By Dr. Lin Stepp
The calls, emails, and
questions I get most often as an author are from new writers who say, “I’ve
just finished a book. What do I do now to get it published?” Most
hope to be traditionally published—versus self-publishing their book—so I’m
addressing my blog response to these writers.
Dear new author …
I am so excited you’ve
finished your first book and I know you are eager to find a publishing home for
it. As requested, here are my tips to help you in your journey to find a
publisher:
(1) First, be sure your
book is the best it can be; it’s “your product” and it is your responsibility
to prepare and package it in the best way possible. New writers often don’t
have enough experience to recognize inherent problems that could keep their
work from getting a contract. Like parents with a new baby, they see
their creation as beautiful, perfect, and without flaw. But, unfortunately,
like any “first effort,” it needs a lot of work. … So a writer’s first job is
to self-edit their book extensively using a thorough guidebook like Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King, and then to pay a
qualified editor to read and provide further help before submission.
(2) Once the product is
“professionally polished and edited,” the next step is to find an agent or a
publisher. An agent helps an author find a publisher and negotiate
publishing contracts. Books such as The Writer’s Market provide
listings of reputable agents as well as reputable publishers. Many large
publishing giants will not accept direct queries from authors without an agent,
but many publishers will. There are no “credentialing associations” for agents
or publishers, as for attorneys or CPAs, so a new writer must carefully
research either for credibility, checking authors they represent and
associations they belong to. Authors must also be legally watchful about
contracts they sign with either. A website called “Preditors and Editors”
can help, as there are many predators willing to take advantage of eager,
excited, and inexperienced authors. Be wary and “run” from any agent or
publisher who wants money from you to handle your work.
(3) Once a reputable
offer comes in from a publisher—directly or via an agent—have a publishing
attorney review any contract before signing it. I have heard enough
heart-breaking stories of contracts signed in haste to wisely council any new
author to be extremely careful of any and all contracts. They are easy to
sign but not easy to get out of.
(4) When you are
“pitching” your book to an agent or publisher, be aware that you’re creating a
marketing pitch for your product. Study the guidelines for creating good query
letters, and read the guidelines each agent or publisher provides regarding
submissions—and adhere to them rigidly. Be aware that not only is an author
pitching their book “for sale” … they are pitching themselves as an
author. The question is not simply: Why should an agent or publisher
be interested in your book?... but Why should they be
interested in you as an author? What qualifies you to write your
book? What educational and work background could be an asset as an
author? How long did it take you to write your book and how quickly can
an agent or publisher expect to see another in follow-up? Agents and
publishers want to put their time and money behind “producers.”
Finally,
what plans can you present to an agent or publisher as to how you will help
market and promote your product? A whole new career begins for an author
after a contract is signed and you need to be ready to discuss your proposed
part in it. An excellent help book in this area is Chuck Sambuchino’s Create Your Writer Platform.
As you can see from
these four tips, it takes a lot of work to find a publisher for a book. It is
naïve to assume the job is done when the book is finished. The reality is
that getting a book ready to present to an agent or a publisher requires extensive
study, research, and effort. If an author is unwilling to study, research, and
work in the stages prior to publication, they are unlikely to gain a publisher
or to be successful if they do. A popular quote suggests: “There is no elevator
to success, you have to take the stairs.”
However, if you’re up
for the climb, the view is great from the top.
Dr. Lin
Stepp is a native Tennessean, a businesswoman, and an educator. She is an
adjunct faculty member at Tusculum College where she teaches research
psychology. Her business background includes over 25 years in marketing, sales,
production art, and regional publishing. She has editorial and writing
experience in regional magazines and in the academic field. A USA Today
and Publisher Weekly best-selling author, Lin has seven published novels, each
set in different locations around the Smoky Mountains. Her latest novel, Makin’ Miracles, set in Gatlinburg, was
just released by Kensington and
followed by Saving Laurel Springs in the fall of 2015 and Welcome Back in the spring of 2016.
A short novel “A Smoky Mountain Gift” was included in the Christmas
anthology When
the Snow Falls released
by Kensington Publishing in the fall of 2014 following the June 2014 release of
Down by the River set
in Townsend, TN. Lin’s other previously published titles include: Second
Hand Rose (2013), Delia’s Place (2012), For Six Good Reasons (2011), Tell
Me About Orchard Hollow (2010),
and The
Foster Girls (2009). Lin
and her husband J.L. also published a Smokies hiking guide in January of 2014,
distributed through The University of Tennessee Press, titled The Afternoon Hiker, which
includes 110 trail descriptions and over 300 color photos. Lin has two grown
children and two cats - and loves to hike, paint, read, teach, and speak
and share about her writing. WEBSITE: www.linstepp.com
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