2020 Review and State of the Industry
In this episode, Zach returns alongside J and J.D. to recap 2020 and discuss how such a chaotic year has affected the writing industry.
Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business – editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins.
Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouses, J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
- Why things won’t go back to normal in 2021
- Why authors have been less impacted by COVID-19
- How COVID has changed the traditional publishing process
- What would happen if Facebook ads disappeared
- How AI could challenge human creativity
- Why “mainstream” might become irrelevant
Links:
J. D. Barker – http://jdbarker.com/
J. Thorn – https://theauthorlife.com/
Zach Bohannon – https://zachbohannon.com/
Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life – https://kobowritinglife.com/
Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep
Voice Over by Rick Ganley – http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio – http://www.millpondstudio.com
Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/dev/contact/
*Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links.
Christopher Wills
3 years ago
Interesting show today guys. Biggest challenge in 2020 for me, not going to Nashville. Denise and I had booked to fly Business class for the first time so we were looking forward to it. But we got our money back so to quote from one of the best films ever, ‘maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon…’ Name that film.
Not worried or scared by AI. AI might be able to reproduce style, voice etc and I am sure people will read AI produced books and love them. But imagine a story about a young boy being told he was going to wizard school; could AI come up with the idea that he lives under the stairs? Harry Potter living below the stairs was not a random choice to titillate readers; below stairs is a reference to servants in big houses who lived ‘below the stairs.’ Only a creative human mind could make that connection.
Talking about recovery is negative and backward looking, suggesting a return to what was. Some (not all) companies were operating on small margins with high debt and they may not have survived 2020 even without the virus. A positive way to look at 2020 is that it is going to allow us to renew and evolve stronger for the future (Darwinism at its best). After a forest fire green shoots appear and thrive because the dark canopy of the once mighty forest trees has been removed. The positive among us (notwithstanding the sad deaths and sorrow) may look upon 2020 as a time when the world reset and we were able to renew.
Totally agree we will be priced out of online advertising although that could generate new online advertising companies for Indies, until they sell out to bigger fish for pots of money…
All this goes to show that you can’t beat a book with an amazing story and a high standard of writing and a great voice.
Happy New Year.
J. Thorn
3 years ago
Thank, buddy! Beech trees are always the first to sprout after a forest fire and they provide shelter and protection for other seedlings.
2021 – Be the birch.
JD Barker
3 years ago
If you’re playing the Writers, Ink. Drinking game, you need to do a shot whenever I say, “That being said…”
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