By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin If you love thrillers and
adventure stories, a legendy writer of these books recently passed away. I'm
talking about Clive Cussler. Recently in Publishers Weekly, one of
Cussler's long-time editors, Neil Nygren wrote a fascinating article, “An Editor Remembers Clive Cussler” (follow the link to read
the full article). The full article is great but there is one paragraph I want
to highlight here. Speaking about Cussler, Nygren wrote:
“The last time he’d switched
publishers, he said, it was to a major house with a justly famed editor. When
Clive turned in his first manuscript, however, it came back heavily
revised—pencil marks all over the pages. This did not please Clive. He took the
manuscript and, on the top of the first page, he wrote one word: stet. Nothing
more. And then he wrote the same word on the top of every page in the entire
manuscript. And then he sent it all back. A couple of days later—as he told it
to me—he got a panicked call from the editor asking him to come to the house’s
New York office to talk. Clive declined, stating that “it would be...
inconvenient.” That book was published the way he wrote it.” I pulled this paragraph to point
out some editorial details to you: 1. Cussler knew his
readers and what they wanted with his books. Most writers are
not in touch with the needs and desires of their readers. I'm certain
this information came over time but Cussler knew the expectations of his readers
and when he wrote, he was focused on meeting those needs. 2. As a best-selling
author, Cussler knew not to change because of the editor's
suggestions. Make sure you notice some of the other details in
Nygren's story: Cussler was with a major publisher and working with a famous
editor who put pencil editorial marks on all of his pages. The novelist did
review the ssuggested editorial changes but could see these changes were going
to change the fabic of his story and he was going to lose more than he was going
to gain. 3. Most writers do not
fall into such rare territory.i call this an unusual editing story
because from my years in publishing, the opposite is normally true. Editors are
focused on readers and producing and excellent product. Their detailed insights
are important for you as a writer to pick up on and respond to their directions.
This sort of team work produces excellent manuscripts. I don't want to pretend
it is easy because it is not but it an important part of the editorial process
to produce excellent work. Cussler was an exception more than the
norm. I've worked with writers who want
to debate their editor over every single word changed. These writers are not the
type that editors love and want to work with on another book project. The word
about the writer's reaction is quick to get out to others in this small
community. Editors are not your enemy but should be your colleague to help you
produce an excellent book. Admittedly Clive Cussler was
unusual about how he handled this edited manuscript. What lessons and insights
have you gained as you have worked with different editors? Let me know in the
comments below. Tweetable: Read about an unusual editing story about bestselling novelist Clive Cussler and some insights from long-time editor and prolific author. (ClickToTweet)
More than a dozen years ago, as a frustrated acquisitions
editor, I wrote Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your
Success. In the back of that book, I included a series of simple
statements for writers that I called Maxims. Today I'm returning to these truths as reminders for every
writer (including me). I hope they will be something important to you and help
guide your writing life: 1. Never forget the impact of your words—positive or
negative. Most days, I feel the pressure of motivation to make money as
a freelancer. I’ve got bills and obligations which demand payment. Yet if you
are so money-driven that you never make any decisions about your writing except
ones which are motivated from finances, it will be difficult for you to advance
in nonfiction or whatever category you choose. Don’t get me wrong. I want to be
fairly compensated for my work but I also want to enjoy my work and what I do
day in and day out. You need to be conscious of your motivation behind your
writing and let that drive your daily efforts. 2. Never forget your writing is a privilege and a
business—so seek to maintain balance. Too many writers hesitate to ask
for their materials or for a decision about a query or proposal. They send it
out once or twice, then it’s rejected and they don’t properly market.
3. Celebrate your writing successes. Never lose
the wonder of the opportunity. At another conference I attended—a secular
writing conference in Southern California—I was fascinated by a secular novelist
and his message. While waiting to ask him a question after the session, I turned
to another person and asked if she had taken this instructor’s writing class.
The woman puffed up her face in disgust and replied, “No, I’m a published
author.” Just because our material is printed in magazines or books, it should
not build us up in pride. Believe me, sometimes it’s difficult but as writers we
need to keep things in balance, especially when it comes to nonfiction books.
4. Believe in the quality of your work and the value of
your message. Surprises always happen. I work hard at my craft and
perseverance is a key factor. Don’t get me wrong but I love to receive my
material in print. It’s a surprise and a special blessing. It’s the new box of
books hot off the press or the magazine article in a missionary publication. I
marvel at the grace in my life. I’d encourage you to absorb the same attitude no
matter how many books you publish. 5. Expect to serve an apprenticeship. It’s a
false expectation to go from nothing to book contracts. Everyone is expected to
move through the ranks of this business. It takes diligence and perseverance to
succeed. 6. Learn all you can from every possible
source. If you approach life in this fashion, you will find that you
can learn from a multitude of sources. 7. Act wisely and thoughtfully. Haste usually
makes waste. 8. Never resist rewriting. Your words are not
etched in stone. 9. Never resist editing. Again, your words are
not etched in stone. 10. When you receive advice about your writing, learn to
evaluate it critically. Sometimes you will get advice from a fellow
writer or a family member and it doesn’t “feel” like something you should take.
Follow that instinct. 11. Treat editors as the coach on your team.
They know their audience, so respect their counsel and only reject it with good
reason. 12. Never rest on your laurels. Be looking for your next
opportunity. I’ve discovered that writing opportunities
abound—particularly when I’m actively looking for them. As I read through these truths which I wrote many years ago,
they still ring true. In fact, I've based much of my writing career on following
these statements. I hope they will encourage you and help your writing
life. If you haven't read Book Proposals That
$ell, let me give you several reasons to get a copy: First, the book
has over 130 Five Star reviews on Amazon. Second, many people have used this
information to get an agent or snag a traditional book deal. Third, I have
all of the remaining print copies (so don't buy it from Amazon). Finally
I've reduced the price from $15 to $8 and added bonuses and other elements. I
hope you will check it out and order a copy. As you read through this article, which principles are important
to you? Am I missing something? I look forward to your comments and feedback in
the comments below. Tweetable: Read this article about Simple Truths for Writers from this prolific writer and editor. (ClickToTweet)
There are many reasons to write books. Some people write to make money. Others write for a business card to lead to more business and speaking engagements. Others write to teach others and get their message into the market. Each of these reasons is a valid one but not the focus of this article.
First I want to mention a great resource. From my years in publishing, every author needs to read and learn from experts who know publishing intimately and learn from their insights. This type of wisdom fills the pages of MISTAKES AUTHORS MAKE. Authors Rick Frishman, Bret Ridgway and Bryan Hane have worked with thousands of authors on marketing, promoting and selling books. Their combined experience is poured into the contents of MISTAKES AUTHORS MAKE. Here’s one brief example of the information packed into this book: “Your book is a door opener. It’s an introduction to you and your message. It’s a marketing weapoin in your arsenal as you look ato build your platform and increase your reach to the world. If you happen to make some money on the direct sales side of your book that is wonderful. You should consider that a bonus. The smart book marketer recognizes that the real money is in what the book can do for you in terms of opening doors and making opportunities available.” (Page 8-9)
In this article I want to help you see how your book can have a broad ministry and touch readers in unexpected ways. Next month, one of my Morgan James Publishing fiction authors, L.K. Simonds will launch her novel All In. The story is about Cami Taylor, a blackjack dealer, bestselling author and a fraud. I was the acquisitions editor for this novel and have been watching and reading about Simonds marketing activity.
I watched this four-minute video where Simonds tells about learning about Bookmates4Inmates.com and how she has ministered in prison and knows about life in that world. After corresponding with the director, she decided to donate half of the books which she had at the time—130 books. It turns out they have over 400 women that have requested books and did not have books for 127 of them—or funds to get the books. Simonds' donation was an answer to a need and their prayers. To receive the books, the reader is required to write an honest review. In the video, Simonds reads some of these reviews and the feedback about her book. The way these books are touching and influencing lives is incredible and moving. Can your novel or nonfiction book have an unexpected ministry? What steps are you taking today to open these doors of opportunity? It doesn't just happen naturally but as an author you have to be seeding the market and knocking on doors to see which ones will open for your book. I hope this story gives you some ideas and encouragement. Let me know in the comments below. Tweetable:
Almost every day someone approaches me about reading their book and then they want me to write a review. I get these approaches from publishers, from
publicists and from authors. Many of them I respond and appreciate the offer but
turn them down and point to a free resource such as this one. The truth is each of us
have limited time to read. Yet for writers reading is (and should be) a
consitent part of your daily life. Is it? In this article, I'm going to give several ideas how to use the
discipline of reading. Most of us don't like the word “discipline” yet from my
experience, reading has to be in your daily plans or it simply does not happen.
I repeatedly read about how the volume of reading for many adults continues to
drop—like one book a year for men after they graduate from high school. On the
other end of the success scale (millionaires), I read these people are
continually reading for their own personal development and growth. While my reading varies throughout the day, I do have a number
of routine times when I consitently read. the first period is in the morning. I
am an early riser and will breeze through my email then I begin to read my
Bible. Each year I select a different version and this year I'm reading The Daily Message by Eugene
Peterson. Each day includes a Bible passage along with a short reading from the
Psalms or Proverbs. After completing my Bible reading, I read the newspaper
cover to cover. As a journalist, it is a long-term habit to read a real
newspaper. Because I live in Colorado, I read the Denver Post cover to
cover. I have a comfortable chair in my office where I read in the
evenings. Often late at night I spend an hour or more reading various books. As
I read or listen to a book, I track my progress on Goodreads (one of the tools
they provide). Because I have 5,000 friends on Goodreads, even my reading
progress gets reaction from others (and I can see their reaction and comments).
Besides reading physical books, throughout the day, I am also
reading blogs and other information which comes into my email box. Many of these
blogs are focused on publishing or books. If they have relevant information for
my social media, then I will put them into my Hootsuite feed for future social
media posting. I learn a great deal from others reading these articles as I
curate the content for my social media followers. Besides reading in the morning and evening, I also listen to
audiobooks if I am in my car (even for a few minutes) or exercising. I've mentioned in the past that I use Overdrive for these
audiobooks (free from the public library). There is a wide selection of books
on Overdrive but I tend to gravitate toward history, self-help, how-to, personal
development, and memoir. The majority of these books are nonfiction. I do read
some fiction but my fiction reading is limited to a few titles a year. It is not
surprising that I've written many nonfiction books and continually read in the
nonfiction area. It's what I recommend to you as a writer. If you write fiction,
then you should be reading your particular genre of fiction. If you write
nonfiction, you should be reading in this area and aware of the trends,
bestselling authors and other such activity. You can see how reading permeates my day. What happens after I
have finished reading a book? As I read the book, I will mark a couple of
passages which capture the essence of the book or I deemed significant. Shortly
after I finish the book, I will write a review in a Word file. This Word file
is where I write my rough draft of the book. In general I quote something from
the book in my review (shows I actually read the book) and my review is
typically 150 to 250 words (not just a sentence but more substantial). Over the
years, I've written hundreds of print magazine reviews. In recent years I've
written over 900 reviews on Amazon (see my profile) and over 550 reviews on Goodreads (see my profile). This volume of
reviews did not happen overnight but is something I've been doing consistently
for years. It's one of the reasons people frequently ask me to review their
books (and if I have the time and interest, I may do it). Writers are readers. What does your reading schedule look like?
How are you practicing the discipline of reading and incorporating it into your
day? Let me know in the comments below. Tweetable:
The acknowledgement section is where book authors express gratitude.
As a long-time reader and lover of books plus my involvement in
various aspects of the publishing industry, I notice fiction and nonfiction
books include an acknowledgement section. This category appears in the Table of
contents (mostly for nonfiction books). These pages are where the author tells about the contributions
of others to the book. They can be beta readers, editors, agents, others in the
publishing house, along with friends and relatives. I have always read these
sections and learn a great deal from them. For example, who is the literary
agent for a bestselling author? The author could have included this information
in the acknowledgement section. For many years, these acknowledgement pages appeared in the early
pages of a book. I suspect many readers skipped right over them and headed to
the first pages of the book. In recent years, these acknowledgement sections
have been tucked into the final pages of books (nonfiction and fiction). I still read them and often learn some extra
information about the author in the process. I've found many writers are looking for a literary agent. If you
are in this category, you can use my free list of agents (follow this link) for
their mailing address, website, email address, etc. I encourage authors to use
this information not to SPAM them but for research. You are looking for the
right agent who handles your type of book when you make your submission.
One of the ways to personalize your submission is to pick up
some information about the agent from an acknowledgement page. Not every agent
lists their clients on their website and even if they do, this list may not
include all of the people they represent. Who is a similar author to the book
you are pitching? One strategy with your submissions is to pitch your book to
agents who represent this type of work. You know they are interested in this
type of book. One of the ways you can discover the bestselling author's agent is
in the acknowledgement section. I believe the acknowledgement section of books is an important
place. As authors, it is where we can express public gratitude to others who
have helped us in the process of book creation and getting the book into the market.
Do you include an acknowledgement section in your book? How do
you decide who to include in this section? Do you put it in the front or the
back of your book? Let me know in the comments below. Tweetable: What can you learn from an acknowledgement section in a book? Why is it important? Learn the details here. (ClickToTweet)
For many years I've been writing for print magazines. Also I've been a magazine editor and know from the perspective of an editor the competitive nature of this business. I've written for many publications which no longer exist. Yet I contend writers need to include writing for magazines as a part of your writing life. For several reasons: 1. You Gain Broad Exposure in Print Publications. For a minute, let's talk realistic numbers. Yes you “may” write a book which becomes a bestseller but that is extremely rare. Your lifetime book sales are somewhat tied to the way you publish. The average self-published book sells about 100 copies during the lifetime of sales cycle. The average traditionally published book sells about 1,000 copies during the lifetime of the book. Every author “hopes” to exceed the numbers but understanding them gives you a bit of a reality check on the publishing world. In contrast, the circulation numbers for print publications are much larger. It's fairly easy to reach 100,000 or 200,000 people through a magazine—whether a large publication or small. Admittedly books are more permanent than magazines but the reach is broad with print publications.
2. You Increase Your Platform. In the early days of my writing life before my first book, I wrote for magazines. Book editors and literary agents read magazines looking for writers. It is a lot easier to write a 1500 word magazine article (or shorter) than to craft a 60,000 word book manuscript whether fiction or nonfiction. Every magazine includes a short bio of the writer at the end where you can list a book and a website. The exposure is helpful to you as a writer. Marketing studies have shown that someone needs to hear about your book six or seven times before they actually purchase it. Your magazine writing can be a part of the exposure for your writing to new audiences. I have a lot more detail in my free, 43 page Ebook, Platform Building Ideas for Every Author. 3. You Practice Your Storytelling and Professionalism. Writing for magazines teaches some basic skills for every writer. You learn how to write interesting headlines and first paragraphs. You learn how to tell a focused story with a beginning,middle and ending. You learn how to write for a particular word count and deadline. Recently one of my Morgan James authors snagged one of his first magazine assignments. He could not reduce his manuscript from 2,700 words to the editor's request of 2,600 words. It was rare for me to help someone with this detail but I took a few minutes and made some suggested cuts for his article. It is a skill that I've practiced for years but learned in the world of magazine journalism. I continue to write for several publications on a regular basis. With every submission, I show my professionalism and express my willingness to revise or fix any issues. While I work hard on meeting their expectations, I'm always willing to fix any issues. I recommend you take the same actions with your own submissions to publications. 4. You Must Be Pitching to Start the Editorial Process. I've given some reasons for being involved in print publications but how do you get started? You need to be select a publication, follow the guidelines and be pitching the editor with either a query letter or a full manuscript. The process begins with making that connection. Recently I reached out to a local editor where I've never written for the publication. I've known this editor for years from teaching at writer's conferences. We exchanged some emails about writing for this publication. Unexpectedly, this editor wrote asking if I had a short article on the topic of hope. She gave a short deadline for this need. I searched for the word “hope” in a folder of articles on my computer and found a couple of possibilities. One article looked like it “could” work so I revised my short bio then read through the article one more time, and emailed it off to this editor. Within a short amount of time, she responded that the article was exactly what she needed and would go in the next issue. Some of my ability to pull off this article was my experience but also my organization skills. You can do the same thing but you need to be pitching these editors to get on their radar. Do they have an editorial calendar and can you pitch an idea for a forthcoming issue? You will not be published in magazines without taking regular action. Are you writing for magazines? Tell me about your experiences in the comments below.
Get more detail with my over 500 page, $24.97 Ebook, How to Succeed As An Article Writer. My Ebook comes with a 60 day guarantee and some remarkable bonuses.
Every writer (book author or not; fiction or nonfiction author) needs a nonfiction hook--the enticement you use for media and readers. You need to carefully consider your hook because it is what you will use to build your platform, gather your tribe, get interest and interviews from the media and much more. I have seen many fiction novelists struggling with this area and it's partially why I'm writing this article. These writers have crafted a great page-turning novel and gotten a publisher. Each of these steps are terrific and to be applauded. Yet when you get your book published, you are only part of the way in the publishing journey. The next step is to attract readers and media and sell your book (marketing). It's where many fiction authors struggle. No journalist in the media cares that you've written a brand new novel. You have to take the nonfiction hook in your novel and use that expertise to attract readers and media and generate excitement for your book. To catch a fish, every fisherman uses some type of bait on their hook. It's the same process with writers. You need to think about your bait that you use with your hook to catch the attention of readers and media. As a novelist, in the process of writing your book, you have focused on a particular nonfiction topic or subject. What is that topic? Write it down because this topic is your nonfiction hook to interest readers and media. Because you have completed a novel, you have become an expert in this area. Now use this expertise to build your platform, attract readers and media. Each novelist will have a different and unique area of expertise.
For example, Rabbi Marc Rubenstein has completed a new novel from Morgan James Publishing called Weddings By The Glass. The novel releases in February 2018 but follow this link and you can order an advanced copy from Rabbi Rubenstein. I love the beautiful cover on this book. Rabbi Marc has conducted over 3,000 Jewish weddings and is an expert in this area. Also he lives in wine country of Temecula, California and has trademarked the term “kosher wine.” Each of these areas of expertise are hooks for readers and the media. His novel is excellent (and yes I was the acquisitions editor for this novel so I'm a bit bias in my endorsement).
As a novelist, you have poured great creativity into writing your story through making unique characters and plot twists. Now that your book is completed and published, I encourage you to pour some of this creative energy toward determining then exploiting your nonfiction hook. It will help you build your audience and get attention from the media so you can tell others about your novel.
There are many different types of bestseller
lists—New York Times, USA
Today, Publishers Weekly then every major newspaper has a
bestseller list. Also the bestseller lists are often broken into different
categories like nonfiction (hardcover and paperback), fiction (hardcover and
paperback), children's books (hardcover and paperback), etc. Book authors need to be reading these bestseller
lists and keeping mental track of the books on them. Some authors are put off
with bestsellers. When they read them, they don't resonate with the writing and
wonder how it got on the list. There are many different ways that books get on
the list. Whether you "like" the book or not, I believe authors need to be aware of what is on the list for several
reasons: First, these list show you what
the reading public is buying and reading. It also shows what publishers are
creating and launching into the world. Second, I encourage you to read or
listen to these bestselling books. You can learn from them. You don't have to
purchase these books but can often get them from your public library. If the
book is not available, then learn how to get on the hold list for the book. Even
if the book is very popular, eventually you will get the book. Third, every writer needs to be
aware of their competition and what is going on in your area of publishing. As
an editor, I will speak with many authors. Some of these authors want to publish
a romance novel while others are working on nonfiction and yet others are writing a children's
book. Often during the conversation I will ask if they read in their genre
or area of the market. Their response is revealing whether they are in tune with
their market or not. Some authors don't want to be “tainted” by the work of
others so they are not reading. My contention is that you can learn a great deal
about the reading public as you read and study your competition. This
information will also feed into the competition section of your book proposal ,
your marketing plans and much more. One of my bestselling author friends reads other
books on the bestseller lists. It has been a part of his reading habit for many
years. Do you read bestseller lists and track on this
information? Why or why not? How do you use them in your writing life? Tell us
in the comment section. Tweetable: What can writers do with a bestseller list? Get some ideas here. (ClickToTweet)
If you want to get your writing published, are you consistently working at that goal? From interviewing more than 150 bestselling author, many authors set a specific word count they want to produce in a day or a week. With this goal firmly in place, they sit in their chair and put their fingers on the keyboard and crank out words toward their goal. There is immense power in working toward a goal on a consistent basis.
If you want to write a novel, then you need to be writing ___ words a day consistently for __ days to achieve this goal.
If you want to be published in magazines, then you need to be writing query letters to editors and pitching your ideas on a regular basis. Then when an editor gives you the assignment, you consistently write excellent material and return it on their deadline.
If you want to write a nonfiction book, then you need to create a riveting proposal which captures the attention of literary agents or editors. A good proposal isn't created in a single session but takes time and energy to craft one.
If you want to build your social media presence in the marketplace, then you need to consistently work at growing your Facebook friends or increasing your twitter followers. I've written about my methods to do this in the past. It is one of the reasons that in the past few days I've gone over 100,ooo twitter followers. I've worked at this goal on a regular basis.
At a recent writers conference, I met with a writer who thanked me for the good content that I put on my twitter feed. She had noticed that it was consistently worth reading. I appreciated this feedback. It is true that I do not spend a great deal of time on what I post on twitter—but I am consistent. It's why I've tweeted almost 18,000 times since the summer of 2008. There is power in consistency.
If you want to be selling your book to people and having them talk about it, then you need to be consistently working to build a larger audience and get in front of people and the media. Whatever your goal, I encourage you to follow what Jack Canfield calls The Rule of Five. In this short video (less than two minutes), Jack explains the rule and how it will help you tap into the power of consistency to accomplish your goals and dreams.
Consistency doesn't have to take a lot of time but the results will add up for you. Eventually you will achieve your goals if you take regular and consistent action.
As a long-time publishing professional, I love a good story. Over the next few days, I'm reading Daniel Silva's The English Girl. I'm a long-term fan of Daniel Silva's writing and have read all of his other books. Former President Bill Clinton has called Gabriel Allon (the lead character of Silva's books) one of his favorite fictional characters.
Daniel Silva is one of the authors where I'm subscribed to his newsletter and follow his posts on Facebook. He writes one riveting, page-turning thriller a year. Last week he was on the Today Show talking about his new book and other books that he's recommending. His wife, Jamie Gangel, is a Today Show correspondent.
Several weeks ago I was interested to see Sara Nelson, Editorial Director for Books at Amazon.com on CBS This Morning talking about the must-read books for the summer and the first book that she recommended was The English Girl.
About three years ago, I met Silva at a book signing at the Poison Pen in Scottsdale, Arizona. Like a true fan, I attended his talk about his latest novel and then stood in line to get my book signed.
I've been watching for The English Girl. Daniel Silva goes on tour with his book each time it releases. He goes to specific bookstores where the sales register on the New York Times bestseller list. I expect his book to be near the top of the hardcover fiction bestseller list next week (as it has in past years).
Because I read his newsletter, I noticed in late April or early May when Daniel offered his readers to purchase a signed copy of the forthcoming book. Since I knew I would not be near one of the bookstores on his forthcoming tour, I pre-ordered my book from Barnes and Noble over two months before the release date. Books like Daniel Silva's novels are embargoed—which means the bookseller has strict instructions from the publisher not to release the book prior to the actual street release date.
I was excited to receive my signed copy last week and The English Girl is another page-turner with excellent storytelling. I want to point out the difference in the two signed copies of Daniel Silva's books.
The first signature is personalized to me because I was standing right in front of Daniel at the Poison Pen. It's also on an inside page of the book. Here's that signature:
My second signature came last week in The English Girl. Notice there is no personalization with my name and that instead of an inside page, the signature is bound to the first page of the book. It is a real signature because I can see the pen marks slightly on the back of the page. I'm unsure how they did it but my suspicion is that Daniel Silva signed a number of these pages, then shipped the signed stack back to the printer who “tipped” them into the book for these books. Here's how this signature appears:
Each version of these signings are special to me and I'm a delighted reader of Daniel Silva's books. I'm looking forward to spending a bit more time completing my reading of The English Girl. Because his normal pattern is to write one book a year, I will have months to wait until the next one.
Last weekend I was in beautiful Seattle at the Northwest Writers Association Conference. I've been privileged to speak at this conference several times over the years. I always find it invigorating to get away from my computer and phone for a bit to meet face to face with writers and talk about books and publishing.
In today's connected world, we seem to rarely get away from our computer and phone but at least we can grab the face to face time. Several years ago at this conference, I met retired surgeon Lloyd Johnson. In recent years, Lloyd has been writing fiction. We've kept in touch and when I joined Morgan James, I reached out to him to him and discovered he had a great novel called Living Stones. I championed his novel to my colleagues at Koehler Books, the fiction imprint of Morgan James. If you click this link, you can read a sample of the book and see the attractive book cover. Lloyd's passion is about telling stories about the Middle East and he has taken that passion into his storytelling and novel. Lloyd and I had dinner at beautiful Lake Washington (see my photo) and talked about book publishing. He is excited about the forthcoming publication of his first book and has connections to some great nonprofit organizations in this part of the world. I was encouraging him to include in his launch plans some ideas to sell his books large numbers. Most writers are thinking of selling books one book at a time. What if you could sell boxes of books with one connection? It can happen with the right mindset and planning. To learn more listen to this free teleseminar. It's an interview that I hosted with Ted Rogers and Vickie Mullins (use this link). Lloyd has an excellent novel and now needs to reach as many people as possible with his new book. If you have a book, I encourage you to spend some time in strategic thinking about how to reach new audiences. All day Friday, the Seattle conference had a series of group pitching sessions. Each one had five or six or seven writers. Often these conferences have individual meetings so it was different to hear the pitches in a group. I am actively looking for excellent writing. Morgan James publishes nonfiction, fiction and even children's books (a challenging area for any new writer these days). In this group setting, I focused on one writer at a time and heard their pitch. Yet everyone else in the group also heard the pitch and could learn from what worked or didn't work. It was a different dynamic than one on one pitching but the participants seemed to enjoy the interaction and learning experience.
Since meeting these new people, I've been writing emails and encouraging these writers to send me their material. Morgan James receives about 5,000 submissions a year and only publishes about 150 books. Yet you can't have your material considered if you don't send it. During the conference, I participated in a panel discussion with all of the faculty (several other editors and literary agents). We agreed that often we encourage writers to submit their material. It was confirmed that many times, we ask for the submission at a conference and the writer never sends it. Talk about a missed opportunity! Yes no one likes to be rejected—but you can't get into the consideration process if you never submit it. As editors and agents, we are on a constant hunt for excellent writing. Yes we are looking for authors who are connected to the marketplace. Yet good writing is always important. Are you a good communicator? How do you become a good communicator? Practice. Good writing will result in more good writing.
Several weeks ago, I attended an excellent workshop at the American Society of Journalists and Author Conference in New York City called Book Publishing: Making It in the New Frontier. Unfortunately this session was not recorded. The panelists included Jon Fine, the director of Author & Publisher Relations at Amazon.com, Amy Grace Loyd, the executive editor of Byliner, and Jofie Ferrari-Adler, a Senior Editor at Simon and Schuster. Moderator John Rosengren organized this excellent event. While this workshop had a lot of information about the future of publishing, at one point, each of the experienced panelists talked about the importance of excellent writing. Whether you are writing for Byliner or magazines or books, your storytelling and writing has to be excellent. How do you learn to be an excellent writer? I believe it comes from constant practice and working in the publishing industry. So many authors want to publish a book so they work for hours and hours on a long 40,000 to 100,000 piece of writing—yet they ignore the magazine market. It is much better to learn to write with shorter articles than to “practice” with a longer work like a book. You are better to start a blog and begin writing short articles or to learn to write query letters to magazines and then write the articles than to work years on a longer book which finds limited readers. Thousands of people will read your magazine work so don't ignore those possibilities. I continue to write for magazines on a regular basis—and have done so for over 20 years. It's where I can practice my storytelling craft on a regular basis—and you can do the same. I'm speaking at a number of places in the coming months. I hope to see you on the road and we can talk about your book ideas face to face. I'm on the continual search for excellent writing.
Terry has written more than 60 nonfiction books plus been published in more than 50 magazines. For five years, he was an acquisitions editor at two book publishers and he's a former literary agent. Now for the last ten years Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing, a New York based traditional publisher. Terry encourages writers of any level (from beginners to professionals) at Right-Writing.com. Terry's newest book is 10 Publishing Myths, Insights Every Author Needs to Succeed. Follow the link to get the book for only $10, FREE shipping plus over $200 in instant bonuses.
