Sweet AgonySweet AgonySweet AgonySweet Agony

The joy isn’t in writing—the joy The joy isn’t in writing—the joy is in having writtenis in having written

Pre-Publishing Ponderings

• Define why you want to be published• Define audience(s).• What type of writing fits your audience?

What will they read?• Match your audience and writing style

with publishing opportunities.• Determine your strengths--what type of

writing are you good at versus what type do you want to write?

To market, to market• Newsletters• Professional publications• Field-of-interest journals• Juried versus non-juried• Internet outlets• Monographs• Chapters in books• Edited volume• University publishers• Books

Editor—Friend or Foe• Editors from A to Z (Executive

Excellence vs. the two Susans).• Approaching editors. Personal

networking works best.• Copy editors—when and where to

draw the line.

Watch Me!The fine art of getting noticed

• Attend conferences in your field.• Network. Meet the people who need your knowledge and

expertise.• Find a legitimate reason to contact an editor of interest.• Network. Have colleagues and experts refer you.• Be available to reporters looking for quotes and interviews—

but be careful.• Begin with book reviews, letters to the editor, and panel

discussions that get published.• Team up with others and do a joint article.• Find a mentor.• Present a workshop.• Participate in a research conference.

The Castle, the Moat and the Dragon

Working with a publisher

• The book proposal—activate your network.

• Study a publisher’s interests.• Look for the gaps.• READ.• Find the right voice and determine if

that’s what you can and/or want to do.

Random Thoughts• Criticism, critiques and reviews. Even John

Grisham gets bad press.• Remember Charlie Brown’s immortal words.

Those who can’t do . . . .• Be your own marketer. Blowing your own

horn appropriately.• How to deal with “Just send me a copy of your

book, OK?”• Balancing pride in your accomplishment with

humility

Questions? Questions? Answers? Answers?

Questions? Questions? Answers? Answers?

Ideas? Ideas? Suggestions?Suggestions?

Contact informationDr. Lilya Wagner, Vice President for PhilanthropyCounterpart International1200 18th St., NWSuite 1100Washington, DC 20036General line: 202-296-9676Direct line: 202-721-1502Work e-mail: lwagner@counterpart.orgPersonal e-mail: coplilya@cs.comAlso affiliated with The Center on Philanthropy and The

Fund Raising School at Indiana University