I have some thoughts for fictional novels, and I was wondering if anyone has tips on “do’s” and “don’t” with getting published. Is it better to work via an agent?
i don’t have any direct experience in the area, but here’s a couple links that might help ya:
So You Wanna Publish a Book
So You Wanna Get a Short Story Published
“Fictional novels”? Do you work for the Department of Redundancy Department?
You can find a great deal of good advice at http://www.sfwa.org
But before you worry about agents and where to publish, you have to do one important thing: actually write the novel. Unless you have something ready to submit, no one’s going to be interested.
Maybe it sounds redundant, but what do you call a story of historical fiction? I prefer to differentiate. To me, there’s a difference…like romance novels or sci-fi are yet other classes of novels, IMHO.
- Jinx
Jinx,
I can second the SFWA link as a wonderful source for writing all genres. If you want to talk to someone about writing fiction, I’ve written two books, neither published, and I’ve started my 3rd. Email me at thrt516@icqmail.com if you’re interested.
(I love to talk about writing).
Jinx, historical fiction is a recognizable genre. Sub-genres might include historical romance, detective fiction (such as Ellis Peters’ Cadfael mysteries), perhaps even historical thrillers or “alternate” histories.
Another good source for publishers of all kinds is the annual Writer’s Market guide, which you can find in the reference section of your local bookstore. The 2002 guide is available now.
This paperback tome lists publishers of (“markets” for) fiction and non-fiction books, shoirt stories, articles, poetry, plays, etc. and gives you specific information on each market: types of work published, contact person and address, website URL (if applicable), submission guidelines, average response time, whether the publisher accepts unsolicited and/or unagented material, etc. It also contains informative sections on making submissions, writing query letters, and various other topics which vary from year to year. Writer’s Market now lists the same info for a limited number of agents as well.
Two weeks ago I made submissions of my second novel to seven publishers. One was via email; two were query letters only; four included query letter, 2-page synopsis and the first 2-3 chapters. Now I wait from 1-3 months for a response. Each submission was made according to what the publisher requests; where possible I checked the publisher’s website for up-to-date submission guidelines. It is important to adhere to the publisher’s stated preferences, as a professional courtesy, and to research each publisher as much as possible, to be certain that you are sending your work to companies which are most likely to be interested in it.
RealityChuck makes an important point: a work of fiction must be complete, revised and polished before a publisher will consider it.
There really is a book called Getting Published for Dummies, part of the long-running “Dummies” series. I picked it up after I’d sold my book, but I have to agree with everything in it.
I’ve never sold fiction (much to my regret, and not for lack of trying), but for non-fiction books and long articles, you produce a Book Proposal. Get a good book on how to make these up – imagine that you are trying to sell the book to yourself. Keep it short but interesting, and convince the publisher that he or she should accept your book. Tell them who your audience is. Tell them why it’ll sell a million copies.
While I’ve heard this is what you do for non-fiction, very few agents or publishers (if any) would look at book proposals from an unpublished author for fiction works. For starters, they need to know you have the drive to finish the book.
MJH2, so you don’t send to agents? What genre(s) do you write? Every publisher I’ve looked at refuses to look at unagented submissions and even queries. I would like to submit queries directly to the publisher. Any tips besides those you told Jinx? For example, do you think that being published in a magazine and websites for game reviews would mean anything to the editors?
Jinx, I’m certainly not trying to discourage you, but ideas are a dime a dozen. I have constant ideas for new books while I’m writing one, which is how I determine what my next book will be. You need to actually sit down and write to see if you have the drive to finish a book, and that’s before you ever even think of publishers and agents.
Writing a book is the hardest thing I’ve ever done, and my second one was no easier than my first one. A friend of mine got an opportunity to write a technical book for a publisher, and he was confident he could do it in just a few months. After a few months, he realized it was much harder than he ever thought it would be. It’s still not done.
Sit down and write, and write, and write. Even when you don’t feel like it. Even when you think it sucks and how did you ever think you could be a writer and why would anyone ever want to read your crap. Write anyway. Find someone who likes that genre to read it for the overarching storyline. Find someone else who knows how to write to read it for form and structure. But for the gods’ sakes, write your heart out.
And if you want someone to read your first 20 or 30 pages, send me an email. But don’t bother if all you want is praise for your fine work. What I will tell you will probably hurt even as I include praise for what you’ve done well.
Yes, this is true. For non-fiction works, one submits a proposal as described by CalMeacham. I think the proposal can also include an assessment of existing books on the subject (or lack thereof), why you are qualified to write such a book, and explain how your work is better, different, more accessible, etc. A non-fiction proposal can be made even if you have not finished writing the book, but I would think an unpublished author of non-fiction would do better to propose a work which is already finished.
Fictional works are not proposed/“sold” in this way. Even if a publisher only wants part of the work on first contact (synopsis, chapter summary, sample chapters), the novel should be complete. Fiction has to stand on its own merits (i.e. is it a good story or not?), and the kind of “market research” which CalMeacham describes for non-fiction isn’t relevant.
This is because people buy non-fiction and fiction books differently. For instance, you may want to buy a book on ornamental napkin folding. (Don’t laugh; this is exactly what my sister wanted last year for Christmas.) You probably aren’t interested in buying more than one; you just want the one which best suits your needs. Do you want “Napkin Folding for Dummies” or Martha Stewart’s technical handbook? A non-fiction proposal tells the publisher who would want to buy your book, instead of Martha’s, and why. Whereas people buy fiction for a good story, and will buy other books in the same genre. So in this sense, the novel has to “sell itself” as a strong story; the only way to judge that is to read it, no matter what the author has to say about it.
Many publishers will only accept agented submissions but there are just as many, especially smaller/newer ones, who accept unagented material. If the publisher has provided the information, Writer’s Market indicates what percentage of published works come from agented, unagented and first-time authors. Like you, I prefer the idea of dealing directly with the publisher if possible; but if/when I’ve exhausted my unagented markets, I’d consider finding an agent.
Having a publishing history is helpful, but I would think it would mean something to a publisher only if your past subject matter was relevant to your current submission. That is, you may have had some game reviews published, but if you’re submitting a work on the Nixon presidency, then your publishing history probably won’t count for much. If you’ve written a work on gaming strategies, then your publishing history gives you some “expert” credentials which could be useful.
I write novels which fall into what I think of as “grey area” between fantasy and historical fiction. They could be called medieval fantasies, because they are set in fantasy worlds which resemble medieval/Renaissance Europe; but they lack any kind of magical or supernatural element which one ordinarily expects in a “fantasy”. So they read like the historical fiction of an imaginary but not entirely unfamiliar place. One of the best examples of this (sub-)genre is Guy Gavriel Kay’s *The Lions of Al-Rassan[/i}.
throatshot, what sort of stuff do you write?
Or to put it another way, the only way to prove that the idea works as a novel is to write the novel.
Excellent advice.
Should’ve previewed that reply for form (italics)!!!
My completed novels are traditional sword-and-sorcery fantasy. The one I’m writing now is near-future (2053) action/mystery.
Thank you.
Jinx, just really quick, I have to add something to Reality Chuck’s statement. In the Guide to Agents and Publishers that I have (which has gleaned many responses both positive and negative for my novel), I recall specifically an agent saying: “a sure way to get your query thrown away is to refer to your work as a fictional novel” 
I’ve been shopping a contemporary women’s fiction piece for about three years…yes, three years. I send queries and chapters to publishers AND agents. Small literary presses (which my book is more suited for) usually don’t require agent representation, but they’re also terribly hard to break into.
The novel is currently with a fourth agent. Some may find this frustrating. And I am one of those some. 
Each prior agent has really enjoyed the book and given me great feedback, but then they say it’s too ‘odd’ for the mainstream. so, while I’m happy for the feedback because it gives me a better finished product, I do have to say, it’s been one of the most frustrating and heartwrenching processes of my life.
If this agent doesn’t take it, I may just shelve it because it brings me too much grief. Nobody gives rejection letters at the office
jar
Good point. If you can’t write a sensible query letter, why should an editor believe you can write a novel?
Amen, sister, amen. I gave up on my first novel a while back and concentrated on writing a stronger second novel. I think I have succeeded, but stay tuned for the “Novelists on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown” thread, just in case.
Good luck, jar!