âOne of the things that sets VanderMeer apart is his embrace of technology and media. His online presence is considerable and includes a number of web sites, frequent blogging, a short film adaptation of his novel Shriek (including collaboration with pop rock band The Church), his Alien Baby photo project and even a project involving animation via Sony PlayStation.â âWired.com
âJeff VanderMeer has written a fascinating book on managing a writing career, including promotion, use of new media, career paths, resources, networking, conventions, and â not incidentally! â balancing all of this with actual writing. Recommended for anyone who writes, wants to write, or has written and now wonders what to do next.â
âNancy Kress, bestselling author of Write Great Fiction
âA brilliant writer!â âNew York Times bestselling author Peter Straub
âMany books tell us how to write, but Jeff VanderMeerâs Booklife tells us how to be an AuthorâŠ. VanderMeer made me think, question my own path, and make plans for a more focused move forward.â
âMur Lafferty, host and creator of the podcasts Geek Fu Action Grip and I Should Be Writing
âWho better than VanderMeer, master of the blogosphere and online innovator, to guide us through the burgeoning, oft breathtaking realm of new mediaâŠ. Jeff helps you hunt down the vast advantages provided by social networks, blogs, podcasts, and the like. And the best part is the silly pith helmet is optional. If youâre a writer who knows how to use a computer, then this book is for you.â
âJoseph Mallozzi, Executive Producer, Stargate SG-1
âJeff VanderMeerâs Booklife is a frank, revealing, riveting manual by a writer for writers, not simply on how to be a better wordsmith, but on how to be a better human being. Iâll be recommending it to all my writing students. I donât know how to praise a book more sincerely than that.â âMinister Faust, the BRO-Log
âVanderMeer has struck a new sort of balance with the Internet: charming his dedicated fan base on the web, creating multimedia promotional tools for his books, and actively seeking out new readers like me in the digital crowds. One of my favorite writers.â
âThe Publishing Spot
âVanderMeer may be creating the dominant literature of the 21st century.â
âThe Guardian
âJeffVanderMeerâs book will rock your writerâs socks off! Iâve long marveled at Jeffâs mad alchemist-like techniques of creation, promotion, and artistic survival through his artful navigation of brambly networks of writers, artists, musicians, historians, hatmakers, bloggers, booksellers, reviewers, and fans. To steal a line from an Eddie Izzard stand-up act, âNo one can live at that speedâŠâ VanderMeer lives at that speed and makes it look effortless â and fun!â âLeslie Ann Henkel, publicist, Abrams Books
âJeff VanderMeer has written a smart practical jungle-guidebook for the wilds of 21st century publishing â its incredible pressures, joys, poisons, and, most importantly, the dangers of a false sense of controlâŠ. Floaty creative types â prepare to be taken to task.â âJulianna Baggott, author of Girl Talk
âOne of the most literary fantasy writers or fantastic literary writers weâve got working these days, take your pick.â
âRon Hogan, Mediabistroâs GalleyCat
Booklife is to authors in todayâs publishing climate what Writerâs Market was fifteen years ago: essential. A well-organized, lucid guide to social networking, blogging, and the art of being an author in the age of Twitter. Jeff VanderMeerâs advice on maintaining oneâs focus in an era of unfettered public access to the artistâs private life comes from his own hard-won experience; heâs been a writer at-home-on-the-web since before most of us had websites. With excellent additions by Matt Staggs and others, Booklife is a worthwhile addition to any writerâs bookshelf.
âMichelle Richmond, NYT Bestselling author of The Year of Fog
âJeff VanderMeer is everywhere. Heâs in your house, frightening your cat. Heâs on your lawn, and even John McCain canât get him to leave. Heâs applying the poisonous glands of his tongue to the paint of your vintage Chevy. Heâs scaling the side of the New York Times building (theyâll arrest them when he comes down, but HEâLL NEVER COME DOWN!). Heâs engorged in the Grand Canyon, entombed in Grantâs Tomb, and impaled on the Space Needle. Heâs in the middle of the worldâs largest ball of twine. Heâs a roving mercenary who kills to earn his living (and to help out the Congolese). He put the bang in Bangkok and the joy in New Joysey. John Waters wanted to make a film about him, but was too disgusted. Harriet Klausner has never had anything good to say about him. Osama bin Laden considered endorsing him, but said even he didnât hate Western culture that much.
And now youâre taking him home with you.â
âMatthew Cheney, the Mumpsimus
ARE YOU READY TO EMBRACE A BOOKLIFE?
How TO USE THIS BOOK
âą SAMPLING IT
âą FOLLOWING THE STRUCTURE
âą RE-IMAGINING THE BOOK
WHAT THIS BOOK IS NOT
FURTHER RESOURCES: BOOKLIFENOW.COM AND BOOKLIFE.COM
CHAPTER 1: BUILDING YOUR BOOKLIFE
THE PILLARS OF YOUR PUBLIC BOOKLIFE
CREATING AND MANAGING GOALS
âą MAPPING YOUR FUTURE: THINK STRATEGICALLY NOT TACTICALLY
âą APPROACHES TO PLANNING
âą CHANGE MANAGEMENT
âą MISSION STATEMENTS
âą BENEFITS
âą âHow AM I POSSIBLY GOING TO KEEP UP WITH ALL OF THIS?!â
THE DISCOVERY PROCESS
âą BEING YOURSELF
âą EXPLORING YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
âą IMPROVING YOUR ABILITIES
CHOOSING YOUR PLATFORMS
âą FACEBOOK
âą MYSPACE
âą TWITTER
âą YOUTUBE
âą OTHER PLATFORMS
PUBLIC PLATFORM EXAMPLE: THE BLOG
âą CREATING A BLOG
âą TEMPERAMENT: SHOULD YOU RELEASE YOUR INNER EVIL MONKEY?
âą THE TENSION BETWEEN EGO AND INFORMATION
âą MODELING AND CONTENT DEVELOPMENT
âą EFFECTIVE APPROACHES
âą INEFFECTIVE APPROACHES
âą ENHANCEMENTS
MANAGING YOUR INVOLVEMENT
âą LEVELS OF INVOLVEMENT
âą FOLLOW THROUGH = PERSONAL INTEGRITY
âą A PERSONAL SPACE THE SIZE OF A POSTAGE STAMP?
CHAPTER 2: COMMUNICATING YOUR BOOKLIFE
NETWORKING
âą How Do You NETWORK?
âą RULES FOR COMMUNICATION
âą OVERCOMING FEAR OF CONTACT
âą MANAGING CONTACTS
DEALING WITH EDITORS AND PUBLICISTS
âą A COVENANT OF MUTUAL RESPECT
âą WHEN THINGS GO WRONG
âą MAKING ASSUMPTIONS, AND WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT
UNDERSTANDING CREATIVE PR
âą UNIVERSAL ELEMENTS
âą THE LIFECYCLE OF A BOOK
âą RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
PR OPPORTUNITIES
âą BLURBS
âą CONFERENCES AND CONVENTIONS
âą READINGS
âą GUEST BLOGGING
âą INTERVIEWS
âą REVIEWS
âą WRITING YOUR BACKSTORY
PR TOOLS
âą ARTIFACTS
âą INFORMATION RETRIEVAL
âą OBJECTS
âą SAMPLES
LEVERAGING YOUR IDEAS
âą LOST IN THE CROWD?
âą SUCCESSFUL EXAMPLE: âTHE SITUATIONâ
CREATING A PR PLAN
âą YOUR HIGH-LEVEL PLAN
âą YOUR DETAILED PLAN
FIVE MINIMUM ELEMENTS FOR SUCCESS
CHAPTER 3: MAINTAINING YOUR BOOKLIFE
TRANSPARENCY
BRANDING
âą PERSONAL
âą PUBLIC
âą MANAGING PERCEPTION
THE IMPORTANCE OF PERSISTENCE
PAYING IT FORWARD/COMMUNITY
AGAINST TRENDS
POSITIVE SURVIVAL STRATEGIES
âą MULTI-PURPOSING THE PUBLIC FOR THE PRIVATE
âą USING PERSONIFICATION
BOOKLIFE GUT-CHECK: TOWARD PEACE OF MIND THE SEARCH FOR BALANCE
YOUR HEALTH
âą POSITIVE CHOICES
âą AVOIDING THE NEGATIVE
MULTITASKING AND FRAGMENTATION
âą WHITE NOISE AND DARK
âą MANAGING OPEN CHANNELS
âą TOLERANCE FOR CHANNELS
CHAPTER 1: LIVING YOUR BOOKLIFE
THE PILLARS OF YOUR PRIVATE BOOKLIFE
REASONS TO WRITE
ATTITUDE AND CREATIVITY
FINDING INSPIRATION
âą ACKNOWLEDGING THE PASSION
âą STRATEGIES
BEING RECEPTIVE
âą THE SUBJECTIVITY OF TASTE
âą MASTERY AS UNCERTAINTY
âą THE TACTICS OF PROSE
ROOM TO THINK
âą RECOGNIZING THE NATURE OF DISTRACTION
âą THE OTHER YOU
RELINQUISHING ALL FETISHES
WRITING AND REVISION
âą TESTING YOUR WORK
âą POKING THE STRUCTURE WITH A STICK
âą INTERROGATING YOUR CHARACTERS
âą RESOURCES
WORK SCHEDULE
âą FOR PART-TIME WRITERS
âą FOR FULL-TIME WRITERS (BOWING TO REALITY)
HABIT VERSUS PROCESS
âą DO YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCE?
âą A NOVEL EXAMPLE
PERMISSION TO FAIL
CHAPTER 2: PROTECTING YOUR BOOKLIFE
ADDICTION
REJECTION
âą FROM OTHER WRITERS
âą FROM EDITORS
âą FROM REVIEWERS
ENVY
âą THE MANY FACES OF ENVY
âą DIFFICULT SOLUTIONS
DESPAIR
REVITALIZING CREATIVITY
SUCCESS
SUPPORT FROM YOUR PARTNER
THE LONG VIEW
A NOTE ON THE APPENDICES
APPENDIX A: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON RELEVANT ROLES
AGENTS
BOOKSELLERS BY JAMES CROSSLEY
EDITORS BY JILL ROBERTS
MARKETING VERSUS PUBLICITY BY COLLEEN LINDSAY
PUBLICISTS BY COLLEEN LINDSAY
APPENDIX B: CONTENT-RELATED
MARKETING/PR CAMPAIGN SUMMARY (EXAMPLE)
PODCASTS
PR PLAN (FIRST DRAFT EXAMPLE)
PRESS RELEASES (EXAMPLE)
BOOK REVIEWS
APPENDIX C: ADDITIONAL NOTES ON NEW MEDIA BY MATT STAGGS
NODES AND INFLUENCERS
REPUTATION MANAGEMENT: TELLING YOUR STORY BEFORE SOMEONE ELSE DOES
SIPPING FROM THE FIRE HOSE: ONLINE SEARCH TOOLS
APPENDIX D: NURTURING CREATIVITY
CHASING EXPERIENCE BY NATHAN BALLINGRUD
LUCKâS CHILD BY MARLY YOUMANS
WORKSHOPS BY CAT RAMBO
SACRIFICE: WITHOUT HOPE, WITHOUT DESPAIR BY MATTHEW CHENEY
APPENDIX E: HOW TO WRITE A NOVEL IN TWO MONTHS
SUPPORT
WRITING-RELATED
CONCLUSIONS
APPENDIX F: EVIL MONKEYâS GUIDE TO CREATIVE WRITING
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR