Alan Rinzler

Consulting Editor

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The blog for writers

The Book Deal

The last laugh: If self-published authors owned the midlist

August 31, 2010 by Alan Rinzler

Mega publishers like Simon and Schuster and Random House could someday cede the midlist to a vast army of self-published authors. In that scenario, they'd focus instead just on blockbuster books by brand-name authors and celebrities. All the rest -- the literary fiction, the cookbooks, the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Book Industry Trends, Self-Publishing Tagged With: Alan Rinzler, Author Solutions, authors, midlist, publishing, self-publishing, writers

Boost your book sales with the magic of niche marketing

July 26, 2010 by Alan Rinzler

What does a recipe for white cake have to do with selling a literary novel? A lot, as it turns out, in the case of The School of Essential Ingredients, the acclaimed debut novel by Erica Bauermeister, described in reviews as a seductively delicious tale of love, loss, and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Book Industry Trends, Marketing Your Book

The author background check: Cautionary notes

July 12, 2010 by Alan Rinzler

We were hunkered down debating whether to make an offer on a self-help book written by a seemingly well-qualified psychologist. Then one of our dogged marketing assistants dashed in, shouting "WAIT!" She tossed us a bunch of comments she'd unearthed from an obscure online forum: jaw-dropping, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Book Industry Trends, How To Get Published

How an iPad App can add sizzle to your book

May 18, 2010 by Alan Rinzler

The most creative minds in publishing are racing to develop iPad app editions of upcoming titles that will utilize the new device’s unique audio, video, interactive and social networking capabilities. The excitement is contagious! As a writer, you may want to start looking at how these apps … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Book Industry Trends, Craft of Writing

Shelf wars: What authors need to know about bookstore visibility

April 13, 2010 by Alan Rinzler

Picture this: An irate local author can't find his latest title on the neighborhood bookstore shelf. So he slips into the storeroom, grabs his books from the back stock and heads straight for the store's most exclusive patch of real estate - the front table - where he elbows aside the bestsellers … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Book Industry Trends, Marketing Your Book

Insider tips for preparing and delivering a winning pitch

March 29, 2010 by Alan Rinzler

A great pitch is often the first encounter in a successful publishing relationship. As an acquisition editor, I listen avidly to every writer's pitch, hoping each time to find a terrific new prospect for publication. For the uninitiated, a pitch is an author's brief, face-to-face verbal … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Book Industry Trends, How To Get Published

YA writer lands 2 multi-book deals: How she did it

March 21, 2010 by Alan Rinzler

She grew up in a tiny Mormon town in Idaho (pop 841,) she writes poetry, reads kids' books and says she avoids the internet as much as she possibly can. Kristen Tracy sold her first book in 2006 to Simon and Schuster. The title was Lost It, a story about a girl losing her virginity underneath a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Book Industry Trends, How To Get Published

How self publishing can lead to a real book deal

March 11, 2010 by Alan Rinzler

A successfully self-published book can propel you down the road to a book contract at a commercial publishing house. That's the truth of the matter, despite the worries I hear from writers that self-publishing could doom their hopes of ever landing a real book deal. Don't listen to those … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Book Industry Trends, How To Get Published, Self-Publishing

YA is red hot: Tips from 3 top agents

January 30, 2010 by Alan Rinzler

Psst! Wanna write a scorcher for the booming YA market? OK, here's the secret: The first thing you need to do is create an authentic, quirky, true-to-life voice. The story and characterizations in Young Adult fiction are crucial too, of course, but the most important element is that … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Book Industry Trends, Craft of Writing, How To Get Published

Writing a memoir: 7 tips for defeating your inner critic

January 10, 2010 by Alan Rinzler

"Writing a memoir is an act of courage. Be brave. It means exposing who you really are, which is hard to do, even to yourself." That advice comes from a conversation I had recently with Linda Joy Myers, Ph.D., President of the National Association of Memoir Writers. She's the author of a new … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Book Industry Trends, Craft of Writing, How To Get Published, Memoir

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About The Book Deal

Welcome readers.  Let me introduce myself and offer up some credentials for the opinions, perspectives and insights in this blog. In nearly … more »

Working with Alan

I can’t thank you enough!

"Working together was interesting, challenging, and fun. I can't thank you enough for taking my stories and putting them in a comprehensible order, focusing more on my younger, formative days with my parents, and helping me remember great events that added so much to the book."

– US Senator Barbara Boxer. Her memoir, The Art of Tough, was published by Hachette in June 2016.

Figure out how to get Alan on your side

"Figure out how to get Alan on your side. He took my rambling manifesto and helped me hone it into a sharp, funny, culture-changing book featured in the New York Times, the New Yorker, The Atlantic, the Times of London, and most recently on The Daily Show."

– Lenore Skenazy, author Free Range Kids – How to Raise Safe, Self-Reliant Children Without Going Nuts with Worry.

Enthusiastic, imaginative and razor sharp

"Alan is enthusiastic, imaginative, razor-sharp, concise. His line-editing is specific and actionable; his developmental advice truly invaluable, providing focus and direction to the often chaotic process of writing a first novel."

– David Tomlinson, author of The Midnight Man.

An advocate, friend and mentor

“Alan can tell you at one glance, where a manuscript works and where it doesn’t. More than an editor, he’s an advocate, friend, mentor, and a bullshit detector of the highest caliber.”

–  Celeste Chaney, author of In Absence of Fear

A 5-star Olympic Gold Medal for editing!

"Alan Rinzler has edited seven of my books, and no one compares to his competence as an editor. Everything I write he makes better. Alan knows the business, knows writing and understands a writer’s needs. He has my 5-Star Olympic Gold Medal for editing! I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to work with him."

– Michele Borba, author of Building Moral Intelligence, The Big Book of Parenting Solutions, and others.

Featured Video

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Ask the Editor

Tips for blending in the backstory

Tips for blending in
the backstory
2015-07-28T14:50:53-07:00
Tips for blending in the backstory
https://alanrinzler.com/testimonials/tips-for-blending-in-the-backstory/

Wake up your readers! How to thicken a plot

Wake up your readers!
How to thicken a plot
2015-07-28T15:29:05-07:00
Wake up your readers! How to thicken a plot
https://alanrinzler.com/testimonials/another-link/

Memoir or novel for my true story?

Memoir or novel
for my true story?
2015-07-28T20:47:16-07:00
Memoir or novel for my true story?
https://alanrinzler.com/testimonials/3172/

Is your book in need of emotional glue?

Is your book in need of emotional glue?
2015-07-28T20:51:25-07:00
Is your book in need of emotional glue?
https://alanrinzler.com/testimonials/is-your-book-in-need-of-emotional-glue/

Can I really become a better writer?

Can I really become a better writer?
2015-07-28T21:05:22-07:00
Can I really become a better writer?
https://alanrinzler.com/testimonials/can-i-really-become-a-better-writer/

7 techniques for a dynamite plot

7 techniques for
a dynamite plot
2015-07-28T21:17:53-07:00
7 techniques for a dynamite plot
https://alanrinzler.com/testimonials/7-techniques-for-a-dynamite-plot-2/

What to expect from a developmental editor

What to expect from
a developmental editor
2015-07-28T21:21:18-07:00
What to expect from a developmental editor
https://alanrinzler.com/testimonials/what-to-expect-from-a-developmental-editor/

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