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...
Organise time to write Plan what you will do with each writing session Try micro goals: a micro word count goal or a micro time goal Designate a writing space Get rid of distractions Don’t put it off – start now ‘I’d love to write a book, if only I had the...
‘If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: Read a lot and write a lot.’ Stephen King It’s difficult to contribute to an artform you don’t like or understand Read the classics if you enjoy them Read a variety of books Read shorter books ‘You...
Self-publishing vs traditional publishing What is a hybrid publisher? What is a vanity press? What is a self-publishing service provider? I see it happen far too often: a writer has been taken in by a vanity press, when they thought they were working with a...
You have an idea for a book … and that’s all You’ve just finished the first draft of your first book What you really need is some writing classes What you really need is to learn a bit about the industry You’re thoughtlessly rushing to publish A problem every editor...
