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getting your first book published
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18-06-2007 7:05pm#1
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I've received advice from Brad Meltzer, Lee Child and Peter Robinson on publishing. All three have advised me that getting an agent is the best way to proceed but that getting a decent agent can be hard.
Agents have the inside track to the publishing house editors and an editor is far more likely to take not of an agents manuscript than something on the slush pile.
If you are looking for an agent you should find someone who already has a track record of getting new authors published. Don't go for someone who already has a blockbuster author on their books.
I say this for two reasons, firstly, these people get almost as many unsolicited manuscripts as the publishing houses and secondly, some of them will be far too busy with keeping their major clients happy to be able to spend enough time on you. Of course, if they feel that your work is exceptional they will move forward quickly with you.
It is possible to get a deal without an agent. As has already been suggested, do some networking. If you can't network face-to-face then pick up the phone. Research the publisher you are sending to. Do they publish the type of book you are writing? What authors are on their books right now? Do they accept unsolicited manuscripts (some don't!)
If you call them, let them know that you are aware that they have lots to do so you want to make sure that they are happy to receive a manuscript of the type you are writing. This shows the editor that you are targetting publishing houses and that you are thinking about what you are doing rather than going blindly into the process. It may also mean that when they receive your manuscript they might possibly remember your name and open it there and then rather than throwing it on the slush pile. Of course, they may not remember you.
Peter Robinson told me to be prepared to have at least one-third of what you have written to be chopped out by the editors if you are successful in getting accepted for publication. He said that if you do manage to sell volume then in later books you can gain a lot more control over this but you should still listen to Editors carefully and consider what they are saying.
When submitting, make sure your cover letter is short and to the point. It should highlight why your book is different to the others out there and why it will appeal to readers (in your view). There are hundreds of dysfunctional alcoholic police inspectors/private investigators who have problems with authority out there. If your character is a detective, s/he should be a bit different and the editor should know what makes your character different before they read a word of your novel, otherwise the temptation is to say "Oh, another John Rebus clone, another one for the recycling bin!"
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Anytimefitzgese wrote:thanks for that r3nu4l
I know that John Connolly used to have a piece on his website about getting published (don't know if it's still there).
Melissa Hill (chick-lit) has a piece on hers as does Paul Kilduff!
These are all Irish authors writing very different styles of fiction (crime/horror, chick-lit, finance thrillers).
Check them out, alternatively, if yours is a fantasy novel then check out similar authors webpages and see if they offer any useful advice.0 -
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I've just re-read some of what I've written and I don't want it to seem as though it's impossible to get published without an agent. It's very possible, just harder or requiring a lucky break
I think Iain Banks had a book accepted before he got an agent and he said that having a deal on the table made sure that he got plenty of offers from agents allowing him to choose an agent he enjoyed working with.
Several authors have said that it's important to have an agent you can have a good working relationship with and feel comfortable discussing sex scenes or scenes of graphic violence with (for the erotic/horror/crime writers among you).
There is also vanity publishing or self-publishing where you pay for the majority of the publication costs in exchange for profits going to the publishing house. This is a very risky road but tempting to those who have received numerous rejections. I'd advise against it but it's a personal choice. Remember JK Rowling had up to 40 rejections before getting a first print-run of 500 for her first Harry Potter book...if she had gone for the vanity publishing route (she couldn't afford it back then) then the world may not really know anything about Harry Potter today. I say this because Vanity publishers don't really put a huge amount into marketing the work they publish, especially not in any hugely meaningful way.
If a regular publisher sells out of your first print run and gets requests for more books then they will increase the marketing budget to ensure the next run is sold (and they get their returns). This may then spiral for the author and everyone is happy 0 -
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