Author Scott M. Baker continues his series on writing…
I have my query drafted and ready to send out. Where do I find publishers and literary agents to submit it to?
Here is where I date myself.
When I first became interested in writing, the Bible of the publishing industry was The Writer’s Market. Without the latest edition on your desk, your chances of getting published were slim. However, relying on The Writer’s Market today is about as antiquated as drafting your manuscript on a manual typewriter. The publishing industry has an increasing number of small independent presses, many of which deal exclusively in electronic media. These houses open (and sometimes close) at a mind-boggling rate. The good news is that keeping track of who’s who in the market has never been easier.
I use five methods to keep track of the market. More are available, but these are the ones I primarily rely on. [NOTE: If I happen to mention a particular service, that should not be taken as an endorsement of one product over another, or as an indication that other products are not as good. I’m merely stating my preferences. Each of you should do your own research and find services that best work for you.]
1– Internet-based publisher digests. There are several out there that encompass all markets and genres, but I use Duotrope (http://www.duotrope.com/). Duotrope allows you to narrowly define your search parameters to provide listings based on genre, type of publication (short stories, novellas, or full-length novels; print or electronic publishing), length of work, submission guidelines, and other criteria. Each listing also contains a link to that publisher’s homepage so you can get the most up-to-date information. One feature about this service I particularly like is that you can sign up for Duotrope’s weekly e-mail update that lists those markets that are open to submission, updates those which are dead or closed to submissions, and provides a list of upcoming anthologies by theme. Several of my earlier works were placed with publishers I discovered on Duotrope.
2– Conventions. Though less readily available then the first two, writers and genre conventions are among your most valuable resource. Publishers use these conventions to seek out new talent, so they are most receptive to hear what you have to offer. Practice your verbal pitch. You want to have a pitch that hooks a publisher in the first few sentences, but doesn’t sound over rehearsed. And be prepared in case the publisher starts asking detailed questions about your work or you. I have seen a lot of authors nail that opening pitch and get all tongue-tied during the follow-up talks. Remember, nobody knows you and your book better than you do. And if you find a publisher who wants to see more of your work, contact him/her the moment you get home, reminding him/her in your cover letter that you just met at the convention and you are sending along the material he/she asked you to.
3– Your local bookstore. You can find a wealth of information here. Check out new arrivals to see which houses have published books in your genre, and use that as a starting point for your research. Also remember to check out the acknowledgement page, for you often get the names of editors and literary agents to contact.
4– On-line review sites: Like your local bookstore, genre review sites give you ready access to the latest works being published. And the best part is you can check out potential publishers while dressed in your ratty clothes and seated on the back deck smoking a cigar.
5– On-line forums and groups. These can be extremely helpful if you join the correct ones. You want to find forums/groups populated by aspiring and/or new authors who are serious about their craft. Publishers and editors often cruise these sites searching for new talent, and if they are impressed they may contact you offline and ask you to submit. There are also forums/groups where publishers actively seek out authors. That is how I sold “Dead Water.” And don’t forget Facebook. My latest short story about steampunk zombies is sitting with an editor I met via a Facebook group that was seeking submissions for a steampunk horror anthology. (These forums/groups are also invaluable in helping you market your book, which I will discuss in the next blog posting.)
All right, ladies and gentlemen. For those of you who have been reading this blog series from the beginning, you have enough tools available to write your novel. You’ve abandoned family, friends, and pets to make the time to write and have spent the last year drafting and editing and revising and re-editing and re-revising and re-re-revising your work. You’ve sent out an endless stream of query letters, suffered through the flood of rejections (or worse, the annoying lack of responses from publishers), but you have prevailed and finally found someone to publish your work.
Congratulations!
Now the hard part begins.
NEXT: Marketing Your Book and Yourself
Thanks for this! I’ve been working on a similar list, but yours is more succinct. I am not only trying to publish a book, but so is my daughter. I would add one more possible way to your list – go to conferences and meet editors and agents face-to-face. The cost isn’t prohibitive if you shoot for one in your area, or close by, and the investment is well worth it. I’ve had an opportunity to send work to editors who would normally refuse to see my sub unagented, and have connected with agents I wouldn’t normally have considered without getting to know their personalities.