HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR CREDIBILITY AND BOOST YOUR CAREER: GET A BOOK PUBLISH

For years, I've told my clients et. al. that one of the ways to improve their credibility and boost their careers was to get published. It certainly has worked for me. Start with an article or two or three or ten, and at some time go for a book.

Often, here's what folks say to me, "You know, I feel I have a book's worth of material in me, but how do I get it published?" Some even say, "I've been working on a manuscript for some time. What do I do with it?" Or, "I did write a book, sent it out to a publishing company never heard from them."

Here's a time-saving trick: Don't write your book until you have a publisher interested in it. How do you do that? You "sell" a publisher on the idea by submitting to them a letter of query, and if they bite, you send them a full proposal. Wow, that's a lot of work to do before writing your book, right? Yes, indeed, but here's what Stephen Blake Mettee, President and Publisher of Quill Driver Books says, "...without something close to divine intervention -- an author is going to have to write a sales piece, called a book proposal, that will attract the attention of an editor or an agent."

Mettee doesn't stop there, he's just released a great helpful guide book entitled THE FAST-TRACK COURSE ON HOW TO WRITE A NONFICTION BOOK PROPOSAL. Mettee gives it to you straight from his own experiences as a publisher and a writer. In his first chapter, you get this: "Editors don't have time to read whole manuscripts to find out if they are interested in the book." Instead, send a book proposal.

What's a book proposal? Says Mettee, " A book proposal is a ten-to fifty-page document designed to give an acquisitions editor enough information about your book and enough confidence in you as a writer that he will offer to publish it." Then, in the rest of the book, he gives examples of the various elements that should be in the proposal and how to write the letter of query that usually precedes a proposal. (Psst. Don't tell, but on page 13 of the book, he gives you a secret about query letters and proposals and what to do after 60 days have passed and you haven't heard from the publisher.)

Mettee also explains contracts, agents, and royalties. He gives you complete details on the elements of a strong proposal along with samples of a proposal, and samples of contracts, letters of query, agency agreements and an excellent glossary. He adds this thought, "Since your book proposal stands the chance of being the last thing of yours an editor will read, it must be an example of your best writing."

Why not give it a try? Boost your credibility and your career. And even if you don't write a winning proposal, writing one will do wonders for helping you clarify your thinking about what it is you can say. If you can't find Mettee's book at your book store or on line, here's the publisher's 800 number: 1-800-497-4909.
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Jim Evers coaches and offers training programs in such key leadership and workplace skills as decision making, problem solving, creative thinking, peak performance, and effective writing. He also consults to schools in teacher development and effective writing skills. eversassociates@earthlink.net, 845-623-7129, creativeleader.com. nnn