Story, Story, Story

It’s all about the story. That’s the message I heard repeated like a mantra at BookExpoAmerica (BEA) and Blogworld & New Media Expo NY, the huge happening for all things book-related held May
24-26 at New York’s Javits Center.
Publishers, book sellers, authors and some top notch workshop leaders (an estimated 20,000 total attendees) had a lot to say. Michael Margolis broke the storytelling message down most convincingly. His presentation on how to recognize and tell your own story in a way that makes you known and gives value to the reader was full of good info for creating your author, blogger or website bio. http://www.getstoried.com/ and Michael@getstoried.com
I needed no convincing about the importance of story. Back in the day, when Eyewitness News changed the face and presentation of local television news nationwide, I was a general assignment reporter and anchor and had the chance to experience the power of persuasive storytelling first hand. The concept was revolutionary for the news biz then and still resonates despite people who confuse the concept of first hand storytelling with “happy talk” tv news.
When not talking story, folks weighed in on the explosive growth of e-book sales and e-book reading devices. Or debated the pros (mostly) and cons (not many) of social media, a subject about which everybody I met had an opinion. Gary Vaynerchuk, author of The Thank You Economy, takes exception to the term “social media.” More than media, he says that term attempts to describe a cultural shift in the way we use the Internet. http://www.garyvaynerchuk.com/
Malloy book publisher’s exhibit caught my eye http://www.malloy.com/ and Stephanie Barker steph_barker@malloy.com was quick with answers to my questions about self-publishing and books-on-demand.
Thanks to Sandra Lee Schubert http://www.wildwomannetwork.com/, blog radio host, social media strategist and a friend who goes way back with me, I made the most of my time. A veteran of past BEA conferences , she guided me through the myriad of exhibits and workshops, so many they made my head spin.
Finally, think on this: there are 18 million creative writers today who want to reach 65 million consumers who spend five hours a week reading in a rapidly shifting storytelling environment.