Overview Nonfiction: Talent: Market Interest

Workshop: An Introduction to Writing for Children and Young Adults

“A blogged book allows you to test market your book.” Nina Amir

Target=Who—Where and When

In some ways marketing your work is a moving target, especially with all the ongoing changes in technology and outreach. There are many experts in this field to give detailed guidance through their blogs, podcasts, books, and workshops, so here I am just touching the surface with a few observations so that when you are ready to publish you will know what information to look for. And be able to recognize the legit support businesses. I’m primarily talking about books now.

By now you have established your audience, your subject, and your focus which all equal who your target market is. The next question to consider is where you want to aim and when. And the financial cost involved in the delivery. Beware of any organization that tells you it will cost you thousands to publish. Or any vanity presses.

First consideration—do you care whether you receive any pay? Or would you be just as pleased to write for non-profit organizations, and newsletters, and conferences and after-school programs.

Or are you willing to write pro-bono to develop a readership for when the time comes to offer for cost. And then continue to do both? Recognize that the costs involve time as well. For example having a traditional publisher will make a large difference in publicity, but you will still need to put in a large quantity of time. Whereas if you decide to be a self-publisher, you will be responsible for all of the marketing and publicity.

Traditional, Indie, print, e-book, online, free copies, each have individual pluses and minuses that need to be assessed regarding where are your strengths and where will you need assistance. Those choices will also impact where and when and how you market. Some niche topics are too small for the main publishers. If you have a contract with them for other work will you still be able to self-publish the niche. When would you need an agent? It’s not always easy to effectively navigate the creative side and the business side. Carefully consider what your main purpose and goals are and where you need assistance to achieve them.

Traditional publishing houses often have a built in time sequence process that as an author you need to meet those deadlines. There is some more freedom as an Indie publisher but once you begin the process you also have deadlines to juggle and not all of your own choice. Will the book cover be ready in time? Do you need a professional copyeditor? How much time are you prepared to adjust for the unexpected?

Knowing your primary reader will enable you to meet your goals and purpose.

Action Steps:

1.     Make a list of your strengths and weaknesses for both marketing and publicity.

2.     Choose one of each and read up some guidelines from a traditional publishing house, a well-established literary agency, and an Indie publisher such as CreateSpace to see what each of their agendas require.

3.     Look at the resource information through established organizations in your particular field, or through The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrator.

4.     Set aside some study time on one detail to assess your level of  potential competence or necessary learning curve.

Share: Where do you feel most confident? Where do you need advice?

Read deep, marcy

Overview Nonfiction: Target

Workshop: An Introduction to Writing for Children and Young Adults

“Information is useful, it is palatable, it is fascinating. And it is compelling to the reader.” Jane Yolen

Target= Why plus what plus who.

Jane Yolen also adds that all the information needs to become recognition.

As a result of brainstorming and initial research you now have some ideas you’d like to explore as potential articles or chapters. Now begins a tighter focus to connect with your intended audience and make the information you’d like to share recognizable to them specifically—even though you may be dealing with a completely new concept for your age category.

The age now determines your vocabulary, your style of presentation, which examples will be most effective, and how much research to share. Also if you have a particular market that you plan to submit to, you will need to gauge the length as well but not on your first draft.

Subject and style: abstract versus concrete, objective versus opinion, vocabulary level, subtle or precise are all target aspects to consider once you know the overall effect you choose.

One vocabulary detail to remember is that children don’t usually begin to think in abstract terms before age ten so until then metaphors might be very confusing and too abstract. But a simile might work especially for the very young who want to understand everything.

For example, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle, combines many concepts throughout his story: numbers, food, days of the week, growing size, a chrysalis and metamorphosis.

His through narrative line is hunger, which he announces in the title and continues through each page. Even without knowing vocabulary words a one-year old understands being hungry.

Eric Carle walks the tiny caterpillar through a week of eating and growing larger every day. “On Tuesday he ate through two pears but he was still hungry.”  By centering the young reader with a day-to-day reality he becomes ready for the science that is too abstract for terms yet but concrete.

“He built a small house called a cocoon around himself.” A new word is introduced alongside the reality of being wrapped up. A chrysalis is visual on the page. Again a toddler will connect with the idea and image.

“He stayed inside for more than two weeks.” Carle gives information that may not be understandable yet but stays true to the development of metamorphosis. When the now big caterpillar ate his way out of the cocoon, “he was a beautiful butterfly.”

The same undergirding concept of hunger and caterpillars would work all the way up to a college level audience by adding increasing information, language, and appropriate science theory. 

The target question is still what overall effect do you want your readers to leave with? Will this be a sense of the wonder that undergirds science, an example to explore an art project, or a how-to project to examine?

Action Steps:

1.Choose your age target’s vocabulary level and main examples to use to connect with them.

2. Make a list of the information you intend to share. What will their age group recognize immediately and what will need explanation?

3. Make a list of potential metaphors or similes.

Share: Which metaphor or simile makes you smile?

Read deep, marcy