Anne McCullagh Rennie

'Inspiring, uplifting, internationally best-selling author'

Below are the full details of a Presentation to The National Speakers Association of Australia, NSW Chapter onThursday 15th June 2006 at Swissotel, 68 Market Street, Sydney.

 

'Your time and the thoughts you shared were valuable to the audience. We thoroughly appreciate your investment of time to share them with us.' -  Janelle Wallace, Secretary www.nationalspeakers.asn.au 

 

 ‘From Basics to Bestseller’

with Internationally best-selling author

Anne McCullagh Rennie

‘You were born to win, but to be a winner you must plan to win,

prepare to win and expect to win.’  - American motivational speaker Zig Ziglar

 

An informative, entertaining discussion aimed at helping

speakers successfully write, publish and promote their books.

Useful tips for novices and established authors and speakers. .

Anne McCullagh Rennie is one of Australia’s internationally best-selling, award winning authors. She has written four pacy family sagas, Pain-Free Living, a cookbook for arthritis sufferers and her own family’s inspiring, heart-warming biography You can call me Ellie.  Her first novel Reach for the Dream became an instant bestseller, and more recently three of her novels went into the bestseller list in Switzerland.  Anne’s novels, recipes, articles and family biography have been published by major publishing houses including Random House, Harper Collins, Simon & Schuster, New Holland, Weltbild (Germany, Switzerland, Austria), Woman’s Day, Family Circle, New Idea and Who magazine. A motivational speaker and regular guest on TV and Radio, Anne’s story was featured on ABC TV Australian Story. 

 

Anne shares her favourite tips on getting

published ‘from basics to bestseller’. 

 

 

Intro:

It is an honour and privilege to be invited to speak today at your NSAA NSW chapter meeting.   When I joined NSAA in the early 90s I was in awe of you all.  What I met was a bunch of incredibly loyal, generous and helpful individuals who have helped me get to where I am today in my writing and speaking careers. 

Thank you NSAA members for your professionalism and friendship and…

Congratulations for being here today!  Whether you are an ‘author who speaks’, like me, or a ‘speaker who writes’, NSAA can take you to the next professional level in your business. 

Tonight we are here to discuss ‘From Basics to Bestseller’ 

What qualifies me to do so? I have written six books including four novels, three of which have become international bestsellers, and I hoping the fourth will go into the overseas bestseller list later this year;  a cookbook for arthritis sufferers, and my own family biography. 

My books are published and translated by major international publishing houses.  I am also currently working on self publishing a book of my daughter Ellie’s paintings.  More about self publishing later. 

Discussion

Which are you first – writer or speaker?                         back to top

It is important to know which you are first as this drives your business.  I am a writer first.  For that reason I called myself ‘the author who speaks’.   I joined NSAA to learn how to present on a platform. My passion has always been telling stories fiction and non fiction. My novels are Australian family sagas set against the harsh compelling beauty of this wonderful country of ours.  My family biography is ‘one Australian family’s story of love and determination’.  The recipes for arthritis sufferers in my cookbook Pain Free Living,   are Australian.

 

As an ‘author who speaks’ I need my books to be accepted by major publishing houses.   If you are a ‘speaker who writes’ you may want to consider the advantages of self publishing.  While the initial outlay to self publish can be large, you will make more money quicker, and you can produce your books much quicker and these days at a very high quality level.    If you are a writer first you need to be able to present well to promote your books, so that you will be invited back on radio, TV and to organizations such a NSAA.  However you will not need to cut into your writing time by chasing speaking engagements except to publicize your books and yourself.

 

Which book do you want your book to sit next to on the bookstore shelf?  back to top

This, I believe, is the most important question you need to answer.  Why? Because it will give you all your answers to the subject, content, word count, page numbers, way your book needs to look like including size, jacket style, publisher choice and recommended retail price.  Answering this question will make you focus exactly on who you are writing for and help you decide where you want to go as an author. 

I wanted my first novel Reach for the Dream to sit next to The Thornbirds, A Town like Alice, Evan Green’s Alice to Nowhere.  Reach for the Dream went straight into the bestseller list alongside A Town like Alice.  It has also gone into the bestseller list in Switzerland and Germany alongside The Thornbirds.  Knowing which book I wanted my book to sit next to in the bookstore shelf gave me the correct shape, size, word count and publishers to aim for. 

Wanting to publish short stories for women’ magazines, I bought all the magazines I could find and analyzed them.  I then approached the magazines with appropriate articles which they published.  So which book should your book sit next to on the bookstore shelf? 

Publicity tip:  Having established where in the market place talk about your book, short story, report as though it does.  If the title is still undecided use a working title.  You never know what useful person you may talk to at one of your networking groups.  My third novel Song of the Bellbirds I originally titled. Beyond the Song and actually published the title in my second novel.  Mistake? Possibly but it didn’t stop Song of the Bellbirds  from going on to be an international bestseller. And the title Beyond the Song – well it sounds like another novel. 

Can you sell your book in one sentence?        back to top

Be able to say what your book is about in one sentence. Why? because publicity starts from the very beginning of writing.   You will be selling your idea to an agent or publisher, trying it out on your clients, selling your manuscript.  People don’t want to listen to an author droning on about their book. Make it snappy.  For example: Our family biography You can call me Ellie is one Australian family’s story of love and determination.’ 

How do you reach the people you need?      back to top

As an author or speaker where do you want to end up?  In 1992 I decided I wanted to be ‘one of Australia’s top internationally bestselling authors of popular fiction.  I had written Pain-Free Living, a cookbook for arthritis sufferers. Shortly after making that decision I joined every organization I could find that involved writing or publishing.  I met authors, editors and publishers and leading Australian agent Selwa Anthony, who after reading my two unpublished novel manuscripts (that are still gathering dust in my home), with the words ‘ You can write – now let’s start all over again…!’ agreed to take me on as one of her authors.  I have published four novels, three of which have gone on to become international bestsellers.  Republished my cookbook for arthritis sufferers, been invited to contribute to an anthology of short stories, Love, Obsessions, Secrets and Lies and last year my family biography was published.  If you know where you want to end up as an author you will attract the people you need to get you there and you will be successful - if you have the courage to keep going. Attend functions relevant to your topic.  Network!

Credibility – do you have it?                back to top

What is Credibility?  Why do you need to worry?  Publishers want credibility. Thousands of dollars change hands in lawsuits in the publishing world.  Author needs to work out credibility. What do I mean:

Credibility for: You can call me Ellie, our family biography: Ellie is the name of our younger daughter who has Down syndrome.  I have over 30 years of raising children, one of whom has Down syndrome. I went to school with a girl with Down Syndrome.  Our daughter, Ellie went through regular school, received her school certificate. She can ski, swim, cook has a regular job and is emerging as a talented Australian artist.

Credibility for: Pain Free Living, cookbook for arthritis sufferers I was diagnosed with osteo-arthritis when I was in my early thirties.  I got rid of all symptoms of arthritis and with my doctor’s help weaned myself off all medication, by making simple changes to the foods I was already eating  For the past 14 years I have been free of arthritis pain and misery and take no medication for arthritis.

 Credibility for my novels… Song of the Bellbirds is ‘a bittersweet tale set against the wheatfields of Queensland and the opera houses of Europe and America’.   I studied singing at the Royal College of Music London and the Akademie für Müsik,Vienna. I researched the area around Toowoomba.  Ride with the Wind ‘from pony club to Melbourne cup and an unforgettable woman’. - I talked to jockeys, race horse trainers and owners. I visited stables and racetracks. 

 What is your credibility?

Show and Tell!                 back to top

I thought I’d demonstrate a bit of publicity and promotion at this point  I have brough along my novels, cookbook for arthritis sufferers and family biography, business cards and postcards.  

 Create business cards made from the front cover of your book so when people ask what have you written you SHOW not TELL  Give away your cards to lots of people at every opportunity. Don’t be bashful. People will accept more than one card. In fact if you don’t give your cards to all the group they will feel left out!  When you hand out your cards say your one sentence that you have rehearsed: ‘You can call me Ellie is our family biography and these are my novels and cookbook for arthritis sufferers, and a book of short stories .’

 In 1996 CSP Robyn Henderson www.networkingtowin.com.au suggested I create business cards from the front cover of my novel.  I took her advice.

 My business cards are my greatest marketing tool.  I have given away over 14,000. 

 First others laughed politely, then they criticized, then they copied!

 Be courageous.  Step out of your comfort zone and be noticed.. Check your business card. Creating business cards of your book is simple, inexpensive effective marketing.

Publishing House or Self publishing?      back to top

I touched briefly on this earlier.  Are you speaker or author first.?  Is time important? Do you have ready cash?  If you choose to go with a publisher you will get a small advance and it will take up to two years to get your book published.  Your publisher may take your subsequent books, but they may not. The publisher may choose to cease that particular topic if it doesn’t make them enough money. They may sell huge quantities and make you lots of royalties.

 If you choose to self publish, on average you will make more money. You will have your book in your hand within the time span you choose and you will have control over it’s appearance - which is governed by your bank balance. 

 If you are a speaker first it may be more economical for you to self publish.  Spend enough on your book to make it look professional.  Self published authors do go on to be picked up by major publishing houses and some retail bookstores accept self published authors. You will have to organize distribution either by doing it yourself or working with a book distributor.  Lists of Australian book publishers and distributors are available through The Australian Society of Authors and The NSW Writers Centre  or centre in your state.  

The bottom line is:  if you make money for a publisher, they like you!  If you don’t - this is business – goodbye!  There are always exceptions to every rule. 

How to prepare your manuscript to be noticed.     back to top

Many great authors started by self publishing – Asimov science fiction writer is a classic example.  Whether you plan to self publish or seek a publisher, work with a reputable, professional editor and listen to their advice before you send off your manuscript.   

Prepare your manuscript correctly:  Create big margins down each side, double spacing, Use Times new roman 12 point or similar font  for easy reading.  Type the title, chapter, page number, plus your name and contact details and date of this edit on each page. 

No folders no paper clips no pink ribbon !   In my writing tips I have included more details about being accepted by a publishing house and self publishing.  It all goes back to analyzing which book you want your book to sit next to on the bookstore shelf and where you, as an author want to end up.  Keep your manuscript uncluttered, easy to read and concise.

Staying attractive to publishers      back to top

Be polite. Be flexible. The publishing industry is a small world. Everyone talks to everyone else and the players regularly change places.  Stay being polite despite rejections and criticism.  You want your story to sell – so does the publisher.

Be prepared to change your story line even when you write non fiction. Not every detail needs to go in.  I  had to cut out large chunks of You can call me Ellie first manuscript to bring down to a 250 page book.  With When the Snowgums dance I rewrote huge sections and changed the story line.  When I published Pain Free Living- with a different publisher I was able to add a whole lot more recipes.

Do you stand out from the herd?      back to top

NSAA CSP Max Hitchins the highly successful International speaker and author helps the hospitality industry. He calls himself ‘the hospitality doctor’. Max has chosen a very specific niche to market to.  I call myself ‘the author who speaks’

Come up with a catch phrase for your particular flavour so people remember who you are and what you do.  Tell all this to a publisher/ publicist and you’ve made their job really easy, more importantly you know that it is accurate and how you want to promote yourself and your books.   

Conclusion:  ‘From Basics to Bestseller’     back to top

In the short time we have spent together tonight I have endeavored to share how I see getting a book from idea to bestseller.  Writing a bestseller is largely luck, but if you get it right once and keep going, it is likely you will write another bestseller. 

Writing is a long journey and as well as the amazing highs, you will have many dark days wondering if it is all too hard.  It’s the rollercoaster ride that keeps writers writing.  

The good news is -  if you are really passionate about your subject you will succeed.   Don’t talk about your book - write it!  Write a bit every day.   Know where you want to end up and if you have the courage to keep going, chances are you will get there…

I did …and if I can do it so can you!

Good luck and happy writing! 

Anne McCullagh Rennie

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Second Session Thursday 15th June 2006

Round Table discussion with NSAA members

with internationally bestselling author  Anne McCullagh Rennie

 Anne’s own family story is: ‘inspirational, educational and a great read!’ Yvonne Collier RADIO 99.3FM. 

 Her novels are ‘pacy spirited and moving’ Women’s Weekly.   Her Pain-Free recipes for arthritis sufferers are ‘simple, tasty and effective.’

Publicity and promotion - who does it?    back to top

You do!    

Q.  What makes you and your book unique yet acceptable to a conservative publishing industry?

Tips:

1.     Always use the title of your book. Don’t talk about ‘my book’

2.     Be able to describe your book in one sentence.

3.     Hand out business cards of the front cover of your books

4.     Know where your book fits in the bookstore.

5.     Have a collection of relevant personal stories.

6.     Write your own promotional material for publishers, publicists, journalists, TV and Radio presenters.  

7.     Write your own back blurb and shout line for your book.

8.     Give away copies of your books.

9.     Be flexible 

10.  Leave a paper trail.

For more ideas on publicity and promotion visit Anne’s Writing Tips

Anne McCullagh Rennie

Click here to email Anne with your comments on this article and on the discussion.   

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