Publishing/Writing Seminar Notes
1.)
Queries
a.
Paragraph Breakdown:
i.
First paragraph - introduce
1.
Taglines make good basis for introductions
ii.
Second paragraph - explain your book
1.
Highlight the major points of your novel
2.
Little snapshots of interest to intrigue the
agent or editor
iii.
Third paragraph - credits paragraph
1.
Relevant life experiences
2.
Writing credits (contests, awards, anything)
3.
How long you've been writing
4.
What you've written
b.
Check the agent/publisher guidelines
i.
The agency or publishing company website should
have them
c.
You can create a query template for each
project, then alter based on who you're sending it to
2.)
Synopsis
a.
This can help you a lot
b.
Writing synopsis is a good skill to have
c.
Difference between a query and synopsis:
i.
Query: 2-3 paragraph blurb, like on the back of
a book
ii.
Synopsis: basically a 5-10 minute summary
including the ending
d.
No more than 7-10 pages
e.
Jesse recommends 2-6
f.
I (Ravyn) normally aim for 1-3 because that's
usually what's asked for if you have to submit one (at least if you're a debut
author)
g.
What do you include in your synopsis?
i.
The main story highlights
ii.
How you get to each point and then from that
point to the next point
iii.
Don't get too detailed
h.
Practice is important
3.)
Sample pages
a.
When asked for sample pages, send the first few
pages
i.
So if they ask for 5 pages, send the first 5
pages, not 5 random pages
b.
Make sure your opening is super-strong
4.)
Is hiring an agent a good idea?
a.
Yes!
b.
You get inside info on the market
i.
Is a publisher looking for a debut author to
pair with a famous person for an anthology? Agent says, "Pick my
author!"
c.
Can get a faster editor response
i.
Less likely your stuff ends up in the slush pile
(where it could rot)
d.
Can get you a better editor
e.
You acquire an agent's rep by association
i.
So if you've got an agent known for representing
good books, it works for you!
f.
Can help you with hard-to-understand contract
stuff
i.
Legalese is not your friend =(
g.
Agent gets you inside info on opportunities too!
h.
Will keep their eye open for suddenly-free
publishing slots
i.
If another author misses a deadline and you're
on schedule, can get you published sooner or make the other person's screw-up
work for you
5.)
How to get an agent
a.
The Blitz
i.
Sending out a lot of queries all at once
b.
The Modified Blitz
i.
Take a massive list
ii.
Break down into categories
1.
Perfect Fit
2.
Okay Fit
3.
Can See Myself With Them
4.
Etc.
c.
Send emails
d.
Jesse recommends the Modified Blitz
e.
DO YOUR HOMEWORK
i.
Compile a list of agents
1.
Try Association of Authors Representatives (AAR)
2.
Writing email-lists
3.
Writing message boards
4.
Writer's Market Online (paid subscription; $30)
ii.
Start with your own research
iii.
Then branch out with questions you can ask other
people
iv.
Put agents' names into a search engine
f.
Don't settle; get an agent you can trust
g.
Pitch to agents rather than publishers
h.
Have more than 1 project
i.
Start your 2nd book right after your
first
1.
Gives you more options for querying later
2.
The more you write, the better you get
i.
Don't get stuck querying agents
i.
If you spend a year querying for the same
project, time to reevaluate
j.
Keep track of what you send
6.)
Once you get an agent
a.
Celebrate!
i.
Jump up and down!
ii.
Scream like a girl!
iii.
Go out to dinner!
b.
Ask questions and take notes
i.
Ask questions of OTHER people as well as the
agent
ii.
When I got my offer from Kara and Caren, I
talked it over with Vicki (my SEP mentor)
c.
It's okay to ask for time to think over the
offer
d.
Do more homework on the agent
e.
If you've queried other agents who haven't responded
and you get an offer, let the other agents know
i.
It will make them respond faster
ii.
It will make them give you a second look
f.
Go with your gut
g.
No agent is better than a bad agent!
7.)
Once you accept an agent
a.
Agents will sometimes edit the first novel of an
unpublished author a little
b.
Agents will pitch your book to editors
c.
Agents work as a sounding board and a support
system
d.
Agents should:
i.
Inform you of who they're sending your work to
1.
Kara totally did that for Their Forever Family;
she didn't just give names, she talked a little about each publisher
ii.
Inform you of rejections from those they've sent
to
iii.
Sometimes will talk about the rejection so you
can learn from it
1.
If they don't bring it up, you should ask
e.
Agents should never:
i.
Charge you money before your book is sold
ii.
"Bulk-send" your book with a bunch of
other books to an editor
iii.
Give the okay on something that YOU have NOT
okayed yourself
8.)
READ THE CONTRACT!!!
a.
Make sure you lay out a reasonable amount of
time to terminate the contract if things aren't going how you feel they should
b.
Contact publishers when you've fired your agent
i.
Good reason to keep track of send-outs and
rejections
9.)
Publishing without an agent in the traditional
sense is possible, but difficult
10.) What
do publishers do?
a.
Evaluate books for marketability
i.
Self-publishing is good for niche markets
ii.
traditional publishing is good for mainstream
b.
Large publishers approve everything by committee
i.
The acquisition editor you're working with has
to pass your book by the committee before they take it
ii.
Editors have to justify purchase of manuscript
c.
Offer revisions and suggestions
d.
Create looks for covers and other publicity
material
i.
Do the rest of the publicity stuff
ii.
Work on distribution details and whatnot
e.
Most (if not all) traditional publishers offer a
monetary advance
i.
6-8% royalty rate on a mass market paperback
(the books that are about the size of an index card)
ii.
Large presses = more sale opportunities, bigger
advances
iii.
eBooks are always a good bet
1.
eBooks offer no advance
2.
eBooks offer 30-50% royalty rate
3.
Popularity is your friend, here
iv.
Small presses are good for niche markets, but
much smaller advances
f.
Publishers buy what sells
g.
A good way to see how the money thing works:
"Show Me the Money" with Brenda Hiatt (you can Google it)
h.
Making money as an author is hard
i.
Boo…
11.) Hypothetical
Payment Plan:
a.
Author gets a call
b.
$1000 for a 1-book deal
c.
There's a period of contract negotiation before
money
d.
First half of payment comes after contract is
signed
i.
Split check - publisher sends the appropriate
funds to agent AND author
ii.
Agent commission is anywhere between 10-15%
iii.
Gotta hold taxes back yourself; publisher
doesn't do it for you
e.
Second check comes after the novel is actually
accepted
i.
The publisher will sign you and then make
revisions and such to your book
ii.
Usually takes a year between acceptance and
publication
f.
Gotta earn your advance back in sales before you
start getting royalties
i.
Bookstores hold back the cash from publishers in
case they have paperback copies returned
g.
Getting paid is a long process
h.
Making a living as an author is hard
i.
Keep an eye on contracts to monitor advances and
royalties and such
12.) If
writing is your career, ask yourself, what do I want from my career?
a.
To write a LOT
b.
To make a difference with my books
c.
To be considered epic
d.
To be famous
e.
To make a living
13.) When
dealing with publishers
a.
Check how publishers treat authors
i.
A bad publisher often means bad publicity
ii.
Check to see if publishers support their authors
(ALL their authors, not just the big boppers) on their social networking sites
iii.
Watch out for rudeness in their emails;
indicates how they'll treat you if you sign with them
b.
If author careers are doing well, the publishers
are probably good publishers
c.
Consider your options based on what you write
i.
In case a publisher has a genre specialty, like
Roc (the original publishers of Black
Jewel Series)
14.) Self-Publishing
a.
A lot of NY Times and USA Today authors are
self-published or started out that way
i.
Self-publishing is still hard though
ii.
Getting famous doing it is still hard, too
b.
You are responsible for the editorial content
i.
Research freelance editors like you do agents
ii.
Do not throw out rough drafts
1.
Copyright purposes
c.
Smashwords!
i.
It opens you up to the Nook, Barnes & Noble,
and the eReader
d.
Formatting is difficult (and a pain in the butt)
e.
Cover art
i.
Good art can sell you, bad art can kill you
ii.
Don't do cheap designs
f.
Back blurbies are still important
g.
Last minute details are you problem too
h.
Self-publishing is a TIMESUCK!!
i.
You're responsible for your own publicity
i.
Gotta be aggressive
ii.
It's a lot of work
iii.
Gotta build a platform
15.) Promotion
a.
Promoting, whether self-published or
traditionally published, is IMPORTANT
i.
Editors who see you working to promote will help
you
b.
Analyze your audience
i.
Who are you promoting to?
c.
Promote books AND yourself
d.
Promote to librarians
i.
ARCs (Advanced Reader Copies) are important
ii.
You can send them out to book reviewers, too
e.
Websites can be really important
f.
I wrote "details about yourself" but I
don't remember why…
g.
A newsletter or e-newsletter can help
h.
Interviews and guest blogs are helpful
i.
Social networking is important
i.
Build good relationships with your followers
j.
Book signings and speaking engagements are
helpful, too
k.
Stay in your comfort zones and do what you like
l.
Finances obviously affect your promotion
abilities
16.) Have
fun when the book is out!
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