Comments on: How to Get a Book Deal: Lessons From My Adventures in the World of Non-Fiction Publishing http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/03/28/how-to-get-a-book-deal-lessons-from-my-adventures-in-the-world-of-non-fiction-publishing/ Decoding Patterns of Success Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:27:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: beth http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/03/28/how-to-get-a-book-deal-lessons-from-my-adventures-in-the-world-of-non-fiction-publishing/#comment-26220 beth Fri, 18 Nov 2011 01:21:48 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/03/28/how-to-get-a-book-deal-lessons-from-my-adventures-in-the-world-of-non-fiction-publishing/#comment-26220 I am wondering about the world of Christian non fiction. Is it a different beast entirely? I feel I have a great story to tell about how I have survived adopting 3 siblings from state care and adding to my brood of 4 to make a grand total of 7. This would be from a Christian perspective. I am wondering about the world of Christian non fiction. Is it a different beast entirely? I feel I have a great story to tell about how I have survived adopting 3 siblings from state care and adding to my brood of 4 to make a grand total of 7. This would be from a Christian perspective.

]]> By: Good Things Take Time http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/03/28/how-to-get-a-book-deal-lessons-from-my-adventures-in-the-world-of-non-fiction-publishing/#comment-25991 Good Things Take Time Tue, 25 Oct 2011 01:25:02 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/03/28/how-to-get-a-book-deal-lessons-from-my-adventures-in-the-world-of-non-fiction-publishing/#comment-25991 [...] like this one for this piece of advice, which is excellent: “Become a non-bad writer. … You have to shake off [...]

[...] like this one for this piece of advice, which is excellent: “Become a non-bad writer. … You have to shake off [...]

]]> By: “You just need to get started” is bad advice http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/03/28/how-to-get-a-book-deal-lessons-from-my-adventures-in-the-world-of-non-fiction-publishing/#comment-25579 “You just need to get started” is bad advice Thu, 18 Aug 2011 15:11:21 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/03/28/how-to-get-a-book-deal-lessons-from-my-adventures-in-the-world-of-non-fiction-publishing/#comment-25579 [...] Deal,” marks the Broadway Books imprint of Random House buying my book proposal. (Remember, for non-fiction, you sell the idea before you write the book; this e-mail timestamps me selling the idea, with all of the writing coming [...]

[...] Deal,” marks the Broadway Books imprint of Random House buying my book proposal. (Remember, for non-fiction, you sell the idea before you write the book; this e-mail timestamps me selling the idea, with all of the writing coming [...]

]]> By: alex http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/03/28/how-to-get-a-book-deal-lessons-from-my-adventures-in-the-world-of-non-fiction-publishing/#comment-25426 alex Wed, 10 Aug 2011 05:19:32 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/03/28/how-to-get-a-book-deal-lessons-from-my-adventures-in-the-world-of-non-fiction-publishing/#comment-25426 I want to write a book about my years in high school. I'm not going to make it about realtionships and drama but how I made it though, with family problems and everything. Is that idea over used? I want to write a book about my years in high school. I’m not going to make it about realtionships and drama but how I made it though, with family problems and everything. Is that idea over used?

]]> By: Study Hacks http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/03/28/how-to-get-a-book-deal-lessons-from-my-adventures-in-the-world-of-non-fiction-publishing/#comment-25281 Study Hacks Fri, 29 Jul 2011 20:29:47 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/03/28/how-to-get-a-book-deal-lessons-from-my-adventures-in-the-world-of-non-fiction-publishing/#comment-25281 <blockquote>Does it hurt the writer’s chance at getting a full book deal on the expanded topic or “whole story” of shorter articles written for magazines on that topic? </blockquote> <strong>No, it actually helps to have a published magazine article on the subject. One of the easiest pitches to make is: "Here is a popular magazine article I wrote. Let's make it a book."</strong>

Does it hurt the writer’s chance at getting a full book deal on the expanded topic or “whole story” of shorter articles written for magazines on that topic?

No, it actually helps to have a published magazine article on the subject. One of the easiest pitches to make is: “Here is a popular magazine article I wrote. Let’s make it a book.”

]]> By: Heather http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/03/28/how-to-get-a-book-deal-lessons-from-my-adventures-in-the-world-of-non-fiction-publishing/#comment-25265 Heather Thu, 28 Jul 2011 19:02:07 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/03/28/how-to-get-a-book-deal-lessons-from-my-adventures-in-the-world-of-non-fiction-publishing/#comment-25265 I found this post really helpful and had a question I thought you might best be able to answer. It concerns writing articles for a magazine that would be related to the topic that one might want to do their non-fiction book on later. Does it hurt the writer's chance at getting a full book deal on the expanded topic or "whole story" of shorter articles written for magazines on that topic? When an article is published in a magazine I read that sometimes publications you have to turn over some rights to the article so I didn't know if it was best to keep it all for the book and just try to publish articles in magazines on different topics. Thanks in advance for any feedback, Heather I found this post really helpful and had a question I thought you might best be able to answer. It concerns writing articles for a magazine that would be related to the topic that one might want to do their non-fiction book on later. Does it hurt the writer’s chance at getting a full book deal on the expanded topic or “whole story” of shorter articles written for magazines on that topic? When an article is published in a magazine I read that sometimes publications you have to turn over some rights to the article so I didn’t know if it was best to keep it all for the book and just try to publish articles in magazines on different topics.
Thanks in advance for any feedback,
Heather

]]> By: Birgit http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/03/28/how-to-get-a-book-deal-lessons-from-my-adventures-in-the-world-of-non-fiction-publishing/#comment-24599 Birgit Mon, 11 Apr 2011 20:16:41 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/03/28/how-to-get-a-book-deal-lessons-from-my-adventures-in-the-world-of-non-fiction-publishing/#comment-24599 In one of your books you tell us to never, ever skip a lesson unless it covers a book you have written yourself. That definition of "never" kinda stuck with me and turned into a big and crazy goal. Well, three years have passed, I'm 21, in my senior year, and I just found this course at our university... I'm sooo tempted to sign up, because I would have a reason to skip class ;-). (In fact, I've taught almost the same course as an adjunct at a summer school, but that was just a side effect). It's been a while since you wrote this article, but I want you to know that it did make a difference. It wasn't the information (expose, blah, blah) that was important, but the fact that your entire blog teaches how those crazy academic superstars are just normal kids who make a few smart choices instead of following the mainstream. Thank you so much, Birgit In one of your books you tell us to never, ever skip a lesson unless it covers a book you have written yourself.
That definition of “never” kinda stuck with me and turned into a big and crazy goal.
Well, three years have passed, I’m 21, in my senior year, and I just found this course at our university… I’m sooo tempted to sign up, because I would have a reason to skip class ;-) . (In fact, I’ve taught almost the same course as an adjunct at a summer school, but that was just a side effect).
It’s been a while since you wrote this article, but I want you to know that it did make a difference. It wasn’t the information (expose, blah, blah) that was important, but the fact that your entire blog teaches how those crazy academic superstars are just normal kids who make a few smart choices instead of following the mainstream.
Thank you so much,
Birgit

]]> By: Charlie F http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/03/28/how-to-get-a-book-deal-lessons-from-my-adventures-in-the-world-of-non-fiction-publishing/#comment-22073 Charlie F Tue, 28 Dec 2010 04:43:27 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/03/28/how-to-get-a-book-deal-lessons-from-my-adventures-in-the-world-of-non-fiction-publishing/#comment-22073 Wow, I'm so glad that I found this! I've been mulling over book ideas since I was in high school (I've now graduated with a Bachelor's degree), but all of my ideas are for extremely niche topics. I'll think of topics that have greater appeal now, develop my blog further, and hopefully start writing regularly for other places for a year or so. Then I'll revisit! Again, thanks!! Wow, I’m so glad that I found this! I’ve been mulling over
book ideas since I was in high school (I’ve now graduated with a
Bachelor’s degree), but all of my ideas are for extremely niche
topics. I’ll think of topics that have greater appeal now, develop
my blog further, and hopefully start writing regularly for other
places for a year or so. Then I’ll revisit! Again,
thanks!!

]]> By: Study Hacks http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/03/28/how-to-get-a-book-deal-lessons-from-my-adventures-in-the-world-of-non-fiction-publishing/#comment-15398 Study Hacks Mon, 09 Aug 2010 14:59:58 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/03/28/how-to-get-a-book-deal-lessons-from-my-adventures-in-the-world-of-non-fiction-publishing/#comment-15398 <blockquote>So many bloggers, many with more time on their hands, never bother to respond to readers of old threads, yours is different and I respect that.</blockquote> I try to respond to questions from old threads whenever I notice them popping up in my comment moderation system. Unfortunately, some also slip by unnoticed.

So many bloggers, many with more time on their hands, never bother to respond to readers of old threads, yours is different and I respect that.

I try to respond to questions from old threads whenever I notice them popping up in my comment moderation system. Unfortunately, some also slip by unnoticed.

]]> By: Ken http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/03/28/how-to-get-a-book-deal-lessons-from-my-adventures-in-the-world-of-non-fiction-publishing/#comment-15387 Ken Sun, 08 Aug 2010 07:38:16 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/03/28/how-to-get-a-book-deal-lessons-from-my-adventures-in-the-world-of-non-fiction-publishing/#comment-15387 Great advice. I'm a huge fan of mind-hack reading and you blog is one of my favorite. I don't know if you contract out your responses a la 4-hr-work-week style, but that your site responds to so many readers is impressive. So many bloggers, many with more time on their hands, never bother to respond to readers of old threads, yours is different and I respect that. Great advice. I’m a huge fan of mind-hack reading and you blog is one of my favorite. I don’t know if you contract out your responses a la 4-hr-work-week style, but that your site responds to so many readers is impressive. So many bloggers, many with more time on their hands, never bother to respond to readers of old threads, yours is different and I respect that.

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