How Writers Try to Get Published

Your friend/family member finished their book! You congratulate them, but then they start talking about query letters and agents, and you get confused. Are they already published . . . or will they be published soon . . . ? What about self-publishing? And when will you get to read this dang book you’ve been hearing about for years? This blog is for you, writers’ friends and family members, so you can understand the process of how writers try to get published and encourage them in doing it. For my purposes, I’ll focus on traditional publishing with the major publishing houses and their imprints. Publishing with a smaller house has a similar process but has its own pros and cons. Self-publishing is another option, but it differs enough from traditional publishing that it’ll have its own shoutout at the end.

NOTE: This blog may feel like a bit of a downer, and it’s meant to. Because publishing is hard! It’s a challenge for authors to stay motivated and positive during a process that’s long, emotionally draining, and, in many ways, out of their control. That’s why they will appreciate you, their support system, understanding this process so you can give them the boost they need to keep going and bring shiny new stories into the world.

Let's start with some common misconceptions about publishing.

To the chagrin of authors everywhere, it’s rarely this easy. Also, whether an author is able to get traditionally published is not fully in their control. First, an author must write a good book (hard work), but then they must also find an agent who agrees to represent this book over hundreds of other books (luck); their agent must find a publisher who agrees to publish the book over hundreds of other books (more luck); and readers must choose to read the book over thousands of other books (lots of luck—and marketing—and more luck).

Writers who want to get published put hard work into steps like finding an agent and marketing their book, but still, multiple things outside writers’ control must line up for a book to be published and then successful.

Book Agents

After an author completes their book, they need to find an agent to represent it. Book agents have relationships with editors at publishing houses and use their insider knowledge to figure out which editor and imprint would be a good fit for a book. Editors trust agents to know their tastes and only send them quality work so they don’t have to deal with a slush pile (i.e. unsolicited submissions). Large traditional publishing houses are closed to all but agented submissions, so if an author doesn’t have an agent, their book won’t be considered at all.

Researching Agents

Each agent has different genres and age groups they represent, and what an agent wants changes as their tastes evolve and as they seek to fill gaps in their client list. Therefore, authors must research what each prospective agent is looking for and ensure they only query those who would be a good fit. If an author submits their book to an agent who isn’t looking for the book’s age group or genre, that will result in an automatic pass. And even if an agent seems like the perfect fit, they may still not connect with the book enough to offer representation.

Query Materials

To find an agent, authors go through a process called querying. In addition to sending part of the book (agents usually want between five and fifty pages), authors must also send a query letter. This is like a cover letter for a job, but instead of demonstrating one’s qualifications and pitching oneself as a good fit for the job, a query letter shows how unique and interesting the book is and pitches it as a good fit for the agent. Other common query materials include a synopsis, an author bio, and a one-line pitch. Many agents also ask for comp titles, marketing plans, the book’s intended audience, and other information.

Querying

Once an author has found an agent they want to query, they first need to make sure the agent is accepting queries. Agents get hundreds of queries a week, so they frequently turn off their availability in order to catch up. If the agent is open, the author assembles the required query materials, personalizes the query letter, and submits the query. Many agents have a stated policy on response times; eight to twelve weeks is common. Some will respond more quickly than that, and others will take much longer. Each author decides how many agents they want to query, but shooting for thirty to fifty queries is common.

After Querying

For many authors, querying agents is where their book’s journey ends. If no agents offer representation and the author doesn’t want to try to get published through a smaller house or by self-publishing, the book is shelved and the author moves on to other projects. If an agent offers the author representation and they accept, the book proceeds to the next step toward publication.

Selling The Book

Agents shop the book around to editors at different publishing houses, trying to sell it. If the agent fails to sell the book, the author can look for a different agent, or they can move on to other projects. If the agent sells the book, the publishing house gets the publication process started.

Publication

Traditional publishing is slow. Once a book is sold for publication, it usually takes up to two years to be published. The book must go through story, scene, and page editing as well as copyediting. The publishing house also designs a cover, formats the book, markets the book, and arranges for distribution. Once launch day comes, the book is published and made available for purchase. (Whether or not the book goes on to be successful is beyond the parameters of this blog.)

Alternative Option: Self-publishing

Whether an author is traditionally published or self-published, the book becomes available to readers. So why don’t all authors take that route? While there are many answers, one key lies in debunking the myth that self-publishing is easy. While self-publishing is open to everyone, doing it well is hard. Authors who self-publish must do (or pay for) the following themselves: professional editing, cover art, formatting, audiobook creation, marketing, and distribution. This is a substantial amount of work requiring skills that most authors don’t already have. Completing this process can also be expensive, and it’s not possible to know whether that money will be recouped through sales. So while self-publishing can be an excellent choice when it fits an author’s style and needs, the overall experience isn’t necessarily easier than being traditionally published.

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