If you’ve ever thought of creating a craft book but stopped because you didn’t know how on earth it would ever get published, today’s your lucky day. Mark Montano’s new book, How to Write and Publish a Bestselling Craft Book, is, as the title states, a step-by-step guide to writing, publishing, and promoting a craft book. His firsthand advice is based from his success. Montano has published 11 DIY books, including the #1 bestselling craft book in America, The Big-Ass Book of Crafts. Now he’s lifting the lid on his creative process with this new book, devoted entirely to helping you write and publish a craft book of your own.
With a concise and to the point writing style, Montano breaks down the publishing process into easy steps, and then takes you by the hand and effortlessly guides you through each one. From defining your style and specialty to finding an agent, he leaves no stone unturned. He’s open and honest with his entire process, revealing important questions he asks himself as well as actions he’s taken to get his books published
He doesn’t just give you the generalized how-to either, but shares his own secrets, tips, and examples of his own work. Montano devotes one section to sample book proposals, sharing two of his own proposals, one from an earlier book and another from a more recent publication. You’re able to see firsthand what a successfully picked-up book proposal looks like.
He doesn’t end at simply creating the book, either. He takes you through the publishing process, and then even after you’ve been published. In this way, it’s the complete guide to publishing a craft book. With this book, Montano eases you through each step, all while helping you develop and distinguish your brand.
This is a great read for any crafter looking to write a craft book, but not sure where to start. As Montano states in his introduction: “If you follow my guidelines and advice, I can assure you that when you are ready to present your ideas to a publisher, you will have accomplished everything you need to do in order to have your very best shot at being published.”
For more information on Mark Montano, check out his website or blog.
We’re Giving Away One Copy of How to Write and Publish a Best Selling Craft Book!
UPDATE: This contest is now CLOSED.
Thank you to everyone that entered the contest, it was great to hear all your craft fair book ideas!Unfortunately, there can only be one winner this time and our random number generator picked Peg! Congrats Peg! She told us “I would love to write a book on projects to make with one skein of yarn and scraps.”
We’ll keep our eye out for your craft book in the near future! Thanks again everyone and keep your eyes open for our next giveaway.
We’re giving away Mark Montano’s latest book, How to Write and Publish a Bestselling Craft Book! One lucky winner will walk away with their own copy of Mark’s new book, and be on their way to writing their own.
To be entered to win, simply answer the question below in the comments section on this blog:
If you could write a craft book what would it be on?
Contest Rules:
Contest starts October 29th at 12:00 am EST and ends on November 9th at 11:59 pm EST.
Must be 18+ and a resident of the US or Canada to win.
Only comments made on this post will be eligible.
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Mark’s new book sounds so intriguing! I would love to win it and learn about his creative process.
Machine knitting made easy
If I was to write my own book it would have my favorite crochet patterns.
I would have to write about what I’ve just taught myself…Teach yourself how to crochet and all the, tips, tricks I’ve found, websites that I’ve learned things from… If I can do it, anyone can! Lol
How to make purses from jeans
I have never really felt I could write a book. But if I did, I think it would be about being a left-handed person, and learning to crochet anyway. Also about learning to knit – the first time and the second time!!
I love working with yarn, and all the beautiful choices out there now, so that would certainly be the subject of a few chapters. I would discuss how to work with some of the different types and what can be made with them.
And I don’t think I could leave out the newest, latest and greatest. That would be fun, though it would eventually date things.
I would love to write a craft book about jewelry made from common found objects. Books that are out there usually feature items you can’t find easily, like really old typewriter keys. I haven’t even seen a typewriter in a couple decades. There are ways to dress them up with cheap paint, etc., so that they don’t just look like you picked them up off the ground, added an ear wire and stuck it in your ear.
Crazy Quilts and Wacky, Wearable Art!
I’d love to be able to put my patterns into writing. Almost everything I make is my own design, so each item is unique.
If I were to write a craft book, It would have several crafts that I really enjoy . I love making jewelry, Home decor crafts,knitting crochet, card making, Wedding & basket making, I just purchase the ultimate
Crafter’s Companion and I love box making/ I love having a variety of crafts and I write poetry and I have been working on a Sci Fi novel . I am well rounded as my husband tells me so all the time.
I would write a craft book on how to make doll cloths.
I would write about all the designs that I created myself, in jewelry, knitting, crocheting, wood crafting, tatting, sewing, plastic canvas, cross stitching, needle pointing, card making, quilting, and quilling.
jewelry
I would write a book on how to felt small animals.
I would like to write a book about unusual knitting or crochet techniques. I have learned many myself but often find that books written are for anyone but beginners or you have to buy a book for each technique. Not a cheap proposition especially if you give it a go and decide it is not for you. I would have one or two items of Broomstick lace, Hairpin Lace, Brioch, Bruges Lace, Domino knitting, Shadow Knitting etc so people could buy one book and try many techniques. It is an easy way to find out which ones you like and then you could buy a book on that topic.
I’d love to write an all-inclusive craft book. Sadly, my crafts don’t always turn out perfect so it’d probably look like a hit or miss craft book. Have you ever seen “Pinterest Fails”? Mine would look something like that;)
I would write a craft book about the “make-it-do” crafts of WW II and the Korean conflict from pamphlets and magazines that I have found from that era and recollections of craftwomen who lived and crafted through those times. I even have some “naughty” potholders that were made from then. Those ladies were just as funny, or funnier, as we imagine ourselves to be nowadays!
I would write a book on step by step wire wrapping, moving on to wrapping gemstones and adding beads to them . Then I would move on to Viking knit pieces, once I learn that technique. I would really like to expand my knowledge on different craft projects.
I would love to write a book on projects to make with one skein of yarn and scraps
It might be a lot of fun to write a book. I would like to try.
If I were to write a craft book, it would be on designing your oqn plastic canvas projects.
Quilting…….
I would write about multi-media projects. How to play and combine different media into craft projects.
I would write a book with hitting patterns of my own design, with tips and finishing techniques thrown in.
How to make simple & cute earrings & bracelets with your daughter.
I would love his new book! I have all of his previous publishes!
I would like to write a book on opening your storefront craft shop – small to mall and incorporate all aspects. This book would help me do this. Thank you.
I apologize in advance if I already entered, I honestly can’t remember if I did or not…lol…bonde moment? Lol… I would have to write about crocheting and how to become creative when u don’t have a 1/2 a brain cell of creativity…me, my mom n sisters inherited no creativity! Lol
I would write about recycled projects. I love to turn something that most people throw away, into something beautiful. Any season of the year, especially Christmas. There is so much you could do. I’ll buy sweaters at yard sales and turn them into a scarf. Plastic bags for plarn. Aluminium cans, jars, caps, pop tabs, broken glass, pallets, I love working with all kinds of things. The plus is your helping save the environment.
The joys of creative upcycling and repurposing common items.
To win the craft book would be phenomenal. I do crochet and knit and have started with crafting jewelry. I love creating and would appreciate any ideas.
I would write a book about creating quirky, unusual jewelry and home decor items that reflect your own personal style! 🙂
I would write a book on cardmaking.
crocheted toys
I would write a book about crocheting and knitting. I enjoy all kinds of needle crafts, but those are my favorites
I would create a book about how to create an art journal
ON crocheting.
Parent and kids crafts to do together
Mine would be on crochet or crafts to do with kids!
This would be interesting to look into
I would probably write a book on toddler crochet patterns.
I would create a book of patterns for crocheted grocery bags.
My book would be called Crafting on a Budget.
I make most of my crocheted items from scratch. I have the look of the item in my head, then I just start crocheting it. Though I have documented and sold several of my own designs, I would put a serious effort into an instruction book for some awesome crocheted cardigan sweaters for women! There just aren’t enough easy/fashionable/nice ones out there. The internet is saturated with hats and scarves and lots of KNITTED sweaters, but patterns for crocheted sweaters are very lacking.
On cooking recipes using science
I would probably write a book on upcycling and embellishing clothes, shoes and purses.
The crocheting of hats 🙂
Crocheting, for sure!
Hard to decide, maybe on small quick crochet and knit items, blanket patterns and how to adjust from baby to adult using basic stitches, how to multi – use graphs from knit to crochet to cross stitch to rug….. maybe even one on brewing your own wine or mead.
Definitely about the community, self confidence and therapy that comes from creating. It’s for everyone no matter what your creative outlet is.
A quilt idea I had years ago; I’ve still never seen anything like it.
Crochet! Geeky & plus-sized items that won’t make you look geriatric!
My craft book would be all about crocheting and how to get started from my personal experiences and skills!
Practical knits and sensible crochet.
I love to crochet and knit, so I would write one on each, then flip a coin to decide which one to publish first. This is something I have wanted to do for years, and now that i am alone (widow, and kids are out on their own), this would really work for me, as I am disabled with arthritis.
Have lots of ideas for patterns, both knit & crochet. Would love to discover how to put them in a book format!!
I would love to write a book on doing what you love whether it be beading, crocheting, knitting or what ever. Creativity can be such a rush. What fun it is to create and love doing it. Can a person pass the passion on to others to enable them to create their own art works in their own craft? Yes. I say yes. Just need to find the resources to learn how to do this.
I would write a book on making lace accessories for weddings.
I have only written and published a book on history of a church. But if I would write a book on Crochet, I would mention how I taught myself and then I tried to teach my Mom, who was left handed; therefore the difference in them. I would cover history of crochet in different locations like how Irish Crochet got started, Bavarian Crochet and etc. Words that mean the same ex. afghan stitch is now Tunisian Crochet.
I would cover how quilters combined with crochet to create afghans and ceramics . Then I would cover today Going Green on Recycling ex taking jeans and reusing as yarn, pop tab made into purses or jewelry, bolts, paper, plastic water bootles, jars and plastic bags.
I would cover arts that have gone by the wayside and came back again refreshed.
Writting can be endless, you may have to do a series.
Crocheting or journal writing
what to make with quilt scraps – how to use up the tidbits from expensive projects and have coordinating home decorating items.
A book of simpke afghans.
I would write a craft book on using various types of sewing machines (serger, embroidery machine, sewing machine) to embellish fabric hand crafts like sachets, small zippered bags, anything that is portable and useful.
If I could write a craft book it would probably be on crochet and how to create your own patterns along with actually following patterns. I learned how to crochet many years ago on my own, by watching other people. I have made several things through trial and error. Just recently I started following patterns, but there is something exciting about just doing something without instructions 🙂
If I was to write a crafts book it would have to be one that reached out to a vast range of people… So thinking to myself what is something that most of us will experience at sometime or another…. Children! So not too long ago(my oldest is 3 and that’s about when the idea started to come about), I found myself hoarding…. My house started to become a used babyclothes store that had nothing for sale. So to hold on to my precious memories, I took the ones I really liked from each stage of their growth, and started making quilts. One for each of my two kids. This was a huge hit in my family. Everyone adored them. Then instead of filling in blanks in a baby book, I began making my own (only because I couldn’t answer half the questions due to the fact that my children’s father chooses not to be in their lives).
Loom knitting because there aren’t that many books out there
Ornament creation!
If I could write a craft book, it would be about knitting…maybe knitting gifts for things that others don’t think about like carriers for e-cigarettes or the ultimate baby knitting package.
I would write a book about carving, painting and outfitting small wooden dolls.
My daughter is the crafter so it would be how to survive on or live off the avails of your childrens crafts…lol
I think mine would be about using art pieces you love to create things for the home. If you love Jackson Pollock, would you drizzle and splatter paint on an ikea chair? I would! Stuff like that, and maybe sometimes on a smaller scale.
I have also wantesd to publish a book but didn’t know how
I would love to write down on my own book for all crafts 🙂
Thank you for an awesome giveaway!
I’d call it Diva Deluxe Designs and it’d be about creating crafts that diva’s would love, everything from fashion to household, affordably!
how to make sewing easy
I would write about childrens crafts and not wasting things, because through a childs eye they can creat anything.
I would write about all the different materials you could craft with. Like crochet with plastic bags, video tapes, etc. It would be more like how to recycle things you have on hand. Instead of buying new yarn. Find a sweater at the thrift shop and take it apart. Just trying to do my part on saving the world.
If I were to write a craft book, it would be diversified, as are the crafts I do. It would be categorized into the type of medium the craft is made of (i.e. Wood, Glass, Plastic, Stone, Clay, Concrete, Metal, etc…). Under each category would be subcategories (i.e. Wood: carving, painting, small craft, furniture, furniture re-do’s, etc…). I think this type of book would give beginners a choice. They could try several types of crafts and choose a specific one or all of them. I would have the book start with beginner crafts, then would do a different book for medium and advanced crafters.
I would write a book on multi media abstract crafting!
My book would have chapters on different things to create for the house. Taking Gatorade Bottles and decorating them as rooting vases. Tin cans and design ideas for backyard lighting, … .
How to make something out of absolutely anything