The entire publishing industry is a big territory, and a lot of what I've learned
(focusing on poetry and SF/fantasy/horror) may not transfer to other genres or
sectors of the industry. But there are some general ideas to keep in mind.
Everything here should be taken with a grain of salt. Or a bucket of salt.
1. There are a lot of
scammers out there. If you are submitting to editors/agents, a good rule of
thumb is that MONEY SHOULD FLOW TO THE WRITER. That means, reputable places do
not charge reading fees, or fees to publish your book or get it on store or
library shelves. If someone asks for an upfront fee, or tells you that they'll
publish you IF you pay their associated editing group to spruce up your
manuscript, they're not legitimate.
2. If you're
self-publishing, or looking for an editor and agent, and want someone to proof
your manuscript or offer ideas for improvement, there are reputable people who
can help with that for a fee, or with ebook design or cover art. (If I ever
decide to self-publish, I will definitely get outside help with stuff like
that. A good book designer or copy editor can make a huge difference in how
professional the end result looks.) Approach it as you would hiring someone to
put a new roof on your house, or fix your bathroom plumbing: get
recommendations from people they've worked with, check out finished products,
etc. Not everyone in the industry is equally skilled or experienced.
3. For that matter, do
your research for editors and agents, too. Spend some time in the bookstore,
and check the acknowledgments page of books you like in your genre. Many
authors will mention their editors and agents, because they know good ones are
worth their weight in gold. Make a list of agents/agencies who seem to have a
liking for your style of story. Check out their websites and see if they're
taking new clients.
4. Is an agent worth
it? I have some friends who have gone without because they stick with smaller,
more specialized publishers, and that works for them. My closest writer friend
has hit the NY Times and USA Today bestseller lists, is going on a book tour
paid for by her publisher, and has work translated and published in a dozen or
more countries--and she swears by her agent. It's a complex issue, but I think
having a GOOD agent can open a lot of doors. Having a sucky agent can be career-destroying. I've watched that happen to friends, too.
5. Another writer
friend taught me that, when making book submissions, you should be careful to
understand what that particular editor or agent is looking for, and you should
not spam EVERY agent at an agency or every editor at a publisher. Many of them
take the stance that, if you've submitted to one person at the establishment,
you've submitted to all of them, so choose your first contact wisely.
6. ALWAYS READ THE
GUIDELINES. All the guidelines. And follow them. It's pretty easy to find sites
that will give you standard manuscript format (William Shunn's is the one I've
most often seen mentioned), but
many places will have their own tweaks or requirements. If you have an
absolutely killer story, it won't necessarily be the kiss of death to make
obvious mistakes . . . but lots of people write killer stories, so why give
them any advantage? And there are always editors and agents who will reject you
based on nit-picky issues because it's a sign that you might be difficult to
work with.
7. Revise and
proofread. Do it one more time than you think is necessary. Read your work out
loud--it will help you catch errors that your brain glosses over.
8. If you have a genre
in mind, think about joining the professional organization as an associate
member, or a full member when you have the requisite sales to qualify. In my
field, that's the SFWA for science fiction and fantasy, HWA for horror writers,
SFPA for speculative poetry. There's also the RWA for romance writers, the SCBWI
for the writers of children's books, or the MWA for writers of mysteries and thrillers. They have benefits even for beginners--RWA
sponsors a lot of conventions with classes and learning opportunities, for
example. Regardless of whether you write SF, you should check out SFWA's Writer Beware site--I think Victoria Strauss is still in charge of it, and it's a
great clearinghouse that warns of many scammers, sketchy dealers, and
collapsing presses.
9. Writers' groups,
conventions, and workshops can be a great opportunity to network and learn, or
a massive time- and money-sink. It's important to do your research, but also to
consider what YOU need. Don't leap into something just because someone tells
you that's the best way to become a success, even if they seem pretty
successful to you. What works for them might be a disaster for you.
10. For that matter,
be wary of anyone who tells you they have the One True Way to be a successful
writer, whether that's writing every day, publishing their own work, or
standing on their head while typing with only their big toe. Every writing
career is unique, in both its successes and its hurdles. You're going to have
to find your own path, to a certain extent.
11. Understand that this is a difficult field in a lot of ways. You have
to have enough confidence to sustain you through the struggles, and enough
humility to learn and grow from those struggles. Prepare to learn patience in a
way you could not have imagined. And try to have a metric for success that does
not revolve around number of book sales or autographs given. Otherwise, no
matter how good you are, you will have too many days that leave you feeling
like an impostor or a failure.
12. I tell people
there are really only two rules:
1) Do what works for
you.
and
2) Try not to be
boring on the final draft.
Good luck!