Tony Bell

Hi, I'm new here, and hoping someone can advise me. I've got a manuscript with a publisher, and from what they've said so far it seems that they may take it.
What happens then? This is my first attempt at writing a book, so I have no idea what the process is. I mean, if they do take it, will they give me a Large Amount Of Money? Or do I have to keep my day job?
Any advice/suggestions are welcome.
Tony

Non Serviam

Keep your day job.

If it happens, do not sign anything a publisher sends you, and do not agree to anything over the phone. Instead call a literary agent and explain to them that you're holding an unsigned publishing contract and you'd like their advice.

The agent will be rather keen to act for you.

There are sharks out there in the world of publishing. Check this site to decide who the reputable agents and publishers are:

Preditors & Editors

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Olly Buckle The ways of the world are twisty and unknowable, the only way to be sure you are not caught out in something you regret is not to do things you may regret.

Krim

When you say you 'have a manuscript with a publisher'...do you mean you have an agent who got that manuscript in there, or that you submitted it to various publishers and you got a generic response gushing over how great your work is and that so-and-so-vanity-publisher will accept you? Since it's your first attempt at writing a book and you know so little about the process, I'll assume it's the latter.

The thing that always gets me is that with vanity publishers and self-publishers, people think that they get accepted and that they're great...but they never actually google the company. Go to google and put in '[Publisher that accepted you] is a scam' and read what looks like a few relevant pages.

1. If they ask you for any money at all for publishing, there's an 99.8% chance that they aren't the type of publisher that will give you Large Amounts of Money. In fact, you'll probably make like two hundred dollars at most when all expenses are done with if you're lucky, and that's hardly good pay for a year's worth of work.

2. Very few writers make enough money to survive on that alone. Very few make Large Amounts of Money. Writing isn't a job for getting big amounts of money. Surgeons and the black market and maybe harvesting organs would be better.

3. The typical advance for fiction is something like $5,000, I believe, and non-fiction is around $10,000 (you ever notice that a fantasy book is like $8, a general fiction book around $15, and non-fiction around $20 even if it's twice as small as the general fiction book? I'm in the wrong genre). If you don't get an offer of an advance, it's probably not all that good to be with that publisher. An advance isn't free money really, though; you get that money, no question, but you don't earn royalties on your book until the publisher gets enough of your money to make up for the advance they paid you. If they don't make back their advance, especially if they think your book is going places, good luck getting published again.

4. If they recommend an outside freelancer editor who requires a fee to read and review your work, bail.

5. Be extremely careful to read the contract. There are a good few people like mammamia on here who are happy to look over things like that to make sure the author isn't getting boned. Boned hard.

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"A terrible energy and strength began to grow in him. It grabbed his emotions and forged them into a solid bar of anger with one word stamped on it: revenge." - Eragon by Christopher Paolini, an international bestseller

Tony Bell

Hi, and thanks. It's not a vanity publishing company, and over the six months I've been dealing with them, there hasn't been any mention of me paying them. I Googled them after I saw them in the Writers Handbook, and they seem to be a genuine publisher. I don't have an agent, so I sent two sample chapters and a synopsis, and then the sent the finished item.
What they have said is 'the consensus of the evaluation team is that this is of a sufficient high standard for our listings'.
They go on to say that the editor in chief will make the final decision.
I don't know if this is good news or not.

Krim

You lucky...

Who's the publisher, if you don't mind? Just go along with what your agent/editor/company says. Even if you think that they're making a wrong decision, unless you're 100% sure they're doing something bad, they are making changes for the better.

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"A terrible energy and strength began to grow in him. It grabbed his emotions and forged them into a solid bar of anger with one word stamped on it: revenge." - Eragon by Christopher Paolini, an international bestseller

JohnN

Congrats. But be careful, there are sharks in this world. Just because you get something published doesn't mean anyone will buy it. Keep writing and keep your fingers crossed. Self-promote through websites etc. 2008 may well be your year.

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Tony Bell

Hi, and thanks. Like I said, the final decision still has to be made, so it could still be a 'No', but I'll try and get another publisher interested if that happens.
By the way, I was only kidding about The Large Amount of Money thing...
I'll just be happy to see it in print.

Talia_Brie

Tony,

Should they accept your submission they will offer you a contract, which you will then take to either a literary agent, or just a contract solicitor. If you accept the contract the book will go into publication, which could take up to 6 months, I don't know. Different companies work at different rates.

But at the end of the day if a publishing company that is willing to pay you accepts your book you're a long way ahead of a lot of people - including me.

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Tony Bell

Haven't been on here for a while because I've been licking my wounds....
Basically, I got shafted. After nine months of 'Yes, we think this manuscript is suitable for our listings' and other positive stuff, the publishers sent me a letter. In it, they asked for a contribution towards publishing costs. They hadn't mentioned this once over the previous nine months, and there is no mention of this on their website. They also said 'Even if you agree to pay this contribution, there is no guarantee that we will publish the book.'
I feel such a tit, because I was so gullible.
So, if you are dealing with Austin and Macauley, who are based at Canary Wharf in London, be careful!

Non Serviam

It's already got them listed as a "vanity publisher" on Preditors & Editors.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Olly Buckle The ways of the world are twisty and unknowable, the only way to be sure you are not caught out in something you regret is not to do things you may regret.

lin

A bit worse than vanity, I'd say...they take money without even promising publication?????

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Hawke

I’m so sorry this happened to you, Tony. That’s why I always suggest doing plenty of homework, including checking Preditors & Editors and Writer Beware, among other helpful sites.

God I hate scammers, for exactly this reason. They’re so… so… grrrrrrrrrrrr!

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Tony Bell

Hi Hawke
Thanks, and yes, I'll be doing my homework in future...
Incidentally, this is the email I sent Annette Longman from Austin Macauley when they asked for 'a contribution'.

Hi Annette
Thank you for your letter dated February 1.
I assume that asking potential authors to contribute towards the publishing costs is not a new policy which you arrived at on Friday?
In that case, why didn't you tell me - nine months ago when you first expressed interest in the manuscript - that this was how Austin Macauley operates?
A cynic could be forgiven for thinking that this is some kind of scam, intended to lure people in with hints and suggestions that the book may be suitable for your listings, and then at the final moment, asking the author to pay for the privilege.
Annette, if I wanted a Vanity Publisher, there are hundreds out there to choose from. I assumed after looking at your website that Austin and Macauley were a genuine and serious publisher, which is why I have been patient while you made your decision.
To be honest, even if I had the money I don't think I would take up your 'offer', especially as you point out that even if I made a contribution there is no guarantee that the book will be published.
I won't be continuing with you any further. Can I ask you to delete my manuscript, and I'll find myself a publisher who doesn't expect me to contribute towards the costs.
Regards
Tony Bell

Perhaps needless to say, they didn't reply.

Swamp Thing

Tony -

I hope this won't sour you to writing generally. For the vast majority of us, the act itself is all the reward we will ever see. Though I hope for more as I'm sure we all do.

Stick around and post some stuff, do some critiquing and banter in The Lounge (a major time suck if you let it).

As you've seen, there are a lot of good people here who have been through things and have your best interest at heart.

Keep writing,

ST

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Tony Bell

Hi SwampThing, and thanks...Yes, I'll keep going with my attempts at writing. As you said, there is that element of doing it for yourself, which is rewarding.
I'll have a look at the forum you mentioned.