How to Schmooze With Publishers

Excerpted from “The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book.”

There are numerous writers’ conferences, book festivals and trade shows held all over the world throughout the year. Many writers attend these events as a way to meet publishers. Attendees at a writers’ conference can generally engage in a casual conversation with a publisher between presentations. Some conference organizers will arrange a meeting for you with a publisher for an additional fee. This is as much to the publisher’s benefit as the author’s as publishers are as eager to find good material as you are to locate a publisher for your project.

A book festival is where authors, publishers, writing/publishing organization leaders and booksellers rent booths for the day or the weekend to promote their books and themselves. It is a great place to meet publishers, but also a good opportunity to network with other authors

Of course, the larger the event, the more publishers there will likely be attending. You probably won’t meet major players in the publishing world at hometown book fairs and festivals. But there are almost always small to medium-sized publishing houses represented at these events.

To locate conferences and book festivals near you,

• Do a Google search. Type in “writer’s (or writers’) conference,” “publishing conference,” “writing conference,” “writer’s (or writers’ conference California,” “writers’ (or writer’s) conference Virginia,” “book festivals,” “book fairs,” etc.

Here’s an online directory of writers conferences: www.writing.shawguides.com

Here’s an online directory of book fairs: www.lights.com/publisher/bookfairs.html

• Check with your local arts council or writers groups for conferences and book fairs held in your area.
• Ask your librarian if he/she knows of an upcoming writers’ conference or book festival.
• Keep an eye on the arts section of your local newspaper.
• Read writing/publishing-related magazines and newsletter.

How to Get the Most From a Meeting With a Publisher at a Conference

Your first introduction to a publisher is usually through a letter or an email. And every expert will advise you to make a good first impression. This is even more crucial when you have that rare opportunity to meet a publisher face-to-face. I’m not trying to make you so nervous that you faint at the mere sight of the publisher. Heaven forbid! But I strongly encourage you to give this opportunity your best shot. How?

Before the event:

• Find out which publishers will be there.
• Do a little research to learn what type of books they publish and what titles they have published, lately.
• Prepare and practice reciting a brief description of your project. I call this your thirty-second commercial.
• Create a promo package including a brief synopsis or overview of your proposed book and information about yourself. (What is your writing background and why you are the person to write this book?) Include your complete contact information: full name, address, phone number as well as Web site and email address.

If you are at all assertive, you will most likely have the opportunity to speak, at least, informally with a publisher. If not, and you decide to send him your query letter or proposal later, mention that you attended his presentation and tell him what you gleaned from it.

Make a Good First Impression

When you meet a publisher, be gracious and professional not timid and desperate. Come across as a potential business partner with an excellent product not an emotional writer who believes he has just completed the book of the century.

Every conference is operated a little differently. You might get anywhere from sixty seconds to twenty minutes with a publisher. Whether you are fortunate enough to have an audience with a publisher or you just happen to get a brief opportunity, the best advice I can offer is, be prepared.

The more well prepared you are, the better your chances of talking to the publisher. And this might not occur as a planned event. Your opportunity may come about while standing in the buffet line or on the way to the airport. So be at the ready.

Why not invite the publisher to lunch or for coffee and pie after the last workshop? When I travel to other cities to speak at conferences, I enjoy meeting new people and I always appreciate a lunch or dinner invitation.

When you finally manage that chance meeting with a publisher, use the time wisely. Introduce yourself and your project with clarity. Make it interesting. Describe your proposed book through your intriguing thirty-second commercial.

Initiate questions and respond succinctly. Some publishers seem to ask all of the wrong questions such as, “Are you related to the Fry who used to live in Tucson, Arizona?” or “Did you travel all the way from California to attend this conference or were you already in the area?”

Who wants to waste time engaged in small talk when you have a book to pitch? Never fear. Just be cordial. Focus on your mission. Of course, the more well-prepared you are, the more successful the exchange will be.

Before ending the conversation, hand the publisher something to take with him. Generally, this would be an overview of your book and your contact information. Keep the package small enough to fit easily into his coat pocket or her purse. You can fold 8.5 x 11 pages in half and put them in a 6 x 9 envelope or fold them in thirds and use a number10 (letter size) envelope.

Have the handout ready to hand out. Don’t ruin a perfectly professional moment by rummaging through your purse or briefcase in search of the material. As I keep saying, preparation is key.

Unless you’ve paid for time with the publisher or you’re buying him dinner, after a conversation of from three to eight minutes, thank the publisher for his time and excuse yourself. You might stay within hearing distance, though, to glean additional information that might be passed along to others who are waiting their turn to speak to the publisher.

If you have that rare opportunity for a formal meeting with a publisher, count your blessings. You will probably have anywhere from fifteen to thirty minutes of uninterrupted time. This is your moment. Make it count.

You’ll probably be more nervous during a formal meeting than the informal, chance meeting. But if you prepare well, you will do just fine. Remember that publishers are always looking for good manuscripts.

How to Schmooze at a Book Festival

If you have a book in the works and you want to meet publishers at a book festival in your area, plan ahead. Learn who will be there. Find this information published in your local newspaper or online at the festival Web site. As a last resort, pick up a copy of the festival program and booth map the morning of the event. Read about each publisher and note those who are likely candidates for your book.

Visit author booths. Ask who published their books and if they like working with the publisher.

A festival booth can get busy. Never lose sight of the fact that the reason this publisher or this author is there is to sell books. If you approach him or her to talk about your book, please be considerate of their time. I love talking with freelance writers, authors and publishers who visit my booth at book festivals. But I resent people who try to monopolize my time for more than a few minutes when there are several potential customers attempting to browse.

Make contact with the publisher. State your polished and rehearsed spiel. Be prepared to respond to a few questions. Ask him or her if you can send your manuscript or book proposal. Before you exit, pick up the publisher’s/author’s business card or a brochure and ask if you can leave him or her some of your information.

Have your material conveniently ready. Do not slap your backpack down on the table of books and begin a thirty-minute search for each piece of your handout. Believe me, I have had more than one such individual invade my space at book festivals in this way. How amateurish is that? Be professional. Make the transaction as smooth as possible.

When you get home, jot this publisher a note, send an email or, if you were invited to do so, send your book proposal or manuscript with a note reminding him that he met you at the Austin Book Festival or the San Luis Festival of Books.

Even though book festivals are generally rather casual events held out-of-doors, have an air of professionalism about your persona. You can dress in casual clothing and still portray a business-like appearance. How? Be neat, tidy and well coiffed. Avoid dressing in baggy sweats. Clean jeans are okay when worn with a crisp cotton shirt or blouse. Remove dark sunglasses when talking with a publisher or an author. It’s impolite to keep your eyes shaded during a conversation. Lightly shaded glasses are okay. My seeing glasses turn darker in the sunlight, but not dark enough to keep people from seeing my eyes.

Your Thirty-second Commercial

Some publishing coaches recommend that authors develop a one or two-sentence description of their book—something that they can recite should someone ask. This is a good idea for those brief opportunities with a publisher, agent or customer. But a prepared thirty-second commercial gives you even more marketing ammunition.

Why should you develop a canned speech? While you may love talking about your book, it’s not always appropriate to carry on and on about it in public. You may only have limited time to make a pitch and you definitely want to make a positive impression. Think about it, don’t you appreciate it when a friend or acquaintance describes a movie or provides instructions clearly and concisely rather than rambling on forever?

A short, prepared speech can be used at a class reunion or business meeting where you have snippets of time to discourse with classmates or colleagues. If you should be fortunate enough to have an audience with a publisher or even talk to a publisher on the phone, you want to be ready with a brief description of your book.

For my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book, I might say to a publisher or a potential customer, “It’s a guide for anyone who is even thinking about writing a book. This book will help hopeful authors to understand the publishing industry, which is crucial in today’s publishing climate. It outlines your publishing options and helps you to make the best choices and decisions on behalf of your project. It also defines the author’s enormous responsibility in the success of his or her book. I know for a fact that this book can save hopeful authors hundreds (maybe thousands) of dollars and years of heartache. The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book is a complete guide to successful authorship whether you want to self-publish (establish your own publishing company), go with a fee-based publishing service or land a traditional royalty publisher.”

If you feel that you are being ignored by the powers-that-be in the publishing industry, why not go out and meet agents and publishers face to face at writers’ conference and book festivals? It’s as easy as I’ve made it sound in this article. But first, do your homework. Make sure that you have a viable project and that you only approach appropriate agents and publishers. Follow the guidelines I’ve set forth in this article, and you, too, could score a publishing contract.

Patricia Fry is a full-time freelance writer and the author of 24 books. Her latest book is getting great reviews and it should—it has everything that a hopeful or a struggling author needs in order to succeed in this competitive business. “The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book” (Matilija Press, 2006), 328-pages. $19.95. www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html or www.amazon.com. Also available at Barnes and Noble Bookstores.

Patricia Fry

Patricia Fry is the author of 33 books, including The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. www.matilijapress.com. She is the Executive Director of SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writer’s Network) www.spawn.org. Visit her daily blog often: www.matilijapress.com/publishingblog. For author services, visit www.patriciafry.com.

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