HOW TO GET PUBLISHED Write a good book Persevere Be lucky
New authors from agent Contracted authors 3 months Non- contracted authors 6 months Slush pile 1 year Where do we want our manuscript ?
Agent Author Publishing House
What an Agent Does Knows the market Does the administration Does the networking Does the negotiating: publishing rights Gets 15% $0=0 $10,000 = $1,500
How to Get an Agent Check market: internet, acknowledgements—for someone who likes similar material to yours and who is looking for work Schmooze Go to workshops
Once you’ve identified a possible agent: Write a query letter (e or print, as requested)query letter They often request the first chapter or the first three chapters only – make them dynamite! GOAL: get an agent to read your entire novel and say, hey, I want to represent you!
How will you make a living? Advance (against royalties) Royalties Typical Canadian advance: $30, signing rights 15 published or 10/10 edit/10
Typical Royalty Deals: Fiction Trade Paperback: 10% royalties –Sell for $25 -- $2.50 per book minus your advance Therefore, once sold 12,000 copies, you’ve earned out your advance, and then you get to keep $2.50 each
Mass market paperback: 6% royalties To start, say, for first $50,000 but often an escalator clause 2 nd 50,000 – 8% after 100,000 – 10% after 500,000 – 12%
Hard Cover: 10 – 15% –More often than not, Canadian books don’t earn out their advance, so the advance is often all you get
Non-fiction Sell the idea with a proposal Always get an advance, then write book
Somebody has to be the next best-selling author Why not you?