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To
help you meet their expectations and receive the
best possible reception with the publishers-and to
make you the most comfortable and confidant, we
have gathered the following tips from previous
years' Advanced CLASS and CLASS Reunion attendees.
Please review them and keep them in mind as you
prepare for Advanced CLASS.
None
of these suggestions have to be done, so please do
not feel overwhelmed. Some of you will be coming
with an "idea rolling around in your head" as to
what you want to write about, an undefined notion
of your target market, and only a rough idea as to
what you want your promotional materials to look
like. If you are one of the few who already have a
polished proposal, platform, and promotional
materials, the more prepared you are, the more
effective your time at the CLASS Career Coaching
Conference and CBA Expo will be. These "tips" will
help you prepare.
- Review
Sally Stuart's Writers Market Guide
(available at CLASS if you can't find one
locally). Highlight publishers most likely to be
interested in any of your writing projects.
- Visit
web sites of highlighted publishers to gain
greater insight into their publishing focus.
This may enhance your interest in some and
eliminate others.
- Request
publishers' "Writers Guidelines." Some are
listed on publishers' web sites and you only
have to download them, others you will need to
e-mail to request, some publishers you will need
to write (always include a Self-Addressed
Stamped Envelope [SASE] when
writing).
- Visit
your favorite Christian book store, visualize
where you see your book being shelved, study the
books that appeal to you and make a note of the
publishers of those books. While you're at it,
make notes about any competing books that may be
like yours (title, author, publisher,
similarities, differences).
- Make
a flyer listing your proposed books, including
your contact information and a few sentences
about each one. (You may also include chapter
titles and chapter summaries.) This flyer should
be done in a style that matches your promotional
materials. Publishers can easily scan the
projects and indicate which hold the most
potential for them. Many publishers keep these
sheets for reference. Elsewhere, be sure to note
by project the name of the editor and publisher
who requested additional
information.
- Prepare
a one-page informational sheet for each
project-even if you don't have a written
proposal. (See the enclosed "Yellow Umbrella"
example in your registration packet.) Make it
easy for editors to grasp the concept of your
book. The goal is to clearly and simply
communicate your project.
- If
you have a fully developed idea, prepare
individual proposals tailored to specific
publishers' guidelines (for example, some
request specific versions of the Bible to be
used and number of sample chapters). Also,
prepare several generic proposals to give to
spur of the moment requests from meeting with
publishers.
- Purchase
a binder with place to slip in a cover and make
an attractive front and back cover. Use this
binder to create a notebook with top-loading
sheets that hold your business cards, one-page
flyer including all projects, one-page flyer of
specific proposals, speaker information sheet,
etc. Place your contact information in or on the
notebook (include the hotel number too, in case
you leave it somewhere!) Tab each section for
easy retrieval.
- When
an editor requests that you send information,
ask for his or her business card and write on
the back what was requested and by when. Place
this card in your notebook.
- Send
thank-you notes to people who are generous with
their time, their information, their
encouragement. Ask for business cards and jot a
note on the back as to what you will be thanking
them for. Bring a packet of nice thank-you
notes. Write your thank-you notes on the plane
or as soon as possible after you return
home.
- Bring
Sally Stuart's Writers Market Guide with
you and study which publishers are there and
prepare for the next day's CBA Expo
prospects.
- Have
business cards with your picture. It will help
the editor put a name with the face when you
send in your requested information.
- Understand
the purpose of the publisher on the convention
floor is to serve the bookstore owners and write
orders. Be polite and gracious. Step aside when
you are in a publisher's booth and a customer of
theirs comes up. If you are rude to publishers,
they will dread seeing your Advanced CLASS peers
approaching. If publishers complain about a
specific advanced CLASS attendee being
overbearing with them, we will require that
person return the floor badge to us and that
person will not be allowed on the CBA Expo floor
again.
- Carry
promotional materials about you and/or your
ministry with you.
- Prepare
you physical appearance. Remember that this is
like a job interview. You want to be your best.
You may need to update your hairstyle, color it,
and get new clothes or shoes.
- It's
hard to smile when your feet are hurting. If you
buy new dress shoes, wear them frequently before
the conference so they are broken in for all the
walking you will do on the convention floor.
Also, bring a second pair of appropriate (broken
in, not broken down) dress shoes to trade off
every few hours while you are walking the
convention floor.
- Prepare
a thirty-second "sound bite" about each of the
various projects you are hoping to sell that you
can quickly and easily relate to an interested
publisher. Include one sentence each about (1)
what the book is about, (2) who the reader/buyer
is, and (3) why you are the one to write this
book. Practice reviewing sound bites about your
project(s) before leaving home. Practice in
front of the mirror. Practice on your friends,
spouse, children and the family dog. Practice
when your coworkers or a church member asks you
about your upcoming trip toNashville. Additional
practice opportunities will be available at the
Advanced CLASS Conference.
- If
you can stay through Thursday afternoon to "work
the floor," realize that many of the
acquisitions editors book up early and some
leave after the first couple of days. So, make
appointments as early as possible.
- When
you walk the Expo convention floor, also look
for items that you may want to order in quantity
as ministry support product or to carry on your
back-of-the-room book tables. Pick up catalogues
and business cards. Have your credit card and
shipping information with you. Also, some
vendors will ask for your federal tax
identification number. If you have one, bring
that also.
- Attend
every open event, such as concerts, worship
service and devotional offered by CBA. The
opportunities to hear and see quality Christian
speakers and artists is a unique
opportunity.
- Authors
and artists are signing their books and albums
to give away. Once you have talked to the
publishers, get in the lines and pick up items
that interest you. EXPO was designed for
bookstore buyers. Most authors are happy to give
you a free book. However, if the "bookstore
only" policy is enforced, please be gracious.
Bring an empty suitcase to bring home all the
"stuff' (including catalogs) you will get or
ship it home. A shipping service is usually
available on the convention floor.
- Even
if you live close by, stay at the hotel where
CLASS has a block of rooms. You miss a lot of
camaraderie that goes on in the lobby,
restaurants, etc.
- Publishers
want authors who can sell books. Be able to
explain your speaking platform, indicate the
number of names on your newsletter mailing list,
or otherwise show the publisher you have
listeners who want to be readers of your message
as well.
We
hope this epistle answers all your questions -
including a few you had yet to think of! However,
if you do have questions, please do not hesitate to
call us here at CLASS. We are all here to serve
you. We have all attended the Advanced CLASS, CLASS
Reunions and CBA conventions before and know what
to expect. We will be happy to answer your
questions and guide you in anyway we
can.
Needless
to say, we cannot offer individual classes over the
phone on basics like "how to write a proposal."
(However, we do enclose Susan Titus Osborn's "How
to Submit a Book Proposal" in the registration
packet.) If you need assistance with writing
basics, we suggest you contact Susan to have her
critique your work or make an appointment to talk
with Susan at Advanced CLASS. See our
Communiqué for the resources we have
available that will guide you in your
preparation.
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