With the continuing rise of self-publishing, getting published can seem more confusing than ever. So, with our ‘How to Get Published’ conference fast approaching, the team here at Writers & Artists thought it was the perfect time to share our best tips, tricks and general advice:
1. Do your research
• There is no point sending a children’s fiction manuscript to an academic publisher – save time and effort by researching the publishing houses that are relevant to your book genre. Our article on the ideal submission package can help you prepare for this step.
• Do you want to be in charge of getting published? Would you prefer your book in an electronic format? If so, self-publishing could be a better option. See Alison Baverstock's article on the perks of self-publishing, or our advice on when to go it alone.
• If these don’t appeal, e-publishing is also now a strategic option to which many writers turn. Read our Experimenting with E-publishing blog post to learn more.
• And of course, there's always the Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook, which also has an online listings section available.
2. Network
• Talk and communicate with other writers and authors. Their advice can be invaluable, as can their support. Literary festivals, writing courses and conferences are great ways to meet others in the literary circuit.
• If you have connections within the publishing industry, don't be afraid to talk to them about your work. The worst that can happen is that they are unable to help - you don't lose anything by trying.
• Attend events and conferences, writing courses and author readings. You never know who you might meet or what advice you might take on board.
3. Keep going!
• Writing and publishing are waiting games so, if you don’t hear back immediately, don’t give up. Traditional publishing needs to validate your book across a wide range of departments before you can even think about it going to press.
• Rejection is part of the publishing process. Be prepared to pick yourself back up and start again. See our section on how to deal with rejection.
•The rise of self-publishing means that you can now publish your book for a fraction of past costs and to your own time scale (for some inspirational advice on successful self-publishing, have a read through some author interviews here). However, as with any publishing route, don’t rush into it. Make sure you haven’t cut corners amidst the haste to see your book in bookshops or online.
Although I do prefer Traditional publishing, i feel self publishing is becoming more the norm. So this is very helpful advice.
Thanks I found this super useful :)