Optimizing Online Presence to Attract Trade Publishers

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I’ll begin with a quote by bestselling author Jeb Blount (2010): “People buy you.” In this case, people encompass acquisitions editors—the party a publisher tasks with signing new authors to books that support publisher goals. Before an acquisitions editor invites a prospective author for a meeting or to send a book proposal, they will likely do an online search to see what they can learn about you and your work.

A few of the things I look for:

  • Publicity about the prospect—I consider, “Is the author mentioned in professional or local news stories? What is the context?” Prospect authors should do online searches for themselves to see what information presents itself. I do not care if you’re divorced, but I do care if you’ve been given an industry award. I want to sign content experts.
  • Personal or professional website—I look for a bio, upcoming speaking or training events, prices of those events, and list of speaking or research topics to name a few. I look to see whether the author is affiliated with any professional organizations, schools, or individuals whose support can help book sales. A prospective, or even published, author would be wise to include these elements. They should keep the information up-to-date to accurately reflect themselves.
  • Social media—I look at the author’s following, frequency of posts, follower engagement with posts, and more. Again, I want to know if there is an audience that would support the book. Along those lines, I also want to see if there are any red flags that suggest the author is not a good fit. Those flags entail posts that suggest the author’s passion no longer lies in the direction that I am interested in pursuing, posts that harass others online, or similar.

Online presence is an easy vehicle for self-promotion.

Citation: Blount, J. (2010). People buy you: The real secret to what matters most in business. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley

Choosing a Publisher for Your Book

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So, you have a book proposal (or a complete draft manuscript), and you’re ready to submit it to a publisher. With thousands of publishers all proclaiming that they can help a book find success, how do you know which is a good fit for you?

Drawing on my experience with scholarly and trade publishers, I encourage you to ask yourself the following questions to find the best home for your book.

  • Who are you reading for books on a similar topic? Consider who publishes the books you cite in your own work and who’s publishing the leading voices in the field. That’s a good indicator of the publisher’s interest. Publishers are strategic; it’s safer to market to their captive audience—an audience that trusts their reputation—than taking a risk on a first-time author writing to a new audience.
  • Who is the target audience? Many academic presses publish for scholarly readers; these books tend to be niche and written to advance the field of research rather than entertain the masses. Academic presses consider proposals from academics who have the credentials, resumes, and unique perspective to contribute to the field. A commercial trade publisher, however, generally caters to the general interest reader. While they still consider the author’s expertise and unique perspective or story, they often consider author platform and whether the author has an agent. When acquiring in a scholarly press, for example, I didn’t look at a prospects number of followers; but I definitely do as an editor for my trade publisher. In the latter case, I want an author who can promote their book to their followers while I support my publisher pitching the book to our retail partners.
  • What business model complements your platform and objectives? There are traditional publishers that take on the responsibilities of book production, marketing, and so on and pay authors royalties but rely on authors to help promote their books. Others offer to publish the work and book an author for professional development, which might be great for an author with a small profile and limited reach. Those with thriving businesses or consulting services might bristle at this arrangement. And of course, there are self-publishing models that charge an author for all expenses incurred or leave it to the author to arrange cover design, developmental and copyediting, and so on.

As an author, you have to know what your bottom line is. Once you generate a list of publishers that are a good fit, send your proposal to them all according to their book proposal requirements.  

Here’s a bonus for the academic author:  Visit the Association of University Presses (https://bit.ly/3X91dXI) to access a subject-area grid that lists academic presses and the subjects they publish in. The list is usually updated yearly.

Good luck!

Getting Past Imposter Syndrome for New Authors

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During a staff meeting, my colleagues discussed several newly signed authors who were hesitant to send in their draft manuscripts because they feared the content wasn’t good enough. They were missing submission deadlines and fretting over the layout and direction of their manuscripts. These authors concerned were perfectly reasonable—and to expected—from new authors.

However, my colleagues told their authors the same thing I tell my own. While we are not psychologists and can’t replace the work they do, we do have a bit of experience coaching insecure authors. That means reminding nervous authors that:

  • Authors are content experts whose been working in the field for years. They have a reputation of delivering quality research and work that their followers and industry sources trust, and that’s why the publisher believed in them enough to sign.
  • The editorial staff is an author’s safeguard. We employ project managers, developmental editors, copyeditors, peer reviewers, and more to ensure the content and quality of our authors’ work are top-shelf.
  • Authors aren’t going it alone, so they should take advantage of their publisher’s resources. Send ideas and sample chapters in for feedback and let the editor be their reality check
  • Authors should step away when feeling overwhelmed and reconnect with the “why” of their book. Who is the audience, what does the author want to communicate, what prior knowledge does the reader have, and what is the goal? Asking oneself these questions will help the author from becoming overwhelmed.

I guess my overall message is stop expecting perfection and embrace that you’re dope.

Good luck!

Coauthoring a Book: 4 Recommendations for a Smooth Publishing Experience

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I noticed that quite a number of books that I acquired have multiple authors. Whether they’re longtime business partners penning their first book or previously published authors sharing a byline for the first time, coauthors can do the following to make the process easier on them and the publisher.

  • Have a clear, joint vision for their book: Successful books have a clear audience, message, and cohesive voice. Before submitting their proposals, coauthors should discuss and agree on these elements.
  • Know how they will split royalties: It is not a given that all parties will split royalties equally. If one is contributing more in terms of authorship, research, marketing, or celebrity, it is okay for that person to get a larger percentage of the royalties if coauthors agree. Or coauthors may want all royalties to be paid to a single entity like a charity or institution. Either way, they must notify their acquisitions editor, so she can add the proper designations to the contract.
  • Choose one party to be the primary contact: Especially if there are three or more authors involved, it will make for a more cohesive publishing process for editorial, design, and production if the managing editor or acquisition staff can contact one person to respond to questions or assign tasks. This does not mean all parties can’t be copied on all email correspondence. It is just more time efficient to have one person compiling and then communicating cover design considerations, for example, instead of the publisher receiving multiple emails that may state very different desires. That leads to the next point.
  • Designate collaboration time and assign tasks: Coauthors should create a schedule that gives them time to discuss their writing strategy, promotion and sales information from their publisher, deadlines, and so on. Along those lines, considerations when designating work include asking who will:
    • Solicit or compile endorsements
    • Review the copyedit and respond to editor queries
    • Review page proofs
    • Proofread the draft before sending it to their publisher

This is by no means an exhaustive list but does help coauthors plan for a smooth publishing process.

Naming Your Book

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A book’s title is arguably as important as its content. A vague title or one too common runs the risk of being overlooked by retail customers. A title that’s too niche is also unlikely to gain traction.

One must also make sure the book’s title complements the cover art. Simple, short titles look great on covers with little or with tremendous artwork. On the other hand, a long title (think more than seven words) on a 6 x 9 trim book or on a cover that already has a lot of images may look too busy and off-putting, especially as a thumbnail–the size the cover will as on online retailers.

The following are a few questions to consider to get a title that resonates on the market.

• Does the proposed title identify the book’s audience and the book’s goal?

• What key terms will buyers use to search retailer sites or inquire at bookstores about books on the topic?

• What terms are popular among leading competitors?

Authors shouldn’t consider titling their book a solo task. They should consult their publisher, which has access to marketing and sales professionals. The latter know which key words, title, or subtitle will best position the book for success on the market.

Good luck!

Bragging on Yourself, Selling Yourself

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Some see humility as a virtue, and I concede there is a time for it. However, that time is never when writing your proposal or pitching yourself to a publisher. When writing your proposal or pitching yourself, you as prospective author should detail:

  • Your expertise—What are your credentials? Have you received any national or international awards or appointments because of your work?
  • Your platform—How many unique views does your website, YouTube channel, or podcast receive each month? How many subscribers do your various social media? How many “shares” do typical posts or Tweets receive?

Brag about yourself! Learn to distinguish yourself early on because you’ll have to do more self-promotion when your book releases.

Preparing to Meet an Acquisition’s Editor

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Whether you contact the editor or she prospects you to discuss your book idea, you should bring your A game to the meeting. That is:

  • Be professional—Arrive on time, minimize distractions as much as possible, and be ready to discuss your work and your book idea. Editors often schedule meetings back-to-back so it’s a good use of both parties’ time to quickly communicate your goal, your vision for your book now and for years to come, and why you want to work with that publisher.
  • Ask questions—The meeting is your chance to assess whether the publisher is a good fit for you. One way to do that is to question those parts of the process you’re unclear about and see if the editor responds seriously, sincerely, and to your satisfaction.
  • Be coachable—While you may be a content expert, you likely aren’t an expert on matters such as best marketing practices, consumer buying trends, translation rights, and so on. If an editor tells you that it’s better to include reproducibles or reflection space in your book and bump its trim size to 7” x 10” instead of releasing a book and companion workbook, for example, heed the advice—but don’t shy from asking why. To have a successful working relationship, editors like myself will note how you respond to feedback. Are you engaged and coachable, or do you insist that you know best?
  • Sell yourself and your expertise—Be true to yourself. If you’re an introvert, lean into that. However, you must convince the editor that you are the perfect person to take a chance on—especially if discussing a scholarly or work-for-hire project. A publisher invests a lot of resources into a book, so it wants to know that you’re worth the risk.

Good luck!

Learning from a Publisher’s Rejection

So, you prepared your proposal (summary of your book idea, where you think it’ll fit in the market, your credentials, and all that other requested info) and submitted it for your dream publisher’s consideration. After your painstaking work, an acquisitions editor (the publisher’s representative) rejects it. How do you handle that?

The following are a few suggestions.

  • Recognize the publisher isn’t rejecting you: A rejection is not a personal attack. It reflects the acquisition editor’s assessment that your book does not complement the publisher’s goals at the time. Sending the acquisitions editor a short message thanking him, her, or them for consideration—or not responding at all—is appropriate; do not berate the publisher’s choice or insult the editor.
  • Look for takeaways in the rejection letter: It may be tempting to simply send a rejected proposal to another publisher, but it will be an exercise in futility if you dismiss valuable feedback. Instead, treat it as a learning experience.
    • Did the acquisitions editor tell you that there isn’t a demand for the topic? Consider shelving the book for a time or re-evaluating the project to see if you can expand it to include more relevant themes.
    • Did the acquisitions editor tell you the project reads like a dissertation? Revise it. This usually means that you as the writer must trim the literature review; consolidate footnotes; and foreground your ideas.  
    • Did the publisher tell you they want you to grow your platform? A lot of prospective authors mistakenly believe it’s entirely up to their publishers to create, grow, and sustain their platform. This is untrue. You as prospective authors should create professional websites or social media accounts to promote yourselves; book speaking engagements, seminars, or workshops (even virtually); or perform other relevant tasks to further your brand. A book will complement this work—not replace it. This also shows the publisher that you will be an active partner.

Once you have incorporated this feedback and updated your book proposal to reflect the changes, send the proposal back to that and other publishers in the field. Know that sometimes making these changes takes months or years.

Good luck!  

Identifying 3 Ways Authors Can Promote Their Books

The benefits of a traditional publisher are numerous. Its advertising and merchandizing partnerships are certainly chief among them. That said, all authors—both self-published and traditional—can help promote their own book.

Authors can:

  1. Update their email signatures and bios to include a link to bookseller—Not only does this advertise that they’ve written a book, it also increases the chance of impulse buys.
  2. Tweet, and encourage peers and friends to post, about the book—Even posting a short but meaningful excerpt raises awareness.
  3. Use the book cover as the background photo on social media sites like Twitter or Facebook or personal websites—I’m especially a fan of this strategy for authors who consult or book speaking events. Attendees will inevitably look them up, so putting the book in a prime spot increases the chance that they’ll see and buy it.

A book that’s seen is a book that sells, so authors should pull out their books whenever and wherever possible.

Submitting Your Proposal (for First-timers)!

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So you’ve finally written your book and compiled a list of publishers whose audience will love it. But what do you send?

Each publisher has its own guidelines—usually found on its website, but send the following and no detail will be left to chance.

  • Cover letter (or email) summarizing your manuscript, your expertise, other publishers you’re contacting, and any competing titles: Pitch your book. Publishers receive hundreds of submissions, so use this time to set yourself apart. Explain what story you’re telling and why you’re the person to do it. Let them know you know about the competition but that your title makes a distinct contribution
  • Marketing plan communicating how you plan to market your book. After all, publishing is a partnership. Writing a book is a small part of publishing. If you want to get your book into readers’ hands, you’re going to have to work. That means you’ll attend launch parties, book signings, meet and greets, professional development events, and so on. There are millions of books on any topic, so publishers want to know what you’re willing to do to get yours into reader’s hands.
  • A sample containing the introduction, first chapters, and a table of contents. I know some writers are suspicious of sending their work out. However, a commissioning editor needs to accurately access how well you execute your ideas and the quality of your writing. Still, some writers think their idea will be ripped off. When in doubt file for copyright of the text through the U.S. Copyright Office (http://copyright.gov) or mail your mom a copy of the manuscript and tell her not to open it.
  • Resume or curriculum vitae that illustrates your expertise. Academic presses want to know you’re qualified, and trade presses want to see what affiliations you have that could support sales and promotion, for examples.

It’s satisfying to get a confirmation that your submission has been received, but honestly, you may not hear anything for weeks or months depending on how many proposals a publisher receives. Just persevere. Keep sending the package to publishers whose audience you’re writing for.

Good luck!