Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/261856923?client_source=feed&format=rss
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This post is a companion to?Start Here: How to Get Your Book Published. My expertise on this topic comes from more than a decade of acquisitions experience at a traditional publisher, where I reviewed thousands of proposals.
A book proposal argues why your book (idea) is a salable, marketable product. It is essentially a business case or a business plan for your book.
Book proposals aren?t something you dash off in a day or two. They can take weeks or months to write if properly developed and researched. A proposal can easily reach 50 pages, even 100 for complex projects.
Book proposals are used to sell?nonfiction?book ideas.
Instead of writing the entire book?then trying to find a publisher or agent (which is how it works with novels)?you write the proposal first, which convinces the editor or agent to contract you to write the book.
New writers might find it easier to simply write the book first, then prepare a proposal?which isn?t such a bad idea, since many editors and agents want assurance that an unknown writer can produce an entire book before they commit. (But having the manuscript complete does not negate the need for the proposal.)
That said, drafting a proposal first (even sketching it) can give you a better idea of what your book needs to include to make it stand apart from competing titles.
The easiest answer is: When the agent or editor doesn?t require it in their submission guidelines. This can be the case with memoir, where the quality of the writing or manuscript holds more weight than the business case.
Generally speaking: When your book is more about information or a compelling idea, then you?re selling it based on the marketability of your expertise, your platform, and your concept?and you need a proposal.
If your book will succeed based on its literary merit (its ability to entertain or tell a story), then it becomes more important to have a completed manuscript that proves your strength as a writer.
You may occasionally hear someone refer to novel proposals, which includes a query or cover letter, a synopsis and/or outline, and a partial or complete manuscript?along with any other information the editor or agent requests. This bears little to no relation to a typical nonfiction book proposal. Go here to read more about novel synopses.
Usually some level of expertise is necessary to produce a successful nonfiction book, especially for fields such as health, self-help, or parenting, where no one will trust your advice without recognized credentials. Your background must convey authority and instill confidence in the reader. (Would you, as a reader, trust a health book by an author with no experience or degrees?)
Some types of nonfiction, especially narrative nonfiction and memoir, can be written by anyone with proven journalistic or storytelling skills.
It?s probably safe to assume that your memoir is not salable unless you?re confident of several things.
It depends. Consider these factors:
If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then you should probably look for an agent. Projects that don?t necessarily require agents include scholarly works for university presses; regional works likely to be published by regional or independent presses; and works with little commercial value.
Check submission guidelines of the agent or publisher. Sometimes you have to query before sending the proposal; often you can send the book proposal on first contact. The submission guidelines will also indicate any mandatory information that must be included in the proposal. Wondering how to find an agent or publisher to submit to? Check this post.
For better or worse, there is no ?right way? to prepare a book proposal, just as there is no right way to write a book. Proposals very in length, content, approach, and presentation. Each book requires a unique argument for its existence (or a business case), and thus requires a unique proposal. For example, a coffee table book on dogs would be pitched very differently than a scholarly tome on presidents, or an expose on a celebrity.
However, here?s what an agent or publisher is essentially looking for.
While these questions are not explicitly addressed in the proposal (e.g., with specific sections), these questions will be running through the mind of every publishing professional who considers your project. Make sure, as a whole, your proposal effectively answers them.
Before I detail the most common elements of a proposal, I want to emphasize the following. Editors care about one thing only: A viable idea with a clear market, paired with a writer who has credibility and marketing savvy. Knowing your audience or market?and having direct, tangible reach to them (online or off)?gives you a much better chance of success. Pitch only the book you know has a firm spot in the marketplace. Do not pitch a book expecting that the publisher will bring the audience to you. It?s the other way around. You bring your audience and platform to the publisher.
Long proposals should have a table of contents.
A two-page summary of your entire proposal. Write it last?it needs to sing and present a water-tight business case. Think of it as the executive summary.
Who will buy this book? Why will it sell? Avoid generic statements like these:
These are meaningless statistics. The following statements show better market insight:
This section analyzes competing book titles and why yours is different or better. (Resist trashing the competition; it will come back to bite you.) Don?t skimp here?editors can tell when you haven?t done your homework. Also, researching and fully understanding the competition and its strengths/weaknesses should help you write a better proposal.
Whatever you do, don?t claim there are NO competitors to your book. If there are truly no competitors, then your book might be so weird and specialized that it won?t sell.
Most importantly, don?t limit yourself to print book titles when analyzing the competition. Today, your greatest competition is probably a website, online community, or well-known blogger. Your proposal should evaluate not just competing print books, but also websites, digital content, and online experts serving the same audience.?Google your topic and the problem it solves. What terms would people search for if they wanted information or a solution? What turns up? Is it easy to get needed and authoritative information? Is it free or behind a pay wall?
Where do online experts and authorities send people for more information? Do they frequently reference books? Ask your local librarian where they would look for information on the topic you?re writing about.
For more help on this, see my post: How to Identify Top Websites and Blogs in Your Category
In many nonfiction topics and categories, the availability of online information can immediately kill the potential for a print book unless:
Many book ideas I see pitched should really start out as a site or community?even if only to test-market the idea, to learn more about the target audience, and to ultimately produce a print product that has significant value and appeal in its offline presentation.
Explain why you?re perfect to write and promote the book. More on this below.
What can you specifically do to market and promote the book? Never discuss what you hope to do, only what you can and will do (without publisher assistance), given your current resources.
Many people write their marketing plan in extremely tentative fashion, talking about things they are ?willing? to do if asked. This is deadly language. Avoid it. Instead, you need to be confident, firm, and direct about everything that?s going to happen with or without the publisher?s help. Make it concrete, realistic, and attach numbers to everything.
Weak
I plan to register a domain and start a blog for my book.
Strong
Within 6 months of launch, my blog on [book topic] already attracts 5,000 unique visits per month.
Weak
I plan to contact bloggers for guest blogging opportunities.
Strong
I have also guest blogged every month for the past year to reach another 250,000 visitors, at sites such as [include 2-3 examples of most well-known blogs]. I have invitations to return on each site, plus I?ve made contact with 10 other bloggers for future guest posts.
Weak
I plan to contact conferences and speak on [book topic].
Strong
I am in contact with organizers at XYZ conferences, and have spoken at 3 events within the past year reaching 5,000 people in my target audience.
The secret of a marketing plan isn?t the number of ideas you have for marketing, or how many things you are willing to do, but how many solid connections you have?the ones that are already working for you?and how many readers you NOW reach through today?s efforts. You need to show that your ideas are not just pie in the sky, but real action steps that will lead to concrete results and a connection to an existing readership.
Briefly describe each chapter, if appropriate.
Include at least one?the strongest, meatiest chapter. Don?t try to get off easy by using the introduction.
Maybe you approached too big of a publisher. Is there a smaller publisher that would be interested because they have a lower threshold of sales to meet? Big houses may want to sell as many as 20,000 copies in the first year to justify publication; smaller presses may be fine with a few thousand copies.
Is it possible to make your subject/topic/book more marketable by employing a sexier hook? Many times, writers aren?t looking at their work with a marketer?s eye. Think about how you might interest a perfect stranger in your topic. Have you really tapped into current trends and interests when it comes to your book project, and are you framing it in an exciting way for a publisher (or agent)? Just because you?re fascinated by your subject doesn?t mean other people will get it. You have to know how to sell it.
It depends on how big of a publisher you?re pitching, and the overall nature of that publisher. Let?s assume you want the best possible deal from a commercial, New York house. They will want to know:
You typically need tens of thousands of engaged followers, and verifiable influence with those followers, to interest a major publisher. Make sure that every number you mention is offered with context.?Avoid statements like these: I have 3,000 friends on Facebook or I have 5,000 followers on Twitter. These numbers are fairly meaningless as far as engagement. You have to tell the story behind the numbers. For instance:
Better: More than 30 percent of my Twitter followers have retweeted me, and my links get clicked an average of 50 times.
Better: I run regular giveaway events on Facebook, and during the last event, more than 500 people sent their favorite quote on [topic] to be considered for the giveaway?and to also be considered for the book.
Show that you know your market in a meaningful way, show specifically how and where the market is engaged and growing, and show the engaged role you have.
For more about platform, see these other posts:
Some nonfiction topics actually work better when presented on blogs, websites, or communities/forums?where interactivity and an ability to freshen up the content at a moment?s notice has more appeal to your audience.
Traditional houses are pickier than ever; producing anything in print is a significant investment and risk. They need to know there?s an audience waiting to buy. And, given the significant change in the industry, authors shouldn?t consider a print book their first goal or the end goal, but merely one channel, and usually not the best channel.
Check out Michael Larsen?s?How to Write a Book Proposal, the most definitive guide on the topic since the 1980s. It will step you through every single page of your book proposal.
This post is nearly 3,000 words, and I could go for another 50,000 words if I covered everything! Rather than me doing that, pose your specific questions in the comments.
Source: http://janefriedman.com/2012/11/09/start-here-how-to-write-a-book-proposal/
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Welcome again to our regular feature, Video Game Crafts ?N Gear! There?s tons of passionate gamers out there, and decidedly not enough gaming swag in the world. That?s why these talented creators make their own, and we round up whatever awesome custom-made art, sculptures, toys, clothing, or random items we happen to find. Of course, we?ll include whatever official merchandise we think is cool, too!
By now its a little late to celebrate Halloween festivities, but that doesn?t make these painted Pac-Man pumpkins (try saying that five times fast) any less awesome. We also have an amazing tribute to the NES Legend of Zelda and some epic Nintendo scuptures made out of? cans?
Remember, as always you can click each image to view it full-size. Let?s begin!
Pac-Man Pumpkins
So it turns out these are pretty old ? and no, not because this wasn?t posted on Halloween, but because these babies were made back in 2009! I?m amazed I haven?t seen them before.
Submitted by Dave Adams for a Halloween contest held on Makezine, Dave recreated Pac-Man, the ghosts, dots, and fruit by cutting and painting pumpkins.
?It?s Dangerous to Go Alone!? Zelda Key Hanger
Never has the iconic quote ?it?s dangerous to go alone! Take this? quote from the old man in The Legend of Zelda been used in such a humourous, practical way. Check out this key hanger ? its like?your keys are ?being given to you by the old man himself!
These are actually available for purchase right now on Etsy from user GeekyandChic, with one-hook and two-hook options also available.
[Source: Etsy thanks to Zelda Universe]
Mario and Pokemon Can Sculptures
When guzzling away endless beer cans, the concept of ?art? doesn?t often cross our minds as we stumble and embarrass ourselves in a drunken stupor. Genius Japanese sculptor ?Makaon?, however, found a practical use for tin containers, and it may be the most bizarre yet most impressive thing we?ve featured so far. Check out these amazing tin statues of Nintendo mascots Mario, Luigi, Pikachu, Jigglypuff and Charizard.
Using?Heineken,?Coca Cola?and Blast Energy cans, Makeon cuts and shapes them to recreate our favourite plumbers and elemental critters. She has also made many other?sculptures?of various animals and other iconic characters such as Batman, Buzz Lightyear and Darth Vader. Kudos for the Totoro sculpture.
That?s all for this week, but you can check out last week?s?Portal Gun, Zelda Necklace, and Magnetic Katamari Ball!
[Source:?Akikannkurafuto?thanks to Explosion.com]
Article from Gamersyndrome.com
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WASHINGTON, Nov. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --?Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today released the following statement encouraging U.S. employers to commemorate the Veterans Day holiday Monday by making a commitment to hiring veterans:
"On Monday, America will celebrate the sacrifices of the men and women who've served their country in the armed forces. I strongly believe that the best way we can honor our veterans is to employ them.
"We've now lowered our unemployment rate for our veterans to 6.3 percent ? well below the national average ? and brought down the jobless rate for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans by more than two percentage points in the last year alone. We're making progress, but our work will not be done until everyone who has worn the uniform can find civilian jobs worthy of their heroic sacrifice.?
"Through boot camp and pre-deployment training, the U.S. government spends 8-12 weeks preparing our outstanding soldiers, sailors and airmen to serve. Now that we're winding down a decade of war overseas, it's critical that we spend some time preparing these heroes for the transition back to civilian life. Over the next five years, the Department of Labor will help more than 1 million transitioning service members find jobs when they come home. We're helping them with job search strategies and resume writing, and showing them how to market their world-class military training to secure good-paying civilian jobs.
"Every day, the Labor Department is working to help employers recruit veterans to fill open positions and to go out into local communities to make the case for hiring veterans. America's veterans are dependable, hardworking and loyal. Teamwork and commitment to the mission at hand are hard-wired into their DNA. They've received world-class training from one of the most demanding organizations in the world and been tested in pressure-cooker situations that few of us can imagine.
"Those who fight to protect our freedoms abroad should not have to fight for jobs when they come home. They deserve a chance to use their unique skills to help re-grow our economy. So this Veterans Day, I encourage employers to make the commitment to put our veterans to work for them. It's an act of patriotism that's good for our country and good for their bottom line.
"We're also focused on doing more to assist our homeless veterans, including many women who've come home with unique combat-related problems. On any given night, tens of thousands of vets go to sleep on our streets and under our bridges. We've made huge progress in reducing the number of homeless veterans by focusing on affordable housing first. Once they have shelter, we're helping them find clothing, transportation, medical referrals and jobs. No service member should ever have to come home to homelessness, and with good civilian careers waiting for them, they won't."
Connect with DOL at:
http://social.dol.gov
http://twitter.com/usdol
http://www.facebook.com/departmentoflabor
http://www.youtube.com/usdepartmentoflabor
http://social.dol.gov/blog/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/52862363@N07/
U.S. Department of Labor news materials are accessible at http://www.dol.gov. The information above is available in large print, Braille or CD from the COAST office upon request by calling 202-693-7828 or TTY 202-693-7755.?
SOURCE U.S. Department of Labor
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/statement-secretary-labor-hilda-l-solis-honoring-veterans-222800937.html
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A quiet clean-out of the Solid Energy board has begun, with two resignations by directors filed with the Companies Office this week and the appointment of an experienced Australian mining expert, Neville Sneddon, to the board.
Deputy chairman John Fletcher, who has served on the Solid Energy board since May 2007, has resigned with six months still to run on his directorship, which was scheduled to expire next April, while Michelle Smith has left a year early after serving on the Solid Energy board since November 2010.
The resignations and appointments have yet to be announced publicly by State-Owned Enterprises Minister Tony Ryall, who has released a swag of other state-owned enterprise board appointments this week.
The moves follow the scheduled departure of Solid Energy's long-serving chairman John Palmer earlier this year, coinciding with a massive restructuring as the company announced it was facing a $200 million revenue shortfall in the current financial year.
It has moved to cut 25 percent of its workforce, has put the Spring Creek underground coal mine in "care and maintenance", has put expansion of the Huntly East coal mine on hold, and announced writedowns and disposals on several failed initiatives to diversify beyond coal mining into renewable energy and bio-fuels.
The company reported a $40.2 million loss after writedowns in the year to June 30, with chief executive Don Elder describing the deterioration in global coking coal prices as an "extreme" and sudden downturn which caught the company by surprise.
Solid Energy was to have been one of the four state-owned energy companies to be partially privatised, but has now been taken off the "for sale" list pending a commercial turnaround.
In a statement to BusinessDesk, State-Owned Enterprises Minister Tony Ryall said "a new chair has recently been appointed to Solid Energy and the company is moving into a new phase."
"As has been previously indicated, there would be some changes at Solid Energy, and a number of directors' terms were coming to an end in the next few months."
Auckland's Watercare Services chief executive, Mark Ford, who led the government's Auckland super-city merger, was appointed to replace Palmer.
Other Solid Energy directors have served for longer than Fletcher and Smith, but sources say their early resignations indicate dissatisfaction with the state-owned company's expansion into areas that did not produce significant new earnings.
Sources pointed to basic metrics such as the fact that Solid Energy had produced around 4 million tonnes of coal annually for some years, but that its workforce had expanded from around 400 to nearer 1,500.
It is unclear whether other sitting directors are also in the gun. They are David Patterson, a Wellington solicitor with National Party links whose first term on the Solid Energy board expires next April; Australian metallurgist Alan Broome, who has been a director since May 2006 and whose term expires in April 2014; Air New Zealand director and former Fletcher Challenge stalwart John McDonald, whose term expires next April; and Auckland-based business broker and former china clays industry executive Simon Marsters, who joined the board in 2008 and whose current term runs to April 2014.
Departing deputy chairman Fletcher is a professional director with a background in the oil industry, while Smith's background is in financial services. She is also a director of Heartland, the NZX-listed building society seeking to become a registered bank.
The newly appointed director, Neville Sneddon, is a mining engineer listed as non-executive chairman of Sydney-based CSM Energy, a specialist firm consulting to mining companies seeking to reduce costs, improve profitability and manage mines over their full life cycle.
Sneddon's career includes senior management of the mines inspectorate in New South Wales, chief operating officer of Shell Coal, later the Australian coal arm of Anglo American, and adviser to state and federal governments on mine safety.
BusinessDesk.co.nz
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Source: http://www.sharechat.co.nz/article/9949cba4/quiet-clean-out-on-solid-energy-board-begins.html
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