Tim Ditlow of Amazon Publishing shared some gems with us including the importance of non-attachment. He grew up with his dad working in audiobooks and saw the rise and fall of records, cassette tapes, cds. He likes to believe that “it’s the coffee, not the cup.”
I think his point extends to not getting bogged down in debates over paper books versus e-books. Those are just the cups. Not the coffee. Not the content, just the method of delivery.
Arthur Levine had a workshop devoted to answering everyone’s questions. He gave some important advice about when authors submit to editors. If an editor wants to buy your book, DON’T start negotiating and then bring in an agent. If you have an agent, you should put the editor in touch with them to negotiate your contract.
If you get an editor’s interest, go with your good fortune. Ask yourself why did you pursue an editor if not ready to do a contract by yourself. He also stressed the importance of not always doing what others think you should. It’s about what you want for your manuscript. Just because someone tells you to cut it down, doesn’t necessarily mean you should.
With respect to genre, you told us not to worry about it because it is the publisher’s job to decide who to market the book to. That was an interesting piece of advice considering how important it is to identify your genre in the query letter. I do think he has a point though. Publishers categorize hundreds of books a year. How many does a writer categorize? Just their own.
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September 14, 2012 at 9:28 am
Cat Forsley
You know what – You are such a leader K …………….
when You share – You really extend knowledge to everyone around you
love xx
C
September 14, 2012 at 9:54 am
Kourtney Heintz
Thanks Catherine! Happy to share such great stuff. That was one of the best conferences I’ve been to. So many terrific speakers!
Hugs,
K
September 14, 2012 at 10:00 am
Cat Forsley
learning from you sooooooooooooooooo much xoxoxoxo
September 15, 2012 at 12:01 am
Kourtney Heintz
Aw, glad to pass on what I pick up at conferences.
Hope it helps! 
September 14, 2012 at 10:35 am
philosophermouseofthehedge
Good advice.
September 15, 2012 at 12:01 am
Kourtney Heintz
It’s always interesting to hear what industry people think.
Especially when it’s an industry you want to be a part of.
September 14, 2012 at 10:39 am
klynwurth
Thanks, Kourtney. I don’t make it to conferences, so I appreciate your generosity. I also give you thanks upon thanks for encouraging me to get my work out there…a lit journal has accepted one of my short stories. I’d become discouraged about my short fiction; you fired me up. You are a leader, inspiring to writers around you. Bless you, as you are a blessing.
September 15, 2012 at 12:04 am
Kourtney Heintz
Kelly, I’m so glad to hear that you submitted your short story! And even more excited that it is getting published! CONGRATS!!!!! Aw, I’m happy to inspire you. Having awesome writers like you in my life helps me stay on track and focused! You are a blessing to me too.
September 14, 2012 at 10:59 am
Carrie Rubin
Good advice as always, but I agree–it seems challenging to be a bit loose with our genre when this is exactly the kind of specifics agents request. A query letter pushing a book with a “fluid” genre is likely to be rejected, especially if it’s a first-time author.
September 15, 2012 at 12:06 am
Kourtney Heintz
Yeah, I think in theory it makes sense, but when agents break down along genre lines in terms of what they represent, we as writers have to be aware of our genre. One of the problems I have with my books is that they mix genres. It’s been an uphill battle to find agents who rep what I write (or across the genre lines of what I write).
September 15, 2012 at 12:09 am
Carrie Rubin
As someone who wrote a medical thriller with a science fiction subgenre, I know just what you mean. I had several agents tell me they liked the medical thriller aspect, but they didn’t represent science fiction. And really, the science fiction part is quite light, but the crossing genres was apparently a no-no.
September 15, 2012 at 12:13 am
Kourtney Heintz
I can’t help what I write. I have a contemporary fantasy mixed with a dash of literary fiction. I also have a gothic mystery with a tiny historical component. Those are not easy to sell…so far anyway.
September 14, 2012 at 1:32 pm
4amWriter
Good points to remember. I have to work harder at seeing the coffee through the cup.
September 15, 2012 at 12:07 am
Kourtney Heintz
Something about the way Tim said it made me suddenly not feel any concern over the e-reader vs. paper book controversy. Either way the book exists and is being read. And fundamentally, I just create the content not the forum.
September 14, 2012 at 1:58 pm
Jeannette Monahan
I like the coffee/cup analogy. It’s true, when you really think about it, that it’s the words you read that matter, not whether you are reading them from a paper book or an electronic tablet. I hadn’t thought of it in that way before. Now that I do, that analogy could apply to a lot of other things too.
September 15, 2012 at 12:07 am
Kourtney Heintz
That was the most striking thing he said. Or maybe it just resonated the most with me. And it definitely has many applications in life.
September 14, 2012 at 3:57 pm
jmmcdowell
Interesting for authors going the traditional agent-query route. If we’re not getting our genre correct when we query, are we querying the right agents?
September 15, 2012 at 12:10 am
Kourtney Heintz
Exactly. And that can be why first time authors get so many rejections. I took a genre journey with each of my books, trying to figure out what they were and weren’t. LOL. Half my query rejections might be attributed to genre issues.
September 15, 2012 at 11:19 pm
August McLaughlin
Some of this advice I could have used two years ago.
I took an editor’s advice too much to heart—a mistake that took a whole lot of time and effort to reverse. I’ve since learned to trust my instincts, but it’s so tough in the very beginning and barely know up from down. Great post!
September 16, 2012 at 1:33 am
Kourtney Heintz
Isn’t that always the way? It’s so hard to determine what feedback to jump on and what to weigh for a while. I had an agent ask me to take the time travel out of my time travel murder mystery. I politely declined. That wasn’t my story. But then I had an agent come along who gave me some terrific feedback and though it was tough to implement, the manuscript is so much better for it. Instincts are so important. For me, whatever I am most opposed to or dismissive of is either not right for my story or exactly what it needs. The trouble is determining which is which.