Keep Your Dreams and Hopes Alive

 

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

As writers and communicators, each of us are on a journey. Numerous times in these articles on The Writing Life, I’ve pointed out there is no one-two-three step formula for success. At least I’ve been looking, studying and reading for years and have yet to find it. If you know the secret, reach out to me or let us know in the comments. 

Instead as writers, we have hopes for what will happen in our writing life. Besides hope, we have dreams about our future. Finally we are storytellers and want to tell others the story. In this article I want to give encouragement and remind you know the discovery process happens or stops. 

Persist in Taking Continued Action

As the author, you have the greatest passion for your writing. Dip into this passion to be consistently taking action and telling others about your book. Stress the benefits of others reading your work. Use their reviews and endorsements. There many different tools and ways to promote. It's important to accept the responsibility for your own success and take continued action. It doesn’t have to take a lot of time but must be consistent.

If you need ideas, pick up a copy of John Kremer’s 1001 Ways to Market Your Book or Raleigh Pinskey’s 101 Ways to Promote Yourself. Each of these books are filled with tested and tried ideas.

Make and Foster New Connections

Last week I had coffee with a local author who is a podcaster that turned down my pitch to be on his program. We met and exchanged some ideas. Will it lead to something? I don’t know but I’m happy to have made the relationship. Look for local writer’s groups where you can participate, exchange busienss cards and make new connections. Again the consistency will pay off and open doors you can’t imagine.

Be Open to Different Possibilities

Are you looking for a traditional book deal and a literary agent? To be realistic, at the moment that path may be a difficult one for you. Can you find another way to get your book into the marketplace with a company like Morgan James Publishing? You can’t know about the details if you don’t pitch (submit) then consider the details. 

If you are writing books, that’s great. Are you writing for magazines? You can reach more people with a magazine article than most books and promote your book in the process. Magazine editors tell you what they want from writers in their guidelines (use google to find it). Pitch them what they are asking for and you will be more likely to get their acceptance. Yes, it is that simple. 

Get Feedback Before You Submit

One of the most difficult things for any writer (including me) to see in their writing: something that is not there. Maybe you are missing a critical component. Possibly you need a different title. Maybe you are missing a key factor in your book proposal. The list of possibilities can be endless. Get help from somone before you submit. It can be an outside editor. It can be your critique group or another writer where you have an accountable relationship. 

A key part of the way to keep your hopes and dreams alive is to consistently take action. Continue learning but use that knowledge to reach more people. There is an endless list of things that needs to be accomplished. Yes, I have one too and stop every day with more to do than I can get done. Yet I keep chipping away at accpmplishing the work. There is only one person that I can handle--me. 

As Mark Twain said, “The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and starting on the first one.”

No matter what you are writing I encourage you to perservere and continue. If you stop, then the dreams stop and hope stops. As long as you continue, it continues.

Get to a live event (follow this link to see my speaking schedule), invest in yourself and don’t just go to the meetings and then to your room. Throughout the event, meet as many people as you can. Ask questions, learn about their dreams and hopes and get ideas for your own writing. 

What actions are you consistently taking to stoke your own dreams and hopes? 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.

Paul Nelhart and I had a great conversation about: Secrets to Getting Your Book Published Successfully on The Intrinsic Mindset Podcast. Listen at: https://bit.ly/3YdAjzO 

Caroline Biesalski (@inspiredcast) and I talked about Demystifying Publishing: Terry Whalin’s Insights and Strategies for Success on The Inspired Choice Podcast. Listen at: https://bit.ly/4clmVzI   

My Articles in Other Places:

In these articles, I encourage you to guest blog and write for other places. Here’s a recent published article:

On the Kill Zone Blog I wrote about Why Self-published Books Are Rarely in bookstores at: https://bit.ly/3R0BT4d Be sure and read the comments as well as the article for additional information.

Tweetable:

As writers, we need to keep our hopes and dreams alive. This prolific author and editor tells some stories and gives specific action steps for your writing life. Read the details here.  (ClickToTweet)

For many years, I have spoken with individuals who want to publish a book. I’ve listened to their plans and found many of them have an unrealistic idea about the details of publishing. To sell books and succeed, these details are important. 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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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

Writing for An Audience of One

     

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Have you ever been the only person in a large room with a speaker in the front? I recall speaking at a large writers conference with multiple sessions at the same time. I was teaching over several days and when one of my classes began, I had a single person listening to me. It was strange but I knew the conference was recording my session so I went ahead and spoke to the entire room (including the one person) and taught my session.

Some of my workshops have been completely full with every seat filled and people sitting on the floor in the back. Yet I have taught a few workshops with only one or two people. The experience is awkward but I’m glad to have someone in the room rather than just speaking an empty room (and the tape recording).

When you speak, you can look at your audience and interact with them. When you write, it is a different experience yet you still have an audience. How do you focus on the reader? It’s what I want to examine in this article.

Who is the audience for your writing? Why are you telling your story or article or novel? One of the key basics for every writer is to have a clear picture of your audience as you write words. For example, for these blog articles, I’m focused on anyone interested in publishing. I’m using the word in a broad sense whether you are writing online, in print, for magazines or books. There are a broad sweep of people who are interested in the various aspects of publishing. 

From my years of writing, I have found it hard to write for a nameless crowd of people. Instead in my mind, I need to focus on an audience of one. Who is that person that is listening to you as you write? Can you visualize them sitting there reading your work or listening to you speak? Who is this person and what do they look like? What are they wearing and how are they reacting to your words? Are they leaning into the words and eager to see the next one or do they look distracted? What feelings is that person in your audience experiencing? Are they joyful or in some sort of pain or somewhere in between those extremes? Can you image their reaction to your words and your story? Keeping the audience in mind is a key element for every writer. 

For example, a children’s book will have different words and a different tone depending on the age of that child in your audience. A fiction story will have a different audience than a nonfiction book. After I get the article written, I will read through it and make sure it will also work for a broader target audience. 

One of the easiest places to learn this aspect of writing for a particular skill of writing for an audience is when you write magazine articles. When I worked at Decision magazine (circulation 1.8 million at the time), I was amazed that people would submit articles that were way off track of our audience and anything that we would possibly publish. With a glance, these types of submissions were rejected. It’s the same with your book pitches. If you are pitching a fantasy novel to an agent who has zero interest or experience in fantasy, then your pitch will be immediately rejected. 

Do you set aside your writing for a bit then return to it and re-read it and make adjustments? Or maybe you have a critique partner who reads your work and gives you honest feedback? Or maybe you are a part of a small critique group in person or online that gives you feedback about the audience and your writing? 

Writing is something that most of us do in isolation but each of us need feedback from others about our words--and we need to have that audience firmly in mind as we write. How do you determine your audience? Let me know in the comments below and I look forward to it.

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When you write, what audience do you have in mind? This prolific writer and editor tells about writing for an audience of one. Get the details in this article. (ClickToTweet)

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.

If You Are Stuck...

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

As an author, there are many times when you can get stalled or stuck. When you face this type of situation, where do you turn? Throughout my years in this business, I have often been stuck or stalled. In this article, I want to tell a few stories, give you some ideas and action steps.

Several weeks ago, one of my Morgan James Publishing authors was in the final stages of production on his book. The pages were set in type and he showed those pages to one of his friends. This “friend” carefully reviewed the book and sent several single-spaced pages of editorial changes. This friend knew nothing about the process of book production. The rule of thumb is the closer you get to a final book to print, the less changes you want to make because that change process can become costly to the author. With these editorial suggestions, my author was stuck and trying to determine what to do. 

From my work in publishing, I understand that many editorial choices such as where to put a comma are subjective and will vary from editor to editor. To help this author, I called an editorial friend and asked if she would review the changes and give me a suggestion who could fix it. To my relief, she agreed and a few days later validated that many of these suggestions needed to be fixed. This expert gave me several recommended people to correct these suggestions. I sent the information to my author. He investigated and came back with a range of costs and timeframes for each of these experts. Again, he reached out to me and was stuck. I made some suggestions. I know this author and even if it was going to cost him financially at the end of the day he wanted his book to be in the best possible shape when it released this fall to the bookstores.

Notice how this author took action when he got stuck. He reached out to his acquisitions editor (me). I made some suggestions and used my resources to help him. Then he made a decision to get unstuck and move forward. 

You may be stuck for a number of reasons. Maybe you want to do more podcasts and radio interviews to promote your book. You need to ask an expert to help you or learn to craft the pitch yourself and book interviews. Maybe you want to break out of self-publishing and get your book into the bookstores. It's possible but you need to explore your options and meet the right person to help you. Possibly you need to plan to attend a large writers’ conference and meet the right person. Possibly you need to learn how to write a book proposal to improve your pitch. There are many directions to head but you need guidance to make a wise decision. First, understand you are not on your own unless you make this decision. There is a writing community and experts who can give you good options--if you explore these possibilities.

In the end, my author made some wise decisions which are going to cost him financially. The interior type for his book will be reset and all of the corrections fixed so an excellent book will be released this fall. 

If you are stuck, here’s some ideas:

1. Switch to something else. Sometimes your mind will continue working on the challenge as you work on something else and the right idea will come to you.

2. Move out of your chair and take a walk. Exercise will clear your mind and help you make a better decision.

3. Read a book for inspiration and a fresh perspective. This week the publisher sent me a little book called A Drop of Courage. I don’t know about your situation but on a daily basis I could use more courage. This little 120 page book is packed with ideas and inspiration. You can open to any colorful page and read a few pages, then return to where you are stuck. It’s a new book which will remain on my shelf and be used often. 

4. Call or email a friend for help. You have to put away your pride to do this process but understand others are eager to listen to your need and you can get unstuck. 

Our world is filled with possibilities and opportunities. I follow these steps often in my daily work in publishing. Take action and move forward. It could be just the step you need to take instead of feeling stuck.  What did I miss? How do you get unstuck? Let me know in the comments below. I look forward to learning from you.

Tweetable:

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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.

The Hardest Element to Find

      

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Have you ever dropped a needle into a haystack? It is a challenge to find that needle when buried in the hay. The discovery is possible but will take considerable effort and possibly time to find it. Or maybe you’ve accidentally dropped a supplement like a clear vitamin D on your kitchen floor and struggling to find it? As with the needle, it will take time and effort to find that missing pill.

What is the most difficult element to find with our writing? I’m not asking a trick question because the answer is: something which is missing. 

Within the publishing community, I have often heard it said the hardest thing to find in anyone’s manuscript or proposal is something that is not there. It is easy and obvious to work on the elements which are there but how to you find the material which is not there?

Here’s some ideas how to find whatever you are missing:

1. Use a checklist. For example, if it is a book proposal, I’ve created a free book proposal checklist with the elements in a standard proposal. You can use this list to make sure you are not missing something. 

2. Read often and widely. If you read extensively, you will have a better idea what should be included in your writing. 

3. Read your writing aloud to yourself. The ear is less forgiving than the eye and it will be easier to pick up on what is missing or not there. 

4. Have your critique group read it and react to it. Getting feedback from other writers can be helpful to find items which you are missing.

5. Hire an outside editor or proofreader. I encourage you to get recommendations from others. Don’t hire someone blindly because they may or may not have the experience that you need. 

Whether you are writing a book proposal, a manuscript, a query letter or a magazine article, every writer needs feedback before you send it off to an agent or editor.  Which element do you find the hardest to find with your writing? Let me know in the comments below. 

Tweetable:

What is the hardest element to find in your manuscript, book proposal, query or article? This prolific writer and editor explains a detailed answer in this article: something that is not there. (ClickToTweet)

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.

Writers Need Each Other

 

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

 

Alone with our keyboard, every writer creates stories, articles and other types of communication. Yet without readers of those words, the stories have little impact on others. I understand it is hard to get an editor's or literary agent's attention to get your material on the road to publication. Part of this frustration is why self-publishing has exploded with 1.6 million self-published books a year. Yet many of these books are poorly produced and only sell 100 to 200 copies in the lifetime of the book (not a good path in my view and filled with companies who will gladly take your money with poor results).

 

Early on in my writing life, I learned that other people's input into my writing improved the results. Each of us have blindspots with our writing (no matter if we are beginners or have been writing for decades). Every writer needs an editor to go through their work in detail before it is published. I understand the business is subjective and you have to find the right editor for your work but it is an important part of the process. The best kind of publishing from my experience is using a team of people.

 

The writing community is an important part of the process. I learned early on to connect with others via email or phone or in person—and to maintain these relationships. I started writing for publishing decades ago in high school on my newspaper then worked for the local newspaper. While I have a college degree in journalism, I put my writing on hold for ten years while I was living overseas and working in linguistics. 

Years ago a friend showed me how to write a query letter and pitch magazines so I could get assignments. Then I went to my first writer's conference and met editors and literary agents. It opened the door for my first book which was published in 1992 (and long out of print). One of my writer friends recently showed me a current outrageous price on my first book from a retailer.

 

When I joined a critique group, my published writing took a leap forward. It was a regular forum to gain insight from readers and also a consistent deadline for my writing. If you have never joined a group, I recommend you follow this link and read the details of how to join or create a group.

 

There are many ways to support other writers in the publishing process. It might be as simple as being in a critique group with them. Or you could read their book, then write a review. People are making buying decisions every day after reading reviews. It's one of the reasons I've written over 1,000 Amazon reviews because it is a way I can support other writers. You can also subscribe to their newsletter (then when it comes pass it on to others). You can reach out to others with a phone call or email to check in with them—and see how they are doing with their writing. Admittedly 202o with a world-wide pandemic has been a strange year but you can do this sort of networking effort any time and any year.

 

Look for ways to volunteer and give back to others. As you give to others in these ways, you join the community of authors—and yes giving will come back to you multiplied is my view. I've given you a few ideas in this article. The bottom-line is we need each other. What steps will you take today to encourage and reach out to other writers? Let me know in the comments below.

 

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Be "The Exception" Author

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

From my years in publishing. I know there are many authors who want to write a bestselling book. They take classes and courses and work hard at learning the craft of storytelling and writing. They join a critique group and even hire an outside editor to produce an excellent manuscript and proposal. They go to conferences and meet literary agents and editors, then follow up with their writing. Each of these steps are important and essential to the process.

Publishing has a lot of competition as a part of the mixture. Thousands of new books enter the marketplace every day and there are many books already in print with those authors trying to sell their books. While self-publishing is always an option, it is not a route that I recommend to authors because most of it is not successful (doesn't sell) and you end up doing everything on your own (everything—including functions that you have no interest in doing).

As an acquisitions editor, I'm looking for authors who are the exception. As an author, I'm trying to be the exception in my approach and life. Such an approach is not easy-and if it were, everyone would be doing it. The path is filled with failure and restarts yet there is a path and you can continue in spite of the failure and restarts. From my experience, those persistent authors are the ones who eventually succeed and find their way. Here's a couple of examples of these authors:

Cec Murphey has written many books including his bestselling 90 Minutes in Heaven. He had written many books before this title and received a modest advance (and expectation) from the publisher regarding this book. Through the tireless promotion of Don Piper, this book got on the New York Times bestseller list and has continued to sell year after year. Cec has written many different types of books and he is a great example of someone who is an exception as an author.

Jerry B. Jenkins has published 195 books and been #1 on the New York Times bestseller list 21 times. Left Behind was his 125^th book so he was not an overnight success. The Left Behind series has sold over 70 million copies. Jerry has written many different kinds of books and is another example of an author who is the exception.

While you have probably heard of these last two authors, I'm intentionally selecting a third author who is the exception and you've probably not heard of him: Alan Williams. He is the author of The Little Teammate which is a Morgan James children's book. I understand this book has sold over 400,000 copies—and you would not know it from the BookScan numbers or the Amazon ranking. How did it happen? The author is selling copies in bulk to corporation.  Every author can use this strategy to sell books but few do so Alan Williams is an exception. You can learn about bulk sales through this free teleseminar that I did on the topic. 

Here's a few of my lessons from these exceptional authors:

1. Be consistent and persistent.

2. Timing is not in your control but you can control your effort—so make it consistent and persistent.

3. Look for the open doors and march through them. Most people give up but the ones who succeed keep on knocking and trying and working to find the right place. Persistence and the right connection will pay off in the long run.

Are you an “exception” author? Or maybe you know of one and their actions. Let me know in the comments below.

Tweetable:


Can you be “The Exception” author? Learn some of the key characteristics in this article. (ClickToTweet)

Three Reasons to Find and Join a Local Writer's Group

Writing is a solitary profession.  You sit down at your keyboard, put your fingers on the keys and write words which turn into stories. As I've written about in the Writing Life, getting published can be fairly easy. You can publish the material online in a blog or any number of other ways such as wattpad. The challenge is far greater than getting it out into the market. The real challenge is finding readers who will rave about your work and tell others.

Many years ago, when I was beginning my days in publishing, I saw the value of connections to other writers. I lived in Southern California and was one of the founding board members of the Orange County Christian Writers. At the time, I worked in the U.S. headquarters for Wycliffe Bible Translators and the group met twice a year in our building—so it was convenient for me to attend the meetings. I helped set up the room the day before our Saturday session. Also through this group, I got involved in a writer's critique group.

Every writer's group needs volunteers. These groups are run on a shoe-string budget and volunteers are critical for the group to succeed and continue.  As a volunteer, I was able to contribute to the group, but I also received and learned more from the experience. It's the first reason that every writer needs to find and join a local writer's group: increase your personal growth as a writer.

A local writer's group also provides the opportunity for inexpensive training (the second reason). For many of the large conferences, you have to travel on a plane, pay conference fees, etc. in a local setting you can learn a great deal and lower your expenses.  While it was years ago, many of the speakers I met at those Orange County Christian Writers meetings are still active in the publishing world. The foundation of my relationship with these individuals started in a local writer's group.

Also in a local writer's group, you have the opportunity discover what others are writing and where they are finding opportunities to get published. As you meet new people and listen to what they are writing, these experiences can open new doors of opportunity in your own writing life. Maybe you've never thought about writing an opinion editorial for the local newspaper or writing for a compilation book like Chicken Soup for the Soul or ______. Yet as you hear what others are doing, it opens your mind and heart to new possibilities.

In the bold type, I've highlighted three reasons to find and join a local writer's group. There are many different types of local groups. If you are not in a group, I encourage you to look for one (use google) or look for a local chapter of a national writer's organization.

Last year, I learned the Nonfiction Authors Association was expanding their local chapter program. When I looked at the various locations, there was no chapter meeting in Colorado (nothing). I filled out an online form and volunteered to start the South Denver Chapter (really the only Colorado NAA chapter). I found a place to meet and we've had about half a dozen meetings. If you live in Colorado, I encourage you to check our home page—but especially begin attending the monthly meetings (the third Wednesday of every month). Each meeting will have a speaker on a different nonfiction topic.

No matter where you live, I encourage you to join the Nonfiction Authors Association. The basic membership is FREE.  Every writer can profit and grow from being involved in a local writer's group. Are you active in a local writer's group? Tell me about it in the comments below.

If you don't have a local writer's group, you can always start one—like I did last year.

Tweetable:
Three Reasons to Locate & Join a Local Writer's Group. (ClickToTweet)
 

4 Ways NOT to Be A "Lost Author"

Last week I attended Book Expo America, the largest trade show for books in the U.S. I was there because of my work as an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. Thousands of booksellers, media, librarians and others from the publishing industry were showing their latest and forthcoming books. It was exciting to see bestselling authors and enthusiastic readers of books.

This massive event can be overwhelming—especially to the new author. Several times during the week, I met authors who were “lost.” Now to be honest some of them didn't know they were lost. From my interaction with them, I knew they were in this category.

In different places of this trade show, there are small booth exhibitors. One booth was attracting people with fresh cookies. I stopped but didn't eat a cookie. I listened to the author. This former journalist had written a novel. I recognized the book was self-published from a company where I've met authors who have spent $20,000 with them and the books are only online and not inside any brick and mortar bookstore. I asked if she fell into this category in terms of her personal investment. To my relief, she had not. Wisely this author had spent most of her budget on editing her book.

As I listened to her pitch about the book, I learned she had written a civil war historical novel based on her part of the South. The cover was a “different” looking drawing (not your typical eye-catching book cover). I could hear the passion in this author's voice. It was not only a historical novel but a young adult time travel fantasy. See the challenge for booksellers and librarians to process this string of categories? It doesn't neatly fall into a single place in the bookstore or library. While I admired her passion and commitment to market her book, I knew this author was lost in the market and probably had no idea why her book wasn't getting attention and readers.

A little later, I met another author. This former pro-athlete who gave me a copy of his book.  I took a quick look and noticed it was also self-published. The book was small and an odd size. When I opened it, the typeface was not what you find in books and had full color photos. This author had passion and had invested in publishing his book—yet I knew he was also lost and unsure how to find readers and sell books.

While self-publishing is exploding with almost 5,000 new books entering the market every day, my personal bent is to get the broadest exposure for my writing and books. In other words, I want my books to be available online but also in brick and mortar bookstores. I want to give you four ways not to be a “lost author.”

1. Study the publishing world and get to a writers' conference, take classes and meet experienced professionals. I'm speaking at several events so check them out and I'd love to meet you at one of these conferences.

2. Write a good book. Your book needs a good foundation so make sure you have a target audience in mind and are writing for that audience. Get an outside editor or join a critique group to get feedback on your book before publishing it. 

3. Create a book which fits the market. The details matter in publishing. Even if you are going to self-publish, make sure you have an attractive cover and interior. Show the cover to the target market and get their honest feedback. Does your book look like books from major publishers? Does it have a little logo on the bottom of the book spine? If not, change it so it does. You don't want people to wonder about such details but to simply accept your book as a solid product.

4. Take your own responsibility to market and tell people about books. Get others to give honest reviews for your book. Tell the media about your book and get booked on radio programs and other venues.

Even if you do everything “right” with a solid publisher or have a literary agent, not every book sells or some books still have dismal sells or they take several years to take off. There is no set formula for a book to sell but there are good practices in publishing.

Tweetable:

Are You A “Lost Author?” Here's Four Ways NOT to Be “Lost” (ClickToTweet)

Before You Create a "New" Category of Books

It happens fairly often. An unpublished writer will pitch a new genre or type of a novel. Or it happens in the children's area, another inexperienced writer will create a new type of children's book. What they don't understand is their pitch sets off all sorts of warning bells to the editor or literary agent (at least if they are actively thinking about the market when they read the submission).

For example, I read a novel manuscript that had several recipes in the final pages. These recipes ties to the story line and weren't random that the author included it but these recipes are not the reason the target audience picks up the book. They will purchase the novel for entertainment or escape. The inclusion of the extra material does not fit the expectations of the market. If someone is going to need a recipe, they will purchase a cookbook.

I've also met authors who believe they are creating a new genre of fiction. Yes they have created a catchy name for this new category. The question the literary agent or editor is asking (internally), how will this book fit into the marketplace? If they can't answer this question, then the author will receive a polite “thanks but no thanks” rejection/ pass letter.

I also see this experience in the children's book area—particularly in the picture book market. Writers will read tons of picture books to their own children and decide to write a book. While they may have a terrific concept and story and their manuscript may be well written, they have never stopped to learn the details of how the children's book market works. 

The children's book market is very segmented. Your book will not reach all ages of children but needs to have an expected target. This target age will affect the words you use for your manuscript, the illustrations, the subjects and much more. Also picture books have a specific format and length. The shortest picture book is 24 pages and make sure you layout those 24 pages properly with a trial “dummy” book. Just use google to find some examples, then follow the expectations. If your book is short, then you need to rework your story until it is the right length.

I've seen a number of unpublished picture book authors that just decide to “fill in” the blank pages in the back of their book with other information (not connected to the story or the concept). Or maybe they use CreateSpace to create their book but see extra pages in the smallest format and “fill in.” Here's the insight for you: “fill-ins” are probably landing in the rejection stack. They will not garner serious consideration because they break the expectations of the picture book market.

As a writer who wants to find a publishing home, you need to learn the expectations for a particular type of writing and write with excellence before you try and break those patterns.   Yes you can always self-publish but this action is full of challenges and potential dangers (spending a lot of money with little return for example). Writers who are not in publishing don't understand there are thousands of people (at least 50,000 for most of these self-publishers) and on average sell only a few copies. That is not where as a writer I want to put my limited time and resources.

Publishers have to meet the expectations of their authors but also to produce excellent books which will be prized, discussed and promoted among booksellers and librarians as well as the general public. If you haven't seen a particular type of book, often there is a good reason why you haven't. I encourage you to get into a writer's group, attend a writer's conference, join a critique group and get into the community to learn before you leap. It will help propel your writing life forward.

I have a mixing bowl illustration because many writers believe writing a book is like mixing a cake. You simply gather the ingredients (words) and put them into a document and fire them off to an editor or agent. Just like with a cake, if you put in the wrong ingredient, you can ruin your cake. It's the same with a manuscript. The unexpected additional element could ruin your opportunity to get published.

Willing to Change

Change is hard for everyone. We resist it and don't want to do it—unless we are forced to do it. I've moved several times in the last few years and every time I move, there are many changes that I'm forced to make—some I like and others I dislike but change happens. It is a constant in our lives and our writing life.

Right now are you writing something? A book? A magazine article? Are you telling an interesting story that others want to read with a beginning, middle and an end? We sit at our computers and create words. And after they are created, we wonder if they are the right words and if our audience will want to read the words. Will the audience enjoy, like, change or ??? from reading our words?

One of the keys is to create it in the first place and create an excellent work. The next step is to test your words and get feedback. Some writers gather a group of first readers who will give feedback about their writing. Other writers have a trusted friend who reads their work and gives honest insights. Yet others belong to a writer's critique group. If you are not in a critique group and want to form one or find one, read this article to learn more details. The key is to write something that is excellent and others want to read. You will not know if you don't check with the audience—before you send it to an editor or literary agent. Just using this process will help you gain an edge over the other submissions—because you are striving for excellence.

In the journey of going for excellence, you will have to consider any changes that you learn about in this critique process. Some suggestions are excellent and you take while others aren't right and you ignore. You are the only person who can make these decisions about the reactions to your work.

Finally you have your work ready to send to an editor or agent. Congratulations. When you send that work, are you willing to change and follow the suggestions of the editor? Your attitude and willingness will be critical in this process of finding someone to publish your work.

I've been writing for years and I still go through this process. 

Every other month, I write a column about book proposal creation for Southern Writers Magazine. I've been writing for them since their first issue. In the last few days, I completed my November/ December article and sent it to them on their requested deadline. Each time I send my article, I tell the editor that if something doesn't make sense or needs to be changed let me know. If I'm honest, I'm not eager to make those changes and I wonder if the editor will find something to fix. 

Why do I express my willingness to change? Because ultimately the editor is in charge of their publication. They could decide not to publish my words.  I'm always mindful of who is in charge and has that ultimate power over what is published and what is not. Sometimes as an editor, I hold that power but normally it is in the hands of others.

To my relief, I heard from my editor. He loved my article and sent me the version already laid out for their magazine. I reviewed it and everything looks great. It is wonderful to have another article in this publication—but I never take it for granted—nor should you. The professional attitude is to work with the editor or whoever to produce an excellent result.

Are you willing to change for a better result?

 

Propel Your Writing Forward This Fall

Monday is Labor Day and the official end to summer.  Do you want to move your writing to a new level of excellence and achievement? I want to give you five ways to propel your writing forward.

Attend A Writer's Conference

Thousands of submissions sit on the desk of editors and agents across the country. Which ones get moved forward and attention? Publishing is like any other business—and I've mentioned this before—it is connected to who you know as much as what you know. Yes, your writing has to be excellent and compelling but you can cut years off the process of getting published, if you know the right person. I did not exaggerate with that word years in the last sentence.

How do you find that right person to publish your material? It's almost impossible to do it just sitting at your computer. You need to get to a writers' conference and meet the right people. I understand your possible reluctance. Many writers are introvert and not eager to speak with people. You will need to step out of your comfort zone and make the effort to meet others. You can prepare by making some business cards with your photo, phone number, email and website. Then bring those cards to a conference.

Last week I booked my airline ticket and reserved my hotel room for Author 101 University next month in Los Angeles. This event is held twice a year and it is different from your typical writer's conference. The focus is entirely on different ways to market and sell your book. The faculty comes with diverse skills to help you in any area of writing. You will have many opportunties to talk with each of them—including me but you have to take action: register for the conference, reserve your hotel room and make plans to attend. To give you incentive, use this coupon code when you register and save $100: TERRY plus you can bring a friend for free. Now that is a bargain for every writer.

To learn more about Author 101 University, catch this free interview I did last month with Morgan James Publisher and founder of Author 101  Rick Frishman. The interview is now on replay and you will have instant access to the recording. Plus you can get the free Ebook, The Top Twenty Author Mistakes (and learn a great deal from reading this resource).

There are many great conferences. From my years in this business, I encourage you to make plans to attend  Author 101 University which is an excellent choice.

Join A Critique Group

If you have never been in a critique group or don't know how to find one, read this article. The necessity to write something for each meeting will move your writing forward and the feedback from others (outside of your family) will help you have more confidence in your writing and improve your writing skill. You can meet online or in person. I believe in person is much more profitable and better but I've heard of writers using either method effectively. The key is to take action and form a group or join a group already in progress.

Find An Accountability Partner

Who knows about your writing and cares about it that is in your immediate circle of friends or family? Can you speak with this person and ask them to hold you accountable for your writing and moving forward? It is a simple conversation but can be significant to gain someone else who knows about what you want to accomplish and move forward with your writing.

Set A Consistent Writing Goal

I've interviewed more than 150 bestselling authors. One habit which is consistent with these authors is a consistent writing goal. You can have a daily or weekly amount of words that you are going to produce. Keep that goal on a little post-it or in front of you so you regularly tackle it and hit it. Make sure you set something realistic that you can actually accomplish.  You will be shocked at how this consistent effort of writing will move your writing goals forward.

Form A New Habit

Finally I encourage you to take a hard look at your writing life and what you want to achieve. Is there a new habit you can add to your life which will help you achieve that goal? For example, if you write romance books, then you need to be regularly reading that genre. If you want to write magazine articles, then you need to be reading magazines. Fit this new habit into your life and it will move your writing forward.

These five ideas are nothing new and maybe you've heard them before. The key is to take consistent action and not let another month pass before you are moving forward with your writing life. Let me know how it is going and be encouraged.