March 30 – The first session on Saturday was Managing Your First Year as an Author. Panelists were Gordon Warnock (moderator), Robert Gussin, Carl Vonderau, Dana Killion, and Terri Bischoff. All provided observations about getting your book published. The panel represents authors and publishers with self-publishing and/or traditional publishing experience. Any mistakes are due to faulty notetaking and/or memory on my part.
Gordon
- Your first year takes about two years to complete
- Steve Berry wrote five manuscripts before his first book sold
- It is all about perseverance, it is a marathon
Robert
- Runs a publishing company handling 100+ authors, 200+ books on the market
- Social media has given prospective authors an incredible opportunity, can’t overload too early, peaks when you release your book, start at a level where people will become interested and then build it up
- Right after the book comes out, be on social media and use it, talk about where you are going, when the next book is coming out
- Amazon uses algorithms to analyze comments, the more there are the more you get put up
- With standard publishing, you work towards advance readers copy six months before publication
- Everything in the schedule is early
- Be aware of your time frame and requirements with your publisher and publicist
- Know when to send your book availability news to the world
- You’re next book should be completed when your book launches
- Barnes & Noble is not going to find you but will help you in your local area
- All books are returnable from the bookstore, not the best way to get rich but it’s fun
- Maybe find a blog about something else, get on, talk about that, but sign it as Name, Author of…
- Don’t always talk about your book
Carl
- Traditionally published
- Learn how to pitch a book, boil it down to an elevator pitch
- Algonquian Writers Conference – where he learned how to pitch a book
- Long process of agents pitching the book to publishers
- Once sold, another year before it gets published
- Work on social media update, where to sell, where to get blurbs, also work on next book
- With free time, he works on material that can come out ahead of publication, develops new material, meets other authors, goes to conferences, sees how other authors talk about their books
- Recommends hiring a publicist to help create a buzz
- Writes standalones, so you have to get started as soon as possible
- Writing next book is a way of staying sane while your first book is getting published
Dana
- First manuscript sitting in a “lovely box” in her office. had no idea what she was doing or how to fix it, still feels like unfinished business
- Began going to classes and conferences to learn how to be an author
- Amazon allows everyone who ever wrote a book to upload it, but no one will know it’s there
- You must switch into the understanding that this is a business, a career
- Learn how to move from having a product to having a product that people will buy
- No longer in an era where publisher does everything for you
- From finished writing to self-publication, you are on no firm schedule/timetable
- Hires developmental editors, copy editors, cover designers, etc.
- First book takes the longest
- Not a lot of down time, but more switching hats in self-publishing, business hat does not go away,
- Spends time analyzing ads, what works and what doesn’t, by being independent, doesn’t need to wait to change something (an ad, for example)
- If friends and family don’t read your type of books, be careful
- A week before publication she is “locked and loaded” – actually quiet time for her
- Launches often happens at local bookstores, which is good
- Major publicity starts in your own home area
- Most authors will have books a month or so before launch, can give copies to your library
- Self-publishing doesn’t have the long lead time between books
- Doesn’t believe in popping out a book every six weeks, but can get two books out per year
- Constantly marketing directly to consumers (in discovery mode at all times)
- Best thing she can do is get more material to those people who are becoming fans
Terri
- Getting traditionally published is quite a long process, a lot of quiet time
- A lot of “hurry up and wait”
- You should always be doing something in between any requests from your publisher
- Advance reader copy – has gone through developmental edits but not line edits
- When a book is launching is when she is working on your next book
- Commonality is that you are working all the time
- If you’re not doing something, you should figure out what you should be doing and do it
- Publishing houses want to make money, if you’re an indie writer you need to make back your costs to publish
- Right after your book comes out, be active on social media in whichever format you feel most comfortable
- Be well-behaved as an author online
- Never diss anyone or any company
- Avoid always talking only about your book
- As a debut or not as well-known author, hook up with an author who is more well-known for appearances
- It’s okay to say I’ve been rejected so many times, people want to see the process