The Process of Herding a Book to Press, Part 1

Wow - I do apologize for my tardiness in posting lately. I've been holed up in a mountain cabin for the past three weeks working feverishly to beat my deadline for my new book, Fear, Faith, and a Fistful of Chocolate. 

And I'm happy to report it's finished! For now. But not forever. Let me explain. 

 With work finally winding up on the third book in my "Take On Life" series for Barbour Books, I thought you might like an update on the process of getting a book to press. It's not quite as easy as writing it and simply turning it in. Oh, how I wish it were! It's more like herding snakes.

What happens is this: You're given a deadline for completion in the contract which you signed back when you negotiated the deal with your publisher. It, like most other fine contractual points, is negotiable. They'll usually expect 4-6 months to finish a partially completed manuscript, but that can vary depending on a lot of factors. In my case, I agreed to a smidge over 5 months to write the thing from scratch.

I had only previously written one sample chapter, which I included with my proposal. Since this was the third book of a series and they were already well acquainted with my writing, they accepted only one chapter, but usually a minimum of three are required for a new series or a stand-alone book.

Since I was super busy promoting the second book of the series, More Beauty, Less Beast, which had just been released about the time I signed the contract for the fear book (which didn't have its final title until about a month ago), I wasn't sure when I was going to find time to write. Traveling, speaking and conducting interviews to promote a book drain more energy than you can imagine ... not just living-day-to-day energy, but creative energy as well.

But I HAD to get the next book done. My contract said so.

So I budgeted out how many words I should write each week of my allocated time to complete it, with two spare weeks at the end for self-editing before turning it in. My contract called for 50k words, so a simple math equation provided me with my weekly goal, which I then divided by 7 to get a daily word count goal.

Then I knew that I must, as the commercial wisely instructs, just do it. 

So I did. When interruptions arose (as they inevitably do), and I wasn't able to log my daily word count, I made up for it before the week was out so I wouldn't fall too far behind. Then the two weeks at the end were used to go over the entire manuscript with a fine-tooth comb - that's called line editing - not just once, not just twice, but three times. And I was still finding things that needed to be tweaked.

Then after I submitted the completed manuscript, the waiting game begins. But I mustn't forget to mention that hitting that "send" button somehow cues my agent and editor (how do they know???) to begin elbowing me about ideas for my NEXT book. Yeesh! Is there no such thing as down time?

Okay, so we're still about 6 months away from my release date, Feb 1, 2013, sometime in November, I can expect to hear from my publishing house editor for the first round of edits. She doesn't make the changes, only suggests which changes that I'm to make. We arm-wrestle over any discrepancies of opinion that might arise, and then the usual course of action is that I yield and make the changes so she won't resort to a full body slam.

Once this final editing process begins, you're expected to give up life as you know it for about two weeks. Hurry, hurry hurry. As soon as you finish first round edits and turn in the corrected m/s, within a few days, it magically returns to you from yet another editor with more suggested changes. Or you might luck out and only have a few. But the process usually goes three rounds before you're presented with the galley, the finished product which shouldn't need any more changes. It's up the author to go through it one last time, checking every single word and punctuation mark, to make sure it's as perfect as it can be.

Then the galley goes to print. And within a few weeks, usually around three weeks before your scheduled release date, your beautiful brand spanking new book arrives in the mail, along with your "author copies." The number of these depends on what you negotiated for in your contract. Many times, it's between 20-50, but I always request 100 to give away at book events and for promotion.

And the real work begins. You dive in over your head into the promotion ocean, which I'll talk more about next time. So stay tuned for the next episode of, "As the Printing Press Burns ..."    

What Editors WISH They Could Say

Photo by Marion Crawford

Like most authors, I get asked, from time to time, by aspiring writers, if I could spare a minute or two (what they really mean is a week or two) to look over their newly completed manuscript and give them feedback.

The problem is that complex and misunderstood word, "completed."

In the words of the infinitely wise Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride, "You keep usin' that word. I don't think it means what you think it means."

After trudging through the muck of a raw, you're-obviously-not-smarter-than-a-fifth-grader, unproofed manuscript, I (and every other author/editor in the world) have attempted to sugar-coat my outrage at the audacity of this selfish person to ask me to waste my precious time when they obviously haven't even lifted a finger to truly complete their manuscript.

Let me make it simple. Completion = writing first draft + editing + rewriting + editing + rewriting + editing + rewriting + editing + editing + editing. If you've gotten this far, then you're serious enough to hire a professional editor to catch what you've missed and polish your work to a gleam before submitting it.

Clear?

If not, please let me be of further assistance. I recently ran across this (real) editorial response that made me not only laugh out loud, but jump to my feet, throw my fist in the air and yell, "YES!!" just like I did at the end of Babe. (Don't roll your eyes - I know you did too). Notice how this editor starts out biting-her-tongue nice and then the cat begins to claw its way out of the bag.

Please, please, dear aspiring writer, do your spit shining before submitting your manuscript. Don't ever deserve a letter like this. I've omitted the names to protect the guilty. I really don't know why.

Dear Arrogant Idiot,

I am sorry, but I cannot be a part of this. Your manuscript is nowhere near ready for anyone to read, much less buy. It is extremely rough and I am finding that merely editing it is totally inadequate. There are entire sections that make no sense, and many areas demonstrate redundancy and extremely awkward constructions. The disorganization and lack of direction make it difficult for your readers to follow your thought processes.

Honestly, AI, I've spent almost an hour on one page trying to figure out what in the world you were trying to say.

After struggling through this horrendous manuscript, I find that you are not a writer, no matter how badly you want to be one. You will always have to self-publish because no editor of any reputable publishing house would read more than a few lines of your manuscript before tossing it in the trash. I fear that you will be cheating people by selling even one copy of this grossly inadequate book.

You need a reality check, AI. You cannot write! You are self-deceived and delusional. Find something else you are good at and develop it to the best of your abilities. Writing is not it.

Most sincerely,
Editor with a splitting headache
 



 

Insight into WriterSpeak

Deb at a book event for Mom NEEDS Chocolate

I frequently get asked by aspiring writers to clarify writerspeak terms, so here's a few that I thought might be helpful to those just getting their feet wet in the sea of publication.

Copyright: Exclusive legal right to an artistic or literary work that is original and fixed in tangible form. Copyright exists for the life of the author + 70 years.

Permission must be granted from the copyright owner to use more than two lines of a poem, song, or passage. A copyright owner can be tracked down at copyright.com.

Public Domain: Work available for public use, usually because the rights have expired (e.g. the author is long dead and more than 70 years have passed).

Libel: A false printed statement about a living person that may damage his/her reputation, occupation, or business. Libel does not apply to stated opinions or dead people. Corporations and products can be libeled as well as individuals; beware of stating false statements as opinion (there's some gray area here but I wouldn't chance a lawsuit).

Invasion of privacy: May include intrusion upon seclusion (people have a legal right to their privacy), public disclosure of private facts (e.g. medical problems, sexual practices), false light (false portrayal that would be offensive to "reasonable" people; can be positive or negative), and commercial appropriation (using someone's name or image to endorse a product without permission).

I hope this helps un-muddy the water a bit. Special thanks to Jennie Miller Helderman for her excellent educational information that contributed to the above.

Flying by the Seat of my Pants

Deb in London Metro

Whew! It's been quite a whirlwind since the March release of More Beauty, Less Beast: Transforming Your Inner Ogre. Hence the irregular blog posts. My apologies if you've noticed.

But then it's always crazy-busy for a few months when a book first releases. Just during the months of March and April, I've had twelve radio or podcast interviews, two bookstore signings, and nine speaking engagements.

I actually enjoy the events themselves, once I get there and begin to meet all the lovely people. It's the physical traveling that gets to you, and the inability to spend any focused time on the next book. And that deadline looms large just around the corner.

Such is the struggle of all contracted authors: you must actively promote one book while you're working feverishly on the next. Sometimes when people ask you about something you've said, you can't remember what's in which book. Or you can't even remember what on earth they're talking about - I've had to ask a few radio hosts to quote me to me so I'll know what I said.

Anyway, I've often wished for Toast Master experience but for the last few years I've been so busy speaking that I never properly learned how to speak. So I'm going to remedy that next week by attending an in-depth workshop for speakers up in Georgia. (Ha! How many people in this country can say "up" in Georgia?)

I'm looking forward to it but at the same time, am quite nervous that I'll find out I've been doing it wrong all this time. Over 100 speaking gigs over the past three years, and I hadn't a clue what I was doing, just flew by the seat of my pants. I know what I like to hear in a speaker and I try to give that same thing to the audience: a few laughs, some helpful take-away points, and a lot of good stories.

I guess I'm really a storyteller beneath it all, and that's where my heart lies. I could sit and listen to a good storyteller all day, and learned early on that if I ever see an audience begin to drift, I can always bring 'em back with a juicy story.

What's a story you've heard that has had an impact on your life? Something that really stuck with you. I'd love for you to share it with me. 

Well, enough rambling for now. Got to work on speeches for two upcoming events. Sure wish I knew what I was doing.

Self-Publishing Online

Many people are researching self-publishing these days so I thought you'd find this info interesting. 

Here are some check-list items for uploading your manuscript to Amazon, which were shared at a recent workshop I attended by Lisa and Gina Nardini, sisters who recently self-published the children's middle grade book, The Underwear Dare, available both print and e-copies.

The Nardini sisters made over $12,000 the first year their book was released, so I would say whatever they're doing, they're doing it right!\..

1. Edit thoroughly
2. Develop a website for your book
3. Update your Facebook page and start collecting friends
4. Start a Facebook page for fans of your book
5. Set up a Twitter account and a Blog
6. Prepare a Press Release
7. Order business cards and bookmarks
8. Pick a fictitious name for your publishing company
9. File paperwork for this fictitious company
10. Choose your front and back book covers
11. Develop a marketing plan; include giveaways (order at least 50 extra copies)
12. Start thinking about tags (key words that describe your book)
13. Come up with a great hook
14. Think of at least ten friends you can send your book to for a good review
15. Plan a Facebook launch party for your book

Now you're ready to upload to Amazon.

Here are a few more crucial things to do after your book releases

1. Donate copies to your local library.
2. Link to other good (similar) books on your website (this will drive traffic)
3. Put photos and all the books on your Amazon Author page on your bio.
4. When using Twitter, use hashtags frequently, your link, and retweet often
5. Follow connected authors on Twitter by searching hashtags
6. Use Listmania on Amazon for free advertising (get on a list of books similar to yours)
7. List up to 15 tags (key words that describe your book on Amazon); tag words in your title, subject, tie your book to other "big" books, etc.

So how about you? Are you considering self-publishing online?

Best Reason in the World for Hairy Legs

Woo Hoo - it's finally here! More Beauty, Less Beast: Transforming Your Inner Ogre, the second book in Barbour's "Take On Life" series hit bookshelves on March 1.

And its author hit the floor running.

I realize that most folks don't have a clue what goes into a book launch and why for about six weeks following the book release authors look like they just slid off their Harleys after a cross-country jaunt without a helmet or Twinkies (the bare essentials).

So now is the time to explain why I can't meet you for lunch this week, why I won't be running any extra laps around the grocery store, and why I couldn't in a million years help you learn origami this month.

Since publishers closely follow book sales during the first eight weeks after a book comes out, authors must put all their fragile eggs in one basket and throw every bit of their weight into selling as many books as humanly possible during that time period.We know that publishers will take an impressive start into consideration when considering another book contract. And a slow start can work against you in the same way.

What makes an impressive start?

Well, that varies, but most authors agree that sales of 4-5k books during the first two months would do the trick, with the goal of at least 10k sales by the 4th or 5th month. If sales don't exceed 15k by the 7th or 8th month, you really won't have much of a leg to stand on in negotiating your next contract.

How do authors increase sales? By getting out there and generating interest by:

Nook (literally) & cranny,
Kindle a fire under readers
Speak to as many groups that can stand you
Saturate the media, including radio, TV, and newspaper interviews
Blog interviews and book reviews
Plaster your book cover everywhere
Set up book signings and/or readings (See my Event Schedule at www.DeboraCoty.com)
Run cool contests with great prizes (Like my "Name My Next Book" contest at www.DeboraCoty.com)
Have a FaceBook Launch Party (mine's on March 22, 8 pm ET on my Amazon author page - join the fun!)

Yep, making your book visible (and yourself by proximity), is vital. Of course all these things take an enormous amount of time, energy, and foresight. We actually have to start the ball rolling about two months before the release date, sometimes longer. Some bookstores require signings to be scheduled 2-3 months in advance, and many newspapers must be notified at least  8 weeks ahead of book-related events in order to print notices or book release announcements.

To give you some idea of how all this plays out, I have four radio interviews scheduled during just the first two weeks of March (more later), and 13 speaking events during the 7 weeks following the release date of More Beauty, Less Beast. Notices or articles should come out in four different newspapers, and my PR gal is diligently working on several TV interviews as we speak.

Whew! It's a whirlwind all right, but you know it's coming when you sign up for this gig. Or at least you hope it will because that means you're having a book published. You tell yourself you can rest later, and hope that low sales don't dictate that this will be your last book. If things go well, and another book contract rolls down the chute, you'll be doing it all over again in about six months.

So there you have it. The reason why girl authors (even authors of Beauty books!) with new releases have greasy hair, starving families, and hairy legs.

  

Keeping Our Writerly Spirits Up

A cool shot of the sunset on our way to England

I've been bustling around getting ready for the March 1 release of my newest inspirational women's book, More Beauty, Less Beast: Transforming Your Inner Ogre. 

Between arranging speaking gigs, filling out blog interviews, and writing articles, I managed to squeeze in a 3-day trip with Spouse to sign permit papers that our builder needed for a much-anticipated addition to our wee Smoky Mt. cabin.

It was incredibly cool seeing the room and porch that had been mere whimsy in my head for so many years actually coming to fruition. (Check out the photo I posted on FB).

Not unlike writing a book, really. It's absolutely amazing when the plot and characters that have been bouncing around in your head for ages finally take physical form in your story. No more wondrous feeling like that in the whole world!

Must be a little like the Almighty felt when he first created a zebra.

Anyway, since we can't be there to oversee the construction work (we live 9 hours away),  it's kind of like being in one of those reality shows where you come home to find your house has been remodeled while you were away. I just gave the builder my 3rd grade skill level stick drawing of the house in my head and he's taking it and running with it. Talk about blind trust!

But what I really wanted to talk about was what happened in the Franklin, NC bookstore near the hotel in which we camped out (couldn't stay in the cabin with the construction mess). Spouse and I had an hour to kill so we did one of our favorite things and browsed the awesome goods at Dalton's Christian Bookstore. It was a weekday evening and although I had been there before on previous trips, I didn't recognize any of the sales clerks.

While I was selecting the books I wanted to purchase, I looked around (as I always do in bookstores) for my own books and located both Everyday Hope and Mom NEEDS Chocolate. But I couldn't find Too Blessed to be Stressed, my book just released last August :(

I was so bummed.

I couldn't be happy that this wonderful store graciously carried my other two recent books, no. Instead I began obsessing that they'd intentionally passed on the other one because my writing just wasn't good enough. Mine just didn't measure up to the other books on the shelves. (I know, I know - this reasoning makes no sense at all when they carried my other two books, but since when does self-condemnation make sense?)

So I worked myself into a grand funk, digging my I'm-such-a-lousy-writer-everyone-hates-my-book pit deeper and deeper until I stood at the checkout feeling terrible about myself. It's a wonder buzzards weren't circling overhead.

The teen clerk went about her business ringing me up while I stood there feeling like a big fat failure.

It was then that I noticed from the corner of my eye, someone staring at me. It was the store manager, Lisa, whom I'd only met once and that was six months ago. "I LOVE your new book!" she burst out. "We read from Too Blessed to be Stressed every morning in our staff devotional time and we all laugh our heads off. I've recommended it to so many people. Did you see our display?"

Um, no, I hadn't. And so I just jumped to rotten conclusions and started beating up myself.

Why do we writers do this? Is it only me, or do you struggle with constantly flagging writerly self-esteem too? Can you share with me some of the ways you shake the funk?