Re: Futurist's take on publishing

**l*@juno.com**

Hi Susan,

I think The Futurist should learn Typesetting 101 and not present such
dense text in 10-point sans-serif type :-).  

I waded through this article only because it was you who asked. Frankly I
got the sense that the author was marketing the same old same-old as
something new. What is the difference between on-line voting and a paper
survey? The difference between asking an internet community what topics
they want to read about and a traditional focus group? Marketing is
marketing. Regardless of the tools used, the concepts are the same.

No offense, but I gave up trying to figure out what editors want --- I
send them what interests me. As a writer, the experiences of scouting,
photographing, styling, and writing are enjoyable in themselves. I like
talking to gardeners about why they did this or that, how the garden
evolved and, most importantly, what their gardens mean to them and why.
Even if none of that never sees print.

Publishing is big business; garden writing, except for a microscopic
minority, is small business. What writers (not typists, or content
copiers) bring to the table is their unique perspectives, the product of
their cumulative experience, and the appeal of their approach
(personalities). Writing produces a product that cannot be duplicated by
showing someone video clips or drawings, because writing engages the
human qualities of imagination and inspiration in a way that visual
depictions cannot (although visual inspiration is critical to garden
publishing). I'm talking about something in which only a few of our very
best garden photographers (for example, Derek Fell and Rick Darke) excel:
The magic of conjuring up atmospherics, mood, and meaning beyond the
plants or design. Writers (and other creatives) who can convey their own
real or imagined experiences to audiences have a targeted market. 

Call me old-fashioned, but I have yet to see anything on the web that
compares with the aesthetics of a good gardening book or magazine. Each
medium has its own virtues; I don't see this as an either/or thing.

Hope to see you in Portland!
Lois
Visit http://loisdevries.blogspot.com

On Thu, 10 Jul 2008 09:51:11 -0500 Susan Appleget Hurst
<Susan.Appleget-Hurst@meredith.com> writes:
> We¹ve known for ages that books sell better when the 
> author
> takes an active part in marketing?I thought the description of the 
> book as
> ?a souvenir¹ was right on, and the possibilities for related 
> products or
> ?experiences¹ were fascinating. What do you think?  Read the article 
> at:
> 
> http://www.wfs.org/May-June%20files/Futwrite1.htm
> 
> Thanks,
> Susan Appleget Hurst
> 
> 
> 
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