Writing and Publishing News

In the last post, I offered to respond to any specific questions you might have about publishing.

Because publishing is a complex topic, I’ve decided to create a blog series in hopes of clarifying the process so you can make the best decisions with regard to your particular project.

When authors ask me, “What is the best way to publish a book?” I always say, “It depends on the book and it depends on you.” However most new authors aren’t aware of all the publishing options available to them. And that’s a shame because, if you don’t know your options, you can’t make the best choices.

Many new authors dream of getting an agent who can land them a contract with a major publisher. They don’t stop to consider the reality of this plan. For example:

• Is the book designed for a large enough audience that a major publisher would invest in it?
• Is it a popular topic/genre?
• Does the author have a reputation that would help sell the book—a wide-spread following?
• Does the author understand the necessity and the process of book promotion and marketing?
• What can the author contribute when it comes to promoting his/her book?

Certainly, the inexperienced author isn’t always the best judge of their own book project. You might think your memoir is fascinating and well-written or that you’ve penned the mystery of the year. If you haven’t studied best-selling books on this topic or in this genre, however, you may not know what elements are actually necessary.

You may adore what you’ve written. Why wouldn’t you? It’s a piece of you. It’s your creation—your baby. You worked hard to produce it, so why wouldn’t others love it, find it useful or entertaining and why wouldn’t a publisher want to publish it?

As I said, you may not be the best judge of your story or nonfiction manuscript. Before you start showing it around to agents, stop and study. Stand back from your project. Review books like yours and determine how yours compares. If it’s fiction, can you truthfully imagine the same readers who devour books by some of the most well-known authors enjoying your story? If it is nonfiction, find out what your book offers that others on this topic do not. Do your best to scrutinize your book from a realistic, detached perspective.

Ask a few professionals on the topic or in genre to evaluate your book. Pay attention to their comments. Learn what actually comprises a viable book and use that knowledge along with common sense to determine whether you should approach an agent or not. Remember that publishers are not in the business in order to make authors happy. They are concerned primarily with making money. It’s up to you to educate yourself about the industry and understand how your book might fit into the scheme of things…or not.

So the bottom line in landing a major publisher is to know what he wants and deliver it.

• Study the publishing industry.
• Scrutinize publishers and agents on your topic/genre.
• Read each publisher’s/agent’s submission guidelines and comply.
• Submit only your best work following the instructions in the guidelines.

Tomorrow, I’ll discuss your publishing options and the possible benefits and/or consequences of each. Questions? Contact me he here: plfry620@yahoo.com or leave a comment here.

Some hopeful authors still consider publishing a hobby or a game. They write a memoir, children’s book, or young adult novel, for example, and then decide they’ll allow a big-name publisher to produce it and share the large profits with them. Some authors realize they need an agent in order to land a major publisher, so they do a little research and contact an agent or two.

The next step in their plan is to quit their boring job and live off the royalties. If they enjoyed the process of writing the first book, they’ll make time to work on a second and maybe a third one. Ahhhh, life will be good.

The hard part of this plan is writing that first book, right? Everyone knows what a huge accomplishment that is. Once that hurdle is cleared, things will get easier. After all, you read about ordinary authors with bestsellers all the time. How difficult can it be?

I’ve been writing for publication for over 40 years. I have 46 published books to my credit. I’ve spent a lot of time during the last 20 years speaking, teaching workshops, and writing articles and books on authorship—the concept, the psychology, and the process. And I’m not the only one offering benefit of my experience, research, and knowledge in this area. There are hundreds of qualified individuals speaking out, teaching, and mentoring. And still there are hopeful authors who are not paying attention.

I still get calls, emails, and comments at this blog site from disappointed authors who can’t understand why their book’s not selling. Many have paid a pay-to-publish company $7,000 (sometimes more) to produce their books and they’re not anywhere close to breaking even, let alone earning a profit.

Why? What did these authors do wrong? What is the best way to land a big publisher? Is the only other option to pay a large fee to a pay-to-publish (self-publishing) company? But how do you actually make sales? Should you sign up for the expensive promotional package these companies offer? What can the author do to become more successful? What is the author’s responsibility?

If you are interested in the answers to any or all of these questions, let me know. Leave a comment here at this blog site or contact me here: PLFry620@yahoo.com and I will cover it in my next post.

The bottom line is, there’s a whole lot more to becoming a successful author than you can even imagine unless you’ve taken the time and put in the effort to study the industry. Publishing is not a hobby or a game. It is a serious business and should be approached as such.

I own a publishing company. I established Matilija Press in 1983 in order to produce my own books. I do not publish books for others. Yet, I receive inquiries every once in a while from people asking me to publish their works.

Folks, when you decide to publish a book, you are entering into a professional industry and you should always try to come across as a professional. One way to come across as a professional is in the thoroughness of your research. If you contact me asking if Matilija Press will publish your science fiction novel, your memoir, or your self-help book for breaking into the movies, you have not done your research. First, as I said, I don’t publish other people’s books. Second, I have nothing in my list of books on these topics/genres.

If you’ll read the publisher listings in Writer’s Market and/or the publishers’ submission guidelines at their websites, you’ll often see in bold lettering, “Study our catalog before submitting,” or “We publish only children’s books (young adult novels, recipe books,) etc.” Obviously, way too many hopeful authors send their query, proposal, or manuscript to the WRONG publishers. Stop it! It diminishes your credibility within the industry.

Likewise, I notice that book reviewers receive many review requests for types of books they do not review. They, too, use bold print, all caps, and other techniques to educate the author and stop the inundation of review requests for books they absolutely do not review.

Do your research! Before contacting any publisher, agent, or book reviewer, for example, take the time to find out what their requirements are; what type of books they publish/represent/review. How?

• Study their listings in directories.
• Visit their websites to learn more about the individual/company.
• Read and believe their submission guidelines and follow them.

What do you look for in this research?

• What type of book do they publish, represent, review?
• Do they review self-published books? (Many reviewers do not.)
• What word count do they prefer? (Yes, this matters to some publishers.)
• What are some of the titles they have published, represented, reviewed? Does yours fit in with this list?
• Are they currently open to receiving manuscripts/completed books or do they want a query letter or proposal? You’re more apt to get the attention you require when you give them what they want.

If you want to experience some level of success as a published author, you really must know the rules and follow them. A major rule is to look at each publisher, agent, and/or reviewer as an individual, because they are. They each come with certain needs, requirements, and policies. Find out what they are and follow them. This is the quickest and slickest way to become a successful published author.

Learn more about the publishing industry and how to navigate it by ordering Publish Your Book, http://www.matilijapress.com/PublishYourBook.html

I appreciate authors who help other authors. We can all learn from others. However, I caution you against following too closely in another author’s footsteps.

What a single author of a single book often doesn’t understand is that each book and each author is unique and what worked for a retired author of a children’s book might not be the best avenue for the still employed author of a self-help book. The professor who writes an academic book, will follow a different roadmap than the quilter who wants to produce a book on quilting or a dog walker who wants to write her memoirs.

When you attend a writers club meeting or a writers conference and hear authors’ stories of publishing and book marketing, listen with an open mind. Understand why each author made the choices he or she did, what was the upside and the downside, then consider what might work in your own situation. Are his choices good ones for you and your book? While it’s important to understand the premise of publishing and book promotion in this ever-changing publishing climate, it is equally vital that you make the best choices in your particular situation. And you can’t make the right choices if you are not aware of your options.

Your best plan of action, if you are seeking advice, is to attend presentation and read books by authors who have been involved in the publishing industry for a long time. Those with a variety of publishing experiences and with a history of working with other authors. If you want to speak with individual authors, choose those with books similar to yours. You would contact the same reviewers as those authors. You would promote to the same audience. You might seek the same publishers.

There are many options for authors and the publishing playing field can get overwhelmingly complicated. So it is important to consult with others who can help you narrow down the best path for you and this may not be the overly enthusiastic individual author of one book. Start by reading my book, Publish Your Book. http://www.matilijapress.com/PublishYourBook.html

There are more publishing options today than ever before and it can be downright confusing to any author, let alone one new to the industry. My book, Publish Your Book, gives a concise and thorough overview of your options and the possible consequences of your choices. It’s at Amazon.com in print, audio, and for your Kindle.

Here’s a brief rundown. Basically, there is the traditional royalty publisher. Some of them require that you contact them through an agent, but most of them welcome and, in fact, prefer working with new authors with good projects. Traditional publishers invest in your book. They generally take over all costs. However, there are some creative contracts coming out of publishing houses. Some may purchase your book outright or offer you a co-publishing opportunity, for example.

There’s the self-publishing (pay-to-publish) company where you put up all the money and they arrange for a printer and book binder.

You can self-publish—establish your own publishing company.

If you’ve studied the publishing industry (highly recommended), you’ve learned the importance of choosing a genre and or subject that is popular with or needed/wanted by a large readership or a strong niche group. And you’ve learned the value of writing for that audience. Before

approaching any publisher or publishing service, make sure you have a salable product (a book that people want—a book with an audience). Then consider the pros and cons of each publishing option to discover which one is right for you and for your project.

You might want to self-publish (establish your own publishing company), so you have complete control. You may decide to hire a self-publishing (pay-to-publish) company and pay them to produce the book. If you do that, I suggest you thoroughly research those you are considering. And do not buy into their promotional packages. Most of these packages are worthless.

Perhaps you definitely want your book represented by a traditional publisher. But don’t make this choice simply because you want to avoid promoting your book, because you will still be the marketing agent for your book. Sure, a publisher will probably do some promotion, but he will expect you to do the bulk of it.

For marketing ideas and an understanding of book promotion, read my book, Promote Your Book, Over 250 Proven, Low-Cost tips and Techniques for the Enterprising Author.  It’s at Amazon.com in print, audio, and for your Kindle. Or order your copy here: http://www.matilijapress.com/PromoteYourBook.html

What are some of the most important things an author should do before publication? Here’s a list:

• Study the publishing industry.
• Understand your publishing options.
• Educate yourself about book marketing.
• Hire a good book editor.
• Devise a marketing plan.

Subsequent posts will focus on some of these points. Today, let’s discuss the first one—study the publishing industry. Why is this important?

I tell authors that they should consider themselves the CEO of their books from day one. Even if you decide to engage an agent and/or approach traditional publishers with your project, in order to succeed, you must take charge. Who knows your project better than you do? Who cares as much about it?

Before you go with any pay-to-publish company, sign with an agent, or work with a publisher, educate yourself about the publishing industry. I suggest starting this research even before you decide to write a book. Why? You want to make sure you are writing a book that will fly in today’s crowded, competitive marketplace and you need to know how to make it fly.

When you visit Amazon.com and see books with a lot of five-star reviews, when you hear that a book is selling by the thousands, why do you think that is? Most of the time it is due to the author’s efforts. The author knows something about the publishing industry, what makes it work, what makes a book popular, how to market books and so forth. One thing these authors have learned is that you must know who your audience is and write your book for that audience.

This is a good starting place for those of you who are new to publishing. Read books about publishing and book marketing, subscribe to newsletters, and attend workshops and lectures related to publishing. You can visit my website and browse my resource pages to learn what books and newsletters I recommend. http://www.matilijapress.com/forwriters/resources.html

I mention competition often in my blogs, articles, and books. I tell you that the publishing industry is highly competitive, that there is a lot of competition for publishing contracts, space in bookstores, and for buyers. Of course, this is true in once sense. But there are some genres that are so popular that you can’t consider that you’re entering a competition with a book in this genre.

What types of books are selling these days? From what I hear, it’s romance novels. Cozy mysteries seem to be highly popular—that’s a light mystery. Add a charming animal or two and you’re sure to entice readers. Crime mysteries are popular. There is a large science fiction fan base.

Before you decide what genre to write in, if you are after book sales, be sure to do thorough research into the most popular genres. If this genre isn’t something you know much about, launch a study. Read books in the genre—dozens and dozens of them. Is this a genre you can understand? Is it one you would enjoy writing in?

You’ve heard people say that we make our own luck. This statement can be true when it comes to publishing success. If you want to produce a more successful book, learn to write well in a genre that is selling!

Publishing is a series of phases. The first phase comes as a thought—the idea for a book or story. Next is the writing stage. This stage can take weeks, months, or years. For most, the next stop is publishing. And then comes disappointment. Why? Because important steps are missing in this scenario.

The author neglected to study the publishing industry, so he may not know the importance of choosing a topic or genre that is popular or needed. He isn’t aware of the fierce competition for books already in the marketplace. He doesn’t understand his important role in guiding his book toward success. And he may not know that he is responsible, not only for creating a viable product, but marketing it. He probably didn’t evaluate the market before writing the book. He doesn’t know who his specific target audience is. He didn’t write a book proposal, nor did he hire an editor.

If you are working on a book project, don’t miss any of the phases. Here’s a rundown. They’re all necessary to a successful publishing experience.

If you’re new to the publishing industry or you have a book that is bombing in the marketplace, please read Publish Your Book, Proven Strategies and Resources for the Enterprising Author. You’ll find it at amazon.com and other online bookstores in print, audio, and digital. It’s also available at many downtown bookstores.

When should you start learning something about the publishing industry? At what point do you need to educate yourself?

Typically, a hopeful author will write a book—complete a manuscript—and then try to figure out how to get it published. They use what little knowledge they’ve gathered to that point and make important decisions that sometimes cost them quite a bit of money.

What comes next? For most of these authors, failure. Why? Because they didn’t take the time to learn enough about the industry and their options to make an educated decision. Many new authors go with the first company whose reps express an interest in their novel, memoir, or nonfiction book.

Some of them pay exorbitant amounts of money for marketing packages and are left wondering what happened—why they aren’t selling books. Here’s one such scam that at least one pay-to-publish company runs. They charge their authors something like $3,000 to sit for an hour at a book festival and give their books away—FREE.

The fact is, that most marketing packages offered by pay-to-publish companies are not worth much. You might pay for a mass mailing that isn’t exactly targeted. Hundreds or thousands of people might receive an email promoting your book, but only a fraction of them might be even remotely interested in your book’s topic or genre.

Before signing with any publishing company, do your homework. First, educate yourself about the industry and book marketing. Once you understand that you will be responsible for promoting your book no matter what publishing option you choose, you may look at your options differently. Once you understand the concept of book promotion, you will definitely make different choices.

There are many ways to learn about the publishing industry. Here’s what I recommend: Read my book, Publish Your Book, available at amazon.com in print, audio, and for your Kindle. Or order it here: http://www.matilijapress.com/PublishYourBook.html Also join writers and authors groups, attend lectures, sign up for a writers conference near you and attend all of the workshops. Listen with an open mind.