publishers http://www.writinghood.com/tags/publishers New posts about publishers Publish and be Damned http://www.writinghood.com/Online-Writing/Publish-and-be-Damned.336219 What follows is a true story, those very words are one of the most often used lies in the world of fiction (kind of obvious when you think about it). Another is the idea that authors are overnight success stories and rolling in money. This story then recounts my experience of shunning traditional publishing and using the internet instead. It taught me a lot about the industry, things I already knew but chose to ignore, but where I am at now is a better place.

At the present time there is something of a dilemma - getting discovered as a novelist seems to be becoming harder than any number of similes an aspiring author could care to construct (and if finding a needle in a haystack is the best they can do, another career may better suit). Still, with two hundred thousand new books published each year they could argue that it has never been easier. And that is especially true with the new wave of self-publishing. 

Often known as vanity publishing, self-publishing used to be seen as the sole preserve of the very rich or very docile. Perhaps that is still true, but one thing has changed: you no longer need to spend a large amount of money to get a book on sale. Before I explain I want to point out that many aspiring authors will have flirted with the idea at some point in their career, even if not deliberately. Numerous adverts can be found requesting manuscripts to be sent to a new “publishing house” occasionally even on these pages (hint one: publishing is a buyers market - reputable companies have no need to advertise for submissions; they get more than enough without soliciting), in some cases anything you send the company will accept and then look for ways to screw you out of money, for instance by claiming you have to pay for an editor to fix some grammatical problems in the book, or to pay for advance typesetting design. Real publishers would never do this. 

Unscrupulous agents, again in inverted commas, will do the same thing – proclaiming how wonderful your work is and how they will easily publish it for millions after you pay their yearly members fees (hint two: much like real publishers, real agents will never ask you for money, only they will take a cut of any earnings you make, many authors believe this is worth it for the knowledge of the publishing market an agent brings). Of course there always used to be a number of legit vanity publishers, who would make no issue that this was what they were doing, arguing that many people simply wanted to create a book to share with themselves or friends, or even attempt to sell it themselves having grown tired of the frustrations of the Sisyphean nightmare that is the traditional submission/rejection cycle. 

The internet self-publishing revolution is the same thing, except that there is no need to pay upfront for copies of books that no one will ever read. The key phrase is “print on demand” (pod), with print on demand you can publish the book exactly as you would like for no charge, everything is held in computer storage, and then the only payment is made for each copy of the book that is printed. The print on demand company take a slice of this fee, but with so many facets of traditional book selling removed (no publishers, agents, stores, or van drivers to pay) they claim that the royalty you get from each sale is far higher than the usual sub-10% scrape of pie. There is nothing to stop you purchasing an ISBN number and list the work on Amazon or the like. 

One of the big players in this new industry is Lulu.com, and on the surface it seems a noble set up; however, it doesn't take a genius to work out that almost all users publishing a book will at least buy one copy of it. The upshot is that the dream of being published is now as real as death. But be forewarned here, publishing my first novel, and by first I mean third, but let's not dwell on semantics, writers seldom do, was one of the singularly most underwhelming moments of my life. I know now I was looking for the wrong things. But more of that later.

So what went wrong? Perhaps it was the one man band nature of it all. For my novel, Animals Are Automata, I played the role of writer, typesetter, editor (on weekends), publisher, cover artist, and promo writer. I use the word played deliberately. I even took a turn wearing red braces and setting the cover price, naturally over-egging my cut. Total sales so far one and peaking. Suddenly the image is of an alcoholic tramp in a soiled dinner suit, with a cymbal glued to each knee, metal arms holding out a harmonica, and bass drum bashing along in time to each pathetic step. The print on demand revolution was supposed to change the face of publishing, so what has happened to my sales?

Part of the problem is that it is now too easy to rub shoulders with the literati: you can have as many novels as Dan Brown published in no time, quicker than you can say “religious conspiracy”, no matter what the quality. Hell, I even considered publishing a book with blank pages called Snow blind for the art vote. It's just that everyone is doing it, like teenage rabbits. The process itself is surprisingly easy – a standard Word document is all you need, with behind the scenes wizardry taking care of the conversion process. And then the book is ready to preview and play 'spot the mistakes' with. A few tries at this and you have a ready to go best-seller in the making. Typical novice mistakes to look for include any of the following: leaving the page size set to A4, not starting a chapter on odd pages, font too big or small, and forgetting the copyright notice and the line “all characters are fictional”, though I am not sure if this is needed, it just seems most people on these sites include it, so why not? After all, no one is buying the this is a true story nonsense. 

There are so many books on an average site like Lulu that it is staggering. And it is hard to know exactly who is looking at these encyclopaedias of banality thinking, “hmm a book of poems about frogs, I must buy that for my aunt”. There is absolutely no guarantee of quality, in fact you may be excused in thinking it is quite the opposite – a guarantee of no quality – and I include my own work here, as I am sure it would be so much more polished with the input of a good editor and doubtless still contains mistakes somewhere (they will just make the first edition that much more valuable in the future). Also while sales of certain non-fiction books seem high, it's a struggle to find any high selling works of fiction. 

In other words, internet print on demand publishing does not appear to be the route to success: given the hit rate to number of books ratio, using a traditional publisher would probably be more likely to produce a positive result (even with the sobering Sunday Times experiment of submitting two old Booker prize winner manuscripts that were rejected in every case). If the modern industry is struggling to recognise true talent then taking that talent online does not seem to be the answer. Then again many now famous authors self-published and it did them no harm (Beatrix Potter being a topical example). I discovered that the lacking ingredient in getting anywhere in self-publishing is that another role needs adding to the long list of career types – marketing and public relations. Put simply if you don't tell anyone about your book then they aren't going to rush to buy it. Or read it online, or whatever. 

So it becomes very much the job of the individual. Lulu is no X-factor for novelists, which is an intriguing prospect – imagine standing before the judges reading some writing that isn't your own. OK wait, that wouldn't quite work. It's a difficult analogy. You couldn't go out live on a Saturday night and read out some Shakespeare with some choice additions made at the suggestion of Louis Walsh. The X-factor only works in that it is a showcase of style over substance. You can sing or you can't. Writing doesn't work the same because writing requires effort on both the reader and the writer. Lulu offers some help, but it is not revolutionary. You can pay for marketing packs, which offer things like postcards and business cards you design; alternatively, the site gives links to outside agencies who promote your book in the small press (useful perhaps for non-fiction). The final option is to use the Lulu community pages, which is a kind of Myspace for adults and lets you join groups and make friends by typing in interests. Many groups have a store front, where you can view selected titles from members of the group (e.g. UK authors). There is a vetting process for new work too, so this perhaps hints at some guarantee of quality. But just how well judged the moderators are is anyone's guess. Again the vast number of titles, even on smaller sized groups, detracts, coupled to the fear that very few members of lulu are there to buy rather than sell. 

It takes a bemusing number of skills to succeed in pod publishing, but I suppose the question is does it have any advantages over the traditional synopsis and sample chapter approach hell already discussed? One obvious upside is that you do get to see the finished product; you get to cradle your baby, albeit an uglier baby than you suspect it could have been (after all, you designed and produced it) – as if you got desperate and had children with the nearest anybody, rather than holding out for the supermodel genes you always believed you could breed with. Another benefit of publishing online could soon appear if buying trends of the general public ever change in the near future.  What the internet can offer is ever improving search technology, and maybe some time soon people will start to move away from the idea that the best way to choose a book is to walk into a retailer and pick up one of the titles near the door that has been suggested by a company exec. 

The new “Reader” by Sony is too said to revolutionise the book market, doing for it what mp3 players did for music. The strange thing is that print on demand takes writing most probably suited for penny downloads in a digitally dispensable format and lets it cross over to a more traditional format. I can't imagine something similar being available for wannabe music makers. It's probably because success in writing seems much easier than in music because you don't need musical ability, a good voice, lyrical talent, and / or good looks. Writing is unlike other art forms because it requires the least resources. If politics is show business for ugly people, then what of writing? Busking for the intellectual? I am of course only joking; it's far worse than that – guitar cases hold much more spare change than mortarboards.  

The problem is that I get the suspicion that most blog writers and print on demand self-publishers still have that dream that they will be discovered; I'll be honest, I used to too. I've now realised they, we, are all no different from the string of beautiful people who each year move to Hollywood in the hope that someone will spot them in the street and give them a role in their next film. It happens occasionally, very rarely, but the way society works these lucky ones are the ones we aspire to emulate and believe we can, because it happened to them. But what of the thousands of other equally talented individuals who ended up with nothing? Do we harbour these irrational beliefs in other areas of life? Do we leave the house each morning believing that today is the day we will be killed in a motor crash? Of course not. And if, by some fluke, an editor were to discover my book and offer me some kind of deal, so what? The way the industry works today it would be given a small advance, not supported with much marketing, sink like a stone (unless I were very very lucky), and after a few books that would be that.

The truth as I realised looking at all those never ending shelves of books in shops is that writing success, like success in other arts, is largely due to chance and being in the right place at the right time. I guess it all depends what you are looking for. Over the course of trying to sell a couple of novels and other forms of writing with limited success,  I have come to learn that the pleasurable part is in the creation, in the writing itself. And this is the hobby for me. In the same way as people spend ages watching birds, or building scale models, always for the love and never expecting to get paid. Self-publishing and self promotion offers the writer the freedom to write about whatever they choose free of constraints. Sure, immeasurable wealth would be nice, but in writing there is no way to assure that no matter how hard one works. It's an irrational career choice.

So I will continue to have intimate conversations with myself, and write them down. I do not need to have my work validated any more. It is there on its own merits, it exists, and if it sells, it sells. There is no magic formula. The most wonderful thing about print on demand is that it lets you hold a piece of your art, and display it for anyone to see. Surely no-one can begrudge that of a struggling artist. Just don't see it as a route to fame and fortune. Writing is full of alchemist's traps. There are an avalanche of people willing to take your money: self-help books, self-publishers, competitions, and critiques, all peddling the dream. If anything the internet has made this worse. The truth is you have to give and give of your time in order to have a slim chance of moderate success, and like the candle that goes out if given too much of the air it needs, this constant push to be famous can kill any pleasure you once had.

]]> Sun, 09 Nov 2008 10:39:47 PST WHAT is a Synopsis? and HOW DO I WRITE One? http://www.writinghood.com/Style/How-To/WHAT-is-a-Synopsis-and-HOW-DO-I-WRITE-One.334511 How to write a synopsis is one of the most discussed subjects at writers groups. So many people find it hard, and make it more difficult than they need to.

A synopsis is just a summary. It simply tells the editor/agent/publisher exactly what your book is all about.   The problem with summarising your own work is that it’s hard to know which bits to include and which to leave out.

My advice is simple. Practice on somebody else’s book first. For example, if I chose Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens,  I might write down the basic plot like this.

Set in Victorian times, this book tells the story of Pip. As a boy, he meets a convict and steals food for him. Years later, Pip is sent to play with Estella who is the ward of Miss Haversham, a wealthy, but strange woman who was jilted on her wedding day, and still wears her wedding gown years later. Pip falls in love with Estella, but she refuses him. Later Pip comes into money. He thinks Miss Haversham is his benefactor, but it turns out to be the convict he helped when he was a boy. In the end, Pip and Estella get together and it all ends happily.

As you can see, this really is the bare bones of the plot, but it does tell you what happens, including the ending.

Now try doing this with your own book. You will be end up with the kind of short, sharp synopsis that agents and publishers so often ask for. You will even have room left over for brief descriptions of the main characters.

Remember, publisher want to know is what kind of book you are offering them, and whether they find the subject or plot sufficiently interesting.

]]> Sat, 08 Nov 2008 10:19:51 PST Valuable Websites for Writers http://www.writinghood.com/Writing/Valuable-Websites-for-Writers.224683 Whether you're writing a fiction or nonfiction book, if it's your first one, you probably feel at a loss of what to do to get your material out there. When I completed my first serious novel several years ago, I felt at a loss of what I needed to do next. I found that the publishing industry had certain rules of how, who and what you should submit your material to.

I've listed some valuable sites below that have a wealth of information for the aspiring writer. These sites will take the mystery out of whom to submit to, what you need to submit, how to submit it, and who you should look out for. I hate to say it, but yes there are plenty of people out there waiting to take advantage of the uninformed writer. Other than postage and supplies, submitting your work shouldn't cost you any money.

Absolute Write

This is a writer's forum that has a wealth of information! Personally, I'd be lost without this place. Here you are able to ask questions to writers that are trying to do the same thing as you……get published. You can search out others experiences with certain agents or publishers, get your work critiqued, learn how to write a query letter, freelancing information, and learn basic writing techniques so you won't make the dreaded first timers mistakes. This sight has so many attributes it's hard to list them all.

If you want to join in on the conversations, it's easy. Here you will always find someone with experience who is more than willing to help. If you prefer to be quiet, you can surf this forum unnoticed. This is a must sight to help the unpublished or published author find any information they need concerning publishing or writing.

Preditors & Editors

This is another must site for the writer. Preditors & Editors is a guide to publishers and writing services for writers. It is not only a list of agents, attorneys and publishers, but gives warnings about scammers who are out there. If something raises a red light about a particular agent or publishers, here is the place to find it. Remember, money flows toward the writer. You never should have to pay to get your work published! There are a bunch of unscrupulous people out there who are looking to take advantage of the unpublished writer, this sight outs them.

AgentQuery

This is a terrific place to find agents or publishers, their current contact information and what they are looking for. Here you will find a massive searchable database of literary agents and publishers and believe it or not….it's free! There are no strings attached to this sight.

You will also find descriptions of the various genres and are able to search by genre only. You will also find great information on such things as how to write a query letter, how to mail it and how long a synopsis should be, plus much more. This is another must sight for the writer.

QueryTracker.net

Here you can search for agents in a particular genre. This site is a great resource because you can track your queries and responses. There is also a list of success stories of Query Trackers users, stating the agent who offered them a contract, genre and the word length of the accepted manuscript. You will be able to see the trends of a particular agent/agency and know what's selling.

The best things you can do for you as a writer, is become informed and never give up! Rejection is normal and one must grow really thick skin. Remember, you aren't the only one who got rejected. Hopefully these sites will make your writing journey a bit easier. Good luck!

]]> Sun, 24 Aug 2008 04:31:21 PST How to Become a Published Writer http://www.writinghood.com/Writing-Business/How-to-Become-a-Published-Writer.188671 I suggest that those of us who enjoy writing, whatever the genre, have three specific aims: to write well, to share it with others and to see our work published. None of these aims are easy and all make us vulnerable in the process. I am suggesting ways of reaching the final goal without too much pain and fewer rejection slips on the way.

  • Start small. The easiest way to get into print is to write letters. Choose a magazine you enjoy or a local newspaper. If you enjoy a particular magazine then it is probably written in your style and about subjects that interest you and this is a good place to start. Study the letters page, the language used, count the number of words, their subjects. When inspiration strikes write a letter as close in style as possible.
  • Write some fillers. These can be jokes, recipes, poems, tips. Readers Digest is a good place to check on fillers. Featured poems are often ones that create a mood, perhaps reflecting on nature or relationships.
  • When you feel confident from these successes you might care to try a personal experience story. Avoid the magazines that go for high drama and concentrate on something sincere which will appeal to readers of your favourite magazine.
  • Short stories are a further challenge. Read a variety of them carefully. Choose a suitable theme and check the length of the average short story in the magazine of your choice. Some magazines offer guidelines upon request.

Finally, to enable you to achieve your first and most important aim, to write well, I would recommend that you join a Writers Group. A writer's life is a lonely one and you will meet like minded people there who will encourage you. A good group with an experienced leader is educational and challenging.

I cannot conclude without mentioning Triond where you can try out your ideas and get into the habit of writing regularly, indeed they encourage you to do that, and you will get some feedback as you go along.

Getting published is all about practice, patience and perseverance. Go to it and enjoy yourself immensely in the process.

]]> Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:52:26 PST The Ultimate Guide for Writers Wanting to Earn an Income on the Internet http://www.writinghood.com/Online-Writing/The-Ultimate-Guide-for-Writers-Wanting-to-Earn-an-Income-on-the-Internet.129123 Writing for an income on the Internet can be an exciting experience that allows the writer to hone their skills and find an audience that enjoys reading what the author has written for them. Although, just like any job, writing online for an income requires hardwork, dedication, patience, and a knowledge of more than just writing.

The most successful writers and bloggers on the Internet all understand the importance of marketing, especially online marketing, because it is the most important subject that can generate the largest audience of active readers on the Internet. Writers desiring to earn an income must be willing to learn everything that they can about the subject of online and offline marketing and marketing techniques, so that they can drive the traffic to their articles or blogs that are published on the net.

The following websites and articles were written with new writers in mind, because these are the ones who will benefit the most. Stop asking questions and start learning the marketing techniques that can potentially make you a successful Internet content writer in the future.

Marketing For Beginners Series for Writers

  1. Choosing Your Online Publisher

    A helpful guide to help you choose an online publisher that is right for you and that will attract the type of readers that would most likely reader what you write.

  2. Choosing Your Author's/Pen Name

    The name that a writer choose to write using can make or break an author's chances to become a popular Internet writer, so this useful guide will point you into the right direction.

  3. How to Setup a Winning Bio Page

    The majority of online publishers allow their writers to setup a brief bio page, so that they can introduce themselves to their audience and fans. What most writers fail to understand is that their bio page is also an excellent marketing tool that can earn them new readers and in many cases the writers do not have a clue how to setup a winning bio page to achieve the greatest marketing results. This guide will help you setup your bio page right the first time.

  4. Choosing Your Audience

    There is nothing more important than knowing you audience and understanding who you are writing for. This marketing guide teaches writers what to look for and how to locate the audience that you need to make an income when writing.

  5. Writing Targeted Article Titles

    Once a writer has a working understanding about who their audience is, then it is time to learn how to write targeted article titles that make money.

  6. Writing in Volumes

    Internet content writers usually make money every time someone stops and reads their article or blog, but to make excellent residual royalties in the future, writing in volumes is a marketing technique to really consider.

  7. Networking Basics

    Learn the basics of networking on the Internet using this brief, but helpful marketing guide.

  8. Social Bookmarking Basics

    Learn the basics to using social bookmarking websites, so to reach a broader audience and to potentially drive more unique visitors to your blog or article.

  9. Co-op Marketing Techniques

    Learn what Co-op marketing is and how you can use it to your advantage in regards to your future marketing plans.

  10. Using Existing Offline Networks

    Learn how to identify your existing offline (real world) marketing networks and learn how to use them to generate a bigger potential audience of readers.

Marketing Basics for the Established Writer

  1. What Every Internet Content Writer Should Know

    This article is an excellent one to learn more advanced marketing techniques to apply to a writer's daily marketing schedule.

  2. 10 Important Things That Every Triond Writer Should Do to Improve Your Earnings

    This is an excellent marketing article for writers who have elected to write for the online publisher “Triond”.

  3. 10 Easy Steps to Build a Successful Internet Marketing Social Network

    Learn what you need to know about social networks and how to setup your own social network circle, so that your marketing campaigns can meet or exceed your marketing ambitions.

  4. Understanding Social Bookmarking Services So You Too Can Build a Successful Internet Marketing Network

    This marketing guide teaches writers the important things about using social bookmarking services, so that they can build a successful Internet marketing network.

  5. 10 Useful Websites to Increase the Popularity of Your Blog

    This article will guide interested bloggers and writers to free Internet services and programs that can be used to increase the amount of traffic that their blog currently receives.

  6. Writer's Spelling Resources

    This is an outstanding guide for writers wanting to learn new words.

Online Publisher Guides

  1. 10 Killer Internet Companies That Want To Pay You to Write

    Use this comprehensive online publisher guide to locate an online publisher that is right for your style of writing.

  2. 10 Real Internet Companies Where the Words You Write Will Pay You

    This is another comprehensive online publisher guide that contains ten different online publisher-writing opportunities complete with details.

  3. Get Paid to Write 10 Profitable Writing Opportunities for the Serious Writer

    As if a writer needs more writing options to choose from, then comes yet another ten potentially profitable writing opportunities to use when selecting an online publisher to write for. This article contains a brief description of the details for each of the writing opportunities.

  4. 10 Marvelous Magazine Article Writing Opportunities

    This writer's guide presents ten magazine writing opportunities for the serious professional writer and these writing opportunities are not designed for every writer either. Only the best-of-the-best writers will succeed in this highly competitive writing field, so be prepare for heaps of rejection letters.
]]> Sun, 25 May 2008 01:33:56 PST Marketing for Beginners: Choosing Your Online Publisher http://www.writinghood.com/Online-Writing/Marketing-for-Beginners-Choosing-Your-Online-Publisher.128796 While it is true that some publishers do pay a great deal more than others do, but where those low paying publishers lack, they will -- many times deliver you larger audiences, so to know your handiwork. This is the time to decide upon the right publisher for you as you take a silent inventory of exactly the kind of writer that you will introduce to the publisher that you have elected to write for.

Let's say that you are a poet and your first and foremost inter desire is to write to express yourself to the world, in your own uniquely individual way. Making money hasn't even crossed your mind not once since you first discovered the endless possibilities that the Internet is changing the landscape for determine dedicated writer. Where oh where can a relatively unknown poet get noticed?

Poetry

This is the largest poetry community on the Internet and the traffic exposure that your writings can potentially receive after your poetry has been published on the website for public viewing. Besides, Poetry.com holding writing contests, this opportunity doesn't pay writers who publish their poetry on their website.

After you have writing for Poetry.com for a while and earning an audience that loyally follow your writings, then you just might be ready to shift gears and start writing for money on the Internet. After all, you already have a loyal audience that if informed would most likely read your writings no matter where you decide to write.

Triond

This is a genuine online publisher that shares the advertising revenue earned from views received for a writer's work during a 30-day period of time. Promising poets choosing to write for Triond can earn real cash for writing their thoughts and emotions for everyone to experience. Even poets and writers just starting out as professional Internet content writers, can attract a larger audience and make some money, because of the website's popularity.

Maybe after writing freelance for a revenue sharing online publisher and sharpening your word skills, it is time to give you a most deserved raise and promotion. You have earned the loyalty and admiration of hundreds of thousands of fans and have experience a taste of the income potential that your writing can potentially earn. Keeping in mind that you and your Internet publisher share the advertising revenue 50/50 and if you can manage publishing your own work on the Internet it can potentially increase your income by double of that earning presently.

Blogspot

This offers writers the opportunity to create your own blog and add your own Google Adsense Code, so you can earn a potentially huge income from the blog, especially if your blog manages to become extremely popular.

Popular bloggers who's blogs attracts 10s of thousands of readers or more can attract additional income opportunities from businesses, services and other website webmasters who wish to pay for these bloggers to write and post a paid advert within their blog. Some paid bloggers earn six-figure incomes each year.

These particular online publishing opportunities are not by far the only paying or non-paying writing opportunities on the Internet. There are many, many different ones some that share revenue, others that create valuable exposure for the author's writings, and lastly, those publishing opportunities that specialize in a targeted writing genre.

]]> Sat, 24 May 2008 02:24:03 PST Rejection: Get Over It http://www.writinghood.com/Style/Rejection-Get-Over-It.80326 Writers often look at their work and believe, “This is really good. I'm sending it off.” I won't say in most cases but quite a few, these submissions often come back stamped "REJECTED". Why? The reason is simple- these writers didn't step back to look at the piece objectively wearing a reader's hat but looked at it wearing a "mommy"s' hat. These are two different hats to be wearing when it comes to really looking over your manuscript. Another reason is they submitted a first draft they believed was fully fleshed out, their characters were realistic and not stick people, and subbed it to various publishers they happened to come across while researching various markets.

What is wrong with this scenario?

First Draft

I will admit I've read quite a few first drafts that were tight but haven't come across any first draft that read complete in any which way you looked at it. Something always needed changing: characters needed more dimension, setting needed more presence, dialogue had to be spruced up and taglines removed, or more of the five senses had to be written in to bring the scene to the reader's mind with more clarity and vividness.

Characters

Are your characters flat, lifeless, no personality to set them apart from your secondary characters? Not sure? Well, that's why it's a good idea to get your story critiqued by another pair of eyes other than your own. These critics will be able to pinpoint areas they feel, as readers, need more fleshing out. Remember that you can't please all of the readers all the time but if you can offer a character that is three dimensional from the start, then perhaps you will please most of your readers.

The one biggest flaw I find in some writers is the fact they do not accept any comments where their work is concerned. Writers are always learning, always open to suggestions in order to guide and help them enhance their talent. The more they understand the areas they are weak in, the quicker these flaws disappear.

Publishers

Publishers know who their readers are. This is an area a writer also needs to understand. When you research a publisher, make sure to take the time and read one or two of their books to see if your genre fits in with their "style". If you wrote a young adult novel, and you Googled "Children"s Publishers', don't send your manuscript to them UNLESS you check their guidelines. There you will see if they accept young adult manuscripts, their preferred word count, and other information needed in order to process your submission.

Do not be one of the writers who eagerly wait for months for a response only to discover the rejection letter states, “We are sorry but at this time we are not accepting any Young Adult manuscripts.” Waste of time.

Be smart, after all, you worked long and hard on your book, it deserves a chance to reach the right publisher.

 

]]> Tue, 05 Feb 2008 06:32:43 PST so You Want to be a Writer http://www.writinghood.com/Writing-Business/so-You-Want-to-be-a-Writer.80264 Did you say you want to be a writer? Well, don't just want to be a writer, be a writer. What are you waiting for? The contract that's going to automatically change your life. The thing that's going to make you a great writer? I have news for you, don't just wish. Put things in action, make it happen. So you want to be a writer, huh. How much have you written? How many hours a day do you dedicate to perfecting your craft. To be good at something, you must practice it on a daily basis. You must know your craft to be good at your craft. If you say you want to be a writer then you must live it to become it.

And when you have enough work to feel proud and confident about, take it out into the world. Send it to as many publishers and editors and don't take “No” for an answer. I hear people say, “Oh, there is so much competition out there”, yes , there is. So, that's why you have to be good at what you do. Be part of that competition. But aside from perfecting your craft and being a talented writer, you must also know how to play the business part of it. The business part is what's going to get you published and paid. That means not giving up. Believing in your work and submitting it to as many editors and publishers as possible. And when they say no review it, make any changes if necessary and resubmit. Don't get discouraged follow your dream. Don't just dream it live it. Be a writer, if that's what you wish.

]]> Tue, 05 Feb 2008 04:43:02 PST Important Facts When Writing for Children http://www.writinghood.com/Style/How-To/Important-Facts-When-Writing-for-Children.79437 Do you want to write stories for children? What age range do you have in mind? This thought has tempted me many times, and I have finished my first draft many years ago. My story sits collecting dust since I simply lost interest in editing. However, I still want to write for children in the future.

I read as many books as I can get my hands on about writing for children. Below is a collection of important facts to think about if you ever want to venture into this genre.

Who Are Your Readers?

You must define a specific group of your audience. Ask yourself plenty of questions. How old will your readers be? What gender are you aiming at? This is the first step to simmer in your thought. Picking out a defined group will help you gear toward that market, and know where to look for in publication.

What is Your Topic?

Throwing out questions will bring up some ideas for a topic. What is your story about? Is it interesting enough to capture the attention of your young readers? Can your readers relate themselves to this topic? Is the story exciting, adventurous, and/or imaginable?
After you find a topic, your concentration should place on the title. A great title can grab a passerby with a force.

Who is Telling the Story?

Decide who is telling the story, first or third person? This is your character. What is your character's personality? What is he/she like? For each character in your story, you should list out his/her traits. Find unusual characteristics for your story teller. Your main character must stand out in your readers' mind.

What is the Conflict?

In every story or movie that we see, there is always conflict. You have to create conflicts and show how it is solved in every chapter of your story. Without conflicts, your readers will be bored and find something else to do. To keep your readers mesmerize to the story, you must have the good, the bad, and the evil, in your fiction.

Research, Research, and More Research

After brainstorming your ideas, the fun part begins. Research, research, and research! You will have to find out where to market your story. Who are the publishers? Each company has its own requirements such as the numbers of words, or ages of readers that will be accepted, or story lines that they are looking for.

Writing is hard work, but if you have some ideas where to begin or what is involved, it will make the journey easier. Have fun finding your voice, and happy writing!

 

]]> Sun, 03 Feb 2008 02:09:24 PST Rip-off Schemes: Agents, Publishers and Advice for Writers http://www.writinghood.com/Writing-Business/Rip-off-Schemes-Agents-Publishers-and-Advice-for-Writers.78871 When on MySpace, I do occasionally check the targeted adverts that appear at the top of the page. Most of mine are for publishers and agents. Or, more specifically, people wanting writers to pay them to either read over their manuscript, or to publish their work. Some of these companies are more up-front about the fact they want a (sometimes substantial) up-front payment for converting a writer's word file to a .PDF and sticking it in a cover than others. Some promise to "sell" your book through all of the major booksellers, and through Amazon. But what they really mean is that for your money, you'll get an ISBN that will be registered on various databases.

The book will (probably) appear on Amazon, and will be available through most major book stores, but they won't be stocking the title in physical form. Fine, but it's possible to get the same services for free, pay just a small fee for an ISBN and, well, there you go. Because most of these companies are simply printers using print on demand technology. Now, I like PoD, but have no illusion about how my work that's available through PoD channels is being marketed - i.e. it isn't. Unless I market it myself. Which I do. Not being a professional or even particularly business-minded, I'm not very good at it it's ok, because I've not paid a few hundred quid for no promotion.

At present, PoD and self-publishing are essentially synonymous, and self-publishing is largely considered inferior by "the establishment:" no quality control, just "writers" who can't write putting stuff out that no publisher would touch in a million years. This seems to be rather a double standard: in music, bands who release their own records are hailed as exponents of the punk ethic. Or they're Radiohead.

And there is, of course, a counter-argument that most publishers are only interested in the Next Big Thing, so unless you're the next Stephen King, Dan Brown or J.K. Rowling, you can fuck right off. And as the more discerning readers will know, Stephen King, Dan Brown and J.K. Rowling produce accessible, mainstream texts at a steady rate, and while they shift units, they don't exactly challenge anything, particularly the social order or the perception of the masses. This is perhaps another point for another time: suffice it to say here that, thankfully, there are a lot of writers out there who don't write for the masses. But how do these writers get their work to the market?

Obviously, this is easier if you've got an agent working on your behalf. (For the record, I haven't.) But getting an agent to take you on is as hard - and, I've oft heard it said, harder - as being accepted by a publisher.

Ah, but thankfully, help is at hand, thanks to companies who advertise on MySpace. Of course, they want paying for their input, but they'll read your manuscript and give advice on how to improve it, and even provide detailed directions for making a successful pitch for an agent. By sending them your manuscript and some wedge, they'll provide a detailed report, which includes the following:

Writing skills - including how to use these to strengthen atmosphere, pace and tension throughout

Dialogue - convincing and sustained dialogue and suitability to characters

Characters - believability, natural actions, emotions and themes

Plot - are there enough twists and turns to capture the reader's attention? Is there a strong opening and conclusion, with no holes throughout?

Marketability - a view on whether your novel will stand up in today's market and whether it is aimed concisely enough at its target reader

Now, this is all well and good, but much of this kind of information can be found elsewhere, and again, for free. I've often wondered about the need for creative writing classes. Perhaps I'm being blinkered, myopic, even autistic and snobbish, but can there really be a substitute for life experience, practice and spending time reading? To write, one must first read, even if only to avoid the risk of thinking you've created a unique and truly genius plot-line, only to discover that Shakespeare or Nick Hornby got there first. How many well-known writers were taught how to write (and I'm not meaning how to hold a pen)? What's more, the advice that will appear in this personalised report, that runs from 9 to 15 pages can only be so personalised anyway, surely?

But what really gets me is the fact that the idea of focusing on dialogue, plot, character is simply perpetuating the established norms that lead to the last point, marketability. Isn't writing with a view to marketability simply writing by numbers? It's a pity that writing has become increasingly about numbers - sales figures - than about "art." I'm presenting an idealist perspective when I say that less mainstream works - works that fall into the category of "it doesn"t fit into our present publishing programme' should be given a chance to find their market, rather than being rejected because they're not in alignment with the current market trend. There are many readers out there who are frustrated because of the lack of choice, who can't find one, let alone three titles they want in the Waterstone's 3 for 2 offer selection because it's all so safe and uninspiring.

Right now, there are a lot of writers - good writers - struggling to get published, and who are clearly desperate enough to fund the scumbags who promise the earth in terms of finding an agent, or providing agent services, or putting your book to a global market - for a fee. I have no idea what the future holds for the publishing industry. But I do think radical changes are afoot. I certainly hope so, and I say "bring it on!"

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