Listen Up: Romance Audio Books increase Author Profits!

If your romance novel isn’t sold in audio book format, you’re missing out on a great way to increase your earnings! With the advent of digital audio books and the proliferation of mp3-playing devices, more and more customers are discovering the joys of listening to their favorite novels while they drive, cook, clean, exercise and more.

My name is Jennifer Feddersen, and I opened AudioLark Audio Books in the fall of 2010. Since then, we’ve produced and published over 175 romance audio books in a variety of genres including contemporary, historical, paranormal and many others. Today Cindy Procter-King, the author of Where She Belongs, and RE Chambliss, the narrator who brought Cindy’s novel to life, will help me tell you what to expect when your novel is transformed into an audio book. I’ll also talk about what you can expect with regards to contracts, royalties and audio book earnings.

One of my favorite parts about publishing audio books is combing through submissions to pick out our next lineup. Currently AudioLark accepts submissions year round, but we have two “reading periods” during the spring and fall. Our next reading period starts May 1st. Submissions received before May 1 will be replied to by June 1, 2012. The books we take on at this time will release in January – June, 2013.

Here’s Cindy Procter-King’s take on what it’s like for an author to work with AudioLark:

As an author, I’ve always been interested in getting my books into audio. The problem is, most traditional publishing contracts ask for the audio rights, and then your hands are tied. Whether the publisher pursues audio versions of their print titles is up to them, not the author.

Fortunately, the publisher of my first two books, Amber Quill Press, did not take audio rights. Neither does Five Star/Cengage, the library-edition hardcover publisher that published my 2007 Golden Heart finalist, Where She Belongs, in December 2011.

When AudioLark opened, I jumped at the chance to submit my first two books, which had already been in ebook and print for a few years. Publishing the audio versions gave them new life—and new sales! Head Over Heels, the first audio book I published with AudioLark, became an Audible ChickLit bestseller last summer, and I can still find it in the ChickLit bestsellers for Audible from time to time.

Once AudioLark contracts your book, you submit a pronunciation guide (Word doc or email) for the narrator. AudioLark chooses the narrator or provides a couple of examples of narrators for the author to choose from, depending on the needs of the book. I step out of the process until the narrator is finished reading the book, at which point AudioLark provides me with MP3 proofing files. Because I’m now proofing the book (listening for errors), I listen to the audio files on my computer using headphones and with the PDF of the book on my computer screen so my eyes can read along. When I notice an error that I want corrected or that the narrator has left a production note in the narration, I mark it down much in the way you would with a print publisher and send the list to AudioLark. The corrections are done, and then comes the great fun—waiting for and then experiencing release day!

I’ve had a very positive experience with AudioLark and look forward to working with them on more books. I would thoroughly recommend working to get your titles into audio. It’s another sales venue. People who might never buy your print or ebook might choose to buy the audio version, and what writer doesn’t want more sales?

Cindy Procter-King

My other favorite part of publishing audio books is working with narrators to create the final product. There is nothing as wonderful as listening to a voice actress whose voice and acting style truly complements a novel.

Here’s RE Chambliss talking about her experience in narrating audio books for AudioLark:

When I narrate a book for Audiolark I read the book three times. The first read-through helps me assess what kind of story it is and what kind of people the main characters are. I also look up any words I’m don’t know how to pronounce. I mark up my print-out of the book with all of the pronunciations as well as notes to myself about accents and character traits.

The second time I read the book is during the recording process. I record at home in a little recording studio in my closet. As I read, I try to immerse myself in the story. This is my absolute favorite part of the process. I love trying to bring a story to life with my voice. Whenever I flub a line, I tell the audio editor, “I’m going to do that again,” and then rerecord. The editor will clip the bad take out, leaving the good one.

Then I read the book a third time as I proof my audio. I sit with the print-out in front of me and listen to the whole book while I check it against the text. Any mistakes that I didn’t notice during the recording process, I mark down on my print-out so that I can re-record them correctly. After I’ve re-recorded all the mistakes, I splice the correct versions into the audio files of each chapter and send them to the editor.

The audio editor and the author both check the recording and let me know about anything that needs to be redone. I rerecord those lines and send them to the editor who splices them into the final audio files.

I feel so privileged to narrate audio books for Audiolark and hope that both the authors and the listeners enjoy the final product!

RE Chambliss

Now let’s talk about financial details. What can you expect from audio book earnings? Like traditional book earnings, actual numbers run the gamut. Some audio books sell a fraction of their ebook or print numbers. Other audio books out-sell their print sales. We’ve found that our best-selling genres are contemporary romance, chick lit, and romantic suspense. Audible, the number 1 retail outlet for audio books (owned by Amazon and partnered with iTunes), is advertising hard to increase the general public’s awareness of audio books. This is a great time to get your books into listeners’ hands.

AudioLark now works with Audible under a sliding-scale contract. The more sales a title generates, the bigger royalty percentage we earn, topping out at 90% of net revenues. We charge authors NO fees or upfront costs to publish their audio books, and we now pay authors 50% of the royalties we receive.

Are you interested in getting your romance novel into audio? AudioLark wants to hear from you! Contact Jennifer@audiolark.com or visit our submission guidelines at www.audiolark.com for more information!

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Do you have books that are in audio format? Do you listen to books in audio format as a rule or is it the exception? 

M/M romamce author, Harper Fox, answers a couple of my most pressing questions about her technique for emotion, characters and settings.

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Jennifer is giving away a copy of WHERE SHE BELONGS to one lucky commenter!

Bio:

Owner and Acquisitions Editor of AudioLark Audio Books, Jennifer Feddersen has produced and published more than 175 audio books since 2010. Specializing in romance audio books, she is also interested in many other genres, including contemporary fiction, mystery, suspense and young adult. When not coaxing authors and voice actresses to meet their deadlines, she’s happiest when bringing order to the chaos that is an unedited voice recording. She splits her time between northern British Coulumbia and the Adirondacks. www.audiolark.com

The wonderful world of book bloggers and how I evaluate blogs as an agent

Don’t y’all just love book blogs? I do! I add books to my to-be-read list based on what bloggers say. I forward links to my clients when one of their novels is reviewed. I read blog comments to see what’s hot. Book blogs drive buzz and sales and excitement and they help promote reading (which is always a great thing). I grew up a reader, but back then (think dinosaur age), books were recommended by teachers, librarians and occasionally by friends. Today, I can compare notes with other readers via book blogs and be part of a big online world of people who love books.

As an agent, how do I evaluate book blogs and how do I use them?

One of the main ways I leverage book bloggers in my job is by sending out Advanced Reader Copies of my clients’ books. Yes I do this. Is it a conflict of interest? No. I’m not trying to “drive business” – I’m just trying to connect books to reviewers. When submitting, I always follow the blog’s submission guidelines and then it’s up to the blogger to review or not and to be positive or negative. I try to provide opportunities for my clients and their books – I don’t try to censor what becomes of those opportunities. By the way, yes – our publishing houses also send out ARCs for review, but you never know who I know that they don’t.

Another way I use book bloggers is by reading their reviews. I want to know what readers think – particularly about books in genres that I represent (young adult & middle grade, romance and science fiction & fantasy). The reviews and the comments on those reviews help me understand the market from a reader’s perspective.

Do I comment on book blogs? Yes I do. I know this has been a hot topic lately and I’m sure that different agents approach this question in different ways. My personal philosophy is that I never comment in a negative way on any book or on any review. Sure, I’ve read books that I don’t love – no one will ever know what those books are. And, I’ve read reviews with which I disagree. I simply nod my head and move along. When I do love something, though, I tend to reach out to the author or to the blogger with a positive comment. Publishing is thankless more often than not and “nice work” goes a long way.

How do I evaluate a book blog? This is the checklist I use when adding a blog to my hot reading list:

- Do I read the blog and enjoy the writer’s comments and style?
- Are the submissions guidelines posted clearly?
- Is the overall layout of the blog professional and engaging?
- How regularly does the blogger post (I like blogs that post 3-4 times a week. I don’t read anything every day, but I also forget about the ones that only post once a week)
- Is the blogger on twitter? Many times I follow bloggers on twitter and their tweets remind me to read today’s post. I personally like this kind of cross-promotion.
- What is the selection of books reviewed? For me personally, I prefer blogs that review some big names AND some smaller releases. So, a blog that reviews the same 10 books that I’m seeing on the NYTimes Bestseller list is a “meh” for me whereas a blogger who takes chances on some “quieter” titles tends to be more my style. I look for the review list to include books from big press and small press and books from big authors and debut authors.
- For me to actually submit an ARC, I make sure the blogger has some sort of disclaimer clearly listed. This disclaimer should say in a pretty direct way “I receive books from publishing houses and review them fairly and for no compensation.”
- I personally love blogs that host a variety of content – reviews, author interviews, guest blog posts.
- Surprisingly, book giveaways don’t do much for me. I know they are very popular so I would never suggest removing them. It’s just that giveaways sometimes make me feel that commenters are more interested in trying to get free books than they are in initiating discussion.
- Does number of comments matter to me? Sure – I love to see a ton of comments on a blogger’s post. To me that means the community at this blog is active and engaged.

So, if you ARE a book blogger, I hope this helps illuminate how your blog can be evaluated. If you are a writer and/or reader, I hope this helps explain how book bloggers can advance your craft and your career. Network with these people when you can – book blogs have proven to be an innovative and important way to promote literature!

For the record, here are some of the book blogs I adore:

For romance novel reviews:
USA Today’s new Happily Ever After blog
http://books.usatoday.com/happyeverafter/index

Smart Bitches Trashy Books
http://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/

Dear Author
http://dearauthor.com/

Ramblings from this Chick
http://ramblingsfromthischick.blogspot.com/

Romancing Rakes
http://romancingrakes.blogspot.com/

Smexy Books
http://www.smexybooks.com/

For young adult novel reviews:
The Hiding Spot
http://thehidingspot.blogspot.com/

The Story Siren
http://www.thestorysiren.com/

A Book and a Latte
http://bookandlatte.blogspot.com/

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So, do you blog?  What are you doing and what will you start doing to address the points discussed by Sara?

On Friday, Handsome Hansel joins us to give us a mans eye view of the world of romance.

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And for one lucky commenter, Sara is giving away a copy of FIRELIGHT by Kristen Callihan.

BOOK 1 IN THE DARKEST LONDON SERIES

Once the flames are ignited . . .

Miranda Ellis is a woman tormented. Plagued since birth by a strange and powerful gift, she has spent her entire life struggling to control her exceptional abilities. Yet one innocent but irreversible mistake has left her family’s fortune decimated and forced her to wed London’s most nefarious nobleman.

They will burn for eternity . . .

Lord Benjamin Archer is no ordinary man. Doomed to hide his disfigured face behind masks, Archer knows it’s selfish to take Miranda as his bride. Yet he can’t help being drawn to the flame-haired beauty whose touch sparks a passion he hasn’t felt in a lifetime. When Archer is accused of a series of gruesome murders, he gives in to the beastly nature he has fought so hard to hide from the world. But the curse that haunts him cannot be denied. Now, to save his soul, Miranda will enter a world of dark magic and darker intrigue. For only she can see the man hiding behind the mask.

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Bio: Sara Megibow, Associate Literary Agent
Nelson Literary Agency, LLC

Sara has worked at the Nelson Literary Agency since 2006. As the Associate Literary Agent, Sara is actively acquiring new clients! The Nelson Literary Agency specializes in representing all genres of romance (except inspirational or category), young adult fiction of all subgenres, science fiction/ fantasy and commercial fiction (including women’s fiction and chick lit). Sara is an avid romance reader and a rabid fan girl of super sexy and intelligent stories.

Nelson Literary Agency is a member of AAR, RWA, SFWA and SCBWI. Please visit our website http://http://www.nelsonagency.com/for submission guidelines, FAQs, resources and sample query letters. Sara’s Publisher’s Marketplace site (www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/SaraMegibow) is a great place to find more about her personal tastes, clients and recent sales. You can also cyber stalk Sara on twitter @SaraMegibowHow an agent chooses what books to read.

Audio Books Sales

Happy New Year!

Audio Books and how I manage audio sales for my clients…

Here’s an overview of one of the most important subsidiary rights for a fiction author: Audio Books. Typically I spend 10% of my week reading slush pile and 90% of my week supporting current clients. A huge chunk of that time is spent pitching, negotiating, auditing and promoting subsidiary rights sales. Most agents don’t sell your book into print and then sit back drinking martinis (tempting though it sounds). Instead, there is a whole world of activity going on and many authors never see these details. So, here’s an inside glimpse at how I work audio rights sales.
Late 2011 was marked (at least in my experience) by an increase in pressure from publishing houses to retain audio rights. Audio books are selling well right now – especially driven by an increase in digital downloadable audio sales. Hard copy audio includes the CDs one may buy in a bookstore while digital downloadable audio are those we press “buy” from our e-devices in a similar way we buy ebooks. Authors are finding the audio rights to their books very valuable right now because of this trend.
If our agency retains audio rights, then it’s my job as an agent to shop your book for an audio sale independently. If the publishing house has acquired audio rights (true in the vast majority of my sales in 2011), then my job is to follow up with the publishing house to make sure THEY sell audio rights.
Here are some of my tasks for clients whose audio rights we control. First, I make a list of acquiring editors at various audio publishers (including Audible, Brilliance Audio, etc). I compose an email introducing the book (including the pitch, information on the publisher, the projected print run, early reviews and publicity) and I email the proposal to those editors. Sounds like a book submission, yes? Then, I spend anywhere from one to six months following up and hoping for an offer. Once there is interest, I negotiate the offer and audit the contract. One important aspect of the process is managing the production elements – for example, we try to arrange it so authors have consultation on the voices used and pronunciations in the final product. On the back end, it’s my job to watch sales and audit the royalty statements. Audio rights are one reason my work week fills up so quickly!
If the publishing house retains audio, then once a month I contact them to ask “any audio sales yet? Anything I can do to help?” It’s their job to pitch, but it’s my job to make sure that pitch happens. To reassure you authors out there – audio companies rarely differentiate between books pitched by agents and books pitched by publishers. The one major exception to that rule is Harlequin who has a wonderful relationship with Audible. Many Harlequin novels are picked up by Audible just because they are with that house (of course, this means Harlequin usually retains audio for themselves).
How does the money work? In general (and of course there are a billion variables and exceptions) – an author makes more money if the agent retains audio rights and sells those audio rights independently. Audio companies typically pay an advance and royalties on sales and if your agent sells directly, you keep 85% of those monies (and the agent keeps 15% just like when selling print rights). If the publishing house retains those rights, then they keep a percentage on top of that. Either way, a subsidiary right sale means further income on your book. This is one reason agents spend so much time negotiating these rights. For the record, all this time I spend on audio is similar to the time I spend on film rights and foreign rights.
So, why would we ever sell audio to the publishing house? For one thing, it’s become a deal breaker in many cases. There are now publishing houses that only offer for a book if the deal includes print, electronic AND audio. Authors may ask, “well isn’t it the job of the agent to fight for those rights?” Yes – that’s absolutely true. I’m a good agent though and the majority of my sales in 2011 granted audio to the publishing house. Naturally, there are some benefits to going with the publisher. For example, you all know that authors earn royalties on their books only after the advance is earned out, yes? Well, when the publishing house sells a book to audio themselves, payment is credited toward the advance and the author is that much closer to earning out. So, an audio sale via publisher means you are closer to earning royalties and that’s a very good thing (both from an income perspective and for the profit and loss statement at the publisher). Also, there is some evidence that publishers are willing to pay a higher initial advance when audio is included. An offer for $20,000 for print MIGHT turn in to $25,000 for print and audio.
One important thing to note when selling rights to the publishing house: As the agent, I ask for a contractual reversion of audio rights. What that means is if the publishing house has not successfully sold audio rights after a set amount of time, those rights revert to us. If that happens, my next step in the process is to take over shopping the rights and start back at step one. This reversion allows us a second chance at shopping the book. I don’t always succeed in getting that reversion, but I sure do try.
Finally, here are the important things to remember: whether the author retains audio sales or the publishing house retains audio sales, the important step is to make sure your book is PITCHED to audio companies. If we retain audio, then I shop it aggressively. If the publishing house retains audio, then I follow up aggressively with them. In either case, my job is to make sure you get every chance possible to make that sale. Three good questions to ask your agent include “who owns audio” “is my book being pitched for audio” and “if we’ve sold audio to the publishing house, will there be a reversion of those rights after a specific amount of time?”
May 2012 continue to be a year of profitable audio books! Cheers!

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Whew! Sara started the year off with a bang-up discussion.  The forum is open – what do you want to ask her?

On Friday, Laurie Schnebley Campbell wants to talk to you about the tricky parts. Are you game?

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And for one lucky commenter, Sara is giving away a copy of CRASH INTO YOU by Roni Loren.

Brynn LeBreck has dedicated herself to helping women in crisis, but she never imagined how personal her work would get, or where it would take her. Her younger sister is missing, suspected to be hiding from cops and criminals alike at a highly secretive BDSM retreat–a place where the elite escape to play out their most extreme sexual fantasies. To find her Brynn must go undercover as a sexual submissive. Unfortunately, The Ranch is invitation only. And the one Master who can get her in is from the darkest corner of Brynn’s past.

Brynn knows what attorney Reid Jamison is like once stripped of his conservative suit and tie. Years ago she left herself vulnerable only to have him crush her heart. Now she needs him again. Back on top. And he’s all too willing to engage. But as their primal desires and old wounds are exposed, the sexual games escalate–and so does the danger.  Their hearts aren’t the only things at risk. Someone else is watching, playing by his own rules. And his game could be murder.”

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Bio: Sara Megibow, Associate Literary Agent
Nelson Literary Agency, LLC

Sara has worked at the Nelson Literary Agency since 2006. As the Associate Literary Agent, Sara is actively acquiring new clients! The Nelson Literary Agency specializes in representing all genres of romance (except inspirational or category), young adult fiction of all subgenres, science fiction/ fantasy and commercial fiction (including women’s fiction and chick lit). Sara is an avid romance reader and a rabid fan girl of super sexy and intelligent stories.

Nelson Literary Agency is a member of AAR, RWA, SFWA and SCBWI. Please visit our website http://http://www.nelsonagency.com/for submission guidelines, FAQs, resources and sample query letters. Sara’s Publisher’s Marketplace site (www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/SaraMegibow) is a great place to find more about her personal tastes, clients and recent sales. You can also cyber stalk Sara on twitter @SaraMegibowHow an agent chooses what books to read.

What Newbie Mistakes Have I Made as an Agent?

A writer asked this wonderful question at a recent webinar, “what newbie mistakes have you made as an agent?” Yes, this month – December 2011 – marks the release of the very first books I ever sold as an agent. This correctly labels me as new. I loved this question because it’s different from the standard “what are you looking for in submissions” and because it’s really a thoughtful question. I’m on this publishing journey the same as writers and authors and editors. I’ve had ups and downs, failures and successes. This time of the year it’s easy to reflect. So, let me share with you an extended answer to this question. Happy Holidays everyone!

A hint of background: I joined Nelson Literary Agency in 2006, so am entering my sixth year in publishing. For four years, I was in charge of reading slush pile – queries, sample pages and full manuscripts. I picked HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET by Jamie Ford out of the slush pile. Same with PRIVATE ARRANGEMENTS by Sherry Thomas and others. Then, in mid 2009 I read a submission by Sarah Skilton and fell in love. THIS was an author I simply HAD to work with. She agreed to sign with me (lucky lucky lucky me – seriously, she is so talented) and that marked my debut as an agent. Since 2009, I have signed 17 clients and sold over thirty books. CATCHING JORDAN by Miranda Kenneally released on December 1, 2011 and this was the first book I sold to hit bookshelves. Jane Kindred’s THE FALLEN QUEEN came out Dec 6. And Roni Loren’s debut CRASH INTO YOU comes out January 3, 2012. This is the big start for my authors and I couldn’t possibly be more excited!

So, mistakes I have made – yes, they exist. Hopefully my clients won’t run screaming when they read this.

#1 – in an effort to “get my name out there” – I agreed to too many free critiques (usually for auctions and fundraisers and such). Oof – those all seem to come in at once and they really make for a backlog of work. My priority is and always should be reading for my clients. So, next year = fewer critiques and faster client reading.

#2 – I passed on AFTERLIFE by Merrie Destefano, CINDER by Marissa Meyer and FIRST GRAVE ON THE RIGHT by Darynda Jones. Oops. 

#3 –  My first submission lists were very long – like 20+ editors all at once. Now that I’ve been doing this for two years, I find I prefer the small submission list out of the gate. There’s more wiggle room if the submission goes into its second and third month and it’s easier to manage. Maybe that’s not a mistake – maybe that’s just my style developing.

#4 – I email my clients every week with an update (on sales, reviews, publicity, about a submission, on edits, whatever). Some agents think I’m nuts as that’s a LOT of time that could be spent doing other things. I still stand by it though and will likely keep doing it. Again, not a newbie mistake but rather a style thing.

#5 – I haven’t made any egregious contract errors yet (thank heavens) but I HAVE learned that contracts can’t sit on my desk even one day before I start auditing. This process takes hours (HOURS) and if I procrastinate all of a sudden someone is calling saying “ahem, where is that contract?”  oops.

#6 – I have sent manuscripts to film agents too soon. Hollywood is such a pile of whackiness. I’ve learned that it’s way better to ping producers after a book is out (with a very few exceptions).

#7 – I didn’t do enough research on ebooks way back last January. There are probably many great authors out there who didn’t submit to me because I didn’t have a platform to support them.

#8 – I skipped Book Expo in 2011. Big mistake – it’s such a huge week for networking with editors and other agents. I regretted it the second I started seeing BEA announcements. Yup – I’ll be there in 2012!

The big ones, I suppose, would be:

Have I ever signed a client that I later regretted? No. Absolutely not and that’s truth, not me just being nice on the internet.

Have I ever messed up a submission (sent projects to the wrong editor)? Yes, although this one is easier for agents than for writers. I have submitted a book and gotten this response, “I’m sorry – I don’t buy for that imprint anymore but you could try XYZ.” So, I simply go to XYZ and start over. That’s one nice thing about agenting and submissions – there’s a wee bit of room for error.

The biggest thing I’ve learned so far is that agenting can only be done (at least for me) for the love of books. Plain and simple – I adore my authors and their books and that’s the reason I come to work. Publishing is (falls down laughing) absolutely not a get-rich-quick scheme! It can be slow and frustrating so loving the stories and the authors is what keeps me going. The feeling of “success” for me has been in holding the finished books and celebrating with my authors.

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Okay – any other questions for Sara and her newbie mistakes?  Were you surprised by her list? What do inquiring minds want to know?

On Friday, Jennifer Probst shares her tips for keeping your writing fresh.

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And for one lucky commenter, Sara is giving away a copy of CATCHING JORDAN by Miranda Kenneally.

One of the boys

What girl doesn’t want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn’t just surrounded by hot guys, though – she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys and that’s just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university.

 But everything she’s ever worked for is threatened when Ty Green moves to her school. Not only is he an amazing QB, but he’s also amazingly hot. And for the first time, Jordan’s feeling vulnerable. Can she keep her head in the game while her heart’s on the line?

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Bio: Sara Megibow, Associate Literary Agent
Nelson Literary Agency, LLC

Sara has worked at the Nelson Literary Agency since 2006. As the Associate Literary Agent, Sara is actively acquiring new clients! The Nelson Literary Agency specializes in representing all genres of romance (except inspirational or category), young adult fiction of all subgenres, science fiction/ fantasy and commercial fiction (including women’s fiction and chick lit). Sara is an avid romance reader and a rabid fan girl of super sexy and intelligent stories.

Nelson Literary Agency is a member of AAR, RWA, SFWA and SCBWI. Please visit our website http://http://www.nelsonagency.com/for submission guidelines, FAQs, resources and sample query letters. Sara’s Publisher’s Marketplace site (www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/SaraMegibow) is a great place to find more about her personal tastes, clients and recent sales. You can also cyber stalk Sara on twitter @SaraMegibowHow an agent chooses what books to read.

How an agent chooses what books to read.

You’ve all likely heard of a TBR pile, yes? Otherwise known as the “To Be Read” pile – these are books that pile up on our nightstand waiting to be read. Probably you even have a TBR pile too – on a bookshelf or an iPad. As an agent, I have to choose what I read very carefully and my TBR pile is more political than most. So, how do I choose what to read?

First of all, please understand that I read queries, sample pages and full manuscripts every week. I also read and edit manuscripts sent to me by my clients (and I have 17 clients that each write between one and three books per year). I read Publishers Weekly and Publishers Marketplace and Shelf Awareness every day (as well as Locus Magazine and the Romance Writers Report every month). I read my twitter feed, blog posts from my twitter feed and blog posts by my boss, my clients and other agents. I read for fundraisers, auctions, chapter contests and Writers Digest webinars. Then, I go home and have a stack of books on my bookshelf to…read. So, that’s where we start.

Why do I buy so many books? (Yes I do buy them. I don’t mooch for freebies even though I could get them easily. AND, I usually buy from an independent bookstore – my local indies are Boulder Bookstore and Tattered Cover) First of all, I simply love to read. So, the honest answer is – I love books so I buy them because I am looking forward to reading them. The more complex answer, however, is that I buy them so I know what is in the marketplace right now.  This makes me a better agent for my clients and my future clients.

How do I choose what to buy?

1)     I choose books (especially those by debut authors) in the genres that I represent (young adult, middle grade, romance, science fiction and fantasy). I’m looking for books recently published by major publishing houses (both big press and small press). To make life interesting, I try to read one YA book, one romance and one sf/f each week (yes, that’s AFTER all my other work is done – yikes, huh?)

2)     My top priority is to read books produced by editors to whom I would like to submit. For example, I recently sold an historical romance called A TALE OF TWO SISTERS by debut author Ashlyn Macnamara (a Golden Heart finalist) to Caitlin Alexander of Ballantine Bantam Dell/ Random House. I loved PRIVATE ARRANGEMENTS by Sherry Thomas which was edited by Caitlin. So, when I called to pitch TALE OF TWO SISTERS, I could say (sincerely) “I loved Sherry Thomas’s book and I’m hoping that you will love this submission which is also a very sexy historical romance.”

3)     Frequently, once I sell a client book, I go out and buy more books produced from our new editor partner. For example, Roni Loren’s upcoming debut CRASH INTO YOU is edited by the amazing Kate Seaver of Berkley Heat. Kate also edited THE PERFECT PLAY by Jaci Burton and that book is sitting on my nightstand right now. (can’t WAIT!)

4)     I buy books when I read a fabulous review. For example, www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com raved about SCANDAL by Carolyn Jewel. I bought it and completely fell in love with the book. So, good reviews do result in sales!

5)     I buy books that hit the NYTimes bestseller list, USA Today Bestseller list or whose sales numbers are really strong.

6)     Every day I watch sales posted at www.publishersmarketplace.com. When I see something that really catches my eye (especially if it’s got a really engaging pitch), I add that title to my TBR pile and buy when it releases. For example, this middle grade sale was posted in October 2010, “Sherry Shahan’s ICE ISLAND, in which a 12-year-old girl who dreams of competing in the grueling 1,049-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race gets lost during a training run in the untamed Alaskan wilderness during a freak snow storm.” ICE ISLAND comes out in January 2012 and I’ve been waiting 18 months for it. How awesome is that  – a 12 yr old wanting to race in the Iditarod?!?!

7)     I buy books from authors I find fun or engaging on twitter (yes, twitter sells books!) Megan Hart has an awesome twitter voice (@Megan_Hart) so I bought her novel NAKED last winter. I absolutely, positively rave about this book! Sooooo glad that I followed up and bought it as it’s one of my all-time favorites.

8)     There are so many awesome agents out there! When I’m at conferences, I try hard to meet (and drink with) as many of these fun people as possible. Naturally, we end up talking books. I write down their suggestions and support my agent friends. So, if I know the agent, I will likely buy the book.

9)     During my almost-six years in publishing, I’ve met some charming authors who are just fabulous people. Not my clients, but fabulous people. I buy their books too. SWEET ENEMY by Heather Snow hits shelves in Feb 2012 and Heather is one of the nicest people on the whole planet. I’ve already pre-ordered two copies and I will hunt her down and get them signed.

So, that’s about it. Books produced by editors at imprints to which I’d like to submit, books written by authors who have worked with editors I know, books I find from reviews or sales announcements or some form of social media (twitter and blogs mostly) and books by authors to whom I have some personal connection (via conferences, other agents , etc). That’s my list. And the end result is – I know what kinds of books are being written and sold right now in each of the genres that I represent. I know comparative titles, “hot” concepts and popular voices. And there is a huge pile of great stories waiting for me each night when I get home from a long day of work.

***

What is in your TBR pile? How do you find the books that end up on your reading list? Any books you can recommend to Sara?

On Friday, Leanna Renee Hieber talks about  Writing Adult vs. Young Adult Fiction

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And for one lucky commenter, Sara will give away two books this month!

The Secret of Cypriere Bayou by Jana DeLeon

For Olivia Markham, laMalediction is the ideal setting in which to complete her work. But something is sending a chill up the usually fearless author’s spine. There are the unearthly noises, the sliding panels, the hidden passageways…and John Landry, the sexy caretaker who seems less than welcoming.

John has work of his own to do and he doesn’t need the distraction of a mysterious beauty claiming the old mansion is cursed. But he can’t ignore the fact that someone is doing everything to scare Olivia away – permenantly. Working together to uncover laMalediction’s alarming secrets and root out the evil stalking them, John finds Olivia impossible to resist, and he knows it’s only a matter of time before something unexpected – and undeniable – happens between them

Bayou Bodguard by Jana DeLeon

One remote bayou mansion was holding tight to its secrets……

Bodyguard Brian Marcentel knew Justine Chatry had a job to do, but so did he. He’d been hired to keep her safe – from whatever lurked behind the walls of a long-neglected mansion. And yet, the beautiful researcher insisted on helping him investigate every suspicious noise and following him through the murky bayou as he tracked down trespassers. All of that paled in comparison, though, to his greatest challenge: trying to resist her when the fear took over and she looked to him for protection.

Still, no matter how fiery their attraction, there was something about this frustrating, sexy woman that seemed so familiar. But trying to penetrate her secrets was like trying to keep her out of his arms. Or out of his bed.

Bio: Sara Megibow, Associate Literary Agent
Nelson Literary Agency, LLC

Sara has worked at the Nelson Literary Agency since 2006. As the Associate Literary Agent, Sara is actively acquiring new clients! The Nelson Literary Agency specializes in representing all genres of romance (except inspirational or category), young adult fiction of all subgenres, science fiction/ fantasy and commercial fiction (including women’s fiction and chick lit). Sara is an avid romance reader and a rabid fan girl of super sexy and intelligent stories.

Nelson Literary Agency is a member of AAR, RWA, SFWA and SCBWI. Please visit our website http://http://www.nelsonagency.com/for submission guidelines, FAQs, resources and sample query letters. Sara’s Publisher’s Marketplace site (www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/SaraMegibow) is a great place to find more about her personal tastes, clients and recent sales. You can also cyber stalk Sara on twitter @SaraMegibowHow an agent chooses what books to read.

One the most awesome things about this RU gig is the chance to reach out to some of my favorite authors and invite them to be a Visiting Professor. Hank Edwards is a person who drew me in through his awesome books (His book, FLUFFER’s INC, is laugh out loud hilarious with a style and characters to rival Janet Evanovich) and then through his generous friendship on Facebook.  When I heard that he was doing what everyone else was only talking about – self publishing – I knew I had to get him here.  And one lucky commenter (and you would be lucky because I’ve also read and loved it ) will win a copy of his book, BOUNTY.

Here’s to Hoping . . .
I have embarked on a journey. And it all started with the thought, What if…?
The what if led me to think about vampires and zombies. These supernatural beings are very similar: undead, dangerous, infecting others with a bite (or three), and hungry for blood. Yet they seldom appear together in stories. So what if I threw vampires and zombies together? Well, vampires would be the clear winner: they have thought and reason, super strength, and near immortality. Zombies shamble around, moan, and eat people, but don’t really plan anything.
But what if zombies were able to hurt vampires? What if a zombie bite could pierce vampire skin and break vampire bone? When zombies shamble together they are a force to be reckoned with, have you seen any episodes of The Walking Dead? (If not, you should, it’s a great show.)
And what if this all took place in the American Old West? Talk about mashing up genres!
Sigh.
With such a crazy mixture of genres, I knew it would be a tough sell to publishers, but I did inquire with a couple of them. They all were pretty adamant about each book ending with, at the very least, a happy for now, preferably with a happily ever after. But the first book in my series, Bounty, ends with questions unanswered, with characters in peril, and, in my opinion, sets up the second book, Bait, very well. And as a writer (and being rather stubborn), I decided to stick to my vision, and instead of changing my story I turned to self-publishing. It may prove to be folly, but I feel it will be worth it when all is said and done.
There is a lot of work involved in writing and publishing a book. Not just the writing part, though that does consist of a lot of work, but there’s all the stuff waiting once the draft is complete. Edits, for one. And as an author, I didn’t trust myself to pick apart the character motivations, descriptions, and plot I had spent nearly a year trying to dump from my imagination to the page. A writer reviewing his or her work is kind of like my mother was when I was going through those gangly, crazy, hideous adolescent years: she told me that even through the acne, long, skinny limbs, and lack of coordination I was handsome.
I could find the spelling errors and most of the grammar stuff, but I needed some people to be brutally honest with me about the story overall, so I turned to friends, most of whom I have yet to meet in person, to read my book and give me any and all feedback. That is one trait a writer must possess if that writer is to succeed: the ability to take feedback from readers, early betas or those after publication, and use it to improve the story. This is no time for pride; the story must be accessible to readers on all levels and the only way to ensure that is to use those resources available to you: friends on Facebook with similar interests, maybe a local writing group (invaluable, in my opinion), or friends you’ve known all your life who will be honest. Take those suggestions and questions and confusions and rework your story.
I did that, and am so grateful to the friends who gave me their time and insight. The story is mine, but it is stronger because of their feedback.
Next is a cover. All books, even e-books, need a cover. A hot, enticing cover to draw attention and peak readers’ interests. I am fortunate enough to love and live with a fabulous graphic artist who worked with me over a number of days to create an awesome cover. We searched for the perfect models and backgrounds to encompass the many colliding genres in my story and it turned out even better than I imagined. He is amazing, and not just as a graphic artist.
Then, I signed up for Amazon’s Kindle Publishing (really easy), uploaded my Word document (do not forget to include a cover in the Word document; I thought the image I uploaded would be used in the file and not just for the website for some reason … duh!), and published it. In less than 24 hours it was ready and I was able to start promoting the book.
I hit Facebook and posted the heck on my wall and in several m/m groups I belong to. I sold a few copies the first day and was encouraged. But I needed to get the book listed on more sites and available as different files for all types of e-readers.
Smashwords is awesome. I setup my account, typed in the specifics about my book (note to self: have a blurb and description ready beforehand to avoid stress), then uploaded my .doc file and it spawned a whole host of file types. Simply amazing. From one file I can now direct people to Smashwords where they can download my book in pretty much any file type.
And now I’m working on advertising. I’m not sure just how much advertising my publishers do (I’ve never seen my book covers on the sides of buses or atop taxis… wouldn’t that be nice?), but I’m trying to branch out. Review requests need to be sent out, and guest spots on blog sites need to be set up. And this is all while juggling an Evil Day Job.
But I’ve got the freedom for my characters to go where the story wants to take them, and not contrive an ending to please the corporation. Maybe I’m wrong, and if I am I’ll find out by my book sales, but I think readers will be eager for a romantic, suspenseful read that doesn’t pander to them. If you like paranormal stories or Westerns with strong characters and a m/m romantic plot, click on over to check out Bounty, Venom Valley: Book One.
Leave a comment to be entered for a chance to win a copy of “Bounty” in Kindle, Nook, or PDF format. And drop me a line to let me know what you think, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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Have you considered self-publishing?  What are the pros and cons in your mind?  Hank is in the trenches and here to answer your questions – fire away!  Hank has to go the Evil Day Job today, but he’ll be popping in and out!

On Monday, Eleanor Elliot helps us make our marketing checklist.

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Bio:  Hank Edwards is a member of the Story Orgy writer’s group and posts free m/m stories on his blog every Monday morning at http://http://www.hankedwardsbooks.com/. His published titles include the first book of his Venom Valley Series, the self published cowboy / vampire / zombie mash up Bounty, as well as the Charlie Heggensford series, Fluffers, Inc., A Carnal Cruise, and the Lambda Award Finalist Vancouver Nights, all available from Lethe Press. He has also published three books through Loose Id: the romantic suspense thriller Holed Up, the time travel romance Destiny’s Bastard, and the contemporary romantic comedy Plus Ones. Find out more at http://www.hankedwardsbooks.com/.

As our fabulous RU readers know, this has been a big year for me. In September of 2010, I received “the call” from Carina Press that they wanted to acquire my romantic suspense Man Law. Shortly thereafter, they acquired the other two books in the series and have contracted a fourth.

It’s been an exciting year, but I’ve needed to learn a few painful lessons in time management.  In the last five months, I have been through nine rounds of edits on three books. Each book had a content edit, a line edit and a copy edit. At one point in May, I was in two different rounds of edits on two books.

That’s when I pondered the definition of insanity.

Add to this the marketing tasks (website upgrade, building author pages on all the social networking sites, etc.) that go into a book launch and it has been a rompin’ stompin’ beehive of activity.

I’m thrilled to say my Carina Press experience has been wonderful, but I’ll admit there were stressful moments of looming deadlines, blog posts to be written, responsibilities to my family and, of course, my RU pals.  With three books releasing, sleep became a luxury I couldn’t afford. And if you know me, that’s not a good thing. 

At the height of my insanity, when my body and brain brazenly laughed at my attempts to push through the exhaustion (yes, it was reminiscent of the first weeks of being a new mom), I did the only thing I could.

I gave in.

Yep. After all the grinding, making lists, trying to focus, ignoring my body’s plea for rest, I realized I was missing out on the opportunity of a lifetime.

I suddenly realized I would never again be a debut author and I was letting the experience slip by without allowing myself to soak it in.

From that moment, I began to take time every day, no matter how crazy the day became, to appreciate the gift I’d been given. I also discovered there were (and are) emotionally charged moments that would sneak up on me.   

One “sneaky” moment came at the RWA conference when I was in my hotel room gathering my marketing materials for the

Adrienne's Promo Items in the Goody Room

Goody Room. Tracey and Kelsey (my RU partners in crime and longtime critique partners) each picked up something and the three of us began the journey to the Goody Room. There we were, each of us holding some piece of promo material for Man Law and the moment became something more than my two pals helping me.  Kels and Tracey had been with me through all the rejections and dashed hopes and the fact that the book was about to be published filled me. Somehow it seemed fitting that, together, the three of us would arrange my marketing materials for my debut book.

Another big moment of the RWA conference was attending the legendary Harlequin author party. Now, if you know anything about the RWA conference, you’ve probably heard people talking about this party. For four years, Kelsey and I shared a running joke about crashing it.  This year, I was invited. That alone was a rush.

On one wall of the ballroom there was a jumbo screen that flashed hand-picked covers for all attendees to see.

Man Law Cover On Screen at Harlequin Party

So, yes, seeing my cover on that screen choked me up. I even cried a little as the emotions of the week consumed me. Years of hard work and I’d finally gotten to see my name on a cover.

This is a crazy business we writers choose to torture ourselves with. We need to find those nuggets of good fortune. No matter how big or small, we need to take those moments and store them away for the down times because, as we all know, those down times will come.

And when they do, I’ll be able to say I took the time during my debut author year to soak up the good stuff.

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RU Crew have you had your a-ha moment during your debut year? If you are unpublished, what questions do you want ask Adrienne about the other things she discovered on her journey?

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 Adrienne’s Bio:

Adrienne Giordano writes romantic suspense and women’s fiction.  She is a Jersey girl at heart, but now lives in the Midwest with her work-a-holic husband, sports obsessed son and Buddy the Wheaten Terrorist (Terrier). She is a co-founder of Romance University blog. Adrienne’s debut romantic suspense, Man Law, is available from Carina Press. Her second book, A Just Deception, will be available from Carina Press on September 5, 2011. For more information please visit www.AdrienneGiordano.com.  Adrienne can be found on Twitter and Facebook

Man Law available at:

Carina Press

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

YOU’RE FIRED!

Just last month, a query came through the slush pile that ended like this, “I hope you love my pitch. However, if you don’t – no worries, I don’t need an agent to get published anyway.”

In other words, “Dear Agent – You’re FIRED!”

I didn’t take it personally because I tend to agree with this writer – no, you don’t really need an agent in order to get published. I like to think that I’m a great business partner for writers who DO want an agent – I certainly want to feel essential to them.  Still, here are a few of the things I do for my clients and how you could take them on (effectively) if you decide to go it alone.

1)     Editing. I read my clients’ books and offer editorial feedback. Sometimes it’s intense and I request several rounds of revisions. Sometimes my notes are just bits of polishing here and there. A savvy author can hire an editor instead – there are plenty of editors with excellent reputations and experience who work freelance (especially editors laid off from their jobs in NY).

2)     Submissions. One of the big reasons that fiction writers are on an agent-hunt is that many NY publishing houses do not accept un-agented submissions. There are ways around this too, though. Many editors attend national and regional RWA conferences and take pitches in person. You can circumvent the system by simply pitching at conferences instead of via an agent. The drawback, of course, is that this may cost more money. But, if you really feel that your manuscript is superior, you should have the same chance of signing a book deal in person as you would through representation. Of course, there are small presses that accept un-agented submissions, so you could go that route too. There are e-presses that accept un-agented submissions and they are wonderful. And, of course, one could always self-publish.

3)     Contract negotiation. My boss, Kristin Nelson, has posted an entire “Agenting 101” series on her blog about how to understand and negotiate a contract. It starts here and it’s fabulous reading! An un-agented author could negotiate their own contract (if they REALLY understand it first) or simply hire an entertainment lawyer with expertise in publishing contracts.

http://pubrants.blogspot.com/2006/06/agenting-101-part-two.html

4)     Auditing royalty statements. Our agency has recently hired a royalty statement auditor. She checks each royalty statement against each contract to make sure every payment is 100% correct. One could absolutely do this at home – it takes meticulous care (or knowing a friend who is a CPA). Here’s an example – if your contract says you should get paid 8% of the cover price of your novel for the first 10,000 copies sold and 10% of the cover price thereafter, then it’s important to watch each royalty statement to make sure that 10,001^st copy is accounted for correctly.

5)     Planning marketing campaigns. Our agency also has a marketing director on staff (*waves* to the fabulous Lindsay Mergens, a 20+ year veteran of the marketing side of NY publishing). I find it’s very useful to have a template for new authors that says “6 months before release you should be doing this…” “4 months before release you should be doing this..” “this is the date that your publicist will likely be assigned and this is the date by which buy-in should happen.” We also spend time scheduling guest blog posts and interviews, updating websites and blogs and trying out other forms of social media like twitter and Facebook. This is probably the easiest realm for savvy authors to negotiate alone. If one is very organized and motivated, one should be able to plan a competitive marketing campaign with nothing more than time and a computer.

6)     Problem solving when something goes wrong. Honestly, this is where I spend most of my time. I respond to emails, follow up on submissions, double check cover copy, nudge on deadlines, ask about payments, etc. I’m a great teammate or business partner for the author that wants to offload questions so s/he can simply keep writing. If you are super organized and love to be in control of your entire career, this is likely something you would do for yourself anyway.

My vision for my career is this – I intend to have a small list of clients and provide a ton of value-add to their publishing careers. That value add includes the services mentioned above as well as things like tracking sales, communicating about the market, capitalizing on networking and promotional opportunities, sharing best practices, planning careers, brainstorming book ideas, etc. I expect that as publishing continues to change there will be many successful authors who do not need an agent in order to succeed (and by “succeed” I mean they will create a book of superior quality and enjoy profitable sales on that book). I want to be the agent for authors who do want a business partner. I’m not for everyone and that’s 100% ok with me. If you don’t need an agent, like the author from the above query letter, be organized, professional, meticulous, educated and go for it!

 ***

So, what questions do you have for Sara about whether you need an agent or want to try it solo? Have you already thought this question and come to your own conclusion? Share with us the reasons behind your decision.

NOTE: Sara is moving today and she will be in and out of the site depending on the reality of making sure her kitchen utensils make it on the moving truck. She’s going to do her best to get to as many questions as she can.

RITA award winner for Best Historical Romance, 2011

Love is hottest in the darkness before dawn.

Elissande Edgerton is a desperate woman, a virtual prisoner in the home of her tyrannical uncle. Only through marriage can she claim the freedom she craves. But how to catch the perfect man?

Lord Vere is used to baiting irresistible traps. As a secret agent for the government, he’s tracked down some of the most devious criminals in London, all the while maintaining his cover as one of Society’s most harmless—and idiotic—bachelors. But nothing can prepare him for the scandal of being ensnared by Elissande.

Forced into a marriage of convenience, Elissande and Vere are each about to discover they’re not the only one with a hidden agenda. With seduction their only weapon against each other—and a dark secret from the past endangering both their lives—can they learn to trust each other even as they surrender to a passion that won’t be denied?

Stop by Friday when our very own Adrienne Giordano writes about her “a-ha” moment as a debut author.

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Bio: Sara Megibow, Associate Literary Agent
Nelson Literary Agency, LLC

Sara has worked at the Nelson Literary Agency since 2006. As the Associate Literary Agent, Sara is actively acquiring new clients! The Nelson Literary Agency specializes in representing all genres of romance (except inspirational or category), young adult fiction of all subgenres, science fiction/ fantasy and commercial fiction (including women’s fiction and chick lit). Sara is an avid romance reader and a rabid fan girl of super sexy and intelligent stories.

Nelson Literary Agency is a member of AAR, RWA, SFWA and SCBWI. Please visit our website http://http://www.nelsonagency.com/for submission guidelines, FAQs, resources and sample query letters. Sara’s Publisher’s Marketplace site (www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/SaraMegibow) is a great place to find more about her personal tastes, clients and recent sales. You can also cyber stalk Sara on twitter @SaraMegibow

Good morning, Candice!

Earn More from Your Writing with MBA Marketing

When you first decided you wanted to become a writer what plans did you have for your future? Did you want to earn money from your work as a professional writer? If you did, then guess what?  You’re running a small business.

One aspect of running a successful small business is marketing your products and your company. As a writer, your primary products are your books. Here we assume your books are knock-outs (marketing will not alter quality or improve sales if quality isn’t there). Your company brand is yourself (either you [“the author”], or your pen name or both).

“Hold it right there!” you shout. “My publisher and agent take care of all the business stuff. I just write.” Who cares the most about how much money you make? Your publisher? Your agent? Or you? Who cares the most about your career path, your image? I’m betting that you’re like me. I really, really care about making enough money to pay my bills. I also deeply care about where my career is headed. Publishers have lots of writers, as do agents. No matter how good they are, can they care as much as you? If you don’t care about how much you earn, how about having the power to decide what to write, when, and how to project your image? Money is power. Don’t give that power away to someone else. Take it. Use it.

Now that we’ve decided you are running a small business and you want to manage that business yourself because you care the most about your business (even if you are delegating some parts to others like publishers and agents), let’s get back to marketing.

Many people teach writers to market individual books. We know the drill, Twitter, Facebook, blogs, websites, etc. What I ask you to do is take a step back. You’re marketing more than one book. Before doing anything, develop a plan. Every business needs a marketing plan in writing. Why? Because if you don’t know where you’re headed, you’ll never get there. Developing a marketing plan is critically important and is usually left out of advice for writers. Your plan will be a step by step map that serves as a reality check. Without a plan there’s a tendency to either 1) do nothing from inertia (as in, “We’re all too busy writing. Who has time to market and sell?”) or 2) to go overboard and do everything in a scattershot approach. Neither of these strategies is good. Following either one will cause you to leave money on the table. Profits you could have had, but passed up.

As you develop your marketing plan, you want to ask yourself questions. “Who am I marketing to? Who is my true reader (a.k.a customer)? How am I going to reach my customers? What are the best tools to reach my customers? How much do the tools cost?” Most importantly, “How much should I spend?”

Whew! Tons of questions there. You may have considered some before. You may have a ready answer. That’s good. Write down your answer. But then dive deeper. So often we do the same things over and over without questioning what we’re doing. Even major companies put blinders on. To market well, you need to take a fresh look at every question. Research them. Talk to other people. Get new ideas. For example, a recent marketing trend is flash crowds where fans are quickly gathered to act out something slightly wacky like a pillow fight in Central Park. Would that engage your fans?

If you think planning and executing top marketing strategies takes too much time, consider this ̶  J.K. Rowling made $19.7 billion from marketing tie-ins. That figure doesn’t even include her book sales. That’s the power of marketing. Embrace it.

* * *

RU Crew, do you have a marketing plan? Care to share what has worked for you? For our readers out there…what marketing device normally catches your eye? Candice has generously agreed to answer any questions you may have about marketing. Ask away!

New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown is topping off this week of fabulous guests with a discussion on the power of first lines. Psst–she’ll be giving away prizes!

* * *

Candice M. Hughes, PhD has run and marketed her own small business for the past six years plus writes thrillers (with romance subplots). She is the author of “Small Business Rocket Fuel: Marketing Tools to Boost Revenue”.

Her “in the trenches” knowledge comes from working on a wide range of marketing programs, from product to department promotions, during her 20+ year business career that included 15 years in biotech/pharmaceutical communications agencies. In addition, she is currently concluding her first year in an MBA program at the Kelley School of Business (rated among the top handful of schools for marketing worldwide). She expects to graduate next year with much joy and celebration. Learn more at http://www.candicehughes.com

Take it away, Jen!

The romance industry, like any genre, is constantly changing. As a writer, one of the first pieces of advice I was given time and time again is the following: Write the book of your heart and don’t write to the hottest trend in the marketplace, because by the time you’ve finished your manuscript, what was hot when you started may no longer be popular. When a multi-published author who frequents the NYT bestseller list spoke at an RWA conference, she shared a way to break into a market while increasing sales and still staying true to her style of writing.  She took the “marriage of convenience” theme and placed it into a paranormal story.  By doing this she was able to tell her type of story in a paranormal setting, allowing her to tap into a popular market.

Erotic romance is smoking hot, pardon the cliché. More and more publishers, especially in the e-book market, have seen a growing demand for this type of book and are opening up more venues to cater to these readers. The erotic marketplace is also seeing the expansion of more  m/m and f/f , BDSM, and other once forbidden taboos. With the increased popularity of e-books, readers have gained the power of anonymity.  The purchaser can now enjoy an erotic read without succumbing to the scrutiny of others.

With the rising popularity of the erotic romance,  a question has been raised – Can your current romance be written for the erotic market?

This is a serious question that should be considered, but first, you must know yourself as a writer. If the idea of writing a sex scene causes you to blush and shudder, this market is not for you. If you do not enjoy reading erotic romances, you will probably not enjoy writing them.

It is also important to research various publishers to pinpoint the type of stories you enjoy reading, the quality, and the reputation of the publisher. With a growing number of small e-presses, you need to carefully read guidelines to see what each publisher accepts, and what you are comfortable writing. If you target a certain publisher, read many books to get a feel for the writing and the quality of the line.

If you are comfortable writing a sex scene, it’s a good idea to take a step back and look at your book. The key to a good erotic romance is to make sure the sex scenes are integral to the story. You can’t expect to take a regular romance novel, add additional sex scenes, and sell it as erotic.  If you prefer a bit of an edge to your love scenes, and can handle more graphic language, you may be able to re-write the book for this market. The erotic market is wide open for all genres: paranormal, contemporary, historical and Regency.  Each publisher has different requirements. Some need a certain amount of sexual scenes and others say as long as it blends with your particular story, there is no agreed number. Frank language is encouraged so if you are uncomfortable naming the terms of the body and prefer rose-colored, soft phrases, again this market may not be for you. But, if you’ve been looking to stretch and develop your writing into something different, to challenge yourself, you may want to try.

Romance Writers of America (RWA) special interest chapter, Passionate Ink, define erotic romance novels as stories written about the development of a romantic relationship. The sex is an inherent part of the story, character growth, and relationship development, and couldn’t be removed without damaging the storyline.

Erotic romances differ from erotica. In an erotic romance, there must be a happily ever after. With erotica, the relationship does not have to end happily. The following description was taken from the Ellora’s Cave website, defining the important difference between these two terms:

http://www.jasminejade.com/t-romantica.aspx

For the erotic romance, authors must have a skill for focusing on the art of physical lovemaking, developing conflict, and keeping a strong love story between the main characters to the very last page.

Most markets require a strong romantic connection with a happily ever after, and sexual monogamy. Other markets will let you explore threesomes, bondage, and any other sexual exploration the author is willing to examine. As in all romances, the bottom line remains key: write a great story with characters we care about. An erotic romance may contain more explicit sexual scenes, but it must enhance the relationship and development of story and character.

When I first sold my novella, “Masquerade” in Secrets Volume 11 to Red Sage Publishing, I specifically focused on mingling the level of sexual exploration along with my character’s growth. My heroine came from a repressed background and was taught to deny her sexuality. By using the setting of a masquerade ball, she was able to cover her face and allow herself freedom in expressing herself. This sexual freedom eventually opened her emotions and connected her deeper to the hero.  The sex scenes became integral to the story and not just thrown into the book to fit the erotic category.

So, if you are ready to try and develop the story to fit the erotic category, look at these main points.

1. Your sex scenes. They must be frank, riveting, and move the story along. Terms consistently used in many erotic romances include the following: pussy, penis, ass, cock, clit, etc. These words are not peppered into the scene just to make the romance erotic, but must fit the love scene and the characters. Also, make sure each character matches the sexual experience. If you have a virginal heroine, you may want to ramp up your hero’s background and have him use explicit language and initiate her into the experience. If your heroine is more contemporary and edgy, having her as the aggressor can be exciting. You can also take the opportunity to allow your character to express more sexual freedom that may not match her outward appearance. This is a great way to deepen your character.
2. Secondary characters and subplots should not overtake over the story. This is not the time to shove the best friend at your reader continuously, unless she is developing her own physical relationship or setting the stage for a sequel. Erotic romances focus tightly on the main characters and their relationship.
3. The sexual tension and relationship should be the main stage. In erotic fiction, the sexual relationship between the characters takes the main stage. You may need to write more scenes or intensify the physical relationship to make the sale. Extra characters chitchat, or too much plot without the physical connection may dilute the story.
4. Conflict. Conflict will raise the stakes in the relationship, and the heat of the love scenes. Pit two different types of people together and watch what happens in the bedroom. This is a great way to explore character growth. In my book, The Tantric Principle, my hero practices tantra in the bedroom – an ancient method of controlling his orgasm. My heroine was a take charge sort of woman who liked to set the pace. The combination of backgrounds was a great opportunity to inject conflict and hot sex, yet tie it into my hero and heroine’s growth.
   
5. Respect the genre. If you do not love or respect the erotic romance market, you will not be able to write a great story. Fans of the erotic romance genre are loyal and publishers generally want to purchase high quality work.
6. Dig deep. The beauty of the erotic romance is the intensity of the love scenes. This is a time to dig deep into your character’s secret fantasies and fears. This is not a time to worry if your mother will ever read your book! Let yourself go as a writer and explore each aspect of sexual exploration to initiate conflict, growth, fear and love.

Remaining flexible and open to market trends is savvy business, as long as you remain true to your writing style.   The erotic romance market is expanding, with many new and exciting opportunities.  If your book has the core elements of a great love story, and you are comfortable writing a more sexually explicit romance, this may be the opportunity you’ve been waiting for.

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RU Crew, do you love reading erotic romance? Tell us about your favorite authors. For our writers out there…have you thought about writing erotic?  Jennifer’s kindly agreed to answer any of your questions.

Stop back Wednesday for author Tracy March’s discussion on Powerful Settings: Finding What is Unique for Your Characters…and You.

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Jennifer Probst is published in contemporary romance, both sexy and erotic. Her first book, Heart of Steel, was published by LionHearted Publishing, and her novella, “Masquerade” appeared in Red Sage Secrets Volume 11. Her first children’s book, Buffy and the Carrot, was co-written with her 12 year old niece by Eloquent Books. Her new e-book release, “The Tantric Principle” is available now through Red Sage. Look for her new novella from Red Sage early 2012 entitled, Sex, Lies and Contracts!

Please check out her website at http://www.jenniferprobst.com
Blog http://jenniferprobst.wordpress.com or
Mommy Blog http://4badmommies.com
Twitter me! http://twitter.com/#!/jenniferprobst
Facebook me! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Jennifer-Probst-Fan-Page/111073648957581