Archive for April, 2009
You need Publicity!
April 27th, 2009 by Tina JacobsonWhen people find out what I do for a living (President of full range public relations firm), they often ask me what it takes to “make it” in the publishing industry.
The hard truth in the publishing industry is that the most financially successful books–whether Christian or secular–are written by famous people. That is, people who were already famous (or infamous) long before they (or their ghostwriters) ever decided to join the ranks of the literati. Sure, there is the occasional bestseller that seems to come out of nowhere (i.e. William P. Young’s The Shack), but the fact that the rise of an unknown author becomes the stuff of headlines proves that this is not a common phenomenon.
So where does that leave you, an author full of promise and big dreams of sharing your work with the world? You may have written the most creative, compelling, culturally relevant work of Christian fiction in history. If only the world were fair, the obvious merits of your work would be recognized by a massive audience. But anyone who has ever attended high school can tell you that the spotlight of public adulation is rarely guided by merit alone.
You need someone with the power to push you into the spotlight, someone who can level the playing field in the competition for readership.
You need publicity.
When you hire a publicist, you are gaining an advocate who will draw media attention to you and to the strength of your message. A good publicist has built strong relationships with the gatekeepers of a variety of media outlets-print, radio, television, and internet-and will use his or her connections to convince the right people that your book is fabulous and you are brilliant. This will directly result in media appearances for you and your book. Basically, you will be receiving a highly televised endorsement of your book from a source (i.e. Focus on the Family, CNN, Christianity Today, etc.) that has already gained the trust of thousands, or even millions of people. With each television appearance, radio interview, magazine write-up, and blogger review, your name is gaining recognition. Little by little, you are becoming famous.
In the interest of clarity, I fell it is important to draw the distinction between publicity and advertising. Both have their place in advancing your readership. Advertising involves paying for the placement of your product or message. Other than the fee you pay for the services of a publicist, publicity is always free. You are not paying The 700 Club to invite you on their show.
One final caveat: In most cases, the quality of the publicity exists in direct correlation to the quality of the publicist. Before you entrust someone with this important task, do your homework. Look for someone who has a good reputation, who has produced consistent results, and with whom you feel comfortable. In the end, you’ll find that good publicity is worth every penny.
Tina Jacobson, President
The B&B Media Group
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Choosing a Title for Your Book
April 14th, 2009 by Terry DuganAs book designers, we’re rarely asked to help with the wording of a title. That job is already done–or at least nearly so–by the time a cover design assignment comes to us. Our job is to work with whatever we’re given and make it look great. That’s the challenge and part of the fun of what we do. But after handling hundreds of book titles over the years and having watched successful book marketers develop their titles, we’ve been learning some things, we think. So here are a few observations that may be helpful, at least in the non-fiction category.
The right title for a book will balance three considerations more or less equally, forming three-legged support for a solid non-fiction book title:
1. The Editorial Consideration
Does the proposed title accurately communicate what’s really in the book? Titles chosen for cleverness, shelf impact and even (sadly!) visual typographic appeal do not save a misleading title. Some defend obscure and cryptic titles by appealing to a subtitle that will “clear it all up,” not usually a good idea, but more about that in a minute.
Tip: Ask around. Show your title ideas to people unfamiliar with your project and see if they “get it” without explanation.
2. The Marketing Consideration
Does the title speak directly to the needs and interests of the intended market? In the ad business, the master headline writers always say “get the benefit into the headline.” A book title really is a headline. If it’s interesting and appealing (cleverness is a plus but not always necessary) the book shopper takes a second look-at the subtitle, perhaps, maybe the back cover. Speaking of subtitles, it always seems easier to get clarity and appeal into a subtitle than a title.
Tip: Write your ideas for title and subtitle, then try switching them around, making your subtitle into the title. I’ve seen publishers go this route many times, usually to the benefit of the book cover.
3. The Design Consideration
Does the title you’ve chosen lend itself to clear typographic treatment? This is tricky and is the business of a professional book designer for sure. We pride ourselves, after all, in our design solutions to vexing title problems! But there are some vexation-avoiding guidelines:
- Stay away from one-word, very-long-word titles. “Postmillennialism” for a type-only blockbuster prophecy book may not have the visual impact you were hoping for. There must be another way to title that topic! Maybe not….
- Avoid extremely wordy titles. Too many words all the same size make for a dull cover.
- In a series of books with matching graphics and title space (Bible study series, etc.) invent titles more or less the same length-all 3-5 words, all one-word, etc. for all the books in the series.
Tip: Ask your cover designer for his or her take on which of two or three proposed titles might end up looking better. But again, never decide at the expense of editorial clarity or marketing appeal.
Hopefully some of these thoughts will get you going down the path toward just the right title for your new book. Good luck!
—Terry Dugan, DUGAN DESIGN GROUP
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Don’t Worry About Technology, It’s All About Humanity
April 9th, 2009 by Kevin D. HendricksThe various fads of social networking come and go. There’s MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter—and on and on the list goes. But the technology doesn’t really matter. The latest and greatest doesn’t really matter (though you do need to be where your audience is). What matters is the humanity.
If you’re trying to market your book, don’t worry about the technology, worry about the humanity. Social networking has a lot to offer (and a lot to overwhelm you), but the most important thing it offers is connection to other people. Connecting with people is the most important thing you can do online. It’s not about pictures, links, videos or groups—though those things may help you—it’s ultimately about connecting with people.
Connect with a person and they’re more likely to be interested in the book you’re trying to sell. If they like your book they’re more likely to tell other people if they’ve connected with you the author. Even though it’s a digital world, the personal touch is what matters.
Don’t view the online world as a convenient way to mass broadcast your message. Look at it as an easy way to connect with one person at a time.
Don’t view the online world as an efficient way to amass numbers, be they followers, friends or connections. Look at each number as someone you need to personally engage.
Don’t view the online world as an easy way out. Marketing your book takes time with individuals, and that’s true in the real world as well as the digital world.
That’s what social networking is really about—the people.
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Self-Published Novel Wins Major Literary Award
April 9th, 2009 by Kimberly BrockThat’s a headline we’ll be seeing more of in the future. The barrier erected by agents on behalf of publishers has come back to haunt them. In this instance we are talking about Carol Buchanan’s historical thriller God’s Thunderbolt: The Vigilantes of Montana which has already been reviewed by SPR. It just won the 2009 Spur Award for Best New Novel.
In these tough economic times, self-publishing is proving more and more viable.
Kimberly
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Down from the ivory tower: Has self-publishing come of age?
April 9th, 2009 by Kimberly BrockGreat series of articles from booksellers.com about the impact self-publishing is making on traditional publishers. Also includes some interesting approaches to self-promotion.
Some Highlights
“For many authors self-publishing has become a fantastic marketing tool to garner attention from the industry’s big players. By proving that they are both ambitious and serious, and have sales figures to boot, self-publishing gives new authors even more ammunition; their work stops being just an unsolicited manuscript on a slushpile and becomes instead a viable product with its own CV.”
[Andrew Lownie] set up Thistle Publications in 1996, and produced 1,000 copies of each volume at a unit cost of £4 a book. Following adverts in the Spectator and some decent press coverage Lownie sold the complete run, making five or six pounds profit for each copy. He says: “It is even easier nowadays with the internet, you can set up a website and sell your book straight to readers…”
Set up in September 2008, authonomy lets unpublished and self-published authors post their manuscripts on its site, where they are ranked by fellow users. The most highly ranked manuscripts are then considered for publication by the publishers’ editors.
Interestingly, Steve Dunne, one of the authors to be signed up by HC had self-published his novel The Reaper before he put it on authonomy. Malcher explains: “I think he had sold several thousand copies, and although we wouldn’t have spotted him if he wasn’t on the site, once we found him we thought, ‘what else backs this investment up’, and his self publishing sales did.”
Wannabe author Vineet Bhala has caused a stir on authonomy.com. More commonly known as the blogger Klazart on the gaming website Starcraft, Bhala has used his 8,000 loyal subscribers to push his novel Lesser Sins to the top of Authonomy’s charts.
In 2006, Jill Bolte Taylor sold almost 4,000 copies of her self-published memoir My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist’s Personal Journey through Lulu.com, and the book was subsequently acquired by Viking US.
I welcome your feedback.
Kimberly
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Writers and Editors: A Team Effort
April 9th, 2009 by Barb LillandA number of authors have likened the writing process to an artist working on canvas…you begin with a God-inspired vision, a story, a message, and your first tremulous thoughts give the vision substance. Slowly, often painfully, words fill the blankness of the page as the story unfolds. If, like an artist, the work itself is so personal, so fragile, what, then, is the role of the editor?
The Essential Perspective
Annie Dillard, author of An American Childhood, says that just as an artist covers his tracks as he begins to add layer upon layer of paint to canvas, so a writer needs to learn to “cover his tracks”–discarding what distracts from the vision and polishing the essentials. When the solitary experience of writing the manuscript is complete, the editor plays a key role by offering perspective, advice, and the time-tested ability to examine the vision from an outsider’s viewpoint. Stand close to a masterpiece and you see colors, brush strokes, marks of the artists’ tools; take several steps back, and the vision reveals itself.
The Support System
Allowing editorial professionals to come alongside you, the writer, provides critical feedback and offers you the chance to polish your manuscript to its literary best before it is seen by the intended audience. For those of you wondering exactly what happens when you hand your manuscript over to the editor, let me say that it must feel similar to when your newborn is whisked off by the nurse for his first bath-it must be done, but wait, I’m not ready to let go…what if it’s painful…when will I see him again?! Or the first time an artist reveals his latest painting-what if it is no good? Maybe it’s not ready to be seen…this is terrifying! Be assured that many authors begin this stage with trepidation, only to discover an editorial process that is both enjoyable and tremendously beneficial. In the end, the writer has gained a polished manuscript ready for publication, and along the way has mastered new skills for giving substance to the next story.
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How do you know when your cover design is right?
April 9th, 2009 by Torrey SharpDesign is all about communication. Design delivers a message — a value proposition. But the right one? Or one at all? Every author out there wants their cover design to be the perfect compliment to their writing. Essentially the cover becomes part of the content. It should not only truthfully reflect the content but inspire a potential reader to engage the content. To pick the book up. To read the back cover copy. To flip to chapter one and give the first page a chance. A book’s cover plays a very crucial role in the complete package and overall value proposition. So . . . it’s very important that your cover delivers the right message to the right audience. How do you know if your cover design is the right one? The simple answer is that you hire very qualified designers and trust their instincts and professionalism! Not what you wanted to hear, I know. I will post an entry later than will give you some tips on how to ensure the designer you’ve hired is indeed a good fit for you.
But, back to the question at hand. How do you know you have a great design on your hands? First of all, design is very subjective. There could be hundreds of ways to solve your cover design. A designer could focus on powerful and emotive imagery, intricate typography, a clever concept or striking colors. Many variables come into play. The primary role of the author should be to consider how the design works with the content and the intended audience. Leave the problem solving and the techniques to the designer. Here is a list of ten things to consider when evaluating your cover design. Walking through this process will help you gain some peace of mind on whether you have a strong cover or should keep exploring other solutions.
First, run the DISTINCTION test:
- Is the concept unique?
- Is the imagery unique?
- Is they typography unique? Basically, does your design stand out from other books in it’s category? It has to stand out and if it does, the cover is promising that the content between the covers is going to stand out as well.
Second, run the RELEVANCY test:
- Is the design style appropriate for the content?
- Is the design style appropriate for the author (brand)?
- Is the design style appropriate for the genre? Being unique only makes sense if you are being true to your content and your brand. Cool for cool’s sake is not cool.
Then run the MARKETABILITY test:
- Will the design solution compel a response from the intended audience (sales) and the market (buzz)?
- Will the design solution stand apart from competing product?
- Is the size and style of type appropriate for the intended audience (legibility)?
And lastly, run the RISK TOLERANCE test:
- Can you risk an innovative design solution–one that might cause a lot of chatter/word of mouth response but is pushing the envelope and stands the chance of being misunderstood by your target audience?
Will these questions answer everything? Will they guarantee a great cover? No on both accounts.
But it’s a worthy process to go through and in running through these questions with your designer, you will at least be part of the process and gain a sense if the cover is indeed communicating the value proposition you intend.
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Self-Editing and Using an Editor
April 9th, 2009 by Paul Hawley“Why do I need an editor? I’m the only one who knows what I’m really trying to say, and only I can revise my writing with that purpose in mind.”
There is truth in that statement. As Arthur Glasser used to say, “There’s no such thing as good writing — only good rewriting.” But there’s a catch: Those of us able to put our “inner editors” to sleep long enough to actually write are often those whose inner editors need the most training and motivation.
So how can you become a better editor? That’s a lifelong pursuit, I’m convinced. No project should see the light without a thorough review and revision at your hands. But some are more skilled and practiced at editing than others, and we’ve gained much of our expertise (no false modesty here) by working accountably on a wide variety of projects. Some of our skills involve communicating sensitively and clearly with writers. All that experience we can bring to bear on your project as well.
Google Books has countless out-of-print resources on editing, production, publicity, etc., available free on the Internet or for little more than shipping charges. You can search online for leads to the books in libraries near you or even to PDF files viewable on your computer or other screen. Here I’m thinking of classics for writers and editors like The Art of Readable Writing by Rudolf Flesch. Also, quite a few up-to-date resources on self-editing are directed or recommended to Christian writers — for example, Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King, recommended by ChristianWritersGuild.com — and they can often be found for a song via the Internet or for free at your library. Even our BelieversPress colleague Jeff Gerke has compiled a library of tips, advice, and principles at his website.
If you really want to edit your own material, my response is, More power to you. It’s possible to save all kinds of labor and grief and false starts, however, if you rely on a professional, even at the least expensive level, because you can get some answers to your own specific questions in the process. A professional editor will look at your project both through the wide-angle lens and through the microscope. As a bonus, you will learn principles of good writing and editing, gain guidance for your own searches for further resources, and improve your skills.
The question is simply how much the trade-off is worth to you. You may grow to rely on one or more editors of your choice or decide that you’ll procure such services for a limited time specifically to learn how to edit your own material. The beauty of this community is that it’s all up to you.
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A good novel tells us the truth about its hero; but a bad novel tells us the truth about its author.
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