Blog Change Update
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Thank you for your patience.
Five Reasons Why Blogging Will Get You a Book Contract
Publishers want a track record.
They need to see that you’re committed to the writing process on a consistent basis, and the most-efficient way to share your words online is by blogging about your proposed book topic.
In the early 1990s, before the Internet became mainstream, I created my version of a book for distribution to a niche audience. It was 40 pages, printed on off-white paper, bound between a clear (front) and black (back) cover, and connected with a spiral comb.
The publication sold briskly because I focused on a subject that wasn’t widely known.
When my publisher requested to see previous writings, I sent the book to her. Looking back it was terribly written, but without it and the journalism courses I enrolled in years later at New York University, my proposal may never have been accepted.
Today, maintaining a blog is the best outlet to convince publishers that you are the person they want to write a soon-to-be-popular book. Here’s why.
1. Followers grow slowly and steadily; that’s what publishers want to see.
2. Each blog category expands and builds your commitment to and passion for the subject.
3. Feedback and comments provide material that creates dynamic chapters.
4. Your insights elevate you to expert status.
5. Publishers will realize your “bankability” and green light the book.
Some bloggers who didn’t submit proposals to publishers have been invited to write books due to their online presence. They happened to be writing about the right topic at the right time.
My suggestion is that you create a blog that focuses squarely on the topic (no side issues about family and non-subject problems), check your spelling before publishing each post, and build your followers by visiting competitive spaces.
As you start (or continue) your blog, what’s the question that comes to mind about the additional steps you’ll take before signing a book contract?
Three Ways to Submit Your Book Proposal to Publishers
Knowing how to submit your book proposal makes it easier for a publisher to contact you to accept or reject the submission.
Although you don’t want to receive a rejection, that’s part of the process (as is getting accepted).
Submitting your work correctly, the first time, informs you sooner than later if a publisher is willing to turn your proposal into a book.
What’s the right way to submit a proposal? Here are your three choices.
Fiction
Non-Fiction
or
Also required is a self-addressed, stamped envelope either large enough for the publisher to return your entire proposal or a business-sized envelope to receive a one-page response.
There’s more information about what goes into a winning book proposal in this post.
When you don’t know what to submit, it’s easy to make missteps, and that can hurt your chances when you want to make the right impression the first time you make contact.
Follow this blueprint, and send your proposal or query in the method that results in a quick response.
How to Know if Publishers Want Your Book
Some book topics are always of interest to publishers, while others come and go in cycles. How do you know if publishers want what you write right now?
Here are 3 ways to decide what to send and when to propose it.
1. Is your topic evergreen? This term relates to the subject’s broad appeal no matter what the year or season. Evergreen topics include:
If you’re writing a book on these topics, publishers that specializing in bringing such books to market will contact you as long as your proposal, as discussed in this blog post, is well crafted.
2. Is your topic a popular niche? New, upcoming, and trendy subjects are also foremost on publishers’ lists. Niche topics include:
3. Is your proposal addressed to the right publisher? It’ll take you hours to review the book Writer’s Market
Writer’s Market
What topic are you sending to a publisher, and how confident are you that you’ll receive a positive response?