Hiii Good day everyone! :)
Hows the week going?
Hectic but successful for me :). Today while leaving from work saw The 6th bowl of Chicken soup book in a colleagues hand. I was like 'Wow, which one is it?'. She hasn't read any & told her
So while checking mails came across this Newsletter I have subscribed for : Simple Truths. It is describing the book : The Best Way Out is Always Through.
They have described the way the Chicken soup authors had to struggle to sell their first Chicken Soup book.
Do read it. Highlightingcertain quotes which I liked.
The Power of Discipline
Millions of people say that they'd like to write a book someday - a novel, their life story, a children's book, a murder mystery, or perhaps a self-help book. Of these millions, perhaps a million of them actually do it in any given year. In other words, once you write a book, getting it published is a long shot. And if you get it published, making it successful is an even bigger long shot.
Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen learned this the hard way. They spent three years gathering stories and editing them for a collection they called Happy Little Stories. By the time they were finished, they were $140,000 in debt.
Then they found a literary agent who agreed to represent them and he set about sending the manuscript to publishers he thought might be interested. The response was unanimous: "no." One publisher said, "Nobody buys anthologies anymore." Another said, "It's not topical enough." Yet another said, "We just don't get it."
And finally, the worst "no" of all - their literary agent dropped them. After pitching the book to dozens of publishers he came up empty-handed. "I can't sell this book," he told them. "Nobody buys short stories."
That could have been the end of the story for Canfield and Hansen. Undoubtedly, most authors would have given up by now - but not these two. Instead, they decided to try to sell the book themselves.
They made 200 copies of their manuscript, stuffed them into their backpacks, and headed to the annual American Bookseller's Association convention (now called Book Expo America). They roamed the aisles of the huge convention center, button-holing every editor and publisher they could find. They handed out dozens of copies of their manuscript, but still no takers.
Finally, after two days of non-stop hunting and schmoozing, they met Peter Vegso, owner of a small publishing house in Deerfield Beach, Florida - Health Communications, Inc. (HCI) This publisher was in the business of doing primarily recovery books (12-step), but they had fallen on hard times, as the recovery movement peaked and waned. On the verge of bankruptcy, Vegso had put his company on the market to sell it.
In the meantime, he was still trying desperately to save it by expanding into a broader category of spiritual books. Vegso agreed to take a chance on this collection of happy stories. After all, he figured, he didn't have much to lose.
After much discussion, they changed the name of the book to Chicken Soup for the Soul, and in 1993 HCI published it. Then the hard work for the authors began in earnest. As Hansen says today, "Making your book successful is 5% about writing a good book, and 95% marketing."
He knows what he's talking about. He and Canfield lived it. For the first year after the book was published, both men lived, breathed, ate, and slept their book. They were monomaniacs with a mission. They had bet the farm on their book - mortgaging their houses to the hilt - working non-stop, day and night, to make their baby successful.
They went to their hometown newspaper, the Los Angeles Times, and walked through the newsroom one afternoon, handing out copies of Chicken Soup to every reporter and editor, hoping that someone would write about their book. No one did.
They spread the word: sending out press releases, doing book signings, promoting their book in their seminars and workshops, and hiring publicists and others to help them make their book successful.
Canfield and Hansen did everything they could to take their baby to the top, and in fourteen months they made it. They arrived at the Nirvana of books and authors - the #1 spot on the New York Times Best-seller list - where they remained for two years.
We all face adversity in our lives. It's not a matter of if...but when. And during those times we need encouragement and inspiration to get us through. The Chicken Soup story is one of many in BJ Gallagher's new book, The Best Way Out is Always Through...The Power of Perseverance. I love it! And it's gotten rave reviews since it was released a few weeks ago.
Have a collegue-friend who has gone through this entire cycle of getting your book published & selling it too. Hats off to their self-confidence & perseverance ! Its almost like giving birth to a child & then letting it go into the world to make its own stand.
What say ppl? ;)
Keep reading & growing !
Need to grab an entire Chicken soup book to keep me charged these couple of months ! :D
Bye.tc.
Hows the week going?
Hectic but successful for me :). Today while leaving from work saw The 6th bowl of Chicken soup book in a colleagues hand. I was like 'Wow, which one is it?'. She hasn't read any & told her
'Its like when your really tired, you have a bowl of soup & you feel REFRESHED, that how these series of books make you feel. I read 1-2stories a day & I am charged for a couple of days ;)'.
So while checking mails came across this Newsletter I have subscribed for : Simple Truths. It is describing the book : The Best Way Out is Always Through.
They have described the way the Chicken soup authors had to struggle to sell their first Chicken Soup book.
Do read it. Highlightingcertain quotes which I liked.
The Power of Discipline
Millions of people say that they'd like to write a book someday - a novel, their life story, a children's book, a murder mystery, or perhaps a self-help book. Of these millions, perhaps a million of them actually do it in any given year. In other words, once you write a book, getting it published is a long shot. And if you get it published, making it successful is an even bigger long shot.
Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen learned this the hard way. They spent three years gathering stories and editing them for a collection they called Happy Little Stories. By the time they were finished, they were $140,000 in debt.
Then they found a literary agent who agreed to represent them and he set about sending the manuscript to publishers he thought might be interested. The response was unanimous: "no." One publisher said, "Nobody buys anthologies anymore." Another said, "It's not topical enough." Yet another said, "We just don't get it."
And finally, the worst "no" of all - their literary agent dropped them. After pitching the book to dozens of publishers he came up empty-handed. "I can't sell this book," he told them. "Nobody buys short stories."
That could have been the end of the story for Canfield and Hansen. Undoubtedly, most authors would have given up by now - but not these two. Instead, they decided to try to sell the book themselves.
They made 200 copies of their manuscript, stuffed them into their backpacks, and headed to the annual American Bookseller's Association convention (now called Book Expo America). They roamed the aisles of the huge convention center, button-holing every editor and publisher they could find. They handed out dozens of copies of their manuscript, but still no takers.
Finally, after two days of non-stop hunting and schmoozing, they met Peter Vegso, owner of a small publishing house in Deerfield Beach, Florida - Health Communications, Inc. (HCI) This publisher was in the business of doing primarily recovery books (12-step), but they had fallen on hard times, as the recovery movement peaked and waned. On the verge of bankruptcy, Vegso had put his company on the market to sell it.
In the meantime, he was still trying desperately to save it by expanding into a broader category of spiritual books. Vegso agreed to take a chance on this collection of happy stories. After all, he figured, he didn't have much to lose.
After much discussion, they changed the name of the book to Chicken Soup for the Soul, and in 1993 HCI published it. Then the hard work for the authors began in earnest. As Hansen says today, "Making your book successful is 5% about writing a good book, and 95% marketing."
He knows what he's talking about. He and Canfield lived it. For the first year after the book was published, both men lived, breathed, ate, and slept their book. They were monomaniacs with a mission. They had bet the farm on their book - mortgaging their houses to the hilt - working non-stop, day and night, to make their baby successful.
They went to their hometown newspaper, the Los Angeles Times, and walked through the newsroom one afternoon, handing out copies of Chicken Soup to every reporter and editor, hoping that someone would write about their book. No one did.
They spread the word: sending out press releases, doing book signings, promoting their book in their seminars and workshops, and hiring publicists and others to help them make their book successful.
Canfield and Hansen did everything they could to take their baby to the top, and in fourteen months they made it. They arrived at the Nirvana of books and authors - the #1 spot on the New York Times Best-seller list - where they remained for two years.
We all face adversity in our lives. It's not a matter of if...but when. And during those times we need encouragement and inspiration to get us through. The Chicken Soup story is one of many in BJ Gallagher's new book, The Best Way Out is Always Through...The Power of Perseverance. I love it! And it's gotten rave reviews since it was released a few weeks ago.
Have a collegue-friend who has gone through this entire cycle of getting your book published & selling it too. Hats off to their self-confidence & perseverance ! Its almost like giving birth to a child & then letting it go into the world to make its own stand.
What say ppl? ;)
Keep reading & growing !
Need to grab an entire Chicken soup book to keep me charged these couple of months ! :D
Bye.tc.
Comments
I am sure you were talking about me
in fact, you have just given me an idea for my blog today. will tell everyone my success story.
reading this piece in your blog was 'happy reading' in itself. Fantastic!
Am really able to relate to their persistence. "Tough times don't last; tough people do!"
Post a Comment
Hi, Let me know your Take on this.
P.S. Dont be Evil, lets play fair :)