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Tips for Would-Be Authors (and Speakers)
by Jane Bluestein, Ph.D.
This article is included in The Book of Article Reprints. The following ideas are based on my own experiences and conversations with other authors. There are numerous books and articles on getting published. Talk to other writers, or a trusted bookseller or librarian. Do your homework. Check my Web site for links and updates. Also, most publishers have guidelines on their Web sites that can be of great help. A few other ideas:
• Find a publisher who has a track record with the market for whom you want to write. (If you don’t know who your market is, you’re probably not ready to write yet.)
• Check out books that look like the kind you hope to write or how you’d like your book to look when it’s done. Consider the readability, white space, layout, cover design, illustrations, even the typeface or font they use.
• When proposing your book to a publisher, make your intent clear (why you’re writing it), and describe your market and your own background (whatever credibility you have behind what you’ve written or plan to write, including your own experience, observations, and research). Be specific. Check out Lisa Collier Cool’s How to Write Irresistible Query Letters for more information. If you have a table of contents, or have identified specific topics, include these as well.
• Whether or not you need an agent will depend on the publisher and the book you’re writing. For publishers who do not accept unsolicited manuscripts an agent may be the best way to get in the door. Check out the latest edition of Writer’s Digest for information on what individual publishers require. Many publishers now have submission requirements listed on their Web sites.
• You do not have to submit a finished manuscript, although some sample of your writing beyond your query letter can be useful, perhaps a few chapters, if you have them written. I was advised to place a copyright sign (© 2006, Jane Bluestein, Ph.D.) on each page I submitted.
• People often ask me about having their manuscript or idea stolen. I can’t speak to this as even the most indifferent or incompetent publishers with whom I’ve worked were, as far as I could tell, pretty ethical. I do know people who have filed copies of their work with an attorney, for example, or even mailed copies of their work to themselves in a sealed box or envelope. I don’t know if that would stand up in court, so check.
• Ask for an escalating royalty, if possible. I’ve had some publishers who simply wouldn’t go above ten percent and others who started at fifteen percent and went to twenty as certain quantities were sold. I once agreed to a royalty that started at six percent but I encourage authors to pursue publishers who offer at least ten to fifteen.
• I advise against doing a “work for hire,” one in which you get paid a flat rate for a particular piece, after which they own the piece and all rights to it. (Accepting a fee for a single chapter or a foreword you’re contributing to someone else’s book is a different story and much more appropriate.) One of my first contracts offered $10,000 for the discipline book. It was a lot of money at the time, and badly needed, but I turned it down. They eventually came back with a royalty arrangement that didn’t exactly knock my socks off, but it ended up being far better in the long run than a work for hire would have ever been.
• Not all publishers offer an advance—money up front before the book is published. I’ve had a few small advances, which helped when I was working on something for a particularly long time, or one that required a great deal of research or some out-of-pocket expenses. Just remember, this is generally income that will eventually be held against royalties once the book goes on sale so if you get a chunk of money at the start, you’ll have to wait until they’ve sold enough books to cover that amount in royalties before you receive any more income from your project.
• If you plan to resell the books either through workshops you give, a Web site, or a catalogue, ask for a larger discount on books you purchase for resale. This helps your publisher, and many are willing to offer larger discounts on larger quantities or at the time they reprint your book. (Publishers generally offer a 40% discount for authors. I have arrangements that range from 50-70% off the retail price, although they often require a rather large purchase for me to secure this price.) And don’t forget that you’ll also have to pay freight or shipping charges, which can be pretty steep.
• Your visibility and your own efforts at promoting your work are two of the most important ingredients in getting your books to your market, and increasing your sales. Consider your willingness to advertise your books in your workshops or professional organizations or publications, for example; to be interviewed by the newspapers, radio or TV, or appear in Web chats; or to set up a Web site or at least a blog to let people know who you are and what you have to offer. A lot of authors I’ve met have been very shy and uncomfortable about letting the world know about their work. (Of course, I’ve also known writers who turned into slick, pushy salespeople once their books were out, turning every workshop or conversation into an infomercial. You really don’t want to do this, especially if an organization hires you to do a training or keynote and will expect you to deliver content, inform, entertain, and help people—not sell books. It’s creepy and unprofessional to do otherwise.)
• It has become very difficult to compete with today’s online book distributors. (If you have any doubt, see how many independent bookstores you have left in your town!) Book buyers have come to expect big discounts, quick deliveries, and in some cases, free shipping. (Be prepared to take a pretty big hit here. Even small books cost a lot to ship, and prices keep going up.)
• If you can get your books on Amazon or bn.com, for example, so much the better. If you self-publish, price your books at a high-enough rate to be able to offer the discount these distributors or bookstores would request. (A few other things to consider: Printing on the spine for spine-out display, an ISBN number, and bar code. See RR Bowker for more information.)
• Self-publishing options that didn’t exist a few years ago are now available. Print-on-demand makes it possible to offer your book without having thousands printed (and stored in your garage until they sell) and the demand for eBooks has shifted the market in this direction. Unless you are really good at desktop publishing and design and have a firm grasp of book layout conventions, you definitely want to consider hiring this out. And by all means, get your work edited by a professional editor before you go to print.
• If you are also hoping to build a career or side business as a speaker, look for any opportunity you can get to speak on your book topic, or a related subject. Professional conferences are always a great place to start, but keep in mind that most educational conferences expect you to pay your own transportation, lodging and meal expenses, and in many cases, the conference registration as well. Your local schools, PTAs, libraries, and bookstores may also be open to hosting a presentation or booksigning. At this point in our economic history, a Web site is an absolute necessity, even if it only offers contact information and a bit about who you are and what you do.
• Although somewhat less important than online information, you’ll probably want to create or contract out to have flyers printed with ordering information for your book—either directly to your publisher, the chains in which your book is available, online resources like Amazon, contract distributors, or your own Web site or direct mail order to yourself, should you decide to take on the tasks of order fulfillment, which also includes tasks like storing inventory, invoicing orders, and shipping your books out. Regardless of which route you take, you’ll be well served by checking out John Kremer’s 1001 Ways to Market Your Books (or signup for his newsletter) or any of Dan Poynter’s books.
I’d love to hear from you. If you are a speaker or an author and have other ideas to share, please let me know what has worked for you.
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