So You want to be a Published Writer

If you are new to the world of writing and want to publish, you have a hard road ahead of you. Nothing of value comes easily.
Firstly, you have to understand two things. The publishing business is very conservative. No publisher wants to lose money on an investment. Keep in mind that publishing is a gamble. Publishers and agents put money and time up front in the hope that they can get a positive return on a work. That is why publishers produce second and third books by published writers; the name sells! My second point is that, no matter how you feel about the artistic value of your work, publishing is a business. Publishers have little time for consideration of the literary value of your work. Their only concern is the saleable potential of the work.
What sells most of all? Basically, women’s romances,
“How to” books and books with a fresh perspective.
Over ninety percent of purchased novels are bought by women. You need to consider this fact; publishers do.
If you have a literary work of art, be prepared to receive a considerable number of rejections.
I give you the following advice, presuming, above all, that you write good work:
First of all, gather around you a group of intelligent readers who believe your work is good. I promise you, you will need their support after you read your first one hundred rejections.
Secondly, believe in your work and love what you do. If you do not love to write, you will never be a true writer. You have heard about writer’s block. Trust me, the writer who loves their work can never experience writer’s block. I, personally, have never known the experience.
Thirdly, learn the tools of your art: language, writing techniques and good grammar. I meet too many would-be writers who ignore basic values of grammar and language and presume, as writers, that they can produce what they please as creative artists. As far as they are concerned, the story they have to present tells itself. Don’t fall into this trap; writing, whether fiction or fact, is an intense, creative learned craft. When I create scenes in my novels, I think of at least four ways that I can approach a scene; then I choose the one I feel is most effective and suitable. The good writer learns techniques that enhance writing. Essentially, all good writers create an image of the subject they address and they know that writing involves both deception and manipulation of the reader. The goal of a good writer is to capture an audience and give their audience the impression that what is written is real. Of course, it cannot be real, but a good writer can make you feel that what you have read is very real.
Traps and snares. Yes, the Internet can help you find agents and publishers, but beware of the POD, (publish on demand), and vanity publishing companies. Basically, they will publish your work, either for a fee or for nothing, (like PublishAmerica), but they will not publicise your work and they will charge higher prices per book. Each book is sold on demand through the company’s website. Essentially, they will publish anything, so don’t feel good that you have been accepted for publication. If you only want to publish, with a pretty cover and the feeling that you are truly a published author, apply to PublishAmerica. Trust me – no matter how bad a writer you are, they will accept your work and give it limited editing.
Secondarily, beware of Internet publishers who solicit poetry and promise you a published place in their special edition. After you have paid an exorbitant price for your special book, you will see your work in print, alongside other suckers!
If you are serious about writing, you will need a website of your own, to advertise your work. You will need, too, to contact local media and press to gain recognition. You will find information on the Internet how to compose a press release. If you are desperate to publish your book, then apply to PublishAmerica, but be warned; no legitimate publishing agency or company will recognize such a company and PublishAmerica holds your copyright for seven years. Secondly, bookstores do not want to stock POD books as they cannot be returned. How do POD companies make their money when they don’t charge for publication? Quite simply; the newbie writer is so enthused with publishing their work that they order over a hundred books at “half-price” with the view that they will sell them all and make a tidy profit. It doesn’t happen. More than fifteen thousand new books are published in North America every year! You should consider, too, that the reading public has no guidelines beyond those put out by major companies. People buy books, because the publisher, through advertising, and the views of certain critics, tell them the book is good. If you go with a POD publisher, the marketing is all up to you.
Bottom line? If you publish with a POD publisher you are on your own as far as marketing is concerned.
If you are lucky enough to publish with a major company, you do not need to worry about publicity – their aim is to sell your book so they can make a profit.
It is also true that books that are published by non-Canadian publishers cannot be considered for major awards; such as the Giller or the Governor General’s award.
The Canadian writing scene is bleak for new writers. Publishers stick, for the most part, with the tried and true authors they have in their stable. The Canadian Writers Union claims to help Canadian writers, but it does very little for new writers.
I give you one further warning: the Canadian relationship with the United States vis-à-vis published books is completely lopsided. If you receive a number of books to sell from your American POD publisher, don’t ever try to take them across the border, even though they are published in the United States. American law dictates that only American citizens can sell books in the United States.
If you can afford it, attend writer conferences. You can build a name with these organizations and meet the right people. Send in and take samples of your work with you and prepare a pitch of your work for an agent or publisher interview. It will have to be good. Most interviews are restricted to five minutes.
Initially, try to publish short works with magazines or with Internet sites like Orchard Press.
Understand this, no reputable book publisher or agent is going to show a great deal of initial interest in an unpublished writer, no matter what they say to the contrary.
Enter every competition you can. Prizes look good on the query letter.
Now I have said it.
The query letter. Your contact with agents or publishing companies, is the query letter. This is a letter that introduces your work and asks the company to read your work. Yes, they want a letter and not your work! I know it sounds crazy, but that’s the way it is. Your publishing hopes depend on the power of this letter to convince the company to ask for a sample of your work. Spend a lot of time on your letter and revise, revise, revise.
The letter will introduce your work, with a short synopsis, and then document your published status in a brief bio; all in one page. No more. One point, here; make sure your work is complete and fully edited before you approach an agent or publisher with a query letter.
Without going overboard or describing your work in flowery and dramatic phrases, make your query letter a unique grabber. Force your reader to ask for more. This is your only chance to get a reading.
For the most part, you will not get a hearing. With your SASE, (required), you will find mostly negative returns. Make sure you slip a blank piece of paper in the SASE, or you will get your own letter back with something scribbled on it. If you need foreign stamps for the SASE, check the Internet for mail services. Many countries, like the USA, have facilities for you to order stamps. For publishing, your best bet is small presses, but be careful to write to a specific person and make sure that the press you write to will accept your type of writing. Check their book lists. Don’t send a sci-fi query to an agent or editor who does not deal with that kind of work.
One of the problems with the general publishing companies is the fact that many of them use inexperienced interns to read initial submissions. These interns are instructed not to recommend more than one work in two hundred!
If you are trying to find an agent, look for agents who are building their own list of clients. But make sure that they have credentials. If they ask for reading fees or money up front, they are not legitimate agents. Most Internet lists of agents or publishers make it clear which type of work is acceptable to them.
Having told you this, I can tell you that, although I have sent query letters to more than a hundred and fifty publishing companies in Canada, no editor of any publishing company in Canada has ever read a single sentence of my work!
One other thing; some countries, like Canada, allow you to incorporate yourself as a writer and permit you to deduct some of your expenses as a writer from your income tax for a couple of years, or until you make a profit. If you wish to try this option, get in touch with a good tax person and keep all receipts. However, after two or three years of declaring no profit, the revenue service will cut you off.
In conclusion, I wish you luck with your work. Like many other endeavours, the road to publishing is a hard road with many traps and obstacles. Above all, stay the course. Publishers and agents are very specific about what they like. I promise you that somewhere out there is a person in the trade who wants to read your work. Your job is to find that person.
Canadian writers should be warned. No matter how many query letters you send, they will all be rejected. The Canadian Writer’s Union claims to help new writers. Don’t be fooled. Check their site if you don’t believe me. They give very little help to new writers. They know, full well, that Canadian publishers have their established set of writers and are not ready to consider new writers. It is for this reason that most major awards for Canadian writers are required to be published by a Canadian publisher. Given this situation, your best bet for publishing is in the United States. However, you must be careful to choose the right publisher.
Before you give up, after writing many query letters, consider this true story.
I happened to be in a mall, in a city some fifty miles distant from my home town, carrying one of my books; The Journey of Marie-Jeanne.
All of a sudden, I was accosted by a middle-aged woman.
“Are you the author of that book?”She enquired.
I told her I was.
“Oh, I’ve so wanted to meet you!” She enthused. “I’ve read your book over and over and it’s so true to life!”
We talked for at least thirty minutes and discussed the book and the life of the main character. Finally, as we parted, she begged me to give her regards to Marie-Jeanne. Of course, although the book is based on fact, the Marie-Jeanne she knew was the one I had created.
I will admit that I was ambivalent, at first, about her parting comment, until a fellow-author pointed out to me that I had created a completely believable character! The dream of most writers! Not only that, I had written the novel in the first person, as if I were the main female character!
You too can experience such praise, and, in the long run, that is what you should seek.
Believe me, it’s not about fame or money. The true author is the one who looks for recognition, response and acceptance from a common audience.

Roger W. Harrington.