Critical Author Habits

    

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

While it was many years ago, I recall my first sip of coffee and the horrible taste.I wondered how or why people drank it. Many people around me were drinking coffee so I continued trying it and developed the habit of loving the taste of coffee. As a young writer, I leaned into the caffiene from my coffee drinking. In my early days of writing, I was drinking a full pot or two of coffee every day. Now many years later, I only drink a couple of cups of coffee but I still love the taste of it.

If you want to learn more about habit formation, I recommend reading or hearing Atomic Habits by James Clear. In 2019, I listened to the audiobook and wrote in my review, “Clear contends to make a new effective habit means developing a system. This audiobook is loaded with insights for every reader. I listened to this audiobook cover to cover and highly recommend ATOMIC HABITS.”

Often in these entries, I’ve written in detail about the various personal systems that I use in my critical author habits. I have over 1800 articles in The Writing Life and encourage you to search for a particular topic if I don’t include what you need in this article.

Today I want to pull out several of these habits with stories and my encouragement for you to incorporate them into your writing life. 

Consistent Writing

No one sits down and writes a novel or a nonfiction book manuscript. The manuscript is written with a consistent and persistent gameplan. The majority of writers use a word count as their benchmark. For example, they decide to write 500 words (which is about two pages) every day or four times a week or whatever pattern. They select a pattern then do that pattern over and over to get a draft of their manuscript. There are many different types of writing. In the first chapter of Jumpstart Your Publishing Dream, I have an extensive list (follow this link to see it). 

Also professional writers learn how to pitch their work to editors and literary agents. They learn how to write a query letter and a book proposal (no matter what type of book they are writing). Your book proposal is your business plan for your book and will include many important details which is not in your manuscript. The consistent use of these tools is an important habit to develop. If you want to know more about these tools, follow the links that I include. I’ve been using these tools for many years to be published in magazines and publishing houses.

Last month in an email, Mike Salisbury literary agent at Yates & Yates wrote about Beth Adams who I met years ago at a Seattle Writers Conference. Mike introduced Beth saying:

“Beth Adams is the Editorial Director for FaithWords and Worthy Books, imprints of the Hachette Book Group, where she’s worked on numerous bestselling and award-winning books. She also writes books as a side-hustle and has published over eighty books to date. Every day at 5 am, you can find her on the couch with her laptop and a strong cup of coffee, making up stories. An introverted book lover/cat lady at heart, she lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two daughters.”

Also Mike included Beth’s advice to writer saying: “Beth: Do it every day. You need to carve out consistent time in your schedule, even if it’s at 5 am, to work every single day. If you write only when you feel like it, you’ll never do it, and if you go more than a day or two without returning to your story, it becomes too hard to get back into it. You have to spend too much time getting back up to speed. But setting a regular rhythm allows you to stay in your work and also forces you to treat it like work, which it is.”

Expanded Connections

Your connections to the publishing world is an important one and should be a part of your habits. Who you know is as important as what you know. Are you continually expanding and using your connections? For example, are we connected on LinkedIN? If not, follow this link and send me a connection invitation.  Publishing professionals move around a great deal and LinkedIN is a great place to begin if you want to connect or reconnect with someone. Often when they move they will take their LinkedIN account with them and their LinkedIN contact information will have this email address. I say “often” because I’ve had several recent situations where I know someone has left their publishing role and not left a non-publishing email address in LinkedIN. 

Grow Readers 

Every author needs to be growing readers for their writing. One of the critical elements is in a consistent newsletter. Everyone begins with a small list but the key habit is to consistently use and grow these connections. I’ve had a newsletter for many years and my downfall has been the lack of consistency. Over a year ago, I changed this pattern and have een sending my newsletter each week to subscribers. Here’s the link to subscribe and with my gratitude you will receive an 87-page ebook.

I spoke with one of my Morgan James Publishing authors who has done multiple books with us. This author knows about the importance of a newsletter but hasn’t started one. If you fall into this category, I encourage you to start a newsletter then send it consistently and grow your readership. I understand a newsletter takes continued time and effor. It is another critical author habit.

Continual Learning 

For decades I’ve been studying and reading about different aspects of publishing. I continue to learn and experiment with differeent areas. In these articles I’ve mentioned doing guest podcasting. In several articles, I’ve detailed my process. As new podcasts launch, I’ve included the links and the details. During the last year, I’ve recorded or booked over 60 podcasts using PodMatch which is connected to over 90,000 podcasts. I encourage you to continue to experiment and learn new skills. At least once a year, get to a writer’s conference and take a class to open a different type of writing for you. The world is full of opportunity but you have to take continued action for it to happen.

Consistency and Persistence

Reading these words is a good first step but what actions are you going to take for your writing life? How can you develop a system where you consistently move forward? Let me know in the comments.

Tweetable:

According to this prolific author and editor, there are a series of critical author habits. You can read the details in this article. (ClickToTweet)

Start Your Writing Year with a Bang

I’m speaking at the Publicity Club on Tuesday, January 6th from 5 pm to 6 pm Pacific. I’m teaching on Seven Simple Actions to Boost Your Publishing This Year. The first meeting is free and here’s the Facebook event link with the details. I will be telling some stories but also including an action-packed handout. I hope many of you will attend and get my free resource.

When I’ve worked with different publishers on a variety of  books, I’ve learned the hard way that much of the publishing process is outside of anything an author can control. As an editor, I’ve spoken with different authors about their books, I’ve found many unrealistic expectations. There are actions every author can take with their books. I wrote  10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors practical help. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses. 

Subscribe to Terry’s Newsletter:

During the last year, once a week I’ve been sending a short free newsletter. Just follow this link to subscribe. When you are added to the newsletter, you will receive a FREE 87-page Ebook which is packed with insights for every writer.

Get these articles on your email: 

Since 2004, I have blogged about The Writing Life over 1,800 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

Practice Short Writing

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Thousands of new books are published every day. Two of my bestselling author friends released a new book over four weeks ago. I heard about the book and requested a review copy which they sent. I have read the book and I’m trying to find a few minutes to write my review. I checked Amazon and Goodreads  for this book and they have zero reviews. 

Why are these reviews important? It’s been proven that 98% of people who purchase a product online have read a review before they buy it. In general, book reviews are short articles and can be written in a brief amount of time. It’s an important skill to write a book review and every writer can learn this skill. In these articles, I’ve written a number of articles about book reviews (follow this link to easily find some of them). 

Another bestselling author friend hired me to write some profiles for a large project. As we spoke, she admitted that her skill was writing longer pieces of writing like books but not in the shorter profiles. This friend was placing limitations on her writing through her resistance to write the shorter pieces. When you write a short piece, you learn to write for a particular audience. You also gain the insight of which sentences are extra or fluff and can be easily eliminated. You improve as a writer and a commuicator through the continual practice and execution of these short articles.

After a recent writer’s conference, another writer reached out to me asking where she could publish her writing. I suggested magazine articles because they are short pieces and when published you can reach thousands of readers. As we exchanged emails, this author was a grief chaplain and wanted to know where to publish her writing. 

Without knowing it, this chaplain had a wealth of writing possibilities. As a former magazine editor, I know editors are actively looking for writers. It’s why they publish writer’s guidelines (use google to find them). I encouraged this author to use her Christian Writer’s Market Guide which had over 150 magazines in their listing. You need a current guide because a great deal of the information changes every year. Editors move and magazines close or new publications begin. The current guide gives you the best possible chance with your pitch. Some publications require a query letter (learn how to write one) while others want the full manuscript. 

The chaplain asked me what she could write? Almost every magazine will publish personal experience stories. This writer had a vast number of experiences that she could easily write into a 500 to 1200 word article. Yes, she would have to learn how to write a magazine article and how to properly format it and pitch it to the editor. Each of these skills can be easily learned. At the end of your articles, you have a simple statement like: Terry Whalin is the author of more than 60 books including 10 Publishing Myths, Insights Every Author Needs to Succeed. (with a link to my book and website)

If you follow these simple steps, you get published. Then editors and literary agents will be more interested in your submissions because you move from an unpublished author into a professional writer. 

There are many types of short pieces that you can learn, practice and submit over and over including (but not limited to) book reviews, devotions, jokes, short filler pieces, magazine articles, quotes, and short social media posts. The possibilities and the opportunities are endless. 

My bottom-line emphasis in this article is that short pieces of writing is a valuable skill which can be learned and exercised over and over throughout your writing career. What am I missing here? Does it stir some ideas for your writing? Let me know in the comments below. 

Tweetable:

What is the value of writing short pieces? How can you expand your publishing efforts and reach more readers? This prolific author and editor gives the details and the reasons here.  (ClickToTweet)

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: 

Mike Wagner and I spoke about publishing expectations on The Mike Wagner Show. Listen at: https://bit.ly/4oniMkn

Many authors have an unrealistic idea about the details of publishing. 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. 

Subscribe to Terry’s Newsletter:

During the last year, once a week I’ve been sending a short free newsletter. Just follow this link to subscribe. When you are added to the newsletter, you will receive a FREE 87-page Ebook which is packed with insights for every writer.

Get these articles on your email: 

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

Seasons of Publishing

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Sometimes because of my role as an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing, authors will ask when is the best time of year to publish their book. There used to be seasons for books and their release was much more segmented and planned. With the volume of books being released, I believe most of those plans have been tossed. 

In 10 Publishing Myths, I told the story of Penny Sanseveri teaching a workshop and explaining over 4500 new books are published every day. That story was several years ago and the volume of new books which are being published continues to increase. Recently I read on Brian Feinblum’s blog about trends in publishing. He said there are 7,000 new books every day (follow the link to read the full article). 

Like clockwork from now until after New Year’s Day, a different season begins. I call it the silent days of publishing. While I am making phone calls and writing emails and even sending new book contracts to authors, these actions are almost met with silence or no response. Some people might call this inaction ghosting. 

For many writers, this season can be challenging and full of your own inaction. In this article, I’m encouraging you to take a different course of action and standout. During these silent days you can move your writing life forward--but only if you take action. 

I understand the lack of response. People are traveling, taking a break from their writing and involved in other types of activities. Some years I’m surprised with the people who do sign and return their contracts and move forward. Other times the response is silence. 

What can a writer do in such a season? My encouragement is for each of you to lean into it and use these days wisely through writing something new. As writers, we have an almost endless list of possible writing projects such as:

--work on an online course

--write a new book proposal

--write a new book manuscript

--create query letters that you send out at the first of the year

--review some books

--if you haven’t received a response to your submissions, use the gentle followup to make sure the editor or agent got your submission.

Normally I’m prompt at processing my Morgan James Publishing submissions but some times they slip through the cracks. I’m going to make a true confession. Last week an author sent me an email asking about his submission which was sent in April. Yes, this is November and I hadn’t processed it. I apologized for my oversight, and then set up a phone conference for next week. 

What submissions do you have which have not received a response? Can you gently ask about them and get something moving forward? Some editors and agents make more time to read and process submissions during this season. Others do not but you might reach out to someone and get a quick response. 

Sometimes as writers we feel powerless and like our words do not impact our world--but they do--and only if you continue to take action. Use tools to pass along valuable content to others and subscribe to newsletters. If you are not a subscriber to these blog articles, here’s where you can subscribe. If you are a subscriber, please pass this link along to other writers and encourage them to subscribe. If we get our words into the world, they can change lives.

Do you have things you wanted to do this year but didn’t get done? Maybe a book to read and review or a new area to explore and learn. I have a number of those things. Tackle them during these silent days. Print this article and use this list as action items for your writing life. Get your fingers on the keyboard and keep pressing forward.

Each of us have limited time and energy for writing. We have to seize our days and do it: write something. How do you handle this season of publishing? Let me know in the comments below. 

My Articles in Other Places. 

In these articles, I often encourage you to publish your book on other blogs and other places. Here’s some of my articles which have been published recently: 

Writing is a Business. Many writers think of their writing as a ministry or a way to get their message out. In this article on the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference Blog, I remind authors of the business aspects of our writing. 

Consistent Action Instead of Perfection. While we want to publish excellent work, many writers hold back from submitting as they seek perfection. In this article on Writers on the Move, I encourage consistent action instead of perfection. 

Understand and Know Your Competition. Many writers believe their idea is unique without competition. In this article on Almost an Author, I stress the importance of understanding and knowing your competition because every book competes in the marketplace. 

Tweetable:

Are there different seasons of publishing? These are the weeks this prolific writer and editor calls the silent season. He encourages you to lean into these days and move forward with your writing. Get the details here. (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.

Do Something To Make Progress

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

The writing life is a journey not a destination. If I’m honest, some days I don’t feel like doing the work. I feel stalled and stuck. Maybe you find yourself in that situation and need some ideas what to do. 

Last week I taught at the Kentucky Christian Writers Conference and interacted with many authors. On Monday, I felt worn out and reluctant to be at my keyboard. I felt stalled and unsure what I could do in my office. I kept moving forward and eventually accomplished a number of things--but certainly didn’t start enthusiastically. The consistent action on your part moving toward your work will pay off. That payoff may not come immediately but in the long run it will happen. The key when you are in a stall or slump is to do something. As you do that something, you will move forward and get going. It's what I did the other day with my own stalled feelings.

When I was stalled, I’ve created a detailed system with my social media posts which is why I have a large following and I post 14-15 times a day and only spend about 30 minutes on it each day. With traveling, I had fallen behind on processing these posts. I turned to my system and began using it to get caught up. This simple activity propelled me out of my stall and into action. What helps you will likely be different but the key is to do something which moves your work forward. 

For your writing life, maybe you can write a short article or a guest blog post or a query letter for a magazine idea. Or you could begin a book proposal with a longer book pitch. Or maybe you need to do some follow-up work on something you already have in motion. Use the gentle follow-up approach so you don’t get a “no thank you” response.  There is always something more to do but the key is to consistently take action and knock on new doors. You never know when the right opportunity might open for you. If you don’t try it, it will certainly not happen. 

Our lives as writers are not straightforward but filled with ups and downs. Success is overrated as a quality and must be earned every day. From my decades in publishing, I know several characteristics are key in this process:

--Persist no matter what. If you get an opportunity, seize it. If you get rejected, knock on a different door to see if that one opens. Your persistence as a writer may take time but will pay off in the long run. 

--Write something even if it is never published.

--Read widely. If you are in stall, one of the ways to get unstuck is to read something that will inspire you and stir new ideas. 

--Write in different areas. Work on your social media feed or write a devotional or a book review or a personal experience article--something outside of what you normally write. 

--Call a friend and check in. Encourage this other person and also get some accountability for your writing. 

I’ve given a few ideas but there are many different ways to stir yourself into action and make progress. Here’s the critical element: keep moving forward because the world needs our stories and our words. 

When you get stalled or stuck, what steps do you take to get moving and make progress? Let me know in the comments below.

Tweetable:

What actions do you take when you are stalled with your writing? This prolific editor and writer gives a series of ideas and actions for you to do something and make progress. Get the details here. (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.

Do The Silent Work

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

As writers, we sit in our chair, put our fingers on the keyboard and create words. Some people when they do this creative process, love to have noise around them and sit in a nearby coffee shop. Others prefer a silent office. Other writers put on ear phones and listen to background music while they write. Whatever process you use, in this article, I want to write about the importance of doing this silent work.

No one pushes you to do this creative work. You have to draw from some internal motivation where you get to your keyboard, plan your writing, capture ideas and then put your fingers on the keyboard and consistently create. 

Years ago I interviewed bestselling author Bodie Thoene who has won multiple ECPA Gold Medallion Awards in the Christian fiction category. Each day she has the goal of writing five finished pages a day. She told me, “No little elves come out of my closet to write 650 manuscript pages,” Bodie says. “Some mornings I don’t feel like writing, but I do it out of obedience to God.” 

Throughout each day, as writers, we have many tasks such as continuing to write on our work in progress. It could be a few pages or a chapter but keep moving forward. A 50,000 word nonfiction book or a 100,000 word novel is not made overnight but the writing happens in consistent effort. Or maybe you are working on a book proposal. Whether you are self-publishing or some other method of publishing, I encourage you to write a book proposal because you will create a business plan for your book. Get a free copy of Book Proposals That Sell and use this link.  

In these articles, I have encouraged you to create a routine and a system for various aspects of your writing life such as blog posts for yourself or others, your posting on social media, writing a query for a magazine article or writing a magazine article. Each of these writing tasks involve learning the system, then doing the silent work to execute it consistently. 

As an acquisitions editor, I have additional silent work. I get submissions, have to enter those submissions into the system so they get acknowledge. I schedule a detailed phone call with the author where I ask questions, give feedback and information about why Morgan James Publishing from my many years in publishing. Record the call, send them the recording, send the follow-up material. Then I have to fill out my internal documents to get them a contract. These are a few of the steps I do over and over in silence--yet are critical to the process. Then when I get a contract for an author, I follow-up to see if they have questions. No one is pushing me to do this work other than my own drive and work in the silence.

As writers, each of us have dreams and goals for our work but a lot of it is grounded in this silent work. This silent work has to be done and no one is calling for us to do it. We have to sit at our keyboard and get it done. Your persistence and consistency as a writer will get attention. This payoff may not be immediate but keep at it and it will happen.

What steps are you taking to do the silent work of writing? Let me know in the comments below. 

Tweetable:

A great deal of the regular work of a writer is done in silence with no one pushing them. This prolific writer and editor encourages you to do the silent work. Get the details here. (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.

Elements of Effective Pitching

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Many writers love to crank out words into their computer. They dream of a literary agent or editor reaching out to them with a writing project. From my decades in this business that sort of event rarely happens. That editor phone call or email you’ve imagined coming is a fantasy. If you want to publish a book, you need to effectively pitch a literary agent or an editor. 

 

From my experience in publishing, one of the foundational skills to develop is an effective pitch. Whether you want to write a magazine article or a book or teach at a conference or appear on a radio program or podcast or almost any other activity, it all comes down to your skilled pitch. In this article, I want to give you some of the critical elements in this process so you can be much more effective in this critical process.

 

To write for magazines, you need to learn to write a query letter. I’ve written for more than 50 publications and have written a detailed article about this process (follow the link but also study the contents then apply them to your own writing life). Like with a book proposal, there are different variations on how you do the tool but the key is to send something that the editor or agent wants. How do you learn what they want? You study their guidelines about what they publish or their specialty. It is different for each publication, agent or publisher but they will tell you what they are looking for—and they expect you to do this research before you clog their email box with your pitch. 

 

If you are writing a book, then you need a book proposal or business plan. I undrstand that writing a proposal is a great deal of work but even if you self-publish you need to know the various parts of a proposal. Every author whatever they are writing (nonfiction, fiction, children’s books, etc) will gain value through writing a book proposal.

 

The process of creating a book proposal will teach you about the current marketplace for your book. For example, the majority of publishers are looking for fiction which is 100,000 words or less. Last week I was looking at the submissions for a service to writers. One of the novelists was pitching a 250,000 word novel. Immediately I rejected this author and didn’t approach the author to submit to Morgan James Publishing.

Why? Recently I have had negative reactions when I tell an author they need to divide their story into several parts so they can get to a lower word limit. If the novelist is in tune with the marketplace, they have learned this information before completing their novel and pitching it to possible publishers.

 

Another element in effective pitching is developing your relationship with the literary agent or editor. At the end of the day, you are looking for the right fit. This search will take skill (to learn how to craft a proposal and/or query) combined with persistence and consistency.

 

What are the elements to effective pitching? If I am missing something, please let me know in the comments below.

 

Tweetable:

What do you want to do in publishing? Whether it’s a magazine article, a book, or a radio program or podcast, it will involve effective pitching. This prolific editor and author gives the details here. (ClickToTweet)

Many writers have unrealistic ideas and expectations about publishing. Get 10 Publishing Myths for only $10 +FREE shipping + over $200 of free bonuses.

Writers Must Communicate

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

As a child, I recall connecting two tin cans with string then using it to speak with a friend. It was a simple yet effective communication tool that we made and had fun with it. In this article, I want to highlight the importance of communication for writers.

 

Writers are regularly communicating to their readers, their literary agent, their editors and crafting their books, proposals, query letters, magazine articles, and many other types of writing. If your books aren't selling, then you need to be taking more action to create content and show your readers the benefits from your writing. The bottom-line is if you are a writer, you are in the communication business.

 

As I think about publishing, from my decades of working in it, I understand it is a business filled with noncommunication (silence) and miscommunication. When you send your material into an agent or publisher, you often don't hear any response—for weeks or months.  Sometimes the way you learn "no" is through no response which is poor communication. Waiting for a response is a huge part of our lives as writers. Because publishers are slow to respond, I've always encouraged writers to simultaneously submit or send to multiple places at the same time. Admittedly when you simultaneously submit, you have to keep track of these submissions so if someone contracts a piece of writing, you have a responsibility to notify the others and withdraw it from consideration. 

 

Because of the lack of communication in many areas of the publishing community, I've learned that if you do communicate, you will stand out as someone who is different. While the communication process isn't always easy, I use multiple ways to reach people such as email, physical mail and sometimes the telephone. I've found great value in my LinkedIn account because while people may change positions and move around within publishing, they will take their LinkedIN account with them.  For my last book, I reached out to some people I had not been in communication for years. LinkedIN gave me a place to begin this process with their email address and sometimes even a phone number.

 

If you want to reach a particular editor or literary agent and do not hear from them, use multiple methods to reach them. If email doesn't work, then try mailing something through the US mail. If that doesn't work, see where they are speaking and plan to attend that event. Make sure you are pitching something excellent but your persistence to reach them will eventually pay off (or so I have found).

 

Do you have a set of boundaries about when you communicate? For example, I have colleagues at Morgan James Publishing who have decided to only answer emails Monday through Friday during their standard work hours. I understand their creation of such a boundary and respect their personal choice. I've made a different one (which many of my authors have learned). I will answer email almost any time during the day or evening. It's my personal choice and pattern and my desire to be a good communicator in a world that doesn't.

 

Sometimes I will review an email after I've sent it and to my horror find some typographical errors. I'm imperfect in this communication process yet determined to take my own responsibility and continue to press forward and learn to be a good communicator. My emails don't have to be lengthy but they do have to be clear and timely.

 

What steps are you taking to be a good communicator? Let me know in the comments below.

 

Tweetable:

Writers must communicate even in a world full of miscommunication or noncommunication. This prolific editor and author is determined to be a good communicator. Get the details here. (ClickToTweet)

Does your fiction or nonfiction book have a business plan? Every type of book needs a proposal—even if you self-publish. Get this resource. 

A Favorite Place to Read

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Consistent reading is one of the important skills for every writer to maintain and develop. To write for a particular mnagazine, you want to read this publication either in print or online to know what they are publishing. Publications have guidelines and you want to read those guidelines and follow them before sending in your query or article. This information is critical to give your submission the best chance of getting published. Also in the book area, you want to be reading books like you want to write. If you want to write children's books, you need to be aware of what is getting published and if you are writing fiction, you need to be reading what others are doing in your area. While reading is an important skill, do you have a favorite place to read?

 

Many years ago when I worked at Christianity.com and lived in northern California, my wife surprised me with a brown leather chair for my office. We've moved a number of times but this chair has been a consistent part of my office and it's where I've been reading for years. In my current office, the movers struggled to get this chair into the room. They had to manuever a narrow hallway and turn it to get it into this room—not an easy process but they got it done.

 

My leather chair is an important part of my office equipment. I read some things on my computer screen but for concentated reading or reading for pleasure, I physically move from my desk to my leather reading chair. For me, the physical movement from my desk to my reading chair is also a mental mind shift from writing to reading or consuming information.

 

There are several things which are important about in my writing life about this physical shift:

1. It is a consistent habit

2. when I get books to read and possibly review, I know how to handle it

3. when I read magazines I know where I will read them and put them beside my reading chair. I have a plan and don't clutter my desk or mix it into other paperwork.

4. It helps me keep organized and orderly in my office. In general an organized writer is a productive writer.

 

A reading chair is a consistent part of my writing life. Do you have a favorite place to read? Let me know in the comments below.

 

 Tweetable:

Reading is an important skill for every writer. This prolific editor and author tells about his favorite place to read and asks if you have such a place. Get the details here. (ClickToTweet)

Does your fiction or nonfiction book have a business plan? Every type of book needs a proposal—even if you self-publish. Get this resource.

Other recent articles I've written:

Five Reasons to Review Books In a related topic to this one about my reading chair, I encourage every writer to review books with five different reasons for such action.

Every Writer Must Build An Audience In this article, I give details about the mysterious word “platform” and why every writer needs to find their audience and what it takes to build one.

Try Something New

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Within the world of publishing, people fill many different roles such as writer, editor, agent, publicist and many others. Recently one of my writing friends released a new book from a major Christian publisher. As I've mentioned in these articles, this release event happens with about 4,500 books every week.  

 

The Advanced Reading Copies (ARC) for this new book arrived at the author's home the day before the release date (late to be of much use since the book is out). I have not seen this particular ARC but typically these books are created in advance of the book release, have different information about the book and release date on the back cover and printed in small numbers for book reviewers, the press and a few other categories. These books are costly to create because of the small printing numbers. With over 4500 new books published every day, ARCs are reserved for a few titles the publisher believes is important and worthy of the limited marketing dollars to create these specialized books. My friend told me about the late arrival of his ARCs and on my own I offered to ask some writers if they would read and review, then compile a list of addresses to send to this friend. It's something I've never done before and I have no financial gain from promoting this book. I was simply willing to help.

 

I turned to a couple of Facebook groups with Christian writers. I wrote a short post about the author, the book. I asked the writer to email their mailing address and willingness to post the review on at least Amazon but hopefully some other places as well. These groups had many members and I had no idea the response. 16 people responded. These people get a free copy of the book and the opportunity to make a new relationship with the author (who will be grateful for their help). I encourage you to look for these opportunities and take advantage of them because they can be the start of something else in your writing life.

 

I've been reading ARCs from publishers for decades. My first time was at an American Bookseller convention in Los Angeles in 1987.  At the Doubleday booth, I picked up an ARC for a new book called Covenant House. The meeting was in May and the book released in the fall or at least six months before the release. I was interested in reading the book (always the first step because not always the case). I thought, “I can write about this new book.”  I wrote a query letter to a Christian magazine (no longer in print) and asked if I could review Covenant House. As I look back on my query, it was not in perfect alignment with this evangelical magazine. Covenant House was from a Catholic priest who was rescuing homeless children. Yet my pitch to the editor worked. He said yes (probably on speculation) and gave me a deadline and a word count. I read the book, crafted my review and sent it to the magazine. It was accepted and published for my first published book review. I began to write more book reviews. For years, I reviewed each month for a Christian trade publication. I've also written book review columns for a couple of magazines (no longer in print). I selected the books for these magazines (which reached thousands of readers). Publishers added my name and address to their list for new releases and the books poured into my mailbox. 

 

Back to my friend and the late ARCs on his new book. I emailed him the addresses from those who volunteered to read his book and review it—something I had never done before but I was trying something new. Notice I've left out some details in my story—the author, the title of the book and the publisher. I tell the story so you will see there are many missed opportunties in this business. I don't want to do anything to hurt my own relationship with the publisher or author—who will be around hopefully for many years in the future. As I've mentioned in the past, you never want to publish anything to hurt your relationship. While it may seem big on the surface, the publishing community is small and interconnected.

 

What are you going to try that is new? There are many opportunities in publishing but you have to pitch and take action for them to actually happen. You could publish in a newspaper, a magazine, be on a podcast or radio station or any number of other possible things. You have to reach out to that editor or the person running the radio station or podcast and make a compelling pitch.

 

Throughout publishing, there are many opportunities but you have to take the first step. This prolific editor and aiuthor details trying something new. What new things are you trying? Let me know in the comments below.

 

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