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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.
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':
- Does the agent really enjoy your story? Do they feel
passionate about what you've written? Never want anyone who
doesn't want you.
- Are they handling so many authors that they won't have
any time for you?
- 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.
- Does the agent represent other writers that you admire?
Has she successfully sold more than one manuscript per author?
- Is the agent asking for money from you upfront (This is
a no-no; be wary of anyone who asks for money).
- 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
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