Chip MacGregor .com

Contracts: What to Look For

Danielle wrote to ask, "What clauses in book contracts have proved the most troublesome to writers?'

That's an interesting way to put that question, Danielle. Certainly every clause in a contract can be deemed important, if you consider it's a legal document that will govern everything about your book for as long as it's in print. But I can think of several things an author ought to keep an eye on...

1. What's the grant of rights? Your contract should ask you to grant specific rights to the publisher, not "everything, always, in all circumstances." And rights not specifically granted to the publisher are to be retained by the author.

2. Is the wording clear? Know what you're signing. Some publishers have exceptionally easy-to-read contracts (Baker, Harlequin, and Harvest House are three that come to mind). Others can have contracts that read as though they were invented by lawyers for whom English is not their first language. If you don't understand what you're signing, ask questions. [And let me offer a word of advice: If you have an agent, he or she ought to be able to explain what you're signing. If you don't have an agent, you can get help from a contract evaluation service, which will charge you a couple hundred bucks to review your contract and suggest changes. You can also have a contracts or intellectual property rights attorney review the contract, but DON'T have him or her negotiate it for you. The moment they pick up that phone, the clock is ticking...and the longer they can keep the clock ticking, the more you're going to pay.]

3. Is there added work? Sometimes a book contract will also ask you to create something else. Read it carefully to see if you're on the h0ok for an index, a bibliography, or a map to the star's homes.

4. What is acceptable? Make sure your contract offers you the chance to revise an unacceptable manuscript in order to make it acceptable. Some smaller houses have been known to withhold "acceptance" until they have the cash in hand to pay for it.

5. Who owns the copyright? A contract should state that the book's copyright will be in the author's name.

6. When will the book be published? In most book contracts there is a window that explains your book will be made available for sale within two years. I recently saw a contract that had a five-year window on it, and another contract that didn't limit the publishing time at all. The danger (and it's happened to others) is that you'll turn in a book the publisher keeps forever but never actually publishes.

7. When are advances paid? Make sure you know when you're getting paid. Traditionally an author received half the advance on signing and the other half on completion. Many of the New York houses pay one-third on signing, one-third on delivery, and one-third on publication. I just saw a contract that called for the advance to be broken into eighths (sign, completion of a questionnaire, after an interview with marketing, completion of the manuscript, completion of typesetting... um...the next full moon, etc.)

8. When are royalties paid? Most CBA houses pay twice a year. Many ABA houses pay quarterly. I still see some contracts that call for royalty payments to authors once per year... and no, that publisher won't be offering to pay you interest on that money they've been holding for you.

9. If you're doing a novel, who owns the subsidiary rights? Publishers are in the business of licensing and selling rights, so they'll ask for the dramatic rights to your story. But check something out -- Has this publisher ever sold dramatic rights? Do they actively pursue movie and TV deals? If not, you might be wasting your time granting them to the house.

10. If you're doing a nonfiction book, what's your buy-back discount? The publisher's boilerplate contract will call for you to purchase your own book at about a 40% discount. But if you speak to large groups, you'll want to negotiate for a better deal. You don't want to be in competition with your publisher, but if you regularly have a captive audience listening to you speak, selling books is a sure money-maker for you, and your publisher isn't losing money on the deal.

11. Are there restrictions on the sale of the contract? Check to see if your publisher has the right to sell the entire deal to another house. This doesn't happen often, but it can happen, and you need to be aware of the possibility. I once had a sleaze-ball publisher sign a well-known personality to a book, then immediately start shopping the contract... In other words, he never had any intention of publishing the book; he just wanted to sign a lowball deal and flip it to a bigger house. (This is something he admitted to me, but denied to the author. Mr. Sleazeball is now an agent, by the way.)

12. If it all goes south, who pays for the lawyers? Remember that a contract is put in place to clarify two things: what will happen if all goes well, and what will happen if everything goes to hell. In case of the latter, check to see who covers the cost of the lawyers. A short while back I was sent a contract that called for the publisher to pick the lawyer, but the author to pay for it.

13. Does your contract clarify what constitutes "out of print"? It should be simple: When the publisher is no longer selling your book, it's out of print. Don't get caught up in windy explanations of publishing-on-demand titles constituting a book for sale. (Years ago, I worked on a deal where a publisher claimed a popular author's book was still "in print" because they still were offering an audio version for libraries, so they still controlled rights.) Get a clear definition that includes having regular books commercially available.

14. Does your contract have an option clause? There are various forms of options -- everything from "you promise us your next book" to "we'd like you to give us a first look at your next one." Options aren't necessarily evil (they can reveal a commitment on the part of the publisher to an author's career), but you should know the risks and rewards of a proposed option clause. (True Item: In days of yore, one publisher used to insert an option clause that promised two books for every one you published... so an author could never actually get out from under the contract. For every book he wrote, he owed two more books! That's no longer the case at that house, by the way.)

15. Is this a perfect contract? The answer, in case you're not sure, is "no." In a perfect world, you'd get a perfect contract. But we don't live in a perfect world. So while you'll sometimes hear people make declarations about contracts ("You should NEVER sign a multi-book deal!" or "I would NEVER agree to a cross-collateralized contract!" or "I MUST have approval over the cover!"), be aware that a contract is a negotiated settlement -- you'll ask for some things, and you'll give up some things. That's the nature of contracts. Nobody gets everything they want. But if you approach a book contract as a partnership with your publisher, rather than a battle to be won, you'll be happier with the results.

A Stocking Full of Questions

I've been getting dozens of publishing questions sent to me lately, so before we all take our Christmas break, let me try to get to several of them briefly...

Val wrote to say, "I'm a new writer trying to break into the business. I understand that previous publishing credits are a plus, but do prospective agents and editors view e-zines and web sites as accomplishments worth mentioning in a query?"

Publishing credits are publishing credits, Val. What book editors and agents are looking for most is a great idea, expressed through great writing, by someone with a great platform. So by all means reveal your background. Writing for the web counts in this business. The bigger the readership and the more well-known the site, the better.

Matt writes to ask, "When an author finishes his manuscript and begins to send out query letters, should he have his manuscript copyrighted first? Or is that only necessary when a manuscript is being published?"

This is a common mistake, and I'm glad we have a chance to talk about it. Here's the truth: As soon as you create something original, it's yours. You own the copyright. You might (in a rare case) have to prove that you were the creator, but your writing is yours. In the United States, you as the creator are protected from plagiarism -- the intellectual property rights to your written expressions are owned by you until you license them to someone else. So no, you don't have to fill out a formal copyright document with the government. (And, unlike some people believe, you don't have to mail yourself a copy.) When you sign a book deal, the publisher will arrange to get a formal copyright document filed with the government, and that document should cite you (the creator) as holder of the copyright.

A couple notes: Remember that you can only copyright your unique expressions -- so there's no copyrighting a basic idea or a title. And keep in mind that if you write something for another person on a work-for-hire basis, you do not own the copyright for that work -- you're giving it over to someone else, who has the right to make copies and sell them. Oh...and I should also note that I'm not a lawyer, so I'm not giving you legal advice here. If you need legal advice, call your attorney.

Mandy wrote to me and noted, "Recently you encouraged all serious writers to find a writing mentor. How does one do this? I've been to several writing conferences and am acquainted with some well-known authors, but I'm not sure I'd ever be bold enough to ask one of them."

Well, my first thought is that you keep in mind what a mentor is: Not someone perfect. Not someone on the top of the bestseller lists. Not someone who is necessarily your best friend in the business. A mentor is someone who is a bit further down the path from yourself -- with more experience in the field, so as to give you some wise advice and direction, especially when you are trying to grow or you are faced with a major decision. I'd suggest that it's tough to walk up to someone you don't know well and say, "Will you commit to being my friend?" Most of us would probably find that a bit odd. So focus on one of those experienced authors you know.

By using the framework I suggest above, consider going to someone you're friendly with and talking with them about mentoring. Write down what you'd like to receive from a mentor (a chance to talk things over? career guidance? some wisdom when faced with big questions? suggestions for writing exercises?), so that it's clear in your own mind. Approach the person in a one-on-one setting sometime and simply say, "I have a favor to ask you. You don't have to say 'yes' right away, but I'd like you to consider my request. I need to be able to occasionally talk to someone with more experience than myself -- someone who has some wisdom, and who is a little farther down the path from me. I'd like to ask if I could approach you via phone or email briefly, about once a month, just to glean some of your knowledge. I like and respect you, and I believe I could learn a lot from you. Would you consider some sort of relationship like that?"

Okay, that might not be the perfect script, but something low-key like that is a good approach. You'd probably agree with me that most of us are busy and don't need another difficult relationship -- but at the same time, most experienced people are interested in helping foster the next generation. So approaching someone who already knows you and with whom you feel comfortable, and asking for a bit of their time, but placing firm limits as to how much time and what will be covered, that's a way to get the mentor/protege relationship started.

Johann wrote to say he's been approached to do some collaborative writing, and has several questions: "What should I charge? Should I get my name on the book? How long do you think it will take me? And what would the main points of our agreement be?"

That's a lot of questions, Johann. You should definitely have a written agreement that details WHAT you'll do (for example, "write a 50,000 word book about your life story"), WHEN you'll do it ("it will be completed by October 1"), WHAT your author's responsibilities will be ("meet with me four times for a full day"), and HOW MUCH you'll be paid (you will probably want to charge somewhere in the $70 per hour range, plus get a percentage if the book is to be shopped to publishers). If you're doing all the writing, you should get your name on the book (unless you or the author have a good reason for not including your name). As for how long it will take you...well, if you shoot for 1000 words per day (a very common goal), it should help you figure out how long it will take you to create the rought draft. Last, I'll suggest that if you're serious about this sort of work, you might want to talk to a good agent and ask him to walk through all this with you.

On a related note, Dave wrote to ask, "Do you have any ethical problems with ghost-writing?"

I would insist you define the term. To some, ghost-writing means doing any sort of writing for someone else without getting credit. I would disagree with that definition -- sometimes an author has good ideas that are well-formed, but needs a wordsmith to help move them toward a polished manuscript. I see nothing wrong with that sort of writing. It's a paid job to shape up somebody else's work, and I don't find anything unethical about that. But in the classic sense of ghostwriting, in which a well-known celebrity hires a writer to create something entirely out of thin air so that the celebrity can claim to be a writer -- that's something I disagree with. Why not simply list the collaborative writer on the cover and title page ("Bob Smith with Mary Jones")? There's no evidence to suggest listing a collab will hurt sales. To leave off the ghost is something I find misleading, and is usually nothing more than an attempt to shore up the celebrity's ego. However, I find there is far less ghosting than there was a few years ago. And, as I noted, I don't have a problem with a writer stepping in to collaborate on a project, or to help wordsmith somebody else's ideas. I do find that some people get way too worked up about this topic without ever defining their terms. Feel free to chime in on this one, everyone.

Timothy wrote to say, "Some book clubs asked me for discussion questions for my book. I took a stab at it, but came away sounding like my high school English teacher. What do book clubs like to discuss? Do your clients develop book club study guides, or is this rare enough it can be handled on a case-by-case basis?"

Book clubs are looking for 7 to 12 open-ended questions (i.e., questions that can't be answered "yes" or "no") that explore the themes of the book and allow them to either debate the choices made or apply the situations to their own lives. So for a novel, coming up with questions that foster debate is probably more important than coming up with questions that examine the accuracy of the story. For a nonfiction title, coming up with questions that take your principles and ask people to apply them to their own lives is imperative. Get people telling their own stories and interacting with the text, and you've got a great book club.

I've had several authors create book club questions. Some publishers will put these on a page in the back of the book. If yours doesn't want to do that, here's an idea to try: Post book club questions on your web site. It will offer readers genuine value while increasing traffic to your site and allowing you to cross-sell your other books.

Last question: Tanya took a look at my corporate web site (www.MacGregorLiterary.com), noticed that I tend to prefer "established authors," and asked two questions... "How do you define an established author? And is it better for a 'non-established' author to work with a small publishing house, or to keep pounding on doors to find an agent?"

The answer to your first question is fairly fluid -- an established author is someone who has done some writing and publishing. How much will qualify them as "established" is left in the eye of the beholder, I guess. But so you know, most of the authors I represent are people I met face-to-face, liked personally, and came away impressed with their writing -- OR they were referrals from current clients. It's just the way I've built my business.

As to your second question, I'd suggest there's not really a right answer. Many authors (including me) got started by publishing with magazines, newsletters, and smaller publishing houses. Eventually some of us got noticed and moved to a bigger stage. But other authors kept working until they found an agent who could help them land a deal. Either choice is equally hard and will result in you being frustrated and wanting to quit this stupid business...until you have some success and have have people start telling you what a wonderful writer you are, and fawning over you as though you were some sort of genius. [Note: When that happens, accept it, but laugh. You're not really a genius...but if somebody else wants to think of you that way, so what?] There's no one plan that will work for everyone, and since I don't know you, I can't recommend one path or the other, Tanya.

However, I CAN tell you this: I hope you have a very merry Christmas. Celebrate the birth of the Savior, everyone.

The Kindle

I got an email from a writer I met at a conference in Philadelphia, Kathleen G (the G is for "genuine talent" -- in a couple years you're all going to know about her). She wrote to ask, "So what do you think of the Kindle?"

In case you're out of the technoloop, Amazon has begun selling a new e-book device called the Kindle. It's the size of a hardcover book, and has a lot of cool features. Many people are talking about it as "the iPod of books." Here are some things I really like about the Kindle...

First, it's the right size. It feels similar to a book. Small, light, and it opens up with a plastic cover. Like a book, you never turn it on or off.

Second, the screen is great. It's not like your laptop screen -- it's a black-and-white (not gray-and-white) electronic ink screen, so it's easy to read, even outside in the sun. I happen to be a person who enjoys reading outdoors, and none of the other electronic readers (the Sony Reader, the iLiad, the Rocket, the GemStar, SoftBook, etc.) gave me enough contrast or brightness to use effectively. It's even got a magnifier, so you can make a quick adjustment to make the text larger very easily (which I'm discovering is a nice feature, now that I'm sneaking up on 50). 

Third, it's easy to use. It uses cel-phone technology, so it's not like waiting to log on to your PC. You order books right on the screen, and they are downloaded in about a minute using the same technology as texting. And best of all there's NO COST to that feature. No kidding -- Amazon is paying for it. (So you know, you can have your PC run on cel phone service with some companies, but it'll cost you about $75 bucks a month.) So "free" is a good deal, since the Kindle will do some basic web browsing, some email, and can get your New York Times delivered to it every morning.

Fourth, the cost of books is cheap. Amazon currently has 90,000 books available. All new books are just ten bucks -- a steal. Most older books (including classic texts) are between three and five dollars. Magazines are two bucks per month. The Kindle will hold about 200 books, which is a pretty good library to have at your fingertips. The rest you'll have to back up on a memory card.

Fifth, there's a significant "cool" factor to the Kindle. Small, easy to use, saves you from lugging a bunch of books in your travel bag, and sure to get you noticed on a plane.

On the other hand, there are some drawbacks to the Kindle...

First, I don't know how else to say this: it feels cheap. I'm sure the first time I drop it, that plastic cover is going to break off. There's just sort of a plasticky feel to it -- one of the reviewers likened it to a Commodore 64 computer, and I find that an apt comparison.

Second, the design has some bugs to work out. The margin tabs on either side of the screen are huge, and since I have a tendency to hold a book in one hand, I kept accidentally clicking them and changing pages when I didn't want to be. And one common criticism among reviewers is the fact that there's a "Back" button, but no "Forward" button -- which makes no sense when you're on the Web.

Third, this isn't nearly as good a screen when you get away from books. When you're browsing the web, it's tough to read the small print, and you can't change the font size of anything on the web. I found it much harder to get around the newspaper than on my laptop. There are no streaming videos, no web layouts, no audio books (unless you load them through your laptop). The usefulness of the email account is limited.

Fourth (and here I'm being picky), you have to turn it off when on a plane, since it works on cel-phone technology. Bummer for those of us who travel and fill our time reading rather than thinking about crashing and burning while traveling 400 miles an hour, five miles in the air, in a steel tube. (In case you've never thought about it.)

Fifth, while books are much cheaper than buying the $24.95 hardcover, the cost of the actual Kindle is $400! Yikes...at that price, it's going to take a lot of books to cover the cost. Which makes me assume that Amazon is hoping to sell this on the "cool" factor.

It IS cool, by the way. And as soon as the price drops to something much more reasonable, I'll buy one. By then they'll have a color screen, and the button design will be fixed, and they cover will be changed to feel more permanent. So I like it, but I'm not racing out to buy one for Christmas.

Hey, I'd LOVE to know what you think of the Kindle.

Questions about Publishing

Fiona wrote to ask, "What happens when you have a good proposal, a finished manuscript that people want to read, and you know the market -- but you can't get anyone in the publishing industry to read the darn thing? Do you self-publish? This is an exhausting process, I must say."

My dear, welcome to the world of publishing. While I sympathize with your frustration over creating something you think is good but not having the connections to get it read, you should know that's a fairly common problem. You need to seek publishing relationships. Go to a writing conference and show your work to editors. Introduce yourself to agents. Enter some contests. Be part of a critique group to make connections. Become friends with other writers and begin to get plugged in to the industry.

Of course,  if no one is willing to seriously review your work, the possibility exists that you're being a bit too generous in your self-praise. I'll admit I could be wrong here, but I've often had wannabe authors say to me something like, "Everybody on the planet has reviewed this and told me it was awful, but I'm sure I'm a genius...maybe I should self-publish." Just something to consider. I've covered self-publishing in other posts, but my basic argument is that you should only self-pub if you know exactly how you're going to market and sell your own work.

As for this being an exhausting process, I'd submit that it is...but that it's no more exhausting than making a living at any other art form. If you put together a band and write some songs, you may think your work is brilliant -- but you've got to go play some gigs at local pubs, meet producers, and get some experience under your belt before you can expect to sign that record deal. You may think your paintings are genius, but you've got to sell some at art fairs and get introduced to some gallery owners before your work will hang in a museum. Like any other art, you start at the bottom and work your way up. Get some experience, meet some people, and move forward.

Wande wrote and asked, "When a writer sells a book to a publisher, does a standard deal give the publisher the right to publish the book only in a specific country? Can the writer contract with a different publisher in another country?"

When you sign a publishing contract, you're granting specific rights as to what the publisher can do with your book. The standard request from a publisher will be "all rights in all countries." From there, you negotiate. It's possible to do a US-only contract, or an English-world-rights contract. And yes, each country would require its own publishing deal. But before you start limiting the grant of rights, make sure you know what you'd do with those rights if you kept them. The larger publishers have full-time sales people who are actively seeking foreign rights deals for the house. They are often very connected with publishers in other countries who would be interested in your work. Unless you or your agent have strong foreign publishing contacts, you may end up making less money because you're unable to secure deals. Conversely, if you have great contacts in other countries, you may make more by contracting each country separately. (I just did a deal with a publisher who contracted for world rights "except for China." They graciously allowed the author to keep Chinese rights because the author has some very strong ties to the publishing companies in that country.) But be aware that not all books translate well across cultures.

Jimbo wrote me to ask, "Why on some novel covers does it say 'A NOVEL?' For crying out loud, I know it's a novel and not a cookbook! Do they think we're not smart enough to figure that out?"

The phrase "A Novel" normally appears on some books to clarify the genre. For example, Penguin was inundated with complaints when they first published The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing (which was a novel, in case you're unaware). The words "a novel" help potential bookbuyers know what sort of literature they're buying. But here's a little-known fact: some publishing houses insist each book have a subtitle, so the phrase "a novel" goes into the computer and fulfills the house need for completeness. However, it all could be a plot to upset the persnickety among us.

Diane wrote and said, "I've written a true-to-life, humorous short poem (12 lines) that I'd like to get out there. I'm wondering if I should just hold onto it and wait until I have a whole collection to print, or if I should submit it to a publication that would publish it right away. If I did the latter, would it be difficult to publish later in a collection?"

Um...okay, friendly readers of this blog will realize that I'm completely the wrong guy to ask about poetry. (For my part, I'd be happy if you held onto it the rest of your natural life, but only so that I wouldn't be subjected to more poetry. But that's just me.) My guess is that you should try and publish separate pieces, just to get your name in print, since nobody is going to buy a collection of poems from an unpublished poet. (Of course, nobody is going to buy a collection of poems from a published poet either, but that's another issue.) However, I included this discussion because of your question at the end: No, it shouldn't be difficult to publish in a collection later. Normally in a magazine or journal you're giving the publisher one-time rights. Once that issue is off the shelves, rights to your piece revert back to you. (NORMALLY. Read your contract to make sure they're not buying this poem from you as a work-for-hire, in which case they now own it, so when you sell that collection and get nominated for your Nobel Prize, they're going to make a fortune off you.)

Ashley wrote and wanted to know, "If you could have represented any book from the past or present, which book would it be?"

From an agent's perspective, it would have been The Purpose Driven Life. Why? Because it sold a bajillion copies and would have made me a flippin' forture. Then I could have paid for that beach house and sat around reading whatever I wanted while sipping rum drinks with little paper umbrellas in them. But since you're a sensitive writer type, you probably want more of an answer from an artist's perspective. And that would probably be Huckleberry Finn, the best American novel ever written.

One last note: Everybody owes a debt of gratitude to literary agent extraordinaire Natasha Kern. You don't know this, but Natasha has been talking with the people at Publishers Marketplace about listing "inspirational fiction" as its own category. (Like me, she was tired of having novels she represented listed as "romance" or "women's fiction" when they were simply strong Christian stories.) She made her case to a skeptical group, pointed out the growth of Christian fiction in today's marketplace, and noted that there are now dozens of literary agents focused on inspirational fiction. And, a couple weeks ago, they relented. If you check it out, "Inspirational Fiction" is now an official category for novels. Natasha gets my vote as "Cool Person of the Month" for accomplishing this. Thanks, Natasha!

Some Marketing Notes

I had several people write to me after explaining the cool marketing idea Chris Coppernoll is doing. Called "Providence Cares," Chris is teaming up with hospitals to help families raise money for those in need, while getting some great publicity for his new novel, Providence.

Ben wrote in to ask, "What exactly does the author do when 'teaming up' with a hospital?"

Instead of answering myself, I asked Chris this very question. His response: "Providence Cares helps families raise money for a child facing kidney and liver transplants. In my own life, I've watched friends as they grapple with the overwhelming costs of catastrophic illness in their children. Like many people, I believed health insurance or a state agency would cover treatment costs for organ transplants and life-sustaining medications needed in aftercare...but that's not the case. Families are overwhelmed with the task of raising tens of thousands of dollars. So Providence Cares gives families another means of raising support for transplantation.

"Here's how it works: Families host a Providence Cares event and invite their friends, family, co-workers, and faith community. I speak and sign books at the event, and 100% of the proceeds go toward the family's health care expenses. The host family isn't asked to pay for ANY expenses -- books, my travel, or hotel costs. Books are distributed as a thank you for a donation of $20 or more (and some people give more). Providence Cares provides post card mailers for the family to invite guests to the event. Just 50 books signed at the event will raise $1000 in support. Families are welcome to promote the event by contacting their local newspaper, television and radio stations, or book clubs. Events can take place at a book store, church, community center, or hospital community room.

"Best of all, the response has been amazing. Families have been thrilled to have someone come along side, join hands, and help them in a very practical way. I see the Providence Cares ministry as a wonderful extension of my work as a writer. More than just telling stories, I hope my life can impact others."

A great response! And this is a practical idea authors can consider emulating. A great way to help people, get some media attention, and get people noticing your book.

On an entirely different track, I wanted to share a story with you from a fellow agent. Turns out one of the publishers she works with decided to bring in an author and have her meet the staff. They said they wanted her to "get to know the team," and told her she'd be signing books for everyone. Only one catch... The publisher wanted the author to BUY THE BOOKS before giving them away! That's right -- they asked the author to buy her own books to give away at the publisher's event. I had to double-check this story, just to make sure I had heard it correctly. I'd never heard of a publisher expecting their author to purchase the books they were giving away at a signing...but NOW I've heard of it. Yikes. And you wonder why I think a lot of the people in marketing don't know what they're doing...

Here's a true item: Bill Cosby has a new book out -- Come On People: On the Path from Victims to Victors was released by Thomas Nelson in October. I hope it does well for them -- Cosby's message is much needed in our PC culture, and Nelson has proven itself to be a house willing to take a chance on a potentially non-PC projects. When I came across the book on Amazon, it reminded me of another marketing story.

Several years ago, I was sitting at a meeting of some top publishing professionals, and we were discussing a proposal that was being shopped by Mr. Cosby. He had been all the rage for years -- a top-flight comic, a much-beloved spokesperson, and the star of the biggest TV show of his era. The guy was huge, and here we were discussing the merits of doing a book with him. In the midst of the discussion, a publicist spoke up. (Note: I swear I'm not making this up.)  "Well," she said, "I just don't know if I could get media for that book."

Silence around the room. Um...what? You can't get media for Bill Cosby? You don't think you can get TV and radio types to interview BILL FREAKIN' COSBY? "No," she told us. "It wouldn't be easy. There's a lot of competition to get on the top shows."

Oh. It wouldn't be "easy." That would certainly make me lie awake nights. I'm sure all those writers who are pouring their souls out onto pages are worried about their jobs being "easy." I've made my living for a decade as a literary agent, and for the life of me I can't think of a time when it was easy -- when the deals just lined up and all I had to do was make a phone call and deposit the check. As though working for a living is supposed to be "easy." So at that particular meeting, it was all I could do to keep from exploding. I told Miz Publicist that, right there, on the spot, I could set up some media for Bill Cosby using nothing but my stupid cel phone -- and I'm not super-connected with the top media people. (I got interrupted before I could finish my thought -- that if she couldn't get media for Bill Cosby, she was probably in the wrong line of work. And an idiot.)  Let it be a lesson: When you find a good publicist or marketing people, listen to them, do what they ask, and treat them well. The good ones are in the minority.

Interviews, Platforms, and Careers

Dennis wrote to say, "I've got my first book coming out, and I'm supposed to do some interviews on radio. What do I need to know?"

First, there are only two kinds of book interviewers: those who have not read your book, and those who don't know how to read. So never assume the interviewer has read your book. Therefore, always have stories at the ready -- and no matter what the interviewer asks you, tell a story. You should be ready to tell the stories and talk about your book in a minute, in five-to-ten minutes, and in ten-to-thirty minutes, so that you can fit whatever time slot they've got booked for you. (In other words, think up more stories.) Unless you've done a lot of this before, don't agree to take caller questions on the air. It only leads to random nutjobs, lonely widows, and hyperventilating outraged types, with the occasional know-it-all blowhard who loves the sound of his own voice.

Learn to be yourself on air. Relax. Don't try to "sell" your book, just start sharing interesting stories and helpful ideas. You don't know this about me, but I used to do a call-in talk show on Christian radio. 3 to 7 p.m. on the west coast, Monday through Friday -- twenty hours per week of yakking it up on the air with people, asking them about their books, taking lunatic questions, listening to outraged Christian voters. A lot of authors don't want to appear to be arguing on-air, so they become wimpy, agree-with-everyone types...which makes for radio that is BO-ring. If you want to get attention, be different. Don't agree with everyone. Go onto some nonChristian stations and stir things up, keep your sense of humor, and talk about what's in your book.

Jen wrote to ask, "I can understand the importance of a solid platform for a non-fiction writer, since most readers want to know the author's qualifications, but how important are platforms for novelists?"

You could make a case that fiction writers used to base their success on the importance of their themes, the entertainment value of their stories, and the quality of their craft...but in our media-saturated society, even novelists are now expected to have a platform for their books. So we're seeing books, seminars, and blog after blog touting ideas for fiction platforms. Blog tours, internet conversations, interviews, endless media exposure -- there are a number of good resources out there, but they all basically come back to the same four ideas: (1) get your name noticed, (2) focus on the author more than one particular novel, (3) keep it out there regularly, and (4) stay in touch with your readers as much as possible. The advent of the worldwide web has changed the discussion for novelists -- they are now celebrities, and readers want access to them. So as a novelist you are trying to create a series of positive impressions, in order to get readers to like your style and buy your books...not just your current book, but all your books.

Janet wrote me with this: "I went to a writer conference this year, and whenever someone asked an agent what they do, the agent would say something about 'career planning.' It got to be a joke, like beauty contestants talking about world peace. What IS a career plan for an author?"

You hit one of my hot buttons, Janet. I happen to agree that "career planning" is crucial for authors, but in my experience, some agents don't know the difference between "a career plan" and "the next deal." In other words, their idea of helping you establish a career plan is to get you another contract. (I'm not exaggerating.) But a book deal doesn't equate to a career plan. Every author who signs with an agent is expecting a book contract.

In my view, a career plan for an author is created by first helping the individual figure out (1) where they are now,  (2) where they want to go in the future, and (3) what the plan is for getting there. And success is going to be defined differently for each author, Some people want to make their living writing, others don't care about the money so much as that they are writing regularly. One views success as making it financially feasible (let's say $2000 per month), while another defines it as replacing her corporate income (making a minimum of $5000 per month). So part of the first stage is simply figuring out where you are and where you want to be. It can take a while to get to that place -- you have to thnk about your past, your schedule, your personality, your platform, and your calling. What's the message you feel you've been given? What are the books you simply HAVE to write? An author also has to think about keeping life in balance -- having a career is more than just making money. You have to consider how much you'd like to earn and where it will come from, but you also have to think about how you maintain healthy relationships, stay physically fit, and have friends and a vibrant spiritual life. And you've got to write all this down somewhere, so that the author has a document from which he or she is working. THEN you can start thinking about the next steps to take.

Sure, if you're unpublished or between contracts, most likely the first thing you need is a deal...but it's not the only thing you need. Noodle on your writing career -- where are you strong and where are you weak? An author with no platform is hoping the salability of her idea and the quality of her craft will carry her to success, but that's become tough to do in today's marketplace. God has a unique calling for each of us -- He calls one to make a million dollars and another to have modest success. It's not always because of great writing or a unique idea. Think of it this way -- you've probably heard better preachers than Billy Graham, but for some reason one guy gets on TV and another guy toils away in a small town, outside the scope of the media. I don't believe God is calling everybody to success...but I do believe He's calling each of us to obedience.

So I think creating a career plan is about taking steps to move your writing life forward. Think about what you  could do to improve your sales and visibility. What could you study to improve your craft? How can you keep things in balance, so that you have a real life and not just a writing life? That's creating a career plan.

And Amanda wrote to say, "I'm struggling with keeping my writing career going. It seems like I've been at this for years and not seen much success. I just want to feel that my career as a writer has been worthwhile. Can you help?"

You know, Amanda, that's a fairly common struggle with authors. There can be an inherent sense of selfishness in writing -- I'm doing what I want, I'm by myself most of the time, I have to promote myself and my writing. It's easy to start thinking that "my world is all about me." My advice: Look for how you can serve others. There's something about hands-on ministry to others, even in a very part-time role, that causes us to be far less me-focused. I've known authors who got involved teaching reading in adult literacy programs, teaching writing to kids in schools, and occasionally doing something that has nothing to do with words or writing. It's different for every author. I"d ask you what sort of ministry or others-focused activites are you in now, and encourage you to participate.

That's not the whole issue, I realize. Each writer has to decide if they're writing what they should be writing, and if they're finding fulfillment in it. I got to a point a couple years ago where I felt the only thing I did for other people was write them a check. I needed to do something hands-on with other people, so I started working with new immigrants (I come from an immigrant family, so that's meaningful ministry to me).  I hope you find something that's a fit for you, and that this idea helps you clarify why you're doing what you're doing.

More on Self-Publishing and Ghostwriting

After our last discussion, Steve wrote to ask, "So is there anyone making money at self-publishing?"

Absolutely. I have successfully self-published books in the past. If you're planning to self-pub, you need to (1) write a great book, (2) use a professional editor, (3) pay for a great cover design, and (4) work with a quality printer. However, creating the book is only the first part of the process. You also have to (5) know how to market the book, (6) spend a lot of time and money marketing it, and (7) have a plan for selling copies. The fact is, most self-published books lose the author money because he or she had no plan for selling books.

There was a lot of discussion after my last post from people who wanted to defend self-publishing, and I found it completely off-topic. Of course you can find a good printer who will do a quality job. And you can certainly find ways to keep it inexpensive. But the facts are that most people lose money on the deal. I think self-pubbing is great, assuming you know what to do once you have the books in hand. Most people don't. So if you self-pub, you need to have a workable plan for selling quantities of your book.

Donna wrote to say, "You've often said every author should take charge of their own marketing. After having paid your dues and learned all those valuable lessons while publishing your book, why not self-publish from then on? If you have to do all your own marketing anyway, why not just sell your books yourself and make ten bucks per book instead of the dollar per book you'd get in royalties?"

You know, some people decide to do exactly that. They figure out how to sell books, who their readers are, and how to reach them. There are plenty of ministries and companies who self-publish and make more money than if they had sold the books through a regular, royalty-paying publishing house. But there are three caveats to what you're suggesting. First, you've got to warehouse and ship your own books. For some people, that's a pain -- warehousing may not be worth the hassle. Second, your book won't make it onto store shelves if it's self-pubbed. There's money to be made for a good self-publisher, but there's little fame or glory. Your book won't reach beyond the people you can talk to, unless you study and figure out how to sell books via ads and the internet. So don't expect to impress your friends with your self-published title. And third, you've got to market and sell ALL the books. There's no waiting for someone else to come through -- it's all on you, as the publisher. If you're not into that type of responsibility, there's no way you'll enjoy self-pubbing. Again, the chief reason self-pubbed books fail is because the author doesn't know how to SELL her own books. She might know how to write them, maybe how to edit them, and possibly how to talk about them. But she doesn't know how to sell books to prospective buyers. If you don't know how to do that, you should learn before you make any publishing decisions.

Janice wrote to ask, "How much can a ghost writer expect to get for his or her first book? And if the writer gets his/her name on the book, what percentage of the profits should he/she ask for?"

There are a number of variables at play -- How much time do you think will it take you? How big is the project? Did the author give you any materials, or are you creating it from scratch? Is the author a pain in the rear? All of those have to factor into your decision. Every year Writer's Digest issues a report on how much money free-lance writers and editors make. They generally break it down to how much per project and how much per hour, and they typically offer a high, a low, and an average amount. They noted that last year the low was about $1500, the high was $75,000, and the average fee to ghost a book for someone was $22,000.

That's a big chunk of change. Most authors start small -- it wouldn't surprise me if you were paid somewhere in the neighborhood of $2500-to-$4000 for your first ghosted project. If this is your Great Aunt Edna, who wants you to write her life story as "Garden Queen of Dubuque," or the Rev. Ernest Angree, who wants you to write up the notes from his sermon series entitled "How to Be Holy As Me," you're not going to see much green. So ask some questions: What are their expectations? What do they want you to create? How long do they want it to be? People who aren't writers and have never created a book generally don't have a frame of reference, consequently they don't realize how hard it is to create 100 pages filled with words. You may want to offer to start on an hourly basis (say $25-to-$35 per hour), or to write up the first two chapters for a flat fee of $300, just to test the waters. Of course, asking for a flat fee up front is the plan all freelance writers come to eventually. When I was making my living as a collaborative writer, I quickly figured out I much preferred sure cash to potential cash.

Walter asked, "If I decide to ghostwrite a book for a friend, what should the key contract points look like?' 

I'd say the key points to clarify are (1) an overall description of the project, (2) word count, (3) due date, (4) compensation, (5) who covers expenses, (6) copyright, (7) what credit you'll get, (8) the fact that this is a binding contract when signed, (9) the fact that if there is a disagreement you'll go to arbitration rather than hiring lawyers, (10) the fact that the contract is under the laws of your state, and (11) a warranty in which you promise not to plagiarize any material or slander anyone. That about covers it.

Margaret asked me, "Do you get the sense that CBA publishers are becoming more receptive to Catholic authors? If not, will they ever?" 

Yeah, I do. I think Baker, Zondervan, Thomas Nelson, and other publishers are becoming more receptive to Catholic authors. And, of course, I now expect to get letters from nutcases who will want to explain to me why the Pope is the Antichrist, and how saying anything nice about the people we share historical Christianity with is compromising my faith, etc. And I've got to tell you, I am SICK TO DEATH of so-called believers wanting to explain why nobody else is ever quite "Christian" enough for them, so that their religious club consists of a handful of true believers holding onto the faith that the rest of us must have abandoned.

Bernice aksed, "What do you do when your writing friends and critique partners are not experienced enough to help you get to the next level? I guess the obvious answers are to study the craft, go to conferences, meet more writers...is there anything else?"

Lots of writers are in that situation, Bernice. I'm a huge fan of critique groups, I encourage people to attend conferences, and I think hanging out with other writers is great for your career. But the BEST thing you can do is find a mentor -- somebody with some good experience, who can help you improve your writing. That individual doesn't have to be perfect. He or she just needs to be a bit further down the path than yourself.

One last note: Carol saw the "worst titles" note that I mentioned in a previous post, and she tells me she found this book for sale on amazon: "How to Good-Bye Depression: If You Constrict Anus 100 Times Everyday. Malarkey? Or Effective Way?" I didn't believe her, so I looked it up. Turns out she's telling the truth. That is a title you can buy on amazon for $14.39. Grab your credit card and go visit -- looks like a huge winner to me!