May is National Get Caught Reading Month. Will people be caught reading? his book? Are you writing a book? Do you want to write one in the future? Today’s publishing industry is radically reinventing itself. Experiencing success as a writer and author requires a new mindset and assertive career management. Internationally known mid-list writer Jeff VanderMeer captures the direction of the profession in Booklife: Survival Strategies and Tips for the 21st Century Writer (Tachyon, 2009).

Booklife focuses on two main elements, your public and private Booklife. Both are necessary to enjoy a productive writing career, VanderMeer says. He encourages readers to question his point of view. “Part of achieving your unique Booklife will be rejecting parts of Booklife as well.” He also informs readers that Booklife is not a technical manual. His purpose is not to teach the art of blogging or participation in social networks. Booklife is also not a writing teaching tool.

Public Booklife illustrates how, as a writer today, you are more responsible for your own success, mainly due to the advent of the Internet. Your Public Booklife engenders several qualities, including vision, adaptability, and risk-taking. VanderMeer stresses the importance of having one- and five-year career goals. You need to feel comfortable promoting your own work. Advocate for confronting one or two things that make you uncomfortable so that you can grow and change. VanderMeer highlights the power of blogging and the importance of personal branding. Having worked on both sides of the editor’s desk, he defines a successful editor-writer relationship.

Private Booklife defines Part II of VanderMeer’s text; and it is the basis of your creativity. It is made up of various qualities, including curiosity, imagination, and stamina. Pushback from other writers, editors, and reviewers is endemic to the trade. VanderMeer says it’s an important part of improving your writing, setting you up for a long-term career. Envy can also tarnish career progress. “The only true balm can be minding our own work, our own business, and being as solid and honest as we can be,” he says.

VanderMeer oozes transparency when detailing a book advance, including the purchase of 13 expensive pairs of shoes. They’re chasing him from the back of his closet today. He also missed Booklife’s original submission deadline due to overcommitment. These stories and others demonstrate VanderMeer’s literary challenges; elements that all writers experience in variation.

VanderMeer collaborates with other industry leaders to introduce the Booklife Appendices. Five agents share their perspective on the agent/writer relationship. Questions answered include: “What do you look for in a client besides talent?” Other topics include booksellers and public relations plans.

Although VanderMeer primarily writes fiction, any writer will benefit from reading his text. He enhances his narrative with inspiring moments, including “She now has a greater ability to control the path of his career and the breadth and depth of his opportunities than ever before in publishing history.”

The Booklife cover shows three; Open golden yellow books perched majestically on vibrant green stems. To enjoy a thriving writing career similar to Booklife illustration, personalize VanderMeer’s message. Nurture the seeds of your private and public Booklife and watch your literary achievements blossom.