As most of you know, I work with clients on their book projects. I edit and do some consulting work. I teach several online courses: on writing a book proposal, book promotion, self-publishing, establishing your platform and others. I also field questions throughout my work week from hopeful, struggling and some pretty savvy authors as the executive director of SPAWN and as an experienced professional.<\/p>\n
Earlier this week, after I responded to a couple of questions with regard to a client\u2019s book in progress, she wrote back saying how much she appreciated my advice and guidance. She said she just couldn\u2019t have accomplished as much as she has without my help. That\u2019s when I responded by saying that it takes a village to build a good book.<\/p>\n
I thought about this statement and realized how very true it is. An astute, aware author can learn so much, gain incredible insight and benefit from the experiences and wisdom of others if only he or she will reach out. <\/p>\n
This morning, again, I suggested to a new author that she join a writers club and start attending their critique group in order to learn how to strengthen her writing and appropriately focus her book. A good critique group can do wonders for a writer who doesn\u2019t yet have a handle on how to adequately (or eloquently) communicate through the written word. For some, eloquence comes naturally. For others, simple communication is a struggle. <\/p>\n
But who should you listen to? How do you locate a suitable critique group? How do you know when they are pointing you in the right direction?<\/p>\n
Sure everyone has an opinion and not all of them are useful. That\u2019s where intuition (that gut feeling) comes in. If the critique makes sense to you\u2014if your writing is better when you apply certain techniques or rules\u2014then probably you are on the right track with this suggestion. If you\u2019re still confused after someone helps you with a paragraph or a chapter, if members of the group do not agree with the advice, if it just doesn\u2019t feel right, perhaps the suggestion isn\u2019t valid.<\/p>\n
And it depends on who the guidance comes from. I\u2019m working with a client as we speak\u2014trying to get him to change the title and cover of his pending book. From my point of view, which is enforced by years of publishing and book marketing experience, his title and his cover design are all wrong. Yet he has been attached to the title and the concept since even before he began writing the book. I\u2019ve tried to persuade him to give up his cover idea a couple of times before. Now that I see the reality of his vision, I am even more adamant that he reconsider. It\u2019s a case where the book cover and the content are at odds with one another. The cover, in my opinion, speaks to a different audience than the book, itself, does. Not a good marketing move.<\/p>\n
The author is still thinking about my advice.<\/p>\n
This author has accepted my suggestions on many points. He has also solicited feedback from other members of the \u201cvillage\u201d by sending sections of his book to appropriate medical professionals. And he is listening to them with an open mind and incorporating their expertise into this book in order to benefit his readers. <\/p>\n
A lot of authors bring others into their books before making any solid publishing decisions. What do I suggest to authors? What sort of feedback do I recommend?<\/p>\n
For Nonfiction:
\n\u2022\tAsk key people in your industry or field to fact-check your text.
\n\u2022\tRequest additional resources.
\n\u2022\tBrainstorm your title\/subtitle with colleagues\/friends.
\n\u2022\tShow your cover design around and listen to the feedback.<\/p>\n
For Fiction:
\n\u2022\tAsk members of your audience to test read your book.
\n\u2022\tAsk a few experts to fact-check your historical data, etc.
\n\u2022\tDiscuss your cover design with artists, authors and publishers.<\/p>\n
For a Children\u2019s Book:
\n\u2022\tInvite children\u2019s librarians and educators to examine your book for age appropriateness.
\n\u2022\tAsk an expert within the subject matter to review it\u2014animal behavior, dental health, ecology, child psychology, etc.
\n\u2022\tRead it to children and observe their reactions.<\/p>\n
As an author, you have many things to think about. Take the extra step before you publish or even before you write your book and get some peer and experienced feedback. Use what you learn to make your book the best that it can be.<\/p>\n
http:\/\/www.patriciafry.com<\/a> As most of you know, I work with clients on their book projects. I edit and do some consulting work. I teach several online courses: on writing a book proposal, book promotion, self-publishing, establishing your platform and others. I also field questions throughout my work week from hopeful, struggling and some pretty savvy authors as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[16,4],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t
\n http:\/\/www.matilijapress.com<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"