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Advice For Aspiring Writers

I am often asked for advice from those who seek to publish their own work and so I have created this section of the website to offer some simple tips. The advice in this section mainly applies to the publication of books. If you write articles or short stories, with magazines or newspapers being your intended market, then feel free to e-mail me for information although the publications listed below will still be of great use to you.

Anyone who tries to publish a book will receive a number of rejection letters. It is inevitable, no matter how good a writer you are. If you do not receive rejection letters then you are one of a tiny minority. Most rejection letters from the big publishers tend to suggest that you consult one of the following books, which have details of publishers and agents. these are British books. If you live in the USA you might find the third publication to be more appropriate, although the first two do have sections on publishers in many other countries. Here are the details:


THE WRITERS’ & ARTISTS’ YEARBOOK 2005

This book contains a vast amount of invaluable information, including the names and addresses of all the main publishing companies along with a large number of smaller publishing houses in the UK and many listings for other countries across the globe. The addresses of literary agents are also included for the UK and USA. Magazine and newspaper details are listed. Whatever your medium there are the details you will need to get your work into print as well as information regarding radio and television. Helpful advice chapters on topics such as internet sites, libel, copyright and avoiding vanity publishers are also featured. Whether you are an established or an aspiring writer then this book is considered to the best on the market. This is the book that allegedly helped J. K. Rowling become the success that she is, or at least an earlier edition of this annually produced book was what she claims made her the multi-millionairess that she is.


THE WRITER’S HANDBOOK 2005

This book is incredibly similar in content to The Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook, though ever so slightly cheaper. The Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook was once considered to be the book to own but in recent years The Writers’ Yearbook is being increasingly recommended by publishers. Personally I recommend this book above The Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook but they are very similar. I have had much more success since buying this book than when I used to buy the previous one. You should certainly consider purchasing one, because without doing so you cannot know the details of all the companies in existence.


2005 WRITER'S MARKET

A 'no nonsense' guide for writers to find a suitable publisher and/or agent in the USA for their work. It includes detailed advice of various aspects of writing and publishing in addition to 'dynamic interviews' with well known authors. This book is allegedly the writing 'bible'.


HOW TO OBTAIN THESE BOOKS

Both of the first two books can be obtained through large bookshops such as WH Smiths, although they might not yet have them in stock as they are very new at the time of writing (September 2004). They can be purchased through Amazon by clicking below on the relevant title. Alternatively your local library might have one or both of these books, although they are unlikely to have the latest editions and in the world of publishing companies do change tend to change addresses and submission policies on a fairly frequent basis.

Writers' and Artists' Yearbook 2005

The Writer's Handbook

For more details about the 2005 Writer's Market, and to obtain a copy of the book via Amazon.com, please click on the image below for a link straight through to the relevant Amazon page.




OTHER ADVICE

There are a number of magazines, which offer articles of advice and frequently hold short story competitions. Writers' Forum and Writing Magazine are excellent examples. Any good newsagents should have these magazines.

However, be careful when reading magazines and looking at the adverts where companies are asking for authors to submit their manuscripts. Many writers and other members of the public believe that it is usual to pay to have your work published. It is not. Whilst there are many legitimate, decent self-publishing companies (I have had no problems with Authors OnLine though I did not self-publish with them) there are also many who will charge you hundreds (if not thousands) of pounds and give you little or nothing in return. These are the companies who will contact you soon after you have sent some of your work and who will tell you how fantastic it is, how it could be the next best seller and other false flattery. For a certain sum of money, you will be told, your book will be published and you will make a lot of money in sales. This is very rarely the case so be incredibly cautious when asked to pay money to publishers.

If in any doubt consider joining the Society of Authors who offer members a free appraisal of contracts and offer other invaluable advice to authors. Alternatively seek advice from someone else (I will happily offer advice to you where ever I can, so feel free to contact me). Do not commit yourself to anything without checking with someone first. No decent publisher will try to pressure you. Remember, at the end of the day it is your book. Visit the company’s website (good publishers should have a website) and see what books they have published previously – many vanity publishing companies take your money and never publish a single book. The term 'vanity publisher' is given to those companies who expect the author to pay for the book to be produced. The Society of Authors has information on this type of publishing. Their website is www.societyofauthors.net. If, after seeking advice, you are in any doubt then do not go with the company. There are far too many people who have lived to regret having risked their money simply because they wanted to see their name in print. Don’t be one of them.

My best advice would be to approach a literary agent. Full details are available in both of the two books listed above. Approaching an agent is the only way to be published by many of the large publishing companies.

There are no guarantees you will ever see your name in print and as the rejection letters pile up it can be very disheartening but most successful writers will have been rejected many times before they find the right publisher. It is just a matter of perseverance though, at the same time, you have to be realistic. Despite all the effort and time in the world most books, no matter how good they are, will never be accepted because there are too many manuscripts being submitted and not enough resources to publish them all.

    
 
  Website created by S. C. Lomax in September 2004.
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