Posted by admin on Jan 29, 2009 in
Bestsellers Here are the bestsellers in religion for the month of January according to Publishers Weekly.
Hardback:
1. The Purpose of Christmas
Rick Warren.
2. Multiple Blessings
Jon & Kate Gosselin and Beth Carson.
3. 100 Ways to Simplify Your Life
Joyce Meyer.
4. Love Your Life
Victoria Osteen.
5. What in the World Is Going On?
David Jeremiah.
6. Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence
Sarah Young.
7. Before You Do
T.D. Jakes.
8. A Dog Named Christmas
Greg Kincaid.
9. The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism
Timothy Keller.
10. Mother Angelica’s Private and Pithy Lessons from the Scriptures
Raymond Arroyo.
Paperback:
1. The Shack
William P. Young.
2. 90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death and Life
Don Piper with Cecil Murphey.
3. The Love Dare
Stephen Kendrick and Alex Kendrick.
4. The Five Love Languages
Gary Chapman.
5. The Purpose-Driven Life
Rick Warren.
6. Every Now and Then
Karen Kingsbury.
7. Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman’s Soul
John and Stasi Eldredge.
8. Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential
Joel Osteen.
9. The Wednesday Letters
Jason F. Wright.
10. The God Delusion
Richard Dawkins.
Tags: Authors, Bestsellers, Christian books, Religion, Religious books
Posted by admin on Jan 28, 2009 in
News An article in today’s New York Times lays out the growing self-publishing business and why it may not be a bad thing. While large publishing houses rely on blockbuster books, self-publishing companies can make money on titles that sell as few as five copies because the other is investing in their own book.
According to Bowker, in 2008 nearly 480,000 books were published or distributed in the US. That’s up from 375,000 in 2007. Bowker says a large part of that increase is because of print-on-demand books. Here are some self-publishing success stories mentioned in the article:
- Author Solutions, based in Bloomington, Indiana, operates iUniverse, AuthorHouse and Wordclay. In 2008 they published 13,000 titles, up 12 percent from 2007.
- Blurb, a print-on-demand company saw revenues jump from $1 million two years ago to $30 million.
- Author Lisa Genova wrote her first novel, “Still Alice” and was turned down or ignored by 100 literary agents. So she decided to have the book self-published. She paid $450 to iUniverse and sold copies to independent bookstores. Genova then met an agent and eventually sold “Still Alice” for a mid-six-figure advance to Pocket Books. The book debuted Sunday at number 5 on the New York Times trade paperback fiction best-seller list.
What do you think? Is self-publishing still seen as a negative for the publishing industry? Or does giving access to publishing to more people improve the marketplace?
Tags: Authors, book, New York Times Bestseller, self-publishing
Posted by admin on Jan 21, 2009 in
Authors,
News,
books 
Inaugural Poem Available Feb. 6
Urgent calls have been coming into the Minnesota offices of Graywolf Press. The small publisher of literary fiction, poetry and essays now has a page in history after President Barack Obama picked poet Elizabeth Alexander, a Graywolf author since 2001, to recite a poem for the inauguration. Other poets to receive this honor include Robert Frost and Maya Angelou.
According to this Associated Press article, in the past the publishing company had considered selling 2,500 copies of an anthology of contemporary European poetry a knock-out success. But now it must fulfill demands for thousands of copies of Alexander’s inaugural poem. They plan to print 100,000 copies of the poem to start, by far the biggest print run in the company’s 35-year history.
Alexander’s poem, “Praise Song for the Day: A Poem for Barack Obama’s Presidential Inauguration,” will be released on February 6. The paperback consists of 32 pages and will cost $8.
Tags: author, book, inauguration, poem, print, publisher, publishing
Posted by admin on Jan 21, 2009 in
Authors,
Marketing 
Make Your Interview a Success
You’ve developed your pitch. You’ve sent it to the right reporter. And now they want to do an interview. Are you ready? For the third and final part in our series about using television coverage to promote your book, here are eight ways to make sure your interview goes great.
Return Calls Quickly
If you get that call you’ve been waiting for, respond quickly. Seize this opportunity because until the interview is wrapped and the story has aired, it’s never a done deal.
Clear Your Schedule
It always amazed me when someone or some organization would go to a bunch of trouble to try and get my attention for television coverage, only to be difficult when setting up an interview. When a reporter calls you, it’s likely that they have a window of about 3-4 hours to squeeze in your interview. If you put them off they may never call back. That’s just how it works. The sooner you can do it, well then, the more time the reporter will hopefully have to do a great job putting together and writing your story. Be ready to clear your schedule.
Don’t Wear Stripes
There are a few wardrobe choices to avoid when doing an interview for TV. Avoid tiny plaids or thin stripes because they will not look good on TV. Also, if you happen to be very dark skinned, avoid wearing white. The camera doesn’t pick up stark contrasts well. Check your teeth for any leftover broccoli and ladies, touch up your lipstick before your big moment.
No Rehearsing
For the most part, rehearsing is a bad idea. You are not using a script, you are having a conversation. The reporter doesn’t want a verbal press release. They want you, the real, unrehearsed you.
Show Emotion
I can’t explain it, but the camera doesn’t pick up emotion well. When you think you’re putting a lot of energy into your voice– bump it up another ten notches and you’ll be great. Add inflection and emphasis into what you are saying. Express your passion and emotion.
Don’t Ramble
Many, many times throughout my career I encountered people who would take more than ten minutes to answer one question. You know what I was thinking while they were on minute nine? Please be quiet so I can ask you the question I really want to ask you! Simply answer the question that was asked and wait for the next one.
Give them a Copy
Make sure you have several copies of your book on hand so that the photojournalist can get video of them if needed. Give one of your books to the reporter in case they need a prop for a stand-up or need to refer to the book for research.
Trust the Reporter
Don’t ask to approve the reporter’s script before the story airs. Don’t tell them what to say. Let them do their job. They’re professionals. As long as you were honest, open and communicated clearly, the story will be a success!
Photo courtesy of Roland
Tags: author, book, interview, reporting, story, television
Posted by admin on Jan 19, 2009 in
Authors,
News Christian Writers Fellowship International is granting ten scholarships for the 2009 Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference scheduled for May 17-21, 2009. The conference costs $315 to attend. That tuition cost includes access to all sessions, breaks and a special Wednesday night banquet. So how do you win a scholarship to this event?
- Give your name and full contact information: address, telephone number and email address if you have one. You don’t want to take a chance on losing a scholarship because we’re unable to contact you.
- Tell us whether you’ve ever been published and paid for your work.
- Tell us whether you’ve ever attended a writers conference. If so, where and when?
- In 50 words or less, tell us why you want to attend the Blue Ridge conference.
- Submit your entry in hard copy to CWFI, 1624 Jefferson Davis Rd., Clinton, SC 29325 and mark your envelope: BRMCWC Scholarship.
Act quickly because the deadline for entries is Feb.15, 2009. Rooms for winners will be double-occupancy, and scholarships will be awarded based on financial need and close attention to entry instructions.
The ten winners along with two alternates will be announced in the March/April 2009 issue of Cross & Quill and on the CWFI website.
Tags: author, Christian writer, conference, event
Posted by admin on Jan 19, 2009 in
Authors,
Marketing Last week we went through several ways to develop a story pitch in order to promote your book on TV. For part two in this three part series I will be giving you ideas on how to reach the right people with that pitch that you created. Reaching the right people is critical because not every reporter or every television station is the right fit for you and your book.
Become a Local News Fan
Your local news station is a great resource for promoting your book. Sure, sitting on Oprah’s set would be great, but let’s start with something more attainable. Every television market I’ve worked in has had a station that is interested in storytelling, sharing good news along with the bad and communicating the lives of the residents who live there. Every market also has a station that is more about concerned about crime and tragedy. Figure out the personality of each station in your community and you’ll have a better idea of which station might be interested in your story.
Determine your Beat
Your story likely falls under a beat. Whether it’s geographical (like the part of town you live in) or based on a topic (like education) you need to determine your beat. There is likely a reporter that specializes in that beat. For instance, the last beat I covered was for a growing community called Greer. I lived, eat and breathed Greer. If something happened in Greer, I wanted to know. Let’s say you were an author living in Greer with a great new book about how faith helped you deal with your daughter’s rare illness. Would I be interested in this story? Heck yes! Would my producers? It depends. If you were only willing to let me come to your book signing at the local Kmart, probably not. If you invited me into your home and let me meet your daughter then yes. If the story was aired on the same night you were planning a book signing, then even better because the story is now very timely.
Make Contacts
Members of the media are all over the place. They’re even on Twitter. Check out this wiki that lists journalists and media outlets using Twitter. Compiled by My Creative Team, the list is a great way to make a personal connection with a media outlet you want to target.
Research
There are plenty of other media outlets than just your local news station. Take some time to do a little bit of online research to find other Christian and secular media contacts. As long as you have developed your pitch and you know your focus, you have a great shot of getting some attention.
For part three of this series, we will look at how to be a great interview subject. This is something you will definitely need to know once you’ve secured your media coverage!
Tags: author, book, interviews, media, publicity, television
Posted by admin on Jan 15, 2009 in
Authors,
Marketing 
Tips for Getting in front of the TV Camera
Before I became a full-time writer I spent six years working as a television news reporter. I worked in newsrooms around the country, from California to Florida and several places in between. I’ve interviewed hundreds of people, reporting on everything from murders to movie premiers. I’ve read countless press releases and for six years of my life, I pitched stories on a daily basis. In this three part series I will share some of my knowledge with you about how to develop a story pitch, how to reach the right people, and how to be a great interview subject. Let’s start from the beginning– how to get media attention by developing a story pitch. Then we’ll tell you how to use that attention to your advantage.
Become an Expert
You wrote a book– that stands for something. Whether it’s a book on parenting or the history of the Scots-Irish, writing a book makes you an authority on that topic. Position yourself as an expert in your field. Journalists are always looking for experts on certain topics. Why can’t that be you? Take some time to write this down so you’ll be able to clearly communicate what your expertise covers.
Know What’s Going On
I know a lot of people don’t watch the news– too much violence and bad stuff, right? Your local news is likely a bit different. It’s important to know what’s going on in the community you are a part of. Keeping tabs on the big stories of the day will let you know if anything is happening that you (as an expert) can offer input or commentary on. If you see a story that falls into your field of expertise, let the television station know.
Develop a Story Idea
While the fact that you wrote a book is great and all, that act in itself is not interesting enough to make the 6:00 news. I know we’re all busy, but honestly– news reporters are INSANELY busy. Most people could not handle the day-to-day demands and stress that a news reporter faces. Not only do you have to be ready to go each morning with several viable new stories to pitch to your team of producers, but once your story is set you must find the right people to interview, shoot a stand-up, write teases, write the story, log your video, do a live shot and develop more ideas so you can do it all over again tomorrow. Oh, and you have to make sure you do it better and faster than the competition or you’ll get in trouble. With that being said, you will be welcomed with open arms if you already have a great story idea ready to pitch. To be honest, I always found it a little difficult to explain to someone not in the news business what makes something newsworthy. Keep these three characteristics in mind: Timely, emotional, interesting. Your story pitch must always be timely, but if it’s emotional and/or interesting as well, you have a much better shot of getting noticed.
Delivering Your Pitch
Now that I’ve explained what the day of a reporter includes, you can understand that they often don’t have long periods of time to discuss your story with you. Send your idea in the form of a press release directly to a reporter. If at all possible, don’t e-mail it to a general station address. If it’s health related, find out who handles the health beat. Does it have to do with schools or education? There’s likely a reporter that fields those stories, too. E-mail the reporter directly and include your contact information. Follow up after a day or two with another e-mail and possibly a short phone call. If you reach the reporter on the phone, ask if this is a good time to talk before launching into your pitch.
Being Timely
As I mentioned, being timely is crucial for getting coverage. Television stations are about bringing you the news that just happened or is happening. What is the peg that makes your story timely? Are you approaching an important anniversary? Is there a big event coming up that you are organizing? Is there a huge national news story that you can add upon? For instance, the economy is big news. Are you a dental hygienist making extra money because you self-published a book? Then try pitching your story as a way other people can make extra income.
Be Exclusive
One strategy to get attention is to try working with only one station to begin with. Let them know that they are the only crew you are working with. Television producers love exclusive stories. Sometimes this is a good idea because it encourages them to broadcast your story. Other times it backfires because rather than all of the stations covering you, you’re only getting attention from one. If you decide not be exclusive, but you get the attention of one television station, try phoning up another station, and let them know that Channel 8 is doing a piece on you. This may seem like a flashback to 7th grade, but sometimes that tiny bit of pressure works.
Know Your Story
Everybody has a story, but no one thinks they do. Usually it’s the reporter’s job to find it, but in order to get some attention, you can help them along. What is your story? And I’m not just talking about the book that you wrote. Get to the heart of your personal story by thinking about what motivates you, what your passion is and where your emotion comes from. Pretty soon someone will want to tell your story.
Photo Courtesy of Laffy4k
Tags: Authors, Marketing, publishing, story pitch, television story, writers
Posted by admin on Jan 14, 2009 in
Bestsellers,
News,
books Here are some of the highlights from the Publisher’s Weekly 2008 religious book charts:
Hardcover
* 47 different titles landed on the hardcover charts, but only two stayed there for more than ten months. Those were Joel Osteen’s Become a Better You (Free Press) and Emerson Eggerich’s Love & Respect (Thomas Nelson).
* Seven books made it to the #1 spot.
* Become a Better You stayed in the #1 spot the longest.
* Thomas Nelson lead among Publishers by having seven hardcover bestsellers on the charts in 2008.
Paperback
* Only 26 titles made up the available 120 bestselling slots for 2008.
* Richard Dawkins’ The God Delusion (Mariner Books) stayed on the list for 11 months.
* C.S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity (HarperOne) appeared on the list for 10 months.
* Christian romance authors Karen Kingsbury and Wanda E. Brunstetter had more bestsellers in 2008 than any other author, each with three.
* The Shack by William P. Young (Windblown Media) led the charts eight times.
Tags: Authors, bestseller, Christian publishing, Religious books, writing
Posted by admin on Jan 14, 2009 in
Authors,
Marketing 
Loosen up and be yourself!
Last year Christian publisher Ambassador International started e-mail marketing campaigns. The idea was to give our customers a more personal look at some of our authors with hopes that it would intrigue some of them to buy their books. We extended an invitation to our authors to write something about themselves and about their book. Our authors are incredible writers and can communicate God’s word beautifully– but we wondered if they would have a hard time getting personal with readers. So we created this list of tips to help authors write about their books in an engaging, personal way. Whether you’re writing a blog entry, sending out an e-mail or just telling people about your book, here are a few tips that will help you open up.
Write Like You Talk
Sure you’re an expert at grammar. You probably aced that class. But when it comes to letting people see the “real” you, make sure you write as simply and clearly as you speak. Even with the help of that word-a-day calendar we got for Christmas, you and I both use fairly simple words when we communicate verbally. Do the same when you’re writing. And always use first person.
Tell A Story
Did something happen to you recently that reminded you why you wrote your book? Were you encouraged or discouraged by an event that a lot of people might relate to? Try bringing together your personal life with your book and when people relate they’ll be more apt to want to read it.
Teach Something
People love learning new tidbits of information that they can bring up at the water cooler or share around the dinner table. Give them something to talk about. Use a shocking statistic or a crazy story to get them talking and soon they’ll be talking about your book.
Reveal Your Faults
We already know you’re not perfect. Nobody is, right? So don’t try to come across that way. Revealing a fault or something you’re struggling with makes you seem real to us and may intrigue us to read your book.
Make It Timely
Try tying a world event or a top news story into your book topic. Did you write about parenting? Find the big story of the day about something a mom in Chicago did. Is your book about finding peace with God? There’s plenty of stories about parts of the world fighting for peace. By tying your book to a current event it will seem more relevant.
Share Your Inspiration
Do you know how many people dream of writing a book? A lot. But you actually did it! Tell us why and how! What was your motivation and your inspiration? What kept you from giving up after page four? The topic of your book must mean a lot to you– now tell us why!
Photo courtesy of Nicolecolecole
Tags: Authors, book promotion, books, publishing, selling, writing
Posted by admin on Jan 12, 2009 in
Authors,
Marketing What if you did more than sell books– what if you created a movement? What if you sparked passions and inspired change by uniting people and lifting them up? It’s possible whether you’re a 350 year old scissor company or a newly published author. Geno Church from Brains on Fire, a marketing company using word-of-mouth advertising and identity development, has seven steps for creating a movement. The mission of Brains on Fire is to create fans for their clients, not just customers. I thought I’d share Geno’s message with you because this should be the goal of every author– to create a movement.
1. Movements are built on passion. You didn’t just write a book to kill some time. You wrote it because you have a passion for something, a burning desire to share your message (or God’s) with the world. The only fuel that can ignite a movement is that passion. Remember it, hold on to it and share it with others.
2. Movements have inspirational leadership. That leader is you because after all, no one will be more passionate about your book than you. (Except maybe your mom.) Use your leadership to create a place where people can share this passion.
3. Movements empower people with knowledge. Your book has a message. What is it? What does it teach readers? What do you want the world to know?
4. Movements encourage ownership. Take your passion to inspire others to create a chain of communication for your message. It’s not just about you, it’s about much more than you. Once you freely release your information, empower others to release it.
5. Movements make advocates and members feel like a rock star. Let them know they’re making a difference by joining your movement. Geno cited the Brains on Fire Fiskateers project for Fiskars scissors. Fiskateers receive unique engraved Fiskars scissors once they become a Fiskateer.
6. Movements have to be online and offline. This isn’t just about creating a blog or setting up a book signing. This about designing a plan with a purpose for reaching as many people as possible.
7. Movements move the needle. Don’t just do what’s always been done. Try something different!
Tags: Authors, books publishing, brains on fire, Marketing
