Could your blog snag you a book deal?
Hemingway hated the name the Lost Generation.
He and his fellow ex-patriots were not lost at all, he said.
They had found what they were looking for--a place where they could be free to create, to be left in peace, to be amongst like-minded artists and to write what would become some of the greatest works in American literature.
I can just imagine them waking up each morning and going to the cafe to read and write all day long. What a romantic existence to be surrounded by and encouraged by their peers and to be able to focus solely on the craft of writing.
This ain't Paris (at least I'm not in Paris, but some of you lucky devils might be!), but we have a wee bit of that writing comraderie going on today in the blogosphere.
Sort of a 21st century virtual Lost Generation tribe (except we're not lost either, and we're all in our own countries and most of us have day jobs and can't devote all day to writing--well, you know what I mean!).
Some of us bloggers are snagging book deals, and it's becoming clear that it's not entirely out of the question that the blogs that we lovingly tend everyday may have the potential of going hard-cover and ending up in libraries and bookstores someday.
I guess it depends on what you've been writing and how often you've been posting, but truthfully I think that some of the blogs I visit regularly are book-worthy. I would buy 'em!
So, how can we hustle this process along and earn our spot in Barnes & Noble sooner rather than later?
Gina Trapani has a series of posts about how to turn your blog into a book (or how to start a blog with the intention of turning it into a book), and I've been enjoying reading her advice.
Her instructions are based on her own experience--she was offered a book deal for her blog Lifehacker and the book is now in stores. Here are Gina's tips in part 1 and part 2, with possibly more are on the way.
What's cool is that the agents are approaching the bloggers, not the other way around. Gina says,
More than ever before, literary agents are paying attention to quality weblogs, and publishers are looking for someone with writing chops and a fresh take on a topic.
Gina also advises:
Pick your topic, set up your blog, and post to it obsessively, every single day. Consider blogging every day practice and preparation for when you'll be writing your manuscript every day. While you're blogging, it may not seem like you're working towards a book deal, but you are: every post you do is a tiny bit of research you'll refer back to later during your manuscript production.
I think her tips are good advice for making a well-written blog even if you don't have any plans for turning it into a book.
So, I wonder if any of us will go down in literary history. It could happen--without a doubt, some of you are extremely gifted writers, and your blog may be the unlikely stepping stone that launches you into a literary career.
And when that happens, I'll be able to say I knew you when...:-)
(Thanks to Darren for hooking me up with the links!)
Really? This is such an exciting concept to me! I would actually love to do this. I wonder how one could test the market to see if there were interest?
Posted by: Maryam in Marrakesh | January 24, 2007 at 06:08 AM
You know, I could see myself living Hemingway style, in a hotel in some steamy locale ... but then, internet connections are so unreliable in far flung places!
I guess it comes down to the reason or focus of your blog. For me, it is more of a living diary of ideas ... I don't know whether is would work in a more static form.
Posted by: Gavin Heaton | January 24, 2007 at 06:28 AM
Maryam--I could totally see your blog becoming a best-seller! I think the blog itself is testing the market--we can see how much interest there is by how much interest there is in the blog. And since publishers are oftentimes seeking out bloggers on specific topics, they would do the online research to find you. Just keep on posting those glorious photos and stories!
*****
Gavin--Perhaps Marrakesh has WIFI ;-).
The book you could make off of your blog would be totally unconventional and not like any other book on the market; good writing is always a pleasure to read no matter what the topic.:-)
Posted by: Sharon Sarmiento | January 24, 2007 at 06:09 PM
I agree ... Maryam's blog has some beautiful content -- great writing, personality and spectacular pictures. Of course, if they had Wi-Fi ... well then!
Still waiting for that call from the publishers ... looks like I will have to go down the www.blurb.com approach and do it myself.
Posted by: Gavin Heaton | January 24, 2007 at 08:49 PM
I am working on wifi right now. And pls don't tell anyone in my pyjamas:-) You guys are so sweet. But ahem, I am not the one in the Boston Globe and a gazillion other places and we know who is...
Posted by: Maryam in Marrakesh | January 25, 2007 at 02:59 AM
Yeah ... you tell her Maryam! Sharon is so sweet and friendly ... but she is also on her way to being famous. Pretty soon she will be turning comments off on her blog and having her own Virtual Assistant screen her email ... then you and I will reminisce on some obscure blog about the people we knew before they were world icons.
I know I will be putting my Sarmiento first edition right there next to my Seth Godin ;)
Posted by: Gavin Heaton | January 25, 2007 at 06:20 AM
That's the only reason reason I do this blog--the money and the fame.;-)
And Gavin--perhaps you will have the first blog that skips being made into a book and goes straight to the big screen!
Something tells me there would be a very passionate audience buying tickets for a movie called "Servant of Chaos". ;-)
Posted by: Sharon Sarmiento | January 25, 2007 at 03:26 PM