Publish It Forward
Writers and Industry Pioneers Leading Change
About The Lecture Series
With the support of the
National Endowment for the Arts, Grub Street is excited to present “Publish it Forward,” a lecture series dedicated to bringing some of the most innovative and forward thinking writers, publishers and agents to Boston. Innovations in technology and communication have made the written word more portable, accessible, and popular than ever. It is an exciting but challenging time for writers. With this series, Grub Street aims to educate and inspire Boston-area writers to think creatively and optimistically about new opportunities and new models made possible by the digital age.
Amanda Palmer - May 4th at 7:00pm
The latest installment of Grub Street’s “Publish It Forward” Series – funded by the National Endowment for the Arts – features one-of-a-kind musician and writer Amanda Palmer, who will discuss how the changes in the publishing industry are related to the changes in the music industry. Coming into public consciousness in 2002 with punk-cabaret troupe The Dresden Dolls,
Amanda Palmer has heaved her way to the top of the music industry. In the last few years, Palmer has made a name for herself as the quintessential social media artist, engaging in daily interactions with her fans 365 days a year and making an art form out of Twitter. With over half a million Twitter followers and a deeply personal blog, she has one of the most responsive and supportive online fan bases on the internet. Passion is what drives Amanda, and her success proves how determined she really is to make a difference not only in her own music, but in the way that music is created and consumed around the globe. The “Publish It Forward” series is dedicated to bringing some of the most innovative and forward thinking writers, publishers and agents to Boston. Boston’s resident forward thinker,
Steve Almond, will be with us to introduce Amanda. This event will be held in the Georgian Ballroom of the Boston Park Plaza Hotel.
Click here to register for Amanda's talk.
Susan Orlean - July 17th, 2012
More and more, it seems like writers are being told they should be using social media for self-promotion and marketing. But what exactly is the true power of social media and how do you effectively use it? With over 200,000 followers, Susan Orlean has earned her name as the Queen of Twitter. Confused by Twitter in the early days, once Susan began Tweeting regularly she began to see all that this new mode of communication can offer creative writers, including: a deep and interactive connection to readers, a writing discipline that strengthens narrative muscle and – of course – marketing might. In the lecture above, Susan speaks about the pros and cons of Twitter for new and emerging writers, and shares behind-the-scenes stories from her years as one of the country's most prominent and plugged-in non-fiction writers.
Richard Nash - May 5th, 2012
What does it mean to be a writer in a world where seemingly everyone is a writer? Richard Nash, serial entrepreneur, maverick, and student of books and media, answers this question in a lecture that took place at the Muse & The Marketplace 2012. He draws on legal, economic and intellectual history, on his experience running iconic indie Soft Skull Press, on his start-ups Small Demons, Red Lemonade and Cursor to offer writers a new framework for understanding the business of writing and the culture of reading. This talk, entitled "Don't Get Left Behind: New Opportunities for Writers", will leave you with a new perspective on the incredible range of opportunities now available to writers which will enable you to make the best possible choices in your own life and career.
Jason Allen Ashlock - March 13th, 2012
On Tuesday, March 13th, Jason Allen Ashlock, the brilliant and trailblazing principal of Movable Type Management, spoke to Grub Street about the changing role of literary agents.
Above is the lecture Jason gave entitled, “Agents For Today’s Author.” He’s an engaging speaker, and this lecture will fascinate any writers who are interested in the rapid changes taking place in publishing. Click
here to watch part 2 his talk.
Barry Eisler - November 10th, 2011
On Thursday, Nov. 10th, Barry Eisler spoke to Grub Street about his controversial decision to self-publish and the future of the publishing industry in the first of Grub Street's Publish It Forward lectures. Mr. Eisler recently shocked the publishing world when he turned down a half-million-dollar advance from a traditional publisher in order to self-publish his next two novels. Since then, he has been outspoken and optimistic about the unprecedented choices writers have in the new world of publishing: legacy, indie, and hybrid. A strong advocate of writers taking advantage of their new opportunities and determining their own fate, the first part of Mr. Eisler's fascinating talk is available above. Click
here to watch part 2 and part 3 of his talk.
About The NEA
The
National Endowment for the Arts was established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. To date, the NEA has awarded more than $4 billion to support artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. The NEA extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector.