#105 A Look Inside Publishing: Hybrid, Audiobooks, AI and More Featuring Jane Friedman

Jane Friedman has spent nearly 25 years working in the book publishing industry, with a focus on author education and trend reporting. She is the editor of The Hot Sheet, the essential publishing industry newsletter for authors, and was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World in 2023. Her latest book is THE BUSINESS OF BEING A WRITER (University of Chicago Press), which received a starred review from Library Journal. In addition to serving on grant panels for the National Endowment for the Arts and the Creative Work Fund, she works with organizations such as The Authors Guild to bring transparency to the business of publishing.   In this episode: The ever changing publishing climate [3:52] How not to be a supplicant with agents or gatekeepers [5:14] Deciding on University or small presses and what they offer [13:33] What does hybrid publishing really mean and how to vet a company [14:27] The truth behind the costs of publishing [17:46] The rapid ascendance of audiobooks and what it means for authors [27:35] How AI is transforming the industry of audiobook production [30:39] The dark side of AI generated materials on Amazon and Jane’s role in the fight against it [33:47] The potential struggles of selling a memoir and how to navigate them [20:02] What platform means for a writer and how to creatively work it [44:42] How to thrive as an entrepreneur in the new creator economy [44:03]   Connect with Jane Website: http://janefriedman.com Pieces from Jane’s Site Mentioned in the Episode Writing Lessons from Jane Austen https://janefriedman.com/writing-lessons-from-austen-story-questions-and-northanger-abbey/   How to Write a Hybrid Memoir https://janefriedman.com/how-to-write-a-hybrid-memoir/   Crafting Memoir with a Message https://janefriedman.com/crafting-memoir-with-a-message-blending-story-with-self-help/ Connect with Estelle:   Watch Estelle’s solo episode #90 on the U.S. Book Show (mentioned in this episode).  https://estelleserasmus.com/90-bonus-episode-estelles-edge-on-the-u-s-book-show-2024/   ​​FREE PITCHING GUIDE: Find out more about this episode at  https://estelleserasmus.com/podcast. You also get a free pitching guide if you sign up for her newsletter.   Sign up for Estelle’s Personal Essay Class for Writer’s Digest  https://www.writersonlineworkshops.com/courses/writing-the-personal-essay-101-fundamentals   Get Her Book  Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: https://rb.gy/5ihwp0   Order Her Audiobook: https://shorturl.at/4uG2P   Sign up for her Substack https://estelleserasmus.substack.com (with craft advice and writing opportunities). Paid subscribers receive opportunities for pitch reviews, plus bonus clips from Freelance Writing Direct guests   Sign up for Her Class at NYU Writing About Your Life Through Memoir, Essays and Articles https://www.sps.nyu.edu/professional-pathways/faculty/1068-estelle-erasmus.html   Sign up for Estelle’s Tantalizing Titles Craft Talk Webinar October 2 https://craft-talks.com/event/tantalizing-titles/ Estelle will be doing the closing session of the ASJA virtual conference on September 26th with renowned memoirist Abigail Thomas. Read 8 Things You Didn’t Know about Abigail Thomas and Estelle Erasmus  https://www.asja.org/abigail-thomas-and-estelle-erasmus/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@EstelleSErasmus