How to Publish a Book

 

'How to publish a book' has a standard approach for non-fiction and some novels, but is difficult for poetry.

Your best approach is either to build a reputation within the poetry community and/or self publish. However:

Standard Approach

Many sites will tell you how to publish a book. Typically, it goes like this: First you land an agent and ensure your proposed book is going to be accepted. Agents take around 15% in commission, but publishing houses only deal with agents, and these folk look after your interests.

1. You start by preparing a proposal, a bulky document that helps you clarify your thoughts and which you can send to agents if your query letter is successful. The proposal is typically:

Overview: 2 page general summary.

Market: 3 page description of the potential readership.

Competition: Similar books already published: how yours compares.

Authors: 1 page bio. of your skills and successes.

Chapter by Chapter Summary: Up to 20 page sample if fiction, otherwise brief outlines.

Delivery: 3-sentence clincher.

2. Next you identify twenty possible agents in Guide to Literary Agents or 2005 Guide to Literary Agents: 500 Agents Who Sell What You Write, etc., and send them a query letter. Enclose SAE. The letter has this structure:

Teaser: Attention-grabbing sentence.

Expand the Idea: 3-4 sentences of the substance of the book.

Bio: 3-4 sentences on why you're best to write it.

Closer: Why you like this agent.

3. Agents respond by telephone if interested and by email / letter if not. Research agents who respond favourably and send them your proposal. Choose the one whom seems the most successful.

4. Sign the Contract. The agent sends a contract, a simple 2-page document. You check that representation isn't for more than a year, and that you will not be charged for agent's costs. The agent will find a publisher and negotiate for an advance. You're home: you just have to write or complete the book.

Is this true? For nonfiction, yes. For fiction, to some extent. For poetry, no. Unless you're a literary celebrity, you'll be very lucky to find an agent. Agents live off commissions, and poetry books don't make sufficient money.

What then? You have two approaches, not exclusive.

Build a Reputation

Essentially, you're going to have to be a professional poet, with these career paths:

1. Take a Master of Fine Arts degree, and become a writer in residence etc. at some recognized university or college of further education.

2. Follow a university English course by a Ph.D., but spend much of your time writing and associating with poets, promoting their work and being promoted in turn.

3. Become an officer of a poetry institution, again hobnobbing with poets and becoming part of the publicity machine.

4. Teach in an English department, many of which run a poetry magazine publishing important names.

5. Work in a publishing house, particularly those few that bring out poetry collections or literary novels.

6. Join the poetry performing circuit, building up a loyal public and issuing collections of your popular numbers.

Self Publish

Self publishing is easy: the difficulty is marketing, which means that a reputation in the poetry world will help you get favourable reviews, invitations to talk, appear on radio shows, etc. To self publish you can either employ an on demand publishing company, or create the book yourself with desk top publishing software and arrange for it to be printed, perhaps using publishing services for final proofing, cover design and marketing advice.

You'll find more information, and Internet references on poetrymagic.co.uk.

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