INTERMEDIATE
INFORMATION GUIDELIST
for Gordon Burgett's
"Pathfinder" Service
There are
two stages where I can help you the most with book preparation. The first is
when you know what you want to write about, have it organized in your mind or
on paper, perhaps have a rough book design in mind, and are yet to write the
text -- or have just begun. I call that the "beginning" stage. (That
can be found at Beginning Pathfinder.)
The
second, or "intermediate" stage, is when you are well into the book,
probably about to begin the final production but have yet to send the book to
the printer. If your need is mostly marketing in nature, you may even have the
final, printed book in hand. This guidelist is for
you if that more or less describes your situation.
(If
you're not certain where you are in the process, tell me what you’ve done
and what more you want to know and I’ll help you select the most
appropriate guideline.)
Put
yourself in my position, All I know about you is what
you tell me. So I need to know what you know or think about your book and I
need to see what you have produced (in its best, early draft state)―plus know the questions you have at this point, so I
can answer them.
We have
two hours together so if you send me a warehouse full of things to read, there
is no time for commentary. And if you send too little, what can I say?
So I've
compiled a list of the kinds of things that help me put you on a firm, fast,
and profitable path to book fame, whether you publish it or some distant house
does. Please answer them as best you can. And feel free to send me anything
else you think I should know. If it's not clear why it's being sent, attach a
note to it and tell me. I'm too nearsighted to read minds.
It's best
to answer these on other paper, sticking to the same numbering system
please! Typed or computer-printed takes less time for me
to read. If you must write by hand and that's illegible, please print.
(You can also respond in Spanish or Portuguese, if that's more comfortable for
you.)
1. I assume the book is nonfiction―not
a novel. If it isn't, stop. Don't go to GO. You just saved $350. I don't
(can't) provide this service for novels. If it is nonfiction,
start answering at #2!
2. What is the book about? Summarize it in a
paragraph or two; maximum, one page.
3. Why are you writing it? What do you expect to
get out of it: money, display of expertise, clients, fame,
revenge?
4. Who will buy this book? Specifically.
What benefit(s) will it give them?
5. Do you plan to self-publish this book or have
it published by another firm? If the latter, do you have a publisher in mind?
6. What other books are on the market now that are
identical or very close to what you propose? Others that are
similar? Why would they buy your book rather than those? In other words, how
will yours be different?
7. Provide a rough outline or table of contents of
your book.
8. What remains to do to complete this book? What
has been done that you didn't send me? Do you have questions about the steps
yet to take? What are they?
9. How do you plan to sell this book? Do you have
questions about its marketing? If so, tell me all I should know about its intended
market. How will you let them know that your book exists? Are they already
aware?
10. Are you proposing to sell the core idea of the
book in other formats? As articles, a speech, seminars, a newsletter, tapes,
and so on? If so, please explain. Do any of these already exist? (This helps me
help you integrate your book into a larger empire-building structure at the
outset, to save time and increase your profits.)
11. What else should I know about your book to get
you on the best possible path at the outset? (Again, I can't read
minds!)
Do the
best you can. I don't need every fact but I do need enough to get a clear
picture of the structure and purpose of the book.
Let's
take a pause here. The questions may have overwhelmed you. You may even be
thinking of chucking this "pathfinder" idea out the window and
kicking back to do the damn thing at your own pace. Fine.
But
whether you're thinking of selling this book to a publisher or even
self-publishing it, these questions are what you must know before you
definitively print the words on the paper.
Even more
important, if you want another publisher to accept your book, by now you should
have approached them, writing and sending them only what's needed for them to
make a decision. The reason for that is that they often (in fact, very often)
suggest at the outset that you approach the topic differently than you planned,
and it is far easier for you to do it "right" from the beginning than
rewrite it later.
So if
that’s the case, tell me and we will work with what you have done to fit
it into a stronger queried approach to the publisher. But if you're going to
self-publish, continue. We'll work forward to the next stage of production.
Some of
the questions I posed may seem elementary, but I need to know what you are
planning and thus I need to know the answers. And if you haven't asked these
questions yet, you must now so we can get you on the best possible footing
before you invest a lot of money in printing.
So that's
what I need from intermediates. Bundle it up, send me what I must see, tell me
what you want to know back (or assume I will give you a full response about
what is still needed for it to be the best book possible), include the letter
of agreement, moolah, and we're in business.
A last
point: new writers are rife with paranoia. I'm over my head in my own writing
work so I’m not going to steal anything of yours. Nor will I show
it to anybody else. Faith. I want you to be
successful. Why else would I do this?
If I can
help you, send the bundle to me either at the office (
----------
What I've
suggested above is precisely what self-publishers should do. But I might
make another suggestion here for those who want a major publisher to produce
and promote their book.
For the
past decade I've been offering a seminar called "Before You Write Your
Book...." at colleges and universities throughout
You can
get the same or similar material either as a three-hour audio cassette series
or an audio CD series, both with workbooks for the same price as the seminar
(or cheaper). For specifics, please check the order form or contact us.
Then you
could produce the four needed elements, send the "package" to me, and
let us improve them―or refine them―together through "The Pathfinder"
service.
It's not
my intent to sell you products, even my own. But here your interests and that
seminar/tape series directly overlap and it might be the best double investment
possible.
Having
said that, send me what you wish. I'm eager to help you produce a winning book.
Everybody wins when you do in this league.
|
Gordon Burgett |
(800) 563-1454 |