It Only Takes One

   

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

As an author, on the surface some of my actions look like failures. Then I have to recall that it only takes one new connection to make a difference. Like the image I have for this article with the highlighted puzzle piece. Without this final piece, the puzzle does not work or look whole.

A couple of months ago, I spoke at a Publicity Club meeting. Before the meeting, I promoted it on social media to my various connections. Also I added it to these articles in The Writing Life which each week reaches several hundred people on their email. When the event happened, a small audience of  six people attended. 

As a speaker, I’ve had this experience in the past. For example, at a large conference where each workshop is recorded, I’ve spoken in a packed room where they are dragging in chairs from another room. At this same event and on other years, I’ve spoken with one or two people for my audience. No matter how many people, each time I speak with enthusiasm and insight. You never know what can happen with those people in front of you.

Let’s go back to the publicity club event with a small crowd. During the event, I gave them my Morgan James Publishing contact information and encouraged their submission. It’s something I do often in these meetings. When I receive an email submission, I like to process it as soon as possible but that doesn’t always happen. Sometimes that submission gets stuck in the draft folder of my work email.

On a regular basis, people read about my special offer on 10 Publishing Myths where they can get my printed book for only $10 including the shipping along with over $200 of free bonuses. Like some of you, occasionally I have some technical issue that prevents me from mailing the book right away. During one of my tech challenge periods, an attendee from the Publicity Club ordered my book. After it didn’t come for several weeks, she followed up and asked about her printed book and mentioned she had a young adult novel. 

I looked through my records, found the missing entry, packed a book for her and put it into the mail. Also I followed up about the young adult novel and asked her to send it to me. That same day she responded that a month or two earlier she had already sent me her submission. When I searched for it, her submission was stuck in my draft folder. I moved the submission forward through the process.

Speaking with this author, I learned this submission was the second book in a trilogy of novels. The author had self-published the first and third novel in the series. She sold a substantial number herself but taken these novels out of print. Other in the publishing community had told her that no publisher would be interested in re-releasing these self-published books. That information about publishing wasn’t true. 

Also I learned this author had extensive writing and publishing experience. Publishers including editors like me are actively looking for these types of authors. I encouraged this author to send me the details I needed to champion her book to my publishing colleagues. I wanted to try and get a book contract for the first novel in the trilogy.

Last week I learned my colleagues agreed and wanted to offer this author a contract for her young adult novel. Nothing has been finalized with this situation and the contract hasn’t been signed. I understand authors have many publishing options. I believe Morgan James Publishing offers the best path. Not everyone agrees with me and that is OK too.

I’ve written a number of details in this story for several reasons. For every author (even the unpublished or traditional published), there are insights:

1. It only takes one person in the room to respond to your teaching for it to be worthwhile. When you teach, you don’t know who will be that person.

2. No one can know the needs or intention of another person unless you talk and listen to them then follow through with action.

3. Every author has to explore many different options to find the right path for their book and readers. You have to learn the information, then actively use that information. It’s worthless to have results if you don’t do something proactive.

4. On a consistent basis, keep making new connections and offering to help others. You never know where those connections will lead or when one of them will become significant. Use LinkedIN or online groups or in person meetings to expand your connections to the world.

5. When you submit and do not hear any response, use the gentle follow-up with that professional. Did they receive your submission? Do you need to resend it? Unless you ask, you have no idea what that other person is going through. A simple question could lead you to a remarkable opportunity.

6. Persistence and consistency pays off. Whatever you are writing, take the long view. At first, it may look like nothing is happening but keep at it and if you don’t give up, you will find the right open door.

Where are you getting silence or rejection? How are you expanding and using your connections to reach more people? Let me know in the comments below. Remember: it only takes one.

Tweetable:

It takes action for authors to reach new readers. Sometimes a small crowd appears like a failure. According to this prolific author and editor, it only takes one. Get the details here.  (ClickToTweet)

My Writing In Other Places:

With these articles, I encourage you to publish your work beyond your blog in other places. Below are three articles which were published in other online locations than this blog.

Each month I guest blog on Writers on the Move. This month I wrote about how new habits and experimentation can increase the productivity of your writing life. You can read this article at: https://bit.ly/4rvr8GN  

Also each month I guest blog on the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer’s Conference blog. I wrote about the importance of boundaries in your writing life at: https://bit.ly/4t1eD7i 

Finally once a month I guest blog about book proposal creation on Almost An Author. This month I answered the question, How Many Pages in a Book Proposal? at:  https://bit.ly/41whrgH 

During my decades in publishing, I’ve co-authored over a dozen books and reviewed thousands of submissions (no exaggeration). As a part of the process of working with these authors, I speak with them about their dreams and plans. Many of these authors have  unrealistic expectations about what will happen with their published book. Many aspects of the publishing process are outside of anything an author can control. 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. 

Do you need a better submission? I’m teaching a free Live Webinar on Tuesday, April 21st at 6 pm Eastern. I’m an acquisitions editor at my third publisher and have reviewed thousands of submissions. Register and details at: https://bit.ly/4lIx91y

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