jour?
- Do you need to be a "brand"?
I'll make a bold statement right here that I don't think I've made before.
If you're a totally new, unpublished writer who is focused on fiction, memoir, poetry, or any type of narrative-driven work, forget you ever heard the word platform.
If you're a totally new, unpublished writer who is focused on fiction, memoir, poetry, or any type of narrative-driven work, forget you ever heard the word platform. I think it's causing more damage than good. It's causing writers to do things that they dislike (even hate), and that are unnatural for them at an early stage of their careers. They're confused, for good reason, and platform building grows into a raging distraction from the work at hand—the writing.
Therefore, build your platform by writing and publishing in outlets that are a good fit for you, lead to professional growth, and build your network. The other pieces will start to fall into place. It might take longer, but who cares if you're feeling productive and enjoying yourself? Go be a writer and take a chance on the writing. Writing and publishing good work always supports the growth of your platform—and I'm willing to bet more valuable platform building will get done that way, especially for narrative-driven writers.
Exception to the rule: Nonfiction/non-narrative authors and entrepreneurial authors who are self-publishing. Sorry, but you should probably focus on platform as much as the writing.
If you want more of my take on platform, read my definition here.
4. Transmedia & Authorship
Let's start by defining transmedia; I'll lean on Guy Gonzalez here. He wrote the following in 2010:
[Transmedia] focuses on the storyworld first, distribution channels second, with the latter determined via a collaborative process that puts the author's creative vision at the center. Most so-called transmedia projects are really just cross-media marketing initiatives and/or brand extensions, driven by licensing deals and a parceling out of rights in a manner that often includes loss of creative control by the author. Star Wars is the go-to example of a transmedia property, and while it has definitely evolved into a legitimate one, it didn't start out that way.
My two cents: Unless you're already a high-profile commercial author, don't worry yourself about transmedia. Yes, you will set yourself up better if you're thinking of expansive storyworlds to begin with (think: Game of Thrones), but unless you already have friends and colleagues involved in media—e.g., app development, audio/video production—you're probably not going to be shopping around your transmedia project any time soon.
However, when it comes to platform building (which I just told you to forget!), it does help to think beyond blogging, tweeting, and all the text-based forms of communication, and consider the whole world of opportunities available to you, to produce fun, interesting content that complements your published work. Think John Green's YouTube videos or Seth Harwood's podcasts or Tweet Speak Poetry.
Which brings me to No. 5.
5. Emerging Tools for DIY E-Books and Multimedia Publications
It's an explosion. That's how I'd describe the market for easy-to-use (and often free) tools to produce digital books, magazines, and other tablet-based media. Because these are emerging tools, I can't point to a specific author project that uses them, but this is good news. You can be among the first. Here are a few to begin exploring:
- The Periodical.co: Create your own app-driven publication for Apple's newsstand.
- iBooks Author: OK, this isn't emerging any longer—a lot of cool projects have been spun out of this Mac-based software
- AerBook: create graphic books in your browser without knowing code
- Graphicly: create visual stories distributed across all major digital platforms
- BookCreator: create beautiful books for the iPad
What other publishing trends are you wondering about? Ask your question in the comments and I'll do my best to answer.
About Jane Friedman
Jane Friedman is the co-founder and publisher of Scratch, a quarterly magazine focused on the intersection of writing and money. She teaches digital publishing and media at the University of Virginia and is a full-time publishing consultant. Find out more at her website.
89 Responses to "5 Industry Trends Requiring Every Writer's Attention"
Great post, as always, there's a lot for us to watch for. I do want to focus one one thing:
"If you're a totally new, unpublished writer who is focused on fiction, memoir, poetry, or any type of narrative-driven work, forget you ever heard the word platform."
As a totally new, unpublished writer who is focused on fiction, I can only say this: HALLELUJAH! Blogging, Facebook, etc. largely hooks up unpublished writers with other unpublished writers. There are definite benefits to this, yes, but I think most expect something from it that it can't deliver.
Unless I've misunderstood some other things you've said about platform (definitely possible) this seems like a bit of a position-reversal, Jane. If so, is there anything in particular that caused you to revisit your beliefs?
What a great article. It really feels like the self-pubbed industry is starting to mature a bit when articles like this come out. Hugh Howey had one recently on his website where he said his opinion was that authors shouldn't worry much about promotion until they had ten books written. I write pretty slowly, but I'm looking at trying a bundle of three short stories sold as a novella so I can try to fill the gap a bit.
I like that word: "maturing." These topics matter so much more than sound bytes or people running to the newest shiny button to push.
Everything Jane talks about here requires some for of commitment and understanding, and I think she is so great and helping writers prioritizing the laundry list of advice being thrown at writers.
I like this approach but I doubt I have enough time left to write ten books! I would like to finish five more but that is likely my limit.
But I do agree with not jumping into social media right away. The time invested would be better spent on writing and editing, even working two books at a time would be an improvement because it would still be honing my writing skills. Once you leap into the quagmire of social media, and try to learn it all, the process becomes overwhelming. Unfortunately I find that once I start something I hate to give up, I need to do it right. Its still a challenge that I'm working on it but not as aggressively.
If you are young this will be easy but for those of us who are no longer spring chickens it is a major challenge and takes much more time than I would like. I believe that if you write what you feel passionate about ultimately it will be successful, even if it only appeals to a small audience. Having it read and appreciate will be enough.
Good luck to all you new writers which ever way you decide to go.
So much to ponder. The advice I receive centers on writing a great book. Now, it seems that's just the beginning of a writer's journey. Thanks for the list.
Really juicy post, Jane, thank you. I'm psyched to explore the links in #5.
I feel that platform-building is a fun, challenging, stimulating, rewarding art in itself + it's really too bad that the conversation around it (at least for writers) has been kind of limited + discouraging.
Maybe the problem is it taps into so many different areas -- blogging, social media, personal branding, content marketing, creative entrepreneurship (terms which generally make a writer cringe, flinch, roll their eyes) -- that the learning curve is steeper than it would appear (it's not just about posting updates on Facebook and Twitter). If you're not genuinely enthusiastic about any of those disciplines you're going to be resentful and wonder why you have to bother with any of this freaking stuff.
Platform-building also demands a lot of self-awareness -- who you are, what you represent, what you write, who you write for -- some of which unfolds itself to you as you go (which makes it a process of self-discovery as much as anything).
Maybe we just need to see more examples of it being done *well* -- by writers who don't already have a following -- before we as a community can more fully buy into it. But I, for one, am still in awe at the opportunities to directly grow your own audience and the possibilities this opens up. The future promises to be a very interesting place.
Thank you again for all your insights + wisdom.
Justine, you're one of those people who has developed a unique blogging voice over a period of years. I'd contend you're leading the way in establishing the blog as a new writing form that stands on its own.
There is only one of you, and that's very clear. You raise the bar and challenge us all to find new ways of developing our voice. I've learned to listen very carefully to you but not try to do what you do. I've learned from you to zig and zag along my own path and make my own clearing in these dense woods.
100% with you, Justine. As soon as writers hear the word "platform," I wish I could send them to folks like you and Dan Blank for a primer on it, to illustrate how it IS fun, challenging, and stimulating.
I think your theory is correct—that because platform encompasses SO much, it can suck away a writer's energy when they think about it, especially if they can't find an entry point that helps illustrate the potential and generates enthusiasm for the long haul.
Yes, Jane, this whole "Should I blog?" thing seems a morass. I've been doing it for almost 3 years now, but I'm lucky: I don't rely on income from writing. I will say this: I went to bloggers' group meeting discussing how to generate audience. One woman said she writes about "Musical instruments in 17th. century England."I asked "How's that working for you?" (believing she'd say her audience is tiny, indeed.) Not the case. She's brilliant--got legions who follow her because she found an underserved population--WORLDWIDE!!! My genre? "Encouragement" If one Googles the category, I'm there, with all the Christian groups (I'm not that.) So, I'm in a very big pie, grappling for attention. I've learned, a targeted niche audience is better...
Fabulous point, Colleen. It's one of the paradoxes of marketing. Focus on a small audience to get big.
Like your response...Clean...focused...to the point. We all help each other, out of the morass...
As usual, I love your perspective here. Yes, platform when done well is a craft unto itself, and something deeply rewarding.
Where I tend to see conversations around platform go off the path is when it is shoved into the panic of promoting and selling a book.
What I find again and again in my work with writers is relief that author platform is not about spamming people on social media, but about communicating based on shared purpose, and developing trusting relationships.
Also: I agree with Cyd on how inspiring you are to others in your own platform!
Add another Halleluiah! to the list. I blog and suck at it. The choice had been whether to spend time and resources on being a better blogger, or spend that time on becoming a gooderer writer (I think that's evidence I should focus on the latter). There is a bigger and better platform for me, and that's the route I'll take. Good riddance to my own rubbish.
The changes you point out in publishing make me wonder if a good attorney is the newest! bestest! most needed! addition to a writer's team. You do such a good job building awareness of these traps, but will writers recognize the lingo of these traps when they see them?
What role, if any, do you see in face-to-face networking through conferences and real life seminars. Will they grow in importance? It seems the pendulum always keeps swinging, and perhaps we've swung far enough to the virtual side to knock us back towards the tactile, gee-he-needs-a-breath-mint side of it all. Would you suggest more time and resources spent in these areas?
Thank you. You stand as the guardian angel of writers everywhere.
Hi Cyd,
I don't know about a good attorney (they need to be a particular type of attorney who understands the publishing industry—not any will do), but there's value in a good agent, even if on an hourly basis, if you're new to publishing contracts.
Conferences are almost always a terrific investment. It shortens the learning curve, helps you get straight answers to questions you may struggle to find online, and connect with industry professionals. Online events can be helpful, too, but when you're at an event in-person, it reduces the distractions and multi-tasking, and forces you to focus on one thing: writing and professional development. If you want to do something wonderful for your platform, attend a strong conference for 2-3 days.
Thanks again for great advice for first-timers. I plan to attend the NY Writers Digest Conference in NYC in April - mainly to meet agents for my memoir. Do you advise contacting any participating agents in advance with short proposal as below? Will that help when you meet in person?
Best wishes,
Judy Glass
(Former stringer for New York Times for 15 years; award-winning medical and financial writer, well-traveled with loads of interesting stories to tell. Now teaching college online Creative Writing and Journalism classes.
Yes to conferences! I can hardly wait to attend the MWG conference in St. Louis next month. One of the sessions on my list to attend will be Janet Cannon's session on how to use the computer more effectively.
It is so much fun to meet people at the conferences, sit down and have a drink or eat a meal with a table full of new people! LOVE IT!!
I'll just chime in here from my own experience, that live events are so valuable because they offer an opportunity to differentiate. They rely on age old ways of how people connect: via eyes/faces/voice, and dare I say: touch. (handshakes!)
I also think this applies to author platform, so many people do it poorly, that it becomes an opportunity for other writers to do it WELL and truly build meaningful relationships with readers. And this too can involve eyes/faces/voice, and dare I say: touch. (still handshakes!)
Jane, I absolutely love this! The last time you told us we don't have to blog. I've been burned out for some time now. All the blogging was taking writing time away. But everyone said I had to blog. (Unpubbed, querying agents at this time) So I kept on blogging. My blog was hacked which made matters worse. I have been unblogging in 2013. (My term) It means stepping away most of the time and stepping back in to remind folks I blog. Now I KNOW I don't HAVE to do that at all. *whew* This post needs to be read by all authors. Just as your last one. (I forwarded it to many)
The branding thing is something I never really understood anyway. I just want to write. I think of the great authors of yesteryear. They did NOT worry about branding. Of course, they didn't have the internet either. But my name is out there. Writers know me. Is that enough? I'm querying. And writing more than ever. I long to be a writer with her typewriter. Doing what she loves best. She's creating. Thanks Jane. As always. *waving and smiling*
Thanks, Robyn. Sending best wishes your way!
I really appreciate that you are changing your blogging routine to only sharing when you have something meaningful and well-crafted to share!
A blog post should not be a commodity, but rather, it should be a connection with the reader.
I would disagree that writers from the past didn't worry about marketing their work. It was no easier to get published then as it is now, and no easier to get read. Relationships were critical to being a writer then as they are now.
Lots of examples of this, but I don't have time to dig them up. But these Hemingway ads for beer do make a point:
I agree that I mis-thought that one Dan. Hmm. Mis-thought. Not sure that's word. But I don't think it was front and center for the writers that came before us. Their writing came first.
It seems to me that now we're told to market before we even have agents. Marketing takes a lot of time. Branding takes a lot of time. I've decided to quit blogging. But look around for posts I can contribute to, so I can keep my name out there. Guest posts and the like. I know a lot of writers who might like a break or two. I'm on twitter and FB also.
But the Hemingways and the classic guys and gals wrote first. Then with the extra time they might have branded or advertised themselves. These days writers are doing all the extra and NOT writing and then feeling like frauds. You know? I've had writers say that to me. That's NOT a good thing.
Thanks for your up to date I sights.
Thank you for this post! This is a great run-down for newbies like myself. To me, it underlines the fact that agents are necessary in this quickly-evolving world.
Onward and upward!
(now to stop working on my platform and start working on my book, haha!)
Question on publishing trends: do you think supernatural thrillers (horror books) are on the rise? I'm seeing on these internet bookclubs (Goodreads, Shelfari, Library Thing) in increase in people reading not only the classic horror stories but also more women reading horror and supernatural thrillers. Do you have any info or stats on what are the reading trends for fiction now? Thanks!
Paula, I'm afraid that I would only be speculating; I haven't seen any recent industry stats related specifically to horror or supernatural thriller. Perhaps an agent reading this thread could jump in and comment?
I love this so much I hardly know where to begin!
For the author platform portion, I just crafted a long response and submitted it to Huffington Post as my first post for them. When it gets posted there, I'll share the link.
In short: I appreciate how you approach these topics with the seriousness that they deserve, and are honest with writers that their careers require different types of commitment and serious decisions to choose when and when not to pursue certain opportunities.
Okay, I'm going to reread your post again, and then onto the comments!
Thank you!
Wow, looking forward to that, Dan!
The thing that most frustrates me about the platform issues: regardless of where I go (online or off), a writer (or even a professional) will equate platform to "you need to blog and be on Facebook and Twitter."
That's about as helpful and accurate as saying that the key to writing and publishing a successful book is to get yourself a box of No. 2 pencils and a copy of Microsoft Word.
Yes! I see this too, "author platform" means "Tweet like a crazy person" to most people. In reality, it is about much deeper things, where Twitter or social media in general is merely an option.
Okay, more later!
Dan and Jane,
There is definitely a huge lack of understanding about what it takes to build platform in a meaningful and engaged manner. I think that's why so many writers balk at getting on social networks. They think they are just going to Tweet or post status updates about what they ate for breakfast. They think they are going to comment on the silly photos their friends post. They see this as a waste of time. They have no idea what is really entailed. And what is entailed does take time, but it has much meaning and great reward if done well.
Jane, could you hear the great, collective sigh of relief from many of us writers who have gotten bogged down in blogging and social media? Keeping up my blog has become a source of anxiety and a distraction. I enjoy it when a topic strikes me as interesting and important to write about, but the whole editorial calendar/strict schedule thing just isn't for me. So I will continue to blog as inspiration strikes but stop feeling guilty for giving my fiction writing top priority.
There's much more wisdom here, too--an article to file and re-read, for sure. Thank you!
You make such a good point about finding a way of communicating to the world in a way that feels natural. I know plenty of writers who thrive in the structure of schedules and calendars.
But many are like you, and they find it to get in the way. Go with what works for YOU, not the "best practices" that are often nothing of the sort.
So good to have you back visiting WU, Jane. We sent you off with warmest wishes but we have missed you. Thanks for coming back to visit the old 'hood.
It's so refreshing to have your supportive and liberating message putting platforming in a less demanding and overbearing perspective. 'I write, therefore I am' not 'I platform, therefore I am'.
You 'de big momma of publishing understanding.
Thanks, Alex! It's good to be back.
So many great points here already.
I agree with Justine that platform building is "a fun, challenging, stimulating, rewarding art in itself," and I agree with Dan Blank that it is a craft and deeply rewarding. And it is about so much more than blogging and tweeting. It's so hard to communicate that to new writers...or even established authors.
Jane is right to tell those who find this activity overwhelming and totally uncomfortably not to do it. And some writers may never need a platform to get published. For novelists and memoir writers, their extraordinary stories and writing may be enough. So, they should focus on their writing.
That said, a platform benefits every writer when it comes to selling books, and that's why publishers do scream, "Platform, platform, platform." They are looking for good publishing partners--writers who can help sell books, and the larger our platform (they believe) the better job we, as writers, will do selling books. Yet, studies have shown it isn't about large numbers of followers; it's about engaged followers. A small platform that is very engaged--commenting, sharing, etc.--will actually serve you better. Quality, not quantity counts.
Speaking has been mentioned here: I'm a firm believer in getting out and meeting people, and I think that builds platform faster than any other methodology. That said, I love blogging, and I do believe it's a great way to build platform and to tie into social networks.
But you have to find this activity fun, stimulating, rewarding...you have to see how it serves you and your book(s). When you can do that, when you can see how it will, indeed, help you succeed as an author, you are more likely to engage in platform-building activities and to do them in a meaningful manner--in a way that actual builds an engaged audience. I think that's the key.
Thanks for this, Jane. You are confirming what I've thought for a long time - as a unpublished fiction writer my best time spent is on the writing. I think we can get excited about the "Platform" thing because it's a spotlight shining on "us", and in our fame-driven culture suddenly we feel like we've arrived. I want that spotlight to be on my work, NOT on me, so I'd better make the work worthy of the spotlight, no? I'm not worrying too much about the platform thing at this point, just hoping that the work I do will eventually build that platform for me, rather than the other way around.
Lisa: Very interesting point there about fame. There's something to that.
Platform should help bring attention to the work, so I'd say you have the right perspective.
A straightforward post. You have given us a great deal to think about.
Excellent advice _ no gobbledeegook and I appreciate that
Ah, so good to have our zen-master mentor here. As you can see by the comments, you are so appreciated by our community!
I like something Dan said above, about the point of blogging/social media is forming a connection to the reader. I'll second that. I'm enjoying blogging much more than I dreamed. I think it's because, like Robyn, I only write a post when I feel like I have something to say (or work out for myself). And I appreciate the conversation in the comments (for me it's the best part). It's two-way communication!
I think it's the same reason facebook remains my wheelhouse vs. the other social platforms. It may have started because of the WU fb group, but have good connections and two-way conversation there that I never developed on Twitter or G+. Last year I decided not to fight that, in the same way I stopped forcing blog posts just to keep a schedule. I enjoy my connections on fb, so I quit trying to force myself to do more than I'm comfortable doing elsewhere.
But I will still add a hallelujah, and keep working on improving my work and focusing on two-way communication with my community! So nice to see you here again, Jane, even though I follow you elsewhere. Please come back often!
Thanks, Vaughn! You know how to approach the game as well as any zen master I know. ;)
All very accurate.
Thanks for sharing the advice. On the unpublished author platform, it's a relief to know we don't have to do everything. But I do think it helps to start establishing it and your network of writer friends before getting an agent. I know I've learned a ton from blogging and reading others blogs (and it sucks time away from writing). The problem with not having a platform is that some agents are looking to see if you have one in deciding on representation.
Good discussion here of Jane's comments on platform -- and I appreciate what I'm gleaning from Jane, Dan, Justine, Nina, Vaughn and others: while we tend to think of platform for fiction as being "loud and out there," it's much more a matter of following your own natural inclinations, finding your own voice, and building community. Which means different things for different writers, for different books, and at different stages in our careers.
But I also want to acknowledge Jane's comments the other 4 trends. I've been on the fringes of organizing a small writers' conference (Authors of the Flathead–Jane spoke to us in 2011), and it's clear that writers still have a lot of questions about contracts, whether they still need an agent and why, and the whys, hows & whats of DIY. Trans or multi-media, not so much that I've heard – but some, esp among younger writers and in some genres. Thanks for touching on those as well.
Yes, Leslie. Jane has offered great information on contracts.
I, for one, would never sign one without an agent's advice. Many years ago I received a contract when I was unagented. I used the book "Be Your Own Literary Agent" to help me understand the contract to some extent, and then I took my questions and concerns to an agent who was also a lawyer and paid for her services. Since then, as Jane said, contracts have begun to change so quickly, I would never want to go it alone with a traditional publishing deal.
The contracts offered by subsidy publishers and by Amazon should also be read carefully.
Nina, you're right. There used to be sample contracts floating around, via MWA and Authors' Guild, but I don't know if that's still the case. I'm also a lawyer, so I read them and read about contracts to help me understand the business. When I signed a small press contract in 2009, I felt I had a pretty good understanding, and was able to negotiate for myself. The big house contract I signed last year was pretty dense, and while I got most of it -- and had an agent to explain what I didn't -- I think it's probably Greek to most people. And if something hasn't been addressed, the average writer may not know what to look for or ask. But neither will the average lawyer -- it's really critical to have someone with publishing experience on your side.
This is an amazingly packed post. Not just the platform stuff that we're all responding to, but the contract discussion as well as the list of tools for e-books and multimedia presentations -- I'll have to make time to go through those links on a day I don't put up a blog post ;-)
Count me as another unpublished writer who really enjoys blogging. I, like Vaughn, like to work things out in my blog. And Justine Musk was a big part of getting me started blogging -- she's an inspiration.
As a novelist, I also appreciate the opportunity to get words out there on a regular basis. It takes a long time to write (draft, redraft, redraft, etc.) a novel, but a blog post is something I can produce in a couple of hours and put up there and get feedback and have a conversation. It's something I can *finish.* Which feels pretty significant some days. It has led to other opportunities for me, although it hasn't helped get me a publishing contract. Yet :-)
Thank you for all this wonderful information.
Great to read your thoughts on platforms. There are only so many hours in the day and I'd rather spend what little free time I have on writing fiction and getting better instead of blogging and doing the social media thing.
This is such a fantastic (and fascinating) discussion!
One thing that I haven't seen come up yet with regard to platform is whether or not you need to earn a living from your writing and/or activities surrounding your writing.
I feel fortunate because, like Justine, I find author-preneurship exciting and creatively rewarding. It's not difficult to do something you love. I don't love the platform/business work as MUCH as writing, but I do love it and strongly believe it can be an enjoyable part of your creative life if you do it in a way that's authentic to you.
People often compliment me on my platform efforts, usually followed by a lament that they don't "do enough" of their own. I usually ask them two questions. 1) Can you live off the royalties to your writing and know that you will be able to for the foreseeable future? If the answer is yes, then sure, you don't need to worry about platform. If the answer is no, then I ask question 2) Do you need to be able to earn a living from your writing as your sole career? Often the answer to this question is no because the person has a day job, a supportive spouse, etc.
BUT, for those of us who DO need to earn a living from writing and writing-based activities (such as speaking, school visits, developing products for writers), I don't see how you can do that without a strong platform.
My two choices as a recently-divorced mother of two young children are 1) go out and get a "real" job that will most likely require me to work in an office for a specified number of long hours that are mostly set outside of my control, or 2) make this writing thing work, have the flexibility I want and need for my kids and do what I love.
So in addition to considering what genre you write and whether you enjoy platform-building, people must also factor in whether or not they need to earn a viable income. IMHO
Thanks for starting this great discussion!
Wise words, Julie. Thanks for commenting!
Great perspective, and I love how you focus on the totality of one's life as a writer, and on the cold hard facts of balancing finance too.
I do the best I can with my two blogs at this point, in terms of building a platform. I'll get a Facebook page for my book, not for me, to sell that, when that gets done, and I get an agent. But I have to admit that I'm hoping my work sells so well that a Facebook page or a website will suffice, or I can hire someone to create and maintain all that for me.
I'd rather just write all the novels, short stories and memoirs that I have on my plate.
Steven, if you plan to write more than one book, you might reconsider your plan to put the FB fan page in the book title rather than your own name. IMO, platform is about you AND your work, not just the book. Yes, we all want to focus on the work, but the writer is at the hub of the wheel. When you meet folks at a conference, or when you speak to Rotary or run into an old friend and tell him about your novel, it's your name they'll remember, not the title.
Thank you. Interesting and useful.
What an invaluable article. I, too, have wondered about the "value and distraction" of devoting so much time to building author platform. Especially when one works a day jobs (as most writers do), there are only so many hours in the day. So we have to choose very judiciously and distinguish between what will be really useful and what is simply the easy lure of the Internet, social media and the ego fest therein. The best writer payout is to truly reach or inspire readers.
I love this: "The best writer payout is to truly reach or inspire readers."
To me, and I am biased, I do feel that this can include what a great author platform creates. Too many writers focus only on the date of publication and on sales figures. But a well crafted platform does exactly what you say: it helps to reach more people, and to ensure your work affects them positively.
Yay! I love this stream. In my class, Author of Change, we talk about this exact aspect of platform building--that with a strong platform you can actually inspire more people via your writing (to take up your cause, create change in their lives or to create change in the world). If you are writing a book that you hope will, in fact, inspire readers in some way, this is good reason to want to build platform. It will serve you well!
Personally, I find that I get more messages from people on Facebook and Twitter and in my blog comments (or email) telling me I've inspired them, or I've changed their lives because of something I wrote on my blog, than through my books. And I'd equate that to my platform-building efforts. That keeps me building platform for sure!
Jane, thanks for this informative post. It's going to take me a while to digest everything.
You mentioned hiring agents on an hourly basis. I'd never heard of this. How does one go about finding agents that will work this way?
Hi, wonderful post and thanks. Wanted to know if anyone here has some actual experience working with the suggest platforms in Item number 5?
Thanks again for your wonderful posts. Platform came organically as I'm a historian and writer. I was already giving talks and workshops. My self-pub novel has a subject that interests people so I was accepted into a state-wide humanities program, but I don't blog on that. I blog when I want to one subjects that range from family history, writing historical fiction anything historical. I could not post for several weeks. I do tweet, but I'm looking for articles on the publishing industry, writer friends. Mainly, I'm writing and researching. That's my top priority but it's nice to know that you don't have to do it.
"You don't have to do it." Absolutely. But I do think it's kind of cool, and actually very productive, to blog about your process of researching, and sharing your passion for history.
The HuffPost blog approval process seems to take awhile, so in the meantime, I posted my long response on my blog:
Thank you again for such a great topic!
Thank you, Jane, for this informative and helpful post. I am weighing in late here, because I just discovered you after a friend sent me a link to this post.
I, too, am happy to hear your advice about platform. Even though I have a successful blog (aboutamish.blogspot.com), which just turned to 400K hits three days ago, I have never warmed up to FB and Twitter. I find it a waste of time and it depletes my creative energy. When I post something new to my blog, however, I feel energized and ready to write more of my second book.
I do have a question about a publishing trend. When trying to decide whether to spend time finding an agent or putting my energy into self-publishing, I find myself torn between these two options. My first book was published by a university press, and my numbers are approaching 10K books sold in two years (and this with distribution SNAFUs at crucial times). Most of the marketing was done by myself (and a publicist for several months after my appearance on American Experience). I could probably lament all this, but in all honesty, I have gained so much from learning the business and marketing end of publishing, so that I CAN actually self-publish. I have done more than 125 speaking engagements, so I now have a successful speaking business going. Yet, I know that self-publishing excludes me from certain markets, such as B&N bookstores, Ingram, and Baker and Taylor and many major reviewers will not bother to review a self-published book. I do know that the nearly 8K people I've had in my collective audiences are eagerly anticipating my second book.
Any advice?
Thank you again for your helpful advice to writers and authors.
Saloma Miller Furlong
Hi Saloma,
One question to ask is whether your book requires physical/traditional bookstore distribution to be successful for you. The more you think your audience either requires that hard copy—or will discover your book by random browsing—the more you probably need that publisher.
However, it sounds like you have a strong relationship and community with your readers, and you can connect with them directly, in which case, self-publishing might be the better path. Physical store distribution isn't as important as it used to be, unless that's really what your readership requires.
Final note: You can always self-publish/e-publish first, and later partner with a publisher. It doesn't necessarily have to be one way or the other. (Publishers are not biased against successful self-pub efforts; they're seeking them out.)
Thank you very much for answering my question. I have thought about going the epub route, but I need a physical book to sell/sign at my venues. Are publishers biased against someone who has done well with POD books, or is that also a plus?
I think my book is probably right on the cusp... I don't know if store distribution is important. That is part of what makes my decision so confounding.
Finding the right agent/publisher requires time and effort... so does self-publishing. My dilemma is where to put my efforts.
"1. Publishing Contacts." Whoops. S/b "Contracts," no?
Great post. There are a few things that have changed in agency agreement as well. . Especially as it relates to self publishing. If the agent has worked to develop the authors manuscript and tries to sell it but can't there are clauses now that ask the author to pay a fee for the development work.
Hi, Jane!
Great post. I should have listened to you the summer of 2011 when I was "shopping" for a publisher. Too impatient to wait, I forged ahead. I'm not sure when I will have all my rights back, but it won't be a minute too soon.
My rule is write books first and everything else comes second. It's not either/or, though. Time and energy management allows both. Building your platform early is valuable to connect with others and find allies. When you eventually need that author platform, it will be built taller and stronger with a following, friends, a track record and better SEO. I turned one pillar of my platform into two books about writing and publishing so nothing was wasted.
I made mistakes early on. I worked too hard at promoting my first book when I should have been concentrating on writing more books. Now that I've got eight books with more coming, I'm glad I started early. With three blogs, two podcasts and other social media, I manage it all, but the core writing is always my first priority.
Thanks for a great, thought-provoking post.
Great advice and perspective. Your comments on platform for unpublished novelists will generate some discussion in my writers association.
One thing I would suggest is that anytime you're looking at doing a deal with a publisher, agent, or especially--self publishing house--Google their name and the word "lawsuit." You might save yourself a lot of headaches.
Jane, as always spot-on advice. I'll drop you an email. I have a response but it is very lengthy:-)
Jane, this is something I've noticed myself over the last few years. When i first heard about blogging and platform as a newbie writer I juggled both and worked hard to build up my following. I don't regret it for a minute cuz it's opened many doors and networks. But having also witnessed many debut authors with no platform at all step in and become bestsellers based on content alone, it helped me realize I was beating myself to death for something that'd be automatic with a brilliant story.
Thanks for writing so well yourself, and for debunking the conventional wisdom about the crucial role of social media. I think you're absolutely right in saying it's not important for unknown writers. I would only add that money spent by unknowns on professional proofreading and editing, along with professionally designed covers, and carefully crafted book descriptions (a la Mark Edwards' advice) are what need to be emphasized. Thanks again. What you have to say is invariably worth knowing.
Yes, I am with everyone else about saying hallelujah on NOT worrying about platform. Thank you for Giving me one less thing to worry about.
As a new writer (with one upcoming publishing credit to my name) what I know about platform is that it's made me distrust agents. I stopped worrying about platform and focused on my writing and finding my voice when I saw my 'dream' agent jump over chairs at a writer's conference to get to a speaker and try to convince that speaker to write a book (the speaker politely said no while the agent kept shoving a business card at her). I realized that for agents it's never about the writing, but how they can make money from a book, ergo 'platform'.
But, I do know the importance of a business plan and career building and how much work and time away from writing that will take. But I just don't like to call it platform because it really is much more than a Facebook page and a blog. To me it's really more like starting a business.
But writing well comes first.
Thanks for 'giving' new writers permission to focus on the writing. Wish I'd heard that advice years ago.
Who might be a good agent for a self-published author, or can you just get me in touch with a reputable source?
I have no platform and I write non-fiction, mainly interviews of people I respect. I emulate the great Studs Terkel, but I am completely unknown to an audience of potential e-readers. I am currently writing my third Acquaintances With Integrity book. We all know many people who seem to make the right decisions at the right time consistently. Such people have greatly affected my life.
Hi Jane,
You have no idea what a relief it was to see the words 'forget you ever heard the word platform'. I thought I was alone in feeling like social media sites like Twitter were killing my desire to write. It seemed like I was whispering in a screaming crowd. I hated the idea of constantly flogging myself and my work. Getting permission to opt-out is much appreciated.
[...] know your business! Publishing expert Jane Friedman outlines the 5 industry trends requiring every writer's [...]
[...] 5 Industry Trends Requiring Every Writer's Attention [Writer Unboxed] [...]
[...] Friedman has written a guest post on "5 Industry Trends Requiring Every Writer's Attention" over at Writer Unboxed, [...]
Very interesting that you think the author platform can be a distraction. I can see this. Luckily I'm one of those authors that love the social network scene. Thanks for all of this valuable information.
Thanks for the reply Jen. You are one of the lucky ones. Not having a need to keep up, it is now a challenge but coming along. I'm learning something new most days. Fortunately I enjoy learning new things and I have several collage age nieces who seem to be quite good at all this.
[...] with any trend or movement, a backlash is forming with respect to platforms. See section 3 of this entry. I think Jane Friedman's advice to new fiction writers (for whom I write my blog) is sound. [...]


text:
No-vote: Barton helps sink bailout bill
Averts $1.5 trillion national debt
The Ellis County Press
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Joe Barton, R-Ennis, helped sink a massive bailout of Wall Street banks, thanks in large part to constituents in his district that stretches from Ellis County to southeast Texas.
"I voted against the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 because it violated the views and the interests of the Texans who sent me here to represent their views and their interests," Barton said after his vote in the 228-205 tally. "I'm a conservative. I know that more freedom and more opportunity built America, not more government, more spending and more debt.
"Most of the people of [Congressional District 6] know that even better than I do because they live it every day."
Barton said he was asked by the GOP leadership, mainly from the White House, to "bend my beliefs, forget my promises and ignore my people."
"My fellow Republicans joined me voting against this massive bailout by a 2 to 1 margin," Barton said, who was first elected in 1984.
Southern Dallas County's congressional representative, Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Dallas, voted for the bailout. Several Ellis County towns reach into Johnson's district.
"This was no easy vote," Barton said. "The compromise bill wasn't all bad, but in its final version, it failed to give taxpayers the protection they deserve.
"Republicans worked very hard to improve the bailout plan by including more taxpayer protections than previous plans and eliminating the money grab by liberal social welfare programs.
"There are other things we can do to fix this financial crisis – things that won't cost taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars. Ideas we could pursue include forcing the people being bailed out to bear a majority of the costs, eliminating the capital gains tax for three years to encourage economic growth and suspending mandatory market to market accounting rules.
"This bill would have allowed the national debt limit to be raised by $1.5 trillion without creating a way to pay for it. Imagine if you ran your personal finances in the same manner."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Relaunch Targets Readers with $2M Net Worth
Sandow Media title to carry $18.95 newsstand price.
Worth, the 18-year-old financial title that was acquired by Sandow Media last year, will relaunch this month with a new look, tagline—and distribution model. The title will have an "invitation-only readership," and serve a only select group of high net worth individuals.
Just how high? All recipients—ages 30 to 65—must have a minimum net worth of $2 million and, of course, an interest in financial subject matter.
"Most high net worth Americans are rethinking their investment strategies," CEO Adam I. Sandow, the magazine's new owner, said in a release. "This heightened interest makes it an excellent time to execute a completely new vision of Worth."
Worth will be mailed to a high net worth database of 110,000 households in major markets, including Manhattan, Westchester County (New York), Fairfield County (Connecticut), Boston, Miami, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix-Scottsdale, San Francisco and Los Angeles. After the first issue, recipients will receive Worth every two months starting in October.
With a guaranteed rate base of 125,000 (up from 103,000), Worth will also be available on a limited basis at select newsstands with a cover price of $18.95 and via Sandow Media's exclusive network of 60 newsstands at private airports.
The Worth Web site will launch on June 1 in conjunction with the print publication.
In February, Sandow eliminated roughly 45 percent of the magazine's staff, reducing its headcount from 18 to 8. The company also said it would relocate Worth from New York to Boca Raton, Florida.Â


text: "You need lead time to sculpt virgin brows or grow back sparse spots," says Ramy Gafni, an N.Y.C. brow expert. Ask your expert to follow the natural line of your brows and take a conservative approach. "The most flattering shape for brides is full with a nice arch," says Gafni. Book shapings every four to six weeks leading up to the wedding, and abstain from DIY plucking between visits.Read MoreLess


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Tag Archives: Kevin Youkilis
Yankees Robinson Cano has weak ties to PED-clinic with notes
Major League Baseball is apparently investigating Robinson Cano for potential ties to Biogenesis, the anti-aging clinic suspected of providing PEDs to players, although any links to Cano and the clinic seem very weak at best, according to T.J. Quinn and Mike Fish of ESPN. Where other players had their names on Biogenesis documents, Cano did not. Instead ...
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Is it time to start getting excited for a Michael Pineda return? Plus notes
There has been a lot of injury updates recently, some good and some bad, but they've mostly been focused on the Yankees bats -- Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira, Curtis Granderson, and even occasionally Alex Rodriguez. One of the bigger names on the DL that is quietly working his way back is Michael Pineda, who is recovering ...
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Bizarro Yankees Surviving Early Slate With Hitting, Not Pitching
Heading into 2013, the Yankees most glaring weakness figured to be their offense. They led the major leagues in home runs in 2012 with 245, and coming into this season 200 of them were gone from the lineup. The major names missing? Curtis Granderson, Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Nick Swisher, Russell Martin, Raul Ibanez, ...
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Kevin Youkilis: A hated Red Sox set for a big season with the Yankees
Call Kevin Youkilis whatever you'd like, but he's a Yankee now and for some that is still hard to take. Honestly, I find it hard to accept after he spent the past 10 years as my most hated Red Sox player. I find it a little ironic when I think back to 2008 when friend asked ...
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What to do now that Derrek Lee is staying retired? Plus other notes
With the injuries piling up, Yankees GM Brian Cashman decided he would try to get a little creative to fill some spots so he called some retired players to gauge their interest. Chipper Jones and Scott Rolen quickly rejected any idea that they might come out of retirement, but Derrek Lee was at least considering it. Lee is ...
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Yankees Morning Bits: Cano, Youkilis, Hughes, CC, Mo, and Adams
The Yankees lost 1-0 and 7-6 to the Jay and Astros respectively yesterday. • The Yankees have made "a significant offer" to Robinson Cano. • Kevin Youkilis is back in the lineup today. • Nothing new on Phil Hughes. He continues to workout in a pool. • CC Sabathia (elbow) and Mariano Rivera (knee) both pitched yesterday and felt fine. David Adams said his back ...
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Yankees Morning Bits: Hughes, Youkilis, CoJo, Henson, Granderson and GRIT
The Yankees lost again, this time 10-7 to the Orioles. • Phil Hughes may not be ready to start the season on time because of his back injury. • Kevin Youkilis will sit out again today with an oblique strain. • Perhaps a coincidence, but Corban Joseph played third base again yesterday. • Former Yankees prospect Drew Henson is now coaching Yankees Gulf ...
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Yankees Morning Bits: Youkilis, Damon, Nunez, Mesa, DePaula, and Avelino
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On Not Being Carried Away With Optimism
Archbishop Welby said in his sermon today that reconciliation begins with being reconciled to God and from that divine point of reconciliation, we can be reconciled to our enemies and to the world. And that is true.
But we mustn't forget that ++Welby believes that Bishop Shannon Johnston who promotes same sex blessings and believes the Nicene Creed is negotiable is a leader with whom it is right and good to be reconciled. So what ++Welby means by being "reconciled to God first" is not what the New Testament means.
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39 comments
Hi Clive,
Re: "Who DO you think you are…"
Well I am one of the admistrators of this site and one of our longstanding policies is that we do not allow tone-policing or commenting on the appropriateness of our posts. We prefer our commenters to be made of sterner stuff than to whine like children about such things as you have done. So this is your warning. I've deleted your last comment. Do it again and lose your posting privileges.
Hi Clive,
"No recognition for ACNA? Is that part of your long-term strategy?"
Just an opinion Clive. Odd that it bothers you so much? Are you okay with people expressing opinions you disagree with?
"Have you checked in with your bishop and archbishop to see if they are on board?"
Oh my thoughts and opinions are published here and elsewhere my bishop and archbishop are well informed leaders who do tend to read lots of things. So I suspect they know my opinion.
"I suspect they might have other intentions for the flock in North America."
Really? Could be. That is their shot to call I suppose.
There are some areas over which I have some say. And my guess is that my parish would not rejoin any Communion wherein an unrepentant TEC is a member in good standing.
RE: "I see the party of perpetual Anglican war has waited the required half day before attacking our new ABC. Thanks. This should be a big help in securing the recognition of orthodox Anglicans in North America. Or is that of no matter?"
What on earth is Clive talking about? We pointed out—with quotes and excellent research—the problems with Welby months ago! It's called "analysis" and we certainly did not wait until after his enthronement.
This is a blog that offers analysis, and we'll continue to be doing that. Commenters are, of course, free to disagree with our analysis, but they are not free to drone on and on about the horrors of our offering such analysis in the first place.
As a part of TEC, I agree with Matt [who is a part of ACNA]. I hope that ACNA is not recognized by the Anglican Communion formally at all, for two reasons. First, ACNA does not need to be entangled further with the formal structures of Anglican Communion while those formal structures are attempting to determine what the Anglican Communion wishes to be. If it decides one way [and it looks mightily likely that it will] than Anglicans who believe the Gospel will not wish to be a part of those structures anyway. If it decides another way, than TEC will be deleted. Second, ACNA itself has numerous structural problems with which it needs to deal internally and the last thing it needs is to be further entangled with another much more massive and highly dysfunctional, unhealthy entity.
RE: "Have you checked in with your bishop and archbishop to see if they are on board? I suspect they might have other intentions for the flock in North America."
Well, that's certainly their right to have other intentions, and they are free to promote their viewpoint on their own blogs, if such be the case. But this is the SF blog, and the seven writers for the blog have our own analysis and beliefs and we'll be promoting those to the high hills, too.
Matt - I love disagreement so no worries there.
One of the advantages we enjoy in our hierarchical structure is some hope of maintaining sound doctrine and good order, and I have read how important those things are to you. That was the basis of my inquiry about the views of our ACNA bishops on the question of recognition. Their views, I would think, would be dispositive for the denomination. Of course, individual parishes could easily reach a different conclusion and then opt out but that's a separate problem from where we think our leaders are or might be on this critical matter. You have easy access to your bishop so I thought you might be able to fill us in.
Clive, although I have sympathies with waiting and letting Welby have a chance before unloading the criticism, I think your response to Matt et al. is unfair. I took a very similar line to the one you did when Welby's appointment was announced. But since then he's been in the limelight, and his recent interviews suggest that he is—at very best—profoundly squishy. (Which is totally inconsistent the duty of a bishop or archbishop, as shown in the Welby/Cranmer post that just went up.) There's nothing with criticizing him for what he's already said and done, which isn't pretty.
Hitchhiker - Bishops are tricky things and Archbishops of Canterbury are trickiest of all, at least for Anglicans. My thought is that, since we have nothing really to lose, a strategic pause might be in order to see how things play out. There will be plenty of time to criticize his lack of moral fiber after he's been in the job for a year or two which we could put to good use straightening out all our many problems here in ACNA that Sarah has so helpfully pointed out. In the meantime, it might be in our interests to take a wait and see view. I'm sure that if he does take a dive in the wrong direction, our leaders will be on the alert and the alternative strategy of ditching the Communion for our orthodox bretheren elsewhere will still be available to us. In the meantime, a grace note might be in order.
But this is normal operation. This is exactly what Rowan Williams did.
Say things that SOUND like orthodoxy and that a tough line will be taken so that the orthodox do not reject you outroght. They will hang on, always willing to give you 'one last chance.' Then, at every turn, support TEc and assist the UK government in implementing it's New World Order.
It's standard play book. I am astonished that, after decades of this, people are still falling for it. I predicted exactly what Welby would do before he was even named. Whoever was appointed by Her Majesty's anti-Christian Government was going to be a collaborator but the 'softly, softly' approach adopted by the CoE matched by the blatent aggression of TEc has actually worked rather well. Welby can sound nice while letting TEc drive the agenda forward. He just has to make sure that no-one gets in the way. To do that, he'll whisper sweet nothings like Williams.
I still do not get how so many just haven't worked this out. The Global South, though, have finally worked it out though and no longer give the AboC any trust.
No mention of the cross or sin or repentance. Odd considering one of the bible readings was from 2 Cor. chapter 5. Rather the emphasis was on human flourishing and improving society not the need for salvation.
No, I disagree with you. Consider that Welby has come out running with this "reconciliation" theme of his. There is a reason why he has done so. It behooves us to understand this reason. So, why is Welby pushing his version of reconciliation so hard? Well, by all accounts, he appears to see this reconciliation plan as a shield to protect the Church of England from the strife that has engulfed TEC and ACoC. The reconciliation process is aimed to neutralize the Global South. The fact that Welby is pushing this so quickly and so hard out of the starting gate means he believes that the Global South have real power (if he didn't think so, he wouldn't be pushing his version of reconciliation so hard).
If what I have just said is true, it would be a strategic blunder to let up now. Quite the opposite, the Global South and conservative Anglicans should push harder. Make it ABUNDANTLY clear to Welby NOW what is expected. You don't relax the pressure when you have the advantage. You press your advantage.
Welby is going to eventually have to make a choice between throwing his lot in with the liberal Western minority or with the conservative Global South majority. His choice will have great effect on the Church of England and how he chooses to govern there. It is in our interest that he make that choice now.
Primates look forward to a future opportunity to meet and discuss how they can work together with the new ABC.
Jamesw - that is an interesting notion, pressing the advantage and trying to extract commitments early on that might be precluded by later decisions. I see what you're saying and, from a purely political standpoint, I think it has merit. Let me express my view differently and see what you think about it:
1) Who is most adamantly opposed to permitting ACNA join the Anglican Communion? (Other than Matt, that is.) Answer: TEC. (Finally, something Matt and TEC can agree on! A true red-letter day). It isn't always true that just because my adversary doesn't want something I should want it but it may be true in this case it needs to be thought through.
2) Why is the saber rattling between 815 and Canterbury ratcheting up over the issue of ACNA's admission and certain interim steps that are under consideration? Answer: Because TEC knows that once the monopoly on who speaks for Anglicanism in North America is broken there's no putting it back together. It might even make it easier for the orthodox who remain in TEC to jump from the ship, an intrinsic good on its own. TEC is desperate to avoid this outcome and we should be doing what we can to make it happen and avoiding actions that tend toward making it more difficult like not extending grace to the most biblically and culturally conservative of ABCs in a very, very long time.
3) What benefits might acrue to the orthodox church from ACNA's recognition? Answer: Many but chief of which is that TEC would have a genuine competitor rather than one that hovers on the edge of public legitimacy. Competition is almost always salutary in wringing excesses, errors and misallocations within systems and a businessman like ++Welby is likely to understand that. Personally, I'd like to see TEC under that kind of pressure for once.
++Justin is not an American evangelical and will likely never express himself on questions of orthodoxy in the way that we express ourselves. He may even be soft in places that we'd rather he weren't. He is, by far, better than we could have hoped for and far better than whoever will likely succeed him in 10 years. What do we lose by letting this play out for a year?
Clive: The ACNA has no chance right now of being formally recognized as part of the Anglican Communion. TEC and its western liberal allies (including the ACO) have control over the ACC, and so ACNA has no chance at becoming a formal part of the Anglican Communion anytime soon. Now, you can argue that Welby "might" do an end run around the ACC and simply issue invitations to ACNA bishops and the ACNA primate to the various activities, and lobby the CofE to recognize the ACNA, but two questions come from that? First, what status would ACNA have in such circumstances (you know that TEC and its allies will insist that unless the ACC approves, ACNA isn't a full member and the ACO will work to support that interpretation), and second, why would Welby do this? Why would Welby want to give formal credibility to the ACNA as an "acceptable Anglican option" when his big fear is that an ACNA-like group will set up shop in England? That makes no sense from Welby's perspective. Welby does have an interest in pacifying the ACNA, but not in giving it formal credibility. Don't get fooled in the same way we were fooled by Rowan Williams (i.e., don't worry, action is just around the next corner!).
No, what Welby wants at this point, is to engage in "reconciliation" by which nice things will be said about the ACNA, and promises will be held out about possible future recognition, in exchange for the Global South agreeing to say that western revisionists are really "brothers in Christ" and should be accepted as legitimate Anglican bishops (in other words, undermine the reason for the ACNA).
Thus, to hold off now, gives Welby time to undermine the Global South, removes any pressure he may have to deal honestly with the ACNA and undermines any long term recognition. In contrast, pushing him hard now will give the best possible situation in which he will be forced to deal forthrightly and honestly with the issues in the Communion.
Jamesw - I don't think we can make either case definitively, and I happen to think there may be more opportunity for recognition and/or interim steps toward recognition for ACNA than you do. While I can't go into why I think that, I do have reasons beyond the "feathered thing that makes its nest in the heart" (hope).
We have been strangled on half-measures and disappointment for a long time and that leads toward a sense of despair. My innate conservatism tends toward the tragic view: Is it going to end in tears? Yeah, probably. But there are also good signs on the horizon and I'm focusing my attention there. If I'm wrong, I'll be a year older but conditions, spirtually and materially, won't have changed much. But what if I'm right?
The only other thing I'd point to is that recognition, I believe, is still very much on the agenda for our bishops and archbishop. They haven't abandoned it yet, and since they are men of holiness, prayer and discernment, we should let that count for something in our own thinking.
Communion with Canterbury would be a burden and a curse. Why would we want to be in such a relationship? We're already in communion with the orthodox primates and provinces…why would we want to entangle ourselves with the ever malleable dubiously "orthodox" see of Canterbury. The first condition I named above - the discipline of TEC - would, I think, be a necessary condition for even considering it…but even with such discipline, the CofE itself is a mess and that mess is personified in the ABC himself.
I wouldn't discount the see of Canterbury quite so steeply as that. It is positioned at a strategic crossroads and has great influence in many corners of the world. In 100 years, perhaps, those wishing to know the mind of the Anglican church might pick up the phone and call Lagos. For now, they are still calling London and if Lagos or Nairobi are to replace London, time and the Holy Spirit will take care of that. Is anyone under the illusion that a simple transfer of power and authority to the Global South wouldn't be accompanied by its own set of deeply challenging problems including theological ones? The case for improvement by such a maneuver has not been made.
"Recognition, schmecognition"! What I want from Archbishop Welby is that he is a faithful follower of the Gospel and takes active measures to encourage/lead/proselytize others to faithful adherence to the teachings of Jesus Christ. Although I am a faithful parishioner of a church in ACNA, what is important to me is that the human leaders of Christianity open their hearts to the Holy Spirit and follow God's ways. ACNA, TEC, AMiA, the Roman Catholic church, the other Protestant and Orthodox denominations are all creations of man. A saving belief in Jesus Christ is what counts. If a denomination's human leader leads away from Christian belief, I don't care what his job title is.
I can't see the "theological problems" under the Global South as being worse than what the Communion has currently under the rule of such "theologians" as KJS and Janet Trisk.
2 other observations-
Like most people who left TEC, I spent a period of time under the authority of a Global South primate. I don't seem any the worse for it.
A much higher percentage of GS bishops respond to my emails that North American bishops (TEC or ACNA). In and of itself, that doesn't prove anything one way or another about their theology- but many seem pastoral almost by nature.
Hi Clive:
"I wouldn't discount the see of Canterbury quite so steeply as that. It is positioned at a strategic crossroads and has great influence in many corners of the world."
Oh I've no doubt that Canterbury exercises influence. True, but irrelevant. So does the Dali Lama. So does the Pope. So do lots of religious leaders…I don't think that is reason enough to be bound in ecclesial union with any of them. And that is especially true with regard to this particular Archbishop who has explicitly expressed his desire to wage reconciliation with heretics.
"In 100 years, perhaps, those wishing to know the mind of the Anglican church might pick up the phone and call Lagos. For now, they are still calling London and if Lagos or Nairobi are to replace London, time and the Holy Spirit will take care of that."
Again…true but irrelevant. I could care less who those wishing to know the mind of the Anglican church might call up. Why would we want to enter into any kind of reconciliation process with wolves…which is what Communion with Canterbury would require.
"Is anyone under the illusion that a simple transfer of power and authority to the Global South wouldn't be accompanied by its own set of deeply challenging problems including theological ones?"
No one is transferring any power. I'm not sure what you are talking about. My point was merely that we are already in Communion with orthodox primates and all is well. Why should we seek unity with the heterodox ones?
"The case for improvement by such a maneuver has not been made."
That's true but, of course, I certainly haven't attempted to make it.
Just in case anyone was wondering how TEC sees the new ABC and today's sermon, there's this quote from today's press release from the Anglican Communion:
I'm sure this fuzzy blather is just how TEC wants reconciliation to be viewed - not a hint of repentance. And if that's acceptable to Archbishop Welby, then it's everything we've been fearing—and yes, this is something of which the church should be afraid.
For TEC, and it appears for the new ABC, "reconciliation" means accepting what TEC did, TEC is the official Anglican body in the United States, and everybody who wants to remain in the AC in the United States better come back along with their property and check books.
In other words reconciliation is another word for capitulation. Welby is another Williams. We orthodox were played for fools for the past 10 years and Welby offers nothing more than the same. But if you want to give Lucy another go at the football be my guest.
#11. Steven Pascoe,
Re: The Filioque
However materially, politically and historically it came into being, the Filioque is written in Scripture.
Any other interpretation of that Ikon would place Jesus at the Father's left hand.
#33 Fr. Dale
Not really surprised at all – as I suggested on another thread a couple of days ago the Cof E does not appoint real evangelical bishops anymore so there was no chance of one becoming the ABC.
Nonetheless it is widely reported in the media that Justin Welby belongs to the evangelical wing of the CofE, so here was a marvellous opportunity to preach the gospel, and to put Jesus' death on the cross central to his message and his ministry.
There is a lot of unbiblical talk even in evangelical circles of "building the kingdom" which completely ignores the cross. You put it very well in your link: "The Gospel of Jesus Christ is our missiology. The Word of God is our means. The building of the Kingdom begins with the Cross not human flourishing."
The fact that he fluffed this opportunity and that the cross is not mentioned in the sermon speaks volumes about how far he has moved away from an evangelical belief (assuming he was there in the first place). For if Justin Welby's message really is devoid of the cross then what's the point of talking about reconciliation - a point Anne Kennedy eloquently illustrates in the recent thread, and a point which the Global South Primates will no doubt want to discuss with him when they finally get to sit down together.
I agree that the recognition of the ACNA by Canterbury is not that desirable for now, and we can afford to wait. What's important to know is that we ARE recognized by the Global South, and therefore while we're not "officially" recognized by Canterbury, it is sufficient that we are recognized by a very significant number of Communion primates. What rankles, though, is the fact that Archbishop Duncan was not invited to be present for the ceremonies installing +++Welby on the Chair of St Augustine, while non-Christian religious were. That is being seen as a snub which was not at all deserved. I wonder what Schori's reaction would've been if an invitation had gone out to the ACNA?
It's probably just as well that Archbishop Duncan wasn't invited. He might have felt obligated to attend. I don't think his not being invited is necessarily a snub. Aside from primates, bishops and other clergy from the various AC provinces, were other religious leaders from outside the UK invited?
I think dropping the filioque from the creed at the service is problematic. To be honest, I'm not personally sure whether it should have been added in the first place. But the Western Church did add it long before the Reformation, so it is part of the C of E's version of the Nicene Creed, and this teaching is included in the 39 Articles of Religion. To to the extent that there is such a thing as official Anglican doctrine, the filioque is part of it.
If this had been an ecumenical service between an Anglican and an Orthodox congregation, I could see dropping the filioque (although it would probably better to omit the creed entirely). But the ABC's inauguration isn't an ecumenical service. It's a Church of England service, and its liturgy should reflect the teachings of the C of E.
"Not really surprised at all – as I suggested on another thread a couple of days ago the Cof E does not appoint real evangelical bishops anymore so there was no chance of one becoming the ABC."
Well said. There are quite a few "evangelical" bishops in CofE who want to claim leadership of the evangelical constituency in the CofE, which is large and vibrant. So far, they haven't made a good case for why evangelicals should follow their leadership.
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"How to Knit: Beginner Knitting Help and 7 Free Patterns"
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User Effect Contest WinnersNote to self: Apparently, 250 subscribers isn't quite enough to start running contests :) Either that, or I scared you all off with my stipulation of posting the winners' reviews online.
At any rate, thanks to my 4 entrants, and since you all seem to be legitimate, you're all winners! I'll be contacting you personally over the next couple of days. I've decided that, since the point of this was mostly to test-drive some new service offerings and some entrants submitted on behalf of clients, I'll be keeping the reviews private.
Thanks to those that entered, and I'll be back to my normal blog posts next week.
2 Comments · Tweet It! · Stumble It! · March 11 · Dr. Peter J. Meyers
Linda Bustos· Thursday, March 13
I'm looking forward to your reviews! I love real-life usability consultations in blog format. Congrats to the lucky winners :)
Michael Sullivan· Monday, March 17
I'd be interested in the 5th spot if its still available, I don't know how I missed the contest... Let me know and I'll gladly write why I need the usability help. (We met last month at the SEO/SEM workshop).


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Police: Man assaults boy, 10, on way to school in Woodlawn
Updated On: Jan 17 2013 07:18:10 AM EST
Authorities said a 10-year-old boy was assaulted by a stranger as he was walking to school Wednesday morning.
Baltimore County police detectives are investigating the incident that happened at 8:25 a.m. while the boy was walking to Woodmoor Elementary School in Woodlawn.
Police said the boy was walking near Essex Road and Elba Drive when a man approached him and grabbed his jacket. The boy resisted, ran to school and reported the matter to school authorities. He was unharmed, police said.
Anyone with information should call police at 410-307-2020.
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