Michael Hyatt, CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers is someone who truly gets it.  Rather than run from the future, he's embracing it — and he's got some great advice for writers who want to succeed in this changing landscape.

He recently sat down for a fascinating interview with David Siteman Garland on his web show Rise to the Top.  It's well worth your time, as it's filled with tremendous insights and encouraging words.

Some examples:

• On his outlook for the future: "This is the best possible time to be in the publishing business"
• On why social media makes it easier to find readers and buyers "Now, you can know who they (your readers) are, you can connect with them directly.  It's unfiltered and, best of all, it's mostly free."
• On e-books vs. printed books:  "I'm format agnostic. I just want to get the content to the most people."
• On what he looks for in new authors:  "After content, I look for the authors 'platform'"   (He's referring to the author's reach through blogging, Twitter, Facebook, e-mail lists, etc.   That's important to know — publishers will look kindly on authors who can reach buyers quickly and in large numbers.)
• On his philosophy: "Change is inevitable.  You can lean into it or lean away from it."  Needless to say, he's a big fan of leaning into it!

Watch the interview here:  http://blog.therisetothetop.com/2011/01/michael-hyatt-on-the-future-of-publishing-publishers/