Long ago, I made a how-to video for formatting your novel manuscript. Unfortunately, when Google bought YouTube and connected everyone’s YT/G+ accounts, the video was somehow lost in the shuffle.
But you know what they say: when life deletes your YouTube videos – make musical versions!
So here’s what I’ve been working on all month. Its imperfections abound, but let’s hope they make it more lovable, eh?
Enjoy!
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If the embed isn’t working, here’s a link: How to Format Your Manuscript
Sorry for the late post – my eyes were so tired last night, I didn’t want to open them, let alone stare at a screen. Actually, I’m typing this with them shut right now. I know, I know, I need new glasses.
Shocking! (Photo by Morgan)
For those of us still in the depths of writing our first novels (I’m close to the twelve-year mark…what is wrong with me?), the publishing world is something of a mystery. Fortunately, there’s a lot of help out there: from authors who’ve been through it, to literary agents and editors who blog about their work, information abounds. Here’s just a sampling.
Do big publishers accept self-published work? What can traditional publishing offer that self-publishing doesn’t? Get answers to these and other questions from Alan Rinzler at the Book Deal.
What happens once you’ve hooked a literary agent, and that agent starts submitting your work to publishers? Did you know it can take editors up to six months to even reply? YA author Natalie Whipple can help you avoid going insane.
Darn it, Jim, I’m a writer, not a lawyer! Kristin Nelson, a literary agent and PubRants author, warns you’d better understand the legal jargon before you sign that publishing contract.
Children’s book editor Cheryl Klein explains why you’re going to have to wait a long time to see your book in print.
Greg Leitich Smith, a children’s/YA writer, has the down low on hosting a book launch party at a bookstore.
Fast Company explains how the New York Times Bestseller list isn’t based on actual sales so much as projected sales – and how Amazon is different.
Curious how many books the average self-publishing author sells? VictorineWrites.com tracks the sales of 45 different authors by the month (some also have notes about price changes, etc., informing the fluctuation in numbers).
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Want more publishing insider info like this? Literary agent-turned-author Nathan Bransford offers a rundown every week (or so).
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Image by Marco Arment
Do I need a literary agent?
Short answer: yes. If you want to be published traditionally, you absolutely need an agent. (I’ll post about self-publishing vs. traditional publishing later on.)
Why do I need a literary agent?
How do I find a literary agent?
The traditional (and still legitimate) way to find an agent is to look them up in the latest edition of Writer’s Market. But now we have the Internet; it’s much easier to look them up on AgentQuery. Start by searching by the genre you write, and make a list of the agents who are accepting submissions. Find out everything you can about each agent before you query. Visit their website (follow submission guidelines!), read their blog, and read any interviews they’ve done.
A great way to pinpoint agents who might like your book is to look up the agents who represent authors with work similar to yours. I don’t know of any standard place to find this information, but you can try the acknowledgements page of the book, the author’s website, searching by author on AgentQuery, or simply Googling it (comb through the results carefully, though; see below).
How do I avoid getting scammed?
DO NOT simply search “literary agents” on Google. I love Google, but there are droves of scam lit agents out there, and AgentQuery is a safer bet. To really protect yourself, here are a few more steps to follow.
More resources:
Learn how to query in these other posts: writing your hook, sample hooks, and what else goes in a query.
Learn more about agents, including what to ask an agent interested in representing you at AAR’s website.
Read about “spaghetti agents” and how to avoid them on former agent Nathan Bransford’s blog.
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