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WritersReaders.com About Jerry
May 14, 2008
Audio Message from Jerry
My background and qualifications, plus seminar information and a description of the services I offer to writers.
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About WritersReaders.com
This web site was created for the purpose of providing the essential information writers need for achieving success—defined here as getting a manuscript published both appropriately and successfully. By appropriately, I mean in a manner compatible with the author's goals and objectives and by successfully, I mean in a way that gives the book the best possible chance at selling to consumers.
After my retirement in 2003 and upon completion of my book, I was surprised at the number of web sites and companies offering writers resources for getting a manuscript published, and marketed, that were at odds with what makes sense in the industry. I was even more surprised to learn that information about the business of publishing—marketing and selling books—that could be described as trustworthy and knowledgeable was difficult, if not impossible, to find anywhere.
After making several presentations to writing groups it became obvious to me that writers needed a place where they could find accurate, reliable information that would help them to make decisions about their manuscript—how to publish, market and sell books—based on facts, not false promises. That is why I created this web site and why it exists today. I am committed to providing writers with honest information based on years of experience in the business of publishing.
Jerry's Bio
My career in publishing began in the fall of 1977 as a Sales Representative for Random House. In 1979 I joined the book division at Warner Communications, where I spent more than twenty-three years in sales and management. During that time the company expanded to become The Time Warner Book Group (sold in 2006 to Hachette Book Group USA, a French Company). Our sales team distributed over a thousand titles a year from a number of large publishing houses including Little, Brown; Warner Books; Hyperion; Miramax Books; Bulfinch; Back Bay; Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; and Disney. I sold books to some of the largest independent booksellers and mass merchants in the country as well as managing a sales force nationwide. I retired as Vice-President, Director Field Sales in 2003.
Over the years I was fortunate to have worked on books written by such bestselling authors as:
David Baldacci
Michael Connelly
John Feinstein
Robert Kiyosaki
Alice Sebold
Anita Shreve
Scott Turow
Jack Welch
Sandra Brown
Nelson DeMille
Malcolm Gladwell
James Patterson
David Sedaris
Nicholas Sparks
Robert James Waller
Tiger Woods
I was also fortunate to have worked on such multi-million copy bestselling titles as:
The Bridges of Madison County
Simple Abundance
The Lovely Bones
To Kill A Mockingbird
The Celestine Prophecy
Presumed Innocent
The Notebook
The Lion King
Rich Dad, Poor Dad
Scarlett
Megatrends
Catcher in the Rye
Along Came A Spider
Absolute Power
Kiss the Girls
The General's Daughter
Now I spend my time writing, teaching, and speaking with writers about the importance of understanding the marketplace for selling books and the business of publishing. My commitment is to provide essential information writers need for achieving success. My goal is to help writers become successfully published authors by educating them about the business of publishing and revealing the secrets of the largest booksellers and publishers in the world.
Program Introduction
What Writers Need to Know About Publishing
Writers cannot be successful in today's environment unless they have an understanding of how the marketplace operates, how publishers and booksellers compete, and how to make intelligent decisions about the publication of their book. It is relatively easy to get a book published, but extremely difficult to actually sell books. Writers must have information and learn how to use it to be successful as authors.
My program brings more than 25 years of experience to writers and gives them a glimpse of how the major publishers in this country compete and how any author can use this information to their advantage to maximize the marketing dollars they spend. It also provides a unique perspective on how self-published, print-on-demand, and small publishers can be competitive in today's marketplace.
There are two distinct parts to becoming a successful author: the first is writing workshops and seminars teaching writers how to improve their skills; the second part is what my program is all about—marketing and selling books. The worst decision any author can make is to rely solely on their publisher to make the correct decisions about their book. My presentation will give writers the insight they need to ask the right questions and work in partnership with their publisher.
I explain to writers the importance of understanding the basics of the marketplace and why it is important to their career. Points I cover:
The industry, changes taking place, and how it impacts the writer
Why it is important for writers to know their genre and the marketplace
What writers need to know about marketing and competing for book sales
The importance of understanding numbers and distribution
How to become a participant in the process of publishing
I also examine the difficult challenges writers face when bringing books to the marketplace. Most small publishers, and especially the self-published and print-on-demand companies, do not have the distribution network of their bigger competitors, and they can face huge financial challenges in publishing and marketing books. To successfully compete for book sales authors must understand the marketing strengths and weaknesses of their bigger New York competitors.
In this part of my program I outline how any author can compete effectively by taking advantage of how the major publishers market their books and authors, and I offer advice on how to compete for book sales. There are marketing missteps that cost authors thousands of dollars; I will explain in detail how to avoid these common mistakes. Total program time can range from 1-3 hours, including questions and answers.
Consulting Services
After years of writing, developing your skills, and dreams of becoming an author, you are finally ready to publish. The first important question: What next? Do you know the steps necessary to get your manuscript published? Do you realize your decisions can cost thousands of dollars and months of time? Eliminate the worry and wonder: Did I make the right choice for my book? Why take the risk that you've made the wrong decision?
I have spent more than 25 years in publishing and can help you make the right decisions by offering you advice based on my experience and your goals. Here is what you get:
Guidance—clear direction before you spend money
Experience—a lifetime in publishing
Answers—to all your questions
Information—dependable and without a sales pitch
Savings—both in time and money
If you make the wrong choices you may spend much of your hard earned money and have little to show for it aside from months of frustration.
Being a successful author after years of writing is difficult, but you need information that you can trust to help in making decisions. You also need to ask yourself questions:
What are the goals for my book?
What do I hope to accomplish?
Who is my audience?
How do I reach the readers?
What am I willing to do to be successful as an author?
Your answers are important and they should be reflected in the decisions you make. I can help you sift through the many details and costs associated with all types of publishing, from self-publishing, print-on-demand, and small presses, to the problems you might encounter with finding an agent. Let me help you decide what steps to take first. Invest in yourself and your book and you can be successful.
I am not an advocate for any specific type of publishing. I will guide you in the direction that seems best for you and your book and one that will give you the greatest opportunity to be successful, which mean sales. However, I cannot help if your book is:
The best ever written
Perfect for a major motion picture
Belongs on Oprah
Unfortunately, no one can help. Also, I will not:
Read your manuscript and offer feedback for free
Recommend agents, editors, or publishers
You have to be realistic in your expectations, not dreams. You can dream big but it doesn't happen overnight. The expectations for your book are important, but they must be realistic in today's marketplace and fit with your goals as an author. The best way to discover that fact is spending time with me in a Personal Consultation or Private Tutorial. It's a bargain compared to lost time and the cost of wrong decisions. Make the right first decision! Click on the Books & More page for both Personal Consultation and Private Tutorial information.
Testimonials
"The good, the bad, and the ugly aspects of book publishing, told in a straight-from-the hip manner. New writers, take note. Simmons speaks from years of experience, as well as a genuine caring for the would-be-published writer."
Sandra Brown #1 New York Times bestselling author
"The information was absolutely incredible! I would recommend your book to all aspiring and new authors."
Allison Brennan New York Times bestselling author of The Prey, The Hunt, and The Kill
"Publishing just isn't the glamorous business most writers think it is. Jerry Simmons' What Writers Need to Know About Publishing tells it the way it is—and shows writers how they can use that knowledge to benefit their careers."
Melanie Rigney Former Editor for Writer's Digest magazine
"I devored every page of INSIDE The Business of Publishing in one setting. Mr. Simmons gives a real detailed insider's view of what really goes on behind closed doors and opened my eyes to the reality of the book publishing business. I'm spreading word to all the writers and authors I possibly can. Go get his book!"
Jeff Rivera Author of Forever My Lady: A Novel by Warner Books
"The secrets of the publishing industry are exposed in (your book). Whether it's increasing your sales, negotiating a bigger contract, in-house support or positioning yourself to participate in decisions about your book, this book tells all."
Mark Crockett Simon & Schuster Author of Turkey Stuffer & Dealin' With the Dead...
"I commend you on providing genuinely helpful information to writers! I wish you'd been doing this a few years ago when I was still writing my first manuscript—I learned much of what you talk about the hard way."
Marilyn Haight Author of Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Boss?
"Your presentation was as good as any professional speaker I've heard in a long time. Keep up the great work!"
"Anyone who is entertaining the thought of pursuing a career in the writing industry at any level, with the aspiring goal of becoming a published author, MUST READ THIS BOOK. Jerry Simmons delivers a simple "soup-to-nuts" approach of de-mystifying the information one truly needs to be asking and seeking when one dreams of becoming a published author!"
Joy Malumphy Author of When Irish Smiles are Lying, and Editor of the Arizona Good Life News
Previous Speaking Engagements
Society of Southwestern Authors; Phoenix
Write Now! 2005 Writers Conference
The Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing at Arizona State University
Arizona Book Publishers Association
Phoenix Writers Club
National Association of Women Writers, inaugural Arizona meeting
Arizona Authors Association, Scottsdale
ICE Escape 2006 Writers Conference
National Speakers Association Forum
Sisters in Crime Chapter; Sierra Vista, Arizona
Radio interview KLAV, Las Vegas
Professional Writers of Prescott
Write On! 2006 Writers Conference
Express Yourself Author's Conference--Keynote; San Diego
Southwest Writers; Albuquerque, New Mexico
New York's Planned TV Arts, Tele-seminar
Changing Hands Bookstore; Tempe, Arizona
Arizona Mystery Writers; Tucson
Valley of the Sun Chapter of Romance Writers of America
Arizona Book Festival
Knock-Your-Socks-Off Publicity Workshop
Publishers & Writers of San Diego
Las Vegas Writers Conference
West Valley Authors Association
Phoenix College, Creative Writing Department
Desert Rose Chapter of the Romance Writers of America
Women Writers of the Desert
Desert Sleuth Chapter of Sisters in Crime
Paradise Valley, Estrella Mountain, & Glendale Community College
Sunset Branch of the Chandler, Arizona library
Society of Southwestern Authors; Tucson
Scottsdale Civic Center Library
Arizona Authors Association, West Valley
Yavapai College, Prescott
Phoenix College Creative Writing Department's Microburst Conference
The Writers Studio, Tucson
Southwest Valley Writers Association
Southern California Writers Association; Costa Mesa, California
Good Life News Book Fair
Express Yourself Author's Conference—Keynote; Valley Forge, PA
My career in publishing began in the fall of 1977 as a Sales Representative for Random House. In 1979 I joined the book division at Warner Communications, where I spent more than twenty-three years in sales and management. During that time the company expanded to become The Time Warner Book Group (sold in 2006 to Hachette Book Group USA, a French Company). Our sales team distributed over a thousand titles a year from a number of large publishing houses including Little, Brown; Warner Books; Hyperion; Miramax Books; Bulfinch; Back Bay; Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; and Disney. I sold books to some of the largest independent booksellers and mass merchants in the country as well as managing a sales force nationwide. I retired as Vice-President, Director Field Sales in 2003.
After years of writing, developing your skills, and dreams of becoming an author, you are finally ready to publish. The first important question: What next? Do you know the steps necessary to get your manuscript published? Do you realize your decisions can cost thousands of dollars and months of time? Eliminate the worry and wonder: Did I make the right choice for my book? Why take the risk that you've made the wrong decision?