How to Hire the "Right" Publicist

By Terry Whalin (@terrywhalin)

An effective publicist can be a great asset to you as an author when you launch your book into the world. Yet like hiring an editor, literary agent, or anyone else in publishing, you have to use wisdom and all your resources to find the right publicist. Rick Frishman who ran one of the largest public relations firms in the United States for many years, often tells these firms have a solid “guarantee”: that they will charge you every month. A typical publicist fee is $3,000 to $5,000 each month. With these amounts of money, you can quickly spend a lot of resources with little results if you aren’t careful.

As a cautionary story in this area, several years ago I acquired a book for Morgan James Publishing where I had a lot of hope for great success. One of the co-authors had sold their company for millions of dollars and they had a large publicity budget to launch their book. As these authors told us their plan, it had one glaring red flag: their publicity firm. We had never heard of this firm and we’ve worked with many different publicists over the last 20 years. This firm may have a great reputation for getting their clients on television programs. These authors produced an excellent book, but they ran through $30,000 on their publicity campaign with this firm and did not sell books. 

To avoid this type of disappointment, I recommend several steps to hire a publicist:

• Get a number of recommendations 

• Interview each one and speak with their clients about their results

• Check their reputation online (type the name of the company + complaints)

• Check with your publisher for recommendations

Ultimately, you are making an important decision to hire a publicist and you want to make sure you get value from this expense. 

Understand the Role of a Book Publicist

Whether a traditional and recognized publisher launches your book or a self-publisher, the author has to be engaged in the promotion and marketing of their book. One of the key players in this process is the book publicist. Many of these publicists have valuable connections and relationships with the media and others to help you promote your book. 

Recently I finished reading a book from publicist Claire McKinney, who has worked in publicity for major publishers for over 20 years and is a recognized expert in self-publishing appearing on The Today Show for example. Do You Know What A Book Publicist Does? is the name of McKinney’s book with the subtitle, “A Guide for Creating Your Own Campaigns.” As the number of new books entering the market increases every day, authors need to understand the role of a book publicist and how to work with them in the process of book promotion. Managing expectations about what a publicist can do for a writer is great information and woven into the fiber of this book.

The promotion or sale of any book is tied to key connections and relationships—for example to the media. Book publicists like Claire McKinney have been building these relationships for years. Every author needs to understand their role in publishing. Do You Know What A Book Publicist Does? fills a critical role in this process with pointed insights throughout.

McKinney answers common author questions like what is a press release and what is a book launch and the best time to launch a book? The answers are packed with her years of experience in such tasks. 

In the section on Reaching the Media, McKinney writes, “I’ve found that “fear” is the one thing that holds most people back from reaching out and from developing good pitches. Of course, you don’t want to be insulting, use the words “extraordinary” or “dynamic” just to create hype doesn’t help either. If you are honest about your intentions and what you are looking for, you are more likely to get a response. It takes extra effort, but that is also how you will build a relationship with the contact that could benefit another book or could enrich your experience in another way. If you don’t ask, you don’t get it. I’m sure you know that expression. If you get a snappy response, chalk it up to a bad day. What is the worst that can happen?” (Page 100-101)

Like many other aspects of publishing, I encourage you to move carefully and ask many questions before hiring a publicist. If you do, then you will locate the right person for you and your book.

Tweetable:

What steps do you take to hire the “right” publicist for your book? This prolific author and editor gives insights in this article. (ClickToTweet)

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in California. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. Get Terry’s recent book, 10 Publishing Myths for only $10, free shipping and bonuses worth over $200. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. Check out his free Ebook, Platform Building Ideas for Every Author. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

How To Support Your Writer

 

 Contributed by Margot Conor

Yes, I am talking to authors too. We all need to support each other.

It doesn’t matter if you read or write the same genre. Managing to get a book published is a huge accomplishment and it deserves to be celebrated. What I see too often is a lack of willingness to give others the credit and attention they need.

Many authors feel isolated, it is a solitary profession. It is also difficult for them to ask for support, so when they are brave enough to request it, why not do everything they ask?
Let’s go over the why-nots… You think there isn’t enough time. You don’t feel confident or don’t know how and are afraid to ask. You are not tech-savvy. You are afraid of the competition and think that promoting another author will take away from your success.

These are all excuses I have encountered. And while most of them are the result of inexperience the last one is endemic in the creative industries. I tend to follow and support others who have the same attitude that I do, there is enough to go around and we need each other to succeed.
Why and why not?

1. Join their Arc team. You get a free copy of their novel in advance with the promise of writing a review. Please don’t take the free copy and not bother to write a review. Yes, that happens a lot and is rather disheartening.

2. Join their Launch team. This is a group of people who help to advertise the book release by sharing cover art, a blurb, and /or the pre-order form on their social media or newsletters. In some cases, it involves local people who organize physical launch parties or events where the author can talk about their book and get preorders.

3. Get your book club to buy copies of their books, and then invite the author to talk at your meeting.

4. Promote them on your social media. It only takes a moment to like and share a post. If you can leave a comment of congratulations that means more to the author than you can imagine.

5. Author Tube is another place where writers may have a presence. If you are on YouTube, seek them out, watch their videos, “like and subscribe.”

6. Patron sites. I believe Patreon was the first to explore this format. I joined it a year ago, at the same time I signed up on Medium, and SubStack. (I get a lot more engagement on the last two, virtually none on Patreon). Why? Because I don’t have a huge following that I could take with me there. Some authors put all their stories behind a paywall. These are called tiers and they range in price. Joining a tear as a patron gives the author a small monthly donation, and gives the patron access to what they post. But some writers let you join for free, and post articles and stories for anyone to read. My pages on these sites have been free to join. I might put some stories behind a paywall in the future. You may find your favorite authors have a presence on these sites.

7. Subscribe to their newsletter. I suggest this only if you are reading the genre they write or if you know them personally. Authors tend to write a lot about their personal lives in newsletters. Funny things that happen, epiphanies they have, or frustrations and processes that involve their writing journey. They share helpful articles, and short stories, or give you the option to get free books and stories through promotions they take part in.

8. Book reviews are very important for Authors. It gets their books noticed by the algorithms and that means more people see the listing, and that leads to sales. Reviews can be placed on Amazon, Goodreads, and Bookbub. A review doesn’t have to be long. But leaving a few kind words of support means everything.

9. I am, however, of the opinion that if you don’t have something good to say, don’t bother to leave a review. You are likely not an expert paid by a publisher to give a critical review. Neither are you bound by your sense of honor to save others from suffering. So, if the book didn’t resonate with you, refrain from leaving 1-star reviews that will most definitely hurt them.

10. Never review-bomb another author! It will come back to bite you. If you think you need to make others fail so you can succeed, that will not lead to your success. Eventually, others will find out what you are up to, and well, that will get around. Be nice. Pay it forward. Give more than you take.

Join, Follow, Like, Subscribe… Your support is always appreciated. Even authors who seem to have “made it” suffer from doubt and insecurities and are happy to get a kind word of encouragement. They love to hear what you liked or what you connected with when you read their novel.

Please don’t threaten your favorite authors if they kill off a character you liked or didn’t write what you wanted them to. I never knew this was a thing. But evidently, some authors are hounded with threats and mean letters because they didn’t meet the expectations of their fans.

It’s a story, we are dedicated to entertaining you, but it is our story. We will write what we are inspired to write.

We hope that it will plant some seeds of hope, give you moments of joy, or keep you on the edge of your seat. We want your interest and engagement. We hope to write something you can’t put down until it’s finished. We want to share what we love with you, and we hope you will support us in return.

I am going to be completely honest with you. Until I became focused on publishing, I never thought about any of these things. It certainly never occurred to me to write a review or seek out the author on social media, Goodreads, or AuthorTube. I didn’t know that would be helpful or how needed it was. I assumed the publishers did a lot more for authors than they do. But the truth is, writers are dependent on your support. If you love what they write, let them know.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Margot Conor has been writing for as long as she can remember, but it wasn't until the COVID lock-down that she had enough time to dedicate to the craft and bring something to completion. Having finished her first novel, she went through the grueling two-year process of editing. Now she has jumped into the author's world with both feet. Margot's debut multiverse adventure novel, Inverse, is now  available on Amazon.

She's spent the last year attending many writing retreats, seminars, and writers' events. She also listened to presentations specifically on the topic of publishing and book marketing. She will be sharing what she learns with the reader. Learn more about Margot at https://margotconor.com/

Writing for Children? 3 Things to Avoid

 

Contributed by Karen Cioffi

It seems there are still new children’s authors or wannabe authors who don’t take the time to learn how to write for children… at least to learn the basics.

The absolute must-nots when writing for children:

The Picture Book Cliffhanger

A recent client of mine was for a picture book rewrite project with the ending missing, so there was a bit of ghosting involved. The intended age group was four to eight.

I rewrote the story and added a ‘satisfying’ ending with a takeaway only to learn the client wanted it to be a cliffhanger and didn’t want a takeaway.

Well, kind of a cliffhanger. The client wanted the ending missing.

No loose ends tied up. No satisfying ending. No full character arc. No full story arc.

This client scenario was a first for me.

Not wanting a takeaway is one thing, but not wanting a satisfying ending for a young children’s book doesn’t make sense.

The story was to leave the reader to guess what the author had in mind for the ending or create their own.

The author’s intent was to create a series of cliffhangers motivating the reader to get the next picture book.

I tried my best to help the client understand that a young children’s book needs all the elements of a ‘good’ story, especially when seeking a traditional publishing contract.

I understand that in self-publishing a lot of new authors do whatever they want (even though they should produce a quality book), but it’s a different ball game when going the traditional route.

The Perfect Story World

I don’t get too many of these types of authors, but it came up in another recent project.

This scenario is when the author doesn’t want any significant conflict in the story. No real stakes involved.

-No swarm of bees to block a path the protagonist must get through.
-No ferocious fire-breathing dragon blocking the entrance to a cave the protagonist must get into.
-No dangling from a cliff before being rescued.

The author also doesn’t want the characters, even the villain, to have any bad traits.

-No evil Professor Moriarty (Sherlock Holmes’ nemesis).
-No evil Joker or the Penguin (Batman’s nemesis).
-No evil Lex Luthor (Superman’s nemesis).

This type of story is sugar-coated.

Instead of a roller coaster that goes up and down, where the rider has to hold on tight, this type of story is the stationary horse on the carousel, no holding on needed, no real movement involved.

You always want your story to be the one the reader is motivated to hold onto, motivated to turn the pages. You want your story to go up and down and around.

Hitting the Reader Over the Head

Most of my clients have a specific goal for their story. They want to send a message to a child. They know exactly what they want the takeaway to be.

A number of stories have the bullying theme, but interestingly, that’s eased off. Now I get more requests for inclusion, standing up for yourself, and being kind themes.

Some new authors think they have to hit the reader over the head with their message. They blatantly want to tell the reader how the main character grew because he was kind, stood up for himself, or included someone different in her group.

Hitting the reader over the head with the story’s message is frowned upon. The story should convey the message subtly. The reader will pick up on it.

I hope these three absolute must-nots in kid’s writing help you on your children’s writing journey.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

 

Karen Cioffi is an award-winning children’s author, working ghostwriter, rewriter, and coach. If you need help with your story, visit Writing for Children with Karen Cioffi.

Karen also offers authors:

HOW TO WRITE A CHILDREN'S FICTION BOOK
A DIY book to help you write your own children’s book.

WRITERS ON THE MOVE SELF-PUBLISHING SERVICE
Self-publishing help for children’s authors.

Do You Want to Write a Bestseller?

By Terry Whalin (@terrywhalin)

As an acquisition’s editor at a New York publisher, I often speak with authors about their dreams and ambitions for their book. Many authors want their book to become a bestseller. Every business has a pinnacle of success. It is the ultimate mark of achievement. In book publishing, this mark of success is tied to winning a particular award or getting your book on a particular bestseller list. Many writers proclaim their book will be a New York Times bestseller. While it is an admirable goal, just making such a statement is another publishing myth because of the difficulty involved. It is equivalent to a brand-new actor proclaiming he is going to win an Oscar. Eventually, this actor may win an Oscar, but rarely does it happen right away.

When an author lands on the New York Times list, the achievement is forever carried with their publishing life. They are introduced as a New York Times bestselling author. In many ways, it is the holy grail of publishing to achieve such a milestone. I’ve never achieved such a milestone, but I know a number of authors who have reached this goal. Several years ago, I moderated a panel with three members of the American Society of Journalists and Authors who have become New York Times bestselling authors.

As the moderator, I pulled together the speakers and organized the session into three parts: the pitch or the proposal, the writing, and the promotion and life changes that came from the experience. I asked each speaker to pull together some tips and suggestions into a handout. 

This event is at a “members only session” for the ASJA. In other words, you have to be a member of this organization (about 1400) and have registered for the conference and traveled to New York City for the event (an even smaller number). Here’s the handout for this event (www.terrylinks.com/nytwh). This document is nine pages of solid information and insight.

I encourage you as an author to continue to market your book, yet understand reaching the New York Times bestseller list is not easy or simple. Many people seek it but few attain it. For the majority of authors, it is a myth for them to reach any bestseller list—not just the New York Times bestseller list but others like the Los Angeles Times or Wall Street Journal. 

In this article, I want to focus on several practical steps every author can take to help generate additional book sales on an ongoing basis. One of the most neglected areas for authors is the book launch. From working with authors on book production, the final push to complete a book and get it ready to print can be grueling. There is a lot of detail work to finalize a book for printing and when it is finished, there is a huge relief. Yet it is not a time to stop and do nothing. This silent period is called the pre-launch stage. To become an effective book selling author, it is time for you to crank even more energy into this pre-sales process.

Many authors let down and do nothing during this stage. The exceptions and successful authors will use this time to promote the pre-sales on the book, write press related materials, hire a publicist and gather a launch team or at least people to write reviews. I’m going to give you more details about each of these activities.

Create a Pre-Launch Campaign 

The period when the book has been completely produced and finalized but not released into the bookstore is called the pre-sales season. As an author, one of the most effective actions you can take is to organize a pre-sales campaign. Dave Jarworski, was one of the early employees at Microsoft and the winner of the first Microsoft sales award from Bill Gates. He ran an effective pre-sales campaign for the launch of his book. After he left Microsoft, Dave and I worked together at Christianity.com. We kept in touch and Dave wrote a book about Microsoft called Microsoft Secrets (www.microsoftsecrets.com). Dave gathered unusual resources with his book such as some unpublished videos and launched a pre-sales campaign for this book. If you pre-ordered the book, and after your order, returned to Dave and told him (giving an order number for example), you got access to these extras. The pre-sales campaign drove people to pre-order the book from different bookstores. 

Also the pre-sales campaign is something Morgan James can promote to our bookstore sales team who in turn promoted it to the bookstores. When Microsoft Secrets launched, the physical books were sold into the majority of the bookstores throughout North America and Canada. Authors who do not have a pre-sales campaign will sell into a limited number of physical bookstores, but because of the pre-launch campaign, Microsoft Secrets received much broader distribution than normal (and increased sales as a result).

Because a successful campaign was launched for the book, this author activity spilled into other areas such as foreign rights. At this writing, Microsoft Secrets has been sold into two additional languages besides English, Vietnamese and Simple Chinese. Ironically after 22 years away from Microsoft, Dave Jaworski rejoined Microsoft as an employee. Worldwide Microsoft has over 154,000 employees. To create this pre-sales campaign, you can study the activities of other authors and watch how they launch their books. You may need a website or other help with this process. Get several recommendations before selecting the right person to help you. The key difference maker to become a bestseller it to take consistent action to be telling people about your book and where it is available. Finally, every author needs to have a realistic view of their book and what can happen with it.

Tweetable:

What does it take to become a bestselling author? This prolific author and editor gives some insights in this article.  (ClickToTweet) 

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in California. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. Get Terry’s recent book, 10 Publishing Myths for only $10, free shipping and bonuses worth over $200. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. Check out his free Ebook, Platform Building Ideas for Every Author. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Why Even Self-Published Books Need A Proposal

By Terry Whalin (@terrywhalin)

No matter what method you choose in the publishing world, I encourage you to create a book proposal. Whether it is fiction or nonfiction, you need to create this document because it is your business plan for your book. Years ago, as a frustrated acquisitions editor, I wrote Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets to Speed Your Success. This book has over 150 Five Star reviews and many people have used it to get published. I also have a free book proposal checklist at: www.terrylinks.com./bookcheck and a free teleseminar about proposals at: www.askaboutproposals.com. 

I’ve read thousands of book proposals as an acquisitions editor and a former literary agent. I continually teach on the topic because I believe many writers don’t understand the critical nature of this specialized document called a book proposal.

On the traditional side of publishing, editors and agents read proposals. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve written nonfiction or fiction because this document includes information which never appears in your manuscript yet is critical in the decision-making process. 

Many authors have not written a book proposal because have written a full manuscript. From my perspective of working in book publishing for over 20 years, every author should create a book proposal for their book—whether eventually they publish the book with a company where they pay to get it published (subsidy or self-publishing) or whether they find a traditional book publisher. In the proposal creation process, the author learns critical elements about their book concept plus they are better positioned in the marketplace.

Here are four of the many benefits of proposal creation:

1. You Define Your Target Market. Many authors believe their book will hit a broad target—everyone. No successful book is for everyone. Each book has a primary target audience, and the proposal creation process helps you define, pinpoint and write about this audience. It is important in nonfiction but it is also important in fiction. For example, romance is the largest fiction genre yet there are many divisions within the romance genre. The proposal helps to define this division and helps the publisher understand who will be creating the sales.

Every proposal needs a target which is defined—yet large enough to generate volume sales. You learn and achieve this balance when you create a page-turning book proposal.

2. You Understand Your Competition. Book proposals force writers to take a hard look at what is already on the market, and what if anything they bring to the conversation.  Many new authors believe they are writing something unique with no competition. It’s not true. Every book competes in the marketplace, and you will be a better equipped author if you understand your competition.

3. You Create A Personal Plan For Marketing. As you create a book proposal, you will include practical, specific and measurable ideas that can executed when your book enters the market. The proposal will be a valuable reference tool for you because you’ve done this important evaluation process.

4. You Possess A Valuable Tool To Pitch Agents and Editors at Traditional Houses. Literary agents and editors do not read manuscripts. They read book proposals. Even novelists need a book proposal for their initial pitch to an editor or agent. And if you self-publish and are successful with selling your book, because you own everything, if you receive an attractive offer from a traditional house, then you can move the book. Without a proposal you can’t properly pitch the concept and you’ve eliminated this possibility. 

Throughout my years in publishing, I have made multiple trips to New York City and met with some of the top literary agents and editors. Almost each time, I am asked, “Where is the next Prayer of Jabez or Purpose Driven Life or Left Behind or ______ (name the bestselling book)?” Each of these books sold millions of copies. The Left Behind books continue to sell over 100,000 copies a year—and they were originally published over 20 years ago. These professionals are actively looking every day for the next bestseller. Yes, they may be telling you their agency is full and they have no room on their list for your book—but the reality is something different. 

I encourage you to keep looking for the right fit for your manuscript. It’s part of the editorial search that every writer undergoes to discover the right place for their book to be published.

Tweetable:

Even if you self-publish your book, you need a book proposal according to this prolific writer and editor. Get the details here. (ClickToTweet) 

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in California. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. Get Terry’s recent book, 10 Publishing Myths for only $10, free shipping and bonuses worth over $200. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. Check out his free Ebook, Platform Building Ideas for Every Author. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Avoiding Writer Burnout

 

Contribute by Margot Conor

Trying to rush through the writing process can lead to burnout, a common issue among writers. By pacing yourself, setting realistic goals, and acknowledging that good writing takes time, you maintain your passion for the craft.

Burnout for a writer refers to a state of mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion caused by prolonged periods of stress, overwork, or creative depletion. It can manifest in various ways, such as feeling constantly drained, lacking motivation or inspiration, experiencing writer's block, or even physical symptoms like fatigue and insomnia.

Common causes of burnout for writers:

Overworking: Pushing yourself too hard without breaks or adequate rest can lead to burnout. This includes long hours of writing, tight deadlines, or taking on too many projects at once.

Creative Pressure: Feeling pressure to constantly produce new and innovative work can be mentally taxing. This pressure may come from internal expectations or external demands.

Self-Doubt and Perfectionism: Constantly striving for perfection or feeling inadequate can contribute to stress and burnout. Writers may become overly critical of their work, leading to a loss of enjoyment in the creative process.

Lack of Boundaries: Difficulty in setting boundaries between work and personal life can blur the lines and result in burnout. Writers may find themselves working at all hours, neglecting self-care, hobbies, or time with loved ones.

Isolation: Writing can be a solitary pursuit, and prolonged isolation from social interaction or support networks can contribute to feelings of burnout and loneliness.

To avoid burnout as a writer, consider the following strategies:

Establish a Routine: Create a balanced writing schedule that includes regular breaks and time for relaxation. Setting specific work hours can help maintain productivity without overexertion.

Set Realistic Goals: Break down larger writing projects into manageable tasks with realistic deadlines. Avoid overwhelming yourself with overly ambitious goals.

Practice Self-Care: Take care of your physical and mental well-being by getting enough sleep, eating healthily, exercising regularly, and practicing relaxation techniques such as meditation or yoga.

Seek Support and Feedback: Connect with fellow writers, join writing groups or workshops, and seek constructive feedback. Sharing experiences and receiving encouragement can alleviate feelings of isolation and self-doubt.

Take Breaks and Rest: Allow yourself regular breaks from writing to recharge and rejuvenate. Engage in activities outside of writing that you enjoy, whether it's reading, spending time outdoors, or pursuing other hobbies.

Manage Stress: Identify sources of stress and find ways to manage them effectively. This may involve delegating tasks, saying no to additional commitments when necessary, or seeking professional help if stress becomes overwhelming.

Believe in Yourself: You have taken the first steps on a journey that could have more bumps in the road than you initially anticipated. This means you may occasionally get your ego bruised, or get knocked down. I want to encourage you to get back up, dust yourself off, and tell yourself you can do this! Many people want to write, but never set fingers to the keys or pick up a pen. Some write but never finish anything. Others are so filled with self-doubt they won’t publish their finished manuscript.

Be kind to yourself: Trust that you have something of value and there are people out in the world who will benefit from what you have written. Give yourself a chance. Be brave, take it all the way to completion… be fearless, Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t… be steadfast and resolute, you are a writer!

Be Thankful:

Focusing on the positive aspects of your writing journey can be a powerful way to maintain balance and peace of mind. Accepting that success takes time, and that every writer’s path is unique, frees you from the pressure of unrealistic expectations.

Celebrate small wins, like finishing a chapter, receiving feedback, or learning a new technique, as these milestones are steppingstones toward your larger goals. By shifting your mindset to gratitude, whether it’s for the ideas that come to you, the time you have to write, or the support of a writing community, you can cultivate a positive outlook that energizes and motivates you.

Gratitude helps you recognize how far you’ve come and keeps you grounded, even during the inevitable ups and downs of the creative process.

Share your Gratitude:

With gratitude in mind, once you complete your novel or project and publish, always let your readers know how much you appreciate their support. A personalized thank you note can leave a positive impression and encourage continued interest.

Example (Front Matter): “Thank you for following my work, your support means everything to me. Happy reading!”

Example (Back Matter): “Thank you for reading (Book Title). Your support means the world to me. I hope you enjoyed the journey as much as I enjoyed writing it.”

Ask for Support:

When someone has finished your novel and loved it, they are predisposed to speak highly of your efforts. They might tell their friends how much they enjoyed it, but they may not consider writing a review unless you ask. That is why including a call to action is helpful.

Example with a call to action (Back Matter): “Thank You for Reading! I hope you enjoyed (Book Title). Your support is invaluable to me. If you liked the book, please consider leaving a review on Amazon, Goodreads, (or your favorite review site). Your feedback helps other readers find my work and supports my writing journey.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Margot Conor has been writing for as long as she can remember, but it wasn't until the COVID lock-down that she had enough time to dedicate to the craft and bring something to completion. Having finished her first novel, she went through the grueling two-year process of editing. Now she has jumped into the author's world with both feet. Margot's debut multiverse adventure novel, Inverse, is now  available on Amazon.

Margot's spent the last year attending many writing retreats, seminars, and writers' events. She also listened to presentations specifically on the topic of publishing and book marketing. She will be sharing what she learns with the reader. Learn more about Margot at https://margotconor.com/
 

Beginning Writers Do Get Published

 

By Terry Whalin (@terrywhalin)

Over the last 20 years Greg Stielstra, author of Pyromarketing, marketed hundreds of Christian books including The Purpose Driven Life. During that time, he noticed a disturbing trend. Some Christian authors sought fame because they believed only celebrities could influence culture. What’s more, they thought to sell lots of book required hiding their Christian content. In a sort of publishing bait and switch, some authors thought they must achieve a platform with secular books—or at least books that minimized faith content before they could use their platform for good. The formula was, “First become famous and then make a difference.”

Greg saw things differently. He saw authors like Lee Strobel achieve tremendous success by writing books with clear biblical content that helped people. The formula was reversed; first make a difference and then the platform will follow. “Aim at Heaven,” C.S. Lewis correctly noted, “and you get Earth thrown in. Aim at Earth and you’ll get neither.”

It’s a myth that beginning writers do not get published. Because it happened years ago, many people forget about a brand-new fantasy writer who was looking for an agent named J. K. Rowling. There is a little discussed story about Harry Potter that I read originally in this article in The Observer (http://terrylinks.com/HarryPotter )

Almost everyone knows that J. K. Rowling was an unpublished children’s writer and single mother who wrote Harry Potter in a coffee shop and dreamed of getting published. How was the book discovered and brought into the publishing world?

J. K. Rowling overcame incredible hurdles to secure that initial book contract. Some of those hurdles she passed through with sheer good luck. There is no other way to categorize it. Rowling’s experience definitely fell outside the normal way of publishing.

Here’s the two key paragraphs (in my view) from this article: “The agency, run in ‘cramped’ and ‘near-Dickensian’ offices in Fulham, south-west London, was cash-strapped until touched by Potter’s magic wand. Literary folklore has it that Rowling, then a penniless 29-year-old single mother, walked into a public library in Edinburgh, looked up a list of literary agents and settled on the name Christopher Little because it sounded like a character from a children’s book.”

“Bryony Evens, the office manager at the time, has said that it went straight into the reject basket because ‘Christopher felt that children’s books did not make money’. But its unusual black binding caught her eye, prompting her to read the synopsis and show it to Little. He recalled: ‘I wrote back to JK Rowling within four days of receiving the manuscript. I thought there was something really special there, although we could never have guessed what would happen to it.’ He managed to sell it to Bloomsbury for £2,500, but later it reaped huge rewards from international rights and he has won a reputation as a brilliant deal-maker who puts Rowling first.”

With the current exchange rates, £2,500 is just a bit over $3,100. Also, this article mentions the agent has received an estimated commission of over $100 million. Not a bad return for pulling a manuscript with an unusual manuscript with black binding from the reject basket.

Don’t assume your material can go into this “other” category for how it becomes published. I’d encourage you to work through the normal channels as much as possible but be aware that sometimes a project will jump to the front of the line. 

Tweetable:

It may not seem like it to a new writer but beginning writers do get published. In this article, this prolific writer and editor provides encouragement. (ClickToTweet) 

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in California. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. Get Terry’s recent book, 10 Publishing Myths for only $10, free shipping and bonuses worth over $200. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. Check out his free Ebook, Platform Building Ideas for Every Author. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

8 Elements of Creating Tension in Your Writing

 

Contributed by Margot Conor

Recently I have been studying conflict. It is something I avoid in real life. I have always been a peacekeeper. A believer that good communication can solve anything. Even though I try to avoid fighting, I’ve observed more than my share of negative interactions over the years. Bickering, vindictive jealousy, intolerant name calling, mistrustful clinging control issues, and physical abuse… I have a fountainhead of momentous experiences to draw from. I just need to pull out the details from those memories and get them on paper.

However, extracting those emotional dramas of my past from the dusty archives tends to provoke some degree of sadness. The damage is etched on my soul, those memories mark you in some definable way, as experienced. Not the sort of experience you might wish for anyone. The repercussions are not as bad as they might be. You could say they are lessons learned, about what to avoid. Thus, a practice of avoidance.

Now, I must be willing to subject my characters to those experiences. From the nuance of manipulation to the full force of a physical confrontation. Let it be bloody, let it be catastrophic, let it ruin them… just enough.

I’m aware that creating tension in a story is essential for keeping readers engaged, and it requires a combination of narrative techniques that work together to build suspense, anticipation, and emotional investment. There is nothing like putting a character that readers have grown to love in danger. If done right they will hang on every word to find out what happens.

I fully understand the importance of making characters suffer so they can grow, just as I have. However, I’m still honing the skill of writing conflict. I’m learning how to weave in arguments and negative drama, though I have to push myself to really get my characters into tough situations. So here is what I have learned about creating tension in my stories…

The idea is to interject enough of these vital elements as you build your narrative to keep your readers interested. The techniques suggested in this article can help you construct a compelling story. Seductive in its ability to hold your audience, captivating their curiosity, so they just need to know what happens next.  

Each technique works in concert with the others, to create a story full of tension. The key is to apply them thoughtfully and with variation, ensuring that the reader is constantly engaged, feeling both the thrill of the immediate conflict and the weight of impending consequences. By layering these through your story, you can craft a dynamic, edge-of-their-seat narrative that keeps readers emotionally invested and eagerly turning the pages.

1. Foreshadowing:

Foreshadowing is a subtle way to hint at future events, creating tension as readers anticipate how things might unfold. By dropping clues—whether through imagery, dialogue, or small actions—the writer builds an undercurrent of suspense. For instance, an offhand comment about a character’s dangerous habit can signal impending disaster, keeping readers alert as they wait for the consequences. Foreshadowing plants seeds of tension early on, making future conflicts feel inevitable.

2. Conflict and Opposing Goals:

At the heart of tension is conflict. When characters have opposing goals, it sets up a natural tension between them. These goals can be both external (two characters vying for the same job) and internal (a character torn between loyalty and ambition). As each character’s desire becomes clearer, the stakes of the story rise, and readers become invested in seeing how these conflicting aims will clash. The stronger the opposition, the more intense the tension becomes.

3. Raising the Stakes:

A key to maintaining tension is continuously raising the stakes. As the story progresses, the consequences of failure should become more significant. What starts as a simple goal should evolve into something much larger—whether it’s a personal risk, the safety of a loved one, or the fate of an entire community. Raising the stakes ensures that the characters, and therefore the readers, have more to lose with each decision, intensifying the emotional and narrative tension.

4. Pacing:

Pacing plays a critical role in how tension is perceived. Too fast, and the reader feels overwhelmed; too slow, and the tension dissipates. Effective tension builds through a balance of fast-paced action sequences and slower moments of introspection or dialogue that deepen the emotional weight of the story. By controlling the rhythm of the plot, a writer can make the peaks of action more impactful and the moments of calm more unsettling as readers wait for the next twist.

5. Curiosity and Unanswered Questions:

Curiosity drives tension by keeping readers wanting more. By introducing unanswered questions—such as a mysterious backstory, an unsolved crime, or a hidden motivation—the writer keeps readers engaged. The desire to uncover the truth pushes the narrative forward, creating a sense of urgency and intrigue. Delaying these answers, while feeding readers just enough clues, builds suspense, and adds to the tension of the unfolding plot.

6. Balance of Internal and External Conflict:

Tension is most effective when it exists on multiple levels. External conflict might come from the outside world—a villain, a looming disaster, or a ticking bomb—while internal conflict stems from a character’s personal struggles, such as moral dilemmas, fears, or emotional wounds. Balancing these two forms of conflict makes the story richer. The external challenges force the character into action, while the internal conflict adds depth, making their decisions more complex and heightening the tension as the reader waits to see how the character will navigate both.

7. Subplots:

Subplots can add layers of tension by introducing secondary conflicts that mirror or contrast with the main storyline. These subplots might involve side characters with their own agendas, romantic tensions, or smaller personal challenges. When integrated well, subplots create a more complex and dynamic narrative, allowing for brief moments of resolution that temporarily relieve tension before plunging back into the central conflict.

8. The Ticking Bomb or Ticking Clock:

One of the most effective ways to increase tension is through the use of a "ticking clock" or "ticking bomb" scenario. This device imposes a time limit on the characters, creating urgency. The stakes become more intense when characters are racing against time—whether it’s a literal bomb about to explode, a rapidly approaching deadline, or an illness that progresses with every passing day. The ticking clock adds a palpable layer of pressure, forcing characters to make difficult decisions under duress, which drives tension to its peak.

If you, like me, struggle with creating tension between your characters, I hope these suggestions will prove helpful in shaping more dynamic interactions. Tension doesn’t always have to come from grand, external events; it can arise from subtle conflicts in desires, opposing goals, or emotional undercurrents. By focusing on how characters' motivations clash, layering in personal stakes, and using pacing to build momentum, you can create a palpable sense of unease or anticipation. The key is to ensure that your characters’ conflicts feel authentic and meaningful, which will naturally enhance the tension in your narrative.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Margot Conor has been writing for as long as she can remember, but it wasn't until the COVID lock-down that she had enough time to dedicate to the craft and bring something to completion. Having finished her first novel, she went through the grueling two-year process of editing. Now she has jumped into the author's world with both feet. Margot's debut multiverse adventure novel, Inverse, is now  available on Amazon. 

 She's spent the last year attending many writing retreats, seminars, and writers' events. She also listened to presentations specifically on the topic of publishing and book marketing. She will be sharing what she learns with the reader. Learn more about Margot at https://margotconor.com/

What is Your Story's Theme

 

 Contributed by Karen Cioffi, Children's Ghostwriter and Coach

Theme can be a frightening topic. Do you have a theme in mind before striking the first key? Do you write your first draft and then decide what the theme is? Do you have a problem deciding what the theme is, even after you’re in revisions?

In an article, “What We Talk About When We Talk About Theme,” in the Writer’s Chronicle, May 2010, Eileen Pollack discusses theme:

The concrete elements of any story constitute its plot—Character A, in Village B, is torn by a specific conflict that gives rise to a series of concrete actions through which she relieves that stress. The more general question raised in the reader’s mind by this specific character acting out this specific plot constitutes the story’s aboutness—or, dare I say, it’s theme.

This description of the elements of a story holds true for any fiction work, including children’s stories. The elements, woven together with theme as the foundation, are what make the reader continue turning the pages… it’s what makes the reader care. 

According to Pollack, “Theme is the writer’s answer to the reader’s rude, So what?” And if the theme is poignant and captures what some or many people actually do, it will allow the reader to recognize the situation and actions. This connection will keep the reader engaged. Hopefully, the reader will be able to take the theme away with them, however subtle it is.

For those worried about the theme affecting the story’s natural flow, Pollack advises deciding on your theme after your first draft. Once you have your theme in hand, go over your story again and again. You can now let the theme subtly permeate your story. Pollack goes on to say, “The most powerful use of theme is the way it allows you to fill in your character’s inner lives.”

Literary agent Mary Kole, in her blog at Kidlit.com, also sheds light on the worrisome theme:

When you revise, think about what your work is saying. You’ve got to have a reason for writing it. There should be distinct themes and ideas that you could point to as the center of your book. [. . .] Once you know what these are — and you usually won’t until you’ve started revising — you can use them as a lens. [. . .] A theme for your work should color everything in it, subtly, especially the descriptions.

So, there you have it; after you’ve written your story and are working on revisions, your theme should become evident if you haven’t already gotten it. Using it as a “lens” and filtering each paragraph through it, you should be able to convey the theme to the reader. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

 

 

Karen Cioffi is an award-winning children’s author, ghostwriter, rewriter, and coach. If you need help with your story, visit Writing for Children with Karen Cioffi.

Karen also offers authors:

HOW TO WRITE A CHILDREN'S FICTION BOOK
A DIY book to help you write your own children’s book.

WRITERS ON THE MOVE SELF-PUBLISHING HELP
Self-publishing help for children’s authors.

 

 

Increase Your Odds of Publication

By Terry Whalin (@terrywhalin)

We prize and value our books. They are permanent and have our names on the spine of the book and the front and back cover. Within the writing community, it is a myth that you are not a writer if you don’t publish a book.

If you’ve written a Christian book, then you need to get a copy of Your Guide to Marketing Books in the Christian Marketplace by Sarah Bolme. This book is packed with a wide range of information and resources. As someone who has been in the Christian market for many years as an author and editor, I appreciated the honest and forthright information in this book. Here’s some details Bolme mentions in her introduction:

• Almost half of the books published today are self-published.

• The average self-published book sells between 40 and 200 copies.

• These poor sales are often because the author doesn’t know how to effectively market.

Bolme writes, “When promoting the Kingdom of God, getting books into people’s hands is God’s business. All you can do is what you know to do. Do that and ask God to bless your feeble efforts. After all, if he can feed over 5,000 people with two small fish and five little loaves of bread, He can multiply your marketing efforts to reach thousands of people, if that is His desire. Marketing and selling books are not a sprint; it is a marathon. Too many authors give up too quickly when they do not see immediate results.” 

Publishing in magazines is an underused route for authors to reach readers. As a former magazine editor, I understand the power of reaching the audience. With one article, I have reached millions of people. When you write for periodicals, it builds your reputation as a writer with the editors. Also, through magazine writing, you increase your confidence to write for publication and your ability to meet target lengths and deadlines. There are many benefits when you write for magazines.

The bulk of my magazine writing is done on assignment. How do you get an assignment? You can get an assignment when you write a query letter which is targeted to a particular audience and publication.

Which magazines do you read on a consistent basis? Your familiarity with these publications and the types of articles that they publish gives you some needed background. Pull out the magazines that come into your home. Next organize several months from the same publication. Then study the contents. What types of articles do they publish? How-to articles? Personal Experience? 

After you have studied the publications, write the publication for their writers’ guidelines. Almost every magazine has guidelines for their authors. You can also use Google to find these guidelines online. Or use The Christian Writers Market Guide by Steve Laube. This guide is a critical tool if you are going to write for the Christian marketplace. After reading through the guidelines, you will have some additional information. Does the publication accept query letters or prefer full manuscripts? Some magazines have a query only system. This means that you have to write a query letter (one page) and get a letter of request from the editor, before sending the full manuscript. Other publications do not look at query letters but only completed manuscripts.

What’s a query letter? Entire books have been written on this topic and one of the best is How to Write Irresistible Query Letters by Lisa Collier Cool (Writer’s Digest Books). A query is a single-page letter which sells your story idea. It has a four-paragraph formula. The first paragraph is a creative beginning for your article. You don’t write the entire article—only the first paragraph which captures the reader’s interest. The purpose of this first paragraph is simply to capture the editor’s attention. Editors are involved in a multitude of tasks. Reading query letters is often done at the end of the day, late at night or in a carpool on the way home. It must be interesting.

The second paragraph of a query includes the main points of how you will approach the article. The third paragraph gives your personal qualifications for this topic and your writing credits (if any). It basically answers the question regarding your expertise which provides the basis for the article. 

The final paragraph outlines timelines and deadlines. When could you deliver the article? Make sure you give yourself enough writing time. For example, your query could say you will deliver the completed article “three weeks from assignment”). In addition, enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope and mention you look forward to their reply. When I send my pitch, I often send it to as many as ten different publications at the same time.

Within the magazine business, there is an on-going discussion about simultaneous submissions (where you send the same finished article to several publications). If you submit the same work to many different publications at the same time, you may end up on the blacklist of authors. Each publication has a list of people that are blackballed. You don’t want to be on that list. Also, each publication has a list of authors they use regularly and call with ideas. Your goal is to get on the list of regular contributors.

A simultaneous query is not the same as a finished article. Go ahead and query several magazines at the same time on the same topic if you think you can write several different articles on the same subject. One magazine may ask for 500 words on the topic while another may approach it from an entirely different viewpoint and ask for 2,000 words. Your illustrations and information will be considerably different. If you send it to 10 magazines, you may get 10 rejections. On the other hand, perhaps you will get an acceptance or two, or at least a request to see the entire article on speculation. “On speculation” means that the editor is not under obligation to purchase your article if it doesn’t meet the periodical’s standards or expectations.

No one gets magazine assignments just thinking about it. As a writer, you have to take action and regularly pitch your ideas to editors and write query letters. Then when you get an assignment, write an excellent article and submit it on or ahead of the deadline. As you learn to write a query letter and take consistent action, you will increase your odds of publication and get published in magazines.

Tweetable:

There is an underused route to reach readers—magazines. In this article, thisprolific writer and editor provides the details to increase your odds ofpublication. (ClickToTweet) 

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in California. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. Get Terry’s recent book, 10 Publishing Myths for only $10, free shipping and bonuses worth over $200. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. Check out his free Ebook, Platform Building Ideas for Every Author. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Getting Ready to Celebrate the Release of My New Book--and Your Next New Book

Carolyn Series Page for her multi award-winning 
HowToGetItFrugally Series o Books for Writers

Getting Ready to Celebrate the 

Release of My NewBook--and Yours

 By Carolyn Howard-Johnson

Excerpt from the soon-to-be released 

How To Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically, second edition

It seems that doing final edits for a book is a great time for identifying sections in it that might be useful right now and give the readers of Karen Cioffi’s #WritersontheMove blog a head start on releasing books this fall. This section from the second edition of the third full sized book in my HowToGetGreatBookReviewsFrugallyandEthically, is after all about preplanning.  This section from Chapter Thirteen from that soon-to-be released book works because--odiously--pre-planning is a good thing can never really start too early--and the essentials can always be used in a next book, and the next. But it’s never more important than at release time; that’s when we as authors (no matter how or who publishes our books) can do something most authors forget to do  to jump start their book sales. That’s a shame because that what primes is for a chance and some very good stuff--like a chance  at  best-seller stardom! Consider this little piece your “how-to” as well as your inspiration to get started. And please put my Amazon Series page address on your calendar to check out for late fall release. The full series can be found on my Amazon Series page for the now long-lived series of books, HowToDoItFrugally Series for Writers. 

Navigating Pre-Publish Opps and Deadlines

“Writing a book is a little like having a baby. If we authors weren’t optimists, we’d probably never tackle writing a whole book. If we were realists about the time it takes to raise it properly after we’ve typed ‘The End,’ we might stop right there.” ~ CHJ

First-time authors are almost always completely unaware of the secret behind those vital promotion processes  and/or underestimate the importance of the time gap between the time our books or ARCs come rolling off a printing press and appear for sale in bookstores. They have no clue that big publishers actually set their release dates (the date bookstores are given the greenlight to deliver books into the hands of readers) well beyond the time the book comes rolling off their presses.

They do this to accommodate an extended premarketing campaign and to take care of necessary marketing including getting reviews. If authors do know about it, they feel it is somehow dishonest to follow publishers’ universal practices. The supermedia has done us a big favor by demanding those deadlines, and the New York Big Five—our models—have done it for probably more than a century. They aren’t fudging. It’s the way it’s done. The essential time gap before their books are released might look something like this:

 

Example: Your print date may be 04/01 and your release date set for 08/01 or beyond.

 

Gasp! The thing is, we already have too much love put into the project to give up, too much invested not to pay attention to this example set by publishers. The other thing is, we have choices, and what seems like it’s going to be hard can be managed with preplanning. The great news is you already have a head start with that master-list of yours. Though it is a never-ending project it’s ready to use just as it is. Even if we should decide against participating in the supermedia regimen—or learned about it too late—authors need time to do any or all the pre-release essentials.

The traditionally published must know their publisher’s marketing plans in enough detail to support their efforts. We all must resist getting so eager for the release of our book we forego the time between knowing our books are ready and releasing them to the public. We want, need, desire the thrill of being a “published author” whether it’s our first or our tenth. That’s what we came for. But if we don’t wait (and work our fannies off in the meantime!) many of the thrills that go with that achievement won’t materialize. No matter how carefully your book has been crafted, pre-release neglect severely limits a book’s future sales. A few get lucky in spite of it; most don’t. First off, once you get an ARC into a reviewer’s hands reviews aren’t done, done, done. Post this list on your bulletin board: 

§ Review Chapter Eleven, “Getting Your ARCs Ready for Anything,” and remind yourself you will be using them for life of your book. Reviews are forever.

§ Review Section III: “Your Review-Getting Arsenal”

§ Do a search on “blurbs” and “Editing (blurbs)” so your file of blurbs is set up to save you time in your ongoing marketing plan. You are building a career, not selling a book.

§ Check Chapter Four , “”You Blurbs and Getting Past Book Bigotry.” Even if you have the best publisher ever!

§ Reread this Chapter (Thirteen), too. Of course.

§ And keep reading for Amazon essentials in the next chapter. They’re a big part of must-dos before that release date.

Much of your review-getting and turning-reviews-into-blurbs business must happen after you have reviews and before your precious book comes rolling off the press—whatever kind of press you or your publisher uses. Don’t miss any that have appeared on the pages of journals trusted by publishing influentials and in your e-mail from readers.

As described in Chapters Ten and Eleven on ARCS, many of those big publishers use print-on-demand (POD) technology to produce review copies well before the first copies of their offset run come off the press. (It seems POD is an innovation that is too useful for anyone in the publishing industry to ignore!), but both you and they may choose other ARC iterations, too. Here’s the thing: No matter what they do, that time before your book’s release—way before—is time you must navigate. This is not a time to mourn what could have been. Take a sabbatical from anything that might interfere. Enlist help from friends. Sculpt that time using what you knew before and what you know now to realize that goal most of us wish for—surreptitiously or right out loud—to meet our hopes and expectation for our book.

MORE ABOUT THE #WRITERSONTHEMOVE CONTRIBUTOR 

Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the author of the multi award-winning series of HowToDoItFrugally books for writers including the flagship book of that series, USA Book News’ winner, The Frugal Book Promoter  now in its third edition. It was originally written for UCLA Extension's renowned Writers Program where she used it as a text for nearly a decade. She believes using the time before a book’s release is the most productive time for assuring its future. Two of her favorite awards are Woman of the Year in Arts and Entertainment given by members of the California Legislature and “Women Who Make Life Happen,” given by the Pasadena Weekly newspaper. She is also an award-winning poet and novelist and she loves passing along the tricks of the trade she learned from marketing those so-called hard-to-promote genres. Learn more on her website at https://HowToDoItFrugally.com. Let Amazon notify you when she publishes new books (or new editions!) by following her Amazon profile page: https://bit.ly/CarolynsAmznProfile. Her The Frugal Editor is now in its third edition from Modern History Press. Let it help you edit your work-in-process. The third book in the series, How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically will be released this fall.