Writing and Publishing News

I get the question every once in a while asking how do you put your book in PDF form. If this is also your question, this might be the answer: Easy PDFTemplates at http://www.easyPDFTemplates.com. Let me know if you check into this and how you would rate this recommendation.

What other questions do you have? Here are some that I get practically every year:

• Which publishing option is best?

Best Answer: It depends on you and it depends on your book project. Publishing is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. In my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book, I thoroughly explain your publishing options and the pros and cons of each so that you can make the best choice for your project.

In fact, this is the theme of my workshop scheduled at the CLAS Ventura Book Festival and Writers’ Conference next Saturday (July 25, 2009) at the Crowne Plaza in Ventura, California—10:00 to 4:00. Admission to the book festival and the workshops are FREE. (Contact me for more information. PLFry620@yahoo.com.)

• How do I approach a publisher?

Armed with exactly what he or she wants. Read each publisher’s Submission Guidelines—they are not all the same. Finding these guidelines can sometimes be tricky. Why some publishers bury them deep within their websites, I don’t know. But it often takes some digging—not always, but often. On page 24 in my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book, you’ll find my suggestions for locating these sometimes elusive guidelines.

Once located, follow them. Most publishers of nonfiction want to see a book proposal, including a synopsis (what is this book about?), a market analysis (what else is out there like your book and what makes your book different, better?), your marketing plan (what is your platform, what connections do you have and what is your marketing strategy for this book?), about the author (who are you and why are you the person to write this book?) chapter outline (summary of each chapter) and sample chapters (generally the first one and then the one containing the most meat).

The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book includes 4 chapters on writing a book proposal. I also present an on-demand, online course on writing a book proposal: http://www.matilijapress.com/course_bookproposal.htm

• What’s the best way to promote a book?

Again, this depends on you and it depends on your project. What works well for one type of book, may not necessarily fly with another. Your “cooking from the garden,” cookbook might be conducive to demonstrations for church groups, neighborhood home parties, kitchen stores, etc., and it might glean hundreds of reviews in cooking-related newsletters, magazines and websites. But you’d need to pursue completely different tactics for a historical novel. For the novel, for example, you might give readings at coffee houses and bookstores, speak in costume at civic club meetings and maybe create an interactive website., as a start. The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book features 3 chapters on book marketing and promotion. Chapter titles are: “Book Promotion Basics for the Bold and the Bashful,” “Book Promotion—Reach Out Beyond the Bookstore,” and “Book Promotion—Get Creative.”

What other questions do you have? Ask me: PLFry620@yahoo.com. The answers are probably in my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. Read the reviews at Amazon.com and the testimonials at my website http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

I turned away work this weekend; and I feel good about it. Why? Because neither of the book manuscripts the clients brought me were ready to be edited.

The author of one nonfiction manuscript was still ambivalent as to the organization of her book. She wondered where she should put the boring data needed to backup the information and anecdotes in her book or whether she should do away with it altogether. I suggested that she think about her audience—college students. Get into their heads and determine how they would best accept and assimilate the concepts in her book. After we discussed the possibilities, I recommended that she complete the organization of her manuscript and then send it to me for editing.

The other client wants me to organize her nonfiction book. But as I began to read through her roughed-out chapters, I realize that she doesn’t have a clue as to her audience. She is addressing four different groups of people and I explained to her that this just won’t work. I told her that she must have a specific audience in mind and write her book for that audience. Sure, others who are in need of this information will benefit from it, as well, and she can include chapters for readers in other specific groups, if she wants. But she has to write for one well-defined audience.

For example, a book on breeding Persian cats might be of interest to someone who wants to start a breeding program as a business, people who just want to raise one litter at home, folks who want to show Persians and people who are already breeding these cats, but who have some questions and concerns about their breeding programs. A peripheral audience might be people wanting to adopt or purchase a Persian cat. You can see how confusing it would be to try to write this book for all of these people at once. In order for this book to make sense, you’d need to choose a primary target audience—beginning Persian cat breeders, for example. Write one chapter for the customer who is seeking to buy a Persian cat or kitten and maybe a chapter on showing Persians. This book, then, would be marketed to those who want to start a breeding program with Persians but, since it would include information about Persian conformation, troubleshooting for breeders, health issues for Persians, etc., a secondary audience might be those who are already breeding these cats, anyone who wants to know more about this breed for show or for pets.

Another thing to consider when identifying your target audience is your marketing plan. Who will you promote this book to? Do you have access to a particular group of people? In the Persian cat breeding scenario, the author might belong to a Persian cat association. She might attend conferences and shows, for example. Maybe she’s the organization webmaster and membership chair. Obviously, she would have access to Persian cat breeders, if this was her audience of choice.

How do you know when your book manuscript is ready for editing? I guess some of you don’t until you get an evaluation from a good editor. But you can consider the following and, perhaps, be more well-prepared to approach an editor:

• Be crystal clear as to your target audience. Narrow this down as precisely as you can.

• Make sure that your target audience is substantial. Instead of writing a book for people who like starfish, consider expanding it to include all (or several) tide pool creatures. It could be a children’s (or parents’) guide to tide pools along the west coast. Rather than a book featuring your elderly loved one’s day care experience, consider a review of local senior day care facilities with a chapter on how to start one.

• Know how to access your target audience. In fact, choose to write your book for the audience you can access as these are the people you will be promoting to.

• Determine whether this book is actually needed. Before writing any book, research other books in this category and ascertain how yours will fit into the scheme of things.

• Is the book well-organized? Some editors will help with this.

• Have you self-edited and proofed your manuscript to the absolute best of your abilities?

If you have concerns or questions about any of these suggestions, read my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book.
http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html.

My next online article-writing course starts July 24, 2009. The class is 20% full. Reserve your space today at
http://www.matilijapress.com/course_magarticles.htm

Questions? PLFry620@yahoo.com

I’ve been working with a client who, like many of you, has just one thing to say and needs help spitting it out. Oh, she knows her topic and she has a thumbnail sketch of her audience, but she is completely overwhelmed and a bit disheartened by the process of producing a book.

She got hoodwinked into giving someone quite a large sum of money up front to organize her material into a book and ended up without a book or the money.

When I first met her to discuss the project, she indicated that she had a following of people eager for this nonfiction book. Now, she says she doesn’t have a clue as to how to market it. Neither does she know how to go about getting it printed.

Yes, she has a copy of my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book, and she has read it and continues to refer to it, but she seems to need some personal assistance to guide her at this point.

So this morning, I outlined a plan of action for her. Here’s what I suggested: First, let me say that I will be organizing and editing her book. (Actually, it is a booklet—probably around 50 pages—targeted to a fairly specific audience.)

1: I suggested that she start getting price quotes for printing and binding the book in a variety of ways—saddle-stitching, comb binding, spiral bound, etc. I recommended that she check with a few printers as well as the folks at a local business center. (This book—at least the first incarnation—will not be suitable for libraries and bookstores.)

2: She needs to establish a business—get a fictitious business name, sign up with the State Board of Equalization so she is prepared to collect and pay sales tax.

3: Once she has an idea of costs, she can begin approaching those individuals who have asked for this book as well as the organizations, associations, agencies and institutions who would be interested in it. She needs to develop some marketing material to send as well as hone an elevator speech or a 30-second commercial that she can present by phone and in person. I told her that, if she takes pre-publication orders, she will have a clear idea of how many copies to print up front and she may be able to pay the printing bill. She also needs to give these folks a projected delivery date.

4: I urged her to get organized—keep accurate and complete records reflecting who she contacts and when, their response, when she made a follow-up call, how many books they ordered, her price quote, whether or not they paid up front and so forth. (There are templates in my bookkeeping chapter in The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book.)

5: I advised that she concentrate only on local sales for now. She doesn’t have a website and probably won’t anytime soon. It makes sense that she tests her book in familiar territory—within her comfort zone. I further encouraged her to ask each individual she approaches for referrals. Organizations and institutions may have affiliates or branches, for example. She needs to contact each of them.

This is my client’s assignment for now. If you are working on a narrowly targeted book or booklet, this plan might benefit you, as well.

Once the book is a book, I will suggest that my client first make sure that her customers get their orders. Then she can deposit any checks she collected for prepublication orders. I would also advise that she visit appropriate gift shops and stores (in this case, it would be hospital gift shops and pharmacies) with her book. Next, I’d like to see her contact all websites related to the theme of her book and arrange for book reviews, interviews, etc.

Order your copy of my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book here: http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html