This Business of Books: A Complete Overview of the Industry from Concept Through Sales [Paperback]

Claudia Suzanne (Author), Carol Amato (Author), Thelma Sansoucie (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1996

The most complete single-volume book-industry reference is now available in an updated 4th edition.

This Business of Books is an indispensable tool for aspiring authors, teachers and industry professionals. Frank, reality-based and reader-friendly, it explains what every author needs to know about:

- Concept, Writing, Editing, Submissions, Publishing, Distribution, Marketing, Promotion & Sales

- Editorial-service providers

- Publishing contracts

- The 5-step process for creating a book

- When a plot isn't a plot

- Pros & cons of subsidy & self-publishing

- Editing do's & don'ts

... and much more. It's a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips!

"This book should be in every creative writing class in the country!" (Laurie Thomas, Creative Writing Instructor, Saddleback College)

Used in colleges throughout the USA

Selected for translation by China Renmin University Press

Also includes: a glossary of industry "buzz" words and terminology, valuable links and resources and a complete index

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Avoid working on spec, understand why and how books sell, and discern the business basics of the publishing industry through a title which includes fee schedules, sample contracts, and almost anything needed to know about the publishing industry. Any would-be author needs this title: it imparts a variety of approaches to getting involved in the publishing industry; from work-for-hire situations to producing a book. -- Midwest Book Review

About the Author

Claudia Suzanne has ghostwritten or edited almost six dozen books since 1988, and authored four. Her clients' books have garnered rave reviews, appeared on the New York Times bestseller list, and won literary awards.

The first ghostwriter to reveal the skills of ghostwriting in Secrets of a Ghostwriter (patent pending), Claudia and her partners opened Professional Book Writing School in Spring, 2004. Dedicated to raising the literacy bar of the industry, one author at a time, the school offers unique courses in the book business, manuscript architecture, creativity, non-generic editing, and, of course, ghostwriting.

Poised, irreverent, frank and funny, Claudia also presents training sessions and seminars to writers groups and professional organizations.

Google "Wambtac" to reach Claudia directly. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 236 pages
• Publisher: Wambtac; 3rd edition (September 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0963882910
• ISBN-13: 978-0963882912
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,611,196 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Claudia Suzanne, a former rock 'n roll drummer, sold her first book, For Musicians Only, to Watson-Guptil (Billboard Books) in 1988 and promptly embarked on a career as .. a ghostwriter. By 2008, she had ghosted over 100 titles including a bestselling nonfiction, two award-winning novels, and myriad titles that received critical and popular acclaim.

She wrote the first edition of This Business of Books: A Complete Overview of the Industry from Concept through Sales in 1993; the 4th Edition published 10 years later is used in colleges and found in major libraries across the country and around the world. Currently, Claudia ghostwrites books, teaches ghostwriting, mentors new writers and provides industry consultation.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Overview of the Publishing Process, December 7, 2003

By 

"carolyn-sunshinebydesign" (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: This Business of Books: A Complete Overview of the Industry from Concept Through Sales (Paperback)

I just had the opportunity to preview Claudia Suzanne's soon to be released Fourth Edition of "This Business of Books" and am so excited! Having worked with a lot of experts and self-publishers, I know that the 20,000 foot view is an essential part of success. This book delivers! Not only does it cover all the steps a writer/author needs, but helps you decide what your role as an author will be -- whether you self-publish or align yourself with a traditional publisher. "This Business of Books" is written from an experienced editor's viewpoint. Claudia Suzanne helps authors write for today's market and get ready to handle the job of "published author". Excellent overview book!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Resource For Understanding The Publishing Industry, April 2, 2010

By 

Laura Cross (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: This Business of Books: A Complete Overview of the Industry from Concept Through Sales (Paperback)

The Business of Books in an exceptional resource. Author Claudia Suzanne covers the entire process of getting a book to market: developing the concept, research, pitching, writing, editing, book design, production, distribution, fulfillment, and marketing and promotion. Suzanne also provides an insightful explanation of the three publishing options (traditional publishing, self-publishing, and vanity presses/subsidy publishers) and an extensive and useful list of links and resources. A great book I can recommend to both clients and students to gain an understanding of the book industry.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing book on publishing., August 18, 2009

By 

John S. "goodbooklover" - See all my reviews

This review is from: This Business of Books: A Complete Overview of the Industry from Concept Through Sales (Paperback)

If you want to learn how to write, how to get your book published, or how to find a publishing job, this book is not for you. There's a big jumble of information that doesn't fit into a coherent picture of the publishing industry. For example, although the book is around 200 pages, 10 pages are devoted to a questionnaire of fictional character traits ("I go to religious services," always/sometimes/never). Yet the book isn't really geared to fiction writers, either. Often there's information that's either completely oversimplified or just ridiculous, like defining in the glossary what a "CD" is. (A "compact disc," she sagely informs us.) Finally, considering this is a 4th-edition book about publishing, there's a distracting number of typos.

For better introductions to publishing, try Albert Greco's "The Book Publishing Industry," Thomas Woll's "Publishing for Profit," or the simple but wise "Spark Your Career in Book Publishing" form the SparkNotes series.