Recently a panel of seven successful book authors and publishers presented their top tips for wannabe writers at two days of seminars in Atlanta.
Some of those tips to fledgling authors:
~ Remember that books are a product with a short shelf life.
~ The author must play a major role in marketing the book.
~ Be prepared to speak in a variety of forums about your book topics.
~ Test-market a sample of your book’s content and fix the problems found.
~ Punctuate for power and meaning.
~ Remember, rejection letters are not your enemy.
~ It’s unlikely that you can successfully, thoroughly, and accurately edit your own writing.
~ Appeal to all five of the reader’s senses.
~ Write in the appropriate “voice” and understand how voice is different from style.
The faculty for the two days of seminars included Peter Bowerman (mastering marketing), Ahmad Meradji (controlling manufacturing costs), David Fulmer (project funding ideas), Angela K. Durden (don’t aggravate your readers - hire an editor), Chris Roerden (secrets of surviving the manuscript submission process), Tony Burton (using conflict to keep readers interested) and Dr. David Ryback (publishing success in six steps).
*condensed and edited from an article in Bargain Book News
2 comments:
Terrific advice, definitely points we all need to keep in mind. Being prepared to speak in a variety of forums will likely be my greatest hurdle. Practicing hook and pitch now is helping me face that one. Thanks for the post.
Take care,
Jess
Thanks Jessica! Glad you liked the post.
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