On being in fandom and writing for the Interwebs

[pen37]

My publisher finally joined the digital age by getting most of the press's back catalog of books up on Amazon.

This is pretty good news for all involved, since going to conventions to promote dead tree copies is proving to be increasingly less profitable. And writers who aren't big names with east coast publishing contracts seem increasingly

Comments

[pen37]

It's not so much that people don't buy books. It's more a limited funds thing. We primarily go to literary conventions, but there are a lot of other shiny things in the dealer's room for people to spend money on.

And now more than ever, convention goers have limited funds for spending money, so we are competing not just with other writers, but with the guy selling corsets, the guy selling swords, the lady with the hair sticks, and the gaming company trying to resell missmatched dice, rare Magic cards and collectible star wars monopoly set.

Depending on who the guest of honor is, the attendees might be hardcore readers, and they might not be. (Fans of Diana Gabaldon at the convention I was at wanted mainly just to buy romance, so unless you write historical romance, they weren't interested. Fans of Laurell K. Hamilton bought lots of other types of books.).

[pen37]

You pick books over corsets? As my editor would say: that's why we like you best. :)