Last time I checked there were 3000 books published EVERY DAY. 

I don’t think it’s news to anyone that there’s more content in every format vying for the same 24 hours we’ve always had or that marketing a book is getting harder by the minute.

Gone are the days when a newspaper would give a rave review and everyone would run to buy the book. Today a reader can google, read blogs, watch videos, subscribe to an author’s RSS feeds, read the Amazon reviews, and then click to buy (or not). Andrew Bruce Smith described it perfectly in his blog about how he decided to buy Dan Roam’s BACK OF THE NAPKIN book…and this video of one author (who doesn’t even refer us back to his book) says it better than I could ever:

The more I investigate how to be heard above all the noise, the more overwhelmed I feel by the vastness of it all. It reminds me of college astronomy when my brain could barely comprehend how expansive and infinite the universe is.

Everyone’s encouraging authors to blog these days…”blog, vlog, twitter…connect with your readers…blog, vlog twitter, network…”

Ok. Blog. Now.

It turns out that it’s really hard for some of us to think of something relevant to write about on the spot.  I know…I’m trying.

I’ve developed new and deep respect for authors who’ve got this down and have been making it look so easy:
Freakonomics
Stephanie Klein
Felicia Sullivan

And a new sense of empathy for authors who find it agonizing and overwhelming and exhausting:
Joe Andoe  ,
Rick Newman

And the authors who manage to do great video blogs…OMG…what multifaceted talent:
Meg Cabot

I keep feeling like there might just be an informational big bang and suddenly we’ll be back to rotary phones and Franklin Day Planners…and it’ll be manageable again and we’ll live happily ever after.

I’d love to hear how you find out about books these days.

Debbie