Indie-Debut

Happy 2012!

2012-01-07T13:09:00.000-08:00

A. Lucas 2011

Hi Everyone! Just wanted to repost something that appeared in this month's SCBWI Bulletin. I wrote in to the 'Art Tips' section with some advice for fellow illustrators. (Thank you Alison for posting!)

I think one of the hardest things for an artist to do is stay positive! I know I myself have had crazy ups and downs while doubting the potential success of my artwork and my abilities. The best advice I can offer is to simply believe in yourself every single day, not just the days you receive positive reinforcement from others! Also, surround yourself with objects you love in your studio, let in plenty of sunlight, and accompany your work sessions with music you can't live without. It also doesn't hurt to get out once a day for that coveted cup or coffee or tea from the cafe around the corner. Remember, interaction with people is ultimately the key to your success ;) Ashley Lucas www.ashleylucas.com

Writers and illustrators... please feel free to post your own advice below as a comment. Would love to hear your tips and advice!

Happy Creating!
~Ashley
www.ladylucas.com

Japanese Bookstore Inspires

2011-11-16T06:49:00.000-08:00

MEET MAMESHIBA! by VIZ Media

The other day I went to a new bookstore near Bryant Park in New York City. I honestly can't tell you the last time I was truly that excited and inspired! Kinokuniya Bookstore is three floors of japanese comics, literature, crafting books, magazines, stationery and toys. There's even a cafe with sweet goodies on the top floor ;) Maybe it's because I study Japanese trends on a daily basis for my own illustrations, but I find the trends and look of the characters quickly becoming a staple in American children's illustration and culture.

With social media such a popular trend at the moment, books such as 'MEET MAMESHIBA!" have shot off the charts due to the accompanying videos and interactive games online. Children's authors and illustrators can learn a lesson here and be sure to offer plenty of interactive media, blog posts and contests on their websites. I know it takes time, but in the end it's worth it!

Happy Creating!

~Ashley

The Accidental Novelist presents Middle Grade Mondays and Weekend Workouts

2011-10-08T10:29:00.000-07:00

Indie Debuter Danika Dinsmore blogs as The Accidental Novelist. She works in speculative fiction and teaches world-building and story/character development.

Join her on Mondays for her Middle Grade Mondays review of books (generally speculative fiction) and discussion of topics related to Middle Grade literature. (for a definition of Middle Grade literature, CLICK HERE)

For those writers out there, every Friday (okay, sometimes they come out on Saturdays), she posts a "Weekend Workout" to get your creative juices flowing.

Paper Products for Promotion

2011-08-05T07:35:00.000-07:00

Authors and illustrators really need to think outside the box when promoting their latest masterpiece. After my first book 'Boo, Bat & Pumpkin Throw a Party' was published last spring, I created a coloring page to go along with it at a local street fair. It was a great way for parents and kids to have something to take home. You can prominently display your website and contact info and creativly promote yourself while offering a 'gift' to your readers. A few months later I got into the idea so much, that I have also recently published a coloring book called, 'I Love NY Food'. Every page is a chance to get my style and message across, as well as my web address! Other ideas for promoting your children's book or YA novel are:

Handmade bookmarks to
promote 'Boo, Bat &
Pumpkin'

Handmade bookmarks. Use a paper cutter to slice cardstock one inch wide, then glue a character or symbol from your book to the top and place your contact info on the back.
Stickers! Vistaprint.com offers a variety of easy ways for you to design and order stickers promoting your book.
Character cut outs. Print images of your book's characters on a letter sized sheet of cardstock. Add a tab at the bottom of each character so that it can stand like a paper doll when cut. Basic ones work great for little kids, and detailed images with extras appeal to tweens.
Cards & Invitations. Send a greeting card, postcard, or invite with your featured book to friends, family or other buyers you hope to entice. Idea for invites: Host a party at your local coffee shop where both parents and children can feel comfortable, read your book, and offer giveaways.

Happy Creating!

~Ashley

Know Before you Sign

2011-07-27T04:51:00.000-07:00

I've been reflecting a lot on publishing contracts lately, especially since I just signed my second one for the sequel to Perilous. The first time I signed one, I got lucky that the company I signed with (WiDo) was an honest company and not about to do me dirty. That's good, because I knew nothing about contracts. I didn't know what to avoid, what to look out for, and what to make sure it included. I've learned a lot since then.

When you're a debut author and you get that contract offer, often it's so exciting that you sign without a second thought. STOP. Take a moment and think. This is a decision that will affect you forever. And there are things you need to do.

1) Make sure this is your best offer. If you have other submissions out, contact the other agents/companies and let them know you have an offer. Give them the chance to compete for you.

Now that you've chosen a company, look your contract over. Some things to look for:

2) An expected release date. Make sure the publisher specifies an expected time period for editing and revisions, and when you can expect to be done. You don't want them to sit on your book for years without doing anything, keeping the rights and not letting you do anything with it. If they don't hold up that time frame, you get your rights back.

3) Your responsibilities. The contract should outline quite clearly what is expected of you. Deadlines, revisions, editing, etc. You have to hold up your end of the bargain, also.

4) Assigned rights. Some publisher only wants print rights. Other want the whole shebang, from print to digital to film. Whatever it is, just make sure you're aware.

5) Author name. The contract should state what name will appear on your cover. Make sure this is the name you want. If you plan on using a pseudonym, now would be the moment to bring it up. While not likely, there's always the possibility your publisher won't approve it at press time otherwise.

6) Royalties. Hugely important! Royalties need to be specified for all forms of release, from ebook to mass trade paperback. The contract should also specify at what point, if any, royalties increase. It should tell you when payments are sent, as well.

7) Advance. If there is to be an advance, get it in writing. The contract should also state how many books (or how much money) you need to sell to hit your advance, or how many books before you start earning royalties.

8) Right to audit. Of course you have the right to check up on your publisher and make sure you are actually selling the number of books they are paying you for. I imagine that even if the contract didn't mention a right to audit, you would still have that right. But it's always better to get it in writing.

9) Free copies and ARCs. Know ahead of time how many books the publisher will give you and provide for advance readers. The contract should also state your author price for purchasing more books.

10) Breach of contract. Along with your responsibilities, the contract should also outline the consequences if you (or them) default on your part of the bargain.

11) Return of rights. The contract should state when, if ever, you get your rights back to your works. This could be after a few years with no sales or if the publishing company goes out of business or both. Whatever the terms, make sure you are comfortable with them.

With all of these contract terms, you have OPTIONS. Be happy with what you choose.

Oh, and one more note of caution. While most contracts don't specifically say that sharing details is a breach of contract, I have heard of authors being let go of for sharing details. So stay on the safe side. Keep your contract private.

Welcome Yolanda Ridge!

2011-07-11T21:50:00.000-07:00

Looking for a good summer read for your 10 year old?

The latest Indie Debuter to join us is children's author Yolanda Ridge. Below I've asked her a few questions to familiarize you with her book.

Trouble in the Trees (Orca Books) is a sweet read with a positive message and a strong female protagonist.

Eleven-year-old Bree is happiest when she's climbing the trees at Cedar Grove, her urban townhouse complex. She's the best climber around, even better than an older boy, Tyler, who drives her crazy with his competitiveness. When Ethan, a younger boy, falls from a tree and hurts his elbow, the neighborhood council bans all tree-climbing in Cedar Grove. If Bree chooses to ignore the bylaw, her family could be kicked out of their home, so she vows to change the rule instead. After giving a presentation to the neighborhood council, she realizes this is not a battle she can win on her own, but rallying the Cedar Grove troops is more difficult than she imagined.

When did you realize you wanted to become a children's author?

My maternity leave was coming to an end and I was searching desperately for child care without much luck. I had started to consider staying home with my sons but I was worried I might go insane if I didn’t find something besides twins to occupy my brain. The solution hit me when I was up one night with the rhythm of a picture book stuck in my head… I would write fiction for kids! I had no idea what kind of challenge I was taking on but it felt really good to reignite my passion for creative writing after over a decade in the field of academic and scientific writing.

Tell our readers the inspiration behind this story.

When my friend, Claire, had tree climbing banned in her townhouse complex in South Vancouver she put together a short power point presentation called “Tree Illegal”. Claire was 11 years old at the time and although she didn’t fight the bylaw, she gave me the premise for a book that I just had to write. It was my first attempt at novel length fiction – before that I’d been focused on poetry and picture books.

What's one thing you've learned about the world of publishing during this process?

This is a tricky question because I’ve learned so much! It sounds easy – I woke up, decided to be a children’s writer, and voila I’m published! But it took 4 years of hard work; writing, reading, researching, networking, attending workshops and conferences, getting feedback, and writing some more. Even after my manuscript was accepted for publication there was a year of editing, proofreading, promoting, and waiting before the book was finally real. I guess that’s the biggest thing I’ve learned – it takes a long time to get a book published. It will be interesting to see how much that changes with the evolution of ebooks and print on demand.

What's next for you in terms of writing projects?

I just signed a contract with Orca for the sequel to Trouble in the Trees. Tentatively titled Road Block, it’s about Bree’s fight against the construction of a highway through her grandma’s farmland. It’s scheduled to come out in Spring 2012. After that I’m not sure…. stay tuned!

Looking forward to it, Yolanda! I think you could have a whole activist series with our heroine.

Finding Variety in Vintage

2011-06-21T19:48:00.000-07:00

I frequent antique stores quite often, especially when visiting my parents in Southern Pennsylvania. I used to find the illustrations in old children's books very boring, sparse {one illustration every 15 pages in the VERY old books...}, and too detailed to be appealing. However, as an adult, I'm starting to feel quite the opposite.

One of my favorite illustrators from the past is Racey Helps, who I came across while researching artists that choose to draw anthropomorphic animals. Helps' charming style is correct, exact and detailed, yet playful, colorful and extremely appealing to children.

Today's illustration trends worship simplicity, and often feature flat, computer generated graphics. Looking at the work of illustrators from even 20 years ago will reveal a much different aesthetic.

Vintage illustrations highlight realism, correct proportions, advanced painting techniques and artists that practice great discipline.

A Postcard Design by Racey Helps

Some of my favorite illustrators from 'back in the day' are Racey Helps, {his work is pictured above}, Richard Scarry, and Beatrix Potter.

If you don't have time to run to the local bookstore for some vintage inspiration, simply put 'vintage children's books' into a google images search and have some fun!

Happy Creating,

~Ashley

9 Reasons to find your State Library

2011-06-13T13:23:00.001-07:00

Does your state have a library?

It might be worth finding out.

I recently received an email from the Arkansas State Library. They are making a poster to take to the National Book Festival in Washington D.C. in September, and they are putting my book on it. They asked for my permission to do so.

The reason they even know I exist is because I mailed them a copy of my book when it came out so they would have one for the state library. I never heard anything back and never knew how my book was received. Well, I guess.

After I got the email, I Google "Arkansas State Library." They have an awesome website with contact information to book clubs, festivals, librarians, etc. So here are some reasons to check out your state library:

9) Center for the Book. This campaign was started by the Library of Congress. My state library runs its own version on a smaller, local scale. They provide book club suggestions and support to libraries across Arkansas.

8) Free promotion. The state library sponsors a book club called "If all Arkansas read the same book." It chooses 10-12 Arkansas writers and encourages every book club in Arkansas to read that book. How totally awesome if mine gets chosen!

7) Letters from kids. The library holds a competition every year where it encourages grade-school students to write a letter to an Arkansas author whose work inspired them.

6) Information on local conferences. Want to overload your year with conference events? The state library probably has links to them. All of them. So have fun!

5) List of state libraries. Instead of looking up every city in your state and Googling their library, you can just go down the list on your state library website and find every library you want.

4) Book awards. The library sponsors awards for children and young adult literature and allows (begs!) people to recommend books for the reading list. Nominees' books will be read by teens and librarians across the state.

3) Newsletter. Many state libraries send out a monthly newsletters with information about the library, books, contests, awards, and conferences.

2) Local author promotion. They might have a "native author" campaign. Arkansas does. It's called Arkansas Gems, and they feature about ten new books on a poster and bookmarks.

1) Recognition and publicity--for FREE. Posters and bookmarks are distributed across the state. They are given to schools and libraries as "ideas" so they will know what to order to support native writers.

Do you have any experience with your state library? What programs do they offer?

Thinking Outside the 'Pen'

2011-06-03T09:16:00.000-07:00

About seven years ago, I started making little stories with photographs of miniature characters that I made out of clay and other found objects. I thought the idea was rather original at the time... because I didn't see it represented by any of the 'big time' publishers.

Now, in the year 2011, photo illustration is anywhere and everywhere! Photographs of three dimensional characters can bring more to your story in many ways.

One of my favorite books that is evidence of this theory is Sloane Tanen's 'Where is Coco Going?' The adorable chicks, photographed by Stefan Hagen, are sweet and sassy at the same time.

Another example is Beatrice Alemagna's glorious 'Bugs in a Blanket'. It is a wonderfully creative book that opens your mind to all the possibilities of using cloth and embroidery to create expression.

Whether you are an author looking for a way to bring true originality to your next story, or an illustrator looking for a new medium... photo illustration is a unique consideration that can bring many rewards.

*photo credits 'Sleeping Gnome' by Ashley Lucas, 'Where is Coco Going' by Tanen/Hagen

Thanks for Reading ;)

~Ashley

Author Tips: Setting up school visits

2011-05-31T09:00:00.000-07:00

1. Contact an elementary or high school in your area and find out who you need to present your school visit request to. The school secretaries are happy to point you in the right direction, whether it is the principal, PTA or program coordinator of the school.

Many school departments do not have extra budgets for events, however, the PTA might. They exist for this very kind of thing: raising money to bring special events to the school.

2. Keep in mind you don’t necessarily need to have a published book to conduct a school visit. You may be able to present a published short story or non-fiction article to the class.

3. Let the school know that you can meet with respective teachers and conform the event to coincide with their ELA State Assessment Guidelines.

Additional Resource: Musing Our Children.

This is a group dedicated to actively promoting school visits. They have a wealth of information that can help you have a successful event, including handouts for you to use if you like. Once you join the group, active participation and input are appreciated.

Brigitta of the White Forest Book Trailer Launches

2011-05-23T11:00:00.000-07:00

Indie Debuter Danika Dinsmore (aka The Accidental Novelist) presents the new book trailer for her middle grade fantasy Brigitta of the White Forest.

Cast and Crew:

Brigitta - Haley Hunt
Himalette - Shaleigh Lachance
Hrathgar Evil - Yvette Dudley-Neuman

Music by Land Of Deborah

Producers: Danika Dinsmore and Mauri Bernstein
Author/Director: Danika Dinsmore
Cinematographer: Phillip Schalast
Editor/Puppeteer: Mauri Bernstein
Sound: Kevin Barron
Sprite and Eyeball Puppets: Keith Randall
Hrathgar Hair/Make-up: Susan Manning
Briggy/Himmy Hair/Make-up: Leah Wilburn
Props: Jo Shotbolt
Faerie Wings: Charlene Rowley

For information on the book: thewhiteforest.com

For information on the publisher: entheospress.com

Current Illustration Trends

2011-05-16T13:29:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

Allow me to introduce myself! I'm Ashley, a 2011 Indie Debut member and author & illustrator of 'Boo, Bat & Pumpkin Throw a Party'. I will be contributing illustration and art content to this blog ;)

I had the pleasure of attending the National Stationery and Surtex shows yesterday in New York City. Both shows revealed important trends for the season relating to what's hot in the art licensing and design world. Bold, vivid, 'blocky' patterns are in as well as the even popular trend of drawing desserts and sweets. Cupcakes are absolutely everywhere, and appear daily in children's books, television programs, and merchandise {I have included Etta from my Cupcake Princess Fairies collection at left}. Bright, bold colors of the rainbow are in, with little room for neutral earth tones!

Additionally, after a visit to the Scholastic bookstore in Soho on Thursday, the princess theme and popularity of vehicles featured in picture books is a trend that is going nowhere fast! I teach art class to 4-8 year olds and have the daily ability to observe subjects popular with about 150+ students. Trains are absolutely number one with the boys, and rainbows and butterflies top the list with little girls. Hope these tips get the creative juices flowing for you!!

Happy Sketching!

~Ashley

Choosing the Right Publisher

2011-05-11T11:57:00.001-07:00

Disclaimer: I get on this blog and post things like I'm some sort of authority on the subject. Well, you ought to know that I'm not! So feel free to comment, disagree, or tell me you think I'm a genius.

There are so many different kinds of publishers out there, and much of it depends on what you want out of your publishing company. I thought of this the other day when reading a friend's blog and she mentioned how her agent is shopping her book around.

I've often heard that getting an agent is even harder than getting published. But if you want to get published by one of the big dogs, you gotta have an agent.

That's where I decided I didn't want to get published by a 'big dog.' Or at least, I didn't want to spend three years trying. Of course I wouldn't mind if one of them decided to publish me. But I decided to go with a small press, one that still took author submissions. This path ended up working out for me.

There are other presses that are only for certain genres. Others are only certain formats. Some companies (like the former Mystic Moon Press) are primarily e-books. Others might only be POD (Print-on-Demand) or you might only be able to buy through Amazon.com and not bookstores (like Marcher Lord Press).

Here's what I wanted: a company that I could directly submit to, that would offer me a contract, that would pay for all of the printing/distribution costs and offer me royalties, that would get my book online and into bookstores, and that would represent me well. I found it, in WiDo Publishing.

So, while you are shopping for publishers, here are some questions to consider:

1) Do I require an advance? If so, how much?

2) Where do I want my book to be sold? Bookstores? Online? Independent bookstores, specialty shops? All?

3) What is my genre?

4) Who is my audience?

5) How much to I expect in royalties?

6) How many people do I want my book to be available to?

7) How much marketing am I prepared to do?

8) Do I want to work with an agent?

9) Do I consider this a 'starter' book to get me in the door, or do I expect this to be my bestseller?

10) Will I be happy with a small press or do I want a bigger name?

These are some of the questions I could think of. You might have more. But keep these things in mind while you are publisher-hunting, and you will get what you want out of the deal.

Book Trailers Raising the Bar

2011-05-10T16:22:00.000-07:00

(originally posted on The Accidental Novelist)

When I first decided to create a live action book trailer for my accidental novel Brigitta of the White Forest, it was at a time when book trailers were still pretty basic. Most were made by "panning" over still shots and overlaying words on the stills or inserting them as separate title cards. There are websites you can use to put these together with stock images and stock music.

I just did a quick search and found these:

SQUIDOO's BOOK TRAILER TIPS and TOOLS

How to Create Your Own Book Trailer for Free

Because I come from a film background and love to direct, when I think of "trailers" I think in movie trailers. I knew right away that if I were going to do a book trailer it would be live action.

Since the inception of the idea, I have found more and more publishing companies coming out with book trailers with much higher production value. The bar has definitely been raised.

This one cracked me up:

And this is by far one of the most interesting book trailers I've seen:

For those self-published or small press published authors, it might seem like you can't compete with the flashy new trailers larger publishing companies are putting out. But really, you can give something higher production value with little extra cost. Having little money is not a barrier, it simply means it's time to get creative!

Here's a very simple book trailer that I think still packs a punch:

I like the silence of it.

And this very intriguing video that chronicles the making of the cover for the steampunk novel Blameless isn't really that complicated at all. It's basically time-lapsed stills of photoshop pages and some haunting music:

We just wrapped production on our trailer and will reveal it as soon as it's ready.

In the meantime, if you haven't seen it yet, here's a teaser we threw together before my tour:

Author Tip: Have a just-for-you project

2011-04-26T00:01:00.001-07:00

Being a writer can be stressful. Being a published writer even more so. Marketing, school visits, writing new books, trying to manage finances... it can burn you out.

That's when a just-for-you project comes in handy. Something you've always wanted to write but that maybe isn't marketable, or ready for a serious draft. Something you can have fun with. A just-for-you project can make you excited about writing again and help keep you from burning out. It also gives you something to do in those lulls between drafts or when waiting for edits to get back.

Remind yourself why you got into this business in the first place. Write something for you.

Author Tips: Doing a tour? Try visiting smaller towns.

2011-04-19T00:01:00.001-07:00

Consider doing readings in small towns rather than a large city. There’s far more competition in a city. One of the best poetry readings I (Danika) ever gave was in Tiffin, OH. I hadn’t even heard of Tiffin, but had met someone from there and he invited me to visit.

I read at a local café to a “standing room only” crowd. They treated me like a star. To this day it was one of my favorite readings because everyone was so genuinely glad I was there.

Later, when a poet friend of mine was on tour, I recommended he book a reading at the cafe in Tiffin. He, too, said it was one of the best audiences he has ever had.

Author Tips: Advertise for your signing.

2011-04-17T00:01:00.001-07:00

You can't always count on a bookstore being able to advertise your signing. You can help by making fliers and inviting all of your friends.

Also, try creating a Facebook event page. That way people will have an easy source of reference as the signing gets closer and you can update the page with news, reviews, and commentary. Invite your Facebook friends in the area and request that they invite theirs.

Don't be shy about promoting your event!

Publishing Terms Thursday: Cover Price/List Price

2011-04-14T00:01:00.001-07:00

Definition: The retail price of a book suggested by its publisher and printed on the dust jacket or cover.

Why this matters: Cover price affects the small press author in several ways. If the small press you're considering has a history of too-high cover prices, that may make your book difficult to sell and market. (Price appropriateness varies depending on the format and the size of the book. For example, twenty dollars for a young adult trade paperback is too much money.) Also, cover price is a key factor in calculating net royalties, which we discussed in a previous post.

What you can do: If you're concerned about the high list price of your publisher's books, ask about it when you get the contract. Find out how much leeway you have to argue the cover price. If you're a debut author, your ability to negotiate might be limited. Decided if you think the quality of the books holds up to the asking price and whether you can work around it.

Author Tips: Look for Indie-Friendly Awards

2011-04-12T00:01:00.001-07:00

Indie friendly awards help you recommend your book to libraries and schools. For small presses that can’t afford ARCs or missed the reviewers’ deadlines, indie friendly awards offer a second chance at recognition, because only finished books can be entered.

If your book is published by a small press, check with your publisher to see who is supposed to nominate the book—the publisher or the author. Don't let things fall between the cracks because you think your publisher is nominating, and they think you are. Most of these awards charge fees of $50 to $100, but some, like Skipping Stones, will waive the fees for publishers that can’t afford them.

Indie-friendly awards

The Skipping Stones Honor Awards
The ForeWord Book of the Year Awards.
The IPPYs
The Americas Award
The Children’s Africana Book Award
The Jane Addams Children’s Book Award
The Horace Mann Upstanders Award

Author Tip: Invite other groups to your bookstore signing.

2011-04-10T00:01:00.001-07:00

One of the best ways to create and promote a bookstore signing is make it a full event. Try partnering with other groups and speakers that have a connection to themes and places in your story.

For example, Indie-Debut author Jo Ramsey threw an awesome bookstore signing for her book Connections that included a yoga demonstration and a talk by someone from the school district's bullying prevention program.

Publishing Terms Thursday: Option Clause

2011-04-07T00:01:00.001-07:00

Definition: An option clause is a clause in a publishing agreement that gives the publisher the right to consider acquiring the author's next book before other publishers can do so.

Why this matters: If you don't have an agent, this is a clause you may want to look out for. If your publisher is asking for “the option on the author’s next work” that could put you into a restrictive situation and keep you from selling your next book elsewhere.

What you can do: Try to ask for a narrower definition, preferably one based on what your wrote before. To quote agent Kristen Nelson:

"If the author writes historical romances, then you can limit it to that. Better, is to even designate what type of historical (ie. Next historical erotic romance, next historical paranormal romance, next regency-set historical romance).

Specifics is key."

Find out more about option clauses here.

Author Tip: Only do the social media you like

2011-04-05T00:01:00.001-07:00

As authors we are often overwhelmed by all the social media options. We know we need a web presence, and we want to connect with readers. But how do you manage the mass of FacebookLinkinGoodreadsMyspaceTumblrYoutubeBloggerHubTwitter?

Where do you even start?

Here's the great social media secret. If you don't like it, it ain't working.

Hate Twitter? Don't do it.

Blogging leave you cold? Put your energies somewhere else.

Social media is a lot like writing. If you're not having fun, the reader isn't having fun. Start with one thing you know you enjoy and become great at it. Try other things, but only one at a time. And if you don't like it, leave it.

Go write instead.

Publishing Terms Thursday: Publicist

2011-03-31T00:01:00.001-07:00

Definition: a person which organizes publicity for a particular product or set of products. (from publishingdictionary.com)

A professional publicist is someone you hire to help you organize your publicity and market your book above and beyond what your publisher does.

Why this matters: A lot of people confuse publicist and publisher. A publisher is the company who produces your book, and the level of marketing they do varies wildly. A publicist is someone YOU hire to help you with marketing. What they do, and how much they charge will fluctuate depending on the business.

What you can do:

1. Find out what kind of marketing your publisher is planning to do so you don't duplicate efforts.

2. Do research and get recommendations. Find someone who loves their publicist and ask them questions. Decide what kind of publicist you need, and make sure to verify that whoever you choose is a reputable businessperson.

(I'm not sure if there is an association or a way to vet publicists, but at the very least google them to make sure there are no complaints and look them up in the Better Business Bureau.)

3. Decide on a budget. Make it realistic, and don't spend more than you can afford. As with everything else in publishing, there are no guarantees. A publicist can be a great thing, but having one does not guarantee your book will sell well.

Questions or recommendations are welcome!

Author Tips: Carving out writing time as a parent.

2011-03-29T00:01:00.001-07:00

When you work at home, everyone thinks that you are accessible all day long. Especially when you have kids A writer can easily become frustrated when the creative juices are without fail interrupted by the most mundane questions or needs. But what to do?

1. Reset boundaries as quickly as they disappear. Let your family know that writing is indeed work, but also a passion that you want to achieve. Teach your children the importance of uninterrupted writing time and that they will get your undivided attention once your writing session is completed.

2. Grab any time thrown your way. Keep a handy pocket notebook with you at all times. Write during practices, in doctor's waiting rooms, while waiting in the car. Write while the kids are asleep and the house and telephone are quiet. These little pockets of time will add up.

3. Know there will be times when interruptions are a necessity. Like when the school nurse calls to say that your child has a fever. Sometimes it is much better to accepting the fact that your child needs you and that your writing can wait for another time. The words will be there when you get back.

Small Press Profiles: Dragonfly Publishing

2011-03-26T01:04:00.000-07:00

*Small Press Profiles are posted in order to highlight legitimate small / indie presses for our readers considering working with a small press. We can not guarantee they will consider your work. Do your research and submit appropriately. Remember - legitimate small presses do not charge fees. When in doubt, check Preditors & Editors.*

About: (from the website)

Dragonfly Publishing, Inc. (DFP) is a royalty-paying contract publisher based in Oklahoma. We contract only with resident USA citizens and do not work through agents.

DFP specializes in children's picture books, genre fiction, and non-fiction titles. All hardback and paperback editions are print-on-demand (POD), which means they are available to order at any time.

Status: Closed at time of posting, CHECK here for updates as to when they will be reading manuscripts for 2012.

What They're Looking For:

NO graphic material. That means no erotica, no horror, and no military fiction.

Consider all types of TRUE science fiction and fantasy (nothing that mandates an adult R-rating). Teen / Young Adult books should keep as close to a G-rating as possible. Genre Fiction works should fall under a standard PG rating, which means it is suitable for young teens and up to read.

Publishing Formats: hardback, paperback, and various eBook editions.

Most paperback editions are available at wholesale discount from Createspace Direct. Some paperback and hardback editions are available at wholesale discount from Ingram.

Payment: royalties (do not offer advances on royalties nor work through agents)

Submission Guidelines (always verify):

When submissions re-open, fill out the Submission Query Form. If the Submissions Editor requests to read more, have a full synopsis (outline in paragraph form) and a partial (chapters 1-3, plus prologue if applicable) ready to send in the appropriate formatting. Send all emails in plain text (i.e. non-HTML). Never send attachments without prior approval. Unsolicited files are deleted unread and SPAM is reported to the webhost.

All authors (and artists) must be USA citizens of 18-years or older with valid USA social security numbers for tax purposes and royalty payment options. Please note that we do not contract outside the USA and do not work through agents.

We do not read simultaneous submissions.

Please do not submit manuscripts for contract consideration, unless you understand the basics of POD (from general sales distribution to online marketing) and how it is different from print-run distribution. | Read our article: WHAT IS POD?... |

Contact: use ONLINE contact form

What's the Buzz?

"I found Dragonfly Publishing, Inc. online. Since 2008, DFP has held a children’s picture book contest. DFP has to keep their submissions closed most of the time because they get too many and just can’t physically handle the volume, so Senior Editor Pat Gaines came up with the wonderful idea to give aspiring authors and illustrators an opportunity to get their books in print by holding this contest. Publishing with a small press is a great stepping stone for an aspiring writer to break into publishing and the experience I’ve gained by publishing my first book with a small press, DFP, has been great." ~ Lori Calabrese

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If you have experience with this publisher or would like to add something to this profile, please leave a comment!

If you know an indie / small press we should profile, let us know! Contact info (at) danikadinsmore (dot) com.

Publishing Terms Thursday: ARC

2011-03-24T00:01:00.000-07:00

Definition: ARC is the abbreviation for advance reading copy (or advance review copy). It’s the version of the book that the publisher releases prior to the final version, and is usually sent to reviewers so that they can publish reviews of the book before the official release date to build up the buzz. Some publishers also send ARCs to the author as proof copies, so that the author can read through and make sure there are no errors.

Why This Is Important: Some review sites and publications require publishers to send them books a month or more before the official publication date. This benefits the publisher and author as well, since if the review is printed before the release date readers will already be aware of the book. Using the ARC as a proof copy is very important, since no one wants to release a book with typos or other errors. During the editing/revision process, it is still possible to miss things.

What You Can Do: If your publisher provides you with an ARC for proofing, make sure you read it carefully. If you’re aware of review venues that your publisher might not know about, pass the information along. Some publishers also allow their authors to send out review copies. The more reviews and press your book receives, the better your sales will be.

Author Tips: Don't just use the bookstore!

2011-03-22T00:01:00.000-07:00

Bookstores aren't the only venue you can use for signings and readings. If you're willing to think creatively, you might find you have a lot more options than you thought.

1. Check to see if the city you are visiting has a literary space. In Seattle, there’s Richard Hugo House. In Vancouver, BC there's Christianne’s Lyceum. In San Francisco they have Youth Speaks. Why not hold a themed book party, workshop, or panel in a literary or community art space? Invite 2 or 3 local authors to read with you. These places have their own audiences and each author brings some as well. Throw in some snacks and beverages and people will get comfortable and hang out.

2. In a small town or neighborhood, how about getting space at a Farmer’s Market or another local fair of some kind? This is a great way to talk with a lot of different people.

3. Do events in people’s homes. One author did an entire book tour out of fans’ homes. He said each audience was different. He also said the hosts were good at getting audiences, because no one likes to throw a party to an empty house. He would read from his book and then engage the group in a discussion. Sometimes they all bought books, sometimes none bought books, but you can bet they remembered the experience.

Of course, school and library visits are terrific, but are there other appropriate educational environments that might work well for your book? A zoo? An aquarium? A science center? A planetarium?

Think outside the box!

Small Press Profiles: Featherweight Publishing

2011-03-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

While we publish works from experienced and talented adult authors, we also feature a less traditional line of books in our Crayon Line. In the effort to encourage aspiring writer and foster confidence in our next generation of author, we offer children's books written by children. We believe in finding that undeveloped kernel of budding talent and providing it with professional editing and guidance, mentoring our literary future.

Status: Accepting Submissions

What They're Looking For:
High-quality stories that includes kids' emotional lives and interests from children's picture books to YA novels about issues that affects teens of all gender identification to kids books written by kids.

Variety of formats: fiction, nonfiction, and even cookbooks for kids. Interested in positive, intriguing, and well-written stories that engage and entertain whether it is through humor, adventure, romance or the paranormal.

All materials need to be appropriate for kids, but do not talk down to the audience. Simple but not simple-minded for the youngest readers. Added elements of adventure and mystery engage the slightly older readers while teen readers demand more sophisticated works that reflect true to life relationships they are experiencing themselves. Mystery and paranormal elements are popular in Young Adult works.

Work should show positive role models and positive resolutions to the conflicts presented in the stories. We accept manuscripts with both mainstream and GLBT main characters.

Publishing Formats: print, but also make titles available in all current electronic formats when possible.

Payment: Royalty rates: 15 percent on net for print and 50 percent on net for ebook/audio book

Submission Guidelines (always verify):

Only accept electronic submission in Word .doc / .docx, .rtf files, or Open Office files.

Send cover letter, a synopsis, and a partial or full manuscript.

For works over 55,000 words: send first three chapters plus the final one.
For works under 55,000 words send in full manuscripts.

Send the cover letter, synopsis and manuscript to submission.featherweight@gmail.com

We try to respond to every author within three weeks of the date of submission to acknowledge receipt. Each submission gets a thorough reading and the senior editor writes an individual evaluation. Even if your manuscript isn't suitable for us, you'll have a professional evaluation in hand to help you improve your story.

Contact: http://www.featherweightpublishing.com/contact.php

What's the Buzz?

We have not heard any discouraging news about this publisher.

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If you have experience with this publisher or would like to add something to this profile, please leave a comment!

If you know an indie / small press we should profile, let us know! Contact info (at) danikadinsmore (dot) com.

Publishing Terms Thursday: Earn Out

2011-03-17T00:04:00.001-07:00

Definition: An earn out is the point at which an author's earned royalties equal their advance.

Why this is important: Even if you’re not getting an advance, this is useful information for the future. For a publisher, earning out is the goal, and your future sales will likely be determined by how well your previous books did at earning back your advance money.

What you can do: Mostly be aware and knowledgeable. If you’re given a large advance (unlikely with a small press, but possible) don’t rest on it just because you already have your money. Do everything you can to make every book a success. Future sales may depend on it!

Author Tips: Do signings where you know you have an audience

2011-03-15T00:01:00.001-07:00

Reality check here: If you are a debut author that no one has heard of, chances are people are not going to flock to your book reading (unless perhaps you are already well-known for something else). There's a lot of competition out there for audience attention.

Because of this, it’s better to plan your initial bookstore events in towns where you have a lot of family and/or friends who can help you fill your seats. In addition, plan on marketing yourself via facebook, blogging, e-mail blasts, fliers to libraries or other appropriate organizations, etc.

If you can convince the store you can bring a following, and you're willing to put in the marketing effort, you’re half-way there. Don’t argue with the bookstore staff if they tell you they don’t think they can get you an audience. They know their customers and it’s no fun for anyone when two people show up. (Also, if the store can't/won't carry your book for whatever reason, your likelihood of a reading goes down. Don't argue with them about carrying your book either!)

Small Press Profiles: Lee and Low Books

2011-03-12T21:00:00.000-08:00

*Small Press Profiles are posted in order to highlight legitimate small / indie presses for our readers considering working with a small press. We can not guarantee they will consider your work. Do your research and submit appropriately. Remember - legitimate small presses do not charge fees. When in doubt, check Preditors & Editors.*

About: (taken from the website)
Lee and Low Books is a family-owned children's publishing company, a throwback to what many publishers used to be: independent, generational businesses in which the people running the company have a personal stake in its success. A major goal of the company is to meet the need for stories that children of color can identify with and that all children can enjoy. In addition, we make a special effort to work with writers and illustrators of color.

The company was founded by Philip Lee and Tom Low in 1991 and published its first list in spring 1993. Since then LEE & LOW BOOKS' titles have won numerous awards and honors, including the Coretta Scott King Award, the Pura Belpré Award Honor, the Parents' Choice Award, the Jane Addams Children's Book Award, Child magazine's Best Books Award, and Best Children's Books of the Year honors from Bank Street College.

LEE & LOW BOOKS is one of the few minority-owned publishing companies in the country. "When we started the company, there was a lot of interest in books focused on multiculturalism," says CEO/co-founder Tom Low, "but most of the titles were folktales about exotic people from distant lands. We felt strongly that it was important to have books with contemporary settings that reflect how people live today."

What They're Looking For:

Fiction and nonfiction featuring children/people of color, for readers ages 5 to 12. Of special interest are realistic fiction, historical fiction, and nonfiction with a distinct voice or unique approach. We do not publish folklore and animal stories.

Imprint BEBOP BOOKS: culturally diverse stories for children who are just beginning to read.

Imprint TU PUBLISHING: multicultural fantasy, science fiction, and mysteries for middle grade and YA.

Imprint ARCOIRIS: wide range of Spanish language books for kids.

Status: Accepting Submissions

Publishing Formats: Hardcover and paperback

Payment: unknown

Submission Guidelines (always verify through website):

Only accepted through post. No email of fax submissions. Manuscripts should be typed doubled-spaced and accompanied by a cover letter that includes a brief biography of the author, including publishing history. The letter should also state if the manuscript is a simultaneous or an exclusive submission.

· Picture book manuscripts: Send complete manuscript. No longer than 1500 words for fiction and 3000 words for nonfiction. Do not include illustrations unless you are a professional illustrator.

· Middle grade manuscripts of more than 10,000 words, send a query letter with story synopsis and chapter outline. Do not send the complete manuscript.

Responds ONLY if interested. If no response within six months, assume your work does not fit their needs.

Submissions Editor
LEE & LOW BOOKS
95 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016.

Guidelines for TU BOOKS (MG/YA speculative fiction): typed doubled-spaced and accompanied by a cover letter that includes a brief biography of the author, including publishing history. The letter should also state if the manuscript is a simultaneous or an exclusive submission.

Include a synopsis and first three chapters of the novel. Do not send the complete manuscript.

Submissions Editor
Tu Books
95 Madison Avenue
Suite 1205
New York, NY 10016

Contact:
general inquiries: general@leeandlow.com
OTHER inquiries/departments

What's the Buzz?

We have heard good things about this publisher via interviews and blog articles.

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If you have experience with this publisher or would like to add something to this profile, please leave a comment!

If you know an indie / small press we should profile, let us know! Contact info (at) danikadinsmore (dot) com.

Brigitta Teaser and Imaginary Worlds Tour!!

2011-03-11T09:28:00.001-08:00

Indie Debut novelist Danika Dinsmore kicks off her Imaginary Worlds Tour this Monday with a reading and book signing at University Books in Seattle, WA.

The tour marks the launch of her "mainstream" edition of Brigitta of the White Forest (en theos prerss)

For more Imaginary Worlds events, visit her Brigitta of the White Forest events page on facebook.

She's been working on a live-action book trailer and her crew put together a teaser with some of the book trailer test footage:

Publishing Terms Thursday: Royalties, Net and Gross

2011-03-10T00:01:00.001-08:00

Definition: Royalties are the percentage of sales that publishers pay authors, either in place of an advance, or after the advance earns out. Royalties come in two basic kinds, gross (which is based on cover price) and net (which is based on the publisher’s cash received/profits.)

Why this matters: Small presses often go for net royalties, perhaps because it’s easier on the accounting. But that means that the actual percentage of what the author gets is smaller, since it is calculated after applying retail discounts and not before.

What you can do: First, know what kind of royalties you’re dealing with, and what rate your publisher is offering. If it’s net, the royalty rate should be higher than the normal 10%, especially if you’re dealing with a small press that offers royalties instead of an advance. Knowing what kind of royalties you’re getting will also help in developing accurate expectations.

For an even better explanation of royalties, check out this post at the Pub Rants blog.

Author Tip: Make a press kit.

2011-03-08T00:01:00.001-08:00

Having a press kit on your website is one of the best things you can do for yourself as a busy writer. It's convenient for bloggers and newspaper staff, and it keeps you from having to send out bios and photos every time someone wants to talk about your book.

For a full and awesome run-down of what to put in a press kit, check out this post by Saundra Mitchell called Building Your Own Press Kit.

Small Press Profiles: Soto Publishing Company

2011-03-05T09:00:00.001-08:00

Publishing Terms Thursday: Advance

2011-03-03T00:01:00.001-08:00

Definition: Also known as an advance against royalties, advances are payment to an author when a contract is signed for a new book. It’s considered advance payment of royalties that the publisher believes the book will earn.

Why this is important: It’s important to be aware that many small presses do not offer advances. That doesn’t mean they don’t believe the book will sell, but rather that the company’s finances or set-up don’t allow for a large amount of money to be paid to the author up front.

What you can do: If your publisher doesn’t offer advances, be aware that you will need to budget your time and/or money to allow for the amount of time that will pass between signing the contract and the book’s release date, and the amount of time you’ll have to spend on publisher-requested revisions.

Also no advance is not always a bad thing. Advances are nice up front , but they increase the risk if your book does not sell well. While most authors are not required to return the advance if it does not earn out, having a big gap between advances and earnings can really hurt an author’s chance of selling another book.

Author Tip: Use different aspects of your book as selling points

2011-03-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

Before contacting bookstores or schools, practice what you want to say and determine whether there’s an aspect of the book that they might find particularly appealing. For example, when I (Jo) spoke to the store here about my signing, I played up the paranormal/metaphysical parts of Connection, because I knew from my first visit that the owner tries to be on top of current trends in fiction and I know that paranormal is big right now.

On the other hand, earlier in the month when I scheduled a visit to my daughter’s high school, I emphasized the themes of bullying and tolerance that appear in the novel, because those are big issues in schools today.

Small Press Profiles: Jupiter Gardens

2011-02-26T09:00:00.000-08:00

They currently publish three distinct lines:

Jupiter Gardens Press - original line includes fiction and nonfiction based on, or about, alternative spirituality. Will also publish fiction which attempts to answer or contemplate a question facing society, civilization, or humankind. This includes all genres except erotica.

Jupiter Gardens Press Thebe - this line includes all forms of science fiction and fantasy. Everything from high fantasy to hard science fiction, cyberpunk, steampunk, magical realism, slipstream…if it’s science fiction or fantasy they want it.

Pink Petal Books - this imprint is for romance in all its forms. They welcome romance with all heat levels and in all subgenres. Novels published by Pink Petal Books focus on the character’s relationship, because they "believe love is a beautiful thing." Full guidelines are available at www.pinkpetalbooks.com

They have merged Kittyhorse Publishing with Jupiter Gardens Press, and will publish children's and YA content so long as they meet the regular lines above. Please send them to the regular submission's address and indicate that the work is aimed at young adults or children.

Publishing Formats: Ebooks and POD trade paperbacks

Payment: Royalties. 40% for ebooks and 10% for print.

Contract asks only for electronic and print rights, everything else belongs to author.

Submission Guidelines (always verify current guidelines): To submit your work for consideration, email submissions(a)jupitergardens.com with a cover letter detailing your writing experience (if any, new authors welcome), and attach in RTF format, a 2-4 page synopsis, and the first three chapters. Current response time is 2 to 4 weeks. NO simultaneous submissions.

Contact:

Mailing address: Jupiter Gardens, LLC, PO Box 191, Grimes, IA 50111
Email address: service(at)jupitergardens.com

What's the Buzz?
from a Jupiter Garden's author:
"Jupiter Gardens Press publishes metaphysical nonfiction as well as science fiction, fantasy, and fiction dealing with metaphysical topics. They’re currently building their young adult/children’s line, focusing mainly on YA at this time.

The company’s owner is very invested in doing the best possible for her authors, including constantly seeking new marketing/promotion outlets, providing catalogs to bookstores and online retailers, and being very hands-on in working with authors in the pre-publication process. Jupiter Gardens books are listed with Ingram, so are available in or through bookstores around the country as well as the major online retailers."

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If you have experience with this publisher or would like to add something to this profile, please leave a comment!

If you know a legitimate small press you would like us to profile, please e-mail info(at)danikadinsmore.com

Publishing Terms Thursday: Print-on-Demand

2011-02-24T00:01:00.000-08:00

Definition: Print on demand or POD is a form of printing technology in which new copies of a book are not printed until an order has been received. It’s used in situations where it is not economical to print large runs using traditional printing technology.

Why this is important: A lot of small presses are moving to POD for their print books. This means the book will be paperback, not hardback, and the quality may be slightly less (though this is improving all the time). What really affects small press authors though, is that most POD books cannot be returned.

(For why this matters, see our definition post on returns)

What you can do: Understand that many people still confuse print-on-demand with self-publishing or vanity publishing. Your best defense will be to be knowledgeable, respectful and polite. Expect to sell most of your books through the Internet, or through personal contact with bookstores and schools.

Author Tips: Set up a Facebook Page

2011-02-22T00:01:00.000-08:00

A Facebook Page is a different thing from your personal profile It's a little more streamlined, a little less personal. But a Facebook Page is one of the best things you can do for yourself as an author, for several reasons.

1. No friend limit. Did you know that your profile page has a friend limit? That if you ever become awesome enough to have four thousand fans, you might end up having to cut some of them off? Not with a Facebok Page. There's no limit to the number of likes you can get.

2. No email limit. Facebook also puts limits on the number of people you can send direct messages to from your profile. This limit is very low, around twenty people, which makes updating a lot of folks at once a bit difficult. Not so with a page. You can send updates to all your fans with one message.

3. More privacy. My Facebook profile is almost completely private. I only friend people I know, or writers I've connected with. As a result, I feel safe there. I can post things and know that no one is going to attack me on my own page. I can talk about my life a little more freely (not too much more, the internet is always watching after all). Keeping my page and profile separate helps me keep my writing life from bleeding into my personal life.

One more tip. Set up the page for you as an author, rather than for a specific book. That way when you publish your next book, you won't have to try to get all your fans over to a different site.

Learn more about how to set up a Facebook Page.

Small Press Profiles: Wild Child Publishing

2011-02-19T09:00:00.000-08:00

*Small Press Profiles are posted in order to highlight legitimate small / indie presses for our readers considering working with a small press. We can not guarantee they will consider your work. Do your research and submit appropriately. Remember - legitimate small presses do not charge fees. When in doubt, check Preditors & Editors.*

About: (from the website): Wild Child Publishing.com has been on the web since August 1999. It began when two roommates with a love for the English language surfed the web and realized there were few, if any at the time, good online magazines. Discussions about the dearth of quality creative writing on the web led to the idea to create one. But not just a magazine, a place where readers and writers could come together, meet, talk, complain, laugh, and commiserate. While both of us were trained in academia, neither of us thought that way. We expected well-crafted material that adhered to the grammatical rules but maintained an exciting and fresh approach.

For more than six years, Wild Child has accomplished that original goal. Along the way, we've expanded by adding five editors and undergone a number of web design transformations. Each change has been with the intent of improving the experience for our readers and continuing to move into the future.

Status: Open to Submissions (Note on website (1/31/11): Due to the number of novel length works in our queue, we are currently interested in stories between 5,000 - 70,000 words, unless you are previously published with us.)

What They're Looking For:
non-fiction and fiction works most likely to be accepted:
*crime
*romantic works
*historical
*horror
*science fiction
*fantasy
*self-help
*general interest non-fiction
*inspirational
*literary fiction

Publishing Formats: Primarily e-books with some titles in print.

Payment: Pays royalties of 40% on electronic formats and 10% of the wholesale print price.

Submission Guidelines (always verify): Read entire guidelines on publisher's website before submitting.

Submit electronically a query letter with 1-2 paragraph synopsis of original work with the first chapter of the manuscript in the body of the email. If they like the synopsis and first chapter, they will request a 'partial' (three chapters). If you send a partial before they request it, it will be rejected and returned.

The work must be completed in its entirety. They do not take proposals for books yet to be written.

No simultaneous submissions. Response time: 6-8 weeks.

Note from Publisher: Our standards are high. We expect submissions to be of a professional quality. Submissions with numerous grammatical and spellings errors will be rejected on the spot. If you do not take the time to catch such errors, you are not serious about writing professionally.

Contact: Marci G. Baun at mgbaun@wildchildpublishing.com.

What's the Buzz?

from some of their authors:

"They're a fantastic ebook publisher. Wonderful editors, very enthusiastic. If you want to get into ebook publishing, you can't go wrong with them."

"They gave me an overview of what to expect, along with an accurate time table. Marci kept her word on getting it out in print and also expediting the process. She is truly a professional. I've never felt alone during the entire process, she is very accessible and reliable. She stays informed and aware of the rapidly changing industry."

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If you have experience with this publisher or would like to add something to this profile, please leave a comment!

If you would like to recommend a small / indie press for us to profile, please write to info(at)danikadinsmore(dot)com

Publishing Terms Thursday: Returns

2011-02-17T00:01:00.000-08:00

Definition: Returns are unsold books that are returned for cash or credit to the publisher. While publisher’s return policies vary, most large publishers and some smaller ones do allow returns.

Why this is important: While some small presses do allow returns, a lot of them don’t. Having too many returns can bankrupt a small press. Unfortunately for you, the small press author, bookstores are reluctant to carry books that they cannot return.

What you can do: Be knowledgeable. Ask about your press’s return policy. If your small press doesn’t allow returns, contact your local independent bookstore. Some of them will let you sell books there on consignment if you’re respectful, knowledgeable, and they like your book. Don’t demand and don’t get angry. Bookstores cannot afford to stock books they can’t return, anymore then small presses can afford to have them returned.

Author Tip: If you blog, blog regularly

2011-02-15T00:01:00.000-08:00

It doesn't have to be every day, or even three times a week. But if you want to build a blog the best way to do it is to have a regular schedule. Do once a week if that's all you can do. But be consistent.

Also, if you know you're going to be busy, schedule posts ahead of time. That way all you have to do is check the comments.

Finally, don't get discouraged if you miss a day. Simply post an apology and get right back on schedule. If you enjoy blogging and you keep practicing, the rhythm will come.

Small Press Profiles: 4RV Publishing

2011-02-12T16:00:00.000-08:00

About: (from the website) 4RV Publishing LLC works one on one with accepted authors to create quality work. The staff (including published authors and experienced editors, illustrators, and designers) works together to produce professional fiction and nonfiction books for all ages. Submissions are expected to be well-written and professionally edited, with few, if any, grammatical or spelling errors. We want manuscripts that catch the attention of readers (editors) and keeps them reading to the end. Only the best are accepted.

Books may be printed in trade paperback or hardcover or both. The publisher accepts novels in many genres including nonfiction, mystery, romance, mainstream, western, Christian, and science-fiction, as well as children's books, middle grade and young adult novels.

Status: Open for submissions only during scheduled times. See guidelines for more details.

What They're Looking For:

* Children's
* Juvenile (Middle Grade)
* Young Adult
* Mystery
* Suspense
* Romance
* Mainstream
* Sci-fi
* Fantasy
* Non-fiction
* Christian
* Action/adventure
* Most genre - except with material as noted below.

NOTE: No graphic sex or erotica accepted, nor will material with violence and/or language inappropriate to the book's content be considered.

Publishing Formats: Hardcover and trade paperback. (we are under the impression that 4RV uses both traditional print runs and print on demand.) UPDATE 2/14: they are adding electronic printing to formatting types and will be converting their catalog in the near future.

Payment: Royalties, no advance.

Submission Guidelines (always verify): Electronic submissions only. All components must be sent with an email as individual attachments in Word 2003 or later and guidelines must be followed. (link to guidelines here)

Special note:. 4RV takes a 3 month option on the work, after asking for full manuscript, meaning it cannot be submitted elsewhere until rejected by 4RV during that time. If the company sends an email voicing interest in the work, 4RV has 30 days to send a contract or notice of revisions needed before a contract is offered. Until then, submissions should not be offered or a contract accepted anywhere else. The author has option not to submit.

Contact: Send electronic submissions to vp_operations@4rvpublishingllc.com and President@4rvpublishingllc.com

Mail submissions can be sent to:

4RV Publishing LLC
PO Box 6482
Edmond, OK 73083-6482

The Buzz: All of the authors we know with this publisher seem to be very happy. They appear to maintain good communication with their authors and to be up-front and realistic with them.

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If you have experience with this publisher or would like to add something to this profile, please leave a comment!

If you have a Small Press you would like us to profile, please send an e-mail to: info(at)danikadinsmore(dot)com

WELCOME to the NEW PLACE

2011-02-11T07:46:00.000-08:00

Thanks for stopping by to check out our new space!

Founded in 2009, Indie-Debut is a group of first-time authors of children's and young adult books that hail from small presses. We've joined together to spread the word about our books and support each other in the process.

We've learned that the fantasy in your head as a debut author, and the reality of the industry . . . well, they're two different things. Launching a book is exciting, overwhelming, frustrating - - and worth it! Our goal is to be able to help other debut and indie authors navigate it with something other than a penlight.

This new site will bring weekly features to do so, including Tuesday: Author Tips, Thurday: Publishing Terms, and Saturday: Small Press Profiles. As well we will try to point you towards indie friendly businesses, reviewers, and audiences.

TODAY'S OPEN HOUSE ACTIVITIES AND CONTESTS!
(contests go all weekend!)

Check out our authors websites and blogs for more fun all day:
(click author listings for link to sites)

On Miriam Forster's Blog Today:
$25 Gift-card Giveaway!!

On Darby Karchut's Blog:
Indie Debut Open House Celebration
Win a Griffin Rising Wrist Band

On Jo Ramsey's Blog:
Create Your Own Reality Contest
Win a Reality Shift T-Shirt

On Danika Dinsmore's White Forest Site
Show us Your Faerie Wings Contest!
Enter to win an autographed copy
of Brigitta of the White Forest

On Tamara Heiner's Blog:
National Make a Friend Day Blogfest
Win a Copy of One Hit Wonder by Charlie Carillo

Have fun! And let us know if there is anything else you would like on this site. What would help you as a writer and/or fan of indie presses?

A sneak peek at our new posting schedule!

2011-02-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

As I posted on Tuesday, we are very excited about our Friday Open House! We'll have links to quite a few contests and giveaways, so be sure and stop by.

Personally though, I'm just as excited about what is coming AFTER the Open House. Friday signals the start of our new posting schedule. We've revamped the site to focus more on educating and supporting small press authors, so starting Friday, the week will look like this.

Tuesday: Author Tips

Thurday: Publishing Terms

Saturday: Small Press Profiles

We know that a lot of small press authors feel overwhelmed and sometimes alone. But it doesn't have to be that way. So if there's anything you would like us to cover, or any questions you have, feel free to leave it in the comments section.

See you Friday!

It's coming....

2011-02-08T11:16:00.000-08:00

This Friday is our official "Welcome to the new Indie-Debut site" open house!

The Indie-Debut group will all be hosting little contests and fun things on thier own sites, and we'll have a master list put up on Friday in case you forget.

We've got all kinds of fun things to share, including a new posting schedule.

Come and join the party!

What Can Goodreads do for you?

2011-02-03T19:39:00.000-08:00

Originally posted at the old Indie-Debut site, article by Tamara Hart Heiner

There's this wonderful community that I'm only just beginning to participate in-- it's the Goodreads community. I've often heard people talk about how they are addicted to Facebook and Goodreads. Which I just couldn't understand. What is so great about Goodreads?

A lot, apparently. Goodreads promotes their authors. Besides the fact that a quick skim of updates lets me know who added what book and who liked what, there are FREE services for Goodreads authors.

Are you aware of what Goodreads can do for you? Here are a few things.

1) A blog. What's great about this blog is I don't actually have to write a new blog every time. I just linked my Goodreads account to my Blogger account, and everytime I post a blog, presto! It goes live on Goodreads. Do I actually have any followers? No. And I never have comments. But hey, with a little promotion, maybe someday!

2) Giveaways. I just discovered this recently. Many of us offer free books during our blog tours, with the intention of garnering interest in our books. Well, Goodreads also has this service. They 'request' that if you enter a giveaway, you also put the book into your 'to-read' list. (Not everyone does this. I know because right now I have 399 people in my giveaway contest, but my book is on only 95 'to-read' lists.) But, that is 399 people who have heard of my book now that probably hadn't heard of it before. How neat is that??

3) Author Q&A. Few things can make a person feel like a celebrity than having a bunch of strangers discuss you. Goodreads provides the place for that discussion. The author simply chooses a time period--like for two weeks--starts the discussion with a question or two, and then let's it roll. I haven't done this yet. I want to get my name out there a little more. But again, what a neat way to garner interest.

So, if you haven't checked out Goodreads, you need to. See you on there!

How to get a Small-Press Book into Barnes & Noble

2011-02-01T19:47:00.000-08:00

Originally posted at the old Indie-Debut site, article by Scott Heydt

Every author dreams of the day when he/she will sit amid a throng of adoring fans under the soothing lights of a major chain bookseller like Barnes and Noble. You sign your first contract and imagine your book lining the shelves of stores nationwide next to Twilight and Harry Potter.

Those of us not (yet) accepted by the New York conglomerate publishers have our dreams put on hold when we learn that we will sit amid adoring fans, but it will be under the soothing lights of an LCD computer screen as we jointly access Barnes and Noble's website.

Let me be up front in saying, I don't blame Barnes and Noble. But, I also don't take no for an answer. That's why I'd like to share a few tips of success that worked for me to help you possibly get your foot in the door of the Barnes and Noble business.

1. Call a local chain store of Barnes and Noble and ask to speak to the Community Relations manager. They will look your book up in the system. If it is Print on Demand or comes from a smaller publisher, you'll likely have a problem and they'll tell you their hands are tied in having an in store signing.

2. Barnes and Noble has a corporate small press division that considers titles published by smaller, independent houses for purchase by their buyers. I wrote a formal letter, accompanied by a Barnes and Noble New Title "sell sheet" to the Small Press Division. The "sell sheet" has you outline how your book will stand out among the others and how you will assist with marketing. I received a letter a few weeks later saying my book was being purchased by the buyers, therefore I had a green light for in store signings.

3. In the meantime, when you have the Community Relations manager on the phone, inquire about any "New Author Nights" they may have upcoming. A branch near my home held an evening with 12 different authors (in 2 shifts) that were from self-published or small press houses. We were given the chance to speak for 5 minutes and sign for an hour. Not the same as an individual signing, but a great exposure opportunity nevertheless.

4. Speak with local middle and high schools who hold book fairs. Some book fairs are sponsored by Barnes and Noble. You may not have a title that's on the shelves in a store, but if they can access it from their database, they may be able to include your title among the selection when the time comes.

5. Finally, check back with your local chains every few months. Corporate policies change, and maybe you'll catch a lucky break.

Best of luck. I hope to see your name and picture spattered on a promotional poster in the near future!

An Indie Bookstore Owner Talks about Working with Small Press Books

2011-01-29T19:40:00.000-08:00

Originally posted at the old Indie-Debut site, article by Amy Allgeyer Cook

A few weeks ago, I visited with the owner of an Independent Bookstore here in Boise. We talked about my book and the Indie-Debut 2010 group. As I hoped, she had a lot of thoughts I hadn't thunk before.

1. She said working with small or micro-press authors has it's pros and cons. While she loves the passion and enthusiasm they bring with their book, she doesn't appreciate the ego that sometimes comes with it. Self-published authors especially have a hard time accepting 'no' for an answer if she decides not to carry their book.

Another problem is supply. Small presses work with distributors to ship their books. The ease with which a bookstore can order copies (and whether they can return unsold ones) depends on the distributor. If the distributor is POD, ordering can be difficult and returns not allowed. For the Pacific Northwest, she recommended Partners West Regional. They put out a catalogue listing all the books they distribute. That's a plus too, since she can look through one big catalogue instead of a multitude of small ones directly from the publishers.

2. I presented our Indie-Debut 2010 Catalogue and she said there was a lot of info missing. Really? Like what? Little things like how to order the books! What the trim size is!! PRICES!! In our defense, a lot of that info isn't available yet. For books coming out in December, price points haven't been determined & ISBN's haven't been assigned.

Her solution was simple. Don't call it a catalogue. She showed me a booklet Random House puts out called the Paperback Reader. It lists books available with a short summary, age range and sometimes a little about the author. That's what we have. So our Indie-Debut "2010 Catalogue" will now be titled "2010 Releases" and will be dressed up a little more.

3. She also suggested going to a tradeshow (like ALA, BEA, etc) which is an idea we've already been toying with. If you're a Pacific Northwest Author and you're considering attending tradeshows, she recommended the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association. This year, it'll be held October 7, 8 & 9 in Portland. Publishers, authors, booksellers and librarians all attend and it's a great way to get your book in front of people.

4. Lastly, we talked about my book. I gave her the pitch and told her a little of the book's publishing history. She agreed it sounded like something she'd be interested in so I will take her an ARC when they're available and keep my fingers crossed. And if she says no, I hope I'm graceful enough to say, "Thanks anyway."

Do your best to find out about their distribution

2011-01-27T19:34:00.000-08:00

Originally posted at the old Indie-Debut site, article by Lori Calabrese

I want to direct everyone to an interesting article at the Book Designer titled "What Does Distribution Really Mean for Self-Publishers?"

Yeah, the article is directed toward self-publishers, but I think there's a lot for a writer to learn regarding distribution, whether you're with a large press, small press, or decide to self-publish. The article provides some insight into the difference between distribution and having a listing in the Ingram catalog...

Joel Friedlander says, "A self-publisher these days, having read one too many websites, thinks that having their book printed at Lightning Source grants them “distribution.” You can go to different author-services companies and buy “distribution packages” which amount to about the same thing: a listing in the Ingram catalog.

According to this, distribution is equal to a catalog listing. It is simply made available for purchase.

But this is really closer to the definition of a wholesaler, not a true distributor. Even small-press distributors attempt to sell the books of their publishers. A large, traditional publisher doesn’t just have a listing in a catalog. They have a dedicated sales force."

If you're looking into publishing with a small press, do your best to find out about their distribution. Do they make your book available for purchase with a listing in Ingram or do they have a distributor and a dedicated sales force?

Information is key!

Do Small Press Credits Hurt Your Chances for Future Publication?

2011-01-25T20:02:00.000-08:00

Swing by kidlit.com for a great article about small press, contest and magazine credits -- as well as what to include on a writing resume. (Note: Not the Olive Garden Gift Certificate!)

The Business of Writing

2011-01-22T20:01:00.000-08:00

Originally posted at the old Indie-Debut site, article by Amy Allgeyer Cook

Since I signed the contract to publish my book, I've been swamped with new work. Editing? Yes. Discussions with illustrators and web-designers? Yes. But what takes up most of my time?

Marketing.

I've been joining groups, chasing interviews, checking into networking opportunities. I have new Facebook, Jacketflap and various other social networking accounts. I've posted news of my contest win on every writer's board I can find, and I've forwarded so many links to friends and family that I'm worried some of them are going to add my email address to their junk mail list.

It's amazing how many hours and hours of work it takes to do this marketing thing. After all those hours, I've come to a rather surprising revelation.

Writing books is a business.

Shocking, I know. You published writers already know this, but it caught me a little by surprise. I thought my work was done when the final edits were approved. I planned to sit back with a cold drink and watch the counter on my website click toward a million.

After creating my marketing plan, I know that's not the case at all. In fact, all this work I'm doing now...just an smidgen compared to what's in store once the book is released. At that point, I'll still be doing networking and announcement posting, but I'll also have interviews, book signings, contest submissions, book review, school visits...sheesh! I'm tired already. But it's in my best interest to work hard. After all, it's my book I'm selling. Mine.

My publisher obviously wants me to succeed but if I don't, they have other irons in the fire. If I don't succeed, this book falls by the wayside and I've failed as a debut author. That's business.

Some of you might remember last year's brouhaha of Queryfail/Agentfail. After reading through the discussions, the thing that stuck with me all year was the quote of a writer who said, "Just because we can't write a good query letter, doesn't mean we can't write a good book."

Hmm...well...

First up, the disclosure: I myself said something very close to this when I started submitting. I understand the sentiment, but after six years of writing, I no longer hold the belief.

Next, the acknowledgment: Query letters are no fun to write. They aren't creative writing; they're a sales tool, which is a very different animal than prose, verse, voice and plot.

Last, my point: Writing books is a business. Query letters are part of the business.

As an architect, I can't pick and choose which parts of Architecture I'll do. I can't say, "I'll draw your floor plans and wall sections, but I'm not doing the elevations because I'm not good at those." I wouldn't be very successful that way. It's the same with writing.

Queries, cover letters, synopses...they are all part of the business. You don't have to enjoy them. You don't have to frame them or hang them on your wall. But if you want to be a writer, you have to do them.

If you want to be a successful writer, you have to do them well. That's business.

Your First Book Contract

2011-01-20T19:58:00.000-08:00

Originally posted at the old Indie-Debut site, article by Lori Calabrese

Five Things To Watch For.

First, off, let me say this: I'm no lawyer.

Second: Your best line of defense in signing a book contract is to get an agent or a lawyer to look over it before you sign it. If you go the lawyer route, make sure you find one who specialized in literary contracts. (Try The Authors Guild for help).

Contracts are tricky things, and it's in the publishers interest to get the most out of their authors. Obviously, they'll slant the contract in their favor, so it's up to you to make sure your concerns are covered. That said, below are five seemingly minor points that you might want to take some time to consider. (The wording used in the examples below comes from typical sample contracts available on-line (google 'sample book contract') and in publishing books, such as The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting Published.)

1) Conflicting Publication/Non-compete clause.

The sample contracts I reviewed state something like this:

"The Author agrees that until termination of this agreement, s/he will not, without the written permission of the Publisher, publish or permit to be published any book that is directly competitive with the work."

So...the million dollar question here is, what exactly does 'directly competitive with the work' mean? I asked about this on a message forum, and was happy to have the esteemed Harold Underdown respond with the following:

"...in practice, "directly competitive" should mean what it says. A picture book is NOT directly competitive with a novel of any kind, and actually I tend to feel that a middle-grade fantasy should not be considered directly competitive with a realistic middle-grade novel."Directly competitive" should also take time of publication into account. Usually, clauses like this are meant to prevent two books of the same type by the same author from coming out in the same season. And that's pretty reasonable, actually, and not something most people would mind.

This clause should not be set up in such a way as to prevent you from publishing a middle-grade fantasy with another publisher three years after a middle-grade fantasy with this publisher...."Does your publisher agree with Harold? Best clarify that before you sign. Some publisher's may feel that any middle-grade fiction would be directly competitive. Other's may define it more narrowly, ie, another middle-grade vampire book.

2) Length of contract and territory. As pointed out above, your contract will run for a specific length of time. It will also cover a specific geographic area. Most boiler plate contracts list "throughout the world" or "all countries of the world". This is normal, though it does not include translation rights. The rights to your book in various languages are seperately granted for each language, and are usually negotiated seperately, at a later date.

Length of contract can sometimes be a stumbling block. Some contracts define 'length' as "the term of the copyright" which is 95 years. If your non-compete clause runs the term of the copyright, it could be a very long time indeed before you can sell a vampire story to another press.

3) Promotion. Not all contracts involve promotion. Many I looked at didn't even mention it. However, if you're publishing with a smaller press (who might have a limited marketing budget) you may be required to do a fair amount of promotion on your own. If so, there will be a section in your contract addressing that. This isn't a bad thing. Obviously, you want your book to do well and so does your publisher, so you're both on the same side. Just make sure the wording in your contract is very clear and specific about what you'll be expected to do. Create and update a book website, throw a launch party and create a marketing plan are typical requests.

Beware the vaguely worded clauses, though, such as "participate in publicity events as organized by the Publisher." Depending on where these events are, what they entail and how much time they take, you may be biting off more than you expect. If the publicity event is a huge trade show in New York, and you're required to get there on your own and pay for your stay, etc, you might spend more on marketing than you make from your book. Clarify this, or ask that the promotion events be mutually agreed upon, before signing.

4) Book signings. This is another form of promotion that may be governed by your contract. If so, make sure the requirements are very specific, ie. five book signings in the first twelve months of publication. Some contracts will require a certain number of books to be sold at each signing for it to 'count'. If your contract lists this as a condition, make sure the number is reasonable. For a new author with little fan base, twenty books sold would be a very successful signing. If your contract specifies a higher number, consider renegotiating with your publisher before you sign.

5) Termination. Verify in your contract under what conditions and in what time frame either you or the publisher is able to terminate the agreement. Some contracts specify that either may terminate the contract at any time for certain reasons. Others may say the publisher can terminate at any time for any reason, but you may be limited to certain conditions/time frame. In addition, all contracts are governed by the laws of a particular state, which may affect the way certain clauses are interpreted and enforced. This is where a lawyer or agent really earns their bread and butter.

In the end, a book contract is an exciting thing -- definitely cause for celebration. Having a professional look it over will protect you down the road and help you sleep easier. Cheers!

Five Tips to Give Helpful Manuscript Critiques

2011-01-18T19:26:00.000-08:00

Originally posted at the old Indie-Debut site, article by Amy Allgeyer Cook

The very best thing you can do for your writing is to find a good critique group. There are many ways to go about that, but that's a post for another day. Let's assume for now, you already have a critique group. Needless to say, they are phenomenal human beings who give you wonderful advice and suggestions on your many writing projects.Obviously, (superfluous adverb there for my editor) you'll want to return the favor. Here are five tips on how to give helpful comments and avoid hurt feelings or (shudder) tears.

1. Don't say, "I don't like this." Your job, as critiquer extraordinaire is to comment on the craft of the piece. Chances are, you haven't enjoyed every book you've read, and the books you hated are probably someone's favorites. You aren't going to enjoy every piece that comes through your group.

Ignore the fact that you hate stories about horses and focus on how well the words flow. Does the writer 'tell' too much? Would the story benefit from a different point of view? Is "Fluffy Bunnypie" not a good name for a horse? Try to help the writer make his/her story the best it can be...even if you never want to read it again.

2. Be specific. I had an agent once who's revision request included 'making the main character stronger', and that 'the dialogue seemed forced in some places'. I stared at that letter for days. Whose dialogue? Which places? Forced in what way? And...make the M.C. stronger how? Stronger in voice? Stronger emotionally? Strong enough to lift tall buildings in a single...oh, wait. I messed that up didn't I?

Anyway, the point remains. The advice was so vague it was useless. If you're reviewing a piece in dialect and the phonetic spelling is tripping you up, don't say, "The voice isn't working." Say, "The dialect makes this very hard for me to read." If the writer gets the same comment from everyone, s/he will know exactly what to work on.

3. Be kind. Just because someone has written something truly dreadful does not mean they deserve to be drawn and quartered. It's not a crime to write bad first drafts. That's the whole reason for critiques. Try to state whatever criticism you have in the gentlest terms possible. You're a writer, after all, a master of words. You can figure out a nice way to say, "This is dryer than Mr. Norell's undergarments."

4. It's the opposite of ironing. When you iron a shirt, you start with the collar, then the cuffs. You work your way from small parts to large, so the front and back are the last parts ironed and don't get mussed up. It's the opposite with writing. If you're critiquing a piece by a fairly new author, you may crit something with LOTS of stuff wrong. If you mark every single thing (comma placement, adverbs, apostrophe's, word overuse, etc), you'll hand back something covered in red and most likely demoralize the writer.

Instead, focus on the things that will change the story the most: is the plot too advanced (or too simple) for the targeted age? should the character be a boy instead of a girl? would the book be better set in contemporary times instead of the dynasty of Cleopatra? Once the big elements are fixed, you can always go back and rearrange the apostrophes.

5. Balance. Yes, you're offering suggestions for improvements, but don't forget to comment on the positive too. It's just as important for us writers to know what we've done right. If you're a person who tends to focus on the negative, organize your comments like this. Begin with something positive. Then, mention a couple ways you think the manuscript might be improved. And always, always finish with something positive. Think of it as a criticism sandwich...with really nice bread.

And remember, a good critique is a true gift. The more you give, the more you'll get back on your own pieces.

How To Tell If A New Or Small Press Is Legitimate

2011-01-15T19:49:00.000-08:00

Check out this article tweeted by Jon Bard and posted at the CBI Clubhouse! New and Small Presses are wonderful opportunities for aspiring authors, but there are some that aren't on the up-and-up. Click the link for great pointers on vetting new and small presses.

Writing Compelling Characters

2011-01-13T19:35:00.000-08:00

Originally posted at the old Indie-Debut site, article by Tamara Hart Heiner

How well do we know our characters?

People aren't static. Everything we do changes us. Everything we witness, everything that happens to us.

Yet often times in books, it seems that the characters are static. Flat. They don't change. As readers we anticipate a change. We watch the cause on one screen and turn to the next screen to see the effect. If there is none, we feel a huge let-down.

The relationship between your characters is changing, evolving. Have you noticed? How well do you really know your characters?

My characters have a huge back story. Most of it is never revealed in the book. At one point it was revealed, but most of those scenes have been deleted. And it doesn't matter. My characters still react to things in context of their histories. The little reveals add depth to the novel, they add mystery and intrigue. Just like our relationships with our friends in real life.

When we meet someone, they don't hand us a pamphlet with their back story (though heaven knows, sometimes it would be nice). We get to know them little by little. We discover their eccentricities and what makes them tick, and sometimes we never quite find out what it is about brown socks and rabbits that sends them into a tizzy every time, but we know it does.

With our characters, we get to be parents. Gods. Procreaters. Again and again and again. When I created Jayne for my book Inevitable, I had so much fun making her features, designing her personality, and thinking up her favorite things to do. But just like with parenting, an interesting thing happened: as I wrote about Jayne, some things really fit--and others didn't. How?? I made her! But Jayne took on her own life. She is who she is, not who I want her to be.

It's okay to mess with your characters. Do something crazy, just for fun. Write a scene where one of your characters breaks a personal moral standard. What does that do to your character? How does it affect the relationships with the other characters? Write a scene where the character witnesses a crime. Loses a sibling. Gets a scholarship.

Get to know your characters again. It's amazing how dynamic they are.

When to Stop Revising

2011-01-11T19:55:00.000-08:00

Originally posted at the old Indie-Debut site, article by Lori Calabrese

Five Signs You've Done All You Can Do

You've done it. You've written a book. Your manuscript is complete; your story arc has touched down; you've reread it and revised it, and responded to comments from your critique group. But is it ready to send out? Shouldn't you go through it one more time, just to make sure?

Maybe not. Obviously, we want our submittals to be the best they can be, but I've seen more writers over-edit than under. We put off sending it out, and assure ourselves we're just being cautious. Often, though, this is a subconcious effort to avoid rejection. But how do you know?

Here are five tips to help you decide if you're being prudent or wimpy.

1) You've changed something back to an earlier version. If you drafted a revision, then decided two weeks later that it worked better in the original, chances are it's time to stop revising. You could go back and forth forever. Better to send it out and see what a professional makes of it than spin your wheels endlessly.

2) The revisions you're working on make the book 'different' but not necessarily 'better'. There are hundreds of little changes that would make our books 'different'. Sometimes, those are worthwhile or even well-advised. For example, if you have a book titled, "A Skewed Kind of Perfect", you might want to consider changing the name before submitting. But if you're making a lot of revisions that don't improve the manuscript, it's probably time to stop revising. If an editor or agent loves your book, they're certainly not going to reject it because your main character's name is Bob instead of Bill.

3) Your critique group opens your submittal and groans, "Ugh. Not this again." I usually submit something to my critique group once. If they suggest huge revisions to it, I might send it back for feedback on the changes, but that's rare. I never, ever send anything three times. My feeling is, once my crit partners have signed off on it, it's pretty darn close to editor-ready.

4) Your heart isn't in it. Remember the first-draft days when you couldn't wait to get the kids off to school? You raced to your computer, opened your word doc and sighed with delight as you immersed yourself in the bright, new world you created. If you don't feel at least a smidgeon of the same love for your manuscript, it's time to move on to something new.

Writers write because it's their passion. If the passion between you and your manuscript is gone, it's because you've turned it into a job instead of a love. Send it out and let someone else fall in love with it.

5) You can't figure out what else to do with it. This seems obvious. If you can't find anything else to fix, it must be ready. Right? Yet so many times, we writers fail to see this. It happens most often with the first book. We stare at the words; we make small changes (a la #2); but we just can't believe it's ready.

Perhaps we're waiting for a sign from the Almighty. Send out your book now written in the clouds. Having written five-and-two-halves books, I can tell you that isn't going to happen. So if you can't figure out what to do next, the next step is probably to send it out. The first round of comments you get back will help you determine if there really is something you need to address, or if it just needs to find the right home. Either way, you're making forward progress.

Remember...one-hundred percent of shots not taken, don't score. Your book will never be published if it remains hidden on your hard drive. Take a chance. Send it out!

New Writer? Why You Shouldn't Start with a Trilogy

2011-01-08T19:57:00.000-08:00

Originally posted at the old Indie-Debut site, article by Amy Allgeyer Cook

Five Reasons Multi-Book Series Are a Hard First Sell

Ask any editor and they'll tell you series books are hot in the children's market. I love series books myself. I already know the world and I'm invested in the characters; they're like old friends. But for first time writers, series books may not be the easiest thing to sell. Why?

1. Publisher's take a chance with first-time authors. They have no idea if a new writer's voice will resonate with an audience and new writers have no fan base. Publishers know they'll be doing more marketing for a new author than they would for a well-known one, and if the book doesn't sell, that money is gone. Given that, they're less inclined to take on a contract for several books, not knowing if the first one will succeed...or end up remaindered.

2. You limit yourself to the larger publishing houses. Small publishers are a godsend for new writers. Unlike the big houses, small publishers are willing to accept unagented submissions. They also receive fewer submissions per year than the big guys, which means your manuscript has a better chance at a small house. But small publishers only put out a limited number of books per year, sometimes just 6-10.

I was told by an editor of a small press that she doesn't even consider trilogies or series books, since she'd be investing too much of her budget (something like 10% for each year a series book comes out) in one writer. Publishers are businesses. Just like us, they need to diversify their investments to remain stable.

3. If you've written a seven-book set, you still only have one book you can submit. Linda Sue Park not withstanding, most writers don't strike gold with their first book. It's usually the second or third book (or the sixth or the eighth) that finally catches the eye of an editor or agent.

The problem with writing a many-book set is that your fourth book, no matter how fantastic it might be, can't be submitted. Only the first book can be sent out, and once that book has made the rounds, you're stuck with seven books that aren't salable. If you write seven different books, you can submit every one of them, thus sextupling your chances of landing a contract.

4. You're building your craft. Expand your horizons. The more you write, the more you learn. You might see yourself as I did -- a picture book writer. But after writing my first picture book, I realized something. I suck at picture books. So I moved on to middle-grade, which was a much better fit for me. I learned a little something during my brief stint writing picture books, though. There is something to be learned from each genre. The more we learn, the better we get. The better we get, the better our chance of publication.

5. Rejections letters don't sting as much when you have other books out. I speak from experience. The first middle-grade book I wrote was Book One in a fantasy trilogy. I quickly accumulated twenty-three rejection letters. But I was lucky. I landed an agent shortly after I finished the second book. "I love this book," said my agent. "Now stop working on the trilogy and go write something else." I argued with her. "Shouldn't I finish the trilogy first? While I'm immersed in this world?" But she said no, and it was good advice.

Because of her, I wrote something else and suddenly had two books to submit. Then, I wrote more. My writing improved. I had more things to send out and I wasn't getting so disappointed with rejections, because I knew I had other irons in the fire. If you put all your hopes and dreams into one book, each rejection letter will feel like your whole world has crashed. Give yourself some protection. Write another book.

Good luck!

What To Do When You're Waiting

2011-01-06T20:00:00.000-08:00

Originally posted at the old Indie-Debut site, article by Lori Calabrese

How to stay sane when the mailbox stays empty.

You wrote a book! You edited, revised and polished. You printed it out and sent it off.

Now what?

Chances are, you're looking at an estimated response time of 4-6 months. Chances also are, you'll wait longer than that. Editors and agents alike have been bombarded with queries. Blame high unemployment and the fact that everyone believes they can write a children's book. Whatever the reason, one agent I know estimates submissions are up by about two-hundred percent. That's a lot of slush to sit through. So...what to do while you wait (and wait and...)? If you're like me, you'll have a mini-episode of depression every time you visit your inevitably empty mailbox. Here are some tips to make the downtime productive.

1. Get organized! You know what I mean. That pile of post-its, napkins and paper scraps in the corner...all the notes you made about your novel. Get yourself a binder and some sheet protectors and organize those juicy tidbits into categories: backstory, character notes, plot, etc. Use whatever groupings make the most sense to you, and add a section at the back for responses. When that reply finally comes, you might have some revising to do. Having your notes in order will be very helpful.

2. Create business materials. I've said this before: Writing is a Business. Yes, it might also be an art, a talent and your one abiding passion, but it is first and foremost a business. Treat it as one. Even if this is your first submission, you'll most likely be making many more in the future, so create some documents to make your business run smoothly.

I have word.docs for a variety of purposes: a waiting list (which I update and print out weekly), self-addressed postcards for responses (with text on the rear that says: _______ book has arrived at _______ publishers), and a standard status-query letter. I also have a presentation list of all my publishing credits, a list of all my conferences and classes as well as a writing resume. These things take a lot of time to create but you don't want to take time away from writing to make them. Downtime during submittals is the perfect opportunity.

3. Create a platform. I think we've all heard about platforms by now. In case not, a platform is basically a brand. Not only do editors and agents look at what you send them, if they're at all interested they'll Google you. Did you catch that? They...Google you. What are they looking for? Blogs, facebook pages, hubs...anything that shows you're a serious writer who invests time into learning and sharing your craft.

I recently queried an agent who asked me about a post I made on Verla Kay's message board! They find everything. Make sure you have a web-existance. Start with a blog and maintain it regularly. Frequent other writers blogs and post comments. Set up profiles on writer websites such as Jacketflap and Redroom. And if you're a children's writer, join SCBWI. It's a must.

4. Start something new. It seems obvious, I know, but I had to include it. We're writers; writers write. We learn more from our own writing than from anything else. So go! Write! Starting a new manuscript will take your mind off the wait, improve your writing and at the end, give you a second book to submit. Plus, nothing takes the sting out of a rejection like being in love with a new manuscript.

5. Live your life. Do other stuff. Play with your kids. Buy groceries. Visit the Grand Canyon. All these things give us the opportunity to interact with and observe people's lives. Inspiration for a great story can come from watching an old woman blow dandelion seeds into the air at the playground. And getting out of the house will get your mind off that empty mailbox, thus keeping the depression monster at bay.

*6* Bonus tip: Submit the same manuscript to an agent. Just because you've sent a manuscript on an exclusive to an editor, doesn't mean you can't shop around for agents.

Case in point: I queried an editor in December on a middle-grade book. During the six week wait, I decided to query an agent as well. Shortly after, I got a request for the full manuscript from the editor. When the agent responded and asked for a partial, I was able to tell her an editor had requested the full and was reviewing it. When she wrote back to ask for the full manuscript, I let her know the editor liked the story and had requested a revisions. The agent obviously liked the manuscript, but knowing an editor had already expressed interest probably didn't hurt.

Hopefully, the tips above will help keep you busy...and away from the mailbox. When the response comes, whatever it is, you'll have plenty to do -- either revisions, editing or a new submission to another house.

Not Sure If Publishing With a Small Press is Right For You?

2011-01-04T20:04:00.000-08:00

Originally posted at the old Indie-Debut site, article by Lori Calabrese

I'm so excited because today I have a guest post over at Cheryl Rainfield's blog titled, Publishing With a Small Press.

The road to publication for many is often a bumpy one, and it’s ultimately up to you the writer, to decide which way you want to steer. Should you turn that wheel and head toward the bright lights of New York City, gleaming skyscrapers and huge corporations? Or should you turn that wheel toward the cottages and bed & breakfasts that line rural America? Unfortunately, there isn't a road map or GPS guiding an author to their destiny, so in this post, I talk about some of the advantages of publishing with a small press.

Hope you can stop by!

"The Deep Breath Before the Plunge"

2010-12-28T16:01:00.000-08:00

Here it come.

Just a few more days. And then we tighten our shoes laces and hit the ground running. I haven’t been this excited and this nervous about a particular year since ... well ... NEVER!

Which is why I am so thrilled to be part of the Indie-Debut 2011 group. As we “Double-Ones” gear up for our big year, it is heartening to know that the "Tenners" (the 2010 group) will be supporting us in a myriad of ways with their enthusiasm and expertise.

Discussions are zinging through the ether even now about ways and means our group of present and past Indie-Debut authors can meld together to continue to promote amazing books from amazing small presses.

As mentioned here before, small presses are recognizing that their size, flexibility, and entrepreneurial spirit makes them perfectly suited to capitalized on the new changes in the publishing world.

That same spirit is alive and on fire here at Indie-Debut.

So, 2011, here we come!

(Thanks be to J.R.R. Tolkien for the title of this post.)

A new look!

2010-12-23T13:50:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the new Indie-Debut site! As many of you know, 2010 was a wonderful year for our Indie-Debut authors. We promoted nine debut authors from nine different small presses. The books ranging from picture books to middle grade fantasy to young adult suspense.

In 2011, we hope to keep that success going. And here's how.

1. We're collecting another wide range of small press authors. So if you or anyone you know is publishing with a small press this year, drop us a line at msforster(at)lycos(dot)com for guidelines.

2. We've changed the site! We collected so much wonderful information for small press authors last year, that we wanted to make it available to other years as well. To do that, we've made the site more flexible and general. We've also added a section for past Indie-Debut authors so you can see what prior years have been doing.

3. Our posting schedule has changed. We're going to try to post regularly and we'll be posting tips and information from the original Indie-Debut 2010 site, as well as small press profiles.

Regular blog posts will start in January. In the meantime, you're welcome to become a follower, subscribe to our feed, or leave any questions in the comment section.

Thanks for visiting!
The Indie-Debut group.

Publisher format

2010-12-21T20:31:00.001-08:00

About: (from the website)
Status:
What They're Looking For:
Publishing Formats:
Payment:
Submission Guidelines (always verify):

Contact:
What's the Buzz?
__________
If you have experience with this publisher or would like to add something to this profile, please leave a comment!

If you know of a great indie/small press you'd like us to profile, send an e-mail to info (at) danikadinsmore (dot) com