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Sun Dec 13, 2009 10:56 pm
brassnbridle says...



I want to look into publishing a fantasy book that's been my pet project for a while now, and I'm feeling kind of lost. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to go about getting a book published, or where to start? Any advice is appreciated.
Thanks,
brass
If there's a book you really want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.~Toni Morrison

It is written in m life-blood, such as that is, thick or thin; I can do no other~ Tolkien
  





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Mon Dec 14, 2009 12:47 am
Rosendorn says...



You might want to check out this thread. It might not be everything, but it might point you in the right direction! ^^
A writer is a world trapped in a person— Victor Hugo

Ink is blood. Paper is bandages. The wounded press books to their heart to know they're not alone.
  





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Wed Dec 16, 2009 11:29 pm
airbear320 says...



First of all, make sure your book is finished and as polished and ready to go as it can be. Have some friends read it and tell you things to improve on (or post parts you're concerned about on YWS. We'll help you out. :wink: ). Make sure you've got your book in the best condition you can. (I would suggest paying special attention to the first three chapters or first 50 pages. Editors and agents sometimes ask for a partial which is usually the first three chapters or first 50 pages. So make sure that part really shines. :D )

Okay, so your book is finished and polished. Now I would suggest writing a synposis. A synopsis is basically a 2-5 page summary of your book. Writing a synopsis helps you get a better idea of what your book is really about and what the main and amazing parts of it are. At first have it as long as it takes you to tell the story, but then try cutting it down. Cut out things that aren't important to the story. You can make several drafts of your synopsis until you've got your story as condensed as it can possibly be. This will be the synopsis you can send out to agents or publishers (if they require one of course. But a synopsis can also help you when writing your query letter as well).

So now your story is polished and you have a good idea of what the main, juicy goodness of your story is. Now it's time to find some agents and publishers to send to. What I would suggest is looking at books similar to your own. You say it's fantasy? Then head to the fantasy section of your local bookstore or library with a pen and paper to write down possible leads. On the back of the book (or side, or inside cover, etc.) you should be able to find the publisher. Write down the publishers name and then when you get home try and find their website. The website should tell you whether or not they look at manuscripts that don't have representation. Also, while at the library/bookstore, look in the acknowledgement section of the book. Some authors thank their agents and that's a great way to find people who represent the same kind of things you write. But also agentquery.com and writers.net are good places to find agents/publishers as well.

Hope all that didn't scare you. Haha. So, now that you have a whole list of agents/publishers who publish fantasy it's time to start doing your research. You want to find the publisher or the agent who is going to be right for you. That means don't just send off a million query letters to a million agents just because they look at fantasy. Is your book young adult fantasy or hardcore genre fantasy? Look for agents or publishers who do your specific genre. Also look at their other clients, search the internet to see if their credentials are real.

So now you should have your list from the library narrowed down to a few publishers or agents who you think would be the best fit for you and your book. Now it's time to start writing the query letter. I wrote a post on query letters that you can check out if you want. http://www.youngwriterssociety.com/topic52705.html. Hopefully that can help you.

In your query letter you want to include the name, target audience, genre, and word count of your book. Editors and agents look at the word count rather than how many pages it is because page number can change based on font, titles, etc. Then you want to include one paragraph that tells what your book is about. This paragraph is where writing that synopsis will come in handy. Make this paragraph hook the editor or agent. Then, include any qualifications you have, any writing awards you've recieved, etc. Again, that other post I wrote about query letters says a lot of this.

Now double, triple, and quadruple check your query letters for typos before you send them out! This query letter is a representation of you and your book and your writing skills. It needs to be perfect. No joke. PERFECT. (Well, at least as far as grammar goes.)

Then, send them out and enjoy the wait. :) Good luck! I really hope this didn't terrify you. Haha. This is just the stuff I wish someone would have told me to do step by step. Feel free to PM me with any questions. :D

--Airbear
"Without hard work, nothing grows but weeds."
-Gordon B. Hinckley
  








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