Seacoast History Blog #26
January 16, 2009

The NH Writer’s Project recently asked me to talk about writing history with a panel of three other authors. We each were given 10 minutes, so I scribbled a few notes. But like Woody Allen, I have trouble keeping a straight face on serious topics, so I entitled my remarks "Sleep With the Archivist & Other Tips for History Writers". Then I mocked up a fake dust jacket in Photoshop for a book of the same name and wrapped it around and old hardcover. I’m not sure anyone else thought it was funny, but it cracked me up. Historians, from what I can see, take themselves way too seriously. (Continued below) 

Tips for History Writers

I like to add a prepositional phrase to what I do. I write history for a living. That’s something else altogether. Even most people who teach history don’t write it. And those who publish often do so for free in professional magazines that are read only by other professional historians. My stuff is designed to be consumed by normal readers. Since I’ve never actually met anyone else who writes history for a living, my advice my not be worth the pixels its printed on. Here it is all the same:

1. PLAN LIKE A PUBLISHER
   If no one wants to read your work, then no one wants to buy it. Good narrative history writing is lively and rich with character, description and plot, and short on dates, names and analysis. Readers want to know how their lives connect to the past, and expect you to transport them there. It is easier to sell nonfiction articles and books than to sell fiction. You’ll never make the kind of money that a few very successful fiction authors earn, but nonfiction work is steadier and more stable. And you don’t have to write the entire work on spec. Nonfiction editors and publishers will often make a decision about your project based on a brief proposal. But don’t propose a topic that fascinates only you. Pick one that will appeal to a large audience. Since research takes a long time, ask yourself – what will it cost me to write this book or article? How much time must I spend, and how much money will I need to earn to be fairly compensated for all the time spent? (I just worked half time on a book for three years. It succeeds financially if I can recover 1.5 years in income.) Remember that the author is among the lesser expenses in a publishing project. Therefore, the publisher needs to sell enough mags or books to cover at least 10 times your cost (usually 20 times) in order to make a profit. To determine whether your idea is financially viable, multiply the amount you need to earn by 10. If the project can return 10X your income, a publisher may be interested since he / she can cover all expenses. If it can return a profitable 20X your income, then any regional history publisher will happily pick it up. Hang on to as many rights as you can and don’t sign any contracts that don’t live up to your goals. Better to pass on a bad deal and wait for a better one. If you don’t like the offer, dicker for more income or better benefits.
   
   
2. WORK LIKE A BUSINESS PERSON
   Many writers are proud of their suffering. They write on the kitchen table. They type on both sides of the page. They work three jobs to support their "craft". Not for me. I believe that every author needs a clean well-lighted place with a door and a lock free from the noise and distractions of family and friends. I think of myself as a very small company and work from a small, but wonderful office. I work on modern equipment, must have high speed Internet access, national phone coverage, and plenty of fresh office supplies. I’m in the local chamber of commerce, subscribe to professional services, pay taxes and rent, keep a calendar and log my work hours. When a new job comes in, I set aside 10% for research expenses, another 10% for marketing future jobs and a little more for administrative costs. If you don’t invest in yourself, why should anyone else?
   
   CONTINUED
   
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