How to publish a book...

• karo: the joys 
  July 17, 2010, 10:45:59 PM
• karo: I've been busy doing this Summer School for Access to Uni thing.  For the past week or two I have had at least one big essay per week(by big I mean 1500 words, so not massive but still a fair bit for a weekly essay) got one due Monday this week and another due Friday
  July 17, 2010, 10:45:46 PM
• E.Maree: That must have taken some organisation, wow. :O Mega congratulations!
  July 15, 2010, 09:24:08 PM
• Triss: We're hoping to make it an annual event since the first was pretty successful.
  July 02, 2010, 05:56:40 PM
• Triss: A group of us from the LARP society I'm part of decided to put on a role-playing convention, catering to roleplayers of all types from tabletop to LARP, so we got in a whole load of traders and people promoting their groups and stuff. There's quite a big, active RP community in the north-east, so we thought we'd tap into that. So 'Nerd East' was born!
  July 02, 2010, 05:56:13 PM
• E.Maree: Running a convention? Oooh, tell me more! :O
  June 27, 2010, 11:34:45 AM
• Triss: 'lo guys - I'm good, still busy, alternating between a degree and convention running. I didn't predict anything of this sort this time last year...
  June 25, 2010, 11:17:06 PM
• E.Maree: I think everyone's lives have taken a turn for the busier lately, I know mine has. xD How are you?
  June 22, 2010, 09:55:21 PM
• MysticSafewayBag: I have not been on here for a long time but I am very busy. It is my bastard degree; it takes up almost all of my time.
  June 16, 2010, 11:00:12 PM
• MysticSafewayBag: Hello.
  June 16, 2010, 10:59:49 PM
• E.Maree: Tightened up the anti-spam measures on the forum.
  May 31, 2010, 01:47:46 PM
• karo: we need to spark up activity again... hardly anyone comes on anymore...
  April 30, 2010, 01:40:19 PM
• E.Maree: Hi XGIANNIX, how are you?
  April 26, 2010, 09:27:37 PM
• XGIANNIX: E.Maree
  April 20, 2010, 01:34:32 PM
• XGIANNIX: euhmm hello
  April 20, 2010, 01:32:18 PM
• E.Maree: The new forum domain is now live, please change your bookmarks to emmamaree.com/forum.
  April 13, 2010, 11:42:03 AM
• E.Maree: I made a logo!
  April 06, 2010, 12:48:12 PM
• E.Maree: http://emmamaree.com/ is well along its way now. I'll have to move this place over soon. :O
  March 21, 2010, 10:38:08 PM
• E.Maree: Oh man, it's so cold around here, even with the snow gone. 
  January 22, 2010, 08:31:36 AM
• karo: thank you
  January 18, 2010, 05:43:17 PM

[Sparky~]

I have a question...^^
This is a little different to most of the other questions, I think xD
I was really interested to know - how did you start getting about having a book published?
I've heard that you should send it to an agent first, or a publisher, but I've no idea how to do either of these...or how to find an agent...
Do you have any advice? =\
Thanks - love the books by the way

[Ben ~ Phoenix]

Hey sparky. While you wait for an answer why don't you write in the Newbie board and introduce yourself a little bit. Its great to see someone new on the forums so go and tell us something about you.

[Sparky~]

Ok, will do - thanks

[E.Maree]

I have a question...^^
This is a little different to most of the other questions, I think xD
I was really interested to know - how did you start getting about having a book published?
I've heard that you should send it to an agent first, or a publisher, but I've no idea how to do either of these...or how to find an agent...
Do you have any advice? =\
Thanks - love the books by the way

Heh, my method involved going through the phonebook, ringing up local publishers and finding out their submission rules - but an easier way is to find publishers you're interested in online. Their site should have information on how to submit, unless they're bigger companies - which usually require representation by an agent.

There's a book published yearly, the Writer's Almanac if I remember correctly, that lists all the publishers and agents - but I'm fairly positive proper googling could yeild the same results.

As for getting an agent, I really can be of little help there since I went for the smaller publishers that don't require agent solicitation, and an agent came to me afterwards. However, one of our members - Triss - has an agent, she might be able to shed some more light on the task.

[Sparky~]

Thanks so much

[Triss]

Well, I have an editor, rather than an agent, but I'll tell you a bit about it.

I would recommend an editor if you are willing to pay them to review your manuscript. They'll give you advice on plot, characters, setting, plausibilty etc, which can be invaluable advice.

As for agents, well...I got my list of agents from the Writer's and Artist's Handbook. Basically, try to go for relatively new or small agencies - you'll probably get more of a chance with them, or at least a lovely rejection letter. (I got a handwritten one the other day - you can just tell that they are dedicated if they do that). Sometimes they'll say that they will carefully consider anything else you send them as well. You tend to be up against more competition if you go for bigger agencies.

What an agent does is sell your book to publishers. Publishers often won't take unsolicited manuscripts, so an agent is the best thing you could have to try to get a book published. I don't have one (yet) just to clear up any confusion. Be prepared for a ton of rejection letters, although amongst the bog-standard form letters are the really nice ones which make you happy even if you know you've been turned down.

Send out manuscripts to agents several at a time - it's unlikely that you'd get two asking to represent you (unless you are insanely lucky). I'd advise you to send five chapters or the first fifty pages, double spaced. It's a little fussy, but that's what they tend to ask for, or variations on the theme. Also, a self-addressed envelope and a letter telling them who you are and a brief paragraph about the book - you should provide a synopsis of about one or two pages as well. Giving a good impression first off is vital.

Hope all that helped. I'll admit that in some respects it hasn't paid off yet, but it's all worth it for the really positive letters you get back, even if your manuscript hasn't been accepted.

[Sparky~]

Wow, thanks for the advice!!
And I hope you get an agent soon XD Good luck :3

[MysticSafewayBag]

Urq:
Suggest split this topic off from #362 and sticky it since you and Triss have done such a great job of answering the question?

[E.Maree]

Good idea, though I'm unsure whether it would be better split from 359? :/

Heh, sorry for the confusion Triss.

As for big agencies versus small agencies - small agencies are better, both for availability and spirit, but make sure you get with an agency that knows what they're doing, and the most experience agent you can. Even if it means fighting a little harder for them, you want to get an agent with the know-how, the skills and the connections to do what's best for you without limitation.

Also, I don't know if this method is known to commonly work, but... I got my agent once my work was out there and had made a name for itself, so I'd say either it would be easier to find, or you could be found by, an agent if you get your work out as much as possible and build up a reputation on your own. It'll also look better for prospective publishers to see what you've achieved alone.

And if you're looking for a free editor, a lot of fanfiction readers online offer 'beta reading' and similar editor-like services for absolutely nothing. I've never used them, and there's a risk you might not like their attitude, but if I wasn't too shy for it I would love to have an online editor to look through my stuff. That said, I do have you guys. <3

[MysticSafewayBag]

359 would be better.

[E.Maree]

'tis done. 

[MysticSafewayBag]

Gosh! Advice on How To Publish A Book by Emma Maree Urquhart, published teenaged author!

[E.Maree]

roflmao xD love you too, MSB.

[MysticSafewayBag]

I submitted this page to Google.

[karo]

ace.  How do you do that?