Writing a book proposal is as important as writing a business plan, contends Patricia L. Fry,
author of How to Write a Successful Book Proposal in 8 Days or
Less (Matilija Press 2005). "I'm told
more and more often by publishers that a well-thought out, well-written book proposal can make the difference
between a publishing contract and rejection," she says.
Writing a book proposal is the best way to determine if you have a good idea and who the audience is for
your book, Patricia says - even if your publisher is a POD. "A book proposal is a guide for writing the book.
Once you have written a complete book proposal, writing the book is a slam dunk."
Patricia is the author of 24 books, six of them writing/publishing-related, and president of SPAWN (Small
Publishers, Artists and Writers Network). As such, she knows her subject well but still runs into hurdles like
the rest of us. In the section called Chapter Outline, for instance, she notes that in organizing the chapters
for this book she changed her mind several times. "I must have moved information and data from folder to folder a
dozen times before settling on a logical chapter flow."
The 66-page book includes samples of successful book proposals, resources and marketing strategies. Assignments
are posted at the end of each chapter.
This easy-to-follow guide is for anyone contemplating writing a fiction or non-fiction book. The book retails at
$12.99. To order copies, shop at www.matilijapress.com
or www.amazon.com
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Reviewed 10/05:
The Well-Fed Writer: Back for Seconds
by Peter Bowerman
Freelancers are actors at an audition - judged on their merits and often rejected. "Papering my walls with rejection
letters" has become a cliché in the writing community.
The Well-Fed Writer: Back for Seconds
(Fanove Publishing 2005) is designed to help freelancers not only succeed but earn big bucks. Peter's books focus virtually exclusively on the lucrative field of "commercial"
freelancing - writing for businesses, large and small, for hourly rates of $50-125 or more.
Anyone struggling to make a living
freelancing, including copywriters, commercial writers, sales trainers, and graphic designers, can benefit from Peter's friendly and
compassionate writing style. He understands the pitfalls in running a small business and answers questions that he's received in
emails, such as "Do You Think I Should Take a Writing Course?" "How Do I Create a Decent Portfolio?" and "What Should I Charge for
Project X?" He also tries to demystify the cold-calling process.
This is Peter Bowerman's second self-published book and the first four pages are blurbs extolling it as a
superb companion to The Well-Fed Writer (2000)
Peter's philosophy is that marketing is simple once you're in the game. The problem for a large number of business people,
he writes, is that they "do not market themselves on a regular, consistent basis" - either out of fear or neglect. "As
commercial writers, precious few do regular mailing, phoning or networking campaigns to elevate themselves above the din.
Getting noticed isn't all that hard if you're one of the few who make the effort to stand out."
The allusion to food in the title and text makes for a palatable primer on pitching and promotion. Peter is a marketer
extraordinaire and every chapter focuses on an aspect of promoting one's products. The book is also laced with success
stories from freelancers of every stripe, and includes everything one needs to know about setting up a freelance business -
from business card to business plan.
The Well-Fed Writer has won numerous awards, including a Book-of-the-Month Club selection, and has established
its author as an expert in the field. A reader sums up what others write about Peter and his books. "After reading his
first book, The Well Fed Writer, I started a freelance writing business and became the breadwinner in my family…. When I
bought The Well Fed Writer, I read it five times before getting started and did the same thing with
Back for Seconds. I think this man is quite possibly the most useful resource for writers who want to make
serious money in the writing business."
Peter leads writing seminars and publishes a free monthly ezine called, "The Well-Fed E-Pub." His
corporate clients include: UPS, American Express, BellSouth, Mercedes-Benz, IBM, Cingular Wireless, and The Coco-cola Company.
The Well-Fed Writer: Back for Seconds is $19.95 and available from
www.wellfedwriter.com
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Reviewed 10/05
:
The Frugal Book Promoter
by Carolyn Howard-Johnson
In the past, most of the marketing of books was done by the publisher. Now, as more and more authors are choosing to
self-publish, many find themselves floating without a paddle when it comes to promoting. A few book marketing gurus
managed to carve a niche early on and Carolyn Howard-Johnson is among them. These experts have tested the waters
themselves, and drawn conclusions that are worth emulating. As an award-winning author of fiction and non-fiction,
a public speaker, former retailer, and instructor in the UCLA Extension's Writer's Program, Carolyn knows the field well.
There's nothing "Frugal" about this information-packed guide. Computer savvy authors will love this book because of all the helpful
websites, suggested by both Carolyn and fellow authors. One of her 10 publicity "no no's" is to never publicize your book,
but to "brand" yourself. A whole chapter is devoted to the importance of branding, and, here again, the author suggests
websites - for designing logos and business cards.
All book promotion avenues are covered, such as book signings, book reviews, conferences, discussion groups, catalog and
corporate sales, and building a website. An Appendix contains sample queries, media releases and cover letter for an
interview on national public radio. Carolyn also addresses questions plaguing authors, such as plagiarism and whether
to hire a publicist.
She has the comforting tone of a mentor and writes with the precision of a surgeon - In the chapter on building a
media kit, she writes: "We're going to get biological so that you can begin your media kit today. We're going to
build the skeleton of our kit so that as you add tendons and muscles to your credentials, you have a place to store the
information. A strong structure that has been fleshed out as you become more and more qualified….will require only a
little grooming…Having the bones in place will help you visualize the progress of your writing career..."
This is a book that you'll return to again and again. It belongs on every author's shelf - beside the computer.
Carolyn is the award-winning author of three books; her first novel, This Is The Place (AmErica House 2001), won eight awards, and Harkening (AmErica House 2002), a collection of stories, won three.
The Frugal Book Promoter - How to do What Your Publisher Won't (Star Publish 2004) won Best Books 2004 from USA Books News.com. The book is $17.95 and available at http://carolynhowardjohnson.com
or www.amazon.com
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Reviewed 11/05
:
From Book to Bestseller
by Penny C. Sansevieri
Having served on three panels with Penny Sansevieri, I can state with authority that she's both a dynamic speaker and an idea machine. Even when a question comes from left field, she's quick with an straight answer.
As both a publicist and author, Penny shares her many innovative marketing tips in her latest book, From
Book to Bestseller (PublishingGold.com 2005). In fact, I adapted her tip on Expert Sheets to create a website with experts to answer book marketing questions. Now, I'm following her suggestion and preparing Expert Sheets. I never knew about Expert Sheets, which are a list of experts with their credentials to provide the media for breaking news stories or quotes. Mind you, Expert Sheets only occupies one page of this 234-page book!
The rest of the book covers special sales, celebrity endorsements, Internet marketing, article writing, niche marketing, press releases, book signings and more. As a publicist, Penny knows the media and provides the do's and don't of pitching and story ideas for each quarter of the year. You'll know you're reading a book by a seasoned pro because there are suggestions you haven't read elsewhere. For instance, did you know that there are best days and times of year to send out your book to reviewers?
The resource section is another goldmine, especially regarding media websites.
Penny is President of Author Marketing Experts, a leading media relations firm. Her other books are
The Cliffhanger (2000) and No More Rejections, Get Published Today! (2002).
http://www.amarketingexpert.com
From Book to Bestseller is $18.95 and available from http://www.booktobestseller.com
or www.amazon.com
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Reviewed
11/05:
Author 101: Bestselling Book Proposals
By Rick Frishman and Robyn Freedman Spizman
“Rick and Robyn have produced a wealth of material on writing book proposals from an insider’s perspective – that is, from the point of view of people who have not only written book proposals, but have evaluated those written by others.”
So wrote Mark Victor Hansen, co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, in the
Foreword, and he’s right on the mark (no pun intended).
When it comes to writing, selling and promoting your book, these publishing industry insiders know their stuff. Robyn is the award-winning author of dozens of inspirational and educational non-fiction books and is considered one of the most dynamic how-to experts in the country. Rick is president of Planned Television Arts, an executive vice-president at Ruder Finn - the largest public relations firm in NYC - co-author of two Guerrilla marketing books and author of Networking Magic (Adams Media 2004). Rick has handled publicity for authors since 1976 and his clients ranged from President Jimmy Carter to Lance Armstrong.
It’s a scary universe but Rick and Robyn clearly empathize with authors who are willing to learn the ropes and follow industry rules. The co-authors begin by introducing themselves, in a warm and friendly manner that helps the reader relax. They take you by the hand to make the road less rocky.
The authors take you through the labyrinth of publishing, from finding an agent and publisher to writing a winning proposal. They liken the route to an actor’s audition – the so-called “cattle call.” Your book proposal is “your demo or audition tape,” says Robyn. “It’s your opportunity to stand alone at center stage under the spotlight and occupy an agent’s or editor’s complete attention, as brief as it may be.”
They stress how non-fiction authors must have a platform and that now even small publishers are demanding authors with national visibility. If you don’t already have a following, the authors suggest ways to create one. I like the networking tips, especially two that would never have occurred to me: Contact former teachers and staff members at bookstores and libraries since they may be writers with great connections.
The 250-page book goes beyond most on proposal writing by devoting an entire chapter to comparative book analysis. Rick and Robyn explain why comparing your book with others on the market is “so important to editors” and what constitutes a thorough analysis.
Another valuable addition is the “Remember” section at the end of each chapter. They remind me of the questions at the end of chapters in textbooks, which are items of importance that are repeated for effect. They serve two purposes - as a good learning tool and as a secondary index.
If you’ve had trouble selling your manuscript, it may time to rethink your book proposal. “Book proposals are the litmus tests for
agents and publishers,” the authors write. “They are the rite of passage that authors must pass in order to enter the hallowed literary halls.”
Author 101 - Bestselling Book Proposals retails at $12.95 and is available from www.author101.com or
www.adamsmedia.com or
www.amazon.com
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Reviewed
12/05:
Everything you Need to Know to Write Publish & Market Your Book
by Patrika Vaughn
This book is written for both first-time, and oft-published authors, to steer them in the right direction. All the basics are covered, from deciding on a topic, researching and targeting readership to writing and submitting queries. An overview of the publishing industry is also presented.
While geared to both non-fiction and fiction authors, the book is skewed toward fiction, providing the tools for character and
plot development.
The chapter on marketing has several useful statistics for authors. Did you know, for example, that there are 50,000
elementary school libraries in the U.S. and 2,300 federal libraries and 80 agencies that purchase books?
The world’s first Author’s Advocate™ Patrika Vaughn has served as a literary agent, writer, ghostwriter, publisher and teacher for
25 years. Her 194-page paperback includes questions to ask yourself during the writing process and samples of writing assignments
from her students.
Aspiring authors will find a good balance of information in this book. Midwest Book Review said it best: “Plenty of how-to titles cover
the basics of writing, marketing and the publishing industry: this differs from competitors in its equal attention to all three topics
and how they interrelate to spell success or failure.”
The book retails at $19.95. Purchase from
http://www.acappela.com
or
http://www.amazon.com
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Reviewed
12/05:
Principled Profit - Marketing that puts people first
by Shel Horowitz
Listen up, Enron – This book is about morality in
business, demonstrating how ethical salespeople put customers first –
even turning down business when it’s a poor match.
Shel uses statistics and real life experiences to
back up his contention that honesty and integrity are as essential in
business as they are life. He notes that, ironically, Arthur Andersen,
founder of the accounting firm bearing his name, had lost a major
account when his firm refused to engage in “exactly the sort of
unethical accounting that brought down his company almost 70 years
later.”
Shel contends that the pie is not finite – that
there’s enough to go around for all. Instead of fighting the
competition, he urges businesses to join them – in joint ventures,
business referrals, cross-promotions, and partnerships. Banding
together, he says, results in “fewer risks and more benefits.”
Examples are provided on how to zero in on
customers’ needs. Vermont Country Store, for instance, took advantage of
its stock of exotic local foods by giving out free samples every day. As
a result, its parking lot is always full. The cost of these freebies is
absorbed by higher prices. But this store is no longer simply a shop,
it’s a tourist attraction.
Four chapters are devoted to showing how social
change marketing can improve both bottom line and the world. Shel
demonstrates how it can be done within a business context, using
examples of the hippie marketing geniuses of the 60’s and socially
responsible individuals and businesses. Readers are encouraged to write
him at
shel@principledprofit.com with success stories involving a charity
or other worthy cause.
He recommends recognizing your customers, not only
on holidays but on their birthdays or customer status. One of his
clients is a pet store owner who rewards his best 1000 customers with
Thanksgiving pies.
Shel does 50 to 70 media interviews a year and has
been interviewed in The New York Times, Christian Science Monitor,
Boston Globe, and Los Angeles Times, is also author of
Grassroots Marketing: Getting Noticed in a Noisy World (Chelsea
Green Publishing Company 2000), The Penny-Pinching Hedonist: How
to Live Like Royalty With a Peasant’s Pocketbook (AWM 1995); and
Marketing Without Megabucks: How to Sell Anything on a Shoestring
(Fireside 1993).
Principled Profit (AWM Books 2003) is 160 pages,
retails at $17.50, and is available at
http://www.principledprofit.comand or
http://www.amazon.com
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Reviewed 1/06:
Grassroots Marketing - Getting Noticed in a Noisy World
by Shel Horowitz
It’s a noisy
world, indeed, but Shel does his best
to help you be heard above the din. His oversize paperback covers
everything you need to know about getting publicity for your book,
product or business.
This is Shel’s fifth book and an update of
Marketing Without Megabucks, with nine chapters on cybermarketing.
The 39 chapters range from electronic exposure to
branding. In between are sections on the various types of media
releases, including when to start the release with a provocative
question and when to use an unusual spin. Shel advises readers on how to
create business cards, banners, brochures and fliers and what each
should cost you. A section on outdoor advertising includes sidewalk
signs, bumper stickers, billboards and more as publicity vehicles.
The chapter on copywriting is especially
comprehensive, given that most business people, including authors, are
not copywriters. Shel shows the reader what works and what doesn’t. He
illustrates with sample headlines which work best for each situation and
why – and repeats it with text. “Writing promotional material is both a
science and an art,” he says.
Interested in getting booked on radio or TV? Read
the examples of “hook sheets” and success stories before making your
pitch.
This book makes you think. At least it made me
discover something. On page 4 the author asks, “What makes you unique?”
Heretofore, I was stressing the benefits of my book - which is fine.
However, now that I’ve become a publicist for authors, I realize after
reading that question that I must stress the benefits of my services –
over and above my method of getting publicity. Clients don’t care how
you got there – only that you succeeded in getting them heard in this
noisy world.
Grassroots Marketing (Chelsea Green Publishing
Company 2000) is 306 pages and retails at $22.95. The book is available
at
http://www.frugalmarketing.com and
http://www.amazon.com
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Reviewed 4/06
:
How to Market a Product for
Under $500!
By Jeffrey Dobkin
This is a BIG book, both in size
and substance. Weighing in at 2-1/2 pounds and with the dimensions of
letterhead paper, it lives up to its
title. Assuming you do your own promotion, Jeffrey shows you how to keep
your marketing to under $500.
The 389-page book is geared to anyone with a new
product (even an inventor), be it a gadget or a book. The author spent
two years researching the reference data and the book is packed with
sample releases, charts and replicas of media directory pages.
There is a whole section on press releases – which
are undoubtedly the cheapest method of getting the word out. Again, this
is true if you don’t use submission services, which can get costly.
According to Jeffrey, direct mail is “the lowest
cost way to enter any market…you can aim an entire campaign with
precision with virtually no wasted advertising expense.” He defines
marketing as targeting a defined group, as opposed to selling, which
means selling to anyone. And whether you are a business person or
author, the benefits of the products are stressed. In direct marketing,
what sells products are the benefits,” he says. To help the reader
understand what are the benefits, he has the sample of his own
“benefits-first” release printed with the benefits highlighted for each
paragraph.
Need help writing a classified or display ad,
direct mail letter, press release or willing headline? It’s all there.
Jeffrey even helps you find a product to market if you’re stuck coming
up with one your own.
The margin notes for nearly every paragraph
summarize the main points. Instead of a standard index, there is a
sidebar directory. For example, on page 94 there are two margin notes:
“Does the lowest price always draw the most response?” and “Why will a
more expensive price tag sometimes work?”are next to a paragraph on
setting a price for a direct mail package. These two sentences are then
repeated in the directory with the corresponding page number. While it’s
easier to look up something in an index, this is a novel way of driving
home a message.
If you live near a library with good reference
books, such as the Oxbridge Directory of Newsletters, you can
take advantage of Jeffrey’s advice to send your press releases to
newsletters – which he calls “among the most overlooked marketing
publications to send releases to through tradition marketing methods.”
He says that most newsletters “will publish a release if it’s of
interest to their readers.” A sample page of the Directory is included,
as are reproductions from other directories.
You’ll want to consult this book again and again
whenever you start on a new marketing campaign. As one fan wrote – “I
kept your book out [of the library] so long it would have been cheaper
to buy it right from the start.”
How to Market a Product for Under $500! (2001) is
available from the Danielle Adams Publishing Company calling
800-234-IDEA or by faxing your order to 610-642-6832,
www.dobkin.com, or from
http://www.amazon.com
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Reviewed 4/06
:
Uncommon Marketing Techniques
by Jeffrey Dobkin
What’s uncommon about this book
is that its author touts letter writing as the
best promotional tool. Letters? Remember those?
Also uncommon is
that the author is a self-taught marketer with
guts – he actually mortgaged his house to start a
business!
Jeffrey is a friend to the U.S. Mail, emphasizing
how inexpensive it is to send letters, as opposed to four-color
brochures. As one reader wrote: “I
also have his other book "How to Market a Product for under $500" and
recommend it without hesitation. The author appears to be a low-cost,
high results guy.” Uncommon Marketing Techniques was originally
published in 1996 and preceded How to Market a Product, but is in its
fourth printing.
Although the book is geared to direct mail
marketers and small businesses, nearly every promotion recommended can
be applied to authors. For example, Jeffrey’s directions for writing an
ad and press release headline hold for both a book and a bat.
In his 12 Do’s & Don’ts for Small Business, Jeffrey
writes, “A letter is an incredible sales weapon. More effective than any
ad, and lower in cost than any other sales campaign, bar none. A whole
campaign can be waged without ever having to pick up the phone.”
The operative word here is “campaign.” Throughout
the book, Jeffrey stresses the need to send a series of letters. He
teaches you how to make your sales campaign work and includes the
biggest mistakes made by even the savviest marketers. One chapter is
devoted to the author’s best campaign with all his letters.
I especially like the sample press releases and
pages from recommended media directories.
The last chapter, A Technique for Delaying Brain
Death in Heart Attack Victims, is unrelated to the theme of the book.
Asked why he inserted it, Jeffrey replied that it was the best vehicle
he had to disseminate this vital information. “I realize it has little
to do with marketing – so there is no real connection to a marketing
book,” he says. “But imagine is you had a theory that you believed could
actually save someone’s life – or many people’s lives. Wouldn’t you want
to stand on a rooftop and scream it from the top of your lungs until
people knew about it?
“Imagine how great it would be to have someone call
you and say, ‘Thank you, sir, you saved my son’s life – that you so
much.’”
Uncommon Marketing Techniques (The
Danielle Adams Publishing Co.) was published in 1996 and is in its
fourth printing. It retails at $17.95 and is available from
www.dobkin.com and from
www.amazon.com
Reviewed 12/08
:
Calling All Authors
Calling All Authors
By Valerie Connelly
The best publishing and marketing strategies of guests on Calling All Authors are contained in a book
of the same name. Valerie Connelly, the author and radio host, transcribed nuggets from her show
that address subjects relevant to authors, i.e., “I carry my books in the car all the time, because
almost anywhere you go today, people are waiting, and I ask them if they’d like to have a book
to read while they are waiting.”
As a writer, publisher and educator, Valerie includes her own experience and has mined the brains
of such experts as writing coaches, book/web designers, and publicists who have appeared on her
radio show. Having founded her publishing company, Nightengale Press, in 2003 and publisher of
many first time authors, Valerie does what she set out to do – separate fact from fiction in the
publishing game.
Although it would have been helpful to include an index - readers and librarians treasure them –
the book has many illustrations, Q&A’s and fill-ins that add to the fun.
I find myself picking up the book whenever I run out of ideas – and always find a gem.
Calling All Authors: How to Publish with Your Eyes Wide Open – Revealing Publishing Myths,
Misconceptions & Realities for Published Authors & Writers Who Dream of Becoming Authors
(Nightengale Press 2007) is $19.95.
Please Use this Promotional Code When Ordering: BOOKPROMOTIONS
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Francine Silverman is editor/publisher of Book Promotion Newsletter, a bi-weekly
ezine for authors of all genres, and author of Book Marketing from A-Z (Infinity
Publishing 2005), a compilation of the best marketing strategies of 325 authors
from all over the English-speaking world. Visit Book Promotion Newsletter
www.bookpromotionnewsletter.com
and click "Ask
The Experts" for answers to your book marketing questions.
