The Most Difficult Aspect to Find

 

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

You’ve been working on your book proposal or book manuscript for a long time. On a consistent basis, you have been at your computer crafting your words and telling your stories. Or you have been working on your business plan or book proposal for your book. After weeks of effort and work, you are poised at your computer and ready to submit it to a literary agent or an editor. In this article, I want to help you understand the most difficult factor for you to find at this juncture: something that is not there. How do you find what you are missing and make sure you add it before submitting?

For this article, I added an image of a woman looking at a map. Let’s say you were going to be the printer or publisher of that map. What would be the most difficult aspect to check in the proofreading process before you printed it? The answer is something which is supposed to be on that map but is not there. With a book, it could be the table of contents page. An editor friend who read my Pivot Driven Devotions wrote an email and called it to my attention this book does not have a table of contents page. For other books, they have a foreword but in the proofreading process the foreword isn’t added to the table of contents. In other books, the word foreword is misspelled as forward. Foreword is one of the most misspelled words in publishing. As a writer, you want to get the details right no matter what you are publishing.

Now that you understand the challenge for the author, I want to suggest several ideas to help you in this process.

1. Use a checklist. The checklist helps you see the elements which may be missing then add them into your manuscript, book proposal or any other type of submission or pitch. For example, in the book proposal area, I have a free book proposal checklist (follow the link to get it or go to this page for more information).  My book proposal checklist is a number of pages (when you subscribe to my newsletter). I’ve written two book proposals that received six-figure advances and reviewed hundreds of proposal submissions. I encourage you to read my checklist then carefully review it and see if anything is missing that you need to add before your submission. Submitting a complete document is important. Sometimes authors will notice they are missing something and ask if they can resubmit their proposal. Often with reluctance I agree to such a request but it causes more internal work and does not make the right impression on the editor or agent that you have asked. As a writer, you can to come across in a professional manner. Use the checklist before you hit the send button to an editor or agent.

2. Hire a proofreader or outside editor. Another way to find missing elements in your submission is to hire a proofreader or outside editor. At Morgan James Publishing, we have a vetted list of editors that I will send to the authors during the submission process. The list is fluid and changes from time to time if we get complaints about a particular editor. There are a number of these professionals who can help you. The Christian Writers’ Market Guide has a list of editors and resources. Make sure you use a current edition because this type of information changes from year to year. 

Before you submit, you want to make sure your material is complete and in the best possible shape. An outside editor can help you in this process--especially when you understand that an excellent submission is a great way to stand out to the editor or literary agent. Some people estimate there are millions of submissions in process at any given moment. From the stack of material I receive as an editor, I believe that statement is true.

3. Join a Critique Group.

The final way I would give you to find something missing in your query letter or book proposal or manuscript or any sort of pitch is to join a critique group or find an accountability partner. Each of us need someone with fresh eyes to look at our material and give us input and improvement. I’ve been in a number of these groups through the years and learned it is important to find the right group. That process will take some search and effort but it is well worth it from my experience. Follow this link to learn some more ideas about finding and participating in a critique group. 

The publishing process is not easy for anyone. The overall message in this article is that you do not have to face the journey alone. Use one or more of these ideas to find whatever is missing in your material--and do it before you send it. What other ideas or resources do you have in this area? Let me know in the comments below.

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.

Want your book to be a success? Author Terry Whalin says, “Take five small actions every day.” That’s it. Repeat daily. Momentum comes from small, strategic actions over time.🎧 Hear the full strategy in the Author’s Edge: https://bit.ly/4iQuAYw

Some of My Writing In Other Places:

In recent weeks, I’ve had a couple of guest blog post articles.

Each month I guest blog at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference and this month I encourage writers that The Opportunity To Publish Is Everywhere at: https://bit.ly/42AXgOL 

Once a month, I guest blog at Writers on the Move and in this article, I explain why I give away books and you should too at: https://bit.ly/3Es76KY 

Tweetable:

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After speaking with authors for years, I know many authors have a unrealistic ideas about the details of publishing—and these details are important for your book to succeed. 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. 

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Help Me Launch My Next Book

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

In 2004, as a frustrated editor, I wrote Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. This book has over 100 Five Star reviews and has helped many writers find a literary agent and land a publishing deal.  One of my key reasons for writing it was to help more writers succeed in publishing and also to help agents and editors (like myself) to receive better submissions.

 

Publishing has changed a great deal since that book was published. In recent months I've revised the content, gathered new endorsements. The revised edition includes a foreword for the book from literary agent Marilyn Allen who has worked with Ken Follett, Stephen King, John Gray and many others.

 

Literary agent Steve Laube told me at a recent conference, my revised edition fixed a key flaw with my original book. At that time I was focused on nonfiction. Some fiction writers used the first edition and it helped them. The reality in today's publishing world, I believe every author needs to write a book proposal—fiction, nonfiction, children's book—even if you self-publish. Why? Your proposal is essentially your business plan how you are going to sell your book and it contains information which never appears in your manuscript yet is critical to the publishing process.

 

I worked with Misty Taggart at Trailer to the Stars to create a 60–second book trailer and you can watch it here.  In addition, I've reworked my old website with new information and a new free book proposal checklist ebook. In recent years I have participated in different launch teams for new books. I'm working with launch manager Tammy Karasek on the details of this book launch. I'm writing to ask if you will join my launch team for Book Proposals That $ell which releases on October 5th. 

 

My launch team will have a limited number of people. You will have access to our private Facebook group, drawings for prizes, special images to use and much more. The first step in this process is to fill out the launch application (which should only take you a few minutes).  

 

Through the years, I've helped a number of other authors as I've read and reviewed their books. I hope you will consider helping me to successfully launch Book Proposals That $ell. You have to apply to join the launch team and fill out the launch application. Thank you in advance for your consideration and help. Hope to see you in our private Facebook group.

 

Have you ever launched a book with a launch team? Or maybe you have participated in a launch team? Let me know in the comments below. 

 

Tweetable:

It takes a team to launch a book. This prolific editor and author needs your help to launch his next book. Here's the details how you can join this launch team. (ClickToTweet)

Five Ways to Gear Up Your Writing

Gear up you writing with these ideas

Often within the publishing community, there is a noticeable shift right before Thanksgiving through the New Year. Emails don't get answered or returned as promptly. Phone calls and messages are ignored (unreturned). I'm continuing to work with authors, get new contracts and sign authors throughout this season. The overall pace has been slower.

For example, this week, I had several authors who have received new Morgan James contracts tell me they wanted to hold off and revisit it after the first of the year. I told them that would be fine and made a note to reconnect with them in January.

I understand everyone has a different mindset and agenda often during the holiday season. When I worked at a publisher years ago, I recall spending at least a day or two signing Christmas cards to authors. These types of activities interfere with the normal course of the publishing business yet are important.

If you are facing this type of response, what do you do? In this article, I want to give you five ways to gear up your writing.

1. Write query letters and pitch magazines for assignments.  It depends on the publication whether you write a query or the full article. Whatever your strategy, select some magazines and get your material out to them. If you don't know what to write, I would encourage you to write personal experience stories since almost every publication takes this type of article.

2. Create a new proposal. Use my book proposal checklist to get some ideas. If you have a proposal which has not been sold, pull that proposal out and see if it needs revision or updating then plan a strategy to get it back out to more agents or different publishers.

3. Work on a new information product or new online course. Information products continue to sell and it's a way you as an author can create something independent from a publisher and add an income stream. If you don't know what I'm talking about, listen to this free teleseminar from Bob Bly and follow his advice.

4. Get some new speaking gigs for next year. What groups tie to your book? Can you send email pitches or make some phone calls to get new bookings? Don't forget local civic groups like the chamber of commerce or these types of groups.They are always looking for speakers and need what you have for them. It doesn't happen  you aren't pitching so take this time to be pitch.

5. Beef up your social media conections. Do you need a new twitter header or a new blog header? Then go over to Fiverr.com and search for someone who can do it inexpensively for you and get it moving. In a recent article, I mentioned about expanding my connections on LinkedIn (currently about 600 more than my last writing. You can take time to expand your connections and see if it turns up some new writing projects. From LinkedIn, I've had articles published and met new authors. I encourage you to take this time teo expand your social media.

I know I promised five ways but I'm going to add a bonus sixth one: Read a how-to-write book then apply the information to your writing life. Whether you purchase the book or get it from the library, you can use this season to expand your writing through reading.

Did you notice something consistent about each of these suggestions? Anyone can do them. It does not matter your skill level or your experience. The key is to take action and move forward during this season. If I can help you in this process, don't hesitate to reach out to me (my email and phone is on the bottom of the second page of this link).

What steps are you taking with your writing during this season? Let me know in the comments below.

Tweetable:

Discover five ways to gear up your writing with these ideas. (Click to Tweet)

 

My Christmas Gift for You

I hope you are having a wonderful Christmas season
with family and friends.

As my special gift, I've created this Audio
Postcard(TM). To get your Audio Postcard, turn up
your speakers, and click on this link:

http://audiopostcard-007.com/X.asp?6280611X1166


Listen for me...

Terry

How to Pitch a New York Publisher

I'm headed out to another conference in the morning. It's the first of four straight weekends with people pitching book ideas. 

I love helping other writers to be successful pitching their ideas. As an acquisitions editor, each week I champion author's book ideas to my publication board and then help them understand the details of our publishing program and their book contract. It is a great deal of fun because with each step, I can see authors get closer to achieving their dreams of getting their book into print.

Many authors fail in this process to capture the attention of an editor or agent because they have no concept of how their pitch is received. Have they included all of the right elements in that pitch? Many of them have not. 

To help you, I've pulled together a short Book Proposal Checklist (follow this link). Download the checklist and also follow the different resources and links I have at the bottom of this page. 

Several days ago, I recorded a 30–minute interview about how to pitch a New York publisher (Morgan James Publishing). I encourage you to download this interview (right click and save as to get it on your computer so you can hear it whenever you want). 

I hope you will learn a great deal from it. I'm excited to hear new book ideas. I hope this helps you.