Previous Page
November 28, 2009
HELP! Book Publishing!?
4 comments |
Category: Freelance Copyediting Help
I’m having a hard time. I wrote a story and I don’t know how or what do to next. I’d like to get it published, but should I copyright it before sending it to a self-publishing house, or should I get an agent? Where do I find a trustworthy list of agents. If I sell it to a publisher, do they own my manuscript? Where can I get Copyediting done? Should I copyright the work before getting it edited? Do publishing houses do copyediting and proofing after buying the manuscript or before? How much is too much for royalties?
I’m very confused and really have no way to judge if something’s legit. Nor do I live in a place where any of these questions can be answered, so hopefully someone who’s published something could help me.
Any help is very much appreciated! THANK YOU!!!
Image taken on 2007-11-05 11:52:12 by ChristyMacintosh. Image Source. (Used with permission)
Previous Page | 
Top of Page | 
More from Freelance Copyediting Help
get yourself a writers market 2007 book or go to the magazine rack of your local bookstore and get a magazine for writers about how to get published
A short story? NO agent or publisher is going to read ONE short story. They are overwhelmed with materials. If you are self publishing, you are on your own. But if you are sending material to an agent, it is literary suicide to copyright first. It is a sure sign of an amateur.
If you sign with a publisher, THEY handle the editing and send you a galley to proof and correct. THEY also have editorial control over the title and cover art.
Your royalties will be spelled out in your contract. Unless its a major work that is expected to go huge, dont expect an advance.
My best advice is right now I dont have time to go over all this again. I have published this information here literally dozens of times. It’s all archived in Resolved Questions. Go there and type keywords like publishing and you will find dozens of good answers with great information. If you are serious about publishing – start reading because it is your responsibility to protect yourself and the only way you can do that is by reading. I have also posted information on how to know who is legit. It’s all there for you to read.
If you want you can drop me a line, but I am outta here for the night so that’s the best answer I can give you. Read some of the other posts. There is a wealth of info there.
Pax – C
No, you don’t need to copyright your book before you begin submitting queries to agents. It is the sign of an amatuer, because you own the copyright the second you put the words down on paper.
They do not own your manuscript– in basic terms, they are leasing the right to print it. You should NEVER give up ownership/control of the rights. They will copyedit after they buy it, however they may ask for major revisions before they make an offer. For instance, if they don’t like the ending they could ask you to completely redo it and then they would look again.
I’m not sure what you mean by “too much for royalties”. Royalties are the percentage that the publisher is paying you for each book that’s sold. In my estimation, there’s no such thing as too much! It would be like turning down a job because they were offering too high a salary! If you think that you pay THEM royalties, you need to do more research. No legitimate agent or publisher will charge agents up front.
As far as who to send it to, we can’t answer that question because we have NO knowledge of what your manuscript is about. Different publishers specialize in different things, and fiction is a broad word. If you send a query on a romance novel to a publisher that specializes in fantasy, it will be in the trash immediately.
So do your own homework. Take a look at the most recent “Writer’s Market”… or even better, try the “Guide to Literary Agents”.
I absolutely suggest getting an agent instead of approaching publishers directly. I’m assuming you are not a contract attorney, so you will need someone to look over any offers and to guide you through the publishing world. It seems that you have a lot to learn about the way publishing works, so they can be your guide through the tricky parts.
Also, you will not be seding your manuscript to agents unsolicited! Send them a query letter and see if they ask to see a partial, then a full. If you send the whole thing, it will just get you a form rejection letter. Research each agent’s specific submission guidelines and follow their rules!
Here are four websites that can help. Read them thoroughly (especially Miss Snark– love her!) and research, research, research! These can help you determine if the agent is legit or not:
http://misssnark.blogspot.com/
http://www.agentquery.com/
http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/
http://www.publishersmarketplace.com
Again, read Miss Snark. She has attitude, but is a real-life agent and her archives can answer any questions you possibly have. Read, read, read. When you pick up “Writer’s Market” or “Guide to Literary Agents”, don’t just look at the listings, read them!
And don’t submit to anyone on this list:
http://www.sfwa.org/beware/twentyworst.html
You will face a lot of rejection, but if you really want this then keep at it! Work hard, and good luck!
Please contact Cyberwit Publisher. They will answer your queries. http://tajmahalreview.com/book.htm