An Insider's Guide to Publishing

by David Comfort

"Perseverance is much more important than talent. Because so many talented people fall by the wayside."
--James Michener

The history of writing is full of authors striving to succeed in a hyper-competitive publishing world, contending with agents, editors, publishers, critics, and sometimes the greatest challenge of all - overnight success. For all of the extaordinary changes that have recently taken place, however, there are a few things that remain the same. Getting published still requires persistence, preparation, and smarts, as well as an understanding of how the business works, where it's been, and where it's going.

An Insider's Guide to Publishing pulls back the industry curtain for millions of published and aspiring authors, revealing Hemingway's famous feuds, Poe's raving madness, Capote's vengeful wit, and much more. With clever insights and dark humor to spare, David Comfort, a thirty-year veteran of the publishing trenches, explores the achivements and faultures of literary masters and editorial workaholics to show readers how they, too,

   • Use their creativity and composure to overcome publishing pitfalls.
   • Work with agents, editors, publishers, and critics like a pro.
   • Deal with rejection - and success - while avoiding the madhouse.
   • Navigate the pros and cons of both traditional and self-publishing.
An Insider's Guide to Publishing shares the wicked wit and wisdom of some of the craziest and most ambitious authors and editors of all time - proving that even the talented need luck, pluck, persistence, and the inside scoop on this rapidly changing industry in order to succeed!

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction

298 pages, Paperback

First published November 14, 2013

Reviews

[C. Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Comfort painted the publishing business, past, present and future, with a brush that completely stunned me. Warning, this is not a quick read; it is a thorough read, well researched and written. This author explains how the business used to be and how it evolved to what it is today. We see the intricate details of this evolution, using examples of all the players - the editors, the authors, the publishers, the marketers. Knowing this history saddened me seeing the rise and fall of empires and authors I've heard of all my life, yet intrigued me because I see how empowered writers are now compared to once upon a time. Any author serious about becoming a professional should read this book to better appreciate his opportunities, and the people who paved the way for him to have such a fantastic career. Seeing the past, we better understand where we stand today as authors, and realize that radical change such as what we are experiencing today, is nothing new to this industry. Excellent piece of work, Mr. Comfort.

[Ionia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is hands down the best book on the publishing industry that I have seen in years. Not only has David Comfort written a thoughtful and intelligent book, but also one that conveys his sense of humour and overall understanding of the business.

This book is one that I would feel good about recommending to absolutely anyone in the publishing industry, regardless of which job you do. For writers and aspiring novelists, this guide will provide with all the information you need to understand the industry you are up against, from competition to the different varieties of publishers, agents and editors out there, what other authors have gone through and what you might expect, this book covers it all in an easy to understand format.

I enjoyed reading this not only for the valuable information, but for the many times it made me stop and think about situations I have faced in this industry as well as for the many times this book made me laugh. The wit and humour keep this from being a dry, guide book and turn it into an enjoyable experience.

I wish I would have had this book when I was first trying to publish my own work.

It particularly pleased me to see that the author didn't make the entire publishing world out to be the bad guy, but rather pointed out what a determined individual may be able to do even against great odds. This is a very informative, positive book that would be a nice addition to any literary individual's library.

Make this one part of your writer's toolkit.

This review is based on a digital copy sent to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and no other compensation was received.

[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

The wit and wisdom of the travails of the great authors of history and now

Anyone who has had the privilege and pleasure of reading the works of David Comfort (this reader's first experience was being submerged in the wise and hilarious `The Reborn Bible 2.0, The 2nd Coming of the American Rapture') knows that Comfort is not only a brilliant writer, he is one of the keenest humorists and knowledgeable authors putting pen to paper (or computer keyboard) today. This new book is an exposé of the hallowed halls of the publishing industry, and not only does Comfort take us on a flying carpet tour of the history of book publishing as taken from the mouths of the great writers, at times scathingly funny and at other times incredibly insightful, he in doing so offers some of the most useful information for authors established and just birthed that can be found in the plethora of writer's self help books available today.

To list David Comfort's credential for gathering this rich compendium of information is likely unnecessary: the truly keen reader will immediately recognize the name as one of the more influential in the industry. He has published four popular nonfiction trade titles, has been a finalist for the Faulkner Award, Chicago Tribune Nelson Algren, America's Best, Glimmer Train, and Narrative, as well as a nominee for the Pushcart Prize, and has been selected to appear in The Evergreen Review, The Cortland Review, Scholars & Rogues, and Inkwell, the Montreal Review, Stanford Arts Review, InDigest, and Writing Disorder. That is a soupçon, but sufficient for now.

What Comfort provides in this exceptional book is first, a humorous view of how even the greatest of authors have through history struggled with the same roadblocks facing new authors today. His book is divided into 13 parts and while the headings of each of these parts only seduces the reader to discover the full content, they give a flavor: Publish & Perish, Writer 911!, The Dues to Pay the Muse, Luck, Suck & Pluck, `The Built-In, Shock-Proof, Shit Detector', Schmoozing the Muse, The Mad Mad Mad Mad Writer, Bards Behaving Badly, Agents, Ms. Impossible, Taking it in the Shorts, Vanity of Vanities?, and Success. Under each of these umbrellas are moments of truths that dispel myths galore, hints cum suggestions for getting published, who gets published and why, the conundrum of the self-publishing carrot, the influence of the Internet, some views on the future of printed books, and other challenging bits of terror. But here also is the reassurance, by a man who indeed knows, that with the supplied smarts, appreciation for the history of publishing shared here, and persistence and preparation that yes, Dorothy, you can get published. This is a Bible - hilarious, intensely well informed, and a fun read - and as such needs to be in the hands of everyone considering writing as a career. Bravo David Comfort!

Grady Harp

[Alain Burrese · Rating 5 out of 5]

“An Insider's Guide To Publishing” by David Comfort isn't the book you might think at first glance. This isn't a dry book on the mechanics of publishing that seem to be around every corner waiting for the would-be-author to snatch up in hopes of learning a secret that wasn't revealed in the last several similar titles. This book is way different, much more fun to read, highly researched in regards to masters of the craft such as Hemingway, Faulkner, Fitzgerald, Mailer, and many others.

This book is completely different from any other book on publishing I've read or seen. Comfort has written a book that will both inspire and demoralize the would-be-writer. In fact, if you are just a wannabe, this book may help you choose another career. If writing is in your blood and you can't do anything else and feel alive, this book shares experiences and provides guidance in a unique manner that is often quite blunt. Comfort is brutally honest about the world of publishing and lays to waste many inaccuracies regarding the craft and business of writing.

Through the chapters you'll learn about writers, agents, editors, publishing houses and the newer self-publishing options. Comfort's wit shines through as he really does provide an insider's look into this often glamorized world. Reading this book, you'll discover the ups, downs, and inside outs of publishing and how hard work can pay off, but so can luck.

I can honestly say this is one of the most enjoyable books I've ever read on the publishing industry, and I learned quite a few things. I strongly recommend this book without hesitation. This is a must read for anyone writing, or wanting to write, for publication.

[Kelly Lynn Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was horribly depressing. It basically says: You probably can't get published, and authors are crazy, so maybe you should do something else. Comfort also has an obsession with white male writers of the 1920s. Like, holy shit dude, can we talk about writers of different genders/races/time periods? Literally all his examples are from the 1920s. And they are all dead white dudes, except for the very occasional hand out to dead white women writers (mostly also of the 1920s). There is no "advice" here, just a loose collection of anecdotes about dead white dudes from the 20s. Not worth your time (and it's a looooong book).

[Charles Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I expected something like a dry, how-to-write-a-query letter sort of deal, from the same publisher as Writers Digest and Writers Market, you know, strictly biz stuff. Instead, behind the unassuming cover, is a true Publishing Babylon. All your favorite authors and big-time corrupt/incompetent/cheapskate publishing houses! The dirt, the filth, who hated who, who betrayed who, who slept with who. Norman Mailer, Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, John O'Hara, Herman Mellville, Edgar Allen Poe, the great Russian novelists (all boozers and gamblers and lunatics) and modern-day wunderkinds like Brett Easton Ellis, J.K. Rowling (who at least doesn't come off too badly as a human being), David Foster Wallace, Stephen King, Lena Dunham etc. Tone from the beginning is, hey aspiring author/novelist, you know you will likely NEVER succeed, right? Never never never never never [LATER THAT DAY] ...never, never not not ever. But a few authors actually did succeed, since you mention it, and here's how they did it. And some of them, like F. Scott Fitzgerald and William Faulkner, still wound up broke, broken and alcoholic. And Hemingway, who succeeded beyond the dreams of avarice, shot himself (while making enemies of just about all his friends except maybe Ezra Pound). For anyone seeking a foothold in the writing racket, this should scare you straight. For anyone stuck in it, here's the inside backstabbing water-cooler office gossip that will make you wish you'd studied auto mechanics or computer coding instead (I know I do). I gave a copy to an aspiring local fantasy writer (who for some reason considers me some kind of success just because I managed to put a half-dozen barely noticed books out there). Hopefully she will take its lessons to heart and go on to discover a miracle cure or something. Nice short chapters, too; able footnotes. The superthriller of the year, a horror concoction to keep you awake nights... Can't say enough about it. Good job, writer David Comfort, whatever wing of Arkham Asylum you currently reside in.

[Bryanna Plog · Rating 3 out of 5]

A funny introduction to the world of authors and publishing. While a few too many examples were from white men in the 1920-50s, it was still full of great insights to the hard, hard, world of book publishing.

[Quinn · Rating 1 out of 5]

if you like pessimism and reading quotes that prove a point aka the chapter title like a research paper than this is the book for you.

[Jim Booth · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Insider’s Guide to Publishing, or why would anyone want to be a writer?

Posted on January 12, 2014 by Jim Booth

“Mad, bad, and dangerous to know” applies not just to Lord Byron but to every writer…


David Comfort’s latest book, An Insider’s Guide to Publishing, is not the “nuts and bolts” sort of a book you’d expect from its title. Instead, Comfort has written a longish (nearly 300 pages) compendium of anecdotes, explanations, analyses, and observations on writers and writing, the publishing industry past and present, and the role of technology in that past, present, and future of literature.

The book is alternately charming and churlish, funny and depressing, and, well, engrossing. Unlike most books in this genre, Comfort doesn’t spend a lot of time trying to convince the reader that “if you do this, you’ll be the next E.L. James” (the author of the mega success Fifty Shades of Grey).Instead, he delves into the story of E.L. James and explains – carefully but tongue firmly in cheek – how a writer who can’t write worth a damn can make $1 million per week from sales of what is popularly called “Mommy porn.”

By the time Comfort gets to this, however, he’s covered a lot of ground. We know stuff such as the following:

* John Milton got £5 payment for Paradise Lost - which cost him, as you may have heard, his eyesight;

* William Faulkner’s literary agent had to lend him $100 so he could pay his electric bill and not have his power shut off;

* Edgar Allan Poe got kicked out of West Point for showing up for dress parade sans dress;

* F. Scott Fitzgerald earned $32 in royalties in 1929 – his twenties were no longer roaring….

The book is divided into several sections.

The most interesting for many readers will be the first which gives a history of American publishing over the last 100 years or so, covering the transition from publishing houses such as Putnam, Charles Scribner and Sons, Harper Brothers, and Random House from genteel concerns owned and operated by wealthy, cultured families with an interest in both publishing works that would make some money and (something they considered equally important) publishing works they thought moved literature forward. So it comes as little surprise that Comfort reminds us that this was American publishing’s “Golden Age.”

The takeover of these concerns began in the 1980′s (Does everything about the destruction of American culture go back to Reagan? Why yes, yes it does) by large conglomerates who changed the ethos of publishing from that of a genteel desire to both make a little money and elevate our arts culture to our all too familiar corporate ethos of “make all the money it is possible to make no matter what kind of dog shit you must purvey to do so and elevating our artistic culture be damned.”

In other words, it’s how we get from The Great Gatsby to Fifty Shades of Grey.

In this and all subsequent sections there are many delightful anecdotes about famous authors’ work habits, reactions to success and failure, and peccadilloes (Did you know 5 of the first 6 American Nobel laureates were alcoholics? Feel like a drink? You might be a great writer…). And there’s a wonderful section on what Comfort calls, to my great delight “The MFA Mafia” where he takes down the Creative Writing Program system. Given what I’ve myself said about the evils of that system, to find a kindred soul who sees into the incestuous nature of said system and will discuss it openly is certainly a pleasure.

The last part of the book suggests (but not in a “how to” way, thank heaven) strategies for finding one’s way through the jungle of contemporary publishing and discusses with adequate but not annoying detail ways to approach agents, decide between traditional and self-publishing, and garner publicity for oneself and one’s work. Here equally enjoyable anecdotes relate some of the madcap PR stunts that writers of the last decade or so have tried to draw attention to their work. From the clearly life risking (swimming across the shark infested San Francisco Bay) to the weirdly misconceived (for a Valentine’s Day sale an author offered a sext to any buyer), what Comfort shows clearly is that much of what writers have to do today to gain the public’s notice is in no way related to writing.

Finally, in a brief “Chicken Soup” chapter , Comfort makes his most salient point about the whole mad world of writing and publishing:

When you embrace the creative journey itself, rather than some idealized, often illusory destination, you may have a chance at real success as an artist.

What David Comfort accomplishes in An Insider’s Guide to Publishing is to help readers (and especially writers) understand that while the publishing world may be a mess and getting messier, being a writer comes down to feeling as Somerset Maugham does:

We do not write because we want to; we write because we have to.

[Katie Pierson · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an aspiring YA author that has kissed a few toads in the agent and publishing world, this book opened my eyes and made me laugh out loud (Chapter title example: "Agents: Bouncers at the Bastille"). Just what I needed as I ponder my next steps.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and well-written. Somewhat long in places (ironic for a book with such short chapters, but there you are). A good read.

[Laini · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read-- fascinating to know about all the behind the scenes that we writers may or may not know about.

But MAN this thing needed a better editor. I found so many typos I quit counting.