The Lazy Way to Publication

Over the years, I’ve been approached by a number of people who want me to write their story for them…and find a publisher, oh, and maybe an agent. The conversation always comes down to “You do it and we’ll split the royalties.” Honestly, I’m not sure I can hide the chagrin on my face anymore.

These people might have taken the occasional writing course or joined a critique group just long enough to sense how daunting writing a book can be, never mind selling and promoting it. Sometimes, the wannabe author is someone I’ve met socially, or while selling my books, or through a friend.

I call this the lazy way to getting published. Now, let’s be clear. I have nothing against someone wanting to hire a ghostwriter, and I often recommend reputable publishing services to others, but I would never take on the project myself. In fact, I’m highly suspicious of people who want to get from point A to Z without doing a shred of the leg work required, or who refuse to spend a single penny on a good editor, or writer, for that matter.

I’ve given workshops that outline the importance of having a social media presence, and offer simple how-to tips, only to have the occasional attendee say at the end, “I don’t really have to do all that, do I?” Of course not, provided they don’t want to sell any copies. My answer is a bit more diplomatic than that in person, but it amounts to the same thing. If you don’t invest in your idea without doing your homework and spending some dollars, then you won’t get far.

There’s a lot of nice people out there with great stories to tell, but it’s a slippery road to hell to commit your time and skill to someone who doesn’t understand what it takes to write, publish, and promote a book.

Debra

The Best Time of Year to Query Agents

A special welcome to Jeff Rivera, author and entrepreneur. I've known Jeff for a few years and am happy to call him my friend and writing/publishing associate. Jeff has helped many authors find success, either by connecting them to fabulous publishers, agents or editors.

The Best Time of Year to Query Agents

by Jeff Rivera, founder of HowtoWriteaQueryLetter.com

As any book publishing professional will tell you, now is the time when the industry goes on hiatus. But guess what? This is one of the best times of the year to pitch agents. Why? Because agents may slow down during the hiatus period but they cannot help but sneak a peek at their email.

I know because I deal with literally hundreds of literary agencies every year.

They're constantly searching for the next hot thing to represent. And if it's sent to them now, they will have enough time to spit polish it before the industry starts back up again in January.

What's so special about January? Editors come back from the holidays with a fresh new perspective. They're also loaded up with their expense accounts all over again so they'll be ready to rock n' roll when they use those accounts to lunch with your new agent.

Expense accounts are often on a "use it or lose it" basis. If the editor didn't use all their "lunch money" last year they'll receive an even less amount this year. It's also around the time when editors and editorial directors have set or about to set their editorial schedules. So, what better time to submit to agents!

If you have something solid and ready, get your query letter together. And it better be good because you only have one shot with these agents. What are agents looking for right now more than ever?

1) Middle grade - If you've written the next Diary of a Wimpy Kid, especially a funny book for boys now's the time to pitch it.

2) Young Adult fiction - Hot, Hot, Hot! If you have a YA book, nothing's hotter in the industry. It's the one genre that has not dipped in sales tremendously. In fact, agencies are adding more agents to their rosters, specifically looking for this genre. More agents means more opportunities for you.

3) Graphic novels - If you're an author who has had a difficult time selling your novel, think about adapting it as a graphic novel. The great thing is, you don't have to be able to draw. Simply align yourself with a great artist. Create a 5-page sample of your work, a detailed summary and presto! That's all you need. 100% of the clients we've done this for have gotten agents.

4) Celebrity Memoirs - If you've got connections to celebrities, even D-List Reality TV star celebrities, this is a sure bet. Submit a solid book proposal "co-written" or ghost written by you and your hot celebrity and two things will happen: 1) The sun will rise tomorrow 2) An agent will request to read your proposal.

5) High Platform Nonfiction - If you have a huge opt-in mailing list, are the president of a large charity or organization, own your own PR firm, or have strong media connections, now's the time to write a book. Remember, if it's a nonfiction book, you only need write a book proposal, not the entire manuscript. With a strong platform, you'll have agents chasing after you instead of the other way around. 100% of the clients we created book proposals for have landed agents and damn good ones within a week or two.

Remember, you only have one shot with these agents. So, make sure your query letter is as solid as possible. If you need help writing a winning query letter, contact: cheryl@gumbowriters.com and we'll help you. 100% of the query letters we've ghost written have received at least 10 top agents that have requested to read their manuscripts or proposals.

~Jeff Rivera, www.HowtoWriteaQueryLetter.com and www.GumboWriters.com

A special note from bestselling author Cheryl Kaye Tardif:

A few years ago I used Jeff's query service. I was stunned by the response, especially after years of "following the rules" on how to write a query letter. Jeff breaks those antiquated rules and delivers a query that really grabs agents' attention. I had dozens of requests for partial and full manuscripts, and after a couple of weeks I signed with a reputable agency. My agent has been so supportive and a real cheerleader in everything I do. I highly recommend Jeff's query service.

Guest Post: Book Candy Sandy dishes the dirt about contracts & more

Today's guest on The Write Type is "Book Candy Sandy" from Book Candy Studios, a company devoted to helping authors by managing tasks "so authors don't take time away from what they enjoy doing - creating books." Today, Sandy is going to share some tips about the paperwork side of being an author. ~Cheryl Kaye Tardif

With all the recent media attention on the pending Healthcare Bill and whether our elected representatives are actually "reading the bill" before signing it into law, I thought I'd take a moment to emphasize the importance of reading (and understanding) all the paperwork we as authors must contend with in our daily lives.

Earning a living in today's publishing arena is vastly different and greatly more complicated than the world our predecessors faced just 20 short years ago. Today's authors must track and wrangle agent agreements, publisher contracts, hosting agreements, domain registrations, marketing agency contracts, international publishing agreements, photographer copyrights, royalty-free licenses, social networking site terms and conditions, self-publishing contracts, and that's just to name a few. Whew!

Here's where a good (and contract-savvy) agent comes in handy. At least you're partially covered. Negotiating the finer points of your contract with your publisher definitely ranks as number one on your to-do list, and that can be handled by a smart agent – if you have one. But what about the mountain of clauses, declarations, restrictions, indemnifications and terms for termination you encounter from all the third-party services you've committed to with your signature to your bottom line?

Okay, fear not. I'm not here to scare you. Take a deep breath. First make a list of all the contracts you've signed with an actual pen (i.e., publisher contracts, self-publishing agreements, literary agent contracts, marketing agency and PR contracts, etc.) and all the service agreements you've clicked the "I agree" box with your mouse (i.e., AOL, FaceBook, MySpace, your website hosting company, Internet service provider, Google AdWords, GMAIL, etc.).

Now, rank them on a "gotcha" scale (something I created for myself):

1) High risk (i.e., you don't get paid, you lose copyrights, you lose other rights, etc.)

2) Medium risk (i.e., a big headache to fix, such as losing your domain name, your website goes down, privacy has been breached, etc.)

3) Low risk (i.e., social networking site terms and conditions, software licenses, conferences you signed up for, etc.)

Now, look at your list. If you don't understand something or if your gut tells you to look into something further because it doesn't FEEL RIGHT or LOOK RIGHT, ask for help (the legal type is best, unless you are a business attorney or contracts negotiator).

It is safe to say that we've all been burned at one time or another during our writing adventures, and most writers are willing to help their peers avoid some painful and costly mistakes. Read blogs, read articles, shoot emails to authors you know and respect. You will probably find answers. If not, at that point you might consider a lawyer.

We know a bit about contracts. We even field minor questions from time to time from worried authors. However, we are not a legal team. We don't know everything. But we are here for you if you need someone to put their heads together for you.

Book Candy Sandy
www.bookcandystudios.com
sandy@bookcandystudios.com
949.613.2099

Guest Post: Literary agent Misherald L. Brown

GumboWriters: How did you get your start as an agent? Why become an editor instead of say, a fighter pilot or computer engineer?

I got my start by being a little busy body quite honestly. I knew I wanted to do something within the publishing world but I wasn’t sure what so I wanted to be a editor, publisher, writer, and all the other stuff but thanks to some mentors they helped me realized that I had to decided and I decided to try it all out one step at a time. I went on to become a writer, publisher, and a public relations guru not in any particular order to later become a literary agent. I became an agent instead of the neonatologist or pediatrician that I wanted to be because I was giving back to our children.

What are some of the exciting books you've represented that you're most proud of?

I would have to say that my most exciting book to date is my first sell Lil Sister because it only took me 6 weeks to make the sell. I was very proud and excited because I knew I was going places.

When you receive a submission what about it really grabs you and excites you to the point that you'd like to acquire it?

The characters my big thing is the characters and how they act.

What makes you decide to read a submission overnight compared to it rotting on the bottom of your slush pile?

If a book gets me to guessing then more than likely I will stay up to finish it.

What's the best way for a writer to contact you? Query letter?

Email me a query letter ( submissions@mlbrownassociatesllc.com )

Are you open to receiving submissions from self-published authors?

I will consider self-pub authors.

What are you personally doing in order to adapt to the changes in the marketplace?(Changes meaning: lower print runs, shrinking book review outlets, oversaturated market and chains stores being more selective about what books they put on their shelves)

I am paying attention to what editors are buying and being concise of the market itself.

How much of a books acquisition decision do you think has to do with the talent and how many books similar to it have sold great numbers?

I think a book acquisition has to do with the books similar unless the author already has a name. Many editors look at the trends.

Is it becoming necessary for fiction writers to have their own platform (built in fanbase) too? If so, if not, why?

Yes, a fiction writer needs to build their platform quickly.

Article provided by www.GumboWriters.com

Landing an Agent with Power Query Letters

My good friend, Jeff Rivera, is offering 2 tele-seminars devoted to helping authors attract agents and land celebrity endorsements for their books. I can certainly vouch for his expertise in query writing; his advice and services helped me land a New York agent, plus I actually had to turn away some. ~ Cheryl Kaye Tardif, bestselling author of Whale Song

Landing an Agent with Power Query Letters by Jeff Rivera

When: Wednesday, January 14, 4pm - 5pm

Description: Jeff Rivera of GumboWriters.com will teach a tele-seminar on How to Land a Literary Agent. Mr. Rivera has helped his clients score thousands of requests from top literary agents for their manuscripts from The William Morris Agency to Writers House. The first hurdle in getting representation is receiving a request from an agent for your manuscript and in this special tele-seminar class Jeff Rivera will teach you how to write a Power Query Letter guaranteed to bring you results.

Landing Celebrity Endorsements by Jeff Rivera

When: Wednesday, January 21, 4pm - 5pm

Description: Jeff Rivera of GumboWriters.com will teach a tele-seminar class on How to Land Celebrity Endorsements for Your Book. Landing Celebrity Endorsements can mean the difference between scoring a book deal or not, between selling a handful of books and selling thousands. Jeff Rivera has landed endorsements from celebrities from Jeff Foxworthy to Kenny Rogers and from Oscar winners to Grammy Winners. If you've always wondered how you could land a celebrity for your book you'll want to stay tuned for this special class.

How to join in:
To sign up or learn more about these classes send an email to author@amarketingexpert.com

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

'Dare to Dream and Dream BIG' - the motto I've lived by

Note: Ironically, my post ties in to Karen's just below. You know you're addicted to blogging when you still post something even though you've been suffering from major food poisoning for the past 2 days. This is the first day I've left the house and that was to go to the doctor for tests and medication. And we leave for Vegas on Monday...sigh...

Anyway, please enjoy today's post. It was featured on OnceWritten.com.

Daring to Dream Big

I’ve always been a dreamer, and I’ve always believed in dreaming BIG. Ever since I was a young girl, my goal was to become the next Stephen King―or 'Stephanie', at least. It’s been a long, hard journey, but one well worth it, and now I am published and on my way to greater success. I learned that with a dream, anything is possible. With a BIG dream, one never stops reaching higher. This is my story…

Read the rest of my story at OnceWritten.com.

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif,
bestselling author of Whale Song

New York literary agency signs Canadian suspense author Cheryl Kaye Tardif

For any writer who's been at it long enough and sent out hundreds of queries over the years to agents and publishers, I'm here to bring you HOPE. I have enough rejections to wallpaper my office--twice!

In 2006, I managed to get an originally self-published work (Whale Song) picked up by Kunati Books, a provocative new publishing company that just won ForeWord's 'First Independent Publisher of the Year' award at BEA.

Whale Song was published in April 2007 and launched Kunati's UNA trade paperback imprint. Other trade paperbacks will be joining the UNA imprint shortly, but I'm proud that Whale Song was the first.

This week, I signed a contract with an enthusiastic literary agent from New York. It's an all-inclusive contract, meaning he'll represent me and ALL of my books--past and future--in any upcoming deals.

To me, securing an agent represents climbing another ladder rung--or two. If you're a writer, you know how tough that can be to accomplish. And wait! I haven't told you the clincher...

I am Canadian.

No, this isn't a beer commercial. I'm a Canadian author, and in Canada, it's nearly impossible to get an agent here. First, we don't have the population of the US, and hence, we just don't have that many agents here. So many Canadian authors go across the border--or even the ocean--in search of that illusive literary agent.

My agent is in New York, the frenzied hub of the book industry. I couldn't be happier. He came highly recommended by one of his clients. I am positive this will be a productive and successful venture. Why? Because I'm a positive person. So there! :)

To every writer who has struck out sending query after query to agents and publishers over the years, I'll share my two secret strategies: UNWAVERING BELIEF and STUBBORN PERSISTENCE. You must have both.

Having a literary agent will open so many doors that have, in the past, been closed to me. Having a New York agent will even get past the ones that seemed deadbolted shut. I view my agent as my new business partner, someone who knows what he's doing and that I can trust to do the best for us both.

So I'm off to New York. Well, not really. But I am in spirit! My best friend said I should have a "pahty" to celebrate. I'm thinking of having one with a New York theme. You know...New York steaks, New York fries and New York cheesecake. Am I missing anything? Oh yes, and maybe Liza can show up and sing for me so that I'm not forced to Karaoke everyone to death.

And now...a musical interlude. You know the tune.

(music, please...)

Start spreading the news
I got an agent today
I want to be a part of it, New York, New York
My vagabond books
Are longing to stray
And make a brand new start of it
New York, New York
I want an agent in the city that never sleeps
So I can be queen of the hill, top of the heap
These Edmonton blues
Are melting away
I'll make a brand new start of it
In old New York
If I can make it there
I'll make it anywhere
It's up to you, New York, New York.

(This is my shamelessly adapted version of 'New York, New York'--strictly for entertainment purposes.)

And no, I'm not mentioning my agent's name yet. Now you'll just have to check back here. :)

P.S. I welcome any other 'New York' themed ideas for my "pahty".

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif

CanWrite! 2008 - Canadian Authors Association Annual Conference

Don’t let your writing dreams take a vacation this summer! Grow them!

Find inspiration at the Canadian Authors Association Annual Conference - CanWrite! July 3-6 in Edmonton, Alberta.

Learn how to source new material, break into new markets, try new genres, polish your word gems and get your writing out there!

If you can’t attend the entire conference, invest in yourself with a day of professional development or take in a keynote address. Mingle and celebrate with publishers, agents, writers and readers who enjoy a good book at the National CAA Awards Presentations Gala. Listen to the National Literary Award winners at a reading at the Timms Centre.

Keynote speakers: Ralph Keyes - author and speaker; and Ian Ferguson - writer and humourist

Presenters include: Cheryl Kaye Tardif, Carolyn Swayze, Gloria Sawai, Jacqueline Baker, Richard Helm, Jay Bardyla, Susan Musgrave, Matthew Bin, Ted Bishop, Sharon Budnarchuk, Gloria Sawai, and many more.

Where will you find inspiration this summer? Learn more at: www.canauthorsalberta.ca/CanWrite