This morning I arrived in Muncie, Ind., in time for my lunch talk on "The World of Sales" (or how publishers sell books into stores/retailers and to distributors/wholesalers).

The World of Sales talk
Within the first five minutes, I'd delivered the first hard truth about book publishing (or book sales): all books sold to bookstores are sold on a returnable basis—meaning the books can be returned to the publisher at any time, for any reason. So it's important to distinguish between "sell-in" (how many copies are initially sold into stores) and "sell-through" (how many copies actually sell through the register into readers' hands).

Quick intermission (death-bed advice to writers)
During the introduction of conference faculty, we were each asked to give one piece of advice to writers if it were the last thing we would ever be able to say on the matter. The themes?

• perseverance (my answer)
• keep writing, get it done
• believe in yourself
  
• forget the market, write your own book
• get the words right

How to Get the Most Out of a Writer's Workshop
Author Shirley Jump delivered the evening keynote. She has charming promotional cards that I didn't realize were promotional cards when I first saw them. One one side, it says,

WRITER AT WORK
Do Not Disturb
Note: Will make exceptions for those bearing contracts, chocolates, or margaritas.

On the other side: Picture of Shirley and web site address. Brilliant!

Highlights of her advice:

• Always be professional. You'll be bumping into agents or editors; you don't where such a meeting will eventually lead. You are interviewing for the job of author.
• Be extroverted even if not by nature. Talk to everyone you can; you're among like people. Network. You need contacts.
• Don't sell yourself (pitch to editors/agents) unless you're asked to.
• Sleep when you get home. Attend everything, go to everything, both formal and informal. (And do the eat-there-stay-there option if available.)
• Take a day to follow-up after the conference; send thank-yous.
• Take time afterward to note what excites you most, then act on it.

Tomorrow: a full day of breakout sessions! (Click here to view the MWW schedule.)