How to Get Published

Brad Stone

Excerpts from an article written by Brad Stone and Mokoto Rich for the New York Times

Ever since electronic books emerged as a major growth market, New York’s largest publishing houses have worried that big-name authors might sign deals directly with e-book retailers or other new ventures, bypassing traditional publishers entirely. Now, one well-known author is doing just that.

Stephen R. Covey, one of the most successful business authors of the last two decades, has moved e-book rights to two of his best-selling books from his print publisher, Simon & Schuster to a digital publisher that will sell the e-books to Amazon for one year. (more…)

by Al Kalar

Okay, so this has nothing to do with getting published.  I just thought you’d like to know what happens to your manuscript in the eBook publishing world of AKW Books.  This is our in-house cycle from inquiry to published work. We’ll assume you are sending in a work of fiction (non-fiction is slightly different, but many of the skills required and our procedures are the same).

When you send in an inquiry, it arrives in the same email box with all our other correspondence, so whoever opens it up will route it to one of our editors.  With this act, we assume you have read and agreed to our standard contract (Standard Agreement). (more…)

by Al Kalar

Most first-time authors don’t get picked up by one of the big New York houses (but don’t let that stop you from trying). Chances are, your first book will be published by a small press, an eBook outfit like AKW Books, or perhaps self-published through a short-run or Print on Demand vanity press.

Now, your small press publisher isn’t going to have much of an ad budget and a “vanity” press won’t spend a dime on you (you pay them). So, as a first-time author, or even a second time author, you’re going to have to learn how to market your own writing. (more…)

By Al Kalar

Publishing suffered through one of its worst years ever in 2008.

October through December showed a 7% drop in sales compared to 2007 and all of the major houses cut back on staff drastically.

The publishing industry is also being convulsed by longer-term trends, including a shift toward digital reading (eBooks). (more…)