10 little publishing secrets for book authors

DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS OF TRADITIONAL

BOOK PUBLISHING

You made a book deal!

You made a book deal!

Now I’ll let you in on some things your publisher

probably didn’t tell you.

Now I’ll let you in on some things your publisher

probably didn’t tell you.

10 LITTLE SECRETS other authors say they wish they’d known

at the outset.  

Now I’ll let you in on some things your publisher

probably didn’t tell you.

10 LITTLE SECRETS other authors say they wish they’d known

at the outset.  starting with . . .  

You have to pay for things you would expect

the publisher to cover.

Things like . . .

Things like . . . Research & travel expenses

Things like . . . Research & travel expenses

Fact-checking

Things like . . . Research & travel expenses

Fact-checking Professional author photo

Things like . . . Research & travel expenses

Fact-checking Professional author photo

Your book’s website

Things like . . . Research & travel expenses

Fact-checking Professional author photo

Your book’s website Your book’s index

Things like . . . Research & travel expenses

Fact-checking Professional author photo

Your book’s website Your book’s index (YES, REALLY)

Things like . . . Research & travel expenses

Fact-checking Professional author photo

Your book’s website Your book’s index

Additional editing or promotion (YES, REALLY)

All of that can add up to a

pretty penny.

All of that can add up to a

pretty penny.

Your small advance just got smaller.

It’s not your publisher’s job to get advance blurbs

from big names for the back of your book.

This job falls to you.

This job falls to you.

It can take months.

This job falls to you.

It can take months.

START NOW You don’t have to wait for the final version of your book.

Copyediting is outsourced to packagers, so there’s no way of knowing what

quality of editing you’ll get.

Assume the best. Plan for the worst.

Read over the changes carefully. Push back, if necessary.

Assume the best. Plan for the worst.

Better yet, put in your contract that you will hire the copyeditor,

if publisher covers what they would have paid.

Better yet, put in your contract that you will hire the copyeditor,

if publisher covers what they would have paid.

(WELL, IT’S WORTH A TRY)

Publisher PR departments are focused on

getting reviews,

Publisher PR departments are focused on

getting reviews, not generating articles.

This means they’re focusing on about 1% of the media possibilities.

This means they’re focusing on about 1% of the media possibilities.

You should work on the other 99%.

This means they’re focusing on about 1% of the media possibilities.

You should work on the other 99%.

FEATURE ARTICLES

This means they’re focusing on about 1% of the media possibilities.

You should work on the other 99%.

FEATURE ARTICLES BROADCAST OPPS

This means they’re focusing on about 1% of the media possibilities.

You should work on the other 99%.

FEATURE ARTICLES ONLINE COLUMNS

BROADCAST OPPS

This means they’re focusing on about 1% of the media possibilities.

You should work on the other 99%.

FEATURE ARTICLES ONLINE COLUMNS

BROADCAST OPPS

SPEAKING

This means they’re focusing on about 1% of the media possibilities.

You should work on the other 99%.

FEATURE ARTICLES ONLINE COLUMNS

BROADCAST OPPS

SPEAKING AUTHOR Q & As

Publishers will never tell you that you need an outside publicist.

They don’t want to compete or coordinate with another publicist.

They don’t want to compete or coordinate with another publicist.

Do you need outside help? It’s your call, but don’t look to

your publisher for advice on this.

Your book is old news after six weeks.

You may think it’s an evergreen topic,

but others

You may think it’s an evergreen topic,

but others reviewers

You may think it’s an evergreen topic,

but others reviewers

bookstores

You may think it’s an evergreen topic,

but others reviewers

bookstores

the media

You may think it’s an evergreen topic,

but others reviewers

bookstores

the media your publisher

You may think it’s an evergreen topic,

but others DO NOT.

reviewers

bookstores

the media your publisher

You may think it’s an evergreen topic,

but others DO NOT.

reviewers

bookstores

the media your publisher

Create an advance plan of attack for that short window.

Your first 3 reader reviews on Amazon

are very important.

Everyone sees and clicks on them

Everyone sees and clicks on them

Everyone sees and clicks on them

thus ensuring those reviews remain at the top.

Avoid the random cranks.

Get an early version of your book into the hands of respectable readers

Avoid the random cranks.

Get an early version of your book into the hands of respectable readers

(NOT YOUR RELATIVES)

Avoid the random cranks.

Get an early version of your book into the hands of respectable readers

and don’t be shy about asking them to write an Amazon review.

(NOT YOUR RELATIVES)

Avoid the random cranks.

Goodreads giveaways are a waste of time.

Sure, you can do a giveaway but don’t expect anyone to notice it

and write an early review (which is the whole point, right?)

Sure, you can do a giveaway but don’t expect anyone to notice it

and write an early review (which is the whole point, right?)

N.A. if you’re a celeb writer — in which case

why are you reading this?

Be glad rather than mad when you aren’t sent on

a book tour.

Do you go to book readings by unknown writers?

Travel eats up your precious time.

Do you go to book readings by unknown writers?

Travel eats up your precious time.

Do you go to book readings by unknown writers?

You’re better off at home setting up media interviews

and writing articles that have a multiplying effect.

Bookstores do not want you to drop in

and sign your on-sale books.

It just makes it harder for the retailer to return

the books to the publisher.

Wikipedia is your promotional friend*

Wikipedia is your promotional friend*

*unless someone else has your same name. Then it’s time to disambiguate.

Wikipedia is your promotional friend*

*unless someone else has your same name. Then it’s time to disambiguate.

That’s a Wikiword

Wikipedia often comes up TOP in author name searches.

Wikipedia often comes up TOP in author name searches.

Start a Wikipedia page or update the one you have.

Wikipedia often comes up TOP in author name searches.

Start a Wikipedia page or update the one you have.

(You write it; get a trusted, web-savvy friend to post it.)

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LAURA KELLY laura-e-kelly.com