National Novel Writing Month is this very month. The idea is to write 50,000 words over the thirty days of November, which averages out to a little under two thousand words per day. The prize for winning–self-satisfaction, more than anything else, but I also think it helps a budding author to build habits, writing daily, not just blogs or a diary, but also fiction / non-fiction, with the goal of someday publishing.
It’s a tough order to fill, getting published. On the other hand, with the increase and acceptibility of digital publishing, there are more possible avenues to explore today than there have been in the past. 
Take me, for example: I read two to three books a week. I have several eReaders on my Blackberry phone, for which I can purchase and download books from various sites, such as eBooks for tons of choice from literary to best sellers to genre fiction and reference, Baen, if you love science fiction or Gutenberg, which is a fabulous resource for classics and books no longer copyrighted.
On the flip side of the coin, eBooks become an attractive choice for any author looking to publish. You can create your own eBooks and market them yourself, or use the more conventional route with a publisher. Whether through an established publisher, or going it on your own, the obvious attraction is the speed and reduced production cost with which books can be published. And, your book can go ‘global’ at the same time.
Here’s my wish list for eBook software
I would love to see a generic eReader that has the ability to access a variety of online book retailers, and to display the downloaded material without having to resort to proprietory software or different formats. A translator would be a good enhancement, expanding both a reader’s access to material not written in her native language, and an author’s access to a truly global market. An integrated dictionary and thesaurus service, better navigation, and text to audio are more additions I’d like to see.
Lots of positive movement in the writing business, but a lot of confusion at the moment too. As for NaNoWriMo, a great idea to get started on writing and publishing a first novel.
Oh, and in case you’re interested, here is my Wrimo web page.
Like this:
Be the first to like this post.
