Publishing is not rocket science. It’s basic business and like any business in the digital age, it’s in constant flux. These sessions will bring you up-to-date.
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The Business of Writing
What every writer needs to know. If you are a writer who wants to get published, finishing your manuscript is just the first step. A mistake many newbies make is they think writing is all that’s required. Maybe last century, but not in 2015. Today, you must become an entrepreneur and marketer before you even find an agent. You need a social media presence, a website, and followers. Many agents and most publishers Google your name before they even read your first page. If you haven’t created an online presence you often get tossed into the slush pile. If you decide to self-publish, these sessions are even more important. You're becoming a publisher and need to be aware of how to market your book, gather a support team, and make sales. Half of the purpose of the 805 Writers’ Conference is to bring writers the latest on what is happening in publishing so that you can be prepared to succeed in the Business of Writing. |
We offer five sessions that will help you on your way.
First: For all writers wanting to be published, our opening keynote speaker, Enliven Books publisher Zhena Muzyka, will tell you what a writer needs to do to get an agent, a book deal, and to sell books in her session, “How to Get Published in Today’s Market.” Zhena is in New York every month at the Simon & Schuster offices and is a valuable resource on what’s happening inside New York publishing. Second: Most agents now require a book proposal even for fiction. Brian Fagan, America’s most read archaeologist with over 50 books published, will walk you through his process for creating winning book proposals that sell. Even with bestsellers under his belt, Brian must submit a proposal before his agent or publishers will review his new work. Learn from his experience on what he must do now to get a deal in “Writing a Viable Non-Fiction Proposal: The Awful Truth.” Third: “How to Sell Books by the Truckload on Amazon” – need we say more? Amazon is 40% of the market and Penny Sansevieri, a top book marketer, knows her way around Amazon better than most of the world. Even with a deal, you must market your book. And if you are considering self-publishing, this class is vital – Amazon is your primary bookstore. Fourth: Your book is ready for release. Now you must change hats and become a marketer, or find one to help you. In “Status Report: Book Marketing and Publicity—What's working and why?” three experts will discuss what is succeeding now for their clients, what is most important when creating a marketing budget, and how many free or inexpensive things you can do. Fifth: In “Self-Publishing Primer —what has changed and how authors are selling books” hear from two top experts on what to consider and how to go about self-publishing a book. Don’t despair; there are talented people to help you create a quality book. Publishing is big business and there are many resources you can find online to assist in the process and SAVE MONEY. Plus: Listen to five authors who have gone the traditional route with a publisher and three who self-published and succeeded. “New Authors Panel—How they got their deals and what they are doing to promote their books” and “The Trials and Triumphs of Self-Publishing—3 authors who did it tell all” |