CBI (Children's Books Ireland) is hosting a Digital Developments seminar, with Eoin Purcell of Green Lamp Media as keynote speaker. A discussion follows with a panel of three, representing various facets of the publishing industry: Ivan O'Brien, the Managing Director of multi-award-winning O'Brien Press will be there, as well as Vanessa Robertson, Managing Director of Fidra Books in Edinburgh, the city's only specialised children's bookseller and independent publishing company.
Oh, and also me, speaking for writers.
(Somebody, please remind me to change out of my pyjamas and put the coffee down, before I get on that train!)
From the press release:
Following the success of CBI’s informative seminar on Ebooks and Digital Publishing last June, CBI is hosting a second seminar to further examine the future of publishing and the methods for success and adaptation in a digital age.
The seminar is open to all and will take place on Saturday 28th November, from 10am to 1pm (approximately) County Library, Library Square, Tallaght Dublin 24. Tallaght Library is easily accessible, just two minutes walk from the terminus of the Luas Red Line. Spaces are limited so places MUST be booked in advance by calling 01 8727475 or emailing info at childrensbooksireland dot ie.
The seminar is open to all and will take place on Saturday 28th November, from 10am to 1pm (approximately) County Library, Library Square, Tallaght Dublin 24. Tallaght Library is easily accessible, just two minutes walk from the terminus of the Luas Red Line. Spaces are limited so places MUST be booked in advance by calling 01 8727475 or emailing info at childrensbooksireland dot ie.
Let the nightmares of appearing naked in public and falling from great heights begin!
Meanwhile, help me out a little? I've spoken in public plenty, but still consider myself rather lame when it comes to social networking, though I do it, and it's led to publication and opportunities for me. Soooo....Please tell me, how has this big new digital world has affected you as a reader and/or a writer?
Do you read books on your iPhone or Kindle yet? Do you buy ebooks at all?
Have you published your fiction online, and did you make it freely available or sell it? (Sylvia, I'd love to pick your brain on this if you've got some spare minutes!)
Any amazing success stories (or anything interesting) that came about via Facebook, Twitter, an online forum, etc?
Thanks everyone!
21 comments: join in!:
I spoke at a seminar here in Hawaii on blogging put on by WordPress (Word Camp). I was a very popular guest. So was Amoeba (in the audience) by default. I spoke on social networking and the fact that through my blog I found love and friendship (Ella was with me then, too).
I didn't do anything but shake hands, trade cards and talk story. I still really don't know how it works ....
Ella---the elephant?? LOL
Quilly, yours is one of the best online stories ever, I love it!
You will be fine Susan, the only Public speaking that I did was in Class, unless you take into consideration being in public everyday and speaking to customers.
Have fun with your speaking, wish I could be there to support you, like all your blogging friends would.
Um, I'll be the one reminding you to put on grown up clothes before you leave the house and cheering you from the sidelines.
I'm no help here. I don't own [or even want!] a Kindle. I do listen to Books on CD, but that's not exactly what you're aiming for. Sigh.
I do enjoy blogging because it's expanded my horizons in terms of how perceptions are affected by where you live and my vocabulary is growing and growing! Not to mention the really cool people [like Susan] I've met in Blog World.
Perhaps you could explain the marvels of technology and all its possibilities while letting folks know it's still okay to want to physically turn the pages of a book. :)
Good luck....like you need luck when there's chocolate available. ;)
Thanks Bill and Hope!
Here's a question for BOTH of you (use e-mail if you like):
Why *aren't* you using Facebook or Myspace or Twitter etc; what specifically puts you off?
Hope, if you knew for a positive fact that writing opportunities would open up to you through social networking sites (enough perhaps to let you *ahem* quit your job), would you change your mind??
Just curious...
I'm not very good at networking mostly because I haven't tried much but I think I need to change.
Tuesday's Tales #1 - John
I don't use facebook all that much maybe just do a quick update on something. I got a Twitter but can't be bothered to use it. You'd be surprised the number of invites I get to all these different applets I ignore.
I have my blog and my friends can find me there. I can do a lot more with it than with the twitters or facebooks.
I also don't like the "Nazi Like Ways" of facebook and how they seem to think they can use my pictures, thoughs, etc for their own use.
Until this is finally straightened out, I won't be doing too much with fb.
Nessa, thanks! That was my thinking too when I first signed up; it was obvious that these things weren't going away and I was feeling left behind. Then, many editors and agents were saying in their blogs that they expect an author to have a blog/fb page/etc, and an online presence doesn't happen overnight. I use some things (like facebook) only rarely; I should work on them more I think.
Thanks Bill! The copyright issues with Facebook bother me too--as do all those freaking invites to quizzes, presents, hearts, pets, etc. ARGH! But then I know some people who spend half their day networking there and love it. I'm just trying to work out the advantages and learn something; I wish it came with a manual LOL.
I do own several ebooks and enjoy the convenience and flexibility immensely! Though I write on my blog and have published a few poems here and there, my writing tends toward research and grant writing... and THAT is wonderful to find in a digital format ;-) The ability to go to a digital University library and find research journals (even literary criticism!) available online for borrowing or keeping is FANTASTICO!! Don't know if that actually helps any, but I read my ebooks and journals virtually anywhere - priceless:D
Interesting, Skald, thanks! I've tried ebooks but several times the delivery has failed, leaving me to go whining for help, and then I wish it was easier on the eyes than the computer screen---one reason I'd like to try a Kindle I think.
Thanks!
I love my kindle! I read from it most of the time, but occasionally I'll feel the need to hold a real book and will resort to the touch of paper and ink. I just love books of all kinds.
Work permitting I'm going to try and get along, there's a friend of mine making a foray into writing for children and she'd love to go. Hopefully see you there.
Janie, I love that touch too---I'd love to see at least one e-reader that's just like a lovely old leather-bound book on the outside, but you open it up and there's the reader holding your whole library. It would be like a magic book from childhood dreams LOL.
Radge, that would be fantastic! It's on a Saturday which will make it easier for most people to get to.
I'd say the main way the digital age has helped me as a writer is through the writer-friendships I've made via the internet. I first joined an online writers' forum not long after I began writing. It's the encouragement and support and help and advice I've had from online friends (most of whom I've subsequently met in the flesh) that's kept me going.
I'd also point to Cally Taylor's blog tour as an example of how writers can promote themselves online so easily now (her latest stop on the tour is my blog).
Hope your talk goes well!
Well first Sister...I suggest you take a tape recorder and tape your speech. In fact I insist. So there. No let's see what type of punishment can I dole out if you don't oblige me in this. I wanna hear you speak in front of all those people...better yet I want to hear them snickering at you. LOL. As for me and reading and writing. Since I have started blogging I rarely read a book at all. I do all my reading on blogs and my writing...you know that's a big part of it because that's how we communicate. But I so enjoy writing. I couldn't ever do it like you do. I'm not that good and never will be but writing is the bomb!!!
Heads up, chuck. In answer to your questions...
Digital world? Enabled search & find, useful contact links (like your blog, ha ha).
Absolutely DON'T read books on anyone's iPhone or Kindle and don't want to, it's a different experience to hard copy and don't want electronic waves in my head all the time.Wouldn't buy an ebook, I don't think. Prefer to support world of publishing!
Have occasionally published a poem online - no sales: this is something I intend to do more with (both free AND sales, please!)y
Have used online fora for 'trying out' poems...am about to do a reading that will be made into a podcast so this will be my introduction to the electronic world...I like the idea of recorded performance much more than online print.
There now. And the reading's in Belfast, 8pm on Sunday 15th November at the Black Box...outbursts art festival.
Womag, my feeling is just the same--my family isn't at all interested in my writing but online I have folks who support me through the downs and cheer me at successes; writing is such a solitary thing sometimes that I *need* that.
Blog tours! *smacks forehead* Thank you! I'm making lists and completely forgot those.
Thom, don't scare me--I don't think I have to make a speech per se! I do think I'll take my contacts out once I'm there however so I can just sit in my fog LOL. YOUR writing just triggered something I'd love to talk about --- I enjoy your stories a lot, and if it weren't for this new digital world of ours I would never get to read them.
I'd say you ARE good -- your imagination blows me away sometimes. Just because the print-publishing world works with specific types and styles does NOT dismiss the rest of the storytellers in the world. Come to think of it, I've been meaning to do a blog post on that for quite a while... will have to get on that.
Hayley! Great minds thinking alike and at the same time! LOL
Performance v. print, I like that angle---and Belfast on the 15th? We might be able to do that, as I se NO reason my children couldn't take the 16th (ahem ahem ahem) off from school? LOL I have a CD of stories/photos (it might be several in fact) for you, see you at tomorrow's car boot sale?
Being in a fairly remote location, the internet and related networking tools have changed my life. As a beginning storyteller, I had no one close by who could guide me along the path, teach me where to find stories, how to research, presentation skills, all the hundreds of little things it takes to be a good teller. I found my community online--the Storytell listserve. That was 1996 and i'm stll a member. Since that time I've added blogging which has connected me with fascinating people--like you!--and Facebook which helps me maintain contact with a huge and farflung family. I don't yet Twitter--time and a fulltime job get in the way, and I'm not doing MySpace, You Tube, podcasting, etc--yet. I pick and choose the tools I need and what meets my capacity to learn new things. but life-changing? Absolutely.
Hey, and break a leg! You'll be enchanting, I know.
Thanks Susanna! Definitely the community and support has been the biggest influence for me too.
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