Book Publishing Basics

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Almost every week I encounter an aspiring writer who asks for tips on getting a book published. When that happens, I like to offer the following seven practical steps for starting the journey. Most of this information applies to writers who have never published before, so if you’re already a successful author, you may want to share this with the aspiring writers who ask, “How’d you do it?”

1. Write well!

Regardless of how many poorly written books get published every year, this is still rule #1. Agents, editors, and readers are always looking for well-written books. Anyone can type words on a page, but skillfully crafted messages and stories are a delight.

2. Attend a writers conference or two.

Writers conferences are an opportunity to make connections with writers, editors, and agents. While you’re there, take workshops to learn all you can to hone your writing craft (refer to tip #1).

Google writers conferences in your area or check out The Christian Writer’s Market Guide by Jerry Jenkins. The Shaw Guide also provides a detailed list of writers conferences. Know that there are hundreds of writers conferences across the world, each with a different audience, niche, and connections. Be sure that the conference you attend fits your requirements for price, distance, timing, and professional goals.

3. Write a book proposal.

This is like writing a business plan for your book, which may sound like tedious work, but it’s highly beneficial. A book proposal helps you articulate your book’s theme, purpose, audience, and competition (among other things), and it helps you create a marketing plan for when your book comes out.

A book proposal’s form may vary depending on the genre, and most agents have a template they prefer to use for their authors. But if you don’t have an agent, author Mary DeMuth offers downloadable tutorials on writing fiction and non-fiction book proposals. How to Write a Book Proposal by Michael Larsen is also a good resource.

4. Build your platform.

A platform refers to all of the activities you engage in that make people notice you and your work. It shows how visible you are to your target audience. Building your platform could include social media or blogging, speaking engagements, or teaching — anything that markets you as an author.

Platform by Michael Hyatt provides an informative, step-by-step guide to building your platform. Get Known Before the Book Deal by Christina Katz is another good resource.

5. Choose to self-publish or look for a traditional publisher.

This short ebook from literary agent Rachelle Gardner gives pros and cons of each option. Before you ever pay anyone to publish your book, know something about the company you choose. There are several different varieties of self-publishing, from eBooks to print books and many that do both. Each type of self-publishing requires different amounts of up-front cash and effort on the part of the author.

6. If you want traditional publishing, find an agent.

Editor Chuck Sambuchino releases a yearly Guide to Literary Agents. Listen to an interview between Michael Hyatt and Rachelle Gardner on new writers and finding an agent. The Christian Writers Market Guide features a list of literary agents that represent mainly Christian authors. Writers conferences are great places to meet agents in person, which can make a big difference in this relationship-oriented business. Most literary agencies post submission guidelines on their web sites, so be sure and follow those when submitting a query or a proposal.

7. Plan on a marathon, not a sprint! 

Bestselling authors don’t pop up overnight. Most of them worked on their writing and platform for many years before publishing their first book. So give yourself plenty of grace along your publishing path. Also, while you may have big dreams of becoming a bestselling author, God may have other plans. A publishing journey often brings tremendous personal and spiritual growth. “And … after you have suffered a little while, [God] himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast” (1 Peter 5:10). Smile! Though the road may be long and winding, God will accompany you on your journey.

Need more inspiration for the long haul? Check out my collection of quotes on writing and the writing life.

Five Things I Learned About Writing/Marketing from Dr. James Dobson

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First things first:  Yes, I met Dr. Dobson.In real life. And, yes, he was kind and wise and funny and smart and everything I expected him to be and more. I flew up to Colorado Springs in April, 2013 to be a guest on Dr. Dobson’s Family Talk radio show. In the studio, we chatted about families, about writing, about my books, and then recorded 3 1-hour segments to air on June 5-7, 2013. (Click here to see where you can listen in.) And, in the process, I not only gained invaluable insight on motherhood, marriage, and family from one of the most amazing theological minds of our generation, but I also learned about writing as well. Here’s what I took away from this meeting.

Dobson1. Actions Speak Louder Than Words.  Dr. Dobson’s life’s work and focus has always been on helping Christ-centered families. And I don’t think anyone in the world would argue with me if I said that he has passionately and wholeheartedly given his career to this goal. This is a great thing. I have to admit that part of me expected our visit to be something like a college-course lecture. Instead, he pulled my five-year-old daughter onto his lap and talked to her. And he showed me without saying a word that he values children and family and motherhood in a way that goes beyond words. I learned that if I want to talk the talk in my writing and on my blog, I had better be willing to walk the walk.

2. Listen With Open Ears.  Dr. Dobson knows his stuff. The guy is legendary—well-read, well-educated, well-just-about-everything. And the truth is that I knew there was nothing I could’ve said to him about parenting or motherhood that he a) didn’t already know and b) hadn’t already covered in his own writings. But Dr. Dobson listened to my words wholeheartedly and willingly—even on topics that we didn’t necessarily see eye-to-eye on. He showed me respect by looking me in the eye and allowing me to voice my opinion. And I left in awe of his incredible wisdom and kindness. No wonder he has made such an impact on our world! He is willing to listen with open ears and to show respect with a gentle kindness—even to those who are “below” him in status or who have different opinions than he does.

3. Don’t Be Afraid to Put Yourself Out There.  I wish I could tell you that I did something to earn myself a spot on Dr. Dobson’s radio show. I wish I could tell you it was on my merit, that I did something extraordinary, that I am an amazing radio speaker, that my writing is just that inspiring…but I can’t. Because the truth is that I did nothing. I threw myself out there by having my publicist send my book to Family Talk’s studio…in 2011. From there, God worked behind the scenes to inspire the right producer at the right time to pick up the book. As authors, we have to do everything we can to get our books “out there,” but after writing and marketing five books, I’ve learned that God is the one who opens those doors. We just have to be willing to walk through them.

4.  Don’t Be Afraid to Ask.  I was thrilled the day I got the call from Dr. Dobson’s producer that I was going to be on his show. And I knew it was an important break in the marketing campaign for my new books. But I had also made myself a promise way back when my oldest was born: I was never going to let my career take me away from my kids for an extended amount of time. And while I desperately wanted to go on the show, I also struggled to decide if was a good idea to leave home for three days at the end of the school year. I prayed and picked up the phone and asked the producer if I could bring my daughter along. And she bent over backwards to make it happen. They reserved a room for me with two beds. They helped me book airline tickets. They found me a big-enough rental car. And the entire staff at Family Talk showed my daughter incredible kindness and love while we were there. My point? Don’t be afraid to ask. I know it wasn’t easy for them to have a five-year-old in the studio, but it was important to me. Dr. Dobson’s organization lived up to their reputation of being advocates for family by helping me make it happen.

5.  Be Willing To Be Flexible.  I went into Dr. Dobson’s studio with the expectation that we were going to record one hour-long segment. I walked out having recorded three. We had a flow going and had so much to talk about that we just kept recording. The studio session took much longer than expected and…shockingly…we got stuck in a snowstorm afterwards (a snowstorm in April? Apparently this is normal only in Colorado). Anyway, writing and marketing is an inherently liquid task—and only by being flexible to roll with the changes—ups, downs, twists, and turns—will we be able to see and succeed in the long-haul.

What have you learned about writing from other (famous) authors or radio personalities?

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Erin MacPherson is the author of The Christian Mama’s Guide series.  She’s also a mommy blogger, amateur chef, and (very) amateur runner.  She blogs at www.christianmamasguide.com.

Dare To Wander Off Trail

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IMG_0550 copyWhen my wife is away at the coast or on a quilt retreat, it’s the go-to movie I watch alone: A River Runs Through It, Robert Redford’s masterpiece of the equally masterful book by Norman Maclean about fathers and sons and fly-fishing — and the deeper things beyond.

As we honor fathers this month (June 16), I do so with the admission that my dad, who died nearly 17 years ago, was not a perfect man. (Nor was I, of course, a perfect son.) While watching River the other night for perhaps the tenth time, however, I finally figured out who my father was: Paul Maclean, the younger brother played by Brad Pitt. Flawed — he dies in a gambling dispute — but, as Paul’s father said of him, “beautiful.” An artist with a fly rod. And despite obvious shortcomings, kind-hearted with a sort of rough-hewn integrity. A lover of family and a despiser of bait fishermen, politicians who ignored the environment, and motorcycle riders who rode illegally on wilderness trails.

When I wrote Cascade Summer: My Adventure on Oregon’s Pacific Crest Trail, my heart kept pulling me toward memories of my father that I felt compelled to include. But my mind kept saying: Don’t go there. It’s too dangerous. It’s too personal. Stay on the main trail, pal. 

I’m glad I listened to my heart and wandered off the trail — figuratively and, as you’ll see in a moment, literally. Writing is an act of courage. And part of courage is being real with readers, being real with ourselves, and being real about our loved ones.

Whenever I want to wimp out about telling something personal, I remind myself that of the 2,000-plus newspaper columns I’ve written, almost without exception the ones eliciting the most reader response have been personal ones that tugged on readers’ emotions. The ones where I got real. The ones where I shared a vulnerability — my regret, for example, of having accepted $1 to play two-square with a kid who had no friends back in elementary school. As an adult he committed suicide, making me wonder how his life might have turned out if people like me had simply said, “Forget the buck. You serve.”

Tom Hallman, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter at The Oregonian in Portland, puts it best:  “Feelings are more important than rules … Make the reader feel something. Writers are insecure. Every time we draft a story that includes emotion, we’re crawling out on a limb. Our insecurities tell us to crawl back to safety, but doing so eliminates the story’s heart and soul — what makes the story work. Emotion lives in nearly everyone, though it’s sometimes asleep. The writer must awaken it.”

So, in the end, I’m glad I included the anecdote about wandering off trail, through the forests of the Cascade Mountains ten years after my father’s death, in an attempt to find Comma Lake. As a teenager, I had scoured the woods with my dad, looking for that lake. It appeared on maps but there were no trails to it. And we’d never found it.

But, alone, a decade after he was gone, I did. I wanted to whoop and holler, but it didn’t seem right amid a quiet punctuated only by a few birds and bleached-white trees rubbing against each other in death. On the dried mudflats, I made my way up the comma—a writer literally in his element—toward the lake’s center.

I had thought of bringing something to leave in honor of my father, but he was big on leaving a camp better than you found it, so I nixed that idea. I looked around. A half dozen softball-sized stones lay scattered near me. So, I built him a poor-man’s pyramid. I knew by October, the lake would fill from autumn rains. By November, the monument would be encased in ice and covered in snow. Regardless, it would be my little reminder: we were once here. We found Comma Lake — my father and I.

Sons, I believe, cut wide swaths for their fathers. At church men’s retreats and marriage workshops, I’ve heard men lash out at their fathers, but nevertheless pine for their respect — even after the old man is gone. Indeed, it is a strange dance between fathers and sons. Part of us vows to never be the man he was, part of us feels quietly proud when we realize that, in some ways, we are.

In the final scene of A River Runs Through It, the story’s narrator, Maclean, now an old man, fishes the river and thinks, “I am haunted by waters.”

As men, we are also haunted by our fathers, whose approval seems as important to us now as it did when he watched us catch our first fish. But as writers, we cannot be haunted by the thought of trying to explore such complicated relationships.

As Hallman suggests, if we’re not crawling out on the limb, we’re not writing in the heart spot from which readers are reading. So, if you feel the branch start to bend, don’t panic. You’re where you need to be.

The Great Commission? – Redeeming Mankind through Fiction

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Scientists, engineers and technological inventors, and business entrepreneurs say that humanity is on the cusp of a new wave of human creativity.

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Instant communications are now possible via the web bringing literally thousands of minds together from all over the planet at one moment in time, discarding the limitations of geographical locations. Embryonic concepts and ideas, when shared on the global net, can result in brave new inventions with mind-blowing rapidity. Human thought can coalesce in a way that mimics the micro-world of biology by using chip technology. These synaptic pulses, occurring every second of the day and night in the global-brain, produce millions of new ideas and fresh concepts that have never before been thought of.

Laying the disciplines of science and technology aside, the same suppositions can be transferred to literature and writing. The impact of words via the global village has never been more fertile or dynamic in its capability to influence individuals, cultures, and nations. The power of the word is here and now.

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Human endeavor is forging new boundaries, breaking out of the box of tradition and orthodoxy. We are thinking differently now–not just laterally, that’s old hat–in a way that resembles six dimensions. The equivalence of string theory and quantum mechanics is being applied to the arts and humanities, not only to science.
New thinkers are ditching personal labels. I am not just a scientist, not just a physician, not just an explorer of space, but much, much more. Exclusive thinking is out and inclusivity is in.

My own fields of interest are sufficiently broad to give me a big start in this arena. As an engineer with an academic university degree, I thought differently than my colleagues. I was a renaissance man. I brought my philosophic and artistic mind to solve engineering problems and conversely I used my engineer’s mind to help with the practical aspects of my own chosen art, writing.

For human advancement, we normally rely on non-fiction literature, factual manuals, scientific treatises, and political polemics. But consider that works of fiction, although essentially different to non-fiction in targets and goals, can nevertheless have a profound effect on shaping mankind.

When you read good fiction, there is a vital empathy between writer and reader. The reason it works for only one writer and millions of readers is that the empathy can be uniquely strong. It’s like a romance. Hands touch, eyes meet, and hearts converge as one beating heart.

The reader’s intimacy with the fiction tale, with the characters, with the drama, is both private and public. The reader becomes part of the plot. His or her mind is inextricably linked at a very deep level of consciousness. Whether the action is serious or comical, solemn or trivial, life or death, it is the precious human interaction occurring at the core of the exchange process of reading and being read.

The ideas expressed in the story, the emotions felt by the characters and the reader, the human landscapes travelled through are powerful persuaders, albeit whether obvious or subliminal.

My brand phrase ‘Redeeming mankind through fiction’ now makes important sense.

My faith mission as a Christian writer is to carry out the great commission that Jesus gave his disciples to take His message, the Gospel, to every corners of the world.

I was recently given a ‘word’ from the Lord. It was simple yet profound.

“As the Holy Spirit is intimately involved in the writing of your books, so the Holy Spirit will be profoundly involved when someone reads your book. The Holy Spirit will speak to the reader’s heart and truth will be imparted.”

I have already received testimonies from people who have read ‘Light of the Wicked’ and, deeply affected by the story, have gone on to search for God and salvation. For them it has been more than just entertainment; it has been a way of coming to know a God they thought did not exist.

Christian writers have an awesome responsibility not to just create entertaining books but to share the very gospel, not by preaching at the reader but by allowing the quality of the story to bring the reader into the presence of the living God. The reader, by coming into contact with a story that reflects God’s truth and life, is entering into a heart-to-heart conversation with the Lord himself via fiction. There’s a paradoxical truth.

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WordServe News: May 2013

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Exciting things have been happening at WordServe Literary!

On the final post of each month you’ll find a list of Water Cooler contributors’ books releasing in the upcoming month along with a recap of WordServe client news from the current month.

New Releases

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IslandoftheInnocentIsland of the Innocent by Lynn Morris, number 7 in the repackaged “Cheney Duvall, M.D.” series.

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drivenbythewindDriven by the Wind by Lynn Morris, number 8 and the final book in the series.

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DavidandBathshebaDavid and Bathsheba by Roberta Kells Dorr (Moody). This is the first in a series of biblical novels that are being repackaged by Moody for a new generation of readers. Roberta died several years ago, but her novels were so well written and well-researched, they were deserving of a new life in e-books and the trade.

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workingwomenWorking Women of the Bible by Susan DiMickele (Leafwood)

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CatchAFallingStarCatch a Falling Star by Beth Vogt (Howard)

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New Contracts

Joe Wheeler has signed 3 new books with Pacific Press to continue the “Christmas in My Heart” series. These books will be numbers 23, 24, and 25…the longest running series of Christmas stories ever published.

Cheri Fuller has signed with Bethany House Publishers to write What a Daughter Needs in a Mom. This will compliment her recently published book, What a Son Needs in a Mom.

Mike Yorkey signed with Destiny Image to write the next health and wellness book for Jordan Rubin.

Jonathan McKee has signed with Barbour to write a book for teen boys, The Wise Guy’s Guide to God, Girls and Google.

What We’re Celebrating!!

Jan Drexler’s The Prodigal Son Returns is #37 of 100 romances through RWA. This is Jan’s second week on the list; her book debuted at #95, so it is definitely moving on up!

Jillian Kent has her second novel in The Ravensmoore Chronicles, Chameleon, getting some noteworthy buzz. It finaled in the Fiction-Romance Category in the Inspirational Romantic Mystery/Suspense category. And it’s also finaled in RWA’s Daphne du Maurier Contest. Congratulations, Jillian!

 

LinkedIn for Writers (Build a Social Media Platform)

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Linked In for Writers via @janalynvoigt for Wordserve Water Cooler

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When deciding where to focus online, most writers veer toward Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Developing a presence at those sites can be a great idea. However, with 250 million users worldwide, LinkedIn carries a clout all its own. Chances are you think of LinkedIn as a network for job seekers, and while it does function in that capacity, it offers other benefits to writers.

Reach Readers

Although LinkedIn’s focus is business-to-business, don’t discount it as an avenue to reach readers. I personally experienced a spike in book sales after putting the word out on LinkedIn about DawnSinger (Tales of Faeraven 1). The link I posted had a lot of shares, which means my network kicked in to help. As members of my network shared my update to their networks, they increased its impact exponentially, creating additional exposure for my book. This is social networking at its best. Just remember that giving more than you receive will help you tap its power. (It’s also a great way to live.)

Extend Your Network

LinkedIn allows you to introduce yourself to those in the networks of your network. This can be a powerful tool for growing your sphere of influence. Be careful about approaching agents and editors this way, though. It’s best to send them a contact request after an in-person meeting.

Give and Receive Endorsements

LinkedIn lets you easily endorse people you respect for their professional skills. This also means that others can do the same for you. While you can request that others endorse you, use this tool wisely. If people don’t know you or your work, don’t send them an endorsement request.

Discover Who Views Your Profile

It’s fun to click a sidebar link and discover who has recently visited your profile. While those who upgrade to a professional account receive more information, even those who use a free plan can see a few names. As an example, recent visitors to the LinkedIn profile for Janalyn Voigt included a librarian, another author and speaker, a digital publisher, a barbershop manager, and a Los Angeles-based writer and editor. In the past I’ve also caught a film producer and agent checking out my profile. These people can represent contacts you may want to follow up with.

Link Your Blog

LinkedIn’s blog link tool enables you to feed your blog to your LinkedIn profile. This helps you brand while giving your blog additional reach.

Automatically Update from Twitter

Feed your Twitter updates to LinkedIn. Go to settings to enable this feature.

Conduct Polls

Use the LinkedIn polls application to gain insights that can help you determine what to write, how to promote, and where to find your target audience. You can integrate your LinkedIn polls to Facebook or Twitter and also embed them in your website.

Improve Your Website’s SEO

Be sure to include a link to your website and/or blog in your profile. Garnering links back to your blog from high-authority sites helps raise its visibility in search engines. A good search-engine ranking means that when people search the internet for keywords within your topic, your site shows as close as possible to the first page of their results. This is known as search engine optimization, or SEO.

Focus on Business

One of my author friends centers his online social networking at LinkedIn more than at other sites. When I asked him why he prefers LinkedIn, he answered that it’s all business. Since he’s had to break himself of an online gaming habit, this makes sense for him. LinkedIn’s business focus extends even further than not featuring games, and that’s good news for writers in a lot of ways. On LinkedIn you don’t “friend” or “follow” people, you add them into your network. Having an established network means that you can connect on a strictly-business level with (to name a few) publishing professionals (such as agents and editors), experts in fields you need to research, technical experts who design websites or make book trailers, and other authors willing to cross-promote.

Join Relevant Groups

LinkedIn is another place to connect with others on topics of interest to your author brand. You can also participate in groups of writers to talk shop. As an example, I’ve used LinkedIn groups to compare notes with other writers in an effort to discover where to focus promotional efforts. A simple search on LinkedIn will turn up groups to consider joining. If you’re new at writing, you may want to check out a post that gives details on 20 sites of interest to aspiring authors.

Follow Publishing Houses and Agencies

Use the follow companies LinkedIn feature to keep tabs on publishing houses and agencies. As a bonus, you can see how you are connected to these companies, which can give you contact leads.

How to Proceed with LinkedIn

Start by creating a free account, and then fill in your profile completely, using targeted keywords (see the section, above, on improving website SEO). Once you’ve done this, send invitations to connect with all your contacts and concentrate on growing your network in the ways mentioned throughout this post. I’m sure you’ll agree that LinkedIn is a powerhouse for writers.

Memoir Writing: Scene, Summary, and Musing

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Photo/KarenJordanWhat is a memoir? “I had to look up the definition of a memoir before I wrote my entry for this contest,” one writer confessed to me.

“Congratulations!” I responded, acknowledging her award.

This writer’s research paid off. Plus, she chose an inspiring, true story from her life, and she engaged her readers with a meaningful message using creative nonfiction techniques.

Being a judge of the contest entries, I also noticed that some of the other aspiring and experienced writers needed to do a little research before they wrote a memoir. So, I’m sharing here some of what I’ve learned as a memoirist.

My road to memoir writing started with enrolling in a class on writing for publication while in college. But I really didn’t hear the term “memoir” much until I took nonfiction writing classes a decade later.

One of my favorite professors at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Dr. Sally Crisp, recommended a very helpful book on that subject by another writing teacher, Judith Barrington. Barrington describes her book, Memoir Writing, as a “practical guide to the craft, the personal challenges, and ethical dilemmas of writing your true stories.”

Defining memoir. Since I’m knee-deep in writing a memoir with my daughter Tara, I needed a refresher course. Here’s my own memoir checklist.

  • Focused theme or topic. William Zinsser discusses the memoir in his book On Writing Well. “Memoir isn’t the summary of a life (like autobiography); it’s a window into a life, very much like a photograph in its selective composition” (136).
  • Narrative. Memoir tells a story about certain people, places, or events from the writer’s personal life.
  • Reflection. The writer’s thoughts and beliefs about the events are a vital part of  the memoir.
  • Conversation. The narrative voice reflects on her thoughts and feelings in an intimate, conversational, and honest manner.

Creative Nonfiction. The memoir tells true stories using creative nonfiction techniques.

  • Contains all the elements of fiction.
  • Moves back and forth in time.
  • Requires believable dialogue, based on truth.
  • Switches from scene to summary to musing.

Photo/KarenJordanScene, Summary, and Musing. Musing takes a vital role in the memoir. But scene and summary provide two useful ways to move through the narrative.

Judith Barrington describes the memoir’s characteristics of scene and summary in cinematic terms. I’ve often used photographic terms to describe the editing process.

  • Summary. Here the writer focuses on the panoramic view. This may include numerous details, but examines the person, place, or event from a distance. For this viewpoint, I imagine myself taking a photo of a sunset or sunrise over a lake with my long-distance camera lens.
  • Photo/KarenJordanScene. For this macroscopic view, you zoom in for a closer look at your story and focus on a particular point of view or incident. Consider using some dialogue to illustrate your scene or another descriptive device to describe an intimate detail of that moment. In photography, I change my lens and focus for a closer view of a child or the reflection over the lake.
  • Musing. I visualize this characteristic of a memoir as the microscopic view, zooming in on the writer’s intimate feelings and thoughts. The reflective voice of the writer expresses her feelings and thoughts at the time of the event. She might choose to express her current understanding or the wisdom that she gleaned from her personal experience. For instance, I love to capture the memories by the lake close to my home–the awesome sunrises and the poignant moments with my grandkids. It reminds me to record the stories that matter most to me as a gift for the next generation.

Storytelling. In memoir, the writer tells a true story from her life, using her best creative nonfiction skills. As you examine your memoir for revisions, focus on your areas of strength and weakness. Do you tend to focus on summarizing your story rather than zooming in on some important scenes? Have you reflected on what a certain person or event means to you or what you’ve learned from this experience?

I challenge you to work on the weaker elements of your memoir. Your story will become stronger and even more meaningful, as you examine your scene, summary, and musing.

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What helpful insights could you offer about memoir writing?