If one has the resources available, would self publishing not be the best way to usher one's literary work of art through the threshold of success?
Replies
The attention of publishers is indescribably hard to acquire. Get an agent. The attention of agents is indescribably hard to acquire. Get...who knows?
Your first novel is full of the sort of rookie errors established authors snigger at. Get it on Amazon Kindle; practice self marketing. One of two things will happen:
1. Nothing. All that annoying advice is right, your work is full of rookie errors and your next will be better.
2. Massive sales. Showing an agent that your book sold 20,000 copies in the first 3 months on Amazon will get you their full attention.
The bookseller had an interesting article about the Indian Book market: http://www.thebookseller.com/news/indian-book-market-rapid-growth.html
I can't advise you on how to sell a book in India, I don't know anything about it, however, wherever you are based you can find information about agents and publishers before you submit your work to them. Places like the Absolute Write Water Cooler (a message board for writers and publishing professionals) have a background check section. Anybody can read it - check out the threads of anybody you are interested it and remember, agents and publishers are not divided into scam and non-scam, there's a fair amount of people who have the websites but no sales and are therefore of little use to you.
Absolute Write also has a section devoted to self-publishing and advocates a fair-minded approach to the discussion - JA Konrath believers will need to find another home, as do the "everything self-published is rubbish which couldn't get a REAL publishing deal" brigade.
Self-pubbing is a valuable option for writers to have, but it is time intensive work and the vast majority of writers make very little money. Consider whether you know who your audience is and how to reach them. If you don't (and this should be specific, so "women" isn't an audience, but "professional mothers with an interest in sport, aged 30 - 45" would be) there is little point in putting the novel out there - spend the time on your next novel instead.
Also, avoid the term "fiction novel". All novels are fiction, and that's a particular phrase which makes agents gripe. :)
S G R, I have read that Indian publishers accept direct submissions. This is due to the lack of literary agents in India.
An Indian library or book shop in Delhi may be of help to you. A Librarian or Bookseller should be able to provide you with a list of Indian publishers. I would search for subsidaries of international publishers.
The American market is huge. You could also send query letters to American agents.
The attention of publishers is indescribably hard to acquire. Get an agent. The attention of agents is indescribably hard to acquire. Get...who knows?
Your first novel is full of the sort of rookie errors established authors snigger at. Get it on Amazon Kindle; practice self marketing. One of two things will happen:
1. Nothing. All that annoying advice is right, your work is full of rookie errors and your next will be better.
2. Massive sales. Showing an agent that your book sold 20,000 copies in the first 3 months on Amazon will get you their full attention.
Good luck.
The bookseller had an interesting article about the Indian Book market: http://www.thebookseller.com/news/indian-book-market-rapid-growth.html
I can't advise you on how to sell a book in India, I don't know anything about it, however, wherever you are based you can find information about agents and publishers before you submit your work to them. Places like the Absolute Write Water Cooler (a message board for writers and publishing professionals) have a background check section. Anybody can read it - check out the threads of anybody you are interested it and remember, agents and publishers are not divided into scam and non-scam, there's a fair amount of people who have the websites but no sales and are therefore of little use to you.
Absolute Write also has a section devoted to self-publishing and advocates a fair-minded approach to the discussion - JA Konrath believers will need to find another home, as do the "everything self-published is rubbish which couldn't get a REAL publishing deal" brigade.
Self-pubbing is a valuable option for writers to have, but it is time intensive work and the vast majority of writers make very little money. Consider whether you know who your audience is and how to reach them. If you don't (and this should be specific, so "women" isn't an audience, but "professional mothers with an interest in sport, aged 30 - 45" would be) there is little point in putting the novel out there - spend the time on your next novel instead.
Also, avoid the term "fiction novel". All novels are fiction, and that's a particular phrase which makes agents gripe. :)
Good luck.
S G R, I have read that Indian publishers accept direct submissions. This is due to the lack of literary agents in India.
An Indian library or book shop in Delhi may be of help to you. A Librarian or Bookseller should be able to provide you with a list of Indian publishers. I would search for subsidaries of international publishers.
The American market is huge. You could also send query letters to American agents.
Good luck.