Subjectivity

If there's one thing I've learned as an author, it's that when it comes to books opinions are subjective. What one person loves another may hate. As someone who loves to read, I know what it's like when I fall in love with a novel and have people ask, "Why in the hell did you enjoy this?" A good example is my favorite book, Never Let Me Go. Some people have loved it. However, a vast majority don't understand my emotional connection with the characters. Understandably, it's not a light read. I've read Never Let Me Go over a dozen times and always find something new to love. It just goes to show that not everyone has the same experience when they settle in and embark on the journey an author wants to take them on.

It's very important as a writer to remember this when it comes to submissions and rejections. Just because someone doesn't like what you're putting out there it doesn't mean someone else won't. I recently had a release that I wasn't sure would ever be published. It wasn't that "I" didn't like it, rather it appeared that the first couple of publishers I submitted to didn't. Determined to give things one final try, I submitted the book to a publisher I really wanted to be at, crossed my fingers and, what do you know, received a contract offer. Consequently, my editor wanted to see all of the manuscripts that were unpublished and offered contracts for those after reading them. She's an enormous supporter and fan of my work. And the best part? The reader response to the book has been extremely positive, I'm currently working on the next novel in the series, and my editor and I are extremely excited about the project.

I think it's very important to remember how subjective things are when it comes to publishing. Sometimes it's best to keep pushing, to search for that one person who "gets" you. Trust me when I say there is no better reward than finding an editor who believes in you, your work, and wants to make you the best author you can be.

Now for the eye candy of the week. He just so happens to be on one of my soon-to-be-released covers. I didn't know it at the time, but he's extremely popular and one of the best known romance cover models in the industry. It's not difficult to see why. *grin*

Your cover letter

This week’s post will be short and sweet.  For two reasons, first it’s about the cover letter and it’s more about fact than creating a fabulous blurb or detailed synopsis.  Second, I have an insane week lined up for myself and just found out today I have to fit all of that in with work as well as a wake and funeral. So I promise to babble more next week.

Now it’s time to get that cover letter put together. 

While it sounds relatively simple keep in mind that this is the first thing the editor will see when you send in your submission so you want it to be something worth reading. Most important thing (again) make sure it is error free.

Each publisher will list what they want to see in the cover letter, and it varies so I won’t write it step by step.  Most important thing – make sure it is error free.

This is where you can brag a little.  If you’ve had something publisher before, put it on the cover letter.  It got a five star review, list that as well.  It’s your first time submitting your writing – that’s okay too.

I usually introduce myself (if you have a pen name put that in too) and then give them the facts about the book.  Genre, word count, heat leave.  This is a good place to put your tagline if you have one.  The brief description of the book is usually my blurb.  (all the details are in the synopsis, so there’s no need to go on and on in the cover letter)

Many publishers will now ask for your promotional plan.  Telling every person you see is not considered a plan – while word of mouth is a great way to promote, it’s not really what they’re looking for. 

If you belong to writer’s / reader groups or are a part of an organization, this would be the place to list that.  I list what groups I’m in, my website (yes you need a website) my blog.  As a part of my promoting I do Blog tours for the release of my new books.  Setting up chats is another great way to get your book out there. If you have an opportunity to do a book signing once you have said book, regardless of how small, add that to your plan. 

Bottom line with this area of the cover letter is, the smaller publishers will promote their company, but do not have the budget to promote each individual author.  No one will know about you and your book unless you start the ball rolling and jog along beside it to keep it moving.

Until next time...

Putting it together - formatting.

Okay we’ve got the dreaded synopsis all finished and polished up; we’ve found a publisher (following the great advice of Madelyn) not what?  The next step to sending this is of course reformatting according to the publisher’s guidelines.  You want the manuscript to be laid out the way the editors want it to be.  If they want Times New Roman 12pt, double spaced, no indents at the start of paragraphs and one inch margins with no blank lines after scene breaks, than that’s exactly how you need to do it.

Make sure you send it in the format they prefer as well.  In most cases this is DOC or RTF, a simple ‘save as’ in your writing program takes care of that.

This is a tedious process, I know, but a very necessary one.  The submissions editor will be constantly distracted from what they are reading if they are stopping to grumble about a writer that can’t follow simple instruction.  I have done some submission reading and it is really hard to follow a plot when one chapter is double spaced with perfect indentation and then the next is single spaced with no margins at all.  I’m sure the writer was wrestling with the reformatting, and I understand that part having done that at few times myself – but will the editor understand when they have many submissions to get through?

Another way to grasp what I’m saying is, if you ordered a burger with no ketchup, lettuce or mustard and asked for the salad instead of fries and upon getting home and opening the bag you found french fries and a burger with only ketchup, lettuce and mustard on it ... how likely are you to enjoy eating it?

Follow the guidelines.

This is an exciting time to be in digital publishing. With the changes going on in traditional publishing, like Dorchester dropping their mass marketing for digital, the digital side of the publishing industry is only going to continue to grow. Though this is great for those of us already familiar with this side of publishing, for those new to e-publishing, this can be problematic. New e-pubs seem to be popping up all over the place and unfortunately, not all of them are going to have your best interests in mind. So how do you avoid the pitfalls of the unscrupulous e-press?

1. RESEARCH! I can't stress this enough. Do a Google search. Read everything you can find on the publisher, especially blogs and forums. If an author has had a bad experience with a publisher, chances are he or she has mentioned it somewhere. The e-pub community really is smaller than you would think and this kind of stuff does not stay quiet for long.

In an earlier post, Jaime mentioned Absolute Write and Piers Anthony. I would like to add The Passionate Pen, EREC, Dear Author, and Smart Bitches. Believe me, if something is going on with a publisher, there will be information about it at one of these places.

2. Contact some of their authors. While an author might not be willing to discuss any problems they might be having with the world, most will not hesitate privately. And if they are happy, they will definitely be sure to let you know.

3. Now keep in mind, even if after all your research, you find nothing but glowing praises about a publisher, it still might not be the right place for you. Make sure you read a good sampling of what they publish. Some genres sell better at one pub than they do at another. Look at their newest releases and you should be able to quickly determine if your ms will fit. But make sure you actually read some of what they are selling. Not all e-presses are the same when it comes to editing, cover art, and content. Now imagine your name on one of their covers. If you don't get a sudden case of the heaves, add them to your list of possible pubs.

4. I cannot stress this enough. If the pub is new, please proceed with extreme caution. Personally, I would hold off all together. Too many have folded and while a year under a pub's belt isn't proof of success, the last thing you want is a pub folding, taking your ms with them. While the contract might say you retain your rights in the case of a pub folding, 9 times out of 10 your ms will get piled in with the companies other assets in bankruptcy proceedings.

After all your research, you will have a small list of pubs you are interested in but please keep in mind, just because a e-pub as been around years does not exclude them from questionable practices. I can think of three that I would run far away from, so like I said, RESEARCH. Please. The information is out there and as long as you don't jump into this business feet first, you should do fine.

Check back next Thursday, as I'll be discussing the good, the bad, and the ugly; the dreaded contract.

Helpful Resources, Pass It On

After weeks/months/years of working on a manuscript, you've finally finished. Congrats! I know just how long the journey can be, and you should be proud of yourself for accomplishing something that many people aspire to do, but never see through to fruition.  Writing a book is something you should be proud of, regardless of where it goes after.  With that said (and if you're reading this) there is a very real possibility that you want to do more than keep your hard work to yourself.

When I decided I wanted to submit my material for possible representation/publication, I had no idea what I was doing. I did do some research, but since I'm not very techno savvy, most of the good stuff remained out of my scope until after I'd signed my first contract.  This isn't something I'm ashamed of, but it does go a long way in showing you how naive some new writers can be. Google searching doesn't always get it done. There is so much information floating around out there, and I found it difficult to sort through which places were helpful and which weren't.

Which brings me to the focus of today's blog.

At some point in the future, I'll cover query letters, synopsises, etc.  For now, I'd like to direct you toward something you should really start delving into before you finish typing the words, "The End," if you're considering publication. Nothing compares to first hand experience. However, it doesn't hurt when you're pointed in the right direction.

Below are five websites I've returned to time and again. In fact, I still visit them on occasion, as it's the best way to learn what's what in the community before it spreads around.   I'd like to challenge you to add your own links to the list via a comment.  When finished, I'll compile all of them into a future blog that can be bookmarked and passed along to up and coming authors who are daunted by the task and need reassurance that it can, in fact, be done. ;-)

**Please note that I'm only covering free resources. While places like Writer's Market are great, most people can't invest money into something until they start making it.  These are not the only places you can go when you're trying to decide what is best for you and your writing, but it's my hope that in some way that they can help you when you're forced to make the tough decisions.**

My list:

Agent Query: A great place to start looking for agent representation.

Absolute Write: This forum is a must. Not only can you find out everything you possibly want to know about the industry, you can also do a check on the publishers/agents you are considering.  I can't tell you how important this is.  Before you even consider sending out a query, do a full investigation into who you are offering your material to. 

Author Link: Great for up to date news about the industry -- also covers e-books/presses.

Piers Anthony's Internet Publishing: As an author who supports author's rights, Mr. Anthony shares what information he receives about presses in this venue.  There is no sweet, sugary coating.  He provides the information he's been given and allows you to to do your own research on the matter. 

Romance Diva's: Granted, I only "lurk" on the forum, but there is a lot of information if you're willing to search through the threads. Not only do authors discuss the industry, but editors and publishers also post when they are seeking new material to represent.  It's a great way to stay abreast of what you might miss otherwise.

I've shown you mine. Time to show me yours.  ;-)  Share the love!