The e-books are coming, the e-books are coming! I know, I know, you’ve heard this before. About 10 years ago, e-books tried to fight their way into the marketplace. Some e-readers, like the Rocket eBook, came to market…and then quietly disappeared.

If any single e-book format could be considered popular or well-used in the 1990s, it was PDF. In fact, as recently as 5 years ago, I was still advising would-be e-book authors to publish in PDF. These PDF files were read primarily on a PC screen or downloaded and printed out.

But e-books are coming back with a vengeance, and this time it’s different. No longer the domain of early adopters, and no longer confined to PDF editions, e-books are easing their way into the everyday life of everyday folks. Perhaps nothing has helped push them there more than Oprah Winfrey’s endorsement of the Kindle, the e-reader from Amazon. In an instant, e-books went from minor curiosity to major cause.

If you’re a self-published author and you’re still focused on print books, it’s time to get your electrons stirring. E-books are becoming an increasingly larger piece of the book market.

At the O’Reilly Tools of Change for Publishing Conference in New York earlier this month, Russell Wilcox, president and CEO of E Ink Corporation, made some predictions. Wilcox believes:

• Within the next 18 months, 2 - 3 % of Americans will own a dedicated e-reading device, such as a Kindle or Sony Reader. This will be the tipping point into widescale and mainstream use.
• E-book devices priced under $200 will begin to emerge from China within the next year. Right now, a relatively high price point is one barrier to adoption. The more the price comes down, the more people will be able to buy one.
• In 2009, a variety of e-reader sizes will emerge, some small, some large, each one suited to a different need.
• 2009 will also see the commercial launch of flexible screens that can roll up or bend like plastic film. Touch and stylus interfaces will also proliferate.
• In 2010, there will be more flexible screens on the market and colour will be introduced. (Right now, E Ink devices are black and white only.) Colour will continue to improve over the next decade until e-readers will be able to deliver a reading experience similar to that of today’s glossy magazines.

E Ink Corporation is the technology used by many of the big e-readers on the market today, so it’s in Wilcox’s best interest to be bullish on the market. But even if his sales predictions are aggressive, it’s clear that e-books are a technology whose day has come. They aren’t going to fade away like they did last time, and they aren’t going to be a nice little sideline to the main business of publishing, either.

Seven or eight years ago, the big publishers would look at their print list and choose a small number of titles to also bring out as a digital edition. Today, many publishers produce both print and e-book versions of every title as a matter of course. Someday, and maybe not a day too far off, the default will be to publish digitally, and only select titles will be printed on paper.

In future posts, I’ll take a look at different e-readers and some of the practical issues around publishing e-books.

Yen Cheong over at the Book Publicity Blog recently posted a helpful list of firms and freelancers that do book publicity. Each listing indicates the type of books that firm or person deals in, so you can quickly find the ones who handle non-fiction.

You’ll find that most of the publicists are based in the US, though I did see one firm from Germany and there may be other international firms tucked away on the list.

I have started compiling a directory of book authors on Twitter. To make the list manageable and useful for everyone, I have set some simple guidelines. To be included on the list:

• An author must be a book author. Writers of blogs, essays, white papers, stories published in magazines, etc won’t be collected here unless the material has also been published in a book. It’s not that there aren’t lots of talented non-book writers on Twitter, but they are not the focus of this directory.
• An author’s book must be published. Self-publishers are more than welcome.
• Authors will only be listed in one genre. The list will be huge, and names repeated in multiple categories will only make it bigger. I know many of you publish in more than one area — pick the one that you feel best represents you.
• Authors must show their full names in their Twitter bio or linked website. Pen names are acceptable if the book was authored under that name.
• Authors must have unlocked tweets. If your account is locked and not publicly available, there’s no point in being added to a public directory.

Note: I do verify that you have published book titles, so if your books are not listed on your Twitter profile or website (aside: why aren’t they?), then please provide a title or ISBN.

HOW TO BE ADDED
To suggest your own name or someone else’s for the directory, please send Highspot an @ message on Twitter or leave a comment below. Do not send email. We need your Twitter ID, your name, and your genre. Remember, just one genre.

You will receive my eternal thanks if you format the information as follows so that I can simply copy and paste it into the directory:

GENRE @twitterID / Name

Thanks!

This is a directory of book authors who are on Twitter. If you are looking for the directory of book trade people on Twitter, including publishers, you will find it here.

This list is a constant work in progress. I know there are many more authors out there. You can help make this directory better by tweeting Highspot with the names of more authors, or leaving a comment on this post. The directory is updated regularly with new entries.

NOTE: To be added, a book author must supply three pieces of information: Twitter ID, name, and genre or category. Please see this post for more details on being added to the directory.

Last updated: 11 Jan 2010

Jump to a category:

NON-FICTION
Art ~ Photo ~ Architecture | Biography ~ Autobiography ~ Memoirs | Business | Entertainment~ Film ~ Music | Food ~ Drink | Health ~ Medicine | History | Hobbies ~ Games ~ Pets | Home ~ Garden | Humor ~ Trivia | Law ~ Crime ~ Police | Literary | Nature ~ Environment | Parenting ~ Family | Personal Finance | Religion ~ Spirituality | Science | Self-Help ~ Inspirational | Social Sciences | Sports ~ Fitness | Technology ~ Internet | Travel | Writing ~ Publishing

FICTION
Action ~ Adventure | Christian | Literary ~ General | Graphic Novels | Historical | Horror | Science Fiction ~ Fantasy | Mystery ~ Thriller | Romance | Western

CHILDREN & YOUNG ADULT
Fiction | Non-Fiction

POETRY

NON-FICTION

Biography ~ Autobiography ~ Memoir (28)

@65rosesauthor / Heather Summerhayes Cariou
@alistaird221b / Alistair Duncan
@AndreaGillies / Andrea Gillies
@AnnetteFix / Annette Fix
@dcsar733 / Eric L. Mott
@elizabethblake / Elizabeth Blake
@esmo / Esmeralda Santiago
@Evitchka / Eva Maria Chapman
@gingerblymyer / Ginger Blymer
@heatherdune / Heather Dune Macadam
@helentse / Helen Tse
@janineshepherd / Janine Shepherd
@JLpillhead / Joshua Lyon
@jmackinday / Jennifer MacKinday
@kellyjo9 / Kelly Jo Eldredge
@KimVazquez / Kim Vazquez
@LornaCollins / Lorna Collins
@mttymcg / Matthew McGough
@patmcnees / Pat McNees
@Rachelresnick / Rachel Resnick
@SaneLiz / Elizabeth Marvin Mulholland
@Sascha_Zuger / Sascha Zuger
@savo_heleta / Savo Heleta
@SimpleLiving1 / John P. Haines
@stephanieklein / Stephanie Klein
@Trishryan / Trish Ryan
@QueenOfTheRoad / Doreen Orion
@wilw / Wil Wheaton

Business (59)

@ajkeen / Andrew Keen
@BoBurlingham / Bo Burlingham
@businessfit / Dawn Lennon
@chr1sa / Chris Anderson
@CJHayden / C. J. Hayden
@cvdhruve / Chetan Dhruve
@DaisyWright / Daisy Wright
@danielpink / Daniel Pink
@danschawbel / Dan Schawbel
@davidfrood / David Frood
@deannatroupe / DeAnna Troupe
@debbieweil / Debbie Weil
@dmscott / David Meerman Scott
@ducttape / John Jantsch
@DunnMich / Michelle Dunn
@ericgarland / Eric Garland
@fgallinelli / Peter Gallinelli
@gapingvoid / Hugh MacLeod
@Gladwell / Malcolm Gladwell
@GrantMcDuling / Grant McDuling
@gtdguy / David Allen
@heatherhansen / Heather Hansen
@JackCanfield / Jack Canfield
@jackcovert / Jack Covert
@jack_welch / Jack Welch
@janetslack / Janet Slack
@jeffjarvis / Jeff Jarvis
@JimHarris / Jim Harris
@JohnWarrillow / John Warrillow
@jonathanfields / Jonathan Fields
@JulieAnnAmos / Julie-Ann Amos
@keithferrazzi / Keith Ferrazzi
@LanceScoular / Lance Scoular
@laura_lake / Laura Lake
@lindseypollak / Lindsey Pollak
@liz_lynch / Liz Lynch
@marcapitman / Marc A. Pitman
@MichaelEGerber / Michael E. Gerber
@mkroth / Michael Kroth
@NancyBeckley / Nancy Beckley
@Projecteze / Laurence Seton
@rajeevdewan / Rajeev Dewan
@Richard_Florida / Richard Florida
@rosasay / Rosa Say
@sarahprout / Sarah Prout
@ScottAllen / Scott Allen
@sequenceinc / Tracy Coenen
@sharongraham / Sharon Graham
@shelisrael / Shel Israel
@taxtips4writers / Brigitte Thompson
@tferriss / Tim Ferriss
@thegrowthguy / Verne Harnish
@TomAntion / Tom Antion
@tom_peters / Tom Peters
@tsattersten / Todd Sattersten
@tweetterena / Terena Scott
@vinceposcente / Vince Poscente
@WeberBooks / Steve Weber
@whalehunters / Barbara Weaver Smith

Food ~ Drink (6)

@jenny8lee / Jenny 8 Lee
@marielhemingway / Mariel Hemingway
@MaryeAudet / Marye Audet
@molliekatzen / Mollie Katzen
@ruthreichl / Ruth Reichl
@theveggiequeen / Jill Nussinow

Health ~ Medicine (11)

@aanottheonlyway / Melanie Solomon
@angiebestboss / Angie Best-Boss
@anndouglas / Ann Douglas
@butterflyhaikus / Stephanie Gailing
@Deepak_Chopra / Deepak Chopra
@DiamonDie / Maija Haavisto
@M_hutchings / Melinda Hutchings
@paula_owens / Paula Owens
@seefisch / Dr. Conrad Fischer
@Stollfoundation / Jan DeCourtney
@vduffy / Virginia Duffy

History (17)

@elissastein / Elissa Stein
@ElleAndraWarner / Elle Andra-Warner
@fionajmackenzie / Fiona J MacKenzie
@frannydink / Frances Dinkelspiel
@kbsagert / Kelly Boyer Sagert
@KeithStrunk / Keith Strunk
@kennethcdavis / Kenneth C. Davis
@kevindmccann / Kevin D. McCann
@kriswaldherr / Kris Waldherr
@malgeo / Matthew Algeo
@maureenogle / Maureen Ogle
@PD_Smith / P. D. Smith
@mikegreenburg / Michael M. Greenburg
@simonworrall / Simon Worrall
@smartelle / Scott Martelle
@TheBookMaven / Bethanne Kelly Patrick
@wayneralph / Wayne Ralph

Hobbies ~ Games ~ Pets (10)

@Ari_outside / Kathryn Miles
@debeades / Deborah Eades
@deborahkwhite / Deborah K. White
@joannaslan / Joanna Campbell Slan
@kpwerker / Kim Werker
@knitgrrl / Shannon Okey
@lolamoth / Suzanne Tourtillott
@soapcrone / Amy Kalinchuk
@tammypowley / Tammy Powley
@terragarden / Terra Hangen

Home ~ Garden (1)

@GreenFengShui / Norma LehmeierHartie

Humor ~ Trivia (7)

@duncanbirminghm / Duncan Birmingham
@Francesostick / Frances Rostick
@hodgman / John Hodgman
@judygruen / Judy Gruen
@sharonglassman / Sharon Glassman
@TerryBain / Terry Bain
@toddgallagher / Todd Gallagher

Law ~ Crime ~ Police (2)

@BarbaraBentley / Barbara Bentley
@bisnarchase / John Bisnar

Literary (6)

@benmezrich / Ben Mezrich
@davidtracey / David Tracey
@rebeccawalker / Rebecca Walker
@ReginaMarler / Regina Marler
@susanorlean / Susan Orlean
@WendyPriesnitz / Wendy Priesnitz

Nature ~ Environment (1)

@infoaboutalaska / Alan Sorum

Parenting ~ Family (4)

@BrendaNixon / Brenda Nixon
@Ioninfertility / Iris Waichler
@Lpgordon / Linda Gordon
@VictoriaMixon / Victoria Mixon

Personal Finance (5)

@alivelshi / Ali Velshi
@AuthorDavidBach / David Bach
@Rich_Dad / Robert Kiyosaki
@SuzeOrmanshow / Suze Orman
@T_Harv_Eker / T. Harv Eker

Religion ~ Spirituality (10)

@_NealeDWalsch / Neale Donald Walsch
@annebradshaw / Anne Bradshaw
@deafhawk / Gregory H. Lawrence
@Donepe / Don E. Peavy Sr.
@DvineExpression / Deborah D. Jenkins
@Lori_A_Moore / Lori A. Moore
@M_Hollingsworth / Mary Hollingsworth
@marilynhontz / Marilyn Hontz
@tonysamara / Tony Samara
@unstoppablejoy / Ed Osworth

Science (4)

@BadAstronomer / Dr. Philip Plait
@MiloWolff / Milo Wolff
@Rocketrod / Rod Costner
@stevenbjohnson / Steven Berlin Johnson

Self-Help ~ Inspirational (35)

@AmandaBinTN / Amanda Bennett
@AndyAndrews / Andy Andrews
@AnnetteColby / Annette Colby
@BarbaraSher / Barbara Sher
@christine22hoef / Christine Hoeflich
@claytonbye / Clayton Bye
@debbiepayne / Debbie Payne
@deepriverwithin / Abby Seixas
@DrWayneWDyer / Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
@hawleyroddick / Hawley Roddick
@jangault / Jan Gault
@jimdonovan / Jim Donovan
@KiraRosner / Kira Rosner
@Kyeli / Kyeli Smith
@LouiseHay / Louise Hay
@MarkVHansen / Mark Victor Hansen
@MichelleSedas / Michelle Sedas
@mitchalbom / Mitch Albom
@pacesmith / Pace Smith
@pammyz / Pamela Jansen
@paulocoelho / Paulo Coelho
@QuiltinRedhead / Kelly Smith
@robert_egby / Robert Egby
@SKelleyH / S. Kelly Harrell
@SpaciousSelf / Stephanie Bennett Vogt
@spiver / Susan Piver
@SpunkOnAStick / L. Diane Wolfe
@thecreativepenn / Joanna Penn
@timkellis / Tim Kellis
@timothykendrick / Timothy Kendrick
@tinatessina / Tina Tessina
@tonyrobbins / Tony Robbins
@wardfoley / Ward Foley
@wpy2009 / William Paul Young
@zen_habits / Leo Babauta

Social Sciences (4)

@cshirky / Clay Shirky
@jonronson / Jon Ronson
@katebornstein / Kate Bornstein
@petersagal / Peter Sagal

Technology ~ Internet (10)

@applemackay / Jay Mahar
@dtapscott / Don Tapscott
@EFinkelstein / Ellen Finkelstein
@iFroggy / Patrick O’Keefe
@joelcomm / Joel Comm
@leesabarnes / Leesa Barnes
@MarshaCollier / Marsha Collier
@musicandwords / Sean McManus
@stevegarfield / Steve Garfield
@WarrenWhitlock / Warren Whitlock

Travel (8)

@AKNickerson / Angela K. Nickerson
@familytravelmom / Michele Zavatsky
@ginahyams / Gina Hyams
@hackneye / Donald Strachan
@holysleep / Trish Clark
@rtfelton / Robert Todd Felton
@sandrafriend / Sandra Friend
@Thandelike / Anastasia M. Ashman

Writing ~ Publishing (14)

@BookMarketer / Dana Lynn Smith
@brianandcyndy / Brian Bass
@cyndyandbrian / Cyndy Kryder
@DanPoynter / Dan Poynter
@FernReiss / Fern Reiss
@FrugalBookPromo / Carolyn Howard-Johnson
@GrammarGirl / Mignon Fogarty
@iwhodareswins / Bob Mayer
@JohnKremer / John Kremer
@jtlongandco / JT Long
@SarahBolme / Sarah Bolme
@shelhorowitz / Shel Horowitz
@susandaffron / Susan Daffron
@wordywoman / Shelley Lieber

FICTION

Action ~ Adventure (1)

@SciFiAdventure / R.J. Archer

Literary ~ General (57)

@adeniro / Alan DeNiro
@agreer / Andrew Sean Greer
@amandaeyreward / Amanda Eyre Ward
@amymackinnon / Amy Mackinnon
@aswinn / Allison Winn Scotch
@BarbaraDelinsky / Barbara Delinsky
@Caroline_S / Carolyn Smailes
@carolynturgeon / Carolyn Turgeon
@cbarzak / Christopher Barzak
@chuckpalahniuk / Chuck Palahniuk
@clairecameron / Claire Cameron
@danamo / Danyel Smith
@DebraSnider / Debra Snider
@dougcoupland / Douglas Coupland
@eliseblackwell / Elise Blackwell
@emilymandel / Emily St. John Mandel
@flammablewords / C. M. Harris
@Glasgowlee / Leela Soma
@hollylisle / Holly Lisle
@jebraun / J.E. Braun
@jennienash / Jennie Nash
@Joe_Wallace / Joseph Wallace
@John_Wray / John Wray
@jscarroll / Jonathan Caroll
@Karen_Palmer / Karen Palmer
@KateJacobsBooks / Kate Jacobs
@katherinecenter / Katherine Center
@KellySimmons / Kelly Simmons
@kirandesai / Kiran Desai
@KristyKiernan / Kristy Kiernan
@ktsetsi / Kristen Tsetsi
@kwohlrob / Ken Wohlrob
@ladymurasaki / Marie Mutsuki Mockett
@larentschler / Linda Ann Rentschler
@linc0lnpark / Lincoln Park
@lisettebrodey / Lisette Brodey
@MargaretAtwood / Margaret Atwood
@mariebostwick / Marie Bostwick
@megwaiteclayton / Meg Waite Clayton
@michaelpboatman / Michael Boatman
@MoriahJovan / Mariah Jovan
@NancyKayShapiro / Nancy Kay Shapiro
@OrnaRoss / Orna Ross
@paul_shannon / Paul Shannon
@PettyMagic / Camille DeAngelis
@piaze / Pia Z Ehrhardt
@realjohngreen / John Green
@rodesfishburne / Rodes Fishburne
@s_g_browne / Scott G. Browne
@stephenfry / Stephen Fry
@tao_lin / Tao Lin
@tericoyne / Teri Coyne
@ThereseWalsh / Therese Walsh
@TomDolby / Tom Dolby
@Urrealism / Luis Alberto Urrea
@webvivant / Steve Mansfield-Devine
@ZimblerMiller / Phyllis Zimbler Miller

Christian (3)

@candacesalima / Candace E. Salima
@DebiIrene / Debi Irene Wahl
@rebecaseitzGRPR / Rebeca Seitz

Historical (13)

@Annewhitfield / Anne Whitfield
@CarolBMTbooks / Carol A. Buchanan
@cmmayo1 / C.M. Mayo
@Eugenia_Kim / Eugenia_Kim
@DanMcNeil888 / Dan McNeil
@jessicajames / Jessica James
@p_photiou / Philip Photiou
@RLBHartmann / R.L.B. Hartmann
@Sandra_Gulland / Sandra Gulland
@slipdown / Walt Shiel
@talexander / Tasha Alexander
@TheWriteHand / Allen Goldenthal
@tracygrant / Tracy Grant

Horror (11)

@AlanBaxter / Alan Baxter
@BobV451 / Robert E. Vardeman
@JeremyCShipp / Jeremy C. Shipp
@jnassise / Joe Nassise
@JoanDeLaHaye / Joan De La Haye
@joe_hill / Joe Hill
@JonathanMaberry / Jonathan Maberry
@Kim_Richards / Kim Richards
@MarkLeslie / Mark Leslie
@scottsigler / Scott Sigler
@VampireFaust / Gabrielle Faust

Mystery ~ Thriller (37)

@ajbarnett / Anthony J. Barnett
@AJScudiere / AJ Scudiere
@allanansorge / Allan Ansorge
@catconnor / Cat Connor
@charlottehughes / Charlotte Hughes
@Clea_Simon / Clea Simon
@cymlowell / Cym H. Lowell
@debgrabien / Deborah Grabien
@DennisTafoya / Dennis Tafoya
@DianeFanning / Diane Fanning
@djledford / Deborah J Ledford
@docnoir / Anthony Neil Smith
@egtalbot/ Edward G. Talbot
@ericbarnes2 / Eric Barnes
@fpaulwilson / F. Paul Wilson
@GayleTrent / Gayle Trent
@jamesscottbell / James Scott Bell
@jasonpinter / Jason Pinter
@joefinder / Joe Finder
@JoeMoore_writer / Joe Moore
@jonfmerz / Jon F. Merz
@JonMcGoran / Jon McGoran (aka D.H. Dublin)
@jrlindermuth / John Lindermuth
@KDWrites / KD Easley
@libbyfh / Libby Fischer Hellmann
@luisabuehler / Luisa Buehler
@mary_russell / Laurie R. King
@MikeAngley / Michael Angley
@mrsellars / M.R. Sellars
@mysteryshrink / Barbara DeShong
@PStoltey / Patricia Stoltey
@RGregoryBrowne / Rob Gregory Browne
@SheynaGalyan / Sheyna Galyan
@SuzanneArruda / Suzanne Arruda
@teresaburrell / Teresa Burrell
@ThePenanceList / Siobhan C. Cunningham
@thrillerchick / JT Ellison

Romance (36)

@4kaylin / Kaylin McFarren
@adellelaudan / Adelle Laudan
@AdrianaKraft / Adriana Kraft
@candacehavens / Candace Havens
@carmenshirkey / Carmen Shirkey
@christinadodd / Christina Dodd
@DanielleThorne / Danielle Thorne
@DebraMullins / Debra Mullins
@donnahill / Donna Hill
@drjeanne / Dr. Jeanne Hounshell
@echelonpress / Alexis Hart
@elucastaylor / E. Lucas Taylor
@foery / Foery MacDonell
@janecostello / Jane Costello
@janetlaneauthor / Janet Lane
@JenWagnerWriter / Jennifer Wagner
@Ketadiablo / Keta Diablo
@lindawisdom / Linda Wisdom
@linorerose / Linore Rose Burkard
@loiscarroll / Lois Carroll
@marcnobbs / Marc Nobbs
@Margay / Margay Leah Justice
@MarisaChenery / Marisa Chenery
@MelissaMayhue / Melissa Mayhue
@micheleabell / Michele Ashman Bell
@NicolaMarsh / Nicola Marsh
@PaigeTyler / Paige Tyler
@Patti_OShea / Patti O’Shea
@reganblack / Regan Black
@rowenacherry / Rowena Cherry
@ruttanamy / Amy Ruttan
@sarahstorme / Sarah Storme
@SherriErwin / Sherri Browning Erwin
@TinaGerow / Tina Gerow
@traciehoward / Tracie Howard
@victoriajanssen / Victoria Janssen

Science Fiction ~ Fantasy (41)

@AlexBledsoe / Alex Bledsoe
@auntyproton / Carol E. Meacham
@barculator / James Barclay
@christinerose / Christine Rose
@doctorow / Cory Doctorow
@EdainDuguay / Edain Duguay
@Elissa_Malcohn / Elissa Malcohn
@Fantasyharper / Wendy Gillissen
@gloriaoliver / Gloria Oliver
@GreatDismal / William Gibson
@Gregory_Frost / Gregory Frost
@hamishmacdonald / Alistair Hamish MacDonald
@henrymelton / Henry Melton
@JasonCosmo / Dan McGirt
@jchutchins / J.C. Hutchins
@jenniferfallon / Jennifer Fallon
@JLichtenberg / Jacqueline Lichtenberg
@josephdevon / Joseph Devon
@kaliphonia / William F. Aicher
@KenMcConnell / Ken McConnell
@LA_Banks / Leslie Esdaile Banks
@LAShiel / Lisa A Shiel
@laurenbeukes / Lauren Beukes
@MarkDavidGerson / Mark David Gerson
@MaryRobinette / Mary Robinette Kowal
@Max_Frei / Max Frei
@neilhimself / Neil Gaiman
@ofkingsandgods / Chris Ledbetter
@paulcrilley / Paul Crilley
@rathacat / Clare Bell
@rabumgardner / Ronnie Bumgardner
@RFLong / Ruth F Long
@roxannasmolen / Roxanne Smolen
@scalzi / John Scalzi
@scribe77 / A. F. Stewart
@shunn / William Shunn
@tanyatynjala / Tanya Tynjälä
@TeeMonster / Tee Morris
@TheKJA / Kevin J Anderson
@ursulasquid / Jaleta Clegg
@willhawthorne / A.J. Hartley

CHILDREN & YOUNG ADULT

CYA Fiction (70)

@AdrienneKress / Adrienne Kress
@Annemazer / Anne Mazer
@AS_King / A.S. King
@barrylyga / Barry Lyga
@bonnyglen / Melissa Wiley
@brandonmull / Brandon Mull
@BronzeWord / Jo Ann Hernandez
@CarinBerger / Carin Berger
@CherylRainfield / Cheryl Rainfield
@ChristineRose / Christine Rose
@chrisverstraete / Christine Verstraete
@cleemckenzie / C.Lee McKenzie
@cynthea / Cynthea Liu
@CynthiaCWillis / Cynthia C. Willis
@DDHearn / Diane Dawson Hearn
@DeborahFreedman / Deborah Freedman
@ellenhopkinsya / Ellen Hopkins
@EllenPotter / Ellen Potter
@Ginger_High / Melissa Burmester
@halseanderson / Laurie Halse Anderson
@hatbooks / Holly Thompson
@heatherayris / Heather Ayris Burnell
@HeleneBoudreau / Helene Boudreau
@jcx27 / John Cox
@jk_rowling / J K Rowling
@JRTurner / JR Turner
@KarenRivers / Karen Rivers
@KareyShane / Karey Shane
@KateMessner / Kate Messner
@kerrymadden / Kerry Madden
@KimberlyRPauley / Kimberly Pauley
@kimberlywickham / Kimberly Wickham
@LaurelSnyder / Laurel Snyder
@LaurenBaratzL / Lauren Baratzl Logsted
@LaurenMyracle / Lauren Myracle
@libbabray / Libby Bray
@LindaJoySinglet / Linda Joy Singleton
@lkgg / LK Gardner-Griffie
@lucycoats / Lucy Coats
@MarieLamba / Marie Lamba
@marileeb / Marilee Brothers
@MarlisDay / Marlis Day
@marycunningham / Mary Cunningham
@maryhoffman / Mary Hoffman
@maureenjohnson / Maureen Johnson
@megancrewe / Megan Crewe
@MegCabot /Meg Cabot
@MGHarris / MG Harris
@MichelleKnudsen / Michelle Knudsen
@miscmum / Karen Andrews
@mitaliperkins / Mitali Perkins
@normcowie / Norm Cowie
@PamRipling / Pam Ripling
@pennyehrenkranz / Penny Lockwood
@RebeccaMoesta / Rebecca Moesta
@RJ_Anderson / R.J. Anderson
@RuglyPuffs / Dr. Alex Alborough Cullum
@sammorton429 / Sam Morton
@sarahockler / Sarah Ockler
@sauertammi / Tammi Sauer
@ScottWesterfeld / Scott Westerfeld
@SPrineas / Sarah Prineas
@StevenHornby / Steven Hornby
@storyconnection / Dianne de Las Casas
@susanwrites / Susan Taylor Brown
@taramichener / Tara Michener
@thaliachaltas / Thalia Chaltas
@tWeenBooks / Elizabeth Atkinson
@TwinHappyJen / Jennifer Miller
@zenmother / Jennifer Karin

CYA Non-Fiction (10)

@annerooney / Anne Rooney
@bjzi / Bobbi Ireland
@doeray / Doeray Griffin
@jonedm / David M. Jones
@kathytemean / Kathy Temean
@kimchatel / Kim Chatel
@marilynhilton / Marilyn Hilton
@rochellestrauss / Rochelle Strauss
@saradonkersloot / Sara Feriante Donkersloot
@william2233 / William Sawyers

POETRY (6)

@AdeleWard / Adele Ward
@crackedpoems / Alice Shapiro
@dobbygibson / Dobby Gibson
@helenaharper / Helena Harper
@MecumHaiku / Ryan Mecum
@PremoSteele / Cassie Premo Steele

The third annual Tools of Change for Publishing conference from O’Reilly took place in New York City last week. More than a thousand people drawn from all corners of the globe and the industry — from publishers and authors to programmers and bloggers — convened to discuss and debate the future of the book.

Over three days of keynotes, tutorials, and sessions, several themes began to emerge and repeat; top among them were conversation, collaboration, and community. These themes are important for authors to understand because they signal a fundamental shift in how you will write and publish your work in coming years.

Conversation, Collaboration, and Community
The notion of “book” is evolving. In the last 500 years, “book” has meant a static collection of words, printed and bound between covers. Now, the e-book and Internet have changed all that.

The way it used to be:

• A book as an object, fixed in time and place
• The author as the sole authority
• A silent readership

What is emerging:

• A book as a process
• The author as one of many voices, the leader of a conversation
• A vocal and participating readership

Writing a book is becoming an increasingly public and collaborative process, one that involves readers from the start and encourages their input into the product. Readers are enthusiastic about being involved in the development of a book. Several conference keynoters made observations along these lines:

• Jeff Jarvis, author of What Would Google Do?, described how he had blogged about some ideas that had come up for him during his research for the book. His readers disagreed with his post and told him so. Their feedback reshaped the chapter that Jeff ultimately wrote and published in the book.

• Tim O’Reilly, CEO of O’Reilly Media, discussed O’Reilly’s Rough Cuts program. Through Rough Cuts, readers have access to some of the company’s books in draft form and are able to chip in with their comments. After these books are published, sales of the titles outpace titles that weren’t put through Rough Cuts by 2 1/2 times.

The theme of community and conversation also applies, not just to the development leading up to the book, but to the ongoing process of consumption that occurs after the book is published. Networks of readers connect through blogs and social media to review, critique, and advance the content.

Bob Stein from the Institute for the Future of the Book may have said it best when he proposed a new definition of “book”: a place where readers (and sometimes authors) congregate. Non-fiction authors become leaders of communities of inquiry, and publishers serve to help build and nurture these communities.

Here’s my visual interpretation of the book-as-process idea:

How are you working conversation, collaboration, and community into your authoring process? Leave a comment and let us know.

Literary agent Nathan Bradford recently shared some intriguing ideas about the state of publishing. In his words:

In essence, it’s the best of times and the worst of times. If you’re an enterprising author there is a world of opportunity out there. Never before have we had a book publishing world where truly anyone could publish and potentially find their readers. Before there was a fundamental obstacle: distribution. That’s going away. Anyone can publish. It’s a massive, groundbreaking shift! I suspect soon there will be even more opportunities for collectives and online communities to boost sales, build brands, and become real players in publishing. Out of chaos comes order.

Note that last sentence. It’s true that chaos appears to reign in the halls of traditional publishing these days. The old order is being shaken to its very core. But equally true is that after this period of turmoil, a new order will emerge. It always does. It’s just that none of us are 100% clear yet on what that order might look like.

In the meantime, the future of publishing is being vigorously discussed, debated, and shaped at events such as TOC and BookCamp, in online communities such as Twitter, and on blogs all over the web.

And I agree with Nathan. It’s never been a better time to be an author. With the industry in flux, there are a wealth of opportunities for those with the acumen to recognize them and the moxie to do something about them.

HarperCollins just announced the release of a “video book” — a 23-minute video that encapsulates the information found in What Would Google Do?, a business book by Jeff Jarvis. The video sells on Amazon for $9.99.

But is the video really a book? What makes a book a book anyway?

In his brilliant examination of the e-book market, past and present, John Siracusa points to a key problem with terminology:

In the print world, the word “book” is used to refer to both the content and the medium. In the digital realm, “e-book” refers to the content only — or rather, that’s the intention.

This is not the case with music, for example, where the medium and the content are separate. The medium changes — vinyl, 8-track, cassette, CD, MP3 — but music is still music. Music is the product. Music is what you’re buying. The medium is just a vessel, and that vessel changes ruthlessly. When a better, cheaper, faster, or more convenient medium appears, the music follows — with or without the content owners.

But books…there’s a lot of baggage attached to that name. Giant tomes, portable paperbacks, or standard hardcovers, they’re all recognizable as books. In the modern era, there have been no discontinuities of form on par with the those in the music industry to emphasize the separation of content and medium for the written word.

So a “book” is technically the medium — the printed pages bound between covers — but the information (non-fiction) or story (fiction) is the content, the stuff we’re really buying. In which case, to be really clear to the consumer, e-books shouldn’t be called e-books and videos containing information from a book shouldn’t be called video books.

If we look again to the music industry as an example, there are some packaging distinctions that help consumers know what they’re getting. People don’t buy music, they buy songs. Everybody knows that, generally speaking, a song will be 3 or 4 minutes long and follow certain conventions. Group a bunch of songs together and you have an album, also an agreed-upon convention. We’re still not talking about the medium (the CD or MP3 file) but some structure has been wrapped around the content, making it easier for us to understand, buy, and consume the product.

When it comes to information, we have chapters and we have books — one might argue that these are roughly analogous to songs and albums. But the word “book” is still firmly wedded to the medium as well. And so we arrive back where we started with only one word to describe both a collection of content and how that content is conveyed.

If you think that quibbling over word choice is a waste of time, consider the negative comments that have been fired at HarperCollins over the new Jeff Jarvis “v-book”.

The Washington Post describes the content of the video:

The 23-minute video has Jarvis speaking into a single camera with a white background. Instead of reading directly from the book, which was published last month by the company’s Collins Business imprint, Jarvis runs through the basic concepts in the book…

One commenter’s response:

It is impossible to pack the depth, research and resonance of What Would Google Do? (or any other long-form work) into a 23-minute video.

Clearly, he doesn’t consider the video to be the book in visual format, not a v-book. Instead, he considers the video an excellent marketing tool and says HarperCollins would have been smarter to give it away for free rather than charging for it.

So, could HarperCollins have avoided much of the criticism levelled at them if they hadn’t tried to tout the video as a different version of the book? I say yes. Semantics could have made a difference here.

Note: I have to give HarperCollins props for at least trying something new, even if it didn’t quite pan out the way they might have liked. They’re innovating, and no doubt they (and others) will learn with each new step about what works and what doesn’t.

Following my post last week on podcasting for authors, TIME magazine ran an article on the very same topic.

Many authors having a hard time finding a publishing deal are turning to podcasts as a way to build a fanbase for their books. Then, like sci-fi novelist J.C. Hutchins, they’re able to turn that reader support into a comfy contract with a publisher. Or, they’re able to goose sales for a print edition of their own.

Disappointingly, the article only discussed novelists. Have you had success using podcasts to distribute or market your non-fiction title? Click the Comments link to tell us about it.