PART TWO_HOW TO LAND A BOOK DEAL IN 2013!

{Image of the Angel of Death courtesy of the talented Leonora Roy}

 

 

I. PUBLISHERS ARE PREDATORS

 

     A.) What draws predators?

 

          1.) The scent of blood

          2.) What is the life's blood of publishers?

          3.) Readers.

 

B.)  Two-thirds of a publisher’s decision is based on your platform.

 

          1.) A platform means potential readers

          2.) How big does your platform have to be?

          3.) Think Neil Gaiman's numbers on his blog.

 

II.  HEAR THE MISSION IMPOSSIBLE THEME?

 

          1.) How do you get those numbers outside of celebrity status?

 

          2.) Novelty

               a.) Be unselfish -- which in today's world is pretty darn novel.

               b.) Have your fingers on the pulse of today's readers  -- what do readers today want to read?

 

               c.) Answer the questions you would like to see answered.

 

               d.) Give.  Do not sell.  How pleased are you to receive a tele-solicitation?

 

          3.) Consistency in your posts:

               a.) Daily would be better.

               b.) Three time weekly at least keeps your audience coming back and builds word of mouth.

 

          4.) Make your readers laugh -- your blog writing style hints at your talent.

 

III.  Publishers get a million requests per second (about the same as the number of Google searches done per second).

 

          1.)  You need to stand out.

          2.)   If you have a successful blog that shows your potential as a writer and marketer.

          3.)   You have a good shot at least.

          4.)   If you don’t, you’d better have an AMAZING query letter.

 

IV. THE TRIED AND TRUE IS DEAD AND BURIED

 

     A.) FACEBOOK, TWITTER, and PRE-REVIEWS no longer work.

 

     B.) If everyone is doing it, you will not stand-out.

 

     C.) SEE MY PRIOR POST FOR DIFFERENT PATHS TO A BOOK DEAL

 

V. DESPITE THE eBOOK TALES OF PRINT PUBLISHING SUCCESS ...

 

     A.) In today’s market, probably 80 percent of books that the New York publishing houses

 

           acquire are sold to them by agents.

 

     B.) Agents are experts in the publishing industry.

 

     C.) They have inside contacts with specific editors and know better than writers

 

           what editor or publisher would be most likely to buy a particular work.

 

     D.) If you want to be published by one of the major Big Five (now) houses

           (e.g., Penguin, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, etc), you probably need an agent.

 

     E.) Most self-published authors find that selling their book is just as hard

           —if not harder than—finding a publisher or agent.

 

VI. REMEMBER:

 

     A.) Publishing is a business.

 

     B.) Publishers, editors, and agents support authors or projects that will make money

           and provide a good return on investment.

   

     C.) It used to be that this return on investment could happen over a period of years

 

           or several books. Now, it needs to happen with one book and in less than one year.

 

     D.) Professionalism and politeness go a long way toward covering up any amateur mistakes

 

           you might make along the way.

 

     E.) Unless you live under a lucky star, you will get rejected again and again and again.

 

               i.) The query and submission process takes enormous dedication and persistence.

               ii.) We’re talking about years of work.

               iii.) Novelists and memoirists often face the biggest battle:

               iv.) There’s enormous competition.

               v.) There is no short-cut.  Sometimes the dice just roll magically.  Seldom.  But it happens.

 

VII. TIPS:

 

     A.) Do not rush to submit your work before it’s ready.

 

     B.)  Lay aside your novel for at least a month to achieve objectivity in your editing.

 

     C.) You make the best progress with a mentor.

 

     D.) In dealing with your publishing dreams, you must be patient, or you will become one.

 

 

 VIII. Now a question from me:

 

     WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BETTER TITLE and COVER?

     A.) SLAYBELLES IN THE NIGHT or
  
     B.) LOVE IN THE TIME OF THE UNDEAD

     http://www.scribd.com/doc/117813610/Love-in-the-Time-of-the-Undead-chapter-One

     http://pinterest.com/pin/413205334531022980/