Writing and Publishing News from

Few things in life exactly meet our expectations. It’s rather amusing to realize that we typically view things from at least two perspectives. We have been given imaginations—so we visualize how we think something will turn out and then we may experience a totally different outcome.

I believe this is the case for many, many hopeful authors. They imagine one result and reality brings them something completely unexpected.

Just what do most of us imagine is at the end of the publishing rainbow? Fame and fortune? We see ourselves chatting with Oprah, making appearances on the popular late night shows, going on tour to exotic places and having the luxury of time to write the sequel. People look up to authors—authors are something special, after all. Once you’re an author, your status among your peers/colleagues/friends will certainly shift to a higher level. Is this what you thought?

Here’s the reality for most of us: Our first kick in the gut comes when our manuscript is rejected by our publishers of choice—yes, rejected without reason or cause. From there, we might eventually pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and launch a Google search in hopes of finding a publisher—any publisher—who will soothe our pain by publishing our books.

For countless hopeful authors, this means signing with the first pay-to-publish outfit that expresses an interest in their manuscripts. It feels pretty good, after all, to have someone validate you as an author and eagerly welcome the opportunity to publish your wonderful book. It’s hard to walk away from this sort of perceived support.

Not all authors go this direction, however. Some of them do their homework and realize that the pay-to-publish option isn’t for them and they go on to self-publish their fabulous book.

Still others may snub both of these options and keep looking for a traditional publisher. Those with patience and persistence may even land an appropriate small to medium-size publisher. Yeah!!

Despite the differences in these three publishing choices, all of these authors will face a similar reality once they hold their newly published books in their hands. What’s the reality? It is up to them—the authors—to promote and sell their books. And it is unlikely that they will be talking about their books on a major TV show, nor will they be touring far and wide to exciting places, unless it’s of their own arrangement and at their own expense. As far as the time and space to write that sequel? Not likely anytime soon.

So what is being an author all about? Those of you who have achieved “author” status, you know. I’d love to have you pipe in with stories of your personal expectations and eventual reality check.

Becoming an author is fairly easy. Today, you can just write a book—any ole book—and pay someone to publish it. But being a wildly (or even mildly) successful author is darn hard work. It means the following:

• Understanding the publishing industry.
• Being tuned-in to your particular target audience.
• Knowing where your audience is and how to reach them.
• Having the wherewithal to promote to your audience.
• Using tons of creativity, effort, time and patience in promoting your book.
• Hand-selling each and every copy of your book.
• Realizing that your book will sell only for as long as you promote it.

When you review this list, it is certainly a far cry from what you expect (or expected) from authorship, isn’t it? The thing is, writing is a craft—a heart thing. Publishing is a business. If you are an author, you are in business. If you want copies of your book to sell, there is no getting around this fact. As an author, you wear many hats and all of them require a lot of hard work.

When you read or hear that authorship is not for the timid or weak, believe it!

Now, if you are an author who is struggling to make it, be sure to read two of my books—my ebook, The Author’s Repair Kit, Heal Your Publishing Mistakes and Breathe New Life Into Your Book. Also read, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. This is a book you will want to keep on your desk at your elbow because you will refer to it often.

Order both books here: http://www.matilijapress.com

Are you pursuing your dream to be a published author? How long have you had this dream? What steps are you taking toward achieving your goals?

If you are methodically and carefully jumping hurdles, working through challenges and moving toward your publishing goals, congratulations. If you are still viewing those goals from the starting side of the perceived barrier because you are afraid to take the leap, I’d like to offer a kick in the pants. (My clients say I am good at this.) And if you are racing toward authorship swiftly—ever so eagerly—actually knocking down some of those hurdles, I urge you to slow down.

Authors in each of these categories WILL make mistakes. But the majority of mistakes will be perpetuated by those who rush the process. Here’s what to watch out for:

• You are so eager to get your wonderful book published that you sign with the first pay-to-publish representative who expresses an interest.

Instead: Research all of your publishing options: traditional royalty publisher, pay-to-publish company and self-publishing (establishing your own publishing company). Study the reputation of your publisher of choice—check warning sites, follow up on references, hire an intellectual properties attorney to explain the contract to you. While I encourage you to leap toward your dream—I want you to look carefully before you do so.

• You have written the wrong book for the wrong audience and you are not getting nearly the sales you expected.

Instead: Write a book proposal before writing your book. A well-researched book proposal will tell you whether you have a book at all, who is your audience and how to promote the book to this audience.

• You didn’t know that you—the author—are responsible for promoting your book.

Instead: Study the publishing industry before you ever sit down to write a book so you know what to expect of the industry and what your responsibilities as a published author are. It is the author’s responsibility to promote his or her book no matter which publishing option he or she chooses.

• You know that you needed to participate in promoting your book, but you have no idea how to go about it.

Instead: Promoting a book in this competitive publishing climate is a very challenging activity. It is important to know who your audience is, where they are and how to reach them way before ever producing a book.

Becoming a published author is an awesome experience. But, in order to make your publishing experience successful, you must view it as a serious business. Even if you land a traditional royalty publisher for your amazing book, in order to be successful, you must approach authorship from a business standpoint.

Prepare yourself for the huge role as an author by reading The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. You will NOT be disappointed. In fact, this may be your best opportunity to experience successful authorship.
http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

I’m offering FREE book manuscript evaluations. Send me 20 pages via Word attachment and I will look at it from the standpoint of publishing possibilities, editorial accuracy, flow, etc. PLFry620@yahoo.com

As you know, I’ve been traveling this week. It took me 11 hours to get to White Plains, New York Thursday and another 11 hours waiting in airports, changing planes and flying yesterday to get back home. (My luggage caught up with me hours later.)

Is it worth the expense, time and (perceived) hassle to attend writers’ conferences? Those of you who have attended good conferences know the answer to this question. Those who have not, may wonder: What goes on at a writers’ conference?

• You will, most likely, have the opportunity to learn from experts and professionals. Depending on the conference and the committee’s choice of speakers, you might learn more about social networking, how to develop stronger characters, how to approach a publisher, how to write a book proposal, ideas for promoting your book, how to keep a freelance writing business going and so much more.

• You’ll have many opportunities to talk casually—one-on-one—with experts and professionals.

• You’ll be afforded numerous opportunities to connect and network with other writers/authors.

• You might be able to make appointments with the magazine editors and/or publishers of your choice to discuss your project. (This is offered at some conferences and not others.)

• Most likely, you’ll be invited to attend banquets and hear major authors or other professionals speak—highly educational and inspirational.

What will you take away from a well-organized conference?
• Lots of new information and perspectives. As you know, I’m a freelance writing/publishing veteran and I always learn something of value when I am invited to speak at these conferences.

• Inspiration. You will be so inspired to write or you’ll be so filled with new promotional ideas that you won’t know where/how to start implementing them all when you get home.

• Courage. Yes—you may finally find the courage to start that novel or write that article or get out and really promote that book.

• New associations and friendships. A writers’ conference brings together like-minded people with whom you can relate. Unlike your non-writing friends and family, they will understand when you talk about your passion for writing or how it feels to be rejected. They will appreciate your sense of joy at landing a publisher, agent or writing job.

• Connections. Most of the writers/authors as well as the seminar leaders that you meet will welcome your questions, comments and continuing support beyond the conference. You can share your successes with a fellow author, ask one of the workshop leaders for a recommendation or reference with regard to a project, shoot an email to an editor you met with a question, for example.

But, as is the case in almost anything you do, any organization you belong to, your friendships, etc., you will get out of it what you put into it. If you research the conferences, attend the one that suits your needs best and participate to the fullest, you will benefit in ways that you cannot even imagine.

Redesign of my Website
I’m getting ready to do a redesign of my website. I got lots of ideas this weekend. Visit my website and tell me your ideas. How can I make this site more useful to you? While you’re there, be sure to purchase your copy of The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. Wrap it up as a special gift for you this holiday season. If you are writing a book or you have a book that is struggling in the marketplace, you WILL benefit from this book.

My Conference Experience
By the way, even though there were dozens of books being signed Saturday by 30 authors at the Cat Writers’ Conference in White Plains, New York, I was the only one with books on publishing and I sold out!! It makes me feel sooooo good to know that those authors and hopeful authors will make better decisions than they would have without this book.

One author had already produced a book through a pay-to-publish company. She is not happy with this company in the least! For one thing, they promised her when she signed with them months ago, that her book would be here for the Cat Writers’ Conference. She checked back with them during recent months and weeks and they told her, “Yes, it will be there.” Well, as happens so often with these pay-to-publish outfits, the books did not show up. When she called them about it, she was given the royal run-around by people that she believes are stationed all around the world and who are given cheat sheets with pat answers they are instructed to give any authors who call.

She bought my book to learn how to promote her book once she gets the copies she ordered and to help her through the publishing process the next time.

http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

I arrived here in White Plains from California yesterday evening after a long day of traveling. I got to visit 4 airports all together—Santa Barbara, Denver, Chicago (O’Hare) and White Plains. All of those plane changes make for a long day.

I just finished speaking to a group of 25 or so on how to break out of your niche and start writing about topics other than cats. I think it went well.

Prior to my presentation, I listened to an author who has been published by some of the big guys. Her story was interesting, as was her perspective and her advice. Here are a few points she made—some of the same points I continue to make:

• Publishers are most impressed by authors who have expertise in their field—who have a following.

• Publishers really, really like working with authors who have already proven themselves as an author or an expert in their field.

• Publishers are not looking for good writing as much as they are looking for marketable writers.

• Publishers want to see a detailed book proposal.

• The comparable book aspect of the book proposal is extremely important. Publishers want to know what makes this book as good as the #1 book on your topic or in your genre.

These are some things for you to think about until I return with my next post.
In the meantime, sign up for one of my online courses: http://www.matilijapress.com/courses.html
Ask what sort of discount I’m in the mood to give.

Nearly two weeks ago, I left sunny, warm California laden down with a heavy coat, knit scarves and an umbrella for a fall color cruise along the Eastern seaboard. We hit some cold, rainy weather and some exciting high seas, but few signs of autumn—at least where the trees are concerned. We had a wonderful time, nonetheless. I’m grateful for the experience, the time away to refresh and family and business to come home to. I’m not happy about returning to some kinks in my Internet service, however.

I don’t know how things are with your Internet service this week, but I’m experiencing problems. At this moment, I have no service. Earlier, I was unable to print emails when I used Internet Explorer. And the Internet service on shipboard was really expensive, slow and unreliable.

Isn’t it a pain when we are suddenly unable to depend on something we’ve become conditioned to rely on to such a degree? It is especially annoying and frustrating when it is so strongly connected to our businesses and our lives.

I am hoping that, by the time I complete this blog entry in Word, I will be able to post it.

When your Internet system fails or falters, do you adopt new practices so as to avoid so much dependency on the system? Or do you at least consider changing the way you do things related to email and Internet research? It would be hard to go back to the way we used to do things, wouldn’t it? Our servers have a pretty strong hold on us. They offered us the world (via the Internet). They sold us on the idea of email communication. They hooked all of us and now we can’t function well without their services.

I don’t know about you, but I feel pretty much crippled when I don’t have access to reliable Internet. Much of my business, research and communication is done via the Internet and using email. When the system is down or unavailable, I find myself automatically clicking on it to send an email, to look for one I’m expecting, to post a blog, to add something to the SPAWN site, to check on facts, etc. It’s like when your power goes out. You automatically click on a switch, momentarily think about ironing/blow drying your hair/turning on the TV, etc.

If you are an author or a freelance writer who does a lot of research, you probably use the Internet frequently. Having it unavailable when you are on a deadline or when you are on a roll with your story or nonfiction manuscript, is immensely frustrating. So what do you do when your server goes down? Can you easily shift direction? Do you have other projects lined up? Do you take care of other tasks—editing your manuscript, filing, cleaning, etc.? How flexible are you in such situations?

Let’s hope that I can post this blog for you today and that there are no problems in the future with the system in any way.

Now is a good time for you to present your requests. Do you have questions I can answer via this blog? Are there subjects you’d like me to revisit or to pursue through the blog? Email your requests: PLFry620@yahoo.com. Or leave a comment. I will be here (as long as I can access the Internet) until late November when I head out to speak at the Cat Writers Association Conference in New York.

In my books, my brochures, my workshops, my consultations and at book festivals, I often invite authors and freelance writers to contact me with questions. When I sell a book, I say, “Please, once you’ve read the book, if you have any questions, email me.” During my workshops, if someone asks me a question that requires research or if it’s something that entails time to explain, I say, “Email me with that question and I will respond in full.”

I have an open-door policy. Yet, few people take advantage of what I offer. Too many of them go it alone, neglect to do appropriate research, make choices based on whims or, worse yet, advertisements. Or they allow members of their writing group to sway them or they rely on information they’ve passed along rather than checking with an expert in the field.

I’m sure that other professionals find this to be true, as well. If we hear from an author at all, it is after they’ve made some poor and costly decisions. By then, they’re blaming the economy, the industry and all of the people who didn’t warn them about the big bad wolf in publisher’s clothing. They’re angry with the people who didn’t tell them what to expect after publication. If only they had asked. If only they had explored their options and learned something about what to expect.

Don’t find out about publishing and book promotion the hard way. Read “The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book” NOW. I advise this whether you are just thinking about writing a book, you are starting the process of writing, you have finished your book and you are seeking publication or you have a newly published book in your hands. And I have to tell you that “The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book,” does not dictate how you should write, publish and sell your book, but it gives you options, information and resources. It lays them all out in front of you and guides you in making all of the right decisions for you and for your project.

No two book projects are the same. And no two publishing experiences are, either.

Once you have read this book or you’ve taken one of my online courses (Book Promotion, Writing a Book Proposal, Breaking into the Article-Writing Market or How to Self-Publish), I invite you to contact me with any questions. If you have not taken my courses or read any of my books and you have a question about your project and/or the process of publishing or book promotion, contact me. PLFry620@yahoo.com. If you don’t take advantage of this potential benefit, you are only cheating yourself.

Of course, I can’t answer every question, but I can usually point you in a direction where you can find the answers you need. And not every hopeful author is ready to hear every truth. I still meet people who want to produce a book, but have no intention of doing any promotion. I had an email from a gentleman last year who insisted that his book would sell itself. There would be no need for him to be involved at all.

Read my book. Order it from me or Amazon.com. If you’d like to help support my efforts, remember that I get more of the profit when you order it from my website: http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

And let me know if you have any questions that I might be able to help with. PLFry620@yahoo.com. If you lose my website address or my email address, just do a Google Search using my name, Patricia Fry. You’ll find me in an instant.

Fall and spring seem to entertain many writing and publishing conferences. So this is the season. I notice that the majority of authors who attend my workshops and those of others are open and eager to receive the generous helping of information that is so expertly communicated. There are also people in attendance who close their minds to the possibilities which lie outside their realm of understanding, who block concepts that don’t fit within their comfort zones, who refuse to consider some ideas that might actually increase their opportunity for publishing success.

There are usually a few closed-minded authors in attendance at the seminars, conferences and book festivals I attend. I occasionally receive phone calls and emails from authors in this category. They come for help and information and then they argue with everything I suggest.

Is this you? Have you developed such a strict agenda that, even though you show up at conferences and seminars and read books by professionals in the field, you are closed to new, pertinent information? Do you just want to be validated? Do you want others to say that you have an excellent book that will sell well and that you’re making all of the right decisions, even though:

• you claim that you are writing a book for wide distribution, but refuse to consider your audience?
• your approach to your subject is likely to turn off the very readers you hope to reach?
• your topic is unpopular, outdated or will appeal to only a very small segment of people?
• you don’t have a promotional plan?
• you haven’t bothered to research your publishing options?
• you have entered into publishing with a writer’s heart rather than a business head?

I can only hope that my presentation, my books and my consultations will open minds and save at least a few rigid authors from making these mistakes.

If you’re in the process of writing a book or you are just thinking about doing so, here’s what you need to know:

1: Publishing is a business and must be approached as such. Once you decide to publish your book for wide distribution to the masses, you really must stop thinking of it as your baby or as your amazing contribution to the world. Once you decide to publish your book, it becomes a product and you are its business manager.

2: Is there a market for your book? Is it a viable product? Is it a genre that is popular and/or a topic that is current? Before writing that book, make sure that it is needed/desired. If it is a subject that has been overdone, can you come up with a fresh twist, a new angle or a different solution to an old problem? Study the market for books like yours. Check out the competition. And the time to do this is BEFORE you start writing it.

3: Who is your audience and how extensive is it? Some authors hope to change minds with their books. They envision their audience as folks who need to be educated or informed for their own good. These authors believe that smokers will embrace their stop smoking book, that junk food junkies want to learn healthy eating habits, that Christians will eagerly read their book on atheism. But there is a difference between a self-help or how-to approach and cramming an unwanted book down readers’ throats. Consider who WILL read this book, not who SHOULD read this book.

4: How will you locate your audience? As I point out in my presentations, most first-time authors plan to sell their books by the truckloads through bookstores. I did. This was my expectation the first time I produced a book for distribution to a national audience (as opposed to a regional audience). While bookstores might comprise a small piece of your distribution puzzle, they probably won’t provide your bread and butter—not in the beginning—not until your book has proven itself.

You’ve heard it before: the author must promote his/her book. But this is impossible unless you know who your audience is and where they are.

5: What is your platform? What can you contribute to making your book a success? Platform means your following—your reach—your way of attracting your audience. What are your credentials, what’s your expertise? Do you have experience in this field?

6: What promotional opportunities can you build into your book? Here’s another good reason to stop, look and listen before you plan your book. If you just play on through and write it without considering the previous five points, you will miss out on the opportunity to build promotion into your book. What does this mean? How can an author build promotion into his/her book? Here are some examples of how I built promotion into my local history book, “The Ojai Valley, An Illustrated History” (a 360-page comprehensive history of the area where I live in California).

• I interviewed about 100 people for this project and listed them in the book. Don’t you know that most of them bought at least one copy of the book?
• I profiled many early pioneer families and included as much statistical information as I could find—birth and death dates, number of children, when they arrived in the village, etc. This made the book valuable to descendants of these folks as well as genealogists and other researchers.
• I featured interesting sites, annual events and businesses. This made the book appealing to tourists and locals with some connection to or interest in these places and activities.
• I created a massive index and a bibliography. Thus, the book is convenient for librarians and other researchers.

For a novel, you can build promotion into your book by giving a character a disease such as diabetes. Show this character in a positive light and you might be able to get the American Diabetes Association (for example) to finance the publication, to promote your book or to purchase thousands of copies to use as premiums. Widen your audience base by giving your heroine a horse, twins, a motorcycle or lupus, for example.

Go ahead and write a book your way and hold to your outdated, unrealistic belief system and you may soon find yourself stuck with a book that nobody will buy. Or seriously consider the 6 points I’ve outlined here. Really do your homework like any professional would do and you have a much greater chance of experiencing the success that is possible as a published author.

For more detailed information, instructions and resources, please read “The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book.”
http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

There’s a good article in the October 7th Book Promotion Newsletter by Fern Reiss on the future of publishing. She tells it like it should be—no “returns” policy or hard-copy galleys required, publishers should market their authors’ books even online and she suggests changing the whole book model. Good article. I recommend you read it. If you agree with her points, perhaps a campaign could be launched.
http://www.bookpromotionnewsletter.com

Yes, there are a lot of annoying things about the publishing industry and some of them were negotiated or otherwise adopted years ago. Things have changed dramatically. And with natural or even unnatural (forced) changes brought about by the digital age, for example, there must be some willingness toward flexibility, at least. But nooooo. Some of the policies are simply non-negotiable and rigid.

We all know what can happen to a rigid tree in the wind, don’t we? It will eventually snap under the pressure. Which way will it go? What will be the end results?

In the meantime, we can do our part on behalf of our projects by continually striving to improve our writing, by producing quality works that are wanted/needed, by representing our books from a professional standpoint and by keeping our fingers on the pulse of the publishing industry.

Member Survey Brings Surprises
We’ve been running a survey at SPAWN to find out what our members need/want from a publishing support organization. Most, who have chimed in so far, are interested in becoming more educated within the publishing industry. They want to know how to produce an excellent product, what publishing option to choose, how to navigate the publishing maze, how to negotiate a publishing contract, how to promote their particular books and so forth. We just had a conference call board meeting and decided that we can best serve our members at this juncture by presenting webinars featuring experts in publishing and publishing-related fields.

Subscribe to SPAWNews (it’s FREE) and be among the first to learn about our webinar schedule for 2010. Actually, I think we’re going to present one session in December. Oh, did I tell you the sessions will be free? Subscribe to SPAWNews and receive a free ebooklet: “Promote Yourself! 25 Ways to Promote Your Work Whether You’re an Author, Artist or Small Publisher.”
http://www.spawn.org

There’s no way you can go wrong—everything I’ve mentioned here is FREE. And that does not mean they have no value.

Surprises in Patricia Fry’s Array of Books
I’ll be traveling for the next 10 days and someone else will be plugging in blog posts that I have prepared for you. It won’t be a daily post, but watch for posts coming probably on October 10, 13 and 15.

He is also shipping books for me. So it’s okay to place your order this week. See my array of books—some of my titles might surprise you. Did you know that I published a metaphysical memoir some years ago? It is an absolutely fascinating read. It’s called, Quest For Truth. I also have a book (and ebook) of true cat stories. You’ll see the gorgeous cover featuring our white odd-eye cat, Winfield on the home page.

If you are an author or hope to be, the book you need is The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. Order it now before you make any more mistakes with your publishing project.
http://www.matilijapress.com

Most authors today make costly and embarrassing mistakes the first time around the publishing merry-go-round. How do I know that? The statistics tell us so. In 2006, 76 percent of books sold fewer than 100 copies. To me, that indicates failure. And if the book failed, it’s because the author made some poor choices—mistakes, if you will.

So how does one recover after a disappointing publishing experience? How does a disillusioned author regroup?

Many do not. Well, they might recover emotionally, but they don’t recoup their money and they give up on their dream of publishing success.

Those who do recover and regroup, generally go back to square one. They study the publishing industry so they have a better understanding of how it all works and how to proceed. They reevaluate their projects. Some come to realize that they’ve been marketing to the wrong audience. Others see the need to go back to the beginning and rewrite their books.

If you have entered the publishing field through a side door or a transom window, for example, rather than the traditional, tried and true front entrance, you are probably feeling terribly overwhelmed—like a fish out of water. You did not take the time to learn the basics such as, “Publishing is a business and it must be approached as such.”

Order my remedy for publishing failure, my ebook, The Author’s Repair Kit. I wrote it for those of you who walked into this arena with your eyes, ears and mind tightly closed. It is designed to help you breathe new life into a failed or struggling book.

http://www.matilijapress.com/author_repairkit.html

You might also go back to square one. Study the book you should have read in the first place: The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book.
http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

And contact me with your questions if you feel you need some personalized assistance. PLFry620@yahoo.com