Nikki Parkinson on how to get into book publishing

After a 20-year career in journalism, in 2008 Nikki Parkinson said goodbye to the world of print and hello to the wonders of online with the launch of her blog, Styling You. 120,000 visitors later and with a host of awards under her belt, Parkinson has entered into the next chapter (literally) of her life with the her new book, Unlock Your Style. Packed with fashion and beauty tips for women no matter their age, shape or budget, Unlock Your Style offers easy-to-follow guidance for looking good and feeling confident. bd tracked Parkinson down to talk writing Unlock Your Style, how she got into the book publishing industry, and the path from proposal to published author.

Congratulations on your new book, Unlock Your Style. Why did you decide to write it?

Unlock Your Style started as a 14-day series on my blog in January 2013. At the end of the series, readers were asking for it in an e-book form so I had that designed and released for sale in April. One of the people who bought that book was the commissioning editor at Hachette Australia, Robert Watkins. He contacted me, we met and he asked me to put together a proposal for him to take to the team at Hachette. The proposal was accepted and I was offered a contract to write and expand my e-book into a physical book as well as an e-book for sale through iTunes, Amazon and Google Play.

Did you always plan on writing a book?

In the back of my mind, yes, but I’d never made it a concrete goal to work towards.

Can you tell me a little bit about it?

Unlock Your Style is part story, part workbook. Its aim is to help women find confidence through their own style. It’s not about having women all looking the same, but it offers tools for them to work out how to best show their personality – whether that’s through a new frock or a pop of lippy.

What were you looking to achieve through Unlock Your Style?

Despite the growth of the online world, people still seek out the physical. I’ve managed to build a sizeable readership on my blog (more than 120,000 unique visitors a month), but with a published book there is a new level of credibility attached to my community.

Does the book extend on the information given in your blog?

Yes and no. The information in the book has been covered on my blog at some time. What Unlock Your Style does is give new and existing readers an ideal starting point for advice on how to find their style. I take everything back to basics and make it simple for anyone to pick up and make small changes to their wardrobe or beauty cabinet.

Was it different writing for a book than a blog?

There are more words! The similarities were that it’s very much written in my conversational tone – a tone that readers of Styling You are used to.

How long did it take you to write the book?

I had eight weeks to write the book and was asked to submit four chapters a fortnight. This was super helpful for the old journo in me and it gave me manageable chunks to write each week while still keeping up with my blog content. I also spent about three weeks organising and styling the photo shoot for the book.

How many drafts did you write before the final version?

I submitted the one draft, four chapters at a time, and then it was edited by one of Hachette’s contracted editors. Those changes were sent back to me for approval or change and the manuscript was complete.

Can you talk me through the publishing process?

The greatest thing for me to get my head around was that the content I was writing would not be published until 10 months later. This is a tricky thing when you’re used to working in the online space and its immediacy. Apart from that, it was all about working in the writing, photoshoot and proofing deadlines around my blog work.

Even with a publisher, did you have main control over content?

My original proposal included a chapter outline. I only changed this slightly when writing as I thought of a new chapter and we decided that one of the planned chapters was redundant. The tone and ideas were mine and they were happy to run with those.

How did you decide on a cover design? Did you help with the cover concept?

The cover was designed by one of Hachette’s contracted designers. I had the opportunity to give feedback and helped with tweaks to the design – it was the same inside the book too.

Do you hope to write more books?

I do! I have no idea on what, but I did enjoy the process and I’m enjoying now travelling around Australia – thanks to my sponsor – and meeting many Styling You readers at book events.

What one piece of advice would you give to anyone contemplating writing a book?

My one piece of advice is that you need to create a solid online social media community first. This is the way of the future – especially for non-fiction writers – and will help you get noticed by publishing houses. The fact that I had all this in place with my blog and Facebook page meant that Hachette saw I already had an engaged audience to sell to.

Does your book cover beauty as well as fashion?

Yes, there are three chapters devoted exclusively to beauty as it’s an intrinsic part of personal style. I tackle skincare, hair care and make-up.

What are some of the beauty tips dished up in your book?

  1. It’s so easy to get bamboozled by all the skincare products out there but you just need to use something, use it consistently and wear sunscreen every day.
  2. Your nanna was right … a little lippy before you step out for the day can make all the difference to your mood and your look.
  3. Be upfront with your hairstylist about how long you have each day to style your hair – and your ongoing budget. A good stylist will work with you on both counts.

On the subject of hair, I hear you’re a big fan of the bhave range. Why is it a must-have product in your beauty routine?

I don’t have a lot of time to fuss around with my hair in the morning. The treatment and home care products not only make my hair feel lush, less boofy and fabulous, but they also cut down the time I spend styling my hair post-wash and that’s a very good thing in my lazy girl beauty books!

To find out more about Unlock Your Style, visit http://www.stylingyou.com.au/unlock-your-style.

Photo credit: Lisa Maree Williams.