How Do You Find a Publisher? [Your Writing Questions Answered]
So, welcome to the latest post within my new writing series, “Your Writing Questions Answered.” If you haven’t already seen my announcement about this series–or would like to submit your own question–then please hop over here. To see all the answered questions so far, head over here.
This week’s second question is from JA:
My question is about how to find a publisher. How do you do it?
And for this post we have answers from Brit McGinnis, Yvonne Ventresca, and myself (Madeline Dyer).
Answered by: Brit McGinnis
I’d say worry more about writing the book first. I started the book and published the entire spec fiction series because an experience with a previous publishing really burned me. But now that they’re out, completely unadulterated, they’re starting to get some interest.
Answered by: Yvonne Ventresca
A few ideas about finding a publisher:
What are you reading? If you read in the genre you write (a good idea!), check your bookshelves or your library for your favorite books and see who published them.
Join an organization focused on your area of writing. For picture books through young adult novels, for example, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) is a great organization. They have an online resource called The Book which provides lots of relevant information and they have regional chapters across the world.
Depending on your location and budget, try to attend writing conferences. The annual SCBWI conference in NJ provides opportunities to attend agent and editor panels to learn more about what they are acquiring. For an extra fee, you can also schedule a one-on-one critique with an editor/agent who has read part of your manuscript.
Try networking online. There is a facebook group called the Sub It Club that focuses on the query process. You can also subscribe to email updates from industry publications like Publisher’s Weekly to stay up-to-date on the industry.
Answered by: Madeline Dyer
I definitely agree with the above two answers! Quite a few publishers will not look at unsolicited manuscripts, so seeking an agent first may be the way to go.
There are also Twitter pitch parties, such as #pitmad, that can help you find a publisher or agent. In these, you tend to tweet a short pitch and then add the genre tags. If an acquisitions editor or an agent is interested in reading more, he or she will either reply or like your tweet (usually–check the rules for each party).
And then there’s good old fashioned querying. Find a publisher or agent that you like and follow their guidelines on how to send your manuscript to them. Many only want to see a query letter and sample (usually the first three chapters) first and will contact you if they’re interested in
The other thing I’d like to mention is to always thoroughly research any publisher that you send your materials to. Unfortunately, there are scams out there, so beware! In short, you should never pay a publisher anything. In traditional publishing, the money flows toward you–and costs for editing/production/cover design should be paid for by your publisher.
