At the WARA meeting today, there were several questions asked about how to find an agent. Here are two links that can be very helpful.
Association of Authors' Representatives, Inc.
Predators & Editors
A Fond Farewell
6 years ago
Showing posts with label The Submission Process. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Submission Process. Show all posts
Voices from the Dark Side (Roxann)
While many people envision the writing life as glamorous, those of us who actually tackle the task of putting words on paper know the truth: It ain't pretty, honey! Any one of us could name half a dozen to a dozen or even more cons of writing. That doesn't mean there aren't pros, nor does it even mean that the cons outweigh the pros, but this month some of us are tackling the tougher aspects aka the realities. Or as Pat so aptly put it, the Dark Side.
Every job/career has its downside. Writing isn't immune to darkness.
You've worked hard on that manuscript, that baby that's kept you up at night, driven you crazy with voices in your head, and produced backaches from sitting at the computer too long. The i's are dotted and the t's are crossed. It's polished so well you need sunglasses just to glance at it. And then you summon the courage to call it "finished," sending it away and hoping for at least an encouraging word from an editor, an agent, or even a judge in a contest. And then you wait. And wait. Sometimes several months go by, and you still keep waiting. And you begin to wonder if A) It didn't reach its destination, or B) It's so bad, no one has the nerve to tell you. Neither is probably true, but that doesn't mean every possible scenario of what could go wrong doesn't enter your very active imagination.
Then there's life after The Call. Published authors, if honest, will point out that the term "deadline" incorporates a key word. DEAD. Because if you don't meet that deadline with the finished product, be it a proposal or a full manuscript, copyedits or galleys, you may be putting a nail in the coffin of your career. But it doesn't end there. Working with an editor doesn't guarantee that your latest baby will be swept into the arms of your editor the minute it arrives and admired for its beauty. More than likely it could be three months or more before you even hear a peep from the person who holds your destiny in her (or his) hands. That editor has other submissions to read. You are one among many, and your latest baby will wait in line. (See photo above for a real view of manuscripts waiting to be read.) Unless, of course, you're Nora Roberts, Stephen King, Dan Brown, John Grisham... But they went through their own rejections, testing periods, and waiting in line. But it doesn't end there. Your editor isn't the last one to approve your baby. There's often a senior editor and, in some cases, a group or panel of people that must be convinced your baby is good enough for the world to see.
It won't be long before you're back at the keyboard, hearing voices, back aching and fuzzy-brained from lack of sleep, working on that next baby.
And they say childbirth is difficult and obviously why it's called labor. But, like childbirth, the joy of that baby being brought into the world for you and others to see is worth it. :)
Coming Soon: A New Year
With Christmas over, it means it's time to think about New Year's Resolutions. "I resolve to fill in the blank in 2010." But while we're all thinking of passing up anything with more than 200 calories, let's focus more on goals for the year, especially writing goals.
What are goals? Dictionary.com defines a goal as the result or achievement toward which effort is directed; aim; end. Synonyms are target; purpose, object, objective, intent, intention. Good words! Even better because they can help us make goals.
Reaching a goal takes effort.
One caution when creating a goal. Aim for goals that can be achieved. A goal needs to be within your control. For instance, a goal of selling a book isn't completely achievable. None of us can control what or when an editor or publisher will buy, but what we can do is write the book and submit it.
If you have a large goal for the year, break it down into smaller ones. Large goals, such as submitting a manuscript, should be a series of small, achievable goals.
1. Find the right publisher for your idea.
2. If research is needed, do as much as possible before starting to write. That doesn't mean that once you're into the writing you can't look up specific information you need, but knowing a little about your hero or heroine's career from the beginning can mean not having to go back and revise later.
3. For those who plot, do it now. For those who don't, and idea of the beginning, middle, and end of your book can be a big help and keep you focused.
4. Writing a book definitely requires writing pages. But what if writing 200 to 300+ pages seems like a daunting task? Break it down! It's been said countless times that if a writer writes only one page a day, at the end of a year there would be 365 pages written. That's equivalent to 91,250 words!
But maybe you aren't ready to submit a book to a publisher. What other goals might you be thinking about?
Coming up with a story idea? Ideas are everywhere! Watch the news, read a newspaper, even watching people in the mall can generate an idea. If you have an idea, but don't know how to work it into a book, try brainstorming with friends or a critique group or partner. 'What if' is great way to put a story together.
Entering a contest? Kick off 2010 with WARA's Right Hook contest in March, followed by our Flyover contest in June, and ending with our HEA (Happily Ever After) contest in November. Work on entering each of these contests throughout the year, and you may end up with a finished book by this time next year. If you're an RWA member, many chapters have contests each year. Those can range from the opening to the first chapter or even a specific type of scene.
Check the internet for more ideas on how to make and achieve your goals. You can start with tips from Renee Knowles' Do You Have a Plan. Good luck!
Is Publishing Your Goal?
We are fast approaching the end of the year. The beginning of the year, I write down my goals I want to accomplish for the coming year. One goal I continue to strive for is to be published. Some day I will succeed. If you’ve made that goal, I say Congratulations. As a writer I never want to give up. I’m always looking for ways to perfect that goal. Here are some suggestions I would like to share.
1. Examine the true reason you are writing. Is it for the personal achievement of completing a finished novel? Do you want the glory of seeing your name on the cover of your published book in a bookstore? Is it primarily for the desire to make money? Are you writing because your friend is writing and you want to be just like him or her? Do you enjoy developing and creating characters, with the excitement of seeing a completed ending? Learn what your drive is you want to pursue. Knowing your motivation will help you to be honest in achieving your publishing goal.
2. Read what you enjoy. I believe reading can only enhance the quality of your work. You hold the book in your hands and you say, “If he or she published, I can as well.” This is a great motivator in reaching your personal goal.
3. Entering contests is a great way to get an honest opinion from others in the writing field. This helps you to experience an opportunity to submit your work. You just might be one of the lucky one’s to place in the competition.
4. Don’t be in a hurry. Don’t try to send a chapter, synopsis or a proposal. A non-published writer must do the work. Complete the book. Your book must have a beginning, middle and an ending. Of course there are other elements such as romance (if it is a romance novel), conflict, a black moment. A main plot and sub plots vary. The list goes on and on. The main point I’m trying to convey is, learn the craft of writing and complete the book.
5. Do rewrites. Don’t try to by pass this step. Your poor writing will show through. Your story must be the best it can be. You must grab the editor’s attention. This is crucial to the sale of your book. Research all you can on the subject of rewriting. Be familiar with the techniques, so you can adjust your book accordingly. Find a good critique partner who will give you helpful suggestions. This doesn’t always have to be, but sometimes finding a writer who reads and writes the same type of books you are interested in, will give you the right helpful critique you need. Above all stay enthusiastic about your writing.
6. Read everything you can about publishing industries. Knowing someone employed in the publishing market could be a plus. Learn as much as you can about the market you are targeting for. One thing I’ve seen over time, write what you like. Not just what the market or editor is wanting. For example, if you are writing a novel, by the time you reach the end and have done all the rewrites, the demand for that type of story may have changed. Write what you are inspired to write. There is always going to be a time and place for your completed manuscript.
7. Once you’ve finished, submit as soon as possible. Research the publishing houses to find out who is requesting submissions. Once you’ve made your choice, follow their guidelines exactly. There aren’t any short cuts. Researching and finding the right publishing house to submit to, is just as important as writing your story.
Hope these steps help you in accomplishing your publishing goal. Feel free to share your experiences in your writing career. It is always interesting to hear how other writers motivate and follow their dreams.
May everyone have a Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year.
-Sharon
1. Examine the true reason you are writing. Is it for the personal achievement of completing a finished novel? Do you want the glory of seeing your name on the cover of your published book in a bookstore? Is it primarily for the desire to make money? Are you writing because your friend is writing and you want to be just like him or her? Do you enjoy developing and creating characters, with the excitement of seeing a completed ending? Learn what your drive is you want to pursue. Knowing your motivation will help you to be honest in achieving your publishing goal.
2. Read what you enjoy. I believe reading can only enhance the quality of your work. You hold the book in your hands and you say, “If he or she published, I can as well.” This is a great motivator in reaching your personal goal.
3. Entering contests is a great way to get an honest opinion from others in the writing field. This helps you to experience an opportunity to submit your work. You just might be one of the lucky one’s to place in the competition.
4. Don’t be in a hurry. Don’t try to send a chapter, synopsis or a proposal. A non-published writer must do the work. Complete the book. Your book must have a beginning, middle and an ending. Of course there are other elements such as romance (if it is a romance novel), conflict, a black moment. A main plot and sub plots vary. The list goes on and on. The main point I’m trying to convey is, learn the craft of writing and complete the book.
5. Do rewrites. Don’t try to by pass this step. Your poor writing will show through. Your story must be the best it can be. You must grab the editor’s attention. This is crucial to the sale of your book. Research all you can on the subject of rewriting. Be familiar with the techniques, so you can adjust your book accordingly. Find a good critique partner who will give you helpful suggestions. This doesn’t always have to be, but sometimes finding a writer who reads and writes the same type of books you are interested in, will give you the right helpful critique you need. Above all stay enthusiastic about your writing.
6. Read everything you can about publishing industries. Knowing someone employed in the publishing market could be a plus. Learn as much as you can about the market you are targeting for. One thing I’ve seen over time, write what you like. Not just what the market or editor is wanting. For example, if you are writing a novel, by the time you reach the end and have done all the rewrites, the demand for that type of story may have changed. Write what you are inspired to write. There is always going to be a time and place for your completed manuscript.
7. Once you’ve finished, submit as soon as possible. Research the publishing houses to find out who is requesting submissions. Once you’ve made your choice, follow their guidelines exactly. There aren’t any short cuts. Researching and finding the right publishing house to submit to, is just as important as writing your story.
Hope these steps help you in accomplishing your publishing goal. Feel free to share your experiences in your writing career. It is always interesting to hear how other writers motivate and follow their dreams.
May everyone have a Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year.
-Sharon
Understanding the Premise, the Blurb, and the Pitch
PREMISE
A “premise” is a brief summary of what the book is about, preferably in one to two sentences. It can be considered the quickie pitch for an agent, an editor, or a reader.
A Premise’s Job
Reinforce what the title says about the book’s genre and tone
Summarize the storyline
Show the story’s uniqueness
Intrigue the reader, agent, or editor
Entice the reader to want to know what’s going to happen
Establish the story’s dramatic issue and hint at movement within the story to reach a satisfactory fulfillment
Sample Premise of It’s Mau-idness (by Starla Kaye)
Two people burned in previous bad marriages fight an unwanted and irresistible attraction while battling over a spa ranch business investment in Maui.
Tone: semi-lighthearted by the play on Maui Madness (original title I came up with)
Summary: characters battling over something both want
Uniqueness: the type of business being battled over
Romantic conflict: prior bad marriages make characters wary, but physical attraction is strong and hard to resist
BLURB
Some people wrongly believe that a “premise” is the same thing as the promotional “blurb,” such as used on back covers. The premise may be incorporated into the blurb, but the blurb goes into more detail to encourage a reader to buy the book.
Goals of the Blurb
Introduce the main character or characters
State their goals (the reason for the story)
Hint at conflicts (reasons they will have trouble reaching the goals)
Establish setting details: time period, genre influences, location
For a romance, to show attraction and frustration
Sample Blurb from If You Loved Me by Starla Kaye
Caitlin Curran MacDonnell’s life is a disaster. Forced into marriage in Scotland at eighteen to a man she had never met before, at twenty-one she’s told the marriage is to be annulled. Only problem: Now her brother wants to force her to marry someone else. She’s had enough. She has dreams of her own and they don’t include an enormous, handsome Scot OR a disgusting old man. It’s time to find her “husband” from whom she was separated after her wedding night and get on with her life.
Just when Mac is getting on with his life, his sassy young bride shows up in Tumbleweed, Kansas where he’s now the sheriff. He’d been told she’d died, yet there she is, willful and independent as ever, demanding an annulment so she can go off to San Francisco to be a photographer. That might be what she wants, but what she needs is a man to keep her in line.
Character introduction: Cailtin Curran MacDonnell and Mac MacDonnell
Her goals: end her farce of a marriage and start her own life as a photographer
Her conflicts: not go from one forced marriage to another
Setting: married in Scotland, confronts Mac in Tumbleweed, Kansas
Romantic elements: sees Mac as a handsome Scot, he sees her as needing him
PITCH
In baseball terms, it would be what a pitcher throws to a batter in an attempt to work towards a game win. The pitcher would hope that all of his pitches are so good that all the batters strike out, and he earns the glory of a win.
In a writer’s terms, the pitch is what a writer tells an agent or an editor about his/her manuscript with the hope of earning representation or a sale. The pitch can be as short as the 1-2 sentence premise, or relating the guts of the work in 6-10 well crafted sentences for a five to ten minute agent/editor appointment. The pitch can also be used in a query letter.
Contents of a Good Pitch
Relate the genre, and possibly a targeted line
Give the approximate word count (should fit the targeted line you mention)
State if the work is complete
Provide a succinct summary of the basic storyline plot points
Establish the setting, including the time period
Introduce the characters and their goals
Show the conflicts and obstacles to keep the characters from reaching their goals
In a romance, explain what attracts them to each other and what keeps them from physically or emotionally apart
EDITING: Making It Your Best Effort
The first draft is finished and for some (not me) the fun begins, editing and revising. Even I, who hates going back through a completed novel, realize that this is a critical step in the writing process. This is the time to find as many character problems, plot mishaps, setting detail omissions, and other flat-out screw ups as you can and fix them before submitting to your agent, editor or publisher. The following are some of the editing tips I’ve learned along the way.
General Editing Tips
· Start the story fast, and then fill in the back story later in order to grab the reader right away.
· Make sure each scene leads logically to sequels.
· Make sure the plot movement builds in intensity until the black moment.
· Avoid dumping large chunks of expository matter to explain the background of characters or situations.
· Avoid forcing too much irrelevant data acquired from research onto the reader.
· Use a basic norm for chapter length through the entire manuscript.
Point of View Editing Tips
· Avoid going into a minor character’s viewpoint.
· Only switch viewpoints when necessary, never more than once or twice in any scene if possible.
· Tell each scene through the viewpoint of the character most directly involved.
Editing Action
· Watch using excessive internalization.
· Actions alone can distance a reader, but characters need to be doing something while they speak.
· Make sure all events happen because of the main character’s actions.
· Make sure characters have adequate motivation for their actions.
· Watch for body parts performing independently of the person’s mind control.
· Do not record every step a character takes, but include only the details the reader cannot infer from reading the text.
· Remember that men and women communicate verbally, but lovers do so in a dozen other ways such as: glances, touches, smiles, gasps and sighs.
· Make sure the characters react and act true to their natures, and that what they experience is believable to the reader.
· Watch being clinical, telling the sex scene by going through a checklist of actions.
Editing Dialogue
· Keep dialogue short and sharp, avoid chit-chat.
· Remember that people cannot smile, shrug, cough or laugh words.
· Delete dialogue that neither describes a character nor advances the plot.
Editing Description
· Appeal to all of the senses whenever possible.
· Develop each scene fully by giving details of changes in time, characters and setting.
Edit Out Weak Words/Phrases
· Absolutely, actually, all, as a matter of fact
· Basically, carefully, certainly, definitely
· Fortunately, generally, hopefully, in fact, in particular
· Mainly, naturally, necessarily, needless to say
· Obviously, of course, particularly, quite, rather, really
· So-called, somewhat, totally, truly
· Unfortunately, very, whatever, whichever
Edit Out Non-descriptive Words/Phrases
· It, itself
· Now, pretty, stuff, this, that, these, thing, those
· A little, began to, I guess, I think, kind of
· Just, only, some, sort of
Edit Out Inert Verbs
· Am are, been, being
· Is, to be, was, were
Edit Overuse Of:
· Profanity, epithets, blasphemy
· Character’s favorite phrase
· Not only…but also
· Using “the” too often in a sentence or paragraph
· Exclamation points
· Beginning sentence and paragraphs with “he” or “she”
· Too many adjectives and adverbs
· To many “he said” and “she saids”
· Repetitive actions like sighing, nodding, and smiling
· Awkward sentence structure
· Too long of sentences
· Prepositional phrase strings
· Too much Italicization
General Editing Tips
· Start the story fast, and then fill in the back story later in order to grab the reader right away.
· Make sure each scene leads logically to sequels.
· Make sure the plot movement builds in intensity until the black moment.
· Avoid dumping large chunks of expository matter to explain the background of characters or situations.
· Avoid forcing too much irrelevant data acquired from research onto the reader.
· Use a basic norm for chapter length through the entire manuscript.
Point of View Editing Tips
· Avoid going into a minor character’s viewpoint.
· Only switch viewpoints when necessary, never more than once or twice in any scene if possible.
· Tell each scene through the viewpoint of the character most directly involved.
Editing Action
· Watch using excessive internalization.
· Actions alone can distance a reader, but characters need to be doing something while they speak.
· Make sure all events happen because of the main character’s actions.
· Make sure characters have adequate motivation for their actions.
· Watch for body parts performing independently of the person’s mind control.
· Do not record every step a character takes, but include only the details the reader cannot infer from reading the text.
· Remember that men and women communicate verbally, but lovers do so in a dozen other ways such as: glances, touches, smiles, gasps and sighs.
· Make sure the characters react and act true to their natures, and that what they experience is believable to the reader.
· Watch being clinical, telling the sex scene by going through a checklist of actions.
Editing Dialogue
· Keep dialogue short and sharp, avoid chit-chat.
· Remember that people cannot smile, shrug, cough or laugh words.
· Delete dialogue that neither describes a character nor advances the plot.
Editing Description
· Appeal to all of the senses whenever possible.
· Develop each scene fully by giving details of changes in time, characters and setting.
Edit Out Weak Words/Phrases
· Absolutely, actually, all, as a matter of fact
· Basically, carefully, certainly, definitely
· Fortunately, generally, hopefully, in fact, in particular
· Mainly, naturally, necessarily, needless to say
· Obviously, of course, particularly, quite, rather, really
· So-called, somewhat, totally, truly
· Unfortunately, very, whatever, whichever
Edit Out Non-descriptive Words/Phrases
· It, itself
· Now, pretty, stuff, this, that, these, thing, those
· A little, began to, I guess, I think, kind of
· Just, only, some, sort of
Edit Out Inert Verbs
· Am are, been, being
· Is, to be, was, were
Edit Overuse Of:
· Profanity, epithets, blasphemy
· Character’s favorite phrase
· Not only…but also
· Using “the” too often in a sentence or paragraph
· Exclamation points
· Beginning sentence and paragraphs with “he” or “she”
· Too many adjectives and adverbs
· To many “he said” and “she saids”
· Repetitive actions like sighing, nodding, and smiling
· Awkward sentence structure
· Too long of sentences
· Prepositional phrase strings
· Too much Italicization
A Writer's Office
Some people say “home is where the heart is.” With a writer, it can be said that your office is where you are.” Actually, a writer can work in several kinds of offices and many of us do that. In the “ideal” world, the writer might have one specified office in their home or in an office building where they do all of their work. They completely separate their writing life from any other aspects of their life. This is where everything related to their work is located. Items here might include their research materials, reference books, file cabinets, desk and chair, computer system and monitor(s), printer, assorted supplies, and back-up disks.
If a writer is lucky she may have a designated room in her home that she can call her own. More likely she shares that room with other members of her family. You can be creative about claiming part of such a space into “your” writing area. I have such a room in my house, at one end of our long living room. I’ve managed to separate my writing space off by adding a room divider to hide my desk and some of my bookcases. I chose a divider that has places for photographs on one side, which I’ve filled with family photos. It blends in nicely with the rest of the room and is really a conversation piece, too. Someday, when I have spare time, I plan to add a way to hang writing-related photos on the side facing the writing space. Such things as character photos, pictures or brochures of settings, maps of the ranch layout I’m using or of the general area, etc.
Some of us also have what I call “mobile” offices as well. My mobile office includes having several different bags to carry my laptop within, each for varying amounts of mobile need. When I want to sit for a while in a coffee shop, on a bench in the park, or in some other public place, I use a simple, slim bag to carry no more than my laptop, flash drive back-up, and maybe the electrical cord to work a little longer.
I have a medium-sized bag that carries a file of research material, a pad of paper and a couple of pens as well as my laptop, back-up drive, and cord. This is for a little longer stay in a coffee shop part of a bookstore or other such place to sit comfortably for a while.
When I’m travelling, I use a larger bag on wheels to hold the laptop, back-up disks, cords, files of reference materials for the project to be worked on, and anything else fairly small to take on the trip. Since I fly a lot I really like having the bag on wheels. Laptops, no matter how small, get heavy when you’re trying to race between terminals in an airport. But I also don’t want a bag that is more than twelve inches deep. I have long legs and seat space is limited in coach. I prefer to put my bag in the overhead and not where my feet need to go. Bags with more depth than twelve inches can be a real pain to cram into the overhead space, particularly on the smaller planes.
Several of my writing friends are now using those smaller, lightweight netbooks as another kind of mobile office. These are a good secondary computer for people on the go, or for a writer not needing to work for hours on a writing project. They were mainly designed for quick, easy connections to e-mail, for web browsing and for lightweight computing. They are small and easy to put in a bigger purse, have a long battery life of between 8 and 10.5 hours, and they have several USB ports for backing up work to download on a bigger computer later. Most netbooks come preloaded with Windows XP and some with a trial version of Microsoft Office Home.
The point is that a writer can have many choices of an office and may use more than one type. We are creative people, including with our work space.
If a writer is lucky she may have a designated room in her home that she can call her own. More likely she shares that room with other members of her family. You can be creative about claiming part of such a space into “your” writing area. I have such a room in my house, at one end of our long living room. I’ve managed to separate my writing space off by adding a room divider to hide my desk and some of my bookcases. I chose a divider that has places for photographs on one side, which I’ve filled with family photos. It blends in nicely with the rest of the room and is really a conversation piece, too. Someday, when I have spare time, I plan to add a way to hang writing-related photos on the side facing the writing space. Such things as character photos, pictures or brochures of settings, maps of the ranch layout I’m using or of the general area, etc.
Some of us also have what I call “mobile” offices as well. My mobile office includes having several different bags to carry my laptop within, each for varying amounts of mobile need. When I want to sit for a while in a coffee shop, on a bench in the park, or in some other public place, I use a simple, slim bag to carry no more than my laptop, flash drive back-up, and maybe the electrical cord to work a little longer.
I have a medium-sized bag that carries a file of research material, a pad of paper and a couple of pens as well as my laptop, back-up drive, and cord. This is for a little longer stay in a coffee shop part of a bookstore or other such place to sit comfortably for a while.
When I’m travelling, I use a larger bag on wheels to hold the laptop, back-up disks, cords, files of reference materials for the project to be worked on, and anything else fairly small to take on the trip. Since I fly a lot I really like having the bag on wheels. Laptops, no matter how small, get heavy when you’re trying to race between terminals in an airport. But I also don’t want a bag that is more than twelve inches deep. I have long legs and seat space is limited in coach. I prefer to put my bag in the overhead and not where my feet need to go. Bags with more depth than twelve inches can be a real pain to cram into the overhead space, particularly on the smaller planes.
Several of my writing friends are now using those smaller, lightweight netbooks as another kind of mobile office. These are a good secondary computer for people on the go, or for a writer not needing to work for hours on a writing project. They were mainly designed for quick, easy connections to e-mail, for web browsing and for lightweight computing. They are small and easy to put in a bigger purse, have a long battery life of between 8 and 10.5 hours, and they have several USB ports for backing up work to download on a bigger computer later. Most netbooks come preloaded with Windows XP and some with a trial version of Microsoft Office Home.
The point is that a writer can have many choices of an office and may use more than one type. We are creative people, including with our work space.
What Do You Mean I Have to Write a Synopsis? (Penny Rader)
While we're waiting for Elizabeth Sinclair to share her expertise on writing the dreaded synopsis and since writing a synopsis is not my greatest strength, I did what I do best and found some online resources for you to check out. (grin) I hope you find them helpful.Just a note: If you find any of these articles particularly useful, you might want to save them as a word doc or print a copy. While pulling these together I discovered that several of the links I had saved no longer work. All of the links below worked at the time I posted this article.
Behind the Scenes: Synopsis 101 (Dale Ketcham)
http://www.earthlycharms.com/dreamweaver1-03.htm
Composing an In-Depth Synopsis {in a Two-Page-Maximum World} (Karen Wiesner)
http://www.dowse.com/articles/two-page-synopsis.html
Conquering the Dreaded Synopsis (Lisa Gardner’s synopsis series)
For the Synopically Challenged (Rosalyn Alsobrook) http://home.earthlink.net/~ralsobrook/wrtrtips.htm#Anchor1099
How I Write a Fiction Synopsis (Diana Peterfreund)
http://www.dianapeterfreund.com/how-i-write-a-fiction-synopsis/
How to Avoid the Top 10 Mistakes in Writing Synopses (Pam McCutcheon)
How to Write a Synopsis (Rebecca Sinclair)
http://www.eclectics.com/articles/synopsis.html
How to Write a Good Synopsis (Suzanne James)
http://www.helium.com/items/652310-how-to-write-a-good-synopsis
How to Write a Synopsis for Fiction: What to Include in a Synopsis and How to Impress Editors and Agents (Carrie Lewis)
http://writingfiction.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_write_a_synopsis_for_fiction
http://www.earthlycharms.com/dreamweaver1-03.htm
Composing an In-Depth Synopsis {in a Two-Page-Maximum World} (Karen Wiesner)
http://www.dowse.com/articles/two-page-synopsis.html
Conquering the Dreaded Synopsis (Lisa Gardner’s synopsis series)
For the Synopically Challenged (Rosalyn Alsobrook) http://home.earthlink.net/~ralsobrook/wrtrtips.htm#Anchor1099
How I Write a Fiction Synopsis (Diana Peterfreund)
http://www.dianapeterfreund.com/how-i-write-a-fiction-synopsis/
How to Avoid the Top 10 Mistakes in Writing Synopses (Pam McCutcheon)
How to Write a Synopsis (Rebecca Sinclair)
http://www.eclectics.com/articles/synopsis.html
How to Write a Good Synopsis (Suzanne James)
http://www.helium.com/items/652310-how-to-write-a-good-synopsis
How to Write a Synopsis for Fiction: What to Include in a Synopsis and How to Impress Editors and Agents (Carrie Lewis)
http://writingfiction.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_write_a_synopsis_for_fiction
Index Card Method of Writing Synopses (Karen Harbaugh)
http://www.sff.net/People/KarenH/writarch.htm#indexcard
Mastering the Dreaded Synopsis - Condensing Your Novel (Lee Masterson)
http://www.fictionfactor.com/articles/synopsis.html
No Synopsis? No Problem! (Paula Roe)
http://www.paularoe.com/synopses.html
Overcoming the Fear of Writing a Synopsis (Vicki M. Taylor)
http://www.poewar.com/overcoming-the-fear-of-writing-a-synopsis-2/
Plot and Synopsis (Nancy Richards Akers)
http://www.theromanceclub.com/writers/articles/art0019.htm
Synopsis Creation - Plot Revision (Alicia Rasley) http://www.sff.net/people/alicia/artsynrevision.htm
Synopsis Writing, part 1 and part 2 (Elizabeth Grayson) http://www.elizabethgrayson.com/on_writing_synopsis.html
http://www.elizabethgrayson.com/on_writing_synopsis2.html
Synopsis Writing 101 (Serena Tatti)
Synopsis Writing – What Worked for Trish (3 blog posts)
http://trishwylie.blogspot.com/2006/06/synopsis-your-toe-in-door-to-being.html
http://trishwylie.blogspot.com/2006/07/synopsis-example-at-your-request.html
http://trishwylie.blogspot.com/2006/07/synopsis-qa-and-summing-up.html
Ten Tips on Writing the Synopsis (Nancy Cohen)
http://mysterygal.bravejournal.com/entry/36718
The Basics of Writing a Synopsis (Janice Lynn)
http://www.gdrwa.org/article49.html
The Synopsis – An Editor’s View
http://catauniversity.com/?p=486
The Synopsis Project
http://home.centurytel.net/jax/SynopsisProject.htm
That Dreaded Synopsis (Anne Gracie)
http://www.annegracie.com/writing/synopses.htm
Tips on How to Stop Dreading the Dreaded Synopsis
http://www.examiner.com/x-22536-Rochester--Writing-Examiner~y2009m9d16-Tips-on-how-to-stop-dreading-the-dreaded-synopsis
Top 10 Questions for a Successful Synopsis (Gina Ardito)
Two Page Synopsis Example (Dale Ketcham)
http://catauniversity.com/?p=415
Writing a Novel Synopsis
www.fictionwriters.com/tips-synopsis.html
Writing a Selling Synopsis (Mia Crews)
Writing a Short Synopsis (Roxanne Rustand)
http://www.tlt.com/authors/rrustand/short_synopsis.htm
Writing a Short Synopsis/Outline (Sherry-Anne Jacobs)
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/plotting_and_editing/38172
Writing a Superb Synopsis – The Long Synopsis
http://www.readersroom.com/2006/03/writing-superb-synopsis-long-synopsis.html
Writing a Synopsis (lots of sites to check out)
http://www.charlottedillon.com/synopsis.html
Writing a Synopsis from the Ground Up (Dee-Ann Latona Leblanc)
http://www.writing-world.com/publish/leblanc.shtml
Writing the Fiction Synopsis (Kathy Carmichael)
http://www.kathycarmichael.com/synopsis.clearwater.fiction.html
Writing the Tight Synopsis (Beth Anderson)
http://www.bethanderson-hotclue.com/workshops/writing-the-tight-synopsis/
http://www.sff.net/People/KarenH/writarch.htm#indexcard
Mastering the Dreaded Synopsis - Condensing Your Novel (Lee Masterson)
http://www.fictionfactor.com/articles/synopsis.html
No Synopsis? No Problem! (Paula Roe)
http://www.paularoe.com/synopses.html
Overcoming the Fear of Writing a Synopsis (Vicki M. Taylor)
http://www.poewar.com/overcoming-the-fear-of-writing-a-synopsis-2/
Plot and Synopsis (Nancy Richards Akers)
http://www.theromanceclub.com/writers/articles/art0019.htm
Synopsis Creation - Plot Revision (Alicia Rasley) http://www.sff.net/people/alicia/artsynrevision.htm
Synopsis Writing, part 1 and part 2 (Elizabeth Grayson) http://www.elizabethgrayson.com/on_writing_synopsis.html
http://www.elizabethgrayson.com/on_writing_synopsis2.html
Synopsis Writing 101 (Serena Tatti)
Synopsis Writing – What Worked for Trish (3 blog posts)
http://trishwylie.blogspot.com/2006/06/synopsis-your-toe-in-door-to-being.html
http://trishwylie.blogspot.com/2006/07/synopsis-example-at-your-request.html
http://trishwylie.blogspot.com/2006/07/synopsis-qa-and-summing-up.html
Ten Tips on Writing the Synopsis (Nancy Cohen)
http://mysterygal.bravejournal.com/entry/36718
The Basics of Writing a Synopsis (Janice Lynn)
http://www.gdrwa.org/article49.html
The Synopsis – An Editor’s View
http://catauniversity.com/?p=486
The Synopsis Project
http://home.centurytel.net/jax/SynopsisProject.htm
That Dreaded Synopsis (Anne Gracie)
http://www.annegracie.com/writing/synopses.htm
Tips on How to Stop Dreading the Dreaded Synopsis
http://www.examiner.com/x-22536-Rochester--Writing-Examiner~y2009m9d16-Tips-on-how-to-stop-dreading-the-dreaded-synopsis
Top 10 Questions for a Successful Synopsis (Gina Ardito)
Two Page Synopsis Example (Dale Ketcham)
http://catauniversity.com/?p=415
Writing a Novel Synopsis
www.fictionwriters.com/tips-synopsis.html
Writing a Selling Synopsis (Mia Crews)
Writing a Short Synopsis (Roxanne Rustand)
http://www.tlt.com/authors/rrustand/short_synopsis.htm
Writing a Short Synopsis/Outline (Sherry-Anne Jacobs)
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/plotting_and_editing/38172
Writing a Superb Synopsis – The Long Synopsis
http://www.readersroom.com/2006/03/writing-superb-synopsis-long-synopsis.html
Writing a Synopsis (lots of sites to check out)
http://www.charlottedillon.com/synopsis.html
Writing a Synopsis from the Ground Up (Dee-Ann Latona Leblanc)
http://www.writing-world.com/publish/leblanc.shtml
Writing the Fiction Synopsis (Kathy Carmichael)
http://www.kathycarmichael.com/synopsis.clearwater.fiction.html
Writing the Tight Synopsis (Beth Anderson)
http://www.bethanderson-hotclue.com/workshops/writing-the-tight-synopsis/
Basic Types of Publishing
*Special Note: If you post an unpublished story on the web and it isn’t password-protected, most publishers consider that work to have been freely available to the public and having been previously published.
Traditional Publisher
• Also referred to as “large press” or “major publishing house.”
• They take on all the risk for publishing a book, acquire the exclusive rights to sell the book, usually pay an advance, and pay the author royalties on sales of the contracted work.
• In order to make a profit, they must print a large quantity of books to get the per unit price down to a reasonable level. To be profitable to the publisher, the author’s book must sell most of what is printed.
• Major publishing houses include: AOL Time Warner, Baen Books, Hachette Filipacchi Media, Harlequin Mills & Boon, Harper Collins, Hearst Corporation, McGraw-Hill, Penguin Group USA, Random House, and Simon & Schuster.
Small Press Publisher
• Also referred to as “indie publisher” or “independent press.”
• They make up half of the market share of the book publishing industry, with their numbers growing every year. They tend to fill niches in the publishing world and can focus on regional titles, narrow specializations and niche genres. In the United States, a small press publisher commonly has annual sales below $50 million, after returns and discounts.
• Originally small press books were designed to not look like mainstream books from the traditional publishing houses. Today they are almost identical, from the design, execution, and to the content.
• Like the larger publishers, they enter into a contract with the author, pay royalties, and are involved in the book publishing process from editing to marketing to distribution. They usually do not pay advances. Also, like the larger publishers, they make their profits by selling books to consumers rather than to the authors, in opposition to vanity publishers.
• They own the copies they have printed, but usually do not own the copyright to the book itself.
Vanity Publisher
• Also referred to as “vanity press” or “subsidy press.”
• Unlike with the traditional publishers (larger or small), the author takes the risk for publication. The author pays for the production of the book, which may include paying for editing, copyediting, cover design, and printing.
• The publisher licenses the rights for sales and distribution and pays the author royalties on sales of the book. They do very little to market and promote the book. Usually the author gets a fixed number of copies and can’t verify inventory numbers with the publisher.
• The publisher makes their money during the book’s production and then by selling copies of the book to the author at a good rate. Also, the publisher sets the price for the book
Self-Publishing
• Like with vanity publishing, the author takes all aspects of the book, from layout and cover design to marketing and sales. Additionally, the author chooses the printer.
• Unlike with small presses or vanity publishers, the author controls all the unsold printed copies of their books. They are not limited as to how many gift and review copies they can distribute.
• Unlike with vanity or traditional publishers (large or small), the author acquires his own block of ISBNs from a registered agency. And the author sets the retail price for the book.
Author Service Companies
• These don’t really fall into any of the above types of publishing, but are closest to self-publishing.
• As with vanity and self-publishing, these companies charge for the services they provide like editing, copyediting, printing, etc.
• Like self-publishing, the author retains all rights to the work, the printed books belong to the author, and the author gets all of the profits from the sales.
• With Print-on-Demand now available, the author has a good chance of making back his initial investment because the copies can be printed when needed.
eBook
• By definition an eBook is an online version of a book. Also referred to as an “electronic book.”
• They can contain bookmarks to jump to specific sections in the work and can contain active links to websites. Most eBooks are published in PDF format.
• Because they can be published for a fraction of the cost of publishing a traditional book, they are far less expensive to buy.
ePublishers
• Most are very similar to small press publishers, but publish many more books and works of various sizes.
• Like the large and small publishers, they enter into a contract with the author and pay royalties. Most are involved in the book publishing process from editing to marketing to distribution. They usually do not pay advances. Also, like the larger publishers, they make their profits by selling books to consumers rather than to the authors, in opposition to vanity publishers.
• Many of these publishers do both eBooks and print books, depending on the word length of the work, and paying different levels of royalties for eBooks and print books.
• As with the small press publishers, they fill more niches in the writing world than the large presses.
Traditional Publisher
• Also referred to as “large press” or “major publishing house.”
• They take on all the risk for publishing a book, acquire the exclusive rights to sell the book, usually pay an advance, and pay the author royalties on sales of the contracted work.
• In order to make a profit, they must print a large quantity of books to get the per unit price down to a reasonable level. To be profitable to the publisher, the author’s book must sell most of what is printed.
• Major publishing houses include: AOL Time Warner, Baen Books, Hachette Filipacchi Media, Harlequin Mills & Boon, Harper Collins, Hearst Corporation, McGraw-Hill, Penguin Group USA, Random House, and Simon & Schuster.
Small Press Publisher
• Also referred to as “indie publisher” or “independent press.”
• They make up half of the market share of the book publishing industry, with their numbers growing every year. They tend to fill niches in the publishing world and can focus on regional titles, narrow specializations and niche genres. In the United States, a small press publisher commonly has annual sales below $50 million, after returns and discounts.
• Originally small press books were designed to not look like mainstream books from the traditional publishing houses. Today they are almost identical, from the design, execution, and to the content.
• Like the larger publishers, they enter into a contract with the author, pay royalties, and are involved in the book publishing process from editing to marketing to distribution. They usually do not pay advances. Also, like the larger publishers, they make their profits by selling books to consumers rather than to the authors, in opposition to vanity publishers.
• They own the copies they have printed, but usually do not own the copyright to the book itself.
Vanity Publisher
• Also referred to as “vanity press” or “subsidy press.”
• Unlike with the traditional publishers (larger or small), the author takes the risk for publication. The author pays for the production of the book, which may include paying for editing, copyediting, cover design, and printing.
• The publisher licenses the rights for sales and distribution and pays the author royalties on sales of the book. They do very little to market and promote the book. Usually the author gets a fixed number of copies and can’t verify inventory numbers with the publisher.
• The publisher makes their money during the book’s production and then by selling copies of the book to the author at a good rate. Also, the publisher sets the price for the book
Self-Publishing
• Like with vanity publishing, the author takes all aspects of the book, from layout and cover design to marketing and sales. Additionally, the author chooses the printer.
• Unlike with small presses or vanity publishers, the author controls all the unsold printed copies of their books. They are not limited as to how many gift and review copies they can distribute.
• Unlike with vanity or traditional publishers (large or small), the author acquires his own block of ISBNs from a registered agency. And the author sets the retail price for the book.
Author Service Companies
• These don’t really fall into any of the above types of publishing, but are closest to self-publishing.
• As with vanity and self-publishing, these companies charge for the services they provide like editing, copyediting, printing, etc.
• Like self-publishing, the author retains all rights to the work, the printed books belong to the author, and the author gets all of the profits from the sales.
• With Print-on-Demand now available, the author has a good chance of making back his initial investment because the copies can be printed when needed.
eBook
• By definition an eBook is an online version of a book. Also referred to as an “electronic book.”
• They can contain bookmarks to jump to specific sections in the work and can contain active links to websites. Most eBooks are published in PDF format.
• Because they can be published for a fraction of the cost of publishing a traditional book, they are far less expensive to buy.
ePublishers
• Most are very similar to small press publishers, but publish many more books and works of various sizes.
• Like the large and small publishers, they enter into a contract with the author and pay royalties. Most are involved in the book publishing process from editing to marketing to distribution. They usually do not pay advances. Also, like the larger publishers, they make their profits by selling books to consumers rather than to the authors, in opposition to vanity publishers.
• Many of these publishers do both eBooks and print books, depending on the word length of the work, and paying different levels of royalties for eBooks and print books.
• As with the small press publishers, they fill more niches in the writing world than the large presses.
WHILE YOU WAIT AND WAIT AND . . SNZZZZ
WAKE UP! No sleeping, no down time, no snoozing away the idle hours while you wait. Whether you are waiting for a trusted friend to critique your work, an agent to fall madly in love with you or a publisher to send that all important letter, you keep working my friend.
One of the biggest mistakes a writer can make is to sit idle while they wait. Dig out one of those old ideas and get it ready to submit. Write a few flash fiction stories to make a quick buck. Have a brainstorming session and come up with some new plots. Think up some truly black, black moments for future stories. (Those involving an editor, publisher or agent might be fun!) Brush up on your grammar and punctuation. (Say aacckk!) Check out other agents and publishers in case these don’t love you and your work. Submit multiple submissions if allowed. Try your hand at a new genre just for fun. Go to a writer’s workshop to get refreshed. In other words: keep the juices flowing while you wait.
If you absolutely have to take a writing break then set a time limit. Give yourself no more than one week of down time and stay productive in other ways. Clean your house from stem to stern. Catch up on your honey-do list and if they’ve been feeling a little neglected, your honey too. Read and watch some three hankie books and movies. Get your hair and nails done. Go lie in the grass and watch the bugs crawl around.
Do whatever turns your crank except sit and worry about what is happening to your “baby.” Worrying won’t change a thing and won’t make the powers that be move one iota faster. So relax, enjoy, get refreshed and keep writing. Your best selling novel is only a keystroke away.
One of the biggest mistakes a writer can make is to sit idle while they wait. Dig out one of those old ideas and get it ready to submit. Write a few flash fiction stories to make a quick buck. Have a brainstorming session and come up with some new plots. Think up some truly black, black moments for future stories. (Those involving an editor, publisher or agent might be fun!) Brush up on your grammar and punctuation. (Say aacckk!) Check out other agents and publishers in case these don’t love you and your work. Submit multiple submissions if allowed. Try your hand at a new genre just for fun. Go to a writer’s workshop to get refreshed. In other words: keep the juices flowing while you wait.
If you absolutely have to take a writing break then set a time limit. Give yourself no more than one week of down time and stay productive in other ways. Clean your house from stem to stern. Catch up on your honey-do list and if they’ve been feeling a little neglected, your honey too. Read and watch some three hankie books and movies. Get your hair and nails done. Go lie in the grass and watch the bugs crawl around.
Do whatever turns your crank except sit and worry about what is happening to your “baby.” Worrying won’t change a thing and won’t make the powers that be move one iota faster. So relax, enjoy, get refreshed and keep writing. Your best selling novel is only a keystroke away.
How to Wisely Choose a Romance Publisher
The book of your heart (or at least the current book) is finished, revisions and everything. You stressed over each and every word, but now the writing is flawless. You won the battle with that character who wanted to go his/her own way or maybe you finally gave in and realized the character was right. The middle-of-the-book blues nearly did you in, but you made it beyond that point. Life kept getting in your way and trying to bog you down. But you wanted, needed, to finish the book to prove to yourself (and maybe other doubters in your life) that you could do it. Finally, finally your diligence paid off. You’ve put “The End” after the final word of the manuscript, or at least mentally put the words there. It all works, hopefully, and now you have something that will be an enjoyable read by someone other than your mom or best friend. (Okay, this may be a tad out there, but, hey, I’m a fiction writer. Go with it.)
Party time! The hard part of the writing process is over with. Now you can just get the book published and move on to the next book. Just get it published!? How? Where? This is not such a simple thing to do. Choosing, submitting to, and actually deciding to go with a publisher are a huge deal. Step wisely
FIRST STEPS TO CHOOSING A PUBLISHER: Understanding your needs
1. You should already know your intended audience at this point, but fine tune the specific audience a bit now. Your book is a romance, that’s a given. What is the sub-genre? Contemporary, historical, inspirational, erotic, romantic suspense, paranormal, futuristic, fantasy, G/L, or one of the many other new sub-genres?
2. What is your desired achievement for this book? Do you only want to get published in a way that will put your book on the shelves of bookstores everywhere? Do you only want to be published with a recognizable imprint of one of the New York publishing houses? Can you settle for being published with a smaller or eBook press and have the main distribution of your book be online, as a download, or as a Print-on-Demand book? Do you not want to deal with either the big houses or the smaller presses and just want to publish the book yourself?
3. Money. What are your “I can only live with” goals as far as making a profit on your book’s publication? Will you only sell your book if you can get an advance (small for first time sales), praying you don’t have to pay the advance back or actually make enough in sales to earn royalties? Can you settle for contracting with a smaller or eBook press to receive only royalty payments of usually 35-50% for ebooks, 10-15% for print books? If you are self-publishing, can you pay the small amount to get the book published and be okay with receiving all of the sale money after that?
4. Okay maybe your book is as good as you can make it at this point, but it might be better with more editing. Would you feel most comfortable with having both an agent and a couple of editors at a big publisher cleaning up your manuscript? Could you be comfortable with working with one, maybe two, editors at a smaller publisher on editing your book? Are you completely confident in your own abilities to edit your book and work with a small publisher that doesn’t do any in-house editing? Or can you rely on your editing skills alone and publish your book yourself?
5. What about promoting your published book? You really should think about this aspect as well when you start thinking about finding a publisher. Unless you’re perfectly satisfied with selling only to your family and friends, promotion of your book is another big deal. Unless you’re a big name author like Nora Roberts, you are going to do a lot of the promotional work yourself. By publishing with a big New York house you might get more help in the promotional process, certainly with bigger distribution networks. Many of the smaller and eBook presses also have fairly good distribution networks set up, particularly with online distributors such as All Romance, BookStrand, Fictionwise, Mobipocket, Alibris, Abebooks, Baker & Taylor, BookSurgeDirect, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. If you self-publish, well, all promotional work is up to you.
FINAL STEPS TO CHOOSING A PUBLISHER: Research, research, research
1. Review the specifics of your book. Know your genre, your sub-genre, and your intended audience.
2. Go to a bookstore and spend time searching the shelves for books with similar focuses to your book. Make a note of publishers that you might be interested in learning more about.
3. If you are only thinking of publishing with a smaller press or eBook only press, go to the various online bookstores and peruse their “bookshelves” for books with similar focuses to your book.
4. Go online and lookup the websites of the big publishers or for the smaller presses and eBook publishers. Read everything you can about the publisher: publishing background, how long in business, their principals, how they distribute books, advances, royalties, payment schedule, cover art and how it’s handled, publishing schedule, how they communicate with their authors, and study their FAQs. Look at their available books, the number of authors they handle, how the website looks (Professional and helpful? Hard to get around?), and any helpful links for their authors and readers.
5. Pick a few of the publishers that most appeal to you and what needs you have for publishing. Focus on learning more about them. Read or at least skim some of the books that have similar focuses to your work. Would your book be a good fit for that publisher? Could you revise your manuscript for a better fit?
6. Use the writer’s grapevine. Talk to writers you know to see if anyone is familiar with a one of the publishers you are interested in submitting to. Browse the many available online forums that discuss the good points and bad points of various publishers. Check out The Writer’s Market for more possible information on the publisher.
7. Go online and get the guidelines for the publishers of interest to you. Read them over carefully and do exactly as they say when you format your manuscript for submission.
NOW SUBMIT YOUR BOOK. Then sit back for a day or two and just relax. Yes, you can party now if you feel like it. You’ve earned it. You’ve worked hard writing the manuscript and determining where to submit it for possible publication. There are more hard steps ahead in your writing career. But, for these precious few minutes after the work is submitted, life is good.
Party time! The hard part of the writing process is over with. Now you can just get the book published and move on to the next book. Just get it published!? How? Where? This is not such a simple thing to do. Choosing, submitting to, and actually deciding to go with a publisher are a huge deal. Step wisely
FIRST STEPS TO CHOOSING A PUBLISHER: Understanding your needs
1. You should already know your intended audience at this point, but fine tune the specific audience a bit now. Your book is a romance, that’s a given. What is the sub-genre? Contemporary, historical, inspirational, erotic, romantic suspense, paranormal, futuristic, fantasy, G/L, or one of the many other new sub-genres?
2. What is your desired achievement for this book? Do you only want to get published in a way that will put your book on the shelves of bookstores everywhere? Do you only want to be published with a recognizable imprint of one of the New York publishing houses? Can you settle for being published with a smaller or eBook press and have the main distribution of your book be online, as a download, or as a Print-on-Demand book? Do you not want to deal with either the big houses or the smaller presses and just want to publish the book yourself?
3. Money. What are your “I can only live with” goals as far as making a profit on your book’s publication? Will you only sell your book if you can get an advance (small for first time sales), praying you don’t have to pay the advance back or actually make enough in sales to earn royalties? Can you settle for contracting with a smaller or eBook press to receive only royalty payments of usually 35-50% for ebooks, 10-15% for print books? If you are self-publishing, can you pay the small amount to get the book published and be okay with receiving all of the sale money after that?
4. Okay maybe your book is as good as you can make it at this point, but it might be better with more editing. Would you feel most comfortable with having both an agent and a couple of editors at a big publisher cleaning up your manuscript? Could you be comfortable with working with one, maybe two, editors at a smaller publisher on editing your book? Are you completely confident in your own abilities to edit your book and work with a small publisher that doesn’t do any in-house editing? Or can you rely on your editing skills alone and publish your book yourself?
5. What about promoting your published book? You really should think about this aspect as well when you start thinking about finding a publisher. Unless you’re perfectly satisfied with selling only to your family and friends, promotion of your book is another big deal. Unless you’re a big name author like Nora Roberts, you are going to do a lot of the promotional work yourself. By publishing with a big New York house you might get more help in the promotional process, certainly with bigger distribution networks. Many of the smaller and eBook presses also have fairly good distribution networks set up, particularly with online distributors such as All Romance, BookStrand, Fictionwise, Mobipocket, Alibris, Abebooks, Baker & Taylor, BookSurgeDirect, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. If you self-publish, well, all promotional work is up to you.
FINAL STEPS TO CHOOSING A PUBLISHER: Research, research, research
1. Review the specifics of your book. Know your genre, your sub-genre, and your intended audience.
2. Go to a bookstore and spend time searching the shelves for books with similar focuses to your book. Make a note of publishers that you might be interested in learning more about.
3. If you are only thinking of publishing with a smaller press or eBook only press, go to the various online bookstores and peruse their “bookshelves” for books with similar focuses to your book.
4. Go online and lookup the websites of the big publishers or for the smaller presses and eBook publishers. Read everything you can about the publisher: publishing background, how long in business, their principals, how they distribute books, advances, royalties, payment schedule, cover art and how it’s handled, publishing schedule, how they communicate with their authors, and study their FAQs. Look at their available books, the number of authors they handle, how the website looks (Professional and helpful? Hard to get around?), and any helpful links for their authors and readers.
5. Pick a few of the publishers that most appeal to you and what needs you have for publishing. Focus on learning more about them. Read or at least skim some of the books that have similar focuses to your work. Would your book be a good fit for that publisher? Could you revise your manuscript for a better fit?
6. Use the writer’s grapevine. Talk to writers you know to see if anyone is familiar with a one of the publishers you are interested in submitting to. Browse the many available online forums that discuss the good points and bad points of various publishers. Check out The Writer’s Market for more possible information on the publisher.
7. Go online and get the guidelines for the publishers of interest to you. Read them over carefully and do exactly as they say when you format your manuscript for submission.
NOW SUBMIT YOUR BOOK. Then sit back for a day or two and just relax. Yes, you can party now if you feel like it. You’ve earned it. You’ve worked hard writing the manuscript and determining where to submit it for possible publication. There are more hard steps ahead in your writing career. But, for these precious few minutes after the work is submitted, life is good.
Submitting Category Romance
You decided to try your hand at writing category (series) romance. You did your homework and read the kind of books you want to write. You wrote something you feel is good enough to submit, and now you're ready to send it off.
Before you put that baby you've slaved over for months and maybe even years into the mail, go over a few things before you take that trip to the local post office.
Harlequin Enterprises is currently the only category romance print publisher. If you're still unsure about guidelines for category and this is your first submission, check out the Writing Guidelines at eHarlequin. There's a wealth of information there for the new and the seasoned writer. Among the information there is the following:
Before you put that baby you've slaved over for months and maybe even years into the mail, go over a few things before you take that trip to the local post office.
Harlequin Enterprises is currently the only category romance print publisher. If you're still unsure about guidelines for category and this is your first submission, check out the Writing Guidelines at eHarlequin. There's a wealth of information there for the new and the seasoned writer. Among the information there is the following:
- Harlequin is not accepting unsolicited complete or partial manuscripts. You'll need to query!
- Make certain you have the right story for the right line. It can't hurt to reread those guidelines one more time, especially manuscript word length. Also keep in mind that Harlequin now uses computer count to determine length, not the old average of 250 lines per page.
- Contact information for editors you'll be submitting to is there at your fingertips. Remember to correctly spell the editor's name in your query!
- There are editor podcasts available to watch that can give more details about what the editors are looking for.
There are 11 Harlequin lines, 4 Kimani lines, 5 Silhouette lines, 3 Steeple Hill lines, 2 shorts lines, and 3 "bigger book" imprints. Yes, there is a difference between each and every one of them, but if you've done your homework (you've read, read, read and checked out those guidelines), then you're ready to submit.
When it comes to query letters, you want to be brief and stick to giving the information editors are looking for. Be sure to include the line you're targeting, the word count (approximate) of your manuscript and if it's finished, a brief blurb about the story, and end with your writing credentials. When you're satisfied that everything is in tip top shape, it's time to send off the query.
How long will it take to hear a reply? That's probably the question of the century. ::grin:: Editors do try to get back to you with a reply as quickly as possible, but editors these days are overloaded with work. In the past, six weeks was an average time. If you've been waiting six months, it's time to send a note or to call the editor and ask.
Don't just sit and think about what the reply will be. Keep busy! Finish the manuscript, polish it, or get busy writing something new. The old saying is as true with submissions as it is with all else in life. A watched pot never boils.
Good luck!
(My apologies for what probably is a very confusing blog post. My grandson gave me whatever it is he has--cold, flu, something--and the brain just isn't functioning. I hope, at least, you all get the drift!)
The Submission Process
Back to school, cooler weather, Fall is on the way! These are just a few of the things that come to mind when September rolls around. September is also a great month for setting goals and also for reaching them.
Have you spent those lazy summer days writing? It might be time to bite the bullet and submit some of that work you've been doing to a publisher. But what publisher? And how and what do you submit?
This month we'll be trying to answer those questions and more. With lots of time before editors and publishers start shutting down for the holidays, making September a great time to start sending your work to editors. It's No Excuse Time!
Author Elizabeth Sinclair will be joining us on September 21 as our first guest blogger! Elizabeth is the author of the highly acclaimed book on how to write a synopsis. The Dreaded Synopsis is a how-to book that should be on every writer's bookshelf. Elizabeth has also written books for Harlequin American Romance, Kensington Precious Gems, Silhouette Intimate Moments/Silhouette Romantic Suspense, and Medallion Books. Her upcoming novel, Garden of the Moon, will be available in December.
Let's get ready to submit!
