The Writing Life

When You Need to Create a Press Release

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Tue, 15 May 2012 22:47:14 PDT

Many writers have never written a press release. They figure that's something their book publisher handles or something they can delegate to someone else. In the normal course of events, your book publisher will prepare a press release for the book. This release is focused on the content of your book and a mixture of information about you as the author and the unique marketing position of your new book. It's a one time event then the publicity person moves on to another book.

There are almost limitless opportunities to promote your events, your forthcoming workshops, your new products and other aspects of your work--if you know how to write an effective press release. It's another critical skill that every writer should add to their base of knowledge. The first part of this process is learning to write the release, then you need to effectively get that release to the right media person (newspaper, magazine, Internet, radio or television) and follow-up. The key will almost always be in the follow-up.

Whether you've never written a press release or it's been a long time or you just want a tool to help you in this process, I've found this resource from John Jantsch at Duct Tape Marketing. It's an online press release generator. You fill in the blanks and it generates a press release which you can receive via email and send out. You have to subscribe and confirm your subscription to reach the Instant Press Release link but then you can save this link in your browser and use it over and over. John is using this tool as another way to build subscribers and it's admirable. If you don't want to be on his list, you can unsubscribe at any time but I see he provides continual value to his audience and recommend you stay with his list.

Another resource in this same area (where you don't have to register for the tool) is the Press Release Builder. If you follow the various links here, you will gain an education in this aspect of the business, learn how to email reporters and much more.

A few readers are probably grousing about this post and wondering why they should even care. They want to get published in magazines. Or they have a novel that they want to get published. Or they have a nonfiction idea that they are putting together into a book. Here’s why you should care: you are the best person to promote yourself. Unless you write certain press releases and send them into the market and follow-up with the media, they will never be written. Yes, you can hire a publicist to write them for you but if your resources are limited, then you should broaden your skills and learn to write press releases.

Stop the Cycle of Unfinished Projects

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Wed, 09 May 2012 06:53:23 PDT

In the world of publishing (where I have lived for the last 20+ years), I see many writers with uncompleted projects. They are enthused about a particular idea or concept yet never persist to get it into print. They need the tool set in Craig Copeland's FINISH WHAT YOU START.

As Copeland writes in the preface,"The Power Principles will work for anyone at any level of success. It doesn't matter if you're new or already well on your way to creating success in your life now. The steps are not hard to practice. In fact, you'll find you only need a very small portion of your day to practice them effectively." (Page 5)

Also in the early pages, he writes,"The mission of this book is to answer and address those nagging questions as to why so few succeed and how to get you to succeed and reach your goals. Of course, these Power Principles were created out of observing common threads of habits and behaviors that successful people use time and again to achieve their desired outcomes." (page 21)

While the teaching is straightforward and excellent, throughout the book, key pages called FINISH LINE EXERCISE are included where the reader interacts with the specific content of a section or chapter. In addition, each section begins with an inspirational quote like Walt Disney,"If you can dream it, you can do it."

Toward the end of his book, Copeland nails a summary of his book saying,"FINISH WHAT YOU START is really about getting started, through having an objective, making a decision towards reaching it, taking an action to begin, and constant forward movement towards your goal. The steps I've outlined in this book will give you the tools to get started and keep the momentum going." (Page 246)

I highly recommend you get this book, study the pages and work through the exercises. It will help you achieve the benefit in the subtitle for this book: unlocking the success secrets of the top 1%.

Get Global Book Proposal Help

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Mon, 07 May 2012 08:37:46 PDT

What is a topic or subject that you have a lot of passion? I've found passion will carry you forward to help others in this area.

For many years, one of my passions has been to help would-be authors create excellent book proposals. As a long-term writer, I knew editors and agents read proposals—not manuscripts. I had written two proposals which garnered six-figure advances from traditional publishers. While I had read a number of writers book proposals at conferences, I didn't see the full onslaught of the unsolicited submissions until I worked as an acquisitions editor.

As an acquisitions editor, I was tasked to bring the best possible books for my publishing company to the publication board where they could make a publishing decision. From reading thousands of submissions, I grew frustrated because I was not receiving complete or quality submissions. I knew these authors wanted to be published and had made considerable effort yet often the submission was missing a key (or several key) components. Without this critical information, these authors were rejected instead of seriously considered for publication.

The unfortunate part of the rejection process is these authors received a form rejection without the specific information why they were rejected. It's impossible for the editor to include this information (time) and not a part of the editor task.

Because of my passion to help writers succeed in the publishing world and from my own frustration as an acquisitions editor, I wrote Book Proposals That Sell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. This book has 100 Five Star reviews on Amazon and continues to help writers succeed in their submissions.

I took my passion for excellent proposals then created a step-by-step online course at WriteABookProposal.com. While my book has a lot of information, it is a series of somewhat random tips or secrets. My online course is much more step one, step two, etc. to create a complete and excellent book submission.

I'm teaching about book proposals at the Colorado Christian Writers Conference on May 16^th and hope to see some of you at this terrific event at YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park.

There is a FREE opportunity for you to catch my teaching about proposal creation on Thursday. I'm stepping on a global stage and the unusual platform of the Global Teleclass. You do have to register for the class, Write A Winning Proposal & Find Your Champion. Follow the link to register and get the information. The class will be for an hour and begin promptly at 9 p.m. EST (New York) on Thursday, May 10th.

I hope to speak with you soon and you can get my help in this critical area of the publishing process.

Never Say Never

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Thu, 03 May 2012 11:25:05 PDT

If you haven’t said it, I don’t doubt that you’ve thought the words: “I will never ______.”

Some of my professional writer friends proclaimed about blogging: “I will never blog because you are simply giving away your writing craft for free. Why should I give away my storytelling when I can sell it to a magazine or be writing a book?”

I’ve heard other writers say, “I will never do a work made for hire. There is no reason to give away all of my rights to a publisher.” They have committed to never signing that type of agreement.

Other writers have an aversion to doing anything in the marketing and sales area. They proudly say, “I’m a writer and I write. I never want to be selling myself and my books.”

From my years in publishing, I’ve learned there is little point in using the word “never.”

Let’s tackle the different areas I mentioned as “never” statements.

First I have become a blogger. I run in seasons of consistency. If I’m traveling or consumed with a project, then my blogging takes less of a priority. Yet I continue to blog. Instead of seeing it as giving away my writing, there are ways to monetize and make money from your blog. Every writer needs to have a presence in the marketplace and blogging is a terrific way to build your presence. I have over 1,000 searchable entries in my blog.

Also I’ve learned to monetize my blog and it’s even something I’ve been able to pass on to others through my Ebook, The 31 Day Guide to Blogging for Bucks. If you have not read this valuable resource, I recommend you get it “risk free” and read it for 60 days. If you don't find it valuable, then send me an email and I will refund your money. That's what I mean by risk free.

My Rights to My Work. Many authors do not want to sign work made for hire agreements which give a publisher or individual the right to your creative work.

In the case of work made for hire, these writers have limited their own potential through their use of the word “never.”

My literary attorney has told me that I’ve signed more Work Made for Hire agreements than anyone she knows—yet I’ve been a working writer for years. Work Made for Hire comes with the territory in my view.

Several years ago I wrote two devotional books for a book packager as a Work Made for Hire. I wrote the books in a two month period and was well-compensated for my work. Each of these books sold over 60,000 copies (which is a good book sale credit for any author). I would not have had the opportunity if I had said “never.”

Writing or Marketing? Finally I want to address the writers who say they never want to sell or market their books. I understand the reluctance to enter into the marketing and selling process. It would be great to delegate this process to someone else but it is not realistic thinking. Every writer has to learn to market to sell their work and get it into print. They also have to be involved in the marketing and promotion of their work when it gets into print. The savvy writers understand this process and lean into it rather than resist it.

My recommendation is to wipe the word “never” out of your vocabulary. Instead approach your writing looking for open doors of opportunity.

As I look over the publishing world, I believe there are many opportunities for every writer. It is your responsibility to be submitting your work and regularly knocking on doors to see which one will open for you and your work. As you attempt new things, you will be surprised which ones will open for you.

If You Build It & They Don’t Come

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Tue, 01 May 2012 07:09:09 PDT

Years ago when I launched my first website, I worked hard at all of the details of this site—the functionality, the appearance and the contents. I was convinced this website would sell tons of books and generate terrific amounts of new writing business. I was stuck in fantasy and not reality because it did not happen.

I often meet unpublished authors who are convinced a website or lots of activity on Facebook is the single answer to sell many books. They have fallen into this trap of believing the line from the movie Field of Dreams, that if they build it, the people will come.

Today I’m wiser and have written more than 60 books for traditional publishers. As a book publisher, I’ve helped more than 150 authors launch their own book. From my years in publishing I want to give you five critical actions to take with your book marketing.

1. Decide to take 100% responsibility for your book marketing. Many authors have told me about their dismal book sales whether they have been published from a recognized publisher or a self-published. They always want to blame someone or some event. Anything and everything is responsible except their own actions. Your attitude is critical and yes others will help you but you have to lead the charge for telling others about your book.

2. Be willing to try a limited number of new things. You must focus your book marketing efforts to be successful. I encourage you to be reading books and online materials of others. As you learn about something new, try it and add it to your book marketing strategies. I understand you have to limit the new things or you will run in a million different directions and be completely ineffective at anything. It is important to be open to new opportunities.

3. Always be learning something new. It is a book marketing attitude killer to feel like you know everything there is to know about selling books. No one knows everything. Look for new ideas through blogs and online reading and reading books. With this open attitude, you will find new opportunities to sell your books to others.

4. Meet new people. Whether you go to a local Chamber of Commerce meeting or a conference, get out of your office and interact with others. Listen to their ideas and tell them about your own efforts. The cooperation and networking will increase potential for your own book sales. Many authors spend too much time at their keyboard or computer and not enough face to face time with others.

5. Decide to never give up on your book. Some books are slow starters in the market and take a while to begin selling. Persistence will be your friend when it comes to selling your book. I’ve read an individual has to hear about your book seven times before they actually make a buying decision. Whether it is five or seven times, these readers have to hear about the value of your book repeatedly to make a purchase decision. Your persistence in telling others and reaching new audiences will pay off for you. Never give up.

Finally I want to give you two free resources to help your book marketing efforts. First is a free traffic newsletter from my friend Jimmy D. Brown. His success in Internet Marketing is legendary. Pick up the first issue of his Traffic Jam Newsletter and 10 Ways to Get Other People to Send You Free Traffic. His newsletter will stir ideas.

The second resource is my free Ebook, Platform Building Ideas for Every Author. Get it free at: http://terrylinks.com/pb Next read this book and take action on the ideas.

You can build it and they will come but only if you continue to promote your book.

Adventures in Travel

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:55:16 PDT

If you don't travel much, some people believe it is all fun and games to go to different events. I'm glad for the opportunities and seem to end up on the road at least once a month. It seems like recently my trips are back to back where I'm home for a day or two, then back out again. If you want to keep up on my travel schedule, here is where I keep this information. I do hope our paths cross on one of my forthcoming trips and we can connect about your writing and how I can help you.

During a recent Saturday night trip, I checked my return flight home on Sunday and internally groaned. It left at 6:55 a.m. My ride to the airport would meet me in the lobby at 5:15 a.m. Calculating I needed 45 minutes to check out of my room, I called the front desk and asked for a 4:30 wake-up call.

“In the morning?” the operator asked.

“Yes,” I affirmed with reluctance.

It amounted to a short night. At that time of the morning, I expected the hotel lobby to be empty. When the elevator door opened on the first floor, people were everywhere. Young men and women gathered in little groups with animated talking, launching and some of them were carrying beers. I looked at my watch and it affirmed that it was 5:05 a.m. What was going on?

I spotted a young woman alone to inquire what was going on.

“It’s our annual marching competition and we come to this hotel every year,” she explained.

When a car pulled into the front of the hotel, she said, “That’s got to be for you since no one else will need a ride to the airport.” She motioned to her student colleagues who continued in their animated conversation.

Thanking her, I began to pull my bags to the curb. Yes, my ride was there and I headed to the airport.

Cross country travel is an adventure you have to be prepared for anything to happen.

While I had an unusual experience on the way home, I also had a unique experience on the way out to begin my trip. I changed planes in Charlotte, North Carolina which is often a very busy airport. That day was no exception.

I slipped into the restroom. To my shock when I zipped my pants, the zipper mechanism fell into my hand. Now what?

I had no change of clothing because the airline was handling my suitcase. There is nothing to be done. My zipper would remain broken. In years past before September 2001 and the security measures, you could travel with a safety pin in your bag but those days are gone. Safety pins are considered dangerous.

My only option was to pull the front of my pants tightly under my belt and walk quickly through the crowd to my next gate.

I checked the monitor and had arrived on concourse B in Charlotte. My commuter plane to my final destination was at the opposite end of the airport which meant quite a hike passing thousands of people. Terrific I thought. Oh, the joys of traveling.

I attempted to be casual about it and hiked to my next gate. The fight crew had not arrived so they left about 30 minutes late and I got to stand around—careful standing. I got on the plane which involved careful sitting. The blankets would have helped my situation but the airline gave up having those blankets years ago.

My bags arrived at my destination, I pulled them to the curb and my ride hauled me to the hotel. No one said anything about my zipper and I ignore it. What a way to begin this trip. The fun was just beginning.

Power-Packed with Ready-to-Use Information

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 16:36:03 PDT

If you are looking for a way to increase the visibility of your business and establish your authority or expertise in your field, then you need to get a copy of OWN YOUR NICHE. As Chandler writes in the introduction, "OWN YOUR NICHE is about getting visibility with the right audience online and offline in a high-integrity way. It's about checking in with your instincts, questioning the advice you've heard and communicating with your audience with authenticity, in a way that feels right to you." The book is a rich balance between how-to information combined with insightful examples and additional resources.

In the final portion of the introduction, Chandler identifies her audience saying, "The strategies in OWN YOUR NICHE are geared toward service-based businesses including consultants, coaches, speakers, authors, doctors, attorneys, financial professionals, creative professionals, freelancers and businesses of all sizes that provide a service because you have a unique opportunity to reach a niche audience online with great content."

Each chapter is loaded with details like how to establish your authority in your field (chapter 2), build your audience and engage community (chapter 3), turn your website into a client conversion machine (chapter 4), increase website traffic (chapter 5), hype-free internet marketing (chapter 9), internet revenue streams (chapter 12). Each of the 13 chapters includes a detailed example of a successful person practicing the methods for that chapter called an "entrepreneur interview." I found these interviews insightful.

Grab your yellow highlighter when you read OWN YOUR NICHE because you will definitely need it so you can apply this useful information to your business. I highly recommend this book.

The Power of a Changed Life

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 07:30:39 PDT

Most of us are set in our ways and it is hard for us to change. Yet throughout life we make changes. We move in a different direction with our life or any number of important shifts. One of the most pointed examples of a changed life in my view comes from one of my biographies, Chuck Colson. Last weekend I learned Chuck passed away at 80 years old.

Known as President Richard Nixon's hatchet man, Chuck Colson, went to prison for his involvement in Watergate. He discovered a relationship with Jesus Christ which changed the direction of his life. Chuck founded a world-wide ministry to prisons called Prison Fellowship. It was my honor to write a youth book about Chuck's life as a part of the Today's Heroes series (Zondervan). The book was published in 1994 and shows a different side of Colson's life and personality.

As I wrote Colson's story, almost every person wanted to tell me a funny story about his life. From his early years, Colson loved a good practical joke. Some of them involved serious effort to successfully pull off. I included some of these stories in my biography.

Throughout the experience, Chuck carefully read every word of the book and gave feedback on the details. He questioned the inclusion of his first marriage and the divorce. I talked it over with my editor who responded, “Many of the young readers of this series will have their own divorce experiences. It's a part of Colson's life and should be included.” Chuck agreed and those few paragraphs remained in my book.

A short time after the book released, I was invited to appear at the Kentucky Book Fair. I had not published many books and Chuck Colson was one of my few books that I brought to this event. At this point in Chuck's life, he was traveling and speaking constantly about his changed life. He had appeared at Billy Graham Crusades and many other high profile events telling about his transformation. To my surprise, the skeptics remained. A number of people told me, “I can't buy your book because I don't believe Chuck Colson changed.”

If you haven't read the story of Chuck's changed life, I recommend you do so. I have some of the few remaining copies of this book in print and have set up a special link so you can get it.

Our loss of Chuck's presence among us is heaven's gain. We mourn his passing but celebrate the tremendous legacy and wealth of teaching and books which remain in our culture. While I had not spoken to Chuck in many years, it is one of the great blessings of my life to call him a friend and to have written the story of his life.

Capture the Experience While It's Fresh

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 10:02:34 PDT

The world felt small and connected last Friday. As a book publisher, I was on a call with a new author guiding a brief meeting to get his cover design started. I've led many of these sessions yet the timing and the connections were unique.

This author was in Tel Aviv, Israel. The designer was in Canada and I was in Phoenix. We took care of the business about his cover and the call was almost over.

Last Friday was Good Friday yet also the beginning of Passover. As we were speaking on the phone, he was driving through an Arab village on the way to celebrate Passover at his in-laws house.

We were speaking on a conference number and this author dialed in using Skype so there was a bit of a delay with his speaking but it worked. I felt connected to the world community and was amazed at the advances of technology to allow something that a few years ago could not be imagined.

Each of us have unique personal experiences in this journey called life. What steps are you taking to capture some of these experiences shortly after they happen?

Our personal experiences can be used in many different ways for our writing. I'm going to give you several of them:

1. Personal Experience magazine articles. Your personal stories can be used in many different types of publications. The category of personal experience articles is almost universal for the print magazine world. High circulation glossy publications use them as well as trade publications. I've written for both types of publications and you can too.

2. Personal stories in nonfiction books. Writing any nonfiction book involves a careful balance between personal stories and how-to information. Often I've included my personal experiences in my writing. I've also collaborated with more than a dozen different people. This experience has allowed me to write their personal experiences into these books. In those cases, I tell the stories through their viewpoint which is another spin on how to use personal experience.

3. Fodder for your short stories. Many novelists are focused on producing their complete novel. Yet it takes a lot of time to write a full novel. You can be practicing your storytelling craft and using your personal experiences as fodder for those stories through short stories. Many print magazines are actively looking for appropriate short stories. It's terrific exposure and experience for the writer. Some of that storytelling springs from your life experiences.

4. Fodder for your novel. Many novels are thinly-veiled personal experiences for the writer. It's a common statement that writers should write what you know. It's hard to make any fiction believable if you've never been to a location yet you can take those experiences and they can be the backdrop for the writing in your novel.

5. Stories for your blog. Your own stories can create some fascinating writing for your blog. As someone with over 1,000 searchable entries in my blog, I'm a big believer in writing your experiences in the blog. If you don't know how to monetize (make money) from your blog or maybe you aren't making enough money from your blog, I recommend you get my 31 Day Guide to Blogging for Bucks, then read it and take action on the many suggestions.

Some writers journal to capture their thoughts and feelings. Others open a computer file and write the raw emotions of a moment.

How do you seize the day and take advantage of your personal experiences? The key from my perspective is to take consistent action to gather these stories so you can use them in your writing.

When Authors Need A Form

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 09:13:15 PDT

In my life as a writer, I need a legal form from time to time. For example, when I have to bill for a job, I need an invoice. When I work with a collaborator, I need a collaboration agreement. When I'm going to give an estimate, I need a form to give this estimate in a professional way.

Where do I turn? I can search online and maybe cobble something together that will work for the need. Normally I reach for Business and Legal Forms for Authors and Self-Publishers by Tad Crawford. In one convenient place, this book lists 25 different forms and includes the negotiation checklist for each form.

I'm not an attorney. When it comes to publishing matters, not just any attorney will do because the language and issues for publishing is a specialized area. You need someone skilled in this area. Crawford has worked in publishing law for many years and put together a terrific resource. I've actually purchased this book several times over the years because it has evolved into different versions. The most recent version includes the forms on CD-ROM in three different formats (Word, rich text format and PDF).

When I need a form, I will put the disk into my computer, pull up the form, modify it then send it to the other party. The forms aren't perfect and my long-term literary attorney friend doesn't like them because she believes each case is different and there is no one-size-fits-all form. Yet I also realize that boilerplate contract language is common throughout publishing. For my use, these forms work for my simple need. This resource may help you as well.

Use What Is In Your Hands

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:11:44 PDT

“Oh, no,” I groaned this week as I tried to start my car. There was a clicking sound and finally the engine started. I was in a grocery store parking lot several miles from my office and out running a couple of errands. Instead of going home and getting stuck with a car which didn't start, I drove to my car repair place so they could check out my vehicle.

Normally when I go to the repair place, I bring some work but in this case I was caught up prepared. I had a single package from a publisher. Opening it, I found a new marriage book.

If you don't know my background, I've reviewed thousands of books and for several years I was the book review columnist at two publications which don't exist any longer. I read and reviewed many marriage books. I also acquired marriage books when I was an acquisitions editor. Yet over the last few years, I can't even recall a book I've read focused on marriage. Yet I was headed to the waiting room while my car was examined and the only thing in my hands was this new marriage book.

The book included a cover letter where I was asked to endorse the book and post a review on Amazon and other similar places. I began to read the book and loved the contents. The author, Poppy Smith attended a continuing workshop I taught several summers ago at the Oregon Christian Writers Summer Workshop. Those classes are structured to be small classes and I believe I had six people including Poppy) that summer.

I could have read the book and done nothing with it. Instead I wrote my review and sent the endorsement and posted the review on Amazon. I also review for a newer site called Lunch.com where I posted the same review. Lunch.com allows you to add links as well as select photos for the review. I selected the cover and Poppy Smith's photo. Then I took one more quick action: I tweeted about my review to my twitter followers which also goes to my Facebook friends and my connections on LinkedIn. Finally I wrote Poppy and told her about my review.

Admittedly it took some proactive effort on my part for these various steps to happen. I am committed to using what is in my hands.

What do you have in your hands? How can you use it in your writing life? I love what Napoleon Hill said, “What the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve.”

It Takes More Than Good Intentions

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 08:53:02 PDT

Through the years, I've met face to face with many writers. I know they have big dreams and good intentions. Maybe they want to write a novel or a nonfiction book. Or they want to get published in a magazine and understand the value of perfecting their craft in a shorter form of writing before they try a longer book project.

During our brief meeting together, I listen to their pitch. I often give them some input or direction from my experience. Often I will encourage them saying, “That sounds like a good idea. Write that up and send it to me.” As an acquisitions editor, I only asked for the manuscripts that were a fit for my publishing house. My encouragement to send their manuscript was sincere.

Yet I never heard from them again. I believe there is a chronic challenge among writers. To get published takes more than good intentions. You must follow through with your intention and get your writing into the marketplace.

Here's five tips on how to have more than good intentions and follow through:

1. Divide the Work. Every task needs to get broken into bite size parts. If you are writing a magazine article, then set a word count goal for your production. If you are trying to get more magazine writing, then decide how many queries you are going to send this week. Or if you are writing a book proposal, then tackle the sections one at a time. Or if you are writing a novel, set a number of words you want to produce each day. Make the work or task specific and then move forward and get it done.

2. Make a check list and cross it off. Take your planned writing and write it down every day. Often I will make a list the night for the next day. Then I cross it off when it is completed. It feels good to complete something and mark it off the list—and I know I'm moving ahead with my intentions.

3. Keep taking action. Without a doubt, you will have interruptions and other things which enter your life to cause delays and capture your attention. Recognize these interruptions ahead of time and make an internal commitment to continue moving forward. It will take on-going commitment to achieve what you want with your writing.

4. Create your own deadlines. Editors give writers deadlines for their writing—whether magazines or books. I encourage you to create your own deadlines for your writing and commit to making those deadlines. It will keep your writing moving forward. And if you don't make your deadline for some reason? Set a new deadline and push forward.

5. Get an accountability partner. Verbalize your goal to some other person. It could be a friend, a writer friend, a family member or whoever. Ask that person to hold your feet to the fire and check with you about whether you are accomplishing your intentions or not.

If you follow through with excellent writing, you will stand out in the publishing world. Many people dream and the ones that get it done, follow-through with their good intentions.

Seven Insights I Learned About James Patterson

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 09:00:59 PDT

James Patterson is a successful and prolific bestselling author. Whether you've read all of his book or some of his books or none of his books, you can't help but admire his achievements in the world of publishing.

I love reading author profiles about other authors because of what I learn from it. It's one of the reasons I've interviewed and written about more than 150 bestselling authors over the years—I learn a great deal from the experience which I incorporate into my own writing life.

Last week, The Wall Street Journal published the article: James Patterson Tells Us Why His Books Sell Like Crazy by Lauren A.E. Schuker. I hope you will read the entire article. I'm going to pick up on seven insights I learned about James Patterson from this article.

1. The 65–year-old author works seven days a week. I noticed Patterson had been on the golf course that day but he mixes relaxation and work. It's significant to me Patterson works at his craft every day.

2. He is not stuck at a computer but uses paper and pencil. The description of his office notes that Patterson prefers a legal pad and pencil for his work. He is not alone in that habit.

3. Patterson collaborates with other authors. When he explains the writing process, it is clearly collaborative with other writers. He writes the outline then assigns the writer their task. I've noticed his books have many different co-authors yet they sound like they came from the same author. Why? Because…

4. He takes firm control of his storytelling rather than turning it over to a co-author. Yes, Patterson has created a publishing empire but he is firmly at the helm of it and working on the different aspects of his stories.

5. Rewriting is an integral part of the creative process. As he explained, “I'll do any number of outlines or re-writes on the pages. I've done as many as nine drafts of a book after the original comes in.”

6. Patterson has chosen to stay outside of New York and Hollywood. While intimately involved in the publishing world and Hollywood (his movies and TV from his books), he has selected to live in Florida.

7. He has experimented with other types of writing (nonfiction) but sticks with what he does best—fiction. Toward the end of the article, Patterson is asked about other forms of writing like plays or musicals or nonfiction. He has written nonfiction but stays with what works—fiction.

These are my seven insights that I learned about James Patterson. Maybe you picked up on some other details in the article. Which ones?

Simple Ways to Stand Out with Editors

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 15:09:47 PDT

Editors and agents get a lot of email—hundreds each day. You can ignore email. You can sit on your delete key and toss them in your electronic trash can. If you are looking for insight on how to the massive amounts of email, I recommend you read Taming the Email Beast by Randall Dean. You will quickly learn 45 strategies for managing your email.

In this article, I want to address how to stand out in a positive way from the other writers who are trying to get their attention. I've seen many writers stand out in a negative way. They are memorable but not someone one that an agent or editor wants to help get published.

I want to give you three simple ways make a positive impression.

1. Deliver Good Writing While many writers believe they have sent an interesting and targeted submission. I've often seen poorly crafted stories and not enough energy put into the concept. Good writing will always stand out and a fascinating story captures positive attention and earns a quick response from the editor or agent. Practice your craft in the print magazine world. If you are writing nonfiction, then learn to craft good personal experience stories. If you are writing fiction, then learn the skill of short stories—and get them published. The experience will be valuable and help you stand out in the submission process.

2. Submit Assigned Writing on Deadline or Early. The majority of writers are late with their assignments. If you pay attention to the deadline and deliver excellent writing on time or early, you will stand out because such attention is unusual. It seems like a small detail but it will make a difference in the impression you make with these professionals.

3. Express Gratitude. Whenever anyone does anything, large or small, make sure you express appreciation. We live in a thankless world where few people write handwritten notes. I make a point to continue to send handwritten thank you notes. My handwriting isn't beautiful and I have to work at clear writing but when I send notes, they make a positive impression. Also when I receive thank you notes after a conference or other occasions, it is appreciated.

Working in the publishing community is all about building and maintaining relationships. Whether you are trying to sell your writing to a magazine or sell a book project to a publisher, you need to continually be aware that every time you connect with the editor or agent, you are making an impression. Make sure you stand out in a positive way.

How to Handle Rejection

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 11:01:17 PDT

No one likes to hear the word “no” or “no, thank you.” Yet it is firmly a part of the publishing community. It's been a while since I've written about rejection. From time to time, I believe it is good to return to it and includes lessons for every active writer.

Notice I wrote that little word “active?” Some people call themselves writers (which is good in my view) yet haven't been recently rejected because they are not sending out their material. Getting rejected is a part of the writing life.

If you want to get published in magazines, then you need to be studying the magazines and regularly pitching ideas to them (a query), then getting feedback from the editor (hopefully an assignment) and turn in your well-written article on the deadline. I encourage you to write for print magazines because it will help you as a writer in a number of areas of your writing life. If you write nonfiction, it is good to write for magazines and if you write fiction, it is good to write for magazines. In general, print magazines have a higher standard of excellence than online publications so I'm talking about print publications.

It is the same constant action of pitching your idea which counts on the book side of publishing. Several years ago I was a fiction acquisitions editor then a literary agent (all former roles for me now) but I learned a great deal about the rejection process from my work in these areas.

Manuscripts and proposals and query letters come in all shapes and sizes. When I was acquiring fiction, I was consistently work on my stack of submissions so people hear from me. It’s often not the answer they want to hear. To receive a yes response takes time in publishing and involves a lot of consensus building within the publishing house.

The “no” response can often be determined quickly. If you send in a query about a 25,000 word novel or a children’s book, then you are headed for rejection. When I was working for Howard, they did not do children’s books and I was the fiction acquisitions editor. We were not considering youth books or young adult. Instead the focus was on six to eight adult length novels (generally 80,000 to 100,000 words). So…if your novel is 56,000 words, it’s too short for serious consideration—no matter how well it is written.

Now the writing—that’s another consideration. You would be shocked at the telling manuscripts which don’t jump into the plot. Or they meander around the story line before they jump into it. Editors and agents are looking for excellent storytelling and a plot that can’t be put down. I understand it’s a high goal—but there are many manuscripts and only a few manuscripts will be selected and even fewer ultimately contracted.

Because I am someone who also writes and loves writing books and magazine articles, it’s painful to send these rejection letters. I know people have poured their heart and dreams into these submissions. I’ve also learned the hard way if I add anything personal, I will get it revised and resubmitted to me—and often again rejected. Instead, I resorted to the standard editor response—the dreaded form letter. I don’t like receiving them and I don’t like sending them—but they come with the business.

Whether the writer likes the response or not is not the issue. It’s important to me that they have received a response. Often submissions go into a black hole and you never know if the editor received it, processed it or anything. With each submission, I know they have been read, carefully considered and rendered a decision. In some ways, I hope it softens the pain of rejection.

Finally I want to give you three key points to handle rejection:

1. Understand it. Every active writer is rejected. While you have put your best writing out into the marketplace, it is not personal. The editor or agent is looking for something specific and you are trying to make the right connection with your submission. If it was rejected, then the right connection didn't happen. It is part of the business.

2. Learn from it. You may or may not receive any feedback with the submission but you can still continue working on an excellent submission. If you don't know how to craft a query letter, then learn that skill. Get in a critique group to have a safe group of trusted writers to bounce ideas. If you don't know how to create an excellent proposal then learn this skill as you are sending out your ideas.

3. Persist and keep knocking on new doors. While you may have your mind and heart set on a particular magazine or book publisher or agent, the world is large. There are many places and ways to get your material out into the marketplace. Keep growing and looking for new opportunities.

Every writer can gain the skill of properly handling rejection. I know you can do it.

Why Every Book Needs a Proposal (Even Self-Published)

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 13:46:32 PDT

I've read thousands of book proposals as an acquisitions editor and a former literary agent. I continually teach on the topic because I believe many writers don't understand the critical nature of this specialized document called a book proposal.

On the traditional side of publishing, editors and agents read proposals. It doesn't matter whether you've written nonfiction or fiction because this document includes information which never appears in your manuscript yet is critical detail in the decisionmaking process. My Book Proposals That Sell has over 100 Five Star Amazon reviews and continues to help many writers. My online course, Write A Book Proposal has helped writers around the world to learn the step-by-step techniques of creating a proposal.

As a book publisher at Intermedia Publishing Group, many of my authors have not written a book proposal because we work with full manuscripts. From my perspective of working in book publishing for over 20 years, every author should create a book proposal for their book—whether eventually they publish the book with a company where they pay to get it published (subsidy or self-publishing) or whether they find a traditional book publisher. In the proposal creation process, the author learns some critical elements about their book concept plus they are better positioned in the marketplace.

Here are four benefits of proposal creation (and I'm certain there are many more):

1. You Define Your Target Market. Many authors believe their book will hit a broad target—everyone. No successful book is for everyone. Each book has a primary target audience and the proposal creation process helps you define, pinpoint and write about this audience. It is important in nonfiction but it is also important in fiction. For example, romance is the largest fiction genre yet there are many divisions within the romance genre. Every proposal needs a target which is defined—yet large enough to generate volume sales. You learn and achieve this balance when you create a page-turning book proposal.

2. You Understand Your Competition. While creating a proposal, the writer has to take a hard look at which books are competing with your idea. This process helps you understand the marketplace. Many new authors believe they are writing something unique with no competition. It's not true. Every book competes in the marketplace and you will be a better equipped author if you understand your competition.

3. You Create A Personal Plan For Marketing. Whether you like marketing or dislike it, the reality is every author has to market their own book. It doesn't matter who publishes your book—whether you self-publish or go with a large traditional house. As you create a book proposal, you will be including practical, specific and measurable ideas that you can execute when your book enters the market. The proposal will be a valuable reference tool for you because you've done this important creation process.

4. You Possess A Valuable Tool To Pitch Agents and Editors at Traditional Houses. I've written it a number of times but it bears repeating here. Literary agents and editors do not read manuscripts. They read book proposals. Even novelists need a book proposal for their initial pitch to an editor or agent. And if you self-publish and are successful with selling your book, because you own everything, if you receive an attractive offer from a traditional house, then you can move the book. Without a proposal you can't properly pitch the concept and you've eliminated this possibility.

I believe writers should explore every option and keep their possibilities open. You've narrowed the possibilities rather than expanded them if you don't have a proposal.

If you make the effort to create an excellent book proposal, then you will be ready to pitch your book at any time and any place.

Practice Makes Perfect

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 09:06:48 PDT

If you don't have publishing figured out, welcome to my world. It is always changing and evolving with new editors, new agents and new opportunities.

One of the best actions you can take each day is to continue to get your writing into the marketplace. As the saying goes, “Practice makes perfect.” You have to be actively working in the field to find success.

During a summer long ago, I took typing in summer school. It was in the pre-computer days and we learned on electric typewriters. If you hesitated or pushed the wrong keys, the mistakes were instantaneous. Yet these typewriters also had an amazing button to erase the mistakes. After using the old manual typewriters, that correction key was remarkable. I was an average typist during high school. I believe I earned a solid C in that class.

You’d never know it today. If you’ve ever seen me type, it’s pretty quick. When I work in an office, I get a steady stream of comments about my speed and the clicking on the keys. I’m a hard typist because for many years I used manual typewriters to write stories. Why the speed? Because I’ve done it repeatedly—every day for years. In the early days of my journalism training, we learned to compose at the typewriter. We created sentences in our minds, then put them instantly into the typewriter. It’s the perfect skill for any journalist since there is no time in the newspaper world to rewrite or stew about the syntax of the sentence. You need to spread your notes around you on the desk and spit out the story. It’s another skill which has served me well over the years.

I don’t know what you are facing today. You may be wondering if you will ever get a magazine article published. You may be struggling to find any children’s book editor to give your work some attention. Or possibly your book proposal is getting lots of rejection. Maybe your novel is languishing on some editor’s desk (or worse it’s stuck in your file drawer and has never been sent out—yet). I want to encourage you about the value of repetition. Select something—then do it repeatedly. If it’s children’s books, then write lots of them. Read lots of them and send them into the market. Try the children’s magazine market and also the children’s book market. Join organizations like the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and learn about the current editorial needs and trends in the market. Then get your material out there—over and over—with excellence.

My skill set and learning in this market continues to grow daily. I understand the value of repetition—constantly throwing out new ideas and different types of writing. Then I write over and over. It’s not rocket science. You can do it too.

The Crux of Good Business

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 11:08:54 PDT

It may seem pretty basic but if you are going to work in the communication business, you need to work at this thing called communication. It seems like I need to work at it every day--even when I don't want to work at it.

Recently one of my customers wrote and said, “This EBook has not been up to my expectations and I wish to request a refund. I don't believe the content was substantial enough to merit the $39 cost.”

The comment made me a bit angry and I wanted to come back in protest. After all I had sold many copies of this same Ebook around the world without a single person asking for a refund. Wasn't it my “right” to protest such a request?

Instead I dropped it and simply refunded the money. On my website, I have a “no questions asked refund policy.” It says that if you ask for a refund, then I refund the money. It’s straightforward and simple.

This customer had requested a refund so I was going to return the money. Within the hour, I sent the money along with this note to the customer, “I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you this time. I hope to work with you again later on.”

Notice my comment leaves the door open for this customer to return and purchase another product from me at a later date.

Over the years in business, I’ve learned several important lessons in this area of customer service which are important for every business person.

1. Never burn a bridge. Relationships are critical and it is important for you to take steps to preserve your relationship. Someone may return a product today but become a major monthly client if you handle the return properly. It is never worth burning a bridge with some snappy comeback.

2. Always deliver prompt customer service. When someone emails me about a product, I try and answer within 24 hours. I don’t care if I’m traveling and away from home or where I am when I get the request. I quickly send a response. If I can resolve it, then I try and resolve it. If I need to explain that I’m on the road and will resolve it in the next day, then I send that message. My customers deserve a timely response.

When I have a customer service issue with a product or service, I’m expecting a prompt response. As Jesus said in Matthew 7:12, “Do unto others as you want them to do unto you.” It’s called the Golden Rule for a reason.

3. Be certain to respond. Whether the customer service issue is someone asking for one of my free products or someone asking to return a product that they have purchased, I attempt to deliver prompt customer service. I have a simple principle: when someone write or calls, I call them back or email them in response. In today’s world it is shocking the lack of response from vendors. If you take this simple step, it will distinguish you from the others.

Communication and quick resolution will pay off for you and build rapport which will preserve your reputation and build trust.

Here's the “rest of the story.” The Ebook that I'm talking about was Writing For The Christian Market. Recently I was talking with som

eone about a Christian publishing company and the way they treated their customers. The person I was talking with was not a Christian but he complained, "This company talks all over their site about God and uses that reason why people should use their company. Because they are Christians, I hold them to a higher standard of excellence." While I didn't turn the discussion into one about faith and standards, I agreed with the person.

What are you doing to foster or hinder good communication in your writing life? That connection is critical in many different areas of life and it was a good reminder for me.

6 Key Steps to Attract Readers Online Now

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 10:27:03 PDT

Your email list IS your financial security.

It's the most valuable resource in your business and will give you a never-ending flow of readers and sales.

But to get these results, you need to build a big list of your ideal readers...

And then nurture your subscribers so they stay responsive and interested for years to come.

Come learn the secrets to building (and keeping) a profitable email list at the Irresistible List Building Summit (Version 2.0 with new speakers and content)!

Check it out! Registration is FREE =>

http://tinyurl.com/7ykvkqp

Here are 6 Key Steps to get started and attract more readers online now.

The expert speakers will be going more in-depth on these topics in the summit!

Step 1: Attract potential readers by creating a content network of ads, articles, blog posts, Facebook comments, videos, and emails to reach your ideal audience online.

Step 2: Share content in virtual hubs where your ideal readers gather and invite people to do one thing - visit the home page or opt-in page on your website.

Step 3: Convert your visitors to subscribers by offering an irresistible free gift in exchange for a their name and email address.

Step 4: The words on your opt-in page are critical for conversion success, so use content that captures interest and invites direct action.

"Share your email address to subscribe to a generic e-zine" doesn't sizzle as well as "Learn 6 essential ways to magnetize, convert, and nurture your ideal readers so they become raving fans."

Step 5: Once a subscriber opt-ins in, stay in communication with messages that add value and nurture the relationship so that sales flow going forward.

Step 6: Offer with the right balance of free content and genuine, irresistible offers.

Learn more about how to implement these 6 steps and build a thriving list with 1,000's of your ideal readers at the Irresistible List Building Summit (V. 2.0).

It's happening now!

Check it out! Registration is FREE =>

http://tinyurl.com/7ykvkqp

I'll "see" you there!

Tested Insight Is on Every Page

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 09:48:37 PDT

The introduction to this must-have book has a title which speaks volumes: "Communication is a Life-or-Death Matter." It's true because at the end of the day good communication is everything. Dianna Booher provides invaluable information in COMMUNICATE WITH CONFIDENCE! HOW TO SAY IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME AND EVERY TIME.

Do you need hard evidence of the benefit of communication? "In 2012, Watson Wyatt Worldwide, a global management consulting firm, released a comprehensive study (covering 328 organizations representing five million employees) that reported that companies with effective communicators had 47 percent higher total returns to shareholders over the prior five years than the firms considered to have the least effective communicators." (p xiv)

Whether you use a particular chapter such as "Saying No and Giving Others Bad news without Damaging the Relationship" or read this book cover to cover. You will profit from the wealth of teaching. At 475 pages, you may wonder if the information in COMMUNICATE WITH CONFIDENCE! is overwhelming. It is not. Booher has organized the entire book into 1254 tips. You can read this book in short bursts to improve your communication skills in different areas. For example, in the chapter, Winning People over to Your Way of Thinking: Being Persuasive, "Tip 376. Repeat, Repeat, Repeat. If nothing else works, try the broken-record technique. If you state your message often enough in a variety of ways, eventually somebody will listen. If you hear something often enough, it becomes part of the atmosphere, like humidity. Repetition forms the core of advertising." (Page 134)

Communication affects every area of our life. As Booher says, "Failure to communicate is the frustration of modern management, the dating scene, and the family dinner table. Over time, all human relationships depend on the sum total of good interactions, stacked end to end. Personally or professionally, communications becomes a life-or-death issue." (p xvii)

I'm enthused about this book because at the heart of every valued relationship is good communication. As you become a better communicator, many areas of life will thrive. I highly recommend you get this book and use it to become a better communicator.

Use Teleseminars to Connect with Readers

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 09:42:13 PDT

If you are an author, you want to connect with your readers. Because as you connect with them, they learn about your book, talk about your book and tell others about your book. This type of viral spreading of the news about your book does not happen without a plan—at least in most cases.

On a regular basis, I use teleseminars to connect with my audience. If you read these entries about the Writing Life, over the last few years, I've held a number of teleseminars with different guests. Each one tackles a unique topic. Each of these sessions are recorded and the recordings provide on-going teaching and training for others. The tool that I've been using for my events is InstantTeleseminar. You can use this link to find out more about this resource and even get a 21–day trial.

Because of the global nature of the Internet, these teleseminars are not just United States or North America events. They are worldwide. I've had people on the call in Europe or Australia or Thailand.

Teleseminars are a terrific way to build relationships with readers yet many authors don't use them. Maybe they don't know how to use the technology. Or they are unsure what to teach or how to use the event and how does it connect with their books. There are many potential questions.

On Tuesday, March 27^th, I'm hosting another event called Teleseminar Secrets for Authors. I'll be grilling my friend, D'vorah Lansky, author of the Amazon bestseller, Book Marketing Made Easy: Simple Strategies for Selling Your Nonfiction Book Online. This event is for every author—whether you write fiction or nonfiction. Teleseminars are a valuable tool for everyone.

I encourage you to ask D'vorah a question about how to use teleseminars to connect with readers and sell more books. If you don't have a question, then mark “no question” in the box and register with your first name and primary email address. You will reach the confirmation page. At this page, you can mark it to return to a live webcast on March 27^th and you can have immediate access to a Special Report from D'vorah: 7 Teleseminar Tips and Tracking Sheets for Authors.

If you can't make the live event, I encourage you to go ahead and sign up. The event will be recorded and everyone who signs up will receive the link to the replay. With the replay, you can download the recording to your computer or iPod and listen to it on your schedule.

I'm excited about the teaching for every author about Teleseminar Secrets. I look forward to speaking with you soon.

What's Holding Back Your Writing?

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 07:43:41 PDT

I've got a new dog in my house. Well, she's not really new but acting in a new way. We've had Sophie, our Yorkshire Terrier for over four years and she's an integral part of our daily lives. Yet I'm not the “alpha” in our house but my wife fills that role.

For years, Sophie has had this annoying behavior of barking like crazy each time I come into the house or speak with my wife. We've tried many different things to correct this behavior—and nothing worked until this week.

We learned about the Pet Corrector. This simple red can makes a hissing sound with air. Whenever Sophie barks or misbehaves, I blast it toward her and she immediately stops barking. In fact, she's lost this barking habit. It is like we have a new dog in our house—one that has much better behavior.

This Pet Corrector is an amazing tool and we learned about it from a family member who used it with their dogs.

I thought about this tool in relation to my writing life. What is holding back your writing? Is there some missing tool that you could pick up which would move your writing in a new direction?

The correction process has several parts. First, you need to take some time and think about what is holding back your writing?

Maybe you need to learn to write a query letter. Maybe you need to learn the skill of writing a book proposal. Maybe you need to attend a writer's conference with different editors and agents (people you've not met in the past). I'm speaking at a number of conferences in the coming months and you can check my schedule at this link.

Possibly you need to purchase a new book which will stir ideas. In each chapter of my Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams, I include resources so you can dig deeper into the material in that chapter.

Or maybe you are missing a critical skill that is holding you back. Or possibly it is financial and you need to make more money with your writing. I have a free teleseminar that you can access immediately along with my Ebook, Buzz Your Book Marketing That Matters.

Possibly you have a blog yet few readers and you aren't making any money with it because you've not set it up right and monetized it. I suggest you get my 31 Day Guide to Blogging for Bucks. You can get this resource any time day or night and it comes with my 60 day risk-free guarantee. Begin to use it right away.

After you determine what needs to change and locate the resources, the final step is critical: change your behavior. If you don't change your actions, then you will still be in the same spot a month or six months from now.

You can determine what is holding back your writing, find the resource and make a change. I believe in you and look forward to hearing about the results.

Pick the Perfect Word

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 10:00:06 PDT

One of the most basic skills for every writer is word selection. If you choose the perfect word, then the reader knows exactly what you mean. But if you select the wrong word or wrong use of the word, then the reader veers off the page and begins to wonder what you are saying. It moves the reader in the wrong direction.

Editor Barbara McNichol has written a terrific resource for every author called WORD TRIPPERS, THE ULTIMATE SOURCE FOR CHOOSING THE PERFECT WORD WHEN IT REALLY MATTERS. It matters a great deal in my view. Because English words sound the same, the writer confuses them and uses the wrong one.

In the introduction, Barbara gives three benefits of this resource. "You don't have any:

- Fat reference books to contend with, or

- Delays searching through dense dictionaries, or

- Emergency calls to former grammar teachers!"

Organized alphabetically, McNichol distinguishes each "word tripper" and uses it in a sentence for quick reference. The next time you wonder if you should use it's or it—or numerous other similar words, reach for this resource and you will quickly be on your way to clear writing without tripping. I highly recommend this terrific resource.

Authors Should Get Full Information

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 22:21:04 PDT

On a regular basis I speak with authors that I've met at conferences about the publishing program at Intermedia Publishing Group where I work as a publisher.

In recent weeks, I've talked to a few authors who decided to publish with other companies. One novelist told me, “I'm going with CrossBooks Publishing because they are part of Lifeway and I'm a Baptist.”

Another author told me, “I'm going with WestBow Press because they are a part of Thomas Nelson.”

What would-be authors may not know is that “publisher” may not really be a part of those companies, but rather what turns out to be quite a money maker for that entity. Would-be authors need to take a hard look at these companies and who is doing the actual customer service, production and marketing for these books.

I suspect these authors will be shocked when they discover the truth. Many authors are putting their trust in a referring company without looking closely at the details and receiving the full picture.

I encourage you to read the details in this March 7, 2012 article in Publishers Weekly. The article is about the parent company for 12 different publishing brands and how Author Solutions is looking for a buyer.

A careful reading of this article shows the huge amounts of money being generated from this entity that published more than 27,500 titles (that's different books) in 2011 with an estimate of each author generating $5,000 for the company—or spending that much money with them.

Here's the previously hidden information revealed in this article about Author Solutions. “Its workforce totals 1,565 full-time employees with by far the greatest number, 1,215, located in its facilities in the Philippines which handles not only production but sales and marketing as well.”

Authors who have worked with the “brands” of different publishing entities report that their customer service person changed with each call. One author who published with CrossBooks told me she was unsure if a person of faith even edited her book or not. Her concerns were valid because unknown to her, she was working with people in the Philippines.

I've been on the phone with the customer service people from one of these brands. When you fill out an online form, you start what they call a “lead” and the customer service people begin to telephone and email you. I asked one of them where they were located and they responded, “Bloomington, Indiana.” (The location of the parent company Author Solutions.) I suggested they were in the Philippines and the customer service person denied it and said he was in the United States.

Why do the authors go with these companies? They believe that it gets them attention from a company like Thomas Nelson, the largest Christian publisher, or Lifeway, the large Baptist publishing arm, or Guideposts or Writer's Digest or Hay House. The truth is something different.

During the last year WestBow Press (Thomas Nelson’s Author Solutions arm) did 1,000 new titles. I understand on average an author spends $8,000 to get a book produced. I do not know the percentage of revenue for Thomas Nelson from those authors but it is significant because of the volume.

Under the Author Solutions model, they set the retail price of the book and then the author buys the book at 60% off the retail price. The company makes their income from printing so they set a high retail price. Some would call it inflated. I spoke with an author this week who had a hardcover novel with WestBow. This first-time novelist had a retail price of $33.50 for a hardcover book. Yet the establishment of the price was outside of the author's control.

Recently one of my friends published through Inspired Voices, a service of Guideposts. She wanted to send me a review copy of her book and it took several weeks and multiple emails and telephone calls before it happened. Again this author was unaware that she was communicating with someone in the Philippines. It explains some of the communication challenges.

Authors need to get full information before they plunk down their money and begin working with these different entities. They have dreams of getting picked up with the referring entity—which has happened once or twice in the midst of thousands of other books being produced. The chances of it actually happening are about as good as winning a lottery or maybe you have a better chance with the lottery in my view. Yes, it is that slim.

There are twelve (an even dozen) of these publishing brands in the marketplace and authors need to fully understand what they are doing before taking the leap in this direction.

Why do these respected companies like Thomas Nelson, Lifeway, Guideposts, Writer's Digest and others join forces and produce these titles? It's not hard to understand. They are in business, and businesses need to make money. You as an author are in business as well. As such, I encourage you to look carefully at the company you are partnering with.

Yes, you may be promised that you will be connected or helped. Look beyond the promises to look carefully at who is doing the work. and their results. How much knowledge of the American marketplace can you really expect from a company based offshore? This is the company that’s setting the prices and deciding on the marketing.

As with any business venture, buyer beware. Make sure you will get your money’s worth and that the promises will be kept.

Strive for Excellence

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 08:49:57 PDT

This weekend, I was in Tucson, Arizona for the Tucson Festival of Books. There were over 400 authors at this event which had crowds estimated at 80,000 to 100,000 people. In the middle of this event, it is easy to get lost as an author. I enjoyed meeting other authors and learning about their books. In general, I was looking for ways to help others and learn from them instead of focused on hard selling. The event was mostly about exposure and networking.

When you attend such a large gathering, one of the keys is to manage your expectations about what will happen or not happen at such an event. Some authors expect to sell stacks of books at such an event. I did not. Instead, I focused on building some relationships with authors and readers—which is a much more reasonable expectation to actually accomplish.

As I sat in the author room at the Festival, I struck up a conversation with the woman beside me. She had a new beautiful book and pulled it out of her bag to show it to me. I read the title and admired the photo (which she took). Then I noticed the words “Forward by ____” on her cover. I pointed out the misspelling. Foreword is one of the most misspelled words in publishing and because of my experience, it jumped out at me.

I pointed it out to her and she responded, “My editor was supposed to catch such things.” I was unsure what to say because the misspelling was on a printed book or a little late to change without reprinting.

Then I opened the book and the inside pages were set in Courier New typeface. I didn't mention the typeface to her since she was already a bit stressed about the misspelling. How many books do you have on your shelf with Courier New typeface?

I would take a guess and the answer is zero. There are millions of books being produced in many different formats and methods. If you decide to use one of the alternative methods, that's terrific—but make sure your book fits the standards of traditional books. Different is not always good.

When someone reads your book, you want them to focus on the message in your book—not to spin off on a tangent wondering why your book was produced in such a “different” fashion. Ultimately it is the author's responsibility to maintain this high standard.

This week I checked the inside pages of one of Intermedia's books that is about ready to go to the printer. My day job is working as a publisher at Intermedia Publishing Group. If you want to know the details of our publishing program click this link and get a free teleseminar with the details.

I have a number of books in various stages of production. I looked at the Foreword and the word was spelled right but it was only one sentence. One sentence is inadequate for a Foreword. The majority of Forewords in books are about 1,000 to 1,500 words or like a short magazine article. The Foreword needs to have substance and length to fit the standard for books. When I saw this one sentence Foreword, I wrote my author and we made some changes. No one is going to see this one sentence Foreword in the final book.

As authors, it is important to strive for excellence. Will mistakes slip through our fingers and land in the printed books? Yes, you can easily find typos and mistakes in every published book. The good news is these errors can be fixed when the book is reprinted. I encourage my authors to take a book and mark it “corrections” so they can process and keep track of reader feedback. If the feedback makes sense, then let's correct it on a subsequent printing.

Each of us need to push ourselves and our books toward excellence. Our readers deserve our best effort.