[00:00:00.070] - Al Hsu
The secret formula. If there's any kind of secret formula. Oh, yeah. Tell us the right author on the right topic with the right publisher or medium or format or whatever. To the right audience at the right cultural moment.
[00:00:18.990] - Clarissa Moll
There you have it. Writer friend. The secret formula for book publishing. But how do you actually make those stars align? How can you take the words you've written and shape them into a book that will reach the minds and hearts of your readers? Well, you need to understand publishing. Thankfully, that's what this episode is all about. Hi, I'm Clarissa Moll. And welcome to the Writerly Life brought to you by Hope Writers, the most encouraging place on the Internet for writers to make progress here at the Writerly Life, we help you expand your creativity, explore new techniques and express your hopefilled words in the world.
[00:01:01.050] - Clarissa Moll
We'll help you learn to balance the art of writing with the business of publishing and learn to hustle without losing heart. You have words and your words matter, and as you write them, you can be you boldly, bravely, maybe even a little scared. Sometimes you can be you in your writing life. Welcome to the show Friends. Lean in, grab a pen. Let's chat. Long ago, someone in your life may have told you you should write a book, or maybe you've always had dreams of seeing your words in print.
[00:01:39.130] - Clarissa Moll
However, you've come to the writing life, I'm guessing one of your writerly goals is to see your own book on the shelves of the local bookstore. But how do you get there? How do you go from a document on your computer to a finished product? Simply put, you need to navigate the business. Publishing. I can't think of anyone better to help us understand the wild and wonderful world of publishing. Then our special guest today, Al Hsu. In his career as an editor, Al has facilitated the publication of over 300 books, and as an author himself, he knows intimately the joys and struggles of the process.
[00:02:17.050] - Clarissa Moll
If you're ready for a nuts and bolts, honest conversation about how to publish your book, this episode will get you started. Lean in as Al tells us more in this Hope Writer's Tuesday teaching with host Emily P. Freeman.
[00:02:29.950] - Emily P. Freeman
Al, is there something you wish that first time authors knew? If you could sit down the first time authors or an author who was pitching a book proposal or preparing to pitch a book proposal? You were like, if they just knew this for these two things, what is it that you wish you could tell them?
[00:02:43.920] - Al Hsu
I often ask them what's your thing? What are you known for? What do other people affirm around you? You're really great at teaching these Bible studies. Oh, you're the expert in X topic. What is a thing? And especially if you can coin a phrase or create a new paradigm. If authors can say this is my approach. This is my thing slow Church culture making, whatever it is that helps give an idea legs.
[00:03:16.810] - Emily P. Freeman
Yeah, that's good. Okay. Let me ask you this with culture making Andy Crouch's first book.
[00:03:23.740] - Al Hsu
Yeah.
[00:03:24.730] - Emily P. Freeman
And so I wonder how he got to that right out of the gate, because I think sometimes for some of us, it just takes time to discover that thing.
[00:03:34.270] - Al Hsu
And in his case, he had been a writer, a columnist for Tricia Today, editor for Regeneration Quarterly. He had been doing cultural work for 810 years, and then he had specifically been speaking on the themes that would become culture making for at least three, four or five years. And part of it was he needed to write the book because other people were picking up on his ideas. And it's like, you need to write your own book because otherwise somebody else is going to take this and make it theirs and won't give you credit.
[00:04:06.850] - Al Hsu
I also encourage authors in the fullness of time when the time is right. Sometimes it is a long obedience of working at something, doing something out of your Ministry, out of whatever it is that you are doing. And then ideas coalesce, you workshop things, you speak here, you write there, you do some articles. Jeff going always says write ten articles before you write a book. If you're testing the material that doesn't hurt a book proposal, it actually strengthens it. To say, I've gotten known in these circles on this topic.
[00:04:45.200] - Al Hsu
I got this response to this workshop, whatever it is, because really, a book is not the place to try out a new idea. In some ways, you want the book to be the fruition of stuff that you've been already developing and working on. Yeah, you will, of course, find out more as you write the book, right. We do write to discover and to learn. And now I know what I mean now that I've got it on paper.
[00:05:14.170] - Emily P. Freeman
No, that's excellent. I'm so glad you brought up two things. The first was the fact that Andy Crops, though that was his first book. It was not his first foray into this topic. It's actually like, oh, no, someone else is going to do this. It's time. I need to do this now. So he had been working towards this amusing. And I love that. The second thing was he said, this will not hurt your book proposal. So I want to ask you, Al, in all honesty, is there anything a writer could do that would hurt their book proposal?
[00:05:45.170] - Emily P. Freeman
If there was work they were writing on or something they were speaking on and you're like, oh, if only you hadn't done that, we might publish this book. Is there anything like that or. No.
[00:05:55.550] - Al Hsu
I mean, the red flags that we see sometimes are when a book is too general, somebody says the place in the proposal. What do you compare this book to? It would be like the purpose driven life and the next. And Lamont must be nice. If you think your book is for everybody, it's probably for nobody.
[00:06:16.350] - Emily P. Freeman
There you go.
[00:06:16.840] - Al Hsu
It's better to have a targeted audience in mind saying who is my primary center audience? Obviously, we can have different people over the shoulder readers and whatnot? But I like to see a focused sense of here's the uniqueness of the book, the specificity of the audience and intended reader, and also an awareness of how does it contribute? What's different? What's missing in the marketplace? How does this serve in a new way?
[00:06:47.630] - Emily P. Freeman
What about in terms of a writer? Let's say they know what they're saying is they have a message and they would love to have a book about it, but they're still sort of getting their work out there. Is there any point at which you would say, Stop sharing this all and put this in the book instead? Is it possible to share too much? I guess.
[00:07:05.530] - Al Hsu
Yeah. Some people send us a book proposal that's just compiled blog posts or articles they've written and say, no. I want to see more than that. I want to see value added beyond what you've already posted online. Sometimes the question is, is this a book or is it an article? Sometimes people don't have a book's worth of content. They have a few good ideas, and he played out in a few articles, but then it sort of runs out of steam. And so for it to be book worthy, I want to make sure that the author has thought through what is the full story arc of the book?
[00:07:46.130] - Al Hsu
Here's the questions the reader has here's where you're taking them from question to answer, from problem to solution, especially in an age of every sort of social media, digital, everything I need to see, at least for a book proposal that you're providing more than what people can just Google get a quick article on.
[00:08:11.590] - Clarissa Moll
I so appreciate that practical guidance from L. If we're honest, that sounds like a lot of work. And if you're a newbie navigating, the publishing world can feel like additional overwhelm. Thankfully, it doesn't need to be that way. Writers love to spend time on content creation. Because of our focus on the art of writing, we may initially find the world of publishing confusing and mysterious. It can be challenging to find a clear explanation of the process of nonfiction book publishing without chasing rabbit trails across the Internet.
[00:08:47.410] - Clarissa Moll
What happens first? Who are the main players at Hope Riders? We want to help you avoid hours of Googling for the right information. Hope Writers chatted with Alex Field, literary agent and owner of the literary agency The Bindery. To learn from his expertise on the process of publishing, he gave us an overview of the eight steps to traditional publication, from idea to contract. These are the steps you can expect. Step One write a book proposal. A book proposal is a business plan for your book. It typically includes a summary and outline of the book, a description of your target audience, information about you as an author, and a marketing plan for nonfiction.
[00:09:33.340] - Clarissa Moll
It will include at least three sample chapters. Fiction writers typically complete a full manuscript first and may have an abbreviated version of a book proposal. Step Two Query literary Agents research literary agents, or ask fellow writers for recommendations based on your genre. When you find an agent who feels like a good fit, craft a query letter to introduce yourself and your book concept as an agent who receives query letters weekly, Alex says, Be clear, not clever when it comes to your query letter. Step Three Revise your Book Proposal Once you've found an agent, they'll likely want to spend time revising your book proposal or manuscript before taking further steps.
[00:10:20.710] - Clarissa Moll
Agents are experts in the field of publishing and have insider information on what publishers look for in a book. Their advice will be invaluable as you revise and pursue publishing. Step Four Pitch your book to publishers. Once your book proposal or manuscript is revised, your agent will send it to Editors at various publishing houses. Based on their experience, your agent will know which Editors and publishers are a good fit for your work. This begins a period of waiting to hear back, which may take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.
[00:10:57.910] - Clarissa Moll
Step Five Interest from Editors If an editor is interested in your work and believes it's a good fit for their publishing house, they'll discuss your proposal with members of their editorial team. This is only one step in the editorial review process. If the team agrees a book is worth pursuing, it will move to the next step. Step Six Presentation to the publishing board. The interested editor will take your proposal to a publishing board meeting along with the editorial team. This meeting also includes the publisher, other Editors, and, most importantly, the marketing team.
[00:11:36.190] - Clarissa Moll
This step evaluates the financial risk associated with your book. If the team believes a book is worth the monetary risk, they'll craft an offer and send it to your agent. Authors and agents are not invited to these meetings. That's why it's so important to have a solid book proposal to represent you and your book in the room. Step Number seven receive an offer. If the publishing board wants to buy your book, your agent will receive the proposed contract from the interested editor and pass it along to you.
[00:12:09.430] - Clarissa Moll
If you receive multiple offers from multiple publishers, yes, this can happen. Your agent will help you negotiate and decide which publishing house is right for you. Once you reach a decision, you're ready for the final step in the process. Step Eight Sign and Celebrate Get your pen and your camera ready. You'll want to celebrate the moment you sign your name on your first publishing contract. We celebrate with our members in the Hope Writers Facebook Group every time they share about signing a contract. We began this episode by asking, how do I publish a book?
[00:12:45.990] - Clarissa Moll
And we've charted a simple course to publication. Of course, every journey has bumps along the way. But as you prepare your idea in advance, like Al recommended and do the necessary work, we're convinced you'll be able to take your words on paper and turn them into the book you've always wanted to write. You have a message to share and a reader to serve, and a book may be your next right way to serve your community.
[00:13:12.130] - Al Hsu
All of us. As writers emerge out of certain communities, we have our peeps. We have certain tribes, whether that's a denomination or Ministry network or Redbud or whatever it might be. You have certain communities and that community amplifies your voice and you follow networks and opportunities. Speaking, writing, whatever it might be, one opportunity leads to another. And so that kind of platform looks differently. For an academic platform might be academic conferences and Ministry leaders are doing Ministry things. So the question is, what is your platform? And then what are the natural networks and opportunities that you have to build it?
[00:13:58.060] - Al Hsu
Follow that wherever it goes.
[00:13:59.800] - Clarissa Moll
If this episode was helpful to you, just imagine how helpful the entire hourlong interview with Al Hsu would be. Every week, copriders members have access to a new 1 hour Tuesday teaching with agents, publishers, social media, strategists, and Editors like Al Hsu. Hope Writers helps you make progress in your writing life, whether you're writing blogs or articles on social media or in a book. If you want to be serious about your words and your reader, we're here for you for writing tips and encouragement. Find us on Instagram at Hopewriters or at our public Facebook page.
[00:14:36.350] - Clarissa Moll
Hope Writers Community Last a final word from author Margaret Atwood. Publishing a book is like stuffing a note into a bottle and hurling it into the sea. You never know who your readers might be. You never know who your readers might be. What an exciting possibility as you work on your book project or begin to entertain the idea of publishing, be assured there are those who need to read the words you write. Your commitment to putting your writing out into the world will bear fruit as your readers connect with your hopefilled words.
[00:15:12.190] - Clarissa Moll
Thanks for listening, writer Friend as you step into this week, remember to keep writing your words matter, we can't wait to read them. If you found this episode of The Writerly Life helpful, be sure to hit subscribe and tell your friends read and review the show and like and comment, if you're tuning in on YouTube, your reviews help others know you found the content helpful. See you next week.
