Publishing books and with my age?

Question

I am 16 years old, male and have written a adventure/fiction novel. The book is at least 350 pages using normal size and have done, what seems like 150 revisions. My question is since I am young, will publishers not look at my work due to age? What are good publishers for my genre?

Answer 1

First of all,never refer to your book in pages - refer to it in words. That is the industry standard. It is figured in words - based on 250 words per page. An agent or a publisher will want to know how many words the book is.

As for your question about a publisher or agent taking your age into consideration, the answer is no - they won't. They will treat your manuscript like any other. They do not care how old you are - they care about purchasing books that will make them money. You will have to deal with rejection and criticism just like any other author. They are not there to babysit sensitive kids. They are there to find authors who can sell books. So you had better start developing a hide thicker than the Great Wall of China if you are going to be able to handle it. It will happen. You will be compared to every other book they read.

You have revised your book many times, but it still needs to be edited before you send it to a publisher. And that costs money. A sweep through edit will do more than just cross your T's for you. A sweep through editor revises grammar and punctuation and makes margin notes for places where they suggest changes should be made. Editors are experiences with dealing with publishers. They know what sells. They know how to put a book into a shape that publishers will buy. They are worth their weight in gold.

As for good publishers, nobody can answer that for you. You will have to start with a copy of Writers Market and start reading. Then search through the listings there one by one and look for publishers searching for adventure books. You won't be able to get through to major publishers. They only deal with agents. They do not accept unsolicited queries from authors. You will have to either seek an agent or smaller publishers.

The industry standard is Literary Marketplace. It costs 300 dollars but you can usually find one in the reference sextion of a library. Take a notebook to make notes. Again, start with the A's and read every publisher's listing searching for ones that fit the bill. When you find some, write down their address and submission requirements.

Follow their requirements to the letter. Usually that means sending them a query and a synopsis. If they are interested, they will ask you for a full or partial manuscript and a book proposal. You can get books that show you how to write a proposal. It is a very important document and must be done precisely. It is what sells your book. It is more important than your manuscript.

You should also realize that due to your age, your parents must be involved in all negations and sign all legal documents for you. They will probably need a literary attorney to provide information and set up a trust for you for money due you. It is best to get your parents involved from the very beginning. They will be a good support group for you - advocate for you and be there to get you through a myriad of rejection letters. They aren't personal - everyone gets rejected usually many times. Ask Stephen King.

Speaking of Mr. King you should make sure you read his masterwork On Writing. It is a valuable tool for authors.

Also, I have starred many great Q and A here on writing and publishing. They are questions that will help you and other young writers. Feel free to print them out and study them. Many are making themselves little notebooks of answers to save as references. I add new ones whenever I see good questions asked. Many add me as a fan so they get the new ones sent to them.

Good luck to you. Pax - C

Answer 2

No, they will pay attention. You just have to seem mature. I know some authors that started publishing at the age of 13, so your safe.

Answer 3

lol I'm the same age and actually I just finished an action/ adventure/tragedy kind of book too! I feel your pain, man!