tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-140269382024-03-05T03:40:55.238-08:00Dee PowerWriting, Publishing, and every now and then, a bit of funDee Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05872466643537180705noreply@blogger.comBlogger144125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14026938.post-10135498831689094152014-04-16T15:22:00.002-07:002014-04-16T15:22:19.441-07:00Do you know what happens when you try to <a href="http://adventuresofbriananddee.com/urban-survivor-never-boil-eggs-in-the-microwave/">boil eggs in the microwave</a>? Find out <a href="http://adventuresofbriananddee.com/urban-survivor-never-boil-eggs-in-the-microwave/">here</a>. Dee Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05872466643537180705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14026938.post-23036870918797925122009-12-17T09:33:00.000-08:002009-12-17T09:34:51.882-08:00Bestselling Authors 2 of 102. They Write, And Write And Write…. <br />The productivity, the writing output, of bestselling authors is much greater than the average writer’s. They have the discipline to get up each day and produce high quality work. They don’t wait for the muse to tap them on the shoulder. Some authors’ annual literary production is phenomenal, such as Nora Roberts who often comes out with two extremely popular books each year— year after year. Or Catherine Coulter, who has produced more than fifty bestsellers so far in her career.Dee Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05872466643537180705noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14026938.post-1151097738516650312009-11-08T10:20:00.000-08:002009-12-17T09:46:03.674-08:00What Do Bestselling Authors Have in Common? 1 of 10What Do Bestselling Authors Have In Common?<br />Ten Things That May Surprise You.<br /><br />What separates the publishing industry elite, the bestselling authors, from all the thousands and thousands of writers who aspire to someday make the bestseller lists? It turns out that writing talent is not the only separating factor; in fact it may not even be the most important factor. <p><b>1. Perseverance Is Key</b> </p> <p>Nearly all bestselling authors faced the same struggles early in their careers that less successful, even unpublished authors, face. Immediate success is rare. One distinction of bestselling authors is that they do not get as discouraged by lack of early success. They persevere. Their desire to succeed is enormous. Bestselling authors often have to demonstrate the patience and stamina to write a number of books before achieving notable success. </p><br /><p>Dee Power<br />Co-author of <a href="http://brianhillanddeepower.com/bestseller.html">The Making of a Bestseller: Success Stories From Authors and the Editors, Agents and Booksellers Behind Them. </a><br /></p>Dee Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05872466643537180705noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14026938.post-1159637986742727102009-10-26T10:38:00.000-07:002009-12-17T09:45:42.039-08:00<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="plogbodytext"><span style=""><span style="font-weight: bold;">A bad agent can be worse than no agent at all. </span><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Types of things to watch out for with agents:</p> <ul type="disc"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="">Charging the author a fee up front, to be accepted as a client.<span style=""> </span><i style="">Can be called a reading fee, or a monthly “office expenses” charge.<span style=""> </span>The best agents, and most successful ones, only charge a percentage fee of royalties the author earns, typically 15%.<span style=""> </span>Suppose a realtor charged you a fee to come over and tour your house before getting the listing?<span style=""> </span>How quickly would you show that realtor the door. . .</i></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><br /></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Charging back unusually large “postage and copying fees” to send out an authors’ work<b style="">.<span style=""> </span></b><i style="">One crooked agency accepts almost every client that contacts them, but in the fine print of the contract they charge “postage and handling” of up to $10 per submission they send out on your behalf.<span style=""> </span>It doesn’t cost $10 to send a letter and a sample chapter of a book to a publisher.<span style=""> </span>This company makes a fortune from these fees whether or not they actually successfully market any of their clients work.<o:p></o:p></i></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><br /></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Directing authors toward specific editing services or giving authors’ names to these services.<span style=""> </span>Sometimes they even own the editing service. <span style=""> </span>Some agents make a significant portion of their income from referral fees from these services.<span style=""> </span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><br /></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Terms in Agency contracts with writers vary widely.<span style=""> </span><i style="">Must be read carefully.<span style=""> </span>Not standard at all. <o:p></o:p></i></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><br /></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">The agent contacts publishers pretty much at random.<i style=""><span style=""> </span>The agent’s value to you is in the relationships they have with publishers, so that if the publisher hears from them, they know the book is worth taking a look at.<span style=""> </span>Ask to see copies of rejection letters that come back from publishers.<span style=""> </span>If it looks like just a form letter response, rather than a letter you would send to an acquaintance, you can bet the agent may be just picking names out of a directory of publishers. <o:p></o:p></i></li> </ul> <ul type="disc"> <li class="MsoNormal" style=""><i style="">Puts forth a weak effort or gives up on the client’s project after a few months.</i><span style=""> </span>You have a right to ask how active the agent is going to be.<span style=""> </span>How many publishers are they going to contact, how will they follow up?<span style=""> </span>You also have a right to periodic reports as to whom they have contacted and the results.<span style=""> </span>You must determine how much time and attention they are really going to give you.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></li> </ul> <p class="MsoNormal">Another reason it is imperative to have a reputable agent is that the publishing house typically pays the agent, who deducts their “cut” and sends the remainder it to the author. It’s a frightening thought that a less than honest person gets their hands on the money you’ve earned from sweat, blood, and even tears. </p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="plogbodytext"><span style="">************************************************<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="plogbodytext"><span style="">Dee Power, MBA, was born on the East Coast and grew up on the West Coast. She started her writing career in the second grade by writing a Thanksgiving Day play that debuted before many appreciative parents. </span></span><st1:place><span class="plogbodytext"><span style="">Dee</span></span></st1:place><span class="plogbodytext"><span style=""> has been interviewed as an expert on the publishing industry by </span><i style="">The New York Times, </i></span><st1:state><st1:place><span class="plogbodytext"><i style="">Washington</i></span></st1:place></st1:state><span class="plogbodytext"><i style=""> Post<span style="">,</span></i><span style=""> the Associated Press and various local publications. She and Brian Hill are the authors of </span><b style=""><i style=""><a href="http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/0793193087/ref=s9_asin_more/103-5477367-0035036">The Making of a Bestseller: Success Stories From Authors, and the Editors, Agents and Booksellers Behind Them</a></i></b>, <i style="">Attracting Capital From Angels, Inside Secrets To Venture Capital<span style=""> </span></i><span style="">and the novel, </span><b style=""><i style=""><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=br_ss_hs/103-5477367-0035036?platform=gurupa&url=index=blended&keywords=Over+Time+&Go.x=11&Go.y=8">Over Time<span style="font-style: normal;">. </span></a></i><span style=""> </span></b><span style="">You can reach her through her website, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html/ref=cm_plog_item_link/002-9536847-7685653?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.BrianHillAndDeePower.com&token=FBF85F3927C36F22C2D1E3D9247B0BC6093B2469" target="_blank">http://www.BrianHillAndDeePower.com</a></i></span></span><b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p>Dee Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05872466643537180705noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14026938.post-1158523090974333142009-08-03T12:56:00.000-07:002009-09-08T12:24:02.992-07:00<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="">Fiction <o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Again the query letter should be no more than two pages.<span style=""> </span>Trying to distill all the plot and characters of a complex novel down to a few paragraphs can be agony.<span style=""> </span>But again, everyone is in the same boat.<span style=""> </span>So don’t worry if your first draft doesn’t read quite right.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>The fiction query is tricky because you want to show the creativity of your fiction writing—and make a sales presentation to the editor at the same time.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>You need to get the reader’s attention right away.<span style=""> </span>Perhaps pose a question:<span style=""> </span>“Have you ever wondered what a near-death experience really feels like?”<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>Then, summarize the characters, plot, and theme.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><o:p> </o:p><br /><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">Þ<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Emphasize the challenges the main characters face, and how they overcome them.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">Þ<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->The protagonist/antagonist conflict.<span style=""> </span>Drama is conflict.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">Þ<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->“Put the characters up a tree, throw rocks at them, bring them back down.”</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>Remember that memorable books have memorable characters.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span>“Character drives plot, not the reverse.”—F. Scott Fitzgerald</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>You also need to describe the genre the book fits in (romance, chic lit, mystery, mainstream, literary).<span style=""> </span>Tell who the audience is for the book. And of course include the word count.<br /></p> Describe your writing background, publishing credits, or educational level.<span style=""> </span>Along with any specific reasons you are the best person to be writing this particular book. <p class="MsoNormal">**********************************<br /></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span class="plogbodytext"><span style="">Dee Power with Brian Hill are the authors of </span><b style=""><i style=""><a href="http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/0793193087/ref=s9_asin_more/103-5477367-0035036">The Making of a Bestseller: Success Stories From Authors, and the Editors, Agents and Booksellers Behind Them</a></i></b>, <i style="">Attracting Capital From Angels, Inside Secrets To Venture Capital<span style=""> </span></i><span style="">and the novel, </span><b style=""><i style=""><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=br_ss_hs/103-5477367-0035036?platform=gurupa&url=index=blended&keywords=Over+Time+&Go.x=11&Go.y=8">Over Time<span style="font-style: normal;">. </span></a></i><span style=""> </span></b><span style="">You can reach her through her website, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html/ref=cm_plog_item_link/002-9536847-7685653?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.BrianHillAndDeePower.com&token=FBF85F3927C36F22C2D1E3D9247B0BC6093B2469" target="_blank">http://www.BrianHillAndDeePower.com</a> </i><span style=""> </span></span></span><b style=""><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10;" ><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>Dee Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05872466643537180705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14026938.post-1152316128645185112009-07-29T16:36:00.000-07:002009-09-08T12:23:33.913-07:00<p class="MsoNormal">To Be or Not To Be: Published</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style=""><o:p> </o:p>Writer’s Digest</i> estimates that there are 24 million people in the <st1:country-region><st1:place>United States</st1:place></st1:country-region> that consider themselves writers but less than 5% are published.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>Published? What exactly is published?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">With the advances in technology these days, print on demand specifically, anyone can become “published;” <span style="font-weight: bold;">if </span>published is defined strictly as written material that is accessible to the public.<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Many authors who have chosen the publish on demand (POD) route, insist on sharing the title of published.<span style=""> </span>It’s true their books can be bought on internet sites, can be ordered in bookstores, although they are not, as a general rule, stocked by bookstores, and are available as bound physical copies, mostly trade paperback. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">But isn't there more to being published than being available to the public? Are these authors really published or have their books just been printed? After all, no third party has objectively reviewed their work and deemed it marketable.<span style=""> </span>No publisher has risked their resources, through paying an advance, printing several thousand (or in the case of a small press – several hundred) copies, and devoting marketing efforts to promote the title. <span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The publishing industry seems to consider publish on demand books second class citizens as well.<span style=""> </span>Many newspapers will not, as a matter of policy, consider POD books for review.<span style=""> Quite a few authors' associations, The Author's Guild to name one, don't accept POD books as qualification for joining. Acquisition editors at publishing houses and literary agents don't consider a publish on demand book a writing credit.<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Many bookstores including Barnes and Noble will not stock POD books. <span style=""> </span>Yes, you will find a few copies in bookstores here and there.<span style=""> </span>Bookstores want to support local authors.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.25in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p><br />I asked Michael Powell <b style="">Will books published by POD publishers ever reach the mainstream of the bookstores?<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.25in 0.0001pt;"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.25in 0.0001pt;"><b style="">Michael’s answer: “</b>No.<span style=""> </span>While the physical appearance of these books has improved over the last few years, the quality of the inside content hasn’t.<span style=""> </span>There’s no recognizable imprint of a house, you don’t know what you’re getting.<span style=""> </span>There is no editor to vet the book, there is no sales staff in place, no catalog, no distribution system, the sales terms aren’t the norm.<span style=""> </span>I don’t think those types of books will ever make it outside the ‘local author’ or ‘regional book’ arena.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.25in 0.0001pt;"><b style=""><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>****<o:p></o:p></b></p> <o:p></o:p> <p class="MsoNormal">It’s not that I begrudge the status of published to any other writer.<span style=""> </span>Or that I believe there are only so many publishing slots available, and I have to elbow the other writers out of the way, a dance of musical chairs for books if you will. <span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Just because a title has been accepted by a commercial publisher doesn’t mean that it is necessarily better than any other specific self published book. And not all good books eventually find a publishing home.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">There is almost a backlash from publish on demand authors, a bitterness, or jealousy, of commercially published authors.<span style=""> </span>I’m not sure why.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>What is the definition of published?</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p><st1:place>Dee</st1:place><br />http://www.BrianHillAndDeePower.com<br />Co-author of <b style=""><i style="">The Making of a Bestseller: Success Stories From Authors and the Editors, Agents and Booksellers Behind Them</i></b> and several other books. </p>Dee Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05872466643537180705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14026938.post-1158171575802430152009-07-15T12:18:00.000-07:002009-09-08T12:23:12.672-07:00<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"> Literary Agents:</span><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span><span style="font-size:130%;">All You Need to Know (well almost)</span><br /></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;">Part One<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Every day for the next two weeks there will be an installment. Questions about agents are encouraged in the comment section. If I don't know the answer I'll try to find out. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </p> <div style="text-align: center;"><span style=""><span style="font-size:130%;">The Probability of Publishing </span><o:p></o:p></span></div> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>Traditional publishing houses include major players such as Warner Books, small<span style=""> </span>publishers such as Algonquin Books, niche publishers, and<span style=""> </span>regional publishers.<span style=""> </span>Traditional publishers<b style=""> </b>pay the author, usually an advance and royalties based on the actual sales of the book.<span style=""> </span>There is a range between small and large publishing houses as to these payments.<span style=""> </span>But the key is the author gets paid.<span style=""> </span>The author has no upfront fees to pay the publisher and isn’t under any obligation to purchase any books.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>Traditional houses are very selective when acquiring books.<span style=""> </span>While 172,000 new books were published in 2005, estimates have been made that only 1 out of 1000 books written gets published.<span style=""> </span><i style="">Writers Digest</i> has said that there are 24 million people in the <st1:country-region><st1:place>US</st1:place></st1:country-region> who describe themselves as creative writers.<span style=""> </span>Less than 5% of these writers have actually, ever, been published.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><o:p></o:p><b style=""><span style=""><span style="font-size:100%;">Publisher or Literary Agent?</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b>Literary agents represent the author’s work to publishers for a percentage of the author’s earnings, both the advance and royalties.<span style=""> </span>An agent is up to date on which editor at what house is interested in what subjects, or in the case of fiction, which genre.<span style=""> </span>Agents act as a screening device for editors at the publishing houses, filtering out the uninteresting, badly written or boring manuscripts and only presenting the professionally polished saleable works to the appropriate editor.<span style=""> </span>Or that’s how it works in theory.<span style=""> </span>A (good) agent can quickly get the attention of book publishers.<span style=""> </span>They spend time and energy developing relationships with publishers.<br /></p> The agent negotiates the contract between the publisher and the author. There's more to it than just the size of the advance and royalty percentage. There are foreign rights, television and movie rights, audio rights, syndication rights and more. The payment for those rights are split between the publisher and the author. The payment to the author can go against the advance or can be in addition to the advance. In other words, if an advance of $25,000 was paid for the title, the author would have to wait until the sales of the book earn the amount of the advance before any additional monies are paid. Or the payment for the sold rights can be paid immediately. The agent can negotiate which.<br /><br />The agent receives the entire advance from the publisher and deposits it into an escrow account set up for the author at the agency. The agent then subtracts their commission, usually 15% and writes a check from the escrow account to the author. any additional royalty checks over and above the advance are treated the same way.<br /> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><o:p> </o:p><b style=""><span style=""><span style="font-size:130%;">Do You Need An Agent?</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p><b style="">NO <o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>All three of our nonfiction books were placed by us directly contacting the publisher.<span style=""> </span><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Small publishing houses and niche publishers are more open to being contacted by an author.<span style=""> </span><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">An entertainment or literary attorney can negotiate the contract for you, or review it for far less than the 15% agent’s fee. <span style=""> </span><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Editors at major houses attend writers’ conferences and will consider pitches by authors at those conferences.<span style=""> </span><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Romance publishers will often accept queries from authors directly.<o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="">YES</b><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">An agent can guide you in putting together a book proposal.<br /><o:p> </o:p><br />An agent is a buffer between the editor and the author during negotiations and throughout the publication process.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>An agent knows what is reasonable in a contract and what isn’t.<o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">An agent knows which editor has changed houses or is looking to broaden a list or add a new category to their list.<o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">When there is a disagreement between the editor and the author, the agent can step in and resolve the differences.<span style=""> </span><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Concerning fiction, nearly every major publishing house says they work only through agents. Unsolicited manuscripts are often returned unread.<o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Even bestselling authors still require an agent.<br />******************************<o:p><br /></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>Come back tomorrow and we'll cover </o:p><span style=";font-family:";font-size:12;" >Finding An Agent.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><br /></o:p></p> <p><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="75" preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"> </v:formulas> <v:path extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" connecttype="rect"> <o:lock ext="edit" aspectratio="t"> </v:shapetype><v:shape id="_x0000_s1026" type="#_x0000_t75" style="'position:absolute;" wrapcoords="-196 0 -196 21461 21600 21461 21600 0 -196 0"> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\DEEHIL~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image001.jpg" title="dee72dpi"> <w:wrap type="tight"> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><strong>Dee Power </strong>is the co-author, with Brian Hill of <i style="">Inside Secrets To Venture Capital, Attracting Capital from Angels</i>, and the novel <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0974075418/qid=1125504334/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-4540462-7080001?v=glance&s=books" style="font-weight: bold;"><i style="">Over Time</i></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">.</span><span style=""> </span>Her latest book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Making-Bestseller-Stories-Editors-Booksellers/dp/0793193087/sr=1-2/qid=1158170851/ref=sr_1_2/002-3866623-3778458?ie=UTF8&s=books"><b style=""><i style="">The Making of a Bestseller: Success Stories from Authors and the Editors, Agents and Booksellers Behind Them,</i></b></a> includes extensive research on the publishing industry and interviews with bestselling authors, editors, agents and experts. </p>Dee Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05872466643537180705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14026938.post-40679240757971123542009-06-21T14:24:00.000-07:002009-09-08T12:22:52.970-07:00How to Find a Literary Agent: Use the Write BaitMost aspiring authors begin their careers with little or no understanding of how to go about finding an agent to represent their work. They quickly learn that most major publishing houses only accept submissions through literary agents. So, they begin sending query letters to agents and, usually, meet with a cool reception, or even hit a high, solid, impenetrable brick wall. We surveyed over 60 literary agents, from both large well-known agencies as well as smaller “boutique” agencies, to get a perspective on how authors can improve their chances of attracting an agent, and to find out the outlook for new authors trying to crack into the publishing industry.<br /><br />We asked the agents:<br /><br />In attempting to find an agent, how much competition does a new author really face?<br /><br />What is the most common reason you decline to represent a writer?<br /><br />What is the most critical mistake writers make when approaching agents?<br /><br />Where do agents find clients?<br /><br />In the next 12 to 24 months do you see the publishing industry becoming more or less favorable for new (unpublished) authors?<br /><br />In order to obtain the most candid comments possible, we told the agents their responses to our questions would not be attributed to them (and as a result they were even more candid than we expected).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How Much Competition Does A New Author Really Face? </span><br /><br />Unfortunately, the response was: a tremendous amount. The agents reported that they receive, on average, 90 unsolicited submissions per week. Out of these more than 4,500 submissions that come in each year, the agents, on average, took on 11 new clients. This means that the typical agent agreed to represent a little more than 2 out of 1000 of the authors that contacted them with unsolicited submissions. Regarding the 998 authors who did not receive a contract, we asked the agents:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />What Is The Most Common Reason You Decline To Represent A Writer?</span><br /><br />Poor writing 60%<br />Book was outside the agent’s genre 17%<br />Agent’s client base was full 10%<br />Writer’s work and agent don’t click 8%<br />Other 5%<br /><br />The good news is that the top two reasons given are factors that are under the writer’s control. Most authors develop and improve their craft over a number of years, and even bestselling authors say when they were first starting out their initial literary efforts left something to be desired. A dedicated writer certainly doesn’t have to remain in that “poor writing” category.<br /><br />But what exactly is “poor writing”? In the decline letters they send to authors, agents often say they turned the author down because they aren’t enthusiastic enough about the material. A favorite phrase used by agents in turndown letters is, “I simply didn’t fall in love with the writing.” This is probably the source of more author frustration than any other aspect of trying to get published. Success or failure hinges on extremely subjective judgments, and once the judgment is rendered, it is final. Talking an agent out of an opinion is pretty much impossible. Think about your own reading experience. How often do you pick up a novel, read 10 pages, decide you aren’t interested in it, and put it down? Does that mean the writing was “poor”? Not at all. It simply means you didn’t connect with the story, for reasons you may not even be able to articulate. Every individual’s literary taste is different.<br /><br />One frequently received type of rejection isn’t really ‘rejection’ at all: The agent has all the clients they can handle at the present time, so they really have no choice but to send a decline letter to unsolicited submissions. The agent in this case was doing the author a favor; far worse it would have been to accept a new client that would not get the necessary attention from the agent. Too often, though, authors interpret receiving a decline letter such as this as, “my book must not be any good.” Actually, the agent may not even had time to read your submission package.<br /><br />Notice that the fact a writer was unpublished was not a significant reason for being rejected as a client.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>Dee Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05872466643537180705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14026938.post-61871776037338545162009-06-08T22:35:00.000-07:002009-09-08T12:22:29.583-07:00What Should Be In a Book Proposal<div id="body"><p>The agent said yes to the query letter! Finding out how to write a book proposal is your next step.</p><p>The agent will let you know what they want to see. Even with an affirmative response, they don’t always ask for a full manuscript. A nonfiction book hasn’t been written yet in most cases, so there isn’t a manuscript to send. What publishers and agents will ask for is a proposal for your nonfiction book.</p><p>A Nonfiction Book Proposal</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Concept:</b><br />A brief, no more than one page description about why your book is unique.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Market:</b><br />Who will buy your book and why. Include the demographics of your potential readers and how many of them there are. If you can, quote statistics, such as baseball is the most often viewed sport on TV with x million people watching. Or x number of people attend arts and crafts shows a year. Or $xxx dollars of revenues are generated by customers buying garden tools. Whatever is relevant to your book’s topic.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Competition:</b><br />Similar books that have been published in the last year or that will be coming out soon. You can get an idea of soon-to-be published books by going to amazon.com, and searching under key words. When you get a listing of books that you think are similar to yours, then rank by publication date.</p><p>Include the title, author, ISBN, and a brief description. Then state why your book is better or what your book addresses that the competition doesn’t.</p><p>Go to the library and read currently available books you feel are competitive to yours. Again include the title, author, ISBN, and a brief description. Then state why your book is better or what your book addresses that the competition doesn’t.</p><p>All books have competitors.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Promotion:</b><br />What you will do for promotion. How will you market your book? Be specific. If you are willing to give seminars or speak at events, try to line up a few. Publishers want authors that actively market their own books. This doesn’t mean that you have to spend money, but it does mean you have to expend effort.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>About The Author:</b><br />Pretty self explanatory. What makes you the best author to write this book. This is not a resume; include what is relevant to the topic of the book. If you have previous books published list them, with a short description.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Media Placement:</b><br />Any newspaper or magazine articles you’ve been featured in. Include articles that you’ve written and have published. Offline, hard copy publications are better than online. Online is better than nothing. Plan ahead and in the months while you’re working on your book proposal see if you can get a few articles placed. If you have just a few, include clippings. If you have more than a few, list the publication, date, title of the article. Writing a book makes you an expert in the eyes of the media, but you have to let them know you’re available.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Endorsements:</b><br />If you can get a well known authority figure, expert, celebrity or author to give you an endorsement, or to commit to an endorsement, it puts you ahead in the game.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Chapter Outline or Synopsis:</b><br />Two to four pages. Each chapter is listed and the subheadings with a brief description, a paragraph or two explaining what will be included in the chapter.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Sample Chapter:</b><br />It doesn’t have to be the first chapter. Pick the chapter you’re most excited to write, or that you are the most knowledgeable about. The editor will judge the quality of your writing by this chapter.</p><p>The proposal not including the sample chapter can run from 10 to 20 pages.</p>Discover How You Can Achieve Your Dream And Get Your Book Published. Sneak peek of Dee Power's new book, <b>The Publishing Primer.</b> <a id="link_51" target="_new" href="http://www.brianhillanddeepower.com/freereport1.html">Get your free chapter.</a> Find out how books get in bookstores. How bookstores select titles. How the bestseller lists work. What boosts a book to the top of the bestseller list? And frequently asked questions about publishing</div>Dee Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05872466643537180705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14026938.post-77613042842324220562009-05-28T15:03:00.000-07:002009-09-08T12:22:11.769-07:00What's the outlook for the next generation of authors<span style="font-weight: bold;">The Outlook for The Next Generation of Authors</span><br /><br />Agents do not envision a great deal of change on the horizon. They are mildly negative about the next 12 to 24 months. When asked the reasons behind their forecast, the most common responses were:<br /><br />Industry Consolidation, Changes Within the Publishing Industry Itself<br />Changes in Book Retailing<br />Publishers are Becoming More Risk Averse<br />The Pessimists<br />The Optimists<br />The Impact of the National Economy<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">So What Can a Debut Author Do? </span><br /><br />1) Study the elements of a good query letter.<br /><br />2) Make your contact letter succinct, positive, but not obnoxious. Stress that you understand the market for your book and how to address that market.<br /><br />3) Learn what types of manuscripts individual agents are looking for and send yours out to the agents that match up the best with your topic or genre.<br /><br />4) Don’t give up.Dee Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05872466643537180705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14026938.post-1158267059565555232009-05-19T13:41:00.000-07:002009-09-08T12:21:43.874-07:00<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Why Do Agents Say No?</span></span><br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Literary Agents Everything You Need to Know (well almost)</span><br /></div><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">What is the most common reason agents decline to represent a writer?</span><h3> </h3> <p>60% Poor writing<br /></p> <p>17% Book was outside agent’s genre<br />10% Agent’s client base was full<br />8% Writer’s work and agent don’t click<br />5% Other</p> <p> </p> <p>The good news is that the top two reasons given are factors under the writer’s control. Most authors develop and improve their craft over a number of years. An aspiring author certainly doesn’t have to remain in that <i> “poor writing” </i>category forever. </p> <p>But what exactly is <i> “poor writing”?</i> In the decline letters they send to authors, agents often say they turned the author down because they aren’t enthusiastic enough about the material. A favorite phrase they use is,<i> “I simply didn’t fall in love with the writing.”</i> This is probably the source of more author frustration than any other aspect of getting published. Success or failure hinges on extremely subjective judgments. Think about your own reading experience. How often do you pick up a novel, read 10 pages and decide you aren’t interested in it? Does that mean the writing was <i>“poor”</i>? Not at all. It simply means you didn’t connect with the story. Every individual’s literary taste is different. </p> <p>One frequently received type of rejection isn’t really<i> “rejection” </i>at all: The agent has all the clients she can handle at the present time, so she really has no choice but to send a decline letter to unsolicited submissions. The agent in this case was doing the author a favor; it would have been far worse to accept a new client who would receive inadequate attention. Too often, though, authors interpret such a decline letter as meaning <i>“my book must not be any good.”</i> Actually, the agent may not have even had time to read the submission package. </p> <p>An encouraging note is that the agents’ answers here indicated that the fact a writer was unpublished was not a significant reason for rejection.<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="">You’ve got your list of potential publishers or agencies, now what? <o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b>The first step for both nonfiction and fiction is the <b style="">query letter.</b> <span style=""> </span>It is your chance to open doors to the publishing industry, to agents and publishers.<span style=""> </span>Because of the volume of submissions agents and publishers receive, it has become the standard way of make a contact, rather than sending out entire manuscripts.<span style=""> </span>Absolutely, positively include an SASE (self addressed stamped envelope) for the agent/publisher to contact you.<o:p> </o:p><b style=""><o:p><br /></o:p><br />Why you need a query letter and how to write it<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal">You never want to send a full manuscript.<span style=""> </span>It won’t be read.<span style=""> </span>The standard method of contact is the Query letter.<span style=""> </span>A good query letter is short, one to two pages maximum.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The goal of query letter is to get the manuscript or book proposal requested by the agent or publisher.<span style=""> </span>Often they request just the first 60 pages, read that, then decide whether they want to read the full manuscript.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">Þ<span style="font-size:7;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Think Like A Businessperson Trying To Make A <st1:city><st1:place>Sale</st1:place></st1:city>, Not an “Artist”</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Writers tend to think they are the publisher’s customers, as though the publisher exists to make their dream of being a published author come true.<span style=""> </span>The truth is that publisher’s real customers are the people who purchase and read books.<span style=""> </span>So your goal as a writer is to demonstrate how you can help the publisher reach his or her objectives.<span style=""> </span>In the query letter, you introduce both the specific literary work you want to sell them, and yourself, your background and accomplishments.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">Þ<span style="font-size:7;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->There is something unique, fresh, different about your book</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">Þ<span style="font-size:7;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->You are professional: you will be able to deliver the manuscript on time</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">Þ<span style="font-size:7;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->You are willing to expend effort to market the book</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">Þ<span style="font-size:7;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->You have the background, experience to write the book you are proposing</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">Þ<span style="font-size:7;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->It fits in the publisher’s area of concentration</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style=""> Þ<span style="font-size:7;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Your book has a large market<span style=""> </span><br /><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The query letter is very challenging to write: you have to choose every word carefully.<span style=""> </span>Also, your target audience reads so many of these each week, it is difficult to make yours stand.<span style=""> </span>Even if you write the “perfect” query letter, it’s still a crapshoot whether your work will be requested.<o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The emphasis of the query letter is on “Why readers will buy my book,” rather than “Aren’t I a great writer.”<span style=""> </span>Don’t start with: “It’s been my lifelong dream to be a writer.”<span style=""> </span>They don’t care.<span style=""> </span>It is their lifelong dream to sell more books than their competitors. </p> <span style="font-size:12;"></span> <p class="MsoNormal">How many queries should you send out?<span style=""> </span>Try batches of five or ten, then measure the response you get.<span style=""> </span>You may need to tweak the content of your query letter.<o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Suppose you send out the first batch and no one asks for the book.<span style=""> </span>What does that mean?<o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Suppose you send out ten.<span style=""> </span>You get three polite turndown letters and no response from the other seven.<span style=""> </span>What should you conclude?<o:p> </o:p></p> <ol style="margin-top: 0in;" start="1" type="1"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="">The agent may not be taking on new clients</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">You have no talent</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Your book has no market</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">You didn’t express yourself well in the letter</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">The agent is swamped with submissions and didn’t have a chance to reply</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">The agent is rude and threw your letter away</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">The publishing industry isn’t interested in new writers</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">You contacted an agent that is not interested in your genre<o:p> </o:p></li> </ol> <p class="MsoNormal">Most likely one of the following is the case:<o:p> </o:p></p> <ol style="margin-top: 0in;" start="1" type="1"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="">The agent may not be taking on new clients</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">You didn’t express yourself well in the letter</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">The agent is swamped with submissions and didn’t have a chance to reply</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">The agent is rude and threw your letter away</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">You contacted an agent that is not interested in your genre</li> </ol> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p>Important rule:</b><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span>Not hearing a positive response should not be interpreted as REJECTION, of you or your work.<span style=""> </span>It may<span style=""> </span>simply mean you are not getting anyone’s attention.<span style=""> </span>In less polite terms, they didn’t give you the time of day.<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">**************************************<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tomorrow: The agent said yes to your query letter - now what?</span><br /></p><span class="plogbodytext"><span style=";font-family:";font-size:12;" >Dee Power is the author of </span><b style=""><i style=""><span style=";font-family:";font-size:12;" ><a href="http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/0793193087/ref=s9_asin_more/103-5477367-0035036">The Making of a Bestseller: Success Stories From Authors, and the Editors, Agents and Booksellers Behind Them</a></span></i></b><span style=";font-family:";font-size:12;" >, <i style="">Attracting Capital From Angels, Inside Secrets To Venture Capital<span style=""> </span></i><span style="">and the novel, </span><b style=""><i style=""><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=br_ss_hs/103-5477367-0035036?platform=gurupa&url=index=blended&keywords=Over+Time+&Go.x=11&Go.y=8">Over Time<span style="font-style: normal;">. </span></a></i><span style=""> You can reach her through her website <a href="http://brianhillanddeepower.com/">http://www.BrianHillAndDeePower.com </a></span></b></span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Dee Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05872466643537180705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14026938.post-80738052864577042412009-04-17T12:32:00.000-07:002009-04-17T12:33:04.182-07:00How to Get a Book Published: How Bookstores Select Titles<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CDee%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size:13;">After the agents, editors, and the marketing departments at publishing houses have all made their decisions about what will be published, in what quantities, and how the finished product will look, there is one final decision maker who ultimately decides what books will be presented for sale to consumers: The buyer for the bookstores.<span style=""> </span>The decision maker for the independent bookstores is often the owner, or the owner and several employees. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:11;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size:13;">The chains have corporate buyers who specialize in different areas. The buyer looks at the prior sales history of the author, or if it is the author’s first book, the buyer will look at similar titles or topics. Of course the publisher’s sales rep, or the distributor, lets the buyer know of the marketing push the title will receive. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size:13;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size:13;">If advance reading copies (ARCs) are available or galleys – the uncorrected page proofs of a book, those are sent to the chains and major independents three to four months prior to the title’s publication date.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size:13;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size:13;">Booksellers usually buy their first order of a new title from the publisher through their sales reps. Subsequent orders can be placed directly with the publisher, through a distributor or wholesaler, which allows the bookstore to batch their orders to several different publishers and receive one invoice and make only one payment.<span style=""> </span>It allows the bookstore to return books from different publishers to one place –the wholesaler. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size:13;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size:13;">The decisions book buyers make about what titles to stock are a blend of taking into account the sales pitches from publishers’ reps, historical sales data available about an author or a topic, knowledge of their customer base—and to a large extent simply what their gut instinct tells them will be popular.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style="font-size:13;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p> Dee Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05872466643537180705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14026938.post-17776079307698449022009-04-07T12:30:00.000-07:002009-04-17T12:31:43.164-07:00How to Get a Book Published: Bookstores Sell 50% of Books Published<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CDee%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City" downloadurl="http://www.5iamas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region" downloadurl="http://www.5iantlavalamp.com/"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place" downloadurl="http://www.5iantlavalamp.com/"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">50% of books meant for consumers are sold through bookstores. If you're wondering how to get a book published make sure your publisher's books is stocked in bookstores.<span style=""> </span>The first bookstores in the <st1:country-region><st1:place>United States</st1:place></st1:country-region> were established at least as far back as 1640.<span style=""> </span>At that time, quite a few booksellers were also book publishers. By 1700 there were 30 booksellers in <st1:city><st1:place>Boston</st1:place></st1:city> alone.<span style=""> </span>However, these stores didn’t restrict themselves to just books but sold other merchandise as well.<span style=""> </span>Richard Hoe’s invention of the rotary press, which spewed out pages at the rate of 8000 sheets an hour, opened up the mass market for books.<span style=""> </span>The divergence between bookseller and book publisher began to widen.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Book publishing is a $37 billion dollar industry in the <st1:country-region><st1:place>United States</st1:place></st1:country-region>. It has been estimated that the five large publishing companies, Random House Inc., Penguin <st1:country-region><st1:place>USA</st1:place></st1:country-region>, Simon & Schuster, Time Warner and HarperCollins, account for nearly eighty percent of all book sales in the <st1:country-region><st1:place>US</st1:place></st1:country-region>. This has occurred for the same reasons any other industry goes through consolidation: by combining certain administrative or staff functions, costs can be reduced and profits increased. Publishing, relative to many other industries, has not enjoyed a high Return on Investment (ROI) for investors.<span style=""> </span>Now publishers are much more focused on having every single book they publish be profitable. This means a more risk averse philosophy, with a preference for publishing authors with successful track records--a sound business strategy.
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Currently there are about 2000 chain bookstore locations.<span style=""> </span>An additional 2200 independent booksellers belong to the American Booksellers Association. There are some 50,000 locations that sell books. Around 50% of books meant for retail sales are sold in bookstores, only about 10 -15% of new books are sold online.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Barnes and Noble is the largest chain with 796 stores.<span style=""> </span>Annual revenues from those stores are $4.7 billion which translates into sales of almost 445 million books per year.<span style=""> </span>A typical Barnes and Noble store offers 150,000 - 200,000 titles to shoppers.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Oddly enough Barnes and Noble is re-instituting the old fashioned idea that booksellers are also publishers.<span style=""> </span>Its wholly owned company, Sterling Publishing, has the publishing or distribution rights to 10,000 titles and has actively published 5000.<span style=""> </span>They own a chunk of<span style=""> </span>IUniverse, a publish-on-demand company.<span style=""> </span>The CEO of Barnes and Noble, Stephen Riggio, is the Chairman of the Board for IUniverse.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Borders Group owns about 1100 stores in the <st1:country-region><st1:place>United States</st1:place></st1:country-region> and has revenues of about $3.8 billion.<span style=""> </span>It operates Borders Books and Music and Waldenbooks.<span style=""> </span>The chain is<span style=""> </span>the outgrowth of two independent bookstores.<span style=""> </span>Walden Books was established by Lawrence Hoyt in 1962.<span style=""> </span>Borders Books was established by Tom and Louis Borders in 1971.<span style=""> </span>K-Mart Corporation purchased Walden Books, which in turn purchased Brentano's Books in 1984.<span style=""> </span>In 1991 K-mart purchased Borders Books and formed Borders-Walden Group and renamed it Borders Group, Inc.<span style=""> </span>Borders Group Inc. then went public in 1995.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">BooksAMillion was founded in 1917 as a news stand and has grown to 205 stores, primarily in the Southeast.<span style=""> </span>They own a book distribution company, American Wholesale Book Company.<span style=""> </span>Revenues were just a bit over $.5 billion in 2008.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Books are sold in a myriad of other locations besides bookstores, such as grocery and drugstores, at the airport, and in the big box stores like the aforementioned K-Mart.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Getting your book into bookstores is a critical step in how to get a book published.</p> Dee Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05872466643537180705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14026938.post-54655068430300451792009-03-30T12:24:00.000-07:002009-04-20T15:03:28.137-07:00Where Do Agents Find Clients?<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>Referral from one of their other clients 39%<br />Direct contact by the writer 33%<br />Referral from editors and publishers 9%<br />Referral from other authors not their clients 8%<br />Referrals from other agents 5%<br />Attendance at writers’ conferences 3%<br />Other 3%<br /><br />It comes as no surprise that referrals from their current clients were the top method cited. Publishing is a relationship based industry. Contacts are extremely important. A recommendation from someone whose opinion an agent trusts always is valued and receives prompt attention. Several careers of top selling authors were launched when another bestselling author took them under their wing and introduced them to agents or publishers.<br /><br />What might be surprising is that as many as one-third of the agents said direct contact from the writer was the most common way they found new clients. There is most definitely hope for the budding authors out there, sweating over the last draft of that perfect query letter to send out to agents.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>Dee Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05872466643537180705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14026938.post-63674214204911642712009-03-27T12:18:00.000-07:002009-04-17T12:24:48.495-07:00More on agents<span style="font-weight: bold;">What Is The Most Critical Mistake Writers Make When Approaching Literary Agents For Representation? </span><br /><br />Agents we surveyed responded as follows:<br /><br />Poor writing or poorly prepared contact letter 44%<br />Inappropriate subject or genre for that agent 22%<br />Author’s hype, ego, arrogance 18%<br />Uneducated about publishing process 16%<br />Lack of knowledge about the book’s competition 8%<br />No platform for nonfiction 6%<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Poor writing or poorly prepared contact letter </span><br /><br />It comes as a surprise that agents report they get so many weak query letters. A number of books have been written on the subject of crafting a query such as Making the Perfect Pitch by agent Katherine Sands. Numerous writers’ conferences also cover this topic in depth. A query letter isn’t really that complicated to compose—particularly compared to writing a 100,000 word novel.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Inappropriate subject or genre for that agent </span><br /><br />The second most popular response to the question reflects that the writers don’t do their homework when selecting agents to contact. Sending a wonderful query about your, say, cookbook, to an editor that specializes in placing mystery fiction is simply a waste of everyone’s time. Reference books such as Writers Digest Guide to Literary Agents point out very clearly what individual agents are looking for. Not that some of their preferences don’t seem odd, even a bit nonsensical. In one reference guide agent warned, “Don’t send me any right-wing Tom Clancy stuff.’’ Did this agent really mean to say he’d turn down the chance to earn 15% of the mega-royalties author Clancy has earned in his career?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Author hype, ego, arrogance</span><br /><br />Agents report that creative people oftentimes have big egos. Hard to believe, isn’t it? Part of the problem stems from author’s awareness of how many other writers they are competing with for the agent’s attention. The temptation to use hyperbole to differentiate oneself can be overwhelming.<br /><br />Of course, then some of the agents go on to contradict their colleagues by warning against over-selling and arrogance. “Trying to act more like a sales person, and not like a writer,” one agent said. “Hyping the agent. A straightforward recitation is much more effective.” But another one said the worst mistake was, “Not writing an engaging query.” “Writing dreary query letters describing the plot of the book.”<br /><br />Now we’re starting to get confused. Do the agents want an exciting query, or that “straightforward recitation”?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Uneducated about publishing process </span><br /><br />The author who is truly talented and dedicated to the craft of writing has a clear advantage right from the start; the overwhelming response from agents was that the quality of many submissions they receive is poor. The author who can articulate the market for his or her book is also way ahead. The author needs to think of himself as a small businessperson entering a new industry, not as a “literary artist.” They must be able to address the question, Who is going to buy your book and why? Authors who can show they will be helpful in selling the book once it is published are particularly sought after in today’s marketplace. Writers should not assume that an agent, or an editor at a publishing house, will automatically recognize who the target audience is for a book, or how large that audience might be.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Lack of knowledge about the book’s competition </span><br /><br />The responses below point up something that many authors don’t even stop to consider what the competition for their book might be. They have no idea whether their book is really new and different (nonfiction) or whether it fits into a fiction category that is “hot.” Food product manufactures talk of the keen competition for shelf space at the grocery story. The same holds true in the bookstore shelves. Can you imagine where in the store your book might appear?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">No platform for nonfiction </span><br /><br />“Platform” is something everyone in the publishing industry is talking about these days—it should be nominated for the coveted “Industry Buzzword of the Year” award. Having a “platform” is one of the best means of getting your non-fiction book to the top of the agent’s to-do list. Platform simply means the built-in audience you have for your book, and the media exposure you can generate for your book, apart from the marketing done by the publishing house. If you can say, “I am a frequent guest on the _______” (nationally syndicated radio program). Or, “I publish an Internet newsletter that has 20,000 subscribers.” You are telling a publisher that a potential audience already exists for your book—lots of readers know who you are—and therefore you represent less of a risk to the publishing house, because awareness often translates into sales.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>Dee Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05872466643537180705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14026938.post-10972112260866061002009-03-08T12:33:00.000-07:002009-09-08T12:33:22.562-07:00FAQ on book publishing<tt><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">W<span style="font-weight: bold;">hat is the difference between mass market, trade paperback and hard cover? </span><br />***********************************************<br />The way the books are produced and consequently how they’re priced. Mass market are the smallest in size usually 4” by 6”, they are the least expensive from $4.99 to $9.99, the binding is perfect which means the pages are glued in. The cover is paper. Trade paperback is 5” by 7”, mostly nonfiction titles, the prices range from $9.99 to $24.99. The cover is paper and the binding is perfect. Hardcover or hard back comes in various sizes, the pages are stitched to the binding, and the cover is cloth covered over cardboard. The price ranges from $19.99 upward.<br />********************************</span></tt>Dee Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05872466643537180705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14026938.post-63851368419295929342009-03-02T12:32:00.000-08:002009-09-08T12:32:59.658-07:00More FAQs on book publishing<tt><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Do I have to pay the advance back? </span><br />***********************************<br />In most cases, no, only if you don’t deliver an acceptable manuscript by your deadline. If the actual sales of your book don’t reach the amount that was advanced, and 90% of books don’t, you don’t have to pay the difference back.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> Which is easier to get published fiction or nonfiction? </span><br />******************************************************<br />Nonfiction. Of the 172,000 books less than 10% were fiction.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> What category of fiction is the largest. </span><br />******************************************<br />Romance, 55% of all mass market paperback books sold are romances.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> What is backlist, mid list and front list? </span><br />********************************************<br />Backlist books are those written in the prior year(s) but still selling and still being published. Publishers select a small percentage, probably less than 5% of the books published in a season and actively promote those books in the front of their catalogues with full page descriptions including national promotion, book tours dates, advertising budgets, first print runs, as their front list. 95% of books published are mid list, in the middle of the catalogue, no ad budget, no promotions, no book tours.<br /><br /><br /></span></tt>Dee Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05872466643537180705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14026938.post-26581736187292080132009-03-01T14:08:00.000-08:002009-04-17T12:28:18.488-07:00Query Letters<div id="body"><p>You’ve got your list of potential publishers or agencies, now what? The journey of how to get a book published begins with the query letter.</p><p><br /></p><p>The first step for both nonfiction and fiction is the query letter. It is your chance to open doors to the book publishing industry, to literary agents and book publishers. Because of the volume of submissions agents and book publishers receive, it has become the standard way of make a contact, rather than sending out entire manuscripts. Absolutely, positively include an SASE (self addressed stamped envelope) for the agent/publisher to contact you.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Why you need a query letter and how to write it</b><br />You never want to send a full manuscript. It won’t be read. The standard method of contact is the query letter. A good query letter is short, one to two pages maximum.</p><p><br /></p><p>The goal of query letter is to get the manuscript or book proposal requested by the literary agent or book publisher. Often they request just the first 60 pages, read that, then decide whether they want to read the full manuscript.</p><p><br /></p><p>Think Like A Businessperson Trying To Make A Sale, Not an “Artist”<br /></p><p><br /></p> Writers tend to think they are the book publisher’s customers, as though the publisher exists to make their dream of being a published author come true. The truth is that book publisher’s real customers are the people who purchase and read books. So your goal as a writer is to demonstrate how you can help the publisher reach his or her objectives. In the query letter, you introduce both the specific literary work you want to sell them, and yourself, your background and accomplishments.<br /><br /><br />There is something unique, fresh, different about your book You are professional: you will be able to deliver the manuscript on time You are willing to expend effort to market the book You have the background, experience to write the book you are proposing It fits in the publisher’s area of concentration Your book has a large market<br /><br /><p>The query letter is very challenging to write: you have to choose every word carefully. Also, your target audience reads so many of these each week, it is difficult to make yours stand. Even if you write the “perfect” query letter, it’s still a crapshoot whether your work will be requested.</p><p><br /></p><p>The emphasis of the query letter is on “Why readers will buy my book,” rather than “Aren’t I a great writer.” Don’t start with: “It’s been my lifelong dream to be a writer.” They don’t care. It is their lifelong dream to sell more books than their competitors.</p><p><br /></p><p>How many queries should you send out? Try batches of five or ten, then measure the response you get. You may need to tweak the content of your query letter.</p><p><br /></p><p>Suppose you send out the first batch and no one asks for the book. What does that mean?</p><p><br /></p><p>Suppose you send out ten. You get three polite turndown letters and no response from the other seven. What should you conclude?</p><p><br /></p><p>1. The agent may not be taking on new clients<br />2. You have no talent<br />3. Your book has no market<br />4. You didn’t express yourself well in the letter<br />5. The publisher is swamped with submissions and didn’t have a chance to reply<br />6. The agent is rude and threw your letter away<br />7. The publishing industry isn’t interested in new writers<br />8. You contacted an agent or publisher that is not interested in your genre</p><p><br /></p><p>Most likely one of the following is the case:</p><p><br /></p><p>1. The agent may not be taking on new clients<br />2. You didn’t express yourself well in the letter<br />3. The publisher is swamped with submissions and didn’t have a chance to reply<br />4. The agent is rude and threw your letter away<br />5. You contacted an agent or publisher that is not interested in your genre</p><p><br /></p><p>Important rule:<br />Not hearing a positive response should not be interpreted as REJECTION, of you or your work. It may simply mean you are not getting anyone’s attention.</p><p><br /></p><p>Don't give up after the first 10, 20 or even 50 rejections. In this case persistence is a virtue in how to get a book published.</p><p><br /></p></div><p>Discover How You Can Achieve Your Dream And Get Your Book Published. Sneak peek of Dee Power's new book, <b>The Publishing Primer.</b> <a id="link_51" target="_new" href="http://www.brianhillanddeepower.com/freereport1.html">Get your free chapter.</a> Find out how books get in bookstores. How bookstores select titles. How the bestseller lists work. What boosts a book to the top of the bestseller list? And frequently asked questions about publishing</p><p>About The Authors<br />Brian Hill and Dee Power have written several nonfiction books including <a id="link_52" target="_new" href="http://www.brianhillanddeepower.com/get-your-book-published.html">The Publishing Primer: A Blueprint for an Author's Success</a> and The Making of a Bestseller: Success Stories From Authors and the Editors, Agents, and Booksellers Behind Them. They are also the authors of the novel, <a id="link_53" target="_new" href="http://www.overtimethenovel.com/">Over Time</a></p>Dee Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05872466643537180705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14026938.post-1158169593877786252009-02-28T14:44:00.000-08:002009-09-08T12:32:20.830-07:00<div style="text-align: center;"><tt><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> Frequently Asked Questions About Publishing</span></span></tt><br /></div> <tt><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> How long does it take to get a book published?</span><br />**********************************************<br />On the average about a year. Six months to write a nonfiction book or revise a novel after a publishing contract has been signed and six months for production from editing the manuscript to finding your book in a bookstore.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> Why does production take six months?</span><br />******************************************<br />The actual production process of revising and editing, copyediting and proofing the galleys could be quicker. But enough time has to be allowed for obtaining endorsements, distributing ARCs (advanced reading copy) and bound galleys to reviewers and promoting the book to booksellers, libraries and such. Many major review publications like Publishers Weekly, insist that they receive the review copy at least four months prior to publication. Many newspapers will not review a book currently available.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> What is the typical advance and royalty? </span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> *******************************************</span><br />There isn’t one. The advance can range from $0 to over six figures. Royalties can range from 5% to 15%, based on the net price the publisher receives to retail. The percentage can also be on a sliding scale based on how many books have been sold, the more books, the higher the royalty percentage.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><br /><br /></span></tt><span style=";font-family:";font-size:12;" ><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="75" preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"> </v:formulas> <v:path extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" connecttype="rect"> <o:lock ext="edit" aspectratio="t"> </v:shapetype><v:shape id="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" style="'width:66pt;"> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\DEEHIL~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image001.jpg" title="0974075418X"> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img src="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CDEEHIL%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_image002.jpg" shapes="_x0000_i1025" width="88" height="132" /><!--[endif]--></span><tt><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Dee<br /><br /></span></tt>Dee Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05872466643537180705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14026938.post-1150665391801185362009-02-20T14:10:00.000-08:002009-04-17T11:12:51.195-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4891/1256/1600/bestseller.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4891/1256/200/bestseller.gif" border="0" alt="" /></a>Getting a book published by a commercial royalty paying publishing house is a tremendous accomplishment. It has been said by Writers Digest that 24 million Americans consider themselves 'writers' and yet less than 5% have published anything.<br /><p style="margin: 0px;"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0px;"> </p> <p style="margin: 0px;">When we surveyed literary agents (for our book) they said they agree to accept only one out of every 500 writers for representation. The most common reason they decline to represent a writer is poor quality of the writing. You know what didn't even show up on the radar as a reason to decline a new client? The fact the writer was unpublished.<br /><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0px;"> </p> <p style="margin: 0px;">About 15% of novels published by the commercial royalty paying publishing houses are debut novels. There is hope for new writers. There is no bias in the industry against new authors. There are just millions more writers trying to get published than the book industry can support. And it's not the publishers or even the booksellers who are holding back the flood gates. It's the writers themselves, they're just not good enough.<br /><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0px;"> </p> <p style="margin: 0px;">Before you flame me from here to h-ll and back. Think about it. There are millions of people who play golf, but only a handful of golfers who are good enough to be professional.<br /><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0px;"> </p> <p style="margin: 0px;">Millions of people sing, but only a few are good enough to sing professionally.<br /><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0px;"> </p> <p style="margin: 0px;">Millions of people dance, but few, very few, have the talent to dance professionally.<br /><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0px;"> </p> <p style="margin: 0px;">Having a book published is not an entitlement. Authors aren't published because they deserve to be published, because they worked hard or because they have survived misery and abuse. Books are published because the publisher has deemed there is a viable market for the work. </p> <p style="margin: 0px;"> </p> <p style="margin: 0px;">Does every good book get published? No. Are the best selling books the best telling books? No. Are authors who have been published better writers than those who haven't been? Not necessarily.<br /><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0px;"> </p> <p style="margin: 0px;">Don't sell yourself short. Hold out for a real commercial publisher. </p> <p style="margin: 0px;"> </p> <p style="margin: 0px;"><br />Dee</p> <p style="margin: 0px;"><a href="http://brianhillanddeepower.com">http://www.BrianHillAndDeePower.com </a><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0px;"> </p> <p style="margin: 0px;"> </p> <p style="margin: 0px;"> </p> <p style="margin: 0px;"> </p> <p style="margin: 0px;"> </p> <p style="margin: 0px;"> </p> <p style="margin: 0px;"> </p> <p style="margin: 0px;"> </p>Dee Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05872466643537180705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14026938.post-38994329280483202372008-12-30T12:01:00.000-08:002008-12-30T12:02:21.740-08:00Secured and Unsecured Credit CardsCredit card spending is something that the majority of consumers actively participate in. For some it's a matter of convenience. It's easier to use a credit card than worry if you have enough cash. Credit card purchases offer some recourse to the buyer/consumer if they feel they didn't get what they paid for. The charge can be reversed by the credit card company. Some people use credit cards because they want to, while others find themselves doing it out of necessity just to make ends meet. <br /><br />When it comes to credit cards, there are basically two types available today. They fall into these categories: secured and <a href="http://www.creditcardanddebtmanagement.com">unsecured credit cards</a>. The exact credit cards you are eligible for will be dependent on your credit history.<br /><br />An unsecured card is issued to consumers with (at least) a good credit rating. The 'perks' that are attached to it, also depend on one's credit score. Financial institutions determine the credit limit on each card after reviewing things like: debt to income ratio, time on the job, number of open accounts, late payments and missed payments. <br /><br />This type of credit card typically carries a lower interest rate and fewer miscellaneous fees than a secured credit card. You do not have to pay anything upfront, other than a membership fee, and that can often be waived, in order to be issued an unsecured credit card. <br /><br />On the other hand, a deposit of some sort is required in order to get approval for a secured credit card. Usually, this deposit will be equal to the credit limit issued. Although, in some cases the credit limit will be higher. It depends on the applicant's credit worthiness. The deposit is not used to make any monthly payments. Don't expect the creditor to do so. It can't be withdrawn for emergencies as long as the credit card account is still open. <br /><br />Secured credit cards are issued to consumers with a fair to poor credit history. Individuals who have gone through a bankruptcy are typically eligible as well.<br />These credit cards have very high interest rates and higher fees attached to them. But, most consumers are more than willing to pay these extra fees, in exchange for a second chance at building good credit. Sometimes a secured credit card is the only option. <br /><br />Many banks refund the initial deposit, after a pre-determined number of on time payments have been made… usually between 12 and 18.<br />Making timely payments will go a long way, when it comes to re-building credit. It is recommended that a secured credit card be used sparingly, to avoid repeated problems. Use it enough to re-establish your credit but make sure you make the payments on time every month.Dee Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05872466643537180705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14026938.post-48759248055984820912008-10-20T09:18:00.000-07:002008-10-20T09:19:36.441-07:00How to Refinance with Poor CreditMortgage interest rates have greatly decreased over the past seven or eight years, mainly due to the economy sagging. If you got your mortgage before the interest rates went down, you're probably envious of the people who have the same amount of mortgage you have, except their payments are far cheaper due to the lower interest rate. However, you don't have to be envious, as you can get the same interest rate they have—or perhaps an even lower one. All it takes is refinancing your mortgage, and you can accomplish this even if you have poor credit.<br /><br />What Refinancing Is<br /><br />Refinancing is can be used for debt consolidation, but also different. When you refinance your mortgage, you essentially take out a new loan to pay off the existing mortgage. This loan comes with a cheaper interest rate and—typically--cheaper monthly payments. <br /><br />Refinancing can also help you to better your poor credit score, if you decide to refinance for more than the mortgage is worth and use that money to pay off other existing debt. This is known as wrapping your credit card debt into your mortgage, which is a bit like consolidation.<br /><br />4 Steps to Refinance with Poor Credit<br /><br />1. Shop Around. Many people believe that in order to get good refinancing, you need to have good credit. That's simply not the case, as in this economy, lenders are more willing to extend refinancing to those with fair or even poor credit. The key is to simply shop around and be willing to do a bit of research before you refinance. <br /><br />2. Look for Lenders that Specifically Offer Refinancing to Those with Poor Credit. Some of the big name lenders only publicize that they refinance to those with good credit. But most of them also offer plans for refinancing for those with poor credit. Seek those out, and if you find a lender that says they only offer refinancing for people with good credit, ask them if they offer anything at all for people with poor credit. More than likely, they will, especially with how this economy is.<br /><br />3. Don't Fear the Higher Interest Rate. Let's set one thing straight right now: you will not get the same interest rate refinancing as someone with a better credit score would. You should see a rate that is lower than what you currently have, though, and it's important to realize that even if it's a little lower than you'd like, you can always refinance again in a few years once you've bettered your credit score.<br /><br />4. Apply Over the Phone or Via Mail. When you apply for refinancing over the internet, the application is usually reviewed by a computer, which can spell automatic bad news for refinancing if you have bad credit. That's why you should apply by the phone or via mail, as you'll be turning your application into an actual human being. Again, with how bad the economy is, and how desperate lenders to loan money, you'll have much more favorable results as the person who is reviewing the application will see that you are genuinely interested in getting a lower interest rate and in making your refinanced mortgage payments on time.Dee Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05872466643537180705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14026938.post-86144211994908006232008-10-12T14:21:00.001-07:002008-10-12T14:21:51.952-07:00Hidden Credit Card Fees: Where to Find ThemIf you have above average credit, you probably have at least one no fee credit card. Credit card companies reward individuals, who have good credit, with this type of card. Should you be appreciative? In a word no.<br /><br />All credit cards have hidden fees. Financial institutions issue the cards to make money. Money is made on both sides of the transaction. The merchant pays a per sale fee and a percentage of the total sale as well as a monthly service fee. And of course the consumer pays fees as well. These hidden fees alone add up to millions of dollars each year. Some of them include:<br /><br />Cash advance fees. There are very few credit cards that don't charge for obtaining cash from an ATM. In reality, these cash advances are considered loans. So, not only do you pay a fee for withdrawing the money but you are charged interest from that moment on. Rates vary, but typically range from 3% to 24%. Your payment usually goes to pay off the balance first before any cash advance is paid back. And that's because the interest rate on cash advances is normally higher than that on merchandise and services purchases.<br /><br />Pay-by-phone fees. If you usually pay your bills by phone, you may be charged a convenience fee, by your credit card company. Some credit card companies charge an even larger fee if you are paying your bill on the actual due date.<br /><br />International fees. If you travel abroad and use your credit card, chances are you will be charged an international or foreign transaction fee. The only good news is that this fee is typically lower (1% - 3%) compared to other fees.<br /><br />Late fees. Don't assume that if you get your payment to the credit card company on the due date that it will be processed that day. Late fees are regularly assessed on payments that were received on time, that way you are not reported for a late payment, but that the company processes the next day or so, that way they can charge the late fee. Check your bill because the due date can change without notice.<br />Convenience check fees. If you use the convenience checks that are usually included as a perk with many major credit cards, you are probably in for a big surprise. These checks are considered another form of cash advance, so there are fees attached to using them.<br /><br />Worse yet, in the event that the check is returned because your available credit balance won't cover the amount of the check, you will be charged additional fees, as well.<br /><br />Look closely at the terms and conditions your credit card company offers and make sure you understand the fee structures so you don't get caught paying extra money.Dee Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05872466643537180705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14026938.post-313274705879727412008-10-07T09:20:00.000-07:002008-10-12T14:20:46.403-07:00Do Credit Scores Really Make a Difference - 3 Tips to Improve That ScoreIf you have ever wondered if your credit score makes a difference, in day to day credit situations, the answer is a resounding... yes. In fact, the lower your credit score the harder it will be for you to obtain any type of credit. However, it is not impossible as long as you are willing to pay the price.<br /><br />The price you pay is the percentage of interest your loan or credit card will carry. Since financial institutions are in the business of making money, most don't think twice about issuing credit cards to individuals who have been deemed a 'high credit risk'. To say this practice is big business is putting it lightly.<br /><br />Currently, the average credit score is 720. As a rule, if your score falls under 600 you will probably pay more in interest than someone with a higher rating.<br /><br />Several factors are used to determine your credit score. They include: payment history, total debt owed, length of credit history, types of credit used and new credit.<br /><br />The best thing you can do to improve your credit score is to pay your bills on time. As noted above, this is the most important criteria when it comes to determining your rating.<br /><br />It is also important to keep your balances as low as possible. This will go a long way in improving your credit score. Why? When your credit cards are almost 'maxed out' you are considered a higher risk, because this shows you probably have a need to reach for a credit card, instead of paying with cash.<br />Just because you currently have bad credit doesn't mean that it cannot be improved upon. There are steps you can take to 'fix' the situation.<br /><br />Unfortunately, this process won't happen overnight. Depending on the extent of your ailing credit it will take months, sometimes even years, until you are fortunate enough to have good credit. Look at it this way, it probably took quite a while for your credit to deteriorate... you can't expect the bad stuff to disappear in just a matter of weeks.<br /><br />Step number one. Obtain copies of the credit reports. You will need one from each of the three major credit bureaus... Equifax, Experian and Trans Union. There are two ways to get your credit reports, at no cost. Every individual in the US is entitled to one free credit report per year, per credit bureau.<br />If you have already taken advantage of this offer, apply for a credit card. Obviously you won't be approved because of your credit rating, but the denial will entitle you to a free report.<br /><br />Step number two. Determine a budget. This will give you some idea as to how much extra income you have that can be put toward your outstanding bills. It is always best to pay off higher interest credit cards first... even if the same amount of money will pay off two lower interest cards. You will end up saving money, in the long run.<br /><br />Step number three. Change your shopping habits. Chances are impulse buying is what got you into debt in the first place. If you can curb the problem, it will make it easier to achieve creditworthiness in the future.<br /><br />Follow these tips and you can repair your credit rating yourself.Dee Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05872466643537180705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14026938.post-24511557617617166712008-10-02T12:16:00.000-07:002008-10-12T14:18:43.431-07:00Debt Settlement Scams: What to Watch Out ForWith the declining state of the current economy, more and more individuals are turning toward debt settlement as a means of eliminating their mountains of debt. Debt can cause stress and an overall decline in health. Creditors calling at all hours of the night even bothering you at your place of employment, no wonder many consumers reach a level of extreme desperation, even depression. Is there a light at the end of the tunnel?<br /><br />There are many debt settlement companies that are completely legitimate. A debt settlement company will review your loans, your income, and assets, and determine a realistic level of payment for each debt you owe. They will then contact each creditor and negotiate a payment plan that's realistic.<br /><br />Once you've made the lump sum settlement with your creditors you're out of debt. Debt settlement companies don't work for free. The fees can be based on a percentage of your loans, a set up fee, payment fees, and even closing fees.<br /><br />Unfortunately, there are many debt settlement companies that are only after your money and have no intention of working with you or your creditors.<br /><br />These companies exist only to bilk service fees out of desperate consumers who see no other way out. Instead of a light at the end of the tunnel there's only a brick wall.<br /><br />They promise to contact your creditors in effort to lower your current balance and reduce your current payments as much as 50% or more. While legitimate debt settlement companies typically negotiate your balance scam companies offer empty promises, take your money and run!<br /><br />One debt settlement scam that is gaining in popularity is the no hassle enrollment plan. This occurs when the company in question wants you to enroll in one of their plans over the phone, without any type of qualifying process or verification of your actual debts. Of course you have to pay a membership initiation fee and, most likely a monthly fee while they review your finances. If you decide not to continue in the program, too bad, there aren't any refunds.<br /><br />Another popular debt settlement scam is one in which the company tells you that your creditors have agreed to the repayment plan and they haven't even been contacted. Or the settlement company has sent a letter to the creditor telling them the payments are being held in a trust account and have to reach a certain balance before they'll be paid. The consolidation company comes up with a monthly payment that the consumer pays them every month. A good chunk, as much as $50 to $100, goes to the settlement company as service fees. The money is held in a "trust" account until the balance reaches a certain level.<br /><br />The consolidation company then pays the creditor. But if the creditor hasn't agreed to this plan, and most won't, they can continue to collect on the debt through whatever means legally available.<br /><br />This type of plan could only make matters worse, because most creditors will not wait that long to receive full payment. In all likelihood, they could still take you to court.<br /><br />Be aware that debt settlement is not the same thing as debt consolidation, or debt counseling.Dee Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05872466643537180705noreply@blogger.com0