So You’ve Written a Book!

So You’ve Written a Book! What’s next?

What it feels like sometimes…

The purpose here is to demystify your publishing options • Traditional publishing: • Agents • Editors • Marketing • Indie Publishing • Process • Do it yourself or hire • Marketing

Traditional Publishing A publishing company accepts your manuscript They edit, format, and distribute They pay you a pre-determined royalty dependent on your sales They may or may not market your book

The devil is in the details… • 2 types of publishing companies • Big 5: Hachette, Harper Collins, Macmillan, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster • Multiple lines and carry most genres, fiction and non-fiction • Small and local publishers • Fewer resources • Niche and local publications

Big 5 Pros • Credibility and legitimacy • Financially sound (usually) • Greater reach for book distribution (reviews in high profile journals, bookstores, libraries) • Author advances

Big 5 Cons To submit, you must have an agent or a big contest win Potential sales, not book quality, is the driver Royalty rates can be low Time! It takes months for response and more months for publication Minimal author input in covers or presentation Not much marketing (Don’t dream about that book tour – it won’t happen)

Small Press Pros More personal Author has more say in production decisions (depending on the company) Do not need an agent to submit Production handled by the company (layout, covers, editing, etc.) Very interested in local or niche subjects

Small Press Cons Small or no author advance Depend on the author for most of the marketing Depending on the company, editing and production can be sloppy Can go out of business quickly leaving unpaid royalties

If you decide to go the traditional route…Getting an agent: Make a list of the featured agents at conferences in your genre – these are the agents who are looking for new author clients Look at the “thanks” page in books by writers in your genre – they often list their agents Go to the agency webpage, read their submission requirements, and follow them EXACTLY

Submitting your work

Contacting an agent Write a kick-ass query letter Write a riveting synopsis Check everything for awkward phrasing, typos, etc. (They have no interest in fixing your mistakes – or in representing an amateur) Send it off, and find something interesting to do while you wait for days, weeks, or months for a response

Traditional Editors Can be an amazing help in getting your book as close to perfection as possible They will not spare your feelings When you submit, your manuscript must be as perfect as you can make it -- It is a fallacy to think an editor will act like your mother fixing the typos in an essay Professionalism is the key

If you decide to go small press… Ask around for other authors’ experiences with each company (there is usually info on-line too) Check their webpages for submission guidelines and publishing direction Create a marketing plan – they’ll want it!!! Write your query letter Polish your synopsis Send them off Usually a much shorter wait time than traditional publishing

Marketing Must-haves • Author webpage with: • High quality photos • Your writing (published or unpublished) • A place to sign up for your newsletter • Author Facebook page • Interesting bits that will engage readers • A link to your webpage

More marketing…. Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest presence (good but not mandatory – if you hate social media or feel overwhelmed, leave these for later in your career) Newsletter subscription list And the stuff Matthew talks about (added piece by piece over time)

The All-Important Query letter https://www.writersdigestshop.com/query-letter This is a whole workshop in itself, but the above link is an excellent “How-to” from Writer’s Digest

Questions about Traditional Publishing?

References Publishers Weekly description of PNW publishers https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/72082-publishing-in-the-pacific-northwest-indie-spirit.html Washington state publishers: https://publishersarchive.com/Washington Publishers ratings: https://selfpublishingadvice.org/allis-self-publishing-service-directory/self-publishing-service-reviews/ How to write a query letter: https://www.writersdigestshop.com/query-letter

Resources, cont’d Most common self-publishing mistakes https://connect.xfinity.com/appsuite/#!!&app=io.ox/mail&folder=default0//qj%7Bi0LUHPa8Lwsw%25Y How to find and work with a professional editor: https://www.thecreativepenn.com/how-to-find-and-work-with-professional-editors/ Literary Agents – if they aren’t on this list for Association of Author’s Representatives, avoid! http://aaronline.org/dirlit

So You’ve Written a Book!