I got to visit a local writers’ group yesterday. I always enjoy meeting writers and sharing what I know they need to know in order to realize their publishing dreams. I was a bit taken aback at the first question out of the gate. In fact, I hadn’t even delivered my initial greeting when the only gentleman in the room asked, “How much do you make?â€
I think that everyone feels somewhat uneasy with that question. If you earn very little, you hesitate sharing that information with others. If you make a LOT you aren’t particularly comfortable saying so. I can certainly see why someone with aspirations to succeed as a writer or author would want to know the possibilities. I simply told this gentleman that this would be revealed in my presentation. And I did reveal all that I was willing to reveal—I’ve been supporting myself through my writing work, consultation work and book sales for the last 20 years.
At one point in my talk, I was asked to get to the nitty gritty of publishing—I guess folks got tired of hearing about “me.†I was getting tired of talking about me. But most writers are interested in the beginnings and journeys of other writers, so I often include my story.
When I got into the nitty gritty of publishing, that’s when the notebooks came out. Almost everyone wrote at a wild pace and the questions were flying from every corner.
After two hours with these lovely writers, I was confident that they would make more informed decisions as they enter into the world of publishing—at least they are aware of the necessity to study the publishing industry and write a book proposal. Several of them bought copies of The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book, How to Write a Successful Book Proposal in 8 Days or Less and Successful Writers Handbook. So I know they have what they need in order to make the best decisions on behalf of their projects.
By the way, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book has a new nickname. One of the writers dubbed it, “Big Yellow.†I like it.
When I visit writers’ group meetings, I’m always a bit surprised to learn that most of the writers know nothing or very little about the publishing industry. All of the knowledge they carry with them is what they know from rumors and long-held beliefs. They’re generally surprised at some of the hard truths I share with them and most of them are somewhat overwhelmed by the scope of the industry. Few of them are familiar with the process of publishing, their options, etc. These writers had not heard of AuthorHouse, Xlibris, PublishAmerica or iUniverse, so I know they haven’t even been seeking out publishing opportunities. If you type in “publish,†“publishing,†etc. in the Google prompt, your going to see these fee-based POD “self-publishing†services on the first page.
When someone has a manuscript ready, they want to publish NOW. Those without knowledge of the publishing industry will explore the first opportunities they discover—those that appear on page one of a Google search. The words, “We would love to publish your book,†are music to a hopeful author’s ears and most of them will stop right there, pay the fee and gleefully receive their published book within weeks. Most of these authors, when they finally learn more about the publishing industry and realize they had options, will regret having made a snap decision. They may have ultimately made the same decision, but they realize too late that they really should have done more research before making any decision.
This is the message I strive to share with my blog readers, with writers’ groups, with conference attendees, through my articles and my books—before you even start writing that book, study the publishing industry. And always, always write a complete book proposal. This is your business plan for your book.
I’d like to hear from those of you who made snap decisions with regard to your manuscripts without studying the publishing industry first. I want to hear your story.
PLFry620@yahoo.com.