Writing and Publishing News

Can you shift easily into writing mode when you sit down at your computer? Or do you find it difficult to concentrate—to produce the quality and volume of work that you desire? Perhaps you need to change your mindset. Maybe there’s something wrong with the atmosphere in your writing room.

We each need certain conditions present in order to create. While some writers thrive and excel in a busy, noisy space, others can write only where it’s quiet and calm. Some writers can shut out the world and concentrate on their work practically anywhere and others are easily distracted by thoughts, worries and their surroundings.

If you’re not producing the writing work that you desire, if you find it difficult to sit down and write, examine your writing requirements. What is distracting you? What do you need in your life or your space in order to create? What excuses are you currently using for not writing? Here are 3 common scenarios—which one describes you?

#1: You want to write—you really, really do—but you just can’t seem to find the time.

Individuals in this category have decided to add writing to their life rather than making writing their life. Writing takes thought, concentration and time. Rather than finding the time, you must make the time. Instead of waiting for the mood to strike, you need to create the appropriate mindset. If writing is important to you—if you want to finally write that book or establish a freelance writing career, no matter your current daily routine, you’re going to have to rearrange your life.

#2: You have the space to write and the time, but you can’t settle down and actually write something.

You’re distracted. Remove or learn to work around those things that keep you from writing. Write after the children go to bed at night. Hire a reliable teen to take the kids to the park for a couple of hours in the afternoon. Look at email only once or twice per day. Learn to ignore the dishes in the sink and the laundry. Turn off the phone. Train friends and relatives to respect your writing hours. If you can’t turn off your mind—you keep thinking about what’s for supper, whether to buy new patio furniture, the leaky kitchen faucet and getting the carpet cleaned—learn to relax. Do a relaxation technique before entering your writing room. Meditate, do yoga or sit quietly for a few minutes in prayer. Do your best to eliminate all of your worries. You might even consider a ritual such as purposefully hanging your worries and burdens on a hook outside your writing room door as you enter. You might be surprised how much more productive you’ll be simply by changing your mindset.

#3: Your writing space isn’t conducive to creativity.

If you are still using the family computer which is set up in the busiest spot in the house, stop it! Get your own computer and set it up in a quiet room. Some writers even create a cubical in their garages so they have more privacy. Bring into your office space everything you need for the type of writing you do, so that you don’t have to sprint to other parts of the house to conduct research or find a file folder. Decorate your space in a style that suits your needs and comfort level. Some of us enjoy calming shades, lovely scents and our favorite art. Others strive for simplicity. Most of us like having reminders that we are loved—pictures of our families, pets and friends enjoying good times. And don’t forget to display your feel-good stuff—awards you’ve won, letters of recognition, etc.

If you’re not doing the writing you want to do, look around you. What is it about your writing space that’s distracting you? Are you mentally blocked? What can you change to help you to be more disciplined—more creative? If you truly want to write and you’re not writing, maybe it’s time to figure out why and do something about it.

Before we get into today’s subject, I’d like to share with you a link to my most recent podcast. As I understand it, this link will take you directly to my podcast and you can listen to me talk about publishing. I haven’t heard it yet. Let me know what you think. PLFry620@yahoo.com.

http://www.authorsonthenet.com/component/option,com_jd-wp/Itemid,84/p,59

I’d also like to remind you that if you are at any stage of writing or publishing, you will have a better chance at the success you desire if you will educate yourself. Read The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book—a 360-page print book filled with information, tools, instruction and resources for the author no matter what type of book he is writing, where he or she is in the process, which publishing option he hopes to pursue or how masterful he or she is at marketing and promotion. http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

If you are a published author and your book sales are less than brisk, order my brand new ebook, The Author’s Repair Kit http://www.matilijapress.com/author_repairkit.html

I chose to talk about emotions in publishing today—a topic that many authors struggle with on a daily basis. You’ve heard me and other professionals say it many times: “Publishing is a Business.” And, if you’ve been an author for any length of time, you are a believer. Then why are your emotions so often involved in the course of the publishing process?

The truth is that there are emotions in business. We’re human, after all. We are made up of emotions and we can’t shut those emotions off when we enter into the realm of business. We gleefully celebrate our successes and we mourn our losses and disappointments. This is natural/normal. Where emotions can trip us up is when we go into publishing with a writer’s heart.

You pour your heart into your book during the writing phase. Once your manuscript is ready to show around or to publish—you have put the finishing touches on it, all of the facts and stats are correct and you’ve had it professionally edited—it’s time to start thinking with your brain. How can emotions interfere with your success as an author?

• You balk when an editor you trust suggests that you change your story from second person to first person and create a more dynamic opening.
• You fire your book proposal coach when she recommends that you put your book on hold and start building a platform before submitting it to a publisher or agent.
• You’re so attached to your project that you reject a contract with a valid publisher when he wants to change your title and pare your manuscript down to 225 pages.
• You have such faith in your book that you believe it will sell itself. You see no need to learn how to promote your book.
• You become despondent after half dozen publishers reject your manuscript and give up altogether.

Emotions are useful and even necessary. They can even be involuntary. But when you decide that you want to be a published author—when you want to share your words with a portion of the world—some emotions are best set aside. Write from the heart, if you must. But, don’t complete your manuscript until you’ve viewed it from a place of knowledge. Look at it from a consumer’s point of view. Understand what publishers want and conform. Cross the threshold into the publishing realm with a clear idea of the business and what is expected of you. Make sure you have realistic expectations. Approach publishing with a businessperson’s mind, not a writer’s heart.

More and more publishing professionals agree with me that the first step in producing a successful book project is writing a book proposal. Writing a book without a book proposal is like starting a business without a business plan. People do it, but their potential success is usually compromised.

You wouldn’t construct a building without a plan, sew a dress without a pattern or develop a new automobile design without detailed diagrams and carefully developed specs. Why would anyone write a book for commercial distribution (they want it to sell by the thousands) without first devising a plan to determine:

• Is this a viable product?
• Is there a market for this book?
• What else is out there like my proposed book?
• How will I get this book published?
• What are my publishing options and which one is best for my book?
• Who is the target audience and where are they?
• How will I get the attention of my target audience?
• Why will anyone purchase a book by me on this topic?
• What is my marketing plan?
• What can I do to develop a platform?

I guess there are many people who don’t think ahead—who don’t do their homework—who make decisions by the seat of their pants. Just look at the horrendous mistakes made in recent years with regard to housing mortgages. Thousands of people are losing their homes because they didn’t look ahead. They didn’t study their options and the possible consequences of their decisions.

Publishing isn’t a whole lot different from other aspects of our lives. Here are some hard truths:

• Writing is a craft and publishing is a business. You must approach these two activities in very different ways.
• Knowledge should be your number one priority when entering into the world of publishing.
• The more popular writing and publishing becomes, the more options and opportunities will be available.
• While there are some worthwhile and credible publishers, agents, etc. eager to work with new and seasoned authors, there are also more sharks.
• Competition in the publishing industry is over the top fierce.
• Your best chance at success depends on a well-researched book proposal.
• The best time to write a book proposal is before you start writing the book.

If the idea of writing a book proposal is scaring you half to death, you might consider taking my online, on demand 6-week book proposal course. Check it out at http://www.matilijapress.com/bookproposal.htm

My latest pod cast has gone live. If you’d like to hear me talk with Phil Davis about the things you keep reading about here in my blog, check it out at http://www.authorsonthenet.com

And remember, any day that includes writing is a good day. If becoming a published author is your ultimate goal, concentrate your writing efforts on the revered, highly important book proposal.

It’s good to be home. Flying from Baltimore, Maryland to Santa Barbara, California makes for a very long day, especially when I just made the trip going the other direction two days earlier.

Today, I’m playing catch-up again. I’ve been setting priorities all morning. Paying the first-of-the-month bills was first on my list. And I’ve also been reflecting on the writers’ conference, the people I met and the things I learned. I hope that all conference presenters and attendees take the time to do this. It’s sometimes enlightening, sometimes painful and always worthwhile. If we don’t learn from our experiences—both positive and negative—why bother getting up each morning.

I meet the same hopeful and struggling authors at every conference I attend:

• Those who have just emerged from their writing rooms and are eager to quickly land an agent or publisher.
• Hopeful authors who have collected so many rejection slips they are practically despondent and terribly discouraged.
• Those who are still in the writing stage and who are curious about what publishing is all about.
• Those who have done some research about aspects of the publishing industry and have formed some definite opinions and biases.
• Authors who have “self-published” with a fee-based publishing service (they paid to have their books published) and are overwhelmed by the task of promotion and marketing.

Everyone comes to a writers’ conference with an agenda. Which attendees are most likely to have a successful experience at a writers’ conference?

• Those who are open to at least hearing the material and messages presented.
• Those who network with other writers on a give and take basis.

As a presenter, I also have the opportunity to learn at events such as this. I always learn something about people in general and about writers and authors in particular. I find it fascinating to discover what drives them, what motivates them, what resonates with them, what inspires them. I always learn something more about the publishing industry—and if I do, you know that you will—if you will just pay attention and care. I learn about my peers and, most importantly, I learn something about myself.

If you haven’t yet attended a writers’ conference, I recommend that you do this year. Tell me where you are or where you want to go and I’ll find a conference for you. PLFry620@yahoo.com.

Yesterday, I attended the Maryland Writers’ Association Writers’ Conference at the Maritime Institute Conference Center near Baltimore. As a presenter, I was invited to sit in on the sessions of my choice. One of them was on blogging. I was pleased to learn that I am doing most of it right. One thing I am lacking, however, is guest bloggers. I will have to consider inviting other writing/publishing professionals to contribute posts to my blog. Would you like that? Would you like to hear from anyone in particular?

This was a one-day conference that included hour-long sessions on memoir writing, poetry writing, journaling, book marketing, mystery writing, performing your work, forensic science, plot development and more. My presentation covered the book proposal.

I didn’t recognize the names of any other presenters and only ran into one person that I know—Melanie Rigby, former editor at Writer’s Digest Magazine. Of course, this was the first time we’ve actually met. We were on an email, name recognition basis only, prior to this. It was nice to connect with someone familiar. Melanie was on the editors’ panel.

This conference included agent and editor pitch sessions wherein hopeful authors could meet face-to-face with agents and publishing house editors to discuss their work. Oh yes, one of the sessions included a lesson on how to have a successful pitch session. I’m sure this was valuable for the authors.

Many writers come to conferences fresh from their writing rooms. Most haven’t ventured out into the world of publishing, yet. They are still in writing mode. They attend conferences seeking that one quick step from manuscript completion to manuscript publication. Most are not open to hearing the hard truths, nor are they ready to do what it takes to get successfully published.

One hopeful author said, “I don’t know anything about the publishing industry isn’t that the publisher’s job to know these things?” The concepts that “publishing is a business” and “it is up to the author to learn about the business of publishing before getting involved,” is just a hard pill for some authors to swallow.

As my regular blog readers know, it is my mission to educate and inform hopeful and struggling authors with regard to the publishing industry and to motivate them to further educate themselves.

I wrote my book, The Right Way to Write Publish and Sell Your Book, with hopeful and struggling authors in mind. Order it today at Amazon.com or http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

The publishing journey is difficult and precarious. Hopeful authors seek the easy path. What most don’t know is that the easiest and most potentially successful path is the one that’s rich with knowledge.

As we turn another page on the 2008 calendar, I’m reminded of how important it is for authors to periodically assess where we are and where we’re going. Are you a hopeful or struggling author? Do you sometimes feel stuck—not knowing what to do next in your quest toward publication or how to attract more attention to your published book? Maybe you’ve been closed up in your writing room working on the book of your dreams or you have run out of steam and enthusiasm for promoting your published book. Are you ready to start approaching publishers, and aren’t sure where to start? Do you have questions about book publishing, distribution, bookstore sales, finding an agent, book promotion or???

Perhaps it’s the right time for you to do something different. If what you’re doing isn’t working for you—if you just don’t know what to do next—consider a change. One positive change that can help you along your publishing path is to connect with others who are on a similar journey. Join a local writers group. Attend writers/authors’ workshops and conferences. Join publishing organizations such as SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network).

We signed up 8 new SPAWN members at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books over the weekend. And we spoke to dozens and dozens of other authors at all stages of their projects—hoping to steer them in a direction toward success. How do we help authors to succeed? By providing the information and resources they need. Our mission is not to brain wash authors into using a certain service or publisher. We keep our fingers on the pulse of the industry and provide our members and our site visitors with the information they need in order to make the best decisions for their particular projects.

Members are eligible to have their books or services listed in our SPAWN Catalog of Members’ Books and Services. As a member, you can participate with us at book festivals and other events. (An additional fee is required for both of these benefits.) And you can post announcements for your new book, an upcoming book signing, awards you’ve earned, etc. in SPAWNews, which goes out to 2,000 subscribers.

There is an enormous amount of information and resources available to anyone who visits our site. But we also provide a member area where members can network with other members, learn about discounts on services and products and peruse the monthly SPAWN Market Update. This 8 to 11 page e-publication is worth many times the $45 annual membership fee. Herein, we provide a plethora of ideas and opportunities for authors, scriptwriters, freelance writers and artists. For example, we list directories of jobs for writers, unusual and/or promising book promotion opportunities, publishers seeking manuscripts, freelance writing opportunities and lots of these.

Members have access to 7 years of the SPAWN Market Update in our archives. Sure, some of the information is old, but many of the resources and all of the agent, publisher, author, editor, etc. interviews and thought-provoking, informative articles as well as most of the resources are quite valuable still today. How many resources and information bites will one find in the archives? Thousands!

I suggest that you visit the SPAWN website today—really take some time to check out the articles, resources, recommended books, our FREE newsletter archives and more. Use the Index to find the information you need. Sign up for the FREE SPAWNews. This e-newsletter will come to your email box every first of the month. http://www.spawn.org

By the way, SPAWN is 12 years old this month, and a few of us who are working to keep the information and resources coming your way have been with SPAWN from the beginning.

If you’d like a hint at what you’ll find in the SPAWN Market Update (for members only), email me and I’ll send you some Tables of Contents for this amazing newsletter. I subscribe to dozens of newsletters for authors and writers and I can tell you that this is one of the best around. And we do not publish ads in our publications or at our site. So you won’t have to scroll through advertising clutter.

Also, we do not have an agenda other than to provide you with the information, resources and opportunities you need in order to succeed on your publishing path.

Email me at: PLFry620@yahoo.com and ask for sample Tables of Contents for the SPAWN Market Update.

I’ll be traveling over the weekend and may not be able to continue my daily blog commitment during that time. I’ll try to check in with you and let you know what’s going on at the Maryland Writers’ Association Conference.

I’m still aflutter with activity and events this week. After a good Los Angeles Times Book Festival event over the weekend, I dove right into a consultation with an author and landed a new long-term client. Last night, I helped teach a writers’ workshop. I spoke on the art of and the necessity of research for writers. I also sold a few books and have two more people interested in my services.

Tomorrow, I’ll be packing for a weekend in Baltimore where I’ll speak on writing a book proposal. That’s a long way to travel in order to present a one-hour talk. But there are hopeful authors everywhere who need to hear the facts along with the possibilities. Yes, I spew some truths that are sometimes hard to hear, but I also try to offer encouragement. After all, there is hope for authors who will take the right path.

I make it sound as though there is only one way leading to success—my way. Not so. There are many avenues. But I do believe that there is a best pathway for authors to take and my mission is to help them find it. I tell authors that what is right for one author and one project might not be the best choice for another author and his/her project. My job, then, is to encourage you (the hopeful author) to study the publishing industry—collect as much understanding and knowledge as you can with regard to how the publishing industry works, your options, the possible consequences of your choices and your responsibilities as a published author.

I wrote my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book, in order to provide the information and knowledge you need. I explain your publishing options and even outline the pros and cons of each in an attempt to help you decide which one is best for your particular project and your personality/activity level/time allotment, etc. Of course this book covers volumes more than I can share in a one-hour talk. And much of it is material, facts, resources and information that you will refer to over and over again throughout your writing and publishing journey.

I get frustrated when I realize that my message isn’t reaching everyone who needs to hear it. Last night, for example, I met, yet, another author who didn’t know that the rule is now one space after all punctuation when typing a manuscript or even an email. Did I surprise any of you with that fact? If you want more information about this, contact me at PLF620@yahoo.com.

Several people I spoke with at the LA Times Festival of Books were shocked to learn that there are publishing options for authors. They stopped searching for publishers at the first hit on their Google search and were ready to exchange cash for a published book. When I mentioned self-publishing as in establishing your own publishing company, they were stunned. “I can publish my book myself?” When I told them about the hundreds of small and medium-sized publishers out there eager to invest in a good book project, they couldn’t believe their ears.

There are many types of hopeful authors. Which one are you?

1: James says, “I found someone who will publish my book and that’s all I need to know. It’s only going to cost me $2,000 and my book will be available in all bookstores—at least that’s what the nice lady told me. Now that I’ve finished my work on book number one, I’m busy writing my next one. Gosh, isn’t writing fun and pretty easy, too.”

Of course, this author is heading for a big disappointment. Why? He doesn’t realize that it is his job to promote his book. And he, obviously, didn’t get a literary attorney to read his contract—“available in all bookstores?” I don’t think so. What the nice lady (and maybe even the contract) probably said was, “We will make your book available to bookstores nationwide.” In other words, “If a bookseller comes to us asking for a book like yours, we will certainly tell them about yours.” And that ain’t going to happen.

James’ book will be one of the approximately 75 percent that sells fewer than 100 copies this year. In fact, unless he becomes educated about the publishing industry and becomes proactive, his book will die on the vine.

2: Linda says, “I’m looking for an agent to represent my book of poetry. My cousin knows a woman who just signed on at an agency near his home in Parachute, Colorado. He thinks he can get me in with her and she only charges $1,000 up front. Once she gets me a contract with Simon and Schuster or one of the other big publishers, I’ll quit my job and start my author tour.”

Oh dear! Hopefully, Linda will stop the madness and start studying the real world of publishing. First, she needs to understand something about how publishers work and what they will and won’t publish and why. And she needs a reality check with regard to choosing and working with an agent.

3: Ilene says, “I don’t type, but I have a wonderful manuscript handwritten with only a few inserts on each page and drawings to show my vision for this 500-page book. I didn’t have time to make any copies—anyway it would be too expensive. So I just sent it to my favorite major publisher in New York. When do you think he’ll be calling me about publishing it?”

Yes, people still do this!!! If Ilene sent the original copy of manuscript without a self-addressed-stamped envelope, her “dream” is probably on its way to the landfill in the back of a garbage truck by now.

4: Jake says, “I just did the final edit on my manuscript and it’s ready to go. Oh, I’m not very good with grammar and punctuation, but I know that the publisher will have it edited before publishing it. So I’m sending it to Random House today.”

Always, always hire a qualified, credible editor before showing your manuscript around to any publisher and before self-publishing. And make sure it is someone who is involved in and knowledgeable about today’s publishing industry and preferably someone who is familiar with your genre and/or topic. A publisher wants to receive only edited manuscripts. Sure, if he accepts it, he will probably have his editorial staff go over it again—but never, never send out a manuscript without having it professionally edited.

Today, I sent out the second lecture and assignment for my online article-writing course. It’s not too late to sign on and catch up. http://www.matilijapress.com/course_magarticles.htm I also teach online courses on demand (sign up when you’re ready to take the course) on writing a book proposal, book promotion and setting up your own publishing company. http://www.matilijapress.com/courses.htm

Here’s an excerpt from the lecture I sent out today.

Come Up With New Article Ideas
What happens when you run out of ideas related to your original topic? Hopefully, you will tire of your subject before that happens. It’s time to get creative and tap into all of your senses. The fact is that if you can’t come up with an article idea, you aren’t paying attention. I tell people to look everywhere for article ideas. My friends laugh at me because I’m always interrupting a conversation to say, “Hey, that’s a good idea for an article!”

Keep your eyes and ears open and you will find ideas. They’re everywhere just waiting to be noticed by an aware writer. Find article ideas at the local coffee shop, airport, grocery store, shoe repair shop, post office, Little League Baseball field, while traveling, at the barber shop, the mall, while fishing, at an animal shelter—absolutely anywhere. I’ve written several articles and, in fact, a book on how to be an effective grandparent even at a distance. The idea stemmed from a conversation I overheard while waiting in line at the grocery store. I met a woman at the post office one day who was working in her retirement as a handywoman. Of course, I wrote an article about her for a senior magazine. Once, while watching my grandson play baseball, I sat next to a Little League dad who earned his living using storytelling as therapy in prisons and other venues. This article idea earned me around $1,500 total as I sold versions of the story to a couple of different magazines.

It pays to pay attention—literally!! And it pays to reach out to others. As writers, we tend to hole up in our comfy cubicles allowing only our family pets into our space. But if you want to earn a living writing articles for magazines (or supplement your income), you really must get out and mingle once in a while. Being a writer, you probably are already observant—hone this skill to the max. And if you aren’t naturally social—if you generally stay to yourself when in public, I’d suggest changing that. You might be surprised at the gifts and opportunities you will glean when you reach out to others.

Do you remember Art Linkletter’s show (and book), Kid’s Say the Darndest Things? Well so do adults, teens, seniors, the mailman, the clerk at the ice cream parlor, your pastor and your neighbor. Heck, you can even find stories in the junk mail you receive if you open your eyes and your mind.

Just today, for example, I received my 4th or 5th letter from a major investment company that is changing the way they operate. With each letter, they attempt to clarify the scope of the changes and who will be in charge of my account from now on. Each letter refers to the letter before and states that it may have contained some erroneous information. Upon reading each of these letters, you feel as though the Marx brothers are now running the company. Use your imagination and you can visualize employees in cubicles holding a small slice of information that they don’t dare tell to anyone else. So each letter coming from each of these people tells a different part of the story. Can’t you just envision creating a humorous essay from this scenario? Or maybe I could write a piece featuring ten tips for better communication within the workplace.

Here are 8 of the 15 things I suggest you consider when trying to come up with new article ideas: (Of course, in my lecture, I flesh each of these points out with examples and instruction.)

1: Write about what you know.
2: Write about what you’re interested in.
3: Write about what you want to know.
4: Write about what’s hot.
5: Write from your own experiences.
6: Write from the experiences of others.
7: Create articles from conversations you have or overhear.
8: Extract ideas from the media.

As many of you know, article-writing is close to my heart. It is through articles that I entered the world of writing for publication. It is article-writing that supported me for many years. Articles help to promote my books. Writing this blog is like writing an article, so it is my way of communicating, of expressing myself and it’s a good vehicle for spreading information. If you have tried to sell articles and failed, if you have a book to promote, if you want to shift from factory or cubicle worker to writer, this course could hold the key to your dreams.

Learn more about article-writing for book promotion in my book The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html Contact me with questions: PLFry620@yahoo.com I also work one-on-one with authors and freelance writers. Check out my credentials and fees at my website: http://www.matilijapress.com/consulting.html

I’m back from the big Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. SPAWN had a large booth where some of our members displayed and sold their books to a crowd of around 150,000. (SPAWN is Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) http://www.spawn.org

People came out to the festival, which was held at UCLA, despite the fact that temps were in the 90s. They came to buy books and to meet their favorite authors and other celebs such as Valerie Bertinelli, Mary Higgins Clark, Michael Connolley, Sandra Dijkstra (literary agent), Maxine Hong Kingston, Dr. Laura Schlesinger, Jonathon Kirsch and Tommy Lasorda.

Is a book festival a good place for an author to sell books? Well, yes and no—sometimes and sometimes not so much. Some books sell and others just sit there. Your book will do better at some festivals than at others. Some festivals attract serious readers/book buyers and some draw lookiloos with nothing else to do on a sunny Sunday afternoon; and many of whom left their wallets at home.

I attend several book festivals each year and I’m always experimenting with booth design and sales approach. I observe other authors and I attempt to discover their secrets to bookselling success. Here’s what I’ve learned:

• You really must have an appealing and/or interesting cover. This weekend, the favored book was one that pictured dolphins swimming in vivid blue ocean water.
• A title can be a draw for some people. The book most picked up in our booth without solicitation was one containing the word “Halloween” in the title.
• Your booth should have a theme. I sell many more copies of my books on writing and publishing from the SPAWN booth than I do if I join others in a generic, no-theme booth. People come to the SPAWN booth looking for help, advice, information, etc. about writing and publishing.
• People will gravitate toward an attractively designed booth. Large interesting posters, a generous bouquet of flowers and tasteful decorations related to the theme of your book, etc. will definitely catch people’s eyes.
• Personality plays an important part in book festival success. Genuinely likable authors who reach out to people sell more books than those who just sit back and wait for the sale.
• Freebies and samples can raise your sales quota. Authors who offer something for free or who serve food treats, for example, can attract a crowd and sometimes sell more books.

If you’re an author with one or more books to sell, try setting up a booth (or share a booth) at a local book festival or flea market. Watch the calendar section in the county newspaper to find such events. Contact the Chamber of Commerce in other cities to see if they have book festivals scheduled during the year. Go to the Directory of Book Fairs at http://www.lights.com/publisher/bookfairs.html

Check out my article on “How to Work a Book Festival so it Works for You,” at http://www.matilijapress.com/articles/promo_bookFestival.htm

If you have a stalled or failing book and you feel like giving up the whole authorship thing, stop—read my new ebook, first. Let The Author’s Repair Kit breathe new life into your book.
http://www.matilijapress.com/author_repairkit.html

I’m back from the big Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. SPAWN had a large booth where some of our members displayed and sold their books to a crowd of around 150,000. (SPAWN is Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) http://www.spawn.org

People came out to the festival, which was held at UCLA, despite the fact that temps were in the 90s. They came to buy books and to meet their favorite authors and other celebs such as Valerie Bertinelli, Mary Higgins Clark, Michael Connolley, Sandra Dijkstra (literary agent), Maxine Hong Kingston, Dr. Laura Schlesinger, Jonathon Kirsch and Tommy Lasorda.

Is a book festival a good place for an author to sell books? Well, yes and no—sometimes and sometimes not so much. Some books sell and others just sit there. Your book will do better at some festivals than at others. Some festivals attract serious readers/book buyers and some draw lookiloos with nothing else to do on a sunny Sunday afternoon; and many of whom left their wallets at home.

I attend several book festivals each year and I’m always experimenting with booth design and sales approach. I observe other authors and I attempt to discover their secrets to bookselling success. Here’s what I’ve learned:

• You really must have an appealing and/or interesting cover. This weekend, the favored book was one that pictured dolphins swimming in vivid blue ocean water.
• A title can be a draw for some people. The book most picked up in our booth without solicitation was one containing the word “Halloween” in the title.
• Your booth should have a theme. I sell many more copies of my books on writing and publishing from the SPAWN booth than I do if I join others in a generic, no-theme booth. People come to the SPAWN booth looking for help, advice, information, etc. about writing and publishing.
• People will gravitate toward an attractively designed booth. Large interesting posters, a generous bouquet of flowers and tasteful decorations related to the theme of your book, etc. will definitely catch people’s eyes.
• Personality plays an important part in book festival success. Genuinely likable authors who reach out to people sell more books than those who just sit back and wait for the sale.
• Freebies and samples can raise your sales quota. Authors who offer something for free or who serve food treats, for example, can attract a crowd and sometimes sell more books.

If you’re an author with one or more books to sell, try setting up a booth (or share a booth) at a local book festival or flea market. Watch the calendar section in the county newspaper to find such events. Contact the Chamber of Commerce in other cities to see if they have book festivals scheduled during the year. Go to the Directory of Book Fairs at http://www.lights.com/publisher/bookfairs.html

Check out my article on “How to Work a Book Festival so it Works for You,” at http://www.matilijapress.com/articles/promo_bookFestival.htm

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