Need Help In My Attempts to Get Published

[soren7550]

Ok, I hope to become a published author, but I just don't really know where to go from there. Before the questions, some info that might help w/ the answers:
-I'm 18 and I'm finishing up high school
-The book I'm aiming to get published is a science fiction (fat skinny on the plot is spies 100 years in the future [that's as simple as I can make it])
-I live in Queens, New York
-The book in question is aprox. 75 Microsoft Word document pages long (not counting Table of Contents, dedication, acknowledgments, etc.)

The main questions I have are:
-How do I submit my work to a publisher? So I send them a letter asking if it's OK to send the work or do I just send them the book? And if I just send them the book, do I send them just the story or the whole thing (table of contents, dedication, etc)?
-Who or what would be the best place to submit my work? And does it matter where I submit the work based off where I live? (ex. would it be wise to submit my work to a California based publishing company even though I live in New York?)

That's all I can really think of at the moment.

 

[delet]

I'd guess that it'd be best to send a publisher a letter asking them if they'd like to view your work and consider publishing it, along with the first page or chapter of your book. That gives them a reasonable taste of your writing style without giving them the entire book (you don't want to give them the ability to outright steal your work after all.)

And yes, bumping is vewy bad...

 

[CoverYourHead]

Walk into a bookstore and go up to the counter and ask "Hey, do you guys know any publishers around here?". That might work.

 

[LiberalSquirrel]

Seeing as I have a friend that's working on getting herself published, I can give you the same answer she's been getting. "It's all about connections." If you can find yourself a decently high-caliber writing clinic of any sort, try to get into there. Unfortunately, it's hard to get yourself published without a decent agent and some good connections in the industry.

Other than that, though, I'd agree with the person who said to only send part of your book when you write to publishers; I'd suggest a chapter rather than just a page. That'll give a better impression of your writing than just a page would.

 

[MattZero]

What is your wordcount? I'm working on a two part novel thats at 269 pages 108,140 words on Microsoft word but if I were to print it in a paperback it would only be around 360 pages which is short for a novel. You probably have a different format and font so it might be different.

If your story is really well put together and concise but short I would recommend getting feedback on it and if you get positive feedback then do a collection of short stories to flesh out the book size. Much like Steven Kings collections.

The only reason I suggest this is that it's difficult for you and the publisher/printer to make profit on a very short story if it's the serious type you describe.

 

[Looking For Alaska]

Only 75 pages? Or are you not finished?

 

[soren7550]

Only 75 pages? Or are you not finished?

Still editing it. (lent copies to a few people and have been editing it based on their opinions & my own looking overs. Usually I don't notice a mistake until I have a hardcopy.)

What is your wordcount? I'm working on a two part novel thats at 269 pages 108,140 words on Microsoft word but if I were to print it in a paperback it would only be around 360 pages which is short for a novel. You probably have a different format and font so it might be different.

Right now the total character count is at 221,403. The whole thing is done in Times New Roman and most of it is in 12 font (save for the chapter titles which are 14 bold italic.)

 

[MattZero]

Only 75 pages? Or are you not finished?

Still editing it. (lent copies to a few people and have been editing it based on their opinions & my own looking overs. Usually I don't notice a mistake until I have a hardcopy.)

What is your wordcount? I'm working on a two part novel thats at 269 pages 108,140 words on Microsoft word but if I were to print it in a paperback it would only be around 360 pages which is short for a novel. You probably have a different format and font so it might be different.

Right now the total character count is at 221,403. The whole thing is done in Times New Roman and most of it is in 12 font (save for the chapter titles which are 14 bold italic.)

Your golden then. There's about 300 words on a paperback page so you have about 700 pages. Go for it. Make sure you up the font and double space the lines when you send it in. The publisher will appreciate being able to read it easily.

 

[soren7550]

Only 75 pages? Or are you not finished?

Still editing it. (lent copies to a few people and have been editing it based on their opinions & my own looking overs. Usually I don't notice a mistake until I have a hardcopy.)

What is your wordcount? I'm working on a two part novel thats at 269 pages 108,140 words on Microsoft word but if I were to print it in a paperback it would only be around 360 pages which is short for a novel. You probably have a different format and font so it might be different.

Right now the total character count is at 221,403. The whole thing is done in Times New Roman and most of it is in 12 font (save for the chapter titles which are 14 bold italic.)

YourYou're golden then. There's about 300 words on a paperback page so you have about 700 pages. Go for it. Make sure you up the font and double space the lines when you send it in. The publisher will appreciate being able to read it easily.

Sorry, had to fix that.

And yay! My summer hasn't been wasted then! (I've been worried that it was too short since I've finished it and due to the fact that I can finish reading it in about an hour.)

 

[MattZero]

Only 75 pages? Or are you not finished?

Still editing it. (lent copies to a few people and have been editing it based on their opinions & my own looking overs. Usually I don't notice a mistake until I have a hardcopy.)

What is your wordcount? I'm working on a two part novel thats at 269 pages 108,140 words on Microsoft word but if I were to print it in a paperback it would only be around 360 pages which is short for a novel. You probably have a different format and font so it might be different.

Right now the total character count is at 221,403. The whole thing is done in Times New Roman and most of it is in 12 font (save for the chapter titles which are 14 bold italic.)

YourYou're golden then. There's about 300 words on a paperback page so you have about 700 pages. Go for it. Make sure you up the font and double space the lines when you send it in. The publisher will appreciate being able to read it easily.

Sorry, had to fix that.

And yay! My summer hasn't been wasted then! (I've been worried that it was too short since I've finished it and due to the fact that I can finish reading it in about an hour.)

I can read all of my work in a few hours even though it's over a thousand pages total. For some reason you can always read your own writing faster.

Promo the hell out your work too. I'm not published but I managed to make connections with a publisher and an editor by writing up five page short stories to promo my mythology noir stories.

 

[wilsonscrazybed]

The main questions I have are:
-How do I submit my work to a publisher? So I send them a letter asking if it's OK to send the work or do I just send them the book? And if I just send them the book, do I send them just the story or the whole thing (table of contents, dedication, etc)?
-Who or what would be the best place to submit my work? And does it matter where I submit the work based off where I live? (ex. would it be wise to submit my work to a California based publishing company even though I live in New York?)

1. Depends on the company you want to sell your book to. A small publisher might have time to read through their slush pile. Getting involved with a bigger company will require an agent. Generally you send your manuscript or a proposal. This depends on how chummy you are with the publisher -- obviously Stephen King doesn't need to send a manuscript in if he has an idea for a book. For a proposal I think you need a cover letter, a table of contents (annotated maybe?), and a general description of the book itself.

2. Submit it to everyone who publishes in your genre. My mother went through literally hundreds of rejections before she was published. You should get an agent if you feel you have a good book worthy of publishing. If you're not sure or serious there's always self-publishing but that can be a little bit of investment of your own money and the returns rarely even cover your publishing costs.

Good luck.

 

[Layz92]

At worst you could self publish. That's how Mathew Reilly started out and he isn't doing too badly for himself. Remember not being accepted by a company doesn't meen your work is bad (usually) it just meens in their opinion the novel about the vampire running for president is more appealing and more of a money maker than your work. It's always about money, not quality.

 

[Valksy]

If you were in the UK I would recommend this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Writers-Artists-Yearbook-Black-Publishers/dp/1408111276/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268226081&sr=8-1

Do some research and see if there is an American variation. It will give you publisher's addresses and overviews of what kind of work they handle and whether unsolicited work is accepted or not. It will also show you how to copyright your work.

In practical terms I was always told to make sure your pages are printed on decent GSM paper, double line spaced and bound in some manner. But that was many years ago, for all I know they will accept digital media.

In writing terms you mustm proof, proof and proof again. Go through line by line. If you submit dodgy grammar or spelling mistakes you will pretty much guarantee to be ignored.

Yes getting a foot in the door is hard without an agent. I am not keen on the idea of unpublished authors having to get an agent because it is just as hard to get an agent attached and when they are they siphon off your cash because they know how to schmooze.

Vanity publishing IS an option. But please keep this in mind - if you pay yourself to print 500 copies or a 1000 copies, how are you going to find a market and who will you sell them too? I would pretty much bet on all but the most independent of book stores buying and selling through known publishers. You could probably have something like an Amazon store - but how will you market and get your work known? It would be very very easy to end up with a pile of books you paid to print and have no hope of selling.

Also - unless you are using the tiniest font known to man, 75 pages is a novella at best in my opinion.

 

[Trivun]

75 pages is a bit short. It might work as a short story, like Neil Gaiman's 'Coraline', or as an extremely short novella. But not as a full novel on it's own.

Anyway, just send copies of it to different publishers, and always make sure you keep the original yourself, though I guess that's pretty obvious. However, expect a LOT of rejection. Publishers recieve hundreds, if not thousands, of manuscripts every week and month and very few ever see the light of day. Expect plenty of disappointment and don't be surprised if it never gets published.

If you were in the UK I would recommend this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Writers-Artists-Yearbook-Black-Publishers/dp/1408111276/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268226081&sr=8-1

Do some research and see if there is an American variation. It will give you publisher's addresses and overviews of what kind of work they handle and whether unsolicited work is accepted or not. It will also show you how to copyright your work.

In practical terms I was always told to make sure your pages are printed on decent GSM paper, double line spaced and bound in some manner. But that was many years ago, for all I know they will accept digital media.

In writing terms you mustm proof, proof and proof again. Go through line by line. If you submit dodgy grammar or spelling mistakes you will pretty much guarantee to be ignored.

Yes getting a foot in the door is hard without an agent. I am not keen on the idea of unpublished authors having to get an agent because it is just as hard to get an agent attached and when they are they siphon off your cash because they know how to schmooze.

Vanity publishing IS an option. But please keep this in mind - if you pay yourself to print 500 copies or a 1000 copies, how are you going to find a market and who will you sell them too? I would pretty much bet on all but the most independent of book stores buying and selling through known publishers. You could probably have something like an Amazon store - but how will you market and get your work known? It would be very very easy to end up with a pile of books you paid to print and have no hope of selling.

Also - unless you are using the tiniest font known to man, 75 pages is a novella at best in my opinion.

This is probably the best response you'll have, OP. Exactly spot on, completely. If you manage to get one book published then a second book will be easier to get, especially since at that point you will have an agent and a publisher to help you. But for a first novel, you'll find it extremely difficult, especially with only 75 pages.

Here are a couple of links you may find useful. The website I'm linking you to is the personal website of acclaimed Australian fantasy/sci-fi author Ian Irvine, who has several different series to his name including the (eleven books long with three more to come) critically acclaimed Three Worlds Cycle. On his website he offers advice to aspiring authors:

http://www.ian-irvine.com/

The pages I mention can be found in the links on the left hand side of the website.

 

[soren7550]

Ok, two more questions (one I forgot and one that I'm wondering after reading these responses.):

I want to be published under my pen name. Is this something that is worked out after I find someone that'll publish my work, or do I state the pen name on my work from the beginning?

How do I find/get myself a literary agent?

 

[Trivun]

Ok, two more questions (one I forgot and one that I'm wondering after reading these responses.):

I want to be published under my pen name. Is this something that is worked out after I find someone that'll publish my work, or do I state the pen name on my work from the beginning?

How do I find/get myself a literary agent?

1. Not certain, I guess really you should use your actual name when dealing with the publisher (since obviously they'll want to know exactly who you are), then if you do manage to get published let them know at some point beforehand that you want to use a pen name.

2. Again, not sure, but I reckon you can probably do a quick Google search and find out who the bigger names are in the industry. Maybe see if you can find out names from any of the bigger authors around, since obviously agents affiliated with the likes of King, Rowling, Clare, Colfer, Meyer and so on, who are all very successful authors, will be the biggest agents around. Though since you're technically an amateur author, you're probably best off with less well known agents...

Anyway, like I said, Google that shit, brother!

 

[Murderlicous]

My English professor showed some publisher she knows some a novel I'm writing, so I guess it all about connections.