Getting published

Getting published isn't easy, but the following page should help you get started. It contains information on getting short stories and novels published, as well as basic information on agents and editors. So read on! If you're a repeat visitor, scan the page for red notes to find new information or updates. If you've got any questions when you're done, ask me: tjberg@infinity-press.com.

Short stories

Writing and publishing short stories is a great place for a new writer to start. Not only does it give writers the practice they need in writing, but it will allow them to get to know the market. Once a you've gotten short stories published, editors and agents will be more likely to take notice of your novel when you send it out, because getting a short story published is by no means an easy task. There are a lot of writers out there, and only a limited number of magazines publishing fiction, so you've got to keep writing and stick to your guns. Once magazine editors start to take notice and publish your work, you'll have a much better time getting agents and editors to do the same. So take the time to read the submission guidelines below for short stories, and then browse through the magazine list. If a magazine looks promising, check out their website, read a few issues to see if they're publishing what you like, and then give them a try. (My list contains mostly genre magazines at this time, though I hope to expand that.)

Format:

Most magazines require that fiction be submitted in a particular format. All stories should be submitted double spaced in dark, 12 point font, on clean, white paper with at least 1 inch margins. Designate italics with underlining. Courier is the preferred font, but if your printer/computer doesn't do this font, use another clear font (don't get fancy--and never use more than one font in a story).

On every page you should have your name, the title of your story (or enough of it to be clear what story it is), and the page number. Also, it is a good idea to put your contact information on the first page of your manuscript unless told to do otherwise by the magazine/contest.

Some magazines prefer stapled manuscripts, others paper clipped. You'll just have to get a feel for it.

SASE's:

Always include a self addressed stamped envelope (SASE) with every submission. Always attach the postage yourself. The SASE should be large enough (with enough postage) to return your story in. If you don't want the story back, include a business sized envelope for their reply, and mark your manuscript "disposable." Do not stuff your submission into a tiny envelope--use a large manila envelope, preferably without metal clasps or bulky padding. Just keep it simple. If you are submitting from out of the country, use an international reply coupon (IRC). This includes American's submitting to Canada, by the way.

Cover Letters:

For the most part, unless you have something significant to say about yourself (like relevant credentials, previous publications, etc.), you don't need a cover letter. You should put a cover sheet on, however, with your name, contact information, and the word count and title of your story. Do NOT put in a synopsis of your story unless a magazine specifically requests that you do.

Email Submissions:

NEVER email a submission unless specifically notified that it's okay.

Research:

It is a good idea to read at least one issue of a magazine before submitting, or at least visit their web site. Web sites are a good resource for finding out about magazines. You are only wasting time and postage if you send material to a magazine if it isn't their "style."

Submission Etiquette:

Be patient! Editors get a lot of fiction, and it may take some time to get your story back. Give at least three months before following up, and always be very polite in your follow up. If no one replies to your follow up, try again in a month or two. If need be, withdraw your submission in writing after six months or so if you haven't heard from anyone. Do this politely, in writing. Then send the story elsewhere.

NEVER, never ever, send the same story out to multiple magazines at the same time (simultaneous submissions). This is very rude, and will earn you a bad reputation. Do send out several different stories at once to different magazines. Do NOT send more than one story to the same magazine at one time (multiple submissions). You might want to find a way to keep track of which stories you sent where, at a glance.

Magazines

Asimov's Science Fiction

Science fiction. 7,500 to 15,000 words.

Gardner Dozois Editor
Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
475 Park Ave. South, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10016

email: asimovs@dellmagazines.com

Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction

Fantasy and science fiction. Up to 25,000 words.

Gordon Van Gelder
Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction
P.O. Box 3447
Hoboken, NJ 07030

Analog Science Fiction and Fact

Hard SF. They tend to like stories with proactive protagonists that work to solve problems and succeed (i.e. they like happy endings). Up to 4,000 words.

Stanley Schmidt Editor
Analog Science Fiction and Fact
475 Park Ave. South, 11th floor
New York, NY 10016

email: editor@analogsf.com

Aboriginal Science Fiction

Like hard SF, but will consider good action/adventure, space opera, and science fantasy (whatever that may be). Like stories dealing with the latest scientific discoveries. Do not like Twilight Zone type stories. Stories 2,500 to 4,500 words.

Aboriginal Science Fiction
Charles Ryan PO Box 2449
Woburn, MA 01888

Realms of Fantasy

Realms of Fantasy
PO Box 527
Rumson, NJ 07760

Fantastic Stories of the Imagination

Publish science fiction/fantasy and cross-genre stories (like SF mysteries, etc.) Accepts 2,000 to 15,000 words stories (on average print 4,000 to 5,000 word stories).

Ed McFadden
Fantastic Stories of the Imagination
PO Box 329
Brightwaters, NY 11718-0329

Absolute Magnitude

Want character-driven action/adventure based technical science fiction. (They do not do funny science fiction--guess they don't have a sense of humor!) They also aren't big on clones, alternate histories, time travel, or religious stuff. 3,000 to 8,000 words optimal, will look at stories up to 25,000 words.

Warren Labine
Absolute Magnitude
PO Box 2988 Radford, VA 24143-2988

Terra Incognita

Bad News! Looks like Terra Incognita has gone under. If I hear differently, I'll post it. (3.10.02)

They publish Earth-based science fiction of all kinds. "Up to 15,000 words--and not a world longer."

Terra Incognita
52 Windermere Ave. #3
Lansdowne, PA 19050-1812

Darkling Plain

They do "literary" SF and cross-genre fiction including "science fiction, fantasy, horror, magic realism, literary, and especially unclassifiable stories that blur the boundaries of these designations." Up to 8,000 words. The editor only looks at submissions during certain times of the year. Query the editor or check the website before sending a submission.

Darkling Plain
4804 Laurel Canyon Blvd.
Box 506
Valley Village, CA 91607

Interzone

Science fiction/fantasy/horror. Do not like space opera, sword and sorcery, or ghost stories. If you are submitting from out of the country, please mark your manuscript disposable and put in two international reply coupons with a small envelope. 2000 to 6000 words. Do not staple or paper clip manuscript.

Interzone
217 Preston Drove
Brighton BN1 6FL UK

Century

Good fiction of any kind. Speculative, SF, fantasy, horror. As long as it's good. Please hold off on submitting to this magazine, as there was a loss on the staff.

Robert K.J. Killheffer
Century Publishing
PO box 150510
Brooklyn, NY 11215-0510

Black Brain Recluse

(Unfortunately, this magazine is now closed to unrequested material. Please query the magazine before submitting.)

Experimental, avant-garde, whatever fiction that defies genre pigeonholes. Check out www.bbr-online.com/magazine--a special resource for writers. Will also accept an email address instead of return postage for out-of-country submissions. If you do this, mark your manuscript disposable and expect a reply by email only. Will also accept sufficient cash for return postage (instead of IRC).

Chris Reed
Black Brain Recluse
PO Bo 625
Sheffield, S1 3GY UK

Weird Tales

Stories with any kind of "fantastic" content--fantasy based horror, heroic fantasy, and exotic mood pieces "plus the occasional odd story that won't fit anywhere else." Science fiction with some kind of fantastic element is also accepted. Does not do "true stories about the scary thing that happened to . . ." They do want their protagonists to "at least try and cope" with what is happening in the story. 1,000 to 10,000 words. Will look at short-shorts (and I don't mean daisy dukes) if they are done well. These guys are very backed up right now--be patient and they will get back to you, often with a very good note if it is a rejection.

Darrell Schweitzer
Weird Tales
124 Crooked Lane
King of Prussia, PA 19406

NOTE Talebones

Horror/Dark Fantasy Up to 6,000 words.

Talebones
5203 Quincy Ave. SE
Auburn, WA 98092

email: talebones@nventure.com This magazine no longer takes email submissions! Please send all submissions by hard copy!

Cemetery Dance

NEWS! Horror, suspense, and crime fiction. Traditional, contemporary, supernatural, psychological, etc. Dark dark dark. Up to 5000 words. Cemetery Dance is now open for submissions year round! Please check out their website..

Richard Chizmar
Cemetery Dance
PO Box 827
Abingdon, MD 21009

Dreams of Decadence, Vampire Poetry and Fiction

As the title says, vampire poetry and fiction. 1,000 to 15,000 words.

Angela Kessler
Dreams of Decadence
PO Box 2988
Radford, VA 24143-2988

Brutarian Quarterly

Prefer dark fantasy or horror, but will read and maybe even publish any thing good. Also accepts non-fiction, interviews, reviews, etc. No more than 10,000 words. Likes cover letters with brief synopses, etc.

Dominick J. Salemi
Brutarian Quarterly
PO Box 25222
Arlington, VA 22202-9222

Parsec

Parsec is a science fiction, fantasy and horror magazine. They prefer Canadian writers, but will accept writers from around the world. They are looking for good quality speculative fiction (no stream of consciousness or high school experiments please).

Fiction pieces should be between 3,500 and 7,500 words.

QUERY FIRST! They do accept email queries on stories. Do NOT email complete stories. They will not consider unsolicited manuscripts (ie. stories that you sent without querying first, and said query resulting in their asking to see your story). Queries should contain a synopsis and any notes on unique style or technique. You might also list if you've had previous sales.

Send queries (typed, double spaced) to:

Chris Krejlgaard
managing editor
c/o Plaza 69 Post Office
1935 Paris St., P.O. Box 21019
Sudbury, Ontario P3E 6G6

Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine

Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine
475 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10016

Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine

Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
475 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10016

NOTE The New Yorker

The New Yorker no longer takes unsolicited paper submissions. Please follow the guidelines below.

Submissions should be sent by e-mail to Fiction: fiction@newyorker.com

From their site:

We cannot accept submissions that are sent as attachments, so please send your work as part of the body of an e-mail. No more than one story or six poems should be submitted at one time. We prefer to receive no more than two submissions per writer per year, and generally cannot reply to more. The New Yorker does not accept unsolicited submissions by mail or by fax, and we cannot be responsible for the loss or return of unsolicited pieces. We do not consider simultaneous submissions or material that has been previously published. We try to respond to all submissions, but, due to volume, we may take up to eight weeks to respond."

The Glimmer Train

This magazine publishes all sorts of fiction in two ways: through a contest and through a standard submission process. No non-fiction.

Standard submissions: An fiction under 10,000 words, sent in January, April, July, and October.

Short-Story Award for New Writers: 8,000 words by an author who has not been published in a nationally distributed publication with a circulation of over 5,000. Reading fee of $12. Put name, address, and phone on first page of story. Staple story. No need for SASE. Write "Short Story Award For New Writers" on your envelope. Spring postmark deadline is March 31. Fall postmark deadline by September 31. Winners will be notified by phone by July 1 and January 1 respectively.

Glimmer Train Press, Inc.
710 SW Madison St. Suite 504
Portland, OR 97205

tel: 503.221.0836

New Genre

Accepts all varients of science and horror fiction, excepting gore, super violent, or excessively explicit subjet matter unless well justified by the quality of the story. Most fantasy, (excepting some dark fantasy) will not be considered. No stories based in pre-existing commercial universes (ie. role playing or movie universes). No poetry

Word limit: 14,000. Excerpts from larger works are fine.

Send to
New Genre
25 Cutter Avenue
Somerville, MA 02144
Jeff Paris, Science fiction editor
Adam Golaski, Horror Fiction editor

Email submissions (as attached Microsoft word document) to submissions@ngenre.com

Space and Time

Space and Time is a bi-annual magazine of science-fiction & fantasy. They publish supernatural horror, hard s-f, sword & sorcery, and particularly fiction which defies categorization.

Poetry of any type is fine, as long as it falls within the sf/fantasy genre; strong narrative poems are welcome here.

Fiction: word limit 10,000

They prefer your name and address on the upper corner of the first page.

Address fiction to Gerard Houarner (or any associate editor), and poetry to Linda D. Addison. Mixing poems and stories delays their response.

Send to:

Space and Time
138 West 70th Street (4B)
New York, NY 10023-4468

On Spec

Fiction Editors: (Take your pick.) Derryl Murphy, Jena Snyder, Diane L. Walton, and Peter Watts
ON SPEC Magazine, Box 4727, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6E 5G6

From their website:

"SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: The On Spec editors are looking for original, unpublished speculative fiction (SF) and poetry -- fantasy, horror, ghost stories, fairy stories, magic realism, etc. Our mandate is to provide a market for the Canadian viewpoint, but we welcome submissions from writers everywhere, and have published authors from Canada, the U.S., Britain, New Zealand, South America, and more. Send your short stories (max. 6000 words), short short stories (under 1000 words) or poetry (max. 100 lines)"

COVER LETTER: (definitely include this) * include your name, address, telephone number, email address, story title, accurate word count, and a brief (3-line) biography including your publishing background * don't include a synopsis: let your story sell itself

REPLIES: * we do not reply via email * we prefer disposable manuscripts, but if you want your manuscript returned, include Self Addressed Stamped Envelope (SASE) bearing sufficient Canadian postage for its return. If your manuscript is disposable, mark it "disposable" and include #10 SASE (or SAE and IRCs) for our reply * manuscripts sent from outside Canada should include Canadian stamps or International Reply Coupons (IRCs, available from most post offices) THIS INCLUDES US AMERICANS TOO!

DEADLINES: Deadlines are February 28, May 31, August 31, and November 30.
Publication decisions are made four times annually, with response about 12 weeks after each deadline. Manuscripts that miss a deadline will be held for the next one; this may be up to 6 months. Please let us know if you do not wish a manuscript to be held over.

Also, on their site, they have a rather humorous "Top Ten No-No's" list for writers, if you're looking for a giggle. http://www.icomm.ca/onspec/top10.htm

The Third Alternative

From their site:

"FICTION:
We publish modern science fiction, fantasy and horror, as well as borderline material which uses genre elements with a relatively mainstream sensibility. The results are often unique and breathtaking, and it is this type of fiction which has earned The Third Alternative its enviable critical reputation and four British Fantasy Awards. Many of our stories have earned honourable mentions and reprints in both genre and non-genre Year's Best anthologies, others have won prestigious awards, and a number of our contributors have been selected to appear in various 'New Writing' anthologies.
Stories are welcome all year round. We are never closed to submissions. There is no restriction on length (within reason). Please send just one story at a time, mailed flat or folded no more than once, in standard manuscript format, with a covering letter and adequate return postage (ie a stamped, self-addressed envelope). Overseas submissions should be disposable and accompanied by two IRCs or simply an email address (this option is for submissions from overseas only). All submissions must be in hard copy, please do not send any unsolicited submissions via email (but queries, letters etc are welcome via email)."

Send to:

Andy Cox, editor
The Third Alternative,
TTA Press
5 Martins Lane
Witcham, Ely, Cambs CB6 2LB
United Kingdom

Crimewave

This is all I got on this one guys:
"Advice for writers. Mat Coward, editor of Crimewave #1, writes: "I'm seeing too much Tarantino, not enough Chandler; too many US-set stories by UK writers; too many overlong stories; not enough actual mystery stories. Give me thoughtful, regional; give me some (incidental) humour! I advise potential contributors to read (not watch at the Odeon) some recent cri-fi." New writers welcome. Submit by snail mail using standard manuscript format. "

Send to:

Mat Coward, editor
Crimewave
TTA Press
5 Martins Lane
Witcham, Ely, Cambs CB6 2LB
United Kingdom

Horror Garage

From their site: "HORROR GARAGE wants the best in original dark fiction. Despite the intentional artlessness of its Z-grade zombie flick psychotronic garage format, HG is very serious about the literary quality of its fiction. We don't deal with labels. Horror, dark fantasy, suspense, noir, slipstream, supernatural, non-supernatural, cutting edge, magic realism, contemporary fantasy, whatever -- the magazine is called HORROR GARAGE; you can park whatever you want in it as long as the engine will rev."

Michele Patterson
Asst. Editor
Horror Garage
8738 W. 86th Ave.
Arvada, CO 80005
Email: HGarageSubs@yahoo.com (inquire as to format)

New Entry! Tales of the Unaticipated

Going strong now for over 16 years, TOTU has been the first publisher of many popular authors. Sponsored by the Minnesota Science Fiction Society, TOTU publishes a variety of speculative fiction (which I personally think is some of the finest out there). The submission period for this magazine is limited, and they often publish magazines with themes. The best bet here is to check out their web site. Otherwise, send a query letter for guidelines.

Eric M. Heideman
Editor P.O. Box 8036
Lake Street Station
Minneapolis, MN 55408
For questions and queries only: TOTU@worldnet.att.net

New Entry! Black Gate

From their site: "Black Gate publishes epic fantasy fiction at all lengths (including novel excerpts), articles, interviews, news and reviews. We are looking for adventure-oriented fantasy fiction suitable for all ages -- including urban fantasy, sword & sorcery, dark fantasy/horror, "magic realism" and romantic fantasy -- as long as it is well written and original."

New Epoch Press
Attn: Submissions Dept 815
Oak Street St. Charles, IL 60174
submissions@blackgate.com

New Entry! Non/Stop

Non/Stop is looking for stories that "face the future of humanity (or alienness) affected by science." They're looking for literate fiction that defies the generic standards. (No sword & sorcery, splatter/horror or formula SF unless it's wildly different from what's out there.) Also does non-fiction. Query first for non-fiction.

Max words: 9,000. (Average 1,000-4,000)

Non/Stop
POB 981 Peck Slip Station
New York NY 10272-0981

New Entry! Flesh and Blood

From their site:

Fiction:

Poetry:

Same guidelines for fiction apply to poetry: strange, unnatural, and plain old weird is what we want. Keep poems down to at least one typed page or less, and please send no more than five poems at a time. Poems that rhyme will have very little chance at being bought; poems with themes about love, desire, heartache, vampires, etc will also not be considered.

We will read both paper and email submissions. Please include a SASE with all paper submissions. All stories must abide by "proper manuscript format." Please send only one submission at a time and wait for a reply before sending another. All email submissions should be sent to the attention of Jack Fisher only and emailed to the appropriate address below. If you have any additional questions in any regard, please contact either Robert Swartwood or Meghan Fatras, assistant editors.

Email submissions to HorrorJack@aol.com

USPS submissions should be mailed to:

Flesh & Blood Press
Attn: Jack Fisher
121 Joseph Street
Bayville, NJ 08721

L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Contest

This is a big contest with a lot of money involved which many great authors have won, but has an iffy feel about it being attached to L. Ron Hubbard's name. It is an entirely legitimate contest with some major authors involved, but I wouldn't submit if you have qualms about "scientology." You'll have to make your own decision on this one. The contest is for non-professional authors writing science fiction or fantasy. For this, do NOT put your name on each page of the manuscript, because judging is anonymous. Use a cover page with title and contact information. Do number pages. Up to 17,000 words.

L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future
Contest P.O. Box 1630
Los Angeles, CA 90078

Other sites to check out:

Orb--An Australian speculative fiction magazine. This site also lists other Australian and New Zealand speculative fiction magazines and resources. Some of these accept only Australian writers, so read their guidelines carefully.

Critters--An online writer's group for speculative fiction, with lots of other useful resources. In their resources section, they list several market magazines that might supplement my own lists here.

Novels

Getting a novel published isn't easy, but getting a few basic ground rules down is going to drastically increase your chances. First, know the industry standard for how to submit a manuscript! Take the time to read the standard submission guidelines for submitting a novel below. Second, decide whether you would like to get an agent, or to try dealing directly with an editor. Following these submission guidelines is information on what agents and editors do.

Generally, getting an agent is the traditional path. Although an agent cannot guarantee you will get published, he or she can greatly increase your chances. Third, do a little leg work. Go to conventions. Meet editors and agents. Get them to request your material. If this is too difficult, for money reasons, or because you are shy, or for any other reason, don't give up! Many people are pulled off the slush pile. So if you can't or won't go to a convention, get a book listing agents and/or editors, such as Literary Market Place, which comes out every year. Finally, submit! Follow the standard guidelines below (unless you get a request to do otherwise), and good luck!

Standard submissions guidelines for submitting a novel:

The manuscript:

Submit your manuscript double-spaced with clear, typewritten (computer or manual typewriter) text on clean, white paper. Print only on one side. You do not need to bind your manuscript. Most editors and agents prefer you keep it simple. Use a 12 point font that is clear, such as this font, or courier like this. Though no one would reject you for using one font or another, it is very annoying to read a submission that has type that is too light, too small, or is unclear, and an agent or editor may just choose not to read it. Another note on fonts: do NOT use multiple fonts in a submission. It looks amateurish and detracts from what an agent or editor is really looking for--good writing and a good story. When designating italics, use underlining. Although this rule is not as hard and fast as it used to be, it is still the industry standard and is highly recommended.

Every page of your submission should have your name, the title of your story, and the page number. You should also include a cover page with your name, contact information, the word count on your novel, and the date.

Submission etiquette:

Etiquette for novels is very similar to short story submissions. So again, be patient! Editors and agents get a lot of novels, and it may take some time to get yours back if you actually expect them to read it. Give about three months before following up on an unrequested submission, and always be very polite in your follow up. If no one replies to your follow up, try again in a month or two. If need be, withdraw your submission in writing after six months to a year if you haven't heard from anyone. Do this politely, in writing. Then send the novel elsewhere. You should always use your own judgment for each particular situation, especially if you are getting some kind of response. You can also try getting online and talking to other writers to find out about the reputation of the agent or editor who you submitted to.

As with short stories, NEVER, never ever, send the same story out to multiple editors or agents at the same time (simultaneous submissions). This is very rude, and will earn you a bad reputation. Do NOT send more than one novel to the same editor or agent at one time (multiple submissions) unless specifically requested to do so. If you do decide to send out the same novel to more than one person, be sure to let them know in your letter.

A note on technology: Never query or submit by email. Most editors and agents do not accept email queries and will delete them without responding. They will be even more annoyed if you attach a large file, or plunk a novel in the body of the email, because they will then have to waste time while the file loads onto their computer. This applies to faxes too. NEVER query by fax, or send your novel or proposal as a fax.

The proposal:

The standard for submitting a novel to an editor or agent (unless asked to do otherwise) is to send a proposal. A proposal consists of a cover letter, a synopsis of the novel, and about four sample chapters, or around fifty pages--enough to let the editor or agent know what the book is about, and whether you have the writing skills to carry it off.

Creating a strong proposal, even for a very good novel, is difficult. The most important part, of course, is having a good novel. You can write the best cover letter, and the most engaging synopsis, but if your work itself is poor, you will be rejected. So make sure to send only your best. Get someone you can trust to be honest to read your work and help you tighten it up. (In fact, try finding or forming a writer's group, if you have the time.) And by all means, be sure that it is grammatically sound and free of typos. But most importantly, start strong. Many times only the first five to ten pages (and less at places that receive a lot of slush) of an unsolicited manuscript are read before the novel is rejected, so make your beginning the best it can be.

Cover letters:

Once your work is finished and ready to go out, you have to go through the process of pitching it. This isn't easy--you love your work, it's your baby, but it's hard to sell yourself, but sell you must if you want to see it published. The first part of the sell is a cover letter. If your sending it out unrequested, this is the part that will get the reader interested.

Now, you can talk to a dozen editors and agents and they'll all disagree about what makes a good cover letter. Generally though, it is a good idea to keep the letter short and direct. Don't try to be flashy or tricky. Most editors and agents have seen it all and are not impressed. Be clear about what you are looking for (if looking for an agent, someone to represent your work, if looking for an editor, someone to purchase your work) and always date your letter.

Try to very briefly introduce your story idea and suggest that they read the synopsis and sample chapters. Keep what you have to say about your story down to its overall idea and what you think its strengths are and what makes it unique. (Say, if you wrote Highlander: "The urban setting transforms what would be a traditional sword and sorcery novel to a tale that reaches a far broader audience through its familiar environment. The main character's personal suffering, healing, and growth adds an emotional dimension that is often missing in stories of this kind, separating my book from generic action and giving the main character a just cause for his many beheadings.")

Give information about yourself if you have biographical information that is pertinent to your writing (e.g. you are a an archeologist writing about a mystery surrounding the pyramids, you have a Ph.D. in astrophysics and your book is a space adventure, you spent the last ten years in jail and you are writing a thriller about a man's experience in jail, or you've been a published journalist for the past ten years). You should mention that you have had work published (if it's true) in your cover letter, but avoid listing every single thing you've ever had published, especially if it's a long list. You can just highlight the most important publications and attach a curriculum vitae that covers the rest. (If you've got reviews or quotes, this is also a good place to put those.)

There are some big "Don'ts" for cover letters. First, DON'T spell the person's name wrong. This is an immediate turn off. Second, do not have typos in your letter. Read it very carefully to be sure that punctuation and grammar are correct. (For all those people sending out cover letters with the titles of their novels in quotes, the title of a book is either underlined, italicized, or put in CAPS. Quotation marks are for short stories and poems.)

DON'T go into a long winded discussion of your story, or go on and on about marketing angles. If there is some particular current even, or very strong marketing angle, mention it, but don't ramble.

DON'T give a third person biography of yourself (Bob Bobert has been a market analyst for Toy's-R-U for ten years . . .)! This comes off as presumptuous. Talk about yourself in the first person.

Do NOT tell the editor or agent that your mom, boy/girlfriend, friends, neighbors, etc. liked your book or quote what they said. The person considering your manuscript has no reason to trust you or the taste of your friends and family (unless of course they work for the New York Times Book Review), and will only assume you are being humored. DO note any reviews you might have from published authors or others who would be respected in the field of publishing, or who might be relevant to the topic of your book. (Say, you wrote a fantasy taking placing in 14th century Germany and a noted historian has read, enjoyed, and would attest to the accuracy of your novel.)

DO NOT use tricks, such as dumping perfume all over your letter or manuscript, enclosing anything annoying (like confetti), enclosing pictures of yourself, unless relevant to the manuscript. Don't try to trick the agent or editor into reading your work with silly ploys (like, "I'm an FBI agent searching for a man who might be submitting to agencies" or "Picture yourself on the Today Show, getting interviewed about the insights that led you to the purchase of Burger Queen, and made you millions. But wait! You said no! You missed your chance!).

Finally, close your letter politely with something like "I hope you enjoy my work and I look forward to hearing from you." Again, you needn't get fancy or tricky. Simple does it.

The Synopsis:

A synopsis is a summary of your novel. You should include the main plot line, characters (and why they are interesting), and any notes about your writing style if it is somehow unique (such as an epistolary novel, a pastiche, post modern, etc.). Try to keep your style active while giving the most important aspects of your book. Keep your synopsis down to a few pages and stick to the most important parts, emphasizing what makes your book different and exciting. And don't stress too much. If the cover letter has caught the reader's attention, he or she will likely dive into your story because that will tell more about your book than any other thing you include in the package.

The Manuscript:

First, always submit a proposal for an already completed manuscript. (The only exception to this is if you are an already published author with a good track record.) No one wants to take a risk on someone who hasn't proven they can finish a novel. Second, be sure that your manuscript is grammatically sound and formatted correctly. (See above.) Finally, start and end your sample chapters strong. If that first paragraph doesn't catch the reader's attention, your manuscript will likely be sent back without a further look. And end strong, don't just make a random choice as to how many pages you'll send. Make sure the chapter ends at a moment of suspense so that the reader wants to read on. Other than this, there's little else you can do but write well (which requires writing a lot and reading a lot).

Send it:

Finally, get up the guts and send the manuscript. Remember, all they can do is say no. (I think Norman Mailer was rejected some 40 times before getting published, and Anne Rice like 90, so stick to it.) In your package include a SASE (self addressed stamped envelope) for return of your manuscript. If you don't want your manuscript back, you can include a self addressed stamped business sized envelope and mark your manuscript disposable. Most editors/agents will throw your manuscript away without a reply if you don't enclose a SASE, so don't forget this! If you are submitting from another country, include an international reply coupon. (Some editors and agents will reply by email to foreign authors if requested to do so.)

Once you've packaged it, you are ready to go. Be sure there's enough postage, and try not to think about it every day.

Agents

If you've completed a novel, and you are curious about what a literary agent does, read on. Below, I try to answer some common questions regarding agents.

What is a literary agent?

A literary agent is someone who is very familiar with the publishing industry, and who deals with publishers on behalf of new and established authors.

What does a literary agent do?

The agent represents new and established authors by sending the author's manuscript to an editor at a publishing house with the goal of selling that manuscript to the publisher. If the editor likes the manuscript, the agent then negotiates a contract on behalf of the author, with final approval of the terms remaining with the author. They also represent the author should any complaints arise against the publishing house, or should any other problems occur. An agent is also responsible for making sure all terms of the contract are fulfilled.

If a manuscript is rejected, the agent is there as a buffer to the author--and is also responsible for getting the manuscript out to other publishing houses promptly.

Why do authors need literary agents?

Of course, an author is not required to have an agent, but it can often be very helpful. Agents often act as a filter, and editors receiving a manuscript from an agent know it has passed at least one professional's scrutiny. This means that editors often give fuller (and more prompt) consideration to agented manuscripts.

For a new author, this may be essential, especially if the author is unfamiliar with the industry. An agent often knows many people in publishing, and understands their personal tastes in writing, and can therefore get manuscripts in the right hands and avoid the slush pile in the process.

For both new and established authors, the agent is often essential in dealing with contracts. He or she understands and can negotiate contracts with publishers--and can avoid pitfalls of the industry. This also allows the writer to focus on writing--not the business end of the deal.

How is the agent reimbursed?

The percentage an agent gets from the sale of an author's manuscript is negotiable with the author at the time the author and agent sign a contract with one another. On average, for domestic sales, an agent receives 15% of all income from the sale of a book, including advance, subsidiary rights, and royalties. The percentage usually goes up when dealing with foreign sales. Percentages vary from agent to agent and author to author, but that can be discussed with the agent when he or she offers to represent a manuscript.

All agents deduct expenses after a sale is made. Expenses include postage, fax and phone bills, promotional costs specific to your book, and other costs. All honest agents will offer receipts and logs as proof of expenses, and all honest agents deduct expenses only after a sale has been made. Do not trust any agent that asks for money up front, or before a sale.

Do agents "own" my works when they represent me?

No! You retain all ownership of your writing. You are free to break a contract with an agent (given proper notice) at any time previous to a sale. In other words, if a manuscript has not been sold, you may withdraw it from the agency and go elsewhere with it. (Make sure this is in your contract.) However, if an agent has sold a manuscript, he or she retains the commission on that manuscript even if you do not choose to have him or her represent the remainder of your works.

How do I find and submit to an agent?

Well, you are obviously on the right track. The web is one place to begin. There are also many books listing literary agents that offer other valuable information on the publishing industry and how it works. But often, when submitting to an agent that you have never met before your manuscript will end up in the "slush pile." Many of the larger agencies don't even read slush, and those that do often give it only a cursory look. The best way to find an agent and to actually get read is to attend conferences ("cons") that pertain to your kind of fiction. Searching the web will lead you to find many of these conferences. There, attending panels, going to parties, and just wandering about and socializing, you should be able to meet an agent and convince him or her to read your material.

Once you are ready to send to an agent, be sure to follow industry standards for submissions, and never, ever fax, email, or phone in a query to an agent. Never fax or email a manuscript--this is severely frowned upon. Faxed and emailed queries or manuscripts are usually ignored, and phone calls take time out of an already busy day for agents and generally they do not like them.

Editors

Curious about what an editor does? Keep reading! Below are some common questions and answers about publishing.

What does a publishing company do?

A publishing company selects, publishes, and distributes fiction. The selection process begins with an editor, which you can read about below. Once a novel is selected, the publishing company purchases the rights to that novel from the author (often through an agent). The publisher then, in coordination with the editor, develops a marketing plan. Cover art is done, copy is written, the book is placed in a catalogue, and sales information is distributed to the sales force. Bound galleys are printed for soliciting quotes and reviews. In the mean time, the editor is working with the author to revise the book. When it is ready, it goes into production, where it is typeset, copyedited, and finally printed and bound. The sales force by now has solicited orders from jobbers, libraries, and book distributors, and those orders are filled so that the reader can get their favorite authors.

What does an editor do?

Editors are one of the most important building blocks of a publishing company. Editors are the first step in getting a book to a publisher. An agent or a writer submits a manuscript to an editor, who reads and considers it, and finally decides whether it is publishable. The editor, if he or she likes it, then tries to rally support for the book among other editors at the publishing company, finally bringing it to the attention of the publisher or senior editor, who usually makes the final call on books.

Once an editor convinces the publisher of the worthiness of the book, he or she makes an offer to the agent or author, and the offer is negotiated to both of their satisfactions. A contract is drawn up and signed.

The editor then begins editing the book. The editor's job is to look closely at every aspect of the book, plot, writing, pacing, characters, style, description, setting--all the things that make a good story. The editor then works with the author on making all aspects of the book the best that they can be. When this is done, the editor ushers the book through the publishing process discussed above, advising the marketing department and the art department, drafting copy, soliciting quotes and reviews, and generally promoting the author.

The editor is also the one the writer or agent goes to with concerns: about contracts, about marketing, about artwork, about getting paid. A good relationship between author, agent, and editor is essential, and an editor is someone who understands this relationship and can balance the art of a writer with the business and professionalism of publishing.

How does a consulting editor differ from other editors?

There is no essential difference between a consulting editor and what is known as an in-house editor as far as duties are concerned. Both editors perform all the duties described above, but a consulting editor works outside of the central office, usually with a shepherd performing tasks that need to be done at the home office. The major difference between a consulting and an in-house editor is the way the editor is paid. A consulting editor is paid on a per book basis, generally receiving no benefits. An in-house editor receives a salary and benefits.

Does a publisher "own" your work?

No! The publisher purchases the right to publish your work. The copyright is still held by the author. The publisher and author will agree in their contract on exactly which rights the publisher will purchase, and how long they will be held before reverting back to the author. (These statements do not apply to TV or movie tie-ins.)

What kind of rights can a publisher buy?

There are the main rights, which are publication of the novel in the United States and Canada, and then there are subsidiary rights, which include electronic, audio, movie, television, British and foreign/translation rights, and others which are all listed in the contract. The author or agent will negotiate with the publisher regarding how many of those rights the publisher will purchase, and how much the author will get should the publisher purchase, then sell those rights.

How is a writer paid?

The publisher pays the writer an advance against royalties. For a new author, this advance might be only a few thousand. For well established authors, it could be several thousand dollars. For a best selling author, the advance could be in the millions. (There are very few of those!) The range in advances varies greatly.

As the book sells, the author then earns royalties on each book sold, which are designated in the contract. The percentage could range from 5 to 15 percent, depending on the book and the format (hard cover, mass market, trade paperback), as well as the status of the author and agent involved in the deal. The author sees none of these royalties until the amount of royalties earned from the book exceeds the amount of the advance paid, which is why it is called an advance against royalties. Once the advance earns out, the author gets regular royalty checks for as long as the book is in print and selling.

If the author has an agent, the check is usually written to the agent, who takes his or her cut, then pays the author. Always consult with your agent if you have questions about how advances, royalties, and subsidiary rights work. It is very complicated, and the two paragraphs above are only an introduction.

If you have any additional questions you would like me to post, or have comments on my site, or would like your name added to my list of those who would like market updates by email, contact me at tjberg@infinity-press.com.