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.

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The Importance of Online Writing Groups

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

For many years I've been an active participant in several online groups. Some of my writing colleagues have criticized those efforts and wondered why I did it. I see the importance of these online groups in a number of areas and want to capture some of those reasons in this article.

 

One of the groups where I'm active began in September 2001 (yes the month when the September 11th attack came). The person that began this group selected different “panelists” to lead discussion in various areas of publishing. I have been participating in these discussions for over 20 years. The format is simple. Each week one of the panelists lead the discussion on a single topic. There are several hundred writers in this group and some weeks have much more active participation than others. The posts are stored on the site and have created a rich resource of ideas and teaching.

 

I participate in these groups as a way to give back to the writing community. As a writer I've learned so much (and continue to learn) from others. This group is a way to pass to others what I've learned. It's also a place to learn from others. Through the years I've gained great insights from what others have written in this group.

 

For example, last week I led the discussion and focused on writing for Sunday School Take Home Papers. Admittedly Sunday schools have been declining for years but there is still a group of these denominational publications. The editors produce 52 issues or one for each week instead of a monthly publication. They take nonfiction, how-to articles but also short stories (fiction). It's a wonderful place for new writers to break into the market and begin to learn about publishing. In our discussion last week we covered a variety of topics related to this topic including which publications, reprints, theme lists and much more. 

 

The participants in these online groups come from all over the world. I know one of our active members is an American but living overseas. If you aren't in an online group, you can search groups on yahoo or Goodreads or any number of places. Many organizations have their own online groups where you can participate. I recommend this resource as another way to be growing and learning as a writer. 

 

Do you participate in an online writing group? How did you find it and why do you participate? I look forward to reading your experiences in the comments. 

 

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Writers Study their Craft

One of the ways we can grow as a writer in the knowledge of our craft is to read how-to books. Even though I have an undergraduate degree in journalism and have shelves of how-to write books, I continue to read books on the craft of writing. For years I've read at least one of these types of books every month. New how-to books continue to be created and published—and I learn something from each of them.

In fact, I'm on the lookout for notices about new how-to books and I enjoy reading them and writing reviews about the books. In this article, I want to highlight two new books that I've recently read and reviewed. I don't recall where I found out about these books but in each case, I looked the book on Amazon and noticed the book had one or no reviews. From my experience I know other readers are making buying decisions all the time based on these reviews. I know they are important to the author. Most authors are easy to find their website and contact information. I reached out to each of these two authors, Ann Byle and Carolyn Scheidies. I expressed my interest in reading and reviewing their book.

As a way to support other writers, I encourage you to take similar action. Reach out to these writers and offer to read their book if they will send you a review copy. Yes you get a book but this book comes with some responsibility: that you read the book and write your review.

First, CHRISTIAN PUBLISHING 101 by Ann Byle:

Journalist Ann Byle has compiled and edited a wide-ranging look at Christian Publishing from her years in this business.  As she explains in the opening pages of the book, “Most chapters are based on interviews I did with the professional or about his or her area of expertise.” The 45 chapters are broken into seven sections: Creating a Writing Life, The Craft of Writing, Exploring the Depths of Nonfiction, Discovering the Breath of Fiction, Writing for Children, Tweens, and Teens, Reaching Your Readers, and the Business of Writing. Each chapter includes an “Assignments” section with a series of questions for the reader to dig deeper into that particular topic. Some chapters include sidebars with additional resources and insight.

For a couple of the chapters, Byle writes from her detailed experience in the Christian market such as Chapter 16 Contents Is King: Article Writing for Magazines, Websites, and More or Chapter 42 Book Proposals: Whys and Hows of Creating a Great Overview of Your Book.

For almost any area of the field, reading CHRISTIAN PUBLISHING 101 will give you the basics and insights you need to start in this area.  Byle has compiled a book of experts in each area that the book explores for example: Jerry B. Jenkins, Nancy Rue, Bill Myers, or James Scott Bell. Many will want to read this book over and over as a valuable resource. I highly recommend it.

Second, ESPECIALLY FOR THE CHRISTIAN WRITER by Carolyn R. Scheidies

Whenever I learn from another writer or editor, I want to learn from someone with experience in what they are teaching. Carolyn Scheidies is just such a person. In ESPECIALLY FOR THE CHRISTIAN WRITER, Scheidies teaches about writing letters to the editor, queries to magazines, articles, news releases and much more. You will gain insights for your own writing as you study the pages of this well-written book.

In the opening pages, Scheidies gives critical information saying, “Want to get published? Then you need three things in great abundance: passion, persistence and patience. Without these, you will never persevere as a published writer. If you don’t care about your subject, how will you make your reader care? And if you give up, you’ll never know how far you could have gone.” (Page 10)

ESPECIALLY FOR THE CHRISTIAN WRITER is full of practical insights for every writers.  I recommend this book.

I hope you will check out these two books about the craft of writing and they will help your writing life. Do you regularly read books about the craft of writing? Let me know in the comments below. 


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Do More Than Just Write

Writing is important. That first step in the process of getting published is to put your words on paper but what happens next? I've returned from another writers' conference which is a perfect place to get recharged and learn new insights for your writing life. 

Numerous times in these articles I've written about the importance of writers' conferences and taking action from what you learn at these events.  I understand the investment to attend a conference in actual cost, time and energy. There are also other ways of getting such training. 

One of my favorite ways to learn about the writing craft and market is through reading how-to books. I have purchased shelves of these books over the years--and they are not just for appearance. I know some people buy books and do not read them. On a consistent basis, I read these books, mark in them and take action from the suggestions inside the pages. 

Today I wanted to tell you about a recently published how-to book called Just Write by James Scott Bell.

I’ve known James Scott Bell for many years and long admired his work and his commitment to the craft of writing. I do not write fiction but have spent most of my writing life in the nonfiction world (yet I acquire fiction and read fiction). 

Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, you need Just Write to learn from this skilled teacher and bestselling novelist.
Every chapter of this book is packed with insights. I encourage you to read with a yellow highlighter. The book is broken into two sections: Unforgettable Fiction and A Rewarding Writing Life. Each section has four chapters. Whether you have written numerous novels or never written a novel, you will profit from Bell’s instruction.

Here’s a couple of samples: “Craft mastery in any subject is a matter of study, observation and practice. As a writer, the better handle you have on the craft, the better prepared you’ll be to break a rule when the time comes. You’ll know why you’re doing it and whether it’s worth the risk to break it.” (Page 31) Or the chapter on Study the Craft begins, “When in doubt, just write. Write your way out of a corner, out of your fears, out of your setbacks. It’s a good default setting. But right up alongside it put another track: study the craft. Make constant and never-ending improvement a goal just as important as your daily pages. Just write and keep learning—these are the two steel rails that will carry you to a productive career.” (Page 146)

Every writer or would-be writer will profit from the study of these pages. I highly recommend Just Write.

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Keep An Eye on the Trades

If you want to know the inside scoop about publishing and how it works, I encourage you to read trade publications. 

The weekly magazine of the publishing world is Publishers Weekly. If you’ve thought about subscribing, it is not cheap. I’ve been taking it for years and read it cover to cover each week. I absorb a great deal of information because each week covers a different type of book as well as current news about books and authors.

For many years, I made a weekly trip to the library and read Publishers Weekly from the reference librarians. Smile and engage the librarians because they will not have PW in their magazine section. The librarians read this trade magazine to keep up on the publishing world but also to know in advance about books from bestselling authors. It’s how your library always has a copy on order before it releases.

The PW magazines are kept behind the counter and you may have to read it in their sight because the librarians don’t want you to walk off with their resource. For many years, I read this publication in my local library.

Also subscribe to the free newsletters from Publishers Weekly and read them when they arrive in your mailbox. I have read this information for years and it’s been a great education about the business of publishing.

Several years ago, PW started a feature for the back page called Soapbox. Often authors or publishers or publicists will write something inspirational and insightful on this page. It’s well worth reading online (if available some of their material is only for subscribers) or in the print version. 

The most recent PW (Sept. 24, 2012) has a Soapbox column from first-time novelist Rayme Waters called Promote, Promote, Promote. She includes 10 tips on guerrilla marketing. Every novelist (or nonfiction writer for that matter) can gain from these tips. Whether you’ve never published or been published many times, I learned a great deal from this article.

Another trade resource is to subscribe to Publishers Lunch. They have a free version and a paid version of this publication. I get the paid version because of the additional information and publisher access. Yet for many years, I read the free version.

Shelf Awareness is another terrific resource which is targeted to booksellers and librarians—yet includes valuable insights for writers. It’s free and comes five days a week. Most of the writers on this publication are former PW writers.

Trade publications are an important resource. Each of us needs to continue to grow in our craft and using this resource is a solid path of education.

When The Hits Come

If a new song soars to the top of the bestseller charts, we call it a "hit." It's not the type of hit that I'm writing about in this entry on The Writing Life.

Currently football season is in full swing. When they snap the ball, the defensive linemen attempt to sack the quarterback and prevent him from passing the football. If they break through the offense and tackle the quarterback, with the intensity of the game in professional football, this quarterback will take a "hit." Then everyone waits to see if the quarterback can summon the strength and will power to stand back up and continue playing the game. Yes, he has been shaken but did it knock him out of the game?

While it isn't physical, the same sort of hits happen in the writing world. You have a connection with a particular editor and get an assignment, then something goes wrong some place. Maybe the person you are interviewing doesn't give you enough time. Or maybe you didn't put enough creativity and energy into the writing from the subjective editor's view. Or a dozen other things block the successful completion of that magazine article. Instead of payment and a printed article, you are sent a kill fee or you receive absolutely no compensation from it. You take an emotional hit.

Or you hold a book contract with a publisher. During the process of this contract, the publisher has a change of editors and others in charge of your project. This new group of editors don't like your book proposal or your book idea. It simply doesn't fit the new plans of the publishing house so they cancel your book. You get another hit.

The publishing world is full of these types of experiences. I was reflecting on some of the ones that I've had during the past few months. As I listen to other authors, editors and literary agents, I've understood that no one is immune from taking a hit.

Your hit may not relate directly to your writing life but it may be something else which affects your writing. For example, you have an ill spouse or an elderly parent who requires your undivided attention and takes away time from a writing project. There are many different variables that I could change in these hits but they come into our lives. You know your own hits.

Here's the critical question when you are hit: Do you have the strength and will power to continue ahead with your dreams? Or do they carry you off the field and you quit your involvement in the world of publishing? It's a choice to leave and some people determine they can't face the rejection or can't handle the uncertainty or whatever other reason. I've seen a number of literary agents, authors and editors pack it up and leave the business when they have been hit.

My encouragement to you is on several fronts. First, before you have a hit, determine that you will keep on in the publishing community. This decision will carry you ahead no matter what comes into your life. Second, make the daily determination to continue growing in your craft and learning about the business of publishing. Each element is important for your own personal growth. You need to keep growing in the craft of writing and you need to continue to understand the business aspects of publishing.

No one said that it would be easy or simple or without difficulty. Over twenty-two years ago, I had a small son who was in the hospital and fighting for his life. Our emotional pain as a family was at a very high level. I had written a query for a magazine article on listening through the Bible. If you listen to the Bible for 20 minutes a day, you can cover the entire text of the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation in four months. Numerous publications rejected my query on this idea.

Then out of the blue, I received a call from a publication which had rejected my query. They had a new managing editor who was sorting through old queries. My idea caught her attention so she picked up the phone and asked me if I could write the article for their January issue. I explained that my youngest son was in the hospital but I would meet her deadline. Listening Through the Bible has been one of my most popular evergreen reprints.

Finally if you get a chance, check out my interview which was posted on HowToTellAGreatStory.com. It's another opportunity to learn and grow--and get prepared for those future hits.

The Extra Degree of Effort

What will take your writing to the next level? Is it a writer's conference where you invest and travel across the country and have a significant conversation with an editor? Or maybe it's a class which you take from one person at the conference or several of them. Or it's an email that you get from a writing friend which spurs you ahead in your craft.

It's easy to get discouraged in publishing if you look at the massive amount of material in circulation for consideration or the large number of books which are constantly being released (and few of them selling in a significant way). Rather than look at the negative, it is better to be focused on the positive. What can you do today that will make a difference in your life and move you along the path to success? Where is your personal "tipping point" to use a phrase from the best-selling book by Malcolm Gladwell called The Tipping Point. I've had other entries about this book.

If you need a bit of inspiration, I recommend you check out this short film, 212 The Extra Degree Movie.

May this presentation inspire you to put out the extra effort and not only today but into everything that you write. I've watched this inspirational piece several times. See if you can raise your efforts by one degree.

The Tricky Balance

With increasing frequency I hear this little statement, "Talking about writing is much more fun than actually writing." It's true in some respects. Carefully crafting words on paper is hard work. It's disciplined work and something you have to focus on and make happen. I know these elements firsthand because of the writing deadlines I'm facing--doing and completing all the time. For example, in the last week, I've completed a new Ebook which you will be hearing about in the coming days (now in the production process).

Often the first step for many writers is to learn the craft of writing and regularly practice their craft through magazine articles, articles for websites, book proposals and books. It's one part of the process. Also I listen as some writers ignore another key part of the process--the personal marketing, platform building and promotion. Call it what you want but there is also a necessity to devote a certain level of energy toward this process. You can't delegate this process to your book publisher or you will likely be disappointed with the results. This result is particularly true if you are a beginning writer and new in the process or in the middle-selling part of the pack.

Today I read a fascinating article from Marisa D'Vari who is one of my colleagues in the American Society of Journalists and Authors. We've met at our conferences. In the January/ February issue of Pages, D'Vari wrote "Platform Shoe-Ins, How Does Savvy Marketing Build A Bestseller?" This article isn't available online--and I just found the reason (Pages is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy). Here's a couple of relevant paragraphs to this discussion from D'Vari, "Victoria Moran, author of the bestselling Creating a Charmed Life: Sensible, Spiritual Secrets Every Busy Woman Should Know, takes a spiritual view of what it takes to create a bestseller, despite the fact she spends several hours a day building buzz for her books and hosts a radio show on Sirius Satellite Radio's Martha Stewart Living channel. "I do the footwork--the website, the online newsletter, working with speakers' bureaus--yet what has really made magic for me is just showing up,” she says. "By believing in my message and that there's a place for it in this world, great stuff has just come to me."

"Media attention can create awareness of the author's name, but what makes a bestseller is the right book at the right time with the right buzz. A large promotional budget can help launch a book, but it's self-defeating for a shy author to appear on Good Morning America or embark on a book tour. Making a personal connection with readers can go a long way to building a readership, but in the end, Moran may be right--all an author can really do is believe in her message, promote the book as well as she can, and leave the rest to the universe."

Notice the huge "footwork" Moran is doing to get out in front of the public. Also the way she believes in her message then is waiting for the right book at the right time. It's a tricky balance.