Belle Isle Books - Blog

November 2022 - Soliciting Book Reviews from Lesser-Known Sources

11/18/2022

During a recent marketing session on accruing book reviews, I encouraged authors to build business relationships with booksellers, reviewers, and media. In response, attendees asked one key question: How can a relatively unknown author compete with major marketing firms, big publishing houses, and PR companies, all of which have deep pockets and established connections with media and booksellers?

One way to achieve success in the face of this seemingly overwhelming competition is by using an old-school method that has recently lost favor, especially among younger authors. While it's true that in today's world, book marketing happens largely via email and online contact forms, this alternative approach can still see success: making connections with editors and reviewers via phone calls, or even in-person visits. Authors might make these connections with smaller, local media outlets rather than with a major publication like the Washington Post or the New York Times—but at the same time, the editor of a smaller publication may be more likely to write a review. Authors who do their research to learn what genres a reviewer is interested in and the titles he or she is currently reviewing are more likely to receive a coveted "Yes!" to their requests.

I also challenge authors to invite local or even national celebrities, corporate leaders, and other influencers outside the book world to write and post reviews for their book on Amazon and other major retailers' websites. Such reviews can be persuasive—sometimes more so than reviews from lesser-known reviewers in the publishing industry. Authors can establish connections with these reviewers in the same way one builds any relationship: saying hello, making conversation, and being friendly and excited about their ideas, fields, and books.

Authors have to be bold and courageous in these efforts. They also have to wear their armor when they do this—because for every success, some rejection is inevitable. Busy and overwhelmed bookstore owners will turn you away; an executive's secretary may refuse to connect you to the CEO; an editor may be rude—but on occasion, you might be fortunate enough to reach the right person at the right time.

Ultimately, depending solely on social media or emails to spread the word about your book may not be enough. To give your book the best chance, you have to take risks and challenge yourself to reach out to people you never imagined contacting. Stand strong, and be endlessly persistent—and you might just be surprised!

written by Robert Pruett, publisher

October 2022 - The Language of Publishing

10/24/2022

I’ve always believed that if you learn the vocabulary of a profession or field, you can understand it much better—and this is certainly true of publishing. Publishers often use language unfamiliar to laymen—terms like developmental editing, line editing, and copy editing; soft proofs, hard proofs, interior proofs, and cover proofs, and others.

Often, some of the most confusing terms for new authors are those that involve the period between the moment they finish working with their publisher to edit and revise their book, and its actual publication. When all files are approved and the author has no further changes or corrections to make to their book, the publisher will usually ask them to sign a print release—essentially a form declaring, “I’m ready to print my book!” Once the print release is signed, the publisher sets a release date three to six months in the future, to mark when the book will be shipped to the booksellers and customers who preorder it.

The intervening months, or pre-release period, allow the author and publisher time to promote the book. The promotion accomplished during this period is similar to a preview announcing the release of an upcoming film: it introduces the work to its intended audience—and to the press, reviewers, and bloggers—to inspire them to talk and write about the work in advance of its release. Like filmmakers, authors hope that when the fruit of their labor is finally released into the world, hundreds or thousands of potential audience members will be moved or persuaded to purchase their work: if a filmmaker’s marketing is successful, tickets will be sold, and the theater will be packed at the premier; and if an author’s marketing is successful, their book will fly off the shelves.

At Brandylane, we know that this outcome is what every author wants. We believe that forewarned is forearmed, and that it’s never too early for an author to learn about every aspect of publishing. That’s why we do our best to provide our clients and readers alike with jargon-free instructions and explanations about the publishing process—a process that can sometimes be complex and intimidating, especially for new authors. If you have questions about the lexicon of the publishing world—whether you’ve already written a book or not—feel free to call or email us. Answering questions is one of our specialties—and we do it in simple language.

written by Robert Pruett, publisher

September 2022 - The Rise and Reception of E-books

9/30/2022

When people learn I'm a publisher, their first questions usually include the following: "Do you publish those electronic books?" and "Do you think printed books are going to disappear?" Sometimes, these questions are asked with not a little trepidation - a fear of losing something they clearly hold dear. After all, holding a book in your hands, turning the pages one by one, and smelling the incomparable scent of paper make printed books truly irreplaceable, and most book lovers agree that the tactile experience is what they love most about the printed format.

The rise of e-books has been swift and strong. While they first emerged as early as the '70s, they didn't become mainstream until the 2000s - but today, they comprise 20 to 50 percent of all book sales, depending on the country. This chart from the Visual Capitalist gives a global breakdown:

"The Staying Power of Physical Books" by Rosey Eason

While it's clear e-books are popular, it's also clear that the majority of people still buy their books in print. So as long as paper is available and printers remain in business, we believe the printed word will prevail - which makes us happy, as both publishers and readers!

written by Robert Pruett, Publisher

June 2022 - The Path to Traditional Publication

6/30/2022

Almost every author would love for their book to be published by one of the Big Five—HarperCollins, Macmillan, Simon & Schuster, Hachette, and Penguin Random House, the five largest publishing houses in the US. This is the holy grail, a prize coveted by authors in every genre. But unknown—and even veteran!—authors have a slim chance of being signed by one of these houses. Their acquisitions editors refuse unsolicited manuscripts, so authors must first find an agent willing to represent them—and these agents are also highly selective. They require authors to submit a query and an impressive professional proposal, and to have a substantial following or track record of success from previously published books. And of course, they also require an author to have a compelling manuscript—or at least some portion of it. Authors also need lots of patience in pursuing an agent, as these professionals are notoriously slow to respond—if they respond at all.

Even if an author finds they are one of the chosen few, this may be a less satisfying position than they originally expected. Unless you’re an award-winning author like Stephen King or Cormac McCarthy, a popular political figure, or a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist, you may have very little involvement in the production of your book. Your manuscript may be restructured and developed in a way that is completely contrary to your vision—and you may not even see your book’s cover until it’s published, let alone have the opportunity to offer your input!

In addition, the big houses are always looking for a quick success. With traditional publication, the publisher invests one hundred percent of the cost a book—and an unknown author with no track record poses a significant financial risk. Given this, it’s understandable that publishers are wary and cautious when it comes to signing a new author. If a book doesn’t perform successfully within four to six months, the publisher’s promotional efforts will likely wind down, or even cease completely. One author I know who was published by one of the major houses was expected to hire her own private publicist, fund her own travel, and build her promotional effort largely on her own. And though the young, inexperienced, overworked in-house publicist who was promoting her book was available at its launch, four months after her book was released, the publicist stopped calling. Why? Because her book hadn’t sold five thousand copies, only four hundred—not unusual for a new author.

So if you are a hopeful new author who expects to sit back, hold a few book signings, and wallow in your success after your book is published, waiting for royalty checks to pour in, take a moment to research the industry, and traditional publication. You may find you wish to consider another path to publication—one that might be more realistic and attainable. At Brandylane, we don’t require an agent; we stick with our authors for the long run; and our authors have the opportunity to work cooperatively with talented editors, designers, and an active PR team ready to support them. Let us know how we can help you!

written by Robert Pruett, Publisher

May 2022 - Self-Publishing: The Realities and Pitfalls

5/31/2022

Many authors who contact Brandylane are struggling with an important decision: Should I self-publish my book, seek a literary agent, or submit my work directly to publishers? In recent years, self-publishing has become a popular option; but as it’s still a fairly new option for the broader public, misconceptions abound. Perhaps chief among these misconceptions is confusion over who is actually publishing the work, if an author receives help from another party during this process. The answer, however, is simple: When you self-publish—in the purest sense—you are the publisher of record. Your book and its International Serial Book Number (ISBN) are registered in your name, or in the name of a company you create, via which you will promote and market your book. In this case, any publishing company you may be paying to produce your book—that is, to create the physical copies, including printing, binding, and sometimes formatting the work—is the packager. In contrast, when you engage and pay a publishing company to publish your work under their imprint or name, they are the publisher, and you are not self-publishing in this case.

Self-publishing is challenging, and costly if done well. For many authors, it’s a journey into the unknown—and as a result, self-published books are often substandard or amateurish. Most savvy readers can easily tell when a self-published book hasn’t been produced by a crew of professionals: the manuscript may not have been carefully edited or proofread; the cover may be poorly designed, with photographs or illustrations that haven’t printed well due to their poor resolution; or the book may simply fail to meet other basic industry standards. Often, these shortcomings happen because, in an effort to save on costs, the author didn't hire an experienced designer or editor.

Another aspect of book publishing that some authors who choose to self-publish rarely consider is marketing. Successful marketing is an enormous factor in a book’s success, and people who choose to self-publish their work don’t receive the benefit of a publisher who will cooperate in the book’s marketing effort. While writing and producing their book, every author becomes their own promoter—but this is especially true of authors who choose to self-publish. The best time to start marketing your work is while it is still in production, so that when your book is released, you will have already built an eager audience that will incite book buyers to come knocking on your door. At this stage, smart self-publishers engage a marketing company or team of friends and family to provide support. Going it alone in your book’s marketing effort is a mammoth undertaking—and a mistake.

In summary, if you choose to self-publish your work, you must become a specialist in many fields at once—writing, design, market research, promotion, sales, even web design and accounting—or you must hire knowledgeable people to assist you. In addition to publishing titles under our imprints, Brandylane has guided many authors through the self-publishing labyrinth, making the process less intimidating and helping them avoid tricky turns and dead ends. We’re always happy to help authors self-publish their work—and we cheer their success as much as we do the books we publish under our imprints!

written by Robert Pruett, Publisher

April 2022 - The Hidden Process of Book Production - and Why Publication Takes So Long

4/30/2022

As a publishing company, one of our primary jobs is to gently guide our authors through the process of book production, causing them as little stress as possible as we turn their lovingly drafted manuscript into a professionally edited, designed, and polished work of art. Most authors are familiar with the first part of this process: editing, wherein they enter into a dialogue with their editor and continue writing and revising their work until every word is finally ready for print. But far fewer authors are familiar with the next parts of the publishing process: design and production, which take place behind the scenes, and with less author input. This perceived separation from the manuscript they've been so involved in editing can be something of a shock, and can sometimes make authors anxious. “Now that my book has been written and professionally edited, what could take so long?” they often ask. “It’s just a matter of printing the words on paper—right?”

Not exactly. Just as writing a book worth reading can be a slow slog, designing and producing a great book takes time. Preparing a finished, fully revised manuscript for the world to read involves a long series of steps, many of them unknown to authors who are going through the publishing process for the first time. From formatting to cover design to font selection to ordering an ISBN, every part of this operation demands strict attention to detail. The overall process is linear, but every stage of production requires recursive steps to check and recheck language, design, and many other elements for accuracy. And all this is part of the reason why, for us, the entire process of publishing and launching a work takes twelve months or more—and why, for major publishers, this process can take as long as two years. But when production is complete and the book’s final proofs are approved, most authors feel it was worth the wait—even if it took longer than expected.

written by Robert Pruett, Publisher

March 2022 - Getting the Word Out - and Getting Your Book onto Bookstore Shelves

3/31/2022

Publishing industry veterans know there’s a big difference between making a book available in the marketplace and making readers aware that it’s available. Many first-time authors believe that if their title appears on Amazon or on a bookstore shelf, people will come across it by default, and word will quickly spread. In reality, this couldn’t be further from the truth—and in fact, this usually happens in reverse!

While readers can discover books by accident when browsing through Amazon, for such a circumstance to occur in the physical world, Barnes & Noble or a local bookseller must first choose to carry and sell that book. For that to happen, a bookseller must first know about the book themselves, and then be convinced that it will sell.

How are booksellers convinced of this? Often, an already existing demand for the book will do the job. Booksellers comb through industry data, which reflects the activity surrounding a title—social media buzz, reviews in printed publications, or a combination of the two. They also take into account requests from people who come to their stores. The more people are asking for and talking about a book, the more likely it is to win a coveted spot on a bookstore's shelf.

Often, a perfect storm of these influences is required for a new title by a first-time author to make its way to the shelf. But it might also happen because an author has walked into a bookstore, introduced himself to the manager, and shared his very worthy book, his passion, and his platform directly.

Ultimately, there are no secret formulas or magic potions that win the hearts and minds of booksellers or book lovers—but we do know that in all cases, you should start with a professionally edited, designed, and packaged book. We also know that alongside our efforts, a committed, passionate, energetic author who builds an online following can find an audience—though it may take months, or even years. When it comes to publishing a bestseller, only celebrities can boast overnight success stories. The rest of us have to keep our shoulders to the wheel, and never give up.

written by Robert Pruett, Publisher

February 2022 - Publishing During a Pandemic

2/28/2022

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the publishing industry and Brandylane have seen significant changes. Some of them have been welcome: according to the American Booksellers Association, book sales increased in the US in 2020, and again (by 5 percent) in 2021, as book lovers spent money on books and other entertainment products—dollars they likely would have otherwise spent on travel and dinners out. Indie bookstores, once on the verge of disappearing, are making a comeback as well: over the past decade, US indie bookstores have grown from 1,651 stores to more than 2,500, an increase of more than 50 percent. More manuscripts are coming over the transom than ever—perhaps because the isolation has inspired writers to get to work on that novel they've put aside for years. In the wake of a public health crisis, it’s been encouraging to see a positive outflow of creative energy and good writing.

But once a book is written and published, it must be marketed. Marketing is demanding and time-consuming even in the best of times, and over the past two years, most of our authors have struggled to find creative ways to get their books in front of new readers. It’s been difficult—and for some of our older authors, almost impossible—to appear in public. COVID-19 has made attending book fairs, signings, and in-person author riskier, while virtual appearances require a fairly high level of technical knowledge and skill that many authors don’t possess. In the face of these challenges, authors have taken to asking, “How do people find books in this environment—and especially, how can they find my book?” (Watch next month for some answers.)

With gatherings restricted, we’ve also missed the pleasure of meeting our authors in person. Though our family of authors live as far away as Japan, Australia, Israel, and in almost every state—most of them too distant to allow visits to our Richmond office—before the pandemic, we always had someone stopping by to chat about books they'd written or read. While we've been happy to continue to meet virtually, Zoom and Google Meet just don’t offer the opportunity for personal connection that a face-to-face meeting brings.

As others have said, the last two-plus years have been a roller coaster, and like many of you, we’re tired. All of us at Brandylane are praying for an end to COVID and the collective fatigue that’s come with it, and looking forward to a return to a semblance of normalcy this spring. And now, we're also praying for the people of Ukraine. May they live free.

written by Robert Pruett, Publisher

January 2022 - Learning Patience from the Past

1/31/2022

I first began thinking about starting a publishing company while I was working as a freelance writer, reading Writers’ Market to search for potential publishers for my essays and articles. In doing so, I was surprised to find so many small presses publishing only one or two books a year. How could a publisher produce only one or two books each year? I thought. Surely it would be easy to publish many more titles.

When I founded Brandylane and Pleasant Living magazine in 1985, I quickly learned how time-consuming the publishing process could be—especially production. At the time, after the author wrote their story on a typewriter or by hand, editors and publishers had to type the text into a typographical machine, which printed the text on strips of photographic paper that were then rubber-cemented to flats section by section, line by line, or even word by word! The printer then photographed the flats to produce film, which was then burned into metal plates for the press. A minor grammatical or typographical error meant printing perhaps just two words on the typographical machine, pasting the correction over the error, and producing new film. In my early years as a publisher, I worked many long hours hunched over a light table, meticulously pasting text and photos and measuring every inch. It soon became clear to me why small presses published so few books each year.

That was before desktop publishing found a strong footing. Today, the steps from submission review to the release of a new title remain the same, but modern technology allows us to edit, design, and produce books much faster than we could forty years ago—though still not quite as quickly as many authors would prefer. After spending months or years writing a manuscript, authors naturally feel an urgency to get their book to market, and often want to push their editor or publisher to move faster. Unfortunately, in this business, speed can introduce errors. I often ask anxious, eager authors, “Would you prefer to publish a great book, or a fast one?” Usually they relent and realize the benefits of patience.

Book production has changed dramatically since Brandylane’s early days. I’m grateful for the advancements that have made my work life easier—but I’ve also learned the benefits of a slow, methodical, and careful pace.

written by Robert Pruett, Publisher

December 2021 - Advice for New Fiction Authors from one of Brandylane's Senior Editors

12/31/2021

Q: In your view, what are the essential elements of a successful novel?

A: It’s actually quite difficult to outline “essential” elements of a successful novel, since the overall scope of novels can be so broad, there is almost always an outlier that doesn’t follow the “rules.” In general, however, most successful contemporary novels possess three elements that are so basically fundamental, they may seem obvious and even reductive: a coherent, logical plot; characters who function well within that plot, and a strong hook or theme. Fortunately, this final element can often emerge on its own from a strong plot and characters.

Q: What are a few of the biggest mistakes writers make when writing their first work of fiction?

Writing without reading. An avid writer should be an avid reader. As you write your own book, take care not to limit your focus too much to your own effort, and continue expanding your literary horizons by reading other authors’ work.

Believing that after they’ve finished their first draft, they can move on to querying publishers without revising their manuscript, or without getting second opinions. Even experienced writers can spend months revising a manuscript by themselves before showing it to any readers, and months revising again after receiving feedback. If you’re a writer tackling your first work of fiction, you will likely make a few big mistakes that will need ironing out before your work can be considered saleable. In fact, in many cases, writers never sell their first novels. Some authors even write multiple novels before finally producing a book that catches the attention of a publisher! These unpublished novels aren’t failures or a waste of time, but rather a tax paid to attain a certain level of craft. Essentially, they’re practice. Allow yourself space to practice, like a violinist before a concert, and try not to get too married to the idea of selling the first novel you’ve ever written. Your concert might be waiting in the form of a second, third, or even fourth novel, and if you spend too much time querying your first effort, you might never get around to writing the work that will eventually make you famous.

Including logical inconsistencies. In addition to writing a story, a writer has the difficult task of laying out that story’s entire world for the reader. For the story to have the best effect, that world must be coherent. To ensure their worlds are coherent, authors must be aware what characters know which information when, and ensure that those characters react to new information in accordance with their characterization. Keeping track of the implications certain details and story beats have on the world you’ve created can be a big job, especially for first-time authors.

Including irrelevant details, characters, or scenes that don’t serve a function in the story. Every element an author includes in a story should have some purpose; but even for experienced writers, it can be hard to recognize when a line, scene, detail, or character isn’t contributing anything meaningful to the work. Often, first-time authors write scenes because they want to see them—but sometimes, these scenes do not end up being the most effective vehicles to communicate the author’s message. This is why one of the most common phrases you might hear from an editor is to “kill your darlings.”

Overusing certain words, literary devices, constructions, or clichés, to the distraction of the reader. First-time writers often lean on comfortable clichés and comparisons, or familiar words and turns of phrase. Maybe you’re a chronic purveyor of ellipses. Maybe your characters constantly “murmur” when they speak. Or maybe you’re a little too over the moon about the phrase “over the moon.” An author can have a signature style and technique, but every choice should be intentional, and authors sometimes unconsciously default to certain phrases. When readers pick up on these phrases, it can make the author’s writing feel stale.

Q: How do you recommend first-time authors avoid these mistakes?

Read what other authors have written—both their fiction, and what they have to say about their writing process. Reading others’ books will help you absorb new ways to envision the world and new ways to approach the act of writing, both of which will enrich your own work.

Before you send out a manuscript, set it aside for a month or so, and then pull it out and revise it on your own. Even better, get a beta reader—or several! The more readers you have before you query publishers, the more you’ll be able to learn about how a variety of people might receive your story—provided you ask a variety of people to read your book. Ask each reader to give you their first impressions of the book, share their favorite parts, and tell you something that confused them about the work. Tell them to be honest, and try not to take offense at anything they might say—chances are if one of your readers feels a certain way about something in your book, so will many others. Use this opportunity to change your work based on their feedback, before you send your book out into the world, and make sure you let your readers know how much you appreciate their advice.

Construct a timeline of events for your novel. Some authors find they don’t need to do this, but many do, especially if their novels are particularly long, complex, or well populated with many characters. As you write, make a separate outline, including each scene as a separate bullet point; or create a physical timeline by listing or on a series of notecards. Include each scene, and break it down as much as you need to, including information such as the date and time, new information each character has learned, the characters’ current emotions, and when new characters or important items appear in the work. This may sound more like recordkeeping than writing, but it will help you find inconsistencies in your story more easily.

Ask why. As you write, or as you reread your finished book, constantly ask yourself why. Why is this character—this detail—this line—this scene—included at this point? What purpose is it serving in a scene, or even in the novel itself? Sometimes, an author might find multiple characters who serve small but separate functions in a novel can be combined into one. Sometimes, entire scenes that don’t contribute to the story in any meaningful way can be excised to refine a story and make it more powerful. More than anything, asking why will get you thinking like a professional author.

Root out repetition. As you write, or as you reread your finished book, pay attention to words and turns of phrase that appear again and again. (Microsoft Word’s Find function can be a big help here, quickly showing you that yes, you did use the phrase “cast her eyes down” seventeen times in your sixty-thousand-word novel.) Of course, an editor can also help you pick out overused phrases, words, and syntax in your drafts, but learning to identify these elements of your writing on your own can help you avoid them before they appear on the page.

an interview with Erin Harpst, Senior Editor