Too Good to Be True

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Last weekend I got two different email pitches about reviewing my books. I answered each of them and exchanged several emails until I reached the actual pitch from these individuals. At that point, I passed on their offer because it sounded too good to be true. Another way to put it, these offers were a high priced scam for authors.

In this article, I want to give you some of the details then you too can avoid and not fall into an offer which is too good to be true. If you take these offers, you will potentially waste a lot of money and energy. Finally I’m going to show you a better way to get these reviews which is old fashion yet effective.

The Pitch

Each of these emails approached me with a pitch about getting reviews for one of my books. The person writing me intentionally selected one of my books which had zero or only a few reviews. Even though I’ve written a number of articles about the importance of my reviews. A few of the books that I wrote early in my career do not have any or few reviews. In general these are children’s books that I wrote as a work-made-for-hire where I was paid upfront for my writing with no additional earnings. Because they were work-made-for-hire, as an author I had little inventive to encourage reviews (ask others) or do any promotion on these books. 

The person pitching me had no idea of the work-made-for-hire element with these books. The approach was strictly about the lack of reviews. Here’s part of their pitch (both email pitches used similar language):

“Let me say this upfront, I’m not a promoter or marketer. I already work in real estate (houses by day 🏡, books by night 📖). But my love of reading grew into a community of over 2,000 readers who follow along with me.

Here’s what we do: we look for books that deserve more attention, especially those with few reviews, and we simply read them. Afterward, we share our honest thoughts on Amazon or Goodreads. That’s all. No campaigns, no social media, no ads, just genuine reading and feedback.

Think of it like shopping for a shirt. If there are no reviews, people hesitate. Books are the same. Readers want reassurance before taking the leap, and that’s where our group comes in.

I know authors sometimes feel cautious when someone reaches out, but this isn’t promotion. It’s simply readers helping readers discover your story.

Would you like me to introduce Never Too Busy to my reading group and save it a spot on our upcoming list?” 

---

The pitch sounds interesting and like something to explore--so I responded. Her second email to me gave a little more info:

“I want to encourage you with this: many successful authors I’ve come across both new voices and household names didn’t rely on ads or campaigns at first. What moved their books forward was simply readers finding them, reading them, and talking about them. Competitors who understood this principle often pulled ahead, not because their books were better, but because their reviews made them more visible.

I always remind authors:

“A great book without reviews is like a lighthouse with no light—built strong, but unseen by the ships that need it most.”

The small gesture we give readers isn’t about paying for opinions it’s about valuing their time so they can read for fun without pressure. The reviews remain 100% genuine. That’s why this approach works and why authors often see their books finally break through Amazon’s invisible wall.

Even if this doesn’t seem like the right fit today, I’d love to keep the door open for Never Too Busy. Sometimes it only takes 20–30 voices for Amazon to start treating a book differently. And with the heart of your message, I believe it deserves to be discovered by more readers.

Would you be open to me keeping Never Too Busy on my community’s “watch list,” so if you reconsider, we can bring it forward?” 

---

The third email gave the details and huge potential expense:

I noticed Never Too Busy currently has no reviews, which is a good foundation but still leaves so much room for momentum. As I often say: “One review is a whisper, but a collection of reviews becomes a choir that even Amazon can’t ignore.” 🎶

Here’s how my group works: I run a community of 2,000+ readers and reviewers. We don’t pay for reviews. Instead, we tip each reader $15–$20 not for the review itself, but simply as a coffee-and-cinnamon-roll thank-you for taking the time to read. Every reader has their own business and life, so this helps them enjoy the process while reading purely for fun.

Authors I’ve worked with often begin with 20–50 fresh reviews, and that alone can shift how Amazon positions the book in its algorithm. It really depends on how many readers you’d like to start with.

The usual process is simple: you’d send me a PDF of Never Too Busy so I can read it first, then I share it with selected readers in my group. From there, the reviews grow organically, one honest voice at a time.

Would you like me to save a spot for Never Too Busy and get this started?” 

---

I passed on using this pitch. Something about it felt wrong to me--and the large potential expense stood out. If I “tipped”  50 people $20 each, that is a $1,000 expense. Follow this link to learn more details about Amazon reviews and their terms.

The Better Way for Reviews

1. Ask fans and readers to write a review.

2. Use a launch team to gather reviews at the release off your book.

3. Encourage people who have never written a review to use a book review template.

4. Write a page on your website and encourage reviews. Follow this link for a detailed example from one of my books.

These methods take time and effort from the author but do not violate the Amazon terms and do not have a large expense tied to them.

I hope this cautionary tale helps you with your book. If the pitch is too good to be true without additional explanation, then it probably is a lie and something you should avoid. Have you received these types of emails? Or maybe you have another suspicious pitch, then let me know in the comments below. 

Tweetable:

If you get a pitch that is too good to be true, you should be cautious according to this prolific writer and editor. In this article, he gives a detailed example related to book reviews.   (ClickToTweet)

New Podcasts:

In these articles, I’ve encouraged you to use PodMatch or some similar tool to book and record podcasts. Last week another podcast recording launched:

 

On the Accents Podcast, Katerina Stoykova (@Katya_Stoykova) and I spoke about best practices in book promotion and more on WUKY Radio. Listen at: https://bit.ly/3HIizrz

During my decades in publishing, I’ve co-authored over a dozen books and reviewed thousands of submissions (no exaggeration). As a part of the process of working with these authors, I speak with them about their dreams and plans. Many of these authors have  unrealistic expectations about what will happen with their published book. Many aspects of the publishing process are outside of anything an author can control. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors practical help. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses.

Subscribe to Terry’s Newsletter:

During the last year, once a week I’ve been sending a short free newsletter. Just follow this link to subscribe. When you are added to the newsletter, you will receive a FREE 87-page Ebook which is packed with insights for every writer.

Get these articles on your email: 

Since 2004, I have blogged about The Writing Life over 1,700 entries and one of the top 27 content writers. With this simple form, each week you can get my new articles, encouragement and insights at: https://t.co/W6uU64u6aA 

A Simple Reason Why

   

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Can you articulate in a single sentence, why you write and work in publishing? When you discover and can verbalize your “why,” it can serve as a motivator for consistent action in your writing life.

In this article, I will tell the story of my “why” and how every day it movitates my work in publishing. I have a simple motivation for my work in publishing. Day and and day out I do this work because books change lives. I know this fact firsthand because as a sophomore in college, I read a book which changed the direction of my life.

I chose to study journalism at Indiana University on the main campus in Bloomington with over 30,000 students. Early in the semester I joined the writing staff of The Indiana Daily Student newspaper. Six days a week we produced a full-sized newspaper and gained a great deal of practical experience through this work. I was rebelling from my upbringing and joined an active social fraternity. One night I had been out late partying and was hung over in the city room sitting at an old Royal typewriter (in the pre-computer days) and could not get my fingers on the right keys. When you made a mistake (and I was making plenty), you backed up, x’ed out and continued writing. I knew my copy was going to look terrible and my editor would be telling me about it. Each time I made a mistake, I muttered to myself, “Jesus Christ.” 

Finally the blonde-haired girl sitting next to me could not stand my cursing and said, “Don’t say that, Terry, because one day when you need Jesus you will call out for him and he will not be there.”

I thought to myself, “Not true. I’m a Christian. I go to church when I’m at home. I even read the Bible in church when I am at home.” I had no personal relationship with Jesus.

She encouraged me to check out a bookstore two blocks off the campus which had pretty cards and posters. “Maybe you will find a book which interests you,” she said.

A few days later, I wandered down to this bookstore and bought a book called Jesus, the Revolutionary. I wondered how Jesus could be a revolutionary. At that time I was rebelling from my family and how I was raised. I read this book and it showed me a different side of Jesus than I’d ever seen before. About that time, I was invited to a Jesus people gathering in downtown Bloomington. Everyone sat on the floor on scraps of carpet in this open area with little candles as lights. The people in that room had something that I didn’t have. I bought a Bible and decided to change the direction of my life.

Initially I was planning to be a newspaper reporter on the Indianapolis Star or some other newspaper. Instead when I completed my degree, I joined Wycliffe Bible Translators and studied linguistics. I spent several years in Guatemala working among the Southwest Cakchiquel people and celebrated with them in 1990 at the publication of their New Testament.  

I began to write for magazines and attended a writers’ conference and met an editor who liked my idea for a children's book called When I Grow Up, I Can Go Anywhere for Jesus which was published in 1992. In the decades since I’ve written more than 60 books for traditional publishers and I continue to write and work with many authors on their books. I’m acquiring or finding books at my third publisher, Morgan James Publishing, where I’ve been for the last 13 years. 

As I began this article, my “why” is simple: I work in book publishing because books change lives. It drives what I do every day. In 1998, I published this little story in an article called Two Words That Changed My Life (follow the link to read it). Books can go places that we will never go as writers and influence lives that we will never touch this side of heaven.

Take some time and think about the reason you are writing. Can you capture it in a short sentence? If you can do this, let me know in the comments below.

Tweetable:

To motivate your consistent work in publishing, this prolific writer and editor believes you must have a simple reason why. Read the story and understand how to create your own why.   (ClickToTweet)

New Podcasts:

In these articles, I’ve encouraged you to use PodMatch or some similar tool to book and record podcasts. Last week two more podcast recordings launched:

 

Wisdom Okonkwo interviewed me about how you should stop waiting for someone else to create your success on the Relatable Wisdom Podcast. Listen at: https://bit.ly/4oWYb6H 

Roy Coughlan (@Poleire) and I spoke about Podcasts Can Help Promote Your Book on the PodFather Podcast. Listen at: https://bit.ly/41uLBBC 

My Writing In Other Places:

With these articles, I encourage you to publish your work beyond your blog in other places. Below are three articles which were published in other online locations than this blog.

Once a month, I guest blog for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference blog. This month I encoruaged writers to be open to a world of possibilities then provides a partial list for our writing. https://bit.ly/3HwqxDZ

 

Also once a month I blog for Writers on the Move. This month I wrote about how publishing has many pitfalls. My article gives a cautionary tale and a series of actions for every author: https://bit.ly/45NDzpT 

In addition, once a month I blog about book proposal creation for Almost An Author. This month I wrote about how an excellent proposal involves hard work at:  https://bit.ly/4muNo1X 

New Podcasts:

rewrite Much of the publishing process is outside of the writer’s control. 10 Publishing Myths helps writers have a realistic perspective and take action. Get 10 Publishing Myths for only $10 +FREE shipping + over $200 of free bonuses.

Subscribe to Terry’s Newsletter:

During the last year, once a week I’ve been sending a short free newsletter. Just follow this link to subscribe. When you are added to the newsletter, you will receive a FREE 87-page Ebook which is packed with insights for every writer.

Get these articles on your email: 

Since 2004, I have blogged about The Writing Life over 1,700 entries and one of the top 27 content writers. With this simple form, each week you can get my new articles, encouragement and insights at: https://t.co/W6uU64u6aA 

Forgotten Follow-up

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

In some ways, my continual pitching podcast hosts is like putting together a puzzle. You have to turn the different pieces around so they fit into the right picture. If you’ve done puzzles, sometimes toward the end you discover you are missing a key piece.

I’ve had this sort of experience with PodMatch which has a database of over 90,000 podcasts. I reached out for help from support and for a couple of days, I had more matches of podcast hosts to pitch. In fact, I booked a couple more podcasts, then the matches again stopped. I asked support what else could I do and received a short list of suggestions.

The first suggestion almost leaped off the page:

1. Go through your messages and send some follow-ups. 

During the months I’ve been with PodMatch, I have not gone  back to any of the podcast hosts who did not respond and follow-up with a second pitch. I had forgotten to follow-up.

 

I’m aware there are many reasons why I didn’t get a response. Some of those podcast hosts didn’t see my pitch as a fit for their show. But there are many other reasons why they didn’t respond and a second pitch may generate interest. Here’s a few of the other reasons (speculation on my part) why they didn’t respond: 

--Maybe they never received my pitch

--Possibly the pitch went into their spam

--Or my pitch arrived at the wrong time when their schedule was stacked.

--Or maybe they were distracted and rushed when they read my first pitch and didn’t give it careful consideration.

Through PodMatch, I do not have their email address to follow-up. I do have the ability to send a follow-up message. My plan is to return to the first matches (even six months ago) and craft a second follow-up pitch. In my pitch, I’m going to highlight my own connections and how I promote each podcast. The suggestion from the PodMatch help support was brilliant and worth some of my effort.

Sometimes in these articles, I confess to being behind as an acquisitions editor processing the flurry of Morgan James Publishing submissions. In some cases, I’m many weeks behind in reaching out to an author and processing their work. Last week I got a creative follow-up email from an author. He reached out and said it had been weeks since we communicated and he believed my silence told him that we were not interested in his submission. Then he said he was leaning toward self-publishing. 

His unusual and pointed follow-up caught my attention. For the first-time I looked at his submission and scheduled a time to explore publishing this book. He used a brilliant and attention getting strategy.

As editors we have mounds of material to process and a simple gentle follow-up is a good way to catch the editor’s or literary agent’s attention. Everyone needs to follow up no matter what you are pitching--books, magazine, speaking gigs or anything else. 

Each of us have limited time to pitch our books or our writing. There are also crazy things that happen which prevent others getting our pitches. Timing is a huge element with pitches--which is another reason a gentle follow-up is important. 

What are you neglecting to follow-up? Do you have other ideas about follow-up? I look forward to your comments.

Tweetable:

Follow-up is one of the most important skills for every writer according to this prolific editor and author. Read the stories and learn the details here.  (ClickToTweet)

Many authors have an unrealistic idea about the details of publishing. 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS is a practical easy reading book to help you. Get my decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses. 

Subscribe to Terry’s Newsletter:

During the last year, once a week I’ve been sending a short free newsletter. Just follow this link to subscribe. When you are added to the newsletter, you will receive a FREE 87-page Ebook which is packed with insights for every writer.

Get these articles on your email: 

Since 2004, I have blogged about The Writing Life over 1,700 entries and one of the top 27 content writers. With this simple form, each week you can get my new articles, encouragement and insights at: https://t.co/W6uU64u6aA

Practice Short Writing

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Thousands of new books are published every day. Two of my bestselling author friends released a new book over four weeks ago. I heard about the book and requested a review copy which they sent. I have read the book and I’m trying to find a few minutes to write my review. I checked Amazon and Goodreads  for this book and they have zero reviews. 

Why are these reviews important? It’s been proven that 98% of people who purchase a product online have read a review before they buy it. In general, book reviews are short articles and can be written in a brief amount of time. It’s an important skill to write a book review and every writer can learn this skill. In these articles, I’ve written a number of articles about book reviews (follow this link to easily find some of them). 

Another bestselling author friend hired me to write some profiles for a large project. As we spoke, she admitted that her skill was writing longer pieces of writing like books but not in the shorter profiles. This friend was placing limitations on her writing through her resistance to write the shorter pieces. When you write a short piece, you learn to write for a particular audience. You also gain the insight of which sentences are extra or fluff and can be easily eliminated. You improve as a writer and a commuicator through the continual practice and execution of these short articles.

After a recent writer’s conference, another writer reached out to me asking where she could publish her writing. I suggested magazine articles because they are short pieces and when published you can reach thousands of readers. As we exchanged emails, this author was a grief chaplain and wanted to know where to publish her writing. 

Without knowing it, this chaplain had a wealth of writing possibilities. As a former magazine editor, I know editors are actively looking for writers. It’s why they publish writer’s guidelines (use google to find them). I encouraged this author to use her Christian Writer’s Market Guide which had over 150 magazines in their listing. You need a current guide because a great deal of the information changes every year. Editors move and magazines close or new publications begin. The current guide gives you the best possible chance with your pitch. Some publications require a query letter (learn how to write one) while others want the full manuscript. 

The chaplain asked me what she could write? Almost every magazine will publish personal experience stories. This writer had a vast number of experiences that she could easily write into a 500 to 1200 word article. Yes, she would have to learn how to write a magazine article and how to properly format it and pitch it to the editor. Each of these skills can be easily learned. At the end of your articles, you have a simple statement like: Terry Whalin is the author of more than 60 books including 10 Publishing Myths, Insights Every Author Needs to Succeed. (with a link to my book and website)

If you follow these simple steps, you get published. Then editors and literary agents will be more interested in your submissions because you move from an unpublished author into a professional writer. 

There are many types of short pieces that you can learn, practice and submit over and over including (but not limited to) book reviews, devotions, jokes, short filler pieces, magazine articles, quotes, and short social media posts. The possibilities and the opportunities are endless. 

My bottom-line emphasis in this article is that short pieces of writing is a valuable skill which can be learned and exercised over and over throughout your writing career. What am I missing here? Does it stir some ideas for your writing? Let me know in the comments below. 

Tweetable:

What is the value of writing short pieces? How can you expand your publishing efforts and reach more readers? This prolific author and editor gives the details and the reasons here.  (ClickToTweet)

New Podcasts:

In these articles, I’ve encouraged you to use PodMatch or some similar tool to book and record podcasts. Last week another podcast recording launched: 

Mike Wagner and I spoke about publishing expectations on The Mike Wagner Show. Listen at: https://bit.ly/4oniMkn

Many authors have an unrealistic idea about the details of publishing. 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS is a practical easy reading book to help you. Get my decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses. 

Subscribe to Terry’s Newsletter:

During the last year, once a week I’ve been sending a short free newsletter. Just follow this link to subscribe. When you are added to the newsletter, you will receive a FREE 87-page Ebook which is packed with insights for every writer.

Get these articles on your email: 

Since 2004, I have blogged about The Writing Life over 1,700 entries and one of the top 27 content writers. With this simple form, each week you can get my new articles, encouragement and insights at: https://t.co/W6uU64u6aA

Find Grit Instead of Fear

   

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Grit is rarely discussed but important for every writer. If I’m honest, I face the same fears as the next writer and get rejected a great deal. The best way to get through my fears is to keep moving forward or use my grit. If I let the fear grip my thinking and stop me from continuing to try, then nothing happens.

Today I want to tell you some stories about grit and encourage you to keep trying. As I’ve often said in these entries, nothing happens by learning about it or thinking about it. The only way your writing will get published is to get it out of your head with your fingers on your keyboard and writing words. Getting the words out is the first step, but then you have work and rework those words until they make sense,  then actually send them to someone to possibly get it published. 

For example, I’ve been writing about using PodMatch to book and be a guest on podcasts. This week I booked three more podcasts which are on my schedule for the future. In the last six or seven months, I’ve booked or been on over 50 podcasts. PodMatch has over 90,000 podcasts in their system. Using your profile and keywords, they will match you to possible podcasts where you can guest. My issue is the matches were not happening for several weeks. I changed my keyboards and still the matches didn’t happen.  I filled out a support ticket and asked for help. Because of this assistance, PodMatch began to give me some matches. During the last few days, I have booked three more podcasts. Also I have some new matches to read about the podcast then pitch that host about why they should book me on their program.

Each time I get a match, I need to read the podcast host’s profile to see if I’m a good fit to be on their program. If so, then I need to craft a pitch to this podcast host. I make sure I personalize my pitch and show that I’ve read the details about their audience and who they want to have on the podcast. Even doing this preparation, some podcast hosts will decline and others simply do not respond. It takes grit and determination to continue. I want to be booked on more podcasts so I continue pitching. 

Some Action Steps

Where are you dreaming about going with your publishing? Are you looking for a literary agent? Are you looking for a publisher? If what you are trying is not working, what action steps can you take to change and go in a different direction that will give you the opportunity to find more success? Or can you reach out to someone and ask for their help (like I did with PodMatch)?

I find many authors who are looking for a traditional book deal. Yet if they are honest, they have few connections to sell books (platform) and it will be hard for a traditional publisher or literary agent to represent their work and sell it. Many of these authors feel like their only alternative is to self-publish. I’ve seen authors spend thousands of dollars to self-publish then they are only selling their book on their own website and Amazon. Instead, I encourage you to explore independent publishing with Morgan James Publishing. The exploration process costs nothing (except a little time) and it could open a new world of opportunity for you and your writing. 

Resolve today to move out of fear and inaction into using grit and determination to find your opportunity. I believe it is there but it doesn’t just float into your life. You have to be actively moving forward to find it.

Resources to Learn More About Grit

If you want to learn more about grit and how to find it, I recommend this article from Amy Bernstein. For over two years, she has been pitching to find the place for her next book. She continues using sheer grit--and you should too. 

Literary agent and long-time friend Dan Balow wrote recently about why are traditional publishers so picky? He called publishing a failure business. Read his full article to understand more of the reasons and find your own grit.

Finally I encourage you to read or listen to bestselling author Angela Duckworth’s book, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perserverance. 

Use these stories and resources to find your own grit and determination to keep moving forward, seize opportunities and find the right path for your words. What am I missing from your view? Let me know in the comments below.

Tweetable:

In the face of fear about his writing, this prolific writer and editor encourages you to choose grit and determination. Read the details in this article. (ClickToTweet)

New Podcasts:

In these articles, I’ve encouraged you to use PodMatch or some similar tool to book and record podcasts. Last week another podcast recording launched: 

Harry Vashisht and I spoke about my vision on the Vision Pros Podcast. Listen at: https://bit.ly/4ohF3Qr  

Publishing is a complex business and much of the process is outside of anything an author can control—no matter how they publish. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors realistic expectations  and practical help. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses. 

Subscribe to Terry’s Newsletter:

During the last year, once a week I’ve been sending a short free newsletter. Just follow this link to subscribe. When you are added to the newsletter, you will receive a FREE 87-page Ebook which is packed with insights for every writer.

Get these articles on your email: 

Since 2004, I have blogged about The Writing Life over 1,700 entries and one of the top 27 content writers. With this simple form, each week you can get my new articles, encouragement and insights at: https://t.co/W6uU64u6aA

You Need a Valuable Bonus

    

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Through the years, I’ve purchased a number of products online. Many of them include a bonus or several  bonuses as an incentive to buy the product. From my experience, often these bonus items are disappointing and not useful to me. In this article, I want to emphasize how I took a different path with a bonus and why you need to get this book--and the bonus.

In early 2020, right before the pandemic, I was one of a small group of authors who took a three-day book funnel bootcamp in Boulder, Colorado. At that time I lived in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, but during the bootcamp I stayed in a hotel in Boulder. Before arriving at the event, I filled out a detailed questionnaire or advanced homework to make sure I brought what I needed to the bootcamp.

 At this practical bootcamp, we learned how to create an attractive offer for our book along with adding bonuses to the offer. As a group, we worked long hours to get feedback and refine our offer. 

Throughout the bootcamp there was a great deal of learning to use new tools, short lectures from the leaders then practical application of the instruction to your own book funnel. The book funnel involved signing up and using some behind-the-scenes tools to process the book sale. While I’ve seen several of the participants drop the product they produced, I’m still working and promoting my product. Throughout the process, I gathered a large folder of questions that I answered and tools that I can use when I create my next funnel (which has not happened). 

As I brainstormed my bonuses for the book funnel, I recalled interviewing one of my author friends who has sold thousands of his self-published books to public libraries. There are over 9,000 libraries who have budgets to buy books for their patrons. Online this author located a public list of the contact information for libraries. Taking several hours each day, my friend spent several hours a day calling the library and connecting with the reference librarian on the phone. Then he pitched the benefits of his book with some persuasive bullet points. As he closed his oral presentation, he asked the librarian for the sale and got the information he needed for his invoice. Each day, he would fill out the invoices, package his books and take them to his post office. Throughout my interview, this writer gave me the specifics of what he did to sell thousands of his books to libraries. These details are included in the audio bonus from my book funnel. It is a valuable bonus because any author (no matter how they publish) can use this system to sell their book to libraries.

As you read these details of selling books to libraries, you may be thinking: making all those phone calls and selling my book is a lot of work. From my experience there is no simple way to sell books that does not involve a lot of hard work. To achieve these sales, you will have to step out of your comfort zone, develop an oral presentation about the benefits of your book and sell it to the reference librarian. Your persistent and consistent effort will pay off and sell thousands of books. 

It’s another reason for you to order my 10 Publishing Myths book directly from me for only $10 including the shipping along with over $200 in free bonuses (including this audio about how to sell to libraries). 

Through the years, I’ve written a number of articles about libraries and the importance for authors. Check out these articles: Get Your Book into Libraries or Learn How to Reach the Library Market. I encourage you to follow these links to the article but also to the additional information and lnks in each article. It is not easy or simple for any author but the opportunity and the possibility is there for you--if you do the work.

How do you determine the free bonuses that you offer with your products? Do you brainstorm them with other writers or do it on your own? Let me know in the comments below.

Tweetable:

When you create a product, you need a valuable bonus. This prolific author and editor gives an example and the details here.  (ClickToTweet)

My Writing In Other Places:

With these articles, I encourage you to publish your work beyond your blog in other places. Below are two articles which were published in other online locations than this blog. 

Once a month, I guest blog for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference blog. This month I wrote about A Critical Element of Publishing at: https://bit.ly/4lTPV5H

Also once a month I blog for Writers on the Move. This month I wrote about The Hidden Costs of Publishing. Read the details here: https://bit.ly/40ghu05 

In addition, once a month I blog about book proposal creation for Almost An Author. This month I asked, Trying to Get A Literary Agent? here: https://bit.ly/4f8e3Pb

New Podcasts:

In these articles, I’ve encouraged you to use PodMatch or some similar tool to book and record podcasts. Last week another podcast recording launched: 

CJ Johnson (@cj_moneyway) and I spoke about Publishing Success Starts Here: Terry Whalin on the 10 Myths Every Aspiring Author Must Break on The CJ Moneyway Podcast. Listen at: https://bit.ly/4fc2nev 

A great deal of the publishing process is outside of our control as writers. When I speak with authors, I find many of these authors have unrealistic expectations. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors practical help. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses.

Subscribe to Terry’s Newsletter:

During the last year, once a week I’ve been sending a short free newsletter. Just follow this link to subscribe. When you are added to the newsletter, you will receive a FREE 87-page Ebook which is packed with insights for every writer.

Get these articles on your email: 

Since 2004, I have blogged about The Writing Life over 1,700 entries and one of the top 27 content writers. With this simple form, each week you can get my new articles, encouragement and insights at: https://t.co/W6uU64u6aA

Honest Writing Feedback

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

From my experience in publishing, it’s hard to find honest feedback about your writing. If we ask our family about our writing, they love our words and will be reluctant to give their honest feedback. In general, it’s the same with our friends who don't want to hurt our feelings. In this article, I want to give some ideas and resources so you can get honest feedback to make improvement in your writing before you send it out to an editor or a literary agent.

At a writers’ conference, they will often provide a way to get critiques from professionals. Sometimes these sessions are a part of the event and other times you can pay extra for detailed feedback. Because I’ve often been on the giving side of the critique process, I know to give honest feedback is somewhat tricky. The editor or professional wants to be honest yet also encouraging to the conferee who has paid to be at the event.

Occasionally at a conference, you will find an editor to give you the straight story about your book. Years ago I interviewed a couple who started a successful marriage ministry. I’m always fascinated with storytelling. The husband told me about the duality in his public appearance as a leader and pastor yet behind the scenes having a combative relationship with his wife. One day the tension in this couple grew extreme. Their television antenna on their roof needed adjustment. In the rain, this man climbed on his roof and when lightening struck he was shocked into changing his relationship and behavior. I called the article Shocked Into Service and crafted a magazine article and a query letter.

As I pitched this story, I could not find anyone to publish it. I found the story and the marriage ministry worth telling but I could not understand the rejection. At a conference in a one on one meeting with a top magazine journalist, he looked at me and said, “It’s the conflict and duality in this story. Even if true, no one wants to know their pastor is bickering with their wife on the way to church then showing a completely different side of their personality in public. The shocked story is the reason for your rejection.”

I was open to the honest feedback and suddenly I understood my rejection. I took my article and stopped sending it out and trying to find a place to publish it. 

Another place to get honest insight about your writing is through a writer’s critique group. I've been in groups which function well and I’ve been in some others which do not provide this honest feedback. As with a publisher, the writer has to search for the right group. It is a solid option and use the links to find out more details.

Other writers will hire a developmental editor or a writing coach to give this feedback. Another option is to have another writer as an accountability partner where you exchange writing and commit to giving each other honest insight for improvement of your writing. There are many different choices and options. I’ve only scratched the surface of possibilities.

When You Get Honest Feedback

While it is a challenge to find this feedback, the writer has another choice in this process. They can discount the feedback and not make any changes. Or they can lean into the insight and improve their work. Bestselling novelist James Scott Bell recently wrote an excedllent article about Taking Criticism (follow the link to get his teachng and insights). Notice how he reacted to criticism, putting it away for several days before he mustered the courage to read the information and apply it to his writing. It’s a process that I’ve often done when someone criticized my work.

The process of producing excellent storytelling is not easy but a journey that each of us as writers are on. We need the honest feedback and insights to improve our storytelling. What steps do you take to get honest feedback and improvement in your work? Let me know in the comments below.

Tweetable:

As a writer, it’s often hard to find honest feedback about your writing. In this article, this prolific author and editor gives some stories and possible options.  (ClickToTweet)

New Podcasts:

In these articles, I’ve encouraged you to use PodMatch or some similar tool to book and record podcasts. Last week another podcast recording launched:

Greg Danielson (@simplisatisfied) and I spoke about Unveiling the Myths of Publishing on the Simply Satisfied Podcast. Listen at: https://bit.ly/3IvErX6    

Publishing is a complex business and much of the process is outside of anything an author can control—no matter how they publish. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors realistic expectations  and practical help. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses. 

Subscribe to Terry’s Newsletter:

During the last year, once a week I’ve been sending a short free newsletter. Just follow this link to subscribe. When you are added to the newsletter, you will receive a FREE 87-page Ebook which is packed with insights for every writer.

Get these articles on your email: 

Since 2004, I have blogged about The Writing Life over 1,700 entries and one of the top 27 content writers. With this simple form, each week you can get my new articles, encouragement and insights at: https://t.co/W6uU64u6aA

Missed Learning Opportunities

 

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

As writers, we are surrounded with rich insights from other writers who are in a different place in their writing lives. If we take action, we can learn important insights for our writing. I want to tell you about some of my missed learning opportunities and my plans to make a personal course correction in this area.

First, a confession. One of the benefits from being on the faculty of a large writer’s conference like the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference is the gift of all the recordings from a wide array of workshops and instructors. In 2023. I was a part of this faculty and after the conference, I carefully downloaded and organized all of the audios and handouts. Here’s my confession, during the last two years I have not listened to a single session.

Last month once again, I was on the faculty with the gift of the various recordings. I downloaded and organized all of these audios and handouts. I’m determined to take a different course of action. I’m creating a plan to consistently listen to some of these recordings and apply it to my writing life. In the last few days, I’ve started this listening process. Because I also downloaded all of the handouts, I locate the handout and print it, then as I listen to the workshop I make action notes on this handout. To get started, I’m not starting at the beginning or the end but picking the topics which are interesting or the speakers that are of interest to my writing. Each session is over an hour in length. I’ve pulled the audio to my desktop and at different moments throughout my day, I am listening to part of the workshop. 

Here’s another way to consume these audios. I don’t have to listen to them on my desktop or laptop computer. I’ve learned to send the audio file as an attachment to myself. Then I open that file on my phone and can listen to it on my mobile device which is much more portable than a laptop or desktop computer. I hope each of you are seeing the flexibility and options which open up to hear the recordings on your phone as well as your computer.

Notice how I broke down this huge task of listening to hours or recordings into bite-sized pieces that I can easily accomplish and find value for my writing life. From what I have read and experienced in publishing, I believe there are many others who never use the audios or online courses they have purchased--much less listened to the material then applied it to their writing life. If you want to be the exception, then you have to follow a different course of action.

For example, do you want to write a book over the next few months? No writer sits and writes a full book manuscript. I’ve interviewed many bestselling authors. The bulk of these writers will set a goal of how many words they want to write during a day or during a week. They establish a goal which is reasonable for them and something they can accomplish time after time. Then these writers find the time in their schedule (early in the morning or late at night or during their lunch schedule). They sit at their keyboard, move their fingers and write words. That first draft isn’t perfect and will often need rewriting and revision for it to be published. Getting your first draft down on paper moves it from your head to reality. It does not happen by “thinking” or “dreaming” about writing. It does not happen by reading and studying how-to-write books (even though I’ve written several of these books). You achieve your writing goals little by little and make continual progress toward writing that final page.  

Years ago in August 2020, I wrote an article about how to eat an elephant (follow the link to read it). Do you have a series of these audio recordings on a flash drive or on your computer? Have you listened to them and applied them to your writing life? What steps do you take in this area? Let me know in the comments and I look forward to your insights.

Tweetable:

We are surrounded with opportunities to learn about our writing craft. This prolific writer and editor confesses to his missed learning and specific actions. Read the details here.  (ClickToTweet)

New Podcasts:

In these articles, I’ve encouraged you to use PodMatch or some similar tool to book and record podcasts. Last week another podcast recording launched:

Jon Clemence and I spoke about Insights Every Author Needs to Succeed on the Content Creators Unite! podcast. Listen at:https://bit.ly/4kyXr44 

I’m currently working for my third publisher as an acquisitions editor. Without exaggeration, I’ve spoken with hundreds of authors about their books and plans. Repeatedly, I find many authors have an unrealistic expectation for what will happen when their book gets published. I know much of the publishing process is outside of anything that an author can control. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS, which is a practical easy reading book to help you. Get my decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses. 

Subscribe to Terry’s Newsletter:

During the last year, once a week I’ve been sending a short free newsletter. Just follow this link to subscribe. When you are added to the newsletter, you will receive a FREE 87-page Ebook which is packed with insights for every writer.

Get these articles on your email: 

Since 2004, I have blogged about The Writing Life over 1,700 entries and one of the top 27 content writers. With this simple form, each week you can get my new articles, encouragement and insights at: https://t.co/W6uU64u6aA