Customer Reviews

The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book

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Sitting down and writing is exactly the wrong way to start your book project. According to Patricia L. Fry, the author is far better off starting with a book proposal. The book proposal serves as a roadmap to writing the book and a marketing tool. Equally importantly, Fry points out, the proposal can be an invaluable tool in creating focus for a book. Rather than vaguely hope that a book will reach "everyone," Fry reminds the author that a minority of Americans are readers at all, and that most of the readers specialize. Authors are far better off identifying target markets (e.g., 12-13 year-old girls rather than children), and also knowing how large those markets might be.

Fry's book proposal is the first step in a two-step offering. The second is a marketing plan. Fry dismisses the comfortable idea that the publisher will do the work of marketing, arguing that most books will be sold by the author. Therefore, it's essential for both author and publisher that the author have a marketing plan for ensuring that those sales take place. Fry gives specific examples of things to avoid in the marketing plan (e.g., vague promises to hold conferences, book tours, etc.) and suggestions on how to be more specific.

In the second third of the book, Fry turns to advice on writing and publication. With her own background in selfpublication, Fry provides plenty of information on the nuts and bolts of creating a publishing company, soliciting printer services, purchasing ISBN blocks, and pricing the final product. Nonfiction writers, in particular, are likely to find her suggestions helpful as she discusses ways of stepping outside of the bookstore to find additional venues for the self-published book.

In the final third of the book, Fry turns to promotion. As she correctly points out, many authors are introverts by nature. Unfortunately, writing a good book is only the first (although worthwhile) step toward success. Without effective promotion, books will languish unsold in the author's spare bedroom or in the warehouse of the publisher.

I found Fry's discussion of the book proposal and marketing plan to be invaluable. Although most of Fry's examples come from the non-fiction world of her own background, the basic concepts and requirements of a good proposal are identical in fiction. Similarly, every publishing company, including even the largest, would welcome a focused, specific, and achievable marketing plan as described by Fry. The publicity sections also provided plenty of useful information, but were a bit more general (and thus less helpful to the writer) than were the sections on the proposal and marketing plan.

Any writer who's contemplating self-publishing for a nonfiction book would do well to get their hands on a copy of Patricia L. Fry's THE RIGHT WAY TO WRITE, PUBLISH AND SELL YOUR BOOK. Even readers who intend to go with traditional, royalty-paying publishers will find plenty of value in Fry's guide.

Genre: Nonfiction
Stars: 5 Stars
Title: The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book
Author: Patricia Fry
Line/Publisher: Matilija Press
Release Date: 2006
ISBN: 0-9773576-0-0


The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book is like having an honest,
straight-talking friend guiding you through the sometimes murky and highly
competitive world of publishing. Fry is quick to point out that she is not
trying to discourage potential authors, but rather provide the resources and
tools necessary to achieve success.

With all of the various options available for publishing a book, it is no
wonder that some authors are left feeling confused and even disappointed by
the end product - their book. Fry defines and covers the pros and cons of
each of the various publishing options. Entire chapters are devoted to
Print-on-Demand (POD) publishing and self-publishing. Drawing from her own
personal knowledge and experience, Fry provides many helpful tips on
selecting, approaching and communicating with publishers and editors. She
also shares other authors' anecdotes affording you an insider's perspective
of the industry.

Since Fry recommends writing a book proposal before writing the manuscript,
especially in the case of a nonfiction book, she devotes four chapters to
this topic. She show you how to focus your writing project to make it more
marketable to your target audience. It also enables you to pitch your
project to publishers before investing time and money into writing the book.
Plus, it serves as an outline when you do begin the writing process. The
development of the book proposal is thoroughly covered with samples provided
of each of its elements, including the synopsis, marketing plan, promotional
ideas, market analysis, about the author, and chapter outline.

With an overwhelming percentage of published books failing to make a profit,
self-promotion is the cornerstone of success. The misconception that you can
just write a book, publish it and then sit back and roll in the royalties is
quickly dismissed by Fry. (That is, unless you are Stephen King or Hillary
Clinton.) Marketing is a huge responsibility that authors must take on after
their book is in print. Three chapters are devoted to promotion, covering
the basics along with more creative approaches.

There is a chapter devoted to Bookkeeping. Fry does everything the old
fashioned way, handwritten in ledgers. If Fry ever decides to do a
revision, I would applaud a section devoted to electronic record keeping.

I highly recommend this book to anyone tinkering with the idea of writing a
book and to published authors needing assistance in the marketing
department. Take Frye's advice to "Follow your dreams with your eyes wide
open and your expectations reasonable," and be sure to read her book.

Reviewed by:
Brooke Spicher, Scribes World

This revised edition of the popular informative book, The RIGHT WAY TO WRITE , PUBLISH AND SELL YOUR BOOK - Your Complete Guide to Successful Authorship (Matilija Press, 2006) along with its companion guide, "The Author's Workbook", combine the essence of authorship along with the practicalities of penmanship. The concept of being true to yourself as well as being true to your trade is spelled out clearly in Ms. Fry's brass tacks approach for passionate but hesitant new authors or the mid-career professional first-time author who already has contacts and a "platform" in place for a marketing windfall.

If you are able to get through the first 75 pages, you will be able to author and market your completed work. It is a daunting task, but with Ms. Fry's tips and recommendations she provides both reassurance and backup references for guidance. Her marketing suggestions are enlightening, her creative platform- and audience -generating ideas are not only manageable but also applicable to both fiction and nonfiction writers. The book is not for a lackadaisical writer.

Ms. Fry first discourages you from starting a book until you sure you have a complete understanding that the publishing business is just that - a business. Ms. Fry points out that a writer must be able to hook an agent with a rehearsed, professional 30 second verbal synopsis of the planned book. Alternatively, she discusses a written approach via submission guidelines, with a well-formatted book proposal, query letter, table of contents, or manuscript. She details how to organize parts of your book, hiring professionals along the way, and the pros and cons of self-publishing.

The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book

This book is one of the best books out there for authors who are looking to self-publish. No sugar coating, no pandering-- all the fluff has been removed. The material is updated and fresh, and the examples are useful and up-to-date. Most authors need a reality check. Guess what-- not everyone is in love with your book! YOU are in love with your book. Fry helps you learn how to create a piece of work that is both marketable, profitable, and useful. The author gives real-life examples for authors; she doesn't mince words. If you want to learn how to write a book that will sell, then you should buy this book. Fry is a master of local and regional promotion, and she goes over what works and what doesn't. Here are some things that could have improved this book:

1. The cover is not attractive. I know this is a minor gripe considering the quality of the material inside, but Fry really should snazzy the cover up a bit. It would help sales and it is something that is very important to those of us who want to self-publish.

2. Like some of the other reviewers, I also believe that Fry could go into POD and digital self-publishing a little more.

3. Fry is a master of face-to-face promotion. Not very many writers have the emotional stamina and marketing savvy to do this. More information on how to promote locally and in book fairs and other events would be helpful. This is where Fry really shines.

Despite the smaller issues, this is still a MUST HAVE for anyone wants to publish and promote their books! A side note-- this book has ZERO negative reviews online, which is an amazing feat on Amazon, the land of picky buyers. The only one star review is from Patricia Fry herself, posting information about the book (such as the ISBN, etc). She is so honest-- it tells you something about Fry and her ability to really help others.

Fast & Furious Book Promotion

If you are one of over 4 million authors seeking to get published this year, give yourself an advantage and read this book. As the title suggests, it is a comprehensive book guiding readers through the "authorship" journey. But what I like most is that Patricia doesn't pull punches or make the job of writing and publishing sound like a walk in the park because for most aspiring authors, getting a book published is not an easy endeavor. But getting published or self-publishing your book is extremely rewarding. The key is using Patricia's book to avoid the pitfalls many other writers fall into.

Patricia Fry is a person I consider one of the great teachers and contributors to the field of writing. Aside from the more than 200 articles she has published and the 25 or so books she has successfully written, Pat has encouraged hundreds of young would-be authors as they struggled to make their way in this very challenging field.

Symbolic of her care is her founding and continuing stewardship of SPAWN, the organization that encourages and informs artists and writers.

Fry's knowledge of self-publishing comes from the establishment of her own publishing company Matilija Press. She has served as an author as well as a publisher, and know both arenas exceedingly well.

This book takes a very pragmatic approach to craft and to business, both essentials in the self-publishing process. Fry casts aside the mystique and glamour of our field, and guides her readers to evaluate carefully the potential of their projects before embarking on them.

When I read her book, I felt as though Pat was advising me like a caring Mom. I well remember what it meant to me when she e-mailed me to tell me how much she liked "The Writer Within You," and then followed that up with a wonderful review in the SPAWN newsletter. Read her book, and you will see why Patricia Fry is a much-respected and beloved icon in the writing/publishing industry.

Navigating the entire self-publishing process is a time consuming endeavor. As an author you'll continue to "pay tuition" along the way in the form of misspent time and money unless you get help from those who have "been there and done that." That's why The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book is an indispensable guide to shine a light on the pathway to publishing and selling your book. Patricia Fry, who is a seasoned author herself, offers solid, helpful tips to keep you on track in the process and more importantly, keep you from making the costly mistakes that befall most authors.

As an author, a former book acquisitions editor and a literary agent, I want to know the straight scoop about the book publishing industry. It's often hard to find realistic information because even people in the business don't want to mess with the dreams and aspirations of writers and give them the straight scoop.

Patricia L. Fry in THE RIGHT WAY TO WRITE, PUBLISH AND SELL YOUR BOOK helps every writer understand the business aspect of books. I love what she wrote on page 15 at the end of the first chapter, "Too many authors fail solely because they give up. Authorship is not designed to be a hobby. It isn't something that you can successfully manage as an afterthought. It demands your full attention. Your future in writing and publishing is almost completely up to you. If you do the necessary research and work--if you exercise persistence, perseverance and patience while maintaining realistic expectations--you will experience success."

Whether you are looking for insight about writing a query or a book proposal or wondering about print on demand and self-publishing or looking for some innovative ideas to market your books to specialty shops or libraries or even how to keep a record of your expenditures or manuscript submissions, Fry has packed a lot into these pages. No matter your level of publishing experience you can profit from a careful reading and even re-reading of this book.

It would be a tragic understatement to say this book is a comprehensive discussion of writing and self-publishing topics. The book is full of advice and anecdotes, checklists, directories of resources, samples and examples, and more. For such a massive collection of information, she has made a great effort to categorize and organize it all so that the reader can find exactly what they are looking for. It makes a better textbook on the craft than any I've ever read.

Note also that while she does share her opinions on every topic, she's sure not to steer the reader down any primrose path. We all know there's no one solution to turn your dreams of becoming a published author into reality. Her book lists all avenues, with their pros and cons, and straight answers to the questions we all ask.

Then if that wasn't enough, she also sells THE AUTHOR'S WORKBOOK companion to THE RIGHT WAY. In it, she breaks everything out into checklists and forms to help guide the reader in their progress. It goes hand-in-hand with the book, and really fleshes out key concepts for beginning writers..

All told, this is a great book for old hands and new writers alike, and that is what I like most of all. This book deserves to not only be on your bookshelf, but truly on your desktop along with all of your tools of the trade.

Now in a newly revised and expanded second edition, The Right Way To Write, Publish And Sell Your Book: Your Complete Guide To Successful Authorship" by Patricia L. Fry continues to be an ideal, single-volume introduction to writing and getting published whether your literary project is fiction or non-fiction. Aspiring authors will learn how to write with clarity; actually incorporate promotion into their book; locate and evaluate an appropriate publisher (including the option of self-publishing); selecting an effective agent; write saleable book proposals and professional quality query letters; establish a platform, choose an editor; upon publication get their books into bookstores; obtain valid reviews; promote and sell their book; work with distributors, wholesalers, retailers, and internet book selling websites. It should be noted that the Midwest Book Review is twice referred to and recommended as a book review resource for small presses and self-published authors. If you are an aspiring author, no matter what your genre or project, you need to give Patricia Fry's "The Right Way To Write, Publish And Sell Your Book" a very careful reading. It will demystify the process of publication; alleviate anxiety through instruction, recommendation, and reference; and serve as a continuing informational resource at ever step of the process of going from manuscript to published book, and every aspect of book promotion and marketing, the responsibility for which, in today's highly competitive marketplace, will inevitable falls upon the author to perform. Also very highly recommended from Patricia Fry is "The Author's Workbook: Your Guide To Developing A Publishing And Marketing Plan", a spiral bound workbook specifically designed to accompany "The Right Way To Write, Publish And Sell Your Book" ($12.95) and is available directly from the Matilija Press website at www.matilijapress.com, as are her other truly exceptionally writer instruction titles: "How To Write A Successful Book Proposal In 8 Days Or Less" ($12.95); "The Successful Writer's Handbook" ($15.95); "Over 75 Good Ideas For Promoting Your Book" ($6.50); and "A Writer's Guide To Magazine Articles" ($6.50)