One Day Only: Publishing Toolkit is 50% off!

The Business of Books is the epitome of a small business: two friends and former colleagues sharing their experience and knowledge to help burgeoning authors realize their publishing dreams. From the beginning, we’ve relied on word-of-mouth recommendations to generate clients and fill our classes. We’d like to give back to our community on Small Business Saturday by offering our ever-popular Publishing Toolkit at 50% off: $49, instead of $99. This happens just once a year, and it’s Saturday, November 26, 2016.

In case you’re new to our services, the Publishing Toolkit is your best DIY resource on your path to publication. It’s an organized, comprehensive PDF of 100-plus pages of our insider intel to help you get published. This essential resource includes step-by-step instructions on how to craft a book proposal that will make agents and editors sit up and take notice, as well as an overview of important contract points, advances and royalties, how to create an author platform, and more. You’ll find worksheets and exercises to get the creativity flowing. It even includes two sample proposals to use as templates! Our clients rave about it.

Buy it as a meaningful gift for yourself or for any writer in your life. Just remember to buy it on Saturday! We’ll post the PayPal link here, on Facebook and Twitter on Saturday morning!

#shopsmall

Advertisement

Kerry goes to Mexico! Publishing Toolkit goes on sale!

Summer is wrapping up and it’s likely your thoughts are turning to fall, sweaters, and books (hopefully your own!). Meanwhile, some exciting news is happening here at BoB headquarters. Kerry has decided to relocate to Merida, Mexico, with her family from September 2016–June 2017. She plans to learn Spanish (or at least her kids will!), travel, experience a new culture, and work on her own writing.

But do not fear! Even though she’s freaking out about Kerry’s run for the border, Jen will be holding down the BoB fort here in Seattle, and our popular 2-on-1 proposal reviews will still be available. If you’ve been considering this service, be sure to book early, as our availability may be a bit more limited. If you’d like to know more about these reviews, click here. (FYI: Jen will be teaching an author platform class as part of the Seattle Public Library’s Seattle Writes program on September 17 and December 10. More on those free workshops here.)

We’d also like to get you back in the swing of proposal progress by giving you a special offer. Our essential Publishing Toolkit is 100-plus pages of insider intel, including all sorts of publishing information, worksheets, key book contract info, marketing and author platform advice, and two complete proposals to use as templates. It is the best possible DIY guide for whipping your proposal into shape, and we recommend it to anyone planning to pitch a book. Until Sept. 15, we’re offering the Toolkit as a downloadable PDF for $69.

It’s rare that we put our $99 Toolkit on sale, so don’t miss the window—click here to order!

Wouldn’t you like to have Jen and Kerry in a binder?

Did you know you could get all of our publishing insight and guidance in one crisp white binder? It’s true!

The Business of Books’ Publishing Toolkit made its debut last year to rave reviews. Chock-full of information on researching your idea, developing the key sections of a proposal, honing your submission list, sending out your proposal, and navigating contracts and the business of publishing, the Toolkit is a resource that can stand in for us and keep you focused and inspired. As one attendee said, “The toolkit has been extremely informative and helpful. It is an anchor that I’ll refer to again and again.”

We’re excited to share this material with other burgeoning authors, namely you. The Publishing Toolkit is $99 plus shipping. This binder provides 100+ pages of insider information and includes worksheets and two actual proposals (rarely seen outside of publishing circles) to guide you on your path to publication. Click here to purchase the Publishing Toolkit through PayPal, or email us at jenandkerry@gmail.com if you have questions. Write on!

30 Days to a Winning Book Proposal Intensive Workshop Scheduled for 5/18

With our wildly effective proposal intensive, let 2013 be the year that you get a sweet publishing deal! Back by popular demand, we are offering our highly rated 30 Days to a Winning Book Proposal course. We are offering a full-day workshop on Saturday, May 18. We created this intensive program to illuminate each step of the book proposal process, breaking it down into an easy-to-follow 30-day plan. We will cover every aspect of the development process, detail how to write various components, and provide “homework” so you can move your proposal forward efficiently on your own. You’ll leave with a plan for an on-point proposal, ready to send to publishers or agents.

Included in this results-oriented workshop is the Publishing Toolkit: A Hands-on Resource for Burgeoning Authors. This binder is filled with all the notes and materials to develop your successful proposal from start to finish—including step-by-step advice, helpful exercises and worksheets, key information on creating a targeted submission list, and real sample proposals that have sold to publishers.

During this all-day workshop, learn how to build your proposal with a successfully proven 4-part program:

Part 1: Research & Refine Your Idea
Develop a winning book idea that will rise out of the slush pile. You will:

• Hone a viable nonfiction or fiction idea
• Learn how to research the marketplace and competition
• Brainstorm formats
• Develop a publisher and agent wish list

Part 2: Sell Your Book—and Yourself
Create a killer author platform and marketing plan that will demand attention. You will:

• Uncover the many strengths and attributes that you can bring to the table as an author
• Learn how to leverage social media and other venues to build a strong platform
• Brainstorm a robust and creative marketing plan for your title

(At this point in the day, you’ll have an hour to grab lunch on your own.)

Part 3: Craft Compelling Copy
Focus your proposal with a great title and introduction, and reel in editors and agents with compelling text. You will:

• Develop a strong opening pitch
• Learn how to create a complete, detailed outline and on-point sample text

Part 4: Submit Your Proposal
Lastly, create a savvy final package and target the right publisher. Learn how to:

• Draft an arresting query letter
• Develop your submission list for agents or publishers
• Discover the pros and cons of self-publishing
• Get a basic grasp of advances and royalties
• Put the final touches on your proposal submission.

Here are the details:
Saturday, May 18, 9:30am-5pm
Hotel 1000, 1000 First Ave., Seattle
$299
Register now

Our “30 Days to a Winning Book Proposal” Workshop: What’s It All About?

If you’ve been around us in the past year, you’ve probably heard us talking up 30-day program for creating your book proposal. But what you may not know is what it entails. Far be it from us to assume so we thought we’d break down what exactly we do in our all-day workshop.

First of all, let’s say right up front that you’ll leave with a clear plan for a proposal that publishers and agents want. In a recent workshop, we had someone say, “I went from feeling doomed to feeling excited.” She was excited because she could break down the process into doable chunks and she could see a light at the end of her publishing dream tunnel. Here’s how it works. During our all-day workshop, learn how to build your proposal with a doable 4-part program:

Part 1: Research & Refine Your Idea
Develop a winning book idea that will rise out of the slush pile. You will:

• Hone a viable nonfiction or fiction idea
• Learn how to research the marketplace and competition
• Brainstorm formats
• Develop a publisher and agent wish list

Part 2: Sell Your Book—and Yourself
Create a killer author platform and marketing plan that will demand attention. You will:

• Uncover the many strengths and attributes that you can bring to the table as an author
• Learn how to leverage social media and other venues to build a strong platform
• Brainstorm a robust and creative marketing plan for your title

Part 3: Craft Compelling Copy
Focus your proposal with a great title and introduction, and reel in editors and agents with compelling text. You will:

• Develop a strong opening pitch
• Learn how to create a complete, detailed outline and on-point sample text

Part 4: Submit Your Proposal
Lastly, create a savvy final package and target the right publisher. Learn how to:

• Draft an arresting query letter
• Develop your submission list for agents or publishers
• Discover the pros and cons of self-publishing
• Get a basic grasp of advances and royalties
• Put the final touches on your proposal submission.

Wait. It gets better. Included in the $299 workshop is the Publishing Toolkit: A Hands-on Resource for Burgeoning Authors. This 100+ page binder—a $99 value!—is filled with all the notes and materials to develop your successful proposal from start to finish—including step-by-step advice, helpful exercises and worksheets, key information on creating a targeted submission list, and real sample proposals that have sold to publishers.

Rad, right? We want you to nab that brass ring of a book deal in 2013. Register here for our Feb. 9 workshop and you’ll be well on your way to publication.

Write a Book Proposal that Leads to Publication in 2013

Colburn and Worick are full of ideas, and love to brainstorm.

“There’s always room for new book ideas and fresh voices. “We’re taking back the New Year’s resolution as something that’s achievable and does not involve self-loathing.”

We were quoted in an article by Seattle Times columnist Nicole Brodeur back in January 2011, when we were launching The Business of Books. Since then, we’ve helped hundreds of burgeoning authors shape book proposals and learn about the publishing industry. A healthy handful of these writers have since published their books and realized their publishing dreams.

We want this to be the year that YOU realize your dream of publication, in whatever form that may be. To that end, we are offering our 30 Days to a Winning Book Proposal program as an all-day intensive workshop on Feb. 9.

During the day, we will cover every aspect of the development process, detail how to write various components, and provide weekly goals so you can move your proposal forward efficiently on your own. You’ll leave with a plan for an on-point proposal, ready to send to publishers or agents. Included in this results-oriented workshop is the Publishing Toolkit: A Hands-on Resource for Burgeoning Authors. This binder is filled with all the notes and materials to develop your successful proposal from start to finish–including step-by-step advice, helpful exercises and worksheets, key information on creating a targeted submission list, and real sample proposals that have sold to publishers.

If you’ve attended one of our events before, you know that we are committed to getting your book idea out of your head or drawer or flash drive and into the hands of publishing decision-makers, be it agents or aquisitions editors. Whether you are writing fiction or non-fiction, children or genre fiction, our proven plan will move your project forward. In just one month, you can have a savvy, solid proposal ready for submission.

For more information on our all-day workshop, which is $299 (which includes the Publishing Toolkit, a $99 value), check out the description on brownpapertickets.

(photo: itsjessicaslife.com)

One week only! Free webinar with purchase of a Publishing Toolkit

Can you believe it’s November? Even with those early Target holiday commercials, it’s hard to believe how quickly the year has flown by. Have you been writing? Are you working on a novel during NaNoWriMo?

We hope so. We’ve heard many, many creative and viable concepts from our class attendees and have, like proud parents (or at least beaming aunts), watched as several of them have been published.

You can do this too.

And we can help. We’ve got webinars that you can watch at your leisure and will soon be announcing new class and workshop offerings. But the foundation of our Business of Books system is the Publishing Toolkit. It has everything you need to develop your proposal and submit it to appropriate agents and publishers. It’s a soup-to-nuts handbook through the proposal, submission, and publishing process that you can return to again and again.

• Need to know what to include in your proposal? Check.
• Wondering how to go about finding agents and publishing houses that would be a good fit for you and your book? Check.
• Wish someone would break down the submission process, not to mention how advances and royalties work? Yep, check.

With more than 100 pages, the Toolkit guides you through the proposal process, breaking it down into a 30-day, week-by-week plan. We include exercises and weekly “homework” goals so you can see yourself building your proposal, one element at a time. And because we’re nice like that, we’ve included two proposals that both of us used to secure book deals (yep, both sold). Getting your hands on a real proposal is nearly impossible if you’re not working in publishing. It’s like a mythical publishing unicorn.

So, here’s the deal (we know; we buried the lede): If you purchase a Publishing Toolkit by November 10, we’ll throw in a webinar of your choice for free, a $79 value! We have three recorded webinars to choose from that you can repeatedly watch at your leisure:

1. “Secrets of a Successful Proposal:” We walk you through the nine essential elements every proposal should have, regardless of genre, and help you break it down into manageable pieces.

2. “Sell Your Book—And Yourself:” We divulge how you can show publishers and agents that you are the right person to write this book, and that you also have smart, savvy ideas for promoting your book and getting it into the hands of the right customers.

3. “What Every Publisher Wants You to Know:” This webinar is filled with insights from the 2012 Book Expo America conference and from personal interviews with a variety of publishing professionals in NYC. You’ll never make a rookie mistake after this class.

The Publishing Toolkit is $99. When you order it, simply add a note to us in the text field, indicating the webinar of your choice. We’ll then send you a link via e-mail and drop your Toolkit in the mail. The Publishing Toolkit is the perfect gift to yourself or any friends or family who want to see their publishing dreams become reality.

Click here to order now!

Get motivated with our new webinars!

Exciting news for fall! As you may know, we’ve celebrated several Business of Books success stories over the past few months, and we want YOU to be next. To that end, we’ve created three new 90-minute webinars to help you on your path to publication. These are our most popular talks, available to watch at your leisure and review it as many times as you like for just $79. Here’s what we’ve cooked up at the BoB laboratory:

Webinar 1: “Secrets of a Successful Proposal” is our most comprehensive talk, in which we walk you through the nine essential elements every proposal should have, regardless of genre, and help you break it down into manageable pieces. Even if you’ve taken our classes before, this is a great way to brush up on the essentials and make sure you’ve thought through every section.

Webinar 2: “Sell Your Book—And Yourself” is a deeper dive into the increasingly important author bio and marketing sections of the proposal. We’ll highlight how you can show publishers and agents that you are the right person to write this book, and that you also have smart, savvy ideas for promoting your book and getting it into the hands of the right customers.

Webinar 3: “What Every Publisher Wants You to Know” offers up-to-the-minute dos and don’ts so you can give publishers and agents what they’re looking for…right this minute! This webinar is filled with fresh insights from the 2012 Book Expo America conference and from personal interviews we conducted with a variety of publishing professionals in NYC. You’ll never make a rookie mistake after this class.

In addition to the webinars, if you want us by your side every step of the way, you’ll want our exclusive Publishing Toolkit, a comprehensive binder that takes you through our 30-day plan for creating the best possible proposal. It includes all our information, worksheets, and exercises, plus  insider information on book deals and negotiation and even two successful sample proposals from our archives to use as templates. You can keep this on your shelf and use it again and again. Click here to purchase.

We hope these tools will provide you with not only information, but also inspiration and motivation to get that book idea out of your head and onto the shelves.  Contact us if you have any questions about what might be right for you!

Our former student’s book debut

We must admit, we feel a bit like proud parents. One of our previous workshop attendees, the insightful and well-versed Todd Rendleman, has a book coming out in April from Continuum! Rule of Thumb: Ebert at the Movies explores how and why Roger Ebert became the most trusted and influential film critic in America. Listen to the great props his publisher gives him: “Few are in a position to write a firsthand memoir of one of the world’s great film critics, but Rendleman accomplishes just this, smartly intertwining his own coming-of-age cinematic sensibility with a witty critical analysis of his subject. All told, his achievement is noteworthy: he offers a unique view of a celebrated personality, while revealing himself as a writer of insight and dash.”

We remember brainstorming Todd’s book during a “Craft a Winnning Proposal” workshop last year, and it’s gratifying to see his worthy idea make it to the finish line. Like most of our students, Todd is not a writer by trade, but a professional with a passion for his subject and the motivation to put together a killer proposal and get it out the door.  You could be next!

Series continues with “Craft Compelling Copy” on Feb. 15

Two talks in, we are thrilled to see that our attendees are doing the homework and assembling smart and focused book proposals that will soon be ready to send out into the world of publishing. The room is chock-a-block with enthusiasm, savvy, and creativity; we are truly inspired by the abundance of great, viable ideas these folks bring to the table. And we expect to continue to be impressed next week, when we get into the meaty, juicy part of the proposal, such as the sample text.

On Feb. 15, we’ll be discussing how to “Craft Compelling Copy.” Learn to focus your proposal with a great title and introduction, and reel in editors and agents with compelling text. This talk will help you to pique interest with a strong opening pitch, and to knock it out of the park with a complete, detailed outline and on-point sample text. Single tickets are still available here, so join us and move your project closer to publication.