How to Get Published

by John Bowers

It takes a really good query to get a publisher’s (or agent’s) attention, but what really sells your book is the book itself.  The query might be a masterpiece, but if the novel isn’t at least as good, you’re going to be rejected.

Agents and publishers are inundated with material, most of it bad.  If you’re going to rise above the mob, your book has to have something special.  A compelling, well-plotted story is obviously necessary, but it’s amazing how many well conceived stories are just plain badly written. To sell your story, it needs to be written well, and the best way to do that is to write it tightly.

Tight writing, like tight pants, gets noticed. (more…)

I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.
- Douglas Adams

by Alina Padilla

Basic computer skills for authors are important when presenting a manuscript to publishers. Basic computer skills go beyond typing skills. Some writers were writing back when typewriters were THE advanced technology. There’s nothing wrong with this. Old school typists exude disciplined typing ability. While this is a good asset to have, computer skills separate professional writers from amateurs. Basic computer skills reduce the need for intensive production work during layout.

The following strategies assist in the layout of a manuscript and follow standard conventions for submitting to publishers. (more…)

by Anne Hawkins, Literary Agent
John Hawkins & Associates, Inc.

Rejecting authors’ projects is one of the least pleasant aspects of my job. It’s no fun to feel that I’ve ruined someone’s day, even though I always try to be gentle and courteous. How much nicer it is to call or e-mail and say, “I love what I’ve read. Please send more.”

Of course, the most common reason for rejection is a perceived lack of quality, a natural reaction to a misbegotten query letter or sloppy sample pages. Sometimes, however, I have to turn down projects that are actually quite good. Subjective judgment plays a large role in that sort of decision, but so do other business considerations. Let’s take a look at some of the factors that influence an agent’s choice of books for representation. (more…)

by Carl Turner

Freelance writing has been a fantasy of mine for many years. When I was a lot younger than I am now, I did not have the time or the income to pursue freelance writing full time. If you are a new writer or an unknown writer, attempting to write for a living as your only source of income it will probably not succeed unless you do not mind not eating and not paying the bills.

This does not mean that you cannot make a good living freelance writing. It just means that you should not quit your day job before you make a name for yourself and figure out a couple things like your niche market and your particular style or your voice. (more…)

by New York Times bestselling author, Joseph Finder

VANISHED, the book that’s coming out in just a few days (!), will be the first in a series featuring Nick Heller, a high-powered investigator with a private intelligence firm . . . and his friends and family.

Creating Nick’s world took longer than I expected, because it was so important to me to get these characters right. It wasn’t just the facts about what guys like Nick - “private spies” - do. It was the essence of the man, the personality, the likes and dislikes, the quirks and the rough edges. It’s always been important to me to like my characters - even the bad guys - and since this gang will be with me for years to come, if all goes well, it was even more important than usual.

Never forget: novels are about people. The more interesting the character, the more interesting the book. Good characters can sometimes save a bad plot, but - with very rare exceptions — good plots can’t save paper-thin characters.

But does that mean that your hero, or your main protagonists, have to be likable? Yes, I really think so. When you’re writing a thriller, it’s especially important. (more…)