tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post8708908565170811153..comments2024-02-17T09:53:06.168+00:00Comments on Notes from the Slushpile: Beverley Birch - Blog View from my Desk January 2012Candy Gourlayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07802791643303335762noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-66854782552768686992012-02-11T10:15:47.191+00:002012-02-11T10:15:47.191+00:00Grounded and pragmatic, but, as usual, hugely insp...Grounded and pragmatic, but, as usual, hugely inspirational. Many thanks, Beverley.Lindahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13912774665400125173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-16884807378002086572012-02-08T22:40:56.889+00:002012-02-08T22:40:56.889+00:00Thanks Beverley! A very interesting and sobering ...Thanks Beverley! A very interesting and sobering post.adelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15826710558292792068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-2645544035163353762012-02-08T22:28:36.215+00:002012-02-08T22:28:36.215+00:00Thanks for this Beverly, inspirational :o))
Agree...Thanks for this Beverly, inspirational :o))<br /><br />Agree with Candy, it's the big ideas that are important not just switching on the Twitter/blog/Facebook formula<br /><br />Also, maybe it's about thinking outside the book sometimes.Jan Carrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11335419896028312596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-87494522812399727712012-02-06T20:55:50.950+00:002012-02-06T20:55:50.950+00:00Well deserved ... it's never been 'if'...Well deserved ... it's never been 'if' with you Jackie, but 'when' - congratulations again!Candy Gourlayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07802791643303335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-21383614190625152662012-02-06T20:54:17.986+00:002012-02-06T20:54:17.986+00:00Agree! I really think publishers should be careful...Agree! I really think publishers should be careful about urging ALL their authors to blog or tweet ... marketing and publicity departments don't need bandwagons - they need new Big Ideas.Candy Gourlayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07802791643303335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-66117687836867979142012-02-06T16:54:29.900+00:002012-02-06T16:54:29.900+00:00Like those busy little mammals in the Jurassic, we...Like those busy little mammals in the Jurassic, we've got to adapt & survive. Thank you for the post, Beverley.K.M.Lockwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07540392557430776265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-88153159518295582422012-02-06T15:28:20.791+00:002012-02-06T15:28:20.791+00:00Thanks Beverley for your gentle reassuring optimis...Thanks Beverley for your gentle reassuring optimism. I think the combination of shifting goal posts for 'traditional publishing' and not really knowing how digital publishing will pan out in the future makes things feel very scary - and when we're scared, it's easy to run for cover at the very time we need to stay most positive.Bekki Hillhttp://thewritecoach.co.uk/?page_id=33noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-14241575918585068782012-02-06T13:26:09.846+00:002012-02-06T13:26:09.846+00:00I think one of the challenges of digital publishin...I think one of the challenges of digital publishing at the moment is the knowledge that it <b>will</b> transform the marketplace, but not really knowing <b>how</b>. And I say this as someone out there at the coalface, trying to design apps that can satisfy existing print audiences and hook in people who are not traditional readers.<br /><br />In fiction terms, I like the challenge of trying to write something eye-catching. I'd argue that differentiating our blogs, Twitter feeds etc. relies on exactly the same principles of "doing it differently."Nick Crosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02571077124165351007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-27303748555614233562012-02-06T12:47:52.333+00:002012-02-06T12:47:52.333+00:00As David Almond put it, ‘Stay calm. Write. One day...As David Almond put it, ‘Stay calm. Write. One day, the right person at the right moment…’Jo Wytonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01941417444551495613noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-7411099145295079922012-02-06T11:48:00.214+00:002012-02-06T11:48:00.214+00:00I would like to add a personal thanks to all the a...I would like to add a personal thanks to all the above. Beverly was hugely supportive of my Dougal Trump books and I kept that in mind during the ups and downs of trying to get him onto the bookshelves. I'm SO happy to announce that he will have his day at last - his first will be published by Macmillan in July. Thank you for believing in him, Beverley!!Jackie Marchanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12567038737470422449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-51933751878801671422012-02-06T11:33:16.297+00:002012-02-06T11:33:16.297+00:00As an author I'm finding the whole 'state ...As an author I'm finding the whole 'state of the industry' exciting. and I have both feet firmly planted in the optimist's camp. I'm optimistic that good stories will find their way to the children in one form or another. Thanks Beverley.Maureen Lynashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16855138050232488108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-65300106128300718462012-02-06T10:36:58.078+00:002012-02-06T10:36:58.078+00:00Thanks Beverley for your insightful comments. I al...Thanks Beverley for your insightful comments. I also remain optimistic. Surely great stories will survive even if they are no longer printed on paper.Jo Franklinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11863749932391225653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-66180328740535952912012-02-06T10:17:43.581+00:002012-02-06T10:17:43.581+00:00So long as there is a hunger to read and read wide...So long as there is a hunger to read and read widely as possible in whatever form, authors mustn't lose hope!<br /><br />I'm all for the optimistic camp too!<br /><br />Thanks for a most sobering look into publishing - it's hard but writers carry on with equal passion!! <br />Take care<br />xOld Kittyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13185547869183611159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-11345859957271313812012-02-06T09:03:14.799+00:002012-02-06T09:03:14.799+00:00It's also a case of what else do we do? Writin...It's also a case of what else do we do? Writing for children is our world and I can't think of a better place to live. We keep carrying on.Addy Farmerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00450583537731030466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-45757082997968505892012-02-06T08:58:13.287+00:002012-02-06T08:58:13.287+00:00Thanks for this Beverley (plus all your help and a...Thanks for this Beverley (plus all your help and advice to so many) and to the slushies for bringing it to us. And Candy, how right you are - blogs, tweets, FB fanpages. How to differentiate indeed?Jeannette Toweyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02549517044119318384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-63387454825966946742012-02-06T08:57:05.792+00:002012-02-06T08:57:05.792+00:00I love Beverley's quiet, realistic optimism - ...I love Beverley's quiet, realistic optimism - I think it's a reflection of why we all keep at it. Yes it's a struggle, but new authors do break through, great books are getting out there - disheartening as it is to hear no, no, no we know that people will always love stories. The good ones will make it somehow and just daydreaming about a Branford Boase nomination can keep us going until we get there.<br />Thanks Beverley.Kathryn Evanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16439670363289229014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-31647088946844024502012-02-06T07:50:10.435+00:002012-02-06T07:50:10.435+00:00... and more and more authors are showing that the...... and more and more authors are showing that they are willing to do it. So many authors have started up blogs, are tweeting and doing all the necessaries. But how does one stand out now that everyone's on the ball? Ah ...Candy Gourlayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07802791643303335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-28626462658155846982012-02-06T07:45:15.659+00:002012-02-06T07:45:15.659+00:00It's a twisted circle of cause and effect isn&...It's a twisted circle of cause and effect isn't it? Authors languishing on the slushpile bemoan the commercial shortsightedness of the publishers ... and publishers despair at declining book buying by schools and libraries. Technology is definitely not the enemy. We need a united front to promote reading over-all. Thank you for this, Beverley.Candy Gourlayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07802791643303335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-25969314984006101842012-02-06T07:44:40.770+00:002012-02-06T07:44:40.770+00:00Change is always hard, and its nice to have the br...Change is always hard, and its nice to have the bright spots pointed out. Thanks for the post!Tonja Dreckerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07683717853264134466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-73659871070205978442012-02-06T07:29:18.520+00:002012-02-06T07:29:18.520+00:00Many thanks, Beverley. You're right - we don&#...Many thanks, Beverley. You're right - we don't give up do we.Addy Farmerhttp://www.addyfarmer.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-55183314552722765902012-02-06T07:20:10.650+00:002012-02-06T07:20:10.650+00:00Thank you for such a timely post! How to reach ou...Thank you for such a timely post! How to reach our audience was the subject of the moment in writers and illustrators intensives in the huge SCBWI winter conference in New York. Many US publishers are admitting that they are much more likely to take on authors who show that they can and will promote their own books.Bridget Strevens-Marzohttp://bridgimage.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-78805126276997427502012-02-06T07:00:28.415+00:002012-02-06T07:00:28.415+00:00A sobering and thought provoking post. The goal p...A sobering and thought provoking post. The goal posts have unquestionably shifted in terms of "traditional publishing", but, at the same time, new opportunities have opened. The landscape is changing, but the game remains the same, and like Beverley, I remain optimistic.<br />Thanks for a great post.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04871239587214383387noreply@blogger.com