1. Planning for Your Writing Career by Regina Jennings

2. What Defines Success for Your Writer’s Journey?

3. Hobbyist v. Professional
Hobbyist write for fun. They write for their own enjoyment. They aren’t concerned with rules, genres or the market. They want the personal satisfaction of completing a book and telling their story.
“Yet, the second we want to command time and money from another person to read our work, our job description changes.” – Kristen Lamb
Don’t get stuck in the mousy middle.
Professionals are creating a commodity and must work to make that commodity marketable. They need to consider who is going to read this book before they start writing.

4. Traditional Publishing/Self-Publishing
No Deadlines. Flexible Schedule (Can put the work out as soon as it’s finished.)
No Guarantees. Bigger Percentage of Profits Retained.
Choose your own Editor, do your own Marketing, or not.
Complete Freedom in Editing choices and book cover choices.
Author makes choice on formats and venues. Foreign editions, audio books, possible.
Must find your audience.
Deadlines and Publishing Schedule. (Slow process)
Guaranteed Advance, Possible Royalties.
Editor, Marketing Teams Included
Editing choices and book cover choices made by a team
Placement in bookstores. Foreign editions, audio books, possible.
Ready made audience.

5. Of 1.2 million books published in 2004, than BookScan follows….

6. Getting a Publisher #1 - Write the Right Book
Identify your genre.
What are the specs on your genre? (Word Count, POV, Setting, Pacing, Tone.)
Finish the Book!

7. Getting a Publisher #2 – Identify Potential Publishers
Who publishes books like your book?
Look at Book Spines to find Publishers. (Yasiv)
Read the Acknowledgement section in books.
Read publications about new releases and follow trends.
Who represents authors like you?
The Role of an Agent.
Who does the agent represent? To whom do they sell?

9. Getting a Publisher or Agent #3 – Going Hunting
Where do you find the editors and agents?
Conferences (My story)
Contests
Blogs

10. Getting a Publisher #4 – Being Armed with the Right Weapons
Elevator Pitch
Query Letter
Synopsis
One Sheet
Proposal
Sample Chapters