I've been asked a number of times... my answers vary from watch porn and masturbate to WRITE! Then you get well if you're writing all the time why haven't you published more books?
It's a valid question because I really did think writers wrote more… instead I find myself doing many other things that will assist me in publishing.
Let's take it from the beginning:
You have written the song of your heart… a fabulous book…
now what? Well, you don't exactly type THE END and head off to the best seller's list (I've heard rumors those exist... I wouldn't know personality LOL)
*Self-edit (or try to):
Usually I put the manuscript I've just written through an editing programming, make the corrections and re-read
it. (This might be the 10th time I've gone through my work) Then I pass it to my beta/critique partners to shred my words. Then I sort
through their feedback and improve the story.
*Submit to a publisher:
Write a query letter,
and a synopsis = imagine a book report that boils down your blood sweat and
tears into a couple of pages… then you WAIT
(bypass if you have an editor who adopts you as theirs)
(If accepted):
Edits: With editor 1,
editor 2, and possibly a third or fourth go round, lines 1-2x, proofing
Cover Art : Working
with an artist to come up with a good representation of your book that’s
marketable.
Blurb: Boiling down your stories into a jazzy two hundred word blip to entice readers to give your story a try.
(If not accepted>>> it’s back to the drawing board
with re-writes based on feedback, court a new publisher)
*Self-pub:
You get to bypass the publisher stuff but you want to make
damned sure you do the edits, proofing and you commission your cover art
directly.
*Beta/critique for others
because 1) it’s nice to return the favor 2) it helps you become a better writer
to READ for another author.
*Read articles on the craft
of writing, trends in the market, grammar, style...
*Social media
It can be a useful way to get your name out there. Yes, I’m
talking about branding (who are you as an author and getting your message to
your audience). It allows you to tell the world you birthed a new book.
(Hopefully, without overselling cause EVERYONE including the authors HATE when
that happens) But you can’t just rely on one place nope! You need to get the
word out at different times and in different places.
*Blogs:
Your own blog should be updated on a regular basis. Some
writers are able to do this once a day, every few days… me I’ve committed to
once a week. We’ve been told you’re not writing the blog for today but for the
future… meaning someone will come across a tag that leads them to you &
your magical books. So blogs are important!
*Facebook:
No surprise to some of you that Facebook is my favorite
venue! Maybe it was not being allowed to use it when I lived in China… but I
ADORE playing with my Facebook Pretties! I love what people post on my wall,
the PMs, the responses to my posts and the answers to my questions. It’s my way
of staying connected. My Pretties make me think, smile and giggle! So Facebook
is a joy to me. (I bop on and off of it while I’m writing to touch base so if
you PM me & I’m not online I’ll probably be there soon).
*Twitter:
I’ve met with people about how to make Twitter work, I’ve
even watched YouTube videos on tweeting. I’m able to do #TravelTuesday &
good LBGTQ+ news… but I’m still not comfortable with it.
*Insta-graming:
Haven’t attempted it… Know Thy Limits. I simply can’t do it all.
*Pinteresting: I try
to pin things to my boards about travel since my books are based partly on my
travel experiences. I’m even using the secret board option to work on my works
in progress.
*Website: Make sure
your website is up to date… oh and if you put your website on your writer
banner the one you plan to put on your table at Upstate Pride>>> you
might want to make sure it works… GRRRRRRR!!!! Most of my week has been devoted to making a
new website.
*Keeping up E-mail
*Conventions s
Preparation (swag can take weeks to order and longer to
figure out what makes sense with you and your books). Attending the classes/panels usually gives you more to dos while you try not to implode in a nervous wreck. Of course there's the travel time and dealing with the illness in the aftermath.... But I LOVE THEM!!! It's where my tribe meets.
Your book is releasing:
Blog Tour: You can pay for
assistance or schedule it yourself (=scheduling takes time and you usually want
to contact 8-15 blogs) Either way you should pull together a media package (all
the information on your book, cover art, blurb, excerpt & buy links) and
you need to write 8-15 blogs, announce where you will be when, and follow up with
commenters.
Giveaways: Request to
do them, schedule them, publicize, follow-up and give out prizes.
Reviews: You need to
ask review sites if they would be interested in reviewing your book. If a
review is scheduled make sure you know when so you can publicize it.
Your Rights Are Yours Again:
Books are under contract for 1-5 years with automatic renewals in some
contracts. You need to manage this. If the rights are returned to you the
choice is they go out off all bookshelves or you get them with another
publisher or learn to get them on Amazon, All Romance Books, Kobo, Apple, Draft
2 Digital, etc. (Did you need to re-write them first? If so, beta/critique
partners, editing, etc. all need to be re-done.)
There’s a number of other things that come up but those are some of the basics I spend my writing time doing. Trust me when I say I'm not complaining but I wanted to share.
So if you’re wondering why your favorite author hasn’t
gotten the next book out… these are some of the things a writer’s time is spent
doing.
Hugs, Z. Allora
