how to get published
Scottie Bowman (rbowman@indigo.ie)
Thu, 23 Sep 1999 20:29:27 +0100
I don't wish to rattle on endlessly like Jimmy Durante
about the day I wrote a book. But I think Colin is being
unduly cynical about the publishing business.
I was given very much the same advice thirty years ago -
yet when that unforgettable letter arrived from Longman's
it was out of the blue & without benefit of any 'inside'
contacts whatever. I can't believe that things have really
changed all that much.
As with everything in life luck, plays its part. Unfortunately,
at least 80% of luck consists in making yourself superb
at whatever it is you're offering. On the bright side,
one should never forget that most people are absolutely
useless.
Things look different from the other side of the rejection
slip (which EVERYONE has to learn to take). Once
I'd broken that barrier I could see very clearly that
the vast majority of them - readers, agents, publishers -
are crazy about books & are all absolutely dying to find
the next contender. Publishing is far too serious a business
to waste one's time indulging one's buddies.
Jim's advice is the best. Try to find the right agent for
your particular line of goods, send a careful letter & try
to present your stuff in legible, ATTRACTIVE form
(that's right, as Camille would mockingly suggest, with
a nice border & paper that's not ringed with coffee
stains & with capitals in the appropriate places & no
obvious spelling mistakes & ....)
The market will always be queen of the battle.
The agent knows he will make money if you're
even half way good. He is ever on the beady-eyed
lookout for likely lads & good looking girls.
The sad truth remains that if you wish to win
the lottery you must at least buy a ticket -
which, in this context, means write something publishable.
That's much more difficult than finding a publisher.
Scottie B.