Goal Setting, Query Writing, and Picking Your Publisher

Last week, we discussed the three things you need in order to write an effective book. To recap, they are:

1. Your book and/or topic must be UNIQUE (to your platform and genre)
2. Your book--and definitely your topic--must be INTERESTING (aka, pull us in and keep us there)
3. Your book must be WELL WRITTEN (i.e., it passes the Grammar Nazi test)

In addition, we discussed how your book should appeal to an audience (as opposed to no one, which of course means the book will never get published, let alone sell). This is all a part of the book being unique, interesting, and well-written (or, as our friend would say, singular, dynamic, and engaging). We also decided last week that you are, in fact, an amazing writer and your book already meets all of these qualifications, enabling us to scurry right along to the next step in the grand publishing scheme.

So at this point--because while I do want to help you get published, I absolutely do not want to teach you how to write a book beyond knowing the basic tenets (above)--we are going to assume that your book is just about almost close to maybe being sort of finished, and move on to what you should be doing to prepare in between reviewing your book for the six hundred and fifth time.


You need to have goals. According to a chart I saw on Google image search when looking for the motivational poster below, goals should be: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. (SMART, your goals should be smart). While that's a bit cheesy, I suppose it's accurate enough. In this case, though, I mean that you need to have a specific goal for your book. It could really be any goal at all, but without one, you're not going to get anywhere. The goal might not even be attainable, but at least it gives you a place to start planning and deciding where you want to go when plying your manuscript.


Depending on your goal, you might want to go to a traditional publisher, get an agent, and take the time-honored and tediously rewarding path to getting your book published. Possibly, you could be better suited to an independent publisher that primarily focuses on niche publishing in specific genres for a specialized audience. Like thousands of writers, you may want to self-publish or find a vanity press.  Below, I'll break down the pros and cons of each type of publisher and outline which types of goals fit which group. There's a publisher out there for everyone, much like there's a book out there for everyone.


Let's start with everyone's favorite, and the most obvious: traditional publishers. There's something known as the "big six" in the United States, which refers to the six major traditional publishers. The group includes Random House, Penguin, Simon & Schuster, Hachette, Harper Collins, and Macmillan. Most of these are either subsidiaries of media conglomerates or have large international offices, or both.When people think of being published by a traditional publisher, likely they have one of these companies in mind.


Ideally, you want to be published by a big traditional publisher if your goals are a) make a ton of money, b) get famous, or c) reach a mass audience. Not all (almost no) authors at traditional publishers do all or even one of these things, but the easiest way to have your book reach a large audience is through a traditional publisher, mostly because they only publish books they believe have this potential.


If you want to reach a niche audience, with targeted marketing, personal attention from publishing staff, and turn out a quality book--especially if you've already established a platform--traditional publishing is not for you. If you want your book published quickly, traditional publishing is not for you. If you want to have your hand held through the whole process, traditional publishing is not for you. And if you just really want to see something you've written in print, traditional publishing is not for you. That said...


The first thing you need to know about traditional publishers is that almost none of them accept unsolicited manuscripts anymore. You can read their individual policies online, but for the most part they don't take them, which means if you send them one, it goes in the trash. If by chance they do accept them, the manuscript goes into the slush pile to be read by interns, slowly, over a period of weeks or months, depending on the size of the pile.


That means, when you send an unsolicited manuscript to a publisher, it's going to get caught with possibly hundreds of others, and most of them won't be good. An unpaid intern is not going to read through your entire manuscript and make a decision about whether your book is worth sending on to an editor. If you're lucky, they'll read more than a page, and if you're very lucky, they might give you a chapter. But if that book doesn't hook the reader right away, it's out. So unless you're extremely confident that your book could outshine hundreds of others and not accidentally get overlooked, I wouldn't recommend the slush pile route. Not everyone can be Ms. Meyer. Please, don't take her word for it.


That means if you're going to be published by a traditional publisher, you need an agent. The typical process goes like this: author sends agent query; agent requests partial, then full manuscript, then signs author for 20% of advance and royalties; agent sends manuscript to editors; editor gives an offer for manuscript; agent accepts offer on behalf of author; book gets published. Obviously, there are more steps than this, but first and foremost you need to grab your agent's attention and make them love your book. The way to do that is with a query letter.


It's a little known (or maybe oft ignored) fact that many agents don't accept unsolicited manuscripts either. The difference between an agent and a publisher is that if you send a query letter to an agent and they like the sound of your book, the will ask you to send more. If you send a query letter to a publisher, it will be shredded without a second glance.


There are blogs and books and articles galore about query letter etiquette and format, so I won't go into that here, other than to say, please, please do your homework. I used to read query letters, and I cannot tell you how many people sent in letters with stupid mistakes that blew their chances.


Here is a list of places to go to learn to write a query letter. Do not forsake this.

1. The SFWA Complete Nobody's Guide to Query Letters
2. Agent Query
3. Charlotte Dillon on "Writing a Query Letter"
4. Fiction Writer's Connection, "Query Dos and Don'ts"
5. Query Shark (highly, highly recommended)

I mentioned last time, as a general rule, not to compare your book to major current or historical bestsellers. I'm sorry, but your book is not the next Harry Potter. It might be great, but it's not that. Other important rules to remember include addressing your chosen agent by the correct name, not dual-querying publishers and agents, and keeping your letter to ONE PAGE. Read the above sites for more tips.


Basically, the key to getting an agent is having a killer query letter and then following it up with a killer manuscript. The rest should follow naturally, because skilled agents know how to sell books to the right publishers and they know what publishers like. End of story.


To sum up:
Pros of traditional publishers...

• your book can reach a wide audience
• they have wonderful editorial and design staff
• your book will likely get more media attention

Cons of traditional publishers...

• publishing process takes a long time
• they have a lot of authors, so you may not always get the attention you crave
• you have little to no control, editorial and otherwise

If your goals are to reach a niche audience with a publisher who focuses on a select genre and works closely with their authors through all stages of publication, independent publishers are where you should look. Some indie publishers will accept unsolicited manuscripts, some will work with agents, and some will do both. At  Cosimo , we have an online application that authors can fill out in lieu of a query letter that tells us what the book is about and what your background and platform are.


Most independent publishers focus on specific genres, like to publish books that are inspirational and uplifting, and tend to gravitate toward authors with their own platforms and backgrounds in their field. If you want personalized attention and a publisher that will get your book to the right audience, check out independent publishers. If you want your book published quickly and want editorial and design expertise, look for print on demand indie publishers (like Cosimo). For other independent publishers with similar profiles, take a look at the brand new Evolve Publishing (whose first book is on Amazon's bestseller list, right below the horror that is the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy); Chelsea Green, who focuses on sustainable living titles; and Persea Books, an independent fiction publisher.


Pros of indie publishers...

• your book will reach a specialized audience that will love your topic
• they have wonderful editorial and design staff
• your book will get attention in your field
• Fewer authors means more specialized attention

Cons of indie publishers...

• publishing process may take longer
• you have little to no control, editorial and otherwise
• your book probably will not reach a wide audience

If you just want a book out now and you want it out fast, that's when self-publishing comes in handy. You do have to pay to have your book published, and editorial, design, and marketing services cost extra, but from start to finish the whole publishing process may take a month. There are so many self-publishers available, from CreateSpace, to Lulu, to iUniverse, to Xulon. They're all very similar, though some self-publishers (who also use print on demand technology) restrict themselves to a certain genre. Generally, I don't like self-publishers, though they do work well for some people.


It's difficult to get your book noticed by an agent or a large publisher later if you self-publish unless the book reaches acclaim through the news and Amazon. Very few self-published books get offers from large publishers or agents or earn out on royalties. But if you just need to have your book in print, or the book will serve a very specific community and you have no reason to go a more traditional route, then by all means, go for it.


Pros of self-publishing...

• your book is published quickly
• you retain editorial and design control

Cons of self-publishing...

• your book probably will not reach a wide audience
• you have to pay both to publish and for extra services
• often looks less professional than traditionally-published works

Basically, what I'm trying to say in this long ramble and review of the publishing industry, is that your book should fit your publisher and your publisher should fit your goals. Obviously, the rules can be broken for any publisher, but in general these guidelines hold true. Before sending anything out, take a careful review of what you'd like to do with your book and how best to accomplish that. Then, query away.


Next week, what to expect from your publisher after you've been signed.