sallymurphy.com.au

Sally Murphy, Australian author

5 Ways to Increase Your Chances of Getting Published

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Yesterday I talked about some realities of publishers existing to make money, rather than existing just to publish your book/s.  But if you’re a writer, what you want is for a publisher to want to make that money from publishing your book. So I thought it might be useful to share some simple ways you can increase your chances of getting published.  So, here goes:
1.   1. Write. A lot. If you have written one draft of one book and are putting all your energies in to getting it published, you are probably on the wrong track.  You need to write and keep writing. Multiple drafts of every story, and definitely more than one. And lots of stuff that will never be published but helps you refine your writing.
2.     2.  Before you submit your work to a publisher make sure it is the best it can be. Write, rewrite, critique, rewrite again. This should happen before you start submitting – not after it is rejected. Let it rest before you send it out so you can reread and be really sure it’s as good as you can make it.
3.  3.  Seek and listen to feedback on your writing – from reputable sources. NB – your friends, your parents, your children and your next door neighbour’s children, and especially your spouse are NOT reputable sources, even if they are very nice people.  A reputable source is someone else who knows stuff about writing – a critique partner, perhaps a paid manuscript appraiser, a writing tutor. Note though that this feedback is for you – not for the publisher. Saying n your cover letter “My critique buddy thinks this is great” will not help your cause.
4.     4.  Constantly improve your craft. Musicians practise away from the stage. Athletes train away from the arena. Writers must work to improve their skills by learning and by experimenting. Take a course, read a book, learn online, have fun with writing exercises.
5.   5.   Lastly, know the industry and the market. Don’t submit to a publisher you haven’t taken the time to learn about. Don’t just google ‘publisher; and then submit to the first name that comes up.  Before you submit your bookbaby to a publisher you should know what sort of books that publisher publishes, why they are a good match for your story and what their submission guidelines are. 
Getting published is hard. Very hard. But  submitting the right, well written, well-polished story to the right publisher will increased your chances of getting published immeasurably.

5 Quick Truths About Publishers

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Yesterday I read a comment on Twitter that said something like: “Publishers do not exist to make your dreams come true”. I wish I’d  made note of who tweeted it, but was busy nodding my head in agreement, and doing a dozen other things.
Anyway, as my weekend progressed I found this little quote kept coming back to me.  And while I can’t remember who said it, it resonated with me so much that I wanted to blog today on a similar vein. So, here goes – five quick home truths about publishers.
1.     1.  Publishers want to make money. They are businesses and, like every business, a publishing house aims to sell goods and make a profit.
2.      2.  Publishers want to publish books. Good books which sell well (see number one above – if their books sell well, their profits increase).
3.  3.   Publishers have staff whose job it is to select, polish, publish and promote books. Books which they hope will sell well (see number one above).
4.   4.    Publishers DO occasionally make mistakes (just like the rest of us). For example, a publisher may reject a book which goes on to be published by another publisher and sell well, making publisher B a lot of money, but publisher A no money.  (The most quoted example is the innumerable articles, comments blah blah blah that quote the publishers which rejected the first Harry Potter book and must have lived to regret it. BUT, what is often overlooked is that the publishers who rejected Rowling may not have had the right blend of staff, or branding, or whatever to make that series the big seller it was. And there are probably many more untold stories of  books which were rejected by one publisher, and published by another and flopping. ) But back to my point – publishers do sometimes make mistakes, but that is something outside your control as a writer.  And in the end, the decisions the publishers make are based on their desire to publish the best possible books for their list – and hence make money (see number one above).
5.   5.    You want your book published so it can make money. Publishers want to publish books to make money. You are on the same page, really. You both want the same thing, except you are convinced YOUR book is the best one and the publisher may disagree.  But in the end there is no plot to keep you from being published, no secret club, no ulterior motive. Even though sometimes it feels like it. A lot.
Tomorrow  I’ll say some things about what you can do to increase your chances of getting published. In the meantime I’d love to hear your reactions to what I’ve said here. Agree? Disagree? Talk to me.

Tania McCartney: Approaching Publishers

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I am delighted to welcome to my blog today children’s author, publisher and all round lovely person, Tania McCartney, here as part of her blog tour to promote her new book Riley and the Curious Koala. Tania has kindly agreed to guest blog here – and the topic I gave her is one which is near and dear to my own heart – how to approach a publisher. Over to you, Tania.
Approaching Publishers
by Tania McCartney
Congratulations! You’ve written a wonderful children’s book. You’ve spent the time letting it bubble away and enrich like a good pasta sauce. You’ve honed it, tested it (on kids, that is… and none were harmed during the testing process), had it edited and appraised either professionally or via a very clever friend… and now you’re left with an al dente newborn babe, bundled up in snowy white paper, smelling all fresh and new and ready to be launched into the world.
Eeeep. This is where things get hairy. Nerve-wracking. Gut-wrenching. Breathless. And also endurance-testing, patience-inspiring, self-esteem-buffeting and hopelessly helpless… for this is when you hand your baby over to someone else. To prod, to poke, to pull apart… or perhaps even – gasp – gently and quietly put aside, to be forever forgotten.
While all this is happening, you wait. You wait and wait. Perhaps for them to tell you your baby is ugly. Perhaps for them to tell you nothing at all. Perhaps for them to say your baby has promise and may succeed quite nicely upon its 18th birthday. Perhaps – and only just perhaps – for them to say they want to see more… how you live for that moment. Nothing promised – just a glimmer of hope that you might not be nudged further down the priority line as some else’s work appears on the publisher’s desk to tempt them away from your baby.
It’s almost a game of chance, only you are probably gambling part of your heart and soul. Any writer will tell you their manuscripts are part of who they are. Some manuscripts are a powerful and life-altering chunk, others are a small but meaningful slice – but all are handed over with a feeling of anticipation that can only be described as agonisingly bittersweet.
I first began approaching publishers with my work twenty years ago. Things were a little different then. You just sent in an entire wad of paper with a covering letter and kept your fingers firmly crossed for the 3 to 6 months it took for a rejection letter to arrive. Or an acceptance phone call, as was the case with my non-fiction book You Name It (Hodder Headline, 1995). I can still feel the scream of joy rising from my toes and bursting from my mouth. The series of rolling backflips I performed soon thereafter was truly a miracle (I actually can’t perform rolling backflips).
Since that day, I’ve had a rollercoastering writing career and have only half-heartedly and occasionally approached publishers. It’s not been until the past two years that I’ve really made it a full time job – and boy have I made up for it – in a big way. I’ve actually lost count of the amount of publishing proposals I’ve written in the past 18 months. Some have failed, some have worked, and some are in the process of working (squeeee!)
If you’re about ready to launch a baby into the arms of a publisher and are feeling sick with anticipation, I hope these tips I’ve learned on my own journey will help you feel a little more at ease. Letting your baby go is mighty heartbreaking – but remember, our babies must all fly the coop some time – and may they sour and flourish in the world of books. Good luck!
·         Research who to send your ms to; this is vital because it wastes everyone’s time if your book is not what the publisher normally publishes or it doesn’t fit their ‘style’ of book. Publishing houses can be quite specific, so get to know their needs; read what’s already on their list.
·         Find out if your targeted publisher is accepting unsolicited ms. If they’re not, and you are still super keen, try sending it anyway, but be prepared for it to be scooped into the bin, unopened.
·         Learn how your publisher likes to receive submissions and follow it to the letter. Some publishers are now accepting ‘enquiry emails’ whereby you can suggest a book idea to them, so take advantage of these.
·         Research your book’s target market (you should have already done this anyway) and present a marketing outline with your submission letter.
·         If your prospective publisher does not clearly outline their requirements for an ms submission you will need the following – a covering letter outlining (succinctly!) who you are, what your book is called and why you have approached this particular publisher, a marketing plan on why your book would succeed in the market (including books already on the market that might compete with your title), a short synopsis or chapter outline, and the first three chapters of your ms. Also enclose a concise writing résumé.
·         Only submit your ms to one publisher at a time, unless told you can submit elsewhere.
·         Some publishers require you to indicate if the ms has been presented to other publishers.
·         Be open, honest and completely yourself in communication with the publisher. Show your enthusiasm for your ms but always remain professional and don’t rant and rave about how fabulous you are (everyone is fabulous!).
·         Most publishers prefer picture books to be submitted without illustrations.
·         Remember that even though publishers are interested in a wonderful, well-written story, they absolutely require a book to be marketable – they invest a lot of time and money into a manuscript – it has to have financial return.
·         Don’t pester once your ms is in the publisher’s hands. There’s nothing wrong with a polite enquiry email or phone call after some time, but don’t expect an answer and don’t do this often. It can take many months for a book to be approved (or not approved).
·         Remember – publishers are professionals and it’s wise to respect their opinion.
·         Do things with a high level of professionalism at all times.
·         Network with other authors and illustrators – become involved in the writing community and you’ll not only make great friends, you will learn an enormous amount and enjoy quite an astounding level of support.
·         Don’t torture yourself over making your ms ‘perfect’. A successful author once told me publishers are more likely to become enamoured with a brilliant book idea rather than a perfectly honed, endlessly revised ‘perfect final’ manuscript. Don’t send yourself crazy with edits. The publisher will more than likely ask for changes or send your ms to an editor anyway – and it could get seriously chopped to pieces, making all your pedantic agonising for nought.
·         Be prepared for changes; if you can’t cope with that, self-publish instead.
·         Don’t expect a publisher ms appraisal or a ‘reason’ for a rejection.
·         Try a variety of publishers and don’t underestimate small indie publishers – they are producing incredible books.
·         Get to know publishers. Develop a relationship. Ask them if they are looking for a particular style of book and whether you could submit an outline to them. No harm in asking.
·         Don’t take knock-backs personally. I know this is incredibly hard to do! but it’s absolutely true – there are a myriad of reasons why your book could be rejected, and many times, being unpublishable or ‘not good enough’ is not the reason.
·         Publishers, even small indie publishers, are bombarded hourly by an avalanche of manuscripts and publishing requests. Wading through these ms must be truly Mt-Everest-like. The wait is hard, but let go of all expectation, start work on your next ms and never get shirty with publishing departments – you don’t want to burn your publishing bridges!
·         DO. NOT. GIVE. UP. Ruminate. Revise. Resubmit. Did I mention don’t give up? Ever.
·         Emit patience and graciousness like a radiant literary beacon – and let me know when your book hits the shelves!
Tania McCartney is an author, editor, publisher, blogger, book reviewer and mango devourer who loves writing, celebrating and supporting children’s literature – and literacy. She is the author of the Riley series of travelogue picture books, as well as several published and self-published books. Tania is also an experienced magazine writer and editor, is the founder of Kids Book Review http://kids-bookreview.%20com/ and is a Senior Editor at Australian Women Online http://www.australianwomenonline.com/. She lives in Canberra with a husband, two kids and a mountain of books.
Riley and the Curious Koala: A journey around Sydney
Riley and the Curious Koala is the third in the Riley travelogue series of picture books, taking young children on a journey to far flung destinations. Riley’s first adventure began in Beijing with Riley and the Sleeping Dragon, continued on through Hong Kong with Riley and the Dancing Lion, and now enters home turf, with a fun-filled adventure through the beautiful city of Sydney.
Will Riley find this terribly elusive and quite curious fluffy creature amongst the gorgeous watery vistas of one of the world’s most beautiful cities? Panda, Dragon and Lion from earlier books join this little aviator on his sensational Sydney search… and their discovery is a curious (and funny!) one, indeed.
Using stunning black and white photos, pictures of a real life tin aeroplane and hilarious illustrations by illustrator Kieron Pratt, Riley and the Curious Koala is perfect for experienced travellers, armchair travellers or for those wanting a fuzzy little adventure.
Part of the profits for Riley and the Curious Koala will go to the Australian Koala Foundation https://www.savethekoala.com/.
Available Australia-wide from 22 November 2010.
Riley and the Curious Koala Blog Tour Schedule
Monday 15 November
AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Monday 15 November
The Book Chook http://www.thebookchook.com/
Crafting a Book Using Photos
Monday 15 November
BOOK GIVEAWAY!
Tuesday 16 November
Marketing a Self-Published Book
Tuesday 16 November
A CURIOUS LIFE
Tuesday 16 November
HOW TO SELF-PUBLISH A CHILDREN’S SERIES AND REMAIN SANE
Wednesday 17 November
Little People Books http://littlepeoplebooks.com/
Reading to Little Ones
Wednesday 17 November
TRAVEL, BOOKS AND CHILDREN
Thursday 18 November
Story Writing Ideas
Thursday 18 November
Bernadette Kelly’s Blog http://www.bernadettekelly.com.au/news/
ILLUSTRATING THE RILEY SERIES
Thursday 18 November
Posie Patchwork: The Blog http://posiepatchworkblog.blogspot.com/
EXTENDING YOUR BRAND and BOOK GIVE AWAY!
Friday 19 November
Sally Murphy’s Writing for Children Blog http://sallymurphy.blogspot.com/
Approaching Publishers
Saturday 20 November
Sue Whiting’s Blog http://suewhiting.blogspot.com/
The Pros and Cons of Self-Publishing
Saturday 20 November
Sheryl Gwyther’s Blog http://sherylgwyther.wordpress.com/
FROM BEIJING TO CANBERRA
Saturday 20 November
LIVE QUESTION TIME WITH TANIA!
Sunday 21 November
Sandy Fussell’s Blog http://sandyfussell.blogspot.com/
An Interview with Riley!
Sunday 21 November
RilEY AND THE CURIOUS KOALA BOOK GIVEAWAYS!
Sunday 21 November, 6pm
Book Launch Party
Thanks so much for dropping in, Tania!

Hot Writing Link

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Another hot link to writing advice you should read.

Today’s link is to a wonderful article by Jackie French, one of Australia’s finest writers for children. Her article How to get Your First Novel Published explains brilliantly the need to write and rewrite, target your submission and much more.

You can read this excellent advice here.

Guest Article: How to Find a Publisher

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You’ve written your book, but now where do you send it? Robyn Opie’s article is full of good advice.

How to Find a Publisher
by Robyn Opie

I frequently receive emails from people writing for children, who ask me to recommend a publisher or publishers. It seems like a simple question.

Ah, if only life were so simple

The problem with most of these emails is that the author neglects to include pertinent details:

a) What they’ve written – novel, article, short story etc

b) The genre – horror, romance, thriller etc

c) Fiction or non-fiction

d) Length

e) And in the case of children’s fiction, whether it’s a picture book, easy reader, chapter book etc

f) Where the author lives

But, even with these details, I’m not in a position to recommend publishers.

I provide FREE information on my wesbite to help people writing for children. I provide FREE advice on how to get your children’s book or books published. So why don’t I recommend publishers?

Simply put, because the author of a book is the best person to find a publisher.

The author of a book knows that book better than anyone.

With little knowledge of the book, I can only guess about suitable publishers.

What if I guess wrongly? After all, I really don’t know anything about the book in question. I could be giving you bad advice. And, trust me when I say, the last thing I want to do is give you bad advice.

I could be wasting your time. I could be costing you money.

So if I recommend publishers to you then I’m not really being fair to you. I’m not necessarily giving you and your book the best chance in the market place.

Only you can do that, or a good agent if you have one.

Now this doesn’t mean that I want you to send me your manuscripts to read so I can learn more about your children’s story. It doesn’t mean that I want you to send me a synopsis of your novel.

It means that you, as the writer and manager of your career, are in the best position to find a suitable publisher. You know your children’s book. You know what you want from a publisher and your career. You know what matters to you.

What I can do, though, is give you advice on how to find a publisher or publishers.

So here’s some more FREE advice to help you with your writing career.

1) Write your book.

When you’re starting out in your career of writing for children, publishers want to see a finished product, or at least part of a finished product. They want to know that you’re capable of writing the whole novel. So before you approach a publisher or, even research the market, write your children’s novel.

2) Research the market.

First you need to know what sort of book you’ve written. Who is your reader? Males? Females? Both? What is the age of your audience? Is your book genre fiction? What genre? What about the length?

Visit local bookstores and look for children’s books similar to your own in length and genre. You’ll find the publisher’s information easily, both on the cover and inside the book. Write down a list of the publishers you find that might be interested in work similar to your own.

3) Research the publishers.

I own a copy of The Australian Writer’s Marketplace. You can buy Writer’s Marketplace reference books for other countries as well, including the US and UK. You’ll find details of many publishers in this reference resource. These details include their address, phone number, email address, website and submission requirements.

The Internet has made finding publishers a much easier task. If a publisher has a website, and most of them do, then visit the website. Research what they are publishing. And look for submission information. Firstly, do they accept unsolicited manuscripts? Your manuscript is unsolicited if a publisher or editor hasn’t requested to read it. In other words, your manuscript is unsolicited if you’re sending it to a publisher without their prior knowledge.

A lot of publishers include submission guidelines on their websites, which can be downloaded with a minimum of fuss. Always read a publisher’s guidelines and always follow their instructions. Give your manuscript the best chance. If guidelines aren’t readily available on a publisher’s website, then send them a polite and professional email asking for a copy of their guidelines.

The reason you conduct research on publishers before you submit a manuscript is to save you time and money. There’s no point sending your horror novel to a publisher that only publishes romance novels. There’s no point sending your children’s picture book to a publisher that doesn’t publish children’s books or picture books. There’s no point sending your unsolicited manuscript to a publisher that doesn’t accept unsolicited manuscripts.

4) Be professional

When you deal with publishers or anyone associated with the publishing industry it pays to always be polite, friendly and professional. Publishers are looking for writers who can produce great novels and conduct themselves professionally. This includes submitting your work in a professional manner. A neatly formatted manuscript, accompanied by a well-written query letter will be more readily accepted than a hand-written, unedited story!

5) Be Realistic

Biggest does not equal best! Almost every writer wants to see his or her own book up there on the New York Times Best Seller lists. But aiming your book at the biggest name publishing house you can locate is not always realistic – nor is it always the best possible publishing home for your precious work. In many cases, a smaller, more specialised publisher might have a better chance of placing your book in front of the right readers for your particular genre.

6) Research again!

Just because you may have found the name of a publisher willing to publish a book similar to your own does not necessarily mean they are still accepting submissions! Keep a close eye on websites that list publishers actively seeking manuscripts. Some of these even list publishers who are no longer accepting submissions, so you’ll at least have some idea of where NOT to send your work.

Here are some links to help you find a publisher’s website:

http://home.vicnet.net.au/~ozlit/austpub.html
http://www.publishers.asn.au/links.cfm?doc_id=35
http://www.publishers.ca/CNM_Index.wws
http://www.lights.com/publisher/alphabetic.html
http://www.publishers.org/member/members.cfm
http://www.ukwebstart.com/listbookpubs.html
http://www.booktrust.org.uk/publishers/pubindex.htm

Naturally there are many more websites on publishers that you can find for yourself by searching the Internet.

You are in the driver’s seat of your writing career. Take control and target your submissions to the best of your ability. And that means researching the market and researching publishers.

© Copyright Robyn Opie. All Rights Reserved.

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