My final Novel Spaces post - A Farewell Letter to Writing

Greetings! This is a very special and emotional post, as it is my final Novel Spaces post after 8 priceless years as a Novelnaut. I have been proud to be part of a special family of writers who bond simply for the love of writing, and who have shared such precious and needed group camaraderie for so long.

Though I will no longer write Marissa Monteilh novels, I will still write. I'm enjoying my work as a ghostwriter, SilentINK, and I'm now able to free up my schedule to take on more clients. I will also explore and pursue other goals and dreams that I've had.

I've loved my journey as an author, though at times, I will admit it has been draining as far as penning titles, producing them (whether via mainstream of self), and then promote and sell in an effort to make a living. The industry has changed, and when I look back, it has truly been much more positive than negative, though the grind has been intense, and while the result brings many blessings i.e. amazing readers and friendships along the way, the business for me has been far from lucrative lately, and I had to come to terms with the fact that it's time to move on after twenty years, and over two dozen titles, so that I'm not just writing for ego.

As my final post, I decided to share a very special letter I wrote called A Farewell Letter to Writing, and it is addressed to Writing, my love, my passion, my gift, my purpose. I included the letter in the back-matter of my final title, L.A Husbands & Wives, and I also shared it during my final literary event last month, the National Book Club Conference, as I read it to those in attendance, which included my family and friends. I got through it, but with a huge lump in my throat. What a special day and special way to wind things down, close the book, and end the story.

So please enjoy my goodbye letter, and know that I am still around, just not trying to make a living as an author.

Thank you Liane Spicer, our fearless Novel Spaces leader, and to all of my fellow Novelnauts, past and present. It has been an honor, and I will miss you, but I will be checking in, reading all of your posts, enjoying from the outside in, enjoying you still.

Much love!

MM

A FAREWELL LETTER TO WRITING

FROM

MARISSA MONTEILH

AS SHE RETIRES

Dear Writing,

It's funny that back in the day, a beautiful spirit named Mrs. Eckelstein, my 7th grade English teacher, tried to tell me that you loved me. She said after calling me up in front of the entire class, after giving me four A's on a play that I wrote, “You're extremely gifted, Marissa. You should be a writer.”

I was made aware of you way back then, aware of your crush on me, but my head was turned by another. Two actually. One suitor was named Math, and another was named Modeling. I wanted to be a CFO, not a writer. And of course, being a tall and skinny girl who loved fashion and loved to sew, I dreamed of the runway. I ignored the fact that cupid had itswriting arrow aimed my way, and went on with life.

Yet every single job I had, there you were in some way. I wrote speeches, news stories, policies and procedures, magazine articles, and production stories for tabloid shows like Hard Copy. I still continued to ignore you.

But 20 years ago, I sat down to write my life story for my kids, and I felt you. I felt your hug, your kiss, your caress, the comfortability of your passion for me. You nudged me to turn that life story into a fiction novel called May December Souls.And through that experience, I finally found that I had passion for you as well, after discovering that 80k words later, I too, had fallen in love with Writing.

Looking back, since penning that story in 1997, I realized that you have always been there, loving me, trying to get my attention. At times throughout my career of writing two dozen books, I have said that your love for me was unrequited, saying that you didn't love me as much as I had grown to love you.

Well, I was wrong. You never left, you never turned your back, you gave me your all, and what that did was give me energy to do what this business requires: write, interview, speak, promote, travel, form alliances, blog, try new genres, craft, engage in social media, attend conferences, teach, mentor, sign, sell, ship, create, imagine, dream, submit, go sexy, stay strong, accept, stand up for, acquiesce, lug, give away, stay up late, sit, and write even more . . . because you made me feel alive.

You gave me a dream, though I have to say that it's time to downscale this relationship, and see if distance causes survival or not. But in my blood is where you will always be, therefore, “and still I write,” just not as I did. This is not a break-up, but a breakthrough.

Writing - always know that you are the reason I became an award-winning author. And you, through loving me, allowed me to discover my purpose in life, and how great it is to be one of 7.5 billion people in the world who can say that.

I will always love you! And I will always be grateful to our Cupid, Mrs. Eckelstein (R.I.P.), who gave me the light-bulb moment, that never died.

Forever and a day,

Marissa

How to Encourage Readers to Post Reviews

As a follow-up to the great August 6, 2017 Novel Spaces post by Linda Thorne regarding reviews, I was speaking to a close friend last night about why one book receives hundreds of reviews in let's say, 1 month, and another book receives only a few reviews, if any. The two books might be just as good, yet the variance in the number of reviews is apparent.

My friend and I were trying to come up with ways to inspire readers to understand the importance of writing reviews. We're working on that.

But for now, my opinion is that once a book initially receives a great number of reviews upon release, the book attracts the attention of prospective readers who become curious, and then once those readers buy and read the book, they're more motivated to go back and write a review as well.

Reviews really are a great way to show us authors that readers enjoy our work. Reviews, good or bad, can make readers curious, and in turn, increase sales.

My friend mentioned that some readers might feel that taking the time to sit down and write, edit, look it over, and then post the review, is like homework. Something they don't have time for. And Amazon in particular won't let you only give the book 1 to 5 stars. You must also post a certain number of words.

Years ago, I think reviews were written more frequently. I'm not sure why that's changed. Maybe because there are so many more choices. Also, I think that some genres garner more reviews than others, i.e. romance novels receive more reviews than women's fiction in some cases. And obviously, the popularity of the author, subject matter, and interest play major roles.

I found that with my 2016 title, The Practice Wife, after offering advance reading copies in exchange for an honest review, I did end up with quite a few reviews on or just after the release date. But also, Amazon removed some of the reviews, as Linda Throne mentioned can happen (or at least they were posted in a way that people could not see them), because the books were not purchased via Amazon.

If we can all try to outright ask readers to post reviews, whether to Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Goodreads, etc., I think they will, though we don't want our sales to be their responsibility. We want them to buy whichever books they want, the way they want, as often as they want. And if they review them, we're grateful. But we can nudge them along.

Let's keep spreading the word about the importance of reviews, and in the meantime, my friend and I plan to come up with something to inspire readers to do so, just as a small way to contribute to the big picture.

What do you think can be done to encourage readers to write reviews?

Write on!

SEVEN STEPS I TOOK TO GO FROM SELF-­PUBLISHED TO A BOOK DEAL

Greetings! I was looking through some interesting articles and blog posts that I'd written years ago. I thought I'd share this one, which my fellow author Brandon Massey asked me to write for his blog. This was written 10 years ago, in 2007, just after Dr. Feelgood was released by Kensington Books. I listed the 7 steps that I took to go from being a self-published author, to being offered a book deal by a major publisher in 2001.

I thought I'd share it today. Some, if not all of the 7 suggestions are still relevant today. Social media is much more of a factor now, and self-publishing is way easier and more prevalent now. New authors, see - there is so much work to be done in order to get signed by a major, before and after you've penned your book. Enjoy!

SEVEN STEPS I TOOK TO GO FROM SELF-­PUBLISHED TO A BOOK  DEAL

By Marissa Monteilh

Author, May December Souls, The Chocolate Ship, Hot Boyz, Make Me Hot and Dr. Feelgood

First, it is important to note that while many authors secure agency representation, and/or sell their manuscripts without self­-publishing first, self­-publishing proved to be an important avenue that led to my two book deal with HarperCollins in April of 2001, and opened the door to my full-­time career as an  author.

You should determine whether or not self-­publishing is an option you’d like to explore. Being that I had shopped my manuscript for nearly six months and only received offers from small publishing companies who first wanted upfront fees (a big no-­no), and after attending Michael Baisden’s book signing where he suggested that I self-­publish first, it was pretty much a no-brainer for me. Michael suggested that I purchase a copy of The Self Publishing Manual by Daniel Poynter. Not only did I run out the next day and pick up the book, I followed every suggested step book like clockwork. 

Once you decide to take this step, do not make any excuses that will block your blessings. The steps outlined include a time frame that is extremely easy to follow, and the entire process took me eight months. Before I knew it I had my first shipment of 3000 books delivered to my home office. Holding that bound book in your hand will surely make all of your hard work well worth it. Stay disciplined and follow through!

1) PROMOTE, PROMOTE, PROMOTE: 

Joining the PMA – Publishers Marketing Association, and other organizations, allowed me the opportunity to participate in various wholesaler programs for self-published authors like Baker & Taylor and Ingram. Wholesalers are invaluable because most bookstores purchase from wholesalers as opposed to going to each author directly. And, being a member of a particular organization can entitle you to receive big discounts from printing companies, etc. 

Invest in marketing materials like bookmarks and flyers. Make sure prospective readers have something in hand to remind them that your book is out there.

Thank goodness for the Internet!! Search the Internet for book club contact information and send each contact person an email, offer to send review copies, etc. Book clubs are an invaluable tool toward spreading the word.

Search the Internet for bookstore listings. Call the owners, visit the stores, request book signing dates, etc. Bookstores are very accommodating and they are usually willing to distribute your marketing materials as well. Also, list your title on Amazon.com and other online listings.

If you can afford to, plan a book tour, if possible, so that you promote your title in person. If money is an issue, sign locally in your area. Research book fairs and other events. Focus on spreading the word. And always bring a sign-­in sheet for readers to jot down their email addresses. Very important!

Come up with marketing angles such as giveaways, hair salon contests, free gifts with proof of purchase. Contact various companies whose products match well with your book title and with the target age of your readers and ask them to donate their goods or services. Also, offer a free book to readers who will in turn write a review on www.amazon.com 

Contact radio stations and newspapers and request that they do a feature  story on you and your book. Most people like to hear about the author's journey or how that book relates to the world or the life of the author. Find an angle that ties in and promote it. And always research how to write a good press release. You can email the release or fax it. Last but not least; GET A WEBSITE. I recommend www.pageturner.net, an awesome company that creates websites for most AA authors.

2) TRACK SALES AND PREPARE A DISTRIBUTION SUMMARY:  

One reason to self-­publish is to prove that your title will sell and that the subject matter is in demand. I prepared a Marketing and Distribution Summary, which the agents found very helpful. My agent used the information in his cover letters to publishers. It should include your target market, genre, sales history, list price, distribution strategy, reviews, media outlets, and other avenues of promotion.

3) RESEARCH AND CONTACT AGENTS WHO HANDLE AUTHORS IN YOUR GENRE: 

Once I felt the title was circulating fairly well, I decided to submit the self­-published version to agents. I compiled a list of agents based upon various agents I’d noticed mentioned in the acknowledgment sections of authors in  a similar genre. I scoured the Internet for agency listings. I flipped through the Literary Marketplace by R.R. Bowker for specific agents who were accepting submissions. NEVER PAY AN AGENCY FEE and check out agents to make sure they're reputable.

Once I narrowed down my list to eight agents, I contacted each agency via  telephone to see if they were accepting submissions and if so, what the guidelines were. I also inquired as to which agencies were accepting email queries.

I decided I would submit via email on the first round. I included the cover image and a brief query letter, maybe three paragraphs. The first paragraph indicated that I was seeking representation on my newly  released, self-published title, (include word count) and mentioned a  precise one-liner as to the plot. The second paragraph was a brief synopsis about conflict, about the ending and lessons learned, and the third paragraph covered the fact that I was hard at work on my next novel. I briefly covered the success rate of my first release. The closing sentence was simply, “Please let me know if you would like me to forward the perfect bound novel, May December Souls. Thanks for your time and consideration.” 

4) CREATE A COMPLETE AND PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATION  PACKAGE: 

Once four of the agents contacted me and expressed interest in my complete submission, I prepared a presentation folder, which included a cover letter, news release, more detailed synopsis, marketing summary, marketing brochures ­ bookmarks, reviews and reader comments. Obviously, I included the bound book and a stamped, self-addressed envelope for their convenience. The Self Publishing Manual also covers information on preparing these items.

5) LET GO AND LET GOD:  

Make sure you give an agent sufficient time before you call to follow up. I’d say four to six weeks. And sometimes, like in my case, they may even call within the first week. If not, repeat Steps Three and Four again. Be persistent.

6) ONCE AN AGENT EXPRESSES INTEREST, CONDUCT FURTHER RESEARCH ON THE AGENT: 

I contacted another author who was also represented by the particular agent I felt expressed the most intense sincerity and confidence in their ability to sell my title. My agent asked me to give him one month and within one month, we were involved in auction. Make sure the agent is a member of the Association of Author’s Representatives or other  professional organizations.

7) DO NOT BE AFRAID TO REQUEST CHANGES TO THE AGENCY  AGREEMENT:  

There is a book called How to Be Your Own Literary Agent by Richard Curtis. Educate yourself on all aspects of the agreement, ask other authors for advice, or hire an attorney to review the contract before you sign. Most agency contracts are fairly brief. It is the publishing contact that is quite lengthy.

Some publishing companies are accepting submissions directly, i.e., HarperCollins, particularly for African American authors. Skip the agency submission if you choose to go this route, however, if you’re starting out, an experienced agent can prove extremely valuable. And don't be unrealistic about the deal amount offered to you. Most times we hear of dollar amounts for book deals and the amounts are TOTALLY exaggerated. Walk before you run, and then take time to crawl, too. Understand that getting to the point of quitting your job takes time. 

Once you decide to sign (yeah!) I suggest you let your agent handle the business of submitting your title. It is very important that the two of you build a rapport based upon mutual respect and a fiery passion for your title. There has to be a level of trust. Inform him/her as to which houses you would like to approach, however, follow their lead and be patient. Know that the final decision as to which publisher you sign with ­ is yours.

Write on!

Marissa Monteilh 

www.marissamonteilh.com

divapublishing@aol.com

Some of my Book Covers - Cover Love

I will admit that I am passionate about book cover design, whether I open that email sent by a publisher and see the cover they created for the first time, or I open the email which my cover designer has created based upon our discussions. I love seeing the cover of my works-in-progress, even when it's not quite right then and there, yet it ends up being a perfect mix of many opinions. The book cover stage is perhaps my favorite part of this business. Okay, I'm a little obsessed with it, and I thank God I've had some amazing cover designers who understood that. (Vonda Howard and Rebecca Pau)

There were covers that I did not particularly like initially, i.e. the publisher's first cover for MAY DECEMBER SOULS. This was my self-pubbed version in 1998:

This was HarperCollins' first re-release version in 2002 - I let my editor know that it was, uh, not depicting the characters or the story, at all. (I wanted to say more)

They ended up changing it and we went with this one (rarely happens, if ever), which I loved. 💓

With THE CHOCOLATE SHIP, at first I didn't see the need for the big straw hat, but I learned to acquiesce, and grew to adore it. I learned to trust, lol!

I did a self-pub cover for the re-release of THE CHOCOLATE SHIP that I won't even show you, as I have no idea what I was thinking. 👎😝

Next was the HarperCollins cover for HOT BOYZ:

On all of my titles, they had used a very expensive artist named Sergio Baradt (back then most publishers used illustrations as opposed to photo images). Sergio had created the image with eight men who all looked the same. The three main characters were not highlighted. But after they asked me to describe each of the three men in detail, Mason, Claude, and Torino, they went to their internal art department and had them change the character's looks, making them more prominent.

Most of my covers by mainstream publishers were amazing. A couple that I liked the best were: DR. FEELGOOD from Kensington Books, and EROTIC CITY from Hachette Books

When I self-published HOT GIRLZ, I really wanted to use this cover by Sergio Baradt, and I reached out to him, but trust me, I could not afford his $1500 quote, though it would've been perfect. These three ladies depicted Mercedes, Venus, and Sequoia to a T:

Also, did you know that when you get your rights back on a book, you must create your own cover if you wish to re-release it? I have done that quite often, and have even changed some ebook covers a second time along the way, which I'm doing now with HOT BOYZ and HOT GIRLZ, to make them more compatible as series titles to the third book in the trilogy, L.A. HUSBANDS & WIVES: The Hot Boyz Finale, which releases on 8/1/17.

FUN!

A couple of my self-pubbed titles that I really like are MORGAN'S MAKEOVER, and TURNABOUT IS FAIR PLAY:

Here's an interesting twist in creating a cover, and then changing it altogether before the release, as in YOU'VE GOT IT BAD: The Dr. Feelgood Sequel, though I really liked them both:

How do you feel about book covers? For me, once I see the cover, if I have the luxury of it being completed before I finish the manuscript, I kick into another gear simply from the motivation of the visual. The story feels more real.

Also, of course, the cover is the first impression for the reader, and plays majorly into their buying decisions. For that reason alone, it is critical.

Happy writing, happy book producing (including those awesome covers), and happy promotion/sales!!

A Question: Do you think it's relevant now for an author, new or otherwise, to obtain a literary agent?

In preparation for this Novel Spaces blog post, I reached out to my Facebook friends and asked them to suggest a topic/question they wanted me to cover. The first reply I got was from Diane Sewell Dorse, asking: Do you think it's relevant now for an author, new or otherwise, to obtain a literary agent?

I chose Diane's question because I had never really thought about whether it was still relevant, needed, or beneficial nowadays. But considering the indie movement in literature, self-publishing being more popular then ever, seeming to squash traditional publishing, one has to wonder. So, I decided to take on the topic. After all, it's all about books, our readers, and if we decide to not self-pub, it's about that publishing contract.

While it's true that a lot of authors; 1) have no choice other than to self-pub because they cannot find an agent or publisher, 2) prefer to go the self-published route to keep track of their own sales and income, and not pay percentages to agents and publishers, 3) are established authors who have built up enough of a readership where they believe they don't need an agent or publisher, 4) there are still authors who do prefer to have an agent, and the backing of a mainstream publisher for purposes of production and distribution, to give them more time to write, and hopefully provide more income, upfront or otherwise, through advances/sales. And when it comes time for a new deal, their agent can act on their behalf to get them the best deal. I just found out as well that some agents manage a writer's sub-pubbed efforts. Interesting. 

I reached out to my agent, Leticia Gomez, CEO and Founder of Savvy Literary Services. 

Leticia was kind enough to offer the following information:

* Major traditional publishers will not consider a project unless it's submitted by a literary agent. So if an author wants to become a career writer who is published by traditional publishers, having a well-trained and hardworking agent is a must have.

* An agent can help you polish up your manuscript or book proposal before starting the submission process.

* Having an agent will give an author more credibility among his or her peer writers, editors, and film and television executives

* An agent can be instrumental in negotiating better terms and catching any red flag items on publishing contracts than going at it alone.

* An agent can help you brainstorm new book ideas and give sound career advice.

* An agent will be your watchdog, making sure advance and royalty statements come in on time and the terms of your publishing contract are carried out and adhered to. In other words an agent will handle all the unpleasant business matters so the author can focus on his or her creativity. 

Now for me, having an agent was beneficial when I started out. I had written my first novel, May December Souls, from 1997 - 1998, and was all set to obtain an agent and have my book published, like so many other authors who were getting deals back then, particularly African American writers, thanks to the popularity of the iconic N.Y. Times best-selling author, Terry McMillan.

In 1999, I shopped my books to agents, and received rejection letter after rejection letter. And then I met Michael Baisden at a book-signing. He suggested that I self publish, telling me about a book called The Self-Publishing Manual, by Dan Poynter, suggesting that I follow it to the letter. I did, and by 2000, I had three-thousand books delivered to my home, as I released May December Souls under my own company, 4D Publishing. The books were selling out, but bringing in the money was not so easy (that's another post). Before ordering another print run, I decided to again submit to agents, but this time, instead of sending a manuscript, I had a bound copy to send with successful sales. Within two weeks, I heard from three agents, and Richard Curtis was one of them. He promised that I would have a book deal within a month. Three days after I signed with him, there was an auction underway for my book, and I signed a deal with HarperCollins. He helped me work through the contract and went back and forth for me. And so it began. I had a six-figure deal, and May December Souls was re-released immediately. I was on to writing my next book, The Chocolate Ship.

I've had a few agents since then, even one whom I work with if I have ideas that fit into what he and I still discuss, and he reaches out to send the checks, so he's my friend, lol!

A few of years ago, Leticia Gomez brokered a deal for me within months of signing with her. She is warm spirited, talented, professional, and very well connected within the industry. She has the relationships with the powers that be, that agents need to have. Particularly, relationships with editors/publishers, who, as Leticia indicated above, if they're top major publishers, for the most part will not accept unsolicited manuscripts. You still need an agent to introduce your submission on your behalf, just like we did years ago. Your agent will be a good person to bounce your ideas off of, be honest with you, help you to refine the story if necessary, and just overall be your connection to possible literary deals, and maybe even TV, film, etc. 

I think the percentage agent's charge is worth it, as they need to work hard for you, and have your back. Leticia has been pleasant, positive, available, and open, and for that, I am forever grateful.

So, yes, I think that having a relationship with an agent or someone who can be the communicator in submitting and/or negotiating, renegotiating, etc. is still relevant. 

Thanks, Diane Sewell Dorsey, for your question! Thanks, Leticia!

You can reach Leticia Gomez by going to her website, Savvy Literary. Make sure to check out her submission requirements. She's my girl, so treat her right! Also, check out a list of agents to see which might be best for you depending upon your genre, etc. You can try The Guide to Literary Agents 2017, available electronically or print. 

Write on!

10 REASONS WHY YOU NEED A MENTOR

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of hosting a discussion during my first ever Romance Slam Jam book event in Los Angeles, which was an amazing experience. I even took on 2 new mentees, which I'm so excited about. I decided to share my discussion outline with my Novel Spaces family, as having a mentor and being a mentee can be very rewarding. Enjoy! I hope you find it helpful.

1. Mentors can provide a path of guidance or model of success as your first step toward your goal, and give you a heads-up on what to expect down a road, by someone who’s “been there – done that” and walked the walk - kind of a mentor GPS. Also, it’s sometimes better to know what not to do, than what to do.

2. A mentor will offer specific tips and advice that pave the way. Yet, it is VERY important to do the work and research on your own.

3. Advice from a mentor can be helpful in your decision to even embark upon your journey. You may decide that what lies ahead is not for you, or you’ll find that you’re excited by the challenge, and move forward.

4. Mentors can help build your confidence with encouragement and support, and possibly see more in you than you see in yourself, pushing you to challenge yourself and to use your talents to succeed. Pep talks are motivating. The connection provides accountability.

5. Having someone who will look out for you and be available as a resource, seeing you progress, will be a reminder that you’re achieving, being proactive, and walking your own walk.

6. Being a mentee will allow the mentor to take pride in being able to give. There are blessings in receiving, but giving can be a gift, and to block that opportunity for someone to give of their time and knowledge, can block their blessings. Mentoring is not a one-way street.

7. There will be choppy waters. Mentors can sometimes help you navigate through, by preparing you to survive the tough times.

8. Nothing good is ever accomplished alone. We are not meant to be alone, nor do it alone, as no man or woman is an island. Connection and support are vital for health and well-being. It takes a village. It takes a team.

9. Knowing the story of your mentor’s strength and endurance will better prepare you toward your end game.

10. The process of being a mentee will prepare you to be a mentor to someone else, paying it forward, also being a blessing! It’s the circle of life.

Side Gigs

I talk to more and more authors who once worked as full-time writers, yet nowadays, they're either 1) back to work and have put writing on hold, 2) they've accepted a job to supplement their writing income, or 3) they have started a side-gig involving teaching/coaching new writers, offering ghostwriting, screen/stage play writing, graphic design, developmental editing and proofreading etc., just to make ends meet.

Or the authors always had full-time jobs, but writing was a side-gig, yet the time spent and rewards have not matched up.

And of course some authors write for the love of it, pay or not.

Have you needed to be creative and embark upon side-gigs, even aside from writing, or has writing pretty much been your side gig, your joy, your passion either way?

Inquiring writing minds wanna know!

Oh yeah, me? I started a ghostwriting company called SilentINK, which I will soon be devoting more time to, as later this year, I am retiring from writing my own books.

Write on - write off - right!!

Talking Heads

An admission: Recently, I read one of my early titles from 2003, and realized that at times, I had a habit of "head-hopping" - switching from one viewpoint character to another in the same scene. In 2005, I took a Point of View writing course and learned a lot about what "not" to do. This past weekend, as I was thinking about what to post for this month's Novel Spaces blog, I remembered a great blog post by fiction editor Beth Hill that addressed the topic of Head Hopping, therefore, I'm sharing the link below from a site called The Editor's Blog.

One thing I will say, that I know most authors are aware of, is that as writers, we need to be mindful of staying in the mind of the narrator or if the chapter is in Character A's POV, stay with that character's audible, internal thoughts, and emotions about what he/she sees, tastes, touches, etc. If Character A is on the phone, and has the receiver to his/her ear, Character B who is sitting across the room cannot hear the person Character A is talking to (unless the phone is on speaker). It's Character A's ears. Character B can perceive the conversation based upon gestures, facial expressions, a feeling, etc., but he/she cannot literally hear the other person. If there's a scene break or chapter break, there can be a switch, but it is best to stay in one character's head at a time. We owe it to our readers to not confuse them or lose them. Ahh, the craft! LOL

Enjoy, and write on!

Head-Hopping Gives Readers Whiplash by fiction editor Beth Hill

Chapters - the Long and Short of it

Happy New Year!

Years ago I attended a book conference in New York, and one of the editors at a major publishing house suggested that authors keep their chapters short, anywhere from three to seven final version pages, because readers prefer moving along quickly in their zest for the story, and that readers can feel bogged down by long chapters. They said that some readers, before reading a chapter, will check to see how long it is before the next chapter so they can judge how much time they have if they're on their lunch break, or in bed, about to fall asleep. It also creates the sense of a rapid paced story with lots of movement. Short and sweet.

A lot of authors took heed and did just that, making a point of shortening their chapters. Some did not. I will say that I tried, but my style of writing works best when I go for what the characters need to show, say, and do, without having to remember to keep it short. I think it's all about writing style, and what we as authors are willing to try. Some of my chapters are under seven pages, and some are over ten, depending upon the scene.

As an author, do you purposefully concentrate on the length of your chapters - on word count - on the number of chapters, or do you go for it and serve it up as it's cooked, LOL?

Inquiring author-minds wanna know!

Write on!

The eBook vs. the Print Book Price War

Have you noticed that the price margin between print books and ebooks is narrowing? Not long ago, a reader would have the choice of either purchasing a $14.99 trade version of a book, or pay $4.99 for the ebook version of the very same title. What that did for ebooks was great, but what it did for print books meant they were second choice more often than not, because when it came down to clicking "Buy Now," readers saw the price difference as a no brainier, and they'd buy the electronic version, which told publishers that unless the reader just had to have the print version, the ebook version was good enough.

But, publishers realized that enough was enough when print books were not moving, and more and more books remained boxed up, waiting to be sold, standing in line behind their electronic counterparts. Print-on-demand helped out, but still, the production cost of printing a book remained significantly higher, and publishers realized they couldn't cut print prices because the profit margin was too narrow as it was. 

And so, the answer has been to simply raise the price of the ebook, and narrow the gap so that readers would see a choice between a $14.99 print version, and an $11.99 ebook version, and hopefully decide that the print version was well worth $3.00 more. 

So ebooks are going up in price, and I see that as a good thing for publishers and authors, yet perhaps not so good for readers in some cases. Some have a limit on how much they'll pay for an ebook, and are very firm in not going beyond that, but if it's a book they really want, they will. We (publishers and authors) are subtly encouraging readers to think twice before making that final decision as to which version to buy, and go beyond their preference as far as format. The book format price playing-field has been strategically planned to level out. And, I think it's working! 

So don't be afraid to charge a little more for your ebook. Just don't tell your readers that I told you, lol! 

Write on!! 

Guest Blogger LaShaunda Hoffman - Are Your Social Media Platforms Ready For Promotion?

Greetings! Our guest blogger for today, standing in for me this month, is LaShaunda Hoffman. I've known LaShaunda for many years and while she initially was introduced to me as the owner of the online magazine, Shades of Romance - SOR, she now wears not only the hat of a magazine publisher, but she is also a literary advocate and author, whose mission is to help promote writers by introducing them to readers. And so I introduce to you, LaShaunda Hoffman. Her information on social media promotion is very timely in this day and age. 

Are your social media platforms ready for promotion?

When I stop by some writer social media pages, they don’t look like a writer’s page.  Most don’t showcase their writing or their books.  How will a reader know you are a writer?

Most writers are on social media, but they aren't doing much promotion because they don't want to overwhelm their readers with promotion.  However if you don't promote you aren't selling books.

Below are a few questions to answer to see if your social media platforms are ready for you to promote on them.

• Are you using a book cover or your picture as your profile picture?
• Do you have a FB cover, Twitter Header page that is geared toward your books or writing?
• Can your audience tell what you write from your platform pages?
• Can your audience contact you from your platform pages?
• If you have a website, is the link included on your platform pages?
• Do you have a link to join your mailing list?
• Do you have a call to action on your platform pages?
• Do your social media platforms show you as an expert in your field?
• Are your social media platforms updated daily with fresh content?
• Do you share what your books are about?
• Do you engage with your audience when they leave comments?
• Are you building relationships on your platforms?

If you answered yes to all these questions, your social media platforms are ready for you and your promotion.

If you answered no to a few of them, it is time for you to sit down and update your social media platforms.

You want your social media platforms to showcase the best image of you and your books. You want your audience to know what your books are all about, that you know what you're talking about, how to get in contact with you and where to purchase your books if they're ready to buy.

Social media is a great place to promote your books.  If you're not putting your best effort forward you will sabotage your promotion.

Promotion is all about staying consistent. You can download your copy of the Promotion Kit checklist to see if you are ready to stay consistent with your promotion. Link to Promotion Kit Checklist

Amazon link to purchase Building Online Relationships

Bio: LaShaunda Hoffman is a online promotion strategist.  She teaches writers and business owners how to be consistent with their promotion by helping them create an actionable promotion plan to build online relationships.  She published her first book Building Online Relationships - One Reader At A Time.  You can find her online at -http://lashaundahoffman.com  

The Process of Book Printing Gives Literary Life

Your book baby is now bound and ready for your readers - heavenly!! Ebooks are cool and all, but print books are simply hot off the press, hot! 

I know I'm preaching to the author-choir here, but anyone who has ever published a print version of a book knows the thrill of it, and the vast particulars involved. It's important to get a number of quotes from different printers, and consider many factors when deciding which company to use. I've ordered from out-of-state printers, and local as well, and through the years, after hits and misses, I've been more than satisfied in using one reliable publisher who lives up to his commitments, and who is focused on quality while offering reasonable prices. Stick with what works.

Before you get the quotes, have a typesetter create a PDF file of your interior (they'll want to know the size of your book), and a cover designer create a PDF of your cover layout. Your cover designer will need the size of the book as well, along with the exact number of typeset pages so that he/she can set the spine width.

When obtaining quotes, you must determine:

• The size of your book - for example, will it be 5.25 x 8 (a very common size for novels), 5.5 x 8.5 (also popular), 6 x 9 (was popular years ago for paperback, and is coming back - a lot of hard back novels are 6 x 9). My Oct. 2016 paperback book will be 6 x 9

• Matte or glossy cover

• Perfect bound (which is a spine process using adhesive binding - there's also coil, saddle-stitch, etc., but most paperback novels are perfect bound - hard cover can be case bound) 

• You must know the exact number of typeset pages (always an even number)

• C1S relates to the cover (glossy on one side) or C2S (glossy on both sides)

• 10 pt. refers to the stock of paper used for the cover (or 11 pt., 14 pt., the higher the point, the thicker the paper)

• Know the interior paper you want (white or creme - I ask for creme 60 lb. natural paper - some use 100 lb.) - text stock weight is described in pounds because the higher the weight, the thicker the paper - most non-fiction is white, most fiction is creme)

• Tell them if you have only black and white text or if there are color photos/graphs

• Provide your mailing zip code so that you can get a shipping estimate upfront, and there won't be shipping cost surprises later

• Always ask for a proof copy before approving the final order.

Most companies have a quote form you can fill out. Also, consider ordering galley/uncorrected proof copies so you can get advance reviews (they are not cheap).

For detailed information on printing, pick up The Self-Publishing Manual by the late, great Dan Poynter, who was my publishing guru when I self-published my first book in 2000. Most authors have read his works, and there is much respect for him as he usually made himself available via telephone. Here is a Smashwords interview he did a while back. They also mention his unfortunate passing in 2015 - Smashwords - Dan Poynter

By the way, request a tour of a local printing company to see how things work, and also, sign up for the free publishing webinars offered through BookLogix, a printing company in Atlanta. Booklogix Web Events - webinars on Book Publishing, Book Marketing, Book Selling, etc. (I have never hired BookLogix for printing so I can't vouch for them).

The process of book production is indeed involved, and it takes time and patience, but it can be fun. So get those books written and if you decide to, printed. Once you open the boxes that arrive with your printed babies, there's nothing like the feeling of holding a book in your creative hands . . . books that you gave literary life to!! Well, almost nothing, lol!

Happy Writing, and Happy Publishing!

To Appear or Not to Appear

Years ago, I had at least one book event scheduled every month, sometimes in-town, sometimes out-of- town, but it was commonplace for me to get out and about to meet my readers.

In my opinion, things have changed. Before, there was a pretty good budget allocated by my publisher(s) for tours. And what wasn't covered, I took care of, making sure to stay visible. And then budgets lessened, and authors pretty much took over the entire cost of their own tours. There were places to be, book stores ready to schedule authors, festivals to participate in, book club members to meet, and conferences to attend. And over time, a lot of authors found that sometimes, the turnout was not what it had been, yet the expense of traveling, along with the cost of signing tables, book seller splits, etc., remained.

Nowadays, though books cost less and authors are more abundant, I make sure that the appearances I do schedule allow for good opportunity to reach readers, and that the event planner is doing some sort of advertising and promotion, with the understanding that I, as an author, will promote as well. To be able to meet readers and mingle with fellow authors, can be some of the best experiences of an author's career. The feedback and camaraderie are invaluable, not to mention book club meetings, which are intimate and fun, sitting among readers in their homes or chatting over dinner in a restaurant. Priceless!

The big picture involves considering the cost of travel, whether or not the organizer is paying expenses, availability, and the timing factor. All are key. 

It is a fact that I don't book as many events as I did before. I mean things really have changed, mainly involving the popularity of ebooks (events and signings require print books). I understand that I'm not alone in this realization. While some authors do schedule event after event all year long, and some only schedule tours around book release dates (maybe a book launch party), I think the reason some have cut back is because there are so many other ways to reach out to readers. Social media, online radio, blogs, video chats, live posts on Facebook, Instagram, etc., and scheduled book webinar events, all cost little to nothing, and they don't require authors, or readers, to leave the comfort of their homes. And, you can buy inexpensive ads, like Facebook sponsored spots. But I'm not talking about advertising. I'm talking about promoting.

Have you found that you've been down-scaling your scheduled in-person appearances over the past few years? Do you think that getting out and staying visible helps to increase book sales, as opposed to online connections, or are you like a couple of my author friends who say they'd rather spend  that time writing, and so they pump out book after book, because in their opinions, readers would rather read us than meet us, lol. 

Bottom line is, for the rest of this year, and definitely into 2017, I'm going to try my best to schedule more ways to connect one-on-one with my readers. They're worth it, and their energy inspires me to keep writing. So readers, holla at your girl if you see me sitting at a table with a stack of books, pen in hand, reaching out to hand you a bookmark!! 

Oh, the many hats of being a author!