Write Now with Scrivener Episode 52: Jane Friedman, Publishing Industry Specialist
Jul 2, 2025
Jane Friedman, a publishing industry specialist with over 25 years of experience, shares her insights on the evolving world of writing and publishing. She discusses the growing landscape of self-publishing and the importance of direct reader engagement. The conversation delves into the complexities of pursuing a writing career, emphasizing passion over outside validation. Jane also reflects on the digital revolution's impact on publishing and the need for writers to assert their artistic agency in a corporatized industry.
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Define Your Writing Goal First
- Writers have varied goals for publishing, and those goals shape every business choice they make.
- Clarify what you want from writing before deciding on editors, agents, or self-publishing.
Intrinsic Motivation Outlasts Rejection
- Relying on external validation dooms many writers to quit because publishing is full of rejection and delay.
- Successful long-term writers take satisfaction from the work itself and follow an internal compass.
Polish Your Opening Pages
- Agents and editors often judge a manuscript within the first five to ten pages, so polish your opening relentlessly.
- If they see potential they'll typically read at least fifty pages or request the full manuscript.
