Books Don't Matter, Authors Do: How to Attract the Media

Most writers want publicity for their books. Getting on TV is one of the dreams for accomplishing this, but many believe that being on a national TV show is beyond their reach. According to Emmy-nominated television producer and New York Times best-selling publisher, Jacquie Jordan, this is a totally realistic goal if the proper process is followed.

Jordan spoke at the May meeting of the Publishers Association of Los Angeles. She stated that one of the mistakes that writers make is waiting until their books are published before pursuing the media when the reality is that the producers need a six-month lead time.

Another mistake is pitching the book when they should be pitching themselves. Major publishers also make this mistake, she said, which leaves their authors out of the TV show promotional loop.

She made these 5 major points to cover for a quality pitch:

1.    What is your story?
TV producers want the author’s story. What is going on in the news that relates to that? The story-telling aspect should be multi-dimensional and everlasting and should fit several areas. Develop 5-6 speaking points.

2.    Develop a hook around your expertise

·         Current events
Perhaps your book has to do with a foreign country or a situation that is currently taking place.

·         Holidays

If you have written a book that has to do with relationships, think about pitching a topic for a show that will air around Valentine’s Day.

·         Anniversaries

A book with a military setting or about the military, for example, would be perfect for a topic around Veterans’ Day or Pearl Harbor Day.

·         Birthdays

Interesting tidbits about an historical figure would be a great pitch for a booking around this person’s birthday.

·         Celebrities

Maybe your book is about safety, and a recent celebrity suffered from a robbery or other crime. A pitch on safety tips to avoid these issues would work well.

Perhaps your book is about the celebrity him- or herself. Pitch interesting facts that people don’t already know.

3.    Develop a solid platform.

This includes:

            ·         Website

·         Blog

·         Social media accounts

All three must have a uniform look. Include any media coverage of you or your work in all your social media and on your website. Jordan cited the example of one author who got 500 Twitter followers from one radio show.

One important point, she says, is that any material that is dated in content should be removed since relevancy is very important.

4.    Have a professional headshot taken

This should be used on all your media and in your media kit.

5.    Be prepared for several interview styles.

There are several types of interviews:

·         Sit-down Interview

This type is live or live-to-tape. No one will edit what you say. You must be on your toes!

·         Reality-Show Style

The interview is conducted in your home.

·         Demo Segment

Objects are used to illustrate points.

·         Satellite Interview

You can’t see the person or people who are interviewing you. You are looking at a wall. You have to be good at this so that it isn’t obvious.

·         Skype Style

This is usually done as a pre-interview. Most producers won’t put you on the air until they know you are able to deliver what you promised. People have lost interviews based on not looking at the camera but at themselves instead.

While self-published books are often difficult to get on TV because the works are not vetted, indie authors can get around this by promoting themselves as subject-matter experts with stories that are relevant to the show. Then they can mention the book.

Jordan stated that authors should do three things when on TV:

1.    Come to the show hair-and-make-up- ready.

This not only saves time, but some shows don’t offer these services. The author should not be caught short.

           2.    Bring two outfits

The outfit you have on may not be suitable for TV. Bring two changes of clothes.

3.    Hire a video monitoring service
The author must pay to get the show recorded so that he/she has it forever. Otherwise, the link that he/she receives for the show will be to the show site only.  

 

In order to build momentum, Jordan advised authors to say yes to all media large or small. The content narrative has changed since the election. Producers know what answers they want. Authors should be chockful of ideas so the producers are impressed and will call you back.

Radio producers will ask for 20 questions. TV producers at the national level do not usually ask for any.

While it is possible for authors to get on national TV, it does take effort. The opportunity will not be handed to them. Jordan said they must follow the rule of 10%: 100 pitches for every 10 bookings. Authors should start with local markets and make a demo tape to use with larger ones.

Authors should send their book with their pitch to producers via FedEx, then call to see if it was received. If not, they should send it again and keep sending it until it gets noticed.

Be tenacious. Perseverance pays off!


Jordan has written a book called Get On TV!: The Insider’s Guide to Pitching  the Producers and Promoting Yourself. (ISBN: 978-1-4002-0591-0, print edition, $15.99), which provides all the details for pitching to the media. A Kindle edition is also available for $9.99.

 

 

 

 

New Writers Beware!

A few days ago, I received a call from Andrew Cramer at Litfire Publishing, wondering if I was interested in getting my book in front of major publishers and bookstores. I informed Mr. Cramer that my books (I have published 28, with two coming out soon) are already with major wholesalers and bookstores so, no, I was not interested.

My curiosity was piqued, however. I had never heard of Litfire and wanted to know exactly what the story was. When I did a search on the Internet, I came across this article by Victoria Strauss, originally published on the Writer Beware blog (http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2014/11/solicitation-alert-litfire-publishing.html) on November 7, 2014. When I contacted her, Ms. Strauss generously allowed me to reprint it. I am happy to do so. Heed her advice!

 

                      Solicitation Alert: Litfire Publishing

A few weeks ago, I began hearing from writers who'd been solicited, out of the blue, by a company called LitFire Publishing (www.litfirepublishing.com). In some cases by phone, in others by email, a LitFire "consultant" claimed to have received or seen information about the writers' books (or even to have read them), and wanted to offer a wonderful marketing opportunity--for, of course, a four-figure fee.

Here's how LitFire describes itself and its services: 

Founded in 2008, LitFire allows authors to skip the hassles of traditional publishing. The company started out as a publisher of digital books. With hundreds of published titles and more than 50 publishing partners, we have learned how to succeed and soar in the eBook market. In 2014, LitFire expanded its horizon by offering self-publishing. Today, we offer all the services you would expect from a traditional publishing house – from editorial to design to promotion. Our goal is to help independent authors and self-publishers bring their book production and marketing goals to fruition.

In other words, LitFire is one of those outfits that offers publishing packages, but makes much of its profit from hawking adjunct services such as marketing.

Cold-call solicitations, hard-sell sales tactics (writers report receiving repeated phone calls and emails), expensive publishing packages with silly names, absurdly overpriced "marketing" services: are you detecting more than a whiff of Author Solutions, the much-criticized self-publishing service conglomerate that owns AuthorHouse, iUniverse, Xlibris, and Trafford, among others?

In fact, at least four of LitFire's "consultants"--Portia Peterson, Tori Mesh, KC Normanns, and Mark Advent (also see the screenshots at the bottom of this post)--are or were employees of Author Solutions imprints. And LitFire's publishing agreement bears many similarities to an older AuthorHouse agreement (from 2012; the most recent agreement, which is much more complicated, was revised in 2014). Compare, for instance, AuthorHouse's Clause 18, Termination by Service Provider, to the last paragraph of LitFire's Clause 14, Refunds and Work Termination.

But there are reasons other than possible Author Solutions connections to be wary of this company.

- False or conflicting claims. Of the "hundreds of published titles" and "more than 50 publishing partners" claimed in LitFire's description of itself, there is no trace.

Eight books appear on Litfire's website, only one of which seems actually to have been published by LitFire. That one shows up on Amazon, along with just two others. A few more surface with a websearch (interestingly, these also show up--with different ISBNs--as having been published by Author Solutions imprints). All in all, that's seven titles. Total.

LitFire also appears to be confused about how long it's been in business. Its website claims a 2008 founding date, but its URL was only registered in June of this year. On the other hand, according to one of its email communications, it's been around for 8 years, which would push its founding date back to 2006.

- Illiterate written materials. Most of LitFire's website, while it won't win any prizes for business communication, doesn't read too badly. But the LitFire correspondence I've seen...yikes. For example, an email from "Senior Publishing and Marketing Consultant" Tori Mesh was full of grammar errors. 

The most charitable thing I can say is that it reads as if it were written by someone for whom English is not a first language. Tori's resume includes a current or former stint at AuthorHouse UK; we do know that a big portion of Author Solutions business is outsourced to the Philippines, and that Philippine staff use American or British-sounding aliases, presumably to make it seem as if they actually work at AS headquarters in Bloomington, Indiana, but actually resulting in some very odd-sounding names.

Also check out this blog post on, er, craft, from Jill Bennett, LitFire's Book Marketing Specialist. Here's a sample:

When can one’s writing writhen out a reader’s metaphysical standpoint?

How about this: Somebody wrote a book saying that the laws the world is following today: spiritual, political, logical are but a rehash of the Primo genial world that the Primo genial human beings have cleaved to and everything everyone believed in that world turned out to be flawed and destructive, thereby the First Apocalypse. He doesn’t claim himself a Messiah or a prophet or whatnot but proves his evidences authentic, like the codex of that first world, every inch of it intact.

I did not make that up.

- Plagiarism. A solicitation email from "Senior Marketing and Publishing Consultant" Mark Advent (formerly of Trafford) is a peculiar mix of the kinds of ESL mistakes found in Tori Mesh's email and relatively fluent passages. There's a reason for this: Mark has borrowed the good bits from others, without bothering with attribution. His paragraphs were plagiarized from an article by marketing expert Penny C. Sansevieri and from speaker and consultant Al Lautenslager.

Tsk, tsk.

So what is LitFire? Despite the many Author Solutions connections and similarities, I don't suspect that LitFire actually has anything to do with Author Solutions itself. AS is a big company, and it has no need to be coy about what it does. If LitFire were a new AS imprint, we'd know it. I think it's far more likely that LitFire is an Author Solutions clone, created by former or current AS workers in hopes of siphoning off a share of their employer's business.

Either way, one thing is clear. If you hear from LitFire, just say no.

UPDATE 11/11/14: Either as a result of this post or of the accompanying discussion at Absolute Write (which includes a lot more speculation and information about possible LitFire staff names and aliases), changes have begun to appear on the LitFire website. I've therefore appended a bunch of screenshots at the very bottom of this post.

UPDATE 1/17/17: As the comments below will attest, LitFire is still at it. And it seems like they're not even trying all that that hard. Today I got this:

 

Good day Mark,

How are you ? I hope you are doing great. I am Kate Avila, Senior Consultant with LitFire Publishing. I have been trying to get in touch with you in regard to your Book Project. I’m hoping you could get in touch with me as soon as you can. We’d like to know if you are still pursuing the book because we would like to help you.

Feel free to visit our website to know more information about us https://litfirepublishing.com/

Please feel free to contact me at 1 800 511 9787 ext. 8125 or send me an email at kateavila@litfirepublishing.com.

I am looking forward for your response.

Mark, whoever you are, I'm glad to take the bullet for ya.

UPDATE 2/22/17: LitFire is reportedly soliciting former Tate Publishing authors (Tate went out of business earlier this year amid lawsuits and a massive number of complaints).

UPDATE 2/23/17: I received this lengthy complaint today from someone who made the mistake of buying one of LitFire's marketing packages. It explains exactly why LitFire and its ilk are a ripoff.

Writers beware LitFire Publishing. Please share this post to protect fledgling authors, as many people have called BookExpo to complain about this company already and have tried to warn writers on the internet. This is my personal experience.

This publishing house which seems legitimate, inconspicuous, and appears to have evidence backing up such claims, is nothing more than a ploy to take advantage of new authors. Litfire promises a marketing campaign of either Deluxe or Ultimate for $2,000 or $2,300. The original promise of these packages was a booth at Book Expo America in NYC, where major publishing houses and 200,000 attendees (as well as authors such as Scott Kelly and Stephen King) would be present and where an author thus, through them, could begin to fortify his or her portfolio, and the ability for the author to come and help man that booth if desired (although not necessary). 

If purchasing the Ultimate package, LitFire promised an ad in the author catalog given out to all attendees as well as a full spread in "Wayfairer magazine" and 100 "gift cards" to give away to people at the fair and encourage them to buy the book. For the Deluxe, there were no "Gift cards" promised nor author catalog, but the author would receive a quarter spread in "Wayfairer magazine." With both packages, a 15 minute web internet radio interview over the phone was promised and a press release would be sent out for over 5,000 media outlets.

These promises, however, are no more than bait. 

At the last moment, my LitFire representative claimed "misunderstanding" and said that I would have to separately procure a pass to attend the event, even to go to that booth (where I specifically got a very different answer before, an answer which claimed that my badge was included in the total cost). In a previous follow up before my representative claimed "misunderstanding," he specifically said that I would not have to pay ANY admission or undergo the application to attend the Book Expo, that it was all set, and that once I paid I would be assigned a financial marketing assistant who would tell me where to procure my pass and where to meet up. 

Further, once I asked how much money was on the "gift cards," it was revealed that they aren't gift cards at all, but advertising cards with QR codes to better direct people to buy the author's book from Amazon or another major site. The name "gift card" was misleading. 

Another change was in the "press release to 5,000 media outlets." At first, a "full marketing campaign" was promised. Upon further questioning, it turns out that this "full marketing campaign" is just bait, and they are simply referring to the booth at the Expo, advertising the book by genre to passersby, and the press release. Even worse, at the last minute, although the phrase "over 5,000" was used multiple times, my representative changed the number to "over 100 media outlets." No specific media outlets were specified, but that question was dodged.

The worst crime, however, is the exploitation of the name "Wayfairer Magazine." Since these baits are sent over the phone, if one were to look up Wayfarer Magazine (different spelling), one would find a reputable literary magazine. I called this magazine and found out that a full color spread costs $3,600, a B&W full spread costs $2,900, and that even the quarter spreads in color exceeded $1,000 and in B&W neared $1,000. LitFire's promise sounded like a fantastic deal.

At the last minute, upon request, I was sent PDF photos of "WayFairer Magazine." It is not a real magazine at all. In fact, it can't be found on google anywhere--only in the email, and is created by LitFire publishing themselves. The magazine itself is fake. Litfire banks on authors looking up Wayfarer Magazine when hearing the name over the phone since it isn't spelled anywhere except in what I was sent. 

In fact, when I asked my representative to spell the magazine name specifically since there are multiple magazines with similar names (like Wayfare, Wayfair, etc.), and I wanted to be sure, he completely dodged the question. He banked on me being more entranced by the color photos of the full book spreads, which look very visually appealing and seem to market the books very well, and not noticing the tiny spelling difference between "WayFairer" and "WayFarer"

LitFire publishing is a scam--no more than bait to exploit the aspirations of new authors. Although they seem to check out at first, the true colors will bleed through upon deeper investigation and numerous calls to different corporations.

Although there are many "Beware LitFire!" cries on the internet, none actually explain why to do so, and make it sound more like an overpriced service than the complete illusory bait that it is. Do not trust LitFire, and do not pay them attention at the Book Expo America. 

Set Your Writing Goals for 2017

Here we are at the start of a new year. January is nearly gone, and we have only 11 months to go before another year will have passed us by. It’s time to set your writing goals for 2017.

Myrko Thum, the personal development expert, states, “A goal is a thought with commitment to make it real.”¹ He is right on. The key word here is “commitment.” A goal isn’t reachable unless it’s carried out. A goal without commitment is a dream. By joining this writing program, you’ve made the decision to turn your dream into reality.

Why set writing goals? They give you long-term vision and short-term motivation. Reaching short-term benchmarks gives you a feeling of success along the journey toward a long-term target.²

To set reachable goals, however, one must:

·         understand the difference between short-term and long-term goals

·         set S.M.A.R.T. goals

·         create a writing schedule

Short-term vs. Long-term Goals

Short-term goals are the ones set for the actual writing of your book. They may include the number of hours spent writing per day or week or the number of pages produced at each session. Your long-term objective is to finish your book. But be careful. That objective should not be the end in itself. Once you have finished writing, then what?

Astronauts ran into this problem. Their long-term objectives were to go to the moon or to do a mission on the space shuttle. Those took years to achieve. Once they were accomplished, the astronauts felt their lives were over. Been there, done that. Some resorted to drinking because they felt so lost.

There must be targets beyond that of writing your book. Your next one is to publish. After that, it’s to market your work, and then it’s to keep promoting and selling. And your goal after that should be to create ancillary products. Beyond that it should be to write another book and start the journey all over again. In other words, goals comprise a process, not just an end.³ Long-term ones concern why you are writing your book. To get more clients?  To become a well-known expert in your field? To sell enough copies to expand your business or buy a new house? These are the objectives beyond writing.

Napoleon Hill, author of the classic book Think and Grow Rich, quotes George Herbert, a 17^th century British poet, when he says: “Do not wait; the time will never be ‘just right.’ Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along.” ⁴

2  Set S.M.A.R.T. Goals

In The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People, Steven Covey states that habit number two is to “begin with the end in mind.” ⁵ While you don’t want to put undue pressure on your- self, set S.M.A.R.T.⁶ writing goals for each of your work sessions. They should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-Bound.

Let’s consider the first word: Specific. That means “clear.” For example, the goal “to finish writing the book” is too obscure. When will you finish? How much will you write at any particular time to reach that goal? We can’t tell from “to finish writing a book” because of its vagueness. Vagueness invites failure. A specific goal is “To write five double-spaced pages at the next two weekly four-hour writing sessions.”

The “S” can just as easily stand for Simple. Three to five writing goals is a good number. Having too many amid other obligations will also set you up for defeat. The rest of your life, including your business, needs attention, so don’t overlook or neglect it.

The goal of writing five double-spaced pages at the next two writing sessions is an example of one that is Specific, Simple, Measurable, and Time-bound. You’ll know each week whether or not you have achieved it.

Your goals also have to be Realistic. For example, putting your book ahead of clients or food on the table won’t work. Goals must also be Attainable. If you intend to write twenty pages each writing session but can generate only five comfortably, your goal is not realistic or attainable. Be honest with yourself about what you can produce.

Don’t think of creating the entire book. Instead, set small goals for one specific chapter at a time. State each as a positive statement. For example, “Write five pages of Chapter 1 of my parenting book this week.”

If you find that your goals are not realistic, revise them. Nothing is cast in concrete. Avoid stress as much as possible when it comes to writing or you may find yourself losing the desire to finish it. You don’t want that!

Write your long-term goals on page 9 of your workbook. Print copies of page 10 to use for short-term goals for the sections or chapters of your book. Review them often. If you find that your goals turn out to be unrealistic for the time element scheduled, revise accordingly. The overarching objective is to complete your book. Don’t set yourself up for disappointment.

3  Create a Writing Schedule

In order to complete your book in a timely manner, setting a writing schedule is critical. James Clear⁷ suggests that writers need to develop a system. For example, your goal is to write a book. Your system is the writing schedule you devise for yourself. It could be fifteen minutes a day, an hour a day, four hours a week—whatever works for you and your business and personal commitments. The person who can dedicate three hours a day to writing will finish sooner than the person who can dedicate three hours a week. There is no right or wrong to this process. It’s whatever fits with your schedule without adding undue stress.

Determine your peak productivity times. Do you function best in the morning? the afternoon?  the evening? Ideally, use some of this time for your writing. But be careful. Scheduling yourself an hour between 11 PM and midnight, for example, won’t work if you’re exhausted from a hard day. You need to be alert and able to think clearly with no distractions. The length of each session isn’t as important as the fact that you have a specific slot set aside. Look at your calendar and make appointments with yourself. Record your writing schedule in your workbook. If your schedule changes, print a fresh sheet to record the new times.

Record your writing schedule on page 11 of your workbook. Keep these appointments the way you would keep any with your clients or customers.

Reward yourself when you accomplish a goal. Treat yourself to whatever you like. This will keep you motivated.

Psychotherapist Carl Jung said this many years ago:

“You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do.”⁸

Endnotes

1.    Myrko Thum, Goal Setting: 7 Steps to Set Your Life Goals, n. d., http://www.myrko thum.com/goal-setting/

2.    James Manktelow and Amy Carlson, Personal Goal Setting: Planning to Live Your Life Your Way, n. d., http://www.mindtools.com/page6.html.

3.    Will Meek, How to Set Goals, Notes to Self, Psychology Today,  http://www. psychologytoday.com/blog/notes-self/201308/how-set-goals

4.    Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich, 2012, Reprint of original 1937 edition, Napoleon Hill Foundation, Hammond, Indiana.

     

5.    Steven Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, 2013, New  York, Simon & Schuster, Inc.

6.    Duran, G. T., Miller, A., & Cunningham, J. (1981). There’s a S.M.A.R.T. way to
write management goals and objectives. Management Review (AMA Forum), 70(11), 35-36.

7.    James Clear, Forget About Setting Goals: Focus on This Instead, January 21,
2014, Psychology Today, http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/slow-gains/201401/forget-about-setting-goals-focus-instead

8.    Carl Jung, n.d.

Your Phone Can Be Easily Hacked

Many people argue over which phone is best: Iphone or Android. According to a report repeated on the September 4th episode of 60 Minutes, that argument is moot when it comes to hacking, as both types are just as vulnerable.

Since some of the world’s best hackers are in Germany, Sharyn Alfonsi, a 60 Minutes correspondent, went to Berlin to interview Dr. Karsten Nohl, the head of Security Research Labs. During the day, the lab advises Fortune 500 companies on computer security. At night, the team looks for vulnerabilities in the devices we use every day—smart phones USB sticks, and SIM cards—so they can warn the public about the risks. Right now, they are concentrating on mobile phone networks.

With just a phone number, Nohl claimed he could get into Alfonsi’s phone and retrieve all her transactions (including credit card numbers), track her location, see where she went, which people she met and when, see who she calls and what they say, and read her texts.

To test this claim, 60 Minutes sent an off-the-shelf iPhone to Representative Ted Lieu of California along with the telephone number registered to it. Lieu agreed to use the phone knowing it would be hacked. Alfonsi called from Berlin and Nohl hacked in.

How did he do it? By exploiting a security flaw in the Signaling System Seven (SS7), the global network that connects phone carriers, though he admitted that some were easier to hack than others. He recorded the congressman’s calls and tracked his movements in Washington and back in California. Lieu admitted that this was "immensely troubling."

John Hering, who cofounded the mobile security company, Lookout, when he was 23, has developed a free app that scans mobile phones for malware and alerts users when the phones are attacked. According to Hering, there are only two types of companies and people: those who have been hacked and realize it and those who have been hacked and don’t.

He claims that most phone hacks are not via SS7 but via spoofing, explaining that people install malicious applications and willingly give up their passwords every day.

60 Minutes contacted the cellular phone trade association, which claimed that SS7 attacks could not happen on a U.S. network but are only a problem on foreign ones. The hacking of Lieu’s 60 Minutes phone, however, proved exactly the opposite.

The problem is that the world’s intelligence agencies don’t want this flaw fixed. Leiu stated that the people who know about it and aren't doing anything to rectify it should be fired. Adds Hering, "We live in a world where we cannot trust the technology that we use."

To read the full transcript of this story, please go to http://www.cbsnews.com/news/60-minutes-hacking-your-phone/

If You Want to Sell Your Book Traditionally, Don’t Brand Yourself an Amateur

Are you considering publishing your book traditionally? If so, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the correct process before even attempting to contact anyone. Assuming your manuscript is of publishable quality, that means beginning with learning to write a query letter. Before we talk about how to write one, let’s talk about what not to do.

An editor friend of mine received the following email query from an aspiring author:

Dear Editors,

    Please consider publishing my book, part of which is in the attachment below.

Warm regards, Bob

What’s wrong here? First of all, it was sent to many editors at once, and all names appeared in the TO: field, 101 in total. In addition, there are several things the writer needs to know before contacting a publisher:

1.      Does the publisher accept query letters that are not submitted by an agent? If not, he/she should stop here.

2.      Does the publisher accept books from first-time authors?

3.      Does the publisher accept the type of book the author is pitching?

4.      Has the publisher published a book like this already? If so, your chances are slim.

5.      What does the publisher want to see? Query letter? Synopsis? Sample chapters? All of the above? Some of the above?

6.      What is the name of the specific editor handling that type of book?

A query letter is equivalent to the cover letter accompanying a resume when applying for a job. A well-written one will get the editor to request more material or read what was submitted. The query letter above that Bob sent tells the editor one thing: He is an amateur who doesn’t know what he’s doing, so the manuscript is no doubt just as poorly written. Since Bob doesn’t know how to write a query, he has probably also not researched the company to see what the requirements are for submission.

Editors are busy people. They read hundreds of queries per week. They can’t waste time on those that aren’t properly submitted. Bob’s query was so amateurish that it wouldn’t have mattered if he’d written the great American novel, since it wouldn’t have been read. The conclusion would have been drawn that the manuscript was just as amateurish.

They would have been right. Bob’s attached fiction manuscript was certainly neither submitted properly nor of publishable quality. For starters, it was in 26-point font rather than the required 12-point font and contained not one sentence of dialogue. There is no point elaborating on the numerous other problems.

My editor friend took the time to write Bob and let him know that he needed to learn to write a proper query letter, that he needed to research Writer’s Market for the proper way to submit to the publishers he had in mind, and that he also needed to learn proper manuscript format.

Did Bob heed this advice? Apparently not, for six weeks later, this editor received the identical query from him once again!

Writing a proper query letter is an art. It takes study and practice. A normal query is one page (not one sentence) and consists of four main paragraphs:

Paragraph 1 – Usually one sentence and provides a hook into the main point of the book.  

Paragaph 2 – Mini-synopsis: Write a short overview of the plot if the book is fiction or the overall concepts if the book is non-fiction. This could be broken into two paragraphs, if necessary.

Paragraph 3 – Your writing credits (if you have some)

Paragraph 4 – A pleasant closing

To learn to write a query letter, check out these websites:

          www.agentquery.com/writer_hq.aspx

www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/how-to-write-the-perfect-query-letter

          http://nybookeditors.com/2015/12/how-to-write-a-darn-good-query-letter/

http://www.rachellegardner.com/how-to-write-a-query-letter/

          https://janefriedman.com/query-letters/

Also, go to www.topwritingcoach.com/querylettersamples for great sample query letters for both fiction and nonfiction.

As with any field, showing yourself as a professional is the first step to accomplishing your goals. Don’t be like Bob and brand yourself an amateur before you even get out of the gate. Make sure your manuscript is the best possible and then learn to write a query letter that will get the editor to read your submission.

Barnes & Noble Makes Stunning Announcement

In a move that amazed the writing/publishing industry, Barnes & Noble has announced that it will offer self-publishers with Nook e-books the chance to get their work into the chain’s bookshelves and to hold signings in their stores. But is this opportunity all that it seems to be?

Traditional publishers and professional writers understand B&N’s hesitation to consider such an action in the past. There have been too many self-published books lacking proper structure and editing uploaded onto Amazon and other platforms. In addition, the number of titles from reputable publishers overflowed their shelves, so B&N didn’t need to spend time reviewing self-published books to find the gems that were essentially needles in a haystack.

Anyone who has visited one of their stores lately, however, will notice that the reading inventory is drastically down. In the past, books were always spine out to allow the maximum to be crowded onto each shelf. Now, many are face out to take up the empty space. In addition, much of the store is filled with other merchandise, such as toys, games, puzzles, and music.

Why has the book inventory dropped? Because most people are buying their reading material—both e-book and print book—from Amazon and other discount online bookstores. Trying to win back a share of the market is the motivation for B&N’s new program, and most writers and readers don’t want to see them go out of business.

There are some additional qualifications for Nook self-publishers for B&N’s new program.

1.      The bookshelf plan is available only for those print-book authors who have published e-book versions for the Nook and whose sales of a single e-book title have totaled 1000 units in the past year.

2.      The in-store events are for those print-book authors whose sales of a single e-book title have totaled 500 units in the past year.

While this is definitely a step in the right direction, Nook indie authors shouldn’t get overexcited. While small-press publishers have been able to get their books into B&N’s catalog by sending them to the Small Press Department for review, there is no guarantee that any book will be accepted. This is also true with the new program. Books must be submitted to this same department for review, and submission does not promise a positive result.

In a story in Book Business Insight, Thad McIlroy raised the following questions: How many copies will be ordered? How long will they stay on the shelves? Where will they be displayed? What about returns? In his view, these unanswered questions are cause for concern.

He has a valid point. Most books from major publishers are on the shelves for only 90 days before being returned. This’s why most wholesalers and bookstores pay after 90 days. This allows them the time to return the books without having laid out any money. The financial burden is on the publisher. The exceptions to the 90-day practice are bestsellers and longtime sellers. Major publishers and many small presses have warehouses in which returns can be stored. Self-publishers usually don’t.

Self-publishers have to keep their eyes wide open if they get a deal with any major retailer, whether bookstore or box store. Consider the following scenario: Let’s say B&N—or any other retailer, for that matter—orders 1,000 copies for stores around the country. The author, no doubt thrilled, puts up the money to print that many copies and gleefully ships them off, no doubt at his or her own expense.

But what if only 50 copies sell? What will happen to the other 950? The store will want to return them. What will the author do then? The money for printing has been spent and no money has been received from the buyer. The author is faced with storing those copies in his/her garage. And who pays the return shipping?

How will the books be sold now? This is equivalent to vanity publishing before Print on Demand, when the copies ended up in the garage and stayed there, since most self-publishers had no knowledge of how to market their work. The same is true today. Authors without this knowledge will end up paying a fortune to have someone else do it.

When an opportunity arises that seems really good, do your homework before taking action. A sale like this can be dangerous for the author’s financial stability. Research the more traditional ways of independent publishing, such as Print on Demand. Wait and see how the B&N program works out before jumping in.

As stated, this could very well be a step in the right direction by B&N, but caveat emptor. What might sound like a good opportunity for self-publishers may not be the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, after all.

Oh, no! ABC Cancels Castle

ABC has canceled Castle. I am so totally bummed! The show was supposed to return next season without Stana Katic (Kate Beckett) and under a revised format, but, alas, that is not to be.

I’m sure most writers loved this program, not only because the main character, Richard Castle, played by Nathan Fillion, pens murder mysteries, but because of the comedic nature of the very well-written scripts. Richard Castle consults with the NYPD, where he met his wife, Captain Beckett.  When investigating the scenes of crimes, his bullet-proof vest doesn’t say “Police”; it says, “Writer.” These little touches and Fillion’s campy portrayal of Richard Castle make for a very entertaining show.

On the other hand, Fillion tweeted that he hoped casting agents wouldn’t think that’s the only way he can act and that they would realize how versatile he is. Let’s hope they do. I know that as much as I will miss his portrayal of Richard Castle, I am looking forward to what he is going to do next.