Thompson Writing & Editing

How has digital publishing changed the industry? Authors have many more options these days. They also have more competition. The volume of books has increased dramatically, so standing out amongst all that and convincing readers that your book is worth reading is more important than ever. Traditional publishing still exists, but self-publishing is not as frowned upon as it used to be. Understanding how the publishing industry works – how books get from manuscript form into readers’ hands – is crucial for authors today. Digital publishing gives authors the option to have more control over their work. That comes with more responsibilities for distribution and marketing they didn’t have to think about before.

What do you look for when considering new manuscripts or content? I have authors send me a 1,000-word sample of their manuscript before quoting them on editing it. This gives me an opportunity to assess their writing capability and style, while also showing them how I provide feedback to them so they can decide whether or not they would like to work with me. I prefer manuscripts that have a solid story idea, but perhaps need some help on the writing mechanics or on larger issues like plot structure. I am not a publisher – I help authors prepare their manuscripts for publishing, but do not actually publish them myself.

How do you balance creative vision with market demand? Subscribing to Publishers Weekly’s newsletters helps me keep a finger on the pulse of the industry. Certain genres get hot for a while, then fade as others emerge. Formats such as graphic novels have emerged in recent years and continue to rise in popularity. Understanding what the “big guys” (the major publishers) are doing is important, but doesn’t preclude an author making some type of innovation…however, knowing how to position that book within the existing marketing framework of the book industry is essential. That’s where my marketing background comes in handy.

What are the biggest challenges facing publishers today? The glut of books on the market and how to make theirs stand out. The rise of AI that can write entire books for an author (but that doesn’t mean they’re necessarily good books). Authors who want more control over their books, but don’t have a clue about how book publishing works or what responsibilities they have to market their work to readers. Ever-increasing prices for things like paper, ink, and the services involved in producing published books. Consolidation within the distribution channels, and within bookstores. Declining interest in reading printed books and a shift to digital content that is more easily pirated.

What’s your approach to discovering new talent? I have found the largest number of both editing and ghostwriting clients through speaking to groups, and through involvement in writers’ associations. As I tried to shift my focus over to writing more of my own work, speaking is still vastly important. Paid keynote speeches are a goal, but speeches to business groups can also help me land paying coaching and training contracts.

How are you integrating multimedia or digital formats? For the books I work on? I’m not a publisher, so that’s not really relevant. As for marketing myself, I have videos and digital editions of some of my books.

What excites you most about the future of publishing? Seeing how AI will be used ethically by writers and publishers. People still hunger for knowledge. With the flood of information available at a fingertip through digital channels, they also long for reliable, well-researched facts. Printed books have traditionally been the ultimate authority when doing research, and in today’s confusing world of deep-fake videos that could be created to say anything, we have an opportunity – and a responsibility – to produce good books that don’t feed the confusion.