My women's fiction/book club novel has been rejected by 250 agents, even though I have had 14 beta readers and two nationally known developmental agents look it over and green light it. I plan to start appealing to smaller presses. Is this the right way to go, or, do you have another suggestion?
I am inundated with calls and email from publishers and agents wanting access to my already published book. That all want large sums of money. What's this all about? All I want is getting My book in the hands of readers.
Hello, it sounds like you have definitely taken steps to make sure your manuscript is as strong as possible. Have you received any specific feedback from the agents, other than just a form rejection? Sometimes there might be little nuggets of valuable feedback to consider. If you are set on pursuing a traditional publishing path, you can certainly look at smaller houses and presses that don't require agent representation. We recommend researching houses through sites like Writer's Market, Manuscript Wish List, and Publisher's Marketplace. You can also research other publishing options to see if a hybrid or independent route is right for you and your book. Here are some great resource on the different publishing paths available to authors:
https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/publishing/preparation/w/choosing-a-path/7247/4-ways-to-publish-a-book-in-2023
https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/publishing/self-publishing/w/picking-a-publisher/8079/self-publishing-service-providers-understanding-your-options
Best wishes!
Hello,
Unfortunately, there has been an increase in publishing and book-to-screen related scams in the past couple of years targeting self or indie published authors. We recommend you view this recorded webinar presented by ALC President Keith Ogorek. It provides some example scams, tips for identifying scams, information on how legit literary agents and Hollywood creatives work, and more:
How to Recognize a Publishing Scam and Avoid It
The best advice is to ignore suspected scammers and/or ask to be unsubscribed from their email or call list. We hope you find this information helpful. And, if you are looking for advice on how to build a readership, here is an article with 8 DIY marketing tips for authors:
8 DIY Book Marketing Tips to Help Increase Your Sales
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