What Has Changed About the Writing Community Since the 1990s?

I’ve been working in publishing since the 1990s, during my college years. (A bit of trivia few people know: one of my first jobs was data entry for a directory of men who served on the USS Indianapolis, by an Evansville, Indiana, based publisher.)

Over at The Write Stuff conference blog, I answer a few questions about the publishing industry today, and what I think has changed about the writing community since I got into the game. Here’s a bit of what I say:

The biggest change by far is the growing voice and footprint of the self-publishing and e-publishing community, and the associated explosion of services for the independent author. While some of these services are much needed and welcome, it’s difficult for a new writer, without a history of experience, to distinguish between a service that’s worth her time or money, and one that is not. When in doubt, look carefully at the background and qualifications of the people who provide the service, and avoid those that don’t clearly identify who you’re working with.

I also discuss:

How you can keep up with all the changes in the publishing industry without going crazy
How introverted authors can engage with readers in a meaningful way
How writers build platform and reach readers

Click here to read the full interview.

Jane Friedman

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.