Jane Friedman's Blog: Jane Friedman, page 152

Upcoming Events (Free and Paid) With Jane—Plus Other Opportunities

It’s nearly spring, and that means conference season is about to go into full swing! Here’s a list of upcoming online & offline events I’m involved in, as well as some other interesting opportunities.

Free Webinars & Hangouts

New Publishing Models for Authors (March 18, 2015 at 1 p.m. ET): I’m offering this live teleseminar in partnership with the ASJA. It’s free for ASJA members; non-members pay $19. Even if you can’t attend the live event, you’ll still get access to the recording.
Let’s Make Your Story Idea Not Suck! (March 24, 2015 at 3 p.m. ET): This is a free online event hosted by Linda Formichelli and Carol Tice. It will teach you how to craft salable article ideas and get more assignments. Perfect for freelancers.
Learn Scrivener Fast (March 26, 2015 at 4p ET): This live webinar is presented by Scrivener expert Joseph Michael. You’ll learn how to get started with this powerful composition and layout software.
The Basics of How to Get Your Book Published (April 13, 2015 at 7 p.m. ET): This is a free one-hour live session by me on how to get your book published. Even if you can’t attend the live event, all registrants get access to the recording for free.
Content Marketing 101  (April 15, 2015 at 2 p.m. ET): In partnership with Indie Recon, I’m offering a free one-hour Google Hangout on how to be smarter and more strategic with your most important asset—your content.

My Upcoming Online Classes

Create an Author Website in 24 Hours or Less (March 19, 2015 at 1 p.m. ET): This 2-hour live tutorial helps you get a WordPress-based site up and running without any previous tech knowledge required. Even if you can’t attend live, you’ll get access to the recording for a full year. Registration is $89.
MBA for Writers (April 20–May 25, 2015): This is my new 6-week online course for writers seeking to become more confident and knowledgeable about being an author in today’s ever-changing industry. Tuition is $199 if you register before April 1. Scholarships are available to full-time writing students.

Offline Events

Finding the Right Reader for Your Book (March 21, 2015): At the Virginia Festival of the Book in Charlottesville, Peter McCarthy and I will discuss data-driven analysis and marketing strategies for authors and publishers. Free to the public!
Basics of DIY E-Book Publishing (March 22, 2015): In partnership with WriterHouse in Charlottesville, I’m offering this half-day intensive workshop on how to get started in digital publishing as an independent author. Registration is $77 for non-members.

Check out this list of more events where I’m speaking this year—I might be coming to your city!

New Offering: Poets & Writers Career Package

I’m now offering online presence critiques and reports as part of a larger marketing package available exclusively from Tweetspeak Poetry. These reports include:

 an audit of your existing assets, with specific short-term and long-term campaign suggestions to improve discoverability and reach to audience
if website and/or email analytics are available, how they inform your best next steps to leverage existing audiences and reach new ones

The report is delivered in visual slide format (minimum of 20 slides) outlining suggestions and strategies. Find out more about the entire package.

The post Upcoming Events (Free and Paid) With Jane—Plus Other Opportunities appeared first on Jane Friedman and was written by Jane Friedman.

How to Self-Publish Children’s Books Successfully: Notes From the Trenches

Note from Jane: Within the past few months, there has been increased conversation around self-publishing in the children’s book market, including three focused posts here at this site.

Last week, editor Sangeeta Mehta hosted a Q&A with two literary agents, who offered insights on indie authorship specifically in the category of picture books. In response, I heard from author Darcy Pattison, who wanted to share what she’s learned from her entry into the marketplace.

My first book, The River Dragon (Harpercollins), was published in 1990, and I’ve been involved in the industry since then. In the last 20 months, I’ve made the switch from traditional publishing to an independent publishing company, with 20 titles available. You can see my catalog here. As I say in this article, the first 18 months were devoted to production, distribution and accounting. The next 18 months will continue those activities, but focus more on marketing.

I’m having way more fun now than I’ve ever had before. Projects that failed to find a home with a traditional publisher are finding a lucrative spot in the marketplace. My indie books have received starred reviews, national awards, been translated, been sold in the Smithsonian Museum stores, and are being read by kids every day. And that’s after only two years in business.

Where to Find Illustrators

Unless you’re an author-illustrator, it’s almost always a significant investment to self-publish because of the cost of illustrations. Behance.net is a place for artists to post portfolios, which makes it the perfect place to search for book illustrators.

You must be able to:

pick out great art
figure out if the artist is also an illustrator who already does or can adapt to the demands of children’s picture books
negotiate a contract
direct the art.

I’ve had mixed success. One contract was cancelled because the person was an amazing artist, but couldn’t tell a story with her art. But one illustrator I discovered on Behance has been great; Ewa O’Neill of Poland worked on I Want a Dog and I Want a Cat will be out this fall.

I’ve just contracted with a British illustrator for a 2016 book. As the publisher, I offer contract terms and negotiate a mutually agreeable contract.

Another way I’ve dealt with the illustrations is to partner with a friend, Kitty Harvill (we share a birthdate, so we were fated to do books together!). She has previously published books with August House and Holiday House, and is a fantastic wildlife artist and book designer.

Our book, Wisdom, The Midway Albatross won the Writer’s Digest Self-Published Children’s Book Award and received a starred Publisher’s Weekly review. Our second book, Abayomi, The Brazilian Puma was named a 2015 NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book. Because we have a contract spelling out terms, the only hard part about working with Kitty is the accounting, because we split profit. (Thank heaven for Quickbooks.)

Why I Stick to the 32-Page Format

While I feel free to create a book of any size that I want, I generally stick to the 32-page format because it’s been the industry standard for so many years. Librarians, teachers, parents, and booksellers expect this format. I also think it’s an art form, just as a sonnet is a fixed length/format poem. In fact, I’ll be teaching a Highlights Foundation workshop in April, along with Leslie Helakoski. We’ll be encouraging writers to think in terms of 32 pages because the editing required to fit into a 32-page book makes the writing tighter and the story stronger.  For more, see my article here.

As POD publishing expands, however, I expect the picture book format to morph. On my own books, I’m finding it easy to add two pages to the front or back for advertising purposes, for example. I expect that someday soon, I’ll find a good reason to expand even more to an unusual length.

The Question of Bookstore Distribution

Unless and until you set up the right distribution and get the right recognition with booksellers, your self-published book will not reach bookstores. You can reach bookstores through Amazon’s CreateSpace Expanded Distribution, and if you price it so the store can make a profit of $2 or more, they might order it. But why should they? You must give stores a reason to order your book, which might include reviews in major journals and a major advertising campaign. Discoverability by bookstores is a major hurdle.

But so what? This is a fundamental mindshift that needs to happen if you want to self-publish. You are in the business of selling books, not in the business of stocking a bookstore. You must go anywhere and everywhere necessary to sell books, and bookstores are only one sales channel.

Do You Need Endorsements?

Just like for traditional publishers, the marketing tool of endorsements has a spotty record of success. It depends on the book, the audience, the person giving the endorsement, how the endorsement is used, and so on. It’s merely one of the marketing tools available.

How to Get Reviews

My books have been reviewed by Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, Audofile Magazine, and others. Because I have a traditionally published background, this has been easier for me than for others. However, the main strategy is to consistently send review copies three to four months before publication, and to present yourself as a publishing company. I always include a copy of my catalog and often include photocopies of previous reviews.

Not all books are reviewed by all journals because it’s still controversial to review self-published books. However, good books can find a review and I expect this to open up more. Late in 2014, Horn Book’s editor Roger Sutton challenged children’s indie writers to submit in what he controversially titled The Selfie Sweepstakes, which was an offer to review books submitted within a strict window of time. He’s now begun reviewing the submissions—check out his latest post.

School Visits and the Self-Published Author

They’re just as lucrative for a self-published author as a traditionally published author. Reaching kids and teachers at schools is always an income-producing strategy that children’s book authors should consider. The questions aren’t any different for the indie writer:

Can you do a good presentation?
Do you like doing school presentations?
Will the school allow back-of-the-room sales?
What is a reasonable speaking fee?

For more on school visits, check out this site by Alexis O’Neill, who also writes a column for the SCBWI Bulletin about authors in schools.

Other Ways to Market and Promote

The question and challenge is how to build an author and a publisher’s platform. The answer depends on what kind of books you publish, the audience, the strengths of the author to produce online content, and so many other things. You build a platform and find readers and sell books. How that’s done is as individual as the books published.

Personally, I’m finding success mostly through my blogs and Pinterest. For more on building an author website, check out my post.

Print Versus Digital in the Children’s Market

Both print and digital books will always be popular. Adults on-the-go prefer digital when they travel because it cuts down on weight. Without a doubt, schools will move toward digital, which may begin to influence school age readers.

As an indie publisher, I use print-on-demand (POD) technology and ebooks, both of which mean there’s no charge unless a book is ordered. From that standpoint, investment is low because my inventory is small; I only keep enough for back-of-the-room sales when I speak.

But it’s not a question of print versus digital, or digital first, but best distribution strategy, or how can I reach my readers? I design the book’s trim size so that a single design fits all formats, and I simultaneously publish ebooks, paperback and hardcover. The POD technology is more expensive per copy, which puts the hardcovers out of the range of most trade markets, but squarely in the camp of library and educational publishing markets. Paperback books most comfortably sit in the trade market category, though I’m forced to be on the high side of pricing. Ebooks give me the possibility of worldwide reach, through Kindle, Kobo and Apple. My books have sold in Australia, UK, Canada, Germany, Mexico, Japan, India, France, Croatia, and more. In fact, Wisdom, The Midway Albatross is on the reading list for the 2015 Sakura Award, a children’s book award given by the English-speaking schools in Japan.

Another question is what platforms will come out on top. Right now, education publishers are promoting a device-independent format that can be accessed through a web browser. While this gives the widest accessibility, the ebook files must be smaller, so the images aren’t displayed as well. The EPUB3 standard might have a chance of becoming a standard, but only if proprietary formats such as Nook, Kindle and Apple give it a chance. In this ongoing struggle for dominance, this is the year to watch Apple and see what they do with the ebook market.

Before You Give It a Try

Picture books are a special art form, just like writing a sonnet is a special art form. People who want to write a picture book should read take a week to read 100 books published within the last few years. Only then, with some background in contemporary standards of picture books, should they try this.

It helps to create a business plan. Who is the audience for your book? As you consider manuscripts, which are most likely to appeal to that audience? How can you create an excellent physical and/or digital book? Where will that audience buy books? Where are they most likely to hear about your book? Being intentional about your publishing process makes success more likely. The wonderful thing about independent publishing is that the answers will be particular to each author. Done right, you will find the right audience for your books.

The post How to Self-Publish Children’s Books Successfully: Notes From the Trenches appeared first on Jane Friedman and was written by Darcy Pattison.

5On: Brian Felsen

In this 5On interview, Brian Felsen discusses (among other things)  the push against the gatekeepers, why a writer whose subject matter is sure to sell should still strive to be good,  and the prevailing belief that not being on top is synonymous with being a “loser.”

Brian Felsen is President of AdRev, the world’s largest YouTube music administration service and the leading independent YouTube Content ID and Network Partner. AdRev was named in the 2014 Inc 500 as the USA’s No. 2 fastest growing media company based on revenue growth. Prior to this position, Felsen was President of CD Baby from 2008-2014. He also founded BookBaby, which digitally distributes the works of independent authors, making their ebooks available to dozens of digital retailers and hundreds of libraries worldwide. He first joined Disc Makers in 2003, launching and growing major new initiatives including the Merchandise and Film/DVD replication programs, before going on to head business development. Other previous activities include founding and running one of the largest independent music conferences in the world, composing several classical music works, creating art photography, poetry, and plays, and producing an award-winning documentary film about Turkish military coups d’état.

5 Questions on Writing

CHRIS JANE: You compose music, you’re a filmmaker, you’ve written secular gospel music, you write poetry (Female Figure (Possibly Venus)), and you recently performed in HomeLA’s “The Takers,” a domestic performance dance piece by Lindsey Lollie. It seems there’s little you don’t do artistically. What does writing make you feel that’s different from your other creative outlets?

BRIAN FELSEN: I feel more at home with writing in some ways than I do working in other media, as I have more practice: writing, and speaking, is something I’ve done for a longer period of time, and for more hours in a day, than I do making music or films. The downside is the loneliness of writing: the lack of true collaboration, the limited platforms for exhibition, and the feeling that society and culture don’t afford people the luxury of blocking out time and attention to receive longform works, anymore.

You said this in an interview with Joel Friedlander as advice to writers who want to succeed:

Really hone your writing. Always continue to read. Read the classics, but also your genre, to know the norms of it, and then to be able to add something authentic and passionate and articulate to the conversation. And work with beta readers so that way, by the time that your work is edited and released out there to the world, who will be less kind – or depending on your family friends, maybe less unkind – that it’s really ready.

How much does it matter whether it’s ready if, even when not “ready” by traditional standards, it sells well?

My general feeling is that one should be good and try to do good work. The eyeballs and money that you may receive for your work is an imperfect indicator of quality. If money’s what you’re after, you’re better off selling Venetian blinds than writing books – and since it’s a crapshoot, why not strive to make good art? That way, you’ll have something to look back on with pride, and your idealized audience will, too. Reading and beta readers are two ways of making your art better. The other two, of course, are to work your posterior off and to be born with talent.

What attracts the writer in you to the poetic form?

Unlike some other media, writing has a couple of pitfalls which are obstacles for investigating and expressing first-person data: verbal productions are linear, and slow. Also, our language is saddled with folk psychology, which is a wonderful thing, but it makes concepts like “god,” “energy” and “love” awfully heterogeneous (and slippery). What attracts me to poetry is the way that it can be used to express recursion by repurposing and compressing language, as well as by reference to other text (either by the way it’s laid out on the page or the way that words and symbols are deployed).

The other thing that attracts the writer in me to the poetic form is when I’m lonely and heartsick and I misguidedly believe that setting it down on paper will help me make sense of it, making the pain go away, or get me laid.

Whether they’re watching a film by you, listening to your secular gospel album, or reading your book of poetry, what do you hope people will take from your writing, or what do you most want to communicate?

I want to communicate what the artwork wants to communicate. There are no words that should be able to communicate it better than the artwork—just like a picture is worth a thousand words, a word is worth a thousand pictures. Of course, I understand that in most cases the artwork will fail, either because it doesn’t speak to every audience member, or because the work did not take best advantage of its language and medium.

You’re quoted in Creative Spotlights as saying, “America has this mythology that you’re either Steve Jobs or you’re a loser.” Have you ever felt yourself succumbing to the pressure of that mythology, and what would you say to someone doubting his or her work—or creative goal—because it’s not receiving a certain amount of attention?

Of course. Thing I would say to that person is: in the grand scheme of time, Steve Jobs is as meaningful as a cat’s sneeze; that if you’re going to be depressed just because you’re not an outlier, you’re in for a miserable life; and that we’re living the dream of Andy Warhol’s 15 minutes of fame right now, so your fifteen minutes may come any second.

5 Questions on Publishing

You founded BookBaby in 2011, and within months you had a couple thousand customers using the service. Does this say something about the publishing industry or does it say something about writers—and what does it say?

It says that there are a great deal of content creators dying to get their works out there everywhere, and that they did not want to be prey to one retailer (Amazon), one gatekeeper (the major publishers system), or one technological hurdle (how to create and distribute ePub files).

It’s been argued that gatekeepers are needed in the publishing industry to filter out the bad writing. Others argue, on a similar side but from a different angle, that if the writing hasn’t been accepted by a publisher, it must not be good enough and writers should probably take a hint. “Confident writers get published,” Joe Konrath wrote before becoming the voice of self-publishing. “Confident writers work within the system, even though the system is flawed.” Many, like Konrath, have since had a change of heart, but there are still many who align themselves with that way of thinking. What is your response to this?

Traditional publishing is morphing into “self-publishing plus services plus a Wizard-Of-Oz imprimatur.” My response is that everything in the industry is changing, and I don’t give a fig about which old-school companies survive. My concern is over how curation can occur in a post-Internet era, and nobody’s solved that, in any media. It’s wonderful that the curators got hurt, given their past offenses, but the wisdom of the crowds has brought us what, Miley Cyrus and E.L. James? I’m starting to miss the era of the pop-culture geniuses. I hear a great deal of talk about new communities and curation around them, but the scale isn’t there for the fans and the money isn’t there to pay the curators and, so far, it’s a whole lot of nothing.

One of the ways an independent author—or, the “little guy”—can look big, you said in the Friedlander interview, is to have a professional-looking book, which BookBaby at the time was just preparing to provide with its then-new digital book printing. What else can independent authors, or even mid-list authors with a relatively small publicity machine behind them, do as they’re marketing their work to make themselves look big?

All of the usual things—have a strong social media platform, get powerful reviewers, have a pretty-looking cover and website, have good editing, have a strong title. But I no longer care so much about looking big; I care about being good.

It’s been rightly hammered into authors that talking too much about their books is probably the worst way to self-promote on social media. What are some other critical marketing and self-promotion mistakes writers may not know they’re making, whether using social media or elsewhere?

The main mistake that writers make is to think that promotion entails dropping your pants and being an extravert like Amanda Palmer. You can engage online with the right communities and thought leaders and even become a thought leader, and make new relationships, in an enjoyable fashion, merely by talking about what you want to talk about around your topic.

What single piece of business advice would you give someone who is considering self-publishing?

If you’re writing nonfiction and can find new revenue streams around your writing (such as speaking), great. If not, I’d say what I say to anyone in the creative arts: don’t quit your day job, but never, never quit your night job either.

The post 5On: Brian Felsen appeared first on Jane Friedman and was written by Chris Jane.

A Daily Exercise That Can Revolutionize Your Writing

Today’s guest post is by Ed Cyzewski (@edcyzewski). It’s adapted from Pray, Write, Grow: Cultivating Prayer and Writing Together.

Two years ago I started tracking the low points and high points from each day before going to bed. I noted if I was encouraged or discouraged. I gave thanks for my day and wrote down what gave me energy. I shared what left me feeling restricted or trapped, as well as what kept me awake at night.

This daily moment of self-reflection started out as a first step toward prayer, but it soon grew into an essential exercise that also revolutionized my writing. In a matter of months I had the clearest picture of my mental state, anxieties, and fears since I started writing regularly in 2005. I finally saw the accumulated impact on myself, my family, and my writing career from my bad habits, fear of impending failure, and worries about money. It was both alarming and empowering—I at least knew why I struggled with anxiety so much.

The method of self-reflection I used (and continue to use) is called the Examen.

The Examen was first developed as an invitation to prayer by St. Ignatius Loyola in the 1500s. The basic Examen begins with a guided reflection to help practitioners become more aware of God and then transitions into a series of reflections on the good and bad parts of the day. I started practicing it because:

I’m a busy parent who struggles to find time to pray.
The Examen is available as an iPhone app that walks users through the process and even tracks their progress. Who can resist a new iPhone app? Right?

I’m not trying to trick anyone into praying here. If you’re a writer who is inclined to pray or curious about prayer, then the Examen may be the life-giving practice you didn’t know you needed. If you aren’t interested in prayer, the Examen provides tools for self-reflection that can make you more focused and self-aware as a writer.

Two years into practicing the Examen daily, I don’t know how I could have tried working as a writer without it. Publishing is a roller coaster of elation and despair, social media is full of distracting and toxic debates, and freelance writing rarely offers anything resembling long-term security. The daily struggle to find writing time, actually writing during that time, and then persevering through the trials of editing and the unfamiliar territory of publicity is draining. Seeing a promising project founder or fail can prompt doubt, fear, and even considerations of giving up altogether.

Without self-reflection writers are at the mercy of fear, insecurity, and discouragement. Those unable to face and overcome these obstacles will either give in to despair before walking away from it all or quietly suffer. I believe many writers, including myself, have chosen the latter.

Here’s how I use the self-reflection of the Examen to grow as a writer.

Identifying the Barriers and Discouragements in My Writing

The Examen offered the bracing reality check that I needed. You could say that I’d been limping so long as a writer that I forgot what it’s like to walk pain-free. The Examen helped me face the sources of my struggles. Here are just a few:

I worried about money way too much. I wasn’t enjoying my work and my family because I worried about doing one more thing to bring in extra income.
I measured success in tiny, almost petty, increments—especially on social media.
Writing brought discouragements and even failures, but I also needed to persevere because it gives me life and energy.
I started to notice that the times I felt the most anxiety about developing new writing ideas were also the times my busy schedule prompted me to cut back on reading and free writing.
I feared failure to the point that I was afraid to innovate and try new things.
I had a tendency to remain mentally engaged with my work even during my free time. The Examen helped me face how weary I’d become without dedicated alone time each week completely disconnected from my work.

Each of the challenges above could be addressed by changing my writing routine, how I measured my success, and which projects I took on. While I definitely prayed about these challenges (I won’t get into that here), seeing my weaknesses also helped me take steps to overcome or bypass them. That is, after I got over the initial shock of recognizing how much of a basket case I’ve been!

Providing Relevant Writing Topics

Facing my “dark side” through the Examen has also provided some concrete direction for my writing topics. By identifying the areas where I struggled, I started to see friends and colleagues on social media who mentioned similar experiences.

For instance, I noticed a regular theme in my Examen where I mentioned worry about the direction of my life. As I wrestled with my insecurities about writing and the need to have some sort of viable career, I noticed the same struggles in those around me. When I reached my own place of resolution, I was able to write about my process for others.

Since I’m already typing my answers into the Examine app each evening, it’s simple enough to paste or retype a few ideas into a note that I can pull up the following morning. By the time I sit down to write, I frequently have one or two ideas to pursue for a little free writing, a blog post, or an article.

On Further Examen-ation

I originally thought that the Examen would primarily serve as an important act of self-reflection leading to prayer. However, I currently can’t draw a clear line of distinction between my prayer time and writing time. The two are closely connected to each other, complementing each other and building each other up.

If you already pray and write, the Examen is well worth 5-10 minutes of your time each day. If you only write, the Examen provides the kinds of questions you should ask yourself every day, even if you don’t include its spiritual elements. You’ll never know how much you’ve needed this practice until you give it a shot.

Where to Find the Examen

There are many versions and pamphlets available online. I use the “Examine” app (Apple store only) that begins with a simple invitation to become of aware of God’s presence and then asks a series of questions about what is encouraging about my day and then a series of questions about what is discouraging. The questions are as simple as, “The relationships or events that encouraged me were…” or “I am kept awake at night by…”

Any practice of the Examen should include reflection on our days and awareness of our emotions. We could distill the Examen into these key steps:

Become aware of God’s presence.
Review the day with gratitude.
Pay attention to your emotions.
Choose one feature of the day and pray from it.
Look toward tomorrow.

I recommend using the app or a print out as an initial guide and picking two or three questions that especially resonate with you. Then you can add more questions as you grow used to practicing it. Even taking a moment each day to determine whether or not you’re discouraged or encouraged, as well as identifying the reasons why, can be immensely enlightening and liberating.

This post is adapted from Pray, Write, Grow: Cultivating Prayer and Writing Together. The ebook is available today only as a $.99 pre-order. From March 11–13, 2015, the ebook will be available for $1.99. 

You can also buy the print edition.

The post A Daily Exercise That Can Revolutionize Your Writing appeared first on Jane Friedman and was written by Ed Cyzewski.

How to Build a Compelling Novel Concept (Something With a Kicker!)

Today’s post is adapted from C.S. Lakin’s newly released The 12 Key Pillars of Novel Construction.

Writers flounder trying to figure out how to make their idea compelling enough to sustain a great novel. Unfortunately, too many search for this “secret” or magic to take place while writing the novel, hoping it will just develop on its own or appear organically as the story unfolds. It won’t. It has to be carefully constructed.

I might be so bold as to say that you could take just about any idea, even if it’s pretty lame, and turn it into a terrific concept if you come up with a great kicker. So let’s take a long look at what a kicker is.

It isn’t the same thing as a plot twist. Plot twists are surprising turns or reveals in a story, and, as such, they “kick” the plot into high gear. Some novels have a great plot twist at the end, like Jodi Picoult’s bestseller My Sister’s Keeper. The plot twist is so intense and unexpected, it evokes a lot of emotion from many readers. I thought it was a terrific twist, but some of my friends hated it. Without doing a spoiler here, Picoult masterfully created a shocking ending to this very heavy drama.

Yet, the twisty ending wasn’t the kicker. A novel can’t ride 400 pages on a kicker in the last chapter. And likewise, if you have a plot twist early on in the book, if it’s just a simple plot twist, it won’t give the novel “legs” to last the entire read.

In My Sister’s Keeper, Picoult creates a great kicker. This is the story of a girl named Anna, who is conceived for one purpose: to be a donor for her older sister, Kate, who has leukemia. That, in itself, is quite a kicker, for it brings to mind all kinds of conflict (resentment, jealousy, anger, and more).

But Picoult kicks her idea even higher by centering the book on the plot element of Anna seeking legal action against her parents to prevent them from forcing her to be a donor. That raises the stakes. Anna’s actions can now endanger Kate’s life, as well as cause a painful rift between her and her parents. And deeply embedded in this kicker is yet another one—which has to do with how Kate feels about both her illness.

You’ve probably heard it said there are only so many basic plot ideas, and that’s true. Every general plot for a novel has been done many times over. And many terrific novels are just variations on the same old story.

To take your plot to the next level, you have to tweak the norm or go beyond the expected. Bring that tired old plot idea something unexpected, something intriguing.  Ask the “what if?” question.

How to Tweak Your Basic Idea to Give It Unexpected Flair

There are many ways to tweak your idea to take it to the next level.

Consider an unusual setting for your idea. You might find ways of ramping up the conflict and stakes; giving your protagonist a stronger, more intriguing goal; or bringing out deeper, richer themes.
Consider career. Writers often cast characters in boring vocations. Of course, your genre may prevent this, but take the idea you have for your protagonist and try on different occupations.
Consider events. What if you take your simple romance story and set it during a time and place that everyone knows? The movie Titanic was a basic formula romance that could have been set anywhere at any time, but how could any stakes and conflict be greater?

Caveat: Don’t choose a random setting or career or event just because it is unusual. Every choice you make for your novel has to have a specific purpose. Think about the heart of your story, and what it’s really about (which is theme). Consider characters’ hobbies, passions, past hurts, secrets, and unusual upbringings—the possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

Remember, this is about taking your idea to a higher level. It’s about coming up with a great “what if?” and framing that premise in an intriguing way that brings into play conflict that has high stakes and a protagonist with a compelling goal.

Kickers Will Vary Based on Genre

You might argue that some novels really don’t need a kicker. Maybe you write formulaic romantic suspense or cozy mysteries or traditional Westerns. Does that mean you don’t need a kicker? You may not need much of one to sell books, but if you want to write a great story, one that will stand the test of time and be memorable, you’ll want to infuse your basic plot with a kicker.

Is a Kicker the Same as “High Concept”?

More or less. Michael Hauge, a Hollywood screenwriting consultant, offers this definition of high concept: “A high concept is a story concept that is strong enough that it will draw an audience without any other components. It is not dependent on casting, name director, execution, good word of mouth. It is simply the story idea alone that will promise an emotional experience.”

One person defined “high concept” this way: “You tell me your amazing pitch for your book, and then I decide I have to kill you so I can steal your idea.” Well, it’s funny, but to the point. Just how intriguing is your concept or idea?

Think about a novel (series) like The Hunger Games. If all Suzanne Collins came up with was “a girl in an oppressive dystopic future society has to struggle to survive (and gets caught in a love triangle),” do you think she would have sold that book to a publisher? If the kicker—the premise of the games themselves—was not a part of the book(s), she might have had a good idea and maybe could have sold a few copies, but perhaps not millions.

The kicker in that novel was a fascinating predicament. Featuring a game that forced children to murder one another, Collins introduced an element that could support the entire novel. Again, this is not just an idea or premise or plot point of a novel. This is a foundational concept that creates tension, mystery, keen interest, and curiosity. It makes readers ask questions they really want the answers for. How in the world could a child make it out alive? What kind of emotional damage would these children suffer? How could people stand to live in a world like this, and what would it take to stop the insanity?

Kickers make readers ask questions they want answered. Kickers move the ordinary into the extraordinary. Kickers take ordinary ideas and put them on steroids.

Key Questions for Brainstorming

When you’re brainstorming your ideas and homing in on the one you want to develop into your next novel, or if you’re already writing a novel but feel it’s not all that extraordinary, spend some time thinking about the kicker.

Here are some of the questions to ask.

What is unique and compelling about my central idea for my novel?
How can I tweak this idea and infuse it with something outrageous, tense, full of conflict?
Can I elevate the stakes dramatically for my main character to give the concept heightened drama and suspense?
What kind of goal can I give my main character that will seem impossible to reach?
What controversial or sensitive issues or themes can be at the core of this idea so that it will tug on readers’ hearts?
How can I twist the whole idea so that it poses an intriguing dilemma or conflict?

Of the hundreds of manuscripts I’ve critiqued, I’ve seen very few with a strong concept accompanied by a kicker. Many are just same old, same old plots with stereotypical characters and predictable story lines. Nothing truly compelling happens in the story.

You can do better. So spend some time thinking about your core concept for your novel.

Note from Jane: If you enjoyed this post, then I highly recommend taking a look at The 12 Key Pillars of Novel Construction by C.S. Lakin.

The post How to Build a Compelling Novel Concept (Something With a Kicker!) appeared first on Jane Friedman and was written by C.S. Lakin.

3 Insights Into Writing about Social Issues

by Jason Long

Today’s guest post is by author Lisa Bennett (@LisaPBennett), author of Ecoliterate.

For the past ten years, I have been writing—and trying to write—about climate change. It’s a topic few of us really want to think about it but, as a Mom, I worried about what it would mean for my children’s future. Doing something felt like part of my job as a parent. And if I could inspire others to get engaged in climate action through my writing, I thought, that would be one, small good thing.

I was so wrong.

No matter how much I learned—about what can be done about climate change and, more significantly, how to use psychological, communications and brain science research to overcome the obstacles to our focusing on this issue—something in my writing just wasn’t working.

The problem, I discovered, was my motivation. By trying to inspire other people to get engaged in something that I was concerned about, I was caught in the trap of writing with an agenda. And while that might be appropriate for activist communications, it is not appropriate for personal essays, which is what interests me. There, few of us trust or, more fundamentally, like it.

To write effectively about any social issue (and perhaps especially one as controversial as this) I had to change my focus. I offer the three insights I uncovered here as guides to anyone else who might be struggling with a similar writing challenge.

1. Toss out your agenda.

I once met the poet Wendell Berry while reporting on a protest against mountaintop removal coal mining. It was a small, unusual protest. Berry and about three-dozen writers, farmers, former coal miners and activists were planning a sit-in in the Kentucky’s governor’s office. It was interesting, I thought, but from a practical standpoint, hopeless. So I asked Berry directly: “Do you really think this will make a difference?”

“I don’t know if it will make a difference,” he said. “But that is the wrong question. The right question is: Is it the right thing to do? I know it is the right thing to do.”

It was a simple, wise and empowering way to think about any action, including writing. And I took it to heart. Having an agenda—specifically, a goal of persuading others—meant my definition of success rested on something I could not control: how others responded. The better guide, I realized, was that simple question: Is it the right thing to do?

2. Be more humble.

To give myself a goal of influencing other people to take action on an issue I believed to be critically important made me feel as if I had the weight of the world on my shoulders. It also made me feel ridiculous, since I wasn’t, in fact, having an impact. This is a trap that both activists and people trying to write about social issues can easily fall into. It’s also as off-putting (and ineffective) as trying to address a relationship problem by trying to change your partner’s behavior instead of your own. If I hoped to write well and freely, I had to give up the arrogance that stemmed from focusing on other people and take a closer look at myself.

3. Be more honest.

In a moment of despair bred of one too many rejections, a wise friend asked me: Which is more important to you: To do something about climate change, or to be a writer? I didn’t have to pause to think. I am a writer, I said. And instantly, I realized I needed to approach the topic differently—not by trying to move other people to some desired end but by exploring as deeply as I could my own story about being a mother in the dawning age of climate change. This was a story of what it feels like to know that people we love are at risk of something we feel we cannot control. It meant diving deeper to be more honest, more real and more vulnerable.

So this is where I am at now. I do not yet have a finished product, or a sure-thing success story. But it is good to know the true story I want to tell—and to be reminded that a writer’s touchstone should never be persuasion but truth. And, for me, for now, that is enough. 

The post 3 Insights Into Writing about Social Issues appeared first on Jane Friedman and was written by Lisa Bennett.

What Authors Can Learn From Startups

Today’s guest post is by the Ricardo Fayet (@ricardofayet), the Chief Operating Officer of Reedsy.

Bestselling indie author Nick Stephenson posted a brilliant article on his blog last month on the “cost” of self-publishing, highlighting how authors shouldn’t view the money they spend on editing, design and marketing as a cost, but as an investment, i.e., an asset that creates value.

This is especially important to understand in the current competitive market, in which authors are forced to behave more and more like business people and less like “artists.” If you think of an author as a company, the only “asset” the company has is the content and the rights attached to it. Investing in optimization of that content increases its value. Investing in marketing and promotion increases the company’s ability to monetize its asset(s), and therefore brings a higher and/or steadier cash flow. Authors need to calculate their return on investment, and base decision-making on that figure rather than the upfront cost of an investment.

In this sense, independent authors function similarly to startup—though they rarely approach the challenges with the same dynamism or creativity that startups have come to rely on.

First, you need more creative outbound marketing.

I must have read over 100 posts on book marketing, and to be honest they all more or less highlight the same things “you need to do” in order to sell books: build your author platform (website, blog, social networks, etc.), have an email list, run discounts and promotions (via Bookbub, for example), contact bloggers/reviewers, optimize your metadata, etc.

In the startup world, we talk about “traction channels.” For authors, traction basically means gaining new readers, while channels are the different ways in which you can attract readers.

Andrew Chen, a famous startup advisor on growth, proposed an interesting concept a few years ago that he calls “the Law of Shitty Click-Throughs.” Chen explains that, over time, all marketing strategies lose their effectiveness and end up resulting in poor click-through rates.

We can apply the Law of Shitty Click-Throughs to explain why many authors now get the feeling that popular strategies like “perma-free” (creating work that is permanently free) are no longer an effective marketing strategy: there are just too many free books on Amazon. Plus, Amazon adapted to the perma-free strategy by separating paid and free books on their bestseller lists.

What does this mean? You need to be more creative. Sure, you can find inspiration in what others have done, but also know that the less advertised “strategies” out there might actually be the ones worth pursuing (or at least testing).

All of the successful authors we’ve interviewed at Reedsy so far have done things that few other authors are doing, whether that’s replying to all reviewers on Amazon and Goodreads to announce a new book, inviting the local mayor to a book launch, building websites/newsletters for characters, or sending additional hard copies with every order.

So how do you get better, more creative ideas?

Startups have an incessant need to find new, creative ways to reach users. They are pushed to it by their lack of resources, limited time, and the need to demonstrate “traction” to investors.

If you read tech marketing blogs, I guarantee you’ll find ideas for your books that few other authors out there are considering:

Andrew Chen writes about viral products
Seth Godin focuses on building trust
Buffer discusses how to leverage social media
Unbounce teaches landing page (website) optimization

All these provide inspiration applicable to not just startups, but everyone who has to learn about digital marketing, as the last “Startup Marketing Blog” post points out: “Growth hacking is for smart marketers—not just startups.”

My No. 1 recommendation, though, is actually a book: Traction: A Startup Guide to Getting Customers. Written by two startup founders, Traction reviews every single “traction channel” (i.e., marketing strategy) startups can use to find, engage, and retain customers. Surprisingly and crucially, almost every one of these channels is available to authors. I especially recommend the chapter on “Unconventional PR,” which offers great examples of out-of-the-box thinking from technology startups looking to generate a PR stunt.

Successful stunts include Uber delivering cupcakes and kittens to employees who wanted a break from work, or Blendtec, a blender manufacturer, starting the “Will It Blend?” videos, and testing their blades against golf balls or iPhones. Or DuckDuckGo, a competitor of Google, hiring a billboard in Google’s backyard in California to advertise.

Marketing expert Seth Godin says we’re operating in a “connection economy,” where mass marketing doesn’t cut it anymore. Gaining traction is about creating the extraordinary; these examples show how a little subversive thinking can help you achieve that.

Learning best practices from a startup

As Kristine Kathryn Rusch wrote in her slightly depressing round-up post on “things indie writers learned in 2014,” authors who want to survive in the new competitive landscape need to learn business, and place themselves in the same conditions and mindset as an actual entrepreneur.

What does this mean? Do what startups do: plan for your launch, set tangible goals and deadlines, and make yourself accountable. Create books that are easily sharable and recommendable by readers. Put links to your newsletter and website in the book. Offer a real incentive for readers to subscribe to your newsletter and/or to leave a review. And just to be clear, writing something like “reviews are very important for us independent authors, so please leave one” doesn’t constitute an incentive.

More importantly, decide what you want to do and do it well. This is the main point made in Traction: There are lots of “traction channels,” but you cannot make them work for you unless you focus on two to three at a time, after having carefully tested their effectiveness.

Creating a great book is vital, but everything else is optional. You don’t need to blog. You don’t need to tweet. You don’t need to offer giveaways. If you do all of these, chances are you’re going to be inefficient, or worse, obsequious. So focus on a couple of strategies and roll them out as thoroughly as you can. If you’re going for strategies that yield results in the long term (like blogging or building a following on social networks), start working on those long before the launch of your book. If you’re going for short-term strategies (like Bookbub promotions or Goodreads giveaways), make sure you have a product and platform ready to capture the sudden wave of readers you’re expecting.

Keep looking outside your “world” for creative ideas. If you are reading the same material as every other indie author, you’ll probably end up using the same strategies. If you look wider, you’ll find brilliant new possibilities!

The post What Authors Can Learn From Startups appeared first on Jane Friedman and was written by Ricardo Fayet.

The Business of Self-Publishing Children’s Picture Books: Two Literary Agents Weigh In

Today’s guest post is by Sangeeta Mehta (@sangeeta_editor), a former acquiring editor of children’s books at Little, Brown and Simon & Schuster, who runs her own editorial services company.

Back in 1901, aspiring writer Beatrix Potter was frustrated with rejection letters from publishers, so she “privately published” 250 copies of her first book for distribution to friends and family. Within a year, The Tale of Peter Rabbit was picked up by Frederick Warne, one of the publishers that had originally turned it down. It is now one of the bestselling and most beloved children’s books of all time.

In Potter’s day, the phenomenon of self-publishing was rare and expensive, so much so that the first printing of The Tale of Peter Rabbit did not include color illustrations. Today, writers looking to self-publish have several platforms to choose from; Amazon’s KDP Kids, BookBaby, Blurb, and Lulu Jr. in particular are ideal for picture book writers.

I asked literary agents Erin Murphy and Susan Hawk their thoughts on self-publishing children’s books and what the future of the picture book might look like.

Traditional publishers usually select and hire illustrators for the picture book manuscripts they contract. So what is the best way for a self-publishing writer to find an illustrator—through an organization like SCBWI or a design school like RISD?

In most traditional publishing arrangements, both the writer and the illustrator receive royalties and are paid by a third party (the agent or the publisher). In a multi-author self-publishing scenario, should one party be the principal author and the other be willing to accept a flat fee, even though most traditionally inclined writers and illustrators are cautioned against taking work-for-hire deals? 

Erin Murphy: Those are great ideas for places to find illustrators, and there are many more online as well.

Writers might be sure to look for illustrators who are familiar with picture books in particular, because it is its own format, after all. Picture book illustrators know how to enhance a story in the art, and they think of the nuances such as varying perspectives, mixing in spot art with double-page spreads, and the like.

I think it’s always important that in any collaboration or partnership situation, there be some kind of agreement in writing so everybody is clear on who is obligated to what, who will be paid what, and so on. Agreements exist for worst-case scenarios, so it’s important to work out everything clearly ahead of time. If things go sideways, there’s an unemotional document to refer to, to help everybody work through how things should be handled.

Susan Hawk: Both SCBWI and RISD are smart places to begin. There’s a wealth of resources online: you can view illustrators’ work on a storytelling platform like Storybird, Kathy Temean’s Writing and Illustrating blog often features new illustrator’s work, and I’m often fascinated by illustrations I see on sites that aren’t directly related to children’s books such as Etsy and Spoonflower.

The problem isn’t lack of resources, it’s almost the opposite—too many. So, set aside plenty of time to look for the person whose work is right for your text. It’s a good idea to ask for a sample, and for an illustrator to ask the same, if one isn’t available on the writer’s site.

A contract is very important, that’s the best way to make sure that the agreement between author and illustrator is clear. Whether or not a flat fee is appropriate really depends on the particular situation. For the writer or illustrator making that determination, it’s important to have a clear sense of your goals in going self-pub. If a flat fee works with the goals, then it may be something to consider.

In the trade book market, picture books are typically 32 pages because printing presses use 8-page signatures to efficiently print large quantities of books. Since self-published authors are more likely to choose print-on-demand (POD) than offset printing, and they are probably not looking to traditional retailers to sell their work, is there any reason that these authors shouldn’t take liberties with the standard page count and word count (usually 1,000 words or less) of picture books? What are the advantages of adhering to the standard model?

Erin Murphy: The standard model exists because it is what the market wants right now. It’s less about page count and more about making a story as tight and illustration-driven as it can be. In fact, a lot of traditionally published picture books right now are 40 pages or even 48 pages—that’s been sneaking under the radar, right???—but they generally don’t feel any more text-heavy despite that.

When I get queries or submissions from authors who have self-published or are considering self-publishing, they usually have texts that are far too long to succeed in the traditional market—and generally far too didactic, as well.

I don’t know that self-publishing will be successful in finding those books a readership unless the writer is willing to take an honest look at what they’re trying to accomplish and revise to make the books as strong as they can be—entertaining, moving reads—not reads that exist to teach something.

Susan Hawk: This is one of the wonderful things about self-publishing—writers and artists don’t have to stick to the “rules” of traditional publishing. It’s exciting to think about the ways in which self-pubbed writers can push boundaries within picture books.

That said, some of the rules have evolved from something systemic, like the way books are printed; others come from what’s happening in the marketplace, and that will affect any book, regardless of how they are published.

For instance, schools push kids to read earlier these days and first graders are tackling chapter books. As kids move away from picture books sooner, it’s meant that the longer length storybook isn’t as popular as it once was. That’s a reality for all books, regardless of their origin. A smart self-publisher will be looking at those trends, just the way a traditional publisher does.

School visits can be very lucrative for picture book writers, sometimes more so than royalties from their books. Should school visits be a priority for self-published picture book writers since their books are unlikely to be carried in bookstores, and they can make far more money per sale than traditionally published writers? What should self-published picture book writers without a track record expect when approaching a school? Although endorsements from writers and educators aren’t usually solicited for picture books in the trade market, do you think they would help in the self-publishing market? Or should these writers focus more on securing reviews from established journals like Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, or Library Journal to establish credibility?

Erin Murphy: The ONLY reason I can reasonably advise a picture book writer or illustrator (as opposed to those working in other formats) to self-publish is if they have a built-in market for the book or books.

If they’re publishing into a niche in which they have expertise and know outlets that traditional publishers wouldn’t ably exploit, or if they’re actively doing school visits for traditionally published books and have an out-of-print book they see a lot of demand for, or if they’re doing school visits in some other capacity—as a storyteller, say—then having a self-published book can make sense.

I think a lot of writers go into self-publishing without realizing how much work is involved in actually selling the stock they produce. You have to have a viable plan to reach your readership, or else you have expensive boxes of books sitting in your garage.

Susan Hawk: Back when I did School and Library Marketing for Penguin Books for Young Readers, my department managed school visits for all the Penguin authors, so I’m a big believer in their power to build an author’s presence, and I’d encourage any writer, self-published or otherwise, to pursue them.

Writers and illustrators need to have a website that describes their books as well as the kind of programs they do in schools—do you discuss the writing process? How to create characters? Do you prefer speaking to large groups, or small? Certain ages, but not others? Be as detailed as possible, then work on getting the word out.

Create a flyer that details your books and programs (keep it brief), and drop it off at schools, libraries, and bookstores. Reach out to anyone you know that’s connected to your local schools. Let people know that you’re local and prepare to be flexible on your honorarium, knowing that it will increase over time.

I’d pursue both endorsements and reviews—they can’t hurt!

Since digital publishing is a relatively low-risk investment, do you envision any traditional publishers offering digital-first imprints for picture books or easy readers down the road? Is this something self-publishers might test the waters with before investing in the high cost of producing physical picture books, which involves variables like choosing a trim size and paper stock, and checking for color consistency and image resolution? Is there a certain number of digital sales (not counting free downloads) or clicks on a certain site that they should reach before planning a print run?

Erin Murphy: It seems as though digital is not working out to be a strong avenue for picture books at all. I suspected that, in the early days of e-books started; it’s panned out to be true. My sense is that most digital picture book sales supplement hard copies, as though parents want a copy they can easily have with them in doctors’ waiting rooms or in the car, perhaps when they didn’t anticipate the need, to supplement the copy that’s on the picture book shelf at home.

Susan Hawk: In terms of what may happen with digital publishing, I don’t think anything is off the table! As to when, or how, traditional publishers may offer digital-first, I can’t say what that would look like…yet.

My sense is that there are as many challenges with self-publishing a picture book in a digital format as there are in print—it’s just a shift in technologies, and the accompanying details.

As with the determination to accept a flat fee or not, the number of digital sales or clicks that determine a print run will depend on the particular writer or illustrator and his or her goals.

What are some of the best ways to promote illustrated children’s books online? Through highly visual social media platforms like Pinterest and Instagram? By posting or advertising on parenting blogs? By offering downloadable (and physical) bookmarks, posters, and activity kits on an author website? Since it’s usually the illustrations that sell a picture book, is creating a book trailer or another kind of video based on the illustrations an effective marketing strategy? 

Erin Murphy: Any online marketing needs to be targeted very well. Sending blanket emails or posting self-serving comments on established blogs is only going to turn people against you.

But also, producing a book trailer does no good unless you have some places to post it. Again, I think this is where self-publishing is at its best, when the author has an established platform and reputation in a particular niche market.

If you’re an animal expert familiar with interacting with kids and parents about animals, you have reason to share a book trailer or do a guest post on a blog in your online community. If you’re a craft expert who’s often at craft fairs around the country and have a blog with a strong following in the craft community, and you have a self-published book about crafts, you have a natural outlet. If you’re an expert on your state’s history and you’re often asked to speak at events on the topic, you can probably reach your buyers better than a traditional New York house can.

Susan Hawk: Ah, promotion! It can be a major challenge for self-published writers; it can also be fun, if you focus on the activities that you enjoy the most (and that will be effective, of course).

There are so many tools out there. Creating a strong Facebook page and having even a simple website is important. I haven’t seen much use of Pinterest or Instagram for picture books, though it’s a good idea (and perhaps I just haven’t noticed the people who are using those sites).

The key with all marketing is to be very focused on your audience. Know exactly who you are trying to reach, then you can start thinking about the tool that’s most appropriate to reach that group. If it’s Pinterest, so be it—every tool you mention here will be appropriate for various different populations.

I’m not a big fan of videos, however. There are so many of them out there, and creating one that’s really unique, and therefore effective, is costly. I think there are other, more grassroots tools that give more bang for your buck.

In spite of all the evidence to the contrary, the stigma that picture book books (and children’s books in general) are easier to write than adult books remains. Do you think the “I can write that!” attitude is encouraging more people to self-publish picture books? Many of them have perfectly good intentions—there are the established novelists interested in experimenting with a new genre, parents who notice a gap in the marketplace and want to educate their children on a certain topic, entrepreneurs with a built-in distribution channel who are eager to build their brand. What separates “hobbyist” self-published authors from the true “authorpreneurs”?

Erin Murphy: The true “authorpreneurs” (nice word!) have really educated themselves, instead of having some filled-in-the-gaps-with-imaginary-truths understanding of how publishing works. They don’t have a rosy view of how easy it will be; they’ve really learned how bookstores work, why things are done the way they are in traditional publishing (and what parts of that they should do themselves or pay someone to do), what is involved in running the business of selling your own books, how many you have to sell to break even, and realistically how long it will take.

They also know at what grades various topics are covered in the curriculum, what else is out there on that topic, and whether a perceived gap in the market is real or not.

Sometimes a “gap” is more about not pushing your personal/political viewpoint on other people, as though all it would take to get more people to agree with you is a book! for kids! Sometimes it’s about thinking kids should know something at a younger age than makes sense to most people. Sometimes that gap is plenty full and the writer thinks that looking on the shelves of a local library and/or bookstore is enough market research.

Susan Hawk: Ah, yes. If it’s short, it must be easy to write! There are certainly more self-pubbed picture books now than 10 years ago, but I don’t think there’s been an explosion in this category as there has been in others.

What I love about self-publishing though, is what you point out here—that it gives those writers and illustrators with a specific audience the tools to reach them. The big publishing houses aren’t suited to certain regional books, for instance. I love that so many books that might not otherwise have found their readership, can now.

According to Digital Book World, digital reading (on e-readers, tablets, and phones) is on the rise even for young children, and children are exercising more autonomy with their online purchases. What are some other digital trends you foresee with regard to children’s books? Can you picture a day when digital illustrated children’s books will be as popular as print books?

Erin Murphy: Nope. Call me a traditionalist, but from the time of early adoption of digital books, I’ve believed it’s just another medium, and I’ve believed that the best books come from the long-valued process of nurturing and curation that traditional publishing provides. There will always be exceptions, of course, and there will be changes in technology and the marketplace, and promotionally there will be new things to try—but reaching readers for the most part comes down to producing a great book with the help of knowledgeable folks and finding the readers who will love it.

Susan Hawk: What I’d really love to see is a digital picture book that exists better in the digital sphere than it does in print—one that is truly improved by existing on that platform. Most of what I’ve seen so far are on-screen versions of print books, with some bells and whistles, which my kids easily tire of.

I could have missed something, so please let me know if in the comments if that’s the case! But, there’s a loss of warmth in digital, that so far, I haven’t seen overshadowed by an inventiveness within the platform. That said, it probably will come. And I look forward to seeing it!

About the Agents

Erin Murphy (‪@agentemurph‪) is the founder of Erin Murphy Literary Agency, which focuses on building careers and community. The agency began as a one-person operation in 1999 and now includes three support staff and two additional agents working in different parts of the country. Erin’s client list includes Golden Kite winner Joanne Rocklin, Jane Addams winner Cynthia Levinson, and New York Times bestselling authors Chris Barton, Robin LaFevers, Liz Garton Scanlon, and Deborah Underwood. Erin’s favorite parts of being an agent are working with her clients editorially to develop their projects for submission, looking at the big picture of each client and his or her work to envision a path for a long-term career, and choosing to work with truly nice, dedicated people. Erin lives and works in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Susan Hawk (@susanhawk) is a literary agent at The Bent Agency, representing every kind of book for kids. Projects she represents share powerful, original writing; strong story-telling and a distinctive, sometimes off-kilter voice. Some recently published client work includes The Graham Cracker Plot by Shelley Tougas (Roaring Brook), 17 First Kisses by Rachael Allen (Harper Teen) and The Ninja Librarians (Sourcebooks). Her favorite projects live at the intersection of literary and commercial. Before agenting, she spent fifteen years in children’s book marketing at Penguin, Henry Holt and North-South Books; she also worked in Editorial at Dutton Children’s Books, and as a children’s librarian and bookseller.

The post The Business of Self-Publishing Children’s Picture Books: Two Literary Agents Weigh In appeared first on Jane Friedman and was written by Sangeeta Mehta.

3 Types of Bios That Every Online Professional Needs

by Jeff Sheldon

Today’s guest post is by author and writing coach Christina Katz (@thewritermama).

Have you ever had someone ask for your bio, and you found yourself dashing one off quickly and emailing it over?

You probably know that’s not the most thoughtful approach, but bios aren’t the easiest things to write. So we put off writing them as long as we can. A strongly written bio often requires taking an inventory, measuring the impact of past efforts and accomplishments, reviewing feedback and testimonials about your efforts, and compressing professional history into witty and engaging prose. And then, once you’ve drafted a great one, it tends to date quickly if you’re an active writer.

Here’s how to take charge of the process, and build a bio that’s not only better than most you have read, but also compelling enough to attract the fans and clients you’d like to have in the first place.

Bio Variations

I use the word “bio” to mean bios of any length, scope, or depth. It’s more than just the text that belongs on your website’s about page—you’ll need several types of bios over the course of a career, and you’ll be more satisfied with the results if they’re written thoughtfully and kept ready to use.

This post focuses on three types of bios that come in handy, whether you have a new or an established career:

The one-page bio
The one-paragraph bio
The social media bio

1. The One-Page Bio—Or The Long Bio

Let’s talk about the construction of your one-page bio first. Tackle this version before the rest—it contains the most information about you. It will offer the widest scope of information, but also compress your professional history. This is the type of bio that would likely go on your website About page, although many choose to use a short bio, or both a short bio and a long bio, with the shorter bio at the top of the page and the longer version further down.

You should rely on your bio to create engagement with readers on the first read. If your bio does not grab the reader’s attention, you may not get another chance. You want the reader to feel an affinity toward you and what you offer, such that connections are made and more familiarity is desired. Here are a few things to keep in mind when working on your long bio:

Before you start writing, know whom you are trying to connect with and strive to make a genuine connection with that specific audience.
Know what you do and how you do it differently than everyone else so you can express your unique approach to them.
Provide enough compressed background information to give readers a sense of where you are coming from without overwhelming them with a laundry list of every single thing you have done.

Your one-page bio will probably be the hardest bio to write, and will likely go through the most rounds of editing, which is fine. Your readers do not care how hard you worked on your bio; they only care about connecting with the person who created such a compelling impression.

Find Your Bio Keywords

Once you have your one-page bio drafted, edited and polished, put it down for a bit and get ready to identify the keywords that describe the who, what, when, where, why and how of what you uniquely offer. Keywords are like the nectar that attracts the search engine honeybees. If you want your bios to garner solid search engine results, they have to contain keywords.

I suggest writing your long bio first and then working in keywords after it is drafted and polished. If you have done your writing job well, your keywords will likely drop right into the text with very little editing needed.

2. The One-Paragraph Bio—Or The Short Bio

A one-paragraph bio usually accompanies your work when it’s shared on the Internet or in print—somewhere outside of your own site or blog. You may also want a condensed version of your long bio on the front page of your website, or at the end of every blog post. You’ll find there are a wide variety of possible uses, especially during book launches, conferences, speaking or teaching opportunities, and interviews.

Here are a few tips for paring your one-page bio down into one paragraph:

If who, what, where, when, why, and how took up a paragraph in your one-page bio, this should take one or two sentences in your one-paragraph bio.
Hit the most important and impressive notes of a long career. You don’t have time to describe your whole history. Remember that a reader will likely skim your bio.
Think about the reader, who they are, and what they want to know. Then slant your bio to speak directly to them. Your short bio may venture out beyond your usual audience, so be prepared to tweak it to best effect depending on where it’s headed next.

3. The Social Media Bio

Of the three types of bios, your social media bios will have the most variation because bio guidelines change from platform to platform. After you have your long and short bios relatively set, you’re ready to adapt your one-paragraph bio into various social media bios.

Assuming you’re active in your use, I suggest you create distinct bios for Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Tumblr. Each of these bios has a distinct flavor that reflects the platform context and users. Here are some things to keep in mind:

Align your bio tone with the tone of the platform. For example, don’t get all serious in your Pinterest bio. And don’t get too casual in your LinkedIn bio.
Don’t miss opportunities to post a longer version of your bio. For example, you can get quite a bit of bio mileage out of LinkedIn and Google+.
Some platforms only offer you a sentence or two. Both Twitter and Pinterest only allow 160 characters including spaces. And you probably won’t use the same bio for both. Does it make more sense to use a list of keywords for your bio or squeeze the essence of what you do down into one or two meaty sentences? You decide.

Don’t forget to test your copy by showing it to colleagues, readers, or fans like those you’re targeting. Friends and family may not always provide the most helpful advice when it comes to building a better bio.

When your bios are really good, readers nod, make a noise, bookmark the page, go check you out on your website, and hunt you down on social media. If they are really impressed, they might engage with you online or email you.

You know this is true because you do it, too. And I bet when you read a bio that is not well written, you pay a lot less attention to the person it describes. No one in business online today can afford to present a bio fails to make any impression at all. You want potential fans to learn enough about you to create genuine interest and potential for a future connection.

So, bios carry a lot of weight. And they can be challenging to write. But you’re a professional worth knowing—so shouldn’t you come across this way in your bio?

You should. You know you should. And when you take the time to write your three types of bios thoughtfully, you will.

 

Note from Jane: Christina is offering a new class on building a better bio. Click here to find out more.

The post 3 Types of Bios That Every Online Professional Needs appeared first on Jane Friedman and was written by Christina Katz.

Do You Love Your Publisher? An Author Survey

Are you a traditionally published author? Then please keep reading.

In partnership with Harry Bingham of Agent Hunter in the UK, we’re launching a survey of traditionally published authors, regardless of whether or not they have also self-published.

Our goal is to see how traditionally published authors are feeling about the choices now available. We aim to be unbiased; we’re not looking for strongly positive or strongly negative responses. As much as possible, we want to get responses from those who have recently worked with traditional publishers, and derive a truthful impression of what authors think.

Your participation will be completely anonymous. We’ll collect responses for four weeks, then close the survey and release the results.

Click here to take the survey

Please help spread the word in the communities where you’re active—whether that’s a private message board, Facebook group, Twitter, or elsewhere. The more experiences we can survey, the stronger and more accurate picture we’ll have. You can tweet this link, which goes directly to the survey:

http://surveymonkey.com/s/doyouloveyourpublisher

We’re also using a Twitter hashtag to help everyone follow along with the results and spread the word to authors: #authorsay.

Thank you for participating!

Click here to take the survey

The post Do You Love Your Publisher? An Author Survey appeared first on Jane Friedman and was written by Jane Friedman.