Wheatmark

Why did you write a book?

kgautreaux@wheatmark.com (KatG) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 17:29:00 +0000

The amount of effort that goes into crafting a manuscript, revising it, sharing it, eating some humble pie while you revise it again, and then entering into the publishing process ... it can be a huge burden for normal humans.

What is it about writers that drives them to not only begin a manuscript but to actually see it through to the end product: a book?

Why do we do it?

For some writers, particularly fiction, it's the incessant voice of the muse pushing them to tell a story. They cannot help but write. If they have an audience already waiting for the next installment, they've not only created a fictional world where their imagination has been able to develop, but they've created a real world of people who want to share that imagination because it sparks something in them: emotional memory, living vicariously through the characters, or maybe just the entertainment of an alternate world. They connect through stories.

For other authors, the need to share a message with the world is so strong that a book -- or two or three -- is the place they can place all their thoughts and have those ideas reach an audience. Not only do these tomes offer a place of expression to share a passion, but they help the author and the readers connect with each other over a message. If a book's message is strong enough and is shared by many, it can create change. Nothing is more powerful than a message supported by passion and connection.

For business people, a book is a way to share expertise. It is a format that potential clients can take home with them, study, read, and learn from an expert. It can even be a way to prime a client before they embark on hiring you for your specialty. For example, a company that sells knitting supplies: yarn, needles, patterns, and that even offers classes, would benefit from having a book about knitting for beginners. How? Not only will the beginning knitter be better informed about the process, the need for practice, the tools they'll require, and exactly what to expect, but the book will have them already believing in the knitting store as their source for all their questions and supplies. They'll trust the store because they wrote the book on the subject.

We often get bogged down in the idea of how to sell a book, how to market it and find an audience--all incredibly important details to the success of the work. However, with all the time and effort that goes into a project as determined as a book, it is good to remember what your intentions were, are, and will be.

How to Launch a Book: A Report from Bill Glazer's Book Launch Party

noreply@blogger.com (Atilla Vekony) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:14:00 +0000

Last weekend my colleague Grael Norton and I attended the launch of Bill Glazer's first book in Orlando, Florida. For three days about six hundred people from all over the country convened in a ballroom ... doing the ... book launch thing. What's more, they all paid to get in.
Paid to get in? Plus airfare and hotel for three days? For a book launch? Of a first-time author?

Absolutely. Let me explain how that's possible. I should also mention that the book was on many bestseller lists prior to its launch, including USA Today and Amazon.com.

Bill Glazer (seen here with me and his book, Outrageous Advertising That's Outrageously Successful), has spent years and years building his platform as a retailer, copywriter, and as an expert on direct marketing. In our materials we call this platform an author platform--regardless whether you've written a book or not. Therefore, by the time he wrote his first book he was already in a great position to sell lots of copies.

The secret to his "outrageously" successful book launch party last weekend, however, was that even as he organized this event, he kept in mind the question that's on every customer or prospective customer's mind: "What's in this for me?" (In fact, this question should be on your mind every single time you market a service, a product, or book.)

How did he persuade over 600 entrepreneurs to come to his book release party (who not only paid to get in, but were expecting to spend on additional products and services)?

Well, definitely not by inviting them to attend a "book launch party." As you know well, nobody cares about your book or its release unless there is something in it for them. Bill Glazer understood he needed to answer the question, What's in it for them? so he organized a three-day direct marketing workshop and conference with high-profile marketing experts and copywriters like Dan Kennedy (pictured right), Yanik Silver (he got away), Paul Hartunian, and many others. People may not come to a book party, but they would certainly come if there was something in it for them!

This was not a free event, but many attendees had the opportunity to get tickets by purchasing copies of the book ... in bulk. This did not only further boost the sales of the book, but also provided attendees with instant gifts (the book) to give to family or business clients. As my wife, who is not into marketing, observed: "Very smart! Everybody wins!"

Think about it. What was in it for me? I got to hear some of the best minds in direct marketing share their secrets and strategies. In other words, I got to attend a high-profile marketing conference. Not only that, but I was able to give away a number of these books as gifts.

What was in it for the author? A successful book launch with well over a million dollar's worth of books presold before the book even launched.

Now, think about this: Would I have gone to attend a book launch? Definitely not halfway across the country. But the author, Bill Glazer, asked the question, What's in it for Atilla? So he organized a marketing workshop and conference instead ... and we all went, paid, and came away thinking we got the better deal.

Meanwhile, Bill Glazer thinks he had an outrageously successful book launch party. And he did, all because he kept his customers' question in mind: "What's in it for me?"

Now, I realize that a book event of this magnitude is beyond the reach for most authors. However, it ought to give you a vision of what's possible, even if on a smaller scale, if you you, too, just ask that question every time you try to sell your book to your market: "What's in it for them?"

Not everything went smoothly on this trip. After Grael and I (pictured in this "celebrity" photo) left the conference and went to the Orlando airport, we stood in the security line for a very long time. We took off our shoes and placed all loose items in the security baskets to be scanned. After going through the scanner and putting our shoes back on, Grael commented on how long the whole thing took me, and that we'd better hurry. I didn't say a word, just followed him out to the gates. However, we must have taken the wrong turn somewhere, because when we realized we were in the wrong place, we had passed the "point of no return" security sign and had to get back in line again to pass through security. We didn't talk much on the plane flying back to Tucson.

Achieving Success from Wheatmark Author Paul Kelso

kgautreaux@wheatmark.com (KatG) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 23:31:00 +0000

We asked Paul Kelso, author of the Great Expectations title, Kelso's Shrug Book, and also the author of the upcoming title, Jack Ruby's Last Ride, to tell us a little about how he found his audience and then made his book a success.

Wheatmark has asked me for a few thoughts on how I came to connect with the firm, and some insight as to how I, make that we, created a modest niche book on weight training that has surprised everyone by selling over 6,000 copies.

My remarks will apply primarily to nonfiction and “how to” works.

Here’s how Kelso’s Shrug Book developed. I hold a MA in American studies and had written for newspapers when younger and magazines later, so I was at least literate. I also loved weightlifting and wrestling and competed in both, and in my forties became a college weight coach as well as an English prof.

One day in the weight room I had a brainstorm. I accidentally discovered how to apply an old training principle in a number of new ways. These variations became known as The Kelso Shrug System. This concept was spread by my magazine articles beginning in 1984.

I have to date published over one hundred articles on weight-game subjects and reported on eight World or Asian powerlifting championships and a World Games. I developed a lot of name recognition before I proposed the Shrug Book for POD. In fact, I was fortunate to be well known in the field before going with the book. But a lot can be done to build that recognition.

How did I come to choose a POD company? I had heard of the process and in 2001 simply cruised the net to investigate. Wheatmark seemed to have a good program and were responsive to my queries.

When I decided to put Kelso’s Shrug Book together, I was living and teaching in Japan (1989–2006). Obviously, printing off a thousand or so copies to get started, and finding a place to store them in my tiny apartment there, while I attempted to operate a 95 percent stateside mail-order business nine thousand miles away, was ridiculous. Hiring a fulfillment house in the USA or finding a knowledgeable old pal back home was a shaky proposition. Or, I could go with a traditional hard-copy publishing house.

Were I living in the States, I could have made more money per book by doing it all myself. That may still be true, but for me the services of Wheatmark outweigh such considerations, especially as I am now well into retirement (age 73 in February, 2010). I’d rather spend my time writing another book than licking stamps.

How did I market the Shrug Book? In addition to Wheatmark services, I used my contacts in the game to set up a number of retail distributors and sent out about four dozen freebie copies to website operators, equipment sellers, magazine editors for reviews, and net forum operators for comment. Before publishing I solicited a dozen editorial blurbs for back cover and ad one-liners about how great my ideas are. Most of those guys already knew my work, but advance manuscript copies to them helped.

But—first—a would-be author should consider whether he or she HAS a book. Another book I published with a conventional house was put together from fourteen Powerlifting USA stories about the adventures of a gang of demented college lifters and a suffering coach in Texas. Kelso’s Shrug Book was drawn from sixteen articles spread among five magazines. I expanded where pertinent and put additional info in each book. Both run about 44,000 words and one hundred pages. That's a master's thesis each time.

Not everybody can have a breakthrough brainstorm or enjoy wide name recognition to help kick-start a book. But a writer might keep these approaches in mind for getting a book together.

BUILD NAME RECOGNITION

Write articles on the same subject for half a dozen different mags.
Write a series of articles on different subjects for the same mag.
Become a regular contributor for one or more mags or websites, Attend live functions in person. Interview established people. Arrange to do some straight reporting in the field as well as writing features or human interest pieces. Attend conferences, expos, contests, whatever, and report them.
Contribute regularly to Internet forum discussions.
Correspond regularly with big names in the field, and always answer those seeking advice. Network.
Stay at it for a number of years. Doing or taking part in what you are writing about usually comes first.

By publishing my ideas as a series of articles first and then compiling them into a book I got paid multiple times for the same material. This is an established way to proceed and not my invention. I got paid to write my books. A writer should query mags in his or her area of expertise about doing an article or series of articles. Write 1,200 – 2,500 words a month and pretty soon that is the basis for a book.

Even if you are already established as a contributor, it is a good idea to query a magazine editor outlining your proposed article before you write the piece. If the editor says your article sounds interesting and he would like to see it, you have a leg up. You know you are on the right track, with less chance of rejection.

Using the POD services of Wheatmark has been to my advantage.

Kelso’s Shrug Book has sold several thousand more copies in seven years than the traditional-method Texas book has in thirteen. My articles on related subjects in the years leading up to it increased my name recognition, as did my reports from international contests. It all came together nicely.

The Shrug Book also received excellent reviews and forum comments. I doubt it would have without the years of buildup.

If one has a novel published by a major New York house and it sells six thousand, that’s a borderline so-so result. In a nonfiction niche field six thousand is pretty good. The result is that I have enjoyed a nice side income since the fall of 2002.

As Wheatmark authors and customers will soon discover, my eclectic short story collection Jack Ruby’s Last Ride will be published in April. I began writing straight fiction in the '90s, as a side activity. I played the snail-mail and SASE game for years, and began publishing short stories in the journals in 2001. To date I have published four in USA literary journals, presented four others in ex-pat rags, and two at a reading at Temple U. in Tokyo. One is new as of 2009.

I will of course send out comp copies and hope for reviews, but the truth is I have very few literary contacts stateside any more. (I’ve been teaching in Asia for twenty years). Getting published in lit journals is a very different game from breaking into iron-head mags, cactus-breeding weeklies, or model railroading monthlies. Some top literary journals, like Beloit Fiction Journal or Prairie Schooner, may get as many as eight thousand short story submissions a year. Beloit published only twenty-four stories in 2002, so I feel pretty good about getting Jack Ruby’s Last Ride in there.

And, it has occurred to me, the success of the Shrug Book is paying for the publication of the short story collection.

How about that?

-- Paul Kelso, early January 2010

Two Powerful Programs for Authors at Changing Hands Bookstore

noreply@blogger.com (Grael Norton) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 18:21:00 +0000

This past Saturday I took part in a fantastic event at Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe, AZ. The program was called Two Powerful Programs for Authors: Red Hot Internet Publicity and The 7 Steps to Publishing Success.

My co-presenter was Penny C. Sansevieri, President and Founder of Author Marketing Experts, Inc. If you haven't heard of Penny, you must not have a computer! She is seemingly omnipresent on the Web via her site, blogging, twitter, Facebook, Squidoo, podcasts... you name it, Penny's on it! She's full of energy and inspiration, and it was truly a pleasure to spend a few hours learning with her.

So, what did we learn? I'll start with my presentation. In my opinion, the most important "take-away" from my presentation of The 7 Steps to Publishing Success is Step #1: Find the Market for Your Book.

Authors frequently skip this critical step before they start drafting their manuscripts, and sometimes even neglect it until after they've published their books! The savvy author keeps their audience in mind before they draft word one of their new project.

And remember: even if we know who our audience is, we don't necessarily know where they are. That's what finding the market for your book is all about: knowing exactly to whom you're going to be targeting your marketing efforts, as well as where those readers are. We might even add that you'll want to figure out how you're going to reach those readers, too. The Web? Advertising? Bookstores? All these questions should be considered early in the process.

Now let's talk a little about Penny's presentation. I thought it was packed full to the brim of useful information, which is typical of the kind of high-quality content Penny provides her audiences. At the same time, she broke down the often-overwhelming task of marketing a book on the Web into simple steps.

Penny recommends that authors focus on using just a few specific tools very well: a website, a blog, a twitter or facebook account, and the website Squidoo.

I learned a bit about Squidoo from the call Penny and I held earlier in the week, and I must say: I was impressed. Squidoo seems like a great way for authors to stake a claim on their niches -- be they fiction or nonfiction (though probably nonfiction in particular.)

Penny stressed that a professional-quality website is a must, and I'm inclined to agree. As more and more content reaches viewers via the Web, the bar has risen for what readers will stick with and what they'll ignore. It's just like books: amateur-created websites are easy to spot and many people will simply move on without another thought.

I could go on and on about all the valuable insight Penny shared, but I've got some good news: Wheatmark filmed the whole event!

We'll keep you posted about when we've got this great content available for you to watch.

I'll also notify my family, because I don't think they've seen the new winter beard I've been sporting!

By the way, The 7 Steps to Publishing Success minicourse can also be accessed by email here.

FIVE New Year's Book Marketing Resolutions

kgautreaux@wheatmark.com (KatG) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 20:57:00 +0000

As we prepare to leave 2009 behind, it is a good time to focus on your goals for 2010 in regard to book marketing.

Did you mean to create a Facebook fan page but never got around to it? Did you create an email news list for a targeted audience? No? How about starting a blog? Oh you started one but you've only posted on it a few times?

Guess what? NOW is the time to buckle down and recommit yourself to your author platform building! "Oh, but Kat," you say, "my manuscript isn't finished yet! My cover design isn't complete! I don't have a title yet!"

That's even better! You can really begin building your author platform from the ground up at those fledgling stages and there is no better time than 01-01-10.

The nice thing about New Year's resolutions and book marketing is that none of it will require abstaining from fattening foods. The hard part though will be staying disciplined!

So here are five items to work on to kick off your book marketing with gusto in 2010!

1. Identify your target audience
With every book there is a specific niche group that can be identified that are going to be your biggest fans. Remember, these aren't the people who should read your book. These are the people who will read your book. Are you writing a book about spiritual healing? Your core audience are people who already read books about spiritual healing. Not necessarily all the spiritually bereft potential readers that haven't yet decided to seek healing help. Or maybe your book is a recipe book for whimsical desserts. Your target audience is not potential readers that are on a diet.

Tools to use to identify your target audience:
Internet - Easy and available, the web is a great place to search out people interested in your genre or topic
Book retailers - How are books in your genre or topic being marketed there?
Organizations - Are there some special groups that specifically deal with your genre or topic?
Yourself - Aren't you now an expert in your genre or topic? You are one of your best sources!

2. Lay the foundation for your Author Platform

You've already identified your target audience, now it is time to grab a figurative bull horn and tell them about your great new book. This is the elbow grease period. You have to communicate with your target audience, an audience that isn't always aware you exist. You're going to have to do a lot to garner some attention. Social media marketing is one great way to do this. Another way is through multi-media publicity.

Tools to use to start your Author Platform
Social Media
Email
Press Releases online and hard copy
Web site

3. Schedule time to Author Platform build

I hear a lot of whingeing from authors: "I don't have time" or "I have a friend who is going to help me but they aren't available for another month" or "I don't see how [enter whatever task you don't really want to do here] is going to help me sell my book" or my favorite "I posted a blog but no one commented. It wasn't working so I just neglected it." If you are one of these excuse makers, I'm looking at you now sort of like Nurse Ratchett: amused but uncaring. Get to work! There is no instant gratification in book marketing. It takes time, consistency, and planning.

Tools to use to help you manage Author Platform building:
Email news lists - anytime you have something to say you can say it quickly by maintaining a news list of emails you will always send information to. With a news list you will be able to shoot out a lecture invitation, a new book release date, or even a simple holiday greeting with ease.
Blog posting options - blogging frequently can be hard to work into a busy schedule. Many authors also find that it is feast or famine in the inspiration area. By using your post dating feature on your blog, you can write multiple posts in a day, but slowly release them over a scheduled set of days. One hour of blogging could mean that you've written three posts for the week!
Priority lists - use free calendars such as Gmail Calendars to help you organize and schedule your author platform building activities. That way you will always know what is next and can be working toward your next goal.

4. Set your marketing goals realistically

"I will sell one million books in six months" is frankly an overly ambitious (not to mention ridiculous) goal. What are your true goals? Are you using your book to help lend your business credibility? If so, what are some ways to set book marketing goals for yourself that will help you do that? I always tell my authors, just try to sell more books this month than you did last month. Don't fret over your Amazon ranking. Worry about your reviews, your sales, and if your marketing activities are fruitful. Often your goals and your marketing techniques don't support each other. Make sure you are tailoring your marketing to help you reach your goals!

Tools for setting goals
Tracking your marketing techniques - keep track in a spreadsheet, a database, or even on a napkin what avenues you are using for your marketing. By watching what you are doing, you can better see where your efforts are fruitful.
Quarterly Sales Reports - if you haven't had any sales in a quarter it is time to look at your marketing techniques and consider some new ideas
Be realistic - you won't likely be able to quit your day job and survive off of your book royalties. If you are wanting your book to generate more income, look at different ways you can use your book as a tool to help you do that. For example, many authors are paid lecturers who use their lecturing money to help supplement their income as well as having book royalties.

5. Don't give up

Just about every author has the same initial experience. When their book is first released they have a surge of book sales from their initial marketing efforts (i.e. their mom buys a copy) and said author is riding high on the enthusiasm of the completed book in hand, the initial sales, and the optimism that they are on their way to publishing success. Suddenly, the sales slow to a crawl. Demoralized, the author's enthusiasm for publishing success is crushed and they give up. They stop tagging key search terms on Amazon. They don't blog. They stop talking to their twitter friends. Their Facebook status hasn't been updated about book-related events in weeks. The only way to get passed this is to NEVER GIVE UP. This is the time to really put your nose to the grindstone and continue working on your author platform. In time, you'll see your book sales increase. The increase might be incremental to begin with, but all increments are better than zero. So don't give up! Get marketing!

Tools to help you through your book depression
Your account manager - If you are a Wheatmark author, your account manager is going to be one of your greatest assets. Your AM is your coach, cheerleader, and teammate wrapped into one. We'll help you brainstorm marketing ideas. Talk you out of your funk with constructive advice and criticism. If nothing else? We are willing to listen when your family and friends just can't take it anymore.
Book Marketecture - Our free book marketing guide is full of great information and may be just the evening read to help you get back on the book marketing boat.
Wheatmark Author Resources - Besides the guide, our website has tons of information to help you get back on track: from the blog to our tutorials, there is bound to be something to inspire you to keep at it.
Wheatmark monthly newsletter - The article by the president often highlights a Great Expectations success and how that author accomplished their goal of becoming a GE title. Read some of the back editions to read how those authors kept going and are now our bestsellers!

Now get out there and find your publishing success!

Why Good Friends Make Bad Reviewers

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Wenger) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:58:00 +0000

"I had some friends read my book, and they thought it was good."

We've heard this refrain at Wheatmark many times, usually when the subject of copyediting comes up. Whether the author hasn't budgeted for an edit or simply believes it's unnecessary, his first line of defense is often the opinions of the friends and family members who have seen his manuscript.

When an editorial analysis comes back with suggestions for improvement, the reaction may include a dash of defensiveness. "I had some friends read my book, and THEY thought it was GOOD!"

Despite said praise, these unedited works generally aren't ready for prime time. Some contain a lot of spelling errors, some aren't organized clearly, some are difficult to follow, etc.

Whenever an author's friends have given a manuscript high marks despite what I would consider obvious problems, I've wondered why.

Maybe they didn't want to hurt the author's feelings.

But a recent experience gave me new insight into the friends-and-family bias. While visiting my parents for Thanksgiving, a close friend asked me to read the novel he'd started and tell him what I thought. My friend is a good writer, so I was happy to do it.

Sure enough, it was brilliant. The unique premise! The well-worded descriptions! The clever turns of phrase!

Then came the aha moment.

I wasn't evaluating his work in the same way I would if I picked it up in a bookstore.

Instead, my thought processes went something like, I couldn't write fiction in a million years. How does he come up with these ideas for his plot and his characters? It's like magic.

So I took a step back and forced myself to read the pages again. I pretended I was in a bookstore, scanning the content to see if it was worth my time and money, expecting a certain level of quality.

I still found the story highly entertaining. But I also realized it wasn't ready for print yet. After a great, hooky first sentence, many paragraphs of description and backstory followed. They were very well-written paragraphs—which is why I didn't notice a problem at first—but if I were skimming the first chapter in a bookstore, I'm not sure I'd have enough patience to wade through all the telling to get to the action.

The lesson? Even your most brutally honest friends and family members aren't the best people to screen your work. They may be too dazzled by the fact that you could write a book at all to notice its flaws.

Where, then, should you go for unbiased feedback? Here are a few ideas.

Get a Wheatmark Editorial Analysis
We always recommend the Wheatmark Editorial Analysis, which evaluates your manuscript in terms of mechanical issues (spelling, grammar, punctuation), organization, clarity, and style. However, you should be looking for critiques elsewhere as well.
Take a writing class
Are you new to the publishing biz? Try a writing class at your local community college. Your teacher will be willing to provide real constructive criticism. Even better, she will be able to articulate it more clearly than the average reader.
Join a writing group
The quality of feedback in writing groups may vary, but the potential rewards are great. In the right group, you'll get reactions from writers who want to help you improve. Just as importantly, you can learn a great deal by critiquing other people's work. When you discover what bores you, confuses you, or compels you to read further, you can apply this knowledge to your own writing.

Eventually you will get your book into print. At that point, your target audience will decide whether it's worth a read. If you've done your homework, sought out criticism from people outside your immediate circle, and eliminated the flaws based on that criticism, the rest of the world will be much more likely to judge it favorably.

What's It About: How to Write Enticing Back Cover Copy for Your Novel

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Wenger) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:15:00 +0000

You stand at the doorway of your favorite coffeehouse, scanning the area for your friend. Julie is tucked away at a corner table, reading a paperback. She doesn’t notice you until you take the seat across from her.

"Oh, sorry!" she says. "I've been completely engrossed in this novel. It's really good!"

"Cool. What's it about?" you ask.

"It starts out in Baltimore, when Lisel—that's the main character—is fourteen. Her parents pretty much ignore her because they're so focused on her older brother. The brother's name is Carl, and he's really smart. All he's ever wanted to do when he grows up is become a doctor. The parents are immigrants, and they've done okay given that their English isn't great, but they really want Carl to achieve the American dream.

"Okay ..."

"Lisel resents this a little, but it's the way it's always been, right? So she doesn't think about it much. But then the whole family takes a trip to Boston so Carl can do a college interview, and while they're driving there they get blindsided by an out-of-control driver. Carl ends up with permanent brain damage. He has to relearn how to tie his shoes."

You nod, grateful that Julie has gotten to the point. "So it's about how the family copes with this."

"Well, not exactly. The book skips ahead to when Lisel is in medical school. See, her parents transfer all their ambitions for Carl onto her, and she doesn't want to disappoint them. She gets into Harvard, and she meets this guy who seems perfect ..."

Your friend tells of Lisel's struggles to get through medical school, her painful breakup with the aforementioned guy after she discovers he's been cheating, and the challenges of building a practice. Your mind begins to wander as she describes, in intricate detail, Lisel's attempts at a love life.

"So she agrees to a blind date set up by her mom, and she totally doesn't want to go," says Julie. "But he actually turns out to be really cool, maybe someone she can trust. She tells him she used to like acting in high school, before the thing with her brother, and he convinces her to audition for this theater group really close to where she lives—"

"Okay, okay," you say, waving your hands desperately. "But what is the book ABOUT?"

"That's what I've been telling you for the last seven minutes." She blinks a few times, clearly mystified. "Hey, I've gotta use the restroom. Could you watch my stuff?"

As Julie cheerfully makes her way to the other side of the coffeehouse, you pick up the book, flip to the back cover, and read this:

Most of Lisel's childhood was spent in the shadow of her brilliant and ambitious older brother, Carl. When a car accident left Carl severely brain damaged at the age of seventeen, she quietly took on the dreams he would never fulfill in an attempt to ease her parents' grief. She went to medical school, graduated with honors, and now maintains a thriving practice.

But cracks appear in Lisel's seemingly perfect life. The only human beings she interacts with on a regular basis are her patients and the men she meets on disastrous Match.com dates. When she joins a community theater group, she finds that rekindling her interest in acting only magnifies her dissatisfaction with everything else.

Should the choices we make in high school determine the course of our entire life? Are parental approval and the trappings of success enough to sustain us? In turns heartbreaking and hilarious, A Hand-Me-Down Life is a deeply satisfying story about one woman's quest to find her own path.

Here's the million dollar question. Assuming this is the kind of book you might enjoy, which description is more likely to make you want to read it: the blurb on the back cover, or the blurb as Julie might have written it?

* * *

At Wheatmark, we've encountered many authors who are capable of penning interesting books, but become absolutely lost when it comes time to create the promotional copy for those books. Too close to their own work to know how to sell it, they often fall back on Julie's rambling monologue approach to plot summary.

If you've run into the same problem, take a few deep breaths and relax. We're here to help.

The key thing is to keep it simple. Pare it down. Don't tell the entire story in your blurb.

That's great, you say, but how do I know what to leave out?

Good question. There are actually many ways to summarize any given plot, and the one you choose should depend on who you think will read it.

For instance, the Hand-Me-Down Life blurb is geared toward readers who like stories about quarter-life or mid-life crises. If we wanted to hook people who are into family dramas, we could play up the pressure Lisel's parents put on her to fill her brother's shoes. If the overall tone of the book is light and humorous despite the serious subject matter, we might emphasize the romantic interests—neither of whom even get a mention in the current blurb.

Obviously, you shouldn't make your book out to be something it's not. You just need to focus on certain elements of what it is so you can present a coherent narrative.

Still don't know which plot points to highlight? Try writing different versions of the blurb. Put the samples up on your blog (if you don't have one, you should) and show them to friends. Which version makes people want to flip open to the first page?

If you've done your job, then readers will want to know the whole story. And to find out, they'll read the whole story!

Wheatmark Author Betty Jo Tucker Offers Advice to Writers

noreply@blogger.com (Lori Sellstrom) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:34:00 +0000

Author and movie critic Betty Jo Tucker has met more film stars than most people have even heard of. Yet when it came time for her to publish two of her most recent manuscripts, she chose Wheatmark over a traditional publisher.

“At my age, you just can’t wait around for the traditional publishing schedule,” said Tucker, a retired college dean. “I wanted to find a way to get my books out quickly so that the movies I was writing about would still be fresh in peoples’ minds. I started to look into how to do this faster and that’s when I found your wonderful company. You were able to put both of my books on the fast track, and yet gave me such a nice product.”

Tucker has published two books with Wheatmark: Confessions of a Movie Addict and Susan Sarandon: A True Maverick. In both cases, a traditional publisher initially requested that she write the books. However, this same publisher could not deliver the fast turn-around time Betty Jo wanted.

“Traditional publishing just takes too long,” Betty Jo said. “If I were younger, I may have decided to go that route. But at my age, I just feel as though I don’t have the time.”

Tucker’s first book with Wheatmark, Confessions of a Movie Addict, was actually her second published work. Her first book, It Had To Be Us, was the inaugural offering from a new traditional publisher who became interested in her book after reading portions of it on a website that featured novellas and short stories. It Had To Be Us is a romantic memoir written by Tucker and her husband Larry (using the pseudonyms of Harry and Elizabeth Lawrence), telling the story from both their viewpoints about their marriage of twenty-six years, their divorce, and the reignited spark of romance that caused them to remarry after twenty years of separation.

“The publisher liked the book so well they asked us to write another one,” Tucker explained. “Well, needless to say, Larry declined. So I decided to write about my experiences with movies and about the many movie actors and directors I’ve met.”

The result was Confessions of a Movie Addict, what Tucker describes as, “pure fun to write from cover to cover.”

“It just flowed and pretty much wrote itself,” she said. “People have told me that they have laughed out loud while reading the book.”

In Confessions, Tucker starts with her first movie experience and takes her readers through her after-retirement career working as a movie critic for several newspapers and for two reputable online sites: ReelTalkReviews.com and News First Online. Being a bona fide film critic, she tells her readers about her experiences at free screenings and about her many interviews with movie stars, directors, and screenwriters. Her book includes some of her encounters with famous people such as Angelina Jolie, Ben Kingsley, Guy Pearce, film director M. Night Shyamalan, Charlton Heston, Mickey Rooney, Emilio Estevez, and Matthew Broderick.

Tucker has received great acclaim for Confessions, including a quote from James Colt Harrison, editor of National PreVue Film Magazine, that is often used to promote her book: “If Oscars were given for the funniest book of the year, Confessions of a Movie Addict would win hands down.”

Although Tucker elected to publish with Wheatmark instead of the traditional publisher who originally asked her to write the book, she was again asked by this same publisher to write another book—this time about a famous movie star. Tucker said she chose to write about Susan Sarandon due to Sarandon’s long, successful career, her dedication in promoting certain causes, and the fact that she had interviewed Sarandon in the past and had already written a few articles about her.

“Writing Susan Sarandon: A True Maverick was a lot of hard work,” Tucker admitted. “I think I lived in cyberspace and on the phone for about nine months, making sure that I read everything I possibly could about her. It was much harder than the other two books I wrote.”

Although Maverick started at the request of a traditional publisher, Tucker again chose instead to publish with Wheatmark, citing the wonderful experience she had with Confessions of a Movie Addict. According to Tucker, Wheatmark not only gave her an exceptional product in a timely manner, but also provided her with marketing tools that helped her to successfully promote both of her books.

“Promoting your book is definitely the hardest part of the publishing process,” Tucker said. “Although I don’t like to promote my own work, I realize that I have to if I want to sell books. I can’t thank Wheatmark enough for nominating my book for the Colorado Book Awards. Even if I don’t win, just being nominated has helped to promote my book.

“Wheatmark helped me to develop a marking plan, which was very helpful and is something I really appreciate,” Tucker continued. “I also loved the postcards that you developed for me. I sent them to everyone I knew and to everyone I mentioned in the book. I really appreciated the way your company helped me with my press releases and the information you gave me for radio interviews. You even made it easy to order books for book signings.”

Through her book promotion experience, Tucker has successfully branched into more focused marketing techniques. For example, instead of limiting her book signings to bookstores, she has taken her book straight to her audience—moviegoers—by having book signings at the Cinemark Tinseltown movie complex near her home in Pueblo, Colorado. Because of her reputation as a published movie critic, she continues to be a guest on several radio programs, and is also promoting her books on several movie related websites, including the unofficial Susan Sarandon site. Perhaps one of her most important and heartfelt marketing strategies was to donate her author’s royalties for Maverick to The Myelin Project, one of Sarandon’s favorite causes.

Tucker’s advice to aspiring writers?

“Don’t give up. If you’ve written a book, don’t give up if your book gets turned down by a traditional publisher. Don’t be afraid to publish it with a publisher like Wheatmark so that you can get your writing out there for others to read. With Internet access and print on demand publishing, there is no reason why authors can’t see their books published.

“I certainly have loved working with you people at Wheatmark,” she added. “You are all so courteous, friendly, and very professional.”

Photo courtesy of The Pueblo Chieftain

Blogging as you write...

noreply@blogger.com (Lori Sellstrom) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:29:00 +0000

Recently I began an experiment to help in my writing endeavors. I've been writing a book about my quirky experiences working as a small town newspaper reporter, which I did for 10 years before moving to Tucson. I decided it might benefit me to see what others think about the project. So I started a blog. The idea was a little intimidating at first. I mean, did I really want the whole world reading my writing before it was edited, much less published?

But then it dawned on me. That's the best time to have them read it! When they comment on the different stories I've posted, it not only gives me a feel for what people may be interested in, but it also gives me some feedback on what needs to be fixed, changed, deleated, etc. If they like it, they may become hooked and want to read the entire book once it's published. Who knows? It may be generating a potential market for my book before the book is even completed.

Best of all, it's motivating me to stay on task and to be more dilligent in completing the project.

So far I've just been announcing the blog posts on my Facebook profile; I still need to gain followers and start linking to other blogs.

Am I afraid of losing my content to someone else who may try to steal it and publish it under their own name? Nah! Being an author is not a get-rich-quick scheme. It takes money, time, and effort to become published and successful--even when you're great. Who would want that headache?

I'll keep you posted on my progress as it unfolds. Here's my blog if you would like to read it and make comments.

Building an Author Platform: Video Presentation

noreply@blogger.com (Atilla Vekony) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 04:13:00 +0000

A strong author platform is a key part of every successful book marketing campaign. Want to sell lots of books? Building your author platform is where you start! View this brand new presentation by Grael Norton, publishing consultant at Wheatmark, on How to Build Your Platform on the Web.

Why Kindle?

kgautreaux@wheatmark.com (KatG) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:08:00 +0000

One of the services that Wheatmark offers to authors is Kindle formatting for their books. For those not familiar with Kindle, it is an electronic reading device sold by Amazon and wirelessly transfers formatted books, newspapers, and other reading materials to the device.

I often hear grumblings about the Kindle by paper enthusiasts that they don't want to read on a screen, some unfriendly words about "youth" and how they are ruining things, and also about how technology is going too far.

I, too, wasn't completely sold on eReaders until I recently went on a long trip.

When I'm on airplanes, I tend to read what I call "junk food" books. Generally thick paperbacks with detectives, serial killers, and maybe a good love scene--these books are a fast read for me and I can read two of them in just one flight across the country. That's TWO nearly 400 page books I have in my carry-on luggage.

(Yes, I read these stuff.)

If I had a Kindle, I could have loaded the books up on the device before I left, from the airport, and even from the cruise ship I was on. A typical John Sanford "Prey" series novel is about 10.4 oz. The Kindle is 10.2 oz. With huge amounts of data storage, the Kindle is a great way to pack light.

In fact, on the cruise ship I kept seeing Kindles everywhere! I saw passengers demonstrating them excitedly to other passengers in the elevators, one gentlemen surreptitiously reading his under the table at dinner, and on a lazy day at sea while reading on the sundeck I counted 20 Kindles being used.

I was surprised. Most of the passengers on the ship were retirees (or older--the ship should have been christened "Heaven's Waiting Room") who were spending their free time traveling. This was a demographic that, in my experience, doesn't always warm to technology like ducks to water.

I asked one lady how she liked her Kindle and she couldn't stop raving about how easy it was to have all her books on it, how she could increase the font so she didn't have to wear her glasses all the time, and how it was such a pleasure to use.

There is a market out there for Kindle-formatted books and it will continue to be a factor in book sales. Yes, there are other electronic reading devices out there, and some of them, like the Sony, come in tempting colors, but the Kindle is setting the standard with more than 350,000 titles available for it.

Many Wheatmark authors have elected to have their books formatted for Kindle and they are seeing the results in their books sales.

If you are interested in having your book formatted for the Kindle, ask your account manager about getting a quote today!

How to Market a Book: Tod Langley

kgautreaux@wheatmark.com (KatG) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:49:00 +0000

Here on the Wheatmark publishing blog we talk a lot about how to market a book. Today we'd like to share with you some efforts of one of our recently published authors, Tod Langley.

Tod Langley's book, Prince Kristian's Honor: Book One of The Erinia Saga, was released in mid-August. In just two weeks his fantasy fiction book has sold dozens of copies and is on par with the sales of some of our recently released nonfiction books that had already established author platforms.

Langley has been actively scaling the learning curve of social networking and has found a few things that are working for him and I wanted to share some tidbits with the Wheatmark blog readers.

Website
Langley decided he needed a customized website and, after a few attempts on his own, decided to enlist the help of a designer. His site includes a blog where he's been writing about his experience as an author, a bookstore link, and other tabs that take fans and inquiring media to pages with lots of interesting information on them. Take a peek at it here at www.todlangley.com

Amazon
His book was released just 14 days ago, but he already has four excellent book reviews on his Amazon page. Reviews help bolster sales as they underscore potential reader's confidence that clicking the "buy button" won't be a mistake. Wheatmark author James Best uses Amazon to sell books and we've previously written a series of posts about his efforts on this blog. Check them out here if you haven't already.

Networking
To drive traffic to his site, Langley set up Facebook and Twitter accounts. Using the two social media sites, he's been able to provide links to followers and friends about new blog posts and other bits and pieces they might find interesting. You can follow him on Twitter by searching for his profile name TodLangley. On Facebook, you can become a fan of his book by searching for Tod Langley.

Tracking it all
Langley has been using Google Analytics to track the traffic to his site and see what phrases and keywords garner more hits and also to see where the traffic is coming from. GA is free and has tons of ways to track and view data.

Here's what he had to say about his recent finds:

Hi Kat,

Seeing something pretty clearly already. Nothing earth-shattering but the stats back it up on Google Analytics.

Author website visits peak early in the week and go up and down til Friday
Weekends have almost no visits.
Since 60% of my visits are direct site visits - I know people are getting the address either through Facebook or Twitter rather than Google Search or Amazon or even Wheatmark - I'd bet my input into blogs, twits, and facebook anecdotes are driving potential business.

I don't get the chance to write on weekends because I am very busy with "honeydo lists" and then play catch up on Sunday nights once I get back to my corporate apartment.

Until you get the word out enough that interest drives itself, you HAVE to routinely contribute things of interest to social sites. You also have to re-visit old conversations and often reference your author website because you get new followers daily that don't go back in time to see your old chats.

There is a direct correlation between social networking and immediate website visits (within 1-2 days).

What Langley is doing is exactly what I try to get authors to do: create a hub (website/blog) with spokes of communication (Facebook, Twitter, forums) that drive traffic back to the hub and help turn the axle (Amazon/Wheatmark bookstore) that propels the vehicle (book sales) forward.

Visit www.todlangley.com and read his author blog for more tips and to follow his journey. The entry about his experience with the publishing timeline is a really good one.

I'm still waiting on the post where he congratulates Wheatmark, Hayley Love, and me for being just oh-so-awesome...

Wheatmark has gathered a lot of free information about publishing and marketing into one hand area of our website. Check it out next time you get stuck!

Publishing: Open Season

kgautreaux@wheatmark.com (KatG) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:17:00 +0000

One of my monthly indulgences is a professional pedicure. There is a salon here in Tucson that I prefer going to because they do a great job for not too much money. One of the drawbacks to the salon though is that the fashion magazines at the drying table are incredibly out of date. I actually found one in the stack from 1997!

In order to not fidget and smear my nails, I generally strike up conversations with the people around me and this past weekend was no different. I was chatting with this nice lady next to me and we did the standard oohing and aahing over each other's color choices and then settled in for the "getting to know you" chat ... where do you work, blah blah blah.

She happened to be an English teacher and was very interested in Wheatmark and what our company did. She had no idea that the independent publishing industry had progressed so far as to make it possible for a classroom of kids to potentially publish a book.

I talked to her at length about what we did, told her about other companies that she might want to look into, and wrapped up the conversation.

One of the last things she said to me was, "I want them to realize that being a writer is like playing an instrument: not everybody gets to be a rock star."

"Wait!" I said. "That's exactly what I'm talking about! With modern publishing services like ours, you do get the chance to be a rock star, well at least a potentially famous author! It's up to the writer and the reader, not a publishing house that decides who gets to be published. It's really cool!"

It always amazes me how excited people get when they find out that publishing has become such an available process. I know families that have used Blurb to publish their family blogs and given them to grandparents for unique Christmas presents and authors who have used such sites as Lulu to upload a Word document and make a nearly instant book.

Publishing service companies are not created equally and different ones offer different levels of services. For example, Wheatmark is where you go if you are serious about being an author and want the utmost levels of service available to you before, during, and after the publishing process. The thing they all have in common though, is that you don't need an agent to help you shop your manuscript to a traditional publishing house in New York that may or may not choose your book and give you a nominal sum of money only to turn around and only sell it for a few months.

The new world of publishing makes it open season for authors. And yes, you CAN become a rock star of the book world. The best part is you get to do it on your terms with your book and have full artistic control.

And that truly rocks.

You can learn more about what it takes to become a successful self-published author by enrolling in our free minicourse on the Wheatmark homepage. Already ready already? Fill out our Project Assessment Form and see if Wheatmark is the right company for you!

Should You Use Your Middle Initial On Your Book's Cover?

noreply@blogger.com (Atilla Vekony) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:35:00 +0000

Should you use your middle initial on your book's cover?

Don't! Unless ... well, read on:

Let's say your name is Francine Lambert (I just made this up.) All your friends, relatives, and people you come in contact with know you as Francine Lambert. You introduce yourself at events as Francine Lambert. Basically, you are ... Francine Lambert.

You write a self-help book on how to save money in a tough economy and it's time for your publisher to put your name on the cover and into the necessary bibliographic databases. "How would you like your name appear on your book's cover?" the publisher asks.

You've decided you will not use a pen name or pseudonym, which is wise in your case. However, after you blurt out "Francine Lambert" you pause and say, "Actually, make that Francine J. Lambert." You believe your name with a middle initial looks and sounds more authoritative on your book cover. And you're right ... but you're making a big mistake!

As we've seen, people know you as Francine Lambert, not as Francine J. Lambert. When you've pitched your book to an audience or even just to friends, they will go online to look for your book. Instead of looking for the title of your book (which they may have forgotten), they will search on your name. They will search on the name they know and remember, which is Francine Lambert, but all online databases associate your book with the name Francine J. Lambert. Will your book show up on these searches? Yes, but it will not score nearly as well in generic Google search results as it should!

Therefore, don't use your middle initial on your book cover unless you have to.

When should you use your middle initial? I recommend it in two cases:

You share a name with another author or famous person. Your middle initial will distinguish you and your book from the other author's books. Online bookstore databases sometimes have a hard time distinguishing between two authors by the exact same name. One of our authors, John Lock, actually goes by J. D. Lock.
You have a very common (i.e., popular) name, like Mary Smith or Paul Brown. I suppose for this reason Michael W. Smith doesn't perform under the name Mike Smith. And that is the reason why someone known to all his friends as David Scott publishes under his full name, David Meerman Scott. You can get away with it, mind you, just ask Will Smith!

One last thing: If you actually go by the nickname Fran but you decide to put your full name, Francine, on your book cover, you should start introducing yourself to new friends and audiences as Francine (what's on your book), and not as Fran. Why? So people who know you could find your book more easily. I have seen one of our authors interviewed on prime-time network TV. The celebrity interviewer identified him by his nickname, and so did the caption on the screen (let's say the name was "Jack Jones"). However, his book cover, Amazon, and every single online database identifies him under his full name, including his middle initial (let's say the name on his book is "John Q. Jones").

Nobody who saw the interview will know that the author of the book by "Jack Jones" is actually "John Q. Jones". Fortunately, the book has a very unique and memorable title.

For book marketing purposes, you shouldn't use your middle initial or full legal name on your book's cover. If you do, then it's best for your book if you start calling yourself that way!

Meaningful Cover Images

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Wenger) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 23:06:00 +0000

So you've written a book, and the time has come to pick an image for your cover. Luckily, you know exactly what you want. The image you have in mind is eye-catching. More importantly, it's deeply meaningful.

That's great, right?

Well, maybe. The key question is, meaningful to whom?

Consider the following hypothetical scenario.

* * *

When you were seven, you got yelled at in school for not paying attention. Lots of kids laughed. The girl in front of you turned around and saw that you were holding back tears of humiliation. You thought she'd laugh too.

"That teacher's just mean," the girl said. She took off the star of David necklace she'd been wearing and gave it to you. "Here. Don't be sad."

You moved away the following year. But you always remembered the girl, and her gesture of kindness. And you always kept the necklace.

During your senior year of college, you noticed someone staring at you from across the quad. She walked toward you, smiling. It was the girl from first grade! She had matured into a striking young woman. The two of you began dating. A year after graduation, you were married.

But your marriage fell on hard times after the initial honeymoon period. You argued about everything. After one particularly bad fight, you stormed into the bedroom and started packing. Who were you kidding? You were never going to make this work. You took off your wedding ring and opened the top drawer of your end table, intending to store the ring there. Then you saw it. The necklace she'd given you so many years ago.

Suddenly the memories came flooding back. You thought about everything that made you fall in love in the first place. Her compassion. Her giving nature.

You put your wedding ring back on and resolved to work things out.

Now, years later, you've written a book about how to better communicate with your spouse. The book is called What Really Matters: How Couples Can Work Through the Tough Times, and you've used your own experiences as examples throughout. The necklace story, naturally, is key.

And for your cover image—one of your book's top marketing tools—you have chosen ...

Wait for it ...

A picture of the star of David necklace.

* * *

At this point, you're quite possibly enjoying a good giggle. That's because you aren't emotionally attached to the events that led our author to think the necklace image was a good idea in the first place.

If you don't see the problem, however, read on. Here's a conversation a Wheatmark account manager might have with this author.

Wheatmark account manager: "Let's talk about your cover image. Can you tell me why you picked this one?"

Author: "Yes!" [He enthusiastically launches into the epic tale.]

WAM: "Hmm. What a wonderful story! But your potential readers won't get the significance ..."

Author: "They will understand when they get to chapter 5. I explain everything there."

WAM: "That's great, but before they read it, you have to convince them that they want to read it. Also, the star of David is already loaded with considerable cultural significance. If you put that on the cover, readers will think What Really Matters is about how Judaism is what really matters, or about how Jewish people can have a good marriage as long as they let God into it."

Author: "Look, you don't get it. That necklace holds deep, personal meaning for me. It symbolizes the whole point of the book!"

At this juncture, it becomes impossible to press the issue without seriously offending the author. Account managers may back off when this happens, reconciling themselves to the fact that the guy will probably only sell copies of his book to friends and immediate family.

Now, back to you and YOUR book. After reading all of the above, there's a good chance that you still think your chosen image is pretty cool. People might not get the precise meaning immediately, but it's not as ridiculous as that star of David! Still, you start to wonder. Are you too close to this project to discern how your audience will react?

Here are two things you can do to gain a little objectivity.

Run your idea past the people helping you sell your book.

Are you a Wheatmark author? Then your Wheatmark account manager is a great person to start with. Have you hired someone to do PR work for you? He or she is another good resource. Remember, these people have a vested interest in your book's success. If they're telling you there's a problem, you should listen.
Run your idea past other people who don't know you well.

Your friends and family will probably already get your image's significance, so the "don't know you well" part is crucial. Ask acquaintances who have never heard the story behind the image. Throw the picture up on your blog (if you don't have one, you should) and solicit opinions there.

This book is your baby, and of course you want to be happy with how it looks. But what you ultimately need to care about is what your target audience thinks.

Because if they don't get it, they won't buy it.

Size Does Matter! (But Not the Way You Think)

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Wenger) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 23:37:00 +0000

KatG recently shared a few excellent tips on what you should think about when creating your book’s title. I’d like to follow up on one of her points: the title’s length can have a big impact on the quality of the cover.

Many authors try to pack as much information as possible into these babies. It’s an understandable instinct. The cover is the first thing potential readers will see, so you want to tell them exactly what wonders await them if they take a peek inside. Also, the more words you use, the wittier you can be. Right?

Right?

Well, here's the problem. Say you’ve written a detailed historical record about keyboards -- the kind you find on typewriters and laptops. You’ve decided to call it The Quick Brown Fox Jumps over the Lazy Dog: A History of Keyboard Interface from QWERTY to DVORAK. You’re very proud of this title. It’s cute and clever and gets your general concept across.

It’s also unlikely to draw the eye when crammed into a relatively small space.

Think it’s not that bad? Try it as an Amazon.com-sized thumbnail.

If you’re selling your book primarily or exclusively online, THAT is the first glimpse your readers will get. A little crowded, yes?

As much as you like your original idea, maybe you should think of scaling back. Simplifying.

Ta da!

Again, you can really see what a difference this makes for the thumbnail version.

When the elements on the tiny image have room to breathe, the image as a whole becomes more accessible. Without knowing why, your potential readers will feel more inclined to click on it and take a closer look.

Which is exactly what you want them to do.

Thinking about Book Titles

kgautreaux@wheatmark.com (KatG) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 20:36:00 +0000

Over the years at Wheatmark, we've had a few titles come through that were either a mouthful that no one would be able to hold in mind long enough to order the book, confusing (careful about serial commas ... sometimes they don't read as a series), or just plain excellent.

I imagine titling a book is about as difficult as naming a child. You go through different iterations, bounce the names off of friends and family, and maybe even see how they look in print.

There are several things to think about when deciding on your book's title:

Does it make sense
Can buyers find it when browsing
Can it be read more than one way? Will it be OK if they read it the wrong way?
Can it be designed easily for a cover

Does it make sense?
This one seems fairly obvious, but let's talk about it anyway. Your title should be evocative of the content inside. If your book is about parent-child relationships and your book is entitled, "From a Great Height," that's great, but you might want to use a subtitle to help clarify what you will be talking about in the book.

Can buyers find it when browsing?
This is important. More important for independent authors because you'll be doing the bulk of your business online. OK. Here's the skinny: Unless someone knows your book title or author name and looks it up directly, you need a book title that can be found by keyword search.

If a potential reader is looking for a book, but they don't have one in particular in mind, they'll enter a search word on a site like Amazon. For example, if a reader is looking for a book on self-help, they will have a particular theme of self-help in mind. They aren't likely to enter in the term self-help. Maybe "get rich," "make money," or even "wealthy." If your book is about personal finance and has a title that includes those main words - rich, money, and wealth - you are more likely to have your book show up as an option for that search!

When titling your book, make sure the title, the subtitle, or a combination of both includes some easy to navigate key words to help potential readers find you!

Can it be read more than one way? Will it be OK if they read it the wrong way?
We have a Wheatmark title that can be read with two different inflections and results in two different meanings. Either way, it makes sense and pertains to the book.

However, that isn't always true. There are also times when a title may mean something but taken out of context is just plain wrong. This problem shows up a lot on Headlines with Jay Leno ... the unintended meanings can be a sticky problem. So have a few people read over it and make sure you aren't making an obscene joke by accident! (A memorable one from my newspaper days was "Military Gives YPG a Hummer." If you don't see the unfortunate joke, you definitely want to get someone else to check your title!

Can it be designed easily for a cover
I have been known to suggest changing a title simply because it would look better on the cover design. The look of your book cover is your most important marketing tool. The old saying goes, "You can't judge a book by it's cover." However, most people do, even if it is unintentional.

Too many words, too long of words or long words that sandwich little tiny ones are all difficult to design around. Your cover needs to be easily readable on the "thumbnail" that is displayed on web pages. Either the image or the title needs to grab a potential reader's attention. If your title is too long, it will limit the size of your font and of your image.

If you are a Wheatmark author and are unsure of your title, check with your account manager and they'll help you brainstorm some ideas to help you have the strongest title from day one!

Not a Wheatmark author but want to be? Fill out our Project Assessment Form to get started! You can also enroll in our free minicourse: 7 Steps to Self-Publishing Success on our home page!

New How-To Blog Tutorials

kgautreaux@wheatmark.com (KatG) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:57:00 +0000

Struggling to get your blog site started? Read the instructions sent to you by email several times and still can't picture what we're instructing you to do?

We now have a video tutorial on our site that takes you through the Blogger.com process from very start to end. Screen by screen, click by click!

It's done in a handy four-part series so you can choose the section where you are getting stuck!

Check it out at www.wheatmark.com/tutorials

How to Manage Book Sales

kgautreaux@wheatmark.com (KatG) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:47:00 +0000

One of the questions we try to help authors answer is whether they should direct their book buying traffic to the Wheatmark bookstore or to an online retailer such as Amazon.

My short, possibly not that helpful, answer to this is: Both.

The long answer to this is still both, but with some added explanation!

The Wheatmark bookstore, for Wheatmark authors, is where the book is available for the full retail price and offers a higher royalty to the author.

On the surface, this seems like a great way to earn back the publishing investment. Which it is, particularly if you are selling your book to only a few people or to a one buyer who is buying a LOT of copies, like a textbook being purchased by a school.

Many authors find that they sell more books on Amazon and are concerned that the traffic driven there is buying the book at a discount and thus the author isn't seeing as much royalty cash from each sale. Although that is true, there are are advantages to selling on Amazon.

I argue that if you are going to try to sell your book to a greater population, you should focus a lot of your effort on your Amazon sales. The reason is pretty simple: People (and I mean just about everyone at some point) buy books on Amazon. As consumers, they are familiar with the format, probably have a gift card from the CoinStar machine at the grocery store or an aunt that they have a few pennies left on, and it is part of their buying pattern. Not to mention the fact that the price on Amazon is lower.

The reduced price may cut into royalties, but, if you can sell more books on Amazon at the discounted price, then you'll be making more money in the end than if you only sold books on Wheatmark's store for full price and sold a third of what you did on Amazon. Right?

There is another element that makes Amazon a great place to sell your book: Functionality.

You can have a Kindle version for sale there, you can have multiple titles that pull together to boost your sales rank, people can leave reviews, and the tagging function also assists with visibility. These are things that are great for marketing.

What the Amazon site can't do is offer bulk discounts, which Wheatmark can. Our bulk author discounts are a great advantage. For example, if you are going to market to book clubs, you could drive the sales to yourself, buy bulk copies through us with your author discount and then sell them directly to the book club and make profit!

You could, of course, only sell through yourself all the time to make the highest profit per copy of book, but then you'd also have to handle the shipping. Trust me, as someone who has to do a lot of shipping, you want to try to skirt that responsibility whenever possible!

Also, we offer discounts on large book orders, like when a university buys a textbook or a book store buys a lot of them, so buying through Wheatmark is a better deal over Amazon or BarnesandNoble.com.

There are many ways to begin making money on your book. The bottom line is to know your goals as an author and to work towards those goals with your marketing. In the end, when you are selling copies of books, it won't make much of a difference where people buy them.

Just sell more copies this month than you did last month and you'll be on the track to success!

Amazon Rankings Explained

kgautreaux@wheatmark.com (KatG) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:22:00 +0000

For many authors, checking their Amazon ranking is an addictive daily activity.

For others, it's a confusing statistic they don't understand (which is probably why they have time to do things like shower. When you understand it, it can become an obsessive hobby that causes you to forsake all other daily activities).

So here it is, the meaning of your Amazon rank, plain and simple:

Your rank is how many books on Amazon are selling more copies than yours.

Let's break what this means down a bit.

Your book is ranked 14,000.
This means that there are 14,000 other titles on Amazon that have sold more copies than you.

But is that a good number?
Absolutely. There are a bajillion titles on Amazon and there are more and more listings added every day. If there are only 14,000 titles selling more copies than you, that's a gold star for you!

How can other books have the same rank as my book?
Because there are ALSO 14,000 more titles selling more copies than it. It isn't like class rank where there are 300 students and you are ranked 20th in your class because 19 other students have better grades than you. This is where many authors get confused. Amazon calling your position in the "how many titles are selling more than yours" platform a RANK is misleading a bit. I'm guessing they just couldn't think of a better term (or Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, is just trying to confuse us all and make us write blogs about it).

Why does my rank fluctuate?
To drive you crazy of course! OK, not really. The rank is generated by a system that is constantly calculating it. However, your rank is reported to you by a system that is not constantly updating you with information that is usable. One minute your book rank is 1,000,000 the next 500,000. So it will change and it won't make much sense.

How do I know what my rank is then?
Try not to be too fanatical about checking your rank. Think of it like you would a diet where you track weight loss: you want to take an average of a few days because the constant fluctuations can give you a misread of the reality.

If my rank jumps by 100,000, does this mean I've sold a bunch of books in a spurt?
No. Sorry. What it means is that you maybe sold 2 books and the 50,000 titles you were behind sold none. There are really a supermillion amount of titles on Amazon. Many of those titles don't sell. Not a copy. So when you just get started, your one book sale can skyrocket your ranking far and away from those duds. Try not to get too excited about the rank. Focus on the amazingness that you sold a book despite all the competition on Amazon!

So, if I can't really use rank as an indicator, how can I determine success?
Rank is a good thing to watch because it gives you something you can see to help you determine if your marketing efforts are working ... over time. What should you really look at? Book sales. You should be selling more books this month than you did last month. And so on and so on so that you are always making progress ... even if it just one book at a time!

What is an Editorial Analysis and Why Do You Need One?

kgautreaux@wheatmark.com (KatG) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:26:00 +0000

One of the first steps many of our author manuscripts go through is an Editorial Analysis (for those who want to geek out Wheatmark-style, we call it an EA around the office).

What is an Editorial Analysis and why do you need one?

An Editorial Analysis helps determine what the likely usability of an author's book, in its current form, will be by identifying its strengths and weaknesses.

The EA is designed to determine if the book is written in a way that will speak to its intended readership, if the book is written with excellent English usage, proper grammar, punctuation, and if it is written in an organized manner. It also looks at how well the book follows Chicago Manual of Style (CMS) formatting. Successful, correctly done books are formatted to a particular style that dictates how parts of the book are formatted, including even how commas are used and where the preface goes.

By having an Editorial Analysis done on your manuscript, it is easy to determine how much more work should be done on the book before it goes to layout. The EA will tell the author what level of copyediting they should have: if they need a light copy edit or maybe a more intensive developmental edit. All which should be done before your book designer begins styling your pages for print.

The Reason You Need An EA and Why You Should Listen
Successful authors have several things going for them. The first step to being a successful author is having an excellent book. This is an area to not let hubris get in the way (and quite often it does). Here are the most frequent excuses we hear for not having a completed EA done and for not listening and acting on the results:

I've already edited my book, it's fine.
I had my friend, who is an English teacher, proofread it already.
No one cares if the commas are CMS formatted.
Readers will know what I mean. They aren't stupid.
I don't want to spend the money.

First of all, an EA comes with nearly every package that Wheatmark offers, and, if you have one done before committing to a package, that cost will be deducted from your final sign-up fee. The cost of copyediting is more, but the final product will be worth it. It would be a shame to spend money on publishing a book, only to have it not perform because of some elements that could easily have been fixed for a few dollars more.

Two, you and your friend the English teacher are not professional book editors. It isn't a reflection on your skills, it's a reflection on how well-trained professional book editors are. They read tons of pages a year and are trained to know what to look for, how to look for it, and how to expertly make the correction.

And thirdly, your readers do actually care about the commas. They may not be fully aware of it, but it will bother them as they scan lines if they have been done incorrectly. Book readers have been trained for decades to expect certain guidelines to be followed and when you ignore that expectation, you frustrate them. It slows them down. Which is also why, just because you think your readers will understand a muddled concept in your book, it will be a hindrance. It will slow your readers down. Slow them down too much and they'll stop reading the book entirely.

You've taken the time and energy to write a book you would like to be a success. Don't sell it short by not using the resources available to help it be the most excellent book possible!

Shameless Plug: Want to know more about the steps to success? Sign up for our free 7 Steps to Self-Publishing Success minicourse!

How to Market a Book: Clips and Articles

kgautreaux@wheatmark.com (KatG) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:42:00 +0000

You have interviewed on TV, radio and in the newspaper. Now there is an upcoming magazine article for a local magazine scheduled to run next month. Also, you've been guest blogging on a well-known site for your genre.

You should make sure that you have all these great "clips" organized in one place.

Most websites for authors include a section that houses all their media appearances. Many authors also include their own articles they've written in this section, however, if you are a prolific writer, you may want to specify a separate section on your site for those.

What is the purpose of showing your clips?

underscore credibility
provides more information
creates a place for author platform building, potential readers will get to "know" you by your interviews
show your stuff: you've worked hard to get publicity and now it's paying off
if you are planning on lecturing, you can show some of your workshops here
interviewers can do background research on you

Having an area for your clips allows for easy access to them if you want to direct someone to them, it's a great way to show your credibility as an expert and author, and also says, "Hey, someone was interested in me! You will be, too!"

Also, it's better than a stack of clips and Post-Its on your desk that you'll "get to." Having the links, videos, and transcripts organized on your website creates and easy to use and organized warehouse for all your marketing results!

Sew, Do You Nim? Using Pen Names for Your Books

kgautreaux@wheatmark.com (KatG) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:31:00 +0000

We are asked frequently about using pseudonyms by authors--should they use them, what are their options, etc.

I've compiled a list of the top reasons authors choose pen names and the pros and cons of each so you can decide whether you want to start flipping through baby name books.

Content will upset family and friends due to honesty, sexuality, or language
Frankly, this is the reason many of our authors consider pen names and for many of them, this was the correct choice.

Pros: If your family is wound a little tight and would disapprove of your thinly veiled character portrayals of them, or your church friends just wouldn't understand your desire to write sexy novels, or your language isn't suitable for your coworkers you may want to consider a pen name.

Cons: If you are writing a memoir, but don't want to let your family know, you are lying to your readers. Readers really don't like the veil of mystery when reading autobiographies. Those disapproving friends, family, and coworkers are the beginnings of your author platform, by alienating/not trusting them, you may be missing out on your most valuable reviewers.

Writing for different companies
Many musicians do this if they want to work off their contracted label. Authors may do this as well. By creating a new name, you can often shop your books to different houses without them knowing.

Pros: For traditionally published authors, this isn't always a bad idea, particularly if you want to write in different genres. However, it isn't always needed. Ricky Gervais, an often foul-mouthed comedian, writes very successful children's books.

Cons: This is a sneaky thing to do and if it comes to light (it usually does), you may find yourself having to answer for your behavior. Also, you limit the ability of your books to help market each other. Sites like Amazon.com automatically group books by the same author together, thus improving their chances of selling together. Multiple names won't create that valuable link.

Want a pen name that suits their genre
Many authors are concerned that their past success in one genre will damage their success in another. Stephen King did this. Concerned that his already burgeoning horror writing fame would prevent his ability to write non-horror books, he created the pen name Richard Bachman. He was found out and King eventually "killed" Bachman off.

A common form of this is male writers who work in romance. Some men feel that, because women are the majority market and majority writers, romance fans may balk at a hot little number of a book written by Lester Neebs.

Pros: You can create a dramatic name that suits your genre nicely. Pixie Sugardust is a terrible name for a legal historian, well actually, it's a bad name all around. Apologies to those named that.

Cons: Much like King was found out, it is possible you will eventually be brought to light and have to come clean.

Too common, too difficult or unsavory name
Pro: You say your name is John Doe? For an author trying to make a name for themselves, that's a bit to overcome. It already sounds like a poorly contrived pen name. Or maybe your name is impossible to say or type. That will also make it difficult for readers to order your book. Also, if your last name is really long, you may want to consider truncating it to make it easier to fit on a business card. And finally, if your parents named you something that you're almost embarrassed to admit (some playground tales of ignorant folks naming their girls after some nasty diseases because they sounded pretty do come to mind), you'll want to choose a pen name. Actually, if that is the case, you may want to look into legally changing it!

Con: Your mom might be mad at you for turning your back on the family name.

Better positioning with publishers
It isn't fair. But some authors have found that changing their name to a man's name or woman's name, depending on the circumstance, has actually made a difference in their acceptance to the (traditionally) published realm. In fact, many female authors have had better success when renamed more male-oriented names (cough cough Bronte sisters).

Pro: Your genre may be a bit tetchy about your gender. Like I've already mentioned, some people feel that romance novels are a sexist group. Another scenario would be, say, a book titled, The Women's Career Guide to Working with Other Women. I don't care if you are an expert on the modern psychology and sociology of women in the workplace. If you're a man, you are treading in choppy waters there. Gender studies that deal with gender-to-gender advice, generally should come from someone of that gender.

Con: I said it wasn't fair. And it isn't.

MOST IMPORTANT
If you are going to use a pen name and plan to send out marketing materials to all of your friends: Make sure they know it is you. We've historically had authors do this, but neglect to tell their friends, only to be confused when their loyal friends didn't buy the book.

The first surge of sales most independent authors experience are to their friends, acquaintances, and family. If they don't know who you are, you won't make the sale.

That may be the most important factor in deciding to use a pen name. How much is name recognition going to effect your entry sales and fledgling author platform?

In the end, it's up to you the author to decide!

Interested in some famous author pseudonyms? Check out this site here for a few you may not have known!

How to Market a Book: Story Suggestions for Media

kgautreaux@wheatmark.com (KatG) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:11:00 +0000

Alternate title for this post: How to Make the Media's Job Easier So They Will Give You Free Publicity

When you think of the media covering you and your book, do you envision a reporter coming to your house, notepad in hand while you sit in your formal living room and they ask you about your inspiration?

If you do, you're going to be disappointed. Just like homes rarely have formal living rooms anymore, most media outlets can't spare the time for traditional, lengthy interviews. What they need is a quick and dirty idea about you that they can pad out with some details, a picture, and, if there is an event, the specifics about where and when it will be.

You can help your media staffer, and your coverage, by creating some easy materials for them to steal/crib/be inspired by.

Here are some items to consider:

Fast Facts
Backgrounders
Story ideas and themes your book goes with
Interview Q & A
Additional resources list
List of Events

Fast facts: Quick tidbits of insight a reporter can use to add interest to their story.

Backgrounders: By offering up research items, such as where you grew up, that you suffer from eczema and that's where your character's fear of rashes stemmed from, etc., you keep your reporter from having to dig. You can give them the info upfront and help them ask you better questions.

Story Ideas and Themes: Most reporters haven't read your book, and frankly, it's not likely they will. You'll need to clue them in that your book would be perfect for a Memorial Day package because your book is about war or soldiers. By creating a list of stories and angles in which your story could be presented, or maybe themes/holidays stories about your book would be good for helps reporters out. It helps them package stories together and you can be part of that story!

Interview Q & A: It works on Letterman. If you are going to be interviewed, why not try to be asked the questions you'd like to be asked? By making up a set list of interview questions and then answering them, you make it so that there is already background and structure before the interviewer even calls you on the phone! You can even work in all those mundane Q&A standbys like "What is the title of your book."

Additional Resources: Sometimes your book will be the jumping point of a piece, but, the media outlet may want to provide additional information about a topic. For example, say your book is about epilepsy. It would be helpful for their readers/viewers/listeners if they had access to further info and you can help direct them by anticipating this need and providing it. A simple list of books, online resources, and organizations is all it takes!

And finally ...

List of Events: Always provide the who, what, when, where, how much for your upcoming events when dealing with the media. If your story doesn't run for your first event, they may hold it for another in the future. Plus, many media outlets maintain calendars and will helpfully add your event to it. Always give them the information they need to help you!

When trying to get pieces done about your book or yourself as an author, remember that interviewers are on deadline and the more information you give them to work with and the less they need to probe out of you with questions, the more likely you are to have a great story come out that helps you sell your book!

How to Market a Book: How to Display Your Reviews

kgautreaux@wheatmark.com (KatG) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 21:05:00 +0000

Blurbs and endorsements from readers are a great way to start out. You should keep them in one place--one document or on a tab on a website--so that interested parties can check them out. Always remember to get a name and title of the endorser.

What kind of people do you want to endorse your book?
The best endorsements, meaning the ones that will best be able to help you sell your book, are from people who are:

knowledgeable about books
knowledgeable about your topic
already famous and have clout with audiences.

Recently I flagged an endorsement on a book to be downplayed because the book's topic was very specific about something like molecular science but the blurb on the book was from someone who's title may have involved "insurance agent." Unless that insurance agent is also the vice president of the molecular science club, his kind words of encouragement are nice, but not necessarily helpful to sell the book.

How can you tell if someone will be a help?
Consider if that same blurb writer hated the book, would it really make any difference? If not, then likely they aren't going to be very effective in persuading your audience even if they like it.

For example, if your insurance agent hates your book on molecular science because, "the book was incredibly confusing and the concepts were just terribly explained," and your book isn't entitled, "Molecular Science for Insurance Agents" my guess is that the negative review wouldn't help or hurt your market share.

What about newspaper/magazine/blog mentions?
A write up from a media outlet can help your book sales. A mere mention in an author roundup is pretty good. A full article about your book is great.

One of the great boons to clip cutting in the modern day is that you really no longer have to actually cut your clips. So many media services are online, you can easily link to the article on your website or blog.

If you are sending a printed version of your marketing kit, you can simply refer to the article title, media outlet, and date. You can provide a link, and few choice lines of the article, or maybe just a solid quote.

"The advances in molecular science are amazing and this book will help scientists better understand the atomic world."
Booked for the Future: Molecular Science in the Modern Day, Science Geek Daily, May 3, 2009 View full article at www.nerdlings.com

Don't despair! If your orthodontist wants to weigh in on your molecular science tome, the perfect place for her, your mother, and your uncle Robby is on Amazon. In fact, the more people you direct to give you positive reviews on Amazon.com, the better off you'll be!

How many should I include?
Only include as many blurbs of reviews as will fill a standard sheet or two of paper (and only two if they are lengthy endorsements) if you are printing them out and mailing them.

For your website or blog, you can list as many as you want. Make sure to list your strongest, most compelling endorsements at the top. Readers tend to skim and don't have long attention spans for information on web pages, so you really want to get the key ones at the top.

Another thing you do with endorsement blurbs is to pepper them throughout your marketing materials. Use them in your press releases to give a quotable point of view to your book. Put one on a contact sheets of images to help dress it up and give it even more value! It's a nice way to get positive remarks about your book in from of people without touching that "look how great I am" nerve.

How do I get feedback if my book isn't out yet?
Something we recommend for some of our authors is to do an Advanced Review Copy or ARC. This is an initial small print run of books created for distribution to reviewers. They have an "eyebrow" that marks them as ARCS and not for sale. This is how your potential reviewers can give you feedback before your final print run. With Wheatmark, we will simply do a revision on your book when you are satisfied with your feedback on your ARCS, and send the new version to print. Yes, it costs a little bit more, but for some books, it's the most intelligent way to begin author platforming efforts and to give reviewers a jump on climbing aboard your bandwagon!

These are generally treated differently than having a book reviewer request a copy of your book. In most cases, ARCs go out to a preselected group of reviewers the author has asked to look at the book.

Getting great endorsements and reviews may not, in the beginning, do much for your book sales. What they do is provide credibility to your work. Just like when you go on a job interview you have a resume but are also asked for references, your blurbs are your references. Amazon is a great place to direct friendly reviewers to help you broaden your author platform. When it comes to blurbs for marketing you want to stick with the best!