A few days ago I wrote a post for the DBW blog, “A Gen Y Reaction to Macmillan’s Piracy Plan“. I obviously can’t condone piracy. But I can’t pretend that it’s not tempting and, in the words of one commenter, “tells you what your (potential) customers want.” Reaction was surprisingly around 50/50. Many (older) people felt that I was praising thieves and questioned how I would feel if people just expected me to work for free. Um… internships anyone?
However, I have a plea: pretty please will you people stop fighting change? This gets me every time. How do people not see this already? It’s not just publishing, it’s the world. As humans we hate change. Fine. I get it. But just because we don’t like something doesn’t stop it from happening. What, are you five? Covering your eyes doesn’t mean you’re invisible, kid. I wrote this comment in response to the HarperStudio blog where Debbie Stier Tumbled my post:
“Napack’s plan is like abstinence only education. Making condoms inaccessible doesn’t mean people are going to stop having sex. They’re just going to do it secretly and unsafely. It’s the same with pirates: just because we make it hard for them doesn’t mean they’ll stop. They’ll just find a way around it – a way that might be the less safe, less desirable route.”
There you go, food for thought my friends. Just don’t shoot me.
Today I found out that I am a wimp. And that I would most definitely kill to have the ability to work a room.
Today was Day 1 of Digital Book World’s first annual conference in NYC and it was beyond awesome. You’d think that a conference starting at 8am and ending at 5pm would bore you half to death but that was surprisingly not the case. I listened with rapt attention to every word and wrote a grand total of 10,000 words of notes (I wish this was an exaggeration).
After the initial speeches by hotshots like Brian Napack of Macmillan, I attended three separate panels:
Getting Comfortable in the Niches: Reports from Publishers Working Their Verticals
Optimizing eBooks: Cost-Effective Enhancements, Updates and Multimedia Options
Synergizing the Book and Web: Books Plus In the 21st Century
I could write about the rock stars in these panels until, well, the cows come home, but that’s what the DBW blog is for so you’ll have to stay tuned. What I want to talk about though (and is really of no interest to you) is the fact that I pretty much only met two or three people today and maybe five yesterday at the Bourbon. Apparently I’m a little shy. Wtf? It’s weird, I didn’t know this about myself until I entered a bar full of publishing gurus and felt like a 12-year-old playing dress up in grownup clothes.
To top it all off I actually recognized most of the faces in the room. Due to my crazy (and probably not so healthy) blog fetish, I’ve read all the things these people have to say. I follow them on Twitter, but we’ve never actually met. And here I go not introducing myself to anyone, totally lacking in the business card department and even when some nice person does engage me in conversation it’s basically like talking to a toddler with all the insight I have to say. These people are geniuses. Well, scratch that. If they were all geniuses publishing wouldn’t be in the pickle it’s in, but still, there were some brilliant speakers today and fingers crossed tomorrow I’ll manage to crawl out of my hidey-hole and make some friends. Please? Anyone?
I recently met with a blog buddy and fellow publishing nerd (except he’s actually significantly cooler than I am) last week. Guy Gonzalez and his band of merry (wo)men put together the first annual Digital Book World conference, which is this Tuesday and Wednesday at the Sheraton NY Hotel & Towers. This evening is my first official outing as contributing editor for their brand-spanking new website/blog. So keep your eyes peeled in the next few weeks over at DBW for my publishing, well, musingsif you will… ;-)
So on that publishing and DBW note, I wanted to post some videos of their cool event (which I sadly could not attend) 7x20x21. The brilliant Stephanie Anderson spoke about her book lover basketball league and how it’s fun that will save the industry (did I mention she’s brilliant and I love her?). Here’s the video:
And the equally brilliant Ryan Chapman did an awesome presentation on the publishing equivalent to Mad Men’s Sterling Cooper Draper Price (basically – who will be the one to stand out from the rest due to their awesome awesomeness?).
Anyway, I found this enormously entertaining, so if you agree there are more videos here. Peace out homies.
After watching such shows such as Californication and Entourage and reading such books like Happy Hour is for Amateurs and I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell, I figured why not write and become famous? Well I made a blog about some of my exploits and ran across your site on that 20 something bollocks n’ blogs site. Maybe if I could interest you in reading my shit (that is of course if you like it and dont find it too offensive …) I would love to work with you and network. Interested? Let me know cause I already find what your doing quite commendable – like, no shit. This is where the douche bag links to his ridiculous blog. This particular link goes to my Twitter feed because I’m significantly more awesome. You’re welcome.
take it easy
harry
My response:
Hey Harry,
Thanks so much for getting in touch. Do you know what’s really funny? The cut and paste function. You know, like that control c thing one does when they’re too lazy to type. Or find out someone’s name. Or read someone’s blog to find out if it’s relevant. Like, no shit.
My very best, Marian
Now, you know my love of all words filthy. I like the f-bomb as much as the next classy lady. But when you want something from someone and have obviously made no effort whatsoever to get to know said person before asking something, maybe don’t swear. Or direct me to a filthy blog (to which I’m refusing to link). Take that Henry Harry (that’s how much I care, wanker).
Example number two of Things That Piss Me Off Online: People on Twitter who repeat the same thing over and over and over again and do nothing but link to their own crap. Some idiot in the publishing Twitterverse started following me, so I followed them back. Until I realized that every tweet said something along these lines:
Did you know: We at XYZ Books can design your whole novel?
Did you know: It only costs $2 to write a book?
Did you know: This is really boring and a bad way to get business?
Did YOU know social media is an awesome way to connect with people and promote your brand? But that you can’t do it if all you do is promote yourself? Gosh darn it people! Every blog on social media says this over and over again. Why do so many people not listen? Why do PR people send me press releases on shit I could care less about? Why is some ass wipe sending me a link to his pervy site without even checking out my blog? It takes 1 minute to personalize an email, children. Listen to your Uncle Billy (that one’s for you, Muffin). Click here for my all-time favorite example of talking back to the idiots who spam us (via The Bloggess).
On the 2nd of February I will be teaching my very first workshop in Barnard’s career services department. The subject? Using social media as a job hunting tool (I know, right? Apparently I need a hobby). You all kind of know how I feel about “traditional” job search methods, and as I’ve mentioned before, schools don’t really do the best job of teaching us anything besides the basics. So I reached out to various colleges and universities in New York (Columbia, Sarah Lawrence, Hofstra, Barnard, etc etc) saying I was available to show soon-to-be-graduates the essential social media tools like LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook as part of their job search.
Looking for work today is drastically different than it was a year ago. Yesterday, even. Here’s a very brief outline of what I will be teaching:
How to create an attractive and effective online resume
The three big social media platforms
The importance of personal branding and how to create a strong web presence
Through my research I’ve found that some schools have actually started programs that are keeping their students on top of their game (kind of). Gonzaga University hosted an event in October called: “Social Media: Friend or Foe“, but other than that I’ve had a hard time finding anyone even close to venturing into arena. Meaning part of me thinks I’m an utter genius for thinking of this brilliant way to earn some extra cash. Until, of course, I realize I’ve been doing my research wrong and every school has already hopped on the bandwagon. In the meantime…
It would be great to get some input before my initial presentation. What do you guys think would be useful? Anything you wish you knew before the ole job hunt? Anything you still want to know? You’re the best!
And this kind of goes without sayin,g but if you’re a school and would like me to speak (or know of a school, or went to school, or know a guy that goes to school)… shoot me an email or whatnot.
