Writing and Publishing News from

July 27, 2012

Is it Time to Write a Spin-Off Book?

Filed under: Book Promotion,Writing — Patricia @ 5:08 am

So you’ve finished your nonfiction book. What are you going to do next?

Promote, promote, promote. Yes, there’s a whole lot to do in order to introduce your book to your audience and to become known (or more widely known) as credible on the topic of your book. You need to get out and speak to the public, rack up reviews, dabble in social media, etc.

But one way to gain even more credibility in your field or area of interest and sell more books is to produce a spin-off book or booklet. Most of my books relate to publishing and book promotion. Since I have been coming out with new and revised books on this subject for over a dozen years, my contact list has grown and my exposure level has increased. And when I bring a new book out, that is a new reasons to contact my list and go out and speak to new (and old) groups on a new topic. Someone who benefited from one of my books will often purchase another one.

Can you see how additional books create additional opportunities and, of course sales?

How does one come up with ideas for spin off books? When you write a complete and detailed book on a subject and you feel you put your all into it, it is sometimes difficult to come up with another book idea within that topic. But just think a little harder about it. For example, I wrote the comprehensive history of the Ojai Valley, California. Later, I came out with two follow-up (but stand alone) books on the local pioneer cemetery. In the first cemetery book, I wrote a more in-depth history of the cemetery and profiled the earliest burials there up to about 1900. Then I wrote a second book featuring burials through 1920 and included the history of a long-forgotten Catholic cemetery. I could go on and write a book featuring just local historic buildings, early businesses in the Ojai Valley, a more in-depth history of private schools here, stories emanating from the local mountains surrounding the valley, ghost stories, etc.

Let’s say that you’ve written a book featuring rainy day activities for kids. You could do spin off books for summertime activities, activities for kids while camping or traveling, sick day activities, activities the kids can involve their grandparents in, a birthday party activities book, gift ideas kids can make and so forth. Now you’ve pretty much established a brand for yourself—the author of activity books for kids.

Your book on living green could be expanded into a handful of books, each featuring a different aspect of green living, such as recycling, creative ways to save water, community activities for sharing green living tips, etc.

If you have written a book of cat stories—collect more cat stories (it’s easy once you start talking to your readers), write stories about dogs, horses, birds…

If you need help coming up with spin-off book ideas for your main book, comment here and let my blog followers help.

In the meantime, if you have a completed book, get oodles of book promotion help and instruction through my book, Promote Your Book, Over 250 Proven, Low-Cost Tips and Techniques for the Enterprising Author. It’s available at amazon.com in print and Kindle and most other online and downtown bookstores. You can also purchase it from my website: http://www.matilijapress.com

July 26, 2012

You Gotta Love to Write

Filed under: Writing — Patricia @ 5:40 am

Do you have a process of writing? Is it working for you? Or are struggling through your writing sessions? If you question everything you write, if you find writing distasteful, perhaps there is something wrong. And that something may be your mindset—your attitude—and not so much your approach.

My grandson volunteered to write the obituary for his grandfather last week. When I saw it published in the newspaper, I complimented him on a darn good job. He had also written a letter in memory of my father (his great grandfather) when he passed away and my grandson could not make it from college to the services. He said that the letter was much easier to write because he was able to say what he felt. (It was a beautifully written letter full of his heartfelt sentiments.) He said that it is harder writing an obituary because there is a certain formality. He felt a bit stifled because of the structure required. He told me, “I feel I’m a much better writer when I can get my thoughts out without any kind of designated format.”

This is a problem for some people who want to write for publication (magazines, websites, etc.) because they also want to write what they want to write in their own style and with their own emphasis. Some writers never get it. Even when I work with them and point out over and over again how important it is to write for the editor or the market, they still want to share their message, get their point across, write in their style. And they wonder why they don’t get published.

When we sit down to write a book, now there’s an opportunity to really express yourself through your writing. A book, you can write your way. If you want to write it for publication, however, and you want it to be widely read, I’m afraid it comes back to the readership. Again, teachers and counselors will advise, write what they want and/or need.

Many authors are publishing books indiscriminately these days because they can. All it takes is an idea—any idea—and a wad of money. But not all of these books are being accepted or read. Again, let me remind you that around 78 percent of all books produced today fail. The major reason is the fact that many authors write to please themselves or to make a statement with little regard for their readers.

If you have a burning desire to write what you want—to get your opinion, view point or message down on paper—here’s what I suggest.
• Keep a diary.
• Write letters (to friends, to the editor…).
• Start a blog.
• Comment on other blogs on this topic.
• Establish a newsletter.
• Get involved in online forums where everyone is talking about this topic.

If you still need to get it published beyond your blog, a newsletter or a forum, either resign yourself to the fact that a book on the topic might be of interest only to those who already embrace this concept. If you want to reach others, however, this is when you need to think way outside the box. Write what they want in a way that is palatable to them.

If you want to break into a particular magazine, you’ll be wise to step back and take the necessary steps, which are: study several issues of the magazine from front to back, top to bottom until you totally understand their style and purpose. Review their submission guidelines and then follow them in submitting your piece. Do they want to see a query letter in which you succinctly define the article you want to write? Are they interested in you—who you are and why you are the right person to write this piece? Perhaps they want to see the completed article formatted and written to their specifications. Your job, if you want to be published, is to comply.

Questions?

July 25, 2012

Writing Contests—What Good Are They?

Filed under: Publishing,Writing — Patricia @ 6:04 am

I once heard someone advise authors to enter contests so you can say you are an award-winning author. How do you feel about that?

Are you impressed when an author tells you (or there’s a sticker pasted on a book stating), “This book was a finalist in the Little Miss Muffet contest,” or simply “Award-winning book.” What does this mean? Well, it means that this author (or the publisher) entered the book in at least one contest—maybe a whole bunch of them—and the book snagged an award. The book might have won a prestigious honor after being entered in one major competition or it might have received 2 honorable mentions out of fifty contests entered.

Sometimes an author is proclaimed as an “Award-winning Writer.” This is an impressive title. But again, what does it mean? Did the author win a ribbon at the county fair for her short-story when she was ten? Or was she chosen the best from a group of 100 (or more) fine writers in a major contest?

Are the results of a contest a legitimate measure of a superior book or superior writing? Sure, sometimes. Certainly not always. Who judges these things, anyway? Sometimes, of course, the judges are credible—sometimes less so. And every judge harbors bias. No two judges in any contest always totally agree.

Some contests are judged according to popular vote. I won the People’s Choice Award for a photograph I entered in the county fair last year. The judges bypassed my photo, but fair-goers voted it first place overall.

Sometimes we enter contests hoping to get the positive feedback we need in order to keep writing. For some, entering contests can become rather addicting.

What are your reasons for entering contests? Have you won awards for your writing or your books? How do you use them in promoting your work/books?

If you are interested in entering your work in contests, there are numbers of writing contest directories online. Just use keywords, “writing contest directory.”

And Good luck!

June 21, 2012

How to Write the Right Book for the Right Audience

Filed under: Authorship,Writing — Patricia @ 6:31 am

This is part one of my Authorship is a Business series. For the next 7 days, I will expand on each of the areas I believe you should take charge of as a serious author. Remember, you are the CEO of your book project. I’m offering valuable information about how to take charge no matter where you are currently in the process. Why is this important? Read my June 19th post.

Write the right book for the right audience.
Number one on your list of things to do once you decide to write a book for publication and commercial distribution is to consider the book you are writing. I like to challenge hopeful authors to evaluate their reason for writing the book they have in mind and the purpose of the book.

Your reason.
Why are writing this book?
• Is it a story you are just burning to tell?
• Do you hope to write a bestseller and make a lot of money?
• Are you planning to impress people with this book?
• Does authorship status appeal to you?
• Do you have something you believe is important to share or teach?
• Are you hoping to gain credibility in your field through this effort?
• Has research indicated there is a need for this book?
• Is this a popular genre?

If you see ego in your reasons for writing this book, you might rethink the book you have in mind. If your reasons seem frivolous, please reconsider. If, on the other hand, your reasons are valid—you can authentically justify them—this book may be a potentially viable project. Hint, the last four points indicate that you’re on the right track.

Your book’s purpose.
What is the purpose of your book? Is it to entertain, teach, share, guide, inspire, cause readers to think? Or do you see the purpose as being more self-serving? If your underlying purpose is to change minds, make a personal point, impress others with your knowledge or use of fancy words or fulfill your own needs in some way, you may be writing down the wrong path.

If you determine that your reason and purpose are not exactly pure, it may not be necessary to give up on your book project. Not at all! Just take another hard look at the book you have in mind. A few changes in perception and focus may result in a viable product. Keep reading.

How to determine the right book for the right audience.
We will talk about the book proposal tomorrow. An important aspect of the book proposal is the market analysis or the competition part of it. This is where you (the hopeful author) study other books like yours to determine what is out there already, what is missing, what is needed/wanted by your potential readers. For fiction, if you expect to attract a large audience, you’ll want to choose a genre that is popular. You’ll also need to make sure your writing is on par with that of competing authors. To fiction authors I advise, read books in your genre. Lots and lots of them. Really study what works and evaluate whether you truly have the skills needed. If you’re lacking in this area, get help. Join a critique group or enroll in a creative writing class or workshop either online or in real time. If you’re not sure whether your writing stinks or not, join an online or real time critique group.

Likewise, if you want to write your memoir, study many, many others to determine what works and what doesn’t. Remember that there is a limited audience for memoirs by unknown authors, UNLESS you have an amazing story which you can write amazingly well and you can land a good traditional publisher. Celebrity status doesn’t hurt, either.

I’ve met authors who say, “I can’t study other books like mine because there are no books like mine.” I then suggest that you study books that your audience is likely to read. If you still maintain that there are no books out there for your particular audience, then perhaps you don’t actually have an audience or you haven’t appropriately identified your audience.

I met an author once who was working on a sort of ethnic memoir/family cookbook. He asked me, “How do I find a publisher for this book?” I said, “I suggest you go to your nearest mega-bookstore, find books like yours and contact those publishers.” He slammed his notebook closed, tossed his pen across the table, leaned back in his chair and said, “There are no books like this one.”

Of course, as soon as I got home, I went online and immediately found a book exactly like the one he proposes—a different family, of course, different recipes, but actually the same ethnicity and the exact same focus.

But even if there are no books exactly like yours, there are, most likely, books that share your audience. In the case of this book, he would look at memoirs, memoirs related to this ethnic group, family cookbooks. Go to the area of the bookstore (or library) where your book would be stocked to locate your competition.

Your goal in taking this step is to learn what is out there, what is missing, what is needed. If any of you is having trouble with this step, contact me with a description of your proposed book and I will see if I can give you some guidance. Leave your comment here or contact me at PLFry620@yahoo.com

Tomorrow, we’ll talk about the book proposal from angles you may not have seen before.

June 19, 2012

Authorship is a Business

Filed under: Authorship,Book Promotion,Writing — Patricia @ 4:33 am

We’ve talked before about how important it is that you take charge of every aspect of your book project from start to finish. And, really, there is no “finish,” unless you decide to stop promoting. So I guess I should say, from start to forever.

What do I mean by taking charge? What can (and should) you control? Only everything!

• Decide to write the right book for the right audience. Make sure this book is wanted/needed and not just something you want to write for ego reasons.

• Write a book proposal. This will help you to determine whether or not you are writing the right book for your audience and how to best market this book. This will also give you the opportunity to define your platform and devise ways to build on it.

• Keep your audience in mind throughout the entire writing process. Organize your nonfiction book so it is easy to use. Include the information and material the reader needs. Write so that your audience can follow along. For fiction, make sure you don’t leave the reader behind or confuse him. Make your story flow logically and so that it is entertaining.

• Study the publishing industry early on so that you have a good understanding of your options, the possible consequences of your choices, your responsibility as a published author and the inner workings of the industry—just as you would any other business you were about to enter.

• Research your publishing options and become highly familiar with each one. Thoroughly study those options you are considering—understand the contracts, be absolutely clear as to what you are getting and what you are giving up.

• Hire a good book editor and expect to pay anywhere from $800 to $3,000—more for a huge manuscript that needs a lot of work.

• Devise a marketing plan and commit to it. By now you should understand the importance of your full attention to the task of book promotion. If you don’t take this step at least as seriously as you did the writing of the book, you won’t have a very successful publishing experience.

I am available to field your questions. Those of you just reading this information for the first time will be a bit stymied by the intensity of my suggestions. But I have to tell you that publishing—especially if you are serious about a successful commercial outcome—is a seriously competitive business that will take your full attention. Contact me here: PLFry620@yahoo.com

In the meantime, read the book I wrote just for you. It is an amazing lesson in understanding the publishing industry and learning how to successfully navigate it. The book is Publish Your Book, Proven Strategies and Resources for the Enterprising Author. It’s at http://www.matilijapress.com It’s also at amazon.com and most other online and downtown bookstores.

June 7, 2012

Are You a Writer?

Filed under: Writing — Patricia @ 4:00 am

According to Ray Bradbury, who passed away this week, “You must not talk about writing, you must do it.”

Are any of you still just talking about writing your memoir, a children’s story, a business or reference book or a novel? Or is everyone who reads this blog writing?

Who are you writing for? Yourself, an editor or a particular audience?

Do you know why you are writing? To make a point, to share something from inside you, to gain more credibility in your field or because you can’t not write? If you aren’t writing, do you know why? Is it that you haven’t discovered a strong enough motivation to write? What would it take to motivate you to finally start writing?

Do you have trouble finding time to write? What would you have to give up in order to start writing or to spend more time writing?

What are your writing goals? Have you set some? If you don’t have a goal and you haven’t found your motivation, you are probably still in the talking stages—you’re talking about writing, but you aren’t doing it.

This week, let’s examine our attitude, aptitude and potential with regard to writing. Are you a writer or are you just giving lip service to a dream that you’ll never experience?

May 29, 2012

Find a Job as a Writer Part II

Filed under: Article-Writing,Writing — Patricia @ 4:47 am

Yesterday I blogged about how to work as a freelance writer. Today, I will continue with additional ideas.

If You Want a Writing Job in the Corporate World
• Study the materials from companies for which you’d like to work and see if you can improve upon them. Show your ideas to the appropriate department head.

• Join business organizations and service clubs where you can network with businessmen and women who might hire someone with your skills.

• Sign with a temp agency as a writer. This may be your foot-in-the-door.

If You’re Hoping for a Job With a Major Newspaper
• Hire on at a small newspaper while waiting for your big break. There’s an ongoing turnover at newspapers, so they’re always hiring. This is not a glamorous job, but it’s a step in the right direction.

• Cover a story on speculation for the newspaper of your choice. Watch for the opportunity to write about a local high profile issue and offer it to the newspaper for a fee. Attend meetings and events that aren’t being covered by staff and offer to report on them. Your effort is bound to get the editor’s attention.

Create Your Own Work
• Write articles for magazines. For this profession, you’ll need writing, organizational and research skills as well as patience and a great deal of self-discipline. You’ll also need the following tools: a computer, Writer’s Market and A Writer’s Guide to Magazine Articles for Book Promotion and Profit (Matilija Press, http://www.matilijapress.com

• Become an editor. Start by approaching busy freelance editors and see if they need help accommodating their clients. The editors I know often turn clients away because they’re too busy.

• Find a mentor and be willing to do the work necessary to reach your goals. Many people who ask me for guidance in the writing field are not willing to take the necessary steps.

• Don’t give up your day job. If you need the money and can’t keep waiting for THE job to come along, go to work and write in your spare time. “What spare time?” you might ask. This may be one of those situations where you have to make some sacrifices. I once wrote an entire book in 8 months while working full-time. How? I got up at 4 every morning and wrote for two hours before going to work. I also devoted my weekends to writing.

Use this checklist to generate other ideas. The point is to keep on keeping on. One writer friend earns a living for herself and two sons writing technical manuals. After struggling long and hard to find this job, she advises other writers, “You cannot win if you do not play.”

May 28, 2012

How to Get a Writing Job

Filed under: Article-Writing,Authorship,Writing — Patricia @ 4:54 am

I followed up my speech for the California Writers’ Club members in Sacramento last week by sending an article to be published in their newsletter or at their website. Since I spoke on freelance writing, I decided to continue with that theme. I thought you might be interested in my checklist for job hunters:

General Advice
• Subscribe to online writing-oriented newsletters and join online writing organizations that offer job listings for writers. Many of them also keep you current on publishing trends. Here are a few resources to get you started:
SPAWN http://www.spawn.org
Writer’s Weekly Newsletter and website http://www.writersweekly.com
Freelance Writer’s Report http://www.writers-editors.com
Writing-World http://www.writingworld.com
Working Writer http://www.workingwriter1.com

• Become familiar with job search sites for writers. These include,
http://www.sunoasis.com
http://www.writejobs.com
http://www.mockingbird.creighton.edu/ncw/jobs.htm
http://www.tjobs.com/new/writers.shtml
http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com

I often include new job boards and directories for writers in issues of the SPAWN Market Update. Join SPAWN at http://www.spawn.org

• Network constantly. Attend writers/publishers’ events and ask people how they got their jobs/assignments. Participate in interactive web sites for writers. Find local organizations through your library, bookstores and in the calendar section of the newspaper. Locate online sites using your favorite search engine. Type in “writers groups” or “writers,” for example.

• Volunteer your writing services. A little volunteer work might land you the job you seek. Offer to write the church bulletin, a company newsletter or a press release for a charity organization, for example. Not only are you gaining experience and adding to your portfolio, but you’re showing off your talent and skills to all of the right people.

• Read the classified employment ads every week and apply for every job that has “writing” in it. Post your resume on some of the major Internet recruiting sites such as monster.com. And search their databases for job opportunities.

• Create a portfolio and keep adding to it. Make copies of your published articles, brochures, etc. to show prospective employers/clients.

• Build a website and post your portfolio and resume there.

• Keep writing. Write every chance you get. Practice, practice, practice.

• Be open to all types of writing. You may have your heart set on becoming rich and famous writing your own novel or landing a job as the editor-in-chief for Reader’s Digest. In the meantime, however, accept the work that comes your way. Do some PR work for your neighbor, ghost write a book for a client, revise some technical manuals. Get paid and learn new skills.

Tomorrow I’ll continue by adding how to get a writing job in the corporate world or a newspaper and how to create your own writing job.

In the meantime, if you want to write articles for magazines, order my book, A Writer’s Guide to Magazine Articles. If you are thinking about writing a book, you’ve written a book for publication and/or you want to know more about how to promote your book by submitting articles and short stories to publications and the web, order my book, Publish Your Book, Proven Strategies and Resources for the Enterprising Author. Both are available at my website: http://www.matilijapres.com, at Amazon.com and other online and downtown bookstores.

And if you don’t think an author must be enterprising, that he or she does not need key resources and that he or she need not use or concern themselves with strategies, you are sorely mistaken.

May 27, 2012

50 Reasons Why You Should Write That Book

Filed under: Authorship,Writing — Patricia @ 4:45 am

Did you download your FREE copy of “50 Reasons Why You Should Write That Book?” If not, you can do it this week. I’m working on a new FREE report to replace it. http://www.patriciafry.com

What can you learn from this report?
• Why it is soooo important to study the publishing industry before writing a book for publication.

• Whether or not you have a viable product. Many a successful book was changed before released in order to address the true needs/desires of its audience.

• The importance of targeting a particular audience and keeping that audience in mind throughout the writing process.

• Whether you are the person to write this book. Do you have the information, expertise, skill to write this book?

• The importance of establishing your platform—your following, your way of reaching your readers.

• Steps you can take to establish and build on your platform.

• Why you must think commercially rather than emotionally when producing a book for publication.

• The value of considering your marketing plan early on. Without an understanding of book promotion, your book will fail.

• Why you need to put aside money to hire a good book editor.

• How to understand your publishing options.

• How to choose the right publisher.
And much, much more.

Download your copy today: http://www.patriciafry.com

And this is a good weekend to follow through and order your copy of Publish Your Book, Proven Strategies and Resources for the Enterprising Author. (Formerly The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book.) It’s at amazon.com and most other online and downtown bookstores. And it is going to the Book Expo America this year with the publisher, Allworth/Skyhorse. Learn more about this book here: http://www.matilijapress.com

May 23, 2012

Your Blog Comments and MORE

Filed under: Announcements,Writing — Patricia @ 5:21 am

Do you have a blog? Is your comments section open or do you have it closed? Do you comment at other blog sites? Do you know the value of the comments option at your blog site?

1: You get some idea of how many people are reading your blog posts and who they are? However, the large majority of your followers will never or rarely comment.

2: You’ll find out what topics are of the most interest to your readers.

3: You’ll get ideas for blog posts.

4: You’ll meet potential guest bloggers.

5: People are more inclined to read a blog where there’s a lot of activity—interesting comments from others.

I have a couple of blog followers who comment fairly often about my blog. But not in the public forum. They comment to me. They email me. I love it, but I’d love it more if they would share their great comments with all the others who read my blog.

Others would be more inclined to follow suit. Then those stopping in for the first time would see that we’ve established a bit of a community of writers/authors here and they would want to feel a part of it.

Do you see how that works?

Of course, I would get more comments if I wrote in a more controversial vein. When I do get gutsy and bring up a hot topic, I get comments. But I guess sensationalism isn’t my nature. I’d rather offer the tips, techniques, perspectives and resources that I think can benefit you the most.

SPAWN’s Generous Donation and Opportunity for Members
On a new topic—most of you know I am the executive director of SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network). This month SPAWN has donated $500 to the Ojai (California) Library while providing a dozen SPAWN members the opportunity to network face-to-face. During the month of June, here in Ojai, there will be almost daily, day-long workshops. On Saturday, June 23, the Ojai Writers’ Conference will kick in and the opening event is an elegant Book Tea. Organizations can sponsor entire tables (seating for 6) for $250 and individuals can attend for $30 each. All proceeds go to the Ojai Library. SPAWN is sponsoring 2 tables and SPAWN members will be our guests. For additional information about the Book Tea, go here:
http://www.ojaiwritersconference.com/booktea

Waiting List for Seat at SPAWN Table
To go on the waiting list for the free SPAWN networking opportunity, contact me at Patricia@spawn.org. You must be a SPAWN member. It’s $65/year to join. Sign up here: http://www.spawn.org

For the writers conference: http://www.ojaiwritersconference.com

For the month-long workshops: http://www.ojaiwritersworkshops.com

Patricia Fry Keynote Speaker at Luncheon June 23
I will be the keynote speaker for the luncheon following the Book Tea. I’m speaking on the ABC’s of Self-Publishing. The luncheon is $20. Sign up here: http://register.ojaiwritersconference.com/Literary-Events/Writers-Luncheon-Saturday-JUNE-23.html

Patricia Fry Workshop Leader in Ojai
I’ll also be presenting a workshop on writing a book proposal at the writers’ conference that afternoon.
http://www.ojaiwritersconference.com

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