[authorme] PUBLISHING NEW WRITERS, SEPTEMBER 2006
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- Date: Sat, 2 Sep 2006 07:07:54 -0700 (PDT)
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In this issue...
FEATURE... SELF-PUBLISHING
........................................................
--SELF-PUBLISHING vs. BEING SELF-PUBLISHED, by Patricia L. Fry
--WRITE THE BOOK PROPOSAL EARLY, by Patricia L. Fry
--STILL, WE WRITE BECAUSE WE MUST WRITE, by Uche Peter Umez
--ADVANCED TECHNIQUES: QUICK TIPS, by Sandy Tritt
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FEATURE... SELF PUBLISHING
Publish your own book and get rich. Right? Wrong says Kelly Spors of the Wall
Street Journal. Exerpt: "...even with a big publisher on your side, chances of
success are slim. About 80% of the 1.2 million books tracked by Nielsen
BookScan in 2004 sold fewer than 99 copies and only 2% sold 5,000 or more
copies. The average book sells 500 copies. Only 10% of the roughly
120,000 books published each year reach traditional bookstores, Ms. Nathan
adds. Read her comments ...(and weep)... in WSJ.com - Small Talk
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SELF-PUBLISHING vs. BEING SELF-PUBLISHED
by Patricia L. Fry
The concept of self publishing has been around for as long as writers have been
writing. Early self-published authors include Mark Twain, Carl Sandburg and
Mary Baker Eddy. More recently, Dan Poynter, James Redfield and Deepak Chopra
are among those who have experienced success publishing and promoting their own
works. I have published about a dozen books since 1983 through my publishing
company, Matilija Press.
Enter the twenty-first century and the parameters around the term self
publishing began to blur. Authors, when discussing self-publishing, discovered
that they were sometimes comparing apples to oranges. But there's only one way
to self-publish, right? Well, maybe not.
Something happened during the last six or seven years to create some confusion.
Enter the new breed of fee-based publishing services. While paying to be
published is not a new concept, these services have never been so numerous and
so obvious. And hundreds of authors are responding to their hype.
These companies cater to folks who believe they're dealing with royalty
publishers, but they've also caught the attention of those who prefer thinking
of themselves as self-published authors. In fact, the options provided by
fee-based publishers are actually mutations of time-honored publishing
standards. This isn't to say that it's a bad thing. But I believe the terms
need clarification.
A traditional royalty publisher, for example, is a publisher of any size who
puts up the money to produce a book and pays the author royalties for the books
as they sell. A fee-based POD publisher or pay-to-be-published company or
subsidy publisher requires money from the author to produce the book. They
might give the author a couple of free copies of his book and he can purchase
additional copies at a discount.
In all cases, the author must participate in promoting his or her book. Books
will not sell by the gazillions through bookstores nationwide unless the author
finds a way to attract those gazillion buyers. Except in rare cases and when
working with the most prominent traditional publishing houses, your book will
probably never find its way into even one mega bookstore anywhere. And this is
not a bad thing. There are plenty of customers for good books outside of brick
and mortar bookstores. It is important that you understand these two facts
before becoming attached to unrealistic expectations:
In spite of what your fee-based publisher tells you, your book will probably
never see the inside of a bookstore. (Read the contract carefully, folks. Does
it say that your book will be sold through bookstores or does it say, "We will
make your book available to bookstores?" Translated, this means that if a
bookseller comes along and asks for a book like yours, they will certainly tell
him about it.)
There are hundreds of book promotion activities that don't involve bookstores.
Read my books, "The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book," "Over 75
Good Ideas for Promoting Your Book," and John Kremer's books on book promotion.
What is Self Publishing?
Self-publishing means that you put up the money to produce your book and you
own the publishing company. You apply for a fictitious business name for your
company and file it with the county. You purchase the ISBN block and the bar
code. You set the price. You hire a printing company to print and bind your
book. You make all of the decisions. And, as with all methods of publishing
you, the author, are responsible for promoting your book.
While this may seem like a long, complicated to-do list, in reality, you can
set up your company within a few days. What about the costs? Once you've paid
the one-time fees involved in starting a publishing business, you should be
able to produce your book for about the same as any of the least expensive
fee-based publishing services.
Let's explore the pros and cons of self-publishing versus going with a
publishing service:
When you set up your own publishing company.
- You are in charge.
- You are responsible for quality control.
- You reap all of the profits.
- Your chances of publishing success are greater.
- You could have a published book within weeks instead of months or years.
- You are responsible for promoting your book.
If your book does well, you might be able to land a traditional royalty
publisher.
When you sign with a fee-based publishing company.
- You have little opportunity for input.
- Quality control is beyond your control.
- The average number of books sold is around 100 per title.
- You are responsible for promoting your book
It is more difficult to promote your book because it is often overpriced.
As you may have noticed, publishing/promotion and writing are at opposite ends
of the spectrum. A writer does not a savvy publisher make. Study is required.
An open mind is necessary. Before making any publishing decisions, it is
important that you take the time to learn something about the industry. Find
out how books are sold. Quiz other authors-especially those who have worked
with the companies you are considering. Speak with those who have
self-published. Read Dan Poynter's book, "The Self-Publishing Manual." And my
book, "The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book." Learn what
promotion entails.
No matter what method of publishing you choose, your ultimate success will be
in direct relationship to your knowledge of the industry. And understanding the
difference between self-publishing, traditional royalty publishers and the
services offered by fee-based publishing services is a definite start.
Patricia Fry is a fulltime freelance writer and the author of 24 books. Her
latest book is "The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book," (Matilija
Press, 2005). To order: http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html. Follow
Patricia Fry's informative blog at
http://www.matilijapress.com/publishingblog.
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WRITE THE BOOK PROPOSAL EARLY
by Patricia L. Fry
I hear it all the time, âI donât need a book proposal because Iâm
writing a novel.â One woman told me, âMy book simply defies the need to
write a book proposal first. Iâll pitch it to publishers as already
written.â Or the classic, âSure, you might write a book proposal for a
how-to book, but not a memoir.â
Excuse me, but I beg to differ. Every book should start with a book
proposal. The only exceptions are books for personal distribution to family
members and friends and, perhaps, instructional or educational books with
limited distribution to a specific company, organization or industry. Books
written with a national, international or even regional audience in mind, in
order to be successful, require tremendous forethought. And this means, write a
book proposal first.
You wouldnât invent and manufacture an odorless perfume or a new type of
screwdriver without first exploring the success potential. You would determine,
is there a need for this product, what is the competition, who would use it,
what steps are necessary in order to produce it, how much would it cost to
produce it and how would you market it? Well, HELLOOOOO. A book is a product,
too.
In order to determine the potential for a product, you develop a business
plan. When that product is a book, you write a book proposal.
Even before writing a book, there are certain things that you need to know.
And this is true whether youâre writing a memoir, novel, childrenâs
storybook, chapbook, historical, how-to, self-help or coffee table book. If you
are seeking some measure of success with your book project, you must find out:
 Is there a market for this book?
 What titles compete with yours?
 How does your book differ from others on this topic?
 Who is your target audience and how can you reach them?
 What are your publishing options?
 What are the possible consequences of your publishing choices?
 What are your responsibilities as a published author?
 How will you promote your book once it is published?
A well designed book proposal will answer these important questions. It will
also help you to determine:
 How realistic is your vision for this book?
 What is the best way to organize your book?
 How can you make it more salable?
Iâm one of many professionals who recommend writing a book proposal even
before writing the book. You might argue (and believe me, many new authors do),
âBut, Iâm in creative modeâI need to write this book now.â Sure, go
ahead and write a book on a whim. Iâve done it. Itâs great funâan
enjoyable exercise. But should you decide that this book must be published, be
aware that you might need to do some rewriting. Sure, itâs possible that you
can find a publisher for your book, as is. Kudos to you. However, many
countless disillusioned authors tell me, âI was rejected by every publisher I
approached so I paid to have my book published. I should have listened to those
publishers and editors who suggested changes to my manuscript.â Or âIf only
Iâd taken the time to learn more about my options.â
Memoir authors seem especially reluctant to let anything outside of them
influence their book. I was told recently, âThis is my memoir and it must be
told my way.â Okay, but if you write a book proposal first, you might
discover even subtle ways to make your memoir more desirable to a publisher.
Letâs say that you plan to write a chronological account of your life.
Unless you have celebrity status, you probably donât have even a slight
chance of finding a traditional royalty publisher. Weave some fascinating bits
of historical information throughout the book, play up your involvement in a
major national organization or give your memoir a self-help or how-to flavor
and you just might have something worth pitching. What difference would these
ideas make toward the success of your memoir?
These added dimensions give you a wider range of publishers to choose from.
For example, there are over twice as many publishers of history than of
memoirs, and over three times more publishers of how-to books. Your book would
be easier to promote. The historical aspect might make it suitable for
inclusion in public school curriculum, for example, and thatâs a large
audience. If you involve a national organization in a positive way in your
memoir, they might help to promote your book. And self-help and how-to books
generally come with an audience and have a longer shelf life. Here are a few
examples of memoirs that could transition into self-help books:
 You have overcome a lifelong fear such as agoraphobia, ailurophobia or
caligynephobia.
 You traveled the world with a cat.
 You endured childhood abuse.
 You are a triplet.
 You care for a loved one who suffered brain damage in an accident.
 You were mauled by a dog (bear, ostrich or lion).
 You are an amputee who participates in sports.
 Youâve traveled to many exotic places practically free.
If you are serious about getting published, do not write your book on a whim.
Start with a book proposal and this is true for nonfiction, memoirs and fiction.
Another reason for writing a book proposal is for the advance. Many
publishers of all sizes offer an advance against royalties. Now wouldnât it
be nice to have the money to sustain you while you work on the manuscript?
Patricia Fry is a full-time freelance writer and editorial consultant. She
is the author of 24 books, including The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell
Your Book. www.matilijapress.com. Read her informative blog at
www.matilijapress.com/publishingblog
============================================================
STILL, WE WRITE BECAUSE WE MUST WRITE
by Uche Peter Umez
I have always admired the African writer, even though I sometimes fall into
the trap of Gorettis statement: that it is easy to lose hope when one lives in
Africa. We Africans live in a society where the government is more interested
in perpetuating itself in power than nurturing literacy, where oppression is a
ravening lion seeking to silence any creative voice.
Sometimes, I wonder why I am still motivated to even write. Maybe because
there are lots of stories to tell and things to say. I carelessly ventured into
writing in 1996, in order to escape the prevailing bleak realities of living in
such a society, where everything is ailing. Deplorable social amenities,
incessant workers strikes, traumatized educational system, tribal and religious
mayhems are just a few of the crushing problems. Professor Ike has lamented the
Nigerian governments shocking lack of appreciation of the centrality of culture
to national development in one of his celebrated essays.
Perhaps it is the lot of every writer in different environments to pass
through certain challenges. Writing demands sweat and patience, so does every
challenge. The writer doesnt need to be overwhelmed anyway, neither should he
allow his or her spirit to fall apart. For me, I have decided to be a writer.
Writing, though, is yet to become my vocation, because I am compelled to
scrounge for bread. But the Muse has been gracious to me allowing me to express
my longings and hopes for a better society, my angst and fears for a dear
country tottering on the brink of self-obliteration, my hope and love for a
people who show uncanny ability to press on through the ever-swelling marsh of
exploitation, hardship and unhappiness.
Yes, we must write because we have been chosen to represent the quiet mass.
We have been chosen to speak out with the tongue of poetry or prose, or any
other genre. We writers, regardless of any challenges life flings on our way,
should persevere to produce works of brilliant significance, works that are
endearing and sensitive enough to impact on peoples lives. And perhaps make a
better humanity of us all.
Our crowning glory should not only be manifest in the number of literary
awards won, but in how relevant we are to the growth of literacy, literary
development and social education of our motherland.
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ADVANCED TECHNIQUES: QUICK TIPS
by Sandy Tritt
" Research does more than add authenticity-it often opens the door to
subplots and additional scenes.
" Check out news events during the time period of your manuscript. Maybe
John Lenon's death didn't affect you dramatically, but if your character is a
rock 'n roll musician or a Beatle fanatic, it would be worthy of an emotional
response.
" Don't put thoughts (or internal dialogue) in quotes or Italics. Since you
must be in the viewpoint of the character in order to be privy to his thoughts,
it isn't necessary to say, "he thought" or set off in any other way. Just
maintain tense and point of view (such as third person, past tense). Example:
"I don't want to go there," John thought, is better written: John didn't want
to go there.
" Use current music (titles and even lyrics) to not only add substance to
your time setting, but also to make use of another sense (sound).
" Read everything you write aloud. Especially dialogue.
" Keep pen and paper with you at all times. You never know when inspiration
will hit or when you'll be stuck in traffic.
" Make a scene feel "complete" by ending it with dialogue (internal or
external) or action from your viewpoint character.
" Keep paragraphs, sentences and parts of sentences in chronological order.
For example, don't say, "Jacob jumped when he heard the explosion." He must
hear the explosion before he jumps, so say, "An explosive sound vibrated the
windows. Jacob jumped from his chair." Doing this also forces active voice.
" Write sentences in the positive form (avoid double negatives).
" Vary the length and structure of your sentences. Don't start every
sentence with a proper noun or pronoun. (John watched the Arrivals screen for
news. He hoped her flight wouldn't be late. He wanted to see her. He had missed
her way too much). Instead, try to start each sentence in a paragraph with a
different part of speech: John watched the Arrivals screen for news. Surely,
her flight wouldn't be late. And she would be there soon. He had missed her.
Way too much. If you find yourself stuck in the "he/she" beginning for each
sentence, decide to start each sentence with a different letter of the
alphabet. It will take some creativity, but hey, that's why you write, right?
" Focus is what gives your story cohesiveness. You must be able to describe
your story in one sentence. Yes. One sentence. Forcing this focus gives you a
home base to return to and reflect from, and ensures that you don't drift too
much in other directions.
" The purpose of fiction-whether short story, novel or children's
literature-is to take the reader away from his life and expose him to a new
experience. Hopefully, the reader learns from the experience of the characters,
and, at best, the reader views his own life in a new way.
" The only way to finish a novel is to put pen to paper (or fingers to
keypad) and do it.
(c) copyright 2002 by Sandy Tritt. All rights reserved, except for those listed
here. October be reproduced for educational purposes (such as for writer's
workshops), as long as this copyright notice and the url:
http://tritt.wirefire.com are distributed with the pages. For use in
conferences or other uses not mentioned here, please contact Sandy Tritt at
tritt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx for permission and additional resources at no or limited
charge.
Keep writing!
Sandy Tritt
Sandy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sandy's website:
www.InspirationForWriters.com
============================================================
Publishing New Writers, September, 2006 (No. 908)
Publisher: Cook Comm - Bruce L. Cook, P.O. Box 451,
Dundee, IL 60118 USA.
Submissions and comments to cookcomm@xxxxxxxx Links are welcome. To receive
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