Christine Feehan's Blog - Posts Tagged "getting-published"
Submitting Your Book
WHERE TO START
Online, most publishing houses have a whole submission criteria available and I recommend that people look that over. Really look at it. Send it in the way the publisher asks. Send the right type of book. For instance, you wouldn’t send erotica to a Christian publisher.
I recommend RWA. They have a list of good agents and are a great resource. And they have a lot of those guidelines listed on their site.
If you are doing self-publishing and need help with that I don’t know anything about it, so I’m not very helpful there, but I know there are a lot of others out there who can help with that.
You can pitch to agents and editors at conferences and you should. Remember they are looking for new voices. Don’t be afraid when you’re pitching. The reason a lot of these people go to a conference and participate in these pitching sessions is that they’re looking for fresh voices. They want to find you. So if you believe in yourself and your story you need to go there with confidence and say “Hey, this is my story” and pitch it.
THE THINGS NOT TO DO
These are the don’ts for submitting or pitching.
If you’re pitching at a conference don’t follow an editor or agent in a bathroom, and believe me, people do. Be professional. Reach out to them at appropriate times, during scheduled appointments or if they have a time they say they’re open for pitching.
Make sure your manuscript is the best that it can be and that it is finished. Don’t turn in a manuscript with notes that you’re going to finish it later, or notes that say “Will place love scene here”. Yes, that happens. Don’t be one of those people. Be respectful of the agent or editor’s time and be as ready as possible with your manuscript.
Make sure you’re a fit with whatever publishing company or agent you’re pitching to. Research it. Don’t just sign up for every agent available. That’s just lazy. Look into who that person is, what they are acquiring or what they take. Again, that goes back to being respectful of someone’s time.
DO YOUR HOMEWORK
Research to find a good fit for your book and for you. Look at what that publisher is putting out. Look at who that agent already represents. Do your homework to give yourself and your book the best chance at success.
Online, most publishing houses have a whole submission criteria available and I recommend that people look that over. Really look at it. Send it in the way the publisher asks. Send the right type of book. For instance, you wouldn’t send erotica to a Christian publisher.
I recommend RWA. They have a list of good agents and are a great resource. And they have a lot of those guidelines listed on their site.
If you are doing self-publishing and need help with that I don’t know anything about it, so I’m not very helpful there, but I know there are a lot of others out there who can help with that.
You can pitch to agents and editors at conferences and you should. Remember they are looking for new voices. Don’t be afraid when you’re pitching. The reason a lot of these people go to a conference and participate in these pitching sessions is that they’re looking for fresh voices. They want to find you. So if you believe in yourself and your story you need to go there with confidence and say “Hey, this is my story” and pitch it.
THE THINGS NOT TO DO
These are the don’ts for submitting or pitching.
If you’re pitching at a conference don’t follow an editor or agent in a bathroom, and believe me, people do. Be professional. Reach out to them at appropriate times, during scheduled appointments or if they have a time they say they’re open for pitching.
Make sure your manuscript is the best that it can be and that it is finished. Don’t turn in a manuscript with notes that you’re going to finish it later, or notes that say “Will place love scene here”. Yes, that happens. Don’t be one of those people. Be respectful of the agent or editor’s time and be as ready as possible with your manuscript.
Make sure you’re a fit with whatever publishing company or agent you’re pitching to. Research it. Don’t just sign up for every agent available. That’s just lazy. Look into who that person is, what they are acquiring or what they take. Again, that goes back to being respectful of someone’s time.
DO YOUR HOMEWORK
Research to find a good fit for your book and for you. Look at what that publisher is putting out. Look at who that agent already represents. Do your homework to give yourself and your book the best chance at success.
