Lifehacker.com blogger and author is here as well as Offbeat Bride author and Kate Lee, Literary Agent
Offbeat Bride focused on getting a solid topic for a book, rather than turning her blog into a book.  About 5% of her book is blog content.  She said you’re 45% author and 55% marketer.
Literary Agents are looking for:

-Voice

-Traffic

-Content (fresh, new hasn’t been out there before)

-An expert voice in a field

Someone just asked, “what is considered published, if I published it before on my blog?”

Answer from Kate:  If it’s on your blog, it’s not considered “previously published” unless it’s been in print.

She’s recommending that you keep up with your stats closely and let an agent know in order to show traffic and interest level in a potential book.

Question for Offbeat Bride:  Should I go on a book tour?

Answer:  Quick misconception.  Your publisher does NOT pay for your book tour.  “I did really ego-crumbling events where there’s 8 people.  7 are my friends.  And 1 is the homeless guy who wandered in…  Bookstore readings are not that great…you’re sitting under flourescent lights and it’s awkward.  Make events untraditional (stand-up comedy, have your anti-depressants in your pocket).”

Self-publishing (and getting them published by a publisher) is all about numbers.

Someone just used the word “momior.”  As in, a mommy-memoir.

Offbeat Bride said she would have made more money and learned more from self-publishing.  But she wouldn’t have had the legitimacy.  Her advance for the book was equivalent to one month’s pay.  She said if you have marketing skills, you’re better off self-publishing!

Someone just asked “why write a book?”  Answer:  You write it for ego.  You write it for love.

Wiley book publishers are here.  She worked on Michael Scoble’s book.  It sold big at first but after it reached his whole blog market, it reached a saturation point.