The Basics of Book Profits

Most writers have no idea how much money they can expect when their book is published. The formula, however, is fairly straightforward. To begin with, a writer generally receives an advance. An advance is payment, in advance, based on the expected initial earnings of the book. It is a negotiable amount, but once the publisher pays this to the writer, the advance belongs to the writer whether or not the book ever sells a copy. Advances range from a few thousand dollars to over a million dollars for well-known celebrity writers. If you are an unknown writer, your advance should range from nothing to about twenty-thousand dollars in the United States. Some first time-writers negotiate more, but that is the usual range.

In order to make the writer more money than the advance, a book has to sell well. If it does, your payment as the author comes from royalties, which you can calculate using the system below. A book that sells moderately well, but is not a bestseller, may or may not make the author a few extra thousand dollars. Royalties (ranging from 4% to 8% in most cases) are generally based on the cover price of the book, but that does not include books that are discounted or remaindered. So, for the sake of argument, say you sold 20,000 full-price copies of a paperback priced at $7 (I know it would more likely be $6.95 but I am going to use round numbers.) If your royalty percentage were a generous 8% you would make a total of $11,200.

Now remember that your advance is an advance on these royalties, so your publisher would subtract the initial advance from the $11,200. If your initial advance equaled $10,000 you would eventually receive $1,200 in additional royalties. An author who makes a total of $50,000 or more from a fiction book should consider himself or herself to be doing very well. For the sake of argument, however, let us say that Oprah Winfrey chooses your book for her book club and you sell 500,000 copies of your book. With this same formula, at 8% you would make $280,000 and would have no trouble finding a publisher and getting a big advance for your next book.

Surprisingly, the publisher does not make most of the money from your book. The party that makes the most money off the sale of a book is the retailer. By the time a publisher pays all of the related expenses of publishing a book (production, distribution, salaries, promotion, etc.), they generally clear a profit of about a dollar a book for a book with sales of about 20,000. Therefore, the publisher made more than you, but not that much more and they took on all the risk. Remember, if the book never sells a copy, you still get to keep your advance.

For this reason, the market for mid-range books (under 100,000 copy sellers) is very tough, and major publishers are looking for books they expect to sell in large numbers. This is why it is hard to get a fiction book published in today’s market. A first-time author or even an author with modest previous sales is going to have a hard time finding a publisher. When they do, they can expect very little by way of promotion because the publisher expects so little return for their investment.

If you do get your book published, and you want it to sell well, be prepared to spend a great deal of your own time marketing the book. Most authors think it should be up to the publisher to promote the sale of the book, but the author is the one who really needs to be out there making phone calls to bookstores, lining up press interviews and setting up readings and signings.

Review: The Well Fed Writer: Back For Seconds

For the past two years I have been recommending that visitors to my site buy Peter Bowerman’s book, The Well Fed Writer: Financial Self-Sufficiency as a Freelance Writer in Six Months or Less. It is a great introduction into the world of writing for profit. His new book, The Well Fed Writer: Back for Seconds is more narrow in focus, but that is what makes it even more useful than the first. Seconds is focused almost entirely on marketing your writing.

Seconds is aimed at business and commercial writing, often called copywriting. This is not a how-to book so much as a business guide. While I believe poets and literary writers can benefit from much of the advice in this book, the focus is on writing as a business, not as a creative endeavor.

Seconds begins with a general discussion of sales and sales tactics, and why writers need to become comfortable with the sales aspect of their careers. Even in the first chapter, one of the key improvements over the first book becomes apparent. Bowerman is not just giving you his advice, he is including the opinions and testimonials of other successful business writers (he calls them FLCWs, for freelance commercial writers). Each writer discusses an aspect of sales or marketing with which they are familiar.

In the beginning, Bowerman discusses the sales and marketing mindset. He soon moves on into specific areas of sales such as creating your own web site, which is something every writer should do regardless of their style of writing. Web sites, and writing portfolios on web sites, are inexpensive and versatile marketing tools that allow people to reach their audience, whether it is for sales or simply self-expression.

After Bowerman covers web sites, he moves to the key areas of marketing such as cold calling, direct mail, E-mail and fax campaigns. He discusses both the benefits and the pitfalls of these forms of marketing and how they work best for a writer. Bowerman also discusses networking and partnership strategies as well as the special needs of people working in small markets.

This is a great book for people who are serious about making a living as a writer. It is both instructional and inspirational. Bowerman even takes the time to encapsulate his advice from the first book so that writers need only purchase this book to get the information they need. Overall this book is a bargain and one that every writer who is serious about making a living should read and reread.

Bowerman practices what he preaches. One example of that is his web site portfolio. Take a look at www.wellfedwriter.com.

College and Writers Part One: Undergraduate Majors

When students who are interested in becoming writers look at available colleges and majors, they face a myriad of choices. Some students have the grades and money to attend any college they wish, and can seek whatever program interests them. Other students find themselves limited by geography, money or grades and have to pick from a more narrow range of majors.

Whatever your options, it is a good idea to understand what each of the primary majors specialize in and can do for a writer. When looking at a college, however, you need to take the time to visit if possible, and to contact people in the department who can give you a good idea of how their specific program works. No two schools are exactly alike.

Below is a list of undergraduate majors a prospective writer student should look at. You can base your initial search on these general descriptions, but always take the time to find out how each school describes its majors and what advice they give to students.

Creative Writing
This is the most common and highly recommended major for writers. Students take reading and writing courses in fiction, poetry, drama and composition. They also take several literature courses. This major is a solid preparation for a variety of writing careers, but is more artistically oriented than journalism, media arts, marketing or communication.

Journalism
This major is focused on writing for newspapers, magazines and in some cases broadcast news. Classes focus on reporting, editing, publishing, photojournalism, design, Internet research, ethics and media law. While the world of journalism is not necessarily in opposition to creativity, the emphasis here is on discovering, working with, and presenting factual information in a news setting. Graduates commonly become reporters, journalists and public relations professionals.

English / English Literature
The English major is focused on literature. The focus is on analysis of such aspects of literature as cultural influence, historical perspective, symbolic meaning and the development of language. Students get an in-depth knowledge of classic literature and learn how to analyze and write about literature in an academic setting. While this major is less focused on writing than journalism and creative writing, it will give you an excellent perspective on literature.

Theater Arts
Theater Arts focuses on the the entire theater production process from writing to performance to stage building and show promotion. This major is a good choice for aspiring dramatic writers.

Media Arts
Media arts focuses on film, video and new media. You will study media history, theory, and criticism as well as film and video production. This is a good major for those looking to write for television or film or for those planning a career in public relations.

Liberal Arts
Liberal Arts is a broad major that offers students the leeway to study topics in several different departments. For example, a liberal arts major may take several classes in English, philosophy, humanities, religion and even business or economics. Writers who are looking to college to give them a well-rounded education should look into this major.

Linguistics
Linguistics is the study of human language, encompassing particular languages and properties common to all languages. Linguistics majors must generally become fluent in multiple languages. This is a great minor for creative writing students who also want a more technical understanding of language. Professional editors often have taken coursework in linguistics.

Communication
This is the study of communication and social interaction, its processes and effects. Students analyze interpersonal communication, social influence and persuasion and the social effects of media and information technology. This is a rare and rather specialized major for most creative writers, but it can provide a solid background, especially for technical writing or persuasive writing such as speech writing.

Marketing
If you plan to write sales material, you should either major or minor in marketing. This major will prepare you for every aspect of developing and promoting a product or service.

Technical Writing
A technical writing or technical communications degree instructs you in that specific field. If you want to be a technical writer, then this is the major for you. If that is not your goal, then you should pursue a different major. This does make for a good minor for English or creative writing majors who want to have a more marketable skill to fall back on. At the undergraduate level, this major is somewhat rare, but more and more colleges are adding programs in technical communication as they recognize the increasing need for this skill in the marketplace.

How to Find Publishing Industry Jobs

People believe there is a secret to finding writing and editing work. They are always asking me how to find a job as a proofreader, a copy editor or any of a number of publishing jobs. The truth is that finding a job in this industry is very similar to finding work in any industry. You have to be prepared. You have to be assertive. You have to spend time, effort and even money on your job search. There is no quick fix for a job search.

The number of people who do not know the basics of conducting a job search consistently surprises me. I suppose that is one explanation for why so many people give up. Therefore, I am providing this guide to looking for work in the publishing industry. If any of the steps seem particularly obvious to you, please understand that some people just do not know these things or for some reason believe that these things do not apply to the publishing industry.

Note: There is very little difference between the process of looking for full time employment and the process of looking for freelance work. While freelance writing is somewhat of a special case, freelance editing and proofreading use much the same process as regular employment. The main difference is that you specify to publishers that you are looking for freelance assignments.

Step One: Become Qualified
Many people who want to work in the publishing industry don’t have the qualifications. If you want to be a proofreader, for example, it takes more than just a belief that you are “good with grammar”.

Research the field you intend to work in:

• Buy the appropriate books.
• Subscribe to any industry magazines you can find.
• Visit and join professional groups within the industry.
• Take the appropriate classes.
• Get a degree if you can.
• Try to find one or more mentors in the field.

Unless you are actively working to make yourself the best possible candidate for the job, you are going to have trouble landing the job you want. If you are not qualified for the job you want, consider seeking a job for which you are qualified, but limit your applications to the industry you hope to grow into. Medium and large publishers employ a variety of support personnel from secretaries to clerks to interns and sales people. Once you are working in the industry in any capacity, it is easier to build your career from the inside than the outside.

Step Two: Demonstrate Your Qualifications
If you are qualified to look for a job in your field, you must be able to prove it. This means you must create a resume and a portfolio. There are entire books about writing resumes, so I won’t detail the process here, but be sure your resume reflects the experience that qualifies you for the job you are looking for.

While many people choose to use a resume service, I believe it is better to learn how to write your own resume. The reason is that you will want the option of customizing your resume to individual job opportunities. If a company is looking for a writer who knows FrameMaker, you will want to make sure that you feature that skill on your resume. If the next company cares about HTML skills and does not ask for FrameMaker skills, you will want to make changes again. When you know what skills an employer is looking for, you need to make sure your resume reflects those skills as much as your qualifications will allow.

A writer or editor’s portfolio is a collection of their work samples. Again, the samples should reflect the job you are looking for. If you are applying for an editor job, you should have samples of the publications you have edited in the past and be ready to demonstrate how your work is reflected by those samples. A technical writer would collect technical documents they have worked on. A proofreader would bring in samples of the text they have proofed.

Step Three: Research Employers
This is the step that most people try to skip over, and that is why most job searches fail. It is possible to find a job through newspaper or web site advertisements. Feel free to use them as part of your search.

Unfortunately, advertised jobs have the most competition for them. The people who are willing to pick up the phone and cold-call employers are more likely to find a job. Before you call, however, you should know the employer’s background as much as possible.

Make a list of publishers in your job search area. While cities such as New York, Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles have the greatest number of publishers, every urban area has publishers and related companies:

• Book publishers
• Magazine publishers
• Newspaper publishers
• Technical publishers
• Online publishers
• Broadcasters
• Advertising companies
• Public relations firms

I live in a medium-sized city with about 500,000 residents. A quick search of the phone book under the publisher headings turned up approximately 100 different publishers. I live within 90 miles of another, larger city with 250 listed publishers. Not every publisher will interest me in a job search, but it would be easy to create a list of thirty or more publishers I would like to know more about. I could consult many more sources in my search than just the phone book. Writer’s Market, especially the online edition, is easy to search through and provides all sorts of details about publishers. Internet searches are another possibility. You can also contact your local chamber of commerce or Better Business Bureau for information.

After you create a list of publishers to research, you need to find out more about them. As mentioned, Writer’s Market has many listings and good details but their guide is far from exhaustive, especially for publishers outside of the major cities. Web sites are another valuable tool. Most companies have some sort of site these days. Some publisher’s sites will be extensive and full of valuable information. They may even include a jobs page. Other sites will be rudimentary and frustrating to navigate. You cannot know how useful a site will be until you investigate it.

Finally, you should contact the employer directly. Because this step is only for research, and not to ask for a job, you should make your request simple. E-mail or phone the company and ask them to send any brochures they have about their company and their services. Do not feel you need to elaborate on why you want the information. Simply make the request.

The key areas you will want to research are:

• Services offered / types of publications
• Potential contacts
• Company size
• Compatibility
• Areas of specialty
• Employment potential

Step Four: Call Employers
At this stage, you are actively seeking employment, but you are also looking to develop contacts and form relationships. This is why you must use the phone rather than e-mail or regular mail. Mail is a passive tool; the phone is an assertive tool. Sometimes, you may want to visit a potential employer in person, but that is a slower method because of travel time. In addition, it is disheartening to get dressed up to visit a potential employer only to find out that the person is out-of-town or uninterested in talking to you.

Publishing companies vary widely. Many small publishers are one, two or three person operations. The person who picks up the phone might be the person who can give you a job or steer you toward an opportunity somewhere else. At a larger company, there may be dozens or hundreds of employees. This is where your preliminary research can come in handy. Often, your preliminary research will identify the person you want to contact.

One concern many people have is their ability to “get past the secretary” and talk to the person who makes decisions. While this may be true at some large publishers, secretaries and receptionists are less common than they used to be and call screening is not as common a practice as most people fear. You may be surprised at how often the person who can hire you picks up the phone. Be polite and friendly, but not overbearing. Let them know you are looking for work. If they say they do not have any opportunities, ask them for advice or connections. Some people will respond and be helpful and some will not. Do not worry about the unfriendly people. People who are unfriendly on the phone are generally not good employers. Remember that this is a weeding-out process for you as well. You do not just want a job; you want to find the company that is best for you.

Step Five: Master the Interview
Job interviews are grueling; there is no way to get around it. You have to get dressed up, which generally means looking at yourself in the mirror and wondering if this is as good as you get. You have to answer probing and sometimes stupid questions and find a way, however difficult, to present yourself as the ideal candidate. In some cases you have to face one person, and in other cases you find yourself sitting across a table from five or more people. The key is to be yourself, but to be your best self. Do not lie or exaggerate your skills, because unless you are a terrific liar, they will see right through you anyway. Be positive about your abilities, but feel free to admit when an area is something you are not your best in. An honest no will get you a better job than a dishonest yes. A few things to remember:

• Get a look at the place you are visiting in advance, if you can.
• Find out in advance how the people at the company dress, and dress slightly better. Always be clean and well groomed. Do not use cologne or perfume; just be clean.
• Bring your portfolio with you and be ready to explain it in a positive way.
• Demonstrate your knowledge of their company. Be ready to explain why you want to work for them.
• Remember the names of your interviewers and get a business card from them if possible. You will need it for the next step.
• Ask when the interviewers plan to make a decision.

Step Six: Follow Up
Do not skip this step. Every step in this process is important, but this one is how you close the deal. As part of your job search, invest in a box of thank you cards. As soon as you get out of your interview, write a note on one of your thank you cards thanking them for the interview and restating your interest in the job. Drop it in the mail that day. Do not let yourself forget.

Call the employer within three working days of your interview. Thank them for the interview again and ask them how the job search is progressing. If you have not heard from the company by the date they said they intend to hire someone, call again and ask if they have made a decision. Many employers do not bother to call and inform people that they didn’t get a job, and it is better to know as soon as possible if that is the case so that you can move on.

Step Seven: Go Back to the Beginning
Until you get a job, you continually need to renew your job search. After your initial research, try to contact at least five potential employers each week. If you are running out of possible employers, you need to expand your search either by considering employers you passed on before or by expanding your geographic search to include new locations and markets.

Autobiographical Writing: Childhood

Autobiographical Writing is an excellent way to work on your descriptive skills. When you describe items or memories from your past, you are able to provide details that are often lacking in more purely imaginative exercises. With autobiographical writing you learn how to describe what was rather than what isn’t.

Another great benefit of these writing exercises is that they can bring back long-forgotten thoughts about who you were and what you felt in the past. These questions can take you on a personal journey through your life. This first set of questions deals with childhood and childhood memories. Most people spend very little time thinking about their childhood. Many of these questions can bring back memories that you haven’t considered for years.

When you approach a question, try to make your answer last at least a few paragraphs. Take the time to think about the question and try to make the most of your answer.

1. Give a general description of your childhood; what was life like for you?
2. What are your very earliest memories?
3. Describe any childhood ailments or injuries you had.
4. What was family life like as a child? How did you feel you fit into your family?
5. Describe your favorite toy. What did it look like? How did it feel?
6. Describe your favorite books growing up. What made them special to you?
7. Describe your favorite game growing up.
8. Describe a specific school memory from your elementary years.
9. Write about your best friend as a child and the experiences you had together. What has happened to that friendship since childhood?
10. Describe your nemesis growing up. Who made your life miserable and what did they do to make it so rough?
11. Describe your favorite foods as a child. What did you eat then that you no longer eat?
12. What was the biggest trouble you got into as a child? Describe what you did or didn’t do to deserve what happened to you.
13. What was your greatest childhood accomplishment? How did it make you feel? What influence do you think it has had on your life since?
14. Describe what you did or where went as a child when you wanted to feel safe.
15. Describe your personality as a child. In what ways has it changed as you’ve gotten older? In what ways has it stayed the same?
16. Describe what your parents were like when you were a child. What was your relationship like with them? How has your opinion of your parents changed as you’ve grown older?
17. What other relatives besides your immediate family do you remember as a child? Describe your most interesting relative.
18. Describe something that people would be surprised to know about your childhood.
19. Describe some of the cultural influences in your childhood such as music, television, movies, plays, art or writing.
20. Describe the home you grew up in. If you lived in several different homes, describe one or discuss the reasons for the frequent moves. Were you moving up or working your way down?
21. Describe a family vacation. Where did you go? Why did you go there? What did you do? How did you travel?

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