Posts
by Clea Simon
As the guest blogger here that might seem too basic, too elementary a question. You are, after all, fellow writers and book lovers.
But last week, speaking to a library group, I fielded it, as you have or as you will, too. And, to be honest, I was momentarily at a loss. I rallied – when you speak to readers, you’re as much an entertainer as an interview subject and besides, I'm promoting my latest, Probable Claws as well. So I recalled the incident that sparked my first mystery. I’d been working on a nonfiction book (The Feline Mystique) and had ended up spending a very odd day with a possible cat hoarder (you know, a “crazy cat lady”). I love cats, but spending time with her had been stressful. She was not well, and I felt myself pulled between sympathy and terror and plain old revulsion. These were strong, uncomfortable feelings and I realized, then, how such a woman could become a victim of violence. I had a motive. I could put myself in a criminal's mind. And thus, the process that resulted in my much-lighter-hearted first mystery, Mew is for Murder, began.
But last week – this week, too – I’m in a different place. I am not working on a book. I have nothing in the works. This after having published three nonfiction books and four mysteries, with a fifth (Shades of Grey) due out in September. You see, last month, I turned in what I hope will be the sequel to Shades. After that was done (on deadline, no less), I returned to a beloved project that I’d let sit months before. I re-read and revised that and sent it off to my agent. And now I’m trying to relax. To let myself lie fallow. To have no ideas.
This is the most difficult part of the process for me. I’ve been writing professionally in one way or another for nearly thirty years. Much of that time has been in journalism, where ideas are your stock in trade and need to be churned out regularly. I’ve worked for bimonthlies, monthlies, weeklies, and daily newspapers with the same results: when you need to write something, you find something to write. And if you’re momentarily stumped (accent on the “momentarily” or you wouldn’t be in the business), you punt. You take an evergreen idea and add a few new branches. Basically, you create at will.
That kind of writing has its advantages. For one thing, it paid my bills for many years. Plus, on a deeper level, it taught me a discipline I cherish. I do not believe in writer’s block, since it was a luxury I could never afford. When I have to write, I do – even if it means spending a day hacking out some transitional scene that I know is necessary but that I’ve avoided. Even if it means writing a scene that I will probably cut later, but need to get out on paper for some structural reason. The ability to write is like a muscle. If exercised regularly, it works better, moves more fluidly and with more grace.
But the churning out of ideas, that I’m trying to give up. A book is too dear a project to just jump into. I don’t want to commit to a story the way I used to grab up a service feature assignment. Don’t want to plot on demand, pulling together bits and pieces of projects past. I’m not a prima donna – I did just write a mystery because an editor wanted it! But if I don’t have a contractual obligation, I’d rather just let it happen naturally. And in order for that to happen, I have to allow myself time.
When we’re both writing, novelist Caroline Leavitt (author of Girls in Trouble) and I often talk about the “rusty water” days. The days when you write crap, knowing you have to get it out of the way in order for the clear water to flow. “I’ve learned to be patient,” she emailed me today. To trust that, in her words, “the subconscious is still churning.”
This is harder for me, because it’s not about getting the bad out. It’s part of the process, but it’s not an active part. It’s lying fallow and letting those deep springs replenish. It’s not that I don’t have little tickles in my head – scenes, a possible title, a confrontation, a spark – I do, lots of them. But unlike some of my colleagues, I'm not writing them down. Not yet. They're too ephemeral, too fragile right now – and I don’t want to leap in just yet. Writing anything would feel like commitment. It’s too soon and I’m still in too reactive a mode. I’m not writing for a daily paper anymore. I’m not on assignment. I want to fall in love.
*****
Clea Simon was born and raised in East Meadow, N.Y. She graduated Harvard University with an A.B. in English and American Language and Literature magna cum laude. She then earned a certificate from the Columbia University School of Journalism summer magazine writing and editing program. She is married to the writer Jon S. Garelick, and they live in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her books include: Mad House: Growing Up in the Shadows of Mentally Ill Siblings (Doubleday, 1997; Fatherless Women: How We Change After We Lose Our Dads (Wiley, 2001); The Feline Mystique: On the Mysterious Connection Between Women and Cats (St. Martin’s, 2003); Mew is for Murder: A Theda Krakow Mystery (Poisoned Pen Press, 2005; Cattery Row: A Theda Krakow Mystery (Poisoned Pen Press, 2006); Cries and Whiskers: A Theda Krakow Mystery (Poisoned Pen Press, 2007); Probable Claws: A Theda Krakow Mystery (Poisoned Pen Press, 2009); Shades of Grey: A Dulcie Schwartz Mystery (Severn House, 2009)
Monday, August 31, 2009
Where do you get your ideas?
Friday, August 28, 2009
The Economics of Book Promotion
Q: What are the economics of book promotions? If a publisher says they'll run a 'good' promotion how much do they expect to spend on it? How much time by how many people is considered adequate? Is $10k a decent amount or a drop in the bucket? Moreover, how do costs add up, that is what percentage normally goes to print ads, blog ads and general PR etc.? I read about publishers promising the moon, then sticking a book on a shelf and letting it fend for itself. What are the chances of getting them to actually commit to a campaign?
A: 85% of all books get less than $2,000 of support.
For the other15%, promo budgets typically run from $2,000 to $250,000, with very, very few getting the upper reach and maybe ten books a year getting more. Co-op placement (getting favorable position in bookstores) alone can run $20,000 and up.
As for the timing, publishers do trade promo when they sell the book in and then consumer ads when the book is out to the public. But it’s usually nothing like what those of us with marketing backgrounds think is adequate.
When you ask about a $10K budget, you should find out if that budget is for co-op placement, marketing after co-op, or both. $10K is not a drop in the bucket. It can buy a decent amount of marketing compared to what other books are getting… but it’s not comparable to what other products spend on marketing.
As for the percentages to each marketing effort…. It depends on the book. But the budgets are typically eaten up by trade advertising, internal PR with ARCS (Advanced Reader Copies), and co-op placement. If your publisher has any money left, it can go to some online promotion or print ads. Rarely do budgets allow for radio or TV commercials. Sometimes the publishing house will hire outside PR, but that happens infrequently.
As to the chances the publisher will commit to a campaign…It depends on the book, the sell in, the publishers’ excitement once the book is finished, and the line up of other books that season. There are a lot of reasons they promise and a lot of reasons they change their mind. NOT all arbitrary, and not all are wrong. Sometimes arbitrary, sometimes wrong :-)
It is hard to convince a publisher to spend money if they haven't already decided to do so. But these days they are all coming around to the idea that authors and publishers can work together to be marketing partners. I'd say that 90% of the authors I work with through Authorbuzz.com not only have their publishers' cooperation but their blessing. Is it right that a huge percentage of authors are spending parts of their own advances on marketing? No. We got in this to write books. But is it smart to do so? You bet it is.
About M.J. Rose
M.J. Rose, is the international bestselling author of 10 novels; Lip Service, In Fidelity, Flesh Tones, Sheet Music, Lying in Bed, The Halo Effect, The Delilah Complex, The Venus Fix, The Reincarnationist, and The Memorist.
Rose is also the co-author with Angela Adair Hoy of How to Publish and Promote Online, and with Doug Clegg of Buzz Your Book.
She is a founding member and board member of International Thriller Writers and the founder of the first marketing company for authors: AuthorBuzz.com. She runs two popular blogs; Buzz, Balls & Hype and Backstory.
Getting published has been an adventure for Rose who self-published Lip Service late in 1998 after several traditional publishers turned it down. Editors had loved it, but didn't know how to position it or market it since it didn't fit into any one genre.
Frustrated, but curious and convinced that there was a readership for her work, she set up a web site where readers could download her book for $9.95 and began to seriously market the novel on the Internet.
After selling over 2500 copies (in both electronic and trade paper format) Lip Service became the first e-book and the first self-published novel chosen by the LiteraryGuild/Doubleday Book Club as well as being the first e-book to go on to be published by a mainstream New York publishing house.
Rose has been profiled in Time magazine, Forbes, The New York Times, Business 2.0, Working Woman, Newsweek and New York Magazine.
Rose has appeared on The Today Show, Fox News, The Jim Lehrer NewsHour, and features on her have appeared in dozens of magazines and newspapers in the U.S. and abroad, including USAToday, Stern, L'Official, Poets and Writers and Publishers Weekly.
Rose graduated from Syracuse University and spent the '80s in advertising. She was the Creative Director of Rosenfeld Sirowitz and Lawson and she has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC.
She lives in Connecticut with Doug Scofield, a composer, and their very spoiled dog, Winka.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Oh No! It’s Typo!
By Boyd Morrison
I hate typos. Despise them. They are vermin to be wiped from the face of the planet, ranking just below tapeworms and just above spammers trying to sell me herbal V1@gr@.
The irony is that, as I have discovered this past week, typos love me. They can’t get enough of me. Apparently, they get so distraught if they do not appear in my novels that they insert themselves without my knowledge just so they don’t feel left out of the fun.
After I posted my complete, polished novels to my web site and the Kindle, several alert readers notified me that they’d come across a few typos, which I’m grateful to know about so I can go back and fix them. That doesn’t mean I don’t need a moment to gather myself after finding out about them, because my reaction is usually something like this:
ARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!
I add in some very bad words if I want to be even more articulate.
The reason for my frustration is that I proofread my books very carefully to make sure they are as error-free as possible. I spend hours reading and rereading the novels until my eyes glaze over and I can’t see straight. I don’t see how that method can fail.
And yet, it does. My most frequent typos are of the mixed-up variety. I type “their” instead of “there” or “your” instead of “you’re.” Of course, this kind of error can lead to some amusing outcomes. A few years ago, when some striking union workers felt they were being taken advantage of by management, they didn’t help their cause by carrying placards saying, “The managers think your stupid!”
But I can see how I might miss something like that. What I can’t understand is how I used a word like “valediction” in place of “valedictorian.” I’ve never used “valediction” in a sentence in my life. In fact, I had to look up what it meant (Val*e*dic*tion: a word Boyd never uses).
The worst typo I found, all by myself, was when I used “astronomist” instead of “astronomer.” Now, “astronomist” is not, technically, a word, so how both I and spellchecker missed it is a mystery, although some other people in the same situation might make wild accusations. For example, I would never start the rumor that Microsoft Word randomly inserts nonsense words into a person’s writing just for the enjoyment of programmers who get hilarious emails every time someone sends out a document with the word “squatful” inserted into it. That would be irresponsible.
Besides, I can’t depend on spellchecker because it’s not always reliable. It hasn’t happened lately, but it used to be that when I typed “Boyd Morrison” into Word, it would underline the words in red, diligently alerting me that I had misspelled my own name. When I asked spellchecker for a better suggestion, it came up with what should have been so obvious to me: “Body Moron.” Perhaps it was suggesting a new pen name for me.
I can take comfort in the fact that even NY Times bestselling authors have books with typos. My friend, James Rollins, whose books are epic action-adventure stories that I gobble down in about a day, wrote The Last Oracle, the cautionary tale of what happens if you stand too close to a molten nuclear reactor (hint: it involves the words “brain” and “tapioca”).
Toward the end of The Last Oracle, I found the sentence, “Her entire form shook as teats spilled in shining streaks of joy.” Jim, of course, meant “tears”, but when I tried to imagine the scene as written, I laughed so hard that the person sitting next to me on the airplane thought I had a medical condition.
When I wrote an email to Jim with praise for the book, I also told him of the typo. He emailed back just one sentence: “I read your kind words with teats in my eyes.”
So I suppose, like Jim, I should keep a sense of humor about typos and their affection for me. I mean, what’s the worst that could happen? It’s not like I could get saddled with some kind of ridiculous nickname just because of typos.
Sincerely,
Body Moron
*****
THE ARK by Boyd Morrison and a sequel were acquired by Editor Sulay Hernandez for the Touchstone imprint of Simon and Schuster in a pre-empt from Irene Goodman of the Irene Goodman Agency. THE ARK is a thriller centered on a modern-day, science-based, reinterpretation of the biblical story of Noah where a combat engineer and an archeologist desperately search for the true relic of Noah’s ark to uncover the secret hidden inside before it is used to wipe out civilization as it did in Biblical times. The book was originally available only in e-book format where it grabbed the #1 spot on Kindle for e-book sales in the genre. Boyd is a PhD in industrial engineering and a former employee of both NASA and Microsoft. THE ARK will be published in Spring 2010.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Writing Sleuths - The 21st Century Private Eye
Gone is yesterday's gumshoe private investigator (PI), the solitary Lone Ranger who single-handedly righted wrongs, leaving the world a better place as he disappeared down those mean, dusty streets to another case. Don't get me wrong, the 21st century PI works alone for some of the time, but he (or she) would be a fool to work that way twenty-four/seven, especially with the network of other PIs, resources, and data to draw on (for example, via the Internet).
Let's start by blowing the dust off some of the out-dated, cliched myths about yesterday's PI by reviewing some real-life PIs' pet peeves about their fictional counterparts.
Real-Life PIs' Pet Peeves About Fictional PIs
A group of PIs were asked what misconceptions they'd like to correct in representations of PIs in novels, movies, and TV. Below are some of their responses:
Staying Legal. At least 80% of the PIs surveyed brought this up as their number one pet peeve. Fictional PIs are often shown doing illegal things when, in actuality, real-life PIs abide by the laws. Because if they don't, they could lose their business and license--a risk no PI wants to take. If a PI doesn't know his/her legal rights, they know how to look up the statute or they have a lawyer buddy/client to call for advice. No PI worth his/her proverbial salt goes into a legally-murky situation without knowing exactly what actions are lawful. Slip-ups and missteps muddy a PI's reputation, which is perhaps their most critical asset because it reflects both their ethics and skill.
Being Prepared. Colombo (the detective from the '70s' TV series with the same name) always came back again (and again and again) to the witness, before he finally asked the zinger question. He never seemed to have a plan how to obtain information in one fell swoop. Today's PI typically has one shot, and one shot only, at interviewing a witness. There's no bumbling around-he/she has to get to the point. That means being prepared. When a PI first makes contact with a witness, the PI needs to know the purpose of his questioning as well as the questions themselves. Sometimes legal investigators (PIs who work for attorneys) will come armed with police reports or past statements by the witness. For example, sometimes a prior witness statement reveals to the investigator, in the course of the interview, that the witness's statement has inconsistencies-such conflicts in a person's story indicate the witness is unreliable.
Surveillance fantasies. PIs scoff at the notion that a solitary PI can effortlessly pull off a successful mobile surveillance (meaning, following someone in a vehicle) for hours and hours. Mobile surveillances typically require at least two PIs in two vehicles, and even then the success rate (per one PI's statistics) is 50%. And yet time and again one will read about (or see in a movie) a PI who magically follows someone who's weaving in and out of traffic, turning, speeding, zipping through intersections for an entire day! Try following one of your friends in traffic (especially when you do not know their destination) and see how easy it is to lose their car.
Business savvy.Too many PI stories ignore that a PI runs a business that entails negotiating and writing contracts, managing money (and sometimes subordinate PIs), buying/upgrading office equipment, writing reports, etc. First and foremost, a PI has a business relationship with his/her client that includes all the legal ramifications that come with any customer situation.
Violence. Real PIs don't hit people first, even if they are mad. In fact, they don't engage in violence anymore than they engage in burglary or theft. The debate is ongoing within the PI community as to whether to carry guns or other self-defense weapons.
Make It a Whiskey, Neat. Real-life PIs don't all drink like Phillip Marlowe or Sam Spade, and if they were to be slipped a micky, or hit with a sap, they'd be ashamed of their lack of planning. Today's PIs wouldn't chance dulling their senses as this could be used to denigrate them should they have to testify in court about their observations.
This is a good place to also note things today's PI would never do. If a writer chooses to have his/her fictional PI do any of these acts, they're setting up the PI character to be in some deep you-know-what (although, this might also be what you, as the writer, want for your PI-better to know what's illegal than to write something that's manifestly so and not know, right?).
A PI who wants to keep his/her job/license/career/reputation would never:
Use these myth-busters and guidelines to create true-to-life, 21st-century savvy PIs who'll keep readers turning the pages of your stories. Colleen Collins is a professional PI and multi-published author. She and her business partner own a private detective agency in Colorado. They post articles on investigative trends, as well as tips and techniques for mystery writers developing sleuth characters/stories at Guns, Gams, and Gumshoes: http://writingpis.wordpress.com/ |
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
The Writer's Middle Finger Part Two (On Avoiding Disappointment.)
So, you’re ready to write what you want to write. You’re ready to ignore dumb advice and name your characters Saffron or Millicent and have them drive obscure cars named after small South American mammals. You’re ready to hoist those middle fingers and say, “Screw you world! I’m gonna write something TOTALLY ORIGINAL and not think about what shelf it might land on in a bookstore!” Some business-minded readers are shaking their heads. This is not the way to sell books. True, maybe. But I think it’s definitely the way to become a writer.
Growing a writer takes time.
Do you remember those people in junior high school who arrived in Izod sweaters, then met the weird girl in class, and suddenly chopped their hair, layered on the eyeliner, and bought a Clash album? Those might have been the same people who moved up to high school and traded in their Clash album for rap music and a pair of baggy jeans. I mean no offense to anyone who did this. We all did this in our own way. We were growing and learning and figuring out who we were. Bravo to us. But it took a while, remember?
I like to think that writing has an adolescence period, too. Like life-adolescence, writer-adolescence is an awkward and exciting time, filled with the influence of whomever you allow in. Be careful. A few cynical thoughts from the wrong people can steer you away from yourself. There are plenty of bullies and downers and know-it-alls in this business – people who want to startle you with publishing “facts”. You need to remember why you’re here. You want to write, right?
Publishing and writing are two completely different things.
Only fifteen years ago, it was hard to find out about publishing. You had to buy Writer’s Market books and read trade magazines and find real flesh-and-blood humans to talk to about how to write a query letter, or what a royalty statement meant, or how to double check your contract. Now, with the internet, we can find out a lot about publishing in a matter of days – which is a great thing and also not a great thing. I’m all for being educated, but I meet a lot of writers who are over-interested in the publishing side of things before they really start writing. After a story or two, or even a novel, they ask, “When should I just give up?” Give up? Give up what? Are you writing? Are you enjoying writing? Isn’t that what you’re here for? “I do like writing, but I thought I’d be published by now.” I understand this. I understand that it’s nice to be rewarded for hard work. I understand the need for concrete success. I also understand that every time you tell someone you’re a writer, the person asks, “Are you published?”
For this scenario and others, I feel fortunate that I grew my writer’s middle finger in a cave. No internet, no email. No outside opinions, no unsolicited advice, and no dangerous comparisons. Once I got a computer, my worst procrastination enemy was solitaire. I didn’t talk to anyone about writing. I didn’t read about query letters or the publishing world – I don’t think I knew what a query letter was until I was writing my third novel. I’m glad I didn’t, too. My writing pretty much sucked.
Here is a picture of my writer-adolescence.
While you suck, embrace your suck.
Really. Stop taking yourself so seriously. Writing isn’t everything. It probably isn’t going to make you much money. It especially isn’t going to make you money in the beginning, because we all suck then. Yep. Beginners suck. Saddle up. Set realistic goals and have some fun. Work until you can tell what sucks and what doesn’t, all by yourself. You don’t want to be one of those totally-sane-yet-tone-deaf American Idol contestants, do you?
On one hand, you can ask every passerby, “Do these jeans make my ass look fat?” and you might learn something about other people’s perceptions from their answers. On the other hand, you’re the only person who matters. If you think your ass looks fat in those jeans, no one else’s opinion counts. Once you embrace your suck, you are less likely to believe it when your mom says your sucky story about robot kittens is “Just wonderful!” but you’re also more likely to believe it when your gut tells you how good something is, no matter who doesn’t like it. (Because someone will always dislike it.)
While you rock, embrace your rock.
Life is hard is hard enough without having to fight yourself through the good times. Don’t be one of those downers, okay? When you finally get a story or poem accepted, say, “Yay!” and not, “Whatever,” and when you get suggestions or rejections, try to learn from them gracefully, but hold your ground about your ideas. Anything can work if it’s done well, no matter what the so-called experts say. In your beginning years, celebrate every improvement and aim always for better writing. This leads to a healthier personal writing environment – which you’ll need, because one day, if you keep at it, you’ll be juggling copy-edits, future proposals, promotion, and events while you’re writing the next two books. There will be no room for negativity.
Isolate yourself from time to time. Turn off your internet. Blow off your writer’s forums*. Stop reading the deal pages at Publishers Marketplace.** Listen to your gut – even if it suggests something completely insane. You will know when you are on the right path for you. I once owned a Human League album and had a hair tail that I dyed pink. I once wore a white beret and pierced my nose. While I loved both looks, and know they served their purpose, I’m still glad neither made it to the author page of The Dust of 100 Dogs.
** Similarly, she loves Publishers Marketplace and means no offense to it or anyone affiliated with it.
This blog originally appeared at the awesome mystic-lit.
Read Part I: The Writer's Middle Finger (How to grow it, groom it, love it, and stretch it)
*****
A.S. King’s short fiction has appeared in a lot of great journals and has been nominated for awards. Her first young adult novel, The Dust of 100 Dogs, was published by Flux in February 2009 and was an Indie Next List pick for teens and has been nominated for YALSA's Best Books for Young Adults. Her next novel, Ignore Vera Dietz, is due in Fall 2010 from Knopf.Saturday, August 22, 2009
Beth Solheim Interview
Beth Solheim - Interviewed by Karen Syed, Publisher, Echelon Press
BS: Shock. Absolute shock and joy. Several months had lapsed after Karen Syed, publisher of Echelon Press, requested my manuscript, so I thought she must not be interested. Then, as I do every morning, I opened my email and there it was. Karen said her editorial board expressed interest and would I like to look at a contract. Would I? Are you serious? Of course! Acting like an adult was out of the question as I raced from room to room. I realize the real work has just begun, but I’m still riding that cloud of debut-author bliss.
KS: How long have you been writing and what was the first thing you remember writing?
BS: I’ve been writing for about ten years, six seriously. My first attempt at writing was a mystery. I knew nothing about plotting, characterization, or pacing, but I plodded through and thought it was great. A best seller. It wasn’t. It was horrible. I’m mortified by that first attempt, but also thrilled with what I’ve learned over the past six years.
KS: What is a typical day like for you with regard to a day job and now a pending career as an author?
BS: My full-time day job is in Human Resources in a hospital. My evenings are spent doing typical household chores, writing and editing, and occasionally drawing floor plans and processing paperwork for my husband’s construction business. Signing a contract with Echelon Press added another dimension—marketing. Over the past year I read books and surfed websites to learn what I could about marketing. I’ll format a plan to stay current with trends in marketing and writing.
KS: How do you think your life will change once your book is published and available for sale to readers?
BS: The pace will quicken, especially when both the ebook and print book are available to readers. Blog tours, book signings, speaking engagements and book fairs will be priority along with other marketing venues. I’ll keep my day job and most of all stay focused on writing and edits.
KS: What kinds of things do you do to keep your focus when trying to write when life gets in the way? Do you use candles or music or meditation?
BS: I park my butt and write. I have a nasty chat with a certain lazy writer if I don’t meet my goal. And, no chocolate! I also use Goals for Guppies, a Sister’s in Crime support group. I set a goal each week and have to report in on weekends. Shame on me if I don’t achieve that writing or marketing goal. If I’m exhausted when I come home from work, I enjoy a meal with my husband and then walk a mile or two with Il Divo, Celine Dion, or Josh Groban serenading me. Music is stimulating and makes me feel whole again. It triggers ideas.
KS: Who in your life has been the most influential in your journey toward being an author?
BS: A friend of my sister’s, Stephanie Sorenson, who is a publicist for Penguin Putnam, took the time to read my manuscript and made suggestions out of the goodness of her heart. No one in the profession had ever validated my writing or made constructive comments. That honest critique coupled with encouragement and counsel was the best thing that happened.
KS: Tell us a little bit about book one of your upcoming series.
BS: At Witt’s End is a humorous, paranormal mystery. Witt’s End is a bustling resort in
Most sixty-four year old senior citizens aren’t expected to solve a murder while trying to prevent an unscrupulous sheriff’s deputy from shutting down their lakeside resort, but that’s exactly what Sadie Witt must do.
When five guests arrive at Cabin 14, they’re stunned to learn that the flamboyant Sadie is their conduit to the hereafter. Clad in the latest fashion trends, fads that are typically reserved for those without sagging body parts and sporting hairdos that make bystanders want to look away but can’t, Sadie realizes one of the guests had been murdered and must work against the clock to untangle the web and prevent further mayhem.
*****
Like the main character in her Sadie Witt mystery series, Beth Solheim was born with a healthy imagination and a hankering to solve a puzzle. Her lifelong interest in figuring out how things worked was a natural transition into weaving a tale.
By day, Beth works in Human Resources at a hospital. By night she morphs into a writer who frequents lake resorts and mortuaries and hosts a ghost or two in her humorous paranormal mysteries. In her writing life she’s been a sheriff’s deputy, a funeral director, a child, a death coach, an embezzler, a ghost and a chef who’s been banned from cooking at the Witt’s End resort.
Raised in
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
The Writer as Kitchen Slave
by Karen Dionne
I’m a writer – a published author, a novelist. I’m not yet a household name, but I’m not a wannabe either. My first thriller published last fall with Berkley, a division of Penguin/Putnam. My publisher paid me an advance, sold German and Czech rights, and this spring, bought a second thriller from me on spec.
I’m also co-founder and co-administrator of Backspace, an Internet-based writers community with over a thousand members in a dozen countries. I organize and run the Backspace Writers Conference in New York City every year. Backspace has the endorsement of some of the top people in the publishing industry. When I email literary agents, editors, and bestselling authors, they answer – usually within minutes.
But writing is only half of what I do. Like most novelists at the beginning of their careers, I have a day job that pays the bills. In my case, it’s working alongside my husband doing high-end furniture upholstery for interior decorators from a workshop behind our home.
Last week, I went to a customer’s house because the cushion I’d sewn for a piece of wicker porch furniture didn’t fit. It happens. We’ve been in the business for decades and we’re very good at what we do, but life isn’t perfect, and occasionally things go wrong.
This customer lives in a lovely house on a lake in one of my city's wealthier suburbs, complete with winding, wooded driveway, beautifully landscaped yard with a bronze sculpture and gazebo, and secondary driveways labeled with discreet signs (“To Boathouse”) to indicate their purpose.
The woman was not so lovely. As soon as I arrived, she launched into what turned out to be a full half hour of abuse. She scolded, insulted, ridiculed, accused, demeaned, yelled, hit things, threw things, and even yanked the cushion from my hands as I was trying to determine what mistake I had made when I sewed it.
In hindsight, I should have called a halt after five minutes. Given her my cell number, told her I was going for a cup of coffee, and explained that she was welcome to call me after she’d calmed down and I'd come back and finish the job.
But even though it requires a high level of craftsmanship and skill, upholstering furniture is a service business. The customer had a legitimate complaint, which I was there to fix. So I suffered through her tantrum until I had the measurements I needed, escaped to my car at last, and drove off, hands shaking, close to tears.
Understand, I'm not easily intimidated. My first novel isn’t a cozy Agatha Christie-type mystery, it’s a science thriller that plays out more like Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park. To research my next novel, I traveled 7,000 miles to Chaitén Volcano in Northen Patagonia, Chile -- an active volcano officially on Red Alert. I stayed in the town at the volcano’s base, though it was ruined by a lahar and is without electricity and running water. I hiked to within one mile of the lava dome. I saw steam vents, heard explosions from within the caldera, and felt a small earthquake.
None of that frightened me. But this woman’s screaming as if she were the lady of the manor and I was her kitchen slave was one of the most disturbing experiences I've ever had – made all the more bizarre by the fact that I’d just come from New York City, where I was a featured author at a thriller writers convention and did a joint book signing with a bestselling German thriller author at a landmark bookstore in SoHo.
My customer didn’t know about the other half of my life, of course. I understand her ignorance. Writers aren’t rock stars. Even the most successful tend not to be recognized. #1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Child relates how once while he was touring, he noticed the woman in the seat beside him on the plane reading one of his novels. He didn't introduce himself and claim ownership; instead, he waited to see what would happen. Hours later when they disembarked, the woman still had no idea she’d been sitting next to the novel’s author, even though she could have easily matched up her seat mate with the photo on the back of the book.
For most published authors, the glamorous life of a writer includes a day job. It's entirely possible I wasn’t the first author with whom my customer crossed paths. The barista at her local Starbucks, or the mechanic who rotates her tires, or the IT guy who fixes her computer might well be an author whose novel she read, loved, and admired.
But ignorance doesn't excuse my customer’s bad behavior. Whether a person’s accomplishments are obvious or not, everyone deserves to be treated with respect. No one should be treated like a kitchen slave – even if they happen to be a short order cook.
Karen Dionne is the author of Freezing Point (October 2008, Berkley), a thriller Douglas Preston called "a ripper of a story," with other rave endorsements from David Morrell, John Lescroart, and many others. Her next novel, Boiling Point, will be published by Berkley in October 2010. For more information about her, go to www.karendionne.net.
Playing Hook-y
Today's blog comes to us from the Women of Mystery's recount of literary agent Jessica Faust's visit with the NY Sisters in Crime. Enjoy!
Last Thursday, Jessica Faust of BookEnds Literary Agency came to talk to the New York/Tri-State Chapter of Sisters in Crime (to which all the Women of Mystery belong). Since several of our chapter members couldn't make the meeting, I thought I'd post the bullet points here with the caveat that I am posting as I remember...so if anyone wants to comment and correct or add to my recollections, please do!
Jessica spent a goodly portion of the meeting talking about hooks, and with good reason. First, the hook is what attracts new readers and thus agents and editors. Second, all too few inexperienced authors don't understand how to frame their hooks when discussing their work.
All agents and editors say "write a great book." Unfortunately, writing a great book isn't enough. Think about your last trip to the bookstore. How many books did you pass by on the shelves that might be just fabulous? Now, think about the last time you picked up a book by an author you'd never heard of. (That's okay, we'll wait while you try to remember.) Now, what made you buy that book? It wasn't the author or poetry of the writing, because you didn't know about either of those. No, whatever it was that made you pick it up probably had something to do with the plot. And whatever unique, exciting thing it was that made you pick up that book rather than any of the dozens of others you might have chosen, that was the hook.
Agents and editors look for hooks, too. Like those first-time readers, they haven't heard of you, they don't know whether your writing is great (or even competent), and they don't have time to find out by reading your manuscript. They only have your query and the hook contained therein. On the basis of that, they'll decide whether they want to see some of your manuscript.
Because she was speaking to a group of crime writers, Jessica talked mostly about mysteries, but the idea holds true for any genre. Mysteries, she said, divided very generally into three subgenres:
- Cozies
- Straight (traditional) mysteries
- Thrillers/suspense
Generally, all of these have some things in common--at least one murder, an investigation, the murderer revealed. Prospective readers, and agents and editors, know that. They're shopping in the mystery section because they want that. You don't need to tell them your book has it. What you need to tell them is what makes your book different from anything else on the shelf.
Your hook needs to go with your genre. For example, you don't want to write a cozy with a protagonist who suffers from PTSD and has frequent, bloody flashbacks. If you want to write that character, you need to write your novel as a straight mystery or even a thriller.
Different publishing companies like different kinds of books. Jessica said that the cozy market, in particular, is very tight in that there are a limited number of publishers who have success publishing them. Cozies tend to have certain types of hooks, particularly activities (crafts, hobbies, etc.) and often attract those with an interest in the activity itself.
Traditional mysteries, too, are a tough sell. There might be a larger number of publishers an agent can try to sell your work to, but the hook can be much harder to define. What makes you stand out becomes more difficult to express in two sentences.
Jessica recommended practicing hooks/pitches with people outside your critique group. Why? Because the members of your critique group probably already know what you're writing about and their minds will fill in the blanks. Or they'll already know how good your writing is, so they won't hear anything your hook might be lacking. What you want, when testing your hook, is a completely cold reader.
Jessica and BookEnds have a blog where you can find out more about the ins and outs of publishing. For more on hooks, I highly recommend Miss Snark's Happy Hooker Crapometer Archive. I think it starts about here, and continues. That woman was a saint. She was also completely insane. If you have the patience, you'll be able to read something like 700 hooks and the comments she--and others--had on them.
*****
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
The Secret
Exactly one year ago today, my manuscript sold to Random House in a two-book deal. Something started happening after that, and it’s something that continues to happen with increased frequency.
Situation 1: A friend of a friend’s gardener–who is a great guy, I’m told–wants to publish a book. He doesn’t know how to do it. Can I help him?
Situation 2: A teenaged daughter of a colleague of my husband has been writing. She would like to meet with me to discuss her work.
Situation 3: An important business person, the colleague of a colleague of a former editor of mine, would like to have a phone conversation with me about her publishing trials. When can she call?
Situation 4: An acquaintance asked that I read his entire manuscript, and attached said script with his request. Is it ready for publication? he asked.
There are other examples, but you see the trend. They all want something. It might seem like everyone wants something different–a critique, an opinion, advice–but I think it all comes down to the same request. I was published. They are not. They want to know The Secret.
Do I really know anything more than others who’ve been swimming in the I-Want-Publication pond? I don’t think so, no. But if you want to know the secret of publication–at least what I think it is–then I’m happy to tell you.
First, though, I’m going to tell you what you already know.
You write a story. It’s fresh. It’s fabulous. It’s well edited–VERY well edited. This process can and probably should take much longer than you’d like. When you have a book contract, your real editor will undoubtedly find dozens more clunky phrases, but you don’t have to worry about that quite yet.
Get a few outside opinions. Maybe you have a trusted critique group; if so, use it. Maybe you’ll hire an independent editor. Unless you are exceptionally talented and confident in your work, you will probably benefit from fresh eyes. Reflect on whatever critique you receive. Does something noted resonate with you as true? Rewrite, edit and polish as needed.
You find a top-notch agent. If you have a great book, this shouldn’t be hard, should it? But it can be if you’re not looking in the right places. Hone in on the pith of your story. Search Publisher’s Marketplace and other resources like the Writer’s Digest Guide to Literary Agents tome to find quality agents who’ve sold in your wheelhouse. Attend conferences to learn firsthand what specific agents are looking for. Study up on how to write a great query letter. Write it. Polish it. Polish it again. Submit.
Now here’s the secret: You need to repeat each of these steps until you succeed.
Writing is hard work. Rewriting and editing is hard work. Finding the perfect agent is hard work. But if you’re committed, you’ll do it.
You’ll study your craft.
You’ll create a writing habit.
You’ll make sacrifices.
You’ll have revelations.
You’ll rewrite.
You’ll start a file for your rejections.
You’ll network.
You’ll start to receive personal rejection letters.
You’ll entertain better ways to tell the tale.
You’ll edit again.
You’ll keep polishing.
You’ll keep querying.
You’ll grow through the dark moments of the soul that may come to call.
You’ll start another story, and repeat the entire process for IT.
You’ll stay committed to the end goal, despite weeks, months or years of close calls.
And that’s it. The secret to success is a willingness to evolve and press on despite failures–dust off your ass, try again. It’s understanding that there is no one person–not a published acquaintance, a fabu agent or even an editor–more important than you and your dogged determination. Because no one but you can have the foresight of your success, and no one but you can drive your future to make it happen.
Tell everyone.
Write on, all!
Photo courtesy Flickr’s wheat in your hair
*****
Therese is the co-founder of Writer Unboxed, a blog for writers about the craft and business of genre fiction. Before turning to fiction, she was a researcher and writer for Prevention magazine, and then a freelance writer. She’s had hundreds of articles on nutrition and fitness published in consumer magazines and online. She has a master's degree in psychology. Aside from writing, Therese’s favorite things include music, art, crab legs, Whose Line is it Anyway?, dark chocolate, photography, unique movies and novels, people watching, strong Irish tea, and spending time with her husband, two kids and their bouncy Jack Russell.
Therese Walsh's debut novel, The Last Will of Moira Leahy, will be published on October 13th, 2009 by Shaye Areheart books (Random House). She’s currently hard at work on her second novel—another story about self-discovery, acceptance and magical journeys—at her home in upstate New York. (photo by: Gary Hodges / www.jonreis.com )
Monday, August 17, 2009
“Bash it out now. Tart it up later.”
By Clea Simon
This has become my mantra since my buddy and fellow writer Brett Milano first passed it along several years ago. The phrase originates with pubrocker Nick Lowe (who also penned the deathless “What’s So Funny About Peace, Love, and Understanding?”), he tells me. All I know for sure is that those eight words have saved my writing life.
Bash it out. That’s the essence of this advice, and the reason it is key is that this is the single most difficult part of writing. Bashing it out. Getting the words on paper. Putting word after word to make a sentence, a paragraph. A scene.
Apply butt to chair, I frequently tell prospective writers. Start typing (or scribbling). Just (to paraphrase a shoe ad) do it. That’s the first hurdle, the threshold into being a writer. And it is both high and hard to overcome.
Why is this simple first step so horribly difficult for so many of us? I blame the internal editor. Face it. There is nothing so wonderful as the book you are about to write. We are dreamers. Storytellers. Idealists – or we wouldn’t want to write at all. In our heads, before we’ve committed anything to paper, our ideas are quicksilver. Starlight. Translucent. But as soon as they appear in the light of day, they become fixed in the physical world with all that implies: They become leaden, earthbound. Not fun. It’s a terrifying transition from limitless possibility to concrete immobility, and it is enough to freeze up even the most experienced author. Whatever we write cannot compare to what we imagine. And so to our internal editors – our writing superego or our internalized mothers or high school teachers – it isn’t good enough. We aren’t good enough. And so we don’t write.
We tell ourselves that we are writing. That we are just searching for the right word. The right phrase. The opening scene that will spark everything off. But in truth we procrastinate. We fiddle. We cook. When I’m trying to start a project, I do more loads of laundry than a two-person household demands. I know this about myself now and accept it as part of my process – and then, I sit down and start the work.
Because if we are going to write, if we are going to be writers, then at some point we have to do the deed. We have to actually set words down and build them up, scene by scene, into something that others can read. We have to overcome the horrible, crippling doubt and dare to make it real.
Over the years, I’ve learned various techniques to get me over the threshold. One of those is, of course, fear of deadline. When you earn your rent by what you write, fear is a great motivator. This often works for students, too, and explains why so many assignments are penned only hours before deadline. This fear can be useful, and I confess I’ve allowed myself to wallow on occasion on a more nebulous, existential variety: Maybe I don’t have any more books in me. Maybe I’ve done it all and should simply teach full-time or take up PR. For while there is absolutely nothing wrong with either profession, the idea of not writing terrifies me – and gets me back to work.
I’ve said before that I believe the ability to write is like a muscle, and keeping the muscle in shape helps, too. All those years doing journalism have given me some fall-back techniques – surefire “ledes” to start a story that I can use in fiction, too, if need be. I’ll also assign myself fairly arbitrary word lengths – say, 1,000 words a day – and make myself do them.
But basically these techniques only work because of the second part of the mantra, the “tart it up later.” I can use a hackneyed device (“start with a quote”) or bash out 1,000 words of transitional sentences because I know I can fix it later. I tell myself that in a month or two, whenever I have a draft, I can choose to rewrite the entire work – or toss half of it. I can bash it out now, because (as I remind myself), I will have the opportunity to tart it up later. That’s the promise I make myself and to my internal editor. In exchange, she lets me write.
That sounds a little like a trick, doesn’t it? But it’s not so much outwitting the internal editor, as it is buying her off. I’m just typing, I tell her. You’ll get your turn later. And for a little while, she leaves me in peace.
*****
Clea Simon was born and raised in East Meadow, N.Y. She graduated Harvard University with an A.B. in English and American Language and Literature magna cum laude. She then earned a certificate from the Columbia University School of Journalism summer magazine writing and editing program. She is married to the writer Jon S. Garelick, and they live in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her books include: Mad House: Growing Up in the Shadows of Mentally Ill Siblings (Doubleday, 1997; Fatherless Women: How We Change After We Lose Our Dads (Wiley, 2001); The Feline Mystique: On the Mysterious Connection Between Women and Cats (St. Martin’s, 2003); Mew is for Murder: A Theda Krakow Mystery (Poisoned Pen Press, 2005; Cattery Row: A Theda Krakow Mystery (Poisoned Pen Press, 2006); Cries and Whiskers: A Theda Krakow Mystery (Poisoned Pen Press, 2007); Probable Claws: A Theda Krakow Mystery (Poisoned Pen Press, 2009); Shades of Grey: A Dulcie Schwartz Mystery (Severn House, 2009)
Friday, August 14, 2009
Conference Video Snippets
We kindly interrupt this blog to bring you a few brief videos from the Backspace Writers Conference held this past May, at the Radisson Martinique in New York City.
A much larger selection of full-length videos will soon be available exclusively to forum subscribers, so until then, enjoy!
The Agent-Author Relationship: With Jeff Kleinman, Karen Dionne, Liz Rosenberg and Jenny Bent.
What Literary Agents Want: With Colleen Lindsay, Alexandra Machinist and Matthew Mahoney.
Yes, No, Maybe? When an Agent Asks for Revisions: With Michelle Brower, April Eberhardt and Kristin Nelson
Don't forget to check out the upcoming Agent-Author Seminar. Space is limited and we're filling up fast!
Two days of agent panels, workshops, and small-group meetings in the heart of the publishing world!
Register for one day, or both!
Friday, November 6 - Opening Pages Day (details on the Agenda page )
Early registration through September 15: $250 for EACH day. After September 15, the cost for EACH day is $295.
Participating agents include:
More information on the November Agent-Author Seminars website.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Helpful suggestions for submitting a requested partial via email
by Colleen Lindsay
Like several of my colleagues at FinePrint Literary Agency, I read manuscripts and partial manuscripts entirely as electronic files. It saves paper and allows for carrying around a tremendous amount of reading material in about four ounces of metal and plastic. I take your manuscripts and turn them into Palm OS-readable .pdb files via Documents-to-Go (version 8.0; with the upgraded versions they've removed this handy feature).
Right now, on my trusty little Palm Tungsten E, my e-reader of choice for the past five years or so, there is list of the following filenames for several requested partials in my eReader Pro program:
* First50pages.pdb
* FirstSixtyPages.pdb
* Partial.pdb
* Prepared for CLindsay.pbd
What do these partials all have in common? (Come on, now. Think hard!)
THAT'S RIGHT! Not one of the file names is even remotely close to the title of the actual manuscript.
Now, let's open one of those bad boys, shall we? What's this? A manuscript that jumps right into an action scene with gripping dialogue and fabulous writing?
"Well," says you, "What's wrong with that? Isn't that what you want to read?"
Theoretically, yes. However, said partial manuscript also contains none of the following very important pieces of information (Y'all ready? There WILL be a test afterward.):
* The title of the book.
* The name of the author
* The phone number of the author
* The email address of the author
* The address of the author
So, in the interest of preserving my sanity (and hopefully increasing your chances of not annoying other agents with these surprisingly common mistakes) let me suggest the following tips for preparing a partial manuscript for an electronic submission:
* First, submit in the format that the agent has asked for. Some agents will prefer an electronic submission as a Word doc or an OpenOffice doc; some will prefer PDF files.
* Second, name your file in a way that makes it easy for an agent to identify the manuscript at a glance. A good format for naming your partial is something like one of these (these are all fake titles to follow, lest you think I am mocking anyone who's sent in a partial): STINKYBOYS ADVENTURE_PARTIAL.doc (title; indication that this is a partial); STINKYBOYS_LINDSAY_PARTIAL.doc (first word of title; author last name; indication that this is a partial). See how easy that makes it?
* Third, make absolutely certain that the first page of your partial contains all of your contact information - phone number as well as email address - and the title of the book.
These three simple steps will ensure that everyone lives happily ever after and that world peace will indeed take place in our lifetime. Or at the very least, ensure that when an agent gets so excited about your partial that they want to phone or email you RIGHT THAT VERY MINUTE, they actually have the information required to be able to do so. (And then the world peace thing will happen, I swear.)
PS: Don't worry; I'm not going to punish anyone for making those kinds of mistakes. Mistakes are just mistakes, after all. But if I do need to hunt down your contact info, it just might take a little longer for you to hear back from me.
****
Colleen Linday’s first job in publishing was in Northern California as a mass merchandise sales assistant for Ballantine Books. For five years she served as Director of Publicity for Del Rey Books where she specialized in the creative publicity and marketing of science fiction, fantasy, pop culture, YA fantasy, graphic novels, manga and third-party licensed media. Some of the authors whose publicity campaigns Colleen had the privilege to manage at Del Rey include Terry Brooks, Sir Arthur C. Clarke, Stephen Baxter, Elizabeth Moon, China Mieville, Richard K. Morgan, Minister Faust, Matthew Stover, R.A. Salvatore, and Harvey Pekar. She has also worked as a freelance publicist, copywriter, and online marketer for several major trade publishers and as a book reviewer for the San Francisco Chronicle. Colleen also spent twelve years working as floor manager, backlist buyer and events manager at several San Francisco Bay Area independent bookstores.
Colleen is primarily interested in all kinds of fiction: She likes quirky, edgy or offbeat fiction, both literary and commercial; women’s fiction; historical fiction; high-concept thrillers, mysteries and crime novels; queer fiction; and graphic novels. Colleen also has a particular expertise in fantasy, science fiction urban fantasy, paranormal romance and other speculative sub-genres and always welcomes a well-written SF/F novel. Additionally, Colleen is looking for YA, particularly multicultural YA, YA that tackles social taboos and other issues, and YA fantasy.
In non-fiction, she’s looking for strong narrative non-fiction, works of LGBT interest, pop culture and books dealing with Web 2.0 and non-traditional marketing.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
The Storyteller’s Fire
By Judith Lindbergh
(Reprinted from The Writers Circle)
As my Writers Circle prepared for its annual public reading this spring, I began pondering the heady challenge of reading aloud, both from a perspective of performance and as a tool for writers.
My classes and groups have almost always worked orally. We sit around our table and learn to listen carefully. We rarely pass around copies to mark up or follow along. Sometimes new writers are surprised by this approach. “Isn’t this about READING?” But I say, no. It’s really about 
listening. You are telling a story, and if the story doesn’t hold up when read aloud, it’s probably missing something on the page.
Certainly, at some point, someone has to do the nitty-gritty editing that takes paper and a big red pen in hand. But before that moment, in the midst of the creative flow, I find it’s reading aloud and listening that are key to discovering a story’s truth – its voice, its pace, its action, its intensity. I often read my work aloud even as I’m writing. Perhaps that’s a bit weird, or maybe it’s because I used to be an actress, but for me, it’s often the only way to know if what I’ve written has any grace or truth at all.
In the days before books were readily available, before people knew how to read, before writing even existed, people listened to stories. It is one of the most primal arts, along with dance, drumming and song. The greatest storytellers had power. They were literally imbued with a mystical connection that held sway over life and death and the fortunes of people’s lives.
Perhaps our writing today has lost that sort of magic, but the mission of the storyteller remains the same. Delivery can be as important as content – cadences, the subtle distinction of voices, the florid verbal canvas that draws images, characters, and action in the listener’s mind.
Verlyn Klinkenborg’s recent New York Times Op-Ed, Some Thoughts on the lost Art of Reading Aloud, reminds us that until recently, reading aloud was a routine experience that created community and enriched family, that was an activity of choice, not a boring homework assignment (as it is for my 8-year-old son) or a nerve-wracking proposition as it so often is for many authors. Whether amateur or professional, as we step onto the literary “stage”, it is critical to remember what Klinkenborg writes: “Reading aloud recaptures the physicality of words. To read with your lungs and diaphragm, with your tongue and lips, is very different than reading with your eyes alone. The language becomes a part of the body…. The words are not mere words. They are the breath and mind, perhaps even the soul, of the person who is reading.”
As writers, we are not only the person reading, but the person whose soul – obvious or obscured – is coming to life through those words on those pages. Slightly different from raconteuring, which has also gained new prominence recently, we writers frame our experience and imagination in concrete sentences carefully honed. For these sentences to speak, they must be lived – first in their creation, then in the reader/listener’s mind. When we read them aloud, they become vital and alive, crackling like the storyteller’s fire, rich with sparks dancing before our eyes.
*****
Judith Lindbergh is the author of The Thrall’s Tale, about three women in the first Viking Age settlement in 10th century Greenland. Published by Viking Penguin in 2006 and now in paperback from Plume, it was a Booksense Pick, a Borders Original Voices selection, and a featured selection of Reading Group Choices and Readers Club of America.
She teaches creative writing at the South Orange Maplewood Adult School in New Jersey. Learn more about her work at www.judithlindbergh.com, and read more from her blog at, http://judithlindbergh.wordpress.com.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
A Step-By-Step Guide to Getting Published
By Jeff Kleinman
From the Backspace Homepages
STEP #1: Write Your Project & Develop Your Credentials.
Seems like two steps, doesn’t it? It’s not – or at least it may not be. You need to write (or perhaps just develop) the project, and at the same time, you need to make it clear (first to yourself; and then to others) that you’re the best person to be writing it in the first place. This means having the writing “muscles” to do the job, as well as having the expertise to prove it.
Step #1A: Write The Project
• Fiction: write the entire book (most novels are generally between 90K-120K words), rewrite as necessary.
• Nonfiction: Write a proposal (outline + a sample chapter or two), rewrite as necessary.
Step #1B: Develop Your Credentials
• Fiction: Publish! Win awards, grants. Try to give the appearance of a writer whose career is really taking off.
STEP #2: Assess Your Project.
Go to the bookstore. Figure out exactly where your book will fit on the shelf. Make sure it fits solidly on one shelf – of course your goal may be to cross “genre” lines, but if there’s not an initial place to put your book, bookstores (and publishing professionals) may not know what to do with it.
Fiction comes in a variety of flavors.
• Commercial: more “plot-driven”. Genre fiction (mysteries, thrillers, romances, etc.) are often preferable to “mainstream commercial fiction,” which tends to be harder to sell for first-time novelists.
• Literary: more “character-” or “writing-” driven. Can also have genres (literary mystery, literary thriller, etc.).
• Experimental: unique, different, genre-breaking works.
Nonfiction usually falls into two broad categories.
• Prescriptive: “How-to”. You’re providing information. Depending on the subject matter, academic books usually fall into this category, as well.
• Narrative (Creative): You’re providing information, but in some kind of “story” format, using some kind of narrative arc. Essays, memoirs, biographies, and so forth fall into this category.
STEP #3: Decide on the Publishing Venue
All publishers are not created equal. Some are far better suited to certain types of projects than others. Review Steps #1 and #2 to assess both your project and yourself: determine where the project (and you) would be best suited. Consider:
• Regional v. National: does your project have national appeal (will it appeal to people in Maine, Idaho, and Alaska)? Or is your project more regional, appealing to people in a certain region (state, city, county, etc.)?
• If regional, consider: Small Presses, Specialty Presses, Regional Presses, Academic Presses
• If national, consider Medium Presses, Large Presses
• Trade v. Academic: do you envision your project to be sold primarily through bookstores and other “trade” channels, or through educational and academic venues?
• If trade, consider Small Presses, Specialty Presses, Regional Presses, Medium Presses, Large Presses
• If academic, consider Academic Presses
• Niche v. Broad Market: does your project have the potential to reach a vast number of readers, or is it targeted towards a specific, smaller audience?
• If niche, consider Small Presses, Specialty Presses, Regional Presses, Academic Presses
• If broad, consider Academic Presses, Medium Presses, Large Presses
• Local v. National Platform (especially for nonfiction): do you have a national platform with speaking engagements and media across the country? Are you better known in a single region?
• If local, consider Small Presses, Specialty Presses, Regional Presses, Academic Presses
• If national, consider Specialty Presses, Medium Presses, Large Presses
Bottom line, though: the book, and the writing, must stand on its own. If the book’s fabulous enough, you don’t need any further credentials.
• Nonfiction: Become an expert. Earn an advanced degree (Ph.D., etc.), find speaking engagements, have personal experience in the matter, and so forth. Keep in mind that if your expertise is impressive enough, a publisher can always find you a ghostwriter to do the writing.
Some definitions:
Direct-Submission Publishers (Go To Step #4):
• Small Presses (including “Micropresses”): Relative term, but generally means they publish 3 or fewer books per year; many are family-run. See International Directory of Little Magazines and Small Presses. If this is the proper venue for your book, go to Step #4
• Specialty Press: focus on a specific subject (collectibles, etc.). May have national or regional distribution. If this is the proper venue for your book, go to Step #4.
• Regional Press: focus on a specific region (e.g., Southwestern America). Usually have regional distribution. If this is the proper venue for your book, go to Step #4.
• Academic Press: publish much more than scholarly monographs and academic tomes. Now do cookbooks, popular fiction, serious nonfiction, literature in translation, reference works, art books, textbooks, etc. Approximately 100 U Presses in the U.S. Often focus on region or strengths of affiliated university. See Association of American University Presses Directory. If this is the proper venue for your book, go to Step #4 or #5.
Literary Agency – Submission Publishers (Go To Step #5):
• Academic Press: The more prestigious academic presses often prefer submissions from literary agents. Go to Step #5.
• Medium Press: Smaller than “large” Presses; may publish 10-100 titles per year. Other criteria are generally the same. If this is the proper venue for your book, go to Step #5.
• Large (“Commercial”) Press: Books published “for the trade” – not textbook, technical, or scholarly publishers. Books sold to the general consumer through bookstores, chain stores, Amazon, etc. Have major national distribution, major media ties, often the best chance of being reviewed in prestigious papers, journals. If this is the proper venue for your book, go to Step #5.
Step # 4: Find A Direct-Submission Publisher
Direct-Submission Publishers (my term) don’t require the intermediary of a literary agent to approach them, work with them, and negotiate contracts. These generally include Small Presses, Specialty Presses, Regional Presses, and most Academic Presses. In addition, some Medium and even Large Presses may accept direct submissions – it will depend on the publisher. Research the Direct-Submission Publishers: Find reputable publishers through Literary Marketplace, Writer’s Digest, and a variety of other hardcopy and electronic sources. Skip Step #5; proceed to Step #6.
STEP #5: Find A Literary Agent
Literary Agents are the link between the author and medium and large (and the more prestigious academic) presses. If your book does not fit one of those categories, you may not need a literary agent. Agents walk the author through the publishing process, helping with
crafting the materials, positioning it for the marketplace, submitting it to the publisher, navigating through the often-labyrinthine world of publishing, and generally holding the author’s hand and providing both a cheering section and a sounding board. They also sell the book to foreign markets, where appropriate, as well as dramatic (TV and film), audio, and other rights. They charge between 15%- 20% for their services. Research the Agents: Find reputable agents through Literary Marketplace, Writer’s Digest, agentresearch.com, literaryagents.net, publisherslunch.com, agentquery.com and a variety of other hardcopy and electronic sources. Members of the “AAR” (Association of Authors’ Representatives) are preferable.
Step #6: Learn Submission Guidelines
Whether you’re approaching a direct-submission publisher or a literary agent, the process remains the same.
1. Begin by learning what materials the publisher/agent wants to see. Generally, most publishers/agents don’t want to see the entire book (or even proposal) if they haven’t asked for it – that’s called an “unsolicited submission,” and is frowned upon in the industry.
2. You’ll start by submitting a “query” – asking the publisher/agent if s/he wants to see your materials. When you research the publishers and agents, the research guides you use will tell you their submission guidelines for these “queries”.
3. Most queries consist of a cover letter +
• Sample materials (especially if fiction);
• Proposal (especially if nonfiction)
• Clips of previous work.
But do your research ahead of time – find out what the publisher / agent wants to see.
Step #7: Submit Your Materials
Send the publisher / agent the materials listed in Step #7. Be sure to include a self-addressed stamped envelope (“SASE”).
Step #8: Wait
How long is too long? For fiction, the wait can easily be up to 6 months, or more, to hear from both publishers and agents; but it’s often much sooner than that. As a general rule, give the publishing professional two months to respond. If you don’t hear from them, send a polite follow-up letter. It’s always best to have something (new, exciting, wonderful) to report – an award won, a prestigious speaking engagement confirmed, and so forth.
Step #9A: ACCEPTANCE!: Publisher/Agent Responds Positively
If the Agent/Publisher is interested, s/he may ask to see the rest of the materials (either exclusively or nonexclusively). If s/he remains interested, find out:
1. Assess Publisher/Agent: is the publisher/agent reputable?
• Direct Submission Publishers: Talk to other authors, see the quality of other books they’ve done, discuss distribution, how often the books are reviewed, and by whom, and what kind of publicity (if any) you can expect.
• Literary Agents: Talk to other authors, check out agentresearch.com, find out if the agent is reputable, and if you feel that the agent’s style is compatible with your own.
2. Review Contract.
• Direct Submission Publishers: be sure to have a qualified attorney review your contract. All publishing contracts are not created equal.
• Literary Agents: many literary agents offer “retainer agreements”, but not all do. If they do, have a qualified attorney review the agreement. If they don’t, draft one yourself.
3. Publishing Process Begins.
• Direct Submission Publishers: your project goes through the editing/production process.
• Literary Agents: you work with the agent, perhaps, to edit the project; the agent submits the project to medium, large, and academic presses. If accepted by the publisher, your agent negotiates the contract and your project goes through the editing/production process.
Step #9B: REJECTION!: Publisher/Agent Does Not Respond Positively
Don’t take it personally – there are a lot of would-be authors, and fewer and fewer publishers to publish them. If you’re not having much luck, here are some suggestions:
1. If you’re receiving all “form” rejections, start over at Step #1 – be sure that the writing is strong, your platform is strong, and the book can be classified into a specific genre.
2. If you’re receiving personalized rejections, review Step #3 to be sure that your book is going to the right venue. If you continue to receive rejections, start over at Step #1.
3. Remember: the rejection shouldn’t be taken personally. Publishing’s a very subjective business.
4. Be persistent. Try to figure out what’s wrong with your presentation, and fix it.
© Jeff Kleinman 2003
Jeff Kleinman is one of the principal agents of Folio Literary Management, LLC . He’s a graduate of Case Western Reserve University (J.D.), the University of Chicago (M.A., Italian), and the University of Virginia (B.A. with High Distinction in English).
As an agent, Jeff feels privileged to have the chance to learn an incredibly variety of new subjects, meet an extraordinary range of people, and feel, at the end of the day, that he’s helped to build something – wonderful book, perhaps, or an author’s career. His authors include Yolanda King, Philip Gerard, Barbara Holland, and Ron McLarty.
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