Moonrat's Guide to Getting Published

By your request, Tory (and others too), here's my abridged blow-by-blow for beginners. I've tried to set biases aside and just be [brutally] honest. I fear this will be a long post, so apologies in advance for those utterly uninterested.

You, in theory, are an author. You are working on your masterpiece first novel (or autobiography, or something else). Here's some things to keep in mind, before you even finish your work:

1) Your literary talent alone isn't enough for an editor to publish your book--and this isn't the editor's fault.
As much as we may love a book by an unpublished author, there are quirks about modern publishing that make the Great Debut Novel a very different animal than it was 100 or even 50 years ago. The evil enemy? The national chains.

Because of commercial dynamics between publishing companies and booksellers (and booksellers and consumers), publishers can't expect to publish a book and automatically get it stocked in book stores. In fact, there are so many books published in the United States (never mind abroad) these days that there is very stiff competition for the limited space in bookstores and many books will never get stocked by national chains--which tend to be rather conservative in what they choose to sell. I'll refer you to a tidbit from Harper's that Bluenana posted a couple of weeks ago regarding the number of books published each year, and how many make their bottom line.

At the same time, it is virtually impossible to get a book to succeed if it is not picked up by national chains. And as indie bookstores gradually disappear (ok, maybe the word "gradually" wasn't particularly appropriate), this means that a very small number of people are making the major decisions about what America is going to read. If they don't like or don't have time for your book, you're s**t out of luck. This is the Walmartization of the book industry. Yes, this means we have had a veritable end to grassroots publishing, and that American culture has been categorically mainstreamed (and will surely get more so). But take heart. It's even worse in Britain.

So no matter how stunning your prose and how great your editor/publisher's credibility with the buyers (the people who select the books that are going to be stocked each season at the national chains), we editors need help from you or we're never going to be able to get your book in. We have the beastly task of convincing these buyers that your book is going to rake in money for them. For this, we need to be able to convince them of the strength of your platform.


2) Build up your platform while you're writing.
Your platform consists of your relevant professional credentials and your published writing experience. Another really important component is your marketing outreach--even if you're superqualified to write this book, are you going to be able to get the word out when pub time comes?

The strongest platform in the world? Previous publication experience at nationally syndicated magazines or newspapers. (Or previous books published.) This shows you have a proven track record. And, necessarily, a strong outreach--lots of contacts in journalism who could review the book, a regular column in which you could plug the book yourself, experience on national television that we can send on tape to Oprah for her consideration, a super-savvy publicist you've hired to work with you during the publicity window.

For example, if you're writing a book on pine trees of the deciduous region, the ideal author platform would include such elements as an advanced degree in botany, a distinguished titled membership at the National Association of Agriculture (that hopefully includes some kind of lecture circuit), and a regular column on plants in Better Homes and Gardens or The New York Times. It's true, most platforms aren't THIS strong, but anything less is a big crapshoot for publishers, so it's possible they will pass on your project until you've created a stronger platform. Believe it or not, there are people out there with these kinds of relevant credentials--lots of people.

So while you're working on the novel or other project, try submitting clips to various publications, even small ones, if you have no track record. Publications snowball, and being printed in your church bulletin might be enough to get you a local newspaper gig, which might be enough to get you picked up by a more regional publication, which might get you noticed by a magazine. Platform-building may seem daunting, but do what you can as you write. Just see what comes of whatever you can do. Doing this will really help your agent's leverage when she's pitching your project to editors.

3) Do get an agent.
Some people think that they are saving money by not seeking an agent to help them get published. Hire someone to suck away 15% of my earnings for work I can do myself?! How dumb do you think I am?

Even from a bottom-line perspective, though, I can promise you--the agent will earn her salary (and then some). First of all, most unsolicited manuscript that come into publishers go directly into the trash bin. They are the bane of an editorial assistant's existence, and become so odious to her because there are so many of them to deal with that after awhile she will have difficulty treating even the best of unsolicited projects with any modicum of respect. Outside of some very rare exceptions, unsolicited manuscripts go the route of the horizontal file. Ie the recycling bin. Your best-case scenario as an unsolicited author is semi-sensitive treatment by an unpaid intern.

However, every proposal we get from an agent MUST be treated seriously--even the crap. Agents filter out most unusable content for us. Also, they provide credibility, stability, and networking opportunities. I have bought projects from agents that I wasn't really interested in as projects for the sake of establishing good relationships with their agencies.

Also, a good agent will negotiate points in your contract that no handbook will prepare you for. The point? Don't try to go it alone. It's a harsh, cruel world out there for the unsolicited author.

There are many books devoted to the subject of agent-seeking, so I won't even make an attempt. But suffice it to say, whatever platform-building you've been doing before you send out your manuscript is going to pay off at the agent-seeking stage, too.

4) Be a fantastic writer.
Despite all my advice above regarding platform, it's your quality of writing that will get you reviewed after publication (and which will eventually cause buzz that will drive people to pick up your book).

Even if you KNOW you're a fantastic writer, try joining a writing group or class. Practice and regular deadlines are never a bad thing to get you going on a project, and even the best and most discerning of minds needs some outside assistance in judging its own creative product. You'll be surprised at the insight your peers have to offer--and it will be your peers, and other people like them, who either will or won't want your book after publication.

Hope this helps...it's not meant to sound discouraging, but do keep in mind published authors are just the writers who had the most perseverance (and thereby were able to overcome all this crap). So keep writing, and see what happens--at the very worst, you're a more reflective person with a great hobby. But with some careful planning and footwork, there is always potential for much, much more.