After interviewing former brass staffer Katie Kacvinsky about the release of her first novel, Awaken, it got me thinking: maybe some of you would like to know how to get a book published.
Here's some advice:
- Hire an editor. Think you know where commas go? What about em dashes, en dashes, semicolons, colons, fact-checking, spellchecking, Chicago Manual of Style formatting? The list goes on and on, and a freelance editor will help polish your manuscript. Not only that, but a fresh pair of professional eyes will help spot inconsistencies or errors in plot and character development and provide suggestions for improvement. You want that manuscript looking its best when it hits the agent's or publisher's desk.
- Get an agent. As Katie Kacvinsky said, "The big publishing houses [meaning Random House, Penguin, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, and Hachette Book Group] don't take unsolicited manuscripts, so the only way to get in the door is to go through an agent." This is completely true. When authors send manuscripts directly to publishers without backing from a literary agent they often go straight into the trash.
- Don't get discouraged. Getting published is highly competitive, even within the smaller publishing circles outside of big New York City publishing. Don't be surprised if you send a manuscript out and never see it again or hear from whom you sent it to. DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED. Forge on. Keep submitting, writing, drafting, and resubmitting. One day you'll get there.
- Self-publish. This may not seem ideal for those looking to start a writing career, but self-publishing can be highly rewarding. You're left with a more professional looking manuscript to present to agents or small publishers, you can market to friends and family for gifts or small profit, and most importantly you can get your name out there. A college friend of mine self-published her short stories and began selling them in Borders bookstores. It's possible to gain recognition on this smaller scale. Check out lulu.com or search locally for print on demand book publishing machines. I had access to one at Portland State University, and let me tell you it's wild to see your book go from USB to printed and bound in less than 15 minutes.
--Chris
P.S. I have a master's in book publishing, so anyone looking to pursue the field, I'd love to answer your questions.
Photo taken from this photostream and used with permission of a Creative Commons license.
Great article! I'm a die hard credit union employee with a hobby of writing - self published. I don't actually have any talent - but I do have a lot of fun!!
I've heard you need an agent - and that agents will receive up to 10,000 inquiries in a year and take on just a handful of clients. Sometimes as little as one or two. I can guaran-dang-tee I'm not the top one or two in anything, let alone writing. Any advice on the best path to finding an agent suited for a saucy woman / pretend author?
haha great comment, Rebecca. I do have some advice: think of finding an agent as based on your work rather than based on you. The book industry runs off niche markets, so you need to be very calculated in whom you send your manuscripts to. If you're writing a YA book, don't send your manuscript to an agent specializing in nonfiction. It's very likely that certain agents will deal with certain publishers--after all, they say it's who you know, right? Agents will work first with those in their roll-a-decks, so they too will keep your manuscript in the niche market they think will give it the likeliest chance to sell. So that's that--keep your agent search focused, and don't be afraid to contact people directly to inquire what types of books they specialize in. As a closing note, I must say that you already possess two qualities that all writers should have: you're not afraid to self-publish and you're having a darn fun time doing it. Don't lose that. The former will get your name out there and the latter will keep you doing it. My only comment on that matter, however, is never consider yourself a subpar writer. Even if it's true, having confidence in this industry is of the utmost importance. Without it, you may get discouraged after numerous rejections. Just tell yourself that what you write has not been seen before, and eventually you may get picked up. Even if it's not the most polished, that's what editorial staff are for. Agents will be able to see the underlying story for what it is, regardless of an author's surface-level technical abilities. If your writing skill bothers you, I would recommend enrolling in some writing classes or workshops. Workshops are especially beneficial, because they crop up everywhere and they're fast and packed with information.
Good luck, Rebecca. I hope to see your work at Barnes & Noble some day.
Hi Cris,thank you for sharing interest and correcting some mistakes above.I noticed that you also gave an advice to Rebecca.Thank you for being such a good samaritan :)
Thanks, Colline. That's what I'm here for! Any book-related questions, I'd be happy to take a crack at them.
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