One out of every eight people call themselves a writer, which means there are roughly 24 million people in the United States who carry that banner. Unfortunately there are charlatans and scam artists just waiting to ambush the unsuspecting author. How can a novice writer protect themselves?
Anyone can call themselves a publisher. Always remember money flows towards the author from the publisher, not the other way round.
What to look out for:
Charges the author a fee up front, to have their book accepted, considered or read. These fees are sometimes called a reading fee, intake fee or administrative fee.
Directs authors toward specific editing services or gives authors’ names to these services, with the caveat that if the author hires the editing service, their book will be published. Every book needs editing. It is part of the publisher’s job to provide that editing at no cost.
Offers a contract where the author has to pay for part of the publishing costs. The acquisition editor will sometimes say that the publisher’s list is full for that season, but the author’s book has so much going for it, they would still like to publish it. However the publisher’s resources are fully committed and the author will have to share in the costs. Continue reading
Check below for hints and suggestions on how to organize your writing and make it a better read for your audience.
Story Summary.
State in one or two sentences the kernel of your book, story, or blog. Do not exceed thirty words total.
Outline Structure.
Provide yourself with a rough outline of the story’s structure as you see it now. This would include story arcs (beginning, rise, climax), character introductions, main themes, pivotal events, key information, plot points intended to maintain tension, etc.
In the beginning this doesn’t need to be extensive, but have it set aside to refer to, and flesh it out as important points occur to you. After you have a good outline to work with, you can use it like a map. Try to avoid adding ideas on small slips of paper. Instead, incorporate them into your outline. If you’re not sure where they go, guess, and mark them with an asterisk as a reminder to review them later.
Character Traits/Development Log.
List the vital statistics of your characters, leaving room to flesh out the information. As you think of back-story for them, traits, thoughts, etc., list them here. If they are main characters in a long piece, consider setting up separate documents for them, or even databases. Chart a time line for your characters as you go, noting development (growth or decline), change, conflict, back story, relationships with other characters, etc. These thoughts should work in tandem with the outline you are developing. REMEMBER, MOST CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT SHOULD BE MADE THROUGH DIALOGUE. THIS IS THE MOST RELIABLE WAY TO CREATE VIVID CHARACTERS THAT THE READER WILL RECOGNIZE. A READER WILL OVERWHELMINGLY BELIEVE A SPOKEN CLUE TO CHARACTER OVER AN EXPOSITORY ONE. Continue reading
You've done it. You've achieved a lifelong dream and penned a book certain to be lauded through the ages as a literary masterpiece. Yet one last obstacle stands between you and publishing success – attracting the attention of someone who can get your book into print.
In reality, catching an editor's attention is not difficult. All you have to do is follow the rules by sending what industry insiders refer to as a "query letter". A query letter is one or two pages written in the format of a formal business letter. It should be brief, and it should pique the interest of any publishing executive who reads it. After all, if you can't sell a single individual on the merits of your book, why should a publishing house believe you can sell to an audience of thousands or millions? If you want some inside secrets to crafting a perfect, attention-grabbing query letter, then you've come to the right place. Cover each of the following points, and I guarantee you'll have an editor calling within one week of sending your query letter.
Point #1: Approach The Right Publisher: This seems obvious, but you wouldn't believe the number of writers who make this mistake. Be certain that the publisher you choose to contact is in the business of publishing your genre. If you write fantasy novels, then don't send a query letter to the editor of a computer manual publisher. It will be thrown in the trash without a second look. The best way to find the right publisher is to find books similar to your own and open them. Who is the publisher of each book? Does one particular publisher's name keep turning up? If so, that's the one you want to contact. Continue reading
One of the core conflicts for creative artists of all kinds is the tug-of-war between art and commerce. Frankly, an artist needs to make money, and it is preferable to make it from his craft.
A writer who must work a full-time job to support himself will struggle to find the time to work, and often eventually gives it up altogether. On the other hand, being able to write on any project at all can polish valuable skills, and teach one the rules of the publishing industry.
On the other hand, I’ve met writers who were clearly working on projects, or toiling away at a career, that was burning out their souls. I remember meeting one such writer. His business card read “freelance hack and literary mechanic.” Sadly, but not entirely unexpectedly, he was dead of alcoholism within a year.
How to avoid such burnout? Well, in my own career, in addition writing the books I cared about the most, I’ve written Batman comic books, a Star Trek novel, and a Star Wars tie-in. In my television career, in addition to writing for “Outer Limits” and “The Twilight Zone,” I also wrote four episodes of “Baywatch”(!) Continue reading
While many writers are eager to write for the Internet, it is important to consider the key differences between writing for a traditional print audience and an Internet audience. Keeping these three points in mind will help you achieve success with your Internet writing ventures.
Writing for the Internet is different from traditional publishing formats in three essential ways:
~ Audience
~ Format
~ Lifespan
It is important to consider each difference while writing.
While audience is always a key consideration for any writer audience consideration is a primary factor for Internet writers. While the basic considerations of audience (who do you expect to be your primary reading audience?) remain the same there are some important differences.
First, it is important to remember that in traditional publications your audience is somewhat captive. Once they have actually picked up or purchased a print media they are likely to at least give it a few pages before ditching it. However, on the Internet the audience can move away from your words with a click of the button so you need to be focused and on target. You can't take time for a slow buildup or meandering discussion. If you (the writer) do not seem to be delivering the goods then the reader will simply move on. This does not mean you need to cater to the lowest denominator but it does mean that you need to know your audience as well as how to respond to that audience's needs and desires. Continue reading