Appointment Etiquette with Agents/Editors

The fifteen minutes an author is given in the presence of an agent or publisher is vitally important. Learning how to make the most of the time with these industry folks should be a defining moment for the author. You want agents and publishers to walk away with a “memorable” moment.

Before you arrive at a conference, choose the WIP you plan to pitch. Write your pitch and practice it. Your pitch should be the one thing you can bolt out of a dead sleep and recite without hesitation so practice, practice, practice.

Come prepared with business cards…please! When the time arrives for you to sit across the table from an agent/editor, be polite. Remember these professionals are there to talk with you so make every word count.

Before you sit, extend your hand and offer a strong handshake. Please don’t give any professional (editor or not) a fishy handshake. Your handshake is your first impression and it should be one of confidence, not wimpy.

Give your name and exchange a few seconds of pleasantries. Relax, take a deep breath then ask, “May I show you my work in progress?” The agent/editor will then let you know their procedure. Some will quickly skim your one-sheet; others will ask you specific questions. Be flexible and, again, be prepared.

Come to the table with:

1) business cards that contain your contact information and email address;

2) one-sheets;

3) proposals, if your book is complete. I recommend you paper clip these items together in a file folder so when you sit down you can open the file folder and remove one set, unclip it and have at your fingertips all you need to chat with the agent/editor.

I cannot stress enough, the importance of having this information ready when you sit across the table. Do not waste valuable time upside down, digging in your brief case. In fact, leave your brief case at the door. Sit down at the table with simply a folder, pen, and sheet of paper in hand.

Be familiar with what the agent/editor represents. You don’t want to pitch devotions to a romance editor. Before conferences begin there are faculty pages and information on those who are making appointments. Know who and what the person you want to talk with represents.

If an agent/editor remarks that your work needs improvement or is not “quite ready yet,” don’t argue. Be professional. Arguing is, at best, rude and it shows your immaturity as a writer. Think. Be the bigger, better one, not the one who argues. Instead, request they make suggestions for improvements. Remember, the publishing industry is small and tight-knit. Agents and editors move from house to house frequently. They talk. Don’t leave a sour taste that will follow them wherever they go and cost you in the long run.

Should an agent/editor request your work, ask how they’d like to receive it. Most prefer email submissions.

Ask for their card and how they’d like you to tag the subject line in your email. Do they prefer a doc as an attachment or do they want it in the body of the email? These are important items and you need to make your submission work for you long before it’s read.

Stay on time. Appointments are tight at conferences. Be courteous to the person across the table and to those authors waiting in line. Stay within your window of time.

It’s not rude for you to lay your watch on the table and even note aloud the time your appointment ends.

Should the agent/editor choose to read some of your work while in your presence…please sit quietly. It’s awkward at best, and those two or three minutes feel like a lifetime; but be silent. Let them read. They are skimming your work for important elements that stand out. If you are wiggling in your seat, asking questions, explaining your work, or simply chatting, they cannot think clearly.

Finally, when your appointment is complete, thank them for their time. Offer them your card and walk away.

Don’t ask them if you can leave your work in progress, proposal, or one-sheet. If they are interested, they’ll ask. Keep in mind, airlines are allowing less and less on board the plane and weight limits are now beginning to be enforced for overhead compartments. When an agent/editor walks away with a handful of manuscripts, it can add three-five pounds to their luggage. They will ask if they want you to physically leave papers for them.

Otherwise, plan to email what they request. And by the way, if they ask for your work…SEND IT. I cannot tell you the number of times I’ve asked for work from authors and they’ve never sent the first page. That’s a waste of the agent/editor’s time if you don’t follow through.

(excerpt from Learning The Lingo: Cracking the Code (and secrets) of Writing and Publishing)

Every hope or dream of the human mind will be fulfilled if it is noble and of God. Oswald Chambers

“When God closes a door, He opens a window. You can jump or be pushed, but out you will go. As one nation under God we appear to be a people teetering on the ledge. Will we fly or fall?”  ~ Eddie Jones

A survey of the cultural landscape might lead some to believe that Christians are not flying; they are fleeing to the hills, caves, and fortresses. Christian book publishers continue to slash payrolls, cancel contracts, and shun new voices.

Churches flounder and fold due to soaring debt, dwindling tithes, and an anemic spirit within the Body of Christ. Christian couples split and sue for joint custody, trampling the “peace that passes understanding” on the courthouse steps. Jobless and joyless, we sit in the pews, mouthing the words of “How Great Thou Art” and wondering, as Gideon did, why has all this happened to us? Where are all God’s wonders that our parents told us about?

Born into the weakest branch of his family tree, Gideon considered himself to be the runt of the litter, and yet God called him a mighty warrior. Could it be that God views us as mighty warriors, too?

For seven years the raiders of the East pillaged the land, stole crops, killed cattle, and forced Gideon’s countrymen to hide in mountain clefts, caves, and forts. Cringing in fear, they slinked away from the battlefield.

Christian businessman Peter J. Daniels notes, “The poverty mentality that has afflicted Christians in wealthy nations is a masterstroke of satanic genius. It has impoverished us for decades. It has denied that every Christian is of royal blood.”* Could it be that God is calling us to emerge from our hiding place?

When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he didn’t break out into a praise-and-worship song. He didn’t fall face down in wonder. He dared to ask, “If I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me.” Are we waiting for a sign from God that He is calling us?

Any encounter with a living God will change us. Gideon received a new title: “Mighty Warrior.” He received a new mission: “Strike down the enemy.” He received God’s power: “I will be with you.” He received God’s blessing: “Go in the strength you have.”

Have others noticed a change in you? Do they call you a “care giver,” “encourager,” or “compassionate listener?” Their words may indicate the path God is prompting you to take. Does injustice, oppression, or apathy for a cause or people rouse you? This may be your new mission. Do you feel unqualified, unworthy, or overwhelmed by the challenges of stepping forth to incite change? Ask God’s blessing on your work.

The climax of Gideon’s quest to strike a blow against God’s enemies reads like a military blunder. God commanded this “mighty warrior” to pare down his troops to three hundred: a mere one percent of a thirty thousand man army. But one percent of anything with God by our side is a strategy for success.

Then Asa called to the LORD his God and said, “LORD, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. O LORD, you are our God; do not let man prevail against you.”  2 Chronicles 14:11 (NIV)

March 11, 1983, Atlanta’s Omni Arena:

“After Lo hits these two free throws I want us to guard the inbound pass, but don’t foul.” The starting five for N.C. State’s basketball team broke from the huddle and walked toward the free-throw lane. At the last second, Coach Jim Valvano is rumored to have pulled point guard Sidney Lowe aside and whispered, “If Lo misses these two shots I want you to…”

An unwavering belief in our abilities may be the key to our success. That Friday night in Atlanta, freshman Lorenzo Charles and N.C. State needed a confidence boost. State’s chance to secure an NCAA bid rested in the hands of a freshman, a player whose free-throw average stood at 67.6%. Odds were that Charles would miss at least one of the shots. Maybe both. He’d never gone to the line with the outcome of a game resting in his hands. Valvano knew Lorenzo Charles needed a shot of confidence, so the coach told the players how to react after Charles made his free throws.

King Asa needed a boost of confidence too. Though he’d served God and prospered during a reign of peace, the king’s men—armed only with large shields, bows, and spears—faced “a vast army and three hundred chariots.” Asa knew the risk of fighting alone. He needed help. “We rely on you,” he cried out to God. “You help the powerless. There is none like You. You are our God.”

We’re prone to think that we can win on our own strength, but our legs grow weary and our nerves fray. We squander our chances for victory, advancement, and promotion by accepting God’s accolades as our own. All work is a team sport. Family, friends, and co-workers cheer us on in our profession. They remind us that we are more than the sum of our past; they believe that we can do better and that today, we will.

Charles’ first attempt missed the rim—wasn’t even close. But his second shot fell through the net and State advanced to the next game. The following week State was crowned ACC Champions, received an NCAA bid, and eventually won the national championship all because of Lorenzo Charles’ last-second dunk.

What recent defeat prevents us from believing in God’s goodness? What disease, financial setback, or broken relationship threatens to crush our confidence and causes us to cower in fear? God has placed us in His starting line up for a reason. He expects great things of us. When no one else believes we can, God does.

SUNDAY, MAR 10, 2013 03:31 PM EDT
How many book sales equal an Amazon bestseller?
Publisher’s Weekly says it may not be that many
BY ALEX HALPERIN

Amazon sales figures are among the best kept, and most sought after, secrets in the publishing industry. The list updates hourly but Amazon, the biggest book retailer in the country, refuses to share data on what level of sales correspond to a coveted spot at the top of the list. (The New York Times’ bestseller list, still arguably the most influential in the country, is also cagey with its metrics.)

In an article today, Publishers Weekly tried to reverse engineer a book’s sales on Amazon by tracking its position on the bestseller list. The conclusion, which is couched in plenty of caveats, is that reaching the top of the Amazon list only requires about 300 sales through the site per day. It’s not a result that will cheer the always beleaguered publishing industry.

Here’s how the experiment worked:

We looked at Dark Horse’s The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia, a 300-page collection of historical information, concept art, and chronology of the famous Nintendo video game series. We charted the book’s ranking on Amazon, and during the weeks ended February 24 and March 3, it sold 8,573 copies and 6,128 copies, respectively, at outlets that report to Nielsen BookScan. During that two-week span, Hyrule Historia never fell out of the top five on Amazon’s print ranking. For the week ended March 3, the book sold 6,128 copies at outlets that report to BookScan (which covers about 80% of print units). To account for the units not reported to BookScan, we added 20% to its total of 6,128, which equals 7,353. Based on that total, the book sold, on average, 1,050 copies per day, which means that Amazon sold no more than that number of units on any given day. But because Hyrule Historia is available through other retailers like Barnes & Noble, Target, and even video game chain Gamestop—the book is also sold out on Walmart.com—the realistic estimate is that Amazon sold roughly 30% of the 1,050 copies, or 315 copies per day, on average.

In a separate article in the trade publication, publishers are banding together to try and stop Amazon’s bid to buy the Internet domain name “.book.”

Alex Halperin is news editor at Salon. You can follow him on Twitter @alexhalperin.

Skull Creek Stakeout

I’ve waited all my life to dedicate a book to Mom and now I can without fear of retribution. Assuming, of course, she can’t curse me from the grave. One thing about Mom, you always knew what she was thinking—whether you wanted to know or not.

You also knew you were loved.

A year or so ago Mom was on her way to the hairdresser when another driver ran a stop sign and smashed into her Buick. Mom got out, inspected the damage, and exchanged insurance information with the other driver. While waiting for the police to arrive, Mom popped the trunk and motioned the other woman to the rear of her LeSabre.

“My son’s a writer,” Mom announced, “and I’ve got some of his books. Do you want a copy?” I wasn’t at the crash site, but knowing Mom, I imagine the inflection in her voice and order of words was probably more like: “You do want a copy of my son’s book, right?” I’m almost certain of this because the woman bought one copy of my book and a church recipe book. I bet the woman doesn’t even cook or have kids.

But that was Mom. Always hawking my books and asking me how my writing was going. She worried constantly I wouldn’t make enough as a writer to support my family. I kept telling her our daily provision is God’s business; mine was to be obedient and write stories that reflect His truths.

Last year I lost my biggest fan and best salesperson, but God gained a worthy assistant for the running of His kingdom. I can’t imagine how God thinks He’ll remain in charge now.

The last thing Mom told me was, “I’m not as young as I used to be, son. You need to think about your old mom once in a while and come see me.”

I will Mom. Someday I will.

If you’re blessed enough to still have your mom around, give her a hug and whisper, “Love you Mom.” Trust me, it’s the best and cheapest gift there is.

Love you Mom. I miss you. – EJ

The Skull Creek Stakeout (The Caden Chronicles) Coming in August of 2013

Amazon Reviews: The Gift That Keeps On Giving

“At the beginning of the digital revolution it was common to say digital was killing music. Now it could be said digital is saving music.”- Edgar Berger, Sony Music

Just returned from teaching at the Florida Christian Writers Conference. Here are a few observations.

Teen writing tracks remain a growing segment of the conference agenda. Met several teens with great ideas, a firm grasp of the craft and a willingness to commit to improving. Watch for more teens to attend conferences and jump into book publishing BEFORE they graduate from high school.

The real buzz remains: what is the future of print books? Large houses continue to acquire new manuscripts from first-time authors but many of the conferees at FCWC came with questions regarding eBook publishing, how to market their eBooks online and the big one: “Can I make money self-publishing my book via Kindle?” Yes you can make money with Amazon but you will need lots of Amazon reviews. Here is a portion of the class I taught on Amazon reviews.

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Amazon Reviews

Increasingly, readers turn to online reviews written by peers to learn if a book is worth purchasing. Many “professional” reviews are simply rehashes of publisher-generated publicity. Most of the time, professional critics don’t tell readers the one thing they want to know—whether they’ll like the book.

Today, all it takes is a quick skim of customer reviews on Amazon to know if you’ll like a book, and what amateur reviewers lack in highbrow sensibilities, they make up in credibility and relevancy.

What percentage of buyers at brick-and-mortar bookstores made their choice by reading Amazon customer reviews? There’s no way to know, but chances are it’s a substantial and growing number, so seed your book’s success by garnering reviews on Amazon.

Reviews For YOU!

If buyers are making their decisions based on Amazon reviews you can bet bookstore buyers are, too. Amazon is ground zero for your online campaign. It provides free worldwide exposure. Simply having your book properly listed for sale on Amazon can create demand for it everywhere.

How can these reviews help you? Credibility. Amazon doesn’t say it explicitly, but the more reviews your book receives, the higher it will appear in the “relevant” search rankings. This is why you need to begin working to gain reviews for your book before its release. How? With book giveaways on Goodreads, blog tours, promotions and sending galley copies to friends. In return ask those individuals who say nice things about your book to post a review when your book releases. (Depending on the publisher’s arraignment with Amazon, sometimes they can post reviews before its release.)

When it comes to book sales, you have to be popular to become popular. (How’s that for circular logic?) Amazon reviews are a quick indicator of your book’s success.  A low number of reviews or a low star rating and the reader may exit your page before scrolling down an inch.

Step One: Fire Up Your Tribe

Encourage anyone who tells you how much he or she enjoyed your book to write a review on Amazon.com. As your positive reviews grow, so may your sales.

It is YOUR job to drive reviewers (friends, family, fans, Tweeters, bloggers, etc) to your Amazon page and fill these reviews. Your book will need 10 to be taken seriously -  100 to be considered a serious book. The bar is high because customers are reluctant to post reviews. Readers know this so when they see a book with 50 reviews they know merits consideration.

Step Two: Combat Negative Reviews

Even a poor review can be good—if the reviewer shares pertinent facts about your book that other readers might find interesting. For example, a comment like: “Too preachy” might turn off some readers and attract inspirational readers. Multiple 1 star reviews can slow sales or kill your book’s momentum, so balance low star reviews by asking friends to post a review after negative reviews appear. Here’s how.

When friends congratulate you on your book ask for their help. Send them an email or contact via Facebook and say:

Thank you for the kind words about my book. If you have a spare moment, it would be a great help if you could post a review on Amazon and let other potential readers know why you liked it. It’s not necessary to write a lengthy, formal review—a summary of the comments you sent me would be fine. Here’s a link to the review form for my book:

http://www.Amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/write-a-review.html?asin=ISBN

(Note: you will need to put your book’s actual ISBN in place of the letters ISBN, like this:
http://www.Amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/write-a-review.html?asin=1938499018 This link should take you to the review page for My Father’s Business: 30 Inspirational Stories for Discerning and Doing Gods Will)

Save this canned text to be used anytime you see a negative review appear about your book. Then seek out those fans that praised your book but did not post a review. Maybe add that their comments are needed and appreciated.

The reality is a review on Amazon is gold. The next time your author friend has a birthday don’t send an eGreating Card – post a positive review of their book on Amazon. This will mean more to their career than you can imagine.

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If you want the class notes from my workshop, Amazing Results With Amazon send me an emai: Eddie Jones . If you want my workshop notes on how to set up your Kindle and CreateSpace accounts, ask for that, too.

Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.  Luke 6:28

“This book was a simple waste of my time. It was a full three hours that I cannot get back.”

“Don’t waste your time. I struggled to get almost half through and finally just skipped to the last chapter. It wasn’t funny nor entertaining. Most if the characters were morons. Awful, just awful.”

“Save The Buck!! Please!! Heed my advice! Don’t waste the .99¢ and more importantly: Don’t waste your time reading this dribble.”

These comments are what some people think of my books.

If you write and your books appear on Amazon, you will be judged. This is the life of an author. Negative reviews can kill a book. Moreover, they can crush a writer’s spirit. When I see a negative comment about one of my books, my normal reaction is to reply with a deadly zinger.

I’m good with zingers – just ask Cindy. Or my wife. Or anyone else who has dared to point out my flaws. That’s the way of the “flesh.” Fight back, crush, and destroy.

Christ received a lot of one-star reviews. He heard comments like:

• “He saved others, but he can’t save himself!” (Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.)
• “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” (Don’t you know bad writing when you see it?)
• “So he is the King of Israel, is he?” (You think you’re a novelist?)

This year God impressed upon me the need to humbly accept criticism and let it go. If you know me at all, you know how tough that is. Here’s my new strategy for dealing with negative reviews.

Prayer. Yes, prayer. Not for improved book sales but for the person who wasted 99 cents on one of my books or lost three hours of their life reading my “dribble.”

Please, this is not an invitation to heap abuse on my books just so I’ll pray for you. If you want my prayers, ask. But from now on when someone writes a negative review of one of my books, I pray for that individual and ask God to bless them. Obviously, I don’t know how God answers those prayers, but I trust that person’s circumstance or heart is changed.

Praying for those who post honest but painful book reviews may not be the best book marketing strategy, but it’s hard to move forward when you’re hauling a cart full of resentment. We can’t all write five-star books, but we can offer five-star blessings for those who don’t like us.

Amazon Building Three Fulfillment Centers in Texas

Amazon.com confirmed January 30, 2012 it is building three fulfillment centers in Texas. The centers are under construction in Coppell, Haslet and Schertz, near San Antonio. Amazon did not say when the shipping facilities will open. 

Amazon has 40 fulfillment centers, opening  eight last year. The company offers same-day delivery in 10 major markets, including Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C.

Market analysts have speculated  that Amazon will expand its one-day service to more markets. Today orders must be placed before noon in Seattle to be delivered the same day.  Amazon Prime subscription members pay $3.99 per item for same-day delivery, and not all merchandise is eligible.

Whether the new Texas fulfillment centers will allow Amazon to offer what it calls “local express delivery” around Dallas, Fort Worth and San Antonio isn’t clear. Amazon started collecting sales taxes from its Texas customers on July 1 under an agreement with Texas Comptroller Susan Combs.