Archive for July, 2008

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Questions to Help You Write Your Synopsis

Thursday, July 3rd, 2008

I met with the Yes I Can writers’ group last night where I presented the 2nd class in my 8-week Book Proposal Workshop. What a group! Each of the four members is a serious author and they’re each highly motivated to write their first publishable book. They say that they are learning a tremendous amount from me. I have them working in my Author’s Workbook and they are discovering things about themselves as authors, storytellers, businesswomen and people. But I am learning from them, as well.

Last night Marsha asked if I could outline some questions that must be answered when writing a synopsis. What a good approach, I thought. And I told her I would attempt to put together the questions that one should answer while writing the book proposal synopsis. Here’s what I came up with:

1: What is your book about?
• Describe your core story or the premise/purpose of your book.
• What genre and/or topic category does this book fall into?
• What are the focus, scope and point of your book?
• Why did you write (or are you writing) this book?

2: Who is your target audience?
• How many people (what percentage of the population) comprise your audience?
• What other segments of people would be interested in this book?
• What will this book bring to your audience?
• What are the benefits to your audience?

3: Why did you decide to write this book?
• Why do you think people will be interested in this book?
• What makes your book different than anything else out there?
• What makes your book useful and/or entertaining?
• What makes this book as desirable/valuable as similar books?
• What makes your book better than what’s out there?
• Why are you the person to write this book?

4: Why will people want to read this book?
• What is your platform—your way of attracting readers?
• What are some of your promotional ideas?
• Realistically, how will you implement these ideas?
• How many books do you think you can sell?

5: Why should your book be produced?
• Can you establish a need or desire for this book in the marketplace?

Let me know if this helps you write your book proposal synopsis. And if you need additional assistance with your book proposal, be sure to purchase your copy of The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

Or sign up for my on-demand, online book proposal course at http://www.matilijapress.com/course_bookproposal.htm

Posted in Book Promotion, Publishing | No Comments »

Come Hear Me Speak in Ventura AND Book Marketing Tip of the Week

Wednesday, July 2nd, 2008

I’m Speaking in Ventura
I’ll be speaking and autographing books at the 4th Annual West Coast Author Premiere, Saturday, July 12, 2008 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel at 450 East Harbor Boulevard (between the pier and the fair grounds) in Ventura, California. The author signing will run from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Santa Cruz Room.

I’m speaking at 1:30 in the Santa Rosa Room (Crowne Plaza Hotel). You’ve been reading what I have to say about publishing for several years now. Come and hear me talk about publishing. Here’s your chance to ask questions.

My Interview with IPNE
Yesterday, I spent an hour on a conference call with folks from the Independent Publishers Group of New England (IPNE). They interviewed me with regard to my ebook, The Author’s Repair Kit. http://www.matilijapress.com/author_repairkit.html

I think that everyone enjoyed chatting about how to revive a stalled or struggling book, which is the focus of The Author’s Repair Kit.

Tip of the Week
And here’s your tip for the week. When is the last time you visited other blogs on your book’s topic or genre? I recommend that you locate blogs related to your topic/genre by doing an internet search. Or use http://www.blogsrater.com or http://www.technorati.com to locate appropriate blog sites.

Read some of the entries to see what others are doing, saying, thinking. Do they have competing books? How are they marketing them? What resources are they listing? Leave comments.

Be sure to mention your book. People who visit blog sites related to your book’s topic or genre are obviously interested in books like yours.

Contact the blogger and ask if he or she will review your book or interview you for their blog site. Perhaps he or she will invite you to be a guest blogger.

When You Ask For Promotional Ideas
People ask me all the time for promotional ideas and then, for a variety of reasons, they sometimes poo poo those I suggest. Step outside your comfort zone, if necessary, and consider some of those ideas that may seem foreign to you or that sound like too much trouble.

Take responsibility. You brought this book into the world. And you have only yourself to blame if it fails. If your book is faltering, figure out why that is. Is it because you targeted the wrong audience? If so, start promoting to the appropriate audience. Did you rush into producing this book without understanding much about the publishing industry and the market? Study up now. Read The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. Once you have a better idea about the world of publishing and your responsibility within it, you may be able to save your faltering book. Wouldn’t it be nice to actually discover your target audience, learn how to promote your particular book and make a little money in the process?

Order your copy of The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book at http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html Hundreds of authors have read this book and consider it a valuable tool in their attempt to successfully navigate the world of publishing.

FREE OFFER!! If you’re working on a book, let me evaluate it for FREE before you start showing it around to publishers or agents and before you self-publish. Contact me at PLFry620@yahoo.com.

Posted in Announcements, Publishing | No Comments »

Get in Publishing Mode Even Before Writing That Book

Tuesday, July 1st, 2008

If the book you are writing is for publication&#8212if you plan to approach a publisher with your marvelous manuscript or self-publish it&#8212then you must shift into publishing mode from the get-go.

I coined the phrase, “Publishing is not an extension of your writing.” I tell hopeful authors that you can’t just shift from the process of writing over to publishing without changing your mindset. After all, writing is a creative endeavor and publishing is a business.

But it occurred to me this morning, when I was preparing for an internet interview with the Independent Publishers of New England, that authors should go into publishing mode&#8212develop a publishing mindset&#8212even before they begin the process of writing a book for publication.

What is the book proposal, after all, but your business plan for your book. And I always recommend that hopeful authors write a book proposal BEFORE writing the book.

Sure, you want some freedom to allow your creative juices to flow into your fiction book. You want to write your nonfiction book without feeling too encumbered. On the other hand, if you don’t think about your audience with every new thought and creative idea on every page of your manuscript, you may find yourself going down the wrong path. If you don’t consider your readers and how you’re going to reach them while writing the book, you may end up with a book that you can’t sell. If you don’t study the market&#8212do a comparative study of your competition&#8212before writing the book, you may be writing a book that will fail in the marketplace.

Authors, write a book proposal before you start writing that book. If you’ve already started your book, stop and write a book proposal now. Use Chapters 4 through 7 in my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book to guide you through the book proposal process.
http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

Use The Author’s Workbook to further assist you in writing your book proposal. Order both books together for only $28.00 plus shipping and tax (for California residents only).

Or order my book, How to Write a Successful Book Proposal in 8 Days or Less. http://www.matilijapress.com

For personal assistance in writing your book proposal, contact me at PLFry620@yahoo.com. Or sign up for my book proposal course at http://www.matilijapress.com/course_bookproposal.htm

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