It’s interesting how different people approach their book projects in different ways. While some are fanatical about following an exact protocol and doing it right, others just want to get their books out the easiest and fastest way possible. The former author has many questions, does tons of research, speaks with experts and makes educated decisions. The other author may grab up the first offer he gets from the first publisher he contacts and push his project on through as quickly as he can manage.
There are extremes at both ends of these two authors. For example, I’ve seen methodical authors succeed and I’ve also seen some of them hit overdrive and never stop searching and researching—never to achieve their ultimate goals. As for the let’s-make-it-happen-NOW author, some of them actually make the right decisions in haste, but numerous others learn more in retrospect than they ever did during the ideal learning period—before they made any commitments.
While some hopeful authors have preconceived ideas about publishing and the process of producing a book, others don’t have a clue. Those who succeed are those who are willing to learn about the realities of publishing—to educate themselves and then to bend, flex, stretch and adjust to those realities that make sense to their particular projects.
Dora, for example, felt guided to write her inspirational book. She adhered to strict writing hours and completed it fairly quickly. Fortunately, for her, she was also led to solicit help through the next phase of the process—the big, wide world of publishing. She stumbled across me while doing a Google search, said she liked me from my photograph and also felt good about my qualifications and offerings. I was pleased to be asked to make her manuscript more readable by smoothing out her broken-English-way of writing. And I helped her to locate an appropriate POD publisher, which was ideal in her special circumstances.
James came to me with a bulldozer book. Do you remember me writing about bulldozer books in a former blog? To refresh your memory, this is a book designed to change minds. It might be a perfectly valid concept, but it is written in a way that demands change. And it is marketed to folks who probably don’t want to read it. Bulldozer books do not sell—at least not to the audience the author initially has in mind. My role with James was to convince him to allow me to edit the anger and insistence out of the pages and to market it to an audience who actually cares. An author with a strong and serious mission in life is difficult to convince to shift gears, but, when you can get them to listen and bend and stretch a little, they will generally experience greater success in this industry.
Leigh has been working on her children’s chapter book for ten years. Her cousin finally convinced her to set a goal to finish it and talk to someone about publishing it. That year, she attended a writer’s conference in the northwest, where she met me. She emailed me numerous times, after that, and called on the phone. She had endless questions, which I answered as best I could. I provided her with numerous appropriate resources, links, reading material, etc. And she continued to ask questions—sometimes the same questions she’d asked before.
She also bought my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book, as most of my clients and students do, but, as far as I know, she has still not finished her children’s chapter book. She is expending all of her energy and time toward dancing around the issue (of the book) rather than actually buckling down and finishing the book. In fact, the last time I spoke with Leigh, she was talking about writing her memoirs. She also wanted to write her grandfather’s war stories and she thought she would put together a how-to book for parents of diabetic children.
Here are 3 very different authors with 3 very different approaches to their projects:
• A motivated and willing author who gets the right kind of help and gets things done.
• A slightly too passionate author who wants to be in charge even if he’s wrong.
• An author who is stuck in time and space and unwilling to move off dead center.
Do you fit in any of these categories? How would you describe your way of approaching publishing? Is it serving you? Do you need more information? Resources? Knowledge? Do you need the eyes of an editor? Guidance in the area of publishing? Contacts?
Remember that I am currently offering online courses and I have a few openings. Sign up for the Article-Writing Course by November 13, 2008𔃌 days from now.
http://www.matilijapress.com/course_magarticles.htm
You have until November 17, 2008—a week from today—to sign up for the Book Promotion Workshop in process.
http://www.matilijapress.com/course_bookpromotion.htm
The Self-Publishing Workshop, where we will walk through the process of self-publishing your book, is also in process. You have until November 13, 2008 to sign up.
http://www.matilijapress.com/course_self-pub.htm
Questions? PLFry620@yahoo.com.