Touch the Library Market

I’ve been learning how to connect with the library market. Through my marketing of Book Proposals That Sell, I took a bit of energy and devoted it toward this specialized market. Librarians love books and recommend books to their customers. Plus there are thousands of potential markets through libraries.  I tried a number of different possible publications to review my book. As typical for any marketing effort, many of them did not work. I wanted to tell you about one that did work—Midwest Book Review. Established in 1976, the Midwest Book Review publishes several monthly publications for community and academic library systems in California, Wisconsin, and the upper Midwest.

If you follow their guidelines (as I did), you learn they prefer finished books and also like small presses (something to emphasize when you submit to them) plus the guidelines tell you how to follow-up (always something good to do in the manner and preferences of the editor). I sent a finished book and followed up at the appropriate time. The Editor-in-Chief, Jim Cox, told me that he would be reviewing the book. I didn’t bug him about it but from time to time, searched his website—and discovered nothing—until today.

His review of my book appeared in the September 2005 Bookwatch—plus Jim pasted the same review into an Amazon.com section (with five stars).  Here’s his review:

Book Proposals That Sell
W. Terry Whalin
Write Now Publications/ACW Press
5501 N 7th Ave, #502 Phoenix, AZ 85013
www.writenowpublications.com
1932124640 $14.00

“More than 80% of all nonfiction books are sold from a book proposal, according to W. Terry Whalin, author of more than 60 nonfiction books and Book Proposals That Sell: 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. Book Proposals That Sell breaks down the art of refining and pitching one’s idea into simple individual steps such as “Know the audience for your book”, “Keep the title and format simple”, “Always include a SASE”, “Maintain a log of your submissions”, “Delete any hype” and more. Written in straightforward, no-nonsense terms easily accessible to writers of all skill and experience levels, Book Proposals That Sell is highly recommended for its nuts and bolts practical information drawn from research and extensive personal experience.”

I was excited to see it for several reasons—first that it actually happened. Some times people promise but for many reasons outside of their control, it does not happen. Also I’m excited about the potential to get this book in front of librarians so they can purchase the book for their library customers.

From my experience in publishing, I know someone has to hear about the value of a book repeatedly before they actually purchase the book and use it. It’s one more opportunity to get the book in front of the audience.