Yesterday’s teleclass “Books are NOT Dead! 5 Steps You Can Take to Publish Now” ROCKED! Here is just some of the feedback I’ve gotten already:

“As always, it’s a pleasure listening in on your talks about publishing and the writing business.” –Joey Naudic

“Really enjoyed the conference call. It was informative, well organized and filled with useful insights.”–Jenna Rosen

“I thought the call today was amazing! I’m was extremely inspired and motivated with all the information you shared. It is a strong confirmation that I’m doing the right things at the right time. I’m still in awe!!! I’m trying to calm down inside! This is an exciting time!” –Yolanda Berry

“I appreciated your time today and am seriously considering putting some audio (and maybe even video) on the blog because of what you mentioned. Thanks again!” –Alicia Sample

If you were unable to make yesterday’s tele-class about what you can do right now to publish in today’s market, here is the audio recording. 

5 Steps You Can Take Right Now to Publish

 You can also hear the replay by dialing (641) 715-3412, Access Code 171279#.

More articles and blog posts about the future of the publishing industry have been written in the past two weeks than I can ever remember reading (and I spend 2-3 hours per day reading industry news). The massive layoffs at the major houses, cutbacks or freezes on manuscript acquisitions and gloomy sales reports have many predicting the fall of the industry and the end of books.

Considering that I have been in this industry over 30 years and love books, these gloomy forecasts might have made me sad, but I’m not. Not at all. I am JUICED at the prospect of some real change in an industry that has operated in an outdated model for years. (Of course, I am compassionate for those who lost jobs, but there are other jobs, and much work to do for those who are committed to their own success and the future of book publishing.)

Looking to other creative industries, we have the models for change. I believe the salvation of the industry lies with the creators of the written word, not the publishers. Publishing has been slow to recognize the value of independent authors, unlike the music and film industries where indie artists are revered. I’ve attended writers conferences for decades and the message was always that it’s hard to get published, but follow our rules, even though we probably won’t accept your work anyway.

Faced with that bleak advice, many authors looked to other outlets for their message and found them in the form of self-publishing via print on demand, ebooks, blogs, spoken word, podcasts and books on cell phones. Yes, in the beginning quality was shaky and not of comparable quality to what the big houses put out, but all that has changed.  ”Nothing can stop an idea whose time has come,” said Victor Hugo. The technology has made it possible and now authors finally have the opportunity to connect directly with their readers, a strategy that has been hugely successful in the music industry.

When I look ahead my vision is clear and hopeful about the direction of the industry and the future of publishing. We are entering the Age of the Author. Whoohoo!

Do you need an agent? And what do they want, anyway?
From the feedback I receive from writers, contacting an agent or editor to submit your work is much harder than writing the book! Do you need these mysterious gatekeepers? And what should you send them? Here are some answers to the questions that keep popping up in my email and at the classes and seminars I teach.

Do I need an agent if I’m not planning to self-publish?
No, it’s not necessary to have an agent to get your work published, although it is true that most large publishing houses will only review manuscript submitted by agents. However, many small to mid-size publishers will review your work without an agent. Submitting to a publisher who accepts queries directly from writers can cut down on the length of time it will take to get your work published, since finding an agent can be a lengthly process. In general, however, you can expect much smaller (or no) advance against royalties when working with small to mid-size publishing houses.

What should I send to an agent (editor or publisher) when I am submitting my work?
The answer is to follow the submission guidelines. Every agency, publication and publishing house has specific submission policies. What you should send depends on whether you are seeking publication of an article or a book, and whether your book is fiction or nonfiction. Typically, you will be asked to submit a query letter to explain your work and provide some information about yourself and writing qualifications.

You may also be asked to provide clips, a synopsis or outline, a book proposal and/or sample chapters, depending on the nature of your work.

Do I send my whole manuscript to an agent, and do I need to include a cover letter?
Include a cover letter with every correspondence, even if it is by email. Don’t ever send a complete manuscript unless requested.

When submitting your work, format your manuscript properly. Use these guidelines to format your manuscript. (If submitting electronically, ignore the references to paper.)

Do:
–Use white bond paper (20 lb. stock minimum)
–Use Times Roman or Courier 12 pt. type only
–Type on one side of the paper only
–Double space (single space poetry)
–Use paragraph indents
–Use paper clips only to secure your manuscript
–At the top each page (except page 1), put the page number, your last name, book or article title

Don’t:
–Justify the right margin
–Add extra space between paragraphs
–Bind or staple your manuscript
–Put your manuscript in a folder
–Try to be cute or flashy with your presentation

Remember, agents and editors receive thousands of submissions and are looking for excuses to discard most of them. They will dump anything that doesn’t follow guidelines. Don’t let your hard work end up in the slush pile or circular file on looks alone.

I’ll admit to using the title question as a play on words. The “one sheet” I’m referring to is a marketing tool, not a single page of manuscript. Speakers have been using one sheets for years, but it’s a relatively new item for writers who traditionally have relied on bios, summaries, reviews and press releases to promote their work. If you’re not getting the results you want from your promotional efforts, you may want to try a new format for presenting your material.

A one sheet can actually be two-sided, but essentially it’s a brief summary that encapsules the essence of the author, book and topic or message. It’s a handy-dandy item that can be faxed (least desirable), emailed or downloaded from your website. You can mail or email one sheets to introduce yourself to the media, bookstores and/or any audience that you want target.

The content you include in your one sheet will vary according to your specific purpose, but it should contain the following:

1. Book cover image, ISBN number, retail price and ordering information.
2. Short synopsis or summary of the book.
3. Your photo, brief bio relevant to the book and contact information (website, email, phone number, publicist’s or agent’s info, etc)
4. Quotes or excerpts from reviews, testimonials or endorsements.

Additionally, you can tailor the one sheet to represent your other functions. Are you a coach, speaker or consultant? Add a section with the titles and descriptions of services, seminars or presentations you offer.

One sheets can be created in Microsoft Word or in graphic programs such as Adobe Photoshop or InDesign. The final document must be converted to pdf so it can be easily be read online, downloaded or emailed. Making a pdf also preserves your fonts so that even when the document is opened on someone else’s computer, it will still look the same as you intended. (A pdf is read online in Adobe Reader, a program that anyone can download for free and most people already have installed on their computers.)

Adair Cates, author of Live Your Intention: Ten Steps to Creating the Life of Your Dreams, has three one-sheets, each tailored to a specific audience. Adair has become a master at promotion on a shoe-string budget, doing much of the work herself. It’s paid off in a big way for her and the response she has garnered has paved the way to creating a video featuring her book and speaking. She has also posted video clip and photos from the many media interviews she has arranged.

Adair is not trained as a graphic designer or media specialist, so she invested the time to find out what other successful authors and speakers were doing and then did what she needed to do to get the same results. More often than not, publishing success requires learning new skills, stepping out of comfort zones and experimenting with new strategies. If you need assistance with the graphic presentation, hire a graphic designer to help you produce a document with a professional flair.

So, spice up your presentation with a new look. One sheets are a simple, inexpensive and effective way to transmit your message. And you may find that the new approach can make a big difference in the response you receive.

“Author Talks” telephone interview series debuts Tuesday, October 7, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET with Deborah Sharp, author of the Mace Bauer Mystery series. Her first book, Mama Does Time (Midnight Ink), has an October 1, 2008 release date. So we are very fortunate to catch up with her just as she begins her whirlwind book tour and activity. Deb will share valuable writing and publishing tips and will take questions from those on the call. This is a don’t-miss opportunity to learn insider secrets and get answers from someone who has been there and done that. Deb is a former USA Today reporter who gave up the daily newspaper grind to pursue her dream of writing novels, and after some trial and error (which she’ll share with you), landed a two-book contract for her Mace Bauer Mystery series.

The event is free (long distance charges apply), but you must register for the call. Do it now because “seating” is limited to 90 people. If you sign up for the call and can’t make it, you will be mailed a link to the audio recording the following day. No excuses! Register now!

Before you write even one word of your novel or nonfiction book, your first step should be to identify your target audience. Ask yourself, “Who will read my book?” (BTW, the answer is NOT “Anyone who can fog a mirror.”)

Marketing experts, literary agents and book editors all agree that the more specific you can be about your audience, the more likely that your work will be saleable. Guidelines for defining your readership include the answers to these basic questions:

What is their gender?
What is their age range?
What is their economic bracket?
What is their level of education?
Where do they live?
What do they want and need?
What do magazines/newspapers do they read?
What are their favorite TV shows and/or radio programs?
What Internet sites do they visit?
What social networking sites do they use?

Armed with this knowledge, you can target your writing by “talking” directly to your audience. For example, you would use different tone and words when writing to a senior audience than to teens; women rather than men; techno-savvy vs. computer newbies, etc. Highly targeted writing with idioms and phrases the audience wll recognize is far more effective than bland, “this has to appeal to everyone” writing.

In addition, knowing the habits and haunts of your readers enables you to find them and market your work! A previous post highlighted how one author googled three words that described his target audience, found and joined the discussion groups where his would-be readers chatted, and drove enough traffic to his website to secure a publishing contract for his novel. Other steps you might take include writing articles for the publications your audience reads, commenting on popular blogs about your topic or subject, speaking at professional associations or memberships groups where your readers are found, and so on.

A last, but not final, reason to know your readers is so you can position yourself and your work to provide new/different information, solution to a problem or entertaining material for their enjoyment. Writing that caters to the readers’ interests and needs is an almost sure winner in any market.

Do you have a publishing dream? Have you written it down? Articulated and visualized what publishing success means to you? Good! (I’m envisioning you all nodding your heads, “yes.”)

So, how’s it going? Are you closer than you were a year ago, or do you feel you’re spinning your wheels? (My guess is that my reading audience just split into two groups: one group is smiling, the other group is frowning.)

My “guess” is not a random supposition. After 30+ years of working with writers as an editor, consultant and publisher, I’ve seen many writers succeed while others fail. The difference between the groups is rarely due to talent alone. Successful authors share five traits that separate them from the wannabes. And, here they are:

The 5 Traits of All Successful Authors
1. Successful authors have a personal mission. Their writing stems from a deep need to share their personal passion with the world.

2. Successful authors are persistent. They do not let setbacks or rejection stop them. They develop an attitude of persistence rather than resistance.

3. Successful authors make educating themselves about their craft and the publishing industry part of their plan for success. They subscribe to trade magazines and ezines, attend writers’ conferences and workshops, and take writing classes or join writers’ critique groups.

4. Successful authors invest in coaching and other programs to get professional feedback on their work. They understand that critique is not criticism and are open to the feedback they receive.

5. Successful authors have an upbeat attitude. They don’t have a laundry list of excuses (circumstances) to explain why they are not successful. They understand they have to figure out a way around the obstacles and turn them into opportunities.

No one is born with these traits, but anyone can develop the characteristics of a successful author. It’s up to you to decide if you want to do the work. Choosing to put your efforts into other endeavors and enjoy your writing just for the pleasure of it is a perfectly acceptable decision. But, if you are driven to see your name in print or on a book cover, then start developing these traits and you will see your dreams come true.

Here are 6.5 Self-Publishing Myths that Need Busting:
(Read Myths 1-3 here. )

4. Self-published books look unprofessional and have many errors. This can easily be avoided by becoming knowledgeable about the publishing process, working with a professional editor and book designer on your own, or by working with a reputable POD provider who supplies these services. Many of today’s self-published books are indistinguishable from those published by the big publishing houses.
5. A self-published book will help you get a traditional publisher. Although many self-publishers have experienced this success, don’t self-publish for this reason alone. Many publishers won’t publish previously published material. And many agents advise writers not to even mention self-published works in their query letters unless thousands of copies have sold.
6. Self-published books don’t sell. Self-published books that are marketed properly sell as well as traditional books that are marketed properly. Do you know that most first-time authors published by a traditional company don’t make back their advances? Or that most titles by new authors don’t sell 5,000 copies, despite their New York publishing house labels? Having a traditional publisher is no guarantee of sales. And, if your book doesn’t sell enough copies to cover your advance, what do you think your chances of garnering another publishing contract will be?
6.5. You can’t make money self-publishing. In general, most authors, self-published or traditionally published, don’t support themselves on book sales alone. Unless your book is an Oprah Book Club selection (or picked for the Richard & Judy Book Club if you’re in the UK) or you have a long list of bestsellers like Steven King or JK Rowling, you will have to supplement your income from book sales. Many authors use their books as a stepping stone to consulting and speaking or sell rights to their work to be produced as movies or TV programs. Self-published authors have as much of a chance to these sources of income as traditionally published authors and many earn thousands of dollars each year from their self-published works.

Publishing is a business, and like any business, there’s no one right way to do it. When you keep an open mind to all possibilities, you will find the right answer for you.

“No army can stop an idea whose time has come.” –Victor Hugo

Despite naysayers and criticism from those entrenched in traditional publishing bureaucracy, self-publishing is here to stay as a viable publishing option. The technology is here, the desire is fueling the revolution and this industry is experiencing a wake-up call in a big way. Last year, 400,000 books were published (up from 300,000 in 2006). The industry saw approximately 195,000 new titles and between 8,000 and 11,000 new publishers, mostly self-publishers. Does this sound like a passing fancy to you?

My husband saw the same resistance in his photography business when digital technology started replacing film. Some photographers he knew dug in their heels and refused to learn about the new equipment. Most of them are out of business now, of course. I don’t understand why people are so resistant to change.

For those of us who write, the digital print-on-demand (POD) technology is like a birthday present. Don’t refuse the gift before you’ve had a chance to try it on for size. The beauty of POD printing is that you can economically print one book at a time, so now people who just want to publish a cookbook as a fundraiser for their organizations or a memoir for their families can do so and still have money left to donate to charity or leave to the grandkids.

On a larger scale, POD technology provides an opportunity for millions of people who feel they have an important message they want to share with the world to do it without waiting the two to four years it typically takes an author to move through idea to published book via traditional methods. This doesn’t mean self-publishers should run roughshod over all rules and practices that traditional publishing has forged in the process or–as the saying goes–throw the baby out with the bath water.

Success in any business requires an education. To help you learn more about your options, I’m going to be focusing on self-publishing and POD technology in upcoming weeks. I began last week with an article written to dispel some of the popular misconceptions about self-publishing. My next post will contain Part 2 of busting through the myths.