Get published
Sara Newman
- March 2008.
Prospects finds out how to get your book published from three wordsmiths: author and lecturer in Creative Writing at MMU, Nicholas Royle, his recently published student Megan Taylor, and the publisher which turned her manuscript into the real deal, Flame Books.  Nicholas Royle’s career as a writer began with writing short stories when he was still a student studying languages. He has recently had a book of short stories published, Mortality. ‘I wasn’t studying a vocational course to become a writer but I was always interested in literature and I think the first thing you really need if you want to become a writer is a love of writing and you need to be a reader.’
If you are serious about getting a book published, Nicholas advises writing a novel. ‘Don’t expect to sell your novel based on a scenario or synopsis, just write your novel. Then try and find an agent for it. Because most of the big publishers won’t look at anything unless it comes from an agent.’ There are also smaller publishing houses around to consider. Nicholas’ first novel Counterparts was published by ‘a very small one-man operation’ after numerous rejections. ‘That is how I started, and increasingly a lot of people do. In fact, one of my students Megan Taylor has just had her first novel published by a very small publisher, Flame Books, it is a good book and it deserves publication.’ The road less travelledMegan first studied for a BA in English Literature at Goldsmiths College and wrote throughout her degree, but mostly for herself. When she began to take her writing seriously her debut novel took about a year to write, writing about two hours a day. She finished writing ‘How We Were Lost’ before beginning the part-time distance MA in Creative Writing which is now helping to push her career further in a supportive environment.  ‘I began by looking for agents through The Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook. I had a couple of requests for the whole manuscript, but one agent in particular seemed interested. He suggested changes and went on to read through a complete redrafted version, but in the end decided the novel was not for him.’
‘The whole process was very productive, but after several months of going back and forth, I thought I’d try bypassing agents and going directly to the smaller presses. I didn’t think it was worth trying the big publishers as they so rarely look at unsolicited manuscripts, and there was also a personal warmth and dedication about some of the independent presses. Flame Books, in particular, have a huge and genuine passion that is very inspiring.’ Igniting imaginationsThere are many factors to consider when trying to excite agents and publishers, and Sean Woods from Flame acknowledges it’s different for different publishers. ‘Personally, a really good book will strike me initially by the power of its language,’ he says. ‘Apart from the obvious things such as plot, characters, structure etc. all being interesting, I look for an author who has a unique voice, who is using language in a way which inspires me. It has to be genuine too, not something created to fit an idea of what might sell.’ Sean also recommends researching the submission process for each publisher carefully: ‘Offer the publishers what they ask for succinctly, and nothing more. Simple clear information is best, as you don’t want to create any barriers between the editor and your work. Personally, I don’t find pages of “why my book will sell” helpful.’ Nicholas advises looking at agents to see which authors they represent and if their work is similar to your own. ‘Keep your approach very brief, a single page letter or email asking them if they would be prepared to see a couple of chapters of your book. Certainly never send an entire manuscript to an agent when you are cold calling because they won’t look at it, so just make a polite enquiry and be prepared to wait because it can take some time.’ Final words of advice‘Get your work in the public domain (and don’t expect to be paid),’ Sean adds. ‘Find opportunities to get examples of your writing in front of people, starting at the very local level - newspapers, magazines, competitions and websites. If your work starts being accepted frequently within such avenues this is a good sign that your work may be publishable. Go to readings, and look for opportunities to read your own work at ‘open mic’ nights. ‘‘Keep going!’ advises Megan. ‘Don’t be afraid of what other people might think, or of tackling difficult subjects. Write the story that you want to write - and enjoy it. Take time out to listen to other people’s opinions and criticisms - they can really help, though don’t let rejections from publishers and agents throw you. Take the advice you need from them and then move on. Never give up; you never know what’s around the corner…’ Further information: More publishing, media and marketing articles:
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