Firstly, a big thank you to all the writers and readers who commented on these blog posts, who took part and shared their own thoughts and advice. Writing’s a lonely endeavour when you get down to it, but learning doesn't have to be, and I’ll be glad if just a few of the things I've said here have helped.
Writers’ & Artists’ asked you if you had any final questions for me. Well, you did! Below, I’ll try and answer a few as best I can, and I just hope it leads to more sharing, more creativity, and more people writing really good stories.
If you want to keep in touch and see how publishing EREN turns out, you can follow me on Twitter as @araenvo.
Simon P. Clark
Would you advise writers to query literary agents via Facebook or Twitter, or do you think such social media approaches are not really acceptable or frowned upon?
I would advise you follow agents on Twitter, to see the helpful things they say – but you should never query through social media unless explicitly asked to. Most agents have little time for it since they have their guidelines on their websites. At best, you’ll get a polite link to their submissions procedures. At worst, blocked and blacklisted. Submitting to agents can seem overly complicated, but if you follow the pretty routine steps on individual agent’s websites, you’re already ahead of the game.
Trust me – nothing pleases literary agents more than a clean, professional submission that clearly understands how the game is played.
Do most agents assume you'll give up and go away once a certain time has expired, rendering a response unnecessary?
I don’t think agents assume you’ll give up – writers trying to make it in the world can be known for their tenacity. If you sent you book to an agent, there’s generally two different ways it will play out: they’ll get back to you within a certain time frame(usually noted on their websites, and commonly about three months) or they’ll let you know that, if you haven’t heard by a certain date, you can assume it’s a no. The second one can be rougher on writers, since every day up until the cut off date, you’re left in the dark – but it’s all part of the submission trenches.
If in doubt, remember that agents are people – usually, lovely people, who loves books. If the info isn't available, ask them when you can expect to hear, and then leave it at that. Don’t become a bother or you’re just shooting yourself in the foot – who wants to build a relationship that could potentially go on for years with someone they know is annoying?
I have just been ripped off by a publisher. They have taken my money, my written work, published it and are refusing to send me my author's copies and 51% royalties as per agreement. Obviously, they will not be getting any more manuscript from me.
How can I stop the further distribution of my book?
Wow, this is extreme. Authors always need to be wary when dealing with their rights and their work. I’m no legal eagle, but if you’ve signed a contract, then both parties are bound to those terms. I would suggest a few things. In the UK, the Society of Authors works to protect the rights of authors, and offers contract vetting as well as guides and legal advice. In the U.S., The Writers Guild offers much the same. For future reference, Predators and Editors keeps regularly updated listings of both publishers and agents, offering warnings of any dodgy or unscrupulous activity.
In a non-legal sense, I think the first option should always be to try to sort things out with your publisher directly, to make sure it’s not a misunderstanding or bad communication. That said, sometimes things do go badly, and authors can suffer. If they’ve acted illegally or broken the terms of a contract, you could consider asking for a lawyer’s advice.
How do I go about getting my story to the best agent/publisher to help? My story comes under the erotic romance genre which has been booming since the release of Fifty Shades of Grey - can you recommend any agents/publishers that deal with these types of books?
This is an easy one. The Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook (who are not paying me to say this, I swear) has listings of agents including all the genres they cover – just go through and find ones accepted erotica. When I first started out, I used the copy in my local library – it’s in the reference section. Then I bought a few. Now it’s even available online. What a world, eh?
You can also try asking in writer’s community forums such as Absolute Write, though you may just get pointed back to the Yearbook (or The Writer’s Handbook if you’re in the U.S.).
Would it be possible for a non-native to publish a book in English in the UK? What about probable?
Absolutely. My book, EREN, is coming out in the UK next year, but I live in the U.S. right now. I’m British, sure, but that doesn't matter. The Internet has made it easier than ever before for writers to make it in markets they can’t physically visit. UK agents will take non-UK clients. So, yes. Possible, probable, and it’s already happening all the time.
My dad’s finally finished his first book, but he hasn't got an agent yet. What’s the next step in getting published?
Well, that depends how he wants to get published. Seems that where we stand now, there are three main routes: traditional through an agent, traditional through a publisher, and self-published. Which one is right depends on the writer, on what they want, what they expect, and a whole host of other things. Have a look around this site, and see what you think.
What is the single best advice you could give to an aspiring author? And what makes a great children's book?
I really wish I had some fantastic, mystic insight to share – that I had found the Great Secret of Writing and could sit under a pear tree and tell people. Sadly, I don’t. Or, if I do, I’m not dumb enough to tell just everyone.
Actually, I’ll just share the best advice I've been given: write. Don’t think about agents, books deals, covers, or money. You have to love writing more than the idea of being published. Keep going. It’s a slog, but that’s the test, and if you make it through and finish your book, you've already so far ahead of the crowd.
Read widely – it’s research. Experiment. Try different genres, form, styles, persons… write outside your comfort zone and find your own voice. Don’t just copy others if that’s all you do. Finish your stories and edit them a month later.
As for children’s books – a great children’s book, in my mind, is one you remember and read years later, as an adult, and still get just as much pleasure out of it. Good books don’t condescend or patronise, but just let children marvel at the story and the fiction. They don’t make judgments or conclusions on behalf of children, and they don’t hide the darkness or pretend that things won’t hurt. Good children’s books are, sometimes, the ones that are too complicated for adults.
Simon grew up in the UK before moving to rural Japan to teach English for three years after graduating. From there he moved to New Jersey, USA, where he works as a writer. His first children's book, EREN, is represented by Molly Ker Hawn of The Bent Agency and will be published by Constable & Robinson in Autumn 2014.. He blogs about writing and publishing at http://www.simonpclark.com.
If you found this article helpful, you may want to take a look at:
Getting Plugged In To The Writing Community
What To Do After The First Draft's Done
Harikleia, it does, but only limited ones. For the U.S. try The Writer's Market
Hello,
I am a new member and I live in the USA. I'd like to know if the Writers' & Artists' Yearbook includes agents and publishers in the USA. Thanks. Harikleia
cool. good luck!