Your Feedback on Topics for Writer's Digest magazine

I thought you might be interested in reading some of the personal responses I received when I asked what you'd like to see in the magazine in 2009.

I'd like to see more focus on writing and editing fiction (less on other types of writing), and I'd love to see regular articles on innovative book promotion—not just the basics or the same things we've all read, but how to really promote your book—most especially novels, because they're not as obvious about how to promote them as non-fiction is.
As someone who is writing a non-fiction social history/reference guide, I would like to see more information about breaking into non-fiction for and by writers of non-fiction when one isn't a celebrity or "name."
What about including more stories from authors about their initial path to publication. Aspiring writers want to know how other writers got started. I think WD does a pretty good job of profiling bestselling authors, but I think aspiring writers want to hear more about numbers of rejections—in other words the struggle involved and how it ultimately paid off.
More news/features on alternative and self-publishing. Thanks to the Internet, the publishing industry is transforming right before our eyes. Today's writers have so many other options other than the traditional publishing routes, and I'd love to read more about these options. Everyone is always worrying about query writing and how to get an agent, when the Internet gives true self-publishers the marketing and distribution tools once reserved only for the big publishers.
I definitely vote for more on self-publishing. I don't see it as a "game" as much as an effective strategy to getting a formal book deal, if one desires it. That's what worked for me. I also see self-publishing as a strategy to experiment with new ideas to gauge the market response. Again, very effective and efficient for me to
test out new ideas with my audience on a smaller scale and monitor impact,
modify, what have you, before courting taking the idea that next step.
I hope the new technological tools you're planning to discuss will
include podcasting.

Thanks to everyone who took time to comment both here on the blog and those of you who e-mailed me personally. Your input is invaluable in helping shape our direction!

Jane FriedmanAuthor

Jane Friedman is a full-time entrepreneur (since 2014) and has 20 years of experience in the publishing industry. She is the co-founder of The Hot Sheet, the essential publishing industry newsletter for authors, and is the former publisher of Writer’s Digest. In addition to being a columnist with Publishers Weekly and a professor with The Great Courses, Jane maintains an award-winning blog for writers at JaneFriedman.com. Jane’s newest book is The Business of Being a Writer (University of Chicago Press, 2018).