Getting your Novel or Book Published
Sell your novel…
Getting a book published is always hard at first. But there are ways into this competitive industry. I can show you how…
How one man gained invaluable publicity for his book by selling his story through Featureworld…
When Ian Colquhoun lost his legs, he thought it was the end of the world. In fact, it turned out to be the best thing that happened to him. For, the former warehouseman went back to his first love, writing.
Through Featureworld, Ian’s incredible story appeared in a double page
spread in the Daily Mirror along with a plug for his biography, Burnt
Within days his publisher had received a phone call from Richard and Judy programme asking if he would like to go onto the show. “Yes, I would be thrilled!” was obviously Ian’s response.
As any would-be novelist knows, the Channel 4 show runs the prestigious Richard and Judy Book Club and is widely regarded as one of the most influential programmes for authors to appear on.
Ian, from Scotland, whose story also later appeared in Pick me Up magazine, travelled to London to go onto the programme to talk about his book. He is now writing his next one.
Burnt (Mirage £7.99) is now on sale.
To read Ian’s story in the Daily Mirror click here >
Promote your novel
If you have a true-life story behind writing your novel, for example you’ve overcome an illness or tragedy, then go to the Sell my story page or email me a few details as I may be able to sell your real-life story for you and help promote your novel.
However, selling a novel, short stories or your poetry to a literary agent or book publisher is very specialised and I can recommend the following websites:
www.wordsmag.com is a voluntarily run website for new and unpublished writers.
www.writebuzz.com :on-line publishers of all genres of writing. Writers can also publish their profile. Readers review works and the reader's choice become 'pick of the month' - a good way of testing the market.
The Art of Writing ...
Sitting on the train recently I was struck by the number of people who were flicking through their daily newspapers or magazine. How could they simply ‘flick’? Did they not realise the amount of work that had gone into every word printed on the pages? Did they not know that each article – even the tiniest paragraph – was only published after hours of scrutiny and hard graft by several different people?
If you have a good story and want to sell it to a newspaper or magazine you will no doubt find it a relatively painless procedure. You will have a chat with the journalist on the phone or the journalist may visit you. Then, at some point, a photographer will come to take your pic. That is usually it – the only concern you’ll have is when your feature will be printed and that you don’t miss it. (Amazingly, though, every week I find someone does…)
What you will not see is the work that goes in to transforming your conversation with the journalist into a highly polished piece of writing. It will require writing and editing first by the journalist, who will also make any legal checks necessary. Then it will be read and reread by several editors at the magazine or newspaper, who may ask the original journalist to make even more checks. These may involve checking with you that names are spelt correctly to other factual ones – for example further statistics on the medical condition you’ve had or a quote from an expert.
The photographs are commissioned. Many people say to me, “I had no idea the photographer would take so many.” Yes, they do take a few (often a 100 or more). The pic desk will then search through every picture for the right one – correct lighting, expression on your face (including your baby’s, child’s, the dog – you get the idea, this is why they take so many).
The page is then laid out, with all the photos, and the final checks on spelling, grammar and style of writing are made. Photo captions are sorted (a job in itself with a group of people who all have to be individually named). Headlines are written (and rewritten until they are just right), the copy is looked over by the Editor and house lawyer to double check all is well. And we haven’t even got to the printers (another process again.)
So, next time you read your paper or magazine, try to remember the hard work that’s gone into producing it. And if you’re considering selling your story, be assured that it will be in the hands of consummate professionals who, like a master artist, take pride in producing a beautifully crafted piece of work – which is accurate, reads well and looks visually stunning.
I want to be a journalist? Can you help? See who is Alison Smith-Squire to see how I started my career.
There are many different types of journalism. A good starting place for print journalism is www.nctj.com or for broadcasting www.bjtc.org.uk
LINKS: If you would like to link to Feature World, please contact me at alison@featureworld.co.uk
