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January 2022
The Looking Forward Issue
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From Kathleen Kaiser, WPN President
Happy New Year!
I'm looking forward to 2022 because, even with the pandemic, we have adjusted to working more from home, gathering restrictions, and learning over the web. As a full-time writer, you spend a lot of your time alone and probably in your home. WPN has, over the last two years, adapted to this new "lifestyle," and we will continue to offer classes and resources to you via the web.
First, we will continue to have free online monthly meetings with a speaker and the ability of attendees to ask questions. These will be the third Monday of each month except August and December.
Second, we have lined up eight webinars covering both the business of writing and two on the craft of writing for novelists, one to be given by a NY Times bestselling author.
Third, my podcast, TalkingBookPublishing.com, will have two guests each month discussing the insights and skills you need to become a successful writer. A new talk goes live on the second and fourth Thursday of each month. Take a look and listen to past episodes. Tons of valuable info.
And fourth, WPN members can access the audiotapes from the last 805 Writers Conference and listen to five literary agents and 3 film producers looking for content.
Please take advantage of these resources and build your library of information that you can go back to repeatedly.
Kathleen, kathleen@kathleenkaiser.com
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From Sandra Murphy, Editor
Michael Pietsch of Hachette (see Bits & Pieces for the link) says the pandemic has taught publishers that people will always want books, and in addition, it’s not necessary to have expensive office space and huge in-person conferences. As with other industries, publishing is learning to update to more online practices and change with the times. What changes can authors make in this, the New Year?
We can be more flexible about how we sell, more inclusive in how we write, more willing to connect with readers and ask what they want to read. Many Facebook groups have found readers are tired of the same plots recycled and want something familiar but fresh.
I suggest this year we each find an accountability partner—someone who shouts your success, softly curses your rejections, and listens when you whine—in exchange for the same in return. Check in on a daily basis, even if it’s just for a moment. The results may surprise you.
May the New Year bring happiness, success, gratitude, and peace. Stay safe and write.
Sandy, Editor, editor@writersandpublishersnetwork.com
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Ask the Book Doctor: Writer’s Block by Bobbie Christmas
Q: How can I unblock my mental blocks and get my creative side back?
A: This question arises often lately. I suspect more writers than ever are experiencing writer’s block.
The first step might be to seek the reason for experiencing writer’s block. Instead of tackling the blockage, we can then tackle the reason for it. Remember the adage that “A goal is nothing but a dream with a deadline.”
Learn More...
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Bobbie Christmas is a book editor, author of Write In Style: How to Use Your Computer to Improve Your Writing, and owner of Zebra Communications. She will answer your questions too. Send them to Bobbie@zebraeditor.com or BZebra@aol.com. Read Bobbie’s Zebra Communications blog at https://www.zebraeditor.com/bl....
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The Publisher Perspective January 2022 by Jay Hartman
As I sit and write this month’s column, my desktop is littered with enough Excel spreadsheets to make an office assistant want to make a Starbucks run and never come back. Sadly, I don’t have an assistant, so the joy of going through all these reports lands in my lap.
What am I doing? Looking back at Untreed Reads’s fiscal 2021 and analyzing the business.
The old adage is definitely true: you can’t know where you’re going until you know where you’ve been. If you want to set yourself up for success for 2022, you need to take some time to look back at 2021. The best indicators to look at are the same questions reporters ask when writing their articles: Read More...
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Looking to get The Publisher Perspective? Send your questions to jhartman@untreedreads.com with TPP in your subject line. If your question is used, we’ll send you a free ebook from Untreed Reads. Jay A. Hartman, editor-in-chief at Untreed Reads Publishing, founded Untreed Reads to promote ebooks with an emphasis on independent authors and publishers.
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When it comes to how to market a book, there’s a lot of industry jargon–like the term ARCs, or Advance Review Copies. What’s even more confusing is how and when to use them!
First, let’s discuss what these key marketing tools are.
ARCs Explained
The term ARC stands for Advanced Review Copy. Galley essentially means the same thing, and you’ll often see these two terms used interchangeably. READ MORE…
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Penny C. Sansevieri, founder and CEO of Author Marketing Experts, Inc., is a bestselling author and internationally recognized book-marketing and media-relations expert. She is an adjunct professor teaching self-publishing for NYU. To learn more about Penny’s books or her promotional services, visit www.amarketingexpert.com.
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8 Self-Publishing Mistakes You Should Avoid—Tips from Writers Relief
Not wanting to be at the beck and call of traditional publishing houses, many writers, both new and established, are turning to self-publishing to get their books into the hands of their readers. Keep in mind, though, that self-publishing has many important steps and can be complicated, so it’s important to get it right. The experts at Self-Publishing Relief know all the mistakes you should avoid as well as the best ways to create a book you can be proud to put your name on.
Self-Publishing Mistakes Authors Should Avoid
Not doing your research: From beginning to end, self-publishing can be a long, confusing process, and you’ll want to be sure you’re working with a company and platform that will meet your needs. Before you sign on the dotted line, do your research! Our self-publishing experts offer a great overview of the most popular platforms—KDP and IngramSpark—to help you understand their shared functions and important differences. Learn More...
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Writer’s Relief is a highly recommended author’s submission service. They also help writers self-publish and submit their work. Visit their website for free submission tips and hot publishing leads. www.writersrelief.com Reprinted with permission.
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Monthly webinars January - September on the third Thursday. |
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Top left to bottom right: NY Times bestselling mystery author William Bernhardt on building series characters; Amanda Ditmore from BookBub on eBook promotions; Dr. Jan Yager on selling overseas rights to your books; Harrison Demchick on writing conflict and tension; Kathleen Kaiser three-part series on Marketing 101; and, Adanna Moriarty on creating your best author website. Learn more...
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Seven Things I Didn’t Know Then by Sherry Harris
on December 2, 2021 www.wickedauthors.com reprinted with permission
I can’t believe today is the seventh anniversary of the release of my first book, Tagged for Death. There are so many things I’ve learned about being an author and the publishing world so I’m sharing seven of them today.
I remember so clearly how worried I was about bad reviews and trolls. That book was my baby, with years of studying writing and writing (still unpublished novels) behind it. It felt like showing off my precious baby and then having someone criticize every aspect of her. However, most of those worries were for naught. People were kind and encouraging. I’ve mentioned this before, but my daughter painted a saying for me in case I got bad reviews: “You can have the sweetest, juiciest peach, but not everyone likes peaches.” If you hear me muttering “not everyone likes peaches,” you know why. Learn More...
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Sherry Harris is the author of the Agatha Award nominated Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mystery series and the upcoming Chloe Jackson Sea Glass Mystery series. She’s past president of Sisters in Crime.
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How Much Should Authors Spend on Book Marketing? by Brian Feinblum |
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An author recently asked me to give her an idea of how much she should spend on book publicity. Though I wanted to say “everything you have,” I knew that it was not the right answer. The truth is that it depends on a number of factors.
First, start with your budget. Just how much money do you have available to spend? Don’t mortgage the house but don’t cheap-out, either. You need to invest in your writing career, but not at the risk of debt.
Second, make a list of what you could or should do to market yourself and find out what it costs. You have to choose how to spend your money wisely.
Third, look at your goals and your mission. What do you hope the marketing and publicizing of your book will do for you? Is your bottom line judged purely by book sales, or does it come in other forms? Read More Steps...
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Brian Feinblum, the founder of the award-winning blog, www.bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. His decade-old blog features 4,000 posts and has garnered three million page views. He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand.
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Three Must-Haves for Author Homepages by Lynn Varon
The homepage is a snapshot of your website that invites the visitor to explore further. Attention-seeking authors know that a website has the widest reach of all promotional tools. It’s also flexible—it can be designed and redesigned to serve the purpose of the moment. Whatever moment you’re in, these are three essential elements for your homepage.
1. Book covers
Think of your website as your personal bookstore. You own all the shelf space; now you need to bring customers through the virtual door and get them to browse. People pick up books with covers that speak to them, and that’s the first step toward making a sale. Include a brief description to heighten interest, and add a link to a page dedicated to that book or a to purchase site.
If you’re still marketing a manuscript, make it the focus of your homepage. “In most cases,” says website designer Adanna Moriarty, “if you are at the agent stage, you have at least a mock cover and your manuscript.”
The website Moriarty built for true-crime writer Jane Howett (janehowatt.com) resembles an evidence board, with artfully arranged evidence photos, newspaper clippings, and profiles of the people involved. “The entire website was built in hopes of getting an agent or a producer’s attention,” she says. Read More...
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Lynn Varon (www.writerweb.net) designs author websites and is a WPN board member. Adanna Moriarty (abmoriarty.com) is a website designer who works with literary groups and authors and is the WPN Membership Director.
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Threadbare is a journey of introspection of one life, of its loves, joys, traumas, and the indomitable will to carry on.
The loss of a parent cuts deep into the soul. In early June 2020, Adanna Moriarty learned of her father’s advanced cancer diagnosis. Reaching out to a friend who recently lost her father, she told Adanna to write on every scrap of paper, day and night. Adanna’s thoughts flowed onto pages and sheets filled with stories of her time with a divorced father who lived most of her life thousands of miles away. With his sudden death in less than two months, Adanna channeled her anguish in an attempt to understand what she had just lived through and her whole life from childhood to motherhood and wife, and now fatherless.
This collection of poems manifests memories of an idyllic childhood in Upstate New York, a tween in Wyoming, a teen runaway in the desert, to a young woman finding love, becoming a mother, divorce, and then uniting with the real love of her life. Adanna cracks open her innermost defenses and lays bare the raw emotions and wonderment of a young child, a rebellious youth, and a woman dealing with finding her identity through work.
Threadbare is published by Curious Corvid Publishing. Adanna is the Membership Chair of WPN.
adannamoriarty.com
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Bits and Pieces–News You Might Have Missed |
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Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone, Diana Gabaldon, Author, Delacorte
Press, $36.00 sold 182,941 in its first week out. The Poisoned Pen
bookstore in Scottsdale, Arizona received an initial shipment of 20,000
books (four trucks and over 30 pallets of books, now in their own
warehouse) with another 10,000 books to arrive by the end of December.
Gabaldon has the arduous task of autographing many of them. To see what
20,000 books of one title looks like go here: https://store.poisonedpen.com/...
Some of the books were pre-ordered several years ago.
To read an interview with Gabaldon, go here: https://tinyurl.com/2s4ncbbw
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Supply chain woes, holiday sales, and more—and a bit of explanation https://tinyurl.com/2bkucwz2
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B&N Founder Funds $5.6 Million Scholarship for Black Medical Students
https://tinyurl.com/sessjr9s
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The best Book Bub ads–see more here: https://tinyurl.com/jnuzj8m4
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Manga and YA fuel B&N Black Friday boom: https://tinyurl.com/4mxypvxb.
Continued double-digit sales growth and anticipation of supply-chain
issues led buyers to place orders early and reap the benefits.
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Unit sales rose 9.7% the last week of November over 2020 as adult
fiction sales jumped 35.3%. For the same time period last year, Barack
Obama’s A Promised Land led sales figures.
October early holiday book sales saw an increase of 53.4% over the same time in 2020.
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Cuomo Ordered to Forfeit Book Earnings
New York state ethics board has ordered Andrew Cuomo to hand over the
$5.1 million he’s made from book sales for his 2020 pandemic memoir
American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the Covid-19 Pandemic citing a
breach of agreement. The book was published through Penguin Random House
imprint, Crown. Harper Collins has announced they are cancelling their
agreement to publish Chris Cuomo. https://tinyurl.com/yckvjys8
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Judge extends discovery deadline in Internet Archive book-scanning
suit–the discovery deadline has been extended until January 31, 2022,
and a possible second extension as each side makes new claims. Four
major publishers (Hatchette, Penguin Random House, HarperCollins and
Wiley) have filed suit against the Internet Archive for scanning and
lending print library books.
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PRH Fires Back at the DoJ's Effort to Stop Its S&S Purchase
https://tinyurl.com/3ea8jtr
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A Hell of a Book by Jason Mott has been named 2021 National Book Award Winner. Congratulations!
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Knopf Publishing has expanded its cookbook publishing program with
the formation of Knopf Cooks, led by executive editor, Lexy Bloom.
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The future of publishing as seen by Michael Pietsch of Hachette. One
of the most important was to find publishing is portable. No need for
expensive office space, giant in-person conferences, no
commutes—publishers are learning new ways to do business. See what else
he predicts at https://tinyurl.com/mrprfv62
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Passings…
Former president and chairman at Baker Book House Richard Baker died on December 12. He was 86.
Interview with a Vampire author Anne Rice, 80, whose books have sold
more than 150 million copies worldwide, died of complications from a
stroke on December 12.
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The Las Vegas Writers Conference Presented by the Henderson Writers Group When: April 7 – 9, in person and Zoomed, your choice. As always, travel insurance is advised in case in-person is cancelled.
Satisfy your curiosity about writing, publishing, and getting your books to the market. Help the Henderson Writers’ Group (HWG) celebrate their 20th annual Las Vegas Writers Conference on April 7 to 9, 2022.
For this conference two options to register are offered: virtual or in-person! The virtual fee is $149 for attendees unless they are a member of the HWG, who pay only $99 (the annual group membership fee is $50). If the Covid restrictions for Nevada ease before the conference date, we will extend the option to attend in-person to more attendees.
Virtual Option:
Those who register this way will not only be able to attend in real time, but will have access to an online archive of programs for 4 weeks after the event. For this reason, refunds will not be offered for those whose schedule changes and they cannot attend the virtual conference in real time; they will still have access to all the programs they’ve paid for.
Virtual registration includes:
Workshops with live Q&A
Blue Pencil sessions
Access to the 2022 online archive of programs.
In-Person Option:
Join selected faculty live and in-person Friday and Saturday for one track (12 sessions) of the conference with catered meals like in the good-old days. Enjoy the keynotes and first page reads broadcast live into the room. This option includes the full virtual conference, so you can watch any session in Zoom during the three live days. You’ll have access to an online archive of programs for 4 weeks after the event. The number of in-person participants may be limited.
Where: The 2022 In-Person Writers Conference is at the Indie Film Factory, 3111 S. Valley View Blvd. Bldg. E-127, Las Vegas, NV 89102 (corner West Desert Inn Road).
Learn more...
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Women In Publishing Summit
Virtually March 2-5, 2022
The biggest virtual event for women in the publishing industry!
More than 40 workshops for Nonfiction/General, Fiction, and Children's book authors!
This event is for authors, editors, publishers, marketers. Culminating on International Women's Day, we celebrate, empower, encourage, and support women writers and professionals in the publishing industry.
Held annually the first week of March, it ends with a bang on International Women’s Day. The event will be online March 2-5, 2022, and you must register to access. The Summit is a combination of live workshops, panel discussions, networking events, and special events, run completely online that you can enjoy from your phone, computer, or tablet. Everything is recorded, and attendees will receive access to everything.
www.womeninpublishingsummit.co... $97 to register
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The Writers Police Academy Conference–In Person
June 2-5, 2022
https://writerspoliceacademy.c... https://leelofland.com/writers... for updates as available–registration fills up fast!
2022 WPA website is currently under construction—schedule, presenters, classes, registration details, and more are coming very soon. The 2022 event is thrilling and massive. It’s the largest hands-on event we’ve ever produced!
Attendees earn continuing education credit!
NWTC Public Safety Training Academy–Green Bay, Wisconsin
Red Lion Hotel Paper Valley–Appleton, Wisconsin
(Transportation between locations is provided by the WPA)
Event begins at noon on Thursday at the Fox Cities Exhibition Center in Appleton, Wisconsin, with a huge indoor display of public-safety vehicles and equipment for attendees to view and explore. Officers and firefighters will be on hand to explain the functions of these vehicles and equipment used by first responders. Q&A and demo. The stellar Exhibition Center is attached to the official WPA event hotel, Red Lion Hotel Paper Valley (will be a newly remodeled Hilton property at the time of the WPA event).
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