These photos were taken on Saturday, March 12th in Madison, Wisconsin. Over 100,000 people were in attendance. Comments are closed to avoid political debate.
Apex Book Company Revisited
Earlier this year, I had mentioned I had done some consulting for Apex Publications, which is the parent company of Apex Book Company, Apex Magazine and The Zombie Feed. A little over sixty days have passed since implementing a new strategy, and I all can say is “Whooo-hooo!”
In order to make the magazine soluble, I recommended amping up the subscription-based model and holding a drive for new subscribers in January. The tagline was simple. “New Year. New Stories.” This drive was a huge success and made possible by dedicated readers, newsletter subscribers, and fans of short fiction. Apex exceeded its goal and has continued that momentum. The magazine that wasn’t profitable has now broken even and there are signs of additional growth. What’s more, Jason is now able to start the arduous task of improving the magazine for existing subscribers and incorporating promotional aspects for the book line that provide value for readers. Previews or excerpts, for example, is something I just mentioned to Jason earlier this week. Instead of placing an ad, magazine subscribers can read the first chapter or two of a select Apex title in addition to the stories they read. That way, they get something new to read that allows them to make a decision whether or not they want to proceed with a sale.
The other thing that’s happened, is that I’ve seen an amazing groundswell of support from the authors who are publishing through Apex. The Apex blog has taken on a more focused tone; these talented individuals are talking about the things readers want to read — and the stats are backing it up, too.
These are nascent moments, but positive enough to spark Jason’s renewed enthusiasm. Unbridled excitement is an awesome thing to see, because when it’s unleashed it’s contagious. In other words, I coached him up front on what to watch out for and let him loose (so to speak). Now Jason is able to take off because he has a firm grasp on the core business, has seen a positive effect from the changes that were made, and he understands where he needs to go. So much so, that he’s planning long-term and releasing new things with a proper launch.
Businesses thrive when they have a strong core business with some amount of flexibility. It is important to be able to change-on-the-fly, but it’s also important to have long-term, measurable goals. Apex has all of these things and more.
I have no doubt that there are big things in this publisher’s future. What’s happened these past few months has been necessary for this small business to refocus its efforts, but there is a lot of room for growth.
Just in time for Spring. Yay!
Like Zombies? Short Stories? Contest for New Anthology!
Hey everyone,
Just wanted to let you know that The Zombie Feed is running a contest to celebrate the release of The Zombie Feed, Volume 1. You may recall I posted the Table of Contents and the ability for you to pre-order a signed copy; well, now’s your chance to win a free book to add to your library.
Contest ends on Thursday, March 10th and it’s really easy to enter. Just visit the link below and ask a question for your chance to win!
[Guest Post] Print versus Web Writing
The following is a guest post by a blogger and freelancer I met online. Maria shares her views on writing for the web versus writing for print.
Let’s get this out of the way: they’re not the same thing. Saying the two writing styles are identical and interchangeable would be about as right as saying the same thing about twins (who would then find all sorts of wicked ways to confuse, humiliate, and aggravate you until you learned your lesson).
Storytelling versus Information-Spewing
Creative writing professors and experts expound on the importance of storytelling. If the piece of writing didn’t take you anywhere, what’s the bleepin’ point? Did you meet anybody interesting? Did someone get hit by a bus? Did anyone get to throw a pie? If none of these happened, it’s not a story, it doesn’t belong in print, and it should be shoved into an encyclopedia or diary.
Meanwhile, web surfers aren’t looking for stories—usually. They’re looking for facts. How many euros does it take to take a train from Florence to Rome? What movies feature alien invasions? Where can I get a turducken (a dish with a chicken in a duck in a turkey)? Unless someone faithfully reads your blog, they’re going to find your post in a keyword search, which means they’re on a mission and unless you answer their question in the first few sentences, they’re going to go searching elsewhere.
Think of it this way: when you write for print, write for someone sitting in front of a warm fire with a cup of tea. This reader wants to learn about you.
When writing for the web, write for a mouse-clicking kid on a sugar high. This child has absolutely no interest in your life story. He or she will only read 18% of your writing, so there’s no use adding pretty adjectives or exciting adverbs.
Consider SEO
Whether you’re blogging for money or not (or blogging at all), you’ll need to consider key words when writing for the web, even in document titles and headlines.
Let’s say that instead of my current title, I’d called this post, “They’re Not Twins: Why Writing for Print and the Web Are Different.” What’s wrong with it (excepting its banality, for which I hope you forgive me)?
- 1. It’s too long. Unless you’re going to tongue in cheek, keep titles and headlines short. None of this, “In Which We Learn about the Ways Writing in Print Differs from Writing for the Web” nonsense.
2. Even if you’re a blogger and you have many devoted followers, some people will arrive at your site through a keyword search. How will your SEO improve without keywords? Place them at the very beginning of each title and headline. Twins have nothing to do with this post.
Exceptions Are Inevitable
Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. Many blogs and sites have long, deep posts meant to tell stories and relay emotional and psychological journeys. These are, however, a minority on the web. Most people on the Internet want one of four things: information, social contact, sensationalism, or laughs. If you can’t offer any of these quickly, take a breather and work on your craft. Read others’ web writing and see what you can learn.
Bio: Maria Rainier is a freelance writer for onlinedegrees.org and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education where she’s been researching both the highest paying jobs and the lowest paying jobs on the market. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.