Getting Published Second Edition by Sheree Bykofsky and Jennifer Basye Sander A Pearson Education Company 201 West 103rd Street Indianapolis, IN 46290 Copyright © 2000 by Sheree Bykofsky and Jennifer Basye Sander All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval sys- tem, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher. No patent liability is as- sumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher and author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of information contained herein. For information, ad- dress Alpha Books, 201 West 103rd Street, Indianapolis, IN 46290. THE COMPLETE IDIOT’S GUIDE TO and Design are registered trademarks of Pearson Education, Inc. International Standard Book Number: 0-02-863919-7 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: Available upon request. 02 01 00 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Interpretation of the printing code: The rightmost number of the first series of num- bers is the year of the book’s printing; the rightmost number of the second series of numbers is the number of the book’s printing. For example, a printing code of 00-1 shows that the first printing occurred in 2000. Printed in the United States of America Note:This publication contains the opinions and ideas of its authors. It is intended to provide helpful and informative material on the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the authors and publisher are not engaged in rendering profes- sional services in the book. If the reader requires personal assistance or advice, a com- petent professional should be consulted. The authors and publisher specifically disclaim any responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or in- directly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this book. Publisher Marie Butler-Knight Product Manager Phil Kitchel Managing Editor Cari Luna Senior Acquisitions Editor Renee Wilmeth Development Editor Amy Gordon Production Editor JoAnna Kremer Copy Editor Krista Hansing Illustrator Jody P. Schaeffer Cover Designers Mike Freeland Kevin Spear Book Designers Scott Cook and Amy Adams of DesignLab Indexer Amy Lawrence Layout/Proofreading Angela Calvert Svetlana Dominguez Contents at a Glance Part 1: Great Expectations: In Which You Begin to Write 1 1 So, Why Write? 3 How to decide what really motivates you—and where it might lead. 2 Write What? 13 The major book categories explained. 3 If You Need an Idea, Stalk the Bestseller List 23 How the pros create book ideas with big sales potential. 4 Super-Stealth Market Research Techniques 33 The best ways for you to identify the market and the competi- tion for your book. 5 What’s Hot, What’s Not 43 An insider’s look at what’s selling now, in which categories. Part 2: Gone with the Wind: Submitting to Publishers 53 6 Submit What? 55 What you need to know about the submission process to make sure your proposal is reviewed. 7 Query Letters That Sell Nonfiction 63 How to write an effective query letter to an editor or agent. 8 Bulletproof Nonfiction Book Proposals 73 Writing proposals that can really sell your book. 9 Fun with Fiction 83 How the proposal protocol works for fiction. Part 3: Romancing the Stone: How to Get a Book Contract 91 10 What’s an Agent For, Anyway? 93 Just what an agent can—and cannot—do for you. 11 Finding and Working with an Agent 103 How to get an agent interested in you and your work. 12 What You Can Expect from an Agent 113 How agents try to sell books. 13 Submitting Without an Agent 121 Doing it all on your own (and succeeding). 14 Behind Closed Doors 133 The mysteries of editorial meetings revealed. 15 The Party of the First Part 141 Understanding a book publishing contract. Part 4: War and Peace: Working with a Publisher 155 16 I Signed a Contract—Now What? 157 Meeting deadlines and other writerly struggles. 17 Saying Goodbye to Your Baby 167 Properly preparing your manuscript for your publisher. 18 Welcome to the Home Team! 177 Understanding the production process and how to do your part. 19 Proper Care and Feeding of Your Editor 187 How to maintain a good relationship with your editor. 20 So How Does My Book Get into the Stores? 195 Catalogs, conferences, sales reps, and the stores’ book buyers. The Byzantine world of the retail book store. 21 Maximum Publicity for Maximum Sales 205 Understanding publicity and what it can do for your book. 22 Television and Online Publicity 217 How to publicize yourself and your book. 23 Real-Life Publicity and Marketing Ideas 227 Stories of real authors and how they made their book sales soar. Part 5: My Brilliant Career: Continuing Your Career as an Author 237 24 After the Party Is Over 239 Understanding the life cycle of a book. 25 Writing for Money 249 Ideas on how to make money with your writing skills. 26 Working with Book Packagers 259 What packagers do, and how you can link up with them. Appendixes A Great Books for Writers 267 B More Good Resources 269 C Sample Proposals:Christmas Miraclesand The Quotable Businesswoman 273 D Sample Author/Agent Agreement 293 E Sample Publishing Contract 297 F Sample Press Release 305 G Sample Collaboration Agreement 307 H Selected Writers’ Conferences 313 Glossary 323 Index 331 Contents Part 1: Great Expectations: In Which You Begin to Write 1 1 So, Why Write? 3 What’s Your Reason? ..........................................................................4 I’m Compelled to Write ......................................................................4 I Want the Personal Satisfaction of Being Published ............................4 I’d Like to Advance My Cause ............................................................5 I Want to Share My Knowledge ..........................................................5 I Hope to Advance My Career ..............................................................5 I’d Like to Achieve Fame ....................................................................6 I’d Like to Earn a Fortune ..................................................................6 All of the Above ..................................................................................7 Do People Still Buy Books? ................................................................7 Mergers and Chains ............................................................................8 Online Book Sales................................................................................9 Leaner and Meaner............................................................................10 Open for Business..............................................................................10 Product Is King..................................................................................10 Research, Research, Research! ............................................................10 But I Don’t Live in New York! ..........................................................11 Think of Yourself as a Contestant ....................................................11 50,000 Chances to Win! ..................................................................12 Writers Wanted! ................................................................................12 2 Write What? 13 Pick a Category, Any Category ........................................................13 What the World Doesn’t Need ........................................................14 But Enough About You......................................................................14 And the Categories Are … ................................................................15 Fiction ..............................................................................................15 Nonfiction ........................................................................................16 Fiction Categories ............................................................................16 Mainstream Fiction ..........................................................................16 Westerns ..........................................................................................16 Romances ........................................................................................16 Mysteries ..........................................................................................17 Science Fiction ..................................................................................17 Fantasies ..........................................................................................17 Thrillers ............................................................................................17 Horror Books ....................................................................................17 Young Adult Books ............................................................................17 Nonfiction Categories ......................................................................18 Biographies ......................................................................................18 Travel Books ....................................................................................18 Self-Help Books ................................................................................19 Cookbooks ........................................................................................19 Health Books ....................................................................................19 Business Books ..................................................................................19 Humor Books ....................................................................................19 Children’s Books ..............................................................................19 New Age and Inspirational Books ......................................................20 True Crime ........................................................................................20 Poetry and Belles-Lettres ....................................................................20 Life in the Fast Lane ........................................................................21 Health Books ....................................................................................21 Inspirational Books............................................................................21 From Category to Specific Topic ......................................................21 3 If You Need an Idea, Stalk the Bestseller List 23 The High-Concept Approach ............................................................24 A Link in the Media Food Chain........................................................24 Find a Need and Fill It ......................................................................24 Finding the Success Factor..................................................................25 Wide Appeal = Good Sales ................................................................26 Audience Appeal ..............................................................................26 Look Around You ..............................................................................26 What’s Making the News?..................................................................27 Try, Try Again ..................................................................................27 What’s That You Said? ......................................................................27 Let the Shows Show You....................................................................28 I’m Not Hanging Out, I’m Working! ................................................28 How to Work the Bookstore Shelves....................................................29 What Isn’t Selling?............................................................................29 I’m Not Surfing the Net, I’m Working..............................................29 Sniffing Out Gaps and Niches ..........................................................30 Backlist Books: Sure and Steady ........................................................31 The More You Know ........................................................................31 4 Super-Stealth Market Research Techniques 33 Is It a Book? ......................................................................................33 Meet Your Customer ........................................................................34 Sizing Up the Competition................................................................34 Title ..................................................................................................35 Author ..............................................................................................35 Publisher............................................................................................35 Price..................................................................................................36 Publication Copyright Date................................................................36 Staying in the Know ..........................................................................36 Catalogs for the Asking......................................................................37 How to Reach ’Em..............................................................................37 Go Over Them with a Fine-Toothed Comb..........................................37 Free Stuff on the Counter, Too! ........................................................38 What Are the Clubs Selling?..............................................................38 Cracking the Code ............................................................................38 Pick a Bookseller’s Brains ..................................................................39 Surfing for Info..................................................................................39 The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Getting Published, Second Edition The New York Times Extended Bestseller List....................................39 Amazon.com......................................................................................40 Barnes & Noble..................................................................................40 More Assigned Reading......................................................................40 But I Want to Write a Novel! ............................................................40 Minimize Your Rejection Rate ..........................................................41 5 What’s Hot, What’s Not 43 What’s In, What’s Out, by Category ................................................44 Fiction ..............................................................................................44 Love Is a Many-Published Thing ......................................................45 Get the Guidelines..............................................................................46 Love Writing About Love? ................................................................46 Thrill’Em, Grill ’Em, and Kill ’Em....................................................46 Nouveau Niche ................................................................................47 The Niche Is Riche ............................................................................47 What’s Cookin’ with Cookbooks? ....................................................48 The Publishing House at Pooh Corner..............................................48 Picture This........................................................................................49 No Kidding About Kids’ Fiction..........................................................49 Just the Facts, Ma’am........................................................................49 Market Savvy for Success ..................................................................50 Better Late Than Never ....................................................................50 Homework ........................................................................................50 The Early Bird … ............................................................................51 Part 2: Gone with the Wind: Submitting to Publishers 53 6 Submit What? 55 Simply Submit ..................................................................................55 A Day in the Life of Book Publishing................................................56 Quantum Query ................................................................................56 But Before We Begin …......................................................................57 Top 10 Mistakes New Writers Make..................................................58 Letters That Contain a Misspelled Name............................................58 Package or Letter Arrives Postage Due ................................................58 Author Uses Outdated Equipment ......................................................59 Letters That Don’t Quickly Come to the Point....................................59 Proposals That Criticize Other Books..................................................59 Letters That Are Too Flip or Amusing ................................................59 Queries That Mention Your Fan Club ................................................59 Proposals That Smell Like Cigarette Smoke ........................................60 Letters That Mention a Minimum Advance ........................................60 Proposals That Are Buried in Shredded Paper......................................60 “Forward” and Other Foibles..............................................................60 Look Like a Pro on the Page..............................................................61 Now Where Should I Send It? ..........................................................61 viii