Getting Published: An Interview with Mary DeMuth with Book Review

I have listened to audio recordings of Mary DeMuth speaking at Mount Hermon and I have noticed she stuffs a plethora of information in a single session. After reading 11 Secrets to Getting Published, I can tell you every paragraph is worthy of notetaking. DeMuth's ebook will join my "resource" file so I can reread and continue to glean from it. For instance, here's some advice from Mary I intend to follow:

Be nekkid.

OK, pick your jaw off the floor.  This is still a family friendly blog.

This is some of the most authentic advice DeMuth has to offer and she strives to live it out through her fiction. The philosophy of writing true, reflecting our own journey in our fiction has transformed my writing life. DeMuth shows the reader how she develops a mission statement for her own writing. 

The wealth of practical tips DeMuth provides are invaluable. I am still fighting the old single space after a period rule after learning to type on an electric typewriter. It was worth the price of the book alone to know there is an easy way to fix this error in Microsoft Word.

Here are a few of the questions Mary DeMuth answers:

*How do you use independent clauses?

*Are you guilty of cliche abuse?

*How do you reduce your interruptions? (Mary DeMuth's words on self-discipline need to be posted on THIS homeschooling mama's refrigerator to keep them in memory).

*What do I need to massacre in order to make my fiction better (Or perhaps who in the case of mysteries)....

*What can I learn about writing from U2?

*Why is finding an agent like dating? (OK, this brings back nightmares about high school prom, bad hairdos, and dates who wouldn't pay their own way)...

In the appendixes, DeMuth provides feedback on reader questions, tackling some of the biggest fears head-on.  Eleven Secrets to Getting Published is a great resource I can highly recommend for writers from beginner to novice.

I enjoyed interviewing Mary to share some of her insights about the publishing world.  Leave a comment including your email address if you are interested in Mary DeMuth's latest fiction release, The Muir House.  Casey would like to offer a copy to an interested reader.

What are your thoughts on epublishing in general?  Do you think this is the way the market is moving?

I used to think of it negatively until my hubby bought me a Kindle. Now I love ebooks. I do think that ebooks and epublishing are becoming very common. I’ve even heard that folks with reading devices read more, so this is good news for the writer.

How did you make the decision to epublish your writing books?

I knew the niche was very small, so a publisher wouldn’t be likely to pick up the book.

Would you recommend epublishing for those who aren't yet published?

Yes, but with a caveat. Don’t just put any old words out there. Be sure it’s your very best. Have the book edited by a professional. I know it’s cliché, but you only have one chance to make a first impression. You don’t want to live with regret or be embarrassed about what you’ve written.

Did you hire a publicist for marketing?

It depends on the book I’m promoting. I am mostly traditionally published, so the publishing houses often assign my book to an in-house publicist. Sometimes they hire out. With The Muir House (novel, Zondervan), I hired a publicist to help me advertise the book in my hometown, since it is set there.

What is your marketing plan for selling your ebooks?  Does it differ greatly from your marketing plan for your print books?

I have given away several hundred, which is also the same for print books. Books sell by buzz, so it’s good to have people read them, and let them decide how they’ll buzz about your book.

How do you balance marketing time with writing time?

Not an easy thing at all. I had no idea marketing would take so much time.

Many writers here have recently dealt with rejection.  Do you have any words of encouragement?

Rejoice! Rejection means you’re brave and gutsy, that you’re trying. If you don’t risk, you don’t get rejected. I’ve been rejected a lot. So much. A ton. And here’s the sad truth: rejection gets HARDER the longer you’re in this writing career, so you need to settle the issue of your identity now. You are not worthy because you write. You are worthy because you are loved.

How did you choose your tagline?  Do you have any tips for writers on choosing a tagline?

I asked my email distribution list, my facebook page, and my twitter friends what they thought of when they thought of me. After gathering that feedback, Live Uncaged just happened. It’s perfect, but it took about a month of processing to get there.

Is there anything else you would like to share about your recent release, The 11 Secrets of Getting Published?

It’s everything I know about writing and publishing downloaded into a 60,000+ word book. Over 300 pages. I’m raising the cost to $4.99 on August 15th so if you’d like it for $2.99, order now. Here’s a link that tells you more: http://www.marydemuth.com/store/the-11-secrets-of-getting-published-2-99-ebook/

We would love to hear your thoughts.  And don't forget to add your email address if you are interested in entering for a copy of The Muir House.