How to Publish a Book Readers,

This week, I interviewed a small press book publisher and an author whose books are published with the press. The book publisher is Jack Fryar, who operates Dram Tree Books and Whittler's Bench Press. The author is Suzanne Adair, whose two book titles published with Whittler's Bench Press include Paper Woman and The Blacksmith's Daughter. It's a fascinating discussion because it illustrates some of the dynamics between author and publisher, as well as offering some key insights into how to start a small press and how to make it successful.

Dram Tree Books and Whittler's Bench Press will have over 30 titles in print by this Christmas. They have been publishing books since 2002.

A couple of things that came out of this how to publish a book discussion that I found particularly insightful:

1. If starting a small press, choose a niche market that is not being met by already established larger publishers. Too many people who start a small press don't analyze what books they'd like to publish, or how those books would fit into an already crowded publishing market.
2. If starting a small press, it would be extremely helpful to have someone in charge of sales; that is, a person who can stay on the phone with booksellers, can keep track of inventory, can analyze what books are selling and where. Again, most people who start a small press overlook this step, or plan to do it all themselves. It would serve a small press book publisher well to establish a director of sales and marketing right from the start.

The process of how to publish a book is fascinating to me, but book publishers who thrive in an increasingly competitive market do so because of clear vision, excellent books, and because they're meeting a demand that larger publishers have not already met.

A couple of example small press book publishers who have thrived in recent years:

• Lyons Press
• Breakneck Books

I think it all starts with passion. Knowing how to publish a book is key, but passion, focus, discipline, and the energy of a dedicated group of people is what drives a small press book publisher.

Enjoy this how to publish a book interview!

Sincerely,

Stacey Cochran
www.staceycochran.com

Hey How to Publish a Book Readers,

A few minutes ago, the phone rang here at the house and the caller ID read "Harper Collins," which of course is the name of a major book publisher. So I answered it. I don't get a lot of calls from major book publishers.

At any rate, it turns out the call was from a publicist at Harper-One, the "spiritual/self-help" book publishing imprint for Harper Collins based out of San Fransisco. We here at How to Publish a Book like getting calls from major publicists at the world's largest book publishing companies.

At any rate, to make a long story short, the publicist got my name and number from someone and wanted to know if I could schedule author Bart D. Ehrman for an interview on the TV show. Of course, I said yes, and so she's sending me the author's book and press kit.

I believe I saw this author on a major CNN special a few months ago called "The First Christians." 

A few weeks ago, I had a similar correspondance with a publicist at Harper Collins that led to the Mary Kay Andrews interview from a couple weeks back.

Next Saturday, I'll be interviewing three New York Times bestselling authors at Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh. If you're in the area, we'd love to have you come. Here's more info on the event. 

A number of other deals are in the works, including a current contract with book self-publishing giant Lulu and Borders Books national. And just recently, my wife and I have begun negotiating with several publishers regarding a book we would like to co-author. We'll keep our fingers crossed.

My wife Susan is currently finishing up on her first major book deal, a book to be published later this summer.

All of this is to say that things are really hopping here at How to Publish a Book lately, and if I haven't responded to your emails or messages, it's not because I haven't read them. I've just been overwhelmed lately. I really appreciate all of your feedback and questions. Everyone of them matters to me, and I can't say enough how much I value your time and thoughts.

I've got an audio book that is being narrated by an outstanding actor Owen Daly to publish at Podiobooks.com, and yet another job with book publisher Bedford/St. Martin's.

And suddenly, literary agents have been coming out of the woodwork. I've had requests from three this week alone to see manuscripts of mine.

Finally, here is an interview I've been meaning to put online for several weeks but have simply not had time to do. This How to Publish a Book interview is with author Zelda Lockhart. Zelda's books include the Simon & Schuster published book Fifth Born.

In this interview for How to Publish a Book, we discuss the road that led Zelda to her first major book publishing contract, as well as more generally how to publish a book, how to market a book, how to write a book, and how to survive after your first book has been published.

Enjoy!

Stacey 

Hey folks,

How to Publish a Book has a great new interview drawn from an interview I did with author Mary Kay Andrews a couple weeks ago. Mary Kay is the New York Times bestselling author of Deep Dish, published with Harper-Collins Publishers. She is on her book tour for her latest book.

In this interview, we talk about her book and about various How to Publish a Book strategies. One of the more interesting questions (to me personally anyway) that we touched on toward the end of the interview regarded the subject of whether new authors should consider publishing their books as stand-alones or whether they should publish series books.

There are different publishing strategies either way, and I thought Mary Kay's answer was great.

Publishing with a major publisher changes a lot of the dynamic regarding how to market and sell a book. For aspiring writers, this How to Publish a Book interview should be pretty cool.

Enjoy!

Stacey
StaceyCochran.com