Tamela Hancock Murray

Worth the Money?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 25, 2016

As a businesswoman, I have to decide what’s worth paying for and what isn’t. Anyone in business is barraged with opportunities to purchase software, gadgets, and all sorts of pretty office supplies in cool shapes in colors. High heeled shoe tape dispenser, anyone?

Well, okay, no office supply store I know of is giving away tape dispensers so you have to buy those. But what about other options, when something useful might be free, or you can buy an upgraded version?

One program I pay for is a database. I have so many contacts if this were 1980 I’d probably need three giant Rolodex files to keep them all. And I’d have to update them by hand! My database has a free version, but I elect to pay for the upgrade. When I have an issue – which so far has only been once in several years — a person answered the phone. Imagine that! The technician stayed with me until all was well.

Anyone using a free version of anything knows you’re at the bottom of the heap when there’s trouble. You may just have to try your luck on a “community board” on the internet and hope someone can help. Or if there’s a way to contact the company, it may take days to get a response when you’re not paying. I know this because I have free versions of some programs, too. For example, a free version of software I use on a secondary computer requires a lot of attention. You have to press buttons and do all the updates yourself. It works, but it takes more work from you. The paid version runs and you never have to think about it. Ever.

Shopping for apps? Do you choose the free version with lots of ads, or do you pay for an upgrade so you never have to see an ad on the app?

Sure, it would be cool to be Top Dog with every company, but it doesn’t take long for a bunch of small charges to add up to big bucks if you elect to buy professional versions of everything.

It all comes down to decisions. Where is the best place to spend the money you have budgeted for your business?

Your turn:

What business tools do you think are worth paying for?

Which tools do you think are great as freebies?

Eat, Drink, and Be Merry?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 18, 2016

This blog entry is prompted by a response to a recent post, “What’s Wrong with my Book?” A reader commented about portraying characters consuming alcoholic beverages. She didn’t want to change an historical fact that alcohol was a beverage of choice in past times thanks to foul water supplies and the like. She felt it would be wrong to write otherwise. I certainly agree! Still, I err …

Category: Craft, Writing CraftTag: Alcohol, Craft, Writing Craft

Great Customer Service

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 11, 2016

Last week I blogged about a poor experience I had with a hotel, comparing it to a great experience with a different property. This week, I offer a few more tips on how writers can meet and exceed expectations in customer service. Answer in Person I was interested in a particular clothing line and called ahead to the store since it was located in the next state. Excellent customer service point …

Category: Career, Communication, EditingTag: Career, Communication

Not So Great Customer Service

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 4, 2016

In publishing, all of us are really in Customer Service. The agent serves the writer. The writer serves the editor. The editor serves the publisher. The publisher serves the reader. Of course, there’s lots of overlap, but you get the idea. Recently I had a not-so-great customer service experience when I tried to check into a hotel early thanks to a morning flight, a situation I could not control. …

Category: Career, Communication, EncouragementTag: Career, Communication

Five Dollar Words

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon July 28, 2016

“Don’t use a five-dollar word when a fifty-cent word will do.” – Mark Twain One of my daughters is an Arts and Visual Technology major, so of course she has to read articles about art. Here are a few sentences from an eight-page article, “Modernist Painting” by Clement Greenburg. The footnotes inform us that this article was both published and broadcast on the radio. I identify Modernism …

Category: Art, Craft, Creativity, Writing CraftTag: Craft, words, Writing Craft

I’m Always Open to Submissions

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon July 21, 2016

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Sometimes authors send me an email asking, “Are you looking at new submissions?” or “Are you accepting new clients?” I appreciate these authors’ desire not to waste my time or theirs, but I’ll say it here: I’m always open to submissions and new clients. Now, does this mean I’m open to reading entire unpublished books on every and any topic? Or that I hope to sign five new clients every week? No. I …

Category: Agency, Book Proposals, Get Published, RejectionTag: Agency, book proposals, Submissions

What’s Wrong with my Book?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon July 14, 2016

As you can imagine, we see hundreds of proposals and manuscripts each month. And, as you can also imagine, we must decline most. However, there are a few mistakes you can avoid to help your submission rise above others: Not beginning the story in the right place. All too often, an author will tell us about the main characters’ backgrounds before getting to the crux of the story, where the …

Category: Book Proposals, Craft, Editing, Get Published, RejectionTag: book proposals, Get Published

What You May Not Know Before Going to a Conference

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon July 7, 2016

Have you ever been surprised by what you’ve learned at a conference? A couple of my meetings I’ve had over the years surprised me. To wit: Theology A few years ago, I interviewed a novelist at a fifteen-minute appointment. I read through her summary, and realized that the theological position of the story wouldn’t fit with most CBA houses. I made several suggestions on how to bring the story in …

Category: Conferences, Get PublishedTag: Get Published, writers conferences

Why I Don’t Critique Your Work

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon June 30, 2016

A fantastic blog post from Ramona Richards reminded me why I, as a literary agent, don’t offer critiques on rejected proposals. Believe me, as someone who used to write books, I understand the disappointment of the unhelpful rejection letter. So much that I blogged about it (click to read it). I appreciate writers who are looking to learn more about craft, style, and what will make their books …

Category: Agents, Book Proposals, Editing, Get PublishedTag: Agents, book proposals, Editing, Get Published

The Why and How of Selecting Endorsers

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon June 23, 2016

Some authors find the endorsers section tricky when they write book proposals. If this describes you, or if you would like a refresher, I hope this post will be helpful. The Why: I can’t say I’ve ever sold a book based on an endorsement alone. Content is king. But the endorsers (or you can call it Potential Endorsers) section is important. To wit, here’s a quote from Mallory Ortburg’s May 3 …

Category: Book Proposals, Get Published, MarketingTag: book proposals, Endorsements, Get Published