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I recall a conversation I had with a hopeful author once at a writer’s conference. He sat on the edge of his seat, notebook open and pen poised in eager anticipation of my wise counsel. Upon receiving it, however, he slammed the book closed, tossed the pen on the table in front of him and slumped back in his chair.

What was the advice that this man so readily discarded?

He asked me how to find a publisher for his memoir which would also feature recipes. I told him about Writer’s Market and how to use the Book Publishers Subject Index toward the back of this directory—information that he eagerly noted. I also suggested that he locate books in bookstores and at Amazon.com similar to his and see who published these books. I said that he might be able to interest one of those publishers in his project.

That’s when he slammed his notebook closed. He said, “There are no books like mine.”

Well guess what? I did a brief Amazon.com search later and discovered dozens of memoirs with recipes. I learned that Scribner published one of them—Random House produced another.

Many first-time authors have trouble using the title search method to locate an appropriate publisher. They also have a problem finding books to use in their market analysis section of their book proposal. Why? Because they believe that their book is unique—there are no other books like theirs.

If this is true, they may be pitching a book that no one wants. Maybe there’s a reason why there’s nothing out there like it. But in most cases, there are plenty of similar books. The author simply doesn’t understand the similar book concept. Let me explain:

Certainly there are no books exactly like yours. No one else tells the story of your childhood, your fight with cancer or your trip around the world. But there are other life stories, other survival stories and other travel memoirs.

You may not find any books focusing on the dental features of tarantulas and other large spiders. But there are a variety of books on spiders. These are the books you need to be looking at in your search for an appropriate publisher.

Maybe your book features whipped cream snacks. But you don’t have to look for another book exactly like this in order to locate a publisher for your book. A publisher of books on appetizers, desserts or using milk in recipes might also be interested in publishing your book on whipped cream snacks.

Perhaps you consider your novel a romantic horror gothic adventure featuring pre-teen mutants. It’s doubtful that you’ll find another book within this exact realm, but a publisher of horror or science fiction books might be fascinated by yours.

You see, if a publisher does well with an even remotely similar book, he may be interested in another good book along the same lines—on the same topic and within the same genre.

But finding a publisher isn’t the only reason for researching books like yours. Consider the following:

• Did you know that you can sometimes locate an agent through books similar to yours? Just look on the acknowledgements pages of these books. Sometimes authors will publicly thank his or her agent.

• Check the popularity of books on your topic or genre. You may discover that recipe books with a theme are outselling straight cookbooks or that no one is buying adult gothic horror. It is a wise author who makes decisions based on in-depth research rather than raw emotions. Check sales through Amazon.com and other online bookstores. Do an internet search to locate sales information for these books.

• Learn something about promoting books like yours by studying author websites. You can still learn volumes about books produced by independent and small publishers through author websites. How are they promoting their book? Who do they perceive as their audience? You might even initiate a dialog with authors of these books and learn some inside secrets about what aspect of the book/story is most popular. What you can learn from authors of books similar to yours might just guide you in attaining greater success with your project.

• Locate books similar to yours for the market analysis section of your book proposal. The publisher wants to know what makes your book different/better. And you’d better know this BEFORE you start actually writing the book or you’re liable to write the wrong book for the wrong audience.

The next time you are tempted to downplay the importance of comparing your book idea with other books that are out there, stop and think about it for a moment. Do you really want to deprive yourself of the valuable information you can glean?

Patricia Fry is the author of 29 books, including “The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book.” Check my array of books at http://www.matilijapress.com If you want to know more about writing a book proposal, consider taking my online, on-demand book proposal course. http://www.matilijapress.com/course_bookproposal.htm

Sometimes I wonder what there is left to say about the process of writing, publishing and marketing a book. Yet, I, and many others, continue to write articles, add to our blogs, write books and go out and speak on these topics. Why? Because there’s a new book idea conceived, a new book ready for publication and a new book to be promoted every day. Want proof? Last year, there were over 560,000 titles produced.

Not every author is at the same professional level. Some of you are finally sitting down to write that book you’ve had in your heart for years. Others have spent a decade or more writing a book and want to finally publish it. Yet, others of you have been waiting for your published books to sell and now want to commit to making it happen. The fact that you are reading this and other useful, informative blogs is a GREAT start toward your success.

Knowledge is definitely your friend. And the more information and resources you gather during your, hopefully, ongoing research, the more real your chances of success.

But you want to start your study early. Ideally, you will understand what it takes to bring about a potentially successful nonfiction book even before you start writing it. You’ll understand that the well-researched, well-organized, book proposal is your key to writing the right book for the right audience. And you’ll be well-aware of your options and obligations way before you actually delve into the serious realm of publishing.

Here’s my formula for publishing success:

Whether the planned book is fiction or nonfiction:
• Study the publishing industry until you have a clear understanding of your options, the possible consequences of your choices and your responsibility as a published author.

For Nonfiction:
• Write a book proposal. This will guide you in developing a book that is actually wanted/needed and marketable. Through the book proposal process, you will learn your deep-down purpose in writing this book, your audience demographics, whether or not this book is a viable product and the best ways to promote it.

For Fiction:
• Most inexperienced fiction writers need some help developing their characters, moving their story along and so forth. That’s why I recommend joining a writers’ critique group during the writing process.

For Fiction and Nonfiction:
• Once you’ve finished your manuscript, hire a good editor. Expect to pay anywhere from $800 to $3,000, depending on the word count and the condition of your manuscript. Be sure to choose an editor based on recommendations, references and reputation.

Throughout the planning, writing, publishing and marketing process, continue to study and learn. Avoid isolating yourself from the information, resources and sound advice you need. Attend writer’s conferences, join appropriate publishing groups and organizations, subscribe to some of the most informative, useful newsletters and read the most highly recommended books.

Here are my recommendations: I wrote my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book because I was meeting so many failed authors who had made costly mistakes. None of them studied the publishing industry, nor did they know what to expect before getting involved. They did not know their options, the possible consequences of their choices or their responsibilities as a published author. In this book, I do not tell you how to publish your book, I provide you with information, introduce and explain your options and help you to understand all that comes after the process of publishing. I pave the roads and you choose those that seem most logical for your project, based on your clear understanding—not wishful thinking. Order this book here: http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

I also suggest that you join SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) http://www.spawn.org.

Dues are $45/year and, if you partake of all that we offer members each and every month, you will gain many times that amount in book sales, money saved, heartache avoided, and so much more. And you will quickly learn what I mean when I say that knowledge is absolutely key to your success as a published author.

I also teach online courses in writing a book proposal and book promotion. Check them out at http://www.matilijapress.com/courses.htm

Questions? Contact me at PLFry620@yahoo.com.

Writing is a craft and publishing is a business.

Publishing is not an extension of your writing.

You hear and read me and other professionals make such statements. Still, so many authors and hopeful authors miss the point of this truth. I have to ask, “Do you know what a business is?” It’s a means of selling a product or service. It’s an entity through which one sells goods or services for profit.

When you become a published author and start selling your books, you are in business. You can approach your business in a couple of different ways.

• Create a business plan, take the steps to establish a bonafide business—apply for a fictitious business name, request a resale permit, get a local business license, etc.—and get serious about promoting your book.

• Or you can remain in denial about your responsibilities as a published author and sit around waiting for your book to start selling.

What does it mean to be in business?
It means that you are responsible for providing a product or service, promoting it adequately, taking orders, getting it to customers in good shape and in a timely manner, keeping accurate records of purchases and sales, handling customer concerns and living up to your tax/licensing obligations to your county, state and country.

Those of you with books published through traditional royalty publishers, don’t need to establish a company of your own. Your publisher has done that, already. You will receive royalty statements, for example. But you will need some sort of business model which includes a record-keeping aspect in order to keep track of your expenses.

Do you need to create a business if you paid a fee-based POD “self-publishing” company to produce your book?

• If you want to claim your expenses, you probably need to form a business.
• If you plan to get highly involved in promotion, you should establish a business.
• If you hope to produce additional books and other related items and or services, you really need to create a business.

Not every author wants to go into business. And that’s okay. But you can’t have expectations of your book selling by the truckloads, being invited as a guest on major TV shows, landing a distributor, getting your book into bookstores and so forth, if you don’t have a business.

A huge part of that business, of course, is promotion and marketing. And this is one great reason for establishing a business.

• When you promote a book through a legally established business, you are apt to take this task more seriously than if you are just haphazardly selling books when you feel like it.

If you are writing a book for publication or if you have already reached author status, consider forming a business around your book. You’ll treat it with more respect and so will others.

For additional information about establishing a business, finding a distributor, writing a book, self-editing, book promotion, getting book reviews, choosing a publishing option, approaching publishers, writing a query letter, writing a book proposal and MORE, order my book today: The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

A lot is happening here in the Matilija Press and SPAWN offices. For those of you who have just tuned into this blog, Matilija Press is my 26 year-old publishing company and the business through which I do my writing, editing, book selling, online courses and so forth. http://www.matilijapress.com

SPAWN is Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network. ( http://www.spawn.org) I am the President of SPAWN—soon to move into Executive Director position. We are currently putting together a new leadership team for SPAWN. And it is a bit unnerving to realize how crucial our choices could be to the future of this organization as well as to our current and future members.

I have recently been reminded of the power of perspective in our businesses, in our projects and in our organizations. What is perspective, anyway? It’s a viewpoint, a perception, a way of looking at things. And we all know that not everyone can look at the same thing and actually see the same thing. It’s the glass half full or half empty issue.

As an example, I have clients who greatly appreciate my editing work, my guidance, my suggestions. They understand that they are in charge—that they have the power to veto any advice I might give them. But they will seriously weigh each of my recommendations and usually accept them. Others will fight me all the way. They argue with my suggestions, take offense at my opinions and sometimes eventually walk away. However, they often come back once they begin to understand what I’ve attempted to teach them about writing, about preparing a manuscript for publication, about creating a book proposal and so forth.

The thing is that some authors hire editors in hopes of being validated. These authors don’t want help, they want praise and they perceive my attempt to improve their manuscripts as a personal attack.

If you’ve been with me throughout most of my 500 blog posts, you’ve read my rants about authors and organization members who desire—no, demand—specific results and tangible measures of success in a field where this is impossible.

It’s great to have goals; I recommend goals. But what some people don’t realize is that there are steps to meeting goals and the individual is responsible for defining the steps and taking those that are appropriate. While there are many book shepherds, publishing consultants, educational organizations and authors with expertise, none of these people or the material they produce can make you a success. Success is totally up to you.

Your job is to gather material from all of the best sources, do tons of research, consider all of the pros and cons of all of the possibilities, focus keenly on your ultimate goal and then make an educated decision. After all, your project is unique. It’s a one-of-kind and so are you. Outside of such advice as, “Study the publishing industry, write a book proposal, and be willing to promote your book,” there are no templates you can strictly follow in order to achieve success with your project.

Likewise, when choosing a publishing organization, make sure that it is the type of organization you desire/need. Know what the organization offers before getting involved. SPAWN, for example, is a networking organization and information/resource center for anyone who is interested in or involved in publishing. We constantly provide an enormous amount of updated information, news and resources as well as a discussion group for members, but it is up to members to peruse what we offer, assimilate it, evaluate its value to him/herself and implement it.

It can’t be any other way. Not every agent or publisher, for example, is right for every project. Not every resource or SPAWNDiscuss topic will resonate with every member. But, if you are seeking publication, if you are a freelance writer, if you offer a service to authors or writers,
SPAWN is for you. We won’t serve you a publishing contract on a silver platter. We can’t guarantee you writing work. We aren’t able to promise enough clients to sustain you for a year. But we can and do promise that we will provide the resources and information you need to help you to make these things happen.

Perspective
Here are two opposing views. Which one more aptly describes you?

1: “I did my part; I joined SPAWN. Now you do your part and provide me with something tangible. What do you offer, anyway?”

2: “I studied your website and like what I see. I’m eager to start reading the Market Update (in the member area) and researching the Market Update archives. I have some things that I’d like to share in SPAWNDiscuss and I hope to learn from members, as well.”

What have you learned about perspective as you’ve navigated within the world of writing and publishing? Leave a comment here or email me at PLFry620@yahoo.com

My life has been about kittens, cats and clients for the past few weeks. And I’ve enjoyed practically every moment—except the part where our 11-year-old cat, Max, got sick. We think it was because of an enlarged heart. But his scary episode is over and he seems normal. We have changed one thing—we’ve elevated his food so he doesn’t have to lean over to eat. From what I understand, it can be uncomfortable for a cat with an enlarged heart to lean down to eat.

I learned this, not from our vet, but from the Internet.

Do you use the Internet fully when you have a question about publishing or you’re looking for information about publishers, an editor, a distributor, an appropriate organization to join, a book proposal workshop or guidance through the self-publishing process, for example? Or do you even research these things at all? Did you just go blindly through the process of writing and publishing your book with little or no qualified help?

The fact is that most authors fail. The figures in 2007 indicated that around 76 percent of authors sold fewer than 100 copies of their books over a period of a year. And most of them gave up after selling only a handful of books. Do you know why these authors failed? Because they did not bother to educate themselves about the publishing industry.

• They did not know much about how the publishing industry works.
• They did not know their publishing options.
• They did not know the possible consequences of their choices.
• They did not understand their responsibilities as a published author.

Most authors start the education process too late to create a success of their first book. Those who realize their mistakes, may produce a second book and do much better with it. This time around they will:

• Study the publishing industry.
• Write a book proposal before writing their book.
• Be clear about their target audience and how to approach them.
• Find out what their competition is—is there a market for this book?
• Hire an editor before even considering a publisher.
• Evaluate their options and choose appropriately for their project.
• Avoid signing a “self-publishing” company contract without fully understanding it.
• Be completely prepared to promote their books for as long as they want them to sell.

Those of you who are reading this blog post today probably found it through an Internet search. My hat is off to you. I hope that you will continue searching and evaluating what you discover so that you have the best information available to guide you in creating the success you desire.

Success as an author does not hinge on your audience, the publishing industry or luck. It is all up to you. You can’t rely on forces outside of yourself to make your book a success. It won’t happen automatically just because you believe in your book, you worked hard on it, your friends love it and you once won a literary contest. The success of your particular book depends on your publishing savvy because you’re the one making the choices and decisions on behalf of your book.

So get out there and learn all you can about the industry, how it works and what it takes in order to succeed. Here, let me help you with some of your research. Here are some of the sites, organizations, books and classes/workshops that I recommend. Search the Internet for others that relate to your project and that resonate with you.

For everything you need to know about fee-based POD “self-publishing” companies, read Mark Levine’s book, The Fine Print of Self-Publishing. Highly recommended for those of you going the self-publishing route.

To learn more about the publishing industry in general, your publishing options, how to make the right choice for your particular project, how to write a book proposal (a step-by-step guide), tips for writing that book, book promotion, oodles of resources and much, much more, order Patricia Fry’s hallmark book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

Join SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) http://www.spawn.org. There are currently opportunities to get involved in the administration of SPAWN. Contact me, if you’re interested: Patricia@spawn.org. This is a great way to become known by your peers and to network with others in the publishing field.

Take one of Patricia Fry’s online, on-demand courses and gain an enormous value for your money. She offers a Self-Publishing Course, Book Proposal Workshop, Article-Writing Course and a course on Book Promotion. You couldn’t get more personalized service if you became Patricia’s private client. This is one of the best bargains out there for authors and freelance writers. http://www.matilijapress.com/courses.htm

If you do nothing else for yourself and your publishing project this year, tap into these 4 resources. The $100 to $300 you spend educating and training yourself through these means could ultimately save you or earn you thousands of dollars. Questions? PLFry620@yahoo.com.

Follow me on Twitter. AuthorPLF.

I’m busy editing this week and taking care of a sick cat and a new kitten, so have little time for one of my favorite pastimes, blogging. I enjoy bringing you information, resources and perspective with regard to the publishing industry. I’ve posted nearly 500 blogs for you. And I blog pretty much every day. This week, however, I’m devoting most of my time to clients and cats.

If you really need benefit of my, ah hem, wisdom, spend some time reviewing past blog entries. And be sure to catch my article in the May 21 edition of Writing World. http://www.writing-world.com. It’s called “What Can a Good Editor Do For You?”

I understand that another article recently appeared in Hope Clark’s Funds for Writers newsletter, as well. And I’ve been invited to speak to a writers group in Las Vegas later this year. More on that as details become available.

This morning, I am being interviewed locally for a program called Finding Ojai. They want to talk to me about the Nordhoff Cemetery—the topic of two of my books.

Keep writing. Keep promoting. And no matter where you are in the publishing process, order my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. You will learn volumes from studying it and you will keep it close by for reference throughout the writing, publishing and marketing of your book. http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

In the last two blog posts, we discussed publishing options and how to choose the right one for you and your project. I provided an enormous amount of information, gave you some valuable tools and shared many insights to help you make good decisions on behalf of your book. However, I know that some of you are still confused, unsure and downright scared to move forward. Others are focused in a certain direction—ready to make the plunge and unwilling to hear anything that might detract from that.

This blog is for authors on both sides of the fence.

I talk to and counsel many hopeful authors every year. Some of them succeed even beyond their highest expectations. But most of them, sooner or later, walk away from their publishing dreams. To give you some perspective, over the last 5 years, I’ve edited 30 books and only 13 of them have been published. And all 13 of these books are considered a success because they have all met the authors’ expectations. Three are personal memoirs produced for family members and friends; four are selling well in small niche markets (as planned); and six of them are doing quite well. Why? Because the authors are making it happen. They had knowledge, realistic expectations, a strong commitment to the success of their projects and a sense of follow-through. The authors of the other 17 books I edited dropped the ball. Some of them have wonderful books. And, even with my counseling, they just couldn’t get it together enough to follow their dreams through the publishing maze.

Why do some authors succeed and others fail? How do some manage to make the right decisions and others do not? Here are 15 things I’ve observed about those who succeed:

1: They begin to educate themselves about the publishing industry early on and keep on learning.
2: They open their minds. They really want to know more about the competition, the industry and how their books will fit in.
3: They look outside of themselves for guidance, and follow up with their own research.
4: They remain committed, but flexible.
5: They do not form unreasonable attachments to their projects.
6: They have reasonable expectations based on knowledge, not dreams.
7: They use their heads more often than their hearts.
8: They do not fear or resent having to make changes that could benefit their projects.
9: They face challenges rather than trying to skirt them.
10: They take responsibility for their projects instead of relying on others.
11: They write book proposals for their projects.
12: They take the marketing role seriously.
13: They start grooming themselves early for the promotional tasks.
14: They never stop researching and learning about publishing and marketing.
15: They make only educated decisions on behalf of their books, not emotional ones.

Does this describe you? Are you well acquainted with how the publishing industry works? Are you comfortable with the learning curve? Can you look at your book project objectively—as a product rather than a piece of your heart? Are you willing to do what it takes to produce and promote your book or are you attached to doing things your way?

If you are new to publishing or if you have a published book that isn’t doing well, maybe this blog post has opened up some thought processes that will help you to create the level of success you desire.

The one thing you MUST own is the fact that your book is your responsibility. No one else can make the decisions for you. It’s up to you to gather the information you need in order to succeed. You are the one responsible for creating a salable product. You are in charge of your destiny as a published author. Don’t short change your project by skimping on the necessities of publishing success.

If you need help getting started or getting free of the quagmire you’ve already created for yourself, contact me at PLFry620@yahoo.com. Read my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

Also, consider joining SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) http://www.spawn.org. At SPAWN, we don’t tell you what to do or how to do it, but we provide you with everything you need in order to make the best decision on behalf of your particular project.