Do agents/publishers skip over those who have no college degree? Does it matter?

Question

I want to throw myself into writing a book I have in mind but I know how competitive it can be and dont want to write it in vain.

Answer 1

Agents and editors will LEAP on a well-written book like a pack of hungry hyenas and they won't care if a chimp fresh out of simian school wrote it, if it'll make them a lot of money.

So, no, your educational background doesn't matter. Your writing does, though.

Answer 2

Your academic credentials matter not a whit. It may certainly help you in writing if you had a number of courses under your belt requiring writing skills. Majors in literature, history, journalism, law all require writing (and research). Hey, sounds like the maligned "Liberal Arts" major!
Minus the writing skills to tackle a book, you could begin with magazine articles which match your interests: travel, modeling, craft making all have numerous magazines devoted to them.
The person you must know is a literary agent. You should write an extensive outline of your story and possibly a chapter. Get an appointment, and approach it like a job interview. You need an agent because publishers do not have the manpower to winnow through all the unsolicited volumes they receive. They want the agent (and so do you) to present them with a well worked over plan for your story. You will be lucky if you are accepted, but don't be discouraged. If the agent is good, he will go to different publishing houses and maybe suggest the magazine route as a beginning.

Answer 3

It's extremely competitive.

Start associating with professonal writers. Call the English department, of the Universities in the city where you live, and ask if there is a Writer's Group, you can join at the University or elsewhere.

Literary Agents and Publishers look for well-written, compelling writing, with a strong and interesting story.

There are many online writing groups. If they interest you, do a web search for Writing Groups.

Don't worry about a college degree. It's the quality of the work that is important.

Answer 4

It definitely does count. i'm an engineer. you don't get an engineering pastime these days devoid of an engineering degree. there replaced right into a time while a operator ought to grow to be a tech then an engineer by using the years. it variety of feels to me, for the main area, this has ended. i think of there are in all possibility jobs available that require a level, however the degree variety does not count. Why? because of the fact they know they are able to get knowledgeable souls like your self at a lot cost on the grounds which you have nowhere else to bypass! i might undertaking a gamble those are actually not very good paying jobs. In different words, for jobs the place degree variety concerns, you would be paid greater effective than in basic terms as a time-honored college graduate.

Answer 5

Then don't write it. In fact, you have no business writing if your only goal is to publish.

Writers write because they MUST. Publication is secondary. We write because we have burning ideas in our head, and we worry about the details of publication later. If your only goal for writing a book is that you have this idea that you want to publish it and be famous, do yourself and the rest of us a favor and don't bother. You are writing for the wrong reason.

Answer 6

No - it doesnt matter in the least. Write a compelling book and a great query letter and you will find yourself on equal footing with everyone else. Go for it if you feel you have a book in you. Pax - C.

Answer 7

Agents/Publishers don't need college degrees but they'll skip over you, burn your belly with a blowtorch and tapdance on your grave. After all they are better than you. Yet they often make their name by being the one who rejected you in life when someone else releases your best seller posthumously.
Just write will you, if you believe in your book just write.

Answer 8

If you're not good, then don't even try to. If you're good, you better have some influential connections. If you have no connections, you'll probably need to go to college to be taken seriously.

Answer 9

Only matters if you let it