It hurts to see you dance so well...
This evening I've been looking into sending off my novel. I've already sent for a book version from lulu, but I've been looking at publishers and literary agents. The way I see this I can go three routes...
- Send manuscripts to publishers directly. - I like this idea, however many don't accept unsolicited submissions, and at 50,500 words mine is only just acceptable. On the other hand it is something I can do personally, and Macmillan New Writing and Random House will accept them.
- Find a literary agent. - This seems difficult, there are thousands of them, they all take different things, I don't fully understand how it works, it seems needlessly complex and the hardest option. It also seems that it's the one with the best success rate.
- Publish Myself. - This is what I would enjoy most. Because I'm a web designer the idea of knocking up a site and selling direct appeals to me. The problem with this is that the internet is a very big place and I'm never likely to sell very many copies at all as I'd not be able to get reviewed or anything (I don't think?) or sold in stores. However it does let me be creative.
I have also considered doing the self publishing route with a view to later getting published, but I'm not sure if having sold it myself effects that or not. (Although as long as I keep all the rights, this shouldn't be a problem, right?)
Anyway, I am pondering all of the above. In the mean time, have a tune..
Comments
Did you finish your WriMo one?
Your best bet is usually getting an agent. You can also get your novel checked through by a reviewing service (I can find you a reputable name) - it's normal to do several redrafts, and however good a writer you are, you must have your work edited as well. Generally speaking it's better not to self publish if you actually want to get your book out there and being read. Getting publicity and getting the book into shops is very time consuming and specialist knowledge can be very helpful.
Buy this if you don't have one already: useful book
As you can see, writing the blasted thing is only half of the work! Drop me a line any time if you need anything else - always delighted to help. P x
Is getting it checked by a reviewing service expensive? I really am on a shoe string budget at the moment, I'm afraid. My father has a copy of that book, so I will pinch that, thanks.
xx
Usually you do one or more redrafts on your own, then get it read by skilled friends/a writing workshop/a review service. Get it as polished as you can before showing it to an agent or editor - then expect to do some more redrafting.
Those services vary in cost, but I suspect more than £100. It might not be worth the bother.
Hi Pete. Firstly, well done! Secondly, try to get an agent if you want to be commercially published. You will need to send them a synopsis, the first four or so chapters and a letter about yourself. Go through Writers and Artists Yearbook, and read up carefully, then choose one who seems to represent authors like you or who you aspire to.
Fifty thousand words is too short to be publishable commercially - it'd need to be more like 90 thousand. But a good agent - if they like what they read - should be able to help you expand it.
Good luck!
I'm probably going to expand it a bit myself before I send it as I have two plot strands I think could do with merging a bit better.
Thanks :) Hope your sales are going good!
Good effort on your nanowrimo. 50k is 200 pages on my count, which is a novel, albeit a short one.
I'm still redrafting mine. I'm going down the Lulu route myself to get a few copies, then looking for an agent. I've not heard good things about the Macmillan scheme, the rates are pretty miserly.
My advice, based on painful experience screenwriting, is get it perfect before you send it out 'cause they'll wont accept a resubmission.
I have to say, I'm baffled by the modern novel being expected to be longer length, when so many good ones of the past were shorter. Steinbeck, Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Stevenson, even Tolstoy wrote novels at that length. Seems a bit of a gap in the market, and I don't really understand why.
I am looking forward to seeing the quality of the lulu one, I really enjoyed putting it together - although they weren't clear on some things - such as whether they count page 1 as a facing page or not, etc. (I assumed Page 1 will be counted as the one facing the inside of the front cover.) It should come this week, so I guess I'll see then.