The front matter of a book consists of all or part of the following:
1. inside front cover, or flyleaf,
2. half-title page,
3. verso (or back) of half-title page, or ad card,
4. title page,
5. copyright page,
6. dedication,
7. foreword,
8. preface,
9. acknowledgments,
10. table of contents,
11. list of illustrations,
12. introduction (optional).
How this front matter is arranged can have a significant effect on reviews and sales of your book.
Inside Front Cover, or Flyleaf
In hardbound books the first inside sheet is called a flyleaf, or end paper, and its left-hand side forms the backing to the front cover. This space often displays such illustrations as maps or family trees. When your book is to be hardbound, the bindery will ask if you wish to print on this area.
Half-Title Page
The first page of most trade paperbacks displays only a title. Publishers of mass paperbacks, on the other hand, use this page for promotional material. You should too, regardless of your book’s size. Provoke your reader’s interest with these pages.
Verso of Half-Title Page or Ad Card
A traditional use of this page is as an ad card listing an author’s previous books. Also state where ordering information is located in your book. With remaining space, give credit to the designers of your book,
Title Page
In addition to the title and author, this page can include the book publisher, editor, year of publication, name of the foreword’s author, and a company logo. Review the title pages of other books for ideas that can improve your own.
Copyright Page
This is normally the reverse side of the title page. It should include:
1. Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication (CIP) data.
2. An International Standard Book Number (ISBN).
3. A Library of Congress Catalog Card number.
4. A note describing where ordering information is located in the book.
5. The publisher’s name and address.
6. The edidon or priming of the book.
The CIP data gives libraries the numbers under which a book should be indexed (catalogued) or ordered. This data is provided free by the Library of Congress and R. R. Bowker and Company.
In addition, the CIP entry describes the different categories of information furnished by the book—which helps libraries to index your book properly—and gives the Library of Congress index number, the year of the book’s first publication, the Dewey Decimal index number, the Library of Congress Catalog Card number, and the International Standard Book Number (ISBN).
It is important to include the above data on a copyright page. Otherwise, your book will obviously appear to be hastily self-published and will be much more difficult for libraries to order and shelve. How to obtain this data is explained in Chapter 18.
Ordering Information
Even though you may have listed ordering information on the back of the half-title page, list it again on the copyright page. This is where most people will look for it. Only a few people will know to look at your last page.
If your book receives favorable reviews in trade journals such as Library Journal, Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, and Publishers Weekly, libraries will purchase thousands of copies. Library patrons often like to purchase personal copies. Make it easy for them to do so.
Copyright
The Library of Congress suggests that the copyright format should include three elements:
1. The letter c fully encircled, the word Copyright, or the abbreviated Copyr.
2. The year of first publication of the book.
3. The name of the copyright owner (you).
See the front matter of this book for its copyright form. How to obtain copyright protection is also explained in Chapter 18.
In listing your publishing company’s name and address, always include a post office box number below any street address used. If you don’t include a post office box, then you will not receive book orders sent to the street address one year after your next move. The post office forwards mail only a year after an address changes.
At the bottom of the copyright page, state that your book is a “First Edition” and list the numbers 1 through 10. When you order a second printing, instruct the printer to remove the 1 from this line. With each succeeding printing, eliminate the appropriate number.
Dedication
When you dedicate a book to a person (or persons), try to instill some reader interest. Don’t simply say: "To my father.” An example of a well-written family dedication is Jerry Steiner’s in Home For Sale By Owner:
This book is dedicated to my father, William A. Steiner. He was always disturbed when he saw the little guy being walked on and taken advantage of. I feel he would have been proud of me for having written this book.
If you place a dedication on a single page, make good use of this dramatic effect. The author’s Hemorrhoid book was dedicated:
To the silent sufferers.
Several reviewers used this phrase to introduce the book in their reviews. Make your dedication memorable, too.
The Foreword
A common error in forewords is that the word is misspelled. Your typesetter may misspell it even if you don’t.
If you are not a specialist in the field of your book, find someone who is to write its foreword. Having a foreword by a professional can make your book more marketable, both to book buyers and to major publishers interested in reprint rights.
There should be no fee offered for such a foreword. On the other hand, if a professional in the field agrees to review your entire book for accuracy, then remuneration is appropriate, whether cash, books, or a percentage of profits.
Preface and Acknowledgments
A foreword is written by someone other than the author; a preface gives the author his first opportunity to address the reader directly. Many reviewers turn immediately to the preface of a book, before reading the contents. They want to know the author’s motivation for writing the book, how it was written, and any other material that will make their review more interesting.
A preface is an excellent opportunity to impress reviewers with your credentials, or to list the authorities from whom research was gathered.
When writing your preface, remember that book buyers quite often purchase books because they like an author. Establish intimacy between yourself and the reader of your book at this point. Let some of your personality come forth.
62 How to Publish, Promote, ond Sell Your Own Book Table of Contents
This is the most important page of your front matter. Potential buyers review a Table of Contents to see more precisely what they’re getting for their money. The chapter titles for your book should be imaginative) descriptive, and stimulating. And short. Get your message across in three to seven words.
List of Illustrations
Readers expect to find a list of any illustrations in your book on the back of the Table of Contents page. The format for this list can vary. In selecting your own, review a few different lists at a library.
Introduction
If your book has a foreword, preface, and acknowledgments, it may become front-heavy with the addition of an introduction. An introduction should be short. Don’t keep your readers waiting too long before getting into the book. Introductory material can often be better placed in earlier portions of a book—the foreword or preface.
The arrangement of back matter can also be an important factor in reviews. Back matter may include:
1. an appendix,
2. a bibliography, or references,
3. a glossary,
4. an index, and
5. ordering information.
The last three listed items are absolute necessities to almost all nonfiction books. Reviewers will often note when they are not included in a book, and libraries may be deterred from ordering. Not only do such omissions short-change readers, they also indicate to reviewers that their authors may have finished their manuscripts with undue haste and carelessness. How to prepare an index and glossary quickly at the same time is explained in Chapter 21.
An Appendix
When you have supplementary material that does not fit properly within the chapters of your book, make it an appendix. For example, you might want to reprint an article that supports your thesis, or a list of organizations that would be helpful to the reader.
Before reproducing a previously published article as an appendix, obtain permission from the author. After receiving this in writing, send a copy to the editor of the publication in which the article appeared requesting permission to reproduce it. If you do not hear from this editor within thirty days, call him (or her) on the telephone to spur action. It helps to enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope with your initial request. Use your company stationery.
Many books place material in an appendix that should have appeared with relevant text. This is a common failing of art books. Fascinating material concerning paintings is often listed in an appendix, when it should have accompanied the paintings themselves.
A Bibliography or References
A bibliography is a list of sources for material contained in a book, or a list of books available in a certain category.
When footnoted references are listed in a book, there are three schools of thought concerning where the references should be located. References are easier to use when listed at the bottom of the page or at the end of each chapter; however,
most major publishers list references at the end of books, which makes the typesetting and layout easier.
If you choose to combine references at the end of your book, do not prepare these references until your final draft has been given to the typesetter. If you prepare this list too early, revisions of the text may require additional revisions of the references.
When preparing a reference list, do not use "ibid” or "op. cit.” when repeating a reference. Most of your readers will not recall the meaning of these abbreviations. If a reference is repeated, simply use the following form: “See Ref. 3f p. 41.”
A Glossary
There are few nonfiction books that do not benefit by a glossary. Even though you adequately define a word the first time it appears in your text, it should be defined again in a glossary. A reader will not recall the page on which your initial definition appeared when a technical word is repeated in the text. If two words that have essentially the same meaning appear in a glossary, define only the most frequently used word. When the other term appears, refer your reader to the definition of the more common word.
An Index
An index is more vital to a nonfiction book than a glossary; it ensures that readers can readily find information when they need it. Preparation requires no more than a few hours. See the format used in this book in designing your own index. How to prepare an index and glossary is fully discussed in Chapter 21.
Ordering Page
With an ordering page at the end of your book, you will have a source of continuing income. Be sure to quote an adequate figure for mailing and packaging costs. A book under one pound now costs 69 cents, plus another 10 to 15 cents for its mailing package.
Don’t forget to use a post office box on your ordering address. A street address can be listed also, as long as it’s above the line for the post office box number.
Note; If you’re reading this page after the publication of your own book, it’s not too late to place ordering information in your book. Order labels for your copyright page that state: “Please turn to last page for ordering information.” Then order another set of labels that tell your reader how to purchase additional copies of your book. These labels can be ordered for less than $5 from:
Walter Drake & Sons 80 Drake Building Colorado Springs, CO 80940
Editing— The Polishing of Your Manuscript
9
How well does your manuscript convey its message? Are you concise? Is what you’ve written relevant? Have you eliminated sections that ramble? Is your transition good—everywhere? Have intelligent people given you positive answers to the above questions? If they haven’t, your manuscript is not ready to be typeset.
Why Your Manuscript Needs Editing
It’s difficult to judge your own work. As Shakespeare said, “The eye seeth not itself.” You are too close to the book. You already know what you’re trying to say, and you have a natural bias toward your writing ability.
Virtually all professional authors require editing. In 1981, James Clavell’s Noble House went to the top of the fiction best-selling list within the first week of its release. Clavell admitted in a UPI interview on May 24, 1981:
When I started writing Taipan, the first four days of the novel took 500 pages of story time, and I had 128 more years of Hong Kong history to go. There was plenty of material left over from Taipan for Nobel House, I didn’t know much about editing myself
and I am still learning to write. The manuscript of Noble House ran 2,125 pages and was edited down to 1,206.
Have three persons edit your manuscript with a fine-toothed comb. These persons must be well read and well educated. If possible, they should also be good writers in their own stead. Such editors will have a reservoir of words and phrases that are entirely different from yours and will quickly be able to suggest a satisfactory rephrasing of a passage that has given you hours (or days) of misery.
These persons need not be experts in the subject area of your book. As a matter of fact, it’s best if they’re not. They should become experts—after reading your manuscript. Choose people from different backgrounds, sexes, and ages. You need a variety of viewpoints.
There are three questions that should be given to your editors, in writing:
1. If you could eliminate whatever you wished, what would you eliminate?
2. How would you rearrange the chapters of the book?
3. Do you generally agree with the conclusions of the book and the methods by which they are reached?
There is much more that can be asked, but these are the three basic questions your editors must answer.
By this time, earlier editing should have trained you to handle criticism. Have you learned to react in a positive manner, even when criticism is ill-conceived? If so, then you have
a chance to become a polished writer, with a little help from your friends.
Remember to give all suggestions a week to sink in. Think on it. In a week’s time, you’ll be far more objective.
Don’t expect your editors (or copy editors) to stroke your ego by telling you how great your manuscript is. If you ask for criticism, hope that you receive it. The more the better. It will improve your book’s chances in the hands of reviewers.
How Do You Know When Your Manuscript Is Finished?
Your manuscript is ready for self-publication or submission to a major publisher when your most critical editors no longer suggest changes.
If you have followed the advice provided in this chapter and the previous four chapters, then you should be encouraged to publish. Your book should be better prepared than most published by major publishing houses. To survive, it has to be.
Most novice writers will be surprised to learn how many times Sidney Sheldon rewrites before submitting his manuscripts to an editor. He told a reporter for the Los Angeles Times on October 3, 1982:
I trim and trim and trim. The twelfth rewrite is the final one. Well, almost the final one. Traditionally, a publisher allows an author to make cuts on only ten percent of the final galley proofs. I cut exactly ten percent from this final version, so it will read even faster. I have this goal. It’s for a reader to not be able to go asleep at night. I want him to keep reading another four pages, then one more page. The following morning or night, he’s anxious to get back to the book.
The result: Sidney Sheldon’s books have hit No. 1 on the bestseller list in five out of his first six tries. Do you rewrite twelve times?
Copyediting, or Cleaning Up Your Manuscript
By the time you’ve written your entire manuscript twice, you may feel that no one could improve on your work. Many new writers suffer from this delusion.
10
Copyediting involves the correction of your spelling, word usage, punctuation, and other grammatical errors. It includes checking to see that your text is consistent in style and flows smoothly. When a book contains numerous spelling and grammatical errors, reviewers and readers may question your accuracy in other areas, even if some of the errors are actually due to your typesetter.
If you can spell each of the seven commonly used words in the following test, you may be one of those rare writers who requires little copyediting.
Fill in the blanks, then check the answers at the end of the chapter.
1. “something that is unusually good of its
4, “an introductory remark at the beginning
|
of a book” |
for— |
—H | |
|
5. |
“that which cannot be resisted” ir- |
-st— |
hie |
|
6. |
“a close bond or connection” |
li |
-son |
|
7. |
“standing firm in the face of opposition” |
persist- |
—e |
How did you do? In the author’s workshops, only one in fifteen aspiring authors spell these words correctly. Many misspell three or four of them.
If your text contains an array of misspellings, it probably has numerous other grammatical errors, too. When they are sufficiently distracting, they can discourage reviews. Why gamble with your time? Have these errors corrected. Your book must appear as carefully copyedited as any book coming out of the major publishers.
Where Do You Find Copy Editors?
A copy editor must be both well read and well educated. Ask other writers for recommendations.
Consider the well-educated among your friends and relatives also. Finding those among this group who are interested in your planned book may require some patience. Even more patience will be required when they start giving you the criticism your manuscript needs.
Your local high school or library may have employees interested in helping you. It may be necessary to pay for such assistance; however, it should be less than what you would pay for professional copyediting.
Professional copy editors are also listed in writing magazines, telephone books, and directories such as Literary Market Place.
Copyediting, or Cleaning Up Your Manuscript 71
When you’ve rewritten your manuscript to the point that you’re satisfied, give each of your potential copy editors one of the chapters of your manuscript. Never give an entire manuscript to an untried person. It may not be returned.
When you find a person who does a good job of copyediting a chapter, give them the balance of the manuscript. Try to find at least three people to copyedit your entire manuscript. This number will settle any disputes.
Don’t Hand Out Super-Clean Manuscripts
A sure way to discourage friends and others from copyediting your manuscript is to hand them super-clean pages. They will hesitate to mark them up.
To encourage their assistance, make a few marks of your own on its early pages. Use a pencil to make these changes highly visible.
Don’t Say It’s Your Final Draft
Another way to discourage a copy editor is to make the mistake of saying the manuscript is your final draft as you hand it over. If it’s "final,” why would you be seeking copyediting? If you make this error, you can expect to receive back an unmarked manuscript.
Give Specific Instructions
On the first page of your manuscript, write out (in pencil) the following instructions:
PLEASE:
1. underline grammatical errors,
2. circle unclear passages, 3- place arrows where transition is rough, and
4. write on the manuscript any suggestions you can offer,
5. make a “style sheet,” an alphabetical list of words that may have different spellings to ensure consistency.
When your manuscript contains deliberate deviations from normal grammar, ask if they are overly distracting. Get more than one opinion.
As you hand your manuscript over, say, “I don’t want to publish this until it's as good as it can possibly be.”
How Should You React When Your Manuscript Is Returned?
There is only one acceptable reaction to give persons who have copyedited or otherwise reviewed your manuscript. That is to say, “Thank you.”
That’s all. Even if you’ve paid for copyediting.
When a copy editor wishes to discuss the manuscript with you at this time, be quiet and humble. Do not argue. Do not criticize the criticism. Listen to the suggestions offered, make notes if appropriate, and do not respond except in a positive vein.
Consider All Suggestions for At Least One Week
Consider all suggestions—copyediting, editing, and other crit* icism—at least a full week before rejecting them.
When you first receive criticism from a copy editor, you may see little merit in many of the suggestions. If you initially agree with 10 percent of them, that is normal. That’s your ego.
After a few days, you may see value in 20 percent of the criticism. And after a week, you may accept as much as 50 percent of the suggestions, many of which you totally rejected at your first reading.
Copyediting, or Cleaning Up Your Manuscript 73
Be patient with your ego. Let it come around. In the meantime, don’t tell your copy editors that you haven’t utilized all of their suggestions. They have egos, too.
Note: When I began instructing college classes on the preparation of manuscripts, handling students' egos was a problem. One student even composed a typed, two-page, single-spaced response to the comments I’d written on her manuscript. Her response was well written, as she was in a fury. It was better written than the manuscript. It took a few weeks for her to cool down.
I quickly learned to tell students to consider suggestions for a week before deciding to use or reject them. This woman later incorporated virtually all the suggestions, but I was fortunate that she even returned to the class. The nature of her reaction was due to my error, not hers. She had not been properly cautioned (instructed) how to take criticism.
Consider yourself cautioned. Appreciate your copy editors —and show it.
Most of us will agree that James Michener is one of the finest storytellers of our time. Does he do his magic by himself? In an interview published in Family Weekly on October 10,1982, he said: “I invite four outside experts—a subject-matter scholar, editor, style arbiter on words, and a final checker— to tear it apart, and to them I am deeply indebted.”
Your book should also reflect the input of experts. If it doesn’t, it may not be ready for publication yet.
Spelling Answers:
1. excellent
2. accommodate
3. occurrence
4. foreword
5. irresistible
6. liaison
7. persistence.
Submitting Vbur Manuscript to a Major Publisher
Nothing said in this book will discourage most aspiring authors from first submitting their manuscripts to major publishers. Every writer wants the prestige and recognition gained by obtaining a national publisher. If you want to try this route first, at least be efficient. It is all too often a waste of time— valuable time.
11
What Happens To Unsolicited Manuscripts?
Many unsolicited manuscripts are returned unread—providing return postage is enclosed. When they are read, it is normally by an overworked or inexperienced editorial assistant. Stacks of unsolicited manuscripts are stored somewhere out of the way and receive attention when time allows. They are called the “slush pile.”
How do you prevent your manuscript from ending up on the bottom of a slush pile? It’s simple. Don’t send it out on an unsolicited basis. Start out with a query letter, addressed to an editor by name.
Preparing An Effective Query Letter
Editors are busy people, so make your letter easy to read. Use simple words in short sentences. It should be one page, singlespaced if necessary. Generally, do not write paragraphs in excess of six to seven lines.
Your query letter should be rewritten at least ten times, over a period of no less than one month. It is the first indication to a publisher of your writing abilities.
Every word chosen in composing a query letter must sell; they must stimulate the editor’s interest in your subject. The proposed title for your book is of particular importance. Review Chapter 15 in choosing a title and subtitle.
The First Paragraph
Editors at most large publishers must "sell” their marketing departments on the merits of your book idea before they can make an offer for it. You must help editors sell your book by providing sound reasons why it will be successful.
A first paragraph should describe your book in basic terms —enthusiastically. It must list promotional factors that will cause the book to sell to large numbers of people. It should be factual. Do not use the phrase: "I believe . . .” or superlatives. They will not impress an editor, or a marketing department.
What Are Your Credentials?
Briefly detail anything of importance that you’ve written in the past. If you have no credits, then describe the source of your expertise. What qualifies you to write on your subject?
Do You Have a Prominent Person to Write a Foreword?
If you’ve written no previous books and have few qualifications to write on your subject, then it's important that a prominent person be available to write a foreword to your text.
This person should be an expert in the field. Such an endorsement encourages a publisher to accept the reliability of your text. If there are additional persons available to endorse your book, list them also, with phone numbers.
Describe the Competition
Before making an offer for your manuscript, you can be sure that an editor will check its competition. List competitive books in your query letter and briefly describe them. Be honest. Describe them fairly but reveal why your book is better. If you cannot convincingly state why it is better, you may have written on the wrong subject.
Where Do You Send Query Letters?
Most publishers prefer to receive manuscripts by new writers through agents. An agent is expected to screen manuscripts and submit only those that are “worthy” of an editor’s attention. However, most agents hesitate to handle a new writer’s work. They want established authors, for obvious financial reasons. It can be a vicious circle. How to find and work with an agent is explained in Chapter 46.
Referrals
Writers and other people in the book business will suggest agents and editors (maybe their own) if they like your work.
Writer’s Market
The annual Writer's Market reveals how publishers like to receive manuscripts and queries. Personal names of editors are furnished for each publisher, along with the type of books printed by each publisher. This reference book can be found in any library.
Literary Market Place (LMP)
This is a thick annual that lists all major publishers, book associations, book trade events, reviewers, wholesalers, and related businesses. Publishers are listed four times, by:
1. field of activity (book type),
2. subject matter printed,
3. geographical location, and
4. alphabetically.
LMP also lists personal names of editors and other officers for each publisher.
If the response you receive to your letters is positive, make sure the manuscript you send is as good as possible. If you send a sloppy, ill-prepared manuscript to an editor, not only will it be rejected but you will not be able to resubmit it later. A sloppy manuscript will have established the level of your writing ability. Don't waste an opportunity to sell your manuscript by submitting it too soon.
It is customary to let an editor know if you are submitting the manuscript to other houses at the same time.
Enclose Photo and Sample Illustrations
Enclose a professionally taken photograph of yourself with your manuscript. If you appear promotable, the chances of your manuscript being accepted will increase.
Send sample copies of your illustrations to dress up your manuscript. If they are well done, they should help make a sale. ■
A word of caution: Never send off your only copy of the manuscript.
Send off your manuscript—and be patient. The 1982 Nobel Prize for Literature was given to Gabriel Garcia Marquez, whose One Hundred Years of Solitude has sold more than ten million copies in thirty-two languages. He searched for seven years before finding a publisher for his first book, Leaf Storm.
The sample query letter on the following page resulted in the sale of the author’s manuscript on orthodontics to William Morrow and Company.
Julie Weiner Proposed Book: STRAIGHT TEETH:
Asst to the Editor-in-Chief Orthodontics for
William Morrow & Company Everyone
New York, NY 10016
JITMwmotd Kk«3 la*ro**oc*\«M«a
Ms. Weiner:
The enclosed material includes: Title Page
Preface
Table of Contents First Chapter
First Pages Other Chapters Last Page
The complete manuscript is approximately 305 pages, including illustrations, references, glossary, index, and addendum.
Dr. David W. Liddle, internationally recognized orthodontist, has agreed to permit his article, "Second Molar Extraction in Ortho-
dontic Treatment,” American lournal of Orthodontics. December 1977, to appear as the Addendum to the book. This article is considered by many to be the most important published in recent years. His proven technique eliminates the need for formal orthodontic appliances in most cases of overcrowded mouths. I expect Dr. Liddle to write the Foreword also.
The book will be unique in that it is the first complete reference on the subject for the layperson. Most of its information has been gleaned from the leading journals of the dental and orthodontic professions. It will emphasize the prevention and early treatment of orthodontic problems in order to avoid the need for lengthy and expensive formal orthodontic care. The manuscript devotes 195 pages of its 305 pages to this subject.
There have been two other books for the layperson in this area:
Embraceable You, by Jay Weiss, DMD (New York: Health Sciences, 1975)- 162 pages, 6 pages of illustrations in center of book. Un-edited, un-organized, un-referenced, and u^informative. Wishy-washy. Much history.
So You’re Getting Braces, by Alvin and Virginia Silverstein (Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1975). Shorter than other book, more illustrations, but written for adolescents only.
Neither of these books devotes time to prevention or early treatment of orthodontic problems. Information concerning prevention and early treatment is the most important benefit that a self-help book on this subject can offer. The enclosed Preface discusses this in more detail. This book will be “library" quality.
Thank you for your consideration.
Best regards,
R. L. Holt
Enclosures
RLH:lc
Interior Design-Keeping Your Text Alive