Lynn Price - The Writers Essential Tackle Box: Getting a Hook on the Publishing Industry

The Writer's Essential Tackle Box

Getting a Hook on the Publishing Industry

by

Lynn Price

California
USA

Behler Publications
California

The Writer's Guide to the Courtroom: Let's Quill All the Lawyers
A Behler Publications Book

Copyright 2010 by Donna Ballman, J.D.
Cover design by Cathy Scottwww.mbcdesigns.com

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher, except where permitted by law.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Ballman, Donna.
The writer's guide to the courtroom : let's quill all the lawyers / by Donna Ballman.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-1-933016-99-3 (pbk.)
ISBN-10: 1-933016-53-1 (pbk.)
1. Justice, Administration of--United States. 2. Civil procedure--United States. 3. Authors
-Handbooks, manuals, etc. I. Title.
KF390.A96B35 2009
347.73--dc22
2009023949

FIRST PRINTING

ISBN 13: 978-1-933016-53-5
e-books ISBN: 978-1-933016-96-2

Published by Behler Publications, LLC
Lake Forest, California
www.behlerpublications.com

Manufactured in the United States of America

To all the wonderful authors
Who serve as my inspiration

Other books from the Get It Write Series:

Body Trauma: The Writer's Guide to Wounds and Injuries

The Writer's Guide to the Courtroom: Let's Quill All the Lawyers

Introduction

Gone Fishin

Honey, don't hold dinner; I'm going fishing! You gather up your tackle box, your shiny, new rod and reel, goofy hat, and vest and head out the door. Upon arriving at the fishing pond, you're stunned at the crowd of people standing around the shore.

How am I ever gonna attract a fish with all these people? Looking at all the other poles and all the other fishermen, you begin to wonder if your rod and reel is shiny enough.

Well, publication is a lot like fishing. Since there are more writers than agents and editors, you need the best equipment. Your fishing pole has to be top of the line, and your tackle box must be filled with the most effective bobbles, bellsinkers, lures and hooks. Are you aware there are over 800 different styles and sizes of fishing hooks? There are Jig Hooks, Spinner Bait and Trailer Hooks, Worm Hooks, Octopus, Kahle and Siwash Hooks. Some are weighted and some are swim bait. How does one choose the right equipment? Research.

Understanding how the industry works; why we do things the way we do, how books sell, and the reasons why manuscripts are rejected are vital pieces to having a properly filled tackle box. And that is the purpose of this book. The Writer's Essential Tackle Box introduces you to some of the top names in the industry and takes you on a behind-the- scenes tour of our side of the pond while answering all of your publishing questions.

Knowledge is power, and whether you've just signed a deal with Random House or you're beginning your writing career, there is probably something about this industry you wished you knew. This is no longer a world of if you write it, they will come. Writers need to be savvy about the industry in order to make the best and most informed decisions of their literary careers, and this book is tailored especially for you.

So come on and get your fishing pole and tackle box. We're goin fishin.

How To Use This Book

I've organized The Writer's Essential Tackle Box this into sections for quick and easy reference. This cuts down on knowledge meltdown and brain overload.

Section 1: Casting the fly rod showcases interviews with industry professionals and explores what happens before, during, and after the publishing process.

Section 2: Forget the bait, pass the Maalox is devoted to the daunting submission process and defining the elements that go into a snooze-free cover letter and synopsis. Also discussed is how to write an effective bio. This distinctive point of view of my side of the pond will help you better understand our frustrations and our, Halleluiah, I think we got us a winner! moments.

Section 3: Chumming the Waters deals with defining the many types of publishers currently populating the industry; what they can and can't do for you, and why. This section finally answers all those questions about the differences between vanity, Print-on-Demand (the printing process vs. the business plan), trade publishers, and everything in between.

Section 4: The Writer's Survival Style Guide contains a four-part Manuscript Autopsy which is based on my collection of the most common mistakes I see in manuscripts that invariably result in their untimely demisethe rejection. This isn't meant to be a replacement for The Chicago Manual of Style or the Strunk and White books (which should be in every writer's possession), but more of an uncomplicated and straightforward reference guide that serves as writer's metaphorical wrap on the quill for POV switches, dialog tags, voice, paragraph transitions, adverbs, comma usage, character and plot development, etc.

Section 1

The Interviews

Casting the fly rod

Our particular pond is filled with many different kinds of fish; cover designers, distributors, website designers, book reviewers, agents, publicists, event planners. Since this is all about making your fishing rod as shiny as possible, it's important to hear what these fish have to say. I went to the most experienced fish in the pond willing to share their expertise in the goal of making you the prepared, equipped, and organized fisherman at the pond. I present you with some very cool fish.

1: Agents Why Do I Need An Agent?

Nearly every writer I talk to knows they need an agent and understands these marvelous gifts from heaven are instrumental in securing the best possible deal. But, too often, those writers have instant visions of Random House dancing in their heads, and this is often where reality and fantasy collide.

Not every writer is Random House material, but that doesn't mean they aren't publishable. There's a difference. The large publishers look at submissions knowing they require a higher sell-through of their titles to remain viable and profitable. Literary agents walk on Reality Lane every day and are in the best position to advise their clients as to where they fit in the publishing game and whether they have big time possibilities or perhaps a home with a smaller boutique publisher. The agent will submit where they feel their client's work has the best shot, and believe it or not, the criteria aren't always about money.

There's a great deal that goes on in the background of manuscript submission, and I thought it could be educational to show an editor's perspective regarding agents importance.

Good agents:

Form relationships with all kinds of editors with big and smaller houses. They do this by being organized and knowing what each house publishes before they query. The agent who wastes my time is someone I'll remember the next time they query me, and I'll be more likely to let their submission rot on my desk for a while. A good rule of thumb to remember when looking for an agent is that writers are agents clients, but editors are their customers. The smart and successful ones cultivate relationships with many editors. We send dirty jokes back and forth to each other, and we get together when we're in each other's cities. Funny how we're always the ones to pick up the bar and dinner tab, though. Go figure.