How do you get published? Any tips please?

swingaloo

For years I have been writing short stories, childrens stories and poetry (The Pam Ayres type)

Ive written many poems for people which have been used for special occasions and events and have lost count of the number of times I have been told that I should be taking it a step further and writing professionally.

I have books full of childrens stories which have been tried and tested on family and friends children. Ive done a lot of research and read hundreds of childrens books working out what makes then tick. I know some of the most sucessful ones look the simplest but have that magic something. I have found out which specific age group I should target but then I come unstuck.

Ive always been of the opinion that there are thousands of people who think they can write and that Im just one of them. However recently I wrote a piece for the company magazine and one of the directors took me aside, asked me how long I have been writing and told me that I had a talent and was seriously wasting it.
This has happened to me so many times but now its got me thinking, I have nothing to lose by trying,-but, I dont have a clue how to go about it. I can write the story but dont know how on earth to present it to a publisher. Im aware that unless it looks professional it will not even get looked at.

So, how do I do it? Do I pay fore a manuiscript to be proffessionally done, do I need illustrations, do I send the full story or a sample from it?

As you can see I am clueless! Does anyone have any experience or tips?

Thanks for reading

Ames

I've asked loads of authors this, and there seems to be as many answers as there are authors.

Will Self says to exploit any connections you have to publishers by offering to have sex in unnatural positions with them (or hoover their stairs).

Most say to use the W&A Yearbook to get an agent, then you're guaranteed to be published.

The problem with that is that for many you need to already have been published.

So to do that you need to have won competitions.

I'm slightly behind you - I'm about halfway through my first novel. Alongside that I'm writing short stories. Writers magazine publishes a supplement once a year that lists thousands of competitions.

I'm also in a writing group, and once I get organised I'm going to join another.

I've also done loads of workshops, I live near Ilkley where there's a huge literature festival every year, and last year there were loads of workshops and I did about half a dozen. It gave me confidence that my writing is good and my ideas are publishable.

HTH, feel free to pm me!

angelil

I don't know about the children's book market specifically, so you may need certain specialist advice that I don't know about (I write novels for adults, which like your work is also alas unpublished at this point in time). However, I'm pretty sure you shouldn't be paying anyone in your quest to get things published: the vanity publishing market is something you need to be very aware of and if a publisher likes your work, they should be paying you.

My main piece of advice is to get the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook, which is published every year with up to date contacts for agents (you will need one of these: it is possible but much much harder to approach a publisher on your own), publishers etc, as well as articles containing specific advice on the types of writing, audience etc you are interested in.

A lot of the stuff about who you've tried and tested it on, your research etc should be in your cover letter, but remember still to keep your covering letter to agents short and sweet (there is advice on writing covering letters in the Yearbook as well). And be prepared for LOTS of rejections: I have been trying for about 3 years now to get my novels published and still no luck. You will also receive little to no personalised feedback from agents, so be prepared, too, to not know whether you really should keep on trying or whether you are not good enough and so should just quit.

Of course you have all of my very best wishes! It's a long hard road...

gingin_2

Have you had a look at Lulu.com? It might not be exactly what you were after but could be a gentle start.

http://www.lulu.com/uk/publish/index.php?cid=en_tab_publish

meritaten

I remember the interview with JK Rowling where she said that she had sent her manuscripts to many publisher and agents before she got accepted.
I think you have to persevere hun - keep sending them, dont be too disheartened by rejection slips.
It wont hurt to try magazines either for short stories - I believe they are ALWAYS on the lookout for those.

Ames

I agree you don't need to pay to have a manuscript professionally done. The Yearbook has all that info, but it's basically just use a normal font and leave margins. Also, don't send illustrations, according to the Yearbook publishers have their own people. And you don't usually send a whole MS. You write first, then send a few sample chapters, or the agents ask for a certain number of pages first off.

And there's no point approaching publishers, from what I've been told by people in the know, stuff sent to them doesn't even make it to the slush pile unless it's from an agent. The exception being small publishers. But since a best seller can bankrupt a small publisher you need to be careful there too....

HariboJunkie

Definitely get the W&A yearbook. It has loads of useful advice as well as the names and addresses of agents and publishers. An agent seems to be a must unless you have publishing contacts as most publishers won't entertain unsolicited manuscripts.

As far as chiildrens' books go it may help if you have an idea of one whose work would complement yours.

Best of luck with it and well done on taking the chance not to waste your talent.

Errata

Self publish on Amazon Kindle.

MX5huggy

Errata wrote: »

Self publish on Amazon Kindle.

There was a short article about this in Fridays Guardian.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2012/jan/13/kindle-self-publishing-e-readers?newsfeed=true

onlyroz

MX5huggy wrote: »

There was a short article about this in Fridays Guardian.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2012/jan/13/kindle-self-publishing-e-readers?newsfeed=true

Thanks for that link.

SailorSam

Perhaps you could join a writers forum and get tips off other budding authors.
I think there are tips on here about publishing.
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