Tag: Publishing

Categories
Creative Writers

You Can Submit a Better Manuscript

Ulrike Hill, Writer's Support CEO
Ulrike Hill, Writer’s Support CEO

Becoming a best-selling author is the driving force behind every aspiring writer. Only the most determined make it.

Writer’s Support offers an advisory service to help bring your manuscript to the required standard for submission to a literary agent or publisher.  Once you have completed your book, company CEO, Ulrike Hill advises you to follow these three steps.

 

Step 1: Manuscript Appraisals

The first step is getting advice. Many writers feel feedback from family and friends is enough. It isn’t. Neither is the opinion of another published author. Writers should engage the services of a writing professional who is experienced in appraisals.

A comprehensive 9 to 15-page report highlights the best parts of your manuscript. It also draws attention to weaknesses. The appraiser assesses quality. This saves you time and money. Writers, whether experienced or novice, can benefit from a critical reading of their work.

  magnifyin glass

Step 2: Editing

Editing is about looking at the bigger picture. It is about reviewing your manuscript as a whole. There are two levels of editing:

The first level will focus merely on the content, structure, language and style of the manuscript.

The next level of editing is more complicated and requires skill and diplomacy. The editor advises on storyline and character development and makes recommendations. Often these recommendations include deleting characters, part of a story or even changing the story. The insecure writer may not understand the recommendations and see this as a sign of weakness. You, the writer, reserve the right to listen to these recommendations.

Another dimension of the editing process is the manuscript restructure. The editor will organise your storyline and important story points in a logical sequence. Chapters will be structured in a way to grab the reader’s attention.

 Step 3: Proof reading

The proof-reader scans and highlights spelling, sentence structure and grammar. The proof-reader looks at the correctness of the text with a magnifying glass. This should be the final step once editing, formatting and manuscript layout is complete.

Typos and misplaced punctuation creep into manuscripts. Submitting a polished, error-free manuscript puts you one-step ahead of the pack. It shows publishers you respect them. It also shows you are serious about becoming a writer.

Ulrike Hill Writing Projects

Tackling the Brickwall, Overcoming Adversity in Schoolboy Rugby (Crink)

Debbie Calitz: 20 Years of Hostage Hell (Penguin)

Against All Odds with Wayne and Rebecka Smith (Austin Macauley Publishers)

Ulrike has ghost-written for celebrities who have chosen to write under a pseudonym.

Need help with your manuscript? Email your manuscript to writer@ulrikehill.co.za.

Categories
Creative Writers

5 tips to market your book

Although this article is aimed at indie authors, authors pursuing the traditional publishing route can benefit from the advice. Publishing is changing and many blame the digital era. If anything, this offers more opportunities to pursue a writing business without enormous capital outlay.

reviews

Writing is a business, like any other business. If you are a start-up, you have to earn credibility and a reputation. You have to invest time and money marketing your business.

The same goes for pre-published author. Readers gravitate towards authors they know and trust. It take time and many books to establish yourself and to ensure your book fids it way to the front shelf of the bookstore. Jodi Picoult famously quipped, “It took me ten years to become an overnight success.” If ten years is too long for you then best you pack your laptop away and do something else. As a pre-published author, you will need to invest in the business side of your book.

 Here are my top five marketing tips for authors:

 

  1. Establish a social media presence.

Social media is the quickest and cost-effective way to market. Many authors like EL James and Amanda Hocking promoted their books through their blogs and were then snatched up by publishers. Create your online presence before you start writing. The sooner the better. Many of the bigger publishers are including this as a contractual obligation.

  1. Create a database.

While you are researching and writing your book, create a database of people who have expressed an interest in your book. Keep their interest by emailing interesting facts about your book. Link your database to your blog.

  1. Get book reviews.

Book reviews are an important part of marketing. Ensure that you approach a reputable reviewer. Reviewers do not charge for their reviews but you will need to provide a copy of your book either as a hard copy or as an e-book.

  1. Create a pitch.

Create a 10-second pitch that provides the essence of the book and captures the reader’s attention. Ensure that when someone asks what your book is about, you can deliver the pitch faultlessly. Ensure that you have a 30-second pitch ready if they want to know more.

  1. Write articles.

This is one way to practice your business writing skills and to establish yourself as knowledgeable about your book’s subject matter. For example, if a character in your book has cancer, write articles about your research. Post your articles on your blog, submit them to magazines and newspapers or ask to be a guest writer on a popular writing blog.

 

The above list is not exhaustive but it does provide some ideas for you. Remember, marketing is the business part of your book and it takes careful planning and enormous commitment.

Categories
Creative Writers

The Publishing Game

Publishing is changing. Technology, recession and social issues like saving the trees, are affecting the publishing industry. People who earn their living from producing and selling books are facing many challenges.

What does this mean to the pre-published writer? A lot, according to Trish Gentry who recently published a post on her blog, Chicklit. Her blog, ‘An Unpublished Author’s Perspective on Paying to be Published’ highlights the challenges she has faced trying to get her first book published.

Gentry has paid her publishing dues in money, time and tears. She has spent large chunks of time writing her book. No an easy feat as any first-time writer will attest to.

The next step was paying someone to edit her book. Gentry knew this would enhance her chances of becoming published. She admits she is an unknown, has no credibility. With edited book in hand, Gentry spent hours researching publishers who have accepted authors in the genre she has written. She submits her manuscript. And waits. And waits. Hopefully she will receive a request or rejection. She admits that she has more chance of winning the sweepstakes. Not because she is a bad writer. It is because she is a new writer.

The safe game

Publishers are playing the safety game. The safety catch is firmly in place before they will commit to a pre-published writer. Why? Because publishing is expensive. There are no guarantees. Recession has taught people to be cautious with their money. Readers will more than likely purchase a book written by a known author. The established author will have prime spot in the retailer. Where will the unknown’s book be positioned? Probably in the dusty recesses of the shop, next to the forgotten gems of yesteryear.

So why do people still feel it is important to go the traditional published route? Gentry admits that publishers and agents do have clout. They know the book game. And it is a status thing for a writer to say ‘I was published by [insert your choice of publisher here]’.

Consider this: once the production costs have been deducted, the agent has taken their commission and the publisher has sliced their pound of flesh; you the writer may get R12 per copy sold. Is it worth the effort?

Why self-publishing works for the pre-published author

Amanda Hocking, self-published writer of a supernatural series, earned her money from selling her books online. Hocking decided to self-publish after being continuously rejected and being told that the supernatural market was oversubscribed. An international publisher is now interested in her books. Why? Because her self-published ebooks have earned her a cool million dollars. She has credibility and is now considered a low risk.

There are many options for the newbie author to follow. The traditional publishing route is not the only way to get people to read your book. Research the market. Understand genres and their story-lines. Ensure that your book is as close to perfect as possible. Spend the money on attending writing courses and editing. Publish it online. Spend some more money promoting. Get a social media presence. Test the waters. See what readers and reviewers say about your book. Once you understand this process, you may realise why publishers are nervous about the future of publishing. You may also earn more money this way.

 

Ulrike Hill
First published on www.writerswrite.posterous.com
23rd February 2012
Follow Scrumcaps and Sideline Snippets on my blog: www.ulrikehill.blogspot.com

Tackling the Brickwall (Overcoming adversity in schoolboy rugby) is available from

www.exclus1ves.co.za

www.feathercommunications.co.za

www.kalahari.com (eBook)