The Writers Blog
Home Blog About Contact Advertise Archives Links/Resources
January 10, 2008
January 10, 2008 - Maya Reynolds was the speaker at the January meeting of the Dallas Area Writers Group (DAWG.) She is the former Vice President for Operations for a Dallas corporation with more than 1,200 employees. In her talk she described how she systematically learned about the publishing industry in order to improve her chances to get her novel published. Her talk was titled “Everything You Need To Know About Publishing.”
Some decades ago many of the publishers were privately owned or controlled by single companies. They were able to select authors with potential and work with them for several books to develop them into successful writers. The world is a little different now. Most imprints are now owned by only seven worldwide mega-companies. That means the when you see the "publishers" name on the spine, it is really an imprint of a larger company.
The result of this consolidation of publishers is that these corporations are looking for profits. Since they are publicly traded companies they have to show some profitability every quarter. That means that its harder to pick up beginning writers and develop them. They want someone who is going to make money right out of the gate. That doesn't mean that new authors are out of the picture -- but there are more hoops that a new author need to go through. Publishers want to know how you are going to promote your book -- do you have any "platform" that will promote your book -- such as a blog? Are you a speaker? Do you teach, do you speak at conferences?
This is what an author should know -- he or she must also be a marketer -- you've got to have a plan to promote your book. That means that you need to have some convincing arguments in your book query or proposal.
The myth that you can publish as book then sit back and watch it sell is just that -- a myth. Get used to it. Begin establishing a name for yourself somehow, some way before you even send a query. Start a blog, become an expert, speak at local and national meeting, teach seminars -- do what ever it takes to get your name in the public eye. I don't recommend the following scenarios -- but I remember that recently in the news there was a "runaway bride" who was offered a book deal and there was some guy who stayed in a Wal-mart for 48 hours who made national news and got a book deal to describe what he did during that time. Those are extreme ways to get noticed, but it does give you an example of how being a "celebrity' (even for 15 minutes) can help get you a book deal. I wonder if I should stay at the local Seven-Eleven for 49 hours -- sipping on Slurpees and observing the late night customers to make a name for myself? Nah -- I don't like Slurpees that much.
For a good read...
ISBN: 978-0-7656-1821-4
Meets Every 2nd Tuesday. Click for more info.
