Getting Published Archives

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What I’ve Learned Writing Middle Grade Nonfiction

Librarians and teachers are clamoring for more history nonfiction for younger students. Author Tim Grove offers tips on writing to this unique segment.

The Comprehensive Guide to Finding, Hiring, and Working with an Editor

This post explains four critical types of book editing, why you need an editor, how to choose one, and what your editor can and cannot do.

How to Write a Novel Synopsis

Learn how to craft a strong novel synopsis, while avoiding the most common mistakes, including the dreaded “synopsis speak.”

3 Unique Research Methods for Identifying Small Publishers

Small presses are their own ecosystem. To understand the landscape, study the review sites, awards, and distributors catering specifically to that market.

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Using Partnerships to Help Land a Nonfiction Book Deal

Unless you’re a celebrity, your expertise in a field may not be enough to interest publishers. A partner can increase your book’s credibility and reach.

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Here’s a System and Template for Tracking Your Submissions (Bonus: It Reduces the Sting of Rejection)

You can’t control rejections, but you can control your next steps. Staying organized and focused helps isolate and minimize the impact of any one rejection.

The Complete Guide to Query Letters

The query letter has one purpose, and one purpose only: to seduce the agent or editor into reading or requesting your work. The query letter is so much of a sales piece that it’s quite possible to write one without having written a word of the manuscript. All it requires is a firm grasp of your story premise.

5 Common Story Openings to Avoid—If You Can Help It

While it’s not wrong to open in these ways—and a great writer can make even the most pedestrian series of events read as fascinating—consider if you can find a more advantageous way to begin.

7 Common Mistakes in First-Time Memoir

Readers come to a memoir in hopes it will shed light on their own life experiences. Stay on the right track by focusing on what makes your story unique and engaging.

How I Caught a Publisher Unexpectedly

Writer Nancy Jorgenson tells her story of surprise success in landing just the right publisher for her book—one she had never heard of.

How I Won My Third Essay Contest

Writing an essay that wins a contest is not an easy task, but it’s not impossible either. Tammy Delatorre explains the writing and revision process that has led to multiple contest wins.

Beyond Good Writing: Two Literary Agents Discuss What Matters Most

Good literary agents keep fighting for books they believe in. But how do agents decide which authors to rep? In this guest Q&A, literary agents Linda Camacho and Jennifer March Soloway describe their ideal projects and offer strategic advice for authors.

Simplify Your Submissions to Literary Journals

The commonly accepted strategy in literary journal submissions—”study the publications you submit to”—can discourage emerging writers. Here’s an alternative.

When Your Query Reveals a Story-Level Problem

When novelists struggle to pitch their work, it may have more to do with the book itself than the query letter. Editor and book coach Susan DeFreitas discusses three reasons why a promising work never lands a traditional deal.

Building a Platform for Your Work When You’re Unpublished

When I finished my biography, I studied how to get it published. Websites advised: platform, platform, platform. But I had no relevant background. Now what?

Balancing Your Submission Budget for Literary Journals

Although the world of submissions can be complex and expensive, balancing your submission budget doesn’t have to be. Here are some tips to help you minimize expenditures and maximize profit.

Lit Mag Resources You Can’t Do Without

Today’s guest post is by Jenn Scheck-Kahn, founder of Journal of the Month. Literary magazines, also called literary journals or lit mags, are devoted to short-form creative writing. What distinguishes them is what they publish (a single genre or a mix of genres), how often they publish (annually, biannually, quarterly, monthly), and their medium of […]

How to Define and Describe Your Readership: A Confusing Issue for Nonfiction Book Proposals

If you’re pitching a nonfiction book, at some point, an editor or agent will expect you to describe the readership that your book is intended for.

How to Evaluate Small Publishers—Plus Digital-Only Presses and Hybrids

As the publishing industry has transformed in the digital age, small press activity has proliferated. Here’s how authors can evaluate their offerings.

What It Really Takes to Break Through with Your First Book Deal

In many ways, it’s never been harder to get a traditional book deal. At the same time, there have never been more ways to establish a career as an author.

Can You (Should You) Typeset Your Own Book?

If people judge books by their covers, then typesetting is the difference between a brief or a lasting impression. The cover may grab a reader’s eye, but what the reader sees when they crack open the book is what will hold their attention.

How to Find a Literary Agent for Your Book

A step-by-step guide to finding literary agents, plus how to select the right agent for you and your work.

Why Pursue Traditional Publishing? (Are There Enough Good Reasons?)

What’s the overriding reason for an author to find an agent and a traditional publishing deal? Is it possible that the reasons may be flawed?

The Conflicting Advice You’ll Receive on Query Letters

At its core, a query letter is a sales document, and so it’s meant to sell. But opinions differ on the best possible sales approach in a query.

What Authors Need to Know About Crowdfunding Their Book: A Case Study by the Numbers

Any author can successfully launch their book through crowdfunding if they are willing to put in the effort. However, it may not be the right path for everyone.

Secrets to Developing the Best Title for Your Nonfiction Book

If you’re pitching your book to agents or editors, the perfect title for your book will define your subject and grab their positive attention. It should be a label they can confidently share with colleagues in editorial board meetings and use to convince the powers-that-be to release money to acquire your book.

Emotional Etiquette for the Writer Seeking an Agent

Sometimes guidelines for writers discourage perfectly private, internal envy, anger, indignation, etc., directed toward other writers, or toward agents (or publishers) rejecting work. But that hardly seems realistic, nor is it fair to ask humans to stop being human.

How to Pitch Agents at a Writers Conference

Pitching agents at a writers conference can be a difficult task for the new writer. Here’s how to make it a little easier on yourself.

How Do You Respond to Criticism of Your Work? 6 Patterns to Recognize

Are you getting the most from professional feedback, or are you inadvertently sabotaging your progress? Look for these patterns in your response.

Start Here: How to Self-Publish Your Book

This is an introductory guide to the major self-publishing options available to authors today, and how to choose the right service for you.

Start Here: How to Get Your Book Published

If you want to publish your book, here are the steps you should follow to assess your work’s potential, then research and pitch editors and agents.

How to Immediately Improve Your Query Letter’s Effectiveness

In my many years of critiquing queries, I see the same weaknesses again and again. Here are the biggest issues that afflict novel queries and how you can fix them.

The Perfect Cover Letter: Advice From a Lit Mag Editor

When submitting your short form literature to a magazine or journal, your cover letter is often the first impression an editor sees. It serves as an introduction to your thoughtfully crafted art. As such, it is significant, but it shouldn’t be intimidating or even take much of your time to write.

Why Your Memoir Won’t Sell

Everyone has a meaningful story to tell, but not everyone’s story (or writing) is going to deserve a commercial publishing deal. Here are the most common problems I encounter in memoir pitches and manuscripts.

5 Research Steps Before You Write Your Book Proposal

Writing a nonfiction book proposal—a good one—requires not only sharp clarity about your idea, but also how that idea, in book form, is relevant and unique in today’s market. You’ll have a much easier time writing your proposal if you take time to conduct market research beforehand.

Start Here: How to Write a Book Proposal

Everything you need to know to start writing a book proposal for your nonfiction book.

How Much Should You Personalize a Query Letter?

Some agents and editors say that personalizing a query letter can backfire. Others say the opposite—that it’s mandatory. What should you do?

The Author’s Path: The Journey to Publication

A detailed look at how NetGalley’s Stuart Evers and Myfanwy Collins went from manuscript to publication, with marketing and PR advice.

4 Freelancing Myths That Are Holding You Back

Misconceptions about getting started often hold new writers back. You may think that to be successful as a freelance writer, you need a J-school degree, an impressive database of editorial contacts, and a truckload of supplies. Not so—read on to learn the most common myths that can sabotage you before you start.

How to Land an Agent for a Self-Published Book

If you’ve given up on the self-publishing route and want to try traditional publishing, then there are several approaches you can take to interest agents.

How Crowdfunding Allows You to Experiment Outside Your Genre

Established writers can’t often—and probably shouldn’t—publish far outside of their area of expertise. It’s a fast way to alienate your existing fan base. But crowdfunding allows you to experiment outside of your genre for a project you want to see out in the world.