Sticky: Writing and Publishing Tips and Links

[Racheling]

Writing and Publishing Tips and Links

Here you will find links to information on how to improve your writing, find a publisher, and start submitting your work. Remember that while I have tried to provide the most reliable information I can find, doing your own research is important!

Suggestions for additional links and information are welcome.


Thread Contents

• Basic writing help
  
• More specific writing help
  
• Critique groups and workshops
  
• Types of publishers
  
• Before submitting for publication
  
• Where to submit (books, short stories, poetry)
  
• How to find an agent
  
• Basic Query Letter Tips
  
• Copyright information
  
  

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Basic writing help

Good grammar and spelling are important! Spell check is helpful (always use it before letting others read your work!), but don't rely on it completely. You might find some of these resources useful if you need to work on common mistakes and building a good foundation.

Spelling, Grammar, and other Basics
Grammar Basics
Big Dog's Grammar (with interactive exercises)
Common Errors in English
Common Words That Sound Alike
Spellchecker - Online spell check form
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Mistakes in Writing
Writing Basics

Writer's Block
Writer's block/Writers Anxiety - The OWL at Purdue
Practical Tips for Beating Your Writer's Block
50 Strategies for Making Yourself Work
Writing Exercises
Creative Writing Exercises

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More specific writing help

There's a lot to think about when writing a story. You have to consider characterization, plot, pacing, setting, and more. Here are a few links that might help you out if you're feeling stuck.

General
Recommended Reading List for Writers

Setting & Worldbuilding
The Language Construction Kit
A Way With Worlds - world construction
Fantasy Worldbuilding Questions
Encyclopedia Mythica

Characters
How to Create a Character
Behind the Name

Revision
Murder your darlings

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Critique groups and workshops

Want to offer advice to other writers but aren't sure how to word things? Here are some links to help you give advice that will be heard rather than put the writer on the defensive.

There are also many writing workshops and summer programs aimed at young writers. I've linked some here, but I'm sure there are more! Some can be pretty competitive, but they can be worth it.

There are also many online critique groups. You could start a GGN guild on Gaia (making it private so that your work is not viewable to the public), you could pair with someone and trade critiques over PMs, or you could use any of the many other online critique groups out there.

Advice on critiquing the work of others
Hardcore Critique Guidelines
The Critters Library
Some Notes on Critiquing Method

Writing Workshops for Young Writers
Alpha SF/F/H Workshop for Young Writers
Shared Worlds Creative Writing Program
Resources for Teen Writers

Online Critique Group Resources
Critters Writers Workshop
Critique Circle
Other Worlds Writers Workshop: for beginning to advanced writers of speculative fiction

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Types of publishers

Traditional publishing
You, the writer, gets paid. Your story/novel is published. A traditional/commercial publisher's audience is the general public, who they will market your work towards. This is the kind of publishing most writers want to be involved with.

Vanity press
You pay a company to print copies of your story/novel. Their audience is you, the writer, who they expect will either buy lots of copies or have friends buy them. They will not market your book for you. They generally publish anything sent to them, regardless of quality, and so this kind of publishing will not get you recognition or respect in your field. Some vanity presses are scams, and you should research the press on Google before you hand over any money.

Self publishing
Many companies charge a printing fee, explain honestly what their services include, and do not try to deceive the writer. If you do wish to go the self-publishing route, for whatever reason, look for a company like this.

Additional info
"Excuse me, how much did it cost you?" An anti-scam handout
Types of Publishers

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Before submitting for publication

How to submit your work for publication:

Locate a market (more on this in the next post).
Read the guidelines and make sure your work matches what they're looking for.
Make sure your work is revised and is the best you can make it.
Put the work in standard manuscript format (unless the market you're submitting to requests something else).
Don't staple, at most use a paperclip or rubber band.
Use the proper size envelope for your work (so it stays flat, not folded).
Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for a response, or a larger postage-paid envelope if you want your manuscript returned.
Put correct postage on your submission and mail it off.

Steps are slightly different for email submissions, but the basics are the same. Just remember to use an email address that is based on your name, not something like [e-mail].

Basic info to get you started
Manuscript Format
Is It Normal When Publishers Take Several Months To Consider My Manuscript?
Writer Beware
How do I go about submitting short stories?

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Where to submit (books, short stories, poetry)

Before you drop that envelope in the mail, have you done your research?

Have you researched more than one possible market, and thoroughly read their guidelines to make sure your story is appropriate for the market and that you are eligible to submit?

Is your manuscript in standard manuscript format, or formatted according to your chosen market's guidelines?

Is the editor's name spelled correctly? If a cover letter is required, is it short and to the point? Have you spell checked everything?

Have you included a self addressed stamped envelope for the editor to use to reply? If you don't include this, you won't get a response.

It's also a good idea to keep a log of when you submitted which story, and to which market. That way you'll have it all written down in case you forget. (And you won't be saying "why haven't they replied yet, it's been six months! when it's only been three)

Markets for Short Fiction
Check out the latest edition of Writer's Market at your library. But remember that the information can be out of date by the time the guide is published, so do your research to confirm the info!
Ralan's Spec Fic and Humor Market Guide
Duotrope's Digest (searchable, and you can limit by genre and word count)
Lit Refs Market Listing
Literary Magazines and Journals

Markets for Poetry
Check out the latest edition of Poet's Market at your library. But remember that the information can be out of date by the time the guide is published, so do your research to confirm the info!
Duotrope's Digest (searchable, and you can limit by genre and word count)
Teen Ink
WritersWrite Poetry Markets
Lit Refs Market Listing
Literary Magazines and Journals

Markets for Novels
Check out the latest edition of Writer's Market at your library. But remember that the information can be out of date by the time the guide is published, so do your research to confirm the info!
Preditors and Editors Book Publisher Recommendations

Keep in mind that many book publishers do not accept any kind of unsolicited submissions (meaning you will need an agent). But, there are still some that will accept unsolicited queries, sample chapters, or full manuscripts. Make sure to read the submission guidelines carefully!

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How to find an agent

If you're serious about pursuing a career writing novels, you will probably want to look for an agent to represent you. An agent is someone who has built up relationships with editors, knows their tastes, the market, which editors are looking for certain kinds of books, etc. Agents also negotiate book contracts on your behalf.

Never pay an agent reading fees, editing fees, or anything of that nature. An agent is paid after they sell your book. The standard fee is 15% of your advance and royalties.

You find an agent by researching agents who represent work in your genre and sending them a query letter. I go over query letters briefly in the next post.

Ways to find an agent
AgentQuery.com
QueryTracker.net
Questions About Agents

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Basic Query Letter Tips

Query letters can be tough. Basically, your query letter should be written in business letter format. It should include your information at the top--name, address, phone number, email address. It should be addressed, politely, to a specific agent/editor whenever possible, (Dear Ms. Jones, for example, not To Whom It May Concern), and always make sure to get the gender right. Do your research, don't guess based on the name alone.

There are many guides on how to do query letters. Basically, you need:

The title of your book
The word count
The genre
Short description of the plot (think 200 words or so. Be as clear and concise as possible. Don't worry about "giving things away"-- they'd rather be sure you actually have plot in there than worry about you spoiling the ending)
Any publishing credits (professional credits. small press is fine, vanity press will not impress them)

It has also been mentioned on a few agents' blogs that including the first 5 pages with your query is acceptable. No more than that, no chapters or full manuscripts unless it's specifically requested, but 5 pages has been said to be okay.

Basic query format

Writer's Name
Address
Phone #
Email address

Dear Ms. Awesome Agent:

[Brief opening that includes any personalized statements about why you're submitting to that agent. A sentence that includes your title, genre, and word count.]

[Very brief description of your book. Think back cover blurb rather than summary of events.]

[Any relevant publishing credits or other important info.]

Thanks for your time,

Writer's Name

And that's it, really. smile Make sure to include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for a response!

Additional links
Writing a query letter

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Copyright information

As soon as you write something, it's copyrighted. There is no need to officially register your work until you're published, because you're automatically protected.

Keep in mind that the Poor Man's Copyright (where you mail a copy of your work to yourself) will not help you prove anything, and it's a waste of postage.

Copyright Information
U.S. Copyright Office
Creative Commons


So, what about publication rights? You may have heard that it's not a good idea to post your work online and open to the public if you hope to get it published professionally. This is because posting it like that means that you have lost your first publication rights and the publisher would be buying a reprint. Aside from the fact that most publishers don't accept reprints to begin with, why would they pay you for your story when it's already available all over the internet?

But I want people to help me revise it, you might say. All right-- posting excerpts is fine. Posting large portions of it that will be *very* significantly rewritten should also be fine. Emailing/PMing it to people or setting up a members-only critique group also works. There are lots of ways to get help on your work that won't affect your publication rights.