Calling All Unpublished Writers

Posted by Jessica Murphy on March 16, 2010

Thus far, you have completed your first literary masterpiece and sent it out to just about every possible publisher and agent that may be interested in signing unpublished writers. Ideally, since several months have passed, you should be receiving some sort of feedback. Or, in a perfect world, a contract to publish your work could come and make all of your dreams come true!

Unfortunately, for many of us unpublished writers, although we probably do get feedback, we do not typically receive contracts to publish our works. As a matter of fact, according to Writer’s Digest, less than 5% of the estimated total number of manuscript submissions are published at all. Of that 5%, only 15% accepted are for debut books.

I understand that these statistics can be extremely discouraging. However, do not give up! These things do not have to be that hard.

Typically, despite popular belief, many publishing houses and literary agencies like to find new authors. The problem that you find is that when you are looking at traditional publishing companies, the sheer volume of submissions is a stumbling block to any new author.

Many companies will not accept manuscripts from unpublished authors; many companies will not accept unsolicited manuscripts; and, several others refuse to accept manuscripts that are submitted by authors that are not represented by literary agents. Reading through the various requirements of the publishing companies can be both frustrating and very time consuming. That is why it is good to find a publishing company that is truly interested in publishing good writing, regardless of where it is coming from.

Make sure that your writing is grammatically correct. Make sure that it flows well and will be marketable. The last thing that you want is to submit a manuscript to someone that is just going to look at it as a mess.

To all unpublished writers, visit http://firsttimeauthors.org to get a FREE writing e-book. Life for unpublished authors does not have to be so hard.

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5 Things You Must Know to Get a Novel Editor

Posted by Zoe Carr on February 27, 2010

So you have finally completed your novel and are looking for a novel editor or proofreader. Fantastic! This means that you want to publish your manuscript. And I assume that you’re wise enough to know that getting the manuscript edited professionally is critical. However, I’ll be the first to tell you that getting a great, experienced editor that will treat your manuscript with care is a difficult task. So I have created 5 steps to help you get started.

1) Should I get copy editing or proofreading?
Why not both? Some editors cost less for ‘proofreading only’ as opposed to content editing. The particular distinction is that proofreaders fix mistakes only, while copy editors make many more substantial modifications. I know that you think your book is perfect and also you don’t want anybody to mess it up, but trust me…a book (especially one just completed, and doubly a first novel) needs a whole lot of tender loving and care. A fantastic editor will look for plot inconsistencies, poorly written dialog, lack of character motivation, chapters that don’t move the plot forward, unusual word choice and more. Spending money on an editor who knows what they are doing is similar to getting a private writing tutor. You will get back a much stronger manuscript.

2) Costs. Just how much should you pay for proofreading and editing?
Costs can vary considerably. It is based on length of the project, expertise of the editor or simply quality of the editing. Don’t expect a cheap cost and never look for a ‘deal’. With that being said, a lots of proofreaders overcharge. Shop for the most qualified editor who has dealt with similar projects before, and see if they fit in your ‘budget’. Editing a novel is usually between $500 to $1500, however it’s a great and much needed investment.

3) Pick an editor that has a background in literature
Most professional editors never studied English or even editing. Find out what their experience and credentials are. They could be outstanding at fixing mistakes, formatting, or grooming the writing – however can they identify ‘poor’ writing and improve it? Is he / she themselves good writers?

4) Look for a native speaker, from the country you want your book to be successful in.
Proof of address isn’t any guarantee that they’re a native speaker. There are a lot of people that are excellent at English, although not all English is actually the same. Several countries speak blends of English which is not the same as the US/Canadian English, which is also different from UK English. Generally, US English is international English.

5) Where should you find an editor?
First of all, search ‘novel editing/edit my novel’ in google and see what comes up. Remember that the sites on the first page of Google are usually more established (have been around longer) and more expensive, but there are plenty of small companies with less advertising budget if you look past the first page results. I, personally had great experiences with smaller companies. Some of the companies are publishing companies as well that will also proofread and edit your book.

Want more info? Visit http://firsttimeauthors.org to find more info on how to find a great novel editor and learn of a great publishing company that also provides excellent editing services and receive tips and a FREE valuable e-book on book writing.

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5 Things You Must Do to Learn How to Get a Novel Published

Posted by Zoe Carr on February 16, 2010

It really is a similar story every year: This year the actual book will finally get published! This year could really be it. Here’s how to get a novel published this year. Creating a book is tough enough, however getting it published by a legitimate publisher–large or even small–is when the real challenge starts. Things you will need is a Word processor, printer, the envelopes and postage.

In a nutshell,

1. Complete the book. It ought to go without saying, however the book should be finished before publishers or agents would want to take a look at it, especially if this is a first novel. I suggest writing 600 to 1,200 words daily. At 800 words a day, 7 days weekly, a 70,000 word manuscript will be finished in about three months.

2. Edit, modify, edit. Then change some more. This is where writer’s groupings, workshops and specialized feedback come in. A book is made or lost during the editing process. Published books won’t be just edited for grammar and spelling, they’re furthermore edited for story content, character arcs and narrative structure. An excellent editor can mean the distinction between a published book and a stack of papers accumulating dust in a desk drawer.

3. Find an agent or publisher. This is where literature like Writer’s Market and also Literary Marketplace come in. Conduct a little research. Which published novels are exactly like the one just completed? Who publishes that type of book? Make a list of agents and even publishers who may be interested in the book.

4. Query properly. Many agents and publishers have submission regulations on their website and publishing instructions like Writers Market. Follow the guidelines exactly. Not following guidelines is the best route to the trash.

5. Wait. Yes, wait. Do more research and keep writing while waiting around. If the agent or publisher does not reply, follow up after a few weeks prior to moving on to query others.

Want more information on how to get a novel published? Then visit http://firsttimeauthors.org to find the best advice for new authors.

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