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...
What types of editing do you provide? What is structural editing? What is line editing and copy editing? What is proofreading? Which book categories do you work with? Do I need to book in advance? How long will the edit take? What file format should the manuscript be...
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...
What is a manuscript assessment? Who is the manuscript assessment service for? Which book categories do you work with? What additional information do you need? How long will the manuscript assessment report be? What will be in the report? Do you follow a manuscript...
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...
What is a mini consultation? How is a mini consultation different from a consultation? Is a mini consultation like a ‘power hour’ or a ‘1-2-1’? Why have I created a mini consultation service? Who is the mini consultation for? Who is the mini consultation NOT for? How...
