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Home » Archives for Tamela Hancock Murray » Page 40

Tamela Hancock Murray

Thanking the Publishers

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon September 24, 2015
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When you’re an agent, you get to see a lot of what publishers do every day.

At the same time, because you don’t actually work in their offices, you don’t know a lot about what they do.

Since I’ve been an agent a long time, I don’t need to write a blog like this to butter up the publishers. They already know me. But because there’s such publisher bashing, I think now’s a good time to consider what publishers do for their authors.

To the publishers, thank you for:

  • Thinking through each and every book project before bringing it to market. This means vetting each manuscript through several meetings, composed of different groups of people who’ll have a say in whether they think the book will be a success. As a result, every author will have a team of publishing professionals behind each book. No one stands alone in a publishing decision. Does this mean each book will be a bestseller? No. But it does help more authors become successful once they are published.
  • Investing many dollars in each book. It’s hard for authors, and even agents, to understand just how much money we’re asking a publisher to invest in an author. Great cover designers, editors, marketing people, accountants, contracts people, administrators, and author relations people don’t come cheaply – nor should they. It must be frustrating for publishers to hear authors complain that not enough money was invested in their particular books. Maybe in some cases, more money could increase sales; maybe not. But even the last book on the list has still had considerable investment.
  • Hiring fabulous editors. As an agent, I can attest to the high quality of editors in CBA. I would hate to be an author going it alone in the publishing wilds, hoping to find an editor on my own. And while not every author and editor are a good fit at every publishing house, the publishing houses I work with consistently hire the best editors in the business. The fact that I rarely if ever read a book review saying, “The author could have used a good editor,” regarding a CBA book is testimony to the fact. Readers of secular book reviews will see such criticism time and time again – justified or not.
  • Caring about their authors. Yes, this is a business. And sometimes authors don’t “feel the love” but the editors themselves really do care about their authors. I’ve seen the tender loving professional care editors give to their authors’ books – and real friendships can develop.
  • Caring about the quality of the books they publish. The editors and publishers I know truly want to glorify the Lord by presenting readers with quality books. Isn’t that what authors want as well? What more can we ask?

Your turn:

What would you like to thank your publisher for, as an author?

As a reader, does anything come to mind?

 

Leave a Comment
Category: Book Business, Defense of Traditional Publishing, The Publishing LifeTag: publishers, Thanks, The Publishing Life, Traditional Publishing

Reviews: The Spread I Like to See

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon September 17, 2015
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No, it’s not what Daddy calls, “middle-age spread” but the spread of starred ratings on sites such as Amazon. When I see a book reviewed, believe it or not, I don’t like to see ten five-star reviews and then nothing else. An author might ask, “Why not? Doesn’t that mean everyone loved the book?” Yes. All of your friends and family loved your book. I’m not saying those five-star ratings aren’t …

Read moreReviews: The Spread I Like to See
Category: CareerTag: Career, reviews

What Makes You Special?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon September 10, 2015
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Authors have many reasons for writing a particular book. Sometimes those reasons feel so natural you don’t stop to think about them. However, in this market, it’s important to distinguish yourself from other authors and submissions. For nonfiction, you want to show you are an authority on your topic, or that an authority is willing to endorse you. Examples: You are a Christian psychologist using …

Read moreWhat Makes You Special?
Category: Book Proposals, Get PublishedTag: book proposals, Get Published, Qualifications

My Favorite Childhood Favorite

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon September 3, 2015
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My favorite childhood favorite is Barbie Goes to a Party by Jean Bethell, illustrated by Claudine Nankivel. The story details how Barbie spends an afternoon consulting her mother and girlfriends, and how her mother and she advise Barbie’s friend Midge, about what to wear to a party. In the end, everyone wears the same outfit, as per Barbie’s suggestion. So they are all the best dressed …

Read moreMy Favorite Childhood Favorite
Category: ReadingTag: Childhood Favorite, Reading

Why Do You Read?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 27, 2015
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In keeping with last week’s blog on personal reading, I’m thinking about how, over the years, my reasons for reading a book have changed. When I was a teenager, I would read a book to find out what might happen if I married: 1.) a rich man 2.) a poor man 3.) an executive 4.) an artist 5.) a pirate (not really but it’s hard to avoid them in books, though they’re scarce in …

Read moreWhy Do You Read?
Category: ReadingTag: Reading

A Novel Idea

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 20, 2015
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As followers of this blog know, I have just returned from a wonderful conference in Oregon. Many of the questions and my interactions there caused me to re-evaluate my way of approaching how and what I read during my personal time. Please note: I am in no way changing my philosophy regarding what I represent as an agent. I’m still focusing on all forms of Christian romance and representing …

Read moreA Novel Idea
Category: Craft, Get Published, ReadingTag: Ideas, Reading Craft

I’ve Been There and Now I’m Going There – For You

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 13, 2015
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In this era of, “What can an agent do for you?” I thought a blog about the intangible benefits of visibility and relationships would be worth your time. As a literary agent, I am blessed to speak with a great number of talented authors. Many of them are where I once was — mothers with young children at home. They are lucky to have any time to write. Travel to a writers …

Read moreI’ve Been There and Now I’m Going There – For You
Category: Agents, Book Business, Career, Communication, Get PublishedTag: Agents, Get Published, Relationships

Your Agent’s Brand (And Why You Should Care)

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 6, 2015
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I’ve been privileged to have a career as a literary agent for many years now, and early on, I developed a brand and stuck with it. No, I didn’t hire a consultant to sit down and figure out what my “brand” is. And it’s not a tag line I put on business cards, or even anything I say aloud or post on social media. But most people who study agents have an idea about me …

Read moreYour Agent’s Brand (And Why You Should Care)
Category: Agents, Branding, Career, Get PublishedTag: Agents, Branding, Get Published

Name Brands in Fiction

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon July 30, 2015
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So, you’re driving down the road, and you see a Ford F-350 with Monster wheels and an NRA bumper sticker. And you see a Toyota Prius with a Go Green bumper sticker. You know these are two different personalities driving the vehicles, right? You probably have formed an image already. I would guess you even think the driver of the truck is a male and the Toyota is a female. Or you might see a …

Read moreName Brands in Fiction
Category: Copyright, Craft, Legal Issues, Writing CraftTag: Copyright, Craft, Legal, Writing Craft

What Have You Outgrown?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon July 23, 2015
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You can hardly swing a computer keyboard around (well, okay, I don’t recommend swinging a computer keyboard around, but anyway…) without seeing a chance to take a workshop on how to utilize social media. Taking a workshop on social media is a great idea. I’m a huge advocate of using social media for fun, to connect, and, while you’re at it, to let people know you’re a …

Read moreWhat Have You Outgrown?
Category: Branding, Career, Marketing, Social MediaTag: Career, Changes, Social Media
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