Back to Basics - How to Layout the Copyright Page

I know, I know, we need to get back to the heart and soul of this Blog. I get many e-mails asking how to layout a Copyright page, so here it is in brief; hope it helps!

The Copyright Page is one of the few components in a book which is placed on the left-hand page. The typeface’s size is smaller than the book’s core text, but it should be legible. Eight- or nine-point type is suitable for the copyright information. The copyright is usually printed toward the bottom of the page and centered.

Your printed copyright information should include the publisher’s name, the city and state of publication, the copyright symbol (©), the month and year of each edition of the book, as well as your name and the names of contributors to the work, such as photographers and artists. Follow with specific copyright information about reproduction and permission. Finally, include where the book was manufactured and a book printing numbering system.
Example:

Plain and Simple Books, LLC, North Bend, Oregon
© Copyright January 2008 by Carol Denbow
Artwork © January 2008 by Joe Talent
ISBN: 0-937861-00-0
All rights reserved. The text of this publication, or any part thereof, may not be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the publisher.
(Space here reserved for the Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data.
Manufactured in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

(Note: the lowest number in the chain represents this printing. If you do a second printing, you will delete the “1,” for third printing delete the “2,” and so on.)

The Copyright should be centered on the page. My example is not centered only because Blogger won't let me do that.

If your book is fiction, you will want to include a statement such as this: “This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.”

For more on book production, read A Book Inside, How to Write, Publish, and Sell Your Story (ISBN 9780615199245) by author Carol Denbow

Who's Your Blog Editor? Carol Denbow 2009 Interview on Conversations with Writers

One of my online friends, Ambrose Musiyiwa, recently interviewed me for Conversations with Writers. I would like to share the interview with you.

Carol Denbow 2009 Interview on Conversations with Writers.

*When did you start writing?
Carol Denbow: My writing career began only five years back in 2004. I was a late bloomer!

*How, why and when did decide you wanted to be a published writer?
Carol Denbow: It was never a dream of mine as it is for most writers. I had started up and operated a small business, and after slamming into so many walls along the way, I saw a need for a simplified small business start-up book. Voila! Are You Ready to be Your Own Boss? was finished just two years following my retirement.

*How would you describe the writing you are doing?
Carol Denbow: After publishing my first two business-related books, the one I previously mentioned (self-published), as well as one more, Stress Relief for the Working Stiff (traditionally published), my loving hubby convinced me to write a book about my publishing experience. A Book Inside, How to Write, Publish, and Sell Your Story has been my biggest success. So the journey has begun and nowadays I write specifically about and for this industry.

*Who is your target audience and what motivated you to start writing for this audience?
Carol Denbow: My most recent books are clearly directed at want-to-be and established published authors. It’s time consuming to write a book. Unfortunately, with all that investment comes the frustration of choosing the right publishing method and ultimately selling books. Many authors dream is to be the next Rowling or King. With the book market flooded with new authors and books, it’s a sad reality that the average book sells less than 200 copies. I think new writers need an advantage to compete; I try to get that edge for them through my books.

*What are your main concerns as a writer and how do you deal with these concerns?
Carol Denbow: My concerns are the same as most others—how to sell my books. I spend at minimum two hours a day researching, learning, and promoting my books.

*How have your personal experiences influenced the direction of your writing?
Carol Denbow: I think the reason I have pursued writing for authorship is directly related to the emails I get from other writers in need of advice and guidance. At one point, I would receive ten emails per day from want-to-be’s with a book already written and no idea of where to go from there. I do always write back and try to help, but if I can’t, I’ve always tried to direct my online associates to where they could find the answers they needed.

*How many books have you written so far? What are the titles, who published them and when?
Carol Denbow: With the exception of one of my books, I have self-published all through my own publishing house, Plain & Simple Books, LLC. My books include:
Are You Ready to be Your Own Boss? (2006) P & S Books, LLC
Stress Relief for the Working Stiff (2008) P.A., Inc.
A Book Inside, How to Write, Publish, and Sell Your Story (2008) P & S Books, LLC
The Writer In You (2008) P & S Books, LLC (a free e-book co-written)
How to Organize a Virtual Book Tour (2008) e-book, P & S Books, LLC
100 Ways to Market Your Book for Free, (or really cheap), (2009) e-book, P & S Books, LLC

*Do you write every day? How does each session start? How, where and why does it end?
Carol Denbow: I write when I have a couple hours to spare without interruption. That’s sometimes hard to find. I once decided to try my hand at fiction. I took three days and drove up to a secluded beach to write. I finished 10,000 words to an awesome murder mystery. Unfortunately, I haven’t picked up the pen on that book since. I still hope to finish it someday—when I have the time!

*How long did it take you to write your latest book? Where and when was it published?
Carol Denbow: My latest book, 100 Ways to Market Your Book for Free (or really cheap) was written while I was in Hawaii for one month. I had collected my notes and references so it was just about putting the whole book together.

*Is this book self-published, and what advantages and/or disadvantages will this present? How are you dealing with these?
Carol Denbow: I prefer self-publishing. Of course when I refer to self-publishing, I am referring to the entire process. For instance, I do not publish POD. I write them, hire an editor, cover artist, and sometimes (depending on the difficulty of the lay-out) a designer. I have my books printed by a wonderful online company and stowed in my office closet available for sale. Advantage to this? My profit on a book is higher and the quality of my books is much better than any POD book I’ve seen. So I can still keep my cover price low and sell lots of books. Disadvantages? Only one I recall, and that was my first book; I simply printed too many copies in order to save money—didn’t work!

*What will your next book be about?
Carol Denbow: Who knows for sure—maybe none. When I see a need, I am drawn to fulfill it. So it’s a waiting game for me as a writer. But I’ll get back to you on that the next time I feel inspired!

*What would you say has been your most significant achievement as a writer?
Carol Denbow: Oh, I am so proud of all the writers I have been blessed to meet and help get their books published. I have a great Website with links to all kinds of book and writing related Websites and Blogs to help writers network and get their projects moving forward. The Website is at www.AuthorsBox.com if viewers are interested in taking a peek.

For more great interviews with writers, visit Ambrose Musiyiwa's Blog at http://conversationswithwriters.blogspot.com/

Carol Denbow books are available through AuthorsBox.com.

Tips to Query a Publisher

Your first step in querying a publisher should be to order the book Writer’s Market. The book is available through Amazon.com for about $30 or check with your local library. Writer’s Market includes 4,000 listings for book publishers, consumer magazines, trade journals, and literary agents. Most publishers’ listings in the book will tell you if they accept new authors, with or without agent representation, what types of manuscripts they want, what they pay, their contact information, and where to obtain authors’ submission guidelines for their company. Confirm all information by visiting the publisher’s Website if available. Most publishers’ Websites will have authors’ guidelines as well.

Once you have chosen the right publisher and are ready to submit your package, you will need to write the all-important query letter. The query letter must get the attention of the acquisitions editor, or, more likely, an editorial assistant or reader. Many packages are thrown out after the first sentence is read. Your query letter should be a brief one-page tool used to get the editor interested in your book idea. The idea of a query letter is to draw enough interest in your book that the editor will request your entire manuscript be sent. Some editors want to see the entire manuscript on first contact. Check the submission guidelines to determine exactly which method the editor prefers.

Editors change job positions and companies regularly. Don’t assume the listed editor is the current one. Always call the publishing house and ask who the current editor is and then address your letter to that person.

When formatting your query letter:

• Limit it to one page.
• Use single spacing with one-inch margin.
• Use an easy to read typeface such as Times New Roman and a 10- or 12-point type.
• Include your complete contact information including e-mail and phone number.
• Address the letter directly to the acquisitions editor by name.
• Be creative. Get the editor’s attention with a catchy opening line.
• Let the editor know briefly what your book idea is about.
• Include whether or not you have illustrations.
• Inform them of any expertise you have in the subject matter.
• Let them know if you have been previously published.
• Close with a polite offer to send the entire manuscript.
• Thank them for their time and say you look forward to hearing from them soon.

You can locate sample query letters and book proposals in the Writer’s Market book.

When a publisher requests an entire book proposal be sent, your submission should include the following:

• A query letter as described above.
• A chapter summary that gives an idea of your book’s subject and shows in detail how you plan to develop your idea. For fiction books, cover the basic plot.
• An outline of your book’s chapters and what is included in each one.
• Your author biography that includes why you are qualified to write this book as well as any previous writing experience. You can include relevant clubs and organizations you belong to.
• Sample chapters or the entire manuscript. See the publishing house’s specific guidelines to learn how much of the manuscript the editor requests.
• Marketing information. Editors want to who will buy your book and how you plan to reach those people. Be specific.
• Competitive title analysis. Include similar books on your subject and how they differ from yours. Why will your book be better?

Most publishers will let you know through their submission guidelines exactly what they want to see included in your fiction or nonfiction proposal.

If after all your hard work you are rejected by the publishers you submit to, scroll down to an earlier post and read Tips For Accepting Query Letter Rejection.

To learn the entire process of book writing, publishing, and marketing to help you get your book finished, read A Book Inside, How to Write, Publish, and Sell Your Story, ISBN 9780615199245, available at Amazon.com and wherever books are sold.

For The Love of Helping a Good Cause-Book Donations

Many published authors choose to support a worthwhile and personal cause through their book sales. A portion of my own book sales goes to Breast Cancer Research as well as libraries affected by natural disaster. As the season of giving quickly approaches, I would like to share an interview I recently had with another author who makes her own contribution through her books revenue, Jo Fulkerson. Jo has been blessed with the talent to write a book and smart enough to have it published; now she contributes a portion of her book sales to her own personal cause. Read on.

Carol Denbow: How or why did you decide you needed to "work for the cause?" What is your mission?

Jo Fulkerson: I guess I decided to write for and about social issues dealing with young people because I have always been interested in young people and concerned for their issues. As a Wal-Mart employee for ten years, I couldn't help seeing so many young people practically ignored and left to their own devices by parents day in and day out. We raised five children, lost one at 14 in a car accident, and I very recently lost a grandson, so my feelings for young people run deep. If I have an actual mission, it is to create fictional "heroes" for young people to look up to and perhaps give them an incentive to make something of their lives, perhaps even unobtrusively showing young people that there are people who care about them and want to do something for them.

Carol Denbow: You told me about your idea to donate your book to schools. Why are the schools so important to you and how did you get involved?

Jo Fulkerson: The idea of getting my book into schools was not original with me. Somewhere along the line while researching promotional outlets, it was suggested, especially since my novel deals with teenagers. I have only just begun to expand on this idea, but realized that the cost of really doing this on a large enough scale to make any kind of impact was beyond my means.

Carol Denbow: What is your dream result from all your hard work?

Jo Fulkerson: My dream result would be to make a difference in the lives of young people, having my characters become special "friends" and reach out to anyone who might need a friend at a particular moment in their lives.

Carol Denbow: How can other authors get involved with your cause?

Jo Fulkerson: Anyone who would like to help further this can do so by buying copies of FOR LOVE OF TEDDY to be donated to schools, either in a designated area or in any area, or by making donations to be used to purchase copies of the book to be placed in schools. (If they order copies through me, they are about $10 less than anywhere else.) My Website is www.freewebs.com/thedesertwriter and info about the book and about ordering is posted there.

Carol Denbow: Tell us about the book.

Jo Fulkerson: FOR LOVE OF TEDDY tells the story of Michael Kirkpatrick, high school senior basketball star, and his younger brother, Teddy. Michael is determined to save his brother, Teddy, from the clutches of teenage drug dealers. Feeling responsible for Teddy's slight mental handicap, Michael wages his own war to get rid of the dealers and the supplier. Teddy is mistakenly singled out by the school's Assistant Principal who sees Teddy hand a small package back to Leo, a teenage drug dealer, not realizing the true circumstances of Teddy's involvement. Teddy is further duped and manipulated by the dealer to run an "errand" for him. Michael then becomes more determined to bring down the drug dealers by convincing Leo that he, himself, will get involved in Leo's dealings if Leo will leave Teddy alone. When Michael confronts the supplier, his own life falls into jeopardy and his basketball prowess comes into play as he fights for his life and to bring down the supplier.

Carol Denbow: Are there any future books inside Jo?

Jo Fulkerson: Although I have begun another young adult novel dealing with foster children, I have put that on the shelf and will be working on another novel dealing with teens and drugs in which I plan to reach deeper and more dramatically into the issue.

Carol Denbow: Jo, thanks you for being here and sharing your information with us; you are an inspiration.

For more information about Jo Fulkerson’s fundraising project, or to order her book, visit her Website at www.freewebs.com/thedesertwriter.

I'm On a Roll, A Blog Roll! Do You Enjoy A Book Inside Blog?

***Another year has blown by and we are again asking our Blog visitors to vote for us for the 101 Best Websites for Writers by Writer's Digest for 2010. Last year we were fortunate enough to make the list thanks to our wonderful viewers who sent e-mails to Writer’s Digest on our behalf.

If you find a moment to help us again this year, we would be extremely grateful. Please send an e-mail with your comments and nomination for next year’s list to writersdigest@fwmedia.com with “101 Websites” in the subject line.

***Do you see a post here on A Book Inside that you would like to include on your own Website or Blog? We would love to share! Use the search box in the upper right corner of this page to locate posts of interest.

If you use one of our articles, please do not edit it and include, “Article courtesy of A Book Inside Blog at http://abookinside.blogspot.com” at the end of the article.

***Have a related Website or Blog with useful writing and publishing information? We’d love to hear from you and include you in our Christmas posting this year (it’s a surprise). Send me an e-mail at caroldenbow@gmail.com.

***As the holiday time approaches, I get that warm and fuzzy feeling inside just thinking about how supportive and kind the visitors to this Blog have been over the years, and I am reminded of the need on my part to say “thank you.” I have enjoyed the relationships created through this and many other “online” sites, mine and those of others. It is a tough and stressful economical time we are enduring and I believe the support we offer to each other helps tremendously.