Writer Tells All: Insider Secrets to Getting Your Book Published

by Robert Masello

A witty and candid firsthand account -- for writers by a writer -- on how to write, sell, publish, and promote a book.

This invaluable book is written by a working writer -- not a professor, not a publisher, not an editor, not an agent. Robert Masello is a writer who speaks his mind with absolute candor on everything aspiring book authors need to know. He explains the publishing process step by step -what to expect, how it works, and what authors can do at each point to keep things going smoothly. Equally important, Masello has a lot of fun doing it. His book is filled with sometimes hilarious anecdotes from his own experiences in the trenches of publishing.

Writer Tells All covers many topics along the way, both large and small, including the things every writer needs to choosing a book topic (fiction or nonfiction), writing the proposal, selecting an agent, understanding book contracts, finding an editor, losing an editor, following the production process from manuscript to bound book, using your own savvy and contacts to maximize the effect of marketing, and publicizing the finished product.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published April 10, 2001

About the author

Robert Masello is an award-winning journalist, TV writer, and the bestselling author of many novels and nonfiction books. In addition to his most recent book, THE HAUNTING OF H.G. WELLS, he has written the #1 Amazon Kindle bestseller, THE EINSTEIN PROPHECY, and many other popular thrillers, including THE JEKYLL REVELATION, THE NIGHT CROSSING, BLOOD AND ICE, THE MEDUSA AMULET, and THE ROMANOV CROSS.
He is also the author of two popular studies of the Occult -- FALLEN ANGELS AND SPIRITS OF THE DARK and RAISING HELL: A CONCISE HISTORY OF THE BLACK ARTS.
His books on writing include WRITER TELLS ALL, A FRIEND IN THE BUSINESS, and the classroom staple, ROBERT'S RULES OF WRITING.
His TV credits include such popular shows as "Charmed," "Sliders," Early Edition," and "Poltergeist: the Legacy."
A native of Evanston, Illinois, he studied writing at Princeton University under the noted authors Robert Stone and Geoffrey Wolff, and served for six years as the Visiting Lecturer in Literature at Claremont McKenna College.
He now lives and works in Santa Monica, CA.

Reviews

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

(1) What to look for when selecting an agent;

(2) Understanding how publishers make their money;

(3) Breakdown of your contract with a publisher;

(4) Why you shouldn't write in a cafe;

(5) Average money for a first time novel; and

(6) Marketing yourself in many ways.

[Laini · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book angered me from the get-go. There may have been some invaluable information contained within, but I got a bad taste in my mouth within the first chapter, and never really regained any interest. Evidently, Mr. Masello has a real problem with those of us who work in coffeehouses, and he's arrogant enough to insult people he feels are fake writers to their faces (i.e. those working at Starbucks). According to him, we're only doing it for show, and if we were serious about writing, we'd only do it at home in complete quiet.

Well, Mr. Masello, if it wasn't for Starbucks, I would never have FINISHED my first two books. I was living in a tiny house in the middle of the Alberta wilderness, unable to work until I got permanent residency here, and I had to come into town with my husband every day when he went to work so I wouldn't lose my mind. The only thing that kept me sane was my writing.

I couldn't stay at home, because the in-laws were too noisy. I couldn't go to the library because in Canada, the libraries are noisier than Chuck E. Cheese's. I had one place I could go for some relief-- coffeehouses. I wasn't rude enough to ask people to stop having conversations around me like the potential author you encountered in this book (that's what earphones are for). But having worked at a record store years ago, I function better with the white noise around me. I climb the walls in complete quiet. Everyone's circumstances are different. Why judge? If someone is trying to write, applaud them. Don't denigrate them. So you have to step over a cord or two getting your mochaccino.

After I got my permanent residency here and began working, I continued to write for about an hour every day before work. Where? You guessed it-- Starbucks. Or Second Cup. Or wherever happened to be closest to my job. I live a block away from a huge stadium (it was the only place we could find a rental that would take our 100-pound dog). On game nights, where do I go to escape from the impossibly loud crowd noise? Yep. Starbucks.

Most writing books tell you to squeeze in your 1000 words a day however you can. Scribble them in notebooks, take your laptop with you, record them to yourself in digital voice recorders and transcribe them later-- whatever you have to do. Especially if you have a day job. Not sure who appointed Mr. Masello the arbiter of what makes a serious writer versus a hobbyist, but I've worked my a** off on both books so far. While the first one was trunked, I'm revving up to begin sending this one out to various parties. When it sells, you can bet I'm sending thank you notes to the staff at my favorite coffeehouses.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writer Tells All reads like whispered advice from a writer friend who’s been there and done that. But there’s no new advice in there, just the same old, packaged in a very readable and accessible format. Mmm. To write a book, you should set a schedule and write. Starbucks is more about being seen, than writing. Published authors should take their promotion in their own hands. Don’t wait for Hollywood to call. I’m starting to think if you’ve read one writing book, you’ve read them all.

[Laura Phelps · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've hardly so much as written a first draft, much less set about getting anything published, so I don't know how useful or up to date any of this was, but it was a very enjoyable book, and very motivational.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was very informative. He talked new writers through the entire publishing process (for the most part), just like he'd experienced himself firsthand. I did feel like some things were missing, like explaining simultaneous submissions and other valuable tips.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book all about the business of being a writer.