Will ‘Any Deal Do’ For Your Book?

 

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

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