Writing Advice – Getting Published

Hello Michelle and her team.

I hope you are well. I don't know if you remember this, but I contacted you a while ago asking for advice on writing a book and you very kindly suggested that I take my time and make it the best I could make it. Well, I have done just that and I was just wondering what the next step would be or rather what step you took to getting your first book published?

I look forward to hearing from you again.

Kind regards,

Benjamin Aris

P.S Would it be possible to send you a full copy of my work that you could read and perhaps give me any more experienced/helpful advice?

Michelle Replies…

Dear Ben, Yes I do remember you, and congratulations on having (presumably) finished your story! That shows a lot of commitement and dedication on your part, and I’m glad you’ve taken your time.   As for how to get published, though, I pretty much covered the main points when I wrote to you in November last year; so I don’t think I can add much to that – ie getting an agent, submitting your work to the right publishers/agents and in the form they want it, using the Writer’s Handbook or similar to help you in that; and so on, as in  my previous message.  All I can add is that if you’re set on getting published, keep going –  and don’t be deterred by rejections.  It took me 16 years to get published – and I’m not unusual in that (although I was of course holding down a full-time job as well, so I didn’t have that much time to write). But what kept me going was the thought that if I gave up, I was 100% certain not to get published; whereas if I kept going, I had a slim chance.  Perhaps that will encourage you too.

Finally, you asked whether you could send me your work, but I’m afraid the answer has to be no, because I simply don’t have the time to read it; these days I can barely manage a couple of hours on my own work, and often not even that!  But again, congratulations on having the commitment to finish a piece of work – and I wish you all possible success with it.  With best wishes, Michelle