Are the facts about publishing all fiction?
Kitchen Table Writers hasn't blogged about the publishing world for a while – instead, subject matter has ranged from Asian goddesses, to symbolism, to recent books to art, to sacred walking, So it's probably time to get back to one of the basic subjects people ask me about; HOW DO I GET PUBLISHED?
Most writers would like to see themselves in print. In recent years, gaining a publishing contract has not got any easier, but new writers are still being spotted and taken on by major publishing houses. It happens almost every week in the UK – it has just happened to a friend on mine – but you may not hear about such successes unless the advance is large enough to make news headlines.
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| Another happy first-time author. |
If you’ve not ever sent out work to a publisher, I'm actually going to first say; well done! The more experience you can get under your belt before you send off your work, the better. A good point to remember is that once you’ve had work rejected, it’s pointless sending it out again without further work, and it may prove useless to send it back to the same publisher, even after you’ve improved it. The only reason you might do this, is if a covering letter (or email) has suggested it. So before you decide to start looking for publication, ask yourself if you work is ready. This is often an area of research that writers hoping to see themselves in print skip over. They’ll spend time, even money, on approaching publishers, or investigating self-publishing, but they omit the hard work of presenting their work as publishable.
a recent anthology
with my work featured.
A lot of writers start by submitting shorter, individual works. There is a cache of small press publications who want shorter material, many of which have been in the literary magazine market for a long time, Ambit has been going for forty years and London Magazine was founded in 1732. Some publish in one discipline or genre…Envoi concentrates on poetry, longstanding Interzone takes horror and Chester based Flash only publishes flash fiction. Some are more eclectic; Granta will take art-work, essays, reviews, poetry, short stories and occasionally extracts. Certain magazines have grown out of university literature departments, for instance Short Fiction from Plymouth and Cake from Lancaster. Some publications, such as The Poetry Review, are extremely well thought of, while every week a new online publisher comes along…and almost every week, one fails and is never seen again.
Literary and small press magazines can be unearthed online. Try Splice or any other website that offers a list of publishers. The The Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook or Bloomsbury’s Writers’ & Artists’Yearbooks always include both newspapers and magazines in their listings, as does Mslexia's comprehensive paperback The Indie Press Guide, now in its third edition. A book physically by your side, which tells you where to send your poems, short stories or articles, is a useful thing to have, and although Mslexia is focused at women writers, they'll sell their wares to anyone. Traditionally, writing magazines in the UK not only compile regular lists of current competitions, but also updated lists of small press publishers. These included Mslexia, but Writing Magazine, and Writers’ Forum also do this.
Before submitting to literary or small press magazines, check their submission rules and stick to them. Do not send six poems (just because they’re short) when the maximum asked for is four. Send tidy copy. Check up on your presentation, and the criteria for submitting to that organisation, and follow to the letter. You should also send a covering letter, introducing yourself. If you’re sending by post, enclose a stamped addressed envelope, and when sending by email, check you’ve included your details, especially your phone number.
Winning the Rubery Prize
Competitions are often easier to get placed in than magazines. I'm just having a short story presented in an online competition magazine. the SaveAs competition, judged by the University of Kent, short-listed one of my stories recently. But why bother, if what you want is to get that novel published?
Being able to say you're in accepted magazines, or that you've been placed several times for your short fiction can make all the difference when you're searching for an editor or an agent. So don't turn your nose up at this option.
But first, perhaps we should look at the choice most writers need to make – getting on the books of a good agent, or going straight for the great contract with an established publisher. Which is it to be?
It’s often said that it’s harder to find an agent than it is a publisher, but a good agent hugely increases your chance of selling your work. Good agents believe in their writers, and that alone can be a valuable boost to morale.
Some publishing houses state clearly that each manuscript must arrive via a literary agency, but even those who do not state this are often swayed by the agent’s ability to sell the work they advocate. Agents not only know which publishers to approach and argue the best deal for their clients, but also handle the legal and financial side of publication and can advise on promotion of the published work. They charge around 15 per cent of all fees, but there aren’t usually any up-front payments to make. Most published authors use an agent, sometimes obtaining one after they’ve struck a publishing deal.
Some agents do ask for an up-front payment before taking on a new client. Although legally entitled to do this, do be wary of such contracts. Most agents will want you to work on your manuscript, in affect, appraising it for you. It seems reasonable to assume that if you send your work to an agent and pay for appraisal, they may undertake to handle it if they like what they read. Whether you’ve paid for their opinion, or whether they send it gratis after reading your work, what often encourages an agency to take you on their books is your response to any initial assessment. They want to see that you are flexible, can take criticism, and can think around writing problems. They’ll read the rewritten version before they take you on, and may still turn you away at that point.
After I’d completed my MA in creative writing, I had an almost finished book in my hands. I rewrote, edited and proof-read it. I sent off a synopsis, three chapters and a covering letter to an agent. They asked to see the full manuscript. Within eight weeks, they’d returned it, along with a positive, supportive letter, which said they had liked my writing voice, my characterisation and my skill with plotting, and would be pleased to see anything further that suited their list. So, that was a 'no', then.
But within a year, I had a completed good draft of my first crime thriller, In the Moors, and chose to send it to that same agent. We met in London, and I was given a good deal of work to complete on the book before my agent was able to tell me I'd been offered a contract. However, taking their suggestions for the rewrite under my belt resulted in that agent being able to sell my book to the right publisher. And, of course, it was a better book – the first in the Shaman Mystery Series.
Because it's such a big decision to send out a manuscript, it is advisable to get a second opinion on it, before you do so. You can 'buy' that opinion, using a appraising firm, mentor, or 'book doctor'. or, as stated above, an actual literary agency. Some of these services are eye-wateringly costly, and all of them charge a fee.
I have mentored many new novelists over the years of being a writing tutor and assessor, and blogger. I charge, but I don't charge silly money. I think of it as 'an exchange of energies', because what I'm usually doing is giving that writer more work to do!! However, you must bear in mind that all book doctors are giving you is their opinions The next along the line might say really different things about the same material. Which might lead you to conclude that sending to a variety of agents could have the same (but far cheaper) effect.
One person you probably don't want to ask about your book is your nearest and dearest. Unless they are also a writer, publisher or agent, of course! Their response will be far too subjective and possibly down-right wrong.
I would recommend, rather than a one-off appraisal of your book, you try a writing course, or intensive workshop over a week or more, or a degree like the one I'm part of – the Open College of the Arts BAhons in Creative Writing. This isn't a cheaper option, but you get a lot more bang for you buck than using a writing doctor.
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| a great gang of writers who share they work ...and their woes. |
There is a cheaper alternative, although it takes more time and a lot of effort. Join a good writing club, society or online group. Read your work aloud or send it to be read and critiqued; this is definitely an exchange of energies and you may learn as much about your book by critiquing others as you will from the comments you receive.
In the next blogpost we'll take this perennial question of HOW DO I GET PUBLISHED further, by looking at the publishing houses and their editors – and how to get their attention.
In the meantime, if you want to ask a question, or make a comment, or tell a story about your publishing experience, don't forget the comments box below this post.
The best of luck with your writing!
