Or, Are You Ready to Hear Your Book Isn’t Ready to Publish? You’ve got a lengthy letter from your editor (or agent), full of editorial feedback and advice, and talking about revisions which sound pretty extensive and your heart sinks into your boots because you...
Writing a book is a very personal act of creativity, so it’s hardly surprising when authors fret over what to do in response to negative reader reviews of their hard work. It’s all too easy to take it personally, and catastrophise that a bad review spells doom for...
There are many myths out there about editing and editors, and these myths discourage writers from engaging in this crucial step in the publishing process, the one that can make their book as good as it can be. Here are some myths I see regularly in my inbox, at...
Now you’ve made the decision to hire a professional editor, you may wonder how to prepare a manuscript for editing. Here are the things you can do to prepare for editing so you get the most out of it. Prepare a manuscript for editing by self-editing First, get your...
Publishing a short story collection or a book of essays is a subject that attracts some conflicting advice. On one hand, there are those who are immediately dismissive, saying many publishers don’t publish short stories at all (true), or short stories don’t sell...
‘Who’s the audience for this book?’ One of the most important questions a publisher asks when considering whether to publish a book is about its intended audience. Who is it for? Which people will need, or at least want, this book? The answer helps a publisher see...
This is the kind of question that can create confusion, because there’s crossover between the categories of literary fiction and commercial fiction, and the definitions are not at all fixed. Some say the distinction is to do with the accessibility of the prose and...
The pitch letter A basic structure for a pitch letter The synopsis A basic structure for a synopsis The ‘Don’ts’ of submitting Do your best If your pitch letter does not intrigue and compel a literary agent to read your sample chapters, they won’t get as far as...
Make sure you have retained your publishing rights Can you show strong sales of your self-published work? But a traditional publisher would be able to market the book better! But 50 Shades of Grey was self-published and then republished, and it wasn’t good! Can a case...
Don’t take it personally when it isn’t personal What to do if you receive a form rejection Try and put yourself in their shoes What to do if you receive a semi-personal rejection Recognise encouragement where you find it What to do if you receive a personal rejection...
