As a writer, what are some of the challenges you face, and how do you overcome those challenges?

We love to help build a sense of community and connect with writers, authors, and book lovers in the literary community. Each week, we’d like to feature a segment where the those in the literary community can share their experiences and support one another throughout the process.

This week we’re asking, ”As a writer, what are some of the challenges you face, and how do you overcome those challenges?“ Many writers face many different challenges. It could range from (and/or include) writers block, not having enough time to write, or organizing their manuscript, to confusion about the publishing process, understanding E-books, or how to publicize their book. Which ever it may be for you, we are asking you to share  you’re experiences. Please feel free to comment below and add to the discussion!

Tips for Creating a Smooth Manuscript

You’re a writer. You have an idea for a book, and you spend weeks, months, even years crafting your idea into a manuscript. You have friends and family read it and tell you they think it’s great. As a result, you become more confident and start submitting your work to publishers.

In a nutshell, that’s how many of us think; that it’s an easy process and we’re going to have the next bestseller. But it’s not that easy. Here’s one thing publishers and editors can agree with: Not all manuscripts are created equal. You may feel your work is a masterpiece, only to find markups and edits all over your work after submitting it, or even worse, receiving  rejection letter after rejection letter. Well here are a few tips for you to follow when writing and revising your manuscript that will  help you develop and polish your work before it leaves your hands.

Proofread

Sometimes the simplest mistakes can hurt your chances of impressing an agent, editor, or publisher.This goes for not only your manuscript itself, but for emails, query letters, and any type of correspondence. Watch for spelling errors, grammar, and punctuation. Some of us may be used to short-hand abbreviations used with texting or Twitter, so be careful not to write, “U,” or “Thx,” when typing. All of these will affect your professionalism and your talents as a writer.

Transitions

One thing an editor will be looking for is transitions. For example, how well one paragraph flows into the next. They’ll also be looking at how well you bring your reader into situations (too fast or too slow), and how each of your scenes and chapters tie in with the overall story. You want to make sure your work is seamless…this goes for fiction and non-fiction manuscripts.

Show the readers, don’t tell them

When outlining a novel, you may start out by listing the situations in a scene, which is often a great idea to getting your ideas down on paper. But when you begin filling in your story, you want to show the readers instead of telling them. What do I mean by this? Instead of making a laundry list of actions and reactions, provide the readers with details of characters, their expressions, movements, etc. Create a scene where the reader can come to their own perceptions of your characters and story by the details and descriptions you offer.

Give credit where credit is due

When editors read through a manuscript, they also look for citations. If you’re submitting a non-fiction manuscript, be sure to cite quotations, work from another book, and photographs. In today’s day and age, it is very easy to Google a photograph or text of a book. Does it mean you should do it?

There are copyright laws out there and the last thing you want on your reputation is that you plagiarized someone else’s work. So if you do decide to use the work of others, please give them credit for it.

Some General Misconceptions About Publishing

The publishing process is complex. It’s one thing to say, “I just wrote a book, now I want to have it published,” yet quite another to set the ball in motion. As authors prepare their manuscript for a publisher(s), many have preconceived notions about how things happen. We want it to be printed as is. We don’t want to pay for editing (friends and family have seen it, that should be enough, right?). We want it to be free. We want high royalties. We want the publisher to handle all of the work. Right?

Wrong. Sure there are publishers out there will print and publish your work as is, but that doesn’t ensure the highest quality product for you or you audience. Sure there are publishers that will provide the work “for free,” but that doesn’t mean you’re not paying for it via your royalties. All these things must be taken into consideration, researched, asked about, and fully explained before you make major decisions.

Below are some of the most common misconceptions that I’ve come across that I feel should be addressed right away. Please feel free to add to this list, as I’m sure there will be more to come on this topic. So let’s take a look.

The submission process is, or should be, the same for all publishers.

Every publisher is different. Each will have its own set of guidelines. One publisher may accept romance novels, while the other may accept science fiction. The same is true for non-fiction material. That is why it’s important to research publishers and learn about what they accept and do not accept. If you submit a manuscript without following the specific guidelines of the publisher, it could be considered an unsolicited manuscript. Your manuscript may not even make it to the rejection pile; instead, it may end up in trash. It is a waste of the publisher’s time, as well as your time, to submit work without following the publisher’s guidelines.

My work doesn’t need to be edited before I submit it to publishers.

Proofreading, editing, revisions, and more revisions are all necessary for a manuscript to be at its best when submitted

to publishers. When friends and family read your manuscript, more often than not, they are not looking at your work objectively. A writer needs to have at least a second set of eyes to evaluate the content and offer constructive criticism.

Please keep in mind that editing is a very in-depth process and will help you further develop your work as you prepare for the publishing process. It takes time and expertise, and the editor is there to help you refine and develop your work to make sure it is of utmost quality. It will also help make a better impression with publishers when your work is free of errors and is fully developed.

Writers should stay away from publishers who charge fees for services.

Traditional publishing is becoming increasingly difficult to break into, especially for new authors. Now-a-days, writers are taking their dream of publishing into their own hands and are finding other outlets where they can publish their work. Both self-publishing and small/Print On Demand publishers are becoming more popular because they allow writers to remain in control of their work and earn higher royalties. POD also eliminates the risk of printing too many books at a time and having to warehouse inventory. Interestingly enough, traditional publishers are now incorporating POD equipment and practices into their realm to keep up with the changing times.

Publishers should be responsible for all promotion and marketing for my work.

While publishers will perform such services (sometimes for a fee), it is imperative that the author plays an active role in the promotion and marketing of his/her book. Along with the publisher, the author must be willing to promote his/her work at any given opportunity in order to achieve the best results.

This may include book signings, handing out your business card when meeting people, attending seminars, networking, utilizing social media, blogging, and doing everything you can do to get your name out there and share your achievements with others.

10 Ways for a Book Author to Share Free Content on the Internet

Hello everyone! Today’s blog post is going to address 10 ways for a an author to share free content Online.  It was posted on Twitter via @BubbleCow (www.bubblecow.co.uk) and was written by Phyllis Zimbler Miller. I thought this would be fitting to the writing community and wanted to share it with you. So please take a few moments to read the article  below and learn about how you can share your content, build an audience and network, and learn how it will lead to success for you and your book. Enjoy!

by Phyllis Zimbler Miller

Book authors sell their books — the fruits of their writing labor. Thus it may seem counterintuitive to recommend that, for online book marketing success, book authors must be willing to share abundant free content.

Why is this?

On the Internet people are usually looking for relationships (connections) before buying something. Even if the book author has an effective website – one that makes it immediately clear what’s on offer and provides an easily visible BUY button, this effective website is often not enough by itself to motivate buying the author’s book.

Let’s look at 10 ways that fiction and nonfiction authors can share free content:

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1. Offer a free sample chapter on their websites and on other sites around the Internet.

2. Write a blog with information based on their book or on another interest.

3. Provide book group discussion questions.

4. Leave thoughtful comments on other people’s blog posts.

5. Participate in conversations on Twitter.

6. Write articles and upload these to article directories such as Ezinearticles.com.

7. Participate in groups on Facebook and LinkedIn.

8. Write book reviews on Amazon.

9. Write brief book review comments on Glue.com.

10. Upload several chapters or the entire book to fReado.com.

Now let’s discuss what all this free content sharing does:

• Perhaps most importantly, it demonstrates that you can indeed write well – that your book is probably well-written.

• It also demonstrates that you’re not just out to sell your books. You’re interested in engaging with readers. In fact, readers can contact you directly at social media sites such as Twitter.

• Third benefit? You may have just written enough new material to compile into an ebook that you can sell off your website.

• And, finally, it does help you sell your books because people are reminded of you and your book at different places around the Web. How many times have you decided to buy something and then forgotten to buy it? With your name and writing examples all over cyberspace you’ve provided potential fans with subtle reminders about your book.

Some writers are concerned that others will “steal” their material if that material is so easily accessible. I believe you have to be willing to take this slight risk in order to reap the greater probability of having people become interested in your writing.

Although some writers are happy to write only for themselves, most writers would like as large a reading public as possible. Being willing to share free content on the Web can help book authors attract a wider fan base.

Phyllis Zimbler Miller’s company Miller Mosaic LLC just launched the Miller Mosaic Internet Marketing Program to help people promote their brand, book or business — http://budurl.com/marketingonweb

Does My Book Need Editing?

One thing that I have come across time and time again is the age-old debate of editing. Some of the things we’ve either heard or said ourselves, include:

“Is editing necessary?”
“Why should I pay to have it done when I can have my friends look over my work?”
“My book doesn’t need editing!”

But the truth is, editing is necessary. Your friends aren’t editors (although some may be!). And books do need editing. As a writer, it is important to have at least one or two sets of eyes look through your work. They may catch mistakes that you weren’t aware of, for one. Or perhaps they may correct some proofreading errors. But more than that, an editor will help you further develop your work. An editor will work with you to develop characters, plot, and climax, as well as alert you to any holes in the story, the need for transitions, and the areas that may need more attention and detail. They read your work line by line for the quality of the content.

Many may feel that editing costs too much, and would rather look through their own work for any holes or mistakes. But understand that editing is an involved process. It takes time. It takes knowledge. And, like everything else, it is an investment. But the editor is there to work with you to help you produce the best work possible, which is the ultimate goal.

Question for Authors

I’d like to bring back the Q&A section of my blog. In previous posts, we’ve held discussions about the writing process and author’s experiences with rejection letters. I’d like to open a new discussion about the challenges we face when wanting to publish our work. So, here we go!

Authors, what is the biggest challenge you face when publishing your work? This can range from sending submissions, organizing a manuscript, or marketing the final product. What is your biggest challenge and how did you/are you overcoming it?

Our Submission Process

Hello, everyone! Happy Tuesday! Betta Book Publishing has been catching the eye of more and more writers and authors, and for that, I am truly thankful. It’s an exciting process, for both ends of the publishing process, because so many people have dreams for their work to be in the marketplace, and we at BBP are excited to help everyone through that process.

I have been asked some questions about our submission process, and I’d like to address some of those here.

Many people feel that they need an agent to get their work published, but that is not necessary for you to do so. We are very willing to educate and help authors through every step of the publishing process, and make sure they make the best decisions for themselves.

Second, when submitting your work to us, please complete our Submission Form. This will provide us with basic information about you, your book, and your publishing goals. Then submit that with the first three chapters of your manuscript. You can do this via email, postal mail, CD, etc. Email would work best, because when we move forward in the process, almost everything will be done electronically.

Third, it doesn’t cost you a dime, or a penny for that matter, to submit your work to us. Unlike vanity publishers out there, we at BBP want you to feel comfortable in submitting your work at no cost to you. Yes, we do have fees for the services we provide, however, we are not going to charge you for reading through your submission material.

I hope this information helps. As always, if you have any questions that I haven’t addressed in this blog, or on our FAQ page, please contact me. I want to make sure you have all the information you need to make the best decision for you and your publishing goals.

Rejection Letters 6

Hello all! Here are more responses to our discussion of rejection letters. Stay tuned for new up-and-coming topics that we will feature here. Also, feel free to suggest a topic. You can contact us via email, publisher@bettabookpublishing.com, with any questions, comments, or ideas you may have. Let’s start talking! Also, what you’ll find below are responses from both agents and writers. I love to hear what everyone has to say about the publishing industry and the process that everyone goes through, especially when we get to hear from both sides of the coin.

 

“I’m coming at this from a different perspective, that of an agent, and of course I have received rejection letters, dozens and dozens. I think it’s rare that I send out a book that doesn’t receive at least one rejection. That letter might come after an offer from another house, but a rejection nonetheless. One thing that’s really great about being an agent though is that 99% of all editors make some effort to give personal feedback, some more then others. I do share all the letters with my clients, some we laugh over, some we consider carefully, and others we simply toss aside. Rejection letters are part of the process of getting published and if you’ve never received a harsh rejection letter look out, because it’s likely to come in the form of a harsh review. I do keep all of the rejection letters I receive in various files since I find that they’re useful to have down the road when I’m thinking about that author’s career. Editors that have expressed enthusiasm are the ones that will get a second shot.”

Jessica H. Faust

 

“I’ve been turned down (by now) about 100 times. Virtually all of the letters state that my children’s picture book is not a good fit. Strange because according to their websites, it really does fit. Of all those only one took the time to tell me about a ‘lack of emotion.’

The story is a true one so I really knew that particular emotion and wrote as I felt it. I gotta keep trying. On to Canada publishers!”

Jerry Gold

 

“As a literary agent it’s my sad job to send dozens of rejection notes every week. I’m forced to use a form letter due to time constraints, but sometimes I add a handwritten note at the bottom. I occasionally write short critiques, but I cut back on doing that because some authors respond with nasty comments and even stalk me via email. (As if that will help them sell their manuscript). A professional query without errors is most likely to receive a handwritten note and helpful suggestions.

Not only do I send rejections — I receive dozens of them from publishers. I’m happy when editors tell me why they aren’t interested in a particular manuscript. I can pass that information along to the author, and sometimes we adjust the book accordingly.”

Sammie Justesen

 

“Hi Kelly

Every author will have many rejection letters. They’re always polite but still have the same message – they don’t want to publish your book.

Authors have to develop a thick skin and just keep on doing it.”

Merydith Willoughby
http://www.ibcoaching.com.au

 

“I sent all my queries by email so I got rejection emails. They were pretty much like the letters though. Mostly they said, ‘Not for us, but good luck.’ They didn’t elaborate on why it wasn’t for them. Fortunately I was able to find 2 agents who were interested in the book.”

Leslie Truex

 

“I have a physical folder at home stuffed with them and an e-mail folder, also stuffed with them. The overwhelming majority are form responses, which is to be expected — agents and publishers get hundreds of submissions, so they can’t give individual attention to all. I did receive one e-mail from a publisher that was my most encouraging rejection. He liked my synopsis and thought the sample 50 pages read well, but he was swamped with enough material to get him through 2009 (this was last summer). Most rejections (including the one I got from Jessica Faust — see above) are very respectful and encouraging.”

Tim Dodge
Liverpool, NY
www.timdodgestories.com

 

Tune in for later this week, as I’ll share with you more updates of Betta Book Publishing and what we’ve been up to behind the scenes!

Rejection Letters 5

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you’re week is off to a great start. Our conversation about rejection letters continues. I have received more feedback and people sharing their experiences, and I think this, as well as our discussion about advice for first-time authors, has been and will continue to be of help to writers out there. Let’s get started, shall we?
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“Hi, Kelly,
Several years ago I submitted a proposal for a crafts/history book to a number of publishers. Admittedly, my book idea was difficult to classify. As a graphic designer, my submission included a mini-chapter laid out with illustrations so publishers could get an idea of what I was trying to accomplish.

I received about a dozen rejection letters. (No surprise.) Most were photocopies of the standard ‘not right for our market,’ etc. I did receive a couple of handwritten notes telling me they loved the idea and the sample I’d enclosed, and suggested other publishers to try. Not being a professional writer, I found their suggestions very encouraging, and also helped me refine my ideas. By receiving a handwritten note, I knew that some human had actually looked at my manuscript. I counted that as a bonus.

I’m working on another iteration of the book and hope to send it out again.

Thanks, Kelly. Good luck with your blog.”

Cathy Palmer
http://palmerdesigns.home.comcast.net/

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“The classic rejection letter, supposedly sent by a Chinese publisher to a writer early in the last century, goes something like, ‘We regret to say that if we were to publish your book, it would set a standard of excellence above any others we would likely publish in the future. To avoid this embarrassment of our other writers, we must decline your manuscript.’

I’ve had more constructive letters. If it’s a form-like letter, I discount it. We just did not click. If it is a constructive critique, I use it. There’s really no sense in getting upset over rejection letters. Lots of times, it’s a matter of luck and networking. I’ve maintained excellent relationships with agents and publishers who took the time to critique manuscripts — but never quite bought in. They saw some value to the relationship and on a different topic, we might still click.”

Bob Frump

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“I’ve received a number of rejections from science fiction magazines for various short stories. They all appear to be form letters. One magazine says thank you but, we can’t use it at this time. Another is a more terse ‘It didn’t hold my interest.’ The first one I received from that magazine was surprising in that they would be so blunt. By the third I realized it wasn’t me–someone must have had a bad day when they Xeroxed a ream of rejections.

Good Luck!”

Tony Jonick
http://www.RappidRabbit.com

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“Hi

I was an acquisitions editor at a major university press. Our rejection letters / e-mails were personalized but formulaic. Rejection letters for non-fiction fall into two broad classes: (1) Your proposal does not fit our list / profile / market / ability to sell; (2) Your proposal was sent for peer review; unfortunately our reviewers did not support the proposal; their comments are attached, but their names have been removed. Quite often we would add a sentence to the effect that we would be interested in evaluating any further proposals the author might have.”

Simon Mitton
http://www.totalastronomy.com

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“Kelly,
I received about 15 rejection letters for my book for about two years. I had some that were very dry that just said ‘thanks for the submission, but it’s not what we’re looking for…’ Others were just ‘no.’ Two of my favorite ones were that one publisher literally said that the manuscript isn’t funny and people wouldn’t get it and that I should be more verbose. The other said the opposite, that they loved the book and how it was written but they themselves had not been able to do well with creativity books in the past, so they didn’t want to get into the market. That publisher actually called me, we had a nice conversation and he was very encouraging.”

Gary Unger
www.garyunger.com
www.garyunger.com/blog
www.linkedin.com/in/garyunger
www.twitter.com/garyunger

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More to come!

Rejection Letters 4

“Dozens of them. And dozens. And dozens more. (That’s not all I’ve received but it is a significant portion of the responses).

Usually they are just form letters. Something like, ‘Sorry that the work does not fit our needs at this time.’ I’m okay with that. Actually, I prefer it. When editors give advice about what they liked and didn’t like, I always find myself wondering if they even read what I sent them, or if they even can read. Seriously. On the rare occasions when editors give advice, I ALWAYS lose respect for them.

A number of times (with one story in particular) I have received personal notes from the editor that were highly complimentary. I HATE that. There is nothing more frustrating than, ‘This story was very well written and very funny. I’m really sorry I can’t use it.’ When they won’t even buy the stuff they like, it gets very hard to stay optimistic.

Still, even bad rejection letters are better than what seems to be a growing trend: No letter at all. There may be a note in the guidelines saying, ‘Check our blog for submission status.’ Or in some cases, ‘We reply only on acceptance.’ I find theses things unprofessional and annoying. I am beginning to avoid submitting to such markets.”

David Vandervort

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“Gee – nobody who calls themselves a serous writer would claim he never had received a rejection. Actually it is normal to receive many more rejections than acceptance. I have published three e-books and have of course received countless rejections by countless publishers before I got accepted.

Most times you get a standard letter not saying much. It’s like every business project: The other part has to feel comfortable and believe in it, and if they don’t, they’ll reject.”

Eugene Rembor, MBA
http://www.remborpartners.com

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“Gee, no! I’ve had every single thing I’ve ever written accepted…sometimes before I’ve submitted it!! Are you kidding? It just wouldn’t feel like real writing without rejection!

The deal with my agent is this: send me the ones that are so completely off-the-wall that I’ll think they’re funny, send me the ones that say nice things about my writing, spare me the rest.

As a result I have a file of some wonderful rejections letters that inspired me to keep writing. In fact, years later I met that editor at Doubleday when they published my second book and thanked him for his kindness and generosity to an unpublished author.”

Meredith Gould
http://www.meredithgould.com
http://meredithgould.blogspot.com

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“Only about 35. I’m starting a collection.”

Adam Shake

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“Actually yes. Rejection letters are so necessary in this industry that they are to be viewed as excellent signs of progress and participation in the process.

I have been taught that anything that is even vaguely interpretable as less than severely negative should be taken as a strong compliment. For example: Your work does not suit our publishing needs this year.

This is to be interpreted as, ‘You’re work is really very good; keep submitting it until someone says Yes.’”

Miriam Pia

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“I don’t write professionally, and I have quite a number of rejection letters. I framed the one from Marvel Comics. My husband has his rejection letter from Fantasy and Science Fiction magazine framed on his office wall.”

Sherry Foster

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“Hi, Kelly,
Several years ago I submitted a proposal for a crafts/history book to a number of publishers. Admittedly, my book idea was difficult to classify. As a graphic designer, my submission included a mini-chapter laid out with illustrations so publishers could get an idea of what I was trying to accomplish.

I received about a dozen rejection letters. (No surprise.) Most were photocopies of the standard ‘not right for our market,’ etc. I did receive a couple of handwritten notes telling me they loved the idea and the sample I’d enclosed, and suggested other publishers to try. Not being a professional writer, I found their suggestions very encouraging, and also helped me refine my ideas. By receiving a handwritten note, I knew that some human had actually looked at my manuscript. I counted that as a bonus.

I’m working on another iteration of the book and hope to send it out again.

Thanks, Kelly. Good luck with your blog.”

Cathy Palmer
http://palmerdesigns.home.comcast.net/

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