When I was a young guy just starting out in my career as a science fiction and fantasy writer, the world of publishing was very different than the world of publishing today.

In those days, a writer's task was clear-cut: to come up with a compelling idea and outline for a novel, and to submit that idea and outline to publishers until you found a publisher intrigued enough to ask for a full submission. Or if you were a short story writer, you wrote the story, then mailed the hardcopy to the magazine best suited to your material.

In both cases, if the publisher bought your idea or story, the publisher was the one who took on the responsibility of printing, promoting, and selling your work. You might be asked to give interviews or do book signings, but for most freelancers, our job as writers was mainly to write.

All that has changed. These days, many publishers expect their authors to take the bulk of the responsibility for promoting and selling their works. And if, like me, you tend to be lousy at self-promotion, this change in author-publisher task distribution can be paralyzing.

So, after a dodgy start, I'm back on Goodreads seeking to learn from you all how to survive and thrive in the modern publishing world. Wish me luck, won't you?