getpublishedcoach Reply:
May 6th, 2013 at 6:10 pm

I use Hostgator. Very happy.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
April 26th, 2013 at 2:32 pm

Hi Karyn,

Thanks so much for your question. I can hear that you are ripe and ready to let this book come forward. I’d like to offer you a complimentary strategy session, so we can figure out which next steps are appropriate for you. Please email me, robin @ getpublishedcoach.com and I’ll send you a link to set up a time that works for you.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
April 20th, 2013 at 6:54 pm

Hi Jackie,
To build your audience will help you succeed at every aspect of your business, including your book, AND I’d like to give you a little reframe on the idea of ‘build the audience first’. Hay House is a great company that does a lot to support their authors, AND Understand that a publisher’s wants, needs, and opportunities aren’t always the same as the author’s. A publisher has only one way to make money on your book: book sales, and book sales depend on you selling your book to your audience. So before you approach a publisher with your book, you must build your audience to the point where they feel that you will sell enough books for their investment to pay off.
The fact is, there are several ways for YOU to make money by having a book, and book sales is the least of it–not a slice of the pie, a sliver.
Some powerful ways to build your audience include: go out and speak, sponsor an event that your audience attends, blog, work with clients and capture exciting testimonials, and SHARE YOUR BOOK (or, pre-publication at least share the content). How do you do that if you have to build your audience before you write your book?
Truth is, you don’t need to build the audience first to write a compelling book that will attract your ideal clients to you. You can start now, and you can gain so much clarity in the process, it will help you emerge as the thought leader in your area, thus drawing more people to you.
Don’t wait for anything outside yourself or for anyone to give you permission. Begin now. In service with love, Robin

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
April 22nd, 2013 at 10:31 pm

Hi Farryl,

There are a couple of structures that work well for the self-help genre. I teach the structures and how to choose which is best for your book in my Jump Start Your Book Group Coaching program. If you’d like to see if it’s a fit for you, we can set up a strategy session. More info here: http://getpublishedcoach.com/mastermind-apply

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
April 22nd, 2013 at 10:28 pm

Hi Cecilla, I would blog about topics that connect to your book as well as the audience that follows the blog. Study each blog site to get a feel for the culture and what interests the readers there.
Beyond that, go check out bloggingwithbeth.com. She’s savvy on these matters.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
April 15th, 2013 at 12:34 am

Hi Diva Carla,
Well, writing a book can be more fun if you structure it in a way that is compatible with your Author Personality. Have you used my assessment tool to find yours? I think I recall that you have. Anyway, no matter how you go about it, to write a book IS work, and, honestly, not always fun. However, anything of value does require one to work at it.
One huge opportunity in writing your book is to use the process to help you clarify your own message. When approached properly, there’s something about putting ideas into a book that opens a door to greater introspection and understanding.
I invite you to open up to the possibility of discovery and fascination and approach your book journey with an attitude of curiosity. That might help you overcome the ‘work’ part.
In service,
Robin

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Diva Carla Reply:
April 21st, 2013 at 6:25 pm

Thank you! I did complete the assessment tool, and I have an overwhelming Author personality. I am not sure what to do with it. Maybe there is something I forgot to read? I have been way too busy, which also contributes to this feeling like work. Today I am clearing out closets and entire rooma, throwing away or giving away tons of stuff. I almost feel that I’ll find my book in the empty drawers and corners. Things feel more possible!

And yes, I’ll have to work at the writing.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
April 23rd, 2013 at 5:42 pm

Perhaps a strategy session is in order to help you decide on next steps. Go to this link to fill out a quick 5 question form and set up a call. https://bj125.infusionsoft.com/app/form/na18

getpublishedcoach Reply:
March 28th, 2013 at 5:46 pm

Dear Yol,

Great question. In the past, the way to go was to complete the book proposal, get an agent, and finish the manuscript after you have a book deal. With all the changes in the publishing industry, I am no longer recommending that strategy for most aspiring authors. In short, my advice is to write the manuscript first, then do the book proposal, if going with a traditional publisher is truly your best move. I do, however, want to qualify that statement in that many of the questions that need to be answered to write a book proposal should be asked and answered before you begin to write the book. For example, you still need to know your target audience and why they would want your book. I would like to discuss this with you further, so we can look at your individual situation and see which strategy makes the most sense for you. I’ll send you an email with a link so you can schedule a time for a personal strategy session. No charge.

In service,

Robin

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Yol Swan Reply:
March 28th, 2013 at 6:29 pm

Dear Robin,

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer! It definitely helps me to focus and keep those questions in mind while writing. I really appreciate your honesty and generosity. I’ll go check that link now.

Kind Regards,

Yol

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
February 27th, 2013 at 3:58 pm

Hi Stella,
Publishers go by The Chicago Manual of Style, and I recommend you get a copy because it covers every imaginable question on these matters.
The general rule is to spell out numbers from one to nine, from there, you’ll find a variety of rules, guidelines, and exceptions, more than I can cover here.
Here’s a link to CMS online resource for quick reference, but buy a hard copy ASAP.
http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/home.html

Best,

Robin

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Stella Waterhouse Reply:
March 3rd, 2013 at 7:37 pm

Many thanks – that is really helpful.

Warm regards
Stella

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Juhaina salam Reply:
February 2nd, 2013 at 7:59 pm

OR ,,How can I link chapter into the other?.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
March 28th, 2013 at 5:51 pm

Not sure what you mean. Can you be more specific?

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
March 28th, 2013 at 5:51 pm

Dear Juhaina,

Enthusiasm for writing naturally waxes and wanes as you move through the process. There are many reasons why a person may lose enthusiasm, so I cannot know the exact remedy without knowing more about what’s going on with you and your novel. I would say this, if this is your first novel and you haven’t yet taken a writing class, go find one and enroll yourself in it. It will accelerate your learning and a good teacher can help you discover where you’re getting stuck and how to overcome the blocks.

In service,

Robin

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Rahul Abhyankar Reply:
December 17th, 2012 at 5:01 am

I tried out double spacing the novel and it seems a bit weird…or maybe I’m not used to it. Please tell me your opinion.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
December 17th, 2012 at 3:48 am

Hi Alexandra,

Glad you asked. Point of View, in most cases, should be consistent throughout the work, not just the chapter. If you are telling a story from several points of view, you can change POV as long as you separate POVs clearly. I recommend first time novelists stick with one POV. It is difficult to pull off changing POV and do it well, especially when you are learning all the other mechanics of writing a novel.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
December 29th, 2012 at 12:01 am

You are getting way ahead of yourself. Give them all credit. But first focus on your writing it.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
December 28th, 2012 at 11:59 pm

Yes.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
December 29th, 2012 at 12:00 am

By definition, a synopsis shouldn’t have a lot of detail. Be disciplined and only include the key points, the central thrust of the story.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
December 28th, 2012 at 11:59 pm

It depends on the context.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
November 2nd, 2012 at 7:12 pm

Hi Sabrina, sorry for the delay in responding. Have you tried looking at other novels that feature court scenes? John Grisham is a great resource for these, as he is an attorney and novelist and his books usually include courtroom scenes. Look up a few and see if it helps. Let me know.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
October 12th, 2012 at 5:53 pm

Hi Rahul,
I have no idea. Perhaps, ask the webmaster for that site?

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
October 12th, 2012 at 5:55 pm

Hi Rahul,
Agents/publishers stealing ideas is so rare, I’m not even sure it happens. I have never heard of one instance. However, if you want to be safe, you can easily do a ‘poor man’s copyright’ and mail yourself a copy of your manuscript by snail mail. Keep the sealed, postmarked copy on hand in case you ever need to prove you wrote it first.
Best,
Robin

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
October 12th, 2012 at 6:04 pm

They each have an equally significant role, it’s more about timing. Manuscript first. Then agent. Then publisher. The first priority is to develop an excellent, salable manuscript.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
October 12th, 2012 at 6:06 pm

Hi Rahul,
I advise you focus first on revising the manuscript and getting professional editing. The agent conversation is premature. You will have more choices when your manuscript is polished.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
September 19th, 2012 at 4:29 pm

Hi Larry, Yes, the books you mention are authored by the Town Crier author personality. I think Gladwell’s core audience is business/entrepreneurs. Who else needs to know more about how people make decisions and the elements of excellence? Same for Dan Pink. Both of these authors are telling us something about what makes us tick, providing a new perspective. Your book is set to provide a new perspective for employees (decide on type of employee–in corporate/office environment? blue collar? both?) who want to move up the ladder or at least secure their career, so that would be your target.
Since you are in the Mastermind, feel free to email me privately if you need more help.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
September 18th, 2012 at 2:28 pm

Hi Rahul,
I am not familiar with them. Can’t tell from the website. It looks to me that the publishing company in the link is not a traditional publisher, but a book packager, meaning they will charge you for editing, layout, design, and printing. This may look like a straight fee, or it may look like you being required to buy a minimum number of your own books, but it’s not the same as being published in the traditional sense, where your manuscript is chosen through a selective process and the rights to publish your book are purchased.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
September 17th, 2012 at 3:19 pm

Hi Rahul,

I would not send them all six books in synopses. Mention the long-range concept is for a series and focus on selling the first book. The way they look at it, each book must be able to stand on its own AND jibe with the other 5 books. As you know, I recommend you contact Mark Malatesta at http://literary-agents.com for help with your query. He is the best at query letters.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
September 17th, 2012 at 3:33 pm

Hi J.R., First of all, good for you for taking this on. Thirty thousand words for a novel IS short, although if you were going to attempt it, there’s never been a better time. Tinkers, by Paul Harding was, I think, somewhere around 27,000 to 32,000 words and won a Pulitzer, but only after it was rejected by every major publishing house and picked up by a small university press. I do believe publishers felt the sting of their error and may be more open to a shorter novel now, but only if the novel is extraordinary, or if they see a huge market potential. If you feel you must keep it short, get professional feedback to be sure. The easier route is to make it longer, but if that would require you to change things that would undermine the integrity of your story, press on and be prepared for a harder road that just might be worth it.

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J.R. Reply:
September 17th, 2012 at 8:18 pm

Yes, I understand what you are saying and I am likely to keep it shorter, but what are some quick and easy tips to lengthen it a little bit? At this point, I am open to any ideas.

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J.R. Reply:
September 17th, 2012 at 8:21 pm

…And by market potential, do you mean a series?

getpublishedcoach Reply:
September 18th, 2012 at 2:37 am

No, I mean compelling, fun to read, unique, dynamic, fresh, something new that would really speak to the target market.

getpublishedcoach Reply:
September 18th, 2012 at 2:36 am

It’s very hard to say not having seen the novel. Did you develop the characters? Is there enough at stake? Does the hero encounter obstacles? These are some areas to look at.

J.R. Reply:
September 18th, 2012 at 8:35 pm

Yeah I believe I developed characters (Though I could do more) and there are a lot of obstacles the character, plus there a ton of twists at the end. My one problem, one of the better twists is it kind of screws up one part of my story, so I must go back and completely change it into something new, which is frustrating, but for the twist to occur it must happen. The whole thing is kind of futuristic, so there are some things that may seem to unreal to be true, but I hope that is not a problem. If it is though, I’m going to have to decide between a happy or bad ending. Happy meaning, possibly a sequel. That’s the other thing I want to mention. I have two endings, one that closes up the whole story, and one that leaves a cliffhanger for another book, what do you think is the better choice?

getpublishedcoach Reply:
September 19th, 2012 at 5:49 pm

Hi J.R.,
It’s impossible to answer these questions without reading your book. When you have a completed first draft, I strongly encourage you to have it critiqued by a professional editor or novelist. When you are ready, let me know. I have resources I can direct you to. As to wrap up or cliffhanger question: either choice is fine. As long as the book still stands on its own as a complete story, leaving it open to write additional books and make a series may help you sell the work to a publisher, but the story MUST work on its own. That’s most important.

J.R. Reply:
September 19th, 2012 at 10:10 pm

Okay, I will let you know. Thanks

getpublishedcoach Reply:
October 12th, 2012 at 6:06 pm

I look forward to hearing of your progress.

J.R. Reply:
September 25th, 2012 at 4:44 pm

I’m thinking about self-publishing an e-book, like on the kindle store. Do you think that is a good place to start?

getpublishedcoach Reply:
October 12th, 2012 at 5:20 pm

Hi J.R.
It can be. Depends on what your professional goals are and how the book fits in to the plan. May be a topic for a laser coaching session. http://getpublishedcoach.com/laser-coaching

getpublishedcoach Reply:
September 16th, 2012 at 4:20 am

Hi Rahul,
I am an editor, but I am only taking clients who are in my coaching programs at the moment. I do have editors I trust to whom I refer work. Editors don’t have to work for a publishing house, but it’s best if they have experience working on books that have been published by major houses. All books should be professionally edited before they are submitted to an agent or publisher. No exceptions. Editors charge anywhere from $25 to $150 per hour or more. Mid-range is $40 to $75.
Final say on changes is up to you, unless the editor works for your publisher.
Qualifications: has edited award-winning, bestselling books published by major houses, provides a small sample (up to 5 pages) of what they would do with your work, has a contract that outlines expectations and deliverables.

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Rahul Abhyankar Reply:
September 16th, 2012 at 8:10 am

Could you suggest me a good editor that might accept to edit my (fantasy) novel?

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
September 17th, 2012 at 7:07 pm

Probably, if you send me the manuscript I can see first of all if it’s ready for editing or if you’d be better served by a critique and then see who would be the best fit.

getpublishedcoach Reply:
September 13th, 2012 at 3:39 pm

Wow! Good for you Rahul! I can tell, even at age 15, you are a sophisticated writer. I encourage you to keep going. Your age can be an asset, especially if your novel is good. Send me the manuscript, if you like, and I can recommend a direction for what you need next. Robin(at symbol)getpublishedcoach.com

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 10:05 pm

Hi Tarone,
What you should do with your book depends on which direction you want to take your career and your life. If being a published author would help you reach your overall goals, then publish. Keep your day job only if you are under the impression that book sales alone would be enough to replace your income and support you. A book is best used a tool to open doors to other opportunities that pay way more than book sales.

If you want your book to get into the hands of an agent and publisher, the best step is to begin the query/pitch process. If it’s non-fiction, you’ll need to create a book proposal. If it’s fiction, you’ll need to write a tight synopsis and an outstanding query letter. Writer’s conferences are an excellent way to get your work to agents and receive valuable feedback as well.

Hope this helps. Best,
Robin

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
August 30th, 2012 at 5:35 pm

Hmmm…hard to tell, Clark. Sounds like you have some compelling ideas and some may overlap. I think we should talk. I’ll send you a private email.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 10:00 pm

Hi Stella, Sorry for the delay responding to this. I didn’t catch it at first.
The best time to begin to generate demand for your book is the moment you commit to writing it, so, yes, by all means, start now! You will do best to focus your efforts on the core of your target audience, develop a following there and build out. Hope this helps. Best, Robin

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
August 28th, 2012 at 11:13 pm

Hi Dave,

Before you pay to have it copy edited, it might be worth a call with me to make sure you wrote the right book to achieve your goals, and that you set it up the right way. I’ll send you a private email.

Best,

Robin

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
August 28th, 2012 at 11:11 pm

Hi Anouk,

The initial contact with agents should be a query letter, not the full manuscript. Each query letter should be personalized to the agent, and be sure to check out their website and make sure your work is compatible with what they represent. Twenty agents isn’t very many. I’d say you could query about 10 at a time, and keep sending out. Don’t wait until you hear to query more. To give you perspective, I have a friend who got 125 no’s before agent number 126 said yes.

You will get a better response from agents if your work is edited. If there is any way for you get it edited professionally, do it. It will increase your odds dramatically. It’s worth finding a way to pay a professional. It’s going to be hard to tell if your book is viable if agents are turned off by typos and ‘silly mistakes’ as you say.

I guess you could send an impeccable query letter to establish an agent’s interest, and should they ask for a full manuscript, or first pages, explain that English isn’t your first language and ask for forgiveness ahead of time.

Hope this helps.

Best,

Robin

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
August 28th, 2012 at 11:00 pm

Hi William. Thanks for your question. We should talk. I will email you privately.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
August 17th, 2012 at 6:12 pm

Hi Lisa, my advice is to seek a publisher. It’s difficult to get traction in the academic world with self-published works. I’d look into agents that represent that type of work and deal with publishers such as Scholastic. Check out my friend, Mark Malatesa, for help getting an agent. If you want help on content, I can help you there. Best wishes for your success!

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
August 10th, 2012 at 7:43 pm

Hi Sarah, I need to qualify this by saying I haven’t seen the manuscript, so I can’t say for sure, but in most cases you can write through to the end with the changes in mind and then go back and tidy up.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
August 9th, 2012 at 4:36 pm

Hi Chris, the kinds of data you seek are available from high-cost subscriptions such as Neilsen. I don’t think you need that level of detail for a book proposal. Agents already have a pretty good idea of the sales performance of specific genres. What’s more important to them is why you think your book will sell. What makes it unique? What does it bring that other books haven’t yet? And if you can identify a couple of books that are similar to your style, that helps. For example, it’s like Dave Barry’s Book of Bad Songs meets Jon Stewart’s America .

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
August 9th, 2012 at 4:46 pm

Hi Lana,
The battle you are fighting is not uncommon among wannabe writers. This type of block can be caused by a number of factors. The most common being: Fear of failure, fear of success, lack of confidence, lack of knowledge, and/or lack of desire. If the problem is fear or a lack of confidence, the only way past it is to sit down and write and to keep writing, whether or not you think it is good. At some point, you will be well served to get professional feedback as to how you are doing. A lack of knowledge means that you have great ideas, but you don’t know how to convert them into stories or books. There’s a method to it, and anyone can learn it. Seek opportunities to take writing workshops with published authors or professional editors. This will help to boost your confidence as well as give you knowledge. If the problem is a lack of desire, it’s probably best to find something else to do. Writing skill is a craft that takes a great deal of time and effort to develop, and you don’t get paid very well while you are learning it. I’m guessing for you the desire is there, so I hope one of these other solutions will help you move forward.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
July 25th, 2012 at 8:45 pm

Dear Mattis, the academic and commercial markets are different, as is the tone of the work. Your sales track record is impressive, especially if it’s over a period of a year or two. Not having intimate knowledge of the work, I’d say it’s best to target your book to a particular market and not try to reach too broad-spectrum in one book.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
July 25th, 2012 at 6:02 pm

Good question, Van. You might look into Kindle Singles on Amazon. I believe you can publish a short book, up to 30,000 words through that medium. First, go through your manuscript and trim it, you can probably get it down to 30,000 words by cutting excess words and tightening your thoughts.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 2:01 am

Hi Erika,

Thanks for writing. First of all, I am not an attorney, so please don’t take this as real legal advice, but what I recall from my journalism training is as follows:

Disclaimer: What you say depends on what you do in the book. If you changed all or some of the names, say so. If you modify events, create composite characters out of several people, say so. If it’s based on a true story or “inspired by actual events” but it’s fiction, say so. If you write it as factual, it’s always good to admit your memory may be imperfect, but you wrote the truth to the best of your recollection. The disclaimer should disclose the modifications you’ve made as well as your human imperfections.

If you knowingly write and print inaccurate information about an individual you refer to by name, you are exposed for a libel suit, even if you use a disclaimer. If you print unflattering information you cannot prove is true, you are vulnerable as well, even if it is true.

You may find it easier to write it as fiction and include a disclaimer that says it is a fictional story, inspired by true events, and any similarity to real people purely coincidental.

For exact wording and legal parameters, consult an attorney or your publisher’s attorney.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 1:50 am

Hi Hanna,
I’m guessing you mean you need to register the copyright, and yes, you can do that here in the U.S. through the U.S. Copyright oOffice. I believe you can hold an international copyright. I don’t know if that is an additional status, or if the US copyright includes international. I am sure you can find out through the copyright office.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
June 24th, 2012 at 11:32 pm

Hi Laura,
First of all, we should talk about doing some work together now, before your book is done. It will save you time and loads of headaches. To answer this question, I’d avoid rhetorical questions such as the example you gave. They tend to slow things down and not add much. I’ll send you an email with some more info so we can talk. As ever, Robin

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
June 13th, 2012 at 2:24 pm

First step is to finish it. Next step is to get it professionally critiqued and/or edited before you submit it to agents. Be patient. First novels usually are practice, so no matter what happens, don’t be discouraged. Remember it’s all about developing the craft, so do whatever you can to make yourself a better writer. Read great books–lots of them. Get into a class or work with a writing coach. Best wishes!
Robin
PS: I also recommend you read On Writing by Stephen King.

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Juhaina Reply:
June 13th, 2012 at 3:09 pm

I appreciate it, thank you so much..

Bless you.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
June 9th, 2012 at 5:26 pm

Yes, Danita. Let it sit for about 30 days and come back to it with fresh eyes. Great question.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
June 5th, 2012 at 9:25 pm

Way to go, Zandra!

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
June 5th, 2012 at 4:58 pm

What a great question, Gwenne. Without being overly simplistic, I think the “fraud factor” comes into play here. The “who am I to…?” or “what do I know? Why would anyone listen to me?” Every expert faces the fraud factor at some point. Some back down, some push through. We only hear about the ones who push through, because those who back down remain in obscurity. It’s easy to forget that everyone confronts it at some point. What makes the difference is what you do with it. <3

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
June 5th, 2012 at 4:26 am

Great question, Laura. One easy way to build confidence is to look at the other books in your genre or on your topic and really get clear on what makes yours unique and the value it brings to the audience. It may seem counter-intuitive that to look at others’ bestselling books will build your confidence, but once you see that your book is one-of-a-kind and fills a gap in the market, you will feel confident. The other way is to get professional feedback on your work, and this comes from being edited as well as submitting your work to agents. The only way to gain confidence in pitching is to pitch. Hope this helps.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
June 4th, 2012 at 2:36 am

Hi Arlene, thanks for your question. You want to start promoting your book as soon as you commit to the idea. That includes blogging, speaking, tweets, Facebook posts, news media, etc. The more interest you can generate, the more likely you are to get a book publishing deal. I would say develop your following before you submit proposals even.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 5:13 pm

Hi Jacqueline, a key to marketing any book successfully is to find the right audience who not only wants the book, but is willing to pay for it. Since your book is is written for those who work in public service, education and non-profit sectors, you may need to get creative to get things moving. Possible ideas for your type of book: get a grant or gift from a foundation or other philanthropic entity and have them buy your books en masse and turn around and gift them to non-profit organizations, develop a continuing ed credit course for educators, counselors, etc., and sell the book in conjunction as a textbook for the course, and/or offer training seminars for government agencies and corporations which include the book as course material.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
May 28th, 2012 at 10:12 pm

Try this link for blog training. http://bloggingwithbeth.com/blog-traffic-school/
Use WordPress. I like the Optimize Press theme, but there are others. You want one with good templates for sales pages and squeeze pages.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
May 9th, 2012 at 5:20 pm

Yes, getting published is still possible, and if you approach the process professionally and prepared, you will stand out above 90% or more of those who seek to get published. For fiction, memoir, and expose, the key today, as it’s always been, is to have a compelling, well-written story. For non-fiction how-to and self-help, you need a compelling, well-written book and a strong author platform to go with it. Choose your agent carefully. Only approach agents that represent your genre. Approach with care, respect their policies and follow them. Once you get an agent, they will shop the work. Realize many successful writers didn’t get published on the first try. Use the experience and feedback to continue to grow your platform and improve your skills.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
May 9th, 2012 at 5:30 pm

Hi Mattius, No doubt about it, novels are difficult to promote. I am posting a link for you to Amanda Hocking’s blog. Hocking is probably the most successful self-published author since the advent of social media. The article I’m sending you to is her story of how she did it. Note the section about asking book bloggers to review her books, and stop spending a ton of money. Paid advertising won’t help, because there is no credibility there. You need real people to say they’ve read your books and loved them.

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Mattius White Reply:
May 10th, 2012 at 3:24 am

I will check it out! Thank you so much, Robin!

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
May 2nd, 2012 at 11:52 pm

Well, Noel, most of the industry recommends WordPress. I’d recommend you look into themes that you can add to your WordPress site to help you customize it. But for “find-ability” and reach, the general recommendation among industry pros is stick with WordPress.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
April 26th, 2012 at 11:35 pm

Actually, some children have been successfully published. I believe I recall a book by a 9 year old boy on dating that was a big hit in recent years.

See link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/newsbeat/newsid_7887000/7887032.stm

Children’s publishing isn’t my specialty, but I’d say if he has a compelling hook and an entertaining piece, he’s got as good of a chance as anyone.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
April 13th, 2012 at 9:14 pm

Hi Lynette, So nice to hear from you again. I hope your business is going well.
My personal preference is to edit the electronic copy using track changes and comments first. I find it more time efficient than doing hard copy and then, basically, editing it again by adding the changes on the electronic file later.
However, some people just don’t see the errors unless it’s on the hard copy, so you have to use the method that makes sense for you and your editing style.
Hope this helps.
As ever,
Robin

[Reply]

getpublishedcoach Reply:
April 13th, 2012 at 3:40 pm

Hi Sarah,
This is such a good question, and I’m glad you asked, because I think a lot of people need to read the answer.
First of all, congratulations on being able to look at your work with some objectivity. That takes a lot of courage, and not everyone can do it.
To the point at hand, the only way to know if a work is salvageable or if it needs to be put to rest, is to get professional feedback. This does not mean asking your friend down the street who majored in English. I mean a professional editor who has edited books for publication, preferably by a major publishing house, or possibly a published (by a major house) novelist who writes in your genre.
Just in case it is time to pull the plug, I want you to know that most successful novelists wrote several works that never saw a printing press before they refined their craft to the point where they got published. If you haven’t yet, I strongly recommend you read Stephen King’s memoir On Writing, I think you will find it both enlightening and encouraging.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
April 13th, 2012 at 3:28 pm

Hi Van,
Big question. Finding the target market is more difficult for fiction than non-fiction. If we are talking non-fiction, you would ask yourself the following questions: Who cares about your topic? Who needs/wants the information? Who would most benefit? And probably most important, who is already listening to you? Another strategy, think of you ideal client, customer, etc., maybe someone you already work with, and notice who they are: male/female, age range, income range, other interests, values, etc.
To connect: Go where they are. Find opportunities to speak. Use social media. Do everything you can to make sure people know that you are the “go to” person in your field.
Hope this helps.
Best,
Robin

[Reply]

Van Vasko Reply:
April 14th, 2012 at 1:09 pm

Thank you Robin. Your answers are helpful and thought provoking. When I began writing my non-fiction (spiritually inclined) manuscript I had in mind that I wanted to write for a younger crowd because they seem to be the ones who need it most. I conducted a survey via social media and concluded that although the younger crowd may be in need of what I have to say, the majority of them aren’t ready; as opposed to the older crowd. It seems that the ones who would most benefit are as of yet, not open to the message. Thank you again; I am considering your advice and appreciate it greatly.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
April 13th, 2012 at 3:24 pm

Hi Delvin,

I find your question fascinating, and I’m not sure what the answer is, but I sense that there may very well be a market for this type of book. Now that you mention it, it seems like a gaping hole in the marketplace that there aren’t books in YA with a gay male protagonist. I’d say if you have a story brewing, go for it. I think it will come down to how well it’s written, and if the story is compelling, I think you could have something fresh that publishers would want. The first step is to write it. Because no one will listen seriously to a pitch for the book concept from an unpublished novelist. Not because of the gay character, but because you are an unproven writer.

To answer your second question, although success in the fiction markets for self-publishers is growing, I still believe that published novelists have an advantage. So, I’d say write it, get to work on getting an agent, see if anyone bites, you always have self-publishing as a fall back position.

Hope this helps.
Best,
Robin

[Reply]

getpublishedcoach Reply:
April 13th, 2012 at 3:18 pm

Hi Susan,
So nice to hear from you again. To answer your question, the action steps for book promotion are the same whether you self-publish or have a publisher. Book sales are up to the author. To be a bestseller requires that you get other people involved, whether that be other experts who will promote your book to their lists, publicists, book sellers, it depends on how far you want to take it, and how much you have to invest. To be a bestseller on Amazon.com is the easiest, and cheapest, on this website, http://hasmarkserives.com, you can find a “done for you” program. Not cheap, but, from what I’ve heard of the work involved, I recommend having the pros do it. Hope this helps.

[Reply]

getpublishedcoach Reply:
March 16th, 2012 at 10:21 pm

Hi Lisa,
I am so glad you asked! The idea that a book need not have a clear audience if it is “channeled” is a bunch of hooey! Think about it. Not everyone is interested in spiritual books. Some people would think a book whose author claimed to have channeled is bogus. No matter who you are or what you write, there’s a definite audience. Even the Bible, the Koran, the Bhagavad Gita have an audience. Even those books aren’t for everyone.

[Reply]

Lisa Reply:
March 16th, 2012 at 10:40 pm

Geez! I thought so! Thank you Robin.

I also have another question I have been unclear on for awhile. The difference between a “target audience” and a ‘niche’. This is stumping me too.

Thank you!!!

[Reply]

getpublishedcoach Reply:
March 23rd, 2012 at 7:16 pm

Hi Lisa,
Target audience and niche are very close in meaning. Your target audience equals the people that comprise your niche market. So for example, my niche is helping experts write their books and get successfully published. My target audience are experts who are ready to write their book and need help.

getpublishedcoach Reply:
March 12th, 2012 at 8:53 pm

Hi Sarah,

So nice to hear from you again! I am glad you are making such great progress.

1) Coffee book title: I think your audience probably knows what a Barista is, so I think Home Barista, is a nice, catchy title. You might rephrase the sub-title. “Espresso coffee” is redundant. And “coffee like a professional” is awkward with the modifier placement. Try: The Art of Making Professional-quality Espresso Drinks at Home.

2) I love that you remember my earlier coaching, and you are correct to remember it. Proceed as is. Do another book. The Goddess deserves her own book, don’t you think?

[Reply]

Sarah Reply:
March 25th, 2012 at 8:19 am

Hi Robin,
I appreciate your feedback so much.
Many thanks once again.
Sarah

[Reply]

getpublishedcoach Reply:
March 28th, 2012 at 12:49 am

You are most welcome.

Sarah Reply:
March 25th, 2012 at 8:26 am

Hi Again Robin,
I wanted to let you know also I recently read a book that I found helped me realise that theres a shift thats required by artistic creatives..to understand that you are in fact “a professional”.
Its called “The War of Art, Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles”
Steven Pressfield.
You may already be familiar with it..
Kind wish
Sarah

[Reply]

getpublishedcoach Reply:
March 28th, 2012 at 12:49 am

Yes, I’ve read it. Thanks, Sarah.

getpublishedcoach Reply:
March 12th, 2012 at 8:42 pm

Hi Lisa,

I think every writer has times when they feel the way you just described, so you are in good company. It’s difficult to write on your own without professional feedback. It is impossible to judge your own work objectively. Every successful author has received professional feedback along the way–whether it be from a mentor or a publishing house or magazine editor who rejected their work. Feedback is essential to cultivating the craft.

I can say, I am certain that you have something to say that no one else has and is valuable. The tricky part is uncovering what that is. One quick way to find out is to look at what else has been written in your topic area. See what published authors are saying and look for what you wish they would have said, or what you would add to it. That’s where you can begin to get a handle on your unique message.

I hope this helps.

All my best, Robin

[Reply]

Lisa Reply:
March 14th, 2012 at 3:21 am

Thank you Robin!

[Reply]

getpublishedcoach Reply:
March 15th, 2012 at 8:48 pm

You are most welcome, Lisa!

getpublishedcoach Reply:
March 12th, 2012 at 8:35 pm

Hi Marie,
You have a few questions here, so let’s take them one at a time.
1) You may alter the details of events as well as the names and even change aspects of character, such as appearance, occupation, etc., in order to disguise people who would be portrayed unfavorably in your memoir, or for anyone whose identity you wish to protect. All you need to do is include a disclaimer at the beginning of the book.
2) As to getting the word out on elder abuse, there are many ways, and how you go about it depends on what place you want this activity to occupy in your life. Is it a hobby? Is it a career path? Do you want to create a coaching practice around it (individual)? Do you want to create a consulting practice (institutional)?
3) As a writer, you can take several approaches, and the best approach, in my opinion, will be the one that most closely matches your Author Personality.
I hope this is helpful. If you need to bounce some ideas off of me and get more specific feedback, you might consider a Laser Coaching session.

[Reply]

getpublishedcoach Reply:
February 28th, 2012 at 7:45 pm

Hi Mike, this is a perennial challenge for authors. I wouldn’t say there’s an easy way. What it some trial and error and a lot of consistent effort. The basic strategy is simple enough: grow your audience, create a demand for the book, get publicity, create opportunities to share about your book and share about your book every chance you get. But the ‘how’ keeps evolving. In the past, a book tour and book signings was the way to go. Now, people hardly do them. These days, the bulk of your promotion efforts can be online, including “Virtual Book Tours.”
Some promotion strategies work well on one book and not at all on another. I think when you are just getting started, focus on a few powerful strategies that you can execute consistently and work those well. Don’t do a little bit of everything. Focus your efforts and refine from there. Hope this helps.

[Reply]

getpublishedcoach Reply:
February 28th, 2012 at 7:33 pm

Hi Marley,
Great question. As you know, everyone needs an editor. Even editors do well to have their work reviewed by an objective and experienced eye. For me, I go to people whose work I know and trust, but if you don’t have those connections, I do recommend a vetting practice.
1. Have the editor do a sample edit of a few pages of the material you want edited. I feel this is the best way to see if the editor knows what they are doing and also if their style is compatible with yours.
2. Ask for recommendations. Other customers aren’t always the best judge, especially if they are laypeople and not editors, but they CAN tell you whether the editor met their deadlines and acted in a professional manner.
3. Ask for a some titles of other published works edited. You can go check them out for yourself on Amazon.com or wherever they are available.
As far as the “trusting them with the part of your soul on paper,” the best way to know is to have a conversation and see if they are reasonably affable and compassionate. At the same time, you don’t want someone who is so “understanding” that they won’t be hard enough on your work. The best editors have what I call “Fierce compassion.” Out of their love for you, they will tell you everything in your writing that doesn’t work and help you fix it.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
February 25th, 2012 at 3:15 am

Yes, Wanda, as far as I know, that’s a great way to promote your blog. Not my main area of expertise, but I have a friend, Diana Morgan who does this for a living. I’m sure she could give you more detailed info. http://www.pathfinderinstituteworldwide.com/

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
February 20th, 2012 at 4:04 pm

Hi Wanda, well, I will be talking about what an Author Personality IS on the call. Can it or should it be changed? No. I developed an assessment tool to help a person figure out the best way to structure and organize their book based on their “Author Personality” or the way you most naturally relate to, exchange and share information. The idea of knowing your Author Personality is to help you structure your book in the way that will be easiest for you to write it.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
February 20th, 2012 at 4:09 pm

Hi Yuri, these days there are many types of publishers and not all have a physical address. If you are concerned about a publisher trying to steal your work, this is very rare. Still, I prefer to have the authors I coach only deal with publishers through an agent if possible, because agents and publishers both have done thousands of book deals, and you have done none. Generally, if a legitimate publisher is serious about wanting your work and ready to make an offer, it is easy to find an agent to handle the deal for you.

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Yury Kos Reply:
February 21st, 2012 at 9:33 am

Well, I’m waiting for reply from more than 50 agents, but, maybe, I’ve done not right when I’ve sent my query and 3 chapters to an indipendent publisher. This publisher requested the full manuscript and don’t know what to do… Not to send my work to him and wait for agent’s replies, or to send the work to this publisher and to sign a contract if he’ll offer it. (the publisher asked for the full on Feb. 15)
How do you think, what I have to do? Give me an advice…

[Reply]

getpublishedcoach Reply:
February 28th, 2012 at 7:14 pm

Hi Yuri,
Usually it’s best to exhaust the search for an agent before you engage in a conversation with an independent press. Agents don’t like to be asked to consider a work and then have it snatched out from under them by you deciding to go with an indie press that pays no advance. If you have queries out there where there is interest from agents, you’ll want to wrap things up with the agent(s) before you sign a deal with a publisher.

Yury Kos Reply:
February 29th, 2012 at 1:35 pm

Thank you, Robin!
I’ve done just as you told me and just waiting for the answers from agents!

getpublishedcoach Reply:
February 29th, 2012 at 4:45 pm

Okay, you might also want to let the publisher know what you are doing, so they aren’t left hanging.

getpublishedcoach Reply:
February 15th, 2012 at 8:30 pm

Hi Wanda, It’s definitely one way to go and a quick solution to getting a book out and published. The downside is that you could be missing an opportunity to distinguish your own brand and make it stand out. It warrants a strategic conversation to make sure you are putting your resources where they will give you the most benefit.

[Reply]

getpublishedcoach Reply:
February 15th, 2012 at 5:58 pm

Hi Yury, thanks for your question. One big difference, eBook publishing is cheaper and faster than publishing a hard copy. These days, with the growth in eBooks, it’s best to publish in both formats. There are two ways going with an eBook can hurt your career–1) Temptation to produce lower quality. Unfortunately, a lot of people make the mistake of believing that doing an eBook is an excuse to skimp on hiring a quality editor and having the book properly laid out with a professional cover design. This only hurts your image. It’s not just having a book that counts. Make sure it’s a good one. 2) You have a book out and it doesn’t sell. It’s fine to put a book out on your own, but if you aren’t able to generate sales, you have only shown a potential publisher that there’s not an audience for your book or you don’t have the marketing skills to move it, so, in effect, you’ve just saved them the trouble. Hope this helps.

[Reply]

getpublishedcoach Reply:
February 12th, 2012 at 5:18 pm

Terrestrial radio interview, meaning done with a radio station that has call letters and uses land-based radio towers and the airwaves, not just the Internet to broadcast. Often these stations have larger listening audiences and it’s more “cred” for you to appear as a guest than on Internet radio. I recommend both, and Internet radio is a great place to build your skills as an interviewee before you go on a show with a huge audience. Thanks for your question!

[Reply]

Wanda McCormick Reply:
February 12th, 2012 at 9:18 pm

ok thank you
i did the right interview then
Wanda McCormick recently posted..Taking your power back.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 10:44 pm

Hi Wanda, First of all, congratulations on getting an interview. Great platform building! My advice is to keep it simple. Most important is can you come up with something you can offer? An initial consultation? A download? What do you want to do with them once they know about you? What is the best outcome you can get as a result of the interview? A new client or two? Adding people to your list? Make them an offer they can’t refuse (in an irresistible sense, of course) that positions the relationship so you can take it the direction you believe it needs to go. It doesn’t matter as much which domain you send them to as what you want them to do once they get there.
Hope this helps.
Best,
Robin

[Reply]

getpublishedcoach Reply:
February 6th, 2012 at 6:40 pm

Hi Wanda, when you are writing a book, you can use any font you want. I recommend one that is easy to read, not the cutesy creative ones with curly ques. Do keep in mind that when you send the file to an editor or a layout person, it’s easier for them to read it in Times Roman or possibly Arial or Verdana. Agents usually want manuscripts in Times Roman and some will throw it away if it’s in any other font. When I get a book to edit, I always convert it to Times before I start work on it. It’s just easier to see the typos and corrections with that font, since my eye is trained to it. In summary, save your creativity for the content and leave the fonts alone.

[Reply]

Wanda McCormick Reply:
February 6th, 2012 at 6:46 pm

thanks robin
good to know, i will just stick with times roman
Wanda McCormick recently posted..I put the "personal" in my services.

[Reply]

getpublishedcoach Reply:
February 7th, 2012 at 11:09 pm

Thank you for your question!

getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 30th, 2012 at 6:47 pm

Hi Wanda, Great question. My coaching to you on this would be do NOT do a full 12 week workshop following another author’s program to the letter. Aside from the potential problems with copyright, which there potentially are, especially if you are charging for the workshop, the BIG problem with using someone else’s program is it builds the other author’s brand and not YOURS. We all start out copying what we know works, but at some point (as soon as possible) for you to build your brand as an expert, it’s important that you find your own way and develop something all your own. Think about what you have done that works. What have you added “on the fly” or thought about deeply and incorporated that has been refreshing, a surprise, a new perspective, or brought value? Build on that and make Wanda’s 12 Week Fitness Protocol. Make it yours.

[Reply]

getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 30th, 2012 at 6:05 am

You bet. As far as I know you can. I am (having someone do it for me) setting all that up on mine now.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 30th, 2012 at 6:06 am

Hi Wanda,
It depends on what you are working on and where you are in the process. If you are just getting started, even 15 minutes a day can be helpful to keep you moving. Once you’ve built your writing muscle, you can write 2 or more hours a day and have the time fly by.

[Reply]

getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 28th, 2012 at 7:39 pm

Hi Elaine, great question. I have some people I can refer you to. Is the book fiction or non-fiction?

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 24th, 2012 at 11:42 pm

Hi Wanda,
Great to have your question today. Another good one! When you have that featured quote at the beginning of a chapter, the standard practice is to just cite the author at the end of the quote. Example:
“Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” ~ Benjamin Franklin.
Often, these quotes are by authors who have been dead more than 75 years, so they are most likely considered public domain and require no further permission. If the author of the quote is still living, you may need to get permission to use the quote. A good practice for any publisher, including self-publishers, is to run the entire book by an IP (intellectual property) attorney before you go to press and make sure you’re not exposed.

[Reply]

getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 28th, 2012 at 7:50 pm

Hi Reina, This is a tough one to answer blind, not knowing any of the details, a Laser Coaching session may be the best way to handle this. That way I can take a closer look at your material, current situation and goals before answering. Having said that, the key here is to distinguish between subjects and topic. Specifically, I went to your website and saw your brand topic is empowering women, “helping women get what they need,” as you say clearly on your banner. Your first book, Strong from the Start, is on the subject of raising children, AND clearly under the topic of your brand. If your new subject covers another aspect of “helping women get what they need,” you should be able to move over with relative ease. If it’s taking you in a whole new direction, it will require some re-branding on your part to help the book succeed.

[Reply]

getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 24th, 2012 at 5:43 am

Hi Chris,
Thank you for your question. First of all, I am wondering about your comment about not wanting to hole yourself in as a certain type of writer through your blog. It can be a very smart move, marketing and platform-wise to have a clear, definitive voice in your writing that is recognizable to your audience. It’s good if people get a sense of your style and what they can count on from you. So, you may want to rethink that. Moving on…it is easier to establish a platform when you are a non-fiction expert vs. a fiction writer. However, I’ve worked with writers who did just that, and it helped them get a book deal. Most recent example, SusanDennard.com who has a wonderful blog that showcased her writing and helped people get to know her personality. She signed with HarperCollins Children’s division recently, and her young adult fiction novel is being published this spring. Best. Robin

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 24th, 2012 at 5:37 am

Hi Avalaura, I believe an eBook should be published in all available formats. There’s one for Kindle, one for iPad and Nook and, of course, there’s always the basic PDF. The reason is that people use all three formats, and you don’t want to lose sales just because you are limited to one format. I have a resource, Brian Schwartz, http://www.kindleexpert.com/ who does the conversions for a reasonable price. Tell him I sent you. Best, Robin

[Reply]

getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 20th, 2012 at 9:21 pm

Thank you, Angelique. I look forward to hearing from you again!

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 18th, 2012 at 5:02 pm

Hi Wanda! I am so excited about tonight and seeing you! You can expect to learn a lot and meet some really cool people at a fun, laid back event, so don’t be nervous! Just speak from the heart and don’t worry about how it comes out. We all need to practice talking about our books before it sounds clean. See you soon!

[Reply]

getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 17th, 2012 at 3:56 am

It can work for you quite well. You may want to look into Kindle Singles. A way to publish a short work, up to 30,000 words and do exactly what you say, test your ideas on the market, generate some income and get a buzz going.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 17th, 2012 at 3:54 am

Hi Avalaura, terrific question. Titles are VERY important and a great title can carry a book to the top. The best way to title a book is to use the “Sell and Tell” formula. The Main Title should sell. It should be catchy, memorable, attention-getting and easy to pronounce and spell. A good sub-title then tells, or explains the benefits of reading the book, what the reader will get out of it. For example: Sell: Rich Dad, Poor Dad. Tell: What the rich teach their their kids about money that the poor and middle class do not!
Many best-selling titles piggy back on a well-known, best-selling title. Example: When Jason Oman and Mike Litman titled their book, they modified a book title Conversations with God to become Conversations with Millionaires. Their book went to #1 on Amazon.com. Or use a popular song, movie or TV show title or well-known pop
culture phrase. Either directly….Love the One You’re With, best-selling title by Emily Giffin. Or as a play on words, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, by Barbara Kingsolver
All of these are popular culture phrases and already embedded in the collective consciousness for easy recall and “stickiness.”

[Reply]

getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 17th, 2012 at 2:16 am

Hi Carlos, great question. A few thoughts…first, I recommend having both a hard copy and a Kindle version of your book in a professionally laid out format. So far, most Kindle sales are in fiction genres, but the non-fiction market is growing. You can get a lot out of the Amazon experience by encouraging people to post reviews of your book. One idea I read from Tim Ferris is to reward them for reviewing the book with some gift, whether it’s a good review or not. The review activity will help your book pop up in searches. Of course, you can do an Amazon Bestseller campaign, because while it doesn’t hold the same clout as a New York Times bestseller, it’s still better to have Amazon bestseller status than no bestseller status. Hope this helps.

[Reply]

getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 17th, 2012 at 2:21 am

Hi Marguerite, It’s very common for serious writers to seek a mentor. I think there are three ways to grow as a writer. One is to read a lot of well-written books and make a study of how the author used their style and accomplished their aims, next is to edit other people’s writing. I’ve noticed that I have a much easier time seeing other people’s writing weaknesses when I’m editing their work than when I read my own. I can then apply corrections I made in someone else’s work to improve my writing. Last, but not even close to least, is to have a writing mentor or mentors. No matter how open you are to other works or how good you are at spotting opportunities while editing, NOTHING can substitute a skillful writer’s critique in helping you develop to your full potential.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 17th, 2012 at 2:31 am

Hi Jamila, great question. There are many ways to leverage your book to help you expand, assuming your book is well-targeted and focused in the direction you wish to take your business. You can use your book to help you get speaking engagements, media interviews, and participate in panel discussions. You can use it as a giveaway to attract high-paying clients. You can develop spin off products (such as Rich Dad, Poor Dad author’s Cash Flow game), seminars (Millionaire Mind Intensive), training products such as CD’s and DVDs, and coaching programs. As an author, you can reach out to other more well-known experts in your field to form strategic alliances or go speak at professional conferences and conventions. I hope this beginning list is a good start to get your juices flowing.

[Reply]

getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 14th, 2012 at 3:05 pm

Hi Jim, Thanks for the question. I think the main thing here is that you aren’t asking the right question. PR campaigns by firms are expensive, not guaranteed to produce any results, and don’t necessarily lead directly to book sales. Not a great business proposition for anyone with that kind of money to fund you. Publicity is about exposure and creating the “I’ve heard of him somewhere” phenomenon. Rather than putting a bunch of energy into finding someone to give you money, if you want publicity, I recommend you direct that energy into promoting the book yourself. I do know of a couple of great low-cost resources for media/publicity training and support. My friend Jill Lublin has a Publicity Crash Course as well as some low-cost do-it-yourself-with-training publicity campaign programs http://publicitycrashcourse.com/ . And my dear soul-sister Eli Davidson has an amazing media training course I offered to my list last year. http://elidavidson.com/ordinary-to-extraordinary/. If you go to either of these ladies, tell them I sent you.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 13th, 2012 at 7:13 am

Hi Adwiti, Yes. I think in many cases, going through the process of writing a book proposal, or at least gathering all the information that would go in one, is a valuable step to help you clarify crucial aspects of your book including: who is your audience? how many people in that market? why will they read your book? how is your book unique? who else has written similar books? why are you the best person to write it? and so on.

[Reply]

adwiti Reply:
January 17th, 2012 at 1:43 am

Do I send the proposal to any publisher?

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 17th, 2012 at 2:05 am

No. Proposals are for literary agents. The only time you might send a proposal directly to a publisher is if it is a small, independent press. If you wish to approach a publisher directly, check their website and look up their submission guidelines. Also, be aware, many vanity presses pose as publishers. If you are paying to produce your book, it’s a vanity press.

getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 14th, 2012 at 5:15 pm

Yes, Tracy, absolutely. Any speaker will have an easier time getting booked with a book. Also, any expert who wants media exposure will fare better with a book than without. Here are some specific examples from various industries and outcomes.
Consultants and Trainers: use the book as an introductory piece to establish your credibility and help you land a five to seven figure contract.
Coaches: Use the book to establish credibility, expand your reach, get media exposure and speaking engagements. Also can be a great initial purchase to open the door to up-sells such as seminars, private coaching and products. T. Harv Ecker, Robert Kiyosaki and Tony Robbins all examples of this.
Researchers: Use the book to gain credibility and clout and more funding for your work.
Speakers: we’ve covered.
As you can see, having a book can help boost your income and grow your business in many ways besides book sales. Thank you for the question. This can help a lot of people.

[Reply]

getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 14th, 2012 at 5:08 pm

Hi Elaine, you have asked such a big question. Can you narrow it down, so I can focus my answer in a way to benefit you the most? Since you point to the query letter, I’ll direct you to a recent blog post I wrote outlining a path to by-pass the query and get an agent. Perhaps you will find it helpful. It’s called Plan to Pitch. http://getpublishedcoach.com/plan-to-pitch

[Reply]

Elaine Reply:
January 27th, 2012 at 2:18 am

I actually went to a writer’s conference a few years back and met face to face with an agent. He liked my idea, but at the time my book needed work. Should I query the same agent, or go for a different one.

[Reply]

getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 28th, 2012 at 7:40 pm

Sure, you absolutely can query him again as long as you have worked on the book and improved it. It has been awhile, but some prior connection is better than none.

getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 11th, 2012 at 11:24 pm

LOL. Well, there was some video shot, but I don’t know how to reach her. I did ask Ron, the guy with the hat and guitar, to track her down for me. You’ll be the first to know if I can get my hands on some footage.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 11th, 2012 at 10:38 pm

Thank you, Philly! I appreciate your comments. See you soon!

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 11th, 2012 at 10:37 pm

Great question, Nancy! I’ve actually spent a lot of time looking into this and I have found certain predictors. For non-fiction, number one is author platform. The size and strength of the author’s platform directly correlates to non-fiction book sales. All other things being equal, if an author has a large following and high visibility, they will sell more books than the unknown expert. Other factors: a book that is well-written (yes, it still matters) has a better shot. Also, books that look and feel professional have an easier time getting picked up by distributors and access to markets. One interesting quality I’ve noticed among New York Times bestsellers, the content is always dominated by story. This proves to be true across genres, including business books. The bestsellers tend to be books that use story as the primary information delivery method, either as the central focus or as anecdotes and case studies. For example, Malcom Gladwell’s pop culture/business books are a string of stories sewn together with the thread of his latest theory. As far as fiction, it’s hard to say. A well-written compelling story is a good start, but as you know, not a predictor. You can usually bank on an author who has already written a bestselling novel to produce another. Audiences do seem to prefer the novelists who already have shown they can deliver.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 10th, 2012 at 5:26 pm

Great question, Mike. So good, in fact, I wrote an entire blog post on it recently. http://getpublishedcoach.com/self-publish-or-be-published
Check that out and let me know if you have additional questions or if that did it.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 9th, 2012 at 5:53 pm

Hi Maria, great question and it brings up a point that I cannot over-stress…for most (and I mean 99.9% of) authors, book sales alone will NOT support you as in paying the bills and financing vacations and large art purchases. I just was listening to an NPR interview with Amanda Hawking last night. She’s a self-published author who writes paranormal romance and just joined the very elite and tiny group of authors who crossed the 1 million mark in book sales. SHE bought the life-sized statue of Han Solo that now resides in basement living room with money from book sales. For the rest of us, we’re better off thinking about other ways to generate income and use the book as a tool to help attract that income. Think about what else you can create, perhaps a class or coaching program, that you can market in addition to your book. This will not only help you make more money, it also will help you sell more books. Hope this helps.

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Maria Papadopoulou Reply:
January 9th, 2012 at 11:25 pm

Thanks Robin! It did help indeed. Thing is that even when it comes to coaching and tutoring….the competition is still way too fierce too online.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 9th, 2012 at 11:40 pm

Yes, Maria, then the task becomes finding your niche market and the unique offerings and value propositions that only YOU can provide. In that space there is no competition. Check out the book World Famous on my top 10 list. It addresses this very issue. Maybe if you win this week’s drawing…

getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 9th, 2012 at 6:02 pm

Hi Sally, thanks so much for writing. I’ve been to your website and I have many thoughts for you. The main point I’ll share with you here is to be sure you frame your book concept in a way that gets straight to the heart of an obvious and compelling benefit to your reader. The problem with titles like “positive inner change” and “conscious performing” is they are broad, sweeping ideas that don’t pinpoint a clear benefit, such as “Free Up Your Speaking: A Guide to Authentic, Inspired Performance.” We could discuss this further in a Laser Coaching session, http://getpublishedcoach.com/laser-coaching, and/or I notice you are in my area, so I want to be sure you know about my live event Jan. 18. I’d love it if you would come (it’s free) and we can meet in person. Here’s a link. http://thisistheyear.eventbrite.com/

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 7th, 2012 at 6:24 pm

Hi Drew,
Thanks for the question. I’d say overall, yes an eBook is a good way to get your name out because anything you put out and distribute can help you. My yes is a qualified yes because it’s not the same level of prestige as having a hard-copy book that is professionally laid out and edited. People still don’t recognize an eBook with the same level of respect. Some of the reasons are eBooks usually have an amateurish appearance, are poorly edited (if at all) and then there’s the factor that you don’t have a “book in hand” which still seems to make a difference for people. I may put out an eBook or a PDF excerpt of a book I’m working on as a way to float some ideas, get feedback and get some of my book written, but I don’t try to sell it on its own. I package it with some other coaching or training or give it away free as a means, as you said, of getting my name out. Hope this is useful to you, and keep the questions coming to increase your odds of winning a book!

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 6th, 2012 at 9:20 pm

Will do, Susan. I’ll let you know as soon as we get it fixed. Thanks for letting us know. Looking forward to speaking with you.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 7th, 2012 at 12:24 am

I have word from my assistant that it’s fixed.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 6th, 2012 at 3:13 pm

Hi Byron, I took the liberty of visiting your website, and I noticed that your book is a novel. While a solid platform is helpful for a novelist, it is not nearly as much of an issue as it is for a non-fiction expert. For a novelist seeking a publisher, it’s mainly about content. Publishers will be attracted to solid writing and great story, preferably one that is fresh, compelling and original. When you say you were unable to secure a publisher, it might have something to do with the methods you used (for a big house publisher, you should get an agent first) or if you did enough queries (even 100 might not be enough), and it’s also possible that the novel itself needs work. The great thing about doing a lot of queries is getting feedback. If you notice you get a lot of the same feedback from different agents, pay attention to that and take heed as to what they are saying. If you query over 50 agents who represent work in your genre and get back only form letters, that may be its own feedback to go back to the drawing board, maybe take some more writing classes and improve the work itself. I don’t know how many novels you’ve written, but most first novels suck. (Ask Stephen King, he’ll concur), so don’t let any of this frustrate you. I’m glad you reached out. I hope this helps you see where to focus your efforts next to get a better result.

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Byron Suggs Reply:
January 6th, 2012 at 11:13 pm

Thanks, Robin. 99% of the feedback I received only said it ‘didn’t fit their needs at this time’, so effectively, it wasn’t constructive for me at all (especially considering the small percentage of books accepted vs. those pitched.) The gist of my question concerned the fact that inspiring fiction authors are under the impression that a solid platform is needed in conjunction with a good book. The problem I was pointing out was that if you attempt to build a platform and cannot get a book deal after, say, a year, eventually that platform has little meaning to the author or the public, because the author, as the content provider / platform subject, has failed to deliver to his or her base.

I think this has a lot to do with the emergence of so many self-published authors. By controlling the process, they can accomplish the above and successfully grow their platform exponentially. Most importantly, they can deliver what their base is expecting.

Bottom line: if you promote yourself as an author/novelist in your platform, you eventually need to ‘author’ something.

Thanks. I appreciate you taking time to address my question.
PS…sorry for the double post.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 7th, 2012 at 12:29 am

Yes, I look at platform mostly from a non-fiction author perspective in which case you can develop your platform up to and through your publication date and it’s worth it, because you also are offering other things, coaching, training, products, speaking that are income generating AND help cultivate your audience. I suppose this is also possible for a fiction writer, but would require a bit more imagination. And I agree with you that at some point, you just might be better off self-publishing and earning that author status rather than waiting for acceptance by a publishing house. Thanks so much for your question and comments.

getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 3rd, 2012 at 10:00 pm

Hi Tony,
Great question! Yes, I believe that is a good way to assess a potential editor. When I am bidding a project, I do a short sample edit of 1-4 pages, so the author can see exactly my style and approach.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 2nd, 2012 at 7:34 pm

Hi Adwiti,

Most aspiring writers are in love with the idea of writing and spend a great deal more time fantasizing about writing than writing. Much like spiritual practice, the only solution that seems to work consistently is to set aside time each day to write, no matter what. So many successful writers have come to surrender to this conclusion that I can only believe that there is no other way, for if there were, someone would have found it by now.

If you haven’t yet found that discipline, there’s nothing like a deadline to push you into writing! Actually, deadlines can be quite handy. If you had a deal with a publishing house, they would expect you to meet their deadlines, so it’s not a bad idea to set deadlines with yourself, your coach, or a writing partner.

Bottom line, whether it’s developing a discipline, or pushing through to meet a deadline, the main thing is to write. As long as you’re writing, you’ll keep growing and moving ahead.

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Adwiti Reply:
January 7th, 2012 at 2:31 pm

Thank you!
Adwiti recently posted..GOOD EMOTIONAL HEALTH AND WELL BEING

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
December 30th, 2011 at 9:46 pm

I do agree, Dave to a point. I think both the eReaders and the traditional pulp books both have a role. My mother, well into her 60′s, has a Kindle and travels a lot. She’s downloaded and read over 145 books in just a few years. I doubt she would have carried that many books overseas in her suitcase. Still, I must say, I was heartened this holiday shopping season to note the longest lines I saw at any checkout were at Barnes & Noble. Not Bed, Bath and Beyond, not Target, Not DSW, but Barnes & Noble was the only one that had a line snaking through the store, patrons’ arms loaded with stacks of books. Bodes well for the future, I think.

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Adwiti Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 8:21 pm

I bought the kindle for traveling purposes and since then have downloaded many books in the e version, yet it compares not to that feel of the pages, the convenience of turning the page to exactly where you bookmarked to re-read a certain section. I agree yet we have to move with the times and embrace both worlds.
Adwiti recently posted..GOOD EMOTIONAL HEALTH AND WELL BEING

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
December 30th, 2011 at 9:49 pm

Hi Antony,
Well, I have an entire course dedicated to this one question (Build Your Author Platform under the Products tab on this site), but if I had to pick one, I’d say your Blog. Post to it, promote it, build traffic to it, engage your audience on it,. Done right, your Blog can be the keystone of your bridge to bestseller stardom.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
December 30th, 2011 at 12:40 am

Hi Lisa,

Great question. Without having the specific information about your situation, I’d say in most cases, the best scenario is to have at least some traction in the business before you write the book. For many reasons: 1) You will have concrete examples to include in the book. 2) Working with your clients will add clarity to your message. 3) The people you serve create a built-in demand for you book. 4) You can test your ideas on your clients and your audience. 5) You will have greater confidence in your ideas and your message when you see that it has already helped people. 6) You will have money from the business, so you can write your book from a place of abundance. 7) People will trust you as an author more if you are already established at least with a toe hold.

Bottom line: A book CAN help you grow your business, but it’s not there to do all the heavy lifting. More accurately, the work you do to promote your business can be a POWERFUL way to help build a demand for your book before it comes out.

Hope this helps and thanks for a great question!

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
December 26th, 2011 at 5:39 pm

Thanks, Veronique, for your question. I believe a lot of aspiring author struggle with this one. What you are facing isn’t writer’s block in its primary form of not knowing what to say. What you are experiencing is a crisis of faith. You know what to say, you’re just afraid it’s a waste of your time to say it. The answer to all of it is to get laser focused on growing an audience, a tribe, a demand for your book. Whether you self-publish or seek a publisher (and NO self-publishing is NOT always the best), you will be faced with that little matter called promoting your book and generating sales. The best time to start promoting your book is NOW. Before you finish writing it, and well before it’s published. We in the business call this developing an Author Platform. Whether or not you have a strong one is the single most accurate predictor of how well your non-fiction book will sell. Develop your platform as you write your book, and you will create three powerful advantages–1) you have your hand on the pulse of your audience, 2) a built-in demand for your book and 3) if you DO choose to seek a publisher, you have more leverage and bargaining power.

One additional thought, as to the unfinished projects. These are a real energy drain and need to be handled, so you can move forward. What I have seen in my experience is that this is often tied to perfectionism, fear of criticism and/or fear of “failure”–all fears shared by everyone. The difference is what you do with it. My coaching on this is to look over all your unfinished projects, decide which you are going to ax and completely drop (not all projects need to be finished), out of the one or two that you intend to complete, decide which one you will complete first and finish it, and get it out to the world. You are better off putting it out and having only your mother read it than you are keeping a backlog of productivity stored on your hard drive.

If you’d like some coaching to accelerate this, you can go here to set a Laser Coaching appointment http:getpublishedcoach.com/vip. Also, go to the products tab and check out my course Build Your Author Platform.

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Diana Morgan Reply:
January 8th, 2012 at 10:59 pm

Hi Roger,
There are definitely benefits to making changes in your blog post to improve your SEO traffic. There are also disadvantages.

Changing the Title of your Blog Post can improve your SEO, especially if you do the proper keyword research and find and use keywords that are more popular and relevant to your post. The down side to changing the title of your blog is with regard to the permalink.
Every blog post on the internet becomes its own website with its own URL called a permalink.

If your blog was just posted, and then you decide to change the title, you can change the title and permalink with very little negative impact and the positive impact will outweigh the negative. However, since every blog post is like a website with its own URL, (permalink), if you have had your blog posted for awhile and then you decide to change the title and the permalink, you might lose the Google ranking of the prior permalink. You might also lose your backlinks and any tracking to that blog post. Backlinks are created in many ways, including when people repost your blog post or refer to it and create a hyperlink back to your post.

An alternative solution is to change the title but leave the permalink unchanged. This will be fine if the new title is not that much different from the old title, maybe just a couple of new keywords. Then the permalink will hopefully be only slightly different.

You can optimize your post by changing the keywords in the first sentence, the first paragraph and the last paragraph. The first sentence of your blog post is what will appear in Google searches. It should be 160 characters and keyword rich. If it does end up being longer than 160 characters, make sure your point is made with keywords in the first 160 characters because everything after that 160 characters will be summed up with “…” Changing your keywords and content in the direction of becoming more for relevant for searches is always a good thing!
Diana Morgan recently posted..My Path from Corporate Employee to Successful Entrepreneur

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
January 9th, 2012 at 5:43 pm

Hi Roger, Sorry for the delay. I put this question to a friend who is an expert at blogging. Her response follows in comments.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
December 15th, 2011 at 8:19 pm

Hi Lynette,
The best thing to do is to look for group meetings, meet-ups, networking events, etc., people looking for speakers to fill their meeting calendar. Start out offering to speak for free. You can ask about the typical size of the audience when you call to pitch your talk. Work out in advance if you intend to make an offer at the end of the talk. Make sure you clear it with the organizer first. The best resource I know for this is Joe Sebah. http://www.joesabah.com/speak.html. Unfortunately, he is located in Denver, and his list of organizations that need speakers is Colorado focused, but maybe he would have some suggestions for you if you contact him.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
December 15th, 2011 at 8:05 pm

Hi Racheal,
Ah, the family memoir. Usually, unless your husband’s grandmother was famous or did something extraordinary, this type book falls into the “family heirloom” category, and the expectation should be to self-publish and print a few hundred copies to be distributed to extended family and close friends. This should have no impact on your professional writing career, as it is a personal matter.

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Racheal McGillivary Reply:
December 15th, 2011 at 8:17 pm

Well, she was born in a Nazi Camp since her mother was Polish, and has had a VERY interesting life to say the least. Thank you!
Racheal McGillivary recently posted..Cover Images Suck

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
December 15th, 2011 at 8:21 pm

That does sound interesting. I am sure it will be a wonderful keepsake and historical as well. What a gift you are giving her by writing it. Blessings.

getpublishedcoach Reply:
December 13th, 2011 at 7:27 pm

Hi Adwiti,

I believe that the best way to pick a structure for your book is first to look at your Author Personality, how you most naturally like to gather, process and share information. If you naturally tend toward organized, methodical thought, an instructional book style will feel natural to you. If you tend to be more symbolic, you may prefer to teach through story. The important thing is to pick a clear structure that will invite you to keep writing. If you are writing in the wrong structure for you, you will have a harder time moving through the natural resistance that comes up for every writer.

To best answer your question about your book’s best structure, I’ll need more information. I’d love to have you take my Author Personality Assessment and do a Laser Coaching session to figure out the best route to suit your personality as well as your material. If you’re interested, sign up for the Laser Coaching on http://getpublishedcoach.com/vip and I’ll hook you up with the Assessment.

As far as making a routine to write, I posted some great tips in answer to a question last week. Scroll down to the bottom of the Comments, and look for my answer to a question from Caly.

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Adwiti Reply:
December 14th, 2011 at 2:51 am

Thank you for taking the time to reply. Thank you so much. I will check into the laser coaching program. With appreciation and gratitude. Jai Bholeynath!
Adwiti recently posted..GOOD EMOTIONAL HEALTH AND WELL BEING

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
December 15th, 2011 at 8:05 pm

Wonderful. I look forward to speaking with you!

getpublishedcoach Reply:
December 12th, 2011 at 6:01 pm

Dear Lisa,

Yes, it is possible. In fact, it was done very effectively by Michael Gerber in The E-Myth Revisited where he wove the story of fictional Sarah, the pie maker, into his “how to” on turning the job you own into a business.

The tricky part is to build a narrative (Story Arc) that entertains and works and weave it in to just the right parts of the how to. Takes some coordinating, but certainly “do-able.”

I recommend in these cases to keep the story interesting, yet simple, or it easily can get out of hand.

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Lisa Reply:
December 13th, 2011 at 1:06 am

Hi Robin

That is really helpful! I don’t feel so embarrassed asking that question now. Would it then actually be considered a non-fiction because it’s a self-help book?

Additionally, would it be out of the question to create, say a 7-step process, that the character goes through to show how the process would pertain to the reader?

This would make the book writing process more fun for me, also considering what I learned initially after I took your course to determine the best book for me to write, i.e. a “fable”.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
December 13th, 2011 at 5:00 am

Yes, that can work. Read Gerber’s book. I think you will find it an excellent model.

getpublishedcoach Reply:
December 12th, 2011 at 5:57 pm

Hi Lisa,

I am not a trademark attorney, so I don’t think I’m the best person to answer what qualifies for a trademark legally. Try LegalZoom.com for answers to those questions. What I would say, though is, for most book titles, the copyright is enough. If it is a process or a series, a trademark would make more sense, but still may not be necessary. The big question is: are you so sure this is the name and so committed to seeing it through that it warrants the expense of the trademark right now? Sometimes, it’s better to wait and let the idea mature before taking that step, but if you would feel more comfortable protecting the name now, the added security may be worth the expense.

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Lisa Reply:
December 13th, 2011 at 1:15 am

Thank you very much Robin! I will try the link above. When you say even if the book is a series or a process that it may not even be necessary to trademark the title, I am curious about the reason if you want to elaborate even though I am aware this is not your specialty and understand if my question in this regard is not applicable.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
December 13th, 2011 at 5:10 am

Hi Lisa,
I think the trademark makes the most sense if you are planning to license the work. For example, if you are training and certifying others in your methods, and you need it to be protected, so that the certification is exclusive to your methods. Or creating an entire brand around the name, with spin off products, but lots of highly successful books (and methods) are protected under copyright, but not trademarked. Again, just my opinion.
If you want the best advice, consult an intellectual property attorney.

getpublishedcoach Reply:
December 8th, 2011 at 11:46 pm

Hi Millie,
Thank you for posting your question. I think you have waited long enough. Send them a letter reminding them of their last communication to you and tell them that they have until ___ (you set the date) to accept or decline, and if you do not hear back by that date, you will assume they have decided against and proceed to submit to other publications for consideration.
In the future, it is completely appropriate for you to say that you are offering first-dibs to them and indicate a deadline to respond before you offer it elsewhere. It may help light a fire. Give them a reasonable amount of time, but I don’t see a reason to sit on it more than 3 months. Hope this helps.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
December 8th, 2011 at 11:47 pm

Hi Jim,
I do know a woman who is great with info about non-profits. Sherita Herring. http://www.linkedin.com/in/sheritaherring
She is the best resource I know to find out about grants and what’s available.
Best of luck!

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
December 12th, 2011 at 5:47 pm

Hi Angela,

Sorry for the delay in responding to you. I have never used Create Space, so I have no direct experience. I did, however, do some checking, and I recommend you speak with my friend, Brian Schwartz, http://www.kindleexpert.com/. He has a lot of experience with Lightening Source and has checked out Create Space far more thoroughly than I, and I believe he is a better person to help you get the specific answers you need. Tell him I sent you.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
December 7th, 2011 at 4:54 am

Hi Ruth,
I may need a little more clarification to answer your question, but I’ll take a shot based on what you’ve written here.
First, distributors don’t print books, and you don’t need a distributor to be on Amazon, so I think we can let that one go.
When you say the book is being published, do you mean by a publisher? Did you sign a publishing contract? Because if so, they have the publishing rights, and you’ll have to convince them to re-design and reprint or to let you out so you can go do it on your own (unlikely they’ll agree to that) or wait it out until your contract expires and then go do it on your own or with another publisher. If you mean you are the publisher and it’s being printed, then you have more options. The first thing you would need to do is have the layout redone. Unfortunately, you can’t change the format and expect the present layout to still work. It’s no problem to find a printer who will print in a calendar or landscape format if they have the right file to work with. Heck, they’ll print a book shaped like a cheeseburger if you’ve got the file and are willing to pay for it. Does this answer your question? Let me know.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
December 7th, 2011 at 2:32 am

http://attractlovecoach.com/let-love-in-book#

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
December 7th, 2011 at 2:47 am

Hi Violaine,
Yes, this is a common dilemma among aspiring authors. I say, make your choice about your end game goals, not just about where you are now. The first question is–what do you want your book to do for your career and your business? Some goals point to a self-publishing model, others clearly call for being published by a major house. I am going to post a couple of articles on my blog that go into this in more detail. Be sure to check them out.

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getpublishedcoach Reply:
December 7th, 2011 at 3:16 am

Here I’ve added an article with more detail to help you. http://getpublishedcoach.com/self-publish-or-be-published

[Reply]

getpublishedcoach Reply:
December 6th, 2011 at 11:40 pm

Hi Lisa,

Thanks for writing. Yes, it’s vital that you know who you see reading your book. A shift in target audience can change the whole tone and thrust of your book.

My advice is to try two things to help you clarify your market.
1) Imagine who will benefit most from this book. Think out of all the people you know, if you could give it to only one, who would it be? Who would most appreciate it? Then identify their traits. Are they female? Male? How old? Education? Background? Attitudes? Values? Etc…
2) Find ways to start sharing some of the messages in your book. Blog, twitter, go out and speak to a local group for free, notice who responds. Notice how you feel when you share. Notice the kind of feedback you get.
It is good for you to embark on this journey of discovery before you get too far into the writing. Your book will have added dimension and relevancy to your reader once it’s finished.
Namaste.

[Reply]

Lisa Reply:
December 7th, 2011 at 2:47 am

Wow, you are so kind to respond like this Robin.
I feel so grateful for your response because you helped me clarify two things:
a) how vitally important it is to know exactly who would be the reader before writing the book, and,
b) how to figure it out, if I do not have a business yet.
I feel like I won the lottery!
Thanks again!
Lisa

[Reply]

getpublishedcoach Reply:
December 7th, 2011 at 4:56 am

My pleasure, Lisa. I’m so glad you found it helpful.

getpublishedcoach Reply:
December 6th, 2011 at 11:32 pm

Hi Marika,

FANTASTIC question. First, let me acknowledge the work you do. Such a service! I, myself had two miscarriages before I had my two beautiful children, so I get it. Next about the book–I think that you just need to stand behind it 100% and promote, promote, promote it. Your subject matter isn’t going to be “cheery” or “light,” but it can be moving, touching and inspiring, and people will buy that. It doesn’t need to be “popular” in the sense of “for everyone.” Your core audience is women who have recently lost a pregnancy or a baby. Your book promotion is a part of the on-going community outreach you can do to build awareness, so people are informed and know about you as a resource should the need arise. I’d say that you look for every opportunity in the media to get in on the conversation, numbers come out on infant mortality, you pitch a story, the government cuts medicaid funding for prenatal care, you pitch a story, a celebrity miscarries, you pitch a story and bring it back to, “this is a common problem that people don’t talk about and women suffer alone.”

I like the main title. One suggestion I have is to take a closer look at the sub-title. A sub-title for a book like this should communicate the KEY BENEFIT of reading the book. What is the big take-away for your reader? What are they going to get out of the book? We can’t tell from the subtitle if it is just a collection of sad stories or a resource, how-to cope, how-to heal. Your ability to sell the book will be significantly enhanced when your sub-title lets them know “What’s in it for me?”.

Hope this helps and thanks for your question!

[Reply]

getpublishedcoach Reply:
December 6th, 2011 at 9:21 pm

Hi Caly,
Thanks for your question. It’s a common challenge for writers, even I struggle during busy spells to set aside time to write. I’m going to share with you some secrets that help me stay committed to my writing, no matter what else is going on.
1) Write first: The best time to write in my world is first thing in the morning, preferably early, before the phone starts ringing, before the dogs want a walk, and before children need help with stuff.
2) Write first: Ha, ha, no, I am not being facetious, this Write First means, write BEFORE you check your email, log on to Facebook, Twitter or any other online distraction. THIS is the tricky one, because it’s oh, so easy to say, “I’m just gonna check my email real quick…” and look up two hours later only to see you’ve burned all your writing time.
3) Consistency: If you can, write every day, if you can’t do that, at least write at the same time when you do. Regardless, create a writing schedule and stick to it, because…
4) Train your mechanism: If you get into the habit of writing at the same time each day, you can train your muse, or your creative mechanism to show up when you do. This will reduce writer’s block and make your writing time more productive.
5) Get out of the way: Writing time is NOT a time to judge, massage or edit. It’s time to WRITE. Most of the novice writers I work with come in with the expectation that every word out of their brain is supposed to be brilliant and ready to publish. Well, were that the case, you would be Extra-extraordinary. ALL writers, even the great ones, write more shit than gems. A typical ratio is about 2/3 shit, 1/3 gems. The key is keep writing until you get down to the good stuff and have a great editor to help you separate the wheat from the chaff.
Hope this helps and thanks for the question!

[Reply]

Caly Reply:
December 7th, 2011 at 2:48 am

These are GREAT tips Robin. I look forward to CONSISTENTLY integrating them into my routine. Thank you SO MUCH! This “book” has been inside of me for years now.

[Reply]

getpublishedcoach Reply:
December 7th, 2011 at 4:57 am

Happy to hear it, Caly. Happy writing…