writers.com feature:

How Do I Get Published?



By Paula Guran

Many people write to us for advice on getting published. It is a complicated subject and the answers will be different for everyone. We recommend learning the basics about publishing and adapting advice to your situation. We offer specific classes on the subject and many of our classes address "getting published" as part of the course. We've listed some advice below that you can find online, read and compare for yourself. Becoming familiar with Publishers Weekly, the magazine for the publishing industry, is also a good idea. PW has an online version, and you can also find copies in most libraries. Libraries are, of course, a great starting place to learn more about how to get published and librarian are always happy to help. (The latest edition of The Literary Market Place, a large reference book that lists publishers and agents, is one book that you'll want to consult at the library rather than purchase as it costs around $300!) We also recommend the following books (listed alphabetically by author). The linked title will connect you with Amazon.com where you can read more about the book and purchase it if you wish.

Advice from a Variety of Sources



Barry, Max: How to Get Published
Australian publishers are naive, kindly souls who haven't yet been able to steel their hearts against the bleatings of authors. This is inevitably going to change, if only because offices filled with manuscripts are a real fire hazard, but for now you can take advantage." (An Australian perspective)

Bloomsbury Magazine: Bloomsbury Guide for Writers
"Everything writers need to get published: how to prepare and submit typescripts, advice from the industry, a full list of literary agents..." (Oriented toward UK, but useful to others.)

Booktrust Fact Sheet: Getting Published
"Becoming a published writer can appear to be a rather daunting task for the novice author. However, by following a few simple guidelines, one can increase the likelihood of seeing one's work in print." (Oriented toward UK, but useful to others.)

Brown, Paul B. (Inc.com): Re: How to get your book published
"The email excerpted below was not written for publication... It was written by Paul B. Brown, a professional coauthor and ghostwriter, as a standard reply to the numerous CEOs who ask him, 'How do I turn my ideas (my management wisdom or my company-building story or my insights about the future) into a book?' Think of it as a kind of FAQ memo for anyone who's decided it might be useful to bind his or her thoughts between two covers."

Cader Books: Book Publishing FAQ
Book package/publisher looks at the process of getting published. Applies most particularly to nonfiction publishing.)

DeFilippis, Christopher: The Trail of Tears
"Attention all would-be writers out there. You always hear people say that getting your first novel published is the hard part. That once you make that initial leap, it gets easier and easier to see your work in print. Well, I'm here to tell you, that's a load of crap..."

French, Jackie: How to Get Your First Novel Published
Advice from a children's writer who has published 106 books.

Harper, Tara K. Advice and Answers to Aspiring Writers
An author's advice on writing, contracts, query letters, editors and editing, agents (and why you want one), publishing, and more.

Jacobs, Sherry-Anne: Getting Your Novel Published
"It's probably as hard to get a novel published by one of the big international companies as it is to get on the Olympic team. But don't let that stop you trying -- someone has to do it, after all! And since the shelves of Australian bookshops are full of novels from overseas, I feel it's my patriotic duty to get my books published and on to overseas bookshelves." (Australian author, but oriented toward non-Australian publishers.)

Kelman, Judith: How to Write a Publishable Novel, About Agents and Getting Your Book Published
"...I've gotten hundreds of calls from people seeking advice about how to polish and market their written work. I have helped many of them to make the tricky transition from idea to manuscript to published book. There are no right answers or magic shortcuts."

Macleod, Mark (publisher, Hodder Headline Australia): Getting Your Book Published
"People come up to publishers and writers at parties all the time and say, 'I'm a writer.' And when you say, 'Oh great -- what do you write?' often the answer is, 'Well, I'm not writing anything at the moment.' So you have to ask yourself to what extent is that the answer of a writer?" (Australian, but good general info.)

Marano, Michael: The Long Hard Odds: A Few Hints on Getting that First Horror Novel Published
"...the odds were 20,000 against [my first novel being published]. Add the fact it is first Horror novel, and that it is coming out as a hardback from a major publisher, the odds must shoot up dramatically. I mention this so that you have reason to read what I have to write on this subject. I found ways to change the odds."

New Zealand Book Council: How to Get Published
"These tips generally apply to those with a book-length manuscript.... Everyone's experiences with publishing are different. There is no magic formula, but these basic guidelines that should help you along the way.

Organization of Book Publishers of Ontario: How To Get Published
One of the most frequently asked questions we get over the telephone is: how do I get published? And while this isn't the definitive response to ensure your book goes to print, here are a few suggestions and starting points..."

Phillips, Susan: Tips for Beginners
"So many readers have asked me questions about getting their own work published that I'm offering these tips based upon my experiences and the experiences of writers I know." (Phillips writes romance.)

Pope, Dan: Some Advice About Getting Published
"A lot of young writers send their stuff out before they're ready, before the particular piece is ready. That makes for a flurry of trips to the post office and a flurry of rejections. Instead, try working on a particular story--your best one--until it's perfect."

Rainwater Press: How to Get Your First Novel Published
Advice from an independent press and writer.

Richmond Review, The: How to Get Published
"...many of the magazine's contributors and editors have worked in London book-publishing for several years, and the following is their best, and most blunt advice on how to go about getting your novel published....information about the realities of book-publishing -- and the minimum of soft-soap." (More UK advice, but still applicable to most.)

Ridpath, Michael My First Novel
"I am convinced that it is the enjoyment of the writing process, rather than a desire for publication or an attempt to write what sells, that leads in the end to the creation of a good book."

Vault (Career Change): How to Get Your Book Published
"In your daydreams, the publishers are banging down your door before you even get the last chapter out, but in reality, unless you're a celebrity or descended from one, no one's knocking.....That gives you two choices: find an agent or approach a publisher directly."

Wagner, Venise: How to Get Your Book Published
"With so much depressing news seeping out of the publishing world, it's understandable if, after writing your little heart out, sweating over imagery, language,and plot, you end up staring at your manuscript, wondering if it will ever see the light of day....But don't despair."

Watt-Evans, Lawrence: ...About Agents and ... About How to Get Your Work Published
"Millions of people want to be writers -- though I sometimes wonder why, as it isn't a very lucrative profession, and it's damned hard. Far too many of these would-be writers think the way to learn the job is to ask established writers a lot of annoying questions, in hopes we'll reveal The Secret...

Woman's Day: Getting Published in a Magazine

Writing-World.com: How to Get Your Book Published
Many articles on some of the basics.

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