Nonfiction Ink

If you’re an author seeking a traditional publishing deal you should be aware that publishing contracts are negotiable. Negotiating a Book Contract is the best book I’ve read on the subject. Writer Mark Levine provides a comprehensive, clear and concise overview of every element found in a publishing contract, including royalties, advances, subsidiary rights, manuscript delivery obligations, termination rights, and options. Levine highlights the most important clauses and identifies which points are easy to negotiate and which are more difficult.

The detailed ‘Sample Letter of Comments’ is invaluable for authors to follow when requesting changes to their own contracts. The new revised 2009 edition of the book adds a section on Internet works and electronic rights. Even if you have a lawyer or literary agent representing you in your publishing negotiations, it’s well worth having a copy of Negotiating A Book Contract on hand while reviewing your own contract.

This classic book is a worthy and comprehensive (weighing in at 700+ pages) resource for authors and publishers. Writer John Kremer provides an overview of the fundamentals of marketing, how to plan an effective campaign, working with customers, acquiring distribution, and breaking into new markets, such as retail outlets and libraries. The core section of the book covers:

Promotion – speaking engagements, sales material, connecting with bookstores, and obtaining awards and honors

Publicity – book reviews, news releases, the media, print interviews, talk show appearances, and author tours

Advertsing – direct mail, lists, telemarketing, book fairs and festivals, and magazine, radio and television placement

Internet Sales – blogging, podcasting, Amazon, newsletters, and websites

Additional Income Sources – selling subsidiary rights and foreign rights, offering services, syndication, teaching, consulting, and spin-offs

Whether you are a traditionally published or self-published author, Kremer’s book offers valuable tips and insights to marketing your book for long-term sales.

I’m a fan of author Anthony Flacco (The Road Out Of Hell; A Checklist For Murder) and when I discovered he had co-written a book on publishing nonfiction, I grabbed a copy eager to learn what “insider’s” knowledge he would share.

Publish Your Nonfiction Book is designed specifically for writers pursuing traditional publishing. Flacco and Martin cover the twelve main types of commercial nonfiction, outline why it’s essential to become an expert in your field (however, the overview they provide of the necessary steps to build an author platform is very basic – a whole book could be written on this topic), give tips on presenting yourself to a literary agent, explain how the publishing industry works and how to decipher a book contract, and lay out a marketing campaign to promote your book once it’s released – including producing a book trailer, handling interviews and hiring a publicist. The authors even include a schedule for completing the writing of your manuscript.

The six chapters devoted to developing and submitting the book proposal and query letter are thorough – providing extensive tips, strategic advice, samples and insights into how to craft and present a winning pitch. The only low point in the book is the chapter on self-publishing options. The authors incorrectly portray publishing via subsidiary publishers and vanity presses as a form of self-publishing; a mistake many mainstream publications make but I am surprised to find it printed in a book released by an established publisher (Writer’s Digest) and authored by an experienced writer and a successful literary agent. In a book focused on helping commercial nonfiction writers navigate the path to traditional publication, I wonder why a chapter on self-publishing was even included. This one small imperfection aside, Publish Your Nonfiction Book is a valuable, enlightening and informative resource, providing clear and concise strategies any nonfiction writer can follow to achieve publication.

Many first-time authors are confused and mislead by the term “self-publishing”. Vanity presses and subsidy publishers market their services as “self-publishing” and mainstream media even refers to these companies as “self-publishers”. But the truth is – if you’re not the publisher (with your own publishing company), than you are NOT a self-publisher – you are an unfortunate victim of a vanity press or subsidy publisher (that has tricked you into believing you’re self-published) and your chances for having a successful book and writing career are greatly diminished.

Become a Real Self-Publisher reveals why you should avoid vanity presses and subsidy publishers and shows you how you can easily become a real self-publisher. The author covers everything from setting up a business, obtaining an ISBN and bar code, and copyright and Library of Congress registration, to cover design, hiring and working with an editor and typesetter, developing a website, and marketing and promoting your book.

YOUR TURN: Have you used this book to guide you on your self-publishing journey?

Booklife is an informative guide for creating a successful and balanced writing life. VanderMeer breaks the book into two sections: Public Booklife, covering marketing elements, and the Private Booklife, focusing on the writing process – while emphasizing the importance of creating an authentic balance between the two.

The first section delves into online platforms and media opportunities including blogs, social networking (Twitter, FaceBook), book trailers, reviews, podcasts, and dedicated book / author websites, and provides insights to select the most effective and honest strategy. VanderMeer recommends setting goals and outlines how to create detailed plans. In part two, he discusses writing and revision, how to deal with rejections, and setting work schedules. This well-organized, thoughtful book concludes with more than 100 pages of appendices filled with information from and about agents, booksellers, editors, publicists, and published writers.

YOUR TURN: Have you read Booklife? What are your thoughts and comments about this book and the author’s suggested strategies?

An invaluable writing guide from acclaimed writing coach and professor, Jill Dearman. This workshop-in-a-book provides practical advice and exercises that will inspire you to write. Presented with humor and abundant energy, Bang The Keys leads the reader through the four steps to achieving results:

Step 1: Begin with the strongest idea.

Step 2: Arrange the work into a concrete shape.

Step 3: Nurture the project with love, so that others can love it, too.

Step 4: Go finish, and then let it go so it may live independently in the world.

An ideal book for both prescriptive and narrative nonfiction writers.

Memoir: A History

Author, literary critic, and journalism professor Ben Yagoda traces the memoir from its beginnings in the fifth-century through modern-day 2007. He analyzes memoirs and autobiographies spanning numerous centuries and a variety of styles and subjects. He also examines historical trends affecting the genre, including an intriguing period when courtier dramas were popular (gentlemen who did not wish to be mentioned in the courtesan’s memoir were forced to pay the author a substantial fee for exclusion) and the current craze of pet memoirs – from dogs and cats to owls and parrots. The author’s main interest lies in the development of memoir over time and he addresses its enduring mass appeal as well as its constant controversy. Throughout this riveting book, Yagoda focuses on the idea of memory and truth and questions if, in fact, truth can ever be achieved. A compelling read for memoir writers.

I am launching a new series “Book Reviews and Author Interviews” to be hosted each Friday beginning next month. This is an open call for:
1. Authors who write nonfiction books who wish to be interviewed on my blog about their writing process and publishing experience and/or
2. Authors and publishers who would like me to review their practical or inspirational writing books (reviewed books must be related to writing nonfiction)

If you are interested, please drop me a note at Laura@ScenarioWritingStudio.com. I look forward to hearing from you!

There will be no additional post this week — as some of you may be aware my book “The Complete Guide To Hiring a Literary Agent: Everything You Need To Know To Become Successfully Published” will be released by Atlantic Publishing in January and I am in the final throes of editing and have been forced to eliminate sleep entirely — but True Story Ink will kick back into high gear next week. Happy writing!