The Birds and the Beasts: Good News for Non-fiction Writers
Posted on 27. Aug, 2010 by admin in Author's Corner, Book Marketing, Getting Published
Hilary Smith
When I’m browsing the fiction in a bookstore, I’m like the choosy female bird in a nature documentary. I’m fickle. Picky. Suspicious. I actively try to find fault in a novel’s efforts to seduce me into buying it, no matter how showy its feathers and how elegant its sales copy. More often than not, I walk out of a bookstore empty-handed—not because I don’t love fiction, but because my aversion to spending money is stronger than my temptation to buy a novel whose characters may or may not enchant me.
It’s a teensy bit different for non-fiction.
A few months ago, I was eagerly awaiting the release of my first book from a traditional publisher and looking for ways to promote it. My local library was sorely lacking in books on this topic, and the information I found on the internet was infuriatingly vague (“send press releases to important media contacts”—yes, but how do I find those important media contacts, and what do I say in my press release?). The local bookstore didn’t have what I needed either.
That’s when I turned from a fickle bird into a blood-thirsty beast.
I went online and bought three different e-books about book promotion within ten minutes. All of them were self-published: two of them were written by freelance book publicists who were selling their self-published e-books through their websites, and the other one was by a self-published writer on Amazon. It was, for me, a veritable book-buying rampage.
This latent beastiness is exactly why non-fiction writers should be very, very excited about e-books.
Unlike fiction, where readers need to be seduced, convinced, and subtly cajoled into taking a nibble, non-fiction readers are already hungry (or, in my case, ravenous). Not just hungry, but impatient. I want to know something; I want answers to my questions, solutions to my quandaries; and if I can click a link and pay $5-20 to get those answers RIGHT NOW, I’ll do it almost every time.
Here is a hungry beast’s list of demands:
High-quality, in-depth information on a specific topic. Whether it’s book promotion or bee-keeping, hungry reader-beasts want the kind of detailed information they can’t find for free on the internet. Can you promise us information we can’t find elsewhere?
Instant gratification. Can you answer my question or solve my problem right now if I click on this link to download your e-book? Yes? Well, alright.
Solid writing and well-organized information. Hungry beasts get very, very angry if they download an e-book riddled with confusing sentences and disorganized information. A good outline for your e-book is crucial (I’ll give tips on this in a future post).
Delivery on promises. Hungry beasts get especially rageful if an e-book makes promises (“How to Get On Oprah In The Next Ten Minutes”) and then doesn’t follow through. Always give readers what you promise in your book’s title. If you build up our trust, we’ll keep coming back for more.
In the next few posts, I’ll talk about how to make your e-book irresistible to readers by coming up with a tantalizing title, killer table of contents, and a promise readers can’t resist. The hungry beasts are out there—all you need to do is show up with the feast.
Submission Tips from an Insider’s Perspective
Posted on 11. Aug, 2010 by admin in Author's Corner, Getting Published
Elizabeth Bauman
Submitting your manuscript or query letter to a publisher is a trying task. The dread of a possible rejection, combined with the hope of acceptance, creates a whirlwind of anticipation and anxiety that can leave you feeling confused and uncertain about whether or not you’re putting your best literary foot forward.
During my day job, I review hundreds of manuscripts and proposals each year and, as such, I’d like to share some essential tips for sending your project to a publisher for evaluation:
First, make sure your project fits. Each press has an established mission, as well as a forecast of books they’d like to publish in the future. If your project is not something that they’d normally publish, you’re wasting your time and postage. More importantly, your book will sell more copies if it is placed with a press that specializes in your genre.
To avoid sending your work to an inappropriate press, spend time examining the publisher’s website. Read their mission statement and FAQ to collect information regarding what types of books they’re currently interested in contracting.
Second, while you’re checking out the website, look for submission guidelines. The quality of your work should make it stand out – not the formatting. Many presses refuse to evaluate projects that do not match their established guidelines. The result? Your manuscript may be returned (or – worse – tossed into the recycling bin!) without so much as flipping the first page. Generally, presses want hard-copy submissions that are single-sided, typed in 12-point Times New Roman Font, and – if you include the manuscript or sample chapters – double-spaced.
Third, don’t be a pest. Typically, the press’ editorial assistants will let you know when to expect a response. Don’t call or email regarding your project’s status until that time is up. The acquisitions editor that is reviewing your proposal knows you’re excited, but they need time to look it over themselves, coordinate an outside review, and crunch the
numbers before making a final decision.
Fourth, in the event that you are rejected, do not burn bridges. Instead, thank the editor who made the decision for the time necessary to conduct a thorough review and ask if they can recommend an alternative publisher. Your gratitude and positive outlook will undoubtedly encourage the editor to take the time to lend you a hand.
Seeking a publisher is daunting, but – if you keep these tips in mind – your journey should be less trying.
How to Craft a Winning Book Proposal
Posted on 16. Jun, 2010 by admin in Author's Corner, Book Marketing, Getting Published
Robert Murray
So you’ve written a book, or have an idea that you think you could turn into a best-seller. Now what?
In order to spark the interest of a publisher, you’ll need a convincing book proposal. The book proposal is a lot like a business plan for your book, showcasing its merits. It defines the core readership of the book, both in type and scope; presents a comprehensive review of the key themes, story arc and raison d’être; paints a compelling picture of the publishers’ new partner—you; evaluates the market environment in which the book will compete; and offers a strategy through which you believe the book can best be sold, with you as a central player.
In short, a book proposal should describe your platform as an author (what you’ve published, what you bring to the audience in terms of appeal, etc.) and outline the marketing plan and competitive landscape for the book.
Here are the sections that usually make up our book proposals:
- Overview of the Book (describes the main themes, the “hook”, any key structural aspects)
- About the Author (describes with author’s expertise of the subject and/or experience as an author)
- About the Market (describes the audience, being as quantiative as possible)
- About the Competition (describes other books out there that are similar and characterizes how this book compares and why)
- Table of Contents
- Chapter Summaries (1-2 paragraphs describing each chapter of the book)
- Sample Chapters (full chapters taken from the book).
Proposal requirements vary from publisher to publisher, but these sections are nearly always asked for. If you’re a first-time author writing a children’s book, cook book, fictional work, or photo book, the publisher is likely to want to see a nearly completed book rather than just some sample chapters.
For a sample book proposal, click here.
Tips for those Considering Self-Publishing
Posted on 28. May, 2010 by admin in Author's Corner, Book Marketing, Getting Published
Robert Murray
Self-publishing can be frustrating on a number of levels, including when it comes to receiving marketing support, which unfortunately often falls short of what is advertised.
As you go forth in your search for the right publisher, here are a few bits of general advice we give our authors.
Most large publishers only accept manuscripts from agents, so you may consider soliciting them before exploring a direct relationship with a publisher.
Between traditional publishing and self-publishing, there is a middle tier of publishers (sometimes called “vanity presses”) which often publish an expansive array of books. However, rather than getting paid an advance on royalties, you usually have to pay them for the privilege to publish your work and marketing support can still be quite weak if they don’t believe in the book.
Most publishers and agents expect to receive a book proposal from authors. This document is a lot like a business plan for the book, and it showcases the merits of your book. It should describe your platform as an author (what you’ve published, what you bring to the audience in terms of appeal, etc.), outline the marketing plan and competitive landscape for the book, and should include sample chapters of the book itself. Samples of these can be found across the web. One helpful sample can be found here.
Finally, when looking at small and middle-sized publishers, you’ll probably want to cater your proposal and query letter (proposal cover letter, essentially) to their catalogs and publishing history. Like any partnership, the more they see you as understanding their business, the more likely they are to give your proposal a serious look.
How to Catch the Eye of a Publisher: All in a Day’s Query Letter
Posted on 25. May, 2010 by admin in Author's Corner, Book Marketing, Business Writing, Getting Published, The Writing Coach
Suzanne Murray
You’ve got a great idea for a book. In fact, people have been telling you to write it for years. But you don’t want to write a full-length manuscript unless you’ve got a publisher, and you’re not sure where to start in finding one.
How do people get book contracts anyway? And how will you convince a publisher that your book is worth taking the risk? It’s the million-dollar question anyone with a book idea faces: how do you catch the attention of a publisher (or agent)?
If writing a book is a journey and the first step begins with an idea, the second step—for those who hope to secure a traditional publisher—is to write a short pitch to showcase the book to target publishers. It’s called the query letter.
A good query letter will typically have the following key components:
- explanation of the problem that the book solves or the need that the book fills
- insight into why you are the best person to write this book
- explanation as to why you’ve chosen to contact this particular publisher
First, why this particular book and why now? Aside from the entertainment value of some genres, such as fiction, memoir, and history, people tend to buy books because they address a need. A single parent wants advice on how to raise a teenage son, a baby boomer looking for a second career needs help figuring out her field of interest, or an individual recently diagnosed with diabetes wants to learn more about managing his condition. Every good query letter mentions the intended audience with a tease of information that shows a need for this particular book in the marketplace.
Second, why should the publisher select you to write the book? A good book idea alone is not enough to win a publisher’s attention. It needs to be clear that the person writing it can not only “deliver the goods” but promote them upon publication. The onus is on you to demonstrate why you are the best person to author that book. Are you an expert on parenting? Have you spent years as a career counselor working with job hunters? Have you discovered secret tips and tricks to managing your own diabetes? You don’t have to be the world’s preeminent expert on your book topic, but you do need to show why you have the credibility to write the book.
Third, why have you decided to reach out to this particular publisher? Although this is the least important of the three components, it helps to personalize a query letter to the particular publisher you are targeting. Publishers see it as a good sign that you’ve done your homework and they appreciate you putting in the effort to make sure you send the query to them only if there is potential for a good “marriage” between book idea and publisher. Publishers receive countless query letters each month; help them see right away why it is that your book idea fits well with their typical catalog.
A good query letter piques the publisher’s interest because it promises a book manuscript that is relevant, saleable, and engaging. A good query letter also conveys that the author has the kind of expertise and enthusiasm needed to move the book off the shelf and into people’s studies and living rooms. The author’s bio and “platform” help to catch the eye of a publisher as much as the book idea itself.
Understanding eBook Royalties (Part 2)
Posted on 11. May, 2010 by admin in Author's Corner, Book Marketing, Getting Published
Robert Murray
As we discussed last time, the eBooks royalties game is in constant evolution. In the last article, I talked about the wholesale model of eBook royalties, used by Amazon, where authors get paid based on “net receipts,” also called “net revenues.”
The second royalty model is called the agency model—the model used by iTunes. Instead of using the traditional publishing construct as the basis for publisher payments, iTunes pays based on the actual retail price of the eBook, usually around $9.99.
So, an author with 25% eBook royalties can expect to receive around $2.50 per eBook sold on iTunes.
Let’s compare that with the traditional model assuming net receipts are 50% and the print book list price is $25. At a 25% royalty rate, that’s $25 x 50% x 25% = $3.13 to the author. Pretty close.
But what are the retailers making on the eBooks? Apple’s gross revenue on eBooks (sold through iTunes) is straightforward: $7.50. For Amazon, it’s less clear: the revenue is nominally $0, but because the subsidized prices are designed to boost sales of the Kindle, the verdict is still out.
But keep a close eye on the competition between the Kindle and iPad. Will the emergence of the iPad force the Kindle toward more dramatic action? Exclusive distribution deals or adoption of the agency model, perhaps? Will the subsidy spark an eBook price war where everybody loses (except for the consumer)?
In the next and final article on this topic, we’ll cover some other variables that can impact eBook royalties, discuss what you as an author should look for when negotiating a contract, and posit where we may be heading as the industry forges ahead into the brave new world of digital publishing.
Understanding eBook Royalties
Posted on 03. May, 2010 by admin in Author's Corner, Book Marketing, Getting Published
Robert Murray
As publishers settle into a level of comfort with authors, distributors and retailers, a few trends can be identified that are worth bringing into the open.
One important trend for writers to know about is how author royalties for eBooks are evolving. To understand this trend, it’s important to first understand how eBooks are being distributed and sold today.
Two retail models are driving eBook sales today: the traditional wholesale model and the agent model. This article will cover the traditional wholesale model and next week we’ll be discussing the agency model.
For a representative example of the wholesale model, let’s look at Amazon. Similar to traditional retail deals, Amazon buys books (in the case of eBooks, the right to sell them) from a distributor at a price discounted from the physical book’s list price.
While some authors are able to secure publishing contracts that pay royalties based on retail prices, most author royalties are paid based on this discounted price, also called “net receipts” or “net revenues.”
But the fundamentals of this arrangement are dynamic. The interesting trend to watch here lies in the performance of the physical eBook platforms, such as Amazon’s Kindle, especially in relation to the content they need to remain viable consumer products.
Since a brisk eBook market is needed to support sales of Amazon’s Kindle hardware, Amazon currently chooses to sell many eBooks to the consumer at a price well below the discounted price they receive from the distributor—nominally taking a loss on each sale.
So how long can this price subsidy last? Will prices of physical books come down to meet those of the eBooks, or vice versa? How will authors fare? Will eBook royalties, which tend to outstrip physical book royalties by nearly 2:1, fall?
Stay tuned.
Are Writing Classes Worth the Outlay?
Posted on 03. May, 2010 by admin in Getting Published, The Writing Coach
Suzanne Murray
So, you’ve decided that you’re ready to focus on that book project you’ve been toying with for months or years. You’ve even come to the realization that you could use a little extra support in getting the project completed. The question is…what form should that support come in?
If you are considering a writing class, here are some things to think about. Ideally, a good writing class will provide you with:
- weekly lectures or content on how to write well
- practice writing and opportunities to generate written pages toward your final product
- feedback from the teacher and classmates on your written work, with ideas on other options to consider and potential revisions
- an opportunity to see what other writers are doing and to learn from them
- inspiration and motivation to stick with the project
Even though I am an experienced writer and I write for a living, I will sometimes take a writing class to attain skills in a new area (say, op-ed or memoir writing). I also turn to classes for some of the writing I do in my personal life because I enjoy the sense of community, the feedback, and the deadlines.
As you consider whether a writing class is right for you, you may want to consider all of the positive benefits I’ve mentioned above, as well as the potential “downside” of a writing class compared to hiring an editor or co-writer. With a writing class…
- The rate at which you produce material will be limited to the restraints of your own busy schedule. Writing classes can be great for helping you produce work, but they won’t magically add time onto your schedule.
- You will need to find time to review your other classmates’ work and this can be burdensome.
- Although feedback from your teacher and classmates is likely to be helpful and maybe even enlightening, there is simply not enough time during class to get intensive, one-on-one support for all of your challenges and questions.
Writing classes have some wonderful benefits—regular lectures that help you stay engaged in a project due to the sharing of helpful content, a supportive community of other writers, and deadlines that keep you focused. Yet, one-on-one support also has its place. Stay tuned for the next entry in this two-part series, to learn more about the pros and cons of working with a private editor or co-writer to help you complete your next writing project.
Crafting a Writing Schedule for the Real World
Posted on 03. May, 2010 by admin in Getting Published, The Writing Coach
Suzanne Murray
I’ve known people who have had the luxury of taking off a year to write a book. People who have friends with a cottage in the Cotswold’s or an air-conditioned tepee in the Sahara where prolific, uninterrupted writing can be done.
As far as I can tell, the other 99% of us need to find a writing schedule that works in the real world.
When do you like to write? I know many people who love to get up early in the morning and do their writing while the rest of the world sleeps. I like to do my writing at night. Not the day-job writing that I get paid for—I’m talking about my own pet projects…the ones that would sit on the back shelf and get dusty if I didn’t have a routine for getting them done. Night works for me both creatively and practically, based on my energy and my daily responsibilities.
What writing schedule will work best for you? Here are some of the important questions to consider when exploring the possibilities.
- When can you fit in your writing time? Early morning? On your lunch break? Right after dinner? Just before bed? (Don’t worry about when you feel freshest. This is a real-world writing schedule and showing up is half the battle.)
- How much time can you dedicate each day? An hour? Half an hour? Twenty minutes? Aim for a half hour or more each day, but if that’s unrealistic, go with less. It’s better to show up consistently than to set up unrealistic expectations and fail. Either you’ll fall in love with writing and find a way to make more time, or you can focus on shorter-length writing projects.
- Where will you do your writing? Seek out a space where you work best. Although it’s important to identify a spot where you won’t be interrupted, that’s not necessarily going to be a quiet home office or a public library. Some people need a buzz of activity around them to focus, in which case the local coffee shop or the park on nice weather days makes for a nice writing location. Experiment and see what works best for you.
There is no silver bullet for getting from 0 to 1,000 words or from 0 to 100,000. The truth is: Writing takes time and hard work. But it doesn’t require an unmanageable amount of effort. If you are willing to carve out time every day to write—just as you would to weed the garden or go to the gym—you will be committed to the journey and on your way to the finish line.