So you’ve made the decision to try your hand at getting published! Please, allow me to offer you simultaneous congratulations and sympathies. This is not an easy business to enter, but it is, at times, immeasurably fun. If you’re reading this, odds are you’ve already cleared an enormous hurdle by making the decision to learn more about how publishing works. I’ll see if I can answer some of the more common questions I’m asked here. I hope it helps!
How much does it cost to get my book published?
Whoa! Slow down there, chief. First off, it costs you nothing to be published by commercial publishers: the non-vanity, non-subsidy, non-self-publishing publishers (more on these here, thanks to SFWA). In fact, you should be getting at least a little money in your pocket from this experience. But you’re getting way ahead of yourself here. First off, once your work is polished to the extreme, you need to find representation. You need a literary agent.
What’s a literary agent?
A literary agent is someone who represents you and your work, who acts as a go-between and uses their business connections to get your manuscript in front of the right editors. Once an editor is interested in making an offer, your agent negotiates on your behalf. Your agent will also vet contracts, get your check to you, handle disputes, and give you insight to potential problems with your writing. They are your personal champion in the publishing world.
Okay, so how do I get one?
First off, you research. Find out who represents authors that you admire, who has made recent sales in your genre. Be sure to check out Agent Query, Writer’s Market, Jeff Herman’s Guide, and Publisher’s Marketplace. You can also seek out advice on writers forums, but there is a lot of misinformation out there, so I recommend you check out Backspace.
Once you have a list of reputable agents (remember: reputable agents charge no fees. For more info on how to spot a scam agent, check out Writer Beware’s list of abusive practices by these…for lack of a better word…people.), you’ll need to write a query letter to send to the agents on your list.
What’s a query letter?
A query letter is a letter of introduction that a writer sends to a literary agent in order to introduce themselves and the book that they’re interested in garnering representation for. You should spend as much time on this as you do on your actual manuscript, because this letter is your foot in the door, and if you screw it up, you might not get an agent’s attention (however, please note that pink paper or that swirly-girly font you’ve been eyeing will only get you the wrong kind of attention). You can always Google for examples of successful query letters, but I’ll post mine here for inspiration. A query letter should be professional, intriguing, and descriptive without being over the top. Here’s mine:
Dear Mr. Agentman,
If you thought eighth grade was tough, try it with fangs and a fear of garlic.
Junior high school really sucks for fourteen-year-old Vladimir Tod, and not in the good slurp-up-the-blood kind of way. A gang of bullies harasses him daily, the principal is dogging his every move, and the girl he really likes prefers his best friend. Oh, and Vlad has to hide the fact that he’s a vampire.
When the one teacher he really connects with mysteriously vanishes, Vlad is determined to find him. But then Vlad finds an unsettling note scribbled across his essay: “I know your secret.”
Vlad must locate his missing teacher, dodge the principal, resist the bullies’ tempting invitations to Bite me!, and get a date for the dance–all before he is exposed for the teen vampire he is.
EIGHTH GRADE BITES is complete at around 39,000 words. It is the first book of a series, THE CHRONICLES OF VLADIMIR TOD. My short fiction appears in Darkmoon Rising, Descending Darkness and is scheduled to appear in two separate issues of Morbid Outlook. I’m also a contributing member of Backspace writers’ organization.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.
Kind Regards,
Heather Brewer
Looking at it now, it most definitely has room for improvement, but of the eleven agents I queried with it, nine responded with requests to read (six fulls, three partials), and one wanted an exclusive, so it couldn’t have been that bad (and yeah, the book is now much longer…and Vlad is now thirteen…but you get the point, right?).
Will you write my query letter for me?
Nice try. No.
Okay, so is there any more advice you can give me about query letters?
Absolutely! Use crisp white paper, a new printer cartridge, Times New Roman 12pt font, and always include a SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope) for their reply (as well as your phone number and email address). And be PATIENT! Sometimes it takes three months or more to hear back. Agents are very busy people.
Also, develop a thick skin. You will get rejected–we all do. And whatever you do, don’t fire of a “you’ll be sorry” email. It’ll only hurt you in the end. Remember, professionalism is the key to success.
What happens if an agent requests pages or offers me representation?
You send the pages UNSTAPLED (rubber band is okay) and you send them out right away (but don’t bother to FedEx overnight unless asked, it makes you look like an amateur), along with a polite cover letter reminding them of who you are and what you’re sending. If you get an offer, sit tight, ask questions about how the agent plans to grow your career, what their commission rate is, and take a few days to really think about it before signing on the dotted line. When you feel a hundred percent right in your choice, go for it! (and don’t forget to contact the other agents you’ve queried to let them know you’re already taken)
Is that all I need to know?
Nope, but it’s a good start. In a few weeks, I’ll write a What Happens After I Get an Agent? blog entry. I hope this helped!
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I sorry but i can’t post anymore!!
i’m afaid someone will take advantage of it!!
But give it a year or so and Change (the name of the book)will be in stores
@Caroline. Way to go. It’s good you made that decision. The story does need to be kept a little private until complete. So just remember us fans and keep us posted as to when its published. Good luck!
You are absolutely right. You have a remarkable mind. You already have fans here so please keep us posted so we can look out for your book, because I’m sure you’ll be a published author soon. Best of luck!
OMG, i feel ssooooo good knowing that i have this support already and that you have so much faith in me. i promise that before the “apocalipse” (December 21, 2012) i will be published.
YOU HAVE JUST MADE MY YEAR!!(not day but year)
thanks so much for the advice!
this is really nice and professional. I love it. Thanks and keep up the good work. Nice baby tips!
I’m glad you posted this… Because I’m working on a novel myself, it’s going to be called “Conjuration” And YOU are my inspiration:)
So if and fellow minions would like to know about my book, text or call me (863-808-3507)
Write back Auntie Heather!
Your loyal Minion, Joey(-)
Ha ha … and to think I used to growl at the thought of being someone’s minion! (My friend used to try and shanghai me into joining her collective group of minions. I resisted temptation as much as possible, but finally succumbed to being minionated. I AM NOW A VLAD MINION!!!)
Honestly, though. This helps. Wow. I feel like such an amateur. Thanks for the advice!!
I was looking for something like this for awhile. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! (insert fanged smiley)
thx auntie heather!!!!! i would use this to get my book published but……… ummmm….. i think u might sue me lol….. it is a back story to the vladimir tod books, ummmmm…. sooooooo i think i will use this info for a different book not about vampires, or about vamps, idk yet lol KEEP UP THE AWESOME WORK!!
what font did you use to write the series, The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod? No one knows.
My friend told me to check this out,and now i am more pumped to get my book published
you inspired me to start writing and its the best thing to ever happen to me thank you so much.
Yay! Thank you for this valuable info! I really need this because I have been writing a story for a really long time now (and yet I am still in the beginning of writing, thanks to re-writing too much, lol), but when I do finally finish my story (It will probably take me about ten to fifteen years because I’m still groggy on what my whole story will be about), I will totally publish! And thanks to you, I will know what to do!
nfire:
lol
I don’t know if this will work, because this face it from Deviantart, but I’m sure it will work.
darn, it didn’t work.
thanks so much for posting a blog about this. i’ve been writing a book since apirl and never understood the process of getting an agent. 52,000 words and counting
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been trying to publish a book!!!!
thanks!
i’v really been wanting to publish a story i wrote,so thanks!
hope mine’s even good enough……………..
omg! thanks so much for the info it has helped!!! Im definetley the youngest author out of these commeters. I HAVE A QUESTION AUNTIE HEATHER!!!
Im really young how do i get an agent to take me seriously? anyone please contribute!! 
I’m writing a book and i was wondering if you would like to read it when ever i gt it finished. I cant find it or think of what to write. I think I should write a different story. I’m going to dedacate it to you Heather. YOUR THE BEST AUTHOR EVER!!
Just wondering why some people leave the title of their book to the last paragraph? In my query I put it in the first paragraph as I did not want it to be buried in query letter. Agent Query says put it first. A whole bunch of posts on Query Shark show the title in the last part of the query. I’m confused.
Heather, I have a finished book and I’m about to have it printed. Is it inappropriate to send a finished book to an agent for consideration? I appreciate your insights!
Kelly
Çok güzel bi proje
this is a poveertest
thisisatestthisisatestth isisatestthisisatest thisisatestthi sisatestth isisatest hisisatestthisisat est
I’m scared they’ll think I’m crazy if I send in my book
will wait a few years 
awsome! thats exactly what i needed to know!!
This is great information! -remembers for future reference so I can add it to my favorites later- I’m working on two books actually. Keeps me from being bored. One’s about vampires and the other is about magic. You’ve inspire me, Auntie Heather and you continue to do so.
You’re my favorite Author and I always refer to you as Auntie Heather unless I’m talking to a n00b 
I really hope I can finish them and get them published because when/if I do, Your name will be on the dedications page. 
I love you, Auntie Heather! <3
I WILL WRITE A BOOK SOMEDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You will be mentioned in my career, too.
hey im just starting to write a book and i dont realy know wat to do with it ya know?? please help me!!!!
i would like to reply to all the minions who said they were too young to get published and i am here to tell you that that is complete bull if any of you have read the outsiders by S.E Hinton then you would know that she wrote it as a school paper and she got a D on it! and yet she still got published when she was 15 i am 13 and i am in the prosess of writing a book so just remember dont be scared! dont wait! and remember your vocabulary:)
OMFG thank you auntie heather!!!! i love you!!!!! i wiil get my book finished and published if its the last thing i do….. yay XD will you be my agent????
If you could email me with a few tips on just how you made your website look this excellent, I would be thankful.
thanks so much this can help me on my task to publish a book that i hope will help all the children of the world understand a horrible issue
I want to get my book published but i’m afraid either that i’ll screw it up horriably, or that my age will affect it.
Thanks for the marvelous posting! I certainly enjoyed reading it, you may be a great author.I will be sure to bookmark your blog and will eventually come back later on. I want to encourage you to ultimately continue your great posts, have a nice evening!
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Hi, I think your blog might be having browser compatibility issues. When I look at your blog site in Chrome, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, excellent blog!
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Just tips! Isn’t that blog post could be written in a fantastic, simple and quick blog post. If I would have been to compose it’s could be a few pages Hahah
Thanks for all the tips, Anutie Heather! I hope I can get that far with my story though. It’s a lng shot, but I’m willing to try!
Minion Maggs
This is a good piece of writing mate for this particular topic. I was wondering if I could use this write-up on my website, I will link it back to your website though. If this is a problem please let me know and I will take it down right away.
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this is so helpful thanks! I’ve been looking everywhere for good information like this! Trying to write a query letter really isn’t as easy as it looks and i’m trying to get it out soon. Thanks again!
