There are three basic ways to
get your book into print. 1.) Self publish, 2.) Get a literary agent, or 3.) Solicit a
publisher directly.
All of these options can be
intimidating at first, and each has more than one recipe for success. Some
would say self-publishing is more liberating because the author becomes
Employee #1. Despite the fact that the market for self-published books is
really picking up, however, it’s still just as hard to break into. So maybe
getting someone else to do all the work for you would be better, right? Not
necessarily. Choosing a literary agent or choosing a publisher has its own
challenges and each should be approached in different ways.
Choosing an Agent
Let’s back up – what exactly
is a literary agent? According to Writing Forward, “A literary agent represents
your interests and should act as your advocate. Your literary agent will shop
your book around to publishing houses and try to land a publishing deal for
you. Before doing this, some agents will help you prepare your book to ensure the
best possible presentation to publishing houses. For all this, the agent gets a
cut of the profits from your advance and royalties.”1
First of all, it’s important
to understand whether or not you even need an agent. Literary agencies work on
a percentage commission based on your profits. If you’re trying to sell a poem
or short story or similarly short piece of work, you are not going to find a
literary agent who will take on the project (not legitimately at least). As in
every area of life, you’re going to need to keep your eyes open for scam
artists. Some publishing houses, such as small presses or niche publishers, may
not even require you to be presented by an agent. Always read the guidelines of
publishing houses you are interested in before dedicating the work to finding
an agent. Doing your research is vital!
Secondly, what many beginning
authors may not realize when they begin searching for an agent is that they are
not searching for a manager. A
literary agent does many things on your behalf, but they are ultimately just
one half of the equation. Remember you are paying for the agent’s services. By
signing with a literary agency you are creating a relationship that should be
not only beneficial (you will undoubtedly have better luck getting a good
publishing deal with an agent) but also pleasant to deal with (many sources
encourage authors to choose agents who they get along with personally). You
will also be paying for your agent’s reputation, and if you don’t choose
wisely, that reputation can actually hurt your chances at getting published.
The ideal author-agent relationship should be more of a partnership built on
respect. The agent may be representing your
work, but if your agent has a good reputation, you should respect that you have
an influence on that as well. Don’t turn into author-zilla.
Thirdly, just as publishing
companies have their guidelines, so do literary agencies. Don’t send off the
same stock letter to three hundred agencies expecting to succeed. The shot-gun
approach only goes so far. You definitely need to send out quite a few letters,
but make sure you have selected each literary agent or agency for a reason.
Find out what books they represent and pick the agents that are a good match
for your work. Make sure each letter is unique for each agent – people who get
four hundred queries a day know a stock letter when they see one.
And finally, if you do get a
bite, clarify what you are getting in to before signing any contracts. Ask lots
of questions and make sure you understand what your financial obligation will
be before you lock yourself into a deal. If an agent informs you that you must
pay a fee for any reason before they take on your work for
representation, find another agent!
Here are some step-by-step
guides and more detailed information on how to find and query an agent.
How to Choose a Literary
Agent – 12 Important Things to Consider
How to Find and Choose a
Literary Agent – Warnings and Tips
Literary Agents – A Quick Guide
How to Find a (Real!)
Literary Agent – A Comprehensive Guide
Signing with a Literary Agent - Here's What Should Be in Your Contract
Choosing a Publisher
If you do decide you want to
go it alone and solicit publishing companies without the assistance of a
literary agent, then you are going to want to dedicate a lot of time to polishing your query letters and your book to get
them as flawless and professional as possible (you won’t catch everything, but
you should try). Some publishing companies don’t even accept submissions that
are not fronted by an agent, so check the submission guidelines to make sure
you don’t waste your time or the editor’s time. The ones that do accept
non-represented queries receive so many submissions in any given day that you
will have to work very hard to catch the eye of the editor (or, more likely,
intern) who is responsible for chugging through the slush pile. If you can
contact an editor directly, do so – but bear in mind that they have limited
time to dedicate to your query. Snap them up promptly with your query letter so they will give your book a fighting chance!
I really cannot state enough
how important doing your research is. Always make sure you are adhering to the guidelines
of each publishing company. If you have a chance to network with publishers and
editors, make sure you ask for business cards, and when you contact them be
sure to mention where and when you met to jog their memory. A personal note is
not unprofessional – editors are people too! Expressing appreciation for their
time will go a long way, since they do not have much of it to spare.
The best part about reading
the submission guidelines of the publishing companies you are interested in is
that they will tell you exactly what
to put in your package. General items that you will almost always see are a
query letter, the printed manuscript (usually a specified range, such as the
first chapter, the first thirty pages, etc.), and a Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope
(SASE) for a reply. It may seem trivial, but do not forget to include
the SASE. People are more likely to send you a response if they do not have to
work to get it to you! If you can afford to print your pages on higher-quality
paper, do so. Many publishing companies will require it. And bear in mind that
the farther your manuscript has to travel, the more durable packaging you are
going to need to invest in. Something else that will reflect poorly or well on
your manuscript is what state the package is in when it arrives on the editor’s
desk (this may seem unfair since you are not responsible for what happens to
the package once it enters the mail system, but that’s life).
Remember: you can do
everything right and still not catch a publisher’s interest. Getting published
is about having a thick skin and being able to handle rejection. You will get
rejected,
maybe many times before anything promising occurs! Don’t give up hope, and
always try to keep improving your technique.
Ten Steps toward Finding a
Book Publisher – The Basics
How to Publish a Book: An Overview of Traditional & Self-Publishing
