Author Biz Sense

ARE EDITORS BUYING BOOKS ANY MORE?

2012-02-17T16:05:00.001-06:00

I know. It seems like the only thing writers and agents are getting is rejection slips. The stakes are high--indeed. What's the favorite phrase of agents and editors? AUTHOR PLATFORM. But editors still become smitten with a new author's voice and writing, whole publishing teams get excited by the nonfiction book that is coming to market at just the right time with all the media working correctly. There is still the experience of the public falling in love with a story, a book, an author. The readers are still there.

Here is a taste of what editors have bought lately:

Fiction:

Screenwriter Kathy Ebel cuts a wide comic swatch with FAST & SLOPPY, the story of a deeply flawed but unsinkable young woman whose misguided attempts at finding love and security in 1990s New York City include sleeping with her best friend's father. To Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, by Betsy Lerner at Dunow, Carlson & Lerner.

NPR news editor Krishnadev Calamur's debut novella, MURDER IN MUMBAI, featuring a beleaguered cop and a journalist who reluctantly collaborate to solve the murder of an American businesswoman in India, as the debut title in Dutton's Guilt-Edged Mysteries e-imprint, to Ben Sevier with Stephanie Kelly editing, by Josh Getzler at Hannigan Salky Getzler.

Lorrie Thomson's EQUILIBRIUM, about a woman who, along with her two teenaged children, is trying to pick up the pieces a year after her husband committed suicide, to Peter Senftleben at Kensington, by Jessica Alvarez at BookEnds.

Former Politico writer Karin Tanabe's THE CAPITOLIST, in which a 20-something journalist leaves a cushy NYC magazine job for DC's hottest (and most cut-throat) political rag, where she uncovers a juicy scandal involving a senator that could make or break her career, to Sarah Cantin at Atria, in a nice deal, by Bridget Wagner at Zachary Shuster Harmsworth Literary Agency.

Susan Spann's SHINOBI, in a new samurai mystery series featuring a Samurai and a Portuguese priest, who must clear a teahouse entertainer of murder, with each book focusing on a different aspect of 16th-century Japanese culture, to Toni Plummer at Thomas Dunne Books, in a three-book deal, by Sandra Bond at Bond Literary Agency.

And a whole host of Romance, Inspirational, Mystery, Science Fiction, Fantasy....

Nonfiction buys (not listing the obvious celebrity books like Whitney Houston biographies and Amanda Knox's memoir):

Former journalist who now works in digital strategy and data analysis Amy Webb's DATA, A LOVE STORY, a humorous and instructive memoir about how Webb "gamed" the world of online dating and used her skills to figure out what sort of man she really wanted to date, then crunched the numbers to figure out how to successfully attract just the right one, including her eventual husband, to Jill Schwartzman at Dutton, at auction, by Erin Malone and Suzanne Gluck at William Morris Endeavor.

Fortune Magazine journalist Carol Loomis' untitled book about Warren Buffett, drawing on her more than 40-year friendship with America's most successful investor, in which she collects and adds new commentary to six decades of articles in Fortune, to Adrian Zackheim at Portfolio, at auction, by Tracy Brown at Tracy Brown Literary Agency.

Ray Walker with Rachel Holtzman's THE ROAD TO BURGUNDY, the story of his long, hard journey to realize his dream, chucking his California office job in favor of winemaking in Burgundy, starting with no money, no vineyard, no grapes, and no French, starting with a wife, a new baby, and more determination than anyone in his new village had ever seen before; the learning curve for the Walker family was steep, but from that hardly-promising start, he became the first non-Frenchman ever to make the hallowed grand cru Le Chambertin, and founded Maison Ilan, a wine that sold out its very first vintage, to Lucia Watson at Gotham, for publication in Summer 2013, by Sharon Bowers at Miller Bowers Griffin..

CEO of the Special Olympics Tim Shriver's book about the athletes who "have taught me more about how to live this life than anyone," presenting "really important lessons for a time and an age when people are really looking and seeking ways to find more fulfillment, more purpose, more peace ... in their lives," to Sarah Crichton at Sarah Crichton Books, by Rafe Sagalyn at The Sagalyn Agency.

The Comedy Bible author Judy Carter's THE SPEAKER'S BIBLE: Turning Your Life Story into a Money Making Career, helping readers discover the keynote speech buried inside their life story...and then shows them how to build a successful speaking career from that speech, to Daniela Rapp at St. Martin's, for publication in Fall/Winter 2012 and 2013, by Penny Nelson at Manus & Associates.

Fast Company, Slate, NPR, and NYT contributor Farhad Manjoo's MASTERS OF OUR UNIVERSE, an account of the war among today's major tech companies, primarily focused on Apple, Facebook, Google, and Amazon, as they expand beyond their traditional services and move aggressively into each other's territory, battling for dominance of our lives, to Jofie Ferrari-Adler at Simon & Schuster, at auction, by Larry Weissman at Larry Weissman Literary.

This will get your brain going!
Onward.
Laurie

http://www.authorbiz.com/

"A Little Break Would Do You Good"

2012-02-15T16:16:00.001-06:00

It has been a long silence for me on this blog and I regret that. I've been "busy in the doing." The launching of 2012 began with an onslaught of wonderful consulting jobs that had me on the run, but now things are settling into a more normal pace, as I suspect they are for you too.

For the writer and book author, the deeper into their writing they go, the more people there are saying "Hey, come on over, a break would do you good. We'll open some wine..." It's the law of nature. Tempting. But. Dangerous.

To the outside world, what's the big deal if you take an evening, a day, or a weekend now and then to get away from "the book" and play. "It might inspire you and give you ideas!" True. Unfortunately, you have no shortage of ideas and the slightest inopportune interruption can hijack a train of thought that has taken you days (or weeks!) to get to, which you might never get back.

I recommend explaining to family and friends early on that when you put up the Do Not Disturb sign, for however long it is up, it really does mean "Don't even knock to ask if I want a cup of coffee." That you are constructing a piece of writing that has every bit the architecture of designing and building a new house. That in order for you to have original thought and to express it at your highest capability, you must periodically withdraw altogether from the world at large.

The DND sign, however, comes with a promise: There will be a party!

Until then, stay in the cocoon of your mind.
Onward!
Laurie
http://www.authorbiz.com/

WRITE IT, DON'T TELL IT

2011-11-23T14:29:00.001-06:00

As holidays approach, I am mindful of how this messes with authors. Just when you are “getting somewhere” on that chapter or piece, a holiday or work project comes up to hold you hostage. “I’ll never get back into it. I’m going to lose the momentum I have,” you lament. The only solution I have found for this is to –

not worry about the full writing of it—just keep jotting notes, thoughts, fragments down in the notebook you keep on you at all times. This can even be just words you scribble down, which will trigger the whole thought;
KEEP QUIET--do NOT tell what you are planning to write to anyone, which will only ensure that you will never write it

This last point is critical. Every time you TELL someone what you are going to write, you give away the very heart and soul of it, and you will never fully write it as you first envisioned it. Really.

WRITE first, TELL later.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Laurie

http://www.authorbiz.com/

Self-Publishing After Being Published: New Questions Arise

2011-11-18T10:20:00.000-06:00

Most authors feel loyalty to their agents who have placed their books with a traditional publisher, and been at their side through the early years. So now the question arises: Once there has been termination of those contracts, with reversion of rights, and the author now self-publishes the book to keep it in print, should the agent continue to receive commission?

Most, if not all, Agency Agreements signed prior to 2010 probably do not have a provision for this scenario. All newer Agreements certainly will.

The author can argue that the contract(s) which the agent placed are terminated and completed. And just as the author has the right to terminate his or her agent for next books, he/she has the right to re-license the book whose rights have reverted, and it is under completely new publishing contracts.

The agent can argue that he/she created the opportunity through all the original sales and licensing and the intent of the original Agency Agreement was that he/she would be the agent of record on this book no matter how many lives it has.

The Author then thinks, gee, what has this agent done for me lately? And true, the agent should earn the commission doing something, but the original selling of the book is not NOTHING...it did create all further opportunity.

The Agent thinks of all the work and hours invested in this author that have never been paid for no matter how many sales or licenses were placed…

The Author thinks, well, I haven’t been paid all I should have earned either, that’s why we were partners…

Agent: And we still are partners, and you don’t know what I could do for you in the future.

The author thinks the agent seems greedy. The agent thinks the author seems greedy and ungrateful.

There is a contractual aspect, of course, that says if it isn’t provided for in the Agreement, the author doesn’t have to give the agent anything further. But it might be vague, or implied, and this necessitates the discussion, consideration, and decision, case by case. Even if the Agreement allows the author to take self-publishing elsewhere, that doesn’t mean it’s the smart thing to do, or the ethical thing to do. Don't draw a line: consider all sides, consider the future as well as this moment, and make your decision based on working relationships that you want in your professional life.

Tell me what you think. Let’s hear from each other on this.

Lauriewww.authorbiz.com

2011-10-31T20:29:00.002-05:00

Halloween is a great reminder for writers. It’s time to put on

someone else’s clothes and get a whole new perspective on this

book…. Take Captain Jack Sparrow for instance… now, what

would his take on things be? (Not yours!) Spend a day as someone else,

Besides having fun, it can’t do anything but help get you

unstuck from the grooves you’re digging in rewrites.

Break free!

Captain Jack

The Quickest Way to Kill Your Online Success

2011-10-02T18:48:00.000-05:00

Reprinted with permission from "The Book Marketing Expert newsletter," a free ezine offering book promotion and publicity tips and techniques. http://www.amarketingexpert.com/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

by Penny Sansevieri

I have a friend who lives in San Diego. She and her boyfriend rented this lovely home outside of the city. They have tons of land, a great house. It was really a fantastic deal. Since they were in such a good place, the rent was cheap and they had no intention of moving anytime soon, they decided to do some minor renovations to the house. This became their "weekend warrior" project. They'd paint, tinker, plant and in the end, they had a great and slightly improved property. Then one day the owner stopped by for a visit. "Bad news," he said, "I need to sell this property and I have a buyer who wants to offer top dollar, in a market like this I'm sure you understand why I need to take it." They had 30 days to move out.

Now, you might think this is a very sad and unfair situation, but it happens all the time. And it doesn't just happen to real estate, it happens online too. It's a great thing, this social networking, but what a lot of people forget is that you don't own the sites you are populating. While Facebook owns the world (pretty much) right now, things could change. But more than that, sometimes a slight "uh-oh" from you and a slight violation of the site's terms of service can cause you a world of grief. We had a client several years ago who built up 5,000 friends on his personal profile. I kept cautioning him about doing promotion on that page as Facebook has rules against doing promotion on a personal profile. He continued to do promotion (though not heavy) and lost his page. He never got it back. His entire tribe of 5,000 people was lost in the minute it took Facebook to pull down that page.

Don't get me wrong, it's great to utilize these tools and promote yourself, but just remember: as much as you might feel "at home" on Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, YouTube, and Twitter, you don't own these properties. They do. Be smart and make sure you aren't making these sites the center of your success. Here are a few tips to help you own your real estate:

Website. You should always, always, always have a website. I know some authors who use Facebook as their websites. Big mistake. I know other authors who get a website that doesn't belong to them, meaning they are part of a community of free sites they don't own. If the community decides to stop doing websites and goes away, guess what happens? So does your content.

Smart Social Media. One of the things I really recommend is that you center all of your content around your website. That's partially why I suggest linking your blog to Facebook and Twitter. The content starts on your site and gets funneled from there, rather than in reverse.

Other ways to promote. Consider other ways to promote your stuff that isn't social media centric. Interviews on (other) blogs or websites, for instance. Yes, you are still putting stuff out there on other sites, I'm not saying not to. I'm saying that you need to make sure that whatever content you put out there is reflected on your site as well.

Duplicate content. There's a problem with posting huge amounts of duplicate content online, but unless you are pushing hundreds of pieces out a month, I doubt you have anything to worry about. However, the flip side is that you want to make sure you have copies of all the content you put out there. If you're uploading a video on YouTube, don't delete it off of your computer because you think it's "safe" on this site. It may very well be, but if you lose your page or YouTube gets bought (again) and morphs into something else, you're in trouble.

Enhanced website. When I talked about having a website, I'm not just talking about having a one or two-pager. I mean have a robust site packed with content. Make sure that you have a blog, and you might consider adding a resource section, etc. All information about your books should be on the site (don't rely on Amazon to house this for you) and be sure that any ordering information is on your site as well. Wait! You might ask, is Amazon in danger of going away? Not likely. But as they've shown in the past by pulling down books and buy buttons without warning: Amazon can do whatever it wants.

Traffic. So, the nitty gritty of promotion is what? Sales, right? Sure, and exposure too (though I think you should target exposure first, then sales, but that's another article). If you're sending all of your traffic to social media sites, guess what? Your website traffic is probably pretty low or non-existent. If you send traffic to social media sites guess who benefits? Well, certainly you do in the way of exposure, but long-term this isn't a good plan. Let me explain why.

If you aren't promoting your site as the center of the universe, and instead pushing people to social media sites, then your website isn't getting those super valuable incoming links from blogs, websites, etc. that you are promoting yourself to. As a result, your site will sink in Google rankings. That means if you lost one or more of your social media sites, you could certainly pick up the pieces and start sending people to your site, but that will be a long, hard haul. Better to focus on that now and gather that traffic, along with the buzz you create in social media, so you aren't caught with a zero starting point if anything happens.

You might think that the moral of this story is a slightly paranoid "trust no one" mantra but it's not. It's about protecting your stuff and being a smart and savvy author. You would never open up a store in a mall without a lease that locked you in for a certain amount of time, right? While there are no guarantees in anything, you need to be smart about all of these wonderful, free, not-owned-by-you social media sites. You might do a fantastic job of driving traffic, fans, and likes to various pages. But the reality is that you should focus on what you own, your website. I love my social media sites and yes, it's a widely known fact that I'm addicted to Twitter. Yet they aren't the center of my online universe, my website is. Yours should be, too.
____________________________________________________________________________

Thought you should know--
Laurie

www.authorbiz.com

Reading in Bed

2011-07-26T17:39:00.000-05:00

This is wonderful and fun—and a reminder that we can do this even as an adult:

http://www.trendir.com/interiors/diy-reading-nook-inspired-design-idea.html

Thanks to http://dcuniversegirl.tumblr.com/

Laurie
www.authorbiz.com

The World Without Bookstores

2011-07-20T09:39:00.000-05:00

For quite some time we’ve heard people wondering out loud about a world without bookstores. It’s understandable, we all see stores closing right and left no matter where you live, and now Borders is officially history. As publishing people, we have to ask: Does it matter if we have only online bookstores, Target, Wal-Mart and the like?

Of course I love going in actual bookstores—who doesn’t!-- whether it’s Borders, Barnes & Noble, my local Red Balloon Bookshop for children, Sixth Chamber used books, Garrison Keillor’s Common Good Books, Louise Erdrich’s Birchbark Books in Minneapolis, or my old haunts in the Bay Area—Kepler’s, Book Passage. So many fabulous bookstores, so little time.

But where do I BUY my books?

Honestly? I have bought mostly online for at least ten years now. I have a budget like most people—price matters. Time matters—I don’t like running around looking for books that are not on the shelves. I go to bookstores to browse and see the books, pick them up, and spend time with them. And then I buy books I didn’t know I was going to have to buy—budget be damned. But for books I know I want or need to read for work, I buy them online quickly, efficiently, and with free shipping. I don’t think I’m different from most people. So no wonder bookstores have seen their business drop and drop and drop…..and that was before the e-book explosion.

Historically, when the corporate chain stores first opened (and I’m sadly old enough to remember when they were new) it was all about huge selection and price leverage over the independents. The price wars were between the chain and the independent bookstores. Right there and then we started watching the painful disappearance of hundreds of independent stores as Borders, Barnes & Noble, and other chains came in down the block from them (every bit like You’ve Got Mail).

Then came Amazon, and even the corporate bookstores cried FOWL and struggled to compete with Amazon’s pricing. Then Amazon became King Kong, calling major shots and ruling the publishing show in many ways. The brick-and-mortar bookstores started losing their power way back then, over a decade ago. E-books and online commerce just finished something that had already started.

Do we care if Borders or Barnes & Noble is gone? That is a world I can envision and not lose any sleep over. As author Brian Freeman says: “First, large retailers don't devote much real estate to books, so their selection is extremely limited. If your name isn't James Patterson or Nora Roberts, you may never wind up on their shelves, which means readers will find it harder to browse and discover new writers.”

Having no physical bookstores is the biggest problem for the new and “midlist” authors because readers need to browse in order to find them. For the average author—anyone who isn’t a bestselling name—it doesn’t matter what happens to any of the chain stores. It matters what happens to the independent booksellers. It matters that authors continue to have avenues to be published, that their books are available in as many formats as possible, and that they have both online and offline avenues to connect to readers.

Independent booksellers are the ones who have always served their communities, reading new authors, bringing those authors into the store for readings and talks, and being live “shelf talkers” for books. The independent booksellers put new authors’ books on tables and in window displays, and in many, many cases put the author on the bestseller lists.

I don’t think we’re looking at a world with no bookstores, rather, a world of fewer stores. And if ever we are going to vote with our dollars and make sure our local independent bookstores stay in our communities, now is the time. It’s going to take every one of us, me included, dedicated to putting our business where we want it to matter. So even if you’re buying online, buy online from an independent store. The independent booksellers were here long before the corporate box stores and it’s up to us to make sure they are here long after “the chains” are gone.

Bowker, PubTrack Consumer, and Publishersmarketplace (subscription site) conducted a joint survey on book-buying trends as Borders closes its doors. Here is an excerpt:
by Sarah Weinman on July 19, 2011

As we reported last month, the good news for the trade is that more of those primary Borders customers expect to continue to patronize bookstores than one might expect. If a Borders is not available to them, just over half of the group says they would find another bookstore, and 27.6 percent say their book purchases would move online. Only 8.3 percent expect that they would buy fewer books if the chain goes out of business, and another 20 percent expect to borrow more books from the library.

Separately, a surprisingly loyal 14.7 percent say they would move their business to Borders.com, assuming such a site survives. That response alone could indicate a reason for others to consider bidding on the website--similar to Pearson's acquisition of the Borders and Angus & Robertson websites in Australia. (Another 7 percent says their book buying would not change, so it's not clear what they would do.) As you would expect, the anticipated change in book acquisition behavior was smaller for those people who don't see Borders as their primary bookstore.

If A Borders Store Was Not Available, How Would This Impact Your Book Purchasing?
When Borders Is the Primary Bookstore:

• Would Buy Fewer Books 8.3%

• Would Buy More eBooks 5.7%

• Would Borrow More Library Books 19.9%

• Would Buy From Borders.com 14.7%

• Would Buy More At Other Online Stores 27.6%

• Would Find Another Bookstore 49.9%

• Purchasing Would Not Change 7.2%

When Borders Is Not the Primary Bookstore:

• Would Buy Fewer Books 3.7%

• Would Buy More eBooks 3.7%

• Would Borrow More Library Books 17.5%

• Would Buy From Borders.com 4.5%

• Would Buy More At Other Online Stores 22.0%

• Would Find Another Bookstore 53.3%

• Purchasing Would Not Change 25.2%
                                   #######

In Mitch Albom’s tribute to Borders, he said:

“It grew from a dimly lit space to a high-ceilinged warehouse to a coffee-smelling, couch-laden superstore to a multipurpose entertainment outlet. The old bookstores were swallowed by chains. Packaging, bundling, synergizing and the tantalization of profits became the principles. Actual books in these places seemed to be an afterthought, nudged aside by videos, calendars, music and electronics.
         But Borders? Surely Borders was safe, right? Didn't we have a soft spot for them? Anyone who ever made that pilgrimage to Ann Arbor on a Sunday afternoon, anyone who ever lost track of the hours while cooing at the sheer enormity of the written word, would insist, absolutely and without hesitation, that Borders, like mankind, would somehow survive.
         Instead, we are once again reminded that no matter how lovely the casing, how beautiful the print, how fetching the binding or how stunning the cover, business is still business.
         And books are a tough business.”

                                   #######

And last, let’s hear from the booksellers themselves, as they bid Borders goodbye:
Shelf Awareness had an interesting Goodbye to Borders.

Now if this blog has not made you want to run out right now and buy a book from your local independent bookseller, read it again!

Laurie
www.authorbiz.com

MEMOIR: What Makes It Publishable?

2011-07-04T21:11:00.005-05:00

The beauty of a memoir is that it can be funny, sad, poignant, outrageous…it is voice-driven creative narrative, which gives each writer a broad canvas. The trick, of course, is to understand the natural style, structure, tone, and voice that your story calls for. And that your own personality demands.

So it’s one thing to write it. It’s another to offer it to The Public Reader. What’s in it for the Reader? Readers can be swept away by the sheer beauty of language in a memoir, or the imagery. Sometimes we’re carried along by the vivid portrayal of events, or the surprising circumstance and turn of events of the story. A memoir can change the way people see the world, or think about their own lives. It can inspire us; caution us; maybe even save someone else the hell you’ve been through.

Many memoirs begin as catharsis for the writer, a way to figure out a life lived. Often a memoir is the writer’s final piece at the end of a long personal journey. Many new writers begin one simply because everyone keeps telling them to write one. I am always thrilled to read one that just stuns me with its craft, story, voice, insight, and thoughtfulness. “Unforgettable” would be one of the highest compliments a memoirist could hope for.

So why are so many authors having a hard time getting their memoirs published?

The memoir presents a marketing problem for the publisher right off the bat—unless you’re a celebrity or well-known author, so I won’t beat around the bush on that. An agent and then an editor can absolutely adore your book, and get shot down in five seconds by a marketing team. Since it’s the first thing a publisher looks at when considering ANY book, including memoir, let’s get a grip on this first.

Ask yourself what the marketing people ask the editor, agent, and author:

What is the hook of this memoir? (Preferably in one sentence.)

What makes it media-worthy? (Timely topic? Rare circumstance? Common dilemma? Shocking discovery?—write the press release on it)

What is the author’s internet presence? (blog? tweet? Facebook? fan base? etc)

How will the author promote this book and reach readers?

Until you can answer these questions intelligently and thoughtfully, the rest of the publishing process is moot. Beautiful writing won’t overcome insufficient marketing possibilities.

Now let’s assume you have addressed the marketing aspects, so we can address the editors’ evaluation of the memoir.

Writing: Beyond the ability to simply write well, an editor looks for an original, compelling voice uniquely expressing a sensibility and viewpoint from which that author’s particular set of life experiences are told. Such a voice, combined with skillful writing, can make even a commonplace story come alive. Without it, even the most gripping story will have low-impact on the page. And the editor looks for the memoir to be enlightening, reflective, and/or inspiring, as opposed to confessional. [Note: The commercial success of confessional memoirs typically belongs to celebrities, those involved in scandals, or for prurient interests or shock factor (Confessions of a Madam…of a stripper…of a recovering transvestite addict….etc). ]

Content: One of the most common reasons for rejection is “Not fresh enough.” This translates to “Many people have similar experiences or thoughts; I have seen a lot of this.” Imagine how many stories editors have read about sexual abuse; overcoming dysfunctional family upbringing; recovering from alcoholism or other addictions; weight loss battles; mother-daughter struggles; father-daughter struggles; coming-to-terms-with-motherhood; depression and/or mental illness; chronic or terminal illness; caring-for-elderly-parents. If you don’t have a particularly unique kind of story, use your unique personality, voice, humor, and perspective to make your memoir stand out.

Another common rejection: “Lacks a structure to pull it all together.” This means you’re busy just telling us what happened (“and then…and then…and then…”), without any framework or underlying message or direction to give it context, momentum, cohesiveness, and meaning. If you don’t put in the emotional, psychological, spiritual, or mental aspects that are inherent in the stories and experiences, there is nothing for editors or readers to latch onto, no reason to keep reading. “Here’s what happened to me” is pretty presumptuous, if you think about it. “Here’s what I learned,” on the other hand, opens a door for the reader and says “Maybe you’ll benefit from hearing my story.”

Here are some helpful resources for you, among many:
http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Selling-Your-Memoir-Somebody/dp/1599631350/ref=sr_1_12?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1309830636&sr=1-12

http://www.writersdigest.com/article/walls-big10/

http://www.suite101.com/content/the-craft-of-memoir-writing-a218447
http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/13-FE-AnnetteFix.html

I hope this will help you do the final shaping of your memoir, long after you’ve written your first couple drafts that are for you, after you’ve made some editorial passes, and are now focused on the final shaping for the reader, and the publisher.

Onward!
Laurie
http://www.authorbiz.com/

When Your Way Forward is Backwards

2011-04-02T21:19:00.022-05:00

There are two sides to the book you want to write: (1) what you are inspired to write (2) what your readers want to read. You might think these two sides will inevitably meet, and let's hope they will (without that long-sounding "inevitably"). You will save yourself many rewrites and a lot of pain if you figure out # 2 first, and then back into # 1.

If your book is nonfiction, consider:

What problem are you solving for your reader?

What puzzle are you solving?

What information are you providing that readers know they need to know?

What is your reader's body of knowledge that are you building on?

What is the actual "hook" of your book that will trigger their interest?

What have you done for the reader by the time they close the book?

If you're writing a novel, consider:

What journey are you taking your reader on?

What beliefs are you challenging?

What vision are you inspiring?

Which fears are you playing on?

In what way should the reader be moved by this story?

And after the last page, what makes him or her want to start reading this book all over again?

When you know these things, you are ready to write your book. Never forget your reader.

Laurie
www.authorbiz.com
Photo credit: 2011 Bing images

When Interesting is Deadly

2011-02-09T10:13:00.013-06:00

For nonfiction books, one of the Great Divides between what sells and what doesn't, is:

NEED to know

INTERESTING to know

Gee, you can almost feel the difference just saying each one. Guess which one flies off the shelf?

Let's say you're in the bookstore perusing the health shelf because you always have a sore back. There's one prominently featured book titled A History of Back Pain: Medical Advances for Those in Pain. The book next to it is titled NO MORE BACK PAIN. Which one do you pick up?

Or, you're a constant dieter. You're addicted to that shelf in the bookstore. One title: WHY ENDLESS DIETS DON'T WORK. Next to it: YOUR LAST DIET: You Can Finally Meet Your Goals. Which one do you pick up?

Or, you're still trying to learn to budget after all these years. You go to the finance/business bookshelf. One book titled THE ESSENTIALS of BUDGETING catches your eye: Next to it is HOW TO LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS WHEN YOU NEVER HAVE.

The "need to know" combined with a promise to you is almost irresistible. First, the title speaks to you directly about the problem you want solved. As soon as you see the title, you know you need to know what it has to say. Second, it makes a promise to truly solve your problem, once and for all. Whether it ultimately does or not, it's the title and the promise that make you buy THAT book instead of the others. You can buy the "interesting" ones some other day. Today you'll buy the one you NEED to have.

If you're working on your nonfiction book, outline, or proposal, stop and make sure you are casting, titling, and writing the book that solves the NEED TO KNOW. You can have "interesting" things sprinkled throughout the book, but you're only going to get your potential readers to choose yours if they NEED to know it and want what you promise.

And this is as blessedly brief as I can be on the topic. :-)

Laurie

http://www.authorbiz.com/

Photo credit: famousreadingcafe.blogspot.com

Speaking Into Silence

2011-02-04T21:26:00.031-06:00

For an author, the publishing process can be like an awkward conversation with a stranger; filled with clumsy silences.

When you write a book, you are initially having a conversation with yourself; a very deep and exciting conversation. But when this conversation eventually extends to the publishing community--writers, agents, and publishers--suddenly the conversation may make you feel like you're on a blind date. Awkward. Foreign. With fits and starts, and enough silences to drive you mad.

In the normal course of life, we're all used to communication being relatively immediate; with text messages, emails, and phone calls returned. In publishing, however, it's "take a number."

Isn't this rude? Yes.

Isn't this unprofessional? Not really. It isn't personal--really.

When you give your manuscript to a friend to read, they might read it in two days, for you. They know how excited you are and how much work you have put into it. They know you are waiting to hear from them.

When you give your manuscript to a freelance editor, they will tell you their schedule and when to expect their feedback. Fair enough. But then you get to the Agent Stage.

While it's natural to expect that when you have done your homework and sent off your query to the agents--exactly as stipulated in their agent listings--that you will receive a courteous acknowledgement of your query, perhaps, and certainly a timely response. . .you probably won't. Instead, what you'll get is silence. The first really clumsy and painful one.

Hey, did you get my query? you want to ask. Two weeks go by. Four weeks go by. While your brain is spinning with What did I do wrong? Can I call them? What should I do?, the agent is fully and legitimately occupied with the daily work for his or her existing clients (selling, negotiating, meeting/calling editors, managing and problem solving, licensing rights, etc).

Agents are always interested in new clients and fabulous new books, but incoming unsolicited non-referred queries are not high on the daily priorities. The hard truth is that agents typically set aside a particular time during the week to look at new queries. Sometimes they get through five queries that week, sometimes twenty. But an agency will typically receive between 50 and 100 queries a week. . .hence, the delay in responding to you.

Publishing house editors have an even steeper time challenge. The editor's daily life consists of meetings (editorial, sales, title and positioning meetings, production, etc), phone and emails with agents and authors, negotiations on new books, agent meetings...they are lucky to have one hour of any day to edit. Most reading and editing is done at home in the evenings and weekends. Remember, each editor is managing new books bought, books delivered and now in production, books just launching at publication, and books previously published. It isn't a stretch to see how they might not respond to a query for three weeks, even at the best of times.

As has always been the case, the sheer volume of manuscripts funneling in to agents and publishers prohibits timely response. Count on it and put the periods of silence to best use.

While waiting for agents or publishers to reply:

Work on your website, content and search engine optimization. Make sure it showcases the work you do, your speaking and workshops (including your schedule). Don't showcase your book until it is near publication date--people only want to hear about a book they can buy in the next two weeks. Potential agents and publishers look at your website and blog to see how effective you will be at driving your audience to the book, how many people are you getting in front of,your client base, your following.
Build out your network for speaking, workshops, seminars, panels, conferences, etc. It is never too early to build the network. READ and FOLLOW GET KNOWN BEFORE YOUR BOOK COMES OUT by Christina Katz (and no, I don't get paid to recommend it).
Write more chapters of your book, if you have not completed it--even if you're largely drafting them or completing the research. If you are selling your book via proposal, outline and sample chapters only, you will speed up the delivery time for final manuscript and possibly get an earlier publication date if you get ahead now.
Get a jump on Permissions, if you're going to need any for your book. Permissions can take months to complete and they are due along with your final manuscript, which becomes a big hassle for many authors. Get organized: source all your material/locate your files, determine what permissions you will need, and locate the copyright holders and contact information for them.
Continue to research agencies--online and in resource directories. As you find those whom you think are a good match for you, read a couple of their authors' books. Don't lose time waiting while five or ten agents have your query or proposal/manuscript. Be prepared to send the next queries if necessary. It only takes one agent to say YES.
Note about Form Letters: We all bemoan the use of form letters, but honestly, they are essential to the sanity of the agents. You are basically asking, Are You Interested In Me or This Book? It is perfectly okay that they say No -- if they aren't. Fair enough. A form letter is annoying but you still got your answer. Move on. Don't let it stop you. Do more research. Ask more agents.

While your book is in production and your are waiting for it to be Published!

Work on endorsements. Endorsements can take a long time because not everyone says yes, and when they do, they need long lead times. And the bigger the Name Author, the less likely you are to get your request to them without connections. You may need friends-of-friends, or your agent, or your editor, to help you make contact to get to them. Start early!
Switch your brain to marketing. Read RED HOT INTERNET PUBLICITY by Penny Sansevieri; 1001 Ways to Market Your Book by John Kremer; and The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't by Carolyn Howard-Johnson. These are going to give you more ideas than you'll have time or energy to do, but spend the time to weed out the best of their advice for your book and your goals.
Start work on the Author Marketing Questionnaire (which you'll get from your publisher). Write up a synopsis of your book in three ways: 250 words; 500 words; and one sentence. You will need to do this once your book is sold to a publisher, and now you have the time to do it right. This Questionnaire will be used by the publisher to sell your book to booksellers and distributors, as well as by publicists to the media. Think of these summaries as sales pitches that can be used in different ways by different people on your team.
Do your Blogger research. Research bloggers so you know before publication which bloggers could be helpful in spreading the word about your book. Who has your audience? Who is a logical connection for you? Study who, what, where, when and why...how will you approach them? How can you partner? What do you have to offer them? Figure out the strategies and do the prep work.
Research magazines you want to contact, to either excerpt your book, or have you write for for them (using your by-line to promote your book). If you know nothing about selling to magazines, start studying! Magazine presence is extremely helpful for driving sales of your book(s) and people to your website. They have a big reach.

Perhaps one of the cruelest silences is when your book is published. It's The Moment. It has shipped to the world. It is Available. And there is the Silence. You start checking Amazon sales maniacally. You go to your local bookstore; they have two copies. You turn your copies cover-out on the shelf, or better yet, swap them onto a table display on your way out!

There is generally about a a 3-month lag time for all the pre-launch and launch marketing work to show up in sales figures. Galleys have gone out for reviews, pitches have been made for radio interviews, perhaps magazine excerpting. The books have physically shipped to distributors and bookstores, it's listed online, you have your website cooking along, and perhaps are blogging. And still the silence.

The good news? Your book is out--you don't have time to worry about the silence anymore. You have a marketing plan to execute, goals to reach, and you know how to use your time wisely.

Your agent and publisher love you because you spend your time telling the world about our book. The more you do, the less silence there will be.

Laurie
www.authorbiz.com

Photo credit: Spacewall/Hubble

Advances: They're Good...Right?

2011-01-07T15:21:00.024-06:00

Let's wade into the quagmire of publishers' advances to authors. They used to be a lot bigger, we know that. But in good times or bad, there is a certain thinking that goes into them, from the publisher's and the author's perspectives.

Here's how the author thinks about it: (1.) The more the publisher pays up front, the more they are forced to market my book. (2.) The more money I get, the more I can put into marketing and publicity for the book. (3.) The more they pay, the more my book means to them. (4.) The more they pay, the faster I can write the whole book. (5.) I'll be embarrassed to get a lower advance than my friend got for his book.

Here's how the publisher thinks about it: (1.) Advances are not meant to fund the writing of a book. It's a good faith payment in advance of royalty earnings, as a contribution. (2.) It is calculated on estimated first year's sales -- at a minimal level [read "worst case"]. (3.) If the author really believes in her book, she will be willing to wait for the royalties and be a vested partner in its publishing.

These are both legitimate points of view. So how does a savvy author think about advances? For starters, don't lump all publishers into one category. If a smaller independent publisher offers you a $4500 advance, that may be the equivalent of Random House offering you $45,000--by scale. There are also very different incentives between the two. The smaller independent has to sell every book because otherwise it goes bankrupt. The larger corporate publisher can write off a loss and survive it (for at least another decade). The larger publisher can underperform at every turn and not really know it. The motivation for marketing is always stronger with a smaller independent publisher. This is important to authors.

Of course, the larger corporate publisher has deeper distribution channels, wider networks. This has traditionally been a big plus for larger publishers. But in today's publishing, it doesn't matter as much with more books selling in non-bookstore channels, and largely online.

Half of your author brain is saying "I can see that I'm better off with a strong marketing publisher behind the book year in and year out," but the other half is saying "Grab the cash and the publisher can do what they want with the book--I've been paid!"

Answer these questions:

1. Where are my readers most likely to buy my book--in a bookstore or online? In paperback or as an ebook?

2. Where and how will I be marketing the book, predominantly--online or by speaking and traveling, giving workshops?

3. What do I need the publisher for? (editing, production, distribution, media access, in-bookstore presence)

When you understand your book in these terms, you start to understand what kind of publisher is most suited for you, and what your priorities are. You then understand how the advance will work within these parameters, and you will have a realistic grasp on how to make choices.

I'm a proponent of good advances for authors, but I'm not in favor of overpayment, for one good reason: When the author takes a large advance and the book does not earn out, that publisher will not touch your next book. The love affair is over. You can end up a one-book wonder pretty quickly. If you can take less on the first book and be sure to earn out, you pave the way for a publisher to support your second book, and to leverage up your advance and marketing support from the publisher. A better bet long-term.

You only profit when your publisher profits.

Laurie

www.authorbiz.com

To Read or Not To Read: The Author's Dilemma

2010-12-31T13:36:00.012-06:00

The other day one of my favorite authors brought up a familiar Author's Dilemma: The more she reads in her genre and area of interest, the more she thinks everything she wants to write about has been said.

Many new writers respond to this by not reading. This is not a savvy author's decision. Tempting, but not smart. Blissful ignorance catches up and bites you when you go to get an agent or publisher, when you have to demonstrate your familiarity with authors "on your shelf"--competitive intelligence, so to speak. You have to ultimately position yourself as a writer, identifying your readership, which is often done by way of what else your audience is reading. You also have to position your book's message or sensibility within what is already published, in order for a publisher to see how to market and position you within the field. Blissful or stubborn ignorance is publishing suicide.

So how to keep reading and remain (a) fresh with your own thinking, (b) largely uninfluenced by the style and content of other authors, and (c) confident in your writing?

Maintain fresh thinking: If the book you are writing is largely informational (as in a self-help or reference/resource book) then "fresh thought" may not apply: The information already either exists in a useful form or it doesn't. But if your book involves narrative, reflection, forming a perspective on something, analyzing something towards a given mission or objective, and such, which is unique to the writer's mind, experiences, and "voice," there is room for you. Whether your arena is memoir or business books, readers read across a wide variety of authors on the same topic because this is how they figure out their own thinking, how they are ultimately satisfied in their quest for particular knowledge.

And let's be honest: You are informed and influenced by what you read, which doesn't mean you are stealing someone's work, any more than discussing ideas in a group means you've taken others' ideas. You should be diligent in tracking what you read, sourcing what you might use (for later permissions), and to be able to find something later if you want to make sure you are not guilty of copyright infringement. But you don't stop thinking because other people have thoughts. What you write will one day influence other writers as well.

The confidence in your writing comes from listening to your own heart and mind, staying solidly within yourself. No imitation, no attempt to be like someone else or to conform to prevailing wisdom. Listen to your own unique voice--that one in your head. Let it out, with all that makes you Y-O-U. If something is compelling you, driving you to follow, then get it on paper. Don't let someone else stop you. Whether you later decide to publish or not publish doesn't matter: What matters is that you first explore what you have to, find the answers you need. To thine own self be true. The rest will sort itself out.

So happy New Year to you -- happy new year of exploration!

Laurie
www.authorbiz.com

Remember: No one else knows, or even really cares, what all happened before The Book became The Book. Only you know. If it started as one kind of book and morphed into another, your reader doesn't know. If it has taken you ten years and you're half way there, your future reader doesn't know. And as you get closer to the book's completion, you, too, will forget all the side-winding, bizarre oops-moments.

Your reader's experience begins when they pick up the book and start to read the first page.

So start again today, and take the reader on the journey you want to take them on. Never mind the woulda, coulda, shoulda.

You are here, now. Lead the way.

Laurie

http://www.authorbiz.com/

Feedback From Hell

2010-11-20T18:38:00.007-06:00

No, I'm not referring to rejection letters from editors and agents, though that can be feedback from hell. Have you given your manuscript to your writing group for feedback? Or the writing class for fellow student's critique? To your group of friends who have long heard about this book you're writing?

That would be the feedback I'm talking about. Not because it's necessarily bad or wrong feedback, but because it is very often too much feedback, and not at the right time for you to hear it. When you get too much feedback too early in your process, your brain scrambles to make sense of conflicting feedback and tries to address it all. You lose the book you set out to write. This is so common that it deserves a blog of its own.

Once you have written many drafts of your book, perhaps had some qualified editor feedback, and are secure in what your book is about, who it is for, how it needs to work, then you can get feedback that will help refine or clarify things for the reader. At this stage, you can decipher helpful suggestions or comments from sheer opinion or "what I would have done" tips. You won't be sent off on the wrong track because your own gut will tell you which suggestions make sense; which ones tap a nerve about something that bothered you too.

If, however, you are on the first or second draft, still pondering structure, focus, characters, plot, and such, then the feedback is more often confusing, derailing, frustrating, and damaging. Many an author has come to me with his or her book in a jumbled mess from all the rewrites and critiques. There is only one thing to do: (1) mediate on and remember what the core idea was that set you off to write this book in the first place (your actual inspiration), and (2) start again, not reading or using anything that has already been written. Write it now, informed only by what has stayed in your head.

You can avoid this nightmare by waiting to submit your work until you are far enough along, secure in the basics of what you're writing. Yes, be open to outside feedback. Yes, listen to critiques you are not inclined to want to hear. But remember that the most important aspect of feedback is that it points out a problem for your reader. How you address the problem is entirely up to you. Sort through it all, and then listen to your gut.

OR, if forced to provide work for critique, sacrifice a new piece for that purpose; not your work that is not ready.

Laurie

www.authorbiz.com/
Photo credit: (c)2009 L Harper

In the Eye of the Storm

2010-11-20T11:49:00.009-06:00

This blog has been silent, but not because the publishing world is quiet--that's for sure. In fact, I have seen good energy and activity with publishers large and small the last six months, and reports from the fall Frankfurt Book Fair expressed relief for the rebound from last year's depressed mood. Publishing is still tricky for everyone and no one is throwing money around, but with a careful match of author, book, and publisher, and some measure of patience and luck, a reasonable deal can still be put together like the "good ol' days."

Publishers are putting out e-books and digitalizing the backlists as fast as they can, making a significant investment, as they should. Authors are smartly evaluating whether the "e-book revolution" is an opportunity for them to brand themselves and self-publish or if they benefit from having a traditional publisher. And of course the broad answer, as always, is "There are advantages to either -- it just depends." If your book needs to be in a brick-and-mortar bookstore to find its broadest readership, and you have the marketing muscle to back that up, then a traditional publisher would be essential. If you can find your readership online and market accordingly, then the economics might dictate self-branding and self-publishing online, where you keep more of the earnings. Either way you have to do the marketing--it's your book and only you can win over an audience to become your loyal reading fans.

If you're sitting in the eye of the storm, wondering what to do with your book and confused about which way is the right way for you to go, here's your to-do list:

1. Keep writing the book. Only stop writing it if you lose interest in it yourself.

2. Do some speaking on the book's topic if it is nonfiction--get some test-runs under your belt. Get appropriate networking at least up and running, to build on later.

3. Finish the book.

4. Edit the book.

5. If nonfiction, write a proposal for your book (see archives of this blog for pointers on proposals). If it is fiction, write your synopsis and "pitch" query for agent and publishers.

You can always choose to self-publish, but write your book and do all the work to be ready for agents and traditional publishers. If in the end this either does not work out or you decide the offers are not good enough, then the work was not in vain because you are miles ahead on being prepared to successfully self-publish. If you go the traditional route with an agent and/or publisher, having the manuscript completed, edited, and ready to go will give you more leverage with the deal and speed up the publication date. You win either way.

Being in the eye of the storm gives you the opportunity to gather information, consider your options, make a plan, batten down the hatches and prepare. Then give it your best shot. Onward!

Laurie

http://www.authorbiz.com/

What the Editors Bought Recently (Nonfiction)

2010-06-28T19:42:00.004-05:00

This is an interesting, diverse group of new publisher purchases that might fascinate you:

Advice/Relationships

Deb Brody at Harlequin bought Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe's untitled book about dating, mating and sometimes hating Hot Men of the Otherworld, to be designed like a woman's magazine.

Business/Investing/Finance

Kathe Sweeney at Jossey-Bass bought Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management Professor James Shein's REVERSING THE SLIDE: A Strategic Guide to Turnarounds and Corporate Renewal, illustrating how to reverse any corporation's decline and identify distressed companies as investment opportunities.

Tim Sullivan at Basic Books picked up Kellogg School of Management professor Leigh Thompson's THE CREATIVE CONSPIRACY: How the Science of Collaboration Can Transform Your Organization, offering surprising and counter-intuitive findings about teams and innovation that will challenge managers and leaders to adopt some unconventional, controversial, and downright blasphemous best practices.

David Owens's THINKING INSIDE THE BOX: Recognizing and Overcoming the Innovation Barriers in Your Organization went to Susan Williams at Jossey-Bass, explaining to managers that to create real innovation in their organizations they must present a compelling and irrefutable case that motivates their people to adopt all of the changes that the innovation demands.

If you want to make millions on our idea, you'll want entrepreneur and licensing expert Stephen Key's ONE SIMPLE IDEA: Become Rich and Successful While Letting Others Do the Work, a book that explains how to make millions without having to actually invent, create, or produce a new product, that went to Gary Krebs at McGraw-Hill.

Cooking

Chef and owner of top San Francisco dining destination The Slanted Door, Charles Phan's VIETNAMESE COOKING, featuring 100 classic recipes and select favorites from the Slanted Door repertoire, will be published by Ten Speed Press.

Anja Schmidt of Kyle Books bought James Beard Award-winning and Emmy Award-winning TV food personality Ming Tsai's SIMPLY MING ONE-POT MEALS: Quick, Healthy & Affordable Recipes, co-authored with Arthur Boehm, 80 recipes with an Asian twist -- every ingredient can be found at your local market, every recipe will track its salt and fat intakes, calories, and allergens, every dish will cost under $20, and you'll only have to use one vessel in which to cook.

This should be fun--"Desperate Housewives" Eva Longoria Parker's EVA'S KITCHEN: Cooking with Love for Family and Friends, her debut cookbook reflecting her passion for cooking and her life -- from her Texan roots and Mexican heritage to her French NBA-star husband -- including a broad range of international influences as well as personal stories and intimate photographs, to Emily Takoudes at Clarkson Potter.

Diet

Tanya Becker and Jennifer Maanavi's PHYSIQUE 57, a 2-week diet and fitness plan for total body transformation, based on the workouts taught in the exclusive NY and LA Physique 57 studios, to Diana Baroni at Grand Central (perviously known as Warner Books--and still called Warner by many of us!).

Shannon Welch at Rodale picked up Women's Health contributor and CBS Early Show Nutrition Expert Keri Glassman's book presenting a 4-day cleanses and 2-week plans adapted to the most common goals and lifestyles based on the principles she put forth in her O2 Diet.

History/Politics/Current Affairs

The first of undoubtedly many books about the recent oil spill, DEEPWATER HORIZON: The Oil Disaster, Its Aftermath, and Our Future, by the executive director of the Natural Resources Defense Council, Peter Lehner, writing with Bob Deans, former head of the White House Correspondents Association, will be published by John Oakes of OR Books.

Author of THE ARABS - A HISTORY, Eugene Rogan's THE GREAT WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST 1914-1920, an account of how The Great War totally shaped the Middle East, to Lara Heimert at Basic and Simon Winder at Penguin Press UK.

Professor of Philosophy at Columbia College Chicago Stephen T. Asma's AGAINST FAIRNESS: In Favor of Favoritism, arguing that some of the assumptions of liberal democracies are wonderful but unrealistic and troublesome, and that tribal ethics can provide a more realistic and peaceable approach to life, to Elizabeth Dyson at University of Chicago Press.

Victor S. Thomas and Leila Ahmed's THE QUIET REVOLUTION: The Story Behind the Veil's Resurgence, a surprising and heretofore untold story of Muslim women's role in the period of Western colonialism through to the growing religious fundamentalism of the present day, told through the lens of the veil, to Jennifer Banks at Yale University Press.

Stefan Bechtel's MR.HORNADAY'S WAR, the story of pioneering early environmentalist William Temple Hornaday, founder of the How-ToBlogger of DigginFood.com Willi Galloway's GROW. COOK. EAT, tips, advice and information for growing and preparing fifty of the most popular and best tasting vegetables, herbs and small fruits, to Susan Roxborough at Sasquatch Books.

ModernJune.com Kelly McCants's SEWING WITH OILCLOTH, featuring 20 hip handmade houseware projects -- including a market tote, bench cushion and party banners -- to make with laminated cotton and oilcloth, to Roxane Cerda at Wiley

Humor

Magnus Muhr's THE LIFE OF FLY, a hilarious photographic revelation of the secret life of flies, to Emily Haynes at Chronicle.

Illustrated/Art

MTA Metro-North Railroad and New York Transit Museum's GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL AT 100, the only official book celebrating the 2013 Centennial of one of the world's great railroad stations, offering 300 archival and contemporary photos never before seen of this historic building and its surrounding area, to Jennifer Levesque at Stewart, Tabori & Chang.

Memoir

Ultrarunner and star of BORN TO RUN, Scott Jurek's EAT & RUN, an inspiring memoir of Jurek's remarkable running career, fueled, surprisingly, by an entirely plant-based diet, written with Bill Gifford, to Susan Canavan at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Tony Hendra and son Nick Hendra's book on basketball and life, documenting, exploring and celebrating the thrills, setbacks, excitement, tedium, hopes, dreams, stark realities, emotional highs and lows, timeless human truths, hilarious predicaments, and weird, touching or insane characters they have encountered during a journey which began in earnest six years ago and whose outcome is still unknown, to Patrick Mulligan and Bill Shinker at Gotham.

Musician (and former Van Halen member) Sammy Hagar's memoir, to Lisa Sharkey for Harper Collin's It Books, with Matt Harper editing.

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright's WHILE I WAS GROWING UP, her experiences and those of her family during and immediately after World War II, drawing on her own memories, her parents' written reflections, interviews with contemporaries, and other primary source materials, giving a child's view of the time and also an adult's broader perspective, to Tim Duggan at Harper.

Rachael Herron's KNITTING IN THE ROUND, a memoir in essays about the ways in which knitting defines the milestones of her life -- from surviving a typhoon, to marrying the love of her life, to grieving for her mother's death, to Jodi Warshaw at Chronicle.

Narrative

Sally Koslow's THE WANDER YEARS: A Mother's Display of Public Reflection, combines interviews, personal observation, and social science, on the modern phenomenon of "adultescents" (kids who return to the nest after college until who knows when) from the point of view of their beleaguered parents, to Clare Ferraro and Carolyn Carlson at Viking.

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of The Big One David Kinney's THE DYLANOLOGISTS, a participatory journey into the lively global community of zealous Dylan followers, seeking to understand why he's mattered both to individuals and to our culture, again to Jofie Ferrari-Adler at Grove/Atlantic.

MacArthur fellow Will Allen's THE GOOD FOOD REVOLUTION, the story of a former fast-food executive who bought a derelict two-acre plot in a struggling neighborhood in Milwaukee and built a pioneering urban farm that feeds thousands who otherwise would not have access to healthy food, demonstrating how a relationship with the soil can heal broken communities and people, to Lauren Marino at Gotham.

Religion/Spirituality

Greg Paul's CLOSE ENOUGH TO HEAR GOD BREATHING, awakening readers to the fact that there's a wonderful and intimate connection between our own life experiences and the "Great Story" -- the whole of the Bible viewed as one extended account of the loving relationship of the Creator with his creation, to Brian Hampton at Thomas Nelson.

ScienceScience journalist Kayt Sukel's THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON LOVE: The Neuroscience of Love, Sex and Relationships, exploring the latest research on the neurobiology behind love, attraction, pair-bonding, and sex, to Hilary Redmon at Free Press.

Celebrated mathematician and FLATTERLAND author Ian Stewart's THE MATHEMATICS OF LIFE, an investigation into the role of mathematics in life sciences, and THE GREAT MATHEMATICAL PROBLEMS, on the challenges and eccentric personalities surrounding some of history's most important math problems, again to Lara Heimert at Basic.

Sports

Sports Illustrated journalist David Epstein's THE SPORTS GENOME, exploring what genetics reveals about athletic performance, and questioning the correlation between effort and excellence, to David Moldawer at Current.

General/Other

Whitley Strieber's THE KEY, fresh insight into the nature of the universe and the soul of humanity, delivered to the author by a mysterious stranger who offers us the Key to our ultimate destiny as co-creators with and companions of God, to Mitch Horowitz at Tarcher.

Laurie

http://www.authorbiz.com/

Attention BLOOMBERG PRESS Authors

2010-06-11T10:10:00.009-05:00

John Wiley purchased Bloomberg Press--smart move on Wiley's part. Fine. But then they decided they didn't want to adhere to the contracts of Bloomberg authors--since they paid Wiley authors less than Bloomberg paid. So they sent an amendment around to the authors to sign, couching it in the most favorable terms a la "We're happy to announce the great news that we're reducing your royalties!" The Authors Guild was all over this the last couple days.

Even if you're not a Bloomberg/Wiley author, it's relevant because publishers sell to each other all the time, and this situation of the new publisher trying to change terms is fairly common. Heads up, Authors.

The author wonders, Do I have to sign it? What happens if I don't?

The best case scenario is that after your refusal to sign, negotation, and debate with the publisher, they agree to honor the contract they bought, as is -- as they should. Buying the publishing house does not entitle them to change the contracts they are buying.

Worst case, you negotiate higher royalty rates on the "net receipts" than they are offering, or they let you go! Yes, release you, and you resell the book to another publisher.

Authors Guild:

Late yesterday afternoon, John Wiley issued a press release disputing some of the assertions in our alert of yesterday morning. In our alert, we called Wiley's April letter to its Bloomberg Press authors "deceptive" and "misleading" and that it would "materially and adversely affect the royalty rates of many Bloomberg Press authors."

We stand by every word of our alert, and we again call on Wiley to start over. No sensible Bloomberg author with a contract providing royalties based on the retail list price of their book would have signed Wiley's amendment if they were fully aware of its effects. Wiley should send Bloomberg authors a new letter, informing the authors that they are disregarding any previous consents to Wiley's proposed contract changes and clearly explaining how the new terms they're suggesting differ from the authors' existing contracts. Or, as Scott Turow put it on reviewing their response, "Wiley should knock it off and do the right thing."

In any event, here are our replies to John Wiley's various assertions:
1. Wiley's response says that its April letter to Bloomberg authors "explain[ed] the changes in plain English" and invited authors "to discuss these changes or raise questions."
Wiley's April letter is plain enough, but it avoids any hint that its changes will greatly reduce many Bloomberg authors' royalties. This is fundamental. Wiley's a sophisticated publisher, well aware of what it's doing and well aware that most authors aren't publishing attorneys. It could have spelled out the effects of its proposed contractual changes in equally plain English. If it had done so, then the offer to discuss the changes would have been meaningful.
2. Wiley says that Bloomberg authors' "response to this new alliance has been positive."
This doesn't really respond to our assertions, since it says nothing about the actual letter amendment. To the extent this does refer to the letter amendment to the contract, we note that if one sends a misleading letter, one might successfully get positive responses.
3. Wiley says it "believe[s] former Bloomberg authors will be paid higher royalties in most instances." The calculation is pretty simple, really. For Bloomberg authors that were paid royalty rates on the basis of retail list price, as is the case for every Bloomberg contract we've reviewed, the author, for example, might receive royalties of 15% of the retail list price on a hardcover priced at $25, or $3.75 per book. If you instead base the royalties on the publisher's net receipts, and the discount to the retailer is a typical 50% off list price, then the author receives 15% of $12.50, or $1.88 per book.
So we're not quite sure where this is coming from, but we note that Wiley doesn't say that it will be paying higher royalty rates, nor does it say that it will pay higher royalty amounts per book sold. It may be assuming that its marketing will be better than Bloomberg's was, so sales will be higher, and the author will benefit, even with reduced royalties per book. That could be, but increased sales are no reason to reduce the contractually agreed royalty rate.
Or, it could be that most Bloomberg authors were already paid on the basis of net receipts, so the effects of the Wiley amendments might be minor. Perhaps there are many such contracts, and perhaps the effects would then be minor. Beats us: we haven't seen an example of a net receipts Bloomberg contract yet.
4. Wiley says that "the limited number of contract amendments the AG apparently chose to select are not therefore representative; nor are their 'calculations' accurate."
While it's true we didn't discuss all of the amendments, things don't look much better if we expand our review. For example, here's one of the amendments we didn't discuss: "For any sales made at a discount of fifty six percent or more, your royalties will be calculated at 7.5% of net receipts and there will be no deductions for manufacturing costs." But the Bloomberg Press contracts we've seen pay authors more than 7.5% of net receipts for those deeply discounted sales. Again, an author who doesn't happen to be a publishing lawyer might not get that. That there will be no deductions for manufacturing costs sounds like a good thing, but the Bloomberg contracts we've seen only deducted those costs for what are essentially remainder sales, books sold at discounts of 75% or more. Royalties on remainders have always been trivial.
We stand by our calculations, which were done using real sales figures by an independent royalty auditor. Wiley can't possibly know if our calculations are inaccurate, since they don't know which books were in our sample.
5. Wiley says we issued our alert "without speaking with Wiley concerning its specific assertions."
Actually, we raised these specific concerns with Wiley in an e-mail on Friday, May 7th: "[T]hese letters strike us as a deceptive way to make substantial, material changes to a book contract. We think any signed letters you received in response should be ripped up and this whole thing redone. When it is redone, we don't think there's any good reason to change the royalty structure or the termination rights of the Bloomberg authors." We then spoke to Wiley. Wiley told us that the net effect of the changes was complicated and that authors would do better overall. We weren't persuaded, but we hired a royalty auditor to be doubly sure that we were reading the changes correctly.

Our job, in any event, is to play the role of watchdog. While in this instance we raised our issues with Wiley, we don't believe we're obligated to speak to a publisher when we see egregious behavior before we alert our members. Do not sign Wiley's misleading letter and send it back to them. First consult us or your agent or your attorney. If you have signed the letter, we urge you to contact us immediately.

Wiley asked us to send you their response. It follows.

Wiley Responds to Authors Guild
Hoboken, NJ, June 10, 2010—Since Wiley acquired the rights to all formerly Bloomberg book titles on March 11, we have been working to provide a wider audience and more sales for these authors. On April 29, Wiley sent letters to the affected authors explaining the changes – in plain English, which we felt would be most helpful and informative for our authors. Wiley invited authors to speak directly with a specific (and named) publishing officer if they wished to discuss these changes or raise questions. Their response to the new alliance has been positive.
This morning – without speaking with Wiley concerning its specific assertions – the Authors Guild issued an “alert” to its authors, claiming that the Wiley letter is deceptive and inferring that the Wiley changes it effects will reduce royalties for all or most former Bloomberg authors. This is simply not the case. We believe former Bloomberg authors will be paid higher royalties in most instances. The limited number of contract amendments the AG apparently chose to select are not therefore representative; nor are their “calculations” accurate. In any event, Wiley stands by its offer to discuss their individual contracts with all affected authors. We are happy to address any questions and concerns they may have about their individual contracts. Wiley is committed to the Bloomberg authors and is confident we will provide the best possible working relationships for them.

Feel free to forward, post, or tweet. Here is a short URL for linking: http://tiny.cc/d8txr

Laurie

www.authorbiz.com

Quotation of the Day

2010-06-04T09:28:00.014-05:00

This quote was in this morning's Shelf Awareness (http://www.shelf-awareness.com) e-newsletter:

HANDSELLING: "This Simple, Physical Gesture Can Change Lives"

Who was that bookseller who thought, 'Here is an almost-eight-year-old girl who loves Abraham Lincoln. What other book will she love? Oh, yes. This book about a cricket.'? There was nothing logical about that decision. It was a leap of faith. Those two books changed me. Together, they cemented an idea in my eight-year-old heart. That idea was this: It doesn’t matter how small, how lonely, how broken or sad or poor you are. There is a way to make yourself heard. There is a way to sing. A bookseller put those books into my mother’s hands, and my mother put them into mine. Sometimes we forget that this simple, physical gesture can change lives. I want to remind you that it does. I want to thank you because it did."--

Kate DiCamillo, winner of the 2010 Indies Choice Award for Most Engaging Author, at ABA's Celebration of Bookselling Luncheon during BEA.

The most recent book I put in a friend's hands this weekend was Mary Pearson's THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX. What book have you put in someone's hands lately?

Laurie

Author Biz Consulting

www.authorbiz.com Photo: www.bing.com

A Writer's E-Zine

2010-02-03T14:22:00.009-06:00

I have been reading the e-zine Writers Weekly for well over a year, a newsletter that is full of all kinds of helpful and practical information for fiction and nonfiction writers, and I have failed to tell you about it (!) and recommend it. I am rectifying that today: http://www.writersweekly.com/

Laurie
www.authorbiz.com
Photo credit: (c) Clipart

The Macmillan-Amazon Tug-of-War

2010-02-03T05:51:00.009-06:00

The current battle between Macmillan Publishing (owner of Farrar Straus & Giroux, St Martin's Press, Henry Holt, and others) and AMAZON is a classic story for our times. It is worth looking at for authors, because it represents much of the push-shove that is going on in the evolving book publishing world that affects authors every single day. Here is the link to the Authors Guild memo on it: http://tiny.cc/Oxglk

Here is Amazon's statement about it:

http://digitalbookworld.com/2010/amazon-blinks-blames-macmillan/

I add my voice to Macmillan's. AMAZON is the new King Kong in book selling, taking over the position from Barnes & Noble. The King Kong of the moment is never fighting on behalf of authors, I can tell you that straight out. Consumers, maybe--authors, no. So challenges like this are crucial and pivotal to authors' future earnings and position.

Heads up out there.

Laurie

www.authorbiz.com
Photo credit: (c)2009 Clipart

New Year, New Decisions

2010-01-20T19:32:00.011-06:00

Like most of you authors, I've had a lot on my mind as the year wound down, and 2010 headed in. 2009 was a year of noticeable trauma for everyone in the business; author, agent, publisher, bookseller, freelancer ...no one went unscathed. Some people decided "Enough already" and opted out. Others took a wait and see, hold-on approach. And others still decided to ignore it all (since publishing has always had its ups and downs) and just plow on ahead. We lost a lot of talented people on every front, and they will each be missed. Oddly I have not been comforted by the people or publishers who are proceeding as if nothing has happened. This was as alarming as the low book sales all year. Denial is certainly not the productive or healthy answer. Facing the changes head on is the only way I know to learn, grow, and enjoy the wonderful world of the written word.

So for those writers who live in the real world with me, the big adaptation now is to know your target readers so well that you know where and how they buy their books. Know this before you've even done more than a rough draft of your ideas. Is your reader still going to a bookstore and buying a printed book? Is he or she buying a download for their Kindle or an e-book? Is "book" even the right way to reach your particular reader? These questions now precede even the usual "Positioning" and "Competitive books" questions.

The multitude of publishing options can be confusing, sure, but options are never a bad thing for a writer. And let's not overlook that the big wave of self-publishing print-on-demand (POD) no longer carries the same stigma of "vanity press." (Note: A badly written book is still a badly written book even if it is bound and made to look like a published book.) It's been exciting to see some remarkable books self-published and well promoted to the target audience, with creative internet marketing, paying off for the author. It is increasingly a legitimate choice for an author, and sometimes the smartest one of all.

So yes, there are many more decisions a writer has to make today, but picking the right option for yourself is worth it. You may lose getting a traditional book deal with a traditional publisher who pays you some sort of advance on royalties, but it's possible you will do far better than with the traditional deal.

We each decide how to respond to a new environment. What have you decided?

Laurie

www.authorbiz.com
Photo credit: (c)2007 L Harper

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-23T21:16:00.004-06:00

Sorry that life and work have kept me from current blogs. I will be posting again after the holiday. Meanwhile, bless all you writers, and have a wonderful holiday.

Laurie

www.authorbiz.com
Photo credit: (c)2009 L Harper

What To Do to Help Your Author Friend Sell Books

2009-09-29T16:18:00.008-05:00

Eileen Flanagan, author of The Wisdom to Know the Difference (Tarcher, 2009), wrote a terrific piece in the Mpls. Star Tribune recently, called “Spread the love for your author friend” – about how to really help an author whose work you love. http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/books/53857827.html?elr=KArksUUUoDEy3LGDiO7aiU

Her advice:

1) Buy your friend’s book. In other words, don’t borrow or get one free! Help the author by spending money so he/she can get a royalty as well as sales recorded, and to let booksellers know people want this book. And, she reminds us, ask your local librarian to order a copy.
2) Don’t wait until Christmas or Hanukkah. The book won’t stay on the bookstore shelf is no one buys it now. Booksellers typically keep a book on the shelf no longer than 6-8 weeks. If it isn’t moving, it is returned and that’s the end of the story…..so BUY IT NOW.
3) Where should you buy it? Amazon versus brick-and-mortar store….Flanagan correctly points out that your author friend is helped more by a purchase from a chain bookstore than from Amazon, if it is bought right when the book comes out. If it’s well after the fact, then support your local independent bookstore by buying it there. Amazon is important as well, but it is not as helpful to the author as plan A or B above.
4) Write a review on Amazon for the book, or Goodreads.com. Mention it on Facebook and Twitter, and recommend it to your reading group. All excellent suggestions and reminder.
5) If you are a fan of a different sort of book than what your author friend wrote, in stead of writing a review write something like “I’m so proud of you for following your passion” etc.
6) If your friend is a good speaker, recommend him or her to your church, synagogue, school, etc.
7) Put a link to your friend’s website on your website or blog, using your friend’s key words to help her audience find her.
8) If your friend could legitimately be a reference on some Wikipedia page, add her as one, since a person can’t recommend him or herself without a conflict of interest.
9) Don’t ask your friend if she has thought of trying to get on Oprah.
10) If you pray, go ahead.

Thank you, Eileen Flanagan! This is so helpful.

An author friend of mine, Carrie Link, also hosts author launch parties and book readings in her home, complete with delicious food. This has been a help to the author and to Carrie, who has widened her community of writers and helped her make fabulous publishing contacts.

Be creative, but think about it. When you love an author or a book, speak up, any way you can--there is not an author alive who does not need this.

Laurie

www.authorbiz.com
Photo credit: (c)2009 Clipart

OPENING THE VEIN

2009-09-01T13:30:00.000-05:00

"But words are things, and a small drop of ink, falling like dew upon a thought, produces that which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think." Lord Byron

OPEN A VEIN should be tacked up in front of every author writing a creative narrative book. It's a reminder to:

get out of your head
talk to us on the page as if we're in front of you
get to the heart of your material and subject
move us with your words, just as it moves you
show us your true self, your real mind, your genuine heart
be honest
don't hold back
bleed on the page if you have to

You have the opportunity for your book to make a difference in people's lives, to change the way we look at the world, to open up new doors for us, to inspire and enrich us. Don't take half-measures. Don't stop short. Invest yourself fully on the page, so this book can be everything its original inspiration held.

What usually stops a writer from doing this? First, there is the FEAR of what friends, family and colleagues will think. There is an INSECURITY about revealing one's true self for the world to see and judge. The writer may also have a privacy issue; once you put something into the book and "out there" there is no taking it back. You make yourself a "public person." And innocently enough, it is often a matter of the writer getting tangled up in the concepts and all the technical requirements--distancing the writer from the very passions that started him or her writing to begin with.

No matter the reasons a writer holds back, the result is that readers don't latch on; it becomes another "forgettable" book. The author did not speak to them. It was words on a page, all perfectly logical and let's hope intelligent, but lacking the passion, ideas, heartbeat, or fire that grabs us and won't let go. Smart books written with a "gloved hand" are hard to latch onto.

Open up and let go. Let the fire in your belly out. Let the ideas out. Tell us what you really have to say, and stand by it. Put yourself out there to be heard.

Laurie

www.authorbiz.com
Photo credit: Clipart

GOOGLE SETTLEMENT: Are You In or Out?

2009-08-11T12:35:00.011-05:00

Things heated up today as the Authors Guild offered a rebuttal to the William Morris Agency's Friday (Aug 7th) recommendation that its clients opt out of the Google settlement. These are two pieces that are helpful in making your author decision: stay in or opt out. Please read them.

http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/07/william-morris-advises-clients-to-say-no-to-google-settlement/

And here is the rebuttal from the Authors Guild--which has spent years and a ton of dough negotiating this settlement on behalf of authors:

Memo to Agents (and Authors)

William Morris's recent memo to clients about the Google book settlement contains several errors that are likely to sow some confusion. [h]ere's the deal in one sentence: unless you want to sue Google, there's no good reason to opt out of the settlement. If you want to allow your book to be searchable in Google's database, and you want to be fairly compensated for Google's use of your work, and you want to retain complete control over whether, and how, your book is displayed or sold to users, you should remain in the settlement.

William Morris's principal mistake is that it appears to think that the uses that the settlement permits Google to make are interminable. This leads the agency to draw a series of erroneous conclusions: that authors can't negotiate higher rates for works covered by the settlement, that the agency won't be able to bundle all of an author's books (whether or not they're covered by the settlement) into a single negotiation with Google, and that its clients would be better off with a settlement of more limited duration. Most fundamentally, it leads the agency to conclude that authors are limited in their dealings with Google to the settlement's terms, unless the court changes those terms. It's wrong, on all counts.

Staying in the settlement does not diminish the agency's -- or anyone's -- negotiating power.* This is because all rights granted Google under the settlement are terminable at will by the rightsholder. Licenses that are terminable at will give the rightsholder far more power than a license of defined duration. In book publishing (as in life) all negotiating power comes from the power to say "no." The settlement fully preserves that power for rightsholders, from day one. By staying in the settlement:

• You aren't limited to the (quite favorable) royalty rate we've negotiated.

• You have the right to veto your publisher's decision to make your in-print book available in any way through the settlement.

• You have the right to block all displays of your out-of-print books, even if rights haven't reverted to you, even if your publisher wants to display the books.

• You have the right to have your work in Google's searchable database and display only snippets to users, blocking all other uses by Google.

• You have the right to change your mind (allow books you'd previously blocked to be displayed; block books you'd previously allowed to be displayed) at any time.

• This is just the start.

The settlement offers a 63/37 split** in your favor. Want to negotiate a different deal with Google? Turn off all display uses of your works and go for it. At any time.

But first things first. This settlement sets up a vast new marketplace for out-of-print works. Stay in the settlement to take advantage of that (to stay in the settlement, you need do nothing). There's plenty of time to exercise all of your rights and benefits under the settlement -- including the right to say "no" to any and all uses -- after the settlement's approved.

* One caveat: those who remain in the settlement do give up their right to sue Google. However, William Morris believes Google's scanning is a fair use (an unusual position for those concerned with authors' rights, and a decidedly outlier position for those in the copyright bar). What is more confusing is that William Morris encourages authors to opt out of the settlement while at the same time encouraging them to grant Google the right to use digital copies of their works for search purposes. If an author opts out, however, Google may well remove his or her books from the database in order to avoid an infringement suit, and the author's books would not benefit from Google search. In fact, the only way to ensure that your book will not be completely removed from the database, and thus benefit from Google search, is not to opt-out. Then will you be able to turn off all display uses except the free, search-based uses (snippets and previews) that will drive traffic to bookstores.

** It's a good deal. For comparison: Amazon buys e-books at a 50% discount from publishers. If you're a self-published author, the split is 35/65 -- in Amazon's favor. Newspapers face a 30/70 split -- again in Amazon's favor -- for electronic distribution of their content.

Feel free to forward and post this e-mail.For further information, contact the Authors Guild: staff@authorsguild.org; 212-563-5904.

[end of Author's Guild post]

Laurie
www.authorbiz.com
Photo credit: (c) clipart 2009

Author WARRANTIES: No Ducking

2009-08-09T17:58:00.004-05:00

It's true. You write the book, get a publisher, and then have to indemnify the publisher (and anyone it does business with) from any and all possible claims or lawsuits that might occur as a result of publishing your book. If you think they are providing you protection, think again. It's your book, your content, and you are solely responsible for making sure you don't get sued. Who would sue me? you ask....

If your book is wildly successful and people suspect you're making tons of money, beware: they come out of the woodwork, including--

1. Your neighbor, who you carefully disguised by changing name, location, description, etc.
2. Your old boyfriend/girlfriend or ex, who feel they contributed to your material by being in your life or they are mad that you used "their" material.
3. Those people in your family who have never liked you or who are jealous of your getting a book published.

If your book is only modestly successful (but well reviewed of course), and it's not on the public radar (yet), then who will sue you? These are frivolous lawsuits most of the time, but lawsuits or threats of lawsuits, nonetheless.

1. Someone you quoted, without having secured permission -- known as "copyright infringement" (very messy, almost always dealt with by settlement from the publisher, which means from your royalty account).
2. Someone who says you stole their recipe, their ideas, their article or blog, etc.

The point is, without any legitimate grounds whatsoever someone can come at you, and you will be on the hook. How do you protect yourself?

# 1. Take all PREVENTATIVE MEASURES in the manuscript itself:
a. Get permissions for what you quote, within the Fair Use guidelines. When in doubt, err on the side of the written permission.
b. If there is even a known remote chance of being sued by someone you are mentioning in the book, take them out and write around it. If you can't write around them, try to show them what you're writing and get their written "okay"
c. If your topic or focus has inherent legal liabilities, have it "vetted" by an IP law firm. Most publishers will not do your legal vetting, though they have a provision for it in many contracts. And even if they do the vetting, you're still on the hook if someone sues you.

2. Get insurance, for at least the first couple years after publication. Many authors add at least $1 million in insurance to their homeowners' policy for book liability. You are gauging what risk you can afford to take...what you're prepared to lose if you play with fire.

You are on the hook for it, so do what's necessary to take care of yourself, your family, and your assets. And remember, the Warranties & Indemnification clause of your publishing contract is not one to breeze over. It should be carefully negotiated, with provisions to protect you in the event of settlements for claims against you.

Laurie

www.authorbiz.com
Photo credit: L Harper 2007

The Prism Effect

2009-08-08T19:00:00.000-05:00

A book is like a prism: With a certain voice, tense, or angle it looks like one kind of book but turn it slightly, change the voice, change the tense, or point of view, and you see a rainbow of other colors. Your book is not just one thing, it is potentially many things. Whether you're writing a novel or a nonfiction book, you have elements you can change up, and each variation gives a different flavor and reading experience. Choose a piece of the book -- say a couple chapters. Write the same material from different angles; maybe start from a different place; different point of view; change the time frame, or voice. See how each change affects the reader's understanding or engagement. It's a wonderful, enlightening experience to discover the many choices you have. All of them can work, but one will work better.

It is your job to find the best one--preferably before you write the whole book. Explore!

Laurie

www.authorbiz.com

Photo: Prism magazine http://www.authorbiz.com/

Book Strategy

2009-07-27T16:28:00.000-05:00

All excellent writing starts with a plan, but for book authors this plan is not just about the book itself; it is a larger strategy in which the book plays a part. As is often said, it's a lot easier to get somewhere if you know where you're going. For the author, it's more likely your book will perform correctly if you know what it's supposed to do for you.

For some authors, the book's role in the Big Plan is to increase their speaking fees. Sometimes the book is supposed to bring in new and bigger consulting clients. Often the book will help a freelance writer increase article fees or open doors for a regular, paid column. Until you know what your book is supposed to do--by itself and within the larger Plan--you won't know how to maximize the content of your book or strategically include aspects that will serve your larger plan.

No matter where you are in your book process, short of production, it is not too late to figure this out and make a course correction, even if it means a lot of rewriting, extra time and work. You don't get a do-over; if you miss your mark from lack of planning, then you've lost the opportunity.

Don't hesitate to stop, back up, re-think, and re-tool your book. If that little voice is saying you're rushing things, or you're not sure if you've got this book on track, now is the time to rethink. Your planning and your focus is the only way to get the book to do its job later--no one can do it for you if the book isn't lined up within your larger goals and strategy.

Have a think...

Laurie

www.authorbiz.com
Photo credit: imagesafter.com

Staying Out of Our Own Way

2009-06-26T21:00:00.000-05:00

A simple cold can be a teacher. A reminder of how dumb one can be even though, overall, a smart person. Yes, okay, I'm talking about me. Even when I knew my mind had been hijacked by endless 12-hour cold capsules and dulled by too many gulps of cough syrup, I proceeded to tackle a proposal that had just had multiple revisions. Gee, how did that go? Not well.

The second lesson: own up to your failings and apologize. Make course correction.

The third lesson: get and stay out of the way of Flow and progress, if you aren't contributing to it.

The more glitches that occurred, the harder I worked, chasing my own tail. My medicated mind thought determination and stick-to-it-iveness would get the job done and I would Overcome. But no, it overcame me, and I couldn't think clearly enough to know I had just done a bunch of useless (and bad) work...for days.

Staying out of the way would have been much more helpful.

I have been reminded. I pass it on for what it's worth to each of you authors. If something isn't working, get out of its way. If you have hired other experts to help you, let them do what you hired them to do. And if you're sick, don't try any serious work--just get a coloring book and crayons for a few days.

Laurie
http://www.authorbiz.com/

Photo credit: Clipart 2009

WHEN LEADERS RETREAT

2009-06-01T23:40:00.006-05:00

I am currently observing a particular fallout of the economic crisis and publishing tailspin: the dreaded "Keep Your Job" mentality. When this fear takes over, decision makers find it easiest to step back, say no to everything except a guaranteed success. I see it most clearly with editors, since they are the first line soldiers, but it's playing out in Sales, Marketing, and Publicity as well.
This has happened before, of course, whenever there are financial crunches that force layoffs and downsizing. It's a crazy musical chairs for months on end, creating havoc for authors at all stages of publishing.

So who will fight for the author and this book that the author has put heart and soul into, not to mention all the time and sheer effort? The agent will, but the agent can't make the editor take up the challenge to fight for the author if that editor is in "stay under the radar" mode.

In life and in business, it's always easiest to say No. Of course we would never have the breakout book, the underdog win, the brilliant creation or invention, without the visionaries who say Yes and who then put their talent and skill behind it.

If you believe in what you're doing, if you believe the world needs to read this particular book, then whether you are the author, the agent, or the editor, consider what you can accomplish if you say YES; if you take risks that you believe in. If all editors and publishers are going to do is stay with what they know, stay safe, not think, not step up to make something happen for a book that should be published, then traditional book publishers are already dead and authors may as well form their own new models. Authors won't stop writing, they'll just stop talking to publishers.

If we all want to be in this business, then we have to get off the bench to keep the business viable. It's up to every one of us, every day.

Laurie
www.authorbiz.com
Photo credit: (c)2009 L Harper

How Do Agents Differ?

2009-05-17T22:04:00.005-05:00

From the time I became an agent, lo those many years ago, my single focus was on how to help the author achieve his or her goals. I saw my job simply as the "author's representative." Over the years, I met other agents who had a very different point of view. They saw the job as "making the deal."

The "author's representative" makes deals and negotiates contracts too, of course, or they wouldn't stay in business. The difference is that they define their role much more broadly. They help the author develop the book idea and the proposal package; they coach the author; they recommend appropriate freelancers if the author needs them; they are on call to answer questions along the publishing process; they brainstorm marketing ideas with their authors; they will continue to make proposal submissions to publishers even if twelve publishers have rejected the book so far; they help the author forge a relationship with the editor and publishing team once a deal is made; they mediate disagreements between the author and his or her editor; and they build a long-term relationship with the author over multiple books. And of course, they handle royalty statements and author payments.

The "deal-maker" agent defines his or her role more narrowly. This agent typically only takes a book that is ready for sale to a publisher (no development work); their sales effort is usually confined to a group of editors who always give the agent the kind of deal he or she wants; and if there are no offers or the offers are too low, the agent will give it back to the author and that's that. If a deal is made, this agent is then focused on rights sales and generating income, not building a relationship with the author, per se. The author is expected to work out whatever issues come up with the publisher, and the relationship with the author is "strictly business."

It's important to note that the deal-maker point of view is perfectly legitimate, and not without its merits. The "author representative" style often leads to a lot of unpaid work on behalf of the author, and cumulatively, this agent may eventually be forced to shift to a "deal maker" style for the sheer ecomonics of it all. Authors need to be sensitive to the time they take from their agents with "peripheral" aspects, and try to get information on their own before asking the agent. Having an agent doesn't excuse the author from research and homework.

So you can see that in order for you to get the right agent match, you need to consider the matter of the agent's style and job perspective in addition to him or her being a match for your book.

There are very few bad agents because bad agents don't stay in business. But there are bad agent-author matches, which leads to both people being unhappy and the author losing valuable time being confused or unsure of what to do next. I get calls from authors asking "Is it me or is it my agent? What should I do? How long do I give this?" If the match is wrong, you end up with situations like the book not selling, or the book that is sold not really being the book the author wanted to write, or the book sold and now the author is pressed into a time schedule and publisher expectations he or she was not prepared for. If you're expecting your agent to coach you or explain things to you and then find your calls not returned or emails unanswered, you will be frustrated. If you are asking your agent questions all the time and the agent doesn't really work that closely with his or her authors, both of you will be distressed.

When you are agent hunting and one says "I want to represent you," it is very hard to not say "Great! Let's go!" because the process of getting an agent can be so laborious. But you will not gain much if that agent is not the right match for (a) your book (b) your needs, and (c) your communication style. Publishing is a long process and you don't need to add layers of agent problems to it. Take the time to have phone conversations with the potential agent before signing up. Ask direct questions like, "Do you talk to your authors all throughout the process?" "Can I call you for help if I have a problem?" "How many publishers would you go to with my book? What if it doesn't sell right away?"

There's a reason the author-agent relationship is most often compared to a marriage.

Laurie
http://www.authorbiz.com/
Photo credit: 2009 Clipart

Speak Up or Shut Up? Part III: The Author-Publicist Dilemmas

2009-04-14T20:01:00.013-05:00

It's a little odd to talk about "the squeaky wheel" when it comes to publicity, since that's what publicists are supposed to be! This particular arena, however, will be one of your most challenging in the publication process. And in significant ways your publicity and marketing team hold a lot of the keys to your book's initial reception and visibility in the marketplace. So all your dealings with PR require thoughtful finesse. NOTE: I am going to address your publisher's Publicity Dept. here, not the hiring of a freelance publicist, which is a separate topic for another time. I am also only addressing this whole topic at the broadest level because book marketing and publicity is an entire world of its own, requiring many blogs (over time).

Consider for a moment that Publicity is usually a thankless job, and most publicists are underpaid. They are given a list of Spring or Fall books to promote and publicize, with a limited window of time and a defined budget. Every author sees his or her book's publicity as the most important event of the year; every publicist looks at the list of books coming up next and knows there will not be enough hours in the day or dollars in the budget to make all the good ideas happen. In short, they will do what they can. Their days are spent in planning meetings, prep work, getting materials out, fielding media requests on ALL books (old or new), building relationships with the media, and managing all the author communication. It isn't hard to see how little can be done for any one author on any given day -- and that the tasks and results will in fact happen over much longer periods.

This begs the author to ask, What is my PR budget? Ask your agent, or your editor, and you will probably not get an answer. Why? Because no matter what the answer might be, the author is not likely to be happy about it. Everyone knows this except the author. Each book is evaluated on several factors: (a) the advance paid and the sales expectations in primary markets (meaning not all the peripheral audiences) (b) the author's media platform and general "connectedness" (c) the book's timeliness and "hook" for the media (d) which media platforms most target the book's target audience (TV, radio, internet advertising, blogs, magazines, etc.).

Then based on Publicity's experience in your category and with the intended media focus, they will decide where to focus their efforts to get the most bang for the buck in the short time they have to get some "traction" for your book's launch into the world.

NOTE: The publisher's PR efforts are distinctly separate from what you, the author, are doing to promote your book at launch and beyond, which is your own internet marketing and social networking, blogging, perhaps writing magazine articles or Op Ed pieces, speaking or workshops, local and regional efforts whether that is talks/signings in stores or schools or anywhere you can, and tapping all your local media for interviews or special feature articles, tapping into old alumnus newsletters, organizations and associations you belong to.....and such.

The basic job of Publicity is to create a Press Release for your book that will generate TV and radio interviews; to place strategic internet ads for your intended audience; to generate reviews for your book; and depending on the type of book, to create special promotions through the media.

The dilemmas that arise? (* see notes below)

"My publicist does not tell me anything...I have no idea what is going on."
"I'm getting requests for the book by journalists, bloggers, media, professional colleagues..."
"I've been invited to speak at a conference in New York but I can't afford to go to without the publisher's help..."
"I'll be travelling for work to a number of cities and the publisher should take advantage of that with book promotions in each city..."
"Other authors are being booked on TV and radio, on my subject, and my publicist has not gotten me anything."
"I have given my publicist all the lists and information she asked for, which took me weeks to compile, and she has done nothing with it as far as I can see."
"Why isn't my book being promoted at the Book Expo (BEA) and why aren't I there?"
"I'm told my budget is spent, but nothing has happened...we haven't even begun!"

Whatever your dilemma, when it comes to Publicity tread carefully and first talk with your agent and/or your editor. Is there anything special you should know about the publicist (is she new? has she been sick? is the company in reorganization? has there been some shake-up?)?

Then, prepare an email, after considering the situation from the publicist's (probable) point of view: (a) no author is ever satisfied (b) no campaign would be extensive enough (c) every author thinks he or she is the only one with a book coming out (d) Do they think I work 14 hour days? (e) If authors had to do my job for one day they'd sing a different tune.

Make sure you start the email with sympathy for the many challenges the publicist has and gratitude for her time, efforts and talent on behalf of your book (even if you haven't seen any). Then move into the factual and specific statement of the problem, with your specific request and supporting persuasive information--devoid of emotional/angry language or "attack" elements, though it is fine to use words like "distressed" or "confused" or "frustrated by." Acknowledge their budget, and show how/why what you are requesting in in their immediate interests of selling books. The email is not to vent, it is to induce the publicity department to solve your problem. Remember the KKK rule mentioned in the earlier blog.

As a precautionary measure, ask your agent to preview the email before you send it (note "before"), and keep your agent in the loop at all times. If things get ugly, your agent is going to have to clean it all up.

What does "ugly" mean? Anything from the publicist telling your editor (who tells your agent) that you are a pain in the ass, and ungrateful to boot -- to the publicist just starting to lie to you to shut you up and get you off her back. Since you want your publicist to actually you the truth about everything, you will need to prove that you can handle the truth...

It is a good idea to keep in mind that your publicist has the ability to make you "persona non grata" and end your lovely relationship with your publisher. Really. Not like anyone would admit it, but it happens. So while you DO need to address real problems in the publicity campaign, you DO need to speak up, you also need to do it with the utmost care, and you need to pick your battles and be very efficient in your communication.

Good luck--rise to the occasion!

Laurie
http://www.authorbiz.com/
Photo credit: Clipart

* Rather than asking WHY you don't hear anything, approach this from "I can imagine how difficult it is to have any time to communicate with me, so how would you like me to communicate with you? Are there certain times; do you prefer email or voicemail? How can I best update you and how is it realistic for you to update me?"
* If you say this straight out to a publicist they'll just tell you to email them the list and they'll take care of it. Then you won't know if it is done or not. If you are willing to pay postage, you can ask the publicist to send you books for the list you will email her, and you will send the press release and book to each of them. If they are not willing to do that, then after you email the list you will need to let those people on the list know that they should be expecting a book from Publicity at (your publisher), and if they do not receive it within a reasonable time, to please let you know.
* You will likely get further with a request like this if you tell your agent and editor first, and enlist their help in getting the budget approved for the conference expenses. You will need to provide the specifics of not only the costs, but why this is an important conference for you to be at and how, exactly, you will be able to promote the book there (will you have a booth? be speaking or presenting?).
* Not every city is a good book-selling place, so start by informing your publicist of your travel itinerary, with at least 2-3 months notice (any shorter and it is unlikely they can plan and execute anything). First ask for the publicist's input as to any of those cities being valuable for book promotion, whether that is bookstore talks/signings, newspaper or radio interviews, book club speaking, etc. Then work from there to determine what, if anything, can be done to take advantage of your being there. If you run into resistance, ask your agent for help (who will again enlist the support of your editor).
* This is upsetting, of course. It should be brought to the attention of your publicist by way of informing her that there is clearly a lot of interest in your subject because these other people are being booked, and then you can directly ask what response your publicist has received from her efforts with similar places. (You may or may not get the truth, but it has to be asked.) You can ask for a second or updated effort to be made in those key places where you are showing there is obvious interest, and can offer to prepare a new slant and pitch that won't conflict with what those media outlets have already covered.
* Your approach here needs to be along the lines of "once I know which of these on the lists you were able to get to, I can then fill in with a second effort on the rest so we are sure to cover them together." This is not accusatory. One of the problems in being too thorough with the information you give Publicity is that they don't have time to do all that, so you will have to be the one to do the rest.
* The BEA is designed for promoting the publishers' Fall books to booksellers. If you book is on the Spring list, you will not be included in the BEA promotions. If you are on the Fall list, you can ask your publisher about attending, doing book signings, or being at the booth to talk with book sellers, but more and more publishers are not bringing authors because it is not cost effective.
* It is fair to ask where, exactly, your budget was spent if, at the end of the day, there are no discernible results. This is best done, however, with the aid of your agent. God forbid it sound like a whine!

Speak Up or Shut Up: The Author-Editor Dilemmas

2009-03-22T15:25:00.005-05:00

Once again, let's think about whether the squeaky wheel gets the grease or the boot...when it comes to talking with your publishing house editor about disagreements or frustrations. When a publisher buys your book, it is their job to first make your book the best it can be from an editorial standpoint, and yet the book remains your book.

1. The first frustrations for the author come in the editing. It is not uncommon to receive a manuscript back from your editor so full of post it notes you shout, "If they hate it so much, why did they buy it?" Take a deep breath. Read through the whole manuscript, every single post it. Jot some notes if you like, but don't spend time on any of it yet. You may ultimately disagree with some of the editorial suggestions, and that is your right, but first you have to step back and read through all the editing in order to see the overarching shape of those edits. How does this editing make the book more clear, more accessible to readers, more compelling? If in due course you believe that some of the editing in fact detracts, or is inaccurate, or pushes the book a direction you do not want to go, this is fair discussion that you should have with your editor. It is your approach to this conversation --on the phone, not email--that creates success or disaster.

The author-editor relationship needs to be respectful, rational, thoughtful, and positive--on both sides. You do not want to push issues to the point of being that "most difficult author to work with" or persona non grata. And it should not be necessary if you are considerate and patient in your approach and communications.

If you approach the editor with gratitude for the time, effort, and talent he or she has just put into your manuscript, you will be off on the right foot. If you leap into "I can't accept this" you are jumping off a cliff.

Remember the KKK rule: kiss, kick, kiss. Kiss for the overall wonderful editing; kick for those points you don't agree with and why; ending the conversation on a kiss and optimism. The editor will graciously accept your point of view as long as you show you understand the problem he or she pointed out, and you have an equally good way of addressing it so the problem is solved. Not ignored--solved, but solved your way.

2. The second most common frustration comes with the title debates. An author should always be cautioned not to fall in love with his or her title--because it is often the first thing to go! Publishers have final control over title, cover design, layout, and marketing of the book--since it is a product they have significantly invested in to bring to market. It is a commercial product--which is a far notion from how the author experiences his or her book. The publishing team has multiple title meetings, including input from sales, marketing, and publicity departments, who in turn have input from booksellers (more than we'd like). Booksellers are on the front lines of book selling, and they have the statistical tools to provide feedback to the publishing houses about what is or isn't working in the book stores. This includes titles, cover designs and colors (which seem to change like fashion), as well as positioning phrases --i.e. you wouldn't put a quote on the cover saying this is the next "X" if "X" didn't sell up to expectations.

It is perfectly fine for you to make an initial case for your original title, but then you must engage in the ongoing discussions with an open mind to the publisher's needs. It is fair to ask them for more than one title suggestion--at least then there is some choice. You have to gauge their "determination" -- if they are basically adamant about a certain title, and if all else fails, work in a subtitle that will make you feel comfortable with it. Or give them back a couple other titles you like that seem to provide what they wanted, but with a slant you like. You must speak up if they are forcing a title you can't live with or work with; that you cannot in good conscience promote. That is a "No." Usually, it doesn't come to this, but do not hesitate if it does. And note that title discussions are time sensitive -- you don't usually have weeks to figure this out. You will get one or two back-and-forths and then the decision will be made. If you're a really savvy author, you'll have some alternate titles you can live with hidden in you back pocket before you ever get a publishing deal.

Remember the old saying: Pick Your Battles. Publishing is often a 9-month process--editorial, production, post-production, pre-sales, and publication/launch. You can't be a screaming hyena on everything that comes up, or you will quickly be "one of those."

3. The third tricky author-editor situation, which is increasingly common, is that half way through the process, your editor accepts a position at another publishing house and jumps ship. You are not necessarily the first to know. With luck your agent is, but sometimes it is sudden. Here are a few indicators that your editor might have one foot out the door:

He or she usually returns your email or call within one day, sometimes two. Now it has been a week and you know the editor is not on vacation.
Whereas usually the editor is somewhat chatty with you, now the tone is all business and "efficient."
The editor's assistant starts communicating with you more, whereas before this the editor always talked with you.

Something is up. First ask your agent to find out what's going on, and if you are still not satisfied, it is perfectly okay to ask your editor directly, saying you've noticed this change. You do not want to be surprised. A new editor will have to be assigned, and you will need to make contact with your new person to create a seamless flow in the ongoing process. You will also have to get your new person excited about your book. This person did not buy it--but you need him or her to be your voice in-house, to rally the troops for you. A little cheerleading and, let's face it, kissing up, will be in order. Handle it with grace-don't let it throw you off your game; you're the only one who pays the price.

There are authors out there--you know who you are--who think they can "demand" things from their publisher. Not true, unless you own a stake in the publishing house. It is your book, but they publish "at will" and it is product and sales oriented, and they are the ones ponying up $50,000 just to bring your book to market (without considering your advance). You do not have control, you have influence. Used correctly, influence is just as good.

If you have other issues with your editor that you'd like addressed, feel free to post a comment or question.

Here's to diplomacy!
Laurie

www.authorbiz.com
Photo credit: Clipart (c) 2009 Laurie Harper

Speak Up or Shut Up? Author-Agent Dilemmas

2009-03-14T12:10:00.009-05:00

Does the squeaky wheel get the grease, or the boot? How do you know when to speak up or when to shut up? Over these next few blogs we're going to take a look at some typical dilemmas authors face, first with their agents, then editors, and finally, publicists and marketing departments. It should help you think through your particular situation and choose a course of action and dialogue that won't get you the boot or put you on blacklists. Your first professional relationship (aside from any freelance editor you may have worked with) is the agent. You were very excited to have an agent, but then.....

You understood that your agent would be submitting your proposal/book to publishers within a certain time frame, and after much time has passed, the agent has not told you what's happening and does not answer your email or phone call asking for an update. What to do?
You signed on with an agent who was very excited about your book, but after several rejections, you're now thinking about the other agents you passed on, wondering if you made the right choice. . .
The agent has made a few submissions of the book and you are eagerly awaiting The Call saying there is an offer on your book, but after the first rejections come in, you notice a tone in your agent's communication with you that implies you are bothering him or her when you checking in or ask questions. You wonder what you did wrong, what you said that changed things....

Consider this:

(1) Agents are not generic beings. Each one has come to the agent career through their own unique routes, each with his or her own personality and an agency that reflects individual philosophy and perspective. When you look through a resource book like Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Publishers, Editors and Literary Agents, you will see the personality of any agent if you patiently read the whole listing. In my experience, it is about 95% accurate. If an agent comes off as aloof and to the point; he or she is. If the agent comes across as personable, broad-minded, open to new ideas, with a sense of humor, it's true.

When you first spoke to your agent, before signing on with the agency, was the conversation open and relaxed? Were you comfortable asking your questions? Did you feel satisfied that the agent had spent significant time with your proposal or book, with a definite plan for going to the publishers? Or was it a straightforward business conversation, fairly short, that basically just gave you the chance to say "Okay, I'll sign with you"? Did you feel that you were beginning a relationship or that you were just saying yes with crossed fingers?

Some authors want a business-like relationship where the agent just does what he or she is supposed to do, and the author puts the book out of mind until there is a publisher, trusting that the agent is doing the job and will call if he or she has something to report. This is a perfect match between client and agent if the agent is a "hands-off, strictly business" agent, who sees the job as Present the Author to Editors, Get a Publishing Offer, Negotiate the Contract, and Manage Royalty Payments. Otherwise, you can see it is not an ideal match if either party was looking for a closer working relationship, with a constant information exchange, getting to know each other, planning future books, etc.

The important word here is "match." A mis-matched author-agent team is inherently difficult for both sides. More than anything you want a good match of agent for who you are, how you work, what you write, and for helping you create lasting publishing relationships that will build your career. Only you can say which agent is that match for you.

If you signed with an agent and have unsuccessfully tried to discuss what is bothering you, and you now believe you chose the wrong one, then let the agent know that you would like to terminate representation, subject to the outstanding submissions he or she has, and don't get wishy-washy about it. You need to make the best business decision for your own future--it's not a popularity contest. Maybe the next agent can do what the previous agent could not: Maybe yes, maybe no. You leave an agent because it was not the right match for you or the book, or because after a realistic and targeted effort there is not publishing offer; not necessarily because the agent didn't get a deal for you in the first 3 months or call you back within 24 hours.

(2) The relationship is cultivated by both sides. Each party has responsibility to state his or her needs clearly and to communicate when needs are not being met, or when they change. The agent can contribute to the relationship by providing information, coaching, suggestions, being supportive of the author's challenges in the process, and also by helping the author understand which battles to pick and which to let go of. The author typically relies on the agent for advice on making the best choices to achieve his or her goals at each step of the publication process.

The author can contribute to the relationship by giving the agent everything he or she needs to make the best sale, by sincerely considering the advice or suggestions the agent is making, and giving the agent feedback based on the author's expertise. The relationship should be an exchange of ideas, the author and agent putting their heads together to combine their separate expertise for the right end result.

If the relationship is not going right, the agent and author should speak up. Both have a responsibility to each other to be honest and straightforward, as well as sympathetic to situations that happen which prevent one or the other from doing something perfectly. Play fair. If in the course of these discussions it is obvious that there is no meeting of the minds, that what you or the agent needs isn't going to happen, then you can both make a fair and professional decision to part company and not waste each other's time and energy. There does not need to be any wringing of the hands or lost sleep.

What I have often observed is an author firing the agent or an agent firing the author without even a single open conversation (NOTE: not email) where both parties have the chance to explain themselves, calmly and professionally. This is not fair to either author or agent. Just like with couples or marriages, expecting mind reading is a sure path to failure.

(3) The agent works for the author. Yes, it's true. The agent is the author's representative, though they will work as a team of equals. Yet it is most common for the author to feel like he or she works for the agent. This single mis-conception perpetuates a lopsided, unsatisfying relationship. Authors need to tell agents what they are unhappy about, frustrated with, or confused about; Agents need to tell their client authors what they need to be successful in their endeavors, how best to communicate with them during the various processes of selling the book, and to be candid about problems they may be having at the moment. The author should be comfortable saying "I know you are busy with submissions to the editors, but I need to know--every now and then--who has seen it, who has it, what has anyone said...so while I understand you are not giving weekly reports, what would be a realistic schedule for this?" You have a right to updates but the agent legitimately needs enough uninterrupted time and space to actually do the work--so you can see that it needs to be discussed and worked out.

It is not uncommon for an agent to lose all sense of time--busy in the doing--not realizing that you have gotten no information. Agents also have lives, sometimes complicated lives, and in spite of their best intentions, Life Happens and they get thrown off track, temporarily. Of course if you don't know what's happening with the agent, you can't very well decide if you want to be supportive and cut him or her some slack. You may even be sympathetic but not have time to wait, in which case you need to say "Sorry, but I have to go."

So when in doubt, confused, or irritated: speak up, but speak up earlier , not later. Just ask. If you don't get any response, then you will know what to do.

There is an odd dynamic during the Get-An-Agent process. Initially you are querying to ask if you and your book might be of interest to the agent, and the agent is in the driver's seat. The agent has sole choice of which authors to represent, or not. But once an agent says "Yes, I would like to be your agent," the agent now works for you. It is not good if this transition doesn't happen and the author stays in the "Gee, I'm so grateful" position. You are two professionals working as a team, on the author's behalf.

Many authors say, "I'm not good at confrontation." I assure you, it doesn't have to be a confrontation to solve problems. Think of it as a conversation. You want to hear what prevents the agent from giving you X, and you want the agent to hear why you are unsatisfied, what you expect and need. During this conversation, either or both of you will come up with the right next step, whether that is new understanding and agreement between you two, or parting company (without acrimony).

When your gut says something is wrong, act on it. Speak up for yourself. Next time, we'll look at author-editor dilemmas.

Laurie

http://www.authorbiz.com/
Photo credit: Clipart (c) 2009 Laurie Harper

A Sense of Humor is Handy in Publishing....

2009-03-12T17:51:00.005-05:00

Okay, I have to share this--posted today....

USAir Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger's memoir, to William Morrow, reportedly for between $2.5 million and $3.2 million by various reports, at auction, in a two-book deal (the second said by the Daily Beast to be a collection of inspirational poetry), by Jan Miller at Dupree Miller & Associates.

Laurie

www.authorbiz.com

What The Editors Bought Today

2009-03-11T18:33:00.007-05:00

It is always enlightening (in some way) to know, from all the submissions the editors have received lately, which they chose to make offers on. Here are some "done deals" of today, with kudos to the authors, agents, and editors:

Mauro DiPreta at Harper Collins' IT BOOKS bought Peter Hanson and Paul Robert Herman's TALES FROM THE SCRIPT: HOW SCREENWRITERS WIN THE HOLLYWOOD GAME, a collection of exclusive interviews in which Hollywood screenwriters reveal the secrets behind their successes and failures, and offer up uplifting stories about how faith in their talent empowers their careers, to accompany a companion documentary produced by the authors.

He also bought Kelly Roman's graphic novel, THE ART OF WAR, which "reframes the classic text within a futuristic, post-collapse world of hedge-funds."

FILM RIGHTS to John Armstrong's GUILTY OF EVERYTHING, Armstrong (aka Buck Cherry), lead singer-guitarist of the Modernettes, tours us pell-mell through his misspent youth as part of Vancouver's punk scene circa 1978-82, were optioned to Patrick Carroll and Optic Nerve Films.

Jordan Fenn of Fenn Publishing bought Terry McConnell, Jennifer Nye and Peter Pocklington's I'D TRADE HIM AGAIN, the memoir of one of hockey's most colorful team owners, with a foreward by Wayne Gretssky.

Stephen Morrow at Dutton bought Kevin Nelson, M.D.'s A NEUROLOGIST'S SEARCH FOR THE SPIRITUAL SELF, which uncovers the origin of spirituality in the most ancient areas of the brain and includes case histories drawn from three decades' of clinical work.

Sam Douglas at Picador bought poet and professor Wayne Koestenbaum's HUMILIATION, exploring the connection between our private experiences of humiliation and our current fascination with the public humiliation of others. Picador has a Big Ideas series.

Jennifer Urban-Brown at Trumpeter Books bought Kathleen Dean Moore's WILD COMFORT, an elegant narrative on nature's ability to comfort us during times of great sadness.

Karen Kosztolnyik at Grand Central (formerly known as Warner Books) bought Sue-Ellen Welfonder's SWORDS OF THE GLEN, in a 3-book deal.

David Moldawer at Sentinel bought THE PERSECUTION OF SARAH PALIN, by THE K STREET GANG author and associate editor of The Weekly Standard Matthew Continett...the title says it all, though I will say it is in defense of her, not a how-to manual.

Heather Proulx at Brown bought Michelle Moran's MASKS OF THE REVOLUTION, about the life of Madame Tussaud, in which young Marie Tussaud joins the gilded but troubled court of Marie Antoinette, and survived the French Revolution by creating "Death Masks" of the beheaded aristocracy.

Peter Gethers at Broadway Books bought "740 Park" author Michael Gross's PLATINUM TRIANGLE, a social history that will uncover the lives and lifestyles of the owners of the most extravagant trophy homes in Beverly Hills, Bel Air and Holmby Hills -- the Los Angeles estate district.

Have a ponder....

Laurie

www.authorbiz.com
Photo credit: (c) Clipart

Blogger Beware: Copyright Issues

2009-03-02T16:45:00.039-06:00

Leslie Kossoff over in Paris (www.kossoff.com) kindly pointed me to a March 2 article by Brian Stelter in the NYT Technology section that talked about media companies taking an increasingly tougher line on granting permission for the excerpting of their material. It talks about web sites "scraping" other sites' material and ad revenue (such as it is). It reminded me of bloggers "hijacking" material or commentary from other bloggers to form their own post for the day. Early on in cyberspace evolution, the media and authors saw the excerpting as beneficial since with hyperlinks the new article or blog could send readers back to the original web site for the full article. Everyone was loose about the formal permission, and most writers still figure that with proper credit, and only quoting a small piece, there should be no problem. Let's stop and reflect on Copyright for a moment-- writers' rights and responsibilities.

I'll recap the basics on this issue, but you should not take anything in this Post as legal advice: It is for your general understanding and perspective--how to think about it.

The Fair Use law is not a black-and-white standard, giving even the higher courts pause. It typically includes quoting for "criticism, comment, news, reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research" but as literary attorney Sallie Randolph (www.authorlaw.com) states in her book, AuthorLaw A-Z **, "The general rule is that it must result in a public benefit or an increase in knowledge beyond the contribution of the original work." She notes that a use of other's material is not fair "simply because it is a single or small infringement, or a private non-commercial use" [which I quote by permission :-)].

There are a number of factors considered, case by case, but from a practical operating standpoint, here is a checklist:

Is your excerpt for commercial use or educational? If it's for commercial use, there is more scrutiny. (Along the lines of If you're making money on it, you should be paying for it.)
Typically, excerpting from another author's book is Fair Use below 250 words. However, if you take the "heart" of that author's proprietary material, you are likely to still be in hot water. And the ploy of excerpting smaller pieces but taking many pieces that you then use throughout your book will cumulatively put it into question -- suggesting your book is derivative of the other author's book. You see how this goes... There is a common sense element to copyright and Fair Use when you think about it.
If you excerpt from an article, you will want to get permission for 50 words or more (giving credit and referencing link, if online)--but again, you can't lift the heart of the article and expect it to go unnoticed.
Reproduction of any figure, table, illustration, photograph, diagram...These require permission unless it is expressly stated to be free and without copyright. And even if it is free, you need to provide credit.
Quoting songs or poems -- you will always need permission -- even for a few words.
Lengthy paraphrasing of someone else's material will also not get you off the hook. You can paraphrase a paragraph, or the gist of an entire article in a few sentences, but you can't literally rephrase the bulk of it...which I think is common sense, again.

Do unto other writers as you would have them do unto you. If it were my material being excepted, what would I think it fair use? When would I think it is egregious or flat out stealing? As a writer, you should be highly sensitive to copyright issues, since you want to protect your own work.

And why not get permission? Can't be bothered? Don't you want other writers to be bothered enough to contact you? Plan with enough time, in advance of your deadlines, to secure the appropriate permissions. It can only be recommended that you err on the side of caution. You will find a number of books available to help you with forms and procedures.

Over recent years we've seen a number of high-profile plagiarism lawsuits and situations. Authors Guild has steadily pursued (and won) class action suits against the media for abuse of freelance writers' material, and now Google for their online scanning of books to offer in their book search program. Amazon has just backed down from its Kindle 2 speech mechanism to state that each author will have the Yea or Nea option to authorize the audio portion of Kindle (which they were earlier just going to use without permissions or fees).

I regularly see writers being too cavalier with their online material, be it a blog or a website. I see everyone helping themselves to everyone else's stuff, and piggybacking on it. It is up to each of us, each writer, to protect our material, and to show that same respect for other writers' work. You should also have this book on your shelf: The Copyright Permission and Libel Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide for Writers, Editors, and Publishers by Lloyd Jassin and Steve Schecter. Taking the preventative approach to copyright infringement is the cheapest insurance you can have. Be careful out there. . .

Laurie

** Disclosure: I am the agent on this excellent book, though I would recommend it even if I were not.

Books They Bought Today

2009-02-27T20:25:00.003-06:00

I thought it might interest you to know what editors bought today, from the tens of thousands of manuscripts circulating through editors' offices. It's a mighty small list, I know, but it only counts what was announced--from deals that were complete enough to announce.

Editor Emily Griffin at Grand Central (the former Warner Books) bought Marine biologist and science journalist Sheril Kirshenbaum's THE SCIENCE OF KISSING, an interdisciplinary look at why and how we kiss, drawing on neuroscience, classical history, evolutionary biology, anthropology, and popular culture.
Christel Winkler at John Wiley & Sons bought Dr. Ava Shamban's SKIN SURVIVAL SKILLS. Shaman is founder and director of the Laser Institute for Dermatology and the Recovery Skin Care Clinic.
Henry Ferris at William Morrow (owned by Harper Collins) bought Dr. Gail Levin's THE LIFE AND TIMES OF LEE KRASNER: An Artist's Biography. Dr. Levin is Professor of art history, American studies, and women studies at Baruch College and the Graduate Center of CUNY. This book examines Krasner's evolution as an artist during the pre-feminist era and after from a woman's perspective, outside the context of Jackson Pollock.
Tony Award-winning playwright and author David Rabe's untitled novel about a soldier and a Vietnamese whore, set during the Vietnam War, was sold to Sarah Hochman at Simon & Schuster.
In the Children's/ Young Adult category, James Moore's THE HYDES, the story of five unrelated youths who come to realize that they are all the product of genetic experimentation and must seek each other out if they're to survive the forces of evil looking to find them, sold to Ben Schrank at Razorbill.
In the Religion/Spirituality arena editor Amy Caldwell at Beacon Press bought Forrest Church's THE FORREST CHURCH READER, a collection of essays by the minister of public theology of All Souls in New York, and author of LOVE & DEATH: My Journey Through the Valley of the Shadow.

Now you know.
Laurie

www.authorbiz.com

Yes, there is good news....

2009-02-26T16:35:00.000-06:00

Although it is the season to hunker down, in more ways than winter, there is good news. Agents are still signing new clients, and publishing house editors are eagerly reading and buying new books. There may be doom and gloom galore over current economic realities and the changing world of books, but writers still write, readers still read, and publishers will still publish and evolve to stay viable.

The curse of experience in any business is that you know too much. It inhibits your creative thinking and curbs your bliss of ignorance. If you have been reading a lot of publishing industry news lately, I recommend that you take a break. Just read a good book or two, peruse your earlier writing, and remember your earliest inspired dreams for your writing. Pretend for a moment that you don't know a thing about this business...you just know how to write and you have ideas burning to get out of your head.

Spring comes again.

Laurie

www.authorbiz.com

The Proposal Part IV: COMPETITION & MARKETING

2009-02-26T12:23:00.001-06:00

And now we come to distinguishing your book in the marketplace. You have gone to bookstores and found "your shelf." You have been on Amazon to see the other books that show up by your key words. But in the Competitive Books part of the proposal, you have to write about how the most popular and recent of those titles compare to your book.

Authors frequently cut and paste from Amazon, which is fine, to put in descriptions of the books. List the competitive book like this: Book Title (Publisher, Year of Publication), followed by its description. Then you would say something like "While this book gives a good summary of the problems of education today, it does not show a parent how to help their child in school. My book....." You will only cover the most recent or most popular books. The point here is to demonstrate to the publishers that you know your area, you know the literature that is out there.

Many authors say they don't want to read other authors' books while they are writing their own because they don't want to confuse their own thinking, or find their material already written. But as an author you have to read your colleagues' work. You have to know where you fit in. In this section of the proposal, you must intelligently and persuasively write about your competition--separating which books are complementary to your work, which books sound like yours but are not (and why), and which directly compete with what you are doing but how yours has an edge. You can see again how that hook you worked on in the Overview is playing a role here too.

You should know that while the agent is pitching your book to an editor, the editor is simultaneously punching in key words into Amazon, saying "well there sure is a lot published in that area...it shows 1250 titles..." and you have to have prepared your agent with the ammo to position your book and defend it accurately, as well as excite the editor.

When you are done with the Competitive Books piece, start a new section called Author Marketing. This part shows a combination of your expertise and your marketing muscle...what you can do to consistently market your book to your target readers, even as other authors try to get on to "your shelf." Don't skimp on the details of everything you will be doing to call attention to your book when it is published: web site, internet marketing, blogging, social networking, speaking (where and how often and to how many people a year), article writing, select bookstore talks and events in your local area or places where you will be traveling for work, organizations or associations you belong to that have chapters throughout the country that you will tap to promote the book....you get the idea.

Your proposal now has: The Overview, The Audience, About the Author, Positioning, Competitive Books, Author Marketing, Table of Contents, Annotated Outline, and Sample Chapters.

Now that you have done all this work, go read Jeff Herman's WRITE THE PERFECT BOOK PROPOSAL: Ten That Sold And Why. Once you have read his different types of book proposals, put the final polish on yours, spread your wings, pass Go and collect your $200--go forth into the publishing world.

Whew. And this is why authors say it is easier to write the book than to write the proposal!

Laurie

The Proposal: Part III, The OVERVIEW

2009-02-18T22:00:00.023-06:00

You're probably sitting there at your computer flexing your fingers, cracking your knuckles, taking a drink of coffee, thinking "Okay, let's get this show on the road." Pretend you are sitting in the editor's office of your favorite publisher. He or she has welcomed you, brought you that triple espresso drink, and has just said, "So, tell me about this book you're writing."

Start typing now, and start The Overview with (a) the "hook" of your whole idea (the grabber), and (b) its origin--where did this book idea come from? How have you developed it? What kind of work have you done on it so far--research, interviews, travel, reading? Was this a book where you knew the "answer" or "conclusion" going in - or was this a book that started with a question, a mystery, a "wondering"--but you had no idea where it would lead? Convey the true essence of your idea, and what is really happening with it. Convey what it is that compels you. "What I find irresistible is...." "What I was not expecting was ..." "What I discovered changed....." or "What drew me in deeper and deeper was..." Draw the editor in the same way it drew you in. And state right up front here what the most amazing thing is about your book that the reader will discover. How will the reader come away changed for having read your book?

When you have typed that part--keep reading.

Many proposal writing books show the About the Author section somewhere towards the end of the proposal, but think logically; who you are, what you do for a living, what you've already written-- all of this may be woven into how you are writing this particular book or how the book idea found you...The who you are and why this book are often entwined. In this case, you should weave "about the author" stuff into the Overview, conversationally and naturally.

This will not be the case if you're writing a reference book that an editor basically called and asked you to write -- or if you are writing a book that just fills a market gap, "it was there" and you write books, so "why not." Then the Overview is what-this-book-is-about and your bio information can go later to support the "why you should be the one to write it."

In the Overview, you also need to talk about who this book is for, and I mean targeted for --not "the whole world" or "anyone who reads books." Puleeese. There are people who need the book, really need to read it, because of its groundbreaking information, or because it's part of their jobs, or because anyone who reads this topic would inherently be fascinated with what you're putting together...You must specifically identify your target readers.

You're now moving out of the Overview section and into the Marketing parts of the proposal. Start a new section, called The Audience and keep typing. Follow your logic and continue. What else do your readers read (magazines & books), which authors? What do they know about your topic so far, generally? Are they NPR listeners or what kind of radio stations most likely have your readers tuned in? What organizations or associations attract your readers? When they are in the bookstores, which shelves are they browsing?

When you've written all you know so far, continue reading.

Now speaking of shelves (which we were), which shelf in the bookstore are you planning to land on with your book? Find it, identify it, see who else you'll be cozying up to on that shelf. Start another new section in your Proposal called Positioning (Your Title). Talk about the category your book belongs to, which shelf it should be on, next to which authors, etc.--all that you just discovered when you spent hours in the bookstores, and more hours online at Amazon plugging in key words from your book topic and content.

So far, your Overview has conveyed the central book idea, how you came to be attached to it, why you are the one to write it, targeted for which readers, who are where in the bookstores....not bad.

Next time, we'll be getting to the "Competitive Books" part of the proposal--another section that often trips up the author. More fun ahead!

Laurie

www.authorbiz.com

The Nonfiction Proposal: Part II

2009-02-16T13:05:00.011-06:00

I'll have lighter Posts to this blog than these Proposal ones, I promise -- but I wanted to talk about proposal issues right off the bat because they are so common. IF YOU HAVEN'T READ PROPOSALS: PART I -- please back up and start there.

So now that you are ready to write the Overview, let's ask the obvious questions: Who is this for? What is the Proposal for, anyway? Who reads it? Who uses it? ("It's so much easier to just write the book!" authors cry out in unison.)

The proposal is the selling tool for your book, used by agents to sell to publishing house editors; by editors to sell to their bosses and the Sales & Marketing team. It is the tool everyone uses to get the green light to make you a publishing offer. Without the proposal, you are asking everyone to fly blind (a very dangerous proposition for your book). So if you want your potential agent and your potential editor to really "get" your book and why you are the one to write it; if you want them to position your book correctly and summarize it accurately, and understand why it will sell well to your target audience in spite of 60,000 other books coming out at the same time...you'll hand them an excellent proposal. It's worth the time you have to spend to craft it for them.

And because of the way a Proposal is used, you should write it in a natural, conversational tone and voice. It should sound like you when you read it aloud. I say this because what often happens when writers follow the how-to-write-a-book-proposal book is that they get an unnatural voice going, all very stilted (must be the old test pressure that kicks in). When anyone reads your proposal, they should feel as if they have just had a conversation with you about your book; that they know you.

I can almost tell which book someone has used by the tone that creeps into the proposal. Your proposal should sound only like you, with your own brain and smarts that have figured out why your book is still necessary on that bookstore shelf and to your audience in spite of everything else written and published; in spite of whomever is Oprah's latest pet celebrity; and in spite of which authors are currently on the bestseller lists.
Let's hear it for your own voice.

And now LENGTH. If I had a quarter for every time I was asked "How long does it have to be?" . . .There is no length parameter. It takes whatever it takes to compellingly write about, explain, and champion your own book. Some proposals, including the sample chapters, are 90 pages. Some are 45. It doesn't matter. What matters is that it is complete and convincing, and that it excites people to read your manuscript.

Next time, I'll talk about the Overview, I promise.

Laurie

The True Shortcut to Nonfiction Proposals: Part I

2009-02-13T18:22:00.009-06:00

There aren't many shortcuts in the world of publishing, but you might be relieved to know there is one for writing the famously pesky Proposal: Back into it. Yep -- that is the trick.

If you start with the generic how-to-write-a-book-proposal book, it will start you off with writing the Overview (a broad-based summary and pitch of the book), and proceed in a linear fashion through the pieces of The Proposal, like completing a checklist. If you have already written several chapters of your book, this might work fine for you. If you have only a sketchy outline or worse, have it "all in my head," you do not want to start here. Only start with the Overview if you have a complete detailed outline written and at least two chapters of the book. Otherwise, keep reading.

No matter what your nonfiction book idea is, begin by writing a narrative outline of what is in your head. Write conversationally; talk to yourself on the page and create a chapter by chapter road map, describing the chapter's content, tone, focus (and highlights), as if you were telling it to an editor. Fill in as much as you know. This will also tell you how much you don't yet know about your book. What you don't know, go figure out. Do not pass Go and collect $200--stop and work out everything for this outline. You can't go anywhere good without it.

The beauty of the outline work is that you will discover whatever problems there may be in the idea, the planned structure, the research, etc., and now is the time to solve any problems without the whole book unraveling.

Once the outline completely works, write two chapters from it -- test drive it. And I mean really write them -- write them as if they are going to be immediately published. It's not a "draft." Make sure you are writing the book you have in your head. Is it as interesting now as it was in your head? (Note: If it isn't fully engaging you, it will never engage the rest of us.) Are you getting more and more ideas as you write, or are you hitting some walls already? (Pay attention to this.) Is your material breaking into the chapters as you thought it would, or is it creating wildly fluctuating page counts within the chapters? If so, you need to resection your material to produce more evenly divided chapters. Do you have everything you'll need to flesh out all the chapters, or are you going to need to do more interviews, more research?

During this phase of the outline and chapters, don't talk to all your buddies and cohorts about what you're doing. Keep the ideas locked in your head until they are released on the page. Enjoy this process of monkeying with the ideas in your head, creatively and productively. Restraining the impulse to share will produce more dynamic writing, and very likely even more exciting ideas. Writing a book is an organic process. Let it flow.

It should now be clear that if you had started writing the Overview before having done all this -- you'd be flying blind and might easily start filling in the blanks by making up stuff that ultimately describe some other book --not at all like the one you originally envisioned. It happens to many writers. They prepare the Proposal and proceed to write the book they proposed, only to later realize it isn't the one they wanted to write.

Start at the end to first know your book. Then the rest of the Proposal gets easier and easier, while staying true to book you set out to write. Stay tuned for Part II.

Happy outlining --

Laurie
www.authorbiz.com

What are realistic expectations?

2009-02-12T20:32:00.016-06:00

Agents and Editors all want authors to have "realistic expectations." What does this mean?

FOR THE FIRST-TIME AUTHOR, it usually means that your expectations for the publisher's advance stay relatively modest, since publishers have only their own best guess to go on when projecting sales for your book. And keep in mind that separate from the advance money, most books cost in the neighborhood of $50,000 just to get them onto the bookstore shelves with basic launch promotion--nothing fancy. Your advance money is added to that $50,000.

"Realistic expecations" also means the author understands that as much as the agent and editor love your book, you are one among many in their "stable" -- much like being in a family of 14 children. You have to wait your turn and do many things for yourself. It doesn't mean you are not loved.

And when it comes to how much the publisher will spend on your multiple cover designs, or interior layouts of the book, or size of the first printing, or when it comes to the publicity budget and then marketing dollars allocated to your book...well, it is your first book and unless Sales and Marketing folks come in with significant pre-orders, your budget will be modest. And as all editors tell agents, whatever they allocate to any author will never be enough for the author-- even for Danielle Steele -- she'll still be unhappy about this or that, wanting MORE. Understandably they love an author who does not throw a fit demanding MORE.

Lastly, it means they want an author who understands that publishing is a business, and as such the agent has to make enough on commission to afford to be your agent, and the publisher has to make enough profit so the editor keeps his/her job and the publisher can grow to buy other authors.

Okay, you can understand all of this, but it doesn't make it less painful or frustrating. You've put a lot into the book, and have done your part all along. So, "realistic expectations" really means having the good sense to not vocalize anything beyond an expression of your "disappointment." Manage your communication.

FOR THE PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED AUTHOR, "realistic expectations" first means owning up to the sales figures your previous books have put up on the Board -- that Board being the sales tallies that publishers and booksellers have accumulated through Bookscan, which you saw reflected in the royalty statements you shouldn't have thrown out. If your previous book sold 7500 copies in its lifetime, it would be unrealistic to expect a next advance of $75,000 unless this new book idea is so timely and commercial that it wouldn't matter who wrote it, it will sell a ton of copies. Most of the time, however, this is just not the case.

It also means that if your first book did well (everyone was happy and made a profit) and it was a thriller (for fiction) or a biography (for nonfiction) -- and now your next book is a children's book....well, you see the problem. The readers of # 1 will not be coming along to # 2, so the publisher's initial investment will cease to pay off. You are basically de-railing. A smart author always plans the second book to build on the audience/reader of the first book, for everyone's sake (including his or her own). As soon as you start jumping around, you risk losing your publisher, your agent, bookseller support, or all three. Changing category and direction is to be approached very carefully--because, as you know, this is business.

My recommendation for managing expectations is to have a solid support group of friends and family and other published authors who will let you vent now and then, since that is not really what your agent or editor are for. Note: emphasis on "now and then"

Here's to having expectations--for without them, we would never lift the pen.

Laurie

www.authorbiz.com

Life in the Real World of Publishing

2009-02-12T15:21:00.006-06:00

Welcome to Author Biz Sense, where you will be reassured that you are not crazy.

I'd love a clever blog handle like "Ms. Snark," ranting in glorious anonymity, but I've spent my entire career helping authors in a very straightforward, unglamorous way--sort of like calling your CPA, attorney, banker, or neighborhood cop, but more fun. Whether as an agent, publisher, or consultant, I've been engaged in the author business for over 30 years; this is no time to go into hiding, as fun as pseudonyms might be.

On any given day book authors everywhere are grappling with writing issues; agent conundrums; money issues; publisher problems of an amazing variety; money issues; marketing and publicity dilemmas; money issues; and rest-of-their-lives questions. . .and all throughout there is a labyrinth of questions and jams about which they have no one to ask except people who are not in publishing or who are "too close to it." This is how I ended up, years ago, becoming a "911" for authors, and Author Biz Consulting became official a few years ago. I've been on-call ever since.

This blog will explore book author business at all phases and various levels--in no particular order. I hope it will help you think and make decisions about your publishing career with a much clearer head.

Here's to having issues to grapple with--it means you're alive.

Laurie

www.authorbiz.com

Author Biz Sense

ARE EDITORS BUYING BOOKS ANY MORE?

"A Little Break Would Do You Good"

WRITE IT, DON'T TELL IT

Self-Publishing After Being Published: New Questions Arise

The Quickest Way to Kill Your Online Success

Reading in Bed

The World Without Bookstores

MEMOIR: What Makes It Publishable?

When Your Way Forward is Backwards

When Interesting is Deadly

Speaking Into Silence

Advances: They're Good...Right?

To Read or Not To Read: The Author's Dilemma

You Are HERE

Feedback From Hell

In the Eye of the Storm

What the Editors Bought Recently (Nonfiction)

Attention BLOOMBERG PRESS Authors

Quotation of the Day

A Writer's E-Zine

The Macmillan-Amazon Tug-of-War

New Year, New Decisions

Happy Thanksgiving!

What To Do to Help Your Author Friend Sell Books

OPENING THE VEIN

GOOGLE SETTLEMENT: Are You In or Out?

Author WARRANTIES: No Ducking

The Prism Effect

Book Strategy

Staying Out of Our Own Way

WHEN LEADERS RETREAT

How Do Agents Differ?

Speak Up or Shut Up? Part III: The Author-Publicist Dilemmas

Speak Up or Shut Up: The Author-Editor Dilemmas

Speak Up or Shut Up? Author-Agent Dilemmas

A Sense of Humor is Handy in Publishing....

What The Editors Bought Today

Blogger Beware: Copyright Issues

Books They Bought Today

Yes, there is good news....

The Proposal Part IV: COMPETITION & MARKETING

The Proposal: Part III, The OVERVIEW

The Nonfiction Proposal: Part II

The True Shortcut to Nonfiction Proposals: Part I

What are realistic expectations?

Life in the Real World of Publishing