Tough as it may be to swallow, this IS sound advice for novelists–though I do wonder how many agents are likely to take an actual marketing plan seriously at the query stage. The prevailing wisdom is to only make mention in the query that one understands their market (a paragraph). This may be because assistants and interns are screening most queries, and marketing is the least of things at this stage.

I think, though, that an author with a plan in place when an agent asks to see their full manuscript may well be regarded as an even more attractive client.

So many writers whine about how “unfair” it is that they must subvert their art in order to play the publishing “game.” Interestingly, I found that taking both my art and the business of publishing seriously was the formula for success.

Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing ™: I’ve found that by developing a marketing plan, you actually get to find out if you have enough of a market to warrant publishing the book in the first place—assuming you’d like to make some money. In my posting about memoir writing, Rage-Writing as Memoir. Is it a Book, a Blog or just BS?, I weighed whether to write a book about Bela Szigethy v. Lynne W. Scanlon, a nightmarish legal situation in which I took a relentless pounding from a very rich guy for three or four years, all of which culminated in a trial by jury. The numbers and markets in my marketing plan did not warrant writing the book–yet. Yes, it is critical to sit down and work through a plan.

Ask them what the print run is. Ask them what their marketing plan is so you can dovetail. Ask. Ask. Ask. And tell them what you are lining up for personal marketing and promotion. They’ll like that. It will encourage them.

You are not a second-class citizen, hat in hand. You’ve written a book that they are supposed to market. How they do it and even if they plan to do it, is something you need to know. Now.

You are not being a pest by calling them. You need to be involved. They will respect that.

And… it is easier to find an agent if you have a book already placed. Just cut a stronger deal between the agent and you with less of a percentage for the agent because he didn’t do the hard work of placing your book.

I have not told my publisher about my second book, for two reasons: (1) I’d like to see if I can get representation before I broker a deal for a new contract, and (2) I’m not sure if I want to offer it to them.

Do you (or any of your readers) have any suggestions?

Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing: Begin by doing a search for ”how to write a book proposal” and “how to write a marketing plan” on the Internet. Adapt what you find to your book. It doesn’t matter whether your book is fiction or nonfiction. The point is to “think” like an agent or a publisher when you develop the marketing plan and do their research for them.  

Publishing houses take on books all the time w/o an author’s marketing plan. The editors guestimate the market based on their experience (such as it is), edit your book, and then pass it on to the marketing department who, based on their knowledge (such as it is), GO THROUGH THE STANDARD MOTIONS of launching your book:

1. Send out a few hundred copies to the usual suspects, who, as often as not, are addressed as “Book Reviewer” on the mailing label.

2. Put a small photo of your book jacket and a few lines of promo in the quarterly catalog.

The smaller the advance, the less individual attention is paid to your book by the marketing & promotion department.

If you can get the publishing house to commit in writing on your contract (like I did with St. Martin’s Press) to a dollar amount for marketing & promotion, you’ll know how important your book is to them, and that they expect to sell more than a few thousand copies. Track the expenditures to make sure the publishing house follows through on its commitment.

If you supply the research and spoon-feed the marketing department your ideas, your names, even your mailing labels, believe me, your efforts will pay off. Just make it easy for them, and be nice about it. (Don’t be one of those authors who annoy and harass the marketing department. That is a very, very dangerous thing to do if you want a successful book. Mark my words.)

The marketing department is a nightmarishly busy place. And no, one, repeat, no one, cares about your book more than you do.

Why are books published, shipped and yet remain virtually unknown to the reading public? Read my post about Barnes & Noble Books (January archive) and the attitude toward quantity-of-sales for an individual book. I also address this situation in my posting about work-for-hire.

Thanks for dropping by!

Are you saying that a good marketing plan is a necessary prerequisite before a book will even be considered for acquisition?

Is the answer is yes, then how do you explain the fact that most books are published, shipped, and yet remain virtually unknown to the reading public?

Publishers know in advance which books they acquire that they are going to frontlist and promote, the rest receive no advertsing or promotion from the publisher, and in most cases the writer doesn’t have the time, resources, or expertise to do much to effectively promote their book.

Still, even knowing this, the publishers publish these books.

Truman Capote: A boy has to peddle his book.

Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing: I swiped these quotes from John Baker’s website!

The tour was excellent though. Each speaking event led to a more high profile engagement as I built a reputation and made contacts. I was delighted to wind up my tour speaking at the Egan Institute for Maritime Studies on Nantucket Island before packed house with a really warm introduction from Nathaniel Philbrick, author of In the Heart of the Sea. I sold every book on the island that day and the next.

I also sought reimbursment from my US publisher for a direct mail campaign to the 100 bookstores belonging to the Council of American Maritime Museums. They wouldn’t loosen the purse strings, so I shelled out for that as well. I sent each store a poster, a letter and a Rodale order form. Good luck being THEIR publisher’s pet; you’d have to write another South Beach Diet. I had a much better experience with my publisher in Canada, Knopf, which was delighted to pay for plane fares and a direct mail campaign.

I do agree with Lynne, having both a marketing plan and the will to flog my book could have made the difference when it was time for my publishers to sign the contract.

Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing: There’s a rumor afoot that Rigel’s book is under serious consideration for the Atlantic Canadian literary award for nonfiction! This is the calibre of writer who needs to be able to make a living from publishing so he can continue to ply his trade. Shame on Rodale–so shortsighted.