Publishing 101

by Jane Friedman

Whether you’ve finished your manuscript or just have the seeds of a book idea, PUBLISHING 101 shows you how to approach editors and agents with your work, while avoiding the common pitfalls of first-time authorship.

Experienced editor and publisher Jane Friedman offers insights from more than 15 years of working on both sides of the desk, and offers step-by-step advice on:

• evaluating the commercial potential for your work
• finding and approaching editors and agents professionally
• preparing query letters and book proposal materials
• marketing and promoting your work effectively
• protecting your rights and avoid infringing on others’ rights, and
• understanding the self-publishing and ebook market—and if it’s the right path for you.

PUBLISHING 101 describes the dramatic changes underway in the publishing industry, as ebook sales increase and physical bookstores decrease in number. These changes affect how authors get book deals—meaning you need to be prepared to adapt to a risk-averse industry during a time of uncertainty.

Avoid frustration—don’t embark on the submission process without being fully educated about how the industry works. You’ll better focus your time and energy, increase your chances of success, and learn to decipher the language of industry professionals.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Reference, Self Help

232 pages, Paperback

First published December 4, 2014

About the author

I've worked for 25 years in the publishing industry and have a special interest in how the digital age is transforming writing careers, publishing, and storytelling. Rather than taking a dark view of how the Internet era has affected writers' livelihoods, I'm more interested in how revolutionary change can inspire new business models, and how authorship will ultimately evolve. I believe history is on the writers' side: they've been sustaining their careers in ever more innovative ways since the era of Gutenberg. Furthermore, I don't think that business and art must be at odds—I believe they can inform and push each other to flourish.

I sit at the intersection of several communities, which gives me a 360-degree view of the changes now shaping writing and publishing. People working inside the industry see me as an expert in digital and self-publishing, while independent authors see me as a traditional publishing figure. The university and MFA community see me as very commercially minded, while the business people see me as literary and academic. I would have it no other way; I prefer to serve as a bridge.

I earn my living as a freelancer, and my income is driven largely by my own writing and teaching, as well as consulting services for writers. Thus, I consider my interests to be aligned with writers' interests.

Find out more (including the resume detail) at JaneFriedman.com

Reviews

[Roy Lotz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I teach the rules, even though there aren’t any.

Several years ago I embarked upon a novel (my second; although my first attempt was so slapdash and haphazard that it hardly deserves the name). As it gradually took form, and draft after draft accumulated, the idea that I might actually do something with it appeared less and less absurd. But few things are more mysterious to me than the world of publishing. Every time I tried to investigate, a hornet’s nest of unfamiliar entities—agents, editors, query letters, submissions guidelines, genre, category, digital platform—swarmed and buzzed so menacingly that I gave up, overwhelmed. I needed someone to hold my hand, a Virgil to guide me through the several circles of pre-publication hell. That’s where Friedman came in.

Friedman has been in the publishing industry a long time, notably working as the publisher and editorial director of Writer’s Digest. Now she is perhaps best-known for her blog on writing advice. This book was made from that blog, stitching together the most popular posts since 2008 into a basic guide. In theory, you could get everything in this book for free by rummaging around her site. But the book is cheap on Kindle, so what the heck.

Friedman is a sober and pragmatic guide. This is what I like about her. She is not promising miracles, she knows that no approach will work for everyone (or even most people), she has no illusions about the failure rate. There is no magical thinking in this book, only cold and calculated strategies to incrementally increase your likelihood of success. Absent from this book are those “self-help miracle stories” that you so often find in the writings of professional advice givers.

She is also a fountain of information. Here you will find advice on traditional publication, self-publishing, as well as ample instruction on digital marketing, online platform, and all the other things that keep me up at night. Indeed, Friedman is most enthusiastic and convincing when it comes to online self-promotion. This is unsurprising, since this was her main avenue of success. Still, I think many would-be writers will be surprised by how much of this book is given over to marketing rather than landing book deals. I know I was.

There is an awful lot of sales talk in this book. Trying to publish a book is, after all, just marketing a product (although I find it bemusing to consider my poor manuscript a commodity). And I must admit that all this talk of hard-selling, soft-selling, building a network, connecting with fans, and suchlike salesy things sometimes gives me a queasy feeling in my stomach. Many writers, I suspect, write to get away from all that, not to make it a permanent fixture in their lives. Writers are not known for being particularly social, suave, or business-savvy creatures.

Nevertheless I think Friedman’s advice is sane and sensible. Her main nugget of wisdom is that your online presence should not be forced or mercenary. Write a blog about something you care about; connect with people just for fun; do things that interest you and that relate with your creative work. It takes patience and persistence to establish any kind of reputation, following, or clout, so you’ve got to see your digital activity as something rewarding rather than a chore. Easier said than done, I’m sure.

Like anything under the sun, this book is not without its flaws. The main flaw, as Friedman herself acknowledges, is that it was originally written as a series of blog posts. (At one point she says: “If I read a book and think ‘I could’ve gotten this from a series of blog posts,’ then I consider it a failure.” Lucky for her, I’m more lenient in this regard.) The writing is filled with lists, bullet-points, and a relentless stream of short paragraphs. Such a style works extremely well on a blog, of course, where most people are simply scanning for information; but in a book, it grows tiresome.

Another thing I missed was concrete examples. Friedman’s advice, though sensible, was often abstract; often I wished she would give me the story of an author she helped, or just a short vignette about someone who successfully implemented her strategies. I’m sure she has many such stories, and I wished she had used some of them, since they would have brought warmth and blood to potentially anemic advice.

There were also many times I was inclined to doubt her recommendations. For example, Friedman is very keen on authors having their own websites. Now maybe I am exceptional, but I have never, not once, visited an author’s website. Have you? Also, she suggests that you gather emails and send out blasts (not indiscriminately) when you have a big update. But again, I habitually delete all emails that aren’t work-related or personal. Doesn’t everyone?

All these quibbles and queries aside, however, I think that this is an excellent book. Friedman is realistic, thorough, and businesslike, without sacrificing the raison d’être of writing: to create and to enjoy the process of creation. Unfortunately for me, I am now fairly convinced that my own poor manuscript hasn’t much commercial potential (but now that I see how brutal the publishing industry is, I’m not sure I mind). In any case, for those lost souls wandering around inferno, looking for the path to paradise, Friedman will be your guide. But be warned: a long climb up Mt. Purgatory awaits!

[Iola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jane Friedman has a background in publishing, including several years as Editor of Writer's Digest, so when she writes about the publishing industry, she's certainly got the background. She also has a Twitter following many would envy, and a successful blog.

Publishing 101 is a compilation of posts from her blog, and is well worth reading, particularly for what she calls beginning or early career writers. She makes clear that there is no "secret" to becoming a best-selling author, and the journey is going to be different for everyone. This was especially illustrated when she was talking about how she gained 100,000+ Twitter followers--she recognises she got a lot of those followers because she was the editor of Writer's Digest, which isn't a path open to everyone!

The focus is on those who are aiming for a traditional publishing contract, although a large part of the book is actually talking about marketing. In this she reinforces the advice I've read from other authors on the importance of having your own self-hosted website/blog and mailing list, not relying on external sites like Facebook (particularly relevant given the changes coming to Facebook in early 2015 which will affect the ability of authors to promote).

Overall, recommended for people seeking reliable information about publishing.

[K.B. Krissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Publishing 101 by Jane Friedman is an excellent guide to a professional career in the book publishing industry. Jane Friedman is one of the best. She gives great step-by-step advice on how to conquer your dream of becoming a six-figure author. The narrative provides great advice for author entrepreneurs. I would recommend this nonfiction guide to becoming published to anyone who wants an education in the industry.

[Zack · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://www.examiner.com/review/publis...

[J.D. Steens · Rating 3 out of 5]

The course is written primarily from the big publisher perspective (the big four in New York City). Friedman, who comes from this industry, goes into great detail about what it takes to get a book accepted by a major publisher. Basically, the message is good luck. Only a few are accepted.

Publishing is a business, so publishers are looking for money makers. Writers have to be business people. They have to be not shy about going all out to sell their product.

There is little in the course about writers who need to write, whose audience is the story, the thought, the quality, not the mass of readers who can turn a writing product into a commercial success. For these writers, Friedman suggests self-publishing and niche publishers. Toward the end of her course, Friedman covers that side of publishing well, albeit briefly.

[Blake Atwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Required Reading for Would-be Writers

Jane Friedman’s experience, insight, and expertise shine through in Publishing 101. It’s the book I wish I would have had when I first considered writing and editing as a career option.

If you purchase Publishing 101, be sure to get her next one too, The Business of Being a Writer. In tandem, these books can help any writer discover their own path toward having a fulfilling—and even a profitable—writing life.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As quickly as the publishing industry is changing, I hope Jane offers an updated edition of this 2015 guide soon. Still, this is an invaluable primer. As a freelancer who teaches and offers book coaching services, this is a go-to reference for me

[S.M.]

A true 101 book--it covers the beginnings of nearly any aspect of publishing that an author might need to know, so parts of it will be more helpful than others, depending on where you are in your writing career. That will also change over time, of course, so it's likely this book is one I'll reference in the future as well.

[Chris Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great overview for writers. Very helpful.

[Stephanie Ricker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book deserves a spot on the must-read list for anyone who would like to get their writing published, even (perhaps especially) if they intend to self-publish. The course is written by Jane Friedman, possibly one of the most qualified people in the country to do such a thing, and it outlines in great detail how to find a literary agent, how to write a great query letter, and a lengthy list of what NOT to do at each step of the way towards, during, and beyond publication. Friedman is kind but doesn’t sugar-coat, and she doesn’t waste the reader’s time. Her realistic, professional approach to the market was refreshing, and I will be recommending this book to many of my editing clients.

While the book mainly focuses on the traditional publishing market, this is invaluable information for someone self-publishing too. To compete effectively, or at all, with traditional publishing, self-publishers need to understand the market–and it is a complex, rapidly changing one. The publishing landscape has changed so radically in the last twenty or even ten years that many of the strategies that worked before simply aren’t viable. Don’t expect to make it big doing what someone else did to make it big in 2009; times have changed, and writers have to change along with them.

You can get the book on The Great Courses website, naturally, but I was able to listen to the audiobook for free using the Overdrive library app, which I highly recommend. Don’t miss out on these insights!

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding overview to the field.

[Sheila Cameron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book because I had been coming across Jane Friedman's helpful blog posts and appreciating them so much that I wanted to return the support -- a classic example of how time spent building a platform can pay off. I found the book packed with useful information about both the traditional and self-publishing paths. Every chapter is presented in easy to digest bite-sized pieces. I read the whole thing through once and plan to read it again, next time taking notes on the specific areas I want to focus on for my own book promotion.

I think Jane had a great idea to essentially compile many of her past blog posts to create this book. For the most part it read like a book, but there were a few spots that could have been made more book-friendly in the editing process. eg. places where I felt like if I were on a computer, I could 'click here' and learn more.

Overall, a super helpful book. I was hoping to see Jane Friedman speak at Publishing University hosted by the Independent Book Publishers Association last month -- I think she would be a great speaker as she has so much knowledge -- but her plane was grounded due to poor weather and she didn't make it to the conference. Next time!

[Eli Breakstop-Kings · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marketing 101

It’s a decent book/blog compilation. A bit lengthy, at times repetitive with minor contradictions, but mostly not bad. There are definitely some great gems.
It’s not really about publishing, though. The front end of the title seems a really odd choice, specially given that most of the advice and tips require already having a published book (unless you’re a non-fiction writer). The back end is fairly accurate if not obscenely long.
Still, there are a lot of good marketing tips and brand building advice for when you do have something published. As a “101” to publishing, it’s pretty meh (there are SO many better books out there for this) but I will keep it handy and reread it later in my career.
Marketing books aren’t as easy to come by, so pick it up eventually.

[Tom Golden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only does Jane Friedman possess a great deal of relevant knowledge about the publishing industry and book marketing but she shares her insights so honestly and willingly. I first "met" her through The Great Courses "How to Publish Your Book". Comprehensive in every way. She uses her words as a top surgeon uses her scalpel. No wasted comments. She has a goal with every chapter...to get her point across and deliver it in such a way as to communicate what to do or how to think. I feel like I am listening to an old and wise learned master. But she's young which means her ideas are timely for the market that writers are pursuing today. She damn good at what she does and I greatly appreciate her willingness to share her vast knowledge and experience with us.

[Lawrence Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Must Read for Anyone Picking Up the Pen

This book is the first step in the process towards educating myself in what a career as a writer could look like and I couldn't have made a better choice. Jane Friedman goes through the gauntlet of aspects and scenarios facing all manner of writers with an easy to understand, relateable, but most importantly, very real take on the challenges ahead. This 101 is comprehensive and definitely helped me grasp the fundamentals of what's important for long-term success. It's hard to be any more green to the industry than I currently am but Friedman's guide peels back the curtain to show that there are many avenues to success available to those with the determination and consistency required to take advantage of an ever shifting market. I can't wait to get started.

[Joseph Riden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somewhat dated, as to a few details, but that's not something that harms the reading. There are a lot of principles and angles to consider about publishing, and this author was positioned in the publishing industry to gain brilliant insights into that world over 20 years. Her views lend a clear vision of what to expect, to hope for, and to work toward as an author. Between this and her second book, "The Business of Being an Author," Jane Friedman has created a master class in authoring and publishing for authors. If you write with aspirations of being published or publishing yourself successfully, both books are must-reads. Expect to have your mind blown and you won't be surprised.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

A practical how-to guide for the age of digital publishing. I appreciated Jane's clarification about which type of author needs to have a well-developed platform prior to querying agents. Equally valuable advice: When the desire for publishing becomes a torture because it has managed to grow out of hand and over-tower one's desire to keep writing and skill-honing, then it might be high-time for a readjustment, for the sake of getting back in touch with the original source of joyful driven-ness. I see a bounty of NYT bestseller author's who I do not regard as the type of author I would like to become. To become published [during one's lifetime] is not necessarily a measure of achievement.

[Laurel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm an emerging writer and new to the self-publishing world. I came across Jane Friedman's books through articles linked on Twitter and decided to give one of her publishing books a go.

The content of the book is primarily geared towards traditional publishing so I had to pick and choose which sections were more relevant to me. The advice is good and the majority were practical and relatively easy to implement.

There are a lot of sources linked so anyone starting out in their career in writing will definitely benefit from reading this book.

[Blogger6Fowl · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first sections of this book were weak from a soon-to-be self-published author’s perspective, focusing too much on agents and publishers. But the platform-building chapters are great. If you are willing to get through some redundancy, then this author is for you. Personally, I like how she explained the complexity of the publishing world.
And besides that, I didn’t know that I could edit my KDP manuscript even after it’s published. I’m deeply grateful for that. I’ll definitely follow Jane in social media because I’m intrigued by what else she might have to say. A good read overall.

[Tim Galbraith · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an author, going the independent route, I found this to be a fascinating read. At first, I felt there was an arrogant dismissive approach. I was wondering why I should even keep reading as it felt discouraging demotivating to press on. Then I realized that was the authors intent. Or at least it seemed that way. The publishing world is not going to be encouraging or welcoming right away and the first little bit of the book is showing that. After going through it this book is going to become my text book for any projects I take in regards to publishing and marketing my works.

[Vonetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I meant to read this book last year when I picked it up at AWP. It would have made the past year a bit less stressful. But oh well. It's a great primer on the workings of the publishing industry and gives great tips on how authors can manage themselves well in the space. It felt a little repetitive sometimes, which is to be expected since it's blog posts put into a book, and did't go super in depth, but it covered a wide breadth of topics. I'd say it's a must-read for new writers.

[Lisa Pelto · Rating 5 out of 5]

I publish books for a living and I recommend this book to my clients. Her style is warm and caring, even though she is very knowledgeable. I like this book for its comprehensiveness -- although a lot of people would be overwhelmed by its content. I'm quite sure my familiarity with the process after doing 900 or so books myself makes me an unfair judge of this book - but I still recommend it often!

[Blaine Strickland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clearly, this author is an expert, and she offers many valuable ideas and resources throughout the book. I wish I had absorbed the information before I published my book, but I will benefit greatly when I work on book #2. I listened to this book via Audible (read by the author since it is part of the Great Courses series). You can tell that she is reading her notes, but she does an acceptable job of emoting to make the experience more enjoyable.

[Kylie Abecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This 'book' or course is full of important information that can be invaluable for any writer, whether they are established or aspiring.
I dare say I will be referring back to this time and time again and put in so many bookmarks throughout I've lost track of which bookmark was for what.
I can't recommend this enough. Whether you have multiple books published, or just like writing small poems in your free time and Are wondering what to do with them. This will certainly have some advice for you.

[John Charest · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started on my journey of writing my first manuscript without the aid of a mentor...Big Mistake! Jane's book is top shelf material. As my publisher works on my cover design and soon to release my book, I wish I had purchased Publishing 101 by Jane Friedman a year ago instead of a few weeks ago. Reading her book has been like having my own personal mentor. With a genuine quality and sincerity she presents a wealth of priceless information mixed with a good dose of reality.

[KD Holmberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a valuable resource guide for a debut author and stays within reach of my desk. I peruse it frequently for ideas and to keep my publishing dream on track. Jane Friedman has become my go-to source for navigating the difficult to understand world of traditional and indie publishing. She also offers The Hot Sheet online to keep you updated.

[P.K. Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jane Friedman's Publishing 101, in coming years, might well be referred to as the "Publishing Bible." Thorough and illuminating, Friedman investigates the universe of publishing, from general principles to specific action plans. If you read no other publishing book (and you won't need to if you read "101"), you'll be more than prepared to understand and navigate the challenges of publishing.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Following the advice in this book led to me getting a contract with a publisher and getting published (my novel, “The Very Real World of Emily Adams,” comes out on June 9, 2020). Reading this has absolutely changed my life! It’s helped me achieve a dream I’ve had since I was a little girl. I seriously can’t give it high enough praise. I’m indebted forever to Jane Friedman.

[James Wilhite · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jane is a go-to for author resources!

I stumbled across her blog and have learned so much, not only from her, but the resources she recommends. This book is exactly that...Jane sharing her knowledge and recommendations. Perfect for the new or aspiring author.

[Allyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has given me the tools and the confidence to continue the pursuit of becoming a published author. Her straightforward style delivers wisdom and tools for anyone entering the publishing world as an outsider. I recommend reading this book with a highlighter handy.