So You Want to Have a Book Written

So You Want to Write a Book

Writing a book is no day at the beach. Usually, when I contract with a client to create a book, it is the beginning of a lengthy "think-period" in which many questions must be asked and answered. This document shows what those questions are, and some of the possible answers.

There is an easier way, which goes unmentioned here: the creation of a turnkey, I-do-everything book in which I am in charge of the writing, the editing, the publishing, and the merchandising of the book. For more information about this approach, check out my Centenary Press page.

To learn about the full gamut of other book-publishing options, read on ...

A GHOSTWRITER'S THINK-SHEET

There are many ways to have a book written -- so many that I have taken the precaution of writing this "think sheet" showing the order of decisions and the kinds of options available.

1. Should the book be written at all?
Most books fail at this preliminary first step. Is it properly a book idea ... or does it work better as an article or brochure (or video, etc.) Many times people have an article idea and want it to be a book. They are seduced by the perceived glamour of The Book. Books are expensive projects, hair-tearing to write, exasperating to manage ... and remarkably easy for your intended audience to ignore. Are you sure you want to go through all this suffering?

2. Should the book be published by a trade publisher, or by yourself? Major fork in the road:

TRADE PUBLISHER

SELF-PUBLISH

PLUS: Glamour, "Third Party Approval"

They pay you.

MINUS: You must compromise with publisher.

They are hard to get, and they don’t care if your book drops through a hole in the earth.

MINUS: Taint of vanity publishing. You’re all alone.

No payment

PLUS: Tons of control.

You can write whatever you like.

And margins are better than publisher's royalties.

Sometimes the best book, from a business perspective, is no book at all.

3. What is the relationship with the writer?

GHOSTWRITER

"AS TOLD TO ..."

AUTHORIZED WRITER

UNAUTHORIZED WRITER

You pay him, and he does what you say, and gets no credit -- it's a clean deal.

Books are usually long term projects. You may be the writer's sole source of support.

Writer shares credit, usually gets less money than a pure ghostwriting play. Is still largely under control. Publishers sometimes assign these types.

Writer is under your control. You can demand 10,000 interviews. But will publisher go for this kind of book? Now writer is "pulled" between client and publisher. Can get messy.

But writer is paid 100% by publisher. Writer calls shots -- his loyalty is to publisher. He takes the risk. Question: why does HE want to do a book now about YOU?

The writer relationship is everything. You will struggle at first, trying to get on the same page. Since you become team members almost instantly, it is sure to be rocky at first. You need to get beyond "politeness" so you can honestly say what you like and don’t like. Many projects fail despite great intentions, because writer and client can’t find a common language ... or ... because the client does not understand that a first draft is necessarily AWFUL!

4. What does everyone want? Are these goals compatible?

CLIENT

WRITER

PUBLISHER

To get message across, burnish reputation, build a market, stake a claim, advance a cause.

The client wants more than anything to really connect -- to tell the story that is burning to be told.

Money ... at every point, upfront and residual. Good writers want "do-able," sensible projects. They also want stimulation. They also want to survive the experience. Books are harder to write than short forms.

An affordable title that will sell itself.

A celebrity author.

An author gifted at marketing, with a marvelous Rolodex.

Don’t expect all three parties to always be on the same page. A writer, for instance, can be useful as devil's advocate, to sniff out improbable ideas, explanations that no one will buy. Every now and then, let the writer talk!

How does one finance a book? To be more precise, who manages the risk of its failure?
Here is a Rube Goldberg-matrix of the possibilities, in order of increasing likelihood.

CLIENT	WRITER	PUBLISHER
Pays the whole way. (self-publishing)	Writes book "on spec," taking immense risk. idea.	Gladly hands over handsome advance on basis of proposal.
Talks writer into assuming full responsibility.	Writer does upfront writing for client, no publisher wants it, writer pockets money.	Tries to talk client into co-publishing arrangement.
Pays to have book written, turns over postpublication profits to writer.	Project miraculously comes together, the market loves it, and everyone is happy.	Publishes the book with little enthusiasm or marketing, book promptly dies.
Decides project is too expensive and walks away.	Decides current client is too shaky, and goes after a sturdier one.	Never was too sure why the world needed another title about ethical capitalism in the first place.
Can you describe a more satisfactory arrangement? Be sure you understand the tensions in these relationships. Book publishing is no day at the beach. What if you decide the relationship isn’t working? What if you have differences of opinion on key writing issues? What if the contract is too favorable to one party and the other partners go broke? Issues, issues!

Michael Finley Writing Services

651-644-4540