The following stories, which all appeared in Links of Interest, received the most clicks by a wide margin. What you couldn’t resist reading more about in 2021
An editing tale: editor and author coach Christina Kaye of Write Your Best Book (AKA Book Boss Academy): This recent Writer Beware post by Victoria Strauss discusses complaints against Kaye and the email exchanges that Strauss had with her. (Nov. 24, 2021 issue)
14 reasons agenting is harder now than 20 years ago: Agent Kristin Nelson writes at her longtime blog, Pub Rants, about why it’s a tougher business than when she started. (Sept. 1, 2021 issue)
The top 10 publishing trends authors need to know in 2021: Every year, Written Word Media rounds up expert takes on what the year might hold in store. Look for the next one to appear shortly. (Jan. 20, 2021 issue)
Amazon algorithms for authors—demystified! Reedsy offers a plain-English guide to selecting Amazon categories and keywords, writing book descriptions, and understanding how Amazon ranks your book in its store. (March 17, 2021 issue)
Behold: the book blob: Take a look at cover design trends from traditional publishers. (Sept. 29, 2021 issue)
Jane Friedman has spent her entire career working in the publishing industry, with a focus on business reporting and author education. Established in 2015, her newsletter The Bottom Line provides nuanced market intelligence to thousands of authors and industry professionals; in 2023, she was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World.
Jane’s expertise regularly features in major media outlets such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, NPR, The Today Show, Wired, The Guardian, Fox News, and BBC. Her book, The Business of Being a Writer, Second Edition (The University of Chicago Press), is used as a classroom text by many writing and publishing degree programs. She reaches thousands through speaking engagements and workshops at diverse venues worldwide, including NYU’s Advanced Publishing Institute, Frankfurt Book Fair, and numerous MFA programs.
