March 21, 2007
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Fortune seems to be smiling on our Lieurance group. Yesterday Taryn wrote about how every once in a blue moon, an absolute gift presents itself.
Such a thing may have happened to me, too.
First, the background.
Years ago, I wrote a book called Men In Search of Work and the Women Who Love Them. It was my first adult book (having published several for teenagers). It was a book I didn’t want to write, but felt compelled to because there was nothing out there to help people like me at that time—the wife of a man who struggled with unemployment and underemployment.
When the book came out, Bill Moyers mentioned it in a speech he gave. I was so thrilled!
The media was interested in the book; I did some radio and even television. Nevertheless, eventually the book went out of print.
I’m not sure anything is as painful to a writer than receiving the dreaded letter from a publisher saying they are going to put her book out of print. It’s a death of sorts.
(Of course, there’s the more recent development of a publisher never putting a book out of print, because Print On Demand technology allows a book to stay in print, potentially, forever: They just print one when an order comes in. That can be bad if an author wants the rights back, which doesn’t happen until the publisher does put the book out of print.)
Sometimes, however, life offers second chances. (More often than we realize, perhaps.) The other day I was approached by a publisher who is considering republishing the book, albeit with significant changes.
Resurrection!
If this goes ahead, this book will be very different from the first version. The publisher wants me to cut the content by at least half. New format, new title.
You know what? Their suggestions are very good! (When a publisher makes suggestions, welcome them. They usually do know what they’re talking about.)
I’m not perturbed at all about cutting the content. In fact, I welcome it. This will give me a valid reason to mention in the book that there are other resources available on the website. It will give motivated readers a reason to connect with me, and me with them. The information that is currently in the Appendices can be put on the website and updated regularly. This will serve readers better, and allow me to begin a relationship with them.
In fact, it’s a model that’s worth considering for any book. It got me to thinking, and inspired me to write an article about how to connect with your readers by offering more than a book alone can give. You can find it on my www.wordstoprofit.com website.
I’ll let you know if Men in Search of Work becomes Hope Wanted: Helping Families Caught in the Crisis of Unemployment. (What do you think of the title?) In the meantime, if you’re writing a book now or thinking of one, plan into your strategy ways to get readers to come to your website for more.
Diane Eble has 28 years experience in the publishing industry as an editor (magazines, fiction and nonfiction books), author (11 published books, more than 350 articles), and copywriter. She is now a publishing coach as well. Her recent books are Abundant Gifts, MotherStyles: Using Personality Type to Discover Your Parenting Strengths. If you’re interested in publishing a book or information product, check out her new “tool kit,” Jump Start Your Book: 12 Questions You Must Answer Before You Write Your First Word.
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Topics: out of print book, words to profit, publishers, Diane Eble |
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