If Life Gets Sour, Sweeten It Up!

 

Dr. Lin Stepp

An old John Wooden quote says: “Things turn out the best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.” There’s a lot of truth in that—and for many of us who work as authors or in the publication field this has been a trying year, with covid and all the national unrest. How have you handled this past year? I tried to remember one of my mom’s favorite pieces of advice when new problems hit last March … “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”

As a psychologist, and a woman of faith, I knew the first victory in facing hard times is to hold fast to faith, hope, and to keep a good attitude—to speak positive words and to expect new ideas and routes around life’s problems. William James said: “Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.” Keeping a positive attitude wasn’t easy with so many people falling into fear, worry, stress, and anxiety over the unexpected problems arising in their lives. Many of my author friends let the negatives simply swamp them. They quit writing, quit working, quit marketing—feeling the adversities too hard to overcome.

You’ve Written a Book – What Next?

By Dr. Lin Stepp

The calls, emails, and questions I get most often as an author are from new writers who say, “I’ve just finished a book.  What do I do now to get it published?” Most hope to be traditionally published—versus self-publishing their book—so I’m addressing my blog response to these writers.

Dear new author …

I am so excited you’ve finished your first book and I know you are eager to find a publishing home for it.  As requested, here are my tips to help you in your journey to find a publisher:

(1) First, be sure your book is the best it can be; it’s “your product” and it is your responsibility to prepare and package it in the best way possible. New writers often don’t have enough experience to recognize inherent problems that could keep their work from getting a contract.  Like parents with a new baby, they see their creation as beautiful, perfect, and without flaw.  But, unfortunately, like any “first effort,” it needs a lot of work. … So a writer’s first job is to self-edit their book extensively using a thorough guidebook like Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King, and then to pay a qualified editor to read and provide further help before submission.

(2) Once the product is “professionally polished and edited,” the next step is to find an agent or a publisher.  An agent helps an author find a publisher and negotiate publishing contracts.  Books such as The Writer’s Market provide listings of reputable agents as well as reputable publishers.  Many large publishing giants will not accept direct queries from authors without an agent, but many publishers will. There are no “credentialing associations” for agents or publishers, as for attorneys or CPAs, so a new writer must carefully research either for credibility, checking authors they represent and associations they belong to.  Authors must also be legally watchful about contracts they sign with either.  A website called “Preditors and Editors” can help, as there are many predators willing to take advantage of eager, excited, and inexperienced authors.  Be wary and “run” from any agent or publisher who wants money from you to handle your work.

(3) Once a reputable offer comes in from a publisher—directly or via an agent—have a publishing attorney review any contract before signing it.  I have heard enough heart-breaking stories of contracts signed in haste to wisely council any new author to be extremely careful of any and all contracts.  They are easy to sign but not easy to get out of.

(4) When you are “pitching” your book to an agent or publisher, be aware that you’re creating a marketing pitch for your product. Study the guidelines for creating good query letters, and read the guidelines each agent or publisher provides regarding submissions—and adhere to them rigidly. Be aware that not only is an author pitching their book “for sale” … they are pitching themselves as an author.  The question is not simply: Why should an agent or publisher be interested in your book?... but Why should they be interested in you as an author?  What qualifies you to write your book?  What educational and work background could be an asset as an author?  How long did it take you to write your book and how quickly can an agent or publisher expect to see another in follow-up?  Agents and publishers want to put their time and money behind “producers.”  

Finally, what plans can you present to an agent or publisher as to how you will help market and promote your product?  A whole new career begins for an author after a contract is signed and you need to be ready to discuss your proposed part in it.  An excellent help book in this area is Chuck Sambuchino’s Create Your Writer Platform.

As you can see from these four tips, it takes a lot of work to find a publisher for a book. It is naïve to assume the job is done when the book is finished.  The reality is that getting a book ready to present to an agent or a publisher requires extensive study, research, and effort. If an author is unwilling to study, research, and work in the stages prior to publication, they are unlikely to gain a publisher or to be successful if they do. A popular quote suggests: “There is no elevator to success, you have to take the stairs.”

However, if you’re up for the climb, the view is great from the top.

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Dr. Lin Stepp is a native Tennessean, a businesswoman, and an educator. She is an adjunct faculty member at Tusculum College where she teaches research psychology. Her business background includes over 25 years in marketing, sales, production art, and regional publishing. She has editorial and writing experience in regional magazines and in the academic field.  A USA Today and Publisher Weekly best-selling author, Lin has seven published novels, each set in different locations around the Smoky Mountains. Her latest novel, Makin’ Miracles, set in Gatlinburg, was just released by Kensington and followed by Saving Laurel Springs in the fall of 2015 and Welcome Back in the spring of 2016.  A short novel “A Smoky Mountain Gift” was included in the Christmas anthology When the Snow Falls released by Kensington Publishing in the fall of 2014 following the June 2014 release of  Down by the River set in Townsend, TN.  Lin’s other previously published titles include: Second Hand Rose (2013), Delia’s Place (2012), For Six Good Reasons (2011), Tell Me About Orchard Hollow (2010), and The Foster Girls (2009). Lin and her husband J.L. also published a Smokies hiking guide in January of 2014, distributed through The University of Tennessee Press, titled The Afternoon Hiker, which includes 110 trail descriptions and over 300 color photos. Lin has two grown children and two cats -  and loves to hike, paint, read, teach, and speak and share about her writing. WEBSITE:  www.linstepp.com

AUTHOR FACEBOOK PAGE:  www.facebook.com/Lin-Stepp/715932788428635

GENERAL FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/linstepp

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/linstepp

The Four Legs of a Good Writer's Platform

By Dr. Lin Stepp

A Platform in the dictionary is ‘a raised level surface on which people or things can stand.’  A writer’s platform is sort of similar. It’s what you stand on as an author—your visibility as an author, who you are, the connections you have, what supports you. Jane Friedman, who has fifteen years in the publishing industry, says platform may be hard to define … but that editors and agents are attracted to authors who have this thing called “platform.”

All writers’ platforms that are successful have certain main characteristics in common or should.  I call these the “four main legs of a successful platform.

 (1)  Leg 1:  A GOOD BOOK

The first leg of good platform is just having a good book or a good product.  You might talk people into buying your book via many platform venues, but if it isn’t well-written, or is riddled with editorial errors the reader will not be in line to buy a subsequent book and will be unlikely to tell others about your book with enthusiasm, increasing your future sales. Your first book and how good it is – whether you self-publish, publish with a small press, publish with a well-known regional press, or publish with a large national publishing company—sets the stage for the legs of the platform that come next.

(2)  Leg 2:  A GOOD AUTHOR’S WEBSITE

Once you have published a book, the second needed leg for a successful writer’s platform is to create an excellent author’s website with basic information about you, your books, and a way to contact you. All publishers expect a website.  Phyllis Miller, head of an online marketing company says: “if you are truly interested in giving your book the best online marketing opportunities, you need to have your own book author website.”

 (3) Leg 3 – SOCIAL MEDIA

The growing evolution of the Internet and its many connection opportunities makes a presence in Social Media the third leg of your writer’s platform.  This allows as Chuck Sambuchino says to ‘connect with other individuals through websites and social media sites where people virtually gather.’ He advocates that social media allows you – in the comfort of your own home or office – to: “(1) connect, network and make friends, (2) receive information, news and learn, (3) share information that you created or found interesting, and (4) promote your work and the works of other authors whose work you admire.” The two largest of the social media sites that have been found to be particularly effective for authors are Facebook and Twitter.

(4)  Leg 4:  GETTING OUT THERE

“Getting Out There” is the last and final leg on the writer’s platform that all writers need to do – leaving the house to market, sell, promote, sign, and to get your sales product visible.  Simply getting your book on Amazon among five million-billion other books is not getting yourself visible or seen. Becoming an author is like being Johnny Appleseed … You have to put your bag of seeds on your back and hit the road.  And for every seed you plant, for every new reader you gain, you’ll have increase … if you have a good book readers like, they’ll tell their friends, and you’ll get a return on that “planting.” 

In closing … to be successful as an author requires a lot of hard,  dedicated, persistent effort. Most new writers are always surprised at the demands expected. A lot of that work will be within the walls of your own home and a lot will be outside those walls.  But a good book, a good website, good social media interaction, and a dedicated effort to “get out there” to market and sell your book are the four basic legs of any successful writer’s platform.

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Dr. Lin Stepp is a native Tennessean, a businesswoman, and an educator. She is an adjunct faculty member at Tusculum College where she teaches research psychology. Her business background includes over 25 years in marketing, sales, production art, and regional publishing. She has editorial and writing experience in regional magazines and in the academic field.  A USA Today and Publisher Weekly best-selling author, Lin has seven published novels, each set in different locations around the Smoky Mountains. Her latest novel, Makin’ Miracles, set in Gatlinburg, was just released by Kensington and will be followed by Saving Laurel Springs in the fall of 2015 and Welcome Back in the spring of 2016.  A short novel “A Smoky Mountain Gift” was included in the Christmas anthology When the Snow Falls released by Kensington Publishing in the fall of 2014 following the June 2014 release of  Down by the River set in Townsend, TN.  Lin’s other previously published titles include: Second Hand Rose (2013), Delia’s Place (2012), For Six Good Reasons (2011), Tell Me About Orchard Hollow (2010), and The Foster Girls (2009). Lin and her husband J.L. also published a Smokies hiking guide in January of 2014, distributed through The University of Tennessee Press, titled The Afternoon Hiker, which includes 110 trail descriptions and over 300 color photos. Lin has two grown children and two cats -  and loves to hike, paint, read, teach, and speak and share about her writing. WEBSITE:  www.linstepp.com

AUTHOR FACEBOOK PAGE:  www.facebook.com/Lin-Stepp/715932788428635

GENERAL FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/linstepp

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/linstepp