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...]
The blog for writers
The Book Deal
Boost your book sales with the magic of niche marketing
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...]
The author background check: Cautionary notes
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...]
How an iPad App can add sizzle to your book
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...]
Shelf wars: What authors need to know about bookstore visibility
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...]
Insider tips for preparing and delivering a winning pitch
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...]
YA writer lands 2 multi-book deals: How she did it
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...]
How self publishing can lead to a real book deal
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...]
YA is red hot: Tips from 3 top agents
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...]
Writing a memoir: 7 tips for defeating your inner critic
"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...]
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