Image: page 61, by D’Arcy Norman.

When I invited you guys to throw me your writing/media related questions last week, I didn’t expect the first one (from blogger Andrew McMillen) to be such a doozy.

While I’ve flitted around the edges of the publishing industry for three or four years now, I have never had a book deal myself - perhaps misguidedly waiting for the right Big Idea, publisher and deal. (Better no book to your name than a half-baked mediocre one, I reason. Some would call this reputation management, others would call it procrastination.)

I am however fortunate to know a lot of people who have published books, from whom (along with the aforementioned flitting) I have garnered some opinions about the process. In this post, I am indebted to their superior, experience-based knowledge.

So, what should would-be authors know about the publishing game?

- Yes, you do need an agent. Or if not “need”, it definitely helps to have one. Publishers I’ve interacted with have told me it’s not necessary for a first time non-fiction author, but well, they’re publishers and they would say that! (It’s beneficial to their bottom line.)

Jean Hannah Edelstein, the UK-based author of Himglish and Femalese and former employee of a London literary agent explains: “There’s been a lot of debate recently about the usefulness of agents in a digital world, but I think that’s because most people don’t understand what an agent’s real job is. The bulk of the agent’s work happens after the book has been sold - negotiating the contract, making sure that money flows through to the writer, negotiating sub-rights deals, arguing with editors when they try to make writers do things that they don’t want to do, administering a hell of a lot of paperwork.”

In other words, a good agent can mean the difference between a good publishing experience and a mediocre - or bad - one.

It can also mean the difference between getting a book deal or not getting one at all. As Brigid Delaney, author of This Restless Life, points out, many larger publishers don’t look at proposals that haven’t been vetted by an agent. Having an agent means your proposal is more likely to be noticed - and less likely to be left to the slush pile.

- Know the market. But getting an agent to sign you on can be as much of a challenge as finding a publisher. In either case, it pays to know who you’re playing to. There’s not much point in sending your sci-fi epic to an academic publisher, or your Next Great Feminist Book to an agent who specialises in crime novels. You also need to be able to articulate how your book fits in to the existing market - what books is it most similar to, and what does it do better or differently?

Emily Maguire has published three novels - Taming The Beast, The Gospel According to Luke, and Smoke In The Room - as well as the non-fiction Princesses and Pornstars. She advises: “The first thing I suggest is looking at which publishers and imprints publish books similar to yours. How many publishers are on your list will depend on how specialised your subject or genre is. The next thing is to research the publishers on your list. Find out whether they accept unagented/unsolicited submissions, what your submission should contain (query letter, synopsis, sample chapters or the whole book) their preferred submission method (electronic/post), who you should send it to etc. Some publishers have this info on their websites; if not, you should call or email and ask for it.”

And don’t freak out if you don’t hear back immediately. Says Jean, “Publishing is a slow, slow business. Decisions aren’t made quickly.” But just as you would with a magazine or newspaper pitch, you shouldn’t be afraid to follow up, either. Antony Loewenstein, author of My Israel Question and The Blogging Revolution, advises: “Be patient, but persistent. There’s nothing wrong with politely chasing agents until you hear a response. Remember, these people receive countless submissions every day.”

- As with all things in the creative industries, it helps to have a profile. Remember that flitting about the industry thing I mentioned before? I’ve had agents and publishers approach me about book ideas since 2006 - only a little over a year after I started writing for newspapers and magazines. Finding a publisher might not be a walk in the park, but it helps to remember that - like all commissioning editors - publishers want to find new authors and new work. Also like magazine and newspaper editors, they’ll sometimes even approach you to bring to life a book idea they don’t have an author for.

But they won’t come to you if you don’t already have work to your name for them to stumble upon - whether that’s on a blog, in literary journals, as a freelancer or an academic. Says Jean, “There’s no question that the first step to getting a book deal is to write whenever you can, wherever you can - because it’s great writing experience, and also because it will help people to notice your work and get interested in it.” Lisa Dempster, author of Neon Pilgrim, The Melbourne Veg Food Guide and Veg*n Shopper, and publisher of Vignette Press explains: “Publishers do notice great writers and if you can walk into a publishing deal without going through the slush pile then you’ll be in a really good position.”

- But it’s more important to have a good idea. Says Brigid, “Fresh ideas always trump stale ideas by an established voice. Can you write about something that hasn’t been written about before? Have you got something new and exciting to say?”

I have to admit - I’m a little cynical on this one. Brigid describes the kinds of books I like to read, but I’ve read enough books repeating old, worn out ideas that feel like they’ve been floating around for a good 20-30 years (particularly in my own field) to know that you don’t need to have a super-amazing, totally new idea to see your name on a book cover.

You do need to be able to put a new spin on your idea though, however fresh or stale it is. Think of it like a lifestyle magazine - lots of them run pretty much the same stories month after month, but they manage to make them seem new and exciting with minor tweaks and enticing headlines. You need to do the same in your book proposal. And even if you don’t need a fresh idea to sell your proposal, it certainly ups your chances - and ups your chances of writing a book that people buy, read, enjoy and talk about as well (which is the point of this whole exercise, isn’t it?).

- Write good. Well, obviously. Again, as an editor I’ve seen some awful work by published authors, but prose that sings and makes the reader want to keep on reading is always going to stand out over imprecise, incoherent or just plain boring language. Says Emily, “Make your writing the absolute best it can be and present it professionally.”

- And perhaps most importantly, tenacity pays off. For one, you actually have to finish the damn thing - and if the Facebook status updates I’ve seen over the past few years are any indication, that’s no easy task. “[Insert name] thinks book writing is for dummies/masochists” seems to be a common theme.

Writing to a length of tens of thousands of words is very different to writing a blog post of a 500-2000 word article - and not just because it takes a lot longer to finish. It also requires (again, I’m thinking mostly of ideas-based non-fiction here, but I think the same could be said of fiction) a level of synthesis and sustained narrative/argument that can challenge even the most talented writers. I’d go so far as to say that having the focus and commitment to finish your book (and don’t think it’s over then - you’ll still have to go through a substantive editing process) is the number one factor separating those who want to publish a book and those who have actually done it.

So, for those of you who have demonstrated that tenacity and commitment, I’d like to offer the opportunity to win a prize that might help you in getting that coveted deal. Jean Hannah Edelstein offers a service to aspiring authors wherein she’ll look at your submission packet - that is, a cover letter, synopsis and first thirty pages of a novel, or outline and sample chapter of a non-fic book - and offer a critique or consultation. Normally, she’d charge for this, but she’s very kindly offered to do it for free for one reader.

There’s a catch, though - to win, you need to have done the groundwork to complete your submission pack. To enter, send an email to rachel dot hills at gmail dot com (subject line: book comp) with a brief description of your book and written verification that you have the aforementioned materials to send to Jean - basically, we’ll take your word for this. Entries close Wednesday 27 January, and the winner will be selected at random by someone who is neither me nor Jean.

One more thing! Because this is such a huge, unwieldy topic, and because I know a lot of you out have expertise in this area, I’d like to ask you to share your thoughts on the issue. What advice would you offer would-be authors? What have you learned from your own ventures into long form writing?

And finally, if you have a writing/publishing/media-related question you’d like to send my way (preferably something that requires a shorter answer than this one), drop me an email and I’ll answer them here.

Related: What to expect in 2010: you ask, I answer, and other endeavours
Seven enviable lines: advice for freelance writers
How to get an entry level job in the creative industries
Friends with book deals: AKA the art of reviewing people you know