Three Tips for New Authors

-
You're an aspiring author. You've just finished your new book. You're ready to shop it to agents and publishers. What are three things you should consider before you begin the process? Here are three things you should know (as told by the CEO of 3L Publishing, www.3LPublishing.com).

Your chapter 1 better rock! If there is anything you should ensure as you go to move forward and publish your book; your first chapter better be "da-bomb". It better be THE best chapter in the book or certainly as good or better than the other chapters in the book. If you have any doubt about the quality of chapter 1, you are not ready to publish.

Don't worry about a cover. So many authors feel compelled to often put together ridiculous-looking, amateur covers. Don't bother. The only thing the publisher cares about is the content. An amateur cover (even if you think it's great, because unless you're a graphic artist it's most likely amateur) detracts from your book and leaves a weak first impression when your book might be fantastic. Put your best foot forward and just include a title page.

Do a focus group for feedback, but only from qualified readers. It's great and a fabulous idea to ask for feedback to improve your book before you shop it; but I recommend you find people who are qualified to provide feedback. You can even hire a book coach (we do book coaching at 3L Publishing; send an email to info@3LPublishing.com) to help you refine your book before it's finished. Never ask what I sarcastically refer to as your "peanut gallery" (friends and family) to provide that kind of feedback. They will not be as honest as is necessary. Remember, no one wants to hurt your feelings (that is, unless you have a critical mother LOL ... just kidding ... sorta). So hire a professional to provide feedback of your book.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Step-by-Step Building Sexual Tension Between Characters

-
We'll do a kind of mini-workshop on the blog to show you how to build sexual tension either in a book or script. Watch the two methods I employ between Brea and her love interest Drew. Read it below, and I will deconstruct it for you to show you the slow progression and build up. Please notice, I know the entire storyline between these two, so I'm working by making subtle gestures that only an informed audience would notice, which is why you need to know where your story is going and how you intend for it to end so you can build the foreshadowing into the story. I'm not suggesting you don't let some parts of the story organically evolve, but I do know that to build the story arc you need to the end game and character flaws and motivations. So, let me deconstruct that scene for you. Notice a lot of looks pass between them (keeping the focus on the eye-to-eye contact, which is one of the keys to building sexual tension). And mind you, nothing is sexier than a forbidden
Read more

Can I Pick Your Brain?

-
I am blogging about this in response to another blog I saw on the subject. I didn't completely read that author's total opinion, but I read enough to post a big, "You tell 'em sister!" In my line of work as a publisher and marketing specialist, I run into prospective clients who basically through the excuse of preliminary research, put my staff to work to put together proposals, get print quotes, ask endless advice, ask for multiple meetings, etc. -- all under the guise of "picking our brains" and potential business. While we've gotten better about discerning the difference between real business opportunities and those who make endless requests only to spend time drinking coffee with us and going nowhere fast ... except off to either another publisher with our materials (usually one that in their minds is less expensive) or to try and self-publish (again, using our materials). Whether people set out to deliberately use and run, isn't the point.
Read more

In Loving Memory -- John Andrew Gamble, 1962-2011

-
Image
I rarely discuss my private life on my blog, but I wanted to take a moment to pay tribute to my brother who passed unexpectedly sometime in July in Wasilla, Alaska . John was a true mountain man. He wasn't the least bit materialistic and never cared about worldly possessions. In the last 20 years after he moved to Alaska, I saw him three times, so we were not close; but I admire that he decided to live life his way up in the wilderness fishing for endless numbers of day. I always wondered how he seemed to never bore of it. He would catch so many salmon, he would live off fresh fish year round. He loved to cook, and I honestly have no idea why he got a degree in marketing from Sacramento State. Looking back on it, I think he would have made a terrific ranger. From an early age, he loved nature. He used to catch trout with his hands up at our family cabin. We would wander the forest together. When we were little, we spent sometimes two to three weeks up there, hiking around the w
Read more