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How Will I Know?

March 11, 2021-I’m really enjoying the variety of questions that are coming in from our readers, and I hope that you are too! We’ll continue the topic of answering your most asked questions about writing, being an author, self-publishing, and more. Here is the question of the day:

Q: “I’ve been working on my manuscript for a year and a half, it’s a middle-grade novel, and I think I’m finally finished it…or maybe I’m not…every time I look at it, I feel like editing it again from the beginning. How will I know when my manuscript is ready to be submitted to a publisher for consideration?

A: This is a great question! It’s a bit complicated, so let’s try to simplify the answer. It’s totally normal to obsess over every single detail in your book whether it be the very first line or the complexity of the plot or characters. My advice is that after about four drafts, you should stop obsessing. Also, if you’re finding that your changes are making the story worse and not better, it’s time to stop editing and start submitting for publication. For myself, I know my manuscript is completed when I can’t stand to look at it one more time; I’m sick of working on it, I don’t want to read one more word or do one more draft. Only submit your manuscript once everything is wrapped up with a bow and all of the readers questions are answered; don’t leave anything incomplete when it comes to the plot or storyline. Most authors will just know that their manuscript is ready, it’s a gut instinct. Sounds cliché, but it’s true! Only you will know when your manuscript is ready to be submitted. Be sure to check the submission guidelines and follow them explicitly. Usually, these can be found online on the publisher’s website that you will be querying. I can’t tell you how many manuscripts I’ve rejected on the basis of the author not following the correct procedure while submitting, don’t let this happen to you!

Our submission guidelines can be found here: Contact Info/Submission Guidelines – Pandamonium Publishing House and here are some additional resources should you need help: Mini-Course Crafting the Perfect Query – Pandamonium Publishing House    Advice From a Publisher (Insider Secrets for Getting Your Work Published!) An Amazon Best Seller – Pandamonium Publishing House

 

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Money, Money, Money, Money, Money

March 10, 2021– All throughout March, we’re answering your most asked questions when it comes to publishing, writing, and everything in between! We hope you’re enjoying our posts so far, we have tons more to talk about. Let’s answer the question of the day:

Q: “Is it possible to make a living writing books? How much money can I expect to make as an author?”

A: The short answer is yes and the sky is the limit. But, we must remember that nothing comes without hard work, dedication, and perseverance. It is definitely possible to make a living writing books. The more books you sell, the more money you make of course, and it’s advisable to write multiple books to increase your sales as well. But, writing a book is the easy part in some respects, the hard work comes after. I’m not simplifying the process that goes into writing a book by any means, I’m just saying that selling and marketing your book(s) are when the real work begins!  Personally, I’m very thankful that I have a business background in marketing, advertising, consumer neuroscience, consumer neuromarketing, and crafting viral and contagious content. Without this experience, I don’t think that I would have the tools that I need to properly market our books to reach our readers. Having a business background is  an essential part of being and author and publisher/self-publisher. I would recommend either getting educated in the space of book marketing etc. or hiring a company such as ours, to help you. It can be a daunting task and if you don’t have a business education, then you need to enlist the experts. That also goes for the authors who are traditionally published. Gone are the days where the traditional publisher does everything on behalf of the author. The truth is, unless you are extremely well known (think Stephen King, James Patterson, and the like), your publisher is less likely to sink major dollars into a marketing campaign for your book. That means that you have to put the work in! As for how much money you can expect to make as an author, the answer as said before, the sky is the limit. A well marketed and excellent book/series can earn more than enough to cover your bills and monthly expenses. Some people are able to quit their day jobs and spend their full time writing for a living. Self-published authors especially, have no cap on their income because they earn and keep 100% of their profits.

I know that was a long way around to get the answer, but I hope I answered it to your satisfaction!

If you’d like more information about the services that we can provide, check us out here: Course: Get Your Book Noticed and Increase Your Sales – Pandamonium Publishing House or send us an email to pandapublishing8@gmail.com for a personalized quote based on your specific needs.

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This or That?

March 9, 2021– We’re continuing to answer your questions this month! All through March, we’ll explore the subjects you care about. To submit your question, send us an email to pandapublishing8@gmail.com. Let’s dive in to today’s question!

Q: “I’m a novice writer and I’ve had a couple of pieces published in some magazines that I subscribe to. I’ve decided to take the leap and write a novel. I adore mysteries and romance, but I’m not sure which one to choose to write my novel about. Can you help me decide?”

A: First off, congratulations on being published! That’s fantastic and no small feat, you should be very proud of yourself. As for helping you decide what to write about, I’m afraid I won’t be of much use in helping you answer that question; writing is a very personal thing and only you can decide for yourself. I will tell you that your heart has to be in it and that if you aren’t authentic, it will not only disappoint your readers, but you’ll disappoint yourself with trying to force something that you’re just not that in to. But, what if you combine the two things that you love to read about, you’d have a sub genre of what we call cozy romance. Here is the definition of  a cozy romance according to the Huffington Post: Cozies are fun to read! Murderers in cozy mysteries are generally intelligent, rational, articulate people, and murders are pretty much bloodless and neat. Violence and sex are low-key and supporting background characters bring comic relief to the story. Plus there is/are romantic interest(s) and interlude(s) between characters. A lot of cozy romances are set during holidays such as Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Halloween, and so on. This sub genre is one of my most favourite to read when I need a break from my usual stuff that’s a bit heavier. Here are a few fun statistics for you about the cozy romance market share:
Cozy Romance Novel Sales in 2020
* $1.1 billion That’s roughly one-fifth of all adult-fiction sales.
* 46 percent of romance consumers read at least one book per week. In comparison, the typical American reads five books a year.
Cozy Romance Readers At A Glance:
*Age 30-54
*College/University-educated
*Average Income $55K
*Relationship Status 59 percent are coupled, 84 percent are women, 16 percent are men
*Romance readers are more likely than the general population to be currently married or living with a partner.

I know that perhaps all of this info didn’t really answer your question. The point is to write what you love! And as cliché as it sounds, write the book that you want to see on the shelf. If you want to take your writing to the next level, check out our classes here: Best-Seller Bootcamp – Pandamonium Publishing House  Children’s Book Writing Master Class – Pandamonium Publishing House

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Start, Stop, Never Finish

March 8, 2021– We’ve got a great question today that seems to plague a lot of authors! Let’s dive right in:

Q: “I’m a new writer with a ton of ideas and a very active imagination. I have (no exaggeration) hundreds of story starters which help me write a few chapters, but then my writing fizzles out. I can never seem to finish what I start! This includes not only writing, but hobbies, crafts, and classes. Please help!”

A: I hear this a lot, so you are not alone. It’s wonderful that you have so many story starters; sometimes starting a novel is difficult, but it sounds like the ending is the hardest part in your case. Ask yourself the following questions:

  1. Are you writing yourself into a corner? Sometimes what happens is that we write ourselves into a corner. What this means is that we write with no clear direction and we end up hitting a dead end with no where else to go. Outlining can provide you with a specific plan that allows you to know everything you need to know about your story to keep writing.
  2. Are you outlining? Outlining, as mentioned above, allows us to know what happens in our story in regards to characters, character developments, plot, climax, and all of the elements of our book. Without outlining, we don’t have a target. And you can’t hit a target that you can’t see!
  3. Are you setting a specific time to write each day? Sitting down to write every single day is a discipline that takes dedication. Carving out time in your schedule to get the words on the page is the best way to ensure that you finish your work. If you’re having a hard time starting, set a timer to write for ten minutes.
  4. Are you beginning with the end in mind? I’ve never written a book where I didn’t have a clear picture of how it ended. If you don’t write with the end in mind, you’re more likely to get stuck and not finish what you’ve started. Some writers like to have their characters tell them what to write, but I prefer to direct them to where I want them to go.
  5. Are you remembering your past successes? Sometimes we can be discouraged when we write and feel as though we’re getting nowhere. But, take a second when you’re feeling low to remember all of your past successes and everything that you’ve finished! You can do this, you just need to get organized and excited to write!

If you’ve answered these questions and you’re still having trouble with finishing your work, we can help! Send us an email to pandapublishing8@gmail.com for more information and check out my number 1, best selling book here: Advice from a Publisher (Insider Tips for Getting Your Work Published!): Bakker, Lacey L., Goubar, Alex: 9781989506141: Books – Amazon.ca

 

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Virtually Visiting

March 5, 2021-As we continue to answer your most asked questions this month, you’ll see that some of them are relevant to what is going on currently during the pandemic. These questions need to be discussed because we must find ways to connect with our readers using innovative ideas and technology. As the world opens up again, some things will never be the same as they were and we won’t know what those things are until much later. Here is the question of the day:

Q: “I’m getting discouraged with not being able to go into schools to read my new children’s book to students! How do I book speaking events for my book during the pandemic?”

A: This is a great question and I admire your tenacity to continue to get your book out there and into the hands of your readers even during a global crisis and to connect with them in a meaningful way. Thankfully we have lots of technological options when it comes to staying in touch virtually. I would say that you should approach each school individually, starting in your area, to see if you can schedule a Zoom/Google Hangouts/Microsoft Teams and even Facetime where you can read your book to the class and do the same things that you would do as if you were sitting in front of the students in a classroom. Be sure to have excellent discussion questions and show the teacher how much value you  provide in terms of being a guest author. Perhaps you could even mail a signed copy of your book to the school for their library collection or you could send over digital files that the teacher could print to be used as colouring pages, word searches, or other reading activities that go with your book.  Also, we are fortunate because technology allows us to connect with our readers globally! I’ve done virtual book readings for children in the United Kingdom, the US, and South America. The sky is the limit for reaching kids and their classrooms.

Personally, I think that if this pandemic has taught us anything, it’s not only to be grateful for what we have, to appreciate the little things (like visiting family, going out to dinner, and coffee dates with friends), but it’s also allowed us to get creative when it comes to connecting with others.

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When Am I Ready?

March 4, 2021- Today’s question from an author is something that I get asked a lot. Follow us all this month as I dig into reader’s questions and answer them from the perspective of fellow author and publisher. You can send us your questions to pandapublishing8@gmail.com. Let’s dig in!

Q:“I’ve always wanted to write a mystery novel because I love to read them! But I don’t think that I’ve got what it takes yet. There’s still a ton I need to do before I could ever think of sitting down to write my own book. When will I know when I’m ready?”

A: Thanks for your question. When would be a good time to write your mystery novel? Now. Now. Now. Do it, get started, who cares if you don’t have all the details or your ducks in a row, get going! Let me ask you this, have you always been an expert in everything you’ve ever tried to do? What about the first time you learned to ride a bike? Did you pick it up instantly and flawlessly? Probably not. But you tried, and practiced, and fell off, and got back on, until eventually, you were successful! You didn’t know the mechanics of bike riding or what muscles needed to be activated for balance and forward motion, but you did it anyway, so what in the world is stopping you now? I’ll tell you what it is. Fear. Because as soon as you write anything for publication, you’re immediately vulnerable. You’ll have some people that won’t like your work, but who cares? The point is that you’re about to do something that you’ve always wanted to do and that’s pretty special! It doesn’t matter if you’ve got all the details yet, beginning anything even when we aren’t ready, gives us momentum to move forward. Think of it this way, have you ever driven at night? The headlights on your truck only allow you to see a couple hundred feet in front of you, but as soon as you start moving, the light reveals another few hundred feet, and another few hundred feet until you finally arrive at your destination. You don’t have to see the whole road, just turn on the truck and start driving! The same goes for writing, starting is always the hardest part, but as soon as we commit to it, we’ll never turn back; it’s an addiction, a calling, an obsession. The fact is, no one is ever ready. But wouldn’t you rather see what happens than never try at all and spend the rest of your life wondering what could have been? If you need help, bring in the experts, but you don’t need to do that to begin; all you need is to put your fingers on the keyboard or pen to paper. Start writing now.

If you need help with your writing, check out some of our classes here: Best-Seller Bootcamp – Pandamonium Publishing House,  Children’s Book Writing Master Class – Pandamonium Publishing House

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Marketing is King

March 3, 2021- As we continue to wade through the theme of this month of answering your most asked questions, we have one that comes up time and again over the years, consistently. Here it is:

Q: “I wrote a book last year and have had no traction with it meaning sales have been non-existent. How important is marketing /advertising when it comes to writing a book?

A: A great question! First off, congratulations on finishing your book, a lot of people don’t even come close to that step, so hats off to you. I always say that it’s one thing to write a book, but it’s quite another to sell it! Marketing is ESSENTIAL to selling your book and the success of it. There’s a quote that says, “Writing a book without marketing is like winking at your crush in the dark. You know what you’re doing, but no one else does.” Marketing is something that allows your customers and potential customers to find you, your books, and your upcoming projects.

The key is to start marketing your book before it is even published because we know it takes an average of 7 times for someone to see an ad or promotional piece or online post before they even notice; it takes even more times for them to do something about what they’ve seen. We recommend marketing your book 2-3 months before it launches.

Marketing books can include everything from press releases, reader reviews, handouts, direct mail, social media posts /ads, and more. This is the tip of the iceberg with what we do for marketing our titles and the titles of our clients, we also sprinkle in some consumer neuroscience and neuromarketing best practices to round things out. Please remember that marketing only works if you do. Like everything else in life, you don’t get what you wish for, you get what you work for.

Advertising is something that I don’t love to sink money into. I think that people are already bombarded by ads all over the place and that they can simply tune them out at this point. To prove it, ask yourself what was the company last advertised on your Facebook feed and what were they selling? If you can answer this question, you’re better than most at paying attention. With all of the incessant noise online, it’s hard to find a voice for your book through typical ways of advertising. I prefer word of mouth and I’ll give you another quote, “Advertising is what you pay for, word of mouth is what you pray for.”

Word of mouth is the best form of advertising that you can get! People trust other people to recommend things that they should buy, movies they should see, restaurants that they should eat at, and the list goes on. That’s why providing an excellent product and providing your customers with a great experience should be at the top of your list.

I could write a book on Marketing your books, and perhaps I will, but there’s not enough room in this post to cover everything that needs to be done to sell your book and how to effectively market it.

So, to put it plainly, Marketing is an essential practice for success in your writing and selling your book. If you need help with marketing your book or even figuring out where to start, we can help! Send us an email to pandapublishing8@gmail.com for a price quote and more information or check us out here: Course: Get Your Book Noticed and Increase Your Sales – Pandamonium Publishing House