Keep Building Publishing Relationships

I had not heard from this author in several months then I received this follow-up message: “Since I haven't heard back from you, I'll assume you're not interested. Just wanted to let you know that I'm pursuing other publishers for my book. Cheers.”

What did she submit? It had been weeks ago so I used my search tool for my email and located her “submission.” It was a scattered “idea” of a book project claiming that she was too busy to properly put together anything else. The submission didn't contain her name, contact info, her marketing ideas or a brief bio. When it arrived, I reviewed it and confirmed receipt but I assumed that something much more polished and presentable would be coming. It never arrived so I had nothing to present to my publication board. Instead I received her follow-up note.

This author is clueless of the volume of submissions that editors and agents receive—nor the necessity of building (not tearing down) relationships with these publishing professionals. 

As writers we need to continually grow our connections and relationships. Here's some positive ways to grow these relationships:

First, follow the editor or agent and their writing. It may be as simple as reading their blog on a regular basis (if they have a blog) or following them on Twitter (and if you follow them back you have a direct connection to them and can send them little bits of encouragement—we all need it). 

Or get connected to them through LinkedIn (which is another tool that I'm using to be connected to different editors). Or befriend them on Facebook and follow their posts and comment on them or “like” them. These connections do not have to take tons of time or energy or cost lots of money but you do need to be actively developing and strengthening new connections on a regular basis.

Next, you want to polish your writing and proposals, then be sending them out on a regular basis to the editors and agents in your path. And if you don't hear any response (which happens fairly often because of the large volume of submissions), then after a few weeks time, I encourage you to gently follow-up. Not as the opening example in this entry—but maybe something simple as, “I'm double checking to make sure you received my submission which I sent on this date.”

Email gets messed up and we receive a lot of it. The simple checking to see if they got it may spur the editor or agent into action and get you the attention that you wanted in the first place. 

Another way to build publishing relationships is a little harder for me to explain but I'm going to try. I listen to my inner thoughts and take action on those thoughts. Some people would call it listening to the “still small voice” which directs your daily actions. For example, today I was reminded of one of my Morgan James authors and I wrote a little email checking in. Or it might be an author that I've not heard from in a while and the author comes into my thoughts—and I write a simple email to this person. 

Sometimes I hear nothing from those little emails (and it will work the same for you). Other times I reach out to an author just at their point of decision and they are trying to figure out which way to go. Because I've reached out to them, they come my direction as opposed to going another way (and I'm talking about my work as an acquisitions editor here but it can also happen with my writing life). One of the keys in this publishing business is being in the right place at the right time. It can only happen if you are taking consistent persistent action. 

Today one of my friends, Bob Bly wrote about the characteristics of successful people and the seven factors that make a difference. I encourage you to follow this link and study this list. How can you gain more of these characteristics for your own publishing life?

How are you building publishing relationships this year? One of the best ways is to plan to attend a writer's conference. There are many different choices in this area. I'm speaking at a number of different events around the country. I'd love to help you and hope our paths cross soon—either on the phone or email or face to face at a conference.

Become A Follow-Up Expert

Over the last seven weeks, I've been moving around the U.S. speaking at six different events. It has been a marathon of meeting different authors and learning about their various projects.

Each week I've returned with possible books—nonfiction and fiction for Morgan James Publishing. If I could find the time, I've been sending emails and calling these individuals to get their manuscripts into the consideration process for our publication board. We receive over 5,000 submissions a year and only publish about 150 to 200 books a year. Here's the operative phrase in that last sentence: if I could find the time. To be honest, I couldn't always find the time to follow-up with these new authors.

The critical element in the process is follow-up. Over the last few weeks, I've heard about some great new book projects. Writers have showed me brief samples or told me about their work. I've looked them straight in the eye and said with sincerity, “That sounds like a great idea, send it to me.” 

Others I've seen their printed materials and I've asked them to send the electronic version of their proposal or manuscript to my Morgan James email address. Our publication board is scattered around the country and we work with the electronic version of your submission. For example, some of my colleagues live on the East Coast while I live in California. This electronic version of your material is critical. If I don't have it, then nothing happens—zip.

Numerous writers circled my work email address on my card and promised to send me their materials. Here's the reality: only a few of them have actually followed up and sent their materials.

Several of these writers sent in their materials right away. Because I had the electronic version of their work, I was able to get their books into our internal system for consideration from our publication board. When they get into this system, the author (or literary agent) receives an acknowledgement letter in the mail. It let's them know things are moving forward inside the publishing house. Each week our publication board meets and considers new books.

One of these authors I met a couple of weeks ago, submitted his proposal and sample chapters right after the conference. I put this project into our system and yesterday this author received a note of congratulations, a publication agreement (contract) and a short document outlining next steps for publication. Because I want to be a follow-up expert, I called this author and alerted him to the presence of this email with the documents attached. He was excited to receive this news.

In fact, I received this news for three authors yesterday. I called one of these authors and they returned my call. While on the phone, I realized they didn't have the three attachments so I followed up and immediately sent it to them. See the importance of tracking the details? With one little slip, an author doesn't receive the good news of a publishing contract.

With several of the others, I've written them and even called to follow-up and get their materials. I may love their printed information but without the electronic version, I'm stuck and can't help them move forward in the consideration process.

This week I noticed several emails in my work SPAM folder. I opened it and discovered a follow-up note from an author I met at the last minute during a recent conference. I exchanged business cards and had not had a chance to follow-up with her. I removed that email from my SPAM folder and sent an apologetic follow-up note. She immediately responded and is sending her materials early next week. This brief exchange again proves my point that you must become a follow-up expert.

While on the road, an author called me about a friend who has an interesting manuscript. I called this author early last week, gave him my email address and he promised to send it to me. Several days later (yesterday), I had not received the promised material and decided to call him again. He had gone to the publisher website and submitted his material online—instead of sending it directly to my email address. That means his material went into the unsolicited submission area instead of something coming directly to me for handling. Eventually I tracked down the submission but here's the lesson: send your material in the way the editor suggests you to send it.

Another author contacted me through twitter this week and wanted me to read his blog posts. Yes, I looked at it for a second but it gave me no context about the vision for his book, his overall marketing plans and his timetable for it. He was pitching a nonfiction book idea without doing the work of creating a book proposal. 

There is an old saying that is attributed to Will Rogers: You only get one chance to make a good first impression. The author who contacted me to read his blog material did not make a good first impression. Instead, he raised all sorts of questions that will return to me if and when he sends another email to me. 

To help your submission process, I'm including a short audio (less than three minutes). The audio is part of Southern Writers Radio Show and you can catch the entire show at this link: http://www.southernwritersonline.com

You can either use the button on the screen below. Or if you can't see it then click on this link: http://terrylinks.com/wtwswrf2012 and either save it to your computer or listen to it online. The audio includes a link to my book proposal checklist.


 
My great hope is this resource will help you in your journey to become a follow-up expert.

It Takes More Than Good Intentions

Through the years, I've met face to face with many writers. I know they have big dreams and good intentions. Maybe they want to write a novel or a nonfiction book. Or they want to get published in a magazine and understand the value of perfecting their craft in a shorter form of writing before they try a longer book project.

During our brief meeting together, I listen to their pitch. I often give them some input or direction from my experience. Often I will encourage them saying, “That sounds like a good idea. Write that up and send it to me.” As an acquisitions editor, I only asked for the manuscripts that were a fit for my publishing house. My encouragement to send their manuscript was sincere.

Yet I never heard from them again. I believe there is a chronic challenge among writers. To get published takes more than good intentions. You must follow through with your intention and get your writing into the marketplace.

Here's five tips on how to have more than good intentions and follow through:

1. Divide the Work. Every task needs to get broken into bite size parts. If you are writing a magazine article, then set a word count goal for your production. If you are trying to get more magazine writing, then decide how many queries you are going to send this week. Or if you are writing a book proposal, then tackle the sections one at a time. Or if you are writing a novel, set a number of words you want to produce each day. Make the work or task specific and then move forward and get it done.

2. Make a check list and cross it off. Take your planned writing and write it down every day. Often I will make a list the night for the next day. Then I cross it off when it is completed. It feels good to complete something and mark it off the list—and I know I'm moving ahead with my intentions.

3. Keep taking action. Without a doubt, you will have interruptions and other things which enter your life to cause delays and capture your attention. Recognize these interruptions ahead of time and make an internal commitment to continue moving forward. It will take on-going commitment to achieve what you want with your writing.

4. Create your own deadlines. Editors give writers deadlines for their writing—whether magazines or books. I encourage you to create your own deadlines for your writing and commit to making those deadlines. It will keep your writing moving forward. And if you don't make your deadline for some reason? Set a new deadline and push forward.

5. Get an accountability partner. Verbalize your goal to some other person. It could be a friend, a writer friend, a family member or whoever. Ask that person to hold your feet to the fire and check with you about whether you are accomplishing your intentions or not.

If you follow through with excellent writing, you will stand out in the publishing world. Many people dream and the ones that get it done, follow-through with their good intentions.