Ruth Ford Elward's Blog, page 5

The Basic Query Letter Format

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THE BASIC QUERY LETTER FORMAT

There are certain types of information that an agent or an editor is going to want to see in the query letter. The components are almost formulaic and if you will follow the outline, you are sure to have a winning query designed to make them ask to read more of your work.


• In the first paragraph you need to lead with a hook. This can be a question pertaining to something related to your work, or it could be a line or two from the book that is particularly intriguing.
Some writers even use statistics that are designed to shock or arouse curiosity.


• The next paragraph needs to talk about the ‘nuts and bolts’ of your book.
What is the title of the book, how many pages is it.
Does it have accompanying copyright free images?
Is the book finished, and what made you decide to write this book in the first place.


• In the next paragraph list your particular expertise, writing credits, writing contest awards, or anything that makes you look as if the work you’ve just created wasn’t just a ‘hobby’.
Most agents and editors want to feel that you are taking the endeavor seriously and don’t view it as a hobby that you might abandon at any moment.


• The next paragraph needs to give them a sneak peek at the competition. If the publishing company or the agent has represented or published something that is similar in nature to your book, and it was successful, then mention their title by name.
Then mention how yours is similar to and yet different from that work.


• Lastly, thank them for their time, mention that you have more information available via the website, and mention that you would love to forward them a submission package or synopsis for a more in-depth read.
Many companies now prefer that the query letter be sent via email as opposed to snail mail.
Therefore, being a bit computer savvy is a must. Do not EVER include attachments unless they’ve specifically asked you to do so. Most would prefer that you ‘cut and paste’ your query letter into the body of the email, and then send.
Last, but not least, make sure to let them know that you are sending out your query to other agents or editors. This is called a simultaneous submission.





There was a debate not too long ago about whether an author should engage in simultaneous submissions.
The argument was that the author can’t afford to sit and give each and every publisher a 2 week window to respond to their query.
On the other hand, many publishers argued that it takes them time to adequately go through all of the proposals and that they need at least 2-4 weeks to respond to inquiries.
Many publishers dislike getting into a bidding war with another company because in the end they spend more for the book than they would if they were the only company involved.


The rule of thumb is to see if their guidelines specify no simultaneous submissions, and then to decide if that’s the publisher that would be worth giving the exclusivity to.
Sometimes it is worth the gamble if you’ve made a connection with them, or they’ve reached out to you.
However, most authors now routinely submit queries to multiple agents or publishers, and as long as you are forthcoming and up front with them about this, then there won’t be any repercussions.

Ruth’s Book Review of Night of the Assassin

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Night of the Assassin (Assassin Series prequel) by Russell Blake


An intrepid assassin had effortlessly silenced Papi Contreras, mastermind of a dangerous drug cartel. A bevy of beauties surrounded Papi until his last breath while aboard the yacht, Contessa. Only one assassin was able to pull this off and inflict fear among men. That assassin was the fearless El Rey, also known as the King of Swords. Much had been said about him, but no one had ever set eyes on him.



Night of the Assassin is the prequel to Russell Blake’s Assassin series. El Rey’s back story was meticulously explained and detailed in this book. One gets to see how the King of Swords had lost his family, was taken and was trained under the watchful eye of Emilio. His heart was used and broken. His life took a turn. His rage ignited the kindle of fire slowly burning his life.



This is a quick and easy read. I admire the author’s work for painstakingly going to great lengths to make sure the readers get real action and enough details to keep the suspense going. This may just be the prequel, but judging by the intensity of the story, I am sure that the rest of the series is as outstanding and pulsating.

Ruth’s Book Review of Cold Betrayal

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Cold Betrayal (An Ali Reynolds novel) by JA Jance


Ali Reynolds found herself involved in two different and difficult situations shortly after settling into married life.
The first was the case of her daughter-in-law’s grandmother Betsy. The older woman was reportedly in danger after she discovered that someone had sneaked into her house and turned on the gas burners to her stove in the middle of the night. Her pets had awoken her and she immediately turned off the burners.
At the least, this meant a case of asphyxiation and arson or worse, possibly murder. Yes, someone was trying to kill her!


Ali’s second case came when her good friend Sister Anselm called her up.
The nun needed her help with a pregnant woman named Edin, who was run over by a pickup truck. They firmly believed that this had been deliberately caused by the polygamist cult “The Family”, a cult that catered young women to early marriages and any inclinations of moving out meant something sinister would happen to them. Edin paid the consequences when she attempted to get away from them. Sister Anselm and Ali must join forces in order to catch the perpetrators and put an end to their illegal activities.


This is my second J.A. Jance book and as usual, she wrote a novel that is both mind-boggling and heart-stopping.
There are two storylines in this Ali Reynolds book and both are quite complex. Although the plots were not really connected to each other, one will develop a fascination with the characters, in my case, with Betsy.
She’s one tough cookie, especially for an 80-year old. She’d been through a lot and her determination to remain and survive was quite inspiring.
The other topic, the cult, was quite dark and unnerving. The various acts of death and punishment to young girls and even babies were heart wrenching. The worst of betrayals was succinctly detailed in this book.


What I’m saying is, if you’re looking for a fascinating, engrossing and well-written story, then this book should be on your list!

Submission Guidelines: What Are They?

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SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: WHAT ARE THEY?

If you have chosen to go the traditional publishing route the next thing that you have to do is read the publisher’s submission guidelines.
When you think that you have familiarized yourself with the publisher’s rules, you can now create and send a query, a proposal, or a submission bundle.
As a general rule, if a publisher will accept a proposal from an author without an agent, they will need a query letter, a brief bio of the author (listing your publishing credits or your area of expertise), and a brief 1-3 page synopsis of the book.
Some may also require an expanded synopsis (chapter by chapter) of the book, as well as a general marketing outlook.
If this seems like it is out of your reach to accomplish, there are many writers out there who are able to compile and create these types of documents for you. Some may ask for the first 20 to 50 pages of the manuscript, but they will almost never request the entire manuscript.





The Query Letter

The query is basically a sales letter from you to the editor.
You send the query letter with the hope of convincing an editor to take a look at your full manuscript and proposal.
You have to keep in mind that most editors and literary agents do not accept complete literary documents on the initial contact. That is why you will often read “No unsolicited materials” on many publishing houses’ guidelines.
Large publishing houses generally do not accept literary work without agent representation, so if you want to try your luck with large publishing companies, you may want to start by sending your query to agents first. My next post will be The Basic Query Letter Format

Traditional or Non Traditional?

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TRADITIONAL or NON TRADITIONAL?

It is prudent to mention that deciding which way you will be published determines your course of action in regards to your book’s ‘journey’. Many authors opt to try to entice the interest of a traditional book publisher first.
If you would like to do this, then it starts with seeking the right agents or publishers for your book niche.


Two very good guides exist for finding the agents and publishers who would be interested in your work. Jeff Herman’s Literary Guide, and The Writer’s Market, are two very good options for the new author. The online version of The Writer’s Market has the added bonus of being up to date and searchable.
They both list agents who are interested in working with new authors, what sorts of genres they are interested in representing, and what sorts of fees they expect.


Most reputable agents will not charge a reading fee, so avoid those that do. Likewise, avoid the other practice that some agents have of referring you to a book doctoring service (which they receive a referral fee for) where you will be told that you need to have the book ‘fixed’ before it can be submitted to anyone.
If you’ve had your book professionally edited by a developmental editor, then you can be assured that your book is ready to be submitted.






Print On Demand

Self-publishing costs have fallen dramatically over the last few years because of the rise of competition among those catering to the growing demographic of authors who wish to publish on their own.
Most print on demand companies are appealing for authors because you aren’t required to put a great deal of money up front, in order to see your book in print. Many companies now offer various publishing packages that may also include distribution services and publicity.


Here are some of the more popular print-on-demand options available for you:

• CreateSpace

CreateSpace makes your work available on several platforms, including as an eBook on Amazon.com. Likewise, when you schedule a book signing, or if someone would rather have your book ‘in print’, then the book is created and sent on your behalf. In other words, it is printed on demand.


• Lulu

Lulu offers many packages as well as editorial support. They are especially equipped to handle children’s books. They provide printing services much like CreateSpace, in that they will create and upload your book to Amazon.com, as well as offer your book as an in print book when requested. The pricing of your in print book is determined by the page count and whether or not there are illustrations.


• Lightning Source

Lightning Source is the BIG self-publishing house. They are the company that prints the physical copies for both CreateSpace and Lulu. They will print your books in as small a quantity as 1, or as many as 10,000. They are also an excellent source for distribution as they have negotiated deals with many of the major distribution channels, not only in the US, but internationally.

What is an International Standard Book Number (ISBN)?

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WHAT IS AN INTERNATIONAL STANDARD BOOK NUMBER (ISBN)?

Writers are faced with a number of challenges when they are trying to create a book, and unfortunately those challenges don’t go away once they finally finish and are getting ready to publish their book.
In the past, it was still a complicated process to get a book published, but now in the digital age there are even more things to take into consideration. This isn’t necessarily negative though, as it does provide authors with different tools to get their books published.
In fact, thanks to sites like Amazon, Smashwords and other self-publishing sites, authors are getting the chance to publish works that might have otherwise never seen the light of day.


Because of the different methods of publishing, authors have to take different steps to get their works out. With digital publishing, one of the biggest things that has changed is having an ISBN.
An ISBN used to be all but mandatory for anyone that wanted to get their book published. Quite simply, an ISBN is a special type of thirteen digit number that identifies a published work.
The number is based upon a couple of different factors, such as the publisher and the title of the book. Different editions of books will get a different number, though reprints will keep the same number. Readers very rarely have to concern themselves with an ISBN as it is primarily used for marketing purchases.




In the digital age, an ISBN seems less important, because of the introduction of online publishing, whether through a site that the author owns, or more likely a site for self-publishing like Amazon or Smashwords. These sites still use a number identification system, but it varies depending on the site. Amazon for example uses an Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN), and some sites will just use a Universal Product Code (UPC).


With the growing popularity of publishing online, many authors are wondering if they even need to bother with an ISBN. The biggest concern authors face is the fact that they have to pay for an ISBN. Although the fee is pretty small, it is still understandable that authors wouldn’t want to pay for this if they feel it isn’t necessary.
Whether or not an author needs an ISBN isn’t always the easiest question to answer because it can vary from author to author.


If an author ever intends for their book to be sold in bookstores, then they are going to need to get an ISBN. It is worth noting again though, that authors don’t need to get an ISBN immediately if they know they’re just going to be first selling digitally.
If an author intends to solely sell their works through either their own site or something like Amazon or Smashwords, then they could arguably go without getting an ISBN.


In general, the rule of thumb is that for every ‘different’ format that you will publish; you will need a unique ISBN.
So, if you published an eBook, and later decided to convert it to an audio book and then have a version in print, you would not only need an ISBN for the eBook version but also a separate ISBN for the audio book and another for the print version.


In the future, there is the very real possibility that ISBN’s will be phased out or perhaps merged with another system. Many are arguing that with how many books are being self-published or just sold digitally ISBN’s are becoming dated.
Plenty of books are still sold in physical stores though. Many of the author’s that do initially publish online because of how accessible it is are doing so with the intent of gaining enough online popularity to attract the attention of a publisher, so their books can be sold in stores. So the question remains: To ISBN or Not to ISBN and if so, to ISBN all versions or which version?

Copyrighting 101

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COPYRIGHTING 101

The subject of copyrighting is something that commonly comes up in regards to creative works, but despite how often the word gets thrown around not too many people are aware of what it means. This is understandable because copyrighting is just another part of protecting intellectual rights. There are other terms that can be used for protecting intellectual rights, such as trademarking and patenting, all of which are used because they represent similar ideas, but for the author there is a difference.


Copyrighting is a type of legal concept that gives the creator of original content the exclusive right to use and distribute whatever it is they have created. These rights can also be sold or given away in writing.
Copyrighting can be applied to just about anything, but it is typically associated with written and artistic work.
The basic idea behind copyrighting is that the owners of work are able to make a living without anyone else being able to take that material and use it to make money themselves.
Copyrighting isn’t something that is necessarily limited to an individual. Multiple people can have the copyright, and are commonly referred to as rights holders.


When it comes to the technicalities, copyrights can get a little tricky. A commonly used example of this is the famous Disney character, Mickey Mouse.
Because of the copyright, nobody outside of Disney can make any Mickey Mouse cartoons or use the character, but they aren’t restricted from making their own anthropomorphic mouse character, as long as it is distinctly different from Mickey Mouse.
Because each case is going to be different depending on the material in question, there aren’t any strict rules for determining when a creation is or isn’t distinct enough.


Copyrighting doesn’t last forever, but typically will last throughout the lifetime of the owner, and then another fifty to one hundred years, after which it is considered fair to use by the public domain.
Copyrights are inheritable property, so your children and their children could be collecting the benefit of the copyright in the future.
In some cases though, the copyright will last for a certain number of years after the last publication, or even a fixed number of years after the initial creation. It is worth noting that copyright law is subject to change, and can vary in different parts of the world.





A common question that creators have when it comes to copyrighting is at what point they should copyright their works.
Technically speaking, the moment a creator starts a project; it can be pre-registered for copyrighting. Registration is important because it is incredibly difficult to prove a work came first, or even that it was original if it hasn’t been properly registered.
Copyrighting is typically done when the work is completed, as any drastic changes would require another copyright.
It is important to note that editorial changes rarely meet this requirement. For example, an author who copyrights the first draft of their book and then sends it off to an editor who reworked some of the chapters wouldn’t have to worry about getting another copyright.
If the author completely changed the book though and started to add additional chapters, then the changes would be major enough to constitute getting an updated copyright (it is best to check with an attorney that specializes in this type of work to be sure of what and when a copyright is needed).


A classic example of the copyright conundrum is that of Tom Clancy, Hunt for Red October and the Jack Ryan series of action/adventure thrillers.
His long time wife of many years sued for custody of the characters and the books! And she won the right.
So, making sure that you have all of your legal ‘ducks’ in a row is essential, even as you are just starting out…because you never know.


If you are publishing traditionally, then the publisher will take care of the copyright process for you. If you are going the self-publishing route, then you will have to take care of this step, yourself. The process is pretty straightforward and the forms can be found on http://www.copyright.gov/forms, personally I like using, https://eco.copyright.gov

Ruth’s Book Review of Take No More

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Take No More (James Blake Thriller # 1)
by Seb Kirby


He saw his bloodied wife lying on the floor of their apartment. The next thing he knew, he was considered one of the prime suspects in his wife’s murder. That, and he had discovered that his dear Julia may have been harboring a secret relationship with another artist. Were the police officials correct? Did James Blake murder his wife?


Take No More is more than a thriller. It is packed with suspense and spine-tingling ingredients, sure to keep one’s attention on the edge.
I am a new Seb Kirby fan, yet recognize his talent in storytelling and vividly describing the scenes. He certainly knew what he was describing and talking about. The way the characters come alive in every page was enough reason to hook me into reading.
The horror perpetrated by the enemies could easily make your skin crawl with fear and disgust. The plot Seb Kirby created was so intense, it kept me flipping the pages until I reached the ending. The ending was spectacular and full of surprises.

Ruth’s Book Review of A Dead Red Heart

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A Dead Red Heart (A Dead Red #2)
by R.P. Dahlke


Billy Wayne Dobson had been obsessing and stalking Lalla Bains, even though he knew she’s the girlfriend of Sheriff Caleb Stone. Thinking she’d better settle everything and not further lead him on, things changed drastically when she discovered Billy almost dead and stabbed in the chest just outside a Chinese restaurant.
“The more there is, the less you see,” those were the last words Billy said before dying, which puzzled Lalla to no end.
And perfect timing be damned, the cops started appearing while she was about to touch the dead man. As expected, she was considered the prime suspect for her stalker’s untimely demise. Her boyfriend, Caleb wasn’t pleased at this turn of events.


Lalla took it upon herself to investigate the mystery that is Billy’s death. With the help of her motley crew – newspaper reporter, Del Potts, and a TV reporter, Jan Bidwell – Lalla was able to get to the root of things and discovered the main culprit.
Along the way, she and her friends encountered mishaps and troubles and some funny instances which made the story quite enjoyable. That, and Lalla’s wit and allergy to commitment and relationships made reading and guessing more exciting and interesting.
Author RP Dahlke’s work reminds me of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series. I like reading a story with a strong and smart heroine-sleuth. I like the progression of Lalla’s character and how she could still keep up with everyone despite being 40 years old.
Best of all, the author was able to incorporate the reality of the crop dusting business in her book, which most of us are not aware of.
All of this proves to me that the author is not only great in sleuthing, she’s also great in dusting her way up to the bestseller’s line.

Want to Publish a Book?

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WANT TO PUBLISH A BOOK?

There’s much more to creating a good book than just sitting down with an idea and typing away. For many, this is what is the ‘make it or break it’ moment.
At any given point in the process, depending on which avenue you choose to pursue, there may be hiccups, frustrations, and choices to be made. Developing an understanding of the process can help alleviate those frustrations, or at least make you aware of the possibilities so that you can form a game plan.




Here is a list of steps an aspiring author needs to take into consideration and in some cases, an estimate of how long the step in the process might take.


• Produce an idea and create an outline.

This step and the next may be the longest steps of writing a novel. Some writers come up with an idea quickly while others may have to let an idea grow for years before it becomes usable material for a book. This portion of the process includes mapping out a theme or themes for the novel as well as designing characters.


• Write the content of the book.

There is no firm time limit on how much time it might take to write a book. Some authors take years, or even their entire lifetime to write a novel, while others can finish a book in just a few month’s time. During the writing process, a writer may work with an editor to make sure their writing and ideas are flowing smoothly, and that their characters ring true. This type of editing is called developmental editing, after which a writer might consider also using line editors and copy editors to complete the process.


• Decide if you want the book to be a physical book or an electronic book, or both.

This decision is one that should be made early on in the writing process, as the steps to follow for publishing a physical book with a publisher are different from publishing an electronic book or its printed version on your own.
The timeline on this step varies, as the project will basically be on hold until the publisher accepts or rejects the work, if this is the route you choose. Writers now have the option to self-publish. This option is much quicker, especially if the writer chooses to have his book only in the electronic format.


• Create a title.

A title should portray the main idea of the book in a way that is both catchy and concise. Most writers will begin to play with an idea for a title as they write so this step in the book publishing process should not be a lengthy one. The best titles are from 2 to 4 words long.


• Send the novel off to be proofread.

This step is especially important if you are self-publishing a book. If you work with a publishing company, these companies have proofreaders as well as editors on staff to go through the novel with a fine-tooth comb.
Because proofreading is last, after the various types of editing which should encompass, developmental editing, line editing and copy editing, all combined will add a substantial cost to your project. If you’re self-publishing, having trained editors and proofreaders check your work is worth the cost when you consider the embarrassment and injury to your reputation as a professional writer if you publish a book full of careless errors. If you need help in this area check with the Society for Editors and Proofreaders to find a legitimate expert.


• Prepare copy for the front and back cover.

The amount of synopsis information needed can be determined by the type of book you are writing. With a paperback, text may only be needed for the back cover. If you’re planning on a hardcover book with a dust jacket, text will be needed for the back cover, as well as the insides of the cover flaps.
Electronic books don’t have a backcover so cover copy is not needed, but more than likely, you will need to provide a synopsis of the book to the company who will be selling your book.


• Design the cover.

Eye-catching cover art for a book is just as important as a clever title in arousing a reader’s interest in a book. Once a writer has decided on a designer, the process of designing a cover should take just a few days depending on the number of corrections or revisions requested by the author as well as lag time between the author and designer in communications.

Of utmost importance, and an area that is often overlooked on the design spectrum is that of the book’s spine. Consider that this is the portion of the book that will most likely be displayed on the bookshelf at the bookstore (if published in hardcopy or paperback).
So, simply having the title and your name on it isn’t enough to catch the casual bookstore browser’s eye. Most marketing research indicates that the color red or yellow with a high contrast color for the title is the most effective.


• Design the interior of the novel (formatting).

Sometimes the interior design of a book is completed by the same company that takes care of the cover design.
For internal pages, a designer will generally format the text and layout for each page of the book as it will appear in the printed or electronic copy.
Authors should budget a few days for book layout. As with cover design this time may vary based on the number of corrections needed and lag time in communication between the author and designer.


• Develop a marketing strategy.

Putting together a marketing strategy is something that should begin as soon as a writer begins his book. One of the aspects a writer must decide about his book is the audience to which he is writing. It is this same audience to which he should market his book.
Once he has his target audience identified, the author can determine how best to reach that audience.
If the writer is working with a publisher, the publisher will assist with this marketing strategy as the publisher has just as much invested in the book as the writer does (more on specific Marketing strategies to come in later posts).


• Procure a copyright, ISBN and barcode.

For authors who self-publish, they are responsible for getting their own copyright, ISBN and barcode for their books.
This may be a service the publishing company provides for those who work with a publishing company. The copyright will need to be acquired through the United States Copyright Office, Library of Congress and can be done either while the book is still in manuscript form or after it has been published.
According to the United State Copyright Office, it may take as long as 90 days to receive a copyright certificate.


The ISBN is a thirteen-digit number, like a serial number, that identifies a book’s title, publisher and other information.
Authors can apply for an ISBN online at www.MyIdentifiers.com and receive an ISBN almost immediately. Bowker Identifier Services, the company that runs the ISBN numbering system, can additionally assign a bar code to go with an ISBN, all for a charge.

Why do you need these numbers?
If you would like to both protect and/or offer your book for sale, then you would need these numbers. However, often those who are self-publishing an eBook, or offering the book as a free giveaway on their website or for their business, don’t purchase the ISBN, though they do copyright the material.


The Copyright is needed because without it you have no rights to your own work. If a traditional publisher is involved, then they will secure the copyright for you. This is because they are, essentially, partnering with you in bringing this book into the world.
As such, they are entitled to a percentage of the royalties from the sale of the book, and they have partial ownership of the book, its characters, etc… This is often a sticking point for many authors and is often a deciding factor in whether or not to self-publish.