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 by: Jay Johnson Be sure to check out The Aton Project Newsletters at: http://www.self-publishinghelp.com/TheAtonProjectNewsletters.html. This newsletter, by author Tony VanSluytman, has been receiving rave revues despite it not being directed to writers. In addition, we encourage you to visit The Book Doctor at: http://www.self-publishinghelp.com/TheBOOKDOCTOR.html. You'll find his articles to be a must read for writers at all levels of accomplishment. We are quite proud of the contributions of these two dedicated authors and wish for you to learn more about them. Download: 10 Ways to Promote Your Book...  By Lillian Cauldwell You've prepared your manuscript to the best it possibly is. You've had "beta readers" take it apart, critique it, and help you "vet" it. You have made the spelling perfect (and don't count on your computers' spell checker, it lies) as well as checking the continuity, grammar. You've given it a total proofreading for any error. If you have NOT done this, nor had someone else do it for you, this is the first step to getting your manuscript published. The second is to prepare a package of material, including manuscript excerpts, to send to a potential publisher. Part of that package is the important query letter. I suppose there are as many ways to send in a query letter to a publisher, as there are ways to tell a tale. Before submitting your manuscript to a publisher, investigate what genre(s) your work falls under, and which publishers may be interested in the type of work you have written. Searching the Internet will guide you to potential publishers' websites, where their guidelines should be available. Follow those guidelines exactly for the best chance at getting your work noticed and published. Examples of those guidelines might include the following: Guidelines for Authors: All book length fiction, all genres. Everything: romances of all types, plus westerns, mysteries, crime, historicals, paranormal, sci-fi, horror, suspense, thrillers and blends. The majority of books will be romances. No porn. We are interested in good books that have fallen through the cracks that don't meet normal guidelines. Send: first two chapters plus a synopsis. SASE. Also a short letter indicating your experiences, whether you are a member of a writing organization, the length of the book(s) being sent, and the type of book. If it is a blend, mention that: is it more western than romance or whatever. If published, let us know if this book is unencumbered. If you wish to send more than one book, send the synopsis and first two chapters of one book and just a brief synopsis of the others. No electronic submission, please. If your book is not yet finished, say so, and tell us how much still need to be written. The length should be from 60k to 100k, more or less. Simultaneous Submissions Accepted. There are few "givens" that you might keep in mind as you write that all-important, first impression letter: 1) Write it in formal, business style. In Office 2000 there are letter templates to help with this. Either the "elegant letter" or the "professional letter" format is suitable. If you are not using a program such as office, library books are available that outline secretarial typing and letter styles. My thirty-year-old secretarial school-typing manual is just as accurate in format as the provided templates are today. 2) Led the publisher know briefly and concisely what it is you are offering them, and asking for in return. Use appropriate language, formal yet warm. You're not writing the publisher as if you would write a close friend or family member. 3) Be sure that whatever you send to them is "disposable." If you want your material returned to you, it is your responsibility to provide a postage-paid envelope for the return of the items. Specify in your letter what to do with the items you have provided. Be sure to write a polite follow-up letter if you have been contacted after your initial package has been submitted. Follow any instructions you have been given. I've included two examples to get you started: Synopsis for Sacred Honor (click NOW) and Sample of a Query Letter (click NOW) An actual query letter of mine is included. The manuscript names is real, and was "going the rounds" to find a publisher for it. I worked extensively with my editor on Sacred Honor, before we decided it was ready for marketing. PublishAmerica released Sacred Honor in August 2003. The plot synopsis of Sacred Honor is included. Lillian Cauldwell Lillian.authorsden.com Can you answer these questions? 1. What Japanese word originated from a legendary typhoon that destroyed the Mongol navy in 1281 (and thus saved the country from a terrible fate)? 2. Ancient Egyptian mummies were often housed in what type of stone tomb, the name of which literally means "Eating flesh"? 3. When Spike Jones sang "All I Want for Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth)," he could have been more specific by referring to those particular teeth by what scientific name? 4. In 1952, Clorets gum and mints were first introduced. They've long been promoted as being powered by Actizol, which contains what odor-fighting ingredient? 5. What Olympic sport involves traveling in a 50-pound craft down a nearly mile-long course at speeds around 70 mph? 6. On the cover of the Beatles' "Help!" album, the band can be seen signaling using a visual system of hand signals, which sometimes use flags and are known as... what? No prizes to win, just see how smart you really are. Send your ANSWERS to us at: Theater-Travel-News.1@Juno.com WE WILL SEND THE CORRECT TRIVIA ANSWERS. **** Visit Burt Richard's on Banyon's site at: http://www.banyonpublishing.com/INNERVIEWSWITHCELEBRITIES.html By Stephen P. Byers – The Book Doctor The most exciting and sobering events in my life were the births of my children and the well-being of my wife during the process. Next on my list of great occasions is the arrival of my books from the printer. I want to tell you a great experience about my latest novel Goad of Honor. Here is the incredible sequence of events: 1. Tuesday, June 21: I uploaded the manuscript to the printer’s site; 2. Wednesday, June 22: I checked the transmission and found some errors in my work that were not the fault of the transmission; 3. Thursday, June 23, about 9 am: I made a page numbering correction and released the printer to proceed; 4. Wednesday, June 29, about 5:15 pm: received final printing invoice and notice that my order was shipped; 5. Thursday, June 30, 5:30 pm: UPS delivered 256 copies of my 312-page book — 8 days from release to delivery. The product is errorless: full-color cover, perfect binding, 5_ x 8. Who is this miracle worker? It’s InstantPublisher.com located in Collierville, Tennessee. The owner is Chris Bradley. He is great to work with, cooperative and considerate of writer’s foibles, or at least this writer’s idiosyncrasies and computer incompetence. Chris has worked out a neat system. It starts by uploading a printer program from his computer to yours. When your manuscript is ready, you print it using the uploaded program that delivers the output to his office. After the transmission is complete, which takes several minutes depending on the size of the file and the sender’s connection speed, you can see the printout in a PDF file on his site. This makes it possible to do a final check before releasing the printer to proceed. If errors are found, you correct the manuscript on your computer, then upload again. A note of caution: InstantPublisher.com prints what you send, warts and all. They do not edit or correct. It strikes me at the rate they go, they don’t have time. Graphics are incorporated in your file and are not sent separately in a Quark Xpress file as required by some printing companies. This means your graphics may not be as sharp as they otherwise might be. Since graphics are not a concern to me, I have not asked if Chris has other means of handling high quality pictures. They also provide a free pricing service. Visit their site, click on the pricing link, provide a few details about your order and you instantly receive a price quote. It isn’t an approximation of the cost, it’s a firm quote excluding taxes and shipping. I heartily recommend this printing company. Should you choose to investigate them, I would appreciate your using the link above or below so I will gain credit for the reference. For questions, contact Chris Bradley by e-mail or visit his site at InstantPublisher.com. By: Francine Silverman Another excerpt from her book...Joy Loverde on effective promotional tools. “Without a doubt, one of the most effective promotional tools for me has been securing written assignments and granting interviews for trade and commercial publications and newsletters,” says Joy Loverde, who has appeared on the Today Show, CBS Early Show and Fox News and has been quoted in the Washington Post, Working Woman, and Family Circle; USA Today ran a four-part series on her eldercare programs. “When it comes to writing assignments, very often the editor will allow me to add a brief bio at the end of each article, including the mention of my website. As far as I am concerned, the printed word offers lingering power, more so than the numerous television, radio and internet-broadcast interviews that I have secured over the years.” www.elderindustry.com | Return Home | The BOOK DOCTOR | The BANYON NETWORK | The Banyon Buzz Newsletters | The Aton Project Newsletters | Contact Us | |
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