Getting Published
Initial Media Contacts—Part I
Rick Frishman - May 16, 2008When professional publicists want bookings and coverage, they generally operate as follows: They write a killer press release in the format we’ve previously detailed. They find the perfect hook—the book’s benefits, story ideas, or timely angles—and catapult themselves into the media universe. They create media kits that include the More
Publishing Vanity — or Self-Publish?
Yvonne DiVita - May 15, 2008Anyone who has not heard the acronym UGC is living under a rock, these days. User-generated content is all the rage. The term started with blogs and wikis, those self-authored web pages full of family photos and conversations with the two-year-old. It has since morphed to include anything written on More
Research and Sell
Bill Stephens - May 12, 2008OK, here’s the problem: You are an unpublished author, and an editor has requested a complete manuscript of your novel. They read the manuscript, and they “just love it,” BUT they’re not sure of the market for the book. There is something a little quirky in the book that the More
Book Expo America 2008
Bill Stephens - Apr 28, 2008Book Expo America is coming up May 29th thru June 1st at the Los Angeles Convention Center. It might hold some opportunity for writers seeking a home for proposals and manuscripts. I say “might” because my experience was not that rewarding. At the suggestion of my agent, I attended the More
Ned:
I like very much the idea of the market survey and the competition survey, including the... Read Entire Comment
tamunobarabi gogo ibulubo:
I have a book ‘Dying Voices of Gongs’ with a complted... Read Entire Comment
Yvonne DiVita:
Author, I wish I knew who you are, but you are totally correct. My continued... Read Entire Comment
Jon Guenther:
In its context, this is an excellent article. My difficulty with this viewpoint by... Read Entire Comment
Author:
You say: “Overall, many writers and bloggers agree that Ingram has a hand in this,... Read Entire Comment
chris:
we have posted a form that easily allows anyone affected by this to personally contact the... Read Entire Comment
Yvonne DiVita:
Latest updates on this issue - a letter on Amazon’s website discussing why... Read Entire Comment
T Mosley:
Great post! However I think you may want to add they should be trying to cultivate a... Read Entire Comment
bill stephens:
Hard not to feel your passion as you wrote this piece. Bill Read Entire Comment
Lehi Drew:
This thread is now closed. Current comments will remain. Future comments will be... Read Entire Comment
Lee Goldberg:
In response to Matt, a reader on my blog posted this: ———–... Read Entire Comment
Matt Knox:
I posted this comment last night on Lee’s blog. His response was hillarious. You... Read Entire Comment
Tom Collins:
I’ve posted my last comment on Lee Goldberg’s blog rant, partly because... Read Entire Comment
Holly Buchanan:
I hope that this exchange has been a learning experience for aspiring authors. I... Read Entire Comment
Shel Holtz:
Hey, Lee, you stick with your antiquated thinking. And I’ll bet you believe the... Read Entire Comment
Learning the Rules of the Media
Posted 18 days agoMost authors who try to get news coverage for their books come away disappointed. Rick Frishman has written an article on learning the rules of news titled, Educate Yourself About ... [Link]
Pickin’ Up the Tab
Posted 10 weeks agoI recently shared lunch with my good friend and business associate, Ray Bard. Ray is the monumentally successful mastermind behind Bard Press, where I worked from 1999-2002. We established a ... [Link]
Are You a Loner? Does It Matter?
Posted 11 weeks agoAs an aspiring author, are you a loner, or do you work better in a team? Does it matter? Publishing and book industry gurus Rick Frishman and Robyn Friedman Spizman ... [Link]
Two Approvals Are MUCH Better than One
Posted 4 months agoSo a publisher has accepted your book proposal. Great! Now, don’t go counting and calculating how you will spend the advance money, just yet. It is a misconception of beginning ... [Link]
Book Design as Promotion
Posted 4 months agoYour book will be judged by its cover. In their article, The Cover By Which You Judge The Book, Rick Frishman and Robyn Freedman Spizman touch on one of the ... [Link]
Who Do You Deal with at Your Publisher?
Posted 5 months agoEver keep going back to a restaurant because of the waitress? Yes, the food’s ok. The location is reasonably convenient. The prices are average. In fact, the only thing that ... [Link]
Phone Novels
Posted 5 months agoKeitai shosetsu, or mobile novels, are becoming increasingly popular in Japan, reports the Times of London. Mobile novels are written for reading on cell phones. They have short sentences, lots ... [Link]
The Litmus Test for Writers
Posted 5 months agoAre you a superstar or a noted celebrity? How about an established author who has proven ability to sell copious quantities of books? No? Well, then, you’re going to have ... [Link]
Consider Your Book Proposal to be a Sales Call
Posted 6 months agoHere are 5 things you can do to improve your book proposal—– List five key items that agents and editors must see in your proposal. Determine how you could improve ... [Link]
Last Steps Before Approaching an Agent or Publisher
Posted 8 months agoBefore you send in your book proposal, read this article—and then fulfill all its steps. It will make or break your book proposal. In the first six of their seven-part ... [Link]
Bestseller Ideas
In this week’s interview, Dean Rotbart and Michael Drew discuss the likelihood of a book idea becoming a publishing success. In their discussion, they reveal how to identify whether your idea is bestseller material. Do you really have a sure-fire idea for a bestseller? Hear what they have to say . . . .
