There are tons of aspiring authors out there, plus many new and veteran writers who still have lots of questions. Even though we have resources such as Writers Market, and other publishing industry magazines, as helpful as they are, we always have other issues that need to be addressed. Hopefully this feature will help provide useful information to those interested in breaking into and staying in the writing business.

If you have questions you'd like answered for this feature, send an e-mail to BookRemarks@aol.com with the subject line Q&A. All answers are the sole opinion of the individual that addresses the question.

Publishing Industry Question:

I have always heard that your job should be something that you receive joy from and makes you happy.  I am an avid reader.  I read at least 3 or more books a week and yes, I do have a job (smile).  I would like to become the person who reads/proofs novels for publishing houses and authors.  I am not for sure if these are [considered] editors or proofreaders.  I would like to be the person who reviews and makes the decision as to whether or not a book will sell.  Also if authors want someone to review their material, how would I go about contacting them for this position?
 
I need to know what kind of experience I will need to break into this industry.  I am willing to learn everything that I can in order to have a rewarding and finally fulfilling job that I know I would truly love.  What could be better than getting paid for doing something that you really like? (Reading)  Please help me.
 
A response is greatly appreciated.
 
Thank you.

 

Answer provided by Candace K. Cottrell

I would say the first step is to start actively reviewing. From there you can look into different courses on proofing, but the most important piece of this is that you need to be a critical reader, not just a person who likes to read. You need to be able to identify all the elements that make a book a good book and back up/demonstrate those elements in a critical fashion.

Candace K. Cottrell, Editorial Director
Q-Boro Books
 http://www.qborobooks.com/

Answer provided by Lissa Woodson

Most publishing houses, especially major ones, have a team that actually helps to polish the finished product.  A manuscript goes through a senior editor, junior editor, developmental editor, copy editor, line editor, fact-checker, proofer and a host of others.  Then they will send it out to reviewers or book club reviewers before the book goes to press.  Although a degree in English or Journalism would be great (especially for editing), proofers that show they are able to catch major errors or flaws in a manuscript, who have only a high school education, are not unheard of in the business.
 
Smaller publishing houses tend to use more freelance people to edit, review, and proof a manuscript. They are not able to hire an in-house staff to do all of the above. If I were you, I would start out with the small/independent houses and offer to do a sample proofing for them. 
 
Also there are online reviewing groups and links to those type of groups. I would try http://www.authorlink.net/ and http://www.rawsistaz.com/. Also joining online writers groups and sending a post that your services are available can expose you to a variety of genres and help get your feet wet.  As you build your clientele your pay scale can go up because you're proving yourself in the industry and providing a valued resource.

Lissa Woodson
Developmental and Line Editor
(writing as Naleighna Kai, author of
Every Woman Needs a Wife --
Release: June 2005)
http://www.macropublishing.com

 

Answer provided by Isis Jones

It sounds to me like you want to be an editor.  Being the editor will encompass a lot of things such as proofreading and critique/advice.  Some big publishing houses separate all of these jobs, but you could find an editing job where you can do all of these things.  You can even be your own editor and contract out to publishing companies.  My editor does all of these things and she works for herself.  Publishers are usually the ones who decide if something will sell or not, and determine what we want to publish.  Some places may also ask other people their opinion.  It depends on the setup.  You could do book reviews on your own.  You could get a job as an editor and review books on the side.  You will be reading and reviewing books for whomever you work for and then reading books outside of that.  That's seems to be the ideal situation for you.
 
As for breaking into the business, you should check job sites for publishing houses and see what they are looking for, or join a small publisher for experience.
 
Sincerely,
Isis Jones
 

Answer provided by Missy Brown

If you are interested in simply reviewing I would suggest either join a review team there are many The Raw Reviewers (this group is by invite only contact Mrs. Tee C. Royal or go to http://www.rawsistaz.com), Real Reviewers (this group is ran by Jacki Miller contact her or go to http://www.realreviewers.org), or the many other review teams that are online or you can just simply start your own.  A lot of authors can be reached through their websites and basically if you tell them what you are trying to do and why, they will usually work with you so just have a open mind when doing this.

I am not sure what experience you have already but I can tell you that you definitely may want to get involved with some of the online groups like RAWSISTAZ, SEXY EBONY, and the many other online groups that are there for the industrial professionals and the avid readers.

And you are right, it does feel good to be paid for something that you really enjoy; doing it makes your day go by faster and you learn to appreciate your talent and the talent of the writers.


One Love
Misherald "Missy B" Brown
Overnite Talent
WWWZ Z93JAMZ
www.z93jamz.com
Tom Joyner Morning Show Executive Producer
WMGL Magic 1017 
www.magic1017.com  

Publishing Industry Question:

How do I get one of my urban fiction books published?

Answer provided by Cydney Rax:

You should contact publishers that specialize in urban fiction and determine their guideline for submissions. Several of these publishers include the following:

1- Triple Crown Publications - Founded by Vickie Stringer & Shannon Holmes

http://www.triplecrownpublications.com

Here is the link to their Contact Page where you can ask questions about how to submit your work:

http://www.triplecrownpublications.com/contact.php?PHPSESSID=4e0908

2- Urban Books - They publish authors such as La Jill Hunt, Roy Glenn & Dwayne Joseph.

Urban Books Website - http://www.urbanbooks.net

Author Carl Weber is the contact - Email him at urbanbooks@optionline.net

3. Black Pearl Books in Atlanta - check out the site for their submission guidelines.

http://www.blackpearlbooks.com/

Also, Simon and Schuster and St. Martin's Press publish urban fiction. Once you find out the editor's name, create your query letter briefly describing the plot and ask if they'd be interested in seeing sample chapters or the entire manuscript. If they say yes, follow their guidelines for submitting, if not, don't sweat it. Try another publisher. If your material is marketable and what they are looking for, then you will be published.

Publishing Industry Question:

Dear BookRemarks:

I am anticipating sending out fifty (50) query letters to various literary agents in an attempt to increase my chances of becoming a potential client. Is that figure (50) a bit excessive or simply not enough?

I am not at this point yet but would like to get ahead of the game when my ms is complete. Upon your earlier suggestion, I have already purchased my guides (literary agents, etc.) to assist me in choosing agents possibly interested in my genre-African American adult fiction.  

Answer provided by Cydney:

If you are able to truly locate 50 potential agents that specialize in the area of fiction in which you write, there's nothing wrong with sending out those letters. Make sure each letter is customized for each address instead of making it sound like a form letter. For e.g., if you know one agent specifically represents a certain author, you can mention that author's name in your letter and state that your novel is similar to his or hers.
 
You might also want to indicate that you are doing multiple submissions so the agent(s) know your material isn't exclusive.

Dear BookRemarks:

I have two very difficult questions that I'm having a hard time getting answered -- hope you can help.

In a portion of my MS, I have reproduced a fictional article about one of my characters being arrested for a crime. I have painstakingly reproduced this article to include the actual heading of a real local newspaper (The Richard-Times Dispatch) so it can look exactly like the real thing. In other words, the article looks like the real thing down to the Richmond-Times Dispatch heading or name above the fake article. I have contacted the newspaper but they are unsure as to whether or not I may use my reproduction of their newspaper in my manuscript. I want to obviously avoid legal ramifications during the publishing of my MS. My questions are:

1-What is your experience with this, and

2-If I cannot use an exact reproduction of their heading, can I simply retype RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH in another font.

Answer provided by Cydney:

This is a tough (great) question. I'm going to just give an opinion because I've never been asked this question before. To be honest, I wouldn't try to do an exact reproduction of a newspaper's heading. E.G., say you wanted to use USA Today, or The New York Times. These are copyrighted papers, obviously, and you'd either have to obtain their permission to duplicate their font, or make up some similar sounding fictional newspaper that mimics their look -- just to make sure that you are safe and aren't copying them. I think even though you want to use realism regarding the newspaper's look in your novel, it really isn't necessary because more than likely the majority of your readers won't even know what the font looks like for the Richard Times-Dispatch. I hope that make sense?

Your main goal is to just write a great story, not make the font look just like an authentic actual newspaper. I think if a major publishing house were to publish this book, the art department (or some other department) would determine how that font looks - the writer shouldn't have to worry about those type of things. So just write the best story you can write, and maybe come up with a different font, so you won't have to worry about getting sued -- it definitely wouldn't be worth a lawsuit.

 
Hope this helps. All of this is just my best guess.
 
Cydney Rax
Author of My Daughter's Boyfriend

 

Publishing industry question:

As an aspiring African-American author with a finished manuscript, now what? And how much money do I need to get my manuscript published?

Answer provided by Cydney Rax


Personally, I think once you've finished writing your manuscript, you should set it aside for a week or two. Move yourself away from the story. Come back with fresh eyes and go through the MS (manuscript) and see if there are any typos and errors that weren't previously apparent. Pore over the book slowly and carefully so you can make sure all the integral elements are included - setting, description, narrative, dialogue, plot changes, strong characterization, eliminate unnecessary info (or info that's already been established), have a definitive climax, and conflict resolution at the end to make sure the main characters receive closure.  

Once you feel comfortable that your novel is complete and is written the best that it can be, and that it's in a saleable condition, you should conduct a search for an agent. Go to either the library or the bookstore and refer to the latest issue of The Guide to Literary Agents, Writer's Market, or Novel and Short Story Writer's Market which will provide vital information about the publishing industry, as well as the names, addresses, phone numbers, and criteria of each agent that is accepting submissions. Or you may visit your local bookstore and review books that are similar to the one you've written. Refer to that book's acknowledgements, and see which agent represents that author. You should make a list of the potential agents, and write a brief query letter explaining in two or three sentences what your book is about; offer to send the agent the first 3 chapters, etc. and don't forget to provide your contact information. The query letter never has to be more than one page. The agent will either respond with a (1) yes, send me some chapters, or (2) a no because (a) they aren't interested in that subject matter (b) they are not looking for any new clients (c) they already represent authors that write about those topics and may not want to duplicate efforts, etc.

If you get rejected, do not give up, keep looking. Try to be patient, which is easier said than done, and resist calling an agent every week to see if they've received the letter or the manuscript. Believe me, if they like your book, they WILL contact you. If you never hear from the agent, scratch them off your list, wipe the dust off your feet, and don't try to continue asking about the status. Agents are extremely busy and overworked and simply may not have the time, or the decency, to get back with you in a reasonable amount of time. Never let these things dissuade you. Keep on going no matter what obstacles you might encounter. Most writers have been rejected and if they gave up, they'd never have their book published.  

Now to answer the second part of your question - The only money needed is enough to print or make one or more copies of the original manuscript. And the photocopying expense will be determined by the length of the manuscript.

You'll also need money to mail query letters or to ship your entire manuscript (in the event that an agent asks you to send it). Do not send your entire manuscript to anyone if they haven't asked. That's a waste of your time, their time, and your money. Never pay an agent to read your manuscript. Most legitimate agents will not require such a fee. Be wary of anyone who asks you to pay them for services. If necessary you should ask other writers for references or agent referrals so you increase your chances of hopefully dealing with a good, and scrupulous agent who can assist you in having a successful writing career.

 

Publishing question:

I am an unpublished writer, just getting started. My question is with all the agents out there, how do you really know [if] they are good?  What should I look for? 

Answered by Cydney Rax:  You should definitely research agents to see which one would be the best match for you and your type of writing. The Guide to Literary Agents is one good source. This yearly book provides info such as:

  • the specific genres that the agency represents
  • the best way to contact the agent (some prefer letters, others email, etc.)
  • title/author name of books they've represented
  • percent of commission that the agent receives
  • tips on the best way to break into the business
  • whether or not the agency charges a reading fee
  • feature articles and interviews with publishing industry personnel

In addition, you should also research Writer's Market and Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Editors, Publishers and Literary Agents. These books will walk you through the query letter process, give advice on the Do's and Don'ts of the industry, and much more.

Another way to find out if a certain agent is 'good' is by asking published authors about their agents. They may give you a referral, or direct you to another agent that may be looking for new clients.

In selecting an agent, here are a few good things to look for after you think you've found 'the one':

  1. Does the agent really enjoy your story? Do they feel passionate about what you've written? Never want anyone who doesn't want you.
  2. Are they handling so many authors that they won't have any time for you?
  3. If you call or e-mail your agent, will she get back to you in a reasonably timely manner? 24-48 hours is normal so don't panic if you don't hear from her two hours later.
  4. Does the agent represent other writers that you admire? Has she successfully sold more than one manuscript per author?
  5. Is the agent asking for money from you upfront (This is a no-no; be wary of anyone who asks for money).
  6. Does the agent have a good reputation? Did you send your material to an agent, and it's been a year and you still haven't received a response?

There are many important things to consider when trying to locate an agent. Make sure and study the industry thoroughly before embarking on that agent search. Try to attend book signings and conferences in case you have other questions. Be prepared, know what you want, understand how the business functions, and you should be one step closer to fulfilling your literary dreams.

Publishing question: I am a first time author of fiction. I was recently offered a two-book deal and I've been told that my advance was too low, even for a non-published author. What is considered a good or bad advance?

Answered by author Gloria Mallette:  I don't know if I can say what is a good or bad advance; every author wants to get a six figure deal, quit his/her day job, and wear a name plate that says, "I'm an author."  And that's because we all feel that we've written the great American novel. The truth is, most of us will never write the great American novel and the publishers know this. Most publishers want to give as small an advance as possible so that when they do pay the author, they're paying from the profits received on your book.  Remember, the publisher is putting out the funds to publish and market your title. The author puts out nothing.

The upside to getting a small advance is that if your book is selling well, you will see more money, a lot quicker on the back end in the form of royalties.  As a new novelist, if you receive a large advance and your book doesn't sell like hot cakes, then you won't see royalties for quite some time and, if the second book on the contract doesn't do well, then the possibility of you receiving another lucrative contract is nil.  As quiet as it is kept, I believe publishers want an advance to earn out on the first book on the contract so that the second book is all profit. This business is based on numbers---sell well, get paid. Sell badly, get the boot.

Another way of looking at a small advance offer on your first contract is to accept it to get your foot in the door.  Prove yourself and go for more next time.  By the way, do you have an agent?

Gloria Mallette is the national bestselling author of THE HONEY WELL, PROMISES TO KEEP, SHADES OF JADE, and WEEPING WILLOWS DANCE. For more information visit http://www.gloriamallette.com

Publishing question: Once you are an established author, and your editor wants to buy your book(s), do the books still go before the editorial board, or is that just necessary for your first novel?

Answered by author Brandon Massey: Good question. My understanding is that if you have a multi-book deal, then your second novel, for example, wouldn't go through the editorial board process. They've already agreed to publish it (assuming it's not awful!) so they wouldn't go through that same review.

However, if you signed a one-book contract, and send them a proposal or manuscript for a new book, I'm pretty sure the editorial board would be involved--if only to review the sales of your first novel and decide whether publishing you again is worth the risk. Of course, if your first novel is a smashing success, then any editorial meeting for a subsequent book would be a mere formality to them offering you another contract.

This is why it's so important for debut novelists go ALL OUT to promote their work. Make sure that when you offer publishers a new book, your sales are good enough to warrant a deal.

This is something that few people talk about. Not only is it hard to get published, it's hard to STAY published. Few publishers will keep you around if your book sells less than 10,000 copies, even if your editor loves you. The editor can't overrule low sales figures.

The safest plan these days is to sell a lot of books--somehow, some way. I strongly encourage you to DO WHATEVER YOU HAVE TO DO to make your book successful in the marketplace. Send yourself on a tour. Buy ads. Contact every book club you can find. Hustle, hustle, hustle!

Brandon Massey is the author of THUNDERLAND and DARK CORNER. For more information visit http://www.darkcornerbook.com