My work got looked at by publishers

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An author (whose name I will not give out because I do not wish to be linked to some of the extreme things i have said on this website) but who is quite acclaimed, sent my book to several publishers, who sadly declined. They said I had talent... however, I am quite sad they did not publish it. I will confide in the fact that I am very young, and at an age in which virtually no one gets published except snot-nosed brats who write terrible books about stupid blue dragons.

Oh well!

I don't know how old you are, but I think that's great that you had a work turned out for consideration and received some feedback.


I'm 47 and still to unsure about my abilities to offer anything up for review.

Thanks. At least it shows that we Aspies can write fiction, at least to the degree where a publisher says one has talent.

My friend is 15 and NT and she got a book published. She sent me an online version, and all I could think was; WTF is this supposed to be about? I think an aspie could write something more interesting, honestly. And too bad your story didn't get published. Publishers seem incredibly fussy these days...

I'm trying to get published too, being someone who is afflicted with this condition. I find that people are hobbled by something can sometimes can freakishly GOOD in other ways. Anyway, check out what's going on up at:

http://www.dearwinona.com

You know they were lying to you right? If you actually had talent they would have published you because it would have made them money.

lol thanks Aradford. If they said "This is the best book I've ever read, but I don't want to publish it," they'd be lying. However, a writer can have talent without being at his top form at age 18. Besides, no one gets published at that age.

I could say something about this, but I'm not going to.

what if it wasn't the particular style of book that the publisher doesn't deal with? like sending a crime novel to a publisher that deals mainly in fantasy.

Good point, Virzac. Actually, the author suspected it might not be the right publisher. It was a "zany" fantasy publisher, mine was a mainstream sword-and-sorcery book.

Talent and marketable are different subjects.

It is not hard to spend a lot getting a book out there. There is only so much market action in any field, and publishing is about making money.

The cheap route, self publish 1500 the smallest print run, about $10,000, and you have no marketing.

To build a market, you send copies out, maybe several thousand, to book reviewers, library buyers, and book sellers. Now you have to sell 5,000, invest $50,000, just to see if it sells.

Most fields are dominated by names, and it is hard to start a name.

Having a story is only part, font, layout, editors, artwork, all go to make it fit one market.

The deal is also on consignment, you supply enough to put two in each Barnes & Noble, Borders, and if they sell, you replace them. If they do not sell, you pay to ship them back. Now maybe $100,000, and still iffy.

Writers sell books, you do signings, talks, TV, the Keton Kansas book club, and hundreds of small towns. You supply press releases to the local paper, buy ad space, have a stock ad, and it takes a lot. You go to every writers conferance, anything Sword-and-Sorcery related, vidieo games, D&D, and it all costs.

If it is your field, you read everything, and then track the writers, it is called stalking. If they are speaking, signing, you try for some space. You want to meet these people and have them remember your name.

At the same time you have to keep writting. You are writting for a readership, and a publisher, they have both, so you have to break some new ground that could make that publisher some money from their customer base. They are not going to replace a name with a new kid for the same demographic.

You have to understand the business enough that you can speak of bringing in market sectors that orher publishers have a light hold on, and your work will bring in more. They need to build long term, that new book is $50,000 out and they want readers waiting to buy.

Once it is rolling no one wants to stop, Jean Aureal wrote two good books, and the series ran seven, they wait in line for the latest Harry Potter, and can now afford teams of writers to produce it. When it comes out there are stacks at the grocery, the drugstore, for in a week or two you could not give it away.

I work small market sectors, selling fifty to a hundred copies a year works for me, I have three, more coming. I learn as I go and it does cover costs.

I have a big book, a lot of work, more to go. I think I have to sell thousands just to show it will sell and get a major publisher. If I can sell a few thousand they can sell a few hundred thousand.

The first book is hard, then you have a track record, and should have some manuscripts waiting.

Keep writting.

terrorist!

Actually, if an editor takes the time to say anything good about your work, rather than just sending back a form rejection letter, you should take it as the encouragement it's meant to be. Editors have to wade through piles and piles of crappy writing to find the good stuff. They don't have time to waste on empty compliments -- not that they'd want to encourage hopelessly bad writers to send them more hopelessly bad manuscripts, anyway.

Chuchulainn: Well done. Send it off to your favorite sword-and-sorcery publisher... and in the meantime, start writing the next one.

Keep trying. I agree with you about what tends to get published. If it is trendy, it tends to get published, no matter how bad it is.

I wrote a book "For the Love of Samantha," about my favorite cat. It talks of all the pets I have owned (or have owned me) over the four decades plus of my life, but Samantha is the focus. I sent it to a publisher and am still awaiting word. I don't know if it is worthy of publishing, but I had fun writing it.

I'd try sending it to a few other publishers. My best friend is writing a book right now that he wants to get published....and I'm writing a screenplay I hope to sell....

Yeah, that's the thing. You just gotta keep shopping around.

I recommend getting a literary agent so you avoid the slush pile. Get books on how to writer query letters for agents.