1.
Why did you write this book?
I wrote the book's original edition to address
an underserved population of writers that I named Spiritual Writers. Agents and
publishers in the late 90s early 2000s didn't know what to do with the material
they labeled "woo woo." The "spiritual writers" journey was
familiar to me as I had been pursuing a spiritual path, teaching spiritual
development classes, and knowing the struggles and obstacles these writers
faced as they tried to straddle the fence between spirituality and mainstream.
The most encouraging experience was when I began
teaching writing as a spiritual journey at writers conferences along with the
nuts and bolts of publishing. I had the advantage of being in the industry and
wanted to share my knowledge of how things worked to provide these new voices
with a guidebook for navigating this path to publication.
Another aspect of the book was to share my
spiritual beliefs regarding the journey to soul awakening. While I would never
claim to know everything, I trusted the spiritual download I received while
teaching classes as providing a viable blueprint for why we are here. It made
logical and esoteric sense, and I have gained a greater understanding of this
information over the years.
I call these the seven lessons of Soul Odyssey.
I plan to continue exploring how these relate to our lives beyond writers who
want to be spiritual messengers.
2. What is it about and who is it really
for?
The book is about navigating the
spiritual path and becoming professional enough to bring your work to the publishing
world. The book's first part challenges spiritual writers to become pure
vessels for higher vibrational information while transcending the human ego.
Ego, in the sense of the Seven Lessons of Soul Odyssey, is when someone wants
to be the message instead of being a messenger.
There is nothing wrong with
wanting to be successful. However, the book stresses the need to pursue the
exchange of ideas with an acknowledgment that it is a sacred responsibility.
Words have energy. Many charismatic leaders have led people off their paths and
have become the object of worship. The book tries to encourage readers to find
their specific Divine inner voice to bring forth their unique message.
The remaining chapters provide a
comprehensive look at all aspects of publishing. I have personally been on all
sides as an author of thirteen traditionally published books, a literary agent
curating titles, an indie publisher, and a bookseller. I share what I have
learned and include alternatives to traditional publishing and how to build an
online platform. The internet was not the tool it is now when I wrote the first
edition so I hope this information helps writers find their audience.
3.
What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book?
My first hope is for the book to
inspire readers to look at their lives differently. The Seven Lessons help us
understand our vulnerabilities and how the same circumstances repeat as we try
to grow our souls. They are like developmental stages we see in children as
they learn to navigate the world.
I also stress that people on the
spiritual path can't trick the system. The universe and our Spirit Guides
provide the circumstances that will help us make the choices to learn the
lessons. We also may not need to learn all seven. Perhaps some have been
learned early in life or even during other incarnations. Whatever you believe.
I know that when I read someone's lessons, only three may repeat for them. I
call this a soul progression. It has gotten to the point where I can feel their
spiritual vulnerabilities but rely on guidance for the exact answers to know I
am objective.
I can't explain how I do the soul
progression readings but I hope learning about the lessons will help raise
awareness that there is a pattern to our lives and a benevolent Source guides
us.
I also hope that people with a
message can successfully find ways to become professionals. There are so many
more challenges in the publishing world that many good writers will not find
traditional publishers. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of scams. So, I
have included alternatives to conventional publishing, how to find your reading
tribe, and discern who to work with to meet your goals.
Self-protection is one of the
Seven Lessons, and it often comes into play when people are so anxious to be
published that they choose to work with people who will gladly take their money
and provide little in return. The best thing is for writers to learn how the
industry works so they have more information to use during their due diligence.
4. How did you decide on your book’s title
and cover design?
The book is a long-awaited second
edition of a book I first wrote in the early 2000s so I chose to keep the
title. I had an original book cover I liked, but I wanted to shift the energy.
I went through many incarnations of this cover and even had a different version
in the catalog. However, it didn't feel right. So I worked with my cover
designer until we developed a cover that felt like and conveyed the right
energy. Color, image, and style are essential as they are part of the message.
5. What advice or words of wisdom do you
have for fellow writers?
I worked hard to include all the
practical advice I have learned over the years into the book. However, writer
to writer, I recommend not comparing yourself to anyone else. Focus inward and
don't look at what other people are writing. When I was young and not yet
published, I always sensed that time was passing me by. Learn to trust Divine
timing but don't be reluctant to take on writing jobs for the experience even
if they seem uninspired. If you are led to something, it can teach you skills
and lead to something else. Become a working writer and recognize that there
will always be a learning curve. Your spiritual path and writing path are linked
and you will continue to grow.
6.
What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the
book publishing industry is heading?
There are fewer
opportunities for new writers to break through into what used to be called the
midlist. It is not impossible, but to achieve these contracts, writers need to
be professional and eliminate all the issues that would cause them to be
dismissed out of hand. Writing may seem glamorous, but it is hard work, and
publishing is a business. Even prominent publishers with the most visible books
will rely on the authors to promote them. So as much as it is not as exciting,
writers must also learn to be marketers or bring people on who can help them
create "platforms."
I have provided a
section on online marketing in the book to help writers understand how the
internet can help them bridge the gap, show their book should exist, and has a
readership they can reach. I don't think there have ever been as many
opportunities for writers to compete with those who are household words. The
pandemic changed things. Talk shows are not the only way to promote. Having an
engaged tribe online can go a long way toward landing a deal. It is also a way
for those who publish alternatively to sell books to their targeted audiences.
7.
Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in
handy when writing this book?
The book is a reflection of my
life experiences. The first part is about my spiritual path and what I learned.
Then, I share the challenges, inspirations, and obstacles I encountered. The
rest of the book is based on all I have learned through experiences in the
industry, my education as a lawyer/journalist and through the classes I took in
a mini-MBA program at Rutgers in Social media strategy, digital marketing
strategy, and entrepreneurship. I have also had the advantage of collaborating
on a front-list top book with a major publisher. It allowed me to experience
what a publisher will and won't do, even for their major titles. I also learned
a lot about the film and documentary industry, which is essential to marketing
certain titles.
My experience writing someone
else's memoir showed me how to infuse spirituality into books that seem to have
nothing to do with it. A spiritual writer doesn't need to write about spiritual
subjects. Instead, it is a way of centering and assuring that the product
reflects the highest vibrations and has some meaningful way to help those who
read the work.
8.
How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is
your writing similar to?
My preferred writing style is
conversational and descriptive, with anecdotes and illustrations. I was trained
as a lawyer and a journalist, so I tend to write in an organized manner. The
training has helped me coach writers because I can see when their structure is
not symmetrical. Writing needs to be logical, even when it is creative.
My favorite style is creative
nonfiction. I have not entirely bridged into fiction, but creative nonfiction
has many similar aspects. While in journalism school, I concentrated on what
was then called literary journalism or "new" journalism. The style is
well-suited for memoirs. The books I write tend to be memoirs couched in
visible historical events, so they are combined with exposition and context of
time and place.
I aspire to be like Truman Capote
and Joan Didion. However, I think I have developed my own style. When I wrote Member
of the Family: My Story of Charles Manson, Life Inside his Cult and the
Darkness that Ended the Sixties with Dianne Lake, I learned about pacing
and storytelling for this book. Dianne, the youngest member of the cult, did
not participate in the crimes but testified against them. It was her story and
mostly my writing, and it was highly gratifying to bring her voice to life. I
would say this is the best example of my writing style. Fortunately, I am
working on similar projects and hope they will serve as cautionary tales.
9. What challenges did you overcome in the
writing of this book?
I planned to revise the book over
the years as it had become obsolete. However, when I sat down to rewrite, I
realized I needed to change almost every word. It took much longer than
expected, and I put my heart into it. This book is essential to me. I love the
other books I write, but this one has the most of my true personality,
philosophy, and legacy I want to provide for writers in the future.
10. If people can buy or read one book this
week or month, why should it be yours?
If a reader identifies as
spiritual but not a writer, I believe they will still find a great deal that
will resonate and inspire them. Writing a journal can help them connect to
their Spirit guides and higher consciousness. I provide exercises at the
beginning of the book regarding the Seven Lessons of Soul Odyssey. These
lessons apply to anyone and are the most genuine reflection of my
philosophy.
Writers of any ilk will benefit
from the book as it is comprehensive about the publishing world and how to
succeed. I identify spiritual writers, but creativity comes from the Source of
all creation, whether someone identifies it that way or not. I have worked
alongside my husband Jeff Herman, a literary agent responsible for guiding over
half a million writers' careers with his yearly tome, Jeff Herman's Guide to
Book Publishers, Editors, and Literary Agents. We have also co-authored the
book Write the Perfect Book Proposal: Ten Proposals that Worked and Why,
which has sold over 250,000 copies. It changed the way authors write this
essential publishing tool.
This book is another addition to
writer’s shelves, providing guidance and practical advice.
About The Author: Deborah Levine Herman is a bestselling
author, publisher, former literary agent, and intuitive writing coach who
guides writers on their journeys. As a gifted spiritual teacher, an expert at
author branding, and someone skilled in navigating the modern publishing world,
Herman helps writers discover their spiritual writing path. She has authored 13 books and has dedicated
her 25-plus year career in publishing to writer education. In her latest book,
Spiritual Writing from Inspiration to Publication 2nd Edition, she embarks on
her own mission as a mystic to combine her spiritual journey with the writer’s
path. Herman is the CEO of Micro Publishing Media (MPM), an indie publishing
company. She is also a lawyer, a journalist, and wrote the number-one Amazon bestseller
My Story of Charles Manson, Life Inside his Cult and the Darkness that Ended
the Sixties (William Morrow) which has received over 1000 five-star reviews.
This book helped make Herman a memoir-writing expert. She’s appeared in
documentaries as a cult expert. For more information, please see: https://www.soulodysseybooks.com
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About Brian Feinblum
Brian Feinblum should be followed on Twitter
@theprexpert. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2023. Born and
raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and
Ferris, a black lab rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer
and IBPA’s The Independent. This
award-winning blog has generated over 3.3 million pageviews. With 4,400+ posts
over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by
BookBaby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018
as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by
www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades,
including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book
publicity firm, and two jobs at two independent presses, Brian has worked with
many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with
best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen,
Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard,
Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C.
Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He recently hosted a
panel on book publicity for Book Expo America, and has spoken at ASJA,
Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction
Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland)
Writers Association, APEX, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association.
His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal,
USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News
(Westchester) and The Washington Post. He has been featured in The
Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald. For more information, please consult:
www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum.
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