MARKETING 101

by Deborah Elliott-Upton

Like most readers, I had no idea how tough it was to become a published writer. I had never given much thought to what happens after a story had been written, but before it shows up in print. When I finished my first novel and I mentioned it to my relatives, my great-aunt in Connecticut called to say she could not find it at Barnes & Noble anywhere. If only it were that simple.

Like most writers, when I started writing seriously – meaning my goal was to have the work published and read by someone other than my family and friends – I was not happy with the idea of submitting to an editor.

I had heard horror stories of the dreaded three R’s of writing: Rewriting, Rejection and Returned.

Every writer expects to have to rewrite part of the story, but one editor asked a writer I knew to rewrite the entire second half of the book. All I could think of was that the first half must have been powerful for it to sell on that basis – and it was: the book turned out to be an award-winning magnet.

Rejection is hard. It’s like someone calling your baby ugly. It hurts. Some writers are prolific and have enough rejection slips to wallpaper a bathroom.

Returned manuscripts are heartbreakers. Especially when the manila envelope finds its way back inside your mailbox practically the next day. Some writers resort to “tricks” so the authors will know if they read all the way through or merely skimmed their story. They put a drop of glue on a page midway into the manuscript or turn a certain page upside down. When the manuscript is returned as sent, they swear no one read their story all the way through. In my experience judging contests, it is often easy to see if the writing is good by the first page. Sometimes even by the first paragraph, which is daunting. Writers should strive to make every word count.

Basking in the afterglow of a finished project, whether it is a short story, poem, novel or nonfiction book makes no difference. Euphoria envelopes the writer like a newborn in his mother’s womb. You fell blessed, warm and secure in the safety of “finished project.”

Slapping us on the buttocks is not a doctor drawing out first life’s breath, but the cold reality of necessary submission. The barest hope of being published balances alongside a heartless rejection, with the rejection always a bit more likely. It’s as if the Muse’s evil twin added his invisible, but weighty thumb to the scales’ rejection side.

Submission is not a completely unhappy adventure. It’s just usually not much of an outing. First submissions are short excursions for most of us. We carefully package our writing, wrapping it in the proper attire to meet guideline requirements. Addresses are checked and rechecked and spelling and punctuation gone over like forged documents at the CIA. Many times, we secretly kiss the envelope for luck and wish it God’s speed.

We are sending our baby out into the world for the first time. Except, we do not want this one to come back. And we want money for it.

It took me a while to realize my submission practices needed improvement. My query letters needed fine-tuning. My choices for a publisher may not have been the best suited for my project. My work could use another rewrite. Trust me: writers do not relish rewriting.

Submission practices differ wildly between editors and agents. Some editors don’t want to see a cover letter, but others require one. Some want only flash fiction; others will not accept them. How is a writer to know? The answer is marketing before submission.

Knowing good submission tactics are one thing. Marketing is quite another.

Submission tactics include reading the guidelines and strictly following them. Once I sent a query to an editor who had passed away a year earlier. That SASE (self-addressed, stamped envelope) crossed the country back to me at what my Star Trek friends call Warp Speed.

Marketing tactics means you have studied the market to see what each publication is already publishing. If you are writing noir short stories, no matter how wonderful they may be, they will not sell to a literary magazine – and vice versa.

Do you write from the heart or for the market? The answer is equally puzzling: both.

The old saying is, “Write what you know.” I say, “Write what you love to read.” This is where you will find your true passion. If you are a romance enthusiast, you will probably lean closer to cozy in the mystery field, but really, why aren’t you writing romances?

If you are a short story writer, which magazines do you prefer reading? Those are the ones you should study. What type of story does the magazine prefer? Are most stories written in first person or third? What is the average paragraph length? Are there any taboo subjects? Are the sentences long or short? Are stories of a certain category never published? In Woman’s World, each issue features a romance and a mystery. The romance is longer and pays more than the mystery, but if your heart is as a mystery writer, skip trying to a romance just to make more money. I heard once that Stephen King wrote a romance under a pseudonym, but no one bought it, so he wrote “Misery.” I have no idea if that is a true story, but it is an interesting one – and it would prove my point, so we’ll go with that.

Consider who is buying the magazine. Knowing your audience is key to selling to a particular magazine. If you are writing stories about the Baby Boomer generation, Redbook probably isn’t interested since their readers are mostly young mothers. Read the advertising for a clue to whom the magazine caters. Television watchers of “Diagnosis Murder” or “Matlock” do not see ads for baby food. “The Simpsons” or “South Park” do not cater to adult diaper ads. Where do your stories find the most readership base? That is the market to submit your manuscript.

Marketing can be fun. It’s like being a detective, finding the clues to point your manuscript to right candidates for publishing possibilities.

Take care with your baby. You are presenting him to the world. Dress him in his best. Offer him to someone who will love him as much or more than you. Then take the money and run back to the computer and do it again and again. You have just become a serial writer. It’s a delightful little club. Welcome.