Archive for February, 2008

Reasons for Joining Other Writers

Tuesday, February 19th, 2008

While we write in privacy—holed up in our writing rooms all alone—most of us really do need other writers. We need feedback and encouragement for our work. We need validation. Is it really worth our while to sit day after day pouring our hearts into our work? No one else understands the heart of a writer and no one else can validate our passion.

Other writers provide information and resources we can use. Those who have gone down the publishing path before us can issue warnings about possible roadblocks and obstacles. They can reveal secret openings to potential success.

Every writer has experiences to share—experiences that can help guide others away from possible danger and toward some measure of success.

When you spend your days alone writing, you can get discouraged. Sometimes only another writer can provide the understanding, encouragement and support you need.

Join a face-to-face writers’ group in your area. To find one, check with your local librarian. Look at the calendar of events section of your newspaper. Contact a local arts council. Do a Google search using keywords, “writers group” and your city name. Ask other writers you know about a writers’ group. Or start a writers’ group yourself.

Join online writers’ groups. Do a Google search for a specific genre or type. I recommend, for anyone who is interested in being published, whether you are or want to be a freelance writer, author, artist, screen writer, etc. that you join SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) http://www.spawn.org SPAWN is a networking organization and resources center. Membership is only $45/year and it provides the potential for earning thousands of dollars through writing and book promotion. There’s also the possibility that you’ll save even more money by becoming aware of how to avoid making some seriously costly mistakes.

To engage in a dialogue with Patricia Fry use this email: PLFry620@yahoo.com. Visit my site at http://www.matilijapress.com While there, be sure to check out my array of books for writers, authors, grandparents, mentors and those who like metaphysical adventures. Look at my busy calendar of events. Sign up for an online course. Read about my consulting and editorial services. Enjoy my gift of resources and informative articles.

How Many Books Can You Sell?

Monday, February 18th, 2008

A book proposal reveals many things to a prospective author—whether his or her book is a viable product, the scope of competition, who and how extensive is the audience and what’s the best way to market the book, for example.

One important question we like to answer in our book proposal (for potential publishers and for ourselves) is, “How are other books on this topic and/or in this genre doing?” But getting those sales figures or quantities is not an easy task.

I advise my clients to find out how their perceived competition is doing. I send these hopeful authors in search of facts, figures, numbers—any statistics they can get their hands on—which will demonstrate the potential for their own projects. If XYZ Publisher’s book on uses for toothpicks is selling well, then maybe there’s hope for your book featuring twist tie crafts. If ABC Publisher’s novels featuring all deaf characters are faring well, then your romance thriller about and for the blind ought to sell.

But how do you get sales figures to prove the potential for your book? I’m just one of thousands who would like to know.

So far, this is all I can offer my clients and faithful readers:

• Call Ingram’s database number for their sales figures: 615-213-6803. You’ll need the ISBN. You won’t get the whole picture here, but you’ll get an idea of how the book is moving.

• Talk to your local independent bookseller, or make friends with someone at a mega-bookstore. Ask if they can locate overall sales figures for a few specific books or at least quantity figures reflecting books sold through their chains.

• Research the book title at the publisher’s site. Has it been reprinted? If the book is in its 8th printing, that’s a good indication that it’s selling. This is good information to use in your book proposal.

• Note if the book has made a bestselling list—which one, for how long? Be careful. I’ve had people tell me their book was on a bestseller list and it wasn’t what you would think. The list was for one independent bookstore or it was one regional book reviewer’s personal list of books.

• Read press releases posted at the publisher’s site to see if there have been any comments made public about the volume of sales. Note the date of the press release, where it was published, exact quote and who made the statement.

• Research the book title using a Google search. See if you can find any additional stories wherein this book is mentioned. Remember to use quotation marks around your key words for a more refined search.

• Sign up for Google Alerts ( http://www.google.com/alerts. Type in the book title and/or the genre or topic, for example. You can stop the Google Alerts messages at any time.

If anyone has additional tips for locating sales or quantity figures related to specific books, please let me know. The more explicit we can be in our book proposals, the more ammunition we have in the difficult task of landing a publisher. PLFry620@yahoo.com.

And this crucial information isn’t just for potential publishers. You, the author, need to gather as much information as possible with respect to the viability of your book project. You need to know whether the book you have in mind is a good business decision or not. If not, and you find out early enough, you can change your course and head in a more successful direction.

For more about how to develop a book proposal, read my book: The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

How to Get Your Book Noticed

Sunday, February 17th, 2008

People still ask me, “How did you get that interview (or speaking gig or book review)?” My typical response is, “I asked for it.”

Especially in the early stages of authorship, you have to be proactive. You must reach out—let the media, web hosts, book reviewers, booksellers, know that you exist and why you or your project is noteworthy. With time, if you have a worthwhile product and/or program, they will come looking for you. They will seek you out and ask to review you book, request that you speak to their group, set up a book signing or offer you space in their magazine/blog, for example.

It came to my attention recently that Writing for Dollars has given me a page at their site with my photo, bio and a list of my articles for view. Check it out at http://www.writingfordollars.com/articlesDB_lookup.cfm?author=94

I did a search this morning to see where else my name is appearing and here are some of the links I found:

My article, “Are You Writing a Bulldozer Book?” is at http://www.publishingbasics.com/current

There’s a surprise review of my book The Successful Writer’s Handbook by Molly Martin posted at Epinions. Tamara Sellman mentions me in her blog http://www.tamarasellman.blogspot.com

Of course, my upcoming conferences and workshops are noted numerous times throughout the web. Check out my calendar of events at http://www.matilijapress.com/activities.htm. I’ll be in Atlanta at the Spring Book Show March 29; Borders in Nashville on March 31; Los Angeles Times Book Festival April 26-27; a writers’ conference in Baltimore May 2-3, West Coast Authors’ Event in Ventura, California July 11; Wizard of Words Writers’ Conference in Phoenix October 10-12 and, possibly, the Prescott Library in Prescott, AZ October 15.

What’s the best avenue toward obtaining publicity for yourself and your book? Get out there and ask for it.
• Research appropriate sites, venues and publications.
(My book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book, gives you tips for conducting research and links to sites such as those for book festivals, newspapers, libraries, etc.)
• Contact the director, organizer or editor with a specific request.
(“Will you review my book?” “I’d like to come speak to your group.” “I’d like to submit an article/story.” “I’m available for an interview.”)
• Be prepared to briefly and succinctly describe your book.
• Offer possible highlights for your article/speech/interview.
• Clearly outline your article/story.
• Ask for recommendations for additional venues, sites, etc.

If you want to sell books, you must have an audience and the ability to reach them. In order to be noticed, you must reach out. I tell my audiences and my readers, “While writing is a craft—a heart thing—authorship is a business which requires an entirely different mindset and array of activities.” It’s true, once you emerge from your writing room and start the process of publishing, in order to be successful, you MUST start honing your marketing savvy and promotional skills.

For more about this or other subjects related to writing/publishing, contact me at PLFry620@yahoo.com

What’s the True Value of Your Book?

Saturday, February 16th, 2008

Imagine this, you’re finally holding your published book in your hands. What a joyful day. Next comes the hard part—getting word out to the right audience about your useful, informative and/or entertaining book. And this is no easy task.

Think of it, you have really accomplished a lot, lately. You’ve written a book. You may have done incredible amounts of research in the process. You shopped publishers and chose one. You managed details required to design and produce a book. Now you must change hats again and start promoting it.

If you wrote a book proposal, you know who your audience is. You know where they are. You know that they need or desire your book. So how do you convince them of this? How do you approach your audience and what can you do to persuade them to actually step up and purchase copies of your book? It’s no easy task in today’s competitive bookselling market.

The first thing you must do is get exposure for your book. Show it, flaunt it, flash it; make sure that it is everywhere. But then you have to sell it. How do you turn a potential customer into a customer?

Think benefits instead of features. Address emotions instead of intellect. Consumers want to know, “What’s in it for me?” “How will this book benefit me?” “What will I get out of it?”

Instead of telling potential customers that the book has 20 chapters, it was professionally edited and it features exercises at the end of each chapter, say, “This book shows you how to unlock the door to a more stress-free life.” Rather than saying, “This book is hardcover and tells the story of Goldilocks all grown up,” try, “This story will make you laugh, cry and fall in love with the three bears all over again.”

Book marketing and promotion are not natural byproducts of writing or even publishing a book. It takes understanding and knowledge of a different kind. In order to sell your book you must understand the mechanics of marketing and the psychology of salesmanship. After reading my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book, which is designed to prepare you for the writing, publishing and book promotion road, I suggest reading Marilyn Ross’s, Jump Start Your Book Sales and Debbie Allen’s Confessions of Shameless Self-Promoters. http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

Write Your Self-Help Book For the Right Audience

Friday, February 15th, 2008

Are you the author of a how-to or self-help book? Are sales lagging? That shouldn’t be, because the market is strong. Experts expect self-help, how-to, do-it-yourself and inspirational books to be an $11 billion business this year. So why isn’t your book selling? Maybe it’s because you misjudged your audience.

If you had written a book proposal, you might have recognized your error and corrected it before your book became a book. Do I sound like a broken record? Per my FREE report, The Post Publication Book Proposal (contact me: PLFry620@yahoo.com), you don’t have to cut your losses. You don’t have to close the door on those boxes of books stored in your garage. You don’t have to consider yourself another victim of the POD phenomenon. You can reevaluate your book and your audience, shift gears and start promoting your book to the right audience. If your book is with a fee-based POD “self-publishing” company, you can even go back to the drawing board, write a book proposal and rewrite your book—more accurately focusing/slanting it toward your original audience.

If you are in the writing stages of an inspirational, self-improvement or how-to book, make sure that you are writing it for your intended audience:
• Have a specific audience in mind.
• Understand the needs/desires of your audience.
• Write for them not at them, over their heads or down to them.
• Remove yourself from the equation as you write this book.
• Present your material as if it is for someone from Mars.

Avoid the following mistakes:
• Don’t try to force your beliefs on an audience that isn’t interested.
• Don’t assume that everyone understands loosely written instructions.
• Avoid trying to write an all about book.
• Avoid writing the book for you—focus on your audience.

Many of the nearly 300,000 books produced every year are written from the hearts and minds of authors who want to make a difference in someone else’s life. If you’re among those who want to teach and preach, make sure that you understand how to organize a self-how/how-to book and how to present the material in a palatable manner. Most of all, focus your message toward your target audience without letting too much of your ego and your desire to effect unwanted change filter into your project.

For assistance with your self-help, how-to or inspirational book, contact Patricia Fry at PLFry620@yahoo.com. http://www.matilijapress.com/consulting.html

Is Your Book Available to Everyone?

Thursday, February 14th, 2008

Happy Valentine’s Day. I hope that all of your sweetest wishes come true. I came into my office this morning to find a card with one of my favorite cats on the front—a shaded silver Persian all dressed up in a ruby and diamond necklace. She was guarding a box of chocolates AND a new baby mouse for my laptop. I am loved.

Love spilled over me last night when I attended an intimate writers’ group meeting at the home of a client. What a delightful group of serious writers—each writing poignant stories. The doggie guest greeters added perfectly to the ambiance.

I learned something new today—the visually-impaired are buying ebooks. As long as they are in PDF format and without a Signature, “assistive technology” can access the document and the visually impaired person can hear the text. I understand that the MS word format is also conducive to a program for people who need assistance reading the typed word. I’ve been lukewarm about ebooks, but am beginning to see that they have value beyond my world. We should all be thinking about offering our books in formats and in venues that suit each of our customers.

Isn’t that what our job is—to facilitate our customers? We can’t help, educate or entertain anyone through our books if they sit in a corner of our office while we write more books. Our books do no good for anyone when we don’t make them available through the right channels. Those who only purchase books through Amazon won’t buy your book at the corner gift shop. Those who read only large-print books won’t benefit from your book in 10-point type. Those who buy books on a whim while shopping downtown, won’t find your book if it is only online.

As authors, we attempt to write for the widest possible audience. It’s up to us as booksellers to also make our books available to the widest possible audience. So let’s all make a vow to add at least one new dimension to our books this week. Here are some ideas:
• Include something in the book you’re writing that will appeal to another segment of people—another ethnic group, young people, men or women, those who are suffering a loss, those with a specific problem, etc.
• Offer your book in another form—ebook, large print, audio, for example.
• Offer your book in a new venue—libraries, independent bookstores, at your website (get a merchant account), through Amazon and other online bookstores, kitchen stores nationwide, garden, pet, auto parts or health food stores, perhaps.
• Try a new way of reaching people:
o go out and speak
o write an article for publication
o go door-to-door with a wagonload of books
o send promotional bookmarks in all of the no-postage-needed envelopes that arrive in your junk mail
o reserve space at a book festival
o do a reading at your library

If your book is stagnating—sales are down—don’t despair. Do something to reverse the situation. Seriously seek and try to accommodate customers and you will find them.

Authorship is a Business

Wednesday, February 13th, 2008

There are varying degrees of authors. While some are writers, first and foremost, others simply have something to say and writing seems to be the best way to be heard. But there are a few authors who are also businessmen/women.

I teach and preach the importance of incorporating business savvy into your book even before you write it—especially before you publish it. And here are some reasons why:

Just this morning, a client told me that Oprah is no longer reviewing memoirs. My client’s book could be considered a memoir, but it has so many other elements to it AND she is just in the beginning stages of writing it, so she can make this book fit the genre of her choice. If this hopeful author had been holing up in her writing closet pouring all of her energies and concentration into the manuscript, this tidbit of information would have gone unnoticed and she may have made decisions that would prevent her from the Oprah option.

There’s a lot going on outside of your writing room—there are decisions being made within the publishing industry, rules being adopted and strict policies being set in motion. There are changes taking place, old-school procedures being adhered to and history in the making. And, as hopeful authors, you need to come up for air, look around and pay attention to what’s happening in the publishing industry. Here are some of the questions I get from hopeful authors each year:

• How do I get my book published?
• How do I approach a publisher?
• Do I need an agent?
• What’s a book proposal—do I need one for my book?
• How do I figure out what genre my book is?
• How do I get my book into bookstores?
• Can I get my book reviewed after it’s published?
• How can I find out about book reviewers for my book?
• Do publishers accept manuscripts via email?
• Do I have to adhere to those simultaneous submission policies?
• How much does a publisher charge to publish a book?
• What’s the first thing I should do now that my book is published?
• What is included in a press release?

And here are some of the complaints I hear from authors who didn’t study the publishing industry before producing their books

• The major reviewers have turned down my book.
• Bookstores won’t carry my book.
• I don’t know how to sell this book. Can you help me?
• I’m told that there isn’t a market for a book like this.
• How do I get people to come to my website?
• Libraries won’t buy my book because of the binding.
• My market is so limited.

To learn much more about the publishing industry, read The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

Don’t wait to be unpleasantly surprised by the hard truths in publishing. Start studying the publishing industry from day one. Remember that publishing is not an extension of your writing. Publishing is a business and your book is a product. The earlier in the process that you shift from closet writer to active participant in the business of authorship, the more likely you will experience publishing success.

Book Marketing for Authors

Tuesday, February 12th, 2008

Hey, you authors, how’re the sales going? Did you make your sales quota over the holidays? If not, have things picked up since the first of the year? Or is your sales ledger flat-lining?

I’ve been selling books for over 25 years and I have to say that it has not gotten any easier. I feel as though I’m hand-selling each and every book. I work hard to attract potential readers and then I have to make the sale. I know it is the same for most authors. Heck, a whopping 76 percent of all books in print in 2006 sold fewer than 100 copies.

Are you in that 76 percent? Would you like to rise above that, make more sales and earn more money? Sure you would. But are you willing to make the sacrifices in order to do so?

Marketing a book is no simple activity. It’s not a one-time shot. It’s an ongoing, all-consuming process which, in order to be successful, will:
• take an enormous amount of your time
• drain you of your energy
• test your patience
• cost you money

You’ve heard it before: “If you think that writing the book is hard, just wait until you start promoting it.” You’ll be required to shift quickly from right brain (creative) mode to left brain (business) mode. In order to succeed as a marketing agent for your book, you’ll probably need to develop the following skills and attributes:
• self-starter
• ability to schmooze
• basic communication skills
• outgoing personality
• public speaking skills
• organizational skills
• ability to prioritize
• creativity
• resourcefulness
• inventive spirit
• thick skin
• tons of energy

If this doesn’t describe you, and you still want to succeed as a published author, definitely save up enough money to hire a book publicist. However, hiring a book publicist does not mean that you get to go back to your home office and spend your days writing. You’ll still be required to go where your publicist sends you to speak before groups, chat with TV personalities on screen (Martha Stewart, perhaps, the girls on the View or even Oprah), do radio interviews, etc.

I interviewed book publicist Kate Bandos for the March issue of the SPAWN Market Update. This issue will appear in the member area of the SPAWN website around the first of March. The SPAWN Market Update is all about book promotion ideas, resources, links and opportunities for authors, freelance writers, screen writers and artists. The March issue includes access to nearly 1,000 links through some amazing directories for authors and freelance writers. We tell writers, authors and artists that each issue of the SPAWN Market Update contains opportunities that will either pay or save members many times over the cost of membership in SPAWN ($45/year). AND members also have access to the SPAWN Market Update archives—a treasure trove of information, resources, links and MORE.

If you have a book to promote or you soon will, prepare yourself. Read the 3 chapters (70 pages) on book promotion in The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html, join SPAWN and study each and every issue of the SPAWN Market Update http://www.spawn.org and follow this blog faithfully.

If you need specialized, personalized help with your book promotion project, sign up for my NEW online book promotion course at http://www.matilijapress.com/course_bookpromotion.htm

Recommended Books for Authors

Monday, February 11th, 2008

I’m an author with books to sell. I’m also a teacher—some call me “mentor.” As such, I frequently recommend books and resources other than my own. For example, I have a list of resources for writers/authors/publishers at my website, http://www.matilijapress.com/forwriters/resources.html and it includes many books, websites, etc. that I think will help you, not just those that generate from me.

Here are the books I recommend in my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. Naturally, I recommend my book first. I wrote my heart and soul into it in hopes of guiding hopeful authors gently and successfully toward their individual goals. It includes the basics you need in order to succeed in the competitive publishing field and it is designed to use as a reference book for years to come—for as long as you have a book to publish, promote, distribute, sell…

Here are some of the other books I recommend throughout the pages of my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book:

Writers Market, (Writers Digest Books) This book tells you how and where to sell your articles, stories and book manuscripts. (A new edition is published each September)
The Fine Print of Self-Publishing, The Contracts and Services of 48 Self-Publishing Companies—Analyzed, Ranked and Exposed By Mark Levine (Bridgeway Books)
The ABC’s of POD: A Beginner’s Guide to Fee-Based Print-on-Demand Publishing by Dehanna Bailee (Blue Leaf Publications)
Write the Perfect Book Proposal by Jeff Herman and Deborah M. Adams, (John Wiley and Sons)
The Fast-Track Course on How to Write a Nonfiction Book Proposal by Stephen Blake Mettee (Quill Driver Books)
1001 Ways to Market Your Books by John Kremer (Open Horizons)
How to Write a Successful Book Proposal in 8 Days or Less, by Patricia Fry (Matilija Press)
Jeff Herman’s Guide to Book Editors, Publishes and Literary Agents, 2005: Who They Are! What they Want? How to Win Them Over by Jeff Herman (Harper Collins)
The Self-Publishing Manual by Dan Poynter (Para Publishing)
Grammar Traps by Stephen Dolainski (Paragraph Publishing)
Over 75 Good Ideas for Promoting Your Book by Patricia Fry (Matilija Press)
Confessions of Shameless Self-Promoters by Debbie Allen (Success Showcase Publishing)
Jump Start Your Book Sales: A Money Making Guide for Authors, Independent Publisher and Small Presses by Marilyn and Tom Ross (Writer’s Digest Books)
Kirsch’s Handbook of Publishing Law by Jonathan Kirsch (Silman-James Press)
Literary Law Guide for Authors by Tonya Marie Evans and Susan Borden Evans (FYOS Entertainment)
The Copyright, Permission and Libel Handbook by Lloyd J. Jassin (Wiley and Sons)
The Writer Within You: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing and Publishing In Your Retirement Years by Charles Jacobs (Caros Books)

And these are just the books listed at the end of each chapter of my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. There are over 15 additional recommended books listed in the Resource Section.

If you want to know more about some of these books, visit the SPAWNews archives. We frequently publish book reviews in SPAWNews. http://www.spawn.org

Whether you are just thinking about writing a book, you’re in the beginning stages, you’re almost published or you’re a published author with a book to promote, never underestimate the value of expert advice from people that you trust. No matter what stage of authorship you’re currently experiencing, you’ll make fewer mistakes and enjoy greater success if you pay attention to the professionals. Fill your home library with a generous helping of these useful books, read them and refer to them often.

Authors/Writers and Taxes

Sunday, February 10th, 2008

Ugh! The subject of taxes is NOT one that we writer types like to spend even one minute thinking about. We want to write and that’s all we want to do. Sigh… Unfortunately, freelance writing for money and publishing/authorship are businesses. And bookkeeping and tax time are a part of any business.

Hopefully, you have been keeping careful records throughout your stint as a writer/author. What does this mean? For a freelance writer, you must log each article/story you submit or sell and every job you do. Here’s what you should include in your log:
• Date article was sent/job was accepted.
• Name of magazine/client.
• Title of article/description of job or task.
• Date of publication/end of job.
• Charges and payments.

Be sure to leave a space for comments such as, “photos sent March 3,” “rewrote and resubmitted piece per editor, Feb. 18,” “client will send new files June 15.”

Authors must keep records, too. I have a separate ledger for each of my books. I break each ledger into sections:
• Expenses (Costs involved in producing the book.)
• Sales (Allow several pages.) *See description of Sales Page below.
• Promotion (review copies, give-aways, etc.)
• Inventory
• Books Out (Here I note books ordered by random bookstores, and other companies and individuals on consignment.)
• Regular Customers (I give each of my regular customers a section in my log book. For my local history book, this includes several local bookstores, museum gift shops, Chamber of Commerce, Board of Realtors, Amazon, etc.)

*Each time I sell a book and when I collect payment for a shipment or delivery of books, I log those books on the Sales pages. I suggest creating these columns:
• Date of book sale (or when monies are collected).
• Number of books sold (to that individual or bookseller).
• Name of individual or bookseller. (Here I also note customers’ home state. If they reside outside of California, I don’t collect sales tax.)
• Resale (for books sold to booksellers/wholesalers only).
• Books (for books sold retail only).
• Tax (note tax collected when appropriate).
• Notes (was the book purchased through the web, at a book festival, etc?)
• Total (I carry my figures to this column for double checking when tallying totals at tax time.)

Any business comes with expenses. At tax time, you’re going to want to offset your earnings using deductible expenses. I recommend devising a workable system of collecting and logging receipts. I toss my receipts into a file folder and deal with them once a year. It seems like a good system, until it’s tax time and then it’s a pain. Does anyone have a better solution? What can you deduct? Practically any expense related to your business. For example:
• Shipping and postage (except when the customer pays for shipping).
• Telephones/fax (I believe you can deduct only a portion—check with your accountant.)
• Materials, classes and books related to your business.
• Travel expenses to signings, presentations, etc.
• Writers’ conferences, book festivals, etc.
• Organization dues when it relates to your book or business.
• New equipment purchases (computer, printer, software, powerpoint projector, etc.)
• Services, such as editing, promotion, cover design, printing costs.
• Items such as bar code, ISBN, PCIP.
• Supplies such as paper, post-its, mailing labels and mailers.
• Your web host, Internet hookup, etc.
• Mail box rental if it is for business

I am not an attorney or an account. When I need legal advice or tax help, I hire these experts and I suggest that you do the same. This blog entry is designed, however, to give you an idea of the importance of keeping excellent records and maintaining relative order in your freelance or publishing business.