Writer Lena Katz knows the process of landing a book deal can be both wrenching and rewarding. The LA-based Katz was already a travel writing tour de force — contributing to Orbitz, the Los Angeles Times, MSNBC, and Forbes Traveler — when she decided to try her hand at a book project. After landing an agent, she spent over a year reworking her proposal and trying to rein in a publisher. Her efforts have paid off; the three books on California travel, Sip, Sun, and Snow were recently released by Globe Pequot Press. Here, Lena discusses the book proposal process, navigating the publishing world, and the celebs she interviewed along the way.
How did you get started as a writer? Do you specialize in topics other than travel?
I’ve always written, and I also was one of those weirdos who came out of high school with flawless grammar. (It has since gotten much worse.) So during my first administrative job for an Internet startup, I crossed over into copy editing fairly quickly, then convinced the owners to give me a writing job. That was the beginning.
I don’t consider myself a travel writer; I much prefer writing character-driven stuff. The more eccentric my subjects, the happier I am. I’ve interviewed an alchemist, a white witch, various sorts of scientists, artists, chefs, etc. I have a soft spot for fighters, anyone specializing in hand-to-hand combat. They’re not always the brightest, but they are such sweethearts to be around when they’re not working (so to speak).
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| “The shopping process was long and painful. I even went to New York to meet publishers, but the publisher that wound up signing me was not one of the ones I met. I got 20-plus rejections, all of which my agent forwarded to me verbatim.” |
How did you land a three-book deal with your first book project?
I got the name of an agent, Andrea Somberg of Harvey Klinger, from a friend of mine who worked with her and had nothing but great experiences. So I contacted Andrea with a quick note, [and] followed it up with an email pitch for a travel book series. She liked me as a writer but was on the fence about taking on a travel concept, but as I elaborated, she got behind the idea and asked for a full proposal. I spent the next eight months working on the most thorough and detailed proposal anyone had ever seen. It included an overview, complete table of contents, competitive analysis, demographic and marketplace statistics, links to articles and studies published on travel industry Web sites, a list of all print and Web publications with a similar focus or demographic, and five sample interviews. The entire thing wound up being about 25 pages long, not including the sample chapter.
The original proposal was for one book with the hope to spin it off into others if the first was successful. But from the start, it was obvious the concept would work better as a series. So I was asked to rework the proposal to be for a series.
The shopping process was long and painful. I even went to New York to meet publishers, but the publisher that wound up signing me was not one of the ones I met. I got 20-plus rejections, all of which my agent forwarded to me verbatim. Some of them were very nice and even requested other ideas in different genres. Peter Greenberg’s publisher said they would absolutely sign me except that I would be viewed as direct competition to him — I thought that was a big compliment considering he’s got 15 years of experience on me.
All in all, it took more than a year to write the proposal and find a buyer. By the end I was begging Andrea to stop pitching it because I couldn’t stand to have my ego crushed by one more rejection, but she said, “No, no, I have a good feeling about this. It’s going to sell.” And she was right.
What makes your series different from other travel books on California?
First of all, it’s in a completely different format than any other book. The books are organized by theme: Sip, Sun, Snow. The regions are split up by chapter, but within each chapter, I organize my material by experience. Just like a tour guide or trip planner would, I look to create cohesive three- or four-day experiences for my reader. So if you’re going to Napa with a date and you don’t really care about finding killer Cabernet — you just want a wonderful romantic getaway with no stress and lots of great scenery — then stick with the Cuddle & Canoodle venues. If you’re on the hunt for that killer Cab above all else, then do Cab Hunters. If you want to mix and match, go for it. I call it a “Choose Your Own Adventure” for grownups.
How did you manage to juggle writing three books at once, while still writing for Orbitz?
I had very patient editors on both ends, and I worked all the time. It was extremely stressful, and I wouldn’t recommend it.
| “In-house book publicists are notoriously lacksadaisical. Mine actually used inaccurate copy for my one and only press release.” |
Was it difficult to gain access to high profile subjects like Thomas Keller, Kerri Walsh, etc.?
Oh yeah. It took me months and all kinds of strategic campaigning to get some of them. But now I have them in the files forever, so it was more than worth it.
Who are some of the most interesting interview subjects you’ve had?
Gold Country and Eastern Yosemite have a high concentration of passionate lunatics. I had great fun interviewing George Wendt, the 70-year-old man who owns the biggest whitewater company in Gold Country; and John Wentworth who runs the Mammoth Lakes Parks & Trails coalition. On the completely other end of the spectrum, Chef Michel Richard in Carmel (and Hollywood… and Washington D.C.) is always a blast to interview. He played along with my “Sexy Dining Times” theme like a champ. Of the winery folks, Louis Foppiano was the most colorful. He had some great stories of bootlegging and turn-of-the-century lynch mobs. And then of the famous ones, Thomas Keller was wonderful and so was Gina Gallo, Violet Grgich… they were actually all stars. Once you got them started giving recommendations and opinions, they just didn’t stop. Chef Keller even called me back on the next day (Saturday!) so he could finish.
Did you get to steer your own course with the series?
Yes, 100 percent.
What is it like to do your own publicity for your books?
I wouldn’t if I had the choice. Unfortunately in-house book publicists are notoriously lacksadaisical. Mine actually used inaccurate copy for my one and only press release, which I had to correct. I’m a total control freak about things like that, so when I found out I decided to take it all under my own jurisdiction. I’m blessed to have a lot of publicist friends who are helping me out in all sorts of ways. Nonetheless it’s overwhelming, and I can’t wait till these books make me a millionairess and I can hire a crack PR team. Or, more likely, I scrape together enough money to hire an assistant.
What is next for you?
I just taped a segment for a new E! show, and several more shows have approached me to be a guest judge or color commentator. Plus, three treatments of my own are in development. I’m also partnering up with a San Francisco company to convert my book content into mobile format. I’m busy with a dozen magazine and Web clients. I have a couple more nonfiction books I’d like to write some day — actually the outline of one is already finished — but I’m in no hurry.
Four tips for aspiring authors on landing a book deal
1. Make your query as thorough as possible, and include a competitive analysis.
2. Think like a marketing person. You may not ever need to be one, but you will have to get readers on board.
3. Learn the basics of grammar and punctuation before you ever submit anything anywhere.
4. Stay positive. If you get 10 “No”‘s for every one “Yes,” you’re still beating the odds.
Diana Kuan is a freelance writer who divides her time between China and the U.S. She often blogs on the road for AppetiteforChina.com.
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