As I’m sure you’re aware, the path to getting a book into bookstores is not easy, but it is straightforward. I’ll go over the ins and outs from literary agents to advances, editors to proofreaders, marketing to publicity.
When it comes to your book's success, it's less about self-publishing versus traditional publishing and much more about the foundation you've laid. Before you put a book into the world, do these two things first.
(It's probably not what you think.) Most aspiring authors come to me worried about time, platform, and writing experience, but often, what they REALLY need isn't even on their radar.
Pitching agents can be torturous. Did they get my query? Did they hate my query? I bared my soul and all I got was this form rejection? Ugh, I’ve been there. Fortunately, you don’t need a miracle to turn this around. You need a strategy.
I am a huge advocate of personalizing query letters. but too many authors are going about this the wrong way. Let’s talk about a better way to open your query letter, a way that convincingly shows the agent why your book is perfect for them.
You’ve got a great book, but now you have to write something that might feel even harder — a knockout query letter. In this detailed guide, I’ll show you exactly how to do that without making all-too common mistakes.
I talk a lot about finding the right agent for you, rather than just any agent. You want someone who gets your vision, who knows how to sell books like yours, and whose personality gels with yours, which means finding the right agent is a pretty personal task. That said, there are a few consistent qualities we should all be looking for:
A pretty common fear among aspiring authors is that if they pitch their book to an agent or publisher, that person will steal their idea. They either avoid querying, or they write “copyright” all over their manuscript, which immediately makes them look like an amateur.
As I’m sure you’re aware, the path to getting a book into bookstores is not easy, but it is straightforward. I’ll go over the ins and outs from literary agents to advances, editors to proofreaders, marketing to publicity.