Helping Writers Go from Unpublished to Published
You never know how someone else might use you as an example.
I want to relate a quick story that I hope encourages you in your journey.
My daughter lives in another state, but she calls on a regular basis to visit. Earlier this year she called to tell me how she had shared my story with a man who wants to be an author. This man was struggling with believing his dream of published writer was possible. My daughter shared [Read more…] about Reaching for Your Dream – It’s Never too Late
Recently I had more than one person comment about their struggle with waiting. I’m talking about the wait between when you submit (or pitch) your work and when you hear back from the editor (or publisher).
We all have a different tolerance level for waiting, and the instant society we live in compounds the problem. But we can stay encouraged and productive while we wait.
I think Kathy Carlton Willis offers the best advice with this quote from her upcoming book Your Life on Hold: Don’t Hate the Wait! “Sometimes between the ‘wait’ and the ‘yes’ we need to fall at Jesus’ feet and be caught up in total adoration of the Savior.”
We may not get a “yes” when the answer comes, but keeping our focus on the Savior provides us the peace and strength for every moment of the day, no matter what we face.
How about it readers? Add to the list the things that work for you. Leave your answer in the comments.
Debra L. Butterfield © 2013
It’s the third Friday of the month, time for our Friday Feature author interview.
This month’s debut author landed a publisher via a contest. Today I visit with Marie Wells Coutu, author of For Such a Moment, released earlier this year from Write Integrity Press.
Welcome, Marie. Thank you for joining us today. How exciting to win a contest that includes publication of your book. How long did it take to write your book?
Marie: I worked on this book for five or six years, off and on. Once I felt it was as polished as I could make it, and I still had not had any interest from publishers, I put it aside and began to work on a historical novel. But after I heard about the Books of Hope Contest, sponsored by Write Integrity Publishers, I dusted off the manuscript and polished it some more before submitting to the contest.
Debra: Obviously your hard work paid off. You won the contest and now book one of your Mended Vessels series, For Such a Moment, has been published. Congratulations.
Initially, at what point in writing your book did you begin to look for publishers?
Marie: Too soon, probably! [Read more…] about Friday Feature: Interview with Author Marie Wells Coutu
As writers, we must continually seek to improve our writing skills. It is an ongoing process that can be accomplished in a number of ways to fit anyone’s budget.
Participate in a critique group—it’s much easier to see someone else’s weak spots than your own.
Read writer blogs and the many free products they offer
Subscribe to writer magazines or read them at the library. Writer’s Digest and The Writer are two I recommend, but I’m sure there are others.
Read books on writing. Find them at the library. Be sure to ask about inter-library loan or for your library to purchase the book if they don’t have it. I recommend:
by James Scott Bell
The Writer’s Little Helper by James V. Smith, Jr.
Take a writing course.
What have you done to improve your writing skills? Do you have a book, course, or professional organization you recommend?
Congratulations go to Amy Bovaird, our contest winner. She’ll receive a copy of Jeff Goins’ brand new book The In-Between. Email me at Deb@DebraLButterfield.com with your address and I’ll get it sent right out.
As you can see, I spent my weekend, redesigning, and I hope, making improvements to my website. I still have some work to do, but I’m learning CSS code as I go. We are all on this journey together, learning our craft and the tidbits of everything else that go with being a freelance writer.
Now, let’s move on to today’s marketing tip.
Whether it’s a tight economy or not, people like to get free stuff.
While you build your publishing credits and platform, you can market yourself (and any products you may have) by offering your readers a free eBook you’ve written, or a simple pdf document that focuses on your niche area of expertise (generally in exchange for their email address). Createspace has an eBook option, and I’ve done some research on Smashwords.com as well.
(I’m accepting guest blogs. Do you know about creating eBooks.)
A pdf is easily created on your computer and can be distributed to your readers directly via email, as a download on your website, or even through a mail service such as MailChimp.
Offering these items will build your mailing list, get your name out there, and give your readers a taste of your work (and ready for more). So make sure whatever you offer is the best you have to offer at that time.
Debra L. Butterfield © 2013
Get past your fears, your doubts, your lack of expertise, your (you fill in the blank), about creating a writer/author website for yourself.
As a writer you want to give readers and potential publishers and magazine editors a place to go and find out more about yourself. In fact, it’s a must.
Your website is the answer. Here you can let them know who you are, what you have to offer, and list your publication credits. No credits yet, then wow visitors with your sparkling web copy.
What’s keeping you from starting a website?
The benefits of membership in a writer’s organization are numerous. The benefits vary from organization to organization, but here are just a few:
I presently belong to two writer’s groups. The free webinars I get from Christian Writer’s Guild far outweigh the $99/yearly membership fee. The networking and camaraderie I receive from fellow writers in Heart of America Christian Writers Network keeps me encouraged and connected to the writing world, and I get regular notifications of markets wanting stories.
A Google search on “writers organizations” will yield a plethora of pages that offer a listing of organizations. While the listings aren’t exhaustive, they are worth the visit. You can dig deeper by searching on specific genres. Both the Writer’s Digest Market Guide and The Christian Writer’s Market Guide give information on writer’s organizations.
Here are a few direct links:
Being connected to an organization within your field/genre will yield marketing opportunities and allow you to develop relationships that will both encourage you as a writer and push you forward in your writing career.
What value have you found from the writers’ group you belong to?
Debra L. Butterfield © 2013
Today is the first in a new series I call Friday Feature. I thought it would be fun to interview authors and find out what their publication journey was like and wanted to offer them a free tool for marketing their debut book. Friday Feature will appear every third Friday of the month and will be a much longer post than I normally publish. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the read.
This month I’ve interviewed J.A. Marx, author of Destiny Defied, volume one of The Destiny Series, which released April 18, 2013 from Write Integrity Press.
Welcome to the blog, J.A., where passion and purpose meet. Congratulations on the publication of your first book! Let’s dive right in.
Debra: How long did it take to write your book?
J.A.: The original version took 9 months (2001). And then I learned how to write. The basic story stayed the same, but it went through a mega amount of editing. Plus I was homeschooling and that took precedence.
Debra: I love your honesty and humor! Much of what I wrote before I learned the craft is packed away in a box never to see the red of an editing pen. At what point in writing your book did you begin to look for publishers?
J.A.: I sought publishers from the very beginning. But once I learned a thing or two about writing—and realized my work was not publishable—I backed off for a while. Once Destiny actually met industry standards, I altered the angle of my pitch and the first editor to read it bought it. All aspects of the craft needed to be aligned, and that lesson took a decade for me to learn.
Debra: That’s a journey worthy of another post, J.A. I hope you’ll consider doing a guest post for me about industry standards. How did you choose the publishers you queried?
J.A.: Research. Finding agents and editors who had an interest in supernatural suspense was like digging for gold in a fishbowl. My wonderful critique group leader, author Lena Nelson-Dooley, actually connected me with Write Integrity.
Debra: How wonderful to have a published author such as Lena Nelson-Dooley in your critique group. Her work is on my bookshelf. Did you meet with acquisition editors via writer’s conferences? If so, how did that go?
J.A.: Yes. That is the best way to meet the right people. Speaking in person to editors and agents helps you realize they are real people. They make a living off good books, and they truly want you to be the author they’re seeking. Showing professionalism and courtesy goes a long way. They will remember you.
Debra: When the publisher asked for a book proposal, what did they want the proposal to include? Was it difficult to write?
J.A.: Best advice: read the submission guidelines on their website. For Destiny Defied, since I had an inside connection (recommendation from a published author), I skipped the usual query letter and sent a full proposal with a cover letter, synopsis, and the first three chapters.
The Christian Writers Guild’s elite Craftsman course prepared me to pitch my novel with competence and put together a winning proposal that included a marketing plan. My Craftsman mentor, DiAnn Mills, offered a lot of input on the proposal I sent to Write Integrity.
Debra: DiAnn Mills, another successful author. You’re very fortunate to have such strong authors supporting you. Give us a general run down on the process once your book was accepted.
J.A.: October 2012, contract signed.
January 2013, publisher began the editing process. (My editor also sent a To Do list, otherwise I would’ve been lost: set up blog tours; create a press release; prepare promotional announcement, etc.)
February – I received the edited version and made the minor changes they requested.
Mid-February – I received the final product for one last review (by then I was sick of the story. LOL).
April 18, release.
Debra: Time between acceptance and publication varies widely between publishers. Yours was quick, but I’m sure the waiting process was just as grueling. When you received your contract did you have it reviewed by a lawyer or was it straight forward and easy to understand?
J.A.: Thankfully, the contract was straight forward. I had only one question that was easily clarified via email.
Debra: What specifics did the contract cover?
J.A.:
Debra: Do you have any advice for other writers concerning contracts?
J.A.: Read it thoroughly. If it’s not straight forward and you’re not agented, find a lawyer. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. You have rights.
Debra: Did you work with an editor from the publishing house during the publishing process? If so, how did that go?
J.A.: I want an editor that loves my story as much as I do, and I found her. We’re on the same page. We had one or two areas of disagreement regarding the actual edits, but those were easily resolved. I love my editor, and I consider Tracy a friend.
Debra: There was a day when the publisher handled all the marketing of their books. Today, authors do a lot of their own marketing. How much of the marketing of your book are you expected to handle?
J.A.: I work with a small pub house, so she expects a lot of me. And that’s fine. I took her advice and did everything I possibly could and learned a ton along the way. It’s Tracy’s hope that all her authors cross-promote, which is awesome. But I think we need to work on that, organize better perhaps.
Debra: What did you find was the worst thing to deal with in the publishing process? What was the best?
J.A.: The worst: Stepping into the Great Unknown of marketing was very unsettling. I didn’t feel equipped to promote Destiny Defied. I needed lots of encouragement from my editor and from a couple of other authors who’ve been around the block already; their confidence rubbed off.
The best: Editing (which I love) and the Facebook party promo were highlights.
Debra: What advice do you have for writers concerning finding and gaining a publisher?
J.A.: After you’ve learned the craft and your work has gone through the gauntlet with a critique group (or critique partner): attend a conference. Sign up for an appointment with an editor you’ve researched. Smile. Tell them something wonderful about their website or blog. Then passionately pitch your well-rehearsed, 1-minute, blurb. Say ‘thank you’ at the end. Then follow through with whatever they ask you to do.
Debra: What advice do you have for writers for during the process between acceptance and release?
J.A.: Before the chaos hits, write articles/blogs related to your theme so they’re ready to release as the time draws near. Also put together some character interviews for your own blog and for others. Create a press release. Set up blog tours. Practice whatever you learned in the marketing class/book. (Randy Ingermanson has helpful information, as does Chip McGregor’s blog).
Debra: Do you have a second book in the works? A publisher already lined up?
J.A.: Yes, the suspense continues. Write Integrity is releasing Destiny Delivered, volume two of The Destiny Series. September 19, 2013. I’m psyched!
Debra: Thank you so much, J.A., for being with me and my readers today. I’ve enjoyed our time together (and learned too!). I want to again extend my invitation to do a guest post here about industry standards. I know I’m interested in hearing more and I’m sure my readers are as well. I wish you God’s best for your work as you journey forward and much success for The Destiny series. Keep us posted!
J.A.: Thank you for having me on your blog, Debra. I feel very honored.
Readers leave your comments for J.A. below. She’ll be responding today only (July 19). If you’ve published your first book this year or are slated for publication next year and would like to be considered for a Friday Feature, contact me at Deb [at] DebraLButterfield [dot] com.
Interested in purchasing Destiny Defied? Put the title into my affiliate Amazon search box in the right sidebar and you’ll help support my work in bringing you this blog. Thanks for your support!
ABOUT J.A. MARX: J.A. Marx, author/editor, resides in Texas. She has written various articles, and edits for a national healthcare e-zine. When she’s not writing, she’s working out at the gym, cooking up healthy meals, or hanging with her husband, the love of her life.
“Destiny Defied,” volume 1 in her supernatural suspense series released in April. http://amzn.to/Zh2VBZ Volume 2 “Destiny Delivered” will release in September 2013. Check out J.A.’s website www.jamarx.net Or email her at Embattledspirit@jamarx.net
ABOUT DESTINY DEFIED:
Trapped on a mysterious island, eighteen-year-old Riki finds refuge with four odd college boys. Isaac, the rugged EMT, insists no one else is around, but Riki cannot ignore her fear that someone is stalking her. Unless she finds a power truly great enough to overthrow Darkness, Riki will choose death over returning to captivity.
Lord Vétis, high priest of a cultic underground, will stop at nothing to reclaim the chosen one, but he must do so before her introduction to the real world ruins her royal destiny. Using black magic, he manipulates Riki and her self-assigned bodyguards, triggering a battle that consumes the entire island. The underground will never allow Riki to live out her dreams of a normal life…something she has never known.