Tip 2 – Get a literary agent. Literary agents know how to get a book published. However be sure to hire an agent that works only on commission – they are paid a percent of what the publisher pays you. An agent who works on commission has advantages for you that a “for fee” agent hasn’t got. First, commission-only agents will not accept you as a client unless they truthfully believe they could get your book published. If they think your manuscript has promise but needs some changes made prior to getting considered by a publisher, they will make rewrite suggestions. You may not like their criticisms, but keep in mind that it is from somebody that really knows exactly how to get a book published. Make the modifications they suggest.

Second, publishing houses use literary agents as manuscript “screeners”. Whenever an agent submits your manuscript to a publisher, it gets serious consideration simply because publishers understand the agent believes the book is well written and will sell. Third, the solution to how to get a book published usually depends upon who you know. Commission-only agents strive to develop and keep good working associations with editors of the established publishing houses. Editors and agents often lunch together. Which do you believe is better – you send your manuscript “cold” to a publisher or an agent suggests your manuscript to a friendly editor over lunch.

Tip 3 – Don’t submit your manuscript to a literary agent. Okay, so literary agents know how to get a book published, but how do you get an agent to accept you as a client? Well, there’s two ways to find an agent and one is definitely much better than the other. Neither method requires mailing your manuscript unrequested to prospective agents. The first and preferred way would be to get another author to recommend you to their agent.

Do this even if their agent doesn’t represent writers in your book’s area of interest (for example, children’s books) because their agent will refer you to another agent who does represent authors in that area of interest. If you don’t know other authors, do everything you can in order to remedy that. Sign up for authors associations and completely network them. Go to publishing and book conventions and do not be a wallflower; introduce yourself to everybody there and give them your card (you do have business cards, don’t you).

The second strategy for finding a literary agent is to send query letters (not your manuscript) to agents. Unlike the referral method, here you need to concentrate on agents that specialize in representing writers in your book’s subject area. Even the best query letter is thrown in the trash when the letter describes a book in an area in which the agent doesn’t work and thus can’t possibly make a commission. There are entire books written about how to find a literary agent through networking and by writing query letters. I recommend you read those books because having a good agent who works on commission is important to being a prosperous writer.

C Baker has been a professional textbook editor for more than 10 years. He is also the chief editor of WallDecalsforKidsRooms.org. If you want some fun and inexpensive wall decals for kids, visit http://www.walldecalsforkidsrooms.org.

©2010 Leanne Boyd - 1WebDiva.com. All Rights Reserved.

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It’s all about the psychology. I failed miserably as an artist. My friends used to tell me that my work wasn’t even good, but it wasn’t that bad! I used to draw items laid out in front of me and turn them into black chunky masses of charcoal within ten minutes, so I knew my peers were lying. It was all in their initial reactions and the way they said it.

I used to struggle with charcoal for hours on end whilst trying to etch my imagination onto a 36″ x 48″ blank canvas and end up with a hilarious final product. Why was it hilarious? Because my friends used to walk into my dorm room and fall over themselves in rip-roaring fits of uncontrollable laughter! Don’t get me wrong, I had and have some great friends, and I have never aspired to be the next art contemporary hero because, quite simply, I’ve never been any good at it. I had to channel talents in other directions, to put it bluntly. But it’s always a telltale sign that a work of art is not the best if it gets laughed hysterically at upon first sight!

A long pause can also say it all, just as obviously as laughter. If it takes someone more than two seconds to comment on an art contemporary piece then the artwork in question probably stinks. I apologize, but whether it’s yours or your friends, feelings are going to get shot down!

Art contemporary is ideal for everybody, and any form of self-expression in the modern day is art contemporary, but some things just won’t make the grade on any levels set out by anyone. However, having said that, I think that it’s important to remember that an artist shouldn’t set out to please anybody when creating something new. If it is true art contemporary, then it has to come from inside the artist. Don’t you think?

www.arttraffic.co.uk is the home of the best art contemporary anywhere on the internet. Online artwork is getting more and more popular as online sales of anything soar around the globe; it’s only natural. Museums, exhibitions and galleries are out. Art Traffic is in; right there at the center, showcasing the best art contemporary available, and Art Traffic boasts any good form of art contemporary. So do not fear, even if your friends don’t like your work, or vice versa, others probably will do. Get involved at Art Traffic, www.arttraffic.co.uk.

R

Learn more about art contemporary. Stop by Arttraffic’s site where you can find out all about Arttraffic and what it can do for you.

©2010 Leanne Boyd - 1WebDiva.com. All Rights Reserved.

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I’ve been twittering now for about 3 months. Long enough to have let the cosmic dust settle a bit, and the roaring chaos whirling by no longer leaves me panting on the floor, wondering HOW THE HELL do I get myself into these things? A few Twitter tools later… a whole lot of sizing things up or down… follow here or don’t… And I’ve emerged a much better artist, maybe even person! I survived, anyway…

Okay! A few days ago, a tweet flew by, amongst many, but the title of the Photoshop tool grabbed my eye and I clicked up to the blog. “Free Hi-Res Photoshop Brushes: Romantic Disasters” is the title, and indeed, there are 10 bee-yoo-ti-ful, FREE new brushes. The blog is at:

http://www.bittbox.com/freebies/free-hi-res-photoshop-brushes-romantic-disasters/

What I loved about this set was that they not only were beautiful, but they also are GRUNGE… thus the title “disasters” – and Grunge has become a real favorite of mine. It has the aura of nostalgia or vintage, and that has long been a favorite of mine, Victoriana Gurl and/or One Shabby Chick. (In progress, sorry )

Here is #10 in the series:

Romantic Disasters Photoshop Brushes, No. 10

The brush provided a beautifully lacey, romantic overlay to the primary background of mountains, lake, and shimmering sunburst over the mountains. The orange tones provided the setting for the theme of the artwork, which is ‘butterflies.’ A bit mystical and dreamy began to transpire in the work’s message, which was my intent. This is the first in a series for an illustrated book by the same title as this image: Butterfly Dreams.

I am thrilled at the outcome. I am jumping over having this new brush set in my Photoshop arsenal! Was I surprised to find this on Twitter? You betcha! Will I be surprised the next time around? No way, in fact my eyes are peeled for the next great tool… on Twitter!

Please take the time to comment! I value your visit, and your feedback!

Butterfly Dreams - ©2009 Leanne Boyd

©2010 Leanne Boyd - 1WebDiva.com. All Rights Reserved.

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One Intense Desire: Your Book In Print

If you are anything like me, as a creative with more than one goal, one intense desire… then you probably have either already gone the publishing route, or you wish to at some point in your artist’s career. There are so many facets to publishing! And once you dive into print book publication, you will realize that, again (and again and again), your learning curve will catapult. If you have several to many years in online publishing, however, you will find that a lot of that knowledge fits neatly with the print world.

The Artist’s Eye… The Publishing House Stance

The following article gives a good overview of processes. But I do hope you will also view the two videos below. The first one, you will probably find familiar to your own pathway. I sure did! My early years’ collections of artwork, studies, sketches, mirrored this video artist’s experience. The second video gives a view from a publishing house stance.

How To Find A Suitable Literary Agent

by Joesph Duff

 
Have you considered contacting a literary agent to help you publish your masterpiece? A literary agent can help you achieve what you have failed to achieve by yourself.

A literary agent can really increase your chances of publication. A great literary agent who has the right contacts in the publishing world can make it a lot easier for you.

Every day publishing houses get submission after submission of books proposals. Appointing a literary agent is a simple way where you can get your book in front of the right people.

But where can you find the literary agent who is best for you?

When you’re searching for a literary agent there are a range of different resources that will assist you.

One such tool that you will find useful to find a great literary agent is via a literary agent guide. Literary Marketplace is one such guide and it can be found in most bookshops and libraries.

However there are other alternatives such as the Guide to Literary Agents and the Writer’s Market guide. These guides contain contact and other details about literary agents as well as handy hints.

Since the development of the internet, the ability of finding a suitable literary agent has become a whole lot easier. Just start with a search in Google using ‘literary agent’ as your search phrase. You will find enough agents to choose from. In a matter of seconds you will be provided the literary agent’s websites and information on how to contact them.

How do you know if the literary agent is right for you?

The best manner to find the right agent is by comparing your book to other published works. If the editor and agent already publish books that are of a similar nature to yours then they might be interested in yours as well. However do be careful as literary agents come in all shapes and sizes and you ought to analyse their fee structure, credentials, testimonials and level of success before you make your decision.

It is time to go and get your book published. Go do your research and get yourself a literary agent.

About the Author:

There is nothing like a Published Book to widen doors for you and to lead you to opportunities that you dream of. Unfortunately, there is nothing like the book publishing industry to keep you from getting what you want. To find out more information on ways to get your book published by Clicking Here

 

©2010 Leanne Boyd - 1WebDiva.com. All Rights Reserved.

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Kate Greenaway – Children Art – Public Domain

5 Ways To Use Public Domain Ebooks

by James T. Maxwell
 

You may have heard the buzz about the public domain and how you can find plenty of ebooks that are available for you to use in your own business and marketing. There are plenty of uses for this type of content and this article starts you off with 5 very useful ideas you can try right away.

Before we dive into how to use public domain, its important to understand what it is. Public domain content is content which is not owned by anyone and in most cases the copyright has expired which means the material is free to be used and reprinted. You can use the content as is, reformat it, polish the content with your own personal touches or add updated and relevant information. The trick is to find public domain material in your niche industry or topic however once you do, the skys the limit.

ebook Bundle. One possibility is to compile a few public domain ebooks into a package. For example, you could bundle a collection of books on how to start a home business. A collection of books may generate more profits and offer more value than a single book sold independently.

Create an Ecourse. Its only natural that people who are interested in purchasing ebooks from you are actively seeking a learning experience. Why not take the public domain ebooks you find and create an e-course that can be distributed via an automatic email series for those who opt in? You will not only get the subscribers to keep coming back to your website to increase traffic, but if they like the e-course they will be more likely to purchase the products you recommend and even refer their friends.

Product Bonuses. Use public domain ebooks as bonuses/extras for a product you are already selling. If youre selling a downloadable product, just add the bonus to the download page. If you’re selling a mail order product, you can publish printed copies or just give your customers a link to download the product while they wait for the mail to arrive.

Grow your Opt In List. Public domain ebooks make great opt in gifts to grow your subscriber list. A highly targeted ebook found in the public domain will offer your visitors value and motivation to join your email list.

Rework into New Formats. Public domain ebooks are readily available for whatever you want to use them for. People like to consume information in many different ways. You can put content into audio recordings, videos or whatever your audience likes. You can sell these new formats, offer them as gifts or just post them on your website to draw in traffic.

About the Author:

Ready to get started with public domain ebooks? Claim your free lifetime access to hard-to-find public domain ebooks at PLRWholesaler.com. Plus, you’ll receive instant access to a huge library of private label products, articles and software PLUS over 100 training videos, so you can start making money with PLR right away.

 

©2010 Leanne Boyd - 1WebDiva.com. All Rights Reserved.

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By Dwayne Whiting

Children’s books are not always about the words and the morals. Sometimes children’s books are about the illustration.

Contrary to popular belief, most children’s book illustrators are actually hired by the publishing company rather than the author of the book. Sometimes this can be upsetting for prospective children’s book writers that really wanted to illustrate their book according to their own visions.

Sadly, most publishers have artists they already like to use. So if you are a children’s book writer that badly wants to illustrate their own book, you are left with only a few options:

Option 1 – Self publish

It’s an incredibly difficult process, but self publishing may be one of the only ways to publish your children’s book with your own illustrations. Selling them can be an arduous task, though the internet does provide a way for you to try to sell your story.

Companies that allow you to self publish are available almost anywhere, though they often charge hefty fees in order to allow you to print your work. Often times this method is best when you have a lot of time to dedicate to marketing the book and money to dedicate to its printing. Still, this may be the best option for those that simply don’t want to find another provider.

Option 2 – Show the publisher that you are an artist

It may be difficult to self-publish, but it is even more difficult to convince a publishing house that you are both a writer and an artist – especially when they don’t know you. When you first send a manuscript, these companies do not want to receive manuscript after manuscript filled with unprofessional illustrations clogging up their mailbox and wasting paper.

But that does not mean it is impossible. If you perfect your images to show these publishers that you truly are the artist meant to take the lead on the work, you can get your work published together. If it is your first time publishing, however, be sure and expect a few extra rejections than you would normally get. The busiest publishers will not even look at a manuscript if it appears that a lot of superfluous paperwork has arrived with it.

Option 3 – Design the templates for the art, but allow the publisher to find the illustrator themselves

Before you assume you are the best person to illustrate the work, consider for a moment: Are you really the best artist for the work? Or do you simply have a vision you want to portray? If it is the former, consider options 1 or 2, but if, like most people, it is the latter – consider drawing out rough sketches of your visions but allowing the publisher to do what they do best. These sketches should be professional, as always, but at least you are not imposing something on the publishing company that they may not be happy with.

Option 4 – Illustrate?

For some people, publishing a children’s book is a goal not because of the story, but because of the illustration. In these cases, why not consider sending in samples to publishing companies and becoming just an illustrator instead? If you prefer to paint or draw and children’s book storylines are less important, becoming an illustrator is always an option. And, once your foot is in the door, you can always come out with a children’s book of your own someday.

These days, “Children’s books” have become synonymous with “colorful illustration.” Because of this, many people want to publish a children’s book with their own illustrations. If this is the case for you, consider one of these three options. You may not get exactly what you want, but you can still be a children’s book creator regardless.

©2010 Leanne Boyd - 1WebDiva.com. All Rights Reserved.

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I’ve been known to say, since the age of 16, that all I’ve ever wanted to be is Maurice Sendak in a skirt. Listen, if you do not know who Sendak is, then your childhood was deprived. If you never met Max, then you probably don’t have the proper gratitude-thermometer for all the nice things in your life.

Stay tuned… My goal is for a very expanded section on Children’s Illustration and books. A lifelong dream… I have two published kids’ books, and more upcoming

©2010 Leanne Boyd - 1WebDiva.com. All Rights Reserved.

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