Notes from Minnesota
If you've been keeping up with freelance news, you've undoubtedly heard that Amazon is planning to remove the “buy” buttons from all books printed by LightningSource and demand that all those titles be printed by their own company, Booksurge.
This news is real. Wall Street Journal as well as Publisher's Weekly have reported it. Angela Hoy at Booklocker broke the story when a Booksurge rep threatened to remove all of Booklocker's “buy” buttons.
Already PublishAmerica and Whiskey Creek Press have had their buttons removed.
This move impacts all of us... as authors and publishers. Subsidy publishers, university presses, traditional publishers, we all use print on demand technology. In fact, Filbert Publishing has six titles affected by this move.
With literally thousands upon thousands of titles on Amazon, many of the subsedy POD presses will incur great expense moving all those books over to Booksurge. The squeeze on these companies companies will most certainly affect their freelancers.
Those who won't move their titles to Booksurge will lose an outlet for book sales. Sure, we can head to other online bookstores, but let's face it, Amazon is a book selling juggernaut.
So, if you're an author who is (or who may be) impacted by having the “buy” buttons removed from your Amazon book page, you need to start weighing your options. First and foremost, don't panic, act professional in all your dealings with this issue, and remain open to directing your potential readers to other outlets.
Whether or not Amazon will remove more “buy” buttons is unknown. I'm the kind of person who watches the world through rose-colored glasses and remains optimistic that everything will turn out just fine... in fact I'm sure it will. I would love to continue to sell through Amazon, but if it isn't in the cards, so be it, it's really Amazon's choice.
And on a personal note, I sell very few copies of my own books through Amazon. I suggest that if you're an author, get your hands on a few copies of your book and sell them direct on your website. You'll make more money, you'll grow your own customer list, and (most of all) you're not as affected by the whims of retail outlets who can change their terms at a moment's notice.
But that's just me. :)
Best,
Beth
P.S. I've posted this entry on my blog. If you have any comments, I'd love if you'd post them right here.
P.S. Be sure to check out our best sellers and awesome resources for writers. You'll be amazed at what you can get your hands on. :)
Beth's Hot Pick of the Week
With all this brouhaha about book stores and the expense of moving titles to a new printer, I'll bet you didn't know you could easily make a bookstore quality book yourself.
Forget hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars for subsidy publishers. Forget the expense of discovering a typo, only to have to sell a ton of books before you can correct it.
This e-book is highly recommended for anyone who has the yen to write a book, but doesn't have the mucho books to make that book a reality.
Just click here for details.
The Creative Mindset Community
The Creative Mindset Community knew about the Amazon shift when the news broke and are ahead of the freelance pack when it comes to making plans to react to Amazon's next move.
If you're looking for a small, tight knit writing community... a place where you'll receive free resources, a private chat area, a monthly subscription to the Creative Mindset Newsletter, and a monthly Round Table discussion where you can hang out with other freelancers, ask questions, and simply be yourself... you need to check out the Creative Mindset Community.
If you're not a member yet, and if you want the free monthly discussions, a fab newsletter, regular CDs, a private Yahoo group, and much more. You can get all the info you need by clicking here.
Query Mysteries Demystified Part Deux
Beth Ann Erickson
Last time we talked queries. If you missed part one, you can check it out it here.
Today, I’ve got another bit of information that may interest you: Before you send out that query, examine your topic for a moment and decide what this publisher’s particular slant is on a subject.
Hmmmm. This’ll take a bit of sleuthing.
Suppose you’re studying a few issues of a particular magazine that covers environmental issues.
Before you assume you can shoot off one of your well-researched pieces on Global Warming, it would behoove you to find out their stance (and hence, the basic stance of their readership) on the subject.
As you probably already know, there seems to be a bit of controversy over this particular topic. Hit up a more conservative magazine with a helpful list on how to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and you’ll receive a rejection letter faster than you can say “glacier.”
It’s all about getting inside your prospective reader’s head.
You need to not only speak their language, you must also write what they want to hear.
I’ve come to believe there simply isn’t enough time in anyone’s life to convince anyone of anything.
We all approach a subject with preconceived notions and any semblance of persuasion is pretty much an illusion.
Readers pretty much have their preconceived notions and any new thought processes evolve slower than that before-mentioned glacier.
However, if you’re able to tap into your reader’s already-formed opinions… become a mirror of sorts… echo what they already believe to be true… it’s far more likely that they’ll buy what you’re selling.
Sound rather manipulative?
Of course it is.
Sound like a rather bleak view of the human race?
Nah. You’re the same. So am I.
We’ve got our core beliefs and it takes an act of God almighty to change them. And it’s pretty iffy is any celestial being could persuade to that extent.
And our puny attempts at persuasion is unlikely to do much to change anyone.
If you ponder this long enough, it’s actually quite liberating.
It means that if you understand the rules and simply sell your potential publisher, editor, readers, what they already believe to be true, heck, the sky’s the limit.
So how do you get under the skin of your reader? We’ll talk about this in big time detail real soon.
Miss this detail and you’ve just wasted your time.
Which brings me to my next point: How do you organize a great query?
For starters, make sure your query doesn’t exceed a couple pages. One page is optimal. Editors are busy and can give your proposal a whopping few seconds before they chuck it.
This is why you need to nab them with the first sentence. Make sure it’s a doozie.
You'll find reams written on this. For a long time I used the AIDA format: Attention, Interest, Desire, Action.
Lately I've had fab luck using the copywriting formula of the Four Ps: Promise, Picture, Proof, Push.
Each of these four Ps should encompass between one to two paragraphs, depending on how complex your subject is.
The Promise section should include what your piece will do either for the reader or publisher.
Start your letter with a bang. Grab your reader by the lapels and hang on tight.
Appeal to their self interests, always remembering that…
You are NOT trying to sell an article/book… you are solving a problem (supplying important information) to your reader.
You need to always focus on your reader. Now isn’t the point to introduce yourself or highlight your tremendous skills.
It’s all about your reader.
Shock ‘em out of their chair. Jerk them from their daily slumber. Pique their curiosity. Don’t be shy. Just tell them how this article can very possibly change their lives.
Now, you need to draw a vivid word Picture illustrating how this bold promise will remedy the problem you're addressing in your piece, enhance the reader's life, somehow benefit someone.
Here’s where you writing skills can shine.
Slip into the mind of your reader and draw a word picture of the problem.
For example, I once read a query selling an article about cat abuse. The author reported such a heart wrenching true story about a cat baked alive in an oven that I actually got tears in my eyes.
If I needed an article like that, I would have scrambled over myself to get my hands on that piece simply because the query was so kick-butt.
The Proof section is where you'll introduce yourself and include any credibility-containing information.
Here’s where you get to talk about yourself. Present your credentials. Explain why you’re uniquely qualified to write this piece.
Imagine, you’re half way through your letter and you’re finally mentioning yourself.
But it makes sense, doesn’t it?
Make a bold promise. Get under the skin of your reader. Make ‘em hurt a little. Then swoop in as the answer to all their prayers. That’s how it’s done right.
And lastly, you write your Push. Tell the reader what you want them to do. Mention your SASE. Make contacting you effortless.
Don’t give them your e-mail addy and expect them to use it. Remember, typing in that little gem requires effort.
If your queries don’t contain an effortless call to action, you won’t receive any response.
Editors won’t address an envelope, stamp it, and get back to you. They won’t.
Even if you’ve hit every base soundly, you can still trip up on this final step.
Include a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope, or if you’ve sent an e-mail query, make sure your e-mail box isn’t bouncing.
When you boil everything down you can sum up effective query writing with three short sentences:
Know who you're writing to. Make sure their readership is interested in your topic. Follow their guidelines.
It's really that simple.
~~~
Beth Ann Erickson is the “Queen Bee” of Filbert Publishing. She’s also the author of numerous titles including “101 No Cost and Low Cost Secrets To Turbo Charge Your Freelance Income.” Pick up your copy today at http://filbertpublishing.com/101.html She’s also a busy copywriter, speaker, and publisher of Writing Etc., the free e-mag for writers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I Recommend:
Writing For Dollars! The FREE ezine for writers featuring tips, tricks and ideas for selling what you write. Receive the FREE ebook, 83 WAYS TO MAKE MONEY WRITING when you subscribe. Email to subscribe@writingfordollars.com -*-
http://www.WritingForDollars.com
WRITERS FIND MARKETS EASILY - Worldwide Freelance has a NEW fully-searchable Markets Database. Discover writing markets from North America, Europe, Australia and other places. It's free, so come and try it out
here: http://www.worldwidefreelance.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|