“Someone is going to sue the Huffington Post” said Joshua Benton, director of the Nieman Journalism Lab at Harvard University. “It’s not just about the volume of the content that it appropriates, it’s about the value.” Since March when that article ran in Time magazine, Benton’s position on “distributive journalism” has been a subject of great debate online (and in our office! Our own author Gary Vaynerchuk takes on the subject in his book Crush It!). Today the Nieman Lab points to UCLA IP Law Professor Doug Lichtman’s podcast on fair use in which he interviews NYT General Counsel Ken Richieri. Diverging from other large media companies in his assessment, Richieri concludes that aggregation may constitute “unfair competition” but it really isn’t about copyright:

I mean, I think the big issue online and the pressure publishers are feeling is that publishers online are having a hard time replicating the economics that they saw offline. And many of them are looking at that through the lens of copyright…. I think where I would just draw a distinction is I am not so sure that copyright is really the culprit in a lot of this…that that’s an imperfect lens and an imperfect remedy.

Listen to the podcast here.

It’s not enough to be a novelist anymore. Now you’ve got to act, and direct, and produce short films on a shoe-string budget.

Here’s a clever short film from first time novelist Bill Folman. The book is called The Scandal Plan.

There are a ton of insta-books on Michael Jackson and other MJ books in the pipeline. How is Rolling Stone’s book different from the others?

This book will be the definitive look at Jackson’s life and music. We will tell the full story of his career, in a fascinating essay by Mikal Gilmore, who has been writing about Jackson since the early days, and we will delve deep into his music — examining in detail the early years at Motown, his move to become a solo artist in the 70s, and his key blockbuster solo albums: Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad. We will also draw on deep reporting into Jackson’s private life for a piece that looks at what went wrong in his later years, and we will provide sharp, authoritative critical guides to his songs, videos and other work. It will also contain intimate tributes from artists who knew and worked with Jackson. Unlike the insta-books flooding the market, this book is the ultimate guide to Michael Jackson, with beautiful photographs and elegant design, in classic Rolling Stone style.

The music industry has obviously changed dramatically since the eighties and the media in general is much more fragmented. Does the death of Michael Jackson represent the death of a certain kind of popular culture?

Not really — Michael Jackson was a one-of-a-kind icon, on par with Elvis and Sinatra. His music is alive in so many different styles of R&B, rap and hip-hop – from the Black Eyed Peas to Justin Timberlake to Ne-Yo and Usher.

 Someone who is not a Jackson fan said to me recently that Thriller has the sound of a TV commercial. What do you make of that? I instantly disagreed but have been thinking about how pivotal that Pepsi commercial was in his career.

 Jackson was such a huge artist that his music was everywhere – on the radio, MTV, in TV commercials - Thriller sold more albums than any other in history and for a time it became so big it was like the white noise of our pop culture, and globally too. My wife tells a story of going to Egypt on tour in the 90s, and people came up to her in small villages and asked if she knew Michael Jackson. He was that big. For some people, perhaps, the ubiquity diminished the value of the music. But go listen to Billie Jean or Beat It now and tell me it’s not amazing…

Where did Jackson learn to dance? (Did he get the pulled up pants from Fred Astaire?)

Complicated question: he learned from all over – breakdancing, old movies. I can go into this more later if you want.

Some people feel Jackson’s later albums are interesting musically. Do you agree?

Absolutely! Especially Bad and Dangerous, but Invincible and History have very interesting elements to them too that were often overlooked at the time. We will have a piece specifically addressing these later albums.

 We’ve been talking a lot about the cover of MICHAEL. Why aren’t there more quality portraits of Jackson?

Michael wasn’t photographed a lot in his later years – and he was rarely photographed casually. He was very concerned with how he looked and his image, so there aren’t a lot of photographers he was comfortable with. Also, Michael bought up many of the photos that do exist so they are not on the market.

What is your favorite Jackson song?

“Rock with you” and “Don’t stop ‘til you get enough” are probably my all-time favorites. There’s something about that album [Off The Wall] that’s just so exuberant, like he’s breaking loose for the first time, it’s impossible to resist.

I just got back from two weeks off. In the past I’d travel with a suitcase full of books to alleviate any fears that I might not have something good to read (nothing worse than not liking your vacation book). Summer 2009, I traveled with 1 Kindle, 1 iPhone, and 1 Blackberry. I read books, blogs, magazines and newspapers on all 3 devices. It was glorious in every way, though I do have to admit to having one sinking feeling on the plane when I realized I had nothing to read during take off. Besides that moment, the transition to digital reading is complete. I loved being able to download a book from a boat when I finished one and was ready for the next.

Here’s quick and dirty re-cap of what I read:

A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah — I loved it. I realize I’m late to the party on this one, but I never got around to it when it first came out, and now my son has to read for school. I sobbed and sobbed numerous times. I had one moment of thinking “is this all true?” — and when I looked up online and saw controversy, I clicked off quickly. I don’t want to know. To me it was real. Takes a powerful book to move me like that.

The Odyssey — Again, Summer assignment for my son. I read quickly, had trouble enjoying. Will go back and re-read when he gets home and try to find the joy (suggestions welcome). I did read this in college and remember the gist — I’m looking to find the joy though.

Lies My Mother Never Told Me by Kaylie Jones — This is a memoir by the daughter of the prize-winning novelist, James Jones that comes out on August 25, 2009 from William Morrow. I toggled between this and The Odyssey. It’s about a young woman’s struggle with addiction (her own and her mother’s) as well as her coming of age as a writer. Set in Paris, New York, and Sag Harbor with characters such as Bill Styron and Norman Mailer throughout the book, this is a lot of fun to read. (Full disclosure: I haven’t quite finished, but I’m looking forward to getting back to it).

Double Take by Kevin Michael Connolly — comes out from HarperStudio on October 13. I’d read this before on the fly, but wanted to re-read in the comfort of a hammock overlooking the ocean. Loved it every bit as much the second time around. This is the story of young man born without legs who traveled the world with his camera- and found out what it truly means to be human along the way. I think this is going to be big. Great quotes just in from Sara Gruen and Lee Woodruff.

The Next Mark Twain is coming to town for an exclusive reading of the now-complete “Conversations With Satan.”  Mark Twain Bagby will be reading the excellent story and one other piece at Borders in Bakersfield, CA, so if you are in the neighborhood you should head over to the bookstore to see Twain in the flesh!

Bagby, who has been interpreting Twain since 1991, is giving us an added treat by reading the piece as the American master, so everyone will get the full experience of a Mark Twain reading. If you won’t be able to attend, the reading and interview will be taped and shared online.

The event is scheduled for 2:00 PM on Saturday, August 15, 2009.

The local bookstore signing – something every author wants and yet few know how to handle. We talked to a bookseller, let’s just call her Bookseller X, to find out how to make a local event work…and keep your local booksellers happy.

It’s finally happened, your book has been published, and you’ve managed to set up a signing at your local bookstore. Congratulations! You think publishing was the tricky part? You’re only just getting started. Here are some things to think about as you get ready for your Big Day:

1) We are investing in you. Invest in us!

When a bookstore agrees to host a reading/signing for you, it’s more than just slotting you into a schedule: it’s an investment. We are agreeing to invest both time and money into you and your book by ordering in copies, giving them prime shelf-space, using staff time to plan and execute your event, etc. So invest right back! Use your own list of contacts to help bring people in. If you’re willing and able, help out with promotional materials like posters or flyers, or maybe even refreshments at the event. Local author events are at their best when the authors have invested in them just as much as the bookstore has.

2) Don’t spread yourself too thin.

More is better, right? In terms of events, this can be dead wrong! You may be tempted to pepper your area with signings and readings, trying to get the most exposure you can. But keep in mind that unless you’re in a huge metropolitan area, you may just be handicapping your own events. Most cities only have so much of an audience for author events, and if you have too many too close together, attendance and sales will suffer for it. Some bookstores will require that, if you are to be hosted at their store, theirs is either the only or the first event. It’s not because we’re greedy, I promise! Rather, we want to have the best event we can (see #1!), and if you’ve already signed at two other bookstores plus a couple of Costcos, it’s not likely to go well.

3) Please don’t second-guess the bookstore.

We know you want to sell a ton of books. And maybe you’re doing #s 1 and 2, investing in your event, making sure that it’s a big launch, calling each and every person in your high school yearbook, inviting your entire extended family including third cousins twice removed. Make sure your bookstore knows exactly what you’re doing to help out, and then, step back. Over the years we’ve come to know our stores and our events, how many people to expect, how many books to order, how many staff to have on hand, what kinds of formats work best for which kinds of books. It’s our job, after all, to make sure events go well! If you think your bookstore is underestimating your event, then the best thing to provide them with are facts: How many people did you invite? How many did you hear back from? What organizations are you connected with that might provide big crowds? Are your friends big spenders? Are your family coming to buy every book they can get their hands on? Let us know, by all means! But don’t expect us to necessarily change our orders or logistics, and don’t be offended if it doesn’t happen. It’s our job to get it right; trust us!

4) Stay calm; do not panic!

The big day is approaching, there are a million little things that could go wrong, and you’re up every night dreaming about them. Take a deep breath, and remember: it’s our job to get it right! Your event manager has probably not only thought of each and every one of those million little problems, but dealt with 99.99% of them. You’ll probably be tempted to call or email (possibly several times a week, if not several times a day–yes, this has happened) each time you think of a new disastrous possibility. Don’t! If you can’t resign yourself to trust your bookstore, then try this instead: start a running list of things you’re worried about. Put down as many things as you can think of. Give yourself time and permission to get a really good list going. Then, let it sit for a day or two. Take another look. Is it really likely that a plane will crash into your signing? Probably not, cross that one off the list. If you feel like you have legitimate concerns, concerns you’ve thought about and considered, then send your event manager an email detailing them. Just one. Yes, an email, not a phone call! Not only is it less intrusive, but it allows your event manager to consider it at their leisure, when they have time to focus on it. Don’t demand answers or immediate action, but rather put it out there for their consideration: “You’ve probably already dealt with/thought about this already, but I was a little concerned that…” Chances are you don’t need to worry about any of it. But if you absolutely can’t let it go, try to make it as easy for the event manager to understand and respond as possible. If you call five times in three days, or if our email boxes overflow, you can bet we’re going to be more frustrated than receptive!

5) Enjoy your big day!

Let go of any expectations, worries, hopes and fears. If you’ve done 1 through 4, then you’re bound to have the best event you can expect, be on good footing with your local bookstore, and give your book a nice bump!

Jessica Hagy gives us a little reminder about the difference between accumulation and curation…

Whether you’re a blogger, an editor, or a flea market fanatic, it’s important to have a discerning eye.

At the kick-off dinner for the Denver Publishing Institute last night, Joyce Meskis from The Tattered Cover asked the group if they had ever liked a movie more than the book from which it was made. We were all pretty hard-pressed to name one, but we agreed on “Jaws” and “The Reader.” Got any other suggestions?

via the paris review

I have a bee in my bonnet about the chronic use of the word “viral.”

“Let’s make a viral video,” I keep hearing. To me, it feels like saying “Let’s publish a bestselling book” or “I’m going to be popular.”

I keep wanting to shout from the rooftops “just make it GREAT!”

Olympus has done just that with this great video.