Wednesday, July 02, 2014

The Insecure Writer's Support Group

It’s time for another edition of The Insecure Writer’s Support Group, hosted by Ninja Captain, Alex J. Cavanaugh. Don’t forget to check out the Facebook IWSG, too.

After completing some big projects, including moving and setting up a new website, I’m ready to get back into writing. I pulled out some outlines for some novella length stories and picked one. I already have character sheets for all four of the stories, so now all they need is for me to actually write them. My last fiction book was four years ago, so wish me luck as I dive back into storytelling.

And I want to share something that was posted last week on a List-Serv -

“Amazon is facing a battle with UK publishers as it seeks to secure more advantageous terms in its latest round of contract negotiations.

“The web giant wants the right to print books itself if publishers fail to provide adequate stock, and wants publishers to match any pricing deals it offers to other distributers.”

This was one of the responses:

“If publishers give in to this demand, presumably Amazon will require a copy of the finished publishing file to keep handy. Once Amazon has that, what is to keep Amazon from printing its own copies in-house even when the real publisher has adequate stock?”

Kind of scary when you think about it.

44 comments:

Shah Wharton said...

I try not to get caught up in the hysteria around Amazon's world domination for fear of my mind melting! :)

Best of luck going back to fiction. I bet you love once you start. :D

shahwharton.com

ELAdams said...

Best of luck getting back into writing mode!

It's kind of scary to think of Amazon owning all of our books. I've no idea how all of these crazy battles are going to end up, but I hope it works out in favour of authors!

Denise Covey said...

I think it's great that you're about to break the 4-year fiction drought L. Diane. Amazon is like a big chompy animal eating its way through the publishing business and author's lives. (Congrats on keeping under 300 words, lol!)

Jemi Fraser said...

Good luck with your novellas! I bet you're going to have a great time with them! :)

Rhonda Albom said...

I am doing Camp Nanowrimo this month to get me back into writing. So far on day 2 it is going well.

Mason Canyon said...

Amazon is definitely stirring up things in the publishing world. Good luck with your novellas.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Shah, I think my mind already melted.

Denise, I kept the count way under - LOL!

Elsie, I've been writing the past two nights and loving it.

Rhonda, I should've signed up for that.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Amazon is definitely a bully. I hope the UK pubs don't give in. I can't keep up with all this drama between Amazon and the rest of the world. I count on you to do that.

Unknown said...

Yes, best of luck getting back in there! I've taken a bit of a break from my latest novel and really need to get back in the saddle with it.

I love writing and I need to make more time for it. Have fun!

Michelle Wallace said...

Have fun with the novella writing!

There's such a hullabaloo going on with Amazon... just wake me up when it's all over! LOL

cleemckenzie said...

Amazon is gobbling up just about everything, isn't it? It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.

Good luck with the return to fiction.

SittieCates said...

Hmmm... There will always be changes to face.

Good luck with your novellas! Take care.

Catch My Words said...

I hear more and more bad things about Amazon.

http://joycelansky.blogspot.com

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Glad you're writing again!

Sarah Foster said...

Yikes, that does sound kind of scary. Good luck getting back into writing!

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

This is very scary. The past has proven that one can only get so big before one falls over from wearing too small a shoe. LOL. Okay, not well put, but you get my drift. Amazon is getting too big for their boots. Time to come back to earth and be responsible. Might be too late for that, though.

Glad you're back writing, Diane!

Tyrean Martinson said...

Amazon has been a huge help to new authors, but at the same time - yikes! I don't know that handing them the file for every book is a good idea.

Tyrean Martinson said...

And, I'm glad you're writing!

Toi Thomas said...

This whole Amazon issue makes my head hurt. I want what's best but greed is powerful. Hopefully it will all work out for the best in the end.

Glad to hear you're writing and working on fiction. I bet this is an exciting time for you.

Good luck!

M Pax said...

Break a pen! :) I'm revising and writing at the same time. Gah.

Amazon scares the crap out of me, esepcially since the bulk of my $ comes from them.

Carol Riggs said...

Eeek. That IS a scary request from Amazon. Are they KIDDING? Publishers hold the rights to those books, and they shouldn't loan them out like that. Or be bullied into loaning them out like that.

Best wishes for you as you dive back into writing!

SK Anthony said...

That is scary if Amazon does get that right. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out in the end. Best of luck with writing and have fun! ;)

Nancy Thompson said...

While I'm glad Amazon is there to provide such an amazing experience and opportunity, they are getting too big and powerful, reaching too far. Yes, that is very scary!

Nicki Elson said...

Have so much fun diving back into ficiton! Sounds like you've got a great head start.

That sounds a little crazy for Amazon to demand to print the books on their own...it has to be part of some master plan to take over the world.

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Good luck with the fiction! I think you'll probably find that you jump back into it very easily. :)

Chrys Fey said...

Good luck with your novellas!!! And congrats on creating a new website. :)

J.Q. Rose said...

Time to wake up and take away some of the power Amazon holds in the publishing industry. We allow it all in the name of the bottom line--cash. Of course when A demands to only place your book in their hands and noone else's to get special promo, etc we and the publishers fall for it. Amazon will be a worldwide monopoly if we allow this to continue. Diane, dive into that fiction writing so you can escape from all this real world Amazon haggling! LOL..

shelly said...

Everything is getting scary.

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

It will be interesting to see how the Amazon story unfolds.

Best of luck with your fiction writing!!

J.L. Campbell said...

Diane,
Sounds like you're organized for getting back to writing.

That scenario does sound like a scary one. When you become so big that nobody can regulate what you do, who's to stop you from doing exactly what you please?

Anonymous said...

Happy writing.

I don't like that idea at all. Traditionally published books need to stay with the press and self-published books need to stay with authors. Web retailers should not be in charge of this.

Kimberly said...

Enjoy your fiction writing!

I'm definitely curious about what's up with the whole Amazon/publisher thing and how it's going to play out.

H. R. Sinclair said...

Yeah for writing! Best of luck!

Suzanne said...

Have fun writing your novella's :) I've signed up for CampNaNoWriMo to try and help me focus .... jury's out whether it will help!

Amazon is just one example of how corporate giants offer us such good offers, then all the small businesses disappear and we're beholden to whatever the big boys then decide :(

Suzanne @ Suzannes-Tribe
x

Robin said...

Wishing you the best as you dive into the deep end of writing again.

Every time you post something about Amazon it alters the way I see them. They are now resembling this ravenous beast that is never satisfied. Scary....

Loni Townsend said...

Best of luck diving back into fiction! At least you're going in prepared.

Ella said...

Have fun, L.Diane! Oh, bother-another sticky wicket~

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Susan, I'll try to keep up.

Joylene, even the Roman Empire collapsed.

Mary, what will happen when they are everyone's source of $?

JQ, that's why I don't believe in Amazon's KDP Select program. Too much power for them.

Joy, absolutely nothing.

Suzanne, you worded that well.

Robin, I used to think B&N was the evil empire, but no more.

Stina said...

*rolls eyes at latest Amazon news*

Good luck, Diane, with your novellas. I bet it will feel great to write fiction again.

Cynthia said...

Good luck with your writing. That's brave of you to revisit your old work.

F. Stone said...

A writer should be able to write without getting caught up in the politics. However, these issues have a direct effect on my writing future. Thanks to people like you, I may be able to keep up with the latest issues and, more importantly, understand the ramifications. Thanks

klahanie said...

Hi Diane,

It's very scary. Amazon is also a company that bullies and hassles its UK workers. That's very scary, also.

Here's hoping you had a peaceful Fourth of July.

Gary

Anonymous said...

Good luck with your new projects. I enjoy the novella length -- reading and writing. I don't like the idea of Amazon printing books. Yikes.

Sherry Ellis said...

Amazon is taking over everything!