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How to Write a Best-seller ISBN: 978-978-084-281-9 The newest and fastest selling hanbook on writing blockbusters! Paperback LIMITED NEW YEAR PRICE OFFER!
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ABOUT THE AUTHORArthur Zulu is a Nigerian-born writer. His works include Queen Esther, How to Write a Bestseller and A Letter to Noah. He has also written several articles, which are freely available on the Internet and at goarticles.com. The author is a founding member of ArthurBookHouse.
SYNOPSIS
This excellent how-to book teaches you the secrets of writing a best-seller at first attempt. The 20-chapter ABC of writing tells you what makes a bestseller and guides you through the process of writing, styling, editing, publishing, and marketing your book.
CONTENTS What to Know about Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Why they Wrote Bestsellers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Best-selling Topics to Write on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Where to Source your Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 How to Title your Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Writing in Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 How to Begin and End a Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 How to Develop your Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 The Characters in your Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Your Language and Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 How to Edit your Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Questions for Revising your Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Questions to Ask before Publishing your Book . . . . . . . . . . .46 Where to Publish your Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Online Publishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 How to Promote your Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 The Power of Articles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 You can Write a Bestseller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 How to Keep Growing as a Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74 After you have Written a Bestseller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79 FREE PREVIEW
Chapter 2 Why they Wrote Bestsellers “Of all the arts in which the wise excel, Nature’s chief masterpiece is writing well.” —John Sheffield Many writers wrote well and their books became commercial successes. But at the opposite end of the divide are countless failed authors. Consider the Oxford dropout and lexicographer Samuel Johnson. Not that he was a failed writer. But he is not read partly because of the incomprehensibility of his writings. Says his biographer, James Boswell: “He writes like a teacher [dictating] to his students from an academic chair.” Oliver Goldsmith, the poet, playwright, and novelist and one of Johnson’s good fellows, puts it humorously: “His little fishes talked like whales.” But we are not going to talk about the failures. Rather, we will be discussing writers who dazzled the literary world in a blaze of glory. So I have presented a selection of writers of both sexes, from diverse lands and of various time periods that wrote in different genres. This is not meant to be a detailed study of the authors. But the purpose is for you to see what made them stand out from the rest—why they wrote bestsellers—so that you too can learn from them and write your masterpiece. When you read, give attention to their style of writing because that is the
important thing—the reason why readers enjoyed their works. Your style therefore does the magic. Because as Logan Pearsall Smith the American writer said, “Style is a magic wand, and turns everything to gold that it touches.” If that is true, you will write blockbusters like these writers. Archer, Jeffrey Jeffrey Howard Archer was born on April 15, 1940 in Western Super Mare, England. He became a politician after his education at Oxford, and decided to write himself out of debt when his business collapsed. This gave birth to the instant successful novel, Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less. Other masterpieces followed among which are First Among Equals, Shall We Tell the President?, Kane and Abel and A Matter of Honor. He became so rich and held his readers spell- bound for over two decades. Why? He used familiar topics—politics, crime, and sex. His characters also seem real—ambitious and fighting people.
He also used known people in international politics as characters, which gave his story more visibility. They included Margaret Thatcher, Ted Kennedy, Saddam Hussein, and Rupert Murdock. Archer is also very descriptive and likes to put his readers in suspense. The beloved writer who is married with children got a four-year jail term for perjury. Ever since, it seems he is no longer first among equals. Bronte, Emily Born on July 30th 1818 at Thornton, Bradford in bleak Yorkshire moors, and fifth child of six children, Emily Bronte and her family members had a poor, harsh beginning—being reared under the tyranny of their pastor-father. In order to escape their unhappy lives, the children took to writing, with Emily and Anne writing poetry and stories for their imaginary world of Gondal. Of all the three sisters who wrote books—Emily, Charlotte, and Anne— Emily stands out as the best, though her work did not gain equal recognition as Charlotte’s autobiographical Jane Eyre, in her life time. The works of the Bronte sisters cannot be compared to any other work in English literature because they arose out of personal emotion. But by far, the greatest of them all is Emily’s Wuthering Heights, her only
novel. This novel, the violent tale of love and revenge, has been dubbed the most imaginative novel in English literature. What was it that made it so? Emily Bronte had rich imagination and this is a great asset for any aspiring writer. And what else? She wrote on romance, and stories of love and revenge make bestsellers any day. She died on December 19, 1848 at 30 and was buried on December 22 in the family vault in Haworth Church. Bunyan, John John Bunyan was born in 1628 at Elstow near Bedford into a wealthy family turned poor family. The little-schooled writer, less regarded in his time, was fond of The King James Bible while his contemporaries like John Milton and John Dryden immersed themselves in the classics. A soldier and an itinerant tinker (like his father), he was married, and his house was “as poor as poor might be.” He wrote about 60 controversial religious tracts and three fictional works. However, the “the village Rochester” also nicknamed “Bishop Bunyan”— Puritan and church pastor at Bedford—rode to fame after he wrote The Pilgrim’s Progress, a religious allegory of his autobiographical work, Grace Abounding to the Chief Sinners. Incidentally, this masterful work whose readership cuts across race and religion was written during his twelve years and six months imprisonment at Bedford jail. It equally spawned Thackeray’s novel, Vanity Fair—after Vanity-Fair—a scene in the book. Why was it an echo-Bible?
Bunyan’s language is simple and his readers could relate to the story. (His books were written in the general language of the day.) Also, the book is full of humor and the reader could not help laughing in most part of it. The characters have weaknesses like us and are either good or bad—people that live around us. The book has greatly influenced the English language with the author’s skillful naming of places and characters. A short list: Christian, Faithful, Hopeful, Worldly-Wiseman, Apollyon, Lord Hategood, Mr. Malice, Mr. Liar, Talkative, Great Heart (characters); Shadow of Death, Giant Despair, Vanity- Fair, Delectable Mountains, Doubting-Castle, Valley of Humiliation, the Slough of Despond, The Hill of Difficulty (places). It is no wonder that S.T. Coleridge said of the author: “His piety was baffled by his genius; and Bunyan the dreamer overcame the Bunyan of the conventicle.” The dreamer and genius died in 1688. Christie, Agatha Agatha Christie “the Queen of crime” was born of American and British parents on September 15, 1890 in Torquay, in the country of Devon, England; and educated by her mother after her father’s death. She was married twice. She wrote 78 crime novels, 6 romance novels, and 19 plays under the pen name Mary Westmacott. Her works are now available in 103 languages making her the highest selling fiction writer today—dwarfed only by the Bible and Shakespeare—with 2 billion copies and a gross yearly royalty of $3.7 million. Her works include the masterpiece, The Murder of Rodger Ackrovd, and her best play, The Mousetrap. Do you know why she wrote bestsellers?
She wrote on topics that touch hearts and souls—who isn’t concerned about crime and love? Her choice of words is hypnotic, making her books “unputdownable” as one scientist said. She became the Dame of the British Empire in 1971 and died in 1976. Clancy, Thomas Leo Jr. The American writer, Tom Clancy, was born April 12, 1947 at Franklin Square Hospital, Baltimore. He studied English and has written many bestsellers, won million-dollar writing contracts, and had writers brand their works as titles written by him. Some of his successful works, which have been turned into movies, are The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, and Clear and Present Danger. Others are The Bear and the Dragon, and The Sum of All Fears. Why is Clancy a great success story? He is very descriptive, pays attention to details, and has good plots. Also he writes on espionage, a best-selling topic any day. The author is twice married, and lives in the United States. Dickens, Charles The literary czar, Charles Dickens, was born into a humble family in 1812. He was a victim of child labor and suffered the shame of having his father locked up for a year at the debtor’s prison at Marhalsea. Dickens had little education, read books on his own and taught himself shorthand, which later prepared him as a reporter. He however got instant recognition from all and sundry when he began publishing his writings in installments in The Pickwick Papers. Why was he considered the first Victorian novelist? Dickens knew what his readers wanted. He could make them weep or laugh. His novels are humorous and satirical—readers enjoy reading such works. While his earlier writings were in episodes, the later ones were well plotted. The excitement in his novels arises from his picturesque descriptions and exaggerated characters, which we have come to treasure. Like Sheridan’s Mrs. Malaprop and Shakespeare’s Benedict. Some of his unforgettable characters are Barkis (willing), Pegotty (undecided), Ebenezer Scrooge (miserly), Uriah Heep (‘umble), Mrs .Sarah Gamp (ever with her large cotton umbrella), Mr. Michael Micawber (waiting for something to turn up). Among his celebrated works are The Old Curiosity Shop (readers wept for dead Little Nell), Oliver Twist (he asked for more), A Tale of Two Cities (influenced by Thomas Carlyle’s French Revolution), and the autobiographical David Copperfield (Dickens’ favorite).
He died in 1870. Forsyth, Frederick Frederick Forsyth, the British reporter turned novelist, was born August 25, 1938 in Ashford, Kent. His best-known works are The Day of the Jackal, The Dogs of War, and The Fist of God. Others are The Odessa File, Icon, and The Devil’s Alternative.
Why are his works blockbusters? His stories are well researched, full of details, and very informative. He writes thrillers—stories of crime and spying—which is another advantage. The author is a Eurosceptic. Gogol, Nicholai Vasilevich (Ianovskii) Nicholai Gogol, whose real surname was Ianovskii, was born in March 1809 at Sorotchinetz, in Little Russia—growing up in his parents’ country estate. In that same year, literary greats such as Charles Darwin, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Abraham Lincoln, Edgar Poe, Gladstone, Holmes, Chopin, and Mendelssohn were also born. Aleksandra Pushkin and Walter Scott influenced the educated Gogol in his writing. Considered the founder of the so-called critical realism in Russian literature, his best work is Dead Souls—the surrealistic adventures of Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov, a merchant of dead souls. Some of his works include The Robbers, The Inspector General, The Collected Tales of Nicholai Gogol, The Overcoat and Other Short Stories, Diary of a Madman and Other Stories. But why was Gogol successful as a writer? He was highly imaginative and had exceptional linguistic power. In his works, he exposed the defects of human character. Later, under the influence of a fanatical priest, Father Konstantinovskii, Gogol burnt sequels for Dead Souls, became mad and died at Moscow on
February 21, 1852. (Some say he was buried alive.) On his tomb was placed the old saying, “And I shall laugh with a bitter laugh.” These were his last words. Goldsmith, Oliver Oliver Goldsmith was born on November 10, 1730, in Ballymahon , Ireland . After his college education, he lived poor and wandered the continent. Goldsmith conquered the three genres of literature with his masterpieces. These are The Deserted Village, a nostalgic poem on his desolate village; She Stoops to Conquer, a dramatic comedy based on his mistaken experience; and The Vicar of Wakefield, a great novel which he sold to pay his rent. Goldsmith once boasted that anything his pen touches turns to gold. Why was he a literary loadstar? His sentences sing like a song bird letting the reader “see” and “feel” the actions in his story. He was able to achieve this because of his command of the English language. His use of suspense is beyond compare. Oliver Goldsmith was a genius that puzzled his peers in The Club including Dr. Samuel Johnson, the wordsmith, who helped him sell the novel, and Horace Walpole who on account of the author's eccentricities gave him the mocking moniker, "inspired idiot." Goldsmith was a lover of liquor and academic camaraderie. The inspired idiot with the gold-turning pen was conquered by death on April 4, 1774. David Garrick wrote these immortal lines in his remembrance: Here lies Nolly Goldsmith, for shortness called Noll, Grisham, John John Grisham was born February 8, 1955 at Jonesboro, Arkansas, U.S.A. He studied law and accounting and was a politician. First reluctant to go into writing, he came to write blockbusters which have been made into film. They include A Time to Kill, The Client, The Firm, The Chamber, The Rainmaker, The Street Lawyer, among others. Why were his books the publisher’s and reader’s delight? In his simplified arresting style of writing, he shows the working of the legal system, giving hope to the common man. He also tries to make his characters human, and his narratives real. In addition, Grisham is a plot master—sometimes complicated—and tries to make his stories interesting. This “best-selling novelist of the 1990’s” according to Publishers Weekly is
married with children. Rowling, J.K. Joanne Kathleen Rowling was born July 31, 1965 in Chipping Sodbury, South Gloucestershire, England. She has a daughter from a failed marriage, lost her job, and was on the dole. But this single mother took the world by storm with her Harry Potter series—the story of a boy and his wizard kids in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The author, who started writing at 6, has Jane Austen as her favorite writer. She is the first dollar-billionaire writer and is richer than the Queen of England. Rowling has won international acclaim from her works, which have now been made into hit movies. Why did the books become run away bestsellers? First, she has a friendly subject—occult / paranormal—a topic that has captivated readers since The Lord of the Rings (J.R.R. Tolkien), The Wizard of Oz (L. Frank Baum), Alice in Wonderland (Lewis Carroll), and The Narnia Chronicles (C.S. Lewis).
Second, the books have wonderful plots and effective characters—loved and hated. Third, her “humanization” of the witches and wizards who depart to school in a secret place at London’s King’s Cross Station (a real place), added plausibility to her story—something that other mystery writers haven’t tried. Last, the use of surprise (what happens in the next series?) also helped to turn the books to mega hits. Because of the love for Harry Potter, the following phrases are becoming common place: Muggle (a non magical person), Quidditch (a wizard ball game played on brooms), Seeker (the best Quidditch player), Nimbus Two Thousand / Firebolt (names of activity brooms), The Sorting Hat (a school house cap), Parselmouth (a wizard who talks with snakes), Every Flavor Beans (an all-inclusive). She lives with her daughter and second husband in Edinburgh, Scotland. Rushdie, Salman Salman Rushdie was born in Bombay (Mumbi) on June 19, 1942 and was educated in England. His first work was Grimus and his most controversial work, which earned him the fatwa, Satanic Verses, won him the Whitebread Award. His other works include Midnight’s Children, Shame, The Moor’s Last Sigh, The Jaguar Smile, The Ground Beneath Her Feet and his recent work, Shalimar The Clown. Why did he write bestsellers?
He employs familiar backgrounds in his stories—myths, religion and folk tales. His narrative style of magical realism, which puts him in the likes of Angela Carter and Peter Carey among other writers, is a curious topic for readers. His writing is full of charm, almost hypnotic. Books written in this way are arresting. The author has won the Booker and was recently knighted. He has married four times. Tolstoy, Leo Leo Tolstoy was born in the family estate of Yasnaya Polyana, in Tula Province, Russia September 9, 1828. He was a university dropout, lost his parents at childhood, became a drunk and gambler, and joined the army. Tolstoy wrote several books but War and Peace, which has been dubbed the best novel of our time, was his greatest. Why did he write well? His stories have good plots, effective characters, and simple style, and he was very descriptive. His other masterpiece, The Kreutzer Sonata, which fictionalizes the love life of the author and his secretary-wife led to his excommunication. He died November 20, 1910 and according to his will, was buried by a “green stick” that never was. Wolfe, Tom Tom Wolfe was born March 2, 1931, in Richmond, Virginia, U.S.A. He holds a PhD degree, and was a reporter before venturing into novel writing. The man with the fluffy stuff has written many bestsellers. These include The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby, The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, The Pump House Gang, The Painted Word, The Right Stuff, The Bonfire of the Vanities, A Man in Full, I Am Charlotte Simmons, among others. The Bonfire of the Vanities earned $5 million for film rights—the highest by any author. What is the secret behind his success? Wolfe is a hard working writer, an experimentalist with forms. He believes that his form of writing is the best for all America—an assertion that has provoked a debate from other writers. Besides, he is creative, has good plots for his novels and possesses a good command of the English language. He is married with two children. What then did you notice as the common thread in the above list? First, they are novels / short stories. You should therefore know that fiction is the fastest selling kind of literature. According to a 2002 survey published by the U.S. National Endowment for the Arts, novels and short stories are the most popular types of literature in that country. It gives the readership of the three categories of literature as follows: novels / short stories, 45 percent; poetry, 12 percent; and plays, 4 percent. The fact is that people prefer watching TV’s and movies to reading plays. And nobody will read your poetry collection unless you are Jacqueline Kennedy Onasis. The second thing is that the authors of these bestsellers wrote on a subject they understood, knew their language, had good plots, and portrayed their characters well. So, write on a subject you know, use good plots and characters, and you will be on the way to glory. But one thing must be mentioned: language. If you want people to read your work, do not punish your readers like Dr. Samuel Johnson. The most popular American poet in the 19th century, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, said: “In character, in manner, in style, in all things, the supreme excellence is simplicity.” (Emphasis added.) I hope you got the message. A final point: People are saddened with problems in this world. It is not surprising therefore that the comedians are winning. So, add laughter to your work—like Charles Dickens and John Bunyan. Let your readers enjoy a good laugh as they read through your book. That is why you are enjoying this book. Because I can see the laughter in your face. And that is one reason why it is a bestseller. CHAPTER 18 YOU CAN WRITE A BEST-SELLER “Whatever you can do or believe you can, . . . begin it now.”—GoetheBeggars desire to ride horses as their masters do. But wishes don’t ride horses. I have oftentimes been contacted by many young writers for suggestions to develop a story. After they receive the ideas, they chicken out. One of them—a female American—wanted help to develop what I think is a great story. You probably know about it: Ted Kennedy watching on as his girlfriend drowned in a river. I pity such dreamers. They are among the world’s eminent failures! It will therefore be a miracle if you yourself will ever write a book after reading this. If you do, then thumbs up, for you belong to the few great minds on earth today. It is no wonder then that anywhere you look, 20 percent of the people are getting 80 percent of the best things in life. Or put another way, 80 percent of all good things belong to 20 percent of the people. Or, one person succeeds out of five! So, 80 percent of all best-sellers today are written by 20 percent of the writers. And, out of about five writers, only one has written a best-seller. Where are the other four? Out of five writers that thought of writing, only one wrote. Out of five people that wrote, only one got published. And out of the five that got published, only one became a best-seller. That is the principle of life: Only those who back their desire with action succeed. For nobody has “the power to curse the darkness” someone says, “unless he has the courage to light a candle.” You don’t write best-sellers by wishing that you did and start dreaming of your millions and far away islands with lollipop names. Don Quixote the great visioner didn’t even do that. At least he fought imaginary enemies. What did Hippocrates say? “Ars longa. Vita brevis.” Translation: “Arts is long but life is short.” The point then is this: Don’t dream it; WRITE IT! You have to work hard—put your heart in your work, to write a mega-yield title. Today, everyone is falling heads over heels for the magic of Harry Potter. But if J.K. Rowling hadn’t braved the odds, the story of Harry Potter wouldn’t have been written or read. A number of factors help to make best-sellers. I have provided some here to help you write that your echo-Bible. Write on a best-selling topic I have listed 10 best-selling topics in the early chapter of this book. Why not think of working on one of them? But think carefully before you choose a subject. You don’t want to write on a topic because everyone is writing on it and winning prizes. I can tell you what is happening this moment zillions of light years up there in the world of stars and galaxies. But can you imagine that? If things like that are beyond your imagination, then don’t dream of writing science fiction. Come down to earth and spy on your neighbors who are marrying this moment and divorcing after the wedding day. You will be at home here. And you are probably familiar with stories of that sort. Like the man who married a woman and divorced her after having 7 male children for him. (He badly needed female children to pay off his debts incurred on their wedding day.) His divorced wife remarried and got a baby girl while the man married a second wife and had a male as well. They divorced again and remarried and had a ninth boy. And the man sold all the boys to pay his debts! Fact. Don’t miss an opportunity to write a best-seller from great news events. Such stories present little research challenges. Do you remember the British boy who wanted to be famous, climbed the wall of Buckingham Palace and made his way into the queen’s bedroom? When the cops came to the rescue they met him helping himself with a glass of wine and chatting with the queen. And the police, thinking of what offence he has committed, thought of charging him for stealing a bottle of wine. (Did the boy say that the queen was his friend?) Best-sellers are made of such stuff. Master your subjectYou can’t do a good story if you do not know your topic. You will even find it difficult to communicate because you will be groping for words, qualifying every word, or reaching out for every figure of speech and idiom in the book. Bad writing! A good reader will find out that you are not a master of your subject, and you are done in! You have every opportunity to research your story. You have the libraries. And thank God, there is the Internet. Why not take advantage of it. This is very important if you are writing a factual story. But even then that word “factual” has changed meaning. But there has to be a measure of credibility in your work. Writers don’t just write. They educate. Would the reader find something to learn from your story? Know your audience This is one of the first things for you to consider before you begin writing your book. For example, are you writing for men / women, boys / girls, youths / adults, learned / general reader? When J.K. Rowling wrote Harry Potter, she had the youths in mind. Youths are, however, fast in spreading word about a book that they enjoyed reading. But Harry Potter happened to have a subject matter that interests the adults as well. Now readers in the two worlds read the book. So ask yourself this question if you have not already done so: Who will read my book? Write your style“All authors are like mounds of literature. They grow from the light of the ancient.” That was what one writer said. But is it true that all writers are “copycats”? Not really. You might have a favorite author, or another writer would have influenced your work. But one thing is clear: no one in this universe is your equal. You are unique! It means that your writing style has to be different from mine. It is for this reason that an editor at Random House who saw a typed copy of The Thirty-Nine Steps as a new book had no difficulty in likening it to the style of Jerzy Kosinski. But sad enough, he didn’t know it really was the author’s book. When you speak in a foreign voice, a discerning listener would have no problem recognizing the hypocrisy. In the same way, when you borrow another writer’s style, a good reader will equally know that you are masquerading. And that is not good enough for you. Promote your book before and after publication The best time to begin your book’s promotion is when you start writing it. This is the right time for you to make use of the promotional options discussed earlier in this book. This means that you can start your media adverts, book reviews, and serialization of your story. Then keep record of contacts from readers and bookstore owners who are interested in your work. Send them a press release as soon as your book is ready and see the response that you will get. This book started that way when it was first published as an e-book. When the author contacted his initial list of potential buyers after the book’s release, he had tremendous response. Why don’t you do the same? If it worked for him, it will work for you. Pre-release publicity has helped writers sell tremendously when their books were made available to the public. For instance, Tom Wolfe's book, A Man in Full sold over a million copies before anyone could say Jack Robinson! But do not just promote your book. HYPE IT! That is what they all do. Let them know that your book is the greatest thing to happen in the world in this millennium. Tell them that your work will make writers like Tom Clancy, John Grisham, Tom Wolfe, Salman Rushdie, Dan Brown, and J.K. Rowling look like Lilliputians. You won't be docked for perjury. The fact is that people will believe anything as much as they hear it often. Ask advertisers. And then on the date of your book's release, readers will queue up before bookstores to behold the Brobdingnagian of English literature! For example, this book you are now reading is nulli secundus—second to none. And there will be none like it. Before anyone would think of besting it, I would have issued a more surpassing edition! Time your book's release It is better to tie in your book's release to an event. The last quarter of the year (September-December) is the best time to release a book. The reason is that at this time, booksellers stock their stores for the expected mass yuletide sales while friends use this period to buy books and give their friends. J.K. Rowling chose to release her Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in the midnight of June 21, 2004 . There could have been no better time than that witching hour. And before children in an English spelling class could spell “b.e.s.t.s.e.l.l.e.r” the book has sold over 5 million copies, making it the fastest and biggest selling book in the world! Why not publish your best-seller and overturn the record? Get a good publisher Your success and stardom or your weal and woe, starts with the publisher. Note this: there are more Shylocks than Samaritans in that family. Or better still, more sharks than the friendly whales. You will know a good publisher from the contract. Examine it critically. Some seemingly "good" contracts will not give you the full right of your book till you die! If you do not understand the document, get an attorney to examine and interpret it for you. Or you could contact an author who has published with the potential publisher for advice. The author will tell you the truth because some of them are already going through Catholic “hell” with their publishers—legal suits over rights, royalties, and so forth. You could also check with other sites for information about the publisher. I have earlier provided you the most credible site to check up with. The site owner gives the most updated, fearless critique of all the publishers. He throws his darts without giving a heck whether it lands in the White House! A good publisher should give you the right to your book, pay your royalties regularly, and—mark this—promote your book! There are few of such ones. The majority are hypocrites. Why not simply submit your book for publication to: http://www.arthurbookhouse.com Publish in different formatsIt is best to make your book available in many formats. The wisdom in this is that sales will be coming in from different sources—from just one book! What did they say about one man’s meat? The fact is that readers have different choices. So publish your book in hardcover, paperback, e-book and as an audio book or in DVD or CD-ROM if possible. Some like colored titles, which are very expensive to produce. The present technology can handle all of that. Look around and you will see that most of the selling books today are produced in that way. And there are even readers who will buy your book in more than one format. Why don’t you make hay as the sun shines? Keep revising your book The man that would write an error- free manuscript has not been born. Or maybe he lives on second earth out there in outer space. This means that your book can be revised even after publication. A review of Bill Clinton's My Life says that the book is short on editing—a euphemism for badly written. Yet it is a great book. Many great works have been revised. Consider these: James Joyce has been regarded as one of the most important novelists, if not the most influential, of the twentieth century. Yet, his Ulysses, a parody of Homer's Odyssey, has a corrected version. Miguel Cervantes' Don Quixote, considered the world's first modern novel, contains many slips. Just to mention two. Cervantes records three expeditions for Don Quixote, yet it was actually four. And the author, forgetting the names he has given to Sancho Panza's wife, Juana Panza or Juana Gutierrez (after the custom in La Mancha for wives to take the surnames of their husbands), calls her Teres Cascajo (her father's name) in Part II. Even William Shakespeare reputed to have the widest vocabulary of any man born on earth (4,000 words) has ironically turned out to be the writer whose works has had the highest number of editions. Most authors regard the revision of their work as a matter of life-and-death. A typical example is that of the Greek poet Virgil. When he was about to die, he ordered that his Aeneid be burnt for the reason that he had not polished it to his satisfaction. But the great Augustus Caesar got wind of it and countered the poet's wish. So Aeneid lived and Virgil died. Or Virgil lived because Aeneid did not die. Your work could therefore be revised after publication. You can revise the subject matter, structure, and grammar of your work. And you can also cross check it for facts. It makes you a better writer. The reader will appreciate your effort. Translate your work When your book starts selling, the course of wisdom is to make it available in many languages. J.K. Rowling took advantage of that after she "arrived." Now, the first five Harry Potter books have been translated into 61 languages making it possible to be read in 200 countries. How about that? In translating your book, use languages that serve large populations like Arabic, Chinese, French, and Hindustani. If you could make that happen, then the world is your oyster. You could be listed among the first five richest people in the world! These things are practical. They have worked for the 20 percent who have tried it; but the 80 percent who know all the things on earth that don’t work have continued to live miserable, wasted lives. But “you can do what you want,” says B. Catland. And he added a proviso: “If you don’t think you can’t." So, how deep is your desire? Thomas Edison of blessed memory failed over 10,000 times before perfecting the electric bulb. He had deep desire. Yuri Gagarin flew in space. He desired it. Neil Armstrong landed on the moon (what a lonely place!) Because of desire. Bill Gates hit fame and fortune with computer. Because that was what he desired. “Writer Baje,” a grandfather of 12 children in Nepal failed four times before passing his School Certificate at age 84, later proceeding to study English at the university at 86. And J.F. Kennedy failed some half a dozen times in life before becoming the thirty-fifth president of the United States . Because he was ambitious. But desire alone is not enough. Back your desire with positive action. Start writing your best-selling book today! Burn all the bridges that stand between you and your desire. Do not say: “I can’t.” An army general crossed the sea with his fleet of soldiers to an enemy territory, and had all his boats burnt. Why? He told his soldiers: “See, all our boats are gone. So, if you don’t fight to win this battle, there is no escape for us, for we shall all be dead men.” The soldiers were inspired. Because there was no going back. Because they had no option than to fight till the very death! They fought hard. They won! William Blake said: “He who knows not his own genius has none.” Thomas Wolfe agrees. Said he: “If a man has talent and cannot use it, he has failed…." And hear Erica Jong: “Everyone has a talent. What is rare is the courage to follow the talent to the dark place where it leads.” Those are memorable words from men who have a right to know. Men whose names have been immortalized. What about you? You can write a best-seller. Many unknowns have done so: Margaret Mitchel (Gone with the Wind), James Jones (From Here to Eternity), Colleen McCullough (The Thornbirds) and Norman Mailer (The Naked and the Dead). Why don’t you now go on to write and publish your echo Bible? And then your book will make it to the best-seller lists of the world’s most prestigious newspapers. And you, the now celebrated writer, will end up in a popular American TV Talk show, name them: Oprah Winfrey, Larry King Live, Sean Hannity and many others—the precursor for a cover appearance on Time, or Newsweek, magazine. Or find yourself appending your signature on a million-dollar contract document in Hollywood , the entertainment capital of the world, for the movie right of your blockbuster. And just in case you do not know how to spend your millions, I recommend you to buy a yacht and go sail in the Pacific. Or jump into the next space ship and become the first writer to travel to the final frontier. Or better still, buy a country home, and write your magnum opus, titled: How I Made My Millions. And live happily ever after. . .
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