Do you believe your book deserves a wide audience and has it got what it takes to enthrall good agents and publishers alike? If so, then jump onto the book publishing rollercoaster, wait for the setbacks to begin and for those proverbial pigs to fly...eventually!
Not that any self-respecting writer should ever be put down or discouraged in their quest to reach the major bookstores, but awareness is key to getting over the tough times ahead. Even the esteemed J K Rawling got way more than her fair share of rejection before finally being accepted by Bloomsbury years after her first manuscript. She muses, "I covered the first three chapters in a nice plastic folder and set them off to an agent, who returned them so fast they must have been sent back the same day they arrived."
Step 1 - Perfect your manuscript
Make sure your manuscript is immaculate, double spaced and with at least a two-inch margin on either side. Use a familiar font such as Ariel, Times New Roman or Verdana, size twelve. In order to even get an initial scan by a junior editor, your text must be premium class, with no spelling or grammar mistakes, so be sure to proof read and, if need be, ask a trusted pair of fresh eyes to scrutinise it even before your initial letter leaves you. In the case of a novel, your letter also needs to be fresh, feature completely original characters and a story that flows seamlessly.
Only if the first few pages, along with your synopsis and covering letter are noteworthy and relevant to the publisher's needs will your manuscript be moved by the junior editor onto a very small pile that awaits the opinion of a senior member of the editing staff. But be aware that for every hundred manuscripts received, only one or two might be deemed worthy of moving to this pile.
Step 2 - Research your agents/publishers
As in all professions, there are rogues and pros. out there and, after so much hard work, it would be shameful to fall victim to the wrong sort of agents or publishers.
So how do you know if they're good or bad? Normally it's easy to tell:
You should NEVER ever pay an agent or a publisher up-front, whether under the guise of cover art, advertising or other fees of any kind. Once they accept your work, all reputable publishers will offer first-time authors an advance and pay you a percentage of each copy sold. Agents will charge a fee (approx. 15%) in relation to the copies sold.
A Google search on the name of the enterprise plus scam or vanity will identify the ones that are looking to take advantage of new or would-be writers.
Beware of so-called agents offering editing or 'book-doctoring' services at a price, reminding you of how life will change once the publisher finally accepts your novel. A common scam involves the 'book doctor', or the agent himself, earning an illegitimate income and wasting your time for 'polishing' your text. Fictitious submissions are then made and you're notified months later that your manuscript unfortunately won't sell in the current market. Remember that from the start you should only submit polished, finished work to agents, so 'book-doctors' aren't necessary.
Good agents and publishers don't need to advertise, proving themselves instead through their client lists. Google their authors' names to gauge how successful they are and how many books they have published. Beware of special adverts and offers as they are likely to be from the agents you don't need.
Before submitting your work, ask:
Does the publisher accept unsolicited manuscripts? If not, it's a waste of time sending yours to them, as they'll be paying someone to open it, then pack it up again and send it right back to you.
What type of manuscripts does the publisher or agent deal in? If you've written a romantic novel but the publisher backs medical books, then don't bother sending them your manuscript.
How does your publisher or agent wish to receive initial correspondence? How long, or rather short, should your synopsis be? Do they really want some or all of your manuscript sent to them at the cover letter stage - as this may vary, what exactly do they want you to send and when?
Bear in mind that all publishing houses, even the big ones, are sometimes interested in a certain amount of work from new writers. They all need to replace those authors lost to other publishers or those who simply stop writing, so don't despair, lady luck might just be with you on the right day!
Step 3 - Find a good agent
There are more agents out there than publishers but in such a competitive and rigid market, agents also need to be picky and selective about who they choose to represent and recommend to publishers. Market instability or other factors might make many agents reluctant to take on new writers, no matter how well you may write. However, if you feel you must have an agent, then you must sell both your manuscript and yourself to the agent. You'll need to impress the agent as much as the publisher.
Good agents save you a lot of time and heartache, acting as your face to the publishers. They know the publishing houses and what book genres they buy, while using their inside knowledge and contacts to get your manuscript seen in the right place at the right time. Agents should be up on current publishing trends and buying tendencies, meaning your manuscript will be sent to a particular publisher if it is buying at the time.
Step 4 - Write your cover letter and synopsis
The cover (query) letter should be a short, simple, single page introducing you and your book, as these days agents and publishers won't have time or patience to read through much more than than this. Your letter needs to catch their attention while respecting a standard, no-nonsense format:
Start with Dear (name of editor/agent, correctly spelt) or Dear Editor (if you don't have a contact name).
Include a heading - the title of your book.
Used blocked paragraphs, not indented ones, with one line space between them.
Open with a sentence explaining why you are approaching them and make them aware that you know something about their professional achievements as well as the books they publish.
You'll need three main paragraphs: the hook, the mini-synopsis and your brief biography.
The Hook - basically one sentence to illicit intrigue about your book, for example:The Da Vinci Code - "A murder in the silent after-hour halls of the Louvre museum reveals a sinister plot to uncover a secret that has been protected by a clandestine society since the days of Christ." Then, still writing in the third person, smoothly incorporate the word count and genre at the end of this paragraph's text.
The Mini-synopsis - this is a second paragraph you use to describe your book, expanding on the hook and giving basic, enticing information on the main characters and conflicts involved within.
The brief biography - keep it brief and relevant to writing or the book you have written. If you can boast of any other writing achievements, mention them, even if they're simply a regular blog or article submission you write. If you cannot, don't apologise for not having other books to your name, simply state this is your first book - by this stage in the letter, if your synopsis has impressed the editor enough, then you'll be half way to sending on your manuscript anyway. If you have less to say about yourself, then there remains more space in your synopsis for a few more words to attract the reader!
Close your letter with thanks for their time and consideration. Don't forget to include a stamp addressed envelope if you're sending your letter in the post and give them your email address and phone number.
When and if you finally get a request from a publisher to see your manuscript, make sure you mark the envelope "Requested material", so that it doesn't get buried or possibly lost in their backlog of unsolicited mail.
Step 5 - Never give up!
Think of all those best-selling authors out there who, like you, fought, waited, waited and waited to be noticed for the value of their work. Keep on approaching agents or publishers in a steady, professional manner and ignore all those inevitable rejections - one fabulous day you will be jumping for joy!
Self-publishing
If that joyous day never comes or you're tired of waiting for it, then perhaps self-publishing is the next way forward for you. You take on the costs of the publication and cover all marketing and distribution, and you get all the proceeds from sales.
This method can help you enter the published world, allowing you to demonstrate the fruits of your work and cite sales statistics, albeit invariably lower figures than if you had published with a traditional publisher, but they will reflect the overall popularity of your book. Bear in mind that as a new, self-published author, your book will not have the benefit of selling in the major book stores. If you still decide to take this option, you'd be well advised to pay a professional editor for an evaluation or even a complete edit before going to print - a small investment compared with that of the print run itself.
Based on the Rock of Gibraltar, Tina suppies freelance copywriting and content writing services to a worldwide market via the internet. Over the past nine years, she has produced top-class copy on a diverse range of subjects - from online gaming to international property investment, from insurance and pension services to lifestyle in Andalucia, and from editiorial copy to TV scripts - you name it, she'll have your work properly researched, written and delivered, ready to meet your deadlines. Find out more and read her website blog.
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