Today’s post is written by Writer’s Relief.

So you’re trying to get published—that’s great! But after a while it seems like your work is being “politely declined” by everyone—not so great.

As the saying goes,“you can’t control the wind, but you can change your sails.”

Here are some tips and tricks to help any writer change direction and catch the breeze to the island paradise of Publishedville.

1. Get an attitude adjustment.

The very first thing you need before you start this process is the mindset that from now on in your writing career, things will be different and they will be better. You can’t let your past define your future. Motivating yourself to write and submit is similar to motivating yourself to exercise—you may be dragging your feet to get yourself going; but once you do it, you won’t regret it.

2. Practice, practice, practice.

Even Broadway stars and professional athletes still need to show up for rehearsals and team drills; no one is exempt from honing and polishing his/her skills! In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell says that to achieve greatness, one must put in at least 10,000 hours of study. The good news is, you’re on your way! And while you’re enjoying the journey, there are plenty of markets for up-and-coming writers.

3. Hit the brakes.

Perspective is key to great writing. So cut yourself a break and give yourself a little breathing room! You could see your acceptance rate climb.

4. Don’t send out work prematurely.

You wouldn’t skydive with a parachute that was only 90% finished, would you? A thorough check of your spelling and grammar is absolutely crucial. Turn to friends, colleagues, or professionals for feedback. The extra step will put you an extra step ahead!

5. Rework your cover and/or query letter.

While you may think your writing speaks for itself, editors and agents often want to get an idea of the person behind the words.

Tip: Our free Cover and Query Letter Tool Kit offers just about everything you’ll need to know for this task. Read these articles, and you’ll be at the top of your game.

6. Do your research.

Could it be that part of the reason for your acceptance letter dry spell is that you’re not targeting the markets that are most suited to your work (your topics, level of skill, etc.)?

It’s worth the energy to do the legwork. Don’t waste your time sending your sestina to a journal that loves experimental forms or your dystopian YA novel to an agency that only represents nonfiction. Your research will save you a lot of time (and rejection letters, and heartache, and hassle).

Tip: If you would rather be writing than researching, that’s what Writer’s Relief is here for.

7. Follow the rules.

You simply would not believe the number of submissions we receive from writers who can’t/don’t follow simple directions; editors and agents report similar experiences. Be sure you don’t get disqualified over something as silly as forgetting to include your contact information or name! If you can follow guidelines, you’re already closer to an acceptance than quite a bit of the competition.

8. Get real with yourself.

Every writer has to start somewhere, and while getting picked up by your dream lit journal or literary agency at the beginning of your career would be ideal, it’s good to be flexible. If the big guys said “no thanks,” smaller markets can be stepping stones on the path to excellence. Shift your expectations and the acceptances may start rolling in.

9. Pay attention to what people are saying.

Keep track of all responses to your submissions, especially rejections that arrive with personal comments. When you’re ready to submit again, these should be the people you send to first. When you have an “in,” your odds go up!

10. Resolve to be resilient.

Although these tips will improve your odds, rejections are still inevitable. But that’s not a reason to give up. Things change. Journals and agencies close down, and new ones start up. Tastes change, trends fade—anything can happen. If you keep perfecting your craft and making strong submissions, someone somewhere will connect with your work. If you’re ever feeling down, take a look at these words of encouragement from fellow writers.

Writer’s Relief (est. 1994) is an author’s submission service that prepares and targets writers’ submissions to literary agents and literary journals. Check out their website for free publishing leads, submission strategy tips, and much more!

Today’s post is written by regular contributor Susan Bearman.

I first met April Eberhardt in October 2011 when she came to speak to my writers’ workshop, and was immediately struck by her genuine enthusiasm for writing, literature, publishing, and writers … especially writers. I asked her if she would talk to me for a piece on Write It Sideways and she agreed with that signature enthusiasm.

April spent the first 25 years of her career as a corporate strategist. Along the way, her belief that the whole world is moving toward direct-to-consumer marketing lead her to create a semi-custom women’s boutique clothing company. And her love of literature took her to Zoetrope: All-Story, a quarterly literary publication founded by Francis Ford Coppola, where she became head reader.

Five years ago, she became a literary agent. I asked her what led such a savvy businesswoman to take a leap of faith onto the foundering ship of publishing. “I’m an risk-taker,” she said. “I was a corporate strategist for 25 years, so I’m looking at this business as a strategist. I had a vision. I’ve had my eyes fixed on high-quality self-publishing from the outset. I jumped in knowing that it was coming and that I could help lead the way.”

Wait. What? Did she say self-publishing?

“Too many good authors are not being published,” she said. “It’s not the story, it’s the industry that’s broken. You can spend years shopping your manuscript to traditional publishers only to find yourself not published. I want to link the author to the reader. It’s a mindset, not just technology.”

Just before we spoke, Eberhardt decided to join forces with several other major literary agencies as part of the Argo Navis Author Services program of The Perseus Books Group. This represents the agent-curated model of self-publishing that she had envisioned when she started five years ago. “I had to wait for the timing to catch up to the vision.”

According to Eberhardt, some tiny fraction of writers are published by traditional publishers, and even then, it doesn’t always live up to a writer’s expectations. “Among my authors who have been published by big houses, it can be a huge disappointment,” said Eberhardt. “It’s heartbreaking—to see the promises made and then broken is crushing.”

Eberhardt gets 10,000 submissions a year. Ten thousand. “Of those, I find 15 to 20 that I think are exceptional,” she said. “I work hard for my authors. I’m in service to my authors, but it’s tough.” She currently represents about 20 writers, mostly first-time authors of women’s literary and book club fiction.

A New Paradigm

So why is an agent interested in self-publishing? How does that work?

“Most self-publishing is not of high quality,” April admits. “There has been a disregard of publishing standards and that needs to change. I’m looking at a new way of doing things, a model of agent-led self-publishing where authors get guidance to bring their self-published work to a professional level.”

“Self-publishing can, in some cases, increase your chances of being published by a traditional publisher,” said Eberhardt, “but I’m not sure why anyone would want to do that. If we raise the bar in self-publishing, if we do it right, the author has the most to win. Traditional publishers take too much of the pie. They have a food chain to feed and authors get the crumbs.”

So literary agent April Eberhardt is soliciting manuscripts for this new model—a model of agent-assisted self-publishing, where authors would pay for publishing, but keep a much, much larger percentage of the profits. “I will continue to solicit submissions, but far fewer for traditional publishing,” she said. “We need some success stories in self-publishing to show it can be done right. If you do it wrong, don’t even bother, but if you do it right, you will help raise the bar.”

What Can Writers Do to Do It Right?

According to Eberhardt, the work you must do as a writer for the self-publishing market is the same as always, only more:

1. “Share your manuscript with others—not friends and family, who will of course love your work. Find an utter stranger, someone with no vested interest, to give you feedback. Evaluation from an unbiased viewpoint is essential.”
2. “Find an editor. You would be amazed at what I see. Never send out an unedited manuscript. I get glaring errors from writers who don’t bother to let anyone else kick the tires. You need someone to edit for content and to do line edits.”
3. “Hook into self-publishing at the highest possible level. Learn the business.”
4. “Read. Know what’s being published.”
5. “Think of different ways to promote your book and unearth unusual points of purchase.”

Part of raising the bar is making sure that your self-published book looks professional, and unless you are a designer as well as a writer, you will probably have to find other professionals to create a great cover design and professional page layouts. If you want your book to compete with those published by the big publishing houses, you need it to look the part.

Eberhardt also believes that every writer needs an online presence. Where you do it depends in large part on the demographics of your readers, but how you do it is what counts. “The whole issue is one of authenticity,” she said. “If you aren’t authentic, it really shows. We’ve all become very sensitive to people trying to push stuff on us all the time. Constantly selling is a total turnoff. You have to be interesting and interested.”

That means participating in an online dialogue. “Speak intelligently on the web about your book, but about other books, too,” said Eberhardt. “Every writer needs to be a reader.” Here are some of her suggestions for creating an effective online presence:

• “Every author must have a website.”
• “Participate on other blogs.” (Comment on posts that interest you; offer to guest post on relevant blogs; do blog tours.)
• “Have your own blog.”
• “Facebook and Twitter, but that’s not as important for all authors. It depends on your demographic. My demographic isn’t on Facebook and Twitter, so I outsource that kind of social networking. The readers of my authors are much more active on other sites, like Goodreads and Shelfari, as well as on e-mail.”

Even Agents Have Dreams

“My dream is to have the go-to website aimed at book club readers—intelligent readers who want good fiction and to have a dialogue about the books they’ve read and loved,” said April. “There is a risk to putting out new authors, but I want a place where they can cast their shadows for the first time. I want to act in service to authors and readers.”

Her passion for this dream comes from the stories. “It’s the discovery of the unusual story that keeps me going,” said Eberhardt, “the hope of finding a thrilling new voice.”

But it’s the authors themselves who may be her biggest obstacle in realizing those dreams. “Old dreams die hard, and most writers want the dream of being picked up by a traditional publisher,” she said. “I understand it. But that’s Plan A, and it isn’t working for most writers. Let’s try Plan B.”

I asked if she had any final words of wisdom, and she decided to end our interview with a call to action:

“Consider self-publishing. Do it right. Open your mind. Let go of the idea that only traditionally-published books are real books. And finally, I would love to have every reader go out today and buy a self-published book.”

Thank you to April Eberhardt for her time and generosity. We’ll be watching as she forges a path in the new world of publishing.

Today’s post is written by Cindy Huff, a semi-finalist in the Write It Sideways regular contributor search. Thanks, Cindy!

Have you ever heard a writer say,”I don’t care if I ever get published”?

My answer to them (in my head, anyway) would be, “You are such a liar.”

I know, because I have wanted to wash my mouth out with Whiteout fluid when I’ve heard that very statement slip out from between my lips.

Writers who are serious about their craft want to be published. Writers who have a passion to share with others crave being published. Authors don’t slave for years over their book to never have it see the light of day.

Let’s call it what it really is: F-E-A-R.

We are afraid of being rejected. Who wants to spend hours working on something to get rejection letters? Be honest. How long did it take to get comfortable with any kind of criticism of our precious creation?

My husband is a grammarian, and it used to aggravate me that he was so nit-picky. Really, he is a wonderful help with the editing process. But until I developed a thick-skin toward my work, he and I went head-to-head, point-for-point.

Sending pages from my novel to critique services, editors and fellow writers for evaluation can be unnerving. All the red marks stung at first. Needless to say, without that editing my stuff did not get published.

Don’t Criticize my Baby

Our created masterpieces are our babies. Rejections stir our maternal instincts to protect our young. When we protect it, we suffocate the creative process and any growth our writing can have.

A Line in the Sand

Drawing the proverbial low expectation line in the sand—I don’t care if I get published—creates excuses for not pursuing publication. That low expectation in turn produces negativity.

Mention an author you like, and their opinion of them won’t be favorable. If you share a lead regarding a publisher or magazine, they have a horror story about the publication.

Why? Fear encourages defending the line; out come the weapons of authoritative sneers. The line forces the fearful to take other would-be writers with them.

Fear of New Technology

Writers can be afraid of learning new things to improve their ability and expand their platform.

I remember learning to use a computer. Once I mastered the word processing program, I was in heaven. No more carbon paper and retyping whole pages. As the word processing got more refined, I had to battle with the newest edition. Discovering how to use the editing application in word was freeing—although I still do print off a copy and red-ink it. I find the editing program much more efficient especially when I turn it over to my husband for his comments, which can be eradicated with a simple mouse click.

Obviously, I still have a few issues with his input.

Writers Cling to Mantra

There’s also the declaration by some, “Whether I am published or not, I will keep writing.”

Really! Seeing your name in the byline and your article in print is such a rush that anyone who is serious about their writing will pursue publication again and again. Those who say they don’t care will quit writing. It is too discouraging to have no affirmation.

I find that I have to switch from my novel to writing other things. I need that affirmation. While I wait to find a home for it and see my name on a book cover, I will write other things to keep my creative juices fueled.

Getting Published Is Hard Work

People continue to say that getting published is not their goal because it is time consuming hard work. All the research and contact making, query letters, book proposals, networking. Whew! Makes me tired just writing the words. That, too, is a fearful thing.

Publishers Don’t Get My Unique Style

I love to hear, “I have a unique style that traditional publishers don’t understand.” My question to them (again, in my head) is if traditional publishers don’t understand it, what makes you think traditional readers will?

Again, I see fear as the main culprit. That uniquely gifted writer may be afraid it is too late to learn proper grammar and correct spelling. He fears if he hired an editor to do that, his voice would be lost.

Fear is the biggest anchor weighing down the awesome potential in many writers.

To lose that anchor that still tries to weigh me down, I read blogs like this. I am involved in Word Weavers, a critique group that helps me hone my craft. That group gives off an encouraging vibe that fuels me on.

When I write something every day, fear can’t whisper the words that make me feel worthless. Entering contests is my way of telling fear—nothing ventured, nothing gained. I take classes and attend webinars. Attending conferences boldly slaps fear in the face. There I discover my story idea has merit and my articles have value. Most importantly, I say I am a writer. The more I say it—print it right on a business card—the more I can sense the fear diminishing and the confidence coming forth.

Like you, I battle with fear; but it is getting weaker, and the desire to continue to be published is getting stronger.

What excuses have you made because you were afraid of rejection? How do you stamp out that fear?

Cindy Huff is a freelance writer and speaker. Her blog Writer’s Patchwork encourages writers who discovered their gift later in life. Follow her on Facebook.

A few weeks ago, I had a short story accepted for publication in an upcoming issue of Grist: The Journal for Writers.

I just received the contract, and am now agonizing over my short author bio. Although I’ve written several versions in the past, none of them seem wholly appropriate for this particular journal.

A short bio usually appears at the end of a piece of writing (be it fiction or nonfiction), with the purpose of identifying the author and giving some key information about them. If you’re writing a query letter, you’ll also have to include a biographical paragraph to tell the editor or agent about yourself.

You don’t always have to use the same byline or bio, and in some cases you shouldn’t.

Before deciding what to put in your bio, consider:

1. The length of the bio. Sometimes you’ll be given a word or sentence limit. A ‘short’ bio can be anywhere from one sentence long, to one paragraph long—or even a few paragraphs in some rare cases. If you’re not sure of the expected length, check the publication to see what other writers have done. In a query letter, stick to one short paragraph.
2. The expected tone. Is the prevailing tone of the publication lighthearted and humorous, or spiritual and thoughtful, or serious and professional? Write your bio accordingly. For query letters, write a professional-sounding bio free of gimmicks.
3. The readership. Who will be reading your piece—and subsequently your bio? Is it an editor or literary agent? A casual blog audience? Readers of literary short stories? Picture your readership and write what feels appropriate for them.

Should an Author Bio Be Written in First or Third-Person?

When writing a query, keep the biographical paragraph of your letter in first-person (unless you are asked to provide a separate bio, in which case you would write in third person).

Example: I am a graduate of the MFA program at Respected University. My short fiction has appeared in MyWritingRocks Magazine, The Awesome Writer Review, and PleaseSignMe Journal. In 2010, I was granted the Award for Emerging Writers from Well-Known Writing Organization.

When writing a short author bio for an online or print byline, write in third person.

Example: Joe Schmo is a graduate of the MFA program at Respected University. His short fiction has appeared in MyWritingRocks Magazine, The Awesome Writer Review, and PleaseSignMe Journal. In 2010, he was granted the Award for Emerging Writers from Well-Known Writing Organization.

Of course, first-person vs. third-person can get a bit fuzzy when it comes to blogging. I, for example, have a first-person bio on my About page, but I always write in third-person when submitting bylines to other blogs.

Leo Babauta of Zen Habits writes his blog bio in first-person:

My name is Leo Babauta, and I’m the creator and writer here. I’m married with six kids, I live in San Francisco (just moved here from Guam), I’m a writer and a runner and a vegan.

But, Copyblogger creator Brian Clark presents himself in third-person:

Copyblogger was founded in January of 2006 by Brian Clark. Brian is CEO of Copyblogger Media, a serial entrepreneur, and a recovering attorney.

Both have amazingly successful blogs with huge readerships, so what’s the difference?

It comes down to image.

Leo Babauta wants to present himself as down-to-earth and very much just a regular guy. He writes most of his own content, and can afford to seem laid-back and approachable.

On the other hand, Brian Clark wants people to see him for the authority he is in his field. Although the blog is technically ‘his,’ he has a large stable of guest writers and regular contributors who write most of the content for him.

When writing your personal blog bio, take into account how you want to come across to your readers. There’s no right or wrong here, but one image may be more appropriate than the other for your particular blog.

Information to Include in Your Author Bio

When writing your bio, you’ll want to include some (not all) of these pieces of information:

• Name
• Education
• Previous publications (if you have a lot, list just your most prestigious 3-5 credits)
• Professional writing experience or other professional experience related to the piece
• Awards
• Writing fellowships
• Affiliations with writing organizations
• The state/province/territory or country in which you live (okay in a byline, but not relevant in a query letter)
• For online publications ONLY: links to your website, blog, Twitter account or Facebook fan page

What NOT to Include in an Author Bio

If you have no previous publications, education, or professional writing experience, it can be tempting to pad your bio with other stuff. Resist the urge! Here are some things to leave out of your byline:

• How long you’ve been writing
• How much you love writing
• Irrelevant personal details
• What others have liked about your piece
• Positive rejections from other publications (“MyWritingRocks Magazine said this piece had a lot of potential,” still means that it was ultimately rejected)
• That you have no previous publications, education, or professional writing experience

How to Write a Bio with No Previous Publications

You don’t need previous publications to write an effective byline. If you really don’t have much to say, short and sweet is best.

• Example: Joe Schmo is an American short story writer living in London.
• Example: Joe Schmo studied English Literature at Respected University. He is currently working on a novel/collection of short stories/poetry collection.
• Example: Joe Schmo is a writer of literary fiction and a member of TWAA.

Examples of Different Author Bios

Most of us here are beginning or emerging writers, so we won’t all have impressive credits to list. Here are some of my author bios from different venues, which may look similar to your own bio:

Bio A (Short story magazine, no other credits).

Suzannah Windsor was born and raised in the unforgiving Canadian north, but currently lives with her husband and children on a semi-tropical coast in Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from The University of Windsor, and a Bachelor of Education from Lakehead University. Suzannah is the editor of Write It Sideways, an online community dedicated to helping aspiring writers hone their skills. She has contributed to other sites such as Writer Unboxed, Write to Done, Women on Writing, Men with Pens, and Storyfix, and she is currently working on her first novel.

*Note: This one was a bit on the longish side. If I had it to do over, I’d shorten it.

Bio B (Short story magazine, one other credit). 

Suzannah Windsor is a Canadian writer currently living on the Australian coast with her husband and young children. Her short fiction appeared in the 2011 issue of The Sand Hill Review, and was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from The University of Windsor, and a Bachelor of Education from Lakehead University.

Bio C (Blog contributor bio).

Suzannah Windsor Freeman is a K-12 teacher, and a writer of mainstream and literary fiction. She lives with her husband and two sons on the sunny shores of Australia, but dearly misses her home in the cold Canadian north. Check out her blog, Write It Sideways, for articles on writing and editing, productivity and publishing.

Bio D (Online freelance interview assignment).

Suzannah Windsor Freeman is the founder of Write It Sideways, a blog dedicated to helping aspiring authors learn new skills, define their goals, and write more productively. Her articles have been featured on Writer Unboxed, Write to Done, Men with Pens, Storyfix, and many others. Join the free 31-Day Better Writing Habits Challenge, or download a complimentary copy of Suzannah’s Read Better, Write Better Novel Study Workbook.

If you’re just starting out as a writer, you might wonder if you really need to worry about writing an author bio at the moment. After all, it’s not like you’re querying a novel or having pieces published in magazines.

But consider, a short bio can be used in social media such as Twitter or a Facebook fan page where you promote your writing. It can be added to the About page of your own blog or used when you start guest posting for other blogs.

Further Resources on Writing Author Bios

Need more information? Check out the following articles on writing short author bios or biographical paragraphs for query letters:

• What Should You Write in the Bio Paragraph of Your Query Letter? Writer’s Digest
• How (and Whether) to List Your Publishing Credits, Nathan Bransford
• Bio Blurbing, Writers.com
• How to Write a Terrific Author Bio, Rachelle Gardner

In today’s video, I’ll:

• Tell you about getting my first short story publishing credit (not the first short story I wrote or submitted, but the first one that got published)
• Explain why I recently rekindled my love for the short story form
• Emphasize the importance of not putting yourself in a box when it comes to what you write
• Encourage you to celebrate all of your writing achievements—big and small
• Invite you to Writer Unboxed on July 23 to read my guest post, ‘Getting Short Story Credits is Getting Easier (Sort Of)’

If you’ve been published in short fiction, please leave a comment below telling us a bit about your experiences.

Note – if the video is not displaying on this page, watch it on YouTube. You may also download and read the video transcript (PDF).

Click Here to read transcript ▼

Is it possible to get a literary agent from another country?

It’s a question a lot of writers ask, and it’s a terribly important one if you happen to be from a country other than the United States.

So, when a Write It Sideways reader recently asked me for tips on querying literary agents across borders, I did a little research into the subject.

Former literary agent Nathan Bransford (now a published author, himself) wrote the following about clients from different countries. He says:

I’m often asked by people living in the UK and Australia if they could have a US agent as their primary agent — yes, you can. But it’s very important to think about your work and where its natural market lies.

There are some books that are universal (Harry Potter, for one big one), but the US, UK and Australian markets are all very different, and the readers have different sensibilities. A book that is successful in the United States might not be successful in the UK, and vice versa.

So take an honest look at your work, because even though the US market is the biggest, you may be best served finding a publisher for it in your home market. And for that you’d need a home agent.

I’m originally from Canada, but there are only a handful of literary agents in the entire country. I’ve been living in Australia for more than four years, and there aren’t many agents around here, either.

When it comes time to query my novel, I’m hoping to query within Canada and the U.S.

If you’re from a country in which there’s not a huge choice of agents, you’ll probably be tempted to pitch those from the U.S., too.

But are you wondering about what market is best for your book?

Author Mike Wells says:

Suppose you grew up in the USA and now live in Australia. If the book is set in Australia and has an Australian hero, probably it’s best that you have an Australian agent, because the largest reader base (as a percentage of reader population) will very likely be there.

If the book does well, your agent can work through co-agents and sell rights in the USA, Canada, the UK, and all other English-speaking countries, and then perhaps sell translation rights to other non-English language markets.

However, if your book is set in the USA and has an American hero, it may be better for you to have a USA-based agent, as the reader base will probably be greater there…but you would have to consider that helping promote the book from Australia would be difficult.

When it comes to querying across borders, common sense would say:

• Decide which country’s market best suits your book. If you’re not sure, ask your beta readers. Don’t worry about spellings or lingo that differ between your country and the agents’ country (favorite/favourite, etc.). If you’re required to make changes, it won’t be until after an agent actually makes you an offer of representation.
• Research agents within your desired market… and determine if they accept queries from outside the country. You can assume they do unless their submission guidelines state otherwise. For example, The Bukowski Agency in Canada clearly says, “The Bukowski Agency is currently accepting non-fiction submissions from prospective authors who are resident in Canada.” Obviously, if you’re not a Canadian resident, you wouldn’t query this particular agency.
• Query by email. If an agent doesn’t use email for querying, it’s unlikely they’d be interested in taking on clients from other countries. Querying overseas via snail mail would be a terribly frustrating and slow process, not to mention expensive.

If an agent falls in love with your manuscript and he or she feels there’s a place for it within their market, it probably won’t matter where you live. Pretty much everything that needs to be done can be done electronically.

Wondering about the logistics of promoting yourself overseas through book tours or other events?

Nathan Bransford says, “If you are lucky enough to even have a book tour let alone in another country, well, that’s one of those bridges that you cross when you get there.”

Have you ever queried a book outside of your country? What was the outcome? Any words of advice for others in the same boat?

Today’s post is written by JP Jones, author of Market Yourself: A Beginner’s Guide to Social Media. Thanks JP!

Unfortunately, I have met a lot of authors who frown upon the idea of having their own website. They seem to think if they’ve already written a book, they have done the hard part.

It’s my job to break the news that their work is just beginning.

I’m in a unique position to do that, owning both a publishing company and a website company (insert shameless self-promotion here). However, when I work with my clients on their marketing strategy, I’m quick to tell them, as they say down south, that there’s more than one way to skin a cat.

Nowadays, having a website doesn’t necessarily mean having to sink a lot of money into it. Heck, it doesn’t even have to mean sinking any money into it, but it is one of the deciding factors in the success of an author.

When authors hear this, they immediately think that having a website will automatically increase their book sales. While it definitely gives a new avenue for readers to purchase the book, the site is most useful is in establishing the author as an expert in their field.

The site acts like a 24-hour employee. The only difference is, unlike their human counterparts, the site will always give the same information to every person. That information proves useful when conference or event hosts are wanting to research you as an author—see where you’ve been and what you’ve been up to.

As a result, there are definitely things you want to make sure you include in your website. Whether we are talking about a free site from WordPress or a professional website that’s been created for you—above all keep it current, keep it active, and keep it growing.

I’ve compiled a list of ten pieces of information you’ll want to be sure you add to your author website:

1. A Synopsis of your Book(s). You are an author, after all, and people want to see what you’ve written about. Many authors simply list their books.
2. Upcoming Book-Signings, Festivals and Events. Think you’re not doing anything important? It’s all about how you angle it. If you are giving a free speech at a senior center: list it. If you are attending a gala for a fellow author: list it. Nothing is too small to draw attention to as you work on building your speaking schedule.
3. A Standard Press Release and Press Kit. Including a press release and your press kit allows news agencies, book stores and other PR outlets to get a feel for what you’re doing on your own to market your book.
4. Chapter Excerpt(s). Don’t forget readers want to buy a book they are familiar with. Put your best foot forward, or in this case, your best and most captivating chapter on the website, available for reading.
5. Honors, Affiliations and Awards. It’s very important that you build your credibility as an author by listing any honors you’ve received, affiliations, such as writers’ groups and clubs, and any awards your book has won.
6. News and Updates. No matter what you’re doing as an author, chances are you’ve got several instances of news, updates and information that can be used to bring attention to the things you are actively doing. Some ideas include: book reviews, special site listings (Are you on PolkaDotBanner.com or Goodreads.com? If so, turn that into a news item.), published articles for magazines, etc. community outreach and book signings.
7. Social Media Contacts. Are you on Facebook? Twitter? LinkedIn? If not, you should be. And if you are, you should have opportunities for you readers to connect to you via them on your website.
8. Readers’ Comments. Allow your readers to leave comments about your book, your news items or your speaking engagements. I strongly suggest that you moderate these comments.
9. Contact Information. Whether you are trying to get speaking gigs or just sell books, it’s important to include valid contact information for your readers, bookstores and schedulers.
10. Purchasing Options. Let’s not forget one of perhaps the most important things on any author’s website: the opportunity for others to purchase your book! Purchasing should always be handled securely for your buyers’ safety. You can even simply link to a listing on Amazon or Barnes & Noble, but make sure you give any site visitors the opportunity to buy your book.

Take this list and compare it to your current site. Use it as a checklist. For any items missing, create a strategy to fill in the gaps.

And if you don’t have a website, take a chance, launch into the deep and see what you’re missing!

JP Jones wears many hats. Among them are graphic designing, web designing, social media marketing, teaching, book publishing, blogging and writing.

The author of “Market Yourself: A Beginner’s Guide to Social Media,” JP is the owner of Paige1Media & Paige1Publishing, a graphic design firm and publishing company that work with domestic and international clients on projects ranging from basic logo development to magazine and book design. She also owns Collipsis Web Solutions, a website company that works closely with authors and is one of the founding hosts of a series of author conferences, “Life After Publishing,” dedicated to helping authors market their books. www.marketyourselfthebook.com|www.collipsis.com

Today’s post is written by Erika Liodice, a finalist in The First Ever Write It Sideways Blogging Contest. Thanks for joining us, Erika!

You know what you want to write. You’ve defined your target audience. But how do you know if your concept is saleable? The short answer is: you don’t. But your keen senses can help you find out.

Here’s how:

1. Listen to your readers.

You’ve spent the time to define your audience, so ask them if they would read your book. Facebook, Twitter, and a sea of online communities make it easier than ever to form virtual relationships that you can leverage to test your audience’s interest. You can pose the question informally to a group and see how the conversation unfolds. Or, for a more formal approach, you can create a survey with a free online tool, like SurveyMonkey, and post it your blog or website or distribute it in an e-mail. Most readers won’t hesitate to tell you what they think of your book concept. Just make sure you are willing to listen.

2. Look at the best-sellers.

Just like painters study the masters, writers can learn a lot from best-sellers. Examine the New York Times Best-Sellers List. Pay attention to who is on it and what they are writing about. While you don’t want to create a me-too book, this observation can reveal a lot about readers’ interests and help you determine if your concept is timely and relevant.

3. Sniff out the competition.

Visit a handful of bookstores both in person and online. Locate the shelf where your book would sit and scope out the neighborhood. Will your book get lost in an already-saturated market? Or does it offer a fresh perspective, new idea or something tangibly different that will motivate people to open their wallets? If you can’t pinpoint why readers would want to buy your book over the others, they won’t.

4. Be in touch.

Keep your finger on society’s pulse by monitoring content related to your book’s subject matter. Is your topic in the news often? Is it a matter of national debate? Is anyone talking about it? What are they saying? Google Alerts makes it possible for you track relevant news headlines, blog posts and other content by allowing you to set alerts for keywords related to your book. Keeping tabs on the collective conversation can help you determine if people will be receptive to your book.

5. Taste test.

Readers’ tastes are ever-changing. How can you determine if your topic will suit their palate? A quick visit to Google Trends can give you insight into the hottest topics and search queries of the moment. Don’t see yours? Don’t worry. You can run a search, which will show you historic trends that indicate if the public’s interest in your topic is increasing or declining.

As writers, it’s easy to lose ourselves in the art of writing and forget about the business of selling books. Take it from me; I spent several years writing in the pre-dawn hours before work, devoting entire weekends to my manuscript and spending hundreds of dollars mailing query letters and sample chapters to agents. The result? Sleep-deprivation, blurred vision, debt and a pile of rejection letters that echoed the same sentiment: “can’t find a market for this.”

If your goal is to build a writing career, then salability is a question worth considering upfront, before you devote years of your life to a project that nobody wants to read.

Erika Liodice is an aspiring novelist and founder of the inspirational blog, Beyond the Gray, where she shares her journey to publication while encouraging readers to reach for their own dreams. She is a contributor to Writer Unboxed, The Savvy Explorer and Lehigh Valley InSite. You can follow her on Twitter: @erikaliodice.