The Cuckleburr Times » publishing

What Really Happens When You Land a Book Deal: Publishing Myths and Realities You Need to Know

A Guest Article Writer — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:34:15 +0000

For many aspiring authors, the prospect of landing a book deal sounds like the ultimate ticket to success. And while a contract with a major press can come with some perks, there can be some unexpected surprises along the way. Here’s what you need to know to get into the game with your eyes wide open.

Myth: Once you hand over your manuscript, your book will be on bookstore shelves right away. Patience is essential when working with a traditional publisher. It takes most major publishers about a year to complete your book and put it into distribution. With the amount of red tape they have going on, the process takes much longer than most realize. Just don’t expect to see your book on shelves within a few months, as this is highly unlikely unless your book is rushed to market under special circumstances.

Myth: Your book will be produced exactly as written. Each publisher has different editorial processes, guidelines and goals. Your developmental editor may want to rework sections of your book or ask you to add or even remove content. Though you will be involved in the editing process and asked to turn it all around quickly, you may or may not like the proposed changes and you may or may not have a voice in the ultimate outcome. Some book deals end up getting cancelled during the editing process when the author and publisher fail to agree on changes.

Myth: You will have input on the cover design. Cover design is an area where you will probably have little input. The publisher will design something and may send it to you for review, but requests for changes are not likely to be met. This is a point in the process when you may have to accept that your work is no longer exclusively yours.

Myth: Your book must be finished before you pitch it to a publisher. This is actually true for fiction books—publishers want to see the whole story before a deal is made. But nonfiction books are an exception. During the pitch process, most publishers want to see an outline and two or three sample chapters. If they like your work and offer you a book deal, you can actually negotiate the remaining time needed to complete your manuscript.

Myth: Big Press = Big Marketing. Don’t expect much marketing at all since most publishers don’t have big marketing budgets. The bulk of responsibility almost always falls on the author. You might appear in the publisher’s catalog, in a press release, and may get featured at a trade show, but don’t count on them landing you an appearance alongside Matt Lauer. Those efforts are reserved for established, big-name authors. Smaller publishers may actually work a little harder to assist with marketing since they have more riding on the success of each title, but as a rule, authors should set expectations very low.

Myth: Once you land a book deal, your author career is set for life. Just because you sign a deal with a publisher, there are no guarantees that they will want your next book, even though your contract will likely stipulate that they get first right of refusal on your next book. Your first book must perform exceptionally well before the next book will be considered for publication.

Keep in mind that you may not want to publish another book with that same publisher. There are many reasons why you might want to move on—creative differences, other publishers that are a better fit for your genre of writing, or you may decide to pursue self-publishing opportunities. This can be a catch-22 as you must give your current publisher the chance to evaluate your next book idea before you can be released from your contract. (Hint: if you want out, pick an idea you know they won’t want!)

Myth: Authors make tons of money. The vast majority of authors will tell you that there is not a lot of money to be found in a traditional book deal. Sure you get an advance check, which on average comes in around $5,000 to $10,000, unless you are a celebrity. Then you have to earn that back before you will see another dime.

Perhaps most surprising is what authors earn in royalties from book sales. You can expect to make around $1 to $2 per book sold and with numbers like this, you’ve got to sell a lot of books to generate a substantial royalty check. To make matters worse, most publishers only pay authors twice per year, so don’t expect to see your monthly income increase because of your book. Some authors create other revenue opportunities around their books from things like speaking (which can command $2,000 to $10,000 fees), consulting and related information products.

Myth: You can purchase your own books at cost. As surprising as this may seem, your contract with a publisher will probably allow you to buy your own books at just 40% to 50% off of the cover price. So if you have a book that sells for $20, you will be lucky to buy your copies for $10 each. Since the publisher’s cost is likely far less than $10, they are still generating a significant profit from your orders. This is a point that can be negotiated so remember to ask for a deeper discount when you receive your contract offer!

Myth: If you self-publish, you kill your chances of landing a book deal. If you self-publish a book and achieve some success by selling 1,000 copies or more, you can actually improve your chances of landing a traditional book deal. Publishers want authors to come to the table with a ready made “platform.” This means that they want to know that you have an audience. Selling a significant number of books proves that you have that audience and raises your appeal. Just ask Christopher Paolini, the teenage boy who wrote and self-published “Eragon,” or Richard Paul Evans who wrote “The Christmas Box.” Their self-publishing success stories landed them multi-million dollar book deals.

I know several authors who have been approached by major presses, which can demonstrate an interesting shift in power. In one case, an author who publishes instructional books for a specific trade quickly turned down a rather substantial offer. He simply makes too much money on his books to give his margin away. He also didn’t want to give up control since he has built his own distribution channels so that his books are devoured by his target market. The publisher didn’t relent and instead returned with an even bigger offer. He turned that one down too.

There is still much to celebrate about receiving an offer for a book deal with a traditional publisher. The added credibility can bring plenty of opportunities with the media, speaking, consulting and much more. But it is important to know what you’re getting into before you venture forward so that you can navigate the waters like a pro.

About The Author

Stephanie Chandler is an author of several books including “The Author’s Guide to Building an Online Platform” and “From Entrepreneur to Infopreneur: Make Money with Books, eBooks and Information Products.” She is also the host of http://NonfictionWritersConference.com , the only virtual writers’ conference for nonfiction authors. For author and speaker details visit http://StephanieChandler.com

How to Sell More Copies of Your Book – Simple Marketing Tip For Writers & Authors

Stephanie J. Hale — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 20:55:55 +0000

Rich writers understand that writing a book is only the beginning, not an end in itself. They are often marketers first and writers second.

Marketing may sound like a dirty word especially to literary or academic writers. I understand that. I used to feel the same.

But let me ask you this. What’s the point writing a book if you can’t sell the darn thing?

If you really want to make a successful career as a writer, you can’t afford to ignore marketing.

What I recommend – if you haven’t done it already – is to think about ‘joint ventures’ to sell or promote your book. Don’t be put off by the business jargon – this just means looking for other people who can help sell and publicize your book for you.

So, for example, if you’ve written a book about childcare, are there any professionals who could promote you to their list of clients? If you’ve written a book about dogs, are there online vets or dog schools who could promote your book to their customers?

Why would they do it, you might ask? Simple. If your book aligns with their service, they are adding value to their clients by telling them about you.

Now listen up – some businesses have ‘lists’ running into hundreds of thousands, sometimes millions. Most mainstream publishers on the other hand are happy if they sell five thousand books – this is considered a ‘successful’ print run!

Do it today. Right now. Write a list of 50 potential joint venture partners.

Feeling nervous or a little intimidated? Yes, we all do. Even with 20 years experience, I still get butterflies at times. But if your goals aren’t making you even a little scared, you’re probably not setting yourself big enough goals!

Breaking through that ‘fear barrier’ is what separates out bestselling authors and millionaire writers from the rest. Even if 40 business owners say ‘no’, and 10 say ‘yes’ this could make a massive difference to your book sales.

Is this book your passion? Does it make your heart sing? If so, can you afford not to take this step today. Try it – what have you got to lose?

Stephanie J Hale is a leading writers’ coach and publishing scout. She’s worked with bestselling authors and top literary agents for over 20 years. She specializes in helping writers get the publishing deal and readership they deserve. More FREE publishing tips at: http://www.richwriterpoorwriter.com

Should I Disguise Characters in My Book Or Memoir? Is it Ok to Write About People I Know?

Stephanie J. Hale — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 03:36:15 +0000

Writers often ask me if it’s ok to write about people they know. Sometimes they’re writing a memoir or autobiography. Or perhaps they’re writing a novel with a hero or villain based on someone they know.

There are various little tricks you can use to make sure that people don’t recognize themselves. You can change physical appearance – stature, hair length, eye colour, etc. You can also change gender, profession, or location. Or you can blend two or more different people together to create a different character.

Believe it or not, the chances are most people won’t recognize themselves. I say this as someone who has both written about other people and been written about as a character.

When I have created characters based on people I know, they have never spotted themselves! Never. Not once. Similarly, I failed to recognize a thinly disguised portrait of myself in a Booker-shortlisted novel. Thankfully, the portrait was a flattering one. Though I won’t tell you the name of the book – that’s a little secret between me and the author!

Another alternative is to use a nom de plume to obscure everyone’s identity including your own. The creative advantage is that this may allow you the emotional freedom to write your book in an uninhibited way. Belle de Jour is a high profile example of a writer who did this. However, I wouldn’t recommend this in all but the most extreme cases – as it makes it extremely difficult to do marketing and publicity.

How will you promote your book if you can’t speak to the media, for example? How will you manage your website or build a relationship with your readers? People also relate better to book reviews when they see a photo of the author.

If you’re on good terms with the people you’re writing about, and you don’t intend to disguise them, I’d advise asking what their feelings are. As a child, my mother was a newspaper editor who used to pen a weekly column poking fun at our home life. It was trivial domestic stuff, nothing to shake the earth. But as a teenager, let me tell you, it was excruciating.

A lot of this will come down to the personalities of the people you are writing about and what your relationship with them is like. Only you will know the answer to this.

Finally, we come to the issue of libel. Now, libel laws are complex – I can easily write a whole new article on the subject. However, the main question to ask is: can the person be identified by themselves or anyone else? If so, is what you’ve written damaging to them either professionally or personally?

Rest assured that libel is extremely hard to prove, very expensive, and rarely embarked upon by anyone but the rich and famous. This said, get expert advice if you think you may be writing anything that’s likely to end up with a law suit.

Stephanie J Hale is a leading writers’ coach and publishing scout. She’s worked with bestselling authors and top literary agents for over 20 years. She specializes in helping writers get the publishing deal and readership they deserve. More FREE publishing tips at: http://www.richwriterpoorwriter.com

How to Write a Children’s Book Based on Your Personal Struggles

Laura Backes — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:40:33 +0000

Suppose you’ve just gone through a divorce and lost custody of your kids. Or a loved one has recently died of cancer. Or you struggled in school as a child because you have dyslexia.

Many writers turn difficult periods in their lives into books for children, hoping to help young readers through similar painful experiences. Here are some tips to keep in mind when creating and selling books based on real-life events:

Remember that you’re writing a children’s book, not a personal essay intended to purge your soul from a painful memory. Children want to read about how they feel. Many writers create a child character and tell the story through that character’s eyes. Don’t write in first person if the “I” is you, the adult author. Instead of explaining how bad you feel that your kids no longer live with you, show how a five-year-old character feels about only getting to see Daddy every other weekend.

Books for younger children (up to age eight) centering around a personal crisis are generally most effective if the author uses a fictional vehicle for imparting the information. If you want to stick closer to nonfiction, make sure the book focuses on the child in the center of the event, and is told in a narrative format with a beginning, middle and end. Older children can handle more traditional self-help books, with each chapter concentrating on a specific aspect of the problem. However, interspersing the advice with personal anecdotes from other children who have gone through the same thing will make the information more appealing and relevant to the readers.

Targeting appropriate publishers with these manuscripts is important. Look in subject index of Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market under “Self Help” and “Special Needs” for publishers. Peruse the children’s nonfiction section of a large bookstore, and read reviews in Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal and Horn Book (trade magazines found online and in most libraries) to see which publishers do similar types of books. Check out websites for editorial guidelines (if you can’t find them, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the children’s editorial department asking for guidelines before you write and submit your manuscript). You can also look at books written for parents to help their children cope with an illness, loss or divorce, and query the publisher asking if they’d like to publish a children’s book on the same topic.

Though many mainstream publishers are interested in books that deal with special issues, some topics have too narrow an audience for a large house to market the book successfully. In this case, many authors have elected to self-publish. If you get several personal rejection letters from editors who praise the book but say the audience isn’t broad enough, you might consider publishing it yourself. But self-publishing should be approached cautiously; color illustrations are essential for picture books, making them very expensive to produce. And you must be prepared to devote at least a year of your life to selling and distributing your book. Most self-published books are sold primarily through direct mail. Can you purchase mailing lists of parents with children who could benefit from your book? Stories on adoption, specific childhood illnesses, or those that might fit in a pediatrician’s waiting room or hospital gift shop are examples of books with a very targeted audience.

Laura Backes is the Publisher of Children’s Book Insider, the Newsletter for Children’s Book Writers. Want to learn how to become a successful children’s book author? Come hang with the Fightin’ Bookworms at http://cbiclubhouse.com Whether is writing picture books, chapter books, young adult novels, finding children’s book publishers — or anything else — you’ll find all the answers at the CBI Clubhouse!

5 Steps to Ignite Your Creativity and Keep it Burning!

Julia McCutchen — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 06:01:52 +0000

Fresh from presenting a sell-out masterclass, I was looking forward to writing this article for my ezine and had it scheduled in my diary to do the following morning. My most creative and productive writing time is usually in the mornings so I always aim to organise my other business commitments around this fact. The title of the article popped into my mind as soon as I picked up my pen.

I wrote it down and then decided to deal first with a specific task which also needed to be done that day. It was a financial task which I thought would only take about 30 minutes. Over an hour later (do you recognise that one?!), the task was completed but it had involved some serious working out and concentration.

So although it felt good to have it done, the process had shifted me out of feeling like writing! Fortunately I have been working consciously with the creative process for quite a few years now so instead of feeling frustrated, I knew that I could turn the situation around. This did not involve pushing myself to write when I didn’t really feel ‘in the flow’ but instead came from accepting fully the way events had unfolded and finding a way to re-ignite my creative feelings.

So I had an early lunch and went for a walk up the track near the house. I stopped at the brow of the hill where a broken branch provides a welcome resting place to breathe in the magnificent view across the landscape…

Without consciously thinking it through, by the time I began my return journey, the outline of this article had already ‘arrived’ in its entirety. Once I was back, the words found their way freely onto the page and I felt energised by the whole process.

So here is my 5 step process to help ignite your creativity when you need it and to keep it burning day after day:

1. Write a list of activities which lift your spirits and inspire your soul.

If you’re not sure what to include, think of what you enjoyed as a child and then interpret the principle to suit you as an adult. For example, I used to enjoy being outside and making ‘dens’ in the small patch of woodland by our house. Today, I enjoy being outside & walking through trees, especially when the sun dapples through the branches …

2. Identify what’s stopping you from incorporating more of these creative triggers in your current rhythm of life.

Many people will have time and/or money on this list of factors which hold them back from incorporating more creative activities in their lives. If they are on your list, take this opportunity to review what is truly important to you, and if necessary, reframe your thinking around the value of your creativity?

3. Write a list of solutions which ideally includes asking a friend or colleague if they would become an active partner – or even simply a ‘sounding board’ – in support of your creativity.

Try shifting your focus away from how hard it is to find the time and/or money onto how much you get from feeling creatively inspired. This should make enough of a difference for you to incorporate more choices each and every day which bring you closer to your creative intentions.

4. Choose an activity from your list to engage in at least once a week and ideally 3 times a week, or even better, every single day!

These don’t all have to be large, time consuming activities. In fact many of them should be easily manageable alongside other commitments. I recommend having a mix of different ideas to suit different occasions, moods, time frames and feelings. Sometimes a 20 minute walk at lunchtime will do the trick. Other times, a longer session making a colourful vision board is just what you need to inspire you subsequently with the words on the page.

5. Share your choice with your creativity partner and then let them know how you get on!

Announcing your intention out loud to someone else is an excellent way of helping yourself to stick to it. The sense of accountability and support for staying on track can work both ways so offer this opportunity to your creativity partner too. He or she does not need to be a writer for this purpose. Anyone who values creative expression no matter what the form can be a good creativity partner. Once a month, catch up by email, on the phone or in person and exchange summaries of what you’ve enjoyed most from your creative focus that month.

Enjoy the journey!

Julia McCutchen opens the way for writers to find their true voice, discover themselves in the process, and write consciously, creatively, successfully and with soul. A former managing director and publisher with over 20 years’ publishing experience, Julia’s holistic approach includes coaching, mentoring and masterclasses for aspiring authors. To access free articles, audios and other resources for writers, visithttp://www.JuliaMcCutchen.com

Enjoy that? You can read more from Julia at The Cuckleburr Times here.

Writers Need the Right Mindset to Become Successful Authors

Julia McCutchen — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:01:46 +0000

Being aware of your mindset and how it either helps or hinders your progress as a writer is fundamental to your success as an author. Many people understand a mindset to be ‘a collection of thought processes which are characteristic to an individual or a group’ (Roget’s II: The New Thesaurus). However, there is an important missing ingredient from this definition.

Mindset is not just about your thoughts, it is also very much about your emotions. So what you think is crucial but what you feel is even more significant when it comes to writing a book for publication, and indeed with everything you do in life. Thought and emotion are an immensely powerful combination which can either work for, or against, what you want to achieve with your writing.

On her 40th birthday, Jane decided that the book she had thought about writing for so long could not be put off any longer. It felt like ‘now or never’ and she was determined to see it through to completion. As a professional person who had an interest in personal development, Jane knew all about setting goals and positive thinking. So she created a plan and scheduled time in her diary to begin writing.

Three months later with only a few pages of notes and nothing concrete achieved, she approached me for help. She was dismayed by the fact that despite her best efforts and a strong mental determination to write this book, it just wasn’t happening. It was especially frustrating for her as she was a disciplined person who usually found it easy to stick to her plans. It wasn’t long before the coaching process revealed that although she had gathered her thoughts about writing her book, the way she felt about the whole process was entirely different.

Deep down she didn’t believe she could write or that she had anything interesting to say let alone that anyone else would be interested to read her words. She also felt she had no chance whatsoever of being published and discovered that sheer willpower didn’t work. The harder she pushed, the less progress she made! Once she realised what was happening she felt an enormous sense of relief. She was then able to let go of the enormous pressure she had been putting herself under. As a result, we were able to work on releasing the anxieties she was feeling so that she could embrace a healthier and more holistic approach to writing her book.

With the right awareness and support, she was able to shift her mindset – thoughts and feelings – onto a new level which ultimately led to an opening of the way for her writing to flow. She is now enjoying writing more than ever before and making good progress with her manuscript. Jane’s story is not an isolated example. When it comes to writing your book for publication, your mindset will literally make or break your success.

So here are 3 tips to help you review your current mindset and cultivate the right conditions to support your creative expression on the page:

1. Ask yourself this question: how do I feel about being someone who writes / a writer / an author?

Do you believe in yourself as a writer, if not all of the time, at least most of the time? If not, how many ways can you come up with to support a shift in your mindset around this question? You could write in your journal to download your anxieties and clear space for new thoughts and feelings to arise. Try remembering a time when you did feel strong and confident about something and then apply those feelings to yourself as a writer.

2. Check in regularly …

It is important to check in with how you are thinking and feeling about your writing on a regular basis. Every time you sit down to write take a few moments to bring your awareness to your mindset before you start. Develop a range of strategies to shift your mindset if you need to and seek support if you want to fast-track your progress.

3. Make sure you are in alignment – body, mind, emotions and soul!

You will know if you are in alignment because your life will be full of synchronicity. The right people and opportunities will arrive just when you need them. A book will fall open at a page with the information you were looking for.

Of course life isn’t always that smooth. Yet if you constantly feel like you are pushing a snowball up a mountain, you can be sure that something is out of synch somewhere! Get used to checking what’s going on within you at every level and then take action as required. Minding your mindset will enable you to do what you are here to do and write what you are here to write.

Enjoy the journey!

Enjoy that? You can read more from Julia at The Cuckleburr Times here.

Be Open to Finding the Right Publishing Option For Your Book

Julia McCutchen — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:01:01 +0000

Why is it important to keep an open mind regarding the right way forwards for you and your book?

To state what is obvious to some but invisible to others, the short answer is that traditional publishing is simply not appropriate, let alone possible, for everyone! It may be the objective that most people have initially. But once an understanding emerges of what is actually required to be successful as a commercially published author, thoughts and feelings can shift dramatically.

The reality is that only a relatively small proportion of aspiring authors achieve significant success in commercial publishing terms. And the truth is that you don’t have to be published by one of the large publishing corporations in order to have validation as a writer!

This is a point which I feel strongly about making and which is echoed by many of my professional colleagues. There is unquantifiable value in the writing process and completing any piece of writing, whatever the length and regardless of whether it is published or not.

In the contemporary climate, new routes to the marketplace are opening up all the time. This means that opportunities to share and communicate your work with a wide international audience – if you want to – are certainly no longer restricted to the traditional publishing route.

So finding the point of balance between being focused on your original intention and being open to discovering solutions along the way that work for you will ultimately lead you to the greatest rewards.

Invitation to Take Action:

Here are three questions to ask yourself right now:

What is really important to me about writing this book?
What quality of experience do I want to have?
What is my vision for the end result?

Write the answers to these questions down and refer back to them at each stage of your Writer’s Journey. They will help you to stay aligned to your true purpose and this will lead you to a greater sense of joy and success in the long term.

An unpredictable business

Publishing, like any creative business, is extremely unpredictable. There are many factors involved in publishing success. Sometimes they work in your favour and sometimes they don’t!

It does happen – probably more than you realise – that publishers spend vast amounts of money on creating and promoting a book which they have high hopes for only to see the sales performance fall far short of their expectations.

On the other hand, happily the reverse can also be true.

A book which hasn’t received any real attention can sometimes suddenly take off in popularity. The scramble is then on to get a reprint through and books into the shops to satisfy the demand.

The same applies to self-published books. It can go either way.

Happily there are an increasing number of examples where the ‘buzz’ around a self-published title (usually via the internet) can lead to sales which far outstrip original expectations.

Understanding this unpredictable aspect of the whole business of publishing is relevant to you as a writer because it will:

Help you start from a realistic and grounded place when considering the right way forwards for your book.
Encourage you to be prepared for the ‘unexpected’, and to see opportunities where previously you might have only see setbacks.
Enable you to begin the process of learning to trust that with the right intention and the right action, you will find the right solution for your book at the right time – whatever that is!

Helen’s story …

When Helen Moore first approached me for individual coaching she initially had it in her mind to approach publishers with her book idea.

During the coaching process, it became clear that Helen’s individual and immensely creative spirit might end up feeling severely restricted by the requirements of the commercial publishing route, and with no guarantee of the end result.

In addition to that, her clear vision for her book was already well advanced and the long time frame involved in the traditional publishing route felt like another negative factor.

Once the process of establishing what she was truly aiming for in order to feel successful as a published author was complete, the decision to publish the book herself emerged.

Helen has been incredibly successful at every level with her book Changing Nature: EcoNotes of a Digital Woman which has a foreword by Jill Attenborough of the Woodland Trust.

The book is beautifully presented in exactly the way she wanted it to be and she has also scored highly in terms of promotion, marketing and sales too.

As an example she was featured on BBC Radio Four’s ‘Woman’s Hour’ and in a double-page spread in the Mail on Sunday‘s colour supplement.

Helen said, ‘It was interesting to observe how one success led to the next … having heard my interview with Felicity Finch, a freelance journalist contacted me within an hour of the broadcast to ask if I might be interested in doing a feature. She was able to sell the idea to the Mail, and within a few days had arranged to travel from London to Bath to interview me. A session with a photographer followed and within a couple of weeks I was delighted to see my book featured in the national press.

The effect on sales of my book was instantaneous… at 9am the very next day the phone was ringing and continued to do so throughout the rest of the day at regular intervals. Being mid November, the feature was perfectly timed for the Christmas market, and enabled me to sell a significant number of books.’

In summary

This story is not intended to dissuade anyone from pursuing the traditional publishing route in favour of self-publishing or other ways to reach your readership.

It is an individual decision and what is right for one person may not be right for another.

The most important point is to understand that there is more than one way forwards.

If you maintain your focus on your primary objective and keep an open mind along the way, you will have every chance to enjoy your Writer’s Journey and arrive at the destination that is right for you – whatever that is.

Enjoy!

Enjoy that? You can read more from Julia at The Cuckleburr Times here.

Writing a Novel – Beware When Action Does Not Create Plot Movement

Robert L. Bacon — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:01:13 +0000

One of the most serious issues facing many writers is the ability to maintain the action throughout the narrative. Unfortunately, the mere creation of a dramatic occurrence does not guarantee plot movement.

The literary critic for The Palm Beach Post, Scott Eyman, has written many outstanding books on the legends of the cinema. In an article he wrote some years ago pertaining to a trend in film making that was conceived to sustain an audience’s attention span, he stated, “Action has become confused with movement.” I was so taken by what I felt was an exceptionally acute and accurate comment, I asked for and received his permission to cite his line, since I am of the opinion this issue applies equally to crafting a novel.

There is a Time When you may have to Kill your Babies

In writing, a glaring fault occurs when an otherwise perfectly good scene has nothing to do with the plot. And what happens when the story has evolved from that plot element–to the state of rendering the scene superfluous or no longer pertinent to the story–but the writer doesn’t want to lose the scene? As harsh as it sounds, to paraphrase Faulkner, this is the time the writer may have to kill his or her babies. But not many who write their gems want to do it. And not without a battle of intestinal tumult that often reaches epic proportions.

Whether Exposition or Dialogue, Lateral Movement is Equally Deadly to Advancing the Plot

No aspect of a narrative is immune, and to imply the problem is found more in exposition than dialogue would likely be inaccurate, but flat scenes seem easier to identify in the latter. Stagnant dialogue while dining, for example, although much less dramatic, is not dissimilar in its end result for a moviegoer who experiences a fight scene or an explosion or a car chase that is ridiculously positioned or overused as a plot point. In leaving the theater and asking why a particular scene was in the movie, there is no difference should a reader say that a passage of exposition or a rift of dialogue had nothing to do with the story line of a novel.

Writers of Books Don’t have the Luxury Filmmakers Possess

But movie makers have an advantage, since their medium is visual. A lot can be remedied in a couple of minutes and a few scene changes. A novel requires much more time to regain the reader’s confidence after a lull in the narrative. And it requires much less effort to put down a flawed book that might take another eight hours to read than to hang around the theater for a half hour until the movie ends.

It is Impractical to Write around an Ineffective Scene

It sounds simple, but this is the whole magilla: For anyone desiring publication by a quality royalty publisher, all of the words have to be focused toward the goal of advancing the plot. If not, revise or cut them. It is impossible to write the plot around rhetoric in its original context, no matter how brilliant it might be, if it does not move the story forward. When a writer accepts this, the task of transitioning prose becomes easier (sometimes exponentially so) and the overall narrative, with the rarest of exceptions, more effective.

Robert L. Bacon, Founder

The Perfect Write®

FREE! ReceiveThe Perfect Write® NEWSLETTERS that feature articles on writing and editing, along with tips for having your manuscript published by a major royalty publisher. Visit the lower section of our Home Page at http://www.theperfectwrite.com for simple two-step sign-up instructions.

Also For authors, The Perfect Write® is now providing FREE QUERY LETTER REVIEW AND ANALYSIS. Visit our Sample Letters Page at http://theperfectwrite.com/sample-letters/ for examples of Successful Query Letters, and E-mail your query to theperfectwrite@aol.com (no attachments).

wp-content/uploads/2008/12/bookbow255.jpg

Short Story Techniques That Get Writers Published

Ronnie Smith — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 06:01:35 +0000

This short story checklist will improve your story writing technique. These strategies will help you get published because these are the kinds of questions editors ask when reading your short story. You’ll find information about characterization, dialogue, mood, tone, action, pacing, and plot in short stories. Use these tips to increase your acceptance rate, and get your creative writing published in literary journals and magazines.

1. Is the opening sentence (and opening paragraph) of your short story strong, enticing, and confident? Does it set the mood and tone of your entire short story? Is it overly “anything” (overly cute, overly obvious, overly clever), or does it have a hint of mystery?

2. Do you ground your short story in scene by appealing to the reader’s five senses? Does your description advance your reader’s understanding of character and plot? Does the relationship between dialogue and description support your short story’s goals? Is the description well-researched, accurate, and evocative?

3. Do you show rather than tell? Is there a sense of immediacy? Do you reveal and imply, rather than explain and state?

4. Are the characters unique and memorable-but believable at the same time? Are their motivations clear and are they well-rounded? Do your characters’ personalities complement each other in a way that makes the central conflict more pronounced?

5. Is the dialogue believable and effective, striking the right balance between efficiency and realism? Does the dialogue show that the characters are challenged? Is the tension illustrated in a way that is not always “flat and obvious?”

6. Are secondary characters as well-developed as main characters, even if their entire backstory doesn’t come across on the page? Have you taken care that your secondary characters aren’t more interesting than your main characters? Do secondary characters truly add to the short story, or can you cut them out?

7. Is your pacing even and controlled? Is your beginning engaging (or full of too much backstory)? Is your ending well-developed? Does the action have well-controlled ups and downs?

8. Is your ending surprising yet fitting? Does the tension level of your ending deliberately rise above the tension level of the rest of your story? And does the denouement (tying up loose ends) reveal that the character has made a choice (has changed in some way or has had the opportunity to change but instead remained the same)?

9. Is your voice unique? Do you have mesmerizing, insightful, and impressive things to say (or imply)?

10. Have you read your work aloud at least once?

11. Have you had a professional proofreader look at your short story? Even the best writers need a proofreader-in fact, it’s often the best writers who recognize this fact, while new writers tend to think they don’t need help.

12. Is your word count marketable? Stories over 4,000 words are very difficult to place. Have you developed an effective submission strategy that is proven to get results? Are you sending your work to the best-suited editors, in the proper format, during the open reading dates? Are your pages professionally formatted in a 12-point, easy-to-read font with standard margins? Is contact information included on the first page, with proper headers and page numbers on subsequent pages? Does your cover letter incorporate effective strategies?

If not, you may want to contact an author’s submission service, like Writer’s Relief, for help increasing your acceptance rate. Writer’s Relief will proofread and format your short stories and will target your work to the best-suited agents and editors (at literary journals and magazines) in order to increase the likelihood of publication. If you do seek submission assistance for your short stories, be certain you’re working with an ethical company that has a proven track record, like Writer’s Relief.

Ronnie Smith is President of Writer’s Relief. Ronnie tells us “Writer’s Relief (est. 1994) is a highly recommended author’s submission service. We act as specialized advisors and industry-specific personal assistants to help creative writers navigate the ins and outs of publishing. Along with strategically targeting submissions to the best-suited markets, we provide professional manuscript preparation, formatting, proofreading, market research, and tracking. We are endorsed by many in the writing community, and our clients include established authors, celebrated poets, tenured professors, editors, and promising new writers.

Visit http://www.WritersRelief.com to learn how we can help you submit your creative writing to agents and editors. Our FREE Writers’ Newsflash offers useful articles and fun contests for writers of all levels. See you there!”

Enjoy that? You can read more from Ronnie at The Cuckleburr Times here.

Will ‘Any Deal Do’ For Your Book?

Julia McCutchen — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 05:31:27 +0000

Some writers, especially first time aspiring authors, feel that ‘any deal will do’ when it comes to finding an agent or publisher for their book – even if it takes them away from the original intentions they had for their book.

It’s the thought of finally seeing their book in print that usually does it!

Sometimes a deal comes along after many long months – or even years – of working on developing ideas, writing style, and approaching agents or publishers without success.

Then suddenly, someone, somewhere sees the potential … and makes an offer.

Fantastic!

However, when this is based on substantial changes being made to the plot, characters or emphasis of content, warning bells should ring before any final decisions are made.

Pause for Thought

The excitement of the way opening needs to be tempered with a thorough evaluation of whatever amendments may have been asked for by the agent or publisher. Otherwise, rash decisions can be the cause of regret later.

How could anyone lament being published I hear you ask?

The truth is that in the unpredictable world of publishing, the dream and the reality don’t always match up.
The initial joy which comes from seeing your book in print can easily turn into a hollow, empty feeling if you have been persuaded to stray too far from the book you started out wanting to write.

Add to this the possibility that the sales and publicity fall short of your vision of what would be achieved, and you have the recipe for long term disappointment at every level.

Maria’s Story

Maria had a recurring dream about writing her book for publication. At 43 years old she had reached a point when she felt like it was ‘now or never’!

If she didn’t make time to get her book written and try to find a publisher for it, she would always feel that it had been a missed opportunity.

So she worked hard on clarifying her ideas on an aspect of personal development that she felt totally passionate about and which she had been developing in her ‘day job’ as a leadership coach and trainer.
Writing came naturally to her and even putting the book proposal together seemed like fun once she understood what she had to do and how to go about it.

After a while, one of the publishers she had approached said that they would like to go ahead and publish her book but only if she cut the text down in length by 50%!

This meant that she would not have space to explain all of her ideas fully. Also, the book would end up being more of a ‘gift’ book than one which contributed more deeply to her readership in the way that she had first intended.

However, her dream of being published led her to be persuaded to go along with the publishers’ requirements and the deal was done.

Three years later, Maria still feels dissatisfied with the book that was finally published.

Sales of this topic into the gift market have been slow and the opportunities for promotion were disappointingly limited.

At a creative level, Maria regrets not having stuck to her initial inspiration which was to write a book that presented the totality of her work in a way that would be of lasting value for her readers.

INVITATION TO TAKE ACTION

So what can you learn from this story?

Here are three tips to help you avoid feeling disillusioned with the end results of your writer’s journey:

1. Watch out for the three levels at which persuasion away from your original plans tend to show up:
• Content (as in Maria’s example)
• Agent and/or publisher (not feeling ‘right’ about the people you are potentially agreeing to work with)
• The deal itself (not feeling comfortable with the terms on offer – although being realistic goes hand in hand with this point!)

Of course it is very important to be open to discussion with agents and publishers generally.

And as far as the deal is concerned, being flexible regarding what terms you accept – especially if it is your first book when your power for negotiating is minimal – is crucial.

So aim for the sweet success that comes from the overlap between what you feel is authentic and right for you with the suggestions which are being made. There is almost always a middle way.

2. Refer back to your original motivation, objectives and outcome to guide you.

If you are following my recommendations for your writer’s journey, you should always start by being clear about what you are really aiming for and why you are writing a book for publication.

Write your answers to these questions down.

This will help you to focus and prioritise your actions, and make sound decisions that are on track with your primary purpose when opportunities come your way.

3. Always seek professional advice and guidance, and especially if you don’t feel sure about any aspect of the process.

There is a huge amount of excellent information available for writers today via the internet, professional organisations and from experts who have genuine knowledge to guide you forwards in a way that is right for you.

You don’t have to walk this path alone.

The way for you to experience real, long-lasting success as a writer – and in life generally – is to remain true to your Self and with all aspects of yourself in alignment with integrity.
Ultimately, this is what the journey is all about – to know and step into your Truth and be able to express that in the world. This is the essential formula for success at every level, inside and out.

Enjoy!

Julia McCutchen opens the way for writers to find their true voice, discover themselves in the process, and write consciously, creatively, successfully and with soul. A former managing director and publisher with over 20 years’ publishing experience, Julia’s holistic approach includes coaching, mentoring and masterclasses for aspiring authors. To access free articles, audios and other resources for writers, visit http://www.JuliaMcCutchen.com

Writing Tip – Stopping Readers in Their Tracks

Laura Backes — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 06:01:25 +0000

If you love books, you can probably think of several occasions when you’ve been stopped in your tracks by a unique turn of phrase or a magical description. “How did the author do that?” you wonder. “It’s so simple, and yet so profound.”

Authors get involved in the big picture when creating a book, and rightly so. We need to think about aspects of character, plot, setting, conflict, development and resolution. We must view the overall structure to ensure that it’s sound. But once that story’s down on paper and we know it’s not going anywhere, we can start concentrating on the words. The forest is planted; now take a look at the trees.

Think again about those track-stopping experiences you’ve had when reading. What else do you remember about the book? If occasional groupings of words overshadowed the story, then the author was struggling to sound writerly at the expense of the plot. However, if individual words and phrases melded seamlessly together to create a satisfying experience from beginning to end, then the words and the story had equal weight.

As a children’s book writer, how do you entice readers with your words, the essential building blocks of any type of writing, without overshadowing the other elements that make up your book? The answer: Keep it simple.

Skilled authors use everyday language in new, exciting ways. One of my favorite picture book examples is from Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are. Max is sailing across the ocean to meet the wild things for the first time. Instead of telling us the ocean is “very big” or Max travels for “a long time,” Sendak takes advantage of young children’s budding fascination with calendars:

...and he sailed off through night and day

and in and out of weeks

and almost over a year

to where the wild things are.

It’s a poetic description of time, and fits perfectly with the poetic tone of the rest of the text.

Memorable description happens when the writer pairs disparate images to create a new picture infused with emotion. The feelings make the place seem familiar to the reader. Here’s the opening paragraph from Paul Fleischman’s middle grade novel The Borning Room:

Four small walls, sheathed with pine, painted white. A window. A door onto the kitchen, for warmth. Two chairs. A bed, nearly filling up the room, like a bird held in cupped hands. Standing by the bed, squire beside his knight, a table bearing a Bible and a lamp. I’m certain you’ve stood in many such rooms.

Even if the reader has never stood in such a room, she can see it. The words Fleishman uses are accessible to every reader, and invite her in. The text is not complex–most second graders can read it easily–yet it is rich and interesting. The unadorned language reflects the straightforward nature of the narrator.

The Prologue of Natalie Babbitt’s novel Tuck Everlasting begins with a metaphor that sets the stage for the tale to follow. Babbitt likens the first week of August to the seat at the top of a Ferris wheel: …The weeks that come before are only a climb from balmy spring, and those that follow a drop to the chill of autumn, but the first week of August is motionless, and hot. She goes on to describe that time, her verbs building the tension: sunsets “smeared with too much color”; lightning that “quivers all alone.” And then the kicker: These are strange and breathless days, the dog days, when people are led to do things they are sure to be sorry for after.

Surprising the reader is good, and Babbitt jolts the reader out of his dog-days reverie with that last sentence. Joyful images of Ferris wheels and hot summer days are abruptly replaced by the promise of a story about bad decisions. This, then, is what you want your reader to notice about your writing. Not the individual words, not the fancy descriptions, but the overall feeling of being taken for a ride through the story. So here’s my writing tip – Pay attention to your words, but don’t let them take control. The only way to keep the words from overpowering the story is to always keep it simple.

Ready to take it to the next level? Come join the Fightin’ Bookworms at the new community for children’s book writers, the CBI Clubhouse. We’ve got audio, video, insider writing tips and much more! http://cbiclubhouse.com

Enjoy that? Read more from the pen of Laura right here at The Cuckleburr Times.

How-To Create A Book Marketing Plan (The Smart Way)

Sheri McConnell — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 06:01:50 +0000

Marketing plans are great guides for business owners. And a book marketing plan is the specific tool you will use to find and create places to sell your book(s).

Consider these six areas when developing your marketing plan.

1. The Audience: Who did I write this book for? Make sure you narrow your focus and target specific groups. Try to network with networks instead of one-on-one.

2. The Product: What kind of book is this? Check out your competition; see what the latest trends are with books similar to yours. One current trend is to sell your how-to book at the end of free how-to teleseminars.

3. The Price: How will I price my book? Make sure you don’t price your book too high. Again research your competition (and/or your friends!) to find out what books like yours sell for. I’ve seen lots of POD (print on demand) books outrageously priced because of the high cost per book to the author. I can’t imagine they are selling many books when their competitors are selling similar books at half the price. Remember that printing larger quantities on your own allows you to achieve higher profits per book.

4. The Packaging: How will I design and package my book? Packaging makes all the difference and is the most fun to plan! This is where I get creative and try to incorporate what I love most about the different books that I buy. Make your packaging passionate!

5. The Promotion and Publicity: What promotional methods will I use to sell my book? This is another fun and creative area to plan. A few words of advice: Be unusual and different because this creates buzz and free publicity. Make sure to combine your unusual promotional techniques with steadfast long-term tactics too. I love to do seasonal off-the-wall stuff, yet I always have ads running consistently where I know my customers will see me.

6. The Distribution: How will my customer purchase my book? You must have a website that features you and your book(s). Writers try to tell me all the time that they just don’t need a website. That maintaining it takes time away from their creativity. If you aren’t networking with networks (in this case the entire world) then you are working much harder than you have to. Of course you can distribute via traditional markets such as bookstores and gift stores, but what sounds more efficient to you? Don’t think of having a website as an option. Consider it a great way to connect with your customers and really have control over your marketing plan.

Sheri McConnell is the President of the National Association of Women Writers (http://www.NAWW.org). She helps women writers and entrepreneurs discover, create, and profit from their intellectual knowledge! Free reports for writers available with subscription to NAWW Weekly. Sheri lives in San Antonio, Texas with her husband Seth and their four children. Contact her at naww@onebox.com or her toll free number at 866-821-5829.

Enjoy that? You can read more from Sheri right here at The Cuckleburr Times.

Editing Secrets

Laura Backes — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 06:01:21 +0000

Once you’ve plotted out your book, developed the characters and written the last word of text, the real work begins. As busy editors are bombarded with hundreds or even thousands of submissions a year, it’s more important than ever that authors apply their own editing skills to their manuscripts before putting them in the mail. Checking your basic grammar and spelling are of course important, but authors need to go beyond surface editing if their work has a chance of catching an editor’s eye.

* Trim, tighten, hack away. First, second and even third drafts of manuscripts are almost always laden with extra words and scenes. Take a break from your book and then read it through with a fresh eye. Write down your theme in one sentence (what the book is about, such as working through shyness on the first day of school or showing how Thomas Edison’s childhood experiences influenced his adult life). The plot (or progression of facts and events in nonfiction) is your vehicle for conveying the theme to the reader. Ask yourself if each character and scene advance the plot toward communicating this theme. And decide at the beginning that you will give up your precious words and finely-crafted scenes for the betterment of the book. Pithy dialogue may be fun to read, but if it pushes your story off track, it’s just a literary dead end. Take the publishers’ suggested word limits seriously: no, you don’t really need 3000 words to tell your picture book story about Freddy the Frog’s adventures in the Big Pond.

* The elements of speech. Well-crafted dialogue can be a writer’s most important tool. Dialogue is not just there to break up the paragraphs or show that your characters know how to talk; ideally, it adds to character development, moves the plot along and replaces sections of narrative. Each character should sound like himself, with speech patterns and phrasing that are unique. This is especially true with talking animal books. I see many of these manuscripts where, if I took away the words that identify the speakers, each character would sound exactly the same. Don’t have dialogue repeat the narrative and vice versa; “Did you hear that? Someone’s at the door!” does not have to be preceded by “They heard a sound at the door”.

* Show don’t tell. How many times have you heard this? It’s still true. Comb through your manuscript for sentences that tell the reader how a character felt (Sara was sad) and replace with sensory descriptions (Hot tears sprang to Sara’s eyes and rolled down her cheeks.) Avoid telling the reader what to think about the story (Jason foolishly decided to trust Mike one more time.) Instead, present your character’s actions and decisions to the reader, and let the reader draw his or her own conclusions (incidentally, this is how you “teach” without preaching).

* Wipe out passive writing. Search for verbs preceded by “would” (would go, would sleep, would eat) replace with the past tense (went, slept, ate). Also look for actions that seem to happen out of thin air. “The door was opened” is passive, because the sentence lacks a “doer”. Remember, the reader needs to visualize what’s happening in the story. “The wind blew the door open” is better, because the action can be attributed to something, and it puts the most important element (strong wind) at the beginning of the sentence. Simply rearranging the words (“The door blew open from the wind”) puts emphasis on a door that won’t stay closed, making that the subject of the sentence.

* Be precise. One of the best ways to make your writing come alive for the reader is to use exact nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. One well-chosen word is always better than three vague ones. Adjectives like big, little, cold, hot, beautiful, scary and silly; adverbs such as quickly, slowly, loudly, and softly; and general verbs like walk, went, stayed and ate don’t draw a vivid picture for your reader. Of course, sometimes these words are appropriate, but try as a rule choosing words that describe specifically what you want to communicate. Words that sound and look interesting are also a plus. Tremendous, tiny, frigid, scorching, plodded, sauntered and gulped are more fun to read, and they each lend an emotional overtone to the sentence (if your character gulps his food, you don’t have to tell the reader he’s in a hurry).

And finally, make sure there’s a logical cause and effect relationship between the scenes of your book. Each event should build upon the ones that came before. The plot should spring intrinsically from your characters; nonfiction should unfold because of the nature of your subject and your slant on the material. It’s when everything comes seamlessly together that you have a winning book. Make it look easy, but don’t skimp on all the hard work it takes to get there.

Laura Backes is the publisher of Children’s Book Insider, the Newsletter for Children’s Writers. For more information about writing children’s books, including free articles, market tips, insider secrets and much more, visit Children’s Book Insider’s home on the web at http://write4kids.com

Enjoy that? Read more from the pen of Laura right here at The Cuckleburr Times.

How To Tap Into Your Brilliance

Sheri McConnell — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:03:55 +0000

As a practicing writer, do you sometimes feel like you have nothing to write or like it takes forever to create even one well written sentence? And then after all the hard work it took to create a powerful sentence, article, or book–you then struggle to get motivated to do it all over again. Writing doesn’t have to be this hard. You can learn to tap into your brilliance easier, faster, and with more excitement!

Creating A Supportive Environment

Writing partners are a must. More than anything else, a writing buddy or partner will allow you to be validated on a consistent basis. Not just validation of your actual writing, but validation of your time and work. That is why joining organizations like the National Association of Women Writers (NAWW) are so important in helping you tap into your brilliance. It really is about validation of your purpose. You won’t sit down at the computer again and again to write if you don’t feel like it is a worthy experience.

Organization isn’t just for people who are anal. Organization allows the mind to tap into ideas and thoughts much quicker. If you have a disorganized life–guess what–your brain will often resemble the same disorganized state. A clogged faucet doesn’t flow.

Interviews are another great way to allow yourself to tap into your own brilliance easier. Whenever I am stuck with a writing project I schedule an interview to help me get stimulated again. First, it gives me the accountability to get questions created for the interviewee and second, I am always energized by the “brilliance” of other dynamic people. I get new ideas and inspiration each and every time I do an interview–not to mention great quotes I now have to infuse into my own writing.

Practicing Organic Writing

Look for the seeds or writing prompts throughout your days. I get lots of them in the shower. When you sit down to write, start writing about what you are most passionate about first. List bullets first and then expand upon those for additional ideas. Write often and you will train yourself to “get in the flow” much easier.

A few other great ways to “grow” your ideas into other writing projects organically is to take inventory of what you already have. Use past content to jumpstart your writing. Pull quotes from books you love and have read over and over again.

Using the Right Tapping Tools

Some people like to generate ideas (tap into their brilliance) in a linear way (outlines) and others in a more visual and creative way (mindmapping). I use both. When I work on any project that will have a table of contents, I always start with it first. I know that my table of contents will never ever look the same in the end. But just having that as a starting point gets me going. I also do dummy covers and slide them into a manual with the table of contents right inside in front of a lot of blank hole-punched paper. I carry this around and jot down new ideas and stick notes in the binder pockets.

When I write shorter articles, I use mindmaps to map out the flow of the information. I also love using them when I plan and write workshops or teleseminars because the mindmaps become an extra visual bonus for the attendees. I love using www.mindjet.com for this purpose.

You can also use a wipe on/wipe off board and use sticky Post It notes that you can move around to organize your ideas. Another thing I do on the days when I can’t write at all (which for me is usually the weekends) is put ideas on sticky notes and just stick them to my computer. This one practice alone allows me to easily tap right into brilliance when I sit back down at the computer come Monday morning.

Finally–Focusing on the Rewards

Focusing on rewards is the last and very effective way that I have trained myself to tap into brilliance. I set deadlines and reward myself with time off to read a book and grab some Starbucks. I also announce my accomplishments to my own internal team and support group. I offer preorders for products I haven’t yet written to my customers–that financial reward alone (much like a book advance) completely motivates me to tap into my brilliance because I know I can’t disappoint my customers.

Invitation to Tap Into Your Brilliance

I know that you can tap into your brilliance much easier once you let go of perfection and create the right environment to support your dreams and passions. The systems I talk about above will allow you to train your brain to do it faster and with more ease. Need more support? Plug into the NAWW member forums soon and let other NAWW members know how these techniques are working for you!

Sheri McConnell is the President of the National Association of Women Writers (http://www.NAWW.org). She helps women writers and entrepreneurs discover, create, and profit from their intellectual knowledge! Free reports for writers available with subscription to NAWW Weekly. Sheri lives in San Antonio, Texas with her husband Seth and their four children. Contact her at naww@onebox.com or her toll free number at 866-821-5829.

Enjoy that? You can read more from Sheri right here at The Cuckleburr Times.

Succeeding As a Writer – Confidence and Determination

Carolyn Kaufman — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 06:01:03 +0000

When I’ve written something, and the words have just flowed, I sometimes feel like I’m looking down on the Seventh Day, basking in the warmth of my creation and proclaiming, It Is Good. I’ll feel like I’ve captured the emotion and the angst; or the flavor, color, and texture of the world I envisioned. The characters will be as real as Real People to me. I’ll feel that glow in my chest: Of course I’m a writer. This is something I was meant to do.

Now, as a psychologist, I believe it’s not only okay, it’s healthy to be able to say to yourself, “I did a good job on that.” “I’m a good writer.” You don’t have to announce it to the world (in fact, you probably shouldn’t!), but you’re healthier if you have a secret little place inside with a nice big refrigerator to put up your accomplishments, and where you can nod and pat yourself on the back and think, I Did Good. I even have lots of professional terms to make that all sound more authoritative, like self-esteem, self-efficacy, and adequate mirroring on the Grandiose Pole. But I’m going to skip all that for right now.

If feeling good about what you’d written was as far as any of this went, all would be well. But so many of us have this urge, this drive, this need to get published. And what is that all about anyways? Few people make money publishing. It’s cool, but unless you’re Stephenie Meyer or JK Rowling or whoever this week’s Hot Writer is, it’s a passing cool that others soon forget. Getting published doesn’t make you beautiful or thin or get you a Happily Ever After with whichever celebrity you drool over most.

Yet the need remains. So you sweat blood over a query and open a vein to get the synopsis right and then, hoping, praying, believing you’ve got something others will love, you start sending your work out to others.

Some writers start with crit buddies, some jump straight to agents and publishers; some do both simultaneously. And most soon discover that not everyone else thinks their work is so good.

According to Robert Heinlein, that’s where a lot of people quit. In fact, he believed that only half the writers who actually put pen to paper (or words to screen) and finish what they start have the guts to submit to agents and publishers:

Writers…are inordinately fond of their brainchildren. They would rather see their firstborn child ravaged by wolves than suffer the pain of having a manuscript rejected. So instead they [only] read their manuscripts aloud to spouses and long-suffering friends.

But you’re not satisfied to believe the friends and family who swear your work is fantastic — you have to send your work out to people outside that little circle. And as the crits roll in and the rejections pile up, you look at your work with fresh eyes, and you realize it’s miserable. It’s embarrassingly horrible. You’re embarrassingly horrible, and stupid besides to ever have believed someone else might be interested in the ridiculous stories you make up in your head.

Lather, rinse, repeat. Crit after crit, rejection letter after rejection letter.

Some throw in the towel right away. “The world just isn’t ready for my material,” they sniff, or they decide that all agents are self-important jerks who wouldn’t know a good story if it ran them over. There are even websites that exist for the purpose of ranting about your rejections and throwing mud back at the agents who sent them. (Who are, by the way, human beings who are just doing their jobs as best they can. But that’s another blog post.)

Other writers are worn down over weeks, months, or years of querying. Or by disapproving relatives. Or by savage critique “buddies.” The rejection hurts. A lot.

But some always manage to drag themselves out of the dirt, brush themselves off, and try again. Just like they need to write, they need to keep trying to get published.

“Writing is a calling,” says editor Betsy Lerner. “If the call subsides, so be it. [But] when writers say they have no choice, what they mean is: Everything in the world conspired to make me quit, but I kept going.” She goes on:

Many writers have gathered their marbles and gone home for far less cause. It takes a supreme talent and fierce self-belief to write in the face of such acrimony… If the high wire is for you, if the spotlight is for you, if you believe that everyone should pay attention to you and your work, then you must stay focused. Ambivalence will never get you anywhere.

What it comes down to, I’ve read over and over again, is determination in the face of all that feedback, all those rejections. A willingness to learn, of course, but also determination to overcome and succeed:

The degree of one’s perseverance is the best predictor of success – Betsy Lerner
In all manner of pursuits there’s a tendency to overesimate brilliance and underestimate persistence. Talent is common. Determination is rare. -Ralph Keyes
[The authors of the Chicken Soup books] instinctively understood that all those rejections were simply an uncomfortable part of the process that would eventually get them where they wanted to be. – literary agent Jeff Herman
[Author of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Ken] Kesey was not even remotely the best writer in class [at the writing program at Stanford], but he was maniacally determined. – Classmate and writer Thomas McGuane
Talent is extremely common. What is rare is the willingness to endure the life of a writer – Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

So where do you find the determination? According to Keyes, you have to hate the idea of being ignored, of never being read, more than you hate the pain of rejection. “It is some combination of ability and ego,” adds Lerner, “desire and discipline, that produces good work.” She continues:

A writer’s success or faltering can usually be traced to some abundance or deficit of those elements. Some of the most gifted writers I’ve worked with were also the most self-sabotaging. Lack of discipline, desire for fame, and depression often thwart those whose talents appear most fertile, while those who struggle with every line persevere regardless.

In many ways, learning to deal with rejection from agents and publishers is just the first step. Because when you do manage to get published, you will have to deal with critics, the bloodthirsty pirahna in the sea of your success. People who have sudden, overwhelming success, are not prepared for it. And that may topple them and keep them from producing good work going forward. So keep running that gauntlet, and be proud of your calluses and scars, because they mean you believed in yourself enough to keep going.

Dr. Carolyn Kaufman is a clinical psychologist who teaches at Columbus State Community College in Columbus, Ohio. A published writer, she recently launched Archetype Writing: Psychology for Fiction Writers). Visitors will find not only articles about psychology tailored to their needs, but they can ask Dr. K their writing/psychology questions. She also blogs on the QueryTracker.net Blog. She is often quoted by the media as an expert resource.

How Do Distributors and Wholesalers Differ As They Move Your Book to Market?

Charles Jacobs — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 11:23:33 +0000

The majority of first time authors don’t understand how books move from the printer or publisher to the bookstore or the library. Bringing a new book to the market is a unique and at times complex process, different in many ways from the movement of most other products.

While retailers, for example, head directly to a manufacturer to place orders for the vast majority of the items they sell, bookstores and libraries almost never buy directly from authors or publishers. They insist upon a middleman, called a book wholesaler. The wholesaler in turn is reluctant to purchase books directly from the publishing house or from the author, particularly if they have only one or even just a handful of books that they are selling. Wholesalers generally expect a distributor to warehouse the books as they come off the press, packaging and sending copies at their request. Distributors too are often difficult to find. They are not particularly interested in a “one shot” author. They want continuity, and look to see what other books he/she plans to publish in the near future.

Specific Functions

Each level of the distribution process has its own special function. The process starts with the publishing house or the author. Prepublication promotions should be set in motion well before publication date. Advance reviews are critical to success and are very helpful in obtaining a distributor. One of the evaluations a distributor will use when making the decision whether or not to represent an author is the pre-publication promotional effort he/she has already launched and the plans for a continuing sales effort once the book is available.

Most distributors insist upon exclusivity, although in some cases it is possible to get agreement on adding a specialized distributor to concentrate on a specific area of selling. For example, if your book is particularly suited for library distribution, you may be able to convince your primary distributor to allow you to contract with specialists like Quality Books or Brodart Co that concentrate directly on the library market.

Why Do I Need a Distributor?

You are probably wondering whether you actually require a distributor since most stores and libraries purchase copies from wholesalers. The answer is very simple. The functions of a distributor go far beyond those of the wholesaler. In addition to having a supply of books available at all times, the distributor will handle all packing and shipping for you and will maintain records of sales and returns. You will receive a detailed report every month on the activity your book has experienced. A strong distributor will have a sales force that actively promotes your book to the end users. Before the book ever goes on press, the author should begin reaching out to obtain a distributor, for as I have said earlier they are hard to find and relieve you of so many chores. A writer’s task is to write and to promote his/her output. If you undertake the chores of a distributor, your fundamental responsibilities will be neglected for lack of time to do it all.

Wholesalers do not sell for you. Their job is to stock titles for immediate delivery when ordered by the store or library. How many times have you tried to purchase a book the store did not have? You follow the clerk to the register, where he/she types in a message to the wholesaler to confirm availability of the book. If the answer is yes, and it usually is, the book will be available in a matter of several days.

Are They Always Needed?

Definitely not. If you plan to do all of your selling directly from you web site or any other “pushcart,” digital or real, you certainly don’t have to reduce your profit by 50% for the wholesaler and pay the expense of representation by a distributor. You can also sell through the booksellers that proliferate online without these intermediaries. But if you decide to go this route, be ready to spend much of your time promoting and selling.

Of course, it is very common to integrate both forms of selling into your marketing plan. I maintain a distributor, Atlas Books, a division of Bookmasters, the company that printed my latest book. (Using a printer with a distribution division, by the way, is a relatively easy method of finding a distributor.) At the same time, I have a regular flow of books sent by Atlas to my personal office that I use when I give speeches or participate in other events that allow me to sell my books directly to the public.

When I sell through my web site, I utilize PayPal to collect the money. It in turn notifies Atlas to send out a book to the purchaser. Atlas then performs what we call the fulfillment function, saving me the onerous chores of pacing and mailing the book.

The process of moving your books to the marketplace seems far more complicated than it really is. Understanding all that this article has explained will allow you to tackle distribution comfortably. In essence all of what I have said can be summarized by realizing that it is your job and that of the publisher and distributor to create demand, while the task of the wholesaler is to respond to that demand.

Charles Jacobs’ latest book The Writer Within You has been selected as one of the Best Books of the Year by seven publishing organizations. He is available for book coaching, shepherding and ghost writing. Contact him at charles@retirement-writing.com or visit his extensive web site Retirement-Writing.

Surefire Ways to Make Your Book Show-You-the-Money

Earma Brown — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 22:05:54 +0000

Every part should be written passionately and designed to be a sales tool. Touch your readers’ emotion with passion for your topic and you’ll sell more books. In fact, when you design your book to include the passion points below, you’ll sell more books than you ever imagined.

Passion Point #1 Write to help one targeted audience.

It’s true not everyone wants your book. But there is a community of people in your field waiting for you to solve their problem. What problems does your message solve for them? Develop an audience profile (picture) and keep it in front of you as you write. That way you can visualize a real person to solve problems for. Though 78% market is women who buy books, choosing an audience of women is not narrow enough. Chicken Soup for Mothers, Chicken Soup For The Teenager, For The Prisoner and other specific groups sold way more copies than the original Chicken Soup.

Passion Point #2 Sizzle Your Title and Book Cover.

Your title may well be 90% of the pulling power for your book. Researchers say you have 4 seconds to hook your potential buyer. An excellent title is short. The top titles are benefit driven. Don’t forget to heat them up with emotion. Use terms your audience can relate to. Use action words and verbs. Quantify change with ways and time limits. Use one or two word ideas to tell a story. Pledge change. Spark interest. Instead of “How to Write an E-book”, the author chose the title “Ten Secrets to Write Your E-book Like a Winner.” She quantified change, sparked interest and branded her title.

Passion Point #3 Design a 30 second “Billboard.”

Sprinkle this billboard throughout your book, your speeches, elevator conversation, radio spots. Let your passion for your topic shine for a few seconds in this billboard. After all, you only have a few seconds to make an impression on the media, the agent, the bookseller, the individual buyer. Incorporate your title, a few benefits, and the audience. Write this billboard with sound bites that capture attention. Don’t be afraid to compare your book with a successful one. “Women With Passion, Purpose & Power” is the “Purpose Driven Life” for women.

Passion Point #4 Write Your Back Cover Before You Write Your Book.

This is ranked the second most important “Passion Point” for your book. Think about it in choosing a book to read for yourself,how many times the title has hooked your interest enough to pick it up. Then usually you turn it over to see if you really want to read it. On the back cover, you put the most compelling ad copy, benefits, testimonials, and a small blurb (bio) about yourself. If your prospective buyer likes it they will buy instantly. If they need more information to make the decision they will preview your introduction and table of contents.

Passion Point #5 Develop your book introduction.

State the problem your reader has, why you wrote the book, and its purpose. In a few paragraphs include specific benefits and explain your format (how you will present it.) Make sure it’s one page or less. Your sales message will be more subtle here. Nevertheless pinpoint and emphasize the benefits to your reader for you may still be convincing them your book is the book to buy.

Passion Point #6 Make a table of contents.

Each chapter should have a sizzling title. If the chapter titles are not obvious, then annotate them. Add some benefits or a sub-title explaining. In “Women’s Passion, Purpose & Power,” the author put the word “women” in each title. Which creates more synergy? Image, Worth, Name or “A Woman’s Image”, “A Woman’s Worth”, “A Woman’s Name.”

Passion Point #7 Contact influencers in your field.

Don’t just fill your book’s back cover with a wall of text explaining your book. Instead fill it with some
bulleted benefits and testimonies. Find experts and normal people that will refer your book to your potential reader through a testimonial. After an initial contact of asking for feedback, resend them the same chapter and the table of contents of your book. Ask for a testimonial then. These experienced contacts’ testimonials will lend influence to your back cover making it a powerful sales tool.

Earma Brown, 13 year author and business owner helps small business owners and writers who want to write their best book now! Author of “Write Your Best Book Now”. Visit Earma atInspired Publishing.

Building Book Chapters

Sophfronia Scott — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 20:13:45 +0000

When preparing to write a non-fiction book, most aspiring authors have no trouble coming up with a list of chapters for their nascent books. They might even come up with snazzy titles for those chapters. But after that? Nothing. That’s where they get stuck. They don’t know how to begin filling up those chapters with writing.

One of my private book coaching clients recently hit this same wall. As we worked through it, I realized some of the points we covered would be good to review here.

The Break Down
When thinking about your non-fiction chapters, it’s best to keep it simple. Cover just one main point in each chapter. Then, to write the chapter, think in terms of WHAT, WHY and HOW. Each chapter, to certain degrees, will contain each of these concepts.

The “What”
With the WHAT, you’re introducing your main point for that chapter and explaining what it is. Let’s say, for instance, that you’re writing a personal development book and you have a chapter on “Persistence”. You might begin by discussing what persistence is and perhaps give a few anecdotes showing what it looks like in action in a person’s life.

The “Why”
In the WHY, you’ll talk about why your main point– in this case persistence–is so important. This is where you really get the reader to “buy into” the concept. You can drive this section home by showing what it looks like when the thing is absent. You can tell stories (either your own or client examples) of what happens when someone lacks persistence.

The “How”
The HOW is a little tricky. Ideally you’re telling the reader how to gain/fix/work with/eliminate the concept. But it’s up to you to decide how much HOW you’ll give. Some authors give very little HOW because they want to sell their expertise. You have to come to them to get the HOW. Some authors can afford to put more HOW into the book because their HOW is very difficult and the reader would still have to buy a product or hire the author to help implement the HOW. You have to take a pretty good look at your business strategy for your book–that will help you decide how much HOW you’re going to give away, if any.

The Writing
Now all you have to do is come up with your WHAT-WHY-HOW for each chapter until you’ve written your whole book. Yes, it can be that simple. You can always add or subtract material once you’ve written the first draft. The great thing is…you’ll have a first draft. I challenge you to get started today. Let’s see how fast you can build a book!

Sophfronia Scott is Executive Editor of the Done For You Writing & Publishing Company. Learn what a difference being a published author can make for your business. Get your FREE audio CD, “How to Succeed in Business By Becoming a Bestselling Author” and your FREE online writing and book publishing tips at The Done For You Writing & Publishing Company.

Write a Non-Fiction Book First to Sell More Than You Ever Dreamed

Earma Brown — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 17:54:37 +0000

Titles are one of the most important aspects of your book. Did you know the average reader, publisher or editor only spends about 6 seconds looking at the front cover of any book. They spend not much longer, about 15 seconds, on the back cover. That leaves an author about 20 seconds to make a good impression on a potential reader. How will your title measure up in those few seconds?

Does your title do its job well? I mean does it help explain what’s in your book? Does it capture the
interest, engage, or shock the senses of your potential reader? Expert studies show the title may be
responsible for up to 90% of your book’s magnetic pulling power. Some even say at least half of your book’s
success can be attributed to its title. Use these top title sizzlers and sell more books than you ever
dreamed.

Allow reader benefits to drive your title.

A winning non-fiction title immediately communicates the benefit readers will gain after reading your book. Benefit-oriented books often use the problem-solution approach. Master (A) this skill or technique and get (B) this benefit.

Readers buy non-fiction books for a “benefit” for something that will help them, grow them, profit more, less expense, less trouble, gain more time, less stress, better relationships, better health, less drama, less trauma, more energy and vitality and less fatigue.

Napoleon Hill’s “Think and Grow Rich” or Dottie Walter’s “Speak and Grow Rich” both instantly communicate the benefit of reading their book. They used the benefit driven, problem solution approach: Do this and get that. Psychological studies have proven that there are certain words that can help you connect to your potential readers and motivate them to buy from you. Here’s a list of words that can help you connect.

Free Sale How to Healthy
Love Now Discover Guarantee
Safe Value Introduce Natural
New Fun Easy Fast
Benefits Save Your Precious
Right Gain Proven Secret
You Money Penetrate Solution
Alternative Happy Suddenly Magic
Security Advice Proud Comfortable

Use these words to help express your book’s benefits rather than its features. For example, don’t say “This book has x, y, z features”; instead say “This book will save you time and money because it has proven x, y, and z.”

Leave out a benefit in your title and it will not be as effective in hooking your potential reader at first
sight. Title your book well to sell well. Offer a solution to your readers. Demonstrate your expertise in
your area so that they will move to the next step of buying your product, engaging your services or at least asking for more information.

Notice the two of eight powerful principles we have just covered: “short,” “concept,” “benefit” or
“curiosity” tile followed by a longer sub-title that explains. Notice how often “listing steps,” “numbers,”
or “time range” appear in the titles.

Make a note of your favorite titles. You can simply write them on a sheet of paper. Take a break, overnight is best, and allow your sub-conscious mind to mull over what you have learned. You’ll be surprised one day soon after, your best title will emerge.

You owe it to yourself and book’s success to develop your best title. After all, the better your title the
more people will reach out and grab your book to read. Develop your title to have marketing appeal for the masses.

Earma Brown, 13 year author and business owner helps small business owners and writers who want to write their best book now! Author of “Write Your Best Book Now”. Visit Earma’s website here.

Seven Weapons To Conquer The Giant Procrastination

Earma Brown — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 11:27:41 +0000

Have you been guilty of procrastinating on your book project, lately? Like the author, many writers get hung up with wrong thinking about writing and completing their books. They feel like a loser because they have stopped and started countless of times over the years.

They fail to realize you actually become a winner the minute you start moving toward your worthwhile goal. Instead they continue procrastinating until they give up. A client confessed she thought writing a book was too hard.

Knowledge and know-how can be formed into a weapon that will destroy the power of procrastination. Using the 7 weapons below writers can conquer the giant procrastination and finally realize their book dream.

Weapon #1 Do it Now!

Now is better than later. Remember you become a successful author the minute you start moving toward your worthwhile book goal. I don’t know anyone that regrets they wrote a book. But the author has met plenty of people that regret they didn’t do it sooner.

Weapon #2 Invest time in designing your passion points “top marketing spots” beforehand!

Spend time on developing the passion points designed to sell more before your book is even completed The passion points are the title, cover, thesis, audience, benefits & features, mini sales letter written as introduction and back cover copy of each book. For example, at least half of the book’s success will be on the title you choose.

Weapon #3 Know you don’t have to be an expert with a degree, great writer or do loads of research

Write books you are interested in and want to learn more about. As you look for information, talk to experts and write, you become the expert. Find out what questions your readers will want answered. Organize them into categories which become your table of contents and eventually your chapters. Remember there are interested readers who are waiting for your helpful information.

Weapon #4 Realize your message is significant and deserves your attention, love and time.

Consider what your readers need and want. If your book shares something unique, encouraging, useful, entertaining, it is important enough to be written. Think about your gift? God gave you your gift to share with others. Our gift back to God is what we do with it. The loving care you put into your gift (book) the more rewards await you.

Weapon #5 Recognize your book will sell with your marketing efforts.

It’s true not everyone will want to buy your book. Yet there are plenty of your targeted audiences that will want your entertaining or helpful information. The world awaits your self-help, how-to’s, business, or poetry book. When you take the time to touch their emotions with something that benefits them, they will pull out their credit card or cash and pay the price. Top selling non-fiction topics are self- help, mysteries, parent/children, sex and romance. Remember women
buy 78% of all trade books.

Weapon #6 Realize the journey doesn’t have to be long or difficult.

Invite your friends and family to brainstorm with you as peer editors. Ask for their feedback on the thesis, title and chapters – one at a time. Don’t become isolated in your thinking. Opening your writing process up to others will give you a better feel for what your readers may want. Enroll in a writing and/or publishing class to elevate your thinking. Join a critique group to get feedback. Subscribe to newsletters and read articles on book writing to get tips that will help you on your journey to a successful book.

Weapon #7 Acknowledge publishing has changed and doesn’t have to be too expensive, too long and too difficult anymore.

Technology has advanced the publishing process into new realms. Traditional publishing has normally taken one to two years. With e-Book and Print on Demand (POD) printing technologies, an author can see their quality looking book in print within a few months or less.

Remember if you get to some parts of the project that’s beyond your skill or know-how consider coaching and other professional services that will carry you over anything blocking you from writing, completing and publishing your successful book.

If you have been succumbing to procrastination, take a different strategy use the perspective and 7 weapons above to overcome any giant called procrastination keeping you from fulfilling your book dream.