After months – maybe years – of writing and polishing your manuscript, there were the dreaded rounds of finding publishers that expressed interest in your hard work. Every writer has been down the road of receiving stacks of rejection letters (yes, even the most famous best-selling authors had their share at the beginning of their careers) and experienced the dark feelings of hopelessness, wondering if all their efforts were worth it.
Then when we least expect it, or
contemplated giving up and deleting the entire manuscript, the magic offer
arrived. Something in your query letter sparked or piqued an agent’s curiosity or
the manuscript, caught a publisher’s attention to the point they thought, “We
need to get this in book stores or at least on Amazon!”
Sometimes, it’s a huge contract with
all the bells and whistles, or – in more common cases – we received a general
yet solid offer. There was something in your book they saw and took a chance.
How do you think books such as Twilight and Fifty Shades of Grey started?
The feeling that someone noticed our
work, whether it’s a major publisher, big-name agent, or a small independent
press, gives us a sense of euphoria that a first-time author can only
experience. It’s difficult to explain, but let’s just say the initial reaction
is that you’ll want to shout the good news from as many rooftops as possible, especially to naysayers, “I told you so!”
However, getting an agent and/or
publisher doesn’t guarantee best-seller success. Though that can happen, it’s a
small percentage so don’t think about quitting your regular job or put a rush
on how you’re going to spend potential royalty checks just yet.
For those of you who are about to be
published, it’s not the time to sit back and rest on your laurels. An author’s
work isn’t done the moment they obtain an agent or get a publishing deal. Don’t
expect these people to do the work for you.
Authors need to continue promoting whether it’s developing and updating your web site, having a social
network account such as Twitter, guest blogging on literary sites, granting
interviews, making public appearances, or joining discussions on other authors’
books. The more you’re willing to put effort into promotion, the more
agents/publishers are likely to do their part to generate interest in you and
your book(s).
Promoting is fine, but spamming is
not. If you participate in groups or sites on a regular basis, an occasional plug
or updated news on your book should work well; however, if you discuss it in
every other post, whatever potential reading audience you could’ve received
will be driven away. Also, don’t join groups with the sole purpose of promoting
your own work. It’s gauche and in poor taste. You’ll be better received if you
express equal interest in other authors’ news and books. Author-based web sites
are also excellent places to trade valuable resources, so keep your eyes and
ears open for additional opportunities.
Another aspect to consider (even if
you have yet to obtain an agent or publisher) is a professional public demeanor
at all times. Beginning or participating in petty arguments (though mature
literary-related debates are fine), putting down colleagues and/or their work
aside from constructive criticism, openly biased for/against someone based on
personal feelings, speaking on controversial subjects, incessant cursing, and
starting/spreading unsubstantiated rumors/gossip are among some examples of
unprofessional decorum.
Take the same consideration for your
online activities. We have no idea who’s reading contents posted on social
network accounts; the wrong Facebook status, Twitter post, etc. could make or
break a promising writing career before it begins. Would you want to sabotage
your dream within two seconds by tweeting something that could be looked upon
with disfavor after the efforts put forward in finding an agent or publisher?
You may be one of the most splendid
new writers to cross an agent or publisher’s desk to date, but if you develop a
reputation of being “difficult,” chances are good your contract won’t last
long. As the old adage goes, “Think before you act/speak.”
Should you share your book online?
Until you’re officially published, I don’t see the problem of posting a sample
chapter or two on free sites such as BookBzzr. Otherwise, where’s the
motivation to buy your book when it’s published? Both you and the publisher
lose money, and neither is a good thing.
Once the book is published and on
the market, all samples should be removed. It sounds callous, but such moves
will direct more people to the actual location of your work, and wouldn’t you
rather be found in bookstores or Amazon than a free reader site?
If you’re reading this and just
received an offer of representation or a publishing deal, congratulations! If
the opportunity hasn’t yet happened, don’t be discouraged. Keep working, keep
sending queries, keep discovering new ideas. You never know when the payoff for
your hard work will happen!
Thanks for those tips, L. Anne Carrington!
Guest Blogger Bio
L. Anne Carrington is an Amazon
bestselling author, freelance writer/journalist, and radio show host whose
previous work covered topics from fiction to news stories, human interest
features, and entertainment reviews. She wrote The Wrestling Babe
Internet column for seven years, a former music reviewer for Indie Music
Stop, former book reviewer for Free Press (an imprint of Simon and
Schuster), and pens several other works which appears in both print and Web
media.
One of her freelance articles, An
Overview of Causes of Hearing Loss and Deafness, was bought by Internet
Broadcasting Systems, a company that co-produced NBCOlympics.com for the 2004
Summer Olympics in Athens and the 2006 Torino Winter Olympics in addition to
being the leading provider of Web sites, content and advertising revenue
solutions to the largest and most successful media companies.
In addition to her acclaimed novels
in The Cruiserweight Series and nonfiction wrestling bestseller Billy
Kidman: The Shooting Star among works of both fiction and nonfiction, Ms.
Carrington hosts The L. Anne Carrington Show on Spreaker Radio.
She spends time between Pittsburgh,
PA and Tampa, FL, continuing to write.
LATEST BOOK:
Billy Kidman: The Shooting Star
Billy Kidman carved out a career as
one of World Championship Wrestling’s and World Wrestling Entertainment’s most
exciting cruiserweights. A solid in-ring worker for little over a decade, he
enjoyed success as a multiple-time cruiserweight and tag team champion during
the 1990‘s and early 2000‘s.
Kidman wrestled for several American
and overseas independent promotions after being released from WWE and then
became a trainer and occasional wrestler for Florida Championship Wrestling
(now NXT). Now retired from the ring, he works as a producer at WWE events in
the Gorilla Position.
Billy Kidman: The Shooting Star contains updated and some never before revealed information
behind the story of an underrated and underappreciated talent who achieved
success in several aspects of the wrestling business before age 40.
DISCLAIMER: This book was not
prepared, approved, licensed or endorsed by Peter Gruner, Jr., World Wrestling
Entertainment (WWE), members of WWE, or any other wrestling organization.
ALL BOOKS BY L. ANNE CARRINGTON:
WEB SITE:
THE L. ANNE CARRINGTON SHOW ON SPREAKER RADIO:
FACEBOOK:
TWITTER:
YOU TUBE CHANNEL:
Books:
Other Books:
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