The Lonely Road

In my last post, I discussed the choice between focusing upon seeking Agent representation versus the search for publishing directly at the source. Today, I am going to consider a more substantial question: traditional publishing vs self-publishing:

Traditional Publishing

The path of Traditional Publishing has been fairly set for a long time. Changes in the industry have certainly stirred things up from time to time, but the larger game still holds today. Money. The big five publishing companies choose titles not unlike the film industry. Big blockbusters and heavy hitters provide the revenue stream while smaller or untested works often eek by on the backs of these bigger sellers. The opportunity for taking chances on untested concepts or authors is certainly there, but largely limited.

To Agent or Not to Agent?

I've discovered a few things in my quest for publication. One thing I've discovered is that there are some publishers that will not accept unsolicited manuscripts, period. These publishers require an agent representing the author to directly reach out and provide the submission. I'm sure that this provides the publisher with valuable benefits as they do not have to sift through hundreds, if not more, of submissions, paying interns and entry staff to find the diamond in the ruff. Having a trusted name in the form of a known agent telling them everything they need to know about the manuscript up front is by far cheaper and simpler.

However, there are still publishers who will accept unsolicited manuscripts, allowing the author to submit their work directly. Sometimes the open callings are only for a short period of time to limit the likely deluge, but this still offers the author direct access without the need of a representative. This being the case, it is fair to ask, Should I find an agent to represent me or go at it alone? 

The Dreaded Synopsis

So, it's been a couple of weeks since my last post. As it has a tendency to, life got a bit crazy over the past few weeks. Between hectic schedules, car maintenance gone awry, and the close of the tax season; I've been a little drawn and quartered. But, I am still here and I am still chasing my dream; full publication of my book. 

I know that I've not said much about it here, apart from it being finally complete and chronicling the process of getting it into the right hands. In part that is because I am still looking for those right hands and I do not wish to compromise my options in publication. However, I will share something that I have learned along the way: If you want an Agent to read the full manuscript of your book, you need a synopsis. I know, I know, the dreaded synopsis. But, I will tell you, I have queried over a dozen agents and not one to date has requested to read the full book. I get that the premise might not be for everyone and certainly an agent's tastes are largely subjective. But not one even asked to read the whole thing before turning it down? That tells me there is something lacking in my approach. 

Et Tu, Email?

The road to publication is difficult. It is fraught with perils, dead ends, and more than its share emotional pit falls, as mentioned before. I know that there are some roadblocks I have yet to encounter, however, I would never have thought that my own email provider would be among them. No joke, my email provider told me 'no'.

Here's what happened: Literary agents have very specific guidelines for writing submissions. Most I've encountered have preferred that the submitting author send an email containing the basic query letter info; name, address, contact info, bio, short synopsis, etc. In addition, they request the first few pages or the first chapter of the writing in question.

Due to the potential of viruses and malware, most do not want attachments so all of these requested items have to be placed within the body of the email. The subject line of the email needs to contain certain specifics as well, though there is some variation in this depending upon the agent. Once you've compiled the requested info in the specified format, you send the query email on, cross your fingers, and hope and pray for a positive response.