| Here's everything I know about improving
| |
| | future. In my case it took
|
| your writing,
| |
| | two tries, because my first "editor" was
|
| publishing it electronically and in
| |
| | a rip-off artist
|
| print, and promoting it
| |
| | charging over ten times market value for
|
| after the sale.Two questions you should
| |
| | incomplete advice.That editor,
|
| ask:(1) What will it cost me?(2) What
| |
| | incidentally, is named Edit Ink, and
|
| does this Michael LaRocca guy know about
| |
| | they're listed
|
| it?Answer #1 -- It won't cost you a
| |
| | on many "scam warning" sites. They take
|
| thing. The single most
| |
| | kickbacks from every fake
|
| important bit of advice I can give you,
| |
| | agent who sends them a client. (I'll
|
| and I say it often, is
| |
| | talk about fake agents later.)If you
|
| don't pay for publication.My successes
| |
| | choose to hire an editor, check price and
|
| have come from investing time. Some of it
| |
| | reputation. (For a
|
| was well
| |
| | ballpark figure, I charge $3 per 1000
|
| spent, but most of it was wasted. It
| |
| | words for a proofread, twice
|
| costs me nothing to share
| |
| | that for an in-depth edit.) Consider
|
| what I've learned. It costs you nothing
| |
| | that you might never make
|
| to read it except some
| |
| | enough selling your books to get back
|
| of your time.Answer #2 -- "Michael
| |
| | what you pay that editor. Do
|
| LaRocca has been researching the
| |
| | you care? That's your decision.Your
|
| publishing field for over ten
| |
| | first, most important step on the road to
|
| years."This quote, from an ezine
| |
| | publication is to
|
| (electronic newsletter) called Authors
| |
| | make your writing the best it can be.**
|
| Wordsmith, was a kind way of saying I've
| |
| | PUBLICATION **My goal is to be published
|
| received a lot of
| |
| | in both mediums, ebook and print.
|
| rejections. Also, my "research" required
| |
| | There are some readers who prefer
|
| 20 years.But in my "breakout" year
| |
| | ebooks, and some who prefer
|
| (2000), I finished writing four books
| |
| | print books. The latter group is larger,
|
| and scheduled them all for publication
| |
| | but those publishers
|
| in 2001. I also began
| |
| | are harder to sell your writing to. I
|
| editing for one of my publishers, a job
| |
| | want to be published in
|
| I've been enjoying ever
| |
| | both mediums, because I want all the
|
| since.After my first book was published,
| |
| | readers I can get.Thus, I advocate
|
| both my publishers closed.
| |
| | something of a stepping-stone approach.
|
| Two weeks and three publishers later, I
| |
| | Publish electronically with a quality
|
| was back on track. All
| |
| | place, and enjoy the
|
| four books were published, and a fifth
| |
| | benefits of free editing. Later, if you
|
| was released in 2004.
| |
| | think you can sell
|
| Written in 2003, no rejections. Another
| |
| | your book to a traditional print
|
| scheduled for 2005
| |
| | publisher, you have a
|
| publication, no rejections.See how much
| |
| | professionally edited manuscript to
|
| faster it was the second time around?
| |
| | submit. Free editing.Before you epublish,
|
| That's
| |
| | check the contract to be sure you can
|
| because I learned a lot.Also, I found
| |
| | publish the edited work in print
|
| more editing jobs. That's what I do when
| |
| | later.If you know your book just plain
|
| I'm not
| |
| | won't ever make it into
|
| writing, doing legal transcription, or
| |
| | traditional print, print-on-demand (POD)
|
| teaching English in China
| |
| | is an option. Some
|
| (my new home). But the thing is, if I'd
| |
| | of my books fall into this category. The
|
| become an editor before
| |
| | best epublishers will
|
| learning how to write, I'd have
| |
| | simultaneously publish your work
|
| stunk.2005 EPPIE Award finalist. 2004
| |
| | electronically and in POD
|
| EPPIE Award finalist. 2002 EPPIE
| |
| | format, at no cost to you.A lot of
|
| Award finalist. Listed by Writers Digest
| |
| | authors swear by self-publication, but
|
| as one of The Best 101
| |
| | the prospect
|
| Websites For Writers in 2001 and 2002.
| |
| | just plain scares me. All that promo,
|
| Sime-Gen Readers Choice
| |
| | all that self-editing,
|
| Awards for Favorite Author (Nonfiction &
| |
| | maybe driving around the countryside
|
| Writing) and Favorite
| |
| | with a back seat full of
|
| Book (Nonfiction & Writing). 1982 Who's
| |
| | books. I'm a writer, not a salesman.
|
| Who In American Writing.Excuse me for
| |
| | Maybe you're different.I self-published
|
| bragging, but it beats having you think
| |
| | once, in the pre-POD days. Mom handled
|
| I'm
| |
| | the
|
| unqualified.I'll tell you what's missing
| |
| | sales. I had fun and broke even. With
|
| from this course. What to write
| |
| | POD, at least it's
|
| about, where I get my ideas from, stuff
| |
| | easier (and probably cheaper) to
|
| like that. Maybe I don't
| |
| | self-publish than it was in
|
| answer this question because I think you
| |
| | 1989, because you'll never get stuck
|
| should do it your way,
| |
| | with a large unsold
|
| not mine. Or maybe because I don't know
| |
| | inventory.POD setup fees can range
|
| how I do it. Or maybe
| |
| | anywhere from US$100 to over $1000.
|
| both.Once you've done your writing, this
| |
| | Don't pay the higher price! Price shop.
|
| course will help you with
| |
| | Also, remember that
|
| the other stuff involved in being a
| |
| | POD places publish any author who pays,
|
| writer. Writing involves
| |
| | giving them a real
|
| wearing at least four different hats.
| |
| | credibility problem with some reviewers
|
| Writer, editor,
| |
| | and readers, and that
|
| publication seeker, post-sale
| |
| | they do no marketing.** PROMOTING YOUR
|
| self-promoter.Here's what I can tell you
| |
| | PUBLISHED WRITING **It doesn't matter how
|
| about my writing.Sometimes an idea just
| |
| | you publish your book. Self-published,
|
| comes to me out of nowhere and refuses
| |
| | epublished, POD, or traditional print
|
| to leave me alone until I write about
| |
| | publishing from a small
|
| it. So, I do.And, whenever I read a book
| |
| | press or an absolute powerhouse.
|
| that really fires me up, I think, "I
| |
| | Marketing falls largely on you,
|
| wish I could write like that." So, I
| |
| | and the same things always work. Book
|
| just keep trying. I'll never
| |
| | signings, book reviews and
|
| write THE best, but I'll always write MY
| |
| | interviews in the local newspapers and
|
| best. And get better
| |
| | on radio. (Or Oprah,
|
| every time. That's the "secret" of the
| |
| | but what are our chances?)Start with It
|
| writing "business," same as
| |
| | will
|
| any other business. Always deliver the
| |
| | allow you to look up all the local media
|
| goods.I read voraciously, a habit I
| |
| | outlets in your area
|
| recommend to any author who
| |
| | that have websites.If you write to them
|
| doesn't already have it. You'll
| |
| | all, you're a spammer. Plus, it'll take
|
| subconsciously pick up on what
| |
| | ages. Look for the ones with a
|
| does and doesn't work. Characterization,
| |
| | legitimate interest and fire
|
| dialogue, pacing, plot,
| |
| | away.If you find a stale URL, and I
|
| story, setting, description, etc. But
| |
| | think you will, look for the name
|
| more importantly, someone
| |
| | of that media outlet at some place like
|
| who doesn't enjoy reading will never
| |
| | Google. Spend some time
|
| write something that someone
| |
| | looking for the right press contacts,
|
| else will enjoy reading.I don't write
| |
| | spend some time writing
|
| "for the market." I know I can't, so I
| |
| | your press release, and do what you
|
| just write
| |
| | can.Most of these sites list email, snail
|
| for me and then try to find readers who
| |
| | mail, and phone numbers.
|
| like what I like. I'm
| |
| | Since I live in China, I've only used
|
| not trying to whip up the next
| |
| | email.Book reviews, author interviews,
|
| bestseller and get rich. Not that
| |
| | book listing sites, and book
|
| I'd complain. But I have to write what's
| |
| | contests are something we can all do,
|
| in my heart, then find a
| |
| | regardless of where we
|
| market later. It makes marketing a
| |
| | live.HOW TO GET PUBLISHED (my free
|
| challenge at times, but I
| |
| | ebook) contains my list of
|
| wouldn't have it any other way.When you
| |
| | resources. of the sites I mention
|
| write, be a dreamer. Go nuts. Know that
| |
| | review ebooks, and some do not. The
|
| you're writing
| |
| | POD option can help e-authors here, but
|
| pure gold. That fire is why we write.An
| |
| | balance cost vs.
|
| author I admire, Kurt Vonnegut, sweats
| |
| | likelihood of gaining enough readers to
|
| out each individual
| |
| | offset that cost.Some are ezines and some
|
| sentence. He writes it, rewrites it, and
| |
| | are websites. Some are printed
|
| doesn't leave it alone
| |
| | newsletters, some are printed magazines,
|
| until it's perfect. Then when he's done,
| |
| | and some are
|
| he's done.I doubt most of write like
| |
| | newspapers. This is just a starting
|
| that. I don't. I let it fly as fast
| |
| | point. If you visit them
|
| as my fingers can move across the paper
| |
| | all, and you have time for more
|
| or keyboard, rushing to
| |
| | promotion, you can find many
|
| capture my ideas before they get away.
| |
| | more.Aside from two radio interviews and
|
| Later, I change and
| |
| | a seminar in Hong Kong, and
|
| shuffle and slice.James Michener writes
| |
| | some emailed press releases to the LOCAL
|
| the last sentence first, then has his
| |
| | media back in the US
|
| goal
| |
| | which may or may not have succeeded in
|
| before him as he writes his way to
| |
| | anything, my marketing
|
| it.Then there's me. No outline
| |
| | has come from the Internet.I have a
|
| whatsoever. I create characters
| |
| | website. I have a newsletter. I write
|
| and conflict, spending days and weeks on
| |
| | free articles
|
| that task, until the
| |
| | such as this one. I give away a free
|
| first chapter leaves me wondering "How
| |
| | ebook, the essence of which
|
| will this end?" Then my
| |
| | you're reading now. You found me
|
| characters take over, and I'm as
| |
| | somehow, right?Here's the type of message
|
| surprised as the reader when I
| |
| | I receive often in email. To be more
|
| finish my story.Some authors set aside a
| |
| | precise, in spam."If a million people
|
| certain number of hours every day for
| |
| | see your ad, and you get 1% of them,
|
| writing, or a certain number of words.
| |
| | that's10,000 readers and therefore
|
| In short, a writing
| |
| | $15,000 profit and you only paid
|
| schedule.Then there's me. No writing for
| |
| | $1000 for those million addresses."NO!!
|
| three or six months, then a
| |
| | It doesn't work that way. Need I use the
|
| flurry of activity where I forget to
| |
| | words dot-com
|
| eat, sleep, bathe, change
| |
| | bust?My website is free. My newsletter
|
| the cat's litter... I'm a walking
| |
| | is free. I don't buy mailing
|
| stereotype. To assuage the
| |
| | lists, I don't harvest email addresses,
|
| guilt, I tell myself that my unconscious
| |
| | and I don't spam. I
|
| is hard at work. As
| |
| | want interested traffic, not just sheer
|
| Hemingway would say, long periods of
| |
| | numbers.Do you think the Phoenicians
|
| thinking and short periods
| |
| | tried to sell sails to people a
|
| of writing.I've shown you the extremes
| |
| | thousand miles from water?Internet
|
| in writing styles. I think most
| |
| | marketing isn't a replacement for the
|
| authors fall in the middle somewhere.
| |
| | methods mentioned
|
| But my point is, find out
| |
| | above, but a complement to them. And by
|
| what works for you. You can read about
| |
| | using it, I got you here.Your goal in
|
| how other writers do it,
| |
| | marketing is this. There are people in
|
| and if that works for you, great. But in
| |
| | the world who
|
| the end, find your own
| |
| | like what you like. And since you like
|
| way. That's what writers do.Just don't
| |
| | your book, they probably
|
| do it halfway.If you're doing what I do,
| |
| | will too. You have to find those readers
|
| writing a story that entertains and
| |
| | and make them interested,
|
| moves you, you'll find readers who share
| |
| | without spamming them and without
|
| your tastes. For some
| |
| | "playing the numbers game."If you're an
|
| of us that means a niche market and for
| |
| | e-author, let me state the obvious.
|
| others it means regular
| |
| | Nobody buys
|
| appearances on the bestseller
| |
| | ebooks who doesn't have Internet access.
|
| list.Writing is a calling, but publishing
| |
| | Do they? So you
|
| is a business. Remember
| |
| | definitely need a website.Traditional
|
| that AFTER you've written your
| |
| | print authors need websites too. Even
|
| manuscript. Not during.I've told you how
| |
| | blockbuster
|
| I write. For me.** EDITING **The next
| |
| | authors like J.R. Rowling and Stephen
|
| step is self-editing. Fixing the mistakes
| |
| | King, who I doubt could
|
| I made in my
| |
| | garner any more name recognition, have
|
| rush to write it before my Muse took a
| |
| | websites. So does every
|
| holiday. Several
| |
| | long-established inescapable
|
| rewrites. Running through it repeatedly
| |
| | monstro-business like McDonalds and
|
| with a fine-toothed
| |
| | Coke.Okay, those folks pay web
|
| comb and eliminating cliches like
| |
| | designers. I'm not doing that. I can't
|
| "fine-toothed comb."Then what?There are
| |
| | generate sales like that. And yes, I've
|
| stories that get rejected because the
| |
| | been employed as an HTML
|
| potential
| |
| | programmer. But you can write your own
|
| publisher hates them, but more are shot
| |
| | website without learning
|
| down for other reasons.
| |
| | HTML if you want. It's no harder than
|
| Stilted dialogue. Boring descriptions.
| |
| | writing a manuscript with
|
| Weak characters.
| |
| | a word processor.It won't be
|
| Underdeveloped story. Unbelievable or
| |
| | super-flashy like the big boys, but it'll
|
| inconsistent plot. Sloppy
| |
| | communicate the information. Remember,
|
| writing.That's what you have to fix.I
| |
| | you can communicate.
|
| started by using Free Online Creative
| |
| | You're an author! That's what keeps
|
| Writing Workshops. What
| |
| | people coming back to a
|
| I needed most was input from strangers.
| |
| | website after the thrill of the flash
|
| After all, once you're
| |
| | wears off. Information.
|
| published, your readers will be
| |
| | Content. Your specialty.I consider my
|
| strangers. Every publisher you
| |
| | website and my newsletter to be
|
| submit to will be a stranger. What will
| |
| | successful, and I've
|
| they think? I always get
| |
| | analyzed how they got that way, in the
|
| too close to my writing to answer
| |
| | free ebook I mentioned above.
|
| that.Whenever I got some advice, I
| |
| | There are legitimate ways to bring
|
| considered it. Some I just threw
| |
| | traffic to your website and your
|
| out as wrong, or because I couldn't make
| |
| | newsletter. Not massive numbers
|
| the changes without
| |
| | overnight, but slow steady growth over
|
| abandoning part of what made the story
| |
| | the long term. CLOSING THOUGHTS
|
| special to me. Some I
| |
| | **Here's something you've heard before.
|
| embraced. But the point is, I decided.
| |
| | When your manuscript is
|
| It's my writing.After a time, I didn't
| |
| | rejected -- and it will be -- remember
|
| feel the need for the workshops anymore.
| |
| | that you aren't being
|
| I'm fortunate enough to have a wife
| |
| | rejected. Your manuscript is.One reader
|
| whose advice I will always
| |
| | took me to task for that statement,
|
| treasure, and after a while that was all
| |
| | claiming he'd
|
| I needed. But early
| |
| | never been rejected. I'm very happy for
|
| on, it would've been unfair to ask her
| |
| | him. But why, if I may be
|
| to read my drivel. (Not
| |
| | so bold as to ask, would he need advice
|
| that I didn't anyway, but she married me
| |
| | on "How To Get Published?"
|
| in spite of it.)Your goal when you
| |
| | I'd rather he write some advice so I can
|
| self-edit is to get your book as close to
| |
| | hang up my "helper guy"
|
| "ready to read" as you possibly can. Do
| |
| | hat and learn from a master.But I
|
| not be lazy and do not
| |
| | digress. You aren't being rejected. Your
|
| rush. You want your editor to find what
| |
| | manuscript is.Did you ever hang up the
|
| you overlooked, not what
| |
| | phone on a telemarketer, delete spam,
|
| you didn't know about, and you want it
| |
| | or close the door in the face of a
|
| to be easy for him/her.Your story is your
| |
| | salesman? Of course, and yet
|
| story. You write it from your heart, and
| |
| | that salesman just moves on to the next
|
| when it looks like something you'd enjoy
| |
| | potential customer. He
|
| reading, you set out to
| |
| | knows you're rejecting his product, not
|
| find a publisher who shares your tastes.
| |
| | him.Okay, in my case I'm rejecting both,
|
| What you don't want is
| |
| | but I'd never do that to an
|
| for that first reader to lose sight of
| |
| | author. Neither will a publisher or an
|
| what makes your story
| |
| | agent. All authors tell
|
| special because you've bogged it down
| |
| | other authors not to take rejection
|
| with silly mistakes.Authors don't pay to
| |
| | personally, and yet we all
|
| be published. They are paid for
| |
| | do. Consider it a target to shoot for,
|
| publication.
| |
| | then. Just keep
|
| Always. It's just that simple. Later,
| |
| | submitting, and just keep writing.The
|
| I'll tell you where to get
| |
| | best way to cope with waiting times is to
|
| some free editing. But there's a limit
| |
| | "submit and
|
| to how much editing you can
| |
| | forget," writing or editing other stuff
|
| get without paying for it. Do you need
| |
| | while the time passes.And finally, feel
|
| more than that? I don't
| |
| | free to send an e-mail to me anytime.
|
| know because I've never read your
| |
| | or .
|
| writing. But if you evaluate it
| |
| | I'll gladly share what I know with you,
|
| honestly, I think you'll know the
| |
| | and it won't cost you a
|
| answer.As an editor, I've worked with
| |
| | cent.I would wish you luck in your
|
| some authors who simply couldn't
| |
| | publishing endeavors, but I know
|
| self-edit. Non-native English speakers,
| |
| | there's no luck involved. It's all skill
|
| guys who slept through
| |
| | and diligence.Congratulations on
|
| English class, whatever. To them, paying
| |
| | completing the course! No ceremonies, no
|
| for editing was an
| |
| | degrees, and no diplomas. But on the
|
| option. This isn't paying for
| |
| | bright side, no student
|
| publication. This is paying for
| |
| | loan to repay.Best regards,
|
| a service, training. Just like paying to
| |
| | Michael LaRocca
|
| take a Creative Writing
| |
| | 2005, Michael LaRoccaMichael LaRocca's
|
| class at the local community college.By
| |
| | website at was
|
| the way, I don't believe creativity can
| |
| | chosen by WRITER'S DIGEST as one of The
|
| be taught. Writing,
| |
| | 101 Best Websites
|
| certainly. I took a Creative Writing
| |
| | For Writers in 2001 and 2002. His
|
| class in high school, free,
| |
| | response was to throw it
|
| and treasure the experience. But I
| |
| | out and start over again because he's
|
| already had the creativity,
| |
| | insane. He teaches
|
| or else it would've been a waste of the
| |
| | English at a university in Hangzhou,
|
| teacher's time and mine.If you hire an
| |
| | Zhejiang Province,
|
| editor worthy of the name, you should
| |
| | China, and publishes the free weekly
|
| learn from
| |
| | newsletter WHO MOVED
|
| that editor how to self-edit in the
| |
| | MY RICE?
|
