If your work ties in neatly with current events, hot topics, recent themes, people in the news, and prevailing moods - in other words, if it is relevant - it will garner the attention it deserves. The media seeks out added content and added value to augment its news coverage. My topic is pathological narcissism. Thus, I get interviewed when narcissists rob their companies, abuse their nearest and dearest, or go on a rampage of serial murder. I am able to shed new light on the disorder and its sad and antisocial consequences.
But you are unlikely to be sought if what you have to say is trite, hackneyed, and stale. Even the most pedestrian banalities can be refreshingly recast. Enlighten your readers by innovating, by providing new angles, by repackaging the tried and true. Sometimes, merely restating the obvious is sufficient to attract the media's attention.
Finding an agent and a publisher for your work can be a challenging quest, indeed. (Even after you succeed in getting your book published, it's your responsibility to schedule book signings and media interviews to keep the word of mouth going about your book.) All in all, with so much competition out there for the public's book-buying dollar, is there ever a guarantee that you'll achieve success from your literary efforts? Not on your life.
The good news is if you are persistent in your quest, eventually you'll get an agent and a publisher to take a chance on your work. There is an amusing web site, everyonewhosanyone.com, created by author Gerard Jones. Jones posted rejection letters from all the agents to whom he submitted his work, much to the dismay of several. (His public display of rejection letters and direct email addresses of agents has created a backlash from agents who don't accept email queries, but Jones insists his policy to post their email addresses will stand.) Even after his many rejections, his book was picked up by an agent and publisher, and is due out in 2004. Well, what d'ya know? Persistence certainly can pay off!
If you want a chuckle, visit his web site for some eye-opening examples of agents' responses. Most authors have been rejected at one time or another, so if you're still struggling to find either an agent or a publisher, it may be comforting to know that your rejection letters are very typical of the vast majority of writers.
A word of caution, however: as stated, the agents listed on Jones' web site may not want to be contacted at all, much less by direct email. Check out an agent's web site first for submission guidelines to be on the safe side.
In the publishing world as in any other career endeavor, positive results are, more often than not, a numbers game. For instance, if you need an agent, you will submit your queries to many rather than to just a few in order to give you the best possible chance to reach that particular agent who believes in your work and thinks he or she can sell it.
If you're seeking to market yourself by offering articles or book excerpts to web sites in exchange for a link to your site, it's a numbers game yet again. You can expect many rejections or no responses to your queries, so send as many as you can manage -- say, about two hundred targeted queries at first.
The same goes for publishers, if you decide to submit to them yourself. Find out the publishers who handle your genre, and contact as many of them as you can by their preferred method. (A phone call to a publisher you're interested in can be helpful as well -- sometimes you can get in the door by effectively networking over the phone. It certainly couldn't hurt! It might surprise you how a personal connection can do wonders to make your name stand out from the rest.)
Remember that each rejection is nothing to get upset about. In the writing profession as in other career fields, everyone is different. What one agent, publisher, or web site editor thinks will not necessarily match how other individuals in the field feel about your work. The next person in line may become enthusiastic about your writing, even if others before were not.
With time and effort, you'll manage to get your name out there and you'll begin to build a platform for your work. Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, it helps to have a recognizable name, but it won't happen overnight. It could take from one to three years to build the kind of brand you want, so start now -- and become a name they won't forget!
Modern authors are expected to be the main promoters of their work. Publishers have neither the time nor the money to fund book tours and publicity events for anyone but the top of the food chain -- the name authors who will bring in the bacon. Because most books don't make publishers any money, publishers rely on their top sellers to produce their main revenue.
So what does this mean for the average new author? The starry-eyed writer with a new book to promote must hustle like mad to get the word out, even going so far as to hire his own publicist (usually on his own dime). If you're an author without a web site or media contacts, beware -- you just might get lost in the shuffle while the ambitious types are dashing to the finish line of success.
Even if you work hard and long, using your wits and a calculated plan of attack, there is never any guarantee that your work will reach the level of sales you desire. Never mind -- to paraphrase Teddy Roosevelt, being in the arena is the important thing. Be proud that you've accomplished a great achievement: the publication of your first book.
Sure, an outside job will keep you afloat. It will also make finding time to write more difficult. Not impossible, mind you. You can always get up an hour earlier each morning and write while guzzling your coffee, or you can stay up an hour past your normal bedtime. If you ride a bus to work, carry along a notepad. Write on your lunch hour. If you can successfully supplement your budget with a part-time job, as opposed to full-time, even better.
Depending upon just how much money you need to survive, there are other options for a writer who is willing to be flexible. Contact local businesses and see if they need someone to write ad copy or put together a company newsletter. Restaurants might want someone to design a new menu. Pen freelance articles for your local newspaper. Try your hand at non-fiction articles for magazines. Even if you prefer writing fiction, a 1000-word article at fifty cents per word can pay a lot of bills.
If you are a published author, consider teaching a writing course, either online or at your neighborhood community college. Adult education creative writing courses are generally big draws.
No matter what, though, keep writing. Who knows? Perhaps one day you'll be among that handful of best selling authors.
In this first part of my series on how a writer can stay afloat in these tough economic times, author and columnist Dr. Sam Vaknin shares some helpful tips for writers everywhere.
Make sure you get your work published - self-published if need be, on the Web if nowhere else. Feedback from your readers is an essential ingredient in honing your skills and maintaining your craft. Send letters to the editor, volunteer to do odd writing jobs, establish a discussion list, correspond - write, write, and then some.
Keep applying for jobs. There is still demand for corporate literature, stringers, or ghostwriters. Granted, it is not as glamorous or as rewarding as you hoped it would turn out to be. Never mind. Being there is half the trick.
And when the wheel turns, you are bound to be rewarded with a better assignment. It is this inevitability that keeps all of us going. In my advanced age (42), I know that a happy end is guaranteed to those who endure the entire motion picture ...
For an author, doing a book promotion can be both fun and exhausting. As the author of the newly published The Seasons of Your Career, I've begun a book tour of my own, appearing in different cities in my home state of California. What can an author expect to find on a book tour? And is a book tour a good way to sell your work?
In my experience, you can never tell how many people will show up for your event, but the ones who do are usually interested in your topic. Because your author event is a way for you to interact with the bookstore personnel as well as the public, use your opportunity to meet some fascinating people. I know I can learn from everyone I meet, one way or another. Everyone has his own tale to tell!
I like to tell my own story at my author events. Talking about my days in the music business to my career as a success coach and career expert, I can see heads nod as people listen to my life story and relate it to their own lives.
On a book tour, you will find that some stores prepare for your event better than others. Some stores send their own press releases, while others do not. Tip: As a backup, make sure you send out your own press releases as well.
Sales of your book may vary considerably at each event. You're not there just to sell your books, however -- you're there to meet people and to share your entertaining experiences with the audience. A book is really sold one reader at a time, according to author M. J. Rose -- so don't be discouraged if you don't sell fifty books at one event.
It may take a new author several months to build a solid name for his or her book. As unknowns, the Chicken Soup for the Soul authors took every radio spot, book signing, and interview opportunity they could find in order to spread the word about their book. After nine months of sheer determination, they had a bestseller on their hands.
So enjoy your book signing experiences -- you never know what exciting break they'll lead to next!
There's no mystery to making it in the world of writing. It's a lot of hard work, perseverance, and the ability to have a thick skin when you're rejected - which, of course, happens to just about any author who submits a manuscript.
Remembering that you are a product can help you to get past the feelings of hurt and disappointment when your hard work gets dismissed. No agent or publisher really wants to reject your work, because they are always on the lookout for new and exciting material to sell. If they think they can make money on your manuscript, they'll be interested. And if you get a rejection letter, it's not you they're rejecting at all - it's your manuscript they don't think they can sell right now.
Put your rejection letter away, and move on to the next names on your list. Out of perhaps fifty agents you contact, for example, there may be ten or so who will express an interest in reviewing your manuscript. Of those ten, you may get one who decides to take you on as a client. By approaching a large number of potential agents (make sure they're handling your particular genre!), your odds of success get much better. Because it's really a numbers game, keep submitting until you strike gold.
Remember the old sales adage, "For every no, you're that much closer to a yes"? It's really a valuable saying, because it works. Reminding yourself that there is the right agent and publisher out there can keep you going, even when those rejection letters continue to pile up.
A Special Note from Kathy Sanborn
Posted 5/1/03
My new book, The Seasons of Your Career, is now available in your local bookstores or Internet bookshops! The Seasons of Your Career
will be your guide to career success, no matter where you are on your career path ... More
Kathy Sanborn's Roadmap to Writing Success: Getting Started on Your Writing Career
Posted 4/29/03
So you've decided you want to be a writer, even after hearing about the challenges that most writers face as they attempt to make a name for themselves. If you are fairly new to the writing arena, you undoubtedly have some questions about how to get your work published and your name recognized.
There's no substitute for experience in the field. Try your hand at writing for your local newspaper to gain exposure and clips for your professional file. Submit op-ed pieces to various publications for practice and exposure as well. If you have a regular day job, try to get your work published in suitable trade journals or other publications in your area of career expertise.
After you get enough writing experience under your belt, you'll realize that, for all its supposed glamour, writing is hard work. In fact, constant typing and/or handwriting can lead to physical problems such as carpal tunnel or tendinitis. Take precautions to avoid these issues by setting up your workstation as ergonomically as possible.
Make sure you set aside some time every day for your writing, because the more you do it, the easier it becomes to string comprehensible sentences together. Although most everyone can write, not everyone automatically does it well -- so it behooves you to develop a style and competence all your own.
© 2003 Kathy Sanborn
Kathy Sanborn's Roadmap to Writing Success: Why Write?
Posted 4/13/03
In this precarious economy, the writer is more challenged than ever to create a good product, sell it, and promote it with his own time, expense, and effort. Given the nebulous reality of publishing success, should you keep plugging away, writing your novel or nonfiction work that may never see the light of day? Read on to find out why I believe you should.
As a career expert, success coach, and author, I'm a firm believer in going for your goals -- and I counsel my clients to do likewise. Your dreams are in your head for a reason, and not because they are silly, worthless, or impossible to achieve.
If one of your dreams is to be a writer, then your first step is to sit down and write something. Many would-be authors refrain from practicing their craft, and wonder why they don't get anywhere in the field. Just as a cub reporter has to learn the basics by doing the work, a budding novelist or nonfiction author has to take pen to paper or fingers to keyboard in the process of making a career happen.
The honest truth is you will find the time to do what you want to do. If you're not writing on a regular basis, you probably are not serious about becoming a writer.
For those of you who have it in your heart to write, your cue to keep going towards your goal is your own feeling that you must be an author. Those feelings come from your own inner wisdom -- the same wisdom that points you toward your own fulfilling destiny.
Your signal to move on, if only to take a break from writing for a while, is when the urge to write goes away. But while that writing impulse is strong, follow your instincts and keep working at it. As Jonathan Winters says, "I couldn't wait for success . . . so I went ahead without it."
© 2003 Kathy Sanborn
Kathy Sanborn's Author Roundtable: Should You Write for Free?
Posted 3/14/03
The biggest question a new writer faces is whether he or she should write for free, mainly for the exposure and experience it may bring. There are two camps on this issue. The first consists of writers who feel that writing for free, even for a limited time until one gets established, is completely wrong. These folks know that writers have a hard enough time getting paid work, so why give your talent away for free, like a traitor in the ranks of paid writers everywhere?
The second camp thinks that it is okay to write for free if it means getting your name out there in the writing world. A writer has to start somewhere, they argue, and there's no better way to do so than to write articles or columns for the exposure, which can be worth untold dollars to a writer down the road.
I brought my talented roundtable together to discuss this important issue that every writer has to address at one time or another in his or her career.
S. Joan Popek: I wrote for publication only and an occasional copy for a couple of years. Did it help? You bet! People began to like my work and make comments about it. They also told other people about my stories. Soon, I was writing for money because I had some publishing credits under my belt.
I still occasionally write an article or story for free for a magazine or ezine that is just starting out, especially if I know the editor personally. Lots of people wrote for us for free at Millennium Science Fiction & Fantasy magazine when I owned it. After we became moderately successful, we began to pay modest rates. If we hadn't had some talented and generous people to help us get started, we would not have been as popular as we were.
Many of the authors who offered us their work for free or a very modest payment, went on to become very successful. Some are now well known names, one (that I know of) is now an editor of a popular online magazine, and one even won the EPPIE last year.
So, yes, under some circumstances, we can write for free and see benefits from it, especially when we are first starting out.
Elizabeth Dearl: This is a hotly debated topic. So hotly debated, in fact, I've seen writers break into cyber-fisticuffs over it on Internet message boards.
Some writers are more than willing to occasionally contribute their prose merely for the exposure and publicity. Others maintain that working for no pay is a ridiculous waste of a writer's time and talent.
While I'm not setting out to change the opinion of the second group, I belong to the first.
Non-paying or low-paying magazines, whether paper or online, are a good place for beginning writers to break in, certainly. Despite arguments to the contrary, a publication credit is a publication credit, and they look good in a bio or in a cover letter. Some of the "little" or "literary" magazines listed in Writer's Digest's Writer's Market have been around since the dark ages, and many are well respected. That said, I would caution aspiring authors to avoid the fly-by-night publications which spring up all over the Web (and some in print - these usually assembled in someone's basement using butcher paper and a staple gun), only to disappear the following month.
Let me stress, though, that no-pay/low-pay magazines are not just for the beginning writer. I've sold my share of stories to high-paying magazines, but I still contribute to such places as Futures Mysterious Anthology (http://www.futuresforstorylovers.com). Why? Many reasons. I respect the publisher, Babs Lakey. I understand that she is still in the process of building her magazine (and, boy, has she done a marvelous job so far!). My story, if accepted, will appear among the ranks of authors I admire. Ms. Lakey consistently submits stories from her publication to various award committees (the Pushcart Prize, New Century Writers Awards, and others). And, yes, I keep my name, my work, and my bio in the public eye.
Caution: avoid the scams. Being paid $5 for a story or merely receiving "contributor's copies" is one thing - paying someone to publish your work is quite another. Never pay to be published. Period.
Sam Vaknin: Freebies are an integral part of the marketing mix and strategy. Free book excerpts, free downloads of the electronic edition of a print book, free articles and other types of free content constitute cheap, covert - and, because they are targeted, effective - advertising. Still, I think that the extent of content made free and its timing should depend on the following:
(1) How well known, established and authoritative are the author and his work? What is the marginal contribution of yet another free article to sales?
(2) Releasing too much material to the public domain is counterproductive as it reduces the incentive to pay for the commercial portion held back.
(3) Offering free content must never be seen as an act of desperation, intended to counter waning sales or anonymity.
(4) The material made free should be selected carefully to reflect the nature and content of the author's work. It should appear to be credible and well researched - though never exhaustive, thus luring the reader to seek more and, hopefully, pay for it.
Does free content sell? The truth is, no one knows. Here is a free article I wrote about the subject.
Paul Clayton: I've done free writing. Not too much in the beginning of my career, which pre-dated the Internet. Back then you couldn't give it away. But now, thanks to the World Wide Web, you can. So I had to write and write and write until I could actually find someone to pay me for my stuff. It took a long time and it was tough, but I did it.
Now there are a lot of people giving it away for free. I've given some samples of my work away in the hopes that it would drive the recipients to the writing I had FOR SALE! I think it has helped sell some of my stuff, and that's good. Other writers make the same claim, even some musicians. I read where Janis Ian put free downloads of her songs on the web and her CD sales increased tenfold. What I intend to do is go one step further, and write for free -- LIVE! I'm in the process of finding a Chain Bookstore that will host a real writer doing live free writing.
Here's how I figure it will go... The bookstore will have plenty of colored balloons hanging about, and at the entrances there will be a sign that reads, LIVE WRITER TODAY! Other signs placed strategically around the vast hangar-like building will read, THIS WAY TO THE SCRIBE! and SEE LIVE WRITER!, and ASTOUNDING FEATS OF FREE WRITING!
They will put me at a desk in the center of the store. Four cameras will be aimed at me, ready to project images of me free writing onto four Jumbotrons mounted all around. There will be a sign hanging over me - LIVE WRITER WORKING FOR FREE! The Events Coordinator will emcee; his name will be Greg. He will announce me by blowing into the mike to get the attention of the folks trying to pick each other up over at the magazine racks, and the others doing their homework in the coffee shop.
"Testing, one, two, three," Greg will say. Heads will look up; others turn. "Good afternoon, Big Book shoppers. We have a special treat for you today."
A small crowd gathers before Greg.
"Poetry sla…" a college-age woman begins to ask.
"No," says Greg, "no more poetry-slam tag-team match-ups. Mo' Verbs is suing us over his broken collar bone, and our insurer won't cover that type of event anymore."
A tiny girl in the front asks Greg something I can't quite hear.
"No, sweetheart," Greg says, "Keykey the singing clown and her magic keyboard will not be here today either. She's doing Mama Ducky's Daycare all this week. No, folks, we have something really different, and really, really special. See the man at that desk?"
Many of the people turn their eyes on me and I swallow hard and try to smile, wondering if they can see that in my haste that morning I had put on one brown sock and one black, and, when shaving, I missed the big, rogue hair that lives in my left ear. At least I remembered to wear my lucky cream-colored cardigan.
"He looks pretty ordinary, doesn't he?" asks Greg, smiling as he works the crowd. A few of the people laugh; most nod in agreement. "Well, he's not. And do you know why?" The people stare openmouthed and say nothing. "See all these shelves around you?" Greg asks, "just groaning from the weight of all them books? Well, they weren't just popped out by some computer program, you know. They were written by real writers!" Greg turns and points at me theatrically. "Writers just like him! Mr. Clayton. A real writer!"
Now absolutely every eye in the place is on me. Some old guy claps. As I wave hopefully I can hear muffled conversations going through the crowd. A couple of teens in the back laugh derisively and I smile magnanimously (Damn brats better not be in the parking lot when I'm leaving or my brakes just might fail.)
Greg turns back to the crowd. "Mr. Clayton has graciously offered to do some live free writing for us today. He will first use a pen and paper pad in much the way he began his writing career…" A buzz of speculative mumbling went through the crowd as they puzzled over the strange words, "pen and paper." "Then," Greg continues, "Mr. Clayton will demonstrate free writing on his typewriter." Again the crowd buzzes in wonder and I theatrically hit the space bar a couple times, and the carriage return, ringing the bell. "And finally," says Greg, "Mr. Clayton will finish composing his story, LIVE, on his 6000 hecka-gig MicroMax Laptop computer!"
The crowd erupts in animated speculation. Heads nod. Fingers point at me.
As the crowd watches, I turn to my desk. Greg throws a switch and the Jumbotrons flash my visage on the walls. Like a Kung Fu master staring down his opponent, I glare at the blank paper before me. Then I lean forward and scribble furiously with my pen. The crowd gasps in awe. Then I edit what I've penned and type it on my typewriter. Oohs and ahhs of wonder and delight rise to the high ceiling along with the clackety clack of my keys. I edit further, then keyboard the story into my laptop. Click, clickety click. Grimacing and muttering, shoulders hunched, I tremble as I type, dimly aware of my huge image on the Jumbotrons. I achieve a state of Writer Fu and the crowd blurs into insignificance. Entering worlds yet unknown, I lasso and wrestle their denizens to the ground, tying them up securely to bring them back for my audience. Later, exhausted but victorious, I will pull the mike toward me and read them into existence. And the rest, will, as they say, be history.
Kathy: Thanks to my roundtable participants, you now have some food for thought when it comes to making your own decision on whether or not to write for free. As for my own two cents: my experience has shown me how valuable it is to write for free when you're first starting out. How else will you gain exposure or credibility? Having said that, I do not believe that writers should offer their talents for free for a long period of time. Writing is hard work, and should be compensated fairly.
© 2003 Kathy Sanborn
Contributors:
S. Joan Popek's Sound the Ram's Horn is now available at Hard Shell Word Factory in both e-book and
trade paperback. For the download, go to Hard Shell Word Factory. Sign up for her free newsletter.
Elizabeth Dearl is the 2002 Eppie Award winner for her novel, Twice Dead.
NBI will publish her Triple Threat in June, 2003. Sign up now for Dearl's next Writer's Digest online workshop, "Focus on the Short Story," which begins July 17.
Sam Vaknin is the author of Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited and a UPI Senior Business correspondent.
Paul Clayton's novel, Carl Melcher Goes to Vietnam
(available at booklocker.com), was a finalist at the 2001 Frankfurt eBook
Awards. His Calling Crow historical series is published by www.eReads.com.
Kathy Sanborn's Roadmap to Writing Success: The Agent
Posted 3/3/03
What does the published author have that the unpublished one doesn't? You might have guessed, "talent" - but you'd be wrong. The published author usually has an agent to go to bat for her. Now, you don't have to have an agent in order to get published, but it certainly helps. Agents are worth their 15% fee because they have the connections in the publishing world to place your work where it can gain the kind of exposure it deserves.
If you have a fiction manuscript or several chapters of a nonfiction book ready to submit, then by all means, find an agent who is looking for new material in your genre. Visit Literary Agents for some really helpful tips and agent listings to get the ball rolling.
By now you know how to write a query letter - don't you? If you still don't feel confident in your query-writing abilities, research that skill on the Internet and in your local bookstore and library. A query letter is your ticket to catching an agent's interest, and if your letter isn't crafted well, a prospective agent may think your book will be poorly written, too.
Some agents accept email queries while others only take snail mailings. Follow the particular agent's guidelines or risk being completely ignored. Be prepared to wait even months for responses to your queries. It's a numbers game, so the more queries you send, the better your chances to find the right agent.
An agent is right for you when he or she believes in you and your work, and does not charge a fee for reading your material. Perhaps there are some good agents out there who charge for reviewing manuscripts, but I would be wary of those individuals. Stick to agents you can verify through research over the Internet and by other means. Run an agent's name on a search engine to see what comes up. If the information shows that the person may be unscrupulous, take heed and steer clear.
Check out Preditors and Editors for valuable listings of agents to avoid.
Although it may take you a while to find a great agent, keep trying until you do. There's someone out there who will believe in your work if you have what it takes to write. Just continue to have faith in yourself!
© 2003 Kathy Sanborn
Kathy Sanborn's Writing News
Posted 2/14/03
Entries are now being accepted for the 23rd annual Lorian Hemingway Short
Story Competition, created to recognize and encourage the efforts of writers
who have not yet achieved major-market success. Writers will compete for a
$1,000 first prize, $500 second prize, and $500 third prize in this
internationally acclaimed competition. Several honorable mentions are also
awarded each year.
Stories in all genres of fiction are welcome. Maximum length is 3,000 words,
and writers retain all rights to their work. The final deadline is May 15,
2003; winners will be announced at the end of July.
For complete guidelines, please visit their website,
send an email, or mail an SASE to the
Lorian Hemingway Short Story
Competition, P.O. Box 993, Key West, FL 33041.
Kathy Sanborn's Author Roundtable
Posted 1/27/03
In a conservative estimate, there are fifty thousand new print books published each year. Consequently, authors may have a difficult time standing out from the rest of the pack. Most publishers promote new books in a limited way, leaving the author to pick up the brunt of self-promotion. In this column, we'll talk with two authors about how to get the word out - because if you don't promote yourself, no one else will!
Kathy Sanborn: What's your best tip for writers who want to stand out but are stuck in the pack? How can they become known for their work?
Sam Vaknin:
If an author is looking for short-term gains and if his biography or traits warrant it - he can try to convert himself into a celebrity of sorts. Instant celebrity - even on a local level - translates to product differentiation and enhanced sales.
In the long-term, though, what matters is brand. The books should do the talking, unobscured by the author. To achieve that, they need to meet a few conditions:
(a) The titles need to cater to a niche market, preferably one hitherto neglected by other publishers and authors.
(b) They need to contain practical information, based, wherever possible, on proprietary data (the author's first-hand account, surveys conducted by the author, folk traditions, interviews, etc.).
(c) The author needs to generate a continuous stream of updates and apply the content of the books and their subject matter to topics in the news, or to newsworthy issues. Free content on a web site is a great way of achieving this goal of synergy. I cannot over-emphasize the importance of a continued, consistent, and reliable presence.
(d) The author should interface with the media on a regular basis but only when warranted by the topics of his books. Seminars, lectures, guest appearances, columns and other promotional methods should be applied liberally.
(e) Collaboration with other, better-known, authors and authorities in the relevant field can generate a beneficial "coattails" effect for the author and his or her books.
Kathy: Sam, your ideas are certainly on target. I can imagine that if an author follows your advice, he or she will move ahead of the pack. Your tips can help both fiction and nonfiction authors, I think. Elizabeth, I know you've got your own point of view about how to get noticed as an author.
Elizabeth Dearl:
Take a look at the "big" authors, the ones who end up on the bestseller lists, and find out what they're doing right. What do readers think of when their names are mentioned? John Grisham: attorneys. Tom Clancy: espionage. Roberta Gellis: historical flavor. Stephen King: horror sprung from everyday life. J.K. Rowling: magic.
No gimmicks here, folks. You know what these authors have in common? They write what they love to write. Just because romantic suspense novels were the hottest sellers last year does not mean that trend will continue, so why force yourself to write a romantic suspense novel if you don't even like to read them? Forget trying to write what you think the public wants -- the public has no idea from one month to the next what it wants. Write what is near and dear to your heart, and your work will rise to the top.
Kathy: I agree that an author has to write from the heart. Take a look, though, at what is selling well, so you have an idea of publishing trends. As Elizabeth says, no publishing trend or hot topic should rule your own creative inspiration as an author. If your work fills a need, you only have to find the right audience. As Sam told us, serving a niche market can make you stand out from the rest of the pack.
Thank you both for your great advice! I'm sure my readers will appreciate your insight and expertise.
© 2003 Kathy Sanborn
Sam Vaknin is the author of Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited
and After the Rain - How the West Lost the East.
He is a columnist for
eBookWeb, a United Press International Senior Business Correspondent, and the editor of mental health and Central East Europe categories in The Open Directory and Suite101.
Until recently, he served as the Economic Advisor to the Government of Macedonia.
Visit Sam's web site for more information.
Elizabeth Dearl is the 2002 Eppie Award winner for her novel, Twice Dead.
NBI re-released the first novel in Dearl's series, Diamondback, in December. Watch for the re-release of Twice Dead in late March of 2003 and the publication of the third in the series, Triple Threat, in November, 2003. Dearl will be teaching "Focus on the Short Story" for Writer's Digest online this year. Her first workshop begins in mid-February, so sign up now to ensure your place.
For more information on her work, visit www.sleuths2die4.com or www.elizabethdearl.com.
Kathy Sanborn's Roadmap to Writing Success
Posted 1/01/03
If you've been following my writing success columns for a while, you know that we've been discussing everything from staying motivated to marketing yourself. Let's focus now on the road to getting your work published. One of the things we do in our Life and Career Coaching business is to teach people how to get where they want to go in their careers. That said, let's get on with how to make your goal of getting published happen!
Apparently, a lot of aspiring or professional writers out there are seeking print publishing deals in a desperate fashion. According to an article by M. J. Rose in salon.com, she is accosted regularly for her magical words of wisdom on how to get a publishing deal. In rest rooms and other public places, rude and aggressive writers routinely confront Ms. Rose by demanding morsels of publishing know-how. It's quite sad, really.
Granted, M. J. Rose is an excellent source of marketing expertise. She's paved the way for many to follow in her groundbreaking footsteps. But don't look to her as an icon to worship -- what she did, you can do also.
I know whereof I speak, by the way. A well-known publisher passed on my first book, Grow Your Own Love, at a time when my co-author and I had no agent. The publisher told me we needed to have a stronger platform. We decided to publish Grow Your Own Love as an eBook through booklocker.com, in order to get our work out into the world, at the very least.
The real labor began -- marketing, with a vengeance! I sent out articles and book excerpts to appropriate web sites by the dozens. Every time our book got a mention, the platform grew. This process takes time, I'll have you know. At first, I spent at least five solid hours a day at the computer, just getting the word out. After a period of months, we were fortunate enough to be accepted by a top-notch literary agency, and we polished the proposal for our next book, The Seasons of Your Career.
The happy ending to our story is that The Seasons of Your Career, published by Contemporary Books (an imprint of McGraw-Hill), will be released in spring of 2003.
Okay, so now you know the process works for fiction (M. J. Rose) and nonfiction (Kathy Sanborn). The key to success can be summed up in a sentence: Work hard, be persistent, then work some more! Notice that the word "quit" is nowhere to be found.
In a nutshell, here's your checklist for success:
1) Publish your eBook. (I am assuming your eBook is excellent -- nothing less will do!) Look for a low- or no-cost publisher, or sell it on your own web site. You'll need a service that takes credit and debit cards if you use your own site.
2) If you have no web site, make one! Do it yourself -- it's much cheaper. If you don't have the time, hire someone. Shop around carefully. And don't make the mistake of getting a long and unprofessional-sounding URL.
3) This is the key: Market yourself! Approach like-minded web sites for a trade, such as an article or book excerpt of yours in exchange for a link or byline. It wouldn't hurt to write regular columns for a couple of web sites, either.
4) Make sure you get a reputable agent. It may take months (for some, years) to be accepted by a good agent. If you don't have one now, take steps to find one who handles your genre AND is taking on new clients. Check out http://literaryagents.org for valuable information on agents.
5) Last but not least, don't quit! If you really want it, keep going toward your dream of seeing your name on your masterpiece. But if you start to become desperate about getting a print deal, watch out -- that's the time you'll know that you need to move on to Plan B -- which is far, far away from the world of writing books.
©2001-2002 Kathy Sanborn
Kathy Sanborn's Roadmap to Writing Success
Posted 12/20/02
Part Two: The Reality
Last time, we talked about the dream of becoming a writer. Next, we'll discuss the first steps you need to take in order to make your dream become real. The first step is obvious, but you'll be surprised as to how many aspiring writers forget this basic rule: To be a writer, you must write! You will need to sit down (with the exception of some writers like Hemingway, who wrote standing up) and put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard.
Some authors write early in the morning (my preference) or late at night, but the timing doesn't matter as long as you put out a decent amount of words per day. I believe Steven King said his word output is 2,000 words a day, but each writer has to discover his or her own best pace.
Nothing teaches you better than to practice your craft, over and over. If you find that the act of writing is more like pain than pleasure, you may want to rethink your goal of writing as a career.
Having said that, don't believe that successful writers automatically love the writing process! In a recent New York Times letter (September 28, 2002), author Joseph Epstein says, " . . .to be in the middle of composing a book is almost always to feel oneself in a state of confusion, doubt and mental imprisonment, with an accompanying intense wish that one worked instead at bricklaying."
So the first rule of becoming a writer is to write. Start small, perhaps -- with articles or short stories, working your way to a completed novel or several chapters of a nonfiction book.
Now that you've put time and effort on your writing, what's the second step? Review your work for typos, grammatical mistakes, and style. This may mean doing research on grammar rules, reading books on writing, or showing your work to someone you trust for her opinion.
Successful writers edit their work all the time, never completely satisfied with their efforts. Perfection is a wonderful goal, but today's writer needs to be able to let go of trying to create a flawless book. Don't let a need for perfectionism keep you from submitting your work.
Assuming you've written a novel or (at least) several chapters of a nonfiction book, your next step is to make up your mind what you're going to do with it. Don't let your book sit in a drawer gathering dust -- submit it! Your first move is to decide whether to send it to an agent or directly to a publisher. If you settle on submitting your work to a publisher, you'll want to choose between an epublisher or a print house. Nothing happens unless you take action -- so do your research and go forward!
Being afraid of rejection can keep many writers from following through on their dreams. Author M.J. Rose said you must remember that you're a product. Rejection is never personal, but based on whether your work has moneymaking potential for a particular publisher.
Comedian and author Steve Martin says, "Be so good they can't ignore you anymore." When you've honed your craft to a level that publishers can't ignore, you'll be accepted. Just keep plugging!
Next time, we'll talk about some specific things you can do to move your writing career forward.
© 2002 Kathy Sanborn
Kathy Sanborn's Roadmap to Writing Success
Posted 12/13/02
Part One: The Dream
So you think that you want to write? As a well-known author once told me, the average income of a writer can be about 10K a year-probably not enough to quit your day job. Should that fact stop you from writing? No-if you have it in your blood, you have to continue, no matter what. That doesn't mean you must run and leave your regular job. Best-selling author Scott Turow scribbled notes on his novel while he continued to practice law. Every great writer has to start somewhere, so don't let that seemingly long road to success ahead of you keep you from taking the first step. Keep your regular job if you must, but work on your book each day. Before you know it, you'll be well on your way to completing it.
How much do you want success? Do you want it enough to work a twelve-hour day-doing a 9-5 job and writing in your spare time, several hours a day? If this sounds like too much work for you, your passion for writing probably isn't as strong as it should be. In addition, after your book is done, you'll need even more time to market yourself via the Internet and the media. You guessed it -- you'll be spending a couple of hours a day in promotion activities, probably for the rest of your writing life.
Did you hear about the author of the Dirty Girls Club? Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez wrote her upcoming novel in six days, spending ten hours a day in a marathon of effort fortified by large amounts of coffee. Her story is not as astonishing as it sounds -- she says she had the characters in mind for years before she put them down on paper. Still, she accomplished a momentous feat-and garnered 475K in advance money to boot.
Her tale should be an inspiration to others with writing fever. Yes, it can be done -- and why not you?
Before we jump into part two of my series, make sure you want to take the big step of committing to a writing career. It'll be a roller coaster ride of epic proportions if you choose it -- it can be a life of creativity and satisfaction as well. Are you game for it? Then see me next time for part two, where we'll discuss some effective ways to make your writing career happen.
© 2002 Kathy Sanborn
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