Get Known Before the Book Deal

Christina Katz is now blogging at Christinakatz.com

It's 2010 and it's time for a cool change: I'm now blogging in one place instead of several.

Please come and find me at my new digs: http://christinakatz.com.

And while we're both thinking of it, would you please update your blog links to http://christinakatz.com?

2010 is going to be an exciting adventure.

I'd love to hear what you think of my new blog. Meet me over there, okay?

Thanks and Happy New Year!

Book Promotion Tips from the Pros: Featured Author Allison Winn Scotch

By Cindy Hudson

 

Allison Winn Scotch has had two novels on the New York Times Bestseller's List: Time of My Life and The Department of Lost and Found. She's currently working on a third novel called The One That I Want, due out in June of next year. Scotch also writes celebrity profiles for national magazines; she lives in New York City with her husband, two kids, and their dog, Pedro.
 
Q. What can authors do before their publication date to make a book launch more successful?
 
A. I think the best thing you can do (when writing fiction) is get your name and face out there -- on the blogosphere, on Twitter, on various other online outlets -- as a brand. To be honest, I'm not even sure that it's about getting your BOOK out there as much as it is your name coupled with your personality. I feel like a lot of my success is because I'm pretty communicative with readers, and in some way, they feel like (rightly enough) they know me. And since they know me, they root for me, and since they root for me, they're likelier to pick up one of my books. So, pre-launch, I'd just advise getting out there as much as you're comfortable with; these days, it's pretty easy to develop some sort of recognizable presence, especially online, and you can do it from the comfort of your own home.
 
Q. What do you like best about promoting your books?
 
A. I interact a lot with readers and book buyers, and I truly enjoy this. Twitter is a heck of a lot of fun, for example. I also enjoy doing Q/As with bloggers, and hearing feedback from readers on the books and what I have to say during those Q/As. I get a lot of e-mail, and I try to respond to all of it, though a few do occasionally slip through the cracks.
 
Q. What is one mistake you made promoting your first book that you would recommend others avoid?
 
A. Hmmm, that's a tough one. I guess that it's believing that promotion can change everything...which I know, probably isn't the ideal answer for this Q/A! BUT, promotion is fabulous...to a point. And sure, you do everything you can to sell the heck out of your book, but if that's all that happens, that you hear from readers, that you sell a few copies, be okay with that. I think a lot of writers feel a huge let-down when their books don't eclipse the bestseller list, despite having really, really promoted it. The behind-the-scenes truth is that it takes A LOT of factors to make a book take off. Yes, promotion is one of them, but there are a lot of things that are out of your control as well. So go out and promote, and enjoy it and be okay with whatever success -- big or small -- it brings.
 
Q. Can you share your top three book promotion tips for first-time authors?
 
1.   Don't be afraid to toot your own horn. No one is going to do it for you, and if you don't serve as your own best advocate, no one else will either.
2.   Don't be annoying while tooting said horn. I always try to have a sense of humor and be a little bit self-deprecating while singing my own praises, whether on Twitter or Facebook or via e-mail. I think people appreciate hearing about your successes while knowing that you don't take said successes too seriously.
3.   Don't be afraid to call in favors and use your connections. People are often happy to help you out or take a look at the book with the potential to help you out, but if you don't ask, it will never happen.
 
Q. Is there something you would say is never too late to do when promoting your book?
 
A. I'd say that it's never too late to reach out to readers and make new fans. I now have a backlist of books that certainly plenty of people missed the first time out and I truly believe that in getting to know me, some of them will go back and read these. Every sale is worth something, even if it's a few years down the line!

 

Cindy Hudson is the author of Book by Book: The Complete Guide to Creating Mother-Daughter Book Clubs (Seal Press 2009). Her website, and its companion blog, feature reading lists, book reviews, author interviews, book giveaways and other book club resources. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Portland, Oregon, where she writes weekly for The Oregonian. Visit her online at MotherDaughterBookClub.com and CindyHudson.com.

Upcoming Classes with Qualified Instructors

Register Now for Winter Classes That Begin on January 13th

Now includes both regional and national markets!
Writing and Publishing The Short Stuff
Especially For Moms (But Not Only for Moms!)
With Christina Katz
Class Begins January 13, 2010
Prerequisites: None
Finally, a writing workshop that fits into the busy lives of moms! You will learn how to create short, easy-to-write articles-a skill that will make it easier to move up to longer, more time-consuming articles when you're ready. Try your pen at tips, fillers, short interviews, list articles, how-tos, and short personal essays-all within six weeks. Now includes markets!
Cost: $250.00
More/Register at www.christinakatz.com


Personal Essays that Get Published
With Abigail Green
Class Begins January 13, 2010
Prerequisites: None
The popularity of reality shows, blogs, and tell-all books proves that it pays to get personal these days. Whether you want to write introspective essays, short humor pieces, or first-person reported stories, your life is a goldmine of rich material that all kinds of publications are pining for. Personal Essays that Get Published will teach you how to get your personal experiences down on the page and get them published. Students will learn how to find ideas, hone their voice, craft solid leads and endings, reslant their work for different markets, and submit their essays for publication.
Cost: $250.00
More/Register at www.christinakatz.com


Updated and Improved!
Turn Your Specialty Into Course Curriculum
With Christina Katz
Class Begins on January 13th
Prerequisites: Former student or Permission from Instructor. Recommended before CSNBP.
I bet you have worked long and hard to discover your specialty, narrow the focus of your expertise, and build your credibility, so shouldn't you also develop a course curriculum that you can use as the starting point for years of teaching and learning from your students? I have been doing this for eight years and in this six-week class, I will share all of the insights I have learned so you can create your own class, including strategies for cultivating a following of students who succeed. This is probably the most important class I teach because it helps writers make the most of the expertise they already have.
Cost: $399
Register at www.christinakatz.com


Coming Classes:

Pitching Practice: Write Six Queries in Six Weeks
With Christina Katz
Class Begins May 12th
Prerequisites: WPSS with published clips or permission from the instructor.
In this writing class, pitching is all you do. Each week, you will study a successful writer's query and create your own list of steps to follow. You will receive a three-page worksheet weekly, which will provide helpful ideas and checklists to help you systematize your query writing process and increase your productivity.
Cost: $250.00
More/Register at www.christinakatz.com


Updated and Improved!
Craft A Saleable Nonfiction Book Proposal
With Christina Katz
Class Begins on March 3rd
Prerequisites: Former student or Permission from Instructor.
Most writers underestimate the comprehensiveness needed to craft a saleable book proposal that will garner the interest of agents and editors. They also mistake the definition of platform and importance of aligning their proposal to a solid track record. A two-time author, Christina has helped hundreds of nonfiction writers succeed over the past seven years. Now she's making her proposal-writing advice available in a six-week e-mail course to aspiring authors who want to nail the proposal the first time around. The best way to craft a short, tight proposal that will impress agents and editors is with the help of a seasoned professional.
Cost: $399.00
Register at www.christinakatz.com


NOW OFFERING ONGOING SUPPORT FOR FORMER STUDENTS VIA DREAM TEAMS!

Read the updated information and register here.

Invest In Your Writing Career Today
& Reap Greater Rewards Tomorrow.

Intro to Social Networking: Blog Your Way to a Fresh Website and New Connections

By Meryl K. Evans

"I write a blog, also called weblog," I said.
 
"Huh?" Every friend would respond as if I spoke a foreign language.
 
These conversations took place somewhere between 2000 and 2002. Sometime after that, I didn't feel silly or awkward admitting I had a blog. The blog started out as a personal one as they all did at the time. Gradually, it morphed into a web design blog then finally settling to business, tech, and writing. Maybe it'll be something else in two years, or not. I like where I am today.
 
Blogging falls into the spectrum of social networking. In its earlier days, not so much. Blogs didn't have comments or plug-ins for connecting your website to a social network.
 
Is Blogging Still Relevant?
 
You can update your status in Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks. They also come with tools so you can write longer notes. So, does that mean writers don't need to bother with blogging? No. Blogging still has value. Here are six ways blogging can help you.
 
1. Keep website content fresh: Search engines love content receiving regular updates. Writers, specifically those working alone, tend to be the only ones updating their own websites. Blog a couple of times a week, and you have hot piping content.
 
2. Share valuable information: Bloggers who give away information that helps or educates others earn trust and authority. You buy from or hire those you know and trust, don't you?
 
3. Support marketing efforts: Blogging and social media activities all contribute to your marketing efforts. These help you get out there, mingle, and connect. Blogging is also a way to market your platform.
 
4. Build your platform: Whether or not you have a book coming, you need to start building your platform now. That's how you stand out from the line of writers knocking on agents and publishing houses' doors. If you come already packaged with a platform, name recognition, and expertise, the doors are more apt to crack open.
 
5. Host a party at your e-home: Though visiting and interacting on other people's blogs does you lots of good, it's helpful to have a blog you call home and link back to when you post elsewhere.
 
6. Practice writing: You have no constraints when it comes to your blog. You can make it whatever you want it to be. Unlike writing assignments and projects, you don't have to meet a word limit or a deadline (other than consistent updates).  And you can keep every word, phrase, and sentence you want without worrying about the editor's scissors.
 
Should You Blog?
 
In spite of the benefits of having a blog, it doesn't mean you must have one. If you can't commit to regular updates and parting with your wisdom, then blogging may not be an ideal tool for you.
 
Instead, you can take advantage of social networking tools by interacting with other sites and linking back to your website rather than a blog. Many best-selling authors don't have a blog or one that offers regular updates. Consider your goals and business plan when deciding if you should start a blog.
 
One thing is for sure, people will know what you're talking about when you say "Blog."
 
 
Meryl K. Evans is the author of Brilliant Outlook Pocketbook, co-author of Adapting to Web Standards: CSS and Ajax for Big Sites and contributor to many others. The long-time blogger and gamer has written and edited for a bunch of places online and off. A native Texan, she lives a heartbeat north of Dallas in Plano, Texas with her husband and three kiddos. Though born in silence, she tries to show that deaf people are just like everyone else. Follow Meryl on Twitter at @merylkevans.

I WOULD LOVE TO MEET YOU IN PERSON!

Here's a list of 2010 events where we can connect in-person:

Digital Book World
New York, NY
January 26 - 27
Panelist: "Get Noticed! Earn Attention for Every Book"
More info


Private Workshop: Power Up Your Platform for the Internet Age
January 31st
Location: Wilsonville Public Library, Rose Room
Time: 2 - 5 p.m.
3-hour workshop
Increase your visibility and influence based on your personal strengths and balancing offline and online strategies.
More info/register


The Associated Writing Programs Conference
April 7 - 10
Denver, Colorado
The Colorado Convention Center
More info


The American Society of Journalists & Authors Writer's Conference
April 24-25
NYC, NY
More info


Oklahoma Writers Federation Conference
April 29 - May 1
Embassy Suites Hotel
Oklahoma City, OK
More info

Fund Your Writing Projects: Featured Money Magnet Jackie Battenfield

By Gigi Rosenberg

 

When artist Jackie Battenfield decided she wanted to write a book, she did what many authors don't do: She made a budget for how much the book was going to cost her to write.

The idea for the book, The Artist's Guide: How to Make a Living Doing What You Love, was born out of the professional development workshops she taught for artists. "Writing a book was the last thing I wanted to do," she said recently from her home base in Brooklyn, New York, but her students' enthusiasm for her handouts egged her on.

 

"My students kept telling me they used my handouts over and over again," she said. As she developed her idea for the book, she began to feel a mission to reach a larger audience with information about how to succeed as an artist.

 

She realized that writing a book was a big undertaking and the project would take her away from her own art studio and the work that earned her money. So she sat down and asked:  "What would it really cost me to write this book? What kind of resources did I need?"

 

She wanted a book filled with images. She wanted a paid assistant, not an intern, and she wanted to pay herself. "I also needed editing help, somebody to check in with a couple of hours a week," she said.

 

Battenfield knew that if she looked at the actual numbers, she'd be likely to think more resourcefully about how to get her book published.  So, she did a budget including everything she wanted "It was a lot of money," she said. "It was scary: $80,000."

 

Yet once she had the number, she wasn't paralyzed -- she was free.  Free to be creative about how to earn the money to support her project. Before the book was even finished, she read portions of it at a fundraising dinner she hosted where guests paid $25 to support the writing of the book. She arranged to have the New York Foundation for the Arts act as her fiscal sponsor, which made her eligible for more types of grants. She researched what foundations were interested in supporting a project on the subject of arts education.

 

In the end, she raised $50,000 mostly from two foundations: The Sam and Adele Golden Foundation for the Arts and the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation.

 

Here are her tips for authors who want funding to support a book project:

 

Take time out to do research. Ask: What are the compelling aspects of the subject matter? Who funds work like this? Who is interested in this subject matter?

 

Look at other artist resumes, especially writers in your genre or field and find out where they got their funding.

 

Don't be afraid to call the funder to discuss your project and ask if they might be interested in a project like yours.

 

Lastly, she recommends figuring out what you need to write the book. It may be a residency where you are granted the time and the space to write.
 

Jackie Battenfield can be reached at www.jackiebattenfield.com

 

Gigi Rosenberg's essays and how-to articles have appeared in the Seal Press anthology The Maternal is Political, Parenting, Writer's Digest, The Writer and on Oregon Public Radio. She receives rave reviews for the grant writing workshops she leads at NYC's Foundation Center and Chicago's Self Employment in the Arts. She has performed her monologues throughout the Pacific Northwest and now coaches writers how to give stellar public readings and write winning grant applications.

Writerpreneur: Build Your Platform with...Autoresponders!

By Gregory A. Kompes

 

If you've ever set up your e-mail account to send an "Out of the Office" or "I'm on Vacation" e-mail reply, you've used an autoresponder. In its simplest form, an autoresponder automatically responds to e-mail messages it receives.
 
Autoresponders are also used as e-mail marketing tools, immediately providing information to prospective customers and then following up with them at preset time intervals. They can also handle e-mail list subscriptions, confirmations, unsubscribes, and e-mailing to lists in bulk, like your e-zine or information announcements.
 
Here are examples of how authors use autoresponders:
 
Lars Clausen, author of Straight into Gay America, has an excellent marketing concept. It may seem counterintuitive to give your book away, but that's just what Lars does. He sends his book to his autoresponder list, one page a day. He's enjoyed great sales with this model because people decide they want the whole book at one time.
 
Australian author and freelance journalist, Cheryl Wright, offers free mini-courses via autoresponder. After signing up, you receive course lessons spread out over a period of time, one section of the course in each e-mail. Cheryl offers readers information they're interested in, while at the same time putting her additional paid courses and products repeatedly in front of her niche audience. (For details on how to write your own mini-course to deliver via autoresponder check out How The Heck Do I Write An Online Course.)
 
Autoresponders are the perfect way to extend your niche-topic expert position and increase your readership and following. When set up properly, they'll also increase your earning potential. And most autoresponders are easy to use.
 
Find a service you like. I use and recommend GetResponse, but doing a Google search for "autoresponder" will result in dozens of potential options. Like my earlier advice about websites, it may be worth trying a free service just to kick the tires a bit, but you'll appear more professional using a paid service that doesn't include outside advertising in your autoresponder e-mails.
 
After signing up, follow the simple instructions for setting up your autoresponder. Your service provider will also explain how to include clickable text links or more detailed HTML sign-up boxes on your website or in your e-mail signature.
 

 

Gregory A. Kompes, The Writerpreneur, is an Internet self-promotion expert. Gregory is the author of the bestselling 50 Fabulous Gay-Friendly Places to Live and the Writer's eBook Series that includes Endorsement Quest, Should You Write an eBook, and Your Online Media Kit. He is co-founder of the Patchwork Path anthology series, Presenters & Programs, the Writer's Pen & Grill, and Laudably Tarnished: A Poetry Workshop. Gregory is editor of The Fabulist Flash, an informative newsletter for writers, and the award winning Eighteen Questions, a Q&A series that collects and shares the experiences of published authors.

Upcoming Classes with Qualified Instructors

Register Now for Winter Classes That Begin on January 13th

Now includes both regional and national markets!
Writing and Publishing The Short Stuff
Especially For Moms (But Not Only for Moms!)
With Christina Katz
Class Begins January 13, 2010
Prerequisites: None
Finally, a writing workshop that fits into the busy lives of moms! You will learn how to create short, easy-to-write articles-a skill that will make it easier to move up to longer, more time-consuming articles when you're ready. Try your pen at tips, fillers, short interviews, list articles, how-tos, and short personal essays-all within six weeks. Now includes markets!
Cost: $250.00
More/Register at www.christinakatz.com


Personal Essays that Get Published
With Abigail Green
Class Begins January 13, 2010
Prerequisites: None
The popularity of reality shows, blogs, and tell-all books proves that it pays to get personal these days. Whether you want to write introspective essays, short humor pieces, or first-person reported stories, your life is a goldmine of rich material that all kinds of publications are pining for. Personal Essays that Get Published will teach you how to get your personal experiences down on the page and get them published. Students will learn how to find ideas, hone their voice, craft solid leads and endings, reslant their work for different markets, and submit their essays for publication.
Cost: $250.00
More/Register at www.christinakatz.com


Updated and Improved!
Turn Your Specialty Into Course Curriculum
With Christina Katz
Class Begins on January 13th
Prerequisites: Former student or Permission from Instructor. Recommended before CSNBP.
I bet you have worked long and hard to discover your specialty, narrow the focus of your expertise, and build your credibility, so shouldn't you also develop a course curriculum that you can use as the starting point for years of teaching and learning from your students? I have been doing this for eight years and in this six-week class, I will share all of the insights I have learned so you can create your own class, including strategies for cultivating a following of students who succeed. This is probably the most important class I teach because it helps writers make the most of the expertise they already have.
Cost: $399
Register at www.christinakatz.com


Coming Classes:

Pitching Practice: Write Six Queries in Six Weeks
With Christina Katz
Class Begins May 12th
Prerequisites: WPSS with published clips or permission from the instructor.
In this writing class, pitching is all you do. Each week, you will study a successful writer's query and create your own list of steps to follow. You will receive a three-page worksheet weekly, which will provide helpful ideas and checklists to help you systematize your query writing process and increase your productivity.
Cost: $250.00
More/Register at www.christinakatz.com


Updated and Improved!
Craft A Saleable Nonfiction Book Proposal
With Christina Katz
Class Begins on March 3rd
Prerequisites: Former student or Permission from Instructor.
Most writers underestimate the comprehensiveness needed to craft a saleable book proposal that will garner the interest of agents and editors. They also mistake the definition of platform and importance of aligning their proposal to a solid track record. A two-time author, Christina has helped hundreds of nonfiction writers succeed over the past seven years. Now she's making her proposal-writing advice available in a six-week e-mail course to aspiring authors who want to nail the proposal the first time around. The best way to craft a short, tight proposal that will impress agents and editors is with the help of a seasoned professional.
Cost: $399.00
Register at www.christinakatz.com


NOW OFFERING ONGOING SUPPORT FOR FORMER STUDENTS VIA DREAM TEAMS!

Read the updated information and register here.

Invest In Your Writing Career Today
& Reap Greater Rewards Tomorrow.

Know Thy Self, Know Thy Audience: Get Ready to Get Published!

By Sage Cohen

 

Last month, when you learned how your target audience experienced your book description, were there any surprises? How did the feedback match or diverge from your own expectations and research? Does your story about the value and purpose of your book need to be adjusted for clarity, or to showcase an advantage that is not currently being perceived?
 
Now is the time to make any final tweaks to address such concerns. Then give yourself a pat on the back for capturing this story just right.
 
The work you've done to articulate your book's value, purpose, audience, and competition is the keystone upon which your book proposal (and ultimately your book) will be written. By taking the time to slowly flesh out your book blurb and supporting points through the course of this year, you've had a chance to refine your vision and your story along the way -- both based on reader feedback and your evolving understanding of your project.
 
With your blurb polished to a high shine, you're ready to take the next step. Find your favorite how-to-write a proposal book (I used Elizabeth Lyons' Nonfiction Book Proposals Anybody can Write) and dive in. I expect you'll find that the in-depth preparation you've already done will serve you very well when writing the proposal. You'll be starting from an informed, confident place that is fortified with your best writing about your most passionate topic. There is simply no more auspicious way to approach agents and publishers and then bring your book into the world.
 
To your book's success! 

 

  

Sage Cohen is the author of Writing the Life Poetic: An Invitation to Read and Write Poetry (Writers Digest Books, 2009) and the poetry collection Like the Heart, the World. An award-winning poet, she writes three monthly columns about the craft and business of writing and serves as Poetry Editor for VoiceCatcher 4. Her poetry and essays appear in journals and anthologies including Cup of Comfort for Writers, The Oregonian, Oregon Literary Review, Greater Good and VoiceCatcher. Sage holds an MA in creative writing from New York University, co-hosts a monthly reading series at Barnes & Noble and teaches the online class Poetry for the People. She has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and awarded a Soapstone residency. To learn more, visit www.writingthelifepoetic.com.

For Your Book Shelf

Get Known Now! Nine Things to Clarify About Your Platform (Part Two)

By Christina Katz

Last month, I talked about how we need to strive, in our online communications, to save readers time so they can learn all they need to know about us as they go clicking by.
 
What are you hoping others will notice about you? Try to convey your credibility, authority on your topic, and how much others already trust you. In my book, Get Known Before the Book Deal, Use Your Personal Strengths to Grow Your Author Platform (Writer's Digest 2008), I outline what every writer needs to clearly communicate who you are and what you do.
 
Last month we covered name, identity, and tagline. Here's more copy you need to craft so you can communicate quickly and precisely:
 
Your mission
Why do you do what you do? How are you passionate about your topic? How does your passion for your topic set you apart from others? And please, no baloney. If I encounter you online, and I sense baloney, I will steer clear. Be sincere and communicate sincerely why you do what you do in a few sentences. Inquiring minds will appreciate the insight into what makes you tick that your mission provides.
 
Your e-mail signature
I bet you send out thousands of e-mails a year. Therefore, if you are not including your basic information: Name, identity, tagline, and contact information at the bottom of every e-mail you send, then you are likely missing a huge opportunity to become more known. And did you know that by adding the suffix http:// to your URLs, you create live links for recipients of your e-mails. I can't think of a faster, easier way to quench my curiosity about someone, than by scrolling down to the bottom of an e-mail and clicking on a link I find there.
 
Your short bio
Ultimately, when you have a book published, you are going to need three bios: long, short, and super-short. But in the interim, why not just work on the short, one-paragraph bio. Here's what to include: your name, your identity, your latest and best publication credits, and any professional credentials you have in your field. For example if you teach, speak, train, coach, consult, or counsel in your area of expertise, it's worth mentioning. If you have a degree in your field or have won any significant awards or accolades, you can mention them but don't digress from using your bio to back up your credibility and authority in your field or on your subject.
 
Your headshot
Until you have an online presence or book coming out, you can probably get away with having a friend or family member snap a photo of you with a digital camera. But make sure it's a clear, flattering, uncluttered shot from just below the shoulders with plenty of space around the other three sides. Try to avoid the shots where we can tell at a glance that someone else has been cut out of the shot. And then, when it matters, spring for a professional shot. Or trade for one, if you'd rather. But be sure that the quality of the photo is nothing short of professional. Otherwise the traditional media won't touch it.
 
Your testimonials
After you teach or speak or perform any other professional service, collect feedback on how well you did. At the end of your feedback form, ask for quotes that you can use for publicity purposes. If the document is being exchanged electronically, ask for acknowledgment of your right to distribute the quote in all media. And then use it!
 
Your URL
Be sure to reserve the URL for your name. And then later, when you have a book coming out, you will likely want to reserve the name of the title. Typically, you'll spend less than twenty bucks to hold onto a URL until you need it. But don't feel like you should go URL crazy and grab every remotely associated name. Just keep it simple for the best results from search engines.
 
Remember, all of this copywriting really needs to be completed before you create your online presence. Never underestimate how much heavy lifting your words can do for you. Write them, share them, and see for yourself.
 
 
Christina Katz is the author of Get Known Before the Book Deal, Use Your Personal Strengths to Build an Author Platform and Writer Mama, How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids (both for Writer's Digest Books). A platform development coach and consultant, she teaches

writing career development, hosts the Northwest Author Series, and is the publisher of several e-zines including Writers on the Rise. Christina blogs at The Writer Mama Riffs and Get Known Before the Book Deal, and speaks at MFA programs, literary events, and conferences around the country.