Preserving the Dinosaurs

Just read that Nielsen says the average book published in the US sells fewer than 250 copies a year and fewer than 3,000 overall.

Yikes!

I've also read that self-published books sell an average of 75 copies.

Double yikes!

No wonder the printed word is in peril! I don't believe print books are dinosaurs (yet) - just look around at all the people reading them in airports, on beaches and hey, if authors could open up shop in doctor's waiting rooms and on cruise ships, we could sell a gazillion.

Follow the Rules if You Want to Get in the Game

I received a call this week from a first-time author who was asking about the procedure for submitting a book manuscript to publishers. The gentleman stated he'd already contacted the same publisher who'd handled my last four books.

When I asked to which editor he'd queried, he sat in clueless silence.

"I don't know. I just sent it in care of the publishing house. Query? What's that?" he replied.

"You didn't send a query? What exactly did you send?" I inquired with a sinking sensation.

"Well, I sent my entire manuscript," he said defensively. "That's what the writers guidelines said."

This puzzled me, for in my previous dealings with this particular publisher, I'd always followed the accepted industry standard of first sending a one-page query, then if I received a positive response from the editor, I'd follow up by sending a formal book proposal. At that point, Lord willing and the creek don't rise, the editor would request the complete manuscript.

"Didn't the writers guidelines give you a specific editor's name? "

"No, at least I don't think so. I didn't really read it that closely."

I didn't know how to let him down gently. "Then I fear that your submission went directly to the slush pile. If it was addressed to no one in particular, that's who will open it. No one. And most traditional publishers are so busy these days, they'd never get around to reviewing an unsoliticied manuscript. That's why they request one-page query letters first, to weed out the manuscripts that aren't on their 'grocery list' that will just waste their time."

If you want to play a game, you have to follow the rules.

I looked up the Publisher's guidelines in my trusty Christian Writers' Market Guide (the writer's BIBLE) and I could see how the fellow could have gotten a bit confused. Although it does say "accepts mss through agents or authors" it meant that submissions are acceptable from authors, not just agents. Farther down in the listing it stated, "send e-query; proposal/3 chapters when requested."

Rule of thumb: Unless clearly stated otherwise, when submitting to traditional book publishers (that means publishers who pay royalties, NOT self-publishers or subsidy presses) follow the standard formula (in this order) :

1) One-page query
2) Proposal/sample chapters
3) Entire manuscript

Do your homework, aspiring authors! If you send unsoliticited material, it is highly likely that your time, expense and hopes will be dashed and it will land squarely in the slush pile.

Tools to Tweet By

Are you on Twitter? I found a website that demystifies Twitter, and gives some helpful suggestions, too. 

Tools for Tweeting

Kindle Giveaway and Launch Party!

Starting August 14th through August 31st, the big blog tour for Amish Proverbs: Words of Wisdom from the Simple Life kicks off!

Revell and Litfuse Group have teamed up for a big launch party on September 1st, with prizes offered...including a grand prize of an Amazon Kindle!

Here's how to be a part of the giveaway:

Go to this link:
Suzanne Woods Fisher, public figure

Join the page if you haven't already, and click on Events for party info! 

Hope to see you there!

This & That

Between trips to the mountains and beach (and my job as a hand therapist, of course), I've been feverishly working on the final chapters of my new book Too Blessed to Stay Stressed. I'm down to two chapters and just realized I've eeked over my final word count. Bummer.

Ironically, I suddenly feel stressed.

I had to pull one completed chapter because the person involved in the personal anecdote I used decided she didn't want to be included in my book, name and identifying details changed or not. BIG bummer. That's why it's important to ask permission to use real people in anything published - better to find out before it goes to print that in a court of law afterwards.

This Sat, 8/7/10, I'll be presenting my FREE writing mini-workshop, "So You Want to Be a Writer ..." at the Brandon, FL Family Christian Store from 1-2 pm. Then the following Sat, 8/14, I'll be taking part in a joint book signing event by 5 local authors at the Plant City, FL Truth Christian Store and Event Center from 11 am - 1 pm, followed by "So You Want to Be a Writer ..." at 1 pm.

If you're in the area and have a burning desire to know how to share your own story with the world, please drop by. I'll look for you!

Verses for Writer's

Dianne Butt's favorite Bible verse for writers:

“Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it...”

2 Corinthians 8:11, NIV

Diane writes a very helpful e-zine for writers. You can subscribe at: www.DianneEButts.com.

Is Social Media Right For Your Book?

The following is an interesting article about effective book promotion from Reader Views newsletter.

by Irene Watson

I'm inundated with e-mails, newsletters, and tweets telling me "they" can help me climb the social media ladder and get high rankings, increased sales, and who knows what else. Let's face it, social media is over-hyped and many are attempting to make bucks for themselves as experts without concrete results for the authors. I also see many authors state they have launched a social media campaign because they have a Facebook page or are using Twitter. Unfortunately this isn't a social media campaign.

To have a social media campaign you must:
set a goal
develop a plan
identify tactics
execute the plan.

Deciding whether or not social media is right for selling your book is simple:
1. Accept that social media is over-hyped and it's not the silver lining that will get your book to the NYT Best Sellers List. It's very possible it will not make the list so accept it, or buy into it.
2. Recognize social media is only one marketing tool in sea of others. I've listed only a few examples below.
3. Decide whether or not your book is right for a social media campaign. It could be all your "friends" on your Facebook list already have the book or aren't interested in it. Or maybe your book isn't relevant at this time. As well, avoid spamming your friends. If they want the book, they will buy it after one or two invitations to do so.
4. Acknowledge that your book may not have social media appeal because you are an unknown author. You're not Dan Browne so you'll have to work 100 times harder on your campaign than his publicist would.
5. Understand that for social media you have to use the same business models as you would for any business: branding, research, reader retention, e-commerce, and generating leads. (See article on landing pages.) If you have a product for sale (your book) you have a business. Treat it like a business.
6. Realize social media isn't free. What? It's free to sign up on Facebook and Twitter. But, that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about top-notch website/landing page and your time. Yes, you need to get paid for the work you do. Oh gosh, I almost forgot; Your Book Must Be Top-Notch. That means professionally edited, good character development and plot, is relevant and you must have credibility.
7. Be aware it takes more than 10 minutes a day to execute a successful social media campaign. Many experts tell you all you need to do is spend a few minutes and post on Twitter and Facebook daily or several times a day. Wrong. If you do that, that's all you're doing -posting on Twitter and Facebook and it's not moving the dial on the who-gives-a-crap meter.

Examples of social media tools:
Remember, there are many social media tools available so you aren't bound by just using Facebook or Twitter. Some others are:
MySpace - great for targeting the younger crowd.
Linkedin- more professional and business like than Facebook
Flickr - it's a good place for uploading photos of your book launch
Podcasting - needs to be relevant to your book but not a blatant advertisement for your book
YouTube - a place to upload your book video to. It's the second highest search engine.
HowCast - great place to post your "how-to" video
TubeMogul - upload your book video once and they distribute to other video sharing sites
Google Alerts - plug in key words pertaining to your book and you'll be alerted what blogs are commenting on that topic. You can then post a response leading back to your landing page. (However, don't spam your book!)
Blog - Have one. But, only if you are willing to post an article three or four times per week.
Articles - Write articles and post them on article sites.

These are just a few tactics that can be used effectively in your social media campaign. If you Google "Social Media Tools" you'll become exposed to hundreds of them. Do research and decide for yourself whether or not social media will actually bring sales of your book. One more reminder (I know, I keep harping on this!!) anything you do to market your book has to move the dial on the who-gives-a-crap meter of the potential reader. (And, that doesn't mean Mom, cuz Joe, or Aunt Mae - it means someone that doesn't know you.)

Source: Reader Views by Irene Watson