Published on August 6, 2014
In 1990, my photographer husband and I owner-built a home. It was hard work, and offered a typical university of life learning curve. We’d already collaborated on nine home and do-it-yourself building related books (four of which had been published internationally in the US, UK, and Australia, as well as our native South Africa), so it wasn’t a surprise when the MD of one of the publishing companies we’d been working closely with suggested we create a book about owner building based on our personal experience…
Published on July 30, 2014
When we got home, the boys excitedly went through the bookstore bag. Max grabbed MY book, and said, “Yea! You bought me Orange is the New Black!”
Published on July 30, 2014
It happened again today. I asked an author for a short description of her book for Ingram, the world’s largest book distributor, which sends an automated feed to the online and physical bookstores. The feed is used to create book listings on sites like Amazon, BarnesandNoble.com, and other stores. The author responded right away. This was last line of her description –
Read on as justice is served and police take down the vicious killer.
Yep. She gave away the ending. Who wants to buy a book if you already know what’s going to happen? Giving away the ending will definitely hurt future book sales!
Published on July 30, 2014
Angela Hoy,
I thought I’d write a quick note to tell you how much I appreciate WritersWeekly.com, especially the 24-hour contests. As a freelance writer, I look forward to those contest days when I can just focus on a fresh fiction idea.
All the best to you!
Meredith M.
Published on July 30, 2014
If I’m writing under a pseudonym, can I call myself a doctor or a lawyer in my book (i.e. John Doe, PhD) even if it’s meant to be humorous?
Published on July 30, 2014
Recently, I took an online writing class called “30 Queries in 30 Days” by Mridu Khullar Relph. The goal of the class was obvious: to send out 30 query letters in a month. Every day, Mridu would send a lesson via email that taught us how to research magazine markets, generate ideas, write query letters, or some other how-to of marketing our writing…
Published on July 23, 2014
Ali’s future mom-in-law, Sharon, came into town again last week so we gals hit the road in search of the PERFECT wedding dress. I honestly thought we’d have to go to several stores over several days but, within three hours, Ali had picked the perfect dress! And, it was the very first one she’d tried on!
Published on July 23, 2014
Good news! You just landed a traditional contract for your self-published book! Better news!! Your current self-publishing service (a POD publisher) has a 30-day termination clause. That’s good because the traditional publisher offering you a nice advance isn’t going to want to wait for you to get out of another contract. Some traditional publishers require proof that an author’s book is no longer under contract elsewhere, and no longer for sale. In fact, if you can’t provide that proof, they may rescind their offer, and offer that contract to a competing author instead.
Guess what? If you’re an Xlibris, AuthorHouse, or Trafford author, terminating your book isn’t as simple as their “30-day” contract termination clause may appear…
Published on July 23, 2014
bookstores
Hi Angela-
Re: The item concerning marketing to bookstores in which you state:
“I recommend selling a few copies to a bookstore on consignment instead. I must warn you to not sell them more than a handful at a time because chances are most will be returned. One author reported a bookstore telling her all copies of her books were stolen. (They never paid her and I, of course, didn’t believe the bookstore was telling the truth.)”
I urge that authors selling to book stores:
1. Get paid up-front.
2. Give them written notice, with a copy duly endorsed by the store for the author’s files, that the Author will refund the price of any unsold copies returned in salable condition as determined by the author via prepaid shipment.
Some 10 years ago, my co-author and I provided some copies of one of his books on consignment to one small bookstore and one distributor. He has yet to receive payment or returned copies from the bookstore.
As to the distributor, another bookstore had recommended it to Eric and, when he mentioned he had difficulty collected the amount due despite repeated assurances to the contrary, the bookstore owner paid the invoice amount and told Eric no problem, she would deducted the amount from the next invoice she received from the distributor. It would not complain because she was a good customer.
After that, it was prepay only.
Harvey Randall, Author
A Reasonable Disciplinary Penalty Under the Circumstances
Layoff, Preferred Lists and Reinstatement (2014 Edition)
The Discipline Book (2014 Edition)
The General Municipal Law Section 207-a and 207-c Case Book
Published on July 23, 2014
writing career advice
I learned the concept of the Rule of 5 at a seminar, “The Rule of 5 for Leadership,” by John Maxwell. Since then, I’ve heard the Rule of 5 for just about everything. The Rule of 5 is a list of the five key things that you must do every day in your business, in your writing, or whatever goal you may be pursuing…
