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The Book Biz

By Lynn Wiese Sneyd 'The Book Biz Whiz'

Welcome to the book biz world. As you may know, being an author isn’t just about the writing. It’s also about finding the conduits – editors, agents, publishers, reviewers, interviewers - that can help introduce your message to the reading public and turn readers into book buyers. Garnering these professionals’ attention, however, can feel as monumental as writing a novel in a week. But don’t despair. It’s not quantum physics.

In this column, I’ll share insights into the exhilarating, frustrating, satisfying, mystifying, logical, nonsensical world inhabited by writers, authors and others involved in publishing. Hopefully, the information will be the missing pieces to that publishing puzzle sitting next to your keyboard, the puzzle that you’re trying to assemble while crafting a new manuscript or promoting an already published manuscript, and managing all the other parts of your life. It’s challenging, the writing life. As Cormac McCarthy wrote, “I never had any doubts about my abilities. I knew I could write. I just had to figure out how to eat while doing this.”

Here’s an overview of some of the topics we’ll be addressing during the year, with a few tips to launch you in the right direction right now.

- How to handle an interview - Write out the main points you want to include in an interview and keep them in front of you during the interview. Be a storyteller. Listeners remember stories.

- Value of an editor - A good editor is irreplaceable. Find a skilled editor who can help you craft your manuscript to the next level.

- Query letter writing - Look at sample query letters that have lead to book sales. Follow their format. Lisa Collier Cool’s book 'How to Write an Irresistible Query Letter' is excellent.

- The role of an agent - Agents know publishers. They know what’s being bought and who is buying what. They also know contracts and the art of negotiating. A good agent is invaluable to a good writer.

- Book proposal writing - Book proposals sell non-fiction books. Fortunately, they are a formulaic document, so you don’t have to do any reinventing. Find the formula in literary agent Michael Larson’s quintessential book, 'How to Write a Book Proposal'.

- Types of publishing - Should you search for a traditional publisher, go the print-on-demand route, or self-publish? What are the pros and cons of each? One thing to do: talk to other writers and find out what their experiences have been.

- Developing a publicity campaign - Don’t wait to start planning the PR until the book comes out. You can start well before that. Some internet book reviewers, for instance, accept pre-publication galleys, which means that your review can be posted prior to your book’s release.

- Creating a media kit - A media kit is introduces you and your book to producers, show hosts, reviewers, bloggers – that crowd you want to get to know. A press release, author bio, sample interview questions, endorsements, articles and a quality author photo are integral pieces of a media kit.

- How to create and make the PR pitch - Gotta sell the sizzle! In other words, pitch what’s unique about you and your book. (Hint: look back at your query letter and if appropriate plagiarize.)                

Lynn Wiese Sneyd 'The Book Biz Whiz', is a Writer, Literary Expert, PR Consultant and Owner of LWS Literary Services where she assists authors in book publicity campaigns, agent searches, book proposal writing, and editing.
Learn more at:

www.LWSLiteraryServices.com

Lynn was interviewed by Big Blend Radio about the book business on January 28, 2011. To listen to the interview,  please click here.