Marketing, Marketing and Wait For It…Marketing

It admittedly scares me when an author approaches me and says, “I need help with marketing my book.” Okay, that alone doesn’t scare me and in fact, thrills me however, read further. “When is your book due for release?” I ask. “Oh it’s already been released.” he or she says. “Congrats!” I say, “What types of marketing have you been doing so far?” “Well,” he or she says, “Nothing yet and I’m getting irritated and discouraged because I have no sales.”

This is a prime example as to why you should start marketing your book….yesterday. As I’ve said before, you should begin marketing your book BEFORE the release. If you don’t believe me, maybe you will believe Jonathan Gunson, Author and CEO of Bestseller Labs. His article, “The Single Most Effective Book Marketing Strategy An Author Can Use,” offers some excellent advice (http://bestsellerlabs.com/the-most-effective-book-marketing-strategy/):

 

How can you get a ‘rave’ response when you launch your next book?

Start Marketing Your Book Long Before It Appears On The Stage

The day your book launches is way too late to start your marketing program. Ideally your ‘theater’ needs to be filled with an eagerly waiting crowd, long before your book fronts the footlights. But for first time authors this can quite rightly seem to be an impossible stretch.

Most authors dream of hitting a home run, as Colleen Hoover did earlier this year with her novel Hopeless. But the reality is this does not happen for the vast majority of writers, and so promotional activity needs to begin well in advance.

For example, Tim Ferris started marketing three years before he launched The 4 Hour Work Week by collecting bloggers, media and supporters, and stayed in touch with them right through.

Rebecca Skloot also began building her audience several years before launching her book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

 

Is it Too Late To Start?

If you did leave marketing your book until after launch, don’t worry – all is not lost. It simply means that it’ll take longer. And if it’s an eBook, you still have plenty of time to successfully market your book, because on Amazon, your book lasts forever, giving it time to find its audience. But do start today if you haven’t already.

The fact is, for the initial book in your series, you may not entirely ‘fill the theater’ prior to launch. But by the time your third book in your series comes around, you’ll not only have a fan base, but be well versed in all the theatrical tactics around launching a book.

This has also been my personal experience. I took a very long road and found out the hard way. But after taking many wrong turns, I finally got there, love every minute of it now, and am happy to share what I’ve discovered.

 

Don’t Plan To Be ‘In Store’, Plan To Be READ

For a moment, picture the dream of the aspiring author: A newly published novel on the bookstore shelves:

But… where is it? The reality is that the thrill of seeing your book ‘live’ in a store wears off very quickly.

Publishing is merely the beginning. What you really need is your books being read, because if your books have appeal, readers will want to spread the word. Your fans are ‘reader evangelists’ who’ll carry the flame for your books and drive the most powerful form of promotion – viral, word-of-mouth recommendation.

Your task therefore is to ignite the viral flame using your author platform, which includes interaction with readers on social media channels such as Twitter and Facebook.

 

You’re A Rock Star To Your Readers, So Connect With Them

Readers have given you their commitment, you owe them yours.

So take time to communicate with them and reply if they ask questions or send praise. Why? Because if you keep on producing titles, and maintain contact, your readers will become your fans and ‘Word Of Mouth’ promoters for life.

Your fans value the fruits of your imagination far more than you may ever know. From your very first book, readers become invested in you. If your books are well written and have appeal, they’ll buy everything you write and feel they ‘own’ you. You certainly owe them your allegiance, because they’ve given you theirs.

Aim your communications at them, connect with them, and keep the fans you’ve already made constantly fascinated, engaged, and crowding into the ‘theater’ at the launch of your next book.

And the bottom line is… start today.

 

What are you waiting for?? (Evin – http://www.saplingpublishing.com)

 

What’s YOUR Agent Pitch?

Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a great, productive weekend. I must admit that mine wasn’t spent writing. It was in fact, a “handyman” type of weekend. I installed a new kitchen faucet, worked on my truck and well yeah, I did admittedly have fun as well. I suppose I was ashamed to admit that I didn’t get any writing done but hey, the things I DID accomplish can give some great writing ideas. Right?

 

So I have found a workshop that appears to look pretty good. It’s with Writers Digest. I do have to admit that I have personally never taken any of their workshops but have heard from others that they are pretty good.

 

This one is taking place this Thursday, so I wanted to get word out there. Here’s what you’ll learn:

•How to make the perfect pitch

•How to deliver the flavor your book to whet the reader’s appetite for more

•How to keep the momentum going through the All-Important-Page-One

•How to start in a logical place—yet from a compelling perch

•How to identify the most exciting elements that illustrate your work

•How to encapsulate (in clear core points) when proposing a book

•The five key takeaways you need to entice an agent/editor

•How to amplify your chances for being selected

•What to do—and what not to do—when summarizing your book in 200-250 words. You want the neurons in the agent’s mind to decide, “Yes, keep reading!”

If you want to see more and/or register, click http://www.writersdigestshop.com/from-pitch-to-page-one-webinar.

 

Have a great, Happy Monday! (Evin – http://www.saplingpublishing.com)

 

Indie Book of the Week

 

Good morning, friends and a hearty TGIF to you all! I hope you all have some awesome weekend plans lying ahead of you, even if it’s absolutely nothing. Sometimes I find those are the most enjoyable.

 

So….if you have read my blog for any length of time you know that I always post the, “Indie Author of the Week” or “Indie Book of the Week” on Fridays. Well, today I’m posting a book that I think you, as an indie author might enjoy.

 

We’ve all heard of indie authors and if you are like me, you consider yourself one (doesn’t matter whether you are published at this point or not). I’m also fairly certain that you are curious as to what helps to make indie authors successful, no matter your definition of success. Here’s something that you should buy:

 

Learn how to succeed in indie publishing.

 

With interviews from 34 of the hottest names in self-publishing, “Interviews with Indie Authors” contains a unique view into the world of the indie writer. Each bestselling self-published author shares how they ensure their books are a hit, and what led them to indie publishing in the first place. You will also find out what they think the future of self-publishing will bring. Their first hand experience is invaluable for anyone planning to succeed with their own books.

 

Whatever your background, you will learn from these incredible interviews.

 

With diverse genres such as thrillers, young adult fiction, the paranormal, romance, comedy, fantasy, horror, science fiction, mystery and even non-fiction, whatever you are writing about, this book has it covered.

 

Contains interviews with indie authors such as: Michael McCloskey, Nick Russell, Connie Suttle, Michael Prescott, Terri Reid, Hugh Howey, Scott Nicholson, Kristen Ashley, Aaron Patterson, Carol Davis Luce, Claire Ridgway, Alexa Grace, Marie Force, Shadonna Richards, Colleen Hoover, Barbara Freethy, Joseph Lallo, Rebecca Forster, Caryn Moya Block, Denise Grover Swank, Mainak Dhar, Imogen Rose, CJ Lyons, Bella Andre, Maria Murnane, Theresa Ragan, Russell Blake, Linda Welch, Debra Holland, J. Thorn, James Somers, Karen Cantwell, Tracey Garvis Graves and Elena Greene.

 

Buy it on Amazon now: http://www.amazon.com/Interviews-Indie-Authors-Self-Published-ebook/dp/B008OTUDWO.

 

Have a great weekend! (Evin – www.saplingpublishing.com)

 

How To Get Your Writing Noticed

Writing is fun. It’s great stress relief, a great form of entertainment and an outlet to the sometimes woes of living in the real world. You can create any type of character you want and have him/her live anyplace in the world.

 

Some writers write strictly for fun and for themselves. They don’t have the desire for others to read it however most writers do have the desire for others to read their work. In fact, most dream of being published one day.

 

The question is, is how in the world do you get your writing noticed? You know I have once again done my research and found a great article for you, don’t you?

 

Without further adieu (http://www.fictionfactor.com/guests/noticed.html):

 

How To Get Noticed by Editors And Publishers:

Make Your Strengths Shine

by Shelley Wake

 

 

To be a successful writer and get noticed, being good often isn’t good enough. You have to shine. You have to have something that puts you above all others. Of course though, nobody is perfect. Everyone has faults and flaws. But everyone has talents and abilities too. What’s your talent?

 

Find your talent and focus on it. Develop it. Showcase it in your writing so it really shines through. Remember, one thing that stands out is far easier to notice than ten things that are good, but not great. Make sure your best skill stands out.

 

 

Stacey’s Story: Start With Something Special

 

I had my breakthrough while taking a break from writing. I was watching the movie Bring it On and decided to watch the bonus features. One of them was an interview with the director and he talked about how the screenplay got noticed because it opened with the cheer song. That stood out, that got their attention, that made them want to read the rest. I decided to take the same approach. I took chances with the start. I started with a letter, a poem, a snippet from a diary. It must have made the difference because with that one change, a manuscript that had been rejected 14 times got purchased. –Stacey, Novelist

 

Carmen’s Story: Use Your Strengths

 

I was told by my teachers and by readers that my dialogue was really strong. So I decided to stop hiding it away and I put it right out front. I made the first chapter of my novel almost all dialogue. It got the attention of an agent, who has since told me that the individuality of the first chapter told him that he had found a new writer with a clear sense of style. He took me on and is now trying to sell that sense of style to publishers. Even better for me, he’s not just trying to sell my first book, he’s trying to sell me as the next new thing, a young writer to look out for! –Carmen, Novelist

 

Editor Says: “Forget Modesty”

 

Writing is not a business where you can afford to be modest. You have to get in there and show what you’ve got. Whatever you do better than everyone else, show it off. Build your work around your best skill. Otherwise, you’re going to be lumped in with the rest of the writers that are good, but don’t stand out. –James, Editor

 

Editor Says: “I’m Looking for One Thing”

 

Many writers make the mistake of trying to show me everything they do well. Forget it. I’m glancing at hundreds of manuscripts a day. To catch my attention, you have to hit me between the eyes with one strong point that I can’t not notice. There will be time later to show me your other strengths. For the first contact, focus on making one clear point about yourself and make it a good one.

–Darryn, Editor

 

Susan’s Story: Is it Really a Flaw?

 

In the early days of Susan’s career, everyone advised her that she relied on dialogue too much. So she cut out the dialogue. She kept writing but found her work lacked energy. Years later, she decided to ignore all the advice. The novel came naturally to her and it was almost all dialogue. The book reviews praised her unique style and voice. Susan learned her lesson—never suppress what comes naturally to you. Remember, what comes naturally to you might be your greatest gift, not your greatest

flaw.

 

Top Six Ways to Find Your Strength

 

1. Ask other people what stands out about your work.

 

2. Read some of your best work and make a list of what makes it good.

 

3. Read through the contents of a book about writing and ask yourself if there is an area you are good at.

 

4. Think about what other people have said about your work. Are there any comments that keep being repeated?

 

5. Ask yourself what you care about when you write.

 

6. What do you like about other people’s work? Often the things you notice in other people’s work are also the things that you are good at.

 

 

© Copyright Shelley Wake. All Rights Reserved.

 

Keep it up! You are almost there. (Evin – http://www.saplingpublishing.com)

 

Why Do Famous Authors Write?

We all know the feelings of envy…envy of those authors who get paid not only to write full-time, but get paid an extremely large salary while doing it.

I’ve often imagined how it would feel to wake up every morning, grab my cup of coffee, sit outside on a large porch of a cabin, the mountains or a peaceful lake as my scenery…sitting down in front of my computer, ready to roll. I’m fairly certain that most famous authors would tell you that this is fairy tale thinking however I’m betting that a majority of writers have had similar thoughts at one time or the other.

So if this is fairy tale thinking, why do famous authors write? What inspires them? Here’s a link that you must click on. You won’t be sorry (just patiently sit through the ad at the beginning. It will be well worth the wait):

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/why-these-famous-authors-write—and-why-you-should/2013/03/15/8cb5df44-8b61-11e2-9f54-f3fdd70acad2_gallery.html#photo=1

 

Write, write, write! (Evin – http://www.saplingpublishing.com)

 

Are You a Good Writer?

If you are like me, you will sometimes write a sentence, read back over it and ask yourself, “What in the heck was I thinking when I wrote that? A third grader could have done a better job!” Yeah, we’ve all been there.

 

Seriously though, are you good? How do you really know? Christopher Gronlund gives us some good insight in his blog (not to mention the fact that it’s just a darn good blog to follow! http://www.christophergronlund.com/blog/tjw/2011/01/21/how-to-know-youre-a-good-writer/):

 

More than a couple times, I’ve heard a newer writer say, “I just want to submit my stuff and have somebody tell me I suck.”

 

Aside from the masochistic urge of being knocked, if you know you suck, you’re wasting everybody’s time submitting.

Even more than “I just want to submit my stuff and have somebody tell me I suck,” I’ve heard people say, “I just want somebody to tell me I’m good.”

 

It’s Not About Being Validated

It feels good to hear, “You’re a good writer,” but if your worth as a person hinges on your writing being accepted, I have to think you’re in for some heartache.

 

If you have to ask if you’re a good enough writer to make it, you probably aren’t; you probably need to keep writing.

If you stay busy and do what you’re supposed to do as a writer, you’ll know you’re good without having to ask.

 

Here are five hints that you’re a good writer:

People Tell You You’re Good

I’m not talking about the people closest to you giving you a pep talk and saying you’re good — I’m talking about people in the know telling you you’re good.

•    Take a creative writing class; are you consistently one of the best writers in the class?

•    Has anything you’ve written advanced in a reputable contest?

•    Do writers you respect tell you that you’re good (but still point out how you can be an even stronger writer)?

If you hear you’re good from people who have no other reason to tell you that you’re good (i.e., they don’t have to live with you moping around the house if they say, “This is a bit weak…”), you’re on the right track.

 

Be Objective

 

Step back and look at your writing.

Really look at your writing.

If somebody handed what you write to you, would you say, “This is good.”?

Do you think everything you write is good? If you do, chances are you’re kidding yourself. (Or you’re a rare genius.)

Most writers know when they can make a scene stronger; they also know when they’re on to something a bit more.

If you can look at your writing with objective eyes and see the good and bad, if you’re not already a good writer, you’re at least moving in the right direction.

 

Compare

 

Compare your work to the writers you aspire to. Can you hold your own with them?

Does the mere thought of comparing what you’re written to the writers you revere make you cringe a little? If so, keep writing!

I’m not saying that when you compare your writing to the best writers out there that you leave them in the dirt (because you probably don’t), but you should feel confident enough in your writing to see it on a shelf in a bookstore alongside other writers doing similar work.

If you feel you still have a way to go before feeling that confidence, keep writing.

 

Submit

 

Put your writing in the hands of people buying short stories, articles, novels, screenplays — anything that pays. (Okay, so short stories rarely pay, but you know what I mean.)

If you get nothing but rejections over a period of years, you probably need to keep honing your skills.

While submitting your work is subjective, part of making it as a writer is seeking out the right places for your writing, and if you don’t see some occasional success over the years — while it doesn’t always mean you’re not good (publishing is full of great writers who faced wall after wall of rejections) — it could be a good indicator that you still need to figure out a few more things.

 

You Don’t Have to Ask

 

Unless you’re kidding yourself, you’ll reach a day when you know you’re good.

Even if you’ve faced nothing but rejections that run along the lines of, “You’re talented, but this isn’t my thing,” you know people are recognizing your abilities as a writer.

Not making it big isn’t always an indication of whether or not you’re good; some people just don’t make it, despite their abilities.

Of course, there’s always room for growth; I think most of us — even if we meet great success as writers — will die feeling that we could have been even better.

But if you’ve heard you’re good from the right people; if you can step back and see the good and bad in what you do; if you deserve a spot on a shelf next to the people you aspire to be like; if you’ve met some success when submitting your work…you don’t have to ask if you’re a good writer or not because you have the confidence to say without any doubt, “Yes, I’m a good writer.”

 

So…are you a good writer?

 

You know you are…(Evin – http://www.saplingpublishing.com)

 

Indie Author of the Week

Wow…it’s Friday already? TGIF, my friends!

Our Indie Author of the Week goes out to Marie Force. Although previously published by traditional publishing houses such as Harlequin, she made the NY Times e-book bestseller list on March 6th.

 

As stated on http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/an-interview-with-indie-ny-times-bestselling-author-marie-force/ written by Bob Mayer:

 

An Interview with Indie NY Times Bestselling Author Marie Force

 

Indie author Marie Force debuts on the NY Times e-book bestseller list on 10 March at #6 and the combined print/e-book list at #11 with her indie-published book, “Waiting for Love,” book 8 in her popular McCarthys of Gansett Island Series.

 

She is the best-selling, award-winning author of 25 contemporary romances, including The McCarthy Series, the Fatal Series with Harlequin, the Treading Water Series and numerous stand-alone books. Her new series, The Green Mountain Series, is coming from Berkley in early 2014.

 

You sold your first book to a traditional publisher in 2007. Less than six years later, you’re one of the bestselling authors in romance. What do you think is the single most important key to your success?

 

Self-publishing is the single most important key to my success. The ability to release books frequently has helped to raise my profile with readers in a way that never would’ve happened without direct publishing access to Kindle, Nook, iBookstore and Kobo, in particular. I also credit Facebook with giving me a daily conduit to readers who have supported me throughout my career and continue to do so today.

 

You’ve said that “No one was interested in these books except my readers,” regarding some of your titles. Is that what led you to self-publish?

 

Yes, exactly! One of my favorite stories involves the Big Six house that rejected my book “True North,” with the reasoning, “No one wants to read about a super model.” Those eight words changed my life profoundly. They were the catalyst that drove me to try something new. “True North,” the story of an unlucky-in-love super model who finds love on a two-week vacation in her small Rhode Island hometown, was the first book I self-published. Since it went on sale in November of 2010, it has sold more than 50,000 units. I guess a few people want to read about a super model…

 

Would you ever go back to traditional publishing completely?

 

Barring major changes in the programs offered by participating retailers, I can’t imagine any scenario in which self-publishing is not a part of my overall picture.

 

How do you handle the workload of not only writing the books, but all the other aspects of being incredibly successful in indie-publishing?

 

The workload is a bit staggering. I won’t deny that. I work seven days a week, three hundred sixty-five days a year. A day “off” usually consists of three or four hours of work in the morning, followed by household stuff that gets neglected while books are being written and published. I’m in the midst of the most intense writing cycle of my career right now, with a Fatal book due to Harlequin March 15, two books due to Berkley before August 1, and another McCarthy book promised to readers, hopefully by the end of the summer. I’ve also got readers clamoring for a fifth book in my Treading Water Series, which is a very nice “problem” to have, but there’s just no wiggle room in the schedule this year. “Treading Water,” book 1 in that series, was my first book and is very close to my heart because it started everything. I find it funny that I’ve reached a point in my career where writing a new book in that very beloved series is just not possible at this time. Back in the day, that scenario would’ve been unimaginable to me.

 

Getting back to your juggling question, I hired a full-time assistant in January, and she has saved my life. I also have a part-time employee, who helps primarily with my e-Book Formatting Fairies business. We format and prepare books for other authors pursuing self-publication. So we’re busy, but it’s the best kind of busy.

 

When did your career begin to take off? What do you attribute your success to?

 

My career got a nice boost from a freebie offered by my first publisher in February of 2011, and I’ve been on a roll ever since then. Releasing the first three McCarthy books, “Maid for Love,” “Fool for Love” and “Ready for Love” in April, May and June of 2011 also helped to give me a big boost. I had four more McCarthy books out in 2012 and offered book 1, “Maid for Love,” as a freebie for the last half of 2012. I had more than 500,000 downloads of that freebie and hundreds of thousands of sales of the subsequent books in the series. “Waiting for Love,” book 8 in the McCarthy Series, is the one that just hit all the major bestseller lists in February. It was a slow build that finally paid off in a big way. I now have 16 self-published books and nine traditionally published books, with more of both coming. Without a doubt, free books have changed the game for me numerous times and contributed greatly to discoverability with digital readers.

 

How do you think your readers found you?

 

It was a combination of things. As I said, free books helped enormously. I’m also very visible on Facebook and run about 30 reader groups—one for each series, one for each book and an overall Marie Force Book Talk group, all of which are very popular with readers. The McCarthy Reader Group just welcomed its 5,000th member, which was another amazing milestone in a month full of them. The readers who hang out with me on Facebook are great about spreading the word about my books to their friends and families, which has also helped the cause. I push my mailing list at every possible opportunity and have seen that grow by many thousands in the last year. Finally, I make an effort—with the help of my assistant—to make sure that every reader who writes to me gets a reply. As time has gone on, this has become increasingly time consuming, but it’s a very important part of what we do every day. Readers are everything, and we never forget that for a second.

 

You recently just hit the NY Times list. What did you do to achieve this goal and how do you feel about it?

 

Yes! My first time on the New York Times list! What a thrill! I tend to be low-key about things that other authors get very excited about, such as contests and the like. I always thought if or when I ever hit the Times list, I’d check that box and move on with my life. Well, it didn’t happen quite that way… Turns out, it was a VERY exciting day! The book sold astonishingly well the first week, so I suspected it might hit the extended list, which would’ve been lovely. But to see it at no. 6 for ebooks and no. 11 on the combined print/ebook list was way beyond thrilling. Then to score no. 15 on the USA Today list and no. 6 on the Wall Street Journal ebook list was triply exciting. In the last two weeks, I’ve learned that “New York Times Bestseller” are words everyone understands, whether they are in our business or not. One of the things that was instrumental to making the list was being allowed to offer “Waiting for Love” for pre-order at several of the major retailers, who are beginning to allow a few indie authors that privilege. And it is, indeed, a privilege that they trust me enough after 16 indie books to know I will deliver the book as promised, on schedule with no drama. Those advance sales truly made the difference in hitting the bestseller lists, and I’m grateful to my retail partners for making that opportunity available to me. It was also a huge thrill to share the bestseller moment with my husband and kids as well as my widowed dad, who was almost as excited as I was. That was a very happy moment in what’s become a lovely career.

 

We noticed you were added to the RWA honor roll with a self-published title. What does this mean to you? Have you entered the RITAs?

 

Well, to be honest, the RWA Honor Roll status would mean a lot more to me if I were allowed to enter my bestselling book in RWA’s RITA contest for published authors. As it stands right now, the RITA is not open to self-published books, but I hope to see those rules changed before too much longer. Although I’ve never been validated by contests, I don’t like being told I can’t enter my book in a contest because of the way it was brought to market, especially when it has done so well. There’s something offensive about that, and I know I’m not alone in feeling excluded from one of my professional organization’s premier programs. I’m hoping that with several prominent self-published authors in leadership positions on the RWA board this year that we might start to see some of those final barriers to participation crumble. Self-publishing is here to stay, and I believe it won’t be long before more authors are self-publishing than are pursuing the traditional path. Yes, I have entered books in the RITA in the past, and have two Fatal books in the contest this year.

 

What top three things do you view as critical to success as an author with the publishing landscape changing so quickly?

 

Job one in my world is quality. Every one of my books undergoes rigorous beta reading, copy editing and proofreading as well as other quality control steps. My covers are professionally designed, and my ebooks are interactive with live links to purchase other books that are customized to each individual retail platform. We also produce print versions for each of my books via CreateSpace, and they are popular with readers who still prefer print. We’re now bringing all my self-published books out in audio format, too. A lot of steps are involved with professional self-publishing, and no corners are ever cut.

 

Job two is quantity. The authors who seem to be doing the best in the digital space have one big thing in common—we’re all prolific. We produce numerous high-quality books each year, and we keep readers happy because they don’t have to wait six months or a year for our next book. With so many things competing for consumer attention, keeping the product coming is critically important to building—and keeping—a readership.

 

Third would be listening to readers and giving them what they want. My readers are very vocal about what they like and don’t like in my books. Fortunately, there is more of the former than the latter! LOL! They desperately wanted resolution of a story begun in “Marking Time,” Treading Water Series book 2, which led me to write, “Coming Home,” book 4 in that series. “Coming Home,” released on 12.12.12., has done very well and has made them happy, which is so important to me. I’m thankful for every one of them, and I try to show them that in every way I can. They’ve also given me some damned good ideas. I plan to write a special Gansett Island book called, “Gansett After Dark,” based on a suggestion a reader made months ago. It was a brilliant idea, and I’m looking forward to writing that book.

 

If you’ve done so well as an indie author, why continue to go the “hybrid” route with traditional publishers?

 

For one thing, I was with Harlequin’s Carina Press for my Fatal Series before I began self-publishing, so it made sense to continue the series where it began. Harlequin will begin publishing the Fatal books in mass-market paperback under the HQN imprint later this year. Since a big portion of romance readers are still interested in paperbacks, I was anxious to get back into print and to have wide distribution for the first time in my career. Harlequin has worked really hard on the Fatal Series (and given me some awesome covers!), so I’m enjoying my stay with them. Berkley provided an opportunity to put a contemporary series into mass market print in addition to ebooks, which was part of an overall strategy to make sure I’m hitting all the available markets—ebook, print, audio, etc. My agent, Kevan Lyon, has been very supportive of my self-publishing pursuits and has worked closely with me to make sure I’m moving in the right direction on all these fronts. At this point, everything is an experiment, and I’m willing to try a number of different strategies to see what works best.

 

Are you having fun yet?

 

I’m having fun every day, and I’m just getting started. This is the best time EVER to be an author, and I couldn’t be more excited about the future!

 

So what are YOU waiting for? Go forth and conquer! (Evin – http://www.mrgurupublishing.com)

 

Seeking an Agent?

If your goal is to take the traditional publishing route then yes, you should be seeking an agent. Let me do clarify one thing though….if you are submitting to indie publishing houses then no, most will accept manuscripts straight from the author however if you are looking at large conglomerates then yes, you need to find an agent. Most of these will only accept submissions from agents.

Word to the wise…there is no formal education that a person must obtain in order to call themselves an agent. In other words, just ensure you use caution and do some serious research before reaching out. You want to find someone that not only knows the industry inside and out, but someone who has some serious ties to the publishing industry.

Here are some words of advice passed along from Ginny Wiehardt (http://fictionwriting.about.com/od/thebusinessofwriting/tp/agenthowto.htm):

1. Finish Your Novel.

Finish writing your novel before contacting literary agents. Have other writers read your book, take a novel writing class, or hire an editor. We all have blind spots as writers; identify them before contacting any agents with your novel. And make sure that the first 30 pages or so are especially strong. Agents need to see that you can set up your story effectively.

 

2. Establish Credibility.

An agent will be more likely to pay attention to your work if you have published in smaller journals and magazines. Find an excerpt from your book that can stand alone and begin sending it out. (Other ways of establishing yourself as a serious writer include winning a contest or getting an MFA.)

 

3. Research Literary Agents.

In finding an agent, you’ll do much of the same research you do when looking for a job. And as with a job hunt, there are many tools at your disposal. Learn about the essential ones here.

 

4. Write a Query Letter.

Your query letter is your one-page audition: your chance to catch an agent’s eye. Introduce your novel with a short, compelling synopsis, then share the credentials you’ve been working so hard to accumulate. These dos and don’ts will further help you craft a professional, dynamic letter.

 

5. Start Writing Literary Agents.

Once you’ve finished your novel and researched the market, you’re ready to start querying literary agents. Dive in and see what happens. Even if you don’t land an agent right away, hopefully you’ll get feedback, both about your writing and about where it might belong.

 

As you proceed, questions will inevitably come up: What fees should you expect? Can you send to more than one at a time? What if you have more than one book? For answers, refer to the agent FAQs. You can also follow one writer’s path to finding an agent.

 

You CAN do this! (Evin – http://www.mrgurupublishing.com)

 

Where Do Writers Find Inspiration?

I definitely struggle with this from time to time. I’m certain that most writers do. So what the heck do you do? Where do you go to find inspiration when it seems to be missing?

 

To add, I know that I have began to write down my dreams when they seem really cool or interesting. I have been finding sections where I can enter them into my first novel.

 

Here are 31 really cool ways by Leo Babauta (http://writetodone.com/2008/03/03/31-ways-to-find-inspiration-for-your-writing/):

 

1.    Blogs. This is one of my favorites, of course. Aside from this blog, there are dozens of great blogs on writing and every topic under the sun. I like to read about what works for others — it inspires me to action!

 

2.    Books. Maybe my favorite overall. I read writers I love (read about my current loves) and then I steal from them, analyze their writing, get inspired by their greatness. Fiction is my favorite, but I’ll devour anything. If you normally read just a couple of your favorite authors, try branching out into something different. You just might find new inspiration.

 

3.    Overheard dialog. If I’m anywhere public, whether it be at a park or a mall or my workplace, sometimes I’ll eavesdrop on people. Not in a gross way or anything, but I’ll just keep quiet, and listen. I love hearing other people have conversations. Sometimes it doesn’t happen on purpose — you can’t help but overhear people sometimes. If you happen to overhear a snippet of interesting dialog, jot it down in your writing journal as soon as possible. It can serve as a model or inspiration for later writing.

 

4.    Magazines. Good magazines aren’t always filled with great writing, but you can usually find one good piece of either fiction or non-fiction. Good for its writing style, its voice, its rhythm and ability to pull you along to the end. These pieces inspire me. And bad magazines, while perhaps not the best models for writing, can still be inspirations for ideas for good blog posts. These magazines, as they don’t draw readers with great writing, find interesting story angles to attract an audience.

 

5.    Movies. Sometimes, while watching a movie, a character will say something so interesting that I’ll say, “That would make a great blog post!” or “I have to write that in my writing journal!” Sometimes screenwriters can write beautiful dialog. Other times I get inspired by the incredible camera work, the way that a face is framed by the camera, the beauty of the landscape captured on film.

 

6.    Forums. When people write on forums, they rarely do so for style or beauty (there are exceptions, of course, but they’re rare). Forumers are writing to convey information and ideas. Still, those ideas can be beautiful and inspiring in and of themselves. They can inspire more ideas in you. I’m not saying you have to read a wide array of forums every day, but if you’re looking for information, trawling some good forums isn’t a bad idea.

 

7.    Art. For the writer aspiring to greater heights, there is no better inspiration that great art, in my experience. While it doesn’t compare to the experience of seeing the art in person, I like to find inspiring works of art and put it on my computer desktop for contemplation (Michelangelo’s Pieta is there right now). It doesn’t have to be classical works, though — I’ve found inspiration in Japanese anime, in stuff I’ve found on deviantart.com, in local artists in my area.

 

8.    Music. Along the same lines, it can be inspiring to download and play great music, from Mozart to Beethoven to the Beatles to Radiohead. Play it in the background as you write, and allow it to lift you up and move you.

 

9.    Friends. Conversations with my friends, in real life, on the phone or via IM, have inspired some of my best posts. They stir up my ideas, contribute ideas of their own, and they fuse into something even more brilliant than either of us could have created.

 

10.    Writing groups. Whether online or in your community, writing groups are great ways to get energy and motivation for your writing. My best short stories were done in a writing group in my local college (a great place to look for such groups, btw), as we read out our work to the group, critiqued them and made suggestions. The work of the other writers inspired me to do better.

 

11.    The Pocket Muse . A book full of writing inspirations. Can’t beat that!

 

12.    Quotes. I don’t know why it’s so, but great quotes help inspire me. I like to go to various quote sites to find ideas to spark my writing, turns of phrase that show what can be done with the language, motivation for self-improvement. Try these for a start: Writing Quotes and Quotes for Writers.

 

13.    Nature. Stuck for ideas? Go for a walk or a jog. Get away from sidewalks and into grass and trees and fields and hills. Appreciate the beauty around you, and let the inspiration flow through you. Sunsets and sunrises, of course, are two of my favorite uplifting scenes of nature, and anything involving water is also awesome (oceans, rivers, lakes, rain, rivulets, even puddles).

 

14.    History. It can be unexpected, but great people in history can inspire you to greatness. My favorites include Benjamin Franklin, Gandhi, Abraham Lincoln, Helen Keller, Leonardo da Vinci, and other greats.

 

15.    Travel. Whether it be halfway around the world, or a day trip to the next town or national park, getting out of your usual area and discovering new places and people and customs can be one of the best inspirations for writing. Use these new places to open up new ways of seeing.

 

16.    Children. I have six kids, and they are my favorite people in the world (my wife and siblings and parents being right up there too). I love to spend quiet time with them, taking walks or reading. I love to have fun with them, playing board games or having pillow fights. And during these times I spend with them, I’m often reflective, about life, about humanity, about love. I suggest that children, with their fresh outlook on the world, can change the way you view things.

 

17.    Exercise. I get my best ideas most often while running. There’s something about the quietness, combined with the increased flow of blood through your brain, combined with being out in the fresh air with nature, that really stimulates the mind.

 

18.    Religion. Many of you aren’t religious (and many are) but it doesn’t matter much — the great religions in the world have ideas in them that are beautiful and inspiring. I’ve studied some of the writings of not only Christianity and Judaism but Islam, Bahai’i, Buddhism, Taoism, and many cultures with multiple nature gods. I can’t say I’m an expert at any of these religions, but I can say that any time I’ve spent reading the ideas of religion have paid off for me in inspiration.

 

19.    Newspapers. I used to be a newspaper reporter and editor, and I’ve become jaded to newspapers. The news seems like an endless cycle of the same thing, happening over and over again. However, if you know how to look, you can find human-interest stories that are inspiring. Stories about people who have triumphed over adversity. (Edit: I had “diversity” instead of “adversity” here and have now corrected … thanks for the catch, Bill!)

 

20.    Dreams. I’m not very good at this, but at times in my life I’ve tried keeping a dream journal by my bedside and writing down what I can remember when I wake up. Not because I think it’ll tell me something about myself or my future or past, but because dreams are so interesting in their complete disregard for the rules of reality, for their otherworldness and plot twists.

 

21.    Writing journal. I highly recommend this for any writer. It doesn’t have to be fancy, or something you write in every day. Just a plain notebook will do, although a nice journal can be motivating. Write down thoughts and inspirations and quotes and snippets of good writing you find and pieces of dialog and plot ideas and new characters. Then go back to this journal when you need ideas or inspiration.

 

22.    Del.icio.us. This popular bookmarking site is a treasure trove of great articles and blog posts and resources. I don’t do this much, but sometimes I’ll browse through these links to find examples of great writing by others. While you shouldn’t steal these ideas, you can often adapt them to your particular blog topic, or use the ideas to spark new ones of your own.

 

23.    Poetry. How can poetry inspire prose? Through its beauty and flow and style and use of rhythm and play on words. Through its use of language and music.

 

24.    Shakespeare. He’s not the only playwright, of course, but he’s undoubtedly the greatest, and the greatest master of the English language as well. While his writing can be difficult for those not used to the language of his time, a study of even one of his plays pays off immensely. The Bard wrote beautifully, used the largest vocabulary of any English writer, invented his own words, made up interesting phrases that are used to this day, had more puns and twists of words than any writer I know. There is no writer more deserving of our study and more inspirational to other writers.

 

25.    Google. Stuck for ideas? The old standby, Google, has often helped me out. I’ll just search for the topic I’m writing about and find tons of great resources. (Evin adds…just remember plagarism. Quote your sources!)

 

26.    Freewriting. One of the best ways to get unstuck if you’re uninspired. Just start writing. Anything. It doesn’t matter. Don’t edit, don’t pause, don’t think. Just write and let it flow. You’ll end up with a lot of garbage, probably, but it’ll help you get out of your rut and you might just write some really good stuff among all that garbage.

 

27.    Brainstorms. Similar to freewriting, but instead of writing prose you’re writing ideas. Just let them flow. Speed and quantity is more important than quality. Within this brainstorm of ideas, you’ll most likely find a few nuggets of greatness. One of my favorite ways to get ideas.

 

28.    Flickr. If fine paintings and sculpture inspire you to greater heights, photography of some of the most talented people in the world can show what everyday humans can do if they try. I like Flickr.com, a real wealthy of amazing photography. Just browse through to find some wonderful inspiration.

 

29.    Breaking your routines. Get out of your rut to see things from a new perspective. If you usually take one route to work, try a couple others. If you usually get up, get ready for work, and leave, try exercising in the morning or watching the sunrise. If you usually watch TV at the end of the day, try reading or writing instead. Shake things up.

 

30.    Success stories. Another of my favorites. When I was training for my first marathon, for example, I read all kinds of success stories of people who had run their first marathon. It inspired me to keep going. There are success stories for writing, or anything else you’d like to do, that will inspire your brains out.

 

31.    People watching. This is an interesting activity for any writer. Go to a busy public place and just sit and watch people. They’ll amuse you, inspire you, and fascinate you. There’s nothing more inspiring than humanity.

 

What are you waiting for???? (Evin – http://www.mrgurupublishing.com)

 

It’s a Process

It really is a process. First the writing, then onto the publishing. My wife recently started a local women’s book club. Her first one was a huge success. She found out that the author of the club’s first read is actually local to us, contacted her and was able to have her attend their first meeting.

She’s traditionally published 10 books I believe. I’m envious that I wasn’t able to attend because she took the group through the entire writing and publishing process.

For instance, she is currently working on a new book. The main character in this book works a trade in which the author really doesn’t know much about. To learn about the trade, she spent a day with an expert and learned enough, enabling her to write about knowledgably the subject.

I’m sure there was more, but that’s what I learned second hand from my wife. J

The publishing process is really what intrigued me the most. First, the author reads back over her manuscript 8 times before she sends it to the publisher. Yes, 8 times. Once she’s satisfied, off it goes. It’s first sent to someone that checks over her facts, to ensure accuracy. Okay, I must admit that this is something I’ve never thought about with the traditional publishing process however it does make sense.

Once the accuracy of actual facts is verified, it’s passed on to the editor and so forth.

Suffice it to say that I wish I could have spoken directly to the author myself. In fact, I’m thinking about trying to find out if I can score an interview with her, so you just might actually be reading one soon; one that I’ve conducted myself.

Another thing that can be said for this is to realize that although this author is traditionally published, she is marketing. My wife said she spoke off and on about her latest book that is soon to be released. Let’s also realize that she attended my wife’s book club. Goes to show that regardless as to whether or not an author is traditionally or self-published, that marketing is a must.

Okay, so no new great words of wisdom in this post. I wish I could tell you more about the process, but I’ve shared what I’ve learned and hey, maybe I’ll find out more from the author soon!

 

Have a good Tuesday! (Evin – http://www.mrgurupublishing.com)