A Practical Guide for Writers of Astrology

by Frank C. Clifford

The ultimate guide to getting your work published from one of the world’s leading writers and publishers in astrology.

In this article I’ll be discussing the various ways in which astrologers can get their work published – whether it’s a book, article, blog, or Sun sign column – and offering advice about approaching magazines and publishers. I’ll also provide some tips on how to start the writing process and to discover your niche as a writer.

This is a vast subject and there are plenty of websites and books dedicated to writing and getting published. But here I’d like to focus on what I’ve learned on my journey as a writer and publisher in the area of astrology. I’d like to thank my astrologer friends Jane Struthers and Diana McMahon-Collis, both of whom have much experience in publishing and were generous in sharing their ideas for this article.

Know your strengths

There are so many astrology blogs and how-to websites, not to mention the vast array of astrology books already out there. If I need a reminder, I just take a look at how many read (and unread) books I have on my bookshelves! You and I are blessed to be in a field where there are so many bright, intelligent professionals teaching and writing, and in which there are as a result many high-quality astrology books in print. So, before going any further, it’s worth asking whether you feel you really have something to write that will make people sit up and pay attention. What will you add that is new or innovative to the canon? Once you’ve pinpointed your strengths as an astrologer, can you write something that’s fresh, original and stimulating…something that hasn’t already been done – and done better – by others?

The first step is to take an honest look at what you’re able to do. If you have important ideas to share but writing is not your forte, you can invest in a writing course to practise and hone ways to communicate your astrological knowledge. While you’re building your confidence as a writer, you can always present your material through recordings or transcriptions of your seminars and talks.

Write what you know

Like most people who publish, I simply love books: their feel, shape, smell, and design. In May 1997, soon after turning twenty-four, I self-published my first book. I’d been studying astrology for eight years and I knew that any attempt to compete with what was already on the market would be foolish. But I felt I could contribute something new, so I decided to write on what I knew best and what interested me most at the time. I published a book of celebrity data and biographies and called it British Entertainers: The Astrological Profiles. With each set of data, I provided some biography, key life dates and astrological commentary about a given performer.

I already knew the area well. I had begun working with Lois Rodden, who led the field in cataloguing accurate astrological data, and was aware that there was a small but interested market out there. In 1996, I contacted hundreds of British celebrities for their data, skimmed through thousands of newspaper interviews I’d been filing away, and bought lots of biographies (this was before the internet was The Internet). Over the next six months, I proceeded to write the 700 short profiles that comprised the book.

By early 1997, I had bought a couple of self-publishing how-to books and got myself an ISBN number and barcode. I laid out the book myself using QuarkXPress and I sought out friends to help me with three essential tasks: copy editing (spotting mistakes and making revisions), proof-reading (checking the finished product before print), and cover design. I then approached a printer, which led to a first print run of around 800 copies arriving at my door in late May. All of a sudden, I was a publisher! The book was never going to be a mass-market best seller, but it sold steadily over the next few years, thanks to specialist bookshops and advertising through The Astrological Journal. (Had I had the courage to lecture at this point, I imagine I would have shifted these copies faster.)

As a young, enthusiastic Aries, I now rushed forward and began publishing other astrologers’ books, but I didn’t feel ready to write my own “astrological magnum opus.” I wrote two books on palmistry (modern hand analysis) for mainstream publishers in 2002 and 2003, and some small self-published volumes on astrology, but the idea that I could write a full-length book that would be placed on bookshelves next to those of the great astrologers…well, that seemed like a long way off. It was. It took me fifteen years from my first self-publication to write and publish a full-length textbook on astrology (Getting to the Heart of Your Chart). I stayed away until I had found my own voice through lecturing, teaching, consulting, and writing articles for various magazines. And, of course, until I had learned more as an astrologer.

Be curious

Some astrologers proudly proclaim, “I haven’t read an astrology book in years.” To me, this comes across as arrogant or ignorant (or both). They sound as though they’ve stopped learning. I think it’s imperative that we read others’ work and stay open to different approaches and the latest developments. Keeping curious and interested are the keys to being a good astrologer and writer.

Other astrologers say, “I don’t read other people’s work because I don’t want to be derivative.” In fact, exploring the subject as fully as possible stops you from ending up that way! I continue to attend lectures on subjects that interest me – and subjects I’d like to write about. But if I see someone doing a better job than I potentially could, I think, “I’ll buy their book – or offer to publish it when they’re ready.”

So, I suggest you read books, blogs and articles on your favourite subjects and by the authors you admire. Devour as much as you can. Your writing will be a reflection of the work that’s shaped you, and at best you will take these ideas into new realms. Keep reading, keep learning, keep adding to your knowledge. Stay interested and involved.

“You gotta get a gimmick”

In showbiz circles, it’s always been good to have a skill or specialism that attracts interest and publicity. It’s important to stand out from the crowd if you want to be noticed. But it’s easy to be typecast, and we astrologers are as guilty of this as anyone else: “Oh, you’re the Chiron lady,” or, “You’re the guy that’s into Eris.” But if you’re trying to sell and promote your ideas and to become familiar to others in the community, then it’s better to be known for something than have people ask, “What is it you do, again?”

That data kid

For the longest time (because of my research into birth times, my first data book and the Clifford Data Compendium I compiled for the Solar Fire software) I was for many people “the data guy” – the one they would call for a celebrity’s birth data or confirmation of an accurate birth time. In recent years the immediate association has been for my work on solar arc directions, chart synthesis and easy ways to spot patterns in the horoscope. These areas interest me, and I enjoy lecturing on them. I’ve felt that I have had something new to say, so I’ve run with it!

So, give this some thought. What is it that people already know you for? What interests you most now? And if you have the time to write a book, article, or blog, which subject would take priority?

Think small and specific

It’s best not to make your first writing project your magnum opus. It can be too great a hurdle, take too long to write, and you may have to field that inevitable but frustrating question, “How’s the book going?” If completed, it might be rambling and end up far too subjective, forgetting the audience it was written for. And, in all honesty, who would buy a large how-to, reinvention-of-the-wheel tome from an unknown when they can pick up volumes by their favourite, established astrology writers?

My advice would be to find a specialised area of astrology, lecture on it, and explore fresh ways of communicating it to an audience. Then, write your first article on this subject and seek feedback from colleagues you respect. The next stage would be to create a small volume (to self-publish or offer to a publisher) on this subject. If a book (or booklet) is done well and the subject attracts attention, you may be invited to talk on the subject for various astrology groups and, as your audience grows, they’ll await further publications from you.

I began writing 40-page booklets (in full colour and professionally printed) about eight years ago. I find them easier to write, edit and lay out, and they are designed to give readers instant access to an area of astrology. My first booklet was on the predictive method of solar arc directions. As an Aries, I saw it as a challenge to communicate the essentials of this powerful tool succinctly and effectively in 40 pages. The booklets have gone down a storm because they are inexpensive, quick to read, and accessible. From the feedback I’ve had, readers grab one of my booklets off their shelves, place it in a bag to read on a journey, and devour it in one sitting. It’s also short enough to read it cover to cover again.

Starting to write

“The art of writing is the art of applying the seat of one’s pants to the seat of one’s chair” –
Mary Heaton Vorse

There are many websites offering writing tips and techniques – check these out. But most importantly: get started and stay on task.

Begin with setting some boundaries. Commonly, friends and family think that because you’re writing and working from home, you’re available for chats at any time of day. Let them know you’re working. You need to find a quiet place to write where you won’t be disturbed. Close your email program, keep the Internet on (for research!), or go to the library and check the accuracy of facts and references.

Dedicate at least a couple of hours during a day to brainstorming and mind-mapping sections, and getting key ideas down on paper. Start with the essentials – the meaty bit of the article/book – and then gradually build around these. (It’s often helpful to leave the introduction to the end until the rest of the text has taken shape – and keep this introduction short.) Organise work into chapters and sub-sections and remember to back up your files!

Get up and walk around – take some breaks for the ideas to percolate – but return later and continue writing. Keep writing – even if it’s coming out back to front! You can return to it and rearrange, expand, cut, edit, and fine-tune later. There’ll be a nugget or two there, even if it seems hopeless as you’re writing. Churn it out and thrash it out!

It’s been said that if you want to write a good article, write 500 because no one can write 500 bad ones. At first, the quality doesn’t matter – it’s about finding your voice and practising your craft.

If you’re stuck on a section, leave it – print it out and read it later. But keep the process going by beginning work on another section. Move on – you’ll have plenty of time to fine-tune everything later as you wade through a number of drafts. On the other hand, if thoughts are running away with themselves, record them into a dictaphone or mind-map them to help put these spontaneous ideas into a framework. Keep a notebook and pen for when you’re away from the computer.

Enjoy the Process

If you haven’t already read Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, check it out – it’s designed to help you gain confidence in your talents and skills. Make writing a joy – enjoy the process of discovery and the connections you make. So many people turn the process into a hard slog, becoming too self-conscious in the process. The very thought of “writing a book” turns eloquent lecturers into writers of long, convoluted sentences who lose their voice while trying to be authoritative or to justify their opinion. Say it simply; imagine you’re writing to a friend. Often astrologers write as though they’re handing out abbreviated lecture notes or make the assumption that readers already know what they mean. When astrology writers get stuck in this way, my advice for those who lecture is to go back and listen to their classes and talks and see how freely they’ve expressed themselves there. I recommend they transcribe these or use them as the basis of the first draft. It’s worthwhile capturing this easy, more colloquial approach on paper and then shaping it to fit the intended style of the article or chapter. Those who lecture and write often find it a great compliment to hear a student or reader say, “When I read your book, I can hear you speak.”

Writing is a discipline. The professional writers I know treat it as a regular job, taking a cup of coffee to the desk and writing in the morning, breaking for lunch, and continuing to write in the afternoon. Even with that vital routine established, I don’t know many “natural” writers for whom the genius flows from page to page – the rest of us need to work hard to make it look easy.

Don’t worry too much about what other writers do. Some will produce 3000 words a day before lunchtime, four to five days a week. Others will write nothing for weeks then blaze through 500 or 1000 words a day for an intense few weeks (usually prompted by something called “the deadline”). There’s no one way or right way – only your way. Most astrologers have to balance their day job, client work, and teaching with time for writing, but if you want to produce something, you’ll have to make time in your schedule every week to write and hone your craft.

Rewrites

Writing the book or article is only the first stage. Be prepared to go back and edit – over and over again. Keep a thesaurus by your desk (or open on your computer). Check your work (spelling, grammar, punctuation, syntax) scrupulously. Print out your text (choose an unusual font so it looks different) and read it aloud to yourself. Or read it to someone else – that way you’ll spot mistakes and realise that some of your explanations don’t make sense to your listener or might be presumptuous. Keep polishing the text without losing its rhythm or your own voice. Improve your English by reading cleverly crafted newspaper views, reviews, and interviews. All writers learn their craft by practising – by doing it.

Speaking of editing, a few years ago I commissioned a number of astrology articles for a magazine. I knew that all of the contributors were great astrologers, but some were not natural writers. I spent much time reworking one article in particular – in fact, I rewrote it completely. The writer took a look and was so impressed with what he’d thought he’d written – it sounded just like what he’d imagined in his own head – that he later emailed wanting the finished version for his new book. If he’d taken the time to see what had been improved upon and compared it to his original version, it may have helped his future writings.

Writing – the discipline, the craft, the application – can be a mix of blood, sweat, and tears. However much we write, it’s still hard work, but the process does become easier – and over time we learn to trust that something decent will emerge from the effort.

Writing blogs

Blogs are your chance to be on an equal footing with other writers, and to have free rein to produce what you want. The way to distinguish yourself from the 1001 other blogs and bloggers is to develop your own authentic voice and specialism. The Internet has thousands of astrology blogs, and often “free content” is content-free. You’ll encounter blogs with interpretations that defy belief (“Venus–Saturn aspects mean you’ll never have financial security and will never be loved”), so start by looking at some ethical, well written blogs online: the late Donna Cunningham’s Sky Writer is comprehensive and student-geared (with a section of great advice on how to write), Penny Thornton’s Astrolutely offers insights into mundane (world) events, and Barry Goddard’s Astrotabletalk is fun, no-nonsense, and opinionated. There are many more to discover.

If you want to write a blog, ensure that you have a warm, accessible “About Me” section on your site. It needs a conversational tone, and it’s usually the first section people go to. Readers want to know who you are, and they want to know they can trust and respect your words. In short, they’re looking to make a connection (as a reader or potential client). And don’t forget to have it proof-read by someone who knows what they’re doing – you and your blog will look amateurish if it’s riddled with bad spelling and grammar.

Before writing a blog, you might want to contribute to various forums (for instance, Deborah Houlding’s Skyscript is a great website for those interested in traditional astrology) or to join various astrology groups on Facebook. The problem is that you may encounter some arrogant, condescending trolls who “know it all” – the type who turns simple discussions about the meanings of planetary placements into all-out war. You’ll need a tough skin if you get involved in forums, but they can be useful in finding out who’s doing what in the community.

Do people actually read blogs? Well, I’m told that commissioning agents hunt around for new authors, books, and ideas by checking out blogs. They are also more inclined to pursue a writer who has a large following on their blog or on Twitter (see below in Getting Published).

Writing for magazines

If you’re interested in having an article published, there are several high quality astrological publications to choose from, and some reach a large number of astrologers and students. The best way to start is to look at the magazines you admire most, or to consider those that publish articles in your specialism. For instance, if your area of interest and expertise is the history of astrology, then the UK-based academic journal Culture and Cosmos may be the first place to start. If it’s academic research, then perhaps Correlation. You might be wanting to write Sun sign pieces for tabloid newspapers or non-astrology magazines. In these cases, competition is tough and there may already be an in-house astrologer or new age writer. You’ll need a “hook” and an immediate, accessible writing style that is in line with the publication you’re pursuing. When I’ve been featured in tabloids and broadsheets, it’s usually been in the form of an interview or profile of my work or reporting on the “accuracy” of a reading I’ve done for the publication’s freelance journalist.

Some astrology magazines

Member-led organisations such as the NCGR (National Council for Geocosmic Research), the AA (Astrological Association [in Great Britain]), and ISAR (International Society for Astrological Research) have their own well produced publications. NCGR has the Geocosmic Journal, the AA has its prestigious The Astrological Journal, and ISAR produces International Astrologer. Most won’t pay authors for articles, but they can offer good publicity for your work (or a place to advertise your own publications and blogs). All three of the above provide space for articles and letters/discussions in email newsletters (E-News and Memberletter from NCGR, In the Loop from the AA, and E-Zine from ISAR). The Federation of Australian Astrologers has its FAA Journal,and there are numerous newsletters (such as Horizons and Mercury Messenger) from local Australian groups featuring articles and adverts for their upcoming events and speakers. And The Astrological Lodge of London has its Quarterly, now published sporadically. There are also some non-English publications that will translate and publish your articles (a while back I was introduced to AstroLogos in Finland and recall a Serbian publication with the same name).

Dell Horoscope (a UK version was published for many years simply as Horoscope) offers a mix of articles for the “pop” end of the astrology market, as do Soul & Spirit (in the UK)and Horoscope Guide (originally American Astrology).In Australia, WellBeing magazine produces its own glossy Wellbeing Astrology guide each year under the editorship of Kelly Surtees and offers an eclectic, well-chosen range of ”going further” articles, rather than just The Year Ahead for the twelve Sun signs. And in the UK, there are also Mind, Body, Spirit (MBS) titles such as Kindred Spirit.

The Mountain Astrologer

I’ve been fortunate enough to have had some involvement with almost all of the above publications and many others, but I want to single out The Mountain Astrologer magazine. It stands tall in our field because of the range and quality of its articles and authors, the care taken (and given) during the editing process, and its openness to new writers of all levels and from every astrological discipline. It also has the widest readership for a magazine of its kind. It can be bought in stores, so advertising can be effective, and its thoughtful book reviews can help promote your product. And to top it all, authors get paid for articles!

TMA’s online site has a blog and an article index (by subject, author, and chart wheel), which is very useful given how important it can be to know what’s already been published and by whom. It took me a while to submit a piece to TMA because I wanted to offer something that hadn’t been written about before and, to be frank, I was afraid of having my work rejected. I wanted my first submission to be good enough for them to want more! I finally submitted a piece in mid-2008 (on Shadow Transits), then they approached me to write a cover piece on the newly-elected President Obama, and I’ve been contributing ever since.

I say more about the editing process elsewhere in this piece, but I’m a writer who loves being edited and having my work improved – and it makes a huge difference knowing that an editor cares as much about the finished product as you do. TMA is the only magazine I’ve regularly written for where the team comes back to me with numerous questions and edits to ensure the article is as cogent and clearly expressed as it can be. Such attention to detail can, surprisingly, infuriate some writers, who take any edits or suggestions as professional slight. But the goal is to produce a piece of work that presents the writer’s research and thoughts in a clear, accessible, and intelligent way. It’s a sobering thought that most editing teams (in any area of publishing) don’t have the time or expertise to focus on this stage of the process. My advice: pursue and write for the publications that do!

For any magazine, it’s always worthwhile finding out the current editor’s email and getting in touch directly. But first, check the magazine’s website for writing and submission guidelines. The Mountain Astrologer appears to have the strictest guidelines, perhaps because of the volume of submissions they receive. On its website, TMA asks that writers send query letters that are:

One to three pages maximum — and be very specific about the proposed topic, estimated length (in words or characters-plus-spaces, not pages), and charts or illustrations to be included. The article outline should include the main points you wish to cover and sample paragraphs from various parts of the article, not just the introduction. Please provide biographical information about yourself and your work and interests, as well as how readers may contact you; your bio should be 100 words maximum, including contact information.

Unlike most other astrology magazines, TMA rarely accepts articles that have appeared elsewhere; nor does it pre-accept any article simply based on a query letter or proposal. If TMA does accept your proposal, you’ll be encouraged to submit the completed article, which the editors will then review. TMA was one of the first magazines to insist that authors present birth data with reliable, verified sources (rated by accuracy), which also appealed to me.

Sun sign work

If you’re looking for a paid Sun sign writing job with a magazine, these positions are rare and usually come via existing contacts in publishing. Publishers have “friends who know someone interested in astrology,” or are acquainted with non-astrologers who just love to write! There are many cases over the years where copy has been written by someone who knows nothing about the actual planetary movements. After three years of my being at one magazine, the editor asked if I could focus more on “predicting sex” for readers. When I avoided doing so, I was replaced by a friend of the editor who had dabbled in tarot.

I did Sun sign monthlies and weeklies (dailies would have driven me mad at the time!) for thirteen years. Over the years, the columns provided a steady income and, although it was good practice thinking of new ways to describe ingresses and aspects, the workload was heavy (especially when writing and recording forecasts because their phonelines were part of the deal). But I saw my columns as a chance to give a bit of “rough and ready” electional advice so that readers could plan weekly activities in tune with the cosmos. I also found an opportunity, at times, to reflect on the bigger picture (and wider transits). These columns were the only places where I felt free to be more directive with my astrology. In consultations I steer clear of telling clients what to do (not easy for a Sun in Aries), but in Sun sign columns it was necessary to give some advice and instruction: “This month, pay attention to…” and “This month, it’s time to put X into action.”

Nowadays, it’s rare to earn a living from these types of columns. The Sun sign market has been in decline for years because publishers feel less inclined to pay high salaries and instead are more willing to give percentage shares of revenue from phonelines, for which the astrologers are also expected to write. Some of the big-name Sun sign astrologers have phoneline deals already set up with service providers and have so many syndicated columns that they can offer these for free and instead take a good portion of the phoneline revenue.

Writing text for phonelines on the day/week/month ahead is huge work (a few minutes of reading aloud is the equivalent to 500 words on the page). When phonelines were part of my contract, I made a few notes for each sign and then ad-libbed for the duration of the recording. But unless it’s a daily column for a tabloid newspaper, the phonelines won’t generate much income – seeing a phone number every day reminds readers to call more often.

Nowadays, the choice you’ll have is to write your own Sun sign forecasts for your own blog or write them for someone’s site for no money (or for a paltry sum, a percentage of close to zero income, or in exchange for free advertising space). Then you might attract paid advertising to your own site (again, rare), or someone may see your blog and may want you to contribute to their magazine or project (ditto).

I have respect for those who write good, astrology-based (!) Sun sign columns – there’s an art to them – but it’s slave labour for many and I wouldn’t advise students to write them unless they love doing Sun signs, want to hone their writing skills, or have a unique communication style.

Your book is your ambassador

It is said that we all have “a book in us” and astrology is no different – everyone seems to be writing a book or promising to do so. There’s no doubting that having a book published lends prestige and authority to an astrologer, particularly in the eyes of the general public. The public likes to elevate all experts, even if astrology is given a bad rap from many quarters. Once a book is published, an astrologer’s credibility increases. Marketing experts tell us that having a book published acts as a powerful and personal way of branding yourself; and that writing and launching a book is one of the fastest ways to position yourself as an expert in your field. A book becomes your ambassador.

It’s the age we’re in and a result of the huge promotional impact of Oprah’s Book Club in the last two decades and the range of experts who appear on TV – everyone’s promoting something they’ve written. Of course, astrology has been big publishing business (think back to 1968 when Linda Goodman’s Sun Signs was an international bestseller, or in the late 1980s/early 1990s when Aquarian Press and Arkana put out a series of books by noted astrologers). But astrology is currently in a lull – even books that only focus on the popular, Sun sign end of the market. Many major publishers have a MBS (Mind, Body, Spirit) list of titles and the market has been saturated with “pop” Sun sign titles for years. Almost every possibility of using personal birth dates to say something about you has been published (think of the immensely popular The Secret Language of Birthdays).

Publishers are always interested in motivational and inspirational “self-help” titles that can enhance their readers’ lives. The paranormal and New Age are still popular, but we astrologers have sat back for years and watched mass-market volumes on teenage witches, feng shui, cosmic ordering/the law of attraction, and any magic book linked to the Harry Potter and Twilight films take up our space in bookstores! Astrology has been around the block forever. Luckily for us, it’s not a fad – it’s enduring but is rarely the “in” thing anymore.

Book publishers

Perhaps the days when astrology books were bestsellers are long gone, but although the market is small, it is deep – and students and teachers (if not major publishers) are always on the lookout for well-researched and well-explained books on various areas of the subject.

Check out the publishers who have put out books that have shaped your ideas, published the authors you admire, and produced covers and layouts that appeal to you. These might be mainstream publishers (who usually stick to producing Sun sign books or volumes that don’t require readers to know more than the basics) or small publishing houses that specialise in astrology, MBS or esoteric titles.

One of the most helpful books I read when starting out was the late Michael Legat’s An Author’s Guide to Publishing. I’d still recommend this book, as it covers so many aspects of publishing with candour and common sense. I’d also recommend the thorough and practical DIY book How to … Publish a Book by Robert Spicer, particularly if you decide to go down the self-publishing route (discussed later in this article).

Who decides which book to publish? Usually the sales team makes many of the decisions. The bottom line is money, of course. Firstly, publishers don’t want to take on books that cost a great deal of money to produce. Secondly, they are looking for authors who can help sell books: writers with their own following, their own popular Twitter/Instagram/Facebook accounts or blogs, or who are credible authorities who already lecture and promote their own work – what publishers refer to as “having a platform.” To attract a publisher, it helps to have an international following, to speak various languages, and to have lectured abroad. Most publishers won’t know the astrology field – they’ll need you to be the expert who has the contacts and will want to see an author’s willingness to get behind their own work.

It helps to have an agent if you want to go with a mainstream publisher (and these publishers will be able to sell foreign rights more easily and have your book in the few bookstores remaining on high streets). An agent will check the contract for you and probably want you to write a similar book again and again for other publishers. But the growth of online book purchases means that the smaller imprints can reach the market too, so you might consider going with an astrology publisher who knows the field and has contacts with the main outlets and international astrology conferences. If you approach one of these, they’ll have a better understanding of the market but they will still be primarily concerned with the business side, and you must be prepared to receive a paltry advance (or none at all) and to take on any promotional efforts yourself.

Book proposals

When contacting a publisher, you’ll need to write a brief letter or email, attach a proposal summarising your ideas, and include a sample chapter. Some people wait to finish a book before they contact a publisher, but it’s worth getting feedback (if it’s forthcoming) from the publisher before you write the whole manuscript. Don’t expect to hear back for a number of weeks or even a few months. If your subject is current, bear in mind that most publishers have at least a nine-to-twelve- month lead-in time before publication.

In a two-to-three-page book proposal, you’ll need to prove to a publisher that you can research, organise and write. As Michael Larsen in How to Write a Book Proposal states,

It will require a fundamental shift in your thinking from that of a writer with something to say, to that of an author with something to sell.

I recommend buying Larsen’s book, but here are some main points to keep in mind:

• Your proposal’s introduction: this has to be irresistible! It has to show that the book will succeed in a small but competitive marketplace, and that you’re an authority who has a solid, marketable idea. Provide the “hook” (e.g. “[The title] will be the first book to …”), which must be the single most compelling idea that you can write about your book. (All of the text for the introduction may end up forming much of the back-page blurb, so read a number of these before you start. Creating this text early and keeping it on your desk is useful during the writing process itself – things can change but it’ll keep you focused on the goal.)
• Estimate the number of words and number of illustrations.
• Note any other features (from your writing style to any exercises/checklists to be included).
• Describe the potential market and subsidiary rights possibilities (e.g. if you have a following in China); and how you will help promote the book.
• Include a short biography of your experience.
• Include any past reviews or future endorsements from noted people in the field.

Along with the proposal, include one sample chapter – the strongest of the book to show it at its best. Publishers also like some information about competing titles so they can see if there is a gap in the market for the proposed book or if the market is already overcrowded. The information should include the title, author, publisher and date of publication, plus a couple of sentences about the book itself.

Publishers reject proposals because:

• They already have something similar on their list.
• The work is too specialist.
• It’s badly written/presented.

As a publisher, when I’ve received a shoddy or lazily edited proposal, it puts me off working with the writer. Another no-go is encountering a writer who is so fixed on how everything should look visually that there’s no room in their minds for improvement. I remember someone collaring me at a party and selling their book proposal on “astronomy for astrologers” only to say that they wanted nothing changed and the diagrams had to be laid out exactly their way. I suggested that he self-publish. And then there are times when the author’s sense of self-importance is so great that the project has “an unnecessary hassle” written all over it. One pompous writer’s email warned, “I am not accustomed to taking direction…It will be of a stylistic quality that does not really require editing…[so] I do not expect to be told what to do.” If I’d had the time, I might have looked further and pinpointed some deep-rooted insecurity but, once the ego had landed, it was best to ignore attempts at psychoanalysis and run for cover. Luckily, most writers are sincere and keen to let publishers and editors do what they do best. One writer’s book that I published some years ago was originally a collection of interviews. The author was open to crafting these into chapters around particular themes, which made all the difference to the final product.

Publishing contracts

If a publisher accepts your work, you’ll be asked to sign a contract. There may be lots of clauses therein, but here are the most important. Publishers will usually want the following exclusive rights for the full legal term of copyright: to publish your book worldwide and in ebook format, and to act on your behalf to sell subsidiary rights, including foreign language (translation) rights.

As the author, you’ll be contracted to deliver an “acceptable manuscript,” one that is professionally written and presented, where you own the copyright to the work and it’s free from libellous or inflammatory statements. You’ll be contracted to deliver on a date agreed in a particular format (Microsoft Word, double-spaced, etc.) and of a specified length (e.g. 50,000 words). Publishers are usually quite flexible with first-time authors when it comes to missing a deadline by a few weeks, but they will be infuriated by an author who goes into hiding and refuses to answer the phone as the eleventh hour approaches. Always keep them updated with news of your progress! The book has a production schedule and, if that starts to drift, it can cause problems for all concerned, not least the writer, who is unlikely to be contracted again.

Once delivered, you’ll be given a time frame to correct, revise, and return the publishers’ proofs (usually 21 days, as stated in the contract). At this point, only minor changes will usually be accepted, so ensure that the manuscript you deliver at the deadline is everything you wish to have in the final book.

If the publisher expects you to provide any necessary illustrations, the contract will state this. If you’re needing photographs of people or places, most publishers have access to photo library services, but these can prove expensive. You’ll be encouraged to keep to a minimum all illustrations that require a fee, so stick with charts and computer-generated forms or lists. If you need copyright (for song lyrics or other material owned by a third party), then you’ll be required to seek out permission and spend your own money paying the copyright holders for usage. Usually, authors are responsible for compiling an index, but it’s worth investing in a professional indexer if you have no experience. Most books benefit from having a thorough index.

In most contracts, you’ll retain the copyright. When this is not the case, it’s usually because the publishers want the freedom to use your text again later in a different volume (often under someone else’s name). They will offer a flat fee for your writing and take the copyright from under you, so only sign if this is agreeable to you.

The publishers will be contracted to publish your book within a time frame (usually 12 or 18 months), they will display your name prominently on the cover, and you’ll be sent a handful of author copies (and the right to buy additional ones at a 50% discount, usually postage-free). They may want you to sign an option clause giving them first refusal on your next book and to ensure that you won’t write a work that competes directly with the contracted publication until a specified time scale has elapsed. You’re a working author who should have the freedom to write elsewhere or to write on the subject again at a later date, so you may wish to dispute either or both stipulations.

Most books are now published POD (print on demand), meaning that publishers print copies when they’ve received orders from bookshops, wholesalers or distributors. This saves 2000 copies of a book sitting in a warehouse gathering dust and turning brown! But if there is overstock and the book ends up being remaindered (i.e. sold off cheaply), ask for a clause in the contract that gives you first option to buy the remaindered books at the same, substantial discount that would be offered to remainder buyers for bargain bookshops. When a book goes out of print, the rights will revert back to you, but you may have to contact the publisher for official confirmation.

Money

Do expect to get paid for your work. If you are not offered a flat fee, you should be offered an advance on future royalties – even a few hundred dollars. It’s a sign that the publisher is willing to invest in you. Too many astrologers “just want their book published” and let some small publishers get away with paying nothing for an advance. Advances are usually paid in three stages: on signature of contract, on delivery of the manuscript, and finally upon publication of the book.

Publishers will pay you royalties every six months (once the money paid to you as an advance has been recouped through book sales). Royalties will usually be around 7.5% of the net receipts. It used to be the same percentage of the published price of a book, but nowadays with every bookstore (particularly online shops) offering discounts on any title that shows promise, publishers won’t offer you that. If a book is $10, then in the past an author would have been entitled to 75¢ a copy (7.5%), but now retailers (and distributors) expect anything from a 40% to 55% discount, so an author will get 7.5% of what the publisher receives (their net receipts). If they’ve sold the $20 book at a 55% discount, the author will get 7.5% of the $9 a publisher has received, amounting to roughly 68¢ a copy. If you thought you’d make big money on your year-long writing investment, think again. Having a book published usually turns out to be more about prestige than profit. The only way the books make money for astrologers nowadays is if the title is sold to foreign markets, or if the author self-publishes and sells many books directly through their website or at lectures – more of this later.

Designs

If you sign with a publisher, you probably won’t have much say in the design, layout, and cover. It’s rare that a publisher involves an author in the stylistic decision-making process. You may not get to keep your title, either, but hopefully you’ll be included in discussions. Even if most general publishers don’t know the astrology field, they do know what sells, so it’s worth listening to their ideas. You’re both investing in each other.

Small astrological publishing houses are notorious for either bland covers or crudely designed covers with ugly fonts and glaring colours. (Walk around any astrology conference bookstall if you doubt my words.) I almost signed with one publisher and made the mistake of saying I hoped for a better cover than a recent title she’d released. Her daughter had designed the atrocity! She proceeded to give me a stern lecture on how much she knew about publishing and her audience. I then checked out her other covers (as I should have done earlier). After that, I knew I couldn’t go forward with the woman or her daughter’s designs. Lesson learned. Approach people whose work you respect and whose artistic ethos complements your own.

A (select) bit about you

Publishers will ask for biographical information and possible publicity leads, contacts, and ideas. Yes, it’s important to build yourself up a little when writing a biography (and readers do like to think they’re learning from an authority) but steer clear of promoting yourself to an embarrassing level. A quote, a review, an endorsement, a website address, and some facts go further in proclaiming one’s genius than a sentence of hyperbole in a biography that looks self-composed.

In truth, the author is often not the best person to write the biography or to consider how a book should look inside and out. But a happy author is a happy author, and one who will proudly promote their book. I’ve played difficult author a couple of times; my first palmistry book was badly edited to the extent that the proof-reader managed to add a few hundred errors while she was working her way through it. Knowing that, in the reader’s mind, the buck stops with the author, I didn’t want my first book to look unprofessional. So, I did the work of the editor, helped with the layout, was anxious about the final result (which still had some errors), and came out of the experience knowing that I should self-publish.

Self-publishing

Self-publishing is easier than ever, but it still takes the same amount of time, energy, and devotion to make a good product before it goes to print. In the era of Amazon’s online domination of the book market and the folding of most main street bookshops, self-publishing can put us on a near-even keel with even big-name publishers.

There are now a number of companies that will help you self-publish. Amazon has its own version, Create Space, that’s worth looking at. I have used Lightning Source for some time and helped other astrologers get started with it.

As you’re writing and editing, hire a professional designer to work on the cover and a skilled copy editor to get the text right. I’d also recommend hiring someone to do the layout of the book if you have no previous experience; they will choose the right font and think of myriad essential things to ensure it looks good inside. Choose a good title and ensure it’s clear on the cover so it can be seen when reduced on a webpage. Decide on the size of your book and ensure the printer can print to those specifications.

Get a few ISBNs for the books (for UK publications, see http://www.isbn.nielsenbook.co.uk) and a barcode (there are numerous services online to help you get one). Do some research on prices of comparable books, and whether you wish to include Sterling, Dollar and Euro prices on your back cover. Check a number of books to see what’s included on their back covers (barcode with ISBN, author info, pricing) as well as copyright notices inside their first few pages. (As astrology is often defined as “for entertainment purposes only” and the world is becoming lawsuit-loopy, you might wish to add a disclaimer that “the information in this book is not intended to be taken as a replacement for professional advice.”)

You’ll be asked (by Lightning Source or whichever firm you choose) to upload the text and cover files to their website, decide on the price of the book, and to state the discount you’re willing to offer retailers. A discount of 25% is reasonable for our kind of market (if you deal with Amazon directly, you’ll be expected to pay for postage and they’ll demand 55% of the cover price). You’ll be given an option to pay for extras (e.g. to be included in catalogues and promotions).

About a week after uploading the files, Lightning Source will send a PDF proof (or hard copy, if requested) and you’ll be asked to check and approve it.

The process begins

Lightning Source handles all steps from hereon. It has step-by-step instructions online, so it’s pretty easy to get onboard. The company deals with distributing information and supplying/shipping copies to Amazon and fulfilling other direct orders. It then accounts to you at the end of each month. (You’ll need to keep the book market interested to stimulate and maintain sales, of course.) In the report, you’ll receive details of quantities sold, net sales, the print charge, and your own publisher compensation. If you wish to place any orders yourself, you can go online and order copies, pay for these immediately and have these sent to any address. If I’m lecturing abroad, I often order copies a few weeks before I’m due to travel and have Lightning Source send these to the conference venue or my hotel.

Once your book is for sale online, encourage friends to post glowing, five-star reviews of the title. If you’re not selling it online yourself, then ensure you have links from your website to these online bookstores (some offer a referral fee – a percentage of the book price). Contact library agencies to see if they’ll sell copies of your book to libraries, and if so, join PLR UK (in the UK) or your country’s equivalent. Every time someone borrows your book from a library that carries it in the UK and Ireland, PLR recovers money for its authors. Depending on the number of libraries stocking a book, this can amount to a small but nice, extra sum that you’re entitled to each year. While you’re at it, join the Society of Authors (or a non-UK equivalent). By law, you’ll be required to send a few copies of your book to the relevant “legal deposit” address in your country.

Above is a quick guide to self-publishing but what isn’t advisable is “vanity publishing,” where you pay a company a high price to put together and print your book. You’ll see their adverts in many magazines: “Authors Wanted.” You’ll be expected to pay for everything, and the publisher won’t promote, sell, or distribute your book (most won’t edit it, either). You’re better off going down the self-publishing route described above. Then, you’re only paying to print copies and you can order as many as you like. You’re also free to update the book online at any time without having hundreds of printed copies in stock.

An A.I. sheet

If you’re self-publishing and want to generate interest from bookstores or attract foreign publishers, you’ll need to create an A.I. (Advance Information) sheet with the cover image, too. Something like this, written about a re-issue of a classic astrology book by the late Howard Sasportas:

The Twelve Houses
An In-depth Guide to Interpreting Your Horoscope

Author: Howard Sasportas

Keynote/Publisher’s Comments
The acclaimed textbook on the astrological houses – now with additional essays from well-known contemporary astrologers.

Description

In 1985 The Twelve Houses became an instant astrological classic – the first time this area of astrology had been explored with modern psychological insight. Over twenty years later, this best-selling handbook remains fresh, contemporary and relevant – an essential volume that is still considered the definitive work on the subject, and a favourite among students and professionals alike.

The houses of a horoscope give the reader the means of assessing how an individual’s character (as shown by the planets and signs) will express itself through specific areas of everyday life. The houses describe where the action takes place. Howard Sasportas’ comprehensive volume, both spiritual and psychological in its approach, explores in detail the field of experience associated with each of the houses, elucidating not only the tangible but also the more subtle, inner meaning of the various spheres of life.

This 2007 edition contains a new Foreword by Liz Greene, the pre-eminent astrologer of our times, as well as tributes to Howard Sasportas from well-respected psychological astrologers Melanie Reinhart (an authority on Chiron), Laura Boomer, Darby Costello, and Erin Sullivan (editor of the Arkana Contemporary Astrology series).

Sales Points

1. A pioneering work in both psychological and spiritual astrology.
2. Presents the most complete guide to the houses ever written.
3. The author was a highly-influential, award-winning astrologer and writer.

Author Biography

Howard Sasportas (1948–1992) was an American astrologer with a Master’s degree in Humanistic Psychology. He was co-founder, with Liz Greene, of the Centre for Psychological Astrology in 1983. With Greene he gave a series of seminars on psychological astrology, later published by Samuel Weiser, and wrote The Gods of Change (Arkana). The Twelve Houses remains his most important and popular work.

Publisher: Flare Publications
ISBN: 978-1-903353-04-2
Binding: Paperback
Publication date: 25/7/2007
BIC subject: Astrology
Extent: 324 pages
Price: £18.99
New/Reissue: New edition
Illustrations: 20 diagrams

Finally…just do it!

… said the Aries. Some of us write for pleasure, some for possible accolades and respect, while some of us feel a profound need to communicate our ideas to the public. Most of us write for all three reasons.

Having an article or book published is a great achievement. Seeing your book in the hands of buyers or on a bookshelf is a tremendous feeling. The process is hard work and won’t pay much, but it’s rewarding on so many other levels. In this article, I hope I’ve motivated you to consider your options and move forward with your writing. But if you need more, then each of the twelve signs has some advice for you:

Aries:            Get started!

Taurus:         Plan the project; be realistic about your time, the finances and size of the book, and the deadline.

Gemini:        Read around the subject; find your voice.

Cancer:         Research what others have written in the past; know where you’re coming from.

Leo:               Express yourself; have fun and make writing a joy.

Virgo:            Think “quality control”: edit; spell-check; tidy up; reorganize chapters and headings; rewrite; edit again; back up files and print off a hard copy.

Libra:            Get feedback from others you respect; ask for endorsements.

Scorpio:       Go back to the text and purge; be ruthless and eliminate dead wood.

Sagittarius: Sell it to a publisher, show them how marketable you are – or self-publish and set the astrology publishing business alight.

Capricorn:   Talk business; negotiate the contract; present yourself as an authority.

Aquarius:     Connect with your community and audience; get reviewers lined up.

Pisces:          Then, put it in the hands of the fates and let it go …

Image sources:
Writer: Image by expresswriters from Pixabay
Money: Image by stux from Pixabay
All other images provided by the author.

Published by: The Astrological Journal, May/June 2019

Author:
Frank Clifford is the author of a dozen books including Getting to the Heart of Your Chart, Horoscope Snapshots, Palmistry 4 Today and The Solar Arc Handbook. He teaches astrology online (londonschoolofastrology.com) and in person at the London School of Astrology. Frank was honoured with The Charles Harvey Award in 2012, a writing award from ISAR in 2016, and a Regulus Award nomination at UAC 2018. Frank’s website can be found at frankclifford.co.uk.

© Frank Clifford 2019/20

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