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This wasn't written by a famous author
- it's still good advice, though.
The Writers' and Artists' Yearbook (A & C Black) is as much as anyone needs. It covers every aspect of writing and publishing.
Where both fiction and non-fiction books are concerned, it's important to choose the right publisher. A glance along a bookshop or library shelves will indicate which publishers could be a good starting point. For example, if you've written a thriller it's unlikely an academic or romantic publisher would be interested, though many others would.
Most publishers cover a range of genres. A look at the Yearbook will confirm your initial choice and suggest others who may be interested. Before submitting, it's important to remember that while publishers like originality, and parallel publishing flourishes where originality often fails, if you've written a Harry Potter rip off, or something that resembles the Potter books, Bloomsbury are unlikely to be interested because they publish the originals; though checking with the publisher's Yearbook entry will tell you how and often what to submit. For example, if they say, No Unsolicited Material, then it would be pointless to send a manuscript.
Publishers often don't want to read the whole work. If in doubt, it's best to ask. A phone call could clear the matter. Many, if not most, publishers prefer a synopsis and sample chapters, which should be sent with a preliminary letter and return postage.
Once you've chosen your publisher, inquired and sent the material, it's best to leave well alone. There's neither a set time nor even an indication as to how long you should wait for a response. Publishers, especially popular publishers, get a lot of submissions. But if you've heard nothing after two or three months, it would be tactful to send a letter asking how things are proceeding. If that elicits no response and you've heard nothing after another couple of months, you'd be perfectly justified in asking for your material back. And when it returns send it somewhere else, since there's no shortage of publishers and persistence is often the key. No matter how well you do your homework or want to be accepted by your favourite publisher, don't submit unless you're prepared to be rejected. And if that happens try somewhere else. Immediately. While belief in your work is important and obviously everyone who writes wants to be published, it's important not to build your hopes on a single submission. And take a look at what's come back. If, as is likely, it's dog-eared with ash and coffee stains, print up a fresh copy.
Publishers rarely do more than tell you they're not going to publish your work. Covering letters are unusual, not to say rare. Nor is it fruitful to inquire. No matter how helpful you think it would be to be told, it's best to keep plugging away till you're ready with the next. Letting a novel sit for a while and going back to it, even after a few rejections, can tell you more than you imagine. And doing that stuff for yourself, rather than having it pointed out, will teach you more about your work than any number of courses, classes and the like.
When your novel is finished, you've gone over it a few times and are ready to submit it to a publisher, it's important to get to work on another book immediately. In fact, there's a good case for not sending a manuscript off in the first flush of completion. That feeling is not to be trusted. What you're experiencing is elation at having gone the distance and little else. So it's good to let the novel rest for a while, then go back to it with a fresh eye. This is when you can start another; in fact, when you're coming to the end of one novel, you should be thinking about the next, making notes and maybe even mapping out the opening chapters, so that when your book's finished you can move on seamlessly on.
There's a plethora of books and magazines available to aspiring writers. And most, if not all, are specifically aimed at those who hope to be published. Bizarrely, many publications omit standard information such as make sure your manuscript is typed with double spacing, enclose return postage with a covering letter and keep a copy of what you send.
And never assume an editor's response. Writers often forget that in sending their manuscripts they are asking for them to be considered for publication rather than presupposing a foregone conclusion. Which is not surprising, since for many people publication is an end in itself. I recently sat on a bursary panel. The vast majority of applicants said they wanted to be published; some said they wanted publication more than anything. Few said they wanted to write a novel that engaged the reader, an entertaining story or a good poem. So, once more, the obvious needs to be said: one is more likely to be published if one puts these things first.
Other publications offer information similar to that in The Writers' and Artists' Yearbook. The Writer's Handbook of FAQs (Authorlink Press) goes into business protocol and etiquette and covers topics such as Preparing The Manuscript, Approaching Agents, Copyright, Shelf Life, Earnings and Possible Earnings. Forward Press publish an annual Guide to Book Publishers, which lists more than 800 publishers in the UK & Ireland and also offers guidelines about submission.
Most publications give the same basic information and at best can be little more than a guide, though there are publications targeted at writers who are aiming at a specific market, romance, magazines and the like. And, of course, there's the net, though a search on the phrase Writers Handbook yielded 654,000 results, which fell to a mere 211,000 when the word Publishing was added. The Pan Macmillan Writers' Handbook is available online and most publishers have websites.
Finally, it's important to remember that many if not most of the publications are specifically aimed at the American market. Their advice, especially on legalities, may not be applicable here.
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