The Poetry Portal Net

Much of the attraction of e-books is that they can be purchased and received instantaneously. Within minutes of reading your great sales copy, someone can purchase and download your book… just like that. If you are not set up for e-commerce with digital delivery, you are probably losing sales. Customers do not want to wait around for an e-mail attachment to arrive, or a package to be shipped. Simply put: if you can’t deliver your book rapidly, someone else will get the sale. If you do not produce your product quickly, the cost to drive traffic will outweigh your profit, making this a losing proposition.

When a customer purchases your book through your automated shopping system, the money goes directly into your checking account. This system eliminates the hassles of printing, shipping and getting a funny taste in your mouth from licking stamps. I use http://www.KickStartCart.com, which integrates everything you need to do business professionally over the Internet. You can also get a free e-book on how to pick a shopping cart/delivery system by visiting http://www.public-speaking.org/ebook.htm.

The nice thing about having an e-commerce system is that multiple websites can be run off a single system. The more sites you add, the cheaper your total costs will be, allowing you to run your entire business off of one system. Be sure that the system you purchase has a training feature to teach you which way is up.

Lastly, it is important to remember that money must be invested in the system before the system can make you money.

About the Author

Tom Antion provides entertaining speeches and educational seminars. Tom is the author of the best selling presentation skills book “Wake ‘em Up Business Presentations” and “Click: The Ultimate Guide to Electronic Marketing.” It is important to Tom that his knowledge be not only absorbed, but enjoyed. Tom has addressed more than 87 different industries and is thoroughly committed to his client’s needs.
http://www.antion.com

The Publishers Way | No Comments »

Back in the mid to late 1980s I was a security guard. The pay was lousy, but it gave me many hours in seclusion to write short stories and novels. However, I usually worked over 80 hours a week. No one can write that much. Well, at least not me. Thus I discovered the joys of my local libraries.

Recently, I decided to look up an author who gave me great pleasure in those days. Most of his books are now out of print, I’ve learned, even the one that became a movie.

I found that two of his were books available, so I ordered them. One I’d enjoyed before. The other was a straight thriller from the days before he created the “Appleton Porter” spy spoofs, re-released in 2001 in POD. I didn’t know this before it arrived at my home in China.

Since I’m giving away THE plot spoiler, I won’t identify the author or title.

A man who deeply loves his wife buys her a hotel outside London. She is very happy there, at first. This is a fine suspenseful read as she notes oddities and eventually appears to be losing her mind and such. Suicides, an eventual murder. Finally, her husband pays a doctor to kill her.

The husband arranged all this, we learn at the end, because she was dying of a horrible and incurable illness. Rather than let her suffer the indignity, he tries to give her some final days filled with wonderful memories. He never realizes that he ended her days with a living hell.

The writing was fine, aside from some stupid typos of the sort common in unedited POD titles. He’s obviously a sincere, hard-working, talented author. The plot was wholly consistent and everything “worked.”

So why is it a weak book? Because the plot I described is all there is. It’s a one-plot wonder.

As an author, if you find yourself floundering, if you find your work-in-progress failing to make progress, ask yourself. Is it a one-plot wonder?

Here are some best sellers I’ve read over the past thirty years.

During the Cold War, a Soviet commander steals a top-secret submarine and tries to defect to the US with it. A good and idealistic young law graduate accepts a job too good to be true, only to eventually learn he’s working for the Mafia. An alcoholic ex-author and his family become caretakers at an old Maine hotel, alone during the winter, and he eventually goes nuts. A US President declares war on drug dealers, a “clear and present danger” to national security. A crippled author is kidnapped by the ultimate fan.

I choose these titles because all were made into movies I’ve seen. None of my plot summaries are wrong. But with some of those novels, there are many more plots and subplots at work. These are the novels that didn’t always translate well to the big screen due to time constraints and/or loss of non-objective voice.

I love a well-conceived “what if” scenario, and none of these books lack that. But more importantly, I love a novel that’s rich with the fabric of life. That’s where multiple plots come into play. Very rarely will a movie capture this as well as a novel can.

A one-plot wonder is a boring read. It’s a boring write. It’s not realistic. And, it’s a hard sell. All your eggs are in one basket. If the editor isn’t enthralled with that sole plot, you aren’t published. If the reviewer isn’t enthralled with that sole plot, he pans you. If the potential reader isn’t enthralled with that sole plot, he doesn’t buy your book. Or if he does, maybe you don’t get any repeat business from him. You don’t get mine.

Plus, we should be setting the bar a bit higher for ourselves anyway. We entertain, but we also enlighten and educate. Or at the very least, provide needed escape. But it’s hard to escape to a one-plot wonder. I keep taking coffee breaks between chapters.

I single out no writing medium with this. All are guilty. Come on, Terminator 2 has more subplots than many successful books these days. And it’s not just “these days,” incidentally. The title I reviewed early in this article is from 1979. Published, successful, well-written, flat.

Craftsmanship is fine. Craftsmanship is wonderful to behold. Craftsmanship is a necessity. But, it’s not enough.

Do you want to build a horse barn that never leaks or do you want to build a two-story A-frame home that survives five hurricanes undamaged? My carpenter did the latter and I can’t do the former. But if I had the ability to build a leak-proof barn, I certainly wouldn’t limit myself to barns. I’d try to build houses.

I’m not talking about weighty tomes. Times change, readers change, and most people don’t read them any more. What was once considered gripping is now considered boring.

But one-plot wonders also bore readers. They read it, enjoy it moderately, then go look for something else to do. There’s little satisfaction at the end. Rarely the big “wow” that probably made you start writing in the first place.

I’m talking about shooting for five stars instead of two or three. I’m talking about richness of story, raising the standard, writing your absolute best instead of settling for adequate.

I risk oversimplification here, but I’m seeing far too many one-plot wonders. People are buying them, too. But it’s time for us, the authors, to quit writing them.

Copyright 2004, Michael LaRocca

About The Author

Michael LaRocca’s website at http://freereads.topcities.com was chosen by WRITER’S DIGEST as one of The 101 Best Websites For Writers in 2001 and 2002. He published two novels in 2002 and has two more scheduled for publication in 2004. He also works as an editor for an e-publisher. He teaches English at a university in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, China, and publishes the free weekly newsletter Mad About Books.

michaellarocca@yawweb.org

The Publishers Way | No Comments »

Everyone has a unique story to tell. From explaining business processes to revealing our personal history, we all have a natural desire to share our experiences with the world. As a result, bookstore shelves are packed with numerous titles that promise to entertain, enlighten, and educate readers.
Perhaps, then, the old saying that “everyone has at least one book in them” is true. If so, how do you know whether your current idea really is book worthy or if it needs some fine-tuning to have maximum marketability?
Before you put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard), put your book idea to the test. Use the following questions as a way to hone your idea’s development and create a manuscript destined for the best-seller list.

•Can you state your book’s purpose in 10 words or less?
Many new authors face the challenge of wanting to give too much information at once. Instead of focusing on one specific idea, they try to wrap multiple concepts into one book. This approach not only makes it difficult to organize your book, but it also overwhelms your readers.
With any good book, you can state the book’s specific purpose in 10 words or less. Realize that your purpose is not the same as your theme or plot. The book’s purpose is what you specifically want the reader to do or think as a result of reading your book. Now, a statement such as “to live a better life” or “to run a better business” is not specific. A purpose is not a generalization. It’s a specific action that you motivate the reader to embark upon.
For example, if you’re writing a business book, your purpose should be to help your readers improve one specific business function, such as its marketing efforts, its customer service, its project management, etc. Your purpose should not be “to teach business executives how to create better marketing materials, deliver improved customer service, establish long-term customer relations, increase employee retention, and locate the best new talent.” That’s simply too much for one book to cover. Keep your purpose specific so you can deliver targeted and useful information.

•Does your book have a specific audience?
While you certainly want a large audience to market your book to, you also want an audience that’s targeted to your topic. Simply stating that your audience is “business people” or “women” or “the general public” is not a targeted audience. Why? Not all business people have the same concerns, not all women are interested in the same topics, and not everyone in the general public will be able to identify with your ideas.
When you narrow your audience to include those with a specific tie to your theme or who fit a certain demographic, you gain a marketing edge that can position your book more effectively. So instead of stating that your audience is “business people,” perhaps you can narrow it down to “company owners,” “middle management,” or “entrepreneurs.” Rather than target the broad category of “women,” you’d have better sales by focusing on “women over age 50,” “working moms,” or “single women under age 35.” All these categories consist of a large number of people, yet they are narrow enough so you can streamline your message.

•Are you saying something new?
If you want people to invest the time and money to read your book, you have to tell them something new. Too many authors attempt to reword or rehash old ideas that others have stated over and over. While you should use other people’s works to substantiate claims or add credibility to your message, make sure your central idea is fresh and unique.
How can you make sure your approach is new? Incorporate the results of a survey you personally conducted. Include case studies from your own business or life. Interview people who can contribute facts and information. Add elements of yourself to punctuate your message. This is your book, so tell your story or stance on an issue.
Many authors are afraid to state a new opinion on a topic that others have covered. They think they may turn people off or offend. Remember that people like controversy, so if your book can stir things up and make people think twice about something, you’ll have a greater chance of creating a buzz about your book.

•Are your writing skills up to par?
You could have the best idea in the world, but if your text is filled with errors, is poorly organized, or is difficult to understand, no one will want to read it. Before you write too much of your book, brush up on your writing skills by attending a writing class, studying a writing guide, or hiring a writing coach to help you correct your writing challenges. Also, educate yourself on what writing style appeals to your audience, and then strive to imitate that style. Gear your writing to your intended audience as much as possible.
If you’re unsure whether your writing skills make the grade, consult with a professional editor or ghostwriter who can rework your writing and bring it up to publishing standards. Don’t let poor writing skills ruin your best-selling idea.

Start Writing Now
Writing a book is no small undertaking. When you can answer “yes” to each of the above questions, you’ll be on your way to transforming your idea into a publishable piece of work. Take the time to nurture and develop your idea before you start writing so you can be sure to create the best book possible. A little pre-planning and foresight is all it takes to give your book the most market appeal.

About the Author

Dawn Josephson is president and founder of Cameo Publications, an editorial and publishing services firm based in Hilton Head Island, SC. She is also the author of Putting It On Paper: The Ground Rules for Creating Promotional Pieces that Sell Books. For more information, please call 843-785-3770, e-mail Dawn@CameoPublications.com, or visit www.CameoPublications.com.

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