|
WPNews, July 2022
The How
Do You Want to Be Published Issue
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
From Kathleen Kaiser, President
A man who spent his life promoting authors and books, Irwin Zucker, passed away June 23. I’ve known Irwin only since 2009, but learned much from him. He always answered my emails, shared information, supported PIPW when Shelly Lowenkopf and I started it in 2010, and continued to support my work when we merged with WPN. Irwin started the Book Publicists of Southern California and until his last breath arranged monthly meetings. He called me last week to see if I could do a last-minute interview for a radio show. Promotions in Motion was his tagline and the man never stopped. Irwin will be missed, his generous spirit lost; his kind are rare in today’s world.
On another note, WPN welcomes Lynn Varon as our new treasurer effective July first. And we have a social media manager, Kimberly Davis Basso, who will be busy promoting WPN and our many activities. Please join and follow so we can grow this group of writers and publishers and book lovers! Here are the addresses.
Instagram - @writerspubnet
Twitter - @writerspubnet
Facebook - @writersandpublishersnetwork
Kathleen, Kathleen@kathleenkaiser.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
From Sandra Murphy, Editor
Ask new writers about getting published, and they’ll say that they 1. hate writing queries, 2. hate writing a synopsis, 3. don’t want to market the book, and 4. don’t have a clue as to how they want to be published; they just want to be left alone with their characters to write. Is that too much to ask? No…unless you want actual readers and, you know, sales.
Are you looking for an agent, a big publishing house, hopeful of hitting a best-sellers list? Is a small house with more personalized service a better fit? Do you want e-books, print on demand, self-publish, or dream of a hardcover book?
As with any business—and writing is a business, just the best one ever—you have to know what you’re doing before signing a bad contract, giving up rights, not getting the best split, the best cover, the best promotion.
Take time to learn, don’t copy others, and remember that most overnight success stories were years in the making.
Sandy, Editor, editor@writersandpublishersnetwork.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
WPN welcomes member Lynn Varon to its board of directors
Lynn Varon is a copy editor with over twenty years of experience in magazine publishing. She has also maintained and built WordPress websites for ten years. Her blend of editorial and design skills combines an eye for detail with the big-picture vision needed to assemble a multipage publication or website. https://varon.com/
Lynn was the managing editor of the monthly magazine Rock & Gem for eighteen years, working with hundreds of first-time contributors, as well as experienced writers and professional authors. She edited the 256-page hardcover book The Frugal Collector, by Carnegie Mineralogical Award winner Bob Jones, in 2011. During four years as the managing editor of COINage magazine, she edited articles by some of the top names in American numismatics. Her business Writer Web specializes in building websites for authors.
Lynn is a co-coordinator for the Editorial Freelancers Association, LA Chapter, and the managing editor of the Professional Editors Network’s newsletter, Networking News.
|
|
|
|
Ask the Book Doctor: About E-books by Bobbie Christmas
Q: I was wondering how you feel about e-books. Most people have pretty strong feelings for and against. I’d be interested to know how you feel and why.
A: I have two takes on the subject, depending on the point of view. From the point of view of a buyer, I download many e-books onto my Kindle so I can take them with me on trips or read them in lower-light situations. I’m not in those situations often, though, so my e-books often languish unread for a long time. As an author and self-publisher, though, I’m all for e-books, but with a warning. Learn More...
_____
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/blog/.
|
|
|
|
The Publisher Perspective by Jay Hartman
There’s a popular game called “Two Truths and a Lie.” The idea is to make three statements, and the person guessing has to figure out which of those three statements is true.
A popular meme saying HELP SUPPORT AUTHORS has been floating around lately, and I must say that it irks me every time it shows up. I’m sure the intention was well-meaning, but it’s based on a lot of inaccurate information.
Here’s what the meme says:
1. Authors are not rolling in cash. Most make less than $10K a year.
2. If a book has more than 50 reviews, Amazon will list it in newsletters and other promotions.
3. Reviews can be short. “I liked it” is fine! It’s the number of reviews that matters the most.
4. Reviews are the best way to tell an author THANK YOU and show that you enjoyed their book.
So, which of these are true and which are lies? . Learn More...
_____
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. He’s written about the ebook industry for fifteen years and previously served as content editor for KnowBetter.com, one of the internet’s oldest sites reporting on ebooks and epublishing.
|
|
|
|
|
Registration for the 805 Writers Conference opens July 5.
Take advantage of the Early Bird discount of $100 on a full weekend pass or $50 on one day pass.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Why Self-Publishing Your Book is Lucrative if You’re Planning a Series by Penny Sansevieri
Self-publishing a book can sound complicated, and I won’t lie to you; it is more work upfront for authors. However, it can also be lucrative for many reasons and for many kinds of authors! I’d like to focus on one group in particular: the series author.
A lot of authors come to us when they’re ready to release a new book in their series, because they feel stuck. Typically this happens because they went through a publisher or publishing service for their first book. Feeling stuck comes from their lack of access to their first book, and they’re unsure how to navigate continuing the series.
So in an effort to bring some clarity to the situation, I want to cover some of the biggest hurdles for series authors and why self-publishing your book series from the get-go might be an option to consider. Learn More...
_____
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. She was named one of the top influencers of 2019 by New York Metropolitan Magazine.
To learn more about Penny’s books or her promotional services, visit www.amarketingexpert.com.
|
|
|
|
|
No One Wants to Hear You Breathe by Gabi Coatsworth
An author gets a crash course in narrating her own audiobook
First published at BookLife.com and reprinted with permission
I’ve noticed that most memoir writers who are looking to offer audiobooks alongside the paper and digital versions want to share their stories by narrating them themselves. My book’s publisher, Atmosphere Press—which handles distribution, cover art, and marketing—offered to find me someone who could do an English accent, but I wasn’t convinced. I’m a Brit who has lived in the U.S. for decades, and I figured I’d better read my own work or risk the words coming out wrong.
The first thing I needed was someplace to record. I consulted a friend, an experienced voice actor. She told me, rather doubtfully, that I could try to do it at home, but that finding somewhere quiet enough to make the book sound professional was going to be difficult. She was right. Learn More...
____
Gabi Coatsworth is an award-winning British-born writer and blogger. Her memoir, Love’s Journey Home, was published in May by Atmosphere Press, and she recorded the audio version.
Connect with her at https://linktr.ee/gabicoatsworth
(book giveaway ended June 30).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
How to Market Your Book Without Social Media by Carol Michel
I gave up social media in July 2020.
I did what the computer scientist/author Cal Newport calls a 30-day digital detox. I signed out of Facebook (2,200 followers on my business page, 750+ friends), Instagram (1,100 followers) and Twitter (7,000+ followers). I removed the apps from my phone and other digital devices and stopped using them for 30 days.
Those accounts don’t have great numbers, but they aren’t trivial either. Some people thought I was crazy for doing it. Other people were envious and wanted to do it, too. Learn More...
_____
Carol Michel is an award-winning author of five humorous gardening essay books and one children’s book, The Christmas Cottontail: A Story for Gardeners of All Ages.
Her article is reprinted with permission. It first appeared at www.janefriedman.com.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Publishing Contracts 101: Beware Internal Contradictions
Posted by Victoria-Strauss for Writer Beware® on June 10, 2022, reprinted with permission
|
|
|
|
It should probably go without saying that you don’t want your publishing contract to include clauses that contradict one another.
Beyond any potential legal implications, internal contradictions suggest a publisher that either doesn’t understand its own contract language well enough to spot the problem, or a publisher that simply doesn’t care. Neither is a good sign for what lies ahead.
Contradictions can be tricky to spot, especially for first-time authors who aren’t experienced in contract legalese. Here’s an example that came across my desk recently: an anthology contract from Dark Lake Publishing that provides for rights reversion 12 months after publication. Learn More...
____
beware@sfwa.org
Victoria Strauss, co-founder of Writer Beware®, is the author of nine novels for adults and young adults, including her Way of Arata epic fantasy duology (The Burning Land and The Awakened City), and a pair of historical novels for teens, Passion Blue and Color Song. She has written hundreds of book reviews for publications such as SF Site, and her articles on writing have appeared in Writer’s Digest and elsewhere. In 2006, she served as a judge for the World Fantasy Awards. She received the 2009 SFWA® Service Award for her work with Writer Beware®, and in 2012 was honored with an Independent Book Blogger Award for the Writer Beware® blog. She’s webmistress of the Writer Beware® website, which she also created, and maintains the Writer Beware® database, blog, and Facebook page.
Wonder if a publisher is legit? Check out the archived list at Writer Beware.
https://writerbeware.blog/scam-archive/
|
|
|
|
The children of immigrants, Abraham “Abe” Klapper and Lillian Schein were newlyweds expecting their first child when Abe was inducted into the U.S. Army and later served in an anti-aircraft battalion. Between 1943 and 1945, the couple exchanged over 800 letters. In Love, Abe, author Bonnie Goldenberg draws from her parents’ correspondence to reveal the unique perspective of a first-generation American Jew sent to fight the Nazis in Germany. An articulate observer, he shares his experiences during training stateside and his service overseas. Available now at https://tinyurl.com/yn2y3prb
|
|
|
|
|
|
Latest book from Curious Corvid Publishing
“My
heart aches with every tender sweet kiss,
The
touch of your embrace tugs my heart’s strings
As
the blue in your eyes is heaven’s bliss,
My
soul now, forever, and ever sings…”
Love, longing, heartache, and
loneliness are illuminated in this heartfelt collection from David Edgar
Grinnell. Building on themes of budding relationships, misunderstood feelings,
and innocent first loves, Moonglade creates a narrative that is
relatable to everyone looking for love and companionship. Immerse yourself in a
world of gothic romantic poetry that shines a soft light on finding and losing
love in the twenty-first century.
https://bit.ly/3nvgrWs
|
|
|
|
On Sale July 14
UNDETERRED How one determined Vietnamese orphan carved out a place for himself in America.
It’s a twenty-foot drop off Flower Bridge…
With tanks approaching and bombs exploding mere yards away, five-year-old Long has only moments to decide whether to risk the jump to join his brother in the water below. The boys must leave everything they know in order to survive and unknowingly have embarked on an intense journey, one that will lead to a new life in America.
But even having come so far, the boys will face new perils in the United States and find that the only thing they can depend on is each other. Encountering the indifference and neglect inside a string of foster homes, Long determines that the only way to regain his independence is to earn his own money. Join Long from his early life as an orphan, narrowly escaping the horrors of the Vietnam war with his older brother, to his current life as a family man with an investment portfolio methodically accumulated, now worth over $50 million.
UNDETERRED is a moving ride through the life of one determined boy who, despite the bigotry and hate he faces, carves out a place for himself in America.
https://BruceCarlinAuthor.com
|
|
|
|
Bits and Pieces–News You Might Have Missed |
|
|
|
Where you write makes a difference. Find out how popular thriller writers do it (one in the dark, one with an ocean view, another with the shades drawn) at https://www.thebigthrill.org/?p=78014.
|
|
|
|
Writing Advice: Where You Write Makes a Difference by Bryan E. Robinson
|
|
|
|
Malorie Blackman Wins 2022 PEN Pinter Prize
Malorie Blackman has been named the winner of the 2022 Pen Pinter Prize. She is the first children's and YA author to be awarded the prize.
|
|
|
|
|
Did you know floral book covers are in? Check out Dario Villirilli’s article and the cool examples shown for ideas. https://tinyurl.com/3x9nnb3y
****
La Quinta used bookstore The Book Rack to close in September unless a buyer is found. https://tinyurl.com/3hk9sccx
****
New Features & Changes in KDP Reports as of May 17, 2022 https://tinyurl.com/w6tr47zn
****
Amazon Starts Monthly Book Club called Sarah Selects and is available on Amazon Book Clubs, a free service, allowing readers to join book clubs of all genres or create their own. https://tinyurl.com/3n2xpdfn
for the FAQs and rules from Amazon
https://tinyurl.com/2p88rtnb
for Publishers Weekly article about it
****
****
Penguin Random House to distribute for Disney Publishing starting April 1, 2023. They will also distribute Marvel Publishing’s collected editions and graphic novels to trade bookstores and wholesalers.
***
Audiobook revenue continues to grow. A survey by the Audiobook Publishers Association found the 28 member companies reported revenue gains of 25% in 2021, for an estimated $1.6 billion in sales last year.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rise of the Black Quarterback by Jason Reid details the history of Black players in the NFL and highlights recent quarterbacks. On sale 8/22/2022, it makes a great gift for sports lovers and Black history buffs.
|
|
|
|
Coming from Sourcebooks Explore August 9, 2022.
About the Authors
Ali Biko Sulaiman Kamanda is an award-winning filmmaker and social entrepreneur from Sierra Leone, West Africa. He runs BIKO Studios, a cross-cultural film production company and is the President of Salone Rising, a not-for-profit organization that provides micro-financing and mentoring resources to small business owners in rural Sierra Leone. Jorge Redmond currently works in the Buncombe County District Attorney's office as an Assistant District Attorney, and as an adjunct professor in South College's Legal Department. Ali and Jorge are college friends, and Black Boy, Black Boy is their debut book.
Ken Daley is an award-winning artist/illustrator from Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. Ken's passion lies with stories that reflect his heritage as the child of immigrants, his connection to the Caribbean, and the richness and expanse of the African diaspora. He believes diverse stories are essential to creating a more just and equitable world and this is something he is deeply committed to manifesting through his art.
|
|
|
|
|
Clarion Launches New Imprint Headed by Linda Sue Park
HarperCollins Children’s Books has announced the launch of Allida, a new imprint. They will publish books for children and teens beginning in early 2023.
****
Soapbox: Show Me the Funny Girls aka the argument there are humorous middle grade books for girls but they don’t get the recognition they deserve. https://tinyurl.com/3w9uv5up
****
National Ambassador Jason Reynolds returns to in-person visits. Sidelined by the pandemic, author Jason Reynolds is on the road as National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, a program of the Library of Congress and Every Child a Reader. His Grab the Mic: Tell Your Story platform worked with the digital publisher, Short Edition, to provide Short Story Cubes, devices that allow students to create, edit, and print stories of their own making
****
Queer All Year: 25 Books by LGBTQIA+ Authors to Read Beyond Pride Month https://tinyurl.com/572vfspf
****
The Book Business Ecosystem Is Under Attack (Book Banning) https://tinyurl.com/5n8f54yh
****
https://www.writersdigest.com/resources/writers-digest-best-creativity-websites-2022
|
|
|
|
|
|
PUBLISHERS ACCEPTING DIRECT SUBMISSION |
|
|
|
|
Annick Press—publishes fiction and non-fiction for children, MG, and YA readers, picture book manuscripts also accepted. Based in Toronto, Canada www.annickpress.com
Arcadia Press—publishes local and regional history books. Works with experienced and first-time writers. www.arcadiapublishing.com
Baen Books—seeks strongly plotted science fiction and innovative fantasy of 100,000-130,000 words. Submit completed manuscript with synopsis through the online submission manager. www.baen.com
Bilingual Review Press—publishes novels, short-story collections, nonfiction, poetry, translations, and drama written by or about U. S. Hispanics. Publishes through Arizona State University. www.bilingualpress.clas.asu.edu
Bold Strokes Books—seeks LBGTQ general and genre fiction, also YA fiction, submit entire manuscript by email. submissions@boldstrokesbooks.com
www.boldstrokesbooks.com
Bookouture—a digital-first publisher of women’s fiction in many genres. Submit through the online form only. Email from the website. www.bookouture.com
Chelsea Green Publishing—Independent publisher specializing in nonfiction about sustainable living. Submit queries by email. submissions@chelseagreen.com www.chelseagreen.com
Chicago Review Press—publishes nonfiction in the areas of African-American interest, autobiography/biography, DIY, film, food and drink but not cookbooks, history, music, parenting, politics, popular culture, popular science, social science, sports, regional (Midwest), nature/outdoor/travel, true crime, women’s interest, children’s activity books, YA, no fiction at this time. Send proposal by email—see website for genre-specific email addresses. www.chicagoreviewpress.com
Green Writers Press—Seeks fiction, short stories, poetry, essays, children’s picture books, and YA novels that help foster a sustainable environment. Submit via Submittable. info@greenwriterspress.com www.greenwriterspress.com
Hard Case Crime—Publishes original and reprinted hardboiled crime fiction. Submit queries by email. editor@hardcasecrime.com www.hardcasecrime.com
Just Us Books—specializes in black interest books for young readers. Currently accepting queries for picture books, chapter books, and middle reader titles only. submissions@justusbooks.com www.justusbooks.com
Lantern Books—publishes books on animal advocacy, vegetarianism, religion, and environmentalism. martin@lanternbooks.com www.lanternpm.org
Martin Sisters Publishing—accepts fiction in all genres and nonfiction. Submit queries by email through the website. www.martinsisterspublishing.com
Seventh Street Books—publishes mystery and thriller fiction. For unagented submissions, send full manuscripts by email only. DMayer@start-publishing.com
www.seventhstreetbooks.com
Sky Pony Press—interested in children’s book for all ages, especially related to green topics, also interested in special-needs books. Submit manuscripts or proposals by email only. skyponysubmissions@skyhorsepublishing.com
www.skyponypress.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Julia Peterkin Literary Award for Flash Poetry
https://south85.submittable.com/submit
$12 ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 15, 2022. South 85 Journal is seeking submissions of previously unpublished poems of 50 lines or fewer. Winner receives $500 and publication in the December issue of South 85 Journal. Contest finalists will also be named and their work published alongside the winning selection. All winners must be over 18 years old and reside in the U.S. in order to claim cash prize.
****
Diode Editions Full-Length Book and Chapbook Contests
https://www.diodeeditions.com/...
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 30, 2022.
Diode considers translations, welcomes collaborations, and accepts simultaneous submissions. Poetry book contest winners receive a prize of $1,500, publication by Diode Editions, and 20 author copies. Poetry chapbook contest winners will receive $750, publication by Diode Editions, and 20 author copies. The winners will also have select poems from their book published in Diode Poetry Journal.
****
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shanghai Children's Book Fair Postponed Again
Initially scheduled for July 22–24, will be held November 18–20 due to an outbreak of Covid in Shanghai. It will be at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center.
****
July 20 - 23, 2022 Midwest Writers Workshop, Muncie, Indiana, check site for up-to-date information. https://www.midwestwriters.org/
July 24 - 29, 2022 Napa Valley Writers Conference will be held in Napa California at the Napa campus of Napa Valley College. http://www.napawritersconference.org/
August 4 - 6, 2022 Mendocino Coast Publishing Boot Camp will be an in-person event. http://mcwc.org
August 4-6, 2022 Cape Cod Writers Center, 59th
Annual Writers Conference Hyannis, Cape Cod, virtual www.capecodwriterscenter.org
The Greater Los Angeles Writers Conference
August 5 – 7 in person, Hilton Los Angeles Westside, Culver City California
August 6 – 12 virtual www.wcwriters.com/aglawc
For aspiring, active, accomplished authors and screenwriters. Meet and pitch agents, 40+ workshops and panels, in person and virtual
August 14 - 21, 2022 Postgraduate Writers Conference, Vermont College of Fine Arts, Montpelier, Vermont. As we launch the 2022 cycle, we are planning on an in-person event. If public health and safety considerations dictate a different course as summer approaches, this page will provide current updates and information. https://vcfa.edu/postgraduate-writers-conference/
August 18 - 22, 2021 Killer Nashville in Franklin, Tennessee is scheduled to be an in-person event. https://killernashville.com/
September 8 - 11, 2022 Boucheron
will be held at the Hilton Minneapolis, Minnesota. https://www.bouchercon2022.com/
September 8 - 11, 2022 Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Colorado Gold Workshop will be held at the Hyatt -Regency Aurora-Denver Conference Center. https://rmfw.org/conference-2022/
September 17, 2022 The Writer’s Conference one-day workshop, Boston, Massachusetts
Join The Writer’s staff, readers, and special guest speakers for their inaugural writing conference. Fiction and nonfiction, expert feedback on your manuscript with their critique service, panels of experts, network with fellow writers. www.writermag.com/twc
September 23 - 25, 2022 PNWA Annual Writer's Conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency Lake Washington as an in-person event. https://www.pnwa.org/page/conference
September 28 - October 2, 2022 Historical Romance Retreat will be held at the Westgate Hotel in San Diego, California. https://www.historicalromanceretreat.com/
November 5 & 6, 2022 The 10th Annual 805 Writers Conference on the beach at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Ventura, California. Early-Bird Discount starts July 5. Presented by WPN, the Writers & Publishers Network. https://805writersconference.com/
|
|
|
|
|
|
|