Little did I know that the publishing world could be so brutal. I mean, as a fledgling novelist, I knew I’d have to overcome some hurdles if I wanted my first novel to see the light of the publishing day, but I had no idea it could be such a marathon. A marathon through hell and back.
The first book I came across while researching how to get published was The Writer’s Market, and it seemed to be the standard book out there in terms of getting general knowledge (especially for beginners like me) of agents, query letters, publishers, etc. Honestly, after finishing my first book and researching publishing, it seems like applying to colleges all over again—what a nightmare.
If you’re like me and writing for the first time with most likely little income, then I’d suggest getting this from your local library. Mine had the latest edition readily available, so I was able to take tons of notes and ideas before submitting my first query to an agent.
As a general guide, this book is indispensable. But note that it’s a general all-around guide, so it tries to cover as much waters without staying in one stream for too long. For example, I just finished writing a children’s/MG novel, and there were many parts in the Writer’s Manual which I skipped over simply because they talked about writing for magazines and journals, something which I’m not at the present interested in. But who knows; maybe in the future I will be.
This volume contains listing information for agents, publishers, as well as contests/grants. Honestly, before reading this book, my plan was to submit to 10 publishers and, if rejected by all, self-publish on Amazon. Boy; glad I read this book first.
I’ve now revised my goal to strive for traditional publishing, and already have submitted my proposal to a first agent.
Great resource for new writers, such as me, who are confused about how to get your book out there. Of course, this is just a guide; getting your book published is still tough, but, like college aid books, this book will get you in the right direction.