| > | | | | necessary to become eminently 'google-able.' (Try |
| | | | googling 'find a literary agent' or 'get a literary |
| Norm Goldman, Editor of interviews publishing | | | | agent' and you'll see what I mean: pops up before |
| guru, Fern Reiss. | | | | all the literary agencies.) |
| Fern is the author of several bestselling books on | | | | As more and more authors compete for less and |
| publishing including The Publishing Game series, and | | | | less shelf space--look at Barnes and Noble, for |
| her forthcoming book Expertizing Position Yourself | | | | example, which is printing its own books these |
| as a Name Brand. In addition, Fern is the CEO of | | | | days from public domain content, and that will be |
| the and | | | | as much as 10% of B&N stores--whether |
| Today Norm Goldman, Editor of is honored to | | | | you can find an author and a topic online, |
| have as our guest Fern Reiss. Fern is the author | | | | unfortunately, is going to become the hallmark of |
| of several bestselling books on publishing including | | | | their success. The smart reviewers are adding |
| The Publishing Game series, and her forthcoming | | | | online venues--but the smartest authors are also |
| book Expertizing Position Yourself as a Name | | | | learning search engine optimization skills. |
| Brand. In addition, Fern is the CEO of the and | | | | Norm: |
| | | | Are there any unique ways you market your |
| | | | books that is different from how others authors |
| | | | market their books? |
| | | | Fern: |
| Norm:When did your passion for writing books on | | | | I could talk about this one all day! First of all, I |
| publishing begin? What inspired you to write these | | | | really work print publications: In the past six |
| books and what keeps you going? | | | | months, I've been featured, and my books |
| Fern: | | | | mentioned in The New York Times, The |
| I never planned to write books on publishing. At | | | | Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The |
| the time I started "The Publishing Game" series, I | | | | Boston Globe, USA Today, Glamour, Family Circle, |
| had three books in print one traditionally-published, | | | | Redbook, and over 100 other publications. |
| two self-published, on three completely different | | | | In fact, this spawned a whole other business for |
| topics. What I noticed was that when I was on | | | | me -- Expertizing.com, which offers workshops |
| book tours at bookstores and libraries promoting | | | | and consulting on how to get more media |
| "The Infertility Diet: Get Pregnant and Prevent | | | | attention for your business. |
| Miscarriage" and "Terrorism and Kids: Comforting | | | | (Expertizing looks like it will finally also be emerging |
| Your Child," and I arrived at the question/answer | | | | as a traditionally-published book soon, or at least |
| part of the talk, the first or second question was | | | | that's what my literary agent tells me.) But I think |
| always, "How did you get the book published?" | | | | there are literally hundreds of things that you can |
| The minute I said, "Well, actually, I set up a | | | | do to market a book, and I've done most of |
| publishing house and self-published," it didn't matter | | | | them, either for my own books or for the few |
| whether people had come to listen to me speak | | | | clients I take each year. |
| on infertility or terrorism--all they wanted to hear, | | | | Just this week I got one client into CNN, Woman's |
| for the rest of the question/answer session, was | | | | Day, Forbes, and the National Enquirer! It's not |
| how to get published! | | | | rocket science, but it does involve some |
| So I did a series of three books, one on how to | | | | expertise. If your readers would like to learn |
| find a literary agent and publish traditionally, one | | | | more about this, I have a plethora of articles on |
| on how to self-publish, and one on how to do | | | | my website about book marketing, and I write a |
| successful book promotion. This next year there | | | | new one every month for the real inside scoop, |
| will be two more books in the Publishing Game | | | | they can look it up on my site. |
| series--on how to syndicate newspaper and online | | | | Norm: |
| columns, and how to create audio products. | | | | How important is it for aspiring writers to go to |
| Hopefully that's it! | | | | conferences and/or workshops? How do you |
| What keeps me going is that the need for | | | | know that a conference and/or workshop are |
| information on how to get published is greater | | | | worth your time and money? |
| than ever. More and more people are interested in | | | | Fern: |
| publishing their books. The industry is continually | | | | I think it's important for writers to go to |
| changing--so the tricks on how you nab the | | | | conferences, I know that I've been writing and |
| literary agent, how you get into bookstores, are | | | | publishing for years, and I still get a lot out of the |
| continually changing, too, which keeps it interesting. | | | | conferences I attend, though these days I mostly |
| Unfortunately, traditional publishers today do less | | | | go as a speaker. Talk to past participants, though, |
| and less book promotion--so there's a real need | | | | to find out whether it's worth going--some of |
| for authors, even traditionally published authors, to | | | | these conferences are better than others, and |
| learn how to successfully promote their books if | | | | some get a higher caliber of attendee than others. |
| they want to succeed as an author today. | | | | Norm: |
| Norm: | | | | Do you recommend other writers find a niche or |
| As there does not seem to be any authoritative | | | | specialty? What have been the rewards for you? |
| standards that exist for authors pertaining to | | | | Fern: |
| books on publishing, how do you know that a | | | | You know it's funny, I do recommend that |
| book on publishing is up to par? How do you | | | | writers try to zero in on a niche because that |
| check out the authorial competence? | | | | makes the marketing easier, but in fact, I don't |
| Fern: | | | | pay much attention to my own advice on this |
| That's actually a problem, because everyone | | | | one. I tend to write what I feel like. Yes, it's |
| seems to write one book, and then their second | | | | helpful to stick to an area so that you can |
| book is about how other people should write and | | | | cross-promote, but in the end, you need to write |
| publish their books! | | | | what you're passionate about at the moment, |
| I guess I'd say that before you purchase a book | | | | because that passion is more important than |
| on publishing, do a little research: Google them | | | | anything else. So if you can, stick to your niche, |
| online and see what their website looks like, | | | | but if you can't, don't spend too much time |
| whether you agree with and like their articles and | | | | worrying about it. I call myself entrepreneurially |
| their advice. (For example, I do a monthly column | | | | ADD, and I think there's more than a little truth to |
| on writing, publishing, and book promotion by the | | | | that, but I do think it's important to follow, and |
| time most people find my books, they already | | | | write, your passion. |
| know they like me from the articles.) | | | | Norm: |
| Check the authors out on Amazon and see how | | | | |
| many books they've written. (Many of the people | | | | What has your experience been like with self |
| writing on publishing have only written one | | | | publishing? Do you recommend it over traditional |
| book--in general, the people with the best advice | | | | publishers? |
| have written more books, and are drawing from | | | | Fern: |
| those experiences.) | | | | I've had a wonderful experience self-publishing, but |
| If you're interested in a book on how to find a | | | | it's not for everyone. It means you get to be in |
| literary agent and big publisher, make sure the | | | | charge, you get to market earlier, you stay on |
| author has gone this route if you're interested in | | | | bookstore shelves longer, and if you're doing it |
| self-publishing, make sure the author's been | | | | right, you get more money. On the other hand, |
| successful at it. If you're looking for a book on | | | | there's still that elusive cachet factor, and you |
| book promotion, and when you Google the author | | | | lose that with self-publishing. |
| their name doesn't pop up much, they haven't | | | | I'm speaking at the American Society for |
| been too successful at it! If you really don't want | | | | Journalists and Authors Conference again this |
| to do the research, check back on my website | | | | year, for example, but although I speak there |
| next month, I'm in the process of compiling a | | | | every year, I'm still not a member, because until |
| massive list of all the writing/publishing books that | | | | Expertizing comes out, I've only traditionally |
| are out there, and how they compare. | | | | published one book, and they require two. Never |
| Norm: | | | | mind that three of my books were Writer's |
| Many writers want to be published, but not | | | | Digest Book Club bestsellers, never mind that one |
| everyone is cut out for a writer's life. What are | | | | was a Ben Franklin Book of the Year Finalist, |
| some signs that perhaps someone is not cut out | | | | never mind that another won a BookSense |
| to be a writer and should try to do something | | | | Selection, and that all of them have been |
| else for a living? | | | | reviewed in Publishers Weekly or Library Journal |
| Fern: | | | | or Booklist---the fact that they're self-published still |
| I actually spend more time trying to counsel | | | | carries a stigma. |
| authors on whether traditional publishing or | | | | Also, self-publishing only works if you're good at, |
| self-publishing would be a better fit for them, and | | | | and enjoy business. And I hope I've stressed that |
| trying to discourage (most of) them from POD | | | | these days, whether you're self-published or |
| subsidy. By the time people get to me, they | | | | traditionally-published, you *must* do your own |
| pretty much know whether they're an author or | | | | marketing, and you must do it well if you want to |
| not. These days, though, the one thing I would | | | | succeed. But I think there's a place for both |
| caution authors is that they need to be willing and | | | | self-publishing and traditional publishing. There's |
| ready to go out and market their own books. | | | | even a place for POD/subsidy publishing--if you |
| Even the traditional publishers aren't doing much in | | | | want to do a book for a small niche audience, if |
| the way of publicity these days, and books that | | | | you want books just to sell back of the room, if |
| aren't marketed aggressively have an average | | | | you're under-capitalized and you only need a few |
| shelf life of about four months. | | | | books. |
| Norm: | | | | I recommend POD/subsidy for some of my |
| In the last year or so have you seen any | | | | clients who need a book as a showcase. But the |
| changes in the way publishers publish and/or | | | | trade reviews such as Publishers Weekly does not |
| distribute books? Are there any emerging trends | | | | review POD/subsidy books--and bookstores |
| developing? | | | | mostly don't carry them, so don't POD if you're |
| Fern: | | | | hoping to be in bookstores. The POD/subsidy |
| The changes have been coming so fast and | | | | companies are throwing around a lot of money to |
| furious that there's barely time to register them. | | | | obfuscate that point, but it's important to know. |
| And simultaneously, the traditional publishers are, | | | | Norm: |
| for the most part, mired in modes of operation | | | | |
| that may not make as much sense anymore, | | | | Could you tell our readers something about your |
| though in other ways, they're being quite | | | | Publishing Game Series and your forthcoming |
| revolutionary. | | | | book, Expertizing Position Yourself as a Name |
| So here are some of the changes: | | | | Brand. |
| Shelf life is way, way shorter than it used to be. | | | | Fern: Happily :*) |
| Amazon has partnered with both Mobipocket and | | | | There are currently three books in the Publishing |
| BookSurge, both developments to watch. | | | | Game series: "The Publishing Game: Find an Agent |
| The whole issue of Google making content and | | | | in 30 Days" (on traditional publishing) "The |
| books available without holding the copyrights is | | | | Publishing Game: Publish a Book in 30 Days" (on |
| going to be big, and have ramifications for years | | | | self-publishing) and "The Publishing Game: Bestseller |
| to come. | | | | in 30 Days" (on book promotion.) There are two |
| All the major publishing houses have acquired | | | | more in the series coming out this year: "The |
| stock in cell phone companies, and Japan is | | | | Publishing Game: Syndicate a Column in 30 Days" |
| already putting books onto cellphones, so that's | | | | (on online and newspaper syndication of articles) |
| definitely something to watch in the next few | | | | and "The Publishing Game: Create Audio Products |
| years. | | | | in 30 Days" (which covers everything from |
| Random House is promoting their author | | | | teleseminars to CDs and MP3s to podcasting.) You |
| appearances via a speakers' bureau, and | | | | can find out more about the Publishing Game by |
| HarperCollins started its own speakers bureau. | | | | clicking HERE |
| Amazon has announced Amazon Connect, where | | | | "Expertizing: Position Yourself as a Name Brand" is |
| (right now, selected) authors can blog on their | | | | a book on how to get more media attention for |
| books and life Barnes and Noble have an online | | | | yourself and your business. I should have more |
| book club that involves author/reader interaction. | | | | information on the publication details of that one |
| And blogging and podcasting are going to affect | | | | within the next few weeks. I'm having fun with |
| the way information is delivered, which will | | | | that book (and the accompanying workshops |
| ultimately affect the way we publish and use | | | | which I run at the Ritz in NYC and Boston) |
| books. | | | | because it's not just of interest to authors I get |
| In terms of how all this affects authors, one | | | | small businesses, large businesses (such as the |
| major thing I'm advising my clients to do is keep | | | | Hilton Hotel chain) and nonprofits, such as the |
| a careful eye on the terms of their contracts in | | | | United Methodist Church and the Heifer |
| terms of intellectual property rights. It's impossible | | | | Foundation. You can find out more about it by |
| to know how all this is going to play out in the | | | | clicking Here |
| next few years, and the winners may well be | | | | Norm: |
| those who've retained the best intellectual | | | | |
| property rights. | | | | Is there anything else you wish to add that we |
| Norm: | | | | have not covered? |
| How have you used the Internet to boost your | | | | Fern: |
| writing career? | | | | Two things: If people want to learn more about |
| Fern: | | | | how to get better media attention for their books |
| I was actually just quoted in USA Today as | | | | or business, I do a complimentary monthly email |
| saying that until now, society's intelligentsia has | | | | newsletter, and there's a signup at the Finally, I |
| been the most intellectual, but that in the next | | | | just want to say that if you're thinking about |
| generation, it's going to be those who are best at | | | | writing, or are writing but aren't sure how you'll |
| search-engine optimization. | | | | get published, to hang in there: Writing is, I think, |
| That's really become true, to a large extent: | | | | among the tougher professions, but it's ultimately |
| Search engine optimization is going to affect how | | | | incredibly rewarding. Don't give up, because if you |
| successful every business is and becomes. So | | | | keep at it, eventually you'll break through. |
| that's probably the biggest way to use the | | | | Thanks once again and good luck with all of your |
| internet to boost a writing career learn the skills | | | | future endeavors. |