Tag: #publishing101

Shifting the Focus of Your Book Post-Contract

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Often, books are contracted months or even years ahead of their release. As authors’ platforms and work evolve, they may find that the audience or topic they’re writing to is no longer the largest part of their business. To get the publisher’s support to change directions while keeping the contract terms intact, an author might consider the following:

  • Is the new focus marketable? Is it a buzz topic in the industry or news, ensuring that the book will sell?
  • Is the new primary audience the biggest following or clientele the author has? As I’ve said before (and so has Jeb Blount), people buy you. That means the author must write in their authentic voice and to the audience that they are in front of.
  • Does the publisher have a history of success in the new area? In many cases, the author is not shifting the focus or audience so much that this will be an issue. For instance, a publisher that sells books to teachers will most likely also have a good record with education leaders too.

When making the case to their publisher, authors should also note any new marketing or bulk sales opportunities to strengthen their case. Publishing is a partnership, and both parties must satisfy their objective.

Good luck!

Querying Authors: How to Write Queries, When to Write Them

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Sometimes it’s necessary to query authors to clarify an idea or concept. In my opinion, the best queries are straightforward, spelling out exactly what information you need. You want to respect the authors’ time and avoid any chance your request can be misinterpreted. Perhaps the authors said “Research says” or “Studies show”, but they don’t cite any of the research they’re drawing from. Lack of research can cause credibility issues. Readers need to be able to pull up the resources being quoted to verify the information for themselves. I’d leave a simple author query (AQ) like [AQ: Please cite the research you’re referring to, and provide a reference-list entry for each citation].

Note the bold font make the query standout from the normal text. I may also highlight it in yellow. This minimizes the chance that the query will be overlooked during the authors’ review. However, some programs like Microsoft Word offer Comment features that are also effective.

The following are the most common issues I (and I imagine other editors) have to query for.

  • Missing information: Author bios, photos, text, and research
  • Clarifying information: Perhaps the author makes an assertion that can be misconstrued. For instance, an author may say “We have to close the achievement gap in the United States. Minorities are earning four-year degrees at lower rates than other groups.” In this case, I need to know how the author defines the term minority. I’ve heard this term used to describe women, but the National Center for Education Statistics reports that women are earning degrees at higher rates than men, which would make the writer’s point inaccurate.
  • Making suggestions: In my field (education publishing), we want to provide educators with practical, research-based strategies and tools. Occasionally, authors will include sample rubrics or lesson plans in manuscripts. I may ask them if they’d like to make the material free to download on their book’s product page. This (1) provides teachers with an easy-to-access tool they can immediately use with their students, which in turn makes them feel grateful toward us and likely to buy our product again; and (2) draws readers to the book’s page where they can find other titles the author has published . . . which they will then buy.

It should go without saying that any queries should be respectful of the authors, their expertise, and the time they devoted to writing. Not only are they doing a service, they chose to work with you, so your dealings with them should demonstrate gratitude for their choice.

Highlighting 3 Elements to Check During Proofreading

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Proofreading is one of the final hands-on stages of the publishing process. At proofreading, the manuscript will receive a final read through. According to the University of Chicago Press’s (2010) The Chicago Manual of Style (Sixteenth edition), “Proofreading is the process of reading a text and scrutinizing all its components to find errors and mark them for correction.” All components encompasses more than reading the text. Proofreaders should also the following.

  • Verify the table of contents’ accuracy: One of the first things readers will see (and use) is a book’s table of contents (TOC). If it’s incorrect (for instance, it says chapter 2 begins on page 13 but it actually begins on 31), the author’s and publisher’s credibility will be damaged. Readers may ask, “If these people can’t even get a page number correct, what else have they got wrong?”
  • Double check the spelling of proper nouns: Ideally, this should have been done by the author and editor. Yet, oversights do occur; but they don’t have to occur on the proofreader’s watch. Again, obvious mistakes (like misspelling an author or organization name) damage the author’s and publisher’s credibility.
  • Check the accuracy of section headings and running heads: “Running heads—the headings at the tops of pages—function, like page numbers, as signposts” (University of Chicago Press, 2010). Pages shift or figures, tables, or lists are moved during formatting. When this happens, the running head or section headings may no longer reflect the page’s content.

Happy proofreading!
Reference
The University of Chicago Press. (2010). The Chicago manual of style (16th ed.). Chicago: Author.

Identifying 3 Ways to Locate Copyright Holders

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You’re publishing a piece and decide that a text (poem, song lyrics, book quotes longer than 500 words) or visual someone else created would help illustrate your point. You don’t want to include the other party’s work without written permission from that party because (1) you could be sued if she finds out and (2) you’re an honest person who wants to make sure all responsible parties get proper credit. What can you do track down the rights holder?

  1. If the material you want is reprinted in a book, look for the copyright holder on the book’s copyright page. This page usually appears after the title page. Many will list the rights holder at the top after the copyright symbol, ©. Usually, the rights holder’s contact information (or her publisher’s contact information) is on the page.
  2. Visit Copyright Clearance Center (http://www.copyright.com/). At the bottom of its home screen there’s a heading “Get Permissions.” Select “Permissions Search” under that heading and you’ll be taken to a page where you can search for a resource by its title, ISBN, or ISSN. Once you’ve located the work, you can follow the CCC’s directions to request permission to use it.
  3. Do an online search for the name of the work’s creator. If the rights holder is working in the public sector (university professor or state superintendent); you should be able to access a mailing address, email address, or phone number. I’ve also found the White Pages (http://www.whitepages.com) helpful, but I would caution you that it should be a last approach. You could easily locate the wrong John Smith or piss the rights holder off by infringing on his home life.

Happy hunting!