How to Spot a Phony Book Reviewer
Guest article by James A. Cox
I’ve been a book reviewer and a keenly interested observer of the publishing industry since the fall of 1976. My more than 20 years of experience as a reviewer, an editor of a monthly book review newsletter, a producer of radio and television weekly book review programs, and editor-in-chief of the Midwest Book Review (supervising the work of 37 volunteer book reviewers across the United States and Canada) has taught me a great deal about reviewing books, editing the reviews of others, and recognizing the needs and problems of the independent small press publisher with respect to being reviewed.
The main reason for a publisher to seek reviews is to collect quotes that can be used in publicity and promotional materials, which could result in increased sales for the book. The principal hazards facing the publisher with respect to reviews are being panned by an honest book reviewer and scammed by a phony book reviewer.
With respect to an unfavorable review by a legitimate reviewer, I can offer the publisher nothing but my sympathy. But I can offer some very practical advice on how to avoid getting “taken” by a dishonest scam artist posing as a book reviewer. This is important money-saving information for every tight budget, every-penny-counts, small press publisher because sending books to phony reviewers not only wastes books (along with the shipping and handling costs to send them), but it also steals the hoped-for publicity and promotional boost in a very competitive retail market. Furthermore, the publisher loses an opportunity to send that book (and expend the same limited postage monies) to a legitimate reviewer, thereby reaping the marketplace benefits of a legitimate review that would be read by potential buyers.
Book reviewers can be categorized much the same as the books they are sent for review: the good, the bad, and the mediocre.
The hallmarks of any good book reviewer begin with feedback to the publisher, usually with a copy of the review. Typically this is in the form of a tear sheet from their publication or a script from their radio or television program. This tear sheet or review script is usually accompanied by a cover letter giving any additional details, such as the date of publication or the time of broadcast.
The Internet and the World Wide Web have added a new dimension to book reviewing. When reviews are posted on the Internet, the reviewer’s notification letter to the publisher will include the text of the review and will indicate what websites, newsgroups, online bookstores, or listserves (internet discussion groups) were posted so that the publisher can verify the postings accordingly.
A bad reviewer isn’t the one who pans your book with an honest (albeit negative) judgment; it’s the one who solicits a review copy of a publisher’s book under false pretenses: someone who wants a free copy of your book with no intention of fulfilling their side of the bargain of furnishing an opinion for the publisher to use in publicity and promotional materials or for a potential book buyer to read. In short, a bad reviewer is someone out to get something for nothing, a scam artist, a thief.
The mediocre reviewer is simply someone of good intentions but poor performance. Never underestimate the ability of a given book reviewer to be basically inept and a failure at the trade and craft of reviewing, just as there are those well-intentioned authors who couldn’t write their way out of a paper bag, or those well-meaning publishers who can’t seem to proof a text, or design a marketable cover, or balance a publishing budget.
The focus of this article is to provide a list of tips, tricks and techniques in spotting a bad reviewer, or at the very least, the mediocre reviewer.
1. Don’t Send Review Copies Based on Telephone or Email Requests
Never accept a telephone request for a review copy of your book from someone you do not know or from the representative of a review organization that you have never heard of. When receiving such a telephone solicitation for a review copy, require the caller to submit their request to you in writing. No legitimate reviewer would ever argue with or refuse such a requirement.
As the use of the Internet spreads throughout our society, and as more and more publishers come online, we are gradually seeing more email (electronic mail) solicitations for review copies. The same rule applies to an email review copy solicitation as to the telephone version: Require the email sender to submit a standard letter of request sent via the post office. The modicum of protection offered by U.S. Postal Service laws, which prohibit using the mails for fraudulent purposes, may deter the phony book reviewer.
2. Look for Essential Elements in Request Letters
When a review copy solicitation letter arrives in your mailbox, be certain that it is written on letterhead stationery that includes the reviewer’s address and a phone number. These two items give you (and the U.S. Post Master General) the information necessary to verify the legitimacy of the reviewer.
I would also advise that a street address be required (rather than merely a post office box). This is because “fly-by-night” scams are often easier to perpetrate through the use of post office boxes than through the use of street addresses. This advice is controversial amongst some, feeling as they do that it unnecessarily casts suspicion over legitimate businesses that use post office boxes honestly. My response is that these good folk are usually selling something, whereas the unknown book reviewer is asking to receive something—for free. While it is possible to run a scam from a street address, it is far more commonplace among con artist operations to use a post office box to run their game until they are discovered. Then they pull up stakes, change their names, and rent another post office box.
3. Confirm the Book Reviewer’s Credentials
There are several excellent techniques to confirm the legitimacy of a prospective book reviewer who has made a request for a review copy.
Ask for a sample copy of the publication. If the reviewer works for a radio or television program, request a copy of their show. If he is a freelancer, ask for copies of reviews that he has done and a list of the media outlets or book review publications that have featured his work. Ask for professional references. Have other publishers used this reviewer in the past? Does she have a list of independent publicists, newsletter or newspaper editors, or radio or television show producers who have used her reviews? If so, call those references and check them out. If the reviewer cannot provide such a list, ignore the request.
Join publisher groups, such as SPAN and PMA, and internet discussion groups, such as PMA-L. As a participant in these groups, ask your professional colleagues if they have ever heard of, or had dealings with, the reviewer or book review organization.
4. Be Cautious, It’s Your First Time Together
If things seem kosher after you have checked out the prospective reviewer, send only one book for review consideration the first time around. This is not a problem with the very small publisher who only has the one book, but for a larger publisher with a multi-title list, or a lengthy, active back list, this limits the damage if the reviewer turns out to be a scam artist clever enough to get past your initial screening. When the reviewer proves legitimate and provides a review, more books can be sent for review consideration later on.
5. Follow Up
Now that you’ve taken the chance and sent a review copy to the prospective book reviewer there is still one more thing to be done in order to insure that you are working with a good reviewer – follow up.
Some publishers send self-addressed postcards with the review book, requesting that the reviewer pop them in the mail to let them know if the book was received and perhaps even provide an estimated review date, but these don’t often work well, even with legitimate book reviewers. There is another, better way to follow up on your review copy and at the same time enhance the chances of actually getting reviewed. Seven to ten days after popping your review copy in the mail, make a phone call to the reviewer and ask these three questions (and in the order I’m going to lay them out for you):
1. This is (your name here). With the mail being as uncertain as it is, I’m calling to confirm that you received (your book title here).
2. Can you tell me the current status of (your book title here) with respect to your review schedule?
3. Is there any further information or assistance I can provide you?
No legitimate reviewer will object to these three questions as I have stated them. Reviewers are well aware that sometimes things go astray in the mail or that books get damaged in transit. Reviewers also understand that publishers are very interested in whether or not their book will “make the cut” and get reviewed. There is also the occasional need for additional information—an ISBN number, more author bio details, an 800 number, the availability of an email address or the presence of a website, and so forth.
If, despite all your precautions (and my good advice), you have indeed been taken in by a phony book reviewer, do one last thing before chalking it up to experience. Write to your publisher association’s newsletter and/or make a post to your publisher internet discussion group (PMA-L) and denounce the person who masqueraded as a legitimate reviewer so that other independent, small press publishers can be forewarned and benefit from your experience. We are all our brothers’ keepers in the sense that we have an obligation to help one another keep from harm’s way.
I’ve been reviewing books and advising publishers on getting reviewed for more than 20 years now. It is my firm belief that most people who ask for review copies are very well meaning and honest in their intention. The scam artists are few and are not at all difficult to spot if you know what to ask, what to require, and what to look for. While there will inevitably be a few bad apples in any apple barrel, the overwhelming majority of the apples will still make good eating. And even a bad apple can be turned into satisfying fertilizer with a little cooperative effort!
About James A. Cox
James A. Cox is the editor-in-chief of the Midwest Book Review, which produces four monthly book review library newsletters and two monthly book review online magazines (“Internet Bookwatch” & “Children’s Bookwatch”); produces and hosts the weekly half-hour television show “Bookwatch” in Madison, Wisconsin (first launched in September, 1978 and now the oldest public access television program in Wisconsin); is an on-air book radio review columnist for KNLS Bookwatch, which is broadcasted via shortwave radio to Europe, North & South America, and the Pacific Rim; and is a regular contributor of advice and commentary for two internet discussion groups dedicated to the small press publishing community: “Publish-L” and “PubForum”.
8 Ways to Build Your Author Platform
Guest article by Patricia Fry
If you’ve been poking around at writing and publishing sites, attending writers’ conferences and reading about authorship, you’ve heard/read the term platform. You may even know what it means. It’s your way of attracting readers for your book. It’s your following, your level of notoriety and the power of your personal and professional contacts. The extent of your platform can be the defining factor in landing a publisher for your memoir, novel or self-help book. But the scope of your platform will also determine your book’s ultimate success.
You hear experts say, “The best time to start establishing your platform is before your book is ready to make the rounds of agents and/or publishers.” I maintain that hopeful authors should start building a platform before they write the book. Here’s how:
1. Build promotion into your book before it is a book. For fiction, choose your setting carefully. Make sure it is conducive to promotion. Select a city that’s interesting-one in which the citizens take pride. If you story portrays a positive view of the community, residents of this town are apt to welcome you for author events.
Involve characters in current issues: autism, gang activity, politics or childhood obesity, for example. Give a character a horse or a motorcycle. This gives you additional ammunition for promoting. Write for an audience base that goes beyond the typical mystery or romance reader.
2. Establish an active and or even interactive website related to your book. The earlier you build a website the sooner you can start promoting the concept of your book and, by the way, your expertise and/or talent in your topic or genre. Hopeful authors frequently ask me, “Once I finish my book, should I design a website just for the book?” I tell them, “No! Do it NOW. Get potential customers accustomed to visiting your site in order to glean information or to be entertained. Entice them to come regularly by writing a daily or weekly blog, running contests, introducing new features and presenting new concepts.
3. Hone your public speaking skills. Whether you are writing a thriller, children’s story, historical novel, memoir, how-to or a book of abuse and recovery, one of your greatest assets is your personality and your personal touch. If you aren’t accustomed to speaking in public, take steps to become skilled. Join Toastmasters. Take on leadership roles at work. Go out and practice speaking in front of people. Personal presentations sell books and this is true whether you’re reading your book to children at the local library or traveling thousands of miles every year presenting workshops to professionals.
4. Create one or more programs around the theme of your book and start presenting them now. Yes, do this even before your book is a book. If you hope to land a traditional royalty publisher, this will go a long way toward impressing him or her. If a publisher has half dozen magnificent book manuscripts to choose from, he’s going to pick the one that will make him the most money. How does he decide? He’ll choose the author with the best platform-the author who has an audience and/or a measure of notoriety in his or her field or genre.
5. Become known in your field or genre by getting involved with appropriate websites and organizations. Affiliations are important when it comes to establishing your platform. And why wait until your book is published? Become familiar with organizations related to your topic or genre. Join those that you feel can help move your career forward through education and/or association. Become known by participating.
6. Write articles on your topic or stories in your genre and widely submit them to appropriate publications. This is an excellent way to get your name out and attract an audience. Article/story-writing is a field in and of itself, so make sure you become familiar with the process. Read “A Writer’s Guide to Magazine Articles,” http://www.matilijapress.com .
7. Develop a massive mailing and email list and keep adding to it. Don’t take your mailing list for granted. Treasure it. Protect it. Keep adding to it. Not only will it be useful in launching your marketing plan, but some of your contacts may actually provide additional promotional opportunities. Do you know someone who heads a major corporation where you could give seminars reflecting the theme of your book? Maybe you have a friend who plans conferences internationally, who runs a TV station or who is of celebrity status. The size of your mailing list is important, but so is the content.
8. Establish a newsletter and distribute it to your email list. Use your mailing list to notify people when your book is published, to inform them of your appearances, etc. And consider starting a newsletter to dispense additional information and announcements on a more regular basis.
There’s much that you can do to promote your book even before it is a book and to establish your platform along the way.
About Patricia Fry
Read more about platform and every other aspect of producing a book in Patricia Fry’s NEWLY revised 2nd edition book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book and order the accompanying, “Author’s Workbook.” Follow Patricia Fry’s informative blog at http://www.matilijapress.com/publishingblog
How to Promote a Book Signing
Guest article by Tami DePalma and Kim Dushinski
Work with the bookstore. Your book signing coordinator, often called a community resource coordinator, has probably conducted many more book signings than you have. They usually have a good idea of what works and what flops in organizing an event. Rely on their expertise to get more people to your event and to buy books when they get there.
Tell the book signing coordinator what marketing efforts you are putting forth to attract people into their bookstore. Ask them what advertising and publicity they will do to get people to the event. Make sure that between the two of you, you’ve found ways to reach your targeted audience repeatedly. Ask to see the materials they distribute, and check for accuracy.
When sending releases to the media, remember, the media likes free events, especially when the event directly applies to their audiences. They don’t like what they call a BOPSA — A Bunch of People Sitting Around. What can you do to involve your audience? What activities will make great photo opportunities? Involving your audience will also get them more active in your subject and more likely to purchase your book. Just don’t have a BOPSA.
HOW TO COORDINATE A BOOK SIGNING
The following Book Signing Activity Checklist puts you on the right track. Eight weeks is the minimum time to carry off a successful book signing event. With the competition from other authors increasing, more and more book stores are scheduling three months in advance.
BOOK SIGNING ACTIVITY CHECKLIST
During Plan Determine dates and cities
8 Weeks Prior Call booksellers to schedule book signings
6 Weeks Prior Coordinate marketing responsibilities with booksellers
5 Weeks Prior Facilitate bookstore with ordering books as necessary
4 Weeks Prior Send out media kits – get contacts from store
3 Weeks Prior Contact MarketAbility/PRNewsWire – regional coverage
2 Weeks Prior Follow-up with media, provide new information/angles
Re-send / Re-fax information as necessary
1 Week Prior Check with booksellers for sufficient quantities on hand
1 Week Prior Travel
Send out PRNewsWire
Week of Event Media Interviews
At the Event Pick up store newsletter for your files
Meet as many booksellers as possible
Have attendees sign up for your mailing list
After the Event Send Thank You Note to Contact at Book Store
Send Thank You Note to Media who Covered Event
Copy this form as necessary for each book signing.
Date ______________ Time _________________________
Store _______________________________________________
Address ____________________________________________
City ________________ State _______ Zip ________
Contact _____________________________________________
Phone ___________________ Fax _____________________
WAYS TO PROMOTE EVENT: ASSIGN TO:
Media Release to Media ______________________
Event in Bookstore Newsletter ______________________
Post Card Mailing ______________________
In-store Signage ______________________
Bag Stuffers ______________________
Co-op Ad ______________________
Point of Purchase Displays ______________________
About Tami DePalma and Kim Dushinski
Excerpted from MAXIMUM EXPOSURE Marketing System – Publicity and Promotion Blueprint for Book Publishers, which was created by Tami DePalma and Kim Dushinski, partners at MarketAbility. In business since 1989, MarketAbility markets books through publicity, promotion, internet and special sales. Their passion and their motto—Book Publicity and Promotion, with a Twist! has earned maximum exposure for dozens of independent publishers. MAXIMUM EXPOSURE was created for small publishers who have great books, and expect (and deserve) unlimited results on a limited budget. More information is available by calling 1-888-55-TWIST or emailing twist@marketability.com
Wheatmark Publishing Glossary
The following terms will prove helpful to you before and while publishing with Wheatmark. These terms are specific to the way Wheatmark operates and may not apply to other publishers.
Adobe PDF: The file format read by the Adobe Acrobat Reader. PDF is the file format for presenting documents independent of the original software they were created in. Wheatmark uses the PDF file format to show authors the exact page layout of their book as it will be printed. You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer to open and print a PDF file.
Author copies: The initial set of free books an author receives upon the book’s publication.
Back matter: Printed material found in the back of the book after the main section of the book. This includes the appendix, the bibliography, the index, and other related matter.
Baker & Taylor: One of the largest wholesalers of books in the United States. Wheatmark books are available to retailers through Baker & Taylor and are returnable.
Bar code: The bar code is the ISBN transferred into a scannable image that identifies the title, author, and publisher of the book. Wheatmark books have an industry standard EAN bar code on the back cover that can include the book’s retail price.
Bertram’s: The United Kingdom’s premier wholesaler of books. Most Wheatmark books are available in the UK through Bertram’s on a nonreturnable basis.
Binding: The back and front covers and the spine that hold the pages of the book together. Wheatmark books are perfect bound.
Book Production Files: Upon request Wheatmark will create a CD-ROM disk with the final layout of an author’s book’s interior as a high-resolution Adobe PDF and the final cover design as a high-resolution TIFF. The files will be print ready, with the Wheatmark logo and ISBN removed.
Book signing: An event where the author reads, talks about, or discusses his/her book, providing an opportunity for potential buyers to meet the author and to have a copy of the book personally signed, usually held at bookstores or book fairs.
Books-in-Print (Bowker): The most comprehensive bibliographic database of published books, provided by Bowker to retailers and libraries.
Camera-ready copy: The manuscript fully typeset and prepared for reproduction as is. No—or minimal—modification is required by the printer. Wheatmark, being a publisher and not a printer, does not accept camera-ready submissions.
Cataloging-in-Publication data (CIP): Bibliographic catalog record prepared based on the subject and content of your book, allowing libraries and other book buyers to easily catalog a book.
Clip art: Uncopyrighted drawings and pictures intended to be cut and pasted in printed material.
Content change (or author alterations): Any change to the manuscript requested by the author after the submission of the final manuscript. This does not include correcting proofreading errors that may have been missed during Wheatmark’s copyediting & proofreading service.
Copyediting: Copyediting is the correction of punctuation, grammar, and spelling errors in the manuscript. See also Proofreading.
Copyright: A legal notice that protects “original works of authorship” both published and unpublished, that are expressed in a tangible form, but not the ideas themselves. Official copyright registration through the U.S. Copyright Office establishes a public record of your copyright claim and provides you with additional legal protection if your book’s copyright is infringed.
Copyright page: The even-numbered page following the title page that displays copyright notices, publisher information, ISBN, LCCN, and Cataloging-in-Publication data.
Crop marks: Lines or markings on a camera-ready manuscript indicating where the pages will be trimmed after printing.
Direct sales: Selling directly to the public, circumventing traditional distribution channels such as wholesalers, distributors, or retailers.
Discounts—Author’s discount: Authors may purchase additional copies from Wheatmark at the discount of 40% off the minimum retail price. Steeper volume discounts are available for 100+ copies (50% off), 250+ copies (55% off), and 500+ copies (60% off), 1,000 copies (65% off), and for 1,500+ copies (75% off).
Discounts—Standard or regular discount: The discount rate resellers typically receive from mainline publishers, including Wheatmark. At Wheatmark this is typically 55% to wholesalers and 40% to retailers. Books with standard discount rates are often discounted for customers by online retailers like Amazon.com by 20-40%. See “short discount” for rates offered by small and print-on-demand publishers.
Discounts—Short discount: The nonstandard discount rate typically provided to resellers by small publishers and print-on-demand self-publishing companies. The short discount rate is about 30-35% to wholesalers and about 20% to retailers. Books with a short discount are almost never discounted by online retailers like Amazon.com.
Distribution: The channel through which a book reaches the public. Wheatmark books may be sold through distribution (publisher-to-wholesaler-to-retailer-to-customer / publisher-to-retailer-to-customer) or throughdirect sales (publisher-to-customer / author-to-customer).
Distributors: Companies that, for a fee, represent publishers by handling the warehousing and shipping of books to retailers. They sometimes request an exclusive relationship with publishers and serve as the source forwholesalers.
Font: A particular typeface in a specific point size. Footnotes/endnotes: Numbered footnotes are at the bottom of pages they refer to and endnotes are usually either at the end of chapters or at the end of the book.
Foreword: Introductory remarks to the book written by someone other than the author.
Front matter: Printed material found in the front of the book before the actual body copy starts. It includes title and copyright pages, dedication, foreword, preface, table of contents, etc.
Proof / Page and Cover Proof: The typeset composition of pages before book printing, allowing the reader to detect any remaining errors. Wheatmark can provide proofs either electronically (as Adobe PDF files) or as printed page and cover proofs.
Gutter: The white space formed by the inner margins of two facing pages.
Index: The alphabetized list of names or subjects at the end of a nonfiction book that gives page numbers where each entry can be found in the book. An index can only be prepared once the book’s pagination has been finalized.
Ingram Book Company: The largest wholesaler of books in the United States. Most bookstores and retailers have an account with Ingram. Wheatmark books are available to all retailers through Ingram and arereturnable.
ISBN: International Standard Book Number, a worldwide identification number that is a required element in the book distribution industry. Each format and edition of a book receives its own ISBN.
Justify: Positioned lines of text so that the left and right margins are evenly set down the side of a page.
Layout: The overall design or mock-up of a page, including typeface, headlines, page number, and visuals showing how the page will look when printed.
LCCN: Library of Congress Control Number, a numbering system that lists forthcoming publications. This collection of selected titles is used by most public and private libraries, researchers and bibliographers.
Manuscript: An author’s written material prepared for publication. A manuscript can be in either a handwritten, typewritten, or a digital form. Wheatmark can accept either typewritten (as hardcopies to scan) or digital (on disk) manuscripts.
Margin: The distance between the text and the edge of the page.
Minimum suggested retail price: The price that Wheatmark suggests to the author prior to setting the actual retail price of the book. This minimum price is determined by the number of pages and can be raised at the author’s discretion.
Nonexclusive contract: The publishing agreement with Wheatmark is nonexclusive, meaning that Wheatmark will not become the exclusive rights holder. The author retains all rights, can publish/print elsewhere concurrently, and can cancel publication with Wheatmark at any time.
Offset printing: As opposed to digital print on demand, offset printing is used for print runs over 1,000 copies. Offset printing is much more economical than digital printing.
Online bookstores: Online bookstores where Wheatmark’s books are sold include its own online bookstore, Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, Borders.com, BooksAMillion.com, as well as countless others.
Perfect bound: A binding method that uses plastic glue to bind the loose page leaves to the book cover. All Wheatmark books are perfect bound.
Printers: Companies that print and bind books for publishers. Printers generally do not edit, design, or distribute. Conversely, publishers generally do not print their own books.
Printer’s errors: Mistakes made during the printing process, such as ink blots or smudges on pages.
Print on demand: The technical capability to digitally print and bind books in small quantities–even one at a time–as markets demand. Also called digital printing.
Print Receipts: The payments the publisher receives for the sale of the book, less any returns. Wheatmark’s author royalties are based on publisher’s print receipts.
Proofreading: Once your book has been copyedited, designed, and laid out, a proofreader will check the final copy, correcting any errors missed by you and the copyeditor. The proofreader will also check for any post-layout formatting problems.
Resellers: Companies that buy books with the intent to resell them. These are either wholesalers (like Ingram) who sell to retailers, or retailers (bookstores) that sell to the public.
Retailers: Companies that resell books to the public at or near the retail price. Retailers are generally bookstores, but include any store or organization that sells books. Libraries are also considered retailers in this regard.
Retail price (or list price): The price that is printed on the cover of the book and which is recorded in trade databases. Retailers usually sell books at the retail price, however they are not required to do so. Amazon.com regularly discounts Wheatmark books by about 30%.
Returnability, returns: Whether the book, if unsold, can be returned by the reseller to the publisher for refund. At Wheatmark all books are returnable and authors are not charged either for returned books or for using this service.
Review copies: Books made available to book reviewers either at the author’s or the publisher’s expense. Wheatmark provides free review copies to any legitimate direct review copy requests.
Royalties: The commission paid to the author based on book sales. Wheatmark pays the author 20% of publisher’s print receipts.
Short run: A small quantity of books printed either digitally or offset, typically under 1,000 copies.
Publicist: Someone who customizes promotional materials for a given book; may also assist in arranging public appearances and interviews.
Sans-serif: Typeface that is straight with no serifs or small extensions on letters, generally used for headers. Examples of sans-serif typefaces are Arial, Verdana, and Helvetica.
Serif: The fine line that extends from the top and bottom of letters making them easier to read, used for the body text of a book. Typefaces with serifs include Times New Roman, Times, Garamond, Book Antique, etc.
Spine: The strip of cover between the front and back covers to which the book pages are either sewn or glued. The spine usually displays the book’s title, the author’s name, and the publisher’s logo. Note: Wheatmark books with thin spines (under 80 pages) do not have text on the spine.
Table of contents: The list of chapter headings and their corresponding page numbers in the front matter of a book.
Target audience: An identified group of readers who would most likely be interested in a book’s particular subject matter.
Title page: Odd-numbered page at the beginning of the book that gives the title, subtitle, author’s name, publisher, and place of publication.
Trade books: Paperback or hardcover trade books do NOT include children’s books, textbooks, or mass-market paperbacks. Typical trade trim sizes are between 5 x 8 and 6 x 9 inches, but larger sizes are also available. Wheatmark publishes trade books only.
Trim size: The dimensions of the paper in a bound book.
Typeface: The style of typed letters used for the body text.
Wholesale price: The price at which the publisher sells the book to a reseller. See also “discounts”.
Wholesalers: Companies that handle the resale of books in large quantities and serve booksellers. Wholesalers that carry most Wheatmark books include Ingram Book Company, Baker & Taylor, and Bertram’s.
How the Book Review System Works
Guest article by James A. Cox
A good review placed in the hands of the reading public by a competent reviewer is the most effective and least expensive publicity/promotion instrument available to the independent publisher. But the chances of getting your book reviewed can be drastically reduced if you do not understand what you are up against and do not take steps to improve your odds.
The Midwest Book Review receives approximately 50 books a day, Monday through Saturday. That works out to around 1,500 titles a month. I encourage PMA members to identify themselves as such when they submit their titles for review because Midwest Book Review has a policy of bumping small presses and PMA members to the top of the review list – a significant step when the line is 1,500 titles long!
Other book review publications or programs (with the possible exception of The Independent Publisher) do not have a deliberate policy of giving preference to the small press publisher, so it’s always important to keep track of those reviewers for whom your book (by virtue of its theme, subject or publisher status) will have an edge over the other submissions received by that reviewer.
It’s my job as the editor-in-chief with a roster of 38 reviewers to produce four library newsletters and two book review magazines each month, a weekly half-hour television show and a monthly short-wave radio broadcast. It is also my responsibility to initially sort out the books submitted for review and to make the review assignments, collect the reviews from the assigned reviewers, and then edit them into our publications and/or programming.
I post these reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, and online bookstores, and I send them (by computer disk) to be included on an interactive cd-rom for corporate, academic, and public library systems. Incidentally, this internet business takes one full working day each month to accomplish. Then I must send a tear sheet or review script and a cover letter to the publisher, notifying him or her that the title was featured and the various venues in which the review appeared. This process takes about eight working days to accomplish.
Of the more than 1,500 titles a month received, about half (750) are assigned, and only around 450 are reviewed. That’s about one-third of the total submitted. Compared with other book review publications or programs, that is a significantly high ratio of books sent to books reviewed.
Those that did not make the initial cut for review failed to be assigned because they either came from the major presses and got bumped in favor of small presses, came in the form of galleys and we only consider finished books, had truly inferior covers, were subjects for which other titles filled that month’s quota of a given topic, were missing publicity releases, had been flawed in the printing/book production process, or were damaged in transit (The post office seems to have improved lately, but still, about 1 in 20 book packages sustains some degree of damage, ranging from minor to catastrophic).
Those books that make the cut for review assignment but for which no reviews were eventually published fall into one of the following categories:
1. The assigned book reviewer determined that the book was substantially flawed and that he or she could not honestly recommend it to its intended readership. One thing that distinguishes the Midwest Book Review from other book review publications is that we only publish or broadcast reviews that recommend books to the intended readerships (as well as bookstore retailers, librarians, parents, and teachers).
These disqualifying flaws could be in the quality of writing, the organization (especially for nonfiction), or the production values (e.g. binding so poor that it would not hold up—important for children’s hard covers), or the availability of other books covering the same topic that are better or more comprehensively written (again, especially important with respect to nonfiction).
2. The reviewer submitted a review that was flawed (in the judgment of the editor-in-chief). Anyone can volunteer to become a reviewer and be assigned a book to see if he or she can write a readable and informative review—it’s actually a fairly skilled proposition. Some folk don’t have a knack for writing reviews.
3. The reviewer never turns in a review (in which case it is their last assignment). Some people don’t appreciate how much work is involved until they try to write a review. For others, becoming a reviewer was just a passing fancy that passed all to quickly.
There is a traditional agreement between the publisher and the reviewer. It goes like this:
1. Publishers have the right to submit their book(s) for review consideration as long as they follow the submission process as set out by the reviewer (galleys vs. finished books, appropriateness of book’s subject matter, publication date deadlines, etc.).
2. Reviewers have the right to accept or reject a submission on any grounds they deem sufficient. These could include such considerations as too many submissions to consider them all; poorly written or defectively published; insufficient or poorly organized publicity release and/or media kit; inappropriate content; inappropriate publication date; too many books on a particular theme; a better book on a given topic is already in hand; the reviewer is having a bad hair day; etc., ad nauseam.
3. The publisher has the right to a follow-up contact with the reviewer after submitting a book for review to ascertain three things: 1) that the book arrived safely; 2) the status of the book with respect to the review process; and 3) if the reviewer needs any additional information.
4. Once a book is reviewed, the publisher has a right to a copy of the review, provided by the reviewer (or his/her editor). There is no corresponding obligation to inform the publisher that a book has been rejected for review—the absence of any tear sheet is deemed sufficient to establish that outcome.
5. The publisher has the automatic authority to utilize the review, in part or in whole, in publicity/promotion/advertising/marketing material for the book. (This is the quid-pro-quo for having provided a free review copy.) I appreciate publishers who notify me of any typos they may spot in a review. Even with two eyes proofing and a spell checker checking, a correctly spelled wrong word still manages to get through now and then. Once I even used a book’s subtitle as the title—and to this day I don’t know how I managed to do that! Although it is too late for those corrections to be made in the newsletters, they can still be made in the magazines (Internet Bookwatch and Children’s Bookwatch) quite easily—and should be inasmuch as the reviews will be up on our website for five months.
The most common reasons for a book’s failure to be reviewed are as follows:
1. It was not submitted according to the submission guidelines and preferences of a particular book review publication or program. For example, galleys were sent when only the finished books are considered—or finished books were sent when only galleys are considered.
2. The book subject was inexpertly handled by the author.
3. The book is flawed—either in the writing or as a published entity.
4. Insufficient information was included with the book to complete a review (I can’t tell you how often important information is missing, such as a price, publisher address, 800 numbers, and publicity releases.
5. Space or time limitations prevent its use. For example, I’m doing a poetry column, and I’ve got room for 10 books. Thirteen excellent titles were submitted, but I don’t have enough space to use them all. Sometimes it is as raw as the flip of a coin; sometimes it’s easier. For instance, if two books were from Simon & Schuster and one was from Penguin Putnam, those would be bumped because our policy of preferring small presses would kick in and make an automatic cut for me.
Good book reviewers always send out tear sheets to the publishers. Mediocre ones will if prodded. Scam artists never do. Keep good records on the review copies you send out. If you send a book to a given book reviewer or publication and it is reviewed and a tear sheet is sent, add the reviewer to your “highly valuable” resource file for future publishing projects. Send a thank you note; name your first born after him or her. When submitting your next title, customize your cover letter to note how much you appreciated the previous review and that you are especially pleased to be submitting this second (or third or fourth, etc.) book.
If your book was reviewed but you had to prod the reviewer for a tear sheet, note that situation and put it in your “I’ve got to put a little extra effort in the follow-up with these guys” file. But you still have a useful resource so don’t lose track of it.
If your book has fallen into a book review black hole never to be heard of again, consider the following before writing them off:
1. Did you do your homework and find out what their submission standards were and if there were a specific person to whom it should have been addressed to?
2. Having their submission guidelines, did you follow them?
3. Was your book thematically appropriate for that particular Book Review?
4. Did you submit your book during an appropriate time of year to maximize your chances for getting attention? This is extremely important for small presses trying to get the notice of the big guys such as Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, The New York Times Book Review, and Bloomsbury.
5. Did you read Jim Cox’s article on How to Spot a Phony Book Reviewer?
6. Did you do the ten-working-day-follow-up?
If you answered yes to all, then write it off to your publicity/promotion overhead and move on. You may get some serendipity out of the submission later—it has been known to happen. But in any event, it’s how the game is played and a part of your operating overhead. Put that particular reviewer in your “only if there are enough copies in my promotional budget to spare a title will I consider these guys the next time around” file.
If you answered no to any of the questions, you may want to rethink your submission strategy (which is a part of your overall marketing plan for the title) and consider resubmitting or just determining to do better with that book reviewer next time.
And, of course, there is the third list you should be keeping—the one containing book reviewers that are not appropriate for the kind of book(s) you publish, the scam artists, and reviewers or that have submissions guidelines so stringent that bothering with them isn’t worth your time.
Remember that prepublication book review publications such as Publishers Weekly and Library Journal are looking for reasons to disqualify your submission, to prune their 5000+ incoming titles a month to a manageable size—and resulting list is not going to be anywhere near one-third of those submitted.
About James A. Cox
James A. Cox is the editor-in-chief of the Midwest Book Review, which produces four monthly book review library newsletters and two monthly book review online magazines (“Internet Bookwatch” & “Children’s Bookwatch”); produces and hosts the weekly half-hour television show “Bookwatch” in Madison, Wisconsin (first launched in September, 1978 and now the oldest public access television program in Wisconsin); is an on-air book radio review columnist for KNLS Bookwatch, which is broadcasted via shortwave radio to Europe, North & South America, and the Pacific Rim; and is a regular contributor of advice and commentary for two internet discussion groups dedicated to the small press publishing community: “Publish-L” and “PubForum”.
Editing Checklist
Guest article by Barbara Brabec
Unless you’re supremely confident of your writing, editing, and proofreading abilities, you could probably use a second set of eyes from time to time to “eyeball your copy.”
If you’ve written and typed the words in a business document, brochure, catalog, news release, report, or book, you can’t do an effective job of editing and proofreading those words. Why? Because your mind knows what you meant to say, and when you read what you’ve written, your eyes will see only what your mind tells them to see.
Here are just some of the things you could miss when proofreading your own material, especially if you’re tired and overly stressed by a deadline you’re trying to meet:
Are you sure about your punctuation? Every little mark has a meaning of its own, and where you place (or forget to place) all those commas, apostrophes, hyphens, dashes, colons, semi-colons, question marks, exclamation points and quote marks can make a BIG difference in how people will respond to your message.
Are all words properly capitalized (or capitalized in error)? Properly italicized?
Are you using the right words? As Mark Twain once said, “The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.” While the right words in a brochure, advertisement, or news release can motivate someone to buy your product or service, the wrong words can just as easily turn them off. As any copywriter will tell you, some words have more sales power than others. Then there is the matter of choosing words that are grammatically correct, such as that/which; who/whom; further/farther; fewer/less; your/you’re and its/it’s. Many people will notice such errors and wonder about your professionalism.
Note: When English is not your first language, it’s very easy to use the wrong words here and there, and all the more important to have an experienced editor check your writing for errors.
Are all the words and letters you meant to include actually there? When you’re in a rush, it’s easy to drop a word, and almost impossible to see those omissions when you proofread your copy. A missing letter in a word can be just as bad.
Are your subjects and verbs in agreement?
Are all your sentences complete and properly ordered in paragraphs?
Is your document properly formatted for style, clarity, and maximum understanding? (Headings, subheads, indented sections, bulleted lists, sidebars, etc.)
NOTE: About the spell-check and grammar checker you may be using…
Remember that spell-check finds only misspelled words (according to its idea of what’s correct). First, your spell-check dictionary probably doesn’t include terms common to your particular industry or even your country. (For example, both Word and WordPerfect spell-checkers often suggest using British spelling instead of American.) More important, spell-check isn’t going to point out when you’ve used the wrong word due to a typo error. (Examples: an/and, not/now, the/them, to/too, if/of, etc.)
As for grammar checkers, while they’re better than nothing, you need a good understanding of grammar to use them because some of the suggestions they make are ridiculous.
About Barbara Brabec
Copyright 2006 Barbara Brabec. Used by permission. Barbara Brabec, author of several books on homebased business, offers writing and editing services to authors interested in self-publishing. Additional information will be found on her Website at BarbaraBrabec.com.
Where the Publishing Industry Is Heading: A Testimonial
We usually don’t publish author testimonials on this book publishing blog, but this one from J Douglas Bottorff, author of many books, provides key insights into the future of the publishing industry. Here is the testimonial in its entirety:
I just received the author’s copies of my first novel, The Whisper of Pialigos, and I am extremely pleased with the quality of the final product. More than that, I couldn’t be happier with the service that Wheatmark provides. From submission to print, the company performed beautifully, flawlessly, and expediently, fulfilling everything they promise.
Working with
[my editor] was a special treat. Throughout the process, she went above and beyond her call of duty to ensure that we ended up with a truly professional product. The people that have seen this book so far comment favorably on its eye appeal and layout, two extremely important aspects that are the product of [my editor’s] professional eye. She was patient, always kind and gracious and it was a real pleasure working with her. Having been published twice before (nonfiction), I thoroughly enjoyed the privilege of being included in the publishing process.With a 98% rejection rate in the field of traditional publishing, self-publishing now makes total sense. Several years of impersonal rejection slips from agents and publishers made me weary of what began to feel like an assault on my integrity as a writer. My resistance to self-publishing was based largely on what I considered a credibility issue. However, with a mounting stack of rejection letters, it became obvious that the only thing less credible than an unpublished writer of fiction was the manuscript that lay unread and unexposed inside my computer. Wheatmark has allowed me to bring my project out into the light of publication, to make it instantly available to virtually every person who owns a computer, and to answer the question, “What’s your book about?” by handing the person a real copy.
Having a book in hand has made it possible to be featured in a local newspaper, set up book signings, and submit the book as the center of discussion in a local book club, all within a week of the book’s availability. I am convinced that if I continued to pursue the path of traditional publication, I would never be able to enjoy the benefits of these simple pleasures. Anyone considering self-publication should do their homework on where the publishing industry is heading. You will find that Wheatmark, with all the included services they offer, is an excellent choice for birthing your writing dream.
Look and Search Inside a Book Online (Inside Search)
Have you ever found a book online about your favorite subject, but didn’t buy it right then because you weren’t sure what was inside? You may have gotten in the car and driven to the nearest bookstore to check it out before you made your decision … and bought it online later for less.
What about the book you’ve written? Can your audience look inside it online to help them make up their minds about it? How many more people do you think would buy your book if they could look inside and make a decision to buy on the spot?
You can now have your readers browse the inside of your book. Amazon and Google have started scanning the interiors of books so that their search engines would be able to retrieve and organize information from inside printed books as well. A few days ago Microsoft launched a similar program called Live Search Books. (Wheatmark is among Microsoft’s first book publishing partners.) Here are examples of a book published by Wheatmark shown by these three vendors.
Amazon.com – click on the book’s cover to see inside
Google Book Search
Live Search Books (Microsoft)
As you can see, people can look inside and browse the book before they decide to buy it. Don’t worry, the content is secure, you can neither download it nor read all of the pages online.
The ability to look inside your book, however, is only a small part of the overall benefit of the inside search concept. Sure, it helps for readers to peek inside your book once they’ve found it, but what about the part of your audience that has not yet found your book? How will they find it?
Enter the real beauty of inside search. Let me explain.
Take the book mentioned above, Arizona Laws 101, as an example. You are searching for books online for information about, say, DUI laws in the state of Arizona. If all that’s available to the search engine is the title of this book, it will not show up at all in these search results, since you were not searching for the phrase in the title. But if the search engine is able to search within the book, it will see that it has a whole chapter on DUI laws in Arizona. Therefore, the book will show up in your search results.
Try it yourself: Go to books.live.com and search for the phrase “driving under the influence in Arizona.” The book will be prominently placed in the search results, and it will even show you what pages contain the words you searched for.
Is your book full of keywords and phrases that people are searching for online? Would you like to reach readers who search online for topics that your book addresses? You should definitely make your book searchable inside.
How to Cook Up Sizzling, Enticing Titles
Guest article by Joan Stewart
Ask anyone writing a book to name the most perplexing decision they have to make—the one thing that can propel the book to the bestseller’s list, or send it on a quick trip to the remainder table. Many will tell you it’s the title.
OK then. Assuming the title is a grabber and prompts someone to pick up the book, what’s the next most important element that determines whether people buy, browse or bolt? Interesting chapter headings, of course.
In Internet discussion groups and during workshops for authors, many writers throw out dull, limp, convoluted book titles for critique, only to be advised that there’s a better one right around the corner.
Here are several techniques for coming up with enticing titles.
* The next time you’re waiting in line at the supermarket, or you’re visiting your favorite bookstore, scan the covers of magazines. Compile a list of clever titles that capture your attention, even if the articles have nothing to do with your book. Sometimes you can substitute one or two words to come up with a title that’s a perfect fit for your topic.
* Name the three biggest problems your book helps readers solve. You’ve just come up with three more possible titles or chapter headings.
* Write them down and let them ferment, then experiment with an unusual play on words.
* Brainstorm ideas with your friends. Give them three possibilities and ask them to choose their favorite.
* Scan titles and chapter headings in other books. Borrow a word here, a clever turn of phrase there. Keep massaging the title until you come up with something you like-and most importantly, something that others like.
* Some of the most successful titles are those that answer the reader’s question “What’s in it for me?” or “Why should I care?” People want books that will inspire, educate, calm, enlighten, humor and entertain. Choose a title that answers those two questions, and you’re well on your way.
* If you’re writing an advice book, the title can explain outcomes and the timetable for achieving them. Example: “25 things you can do this week to save thousands next year.”
Here are some ideas to get you started. All of the following titles, by the way, were “borrowed” from the covers of popular magazines.
A Part-Timer’s ______________ for a Full-Timer’s ______________
Bouncing Back from _____________
Cash in on _______________ Trends
Cool Tools for Today’s ______________
Common Errors That Kill ______________
Discover the 7 Essential Elements That Guarantee ______________
Finding the ______________That is Uniquely You
How to Get Other People to ______________
How to Handle ______________
How to Make ______________ Work for You
How to Make Your ______________ Dreams Come True
How to Turn ______________ into ______________
Mastering the Art of ______________
No More ______________
Part-Time ______________, Full-Time Success
Secrets of a ___________________
Straight Talk from a ______________
The Great _____________ Dilemma
The Most Beginner-Friendly ______________
The Best and Worst Ideas for ______________
The Complete Guide to ______________
The Worst Mistakes You Can Make When_____________ ______________
Time-Tested Tips for Becoming a ______________
Top 10 ______________ Do’s and Don’ts
What ________________ Doesn’t Want You to Know
When to ________ and When Not to ______________
Your Must-Know Guide to ______________
_________________ with Pizzazz!
_________________and Grow Rich
______________ on the Cheap
15 Ways to Get More from Your ______________
18 No-Fail Strategies for ______________
21 Secrets to Successful ______________
27 Ways to Keep Your ______________ Dreams Alive
32 Ways to Avoid the Worst ______________ Mistakes
41 Formulas for Fantastic ______________
10 User-Friendly Facts for ______________
11 Questions You Must Ask When You’re ______________
12 Tactics to Open Up ______________
13 Tips That Will Make a _______________ Smile
About Joan Stewart
Joan Stewart, a consultant and professional speaker, works with companies, nonprofits and government agencies that want to capitalize on free publicity. She also publishes the print newsletter The Publicity Hound, featuring tips, tricks and tools for free (or really cheap) publicity. For a free sample, send a check for $6 payable to The Publicity Hound to 3930 Highway O, Saukville, WI 53080. More tips are at her Web site at http://www.publicityhound.com
Contact her at jstewart@publicityhound.com.
Structure: The Roadmap for Your Nonfiction Book
Guest article by Robin Quinn
Okay, so you have an idea for a book that’s exciting. You’ve done much of your research on the topic, and you feel ready to get started with the writing. Just what are your options for structuring your book? This article covers some classic structures that have worked again and again for nonfiction authors.
I’m a firm believer in charting your course before the writing begins. It will save you time and give your work flow and cohesiveness. A case in point: An author friend of mine likes to be more spontaneous and as a result overwrites. Though a New York house published her work in the past year, it took her 10 years to complete her psychology book. I have to wonder how much extra effort she expended because she didn’t carefully plot out what she wanted to write about ahead of time.
In contrast, this summer I wrote a soon-to-be-published book in just three and a half months. My chapters were clearly in place before the writing began. Though the order of the chapters eventually changed and a particular chapter emerged as a better choice for concluding the book, I knew what I had to cover when I sat down and started to write. This was the result of conceptual work that had been completed earlier.
Your Table of Contents
The Table of Contents is the basic outline of your book (in other words, its structure). It provides a roadmap for you as an author and shows where you will travel in the realm of ideas. Your chapters should accurately address the important topics covered in the manuscript. Eventually you will also structure your individual chapters with subheads that will show a sense of progress through those sections of the book too.
Classic Structures
Writing is, after all, a creative process, and different authors will give their own particular spin to books that cover the same topic. Therefore you will probably find that more than one structure would work with your idea. However it’s likely that one particular structure will make the most sense and best support the information you want to present.
If we look at structure as a roadmap, we can think of what type of tour we want to give the reader through our material. Here are the classic “travel packages.”
Chronological Order: This structure comes from a long line of oral storytelling. It travels through time as events emerge. A successful example of a book that utilized this structure would be And the Band Played On by Randy Shiltz. This author was a reporter at the San Francisco Chronicle when AIDS was first recognized as a health threat to society. In his book, Shiltz walks the reader through the initial cases and the response from public officials. Types of books that use chronological structure include histories, biographies, and investigative reporting.
Classifications: Here the author divides the topic into categories. For instance, an author writing a horoscope book might start with an overview chapter, follow this up with one chapter for each individual sign, and then conclude the book with a summary or kickoff chapter. Another example would be Wayne W. Dyer’s Wisdom of the Ages: A Modern Master Brings Eternal Truths into Everyday Life. Dyer’s book presents the ideas of 40 of the greatest thinkers of the past 25 centuries. Wisdom of the Ages begins with an Introduction containing Dyer’s reflections on what is to follow. Each subsequent chapter covers a different thinker (from Buddha to Elizabeth Browning to Henry David Thoreau to Dorothy Parker). The last chapter is a compilation of thoughts from Dyer himself.
Step-By-Step Progression: An author using this style presents the more easily understood information first, then builds by adding chapters containing material of increasing complexity. Thus the earlier chapters serve as a foundation for the ideas that follow. Or (perhaps in a how-to book) the author may introduce concepts in the order that the reader would use or learn them. The best-seller In the Meantime: Finding Yourself and the Love You Want by Iyanla Vanzant is built on a loose step-by-step structure. Using the idea of moving up into different levels of a house, Vanzant explains how to progress from “basement” thinking and relating to “the third floor of love’s house.”
Literary Form: Another option for nonfiction writers is to borrow the literary order used in some novels and screenplays. Thus these books begin with an inciting incident. As the author (or the main person covered in the book) attempts to solve a problem, matters only become worse. Finally, the book culminates with the author handling the problem and learning something in the process. A nonfiction book featuring this structure is Running the Amazon by Joe Kane. It chronicles the challenges and difficulties experienced by a handpicked group of adventurers as they attempt to navigate the world’s longest river from source to mouth. Kane was brought along to write about the expedition but soon became more deeply involved. Nonfiction that can fall into the literary structure category includes biography and personal essay.
Of course, there are other structures beyond those described in this article; however, I think you will find that many are offshoots of those covered here.
Traveling with a Map
When you go on a car trip to the mountains, desert, or ocean, it only makes sense to study the map beforehand and plot a course. Are you in the mood for a drive along the back roads, or do time constraints demand that you travel the interstate? In the same way, when you structure your book, you decide what kind of experience you will provide for the reader, what territory will be covered, and what the destination will be. Of course, you want to remain flexible if additional stops (chapters) will enhance the journey. But you can avoid traveling down deadends if you give yourself time to thoroughly think through which structure will best serve your work.
About Robin Quinn
Robin Quinn is a writer and editor who lives in Los Angeles. Through her editorial firm, Quinn’s Word for Word, she offers developmental consulting, manuscript analysis, substantive editing, content editing, copyediting, and copywriting services. Quinn’s Word for Word also provides support for self-publishers through all phases of book production. For more information, call (310) 838-7098 or e-mail quinnrobin@aol.com.