Snap! Wena Poon, author of Lions in Winter talked yesterday about professionalism, mirroring yesterday’s blog.
Wena argued that book writing is as much to do with creating a product for consumers as it is with creativity; especially if we want to be published.
She posed two questions.
- Can an artist be a businessman?
- Can a businessman be an artist?
She then pointed out that the Arts has a long history of patronage. Michelangelo was particularly talented at melding the creative with the business world. Machiavelli is another who springs to mind.
The business of publishing remains unknown for many writers, something that I believe is our own fault. Ms Poon divided the publishing process into five categories.
- Writing
- Publishing
- Marketing
- Distribution
- After-sales Service
Here’s how most writers view the process
- Writing 80%
- Publishing 20%
The reality is more like this
- Writing 3%
- Publishing 2%
- Marketing 35%
- Distribution 35%
- After -sales Service 25%
This can be something of a shock for writers. How can our efforts count for so little? The truth is that publishers have enormous backlogs of submissions and have a comparatively small quota to fill. They have a business to run and that’s how we need to think about our writing- a business.
Consider this: publishing houses rent square footage from bookstores. The cost of books displayed face-on to customers is far greater than that charged for spine-on displays. All of this costs serious coinage. We don’t just write and the books magically appear in the stores.
Of course, each writer must work out for themselves how far they are willing to exchange their art for business. As Wena pointed out, there is a perverse dichotomy to how people view writers. One part of us believes that writers cannot make a living through our craft. The other side believes that to do so is to whore ones selfand cheapen our art. Frankly, if I can make a living out of doing what I love, then it’s no one’s business but mine.
She wrapped up with these thoughts. Entertainment is not frivolous. People pay to be entertained- and they pay very well if they think you will entertain them well. We are competing with movies, gaming, Internet and T.V., industries that understand about competing for the dollar. Know your customer (fan base) and treat them with utmost respect. They can make us or break us.
Wena Poon will be back in Singapore for the Singapore Literary Festival. Make sure you see her there.
