Newsletter 120. Why enshittification is this century’s most important economic trend, getting beyond AI hype and counter-hype, a new imprint for Hollis Heimbouch, plus three people to follow and three books to read. Is enshittification reversible? The essayist and novelist Cory Doctorow just published the most significant economic treatise of the Twenty-first Century. It’s called…
I asked myself this question recently: “What kind of books do I work on?” I do idea development, developmental editing, coaching, and ghostwriting for nonfiction authors. But nonfiction is an awfully broad category. Books on tech trends certainly feel like they’re in my wheelhouse, and books on local history don’t. But where are the boundaries?…
We must all face the terrifying prospect of doing things for the first time, things we want to do but are afraid to do. You could cower in fear. Or you could plunge ignorantly and fearlessly ahead. Neither is likely to enable you to grow and maximize your chance for success. Knowledgeable fear beats ignorant…
In 1998, as Forrester’s analyst covering the television industry, I got my first peek at TiVo, the original and most promising digital video recorder. It was an amazing device that easily recorded TV programs on a hard drive and promised to free viewers from the TV schedule forever. It was instantly clear to me that…
Everyone thinks the difference between traditional publishers and hybrid publishers is financial. When you make a deal with a traditional publisher like Simon & Schuster, they typically pay you an advance payment. Even if there is no advance, at least you don’t have to pay them. When you work with a hybrid publisher like Amplify,…
Newsletter 119. How to become a wizard in a niche market, a hybrid publishing overview, registering your work for AI, plus three people to follow and three books to read. Becoming the universally known independent thinker Twice in my life, I’ve achieved the position of universally known independent thinker (UKIT). What’s a UKIT? In a…
Just by chance, the following all happened yesterday. A new scam? None of the people messaging me mention web sites for their promotional programs in their pitches. All have gmail addresses. None appear to be on LinkedIn. Several mention details from my book, including “The Iron Imperative.” But they don’t use the same language. The…
A literary agent is your business partner. They are not your friend, your confidant, or your editor. And the only part of your business they care about is revenue from your book. This is not a knock on agents. Agents are wonderful people and can be quite instrumental in helping you succeed. But because they…
A recent search on Amazon.com pulled up this version of my 2016 book Writing Without Bullshit. It’s pirated, of course. I bought a copy. It’s a poorly formatted paperbound 8 1/2 by 11 ripoff that appears to have most of the text of my book, including a copy of my index with the wrong page…