Published on November 7, 2007
So you’ve finished your first novel (your memoir or a nonfiction or children’s book) and you’re seeking publication. You’re ready to leave the solitude of your writing den and make yourself known in the publishing community. It shouldn’t take long to snag a publisher. You’ve certainly worked hard on your book. And every relative and friend who has read it gives it a thumbs up. The hard part is over, right? It’s down hill from here, isn’t it? As the title of this article indicates, getting published is easy. Success is just a few decisions away.
Published on November 7, 2007
Dear Ms. Hoy,
I have been receiving your newsletter for a short time.I am getting a little confused about the process of getting a book published. I have two very silly children’s books that have been read to two second grade classes and they seemed to really enjoy them. I want them out there. If not for any other reason than to make my dream a reality.
May I please bother you for your time and expertise where publishing two little books are concerned? I want to be a genuine author and I know that I will succeed, once pointed in the right direction.
Thank you and enjoy your day,
Malissa
Published on November 7, 2007
I was recently commissioned by a travel company to write two mini destination guides. The work covered various categories that appeal to visitors from food and drink to see and do’s.
Published on October 31, 2007
Just as soon as I started whining about the weather being too warm for Halloween, the temperatures dropped and the weatherman predicted snow. It hasn’t snowed here on Halloween yet (since we moved her in 2000 anyway), but it did snow before Halloween one year. The red leaves falling on the snow was a incredible sight to behold! Matt reported ice on his car this morning, and said he thought we got some freezing drizzle instead of snow…
Published on October 31, 2007
Today, I’m starting a series on organization, automation, and delegation. How does one run a house, a marriage, five children, and a business in only 24 hours a day? It’s not always easy! The keys are organization, automation, and delegation. Today, I’ll give you a tour of our house and explain how we (try to) keep it organized.
Published on October 31, 2007
Letters will return next week.
Published on October 31, 2007
Letters of introduction can be a powerful tool to increase freelancing income. Sometimes letters of introduction (LOIs) are an effective alternative to conventional query letters. One LOI, which I wrote last April to a custom publisher, resulted in four assignments for a total of $11,000…
Published on October 31, 2007
I have kind of an odd-ball request: I entered a novel into a contest – kind of an American Idol contest for novels. It’s doing pretty well. It made the semi-finals, unofficially in 10th place out of 296 entries. Unfortunately, only the top 5 have a shot at getting published. One of the top five will be published by (name of company removed). That’s where you might come in. If I get published, that would (a) Be a big boost for my self-published book and (b) Be a nice little thing to mention in my advertising.
Given that, I was wondering if you might be willing to pass the word around to friends, family, employees, contacts who like to read, etc. that my novel might be worth a look. Anyone can comment and vote as long as they register with (the website hosting the contest).
-S
Published on October 31, 2007
Writing what I know has always worked well for me. But as I recently discovered, writing about things I don’t really know, can also bring success.
Published on October 24, 2007
Max must be growing up. For Halloween, instead of being something cute like a bunny rabbit or a Ninja Turtle, he wants to be something really scary (sigh). We haven’t decided on Mason’s costume yet. Max wants Mason to be something scary, too. I guess that would be okay because the mirror is too high in the bathroom for him to be able to scare himself.
