Bookpleasures.com welcomes as our guest Megan Close Zavala. Megan has worked with New York Times and internationally bestselling authors during her years in the publishing industry. 

She has spoken at writers' conferences nationwide and has trained hundreds of authors on all things book- and publishing-related.  A bibliophile all her life, she is thrilled to have found a career niche that lets her read for a living, while also helping authors take their writing from good to great!  For book coaching and writing advice.

 Norm: Good day Megan and thanks for participating in our interview.

What has been your greatest challenge (professionally) that you’ve overcome in getting to where you’re at today?

Megan: My greatest challenge has been discovering my niche and how I can use my skill set to most effectively help people.  I’ve been a lifelong booklover and have provided freelance editing services for most of my professional life, but it was really through learning the ins and outs of the publishing industry that I discovered how I can best connect with authors.  It has taken a good chunk of time, and many ups and downs, but I am thrilled with where I have “ended up.”

Norm: What trends in the book world do you see and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading?   

Megan: So many authors are pursuing alternate methods for publishing, for one, which is both exciting and scary to watch.  More than anything else, though, the publishing world is looking for fresh voices – both publishing companies and readers of all kinds are screaming for them.  This is a great time to be bringing a unique viewpoint/story/character/writing style to the marketplace.

Norm: What do you think of the Internet market for writers?

Megan: I think the great thing about the publishing industry today is that there are so many options available to authors.  Not everyone has to follow the same, crowded path. But it’s important for authors to be informed consumers and to be clear on the risks and benefits of whatever path they go down, in addition to being honest with themselves about what they are willing to invest (money-, energy- and time-wise) in the process.

Norm: How do you feel about Ebooks vs. print books and alternative vs. conventional publishing?

Megan: I think traditional publishing is still worth pursuing, but that an author should again be an informed consumer before selecting which method is of interest to them.  I’ve met so many authors that get understandably frustrated with the process of trying to be traditionally published that they announce they are going to thumb their noses and self-publish.  But that carries its own challenges. Generally, when you self-publish an author may retain more creative control, but the entirety of the marketing falls on the author, despite a self-publishing company’s claims, and that can be an ugly wake up call for an author to receive.

There is no “shame” in self-publishing, and it shouldn’t be looked at as a last resort, either.  There are many quality options out there, it just comes down to how much work you’re ready to put in.  Self-publishing can be great if an author already has an established audience (for example, many professional speakers self-publish and then make the majority of their sales at their events).

Norm: What is a book coach, how do you become one and how do you help authors? As a follow up, what is the most important thing that people don't know about book coaching, that they need to know?

Megan: While I do provide editorial services and spend significant time working with an author on their actual book projects, I also help them create a game plan that will get them from the first page to the last page, and into the hands of readers, and stay sane in the process.  That comes from identifying blocks (what might be holding them back) and giving them the tools they need to move past them. It is really easy to say “I don’t have time to write” or “the marketplace is so crowded, there’s no room for me” and leave it at that, but the world needs stories, and I’m here to help get them out there.  I provide a lot of encouragement as well, of course. I say being a book coach is equal parts editor, therapist and cheerleader.

Many authors think that they will only need help after the book has been written, and that they want to get help as cheaply as possible. I can completely understand, but it’s important that they realize how much these thoughts can hurt them.  It’s so much easier to diagnose an issue in a book early on than having to go back and make enormous changes during the editing process. And I see a lot of authors think they’re saving money by hiring an editor on the cheap (or for free), but often that means the editing job is basically only as good as the money they’ve paid.  And often they have to go and hire another editor, and so on.

While I work with authors at all stages of their writing journeys, I like to get in there as soon as possible, so I can really help them get their book written, polished, and out there as quickly and effectively as possible.

Norm: Was training authors always a career move for you or did it grow into one?

Megan: It definitely grew into one.  I started out in the entertainment industry, working in reality TV and film, but eventually realized that was not the path for me.  After the quintessential life-changing trip to India, I realized that the publishing industry was calling me. I started at a literary agency as an assistant and eventually became an agent, and that’s when I started working one-on-one with authors.  I enjoined lecturing and doing trainings at conferences, and that is when I realized the need and desire to help authors at all stages of their writing journeys. (As being a literary agent is commission-based, agents can generally only “afford” to work with clients who are 100% ready to pitch to publishers.)

Norm: What do you find most useful in learning to write? What is the least useful or most destructive?

Megan: It’s certainly not new advice, or even remotely profound, but my advice for learning to write is to WRITE.  Every day. The more an author does it, the better they get. Most authors have day jobs, families to pay attention to, and other commitments, and it’s important that they figure out a system that works for them so that they can get time to practice.  Maybe that means getting up earlier or writing on the train ride home, but it’s important that they give themselves that time.

Authors should never stop reading.  Even if they’re reading something in a different genre than theirs, they are still exposing them to people writing and putting their craft out there.  This can be a conscious or unconscious source of inspiration.

The most destructive thing I see authors doing is investing money in the miracle products/courses that promise overnight success.  At the end of the day, getting a book written and published is work – it takes blood, sweat and tears, and if an author isn’t prepared to give that, then they can’t reasonably expect to have the same level of success as authors who are.

Norm: How does an author know when to stop revising?

Megan: That’s tricky, because most writers (me included) can chip at something ad infinitum, usually with diminishing returns.  While the majority of the editing is done by the author, it’s really important to have people helping you throughout the editing process.  That includes readers and book coaches like me. As far as readers go, I always suggest choosing someone who loves you and someone who doesn’t to read the material.  

The former can make you feel good about yourself and the latter can be honest. Authors should make sure that whoever they have reading and giving feedback is experienced in the genre they are writing in (for example, you’re not going to get quality feedback on your next addition to the Star Wars saga from a reader who isn’t a fan of sci-fi).  Book coaches help with editing, as well, but also with assessing the author’s ultimate goals for their book and helping them get there. At the end of the day, you want to make sure that your book will connect with your audience. Nothing will be 100% perfect, but if you can feel sufficiently confident that you’ve conveyed your message (whether that is the story/characters for a fiction book and thesis for a nonfiction book), then it’s time to move on to the next step.

Norm: What do you believe makes a book stand out from the crowd?

Megan: Wendy Keller, my agenting mentor, uses the acronym “NDBM” to answer this question – new, different, better, or more.  There are rarely, if ever, brand-new story or book ideas, but what sets a project apart is the author’s take on it. If it’s a dieting book, how is the author reaching out to their audience in a different way?  What unique expertise to do they bring to the subject matter? If it’s a romance novel, what twist does the author bring to the genre? (This doesn’t necessarily mean a “twist” ending, of course.) There are so many books in the “unreliable narrator” subgenre now, and it’s exciting to see an author who uses their skills to pay tribute to that style and then add their own flair. It’s really important for authors to do their research on comparable titles – that’s as easy as going to Barnes & Noble or their local bookstore, figuring out where their book would sit, and then assessing the titles in that same section.  What earns those books a place on bookstore shelves? What does the author’s book offer that is different or better?

Norm: What would you like to say to writers who are reading this interview and wondering if they can keep creating, if they are good enough, if their voices and visions matter enough to share?

Megan: They absolutely can keep creating, and it is essential that they should.  When creative people don’t use their gifts, it can affect them mentally AND physically.  My main advice is this – remember why you fell in love with writing. You should have a rough idea of the ultimate goal of your book (i.e. what you want the story to say and how you want to publish), but they should focus on writing.  They can have a day where they write three sentences and they’re awful, but as long as they are writing they are creating, and they will get better every day. There is room in the world for their book and their talent – someone somewhere is looking for their exact voice.  It may not be the first person who reads their book or even the fifth, but they are out there.

Authors are exceptionally good at beating themselves up, but it’s important to cut themselves some slack.  Like I said, there are good days and bad days, but books bring so much to the world, and it is essential that new voices enter the marketplace.

It is also important to not feel like they have to carry the burden alone.  Writing is generally a very solitary profession, but in addition to working with someone like me, authors can find a lot of support from writers’ groups, conferences, and so on.

Norm: Many people have the skills and drive to write a book, but failure to market and sell the book the right way is probably what keep a lot of people from finding success. Do you have any suggestions that have been effective in promoting books?  

Megan: My #1 piece of advice is to figure out how your potential readers are receiving information and then how you can reach them in a way that works for you.  For example, perhaps an author will notice that many of the successful fellow authors in their genre are connecting with their audiences through their websites/blogs.  Or perhaps it is through a social media channel like Instagram. The author should follow suit but shouldn’t try to do all things at once – while it’s good to have a social media presence across all platforms, for example, if you excel at one platform over others, and you are connecting with fans/potential readers, you should focus your attention on that area.

Also, it’s important to accept marketing as a constant part of the process.  As mentioned before, writing is such a solitary business that it is often difficult for authors to switch gears and think of their books as products that need to be sold.  It is essential to accept that mindset, though it does take some practice. And it is important to be working on connecting with readers throughout your writing journey, even before the book is finished and edited and ready to be placed in the hands of readers.  It takes time to build an audience and isn’t something that’s easy to just do when you’re done writing.

Norm: Where can our readers find out more about you and your services?

Megan: They can read more about me and my COMPANY and on social media Facebook; Twitter: and Instagram.  Or they are welcome to drop me a line at megan@turnthepagebookcoaching.com.

Norm: What projects are you working on at the present?

Megan: I am so lucky in that I get to work with authors writing in so many different genres.  I’ve recently worked with an author who has published a marketing book, someone who is writing a self-help book, an author of short stories, and someone whose passion is helping people navigate the healthcare industry.  And I’m always pursuing new ways of connecting with authors and building my own skillset. I’m an author, too, and have been working on a detective novel in my spare time for a while.

Norm: Would you like to add anything else for our readers that we have not covered?

Megan: No; I just want to encourage them to keep writing and creating, even if some days it seems like a published book is very much in the distant future.  Reading brings so much happiness, entertainment and healing to so many people, and the world is hungry for books and stories. Don’t let readers miss out on yours.

Norm: Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions. It's been an absolute pleasure to meet with you.