Any advice for someone trying to publish their first book?

Question

It's intended for middle and high-school age teens, and will be illustrated by its author. I'm open to any advice--especially from someone on the other side of the publishing fence. Thanks.

Answer 1

Don't go to self-publishers as your first option! Yes, it is hard, but people still publish their first books! You may want to try and build publishing credentials with short stories and poetry first-- magazines can be easier than publishing houses.

Get an agent. Not only will they help your work avoid ending up in the slush pile in publishing houses, but they will negotiate your contract if an offer is ever made. It is important to keep as many of the rights to your book as possible, and unless you are a lawyer that is something I would suggest not tackling!

Be persistant. Be determined. Do not be swayed by rejections. You will get rejected, as every published author has (along with every musician, actor, painter, photgrapher, etc). If you keep trying you WILL find someone who is willing to represent your book.

Oh, check out the website Preditors & Editors to help you avoid people who are trying to scam you (remember, you should be getting payed, not paying anyone!):
http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/

Good luck!!

Answer 2

Publishing for the first time is next to impossible. It has gotten to be a very strange business. Most agents won't even take first time authors works.

Self-publishing is the way to go. Given what computers can do, you can be your own publisher and reap all the financial benefits.

There are a lot of books out there and one great website I suggest is Dan Poynters on self-publishing parapublishing.com.

The genre you are speaking about is a hot one, you have a niche is you come up with something out of the ordinary that catches the kids attention.

You need to be your own marketing agent. You sell your book to the places that would most likely take them; schools, childrens books stores, etc.

Answer 3

I'm 13 and I'm going to publish a book, I think good advice would be, keep your reader in mind... you wouldn't talk like an english professer in a book made for todlers. A good idea would be go to your local school and show it too some of the middle and high-schoolers and ask their opinion on it before you publish.

Answer 4

Perfectionist or not, don't submit it without feeling that it's perfect.

Get an agent! Best things since sliced bread!

Do research - know what you're writing, and make it unique!

Do research - know what your target audience wants (publishers aren't about to take the leap into the 'next big trend'...they want a trend before they surf away on it.)

Do research - look around on web for popular authors' advice....and go to any local workshops for writers (like the much loved annual (I think it's annual...) EnVision in brisbane, queensland)

Answer 5

If you don't have an agent, get one. There are usually listings in the back of literary magazines, and of course, there's always google.

You should be able to find one that only accepts a portion of the money after the book's accepted for publication. Watch out for the ones that want money up front.

Answer 6

I was a reader for an agency and returned scripts to the sender, after I read them, because they were not compelling or well-written, and did not conquer new ground in writing or story-telling.

Always enclose a self-addressed, a large brown envelope, stamped envelope, when you mail a script to a literary agent, so it can be returned to you, if they don't like it, otherwise it will go in the trash can.

Answer 7

Yea, sleep in doorways so that you don't get wet - oh, yea, and Savemart has the best shopping carts.

Answer 8

Yeah! FIND A PUBLISHER!