Beginning Writers Can Get Published

 

Over the last 30 years Greg Stielstra, author of Pyromarketing, marketed hundreds of Christian books including The Purpose Driven Life. During that time, he noticed a disturbing trend. Some Christian authors sought fame because they believed only celebrities could influence culture. What’s more, they thought to sell lots of book required hiding their Christian content. In a sort of publishing bait and switch, some authors thought they must achieve a platform with secular books—or at least books that minimized faith content before they could use their platform for good. The formula was, “First become famous and then make a difference.”

Greg saw things differently. He saw authors like Lee Strobel achieve tremendous success by writing books with clear biblical content that helped people. The formula was reversed; first make a difference and then the platform will follow. “Aim at Heaven,” C.S. Lewis correctly noted, “and you get Earth thrown in. Aim at Earth and you’ll get neither.”

It's a myth that beginning writers do not get published. Because it happened years ago, many people forget about a brand-new fantasy writer who was looking for an agent named J. K. Rowling. There is a little discussed story about Harry Potter that I read originally in this article in The Observer.

Almost everyone knows that J. K. Rowling was an unpublished children’s writer and single mother who wrote Harry Potter in a coffee shop and dreamed of getting published. How was the book discovered and brought into the publishing world?

J. K. Rowling overcame incredible hurdles to secure that initial book contract. Some of those hurdles she passed through with sheer good luck. There is no other way to categorize it. Rowling’s experience definitely fell outside the normal way of publishing.

Here’s the two key paragraphs (in my view) from this article: “The agency, run in ‘cramped’ and ‘near-Dickensian’ offices in Fulham, south-west London, was cash-strapped until touched by Potter’s magic wand. Literary folklore has it that Rowling, then a penniless 29-year-old single mother, walked into a public library in Edinburgh, looked up a list of literary agents and settled on the name Christopher Little because it sounded like a character from a children’s book.”

“Bryony Evens, the office manager at the time, has said that it went straight into the reject basket because ‘Christopher felt that children’s books did not make money’. But its unusual black binding caught her eye, prompting her to read the synopsis and show it to Little. He recalled: ‘I wrote back to JK Rowling within four days of receiving the manuscript. I thought there was something really special there, although we could never have guessed what would happen to it.’ He managed to sell it to Bloomsbury for £2,500, but later it reaped huge rewards from international rights and he has won a reputation as a brilliant deal-maker who puts Rowling first.”

With the current exchange rates, £2,500 is just a bit over $3,100. Also, this article mentions the agent has received an estimated commission of over $100 million. Not a bad return for pulling a manuscript with an unusual manuscript with black binding from the reject basket.

Don’t assume your material can go into this “other” category for how it becomes published. I’d encourage you to work through the normal channels as much as possible but be aware that sometimes a project will jump to the front of the line. 

Why Every Book Needs a Proposal (Even Self-Published)

No matter what method you choose in the publishing world, I encourage you to create a book proposal. Whether it is fiction or nonfiction, you need to create this document because it is your business plan for your book. Years ago, as a frustrated acquisitions editor, I wrote Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets to Speed Your Success. This book has over 150 Five Star reviews and many people have used it to get published. Also I have a free book proposal checklist and a free teleseminar about proposals. 

I’ve read thousands of book proposals as an acquisitions editor and a former literary agent. I continually teach on the topic because I believe many writers don’t understand the critical nature of this specialized document called a book proposal.

On the traditional side of publishing, editors and agents read proposals. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve written nonfiction or fiction because this document includes information which never appears in your manuscript yet is critical in the decision-making process. 

Many authors have not written a book proposal because have written a full manuscript. From my perspective of working in book publishing for over 30 years, every author should create a book proposal for their book—whether eventually they publish the book with a company where they pay to get it published (subsidy or self-publishing) or whether they find a traditional book publisher. In the proposal creation process, the author learns critical elements about their book concept plus they are better positioned in the marketplace.

Here are four of the many benefits of proposal creation:

1. You Define Your Target Market. Many authors believe their book will hit a broad target—everyone. No successful book is for everyone. Each book has a primary target audience, and the proposal creation process helps you define, pinpoint and write about this audience. It is important in nonfiction but it is also important in fiction. For example, romance is the largest fiction genre yet there are many divisions within the romance genre. The proposal helps to define this division and helps the publisher understand who will be creating the sales.

Every proposal needs a target which is defined—yet large enough to generate volume sales. You learn and achieve this balance when you create a page-turning book proposal.

2. You Understand Your Competition. Book proposals force writers to take a hard look at what is already on the market, and what if anything they bring to the conversation.  Many new authors believe they are writing something unique with no competition. It’s not true. Every book competes in the marketplace, and you will be a better equipped author if you understand your competition.

3. You Create A Personal Plan For Marketing. As you create a book proposal, you will include practical, specific and measurable ideas that can executed when your book enters the market. The proposal will be a valuable reference tool for you because you’ve done this important evaluation process.

4. You Possess A Valuable Tool To Pitch Agents and Editors at Traditional Houses. Literary agents and editors do not read manuscripts. They read book proposals. Even novelists need a book proposal for their initial pitch to an editor or agent. And if you self-publish and are successful with selling your book, because you own everything, if you receive an attractive offer from a traditional house, then you can move the book. Without a proposal you can’t properly pitch the concept and you’ve eliminated this possibility. 

Throughout my years in publishing, I have made multiple trips to New York City and met with some of the top literary agents and editors. Almost each time, I am asked, “Where is the next Prayer of Jabez or Purpose Driven Life or Left Behind or ______ (name the bestselling book)?” Each of these books sold millions of copies. The Left Behind books continue to sell over 100,000 copies a year—and they were originally published over 30 years ago. These professionals are actively looking every day for the next bestseller. Yes, they may be telling you their agency is full and they have no room on their list for your book—but the reality is something different. 

I encourage you to keep looking for the right fit for your manuscript. It’s part of the editorial search that every writer undergoes to discover the right place for their book to be published.

Tweetable:

It’s a publishing myth that beginning writers do not get published. This bestselling author and editor shows that every publishing professional is actively looking for the right author and book. Learn the details here. (ClickToTweet)

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in California. Get Terry’s newsletter and a 87-page FREE ebook packed with writing insights. Just follow this link to subscribe. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an associate publisher at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including  Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. Get Terry’s recent book, 10 Publishing Myths for only $10, free shipping and bonuses worth over $200. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Every Book Needs a Target

By Terry Whalin (@terrywhalin)

For decades, I’ve been an editor meeting with authors and reading their book submissions. Many of these submissions are missing a foundational element: a specific target audience. I’ve read numerous submissions which proclaim, “My book is for everyone.”

While I’ve written and published many books for traditional publishers, I’d love to write a book for “everyone.” Yet that has never happened. If I am honest, no book is for everyone. Yes, some books reach a broad segment of the reading public, yet every successful writer has a specific target audience. There is an old saying, “If you aim at nothing, you will be sure to hit it.”

Recently I received an excellent, well-crafted proposal from a business writer.  She knew her target reader and was reaching this reader through her on-going marketing efforts (online and in print). While her concept and presentation was fresh and interesting, this author also knew how to test her audience and get feedback. From this testing data, she knew the concepts and stories in her book would meet a reader need.  A proposal where the writer has identified a primary, secondary and tertiary audience is including this foundational material that will attract attention from literary agents and publishers.

In contrast, I’ve also read a proposal from a children’s book author who picked a large age group for their target audience (3 to 12). From the target, I knew this writer had no concept of a particular reader, and it showed throughout the pitch. Children’s books are a segmented market with the words and illustrations targeted to a specific audience. Just walk into any brick-and-mortar bookstore and take the time to study the children’s section. The sections and divisions are clearly marked and are segments every bookstore and library use to divide these books. While your book may eventually reach more than one target, the pitch needs to be aimed at and written to one audience. While literary agents and editors are looking for writers with a target, they also are looking for authors with the ability to reach their target audience. You can reach your target through social media but also an email list, magazine articles, regular speaking, and many other methods.

Your connection to the audience is often called a platform, and every writer (fiction or nonfiction) needs to be actively building their audience.  I have a free ebook, Platform-Building Ideas for Every Author at: http://terrylinks.com/pb The identification of your audience is the foundation of every book proposal. 

Imagine an archery target. You will have a primary audience (the bullseye) but you will have secondary readers as well (the other circles).  The aim and focus of your proposal need to be your target reader.  Follow this foundational proposal principle to make your submission standout.

Do you have a specific target audience? Does this target audience fit into a bookstore category? Thoughtful answers to these questions will help you refine your pitch to an editor or literary agent and get your book published. Let me know your actions in the comments below.

Tweetable:

If you believe your book is for everyone, this bestselling author and editor gives the details so you can refine your target audience and sell more books. #pubtip #thewritinglife (ClickToTweet)

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in California. Get Terry’s newsletter and a 87-page FREE ebook packed with writing insights. Just follow this link to subscribe. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including  Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. Get Terry’s recent book, 10 Publishing Myths for only $10, free shipping and bonuses worth over $200. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Beef Up Your Proposal Marketing Section

By Terry Whalin (@terrywhalin)

When writers take personality tests, the majority are introverts. They prefer to write more articles or books instead of spending the time to market their books. Yet the marketing section of your book proposal can be the difference between rejection and acceptance. Every writer has to learn these marketing skills.

PT Barnum said, “Without promotion, something terrible happens. Nothing.” Publishers create well-designed and well-edited books that they distribute to bookstores. These companies make large investments in the production of these books. Yet the sale of these books or moving them from the booktore into the hands of readers is largely up to the author.

If you self-publish, then you have all of this responsibility. Even if you self-publish, you still need to craft a book proposal (nonfiction or fiction). This proposal is your business plan of how you are going to put together your book. From my years in publishing, I know the critical nature of this document and in particular the marketing section.

As an author, you have to show your passion through action. Successful authors will continue to market and promote their book long after others have given up. For example, I’m still promoting and marketing radio interviews about  my Billy Graham biography even though it released in November 2014.  I continue to market this book every day.

Here’s several ideas for the marketing section of your proposal:

--Create practical plans which you can execute on your own timetable. From my book, I pulled 10 Facts about Billy Graham into an info-graphic. These facts became a bookmark on one side and the other side includes the book cover and a brief endorsement. Can you create this type of practical tool for your book then distribute the bookmark to bookstores for bag stuffers?  

--Read book marketing books like 1001 Ways to Market Your Books by John Kremer or The Book Marketing Coach by Brent Sampson or then apply what you are learning to the marketing section of your proposal.

--Every publisher is going to want to see how many readers you can directly reach. Social media numbers are good but do you have an email list? How large is that email list? The larger the number for your email list you can include  the better. 

--Commit to tell others about your book every week. Most authors do nothing so if you are actively talking about your book, your efforts will pay off. As marketing expert Sarah Bolem says, “Consumers generally need to be exposed to a new product seven to twelve times before they will purchase it.” 

--Who can you get to write the foreword for your book? Do you know people who can endorse the book (in your target market). Include this information in the marketing section of your proposal. The right endorsement for your target reader will help you sell books and the attention of a publisher.

If you build these types of marketing plans into your proposal, it will standout to editors and agents. Which method are you going to add into your proposal or author activity? Let me know in the comments below.

Tweetable:

Editors and literary agents are looking for authors who will market their books. This bestselling author explains how to beef up the marketing section of your proposal. #pubtip #thewritinglife (ClickToTweet)

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in California. Get Terry’s newsletter and a 87-page FREE ebook packed with writing insights. Just follow this link to subscribe. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including  Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. Get Terry’s recent book, 10 Publishing Myths for only $10, free shipping and bonuses worth over $200. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Make A Lasting First Impression

 

By Terry Whalin (@terrywhalin)

In the rush to show a literary agent or editor your idea, many writers forget a simple yet important truth: You only get one chance to make a good first impression. As an editor and former literary agent, I’ve read thousands of written proposals and pitches. For over 35 years, I’ve taught at writer’s conferences and had short 15 minute sessions with writers who show their ideas. When an editor asks for your proposal or manuscript, are you sending it? If you follow through with an excellent submission, you will be among the few who do so. It may be surprising to you, but many people do not submit their requested materials.  No wonder they don’t get published because they do not get into the process,

Let’s begin with some good news. I’ve been with some of the top publishers and literary agencies in New York City. Without exception, every single agent and editor is actively reading and speaking with writers. They are searching for the next bestseller. Whether you write a novel or nonfiction, every writer needs a book proposal or pitch. Why? Imagine receiving over 100 pitches a day (not uncommon for a well-connected literary agent). The title and first few sentences are critical to catch their enthusiasm. 

There are a number of keys to making a great proposal. 

1. Create a memorable book title. Many writers are worried that someone else will take their title. Instead you need to try it out on others and test it and make sure it pulls in your reader.

2. Read and re-read your opening paragraphs. Have a trusted writer friend read it and give feedback. If an oral pitch, then practice it. You’d be surprised at the difference it will make.

3. Write to a well-defined target audience. No book is for everyone.

4. Detail your competition. Every book competes in the marketplace—no matter what you believe about the uniqueness of your idea. You need to include four or five specific competitive titles to your book.

5. Present a realistic marketing plan of what you will do to partner with the publisher to sell books into the market. Your plans need to be practical and clearly defined.

Your writing and story is unique and I know you have something unique and  special to give to the marketplace. As an editor, I’ve met authors who have created a negative first impression. At a large writers conference, I was in an indepth conversation with an author. Suddenly another author interrupted and thrust his poorly designed, self-published children’s book into my hands, then turned and left to find another editor or literary agent. I do not remember what I did with that book or author but I never spoke with him again. His first impression made a lasting negative impact. What type of first impression will you make today?

Here’s three resources to learn more detail: 

1. Book Proposals That Sell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success which I wrote as a frustrated acquisitions editor and has 150 Five Star Amazon reviews. You can also download a free copy of the full book at this website: https://bookproposals.ws. 

2. Get my free Ebook, Some Book Proposal Insights and teleseminar at: www.AskAboutProposals.com 

3. Consider taking my online Write A Book Proposal course where I have step-by-step teaching how to make your best impression.

If you use these resources, then you will make the right type of lasting first impression. As I said at the beginning of this article, we only have one opportunity for a good first impression. Which one will you make? Let me know in your comments.

Tweetable:

As writers, we have one chance to make a good first impression. This bestselling author gives resources and details for your writing life. #pubtip #thewritinglife (ClickToTweet)

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in California. Get Terry’s newsletter and a 87-page FREE ebook packed with writing insights. Just follow this link to subscribe. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including  Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. Get Terry’s recent book, 10 Publishing Myths for only $10, free shipping and bonuses worth over $200. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Persist For the Right Fit

 

By Terry Whalin (@terrywhalin)

Change is the only constant in the publishing world. It’s like playing the childhood game of musical chairs. The players are constantly in motion and change positions and roles. It’s one of the reasons for writers reading the trade publications which report significant personnel changes. Editors become literary agents. Literary agents change and work for a publisher or they become a freelance editor. These examples are just a couple of the continually shifting landscape. 

As a writer, you have a dream and a desire to publish your words. It takes a lot of perseverance and persistence to find the right publisher for your work. The Chicken Soup for the Soul series is one of the bestselling series in the English language. Most people have forgotten their challenging beginning. Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen were rejected 140 times before they located a publisher. That is a lot of rejections in the search to find the right fit.

There is only one way your book doesn’t get published or your story doesn’t appear in print or your book stops selling. It’s when you as a writer give up on your dream and stop. 

* You stop meeting new editors at a conference or on LinkedIN or through an online group.

* You stop reading about new publishing houses and new publications. Change can mean opportunity for your book and your writing--if you don’t stop.

* You stop pitching your writing or your book to literary agents and editors

* You stop writing a book proposal and query letter. If you haven’t read my Book Proposals That Sell (The Revised Edition), I encourage you to download the free Ebook then read it and take action on the information. 

I don’t encourage anyone reading these words to stop but instead to choose to keep going until you find the right fit for your writing. 

I heard a published author with an agent talk about her devotional going out to numerous publishers (40 is the number I recall) and getting rejected. The agent and author could not find the right place to publish this idea. Then one of the editors moved to a different publishing house. This editor remembered the author’s pitch and asked for the proposal. It was published along with three additional books. Her persistence paid off with four published devotional books. 

Also, recently I met a new magazine editor. One of my friends had written an original story for that magazine and never received a response. Her experience was a common one. When I asked this editor about another editor who attended last year. I learned he was no longer with the magazine. I asked if my friend could resend her article to the publication. The editor said this friend should send it directly to her and use my name with the submission. Will it get published? I don’t know if it will happen but now my friend has another opportunity. As with the book author, it takes persistence to find the right fit.

Many writers are following the “Field of Dreams” action plan. I’m referring to the movie where they build a baseball field then players and people come to it--even in an Iowa cornfield. Writers believe if they pitch to the right literary agent, their book will get traditional published. They believe if they build a great website, people will come. Or writers have many other fantasy ideas which are not based on reality. You must actively be looking for the right connection and the right fit through your email, phone calls and much more. When you locate a possibility, act and explore it. For example, several months ago I spent a chunk of time reaching out to the writers I met at a conference. One of those people emailed me back saying she pulled my email out of her spam or junk folder. What is sitting in your spam folder that could be an opportunity?

If you seize the moment, change can provide a fresh opportunity. How have you learned that it takes persistence to find the right fit? Let me know in your comments.

Tweetable:

There is only one way your work doesn’t get published: you give up. This prolific writer and editor give the details why it takes persistence to find the right fit.  #pubtip #thewritinglife (ClickToTweet)

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in California. Get Terry’s newsletter and a 87-page FREE ebook packed with writing insights. Just follow this link to subscribe. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including  Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. Get Terry’s recent book, 10 Publishing Myths for only $10, free shipping and bonuses worth over $200. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

More About Getting Your Book Into Libraries

 

By Terry Whalin (@terrywhalin)

Last month, I gave you some details about how to get your book into your library (here’s the link to that article). In this article, I have some different actions along with a resource to give you much more detail about success with libraries.

As an author with a book in the library, you have to earn your spot for others to check out your book. I want to give you some ideas about the action steps you need to take.

I reached out to my local collection librarian. I asked what sort of check out activity does a book need to remain in the collection.  While this standard may be different for every library, here's what I learned: “We are a demand-driven collection, so everything on our shelves earns it’s spot! Our nonfiction collection has an average turnover of five checkouts per year per book, so circulation needs to be close to that to either stay on our shelves, or if the book is damaged, then the library will need to repurchase.”

From my exchange with this librarian,  I’ve created a plan to regularly plan to market my own books which are inside my local library. In the past, I’ve done nothing to encourage local people in the library to use my books. Now I'm going to regularly encourage my local writer’s group and others to check out and use my books from the library bookshelf. Through my own marketing efforts, I want to help my books stay in the collection.  My encouragement for others to check out my books from the library doesn’t have to be sophisticated or fancy—but it does have to happen on a regular and consistent basis. I take on this additional activity which stems from my marketing philosophy of taking 100% responsibility for my own success.

A second way to earn your right to be read is to learn the craft of storytelling. It is a developed skill to tell interesting stories. Some of it you can pick up through extensive reading, but it is also a skill which can be taught as you learn how a mixture of dialogue and narration detail can make for page turning writing. As you tell interesting stories about your books in the library to your local writer friends, it encourages them to check out your books.

A third way to earn your spot is to incorporate the checking out of your book into different types of writing such as your blog, your social media posts and even your podcasts.

A fourth way to earn your spot is to try different promotion methods with your library. For example, can you work with the local librarian to create a simple bookmark which they will give out at your library (and promote your book)? Some of your ideas will be rejected or failed. The difference between those who succeed and those who don’t. The ones who succeed keep going forward even when they are rejected. Our world is full of opportunity. As a writer, you must seize the day, keep your fingers on the keys and keep moving forward. 

The fifth and final way to learn about selling your book to libraries is to get my special offer of my printed book, 10 Publishing Myths. This special offer comes with over $200 of free bonuses but one of these bonus audios is important to selling your book into libraries. I interviewed a self-published author who sold thousands of his books to public libraries. If you want to get your book into libraries, you have to follow a well-worn path of success. For the first step, find someone who knows the path and learn from them. Next, get the details such as which libraries and which librarian along with crafting your pitch. After you get the order, create an invoice, mailing the books and if necessary follow-up. After perfecting this process, you repeat it with librarian after librarian. It will take work and effort to sell your books. Each of you can sell your book into libraries—but only if you do the work.

In my office, I have a series of writing craft how-to books which contain numerous insights. If I don’t read them then take action, they do nothing for me. If you want to see your book in libraries, take the first step, get this audio recording, follow the well-worn path and do consistent work. Let me know your plans in the comments. 

Tweetable:

Authors need to take specific actions to get your bookinto libraries inside this  article from editor and author Terry Whalin. (Click-To-Tweet)   

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in California. Get Terry’s newsletter and a 87-page FREE ebook packed with writing insights. Just follow this link to subscribe. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including  Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. Get Terry’s recent book, 10 Publishing Myths for only $10, free shipping and bonuses worth over $200. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Get Your Book Into Libraries

By Terry Whalin (@terrywhalin) 

While there are many different ways and places to sell your book, I rarely see articles about how to get your book into libraries. In this article I want to give you some ideas and resources for your books.  If you are counting on your publisher or someone else to take these actions, I encourage you to use your own passion for your book to take action with libraries.

Through the years, I’ve learned libraries have a system to acquire books for their collection. If you put your book in the donation box inside the library, from my experience, those books go into a place where the library sells books to the public and not into the collection (where they are available to the public for years). There are over 120,000 libraries in the United States with over 100,000 of those school libraries. Even if you focus on the 17,000 public libraries, that amounts to many books, and I would love to have my books in those libraries.

I am a regular user of my local library, and I hope you are as well. Years ago when my biography of Billy Graham released, I checked with my local librarian about the book and they ordered the hardcover version of my book and put it into the collection. I understand libraries have limited space for books and their collection is always in motion. When I checked again a few years later, that book was no longer in the collection. I did find my book in a couple of other libraries where people can ask for it and read it.

When I searched my local library for my own name, I found one book, 10 Publishing Myths. I noticed they have three copies, and all three copies were available. The library allows patrons to rate books—so I added my rating to 10 Publishing Myths (yes five stars).  I also checked out my book. Then I searched for Book Proposals That Sell, and nothing came up and I knew my new book was not in my local library. The system offered me to use a tool called Prospector (which searches).  I found my book in one library—but the book was my first edition and not my revised and current book.

Midwest Review, a respected publication from libraries, reviewed Book Proposals That Sell (follow this link to look at the review. Jim Cox, Editor-in-Chief wrote, “If you only have time to read one ’how to’ guide to getting published, whether it be traditional publishing or self-publishing, “BookProposals That Sell” is that one DIY instructional book.” 

I reached out to my library reference librarian and asked her about how to get my new book into the collection. I sent this quote from Jim Cox at Midwest Review in my request and I took an additional step. I have prepared a one page library information sheet. If you check this sheet, you will see that it is targeted for libraries. Anyone can print this single page, then take it to their local library and request the book. 

I have several action steps for you from this article:

1. Print my one-page sheet (use this link) and take it to your local library and request my book for your library. 

2. Use this sheet as a template for your own book. I’ve uploaded my Word document (this link). Download it then rework it for own book request form, then promote it to your audience and encourage them to request your book in their library.

3. After your book gets in your library, do your best to promote the library book to others, encouraging them to check it out and use the book (which will keep it in the collection). For example, I belong to a local group of writers. Now that I know our local library has my 10 Publishing Myths, I will make a regular effort to tell the group and encourage them to check out the book and use it.  I belong to their local online group, and I can post a little note about the group which would include a link to the exact place in the library where the writer can put my book on hold and use it. Libraries have budgets to purchase books for their patrons—especially ones they have requested. As an author and a local user of your library, you can tap into this resource.

Our lives in publishing are not easy but are possible. I hope in this article along with part two next month, I’ve given you some ideas and encouragement to keep moving ahead. What steps are you going to take to get your book into libraries? Let me know in the comments below. 

Tweetable:

Take some actions to get your book into libraries and follow these specific insights from author and editor Terry Whalin: https://bit.ly/4vKHLlp #writinglife #pubtip (ClickToTweet)

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in California. Get Terry’s newsletter and a 87-page FREE ebook packed with writing insights. Just follow this link to subscribe. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including  Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. Get Terry’s recent book, 10 Publishing Myths for only $10, free shipping and bonuses worth over $200. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

More on Increasing Your Productivity

By Terry Whalin (@terrywhalin)

I’m always experimenting and eager to learn any new habit which will increase my productivity. Last month I gave some ideas about your email and in this article, I want to suggest some ideas for other areas which will help you.

First, let’s look at your telephone. When concentrating on a writing task, you don’t have to reach for the phone when it rings. Let it go to voicemail. Alex Mandossian, the Internet marketing entrepreneur, sets specific hours from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday as his open call times for a new prospect or existing clients to phone him. There is no rule you have to be available 24 hours a day. Take control of your time on the telephone.

Another time waster is following the news continually throughout the day. Make a decision to limit this information and instead spend the time on your writing. It may take some concerted effort on your part to wean yourself from constantly monitoring an event but focus on the benefits and additional writing time you will gain from it.

How about the one-eyed monster or television as another time waster? As with the news situation, you may have to wean yourself from it but focus on the valuable writing time you will gain from such an effort.

Then there are family interruptions. Again, take control of this situation in your life. Hang a sign on the door or create a signal that you are occupied and unavailable unless something unusual occurs such as the building is burning. Make sure, however, you’re available to family members at other times but not during the time you have set aside for your writing life.

Also, what about volunteer obligations and free writing opportunities? Do these obligations fit into your long- or short-term writing plans, or are they completely separate from your goals in this area? If the latter, then look for ways to disengage from these activities so you can focus on your writing goals. 

In addition, it is a challenge for anyone to spend long periods of time at their computer writing. Perhaps it’s easier for you to write in short bursts of energy and consistently spend 50 minutes of concentrated effort on your writing. After the completion of this stint, you stand up, stretch, and take a break, and then return to your chair to work another 50 minute session. It’s been said that what your butt can’t endure, your mind can’t absorb. You will increase your productivity if you focus on shorter periods of time and write intensely during those shorter time periods. To focus on 50 minutes, use a countdown timer as a tool to put psychic pressure on you to get done faster and better. You can get a free countdown timer at: https://timeleft.info/and use it to increase your productivity.

Finally, valuable practice is to write down your plans for the next day before you leave your writing. Then throughout the night and before you return to your writing, you will have a definite plan about what you will write next. Some writers intentionally leave an incomplete sentence in their manuscript. This sentence allows them to return to the computer, open the file, and instantly begin typing on their document. Other writers will retype the last paragraph of their manuscript just to get their fingers moving. 

A critical part of our lives as writers is to continually be learning, experimenting then taking action and building habits which will increase our productivity. Which ideas are you going to try and incorporate into your writing? 

Tweetable:

New habits and experimentation can increase the productivity of your writing life. This prolific author and editor gives some more ideas in this article. (ClickToTweet)

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in California. Get Terry’s newsletter and a 87-page FREE ebook packed with writing insights. Just follow this link to subscribe. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including  Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. Get Terry’s recent book, 10 Publishing Myths for only $10, free shipping and bonuses worth over $200. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Increase Your Productivity

 

By Terry Whalin (@terrywhalin)

Because I’m involved in publishing, publishers and authors will send me books to review. As a literary agent or editor, writers will send email pitches or book proposals or manuscripts in the mail for consideration. If I am not consciously organizing this material, it does not take long for the paper and books to overwhelm my workspace and bottleneck any level of productivity. 

Maybe you’ve had this experience where the piles around you grow to such a level that you can’t accomplish anything because you spend half of your time looking for a particular item. I’ve walked into the offices of some editors, and they have paperwork piled everywhere. Some can barely reach their computer and desk because of the work piled around them. These editors have learned to work in the middle of such chaos, but it doesn’t work for me. 

Another editor friend is so organized that she has each of the books on her shelf alphabetized by the author’s last name. I’m definitely not that organized! The key to productivity for your publishing dreams is to create a system to tame the paper tigers in your life, the time wasters such as physical mail and email. 

Let’s return to the basic time wasters and find a solution for each one. 

First let’s tackle your email. There is no rule that you have to read or respond to every single email. In fact, it is unrealistic to have this expectation. Also reevaluate your participation in online email groups with high volume participation. What value are you getting from this group? Can you drop out or go into a digest format and skim the responses? It is worth your examination to find a more effective way to handle these emails. 

Veteran coach and management consultant David Allen has written a best-selling book I recommend called GETTING THINGS DONE. For every email or physical mail in your in-basket, Allen recommends you determine first, “Is it actionable?” If not, it goes into the trash, begins a tickler file so you can act on it later, or is filed for reference in a place you can retrieve it. If you look at the item and decide you can take action, then in less than two minutes, handle it (do it), delegate it (to someone else) or defer it (take action at a later date and set a specific time). These three steps move the items out of the holding pattern and into action or productive steps. 

Combined with these steps, Allen recommends you process the top item first, then the other items one at a time, and you never put anything back into the “in” basket. Use these steps as you handle your regular mail as well as your email. 

It’s important for each of us as writers to experiment and adopt whichever habits will work for your writing life and increase your productivity. I’ll have more insights next month with a second part about this topic of productivity. Each of us is on a journey to discover and use what will work for our writing life. 

Tweetable:

Want to increase your productivity for your writing life? Discover some new ideas from this prolific author and editor in this article. #writinglife #pubtip (ClickToTweet)

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in California. Get Terry’s newsletter and a 87-page FREE ebook packed with writing insights. Just follow this link to subscribe. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including  Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. Get Terry’s recent book, 10 Publishing Myths for only $10, free shipping and bonuses worth over $200. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Why Distribution Is Critical

By Terry Whalin (@terrywhalin)

For many years I have been writing and studying publishing. There is a critical matter that almost no one talks about the importance: distribution. For over 40 years, I’ve been writing for publication, both magazines and books. During these years, I’ve written for over 50 different print magazines, and I’ve also spent years as a magazine editor. 

My first book, a short children’s book, was published in 1992 and since then I’ve written more than 60 books with traditional publishers such as Zondervan Publishing House, Thomas Nelson Publishers, St. Martin’s Press, Alpha Books, and Tyndale House Publishers. 

No one goes into a bookstore with the intention of finding a particular publisher, yet these name-brand publishers have a high standard that ensures the quality of their books. Traditional publishers know how to distribute their books through the best possible sales channels. 

In addition to working with many different publishers as an author, for over five years, I worked on the inside of two publishers as a book acquisitions editor. I fielded submissions from individuals and literary agents and then championed the books internally at the publishing house, secured the publishing teams agreement about the value of a book, and negotiated the book contract. Because I’ve worked in almost every aspect of publishing, I have a unique perspective to write about the realities of the publishing business. Now for the last 13 years I’ve been acquiring books for a New York publisher, Morgan James Publishing, one of the top independent publishers and in business over 20 years. 

Whether I am participating in an online group or at a conference I meet writers who have grown impatient with the publishing world and have decided to self-publish their work.

If you have a book of poetry or short stories you would like to distribute to your family or friends, self-publishing is a good route. However, most writers don’t think about the critical element of distribution when they publish their book. When these writers self-publish their book, they take on the complete distribution, sales, and marketing for their product. It never crosses the uninitiated’s minds how to sell the book. They assume that their books will be sold through the local bookstore, which is difficult to achieve. Self-publishing is a viable alternative, however, to authors who speak and can sell their books in the back of the room. You will need these types of outlets to sell books if you choose to self-publish. 

Several years ago, a pastor decided to self-publish a book of his sermons. Excited to have a printed book, he announced to an online group that he planned to spend considerable amount of time the next few months contacting nearby bookstores and taking orders for his book. 

What this pastor did not understand is the typical bookstore carries about 10,000 to 15,000 titles. It is not surprising that you don’t find your particular book in the store. This writer was operating under the false assumption that bookstores would carry his self-published book. In fact, bookstores resist any self-published book and rarely stock them in their bookstore. The reason is that these books can’t easily be ordered through the same system as traditional books and, in general, they don’t sell. Because these books fall out of the normal procedures, they are often not returnable to the publisher. 

Unless you work inside publishing, you may have never heard that books can be returned to the publisher for the full price. Essentially they are sold to the bookstores on consignment and the stores have complex programs to monitor the sales of their titles. If the books don’t sell within a typical time period of 60 to 90 days, they are returned to the publisher for a full refund. This practice presents a huge problem for traditional publishers who consider it a good sale when a book has a 40 percent return or less. The self-published book falls outside of the normal channels for the retailer and with thousands of titles, he can’t make a special effort for a single book.

Many self-published authors are only selling their book on Amazon and their own website. At Morgan James Publishing where I work, Amazon is a large customer but only 24% of our overall business. If you’ve published with Amazon you are missing 76% of where MJP will distribute your book. We sell in the brick and mortar bookstores and on over 180 online platforms including Target. From my perspective, this critical detail is an important one to take into consideration as you look at your publishing options. 

With self-publishing you have the total responsibility, and I’ve met authors who have spent thousands of dollars in the creation process of their book which has limited distribution. Before you publish, I encourage you to explore the various possibilities—including Morgan James. If I can help you, don’t hesitate to reach out. The exploration process costs nothing but time and may help you with some great potential heartache about distribution when you are down the road on the publishing journey.

Tweetable:

There is an often forgotten and critical element (distribution) when an author selects a path to publish their book. This prolific author and editor encourages awareness and wisdom  with your choice. (ClickToTweet)

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in California. Get Terry’s newsletter and a 87-page FREE ebook packed with writing insights. Just follow this link to subscribe. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including  Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. Get Terry’s recent book, 10 Publishing Myths for only $10, free shipping and bonuses worth over $200. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.