Dorothy Hearst's breakout session at BlogPaws 2012: Writing and Publishing Your Book - Tips from a Writer-Editor

1. Writing and Publishing Your Book
Tips from a Writer-Editor
Dorothy Hearst
Author
Promise of the Wolves & Secrets of the Wolves

2. Writing & Publishing Your Book
• Writing The Book
– Developing Your Idea
– Getting Started
– Making it Good
• Selling Your Book
– About Agents
– About the Proposal
– About You
• After You Get to Yes
– Care and Feeding of Publishers
– Marketing While Writing
6/22/2012 Dorothy Hearst BlogPaws 2012

3. Writing
Developing Your Idea #1
Non-Narrative Nonfiction
• Something Has to Matter
• What is Unique About Your Book
• Is It Enough for a Book
– Ask Yourself “So What?”
6/22/2012 Dorothy Hearst BlogPaws 2012

4. Writing
Developing Your Idea #2
Fiction & Narrative Nonfiction
• Something Has to Matter
• Nurture Your Idea
• Deepen Your Idea
– Ask so what, how, what next?
6/22/2012 Dorothy Hearst BlogPaws 2012

5. Writing
Getting Started
• Overcoming Fear and Shame
• Write No Matter What
• Write Really Bad Stuff
6/22/2012 Dorothy Hearst BlogPaws 2012

6. Writing
Make it Good
• Revise, Revise, Revise
• Do Your Homework
• Read & Learn
• Keep Developing Your Craft
6/22/2012 Dorothy Hearst BlogPaws 2012

7. Selling Your Book
About Agents
• Do You Need An Agent?
• How to Find an Agent (or Publisher)
6/22/2012 Dorothy Hearst BlogPaws 2012

8. Selling Your Book
The Proposal
• The Elevator Pitch
• The Proposal
– Audience
– Need
– Purpose (How you will meet the need)
– What is Unique?
6/22/2012 Dorothy Hearst BlogPaws 2012

9. Selling Your Book
About You
• Platform
• Know Your Market
• Be the Author They Want to Sign
6/22/2012 Dorothy Hearst BlogPaws 2012

10. Once You Get to “Yes”
The Care & Feeding of Publishers
Getting what you want (or at least what you need)
• Be Nice. To Everyone
• Be Assertive & Confident (but nice)
• Think of the relationship as a partnership
• Marketing While Writing
6/22/2012 Dorothy Hearst BlogPaws 2012