How did I get my agent?

Twitter.

Yeah, you heard me. Twitter.

Listen, I’m in my mid (*cough* upper) thirties. I’m not cool on social media. Facebook was my jam (don’t laugh, Gen Z) because that one blew up when I was in college. A year and a half ago I didn’t even have a Twitter account, and had no clue what a RT or DM was, but my friend Heather told me all about the #writingcommunity on Twitter, and how it was crawling with authors, agents, and publishers. It was the place for the industry to talk about books in a unique way. Agents randomly tweet their manuscript wish-lists, and sometimes giveaways where you can win a query critique. You meet other authors who are in the trenches just like you, who can offer a word of advice or comment of commiseration. And the most important part: there are these things called pitch events, where you get a free chance to pitch your book in the character space of a Tweet, and if an agent is interested, they hit that “Like” button, which basically signals they want you to query them.

But hold on, let’s take a step back.

(Should writers use social media?)

Before Heather told me about Twitter—before I broke down and joined what I’d previously thought was a place for celebrities to say things they probably shouldn’t—I’d already tried to find an agent through traditional methods. I’d been querying about six months, which I know isn’t very long in the publishing world. But it felt like forever in my head, and I was eager to do anything that might increase my chances of being noticed.

Traditional publishing isn’t for everyone, but I knew early on it was the road I wanted to travel. I wanted the support and knowledge of an industry professional who knew what they were doing and who could advocate on my behalf to get my book in front of publishers.

Also, I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a tiny aspect of self-validation in the whole idea. If an agent liked my book enough to take a chance on me, surely it was sort of decent, right? But mostly, it’s the fact that I like to work as a team and finding an agent who liked the kinds of things I wrote and who would work with me seemed like the way to go.

So off I went, researching various agents and trying to find those who represented contemporary romance and were actively accepting queries. I shudder as I type the word “queries,” because man, that was a rough phase. In a traditional query letter, you get one page to pitch yourself and your book to them. Think it’s easy to summarize an 80,000 word manuscript into three sentences?

Try stuffing an elephant into a Prius, and get back to me.

[Read more about querying here.]

I tried cold-querying. I sent out maybe 25 queries for the first novel I ever wrote. I did them in batches, because I’d been given the following advice: If you send out 5 queries, and get zero requests for pages of the manuscript, your query isn’t strong enough.

So, I changed it up every 5 queries or so, but still didn’t have a ton of interest. It was my first book, and in hindsight, maybe wasn’t ready for publication (it might never be…a hard truth many authors must face about their first book-child).

I was a little down after 25 rejections, but I kept writing. I wrote two more books to total three full-length novels, and I learned something from each. I got better as I wrote each one. And then came…

NaNoWriMo. National Novel Writing Month. Every November, thousands of writers band together in an online forum and commit to writing an entire novel during the calendar month of November.

I’d had a certain story brewing in my head for months…even as I wrote those other novels. I’d thought about it so much that I had a pretty good idea how to approach it, so I figured I’d give NaNoWriMo a go, and tell Lauren and Andrew’s story. On November 1, 2018, I typed the first words of Perfect Distraction, my novel coming from Entangled Publishing in March 2020. The words poured out of me like a fire hose, and by the end of the month, I had a 75,000-word novel.

Now, back to the Twitter thing. On December 6th that year, #PitMad was happening, which is one of those pitching events where agents, editors, and publishers scour Twitter for books they want to hear more about. I knew it was risky to put a book I literally just finished out into the world, but I write fast and edit faster, so during that first week of December I cleaned it up as best I could and went ahead and Tweeted the book (by this point, I’d been on Twitter for 4 months or so…I’d figured out the basics). I remember thinking to myself, “What do I have to lose? So, I Tweet, and no one sees it, or likes it. No biggie, I’ll continue to polish it and seriously query it in January.”

Y’all, I never expected the response I got. I had over a dozen agent “likes,” (a.k.a. query requests). I scrambled to send each agent what they asked for, and just a few days later had two offers of representation. Not long after that, I’d signed with Andrea Cascardi with Transatlantic Agency.

(39 queries that worked.)

After my experience, here’s my advice: If you’re querying, keep at it and don’t give up. The traditional route can still yield positive results (and is almost like a rite of passage). But don’t forget to look for those additional opportunities, like Twitter pitch events. You never know what might happen.

Order your eBook copy!

Barnes & Noble | Amazon

Ready to send out your query? Get a critique!

Are you done writing and revising your manuscript or nonfiction book proposal? Then you’re ready to write a query letter. In order to ensure you make the best impression on literary agents and acquisitions editors, we recommend getting a 2nd Draft Query Letter Critique.

Whether you are an experienced writer looking to improve the elements within your query letter or a new writer looking for pointers on how to write a query letter, our 2nd Draft Query Letter Critique Service provides the advice and feedback you need to improve your query.

Click to continue.

The post How to Find Your Agent in < 280 Characters appeared first on Writer's Digest.

Hybrid, or author-subsidized, publishing is the newest model on the publishing scene, which naturally means it’s mysterious to many authors (and even to some industry insiders).

But don’t let its relative newness scare you away; for many authors, hybrid publishing presents the right combination of options and services they need to get their books to market.

Whether you choose self-publishing, traditional publishing, or hybrid publishing, keep in mind that there is no one right pathway for every author and that, in any model, the author still bears the lion’s share of responsibility for marketing and promoting his or her book.

So, to help you pick the publishing pathway that makes sense for your needs, goals, and resources, let’s take a closer look at the ins and outs of hybrid.

First, a Definition

What exactly is hybrid publishing? The term “hybrid” describes a model in which an author invests in his or her project up front—in lieu of receiving an advance, as in a traditional relationship—and then earns much higher royalty rates on book sales.

In a traditional relationship, an author might receive an 8-10 percent royalty, whereas under a hybrid agreement, royalty rates are more like 60-80 percent on print and digital copies. That higher royalty makes it possible for authors to recoup their investment more quickly (and it certainly incentivizes authors to get serious about marketing, promotion, and sales efforts).

Hybrid contracts allow smaller, independent presses to greenlight more projects by mitigating risk while still providing the expertise and core services a traditional publisher would: editing, design, marketing, and national distribution to trade and library accounts.

Essentially, hybrid publishing is a partnership in which both the author and publisher are fully invested in a book’s success. There are a variety of ways to structure that partnership, so if you’re considering a hybrid press, take advantage of the criteria created by the Independent Book Publishers Association to help you vet whether a particular publisher is indeed going to give you what you’re paying for.

What to Ask Yourself

Is hybrid publishing the right route for you? Consider the following:

• Can you afford the initial investment?

For many authors, the up front expense is simply prohibitive. But before you balk at the price tag, keep in mind that even if you self-publish, you should be spending good money on top-quality editing and professional design. Those services alone are likely to run in the thousands of dollars, so many hybrid publishers are actually no more expensive than self-publishing the right way.

• How much do you know about the publishing industry?

When you publish a book, you become an entrepreneur. Your project is now your small business, so to be successful, you need to learn the industry. Working with a publisher, you have a partner that can help you learn about topics such as metadata, distribution, printing, and promotion—or take certain things off your plate as appropriate. For many authors, a hybrid publisher removes some of the intimidation factor of self-publishing. They help authors figure out what they don’t know, before they learn the hard way.

• How much control do you want over the process?

Most traditionally published authors cede control over their projects. The publisher controls the timeline and the creative aspects of book production, from developmental editing to titling. Of course, all publishers want their authors to be happy! But a traditional publisher—one that has paid its author an advance against royalty—will always win the tiebreaker in the event of a stalemate with an author. In a hybrid relationship, because the author has made the investment and taken the financial risk, most publishers grant the author a higher degree of control. Of course, a self-published author has complete control of his or her process but doesn’t benefit from a publisher’s tools and resources.

• How strong is your author platform?

Do you frequently book speaking engagements? How many social media followers do you have? What about newsletter subscribers and blog traffic? Do you have a built-in audience hanging on your every word? If not, then landing a traditional publishing deal will be tricky. A hybrid relationship, however, can help you grow your platform by using your book as a personal branding tool and leveraging the marketing and publicity services provided by your publisher. When your publisher is handling the details, you’re free to focus on what you do best: sharing your ideas and experiences with the world.

Making the Choice

Every author has different needs, goals, and resources that will determine whether it makes sense to pursue a traditional publisher, partner with a hybrid publisher, or take the self-publishing leap. And choosing one route for one book doesn’t lock in an author to doing the same thing for subsequent projects.

The most important thing is to do your homework about the hybrid publishers you’re considering. Look at their covers and titles. Reach out to their authors. Ask the publisher about national distribution, marketing strategy, and potential bonuses, such as coaching and easy access to editors and staff members who can help you navigate and understand the publishing industry at large.

Hybrid publishing might be relatively new, but it’s an increasingly successful choice for many authors who are excited about the opportunity to combine the best aspects of traditional and self-publishing. Whatever pathway you pick, best of luck to you on your publishing journey!

In WD University’s 12 Weeks to a First Draft, you will tackle the steps to writing a book, learn effective writing techniques along the way, and of course, begin writing your first draft. Register today!

The post Is Hybrid Publishing Right For You? appeared first on Writer's Digest.

I encourage both novice writers and veteran ones to attend writer’s conferences. I have learned so much, connected to some great people, and connected to literary agents and publishers by attending. For many writers, the experience can be both exciting and overwhelming. They find themselves surrounded by so many people who love reading, and most importantly, writing. It can make you feel small and insignificant, but read on and I will reveal a secret.

Writers are not always good with large crowds or stepping out to introduce themselves. Our work is a solitary one, with just you and the page. And of course, the occasional furry friend as a companion. It is my belief the we need to connect with other writers to provide a network of support, friendship, context to our work, and mutual understanding. Who knows better what a writer goes through daily than another writer?

In May of this year, I presented a session on the 20 rules of effective networking. It was during the lunch break, so I figured that a few people would grab a quick bite to listen. To my surprise and delight, the room was full of people wanting to know how to network better. Below are my top 10 tips of effective networking at writing conferences.

Find your group.

There are all types of writer’s conferences that you can attend year-round. Some are general, while others focus on a genre such as romance or sci-fi. Find your group and take a chance. They are just like you!

Step out of your comfort zone and be the best version of yourself.

It is tough being a social butterfly if that is not your nature. Sometimes you must step out beyond self-imposed boundaries. Here is the little secret I alluded to earlier: Everyone else in the room feels the same as you do. If you step out a little, so will everyone else, because you are making it a safe to do so. You have a story to tell; you are a writer. Just let that story come out in a natural way, and people will be drawn to you and want to know more. Take a risk. It’s worth it.

Invest in relationships and get paid for your business.

This is such an important to understand. It has been the secret sauce in my success as a writer. When I meet someone, I listen to them. I think about ways I can help them. But I never sell to them. I never try to get them to buy a service, or publish my book, or hire me as a writer. I ask instead how I might help them. Often it is matchmaking- connecting authors to other people in the industry that may help them. I invest time in relationships. I get paid for writing. I don’t do referral fees or charge people for mentoring them- I just provide what I can. It always comes back to me as work one way or another, and in the process, I have made another friend for life.

Smile, shake, eye contact.

Engaging with someone for the first time seems like a lost art. Smile, not in a creepy homicidal maniac kind of way, but in a natural way. People’s natural response is to smile back, and it opens up the opportunity to introduce yourself. Maintain good eye contact; just try not to panic people by staring into their soul. Shake their hand firmly but not crushingly. You can use two hands if you wish, but be sure to let go. There is nothing more awkward than a person who is talking to you but won’t let go of your hand.

Have a business card.

This seems obvious in a networking situation, but I have found that many writers don’t see themselves as the entrepreneurs that they are. Your book is your business, even if it is a work-in-progress. You are the marketing department of your own business and therefore you need a card for people to be able to find you after an event. They don’t have to be fancy or expensive, but I do recommend you have one. Try not to use your business card for your day job. You are a writer and an entrepreneur; embrace it.

Listen up and shut up.

Sometimes we are so excited about what we are working on that we tend to babble, or convince someone that a) it will be the next bestseller and b) it will become a movie. Both could be true, but in a networking situation, it is about getting know the other person. You cannot possibly do that if you are dominating the conversation. Be a great listener. People will think you are wise beyond your years. Give others a chance to open up, and eventually they will come around and ask about you. Then you will have their full attention.

Turn off the devices.

I worked as a child protective services social worker for many years before becoming a writer. I was constantly on call. When my pager or phone rang, it meant a child needed my help. Those were true emergencies that could not wait. As a writer, there are fewer true emergencies. If your manuscript is on fire, then call the fire department, but when you are talking to someone DO NOT look at your phone or tablet. There is nothing more disengaging then someone looking at their phone every 10 seconds. The message is that the phone is way more important than talking to them. I often just move on when this happens to me. Spend the time to really engage one on one with someone. That is how relationships are built.

Don’t act desperate.

When approaching people in the industry such as publishers, editors, and agents, don’t act desperate. Don’t follow them around and pester them. Don’t make your move to introduce yourself in the bathroom if you happen to see them there. Just be patient, and when you see they are not busy, approach them politely, say something nice, and then move on. If you are nice and engaging, they will remember you for that.

Follow up.

You will more than likely return home from an event with a stack of cards and numbers. Wait a day or two and send each person a personalized message. If you really connected, follow it up with a phone call. Write down their special dates and send them something in the mail. People love real mail! Be active with them on social media. Promote them and congratulate them publicly for their accomplishments.

Pre-emptive strike: Let everyone know you are coming on social media.

I like to begin sending out messages on social media that I am coming and try to include hashtags and organizations in those messages. I usually wear a hat to conferences and I encourage people to say hello to me when they see me. It gives them permission and a reason to introduce themselves.

One bonus tip is that much of the best networking is done after hours. Find out what is going on and where people are going. Have fun and mingle. These are where many of the deals are done, so take a chance and step out in order to stand out.

Write better. Get published. Build your network.

Writer’s Digest Annual Conference | New York City

The post 10 Tips for Effective Networking at a Writer’s Conference appeared first on Writer's Digest.

A high concept idea is based on a simple “what-if” premise that can be pitched in one to three sentences. It tends to be an original twist, adaptation, or blend of ideas that have been successful in the past. Nearly every idea has been had before, but playing with variations on what has already been done gives you a better chance of being unlike anything else out there.

The goal of a high concept pitch is to make the person you’re pitching wonder why no one has thought of your idea before.

Literary agent Danielle Burby of Nelson Literary Agency is an aficionado for high concept books. Here, she offers her best tips for whetting a pitch for a high concept book to a razor-sharp edge.

“The best way to hone your pitch is to practice it on friends and family. What are the elements that spark genuine interest rather than polite nodding? What concise description captures both character and stakes?

Keep it simple. You don’t need to pack in a lot of information. You just need to pack in the right information. Jordyn Taylor, a client of mine, is working on a historical YA called The Paper Girl of Paris (forthcoming summer 2020) and when I was putting together the announcement of the sale, I was trying my hardest to squeeze the most information possible into the smallest amount of space (character names, conflict, stakes, how people were connected etc.).

It was dense and overwhelming and it wasn’t working. Then the editor and I realized all we needed to convey was that the story is about: A girl in the present who inherits a secret apartment in Paris that has been locked since WWII and a girl in Nazi-occupied Paris who joins the French Resistance.

You get the unique setting (Paris). You get the “what if” (i.e. what if I inherited a secret apartment?). You get a sense of high stakes (WWII and French Resistance). It accomplishes everything it needs to accomplish, and by not packing in too much information, you allow the important pieces of information to breathe rather than smothering them in too much detail.”

Write better. Get published. Build your network.

Writer’s Digest Annual Conference | August 22-25 | New York City

The post How to Hone Your High Concept Pitch appeared first on Writer's Digest.

Hannah started as the agency assistant at Emma Sweeney Agency, then took over the foreign rights coordinator role and is currently building her own list as an agent. During her first year at the agency, she also worked as the contracts coordinator at Blue Flower Arts, a literary speakers bureau based in Millbrook, New York.

As a Scottish immigrant to the United States, Hannah enjoys books that allow her to explore and make some sense of this American melting pot she now calls home. Follow her on Twitter @hbrattesani.

Seeking: 

I am actively acquiring adult literary fiction, poetry, and nonfiction culture and lifestyle books. I have a particular interest in wellness, spirituality, sex and relationships, art, design, film, and the environment.

An unusual story and unique voice is always sure to catch my eye; I’d love to see something dark and literary like Samantha Schweblin’s Fever Dream or an author with the deadpan wit of Jen Beagin in my inbox. With poetry, I’m drawn to performative poets who are active in their respective scenes, and work from marginalized voices. I also enjoy ecopoetry.

Across genres, I would love to hear from a writer who has an occupational connection to nature and/or is on the frontline of climate change – surfers, wildland firefighters, farmers, environmentalists.

I am not acquiring YA or MG.

How to Submit: 

Please send queries to queries@emmasweeneyagency.com. Please begin your query with a succinct (and hopefully catchy) description of your plot or proposal, include a brief cover letter telling us how you heard about ESA, your previous writing credits, and a few lines about yourself. We also ask that you paste the first ten (10) pages of your proposal or novel into the text of your e-mail as opposed to attaching.

*****

Click to continue.

The post Agent Alert: Hannah Brattesani of Emma Sweeney Agency appeared first on Writer's Digest.

“Nowadays most people die of a sort of creeping common sense, and discover when it is too late that the only things one never regrets are one’s mistakes.” — Oscar Wilde

At the first job I ever had, one of my duties was to keyboard articles destined for publication that were delivered typewritten on hardcopy[1]. This was tedious work, and at some point I discovered a primitive scanner with optical character recognition (OCR) capabilities that produced text that was about 10 percent accurate and 90 percent gibberish, but at least it saved me that 10 percent of typing[2]. And then, inevitably, I somehow managed to publish an OCRed article in its raw form … which means it was 90 percent gibberish[3].

The point being: Mistakes were made[4].

Mistakes are part of life, and we all make ‛em, including writers—even successful, well-published writers. Even the successful, well-published writers who show up at writing conferences to be on panels or give presentations. Of course, speaking as one of those writers (we’re handsome, too, as a rule), it’s sometimes hard to admit to your mistakes, or you make a conscious choice not to mention them. We’re obviously cultivating the image of the wise Jedi to your padawan, and admitting to embarrassing missteps[5] kind of tarnishes that image.

Which is why you should ask every author you meet about the mistakes they’ve made.

To Err is Human

A lot of self-professed ‛gurus’ like to pretend they haven’t made a single error in their relentless pursuit of success—it’s part of their brand, what they’re selling to you[6]. But of course, they have made mistakes; we all have. Asking a writer about their bad decisions[7] and blind spots will instantly tell you a number of important things, like:

Whether They Are Worth Your Time. If an author doesn’t have any examples of mistakes to offer you, they don’t have anything to teach you, either. Wisdom doesn’t come from success. Success without mistakes is usually not reproducible, because it just sort of happens, and as a result the writer probably can’t explain to you why a strategy for selling a novel or an approach to getting freelance work was successful in the first place. Failure and mistakes, on the other hand, are the greatest teachers around[8]. Worse, if the author is lying about not making mistakes, well, you know something pretty important about them right there.

Schadenfreude Builds Confidence. We all have our doubts from time to time—doubts about our talent, our business smarts, our fashion sense[9]. As writers, it’s easy to imagine that everyone else is doing much better at this than you are—they publish more, get paid more, and get better reviews. When a successful writer stands on a stage confidently answering questions, it can make you feel like you’re an impostor[10].

Which makes hearing about their mistakes so powerful. It’s not about cutting anyone down to size[11]. It’s about reminding yourself that your mistakes aren’t career-ending or insurmountable. Hearing that a writer you admire and whose work you enjoy has screwed up can be a huge confidence boost. It reminds you that we’re all human, and we’re trying to figure things out together.

Context Matters. If all you ever hear from a writer is what worked for them, you’re missing at least half the information, probably more. Why did that strategy work? What else have they tried? Did other approaches almost work, or work but to a lesser degree? Hearing about their mistakes and failures contextualizes their success for you, making the information gleaned even more valuable. It also firms up what, exactly, they mean by ‛success’—a crucial metric that informs your own reaction to their advice[12].

The other context you get from hearing about mistakes is simple: Hearing what someone considers to be a mistake can offer real insight to the rest of their opinions.

So, next time you’re in the audience and some famous (or not-so-famous) writer is offering you career advice, using their stellar resume of publication credits and fat freelance or royalty checks as proof of the value of their ideas, ask them about their failures and their mistakes. The response you get might be more inspiring than their intended advice.

[1] I am so very, very old.

[2] You think *you’re* lazy, but I’m so heroically lazy I can’t even come up with a decent footnote here.

[3] Then again, so was most of the stuff I said at my job interview and yet they hired me anyway, so who’s really at fault here? That’s right: Capitalism.

[4] I wasn’t fired on the spot, though I should have been. Back then I still possessed the power to make people pity me.

[5] Like, say, the fact that you are somehow incapable of pronouncing the word ‛sawhorse’ correctly, producing a word that sounds something like sowhawse no matter how hard you try. If you want to make me burst into tears and run off the stage at a panel, just ask a question that requires me to use ‛sawhorse’ in a sentence.

[6] That’s why my brand is 50 percent day drinking and 50 percent … night drinking.

[7] For example, I once tried German whisky.

[8] Close second: Hangovers.

[9] I’m an exception on that third one, as ‛vaguely disheveled’ has worked for me as an iconic look since 1995.

[10] Unless every answer is them making finger guns and shooting noises at you, then pausing for applause that never comes. Then you actually feel pretty good about yourself.

[11] Okay, it’s a little about that.

[12] For example, I consider any day I remember to put on pants before leaving the house to be a success. Which tells you everything you need to know about how things are going. Shut up.

Write better. Get published. Build your network.

Writer’s Digest Annual Conference | August 22-25 | New York City

The post Creeping Common Sense: Let’s Talk Mistakes appeared first on Writer's Digest.

Why Produce Audiobooks?

At the time of this book’s original publication in 2019, every year for the past six years, audiobook sales have been on an upward trajectory. They continue to be a bright spot in publishing, even as other areas slow down. The 2017 sales survey results released by the Audio Publishers Association, or APA, of which you will hear more later in the book, showed a 22.7 percent increase in audiobook revenue over the previous year, with an increase of 21.5 percent in units sold.

Audiobooks have made such an impact in their visibility that The British Library in London had an exhibit titled “Listen: 140 Years of Recorded Sound” that ran from October 6, 2017, through May 13, 2018. It was not about the spoken word alone, but that was a part of it.

So here you are, at the cusp of rising sales and increased publicity for the very thing you were thinking would be a smart addition to your business. Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity, according to some interpretations of the words of the ancient Roman Seneca. Echoing those thoughts centuries later, Branch Rickey has been oft quoted as saying, “Luck is the residue of hard work and design.” Being in the right place at the right time is a more prosaic way of saying something similar. Those words apply to you, today.

SELF-PUBLISHING AUDIOBOOKS FOR NONTRADITIONAL PUBLISHERS AND INDIVIDUALS

The burgeoning of digital recording and distribution, and the consequent diminution in cost of production have allowed authors to transition to self-publishers without the stigma that self-publishing carried in past years. The companies that catered to self-published authors used to be called vanity presses—a pejorative term, at least in the eyes of those in the publishing business. These companies offered authors the ability to see their books in print, but with the catch that it was the author who paid for that metamorphosis from manuscript to bound book, unlike with traditional publishers. Often vanity presses were for works that were not well written, not well edited, and would not have been produced without the services of the vanity press. At other times, they were used for books the authors intended for a specific and limited audience, such as family members. In the past, as today, there were good books that never found a home with a legitimate publisher, just as there are countless talented musicians who never find a record label willing to produce and sell their music. Vanity presses allowed these authors to at least have copies of their books printed.[1] By and large, however, to be self-published was formerly a means of last resort.

That is no longer the case.

A number of authors are turning to self-publishing for various reasons including having the revenue from book sales come directly to them, being able to choose the cover, the timing of publication, and the formats—e-book, hardcover, paperback, audiobook, enhanced e-book. There are also many writers who choose to self-publish because they tried their luck with agents or traditional publishers without the desired results. Some of you who have picked up this guide have already been published by a third-party publisher and now are thinking of doing it yourself. Some of you have already published books on your own and want to branch into audiobook publishing. Some of you have already published or produced audiobooks and want to get better at it and do more of it. No matter the reason you are considering publishing an audiobook, your goal should be to make it a good audiobook. If you don’t want that, why do it at all?

And that’s why this book exists: to serve as your guide to publishing a good audiobook. After all, your reputation and your sales depend on the quality of your work.

Jessica makes a compelling rationale for offering your title in audio form, but if you’re asking what’s next? Get excited. In the 10 chapters of her book, Jessica walks you through each step of producing your audiobook. From double-checking that you have the rights to create your audiobook, to contracts, to finding a narrator and recording, to distributing, Jessica covers all the critical topics that you need to consider before diving into the world of audio publishing.

Read about Jessica’s experience directing Carrie Fisher for her Grammy Award-winning audiobook, The Princess Diarist.

About the Author

Jessica Kaye is an entertainment and publishing attorney at Kaye & Mills (www.kayemills.com) and a Grammy Award-winning audiobook producer. She serves on the boards of the Audio Publishers Association and the Southern California chapter of Mystery Writers of America (MWA.). Jessica owns Big Happy Family, LLC, an audiobook distributor (www.bighappyfamilyaudio.com.) She created and co-edited the anthology MEETING ACROSS THE RIVER (BloomsburyUSA, 2005) and contributed a story to OCCUPIED EARTH (Polis Books, 2015) as well as to the new anthology CULPRITS (Polis Books, 2018.) She is the author of book The Guide to Publishing Audiobooks(F+W Media/Writers Digest Books, 2019.)

[1]Legitimate publishers do not ask the author to pay to be published. If you have an offer for your manuscript which includes a demand for monies from you, that is not a contract you should sign. It is perfectly legitimate for you to pay to have your book printed, but be aware that makes you the publisher. This is the modern version of a vanity press. This differs from audiobook publishing, however, where you may very well need to pay to have your book transformed into an audiobook.

The post Self-Publishing Audiobooks: Why Should You Consider It? appeared first on Writer's Digest.

To make matters worse, my critique group accepted only 20 pages every two weeks (math again). I had to switch to using beta readers, which was scarier. It seemed like the difference between a few papercuts every few weeks to an ice pick in the jugular. But thanks to my ill-advised optimism, I had no choice.

Below is my definitive, quintessential guide to selecting beta readers. Let’s get right to it, shall we?

A beta reader should be…

• a reader in regular life, preferably in your genre. The reader should know the genre tropes and conventions.
• someone whose judgement you trust in general. Does this person date jerks? Answer emails from Nigerian princes? That’s a no.
• scrupulously honest. Does this person point out when you’ve got kale between your teeth? Disagree with prevailing popular opinions? Tell the truth even when it hurts him/her? Winner.

A beta reader should not be…

• one of your usual critique partners. If you’re in a regular critique group and this person has already seen one or more iterations of part or all of your manuscript, run in the other direction. That’s because this person already knows what you’re trying to do and is now blind to what works and what doesn’t.
• your mom, or any other person who “just wants you to be happy.” I don’t really need to explain this one, do I?
• a writer, if possible. Whatever the opposite of rose-colored glasses is, that’s what we wear, and we’re no good as betas. We tend to read books while muttering, “If I was writing this novel, I would…”

To cull the weeds, here are some refining questions to ask:

• Do you find flaws in published books regularly?
• Can you be brutally honest with me?
• Do you have enough time to go over the manuscript thoroughly?
• Would you be willing to read the book again after editing?

Beta reading is an arduous, time-consuming task, so be willing to offer incentives, with the express caveat that this is not a bribe to be told how brilliant you are. In fact, it’s the opposite. You’re bribing them to kick your ass. Here are some ideas.

• A signed copy of your published book
• A mention in the acknowledgements section of your published book
• Swag related to the book
• A gift card

Clarify your expectations and needs. Below is my list of instructions:

1. You’ll receive a Word document of my manuscript. All correspondence will be conducted via email.
2. You’ll have four weeks to read and comment on the manuscript.
3. Ignore bad punctuation, misspellings, missing words, or other errors. A copy editor will take care of those items. I’m interested in high-level comments only: plot points, characters, events, quirks, causes that DON’T BELONG. If anything feels false or out of place, make a note of it.
4. Use the Comment feature in Word’s Review mode and mark specific problematic areas and offer any clarifying commentary.
5. When you’re finished, please save the document with your name attached to the title, i.e., BOOKTITLE LS HAWKER EDIT.doc.

Let them know what to be on the lookout for. Below is a list, but you probably have your own of issues you routinely struggle with. Include them here.

Order LS Hawker’s The Throwaways today.

Bookshop | Amazon
[WD uses affiliate links.]

Questions to ask beta readers:

1. Were you clear on where and when the book was taking place?
2. Where in the story did you first feel a pull to keep turning pages (if any)?
3. Was there a point or points in the manuscript where you felt it was easy to lay the book aside?
4. Were there any scenes you didn’t feel grounded in, not sure where you were?
5. Did you notice any POV shifts within a scene?
6. Did you find the main character sympathetic? Did you relate to him/her? Were you ever confused by his/her motivations?
7. Was there enough scene-setting?
8. Too much/not enough description of people, places, and things?
9. At which points did you feel like you had to go back a few pages to understand what was going on?
10. Did you notice any discrepancies in character details, settings, time, sequencing, etc.?
11. Were any characters superfluous, unnecessary? Was it difficult to keep characters straight?
12. Was the dialogue stilted or unnatural? Enough dialogue? Too much?
13. Any plot points too convenient or coincidental?
14. Were there any scenes that were lacking in tension or interest?
15. Were there any genre tropes/conventions that were missing or incomplete? Any elements that seemed incongruous to the genre?
16. Was the plot wrapped up to your satisfaction? Were there any lingering, nagging questions at the end that should have been resolved?

With your beta readers’ brutal, thorough help, you can achieve writing goals faster and more efficiently. Just watch out for the ice picks.

Click to continue.

The post The Quintessential Guide to Selecting and Working With Beta Readers appeared first on Writer's Digest.

Then with the advent of print-on-demand publishing, indie authors suddenly found they had a reasonably priced alternative to traditional publishing. And they took advantage of it: according to a recent Bowker Report, “self-publishing grew at a rate of more than 28 percent in 2017, up from an 8 percent increase during the prior year” and the total number of self-published titles exceeded one million for the first time.

However, for some authors, self-publishing isn’t the avenue they want to pursue. If you’re one of them, then crowdfunding your book might be the answer.

I have crowdfunded two novels—Shadow King (Inkshares, 2018) and The Devil Inside (forthcoming from Inkshares)—as part of participating in the Launchpad Manuscript Competition. The experience was exhilarating and rewarding… and it was frustrating and exhausting.

If you’re thinking about crowdfunding your book, here are a few things I’ve learned about the process:

Crowdfunding a novel is HARD work.

Crowdfunding is a great avenue for up-and-coming writers to get published, but a campaign is not simply, “tell them and they will order.” You need to be ready to invest a large chunk of time, effort and attention in your campaign if you want it to be successful.

Be serious about the process. Be serious about your book and building an audience. If you’re not willing to put in the time, you’re putting yourself at a disadvantage. Plan on investing at least two to three months of highly focused attention on your crowdfunding efforts. I work a full-time job to pay the bills, and when I was crowdfunding, I felt like I was working a full-time second job. Do not make the mistake of assuming crowdfunding is easy.

Be prepared.

You must be just as prepared—heck, even more prepared—for a crowdfunding campaign than you do for submitting a query to an agent or publishing house. Make sure you have a great synopsis and a great pitch. Have an online presence on different social media platforms. Know who your target audience is and be able to tell them—clearly and succinctly—why your book is worth investing in.

There are a lot of authors out there competing for your potential audience’s attention. Make sure your voice is clear and compelling.

Have a plan.

Like a real marketing plan. Know who you’re going to target with requests and when. Know what channels you’re using. Understand how you’re going to keep track of who has ordered and who hasn’t, and how you’re going to follow up.

When I was crowdfunding Shadow King on Inkshares as part of the Launchpad Manuscript Competition, I had ZERO idea what I was doing. I just started emailing friends and family willy-nilly, telling them about the competition and asking (okay, begging) them to order a copy. I didn’t really have a good elevator pitch for Shadow King memorized, so in some cases, I struggled to explain what the book was about – I very quickly came up with a much better pitch than I started with.

Be able to explain what crowdfunding is.

During my first campaign, I also had a hard time explaining how crowdfunding worked (I had a hard time with a lot of things in my first campaign). Many people thought the book would be delivered to them as soon as the competition ended. In reality, it was nearly two years from the end of the competition to my launch date. The people who support you need to understand that the funding part of the process is only the beginning, not the end.

Order Susan K. Hamilton’s Shadow King today. 

Bookshop | Amazon
[WD uses affiliate links.]

Delight goes hand-in-hand with disappointment.

Now that sounds like a real downer, I know. But what I mean is that you’re going to have some people—friends and family—who say, “Of course I’ll pre-order a copy.” Then they don’t, even after you remind them several times. It is a frustrating and disappointing feeling to have someone not come through after they promised they would. This happened to me both times I ran crowdfunding campaigns. So be ready for it.

But on the other side of the coin, you’ll also be delighted—during my first campaign, I contacted a high school classmate. We hadn’t been particularly close during school, and I hadn’t seen her in over 20 years. I didn’t expect her to order, but I asked anyway, and to my surprise and delight, she said “yes” and ordered the very same day.

Despite the frustration and nights with not nearly enough sleep, I would not trade my crowdfunding experience for anything. It made me learn and stretch in new areas. It made me think about my audience and start to build relationships with them. It made me face the reality of what it takes to successfully pitch and market a book. Those are all lessons I may not have learned had I not gone the crowdfunding route.

Crowdfunding may be the path for you, it may not. Only you can decide that.

Click to continue.

The post Crowdfunding a Novel: Fantastic and Frustrating appeared first on Writer's Digest.

Of course, the reality is that our books do age, and sometimes not very well, whether you are a fiction or nonfiction writer. My books focus on fictional characters, settings, and timelines. However, the stumbling blocks that can make a story fall flat can also trip up works of non-fiction. Here are five points I consider as I write my books to keep them relevant as they age:

1. Avoid aging references without context.

Everyone today uses a smartphone because of the computer power and software that reside in their small frame. However, very few people born after 1995 probably remember what a bag phone was. Anytime you are referencing technology, politics, automobiles, etc. always give them context. Assume your grandkids are going to pick up your book and read it one day.

2. What is the truth you are trying to convey?

You may not consider yourself a truth teller. Maybe your book is simply documenting the political divides in the U.S that currently exist. You may see it as more of a reference book than anything philosophical. However, all books contain a message, whether explicit or implicit. In your quest for pulling together facts of the day you should consider how you organize your information and ask yourself, “In five years will this book be seen as a source of warning, a source for research, or will it simply be brushed aside as trivial facts?”

3. Avoid using outliers of the day to drive your story into an unrelatable tale.

In my novel, Joshua and the Shadow of Death I decided to take on the murky and somewhat dull world of government contracts and corruption. If the focus of my tale had simply been a business intrigue story, the book would age poorly, and it would put my readers to sleep. I used the idea of government corruption because it is something that is not unique to today. Government corruption occurs over and over throughout history. I believe it is safe to assume that power and corruption will continue to go hand in hand well into the future. I used this rather timeless concept to push my characters towards their conflicts, resolutions, and growth. Using recurring events as a catalyst is a great way to make your story feel fresh and relevant far into the future.

4. Don’t make judgments about the past or the future from today’s perspective.

There is a push to judge the past by the standards of the present. Although this sort of work may sell books today, there is a real danger with writing only from the view of contemporary norms and mores. What may seem true or virtuous today, may not be viewed the same way five years from now. As a result, such writing ages poorly. Worse, you can find yourself a victim of your arguments later in the future, and thus render your hard work obsolete. Comparing the past to the present in regards to improvements or where things have not improved, will still be meaningful in ten years. Attempting to put a stake in the ground and claim this point and time in history will forever be the correct way to view the world does not age well.

5. You cannot predict the future, but truth surpasses time.

I am a huge Star Trek fan, particularly of the original series. Being the son of a rocket engineer in the ’60s and 70’s stoked my interest in space and science fiction. However, when I watch the original Star Trek series on Hulu now, I cringe at some of their references to how technology will look in the vast reaches of space. Even the great time traveling tale Back to the Future has not aged well, mostly because we all hoped to be driving flying cars by now.

In fiction, you should use settings in the future world sparingly. If your vision of a dystopia or utopia falls flat in 10 years, a strong theme could carry your story as long as the future isn’t its core message. In the Star Trek episode “Space Seed” a reference to transistors as advanced technology is a forgettable foible 51 years later because the focus is on a man named Khan. He is painted as an antagonist that is equal to or greater than the protagonist Captain Kirk. Through their conflict, the show’s creator Gene Roddenberry examines the collision of past prejudices and the humanity of the future—which values all living beings just as they are—allowing us to forget the outdated setting.

Click to continue.

The post How to Keep Your Book Relevant After Its Release appeared first on Writer's Digest.