Jon Samsel

Whenever you are stumped as to how to start an article, you need not dispair. All you have to do is think of this magic phrase—the five W’s. Immediately your mind will be set into motion, asking who, what, when, where and why.

Nobody has ever counted them, but thousands upon thousands of articles have been started and completed via the help and use of the five W’s. Bloggers and journalists live by them. Newspaper stories and blog posts, Tweets and emails must get to the point fast, report the key facts or newsworthy angle, and entertain, educate and/or inform.

The five W’s are basic, but effective, rules of writing engagement. Let’s take a look at each one.

WHO?

Leave the who of your article out, and your article is dead in the water. Readers want to know who it’s about, or who did what, or who said what. A great many articles obviously hit the who question fast.

Take the published article, “Money Making Entrepreneurs,” for example. No doubt at all is left in the reader’s mind as to the who of the article. It is clearly meant for entrepreneurs:

“Are you willing to take risks? If so, then you have the major characteristics of an entrepreneur, and possibly a money—making one.”

The opening of the article continues to define and explain what it is to be an entrepreneur, making it even more clear that anyone who has ever thought of launching his or her own business will find the article stimulating and helpful:

“By its very nature, entrepreneurship means being willing to think, originate, and then execute your objectives and conclusions. Risk is involved throughout the process.”

In another published article, I tried to make it very clear in the opening paragraphs that the who of the article was the founder of Coca Cola. Actually, there were three founder-leaders that made up the WHO in this case:

“Countless millions the world over would never think of letting a day go by without a nice cold bottle, can or fountain drink of Coca-Cola. Three founder-leaders were behind the launching, early growth, and development of the legendary soft drink: Dr. John S. Pemberton, Asa G. Chander, and Robert W. Woodruff.”

WHAT?

Remember the old film, with Michael Caine in the lead, titled “What’s It All About, Alfie?” That same question is in the readers’s mind; they want to know what your subject and article are all about. Don’t make them wait several pages or half-way through the article before it’s clear what it’s about. Tell them fast in the early paragraphs.

In the published article, “Coping with Customer Skepticism,” notice how the very first sentence spotlights the “what’s it all about” question, making the subject clear to the reader:

“A problem that most sales professionals face continually with certain prospects, customers, and clients is that of skepticism. This problem is in effect a thief because it can rob your chances for many sales. By knowing how to handle it, you are certain to sell more in the years ahead.”

Here is another example, from the published article titled “How Do You Face Crucial Moments?” Again, the very first sentence reveals the WHAT instantly, and then the second paragraph poses a question and proceeds to analyze the what more:

“What do you do when the unexpected strikes? Do you blow with the wind or stand firm?

Ever watch a racing car come off the track in apparent sudden trouble? Up till then, the driver may have had the race in the bag.”

In the third and next paragraph, an effective analogy is made:

“Isn’t life a lot like a race track? As babies we’re cared for much like a new racing car. We take to the track in our teens, and really begin to hit the laps on the “young adult stretch.” Then, as mature adults, we become “freeway flyers.” From the start, we never know when we’ll have to face a crucial moment, or how we will react to it.”

WHEN?

When something happened, took place, or somebody did or said something are all important. It’s part of the team members that build the article. Again, a film is a good example here. Remember Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve in the classic love story, “Somewhere in Time?” The viewer or film-goer needed to know when, how far back in time, Richard Collier (Reeve) was trying to get to, which was made clear, soon in the story, to be 1912. By the same token, article readers want to know when an event took place, when someone’s life changed, when the family moved, when so-and-so hit the lottery. Let them in on the when question, and you will keep them reading.

Here is a WHEN example from a published article titled “Reward Yourself Now and Then.” Notice how clear the when is in the opening paragraph:

“A few months ago, an elderly millionaire killed himself by weighting his body then shooting himself.. .just before jumping into the cold waters of Long Island Sound. He jumped from his own $200,000 three-bedroom yacht.”

Even illustrations and examples from the middle of an article should make the when clear for the reader. Look at the following example from a published article on the life and times of Walt Disney:

“From the day he arrived in Hollywood in the early 1920s, Disney’s career covered a 43 year period. Disney could not have picked a better time to make his move. During these golden years, the motion picture grew into an established and widely popular American art form. Walt Disney did much to help it attain this growth.”

WHERE?

This one is like a close friend to WHEN. Readers also need to know where the monument stands, where a war ended, where an accident took lives, where the number one vacation spot (currently) is, and answers to other WHERE questions. Remember the novel and film titled “The Bridges of Madison County?” When you think about it, that title is the WHERE being answered. The entire novel is centered in the WHERE question.

Here is a WHERE example from the published article titled “57 Ways to Sell a Pickle:”

“Success was no quick arrival in the life of Henry John Heinz. He started a vegetable garden in the 1860s outside his family’s home, in Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania, and showed a talent and sense of soil and seed, which led to a surplus.”

Notice how the second sentence of the opening paragraph states exactly where the subject of the article launched his career and revealed his talent.

WHY?

Last but not least is the Why. Why did the teenager leave town? Why has the weather gone berserk in recent months and years? Why are Labrador Retrievers so much sweeter and friendlier dogs than others? There are hundreds of why questions waiting to be answered. Your reader wants to know the why answers that relate to your article subjects.

In the published article, “Counseling the Bereaved,” directed at ministers and clergy, you can see how clear the when is communicated:

“When those in your congregation lose a loved one, and are devastated by grief, the way you can help them most is simply to get to their side as soon as possible. Just your presence, your being there, will help them more than any words of comfort you may wish to offer.”

Sample Book Publishing Contract (Courtesy of Allworth Press)

Agreement, entered into as of this ______ day of ____________, 20__,
between ________________________________________, located at
________________________________ (hereinafter referred to as the
“Publisher”), and __________________________________, located at
____________________________ (hereinafter referred to as the “Author”).

Whereas, the Author wishes to create a book on the subject of
______________________________ (hereinafter referred to as the “Work”)

Whereas, the Publisher is familiar with the authorship of the Author and
wishes to distribute such a work; and

Whereas, the parties wish to have said distribution performed subject to the
mutual obligations, covenants and conditions herein.

Now, Therefore, in consideration of the foregoing premises and the mutual
covenants hereinafter set forth and other valuable considerations, the
parties hereto agree as follows:

1.  Grant of Rights.  The Author grants, conveys and transfers to the
Publisher in that unpublished Work titled __________________
_________________________________, certain limited rights as follows:

(A) To publish the Work in the form of a _______________ book;

 (B) In the territory of ________________________________;

 (C) In the _______________________language; and

 (D) For a term of ________________years.

2.  Reservation and Reversion of Rights.  All rights not specifically
granted to the Publisher are reserved to the Author, including but not
limited to electronic rights which are defined as rights in the digitized
form of works that can be encoded, stored, and retrieved from such media as
computer disks, CD-ROM, computer databases, and network servers.

3.  Delivery of Manuscript.  On or before the ________ day of ___________,
19______, the Author shall deliver to the Publisher a complete manuscript of
approximately _______ words, which shall be reasonably satisfactory in form
and content to the Publisher and in conformity with any outline or
description attached hereto and made part hereof.  The manuscript shall be
in the following form: [] double-spaced hard copy [] computer files (specify
format____________).  The manuscript shall include the additional materials
listed in Paragraph 4 (except that if an index is to be provided by the
Author, it shall be delivered to the Publisher within 30 days of Author’s
receipt of paginated galleys).  If the Author fails to deliver the complete
manuscript within 90 days after receiving notice from the Publisher of
failure to deliver on time, the Publisher shall have the right to terminate
this Agreement and receive back from the Author all monies advanced to the
Author pursuant to Paragraphs 4, 5, and 9.  If the Author delivers a
manuscript which, after being given detailed instructions for revisions by
the Publisher and _____ days to complete such revisions, is not reasonably
acceptable to the Publisher, then monies advanced to the Author pursuant to
Paragraphs 4, 5, and 9 shall be [] retained by the Author [] repaid to the
Publisher [] repaid to the Publisher only in the event the Author
subsequently signs a contract with another Publisher for the Work.

4.  Additional Materials.  The following materials shall be provided by the
Author: ____________________________________
____________________________________________________________
The cost of providing these additional materials shall be borne by the
Author, provided, however, that the Publisher at the time of signing this
Agreement shall give a nonrefundable payment of $_____________ to assist the
Author in defraying these costs, which payment shall not be deemed an
advance to the Author and shall not be recouped as such.

5.  Permissions.  The Author agrees to obtain all permissions that are
necessary for the use of materials copyrighted by others.  The cost of
providing these permissions shall be borne by the Author, provided, however,
that the Publisher at the time of signing this Agreement shall give a
nonrefundable payment of $_______ to assist the Author in defraying these
costs, which payment shall not be deemed an advance to the Author and shall
not be recouped as such.  Permissions shall be obtained in writing and
copies shall be provided to the Publisher when the manuscript is delivered.

6.  Duty to Publish.  The Publisher shall publish the Work within
____________ months of the delivery of the complete manuscript. Failure to
so publish shall give the Author the right to terminate this Agreement
ninety days after giving written notice to the Publisher of the failure to
make timely publication.  In the event of such termination, the Author shall
have no obligation to return monies received pursuant to Paragraphs 4, 5 and 9.

7.  Royalties.  The Publisher shall pay the Author the following royalties:
____ percent of the suggested retail price on the first 5,000 copies sold;
____ percent of the suggested retail price on the next 5,000 copies sold;
and ____ percent of the suggested retail price on all copies sold thereafter. 

These royalty rates shall be discounted only in the following circumstances:
____________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

All copies sold shall be cumulated for purposes of escalations in the
royalty rates, including revised editions, except for editions in a
different form (such as a paperback reprint of a hardcover original) which
shall be cumulated separately.  Copies sold shall be reduced by copies
returned in the same royalty category in which the copies were originally
reported as sold.

In the event the Publisher has the right pursuant to Paragraph 1(A) to
publish the Work in more than one form, the royalty rates specified above
shall apply to publication in the form of a ________________ book and the
royalty rates for other forms shall be specified here:
______________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

8. Subsidiary Rights.  The following subsidiary rights may be licensed by
the party indicated and the proceeds divided as specified herein:

Subsidiary Right     Right to License       Division of Proceeds
Author    Publisher    Author    Publisher

________________     _____      _____       _____     _____

________________     _____      _____       _____     _____

________________     _____      _____       _____     _____

________________     _____      _____       _____     _____

________________     _____      _____       _____     _____

________________     _____      _____       _____     _____

If the division of proceeds for any subsidiary right changes after the sale
of a certain number of copies, indicate which right, the number of copies
required to be sold, and the new division of proceeds:
_______________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

The right to license any subsidiary right not set forth in this Paragraph is
retained by the Author.

Licensing income shall be divided as specified herein without any reductions
for expenses of any kind.  Licensing income shall be collected by the party
authorized to license the right and the appropriate percentage remitted by
that party to the other party within ten days of receipt.  Copies of all
licenses shall be provided to both parties immediately upon receipt.

9.  Advances.  The Publisher shall, at the time of signing this Agreement,
pay to the Author a nonrefundable advance of $_________, which advance shall
be recouped by the Publisher from payments due to the Author pursuant to
Paragraph 11 of this Agreement.

10.  Accountings.  Commencing as of the date of publication, the Publisher
shall report every ____ months to the Author, showing for that period and
cumulatively to date the number of copies printed and bound, the number of
copies sold and returned for each royalty rate, the number of copies
distributed free for publicity purposes, the number of copies remaindered,
destroyed, or lost, and the royalties paid to and owed to the Author.  If
the Publisher sets up a reserve against returns of books, the reserve may
only be set up for the four accounting periods following the first
publication of the Work and shall in no event exceed 15 percent of royalties
due to the Author in any period.

11.  Payments.  The Publisher shall pay the Author all monies due Author
pursuant to Paragraph 10 within thirty days of the close of each accounting
period. 

12.  Right of Inspection.  The Author shall, upon the giving of written
notice, have the right to inspect the Publisher’s books of account to verify
the accountings.  If errors in any such accounting are found to be to the
Author’s disadvantage and represent more than 5 percent of the payment to
the Author pursuant to the said accounting, the cost of inspection shall be
paid by the Publisher.

13.  Copyright and Authorship Credit.  The Publisher shall, as an express
condition of receiving the grant of rights specified in Paragraph 1, take
the necessary steps to register the copyright on behalf of the Author and in
the Author’s name and shall place copyright notice in the Author’s name on
all copies of the Work. The Author shall receive authorship credit as
follows: _________ _____________________________.

14.  Warranty and Indemnity.  The Author warrants and represents that he or
she is the sole creator of the Work and owns all rights granted under this
Agreement, that the Work is an original creation and has not previously been
published (indicate any parts that have been previously published), that the
Work does not infringe any other person’s copyrights or rights of literary
property, nor, to his or her knowledge, does it violate the rights of
privacy of, or libel, other persons.  The Author agrees to indemnify the
Publisher against any final judgment for damages (after all appeals have
been exhausted) in any lawsuit based on an actual breach of the foregoing
warranties.  In addition, the Author shall pay the Publisher’s reasonable
costs and attorney’s fees incurred in defending such a lawsuit, unless the
Author chooses to retain his or her own attorney to defend such lawsuit.
The Author makes no warranties and shall have no obligation to indemnify the
Publisher with respect to materials inserted in the Work at the Publisher’s
request.  Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, in no event shall the
Author’s liability under this Paragraph exceed $________ or ________ percent
of sums payable to the Author under this Agreement, whichever is the lesser.
In the event a lawsuit is brought which may result in the Author having
breached his or her warranties under this Paragraph, the Publisher shall
have the right to withhold and place in an escrow account ______ percent of
sums payable to the Author pursuant to Paragraph 11, but in no event may
said withholding exceed the damages alleged in the complaint.

15.  Artistic Control.  The Author and Publisher shall consult with one
another with respect to the title of the Work, the price of the Work, the
method and means of advertising and selling the Work, the number and
destination of free copies, the number of copies to be printed, the method
of printing and other publishing processes, the exact date of publication,
the form, style, size, type, paper to be used, and like details, how long
the plates or type shall be preserved and when they shall be destroyed and
when new printings of the Work shall be made.  In the event of disagreement
after consultation, the Publisher shall have final power of decision over
all the foregoing matters except the following, which shall be controlled by
the Author:____________ ______________________________________.
No changes shall be made in the complete manuscript of the Work by persons
other than the Author, except for reasonable copyediting, unless the Author
consents to such changes. Publisher shall provide the Author with galleys
and proofs which the Author shall review and return to the Publisher within
thirty (30) days of receipt.  If the cost of the Author’s alterations (other
than for typesetting errors or unavoidable updating) exceeds _____ percent
of the cost of the typography, the Publisher shall have the right to deduct
such excess from royalties due Author hereunder.

16.  Original Materials.  Within thirty days after publication, the
Publisher shall return the original manuscript and all additional materials
to the Author.  The Publisher shall provide the Author with a copy of the
page proofs, if the Author requests them prior to the date of publication.

17.  Free Copies.  The Author shall receive ten free copies of the Work as
published, after which the Author shall have the right to purchase
additional copies at a ____ percent discount from the retail price.

18.  Revisions.  The Author agrees to revise the Work on request by the
Publisher.  If the Author cannot revise the Work or refuses to do so absent
good cause, the Publisher shall have the right to have the Work revised by a
person competent to do so and shall charge the costs of said revision
against payments due the Author under Paragraph 11 for such revised edition.

19.  Successors and Assigns.  This Agreement may not be assigned by either
party without the written consent of the other party hereto.  The Author,
however, shall retain the right to assign payments due hereunder without
obtaining the Publisher’s consent. This Agreement shall be binding on the
parties and their respective heirs, administrators, successors and assigns.

20.  Infringement.  In the event of an infringement of the rights granted
under this Agreement to the Publisher, the Publisher and the Author shall
have the right to sue jointly for the infringement and, after deducting the
expenses of bringing suit, to share equally in any recovery.  If either
party chooses not to join in the suit, the other party may proceed and,
after deducting all the expenses of bringing the suit, any recovery shall be
shared equally between the parties.

21.  Termination.  The Author shall have the right to terminate this
Agreement by written notice if: (1) the Work goes out-of-print and the
Publisher, within ninety days of receiving notice from the Author that the
Work is out-of-print, does not place the Work in print again. Out-of-print
shall mean that the work is not available for sale in normal trade
channels.; (2) if the Publisher fails to provide statements of account
pursuant to Paragraph 10; (3) if the Publisher fails to make payments
pursuant to Paragraphs 4, 5, 9, or 11; or (4) if the Publisher fails to
publish in a timely manner pursuant to Paragraph 6.  The Publisher shall
have the right to terminate this Agreement as provided in Paragraph 3.  This
Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of the Publisher’s
insolvency, bankruptcy, or assignment of assets for the benefit of
creditors.  In the event of termination of the Agreement, the Publisher
shall grant, convey, and transfer all rights in the Work back to the Author.

22.  Production Materials and Unbound Copies.  Upon any termination, the
Author may, within sixty days of notification of such termination, purchase
the plates, offset negatives or computer drive tapes (if any) at their scrap
value and any remaining copies at the lesser of cost or remainder value.

23.  Promotion.  The Author consents to the use of his or her name,
portrait, or picture in connection with the promotion and advertising of the
Work, provided such use is dignified and consistent with the Author’s
reputation.

24.  Arbitration.  All disputes arising under this Agreement shall be
submitted to binding arbitration before _____________ _______________ in the
following location ____________________ and shall be settled in accordance
with the rules of the American Arbitration Association.  Judgment upon the
arbitration award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof.

25.  Notice.  Where written notice is required hereunder, it may be given by
use of first class mail addressed to the Author or Publisher at the
addresses given at the beginning of this Agreement and shall be deemed
received 5 days after mailing.  Said addresses for notice may be changed by
giving written notice of any new address to the other party.

26.  Modifications in Writing.  All modifications of this Agreement must be
in writing and signed by both parties.

27.  Waivers and Defaults.  Any waiver of a breach or default hereunder
shall not be deemed a waiver of a subsequent breach or default of either the
same provision or any other provision of this Agreement.

28.  Governing Law.  This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of
________________ State.
____________________________  ____________________________
Author                                        Publisher

____________________________  By:__________________________
Social Security Number               Authorized Signatory, Title

With some writing experience and knowledge behind you, you might one day wish to try your hand and pen at a children’s book. Books for children are special and take special talents. You need a keen understanding of the children of this generation and some insight as to what publisher’s are looking for if you hope to become a successful children’s book author.

How does an author get started writing for children? Maurice Sendak, Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss), and Judy Blume probably wondered the same thing when they began. The way Judy Blume started was to follow in the steps of authors she admired. “Realizing I would never be another Dr. Seuss or Maurice Sendak, I turned to novels and wrote the kind of books I wanted to read when I was a kid.”

An understanding of today’s children is vital for success. Children do not like to be talked down to, and they are not often fooled. The more you know about them, the better your chances of writing a successful book.

When you feel ready to try a project, query a likely children’s book publisher with a description of your idea or an outline and chapter or two. Some publishers require a complete manuscript.

If you are not sure which publishers to contact, you can go online and study the treasure trove of resources, such as publisher sites, Amazon.com, Publishers Weekly, Writer’s Digest, Google Book Search and other trade publications. Study the newest books for children and see which publishers seem to be doing the type of book you wish to write.

A solid resource for writers interested in the children’s book genre is The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Publishing Children’s Books, 3rd Edition by Harold D. Underdown.

Some publishers break down their juvenile and children’s book needs into these divisions:

• Picture books for children ages three to eight or four through seven
• Fiction and nonfiction for ages eight through twelve
• Special interest books for young to older teens eleven through eighteen
• Humorous novels and science fiction for ages nine through twelve
• Readers from eight to twelve often enjoy books about faraway places and various products in use
• Young teens like books on careers, hobbies, the family, government, problems young people face, and romance
• The older teen group is much into special interest areas like military service, art, music, and theater

Many children’s book authors started young. P.L. Travers, author of the Mary Poppins books, is an example. Stories and poems she wrote as a girl were published in Australian magazines and newspapers.

While recovering from a serious illness, Travers wrote the first several Mary Poppins stories “to while away the days, but also to put down something that had been in my mind for a long time.”

Travers is very loyal to her young readers. She calls them “children hopping about with umbrellas, trying to make them fly.”

Some of the biggest money an author can ever hope to make lies in mass-market paperbacks. Some books are destined to be published as paperbacks right from inception while other are published as paperback after successfully being published in another format first. Only time and experimentation will tell if you have what it takes to turn out this type of book.

Paperbacks cover a wide variety of subjects. One paperback, ‘When Bad Things Happen to Good People,’ has over two million copies in print.

How do you know if your idea is right for this category? There is a test you can do. First ask if enough people would be interested in the book? Mass market means appeal for millions of readers.

Ask also if it’s commercial enough for the leading paperback publishers, and you know what they want is huge mega book blockbusters. They do, however, make some big mistakes in the books they reject and then watch them soar to the heights.

Finally, in your test, ask if you as the author have enough interest in the idea to see it through to completion? You would be surprised how many manuscripts are started but never finished.

Bestselling author Clive Cussler started in mass market with his ‘Raise the Titanic’ years ago. Most of Clive’s books are published first in hardcover, but he has sold millions of paperbacks as well. One of his three book deals was reportedly a $14 million offer. But Cussler hit the big time some years ago and has been a big fiction name for a while.

One of Clive’s lead characters in his exciting novels is Dirk Pitt, who gets involved in challenging missions on the high seas of world intrigue. The first thing you quickly realize about Clive is what a truly masterful storyteller he is. For novels, that is the most important skill you can have. Cussler simply tells a fascinating story as reading his novels reveals.

When not working on a new novel, Cussler and his crew are off to some locale on a search for a new sunken ship. He is credited with having located the German U-boat that sank the LUSITANIA. They located the exact spot where the German U-boat lies beneath the sea. Cussler passed along that information to officials so that a record can now exist of where the German submarine lies.

In writing novels, Cussler believes that a novelist should make every effort to end each chapter with a hook so the reader feels, “My God, what happens next?” This is what keeps readers turning pages.

Keep in mind that mass market is also nonfiction and not just novels. Consider the following mass market paperback bestsellers:

• Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
• Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul
• Spontaneous Healing
• Habits of Highly Effective People
• How the Irish Saved Civilization
• A Whack On the Side of the Head
• All I Really Need To Know I Learned in Kindergarten

The first named, ‘Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff,’ is reportedly the fastest selling trade paperback ever. It has gone back to press many times and millions of copies have been sold.

If mass market interests you, the first thing you need to decide is whether to try a nonfiction book or novel. Study the bestselling charts to see what the public is responding to at present.

Some books cross borders and sell in every area. This fact is presenting new challenges to your publishers. But if mass market is where your goal is, think wide appeal. Get excitement, adventure, mystery, glamour, and suspense into your fiction. If your mass market effort is nonfiction, strive to come up with news the reader can put to immediate use. Above all, try to anticipate coming trends and look for sequel books, which are simply other angles on the same title or idea.

Previously I’ve blogged about the many different types of novel genres. One of them is the thriller, a popular category in the world of fiction. Before you hunker down in front of your laptop to pound out your own thriller, you should determine if you have the passion and talent to write fiction. It’s not as easy as it looks! Assuming you have what it takes to be a bestselling author, you’ll want to delve into deeper into the thriller genre.

Author Mary Higgins Clark is a master of the suspense thriller. In ‘Pretend You Don’t See Her,’ a young woman is in the wrong place at the wrong time and gets caught up in a murder investigation. In her book, ‘Where Are You Now,’ a man disappears without a note or a goodbye, yet he still calls home every Mother’s Day. What happened to him?

Sharon Kaye’s ‘Black Market Truth’ is a new thriller about ancient texts, Dionysian cults and Aristotle. It’s not hard to imagine someone paying millions for an ancient scroll with the only known version of Aristotle’s arguments, or to think that someone else would be willing to kill for it.

A novelist’s own life may yield good ideas for a thriller. Tap your memory for story ideas. The places you have been, scenes you have observed, even bits of conversation can all lead to a novel. Interesting people you have met, seen, or know about, from all walks of life, might lead to the beginning of a novel. Think well about your own life and past as well as what happens each present day.
 
In recent years, the legal thriller has been very popular both as novel and motion picture. ‘The Associate,’ ‘The Rainmaker,’ ‘Runaway Jury,’ ‘The Client’ and ‘The Firm,’ by John Grisham, have done well.
 
The variety found in the thriller category is fresh and appealing. ‘China Doll’ tells the story of a seven-year-old girl who is kidnapped from the side of her American parents while all three are visiting Vatican City in Rome. The parents enlist the help of a security person who solves such cases but can only be reached and communicated with via computer. This security person learns that eight other blond, blue-eyed children have vanished in the same way within 16 months.
 
Another exciting thriller is Michael Crichton’s ‘Airframe,’ which poses the question of why a plane on its way to America from the Far East goes through a series of sharp up-and-down movements just before crashing.

Asking intriguing questions is a key way to launch a thriller. What if Dr. Jekyll had a maid servant? This question led to ‘Mary Riley,’ which became a book and motion picture with Julia Roberts in the lead.
 
What if a young lawyer wished to be a photographer, and after killing his wife’s lover (who was one), assumes the identity and vocation of the victim? This premise by Douglas Kennedy, an Australian author, became ‘The Big Picture.’
 
An increasing number of thrillers involve computers and biotech. Stephen Cannell’s ‘Final Victim’ is about a serial killer who uses secret computer technology to trap his victims. And then there is Ken Follett’s ‘The Third Twin’ which centers around the premise of the genetic manipulation of human embryos.
 
Keep in mind that a number of thriller novels go on to become very successful blockbusters. Whether you’re a new author or veteran pro interested in breaking into the thriller category, stay alert to the fact that publishing has become more and more like Hollywood. Both publishers and Hollywood are looking for big books that have the potential to become mega blockbuster properties. Turn one of these out and place it with the right publisher and you could skyrocket to success as an author.

One of the most popular book categories is the self-help book. The range it covers is wide from a “teach yourself” series, on a variety of subjects, to books on achieving more success, money, skills, and a happier lifestyle. This category covers many subjects.
 
Millions of readers out there want help––all kinds of it. Life may have them uptight in one way or another. Or maybe they just haven’t found the help they expected from magazines, newspapers, television, their doctors, lawyers, parents, ministers, the government, or other sources.
 
The help they are seeking may be in a book on how to raise their children, how to guide them through the dangerous teen years, and how to pay the bill for their children’s college education.
 
Maybe they want to lose weight, find a better doctor, plan a more exciting vacation, learn a new skill, develop a hobby, insulate their home, prevent a possible heart attack, or plan and give a speech.

There are a lot more potential subjects for a self-help book. The point of this type of book is that it offers practical help to the reader and gives specific information.
 
How To Know If You’re Really In Love is a how-to title. But it’s also a self-help book. Some titles bridge both categories.
 
Some authors in this category build impressive lists of published titles, and you may well find your own niche with this type of book.
 
A glance at the book titles on Amazon.com shows that self-help books are selling well. Like other categories, sales of this type of book can go through cycles and peak at times yet fall off at other periods. One thing is certain. The companies selling such books would not continue to publish and promote them if sales were not good.

Why You Might Try Writing a Self-Help Book

A case can be made for writing almost any kind of book. To help you decide if ‘Self Help’ is the right category for you, you should consider the following:

1. You have a real interest in one or more self-help subjects.
2. You have special knowledge, training, or experience in some area which can be applied to a self-help book.
3. You enjoy helping others or would like to believe that a book you write might help at least a number of readers.
4. You have access to the information needed for a book of this kind.
5. The research needed for a book offering self-help seems interesting to you.
6. You have developed a plan that has proven of some help to you, and you believe others could profit from it too.
7. You already blog or tweet about a certain subject already––and writing a self-help book would be a logical next step.

If none of the above suggestions seem to strike a chord within you, it does not mean the self-help book is outside your ball park. The suggestions are meant to be a list of clues to consider as a potential self-help author.

In previous blog posts I have written about the importance of solid book openings. I hope you already realize the importance of the book titles, opening sentence, and opening paragraph. The first chapter is just as critical. This is your grand opening that sets the style, theme and tone of your book. The spotlight is on your beginning sentences, but the reader’s attention is focused on what you have to say through the entire chapter.
 
In the case of novels, the first few paragraphs may well determine whether your book sells. Many a prospective book buyer will read the first page before making a decision to buy or not.
 
So the opening paragraph should be strong enough to grab the reader’s attention and say, “Hey, there, you with the bloodshot eyes. Buy me. I’m good reading. You won’t be able to put me down.”
 
Prospective nonfiction-book buyers may read half or more of the first chapter before deciding whether or not to buy. This is especially true if the opening chapter is fairly short.
 
So the first chapter often influences a buying decision. Don’t underestimate its pulling power. It also establishes the purpose of your book.
 
If sent with an outline to an editor, your first chapter can mean the difference between the sale of your work or its prompt return to you. No wonder many authors rewrite their first chapters several times. They know it’s that important.

There are several ways you can build a second income from the books you write and place with publishers. Advances and royalties add to your yearly total as an author. There are also subsidiary rights sales (also called ancillary right sales) to magazines, newspapers, book-clubs, audio book companies, and/or film companies. Other subsidiary rights include electronic rights, speaking engagements, and foreign rights fees. All of these fees can add up to a hefty sum, assuming your book carves a respectable place for itself in the marketplace.

An advance is not a handout from a publisher to an author; it’s your own money you receive on the future earnings (royalties) of your book. An advance means just that—an advance against the royalties to be earned by your book. When your book is published and selling, you won’t get any more money until it has earned back the amount paid as an advance. So the publisher gets back the money advanced to an author when the book starts to sell. Many books, unfortunately, never earn back their advances. A number of others just break even. What every author shoots for, and publishers, too, are books that earn back their advances and then go on to earn a profitable return (or much better).

Newcomer authors should realize that an advance can help you financially while you complete your manuscript. Many small publishers do not offer advances, but the major companies work this way, with half the advance paid when you sign a contract and the balance when a completed, and acceptable manuscript, is delivered to the publisher.

Once the book is published and selling, an author will receive royalty reports twice a year with any amount due enclosed. Most publishers send these royalty statements in the spring and fall along with any subsidiary rights payments.

Agent Margot Maley says, “Writers can make a lot of money on ancillary deals. I have a few authors who make more money on speaking engagements relating to their books than they do on the books. Film and audio rights can be huge if you have the right book. Foreign rights can bring in as much or more income as the original English rights deal. Electronic rights, though still kept by most publishers, are not exercised all that often.”

I first met Joe Konz online via LinkedIn.com. We were both members of the discussion group, LinkEds & writers, and we started a conversation on the subject of copy editing, writing and the decline in print newspaper readership. You see, Joe is a career newspaperman – reporter, writer and editor – who currently is chief of the copy desk that produces 11 community newspapers published by The Indianapolis Star Media Group. I asked Joe if he wouldn’t mind sharing his thoughts about his job, the news industry, advice he might have for novice writers, as well as what makes him tick creatively.

What I learned from Joe is that he is a compositionist at heart, a framer of images and words, someone who utilizes language and compositional technique to elicit an emotional response, while trying to present the world as precisely as can be depicted. This is by no means an easy task. Read the interview, and enjoy!

How has the job of copy editing has changed through the years?

I’d probably single out the change in technology as one of the biggest factors. It’s transformed the way we operate, going from the glue, pencil and paper era to one of computers, electronic editing and design pagination systems and satellite transmissions of pages to remote printing sites. That, in turn, has affected the editing protocol – the way copy and content editors interact to effect improvements to copy and pictures before they are published. Content and copy editors formerly conferred exclusively either face to face or by telephone. There still is a some of that – maybe 50 percent – but we also interact a lot now by in-house email, and some editors even use instant messaging services.

Can you briefly summarize what you do on any given day?

I supervise a staff of nine people – including two designers – who produce the 11 community newspapers circulated to the suburban areas of Indianapolis. These sections strive to provide micro-local coverage of news, sports and events that the communities couldn’t (or wouldn’t) get in the main section of the metropolitan newspaper or from most other news/media sources. My staff designs and copy edits the sections.

In copy editing, we provide the final “read” of story text, make minor tweaks – such as correcting misspellings or grammatical errors, and consulting content editors and/or writers on any significant organizational problems, including substantial trims, that we feel are necessary to make a story clearer and/or more readable.

We also write the headlines on stories and the captions for photographs, and we proofread the pages before we release them to our typesetters.

What do you love most about your job?

Two things, primarily.

One is the satisfaction of being able to successfully coordinate all of the elements involved in the aforementioned copy editing process so that our operation can meet 11 production deadlines. That alone can be a daunting task, given the landmines of late or swapped out copy and pictures, stories falling apart at the last minute, photos not being assigned until the last minute, dealing with and adjusting page production to accommodate breaking news, etc., not to mention technical issues that could arise – especially computer and/or network crashes.

The other is the splendid way the staff I work with interacts. It’s a treasured camaraderie and respect; the grueling aspect of the job I described previously would not be nearly as bearable without this.

How do you feel about the future of printed newspapers?

There are still a lot of people who appreciate the ability to hold ink and paper in their hand to access the news. I’m one of those. And there are still advertisers who appreciate the advantage of having their product or services in a “hands-on” media, one in which a customer can clip and either set aside for future reference or bring with them to the store when they shop. But is the number of people who read or subscribe to newspapers dwindling? Certainly, which is why most publishing companies are striving to bolster their online product and presence, because they know that’s where a growing number of people are turning to find their news “now,” when they want it. The Internet presents a vast forum and opportunity for newsgathering organizations to provide anything and everything a reader could want or need, certainly much beyond what can be provided in the limited structure of a newspaper or other print product.

What advice would you give to someone right out of college thinking about a writing or editing career at a newspaper? What skills should they have? What’s the best way to land a job?

The basic journalism skills – a command of the language and compositional technique, accuracy, balance and fairness – will always be valid in the news gathering industry. But today, a “student” also must be well-versed in new media – making and editing audio and video clips and posting news online. A proficiency in operating video equipment and using video/audio editing software and learning and mastering basic HTML code are huge assets. I might even say “musts.”

The best way a student can situate himself or herself to land a job not only is to be able to present a “clips” record of published work to prospective employers, but also have CD or DVD copies of their new media work to share with prospective employers. Having internships with professional media while in college (with good references from those experiences) also is a huge plus.

To actually land a job might be tougher than usual for as long as the economic climate is so dour. Joining business networking organizations (the online networking sites LinkedIn and Plaxo are examples) is a good start. At those sites, you can build your “connections” network and join “like-interest” groups where you could come across employment opportunities you might not find elsewhere.

Tell me a little about your photography.

I describe myself as an avid hobbyist. It’s a fulfilling, creative outlet. I’ve had a couple dozen of my images published in the newspaper where I work, but I’ve received no extra compensation for it (as per company policy), so I don’t think I could be considered a pro. I’m working on some projects where I’m hoping to get more exposure of my work, but it’s not something I’ve necessarily set as a firm goal. They are ideas that motivate me, and as long as I feel motivated, I’ll chase after them.

What inspires you as an artist?

I am inspired by seeing inspired photography or other art, if you can understand what I’m getting at: something that reflects how a photographer – or any artist – gave considerable thought to compose and capture his or her work.

There have been quite a few masterpieces that evolved from “accidental” (or maybe “fortuitous” is a better word) photography. You know, a situation where dumb luck, or the mere act of being at the right place at the right time, resulted in a lasting image. War photographs are good examples. Two examples of non-war photographs that fall into this category:

1. A very young John Kennedy Jr. saluting from the side of the street as the casket of his father, assassinated President John F. Kennedy, processes in front of him at JFK’s state funeral in November 1963. The photographer, of course, could not have known that John was going to strike that pose, but he was there and positioned perfectly to capture it. Everyone who was alive at that time remembers that image vividly.
2. A less-known (except in the pricey industry of art collection) example is Frenchman Henri Cartier-Bresson’s “Behind the Gare Saint-Lazare” (1932), a street photography image featuring a male pedestrian, in almost silhouette form, trying to jump over a large puddle with his shadow in the water presenting a wonderful artistic, complementary element. Cartier-Bresson, in the right place at the right time, snapped the shutter on his 35mm Leica rangefinder the moment before the man’s foot would land in the water, sealing the photographer’s reputation as one specializing in capturing the “decisive moment.”

If I can learn how a particularly inspiring work was accomplished, as I have with that particular photograph, I feel inspired to pursue and explore creative ways with my photography.

Joe’s Photo Galleries and Blog:
www.joekonz.fototime.com
http://photo.net/photos/joekonz
http://photopotpourri.blogspot.com

Submitting your new book for consideration to a publishing house is every writer’s goal, second only to the aspiration of actually seeing your book in print. Perhaps a better phrase for the manuscript submission process is the numbers game. Practically all publishers these days state flat out that they absolutely want to be queried first. The numbers game is thus played with queries, proposals, or a partial to complete manuscript. Some authors claim they got a go ahead from at least a few publishers after sending 20 inquiries. Your results may vary from a few positive responses to none on query letters. This might improve somewhat by offering to send a proposal, but there is no assurance of this.

Author Aliske Webb tried to place her novel with 150 publishers and was rejected by all of them. Still, she refused to give up. “We went the usual route, sending the book to all 150 publishers.” Rejected but still game, Webb and her husband sold their home, self-published the book, and made a tour of quilt shows all over America. Some 2 1/2 years later and 25,000 copies sold, Webb signed with a small publisher in Pennsylvania.

By this time, some major publishers in New York finally realized the large untapped market for Webb’s book. Webb was soon offered a four-book contract for a substantial amount.

Author Darryl Wimberley offers his thoughts on submitting manuscripts: “You have to submit every place, all the time. Keep track of your submissions and never stop! Because you cannot know in advance which avenue, if any, will get your book placed.”

An author’s determination and faith in your work can make all the difference in success or failure. You can never give up but just live with hope, and the numbers game, that one day you will hit. Give up on the other hand, and you’re down for the count.