Getting Published
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The Truth About Publishing – 9
Lesson 8: Understanding your advanceEvery new book represents a risk to the publisher, who is gambling tens of thousands of dollars that it will sell enough copies to earn a profit. As much as a third of all books published lose money, while another third only cover their costs or earn a small profit. Books by unknown authors present the…
The Truth About Publishing – 8
Lesson 7: Wow, you’ve actually been offered a contractAs a beginning writer, if a respectable publisher offers you a book contract, sign it. The chance may not come again. As a novice, you’re not worth much to a publisher, so you have little power to negotiate. If you demand a lot of changes to a contract, or cause interminable delays,…
The Truth About Publishing – 7
Lesson 6: Get advice – from professionalsIs my writing any good? My friends and family loved it, yet publishers keep rejecting my manuscripts and won’t say why. Or worse, they don’t respond at all. What’s the matter? Why won’t they tell me anything? What am I supposed to do now?There are a number of reasons why publishers won’t tell you…
Louise Cusack on Manuscript Development
Manuscript development – most writers need it, but few know anything about it. Who better to talk about the topic than Louise Cusack, award-winning Australian author of romantic adventures set in lost worlds who has also run her own manuscript development business for the past 8 years. Her novella in the anthology Magic, Mystery, Voodoo and the Holy Grail won…
The Truth About Publishing – 6
Lesson 5: Why most writers never get publishedIf you’re continually being rejected, it’s time for ruthless self-analysis. These are the most common reasons that fiction manuscripts are rejected:The writer simply can’t write – or, just as commonly, hasn't taken the trouble to learn how to write;The writer has written a first draft and submitted it without bothering to edit it.…