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How to make a bestseller.

Aug 4, 2022

How to make a bestseller.

The third day of the antitrust trial over the sale of Simon & Schuster to Penguin Random House offers a fascinating glimpse into the workings of the publishing industry, from big advances to marketing plans—and how publishers decide where the big bucks should be placed. These extracts from testimony were published in Publishers Lunch industry newsletter, August 4, 2022. S&S attorney Stephen Fishbein walked S&S CEO Jonathan Karp through several significant deals to demonstrate

Two authors tell: when it comes to marketing your book, relationships matter.

Jul 20, 2022

Two authors tell: when it comes to marketing your book, relationships matter.

In this post, I’m continuing my conversation with Meredith Sandland & Carl Orsbourn (Delivering the Digital Restaurant: Your Roadmap to the Future of Food). Their book explores the massive disruption facing American restaurants through first-hand accounts from food industry veterans and start-up entrepreneurs. Here, I talk to Meredith & Carl about paid marketing support. What did they pay for? How did it work? Is it worth it? And, most importantly, is it effective? Their insi

Two authors tell: create a voice around your idea

Jul 11, 2022

Two authors tell: create a voice around your idea

In this post, I’m extending my discussion with Meredith Sandland & Carl Orsbourn (Delivering the Digital Restaurant: Your Roadmap to the Future of Food). Their book explores the massive disruption facing American restaurants through first-hand accounts from food industry veterans and start-up entrepreneurs. Meredith & Carl’s combined experience, in the restaurant industry and in new technologies, gives them a distinct advantage when it comes to understanding how to embrace th

Two authors tell: promoting your book, the unvarnished truth.

Jul 6, 2022

Two authors tell: promoting your book, the unvarnished truth.

In this post, I’m continuing my discussion with Meredith Sandland & Carl Orsbourn, authors of Delivering the Digital Restaurant: Your Roadmap to the Future of Food. (See my earlier blog post for part 1 of our conversation.) Meredith is an expert in the online food revolution, with extensive industry experience. Carl is a leading thinker on the impact of new technologies on the restaurant business. Their book talks about how restaurants can evolve and thrive in this post-pande

Two authors tell: promoting your book, the unvarnished truth.

Apr 11, 2022

Two authors tell: promoting your book, the unvarnished truth.

I’ve been blessed to work with some amazing clients who have had great success with their books. They have signed deals with leading publishers, hit bestseller lists, become sought-after speakers and thought leaders. Over the next few months, I’m going to feature in my blog some conversations I’ve had with these authors about the publishing experience. What did they learn along the way? What would they do differently if they had their time over? What advice would they offer f

Fearlessly Different: a shout-out to author Mickey Rowe.

Apr 4, 2022

Fearlessly Different: a shout-out to author Mickey Rowe.

One of the most rewarding projects I worked on last year was Mickey Rowe’s book, Fearlessly Different. When Mickey approached me, he had written a full manuscript and a book proposal to submit to agents, but he knew the proposal needed finessing. We worked together to make sure it had all the impact it needed to land him a deal with a great publisher, so that his story could reach the world. And now it has: Fearlessly Different (An Autistic Actor’s Journey to Broadway’s Bigge

Why every author should visit a bookstore.

Mar 28, 2022

Why every author should visit a bookstore.

What with pandemics and such, it’s been a good while since I visited my local bookstore. I continue to spend inordinate amounts of time on Amazon, Goodreads, publisher’s websites, book review pages and the like, checking out what’s new in the world of books. But there’s just something about walking into a great bookstore (I see you, Books Inc!), with carefully selected displays of new releases, category racks with “genre siblings” sitting shoulder to shoulder—even the sales t

6 tools for nonfiction book writers.

Mar 21, 2022

6 tools for nonfiction book writers.

The water dispenser in our fridge has been leaking for over a week now. Drip, drip, drip. You can imagine that one drip per second adds up through the course of a day. But we have a solution: a large plastic cup attached to the water dispenser with two rubber bands. Every hour we decant it into a glass and drink it. We are drinking a lot of water right now. A handyperson I am not. But I have found some tools to be very helpful when I am working on a book. There are a lot of m

Spring is in the air.

Mar 14, 2022

Spring is in the air.

Next week, I'm heading out of town to enjoy a Midwest spring break. I'll be lolling in the sunshine by Lake Michigan, enjoying the wafting scent of jasmine and long, balmy walks by the lake. In my dreams. This Californian girl is packing her thermals, ready for numbingly icy winds and frozen slushies falling from the sky. Bottom line is, I won't be doing my regular blog and email newsletter. Instead, I've got a "best of" collection for you: the three most-read blogs I've writ

Craft an elevator pitch for your book.

Mar 7, 2022

Craft an elevator pitch for your book.

Every author needs an elevator pitch. A brief but irresistible description that condenses the spirit of your book into a few sentences. But how do you know how to hit the right note? When it comes to bragging, how much is too much? What are the details that really matter? The descriptions here are taken from industry newsletter Publishers Lunch, and provide an excellent model for your elevator pitch, as well as giving you a rare insight into what agents and publishers are l

6 steps you need to take before writing your book proposal.

Feb 25, 2022

6 steps you need to take before writing your book proposal.

If you are planning to write a nonfiction book, and you’re planning to seek a publishing deal, the first thing you need is a book proposal. This is what literary agents and publishers want to see first—not a full manuscript. Your proposal is like the DNA of your book. If you are successful and land a deal with a publisher, your proposal will be the basis of the company’s understanding of your book. It will help the editor, the publicist, the sales force, and the cover designe

7 things you need to know about hybrid publishing.

Feb 21, 2022

7 things you need to know about hybrid publishing.

Hybrid publishing: AKA author-assisted publishing, indie publishing, partnership publishing, and co-publishing. It’s an umbrella term for an emerging sector of the publishing game with which every author should become familiar. These Q&As were inspired by discussion in the most excellent Discover Your Path to Publishing webinar hosted by Gotham Ghostwriters (details below). The webinar featured three panelists: Brooke Warner is publisher of She Writes Press and SparkPress. Sh

What’s the best way to get your book published?

Feb 14, 2022

What’s the best way to get your book published?

Dreaming of a book deal with Penguin Random House, Macmillan, or HarperCollins? You’re not alone. SO not alone. Before you join that long line of hungry, hopeful authors, consider this: a big publishing house might not be the best choice for you. Don’t get me wrong, I love big publishers. My first job out of college was with a small publisher that was later taken over by HarperCollins, so I suddenly found myself working for one of the biggest publishers there is. I went on to

Podcasts are the new author credential.

Feb 9, 2022

Podcasts are the new author credential.

Podcasts have become the latest hunting ground for agents and editors to find new voices. Just as long-form journalism has been a place to prove your voice, your ideas, and your audience, podcasts now fulfill a similar purpose. Podcasts are a great way to demonstrate the depth and complexity of an idea, and the level of interest/commitment of an audience. Here are three things to know about using a podcast as a launching pad for your book. #1. Agents and editors are keeping a

What’s your author persona?

Jan 31, 2022

What’s your author persona?

A writer’s persona communicates to their audience who they are. It’s not only a chance to give writing a little personality, it is also an opportunity for writers to connect to readers by allowing them to imagine the person who wrote the text they’re now reading (or the character narrating that text). A writer’s persona doesn’t need to encompass every single aspect of who they are as a person—rather, it’s a way of presenting a coherent identity to their readers through their

Every author dreams of this.

Jan 24, 2022

Every author dreams of this.

My last couple of posts (here and here) have been about choosing between traditional publishing and self-publishing. But what if you didn’t have to choose? What if you could … have it all? It’s possible. Increasingly, traditional publishers are acquiring high-performing books that were first self-published. For these deals to happen, the publisher must have confidence that they can break the book out into a wider market than the author was able to reach through their own chan

The pros and cons of traditional publishing.

Jan 17, 2022

The pros and cons of traditional publishing.

Every author needs to weigh up whether they seriously want a traditional publisher. It may seem like the holy grail, providing professionalism, market reach, and the gravitas of an association with a respected publishing house. Even so, assisted self-publishing and hybrid publishing are also viable options and may even be the best option for you. Here are some of the main pros and cons to consider. One of the main perks of traditional publishing is that most everything is tak

Be honest. Do you really want a publishing deal?

Jan 10, 2022

Be honest. Do you really want a publishing deal?

Earlier this week, I started work with a new client. She asked me to review and edit her book proposal, which is for a coffee-table book showcasing her gorgeous wildlife photography and poetry. She had put a vast amount of work (and money) into creating her book. It had been professionally edited, with print-ready layouts created by a leading graphic designer. Hang on a minute—if she has done all of that, does she really need a publisher? After all, this is what publishers do

How much ego is too much in your book proposal?

Jan 4, 2022

How much ego is too much in your book proposal?

Getting the balance between humility and hubris in your nonfiction book proposal is hard. Many authors are naturally self-effacing people, happy to let their stories or ideas speak for themselves. The exceptions tend to be authors with an entrepreneurial or marketing background, and they aggressively blow their own trumpet until everyone within hearing range is blocking their ears. Most authors are not the best people to write their own cover copy—self-promotion may not come

Show off with your sample chapters.

Dec 28, 2021

Show off with your sample chapters.

It’s easy to think of a book proposal as entirely separate from your book manuscript. Truth is, your book proposal must include a solid chunk of your manuscript—in the form of sample chapters. Agents and editors want to see sample chapters that demonstrate your ability to write a compelling, commercially successful book. Even if you have a popular podcast, or you write regularly on a specific topic for a respected media outlet, they need to see you can sustain your story, arg

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