Want to avoid the slush-pile and give your book the head-start it deserves? Top publishers and literary agents are receiving up to 1000 manuscripts per week. They reject around 95% of these without so much as reading them. Continue Reading

Are you killing your chances stone dead before your book even lands on an agent’s or publisher’s desk? In all likelihood, you probably are. Top agents and publishers are getting in the region of 1000 submissions per week. They’re taking on less than 5% of these books. Continue Reading

The average reader spends less than eight seconds looking at the front cover of a book. An agent or publisher spends even less time on the front cover of a manuscript. Continue Reading

The impact of a bestselling title on book sales can be little short of dynamite. Top titles create anticipation, excitement and enthusiasm. They express the passion of your message. They connect emotionally with your reader. Continue Reading

Writers are often taken by surprise when they’re asked for a “detailed marketing plan” before a publisher has even taken them on.

It’s a skill worth developing – as many successful authors write their marketing plans before they even set pen to paper.

In Part 1 of my article, you learned how to get started with a marketing plan for your book. Today, you’ll be finding out how to complete it. Continue Reading

Increasingly, agents and publishers are asking authors to help with the marketing of their books.

Many writers are taken by surprise when they receive a request for a “detailed marketing plan” – often before an agent has even taken them on.

Don’t be daunted. Treat this as an opportunity rather than a hurdle. Many successful authors draw up a marketing plan before they even start work on their book. Continue Reading