Book Review: The 11 Secrets of Getting Published, by Mary DeMuth

When I met Mary DeMuth at a writer's conference in 2008, the first thing I told her was, "You need to write a book for writers." I'd been an avid reader of her blog Wanna Be Published, and the information she shared there took me from a newbie to a writer who had a clue.

Well, she's done it. DeMuth recently published a Kindle-only book, The 11 Secrets of Getting Published. The content is the best of the Wanna Be Published blog, organized for writers to find what they need. The blog is still on the web for anyone to read, but the $2.99 book will save writers lots of time.

Early on, DeMuth was frustrated when an author she was friends with was unwilling to share the knowledge she'd gained on her own journey. DeMuth was determined to share what she learned with others, helping writers along, instead of viewing them as competition.

DeMuth's ebook is rising quickly in the Amazon rankings. This is likely due to the short, easy-to-digest sections. It's a great book to read in the small gaps of time in a writer's day. If you have a Kindle, you can carry it anywhere. Those without Kindles don't need to feel left out. Just download the free Kindle software to smartphones and computers.

The book is broken down into the promised 11 secrets:

·      Learn the craft

·      Develop discipline

·      Know the publishing industry

·      Welcome critique

·      Write great queries and proposals

·      Embrace marketing

·      Overcome fear and rejection

·      Understand the key players

·      Navigate writers conferences

·      Excel in your genre

·      Thrive in your career

Each section is chock full of tips, with examples and explanations. Things like:

·      Why published writers are ‘allowed’ to break the rules

·      A hilarious essay on avoiding clichés

·      What is ‘negation’ and why authors should avoid it

·      How to improve your writing by ‘writing nekkid’

The ebook also comes with three bonus sections. The first examines the excuses writers give for why they're not published yet. Bonus section two lists quick writing advice, and section three tells DeMuth's own fascinating story of the road to publication.

If you browse the Wanna Be Published site, you'll see the benefit of an organized book drawn from years of faithful blogging. DeMuth, a big supporter of writers helping writers, also has a resource page on her website with all kinds of free downloads, including a query tutorial. She also sells to excellent tutorials for writers: one is a fiction proposal tutorial, and the other is a nonfiction proposal tutorial. And for writers interested in publishing their own ebook, DeMuth shares a free article: Publish Your Ebook in 7 Simple Steps.

I'm thankful for DeMuth's journey and how willing she is to share it with the rest of us.  

Do you want to be that kind of writer?