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Coronado Adult EducationSpring 2017

Non-Fiction: The Hungry MarketJanuary 31, 2017

“It’s none of their business that you have to learn to write. Let them think you were born that way.”

Ernest Hemingway

Recap of What We Covered Last Week

First - and Essential - Steps

• Creating content and placing it to win:– Content-hungry media– Recycling and building content– Building relationships with editors – a win-win for both

parties – examples….– Solo or with a wingman? The pros and cons of

collaboration• Ensuring what you produce is embraced & accepted:

– Avoiding the slush pile – tilting the board in your favor– Getting paid and getting invitations to reduce speculation

This Week:Non-Fiction - The Hungry Market

“History is what the historians and writers say it is.”Norman Polmar(Forty books – and counting)

Non-Fiction - The Hungry Market

• Being - or becoming - the expert?• Pursuing a subject - or letting life happen?• Scratching itches - or entertaining?• How much to tell and what’s next?• Getting a publisher to buy your book• Examples and resources

These two quotes might make your head explode…so let’s deconstruct them….

“Now, if you’re getting all fired up and ready to pound the keys, I might inject a word of caution. Actually, this word comes from my wife. For most of us, writing is not a team sport. An article for a trade journal or a short story is no big deal, but if you find yourself writing a long piece or a book, you probably ought to have a chat with your spouse. For most of us, writing means closing off the other people in your life for several hours a day and it’s something you may want to talk about before you begin.”

Dick Couch(Fifteen books – and counting)Shipmate, April 1993

“If you have other things in your life—family, friends, good productive day work—these can interact with your writing and the sum will be all the richer.”

David Brin

….first, let’s look at the optional homework assignment….

Optional Homework Assignmentfor Next Week

• We’re mindful the non-fiction book market is vastly easier to enter than the fiction market

• Let’s assume there is an area you are passionate about and have some street creds

• Assume someone you’re met while engaging in this passion is going to compile a book on the subject

• Write a short e-mail to him or her and explain why the book would rock if you wrote one chapter

• Send it to me no later than February 7, and I’ll roll it into the power point slides

Writers (left) and Editors (right)

• Beate• Cinders• Frank• Judith• Kelly• Les• Nika

• Emily• Nika• John• Beate• Cinders• Kelly• Frank

Secret Name123 A StreetCoronado CA 92118 Dear Ms. Name, It was a pleasure to meet you the other evening and discuss your new book on the female reproductive system and related harmful diseases. I find this topic fascinating. As I shared with you, I have completed extensive research on the topic of hysterectomy and when should a woman make a decision to have her reproductive organs removed. Obviously it depends on the nature of the issue or disease causing the harm. My research included information from numerous medical articles, two books (one against and one for) and five patient interviews. My research also included information on hormone replacement therapy.

Over the years I have shared my paper with numerous women contemplating just such a surgery. The information I provided helped them to make that life changing decision. I am confident that I can prepare at least one or more chapters in your new book. The research and data I can provide is compelling and flows right with the topic you have selected. Please contact me at the number or email below. I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Beate Boyd619-849-0123oceans2014@yahoo.com

Greetings Missy Anon,

It was lovely connecting with you last week and hearing about the vision of your book, focusing on women healing from abuse through the arts. As we discussed, I have been researching the arts my whole life and abuse over the last decade, from myriad sources. I have utilized art as therapy in my own life substantially and taught others to release emotions through this healthy outlet of expression.

My experience in the arts is widely varied as an art and interdisciplinary arts professor in seven colleges/universities in: CA, OR, ID, WA and NY, as well as teaching in over fifty schools in San Diego, primarily in the barrios and ghettos, where violence through gang activity and domestic/child abuse was prevalent. My artwork has been exhibited internationally, with many solo exhibits, and published in numerous publications. I created and implemented a mural project program with college students for years called ArtReach, creating large scale murals for charitable causes, like a 30 foot mural in an alley in North Park where a women had been shot.

Additionally, I have published a small book with accompanied artwork entitled The Goddess Rediscovered in Mythology, Spirituality and Creativity. My other professional writing experience includes working as a journalist/photo-journalist for the I.B. Eagle and Times a few years ago. I have been creating one new spoken word piece a week for many months, while receiving positive weekly feedback from my writing group "The Coronado Scribes".

My proposal to you is to write one chapter in your book, focusing on resiliency, incorporating related spoken word/slam poems with correlating paintings/illustrations. I've included an artwork called "Primordial Woman", which is currently on exhibit in Australia and a short excerpt of a slam poem called "Beatman" below.

some unfathomably deep inner well of strength was coming to surface,allowing me to expel my brave new world voice.the sounds that had been slowly silenced into submission, on the whole, over years of debilitating deliberating…endlessly walking purgatorial looping Escher stairs,surreptitiously caught on a surreal escalator to nowhere.

When you have an opportunity to discuss my proposal further, I would love to connect again. It felt like a synchronistic experience meeting you and I so look forward to talking with you in the near future.

Best, Cinders Gott, M.F.A.lovecinders@gmail.com(123) 456-7890

Yo Drifter,

Proposal - Mo writes book re cute frog and global warming, to become a series with other animals. I would translate to kid think - I know a children's book illustrator. Mo has the knowledge and I the ability to make people say WTF, something kids find funny - adults, not so much. A books by a leading world authority ...

Frank HafnerSCRRS Manager of Rugby Referee Coaches

Note:The Drifter is Mo's husband. She is worlds leading authority on how frogs may or may not adapt to global warming. Mo has really taken up an interest in becoming a writer. Below is this weeks assignment submission.

The Drifter is chair of FIU biology department - I worked with him in some research back in the day.

Greetings people of The Book

I believe you will be interested in publishing a chapter of a book I amputting together painfully and gusto alternately. I deemed it worthyenough for your consideration. Prose is prose, but you will find mine that although familiar inlanguage, irregularity, mater of fact etc. has no pattern and attimes, has structure; has a specific nature and is consistent to thatnature. As far as its content goes, two to three genres are bended in thatnarrative in order that the story line exists within the realm ofobjective reality while being subjective and relevant to a broad scopeof readers.

Your comments are greatly appreciated

Dear Danusia,

Happy Monday. Thank you for attending Amanda’s bridal shower and for the beautiful painting of Claire. I am so looking forward to the wedding in March and so happy you and Wes are able to join us.

I just finished reviewing your website. I am so impressed with the beautiful illustrations you have done for FOUR children’s books! I remember when you first embarked on book illustrations and now you have four books to your credit. You and your work continues to inspire me.

As you know, one of my favorite possessions is the whimsical portrait you gave to me years ago of my Stella and Lily. It was your first foray into painting pet portraits and you captured them perfectly. At that time, we bantered about the concept of doing a Coronado book with two pugs in the story – highlighting the many things you can do in this community.

As a lover of children’s books, this project has piqued my interest in writing a special story featuring Lily and Stella enjoying Coronado – like pancakes at Claytons, buy a book at Bay Books, a day at the museum, music at the Del and of course watching a band concert in Spreckels. There are many ways to approach it – events by the month, activities by walking tour – the ideas are flowing. The project combines our passions – art, Coronado and two amazing little pugs.

I have many other ideas about this project featuring Stella and Lily in Coronado. Would you be interested in taking this idea to the next level? If so can we meet to discuss collaborating on a book? I am willing to investigate self-publishing and I have ideas on a potential funding source for publishing expenses. And I totally on board to promote through social media and a website and have a couple of other crazy, creative ways to get our book out to the public. One of my goals is to be financially successful in this endeavor and I'd like to see a portion of the proceeds contributed towards a project or organization we mutually agree upon.

Realizing you have done this before, I will rely heavily on your experience. These are only ideas to start the conversation. However, if we decide this is something we are both interested in pursuing we must ensure we take care to thoroughly discuss and outline the project and then write a mutually acceptable collaboration agreement that will clearly define this project as partners so we always remain friends.

I know our collaborative efforts would create a charming book. Perhaps it would be the first book in a series with Stella and Lily visiting other charming little communities? I look forward to hearing from you.

Fight On!

President A LincolnThe White HouseWashington April 5, 1865

Dear sir

I am offering my most humble regards to you and Mrs Lincoln. I would like invite you to spend an evening Friday, April 14th at Fords Theater. The occasion will be a presentation of Tom Taylor's, " Our American Cousin".

While not a featured player, I will have a small part in the third act and wish to greet you at the shows end. I feel your participation in the evenings theatrical events will be remembered vividly when your biography is written. Tickets for you and Mrs. Lincoln plus 2 guests have been sent to your Army Attache's office.

Very Truly Yours,

J.W. Booth

Ms. Haley SmithAuthor of Normal Families1234 Bravo St.San Diego, CA 92101

Dear Ms. Smith,

What is a 'Normal Family'?

Growing up in my 'Normal Family', my dad was an FBI Agent. We always did 'Normal Family' things: we played hide-and-go-seek; went on picnics; played football; entertained house guests; and my sisters and I dated and decorated our rooms like teenagers.

Normally…. my dad would cheat at hide-and-go-seek with night vision goggles. Family picnics involved going to the gun range and normally shooting Tommy Guns. Football was played in the house only to teach self defense. When we had house guests, my sister's and I normally demonstrated how to get out of handcuffs. In high school, our dates filled out the normal questionnaire on ' Why you want to date my Daughter'. Where my friends had N-Sync posters on their walls, we had target posters from the shooting range. All just normal events in an FBI agent's house hold.

I would love to write a chapter in your book about growing up in my 'Normal Family', as readers will find it entertaining. Please feel free to contact me at your convenience.

Thank you,Nika Schiazza

The most essential questions you must ask yourself before you embark on a book….

I keep six honest serving-men(They taught me all I knew);Their names are What and Why and When And How and Where and Who.

Rudyard KiplingThe Elephant’s Child

Some Things to Consider Before You Write

• Who are you writing for?• What are you going to write?• Where are you going to write?• When are you going to write?• Why are you going to write?• How are you going to write?

Why Non-Fiction Books?

• It is a hungry market• Relatively easy to enter• Lower risk – sell then write• Can be steady money• Can query without an agent more easily• Vastly more nonfiction published than fiction

“I do not over-intellectualize the production process. I try to keep it simple: Tell the damned story.”

Tom Clancy

Being – Or Becoming - the Expert

• Some essential “first order” questions:– Is this something you’re passionate about?– Do you have enough “street creds” that you’re an expert?– If not, is there a way you can acquire those street creds?– Do you really want to spend several years doing this?

• If the answer is yes, then it’s all about the packaging:– First stop – solo or with a collaborator?– Next stop – the library and the internet – due diligence – Is it a book – or an article?– If it’s a book – packaging – query letters and proposals

So What Should You Write About?

• Whatever you are passionate about• Recall our “You’re in a bar with your friends” story• What my first agent always asked:

– What are you really passionate about?– What do I wish I had more time for?– How would I spend year as a “professional dilettante?”– What do I think about when I’m alone?– What do I worry about and what issues concern me most?– What have I done that people seem curious about?– Is there a topic where friend turn to me for advice?

Pursuing a Subject-or Letting Life Happen?

• Beyond the Law of the Sea• Leave No Man Behind• The Kissing Sailor • A Doolittle Raiders book

Scratching Itches - Or entertaining?

• Beyond the Law of the Sea:– We had a mission – We had a message– We wanted people to do something – It gave us a platform

• The Kissing Sailor– We had a mission– We were on a “Mission from God”– In some ways, the day the book was published–we’re done– And…the book “percolated” into downstream goodness

• Leave No Man Behind – “the blend”

How Much to Tell and What’s Next?

• Getting past: “It’s an article, not a book”• Recall last week: Article to book ratio• One book – or a series• Above all else – the purpose of the book (LNMB)• At the end of the day – you decide, not the editor• If you didn’t write articles – now you should!

“Creating a book takes more than a good idea and solid writing. Beyond the preparation of the text, the book must be produced, then promoted.”

Gordon Burgett Before You Write Your First Book

A Strategic Pause…

You’re in the Starting Blocks!

• You know what you’re going to write about• You know why you’re going to write about it• You know who is going to write it (solo….or….)• You know roughly when you’ll write• You already have the where figured out:

– Solo– With collaborator (the “how” question)

• Now all you have to do is get someone interested in publishing the book!

Getting a Publisher to Buy Your Book

“The toughest hurdle you must scale is getting a publisher to agree to handle your book. You are a new name, a new risk to them. They will judge you on what you send, the thought behind it, the obvious professionalism, how it reaches them, sometimes your expertise or previous writing output, and always on how your book will increase their profit line.”

Gordon Burgett Before You Write Your First Book

You Must Do This:Decide What Your Non-Fiction Book Is

What Is Your Non-Fiction Book?

• Narrative Non-Fiction:– A book that tells a true story, often using the techniques of

fiction: biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs • Prescriptive Non-Fiction

– A book offering information and advice, this includes helping readers improve their lives or learn a new skill

Narrative Non-Fiction

• Most narrative non-fiction is produced by someone who has some experience as a writer

• Most good narrative non-fiction entertains through storytelling as much as it informs

• Biographies typically require an enormous amount of research and need to “hook” if the subject is familiar

• Many aspiring non-fiction writers focus on memoirs – the “art” is finding something new to say

• At the end of the day, narrative non-fiction will succeed or fail based on the author’s writing skill

Prescriptive Non-Fiction

• Prescriptive non-fiction requires decent writing, but the bar isn’t as high as for narrative non-fiction

• However, this kind of book is sold on the basis of the author’s platform or visibility

• Readers don’t want to be entertained, they want to learn from the wisdom of your experience or insights

• Most popular categories of prescriptive non-fiction:– Religion– Business– Self-help: Diet, health, fitness, self-improvement etc.

Ready to go……get ready for three hurdles….

“It’s already been done, or it’s on

Wikipedia”“It’s an article,

not a book”

“You don’t havea platform”You must

overcome all three!

Getting a Publisher to Buy Your Book

• Due diligence – with a vengeance!• Finding the right agent or publisher• The query letter – address those three circles• Your book proposal – and some examples

Due Diligence – With a Vengeance!

• Once you get past the “It’s an article, not a book” roadblock, the next one is…

• “It’s already been done before”• You have to convince yourself it hasn’t and then you

have to convince an agent or editor• So how to you do that? (Your “Mission from God”)

Due Diligence – With a Vengeance!

• Meet Your Two Best Friends:– The library– The internet

• The library– Books– Journals and magazines

• The internet– Subject searches– Writer searches

• Other friends– Your colleagues and fellow travelers– Bookstores – large and small

So What the End Game – What Are You Looking For?

• Publishers who publish this kind of book• Agents who agent this kind of book• Once you know that, it’s all about the query• Persistence on steroids!

The Query Letter

• There is a cottage industry of courses on how to write a query letter

• There are a number of books on how to write a query letter• There is a cottage industry of experts on how to write a

query letter – and some of them are here!• There is a massive amount of information on the internet

on how to write a query letter• Two sources:

– The Great Courses: How to Publish your Book– Google: http://www.agentquery.com/writer_hq.aspx– But these are only two, there are many, many more

The Query LetterThe “Bell Shaped Curve” For Most

• The hook• Mini-synopsis• Your bio• Your closing – “where’s the beef?”

– High Concept– Outline– Table of Contents– Sample Chapters

• “Bound the problem” for how much time you’re going to spend on getting an “A” in query letters

The Query LetterThe “Bell Shaped Curve” For Most

• The hook• Mini-synopsis• Your bio• Your closing – “where’s the beef?”

– High Concept– Outline– Table of Contents– Sample Chapters

• “Bound the problem” for how much time you’re going to spend on getting an “A” in query letters

The Magic Words….

…Yes, I’d be interested in reading it

How long will the editor have to wait to see your proposal?…

“Interest” has a half life….

Before You Write the Proposal

• Come up with a “purpose statement” for your book and write it down in one sentence

• Then put this into a working question: This book is the answer to….

• Two sources (there are a multitude of them in print):– John Boswell – The Awful Truth About Publishing– Jeff Herman – Write the Perfect Book Proposal

The Proposal – The 100,000-Foot View

• Who would read your book?• Why would they buy it?• Where would they use it?• What else is available like your book?• How does your book differ from others?• When did you decide it’s better than Wikipedia?

Think about your competition today – not just books, but the internet? Is your book better than Wikipedia?

Your Book Proposal

• This is not the time for humility • Think back to when you wrote your first resume• Advice from John Boswell: The Awful Truth About

Publishing– Define the book’s audience– Describe the book generally and specifically– Show that your book fills a need for your audience– Show that you are uniquely qualified to write this book

Today – You Are the Publisher’s Marketing Department

• Part of your proposal must include how you are going to do their work for them!

• What’s your platform?– Media of all kinds (talks, interviews, print, et al)– Internet presence

• Facebook• Twitter• And more….

– How you are going to make promoting our book a constant drumbeat

Let’s look at two examples of proposals that worked….

Leave No Man Behind

• The “Hook” – Rescue Story (Clyde Lassen – Medal of Honor)

• About the Book• Table of Contents• Chapter Summaries• The Market• The Authors• Promotion• Length and Delivery

Leave No Man Behind“An important and comprehensive work on that most American of military imperatives--going in harm's way to get one of our own.” Dick Couch (NYT bestselling author)

“Leave No Man Behind is a solid piece of history. Well written, well told, well done!” Darrel Whitcomb Author of The Rescue of Bat 21

“This story has never been told before! Leave No Man Behind offers a unique blend of operational experience and technical description.” Dr. Norman Friedman – author of over 30 books.

“George Galdorisi and Tom Phillips have provided a comprehensive, and well-written history of the development of combat rescue up to the present, including dramatic accounts of rescues, among them many never before revealed.” Norman Polmar – author of over 40 naval books.

The Kissing SailorCoverQuoteTable of ContentsConcept (Why this book?)Competition (Surely this story has been told before?)Timing (Why are we doing this book at this time?)Methodology (How are we going to pull this off?)About the AuthorsChapter SummaryThe MarketPromotionLength and Delivery

The Kissing Sailor“What a wonderful detective story about a kissing sailor and a beautiful nurse – the most famous couple celebrating the end of WWII. Famous but anonymous - until now. I loved it.” Tom Brokaw, author of The Greatest Generation

“The Kissing Sailor is a whodunit that provides once and for all the identification of the world’s best-known smoochers…You have to read this book!” David Hume Kennerly, Pulitzer Prize winning photographer

“A blank piece of paper is God’s way of telling us how hard it is to be God.”

Sidney Sheldon

Some Iconic Non-Fiction Writersand Helpful Resources

“There comes a time when you realize that everything is a dream, and only those things preserved in writing have any possibility of being real.”

James Salter“All That Is”NYT MagazineDecember 27, 2015

Some Iconic Non-Fiction Writersand Helpful Resources

• David McCullough• Walter Isaacson • Malcolm Gladwell• Laura Hillenbrand• Writers on Writing (I)• Writers on Writing (II)• NYT Book Review• NYT Book Review – Last Page• The Great Courses: “How to Publish Your Book”

A Summing Up of What We’ve Covered:Whew – Is It Worth It?

• Being - or becoming - the expert?• Pursuing a subject - or letting life happen?• Scratching itches - or entertaining?• How much to tell and what’s next?• Getting a publisher to buy your book• Examples and resources

“Being a comparatively successful writer is a good life. You don’t have to work at it all the time and you carry your office around in your head. And you are far more aware of the world around you. Writing makes you more alive to your surroundings and, since the main ingredient of living, though you might not think so to look at most human beings, is to be alive, this is quite a worthwhile by-product, even if you only write thrillers.”

Ian FlemingHow to Write a Thriller

Slides Posted:http://www.georgegaldorisi.com/

E-mail address:george@georgegaldorisi.com

E-mail me if you’d like a copy of:Book proposal for: Leave No Man Behind

Book proposal for: The Kissing Sailor

Next Week

“The Great American Novel”

• Great or not-so-great? What you need to know getting started

• Mainstream or genre? Which way should you go?• Defining your audience and picking a “voice” and

point of view• Getting the sale

Optional Homework Assignmentfor February 7

• Novels have the lowest barrier to entry of virtually anything you can write except social media

• You have a novel idea you want to pitch to an agent or a publisher:– Tell us whether it’s mainstream or genre– Tell us why it is “familiar but new”– Convince the agent it will have fabulous:

• Plot• Characterization• Action

• Put this into prose you can read in two minutes