[LM_NET] HIT : Getting published

[JProctor <joproctor@COX.NET>]

Several weeks ago I asked about where a young man might get published.  Thanks to 
those who responded.  I did some editing.  Several people asked for a HIT so here 
goes :

Go to public library and check out "Literary Market Place"  

"It's a bunny eat bunny world" about publishing in the children's market.

It is very difficult to get published by a royalty paying house, although that is 
not impossible. It might be worth sending out the queries to see what happens. 
Writer's Market is an excellent resource for finding specific publishers for sci-fi 
works. If he does not want to wait that long-and it can take several months to a 
year or more to hear back-he might want to look into some of the print on demand 
(POD) companies.  Lulu is such a company, and they are free to use. 
http://www.lulu.com/?gclid=CPGs3LjCioYCFQJuSwodThFKhQ
 I have no affiliation with Lulu and I have not used this company, but people I 
know have, and have been somewhat pleased. Lulu does not do any promotion of the 
book, so any sales are absolutely up to the author. That translates to friends and 
relatives and anyone he might be able to influence through sports, speaking, clubs, 
church, etc.  That would not be a large market for most authors, particularly a 
young man, but then he would have a published book to show for his efforts. It is 
rare, but some books have been self-published and made such a splash they were 
later sold to large houses. The Christmas Box was one of those. 

 There are other POD publishers, but many charge and require you relinquish 
copyright to your work. That is NOT a good idea.  None that I am aware of offer 
line editing, and consequently POD books have a rather poor reputation in the 
bookstores. Most will not consider handling them at all, and certainly not without 
reading a "free sample copy." 

WRITER'S MARKET.  He'll be able to find listings of virtually every publisher in 
every field...and such things as how to write a QUERY LETTER, the best ways to 
start out., etc., etc.

 Lulu : http://www.lulu.com/  It is free.  She might want to have a look atthat.

 How to Get Happily Published, by Judith Appelbaum.  This book was very helpful to 
me when I was working on getting my first novel into print.  It's technically about 
non-fiction, but applies completely to fiction too.


Joanne Proctor
Retired LMS
Topeka, KS
joproctor@cox.net

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