Archive for October, 2009
Crafting Your Press Release – Part 1
October 26th, 2009 by Susan BrillIssuing a press release for a new book is a no-brainer. Word needs to get out! And a press release is one of the best ways to spread the word broadly, to every kind of media. Here are some basics to keep in mind, whether you’re crafting your own release or having Believer’s Press do it for you.
- Know your audience. In this case, your audience is news editors and reporters, not your readers.
- Keep it factual. Too much opinion up front doesn’t appeal to news writers. Give them objective reasons to take interest.
- Make it newsworthy. Determine why your topic is relevant to the culture and something that the media will want to report. Include that in your lead (opening) paragraph and/or headline.
- Cover the bases. Editors and reporters need to see the basics up front. Also in your lead paragraph(s) include who, what, when, where, why, and how.
- Write from the outside. Press releases are always written in third person.
- Give a taste. Whet news editors’ appetites for your book with an excerpt of a few sentences from the book or a quote from the author – you – that makes them want to call you for more!
- Keep it short. Brevity helps you hone in on what is most important to communicate. One page is enough for news editors or reporters to know if this is a story they want to pursue. Keep it to 400 words.
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-10-25
October 25th, 2009 by BelieversPress TweetBot- Marcher Lord Press, pub of Christian speculative fiction announces contest: readers vote and the winner gets published http://bit.ly/1o1asx #
- RT @RachelleGardner: YOU are using too many exclamations!!! And ALL CAPS. *Italics* {{BOLD}} and other annoying devices. http://is.gd/4qXgp #
- RT @RachelleGardner: I'm noticing that the concept of NO BACKSTORY in the first few pages is difficult for new writers to get. But crucial! #
- RT @MarilynBB: Independent book stores are the best friend to independent thinkers and small publishers. http://bit.ly/3bg6MF Huffpost – #
- RT @RachelleGardner #pubtip Before you query, read your 1st few pages aloud and tape record yourself. I bet you'll identify problems.// Yes #
- RT @WritersDigest: Read the first chapter from Becky Levine's Writing & Critique Group Survival Guide http://ow.ly/viH3 #bookexcerpt #
- RT @djchuang: RT @tiffsoutherland @johndyer @ahc "Letter to a soon-to-be-published author" http://bit.ly/2l5n9Z #
- RT @RachelleGardner: #pubtip Donald Maass challenges writers to avoid backstory in the first 50 pages of your novel. Not many can do it! #
- Internet Archive's BookServer could 'dominate' Amazon http://bit.ly/2CNRXq #
- RT @TedDekker: Got questions about the craft of writing? Let us know for a video project we're working on for writers. http://bit.ly/FhqtM #
- B&N's "nook" ebook reader takes cues from Kindle and the iPhone and looks very nice! Love the color touchscreen. http://bit.ly/2xgzR3 #
- RT @RachelleGardner: #pubtip Writers, do you know what "blocking" is? It's the way you describe the movements of characters on the "stage." #
- RT @triciagoyer: That sent too quick! Who is your favorite Christian author? Why? I'm putting together a new blog post! #
- RT @WritersDigest: RT: @inkyelbows Midlist authors: think twice before switching agents http://bit.ly/XE5W9 (via @laurendane) #
- RT @mdemuth: RT @RachelleGardner: Guest post from @billycoffey today: What's it like when you get an agent? http://bit.ly/47wfob #
- RT @mdemuth: Tiny but important post on how to succeed in marketing. Consistent, persistent generosity by Seth Godin: http://bit.ly/1V69LD #
Who Are You Writing For?
October 22nd, 2009 by Jenni BurkeAs Christian authors, perhaps the first response that sprang to mind when you read this headline was, “Jesus!”
But what I actually mean to ask you is this: When you sit down each day to work on your manuscript, do you have a specific reader pictured in your mind?
If not, you should.
Identifying your “target market” or audience is much more than an obligatory paragraph for a book proposal. This valuable exercise will actually help you establish the tone, structure, and approach for most effectively delivering the content or characters for your book.
Just as a love letter would feel cold and insincere if the writer didn’t truly know his beloved, or an important phone call would be in vain if the caller dialed the wrong number, a book will miss its mark if the author doesn’t write with her audience in mind. Whether you write fiction or nonfiction and whether your goal is to independently publish or to land a royalty publisher, you need to develop a very clear answer to the question, Who am I writing to?
Beware the common tendency to over generalize your audience. Our agency, DCJA, reviews myriad proposals and manuscripts that hold promise but come up short partly because they lack connection to a clearly defined target market. Agents and editors cringe when we read sweeping statements like, “This book will appeal to everyone—men and women between 15-85 years old, Christian and non-Christian alike, and anyone who has ever wondered about God.”
A good writer knows who his audience is (demographics) and what makes them tick (psychographics). Mike Hyatt, CEO of Thomas Nelson, helps authors understand demographics as “external characteristics” and psychographics as “internal motivators” in his foundational article, “Writing a Winning Book Proposal.”
We have found success using the following questions with our represented authors and consulting clients. You can apply them to your own situation to clarify your vision of who you’re writing to. I encourage you to pull out a notepad or start a fresh word-processing document and jot down your answers to these questions:
- What is the demographic of your primary audience (e.g. gender, age, religious background, education, socio-economic status, occupation, geographical location, etc)? Describe the characteristics of your target reader.
- What is the psychographic of your primary audience (e.g. what felt need will drive them to buy your book, why will they benefit from your book, what are their frustrations or desires, how can/have you written the book to tie in to their interests, etc)? Describe the motivations of your target reader.
- What are the characteristics and motivations of your secondary and (if applicable) tertiary audiences? Hint: think of your primary audience as the “bulls-eye” of your target and the secondary and tertiary audiences as the next concentric circles.
And, especially if you want to pitch your book idea to an agent or estimate your book’s sales potential:
- How many of your target readers exist? Do your research and give statistics if possible. Be realistic.
- How will you reach them with your message? What are their shopping and buying behaviors? Will you find them at your conferences, on the internet, in book stores?
Once you have a clear picture of your target audiences in mind, you can tailor your message to deliver maximum impact. Keep their needs, interests, and behaviors before you as you write and plan, then periodically check in to make sure you stay on track. Ask people you respect who fit your target market “profile” to honestly review your work (not just family and friends).
A real-life example of understanding your audiences’ needs is found in a nonfiction book DCJA recently placed with a major Christian publisher, Escaping the Vampire. The book’s primary audience is teen girls who love the Twilight series. The secondary audience is teen girls who are unsure about Twilight but do read Christian books. And the tertiary audience is parents and youth ministers seeking to connect with their Twilight-obsessed teens. Envisioning these three unique yet intermingled types of reader, you can imagine the implications the author had to balance while writing this book (and the opportunities her marketing team had in promoting it)! She needed to open girls’ eyes to their true Hero, Christ, without alienating the “Twilighters” who would slam the book shut if they sensed it bashing their beloved Edward Cullen. By understanding the tensions and desires in her readers’ hearts and cultural context, she was able to present the vital truth of Christ’s love and reveal common “life-sucking” deceptions in a way each of her audience groups would receive.
Another one of our authors even cut out a magazine picture of a person who represented his “bulls-eye” reader and placed it in a frame on his desk. Now that is a way to visualize who you are writing for!
QUESTION: What challenges or successes have you encountered in defining a target audience for your book? We look forward to hearing your perspective.
Turning bad reviews into good marketing
October 20th, 2009 by Nick CiskeApparently, everybody hates Brad Meltzer’s new book entitled Book of Lies.
So what can you do when all the big names in book reviews pan your book?
Well, you could wallow in shame and decide to never write again…
Or, you could enlist your little league team and some senior citizens at the local nursing home to make a hilarious spoof video out of it.
Enjoy!
New Sci-Fi Novel ‘The Awakening’ Exposes Ethical Issues of Human Engineering
October 19th, 2009 by Nick Ciske
Contact: Cliff Warden, 608-385-6803, [http://www.theawakeningbook.net]
Onalaska, Wis., Oct. 19 / Christian Newswire / ‒ Scientists predict that within the next 15-18 years, individuals will be able to choose to biologically select or enhance specific traits in themselves and their offspring. Yet, with such fantastic possibilities come dire ethical questions.
In his new novel, The Awakening, Cliff Warden creatively addresses these complex biotechnology issues through the near-future, science-fiction tale of Art Jenicks, a young man who discovers he has been part of a secret, government genetic-engineering project.
Jenicks is a teen piano virtuoso with a promising future. Orphaned at a young age and with a past shrouded in mystery, Art’s quest uncovers an exiled scientist who holds the secrets to his past and has a plan for his future. Art’s own life hangs in the balance as a battle ensues with the very people who made him a rising star. Welcome to the future of controlled evolution.
Warden’s engaging style and gripping plot allow the reader to see how genetic engineering could play out in real-life situations, bringing many ethical concerns to the fore. “The Awakening” alarms, inspires, and equips the reader with perspective regarding our own enhancement and the engineering of future generations.
“The Awakening” is a must-read for high school and college students, Christian schools, and homeschoolers. The story helps clarify the bioethics issues of what it means to be human.
Warden developed the idea for “The Awakening” when his son asked for help with a high school debate on the ethics of sex selection and genetic engineering. They were surprised that the majority of the class had no ethical concerns with human cloning, embryonic stem-cell research, genetic engineering, nanotechnology and trans-human combinations.
“When I attempted to talk to friends about these issues, I was met with disinterest, complacency, and claims of over-complexity,” Warden says. “It challenged me to find a palatable way to communicate the ethical issues surrounding the advancements in biotechnology.”
“The Awakening” is a wake-up call to Christians of the potential loss of our humanness resulting from unrestrained genetic engineering, nanotechnology, and pharmacology.
To request a media review copy or to schedule an interview with the author, go to http://www.theawakeningbook.net or contact Cliff Warden at 608-385-6803.
About the Author: Cliff Warden is a graduate of Pepperdine University School of Law. He practiced law more than 20 years, including working as an attorney for The Christian Broadcasting Network. He also served several years as a pastor. He is a financial planner living in western Wisconsin. “The Awakening” is his first book.
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-10-18
October 18th, 2009 by BelieversPress TweetBot- RT @gyoung9751: @MikeDellosso has a great discussion going on at his blog on suspense and Christian publishing. http://bit.ly/41xclk #
- RT @inkyelbows: Writing mentor @mdemuth is offering free nonfiction book idea critiques. See: http://bit.ly/DWxul #
- RT @MichaelHyatt: “How to Organize an Event on Facebook,” including book promotion events. http://bit.ly/4xsZZe (via @Mashable) #
- RT @mdemuth: 12 ideas for selling (marketing) your book once it's born: http://bit.ly/i2h2 Thanks @micksilva for the list. #
- Interesting, WriterAlley is like CraigList for writers (even the logo/look). Many have tried to copy CL… add one. http://bit.ly/wXXcl #
- RT @mdemuth: "During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act."George Orwell. #
- RT @RachelleGardner: #pubmyths Getting published is a catch-22. (Not.) #
- According to a Canadian Christian book store owner, Large Print is very much in demand these days: http://bit.ly/46ASqX #
- RT @MichaelHyatt: First guest blog by @MDemuth, “What It Takes to Become a Master Writer”: http://bit.ly/1YSQsy #
- RT @totai: @CMSubmissions launches new proposal services in partnership with @believerspress – check it out http://tr.im/BYpq #
- RT @hroot #pubmyths The books on the front table of the bookstore are there b/c they're the best ones. #
- Book Sales Demystified http://bit.ly/rJtM3 #
- RT @dianagill: #pubmyths: Writers can quit their dayjob after selling their first novel. #
- Just saw a 48 page chapbook of poetry advertised in PW enewsletter. List price: $15.99! Published by… a subsidy publisher. Unreal & Sad. #
- RT @RachelleGardner: #pubtip Sorry for the bad news, but your grandmother's life story that you painstakingly wrote? Probably won't sell. #
- #FF Great Christian Publishing Info: @mdemuth @RachelleGardner @chipmacgregor @CMSubmissions @triciagoyer #
The High Price of Subsidy Publishing
October 16th, 2009 by Nick CiskeIn a recent Publishers Weekly Email Newsletter I saw an ad for a poetry chapbook. It was a ‘boom box’ ad — a big square ad right in the middle of the text — which lists for $1,000. When I clicked on the ad, I was taken to a subsidy publisher’s bookstore… and my heart fell.
The list price of this 48 page chapbook of poetry was… $15.99!
Why such a high price?
$15.99 is the retail price this subsidy publisher assigns to all books under 107 pages, regardless of what the market would charge. You see, this pricing scheme is all about protecting their profit margin on sales (and since they pay per page for POD printing, they set retail price based on page count).
The author makes about $2.50 per sale at this price, but the high price is definitely hurting sales. Much longer poetry books from major publishers sell for $10.99-$13.99. I found one similar poetry book for $16.95, but it was a hardcover!
If you’re self-publishing, you should set the retail price!
The author of this book could have set their own price for the book, for $250 more. Had they reduced the retail price to $12.99 (the lowest option) the royalty would have dropped to $1.00 per book. The author would have to sell 166 books just to pay for the privilege of changing the retail price to something better, but still above the market price for such a short book.
One of the major issues with using a subsidy publisher is the amount of control they exert over your book (even when you’re picking up the tab) — and that they charge you to set the price of your own book! Traditional publishers set the retail price of their books because they are taking all the risk. They decide if a lower price is worth the extra sales it may generate, or if the book warrants a higher price due to the value it brings. Page count is certianly part of that calculation, but definitely not the only one. At BelieversPress, you always set the retail price of your book.
But wait, what about distribution?
Now, since this ad appeared in PW, I’m assuming the author was hoping bookstores would order this book (what author doesn’t?).
In order to have this book distributed, the cost is $500 (a massive markup on their cost). But that’s just distribution — the book would be listed as non-returnable, meaning no bookstore is going to order it unless they have a confirmed order. So you have to add their bookstore returnability program at $700/year (or $1,300 for 3 years).
Assuming they went for a year to test the waters, the distribution tab is now at $1,200 on top of what they paid to have their book “published” by this company. At $2.50 per book, the author has to sell 480 books before they even start paying for the publishing costs (and 280 books per year just to pay for returnability). At $1 per book, it’s 1,200 and 700 respectively.
At BelieversPress, we’ll distribute your Christian book for a one time fee of $150 and that includes returnability!
The high price of subsidy publishing
Before you consider using a subsidy publisher to get your book published, do the math. The package prices may look great, but it’s the hidden dangers that can turn your elation at being “published” to frustration that you have a book that won’t sell.
We’re here to help
Our free Guide to Christian Publishing covers the pros and cons of the various paths to publication. Have you requested your copy yet?
If you’re considering using a subsidy publisher to publish your Christian book, please contact us first — we’d love to help you “do the math” and understand how BelieversPress really stacks up.
How to Get The Best (and Your Money’s Worth) Out of Your Cover Designer- Part II
October 14th, 2009 by Terry DuganI’m offering tips from time to time, from a book designer’s perspective, on how to get the creative best out of creatives.
Again a disclaimer: None of this is meant to suggest that you have to be extra careful around artist-types and only approach them in certain ways. If you run into a prima donna book designer who seems to be there to serve himself and not you, find a new one. Most of us have learned to be flexible and accommodating to a wide variety of art directors and clients. If you’re new at this, not to worry. You’re absolutely welcomed here on BelieversPress… don’t feel intimidated.
There are some keys to your designer’s psyche and working style, however, that will keep him designing more efficiently and giving you his absolute best. Here are a couple more…
1. Establish clear deadlines for each phase of the cover design project.
Whatever level of design service you choose on Believer’s Press, spelled out there is a list of project stages: Concepts, Revisions, Final Design, Files delivered to printer. It’s a good idea to work backward from that final printer deadline and pin your designer down to a date for each stage. Creatives have sort of a love/hate relationship with deadlines. We hate the pressure and yet thrive on it somehow, and you certainly need to be confident that your project is moving along as it should. Your designer will probably initiate the calendar discussion, but be sure you’re both on the same page.
2. Get objective feedback at the concept stage.
Particularly if your design package provides you with multiple concepts, show them to family and friends but also to people who know nothing about the book project. Some good questions to start with:
- First impression—which one appeals to you more than the others?
- What do you think this book is about?
- Do any of these remind you of anything—good, bad or indifferent?
- Who do you think this book is for—men, women, children, etc.?
From a broad enough objective sampling you will gain invaluable insight that can be passed along to your designer. You know which option you like best, but responses from others just might surprise you! A good designer needs and welcomes this sort of feedback and is eager to respond.
3. Get some “feedback” from your designer.
You might ask him which of the concepts he likes best and what his reasons were for each approach. Let him “sell” his ideas a bit, incorporate the other feedback you’re getting, then make your choice.
Happy publishing!
Previously: How to Get The Best (and Your Money’s Worth) Out of Your Cover Designer- Part I
Subject: Our Marketing Plan
October 14th, 2009 by Nick CiskeEllis Weiner posted a rousing satire of the shrinking promotional departments (and budgets) of many traditional publishers and their increasing reliance on authors to do more and more marketing for their own books.
Hi, Ellis—
Let me introduce myself. My name is Gineen Klein, and I’ve been brought on as an intern to replace the promotion department here at Propensity Books. First, let me say that I absolutely love “Clancy the Doofus Beagle: A Love Story” and have some excellent ideas for promotion.
To start: Do you blog? If not, get in touch with Kris and Christopher from our online department, although at this point I think only Christopher is left. I’ll be out of the office from tomorrow until Monday, but when I get back I’ll ask him if he spoke to you. We use CopyBuoy via Hoster Broaster, because it streams really easily into a Plaxo/LinkedIn yak-fest meld. When you register, click “Endless,” and under “Contacts” just list everyone you’ve ever met. It would be great if you could post at least six hundred words every day until further notice.
Continue Reading Subject: Our Marketing Plan at The New Yorker.
Publishing 2.0
October 12th, 2009 by J A HeinleinAbout Me
Since, this is a bit of a reintroduction, following is a little about me.
I am a proud father of three very talented and accomplished now-grown girls.
I am “passionate about books” and publishing!
My personal experience as a Publishing & Marketing Professional now spans over 20 years– I have the grey thin hair to prove it! I have had the privilege of working with several top Christian publishing companies including Word, Nelson, The United Methodist Publishing House, NavPress, and concurrently, my independent ongoing enterprise.
My particular chosen focus and background has been on marketing & sales, and the various and evolving communications media.
I like many today, am a social media enthusiast.
As part of the Believers Press Team, it is my goal to help with objective of facilitating the new “Publishing 2.0!”
It is a very good day to be in publishing! I am loving life and meeting the new challenges!
Why I am interested in being a part of the BelieversPress community
Helping to bring the inspired and encouraging words of talented Christian communicators is an honor and privilege.
Simply, BelieversPress is an idea “which time has come!” I believe that it is truly a “Spirit-initiated” idea.
“…new way for Christians to publish books — a gathering of Christian authors and publishing professionals collaborating to reinvent the way books are published and sold.”
Objective of Publishing
In my opinion, producing quality and valuable content will always be the prime objective of publishing, and the future of the business will be determined by how that content is delivered and experienced by the various mediums/platforms, and by how each of those mediums/platforms is monetized and paid for…
The newly leveled playing field resulting from current technologies and broad access to both those technologies and broad direct access to the ultimate end-user market, is allowing publishing to return to its roots.
One thing that has changed dramatically, in particular, and for the positive, is that the two main viable options for publishing experiences no longer need be exclusive from the other. That is in the past, an independently published new author might have been quickly passed over [and, likely with some disdain] by a brand name publisher. The brand name publisher held all of the cards.
Now, as the big guys focus on trimming down and better efficiencies, it has actually become a strong positive to be able to bring to the table an established success in the marketplace.
The independently successful author is in a much stronger bargaining position, and can make an informed and deliberate choice, based on their own publishing vision and personal financial objectives.
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