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This recording is for authors of all genres (fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books), at all stages of development. Authors who participated in the live event asked Mark and Ingrid questions about how to write, publish and/or market their book(s). Scroll below to see examples of the topics authors can ask during these Q&A calls.
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Representative Question Topics
* How to write, publish, and/or market your book
* How the publishing industry works
* The latest trends in book publishing
* How to give your book greater bestseller or high commercial potential
* How to improve your promotional platform and get more exposure in a way that fits your unique skill sets, passion, and personality
* How to get the attention of top literary agents
* How to turn your book into a brand
* How to develop additional streams of income as an author
* How to decide whether you should seek a traditional publisher like Random House or self-publish
* Subsidiary rights like feature film, merchandising, and licensing
* Writer scams
* How to create an effective author website or blog
* Your unique book publishing dilemma or situation
* How to choose the right partners to help you write, publish, and market your book
* Our coaching and consulting programs and services
* Anything else we forgot to mention
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Host Biographies
MARK MALATESTA is a former NY Times bestselling literary agent and founder of The Bestselling Author™, helping authors write, publish, and promote their books. Mark’s authors have secured book deals with publishers like Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Thomas Nelson. They’ve gotten 6-figure advances, been on the NY Times bestseller list, won countless awards, been licensed in more than 40 countries, and been picked up for TV, stage, and feature film with companies like Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks (resulting in millions of books sold). Learn more at www.TheBestsellingAuthor.com.
INGRID ELFVER is the founder of Born Celebrity™, helping entrepreneurs discover and develop their authentic, one-of-a-kind, million dollar personal brands. For more than 20 years Ingrid has worked with everyone from A-list celebrities to entepreneurial startups. Her clients are experts and trendsetters in their industry who have: appeared on national TV and radio, been featured in major magazines and newspapers, been quoted by popular websites and blogs, published books with major publishers, and been paid as spokespersons for major businesses and brands. Learn more at www.BornCelebrity.com.
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MARK MALATESTA is a former literary agent turned author coach. Mark now helps authors of all genres (fiction, nonfiction, and children's books) get top literary agents, publishers, and book deals through his company 
MARK MALATESTA is a former literary agent turned author coach. Mark now helps authors of all genres (fiction, nonfiction, and children's books) get top literary agents, publishers, and book deals through his company 
Is the fact being a non american citizen cause any problem with the publishers? For more caution,am i obliged to chose a pseudonym?
Do you mean you’re living outside the US, or in the US? Just want to be sure I’m answering the right question! Mark
Hey Mark. Looking forward to the show! Making good progress on the book; will likely proceed before the end of the month. Best, Steve
Hi Steve, glad to hear it. Here’s to happiness, health, and success in the new year! Mark
I would like to copyright my book in the USA. I am a citizen who has been living outside of the USA for 37 yrs. Will I have any problem with this?
Hi Miriam, I’m not a lawyer and copyright isn’t an area I’m very knowledgeable about… but I don’t think you’ll have a problem. Visit http://copyright.gov for more information, and call them if you can’t find the information on their website. Good luck! Mark
Is there any advise you can give on issues with royalty payments?
Hi Jacquitta, I’m guessing you mean trouble collecting money from your publisher? If that’s the case, you can Google online and find companies that will review your situation and, if they think there is sufficient money that might be missing, they’ll go to the publisher on behalf for fr*ee, and take a percentage of what they collect for you. Mark
Has anyone used Amazon to promote themselves and their book?
Hi Carolena, I’m answering some questions here that I wasn’t able to answer during the call. Were you asking Ingrid and I this, or everyone that was in the chat room? Mark
Do you write or assist in writing the query letter when you are assisting the authors in your coaching session or simply offering suggestions?
HI Dan, I know I answered this on the call so I’m just letting people know here that they can hear the answer to this question on the recording. Thanks for joining us today, and feel fr*ee to post a follow-up question here. Happy to help, and warm wishes. Mark
If I received a rejection from an agent, how soon can I submit to someone else at their agency? (Not that same agent.) And if their email rejection said “not right for OUR agency” Is that their blanket form letter or do not submit at all again to a different agent at their agency? Thanks
Immediately, unless they say “not for our agency.” Then it’s a blanket rejection and you’re done. Mark
It appears to me that many agents are geared towards current trends, when it comes to subject matter of the fiction.
Hi Jennifer, to an extent… but read this. It might help: https://literary-agents.com/book-genres/. Mark
I already asked about branding, but also interested in knowing what professionals mean by ‘don’t be advertising your book all over the internet.’ Where is it appropriate to let people know your book is available? Happy to be here. Thanks Mark, Ingrid.
Hi Gippy, I’m not sure on this one… usually I can guess what someone means… but I’d need more info here. Can’t imagine. If you can explain more, I’ll take another shot at this one. Mark
I’ve read over and over it’s not good to talk about or advertise your book on social media in main arenas, like FB, twitter, etc. Can you address this? This is my first suspense novel and I want to do it right. I’m self-publishing with Bookbaby in Feb.
Hi Gippy, it all depends. What was the context? Promoting yourself and your work is fine on social media, or anywhere else. It’s more about HOW you go about it, so people don’t feel too much like they’re being sold to… or that’s the only reason you’re there. Make sense? Mark
Is it a bad idea to self publish a book while looking for an agent and trying to get the book picked up by a traditional publisher?
Hi Joshua, check out this article and the one it’s linked to at the end: https://literary-agents.com/should-i-self-publish-my-book/. Then feel fr*ee to post a follow-up question. I’m happy to help. Mark
If the publisher states the MMS can be sent, does that mean send the entire book?
Hi Kenneth, without seeing the exact context… I’m still fairly confident that’s a yes. Send it on it’s way, and congratulations! A step in the right direction. Let us know if you have more good news. And happy holidays. Mark
Just wanted to say thank you to you, Mark and Ingrid. It was a great hour filled with information so helpful to me. You are both so kind to share all of this with us. You really pushed me with the branding situation and gave me more knowledge of how to process it.
Have a wonderful Holiday Celebration and a Prosperous and Healthy New Year! Gippy
Hi Gippy, thank you for joining us. We couldn’t do it without you. Really. Your questions help make it interesting for everyone, so we appreciate you. Warm wishes to you and happy holidays. Mark
Great innovation from your part.Congratulation.It’s a unique chance for many authors to be promote.Many thanks from all of the unknown writers.
HI Jallal, glad you could join us today. We’ll be doing more of these in the future, so I hope to see you again. Warm wishes. Mark
Thank you for the invite!!! I’m involved in volunteering for the community and the less fortunate. This is the busiest time of the year. and I most likely will not be back in time to hear this amazing chat session! Will you be recording it and posting it later by any chance? I’m honored that you thought of me. I hope will be invited again! Happy holidays!!
Hi Teri, no worries. The audio replay is now online. And we’ll be doing this every month going forward, so I’m sure we’ll see you soon. 😉 Mark
There’s a “digital” requirement to getting published today, and that’s the ability to have a media platform. An agent responded to me by saying that my work was “compelling, fascinating… deserves to be told” BUT without a media platform she was afraid she couldn’t see it to an editor. Can you comment on how to fulfill this demand? I’ve had a syndicated radio talk show; pending there’s a reality tv show. How do you articulate this effectively to an agent? Thank-you.
Hi Janis, there are a lot of ways to improve your platform. Take a look at this article, it should help: https://literary-agents.com/author-platform/. Then feel fr*ee to post a follow up question! Mark
After reading your article on author platform, what’s the difference between an author platform versus a media platform? Are you saying a strong author platform can enable a media platform? How does twitter and/or facebook factor into all this? The question that makes me want to scream is, “How many followers do you have on twitter?” You want to pound your head against a wall!
Hi Janis, good question. The answer? Not much. Author platform is really a publishing industry term to define how marketable an author is (not just the book). Media platform is the same type of thing, but the term more commonly used by media professionals for all types of people (not just authors). Make sense? And don’t worry about getting a zillion followers on social media. There are easier and faster ways to build authority. At least that’s what I tried to get across in my author platform article that you already saw here: https://literary-agents.com/author-platform/ (I’m posting it again for anyone else reading this online). Mark
Are E-books a good way to break into the writing field?
HI Kathy, it depends what your goal is. Do you mean to help pave the way to get a traditional publisher like Random House? To make you more appealing to them? As a way to simply get experience? Or something else? Mark
Thanks Mark for the info I will be tuning in to listen. Thanks for the invite
Hi Linda, make sure you call in if you can. Would love that. Mark
Ok
Mark, I have given up trying to get an agent. I am now writing short stories for Glimmertrain and tellitslant. Contests are held four times a year, and the rewards are substantial. Tellitslant even provides a critique of my writing technique with suggestions to help me improve my style.
Many of the writers I am competing against are professionals. What a boon it is to even be associated with such talent. I feel more satisfaction writing in this vein, even if I never win. Someone is reading me.
Hello Elizabeth,
Your situation was mine a few years ago. I gave up searching for literary agents who never even replied my mails. Recently I found’sorry not in the US!) who thought that it could be very interesting for short movies and here we go, I hit the eye’s bull. Good luck
Denis F
Hi Elizabeth, that’s heartbreaking to hear but I understand. And sometimes what seems like stopping turns into simply taking a break. Either way, I’m glad you’re still writing and doing things to get your work out there in a different way. If you want to stop getting my emails because of your transition, just let me know. Mark
Thanks so much for invite! Sound exciting and I’ve marked my calendar. Looking forward to it.
Best, Gippy
Thank you Gippy, make sure you call in with a question if you can. Would love to talk to you. Mark