So You Want To Be A Writer?
So you want to be an Author!
Writing a book is never easy - it takes guts, patience and a huge amount of self-discipline to succeed.
Once you have written your book the next challenge is to get someone interested in it and ultimately, published. This process can be every bit as difficult as writing the book itself!
Some of the most frequently asked questions I receive revolve around effective writing and how to get published.
The words that follow are meant as a guide to all aspiring writers and I sincerely hope that they help you on your way to becoming a successful writer.
On Writing
How do you think a book should be written?
Time and time again I find myself saying to writers to write what they see in their mind instead of becoming bogged down in a more esoteric, but not particularly vivid creative process.
The reader must be able to see what you are saying. Writing is as much about painting pictures in the mind as it is about pumping out good words. I am sure you can clearly see it all in your head, but writing is about imparting what you see to your reader.
Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite, is still the best advice I can ever give an aspiring writer. It is boring, tedious hard work, but rewriting is absolutely the key to getting it right. I rewrite most of my work up to thirty times over, near enough is simply never good enough.
At what stage do I send the manuscript to a Publisher?
Before you are tempted to send your manuscript to any publishers, make sure you have your work to the stage where you feel you cannot improve on what you’ve written, because if they turn it down, you probably won’t get a second chance.
There are around ten thousand manuscripts floating around Australia at any given time (and even larger numbers in Europe and America), a daunting fact, as time and resources are very precious.
Also, don’t be concerned about over-writing. An in-house publishing editor can always nip and tuck a book if it is a bit over the top, but it is better to have some “fat” in the book than not enough. Keep going, and remember, often a bit of excellent padding will give a book real substance.
Once you have written your book the next challenge is to get someone interested in it and ultimately, published. This process can be every bit as difficult as writing the book itself!
Some of the most frequently asked questions I receive revolve around effective writing and how to get published.
The words that follow are meant as a guide to all aspiring writers and I sincerely hope that they help you on your way to becoming a successful writer.
On Writing
How do you think a book should be written?
Time and time again I find myself saying to writers to write what they see in their mind instead of becoming bogged down in a more esoteric, but not particularly vivid creative process.
The reader must be able to see what you are saying. Writing is as much about painting pictures in the mind as it is about pumping out good words. I am sure you can clearly see it all in your head, but writing is about imparting what you see to your reader.
Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite, is still the best advice I can ever give an aspiring writer. It is boring, tedious hard work, but rewriting is absolutely the key to getting it right. I rewrite most of my work up to thirty times over, near enough is simply never good enough.
At what stage do I send the manuscript to a Publisher?
Before you are tempted to send your manuscript to any publishers, make sure you have your work to the stage where you feel you cannot improve on what you’ve written, because if they turn it down, you probably won’t get a second chance.
There are around ten thousand manuscripts floating around Australia at any given time (and even larger numbers in Europe and America), a daunting fact, as time and resources are very precious.
Also, don’t be concerned about over-writing. An in-house publishing editor can always nip and tuck a book if it is a bit over the top, but it is better to have some “fat” in the book than not enough. Keep going, and remember, often a bit of excellent padding will give a book real substance.
On Publication
How hard is it to get published?
Unfortunately, there is, as I said, an ocean of manuscripts always floating around. Many of the big names in publishing, Penguin, Random House, Hodder Headline, Simon and Schuster, Harper Collins and Pan Macmillan to name a few, each have thousands of unsolicited manuscripts on their desks, which is rather formidable when you stop to think about it.
It’s a bit of a lottery. I am not trying to discourage you, but rather to make the valid point that it is very, very tough at the best of times, to get a manuscript accepted.
Are you just talking about Australian product?
No, there are heaps of top product coming in from England and America, so you are also competing with imports as well as domestic material. In America, I read recently in Publishers Weekly Magazine, there are around 500,000 unsolicited manuscripts around! But the good news is that 50,000 books a year are published in the U.S.
What about the smaller publishers or the Independents?
Most books require a serious capital investment, and I don’t believe they can always be handled by a smaller concern, unless the book is highly specialized and the publisher has a great foothold in some niche market.
That said, at the end of the day it is better to be published than not, even if it means less resources, and a small royalty advance. One of Australia’s most famous books, A Fortunate Life by Albert Facey was published by Freemantle Press, a relatively small company and sold hundreds of thousands of copies.
What about self-publishing?
Some blockbusters in the States have been self-published! The best recent example of this was The Celestine Prophesy. Jack Canfield’s monumentally successful Chicken Soup For The Soul was rejected by 22 publishers, then was picked up by a small press and has now sold over 17 million copies.
However, one of the advantages of a major international publisher is that they have the connections, their London or New York counterparts can potentially offer the book to a world-wide audience if the book “has legs”, and if they follow through on their promises to you.
How long should it take to get a response from a publisher?
Publishers are often very busy, so I think you will be looking at best, from a six week to a six month delay in getting a response. Most publishing houses have readers who will assess your work, and if they recommend a book then the publisher will read it before a final decision is taken.
Some authors use literary agents and others send in books direct. If you were to use an agent the commission they take can vary from between 10 to 15 percent. In America it can occasionally be as high as 20 percent if you are with a blue chip agent and you are a mega author such as John Grisham, Judith Krantz or Barbara Taylor-Bradford.
If my book is accepted by a publisher, what happens next?
If a publisher accepts your work, they usually offer what is called a royalty advance. This is an advance against future earnings from the book, eg; if you are paid an advance of, say $10,000, the book has to earn out that much in royalties before you receive more. The standard royalty on a book is usually 10 percent of the recommended retail price. Meaning if your book was sold for $20, you would receive $2.00 per book sold. Usually after a certain quantity are sold, say 20,000 copies, the royalty rate may increase gradually to 12 percent, or even higher, sometimes up to 15 percent.
The publisher, of course, pays for all the direct costs associated with the release of the book: printing, promotion, design, typesetting, distribution etc.
If my book is taken up, is it guaranteed to be released as a hardcover?
These days, it is becoming rarer for books to be released first in hardcover and then, at a later date, in paperback. It is only the big name authors, especially in fiction, who go into hardcover these days.
Publishers are realizing that they have to go for volume sales, and even if a book is released in hardcover, a lot of people simply wait for the paperback. How often have you seen excellent hardcover books in a dump bin for $10?
How hard is it to get published?
Unfortunately, there is, as I said, an ocean of manuscripts always floating around. Many of the big names in publishing, Penguin, Random House, Hodder Headline, Simon and Schuster, Harper Collins and Pan Macmillan to name a few, each have thousands of unsolicited manuscripts on their desks, which is rather formidable when you stop to think about it.
It’s a bit of a lottery. I am not trying to discourage you, but rather to make the valid point that it is very, very tough at the best of times, to get a manuscript accepted.
Are you just talking about Australian product?
No, there are heaps of top product coming in from England and America, so you are also competing with imports as well as domestic material. In America, I read recently in Publishers Weekly Magazine, there are around 500,000 unsolicited manuscripts around! But the good news is that 50,000 books a year are published in the U.S.
What about the smaller publishers or the Independents?
Most books require a serious capital investment, and I don’t believe they can always be handled by a smaller concern, unless the book is highly specialized and the publisher has a great foothold in some niche market.
That said, at the end of the day it is better to be published than not, even if it means less resources, and a small royalty advance. One of Australia’s most famous books, A Fortunate Life by Albert Facey was published by Freemantle Press, a relatively small company and sold hundreds of thousands of copies.
What about self-publishing?
Some blockbusters in the States have been self-published! The best recent example of this was The Celestine Prophesy. Jack Canfield’s monumentally successful Chicken Soup For The Soul was rejected by 22 publishers, then was picked up by a small press and has now sold over 17 million copies.
However, one of the advantages of a major international publisher is that they have the connections, their London or New York counterparts can potentially offer the book to a world-wide audience if the book “has legs”, and if they follow through on their promises to you.
How long should it take to get a response from a publisher?
Publishers are often very busy, so I think you will be looking at best, from a six week to a six month delay in getting a response. Most publishing houses have readers who will assess your work, and if they recommend a book then the publisher will read it before a final decision is taken.
Some authors use literary agents and others send in books direct. If you were to use an agent the commission they take can vary from between 10 to 15 percent. In America it can occasionally be as high as 20 percent if you are with a blue chip agent and you are a mega author such as John Grisham, Judith Krantz or Barbara Taylor-Bradford.
If my book is accepted by a publisher, what happens next?
If a publisher accepts your work, they usually offer what is called a royalty advance. This is an advance against future earnings from the book, eg; if you are paid an advance of, say $10,000, the book has to earn out that much in royalties before you receive more. The standard royalty on a book is usually 10 percent of the recommended retail price. Meaning if your book was sold for $20, you would receive $2.00 per book sold. Usually after a certain quantity are sold, say 20,000 copies, the royalty rate may increase gradually to 12 percent, or even higher, sometimes up to 15 percent.
The publisher, of course, pays for all the direct costs associated with the release of the book: printing, promotion, design, typesetting, distribution etc.
If my book is taken up, is it guaranteed to be released as a hardcover?
These days, it is becoming rarer for books to be released first in hardcover and then, at a later date, in paperback. It is only the big name authors, especially in fiction, who go into hardcover these days.
Publishers are realizing that they have to go for volume sales, and even if a book is released in hardcover, a lot of people simply wait for the paperback. How often have you seen excellent hardcover books in a dump bin for $10?
On Editing
What, if anything, is required of an author when making changes?
In some instances a publisher will require the author to do a major or partial rewrite of certain sections of the book.
All leading publishers have good in-house editors, occasionally they use freelance editors, who work with the author to “fix up” any weak areas in the work. In particular, they are often keen to “remove” extraneous material, so be prepared to have a “thick skin” if they say that some sections are a bit long winded. Publishers like books to be tight, and have continuity and pace. Trust their judgement in this regard and rest assured any changes are always done in co-operation and with the consent of the author.
Until they read your manuscript and it is considered for publication, there is no way of knowing what they will recommend in regard to editing. Occasionally, if they feel a book arrives in a pristine state (a rare event, but it does happen) they would only do a simple copy edit of the work.
Can I get someone to edit my book before it is submitted?
Yes, if you feel you want to ‘take the bull by the horns’ you can hire a good outside editor to ensure your book is given the best possible chance of being accepted first time around.
For those living in Australia the N.S.W. Society of Editors (02) 9294 4999 can supply you with a listing of experienced freelance editors.
For those of you overseas, there should be listings in your phone directory for editorial services or, as is becoming more and more common these days, a quick search on the internet should also help.
One thing is certain; it is very difficult to get a ‘second look’ with a publisher. Regrettably, if they reject your manuscript, even if you’ve re-written it, they are simply too busy to read it again! So try to make sure your manuscript is well cooked, not half-baked before you send it off.
After the edit phase, what comes next?
Once a book is accepted, the publisher will start planning cover design, graphics etc., and whilst authors are usually consulted about this, they usually don’t have the power of veto over the final art. Some big time authors do, but it is not usually granted to authors first time around. However, this is one part of the contract which one should word carefully, so that hopefully, you can at least have ‘joint’ approval of the cover.
If my book is accepted, how long before I see it published?
This can vary for a variety of reasons, though the lead-time is usually between one to two years in Australia from the signing of the contract. Occasionally it is rushed out earlier, but usually publisher’s forward lists are locked in for at least 12 months, which can be frustrating, but that is the reality of mass market publishing. In America a two to three year lead-time is not that unusual.
What if I want to do it all myself?
If all else fails you can consider self-publishing which is called in the trade ‘vanity publishing’. There are many companies that can help in this area and your local bookshop should be able to point you in the right direction.
If you want to find out more about the publishing industry on an ongoing basis, I would recommend subscribing to one of the following trade industry journals;
Australia: Australian Bookseller and Publisher.
America: American Publishers Weekly.
England: The Bookseller.
If all the above sounds like hell and hard work, welcome to the wonderful world of writing and publishing. It can be grueling, but if you make it, it will all be tremendously worthwhile.
What, if anything, is required of an author when making changes?
In some instances a publisher will require the author to do a major or partial rewrite of certain sections of the book.
All leading publishers have good in-house editors, occasionally they use freelance editors, who work with the author to “fix up” any weak areas in the work. In particular, they are often keen to “remove” extraneous material, so be prepared to have a “thick skin” if they say that some sections are a bit long winded. Publishers like books to be tight, and have continuity and pace. Trust their judgement in this regard and rest assured any changes are always done in co-operation and with the consent of the author.
Until they read your manuscript and it is considered for publication, there is no way of knowing what they will recommend in regard to editing. Occasionally, if they feel a book arrives in a pristine state (a rare event, but it does happen) they would only do a simple copy edit of the work.
Can I get someone to edit my book before it is submitted?
Yes, if you feel you want to ‘take the bull by the horns’ you can hire a good outside editor to ensure your book is given the best possible chance of being accepted first time around.
For those living in Australia the N.S.W. Society of Editors (02) 9294 4999 can supply you with a listing of experienced freelance editors.
For those of you overseas, there should be listings in your phone directory for editorial services or, as is becoming more and more common these days, a quick search on the internet should also help.
One thing is certain; it is very difficult to get a ‘second look’ with a publisher. Regrettably, if they reject your manuscript, even if you’ve re-written it, they are simply too busy to read it again! So try to make sure your manuscript is well cooked, not half-baked before you send it off.
After the edit phase, what comes next?
Once a book is accepted, the publisher will start planning cover design, graphics etc., and whilst authors are usually consulted about this, they usually don’t have the power of veto over the final art. Some big time authors do, but it is not usually granted to authors first time around. However, this is one part of the contract which one should word carefully, so that hopefully, you can at least have ‘joint’ approval of the cover.
If my book is accepted, how long before I see it published?
This can vary for a variety of reasons, though the lead-time is usually between one to two years in Australia from the signing of the contract. Occasionally it is rushed out earlier, but usually publisher’s forward lists are locked in for at least 12 months, which can be frustrating, but that is the reality of mass market publishing. In America a two to three year lead-time is not that unusual.
What if I want to do it all myself?
If all else fails you can consider self-publishing which is called in the trade ‘vanity publishing’. There are many companies that can help in this area and your local bookshop should be able to point you in the right direction.
If you want to find out more about the publishing industry on an ongoing basis, I would recommend subscribing to one of the following trade industry journals;
Australia: Australian Bookseller and Publisher.
America: American Publishers Weekly.
England: The Bookseller.
If all the above sounds like hell and hard work, welcome to the wonderful world of writing and publishing. It can be grueling, but if you make it, it will all be tremendously worthwhile.
On Publicity
What might I be expected to do if my book is published?
These days most publishers expect authors to be intensively involved in a publicity campaign for the book. This may include print, radio and T.V. interviews. Competition for media coverage of books is fierce, so it is important that a new title is aggressively promoted.
If you have not had much experience with the media prior to a publicity tour, it is a good idea to do a short media training course. It usually takes a morning or an afternoon, where a professional media person takes you through the process of being interviewed to sharpen up your interviewing delivery. Costs for media training can vary anywhere from $500 to $1500 per day.
There are a number of journalists offering media training services in all States and this applies overseas as well. Consult your telephone directory or ask for personal recommendations.
However, not all authors are comfortable about being in the media spotlight, but publishers are certainly more predisposed towards an author who is willing to do as much media as possible.
Many of the major authors actually hire their own publicist to ensure they have a strong media campaign when their books are released, and an on-going media presence throughout the year. Media campaign costs vary enormously, but expect to pay a minimum of $5000 up to $10,000 depending on the scale of the campaign.
What might I be expected to do if my book is published?
These days most publishers expect authors to be intensively involved in a publicity campaign for the book. This may include print, radio and T.V. interviews. Competition for media coverage of books is fierce, so it is important that a new title is aggressively promoted.
If you have not had much experience with the media prior to a publicity tour, it is a good idea to do a short media training course. It usually takes a morning or an afternoon, where a professional media person takes you through the process of being interviewed to sharpen up your interviewing delivery. Costs for media training can vary anywhere from $500 to $1500 per day.
There are a number of journalists offering media training services in all States and this applies overseas as well. Consult your telephone directory or ask for personal recommendations.
However, not all authors are comfortable about being in the media spotlight, but publishers are certainly more predisposed towards an author who is willing to do as much media as possible.
Many of the major authors actually hire their own publicist to ensure they have a strong media campaign when their books are released, and an on-going media presence throughout the year. Media campaign costs vary enormously, but expect to pay a minimum of $5000 up to $10,000 depending on the scale of the campaign.
