today's blog tour stop: Publish and Sell

Join me at Henry Hutton's website Publish and Sell. Henry has been a terrific consultant these last few weeks. There I'll be discussing tto keys to my success: Facebook, and mistakes! Facebook has been instrumental in helping me sell books, especially the Kindle version in just one week. But it's also to discuss how mistakes made along the way also leads to greater successes. Every entrepreneur makes mistakes -- it's the ones who see them as weaknesses rather than strengths that truly fail.

Also, special thanks to Mia for the kind review posted at Amazon Kindle -- keep 'em comin'!

today's stop: "Writing is About Putting Yourself into Words"

Today's blog tour stops at author Anthony S. Policastro's blog Writing is About Putting Yourself into Words. There I discuss a crucial piece of advice for writers: releasing limitations. A published author himself, Anthony does a wonderful service for independent authors by educating them on how to make the most of marketing tools such as Google Analytics, thereby removing the limitation of "I don't know how to market my book"!

In the meantime, attention moms! I'd like to introduced two books to you: one for you and one for your kids! The first is Heather Grace Stewart's Where the Butterflies Go,currently available on Lulu.com. This book is a collection of poems that any mother is sure to appreciate. Heather's style is a mix of elegant, graceful, and fun. She definitely has a good sense of humor about herself and the world, but she also has a good eye for beauty.

The second is Olivia Morris' children's book The Big Blue Bully, "an engaging story about what happens when the tables are turned and the bully finds out what it is like to be bullied." Olivia's books are for kids between 6 and 12. Like Heather, Olivia is smart, funny, and a great person who cares about kids and the world they're growing up in.

Please be sure to stop by Anthony Policastro's blog and leave a comment. Have fun!

next stop on the blog tour: vicarella

We had a great conversation at Mystic Lit following yesterday's post about listening to the voice that whispers the "what-if" in your ear. You can still check it out!

Today I'm at my good friend Vicki Nadal's blog called Vicarella. Vicki and I met on Facebook earlier this year through a mutual dear friend of ours. On Facebook, the term "Friend" is typically superficial, but Vicki is the exception to that. We finally got a chance to meet in person this past weekend, and I think she'll agree that we've surpassed the superficial part and have indeed become honest-to-god friends. I'm so grateful to her for her support.

Today's blog tour post discusses the importance of chemistry between characters. Think about which characters who possess a certain chemistry that you love, and then tell us about it! What makes them click, or spark? Why are they your favorites?

See you there!

blog tour debut, and guest blogger Wendy Burt-Thomas

Today my blog tour kicks off -- please go to Mystic Lit and read my guest post.

In the meantime, my special guest is Wendy Burt-Thomas. She is a full-time freelance writer, editor and copywriter with more than 1,000 published pieces. Her third book, "The Writer's Digest Guide to Query Letters" hit stores in January 2009. To learn more about Wendy or her three books, visit www.GuideToQueryLetters.com. If you have a writing-related question, you can also post it on http://AskWendy.wordpress.com.

1. Q: Can you tell us about your book?
The book was a great fit for me because I'd been teaching "Breaking Into Freelance Writing" for about eight years. In the workshop, I covered a lot of what is in this book: writing query letters to get articles in magazines, to land an agent, or to get a book deal with a publisher. Since I'm a full-time freelance magazine writer and editor with two previous books, this was incredibly fun to write because it didn't require tons of research. I was lucky enough to receive lots of great sample query letters from writers and authors that I use as "good" examples in the book. I wrote all the "bad" examples myself because I didn't dare ask for contributions that I knew I'd be ripping apart!

In addition to the ins and outs of what makes a good query, the book covers things like why (or why not) to get an agent, where to find one and how to choose one; writing a synopsis or proposal; selling different rights to your work; other forms of correspondence; and what editors and agents look for in new writers.
It was really important to me that the book not be a dry, boring reference book, but rather an entertaining read (while still being chock full of information). I was thrilled that Writer's Digest let me keep all the humor.

2. Q: Why are query letters so important?
Breaking into the publishing world is hard enough right now. Unless you have a serious "in" of some kind, you really need a great query letter to impress an agent or acquisitions editor. Essentially, your query letter is your first impression. If they like your idea (and voice and writing style and background), they'll either request a proposal, sample chapters, or the entire manuscript. If they don't like your query letter, you've got to pitch it to another agency/publisher. Unlike a manuscript, which can be edited or reworked if an editor thinks it has promise, you only get one shot with your query. Make it count!

I see a lot of authors who spend months (or years) finishing their book, only to rush through the process of crafting a good, solid query letter. What a waste! If agents/editors turn you down based on a bad query letter, you've blown your chance of getting them to read your manuscript. It could be the next bestseller, but they'll never see it. My advice is to put as much effort into your query as you did your book. If it's not fabulous, don't send it until it is.

3. Q: You're also a magazine editor. What is your biggest gripe regarding queries?
Queries that show that the writer obviously hasn't read our publication. I'll admit that I did this when I was a new writer too – submitted blindly to any publication whose name sounded even remotely related to my topic. One of the examples I use was when I submitted a parenting article to a magazine for senior citizens. Oops! A well-written query pitching an article that's not a match for the magazine isn't going to get you any further than a poorly written query.

4. Q: There's an entire chapter in the book about agents. Do you think all new writers should get agents?
Probably 99% of new writers should get an agent. There are lots of reasons, but my top three are: 1) Many of the larger publishing houses won't even look at unagented submissions now; 2) Agents can negotiate better rights and more money on your behalf; 3) Agents know the industry trends, changes and staff better than you ever could.

5. Q: You've been a mentor, coach or editor for many writers. What do you think is the most common reason that good writers don't get published?
Poor marketing skills. I see so many writers that are either too afraid, too uniformed, or frankly, too lazy, to market their work. They think their job is done when the write "the end" but writing is only half of the process. I've always told people who took my class that there are tons of great writers in the world who will never get published. I'd rather be a good writer who eats lobster than a great writer who eats hot dogs. I make a living as a writer because I spend as much time marketing as I do writing.

6. Q: What are some of the biggest misconceptions that writers have about getting a book deal?
That they'll be rich overnight, that they don't need to promote their book once it's published, that publishing houses will send them on world book tours, that people will recognize them at the airport. Still, you can make great money as an author if you're prepared to put in the effort. If it wasn't possible, there wouldn't be so many full-time writers.

7. Q: What must-read books do you recommend to new writers?
Christina Katz (author of "Writer Mama") has a new book out called "Get Known Before the Book Deal" - which is fabulous. Also, Stephen King's "On Writing" and David Morrell's "Lessons from a Lifetime of Writing." Anything by Anne Lamott or my Dad, Steve Burt.

8. Q: What's the biggest lesson you've learned as a full-time writer?
Seize every opportunity - especially when you first start writing. I remember telling someone about a really high-paying writing gig I got and he said, "Wow. You have the best luck!" I thought, "Luck has nothing to do with it! I've worked hard to get where I am." Later that week I read this great quote: "Luck is when preparation meets opportunity." It's absolutely true. And writing queries is only about luck in this sense. If you're prepared with a good query and/or manuscript, when the opportunity comes along you'll be successful.

9. What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
Writing the "bad" query letters. I've read – and written! – so many horrible ones over the years that it was a little too easy to craft them. But misery loves company and we ALL love to read really bad query letters, right?

10. Q: What do you want readers to learn from your book?
I want them to understand that while writing a good query letter is important, it doesn't have to be overwhelming. You can break it down into parts, learn from any first-round rejections, and read other good queries to help understand what works. I also want them to remember that writing is fun. Sometimes new writers get so caught up in the procedures that they lose their original voice in a query. Don't bury your style under formalities and to-the-letter formatting.

Thanks so much, Wendy!

"separate but equal" discrimination of indy authors

I am absolutely ired by the blatent discrimination against self-published authors as untalented hacks, who are self-published for the sole reason that they weren't good enough for a trasditional publisher. On a kindle forum, one reader went as far to say that indy authors should be classified as a separate genre so other readers wouldn't have to sort through it all. "Separate but equal," the person said. Then he (might be a she) went on to say:
"Note: I'm not making a judgment about the quality of indie books. Well, actually I am. _On average_ I think they are less deserving of attention, and I think most indie authors need to get real and realize this is the reality before the next step of promoting the genre can be taken. Being defensive about this reality is not useful."


Here's my response:
I'm sorry you make this judgement, and I'm sorry you find it so acceptable to be so discriminating. Respectfully, I couldn't disagree more.

It wasn't too long ago that many had the same attitude about the indy film industry. How many indy films in the last five years have been nominated for or won oscars? Why is the Sundance Festival drawing the same crowds as the Canne? Many indy film makers are so because the mainstream conglomerates turned them down.

This is also no different from telling someone of lower income that they might as well accept being poor because there are so many lower income people just like them.

I'm tired of the stigma that indy authors are untalented authors, or that the reason why an indy author is so is because he/she wasn't good enough for a major publisher. Before "Carrie" was accepted for publication, Stephen King nailed a stake to his wall, and it caved from the weight of the rejection letters that he put on that stake. Ray Bradbury also received rejection letters. In fact, I'm willing to bet that the overwhelming majority of traditionally published, bestselling authors -- commerical or literary fiction -- at some point was told by an agent, editor, magazine, or literary journal, more than once, "Sorry, but it's not for me" before finally landing their publishing contract.

Heck, even the Beatles were turned down.

Rejection is a part of the arts. Emmy winners Phil Rosenthal and David E. Kelley just got their pilots dropped. Aaron Sorkin's "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" was cancelled after one season. Academy Award winning actors audition for roles and lose out to another talented actor. "Sorry, not for us."

And by the way, many mainstream actors are acting in indy films. And many traditional bestselling authors are now self-publishing.

Media has gotten so big on every front that filtering is going to take place no matter what. I have no problem with Kindle classifying an indy author genre. But I refuse to be categorized as sub-standard simply because I'm an indy author.

I stand by the integrity of my work. Every reader is free to like it or dislike it. But NO ONE has the right to judge it without having ever read a word of it.

I only wish that I said, "In fact, I KNOW these authors got rejected."

Frankly, I don't want such readers. And if that's the kind of reader a traditional publisher is going to get me, then no thank you.

the key to Kindle sales

I learned from following Stacey Cochran's Kindle success that the key to selling your book on Kindle is conversation.

Stacey has initiated discussion threads that have generated an impressive response. Getting the buzz out about your book translates into sales and reviews.

And don't just stop at Amazon: Just one friend on Facebook plugged *Faking It*'s Kindle debut on her page, and by midnight my sales total doubled.

Call on your Twitter followers. Post discussions on Amazon Kindle discussion groups. Post reviews. Tell everyone you know. There's an iPhone app that lets you download the book as well.

Here's my goal: a minimum of 10 Kindle sales per day for the next 30 days. Help me exceed it!

FAKING IT is now on the Kindle!

Faking It is now available on the Amazon Kindle! If anyone owns a Kindle or knows someone who does, please ask them to buy my book -- it's ridiculously affordable -- under two bucks!!

And, if you haven't done so yet, PLEASE post a review at any or all of these sites: Lulu.com, Amazon Kindle Books, or WeRead on Facebook. They really do make a difference.

I can't wait for my first guest blog appearance this coming Monday. I'll be appearing on the Mystic Lit blog. In the meantime, I'll also be hosting special guest blogger Wendy Burt. Stay tuned -- June is getting hot!