How to get published

pickarooney · 10-10-2013 7:45pm

How come it's only available in the UK?

Livvie · 10-10-2013 7:48pm

pickarooney wrote: »

How come it's only available in the UK?

I didn't know it was - it's available on Amazon.com and sells in America. That's interesting and might be something I have to tell the publisher.

Does Ireland use .com or .uk?

alfa beta · 13-10-2013 4:30pm

Livvie wrote: »

My co-written book, Beneath an Irish Sky, has now been out in paperback since August, ebook since July, and it's the most nerve-wracking time of my life.

There have been mainly highs, but also some lows which I can't quite define. I've been on edge a lot of time, and even depressed, without really knowing why, but I attribute it to the stress of having my baby out there at the mercy of predators (aka reviewers). Plus the stress of commitment combined with the fear of failure.

Are these feelings normal?

I'd recommend a rhino-hide coat, but have to say I wouldn't change anything. And two great reviews in the Irish Independent made my year.

Just read the sample pages on amazon there - reads great - lovely writing style - must buy it - congratulations on publication - from what I read you definitely deserve to have your work out there.

Livvie · 13-10-2013 9:46pm

alfa beta wrote: »

Just read the sample pages on amazon there - reads great - lovely writing style - must buy it - congratulations on publication - from what I read you definitely deserve to have your work out there.

Thanks so much.

I appreciate that.

Cassandra1 · 28-07-2014 12:39am

Hallo Eoin

Will it be possible to mee you and discuss the steps for publishing a book?

Cassandra

Eoinp wrote: »

Hello folks,

Hope I can help with your queries.

To give you a sense of where I am coming from I started in publishing in 2005 at Nonsuch Ireland (now the History Press Ireland). I was lucky enough to be one of three graduates hired to set up and run the Irish imprint of a larger UK based publisher. it was very exciting and gave me something of a baptism of fire in publishing. We brought the list from 3 books in the first few months to 32 in the year I left the company, 2007.

I joined Mercier Press in April 2007 and worked with them until August 2009. There I commissioned dozens of books across many many genres, from fiction and children's to business, history and sport.

Now I work for myself as a publishing consultant and a publisher (on a very small scale) in my own right. I run Irish Publishing News a news and features website about Irish publishing.

So, ask away, I hope to check in as often as possible but don't be too worried if it takes a day or so sometimes for a final answer!

Eoin

BlueRibbon · 28-07-2014 3:52pm

Hi Cassandra1,
This seems to be quite an old thread & I don't know if anybody is following this anymore .... BUT .... being technically minded (& pedantic beyond belief) my friends have tormented me in assisting them in preparing their publications for e-publishing, to the extent that I am now offering this as a service. But more specifically, for the first time/starter author as I think the technology required inhibits a lot of creative people. So I can covert your work for the major online publishing sites if this is what you are looking for.

Jjjjjjjbarry · 15-12-2015 4:34pm

Hi,
this is an old thread but I'll try avoid starting a new one!

I've just completed a book and it's soon to be illustrated - by a friend.
It's one of those books where the illustrations may be as important in selling (even if the writing is fantastic!)

So I really have two type of queries:

1) I still need to agree terms with the illustrator/friend.
I may pay him for the work and give no cut or a split of cash/cut or all cut and no cash.
What's a a normal cut in? Would 70/30 or even 60/40 in my favour be too much to give away if there was no initial payment involved? I've put a lot of work in and will be the one to do the pushing and business end. However I know the illustrations take a lot of work too and will be what makes someone pick up the book in a shop and like what they see when flicking through.

Any recommendations or advice on this?

2) How hard is it to actually get published? Do I send my finished book out to publishers, hoping someone will come back to me and go "yes, we love it, we'll give you money and a cut of sales and here's a cheque" ?

Or is the self publishing road getting more common, more profitable? Or is that a bigger risk with more money to be paid up front?
Is it lot more stressful, time consuming etc to go self published?

I really don't know anything about this but believe I have a good book on the way and know my target audience and am confident it will go down well. Getting it to them and making money is the problem I face now!

Any advice much appreciated, thanks!

Das Kitty · 15-12-2015 8:15pm

Jjjjjjjbarry wrote: »

Hi,
this is an old thread but I'll try avoid starting a new one!

I've just completed a book and it's soon to be illustrated - by a friend.
It's one of those books where the illustrations may be as important in selling (even if the writing is fantastic!)

So I really have two type of queries:

1) I still need to agree terms with the illustrator/friend.
I may pay him for the work and give no cut or a split of cash/cut or all cut and no cash.
What's a a normal cut in? Would 70/30 or even 60/40 in my favour be too much to give away if there was no initial payment involved? I've put a lot of work in and will be the one to do the pushing and business end. However I know the illustrations take a lot of work too and will be what makes someone pick up the book in a shop and like what they see when flicking through.

Any recommendations or advice on this?

2) How hard is it to actually get published? Do I send my finished book out to publishers, hoping someone will come back to me and go "yes, we love it, we'll give you money and a cut of sales and here's a cheque" ?

Or is the self publishing road getting more common, more profitable? Or is that a bigger risk with more money to be paid up front?
Is it lot more stressful, time consuming etc to go self published?

I really don't know anything about this but believe I have a good book on the way and know my target audience and am confident it will go down well. Getting it to them and making money is the problem I face now!

Any advice much appreciated, thanks!

Publishers have a stable of illustrators and a stable of writers. They do the matching. So unless you're self publishing, they're not going to want a "whole package" submission.

My advice would be to go into a few book shops, take a look at some books similar to how you invisage yours. Have a look at the publishers and the agents, then look them up online. Most will have submission guidelines to follow.

Self publishing is (IMO) a massive pain in the arse if you want to make money from it.

Alicep · 16-12-2015 5:53pm

You might want to visit a site which offers free publishing. The link is Visit FeedARead.com. Recently attended a talk by an Irish Author who self published with Kazoo. Her website is karenpowerauthor.com

redser7 · 17-12-2015 1:48pm

Interesting reading and leads ...

http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/the-irish-players-at-the-forefront-of-new-publishing-1.2468803

tringle · 01-01-2016 12:16pm

Hi all, a great but very long read.
I've been working on some stories for small children that will need to be illustrated. All I've read suggest that the publisher will find the illustrator not the author. The wording is short and simple and the story does greatly depend on the illustrations (think Roses Walk) as does the placement of the text on the page within the illustration. So if I go ahead with them and submit to a publisher how much detail do I need to give about what the illustration should be. I've made a mock up of a book laying out how the pages should be but don't imagine this is what should be submitted...any ideas, thanks.

Edited to add: What is the percentage breakdown between author and illustrator. The illustration is hugely important but the idea is mine.
Secondly, someone here was self publishing an illustrated book, did you go ahead and how did it go?

sryanbruen · 17-02-2016 9:11pm

I am Sryan Bruen and I am a songwriter / poet / writer. I write songs, short stories, poems and scripts for my upcoming sitcom Celebrity Life.

I have wrote way too many songs to list

so here are just some examples of titles of my songs (my best songs in my opinion)

- Infinity
- Never Give Up
- Time Goes By
- My Heart is in You
- Lose You
- Feel the Love (I wrote the music, lyrics are taken from an old song - but I have given credit for them)
- A Ghrá
- Madrid
- The Leaving Song
- Leave the Stage

I have not wrote as many poems and all my poems' titles are:

- Teacher's Pet
- Cá nDeachaigh Tú? (Where Did You Go?)
- Cancer is a B****
- One Christmas
- Rain Over Me
- Heal Brother
- Snow (I am currently working on but I have writers block)
- Rhythmic Love (I have thrown aside in the bin

)

Short stories I have wrote:

- Graveyard of Terror
- A Friend Like Him
- A House in the Woods
- Robáil Banc (Bank Robbery)
- Bhí an tÁdh Liom (The Luck Was With Me)
- Sryan Bruen summary (A brief story / summary about my life)

So far I have wrote ONE full episode for Celebrity Life

- Where It All Begins

I am working on the second episode with 2 pages of script so far

- Vincent Strikes

^ these are the titles of the episodes

The only reason I am so far behind ever since I started writing Celebrity Life back in August 2014 is because I am the only writer currently.

Out of all these creative works though, I really want my poetry published but I can't find anywhere where I can publish my poems (I am 15 btw).

See my 'Snow' poem so far and please give me feedback

Rising up from slumbers ready to tolerate life's dilemmas
Recalling back when I was just a kid, I was fearless
Hiking through the snow on glacial pavements
Participating with other youth and the childhood amazement

Watching the sky powder all Winter long over us
People with the flu and others saying what's the fuss

DavidKeane · 07-08-2016 10:08am

United Agents (UK) have an "open house" during August for any one looking for an agent.
You need to submit the first 3 chapters of your WIP and a brief synopsis.
Deadlines vary depending on genre.

Aug 8th: Crime/Thrillers
Aug 15th: Com fiction
Aug 22nd: Lit fiction

unitedagentsDOTcoDOTuk/open-house
(sorry- I can't post links ATM)

DavidKeane · 04-09-2016 2:51pm

Did anyone apply for this?
Apparently it'll be 4-6 weeks before they get back to applicants (rather than 2 weeks as stated on their website) due to the amount of submissions.

DavidKeane wrote: »

United Agents (UK) have an "open house" during August for any one looking for an agent.
You need to submit the first 3 chapters of your WIP and a brief synopsis.
Deadlines vary depending on genre.

Aug 8th: Crime/Thrillers
Aug 15th: Com fiction
Aug 22nd: Lit fiction

unitedagents.co.uk/open-house

strawberry1 · 08-05-2017 11:34am

Hi,
Im looking on advice for an agent or how to publish- I have written and illustrated several young children's books. I am unsure where to go from here, I have heard finding an agent could be an idea, but I only have come across UK based agencies. Any one recommend any? Are they pricey, and is it worth it? Thanks :-)

Das Kitty · 09-05-2017 9:30am

strawberry1 wrote: »

Hi,
Im looking on advice for an agent or how to publish- I have written and illustrated several young children's books. I am unsure where to go from here, I have heard finding an agent could be an idea, but I only have come across UK based agencies. Any one recommend any? Are they pricey, and is it worth it? Thanks :-)

You will find that most publishers / agents won't take on a pre-illustrated book. Publishers have their own pool of illustrators.

You'll also find that there are feck all agents in Ireland at all, and (I think) none that represent children's literature.

If you're looking for an agent for picture books, London is where you need to set your sights. Darley Anderson is the one that comes immediately to mind. Looking at their submission page, they do take pre-illustrated submissions.

http://www.darleyandersonchildrens.com/submissions

Das Kitty · 09-05-2017 9:33am

A nice list here:

https://loutreleaven.com/2012/01/30/uk-literary-agents-for-childrens-books/

strawberry1 · 09-05-2017 8:43pm

Thank you for that :-)

owla · 22-03-2018 1:38pm

Is this thread still open?
Anyone have info on 121 Publishers, Manchester, nothing online about them except their own website.
Any info appreciated

MissTheDome · 23-03-2018 6:00pm

owla wrote: »

Is this thread still open?
Anyone have info on 121 Publishers, Manchester, nothing online about them except their own website.
Any info appreciated

Is it possible it is i2i Publishers?

I couldn't find 121...

If it is actually i2i then i think you should consider things carefully.

https://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?297502-i2i-Publishing

owla · 23-03-2018 6:14pm

Yes it is i2i
yes it looks like a money making project. They were gushing about my book when I cant get one agent to take it on....
I think if I get my book professionally edited however I might go the self publish route but maybe with some company I can get more info on.
thanks

realdanbreen · 17-01-2019 1:21pm

If you feel that your first 3 to 4 chapters might not be riveting but that once you hit chapters 7,8,9 it takes off are you betteroff submitting the first 9 chapters to an agent?

echo beach · 17-01-2019 1:58pm

realdanbreen wrote: »

If you feel that your first 3 to 4 chapters might not be riveting but that once you hit chapters 7,8,9 it takes off are you betteroff submitting the first 9 chapters to an agent?

You might be better working on making those first few chapters riveting. Maybe move the better chapters to the start and cut the first ones altogether.
Attention spans are short and getting shorter. Unless you have an established fan base willing to plod through 50 pages in the expectation of a pay off, the chances are an agent won’t read that far either.
Many classic books take hundreds of pages to get going, and some of them never do, but they were written when readers had lots of time and very little choice. Today it is the opposite. Look at any current high selling books. The first page and first chapter are always strong. Often they go downhill after that but you keep reading because you know the author can write. If you don’t know that by the end of chapter one there is a world of other books out there waiting to be read.

blue.jester · 17-01-2019 2:05pm

realdanbreen wrote: »

If you feel that your first 3 to 4 chapters might not be riveting but that once you hit chapters 7,8,9 it takes off are you betteroff submitting the first 9 chapters to an agent?

Most places have guidelines. Typical the first 5 chapters or the first 50 pages - whichever you hit first. So chances are unless you are aiming at people who want the whole manuscript you won't get to send in that many chapters.

Might be better to rework the earlier chapters if you feel they are not as gripping as you'd like.

km85264 · 19-01-2019 3:36pm

If your gut feeling is that the first few chapters are less than brilliant, then you're probably not ready to submit. Rip those first few chapters apart and rebalance them, or see what happens when you cut them out altogether. Make sure your agent is grabbed from page one.
Kieran

Moonbeams8 · 02-08-2020 12:45pm

What an interesting thread to dip in and out of!

olestoepoke · 15-11-2020 12:11pm

Hi guys, sorry if this is off topic. I'm a masters level student writing a dissertation. It's a business related paper. I'm looking for a reliable proofreader. I'm a little nervous about hiring someone online. Thanks in advance.

km85264 · 15-11-2020 1:07pm

olestoepoke wrote: »

Hi guys, sorry if this is off topic. I'm a masters level student writing a dissertation. It's a business related paper. I'm looking for a reliable proofreader. I'm a little nervous about hiring someone online. Thanks in advance.

Ask your teacher/professor to recommend a reader or service.

olestoepoke · 15-11-2020 1:10pm

km85264 wrote: »

Ask your teacher/professor.

You know that is not possible, so I'm presume you don't approve. No need to be abrupt about it now is there.

Das Kitty · 16-11-2020 10:47am

olestoepoke wrote: »

You know that is not possible, so I'm presume you don't approve. No need to be abrupt about it now is there.

Why is it not possible? It's okay to get a proofreader. They don't write your paper for you.

km was giving the advice I would give too.

A proofreader for creative writing won't be the same as one for an academic paper. Your lecturer should be able to put you on to someone.

How to get published

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