Join us Monday for a special blogshopping session with members from Portland's most unique writing group. New York Times bestselling author Chelsea Cain, freelance author, Suzy Vitello Soule and award winning journalist, radio host, speaker and author Diana Page Jordan will be joing us to share their perspective and tips about workshopping. More from the group may hop in on the blogshop as well...stay tuned!
Have a great weekend, writers!
TLC
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Q&A with The Lit Coach
Last week I posted I'd be answering your questions to help you gain clarity with where you are in your process. Based on the volume of questions, I think Q&A with The Lit Coach will now be a monthly feature on the blog.
"I'm in the middle of writing a proposal for my first nonfiction book. Should I send a query to agents/publishers or should I go ahead with sending the proposal instead? If I have not published anything before, what kind of information should I include in my author bio?"
Ameena D.
TLC: I'm going to focus on your last question first because I have a feeling you may have more work to do before you start searching for the right agent or editor. "Every author starts somewhere" is something I hear often. While this is true, your prospective agent or editor is going to want to see some kind of publishing track record. Even if it's a blog with a strong following, put it down and don't forget to tell them how many subscribers you have (to impress an agent, your subscription list should be over 100, minimum).
If you have yet to publish anything, yet to secure a strong following...all of which goes into a sturdy platform (for more info on this read my former blogshop with publisher, Glenn Yeffeth), take a step back and assess the readiness of yourself as an author and your proposal as a saleable product. Agents rarely acquire an author with just "a neat idea." You must have some kind of publishing track record...articles, your own blog or blog contributions, contributions to e-zines...you publishing material that's akin to the general message of your proposal...something with your signature voice. Then you'll really have something impressive to show an agent!
That said, your "About the Author" section isn't just about what you've published...it's about YOU! While there's no need to give them your resume, an agent or publisher will want to know what kind of person you are...a little about what makes you tick. Many authors are uncomfortable talking about themselves. You don't need to fill your bio with hyperbole, just the facts with a little flavor. Imagine your life as a book...what would your book jacket read?
Now, to answer your first question: Once you've developed a stronger platform, I would strongly suggest you first research agents who have a track record of getting work like yours published. Query them and only send them the proposal if they request it. Most agents will have strict guidelines of how they like to receive your work - stick to these guidelines. Most editors don't take submissions from unagented writers, so save yourself the postage and time. Focus on finding the right agent first. E-queries seem to be the best way to communicate, but don't send attachments. Send a simple, one page query letting the agent know who you are, what your book is about and what unique qualities you have that make you the perfect person to write this book. There are several great books on the market that show you how to do this; check out Making the Perfect Pitch: How to Catch a Literary Agent's Eye by Katharine Sands and Bestselling Secrets from Top Agents by Rick Frishman to help get you started. Another great resource is Chuck Sambuchino's blog Guide to Literary Agents.
Good luck, Ameena!
"I've just this summer really made a commitment to myself to write everyday and take my work seriously with the intent of publishing. I know I have to wait until I have a completed work to submit it to publishers and agents, but is there anything I can be doing in the meantime to make contacts or otherwise make that process go more smoothly?"
Emily W.
TLC: Great question, Emily! Once you decide to make a career out of what you're passionate about, it seems like you just can't move fast enough to make it happen....today! When I carried my first child, I couldn't wait for him to arrive and start bonding! I couldn't wait to be a mother. But I needed to grow into motherhood by learning everything there was to learn about my baby's first year - thank God for the classic book, What To Expect When You're Expecting! Had I not done my research about everything from taking an infant's temperature to what to do when a baby chokes, I wouldn't have handled those situations with the clarity and confidence I did. Speaking to other mothers also shed a light on the first year, removing much of the anxiety new mothers sometimes feel. Plus, I needed those 9 months to prepare myself emotionally for this new adventure, not to mention savoring the experience of forming a child! (I was fortunate to have three very easy pregnancies - thank you genetics!)
Consider this time your gestational period as an author. You need this time to develop your craft by writing as often as possible, researching what you don't know and connecting to other writers in your area or online. Scout out your local paper for literary events in your city and plan on attending. Many educational events are happening online! SheWrites, a quickly growing writer's collective website, offers educational forums (for a fee), where you can learn about the process of publishing and get your questions answered from agents and other writers. If you haven't already, find some writers you can learn from and propose starting a writer's workshop, where you come together a few times a month to read and critique each other's work.
While it's too soon to formally introduce your work to an agent or editor, connect with authors who are open to sharing what they know about the business. You'll learn a lot from their path to publication. Keep all this info in mind as you're completing your work. When the time is right for you to reach out to agents, you'll be so well prepared you may impress a few! Agents like to work with authors who are at least familiar with how the process works. I highly suggest you read Putting Your Passion Into Print - the What to Expect for authors!
And finally, remember, writing and the whole process of finding an agent or publisher takes time. You'll get there as long as you remain patient, persistent and professional.
Thanks for your question and good luck, Emily!
"I am writing a book with a friend and the research shows the angle of the book's topic is quite original. The topic itself, personalities, has been written about numerous times though. We are writing our book in a humorous and conversational way and do not want it to get bogged down in psychology babble.
Should we include some notable books on personalities in our competitive analysis?"
Anna St. George
TLC: You want your Competitive Analysis to contain a healthy amount of titles (at least 5) that your book would be shelved next to on the book shelf (or pop up on Amazon). If the titles you're thinking about have been published currently (within the last 20 years), definitely include them. If after thorough research your CA is still light on titles, you may want to include those "psycho babble" books and be clear how your book is different and ultimately more compelling in its own way. Always shine a light on the need for your book by showing how other books fail to offer your unique take. Helpful hint: Always mind your manners when writing your Competitive Analysis and never put down another author's work as inferior to yours.
Thanks, Anna. I wish you lots of success!
I hope this Q&A session offers some clarity for you. If you have questions you'd like answered on Q&A with The Lit Coach, email me at erin.reel@gmail.com.
Have a fruitful day, writers!
"I'm in the middle of writing a proposal for my first nonfiction book. Should I send a query to agents/publishers or should I go ahead with sending the proposal instead? If I have not published anything before, what kind of information should I include in my author bio?"
Ameena D.
TLC: I'm going to focus on your last question first because I have a feeling you may have more work to do before you start searching for the right agent or editor. "Every author starts somewhere" is something I hear often. While this is true, your prospective agent or editor is going to want to see some kind of publishing track record. Even if it's a blog with a strong following, put it down and don't forget to tell them how many subscribers you have (to impress an agent, your subscription list should be over 100, minimum).
If you have yet to publish anything, yet to secure a strong following...all of which goes into a sturdy platform (for more info on this read my former blogshop with publisher, Glenn Yeffeth), take a step back and assess the readiness of yourself as an author and your proposal as a saleable product. Agents rarely acquire an author with just "a neat idea." You must have some kind of publishing track record...articles, your own blog or blog contributions, contributions to e-zines...you publishing material that's akin to the general message of your proposal...something with your signature voice. Then you'll really have something impressive to show an agent!
That said, your "About the Author" section isn't just about what you've published...it's about YOU! While there's no need to give them your resume, an agent or publisher will want to know what kind of person you are...a little about what makes you tick. Many authors are uncomfortable talking about themselves. You don't need to fill your bio with hyperbole, just the facts with a little flavor. Imagine your life as a book...what would your book jacket read?
Now, to answer your first question: Once you've developed a stronger platform, I would strongly suggest you first research agents who have a track record of getting work like yours published. Query them and only send them the proposal if they request it. Most agents will have strict guidelines of how they like to receive your work - stick to these guidelines. Most editors don't take submissions from unagented writers, so save yourself the postage and time. Focus on finding the right agent first. E-queries seem to be the best way to communicate, but don't send attachments. Send a simple, one page query letting the agent know who you are, what your book is about and what unique qualities you have that make you the perfect person to write this book. There are several great books on the market that show you how to do this; check out Making the Perfect Pitch: How to Catch a Literary Agent's Eye by Katharine Sands and Bestselling Secrets from Top Agents by Rick Frishman to help get you started. Another great resource is Chuck Sambuchino's blog Guide to Literary Agents.
Good luck, Ameena!
"I've just this summer really made a commitment to myself to write everyday and take my work seriously with the intent of publishing. I know I have to wait until I have a completed work to submit it to publishers and agents, but is there anything I can be doing in the meantime to make contacts or otherwise make that process go more smoothly?"
Emily W.
TLC: Great question, Emily! Once you decide to make a career out of what you're passionate about, it seems like you just can't move fast enough to make it happen....today! When I carried my first child, I couldn't wait for him to arrive and start bonding! I couldn't wait to be a mother. But I needed to grow into motherhood by learning everything there was to learn about my baby's first year - thank God for the classic book, What To Expect When You're Expecting! Had I not done my research about everything from taking an infant's temperature to what to do when a baby chokes, I wouldn't have handled those situations with the clarity and confidence I did. Speaking to other mothers also shed a light on the first year, removing much of the anxiety new mothers sometimes feel. Plus, I needed those 9 months to prepare myself emotionally for this new adventure, not to mention savoring the experience of forming a child! (I was fortunate to have three very easy pregnancies - thank you genetics!)
Consider this time your gestational period as an author. You need this time to develop your craft by writing as often as possible, researching what you don't know and connecting to other writers in your area or online. Scout out your local paper for literary events in your city and plan on attending. Many educational events are happening online! SheWrites, a quickly growing writer's collective website, offers educational forums (for a fee), where you can learn about the process of publishing and get your questions answered from agents and other writers. If you haven't already, find some writers you can learn from and propose starting a writer's workshop, where you come together a few times a month to read and critique each other's work.
While it's too soon to formally introduce your work to an agent or editor, connect with authors who are open to sharing what they know about the business. You'll learn a lot from their path to publication. Keep all this info in mind as you're completing your work. When the time is right for you to reach out to agents, you'll be so well prepared you may impress a few! Agents like to work with authors who are at least familiar with how the process works. I highly suggest you read Putting Your Passion Into Print - the What to Expect for authors!
And finally, remember, writing and the whole process of finding an agent or publisher takes time. You'll get there as long as you remain patient, persistent and professional.
Thanks for your question and good luck, Emily!
"I am writing a book with a friend and the research shows the angle of the book's topic is quite original. The topic itself, personalities, has been written about numerous times though. We are writing our book in a humorous and conversational way and do not want it to get bogged down in psychology babble.
Should we include some notable books on personalities in our competitive analysis?"
Anna St. George
TLC: You want your Competitive Analysis to contain a healthy amount of titles (at least 5) that your book would be shelved next to on the book shelf (or pop up on Amazon). If the titles you're thinking about have been published currently (within the last 20 years), definitely include them. If after thorough research your CA is still light on titles, you may want to include those "psycho babble" books and be clear how your book is different and ultimately more compelling in its own way. Always shine a light on the need for your book by showing how other books fail to offer your unique take. Helpful hint: Always mind your manners when writing your Competitive Analysis and never put down another author's work as inferior to yours.
Thanks, Anna. I wish you lots of success!
I hope this Q&A session offers some clarity for you. If you have questions you'd like answered on Q&A with The Lit Coach, email me at erin.reel@gmail.com.
Have a fruitful day, writers!
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Clarity Through Goals: Building Your Castle
If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them. Henry David Thoreau, Walden
Ever get ‘the look’ when you tell people you’re a writer? I’ve spent half my life in Los Angeles and the other half smack in the middle of the country. When you tell people you’re a writer in L.A., they respond as though you told them you were a banker – c’est normal. In the great Heartland, however, telling people you’re a writer will get you myriad bizarre responses ranging from quizzical looks to an intense session of 20 questions about how the heck you support yourself by your arts and crafts. Oops! Looks like Johnny is dreaming again!
Dream your heart out, my dears! Dream it out loud! Dream in brilliant, vibrant color! Dream with the sound turned up! Dream with all your senses until you’re totally exhausted, spent and satisfied!
Ever get ‘the look’ when you tell people you’re a writer? I’ve spent half my life in Los Angeles and the other half smack in the middle of the country. When you tell people you’re a writer in L.A., they respond as though you told them you were a banker – c’est normal. In the great Heartland, however, telling people you’re a writer will get you myriad bizarre responses ranging from quizzical looks to an intense session of 20 questions about how the heck you support yourself by your arts and crafts. Oops! Looks like Johnny is dreaming again!
Dream your heart out, my dears! Dream it out loud! Dream in brilliant, vibrant color! Dream with the sound turned up! Dream with all your senses until you’re totally exhausted, spent and satisfied!
Then plan.
As a writer, you have an abundance of imagination. It’s your gift. But when it comes time to consider how you can turn your gift into a source of income, suddenly your heart starts racing, you don’t know which way to go and some good old self doubt creeps its way into your consciousness. Or, you’re totally confident you can make a go of it as a writer but have no idea where to start. Either way, you need direction. Let your dreams reveal your end point; let your imagination direct you there.
Diana Scharf Hunt said, “Goals are dreams with deadlines.” Becoming a successful author takes a great deal of planning, it doesn’t just happen. And it doesn’t happen at all if you don’t set deadlines for yourself. Here’s where your imagination is your best asset (aside from your writing, of course).
Imagine you’re living your dream – you’re a successful writer. What does your professional and artistic success look like? What do YOU look like? Are you happy? Feeling good? Do you have your office/creative space just the way you’ve always wanted it? Do you have all the techno goodies you’ve ever wanted to help you connect faster (in my dream land, there’s always someone there to hook it all up and bottom line the user’s manual for me). How widely published are you? Are you writing for magazines in print and online along with your books? Are you invited to speak around the country and are you paid well? Have you been a guest on Ellen, Jay Leno or The Today Show? Have you had numerous radio interviews? Do hundreds or thousands of people show up at your events? Now’s your chance to dream big so don’t hold back! What does it all look like? What does it feel like? Be clear about what you want. This is your big picture goal – the level of success you want to achieve from all your hard work. Anything is possible.
Now, work back. Let your big picture goal be your starting point. Sounds backwards, doesn’t it? We’ve been trained to start at beginning, but sometimes to know how a thing works, you have to start at the end point and work your way to the beginning. Imagine what steps you took that got yourself to your big picture goal. These steps will become the many mini-goals you’ll achieve on your way to the big picture goal. If you’re getting multiple book deals, you no doubt have a good agent. If you don’t have an agent or don’t feel you have one that’s working in your best interest, finding the right agent will one day become a goal. If you’re publishing regularly in magazines, you’ve developed good connections with various editors from these magazines, which will become another goal. If you’re speaking around the country, you have a fabulous publicist or speaking agent who is keeping you on the road – yet another goal. The prospect of achieving these goals is totally doable but it all boils down to your work, your craft and you as an author. It starts with the work you produce (or on this side of the looking glass, ends with the work.)
This exercise is meant to help you gain clarity in your writer's life. Many writers have a clear picture of where they want to be as the already thriving author but have considerable difficulty choosing their path. I’ve run into many green writers who want to publish across several genres or break out with their Great American Novel without really honing their craft (see lit agent Nathan Bransford’s take on this). If you see yourself as a modern day Mark Twain or the next Candace Bushnell yet have a great idea for a children’s book, choose the path with more…path! If the majority of your work (and heart) lies within a certain genre, that’s where you need to be. Many writers, once they’re well established, get a chance to break out and do something different – publish a collection of short stories or narrative nonfiction, but it won’t happen when the publisher is trying to develop a devout audience for their shiny new author. Likewise, if you feel you have the next best novel since To Kill A Mockingbird but have yet to develop a readership other than your parents and a few close friends, it’s time to connect your work to others beyond your inner circle by publishing in journals, magazines and newspapers, be they physical or online. Even a blog with a strong following is a great step in the right direction! (Note, the editor of To Kill a Mockingbird took months off her editing job to solely edit Harper Lee’s one and only classic. What does this tell you?)
So where do you want to go as a writer? How successful do you want to be? You know the answer – you visualized it. Writing isn’t a dream; it really is something you do in the real world. And to achieve real world success, you’ve got to set your course by setting goals as your landmarks. You’ve imagined your castle – now it’s time to build your foundation.
And the next time somebody asks you the what do you do question, don’t be afraid to confidently tell them you’re a writer, damn it! Sadly, not everyone has accessed their imagination. But you have! And bravo to you, my dears!
Your Exercise This Week: Spend several days dreaming of your ideal author’s life. Be clear about what you want down to the thread count of your sheets! This is YOUR life. YOUR career. Make it what you want. Write it out, if it helps – make this your next short story! Then, work backward. How did you get there? What steps did you take? If you find yourself guessing or are unsure of how to take that step in the right direction, start surfing Amazon’s great selection of How to Get Published books or head to your local bookseller or library. Like I said in earlier posts, writing is 1/3rd writing, 1/3rd researching and 1/3rd connecting. Start researching and asking questions.
Next, start setting goals with firm deadlines. If you have yet to finish your first draft, commit to an end date and mark it on your calendar. If you’re finished with your first draft, commit to getting the right people to read your work so you can consider their feedback. Set a date on the calendar of when you’ll have sent at least 5 copies of your manuscript or nonfiction proposal to readers you trust will give you useful feedback. And don’t forget to give them a kindly deadline of when you need the feedback. Do you already have your work polished and ready to go? It’s time to start seeking the right agent for your work. While it’s nearly impossible to set a date of when you’ll be acquired by an agent, you can set a date of when you’ll have sent out your first run of submissions. Most importantly, let people know you’ve set these goals. Ask them to check in on your progress from time to time to help you stay on track and keep you motivated.
Whether it’s finishing your book, finding an agent or securing a great publicist, you’ve announced that you’re going to make it happen. Now you're accountable for your own progress or lack thereof. So get started and make it happen!
As a writer, you have an abundance of imagination. It’s your gift. But when it comes time to consider how you can turn your gift into a source of income, suddenly your heart starts racing, you don’t know which way to go and some good old self doubt creeps its way into your consciousness. Or, you’re totally confident you can make a go of it as a writer but have no idea where to start. Either way, you need direction. Let your dreams reveal your end point; let your imagination direct you there.
Diana Scharf Hunt said, “Goals are dreams with deadlines.” Becoming a successful author takes a great deal of planning, it doesn’t just happen. And it doesn’t happen at all if you don’t set deadlines for yourself. Here’s where your imagination is your best asset (aside from your writing, of course).
Imagine you’re living your dream – you’re a successful writer. What does your professional and artistic success look like? What do YOU look like? Are you happy? Feeling good? Do you have your office/creative space just the way you’ve always wanted it? Do you have all the techno goodies you’ve ever wanted to help you connect faster (in my dream land, there’s always someone there to hook it all up and bottom line the user’s manual for me). How widely published are you? Are you writing for magazines in print and online along with your books? Are you invited to speak around the country and are you paid well? Have you been a guest on Ellen, Jay Leno or The Today Show? Have you had numerous radio interviews? Do hundreds or thousands of people show up at your events? Now’s your chance to dream big so don’t hold back! What does it all look like? What does it feel like? Be clear about what you want. This is your big picture goal – the level of success you want to achieve from all your hard work. Anything is possible.
Now, work back. Let your big picture goal be your starting point. Sounds backwards, doesn’t it? We’ve been trained to start at beginning, but sometimes to know how a thing works, you have to start at the end point and work your way to the beginning. Imagine what steps you took that got yourself to your big picture goal. These steps will become the many mini-goals you’ll achieve on your way to the big picture goal. If you’re getting multiple book deals, you no doubt have a good agent. If you don’t have an agent or don’t feel you have one that’s working in your best interest, finding the right agent will one day become a goal. If you’re publishing regularly in magazines, you’ve developed good connections with various editors from these magazines, which will become another goal. If you’re speaking around the country, you have a fabulous publicist or speaking agent who is keeping you on the road – yet another goal. The prospect of achieving these goals is totally doable but it all boils down to your work, your craft and you as an author. It starts with the work you produce (or on this side of the looking glass, ends with the work.)
This exercise is meant to help you gain clarity in your writer's life. Many writers have a clear picture of where they want to be as the already thriving author but have considerable difficulty choosing their path. I’ve run into many green writers who want to publish across several genres or break out with their Great American Novel without really honing their craft (see lit agent Nathan Bransford’s take on this). If you see yourself as a modern day Mark Twain or the next Candace Bushnell yet have a great idea for a children’s book, choose the path with more…path! If the majority of your work (and heart) lies within a certain genre, that’s where you need to be. Many writers, once they’re well established, get a chance to break out and do something different – publish a collection of short stories or narrative nonfiction, but it won’t happen when the publisher is trying to develop a devout audience for their shiny new author. Likewise, if you feel you have the next best novel since To Kill A Mockingbird but have yet to develop a readership other than your parents and a few close friends, it’s time to connect your work to others beyond your inner circle by publishing in journals, magazines and newspapers, be they physical or online. Even a blog with a strong following is a great step in the right direction! (Note, the editor of To Kill a Mockingbird took months off her editing job to solely edit Harper Lee’s one and only classic. What does this tell you?)
So where do you want to go as a writer? How successful do you want to be? You know the answer – you visualized it. Writing isn’t a dream; it really is something you do in the real world. And to achieve real world success, you’ve got to set your course by setting goals as your landmarks. You’ve imagined your castle – now it’s time to build your foundation.
And the next time somebody asks you the what do you do question, don’t be afraid to confidently tell them you’re a writer, damn it! Sadly, not everyone has accessed their imagination. But you have! And bravo to you, my dears!
Your Exercise This Week: Spend several days dreaming of your ideal author’s life. Be clear about what you want down to the thread count of your sheets! This is YOUR life. YOUR career. Make it what you want. Write it out, if it helps – make this your next short story! Then, work backward. How did you get there? What steps did you take? If you find yourself guessing or are unsure of how to take that step in the right direction, start surfing Amazon’s great selection of How to Get Published books or head to your local bookseller or library. Like I said in earlier posts, writing is 1/3rd writing, 1/3rd researching and 1/3rd connecting. Start researching and asking questions.
Next, start setting goals with firm deadlines. If you have yet to finish your first draft, commit to an end date and mark it on your calendar. If you’re finished with your first draft, commit to getting the right people to read your work so you can consider their feedback. Set a date on the calendar of when you’ll have sent at least 5 copies of your manuscript or nonfiction proposal to readers you trust will give you useful feedback. And don’t forget to give them a kindly deadline of when you need the feedback. Do you already have your work polished and ready to go? It’s time to start seeking the right agent for your work. While it’s nearly impossible to set a date of when you’ll be acquired by an agent, you can set a date of when you’ll have sent out your first run of submissions. Most importantly, let people know you’ve set these goals. Ask them to check in on your progress from time to time to help you stay on track and keep you motivated.
Whether it’s finishing your book, finding an agent or securing a great publicist, you’ve announced that you’re going to make it happen. Now you're accountable for your own progress or lack thereof. So get started and make it happen!
Have a fantastic week, writers! Dream and Plan!
Later on Monday...Q&A with The Lit Coach.
The above print is "Morning" by Maxfield Parrish.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Call Out for Your Questions!
Next week we'll focus on why you should set clear goals in your writing career and how to get started.
I'm also opening up the blog next week for your questions on anything publishing, writing, literary agents, creative direction related, to help you gain clarity with where you are right now in your publishing and creative process.
Email your questions to me at erin.reel@gmail.com.
Be well-
TLC
I'm also opening up the blog next week for your questions on anything publishing, writing, literary agents, creative direction related, to help you gain clarity with where you are right now in your publishing and creative process.
Email your questions to me at erin.reel@gmail.com.
Be well-
TLC
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Let's Get Clear: The Business of Writing
First off, a warm welcome and hello to those who’re newly joining us internationally from the U.K., Australia, Belgium, Mexico and Portugal! I’m thrilled you’ve stopped by – thanks for reading! I’d love to hear about what you’re working on.
Ok, back to why we’re here…
Clarity in a writer’s life is a multi-faceted and precious commodity. Last week I discussed with you why that is and gave you action steps toward gaining Clarity – in body, mind, soul and creative space, for the best possible writer’s life. If you haven’t yet read last week’s blogshop, please do so and commit to at least one Clarity Action Step. You’ll see and feel the difference!
This week, we’re focusing on being clear about the business of writing – what you’re really getting into and how to best prepare yourself for your own success.
This week’s blogshop isn’t going to cover the nuts and bolts about how to get a book published – there are plenty of books on the market that cover the topic thoroughly. What I'm going to share with you is publishing world reality – the stuff they don’t teach you in MFA programs (and I have absolutely nothing against MFA programs). The reality of publishing today is one where the writer must wear many hats – not to mention handle all their daily responsibilities as well as raise a family, hold down a job, etc. Today’s writer can’t afford to just write and let their publisher handle the rest. It just doesn’t happen anymore. They research, write, edit, negotiate deals, promote, and let’s not forget, sell! It’s a lot of work – but FUN work! What else would you rather do with all that talent?!
Let’s begin with the three pillars of the most successful writing career possible: Researching, Writing and Connecting, which all take time, energy and effort. Literary Agent, Arielle Eckstut, writes about these three pillars in her book, Putting Your Passion Into Print: Get Your Book Published Successfully – an absolute must read. To thrive in today’s super competitive and quickly changing publishing climate, plan on spending most of your time on these three things:
Research. Research can mean anything from looking into subject matter you’re not well versed in to looking up facts that will back up the message of your nonfiction how-to book. Research in this context means searching for and finding the right facts and material you need to beef up your book. Research also means learning about the literary agent you want to represent your work; start with the books you love that have been recently published – read the acknowledgement section to see if the author thanked their agent. If you loved the book and found it similar to the one you’re working on, put that agent’s name down on your “Agents to Research” list and start doing your homework. You can also find out more about agents on several websites: Publishers Marketplace; Chuck Sambuchinos’s Guide to Literary Agents; Publishers Weekly and many books at your local bookseller, library or I’m sure, now downloadable on your e-reader of choice.
Research also means knowing which publisher would be right for your book. Which publisher’s stamp do you see branded on your book’s spine? This is helpful information to share with the agent you’re pitching. Also, you must research your rights as a writer – yes, you have them! Don’t forget this step, my dears. Check out AAR, the industry standard in outlining ethical agent/author relationships and contractual agreements. While many good agents are not paid members of AAR, most agents are aware of AAR and follow their guidelines. Don’t miss this step. Did you know it’s unethical for an agent to charge reading fees or other a la carte services, such as editing or proposal crafting? If you didn’t, spend some good quality time on the AAR site.
Without research in all areas, you’re building your writing career on sand. Know your craft, know who you’re dealing with and know your rights.
Writing. It’s what you do best – this is the easy, no-brainer pillar to build, right? Writing is like exercise, though; you’ve got to work the craft regularly in order to grow stronger as a writer. But you’re not just working on what you love to write, you need to practice writing one page synopses and one page cover letters as well. These one page wonders are just as important as your book – executed well, it’s what gets you in the agent or editor’s door. I can’t stress this enough – learning how to craft a killer one page cover letter and synopsis is an art form in and of itself. Think of these as the best commercial ad you've ever seen. Consider this skill just as important as writing the book itself. Even if you’ve already landed an agent, keep working on your synopsis…because you’ll still have to write one even once you’re with a great agent.
Connecting. This seems to be a tough step for some writers, but a very necessary one. While one writer may have several hundred friends on their various social networking sites, another may have a hard time putting him or herself out there to meet others. While this may be just an education issue – knowing where and how to start reaching out to other writers, your audience, experts who could help, agents and editors, lack of confidence is usually the root of the problem. You don’t want to put yourself in a place where you may be rejected because rejection equals failure and that hurts. It’s never fun to be turned down and it’s totally frustrating to just not hear back from the person you contacted, which makes you think all kinds of silly things are happening that aren’t. But you must learn not to take it personally. As a writer you MUST connect with others to workshop, research, seek guidance, find opportunities, promote, sell and thrive. Consider this all a part of making new friends.
When in doubt, email. I confess, I didn’t particularly like to hear from writers just calling out of the blue when I was in the middle of putting a proposal together or pitching to editors. As long as your approach is polished, professional and concise, you’ll be in great shape! Here’s where writing outside your genre comes in handy – learn how to write a stellar can’t-refuse-to-get-to-know-me email. Start putting yourself out there. Start connecting, if you haven’t already. Consider rejection or lack of communication as just another part of the business. After all, if you plan on sending your work out to agents and/or editors, chances are your work will be turned down and you know what? You’ll be fine! Just say, "Next!" and move on. You're too busy to get caught up in a pity party. If you’ve already begun connecting like a literary pro, excellent work! Keep going! You can never have enough friends who know about your book and what else you’ve got cooking. Plus, you may learn a thing or two. Know a writer who could use a little help connecting? Reach out to THEM and invite them to join an event or workshop.
If you’re still stumped with how to get out of your shell and connect, let me know. I’m happy to offer more tips that suit your situation.
If you’re in this career for the long haul, you need an abundance energy and effort. Time is limited, so manage it well. Agents look for writers who will put in the extra effort and go the extra mile to make their book and their career a success. Leave your excuses at the door. Know this dream can’t succeed without your muscle. I spoke with a writer this weekend who self-published his book several months ago and is in the middle of his self-funded and promoted book tour. While he’s not attracting a John Grisham crowd just yet, he’s selling an average of 20 books per signing – to strangers – did I mention it’s a novel?! He’s got a goal in mind – he wants to sell 5,000 copies of his novel in the next six months and he’ll stop at nothing. He knows what he wants – he’s clear about his goal. Bravo! I have no doubt he’ll reach it.
Are you ready to start building your pillars?
Your exercise this week: Take out a sheet of paper and make three columns. Write Research, Writing and Connecting across the top of the paper, over the columns. Think of several ways you can take action in all three areas and write them down. Highlight one in each column you plan to do this week and get started building your pillars for a successful writing career. Let me know how it goes!
Have any Research, Writing or Connecting tips or stories you’d like to share? Post them here!
Have a fruitful week, writers!
TLC
Ok, back to why we’re here…
Clarity in a writer’s life is a multi-faceted and precious commodity. Last week I discussed with you why that is and gave you action steps toward gaining Clarity – in body, mind, soul and creative space, for the best possible writer’s life. If you haven’t yet read last week’s blogshop, please do so and commit to at least one Clarity Action Step. You’ll see and feel the difference!
This week, we’re focusing on being clear about the business of writing – what you’re really getting into and how to best prepare yourself for your own success.
This week’s blogshop isn’t going to cover the nuts and bolts about how to get a book published – there are plenty of books on the market that cover the topic thoroughly. What I'm going to share with you is publishing world reality – the stuff they don’t teach you in MFA programs (and I have absolutely nothing against MFA programs). The reality of publishing today is one where the writer must wear many hats – not to mention handle all their daily responsibilities as well as raise a family, hold down a job, etc. Today’s writer can’t afford to just write and let their publisher handle the rest. It just doesn’t happen anymore. They research, write, edit, negotiate deals, promote, and let’s not forget, sell! It’s a lot of work – but FUN work! What else would you rather do with all that talent?!
Let’s begin with the three pillars of the most successful writing career possible: Researching, Writing and Connecting, which all take time, energy and effort. Literary Agent, Arielle Eckstut, writes about these three pillars in her book, Putting Your Passion Into Print: Get Your Book Published Successfully – an absolute must read. To thrive in today’s super competitive and quickly changing publishing climate, plan on spending most of your time on these three things:
Research. Research can mean anything from looking into subject matter you’re not well versed in to looking up facts that will back up the message of your nonfiction how-to book. Research in this context means searching for and finding the right facts and material you need to beef up your book. Research also means learning about the literary agent you want to represent your work; start with the books you love that have been recently published – read the acknowledgement section to see if the author thanked their agent. If you loved the book and found it similar to the one you’re working on, put that agent’s name down on your “Agents to Research” list and start doing your homework. You can also find out more about agents on several websites: Publishers Marketplace; Chuck Sambuchinos’s Guide to Literary Agents; Publishers Weekly and many books at your local bookseller, library or I’m sure, now downloadable on your e-reader of choice.
Research also means knowing which publisher would be right for your book. Which publisher’s stamp do you see branded on your book’s spine? This is helpful information to share with the agent you’re pitching. Also, you must research your rights as a writer – yes, you have them! Don’t forget this step, my dears. Check out AAR, the industry standard in outlining ethical agent/author relationships and contractual agreements. While many good agents are not paid members of AAR, most agents are aware of AAR and follow their guidelines. Don’t miss this step. Did you know it’s unethical for an agent to charge reading fees or other a la carte services, such as editing or proposal crafting? If you didn’t, spend some good quality time on the AAR site.
Without research in all areas, you’re building your writing career on sand. Know your craft, know who you’re dealing with and know your rights.
Writing. It’s what you do best – this is the easy, no-brainer pillar to build, right? Writing is like exercise, though; you’ve got to work the craft regularly in order to grow stronger as a writer. But you’re not just working on what you love to write, you need to practice writing one page synopses and one page cover letters as well. These one page wonders are just as important as your book – executed well, it’s what gets you in the agent or editor’s door. I can’t stress this enough – learning how to craft a killer one page cover letter and synopsis is an art form in and of itself. Think of these as the best commercial ad you've ever seen. Consider this skill just as important as writing the book itself. Even if you’ve already landed an agent, keep working on your synopsis…because you’ll still have to write one even once you’re with a great agent.
Connecting. This seems to be a tough step for some writers, but a very necessary one. While one writer may have several hundred friends on their various social networking sites, another may have a hard time putting him or herself out there to meet others. While this may be just an education issue – knowing where and how to start reaching out to other writers, your audience, experts who could help, agents and editors, lack of confidence is usually the root of the problem. You don’t want to put yourself in a place where you may be rejected because rejection equals failure and that hurts. It’s never fun to be turned down and it’s totally frustrating to just not hear back from the person you contacted, which makes you think all kinds of silly things are happening that aren’t. But you must learn not to take it personally. As a writer you MUST connect with others to workshop, research, seek guidance, find opportunities, promote, sell and thrive. Consider this all a part of making new friends.
When in doubt, email. I confess, I didn’t particularly like to hear from writers just calling out of the blue when I was in the middle of putting a proposal together or pitching to editors. As long as your approach is polished, professional and concise, you’ll be in great shape! Here’s where writing outside your genre comes in handy – learn how to write a stellar can’t-refuse-to-get-to-know-me email. Start putting yourself out there. Start connecting, if you haven’t already. Consider rejection or lack of communication as just another part of the business. After all, if you plan on sending your work out to agents and/or editors, chances are your work will be turned down and you know what? You’ll be fine! Just say, "Next!" and move on. You're too busy to get caught up in a pity party. If you’ve already begun connecting like a literary pro, excellent work! Keep going! You can never have enough friends who know about your book and what else you’ve got cooking. Plus, you may learn a thing or two. Know a writer who could use a little help connecting? Reach out to THEM and invite them to join an event or workshop.
If you’re still stumped with how to get out of your shell and connect, let me know. I’m happy to offer more tips that suit your situation.
If you’re in this career for the long haul, you need an abundance energy and effort. Time is limited, so manage it well. Agents look for writers who will put in the extra effort and go the extra mile to make their book and their career a success. Leave your excuses at the door. Know this dream can’t succeed without your muscle. I spoke with a writer this weekend who self-published his book several months ago and is in the middle of his self-funded and promoted book tour. While he’s not attracting a John Grisham crowd just yet, he’s selling an average of 20 books per signing – to strangers – did I mention it’s a novel?! He’s got a goal in mind – he wants to sell 5,000 copies of his novel in the next six months and he’ll stop at nothing. He knows what he wants – he’s clear about his goal. Bravo! I have no doubt he’ll reach it.
Are you ready to start building your pillars?
Your exercise this week: Take out a sheet of paper and make three columns. Write Research, Writing and Connecting across the top of the paper, over the columns. Think of several ways you can take action in all three areas and write them down. Highlight one in each column you plan to do this week and get started building your pillars for a successful writing career. Let me know how it goes!
Have any Research, Writing or Connecting tips or stories you’d like to share? Post them here!
Have a fruitful week, writers!
TLC
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Clarity Through Virtue: Four Steps to Clear The Writer's Mind
I have a client, Mel*, who after switching paths from a very specialized academic publishing world to the commercial, felt she lost her professional identity, although she knew in her heart it was the right direction to go. Stepping into a writing territory that wasn't necessarily defined by hard core research, she was unsure about where to begin as a commercial writer. The artistic freedom was scary. She had questions and doubts about her original writing voice, the genre of choice, where she wanted her writing career to go and what story she wanted to tell first. To this point, she was snatching pieces of time here and there, sketching out bits and pieces of a story - names of her characters and the general mis en scene. Overall, though, she felt her entire identity as a writer was out of focus. She lacked clarity about the thing she knew she most wanted to do but didn't know how to put the pieces together or in what order. She felt totally disabled.Lack of clarity in a writer's life can be debilitating and I don't say that lightly. The symptoms look like writer's block, unfocused or rushed prose, genre confusion and general undisciplined pieces. If left untreated, lack of clarity in a writer's life leads to unproductive, self-sabotaging behavior: lack of sleep or an over-abundance; copious couch time; over-indulgence with food and alcohol; substance abuse and possibly depression. It's a nasty downward spiral and it is very real. It's sad to me that the iconic image of The Writer or The Artist that fits this picture so well years ago is still around today. What's worse are the handfulls of professionals in this industry who support that image and dysfunctional lifestyle. I had an agent say to me once, "That's why we love them. That's why they're artists, after all." Really? I thought today's author was one who was learning everything they could with the massive amount of education in bookstores and online on how to SUCCEED with their craft and their goal of being a published author! Ever hear the story about the unagented writer who sold their book to a publisher at BEA (Book Expo America)? Or what about the writer who self-published and isn't afraid to put his book in the hands of a nearby shopper? Then there's the author who writes, tours, speaks and still has lots of quality time for her family. They're out there and thriving - these authors KNOW what they want and how to achieve their goal.
There's a lot of great, helpful info available to writers by industry professionals who genuinely want to help you. They'll tell you how to write a book proposal; how to best present your work (and yourself) to an agent; how to find the right publisher for your work; how to negotiate a book contract; how to promote yourself as an author; what to expect after the book deal and so on. This is all great stuff. This is stuff you need to know. I've read quite a few of these books and have contributed to a couple myself. I totally understand this need for information so you can digest it, follow the directions and get your work out there fast! But what's the hurry? If you've read about the path of publication from the book contract to the finished product sitting on the shelf, you know it takes a good 12-18 months, or more. Unless you've earned a six figure advance (which is unusual), you're still going to have to keep your day job. What I'm saying here, is reading these books on how to get published will only truly help you if you began the process, from concept to completion, clear minded and centered. Reading all the "How to Get Published!" books in the world aren't going to help you if you: don't know who your audience is; don't know why you want to write; don't know how to get your characters out of a rut; don't know where you want your writing career to go or don't even know how to start.
Let's refresh a bit and start from square one, my dears.
Clarity is a way of being at your most cellular level and it can be achieved one step at a time. But in gaining it, you need to step back as a writer and allow yourself the time necessary to identify and address some personal habits that may be clouding your brain. That's right. This has nothing to do with craft or putting pen to page. This is you showing up to your first surfing lesson and learning nothing but balance, otherwise you'll get killed out there. You're not catching any waves today, folks.
So hop on to your board and let's balance. Here are four Clarity Action Steps I prescribe to my clients with great results. It worked for Mel!
Drink Water!
It all starts with the clear stuff - how appropriate! According to Health Choices for Life, the brain is 75% water! Even further, your entire nervous system is like Venice, a city built on water. Your brain needs an ongoing abundance of water to send and receive neural transmissions - you know, the messages your brain sends and receives that makes life possible? Should your body experience a drought, you'll feel sluggish, confused, dizzy, lethargic. Doesn't sound very productive to me. I LOVE water. It's my favorite drink. I usually guzzle 64 ounces a day. Should I go without an abundance for a few days, I feel it mentally, physically and quickly get back on program. Believe me, I know coffee is good, and in moderation it's helpful, but your body physically needs water to survive. Water enhances clarity which leads to greater focus. Drink up!
Get Moving!
There is one particular NYT Bestselling author who loves to romanticize her early leanings toward The New Yorker rather than physical action due to lack of coordination. My goodness, how many times have I heard this one?! That's a tired excuse. First of all, all that self righteous intellectualism doesn't make a writer more talented and second of all, it takes only minor coordination to put one foot in front of the other to have a nice stroll. I'm not talking about signing up for Tai Bo or some masochistic fitness boot camp, here. I'm talking about taking a nice walk, preferably in the morning to help your brain wake up and give it the fresh air it needs to thrive and think clearly. Walking in the evenings is nice too - it's a cathartic way to wrap up the day and reflect on all the good things in your life. You have my permission to follow this up with a nice glass of red wine, which is also noted for all its antioxidant benefits (but don't forget to rehydrate with water). The practice of walking never fails to bring me clarity, new ideas, solutions, opportunities for reflection and gratitude. It's my mobile meditating time.
Eat Good Food!
Notice I didn't say, Go on a diet!, I don't like the word, but I do think it's important to eat as healthfully as you can and ENJOY the experience of preparing and eating great food! I love to eat. And while every Friday is pizza night in my family, the other days I try to fill with lots of whole grains, veggies and fruit. I love Mediterranean food, so I'm big on the health benefits of Olive Oil, tomatoes and herbs kissed by the Tuscan sun. This makes me feel good. I love cooking, love eating ( I did mention that, right?) and very much enjoy the sensual pleasures of cooking and food. When you eat well, when your body is getting the nutrients it needs, it will pay you back very kindly. Try going on a junk food binge for a few days and see how you feel. See? That wasn't so bad. I didn't force you to give up your chips and dip habit. But you should consider it.
Get Organized!
What does your creative space look like? What's sitting on top of your desk? What's the state of your files? Do you have files? What's your organization method? I urge writers to get organized well before we start talking about all the publishing nuts and bolts stuff because choosing writing as a career is like running your own small business. To be successful, you've got to have your office/creative space tidy and organized. Sure, little messes happen and paper has a fabulous way of accumulating, but clean it up. My grandfather was an Episcopalian minister whose soft, County Durham English accent and accessible, practical sermons captivated thousands of listeners during his life which ended in the seventies. I had the pleasure of reading one of his handwritten sermons about putting away your day before going to bed. The lesson was, in completing the incompletes, making sure your desk is clean at the end of each day, you'll sleep peacefully knowing your creation is right in its place. That stuck with me. It's hard to move forward not to mention create with a clear mind when your creative space or office is a mess. When you've addressed the desk situation, move to other areas of your house and start pitching the clutter. Imagine you're tossing the toxic mental junk that's been clogging up the works...stuff you're more productive without. Now you're creating space for fruitful new ideas!
When you apply these four virtues to your writer's life you will see and feel the difference. You will achieve mental clarity. Keep in mind it takes time and persistence. It's a lifestyle change and lifestyle changes are the hardest to make. If you're overwhelmed, choose one. Choose water because you will notice nearly immediate results and it's the most important and beneficial to your overall well-being.
Your exercise this week: Choose at least one Clarity Action to address: Water, Exercise, Eating Well, or Organization. Make a pact with yourself that you're going to focus on the one Clarity Action for at least one month and along the way, journal how this change makes you feel physically and mentally. Next month, choose another and build on the first Clarity habit. Keep going until you've mastered all four. Along the way, keep writing. Notice how your writing has changed and how your craft has improved. Be aware of how your inner self is growing more clear about what it wants. Listen.
Success is brought about by an accumulation of many seemingly small good habits.
How have you found Clarity? Post your short story or tips here! I'd love to know about your successes and how you overcame your Clarity challenges.
Have a beautiful week, writers!
*Not the client's real name.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Let's Get Platforming!
Ok, writers, here's the deal...I had a blog nearly finished with some good platforming building tips...but my home office has suddenly become home to someone who prefers the night shift. A BAT of all things! I could handle a confused bird, but a bat?! How does that even happen? Well, it's late, the Mr. is in bed, there's no way I'll let my tween boys go near the thing...there's no way I'M going near it...I'm lucky to have made it out alive! So there it flutters around, poor thing...and there my computer sits with my original blog copy...
Fortunately, I have other options for getting this post out. I won't have the opportunity to use my original piece, because I did say I'd get this to you mid-week and I'm keeping my word. Plus, I'll be tied up tomorrow. So I changed my course and took a look at a book by Christina Katz who piped in kindly on this week's blog on Creative Platforming with Publisher Glenn Yeffeth. Katz's book, Get Known Before The Book Deal is probably one of the most comprehensive, meaty books on the subject of building your author platform. Katz, author of Writer Mama and founder of the e-course, Platform Building Basics for Writers, writes regularly on the subject for The Willamette Writer. Check out her book! Lots of great endorsements and pubbed by a venerable press. Just so we're clear, Ms. Katz is not a part of this blogshop - I just found her, but would love to have her on. I'm not highlighting copy from her book, although you'll find similar messages, I'm sure. I just wanted to take the opportunity to direct you to a great resource on platforming I just found.
Let's get to it. As I wrote in Creative Platforming, a platform is the means by which you communicate your overall message...it's kind of who you are. For example, I'm a hybrid of publishing consultant and writing coach. My blog is the way I communicate my core coaching message to the public...hello all you writers over there in Germany and The Philippines! My Lit Coach practice is my profession. I live what I blog and inspire others toward more productive, successful and ultimately fulfilling writer's lives. Nearly ten years prior, I was a literary agent. I couldn't have moved into my Lit Coach role without first being an agent very familiar with the ins and outs of the publishing world and how writers live. This is my platform.
But what if you're starting out from scratch? It took me nearly 10 years of nitty gritty experience, research and blisters (Los Angelians don't do well without their flip flops in New York) to build my platform. So the first rule is, be prepared to put some major hours not to mention years into building your platform. When I was an agent, I was frequently approached by writers who had a great proposal for a nonfiction book with equally wonderful sample chapters, but nobody, not even their neighbor, knew they were THE EXPERT in fly fishing, let's say. Sure, the passion was there, the craft was there, but the author's visibility in the fly fishing community was not. Overall, what this writer needs to do is establish herself as a fly fishing expert. Here's how...
Start Local and Get Noticed!
I think it's safe to say nearly everyone would love to make a career out of what they love doing...and many want to write all about it with speaking opportunities to boot. Put on your volunteer fishing caps, writers, and share the love! What's interesting about the thing you want to build your platform around? How can you share your expertise with the people in your town/city for their benefit? Get ready to volunteer your craft on a regular basis until the locals start to know you as The Fly Fishing Girl or The French Pastry Guy. Reach out to your local area papers and start getting coverage. Let them know what you do, how you're educating the community and why that should matter to them. Editors need specifics - be specific.
Go National!
Now that you're close and personal with the locals, head to your local bookseller or newsstand. Seek out magazines, journals and newspapers that you'd most likely find articles centered around your gig. Invest in the reading that's most closely related to what you do. Pay close attention to the overall voice of the publication and especially, the articles you read. What sounds like you? This is key. Use your original voice, not something you feel could be published in The New Yorker or conversely, People Magazine. Editors from these magazines know a faux voice like Anna Wintour knows Chanel, l'originale. For more tips on this, read Creating Your Original Voice with Marcela Landres.
Once you're clear on which publications are distinctly you, start crafting pitches. There are loads of resources out there online and in bookstores with how to pitch to magazines, newspapers and journals. Start researching and start asking questions. Know any freelance writers, any journalists, editors? Ask them if they would mind sharing the magic formula for making a successful pitch. Most are happy to share a few tips.
Go The Distance!
Once you find the formula, keep pitching. Don't let a few NOs stand in your way; push the negativity to the side and move on to the next one. As a writer, you're going to hear NO a lot. The reality is, editors are bombarded with pitches and slush material, not to mention the day to day of their job. They're looking for a reason to turn you down - but it's nothing personal! Really. Show them the good manners you were raised with and give them a kind thank you for considering my work. Editors (and agents) remember the less than polite writers - you don't want to burn your bridges; your piece may not be right for them now, but that doesn't mean you can't pitch to them again on another piece, right?
But let's not forget about your successes! Soon, you'll have a few published articles under your belt - yea! Don't stop there! Keep going! Running a mile doesn't make you a distance runner. Keep crafting, keep connecting and keep pitching. Keep careful records and files of all your published work so you can easily pull together this impressive info for your nonfiction book proposal an agent will be sure to love.
You gotta start somewhere and sometime. How will you do it?
Have platform tips to share? Success stories? I want to hear about it. Share them with the group.
Aha! The Mr. came down for a drink of water. Who wants to play Wild Kingdom?
Have a great week, writers!
TLC
Fortunately, I have other options for getting this post out. I won't have the opportunity to use my original piece, because I did say I'd get this to you mid-week and I'm keeping my word. Plus, I'll be tied up tomorrow. So I changed my course and took a look at a book by Christina Katz who piped in kindly on this week's blog on Creative Platforming with Publisher Glenn Yeffeth. Katz's book, Get Known Before The Book Deal is probably one of the most comprehensive, meaty books on the subject of building your author platform. Katz, author of Writer Mama and founder of the e-course, Platform Building Basics for Writers, writes regularly on the subject for The Willamette Writer. Check out her book! Lots of great endorsements and pubbed by a venerable press. Just so we're clear, Ms. Katz is not a part of this blogshop - I just found her, but would love to have her on. I'm not highlighting copy from her book, although you'll find similar messages, I'm sure. I just wanted to take the opportunity to direct you to a great resource on platforming I just found.
Let's get to it. As I wrote in Creative Platforming, a platform is the means by which you communicate your overall message...it's kind of who you are. For example, I'm a hybrid of publishing consultant and writing coach. My blog is the way I communicate my core coaching message to the public...hello all you writers over there in Germany and The Philippines! My Lit Coach practice is my profession. I live what I blog and inspire others toward more productive, successful and ultimately fulfilling writer's lives. Nearly ten years prior, I was a literary agent. I couldn't have moved into my Lit Coach role without first being an agent very familiar with the ins and outs of the publishing world and how writers live. This is my platform.
But what if you're starting out from scratch? It took me nearly 10 years of nitty gritty experience, research and blisters (Los Angelians don't do well without their flip flops in New York) to build my platform. So the first rule is, be prepared to put some major hours not to mention years into building your platform. When I was an agent, I was frequently approached by writers who had a great proposal for a nonfiction book with equally wonderful sample chapters, but nobody, not even their neighbor, knew they were THE EXPERT in fly fishing, let's say. Sure, the passion was there, the craft was there, but the author's visibility in the fly fishing community was not. Overall, what this writer needs to do is establish herself as a fly fishing expert. Here's how...
Start Local and Get Noticed!
I think it's safe to say nearly everyone would love to make a career out of what they love doing...and many want to write all about it with speaking opportunities to boot. Put on your volunteer fishing caps, writers, and share the love! What's interesting about the thing you want to build your platform around? How can you share your expertise with the people in your town/city for their benefit? Get ready to volunteer your craft on a regular basis until the locals start to know you as The Fly Fishing Girl or The French Pastry Guy. Reach out to your local area papers and start getting coverage. Let them know what you do, how you're educating the community and why that should matter to them. Editors need specifics - be specific.
Go National!
Now that you're close and personal with the locals, head to your local bookseller or newsstand. Seek out magazines, journals and newspapers that you'd most likely find articles centered around your gig. Invest in the reading that's most closely related to what you do. Pay close attention to the overall voice of the publication and especially, the articles you read. What sounds like you? This is key. Use your original voice, not something you feel could be published in The New Yorker or conversely, People Magazine. Editors from these magazines know a faux voice like Anna Wintour knows Chanel, l'originale. For more tips on this, read Creating Your Original Voice with Marcela Landres.
Once you're clear on which publications are distinctly you, start crafting pitches. There are loads of resources out there online and in bookstores with how to pitch to magazines, newspapers and journals. Start researching and start asking questions. Know any freelance writers, any journalists, editors? Ask them if they would mind sharing the magic formula for making a successful pitch. Most are happy to share a few tips.
Go The Distance!
Once you find the formula, keep pitching. Don't let a few NOs stand in your way; push the negativity to the side and move on to the next one. As a writer, you're going to hear NO a lot. The reality is, editors are bombarded with pitches and slush material, not to mention the day to day of their job. They're looking for a reason to turn you down - but it's nothing personal! Really. Show them the good manners you were raised with and give them a kind thank you for considering my work. Editors (and agents) remember the less than polite writers - you don't want to burn your bridges; your piece may not be right for them now, but that doesn't mean you can't pitch to them again on another piece, right?
But let's not forget about your successes! Soon, you'll have a few published articles under your belt - yea! Don't stop there! Keep going! Running a mile doesn't make you a distance runner. Keep crafting, keep connecting and keep pitching. Keep careful records and files of all your published work so you can easily pull together this impressive info for your nonfiction book proposal an agent will be sure to love.
You gotta start somewhere and sometime. How will you do it?
Have platform tips to share? Success stories? I want to hear about it. Share them with the group.
Aha! The Mr. came down for a drink of water. Who wants to play Wild Kingdom?
Have a great week, writers!
TLC
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