Hi:
I'm on a panel next Saturday. It is sponsored by the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ). Here is the description (from their literature).
Writing and Publishing in the Digital Era: The Do's, Don't and Musts
It's said that everyone has a story. Journalists have written many stories about others but writing your own book is a different adventure. With modern technology, there are many options and paths for becoming an author. In the current climate, writing could provide an additional revenue stream or make use of suddenly available time.
Moderator:
Gary Anthony Ramsay, President, Great Pitch Media / Our News Now!
Panelists:
Dr. Virgie Bright-Ellington – Author, "What your Doctor Wants You to Know But Doesn't Have Time To Tell You"
Julian Phillips - New Author, "Discovering Your Hidden Power: Unleashing The Power of Words"
Anita Diggs , Book Publishing Consultant, Diggs McQuillar, Inc.
Kevin Gray, Public Relations , iUniverse Publishing
Stacey Tisdale, Author, "The True Cost of Happiness"
LOCATION: CUNY Graduate School of Journalism
219 W. 40th Street
New York, NY 10018
TIME: 3:00 PM
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Twitter Update
Hi Everyone:
I had to change my twitter name. Now I'm just Anita Diggs. Please follow.
Have a great day!
I had to change my twitter name. Now I'm just Anita Diggs. Please follow.
Have a great day!
Monday, May 18, 2009
THE BUSINESS OF BOOK PUBLISHING - ISSUE NUMBER TWO OF TEN
THE BUSINESS OF BOOK PUBLISHING
Issue #2 of 10
Publisher: Anita Diggs
Mail to: anitadiggs@aol.com
http://www.diggseditorialservices.com (Website)
http://themanuscripteditor.blogspot.com (Blog
==========================================
You are receiving this because you told me that you want to subscribe. To unsubscribe, just send me an email request.
Please forward this newsletter to anyone you know who needs free
information regarding the traditional book publishing industry or the road to successful self-publishing.
================================
In This Issue
================================
1. Autobiography/Biography/Memoir
2. What Literary Agents Can’t Do
3. What In-House Editors Do
4. Publishing Your Own Book – Step Two
=================================
1. Autobiography/Biography/Memoir
=================================
Biographies attempt to reveal the truth of someone else's life. A good biographer should have the skills of a novelist, the curiosity and tenacity of an investigative reporter and a degree of respect for their subject. It is a hard and exciting genre to work in.
Autobiography and memoir are also challenging. Here, you must make your own life interesting and relevant to others. It is nearly impossible to read Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt or A Piece of Cake by Cupcake Brown without laughing, crying and, finally, cheering when the author finally achieves a measure of peace. Some memoirs are lighter (such as travel) but they all have to have engaging characters, gripping imagery, a strong narrative voice and a journey that unfolds like a well-plotted novel.
=================================
2. What Literary Agents Can’t Do
=================================
A literary agent cannot sell a book that no editor wants to buy.
A literary agent cannot help if you plagiarize another’s work
A literary agent cannot force a publisher to print more books
=======================================
3. What In-House Editors Do =======================================
I’ve worked on staff at Warner Books, Random House and Thunder’s Mouth Press. An average day looked something like this:
9:00 AM – Drag myself into the office after staying up half the night reading manuscripts and book proposals.
9:30 AM – Listen to my 50 new voice mail messages.
10:00 AM – My assistant pokes her head in to say that the editorial meeting is starting. I gather the new manuscripts and proposals that I liked and head for the conference room.
NOON – Call agents about the projects that I pitched at LAST WEEK’S editorial meeting if I’ve been authorized to make an offer.
12:30 – Lunch with an agent
2:00 PM – 6:00 PM Create profit & loss statements, negotiate deals with agents, licensors, packagers and overseas publishers. Attend the cover design meeting, attend the marketing meeting, attend the production meeting. Return all important phone calls. Soothe writers. Soothe agents. Answer queries from colleagues about the status of my projects.
6:00 PM Read the first few pages of the new material that has come in.
6:30 PM Pack any new material that doesn’t suck into my tote bag. Put new material that does suck on my assistant’s (she will send the rejection letters) desk. Head for the subway.
LATE EVENING Edit projects that are under contract. Read new material and decide which, if any, are worth fighting for at the next editorial meeting.
=======================================
4. PUBLISHING YOUR OWN BOOK – STEP TWO
=======================================
Okay, you have a completed manuscript that has been both edited and copyedited. It has been polished until it shines. You have hired a lawyer to help you set up a legal entity (partnership, corporation, sole proprietorship, limited liability corp.,etc). You have opened a checking account in the name of your new business. Now you need to:
1. Hire someone to design (page layout, font, spacing, headers, footers, chapter numbers, etc.) the book’s interior.
2, Hire a graphic designer to create the front and back covers of the book.
3, Obtain an ISBN number, LCCN number and a bar code
Permission to Reprint:
You may reprint any items from this newsletter so long as you include the following paragraph:
Reprinted from “The Business of Book Publishing.” To subscribe, send your email address to anitadiggs@aol.com
Issue #2 of 10
Publisher: Anita Diggs
Mail to: anitadiggs@aol.com
http://www.diggseditorialservices.com (Website)
http://themanuscripteditor.blogspot.com (Blog
==========================================
You are receiving this because you told me that you want to subscribe. To unsubscribe, just send me an email request.
Please forward this newsletter to anyone you know who needs free
information regarding the traditional book publishing industry or the road to successful self-publishing.
================================
In This Issue
================================
1. Autobiography/Biography/Memoir
2. What Literary Agents Can’t Do
3. What In-House Editors Do
4. Publishing Your Own Book – Step Two
=================================
1. Autobiography/Biography/Memoir
=================================
Biographies attempt to reveal the truth of someone else's life. A good biographer should have the skills of a novelist, the curiosity and tenacity of an investigative reporter and a degree of respect for their subject. It is a hard and exciting genre to work in.
Autobiography and memoir are also challenging. Here, you must make your own life interesting and relevant to others. It is nearly impossible to read Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt or A Piece of Cake by Cupcake Brown without laughing, crying and, finally, cheering when the author finally achieves a measure of peace. Some memoirs are lighter (such as travel) but they all have to have engaging characters, gripping imagery, a strong narrative voice and a journey that unfolds like a well-plotted novel.
=================================
2. What Literary Agents Can’t Do
=================================
A literary agent cannot sell a book that no editor wants to buy.
A literary agent cannot help if you plagiarize another’s work
A literary agent cannot force a publisher to print more books
=======================================
3. What In-House Editors Do =======================================
I’ve worked on staff at Warner Books, Random House and Thunder’s Mouth Press. An average day looked something like this:
9:00 AM – Drag myself into the office after staying up half the night reading manuscripts and book proposals.
9:30 AM – Listen to my 50 new voice mail messages.
10:00 AM – My assistant pokes her head in to say that the editorial meeting is starting. I gather the new manuscripts and proposals that I liked and head for the conference room.
NOON – Call agents about the projects that I pitched at LAST WEEK’S editorial meeting if I’ve been authorized to make an offer.
12:30 – Lunch with an agent
2:00 PM – 6:00 PM Create profit & loss statements, negotiate deals with agents, licensors, packagers and overseas publishers. Attend the cover design meeting, attend the marketing meeting, attend the production meeting. Return all important phone calls. Soothe writers. Soothe agents. Answer queries from colleagues about the status of my projects.
6:00 PM Read the first few pages of the new material that has come in.
6:30 PM Pack any new material that doesn’t suck into my tote bag. Put new material that does suck on my assistant’s (she will send the rejection letters) desk. Head for the subway.
LATE EVENING Edit projects that are under contract. Read new material and decide which, if any, are worth fighting for at the next editorial meeting.
=======================================
4. PUBLISHING YOUR OWN BOOK – STEP TWO
=======================================
Okay, you have a completed manuscript that has been both edited and copyedited. It has been polished until it shines. You have hired a lawyer to help you set up a legal entity (partnership, corporation, sole proprietorship, limited liability corp.,etc). You have opened a checking account in the name of your new business. Now you need to:
1. Hire someone to design (page layout, font, spacing, headers, footers, chapter numbers, etc.) the book’s interior.
2, Hire a graphic designer to create the front and back covers of the book.
3, Obtain an ISBN number, LCCN number and a bar code
Permission to Reprint:
You may reprint any items from this newsletter so long as you include the following paragraph:
Reprinted from “The Business of Book Publishing.” To subscribe, send your email address to anitadiggs@aol.com
THE BUSINESS OF BOOK PUBLISHING - ISSUE NUMBER ONE OF TEN
THE BUSINESS OF BOOK PUBLISHING
Issue #1 of 10
Publisher: Anita Diggs
Mail to: anitadiggs@aol.com
http://www.diggseditorialservices.com (Website)
http://themanuscripteditor.blogspot.com (Blog)
==========================================
You are receiving this because you told me that you want to subscribe. To unsubscribe, just send me an email request.
Please forward this newsletter to anyone you know who needs free
information regarding the traditional book publishing industry or the road to successful self-publishing.
================================
In This Issue
================================
1. Does Your Novel Work?
2. Books Are Sold On Consignment
3. A Book That is Not Marketed? That’s Printing, Not Publishing
4. Publishing Your Own Book – Step One
=================================
1. Does Your Novel Work?
=================================
Once upon a time editors at the publishing houses would offer contracts to novelists even though the book didn’t quite “work.” After that, the editor would spend weeks or months helping the author whip the story into shape. That day is pretty much over. If the manuscript needs a great deal of work (massive cutting, the character’s motivation/action is not clear, etc.) it is returned to the agent. After everyone has rejected it, the agent has to move on. The writer starts thinking about self-publishing. This is the wrong move if you’re trying to build a career as a novelist. If your novel has serious problems (characterization, plot, pace, dialogue, grammar), why spend the money to put it out without repair?
Instead of jumping the gun, what you should do is hire a freelance developmental editor (not a copyeditor) who has major publishing house experience. With publishing houses laying off editors in an effort to stay afloat in this recession, finding one that you like should not be difficult. Ask the freelancer to evaluate your manuscript and create an “edit letter” for you. A sample edit letter is attached to this newsletter. Editors charge anywhere from $4.00-$18.00 per page for this service.
=================================
2. Books Are Sold On Consignment
=================================
During the Great Depression, publishers approached booksellers with a pitch that went something like this: We know that you are afraid to order books because people don’t have much money to buy anything. We understand that you are afraid of going out of business. So, we’re going to eliminate your risk. Order all the books you want and you can return those that don’t sell to us and get your money back.
That was more than half a century ago and the policy is still (incredibly) in place. This is why publishers hold part of a writer’s royalties for years. Those boxes of books that went out the door just might come back. The clause in a writer’s contract that permits this is called “Reserve Against Returns.”
=======================================
3. A Book That is Not Marketed? That’s Printing, Not Publishing
=======================================
It has never been a literary agent's job (nor do they have the time) to give writers a page-by-page analysis of what is working or not working in a manuscript or book proposal. So, they send out various forms of rejection letters. These letters (while necessary) do not give you any idea what the real reasons are for the rejection or how to fix it.
Book publishers operate in the same manner. When I was acquiring projects as a Random House Senior Editor, I received at least 60 packages per day. First, I sorted them. The unagented manuscripts went to my assistant for a first reading. I never saw most of them again because they were simply not publishable. I read enough of the agented submissions to decide whether I wanted to see more of the writer's work or not.
Because of the recession, agents and publishers are buying fewer projects. They are also uninterested in taking on projects that require a great deal of work......unless the writer is a celebrity.
Many folk are taking the self-publishing route. In other words, they sign up with iUniverse, AuthorHouse, Lulu, PublishAmerica, etc and get the book PRINTED. Notice that I said PRINTED and not PUBLISHED. These outfits print your book, give you your 10 free copies and send you on your way. They do not market your book. In fact, they do not even truly edit your book unless you pay an extra fee.
=======================================
4. PUBLISHING YOUR OWN BOOK – STEP ONE
=======================================
Okay, you have a completed manuscript that has been both edited and copyedited. It has been polished until it shines. For whatever reason, you have decided to skip the literary agent/major house submission process. However, you understand the difference between PRINTING and PUBLISHING and have decided to publish your own book. The first thing you need to do is get a lawyer to help you set up a legal entity (partnership, corporation, sole proprietorship, limited liability corp.,etc). Once that is done, open a checking account in the name of your new business.
Permission to Reprint:
You may reprint any items from this newsletter so long as you include the following paragraph:
Reprinted from “The Business of Book Publishing.” To subscribe, send your email address to anitadiggs@aol.com
ABOUT ANITA DIGGS
Anita Diggs has worked as a book editor for Random House, Time Warner Trade Publishing and Thunder’s Mouth Press. She has lectured across the country on the topics of novel writing, book proposal development and how to get a literary agent. She has written five books and helped more than fifty authors get their own into print. The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, C-Span, The New York Daily News have interviewed her. Columbia Journalism Review placed Ms. Diggs on their “The Shapers” list for the year 2000. The Shapers is a list of prominent New Yorkers who shape the national media agenda.
Issue #1 of 10
Publisher: Anita Diggs
Mail to: anitadiggs@aol.com
http://www.diggseditorialservices.com (Website)
http://themanuscripteditor.blogspot.com (Blog)
==========================================
You are receiving this because you told me that you want to subscribe. To unsubscribe, just send me an email request.
Please forward this newsletter to anyone you know who needs free
information regarding the traditional book publishing industry or the road to successful self-publishing.
================================
In This Issue
================================
1. Does Your Novel Work?
2. Books Are Sold On Consignment
3. A Book That is Not Marketed? That’s Printing, Not Publishing
4. Publishing Your Own Book – Step One
=================================
1. Does Your Novel Work?
=================================
Once upon a time editors at the publishing houses would offer contracts to novelists even though the book didn’t quite “work.” After that, the editor would spend weeks or months helping the author whip the story into shape. That day is pretty much over. If the manuscript needs a great deal of work (massive cutting, the character’s motivation/action is not clear, etc.) it is returned to the agent. After everyone has rejected it, the agent has to move on. The writer starts thinking about self-publishing. This is the wrong move if you’re trying to build a career as a novelist. If your novel has serious problems (characterization, plot, pace, dialogue, grammar), why spend the money to put it out without repair?
Instead of jumping the gun, what you should do is hire a freelance developmental editor (not a copyeditor) who has major publishing house experience. With publishing houses laying off editors in an effort to stay afloat in this recession, finding one that you like should not be difficult. Ask the freelancer to evaluate your manuscript and create an “edit letter” for you. A sample edit letter is attached to this newsletter. Editors charge anywhere from $4.00-$18.00 per page for this service.
=================================
2. Books Are Sold On Consignment
=================================
During the Great Depression, publishers approached booksellers with a pitch that went something like this: We know that you are afraid to order books because people don’t have much money to buy anything. We understand that you are afraid of going out of business. So, we’re going to eliminate your risk. Order all the books you want and you can return those that don’t sell to us and get your money back.
That was more than half a century ago and the policy is still (incredibly) in place. This is why publishers hold part of a writer’s royalties for years. Those boxes of books that went out the door just might come back. The clause in a writer’s contract that permits this is called “Reserve Against Returns.”
=======================================
3. A Book That is Not Marketed? That’s Printing, Not Publishing
=======================================
It has never been a literary agent's job (nor do they have the time) to give writers a page-by-page analysis of what is working or not working in a manuscript or book proposal. So, they send out various forms of rejection letters. These letters (while necessary) do not give you any idea what the real reasons are for the rejection or how to fix it.
Book publishers operate in the same manner. When I was acquiring projects as a Random House Senior Editor, I received at least 60 packages per day. First, I sorted them. The unagented manuscripts went to my assistant for a first reading. I never saw most of them again because they were simply not publishable. I read enough of the agented submissions to decide whether I wanted to see more of the writer's work or not.
Because of the recession, agents and publishers are buying fewer projects. They are also uninterested in taking on projects that require a great deal of work......unless the writer is a celebrity.
Many folk are taking the self-publishing route. In other words, they sign up with iUniverse, AuthorHouse, Lulu, PublishAmerica, etc and get the book PRINTED. Notice that I said PRINTED and not PUBLISHED. These outfits print your book, give you your 10 free copies and send you on your way. They do not market your book. In fact, they do not even truly edit your book unless you pay an extra fee.
=======================================
4. PUBLISHING YOUR OWN BOOK – STEP ONE
=======================================
Okay, you have a completed manuscript that has been both edited and copyedited. It has been polished until it shines. For whatever reason, you have decided to skip the literary agent/major house submission process. However, you understand the difference between PRINTING and PUBLISHING and have decided to publish your own book. The first thing you need to do is get a lawyer to help you set up a legal entity (partnership, corporation, sole proprietorship, limited liability corp.,etc). Once that is done, open a checking account in the name of your new business.
Permission to Reprint:
You may reprint any items from this newsletter so long as you include the following paragraph:
Reprinted from “The Business of Book Publishing.” To subscribe, send your email address to anitadiggs@aol.com
ABOUT ANITA DIGGS
Anita Diggs has worked as a book editor for Random House, Time Warner Trade Publishing and Thunder’s Mouth Press. She has lectured across the country on the topics of novel writing, book proposal development and how to get a literary agent. She has written five books and helped more than fifty authors get their own into print. The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, C-Span, The New York Daily News have interviewed her. Columbia Journalism Review placed Ms. Diggs on their “The Shapers” list for the year 2000. The Shapers is a list of prominent New Yorkers who shape the national media agenda.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Dear Friends:
I've just joined Twitter. Now I have to learn how the whole thing works. (Sigh) I really wish that folks would just call me on the phone and ASK what I'm doing. What was wrong with that?
I've just joined Twitter. Now I have to learn how the whole thing works. (Sigh) I really wish that folks would just call me on the phone and ASK what I'm doing. What was wrong with that?
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