Author Archive
Innovate with Integrity
November 24th, 2009 by Jenni BurkeThe internet is abuzz with chatter from publishers, writers, agents, and other self-professed “word nerds” like myself… tweeting, blogging, and commenting on the rapidly expanding role of self-publishing.
Many industry insiders say that the traditional publishing model is broken. The speed of change taking place in recent years proves that even if it’s not broken, it is definitely evolving. And while those waves of change have and will continue to upset the status quo, the companies and individuals who recognize the inevitability (and potential benefits) of change will find creative ways to adapt and stay ahead of the curve. Those who do this well will keep the needs of their customers in mind and always partner innovation with integrity.
I love the concept of innovation: to create or introduce a new idea or method. Of course, those who lead in innovation will inevitably attract criticism and resistance from those who fear change or like things “the way they are”. Thomas Nelson’s CEO Michael Hyatt is highly respected in the industry for his innovative leadership style combined with integrity; that combination has led Thomas Nelson on as one of the most successful Christian publishers in the world. Hyatt has also attracted criticism from some lately for his company’s recent bold move into self-publishing.
He posted a thoughtful yet animated response to this criticism on his blog on Friday: Why Agents May Be Opposed to Self Publishing. In the post he examines the three most common arguments leveled against self-publishing by “the guild”, or those within the industry. He also points out that over half the books published in the United States are self-published and that the reason people (especially agents) lash out against the approach may be because they feel threatened by a disruption of the status quo. Interesting, no?
Hyatt concluded his post with this reality-check on the inevitability of change, challenging everyone in publishing to examine how they might be dragging their feet instead of taking steps forward:
“As a form of user-generated content, self-publishing is a disruptive force that isn’t going away. It is arguably the fastest growing segment of publishing. It will ultimately impact everyone in traditional publishing. As a result, publishers are having to change and so are authors. Maybe it’s time agents took a hard look at their own business model and asked how they can add value in the new publishing economy.”
We at D.C. Jacobson & Associates agree with Mike that the “traditional” business models need to be re-examined. Our company was, after all, founded on principles of innovation and integrity. When Don Jacobson sold his successful Multnomah Publishers to Random House in 2006 and asked himself how he could continue adding value to the industry he loved, he saw the need for a new kind of literary agency.
While our primary focus is placing excellent books with royalty publishers, our growing team of specialists is passionate about contributing to the production and promotion of life-changing messages on multiple levels. Together we offer our clients the highest quality of service in three distinct but complementary branches: Author Representation, market-informed Literary Consultation , and Publicity Campaigns & Consulting. The community at BelieversPress is a great example of vision and values, which is why we love working with them.
Some who prefer things “the way they were” have taken shots at us; maybe they’re the ones Mike Hyatt’s blog post is speaking about. We don’t listen to them; we listen to the success stories of our authors and publishers. We will continue to look ahead and innovate with integrity. As the saying goes, “keep your heart pure and drive on.”
QUESTION: What do you think about the changes you see taking place across the publishing industry?
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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.
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I know that the life I ought to live includes books, and for me that has meant both reading and writing. It’s where I find joy. That is, it’s one of my places where I connect with God. When I read something profound or well written, it’s like a worship experience.
— , Listen: Finding God in the Story of Your Life
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